Kyle Drabek returns

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If you missed it, Kyle Drabek has returned to the mound after Tommy John surgery.

3 IP – 1 H – 0 ER – 0 BB – 0 K – 9:0 GB/FB

Welcome back Kyle.

41 thoughts on “Kyle Drabek returns”

  2. Fantastic! Welcome back Kyle, congrats on a speedy recovery. And 9 ground ball outs…wow. Did anyone who reads this site attend the game? How did he look?

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  5. It’ll be interesting to see how the Phils choose to ease Drabek back in. But very encouraging signs from today. Hopefully we get some word on how he looked velocity-wise, the number of pitches he threw, etc.

    Welcome back, Kyle.

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  6. wow this could be good news. temper this with one start but from my understanding TJ for whatever medical reason seems to sliglhtly increase velocity. Good to see and hope they don’t rush him too fast and risk a reoccurance. he’s young and a #1 pick. treat him that way. I’ll be happy to see him around 2012.

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  7. It doesn;t really “increase” velocity, its just a clean, undamaged ligament, which allows for optimum velocity. How long it remains a clean, undamaged ligament depends on various factors. But thats why the velocity often times spikes back up for pitchers after the surgery.

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  12. …I’d assume breaking pitches are limited which increases promise as it shows a good fastball with location, something some ML starters could use!

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  15. the increased speed comes, as pp said, from a new ligament being in the elbow. not only is it undamaged, the new ligament is tighter, allowing the elbow to snap a tad harder and tick up velocity (at least initially) a few mph

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  16. Great to see this guy back in action. Hopefully he remains healthy and lights the scene on fire next spring.

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  18. i have generally heard that the increase in velocity is due simply to the strenuous rehab. i mean, the fact that the ligament now is undamaged wouldn’t account for an increase in velocity from before there was an injury in the first place.

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  19. ah, yes, the fact that the ligament is new and tighter than the original would also be a factor.

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  20. TJ surgery…doesn’t sound like something I would want to have! I know a guy who had it, but because he didn’t have the correct ligament in his wrist, had to have one from a cadaver “installed” instead!

    But anyways congrats to Kyle. Can’t wait to see him mowing down more hitters in the future.

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  21. Its a combination of the rehab schedule along with the new ligament. Pitchers and baseball players in general take terrible care of their bodies.

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  22. am i crazy, or was this his second TJ in as many seasons? I know that was mathieson’s case, which is why i think i might just be confusing them

    regardless this is very encouraging, though as others have said, a small sample size. i can’t wait to see what this kid’s capable of.

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  23. no, this wasn’t his second TJ – he had it last year, but it takes about a year to recover from it

    – Jeff

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  24. touched 94. no walks. 9 ground outs. probably limited breaking pitch usage.

    amazing outing. holy crap.

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  27. 94 on the gun? Awesome!

    I think we need to listen to mike above and not get too excited. See you in 2012 Kyle.

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  28. Good first outing from Kyle…let’s hope he keeps it up and hopefully we’ll have a top line starter in a few years.

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  29. I think we all tended to forget about Kyle in our “prospects” expect for futurephillie but I think Kyle will progress nicely and by 2010 he will be knocking on the door.

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  30. Hmmm, 91-94 on first outing is encouraging. Can’t wait for him to build up arm strength and break down any remaining adhesions.

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  32. Start was in the GCL. Guessing they will keep him there so he remains close to their training facilities.

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  33. Kyle Drabek, the Phils’ No. 1 draft pick in 2006, returned from July 2007 Tommy John surgery to work three shutout innings in a Gulf Coast League game. The 20-year-old righty allowed just one hit, hit 94 mph, averaged 90-91 and didn’t walk a batter. On a pitch count of 45, Drabek needed just 31 to get through three innings. “We were hoping for two innings,” minor league pitching coordinator Gorman Heimueller said. “For his first time back, Kyle was very, very good.”

    http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/102-07312008-1570691.html

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  35. WOW. 31 pitches in 3 innings. When was the last time a phils prospect did that? If he keeps this up it will be difficult for us all to temper our enthusiasm.

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  36. i didn’t think that outing could get any better. then i see he throws 31 pitches in 3 innings of work? wowowow

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  37. Coming out of high school it was said he threw 93-95 in games and could dial it up to 97. However, a post on this website from Spring Training 2007 said he was throwing 88-89. Usually velocity is lower at the beginning of Spring, but he may already have been experiencing arm pain. Who knows.

    At any rate, the velocity he showed yesterday is very promising, especially if he can still throw his “spike” curve.

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  38. after TJ people usually throw a little bit harder because the ligament they use to repair the damaged one is smaller than the original. so imagine taking two rubber bands with one being slightly smaller and stretching them out the same distance and letting go and shooting them… the smaller one with more tension will go further… apply that to the arm and the smaller ligament stretched out the same distance will throw slightly harder

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  39. the spike in velocity after TJ can also be from the rigorous rehab and strengthening of the arm and new ligament

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  40. I heard coming out he was a cocky which is not all bad But when u lose something u work harder to get it back.
    good for him

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