Post by Fish Troll on Feb 25, 2007 10:40:22 GMT -5
Clement aiming to pitch this season
Right-hander was 5-5 with a 6.61 ERA and 43 strikeouts in '06
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When Red Sox right-hander Matt Clement lost his durability last summer, he almost felt as if his identity went with it.
"I think over time the one thing I took a lot of pride in was I always made all my starts," Clement said. "I was blessed and lucky enough through the Minors not missing any starts; through the Majors until last year, I had seven years in a row at 30-plus starts. I think I brainwashed myself where it was like, no matter what I felt, I was going out there to pitch. I was going to figure out a way to drag my butt out on the mound and pitch."
And then, after an ill-fated start at Minnesota on June 14, he just couldn't do it anymore.
Clement would have felt better if he had just known why he couldn't pitch. Though he didn't know what was wrong, Clement did know this: Nothing felt right about his shoulder.
He tried every rehab trick in the book for three solid months before finally giving up hope on Sept. 22. That was when Clement was supposed to throw a side session in Toronto. Those plans were scrapped when his arm immediately told him during warmups to forget about it.
Distraught, Clement packed his stuff and went to Birmingham, Ala., where he had a consultation with Dr. James Andrews, one of the most renowned orthopedists in the history of sports.
Initially, even Andrews didn't get a clear read on what was going on with Clement. He passed the strength tests. Clement's MRI exam didn't look all that out of the ordinary for a man closing in on 1,500 innings.
It was then that Andrews recommended arthroscopic surgery. At least then he could get inside Clement's shoulder and pinpoint the problem.
Six incisions and several hours later, it was clear that Clement's right shoulder was worse than anyone could have known. Damage was repaired in both Clement's labrum and rotator cuff.
"It was a scope, that was the best news about the whole thing," said Clement. "There's a bunch of holes in there. I woke up and he told me everything I had wrong, and I was like, 'Geez.' I was half out of it, thinking, 'I'm in pretty big trouble here.' He said, 'No, I did a heck of a job on that arm; you're going to be fine.'"
Back then, Clement could kind of hear what Andrews was saying. Five months later, he actually believes it.
After several months of grueling rehab, Clement is to the point where he feels that he has an entirely realistic goal for 2007.
"I plan to pitch this year," Clement said. "For me to sit here and say, 'I'm going to pitch this date' would be ridiculous right now. I think that the staff here and everybody else agree that me pitching this year isn't going to be a lost cause."
For inspiration, Clement looks to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Brees underwent an eerily similar surgery from Dr. Andrews following the 2005 season, and then produced one of the best seasons of his life, steering the Saints to the NFC Championship Game.
"I became more of a fan of his, that's for sure," Clement said. "I threw a football card that my son got of his up on my wall in my room just for kind of a motivation, knowing that he was able to come through it. Obviously, it wasn't a 100-pitch workload at full speed every throw, but he was able to do it relatively quick and able to accomplish more than anybody ever dreamed he would ever again -- let alone that quickly."
The next significant step toward Clement's goal should come at some point next week, when he puts a baseball in his right hand and throws it.
For most people, that is an act that can be taken for granted. For Clement, it is a moment he's been anticipating for months.
"One of my goals, for my own sanity, was to be able to throw in Spring Training so I could at least feel like I'm doing a baseball activity," Clement said.
After some flat-ground work, Clement will eagerly await clearance to begin throwing off a mound.
Baseball will be nice when you consider that surgery left Clement's right arm in a sling for six weeks. After those six weeks were through, Clement rehabbed his shoulder pretty much every day for the rest of the winter.
In an ironic twist that benefited Clement greatly, the assistant trainer for the Red Sox is Mike Reinold, who used to work directly for Dr. Andrews.
"It was therapy every day," Clement said. "The only day I missed was the day before we flew [to Spring Training]. From the get-go, I did whatever Mike would let me max at.
"The way I approached him was, 'Tell me what I can max do here -- not less -- and I won't do any more. Tell me the max.' And I did it. It was a little strenuous on my family -- put the kids to bed and then go do another therapy session."
The best way that you can tell Clement is rehabbing nicely is that he is smiling again. That smile was absent for most of 2006.
Sure, he heard the criticism that his injuries were in his head and that he was milking his time on the disabled list. That stung him a little.
"The part that disappointed me was that my track record wasn't to fake it, wasn't to miss starts," Clement said. "To have that even be a thought, I guess, was the only part of the whole issue that ... it disappointed me. The one thing I always hung my hat on was, I went out there every fifth day. To have the one time I've ever sniffed the DL, and all of a sudden I'm faking it? I thought it was an incorrect way to analyze me. But having surgery and a rehab isn't vindication for anything."
Instead, it was the necessary means to get him back to what he loves doing, which is pitching.
Forget about the fact that Clement will be eligible for free agency at the end of 2007. He has a far more meaningful reason to climb back on that mound.
"I have all the motivation in the world," Clement said. "I have two little boys at home; I want to make sure they remember me playing Major League Baseball. That's more motivating than a contract or being a free agent or anything else. Things could be worse."
After opening the 2005 season with a 10-2 mark, things have generally gone bad for Clement in Boston. He was struck in the head by that Carl Crawford line drive; he got batted around in the Division Series opener at Chicago later in the 2005 postseason; and then there was the lost summer of 2006.
But Clement, much to the surprise of his critics, has no second thoughts about the three-year deal he signed with the Red Sox in December 2004.
"I guess people think that just because you try to carry yourself in the right manner and be polite means you can't take criticism," Clement said. "You get into this game, you're going to get criticized. The one thing that half-prepared me was I was criticized in Chicago for three years, too, and had good years.
"It's part of the game. People want to win, the media is larger, everything is more magnified. That's why I came here. I wanted a chance to win. I made my decision and there's no turning back."
Instead, Clement looks forward to the day when he can once again take the ball every fifth day.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Right-hander was 5-5 with a 6.61 ERA and 43 strikeouts in '06
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When Red Sox right-hander Matt Clement lost his durability last summer, he almost felt as if his identity went with it.
"I think over time the one thing I took a lot of pride in was I always made all my starts," Clement said. "I was blessed and lucky enough through the Minors not missing any starts; through the Majors until last year, I had seven years in a row at 30-plus starts. I think I brainwashed myself where it was like, no matter what I felt, I was going out there to pitch. I was going to figure out a way to drag my butt out on the mound and pitch."
And then, after an ill-fated start at Minnesota on June 14, he just couldn't do it anymore.
Clement would have felt better if he had just known why he couldn't pitch. Though he didn't know what was wrong, Clement did know this: Nothing felt right about his shoulder.
He tried every rehab trick in the book for three solid months before finally giving up hope on Sept. 22. That was when Clement was supposed to throw a side session in Toronto. Those plans were scrapped when his arm immediately told him during warmups to forget about it.
Distraught, Clement packed his stuff and went to Birmingham, Ala., where he had a consultation with Dr. James Andrews, one of the most renowned orthopedists in the history of sports.
Initially, even Andrews didn't get a clear read on what was going on with Clement. He passed the strength tests. Clement's MRI exam didn't look all that out of the ordinary for a man closing in on 1,500 innings.
It was then that Andrews recommended arthroscopic surgery. At least then he could get inside Clement's shoulder and pinpoint the problem.
Six incisions and several hours later, it was clear that Clement's right shoulder was worse than anyone could have known. Damage was repaired in both Clement's labrum and rotator cuff.
"It was a scope, that was the best news about the whole thing," said Clement. "There's a bunch of holes in there. I woke up and he told me everything I had wrong, and I was like, 'Geez.' I was half out of it, thinking, 'I'm in pretty big trouble here.' He said, 'No, I did a heck of a job on that arm; you're going to be fine.'"
Back then, Clement could kind of hear what Andrews was saying. Five months later, he actually believes it.
After several months of grueling rehab, Clement is to the point where he feels that he has an entirely realistic goal for 2007.
"I plan to pitch this year," Clement said. "For me to sit here and say, 'I'm going to pitch this date' would be ridiculous right now. I think that the staff here and everybody else agree that me pitching this year isn't going to be a lost cause."
For inspiration, Clement looks to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Brees underwent an eerily similar surgery from Dr. Andrews following the 2005 season, and then produced one of the best seasons of his life, steering the Saints to the NFC Championship Game.
"I became more of a fan of his, that's for sure," Clement said. "I threw a football card that my son got of his up on my wall in my room just for kind of a motivation, knowing that he was able to come through it. Obviously, it wasn't a 100-pitch workload at full speed every throw, but he was able to do it relatively quick and able to accomplish more than anybody ever dreamed he would ever again -- let alone that quickly."
The next significant step toward Clement's goal should come at some point next week, when he puts a baseball in his right hand and throws it.
For most people, that is an act that can be taken for granted. For Clement, it is a moment he's been anticipating for months.
"One of my goals, for my own sanity, was to be able to throw in Spring Training so I could at least feel like I'm doing a baseball activity," Clement said.
After some flat-ground work, Clement will eagerly await clearance to begin throwing off a mound.
Baseball will be nice when you consider that surgery left Clement's right arm in a sling for six weeks. After those six weeks were through, Clement rehabbed his shoulder pretty much every day for the rest of the winter.
In an ironic twist that benefited Clement greatly, the assistant trainer for the Red Sox is Mike Reinold, who used to work directly for Dr. Andrews.
"It was therapy every day," Clement said. "The only day I missed was the day before we flew [to Spring Training]. From the get-go, I did whatever Mike would let me max at.
"The way I approached him was, 'Tell me what I can max do here -- not less -- and I won't do any more. Tell me the max.' And I did it. It was a little strenuous on my family -- put the kids to bed and then go do another therapy session."
The best way that you can tell Clement is rehabbing nicely is that he is smiling again. That smile was absent for most of 2006.
Sure, he heard the criticism that his injuries were in his head and that he was milking his time on the disabled list. That stung him a little.
"The part that disappointed me was that my track record wasn't to fake it, wasn't to miss starts," Clement said. "To have that even be a thought, I guess, was the only part of the whole issue that ... it disappointed me. The one thing I always hung my hat on was, I went out there every fifth day. To have the one time I've ever sniffed the DL, and all of a sudden I'm faking it? I thought it was an incorrect way to analyze me. But having surgery and a rehab isn't vindication for anything."
Instead, it was the necessary means to get him back to what he loves doing, which is pitching.
Forget about the fact that Clement will be eligible for free agency at the end of 2007. He has a far more meaningful reason to climb back on that mound.
"I have all the motivation in the world," Clement said. "I have two little boys at home; I want to make sure they remember me playing Major League Baseball. That's more motivating than a contract or being a free agent or anything else. Things could be worse."
After opening the 2005 season with a 10-2 mark, things have generally gone bad for Clement in Boston. He was struck in the head by that Carl Crawford line drive; he got batted around in the Division Series opener at Chicago later in the 2005 postseason; and then there was the lost summer of 2006.
But Clement, much to the surprise of his critics, has no second thoughts about the three-year deal he signed with the Red Sox in December 2004.
"I guess people think that just because you try to carry yourself in the right manner and be polite means you can't take criticism," Clement said. "You get into this game, you're going to get criticized. The one thing that half-prepared me was I was criticized in Chicago for three years, too, and had good years.
"It's part of the game. People want to win, the media is larger, everything is more magnified. That's why I came here. I wanted a chance to win. I made my decision and there's no turning back."
Instead, Clement looks forward to the day when he can once again take the ball every fifth day.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070223&content_id=1813312&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnered=rss_mlb
