See ya in 2013
To get Mark Ellis on the 40-man roster, left-hander Josh Outman went on the 60-day DL. That, combined with his visit tomorrow to Dr. James Andrews, signals a severe elbow injury. I'm told Tommy John surgery is considered a strong possibility but Andrews will provide the final answer on that. Recovery time is generally 12-18 months.
A power outage in Pleasanton meant that Josh Outman couldn't get a contrast MRI, and it has been scheduled for tomorrow. Obviously, he won't be starting, and either Edgar Gonzalez or Gio Gonzalez will. Because Outman won't be able to throw for at least three days after the MRI, doing the math, he's unlikely to make his next start, too. Here's guessing he's on hold for a while even if the MRI shows nothing major. Rest is likely to be the treatment should the MRI turn up nothing obvious. That's not based on anything we've been told, just from many years of covering arm issues, and I doubt the A's want to take any chances with their young starters.
If Outman is to miss more than one start, Gio Gonzalez would be more likely than Edgar G., keeping the latter in long relief and giving Gio G. yet another shot in the rotation considering how well he's been pitching at Triple-A Sacramento.
Showcasing a deep repertoire (a 93 MPH fastball, 82 MPH slider, 77 MPH curve and an 82 MPH changeup), (Josh) Outman has punched out 7.04 batters per nine innings. His control, while not poor, is still occasionally a problem (3.69 BB/9, with 47.7% of his pitches catching the plate; the MLB average is 49.1%). An extreme flyball pitcher (34 GB%), Outman has surrendered 1.17 homers per nine innings, and he has benefitted from a .242 BABIP. While his ERA looks outstanding, his FIP checks in at a useful-but-not-superhuman 4.50.
While he’s not likely to continue posting an ERA in the low-three’s, there’s a good deal to like about Outman. A lefty who cooks on an open flame, Outman also possesses two quality offspeed offerings: his slider has been worth a superb +4.70 runs per 100 pitches, while his changeup has been +1.42 runs per 100 tosses.
