Spring Training didn’t go quite as well for Jeff Francis. While a few days of strong performances raised hope of a clear chit for the Colorado Rockies’ left-hand pitcher, videotapes revealed a completely different story altogether.
Francis had amassed 17 wins in 2007 but dropped to a dismal 4-10 win-loss ration while his ERA rose to 5.01 in 2008. He will be undergoing arthroscopic surgery to determine the exact extent of the damage. The Rockies’ medical director, Dr. Thomas Noonan, will perform the procedure and recovery is generally said to take around 6 to 12 months. This means that in all true senses, Francis will not throw another pitch this season.
“It’s obviously a bad time of year to be making a decision like this, but it’s a necessary one,” Francis said. “I’m not going to be the pitcher I know I can be [without surgery], and I wasn’t last year. And from what I saw on the tape, I wasn’t even close.”
In 2008, Francis had another meeting with the disabled list when he was put on it for a bad shoulder. His season had ended prematurely hoping that some R’n’R might help avoid a surgical procedure but as things stand, they weren’t of much help. There was some light at the end of the tunnel after Francis felt better with more pitching time during spring training and there were chances that the operation may be pushed off to the end of the season.
“I was happy to be in the good weather,” Francis said, chuckling. “It had been a drastic change from what it had been.”
However, a 25-pitch session later, Francis realized that the light at the end of the tunnel was an oncoming locomotive.
Videotapes showed a number of compromises being made on the arm angle to throw pitches painlessly, thus decreasing arm speed. This was conclusive evidence that the operation was required to address the pain that originates in his biceps tendon and runs down along the arm. Surgery will be required to determine the exact cause of concern in the injury.