Blue Jays won’t rush RHP McGowan
February 28, 2010
DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP)—Dustin McGowan(notes) was pitching to major league hitters onSunday for the first time in more than a year and a half.
Making Toronto’s opening-day roster is not a priority for the Blue Jays—and shouldn’t be for McGowan either.
“We’ve talked to him about it. That date is non-existent for us with him,”general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. “If it happens to fall on that date,great. If it happens a week later, that’s fine as well, even three month afterthat.
“This is a young guy who certainly has a great chance to be part of thisorganization for a long time and we want to make sure we get it right and nottake any chances.”
The 27-year-old last pitched on July 8, 2008, removed early in a gameagainst Baltimore with a sore right shoulder. Two days later he went on thedisabled list and underwent surgery July 31 to repair fraying of the labrum. Itfinished him for that season and last year’s as well. Then on July 9, 2009, hehad surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his right knee, delaying hisrehabilitation by about six weeks.
McGowan was scheduled to throw only in the bullpen on Sunday, without facingbatters, “but I talked with (pitching coach) Bruce Walton,” Anthopoulos said,“and our trainer signed off on it, and Dustin felt good and wanted to throw tohitters. We didn’t have a problem with it.”
McGowan said he threw 25-30 pitches in the bullpen and about 20 to batters.
“Actually, to tell you the truth, I was a little nervous all last night,”he said. “I didn’t know what to expect. But we didn’t call any inside pitches.I was just trying to get a feel for pitching again and just finding the plate.
“The important thing is that I got to do it and everything felt good. Ienjoyed it, having fun again.”
A couple of batters made McGowan look good, but he shrugged that off,saying, “They didn’t swing too much. That’s not their job right now.”
Manager Cito Gaston said getting McGowan back on the mound against hitterswas an important step.
“Big time, Gaston said. “He was one of the guys I really wanted to go overand watch. … So far, man, good. It would be really great if he could break(camp) with us. If he can’t, say a week or two later, whatever, we want him notto rush himself, but we want him to know how bad we want him.
“He’s a kid I’ve been pulling for, hard,” Gaston added. “You’d love tosee this kid have a career and not end it by having a bad arm. He’s someone Ithink of often as far as hoping he’ll get back, not so much for this team ormyself as for himself and his family.”
NOTES: OF Vernon Wells(notes) gets a check today for $8.5 million, the final thirdof the $25.5 million signing bonus the Blue Jays gave him in December 2006 whenhe agreed to a seven-year $126 million contract extension. … INF/DH RandyRuiz(notes), who wore No. 3 when he was a late-season call-up in 2009, gave the numberto 11-year veteran newcomer Alex Gonzalez, who wore it with the Red Sox lastyear. Ruiz now has No. 21.
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