SB Nation Minnesota - Joel Zumaya Injury: Twins Officially Release Injured Pitcherhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48959/mn-fave.png2012-03-28T07:56:44-05:00http://minnesota.sbnation.com/rss/stream/25878912012-03-28T07:56:44-05:002012-03-28T07:56:44-05:00Twins Officially Release Injury-Plagued Joel Zumaya
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<p>The Joel Zumaya saga has ended with a whimper in Minnesota.<a href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/144591825.html"> As reported by the Star Tribune </a>on Wednesday morning, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> have officially released the injury plagued right hander after he tore his UCL, ending his season before it began.</p>
<p>The Twins could always re-sign him next season but for this year he was dead weight on the roster as spring training started to wind down. After being released during yet another long injury, Zumaya might just decide to call it quits on his career, a long and frustrating but potential filled career. It's an incredibly sad potential ending to the 27 year old right handers time in MLB, having not pitched in a major league game at this point since 2010.</p>
<p>Zumaya was set to make $850 thousand with the Twins in 2012.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com">Twinkie Town.</a> For more on Major League Baseball in general, head over to <a href="http://baseballnation.com">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/3/28/2908085/joel-zumaya-released-twinsChris White2012-02-27T07:26:46-06:002012-02-27T07:26:46-06:00Joel Zumaya Injury Update: Twins Pitcher Considering His Future After Torn UCL Is Revealed
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<p><span>Joel Zumaya</span> has had a career full of blazing fastballs but also a career full of injuries, a risk that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> knew when they picked him up. After only 13 pitches at spring training, a torn UCL was revealed, the latest in a frustrating set of injuries in the past few years for the starting pitcher.</p>
<p>Now <a href="http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/MRI_reveals_torn_ulnar_collateral_ligament_for_Joel_Zumaya022612">according to ESPN</a>, Zumaya is considering ending his career outright rather than go through Tommy John Surgery, which would be his sixth arm surgery in as many years.</p>
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<p>"I think it's more whether or not he wants to continue the battle," Ryan said.<br><br>"He's out for the season; there's no doubt about that. It's just going to be a preference on what he wants to do. Once he settles in and talks to his family and all that stuff that comes with a decision."</p>
Ryan said Zumaya will come back to Hammond Stadium in the next day or two and evaluate his options.</blockquote>
<p>With Zumaya out for the entire season because of that torn UCL, look for guys like <span>Anthony Swarzak</span> to get magnified roles on the team in 2012. If Zumaya decides to not come back at all, there will need to be a full on spreading of the load he was expected to take for years to come.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://www.twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. For more on Major League Baseball in general, head over to <a href="http://www.baseballnation.com">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/2/27/2827665/joel-zumaya-injury-update-torn-ucl-minnesota-twinsChris White2012-02-26T12:22:24-06:002012-02-26T12:22:24-06:00Joel Zumaya Injury: Pitcher Has Torn UCL, Tommy John Surgery Next
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<div style="text-align: left;">The bad news just keeps on coming for Joel Zumaya and the Minnesota Twins. It has been confirmed that the right-hander has a torn UCL, via <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/pmac21">Phil Mackey</a>.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">Joel Zumaya's MRI revealed a torn UCL. <a data-query-source="hashtag_click" title="#Twins" href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23Twins"><s>#</s><b>Twins</b></a>
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<p>So what does that mean? Well, Zumaya will need to undergo the dreaded Tommy John surgery, via <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/APkrawczynski" data-user-id="38251431">Jon Krawczynski</a><b>.</b></p>
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<p>What everyone feared: torn UCL for Zumaya. Tommy John surgery up next. <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23Twins" title="#Twins" data-query-source="hashtag_click"><s>#</s><b>Twins</b></a></p>
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<p>The MRI results have confirmed the worst-case scenario for Zumaya, who has had two surgeries on the right elbow in the past. With his injury history, the road to a comeback for Zumaya will surely be a long and difficult path. For the Twins, this news is particularly bad, as the team will now need to scramble to fill a major gap in the bullpen.</p>
<p><i style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; ">For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #113d85; font-weight: bold; " href="http://twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #113d85; font-weight: bold; " href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/2/26/2826029/joel-zumaya-injury-minnesota-twins-Alex Boeder2012-02-25T18:08:14-06:002012-02-25T18:08:14-06:00Joel Zumaya Injury: If Elbow Pain Is Serious, There's Not Many Options For Replacement
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> are dealing with injury concerns and the season hasn't even begun. It's no surprise that the injury concerns are related to <span>Joel Zumaya</span> and some right elbow pain. There's no news just yet on the severity of the injury, as MRI results are expected on Sunday. Zumaya was set to be a big part of the Twins' rotation, as a bridge between the starters and closers in the seventh and eighth innings.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Twins don't necessarily have anybody ready to step into that role if Zumaya's injury turns out to be a serious one. He's had two surgeries on the right elbow in the past, and could have a long way to go in recovering from a potential third. With 33 pitchers set for camp, the Twins still don't have anyone with quite the ability (or rather, proven ability) to step into his role.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Notebook_If_Zumayas_injury_is_serious_its_unclear_whod_step_up022512" target="_blank">ESPN Twin Cities</a> took a look at the potential replacements and came up with the same diagnosis: it's not looking good.</p>
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<p>But of all the pitchers mentioned above, only Duensing, Bulger, Vasquez, Swarzak and Burton have thrown more than 120 career innings in the major leagues. Most of Burton's came prior to 2010, and most of Bulger's came three seasons ago, in 2009. ... There's a difference between a serviceable sixth-inning reliever and a reliever who can shut down top lineups in the seventh and eighth innings as a bridge to <span>Matt Capps</span>. Zumaya, if healthy, can shut down good lineups.</p>
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<p><span>Anthony Swarzak</span> is likely the guy they'll really look at to step up, along with <span>Jared Burton</span>, <span>Brian Duensing</span>, and <span>Alex Burnett</span>. Those are guys that general manager Terry Ryan has said are the guys most likely to step up. Unfortunately, none of them really inspire confidence in that vein.</p>
<p>In short, the Twins really need Zumaya to be healthy, and if he has to miss time, it really needs to be a short amount. It's possible that somebody steps up and things get going better than expected, but it's not the likeliest of scenarios.</p>
<p><span id="internal-source-marker_0.27083734795451164"><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></span></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/2/25/2824506/joel-zumaya-injury-surgery-replacement-minnesota-twinsJames Brady2012-02-25T11:47:19-06:002012-02-25T11:47:19-06:00Joel Zumaya Injury: Elbow The Latest Ailment For New Minnesota Twins Reliever
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<p>It's not exactly news of the surprising sort, but the <span>Joel Zumaya</span> era is off to a familiar start. The newly-acquired reliever for the <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Twins</a> suffered an apparent elbow injury on Saturday as he faced batters for the first time in Spring Training.</p>
<p>Zumaya was scheduled for a practice session to face live batters for the first time in a Twins uniform, but after about 15 pitches against <span>Drew Butera</span>, he walked off the mound with head trainer Rick McWane. It's not guaranteed that it's an elbow injury <i>or </i>anything serious, but the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/140421013.html">Star Tribune reports that things could shake out that way</a>.</p>
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<p>Zumaya appeared frustrated in the clubhouse and declined to speak with reporters. Zumaya has had two surgeries on his elbow since fracturing it during a game at Target Field in 2010.</p>
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<p>Zumaya's had a terrible history with arm injuries, but <a target="_blank" href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/1/15/2710095/the-crazy-injury-history-of-joel-zumaya/in/2587891">the weirdest had to be the much-talked about Guitar Hero incident</a> a few seasons ago. Hopefully Saturday's injury won't be as bad.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/2/25/2823855/joel-zumaya-injury-elbow-twins-spring-trainingScott Schroeder2012-01-15T20:54:39-06:002012-01-15T20:54:39-06:00The Crazy Injury History Of Joel Zumaya
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<p>The <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Twins</a> signed relief pitcher <span>Joel Zumaya</span> to a one-year, incentive-laden contract on Sunday. The reason that it's so incentive-laden is because Zumaya, to put it mildly, has a bit of an injury history. Not all of those injuries have been pitching-related, however.</p>
<p>In the months after the 2007 season, Zumaya injured his shoulder while helping his father move boxes out of his attic because a fire was approaching the area. A box weighing 50 or 60 pounds fell on his pitching shoulder, separating it and keeping him out until late June of 2008.</p>
<p>But the most infamous of Zumaya's injuries would have to be the one that sidelined him for the 2006 American League Championship Series with a sore wrist. The nature of the injury wasn't revealed at the time, but <a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Tigers</a>' General Manager Dave Dombrowski disclosed during an off-season interview that the source of Zumaya's injuries was. . .that he played too much of the PlayStation 2 game <i>Guitar Hero</i>, causing the injury to his wrist.</p>
<p>To his credit, the injury did get Zumaya a spot. . .sort of. . .in the XBox 360 version of <i>Guitar Hero II</i>, where the credits contained the following message:</p>
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<p><i>No pitchers were harmed in the making of this game. Except for one. Joel Zumaya. He had it coming.</i></p>
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<p>So maybe the best thing for Zumaya now that he's a member of the Twins would be to keep him away from the PlayStation and putting a clause in his contract prohibiting him from helping people move or something.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/1/15/2710095/the-crazy-injury-history-of-joel-zumayaChristopher Gates2012-01-15T14:08:29-06:002012-01-15T14:08:29-06:00MLB Free Agency Rumors: Joel Zumaya Agrees To Deal With Minnesota Twins
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<p>Free agent flame thrower, <span>Joel Zumaya</span>, who has battled an array of arm injuries since making his MLB debut in 2006, has <a href="http://beck.mlblogs.com/2012/01/15/zumaya-agrees-to-deal-with-twins/" target="_blank">agreed to join his former team's biggest rival</a> in the Central Division, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a>: </p>
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<p>After throwing for teams in December and holding out for a roster spot and the right situation, Zumaya has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins, the reliever told MLB.com. The two sides spent Saturday putting together a deal that could pay him anywhere from $800,000 to $1.7 million if he reaches incentives.</p>
<p>A Twins official would neither confirm nor deny the deal to MLB.com, but said they’ve been in negotiations since December.</p>
<p>Zumaya weighed what he called "good offers" from three other clubs, but the Twins included guaranteed money rather than a minor-league deal with a Spring Training invite.</p>
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<p>Zumaya's last pitch was in a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Tigers</a> uniform at Target Field where he fractured his elbow on a pitch in June 2010. Zumaya made attempts to pitch last season, but the screws that were placed in his elbow were causing discomfort and ultimately shut him down for the season. If healthy, he's amongst the elite, but he's rarely been the former. Before being injured in 2010 he had 34 strike outs in over 38 innings and a 2.58 ERA.</p>
<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com/" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #113d85; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/" style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #113d85; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></span></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/1/15/2709371/mlb-free-agency-rumors-joel-zumaya-minnesota-twins-contractPackey