Dr. James Andrews is a world-class surgeon. He is highly sought after, particularly by pitchers; particularly to perform the Tommy John procedure. But, he warns, it is not a miracle. What is this new and dangerous addiction and what exactly is Dr. Andrews' reason for refusing so many patients?
The Tommy John surgery, named for the Major League pitcher who was the first recipient, was first performed by Frank Jobe in 1974 (Grantland.com). Since then it has been perfected by Andrews. There have been numerous success stories detailing sustained and even improved careers after undergoing the so-called miracle surgery. But it is not a magic pill, and Andrews sees the growing number of players looking for an easy fix as an alarming trend(via CBS Sports):
"In an oblique way this is Andrews' fault, because he's so good at his job... and his patients climb off the operating table and go to the All-Star Game... It's not that easy, of course, but pitchers -- especially the young ones, pushed into Dr. Andrews' office by their parents -- don't understand. They read about Stephen Strasburg...
"'The ones we have the most trouble with are high school players, sophomores and juniors,' Dr. Andrews says. 'They're worried about their career and going to college, or worried about getting drafted out of high school, and their parents are pushing. I could take a kid like that and have him ready for surgery in 15 or 20 minutes.'"
Apparently the real reason for the success of so many Tommy John patients is the strenuous rehab program that focuses on sound technique and overall athletic and physical wellness.
What do you think?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
© 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
