That's what it felt like this year with regard to right-hander Joe Gardner, who after being taken in the 3rd round of the 2009 Draft out of UC-Santa Barbara and signing quickly he was never heard from again this season. He was expected to open the season at short-season Single-A Mahoning Valley and be one of the anchors of a strong starting pitching staff, a staff that in the end proved to be outstanding this year even without him there.
As it turns out, Gardner had a right rib cage injury that he suffered at the end of his college season this year. It was an injury that just kind of lingered and he could never really truly get back to 100% the entire summer. So instead of making his professional debut this year and getting some quality work and innings at Mahoning Valley, he in turn got a lot of work on the stationary bikes, treadmills, and weight machines out in Goodyear.
After all that rehab time he logged in the training room, Gardner has since been cleared to throw and was impressive in his limited game action in Instructional League. In his final outing on Wednesday he was sensational as he threw four perfect innings where he faced 12 batters and set each one down via either a strikeout (six) or groundout. Not one ball was put in play in the air or even as a line drive, and not even a foul ball was hit in the air.
“Things are going good," said an excited Gardner before his final outing of the Instructional League. "I am back, healed, and a 100%.”
After an outing like he had on Wednesday, it is certainly very encouraging to see and it makes you wonder what could have been had he not battled with the rib cage injury this summer and been able to pitch for Mahoning Valley. The injury was more precisely diagnosed as a strained right serratus anterior muscle, which is a muscle located in the upper-torso region near the armpit that is largely responsible for the protraction of the shoulder bones. The Indians were aware of the injury when they drafted and signed him, though both the Indians and Gardner did not think it would linger as long as it did.
“[The injury] happened in school during my last start," explained Gardner. "It was a little problem, and I didn’t think it would last that long, but I had a few setbacks along the way. I just rehabbed and have been strengthening up everything while I have been here. I feel stronger, and I feel fresh too. I feel like brand new since I have been throwing for the first time in a few months. I’m just ready to be out there and should be ready for spring coming up.”
Gardner looked in midseason form on Wednesday with a sinker that topped out at 94 MPH and was darting all over the place. Scouts and coaches from both teams came away very impressed with his outing, and there even a few "wow" looks around the field when his sinker seemingly just fell off a table a few times.
With Instructional League over, Gardner will go home for a few weeks to California and then report to the Indians academy out in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic for their Dominican Developmental League. For the past few years the Indians have sent two to three pitchers from the states to their developmental league in the Dominican Republic to not only get the pitchers some extra work, but also immerse them into the Latin culture and grow a better understanding of it. While out in the Dominican Republic he will continue to work on his four-seam fastball, which is a new pitch just added to his repertoire.
"[We aren't concentrating] on mechanics so much, but we are trying to work on a four-seam as I have always been a two-seam thrower," said Gardner. "I am developing that and I got a little touchy with it [in one of my games here] and kind of threw it over the middle 0-2 which wasn’t good. But that’s why I am here. I am still working on it and I hope to develop it a lot more this offseason. I am just adding it for more of a fastball away and something to elevate and use as an 0-2 pitch.”
When he returns from the Dominican Republic in mid-November, he will get right to work and start to get prepared for the 2010 season.
“I have been set up with a trainer and will probably work out five to six times a week to just get back in shape and stronger," said Gardner. "And I will continue throwing since I did not get to throw a lot the past few months.”
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3 comments:
The kid sounds impressive. Where do you think he starts next year?
Like others have mentioned... there's not a whole lot of spots open right now in the rotations in our minor league stops.
Where does Gardner look to start out at next season? Does he appear to be starting in the Kinston rotation with White?
Since Gardner did not throw a professional pitch at MV in 2009, I am thinking he won't start in Kinston. Though, if he continues to impress the front office like he did in his last start that could change quickly. I think he likley opens in Lake County to get his feet wet and could move to Kinston quickly (once De La or Hagadone move up to Akron).
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