Jose Parra is going to have Tommy John surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his pitching elbow.
I know, no big deal: Despite having a fairly inoffensive cup of coffee for us back in '04, it wasn't likely Parra was going to find a spot on our club this year. And it's not like he's Philip Humber, whose Tommy John surgery came as a punch in the gut. He's a 33-year-old right-handed reliever with a 6.09 career ERA, a commodity that pretty much does grow on trees.
But, a moment's reflection before we hurtle on with the business of Port St. Lucie and 2006: He's a 33-year-old right-handed reliever with a 6.09 career ERA.
Read that from Jose Parra's perspective. When that description fits you, nobody's going to give you much of a look even without a year on the shelf. The man has all of 82 games in the big leagues in parts of five seasons with five teams. He got one bubble-gum card an age ago when he was young and might conceivably amount to something. He's gone to the Mexican League to get the pilot light on his career to flicker back on; last year he was an Orix Buffalo, and got sent home in June with damaged ligaments. (Apparently the rest cure didn't work.)
From spare part to injured spare part with his 35th birthday in sight. That's it for Jose Parra, even in this age of medical marvels. I hope he invested his money wisely.
OK, moment over. Back to Jorge Julio and Chad Bradford and Duaner Sanchez and Juan Padilla and Heath Bell and Royce Ring and Pedro Feliciano and everybody else still in the mix. But as we figure out whatever fate awaits them, it's worth remembering that even though the major-league minimum is a paycheck we'd love to collect, this is a tough business.
Are you trying to imply these guys are people and not just commodities? You're growin' soft in my old age.
where is Bartolome Fortunato????
In camp as far as we know, presumably recovered what ailed him in 2005.