Back spasms, we can deal with. Busted shoulder or elbow, we can't.

Definitely the best kind of bad news for a starting pitcher. I'm listening to the Marlins' broadcast and the first thing they mentioned was him favoring his arm. Thankfully, it's not that.

Here's hoping he'll recover before his turn in the rotation. No harm in giving Mr. Lannan a chance to toe the rubber either.

We're just one week away!

One thing that Tim Redding's back spasms remind me of. We can say what we want about Odalis Perez, but he did show between 2002- 2004 that he can go to the post 30 times in a year for several seasons in a row and throw 180-200 innings. Everyone else in this rotation is VERY fragile. Even Chico had to be sent down last August with arm fatigue.

Oh and another thing. Another National goes down with a muscular injury. Back spasms are often the result of poor conditioning. Training staff? Where are you?

"Big week ahead, with our baseball preview section coming out Wednesday -- a Nats-centric section, to be sure"

Oh, really? Not almost-but-not-quite equal time for the Orioles, as has been the case each of the last three years? Pardon me, but I'll believe it when I see it.

#4 - You'll be interested in this clip about Mike Pagliarulo's analysis of pitching motions. Clipped from Nick Cafadro's Notes column in the Globe (Boston.com):

"The mechanical man

"If I were running an organization, Mike Pagliarulo would be one of my highest-ranking officials. The former Yankee third baseman has done an exhaustive study of the medical risks associated with pitchers and come up with a Proper Pitching Mechanics formula, which identifies and measures 30 reference points in six stages of the pitching motion. Based on his formula, he considers Manny Delcarmen a 'high risk' for injury. 'Delcarmen's third stage out of the six pitching stages is most out of whack,' Pagliarulo concluded. 'The third stage has to do with arm extension in the back, otherwise known as the timing of taking the ball out of the glove properly. Delcarmen does two things wrong here. First, he takes the ball out of his glove too late. Second, he 'short-arms' his arm circle in the back.'"

Hmm, it seems to be mostly pitchers that are getting muscle, tendon etc. injuries. Above and beyond the trainers and conditioners (which I assume they have a ton of.) Is it something being done by the Saint?

PTBNL:

Thanks for this link. The person whom I have heard speak most authoritatively on this issue is the Head Baseball Coach at Amherst College, Bill Thurston. I've heard him predict specific arm injuries for pro and amateur pitchers two or three in advance. There is definitely a science to what he and Pagliarulo do.

SFfan:

I'm not sure I agree with you. The muscle injuries have been equal opportunity - pitcher and position players.

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