Did Pitching in the WBC Send Edinson Volquez to the Operating Room?

Edinson Volquez had Tommy John surgery yesterday in Cincinnati. The procedure was performed by Reds medical director, Dr. Tim Kremchek. Volquez is expected to miss about 12 months, but trainer Mark Mann said it would most likely be 2001 before we see the old Edinson Volquez.

Volquez pitched 196 innings for Cincinnati last season. He then played winter ball in the Dominican Republic before participating in the World Baseball Classic this spring.

The Reds did not want Volquez or Johnny Cueto to play winter ball after last season.  Apparently, that does not matter. Pitching coach Dick Pole provided both with a structured program.

Apparently, that doesn't matter either. In his first winter ball start, Volquez threw 99 pitches, nearly double what Pole's program called for.

Did the extra work cause the injury? I have no idea.

I do think that teams have a lot of money invested in players, and should have some say in what activities they can participate in during the offseason.

The Reds used to have a basketball team that traveled around during the winter. They would play at high schools to help raise money for various causes. The organization put a stop to it.

This is a tremendous blow for the Reds. I certainly think Homer Bailey will finish out the year in the rotation. However, due to injuries and inconsistent performance, a starting rotation that was supposed to be one of the strongest in the division now has some serious holes.