Toronto Blue Jays: A Pitcher's Worst Nightmare

No, I don't meant that because they hit well. I mean that because they tend to injure arms. A lot. Here is a sampling of injuries that have taken place since 2006 to pitchers wearing a Toronto uniform.

Shaun Marcum: Marcum had a stellar start to his 2008 season before he suffered a dreaded arm injury. Marcum attempted to come back from it, only to suffer elbow pain and fall victim to the dreaded Tommy John surgery. He was 26 at the time of his injury, and is due back late this season.

Dustin McGowan: McGowan showed much promise and poise in the 2007 season, throwing 18 quality starts. Having a mid-90s fastball, he was seen as a great pitcher with a bright future. However, in 2008, he suffered fraying in his labrum, which is the ring of cartilidge around the edge of the shoulder. McGowan would undergo surgery. He has yet to pitch in 2009, and rotoworld reports that his career may be in jeopardy. He, too, was 26 at the time of his injury.

Casey Janssen: Janssen went 2-3 with a 2.35 ERA, six saves, a WHIP of 1.197, and a modest 4.8 Ks per 9 pitched Janssen would go on to miss all of 2008 with a torn labrum (He was 26 at the time of his injury). Janssen finally returned in May of 2009, and hasn't been the same since. His ERA has skyrocketed to 6.23, and his Ks per 9 has diminished to 3.8 while his WHIP has skyrocketed to 1.808.

B.J. Ryan: Ryan had a phenomenal 2005, making the All Star team (for the Orioles), and having an ERA of 2.43 while collecting 36 saves. That off season, he signed with the Blue Jays for a record five year, 47 million dollar deal. He certainly showed that he earned it in 2006, making a trip to the All Star game while recording a miniscule ERA of 1.37 and inceasing his saves total to 38. Then, it all went downhill. In 2007, Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery. In 2008, Ryan returned, recording 32 saves. However, Ryan returned to the DL in 2009, and lost the closers job to Scott Downs. Ryan was 31 at the time of his TJ surgery. Speaking of which...

Scott Downs: Scott Downs is currently on the DL with a sprained left toe that he sustained while running out a grounder. While this isn't a pitching sustained injury, it is still something that could have been avoided if management had made a better decision and not risked their closer to batting and running in a National League ballpark. Downs was 33 at the time of his injury.

Jesse Litsch: Litsch showed much promise in 2008, going 13-9 with a 3.58 ERA in 176 IP. He started off poorly in 2009, throwing only nine innings and giving up nine earned runs. He did have eight strikeouts, though. Litsch is currently done for the season, falling victim to the dreaded Tommy John surgery. He was 24 at the time of his injury.

Ricky Romero: Romero showed poise in his first few starts, before falling on the DL. Now, some of you may call this a cheap inclusion, since he strained his oblique while sneezing. But I felt I had to include it for the shear comedy of it. He, too, was 24 at the time of his injury.

Why is all of this relevant? BlueJays' ace Harry LeRoy Halladay is on the DL with a pulled groin. He's only been on the DL twice in his career for pitching-related injures (both in 2004, with his shoulder. I do not count his appendectomy in 2005). I think that Halladay's recent injury may be only the beginning for the Jays' ace.

In fairness, most of these injuries (we won't really count Ryan and Downs) have occurred in 2008 or 2009. What changed in Toronto? John Gibbons was manager until June 20, 2008. He can take credit for possibly overworking the young arms (Marcum threw 159 innings in 2007 and 151 and a third in 2008, Litsch threw 176 innings in 2008 at the tender age of 23, and McGowan threw 169.2 innings in 2007 and 111 and a third in 2008). Perhaps Cito Gaston, manager of the 92 and 93 World Series winning Blue Jays can right the ship. Or at least not be known as CITO: DESTROYER OF PITCHERS.