Written by To quickly cover some injury updates: I’m going to call this good news although, depending on your attitude and viewpoint it could be called ‘bad news even if it’s not the worst news’. Joel Zumaya fractured a bone in his elbow on that throw last night and is done for the season. The reason I see it as good news is that a) no Tommy John surgery, b) bones actually heal faster than soft tissue with less lingering problems later and c) he really should be back and ready to pitch with his team next year. I wish him well and hope for a quick and easy recovery.
In Twins notes: JJ Hardy is ripping to get back on the field – he’s pain free and pushing the staff to let him come back before the schedule they had planned in advance. BREAKING NEWS: JJ will have his first rehab start on Wednesday! Casilla is also progressing and getting close to taking batting practice.
On to tonight’s game – I really do feel like this is a make or break start for Nick Blackburn. Given how much I like him as a pitcher and how much I like it when the Twins do well, I really hope his May form returns. *crosses fingers*
| Detroit | @ | Minnesota |
| Jackson, A, CF | Span, CF | |
| Damon, DH | Hudson, O, 2B | |
| Ordonez, RF | Mauer, C | |
| Cabrera, M, 1B | Morneau, 1B | |
| Boesch, LF | Kubel, RF | |
| Guillen, C, 2B | Cuddyer, 3B | |
| Inge, 3B | Thome, DH | |
| Avila, C | Young, D, LF | |
| Santiago, SS | Punto, SS | |
| Galarraga, P | Blackburn, P |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Detroit | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | x | 11 | 13 | 0 |
WOOOOOOWWWW!!!! YAY for a fantastic WIN! GREAT outting for Blackburn who probably kept his job with this outting. Feels good to have an offensive explosion to remind the boys that they do know how to do that.
Oh yeah, and how about Denard Span?!!??!?!?!!? I really don’t know how to talk about a Twin who hits THREE TRIPLES in one game. The last player to do that in MLB was Rafael Furcal in 2002 but the last TWIN to do it was Kenny Landreaux WAAAAAY back in 1980. And he now leads the American League with triples this year – 7 (so far 
)
Yeah, there was some great offense out there tonight but no one matches that tonight. Spanky is CLEARLY the BOD in unanimous vote of the chat!
I was looking for a way to email the knuckleballsblog authorities, but don’t seem to find a “contact us” link on the site . . . just sayin’
I would like to suggest that we award Babs the Knuckleballs “Sports Injury Call of the Day” for her prediction last night that Zamaya’s injury sounded like a break rather than a tear . . . The next time I suffer a sports injury, I will try to make sure to record it so Babs can diagnose it for me
I’ll be a little late tonight due to the latest kitchen project . . . . Hoping for a great start for Blackburn and the beginning of a rebound for the Twins!
dew
I certainly explains the extreme amount of pain he was in, as opposed to when the ligament goes. The problem I see is that with his velocity how won’t the bone be weakened? Is there a surgical repair involved? I just don’t see how he will be able to come back at the the same velocity.
Wish I could edit that for clarity…
we dont have a ‘contact us’ link? Hmmm… must be Babs or KL’s fault. I just work here!
The ‘official’ Knuckleballs email address is knuckleballs@knuckleballsblog. com.
We each do have our own Knuckleballs email addresses, too (mine is jimcrikket@knuckleballsblog.com) but of course that doesn’t mean we actually read emails when we get them!
yeah, um, well… the ‘contact us’ IS my fault and is in progress. I’m really very picky however and the widgets I’ve found available don’t quite work the way I would prefer. I’ll get one soon.
as for the bone, the way my family lives life, I have experienced a LOT of injuries first-hand. Some things you just don’t forget once you see them the first time! *laugh*
oh yeah, and it wasn’t that it SOUNDED like a bone issue – the way his hand was trembling is what made it LOOK like it was bone and not tendon. I am still just very glad that the prognosis for recovery is so good.
I’m not sure if they will do invasive surgery or not. They could put in a screw or two or they could just set it and sling it. It’s non-displaced so it’s in the general area it’s supposed to be and should just grow back together given time. I’m going to guess though that with the stress and pressure he puts on that elbow (breaking it in the first place), that he might get a couple screws.