Dustin McGowan: Can you have season-ending surgery -- twice?

This morning in the course of his daily briefing, Jays' manager Cito Gaston casually mentioned knee surgery to starting pitcher Dustin McGowan. There was a pause in the conversation.

The club had never announced that the already injured right-hander blew his left knee out working out in Dunedin and that July 9 surgery had been performed by Dr. Steve Mirabello.

Double jeopardy for the hard-luck McGowan. He had already been pronounced out for the season because of a slow bounceback from debridement surgery performed last July 31, so one assumes the club just didn't think it important for fans to know.

"He just blew his knee out running. It's not a setback," GM J.P. Ricciardi opined, sounding for all the world like the "dangerous-toy" president, a character on Saturday Night Live in the '80s. "Six weeks on his knee it's going to set him back."

Who's his personal trainer? Jeff Gilhooly?

"He's like John Travolta's Bubble Boy. He just can't stay healthy," Ricciardi said.

McGowan, after originally being expected to come back some time in June, had long ago been written off as a possibility for pitching any time in 2009. The best-case scenario is that he will be able to participate in some capacity at spring training next year.

Comments

[kdrops]

Richard:
You would gain some credibility in your stories if you were not so obviously anti-JP.
Halladay wants to test free-agency is a valid reason to try and get something for him rather than risk him walking away.
There is no hidden agenda and yet you try and create one.
McGowan hurts his knee; no big story whether reported or not.
It'll give his arm some extra time to heal.
Try being more objective in the future.

[WBB]

I'm a pretty big Halladay fan and a Jays fan too. But the pragmatic in me offers up this suggestion: can't the Jays actually be better having traded Halladay? I was reading a post done by a fantasy baseball analyst and offered up a suggestion that if he were to trade Halladay for a number of MLB-ready hitters and/or pitchers that his overall team could be better off. I know he was speaking in fantasy terms, but this could work for the Jays too. They have obvious depth problems with the offense and, because of injuries to the pitching, somemwhat of a void there too. Trading the BEST PITCHER IN BASEBALL (sorry Johan, CC, Freak, Grienke) could net in a better team.

P.S. Sad to hear McGowan won't be back this year. He showed some real promise two seasons ago. I hope he gets healthy and contributes next year. He SHOULD be an ace in the making right now, but his window to get his career back on track is closing.

[J]

I don't like JP but your personal attacks are transparent and embarrassing. Try to show at least a shred of professionalism. I don't care if he won't give you his cell number or spends more time talking to the American media. It takes away from your writing and any information in the actual article and/or blog.

[Jab]

Since the comments are inexplicably closed on the Halladay thread, I'll comment here in response to the previous commenter's defense of Ricciardi...

Ricciardi is stirring up nonsense again, he just can't keep his mouth shut. This is so typical - suggest that it's the player eventually wanting to leave so therefore we're trying to trade him and it's not the team's fault. Outrageous! Halladay has been nothing but loyal to the Blue Jays wearing his heart on his sleeve for Toronto and here's the GM trying to kneecap him with the fans with this nonsense. Time to fire Ricciardi, he's been a total disappointment!

[Tabber]

Face it, nothing is ever JP's fault. The man is perfect, and unfortunately, ballplayers don't match up to his perfection. All praise the perfect GM, after all, look at the post-season berths the Jays have landed since his arrival. The Jays should trade all the players anyone will take, lower the payroll to $20M, and sell the team to a city in the States that needs a team - Pittsburgh comes to mind. Whatever it takes to get the sport out of Toronto, away from the haters, just do it (thanks Nike). Since I love baseball, I'll continue to watch at times, but as far as expecting anything good from pro sports these days other than skill on the playing surface, disappointment rules. What will you destroy next, corporate capitalists?

[Sivart]

JP should just quit talking to the media then. Honestly he is asked a question, he gives an honest answer, and he is somehow trying to skewer Roy's image? To me he was just letting idiot fans know that Roy is walking after next year regardless. Some delusional fans still think the jays have a legit shot of keeping Doc in a Jays uniform for the rest of his career and that does not appear to be the case, if anything this JP comment should be a reality check to these fans. In no way does it skewer the Doc's image in my mind.

But I'm not surprised that you interpreted it this way, we are all aware of your opinion on JP. I don't personally like him myself either, but I try to at least give him the benefit of doubt. I don't have to deal with him on a personal level like you do though so its hard for me to relate.

[Tabber]

So now has JP got to the Star? Comments on the Halliday thread closed after only 28 comments, others go for 60-80. Nice going, Star, fold to an advertiser. So happy I don't spend the money on the rag any more. Typical corporate crap, thinking they run everything, give an opportunity then take it away when someone complains they're being criticized too much. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen - JP, that's aimed at you, since you won't even take calls any more.