Saturday, June 08, 2002
Bohanon on mend, adjusting to relief
Louisville LH coming off sixth elbow surgery
By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOUISVILLE — Three arm surgeries ago, in his mid-20s, Brian Bohanon figured he might last another year in baseball, two if he were lucky.
Now, he is 33, rehabilitating from his sixth elbow surgery — the latest in March to remove bone spurs — and is learning how to pitch out of the bullpen again.
“I knew that eventually there would be a point where I'd have to go to the bullpen,” said Bohanon, a left-hander. “I guess they want to see specifically what I can do against lefties. Really the biggest difference is just having to warm up faster.”
In 14 big-league seasons with seven teams, Bohanon basically has split time between starting and middle relief. He was a starter, however, for the last three seasons with Colorado.
The fact Bohanon is even making relief appearances after six surgeries may be just as much of a testament to modern rehab techniques as it is to his own ability to come back from injury.
He spent much of the 2001 season with Colorado at less than 100 percent while he battled bone spurs in his elbow. He underwent surgery in August only to have the problem reoccur in spring training with the Reds.
“If this would have happened three years ago, it would have devastated me,” Bohanon said. “But now they target more specific pitching muscles with physical therapy.”
Still, a 33-year-old minor-league reliever with six elbow surgeries and a fastball that tops out at 84 on a good day doesn't headline most teams' wish lists. If Bohanon is called up to the Reds at all this season, it's more likely to happen later than sooner, even if he says he feels ready to go right now. He hasn't pitched more than 100 innings of relief since 1995 when he was with Detroit. So he has to prove he can handle the bullpen rigors in Louisville.
Combined with the surgeries, that is enough to make you at least think about calling it quits. Last season was his most frustrating after he went 5-8 with a 7.14 ERA for the Rockies.
“Sure, you think about retiring,” he said. “It crosses your mind. But I feel real strong right now. This is the fastest I've ever been back from surgery in my life.”
Thursday, Bohanon took the mound in the eighth — two outs, runners at first and third, Bats leading Pawtucket 3-0. It was the type of situation he said gets his adrenalin pumping.
He struck out Edgard Clemente, a right-handed batter, and the Bats went on to win 4-0.
“They brought me in to face a lefty, and they pinch hit,” Bohanon said. “You've still got to do your job. You've got to go after people.”
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Bohanon on mend, adjusting to relief
