OC Register: Angels get good news on Andrew Heaney, who will resume throwing in 7-10 days

[AngelsWin.com]

SEATTLE — The Angels got relatively good news on Andrew Heaney’s sore elbow on Monday.

Tests showed just “chronic changes,” which amounts to normal wear and tear, according to General Manager Billy Eppler.

Heaney received a cortisone shot, just as he did when missing the first two weeks of last season. He will resume throwing in seven to 10 days.

He will still need some time to build back up before he can pitch in a game, but being cleared of any new injury is nonetheless a positive development.

“Obviously, the news that you want to hear is that your pitcher is healthy and is going to begin a throwing progression,” Eppler said. “He’s going to begin a throwing progression in about seven days, so that’s better than a different outcome.”

Heaney, who had Tommy John surgery in 2016, has had trouble with elbow inflammation each of the past two springs. In 2018 he missed a couple of weeks at the end of the spring, had a cortisone shot and made his season debut on April 13 and still pitched 180 innings in 30 starts.

This year, Heaney was slowed in early March with the issue. He missed one Cactus League start, came back and threw 40 pitches and then felt discomfort again. He was shut down again for eight days. He got back on a mound last Monday, only to feel more discomfort.

That prompted the Angels to set him for further evaluation, including scans.

FLETCHER IN LEFT?

David Fletcher finished Sunday’s game in left field, and he started a few games in the outfield in spring training, but at this point, the Angels aren’t ready to start him there, Manager Brad Ausmus said.

“We’ve talked about it and I’m not sure you’d want to throw that on him right now,” Ausmus said. “We have a situation where we have three guys on the bench, so you might see a situation like yesterday. … Don’t be shocked if you see it again. I guess if we have enough comfort with him over a number of innings out there, there is probably a scenario where he (starts) in left field. We haven’t gotten there yet.”

With Justin Upton out for two to three months, the Angels are currently going with a combination of Peter Bourjos and Brian Goodwin in left.

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Two of the other top candidates – Michael Hermosillo and Jarrett Parker – are both rehabbing injuries. Two-way player Jared Walsh, who had a good spring as a hitter, also has played some outfield, but Ausmus said he’s not really a candidate at the moment to play left in the majors.

“He hasn’t played enough outfield to stick him there on a regular basis,” Ausmus said. “He’s a very good first baseman. His feet and hands are good. … He has played outfield, but he hasn’t played enough.”

ALSO

Shohei Ohtani continues to take batting practice on the field and throw. He has also added running in a straight line, although not running the bases. Ausmus said the Angels still aren’t sure if he will need a minor league rehab assignment. “I guess it’s a possibility, but I don’t know that it will necessarily happen,” Ausmus said. “We’ll wait and see when it gets to that point.” …

Zack Cozart was not in the lineup on Monday. Ausmus said he was getting the day off because his calf injury cost him a significant part of spring training. Cozart said he feels “great,” but he understood why the manager is being cautious. “I would rather just play, but I get it because I didn’t play that much in spring,” he said. “I kind of figured I wouldn’t just come out and play for two weeks straight.”

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[AngelsLakersFan]

April fools...?

[Reveille1984]

My infant son has a case of the chronic changes, hopefully Heandog's diaper can be cleaned asap and he can resume throwing

[Lhalo]

RIP

[UndertheHalo]

What the hell does chronic changes mean ?

[Lou]

24 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

What the hell does chronic changes mean ?

constantly changing your weed guy

[Jeff Fletcher]

6 hours ago, AngelsWin.com said:

Tests showed just “chronic changes,” which amounts to normal wear and tear, according to General Manager Billy Eppler.

 

1 hour ago, UndertheHalo said:

What the hell does chronic changes mean ?

Thanks for reading

[Jay]

6 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

What the hell does chronic changes mean ?

Tests showed just “chronic changes,” which amounts to normal wear and tear, according to General Manager Billy Eppler.

Maybe he'll be ok with the cortisone shot.

[eligrba]

Does anyone know what year Heaney will resume pitching?

[fan_since79]

I hope it's not arthritis. That's a "wear and tear" thing and in a pitcher, doesn't seem good. It's also a "chronic change".

When I saw those words together, that was my first thought.

 

[floplag]

Im not going to say it ... 
Ok yes i am... why does this just feel like putting off the inevitable?  If its that bad and there is any chance it will be required just do it and be ready for 20.  

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, floplag said:

Im not going to say it ... 
Ok yes i am... why does this just feel like putting off the inevitable?  If its that bad and there is any chance it will be required just do it and be ready for 20.  

If it’s that bad?  They just said it’s normal wear and tear and he will resume throwing in 7-10 days.  So if you’re Heaney and the doctor told you that you can start throwing in 7-10 days would you say, “fuck it, I’ll get a surgery that we aren’t sure I need, then I’ll be ready for 2020”?  If you were the Angels, same question.

[Lou]

it's no wonder Fletch thinks a bunch of you are idiots 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Lou said:

it's no wonder Fletch thinks a bunch of you are idiots 

I’ll try harder. 

[Lou]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

I’ll try harder. 

tell it to Fletch 

[T.G.]

Just now, Stradling said:

I’ll try harder. 

You are a very patient man. You actually take time to explain the obvious to people routinely.  I have no idea how you maintain that effort, but you do.  I bet you're good at your job and I mean that sincerely.  I use up all of my patience in my real life... I can't exercise that much patience here.

[UndertheHalo]

5 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

 

Thanks for reading

I did read it !! But normal wear and tear doesn’t mean anything to me.  Is it inflammation ? Is there actual damage ? Should we expect this guy to be throwing with less velocity due to this normal wear and tear ? I’ve never heard an injury described that way.  It actually makes it sound like there’s no injury at all.

Edited April 2, 2019 by UndertheHalo

[Lou]

I think it means normal wear and tear. 

[T.G.]

Just now, Lou said:

I think it means normal wear and tear. 

Tear?  Oh crap.  I knew it.

[T.G.]

[UndertheHalo]

Dehydration is a more meaningful description to me.  I guess time will tell. 

[Taylor]

Chronic changes = potassium deficiency.

[UndertheHalo]

5 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Chronic changes = potassium deficiency.

Borat informed me that Kazakstan is worlds number 1 potassium producer.  Maybe the answers to the Angels problems are in the potassium mines of Borats homeland. 

[Mark68]

Whatever chronic he's been using, it's not helping. I think he sees that. He needs to upgrade his chronic.

[T.G.]

So what are chronic tacos?