Los Angeles- Injuries continue to mount for the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the team learned Friday that reliever Yhency Brazoban will require Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery and will be lost for the season.Yhency Brazoban of the Los Angeles Dodgers told the club he felt the elbow go on a pitch to Jeromy Burnitz of the Pittsburgh Pirates during his one-inning outing Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. Brazoban retired Burnitz on a foul pop for the second out, and ended the inning by inducing a popup from Craig Wilsonof the Pittsburgh Pirates. He underwent an MRI exam on Friday that revealed a torn ligament.Yhency Brazoban of the Los Angeles was very disappointed as he spoke through an interpreter, That was the worst news," said Brazoban, speaking in the clubhouse prior to Friday night's game with San Francisco Giants. "But I have to accept it and go through with it. It's difficult to accept because I've never had surgery before. But it's the best thing." Although Yhency Brazoban of the Los Angeles Dodgers thinks the injury occurred on Wednesday their were signs of arm trouble before that as his control had been very erratic which led to a 5.40 ERA on the year, and Brazoban had been undergoing heat threapy on his arm before games. Their has been no timeline of Yhency Brazoban of the Los Angeles Dodgers return, some insiders feel that the injury may have been caused by overwork during the offseason as Brazoban made 27 appearances in the Dominican Winter League which led to him missing two weeks of action during spring training, Adding in his 74 appearances during the 2005 Major League season,Yhency Brazoban of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched in 101 games last year, only his third full season as a pitcher after beginning his career as an outfielder.With an already thin bullpen the Los Angeles Dodgers now are without their top two releivers from last year,as Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers is recovering from elbow surgery that remove a nerve that was causing discomfort and will be out of action for at least two months, which has manager Grady Little of the Los Angeles Dodgers very concerned,
"Any time you lose a player you're counting on, it's a setback," Little said. "Only time will tell the effect it will have on our ballclub.",Asked whether the absence of two power pitchers from his bullpen would intensify the loss,Grady Little of the Los Angeles Dodgers said. "It's going to enable other guys to shoulder an additional load. They'll know we'll have one less guy down there. But they know in the long run it's going to mean more work for them. Filling in last year for Gagne in the closer's role Yhency Brazoban of the Los Angeles Dodgers saved 21 games and many felt he would be the perfect complement to Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but now the Los Angeles Dodgers are without the services of both pitchers which could mean too heavy of a workload for offseason acquisiton Danys Baez who has been sensational so far, but could surely wear down if the other relievers dont offer any support and up to this point the rest of the bullpen has struggle mightily.If the Los Angeles Dodgers can get good production out of its starting pitching the loss of Yhency Brazoban wont be as severe especially if Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers returns as expected in two months, but if that scenario doesnt happen look for the Los Angeles Dodgers to struggle to hold leads and in late innings against quality opponents.
