tk13
04-15-2006, 01:13 AM
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/14347333.htm
GREINKE EAGER TO PITCH AGAIN
KC starter ‘feeling a lot better’ and looking forward to playing
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Royals pitcher Zack Greinke said he feels healthy enough, after nearly eight weeks of psychological counseling, to think about returning to the mound.
“The main thing now,” he said, “is I’m really looking forward to playing baseball again.”
Greinke spoke briefly by phone Friday with The Star in making his first public statements since leaving spring camp Feb. 25 to return home to Orlando, Fla., to deal with what Royals officials termed “personal matters.”
The Star subsequently learned Greinke underwent psychological counseling related to emotional issues.
Those sessions led to a psychiatric evaluation that provided the medical diagnosis necessary for the Royals to place Greinke on the 60-day disabled list at the start of the season.
Tentative plans call for Greinke to resume baseball-related activities before the end of the month at the organization’s year-round complex in Surprise, Ariz.
“I don’t know if I’m completely well or not,” he said, “but I’m feeling a lot better. That’s all I really want to say at this point.”
Greinke, 22, is ineligible to return to the active roster before May 23 under terms of the 60-day disabled list. A more likely timetable would be mid-to-late June or even early July.
“He’s going to need a full spring training,” general manager Allard Baird said. “Then I’m sure there would be some rehab time in the minors. We wouldn’t just bring him back to the big leagues.”
Pitchers can be assigned to minor-league clubs for rehabilitation purposes for up to 30 days. That would enable Greinke to make five or six competitive starts before rejoining the Royals.
Greinke, a right-hander, was the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft after being cited by Gatorade as the nation’s best high school player. He then quickly established himself as a cornerstone of the club’s youth movement.
The Sporting News selected him in 2003 as baseball’s minor-league player of the year, and he was chosen the following season as the Royals’ pitcher of year as a rookie after going 8-11 with a 3.97 ERA in 24 starts.
Greinke battled inconsistency in 2005 when he tied a club record for losses in finishing 5-17 with a 5.80 ERA in 33 starts.
He was 0-4 through his first eight starts despite a 3.09 ERA. Greinke then allowed 88 earned runs in 101 innings over 19 starts before going 2-1 in his last six starts with a 3.82 ERA.
GREINKE EAGER TO PITCH AGAIN
KC starter ‘feeling a lot better’ and looking forward to playing
By BOB DUTTON
The Kansas City Star
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Royals pitcher Zack Greinke said he feels healthy enough, after nearly eight weeks of psychological counseling, to think about returning to the mound.
“The main thing now,” he said, “is I’m really looking forward to playing baseball again.”
Greinke spoke briefly by phone Friday with The Star in making his first public statements since leaving spring camp Feb. 25 to return home to Orlando, Fla., to deal with what Royals officials termed “personal matters.”
The Star subsequently learned Greinke underwent psychological counseling related to emotional issues.
Those sessions led to a psychiatric evaluation that provided the medical diagnosis necessary for the Royals to place Greinke on the 60-day disabled list at the start of the season.
Tentative plans call for Greinke to resume baseball-related activities before the end of the month at the organization’s year-round complex in Surprise, Ariz.
“I don’t know if I’m completely well or not,” he said, “but I’m feeling a lot better. That’s all I really want to say at this point.”
Greinke, 22, is ineligible to return to the active roster before May 23 under terms of the 60-day disabled list. A more likely timetable would be mid-to-late June or even early July.
“He’s going to need a full spring training,” general manager Allard Baird said. “Then I’m sure there would be some rehab time in the minors. We wouldn’t just bring him back to the big leagues.”
Pitchers can be assigned to minor-league clubs for rehabilitation purposes for up to 30 days. That would enable Greinke to make five or six competitive starts before rejoining the Royals.
Greinke, a right-hander, was the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft after being cited by Gatorade as the nation’s best high school player. He then quickly established himself as a cornerstone of the club’s youth movement.
The Sporting News selected him in 2003 as baseball’s minor-league player of the year, and he was chosen the following season as the Royals’ pitcher of year as a rookie after going 8-11 with a 3.97 ERA in 24 starts.
Greinke battled inconsistency in 2005 when he tied a club record for losses in finishing 5-17 with a 5.80 ERA in 33 starts.
He was 0-4 through his first eight starts despite a 3.09 ERA. Greinke then allowed 88 earned runs in 101 innings over 19 starts before going 2-1 in his last six starts with a 3.82 ERA.