By SwingCompleto / contacto@swingcompleto.com
For years several players, the vast majority of them pitchers, have undergone the surgical process “Tommy John” within Cuba. The most recent case has already begun its recovery phase with the aim of joining Industriales in time for the next National Series.
It’s about the talented monticulista Frank Ernesto Herrera, who became the first Lions pitcher to use this medical variant that allows for the replacement of damaged ligaments in the throwing hand. Within the capital selection in general, third baseman Jorge Luis Barcelán had been the first to undergo this process a few years ago.
“Thanks to the medical and nursing team at the Frank País García Orthopedic Hospital headed by Dr. Liván Peña Marrero for the successful Tommy John surgery that was performed on me yesterday. We will come back stronger. Thanks to my family and friends too ”, were Herrera’s words on his official Facebook profile.
Although this surgery began to be practiced in Cuba a long time after the United States, there have been several players who have returned to baseball without their performance having declined considerably. Examples such as the outfielder Frederich Cepeda, Barcelán himself and the Santiago pitcher Alberto Bicet stand out in this regard, although others have not been able to return to their best competitive level as has happened with the pitchers José Ramón Rodríguez (Camagüey), Yander Guevara (Ciego de Ávila) and Yoel Suárez (Matanzas). This does not mean that in these cases the cause has been bad medical work, but sometimes everything depends on the evolution of each person and the way in which they carry out their preparation to return to competition.
Dr. Peña has had the fundamental leadership in the medical body that has been dedicated to this type of treatment, in addition to having contributed with other athletes for injuries and processes other than those related to “Tommy John”.
The name of this medical mechanism is precisely due to the first baseball player, the former pitcher of the New York Yankees and other Major League teams, who on his return from the operation managed to stay for several years and establish himself as one of the members of the select club of 200 victories.
Returning to Herrera, the delayed start of the 61st edition of the Cuban baseball season could favor him and his Industriales team, taking into account that despite his unstable results, he has the tools to improve even more and contribute to the deficit pitching of the squad led by Guillermo Carmona, whose main loss is its closer Andy Rodríguez after deciding to stay in the United States at the end of the Pre-Olympic held in Florida.
Herrera debuted in the 2016-17 campaign and in the most recent one he finished with a balance of 2-3 in 17 games, of which he started eight in addition to a fairly high ERA of 5.95. He is 8-6 in 59 career starts and reliever appearances without distinction.