Apr 2, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) prior to the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Clayton Kershaw and Brian Wilson will both be on the shelf for the Dodgers for a little while after suffering early season arm troubles.
Could there be a connection between these issues and the Dodgers’ Australia trip?
This sounds like kind of a crackpot theory. So naturally, at least one Dodger player believes in it.
This Dodger, for obvious reasons, refused to be named on the record. He anonymously told the L.A. Times that the season opening trip to Sydney, which shortened spring training preparation time for players, contributed to the high-profile arm problems in L.A.
This player points out that two Arizona Diamondbacks, Patrick Corbin and David Hernandez, also went down with injuries. In fact, both those players required elbow surgery.
What does Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt think? He wouldn’t necessarily make the same connection, but he wouldn’t necessarily rule it out either.
He’s not saying, he’s just saying.
I’m no doctor, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night, so I’m not really qualified to comment on the validity of the unnamed player’s suspicions. I will point out that arm problems haven’t only hit the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
Thing about pitchers is, they tend to have arm problems a lot, regardless of how much spring training they get, and regardless of where their team opens the season.
We’re dealing with a little bit of a small sample size here, is what I’m trying to say. Most likely, this unnamed player just doesn’t like the whole idea of opening the season in Australia and has concocted his medical theory to make his point.
Who would do such a thing? I can’t think of any Dodgers who were down on the Australia trip.
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