One could say Normal CornBelters Pitcher Mike Schweiss is fortunate to be demonstrating top form from the mound currently rather than being in the position of just now starting his season coming off an injury that could have had him recouping all winter, and maybe part of this season, as well.
When baseball players damage their Ulnar collateral ligament, in essence an elbow injury, surgery to repair it is often required. The recovery period to get back into playing shape usually takes about a full year or less. The procedure doctors use to repair the damage to the ligament has amore common name – Tommy John surgery, named for possibly the first famous athlete to have been publicly diagnosed with it.
As it turned out for Schweiss, the right-hander only strained but did not tear his UCL, so recovery only required two months of rehab and rest in order to return to action at The Corn Crib. Unfortunately for the CornBelters, by the time Schweiss returned, what help he gave them wasn’t enough to help Manager Brooks Carey’s team land a playoff spot at the end of last season.
“I came back the last month of the season, but I still wasn’t 100 percent,” Schweiss admitted. “So I took a couple months off after the season and didn’t do any throwing, but just continued to do my rehab.” That rehab included shoulder exercises, primarily because weak shoulder issues sometimes lead to elbow injuries, Schweiss explained.
The injury he sustained last season also wasn’t the first of this type for Schweiss. As a college player at University of Dallas, he was sidelined by an elbow injury. “Last year’s injury was frustrating,” Schweiss said. “Especially since, in my first year here, 2013, I had a good year as a rookie. After that, I had high hopes coming into 2014. The injury was definitely disappointing.”
But support and encouragement from teammates and Carey aided in easing concerns Schweiss had during his recovery. Part of that support included the opportunity to do his rehab work here rather than needing to pack and go home to Parker, Colo., where he lives during the offseason.
In his first two seasons here, Schweiss was 9-6. As of Saturday, he was 2-1 this season, giving him an11-7 record overall and has him carrying a 1.86 Earned Run Average, looking to bring down his career ERA of 4.19.
During recovery, Schweiss said he focused on his “pitching mechanics in an effort to make everything more consistent,” he explained. “I’m throwing even harder than I ever have before. As a result of work in the offseason, I’ve gotten stronger.” The work he has put in, Schweiss explained, has helped him bump his throwing speed upward slightly. Before the injury, he was throwing between 88-90 miles per hour. Now he believes he is throwing between 90-92 MPH when delivering to the plate.
The goals a healthy Schweiss has for himself include “as a starting pitcher, every time I go out, to give us a chance to win.” To his way of thinking, that would include“working deep into a ball game, or, if I’ve not got my best stuff, just competing to give our team the chance to win.”
The injury Schweiss recovered from is named for Tommy John, who played for six major league teams in a career that lasted 25 years, including a stint with the Chicago White Sox from 1965-1971; two tours with the New York Yankees; and at the time of his having the injury, in 1974, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Encyclopedia.com defines what has now become commonly referred to as “Tommy John surgery” as a procedure during which “a healthy tendon extracted from an arm (or sometimes a leg) is used to replace an arm’s torn ligament. The healthy tendon is threaded through holes drilled into the bone above and below the elbow.”
“Now that Schweiss is healthy, he looks like the same guy we got when he came out of college two years ago, ”Carey said. “At that time of his injury last season, it looked more serious tome than it was. When we finished last season against Schaumburg, Schweiss was throwing at 92, 93 miles an hour. When he came in this year, he was throwing as well as I’d ever seen him.”
CornBelters Open Normal’s Sesquicentennial Celebration June 7: The CornBelters will be wrapping up a three-game series against the Windy City Thunderbolts Thursday, followed by a three-game series hosting the Southern Illinois Miners Friday through Sunday, June 5-7. Weekday and Saturday games start at 6:30p.m. The CornBelters will help the Town of Normal get its 150thAnniversary celebration started early with a “Founder’s Day” event on June 7,hosting a 3p.m. game.
“On Founder’s Day, we’ll have a birthday cake for everybody and because of the rich history related to circuses the Town has, we’ll have circus performers here,” explained CornBelters General Manager Steve Malliet. At Sunday’s game, some concession items will be sold for $1.50. Clowns and jugglers will be on hand for the event that day, as well. The Town is holding a three-day celebration to mark its 150thAnniversary Sept.11-13.
The current home stand follows a very triumphant road trip for the ‘Belters, having gone a perfect 6-0 sweeping a three-game series each at Schaumburg and at Florence.
Following that home stand, the ‘Belters will take Monday, June 8, and a rare Tuesday off on June 9 before starting a five-day, six game road trip. That trip will include three games — a doubleheader on June 10 and a single game June 11 – at Evansville. From there, the team moves on to River City for single games June12-14. After a day off on Monday, June 15, the ‘Belters will be at The Corn Crib for a six-game home stand against Traverse City June 16-18, followed by a visit by the Lake Erie Crushers June 19-21.
Arizona Diamondbacks Purchase Catcher Dylan Kelly’s Contract: Arizona Diamondbacks have purchased the contract of catcher Dylan Kelly. Kelly is the second CornBelters player this season to have his contract purchased by a Major League Baseball organization. The Roswell, Georgia native is in his second season with the CornBelters. In 11games this season, Kelly is batting .350 with 5 doubles and 14 hits.
“We are thrilled for Dylan. It is always a good day when one of your players gets to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing affiliated baseball,” Carey said. “All of his hard work and dedication to the game is being rewarded. We wish him the best of luck in the future.”
Kelly joined the Belters in 2014 after graduating from the University of Missouri. As a senior playing with the Tigers, he had a team best .330 batting average, which was good enough for fourth among all Southeastern Conference catchers. He also led the team with 13 doubles, 27 RBI and 59 hits.