Drabek Getting Ready
Kyle Drabek, former BlueClaw (2007), says he is ready to go this year after a 2008 largely spent rehabbing from Tommy John surgery from the tail end of 2007. Here are Drabek’s stats from last year, which consisted of eight games between the GCL and Williamsport before heading to the Hawaiian Winter League.
“I’m finally all the way back,” he said in Friday’s Philadelphia Daily News. “Rehab took a year but, overall, I think it helped me because I came out of it with better location for my fastball. Because of my mechanics. They didn’t like them before and after Tommy John [surgery] they changed them, just to help my elbow. And it helped with the location of my fastball.”
BlueClaws Blog talked to Drabek before Spring Training and Drabek noted that even though he was having major surgery, it was a surgery that others have had and come back from stronger than they went in.
“In talking to the doctor he told me that about 90% of the people come back stronger and that was a huge confidence booster because I knew that I could come back nice and strong. When I began to throw it felt great and that also helped my confidence a lot.”
Phillies Assistant GM Chuck LaMar has been impressed with Drabek beyond the diamond.
“When Kyle first got here, he showed some of that immaturity. But nothing that a lot of future major leaguers haven’t shown. His work ethic and the way he’s come in in shape and responded to the surgery and went about his rehab, all those are real good indications that he’s headed in the right direction.”
Before the Phillies Winter Tour, we talked to Phillies Director of Minor Leagues Steve Noworyta and asked him about Drabek. Not mincing any words, Noworyta said he thought “Drabek could be in the big league bullpen by the end of the year.”
We’ll see. He’ll be a very interesting guy to follow.
Share This Post!
