Ray completed his short jaunt in Cape Girardeau this summer on a high note, having a couple great albeit short outings. While there, however, he did experience more discomfort and the feeling of instability in his shoulder. He saw a ortho doc there that diagnosed scapular dyskinesis - in essence, his scapula had lost strength and looked to be slightly displaced. Ray focused on strengthening that area and saw pretty good improvement in a short time.
Following last spring, Ray was cut from Mizzou (a mutual decision, in all honesty, not that there was a choice) and Ray set about finding a program where he could contribute and recover. He had one firm criteria: "I want to play for a Coach that I can have a relationship with, one with real communication." That element was completely lacking in High School and at Mizzou. He also wanted to go south where the weather allows for more play time. Ray called a couple coaches, and one referred St. John's River State College. Ray contacted Coach Ross Jones there and was encouraged by just about everything about him. Coach Jones is a former MLB'er who had two labrum surgeries - he definitely knows what Ray is going through. So Ray is currently in Palatka, Florida, taking classes and in their baseball program. We both love Coach Jones, he's old school and a hard ass - but Ray is used to being coached that way so there was immediate good rapport.
The ups and downs from the recovery perspective have been continuous. There appears to be instability, but not during pitching. In bullpens, Ray is throwing high 80's (maybe touched 90) and his off speed pitches are really coming along well. There were new issues with forearm tightness and what appeared to be ulnar nerve sensitivity around his elbow. Those are now getting better - maybe just part of the recovery and getting back to throwing so much again.
I think besides the actual success of the surgery - it all comes down to patience. Ray started throwing a baseball literally when he was four years old. Through all the later years there was a cadence to throwing - return in January from a month or two off, slowly increase to pitching in season\summer\fall ball, rest for a month - each subsequent year there was an escalation in velocity, number of pitches, arm mechanics, etc. Having that cadence disrupted for over a year (even without surgery) may not seem like a big deal - but it is, maybe more for some than others.
So, all that said - things at this point, as of today, are looking good. Ray hasn't been able to pass a strength test for his shoulder, which mystifies him because the muscle build up in and around his shoulder is obvious (he's worked hard on that). Dr. Smith had indicated his goal with the repair was to not overtighten the joint, it had to be kept loose to restore full pitching potential. So we're wondering if the feeling of instability and the "strength test" issue will just be part of it all now; I guess we'll see.
It truly has been an emotional roller coaster, though, so many setbacks... and comebacks. We've come to grips with the possibility that Ray might be in the 50% of pitchers that can't recover from this surgery - but he's not giving up! This Friday he'll start a game for the first time since high school (when we knew his shoulder wasn't right, but didn't know he had a torn labrum!): Hickman High School baseball shuts out rival Rock Bridge (columbiatribune.com) He certainly won't be throwing anywhere near a full game, but I literally cannot wait to see whatever he does!
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