May 9, 2006 - Rider's Hoey Back Strong (by Tim Brennan - Daily Times)

Hoey back strong
By Tim Brennan
Staff Writer
The Daily Times

SALISBURY -- The scar begins about two inches below the elbow and runs about the same above on Jim Hoey's right arm. Ligament replacement, or Tommy John surgery is almost common place in baseball these days, even for high school players, but it can be a tough road to recovery.

Hoey has successfully completed the recovery, with one setback, and he is now setting his sights on South Atlantic League batters as the Delmarva Shorebirds closer.

It wasn't a big dramatic moment where Hoey threw a pitch that flew wildly off course and he went down in a heap, screaming in pain. But as the 2003 Bluefield season, Hoey's first in professional baseball, came to a close he knew something was wrong.

"I've always had trouble with my elbow, through college, it's always been after a game, never during a game," Hoey said. "And one day it was during a game and I just couldn't throw any more. I was throwing as if to let the hitter hit it to try to get out and that's when you know you can't throw, you can't do it."

When that season ended, following 14 appearances with Rider University then another 11 with Bluefield, the training staff told Hoey to rest through the off season and come back for spring training ready to go.

Hoey followed the advice, but as spring training began, the pain was still there. During his second game in Aberdeen to begin the 2004 season, things were no better. He got an MRI then came the Tommy John surgery. A ligament from his forearm was put into the elbow, and after months of rehab he would be stronger than he was before.

"It's frustrating, you don't want to do the same thing again, the same rehab. It's all tedious," Hoey said. "It's like (the movie) Groundhog Day. But, just to know that I was stronger than before. Yours is stronger than any ligament than anybody else has, so that's what I kept in the back of my mind to keep me going."

After camp broke in the spring, Hoey went back to his home state of New Jersey for rehabilitation, which was an every other day ordeal. When he finally got to start throwing again, it was difficult as well. The first throwing session was in the physical therapy center, 10 throws from 45 feet --no more.

He came back for the 2005 season ready to go, but there was another set back. Before he could record a single out in his first performance in Aberdeen, he felt pain again. It was in a different area, but it was serious enough to have him on the shelf for another two and a half months.

With all the precautions and hard work, he was able to come back -- full strength -- to close out the 2005 season.

"I think the worry on our end of it would be how much the guy puts into his rehab," Orioles minor league pitching coordinator Doc Watson said. "James just busted his tail and this is the payoff. Some guys don't come back as well because, quite honestly, they don't put the effort into the rehab. He did a great job and has bounced back."

He came to spring training this season with not only a strong elbow, but with a new job -- closing games. He had been a closer in his first two years at Rider and was converted to a starter his junior year. In a situation some pitchers might see as an insult -- a demotion because of the injury -- Hoey was thrilled.

"(When I was) starting I felt like I had to maintain myself, I couldn't go all out. For one inning, I had to go out and make my pitches and conserve my energy," Hoey said. "Now I just go out there and give it 100 percent, 110 percent. Just throw and hit my spots and see what I can get out of it. It's a totally different mentality."

The question is: Can you trust the surgically-repaired elbow throwing nearly as hard as you can for 10 to 20 pitches? For Hoey that's 94 miles per hour.

"After surgery, in the beginning, you don't want to throw all out," he said. "You want to baby it. It's like a brand new car, you baby a brand new car, you don't want to get it dirty, you don't want to eat in it. But now I know that I'm strong enough to do it, I've thrown back-to-back days, I've thrown two innings, I've thrown every scenario I can get into. Now I just go ahead and do what I need to do."

For the Shorebirds that has been six saves through Sunday in eight chances and he wouldn't have it any other way. Some like to see if they can toss a complete game, Hoey likes the pressure.

"There are a lot of people up there that can throw on adrenaline," he said. "I like to throw when the pressure's on the line --man on base, sticky situation, we're up by one -- I love it. Some people like it, some people don't, it all depends on the person."

After what he's been through to resume his career, a few men on base is nothing.

Reach Tim Brennan at 410-845-4646 or tbrennan@salisbury.gannett.com

Originally published May 9, 2006