Backe Could be Backe in August

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/...t_id=1888168&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou

Notes: Backe's return a possibility
Righty could come back in August if rehab stays on track
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com


CHICAGO -- Pitchers who've had Tommy John elbow surgery usually need at least a year, and sometimes 18 months, before they can even think about returning to the mound. But Brandon Backe has a good chance to defy those odds and rejoin his team much earlier than expected.
Backe and general manager Tim Purpura are being extra-cautious about not sounding too optimistic, but if the right-hander continues to progress at his current pace, he could be back with the Astros as early as August.

"I'm going to allow them [management] to speculate how far along it's going to be," Backe said. "Every day, I just keep giving them everything I can to try to manipulate the program and come back as soon as possible."

Backe had the elbow ligament replacement surgery on Sept. 7 and, at that time, his chances to make a return at some point this year stood at around 10 percent. Those odds appear to be considerably higher, perhaps around 50 or 60 percent.

"I think I'm capable of going out there right now and getting people out," Backe said. "But that's not what I need to do. I need to get out there and pitch seven innings and eat innings up.

"When I come back I'm going to be fresh, and some of these guys will be tired toward the end of the season. The dog days are going to start when I come back. For me, it's going to be Opening Day. I need to prepare myself so I can pick up slack on some of the guys that are struggling."

Backe began throwing off the mound during Spring Training and has taken an interesting approach now that the regular season is under way. He is pretending as if he's in the rotation, throwing off the mound every five days with a bullpen day in between, just as he would be doing if he were healthy.

He throws 50 pitches off the mound and envisions he's facing the lineup of whatever team the Astros are facing at that time. His next "start," for example, will be against the Phillies this weekend, when the Astros are playing in Philadelphia.

"I'm pretending there's a hitter up there," he said. "I work count, pitch to them the way I've pitched in the past."

The goal is to not only continue to build arm strength, but also to work on the mental approach of his game, which will need fine-tuning before he can return to the rotation.

Before he can make a comeback, Backe will have to go on an extensive Minor League rehab assignment, which would delay his return to a Major League mound for a month or so. But if Backe can start that rehab stint midsummer, he could still make it back in time for the stretch run.

"I feel good with the way I'm throwing," Backe said. "Who knows? I can speculate. I can be back sometime in July, or I might not make it at all this year because of some kind of setback I hit down the road. But it certainly looks good to pitch sometime this year."

Purpura agreed.

"At the beginning, you set your mind that it's going to be 18 months, and then when things go better, you think it could be closer to 12 months," Purpura said. "The answer is yes, that every day that there's something positive, I'm more optimistic

 

Backe isn't Backe unless he's Backe. So Backe isn't Backe right now. I think he'd attest to that.

 

beep beep beep???

what is that??

 

and the whole church said, amen.

 

how curious, because he said he'd like to know the same about you. so there.