Scott Olsen shutdown

by craig on Mar 6, 2008 8:20 AM EST in News Comment 0 comments

As Mbaamin reported in yesterday's Game Today comments, Scott Olsen has been shutdown.

Does anyone want to start for the Marlins on Opening Day?

The Marlins haven't opened tryouts yet, but the way their pitchers are dropping this spring, you might wonder if anyone will be healthy enough to start the opener against the Mets.

Scott Olsen, who has been adamant about wanting to be the Opening Day starter, is the latest casualty. Olsen, scheduled to start Thursday against the Cardinals, has been scratched because of tendinitis in his left shoulder and won't be able to throw for two or three days. It is uncertain whether he will be ready for the opener March 31 against Johan Santana and the Mets at Dolphin Stadium.

Olsen has good mechanics, so I'm hoping this is just a use problem. What is a "use problem" you ask? It is one where you do something physical that you hasn't done in an extended period of time.

Example: let's say you are playing on an intramural softball team in college and you're actually on one of those insane teams that practice. After a certain amount of repetitions, the next day something will be sore from using your body in a manor it is not accustom to.

Sure, Olsen has been throwing for most of the offseason, but it is different amount of effort when one actually does it for real. Meaning, that Scott hasn't been going out to the mound this spring to just tune-up. He has been trying to prove a point.

If that is the case, the rest should do the job. If it is something else.....I don't even want to think about it.

Should he not be ready to go on Opening Day, it appears that job will fall to Mark Hendrickson. Especially since it is not clear that Andrew Miller will make the 25-man if his control doesn't come around.

Olsen's setback comes as the Marlins are trying to correct the pitching mechanics of rookie left-hander Andrew Miller, who walked five batters in three innings Monday.

Miller, 22, who went 5-5 in 13 starts with the Tigers last year, had been considered a lock for the rotation when spring training opened. But the Marlins might lean toward starting Miller in the minors rather than rush him if he continues to struggle.

Then again, if the injuries to the pitchers keep piling up, young Mr. Miller may have to workout his control problems in the majors.