"Doctor's diagnosis: No major structural damage in Joel Zumaya's sore right elbow. That's the good news. But the bad is that he won't be throwing again "for at least another week" — and that leaves him a question mark for being healthy at the start of the season. Because of lingering soreness in the elbow that he broke, and was operated on last year, Zumaya was examined Monday by renowned sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. The Tigers had insisted there were no red flags about Zumaya's soreness, but when the condition didn't improve after a week, they felt a visit to Andrews was warranted. His finding was that he saw no major structural damage in the elbow but recommended no throwing for Zumaya for at least another week while emphasizing "treatment and strengthening exercises only." The Tigers' statement Tuesday said that "once Zumaya is pain free, he will be cleared to initiate a throwing program." The only time Zumaya has thrown in an exhibition game is Feb. 27 against Toronto. He'll obviously need more work than that to begin the season on the active roster with the Tigers, who leave Florida three weeks from Tuesday — and open the regular season March 31 against the Yankees in New York. If Zumaya is pain free in a week, the statement said that he would begin a throwing program — not necessarily get right back into games." Read more: http://www.detnews.com/article/2011...damage--he-anticipates-missing-season’s-start
