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For Zumaya, it's health before heat

Article by: LA VELLE E. NEAL III , Star Tribune

Updated: January 19, 2012 - 10:46 PM

The newest Twin, almost as famous for his injuries as his 100-mph fastball, is building up for a comeback.

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New Twins reliever Joel Zumaya

Photo: Julian H. Gonzalez, MCT

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Joel Zumaya expects to ring up triple-digit readings on the radar gun this season, but it's more important to the righthander to prove he's healthy -- and is more than someone who blows fastballs by hitters.

"I've toned it down a little bit where I know I've grown up as a pitcher, being injured and having to go through these injuries and learn to pitch in the big leagues," Zumaya said. "You just can't throw 100 [miles per hour] by people now. For me, 100 is overrated. There are quite a few athletes who are throwing 100 and hitters are timing it now."

Quite a statement from someone who, in 2006, twice threw pitches that registered 104 miles per hour.

Zumaya was introduced as the Twins' latest signing Thursday. It's a low-risk move that could pay off with a bounceback year by Zumaya and a stabilized Twins bullpen. The deal is worth $850,000 with the chance for Zumaya to earn another $900,000 if he appears in 60 games. His bonuses begin with his 30th appearance.

He has not thrown a pitch since June 28, 2010, when he suffered a broken elbow during an appearance for the Tigers against the Twins at Target Field. He expected to pitch during spring of 2011 but the screw placed in his elbow would not let him get full extension on his pitches.

He had a second surgery, in which the screw was replaced. He missed all of last season but threw for the Twins and many other teams in December.

"We watched Joel pitch in Houston about a month ago," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "We liked what we saw. He's certainly familiar with the American League, the American League Central. He fits us very well. We're looking for a [righthanded] power arm to pitch in the seventh and eighth inning. Hopefully we can keep Joel on the mound. Everyone knows he's had some arm problems."

Zumaya's injury history goes back to the 2006 playoffs, when he missed the American League Championship Series because of a sore wrist suffered while playing the video game "Guitar Hero." In 2007, he ruptured a tendon in his right hand. During the following offseason, he injured his shoulder while moving boxes. He landed on the DL in both 2008 and '09 because of shoulder problems.

Zumaya, 27, has averaged one strikeout per inning in his career but pitched in more than 31 games only once in five seasons with the Tigers."