tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15450318.post117555171639411506..comments2007-04-16T15:20:26.100-04:00thurdlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17298957696328439618noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15450318.post-1175619430227908802007-04-03T12:57:00.000-04:002007-04-03T12:57:00.000-04:00Well, there is a difference between feeling dead and being a dead arm. At least...I hope there's a difference. The surgery that he had <I>should</I> have fixed any nerve problems that Patterson was having. Sounds to me he needs more work, and not less, and was severly under worked out during the Spring, probably because of fears of him injuring himself.<BR/><BR/>I think he didn't have his stuff yesterday. I don't think that's an injury problem. But I'm unquestionably keeping a close eye on him.thurdlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264178700474230354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15450318.post-1175568072288863022007-04-02T22:41:00.000-04:002007-04-02T22:41:00.000-04:00I really, really hope you are not being too complacent in saying that "John Patterson started today's game. And he left the game for reasons that had to do with performance rather than injuries." According to Bill Ladson, Patterson may be suffering from "dead arm". He had no life on his fastball, his velocity was down, and he had trouble with his breaking pitches. This sounds very much like what Patterson described as "dead arm" in Toronto last year, which turned out to be part of the nerve problem which ended up requiring surgery. Let's hope - for both Patterson's and the Nats sake - that it was caused by nerves- of the mental kind - and stress, and will be gone by his next start. If not, he should be given another nerve conduction study to see if last year's surgery really did solve the problem. And they shouldn't wait until July to do it!thunderstrucknatsfannoreply@blogger.com