A pitcher unleashed a ball toward the plate.
But the ball swept off-target.
The batter stood there with his bat on his shoulder. He winced.
The catcher stabbed at the air with his glove.
The ball hit the backstop with a thud, and it rolled away.
And then the pitcher stumbled off the pitching mound and hurried past the foul line.
He fell to his knees.
For in 2014 he had surgery.
Last year he didn’t pitch, but instead spent his time with endless stretching.
Holding an elbow in ice.
Painful exercises.
He played a bit of catch, and then a bit more.
And he finally made a few appearances in September.
Many pitchers return from Tommy John surgery with stronger arms.
And he had to have the surgery to pitch.
But instead of a delightful comeback season, Dan Winkler will spend another season recovering.
Because when he threw a pitch on Sunday, he broke his elbow.
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