Adrenaline, intensity helping Tucker recovery from injury

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It wasn’t so much a pop that he felt in his arm as it was the feeling of something letting go.

And so it was that the accelerated drive of Rusty Tucker – a 21st round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in 2001 – to the big leagues was dealt a major detour.

The 23-year-old Tucker, who had risen all the way to Double A in two seasons and secured a ticket to the major leagues as a September call-up, was pitching against the Huntsville (Ala.) Stars on a warm Aug. 7 night last year. He had two outs and was well on his way to adding to his Padres minor league organizational single season-record 28 saves when he felt it.

“I thew a pitch and felt something let go,” said Tucker. “It was like feeling it slip. I was pretty sure it was bad.”

It was. The hard-throwing lefty reliever, who was the Padres’ top closer prospect, completely tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and was told he needed reconstructive Tommy John surgery – a process that usually involves a year of recovery and rehabilitation.

“It was devastating,” said the former University of Maine starting pitcher who was added to the Padres’ 40-man roster last fall. “They basically told me to either have the surgery or my career is over.”

A week later, surgeons Jan Fronek and Heinz Hoenecke took a ligament from his right forearm and replaced the one that detached in his left elbow with it. What followed was a lesson in patience, fortitude, resilience and determination.

“The first week was really rough. I couldn’t do anything at all,” Tucker said.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound lefty spent the first month trying to regain his range of motion. Then came two months of strength work. About 31/2 months after surgery, Tucker began lightly tossing the ball.

“It was tough just to toss it 30 feet. I’d do 20 of those a day. I got up to throwing 150 feet 50 times a day,” he explained, adding that he eventually got his arm back to 75 percent of its previous strength.

Fast forward 10 months from his surgery and Tucker, who was assigned to San Diego’s Triple A team in Portland (Ore.) in March, appears to be back in the fast lane.

Tucker was throwing live batting practice sessions and simulated games at the Padres’ spring training facility in Scottsdale, Ariz., last week. He will throw at least four live games before being cleared for full duty, but he and organizational officials expect him to be back by July 1.

In one simulated game, he threw two innings, allowing one hit while notching two strikeouts and no walks.

His fastball, which topped out between 93 and 97 miles per hour last season, is 90-91 now.

“I think I’m definitely ahead of where I hoped to be right now,” Tucker said. “I’m still not really letting the ball go, though, because I’m being a little cautious.

“It’s tough mentally to get back where you were, but I’m sure my adrenaline and intensity will have me ready to go full blast.”

The Gloucester, Mass., native and lifelong Red Sox fan was so fixated on his rehabilitation and comeback that he spent only one week at home (Christmas) in the offseason.

“I was so close to getting to the big leagues, and that’s what has driven me to dedicate myself to getting back,” Tucker said. “It’s my dream.”

Back in Maine again

It wasn’t Orono’s Mahaney Diamond, but former University of Maine first baseman Gabe Memmert felt right at home when his Elmira Pioneers came to Husson College to play the Bangor Lumberjacks last week.

“It’s fun to be back here and see some people I know in town and hang out a little bit. It’s nice coming home,” said Memmert, who’s in his seventh season of minor league ball and first in the independent Northeast League.

The 1998 UMaine graduate, who red-shirted his junior year after transferring from McNeese State, started for the Black Bears his senior year. After graduation, he wasn’t ready to quit baseball.

“I got myself an agent after school and he got me a tryout with the Massachusetts Mad Dogs,” said Memmert.

He spent about a week there before getting released and then hooked on with the Albany Colonie Diamond Dogs.

“They didn’t have room for me, but suggested I go down to Johnstown, their sister team,” he explained. “I ended up playing down in Johnstown for five years and had a good run.”

This year he’s with Elmira, which is mired in last place in the NEL’s south division.

“Unfortunately, I’m not hitting the ball too well right now, but hopefully I’ll start turning things around,” said Memmert, who was batting .157 with no homers and two RBIs after Sunday. “It can’t get much worse than this right now, so we can only go up from here.”

Memmert made the most of his return to Maine, having dinner with a former kinesiology professor and a UMaine sports booster.

“I had a great experience here at Maine and I enjoy coming back,” said the Hawaiian native. “I tried to call [Maine coach Paul Kostacopoulos] Kosty, but he’s out of town. I really enjoyed playing for him.”

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or at aneff@bangordailynews.net.