Guitar hero sidelined pitcher

[Phlegm]

Talk about stupid sport injury.


From Associated Press:

When the Detroit Tigers lost flame-throwing relief pitcher Joel Zumaya for three games of the American League Championship Series this past October, it hurt his team. The reason for the injury, however, is even more painful.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Zumaya was hurt playing a PlayStation 2 video game called "Guitar Hero", in which the player simulates playing an electric guitar for popular rock bands. Zumaya, a 22-year-old rookie, suffered inflammation in his right (throwing) wrist and forearm from playing the game.

When Zumaya went to the Tigers training staff about his injury, they noticed his pain was more consistent with a guitar player than a baseball pitcher, according to the Free Press. Since Zumaya was known to play the game, the team asked him to stop, and he pitched pain-free in the World Series.

The Tigers are certain that Zumaya's injury will not recur. Team president and general manager Dave Dombrowski told the newspaper that he was pretty certain the injury came from the game, and not from pitching.

"That was probably what was taking place," he said.

"He felt fine in the World Series, to tell you the truth," Steve Springer, one of Zumaya's representatives, told the Free Press. "I didn't even think twice about it."

Zumaya, who can throw the ball more than 100 mph, was 6-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 2006.