Adam Eaton outdueled Kerry Wood today to beat a very good Chicago Cubs team 2-0. Wood pitched great too, giving up only two runs in seven innings while striking out eleven. Eaton was just better tonight as he went seven innings also, giving up no runs while striking out twelve.

Adam Eaton broke on the scene for San Diego in the second half of 2000 and went 7-4. He was off to an 8-5 start in 2001 when his elbow gave out and that was it for the next season and a half. Eaton had what is now commonly known as Tommy John surgery.

Tommy John was the first to have Tommy John surgery...obviously. John started his career in 1963 with the Indians and then the Dodgers and had a fairly promising career going when after eleven years, he too felt something pop in his left elbow and had to shut it down. He was offered a radical new surgery by Frank Jobe where a tendon from the forearm is transplanted to the elbow to replace the ligament. John came back to pitch for fourteen more years!! and won 164 of his 288 wins AFTER the surgery. Hey! Why isn't Tommy John with 288 wins in the Hall of Fame?

The Sporting News claims that seventy-five current major leaguers had their careers saved by the procedure including Mariano Rivera, Matt Morris and Billy Koch. Most throw harder after the surgery and the Sporting News claims that Billy Koch could throw 108 MPH after the transplant and rehabilitation (http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/stan_mcneal/20020501.html). It really is amazing. Especially when you know people on the other side of the surgery.

Burt Barker was one of the best college pitchers of his time and outgunned many pitchers that went on to play pro ball. An elbow injury ended that dream for him just as WWII schrapnel ended his father's promising career (Yankee Minor Leagues). Burt has gone on to become one of the top Maine high school basketball coaches and is a school principal. Both of those are terrific accomplishments and important in the overall scheme of things. But you still have to wonder what Tommy John surgery could have done for Burt and what he could have done if he was a generation later.

I doubt Adam Eaton is going to give back his good fortune at having his injury in these days and times nor should he. Congratulations, Adam Eaton on your comeback and for being another success story to today's sports medicine.