Prospect Taz to undergo Tommy John surgery

-- The Red Sox team's website reported today that 23-year-old Japanese right-handed pitching prospect Junichi Tazawa won't throw another pitch this season as he will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow next week.

Although a good number of pitchers have made full recoveries from Tommy John surgery there are just as many cases that hinder careers. Sox GM Theo Epstein is hopeful, telling MLB.com that he may have a spring training next year asa the average recovery time is 10-12 months.

Boston scouted Tazawa in Japan's industrial league and signed him to a three-year Major League contract in late 2008. He was promoted to the majors in August of last season,with his standout moment coming in an Aug.22 start against the Yankees were he pitched six shutout innings. Overall Tazawa went 2-3 with a 7.46 ERA in six games, four of which were starts, for the Sox.

The young prospects injury woes are a concern whenever a team invests and heavily pursues such a blossoming overseas talent, but luckly for Taz the Sox were not going to be in a pitching pinch where they needed to throw the youngster out there prematurely and that will be the case most likely for another couple seasons with the Sox's depth.

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