Brett Tomko Returning From Injury Still Hopes to Pitch Reds in 2012

Brett Tomko and Louisville Bats manager David Bell were teammates with the Seattle Mariners in 2000 and 2001.

On Wednesday, Tomko sat in his former teammates office to discuss his first start back from an injured right bicep.

The injury setback Tomko's attempt to return to the major leagues after a devastating injury in 2009.

Tomko won the 100th game of his career for Oakland on September 14th.  He shutout the Texas Rangers but pinched a nerve in his right shoulder in the ninth inning.

"I threw nothing but curveballs to finish the game," Tomko said.  "Four days later my twin sons were born.  I couldn't hold them.  My arm was numb.  I had a burning sensation like a bad sunburn.  Just a wrinkle in my skin was like holding a match to it.  I would be feeding my daughters and it would be burning the whole time."

The A's resigned him in February, knowing he was hurt.

"I had to learn how to through again.  I couldn't lift a one pound weight.  I would try to throw to someone and overthrow by 3 feet."

He went to the Rookie League in June of 2010. "I was getting bombed by the rookie leaguer.  I would throw as hard as I could and it would come out 83," Tomko said.

He improved enough to go to Class A  Stockton.

"There were times I thought I couldn't go on.  I was in Stockton and called my wife to tell her I was coming home.  I had some good years now its time to do something else."

He nearly made the Texas Rangers staff out of spring training last year.  He was called up on April 24 and pitched in eight games for the American League Champions.

Tomko wanted to come back to the Reds.

"I wondered what it would be like to come back to Cincinnati.  I almost came back a couple of times in 08 I had talks with the Reds but it never really blossomed. This winter I talked to Baltimore and Anaheim but this is where I wanted to come.  It's surreal. The same people are here Rob Butcher, the media relations director, Gary Wahoff the traveling secretary, all the clubhouse guys, Rick and Mark Stowe.  This is where I wanted to be."

Tomko's luck wasn't as good as his performance.

Tomko made 10 starts for Louisville before he caught his spikes on the mound on a pitch against Syracuse on May 30.  He was placed on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder and bicep.

Prior to the incident Tomko had pitched into hard luck.  He was working on his second game in a row in which he pitched into the seventh inning.  His ERA was a respectable 3.12 but his won/loss record was 0-6.

Even had he been healthy, the Reds' starters have made every scheduled start thus far this season.  Tomko even picked a bad year to add depth and earn a call to the Reds.

"He's confident that he can go tonight," David Bell said before the game.  "He has a healthy dose of uncertainty especially with what he's been through.  His spikes caught on a delivery when he was hurt.  It happened in the first or second inning but he ended up pitching six or seven innings (6 2/3).  He threw another 50 pitches after he did it."

Tomko is really competitive.

"I was his teammate.  He is competitive and he's a tough guy so it's impressive what he's doing.  Hopefully tonight will be a good night for him," Bell said.

"There are going to be guys here that will be able to go up and make difference with how well the Reds are doing,  Maybe he's the guy."

Tomko got the first two outs in the first inning against the Bisons but he walked Mike Baxter and gave up a double down the thirdbase line that barely eluded Henry Rodriguez.  Tomko  walked Adam Loewen to load the bases.  All three runners scored when Josh Satin's line drive got past a diving, Willie Harris and Denis Phipps could not cut it off in time.  Satin ended up with a bases-clearing double.

Tomko pitched two more innings which were scoreless but left the game with around 80 pitches.