When Roy Halladay walked off the pitching mound for the last time in 2013, something just was not right. With a 4-5 record and 6.82 earned run average, it was not how Halladay envisioned exiting the game. Now, after spending some time at the zoo, flying planes, and taking selfies with unknowing strangers, Halladay is ready for something else: a new procedure that will give Halladay the chance to come back to the game with a bionic arm.
Marshall Simmons of ESPN.com reports on the procedure Halladay looks to have, with a quote from its founder:
The innovative procedure will replace the shoulder and elbow hinges with metal ball bearings that will not demonstrate any wear and tear. The ulnar collateral ligament will be replaced with a nearly indestructible Teflon material, rendering the arm good to pitch indefinitely.
"I can see pitchers pitching into their 60s with this new treatment," said Dr. Andrew James, the founder of the procedure. "If Halladay undergoes this successfully, people may think of the surgery as 'Roy Halladay' surgery in the future".
Halladay is scheduled to undergo the surgery this afternoon, April 1.
The surgery will indeed be the first of its kind. Since the arm will now be synthetic materials, the recovery time will be limited to removing the stitches on the arm. Halladay will report to extended Spring Training next month to join the major league club. And, if you're still reading this: April Fools.
