Rehab Goes Full Circle For Blazek
Houston's 23rd round selection in the 2005 June MLB Draft after his junior season with the Catamounts where he ranked among the NCAA leaders in strikeouts per nine innings pitched, Blazek signed with the Astros and was assigned to Tri-City. The Valley Cats opened the 2005 campaign against Vermont at Centennial Field and he made his debut in the second game of the series against the then-Expos.
"It was a weird feeling being in the visitors dugout and warming up in the bullpen behind third base side pitching so many times on the other side," noted Blazek on his introduction to professional ball at historic Centennial Field. "But it was comforting to start my career close to home and in front of a lot of familiar faces."
He picked up a save and did not allow a run in five and two-third innings over four appearances in his first New York Penn League stint and earned a Houston organization Class A pitcher of the month award before being promoted to Lexington (Ky.) of the full season South Atlantic League for the remainder of 2005.
After being one of the top weekend starters in the America East for the Catamounts over two seasons, Blazek made the move to the bullpen. He was one of his team's most reliable lefty relievers over the next three seasons at Lexington (2006), Advanced Single A Salem (Va.) of the Carolina League (2007) and Corpus Christi in the Double A Texas League (2008). While with Corpus Christi, he pitched in the midseason Texas League All-Star Game and earned a spot in the prestigious Arizona Fall League in 2008. He was on track to earn a spot on the Astros' 2009 40-man big league roster but it was in Scottsdale where his shoulder trouble flared up.
"My shoulder started to become sore over the course of the season in Corpus Christi and I received a lot of treatment," said Blazek. "During the fall it became a real problem, especially after I threw. The AFL experience still was great playing with and against some of the top prospects in the big leagues. Clay Buchholz was with me on the Scorpions and he started one game against Phil Hughes where there were scouts and management all over the place. The last batter I faced before going on the DL was Matt Wieters, now with the Orioles."
The soreness in Blazek's left shoulder turned out to be a torn labrum and after treatment over the offseason he elected to have season-ending surgery on March 25, 2009. After being examined by the Astros medical staff in extended spring training he returned to Connecticut to begin the long road of rehabilitation and therapy on his pitching shoulder.
"I couldn't lift my arm for three weeks and after that it was like starting from scratch as far as throwing a baseball. The first time I threw a ball it went about 10 feet," said Blazek. "It took awhile to be able to even play catch and I gradually increased the distances. I had a great physical therapist who made me work hard but not go too far. I also made sure I kept my legs in shape."
During the spring of 2009, Blazek also chipped in with the baseball team at Litchfield High School in his hometown assisting head coach Kyle Weaver, another former Catamount baseball player. In the fall he was diagnosed to be on track to return to baseball in 2010 but needed to stay in extended spring training in Kissimee, Florida before an assignment to a minor league team. Once ready to return to competition, he was sent to Tri-City for 30 days.
"I was excited to get back in uniform and it didn't matter where they sent me," said Blazek. "The New York Penn League may be a low level league but I'm real happy to be anywhere, especially at a team like Tri-City that's real close to home. The first thing I did was peek at the schedule to see if they played at Vermont early in the season and I'm real lucky they did.
"I really like playing baseball in the Northeast compared to the hot weather of the south and in Texas. Our last day in Florida this spring the heat index topped out at 119 degrees where it's hard to work out. This is nice."
The Astros gave Blazek and the ValleyCats staff a strict 30-day schedule for his rehab stint including bullpen sessions and when he is to make his relief appearances along with pitch counts for everything. He appeared in four of the club's first 12 games all three days apart. He struck out five of the six batters he faced in picking up a victory over Vermont on June 24 in Troy and tossed another scoreless frame versus Lowell on June 27.
After his rehab with the ValleyCats, Blazek is uncertain where he will go next. The velocity on his fastball is back in the high-80s but he knows this is a long-term process. If healthy and strong, he has value to Houston or any other big league team as a precious lefthanded reliever. The results have been good in his first step not allowing a run and giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out 10 in four and two-third innings in his first competition since October of 2008.
"I feel I'm throwing fine now and I want to regain my arm strength and keep pain free. My goal is to work real hard, stay healthy and get back to full strength heading into 2011," said the 26-year old. "I had a setback but I still know I have a shot at the big leagues if I put in the work."
The long road back includes a stop where he started- Blazek will pitch at Centennial Field on Wednesday, June 30 in the final game of Vermont's series with Tri-City.