Local pair still hopes to pitch in this season
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
SAN FRANCISCO — It's been a tough month for two big league pitchers from neighboring Leeward communities.
San Francisco Giants right-handed pitcher Jerome Williams might be a week away from being activated from the disabled list. He is recovering from Aug. 4 surgery in which he had six bone fragments removed from his throwing elbow. It was the first major surgery of his pro career since he was the 39th overall pick in the 1999 draft by the Giants out of Waipahu High. He is feeling the frustration of being idle.
Williams
"I just want to be out there with the guys," said Williams, who turns 23 on Dec. 4, before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Friday. "It hurts and it sucks."
Across the visitor's dugout at SBC Park, Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Mike Fetters, who grew up in 'Ewa Beach and is a 1983 graduate of Iolani School, has been ahead of schedule in his recovery from Tommy John (elbow) surgery he had Aug. 8, 2003. But finding his form has been a struggle since his return in mid-July. Not counting last night, Fetters is 0-1 with a 9.53 earned run average in 20 appearances.
"I'm having a bad year, but everyone's telling me to be patient until next spring," said Fetters, who turns 40 on Dec. 19. "I'm barely a year out of surgery. I feel good, but I don't feel mechanically correct. Everyday it's something different: My release point or my stride. I've been throwing a certain way for like 30 years and all of a sudden I have to retrain my muscle memory in my arm. I thought I could do it, but I'm not because I'm taking my lumps."
Williams, whose Giants are in the thick of the NL West and wild-card races, has had four bullpen sessions since the surgery. On Sunday, he threw breaking pitches for the first time off the mound; his previous three sessions were limited to only fastballs. Although he said his arm feels fine, he said he does not want to rush back.
"I don't want to jeopardize myself for three weeks (that are left in the regular season) for my whole career," Williams said. "If I come back, I come back. If I don't, I'm fine with that, too, as long as when I do come back I'm 100 percent healthy."
It wasn't his first major injury. As a sophomore at Waipahu, he broke his left collarbone in a base-running collision in a season-ending injury. It came after his varsity debut in which he struck out 16 in a nine-inning, 2-1 win against Campbell at Aloha Stadium.
Besides recovery, Williams has other things on his mind these days. Month-old Alana Deborah was born two days after his surgery. She is the first child of Williams and wife, Sarah.
"We were looking for some Hawaiian names," Williams said. "My wife thought (Alana) was a real beautiful name. As for the middle name, I told her no matter what, her middle name's going to be Deborah, after my mother."
Williams' mother died in March 2001 of breast cancer at age 47.
Williams also has a four-year-old son, Tre-Jordan, who lives in Hawai'i with his mother, Chastity Fuentes. Williams said his son has yet to see him pitch.
"Hopefully, next year I can get him to come up here and show'em what daddy does," Williams said.
Meanwhile, Fetters is just trying to make the most of his situation. Unlike the Giants, the Diamondbacks are far out of the running in the NL West.
"I've said all along that I'm going to quit playing this game when the hitters dictate for me when it's time to hang it up," Fetters said. "My ERA's high, but I'm not getting beat around the ball park."
In last Friday's game against the Giants, Fetters was charged with four runs in one inning of relief, but all the runs were unearned because of two errors.
During the offseason, Fetters helped coach a high school basketball team in Chandler, Ariz., where he resides. He is not sure if he will be able to do that again as he tries to prepare for next season.
"This year, I've decided I have to dedicate myself to my career first," he said.
He plans to return to Hawai'i to train with Aki Yonamine.
"He's the guy that gets me right every year," Fetters said.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
