Gordon pitching with slightly torn labrum

The Phanatic Staff

A 39-year-old pitcher with plenty of miles on his right arm. Sounds like a recipe for injury disaster.

Or the perfect opportunity for a three-year contract.

Tom Gordon revealed Tuesday that he has been pitching with a slightly torn labrum since the middle part of 2005. Gordon spent significant time on the disabled list last season, hitting the shelf for three weeks starting August 3 with what the club described as a right shoulder strain.

Again on the DL this season since early May, Gordon was said to have rotator cuff inflammation.

Turns out, it's the labrum, an injury several pitchers (most notably Pedro Martinez) have pitched through for several seasons. Martinez finally went under the knife last season and still hasn't returned.

Gordon isn't thinking retirement, but rather is focusing on building up his arm strength to help the club during the stretch drive.

"Right now, I'm not thinking about retirement," Gordon told the Daily News. "If I can bounce back from this, and I can hold up the remainder of this year, then we'll see where we are. If I can get through this year and next year, and everything goes well, I don't know. I hope I don't have to go through that."

The right-hander threw a scoreless ninth in Tuesday's 15-3 victory over the Dodgers. He threw 11 fast balls in 13 pitches, reaching the low 90s consistently.
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The Phanatic Magazine's Jared Trexler and The Philadelphia Daily News contributed to this report.