Worley doesn't need TJ surgery: Nothing changed for Phillies starting pitcher Vance Worley after seeking a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews. Worley, who is on the 15-day DL, will not need Tommy John surgery, but he will have to pitch with a bone chip in his elbow the rest of the year. (Updated 05/22/2012)
Injury Report
Elbow - 15-day DL. Out until at least late May (Updated - 5/16/12)
Fantasy Analysis
Hopefully, this diagnosis will allow Worley to sleep a little easier. However, he's going to have to pitch through discomfort, which remains an issue. And he is still likely looking at offseason surgery to clean up his elbow. Worley said Sunday he will resume throwing this week. If he has no setbacks, then that should start him on the path to recovery. For now, continue to stash Worley in all Fantasy formats since he should return to the hill in 2012. (Updated 05/22/2012).
05/16/2012 22:31 Vance Worley Update: 5/16
Join the Fantasy Baseball 360 crew as they provide the latest information on the injury to Phillies pitcher Vance Worley and what it means for Kyle Kendrick.
05/13/2012 20:18 Hit Parade for Week 7
As interleague play gets under way there are many matchups to break down. Our Scott White tells you who the best bets and biggest risks are in his Hit Parade for Week 7.
05/13/2012 09:41 Top 70 starters for Week 7
A full slate of games in Fantasy Week 7, with seven games on tap for each team. Our Al Melchior breaks down the interleague implications and helps set your rotations in his SHuffling the Rotations.
As if the Phillies needed more starting pitching, Vance Worley decided to give them an unexpected bonus last year, adding a dominant fifth to their quartet of aces. Granted, if they had seen the breakout coming, they might not have invested so much in the now-departed Roy Oswalt back in 2010, but it's not like Worley was some top prospect waiting in the wings. He posted a 5.34 ERA at Double-A Reading as recently as 2009. Who he is and how he got to be so good are still mysteries, which is why Worley won't get drafted at face value in 2011. If he goes the route of J.A. Happ, from curiosity to mediocrity, you'll be glad you didn't target him as more than your fifth or sixth starting pitcher, but if he goes the route of James Shields, he'll be a relevant Fantasy contributor for a long, long time. For what it's worth, he did slow down over his final 10 starts before finishing the year in the bullpen, posting a 4.21 ERA, but he struck out more than a batter per inning during that stretch, showing that hitters weren't any less fooled. Clearly, the jury's still out on Worley, but as long as you don't reach for him before the middle-to-late rounds, you have more to gain than lose by drafting him in Fantasy. (Updated 1/5/12)