Stlcardinals.com
July 9, 2001

All-Star Tab Makes Morris' Recovery Truly Full

By Mike Bauman (MLB.com)

SEATTLE -- It is one thing to be an All-Star. It is another to be an All-Star just two years after not being able to play at all.

That would be the Matt Morris story in a nutshell. Morris' promising career was short-circuited by elbow injuries and he eventually underwent "Tommy John" reconstructive elbow surgery. He missed all of the 1999 season, not to mention the latter portion of 1998 and early 2000.

But now, the St. Louis Cardinals right hander is an All-Star, putting up some of the best numbers of any starting pitcher in the National League. His work this season has been a validation of both his earlier promise and his rehabilitation.

"You have a good year and it's only one year, anybody can have that," Morris said. "You want to prove to yourself more or less that you can be the person you once were. To get the opportunity is great, but then being able to perform is even better.

"In 1997 I was throwing the ball well, in 1998 I lost half the season, in 1999 I was out, and 2000 was sort of the comeback season. Just to be back at the level that I want to be at is real nice. I'm happy to be here, but I'm happy just to be pitching well again."

It was not just one steady, post-surgery march back to the top for Morris.

"I had some doubts last year when I was trying to become a starter again," Morris said. "I was dying out after the fifth inning. My stamina was terrible, with my arm. So I wasn't getting good extension on the sinker.

"And I didn't realize that after that whole year off, I'd have to relearn the game," he continued. "Like I wasn't reacting covering first on bunts, you know, everything seemed weird. It took another month of pitching in games to make me realize: 'Man, I've got to concentrate on that stuff again, too.'

"It was easier once I realized that," he said. "But then this Spring Training was easier, too. I could just put on my uniform, pick up my glove and a ball and just start throwing. I didn't have to sit in the training room for hours. I try to stay out of there now."

A favorite rehabilitation story? Sometimes these are hard to locate, but not for Morris.

"Actually, it was kind of cool," he said. "It was just after my birthday, August 9 (1999) and it was in Busch Stadium. My parents were down just to watch some games. My dad came down on the field and I threw with my dad. It was kind of cool. It was only 40 feet, but the first time I ever picked up a ball and tried to throw it was with my Dad, and here I am after surgery, firing balls at him again."