Tommy Toledo has waited more than a year for this day. After undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder at the end of 2008, his 16 months of rehabilitation are over and his first step back to normal begins when he takes the mound tonight in Florida’s season opener against USF (6:30 p.m., McKethan Stadium).
ince it’s the opening weekend of the season, all of Florida’s starting pitchers will be on a pitch count around 70, which should give Toledo around five innings of work. Whether he throws five innings or just one Friday night, Toledo is happy to be helping his team win instead of sitting in the dugout watching like he was on opening night last year.
“It’s going to be exciting,” Toledo said. “For Sully (Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan) to start me for that game shows a lot. I couldn’t be happier.”
Toledo knew something was wrong near the end of his freshman year in 2008. He wouldn’t describe it as pain in the shoulder, but something didn’t feel right. His velocity was down into the mid 80s and his control was off. The ball just wouldn’t go where he wanted or as hard as he wanted.
“I had never been hurt before, so I didn’t know what it was,” Toledo said. “I thought I was just getting tired for a long season.”
He took the summer off and resumed throwing last fall. However, the uncomfortable feeling in his shoulder didn’t go away and it eventually required surgery to repair a torn labrum. Since then, he’s worked harder than any time in his life to get back into pitching shape.
“He’s worked awful hard to get himself back in shape to pitch again,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “A lot of days were tough on him.”
Even the inter-squad scrimmages were sometimes tough. He struggled with some of his control and off-speed pitches when practice began but as the spring has progressed, so have Toledo’s performances.
The best sign came on the radar gun. His velocity is back into the low 90s and his arm is feeling just like it did during his senior year in high school when he was drafted in the third round by the San Diego Padres.
Toledo will start against USF but only because he’s earned it through hard work.
“It’s one of those things where he has earned the right to get back out there, and I didn’t want him to sit all weekend,” O’Sullivan said. “I want to throw him right into the mix. If there were any caution at all, we wouldn’t throw him out there. His velocity has been really good the first four times out this spring. His stuff has been just as good, if not better than his senior year of high school.”
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Getting the start is extra special for Toledo because it comes against USF, whose roster is dotted with friends and former teammates from his days at Tampa Alonso. He’s even been in contact with some of them this week.
“I know a lot of those guys,” Toledo said. “A lot of them I played AAU with since I was ten years old. I’ve talked to them a couple times, and they’re asking about how my arm is feeling. I’m not sure if they know I’m throwing Friday, but I guess they’ll find out.”
Opposing Toledo on the mound Friday night will be Bulls ace right-hander Randy Fontanez. He went 7-3 with a 3.09 ERA, and a better 2.69 ERA in Big East play. In 99 innings pitched last year, he struck out only 57 batters and walked 24. He doesn’t dominate opposing hitters with his strikeouts. Instead, Fontanez puts the ball where he wants and makes hitters hit his pitch to get themselves out.
“That Friday night game is going to be tough,” O’Sullivan said. “They’ve got a guy who is Preseason Big East Pitcher of the Year. We’ve got our hands full.”
SATURDAY MATCHUP: The Gators will start freshman lefty Brian Johnson against USF freshman Ray Delphey, a former high school teammate of Toledo and Alex Panteliodis.
SUNDAY MATCHUP: Sophomore right-hander Anthony DeSclafani will pitch on Sunday for the Gators, starting at noon. He went 6-3 with a 4.98 ERA last season.
He will be opposed by junior college transfer Andrew Barbosa. He is a 6-8, 235-pound left-hander.
SERIES NOTES: The Gators are 57-16 in two years under O’Sullivan, 6-0 on opening weekends … Josh Adams will start at a new position for the third straight year. Adams will start at second base against USF. He was in center field two years ago and third base last season … Adams has a 13-game hitting streak carrying over from last year … Freshmen Nolan Fontana (shortstop) and Mike Zunino (catcher) will be in the opening night lineup. The Gators will also start a freshman at DH with Austin Maddox hitting cleanup.