Rubby Needs Tommy John; Dodgers Need Life Preserver

The news on Rubby De La Rosa just gets worse and worse; he needs Tommy John surgery, meaning we won't see the Rubster until 2013:

SAN DIEGO -- In a development that figures to have major implications for the Los Angeles Dodgers beyond this year, rookie right-hander Rubby De La Rosa has learned he will need Tommy John reconstructive surgery to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Such procedures typically carry a recovery period of a year or more before a pitcher is ready to perform again at the major league level.

De La Rosa reported tightness in the elbow to the team's medical staff following his start on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, a game in which he lasted just four innings, threw 100 pitches and never appeared comfortable on the mound. He underwent an MRI exam on Monday in Los Angeles that revealed the tear.

(cries)

Earlier: Frustrated And Alone, Dodgers Forced To Rubby One Out