Adopted: Brant Rustich

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Big ass righty, drafted out of college? Inconsistency, but with flashes of brilliance pre-draft? Stuff up the wazoo (plus-fastball, -power slider, and -forkball), but wrestling with command issues*?

Yeah, welcome home, Brant Rustich. You'll be staying in the middle extra-long bunk between Needham and Beaulac. Let's see what we can do about getting that Destroyer-class patoot into some major league pants this season, eh?

*It should be noted that he's wrestling them at least to a standstill, with a respectable 2.6 BB/9 and a K/BB ratio touching 3 over his 3-year minor league career.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Guest

[MFS62]

To date, an arm injury was a significant factor in Rustich's moving forward or lack of movement.
From what I've read on "Inside Pitch" (subscription site), his arm is improving. Positive signs are coming out of his early test results.

Rustich is not currently on track for spring training and the organization is going to be very cautious with . He's NOT going to be ready to throw off a mound when camp starts. He hasn't started a throwing program yet, but will start soon.

When he does return to game action and joins a team, expect it to be St. Lucie but it won't be because they feel he can't handle a higher level. Rustich is still a very valuable guy for the Org., but they want to keep him close to the complex, pitch in warm weather, and make sure everything is right before they get aggressive with him. When he's healthy, he'll move very fast.


Good luck with your kid, LWFS.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

His arm troubles-- pain/discomfort, but no apparent structural damage-- recurred by midseason, cutting his 2010 season short (13 G, 14.2 IP, 13 K, 11 BB, 5+ ERA between PSL and Savannah).

After numerous consultations with team and other doctors, Rustich received a diagnosis of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (see: Noah Lowry, Jeremy Bonderman, Matt Harrison, Kenny Rogers).

A bit belatedly, from Lobby the Elf, this February:

� 2007 second-round pick Brant Rustich, a reliever from UCLA, may finally have persistent arm woes behind him. After visiting Dr. James Andrews in September, Rustich was sent to a Texas Rangers doctors, who referred him to a nerve specialist. Eventually, Rustich had an upper rib and muscle removed that was pressing on a nerve and creating numbness throughout his right arm. Rustich may not break camp with a minor league team, but he should not be that far behind. The issue was known as thoracic outlet syndrome.

As with fellow rib-loser Havens, the skill set is there, and doesn't need much more polishing for, say, a back-end bullpen audition by next year... or year's end, even. As with Havens... the guy's just got to stay upright.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

After a lost 2011, the nerve situation seems-- seems-- in the rearview, as per this November report from Mack's Mets:

It looks like pitcher Brant Rustich will be coming out of the chair swinging this spring. I talked with him earlier this week and he says he�s 100% and can�t wait to get to camp. Remember, this guy was never injured. It turned out to be a condition he was born with that went undiagnosed for his entire life. That�s over now and Rustich begins tossing next week. We know the worse (sic) case here, but if the velo remains with a new found feel for the ball, he could open for St. Lucie, quickly move to Binghamton when it warms up and there actually is an outside chance he could make Queens after the all-star break. This isn�t some kid trying to make the team. Think along the lines of Chris Young. f This is a 27-year old that has averaged a strikeout per inning without having any feeling in his pitching hand. The upside here is incredible.

Fair points, all; maybe he gets me to the park in the second half, after all.

2010 video of the man:
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[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Alas, as with most of 2007's early Met picks, Brant's baseball future is past.

Brant Rustich, the Mets' second-round pick in the 2007 draft out of UCLA, has retired. The injury-plagued Rustich missed last season and had been experiencing a nerve issue that reduced the feeling in a finger.

Good night, and good luck.