The quite often left-handed starting pitcher for the Houston Astros, Mike Hampton, will not pitch for the rest of the 2009 season because he will have surgery on his pitching shoulder and both knees.
The two-time all-star and former $121 million man for the Colorado Rockies has been on the disabled list since August 18 after he partially tore his rotator cuff, according to
The Associated Press. Hampton is 7-10 this season with a 5.30 ERA in 21 starts, which is the most starts since 2004.
He missed both the 2006 and 2007 seasons after separate elbow injuries. The 37-year-old was one of the best pitcher-hitter players in the National League before his frequent injuries. He has a career batting average of .246 and 16 home runs.
General Manager of the Houston Astros Ed Wade said before their Sunday game, 'It's disappointing that he couldn't get to the finish line. We went into this thing knowing that he had a very significant health history, but at the same time he had 10 solid starts for the Braves last year, and we had every reason to hope that he had turned the corners medically.'
Mike Hampton will be a free-agent after this season and Astros Manager Cecil Cooper offered a word of advice, 'I told him, 'Hey, come back as a pinch-hitter if it doesn't work. He can hit. He can definitely hit, so that might be an alternative.'
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