There’s a natural stigma attached to starting crawlers that Tommy John undergoes twice: how durable can he be after two surgeries for rebuilding the elbow ligament, and what’s the ceiling on his potential?
Jameson Taillon sees his second ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery, which he underwent in 2019, differently. He sees it as an unfortunate circumstance that can give him a fresh opportunity to strike effectively and without persistent pain. He made major changes to his mechanics, shortened his armpit and worked to generate more power from his legs – both of which can help him protect his elbow. A second baseball life, he called it Sunday, shortly after it was traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Yankees.
Taillon, 29, says his second elbow surgery opened his eyes to the field of biomechanics and inspired him to recreate himself as a pitcher. After his first Tommy John operation in April 2014, …