According to a report released Nov. 26 by the Toronto Blue Jays, Long County native Dustin McGowan may not be ready to play by the start of the 2010 Major League Baseball season.
The release said McGowan, who had surgery on his right shoulder in 2008 and on his right knee in July 2009, "will be at spring training, but is not expected to be ready by the start of the 2010 season."
The report also said the right-handed pitcher is arbitration eligible this year, regarding his contract with the Blue Jays.During a recent holiday vacation, McGowan’s wife Jilly McGowan spoke for her husband via e-mail. "Dustin is feeling good and looking forward to the 2010 season," she wrote.
McGowan was drafted by Toronto in 2000 and bounced between the majors and the minors until he landed in the 2007 starting rotation. He pitched well for the Jays and remained in the rotation through 2008, until he was placed on the disable list because of his shoulder injury.
In 75 games with Toronto, McGowan has a 20-22 record with a 4.71 ERA.He has 285 strikeouts as a major league pitcher with 141 walks. His best year was 2007, when he finished the season with a 12-10 record, striking out 144 batters.