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One week after having surgery performed in St. Louis to repair a damaged artery in his pitching shoulder, Dillon Gee returned to the Mets clubhouse for the first time before Friday night’s series opener with the Dodgers. What a difference a week made for the righthander.
“I feel better than I’ve been,” said Gee, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his shoulder after his last start, a 3-1 win over the Cubs on July 7. “I’m still pretty sore from all the procedures but I’m on the road to recovery.”
The last two weeks have brought wild swings in Gee’s emotions.
“The next day when I came in from my start I felt really weird,” Gee said. “My arm felt really tired, nothing was there. I couldn’t even hardly pick it up so I knew something was definitely (wrong).
When I finally went to the hospital I was diagnosed with a pretty big clot in my right shoulder. It’s pretty scary. I’m not a doctor so immediately I think I’m going to die. (But doctors) assured me I wasn’t as bad as I thought I was. They were very confident it was all going to be taken care of.”
Gee said doctors have told him that he should expect to be 100% once he’s healed and that the clot problem “shouldn’t reoccur,” Gee said. “It’s kind of a freak thing.”
So what’s next for Gee? Absolutely nothing. No lifting, no exercise, no running and especially no throwing. He is slated for another exam in three weeks and a final one in six weeks, at which time he hopes he’s given clearance to start throwing again.
Terry Collins said there’s no timetable for Gee’s return.
SPINSANITY
Linsanity may have left for Houston, but Spinsanity is thriving in New York. Jordany Valdespin hit his major-league best fourth pinch-hit home run of the season on Friday, smacking a fastball over the left-center field fence for an opposite-field shot in the seventh inning. He tied Mark Carreon (1989) and Danny Heep (1983) for the single-season franchise record.
Valdespin said tying the record was special, “especially for a young guy. I’m grateful.”
FRANCISCO CLOSING IN
Frank Francisco (oblique) threw long toss at Citi Field Friday afternoon and will pitch from a mound on Sunday. If that bullpen session goes off without a hitch, Francisco will move on to a rehab game, and said he’d need only two such games before rejoining the Mets.
OMAR’S OUT
The Mets traded Omar Quintanilla to the Orioles for cash considerations. He was designated for assignment on Tuesday. … RHP Jeremy Hefner will be called up for Saturday’s game. A corresponding move had yet to be announced.
STAT OF THE DAY
6.54 - That’s Johan Santana’s ERA since throwing the Mets’ first no-hitter on June 1.
TEST YOUR METS IQ
Jordany Valdespin is the first rookie with four pinch-hit home runs in a season since 2010. Who accomplished it that season?
NEXT GAME
Today, 1:10, vs. Dodgers; Miguel Batista (1-2, 4.33) vs. Chris Capuano (9-5, 2.75); TV: Ch. 11
A: Cincinnati’s Chris Heisey
