The Dodgers selected pitcher Justin Orenduff in the first round of the 2004 draft. He advanced to Double A the next summer and was pitching well at that level in 2006, on the path towards the big leagues. Then, Orenduff’s right arm started hurting.
He underwent surgery that August, and had 80 percent of his injured biceps tendon removed. He remembers waking up from the anesthesia and hearing the surgeon say, “We haven’t done many surgeries like this. This is very acute. But we know that the way you’re throwing the ball led to this specific type of injury.