Razorbacks' Dave Van Horn Going with Hagen Smith on Friday

Rash of elbow injuries in college baseball "just kind of luck," heading to Mississippi State

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — You can call all of these elbow injuries across college baseball whatever you want, but Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn is sticking with good fortunate maybe having a lot to do with the whole thing.

"It's just kind of luck of the draw," he said Monday at his weekly press conference ahead of a weekend series in Starkville, Miss., against Mississippi State. "For the most part, it’s been older pitchers, guys who’ve thrown a lot. Big-time summer ball last summer for Dylan (Carter), then fall ball. It starts to add up. Just about every pitcher that’s been playing ball and is a guy that’s been playing a lot, the elbow injury is just around the corner. It’s just a matter of time."

For Carter that came up earlier this week with Carter's announcement he was going to have the elbow surgery, named for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, who suffered it against the Montreal Expos in 1974. Everyone assumed his career was over. Enter Dr. Frank Jobe, a California physician who was a leader and maybe the best in the business at fixing broken bodies for decades. It's on the ulnar collateral ligament and nobody had ever come back to baseball after tearing it previously. Now it happens a lot.

"Did you guys know Hagen Smith had Tommy John when he was a junior in high school?" Van Horn asked the media. "You look in the big leagues, too. It's the same way. The other injuries, on the position players, are just injuries that happen - hamstrings, sore shoulders, tendonitis. It's just the way it is."

With Hunter Hollan injured after starting series nearly all year, Van Horn may have turned to his ace in the hole and Smith will get the start on the road against the Bulldogs on Friday night. It's not exactly a shock to anyone.

"He's known for a week he was going to do this," Van Horn said. "He's had plenty of time to prepare. He's been preparing for it anyway with his bullpens throughout the season. He's looking forward to going out there and starting the game."

HOGS FEED:

HOGS LOSE YET ANOTHER MAJOR PLAYER TO INJURY ON THE DIAMOND

YOU CAN HELP WITH LIST OF ARKANSAS PLAYERS WHO EITHER NEVER MADE IT TO FAYETTEVILLE OR LEFT AND HAD SUCCESS

RAZORBACKS' QUINCEY McADOO INJURED, BUT NOT LIFE-THREATENING IN FAYETTEVILLE AUTO ACCIDENT

UCA SOFTBALL'S DREAMS OF HOSTING RAZORBACKS IN CONWAY MAY HAVE BONE UP IN SMOKE AFTER RAZORBACKS' SERIES WITH TENNESSEE

DENVER BRONCOS BLEW THEIR CHANCE AT MAKING INROADS IN ARKANSAS IN MOST EPIC OF WAYS

RAZORBACK FANS WILL NOW CHEER LINEBACKER THEY ONCE BOOED ANGRILY

A LOT OF FOLKS WILL BE SURPRISED WHAT COACH DEVELOPED MORE FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS FROM HOGS

OBSERVATIONS AND NOTES FROM RAZORBACKS' SWEEP OF AGGIES

IT TOOK A LOT LONGER THAN EXPECTED FOR RAZORBACKS TO START SHOWING UP ON NFL DRAFT BOARDS

HOGS USE SOME OLD-FASHIONED "SMALL BALL" TO CLINCH SERIES WITH TEXAS A&M FRIDAY NIGHT

IN ARKANSAS, BASEBALL JUST MEANS MORE THAN IT DOES IN OTHER PLACES

ARKANSAS ENDS SKID WITH DRAMATIC WIN OVER TEXAS A&M

RAZORBACK FANS CAN NOW START MAKING FUTURE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PLANS

BLOWING UP ROSTER SHOWS SHORT TERM SUCCESS, BUT WHAT DOES IT POTENTIALLY DO LONG TERM?

TOTAL WINS OVER LAST FOUR YEARS REVEALS TRUE STORY OF SEC BASKETBALL PROGRAMS

RAZORBACKS' COACH JUST FOCUSED ON A MONTH FROM NOW INSTEAD OF MIDWEEK NON-CONFERENCE GAME

ANOTHER INJURY CRASH RAZORBACKS' BASEBALL SEASON BECAUSE THEY MAY BE OVER THE LIMIT NOW

RARE FEELING ABOUT HOGS NOT FELT IN 40 YEARS SUDDENLY MAKES A RETURN

RAZORBACK RECAP: FOOTBALL EXPLODES ONTO RECRUITING SCENE, BASEBALL TRYING TO FIGHT THROUGH INJURIES

TEVIS METCALF BRINGS WORK ETHIC, DEDICATION, BUT NOT YET 4 STAR RATING TO RAZORBACKS

ARKANSAS BASEBALL SCHEDULE

FAYETTEVILLE WEATHER UPDATE

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