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By MARC TOPKIN
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 1, 2001
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Once-heralded pitching prospect Matt White will be out at least the rest of this season after shoulder surgery Thursday.
Dr. James Andrews cleaned up wear and tear in the 22-year-old right-hander's rotator cuff and repaired damage to his labrum and told the Rays the procedure went well.
"He won't pitch again this year, but we expect at this time next year he'll be pitching successfully and pitching pain-free," general manager Chuck LaMar said.
White, one of the top high school pitchers in recent years, received a record $10.2-million bonus as a free agent after the 1996 draft. But, battling injuries, he made slow progress as a pro, reaching Triple A in August.
White had a shot to make the majors this spring, but struggled with his control, then did no better at Triple A, going 0-5 with a 7.80 ERA.
"With the inconsistency and control problems, something was not right, and hasn't been right, with his shoulder," LaMar said.