With parts of three major league seasons under his belt, elbow issues forced the Padres' Scott Sanders to consider Tommy John surgery in late 1995, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote.
Sanders, however, opted against the knife and chose rehab. Then, come October 1996, Sanders' hard work paid off as he prepared to start Game 2 of the National League Division Series for San Diego, The Post-Dispatch wrote.
"I thank God every day that I was talked out of the surgery, that I worked hard and that the rest and therapy brought me back," Sanders told The Post-Dispatch then. "If I had the surgery, right now I'd be rehabbing and getting ready to go to winter ball."
Sanders ultimately played three more seasons after that, including a 67-outing effort in 1999 with the Cubs.
Sanders' career began in 1990, taken by the Padres 32nd overall in the draft out of Nicholls State University.
Assigned to short-season Spokane, Sanders showed what he could do early, as he gave up just five singles in his first 12 innings of work, The Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote.
"He dominated. He was very impressive," opposing Southern Oregon manager Grady Fuson told The Spokesman-Review after a seven-inning Sanders outing late that June. "He used both sides of the plate, he changed speeds, he's a strong-bodied kid, a legit draft."
Sanders moved to single-A Waterloo that year and made high-A High Desert in 1991. He then saw AA Wichita and AAA Las Vegas in 1992 - and debuted with San Diego in August 1993.
In his third major league start, he pitched into the ninth inning while giving up six hits in a win, The Associated Press wrote.
"I didn't come up here as early as I would have liked but I think I came up in a pretty good situation," Sanders told The AP then. "I tried to learn something each day. Luckily, I did and now I'm putting it to use up here."
Sanders started nine games for the Padres that year. He went 3-3, with a 4.13 ERA. He returned for 23 outings, 20 starts in 1994, then 17 outings, 15 starts in 1995.
He returned after his elbow troubles in 1996 and went 9-5 in 46 outings, 16 starts, with a 3.38 ERA. His playoff start didn't go as well as he'd hoped. He went 4.1 innings and gave up four earned.
Sanders moved to the Mariners and Tigers for 1997 and saw 47 total outings, 20 starts. He returned to the Padres for 1998 for 23 relief outings. He then played 1999 with the Cubs and went 4-7 over 67 outings, six starts, with a 5.52 ERA.
He then played 2000 at AAA with the Angels, Marlins and Athletics and 2001 in Japan with Nippon Ham. He last played in 2003 and 2004 at AAA with the Marlins to end his career.
- Spokane Spokesman-Review, June 29, 1990: Sanders extends NWL mastery
- Escondido Times-Advocate, Aug. 29, 1993: Padres' win streak stretches to five
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Oct. 3, 1996: Injury May Have Been Blessing For Padres Pitcher Sanders
Made the Majors:1,349-33.2%-X
Never Made Majors:2,716-66.8%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:549-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors:333
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