Surgery Eases Pain of Darling’s Bad Year

Tuesday was an exciting day for Ron Darling. The Mets’ right-hander found he was able to touch his right shoulder with his right hand for the first time in four years. “It was a wonderful feeling,” Darling said.

It was a feeling made possible by Oct. 25 elbow surgery in which he said “lots and lots of chips the size of lima beans” were removed from his right elbow. Plans call for him to begin throwing around Jan. 1 and be at full strength by spring training.

Darling has concluded that the injury may have contributed to his poor 7-9 season. But in an odd way, the injury is helping him. He forgets “the craziness of last year” by focusing on his return to health.

For the present, anyway, Darling has recanted on his wish to be traded. “I’ve always said I’d love to stay in New York if I could pitch here,” he said. “The key is, if I pitch.”

Darling asked to be dealt after his confusing and personally unsuccessful year ended, but the Mets did not oblige.

Darling was unhappy much of the season as he shuttled between the rotation and the bullpen. “I’m praying to God I don’t have to repeat it,” Darling said. “But if they keep all of us (starting pitchers), it’s going to be a similar situation.”

Trading a pitcher with a suddenly questionable arm isn’t easy. Asked about that, Mets Vice President Gerry Hunsicker said, “First, I would want to make certain that everyone knows we’re not coming out with the statement that we’re looking to trade Ron Darling. To answer the generic question, I would say (an injury) would not help the situation.”

And Darling added, “It’s a real touchy issue because you’re talking about a pitcher who had a bad year.”