3 elbow surgeries later, Cubs’ Fox still pitching

February 26, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Chad Fox was working with high school players in Houston when one of the kids he was throwing with gave him some unexpected news.

“He said, ‘Man, your arm looks good, you can still pitch,’ ” Fox said.

That conversation started his comeback after two years out of the major leagues.

Fox, whose career had been plagued by a series of elbow injuries and operations, said he told the player, “No, my days are over.” But driving home that night he had a revelation.

“Why not? Why not go after it? What do you have to lose? Because I didn’t want to look back,” Fox said. “I’m 38 and I didn’t want to look back at 45 and go, ‘Why didn’t I try it one more time if I had that feeling?’ ”

Fox’s wife went along with her husband’s sudden decision after he told her, “You’re either going to leave me, think I’m crazy or love what I’m going to tell you, but I’m going to go for it again.”

And so he did, with the Chicago Cubs.

Fox has twice undergone Tommy John surgery, and after his second elbow ligament replacement operation, he fractured his pitching elbow. That meant a third surgery that forced him to sit out the 2000 season.

He returned and had a strong season with the Brewers in 2001 but was back on the disabled list the following season with a strained elbow and sore rotator cuff. He split time with Boston and Florida in 2003, pitching nine postseason games with the Marlins and helping them beat the Cubs in the NL championship series before they won the World Series.

A sore elbow slowed him in 2004, his final season with Marlins, and again in 2005, his first with the Cubs. And after sitting out the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Fox decided to try his comeback. He had three relief appearance for Chicago last season before a nerve problem in his elbow sent him to the sidelines yet again.

Now here he is, trying to pitch his way back into the majors. One last time.

“I’ve been rehabbing and have not had any setbacks, started taking a new nerve pill and it’s really seemed to respond well,” Fox said, adding there is nothing structurally wrong with his elbow.

And Fox, who has pitched in 217 major league games with a 3.60 ERA, has a bigger goal than staying healthy.

“My expectations are I want to make this team,” he said. “I’m not here just to, ‘OK, well I did it again.’ ”