Table 2.

Player Quotations. Letter/Number combination indicates unique patient identifier.

THEME	QUOTATION
Trust in Care Team	“I knew I would be all right getting back on the mound because I had the surgeon for [an MLB team] taking care of me, and I was just following his program” (A15) “You just have to trust the process when you are being taken care of by one of the best” (A7) “Your arm feels different after the surgery, and you are scared you will get hurt again. I knew I was with some of the best physical therapists out there though, so I had faith in them, and they were always encouraging me to trust my arm” (A4) “My surgeon was great about answering my questions, and I knew he would tell me if he felt like I was not ready to return” (A1) “My [physical] therapists were the people I could trust to tell me if I was not going hard enough or if I was pushing myself too much” (A12)
Individual Personality	“I felt like I needed to win rehab and was always comparing myself to the guys next to me to get back better and quicker than they did” (A6) “I was driven every day of rehab to grind because setbacks do not define me, and that is who I am as an athlete” (A14) “Rehab is a rollercoaster of emotions with daily highs and lows, but you have to accept it, make a plan, follow it, and stay tough through it” (A16) “Rehab is grueling, and you can't lose sight of the daily little picture for the big picture end goal, or you'll just quit” (B3) “I felt like I could see the silver lining to my situation every day” (A12) “I am a glass-half-full person” (A17) “I stay positive and put in the work to make sure things work out” (A16) “My family was great, but I really relied on myself to get through it” (A2) “I had everyone backing me, but I was the one who drove myself to get better” (A18) “I left school to do my rehab because I just needed to get better by myself” (A1)
Anecdotal Evidence	“I knew a bunch of guys that had the surgery and came back with better control and velocity” (A17) “I knew it was not a guarantee, but my older brother had the surgery and came out of rehab at the top of his game” (A12) “You are like an old truck with a new engine after the surgery—you have a lot of experience, and now, you have a better arm” (A2) “The doctors tell you all the statistics, but everyone is still convinced they will get at least a 2-3mph increase in velocity after surgery” (A13) “You see everyone else come back better, so you would never think you will be the exception to the rule” (A6) “If you listen to coaches and other guys talk, it sounds like it is no big deal to get the surgery” (B2) “Based on what you see in the media and around you at training camp, you are expected to come back after the surgery” (A12)
Priorities	“The minors do not pay the bills and come with no guarantees. I just wanted to get the surgery and go back to school so I could get a job to support my family” (B1) “I was at a point where I wanted to start a family with my wife, and I needed to go back to school so I could land a job with a stable salary” (B2) “At a certain age, you ask yourself if you think you are good enough to keep playing the game. You have to be honest with yourself and ask if it is worth it versus pursuing something else that interests you” (B4) “I am not married, and I do not have any kids, so there was nothing holding me back from the sport I love” (A10) “I just wanted to get back to the game … I only feel like myself when I am on the mound” (A15) “I do not know what I would have done with myself if I had not kept playing” (A7)