Is Troy Glaus Headed For The DL?

Through last Friday’s game against the Marlins, Troy Glaus was the only member of the Braves that had played in all 80 of the team’s games.  Since then however, Glaus has missed the team’s last 3 games with swelling and soreness in his left knee, which he has apparently been dealing with for the past couple of weeks.

The swelling, attributed to normal wear from the season, did not immediately respond to a cortisone shot on Saturday, but has since gone down a bit.  Glaus is hoping to make it back to the lineup for the Braves in this evening’s game against the Phillies.

The main question I have is whether or not the Braves should be rushing to get him back in the lineup or if a stint on the disabled list might be necessary for Glaus.  The main reason I wonder is that, in the past 16 games, he has only hit .132 with 1 HR as opposed to .362 with 7 HR in the 16 games before.  It’s hard to tell how much the knee’s bothering him, but I’m okay if we have to let Hinske play first for a couple of weeks to get Troy healthy.

Here’s hoping he doesn’t relapse to the Glaus of April………

All Eyes On Jair Jurrjens… Hudson’s Dominance and Heyward’s Thumb

In his latest “Fried Baseball” audio blog, Kent Covington talks about the return of Jair Jurrjens, Tim Hudson’s dominance, and Jason Heyward’s thumb. Throw in your 2 cents in the comments area below… or leave a message with your questions or comments for a future commentary at 888-669-5368 (ext.701.)

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Glavine Says He’s Ready

With five scoreless innings for AAA-Gwinnett last night, Tom Glavine notched his first minor league win since 1987.  Afterwards, he expressed his opinion that he was ready to start again in the Majors as soon as next Tuesday against the Cubs.  Bobby Cox, however, has said that Glavine will make one more minor league start for Class-A Rome on Tuesday before being considered to come back to Atlanta.

Glavine will likely fill the fifth spot in the rotation that has been a struggling point for the Braves since being filled by the combination of Jo-Jo Reyes and Kris Medlen.  Between the two, they have compilied an 0-4 record across 7 starts with a 7.64 ERA.

Though Glavine is still working a little rust out of his control since returning from elbow and shoulder surgery that ended his 2008 season, he is still likely a better candidate for the spot in the rotation.  Honestly, it can’t get much worse.  I think we’ll be seeing him back in Atlanta by mid-June definitely.  What’re everyone’s thoughts on Glavine?

McCann Trying To Avoid Surgery

Since being placed on the 15-day disabled list in the series against Cincinnati, Brian McCann has returned to Atlanta to be re-evaluated by another eye specialist, Dr. Alan Kozarsky.  Once again, Mac tried a number of different contact lenses to try to correct the blurred vision in his left eye.  McCann and Kozarsky settled on contacts in both eyes to help resolve the issue.

While realizing that he still may have to undergo Lasik surgery once again to repair his vision in his left eye (he originally had the surgery in 2007), McCann will first give make two rehab starts in Class A Myrtle Beach.  With McCann on the disabled list and ineligible for reactivation for the next 10 days, this is the best option to test the new contact combination.  After his two-game stint, starting tonight, a decision will likely be made as to whether or not the surgery should be performed.

Personally, I think the Braves are just prolonging the inevitable with this decision.  Nothing has seemed to work for McCann so far and I just feel like every day that he doesn’t have the surgery is another day that he won’t be playing back in Atlanta.  Granted, the recovery time for Lasik isn’t that long, I think he should go ahead and get it done.  Thoughts?  Am I just completely offbase in thinking that?

McCann Headed to the DL

Clint Sammons has already made the trip to Cincinnati to take Brian McCann’s spot on the active roster.  McCann has been bothered by blurred vision in his left eye since Opening Day and has exhausted all options at this point.  He will be visiting an eye specialist in Atlanta in the next couple of days, presumably once the team returns from the road trip, and will likely undergo laser surgery again on the eye to correct his vision.

Bobby Cox is hesitant to put McCann on the disabled list until he makes it back to Atlanta to be evaluated, but at the same time, it’s hard for the team to play without a backup catcher.  While hoping for some overnight improvement, Cox has acknowledged that he doesn’t expect things to magically change.  McCann has already tried ointments, drops and single contact lenses in his left eye; none of which have really solved the issue.

McCann’s 1-for-20 from the plate in his last games played and he seems to have accepted that having surgery on the eye again in the best route for him to take.  Missing a couple of weeks now to get the problem corrected in full seems like a much better option than fighting with it throughout the season and never really getting it fully resolved.

So what’s the right thing to do?  Go ahead and send McCann to the DL and let him have the surgery so he’ll be good to go for the rest of the season?  Or do we keep trying little things here and there to try to get him through?

UPDATE: It’s official now.  McCann is headed for the 15-day disabled list.

Campillo to DL, Injury Updates

The Braves have struggled in the past couple of seasons keeping people healthy and playing and the 2009 season looks like it’s not getting off to much different of a start.  There has been a good bit of injury-related news for the Braves in the last 24 hours so we figured a quick update was in store:

Jorge Campillo is the first of the Braves pitching staff (a pitching staff that is all too familiar with the DL, mind you) to make a trip to the disabled list since the start of the season.  After yesterday’s game against the Marlins, it was announced that Campillo will be placed on the DL with right shoulder fatigue.  He has complained of having a “dead arm” since pitching for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic and playing winter ball.  The outlook for Campillo is a little vague right now and he will be evaluated over the next couple of days.  James Parr will be called up from Gwinnett to replace Campillo on the roster.

Yunel Escobar came up lame in yesterday’s game while running out a grounder to first base.  The injury however, a strained abdominal muscle, happened while he was warming up in the on-deck circle.  Braves fans are accustomed to seeing Yunel jumping up and down in the on-deck circle before heading to the plate, which apparently was the cause of the injury.  I’m sure he won’t stop doing it however.  The Braves think it may be three or four games before Yunel is back in the lineup, despite Escobar’s confidence that he could play tonight against Pittsburgh.

Chipper Jones continues to battle the bruised left thumb that has kept him out of the last two games.  He reaggravated the injury while getting jammed against the Marlins on Tuesday.  He is expected to miss tonight’s game against the Pirates, but could be back in the lineup Saturday.  The thumb only bothers him on his left-handed swing.  His play on Sunday will be dependent on how he feels as the Pirates will be sending right-handed Zach Duke to the mound.

David Ross was activated from the disabled list before yesterday’s game and took the start in place of Brian McCann behind the plate.  Don’t worry though, Braves fans, it was just a regularly scheduled off-day for Mac.  Clint Sammons was optioned to AAA to make room on the roster for Ross.  He had been on the DL since straining a groin muscle in a March 31st preseason game.  Ross gives the Braves a little bit of power in the backup catcher role and he should be a good fill-in for the days when McCann needs to be rested.

So the left side of the infield is a little battered and bruised aready, with Chipper and Yunel both missing time, but the Braves aren’t expected to call up another infielder. Infante and Prado are quite capable and handling the load and we should see the starters back in the lineup soon.  Let’s just hope this is nothing serious for Campillo and that he recovers quickly.  I don’t want the pitching staff to start getting too familiar with being injured yet again.

Injury Worsens, Chipper Out of WBC

Chipper Jones was officially scratched from the World Baseball Classic before Team USA’s game yesterday against the Netherlands.  Chipper returned to Braves training camp in Florida late yesterday to be evaluated by team doctors.  He reaggravated his right oblique muscle during batting practice.

Chipper initially injured the muscle during the March 8th WBC game in Toronto, but only missed one game.  The injury is still thought to be a mild strain after the initial evaluation, but it was determined that he should cut short his time in the Classic and return to Orlando to work on getting healthy for the 2009 season.

In 10 at-bats during the WBC, Chipper was hitless and struck out 6 times.  This brings to mind the concern of injuries with players participating in the Classic, but there is no guarantee that the same thing wouldn’t have happened in Braves training camp, so there’s no reason to fault the event.  The big concern now is Opening Day, April 5th, and whether or not we’ll see Chipper on the field.

How concerned are you about the injury to Chipper Jones?

Anderson, Schafer, Freeman Injured

Garret Anderson has only been a Brave for two weeks but he’s already been bitten by the injury bug.  During pregame warmups on Friday, Anderson strained his right calf muscle while jogging.  They’re still not certain on the extent of the injury and he is listed with a day-to-day status.  Both Anderson and Bobby Cox understand however that the injury could take more than a week to fully heal.  We should hopefully get some more news this week as to how his recovery is going.  I think it’s a pretty safe statement however that some of our young talent will get the chance to fill in in the majors this  year during injury times.

The prospects aren’t immune to injury either, however.  Jordan Schafer is sidelined with a strained right shoulder that he sustained while attempting a diving catch in Saturday’s game.  He’s currently expected to miss four games with the injury, but it will likely take a toll on his chances of beating out Josh Anderson to be the starting center fielder for the Braves this season.

Freddie Freeman has been bothered by a strained quad since the first days of camp, but has continued to play.  He is, however, expected to miss the next few games while trying to rest the muscle and get back out there.  Freeman doesn’t have a chance at making the squad out of Spring Training this year, but has made a huge impression on everyone in camp.

The biggest concern out of all of this is the injury to Anderson.  Muscle strains in the legs are the types of injuries that go on to nag a player all season, much like they have with Chipper in the past.  And at age 36, Anderson won’t bounce back quite as quickly as his younger teammates.  It will be interesting to see how this evolves and hopefully it’s only a minor strain as the Braves as a whole are still thin in the outfield.  I look for Schafer and Brandon Jones to get some chances throughout the season to fill in in outfield roles however.  Should we be terribly worried about Garret getting hurt?  Only time will tell.

Glavine Good To Go; Sutton Returning

It’s one of those days where we just couldn’t think of one thing in particular to write a substantial article about, so we’re taking a quick look at a couple stories from the day.  Be sure to drop us some new article ideas with the Suggestions tab on the left.

Tom Glavine returned from his visit with Dr. Andrews today with a renewed sense of confidence about pitching in the 2009 season.  The question now remains, where will he pitch?  Andrews found no issues with the surgically repaired left elbow and shoulder during the routine checkup and cleared Glavine to increase his pitch counts during his mound sessions.

Dr. Andrews also informed Glavine that he would likely be ready to pitch in spring training.  While he is still not throwing with full intensity, Glavine reported no pain after his 60-pitch session today.  He is slated to throw a 75-pitch session later in the week and then will move on to the next step of his rehab program which will consist of throwing harder, but fewer pitches.

Glavine is expected to meet with Frank Wren later this week to discuss his rehab progress and next steps.  It’s hard to tell if Wren plans to offer Glavine a contract that would be deemed acceptable.  Financially, the Braves are down to about $6 million to spend this offseason and are still on the hunt for an outfielder.  Conversely, some believe that they will make an offer to Glavine to avoid the fallout that was experienced with the departure of John Smoltz.  Only time will tell on that one.

In other news, Don Sutton will once again be heard on Braves radio broadcasts.  The Braves confirmed today that the Nationals and MASN radio network had release Sutton from his contract obligations to allow him to return to Atlanta.  Sutton’s familiar voice, along with newcomer Jim Powell, will fill the void left with the retirement of Pete Van Wieren and the passing of Skip Caray last season.

So what do you think, Braves fans?  What will the outcome of Glav’s meetings with Wren be?  Do we have the financial means to try and bring Glavine on board and still pursue an outfielder?  With the preseason rapidly approaching, there are still questions to be answered.

Glavine Improving, Showing Interest In Nats

Continuing the rehab on his surgically repaired left shoulder and elbow, Tom Glavine pitched from a mound for the second time this past Tuesday. The first session came two Friday’s ago where Glavine threw 15 fastballs and reported no discomfort. In Tuesday’s session, he threw 30 pitches, combining fast balls and changeups. Once again, Glavine reported no discomfort in the elbow or shoulder. He is slated to meet with Dr. Andrews in Birmingham this coming Wednesday for a routine checkup to monitor the progress on the repaired flexor tendon in his left elbow.

The biggest thing for Tom in his recovery right now is to not overdo anything.  Pushing too hard to be ready in time for Spring Training if his arm is just not up to it would be the biggest setback for him.  Glavine has repeatedly said that this is the best his arm has felt in years and is making a concious effort to do his recovery properly and not become overly excited with each mound session.  At the rate he is progressing, Glavine is fairly certain that he’ll be ready in time for the regular season however.

While Glavine’s main focus right now is being able to pitch again in the 2009 season, there is still the fact that he remains a free agent for the upcoming season.  He has indicated that he’d love to stay and pitch for the Braves, but realizes that this may not be a possibility.  Glavine has said that he has thought through multiple possibilities and knows that financially, the Braves just may not have the ability to sign him this season.  Right now however, he continues to just go out there and prove that he’ll be ready to go once the season gets under way.

If things with the Braves don’t work out, Glavine has expressed some interest in pitching for the Nationals because of his close relationship with team president, Stan Kasten, who was in the Braves organization together with Glavine from 1987 to 2002.  As of now, the Nationals have not contacted Glavine’s agent, as they are focused on acquiring young players for the long term.  Should they choose to bring him on board, Glavine would likely serve in the mentoring role for the team’s young pitchers.

So the question is, do the Braves bring back Glavine or not?  We have no lefties in the rotation right now (aside from Jo-Jo Reyes potentially grabbing the 5th spot) so is this a role that Glavine gets the nod to fill or is it time for the Braves and Glavine to go their separate ways once again?

Hampton Being Hampton

Mike Hampton had made it nearly all the way through a rehab assignment successfully.  He just needed to make one more rehab start.  After trying to come back and pitch in the majors for so long, surely, finally, something would go his way.  Maybe he’d be back in the Majors pitching against the Marlins next week.

And then he had to leave last night’s game at AA Mississippi in the second inning with a strained left groin.

It’s only a mild strain, and he’s expected to make at least one more rehab start and then they’re re-assess him.  He’s only Day-to-Day – it’s not like his leg detached.  But that’s how the story goes.  Mike, we wish you the best and truly hope to see you come back strong in Atlanta.  Just be careful and have someone drive you everywhere you go.  And have someone else brush your teeth for you too.  Ya know what, just go ahead and buy a giant plastic bubble.

- Colin

Another Injury-Filled Day

It seems that I spend more time these days writing about injuries than I do about anything else.  Every day it’s disabled lists, injuries, surgeries, lack of pitching….get the picture?  So while the Braves finished up a strong homestand today, why would it be any different?  So let’s get to it and highlight the injuries du jour:

Jo-Jo Reyes – Jo-Jo made the start in today’s game against the Padres.  Reyes didn’t have his best stuff today and left the game in the third inning with a blister on the index finger of his throwing hand.  This is one of those nagging little injuries that you just want to take care of so that it doesn’t become a nagging problem.

Buddy Carlyle – Buddy replaced Jo-Jo Reyes after he left with his injury in the third inning today.  Carlyle however only made it through 6 batters before colliding with Kevin Kouzmanoff while trying to field a ball down the first base line.  He recorded the out but fell to the field in obvious pain.  Buddy was diagnosed with a muscle strain in the left side of his neck and is listed as day-to-day.

Peter Moylan – Moylan underwent Tommy John surgery today and will miss the next 12 months or so.  He will be missed in the Braves’ bullpen.

Brayan Pena - Brayan was placed on the 15-day disabled list today with a back strain.  Pena’s trip to the disabled list made room on the roster for utility man, Omar Infante, who was activated today after breaking his hand in Venezuelan winter leagues. Infante made the start in today’s game in place of Kelly Johnson at second base.

So those are the injuries for today.  Check back in tomorrow and I’m sure we’ll have more to keep you updated about.  In the meantime, let’s hope the Braves can figure out the secret to winning on the road as we head to Pittsburgh.