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Monday, April 14, 2008
Will ‘resilient’ Glavine go on DL?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I woke up this morning with a little tightness in my right hamstring. Seriously. Either I was walking a bit too briskly to catch the Metro for the airport last night in DC, or I’ve got some sympathy pains for a certain left-hander.
What to make of Glavine’s hamstring? Not exactly sure. Shoot, Glavine’s not exactly sure. This is brand new territory - him having a leg muscle issue. So before I get too far on the blogging, why not take it directly to the source?
I just sent Glavine a text, which I’ve learned is a pretty good way to get a fast response from him, and I did.
He told me his hamstring is no worse. He’s going to play some catch tomorrow, and if that goes well, he plans to get on the bullpen mound on Wednesday.
In his mind, he’s still on track to make his next start next weekend. His spot comes up Friday vs. the Dodgers but the Braves can insert a fifth starter there and give him an extra day if he needs it.
From what Glavine said after the game yesterday, he figured if he woke up feeling worse this morning, he was in some trouble. But he didn’t. So my translation is, that’s a positive sign. Too soon to say if it means he won’t miss a start, obviously, because it sounds like the kind of injury that doesn’t really bother him until he’s going all-out, extending on a pitch.
Glavine tempered his thinking this morning by pointing out: “I’ve never been through this before. And I’m a little stubborn.”
But that stubbornness could work in his advantage too. This is a guy who pitched with a broken rib. He’s as tough as they come.
He’s had a few minor problems (that we know about - he managed to hide the rib thing at the time, believe it was 1992 or 1993). But somehow he has stayed off the DL in 21-plus seasons.
Just from a quick look through his media guide bio, I’m reminded that Glavine had arthroscopic surgery on his knees for a meniscus cartilage problem and a bone spur removed from his ankle after the 1997 season. So yeah, in the offseason.
In 2003, he left a game with inflammation in his left elbow and missed his first major league start with a bone spur in his elbow. Later that month he had to come out of the game with abdominal muscle tightness. But he was back in the rotation before long and never went on the DL.
In 2004, he had a couple teeth knocked out in a taxi cab accident in New York and didn’t start for 13 days, but again, no DL. Then in 2006, blood clots in his shoulder were causing coldness in his ring finger and the freakiness forced him to missed two starts but no more.
The guy is resilient.
But what he doesn’t want to do is attempt to stay off the DL just to keep his streak alive, for pride basically, and end up causing the Braves, and the bullpen, headaches.
“I’m not going to push to stay off the DL for my own personal reasons and put our team in jeopardy,” Glavine said after the game Sunday. “When you do what I did today and come out of the game in the first inning, it’s taxing on the bullpen. Thank God we’ve got an off day tomorrow and everybody can recover.”
There’s a lot to watch for in Florida the next couple of days. Mike Hampton had talked about throwing his first bullpen on Tuesday. This would be a great time to have him back if he could get back from the pectoral problem. It’s hard to count on him, but he’d be a great option. He pitched so well in spring training. It’s in there, just need to get it out in the major league open before this jinx chases him into retirement.
The Braves need a fifth starter for either Friday or Saturday’s start, depending on Glavine. Jorge Campillo might have just pushed himself ahead of Jeff Bennett for that chance, with two perfect innings in relief yesterday.
If Glavine has to go on the disabled list, Jo-Jo Reyes has been pitching well in Richmond. He’s got nine scoreless innings in two starts, allowing only four hits, three walks and striking out 14.
Thanks to the Richmond denizens for pointing out Reyes had eight strikeouts and one walk in four innings yesterday vs. Lehigh Valley. Also, he could go Friday or Saturday on regular rest. Though my boyfriend has taken to calling him Yo-Yo Reyes for the trips back and forth to the minors. Could be for the inconsistency once he gets here too.
I’m sure the MIB/Braves bloggers would join me in wishing Greg Maddux a happy 42nd birthday today. He won his 349th game yesterday, pitching five shutout innings for the Padres to take a 1-0 win over the Dodgers. He’ll go for 350 next Saturday at Arizona, a place he traditionally pitches horribly. He finally won there last September (6 1/3 IP, 2 ER) to go to 1-6 with a 5.37 ERA at Chase Field.
He’s breathing down Roger Clemens’ neck now. Five more wins and he’s tied with Clemens at 354. Watch out.
A couple tidbits from what I read…Maddux balked for the first time in 248 starts. Who’s to blame? His old teammate Rafael Furcal, who got to first base in the first inning on a bloop single. And speaking of former teammates? Andruw Jones drew a walk off Maddux in his first plate appearance. But Maddux got him the second time around, swinging. Or as Maddux would say, fishin.
Speaking of Fish. DOB will be taking the reins again as he gets back to his old stomping ground in south Florida. He’ll have plenty to sink his teeth into.
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