Braves’ McCann plays, while eye adjusts

Washington — Brian McCann said it’ll take time to adjust to a new contact in his left eye, and it showed in his reaction to his first game back.

McCann appeared to be OK Tuesday night, drawing a pair of walks, scoring a run, and hitting a line drive directly at the second baseman. He also threw out a runner at third.

After the game McCann said he probably wouldn’t play the next day, but he felt better by Wednesday morning and stayed in the lineup.

“When you don’t do something for a year-and- a-half and you put it in, it’s going to feel weird,” said McCann, who hadn’t worn contacts since before he had Lasik surgery heading into the 2008 season. “It was adjustment, under the lights, trying to see like I did before.”

McCann admitted he still had some blurred vision in his left eye Tuesday night — he squinted and blinked repeatedly at the plate — but with the newly fitted contact, he hopes it improves.

“I think in another couple nights under the lights, I’m hoping it gets back to where I don’t even think about it.”

McCann learned on a visit to an eye specialist Tuesday that his eyesight has diminished since his Lasik surgery, leaving him more near-sighted in his left eye.

With this new contact, he’s trying to postpone additional surgery, if it’s necessary, until the offseason. If he had it during the season, it would require more recovery time than for a first-time Lasik patient, and likely a stint on the disabled list.

McCann’s teammates say they appreciate what he’s trying to fight through, especially Chipper Jones, who benefits from McCann hitting behind him in the cleanup spot.

“We all feel more comfortable when Brian’s in there,” Jones said. “Certainly I do. Having a guy that you know everybody respects hitting in the No. 4 hole, you get pitched too. They know they’ll have to get him out if they walk you. … And he’s our vocal guy in the dugout, in the clubhouse, and when he’s not playing he’s not near as into it. It’s good to have him back in the lineup.”

No decision yet on Anderson

The Braves are delaying a decision on whether to disable Garret Anderson, hoping the off day today will help his recovery. Anderson has been out of the lineup since Sunday in Pittsburgh when he injured his left quadriceps. Anderson is able to hit but hasn’t tested his leg with any running.

He has started only six of the Braves’ first 15 games, also missing time with a calf injury. If he doesn’t improve, the Braves might put him on the disabled list and call up a Gwinnett outfielder such as Brandon Jones or the newly-acquired Brian Barton for the weekend series against the Reds.

Etc.

The Braves were visited Wednesday at Nationals Park by U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss from Georgia and Jim Bunning of Kentucky, a Hall of Fame pitcher before his election to Congress.

“He was a side-arm guy who put the ball where he wanted to. With something on it,” said Braves manager Bobby Cox.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller from West Virginia, a Braves fan, organized the visit but had to cancel because he was having knee surgery.