Infante, Hudson could rejoin Braves next month

By David O’Brien

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves might not make a significant move before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be adding a couple of potentially key contributors for the stretch drive.

Fans have kept up with pitcher Tim Hudson’s ongoing rehab from elbow surgery, but veteran utility man Omar Infante (broken hand) has stayed a little off the radar. Still, he could be back sooner than Hudson.

Infante is expected to begin an injury-rehab stint next week and rejoin the Braves around Aug. 15.

The versatile veteran has been on the disabled list since May 21 after breaking a bone in his left hand when hit by a pitch. He broke the same bone in the same spot in winter ball after the 2007 season, also when hit by a pitch.

Infante hit .349 with a homer and 11 RBIs in 29 games for the Braves before the latest injury, including a .381 average and .437 on-base percentage in 63 at-bats in the leadoff position. The team struggled to fill the leadoff spot in his absence, before eventually trading for center fielder Nate McLouth.

Infante has taken batting practice during the Braves’ current trip. After swinging a bit gingerly in Milwaukee over the weekend, he hit several balls into the seats before Tuesday’s game against Florida, impressing manager Bobby Cox.

Infante said the strength in his hand and wrist was about “50-60 percent,” but that he made significant progress in recent days. He might travel to the Braves’ spring-training headquarters outside Orlando on Friday to get in some more work before he begins a rehab stint.

He will wear a protective pad over his left batting glove in hopes of avoiding another break in the troublesome spot, where a plate was surgically implanted to aid the healing process.

The company that makes his batting gloves sent him a specially designed glove with a thick pad attached, but Infante said he found a more functional pad at a sporting-goods store, so he bought it, and that’s what he’s using.

Hudson to pitch Friday

Hudson is scheduled to make his fourth rehab start Friday night for Class AAA Gwinnett in a home game against Rochester. The right-hander is nearing the one-year anniversary (Aug. 8) of the ligament-transplant surgery and is expected to make at least two more rehab starts after Friday.

Hudson could rejoin the Braves as soon as mid-August. Cox reiterated Wednesday that the Braves plan to bring the veteran right-hander back as a starter, not as a reliever. He pitched four scoreless innings Monday for Gwinnett, allowing four hits and no walks with two strikeouts.

Team officials said no decision has been made regarding who might be moved from the rotation or what arrangement might open a spot for Hudson.

Cox makes top 50

Cox came in at No. 46 in a Sporting News ranking of the “50 greatest coaches of all time,” to be included in the next issue of the magazine.

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden topped the list, selected by a wide-ranging panel of 118 people that included players from various Halls of Fame and championship coaches.

The highest-ranked baseball manager was Casey Stengel at No. 9. Two other current managers made the list: Joe Torre (No. 32) and Tony La Russa (No. 41).

After Wooden, the rest of the top 10 included (in order): Vince Lombardi, Bear Bryant, Phil Jackson, Don Shula, Red Auerbach, Scotty Bowman, Dean Smith, Stengel and Knute Rockne.