Brian McCann returned to the Braves starting lineup Monday for the first time in a week, after spending six days battling a flu-like virus. It was a good sign for a team that's been playing without three middle-of-the-order hitters and has lost a season-high eight in a row.
McCann planned to catch all nine innings. He did without any problems.
“I felt fine,” he said after going 0-for-4, on a day when the temperature was 82 degrees at first pitch. “I couldn’t have picked a better day to come back.”
McCann plans to be back in the lineup Tuesday and hopes to get “back on a regular schedule where I catch five or six in a row and then take a day off.”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez told McCann since they are carrying a third catcher, J.C. Boscan, he could come out at any point if he didn't feel well.
“I thought with the temperature and the humidity he was going to struggle,” Gonzalez said. "But that’s a good sign. I kept checking with him every inning or so, and he said he was fine.”
McCann had played Friday night against the Nationals after backup catcher David Ross left the game in the second inning with a strained groin muscle. Expending that effort cost McCann another couple of games.
“It was one of the toughest things I’ve done,” McCann said. “I almost came out of the game and I knew we didn’t have another guy to catch. I wouldn’t have been able to catch another inning that night.”
It was a long recovery for McCann, who has suffered from fever, chills and body aches. He attempted to return to the starting lineup Sunday, but after getting his heart rate up and sweating during pre-game running, he felt bad again. But McCann said he started feeling better during Sunday night’s game.
“I’ve never been sick for longer than a day or two and this seemed to drag on for a week,” McCann said. “It’s definitely been frustrating, but there’s nothing you can do about it except get healthy and get back in there.”
Freeman to re-visit eye doctor
Freddie Freeman is still awaiting his prescription sport goggles and some answers for his blurred vision and dry eyes. A little of both could come on Tuesday.
Freeman is expecting shipments to arrive from both Under Armour and Oakley any day now, and is eager to test out both pairs. He is also scheduled for another visit to Braves eye specialist Dr. Alan Kozarsky.
Freeman said the multiple sets of contacts he’s tried are now causing a burning sensation. And he can’t see very well wearing a hastily-made set of athletic glasses because they don’t allow the proper peripheral vision to see pitches from his batting stance.
Freeman was diagnosed with corneal abrasions after playing in windy and dry conditions in a three-game series in Colorado on May 4-6. Freeman said his vision deteriorated from a prescription of 1.5 diopters in both eyes to 1.75 in his left and 2.0 in his right.
Freeman has worn contacts on the field since he was 14 years old, but now they’re irritating his eyes. He’s also tried tear duct plugs to little avail. While playing in contacts on Friday night, Freeman went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. The Braves medical staff decided at that point to give his eyes a few days to rest without contacts and treat them with drops.
“I keep putting myself back to square one when I put the contacts back in,” Freeman said. “Take them out, put drops in, it’s irritating everything again, finally came to the conclusion take a few days and let my eyes rest and do the drops and hopefully that works.”
Freeman said he’s not been a proponent of Lasik surgery in the past, especially after learning of Brian McCann’s troubles with it, requiring a second surgery. But Freeman wants to ask Kosarky about on Tuesday. He knows it won’t be an immediate solution because patients suffering from dry eyes can’t have the surgery, but it might be something to consider down the line.
“I’ll take anything right now,” Freeman said. “….The Lasik has crossed my mind because this is a nightmare. I know you can’t do Lasik with dry eyes so and that’s what I’ve got, so I know that won’t happen tomorrow or any time soon. We’re going to talk about options.”
