The Braves sent several injured pitchers to the instructional league in Orlando on Sunday to prepare for a shot at the postseason. Kris Medlen might be the closest after throwing consecutive live batting practice sessions, with a return from ligament-transplant surgery possibly not far off.
Medlen’s next step in making the postseason bullpen is two relief outings Wednesday and Friday in Orlando. If all goes well, he’ll have a chance to pitch in the Phillies series to finish out the regular season.
The way his elbow felt after facing Braves hitters, he thinks he could get hitters out.
“It feels really good,” said Medlen, who is 13 months removed from Tommy John surgery. “I don’t know about velocity, but the way I’m mixing pitches -- [and] I have to do that to be able to get guys out -- I feel like I’m able to do that now. I think it’s only going to get better.”
Medlen had no pain other than the usual soreness from working back-to-back days. He said his command improved from one day to the next.
“I didn’t start people off with fastballs, intentional-walk style,” Medlen said. “I was way more around the zone and I made the corrections with my curveball. Overall, it was a lot better than yesterday, even though yesterday was good.”
Tommy Hanson is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Monday, giving his right shoulder a test with 35 pitches in two to three innings. The Braves won't divulge their plans beyond that, choosing to see how his shoulder responds first. Hanson conceivably could throw again in three or four days in Florida and still have a shot at getting a start for the Braves before the regular season ends Sept. 28.
Hanson was encouraged by how his shoulder felt in three bullpen sessions this week, but this will be the first time he faces hitters since his last start Aug. 6 against the Mets.
The Braves think Hanson has at least an outside shot at making the Division Series. They wouldn't expect Jair Jurrjens to have a chance unless the Braves advance deeper into the playoffs. Jurrjens is scheduled to throw his first bullpen using a special knee brace Monday with the team in Miami.
Reliever George Sherrill threw his second bullpen in three days Sunday, and manager Fredi Gonzalez said he could test it in the instructional league as well.
Heyward shows patience
When Jason Heyward drew six walks in five games beginning Sept. 7 in Philadelphia, he showed Gonzalez glimpses of his old self.
That prompted Gonzalez to start Heyward in 11 of 12 games since, over the speedy Jose Constanza, with an eye toward getting Heyward going for a possible return to the postseason.
“You see some good at-bats, you see walks, you see him getting on base,” Gonzalez said. “[If] you get that big boy there swinging the bat like he’s capable of doing, that’s a big plus for us.”
Indications from Gonzalez are the move has more to do with what he hopes to get from Heyward than from what he hasn’t seen lately from Constanza, who has hit .154 in limited action since he sprained his ankle against the Cubs in Chicago.
Heyward has drawn 11 walks in his past 12 games, as many as he did in his previous 44 games through Sept. 6. His batting eye was one of his best assets in his break-out rookie season, when he tied for fourth in the National League with 91 walks. Heyward had 49 through Sunday.
“I’m trying to do what helped me to be successful to get here,” Heyward said.
Beachy sets record
Brandon Beachy struck out eight batters in 4 1/3 innings on Sunday to break the Braves' modern franchise record in a season by a rookie pitcher. He has 160 for the year. Irv Young struck out 156 in 1905 for the Boston Beaneaters.
Beachy has had good results against individual hitters, but is frustrated with his results overall. He gave up four runs on Sunday in his fourth straight no-decision, all losses for the Braves.
“It tells me that when I make good pitches, good things happen,” Beachy said. “I need to make more good pitches, and usually that starts by getting ahead in the count.”
