BRADENTON, Fla. – The anticipated Ozzie Albies spring debut will have to wait just a little longer.
The diminutive but dynamic Braves second-base prospect had a planned Monday doctor’s visit bumped back to Wednesday due to a scheduling conflict with the physician. Albies, coming back from a September fractured elbow and surgery, expects to get final clearance from the doctor to begin playing in games.
“I was planning on him being here today,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said before Tuesday’s Grapefruit League road game against the Pirates. “I was hoping we’d be able to break him out today, get him in there for a couple of at-bats and play half the game. Something happened, doctor couldn’t see him. It was a scheduling issue, not (Albies).”
Albies said last week that he hoped to be cleared Monday and then would have to take a couple of days of live batting practice before making his spring debut. But he was cleared to take live batting practice sooner than Albies expected – he already hit at least once, Snitker said, and was going to take live batting practice again Tuesday.
“I was going to play him (Tuesday),” Snitker said. “He’s ready. He’s doing good. It’s just that in the protocol of how they do things, they want to see you one more time before they turn you loose. But he’s doing everything. He feels great, he’s in great shape, he’s ready to go.”
About the Author
