Heading into the last 12 games of the season, the Braves weren’t counting on having Jair Jurrjens available by the first round of the playoffs and to get Tommy Hanson ready, it’ll be cutting it close.
That’s a phrase Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez used six times Friday afternoon when asked about Hanson’s progress, and if he would have time to be ready for the postseason, assuming the Braves hang on and win the wild card.
Hanson’s shoulder responded well after his second bullpen session Wednesday. He plans to throw another side session Saturday, and if all goes well he’ll head to instructional league in Florida for some game action. Ideally he would make one start in Florida and one start with the Braves before the season ends.
Even then, Gonzalez pointed out, it could be 50 days since he last pitched in a game, Aug. 6 against the Mets.
“It’s going to be close. That’s the only thing I can tell you,” Gonzalez said. “You hate to run a guy out there in a playoff atmosphere with 65 bullets in him, or 75 bullets in him.”
Hanson was diagnosed with an undersurface tear in his rotator cuff, which surgeon Dr. James Andrews told him was considered normal wear and tear.
“Today is probably the best my arm’s felt in a while,” Hanson said Friday. “I’m really optimistic. They just want me to go slow, which I think is the best way to do it. I don’t want to have another setback.”
Jurrjens is scheduled to throw off a mound again Monday or Tuesday for the first time since this month. He hasn’t pitched since Aug. 30 against the Nationals, having been shut down with a bone bruise in his right knee, the same knee which kept him out of the postseason last year. When asked if the Braves could count on him in the Division Series, Gonzalez said “probably not.”
Medlen, Sherrill updates
Kris Medlen will take a big step in determining if he can return from ligament-transplant surgery in time for the playoffs when he throws his first round of live batting practice Saturday. He’s scheduled to do the same Sunday. Depending on how his elbow responds, he’ll then head to the Braves’ instructional league.
The Braves would like to see him get in an inning or two before the season ends to see if can be effective getting lefties out.
Lefty specialist George Sherrill has been out since Aug. 31 with elbow soreness. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection and was shut down for a week. He returned to the bullpen mound Friday for the first time since, throwing 15 pitches.
Eye on Pastornicky
Of all the position players honored among the Braves’ minor league “Future Stars” before Friday’s game, Tyler Pastornicky is the closest to the cusp.
Come next spring, the 21-year-old shortstop might have an opportunity to fight for a major league job, depending on what the Braves decide to do with Alex Gonzalez, who is in the final year of his contract.
“It’s tough not to, especially when you come here,” said Pastornicky, when asked while standing in the Braves’ dugout, if he thought much about those possibilities. “But you can’t start thinking about that. You’ve got to keep going how you’re going, and one day hopefully you get that call. And when you do, hopefully you’re ready for it.”
Pastornicky came with Gonzalez in a deal from the Blue Jays last year at the All-Star break. He has been a shining star in the organization since then. Pastornicky hit .299 with a .345 on-base percentage and 20 stolen bases in 90 games for Double-A Mississippi. After his promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett, Pastornicky hit .365 (38-for-104) in 27 games with a home run and nine RBIs.
After hitting .257 combined in low-A for the Blue Jays and Double-A for the Braves in 2010, he hit a combined .314 this season.
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