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Baseball Notebook: Braves finally able to activate reliever Gonzalez
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Published: June 19, 2008
■ Relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez was removed from the disabled list by the Atlanta Braves yesterday, 13 months after ligament-replacement surgery on his left elbow.
"It's great to be back," Gonzalez said before last night's game against the Texas Rangers. "I've been working for a year, two weeks and three days."
Right-hander Phil Stockman was optioned to Class AAA Richmond to make room on the roster for Gonzalez, whose elbow surgery was on May 31, 2007.
Gonzalez has pitched 11 innings during two minor-league rehab stints with a 1-0 record and 0.82 ERA. He said his elbow has responded well.
"I've been hurt 16 months or so," he said. "You kind of start getting used to the pain. That wasn't the problem. My velocity dropped 10 or 12 miles per hour. My fastball is not exactly back to where it was, but I can be competitive.
"I don't remember how (his left elbow) was before. It's a new ligament so it feels like a new elbow. I'm happy I don't have any pain."
■ Designated hitter Travis Hafner of the Cleveland Indians is getting a second opinion on his sore right shoulder.
Hafner traveled to Birmingham, Ala., yesterday to be evaluated by renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews.
Head trainer Lonnie Soloff said that Hafner isn't progressing as quickly as hoped from the injury that landed him on the disabled list May 30.
Hafner, 31, is hitting .217 with four home runs this season and has been bothered by the shoulder since spring training.
■ Right-hander Homer Bailey was sent back to the minors yesterday, the Cincinnati Reds' latest attempt to turn him around.
The Reds also activated outfielder Norris Hopper from the disabled list.
Bailey, 22, knew he was likely to be optioned to Class AAA Louisville after he gave up five runs in only 21/3 innings of a 9-0 loss to Boston on Sunday. In three starts this season, Bailey went 0-3 with an 8.76 ERA.
The Reds want Bailey to work on throwing strikes with his changeup and breaking pitches. Against the Red Sox, the only pitch he could throw for a strike consistently was his fastball.
Hopper had been sidelined since April 23 with an irritated nerve in his right elbow. He played in six games for Louisville as part of a rehabilitation assignment.
■ AL batting leader Milton Bradley was out of Texas' lineup for last night's game against Atlanta because of a strained left quadriceps.
Manager Ron Washington of the Rangers said that the injury wasn't serious and that he expects Bradley to be available for today's series finale against the Braves.
Bradley left Tuesday night's 7-5 victory over the Braves after hurting himself on a two-run single in the third inning. He hit the ball into the gap in right-center field, and reached down for his leg even before reaching first base.
Washington checked with Bradley yesterday.
"He came in feeling OK, but he felt another day would help so we'll give him another day," Washington said. "It's a little strain. He came in and got it worked on. He'll be ready for the day game."
Bradley is hitting .330 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs.
■ Catcher Ryan Doumit of the Pirates was out of the lineup last night against the Chicago White Sox with a slight concussion.
Doumit was hit in the mask by foul balls three times during Tuesday's 16-5 loss to the White Sox and is expected to miss at least two days. A trip to the disabled list was unlikely, Manager John Russell said.
"He's feeling better today, but we have to give him a couple of days," Russell said.
Doumit, who is hitting .341 with nine homers and 22 RBIs, missed about three weeks earlier in the season with a broken left thumb. He returned to the lineup June 6.
■ Three Appalachian State players who were drafted by major-league teams earlier this month have signed pro contracts and will give up their senior seasons of eligibility.
Outfielder David Rubinstein, an 11th-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates, will play for the State College (Pa.) Spikes of the New York-Penn League. Outfielder Jason Rook, a 12th-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles, will play for the Bluefield (W.Va.) Orioles of the Appalachian League. And pitcher Garrett Sherrill, a 12th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers, will play for the Helena (Mont.) Brewers of the Pioneer League.
Rubinstein, Rook and Sherrill were ASU's first baseball draft picks since 1996.
■ Two drafted Western Carolina players also signed contracts and received their minor-league assignments.
Pitcher Tyler Sexton, a graduate of High Point Andrews and a 31st-round pick by Baltimore, will play for the Bluefield (W.Va.) Orioles in the Appalachian League and is scheduled to make his first start Saturday.
First baseman Blake Murphy, a 42nd-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, has been assigned to the Batavia (N.Y.) Muckdogs of the New York-Penn League.
■ Two players from College World Series teams are among the three finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award that's presented annually by the College Baseball Foundation. The three are pitcher Brian Matusz of San Diego, catcher Buster Posey of Florida State and shortstop Gordon Beckham of Georgia.
All three are juniors.
Posey's team was eliminated from the CWS on Monday. Beckham and his Georgia teammates are 2-0 in the CWS and play Friday.
The award, to be presented July 2, is named after a former Texas Tech player and assistant coach who died of cancer at age 27.
■ It'll likely cost a little more to watch baseball in South Carolina's new stadium next season.
University trustees gave initial approval yesterday to a plan that would have season-ticket buyers also pay tax-deductible fees that range from $25 to $1,500.
The price of season tickets for 2009 will remain $210, the same as this year.
The Gamecocks are building a $35.6 million stadium. It is to have five suites, which each can be purchased for $35,000 plus the cost of 12 season tickets.
The stadium will feature more than 5,700 permanent seats.
The baseball seat-pricing plan will have to be approved by the full board later this month.
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