Sheffield: No pain, no rush
By DAVID O'BRIEN
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
Gary Sheffield was swinging a bat without pain Monday morning, but the Braves slugger correctly assumed his sprained left thumb might keep him out the rest of the Pittsburgh series.
"Mr. Cox's policy," Sheffield said between swings, referring to manager Bobby Cox's precautionary habit of delaying an injured player's return.
Cox told Sheffield to take only easy cuts during batting practice before Monday's game, and the right fielder obliged. Almost. He did swing hard once and hit the ball out of the park. "Encouraging," Sheffield said.
The thumb was heavily taped and padded. It was the first time he had hit since being injured during batting practice Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
"It feels good," said Sheffield, who told Pirates first base coach Tommy Sandt that he might miss the whole series because Cox wanted to make sure he was fully recovered. Sandt told Sheffield that made sense.
"Get it 100 percent," said Sandt, who was on the Marlins' staff when Sheffield helped them win the 1997 World Series. "I think you're [Braves] going to win. I said the only thing that could stop you was a strike."
After the game, Cox confirmed Sheffield's assumption: "If we can get by the off day, then play him, I think it would be to everybody's benefit."
The Braves are off Thursday, then host Montreal in a weekend series.
Sheffield returned to Atlanta for an MRI exam last week, and stayed here getting treatment and lifting weights while the Braves finished their two-week, 12-game road trip. He has missed the past seven games.
Glavine's next deal
Now that he's helped negotiate a labor contract between major league owners and players, Tom Glavine is being peppered with questions about another kind of deal: his next contract.
Glavine, a Brave his whole career, is 16-8 entering tonight's start. The strike averted, he's got a shot at his sixth 20-win season and third in five years.
He's eligible for free agency this winter and said the Braves haven't approached him about a new deal. It's unclear whether they will attempt to re-sign Glavine and/or Greg Maddux, also a potential free agent.
"With each day that I get closer to free agency, I'd almost be stupid not to [consider options]," said Glavine, 36. "But if they came to me and made an appealing offer, it wouldn't matter what other offers were out there."
Arriving today
Right-hander Trey Hodges, 24, could move a step closer to a potential spot in next year's Atlanta rotation after he arrives today from Class AAA Richmond.
It's the first call-up for Hodges, a control pitcher who was 15-9 with a 3.19 ERA at Richmond and worked 172 1/3 innings in 28 starts. Cox said he could start in doubleheaders against the Mets Sept. 11 and Sept. 27.
The Braves will also add reliever Kevin Gryboski, catcher Steve Torrealba and infielder Jesse Garcia to the expanded September roster today. All are coming from Richmond, which finished its season Monday.
Facts and figures
Catcher Javy Lopez (strained right shoulder) is expected to miss the entire Pirates series, but said he won't need surgery. . . . John Smoltz won the NL Rolaids Relief Man award for the third consecutive month, the third pitcher to win the award three months in a row since its inception in 1982. No one has won it four consecutive times.
By DAVID O'BRIEN
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
Gary Sheffield was swinging a bat without pain Monday morning, but the Braves slugger correctly assumed his sprained left thumb might keep him out the rest of the Pittsburgh series.
"Mr. Cox's policy," Sheffield said between swings, referring to manager Bobby Cox's precautionary habit of delaying an injured player's return.
Cox told Sheffield to take only easy cuts during batting practice before Monday's game, and the right fielder obliged. Almost. He did swing hard once and hit the ball out of the park. "Encouraging," Sheffield said.
The thumb was heavily taped and padded. It was the first time he had hit since being injured during batting practice Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
"It feels good," said Sheffield, who told Pirates first base coach Tommy Sandt that he might miss the whole series because Cox wanted to make sure he was fully recovered. Sandt told Sheffield that made sense.
"Get it 100 percent," said Sandt, who was on the Marlins' staff when Sheffield helped them win the 1997 World Series. "I think you're [Braves] going to win. I said the only thing that could stop you was a strike."
After the game, Cox confirmed Sheffield's assumption: "If we can get by the off day, then play him, I think it would be to everybody's benefit."
The Braves are off Thursday, then host Montreal in a weekend series.
Sheffield returned to Atlanta for an MRI exam last week, and stayed here getting treatment and lifting weights while the Braves finished their two-week, 12-game road trip. He has missed the past seven games.
Glavine's next deal
Now that he's helped negotiate a labor contract between major league owners and players, Tom Glavine is being peppered with questions about another kind of deal: his next contract.
Glavine, a Brave his whole career, is 16-8 entering tonight's start. The strike averted, he's got a shot at his sixth 20-win season and third in five years.
He's eligible for free agency this winter and said the Braves haven't approached him about a new deal. It's unclear whether they will attempt to re-sign Glavine and/or Greg Maddux, also a potential free agent.
"With each day that I get closer to free agency, I'd almost be stupid not to [consider options]," said Glavine, 36. "But if they came to me and made an appealing offer, it wouldn't matter what other offers were out there."
Arriving today
Right-hander Trey Hodges, 24, could move a step closer to a potential spot in next year's Atlanta rotation after he arrives today from Class AAA Richmond.
It's the first call-up for Hodges, a control pitcher who was 15-9 with a 3.19 ERA at Richmond and worked 172 1/3 innings in 28 starts. Cox said he could start in doubleheaders against the Mets Sept. 11 and Sept. 27.
The Braves will also add reliever Kevin Gryboski, catcher Steve Torrealba and infielder Jesse Garcia to the expanded September roster today. All are coming from Richmond, which finished its season Monday.
Facts and figures
Catcher Javy Lopez (strained right shoulder) is expected to miss the entire Pirates series, but said he won't need surgery. . . . John Smoltz won the NL Rolaids Relief Man award for the third consecutive month, the third pitcher to win the award three months in a row since its inception in 1982. No one has won it four consecutive times.
