Braves Pitcher Tim Hudson Season Over

Braves Pitcher Tim Hudson Season Over
MRI reveals bad news for No. 1 starter

By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An MRI done Monday afternoon showed damage in the ulnar collateral ligament area of the elbow, though Hudson and Wren said it wasn't known if he has a torn ligament that would require season-ending "Tommy John" ligament-transplant surgery.
"That's the obvious procedure that's going to fix any kind of ligament damage," Hudson said. "I don't know how severe it is, if rehab [alone] might fix it."
Hudson will meet Wednesday with Braves orthopedist Xavier Duralde, who's out of town until Tuesday night. Then the pitcher will travel to Birmingham to see famed orthopedic surgeon James Andrews.

After Monday's game, Hudson still seemed to be in almost a state of disbelief over the news.

"I was floored," he said. "I thought they were almost kidding with me. ... It feels fine, that's what's frustrating. Nothing really hurts."

Hudson said he got the test done only because he was going to be on the disabled list for 15 days anyway, and the Braves figured he might as well get the sophisticated dye-injection form of MRI.

"I'm starting to wonder if it's been like this for three or four years, and is just something I learned to deal with," said Hudson, who left his Wednesday start at Florida after six scoreless innings when tightness in his right forearm moved toward his elbow.

The 33-year-old didn't think it was anything serious, though he still had some minor discomfort when he threw Sunday at Philadelphia.

Braves manager Bobby Cox said Hudson was placed on the DL earlier Monday for precautionary reasons, indicating there was no reason to risk further injury when the Braves had fallen so far back in the standings. But that was before the Braves saw MRI results from the 4 p.m. exam.

Hudson is 11-7 with a 3.17 ERA in a staff-leading 142 innings, and has a 146-77 career record in 10 seasons with Oakland and Atlanta.

The Alabama native is in the third year of a four-year, $47-million contract extension he signed after being traded from Oakland following the 2004 season. He is scheduled to make $13 million in 2009, with a $12 million option for 2010 that's mutual and includes a $1 million buyout.

Wren said he was told by doctors that the MRI revealed what was believed to be some old and some recent damage in the elbow. He said there had not been warning signs before Wednesday's start.

"I think everybody was a little surprised there was something [injured in the elbow]," Wren said.

Hudson is the fourth member of the Braves' season-opening rotation to land on the DL, after John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton. Rookie Jair Jurrjens missed a start with a sprained ankle.

Smoltz had season-ending shoulder surgery, and Glavine is trying to come back from a partially torn flexor tendon near his pitching elbow.

"We've had more than our share [of injuries], that's for sure," said Wren forced a smile and added, "Could throw a yellow flag for piling on."

More Braves News

ATLANTA BRAVES

Chipper Jones returns to DL

Reyes demoted to make room for Morton, Sammons

By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 07/28/08

On a day in which Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson were placed on the disabled list, struggling pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes was optioned to Class AAA Richmond and the Braves added pitcher Charlie Morton and catcher Clint Sammons from Richmond. They also activated pitcher Jeff Bennett from the DL.

While the possible severity of Hudson's ulnar-collateral ligament injury was surprising, placing Jones on the 15-day DL for the first time this season wasn't. The major-league hitting leader's left hamstring hadn't improved since he pulled it Wednesday and he'll probably need most of two weeks to recover anyway.

The Braves wanted to DL a position player to open a spot for Sammons, since they needed another catcher for a few days while Brian McCann recovers from the concussion sustained Sunday in a home-plate collision with the Phillies' Shane Victorino.

Jorge Campillo will replace Hudson for Tuesday's game, Jair Jurrjens is scheduled to start Wednesday and Mike Hampton is set for his second start in Thursday's series finale. Braves manager Bobby Cox said he didn't know who'd pitch Friday's series opener against Milwaukee.


Jones rues inability to help vs. Phillies

The Braves blew six- and five-run leads in weekend defeats at Philadelphia, and Jones regretted that he wasn't on the field to do anything about it.

"It's disappointing because I felt I could've helped us this last series, maybe pushed us over the top in a game we lost," said Jones, who's still hitting .369, but was 9-for-39 (.231) in his last 12 games while playing with a lingering right quadriceps injury.

"My goal in spring training was to go through the season without anything keeping me out for any extended period of time," he said. "Unfortunately, I've had leg problems last couple of months.

"The team is better off with me on the DL right now, to give Bobby a full deck when he's trying to manage a game. It just makes sense to give itthe full 15 days to heal, and let the quad on the other leg heal."

The Braves played Monday without Jones and McCann, who ranked second and sixth in the NL in on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Mark Kotsay, with four homers and 27 RBIs, hit cleanup Monday.

"It's been that kind of year," Jones said. "We can't sustain the injuries we've sustained to key people and expect to stay competitive, at or near the top of the division. It's impossible, especially when you're replacing guys like myself, Smoltz, Glavine, [Rafael] Soriano and [Peter] Moylan with minor-league guys."

Barring something entirely unexpected, the Braves will miss the postseason for the third consecutive year since their run of 14 consecutive division titles.

"I feel like for the last couple of years, even though we haven't gone to the playoffs, we've been within earshot of the rest of the division," Jones said. "Now, because of the injury situation, because of the trade deadline coming up and all of the rumors floating around here, we're already pointing to next year.

"...We're going to work hard and continue to compete. But there's three teams in front of us in the division. The likelihood of all three of them collapsing is not probable."