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Kris Medlen was removed from his Grapefruit League start on Sunday with a possible elbow injury:


Medlen was spotted rubbing his elbow after his second-to-last pitch and then ran off the mound and into the clubhouse after his final offering. It certainly didn't look good, but we'll have to wait for official word from the Braves. Medlen missed nearly all of the 2011 season while coming back from Tommy John surgery

Early word is forearm strain

Guess you are a Medlen owner!!

nope actually i am not. LOL

just repeating what they are saying.

Not every forearm strains results in TJ surgery.

But I'm pretty sure every TJ surgery has initially started with a forearm strain diagnosis.

So, not good.

Got him in my auction. Oh well…

Let the draft board juggling begin… Fister and Medlen moving down draft boards in a hurry.

ATL beat writers think its gonna be bad news. Medlen wouldn't talk to media.

Jeff could be right. Big blow. Wonder if they have late interest in Ervin Santana because of this.

No Santana. Just means those that gambled on Wood win the prize.

Edwards Kings wrote:No Santana. Just means those that gambled on Woods win the prize.

And those who gambled on Garcia too....hmmm, nevermind


Gaëtan

Gates wrote:

Edwards Kings wrote:No Santana. Just means those that gambled on Wood win the prize.

And those who gambled on Garcia too....hmmm, nevermind


Gaëtan

Those who gambled on Garcia would dabble honey on their gonads and go to picnic betting they would not attract ants.

I think Garcia was always going to open the season as the fifth starter and Wood to the bullpen to limit his innings as well as be insurance against someone getting hurt until Floyd was ready to pitch.

Woods is a golfer.

Wood pitches for the Braves.

Deadheadz wrote:Woods is a golfer.

Wood pitches for the Braves.

Corrected.

Shows what I know. At least it is only one year and MAYBE Santana's elbow will hold up that long. Tells you what they really think about Medlen's elbow and Beachy's recovery.

David O'Brien ‏@ajcbraves 19m

#Braves Medlen said he knows what's coming, nothing official yet but he has accepted that he's almost certainly going to need TJ surgery

Edwards Kings wrote:Shows what I know. At least it is only one year and MAYBE Santana's elbow will hold up that long. Tells you what they really think about Medlen's elbow and Beachy's recovery.

We can say MAYBE about any pitchers elbow, right?

The Braves did the right thing in signing Santana.
'Depending' on Freddy Garcia and/or Gavin Floyd would be a Tony Siragusa way of going about winning a pennant.

Medlen said he knew he needed Tommy John surgery as soon as his final pitch Sunday left his hand.

DOUGHBOYS wrote:

Edwards Kings wrote:Shows what I know. At least it is only one year and MAYBE Santana's elbow will hold up that long. Tells you what they really think about Medlen's elbow and Beachy's recovery.

We can say MAYBE about any pitchers elbow, right?

The Braves did the right thing in signing Santana.
'Depending' on Freddy Garcia and/or Gavin Floyd would be a Tony Siragusa way of going about winning a pennant.

Yes, but you are implying that Ervin is only as risky in that department as any other pitcher. I do not believe that to be the case. I believe (right or wrong) that pitchers who throw sliders as much as he does are more prone to blowing out elbows.

Was it the right move? Yes. As soon as Beachy pulled up with a sore arm.

Roger Dorn wrote:Medlen said he knew he needed Tommy John surgery as soon as his final pitch Sunday left his hand.

I saw the pitch that I think was when the injury occurred. He threw a breaking ball, no contact, so he left the square position and was rolling and shaking his arm. Got a ground ball out on the next pitch. Walked off the back of the mound rubbing his elbow. Threw a fastball (nice looking actually) to the next batter for a strike. Threw a breaking ball next. Never really even squared. Just walked off the mound to the dugout and down the tunnel.

Damn shame.

Edwards Kings wrote:

DOUGHBOYS wrote:

Edwards Kings wrote:Shows what I know. At least it is only one year and MAYBE Santana's elbow will hold up that long. Tells you what they really think about Medlen's elbow and Beachy's recovery.

We can say MAYBE about any pitchers elbow, right?

The Braves did the right thing in signing Santana.
'Depending' on Freddy Garcia and/or Gavin Floyd would be a Tony Siragusa way of going about winning a pennant.

Yes, but you are implying that Ervin is only as risky in that department as any other pitcher. I do not believe that to be the case. I believe (right or wrong) that pitchers who throw sliders as much as he does are more prone to blowing out elbows.

Was it the right move? Yes. As soon as Beachy pulled up with a sore arm.

Not only implying it, but saying it.
Tommy John cannot be forecasted. It doesn't matter if one pitcher throws more sliders than another.
Sure, some say it is tougher on the arm. Each arm is different though.
Folks have been forecasting for years that Justin Verlander has too many innings and will either struggle or have Tommy John.

Its become a roulette game. This time the ball fell in Medlen's slot. Next time it could be Santana, but it could be somebody else too. Santana has four straight years of 30 starts. I have to believe going into the season that maybe his ligament is stronger than that of other hurlers.
Not signing a guy at the Major League level because of what 'could' happen would not be smart.
The Braves are smarter than that.

DOUGHBOYS wrote:The Braves are smarter than that.

Smart enough to offer only a one year agreement. And other teams were smart enought not to bite when Santana wanted so many years. Kind of strange since Santana is so "reliable".

Last I heard Toronto (desparate for pitching) only wanted to go three.

Edwards Kings wrote:

Gates wrote:

Edwards Kings wrote:No Santana. Just means those that gambled on Wood win the prize.

And those who gambled on Garcia too....hmmm, nevermind


Gaëtan

Those who gambled on Garcia would dabble honey on their gonads and go to picnic betting they would not attract ants.

I think Garcia was always going to open the season as the fifth starter and Wood to the bullpen to limit his innings as well as be insurance against someone getting hurt until Floyd was ready to pitch.

Kind of harsh on Sweaty Freddy.

Edwards Kings wrote:

DOUGHBOYS wrote:The Braves are smarter than that.

Smart enough to offer only a one year agreement. And other teams were smart enought not to bite when Santana wanted so many years. Kind of strange since Santana is so "reliable".

Last I heard Toronto (desparate for pitching) only wanted to go three.

Personally, I would find it hard to give ANY pitcher a long agreement. Especially a pitcher who is not close to being elite like Santana
I am mystified that a guy like Ricky Nolasco gets a four year contract. And over pay him to boot.
A GM almost has to build a year of Tommy John into any long contract. That makes the Nolasco signing and others like it, even worse.
Santana wanted a one year deal. That it is with the Braves instead of the American League makes it even better for him.
Next year, maybe he is 'Nolasco'd'.
In the meantime, Miguel Sano is somewhere getting Tommy John screaming at the doctor, "I didn't throw one damned slider!"

Holy Cow. I didn't realize that this would be Santana's 10th year already.
He has hardly been hurt during those 10 years. Which means little for the future (re: Bronson Arroyo)
Wayne, if you're counting on sliders causing Tommy John, you're barking up the wrong tree with Santana. Even normal wear and tear could be the culprit after that many years of pitching.

Silent in this whole thing is the Mike Minor situation. What is the latest on him?

Santana was diagnosed with 50 percent tear in his elbow ligament 4 years ago or so and elected rehab instead of TJ. Been pitching with it ever since but could blow at any time so more risky than a normal free agent IMO.

Bama wrote:Santana was diagnosed with 50 percent tear in his elbow ligament 4 years ago or so and elected rehab instead of TJ. Been pitching with it ever since but could blow at any time so more risky than a normal free agent IMO.

4 years ago.
I'd say the rehab has worked.
It is like saying Stasburg is more susceptible because Brian Wilson and Kris Medlen had/has two.
Tommy John is unfriendly fire. It can strike any pitcher...Well, except RA Dickey
Trying to take odds on which pitcher is beyond my scope.