Tommy Hanson Has Slight Tear In Shoulder, Hopes To Avoid Surgery

by Scott Coleman on Aug 26, 2011 7:25 PM EDT

Tommy Hanson's return to the mound is looking less and less likely by the day. While the pitcher hopes to return in 2011, he has a slight tear in his right shoulder and will miss at least a few more weeks while recovering. He will visit Dr. James Andrews on Monday, though surgery is usually not required.

The ultimate goal is to get Hanson's shoulder completely healthy. If he misses the rest of the season and the playoffs, so be it. Having a pitcher risk even further injury with a bad shoulder or elbow can ruin a career. Just as Dusty Baker or Mark Prior.

It appears Mike Minor will continue to make starts, just as he should. The lefty has been excellent this season since being called up. The oodles of pitching depth the Braves have acquired continues to be even more valuable by the day.

Get well soon, Tommy. We need you.

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Hoping for a quick recovery...

I’m glad Tommy has time to hopefully heal up in the next month. I just wonder if the Instructional League in Orlando is going to be sufficient competition to get him ready since the minor league seasons will be over…

by TBuzz on Aug 26, 2011 7:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Best of luck to Hanson

Morton hit Heyward with an offspeed pitch. Early indication is that the baseball survived the impact.

by award6 on Aug 26, 2011 7:54 PM EDT reply actions

Not worth the risk

I vote for shutting him down for 2011. There’s too much quality starting pitching on this team to play with Hanson’s long-term (or at least pre-FA) health.

Don't kiss an ass if it's in the process of shitting on you.

"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09

by buzzdeadwax on Aug 26, 2011 8:06 PM EDT reply actions

But

How long can the young pitching go inningwise before getting dead arms?

Not trying to ruffle feathers, just raising a discussion topic…

"I wasn’t thinking about it. That’s the worst celebration of all time. I didn’t know what to do. I got lost in the moment." - Brian McCann

by HansonManCrush on Aug 26, 2011 8:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

this was my concern as well

However as Bowman pointed out in his blog we could actually skip Minor and Beachy because of Irene. If we make the playoffs a rotation of Buddy, Jurrjens, Lowe and one of Beachy/Minor should be solid. While not as good withouth Hanson still good.

by drumzalicious on Aug 26, 2011 9:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Hope

So… Braves are the only team that can beat Philly IMO

"I wasn’t thinking about it. That’s the worst celebration of all time. I didn’t know what to do. I got lost in the moment." - Brian McCann

by HansonManCrush on Aug 26, 2011 9:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Depth

Let’s face it…they can still roll out a rotation of Hudson, Jurrjens, Lowe, Beachy, Minor, Teheran, and Delgado in September. There’s still plenty of arms to throw innings, and they’ll all be called up in five days (two of which won’t have a ballgame because of Irene).

They can swap out starters, get everyone plenty of rest, and keep all the arms fresh.

Personally, I hope they throw as many different guys as they can. The WC is essentially wrapped up, so spreading out the workload would be extremely helpful.

-C

It’s rough to sit through these games and not have someone that can’t hit a Ball?

by cthabeerman on Aug 27, 2011 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions

If he gets "healthy"

Then you start him because he is needed way more this year with the playoffs looming than he would be next year. That’s if he gets reinjured and misses next year.

We are in a much better position to absorb h missing 2012 with the expected development of Terehan and Delgado. It’s sort of analgous to Medlen last year if he coulda pitched last year in October he coulda helped more than he coulda this year.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 26, 2011 9:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I disagree completely. I’d rather miss the World Series this year and make it for years to come because his arm is healthy. We can make it through the rest of the season just fine and still compete in the playoffs.

by drumzalicious on Aug 26, 2011 9:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

But your acting as if

An injury is likely or predetermined if he pitches this year. We don’t need him in Sept but we need him in Oct.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 26, 2011 9:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

We need...

You to leave.

I mean, really?? You want to risk a lasting injury that could completely derail his career for a couple wins, albeit big ones??

No. Just no.

The honest truth is that there is no team more well-equipped to handle this than the Braves. So let Hanson rest.

-C

It’s rough to sit through these games and not have someone that can’t hit a Ball?

by cthabeerman on Aug 27, 2011 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

So if the doctors

Clear him and he feels fine we sit him anyway. Yeah that makes perfect sense.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 27, 2011 2:13 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

If he's gotta tear, which he does...

It’s still going to be weeks before he’s ready. He’s already been diagnosed with tendinitis twice, when the underlying cause may have been this tear. He’s thrown on it and possibly damaged it more. His last shutdown start was prior to the All-Star Game.

So, yes, shut it down. Let him get healthy, not “healthy.”

If you look at the time remaining in the season, he’s only got about six starts left anyway, tops. If he’s only able to pitch the last one or two, is he going to be ready for the playoffs anyway?? Who knows.

The Braves tried to rush Jurrjens back at the end of last season and it just made his injury worse. There’s no reason, with the depth this team possesses, to risk that again…especially when you’re talking about a pitcher with a shoulder injury.

-C

It’s rough to sit through these games and not have someone that can’t hit a Ball?

by cthabeerman on Aug 27, 2011 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions