News on Hampton

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/baseball/mlb/atlanta_braves/9656907.htm
(link also posted in title)

"The news on pitcher Mike Hampton was mixed Monday.

An MRI of the left-hander's left knee revealed torn cartilage, which will require surgery. However, with the blessing of the team's medical staff, Hampton plans to postpone surgery and continue pitching.

"I don't know if anybody can tell you there's a 50-50 chance (he can do it), but we're going to try," manager Bobby Cox said. "We're going to try and get him through this season."

Hampton felt his knee pop in the fifth inning of last Saturday's start against Montreal. The recovery time from surgery is four to eight weeks. Team officials indicated that if he undergoes the procedure this winter, he'd be ready for the start of spring training.

Doctors said the tear in Hampton's meniscus cartilage won't worsen if he continues pitching. But the team is concerned about Hampton pitching in pain and whether it would force him to alter his delivery to compensate.

The lefty, whose knee was drained of fluid Monday, will rejoin the team today, but he'll miss his next start. Rookie Jose Capellan will replace him against the Mets in the series finale Thursday night."


Hopefully he doesn't screw up his mechanics. That could have huge future repercussions. Also, Jose Capellan will pitch on 3 days rest taking Hampton's place in his next start. This concerns me a little, because Capellan threw 111 pitches in his last outing and also he has never even come close to throwing as many innings before as he has this season at age 23.