Braves GM John Coppolella spoke with Bill Shanks of The Macon Telegraph in a wide-ranging interview (audio link) that has plenty of interesting info for Atlanta fans. For our purposes, the most notable segment involved the team’s addition of second baseman Brandon Phillips after the terrifying car crash involving recently added infielder Sean Rodriguez. Per Coppolella, the organization reignited prior talks with the Reds shortly after learning of the accident. It seems that Atlanta isn’t sure as yet just when Rodriguez will be able to join the organization. “We hope that Sean’s family can heal and get right,” said the GM. “… [W]e don’t know when Sean’s going to be back, it’s going to be a long time.”
Here are a host of other notes on injury situations around the National League as pitchers and catchers report:
- Mets third baseman David Wright has yet even to throw a baseball since his season-ending neck surgery, Marc Carig of Newsday reports on Twitter. Though the club has seemingly given some consideration to trying him out at first base this spring, it seems that there are plenty of prior hurdles to clear before any position change is attempted. It remains unclear just what kind of timeline the veteran will take this spring, or whether there’s a realistic chance he’ll be ready for Opening Day.
- Meanwhile, the Mets are hoping that bone chip surgery for righty Erik Goeddel could help him return to the solid former he showed as a rookie in 2015. As Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports, the reliever feels healthy after recovering from the procedure, which was performed to help relieve aching that wouldn’t go away. He’ll compete for a pen role this spring.
- The Cubs are set to find out today whether slugger Kyle Schwarber will be cleared to get behind the plate, though the organization plans to be cautious regardless. As Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune tweets, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein put it in colorful terms, saying that “we’ll walk before we squat.” Regardless, Schwarber is expected to spend the bulk of his time in left field while serving as at most a third catcher, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets.
- Cardinals non-roster camp invitee Kendry Flores is heading for an MRI after reporting shoulder discomfort, according to MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter). The 25-year-old was added on a minor-league deal over the winter, so was likely seen more as a depth piece than a key member of the staff. He owns a 3.78 ERA with 7.0 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in 150 career innings at Triple-A.
Is it injury day at MLBTR? Reyes, Gardy, now the notes.
Reyes and Flores in one day, what’s going on with the drinking water in the Cards camp?
Blake swihart poisoned it
Matheny poisoned it to continue using people like wacha in positions they can’t handle.
Anybody hear of Brian flynns injury? That’s gotta be one of the flukiest ones in a while
He mistakenly thought he could improve his ceiling, when he should have been more attentive to his floor.
Schwarber is resilient, but they don’t need him to catch.
It’ll definitely help keep him in the lineup though to broaden his flexibility
If Kyle can catch 1-2 games a week, that’s all they’re really looking for. I’m not ruling him out.
He wants to catch. He’s said so since the day they signed him.
Is it a requirement for every Cardinals starting pitcher to have TJ surgery? It seems like they lead they league in TJs over the past however many years.
The braves have that department secured
When will the speculation about Wright retiring get serious? The Mets have to be getting insurance money off his contract after last year’s prolonged absence; don’t make the guy come back and ruin his future ability to walk — cut a fair deal and send him out as the alltime Mets great that he is.
I agree that it’s time for him to retire, but I think is him who don’t want to let go. Instead of helping the team, he is just hurting it. We could use the extra money to get a replacement. Just saying.
Agreed, no doubting his love of the game but he has a severe back condition. Violently swinging a bat is not going to end well.
Also, is there anyone that thinks he’ll play for any extended period of time this year? And Mr. Glass Jose Reyes is backing him up. The Mets will need to get some infield help this year.
Maybe they can suck it up until Rosario is ready to go but man, putting a lot of faith in these oft injured guys.
The Wilpons are cashing the insurance payments and pocketing the proceeds. On the field, “TC” is not smart enough to move him to the other side of the diamond, even though he couldn’t throw properly.
Go Braves!
What about Harvey will he be healthy?
So what exactly is the problem with Sean Rodriguez ? All we know is “crash” and “shoulder” but that doesn’t describe what is actually wrong. Tear? Break? Nerve damage? Notice how Braves management keeps saying “we don’t know when he will be back”. Why so mysterious about this? Anyone else think it’s odd that no one explained by he suddenly had a problem 2 weeks after the accident? I realize things can be discovered later but none the less, it seems like they are being rather vague.
Yes, i agree with this, and commented on the last article about it. It seems very weird to me that a guy is in an accident like that and suffers an injury that isn’t detected (or mentioned) til 2 weeks later.
Is it possible they’re phrasing it as “we don’t know when he’ll be back” (rather than they don’t know the extent of his injury, or they don’t know when he’ll be healthy, etc.) because he’s really staying away to be with his wife and kids (it sounded like one or more of them were seriously injured – god forbid – in the initial reports)? So they’re being cagey to protect him from people getting on him for “bailing” on the team (as some a-holes & even some of the most despicable sports radio types would assuredly do)?
From what I understand players’ injuries can be disclosed if they are injured playing, but if they are hurt during the off-season HIPPA regulations would preclude that unless the player himself wants to disclose.
Tommy John surgeries are becoming more common. Should the rest of the teams be concerned with this so that in thr future theres a better way to prevent such injury.
Kyle Schwarber should work on hes defense in the outfield to average and at least hit 20 plus homeruns. I think the club can get a good trade in return but most likely appeal to American league teams. Great player to become as a hitter. Defese can always improves along the way.
He will have 20 hr at all star break
Cop a squat, Kyle!
Let him catch if he wants too. But you no matter what you gotta keep him and Baez in the lineup. I saw the projected 2017 lineup. They have Jon Jay as the CF. lmao. Jay is strictly off the bench backup to almora. They also have Baez out of the lineup too. The talking heads have no clue what they are saying. Cubs are only projected to win 95 games. That barely wins the NLC. Cardinals won’t just go away. they’ll win at least 93 games. Cubs won’t win less than 98