Baseball Guru
10-08-2003, 11:16 AM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=smoltzbraves&prov=st&type=lgns
October 8, 2003
ATLANTA (Ticker) - Atlanta Braves closer John Smoltz underwent elbow surgery Tuesday to clean up the tendon that had bothered him over the final six weeks of the season.
The Braves said that the righthander underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow in Birmingham, Alabama and is expected to be ready for spring training.
Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews removed scar tissue around the tendon and nerves in the elbow. Smoltz missed most of September with what was diagnosed as tendinitis and upon his return pitched in discomfort.
"He went through hell," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He was really gutting it out. He gave us everything he could."
Smoltz allowed only six earned runs over his first 61 innings and four in his final 6 1/3, including the postseason, after being activated from the disabled list. He finished the year with 45 saves and a 1.12 ERA.
Andrews performed two MRIs on Smoltz in August and recommended he return after the season for surgery. Andrews performed "Tommy John" ligament replacement surgery on Smoltz's elbow in March 2000.
In an effort to save his elbow, the Braves converted Smoltz into their closer late in the 2001 season. He has 100 saves over the past two years.
Smoltz won at least 15 games five times as a starter. He was honored with the National League Cy Young Award in 1996, when he went 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA.
October 8, 2003
ATLANTA (Ticker) - Atlanta Braves closer John Smoltz underwent elbow surgery Tuesday to clean up the tendon that had bothered him over the final six weeks of the season.
The Braves said that the righthander underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow in Birmingham, Alabama and is expected to be ready for spring training.
Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews removed scar tissue around the tendon and nerves in the elbow. Smoltz missed most of September with what was diagnosed as tendinitis and upon his return pitched in discomfort.
"He went through hell," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He was really gutting it out. He gave us everything he could."
Smoltz allowed only six earned runs over his first 61 innings and four in his final 6 1/3, including the postseason, after being activated from the disabled list. He finished the year with 45 saves and a 1.12 ERA.
Andrews performed two MRIs on Smoltz in August and recommended he return after the season for surgery. Andrews performed "Tommy John" ligament replacement surgery on Smoltz's elbow in March 2000.
In an effort to save his elbow, the Braves converted Smoltz into their closer late in the 2001 season. He has 100 saves over the past two years.
Smoltz won at least 15 games five times as a starter. He was honored with the National League Cy Young Award in 1996, when he went 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA.