GaryMrMets
08-01-2004, 07:52 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/9288482.htm
Posted on Sat, Jul. 31, 2004
Shoulder trouble sends Wagner back to the DL
By PAUL HAGEN
hagenp@phillynews.com
CHICAGO - Billy Wagner hoped to be pitching again by now.
Instead, he has been placed on the disabled list for the second time this year after an examination revealed that the closer has a strained left rotator cuff.
"It's like the Dodgers losing Eric Gagne or the Braves losing John Smoltz," manager Larry Bowa said. "It's a big blow. But there's nothing we can do about it. We just have to suck it up."
Bowa noted that having Tim Worrell available to close is a plus. The Phillies were 16-12 when Wagner was sidelined earlier this season.
Wagner isn't supposed to even pick up a baseball for about a week, so it's difficult to guess when he might be ready to return.
Righthander Amaury Telemaco, who had been sidelined with shoulder tendinitis and elbow soreness, was activated from the disabled list to take Wagner's roster spot.
In other DL news, righthander Vicente Padilla is scheduled to throw three innings or 45 pitches in a rehab start tonight for Class A Clearwater at Tampa. If all goes well, he'll make one more rehab start, then pitch for the Phillies against Colorado on Aug. 10.
The 300 level
Phillies third-base coach John Vukovich was a Cubs coach when Greg Maddux was a rookie in 1987. Now he'll watch from the opposing dugout as the future Hall of Famer goes for his milestone 300th win tomorrow.
Vuke said he couldn't have predicted 300 wins, but he figured out early on that Maddux would be something special.
"We were playing the Padres and [pitcher Eric Show] hit Andre Dawson in the face with a pitch," he related. "We were leading, 8-0, and both benches emptied and, naturally, there was a warning.
"Maddux hadn't won a game in 5 weeks. He got the first two outs and then, one out away from qualifying for the win, he hit Benito Santiago in the butt with a pitch and got thrown out of the game. Nobody told him to do it, either. That's when I knew."
Maddux is trying to downplay the whole production.
"I think it's important to have a routine," he said. "If you want to be consistent on the mound, you have to be consistent off the mound as well. It's not about me. It's about us winning enough games to get to the postseason.
"Obviously, it's going to be talked about. But I still have to pitch [tomorrow]. I have to get hitters out. And talking about it isn't going to help me do that. If it works out, great. If not, I'll try again in 5 days.
"It's hard to say it's just another game. But it is."
It might be just another game. But the Hall of Fame already called asking for artifacts from the 300th win, and commissioner Bud Selig plans to attend.
Net result
City building inspectors approved 90-year-old Wrigley Field for occupancy yesterday morning after netting was installed to protect fans from falling concrete.
The Phillies-Cubs game was played without incident.
Three times in the last 6 weeks, chunks of concrete have fallen into the seating area.
"The ballpark is safe and sound," club president Andy McPhail said.
He said the park would be inspected before every game. He added that engineers have been asked to develop an aggressive system of testing and asked that any further incidents of falling concrete be reported immediately.
The netting, designed to absorb up to 15,000 pounds of force, is expected to remain up for the remainder of the season.
Posted on Sat, Jul. 31, 2004
Shoulder trouble sends Wagner back to the DL
By PAUL HAGEN
hagenp@phillynews.com
CHICAGO - Billy Wagner hoped to be pitching again by now.
Instead, he has been placed on the disabled list for the second time this year after an examination revealed that the closer has a strained left rotator cuff.
"It's like the Dodgers losing Eric Gagne or the Braves losing John Smoltz," manager Larry Bowa said. "It's a big blow. But there's nothing we can do about it. We just have to suck it up."
Bowa noted that having Tim Worrell available to close is a plus. The Phillies were 16-12 when Wagner was sidelined earlier this season.
Wagner isn't supposed to even pick up a baseball for about a week, so it's difficult to guess when he might be ready to return.
Righthander Amaury Telemaco, who had been sidelined with shoulder tendinitis and elbow soreness, was activated from the disabled list to take Wagner's roster spot.
In other DL news, righthander Vicente Padilla is scheduled to throw three innings or 45 pitches in a rehab start tonight for Class A Clearwater at Tampa. If all goes well, he'll make one more rehab start, then pitch for the Phillies against Colorado on Aug. 10.
The 300 level
Phillies third-base coach John Vukovich was a Cubs coach when Greg Maddux was a rookie in 1987. Now he'll watch from the opposing dugout as the future Hall of Famer goes for his milestone 300th win tomorrow.
Vuke said he couldn't have predicted 300 wins, but he figured out early on that Maddux would be something special.
"We were playing the Padres and [pitcher Eric Show] hit Andre Dawson in the face with a pitch," he related. "We were leading, 8-0, and both benches emptied and, naturally, there was a warning.
"Maddux hadn't won a game in 5 weeks. He got the first two outs and then, one out away from qualifying for the win, he hit Benito Santiago in the butt with a pitch and got thrown out of the game. Nobody told him to do it, either. That's when I knew."
Maddux is trying to downplay the whole production.
"I think it's important to have a routine," he said. "If you want to be consistent on the mound, you have to be consistent off the mound as well. It's not about me. It's about us winning enough games to get to the postseason.
"Obviously, it's going to be talked about. But I still have to pitch [tomorrow]. I have to get hitters out. And talking about it isn't going to help me do that. If it works out, great. If not, I'll try again in 5 days.
"It's hard to say it's just another game. But it is."
It might be just another game. But the Hall of Fame already called asking for artifacts from the 300th win, and commissioner Bud Selig plans to attend.
Net result
City building inspectors approved 90-year-old Wrigley Field for occupancy yesterday morning after netting was installed to protect fans from falling concrete.
The Phillies-Cubs game was played without incident.
Three times in the last 6 weeks, chunks of concrete have fallen into the seating area.
"The ballpark is safe and sound," club president Andy McPhail said.
He said the park would be inspected before every game. He added that engineers have been asked to develop an aggressive system of testing and asked that any further incidents of falling concrete be reported immediately.
The netting, designed to absorb up to 15,000 pounds of force, is expected to remain up for the remainder of the season.