Baseball Guru
03-07-2002, 10:51 AM
By Associated Press
March 6, 2002, 7:52 PM EST
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Kevin Brown produced some of the best news out of Dodgertown this spring.
The Los Angeles ace pitched two innings in a simulated game Wednesday and reported no trouble with his recovering right elbow.
If he doesn't feel any pain, Brown he will pitch in his first exhibition game Saturday or Sunday.
"The biggest point is to be able to throw, sit down and go out and throw again and not have any problems and I did that today," Brown said. "One more hurdle cleared."
Brown, 36, underwent surgery on the elbow Sept. 27 after battling through pain down the stretch of the season.
He had been throwing off sideline mounds and in live batting practice this spring until Wednesday's workout. In his 37 pitches, Brown mixed curves, sinkers, sliders and fastballs. His fastball topped out at 93 mph, and he struck out Brian Jordan on a curve and did not have any of his pitches hit hard.
Kazuhisa Ishii, the Japanese free agent expected to be one of the Dodgers' top three starters, also threw two innings in the simulated game.
Ishii threw 42 pitches, reaching as high as 91 mph with his fastball. He also mixed in breaking pitches and a curve that struck out Tom Goodwin twice.
Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy was pleased to see Brown pitching with apparent ease.
"I saw full extension and pitching with no reservations whatsoever," Tracy said. "Nothing like what you saw at the end of last season."
Paul Lo Duca was behind the plate for Brown, who went 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA last season.
"His stuff was better than at any point last year," Lo Duca said. "Everything was sharp. The whole key was he felt no pain. He seemed in great shape and ready to keep going."
Meanwhile, Ishii expects to pitch in his first exhibition game Friday.
Ishii, 28, hasn't pitched games so far because he arrived late to spring training from Japan and needed time to settle in.
"For the first time out I feel satisfied," Ishii said through an interpreter. "But I know I have work to do to get ready for the season."
Los Angeles pitching coach Jim Colborn said both pitchers could add about 4 mph to their fastballs before the regular season opens April 2 against the San Francisco Giants.
Both pitchers should make five or six starts during the exhibition season.
"I was 100 percent satisfied in that it was their first outing," Colborn said. "But both have a little higher ceiling than we saw today."
Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, still feeling some soreness, underwent an MRI for a second time Wednesday, having his lower back, right hip and right hamstring scanned. All results were normal.
He had an MRI on his hamstring last week, and that scan also showed no abnormalities. It's unknown when he will play his first exhibition game.
March 6, 2002, 7:52 PM EST
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Kevin Brown produced some of the best news out of Dodgertown this spring.
The Los Angeles ace pitched two innings in a simulated game Wednesday and reported no trouble with his recovering right elbow.
If he doesn't feel any pain, Brown he will pitch in his first exhibition game Saturday or Sunday.
"The biggest point is to be able to throw, sit down and go out and throw again and not have any problems and I did that today," Brown said. "One more hurdle cleared."
Brown, 36, underwent surgery on the elbow Sept. 27 after battling through pain down the stretch of the season.
He had been throwing off sideline mounds and in live batting practice this spring until Wednesday's workout. In his 37 pitches, Brown mixed curves, sinkers, sliders and fastballs. His fastball topped out at 93 mph, and he struck out Brian Jordan on a curve and did not have any of his pitches hit hard.
Kazuhisa Ishii, the Japanese free agent expected to be one of the Dodgers' top three starters, also threw two innings in the simulated game.
Ishii threw 42 pitches, reaching as high as 91 mph with his fastball. He also mixed in breaking pitches and a curve that struck out Tom Goodwin twice.
Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy was pleased to see Brown pitching with apparent ease.
"I saw full extension and pitching with no reservations whatsoever," Tracy said. "Nothing like what you saw at the end of last season."
Paul Lo Duca was behind the plate for Brown, who went 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA last season.
"His stuff was better than at any point last year," Lo Duca said. "Everything was sharp. The whole key was he felt no pain. He seemed in great shape and ready to keep going."
Meanwhile, Ishii expects to pitch in his first exhibition game Friday.
Ishii, 28, hasn't pitched games so far because he arrived late to spring training from Japan and needed time to settle in.
"For the first time out I feel satisfied," Ishii said through an interpreter. "But I know I have work to do to get ready for the season."
Los Angeles pitching coach Jim Colborn said both pitchers could add about 4 mph to their fastballs before the regular season opens April 2 against the San Francisco Giants.
Both pitchers should make five or six starts during the exhibition season.
"I was 100 percent satisfied in that it was their first outing," Colborn said. "But both have a little higher ceiling than we saw today."
Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, still feeling some soreness, underwent an MRI for a second time Wednesday, having his lower back, right hip and right hamstring scanned. All results were normal.
He had an MRI on his hamstring last week, and that scan also showed no abnormalities. It's unknown when he will play his first exhibition game.