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07-05-2005, 11:04 AM
Good news, or so it would seem. Never can tell with some of these injuries; sometimes the one that don't seem like much turn into big deals. I fully expect Lidge to be a bit rusty facing live hitters for the first time, either today or tomorrow.
Alyson Footer / MLB.com (http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050704&content_id=1115425&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou)
HOUSTON -- Brad Lidge threw between 30-45 pitches during a bullpen session Monday morning, the first time he had thrown off the mound since last Wednesday. To the relief of everyone involved -- Lidge, pitching coach Jim Hickey and general manager Tim Purpura -- the session went smoothly, and the closer could be back on the mound as early as Tuesday.
Lidge has been sidelined for the last nine days with a mild strain in his lower right biceps, an injury he suffered while throwing long toss during batting practice on June 25 before a home game with the Rangers. Because it was in what Lidge called a "benign area" -- in other words, not near his elbow -- the club held off placing him on the disabled list, confident the closer would recover quickly.
"We were seeing what made sense," Lidge said. "If I can come back and pitch a week's worth of games before the All-Star break, then I want to do that."
Three days of rest turned into nine, but Lidge is happy with his status heading into the final week of games before he heads to Detroit for the All-Star Game.
"I was really pleased with today," he said. "I was cranking it up really close to game speed, and we're going to ice [the muscle] and make sure everything feels good tomorrow. Unless something unforeseen happens, I sould be able to [pitch] tomorrow."
"It's very encouraging," Purpura said. "He seemed very confident. It seems like it's pretty much out of his system. We felt pretty good about it all along. We really thought it would be a couple of days, because it was just really a muscle strain. But it was one of those things that didn't get better."
Alyson Footer / MLB.com (http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050704&content_id=1115425&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou)
HOUSTON -- Brad Lidge threw between 30-45 pitches during a bullpen session Monday morning, the first time he had thrown off the mound since last Wednesday. To the relief of everyone involved -- Lidge, pitching coach Jim Hickey and general manager Tim Purpura -- the session went smoothly, and the closer could be back on the mound as early as Tuesday.
Lidge has been sidelined for the last nine days with a mild strain in his lower right biceps, an injury he suffered while throwing long toss during batting practice on June 25 before a home game with the Rangers. Because it was in what Lidge called a "benign area" -- in other words, not near his elbow -- the club held off placing him on the disabled list, confident the closer would recover quickly.
"We were seeing what made sense," Lidge said. "If I can come back and pitch a week's worth of games before the All-Star break, then I want to do that."
Three days of rest turned into nine, but Lidge is happy with his status heading into the final week of games before he heads to Detroit for the All-Star Game.
"I was really pleased with today," he said. "I was cranking it up really close to game speed, and we're going to ice [the muscle] and make sure everything feels good tomorrow. Unless something unforeseen happens, I sould be able to [pitch] tomorrow."
"It's very encouraging," Purpura said. "He seemed very confident. It seems like it's pretty much out of his system. We felt pretty good about it all along. We really thought it would be a couple of days, because it was just really a muscle strain. But it was one of those things that didn't get better."