Baseball Guru
03-15-2006, 09:30 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkNA8OeooILdqgdbwg784MkRvLYF?slug=ap-giants-benitez&prov=ap&type=lgns
By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
March 15, 2006
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- San Francisco Giants closer Armando Benitez had a cortisone injection in his swollen left knee and won't be able to throw off a mound for a few days.
"It's not a big deal," manager Felipe Alou said Wednesday. "It's not his bad knee. He'll be OK. Armando will be OK. It will just take him a little bit to get back to full strength."
Benitez, who missed nearly four months last season with a hamstring injury, came into his second spring training camp with the Giants feeling healthy.
But he was bothered by the knee warming up before coming into a game last Sunday against San Diego. He tried to pitch anyway and allowed six runs in one-third of an inning, giving up a grand slam to Mike Piazza.
"I made a mistake and now I'll have to wait a couple of days," Benitez said. "I felt it warming up and thought it's not too serious. I tried to throw and look what happened."
Benitez, who had an MRI and the injection Tuesday, threw off flat ground on a back field Wednesday and said he felt good. Trainer Stan Conte said it could be up to a week until Benitez throws off the mound but expected the closer to be ready for the season opener April 3 in San Diego.
"We're going to take it a little easy," Conte said. "He threw off flat ground and we'll get him back up on the mound in the next couple of days and then get him back in there."
Benitez has had problems with his right knee in his career but never had an issue with his left knee. He lands on his left leg when he pitches, leading the team to be careful with the injury.
"I was very pleased with how he came in today and the fact that he was able to throw on flat ground with no problems," Conte said. "Everything seems to be progressing the way we thought it would."
The 33-year-old Benitez, a two-time All-Star, went 2-3 with 19 saves and a 4.50 ERA in 30 appearances for the Giants last season. He signed a three-year contract worth $21.5 million to join San Francisco after the 2004 season.
He had bounced back from a subpar 2003 campaign to save an NL-best 47 games in 51 chances and lead major league relievers with a 1.29 ERA for the Florida Marlins. He struck out 62 batters in 69 2-3 innings pitched.
By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
March 15, 2006
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- San Francisco Giants closer Armando Benitez had a cortisone injection in his swollen left knee and won't be able to throw off a mound for a few days.
"It's not a big deal," manager Felipe Alou said Wednesday. "It's not his bad knee. He'll be OK. Armando will be OK. It will just take him a little bit to get back to full strength."
Benitez, who missed nearly four months last season with a hamstring injury, came into his second spring training camp with the Giants feeling healthy.
But he was bothered by the knee warming up before coming into a game last Sunday against San Diego. He tried to pitch anyway and allowed six runs in one-third of an inning, giving up a grand slam to Mike Piazza.
"I made a mistake and now I'll have to wait a couple of days," Benitez said. "I felt it warming up and thought it's not too serious. I tried to throw and look what happened."
Benitez, who had an MRI and the injection Tuesday, threw off flat ground on a back field Wednesday and said he felt good. Trainer Stan Conte said it could be up to a week until Benitez throws off the mound but expected the closer to be ready for the season opener April 3 in San Diego.
"We're going to take it a little easy," Conte said. "He threw off flat ground and we'll get him back up on the mound in the next couple of days and then get him back in there."
Benitez has had problems with his right knee in his career but never had an issue with his left knee. He lands on his left leg when he pitches, leading the team to be careful with the injury.
"I was very pleased with how he came in today and the fact that he was able to throw on flat ground with no problems," Conte said. "Everything seems to be progressing the way we thought it would."
The 33-year-old Benitez, a two-time All-Star, went 2-3 with 19 saves and a 4.50 ERA in 30 appearances for the Giants last season. He signed a three-year contract worth $21.5 million to join San Francisco after the 2004 season.
He had bounced back from a subpar 2003 campaign to save an NL-best 47 games in 51 chances and lead major league relievers with a 1.29 ERA for the Florida Marlins. He struck out 62 batters in 69 2-3 innings pitched.