Hampton: Not ready to pitch

[ATLien]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sp...27hampton.html

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Mike Hampton put his surgically repaired elbow through another test Tuesday, then graded it less optimistically than his manager.

"I'm still not where I need to be," the veteran left-hander said after mixing in some curveballs when he threw his third batting practice session of Braves spring training. "Every day's a challenge."

He hadn't thrown breaking balls since instructional league in the fall, and felt some discomfort. Hampton had ligament-transplant surgery Sept. 26, 2005, and missed the entire 2006 season.

"I thought he was good today, real good," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.

"He was free and easy [in his delivery]. Mike's not happy he's not 100 percent yet, but for me, there's been no setbacks. Today was a good day."

Normal recovery for the surgery takes 12-18 months; it has been 17 months for Hampton. The Braves are counting on him as their No. 3 or No. 4 starter, and Cox hopes he'll be ready to go five innings when the season begins.

Hampton is tentatively scheduled to make his spring debut with two innings in the sixth game March 6 vs. Washington, but tentative is the operative word.

"I'm not ready right now," he said. "I don't feel like I could go out there for 30 pitches and consistently let all my pitches go with confidence that everything's going to be all right.

"It stinks. But you can't get discouraged. There's probably going to be some ups and downs."

[realmofotalk]

Dude is owed $43.5 mil for 2006-2008. That is all.

[DravenX]

I'm not looking too much into this. As long as he is ready for the season he should be fine.

[bravesjb]

I think it is too early to say that he isn't going to do well. He hasn't seriously thrown in over a year. He might start slow but I think that he will win 15+ games.

[General]

Dude is owed $43.5 mil for 2006-2008. That is all.

Florida and Colorado are paying for some of that. And if Hampton wins 15 games, I'll eat my hat.

[bravesjb]

There are already some pre-season mlb prediction people that say he will win the Cy Young award. Keep your hat handy.

[General]

Got any links?

[Rufio181]

Dude is owed $43.5 mil for 2006-2008. That is all.

Thats alot of money going down the drain.

[DravenX]

If he can get to the 6th inning, than he should be able to win 15 games but who knows.

[realmofotalk]

Florida and Colorado are paying for some of that. And if Hampton wins 15 games, I'll eat my hat.

No, the Braves are on the hook for the $43.5 million portion from 2006 to 2008. Florida and Colorado paid the remainder of $121 million contract before 2006. It's currently the Braves' turn to pay the piper.

[bravesjb]

Sorry, no links