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Pirates Notebook: Doumit has setback
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

DENVER -- The Pirates will be without right fielder Ryan Doumit longer than expected.

A second examination of his sprained left wrist prompted the team's medical staff to order him to not use the wrist in any capacity for another week. The cast has been replaced by a soft splint, and Doumit is doing other exercises in Bradenton, Fla., but he probably will not be allowed to swing a bat until the end of the month.

That, plus the rehabilitation stint that will follow, makes a mid-September return most likely.

"It will be the beginning of September at the very earliest," manager Jim Tracy said.

Duke, Burnett return

Zach Duke and Sean Burnett, the Pirates' two left-handers shut down by elbow trouble, each returned to the mound yesterday in Florida.

Duke pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings -- two hits, two walks, one strikeout -- for Bradenton of the Gulf Coast League, making 43 pitches in a 5-2 victory against the rookie-level Reds in Sarasota, Fla. He showed "some fatigue" by the time he exited, Tracy said, but no other difficulty.

His next start could come at a higher level, and he remains on pace to rejoin the Pirates' rotation in September.

Burnett threw 31 pitches in a simulated game in Bradenton, his first work off a mound since July 3 for Class AAA Indianapolis.

His next pitching likely will come with a winter assignment in Venezuela. Burnett plans to make four or five starts there to show he is healthy heading into 2008.

Clemente's glovework honored

Roberto Clemente made the all-time Rawlings Gold Glove team announced yesterday, joining Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr. in the outfield.

Clemente, a 12-time Gold Glove winner, took 21 percent of the votes -- close to 1 million cast by fans at national sporting goods stores and online -- and finished just behind Mays (23 percent), with those two well above the pack. Griffey had 9 percent.

Bill Mazeroski, the only other Pirate on the ballot, finished fourth among second basemen with 19 percent behind the winner Joe Morgan (27 percent), Roberto Alomar (22 percent) and Ryne Sandberg (21 percent).

The rest of the team had pitcher Greg Maddux, catcher Johnny Bench, first baseman Wes Parker, shortstop Ozzie Smith and third baseman Brooks Robinson.

Buried treasure

Word was not immediately available on the MRI taken last night on center fielder Chris Duffy's left shoulder.

How much does Class AA Altoona miss top prospects Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker since they were promoted to Indianapolis last week? The Curve lost its first five games without them and scored five total runs before a 5-2, 10-inning victory last night at Reading.



First published at PG NOW on August 22, 2007 at 11:11 pm