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Karstens will stick to original rehab plans
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Jeff Karstens will follow the Pirates' initial rehabilitation plan requiring rest and a throwing program to aid his sore right shoulder, general manager Neal Huntington said Sunday.
The Pirates sent Karstens' test results to Dr. James Andrews for evaluation, but Huntington said nothing Andrews saw changed the initial diagnosis.
"The plan is about 10 days of rest for Jeff, and then begin a throwing program from there and build upon the successes and challenges of each of those days," Huntington said.
Karstens allowed two runs on three hits in the first inning Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, then left the game. The Pirates placed him on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday because of right shoulder inflammation.
The Pirates recalled Brad Lincoln from Class AAA Indianapolis to take Karstens' roster spot, and Lincoln pitched three scoreless innings Wednesday to earn the win in relief. Huntington said Lincoln likely will stay on the roster in a long relief role.
"There's no reason not to keep Brad Lincoln around as long as he pitches well and as long as there's a meaningful role for him," Huntington said. "As long as we're able to have starting pitching depth, but, at the same time, as long as we're able to have him ready to go."
Lincoln had a chance to make the roster as a reliever out of spring training but was optioned to Indianapolis, where he joined the starting rotation.
Kevin Correia will return to the rotation tonight against the Colorado Rockies.
Correia had pain in his left side last week and was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday.
"He felt better [Saturday]," Huntington said. "His symptoms were almost completely resolved, which is a good sign. He got the affirmation with the MRI that came back essentially clean."
On June 16, 1986, Jamie Moyer appeared in his first major league game. That same day, Clint Hurdle appeared as a pinch-hitter in a St. Louis Cardinals lineup that featured Andy Van Slyke and Mike LaValliere in a game the Cardinals won against the Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium.
Tonight, Moyer, 49, will start for the Rockies.
"He's going to battle, he's going to compete," Hurdle said. "You need to be patient. You need to just try and beat him with singles. From my perception across the field for many, many years now, it's always he definitely plays bigger than he is."
Even with a fastball that hovers around 80 mph, Moyer has a 2.55 ERA in three starts. He recently became the oldest player to win in a major league game.
"If your mindset is to jump a pitch with Jamie Moyer, you're going to be playing to his strengths," Hurdle said. "It's about deception, it's about late life, it's about movement."
Moyer signed a minor league contract with the Rockies before the season after missing the 2011 season because of an elbow injury.
Indianapolis shortstop Chase d'Arnaud still is recovering from the effects of a concussion he received when hit in the head by a pitch April 7, Huntington said.
"We need him to be symptom free before we can really start heavy exertion," Huntington said. "It's one of those things coming back from concussion, it is literally day to day in how he feels."
First Published April 23, 2012 12:00 am
