Tom Glavine threw a bullpen session today, the first time he’s thrown from the mound since he left his June 10th start in Chicago with the elbow injury. He was able to throw each of his pitches at what he considered 60%. He had good control and feel of his curve and changeup.

The plan is for him to throw three more bullpen sessions on the upcoming road trip (the first of which will be Tuesday) and then possibly throw a two-inning simulated game when the Braves return home.

Looks like he is shooting for a mid-August return date to the rotation.

You can read more on that HERE.

So mid-August, huh? Can we consider August 7-10th as being mid-August? It’s kind of mid-August…..it’s in the ballpark. It’s close enough! Please?

Maybe?

It’s SO close to mid-August!

August 7-10th is when the Braves come here to Arizona. I have tickets to all four games. I really, really, REALLY want to see him pitch one of those games. :(

Maybe Tom will discover that he feels utterly fantastic and he’ll say, “Wow! I feel great! I’ve got my arm strength back and everything! In fact, I feel so damn good, I’m going to be ready a few days BEFORE mid-August.”

Yes…Let’s let that happen. :) 

Tom Glavine did light throwing again today. Here’s the news from the comment section of David O’Brien’s AJC blog:

By David O’Brien

July 9, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this

OK, notebook filed, game underway.

Glavine threw again today, from a little greater distance, but still light tossing. No problems. Didn’t even head directly to the training room to ice afterward.

Instead, at Jo-Jo Reyes’ request, Glavine went to the bullpen and observed Reyes’ between-starts session. Reyes will start the series opener at San Diego on Friday against Jake Peavy.

David O’Brien at the AJC posted a Tom Glavine update in the comments section of his latest blog. Here’s what he had to say:

By David O’Brien
July 8, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this

Glavine felt good, “about what I expected for what I did today,” he said. Really just made about 50 light throws, which he’ll do again tomorrow, then take a day off, then do it a couple more times, and go through All-Star break.

If all goes well, he hopes to be throwing off mound first week after break.

So, good news there! If I find any articles about it, I’ll be sure to update w/ those. I’m hoping they’ll have an interview or something on the Braves pre-game show … Probably not, but if so, I’ll try to get that posted as well.

David O’Brien of the AJC gave a Tom Glavine update in the comments section of his latest blog. Here is what he had to say:

by the way, Glavine had progress in past couple days, just in his stretching and rehab work. Now plans to travel with the team and start throwing during trip. If all goes well, he wants to be throwing off mound a day or two after All-Star break, and from there, no timetable, just move forward according to how he feels.

But it’s uncertainty with this injury, he knows he could need surgery, but wants to first see if he can avoid it and pitch rest of season.

Keeping my fingers crossed the injury heals up and he’s able to pitch again this season.

ETA: Here’s an article from MLB.com talking about Glavine’s progress as well.

A portion of the article:

Glavine hopes to play catch at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. If all goes well and he’s able to continue throwing without pain, his plan is to begin throwing bullpen sessions right after the All-Star break. This timetable would allow him to potentially rejoin the Atlanta rotation around the beginning of August.

Although he pitched a majority of his stellar career battling shoulder pain, Glavine is unsure that he’d be able to do the same with this elbow discomfort. During his first four starts of the season, he posted a 2.60 ERA. But in the eight starts he made with elbow discomfort, he posted a 5.79 ERA.

“I’ve pitched with pain in my shoulder, I’ve pitched with a broken rib,” Glavine said. “But the elbow is different. I think with my shoulder, when it bothered me and I was having issues, I always felt like I could back off on my effort a little bit, or at least manipulate a position to where it didn’t hurt and I could still throw the ball the way I wanted.”

If Glavine is still unable to pitch during the early weeks of August, he will likely undergo surgery, enabling him to enjoy the rest of his life pain-free and also keep open the possibility of pitching again for the Braves next year.

“I would get it fixed first and foremost for the quality of life,” Glavine said. “I haven’t made up my mind about what I want to do.”

So that timetable (provided everything goes well) would potentially allow him to be back in the Braves rotation around the beginning of August?

I’d just like to point out that the Braves travel to Arizona (where I live) to play the Diamondbacks August 7th-10th. I’m just spitballin’ here but, I think one of those 4 days would be a good target return date. I have tickets to all four so, it doesn’t really matter which of those four days. I’m flexible. :)

All selfishness aside, I just hope he is able to pitch again at some point this season, whenever or wherever that may be, and I hope he is able to do it without the pain he endured earlier this season.

I’m going through withdrawals! I need to see him pitch!

I just got done watching the Braves lose to the Phillies, 8-3.

I really, REALLY miss seeing Tom Glavine pitch. It really bites to watch and know he isn’t scheduled to pitch until, at the very least, after the All-Star break.

I’m incredibly bored. And I have nothing to update my web site with. God, this is what it’s going to be like (only worse) when he retires, isn’t it? So not looking forward to that….