Lance Cormier

[GTBraves's roomate]

Anyone know the status of him right now. After that AJ walk-off I noticed he was there on the field during the celebration. Is he done with rehab starts and ready to go, or just staying in ATL between starts? Could he be ready to go within the week.
Sorry if this has been talked about and I missed it.

[McCarroll21]

He's came back to Atlanta to get checked out by team doctors. They've found nothing wrong with him and having him take a little time off before trying to go back out on rehab. I guess he's just staying with the team while resting.

[GTBraves's roomate]

OK, thanks, I just hadn't heard anything about him for a while. Then I saw him dressed out with the team, and was just wondering the latest, kinda feeling optimistic

[vnodnarb]

from ESPN:

News: Cormier (strained triceps) threw two sets of 30 throws from 60 feet on Monday and a set of 30 throws from 90 feet and 120 feet on Tuesday, the team's official web site reports.

Spin: He'll next throw off a mound on Thursday in a bullpen session. It sounds like he's still several weeks away from returning, but at least he's making progress.

[cklennon]

I'd bet 3-4 weeks...

[McCarroll21]

From DOB today...

http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/05/08/0509bravesnotes.html
The Braves' starting rotation needs help, and Lance Cormier hopes he'll soon be ready to provide some.

Encouraged by a pain-free throwing session Monday, he indicated he could be ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week.

The right-hander has been on the disabled list since straining a triceps in his final spring-training start March 25. He said his arm feels strong and shouldn't require a long rehab assignment.

"It's still feeling good," he said. "Obviously it's not going to be exactly where it was March 24, before that Houston [exhibition] start. But two or three starts and a couple of bullpens will get it close."

Cormier had a staff-best 1.15 ERA in spring training, allowing 11 hits and one walk with 13 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.

He had pain in his first rehab start nearly 2 1/2 weeks ago, but an MRI revealed no structural damage. He had discomfort the next time he threw, so the Braves decided to shut him down a while.

He made two sets of 30 throws from 60 feet Monday, and two sets from 90-120 feet Tuesday.

Cormier was to take a day off Wednesday and throw off a mound Thursday.

[vnodnarb]

I'd bet 3-4 weeks...

seems about right, but hopefully we don't need him at all, if Davies/Lerew can be even slightly above average i love our team

[GrandMasterB]

seems about right, but hopefully we don't need him at all, if Davies/Lerew can be even slightly above average i love our team

Same here. But that sure would be a great problem to have if they were pitching well when he comes back. We'd go from looking like we needed 2, maybe 3 new starters to actually having some depth in the rotation.

[cklennon]

It would still be nice to add Cormier into the 'pen because even if James, Davies and Lerew start pitching well you know they're not going to pitch well every start. Long relief is going to be real important, so if we have a guy like Cormier who can pitch 4 innings out of the pen, that's huge.

[MSU Bulldog]

And I don't. You don't put your 6th starter in the pen so he won't be stretched out when needed for a start. Maybe on video games where 89 stamina is always 89 stamina, but not in real life.

Bad starters go to middle relief where they can do mop up work and improve on their mechanics when it doesn't matter. You don't want someone you are potentially going to have to depend on for innings, wasting away in middle relief.

It would still be nice to add Cormier into the 'pen because even if James, Davies and Lerew start pitching well you know they're not going to pitch well every start. Long relief is going to be real important, so if we have a guy like Cormier who can pitch 4 innings out of the pen, that's huge.

Refer back to this thread: http://www.braves-nation.com/forums/f-major-league-baseball-2/t-cormier-set-for-rehab-3629.html

[cklennon]

Well I see that point but I'm not sure I totally agree. Given that Barry, Villareal and Moylan are all in the pen, if you added Cormier that'd be four relievers with proven long-relief capabilities (or three if you assume one has to leave to make room).

If long relief is only required in one of every three to four games--hopefully--you can spread the long relief duties around and Cormier would only be pitching maybe every 5th or 6th night at the most, which is about the same as starting. The guy's got to get innings somewhere, he can't sit idle, and if he pitches better than most of our relievers but not as well as our starters, why not put him in middle relief?

Obviously this is all moot if Davies or Lerew go to hell, but we're assuming that's not the case for the sake of this discussion.

[McCarroll21]

Why would you want that many pitchers that their best quality is to go 3+ innings when needed.

Barry is going to go back down when Wickman comes back, so he's irrelevant in this conversation if you ask me.

But why would you want to have 3 pitchers in the bullpen with their main quality being that they can go multiple innings?

Even in the worst scenario -- a pitcher gets hurt or hammered and can't make it out of the first -- Villarreal comes in and gets us through the 5th, then we can play it like normal. If we absolutely have to, Villarreal and Moylan combine to get us to the 6th or 7th inning.

For these people wanting Cormier in the pen, exactly whose spot does Cormier take if he goes to the pen?

[MSU Bulldog]

Why would you want that many pitchers that their best quality is to go 3+ innings when needed.

Barry is going to go back down when Wickman comes back, so he's irrelavent in this conversation if you ask me.

But why would you want to have 3 pitchers in the bullpen with their main quality being that they can go multiple innings?

Even in the worst scenario -- a pitcher gets hurt or hammered and can't make it out of the first -- Villarreal comes in and gets us through the 5th, then we can play it like normal. If we absolutely have to, Villarreal and Moylan combine to get us to the 6th or 7th inning.

For these people wanting Cormier in the pen, exactly whose spot does Cormier take if he goes to the pen?

Thank you! :)

[DanielW4444]

I hope Cormier can come back and be effective.

Smoltz, Hudson, James, Davies, Lerew and Cormier could all be great starters. It would be nice to have some options

[cklennon]

Like I said, I see the reasoning, but then in response let me ask you where Cormier goes? Cut Redman? Cut Davies? You can give the same arguments against sending either one of them to the 'pen...

[MSU Bulldog]

Like I said, I see the reasoning, but then in response let me ask you where Cormier goes? Cut Redman? Cut Davies? You can give the same arguments against sending either one of them to the 'pen...

I would rather, the ones who have options left, pitch every fourth day in the minors to keep their endurance up in case they are needed to start on the big club. A long relief role will not keep up a pitchers endurance. The long man is hidden on a lot of teams.

[McCarroll21]

I'd rather have the upside of Davies here over Cormier. Sit Cormier in AAA so he'll be ready to go.

If James, Lerew and Davies are pitching effectively in the back of our rotation, we're going to be a good team. If those three are getting us 6-7 solid innings consistently, that would be our best rotation with the guys we have. More upside, more talent. They just have to harness it.

Cormier has already had what will likely be his best month of the season at any level in Spring Training. Have him go to AAA and wait until he's needed.

[HaRdCoReBrAvEsFaN]

regardless of what happens, Cormier or Boyer and the return of Wickman will be huge just to give us two fresh arms down there....I'd give the edge Cormier over Boyer if he dosent' get in the rotation since he and Oscar could us Multiple innings if Davies,James keep giving us what they give us innings wise...

[vnodnarb]

from AJC:


Cormier resumes rehab assignment
Lance Cormier is scheduled to pitch two innings in a rehab start for Class AA Mississippi on Saturday, his first game since aggravating his strained triceps three weeks ago.
After two weeks of rest and strengthening the muscles around his scapula, Cormier has had no soreness in his recent throwing sessions.
If all goes as planned, he'll make one more start (four innings) for Mississippi and a six-inning start for Class AAA Richmond.






In a perfect scenario, he's about two weeks away from being able to make a major league start, hopefully lerew and davies don't force the braves hand

[McCarroll21]

Actually, I think if Lerew doesn't pitch exceptionally well tomorrow, he'll be sent back down and Redman will take his place in the rotation. I wish that wasn't the case though. Lerew deserves a shot and if his last bit of rope is a start vs. Boston in Fenway, he might as well not even be given the opportunity. It's like putting him in the situation to make him fail, because, let's face it. If we know that Redman is here and may possibly take his place, Lerew knows it too.

I mean, it's not like Redman has shown anything to take the job right now, give the kid a little bit of rope and hope to find something.

[at65]

Well, it doesn't look as if Redman will take Lerew's spot.

This is about to get very interesting.. The Braves could go in many directions.. We'd hoped it wouldn't happen this early but JS may start to develop more serious trade discussions... If not, another interesting scenario would be a pitcher like Harrison getting the call. He's designated as the Braves' best pitching prospect, he's shown that he has big league ability, he may be next.

[vnodnarb]

i'd like to see villareal get the next 2 starts, and by that time we'll see if cormier has turned the corner, if not i'd give harrison a try if villareal isnt cutting it

[lavell12]

Anyone know which Cormier threw for Miss and which threw for Richmond tonight?

[BGarrett7]

Like I said in the Gameday thread, the Mississippi site is wrong.

Lance pitcher for the M-Braves, Rheal for the R-Braves.

[lavell12]

that isn't good b/c his stats sucked. 3inn 4hits 4er 1HR (to a pitcher) 2Ks

[GrandMasterB]

that isn't good b/c his stats sucked. 3inn 4hits 4er 1HR (to a pitcher) 2Ks

You can't really look at stats in a rehab start. They're basically to get the pitcher some work in and see whether they're ready for the next step or need a little more time.

[lavell12]

that is some what true, the stat I was trying to find was pitch count but I couldn't find it.

[redbaron7210]

that is some what true, the stat I was trying to find was pitch count but I couldn't find it.

Cormier threw 38 pitches over the three innings. The first and third innings were fine, but he gave up his 4 hits (and 4 runs) in the 2nd.

Source (http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070520/SPORTS09/705200395/1254).

[at65]

Buddy Carlyle has also pitched well as a starter in Richmond... I didn't think of him before, but he could also be given a shot.

[vnodnarb]

if my math is correct we seem to get lucky, we need a 5th starter on 5/26, but then not again until 6/5 for that doubleheader and i would assume if all goes well cormier would be ready by then