Jun 17th 2008 12:15PM by Will Brinson
I won’t go over the dead horse that is the injury-riddled Atlanta Braves bullpen. I will, however, point out that Mike Gonzalez is returning tonight for the first time in over a full calendar year, after a lengthy bbq eating stint, to pitch for the Braves.

It seems pretty, pretty likely, given that John Smoltz and Rafael Soriano are both currently disabled, that Gonzo could be the closer for the remainder of the season.
‘He’s throwing good, they say,’ said Cox, who envisions using him in key situations late in games from the get-go. ‘Hopefully we can count on him for the very end - eighth and ninth. If he’s back to his old form, it’s a huge plus.’

The news is finally positive for a Braves team that has endured watching Rafael Soriano return to the disabled list this week with the same elbow problems that kept him out for the first two months and John Smoltz’s attempt to return as closer end in season-ending shoulder surgery.
See? Gonzo could close out of the gate. Or simply tear his rotator cuff on the first pitch. The latter is the most likely scenario if you have followed the Braves at all this year.

Grab Gonzalez now — the Braves are somehow still potent despite dealing with tons of injuries, and he could provide nice saves totals, if he can stay healthy. Soriano might still nab the gig when he comes back, but if Gonzo deals immediately, there’s no guarantee.