Just 10 games into the season and already injuries are seriously altering the makeup of the pitching staff.
It was a total surprise when manager Bobby Cox announced after Thursday's game that Jorge Campillo was being placed on the 15-day disabled list. Cox said Campillo had hurt his arm while pitching in the World Baseball Classic (for Mexico) but that he -- Cox, that is -- had thought the Braves could get Campillo through it with treatment and sparing use. Alas, the starting rotation's shortcomings (and one two-hour rain delay) did not allow that; Cox was having to use the bullpen for four and five innings on consecutive days.
Campillo, who typically plays winter ball, mentioned that he generally has arm fatigue during spring training as a matter of course. This spring, however, that didn't subside. Campillo called it "dead arm"; the Braves are calling it right shoulder tendinitis.
In any case, the beneficiary of Campillo's absence is James Parr, who started five games for the Braves late last year when they were reeling from injuries to the rotation. Parr distinguished himself then by his mound presence, especially remarkable because he spent most of 2008 at Class AA Mississippi.
Parr is a starter filling Campillo's long-reliever role, but Cox won't hesitate to start him if the need arises. It shouldn't given the Braves scheduled off days April 23 and 30, but you never know, what with injuries beginning to pop up as players rev up in the regular season -- both playing harder and playing more innings.
PIRATES 3, BRAVES 0: RHP Jair Jurrjens pitched a great game -- he had a good changeup and good control -- but the Braves couldn't score. Not even when they loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning.
