Right-hander John Smoltz is an emotional guy. He bounces all over the place, high and low, physically and verbally.
Right now, he is low, having to restrain himself for who knows how long while following the prescription he received Tuesday from Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. -- rest and rehab. He is not to pick up a baseball for a week, at least. The worst part of that edict is how much time it gives Smoltz to think about his own pitching prospects and that of the club. Specifically, that right-hander Rafael Soriano, for all his light-heartedness, still feels soreness in his right elbow, and this without throwing breaking balls that would test an elbow more than fastballs would. Then there is the outlook for right-hander Peter Moylan, who is resting his right arm as a last resort before possible season-ending surgery.
Left-hander Mike Gonzalez, though, is coming along more quickly than anyone thought possible. His return to the club from elbow surgery rehab could be a mere two weeks away.
But for now, Smoltz can do nothing but ponder whether relieving might be the way to get through the season, rather than starting. But he is early in the recovery process; expect him to accept and reject such ideas on a daily basis for the time being.
NATIONALS 3, BRAVES 2 (12 innings): Right-hander Jair Jurrjens continued his brilliant pitching for the Braves, all for naught as it turned out. Because the Braves needed runs, he was lifted for a pinch hitter after seven innings of one-run, two-hit ball. Right-hander Manny Acosta eventually pitched more than two innings -- he even hit for himself -- before loading the bases. Buddy Carlyle's first pitch to Felipe Lopez ended up as a single, and the winning run crossed the plate.
