I know it will come as a shock to nobody, but Mike Hampton’s rehab from eleventy-billion injuries over the last two plus years hit yet another minor snag Wednesday, as the oft-injured lefty pulled himself out of a AAA rehab start for Richmond in the fourth inning in Durham, N.C. Hampton said that he felt his left pectoral muscle, which caused his most recent journey to the disabled list before his first start in 2 1/2 years, twinged a little bit, and that he’d rather be safe than sorry. That bodes the question, is Hampton playing it too safe?
There was a lot of hype surrounding Hampton’s first start of the season. Then, it all came crashing down just a few pitches into his warm up session in the bullpen. Pectoral strain. Another trip to the DL. More frustration for Hampton, the Braves, and us fans. I had more than a few people tell me that, following Hampton’s late scratch early in the season, that if they were coaching, they would more-or-less force Hampton to play. It seems like Hampton’s injuries are a bit ticky-tack. I, for one, am not going to sit behind my keyboard and pretend to know how Hampton feels and what he should do. However, I am fed up with it. And, I have a sinking suspicion that the Braves might be getting to that point too.
If Hampton can’t play, he can’t play. The constant false sense of hope that his never-ending rehabilitation gives the Braves is hurting them in a sense. As much as the Braves say that they aren’t depending on him, they are to some degree. Considering the rash sense of injuries, they need him now. And, he is again letting them down. It’s now time for Hampton to “blank” or get off the pot. He’s either a baseball player, or he’s not. And, from the outsider’s point of view, it appears that he doesn’t want to be a baseball player anymore.
Barrett Sallee has worked professionally in the Atlanta sports market in various aspects for over 7 years. He can be reached at barrettsallee@hotmail.com
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