Atomic RoadRunners

The Diamondbacks said after Friday’s game that Brandon Webb would be shut down for three weeks after his latest shoulder setback. Arizona is still maintaining that no MRIs have revealed any structural damage, but this seems like a big step to take if that truly was the case. That Webb will go three weeks without throwing suggests that it will be six weeks before he’s back starting for the Diamondbacks, even if there are no additional problems. Yusmeiro Petit should have some value in NL-only leagues in the meantime. Manager Bob Melvin announced the decision after the Diamondbacks lost to San Francisco 5-1 on Friday night. “He won’t do anything for a week and then he’ll do some strengthening for two weeks, no throwing,” Melvin said, “and then we’ll see where we are after that.” Webb’s bullpen session was canceled Friday when the right-hander felt tightness in the shoulder while playing catch. It was supposed to be his second bullpen workout. He felt fine after his first, 33-pitch session on Tuesday. The plan had been for Webb to throw to hitters if Friday’s bullpen went well, then perhaps have him make a minor league start. An MRI showed a small amount of fluid in the shoulder but no structural damage. Webb went on the 15-day disabled list April 13, retroactive to April 7. Right-hander Yusmeiro Petit — 0-1, 6.00 ERA in three appearances, two starts — will continue to take Webb’s place in the rotation.

The 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner, who was 22-7 last season, was rocked for six runs in his April 6 start, getting a no-decision in a 9-8 victory over Colorado. He was scrubbed from his next start, then the decision was made to put him on the DL. It’s just his second trip to the disabled list in his seven major league seasons. The other was in 2003. Webb has pitched more than 200 innings in each of his last five seasons. “He’s a guy we’re going to be careful with,” Melvin said before the game. “We’re not going to push him and say ‘See if you can throw through it and see if it loosens up.’ He’s too important for us to try to push through something through that.” With the way the Diamondbacks are going to baby Webb, we likely won’t see him until late May at the earliest. Keep the must-start Fantasy SP reserved until further notice. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Sources told FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal that concerns raised by insurance companies over Brandon Webb’s arm caused the Diamondbacks to withdraw their offer of a three-year, $54 million contract extension last June. It was believed that a deal was just about done then, so this explanation for the breakdown makes a lot of sense. Sources told Rosenthal that Webb passed a physical administered by the team, but that multiple insurance companies “raised concerns” when asked to cover the agreement. Webb has spent one stint on the 15-day DL in his career (2003, elbow tendinitis), but he’s logged the most innings in the big leagues over the last four seasons. Durability hasn’t been a concern for him and one of Rosenthal’s sources even predicted that Webb could pitch 10 more years without serious incident. As it stands now, we’ll have to await the results of any potential medical tests to determine the true extent of his problem, while the D-Backs haven’t made any decisions about his status beyond their decision to scratch him from his scheduled start on Saturday. (Rotoworld, Rotowire)

Brandon Webb (shoulder) will miss his scheduled start on Saturday.  Webb was still dealing with stiffness in his shoulder when he arrived at the ballpark on Wednesday, and was subsequently being sent to see the team physician. Manager Bob Melvin said the team will see how Webb is feeling on Thursday before making a decision as to whether or not tests will be necessary. Fantasy owners should get Webb benched for now and hope for a positive update soon. Yusmeiro Petit will take his place in the rotation on Saturday. (Rotoworld)

Will Carroll has more information in today’s Under the Knife:

It surprised a lot of people that Webb is already throwing. It’s not a special outing, but part of the normal routine for Webb and the rest of the D’backs. I’m sure he was watched closely, and that there was more interest in this light game of catch, but it’s not abnormal, and for what it was, it went well. Webb said afterwards that he had only normal soreness, but Nick Piecoro points out that Webb’s velocity was down into the low 80s just before he was pulled. Even though Webb isn’t as reliant on velocity as he is on movement, there’s still an element of “this high to ride the ride” with a fastball. Kevin Goldstein has noted in the past that there are almost no successful right-handed pitchers that live below 90 mph.

Chipper Jones has been scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to a lingering left thumb bruise.Missed games are a significant part of the equation when you own the Braves’ third baseman in fantasy leagues, but the first absence of the season comes even earlier than expected. The good news is that it appears he’ll only miss one game. “We have a day off and don’t play again until Friday,” Jones said. “After a couple days of treatment, it should be OK. Jones will probably be back in the lineup for the Braves’ home opener on Friday. “I’ve been dealing with it for a week or 10 days, and I’d like to have it behind me by Friday,” said Jones. Jones played with a swollen thumb on Tuesday and hit a home run, so this injury doesn’t sound serious. Still, any ailment to the oft-injured Jones merits close attention. Omar Infante is getting the start at third today. (Rotoworld)

John Maine (shoulder) is expected to begin throwing Monday for the first time since he landed on the disabled list. Maine is hoping to contribute as a reliever in late September and possibly the postseason. He’s already been told that offseason surgery on his shoulder is going to be necessary. (Rotoworld)

Reds placed second baseman Brandon Phillips on the 60-day disabled list with a broken right index finger. In surgery yesterday, Phillips had two pins inserted into his broken right index finger. He will be evaluated in four to six weeks. The roster move clears a 40-man roster spot for Micah Owings. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Reds 2B Brandon Phillips will have season-ending surgery Friday to have a pin inserted into his broken right index finger to help it heal properly. Phillips broke the finger in Tuesday night’s game at Milwaukee when he was hit by a pitch on a bunt attempt. The Reds’ medical director, Dr. Timothy Kremchek, examined him Wednesday in Cincinnati. Kremchek and hand specialist Dr. Andrew Markewicz will perform the surgery, the Reds said. The 27-year-old Phillips couldn’t match his breakthrough 2007 campaign, but his speed-and-power mix is still rare and elite at his position. He is easily a top five second baseman in spring 2009 and a pretty good bet to improve on his 2008 numbers. (CBS Sports)

John Maine, on the disabled list with a bone spur in his right shoulder, expects to resume throwing Monday but manager Jerry Manuel does not expect him to return before the regular season ends, the NY Newsday reports. With Maine scheduled to throw Monday, it raises the possibility that he could pitch in relief (there isn’t time for him to build up enough strength to start a game). Manuel said that it’s possible that Maine will be ready for the playoffs, but he is not anticipating that he will. (Rotowire)

Doctors have told John Maine (shoulder) to wait another week before picking up a baseball. Maine hoped to start throwing today. Since that won’t happen, it looks like he won’t be a factor for the rest of the regular season. Maybe the Mets could try him as a reliever at the very end of September and then potentially in the postseason. (Rotoworld)

On Friday, the Cardinals announced that rookie SP Jaime Garcia is scheduled for reconstructive elbow surgery on Monday. He will miss the entire 2009 season. Tommy John surgery usually requires at least a year of recovery, but the Cardinals plan to give Garcia plenty of time. He’s a decent prospect, but this surgery obviously takes him off the Fantasy radar for a while. (CBS Sports)

John Maine (shoulder) will play catch Sunday for the first time since he was shut down on August 24. The Mets are hoping Maine will be able to return later this month as a reliever. “He’s done absolutely nothing baseball (related),” manager Jerry Manuel said, “so he’s probably still a ways away.” (Rotoworld)

Chipper Jones was scratched from Tuesday’s lineup with a right knee injury. Jones tweaked his knee in batting practice and had to be scratched for Tuesday evening’s game against the Marlins. Omar Infante is filling in at third base. Jones is day-to-day with the injury, and manager Bobby Cox said he wouldn’t play Wednesday. Jones might be available off the bench. (Rotoworld)

The Mets put SP John Maine on the 15-day disabled list because of a bone spur in his right shoulder Monday, hoping a couple more weeks of rest can enable him to pitch for the final two months of September. “It’s frustrating because I want to be here and help the team, but for me not being 100 percent to go out there it’s not just hurting the team, it’s me not being 100 percent,” Maine said. “I was told nothing could make it worse which is why I wanted to pitch through it. It just hasn’t gone away.” Mets general manager Omar Minaya said surgery is the only way to fix the problem but even though it is a minor operation, Maine would not have enough time to recover to pitch again this season. Instead, Maine will not throw for two weeks and hold off from any exercise for a week. He’s probably worth stashing in NL-only leagues still, but you can’t count on him to pitch well enough for mixed leagues even if he does return. (CBS Sports)

Jerry Manuel said the Mets might shut down John Maine for the rest of the season if he doesn’t look strong during a throwing session next week. Maine has a bone spur in his shoulder, but said after Saturday’s start that he planned on pitching through the pain. Maine was so determined to make Saturday’s start against the Astros that he received a cortisone shot in the back of his shoulder Thursday, then didn’t pick up a baseball again until the day of the game. It showed in his lack of control and the Mets are seriously considering shutting him down, the NY Newsday reports. Maine said that the cortisone shot did little to ease the pain caused by the bone spur behind his right shoulder and rotator-cuff strain, which has him running on fumes. He added that a second shot was not possible at this time, leaving him few available options, other than Aleve or Advil, to deal with the pain. (Rotowire)

Management should make the call by Wednesday. Maine admitted after Saturday night’s game that he’ll need offseason arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder. There has been speculation for some time now that there was something physically wrong with Maine. Turns out it’s a painful bone spur in his throwing shoulder. He let up a season-high eight earned runs on Saturday but will continue to pitch through the pain this season. Manuel and pitching coach Dan Warthen have contingency plans in place in case Maine’s condition worsens. “I’m comfortable with anybody who wants to gut it out,” Manuel said. “But if that isn’t enough for us to win, then I have to make a decision about that.” Maine was approached Sunday about the idea of shutting it down the rest of the season, but told Manuel and Warthen he wants to pitch. “We’ll see how it is in a couple of days,” Maine said. “They asked. I told them, but I have to do what they say.” (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Update: Just a few hours after this was posted, the Mets placed Maine on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 24, with a bone spur in his right shoulder.  Surgery would take care of Maine’s problem, but it’d also end his season. He might be done even if he tries to rehab and put surgery off to the winter. Maybe he could try coming back as a reliever next month, but the shoulder is going to be a problem until he has the procedure. (Rotoworld)

John Maine was hammered by the Astros Saturday for eight runs in 5 2/3 innings. The ‘Stros racked up 10 hits on Maine and drew two walks. He struck out four, but let two balls leave the park while dropping to 10-8 on the year. His ERA took a big leap, from 3.82 to 4.18. He’ll try to redeem himself against the Marlins next time out. “Is John Maine 100 percent right now? No. Is he going to hurt himself? Probably not,” Manuel said. “Does he want to pitch? Yes. He wants to gut it out. I am comfortable with anybody that wants to gut it out. Period. But I do feel that if that is not enough for us to win, then I have to make some decisions about that.” (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Maine, who matched a career high by allowing eight runs in the Mets’ 8-3 loss to the Astros Saturday, plans to gut out the rest of the season, but he looks likely to require surgery afterward, the NY Daily News’ Mets blog reports. Maine has a bone spur in the back of his right shoulder that’s irritating him and isn’t even throwing between starts. That inactivity is causing him to miss pitch locations, including by a foot based in Brian Schneider’s estimatation on a crushing three-run homer by Lance Berkman in the third inning. The surgical procedure shouldn’t be as ominous as it might sound as it probably would require shaving the bone so it doesn’t cause irritation. As of now, Maine will remain in the rotation, but if he continues to struggle the Mets may be forced to shut him down. (Rotowire)