Houston's Brandon Backe to make first big league start since surgery
CHICAGO (AP) - Houston Astros right-hander Brandon Backe was activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday and will start Tuesday in his first appearance in almost a year following elbow ligament replacement surgery.
Backe's first start of 2007 will come in Milwaukee and will be three days shy of a year since his elbow was operated on last Sept. 7, 2006. He hasn't appeared in a major league game since Aug. 18 last year at Milwaukee.
``I can't wait,'' Backe said Friday. ``It's been a long road, a lot of traveling. This has been my goal - to get back in and pitch this year on the team.''
Backe made five rehab starts at Triple-A Round Rock and struck out 10 in six innings Thursday night. The usual recovery time range from this type of surgery is 12-to-18 months.
``I'm not totally over it,'' he said. ``I'm not totally healthy. Next year I should be at 100 percent and good to go. It's kind of a show of hard work making it back this soon.''
With the Astros eight games behind NL Central-leading Chicago after beating the Cubs 6-1 Friday, interim manager Cecil Cooper said he won't rush Backe.
``You have to be real careful with him,'' Cooper said, adding that Backe would be on an 80-to-100 pitch count. ``You've got to make sure to give him enough time to bounce back.''
Backe is 19-14 with a 4.71 ERA in his big league career.
The Astros also announced they had recalled outfielder Josh Anderson from Triple-A Round Rock.
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tommy john case... it gives everyone more velocity, i don't see why it isn't mandatory...
thehemogoblin- Gone
The University Of, OR
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