News
Baek makes Triple-A rehab start
Padres righty working back from strained forearm
By Corey Brock / MLB.com
07/09/09 9:54 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- Spring Training officially began Wednesday for Padres pitcher Cha Seung Baek.Well, his second round of Spring Training, that is.
Baek, on the disabled list since the last week of Cactus League play due to a strained right forearm, made his first Minor League rehabilitation appearance on Wednesday with the Triple-A Portland Beavers.
Baek allowed one run on two hits with a strikeout in two innings in a start against Tacoma.
"He's fine, felt good," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He threw strikes, was efficient. He was going to go two innings or so if he got to 30, 35 pitches. He only threw 23, so he went to the bullpen and threw 15 or 20 more."
Baek joined the Padres in San Francisco prior to Thursday's game against the Giants, though he's a long ways from working his way back into their rotation, a spot the team figured he would hold before he was injured.
Black said Baek would be with the Padres for a few days because when his next turn to pitch comes around (July 13) the Beavers are off. Instead, Baek will join Class A San Antonio to pitch that day before returning to Portland.
"He's been out, what? Three months? He's got to go to two, three, four innings. It's like Spring Training," Black said. "He has got to build his pitch count, which he will in the Minor Leagues."
Baek suffered the injury in his last Spring Training start on March 29. He was placed on the disabled list on April 5, retroactive to March 30.
Baek might have returned a lot sooner had he not suffered a setback in May pitching for Portland when he complained of soreness in his elbow.
Black was asked how much he would like to get Baek healthy and back into the Padres' rotation before the season ends.
"I would love to get Peavy back, Young back, Cha Seung back. Wouldn't that be nice?" Black said.
Three-fifths of the Padres' projected Opening Day rotation -- Jake Peavy, Chris Young and Baek -- are all currently on the disabled list.
Peavy has tendon damage in his right ankle and will be looked at after the All-Star break. Young, on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, will throw in the bullpen prior to Friday's game at AT&T Park.
Conservative estimates have Young's return set for early August, while no timetable has been set for Peavy, though the team hopes to have a better idea of that following his next examination.
Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
