3/9/09

Santana slated for Thursday; Pagan has bone spur

Johan Santana will make his much anticipated Grapefruit League start under the lights on Thursday. It is not known if he will start the game, but it is fairly likely.

Everybody, please keep your fingers crossed.

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Angel Pagan has been diagnosed with a bone spur on the back of his right elbow. He will return to spring training and figure out his next step from there.

From WebMD:
A bone spur (osteophyte) is a bony growth formed on normal bone. Most people think of something sharp when they think of a "spur," but a bone spur is just extra bone. It’s usually smooth, but it can cause wear and tear or pain if it presses or rubs on other bones or soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, or nerves in the body. Common places for bone spurs include the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet.
Apparently, the elbow is not a common place for a bone spur.

As you might remember, John Maine had a bone spur in his shoulder, which required surgery last season. Obviously, Pagan isn't a pitcher and doesn't need to solely rely on his shoulder, but it could be something that he needs to go under the knife for.