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All signs point to J.J. Putz need a major elbow operation; at the very least, he'll be out a long time. Step right up, Heath Bell...
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 8, 2013
Er, Buster, there is a reason you are not a doctor, nor do you play one on TV. Fears that Diamondbacks' closer J.J. Putz would need Tommy John surgery appear, at this point, to be unfounded, and the prognosis seems closer to what Ken Rosenthal said this morning: "Sprained ligament, strained flexor pronator, irritated nerve." In today's press conference, manager Kirk Gibson described Putz's injury as a UCL sprain, and he'll be shut down with no throwing for an undetermined time. However, Jody Jackson of FSAZ reported it is "Similar to elbow issue that put him on DL in 2011." That cost Putz about four weeks of playing-time, around the All-Star break.
However, there was not so good news today from Willie Bloomquist, who said he tried to hit in extended spring training last Thursday, didn't feel great, and has been put into a holding pattern for now. Aaron Hill will be wearing a cast for about another week, before getting another CAT scan to determine how his hand fracture is healing. He is still working out, but as the picture below shows, he isn't allowed to catch the ball, and has been given a minion to take care of that for him!
Hill playing catch w/ assistance. Kid catches ball 4 him & Hill throws it. twitter.com/Kyndra620/stat…
— Kyndra de St. Aubin (@Kyndra620) May 9, 2013