Giants' Vogelsong To Have Surgically-Repaired Hand Reexamined
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong will have his surgically repaired pitching hand re-examined Tuesday with the hope of taking another step in his recovery.
Vogelsong broke two bones in his right pinkie area and also dislocated a knuckle in the hand on a swing May 20 and underwent surgery the next day. He had five pins inserted in his hand during the procedure at Stanford, performed by orthopedist Dr. Tim McAdams. He will examine Vogelsong on Tuesday at AT&T Park.
"Other than waving a magic wand to make it heal, we're doing the right things," Vogelsong said Monday, before the opener of a three-game series with San Diego.
The expected recovery time is six to eight weeks until Vogelsong is pitching again, but he likely would need a rehab assignment before re-joining the Giants.
Vogelsong said that if an X-ray on Tuesday shows increased healing, he could have a couple of the pins removed and begin additional mobility exercises. The pins poke through Vogelsong's skin beneath a protective brace.
"Hopefully there's some pins coming out tomorrow," he said. "That's the plan, but obviously I don't know for sure until I get some X-rays tomorrow and see how things are healing. It's good news, but I'm a little worried about getting pins pulled out of my hand. It'll be a good thing. I'll get over it. I should be able to start moving it around a little bit more."
The journeyman Vogelsong, a 2011 All-Star who received an $8.3 million, two-year contract in January 2012, was hurt on a swing when he chased an inside fastball from Washington's Craig Stammen during an 8-0 victory against the Nationals last month.
He is 2-4 with a 7.19 ERA in nine starts this season, but was injured during his best outing of the year. Vogelsong won three games during the postseason last fall for the World Series champion Giants, including one during a 4-0 sweep of the Tigers for the team's second championship in three years.
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