Nats Lose Pitcher to Shoulder Surgery

Lawrence Could Miss Entire Season

VIERA, Fla., Feb. 25 -- On Feb. 17, the day before the Washington Nationals' official reporting date for pitchers and catchers, early arrivals Brian Lawrence and Brian Schneider -- the Nationals' newly acquired starting right-hander and their veteran catcher -- bounded out to the bullpen at Space Coast Stadium to get acquainted with each other as battery mates.

"My arm," Lawrence said after the bullpen session, "feels great."

It would be the last time Lawrence, penciled in as the Nationals' number three or number four starter, would make it through a throwing session without pain in his pitching shoulder. And on Saturday, the second day of full-squad workouts, the team announced that an MRI exam performed Friday on Lawrence's shoulder had revealed a torn labrum, an injury that will require surgery that could cost him at least half the season and perhaps all of it.

"Obviously, it's disappointing," said Lawrence, whom the Nationals acquired in November from the San Diego Padres for veteran third baseman Vinny Castilla. "I wanted to come in here and have an impact, and pitch the way I have my whole career. Injuries have never been an issue with me. I never felt any pain until I showed up here."

The surgery, to be performed by Wiemi Douoguih, was scheduled for Sunday morning at Washington Hospital Center.

"The way I understand it, if they just have to clean up [inside the shoulder] a little, he'll probably be back in three months," Manager Frank Robinson said. "If not -- if they have to reattach [the labrum], or whatever -- he's lost for the season."

Unlike tears to elbow ligaments or rotator cuffs, from which pitchers routinely bounce back, labrum tears carry a more ominous tone. Will Carroll, author of "Saving the Pitcher" and a leading expert on baseball injuries, wrote in an article for Slate.com that "almost without fail, a torn labrum will destroy a pitcher's career."

Although Nationals pitcher Jon Rauch came back from a labrum tear in just more than three months, another Nationals pitcher, Tony Armas Jr., is still trying to make a full recovery from the torn labrum he suffered in May 2003.

The Nationals were already feeling uneasy about their starting rotation depth before Lawrence's injury. With Lawrence out, the Nationals' rotation consists of front-line right-handers Livan Hernandez and John Patterson, and a quartet of pitchers -- Ramon Ortiz, Armas, Ryan Drese and Rauch -- competing for three remaining spots, with the loser most likely heading to the bullpen as long reliever.

The team may also look elsewhere for help. General Manager Jim Bowden has been negotiating for about a week with the agent for veteran free agent pitcher Pedro Astacio, and those talks are expected to intensify following Saturday's news. However, at this point, Bowden said, the sides were "far apart" in terms of contract figures.

"We walk into camp with seven guys to [compete for spots], and now it's down to six," Bowden said. "So, yeah, it's a big setback. We were counting on 200 innings from Brian this year."

Lawrence, 29, had averaged nearly 205 innings over the last four seasons, including a 15-14 season for San Diego in 2004. Although Lawrence fell to 7-15 last season, the Nationals' scouts felt he would be a good fit in Washington, particularly after Lawrence threw a three-hit shutout in his final start of the season.

The Nationals believe Lawrence was healthy -- besides the normal wear and a tear that can be expected in the arm of a veteran with five years experience -- when they traded for him and that the Padres did not ship them damaged goods. For that matter, team officials pointed out, there are questions about the health of Castilla's knee.

"We looked at every start of his for the last month" of last season, Bowden said. "He looked healthy. He said was healthy. That's just part of baseball, unfortunately."

Lawrence passed a standard team physical for the Nationals before the trade "with flying colors," said Bruce Thomas, the team's physician. "He had tests done for range of motion, for strength," Thomas said. "There's provocative tests to see if there is a tear of the rotator cuff or labrum. . . . There were no symptoms [of injury]. We feel he hurt himself in his first bullpen."

Lawrence threw his first bullpen session of the camp on Feb. 19, but had to cut it short because of discomfort in his shoulder, which Lawrence attributed to being rusty following the offseason.

"Then, I threw a 'pen [session] again and actually felt decent," he said. "And the next day it just wasn't there. I just couldn't go through it again. Obviously, with that kind of pain, there was something wrong with me, and I just wanted to find out what it is . . . .

"It's unfortunate for both sides, for me and the Washington Nationals. But I'll get it cleared it up and get back, hopefully before the season's over."