masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOrioles manager Dave Trembley confirmed today that reliever Jim Johnson will have his right elbow examined this week by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

Johnson told The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec that team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens referred to the injury as a “strained ulnar collateral ligament.”

The Orioles are hoping that Andrews confirms that diagnosis and ligament-reconstructive surgery won’t be necessary.

Johnson pitched once for Triple-A Norfolk before going on the disabled…Orioles manager Dave Trembley confirmed today that reliever Jim Johnson will have his right elbow examined this week by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

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Johnson told The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec that team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens referred to the injury as a “strained ulnar collateral ligament.”

The Orioles are hoping that Andrews confirms that diagnosis and ligament-reconstructive surgery won’t be necessary.

Johnson pitched once for Triple-A Norfolk before going on the disabled list yesterday.

The elbow apparently has been bothering Johnson all season. I’d hope that he didn’t hide the injury and attempt to pitch when he wasn’t capable of giving his best effort – especially once the Orioles made him the closer.

It’s one thing to be a gamer and try to fight through the discomfort. It’s another to hurt the team in the process.

Always a tough balancing act.