News
Moehler, Backe ready to travel
Rehabbing hurlers will pitch in cities around Texas
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
04/26/09 4:00 PM ET
HOUSTON -- Brandon Backe and Brian Moehler are going to remain in Texas while making their respective Minor League rehab starts for the time being, but their schedules have them traveling to places they haven't visited much in their careers.Moehler will start for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks in Midland, Texas, on Wednesday. The Round Rock club is off that day and will then travel to far-away Albuquerque, N.M., for a four-game series. Midland is more geographically desirable for Moehler, whom the club hopes will reach the 100-pitch mark in the outing. He threw 77 in his first rehab start on Friday.
Backe will start for the Express on Monday in Round Rock against Memphis. He will then shift to Corpus Christi, which travels to Frisco, Texas, after its series in Midland.
Moehler's upcoming start will likely be his last on the Minor League circuit, but Backe's process is expected to go longer, considering he hasn't pitched in a live game since early March.
"He missed all of Spring Training," general manager Ed Wade said. "He worked hard in his simulated games, but in order to get game-ready, he'll need more than one or two starts if he's going to go six, seven innings [per start when he returns]."
Pitchers can appear in Minor League games for rehab purposes for up to 30 days; for position players, it's 20.
"There's no end date to Backe's rehab other than the 30-day limit," Wade said.
Alyson Footer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
