Monday, Feb. 10, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
SUN WIRE REPORTS
The elbow has been surgically repaired. Now, Bryan Harvey says, he needs to convince himself that he's ready to pitch in the majors again.
Harvey, one of baseball's dominant relievers before injuries struck, is attempting a comeback this spring with the Atlanta Braves. Since 1994, the right-hander with the nasty split-finger pitch has thrown only 10 1/3 innings against big-league hitters.
"The biggest thing will be getting my mechanics together -- throwing the ball right," Harvey said during Braves coach Leo Mazzone's preseason camp at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium which began last week.
"I think it's a lot in the head. You're still a little scared. You're afraid you're feeling a little something when you throw," he said. "You start trying to change things, then you really get into a mess."
The 33-year-old Harvey had 177 saves in six seasons, including 46 in 1991 with the then-California Angels and 45 with the 1993 expansion Florida Marlins before injuries struck early in 1994.
"The good Lord willing, we'll pitch again. If not, somebody's telling me to do something else," said Harvey.
It was in 1994 that Harvey landed on the Marlins' disabled list three times before shutting down for good in July with elbow problems and a pulled groin.
He last pitched in the majors on April 28, 1995, when he faced three batters and failed to retire any before leaving in pain. He was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his elbow and underwent surgery on May 3.
During the surgery, physicians transplanted a tendon from his ankle into his elbow. In addition, a torn flexor muscle in his right forearm was repaired.
Doctors said the type of elbow surgery Harvey underwent is typically followed by about 18 months of recovery.
He tried to come back too soon last season after signing as a free agent with the Angels. He stopped throwing in August and didn't touch a ball again until November -- 18 months after surgery.
"It's just about right (on schedule)," said Harvey. "There shouldn't be anything wrong, other than to get into pitching shape. From a surgical standpoint it should be healed. We've done the time. We've done the exercises. We've done everything."
He's been throwing from a mound at his farm in Catawba, N.C., for the last two months and says he's free of pain.
He felt so good that he contacted the Braves early in December and the National League champions signed the free agent to a non-guaranteed $500,000 one-year contract. He is on the Braves' 40-man roster.
* VAUGHN TO GET $15 MILLION: The San Diego Padres have called a news conference for this afternoon to announce that they've agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract with slugger Greg Vaughn. By agreeing to the deal, the two sides will avoid an arbitration hearing Friday. Vaughn, acquired from Milwaukee on July 21, asked for $5,675,000 in arbitration and was offered $5 million. He made $5,825,000 last year. Vaughn's 41 homers and 117 RBIs were career-highs. But he struggled to adjust to NL pitching after joining the Padres, mainly because he had to share playing time in left field with Rickey Henderson. Vaughn hit only .206 with the Padres, with 10 homers and 22 RBIs. Vaughn's presence in the lineup will be crucial this season, especially because NL MVP Ken Caminiti, who had 40 homers in 1996, is expected to miss all of April because of off-season rotator cuff surgery. Barring an injury, the Padres likely will trade Henderson before the start of the season.
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