ATLANTA (AP) -Washington Nationals pitcher Shawn Hill is expected to be ready for spring training after having bone spurs and calcium deposits scraped from his right elbow on Friday.
The Nationals are also without Ronnie Belliard after MRI results confirmed that the infielder has a strained groin. Manager Manny Acta said it was too early to determine if Belliard, who is hitting .287 with 11 homers and a 46 RBIs, will miss the rest of the season.
Hill underwent arthroscopic surgery in Pensacola, Fla., where Dr. James Andrews performed the procedure and told the team afterward that the right-hander can begin motion and strength exercises next week.
Team spokesman Mike Gazda said Hill had no evidence of arthritis or ligament damage.
Hill, who went 1-5 with a 5.83 in 12 starts this year, missed the 2005 season after elbow ligament replacement surgery.
Soreness in his right elbow sidelined Hill during part of 2006, and a shoulder injury and a compressed nerve in his forearm limited him to 16 starts last year, when he went 4-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 16 starts.
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