Travis Hafner had a lost season in 2008.
He missed more than three months with a strained right shoulder that never really seemed to get any better. It finally resulted in surgery shortly after the season. Indians officials are hopeful the operation will clear up the uncertainty surrounding their designated hitter as they begin to point toward 2009. The arthroscopic surgery was performed Oct. 14 by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. Hafner's right shoulder joint was cleaned out. Indians officials said there was no structural damage to the rotator cuff or labrum in the shoulder.
Hafner began physical therapy shortly after the surgery, and Indians officials said he should be 100 percent by Opening Day of the 2009 season.
The importance to the Indians' lineup of getting Hafner back to full strength can't be overstated. The big slugger was one of the most feared hitters in the league from 2004-06.
But over the past two years, Hafner has been plagued by weakness in the shoulder. He sat out the majority of the 2008 season, hitting just .197 in the 57 games he did play.
The Indians, who have committed $57 million to Hafner through the 2012 season, are counting on the recent surgery to help him get back to being something close to the .300-hitting, 30-homer, 100-RBI man he was before the injury.
