MILWAUKEE — Brewers first baseman Corey Hart was supposed to be in Milwaukee on Tuesday — not to enjoy the subzero temperatures but to have arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right knee.
But the team announced Tuesday morning that Hart's plans to have the procedure with Brewers physician Dr. William Raasch are on hold for at least the time being. Hart will get a second opinion from Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colo., before committing to repair a torn meniscus that has been causing swelling in offseason workouts.
The team said last week that Hart would be out for three to four months, which means the same knee would have forced him to miss spring training for the second straight season.
For now, at least there is hope that won't be the case. Hart, 30, was back in time for Opening Day last season and hit .270 with 30 home runs and 83 RBI. The two-time All-Star moved from right field to first base when Mat Gamel tore his ACL in early May and played so well there that the team plans to use Hart at first throughout the 2013 season. That said, Gamel will be ready to start the season on time and can step back in at first if Hart does, in fact, need surgery.
