Mike Hampton is hurt again, and this time it has nothing to do with his arm.

The Atlanta Braves’ left-hander injured his left side during batting practice, and won’t be ready for the start of the regular season.

Hampton, starting the seventh season of a $121 million, eight-year contract, will miss the rest of spring training and could be out as long as two months. The Braves had been counting on him to bolster a rotation that includes John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Chuck James.

“I think I pulled it pretty bad,” Hampton said Thursday in Kissimmee, Fla. “There’s nothing you can do about it now except try to get it healed up and get it better.”

Hampton was taking batting practice Wednesday at the Braves’ complex while the team was playing the Detroit Tigers in nearby Lakeland. He fell to the ground in pain after a swing, prompting fears that he broke a rib.

X-rays were negative and team doctors determined that he strained his left oblique, still a serious injury for a pitcher.

Hampton, who missed all of last season after elbow surgery, already was coming along slower than expected. Now, he isn’t likely to return to the majors before May.

“I’ve heard anything from four weeks to six to eight weeks,” Hampton said. “I guess I can officially say sand has been kicked in my face. I guess the only silver lining is my elbow will get a little more time to rest.”

In Phoenix, the Oakland Athletics said Milton Bradley will play center fielder while Mark Kotsay recovers from back surgery, a process that could take up to three months.

“We’ll have to deal with it,” Bradley said. “I know he agonized over it the past couple of years. It’s good he’s taking care of it so he doesn’t have to go out and play in pain.”

In Jupiter, Fla., the St. Louis Cardinals said pitcher Josh Kinney needs elbow ligament-replacement surgery and will likely miss the entire season. After pitching three innings in a spring training game Monday, Kinney said he could not flex his arm fully.

Frank Thomas made his first appearance for the Toronto Blue Jays, going 1-for-3 with an RBI against the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I prefer to start late like this because you know what you’re doing out there,” said Thomas.

, who signed an $18.12 million, two-year contract. “You’ve had enough BP, enough cage work to know what you’re doing out there.”

Thomas is scheduled to be a designated hitter in Friday’s “A’ game against the Houston Astros.

A.J. Burnett started in the “B’ game and allowed three runs and four hits in three innings, mixing in his curveball for the first time. He struck out two and walked one.