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Sunday, June 15 Nerve problem has bothered DH since spring Associated Press |
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Burks said Saturday he will have season-ending surgery to correct a nerve problem in his right elbow, which has bothered him since spring training and caused muscle degeneration in his hand. He will have the operation June 23, when the Indians return from their next road trip. Doctors are hoping to remove a bone spur or chip from Burks' elbow and transpose his nerve. Burks has experienced numbness and tingling in his arm for months and some of the muscles in his right hand have atrophied. Burks, 38, finished the season batting .258 with six homers and 28 RBI, not the type of year he is accustomed to having and certainly not one he'd like to complete his career with. "I don't want to end it on something like this,'' said Burks, who is in the final year of a three-year contract with the Indians. Cleveland has a club option for 2004. Burks' numbers plummeted before he finally told the Indians about the pain and discomfort in his elbow. Before going on the disabled list June 10, he batted .179 (10-for-56) with no homers and two RBIs in 16 games since May 19. "It's frustrating, but at least it gives me peace of mind to know that there was something wrong with my elbow, and not that I stunk,'' he said.
The Diamondbacks recalled infielder Matt Kata from Triple-A Tucson to take Spivey's place. With Arizona leading Minnesota 8-1 in the sixth, Twins shortstop Cristian Guzman scooped Spivey's hit deep in the hole and made an off-balance throw to first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz for the inning-ending out. Spivey rolled his foot as he hit the base and curled up on the Metrodome turf in pain. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which were negative. Manager Bob Brenly said Spivey would be out at least a couple of weeks. Spivey, an All-Star last season who's batting .255 with nine homers and 30 RBIs this year, had to be helped off the field by a team trainer and first-base coach Robin Yount. While assisting Spivey, Yount strained his back and also is day-to-day, Brenly said half-jokingly. Earlier, center fielder Danny Bautista strained his left hamstring legging out a grounder in the second and left the game. He'll be re-evaluated on Sunday. The Diamondbacks currently have six players on the disabled list, and third baseman Shea Hillenbrand has been out since Sunday with a strained oblique muscle. Steve Finley, who hadn't played in the field in a week because of a sore hamstring, entered the game in center field after Spivey's injury.
The Rangers said Saturday night that Perry will have surgery next week on his throwing shoulder. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list May 30, and surgery was deemed necessary after rest and rehabilitation failed to alleviate soreness. About a month after the operation, Perry will have surgery on both knees, the Rangers said. Perry is expected to be ready for spring training next year. "This is his opportunity to clean up a lot of nagging problems," manager Buck Showalter said. Perry was hitting .167 in 24 at-bats this season. |
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