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Wednesday, June 18
Updated: June 19, 12:28 PM ET
 
Mariners closer has fractured ribs, torn muscle

ESPN.com news services

Seattle Mariners: Closer Kazuhiro Sasaki has two fractured ribs and a slightly torn abdominal muscle, an MRI showed Wednesday. Two earlier X-rays failed to disclose the injuries.

Kazuhiro Sasaki
Sasaki

Team officials couldn't say how long the injuries will keep him out, though Sasaki probably won't be examined again until the Mariners return late next week from a trip to Anaheim and San Diego.

"We're not going to put a timeline on it," trainer Rick Griffin said.

If a rehab assignment is necessary, it might push Sasaki's return back to sometime after the All-Star break, around July 14-16.

Sasaki, 35, was hurt while carrying his luggage up a flight of stairs at his home after the Mariners concluded a 12-game road trip June 8. The MRI showed the hairline fractures have already begun to mend.

Sasaki was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 11, retroactive to June 6. Griffin couldn't say how much longer he will be out, but team officials will be cautious about his return.

Sasaki, who has eight saves in 12 opportunities this season and is 1-1, is Seattle's career leader with 128 saves, including 37 last season.

  • Left-hander Ryan Anderson, the team's first-round draft pick in 1997, underwent his third shoulder surgery, a procedure to repair a torn labrum on his throwing arm.

    Anderson hasn't pitched since 2000, and the latest operation is expected to require an eight- to 12-month rehabilitation. Anderson, 23, also had surgery for a torn labrum in 2002 and an operation for a torn rotator cuff in 2001.

    San Francisco Giants: Alex Popov and Patrick Hayashi met for the first time in October 2001, fighting over the ball Barry Bonds hit for his record 73rd home run.

    Barry Bonds
    Bonds

    It was not exactly the best way to start a friendship, but the possible
    $1 million they'll split for the ball should soothe any remaining ill will.

    After a bitter two-week trial, a judge determined the two should sell the ball and share the proceeds. The ball is being auctioned next Wednesday by Lelands.com.

    "Friendship takes time," Hayashi said Wednesday. "We are co-owners of a piece of property. Over time, friendship happens. Sure, I'd call him and go to a game. We both play golf. Maybe we'll get together for a game."

    Josh Evans, chairman of Leland's, said he expected the ball to sell for over $1 million. Early online bidding has reached $150,000.

    "The question is how close we'll get to the McGwire ball," Evans said. "You never know."

    Mark McGwire's 70th home run sold for $3.2 million to comic art creator Todd McFarlane in 1999. Two years later, Bonds pushed the record to 73 with his final home run in the final game of the 2001 season.

  • The Giants placed outfielder Marvin Benard on the 15-day disabled list with a left knee contusion.

    The move is retroactive to Monday, the day after Benard bruised his knee while making a catch against the left-field wall in the seventh inning of a 5-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

    He is hitting just .185 with four RBI in 32 games.

    To fill the roster spot, the Giants recalled infielder Francisco Santos from Class AAA Fresno the Pacific Coast League, where the 23-year-old was batting .263 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 46 games.

    Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and Chicago White Sox manager Jerry Manuel were selected Wednesday as the two American League coaches for the 2003 All-Star Game.

    Gardenhire and Manuel were picked by Anaheim's Mike Scioscia, who led the Angels to their first World Series win in franchise history last season and will manage the American League team.

    Gardenhire, who led the Twins to the Central Division title last season, will be making his first All-Star appearance. Manuel will be making his second appearance, having been a member of the American League staff for the 1999 game.

    The rest of the American League staff will be Anaheim coaches Bud Black, Alfredo Griffin, Mickey Hatcher, Joe Maddon, Orlando Mercado and Ron Roenicke.

    The trainers will be Herm Schneider of the White Sox and Gene Monahan of the New York Yankees.

    The 2003 All-Star Game is July 15 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

    Texas Rangers: Infielder-DH Herbert Perry underwent surgery on his injured right shoulder that will keep him out the rest of the season.

    Perry's operation, performed at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, cleaned up a frayed rotator cuff and labrum and removed a badly bruised bursa sac.

    Perry, who was hitting .167 in 24 at-bats this season, was placed on the 15-day disabled list May 30. Surgery was deemed necessary after rest and rehabilitation failed to alleviate soreness.

    Perry also will have surgery on both knees once his shoulder is strong enough to use crutches, the Rangers said.

    He is expected to be ready for spring training next year.

    Los Angeles Dodgers: Oft-injured right-hander Darren Dreifort underwent season-ending right knee surgery.

    Out since May 28, Dreifort had his right MCL reconstructed by Dr. Ralph Gambardella at Centinela Hospital Medical Center. He is expected to begin rehabilitation soon and could be ready for spring training, team officials said.

    The knee is the same one on which Dreifort had arthroscopic surgery in July. That came while he was recovering from his second "Tommy John" surgery, a procedure that sidelined him for the entire 2002 season.

    Dreifort returned to the majors this year and made 10 starts, going 4-4 with a 4.03 ERA.

    Boston Red Sox: Reliever Bob Howry needs surgery on his right elbow, and will not pitch again this season.

    Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said the right-hander will need three or four months to recover from surgery on the ulnar nerve. Howry is expected to be ready by next spring.

    He has been pitching for Boston's Triple-A team in Pawtucket, where he was sent April 15.

    Before being sent down, Howry blew his only save opportunity and allowed at least one run in each of his four appearances.

    Toronto Blue Jays: First-round draft pick Aaron Hill has signed. Hill, selected 13th overall, led Louisiana State University with a .367 average with eight homers and 59 RBI in 62 games.

    The 21-year-old shortstop led the NCAA's Southeast Conference with a .478 on-base percentage and walked 44 times with just 16 strikeouts.

    He will join the Blue Jays' Single-A affiliate at Auburn in the New York Penn League on Thursday.

    Terms of the deal were not released.

    Information from The Associated Press and Sports Ticker was used in this report.




  •  More from ESPN...
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