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Around area camps

By BOB BROOKOVER, MIKE RUTSEY and Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 1, 2002

Wendell's bad elbow flares up again

CLEARWATER -- Turk Wendell's spring training took an ominous turn Thursday when the Phillies reliever revealed he has a recurring case of acute tendinitis in his right elbow.

That injury ended Wendell's 2001 season in mid September. Wendell said he felt the pain in his elbow while pitching in an intrasquad game Tuesday at the Carpenter Complex.

"He's going to be shut down for a little bit," manager Larry Bowa said. "He didn't feel comfortable throwing the other day. Any time a pitcher gets hurt, it's not a great sign. We'll just put him on a rehabilitation program and see what happens. I know he's done for three or four days and we'll take it from there."

Wendell said the pain he experienced Tuesday is the same he had at the end of last season.

"It's probably a little less," he said. "It's frustrating. Any time you can't play or compete at the level you want to compete, it stinks. But I've got a month left before we break, so we'll knock this out and then we don't have to worry about it anymore."

LIEBERTHAL SQUATS: All-Star catcher Mike Lieberthal caught three innings during an intrasquad game and said he felt "awesome." It was Lieberthal's first action since he suffered a season-ending knee injury in May during a game in Arizona.

Bowa said Lieberthal will not catch today when the Phillies open their spring schedule against Saint Leo, but he should be in the lineup Saturday against Pittsburgh at Jack Russell Stadium.

"He'll catch three or four innings, then maybe be off for two or three days," Bowa said.

TODAY'S GAME: For today's 12:05 exhibition, right-hander Vicente Padilla, one of four pitchers vying for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, will start and be followed by right-hander Brett Myers, the Phillies' 1999 first-round draft pick.

Mussina sidelined

SARASOTA -- Yankees right-hander Mike Mussina was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday because of a slight middle ear infection.

Mussina was examined in Tampa and did not accompany the team for its spring opener against Cincinnati.

"The report on Mussina is fine," manager Joe Torre said after the Yankees beat the Reds 8-3. "I guess he'll throw (today) or Saturday (in the bullpen)."

Torre said Mussina was "a little out of whack in his equilibrium" when he arrived at Legends Field on Thursday. The manager said Mussina was feeling better by the afternoon.

Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said Mussina likely will skip his first turn in the rotation and pitch Tuesday.

Sterling Hitchcock, battling Orlando Hernandez and David Wells for one of the final two rotation spots, allowed one run and two hits over two innings.

PHENOM REPORT: Drew Henson, expected to start the season at Triple A, had a two-run, first-inning single. The former Michigan quarterback made a throwing error at third but was solid in his first spring game.

"I had fun," Henson said. "It was nice to get out there. That first hit, get it out of the way."

Henson was sidelined until the middle of June by a broken left hand. After brief stops in Class A and Double A, the 22-year-old hit .222 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs in 71 games at Triple-A Columbus.

Hot corner on hot seat

DUNEDIN -- Rookie third baseman Eric Hinske is about to step into the spotlight.

Entering today's spring opener against the Yankees, one of the Jays' unanswered questions is what kind of a player is Hinske, obtained from the A's this winter in a trade for closer Billy Koch.

GM J.P. Ricciardi, for one, loves his bat.

"He's here because he's a guy who can hit and get on base and he's got power," Ricciardi said. "The better he does that, the better glove he's got. But I think you'll be surprised (at his defense)."

Hinske believes he has the tools to succeed.

"I like to look at myself as a good defensive player," he said. "I've got better every year that I have played the position. Last year was big for me because I got to play every day at third base (at Triple-A Sacramento). Before that I was bouncing around from rightfield to leftfield and first base to third. So I feel very comfortable there and I'm anxious to show everyone I can play third base."

MATTER OF HEALTH: Veteran left-hander Pedro Borbon heard the trade rumors all winter. With four left-handed relievers in camp, he still hears them. He says they're of no concern.

"This year I'm not coming off an injury," Borbon said, referring to his offseason elbow surgery in 2000 to remove bone chips. "I'm healthy and that's all that matters. If I pitch here fine. If I go somewhere else that's fine too. As long as I'm healthy."

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