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Secret pain ends year for Indian

CLEVELAND -- Ricky Gutierrez's season is over, and now the Indians second baseman is concerned about saving his career.

Gutierrez said doctors have recommended surgery on his injured neck, which he hurt while diving for a ball in the first few weeks.

An MRI revealed that discs in his neck are rubbing and pinching his spinal cord.

"I'm going to get some more opinions, and then probably have the surgery," Gutierrez said Tuesday.

Gutierrez, who visited a neck specialist, said he would need 3-6 months to recover.

"It all depends on if everything goes well," he said. "Hopefully, I can be back for next year."

Gutierrez didn't tell the Indians about his neck until this weekend in Anaheim while he was sitting with an injured thumb. The 30-year-old said that his neck has been sore since April, and that whenever he moves he gets a tingling up and down his left arm.

He was asked why he kept the injury a secret.

"I guess that's just the way I am," said Gutierrez, who signed a three-year, $11-million deal with the Indians in December. "I don't want to make any excuses. But it just got worse and worse."

Meanwhile, the Indians optioned rookie right-hander Ryan Drese to Triple-A Buffalo.

RIVERA INJURY CONCERNS YANKS: With closer Mariano Rivera on the disabled list for the second time in 31/2 weeks with a shoulder strain, Yankees manager Joe Torre hopes the problem will not have long-term effects.

"They don't think there's anything that needs to be done," Torre said. "It's not deemed to be serious, but it needs to be tended to."

Even so, the injury has forced Torre to confront the possibility that Rivera might not pitch in the postseason.

Meanwhile, first baseman/DH Nick Johnson, out with a sprained left wrist, resumed swinging and hopes to take batting practice within a week.

BABE'S BAT FOUND: The bat Babe Ruth used to hit the first home run at Yankee Stadium was acquired by SportsCards Plus of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and will be auctioned off next year. Ruth hit the homer April 18, 1923. He autographed and inscribed the 45-ounce bat to Victor Orsatti, a winner of a California youth home run-hitting contest. Orsatti died in 1984 and passed the bat on to an unidentified relation.

D'BACKS: Luis Gonzalez isn't used to sitting out one game, let alone five in a row, and that seat in the dugout is getting uncomfortable. "It's hard because here's something I've done for 23/4 years in a row playing every day," said the former Jefferson High standout, expected to miss one more game with strained cartilage in his ribs. "You pull for your teammates and those guys have been playing well, but I want to be out there and contribute."

METS: Minor-league reliever P.J. Bevis, a right-hander, was acquired from Arizona to complete a deal for outfielder Mark Little.

REDS: Cincinnati sent outfielder Raul Gonzalez to the Mets as part of last week's deal for left-hander Shawn Estes. Cincinnati signed former Rays outfielder Jose Guillen to a minor-league contract to replace Gonzalez at Triple-A Louisville. ... Right-hander Chris Reitsma was recalled from Triple-A Louisville to start Thursday.

TIGERS: Designated hitter Randall Simon left in the third inning with a swollen right elbow after being hit by a pitch by the Mariners' Freddy Garcia.

OBITUARY: Jimmy Bloodworth, an infielder on the 1950 Phillies "Whiz Kids," died Saturday in Apalachicola. The Tallahassee native was 85.

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