Baseball

McGraw has cancer

CLEARWATER -- Former Phillies and Mets reliever Tug McGraw has been diagnosed with brain cancer and doctors are trying to determine if they can operate. He remained hospitalized Friday.

Phillies officials said the 58-year-old was taken to Morton Plant Hospital on Wednesday. The doctors found at least two tumors and were doing additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. The team said in a release that McGraw was "in good spirits and stable condition" and that his family would provide more information.

"We're very touched with the love and support we have been receiving," a family spokesperson said. "We hope that people will continue to remember Tug in their prayers."

The Associated Press said McGraw will be moved to a Tampa hospital soon.

McGraw had been in camp as a guest pitching instructor.

McGraw's son, country singer Tim McGraw, was scheduled to take batting practice before the Phillies' 10-7 loss to the Pirates. It was canceled, although he did go through with his concert at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Meanwhile, the Phillies were concerned about the man who struck out the Royals' Willie Wilson to win the 1980 World Series.

"He's been very, very special to the Phillies, and not only because of that strikeout that won the World Series," Phillies chairman Bill Giles said after visiting McGraw. "He has always loved the Phillies and been very involved with the team."

Former Phillies manager Dallas Green said: "Tug's too young to worry about. You hope it's not serious to the point where you have to worry about him, but you know he's sick or he would be here."

McGraw's family said a sign with the "Ya Gotta Believe" slogan he made famous with the Mets in 1973 is hanging in his hospital room and he keeps pointing to it.

RED-HOT RICKY: Ricky Ledee followed Thursday's three-home-run, nine-RBIs performance by going 3-for-3 Friday. He raised his average to .542 (13-for-24) with four homers and 11 RBIs.

GETTING STRONGER: Catcher Mike Lieberthal is improving after a pelvic injury. Three days after receiving a cortisone injection, Lieberthal ran on a treadmill for 10 minutes and went through a series of agility drills.

"When I ran on the treadmill, I didn't feel it," he said. "I didn't feel that pulling sensation, which I felt before when I was just jogging."

Lieberthal said he hopes to return to the lineup by Monday.

-- BOB BROOKOVER, TIMES WIRES

Jays' Walker shines

KISSIMMEE -- Pete Walker pitched four effective innings and singled and scored a run in the two-run fifth, helping the Blue Jays tie the Astros at 2 in 10 innings.

Walker, who went 10-5 last season, allowed one hit and one run. He said he's ready to start or relieve this season.

"Whatever role they choose, I feel like I can go back and forth and maybe that's made me a little more valuable," he said. "I don't mind coming out of the pen and also I can start. Overall that helps the club over a long season."

LET'S PLAY 10: Manager Carlos Tosca said that by the ninth inning, the teams agreed that the game wouldn't go past one extra inning. "We ran out of pitchers and they ran out of pitchers. We've been in other situations where we sent word to the other side, saying we can play 10. That's usually what everyone's prepared to do."

MISSING FOR MARRIAGE: Carlos Delgado's sister is getting married Sunday. The first baseman will fly to Puerto Rico for the ceremony and is scheduled to return Monday.

-- TIMES WIRES, MLB.COM

Contreras returns to form

TAMPA -- Jose Contreras took the mound Friday with a 16.88 ERA in three appearances, leading the Yankees in walks, runs and hits allowed.

Five scoreless innings later, the 32-year-old Cuban looked more like the dominating pitcher New York gave a $32-million contract last month.

Contreras held the Rays to two hits and walked one before a Legends Field crowd of 10,089 in a 3-0 win, and no one appreciated his success more than Contreras.

"I needed this. It brings me more peace and gives me more energy to continue working to get the results I want," Contreras said through a translator. "I was very anxious because I knew everyone wanted to see me pitch and I wanted to do well for everyone to see."

Contreras said he watched tapes of himself pitching in Cuba to figure out how his mechanics were off, and a small adjustment helped against the Rays.

"I wasn't pushing off my back leg. I was staying up tall, so the ball was staying up," he said. "With the adjustment, I was able to get on top of the ball and use my legs."

He also found comfort knowing his 80-year-old father was released from a Cuban hospital Thursday after a stroke.

"When I leave here, I'm going to call him and give him the good news that I finally was able to throw five zeros," Contreras said. SPLIT, BUT SAME: In the Yankees' other split-squad game against Atlanta at Lake Buena Vista, Jeff Weaver had an outing nearly identical to Contreras -- five scoreless innings of two-hit ball. He ended strong, retiring the final 13 batters he faced to lower his team-best ERA to 1.29.

MISCELLANY: Left-hander Sterling Hitchcock (0-1, 5.40) will start today for New York against Toronto's Roy Halladay, who is 2-0 with an American League-best 0.00 ERA. The game is at 1:05 p.m. at Dunedin. ... Relievers Alex Graman and Antonio Osuna each pitched two innings of hitless, scoreless relief. ... Catcher Jorge Posada bruised his right hand blocking a pitch and had it iced and bandaged after the game. He said the injury wouldn't keep him from playing today. ... Rookie outfielder Marcus Thames, a last-minute replacement for Chris Latham (back), went 2-for-3 with a run and a sliding catch in the first.

-- GREG AUMAN

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