MLB

Tsao will be 1stpitcher from Taiwan in MLB

By Times Wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 24, 2003

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LOS ANGELES - Colorado's Chin-hui Tsao will start for Colorado against Milwaukee on Friday night and become the first pitcher from Taiwan in the major leagues.

Tsao, 22, was called up from Double-A Tulsa on Tuesday after Denny Neagle was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an elbow injury.

Tsao is 11-4 with a 2.46 ERA while holding Texas League hitters to a .214 average. He has a league-best 125 strikeouts.

"Maybe the right time is now. He's a kid who has shown special skills who you have to continue to challenge," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "And there's not a higher challenge available."

Tsao joined the Rockies organization in 1999.

Dodgers outfielder Chin-Feng Chen became the first major-leaguer from Taiwan last September.

ANGELS: All-Star third baseman Troy Glaus was put on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury. So the team activated right-hander Mickey Callaway.

INDIANS: Ex-pitcher Charles Nagy was hired as a special assistant to general manager Mark Shapiro.

The 36-year-old right-hander, who won 129 games in 13 seasons with Cleveland, was a model of consistency as one of the AL's most durable pitchers until elbow injuries slowed him the past few seasons. The Indians chose not to re-sign him after last season.

PADRES: Phil Nevin was activated, four months after surgery to repair an injury to his left shoulder.

RANGERS: Juan Gonzalez was placed on the 15-day DL with of a strained right calf, a move that could end attempts to trade the two-time AL MVP before next week's deadline.

REDS: Ken Griffey is approaching this grueling rehabilitation like all the rest. He has no doubt he'll recover, and hasn't thought about retiring.

The outfielder tore a tendon in his right ankle last week and will be out for the season, his sixth major injury in four seasons with Cincinnati.

Griffey showed up in the clubhouse in a walking boot before Wednesday's game, optimistic about his chances of a recovery. He had surgery on Friday to repair the shredded tendon, and will have surgery in the next few weeks on his right shoulder, which he dislocated April 5.

Asked if he had ever thought of retirement, Griffey said, "I'm 33. If I was like 40, yeah. But I'll come back. The shoulder is not that bad. The ankle is going to heal. I'll come back next year ready to go."

YANKEES: Jesse Orosco, traded from the Padres on Tuesday, the 46-year-old reliever was in such a hurry to join his new team, he boarded a plane headed toward Baltimore. Unfortunately, the series opener against the Orioles night was in New York.

"We were able to sidetrack him," general manager Brian Cashman said.

Orosco arrived at the stadium in the sixth inning.

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