Red Sox ace near to testing ankle in game

By wire services
Published June 18, 2005

BOSTON - Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling threw for 20 minutes at Fenway Park on Friday and reported no problems with the right ankle that has kept him on the disabled list since April.

Schilling is scheduled to test his ankle again by throwing batting practice Monday. He said he expects to make at least two minor-league rehabilitation starts before he is ready to return to the rotation.

"I have a goal: I want to be back before the All-Star break," he said. "It's a matter of arm strength and getting comfortable around that."

Wearing an oversized high-top to help his balance, Schilling threw for nine minutes in the outfield before heading to the bullpen to throw from the mound for 11 minutes. He was watched by manager Terry Francona, the team's training staff and Dr. Bill Morgan, who used an unusual procedure to stitch Schilling's ankle last fall and keep him in the rotation for the postseason.

The current injury, a bone bruise, is in the same ankle but may be a different problem.

"I don't know if it will ever be completely healed," Schilling said. "I don't imagine some of the stuff down there will be 100 percent for a year or so. I don't think it has to be."

DONNELLY GETS 10: Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly was suspended 10 games by Major League Baseball for having pine tar on his glove during a game against the Nationals.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia and Nationals manager Frank Robinson were suspended one game each and fined an undisclosed amount for screaming at each other after Robinson had umpires inspect Donnelly's glove for a foreign substance in the seventh inning Tuesday.

SALE OF PLANE PARTS STOPPED: Debris from the plane crash that killed Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente was pulled from a memorabilia auction after his family threatened a lawsuit.

Seaford, N.Y.'s Lelands.com announced it was pulling a light metal piece of the airplane and a gray steel propeller from the collection of four dozen Clemente mementos.

GIANTS: Right-hander LaTroy Hawkins went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 10 with nerve irritation in his pitching elbow.

MARLINS: Right-hander Josh Beckett went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Wednesday because of a blister on his right middle finger.

ORIOLES: Reliever Jason Grimsley told the team he's ready to return from Oct. 12 Tommy John surgery, which was expected to keep the right-hander sidelined for most of the season.

PADRES: Right-hander Adam Eaton will miss his next start Monday because of a strained flexor tendon in his right middle finger.

PIRATES: Mississippi State outfielder Brad Corley, the team's second-round pick, signed.

RANGERS: Former Devil Rays right-hander Jason Standridge was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma after right-hander Pedro Astacio was designated for assignment. Standridge, the Rays' first-round pick in 1997, was 5-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 15 games for the RedHawks.

REDS: Former Rays right-hander Paul Wilson had surgery on his pitching shoulder and will miss the rest of the season. Doctors repaired partial tears in Wilson's labrum and rotator cuff.

[Last modified June 18, 2005, 00:48:45]