Rays/MLB

Elbow stiffness keeps Yanks' Rivera on shelf

By TIMES WIRES
Published September 3, 2006

NEW YORK - Mariano Rivera's stiff right elbow will keep the Yankees' star closer off the mound all weekend.

Manager Joe Torre said Saturday that the right-hander would not pitch during the final two games of a series against the Twins so he can rest his arm.

"I'm just going to shut him down for a few days. Let's see if a few days off will help, try and relieve some of the discomfort," Torre said.

An MRI exam Thursday showed the reliever has a mild muscle strain.

Without Rivera, Torre said right-hander Kyle Farnsworth would probably close.

ORTIZ AT BALLPARK: Red Sox slugger David Ortiz returned to Fenway Park, confident that wearing a heart monitor for a few days will hasten his return to the lineup. "The most important thing right now is that I have no problem with my heart," Ortiz said. "The doctors told me, 'Your heart is fine. We're just going to keep tracking.' "

Meanwhile, Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon said he hopes to return in week after walking off the mound with a muscle strain in his right shoulder Friday night. He expects to have an MRI exam Monday.

NO PROGRESS FOR EDMONDS: Centerfielder Jim Edmonds, who missed his 12th start in 13 games with postconcussion syndrome, will not accompany the Cardinals on their seven-game trip.

Edmonds had been trying to slowly increase his activity but had noticed no improvement. He has ceased baseball activities for the foreseeable future.

TWINS ROOKIE IMPROVES: Minnesota got some good news about its pitching staff when Francisco Liriano came through a 12-minute bullpen session pain-free. The rookie left-hander, on the disabled list since Aug. 8 with a strained ligament in his pitching arm, threw all his pitches off a mound at Yankee Stadium and felt no discomfort.

CLOSER SHARP: Phillies closer Tom Gordon pitched two scoreless innings in his final rehab start for Class A Clearwater. The right-hander, on the disabled list with a strained pitching shoulder, allowed one hit to Dunedin and struck out two. He threw 22 of 26 pitches for strikes.

UMP HURT: Home-plate umpire Marvin Hudson left after getting hit behind the left ear on a backswing during the third inning of the host A's game against the Orioles. A's shortstop Marco Scutaro caught Hudson on the side of the head.

[Last modified September 3, 2006, 01:44:53]