Rays/MLB

Line drive knocks out Halladay again

By TIMES WIRES
Published September 11, 2006

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay was knocked out of Sunday's game against the Angels in the first inning when Garret Anderson lined a single off his pitching elbow.

Halladay left after 16 pitches with two out and runners at first and third. The 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner missed the second half of last season after a line drive off the bat of Texas' Kevin Mench broke a bone in his left leg and prevented him from starting in the All-Star Game.

He was replaced Sunday by Josh Towers, who pitched for the first time since being recalled from Triple A on Tuesday.

TOUGHING IT OUT: Cliff Floyd got the message: play now or maybe not at all come October.

The Mets leftfielder has been limited to 85 games and 291 at-bats this season, bothered by chronic pain in his left Achilles' tendon. He met with manager Willie Randolph for about 20 minutes.

"Physically, we all know where I stand. Mentally, you have to block all the mess out. If you don't, then it allows you potentially to not have the confidence or not have whatever it is you need to get it done," Floyd said. "I have to play. If I'm going to be on the roster and be able to help this team, I have to play."

Randolph also said that right-hander Pedro Martinez, out since Aug. 14 with a strained calf, will start during the weekend series at Pittsburgh, possibly Friday.

GIAMBI STILL SORE: Jason Giambi missed his second straight game with a sore left wrist, and the Yankees might need a replacement if he misses much more time, according to media reports.

According to the New York Times, hand specialist Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser told the slugger he had done more damage to the wrist, which had been plagued by tendinitis. Giambi received his second cortisone shot since Aug. 31 on Saturday.

"It's getting to be too late to take any chances," Giambi told the Times. "I've got to get back to being a factor in a game instead of just a name in the lineup."

However, leftfielder Hideki Matsui, who broke his left wrist May 11 and has been rehabbing at Double-A Trenton, could play today.

RED SOX: Outfielders Manny Ramirez and Coco Crisp missed the game against the Royals with injuries. Ramirez sat with a sore right knee, and Crisp was out with an injured left index finger.

WHITE SOX: Top prospect Josh Fields, the International League rookie of the year, was one of three players added to the roster. The third baseman, 23, was third in the Triple-A league with a .515 slugging average and seventh with a .379 on-base percentage and had 28 steals in 33 attempts for Charlotte. Also, outfielder Jerry Owens returned from a rehab assignment at Charlotte and was activated from the 15-day disabled list, and right-hander Sean Tracey was recalled from Charlotte.

[Last modified September 11, 2006, 02:37:40]