Rays/MLB

Polanco says he'll return

By TIMES WIRES
Published September 19, 2006

CHICAGO - Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco said Monday he hopes to play this weekend at Kansas City, a day after saying he was finished for the season because of a separated left shoulder.

"I was very confused" Sunday, Polanco said. "I said it because I was really frustrated about a lot of things. We had just lost the game that we should have won, I'm not able to do anything and my arm is extremely hurting."

A contrite Polanco said a cortisone shot he got Saturday, the first of his career, had initially caused him pain that was similar to the discomfort he felt in the days after the injury.

TURNING THREE, AGAIN: The White Sox turned a triple play, their second of the season, in the first inning against the Tigers. With runners at first and second and both runners moving on a 3-and-2 pitch, Detroit's Carlos Guillen hit a broken-bat popup that third baseman Joe Crede caught. Crede then threw to second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, who stepped on second to double off Marcus Thames and tagged Magglio Ordonez, who had broken for second.

ATTENDANCE MARK: The Pacific Coast League drew the most fans this season, helping Minor League Baseball set an all-time attendance record of 41,710,357. The PCL had 7,413,505 fans, and the minors set a record for the third straight season.

[Last modified September 19, 2006, 01:35:24]