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Baseball briefs

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 19, 2000

Outlook improves for Red Sox pitcher

BOSTON -- Red Sox pitcher Bryce Florie had additional surgery Monday near his right eye, where he was struck by a line drive on Sept. 8.

Florie had broken bones around the eye socket reconstructed by Dr. Mack Cheney at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the team said.

"The healing of the area will be monitored over the course of the next two to three months and the prognosis seems improved with regard to the retina," team physician Bill Morgan said in a statement.

The 30-year-old Florie suffered trauma to his eyeball, retinal damage and three fractures around his eye socket when he was hit by Ryan Thompson's liner during a 4-0 loss to the Yankees at Fenway Park.

He had surgery Sept. 9 to release pressure in the eye. He did not suffer a ruptured eyeball.

Florie is 0-4 with a 5.40 ERA and one save in 28 relief appearances. He spent almost two months on the disabled list earlier this season with a strained right groin.

Three-team doubleheader set

NEW YORK -- Over their objections, the Indians are stuck with a strange twinbill -- against the Twins and White Sox.

Baseball decided the Indians must play an odd doubleheader on Sept. 25 at Jacobs Field, facing Chicago in the daytime and Minnesota at night.

Since 1900, only once has there been a three-team doubleheader at the same ballpark. The Cardinals beat the New York Giants 6-4, then lost to the Boston Braves 2-0 on Sept. 13, 1951, at Sportsman's Park.

With the Indians in the wild-card chase and no off-days left, the split doubleheader was deemed the best way to make up a rainout Sept. 10 between Cleveland and the White Sox.

Wild-card contender Oakland will be allowed to make up Sunday's postponement against the Rays -- if necessary -- on Oct. 2, the day after the regular season is scheduled to end. The A's return to the West Coast later this week.

Indians general manager John Hart lobbied to let Cleveland play its makeup on Oct. 2, too. But Katy Feeney, the major-league executive in charge of scheduling, and union official Gene Orza decided otherwise.

"I feel like I don't really understand it," Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. "I don't know all the things that went into it, but Oakland gets to make up its game on Oct. 2 and we don't."

CUBS: Chicago called up its top prospect, outfielder Corey Patterson, and two other members of Southern League champion West Tennessee. The Cubs also purchased the contracts of left-handed pitchers Joey Nation and Will Ohman from the Double-A team. To make room on the 40-man roster, the team placed two players on the 60-day disabled list -- reliever Rick Aguilera (thumb) and starting pitcher Kevin Tapani (knee). Outfielder Raul Gonzales was designated for reassignment.

MARLINS: Luis Castillo, who leads the majors with 55 stolen bases, was thrown out trying to steal second in the second inning. He has gone 12 games without stealing a base. ... The team signed third-round pick Robert Henkel, a left-handed pitcher from UCLA. "Rob's talent was very highly regarded throughout baseball and we're pleased to add him to our core of young arms throughout our system," vice president of scouting Al Avila said. Henkel was ranked No. 33 on Baseball America's Top 150 list of draft eligible college prospects. He was chosen by the Rays in the 1996 draft, but opted for UCLA. Henkel will report to the Instructional League today and is scheduled to play for Class A Kane County of the Midwest League in 2001.

ORIOLES: Left-handed pitching prospect Matt Riley is scheduled for ligament replacement surgery today and will miss next season. Syd Thrift, vice president of baseball operations, said the surgery will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum. "(He) said it was not necessarily imperative that it be done now," Thrift said. "(Riley) had the option of rest and rehabilitation. But Dr. Yocum thought ... he would have this same problem."

PIRATES: Todd Ritchie's walk to Travis Lee in the third inning was the 634th walk allowed by the team this season, setting a club record. The record was set last season.

REDS: Ken Griffey didn't take part in a scheduled batting practice session at Pacific Bell Park and was held out of the lineup. Griffey missed his seventh game since partially tearing his left hamstring. A team spokesman said Griffey likely will try to take batting practice today.

TIGERS: Deivi Cruz grounded into his 25th double play, third-most in the AL, during the sixth. Only Oakland's Ben Grieve (28) and Chicago's Magglio Ordonez (26) began Monday with more.

TWINS: Monday's game marked the first time fans could use the Internet to look inside the Metrodome. The team installed three cameras and users are able to control them to view specific areas of the stadium. The cameras can be accessed at the team's Web site, www.twinsbaseball.com.

Yankees, MSG extend deadline

NEW YORK -- The Yankees and Madison Square Garden Network postponed their Monday deadline for deciding whether MSG would match the team's proposal to start its own cable network.

On Sept. 8, the Yankees notified MSG they intended to start their own channel, a move the team said would bring it about $1.4-billion in profit in the next 10 years.

Under the terms of MSG's current contract with the Yankees, a $486-million, 12-year deal that expires after this season, the network had until Monday to match the offer.

"As the parties are in conversation, we have agreed to postponed the seven-day match period," MSG Network spokeswoman Cara Taback said.

AWARDS: Oakland's Jason Giambi and Cleveland's Manny Ramirez were named co-players of the week in the AL. Cincinnati's Alex Ochoa won the award in the NL.

Indianapolis takes lead in Triple-A series

LAS VEGAS -- Santiago Perez and Lyle Mouton homered in the seventh inning to break open a tight game as the Indianapolis Indians beat the Memphis Redbirds 8-3 in the opening game of the Triple-A World Series.

Game 2 in the best-of-five series is scheduled for tonight at Cashman Field.

Holding a 4-3 lead entering the seventh, the Indians put together four consecutive hits, starting with a one-out, pinch-homer by Perez.

Marcos Scutaro and Paco Martin followed with singles, and Mouton homered off Dave Wainhouse, a drive off the light pole in leftfield.

Tom Fordham and Jim Bruske combined for three innings of scoreless relief.

Mouton, who had four RBI, hit a run-scoring double in the sixth off loser Bud Smith to give the International League champions a 4-2 lead.

Winner Kane Davis allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Smith gave up four runs and five hits in 52/3 innings for the Redbirds, who won the Pacific Coast League.

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