Roundup

Emmitt Smith to throw first pitch at Texas opener

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Former Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith, the NFL's rushing leader, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Texas Rangers' home opener on April 4 against Seattle.

Smith, who spent 13 seasons with the Cowboys before his release last month, will be joined by Everman High School senior Corey Fulbright for the first-pitch ceremony. Fulbright was paralyzed from the waist down in a December football game.

Marrero in St. Louis for tests on stomach

Marrero left spring training on Monday night, trainer Barry Weinberg said. He's expected to rejoin the team on Friday.

"He's having a whole battery of test run the next day or so," Weinberg said. "He just wasn't better, he wasn't all better."

Marrero missed five games from March 7-11 and missed his fourth straight game Wednesday when the Cardinals played the New York Mets.

If healthy, Marrero would be the Cardinals' opening-day right fielder because J.D. Drew is rehabilitating from offseason surgery for knee tendinitis. Marrero batted .262 last year with 18 homers and 66 RBIs.

This spring he's batting .286 in 28 at-bats with no homers and six RBIs.

Red Sox pitching coach has aggressive cancer

Doctors removed a 2-inch tumor from Cloninger's bladder last week and performed a biopsy. Dr. Bill Morgan, the team physician, said the 62-year-old Cloninger has a papillary transitional cell carcinoma.

"The results that have come back show that he has a grade 3 cancer, 1 being bad, 2 being worse and 3 being worse yet," team spokesman Kevin Shea said.

The course of treatment has yet to be determined, but probably would be limited initially to inserting chemotherapy directly into the bladder using a catheter, Shea said.

That "would mean he wouldn't miss a lot of baseball time," Shea said.

Manager Grady Little said this week the team has contingency plans if Cloninger has to take time off for treatment.

"What's number one in our thoughts is Tony Cloninger and his life, much more than Tony Cloninger our pitching coach, and we want to get that taken care of the best we can," Little said.

Cloninger joined the Red Sox during spring training last year after serving as a scout for the San Francisco Giants. He spent 15 years with the New York Yankees' organization, where he was bullpen coach to four World Series championship teams as well as a minor league and major league pitching coach.

Cloninger pitched a dozen years in the major leagues for Milwaukee, Atlanta, Cincinnati and St. Louis, going 113-97 with a 4.07 ERA.

Isringhausen likely won't pitch Thursday

Isringhausen, coming off surgery, had been scheduled to pitch Thursday against Baltimore if he had felt all right following his second batting practice, on Monday.

"I'll be surprised if he pitches tomorrow," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said after the Cardinals' 14-12 loss to the New York Mets. "He came in today and didn't feel that great, so I don't know if we'll push it tomorrow."

Isringhausen had 32 saves in 38 chances last season. Before Wednesday, the Cardinals had been optimistic that he would be ready for the season opener.

"It's enough to say, `Wait a minute,"' La Russa said. "The key thing physically is did he have a setback, or is it just a hiccup? I don't know."

Isringhausen threw harder in his first bullpen session on Friday. In his 25-pitch outing on Monday, he concentrated on location.

Steve Kline, who had six saves last year and has 29 the past three seasons, is the most likely candidate to fill in.

Karsay hopes to play catch Friday

"I'll come in Friday and see how I feel," Karsay said Wednesday, a day after getting a cortisone shot. "Hopefully play catch and go from there."

The right-hander is likely to be reevaluated Friday.

"We really can't go farther than three days before we get a chance to see how this thing is working," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

Karsay will likely remain at the minor league complex in Tampa when the Yankees break camp next week.

"It feels better," Karsay said. "It's a little inflammation in the shoulder. It's better than having anything else."

Juan Acevedo is expected to take Karsay's spot on the roster and split right-handed setup work with Antonio Osuna. Acevedo is at spring training on a minor league contract.

"He's pushed himself obviously into the mix for us by his pitching performance, and even more so because of Steve Karsay," Cashman said. "He's certainly got our attention. With Karsay barking a little bit right now, I think he'd look nice in pinstripes."

Jeff Weaver, the frontrunner for the fifth spot in the rotation, allowed two runs over 5 2-3 innings for Triple-A Columbus against Toronto minor leaguers Wednesday. He threw 77 pitches.

"I just wanted to throw strikes," Weaver said. "Trying to stay ahead of the hitters. I was able to get my work in."

Right-hander Christian Parker, who had right shoulder surgery in July 2001, is scheduled to pitch in his second minor league spring training game Saturday. He threw two innings Monday against Tampa Bay minor leaguers in his first game in almost two years.

Prospect Brandon Claussen, coming off elbow surgery last summer, also threw an inning on Monday. The left-hander could start the season in the extended spring training before joining Triple-A Columbus.

Little elects to sit Burkett

Burkett was injured in a similar game last spring and missed the first three weeks of the regular season. Little said Wednesday an outing could do more harm than good unless Burkett was completely prepared mentally.

"He needs the excitement of a big league game," Little said.

Little had been considering having Burkett throw a simulated game, instead, but said Burkett won't pitch until Monday.

Robert Person and Frank Castillo are slated to pitch Wednesday. Both are trying to make the Red Sox as relievers.

Charlton faces up to eight weeks of rehab

Charlton underwent shoulder surgery Monday in Seattle. Mariners medical director Dr. Larry Pedegana originally thought Charlton's injury was a tear in his anterior capsule, the front of his shoulder.

The 40-year-old left-hander missed last season after an operation in January 2002 to repair a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum.

Pedegana said he could not tell when Charlton sustained his latest injury, or if the pitcher will retire.

"I'm leaving that in his hands," Pedegana said.

Charlton was 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA and one save in 2001, when the Mariners tied the major league record with 116 wins.

He came to spring training with a minor league contract, attempting to win a job in the bullpen. Charlton felt pain when he attempted to throw hard, and didn't pitch in any games.

M's place C Wilson on DL

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Catcher Dan Wilson was placed on the disabled list Wednesday by the Seattle Mariners because of a strained internal oblique muscle on his left side.

Wilson was injured in batting practice on Feb. 28 and has had only one at-bat this spring. He is eligible to be activated April 5 against Texas.

Wilson, who will be 34 next Tuesday, has been the Mariners' opening-day catcher for the past eight seasons.

Vina looking to prove his worth

JUPITER, Fla. -- Fernando Vina's salary drive has already begun.

The St. Louis Cardinals have a $4 million option for next year on their leadoff hitter, and they're in no hurry to pick it up. Vina was criticized for a poor on-base percentage (.333) last year, the team shopped him during the offseason, and he and manager Tony La Russa exchanged barbs.

This spring, Vina has been at his best. He was batting a team-best .429 after getting two hits Wednesday against the Mets, and he's also acting more like a leadoff hitter by taking more pitches. The last five games, he's totaled nine hits.

"Since the day I got here, they know I'm not messing around," Vina said. "I think they've gotten the picture."

La Russa has been complimentary of Vina's approach.

"He came in with a good idea, and he's working on it," La Russa said. "He's got a real good stroke going, and he's a guy that if he gets going he stays on it."

Vina, 33, said there has been no discussion of an extension.

"You would think there would be," he said. "If it doesn't happen, I'll take my show somewhere else and play hard."

Vina's goals for this year include a .360 on-base percentage. That'll mean more than the 44 walks he drew last season, and a higher batting average than last year's .270. He did lead NL leadoff men with 54 RBIs.

Red Sox won't risk injury to Burkett

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little didn't want a repeat of last year, so he decided not to have starter John Burkett pitch in a Triple-A game Wednesday, Boston's only off day this spring.

Burkett was injured in a similar game last spring and missed the first three weeks of the regular season. Little said Wednesday an outing could do more harm than good unless Burkett was completely prepared mentally.

"He needs the excitement of a big league game," Little said.

Little had been considering having Burkett throw a simulated game, instead, but said Burkett won't pitch until Monday.

Robert Person and Frank Castillo are slated to pitch Wednesday. Both are trying to make the Red Sox as relievers.

Astros reassign three pitchers

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Houston Astros reassigned three pitchers, including right-handed knuckleballer Jared Fernandez, to their minor league camp Wednesday.

Right-handed pitchers Jonathan Johnson and Anthony Telford also were reassigned, leaving the Astros with 38 players in the major league camp.

Fernandez, trying to earn the fifth spot in the Astros rotation, allowed four runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout against the Florida Marlins on Tuesday. He got a late start this spring because of lower back problems that required three cortisone shots.

Against the Marlins, Fernandez threw 49 pitches, 29 for strikes.

 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.