By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer; Times wires
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
PORT CHARLOTTE — The Phillies survived a major scare Wednesday as RHP Roy Oswalt was apparently okay after being hit just below the right ear by a line drive from the Rays' Manny Ramirez.
Oswalt went down quickly when Ramirez's fourth-inning drive struck him, but he walked off the field on his own and rode, in his own truck, to an area hospital, where X-rays and a CT scan were negative.
"When he got up, he was okay," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He just kind of grinned. He got up and said he was all right."
A Phillies spokesman said Oswalt — a key member of the team's vaunted rotation — never lost consciousness and didn't experience any dizziness but did say he had a contusion (bruise).
Charlotte Sports Park went silent after the incident, with Phillies personnel rushing to the mound and Rays players watching intently from the dugout.
"Oh my gosh, I was tripping. Anytime a pitcher is hit, especially close to the head … " Rays starter James Shields said. "I'll tell you right now, he's one of the toughest guys I know getting up and walking off. … It was scary — my neck was hurting after that."
Jays: Starter to DL
TAMPA — Blue Jays RHP Brandon Morrow will start the season on the disabled list with right forearm inflammation.
Morrow felt discomfort during a bullpen session, and an MRI exam revealed the injury. He's expected to miss only one start.
Morrow, 26, was 10-7 with a 4.49 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 1461/3 innings in last year. He got within an out of no-hitting the Rays on Aug. 8.
TOP PROSPECT TO WAIT: INF Brett Lawrie was reassigned to minor-league camp and will likely head to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Yanks: Good news
TAMPA — The Yankees are hopeful that CF Curtis Granderson will be ready to go when the season begins.
Granderson "felt pretty good" a day after straining his right oblique, manager Joe Girardi told ESPN.com. Granderson sat out Wednesday night's game against the Blue Jays.
"I believe that there's a chance that he's going to play opening day,'' Girardi told the website.
VEEP VISITS: Vice President Joe Biden visited the Yankees' spring camp, spending about 30 minutes on the third-base side while players took defensive drills.
Information from Times wires was used in this report.