Times wires
Friday, April 8, 2011
CHICAGO — Slugger Adam Dunn will probably miss more than the five games the White Sox initially expected as he recovers from an emergency appendectomy.
Dunn was out of the lineup for the third straight game Friday against Tampa Bay.
Manager Ozzie Guillen says he would rather lose a game than risk further injury by sending Dunn out to hit before he's fully healed. He also says Dunn is improving.
Dunn is hitting .286 in four games for the White Sox this season. He has one home run and five RBIs. Chicago signed the slugger to a four-year, $56 million contract in December.
Mariners rift: A week into the regular season, Jack Wilson's transition to second base is creating problems.
Wilson was out of the lineup Friday after drawing the ire of new manager Eric Wedge.
The veteran infielder pulled himself from Wednesday's loss after committing a pair of errors on consecutive potential inning-ending double plays that led to three Rangers runs.
After the game, Wedge attempted to cover for Wilson saying he was "hazy" and couldn't get straight after making the mistakes. But Wilson compounded the situation by saying it was Wedge's decision to pull him.
Wedge called the action "unspeakable."
Wedge said he and bench coach Robby Thompson tried to talk to Wilson after his two errors and persuade him to return to the game.
"I tried to protect Jack by saying he was a little bit hazy, but then he made mention that I took him out of the game. I did not take him out of the game," Wedge said. "He took himself out of the game."
Asked if this brings into question Wilson's future with the club, Wedge said, "I'm not going to speak anymore on it."
Braves: Former manager Bobby Cox threw out the first pitch to his successor, Fredi Gonzalez, before the home opener against the Phillies. Cox, wearing his No. 6 jersey over khaki pants and throwing the pitch a little wide, was fourth all time with 2,504 wins before retiring after last season. "I threw a four-seamer that sunk," Cox said.
Diamondbacks: Reliever Ron Mahay was signed to a minor-league contract and assigned to extended spring training.
Marlins: SS Hanley Ramirez left in the seventh inning in Houston with a bruised left leg and is day to day. Ramirez was trying to turn a double play when Bill Hall slid into his leg at second and Ramirez crumpled.
Rockies: 1B Todd Helton was scratched from the lineup because of a stiff lower back. He was replaced by Jason Giambi.
Twins: 2B Tsuyoshi Nishioka, taken out with a hard slide, will not need a cast or surgery for his broken fibula in his left leg. He will be on crutches until the pain subsides then begin rehab. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Yankees: 3B Alex Rodriguez homered against the Red Sox, giving him 616 for his career with 1,836 RBIs, passing Rafael Palmeiro and tying Ken Griffey Jr. for 13th on the all-time RBIs list.
Rangers-Orioles to play two: Steady rain hit the Baltimore area early in the day and never really let up. The teams will play a traditional doubleheader today starting at 4:30 p.m. Texas is 6-0 and Baltimore 5-1.
Bonds trial: The jury deliberating at the Barry Bonds trial in San Francisco reheard parts of a secretly recorded 2003 conversation between the slugger's trainer, Greg Anderson, and his ex-business partner Steve Hoskins. Prosecutors claim the men are discussing how Anderson injected Bonds with steroids. Bonds is accused of lying to a grand jury in 2003 when he said he never took performance-enhancing drugs and no one but his doctors gave him an injection. Deliberations will continue Monday. Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered Anderson's release from prison. He had been cited for contempt of court and imprisoned March 22 for refusing to testify.