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Dodgers' Brown out four weeks

 
Published July 17, 2001|Updated Sept. 10, 2005

Dodgers ace Kevin Brown has a severe sprain in his pitching elbow and is expected to be sidelined at least four weeks.

"The club is optimistic that Kevin will be on the mound sometime in August," team spokesman John Olguin said Monday in announcing the extent of an injury Brown sustained a day earlier.

Brown, who became baseball's first $100-million player 2{ years ago, told manager Jim Tracy he couldn't continue after the fifth inning of the Dodgers' 4-2 victory in Pittsburgh. He returned to Los Angeles after the game for an MRI and an examination by team physician Frank Jobe.

The team already has lost two members of the starting rotation for the season, right-handers Andy Ashby and Darren Dreifort.

RIJO FRUSTRATED: Jose Rijo is considering ending his comeback if the Reds make him stay in the minors. "Without offending anybody, I've got good stuff," said the 36-year-old right-hander, who has made three minor-league starts in his comeback attempt. "I'm not going to be a superstar, but I'm going to be doing better than other people here."

BRAVES: Right-hander John Smoltz, disabled since June 10 with a sore elbow, left for a four-day rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Greenville. Right-hander Kevin Millwood, disabled since May 7 with an inflamed labrum and a cyst in his right shoulder, is scheduled to start Friday against Montreal.

BREWERS: Outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds, disabled since June 7 with a strained right shoulder, began a rehabilitation assignment in the Arizona Rookie League on Sunday and was 1-for-3.

CARDINALS: Outfielder J.D. Drew, out with a broken right leg since June 17, is scheduled for X-rays Friday, when trainer Barry Weinberg hopes he'll be cleared to start working out.

CUBS: Outfielder Rondell White went back on the 15-day disabled list after aggravating his strained left groin.

EXPOS: Right-hander Tony Armas Jr. had an MRI exam on his sore left knee. Results weren't known.

INDIANS: Outfielder Ellis Burks will be out for at least six or seven days after sustaining a hairline fracture of his right thumb Sunday when he was hit by a pitch.

MARINERS: All-Star designated hitter Edgar Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps.

METS: Left-hander Bobby M. Jones, disabled since March 20, is considering season-ending surgery to tighten the capsule on his pitching shoulder.

PADRES: Outfielder Tony Gwynn was scratched with swelling in his right knee.

RANGERS: Leftfielder Rusty Greer, disabled since June 12 with a strained left hamstring, is set to join Double-A Tulsa on Wednesday for a rehab assignment.

RED SOX: Right-hander Bret Saberhagen allowed five hits and one run in 3 innings in a rehabilitation appearance for Double-A Trenton on Sunday. His next start is scheduled for Saturday for Triple-A Pawtucket.

WHITE SOX: Former Rays slugger Jose Canseco started in the outfield for the first time this season, getting the nod in right. Canseco has been lobbying manager Jerry Manuel for more playing time and shagging fly balls in the outfield during batting practice.

YANKEES: After a sloppy loss Sunday, manager Joe Torre lashed out at his team in a closed-door meeting that lasted more than 20 minutes. Torre didn't say much after the game but was more specific a day later. "It wasn't a punishment. I was just telling them what I saw," he said. "They weren't happy about yesterday. They weren't satisfied. They have experienced the winning. They know what it feels like." Designated hitter David Justice (left groin) has started soft-toss hitting in the batting cage in Tampa...The players union is expected to file a grievance on behalf of Cuban third baseman Andy Morales over the team's effort to void his contract because of an alleged age discrepancy. A lawyer working on behalf of Morales said the grievance could be filed today. Since Morales signed a four-year, $4.5-million major-league contract in March, the team says it has found evidence he was born in 1971, not 1974 as he claimed.

_ TIMES WIRES