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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The extent of Troy Patton's shoulder injury will not be revealed until he receives a detailed examination later this week. The resignation in his voice Monday, however, suggested the Baltimore Orioles left-hander probably won't pitch again until 2009.
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Patton has experienced shoulder stiffness since reporting to spring training, and he stopped a sideline session Sunday after throwing only 10 pitches. He met with Dr. John Wilckens, the team orthopedist, on Monday and was ordered to go to Baltimore for an arthrogram, a procedure in which dye is injected into the shoulder.
An earlier MRI exam proved inconclusive, although all signs are pointing toward a torn labrum. Patton hoped to work through the injury, but now his only options are cortisone shots or season-ending surgery.
"Even if it does end the season, I can bounce back and be effective next year; work my butt off this offseason and come back," he said. "I'm 22 years old, I have a lot of bounce-back ability. I recover quick."
Patton was one of five players to the Orioles received in the December trade that sent Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros. Although he has only three games of major league experience, Patton was considered the top candidate for the final spot in Baltimore's five-man rotation.
But there were concerns about his arm. Patton developed left biceps tendinitis last September and stopped pitching after three starts. Andy MacPhail, who worked the trade with Houston, knew all along that there was a probability that Patton might not pitch this season because the Astros made no effort to hide his medical history. Full story
Dodgers' flight to China delayed
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers' trip to China next week will be delayed by a day.
Originally scheduled to make the long flight to Beijing on Monday, the team will depart from Orlando the following day because the original charter company contracted by Major League Baseball didn't receive approval to land in China before its deadline.
Now, the Dodgers will bus to Orlando on Monday and spend the night before departing on another charter.
Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said the team will arrive about 20 hours later than originally scheduled.
Crosby scratched with back spasms
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby was dropped from the starting lineup for an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels due to back spasms.
Crosby, who missed the final two months of 2006 with a fractured vertebrae in his back, was working out with the team in the morning when he started experiencing tightness.
"His upper back spasmed up a little bit while he was taking grounders," said manager Bob Geren, who spoke with assistant general manager David Forst for nearly 10 minutes before talking to reporters. "He's OK. It's no big deal."
Crosby has not played a full season since being voted AL Rookie of the Year in 2004. The 28-year-old played through rib and ankle fractures in 2005, missed 66 games in 2006 with the fractured vertebrae in his back, then sat out the final 62 games last season with a broken left hand after being hit by a fastball from the Angels' Justin Speier on July 24.
Crosby hit a career-low .226 last year with eight homer and 31 RBI.
Owings skips start
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Micah Owings skipped a scheduled start because of a sore shoulder.
"Right now I'm just nipping it so I'll be ready to go here shortly," Owings said after he was scratched from his start against Colorado.
Owings said he has had soreness in the back of the shoulder before and that he's confident it will subside soon.
"That's why I'm not too concerned about it," Owings said.
