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CHICAGO -- Jim Edmonds insisted he's healthy and can perform at a high level. The Chicago Cubs are giving him a chance to prove it, and his first opportunity came against his former team, the San Diego Padres.
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"I've got a lot left," Edmonds said Thursday before his first game with the Cubs. "I feel my body's in as good a shape as it's been in in six, seven years. We'll just see what happens."
Six days after being released by San Diego, Edmonds started in center field and batted sixth against the Padres. He figures to platoon with Reed Johnson, who has played well.
"It's sort of an awkward situation right now," said Edmonds, who agreed with Chicago on Wednesday. "I've never been in this situation before. ... They sounded like they wanted me. It seemed like a really good fit for me. Hopefully, I can just come in and help the team. That's all I'm really trying to do. Whatever they need, I'll do it for them."
An eight-time Gold Glove and four-time All-Star, the 37-year-old Edmonds strained his right calf in a spring training game on March 6 and started the season on the disabled list. He was activated on April 5 and batted .178 in 26 games with one home run and six RBI -- well below his .286 career average.
Edmonds had an $8 million salary this year, which is being mostly paid by San Diego. The Padres received $2 million from the St. Louis Cardinals when they acquired Edmonds on Dec. 15 for minor league third baseman David Freese. Chicago will pay Edmonds a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum, which comes to about $290,000. Full story
A-Rod ready for extended spring games
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to play in the first of three extended spring training games on Saturday.
A-Rod hasn't seen game action since April 28 because of a strained right quadriceps. He hopes to rejoin the team Tuesday.
Before New York's game against Tampa Bay, he ran the bases for the first time since going on the disabled list.
"We have one more day tomorrow to see how my body is going to react," Rodriguez said. "Saturday, Sunday, Monday, play, and then hopefully tee it up Tuesday."
Sheffield returns to DH duties
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Gary Sheffield lasted only five games as a left fielder, shifting to designated hitter when the Detroit Tigers faced the Kansas City Royals.
Sheffield, who did not play Wednesday, had right shoulder surgery during the offseason to repair a labral tear. His throwing remains restricted.
"I know his shoulder isn't right, and I didn't think it's made any better by playing the outfield," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "By his own admission, he can barely lob the ball in. We can't go on worrying if he can make a throw or if he'll have to make a throw. I can't really justify that. It's a very awkward situation with nobody really to blame. It's just one of those things."
Sheffield entered with a .202 average, two home runs and eight RBI. He has been a DH in 25 games.
Braves' Jones (sore groin) sits
PHILADELPHIA -- Major league batting leader Chipper Jones was held out of the Atlanta Braves' starting lineup at Philadelphia because of a sore groin.
Jones had two hits in the Braves' 8-6 victory against Philadelphia on Wednesday, raising his average to .418. He winced in his final at-bat in the ninth inning and was to be replaced in Thursday's starting lineup by Omar Infante.
Jones has hit safely in 32 of 37 games and ranks second in the major leagues in on-base percentage (.479) and slugging percentage (.705). He is the first qualifying hitter with a .400 average as late as May 14 since 1994, when the Yankees' Paul O'Neill was hitting .461 on that date and San Diego's Tony Gwynn was batting .419.
Padres send Prior for shoulder checkup
CHICAGO -- San Diego Padres pitcher Mark Prior was in Birmingham, Ala., to have his surgically repaired right shoulder examined by Dr. James Andrews.
The Padres will wait a few days before making any determinations on the former Chicago Cubs ace, but it's doubtful Prior will be able to return to the majors by San Diego's target date of June 1.
"We'll know more probably over the weekend or maybe into early next week about the plan for Mark as we move into the summer," manager Bud Black said.
When Prior felt discomfort in his shoulder at extended spring training in Arizona last week, he was sent back to San Diego for an MRI exam.
Nats 1B Johnson on DL, Young ready to return
NEW YORK -- Washington Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist.
He is expected to miss four to six weeks. Washington plans to activate first baseman Dmitri Young from the DL on Friday.
Young went on the disabled list April 8, retroactive to April 3, with a lower back sprain. He had been on a rehab assignment at Double-A Harrisburg.
Johnson was injured on a swing late in Tuesday night's game.
Brewers' Riske goes on DL
MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers put reliever David Riske on the 15-day disabled list because of a hyperextended right elbow and purchased the contract of journeyman minor league pitcher Mark DiFelice.
Riske hurt himself in the eighth inning of Wednesday night's 6-4 loss to the Dodgers and immediately left the game. He declined later to talk to reporters.
Riske, who signed a three-year, $13 million contract in the offseason, is 0-1 with one save and a 4.71 ERA in 18 appearances.
Cautious Giants put Valdez on DL
SAN FRANCISCO -- Merkin Valdez is almost two years out from reconstructive right elbow surgery, so the San Francisco Giants aren't about to take a risk with his health now.
The Giants placed the hard-throwing righty reliever on the disabled list with a strained elbow on his throwing arm, which isn't believed to be related to his surgery on Sept. 27, 2006.
He was slated for an MRI exam.
Valdez wasn't available for several days late last week because of tightness in his arm, said he was much better, then felt some discomfort again after he made his latest relief appearance Monday night against the Houston Astros.
Twins' Gomez has flu, sits
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins center fielder Carlos Gomez was slowed by the flu and out of the lineup against Toronto.
Gomez told manager Ron Gardenhire he could play, but the decision was made to let him rest and keep him available as a late-game sub for running or fielding purposes.
Batting .272 with 22 runs, 12 extra-base hits, 14 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 147 at-bats, Gomez has provided plenty of production and excitement as Minnesota's new leadoff man. He recently became the first Twins player to hit for the cycle in nearly 22 years.
Rays unveil ballpark plan
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays baseball executives unveiled a $450 million financing plan for a 34,000-seat waterfront ballpark.
Team executives are counting on the sale of their current home, Tropicana Field, the continuation of a hotel bed tax and $55 million in parking revenues over the life of the new stadium.
Rays president Matthew Silverman said the project would generate $900 million in tax revenues over three decades, redevelop the blighted area around the current stadium and create thousands of construction jobs. The ballpark could open in 2012.
"We see these projects combined as a $1.2 billion economic stimulus engine," Silverman said. "It could be the largest project in the history of St. Petersburg."
