Third baseman Aramis Ramirez started a third consecutive game on his injured right ankle and shouldn’t expect to come out of the lineup anytime soon, Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said Tuesday. “He has to understand that real good players play when they’re not at their best,” McClendon said. “He’s not at his best now, but the team needs him. Sometimes, it takes younger players longer to realize that. Nobody is 100 percent for the whole year.” Last week, McClendon gave Ramirez a few days off, hoping the rest would benefit his ankle. But McClendon was told by the team’s medical personnel that it will take six to eight weeks for Ramirez’s ankle to fully heal. That is why the Pirates haven’t placed him on the 15-day disabled list. “From the medical reports, there will be gradual improvement before he’s 100 percent,” McClendon said. “He’s 80 to 85 percent now. He’ll get that 15 to 20 percent back eventually, but it will take time.” Despite Ramirez’s problems — he was batting .200 with four homers and 20 RBI entering last night’s game against the Oakland Athletics — he hasn’t asked McClendon to keep him off the diamond. “It’s frustrating for him,” McClendon said. “There are emotions and physical limitations he has to deal with. If he deals with them the right way, that will make him a better player.” GILES NOT LEAVING It came as news to outfielder Brian Giles that he was going to be traded to the Cleveland Indians. A report this past weekend claimed that the trade was on the verge of completion until Indians ownership nixed it because they didn’t want to take on Giles’ contract. “They’re not one of the six teams on my list, so I don’t know why anybody would think I was going there,” Giles said. Giles has a limited no trade clause in his contract. The Pirates can trade him to the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks without his approval. He must agree to a trade with any other team. Giles said the Pirates never approached his agent about any deal with the Indians. “That’s the good thing about the clause, I can control where I go,” he said. “But I’m not looking to go anywhere.” FEELING HIS PAIN Catcher Jason Kendall can sympathize with Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Geoff Jenkins, who tore ligaments in his right ankle Monday night while sliding into third base. “It brought back memories of something I don’t want to go through again,” Kendall said. When Kendall watched the replays of Jenkins’ injury, it took him back to July 4, 1999, when he severely dislocated his right ankle. “If there’s one good thing to come out of this, it’s that he did it at almost the same time of year as me,” Kendall said. “It gave me three months of the season and four months of the off-season to get ready.” Kendall and Jenkins have the same agent, Dan Lozano of the Beverly Hills Sports Council. Kendall plans to call Jenkins in a few days when the pain has subsided. “When it happened to me, I was so drugged up at first that I didn’t know who was calling me,” Kendall said. “I got a call from Mark McGwire, but I was on so much morphine, it could have been Kermit the Frog for all I knew.” EXHAUSTING HIS OPTIONS Pitcher Dave Williams hasn’t ruled out having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. But he won’t make a decision until after beginning a throwing program next week. “If the same pain occurs, I will have surgery,” he said. After receiving a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, Williams decided to follow a conservative strength and conditioning approach instead of having an operation. He had a cortisone injection June 20 and won’t pick up a baseball for eight more days. Williams has been doing exercises geared toward strengthening his rotator cuff. “This is the way they used to do it for pitchers because this surgery was available,” Williams said. “I’ve been told I can pitch with a tear (in the labrum) if my rotator cuff is strong enough. If it doesn’t work, strengthening the rotator cuff will help me going into surgery.” If Williams has surgery, it would set him back between four and six months. “Either way, I’m done for the season if I have the surgery now, or then,” Williams said. “Either way, it won’t cut into my spring training next year.” INJURY INFO Outfielder Armando Rios continues to rehabilitate a right calf injury and won’t begin running until this weekend. That means the earliest he would begin an injury rehab assignment in the minor leagues would be next week. Rios indicated he will begin hitting in a cage this week. “I’m itching to do more,” he said. Pitcher Josias Manzanillo pitched batting practice before the game. He came away frustrated with his velocity although he admitted his command had improved. “Everything seems to be in place and I was around the plate, but I’m not satisfied yet,” Manzanillo said. “I don’t see the strength in my fastball. I don’t like it.” Pitcher Ryan Vogelsong threw 48 pitches in an intrasquad game at the minor-league complex in Bradenton, Fla. “He said he felt great,” Biggerstaff said. Vogelsong is scheduled to throw either 60 pitches or four innings Sunday in another intrasquad game. UNTIMELY HONOR Catcher Craig Wilson was flattered to be selected as the National League player of the week, but he wasn’t sure what he would do with the engraved watch he is scheduled to receive. “My wife gave me a watch as a wedding gift,” said Wilson, who was married in February. “But I guess you could always use another one.” Wilson was selected after going 12 for 24 with four homers, one double, 12 RBI and six runs scored in six games.

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