Texas Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock had arthroscopic surgery on his sore right shoulder Monday. If all goes well in his recovery, Blalock could start throwing again in six weeks. He will do his rehab at his offseason home in San Diego.
• The federal prosecutor overseeing an investigation of steroids in baseball said a newspaper report that five players, including Roger Clemens, had used illegal performance-enhancing drugs contained "significant inaccuracies." Citing sealed court filings, the Los Angeles Times reported that former pitcher Jason Grimsley had named Clemens, his Houston Astros teammate Andy Pettitte, and Baltimore Orioles Miguel Tejada, Brian Roberts and Jay Gibbons. San Francisco U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan issued a statement, saying: "In view of the recent news reports purporting to identify certain athletes whose names had been redacted from the government's search warrant filings in the Grimsley matter, and in the interests of justice, please be advised that these reports contain significant inaccuracies."
• If Barry Bonds is back with the San Francisco Giants next season, and that still seems to be a big if, owner Peter Magowan said the slugger will not be the centerpiece of the roster any longer.
"I think we need to go in a new direction," Magowan said. "We have for a long time had a strategy that has worked well until the last two years, when it hasn't worked so well. The strategy has been one of having a great player -- maybe the greatest player in the game -- at the centerpiece and filling in with veteran players."
• Pete Rose says he took "greenies" in his playing days, if only to lose a few pounds. Oh, and he doesn't bet on baseball anymore, but if he did, he'd pick the Twins and the Padres. In an appearance on the "Late Show," Rose was asked by host David Letterman whether he ever used any performance-enhancing drugs as a player. Rose said he never did, but when prodded about "greenies," explained that he used them -- though they were nothing more than "diet pills."
Digits
18 - years since the Detroit Tigers participated in the major-league playoffs.
