Cubs pitcher Rusch out for season with blood clot

Associated Press

Thursday, September 14, 2006

CHICAGO - Cubs reliever Glendon Rusch was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung and will miss the rest of the season. A team trainer said the condition was not life-threatening.

Rusch was sent to Northwestern Memorial Hospital during Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"He is out of danger," Cubs trainer Mark O'Neal said.

O'Neal said the clot could have been life threatening if it had not been diagnosed in time.

"This was caught early and obviously we are very thankful that we didn't sit on it and that he was evaluated last night," O'Neal said.

MARINERS PITCHER OUT: Mariners reliever Rafael Soriano will not pitch again this season, the result of being hit in the head by Vladimir Guerrero's line drive two weeks ago.

Soriano's third CT scan was deemed normal Wednesday by Dr. Rich Ellenbogen, chief of neurosurgery at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, and Dr. Stan Herring. Herring is a Seattle Seahawks team physician who specializes in head trauma injuries.

Soriano still has minor headaches and is unable to perform physical activity. The right-hander will be monitored the remainder of the season by the Mariners' medical staff.

PETTITTE HURTING: Astros left-hander Andy Pettitte had a cortisone injection in his elbow, a day after leaving a game in the third inning.

Pettitte returned to Houston a day ahead of the team to be with his father, who was undergoing a surgical procedure. He also underwent an MRI exam that team doctors said revealed tendinitis in the elbow.

GIANTS RELIEVER OUT: Giants closer Armando Benitez is done for the season with inflammation in his right knee.

The Giants said they would place the right-hander on the 60-day disabled list today, after the club said Tuesday it hoped he could come back before the end of the year.

RIZZUTO AUCTION: Phil Rizzuto, the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, had his Most Valuable Player Award from the 1950 season sold at auction for $175,000.

Rizzuto, 88, took the honor after hitting .324 with seven home runs and 66 RBI to help the Yankees to the second of five straight World Series titles.