BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Cone Has Surgery to Repair Aneurysm

David Cone had shoulder surgery to repair an aneurysm, but it’s still unclear if the New York Yankees’ ace will pitch again this season.

After the three-hour operation, Manager Joe Torre said he’s not counting on Cone returning this year.

“That’s the only fair way to go about it,” Torre said. “We have to deal with reality. I don’t want to tease the ballclub.”

Doctors said Cone should be able to pitch again at some point. Yankee physician Stuart Hershon said more than half a dozen times that the team wouldn’t give a timetable for Cone’s return and he interrupted questions to vascular surgeon George Todd any time the subject was raised.

“If he comes back to pitch next year, that’s fine. If he comes back this year, it’s a bonus,” Torre said.

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Kevin Elster will remain the Texas Rangers’ starting shortstop, even after “shortstop of the future” Benji Gil recovers from back surgery. Manager Johnny Oates said Elster earned the job with a month of sterling defense and one of the hottest offensive spells of his career. . . . Florida Marlin outfielder Andre Dawson will undergo knee surgery for the 12th time and is expected to be sidelined four weeks. . . . Reliever Joe Boever, signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates to a minor league contact last week only to be promoted to the majors the following day, was designated for reassignment. Boever, 35, was 0-0 with a 9.53 ERA in five appearances with Pittsburgh. . . . There has been little change in the condition of Minnesota Twin outfielder Kirby Puckett, who has been out all season because of blurred vision in his right eye caused by glaucoma, General Manager Terry Ryan said.