Snow Out Indefinitely With Fractured Eye Socket

J.T. Snow fractured his lower left eye socket when he was struck in the face by a pitch from Seattle’s Randy Johnson, and there was no word when he might returns. Giant General Manager Brian Sabean said he doubted Snow would be ready for the Giants’ season opener against Pittsburgh on April 1.

Snow, hospitalized in Scottsdale, Ariz., after suffering the injury Tuesday, was released Wednesday. However, his vision remained blurred because of severe swelling around the eye.

Surgery has not been ruled out.

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Terry Pendleton had knee surgery in Vail, Colo., a double setback for the third baseman: He won’t be on the Cincinnati Reds’ opening-day roster and he won’t be able to exercise his option to become a free agent before March 24, since no team likely is interested in acquiring a player with a bad knee. . . . The Cleveland Indians signed catcher Sandy Alomar to a two-year contract extension, three weeks after passing on a club option for the 1998 season. Financial terms were not disclosed . . . . Test results on the strained right shoulder of New York Met shortstop Rey Ordonez and the strained elbow of right-hander Armando Reynoso did not detect any serious damage. Ordonez will miss at least one week and Reynoso is day-to-day. . . . The San Diego Padres are now considering offers for Hideki Irabu from about 10 teams, the latest from the Cincinnati Reds, who reportedly have offered a package of players. One report had the Reds offering Pete Schourek, but a source said the Padres weren’t interested in the left-hander.