Ventura Has Broken Leg

When they showed the replays of Robin Ventura wrecking his right ankle and leg, sportscasters warned viewers that what they were about to see was graphic.

“Just to see him laying helpless like that, that’s tough to take,” Chicago White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas said. “These kinds of things happen all the time in sports, but when it happens so close to home, it’s not fun to see.”

Indeed, it was so severe that it caused a woman in the ballpark to faint and prompted Ventura’s teammates to prevent his wife, Stephanie, from seeing it up close.

The All-Star third baseman dislocated his right ankle and suffered a compound fracture of his leg when he slid into home plate Friday night during an exhibition game against Boston.

Ventura underwent surgery until early Saturday and will be sidelined for at least three months.

Ventura’s leg was put in a cast and he will not be able to put weight on it for six weeks. He’s then expected to rejoin the team and begin rehabilitation.

Chris Snopek, who has played only 68 games in the major leagues, will take Ventura’s place.

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The San Diego Padres cleared up any questions about second base when they traded Jody Reed to the Detroit Tigers for two minor leaguers.

Reed, the Padres’ starting second baseman the last two seasons, entered camp knowing the club had acquired 25-year-old second baseman Quilvio Veras in the off-season. But Reed, 34, was determined to hold onto his job, batting .323 with two home runs in 31 spring at-bats.

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Concerned about the condition of shortstop Rey Ordonez’s sore shoulder, the New York Mets acquired infielders Manny Alexander and Scott McClain from the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Hector Ramirez. . . . New York Yankee Manager Joe Torre named Wade Boggs as the team’s starting third baseman over Charlie Hayes. Boggs has a .421 average with two homers this spring. Hayes has struggled, hitting .226.