Injury Bug Bites Devil Rays Again

Seems like last year for the Devil Rays.

Tampa Bay, which put a major league-high 18 players on the disabled list last season, put two on the DL Friday.

In moves retroactive to March 25, the Devil Rays put pitcher Wilson Alvarez (shoulder tendinitis) and infielder Damian Rolls (right shoulder) on the list.

Third baseman Vinny Castilla, who has been out the last two weeks because of a strained abdominal muscle, also is expected to start the season on the disabled list.

“It’s frustrating,” Manager Larry Rothschild said. “There’s nothing I can do.”

Alvarez will throw in the bullpen today and may face hitters next week.

Castilla had hoped to take batting practice Friday, but the session was canceled.

“I don’t think he’ll be able to get ready,” Rothschild said.

The injury list grew even longer Friday when starting pitcher Esteban Yan left after two innings with a right foreman bruise after being hit by a line drive.

In another move, the Devil Rays released left-handed pitcher Norm Charlton from his triple-A contract.

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Outfielder Lance Johnson, cut by the Cleveland Indians earlier this week, signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.

Johnson, 36, hit .281 with two runs batted in, two triples and two doubles in 21 games this spring before Cleveland cut him Wednesday.

Last year, he hit .260 for the Chicago Cubs with six triples, one homer, 21 RBIs and 13 steals in 95 games.

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The Atlanta Braves decided that 19-year-old infielder Rafael Furcal, who stole 96 bases last year in Class A, is ready for the major leagues.

The Braves released veteran shortstop Ozzie Guillen in favor of the switch-hitting Furcal, who has stolen 171 bases in 242 minor league games.

Guillen, who left the clubhouse without commenting, had said earlier if he were cut, he would retire and return to his home in Venezuela.

The Braves also released 14-year veteran pitcher Paul Assenmacher, who began his career in 1986 with Atlanta.

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Canada’s French and English all-sports cable networks announced that they will not televise Montreal Expo games this season.

Gerry Frappier, the president of the French-language Reseau des Sports, said he would leave room in the summer schedule for some Expo games if an agreement is reached during the season.

The announcement, which also covers English broadcasts on TSN, leaves the Expos with no television coverage in any language and no English radio broadcasts this season.

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Fans streaming into sold-out Pacific Bell Park for the San Francisco Giants’ exhibition game Friday night gave mixed reviews of their experiences getting there.

John Lewis said he survived a “mind-numbing train ride. It was totally overfilled,” said Lewis, who rode about 35 miles from San Carlos aboard Caltrain. The train was so crowded that it couldn’t take on any more passengers as it neared the city.

Caltrain expected to transport 4,000 fans from the cities south of San Francisco, using extra trains with double-decker cars. One train was 40 minutes late.

City officials were counting on buses, ferries, trains and streetcars to avoid a transportation nightmare for the game between the Giants and Milwaukee Brewers.

“The key is public transit. That’s what’s going to make this ballpark work,” said Ken Harrington, Mayor Willie Brown’s troubleshooter on stadium issues. “Leave your car at home.”

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Mark McGwire’s sore back felt good enough for him to be in the St. Louis Cardinals’ starting lineup Friday night, but he was scratched after batting practice. McGwire should be fine for opening day Monday. He homered Thursday in the Cardinals’ final Florida game of the spring, giving him seven homers and 21 RBIs in 52 at-bats. . . . X-rays showed no damage to the right elbow of Texas Ranger catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who was hit by a pitch Thursday night in an exhibition game against double-A Tulsa. Rodriguez felt strong enough to start Friday night against St. Louis. . . . Richie Sexson bruised his right knee in a collision with the left-field wall in the Cleveland Indians’ 10-8 win over Minnesota at Winter Haven, Fla. X-rays were negative. “I’m fine. My kneecap just kind of slid out a little bit,” Sexson said. “It was painful, like running into concrete.”