Schilling Goes to the Head of Class-A Ball

Making his third start while rehabilitating from shoulder surgery, Philadelphia pitcher Curt Schilling threw five shutout innings Saturday night for the class-A Clearwater Phillies.

Schilling gave up one hit, one walk and hit a batter against the Brevard County Manatees. He struck out seven in a 79-pitch outing. His fastball topped out at 94 mph.

“It still is just a matter of getting the innings in and today I would have liked to stretch it out to six innings, but I threw too many pitches early,” Schilling said.

Schilling has one more start for Clearwater on Friday against the St. Petersburg Devil Rays.

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New York Met Manager Bobby Valentine talked himself into a controversy, but apparently talked his way back out of it in a meeting with General Manager Steve Phillips.

Phillips said he and Valentine met Friday night to discuss the comments the manager made about Met management while speaking to a group of graduate students at the Wharton School of Business.

According to a post on the Internet, Valentine was critical of several personnel decisions. Among them were the Mets’ signing of Todd Zeile to replace John Olerud at first base and the acquisition of Derek Bell to play right field.

Valentine said his comments were misrepresented.

In a conference call, Met chairman Fred Wilpon denied there was any discussion of firing Valentine over the issue.

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Rusty Greer will be out 4-6 weeks after the Texas Rangers decided he would have surgery today to remove bone spurs in his right ankle. Texas purchased Jason McDonald from Oklahoma of the Pacific Coast League to replace Greer, then designated pitcher Brian Sikorski for assignment. . . . The knee injury Oakland’s Jason Giambi suffered Friday night isn’t as severe as first feared and the first baseman could be out only a game or two. . . . Detroit put second baseman Damion Easley on the 15-day disabled list, opening a spot for pitcher Jeff Weaver, who started Saturday against Tampa Bay. Easley, whose disabled status is retroactive to Monday, strained his ribcage while swinging at a pitch April 9 in Baltimore. . . . San Diego center fielder Ruben Rivera was put on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 12, with what the club is calling tendinitis in his left wrist.