Ryan on Road to Recovery

The pain in his chest was so strong, so overbearing that Nolan Ryan had to lie down. Right there, on the field of the stadium of the minor league baseball team that he owns in Round Rock, Texas.

Ryan thought he might be dying.

“That is one of those times that you don’t know if it is your time or not,” he said. “That’s where you find the strength in your faith. I thought I was going to die out there laying on that ground.”

Ryan, 53, on Friday made one of his first public appearances since emergency double bypass heart surgery April 23. Ryan was at the Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, posing for pictures and speaking with more than 40 people taking part in a Ranger fantasy camp.

The Hall of Famer said his recovery is going well.

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Former Cincinnati Red first baseman Tony Perez, 58, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in July, will have his No. 24 jersey retired today. . . . Philadelphia closer Mike Jackson had shoulder surgery and will be sidelined for the season. The 35-year-old right-hander had been on the disabled list since March 31 with a shoulder strain. He was throwing batting practice last week when he felt discomfort in the shoulder again. . . . The Chicago Cubs placed shortstop Ricky Gutierrez on the 15-day disabled list. Gutierrez has a separated right shoulder. . . . The New York Yankees activated left-handed reliever Allen Watson from the 15-day disabled list and sent rookie pitcher Darrell Einertson to triple-A Columbus (Ohio). Watson has not pitched for the Yankees since April 22 because of a strained muscle in his left side. . . . Cleveland reliever Paul Shuey will have exploratory arthroscopic surgery in San Francisco on his right hip Tuesday. Shuey has a torn labrum in his hip.