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Sirotka May Be Out for Season

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From Staff and Wire Reports

Mike Sirotka, traded to the Toronto Blue Jays by the Chicago White Sox last month in a deal for David Wells, has a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder and could sit out the entire season.

Sirotka will be examined Tuesday by Dr. James Andrews before a final decision is made on how to repair the labrum, the edge of a structure in the shoulder joint.

The Blue Jays acquired the left-handed Sirotka on Jan. 14 as part of a six-player deal. While it is unlikely the trade would be rescinded, the Blue Jays could try to seek something else from the White Sox.

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“Clearly some compensation is in order,” Toronto General Manager Gord Ash said. “This tear is categorically old.”

But Chicago General Manager Ken Williams said the White Sox honored their obligation and made any and all information they had about Sirotka available to the Blue Jays.

“Both sides have assumed a certain amount of risk in making this trade,” Williams said in a statement. “Ideally, both teams are satisfied by a trade. Obviously, pending Tuesday’s exam, Toronto has expressed concern.

“However, unless we are advised otherwise by the commissioner’s office, we have no reason to believe that this trade is anything but a completed deal.”

White Sox doctors examined Sirotka in January and found inflammation in the shoulder, Williams said. But the problem didn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary; Sirotka has had to be shut down the past two springs.

Still, Williams said he advised the Blue Jays that Sirotka was having some shoulder stiffness. He was examined Jan. 19 in Florida by Blue Jays’ consulting physician Steve Mirabello, who found a tight capsule in the shoulder but no instability.

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An MRI confirmed the diagnosis, and Mirabello recommended stretching and rehab. The Blue Jays had expected Sirotka to be ready for opening day.

But when Sirotka visited Toronto this week and said it wasn’t any better, he was examined by Dr. Tony Miniaci. An MRI taken at a different angle showed a complete tear of the labrum.

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KTLA Channel 5 will broadcast 55 Dodger games this season, including five exhibition games and 18 home games, highlighted by opening day at Dodger Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 2.

Among the other games on the schedule are 11 against the San Francisco Giants and five each against the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.

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Eric Milton agreed to a four-year, $21-million deal with Minnesota. Milton, a left-hander, was 13-10 with a 4.86 earned-run average last season. . . . Texas outfielder Gabe Kapler, who had a 28-game hitting streak last season, signed a three-year, $5.6-million contract with the Rangers. . . . Former Angel catcher Matt Walbeck agreed to a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds and was invited to spring training.

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Arizona catcher Damian Miller won his salary arbitration case, getting a raise from $330,000 to $1.25 million. The Diamondbacks had offered $850,000 to Miller, who batted .275 last season with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. . . . The Angels agreed to contract terms with pitchers Bart Miadich and Scot Shields, infielders Larry Barnes and David Eckstein and outfielder Elpidio Guzman.

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