Broken Hand Puts Drew on Sidelines

J.D. Drew of the St. Louis Cardinals will be sidelined four to six weeks because of a broken right hand, caused when he was hit by a pitch Sunday.

Drew was off to the best start of his career with 21 home runs, 49 runs batted in and a .330 average. He was struck in the third inning by David Wells of the Chicago White Sox and played another inning before being replaced for a pinch-hitter in the fifth of the Cardinals’ series-sweeping 8-3 victory at St. Louis.

“From the middle of the game on, it was tough to enjoy because we got the news,” Manager Tony La Russa said.

Drew, 25, homered Saturday night and had his fifth three-hit game of the season. He batted .500 (15 for 30) in a seven-game hitting streak that ended Sunday.

“He was really on fire,” teammate Albert Pujols said.

Boston Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams would not confirm that he turned down a one-year contract extension to manage the club, saying he was only interested in what happens with the team this season.

The Boston Globe reported Saturday that the offer was extended by General Manager Dan Duquette.

“I really don’t have anything to say,” Williams said.

When asked to confirm he had been made the offer, Williams asked who had made it, when told, he replied: “Find out who said it. It wasn’t me. I’ve been told a lot of things by a lot of people.”

Williams is in his fifth season as manager of the Red Sox and currently has his team in first place in the AL East, but has been engaged in an ongoing feud with Duquette, who agreed Friday to a two-year contract extension.

The Red Sox have finished second to the New York Yankees in the division the last three seasons.

The Texas Rangers put third baseman Ken Caminiti on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left hamstring suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Houston Astros.

Caminiti, 38, pulled his hamstring while rounding first base after hitting a single in the seventh inning. He is hitting .232 this season with nine home runs and 25 runs batted in. To replace Caminiti on their roster, the Rangers recalled third baseman Mike Lamb from their triple-A Oklahoma City affiliate.

The San Diego Padres optioned right-hander Carlton Loewer to triple-A Portland after he struggled in his first two appearances since 1999. Loewer went 0-2 with a 24.92 earned-run average in two starts this season, both against the Seattle Mariners. To take Loewer’s place, the Padres called up right-hander Junior Herndon from Portland for his first major league stint. . . . Expos right-hander Hideki Irabu was scratched from his next scheduled start after he told the team he has recurring tendinitis in his right elbow. Irabu was scheduled to face the New York Mets tonight to open the Expos’ four-game series at Shea Stadium. Right-hander Masato Yoshii will start. . . . The Chicago Cubs optioned infielder Jason Smith to triple-A Iowa. . . . San Diego Padre pitching coach Dave Smith, who missed the first month of the season to complete an alcohol rehabilitation program, resigned. Smith, 46, retired in 1993 after a 13-year career as a relief pitcher with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. He was an all-star in 1986 and 1990.