Ripken Expects to Be Ready for Opening Day

Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles tested his broken rib by hitting off a tee Tuesday for the second consecutive day and said he expects to be ready for the start of the season.

“I don’t anticipate opening day to be a problem,” Ripken said after swinging at 30 pitches under the right-field bleachers at Fort Lauderdale Stadium in Florida.

Ripken, 40, doesn’t know when he will face live pitching for the first time this spring and when he’ll make his exhibition debut.

“I think, at the very minimum, getting a week’s worth of games where you get to the plate 20 times, 21 times, that should be satisfactory,” he said.

Ripken suffered a hairline fracture of his right rib cage while working out in his Baltimore home the week before spring training started.

He had been relegated to running, playing catch and taking grounders before hitting for the first time Monday.

“He came through with no pain,” Oriole Manager Mike Hargrove said. “It’s another step in the process. It’s a day-to-day thing. He’ll do it again tomorrow.”

Earlier in camp, Ripken hinted that he would need at least 14 days of full activity to be ready for the start of the season. Under that timetable, Ripken would need to participate in spring training games beginning Saturday.

*

Rick Ankiel wasn’t wild in his first game of 2001. He was right on target.

Ankiel, who threw nine wild pitches during the playoffs last fall, opened with seven consecutive strikes and pitched two scoreless innings as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Mets, 12-5, at Jupiter, Fla.

“I think I anticipated it for a little while,” Ankiel said. “I’m glad it’s out of the way and, hopefully, we can just continue on with spring training and get ready for the season.”

Ankiel, a 21-year-old left-hander, gave up one hit, struck out two and walked one.

*

Former Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser has been hired as a baseball commentator by ESPN. He will mainly work Wednesday night games but will make his debut on opening day, April 2, working an Atlanta-Cincinnati game with Dave Barnett.

Last year, Hershiser worked as a commentator on the Little League World Series for ESPN and ABC.

*

David Cone left the Boston Red Sox’s game against the Minnesota Twins after one inning because of a sore right shoulder. The right-hander was examined by team physician Bill Morgan and is listed as day to day.

“I don’t think it’s anything major,” said Cone, who first experienced discomfort while warming up before the second inning. “Obviously, the next couple of days will be important.”

Cone threw 31 pitches and gave up two runs and two hits at Fort Myers, Fla., including a 400-foot home run by Bobby Kielty.

Cone said he has experienced similar pain in the shoulder before, including after his last spring training start on Thursday, but it was never anything serious.

“I wouldn’t have gone out there today if I didn’t think I could make it through,” he said.

Cone, a 15-year veteran, is attempting a comeback after a subpar 4-14 season with the New York Yankees last year.

“I’m not giving up by any means,” he said. “I was encouraged up until today.”

*

Yankee left fielder Shane Spencer has irritation under his right knee cap and will stop most workouts. Spencer sat out the second half of last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee.

*

Atlanta Brave catcher Javy Lopez broke his left ring finger blocking a pitch by Greg Maddux in the first inning of a 7-3 exhibition loss to the Dodgers. Lopez will miss three to four weeks, making him doubtful for the season opener at Cincinnati on April 2.