Shoulder Injury Ends Fernandez’s Career

Florida Marlin right-hander Alex Fernandez retired Wednesday after being sidelined 11/2 years because of a shoulder injury.

Fernandez, 32, pitched only 1931/3 innings the last four seasons.

He was the National League’s comeback player of the year in 1999, when he had a 7-8 record and 3.38 earned-run average, but has given up on another comeback attempt. He has been sidelined since May 2000.

“The day has come that I have to move on with my life,” an emotional Fernandez said at a news conference. “It’s kind of a depressing day for me.”

Fernandez suffered a torn rotator cuff that was discovered after he lost Game 2 of the 1997 NL championship series against Atlanta.

He missed the 1998 season and pitched 141 innings in 1999 despite three stints on the disabled list.

In seven seasons as a workhorse for the Chicago White Sox, Fernandez was never on the disabled list, which was one reason Florida signed him to a five-year, $35-million deal before the 1997 season.

Fernandez finished with a 107-87 record and a 3.74 ERA.

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Cleveland Indian Manager Charlie Manuel remained hospitalized because of an abdominal infection and was urged by John Hart, the team’s general manager, to take his time coming back.

“I’d rather see him slow it down a little bit,” said Hart. “We’re looking forward to a long October and we want Charlie to be here.”

Manuel, 57, was admitted to a Cleveland hospital Tuesday with stomach inflammation and an infection near his gall bladder, the latest in a series of health problems.

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New York Yankee catcher Jorge Posada’s suspension for bumping umpire Andy Fletcher during an argument Sept. 3 was cut from six games to five, although his fine of $3,500 was upheld. Posada began serving the suspension Wednesday.

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Catcher Damian Miller, a key member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is expected to be sidelined two or three games because of a mild strain in his right shoulder.

Manager Bob Brenly was relieved the injury was not more serious.

“There was no structural damage,” Brenly said. “We shut him down completely today-not hitting, no throwing, no anything.”

Miller hurt the shoulder while trying to throw out Milwaukee’s Devon White at second base in Arizona’s 9-4 loss to the Brewers on Tuesday night.

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Chicago White Sox catcher Sandy Alomar will have arthroscopic surgery today on his right knee and sit out the rest of the season.

Alomar has had tendinitis in the knee for most of the season.

Manager Jerry Manuel said the latest operation might be to perform a more thorough cleaning of loose bodies in the knee that surgeons didn’t get during surgery Aug. 13.

It will be the 10th knee surgery for Alomar and the second on his right knee.

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Texas Ranger left-hander Justin Thompson had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder.

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The fourth anniversary of Pete Rose’s application for reinstatement to baseball passed with no word of when or if Commissioner Bud Selig will make a decision.

“There has been no recent dialogue,” said Roger Makley, Rose’s lawyer. “The last information we had was that it was under consideration.”

Rose, baseball’s career hit leader, agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball Aug. 23, 1989, a penalty made public the next day by Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti.