Bad Hamstring Puts Park on Disabled List

Chan Ho Park, hit hard in his first game for the Texas Rangers, was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring. The move was made retroactive to Tuesday.

Park, the prize pitcher in the off-season free-agent pool, signed a $65 million, five-year contract with Texas. Park originally hurt his hamstring during a spring training game against Minnesota on March 27. He aggravated it in his start Monday on opening day against Oakland.

The former Dodger gave up six runs and five hits over five innings in his Ranger debut, an 8-3 loss to the Athletics. He struck out five.

To fill his spot on the roster, the Rangers recalled right-hander Francisco Cordova from triple-A Oklahoma. Cordova will join the club today in Texas.

Buck Martinez has a message for Pedro Martinez: Stay out of my clubhouse.

And the Toronto manager is displeased with any Blue Jay player who might have made the Red Sox pitcher feel welcome Wednesday.

When Martinez paid a brief, friendly visit to the Blue Jay locker room during a rain delay at Fenway Park on Wednesday, he violated one of baseball’s unwritten rules, according to the manager.

Toronto closer Kelvim Escobar, a longtime friend of Pedro Martinez, said the Boston ace seemed headed for another destination when he came upon the open clubhouse door during the rain delay. He wandered in, said hello to several Blue Jays and left after a few minutes.

Camaraderie between opponents can undermine a player’s competitive edge, the manager said. Buck Martinez said he doesn’t even approve of the common practice of opposing players greeting each other with hugs and handshakes before games.

“When you get out there and you’re supposed to spike a guy at second base or knock a guy down at home, it’s like, ‘Geez, I just said hi to that guy,’” he said.

“I know it’s a different era,” he said. “I know a lot of players have the same agents. I know they go to dinner from time to time. But to walk into another clubhouse in full uniform is ridiculous.”

Chuck Finley, who missed his spot in the Cleveland Indian rotation the day before his wife appeared in court to face charges she attacked him, was expected to rejoin the team tonight in Detroit.

Actress Tawny Kitaen Finley made a brief court appearance in Santa Ana on Thursday and was ordered to reappear in court April 29 on two misdemeanor charges of inflicting corporal injury and battery. If convicted, she faces up to one year in jail and a $6,000 fine.

Kitaen Finley will be allowed to live in the couple’s Newport Beach home while Finley will stay elsewhere.

*

Greg Maddux threw for 20 minutes in the bullpen and expects to start Sunday when the Atlanta Braves play the New York Mets. Maddux, who missed his opening-day assignment Monday because of an inflamed nerve in his lower back, received a cortisone shot on Wednesday.... Jose Mesa agreed to a $4.75 million, one-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies.