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Back Problems Send Bell Back to Denver

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From Associated Press

Colorado Manager Buddy Bell left spring training Thursday to return to Denver for tests on his back and left leg.

Bell had surgery on Dec. 11 to repair a disk problem and has experienced discomfort in his left leg since then.

He has been unable to take part in some of his usual spring-training duties, such as hitting fungoes and throwing batting practice.

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Bell expects to rejoin the Rockies in Arizona for Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix. Coach Toby Harrah will run the team in Bell’s absence.

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Pittsburgh Pirate third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who hit .300 with 34 home runs and 112 runs batted in last season, agreed to a three-year, $9.5-million contract.... Five major league umpires regained their jobs after a 21/2-year struggle against the commissioner’s office. Gary Darling, Bill Hohn, Larry Poncino, Larry Vanover and Joe West will start working spring training games Monday, the commissioner’s office said.... New York Yankee pitcher Mike Mussina was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday because of a middle ear infection.... Philadelphia Phillies reliever Turk Wendell sat out practice because of tendinitis in his right elbow, the same injury that ended his 2001 season three weeks early.... Cleveland Indian infielder John McDonald had an emergency appendectomy and is expected to be sidelined up to four weeks.... Dwayne Murphy, hitting coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks, underwent an emergency appendectomy and will miss four or five days.... The Cleveland Indians have been fined $50,000 and had their Venezuelan operations shut down for two months for signing an underage player in 1998.

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