Accident Forces Glavine to Take It Easy

Tom Glavine won’t pitch for the New York Mets until at least Aug. 21 while he recovers from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Glavine was hurt Tuesday while riding in a taxicab traveling from LaGuardia Airport to nearby Shea Stadium, and lost his two front teeth. He missed his scheduled start Wednesday against Houston.

“We’ve got him slated for next Saturday,” Met Manager Art Howe said before Thursday’s game against the Astros. “I guess we’ll find out more in the middle of next week, see where he stands.”

Glavine said his right shoulder, collarbone and ribcage were sore along with both knees. His cut lips were swollen, and some of his 40-45 stitches were visible on his chin.

“I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to pitch on Wednesday, but at least I knew, I felt good enough that nothing else was out of whack, and it wasn’t going to be a career- or a life-threatening thing,” Glavine said.

Glavine, 8-10 with a 2.92 earned-run average this season and 259-167 in his career, has never been on the disabled list in his major league career, which began in 1987.

“In hindsight, things could have been a lot worse,” he said. “In talking to the doctors, they were pretty surprised I didn’t break my nose or break my jaw.”

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Japanese professional players reportedly voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike as part of their efforts to prevent the merger of several Pacific League teams.

About 98% of the 750 members of the Japan Professional Baseball Players Assn. voted to authorize the players’ executive committee to declare a strike, although no date was set, the Nikkan Sports newspaper reported.

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Yankee pitcher Tanyon Sturtze dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension and began serving the penalty when New York played Texas on Thursday night.... Closer Armando Benitez was activated from the disabled list by the Florida Marlins after being sidelined for three weeks because of elbow inflammation.... The Cleveland Indians released outfielder Alex Escobar, making him a free agent.