Brown Also Has Parasites

New York Yankee pitcher Kevin Brown was diagnosed with intestinal parasites, joining Jason Giambi as the second team member to test positive for the ailment this week.

Brown has been out with a bad back since leaving a start June 9, but he also has been ailing “about 3 1/2 weeks or so since we got back from Japan,” losing 15 pounds and struggling even to get out of bed each day.

“I’d work out and feel weaker the next day, pushing myself down a hole -- that’s what it felt like,” Brown said.

Brown had numerous tests that offered no explanations for what was sapping his strength. So when Brown learned that Giambi had parasites, he knew he should get checked, although he didn’t have the stomach symptoms that Giambi had.

Manager Joe Torre was relieved to learn that the doctors finally figured out what was causing Brown to lose weight and be fatigued.

Yankee team doctor Stuart Hershon told the players before their game against Boston Red Sox on Thursday that this was not an epidemic and that the entire team did not need to be tested.

Hershon said the only way to contract the disease was through the consumption of food or water.

Brown suggested that he might have gotten the parasites during the Yankees’ season-opening series in Japan against Tampa Bay in March.

But Hershon said, “It’s no more likely to happen there than here.”

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The Seattle Mariners put catcher Miguel Olivo on the 15-day disabled list after doctors fitted him with a stent to remove kidney stones.... The Florida Marlins called up right-hander Aaron Small from triple-A Albuquerque and optioned outfielder Chris Aguila to Albuquerque.... The Atlanta Braves brought up right-hander Tim Drew from triple-A Richmond, making him and older brother J.D. the 12th pair of siblings to play together with the team. The Braves optioned reliever Travis Smith to Richmond and transferred second baseman Marcus Giles to the 60-day disabled list.