Pettitte Will Have Left Elbow Examined

Left-hander Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees cut short a throwing session Sunday and flew to Birmingham, Ala., to have his left elbow checked by a doctor.

Pettitte threw 15 pitches in the Yankee bullpen at Seattle, his first stint off a mound since being put on the disabled list April 21. He will be examined today by Dr. James Andrews.

Pettitte, 29, said his elbow was not 100% and he wanted to get the opinion of Andrews.

“It’s just not right,” he said. “I have to find out if it’s something I can throw through or something that is more serious.”

Yankee Manager Joe Torre said Andrews hopefully would be able to come up with some answers for Pettitte’s elbow problems, which began March 3 in spring training.

“We’re going to try to find out what’s wrong,” Torre said. “If it’s anything, we’ll address it.”

Pettitte, a 15-game winner for the Yankees last season, is 1-1 with a 3.09 earned-run average in three starts this season.

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Left fielder Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves left Sunday’s game at Turner Field against the Houston Astros after seven innings because of a sprained right thumb.

Jones was injured as he collided with catcher Brad Ausmus on a play at the plate that ended the third inning. Jones was trying to score from second when Orlando Merced fielded Vinny Castilla’s single and threw out Jones.

Jones was replaced by rookie Ryan Langerhans, called up from double-A Greenville of the Southern League when the Braves put right fielder B.J. Surhoff on the 15-day disabled list with a severely sprained right knee. Jones is listed as day to day.

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The Montreal Expos made room for Fernando Tatis’ imminent return by optioning second baseman Henry Mateo to Ottawa, their affiliate in the triple-A International League.

Tatis, limited to 41 games with Montreal last season because of injuries, will be recalled today from a rehabilitation assignment with Brevard County of the Class-A Florida State League and activated from the 15-day disabled list.

“We feel like this move makes us a better ballclub,” Expo Manager Frank Robinson said.

The power-hitting third baseman was on the disabled list twice last season, his first with the Expos after he was acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals on Dec. 14, 2000.

After going on the disabled list from May 11-25 with a right shoulder strain, Tatis went back on the disabled list June 3 before having season-ending surgery on his left knee. He batted .255 with two homers and 11 runs batted in.

Tatis will start at Houston on Tuesday in place of Chris Truby, who was acquired from the Astros on March 12 after the Expos realized Tatis wouldn’t be ready to begin the season.

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Despite seemingly endless rain delays and two postponements so far this season, something remains on schedule for the Pittsburgh Pirates--Kris Benson’s recovery from reconstructive elbow surgery.

After going 17 days between starts because of tendinitis in his right triceps, Benson made his third consecutive effective rehabilitation start for Nashville of the triple-A Pacific Coast League on Saturday night.

Even though he lost to Memphis, 6-0, Benson threw 75 pitches and gave up two hits and one run. He struck out five and walked two in five innings.

In his three starts for Nashville, Benson is 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA, striking out 12 and walking seven, and giving up five hits and three earned runs--one per start--in 121/3 innings.

“From all reports, it sounds like he did very well,” Pirate General Manager Dave Littlefield said.

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The Kansas City Royals recalled right-hander Brad Voyles from Omaha and optioned right-hander Nate Field to Omaha, their affiliate in the Pacific Coast League.

Voyles was 1-0 with four saves in eight appearances at Omaha. Field appeared in three games with the Royals and gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings.