Irabu Develops Clots in Lung

Texas closer Hideki Irabu was hospitalized Monday at Kansas City, Mo., with small blood clots in his lungs. Irabu was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital by assistant trainer Ray Ramirez after complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath.

He is expected to be hospitalized for two to three days before returning to Texas.

Irabu was given medication and blood thinners to dissolve the clots and was scheduled for additional tests to determine where the blood clots formed.

“I saw him at 6 in the morning and he looked great and his spirits were good,” Ranger Manager Jerry Narron said. “I know he’ll be on some type of blood thinner for a while. I don’t know when he’ll be able to pitch again.

“It is serious. With the death of Darryl Kile, I don’t think anybody is going to do anything but be sure he is healthy. Baseball is secondary.”

Irabu has 16 saves and a 3-8 record with a 5.74 earned-run average in 38 games. He was put on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Saturday. The Rangers also put outfielder Rusty Greer on the disabled list because of a back injury. They recalled pitchers Rob Bell and Joaquin Benoit from triple-A Oklahoma.

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The former minority partners of the Montreal Expos intend to file a lawsuit charging Commissioner Bud Selig and former team owner Jeffrey Loria with fraud. The 14 owners called a news conference for today to announce the lawsuit, to be filed in federal court in Miami under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a person close to the lawyers for the minority partners said on the condition he not be identified.

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Jim Warfield, a popular trainer for more than 30 years with the Cleveland Indians, collapsed at Jacobs Field and was taken to a hospital.... St. Louis pitcher Rick Ankiel, who has thrown only 24 innings in the major leagues since his record wildness in the 2000 playoffs, will not throw again for at least eight more weeks because of tendinitis in his left elbow.