New York Mets will skip Johan Santana's turn in the rotation on Tuesday

CHICAGO -- The New York Mets have decided to skip ace Johan Santana's turn in the rotation on Tuesday, manager Jerry Manuel said after Sunday's game at Wrigley Field.

"He wants to pitch in worst way," Manuel said of Santana, whose scheduled start Tuesday at Washington had been up in the air since he left Thursday's win over Atlanta with a strained left pectoral muscle.

Dillon Gee, a 24-year-old righthander, will make his major league debut in Santana's place.

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Santana declined to talk to reporters following a bullpen session before Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz initially said Santana "feels fine," but there would be no decision until trainer Ray Ramirez talked to team doctors later in the day.

Manager Jerry Manuel had said before the session that Santana probably would be scratched if he felt even slight pain, adding the Mets "don't want to take any chances." He said Ramirez and the doctors would have the final say. Santana is 11-9 with a 2.98 ERA.

Also in question was the status of Jose Reyes, who's been sidelined since Aug. 26 by a right oblique strain. Manuel was waiting to see how the shortstop felt after batting practice on Sunday before deciding whether he'd be available against the Nationals on Monday.

The Mets recalled infielder/outfielder Nick Evans from Triple-A Buffalo before Sunday's game. He was with the club July 9-16 and went 0 for 2.

Information from Adam Rubin and the Associated Press was used in this report.

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Chicago Cubs' Carlos Silva set for Tuesday start vs. Houston

CHICAGO -- Carlos Silva is scheduled to start Tuesday for the Chicago Cubs against Houston after missing more than a month because of a heart problem.

He takes the spot of Tom Gorzelanny, who will miss at least one turn in the rotation after being hit in the left hand by a line drive against Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Silva, 10-5 with a 3.92 ERA, has not pitched since Aug. 1. He underwent a surgical procedure called cardiac ablation to correct a problem with his heart rate.

Interim manager Mike Quade says Casey Coleman will start Monday unless he's pressed into relief work.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said there is no front-runner for the managerial job

CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, who returned from watching the Triple-A Iowa Cubs play in Albuquerque, said his talks with Iowa manager Ryne Sandberg did not constitute a formal interview for the Cubs managerial job and there is no front-running candidate.

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"Ryno needs to finish the season," Hendry said. "We're not in any rush to complete the interview process."

Sandberg was named Pacific Coast League manager or the year on Friday. A weekend series against Memphis will decide if the Iowa Cubs advance to the playoffs.

"It's more a normal dialogue and get-together after the game or for lunch," Hendry said of his talks with Sandberg. "It was no different than if I was going into Iowa in the middle of May."

Hendry was not interested in talking about who the favorites are for the job. A media report on Tuesday said former Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez was the leading candidate.

"You're going to read different speculation every day," Hendry said. "You'll hear about who the front-runners are and who was eliminated and who's not in it. It's all basically conjecture, because I haven't talked to anybody about any of it [as far as who is the leading candidates].

"As I said before, there's no leading candidate. There hasn't been, and there won't be until I take the final evaluation to [owner] Tom [Ricketts] and his family."

Former Cleveland manager Eric Wedge is the only known candidate to have had a formal interview with Hendry.

Sandberg will get his sometime after the Iowa season ends.

Gonzalez and Washington Nationals coach Pat Listach are also assured to get interviews, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com.

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Texas Rangers, Mark Prior agree on minor league deal

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Rangers have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Mark Prior on a minor league contract. He's expected to join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday.

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Prior, who turns 30 on Tuesday, had a 42-29 record and a 3.51 ERA in 106 games with the Cubs from 2002 to 2006. He went to San Diego after that, but he never played because of injury issues. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in April 2007 but started the 2008 season on the disabled list with a shoulder strain. He had surgery again on the shoulder in June 2008. Prior went through rehab for parts of the next two seasons with the Padres before he was released in August 2009.

Prior signed a contract with the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League on Aug. 3 and has allowed one earned run over nine relief appearances (11 innings) with 22 strikeouts and five walks.

Prior was the second overall pick in the 2001 draft by the Cubs and was an All-Star in 2003, finishing third in the Cy Young Award voting with an 18-6 mark and a 2.43 ERA. But his last MLB appearance was more than four years ago, on Aug. 10, 2006, at Milwaukee.

Richard Durrett is a reporter and columnist for ESPNDallas.com.

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Pawtucket Red Sox first baseman Carlos Delgado flies to Colorado to consult surgeon about hip

BALTIMORE -- First baseman Carlos Delgado, who hasn't played for Triple-A Pawtucket since Aug. 15 in long-shot comeback from two surgeries on his right hip, flew to Colorado Wednesday to consult his surgeon about discomfort he has been experiencing in his left hip.

The 38-year-old Delgado, who has appeared in just five games for the PawSox since signing a minor league deal with the Sox on Aug. 7 and is currently on the disabled list, was administered an MRI that was negative. He also was injected with cortisone, but because the discomfort has persisted, he elected to see Dr. Marc Phillipon, the surgeon who did his two surgeries as well as Alex Rodriguez's hip surgery.

Delgado had a Sept. 1 opt-out clause in his agreement with the Red Sox but remains with the organization. The PawSox have only six games remaining in their season, and given how little Delgado has played, it would appear unlikely that the Red Sox would recall him.

Gordon Edes covers the Red Sox for ESPNBoston.com.

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Harry Caray's widow supports Ryne Sandberg to lead Chicago Cubs

CHICAGO -- As Harry Caray's statue was being re-dedicated in front of the Wrigley Field bleachers on Wednesday, his widow, Dutchie, gave her support to Ryne Sandberg to become manager of the Chicago Cubs.

"Ryne and Margaret [Sandberg's wife] are good friends of mine," said Caray, who was wearing a Cubs hat and No. 23 Sandberg jersey. "I love them. I think he's a great guy. He's come a long way, and he's paid his dues."

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The Cubs' Hall of Fame second baseman is the manager for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs and will be one of the candidates for the Cubs' job in 2011. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry will interview Sandberg when Iowa's season ends.

While she won't actively lobby for Sandberg to get the job, she believes her late husband would support a Sandberg-for-manager campaign.

"He would be very happy I think," Caray said. "He really liked Ryno. Between him and Stan Musial, those were his two very, very favorite ballplayers. That's a lot to say for Ryne because I don't think Stan is able to do any managing today [Musial is 90]."

Former Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez and Washington Nationals coach Pat Listach will also get formal interviews. Former Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge has had the only formal interview so far.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi would most likely be on the Cubs' list for an interview if he becomes available after the Yankees' season ends. Girardi's contract expires after this season.

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts told a group of reporters after the Caray ceremony that he would let Hendry handle the hiring process.

Asked about the Cubs situation, Ricketts told reporters, "We don't think we need a marquee manager to sell tickets. We need a team that produces on the field."

Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000 .

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Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz completes rehab assignment, will come off disabled list Monday

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Fresh from a three-game rehab assignment, Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz was back in the clubhouse Sunday morning and was scheduled to be in right field Monday for the start of a 10-game road trip in Kansas City.

"I feel good,'' Cruz said. "I was able to run the bases, go first to third, and I got to see some pitches.''

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In his tune-up at Double-A Frisco, Cruz went 4-for-11 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a stolen base.

The Rangers moved Cruz to the 15-day disabled list on Aug. 16 with a left hamstring strain. He had previous stints on the DL on April 27 (right hamstring) and May 30 (left hamstring).

When healthy, he's been a force, hitting .320 with 16 home runs, 64 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 77 games.

"Getting him back in the lineup gives us another threat and it also gives Vladdy a little protection,'' Washington said.

Jorge Cantu, batting fifth behind Vladimir Guerrero the last two games, is hitting .226 in 53 at-bats and is still looking for his first RBI as a Ranger.

Cruz says he is much further along this time than in his previous returns from the DL, when he started slowly.

"I hope he comes back fired up and ready to go,'' Washington said.

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