More Shoulder Problems Sideline Royals’ Appier

Kansas City Royal pitcher Kevin Appier has been sent back to Kansas City for an examination of his ailing right shoulder.

Appier, injured in an off-season fall, had some soreness during a 15-minute workout on Friday at Haines City, Fla. He had been scheduled to pitch against Tampa Bay, but that game was rained out.

Appier had already been scratched from his traditional role as the team’s opening day starter. The Royals planned to have him make his first start against Minnesota on April 4, but now Manager Tony Muser says there’s a 50-50 chance he’ll open the season on the disabled list.

Appier sustained a shoulder separation and three torn tendons in November when he fell down the porch steps of his home in Paola, Kan., while carrying gifts from his sister’s baby shower. He had surgery, and his arm was in a sling for eight weeks.

Appier’s velocity has been down this spring, with most of his pitches clocked below 85 mph, well below his normal range of 91-93 mph.

He’s appeared in four games with a 2-0 record and 2.08 earned-run average, but he’s struck out only three batters in 13 innings. Last season he averaged 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings, seventh best in the American League.

Appier traditionally has had some shoulder stiffness in the spring, and figured that was the situation again this year. But he had more discomfort than usual on Friday.

“As he continued to throw, it did not go away, and, obviously, it did not go well,” said trainer Nick Swartz.

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New York Yankee pitcher Hideki Irabu has tendinitis in his right elbow and is likely to stay in Tampa, Fla., when the team leaves to begin the regular season.

Irabu, who worked 12 2/3 shutout innings in his last three exhibition starts, was scheduled to start the Yankees’ third game of the year on April 3 at Oakland.

Team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon said X-rays and an MRI revealed inflammation and a very small bone spur, which the doctor said is not related to Irabu’s current problem.

“This is my 10th year of baseball and I’ve never had any elbow problems,” Irabu said. “They said everything looked pretty good. I’m not worried.”

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The Boston Red Sox have abandoned attempts to sign Mark Lemke, General Manager Dan Duquette said, and they will start someone in camp at second base.

“We’ve made another offer and he rejected it,” Duquette said. “It doesn’t look like things are going to come together for him and the Red Sox. So we’re going to work with what we have.”

For the Red Sox, that means the second base is a competition between 13-year veteran Mike Gallego and prospects Donnie Sadler and Lou Merloni. Mike Benjamin is the backup.

The Red Sox have been looking for a second baseman since Jeff Frye sustained a season-ending knee injury early in camp. They originally offered minor league contracts to Lemke and Greg Gagne, but both wanted more.

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The Cincinnati Reds traded utility player Eric Owens to the Florida Marlins for a minor leaguer to be determined later this month.

Owens, 27, has played parts of the last three seasons with the Reds, hitting .220 with no homers, 13 RBIs and 19 steals in 117 games. The Reds were out of minor league options on Owens and had decided he wouldn’t make the club, prompting them to make a trade.