Elbow

John Tortorella stood out again at a playoff news conference. Only this time it was because of his feistiness toward the New Jersey Devils and not for his brevity and contentiousness with the media. The New York coach defended Rangers forward Brandon Prust, who was given a one-game suspension Sunday because of an elbow to the head of New Jersey defenseman Anton Volchenkov, and accused the Devils of embellishing to draw penalties in the Eastern Conference finals. "We tell our players, 'Don't stay down on the ice. Get up,"' Tortorella said Sunday.

John Tortorella stood out again at a playoff news conference. Only this time it was because of his feistiness toward the New Jersey Devils and not for his brevity and contentiousness with the media. The New York coach defended Rangers forward Brandon Prust, who was given a one-game suspension Sunday because of an elbow to the head of New Jersey defenseman Anton Volchenkov, and accused the Devils of embellishing to draw penalties in the Eastern Conference finals. "We tell our players, 'Don't stay down on the ice. Get up,"' Tortorella said Sunday.

In the final months of two mostly unmemorable terms in office, Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri boasted about his little state's big splash - stealing former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and his nascent video game company from Massachusetts. "This is a risk worth taking," said Carcieri, a Republican, announcing the 2010 deal that lured Schilling's company, 38 Studios, to Providence, and put Rhode Island taxpayers on the hook for up to $75 million in guaranteed loans to an athlete who liked video games but had never developed one. "I think the governor...

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey has been cleared by his surgeon to start throwing next week. Bailey was checked out by Dr. Thomas Graham earlier this week. The righthander has been out all season after having surgery on a torn thumb ligament. "Boy, he's been working," Bobby Valentine said. "He's one of the guys, I'm sure we're going to have to hold him back. " As to other matters: ߦ Kevin Youkilis will get three at-bats as the DH for Pawtucket tonight, get the day off on Thursday and then play the field (third base)

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey has been cleared by his surgeon to start throwing next week. Bailey was checked out by Dr. Thomas Graham earlier this week. The righthander has been out all season after having surgery on a torn thumb ligament. "Boy, he's been working," Bobby Valentine said. "He's one of the guys, I'm sure we're going to have to hold him back. " As to other matters: ߦ Kevin Youkilis will get three at-bats as the DH for Pawtucket tonight, get the day off on Thursday and then play the field (third base)

Eli Manning's elbow is sprained, bruised, sore, and nothing serious -- certainly not cause for the New York Giants to worry over who'll be under center when the regular season begins. While Manning will sit out the Giants' exhibition game against the New York Jets Friday, he said yesterday if it were a big game, he'd play. "If it was the first game of a long season you wouldn't want to risk doing anything worse, but if it was an important game then I could still throw the football," Manning said after the team doctor confirmed he had a sprain and bruise on the inside of his...

SAN ANTONIO -- Ron Artest's reputation might have caught up to him at a terrible time for the Sacramento Kings. The NBA suspended Artest yesterday for Game 2 of the Kings' first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. Stu Jackson, the league's top disciplinarian, said Artest's elbow to Manu Ginobili's head in the series opener was egregious enough to warrant another suspension for the man who missed 73 games and the playoffs last season after one of the most infamous brawls in sports history.

Dwight Howard's elbow has given the Orlando Magic's playoff hopes a major hit. Howard has been suspended for tonight's Game 6 of the Magic's series against the Philadelphia 76ers for his elbow on Sixers center Samuel Dalembert , the NBA announced yesterday. The two got tangled up going for a rebound in the first quarter of Game 5 Tuesday night. Replays showed Howard threw an elbow that hit Dalembert above the shoulders. Howard drew a technical foul for the hit. "I'm very disappointed but I have to respect the NBA's decision," Howard said in a...

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff LHP Cesar Cabral, a Rule 5 pick from the Red Sox organization by the Yankees (via a trade with the Royals) has an injured elbow and is scheduled for x-rays and an MRI on Saturday according to reports. Until the injury, Cabral had a good chance to make the Yankees as their second lefty in the bullpen. The Yankees would have to return Cabral to the Red Sox if he is not on their 25-man roster. But that decision, it appears, will be delayed by a stint on the disabled list.

Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard will miss Saturday's second-round playoff game against New Orleans with a dislocated right elbow. Sheppard was injured going for a tackle on a running play in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 23-20 victory over the New York Giants. He was replaced by Rod Hood . William James , who was inactive against the Giants, will take Sheppard's roster spot and join Hood, Sheldon Brown, and Joselio Hanson in the secondary.

Philip Humber snapped out of his post-perfect game slump. This time, the rest of the Chicago White Sox let him down. Humber pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning, but the bullpen struggled and the lineup left 10 runners on base in a 9-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. "Phil came out and pitched great," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "I don't know if he's as sharp as you saw him either in spring or in Seattle, but he was able to find it. He gained control of it and spotted and threw all his pitches.

John Jaso's sacrifice fly capped a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night. Octavio Dotel came on in the ninth for Detroit with closer Jose Valverde unavailable after three consecutive appearances. Dotel walked Brendan Ryan and Ichiro Suzuki then advanced both with a wild pitch. Ryan scored on another wild pitch to pull the Mariners within a run. Jesus Montero then doubled to deep center, the ball hitting the wall just left of the 405 marker, to drive in Suzuki.

With overworked Tigers closer Jose Valverde getting the night off, the Mariners had no trouble putting together a ninth-inning rally. Detroit manager Jim Leyland knew pregame that Valderde would not be available, so he turned to veteran Octavio Dotel on Monday night with a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. Dotel couldn't get it done as Seattle rallied for a 3-2 victory on John Jaso's sacrifice fly that scored pinch-runner Munenori Kawasaki. Dotel started the ninth by walking Brendan Ryan after nearly hitting him twice.

Carl Crawford has a sprained ligament in his throwing elbow and the Boston Red Sox left fielder will remain sidelined for a while. The team released a statement Thursday night saying Crawford's diagnosis was made by the Red Sox medical staff and confirmed by Dr. James Andrews. Crawford received a Platelet Rich Plasma injection and will be shut down from baseball activity "during the initial phase of his treatment. " The club did not announce a timetable for Crawford's return, but he is expected to miss at least another month or two — maybe more.

CHICAGO — Red Sox left fielder Carl Crawford has what the Red Sox are calling a "sprain" of his ulnar collateral ligament. A conservative treatment was recommended, meaning rehabilitation as opposed to surgery. He also received a platelet rich plasma injection to try and speed the healing process. The Red Sox did not issue a timetable for Crawford. But sources have told the Globe that Crawford could miss up to three months. Crawford started the season on the disabled list recovering from surgery on his left wrist.

MINNEAPOLIS - Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said Wednesday that outfielder Carl Crawford is going to see Dr. James Andrews on "a fact-finding mission" to determine exactly what is wrong with his left elbow. That examination is expected to take place before the end of the week. Crawford has been on the disabled list all season recovering from surgery on his left wrist, but his elbow became a bigger problem earlier this month. Crawford was given an MRI in Boston and shut down from throwing in extended spring training games.

Ben Cherington did have one major announcement to make on the day he was introduced as general manager of the Red Sox. Righthander John Lackey has elected to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery, a procedure that will keep him out for the entire 2012 season. "He's really excited about the future," Cherington said. "Certainly anxious about the surgery and getting that done and the rehab. He knows that he's a much better pitcher than what he showed in 2011. I believe he's going to be a much better pitcher than what he showed.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Devil Rays center fielder Rocco Baldelli will undergo right elbow ligament replacement surgery next week and will miss the rest of the season. Baldelli experienced soreness in his throwing elbow while taking part in a rehab program for offseason left knee surgery. He recently started playing in extended spring training games and had been scheduled to join Double A Montgomery Tuesday. "What a shame. Everything was going well with his knee," Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said before last night's game against Milwaukee.