MINNEAPOLIS No matter what the results of a bone scan on pitcherCal Eldred's right elbow reveal today, the White Sox were planningfor the worst Thursday when they alerted reliever Lorenzo Barcelo tojoin the team from Class AAA Charlotte.
Eldred, 33, underwent a bone scan Thursday because of pain in hiselbow in the same spot where he had a 5-inch screw inserted Sept. 7.The right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list and Barcelowill be activated before the game tonight against the Minnesota Twinsat the Metrodome.
"Whenever there is an injury, it's frustrating," Eldred said."When it's your arm and you are a pitcher, then it's your livelihood.You just hope and pray it's not a big deal."
Barcelo, who went 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two relief appearances atCharlotte, will work out of the bullpen. He had shoulder pain at theend of spring training, and his drop in velocity made him a surprisecut. In five innings with the Knights, he allowed six hits, struckout five and walked one. Barcelo, 23, appeared in 22 games for theSox last season, going 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA.
Eldred's next start would have been Tuesday in Detroit. That roleis expected to be filled by right-hander Rocky Biddle, who earned thevictory filling in for Eldred on Monday. Biddle allowed two runs infive innings to earn the second victory of his career.
Manager Jerry Manuel said the Sox weren't interested in rushingback right-hander James Baldwin from the disabled list. Baldwin,coming off October shoulder surgery, made his first rehabilitationstart Wednesday at Charlotte and is scheduled for one more start withthe Knights before joining the Sox next week.
This marks Eldred's seventh time on the disabled list in his eight-year career. Six of the times were because of injuries to his rightelbow. The other time was because of an injury to his right forearm.
Small fractures in his right elbow have cut short Eldred's seasonseach of the previous three years. When Eldred allowed doctors toinsert the screw in his elbow last season, no one was quite sure howhis arm would respond. Eldred is the first major-league pitcher toperform with a screw in his elbow.
Eldred knew the screw was the only hope of continuing his career.After pitching without problems during spring training, Eldred grewconcerned while warming up before the second inning Wednesday, hissecond start of the season.
By the end of the inning, the pain was so intense, Eldred removedhimself from the game, an eventual 7-6 Sox victory against theCleveland Indians.
Injuries to pitchers happen every season, but the Sox areespecially concerned about Eldred, the inspirational leader of theclubhouse.
"Cal is probably the classiest guy I've ever been around," firstbaseman Paul Konerko said. "He is above and beyond a lot of guys asfar as how he treats people. Everybody is pulling for him. He keptbattling and battling to help the team when most guys would have shutit down. I have more respect for Cal than any other person inbaseball."
"I've been with him the longest, and I know what he has beenthrough," said Jose Valentin, who came to the Sox with Eldred in theJan. 12, 2000, trade that sent pitchers Jaime Navarro and John Snyderto the Milwaukee Brewers. "He has so much courage. He showed me a lotby having that (screw) put in there. I know it wasn't an easydecision."
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