Disabled List

David Justice's return to the New York Yankees lasted about one trip around the bases yesterday, and the question now is whether the designated hitter's next stop will be another stay on the 15-day disabled list. Justice returned in Saturday's 5-4 win over Tampa Bay, but he went 0 for 3 and never had an opportunity to test his left groin. Yesterday, the chance came quickly. He doubled to lead off the second, slicing a Tanyon Sturtze fastball down the line in left. Justice rolled into second with a clear hobble.

Righthander Jose Rijo was placed on the 15-day disabled list last night, giving the Cincinnati Reds room for newly acquired third baseman Russell Branyan. The Reds got Branyan from the Cleveland Indians earlier yesterday in a trade for minor-league first baseman Ben Broussard. The Orioles placed righthander Calvin Maduro on the 15-day DL yesterday and activated pitcher Jason Johnson, who will start today against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maduro, a former Phillie, has a fractured bone spur and bone chips in his right elbow.

Boston placed lefthander Steve Avery on the 15-day disabled list yesterday and activated righthander Tim Wakefield. Avery, who suffered a groin strain Saturday at Texas, has struggled this season. Signed as a free agent during the offseason to provide depth after the departure of Roger Clemens, Avery is 2-1 with a 5.87 ERA in six starts. Wakefield, who reported stiffness in his right elbow during his last start on April 14, will take Avery's turn in the rotation tomorrow against Minnesota.

Darren Daulton and Gregg Jefferies aren't the only big names who are on the disabled list after the season's first week. Including players who began the season on the DL, the list now includes a virtual all-star team. Besides the two Phillies, it includes Oakland's Mark McGwire, Minnesota's Kirby Puckett and Rick Aguilera, Colorado's Bret Saberhagen, Cincinnati's Jose Rijo, California's Lee Smith, Houston's John Hudek, Los Angeles' Ramon Martinez, the New York Yankees' Tony Fernandez and Tim Raines, and the New York Mets' Bill Pulsipher.

Texas Rangers first baseman Will Clark, who fractured a finger last week when he tripped over the bullpen mound, was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday. Clark sustained a sprained left wrist and a minor fracture of his left middle finger last Friday during an exhibition game at Oklahoma City. He is eligible to come off the DL on April 13. Cincinnati's Hal Morris singled in his last at-bat in a 7-1 loss to Colorado yesterday, extending his unofficial hitting streak to 32 games.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - After Ryan Howard left Nationals Park on crutches Sunday with a sprained left ankle, both the slugger and manager Charlie Manuel said the disabled list was unlikely. One night took care of that. Howard woke up Monday morning in Florida to a great deal of swelling, so much that when he and athletic trainer Scott Sheridan tried to do work on Howard's ankle at Sun Life Stadium, Sheridan stopped because the swelling was so bad. He sent Howard back to Philadelphia for an exam by team physician Michael Ciccotti on Tuesday.

This is a much larger challenge for the St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols will be out indefinitely with a strained muscle on his right side. Pujols, last year's NL MVP and this season's major league leader in home runs and RBI, was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday. "Life would be easier with Albert," closer Jason Isringhausen said. "But we've played without our star players before. We'll have to weather the storm. " Last year, the Cardinals soldiered through two Scott Rolen shoulder operations, Reggie Sanders' broken leg and Yadier Molina's broken hand, injuries that did not prevent them from their second straight 100-win season.

Lee Thomas, Phillies vice president, player personnel, said yesterday it's "almost certain" that lefthander Shane Rawley will be placed on the disabled list today after being examined by club physician Dr. Phillip Marone. After Thursday's game at St. Louis, Rawley, who is winless in his last 11 starts, said that his shoulder was sore and that he was taking himself out of the starting rotation. Rawley said yesterday he's worried because this is beginning to remind him of two years ago. Then, a bone broke in his shoulder, so the decision to disable him is relatively simple.

Third baseman Placido Polanco, who had a sports hernia treated with a cortisone shot eight days ago, was placed on the 15-day disabled list following Tuesday night's game. Polanco hasn't played since Aug. 6, so the Phillies could activate him after five days on the DL. Polanco has ruled out surgery until after the season and believes he can manage the injury once he returns. "We're probably going to take five more days," Polanco said. Asked if he feels he can play through the injury, he said, "They [the doctors]

Just when the Cleveland Indians thought they were finally healthy, three more pitchers went down. Starting pitchers Jaret Wright and Charles Nagy were placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday, just hours before the Indians were getting back manager Charlie Manuel. And the news got worse for the Indians. They placed reliever Ricardo Rincon on the 15-day DL before the game. The lefthanded reliever has bone spurs that will require surgery and could be out until August. An MRI exam performed on Wright late Wednesday night revealed a strained right shoulder.