Rehab

Consistent with the Phillies' early-season misfortunes, lefthander Norm Charlton climbed out of bed with a bum elbow yesterday, and will not make his scheduled rehab trip to Clearwater, Fla., this weekend. Charlton, who fell just short of pronouncing himself ready to go after two simulated innings Thursday, experienced first some tightness in his surgically repaired elbow yesterday, then felt what was described as "discomfort" and soreness when he tried to loosen up and throw before last night's game.

Gregg Jefferies, sidelined for seven weeks by a torn ligament in his left thumb, went 0 for 4 last night in his first game on a rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the International League. The Phillies first baseman grounded out in all four at-bats in the Red Barons' 2-1 loss to Toledo. Jefferies was injured April 4 while sliding headfirst into third base with his first hit of the season. He broke the little finger on his left hand and injured his left thumb in the game against the Colorado Rockies.

About the same time the Phillies were slipping into their uniforms here yesterday, Bobby Munoz was sliding into a tube in Philadelphia. Munoz, bothered by persistent discomfort in his right elbow, underwent a magnetic-resonance-imaging test at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The examination, said Phils general manager Lee Thomas, turned up no serious damage to the elbow, and Munoz will return to Clearwater, Fla., for unhurried rehabilitation in extended spring training.

A redesigned rehabilitation center in the Northeast will get some finishing touches today when 50 volunteers with paint brushes, nails, hammers and spackle converge on the transformed warehouse. Half of those volunteers will come from the Washington-based Sterling Committee, which helps rehabilitate public structures. They will pitch in with staff members to get the Lower Kensington Environmental Center ready to open with reorganized addiction and counseling services next month.

Lawrence Taylor is back in drug rehabilitation, hoping to avoid prison and protect his standing for the Pro Football Hall of Fame after another arrest on cocaine charges. Taylor, a star linebacker with the New York Giants from 1981 to '93, returned to a rehab center in the New York area on Monday and is expected to be there for 30 to 60 days. That would bring him close to the deadline for nominations for this year's Hall of Fame class. "He's eligible for the Hall of Fame, which is the next big step for him," said his lawyer, Thomas Melani, "and he is trying to get over this latest hurdle and to make sure it does not affect his eligibility.

Curt Schilling's 21st season is starting with a spring training unlike any of his others - with a long process of rehabilitating his shoulder after apparently patching up differences with the Red Sox over the best way to treat it. Schilling met with Boston general manager Theo Epstein, manager Terry Francona and pitching coach John Farrell after reporting to camp in Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday. The righthander didn't practice outdoors and is scheduled to began his rehab exercises today.

Phillies righthander Joe Blanton is scheduled to make his second rehab start for double-A Reading on Friday. If all goes well, he is expected to make one more rehab start after that before being activated from the disabled list. Lefthander J.A. Happ was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with a strained forearm, but despite the rotation problem created by Happ's trip to the DL, Blanton is staying on schedule. General manager Ruben Amaro and pitching coach Rich Dubee said they'd like to see Blanton make three rehab starts before returning.

Jimmy Rollins isn't ready to play in rehab games yet, but the Phillies are shipping him to Florida. Rollins, who has been out of the lineup since straining his right calf April 12, will head to Clearwater, Fla., for extended spring training beginning Monday to continue his rehab work. The injured shortstop could see some live pitching, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said, but this is not the start to his official rehab assignment. Until Rollins does full sprinting - which he has yet to do - he will not play in rehab games.

Glad to be sent home for rehab Trips to the minor leagues don't typically excite major-league players. Brian Schneider's weekend excursion to Allentown is a little different. Manager Charlie Manuel said Wednesday that the Phillies' backup catcher, on the disabled list since May 9 with a strained left Achilles tendon, will join the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Friday for a weekend rehabilitation assignment. Schneider is scheduled to play five innings Friday, seven innings Saturday, and nine Sunday before rejoining the team in New York on Tuesday, when the Phillies will open a three-game series against the Mets.

Diego Maradona is in a rigorous rehab program for drug abuse and is considering further treatment outside Argentina, his doctor said yesterday. The 43-year-old soccer great, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, has been at a psychiatric hospital in suburban Buenos Aires since early May when he was rushed to a clinic for lung and heart problems. Dr. Alfredo Cahe, Maradona's personal physician, said the former player appeared to be taking drug rehab seriously "for the first time in his life.