Rotator Cuff

Ken Howell, who last pitched on Aug. 5 and will not pitch for the rest of the season, should be ready to pitch by next year's spring training, the Phillies' physician, Phillip Marone, said yesterday. Marone performed exploratory arthroscopic surgery on Howell yesterday afternoon and said he discovered that Howell had no tear of his rotator cuff muscle, which had been the Phillies' worst fear. "The shoulder is close to pristine," he said. Marone said the big righthander was "extremely happy" to hear the news but probably would not remember it when he wakes up today, since he was groggy from the surgery.

When Eagles guard Joe Panos first learned he had a slight tear in his left rotator cuff, he decided to deal with the pain, play as hard as he could for as long as he could, and cross his fingers it would not worsen. Crossed fingers and wearing a special shoulder harness didn't work. Panos, one of the Birds' top run blockers, is being shut down for the remainder of the season after an examination by Dr. John Fenlin, a shoulder specialist, yesterday revealed the tear had grown.

Catcher Eddie Perez, a key member of the Atlanta Braves' bench and most valuable player of last year's National League championship series, learned yesterday that he has a torn rotator cuff and is likely out for the season. Perez, who has been bothered by a sore right shoulder since spring training, hoped to make it through the season before undergoing surgery. But the pain became too much to bear, so he will undergo the operation Monday. In another injury-related move, the Braves placed shortstop Walt Weiss on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday.

Lefthander Denny Neagle was expected to be the ace of the Cincinnati Reds' staff this season. Instead he is 0-3 with an 8.17 ERA in six starts. Consequently, Neagle was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday, retroactive to May 20, with what general manager Jim Bowden said was tendinitis in his left shoulder. "The medical information we have been provided is not consistent with our baseball evaluation," Bowden said. "Therefore, we have asked for additional medical opinions and evaluations of Denny's left shoulder.

In the course of an examination yesterday by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., Charles Barkley learned that he is facing a summer to test his will. That is because Barkley, the 76ers' captain and The Sporting News's NBA Player of the Year, is facing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, probably within two or three days of the conclusion of the championship series that begins Tuesday night. Barkley will be at the best-of-seven championship series, working as an on- site reporter for ESPN.

Reports of Ray Lankford's demise were way off. Less than two weeks ago the St. Louis centerfielder tore the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. Tomorrow night, he'll be back in the starting lineup when the Cardinals open their National League Championship Series with the Atlanta Braves. "It's not going to be 100 percent the rest of the year," Lankford said. "It's still going to bother me, but I can play through it. " Lankford was injured making a diving catch Sept.

Curt Schilling turned up in the Phillies' clubhouse yesterday with his right arm in a sling and a thick stack of business cards in his pocket. Schilling distributed the cards - for Craig D. Morgan of Wilmington - to reporters. Any questions about his shoulder, Schilling said, should be directed to the doctor. "All information needs to be verified by the man who was actually inside my shoulder," Schilling said. After he performed an arthroscopic procedure on Schilling's right shoulder Wednesday, Morgan reported the results to Phillip Marone, the Phillies' team physician.

Pedro Martinez has a minor tear in his rotator cuff and last night criticized Boston general manager Dan Duquette for saying he was healthy. "What I don't appreciate is Duquette saying I'm healthy, because it is not true," Martinez said before a game against Cleveland. "I'm doing the best that I can to help the team, but I'm not 100 percent. " Martinez said that Red Sox team physician Bill Morgan told him he has thinning of the rotator cuff but that Anaheim team physician Lewis Yocum told him there was a minor tear.

Don't expect to see Larry Walker in the lineup when the Colorado Rockies face Randy Johnson. Walker, among the major league leaders in several batting categories, intends to sit out tomorrow night when the Rockies face the Seattle ace at the Kingdome. It will be the second interleague game between the teams. Does Walker fear a lefty-vs.-lefty matchup with Johnson? "Is there a lefthanded hitter, or a righthanded one, for that matter, that doesn't?" Walker said yesterday.

Brewers righthander Ben McDonald underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. McDonald will spend the next two months rehabilitating in Arizona and is expected to be ready for spring training next year. McDonald injured the shoulder on July 11, when he had to leave after pitching six no-hit innings in a 3-1 win over the Orioles, his former team. He took a cortisone shot and started five days later against Cleveland, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings in a 4-3 loss.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Deon Grant says that he's no duck. That he's no dummy. Apparently, he just hopes that commissioner Roger Goodell is. Grant and rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams simultaneously, and absurdly, collapsed with injuries near the end of a Rams no-huddle drive late in the first quarter Monday night. The Rams claimed it was an attempt to stall their momentum. It looked like elementary-school acting, but it worked. The Rams' drive stalled. The Rams' complaint to the league office resulted in a toothless league-wide memo that acknowledged that no rule exists against faking injuries.

Milwaukee Brewers closer Eric Gagne was diagnosed with rotator-cuff tendinitis and is out indefinitely, although he will rejoin the team today in Washington. After being examined in Milwaukee by the team's physician, Dr. William Raasch, the righthander received a cortisone injection and was told not to throw for 3 days. After that, Gagne will be re-examined and will not throw again until his shoulder feels better. The Brewers don't plan to put him on the disabled list unless the shoulder does not improve soon, but that could change if they must use most of their bullpen in any game this weekend.

New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington will have surgery to repair a tear in his right rotator cuff shortly after the Super Bowl, and team doctors are optimistic he will be ready to throw by training camp. The arthroscopic surgery will be conducted by shoulder specialist Dr. James Andrews, Pennington's choice. Team medical director Elliot Pellman revealed at a news conference yesterday that the team, which initially described the injury as a strain, knew there was a tear in the muscle since the first MRI exam was conducted after the injury in November.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. and pitcher Ryan Dempster underwent surgery yesterday. Starting pitcher Jimmy Haynes went back onto the disabled list for the second time this season because of a bulging disk in his lower back. Griffey had surgery on torn tissue and a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, which he dislocated April 5 while diving for a ball. He returned to play 37 days later, then suffered a season-ending tendon tear in his right ankle on July 17. He had ankle surgery a day later.

Pedro Martinez has a minor tear in his rotator cuff and last night criticized Boston general manager Dan Duquette for saying he was healthy. "What I don't appreciate is Duquette saying I'm healthy, because it is not true," Martinez said before a game against Cleveland. "I'm doing the best that I can to help the team, but I'm not 100 percent. " Martinez said that Red Sox team physician Bill Morgan told him he has thinning of the rotator cuff but that Anaheim team physician Lewis Yocum told him there was a minor tear.

First baseman Andres Galarraga yesterday was traded from the Texas Rangers to the San Francisco Giants for three minor-leaguers. Galarraga played in the National League for 15 seasons before signing with the Rangers as a free agent in December. The 40-year-old slugger hit .235 in 72 games for the horribly underachieving Rangers with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. In recent weeks, he platooned with Ruben Sierra as the designated hitter and occasionally gave Rafael Palmeiro a break at first.

With his worst season in seven years on the Senior Tour thankfully behind him, Jay Sigel rested comfortably last week after arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder, and sounded optimistic about next year. "I have been playing with a bit of a handicap for the past couple of years," Sigel, who maintains his insurance business on the side, said from his office Friday. "But I expect to get back to where I was before I was injured. " Sigel, who turned 57 last week, underwent a 2 1/2-hour procedure at Lankenau Hospital on Tuesday to shave off a bone-like material that had accumulated on the tip of his left shoulder bone, creating wear and tear on his rotator cuff and considerable pain.

The pain is over. At least mentally. Patrick Rafter's shoulder forever will be a delicate, temperamental, maddening deterrent to his tennis success. Surgically reconstructed last October after years of involvement in a service motion that looks like a ballet move, the shoulder aches. But psychologically, after falling into a valley of misery, Rafter is back in the game. Tomorrow, he will play Pete Sampras for the Wimbledon championship. Rafter, seeded 12th, advanced yesterday with a beautifully played five-set victory over second-seeded Andre Agassi.

Catcher Eddie Perez, a key member of the Atlanta Braves' bench and most valuable player of last year's National League championship series, learned yesterday that he has a torn rotator cuff and is likely out for the season. Perez, who has been bothered by a sore right shoulder since spring training, hoped to make it through the season before undergoing surgery. But the pain became too much to bear, so he will undergo the operation Monday. In another injury-related move, the Braves placed shortstop Walt Weiss on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday.

In his first 12 games with the Flyers, Ulf Samuelsson had 35 hits. In the next 12 contests, the intimidating defenseman had just 15. Samuelsson also began losing the puck whenever he was pinned against the boards or whenever he was stretched out fully and his shoulder was extended. Yesterday, Samuelsson divulged the reason behind his decrease in aggressiveness: an injury. "I've had a little tear in the rotator cuff," Samuelsson said. "It has taken a really long time and been a struggle.