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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ramirez has to wait

Athletics' Manny Ramirez will continue to work with Triple-A Sacramento in hopes of being called up. (Associated Press)
From Wire Reports

The Oakland A’s announced Monday night that Manny Ramirez will not join the team on Wednesday, when his 50-game suspension ends.

There was no indication of when he might be called up, but the release said Ramirez will join Triple-A Sacramento’s 25-man roster on Wednesday.

Ramirez has been on a 10-day minor league assignment as his suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy for a second time ends.

He has hit .250 with no home runs and four RBIs in nine games for Sacramento, with all eight of his hits being singles.

“We will continue to monitor Manny’s progress on a day-to-day to basis in hopes of bringing him to Oakland just as soon as he is ready to contribute at the major-league level,” assistant GM David Forst said in the release.

Forst is expected to hold a teleconference with reporters this morning.

Mickelson interested

Golfer Phil Mickelson has joined a group of investors who want to buy his hometown San Diego Padres.

Mickelson said he is involved with Kevin and Brian O’Malley, and their cousins Peter and Tom Seidler, as one of five groups trying to buy the team. John Moores said last month he is putting the team up for sale.

The four-time major champion declined three years ago to get involved in a bid to buy the Padres. Mickelson said this time he sees it as a good investment opportunity.

Clearing the bases

The Dodgers have put left-hander Ted Lilly on the 15-day disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, a move retroactive to Thursday. It is Lilly’s second stint on the DL this season. He missed the first eight games of the year because of a stiff neck. … Josh Hamilton is out of the Texas Rangers’ lineup because of what the team says is an upper respiratory problem that has been bothering him for more than a week. … Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman wasn’t in the starting lineup for the third straight day as he sought the reason for his dry eyes and blurry vision.

Miami Marlins pitcher Juan Carlos Oviedo has been suspended for eight weeks by Major League Baseball for age and identity fraud. Oviedo was caught playing under the fake name of Leo Nunez and spent the offseason in the Dominican Republic clearing up his immigration status. Now 30, Oviedo is a year older than previously listed. He played as Nunez for seven major league seasons.