Just when Barry Bonds and Billy Wagner returned to the field, Rod Beck left the San Diego Padres.
The popular reliever will be out indefinitely while he deals with personal problems and probably won't be ready by opening day.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Beck hasn't been in camp for several days and hasn't pitched in a spring training game. The last time anyone with the team heard from him was Wednesday, when manager Bruce Bochy spoke with him by phone.
"He said that he really needed to take care of some personal issues and if he could possibly do it, he'd try to get back on schedule as soon as he can," Bochy said Monday in Peoria, Arizona.
"Now, it's going to take a little bit longer than he or us had anticipated."
The easygoing Beck, popular with teammates and fans, converted all 20 save chances last year after being signed as a free agent in June to solidify a struggling bullpen that was missing All-Star closer Trevor Hoffman.
Hoffman returned in September, and Beck, who has 286 career saves, re-signed in December to serve as a setup man.
General manager Kevin Towers said he couldn't discuss Beck's problem other than to say it ``possibly'' was health-related.
"I'm not 100 percent sure what all the issues are," Towers said. "I'm just somewhat aware of what's going on. It puts us in a tough spot because we want to be as candid as possible, but with respect to things that are going on, I want to be as confidential as I can with the information that I have."
Bonds went 0-for-1 with two walks on his late father's birthday, and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for six runs in the 10th inning of a 12-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Bobby Bonds, who died last summer, would have been 58. His 39-year-old son said earlier in the spring that he didn't know if he could play on his father's birthday, but Barry Bonds asked manager Felipe Alou to put him in the lineup for the first time since injuring his back last Wednesday.
"I was kind of surprised that he played, especially after he missed a couple of games," Alou said. "It's hard to tell how a guy is feeling on a day like this."
Wagner, who had been sidelined by tendinitis in his left middle finger, gave up a home run on his first pitch of the spring -- to Yankees pitcher Kevin Brown.
"You know the story about the blind squirrel," Brown said. "Meet Mr. blind squirrel."
Brown went 2-for-2 and allowed four singles in four scoreless innings to lead New York over the Phillies 12-3 in Clearwater, Florida.
Gary Sheffield, playing with a torn ligament in his right thumb, hit his first spring homer and had four RBIs.
Wagner, Philadelphia's new closer, allowed consecutive hits to Bubba Crosby and Derek Jeter after Brown's homer. The left-hander then struck out Alex Rodriguez and retired Jason Giambi and Sheffield on infield outs.
"There was nothing on that pitch," Wagner said, referring to the fastball to Brown. "All I wanted to do was throw strikes and get a good feel."
Kevin Millwood allowed three runs and five hits in two innings.
Devil Rays 10, Blue Jays 4
At Dunedin, Florida, Victor Zambrano struck out six over four innings in a tuneup for his opening day start with Tampa Bay.
Zambrano, scheduled to face the New York Yankees in Tokyo on March 30, allowed one run and three hits. Robert Fick went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and four RBIs.
Dodgers 11, Mets 9
At Vero Beach, Florida, Adrian Beltre homered and Los Angeles roughed up New York closer Braden Looper. Kaz Matsui hit a home run and made his debut at shortstop for the Mets after coming back from a cut on his finger.
Expos 3, Indians 1
At Viera, Florida, Peter Bergeron extended his spring training hitting streak to eight games and had a two-run single.
Bergeron, batting .464 (13-for-28) this spring and vying for a roster spot in the outfield, was 3-for-4 and scored a run. Montreal starter Zach Day allowed one run and one hit in five innings, striking out five.
Pirates 5, Tigers 3
At Bradenton, Florida, Raul Mondesi hit a two-run homer and Bobby Hill had three hits for Pittsburgh. Hill, trying to win the second base job, went 3-for-4 with a double. His spring has been interrupted by a lower back injury.
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