Benson seeks doctors' advice

The starter wants more opinions on his shoulder before continuing to pitch.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kris Benson went on the 15-day disabled list Monday, a week after he took himself out of the rotation because of shoulder discomfort.
Benson was to have started tonight against San Diego in Pittsburgh. The Pirates wrapped up a four-game weekend series in St. Louis on Monday.
"It's not worth my career to continue to throw," Benson said in St. Louis. "It's not in my best interest to keep going out there feeling the way I'm feeling. ... If I have to have something done [surgically], I have to do it now."
More opinions
The Pirates don't think Benson needs an operation, and recently had tests performed on him that were negative. The right-hander plans to seek opinions from two doctors not on the Pirates' staff: James Andrews, who performed reconstructive surgery on him in 2001, and Craig Morgan, who operated on Arizona pitcher Curt Schilling's shoulder.
General manager Dave Littlefield said Benson's problem was "minor irritation" in the shoulder. Manager Lloyd McClendon was visibly unhappy with Benson's decision not to pitch.
"My concentration and my energies are on the guys who want to go out and perform and help us win," McClendon said. "Other than that, I don't worry about things I don't have control over."
Benson has taken himself out of the rotation twice this season because of what he says is an ongoing shoulder problem, first last month and again last week. He hasn't started since lasting only two innings against Milwaukee on July 17, the shortest start of his career.
Benson's problem means the Pirates almost certainly can't trade him before Thursday's deadline for trading without waivers. Benson is owed $6.1 million next season, the final year of the contract extension he signed just before injuring his elbow in 2001.
Benson is 5-9 this season and 35-41 in a career that has not seen him develop into the dominating starter the Pirates envisioned when they made him the No. 1 pick in the June 1996 draft.
Kendall appeal denied
Catcher Jason Kendall will begin serving a three-game suspension tonight for his role in a bench-clearing brawl against Tampa Bay in June.
Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, denied Kendall's appeal, baseball spokesman Pat Courtney said Monday.
Kendall and Tampa Bay's Marlon Anderson wrestled after Anderson was hit by a pitch June 13, touching off a bench-clearing brawl. Anderson also was suspended for three games.
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