Garciaparra on rehabilitation assignment with Pawtucket



ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who hasn't played all season because of a sore Achilles tendon, was to begin a rehabilitation assignment in Triple-A today.
Garciaparra planned to play two games with Pawtucket at Louisville, then return to Boston to work with a therapist for a couple of days. Then after an off-day on Wednesday, he is expected to rejoin the farm team in Toledo .
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Garciaparra will play four or five innings and bat leadoff, to maximize his at-bats.
"I think he was excited," Francona said. "He'll get whatever [work] he needs to get."
The two-time batting champion was 0-for-8 this spring before taking a ball off his right heel on March 17.
Phillies
PHILADELPHIA -- Right-hander Vicente Padilla was placed on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his elbow.
Padilla (4-5) allowed four runs and five hits in five innings in Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Geoff Geary was called up from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre to takes Padilla's spot on the roster. Phillies general manager Ed Wade said he wasn't sure who would take Padilla's spot in the rotation on Thursday night.
COPYRIGHT 2004 ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN, OR REDISTRIBUTED.