Seattle reliever has torn rotator cuff

SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners closer Eddie Guardado has a torn rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder that probably will require season-ending surgery.

The veteran left-hander is expected to miss eight to 12 months, the Mariners said Tuesday.

The diagnosis was made by Dr. Larry Pedegana, the team's medical director. Guardado, 33, will seek a second opinion before he has an operation. He plans to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Anaheim Angels' team doctor, next Monday.

”It's a sad day for me,” Guardado said. ”I think I did enough crying all day today. Nobody wants to go under the knife. But I'll be back, I'll be back definitely.”

It was another major setback for the last-place Mariners, who are 42-70 after their 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. Seattle is on pace to lose 102 games.

”A bad year just gets worse,” manager Bob Melvin said. ”It's just piling on in a tough year.”

Guardado was placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 1.

Nicknamed ”Everyday Eddie” because he pitched so frequently with the Minnesota Twins, Guardado is on the disabled list for only the third time in his career. He was on the DL with the Twins in 2001 with a left knee injury and in 1999 with a left elbow injury.

Guardado has 18 saves in 25 opportunities with the last-place Mariners this season. His last save was on July 22 against Oakland. In 41 games, he is 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA in 45 1-3 innings.

Guardado has never had surgery on his shoulder or elbow before.

”It's not the best news in the world,” he said. ”I've been playing this game for a long time and I guess it finally caught up to me.”

Still, Guardado was surprised when he got the bad news.

”You never expect the worst,” he said. ”What they told me was very shocking.”

Guardado was signed as a free agent on Dec. 16 after pitching 11 seasons with the Twins. The Mariners gave him a $13 million, three-year contract.

The sides agreed to a one-year contract that includes both player and team options for 2005 and 2006. If he earns performance bonuses included in the contract, he would make $17 million over three seasons.

As the Twins' closer in 2002 and 2003, Guardado had 45 and 41 saves, respectively.

The Mariners also said that right-hander Rafael Soriano, a key member of their bullpen last season, has a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and will require Tommy John surgery.

Soriano, 24, is 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in six games and 3 1-3 innings. He was placed on the disabled list on May 10.

In 2003, Soriano was 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 40 games spanning 53 innings. He had one save.