KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Third baseman Aaron Boone of the Houston Astros will have open heart surgery to replace an aortic valve.
Boone made the announcement Wednesday, saying he has known about his heart condition since college but tests after a routine physical determined he needed surgery. It is not an emergency, but doctors indicated the procedure was needed.
Boone has a bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital defect where the valve has only two cusps to manage the flow of blood through the heart, as opposed to the normal three. The surgery has not been scheduled, but he expects to set a date for the procedure this week.
Boone said doctors told him he could play baseball when he recovers, but he’s not sure if he will.
• San Francisco Giants left-hander Randy Johnson is scheduled to start against the Seattle Mariners on Monday after skipping a turn because of soreness in his biceps.
• Ken Griffey Jr. is expected to make his first start of the spring in left field when the Mariners play the San Diego Padres today.
• The Boston Red Sox released Josh Bard, 2 1/2 months after signing the backup catcher from Cherry Creek High School. He will receive $262,295 in termination pay rather than a $1.6 million salary this year.
• Left-hander Jimmy Gobble was placed on waivers by the Kansas City Royals and is expected to be released Friday.
Fields looks ready for NCAA Tournament
PITTSBURGH — Pitt point guard Levance Fields practiced for the first time in almost two weeks after being bothered by a sore groin and appeared ready to play in the Panthers’ first-round NCAA game against East Tennessee State on Friday.
Fields, injured March 4 against Marquette, averages 10.7 points and 7.6 assists per game. He has 244 assists and only 63 turnovers.
USOC lays off 54 employees
COLORADO SPRINGS — The U.S. Olympic Committee laid off 54 employees as a key part of its plan to trim its budget by 5 percent to deal with rough economic times.
The layoffs equal 13 percent of the USOC work force and will come at every level. The USOC’s goal is to trim its 2009 operating budget from $142.6 million to $135.5 million. Layoffs will affect the USOC’s main operation in Colorado Springs, as well as offices in Lake Placid, N.Y., and Chula Vista, Calif.
Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee could end its revenue-sharing deal with the USOC unless the Americans agree to a revised formula and smaller share of the money pie at a key meeting in Denver next week, according to a top IOC executive.
Footnotes.
Vancouver, British Columbia, was awarded a Major League Soccer franchise for the 2011 season, joining Toronto FC as the league’s Canadian teams.
The expansion Seattle Sounders make their debut tonight against the New York Red Bulls to begin the 14th season of MLS.
• Mafaaz, a 3-year-old chestnut colt, earned an automatic berth into the May 2 Kentucky Derby by defeating 13 rivals in the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Kempton Park in England.
The Associated Press
