Surgery for Schilling? One says yes, other no

Curt Schilling's doctor insists the only way the 20-year veteran can pitch again is through surgery on a torn shoulder tendon that resembles strands of pasta.

Boston's team physician disagrees. He believes the tendon is damaged, not torn, and rehabilitation gives Schilling the best chance to play this year.

"The problem has probably been building up for two years, and he just went over the red line," Schilling's physician, Dr. Craig Morgan, said Friday. "Instead of being a single tendon, it's like three pieces of spaghetti or linguine, and when that happens it's end-stage disease in the tendon."

A third doctor, Mets medical director David Altchek, agreed that the tendon was torn but said surgery would probably sideline him for the season, Morgan said. Schilling, concerned that the Red Sox would invalidate his $8 million, one-year contract if he chose surgery, then agreed to rehab.

"On our conference call on Wednesday it was their strong recommendation that he go with the conservative approach," Morgan said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Friday.

"And, furthermore, it was their strong -- how do I say this? -- they would not approve him having surgery. Basically, according to the collective bargaining agreement, if they don't approve it, they don't have to pay him. His contract's null and void."

Mariners trade for Bedard: Left-hander Erik Bedard (13-5, 3.16 ERA last season) was acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday in a long-delayed trade for five prospects.

Baltimore received outfielder Adam Jones, who probably will start in center field on Opening Day. The Orioles also obtained reliever George Sherrill and pitchers Chris Tillman, Tony Butler and Kam Mickolio.

Bedard, Baltimore's Opening Day starter last year, joins a rotation that includes newly signed Carlos Silva and holdovers Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn and Miguel Batista.

With Bedard gone, Baltimore does not have an ace. Jeremy Guthrie and Adam Loewen are the top candidates to start on Opening Day, and Daniel Cabrera might be given consideration.