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Jays Ask League To Intervene

February 9, 2001 / 5:29 PM EST / CBS/AP

The standoff between the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox over the David Wells-for-Mike Sirotka trade headed to the commissioner's office Friday.

Blue Jays general manager Gord Ash said Friday he intends to ask for a ruling as Toronto seeks compensation because Sirotka has a sore shoulder. The severity of the injury is at the heart of the dispute.

"I'm not sure what they call it, but I informed them that we're not going to have a meeting of the minds with the White Sox and we need them to intervene," Ash said after speaking with the commissioner's office in New York.

A Blue Jays spokesman said Friday the teams are scheduled to have their documentation into the commissioner's office by Tuesday.

The matter was initially referred to commissioner Bud Selig, who was likely to delegate it to Sandy Alderson, his executive vice president for baseball operations.

White Sox general manager Kenny Williams left a phone message with Ash on Thursday, saying to go ahead and contact the commissioner's office and start the process.

"When you feel as strongly as we do about our position and about the facts at hand, we look forward to it all coming out," Williams said.

Williams also apologized Friday for his comments earlier in the week. when he referred to the controversy as "Shouldergate," prompting an angry response from Sirotka, a 15-game winner last season for the White Sox.

Sirotka was traded to the Blue Jays on Jan. 14 as part of a six-player deal that sent Wells, a 20-game winner, to the White Sox.

Sirotka passed one Toronto physical, but a second test showed a possible torn labrum so the Blue Jays sent him to specialist Dr. James Andrews for another opinion.

The Blue Jays said Andrews' examination showed Sirotka has a partial tear of the rotator cuff and a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Andrews isn't recommending surgery now, but the Blue Jays said the specialist calls the 29-year-old a "long-term surgical candidate."

Williams claims Sirotka's injury is the same problem that's caused him to start slowly the last two seasons, that he didn't hide anything from the Blue Jays about the condition and that the White Sox owe no compensation.

Chicago team physician Dr. James Boscardin said Andrews told him Sirotka has normal "wear in the rotator cuff and possibly the labrum" and there's a 70 to 80 percent chance surgery won't be required.

Williams said Sirotka experienced some elbow problems last year but "no shoulder problems" during the seson.

Ash wouldn't discuss what compensation he seeks.

Williams and Ash did agree on one thing Friday. They'd like put the whole incident behind them and move ahead.

"For everybody's benefit, sooner than later," Ash said.

"Hopefully by the end of next week," Williams said, adding he's confident the White Sox will prevail and the trade will be upheld.

As for Wells, he's taking care of personal business and isn't scheduled to arrive at camp until Monday, three days after Chicago's first workout.

"He's got some things he's got to take care of and I got no problem with that," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said Friday. "I understand he really doesn't like spring training. ... We're not going to force anything. We're going to bring him in a situation where he's comfortable."