SARASOTA, Fla. — Jose Silva survived a vicious shot to his left shin Thursday. But about the time Enrique Wilson of the New York Yankees was rifling a ball off Silva's leg, Silva was realizing his right elbow wasn't sound.

        Silva will have arthroscopic surgery Monday to remove bone chips from the elbow. He began having problems with it after pitching in the championship game of the Caribbean World Series.

        “It didn't bother me in the game,” he said. “But the next day, I felt a twinge.”

        The bone chips showed up during his physical before spring training. Silva was put on anti-inflammatory medication and an exercise program.

        “I haven't been able to throw the way I know I can,” Silva said. “I want to take care of it. ... It's a simple procedure. Hopefully, I can get back by early April.”

        Team medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek will perform the surgery in Cincinnati.

        “This is a proactive move,” Kremchek said. “Some people can pitch with bone chips. But he was having discomfort, so we thought we'd go in and clean it out.”

        The Reds obtained Silva, 28, in December from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor-league pitcher Ben Shaffar. Silva was 3-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 26 games with the Pirates last year, but his season ended June 4 when Atlanta's Andruw Jones hit a line drive off his left leg, breaking the tibia.

        The ball off Wilson's bat hit about 4inches below where the break was. Given Silva's luck, it's a wonder he came away with just a bruise.

        Silva has been on the disabled list five times in his career, including twice after being hit by batted balls and once after being hit by a pitch. He missed most of 1995 after an offseason auto accident in which he suffered fractures of his jaw, nose and both eye sockets.

        SIGNING DAY:

        The Reds signed 11 players Friday. Jose Acevedo, Jim Brower, Brady Clark, Lance Davis, Seth Etherton, Ruben Mateo, Luis Pineda, Brian Reith, Chris Reitsma, Corky Miller and John Riedling signed one-year contracts.

        Adam Dunn and Jason LaRue are the Reds' only unsigned players.

        JUNIOR BACK:

        Ken Griffey Jr. was back working out Friday, putting in a full day. He tried to talk Reds manager Bob Boone into playing him in Friday's game against the Texas Rangers.

        “I couldn't strong-arm him,” Griffey said.

        Griffey, who is suffering from a viral stomach infection, said he'll be in the lineup Sunday when the Reds play the Boston Red Sox here, and he'll play in the “B” game Monday against Kansas City at Baseball City.

        That's where he injured his hamstring last year.

        “I've got to exorcise the demons,” he said.

        YOUNG ARMS:

        The Reds showed off some of their good young arms Friday against the Texas Rangers. Ricardo Aramboles, a 20-year-old right-hander, pitched the second and third innings. Left-hander Ty Howington, 21, pitched the fourth.

        Aramboles struck out three, Howington two.

        “They were pretty impressive,” Boone said.

        The Reds, who gave up 21 runs and 32 hits in the previous two exhibitions, allowed only one hit.

        “It was a vast improvement,” Boone said. “Today was a pretty good day to pitch.” It was windy and in the low 60s.

        BENCH AND PUDGE:

        The Reds play the Rangers in a three-game series in Arlington, Texas, this year. The Rangers will honor Hall of Famer Johnny Bench before the June 10 game.

        Bench and Texas catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez are tied for two records: Each won 10 straight Gold Gloves and was named to 10 straight All-Star teams.

        Bench will speak at a luncheon, and the Rangers will give away posters of Bench and Rodriguez.

LaRue looks for his swing Reds 3, Rangers 0 Reds notebook Baseball notebook

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