TORONTO — Left-handed pitcher Mark Hendrickson, a former NBA player, was brought up Monday by the Toronto Blue Jays to replace left-hander Scott Eyre, who was designated for assignment.

        Hendrickson, 28, went 7-5 with a 3.52 ERA in 14 starts and five relief appearances at Triple-A Syracuse. At 6-foot-9, he is the tallest Blue Jay ever.

        Hendrickson played in the NBA from 1996 to 2000 with Philadelphia, Sacramento, New Jersey and Cleveland. He averaged 2.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 29 games with Philadelphia in 1996, 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 48 games with Sacramento in 1997, and 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 1998 with New Jersey.

        Hendrickson reported to the Blue Jays' spring training camp in 2000 after the Nets failed to make the playoffs.

        • Toronto first baseman Carlos Delgado missed his second straight game with a sore back. He also missed Sunday's game, ending a franchise-record streak of 432 consecutive games played.

        “You want to play, but you don't want to be stupid,” Delgado said.

        DIAMONDBACKS: Arizona has won won 12 of 14 games to open a seven-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, its largest since winning the division by 14 games in 1999.

        The Diamondbacks finished a four-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 12-7 slugfest Sunday and a 2-0 shutout by left-handed ace Randy Johnson on Monday.

        “This is as good as I've seen us play,” Arizona third baseman Matt Williams said. “When we score two runs, Randy pitches a shutout. When we give up seven, we score 12.”

        DODGERS: Kevin Brown, a right-hander recovering from back surgery, threw a 70-pitch bullpen session at Dodger Stadium.

        Brown will again pitch for Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday night and could pitch for the Dodgers next week.

        TWINS: Third baseman Corey Koskie was held out of Minnesota's lineup Monday after bruising his chest Sunday when Kansas City Royals first baseman Chan Perry hit him with a throw that was intended for home plate.

        Koskie spent the night in a hospital as a precaution, underwent tests Monday morning and was released. He said he could play today in Baltimore.

        “It hurt,” said Koskie, whose chest was still red from the impact Monday. “I guess it's like someone punched you in the chest as hard as they could.”

Look who's still contending Reds-Rockies series preview Ho hum: Braves roll toward another division title Baseball talks positive, management lawyer says Former NBA player to pitch for Blue Jays Notes from Monday's games Diamondbacks 2, Mets 0 Phillies 7, Dodgers 5 AL roundup

Agassi guts out tough victory on day one
Costa captured confidence and uses it well
Kafelnikov offers no excuses for early ouster
No. 2 Safin, Kafelnikov make first-round exits
No pressure, just opportunity
Parents' condition concerns Haas
Safin's disappointing year hits bottom
ATP Masters Results
Hingis desires wild-card spot in U.S. Open
Injured Kidd replaced by Davis on U.S. national team
Chick Hearn 'meant everything to all of us'
Lakers announcer Chick Hearn dead at 85
Rocker apologizes for anti-gay statements made in restaurant
Tonya Harding admits she drove drunk
Why the mob left boxing for ice dancing
French, Russian skaters speak up
321.4-yard drives take golfer only so far
Fans flock to see Lance
NASCAR investigating Stewart incident
Nationals up next for champion Perkins
First football foe: Heat
Key linemen given new deals
No ill will toward Bledsoe
Palmer back in Ohio, with expansion Texans
Giants 34, Texans 17
Heck, Madden and Michaels hit it off
Is Mariucci miffed Spurrier ran it up?
Vick hurts shoulder, says he's OK

• Return to Reds front page...