By JOHN DELCOS
The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The New York Yankees are calling it the best possible news, saying the preliminary conclusion is Derek Jeter won't require surgery on his dislocated left shoulder.

While no Yankees official or physician would comment on the severity of the injury, Jeter said the MRI he had Thursday showed a slight tear to the labrum, but the damage is manageable.

The injury is such where the team opted to treat the injury conservatively and has set up a second opinion with Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., Monday.

"This is very good news," manager Joe Torre said. "There is no question the MRI could have revealed a whole lot worse. This is the best possible news because we can see down the road where we could get him back in a reasonable period of time."

Of course, that's if Andrews sees the same thing in the MRI that Yankees team physicians Dr. Stuart Hershon and Dr. Allen Miller saw.

"I was really optimistic," said Jeter, after meeting with Hershon prior to Friday night's game at Tampa Bay. "This is good news. I'm hoping the second is as positive as the first."

Jeter said he wants to return as soon as possible, but that he won't go into Monday's exam with Andrews with earplugs, that if surgery was suggested, he would have to consider it.

"I would have to hear what he has to say," Jeter said. "I want to take the best option."

Assuming the best from Andrews, Torre projected at least 10 days to two weeks before Jeter would be able to swing a bat, and that's just dry swinging - no contact - before a reasonable timetable could be determined.

Torre was quick to remind that conservative treatment means there is no rush.

"His career is far more important than his availability to us," Torre said. "I'm sure there's going to be a little time where he's going to go through hesitation. The good news is that if it does bother him or whatever, it's not going to injure him. The pain is one thing, the discomfort is one thing, but as of right now all the reports are there's no damage that is threatening to his career."