Hey Cansecoites...

It's still undecided if Jose will be back in the lineup tomorrow night, but
I think there's a good chance of it. If he doesn't start, it wouldn't
surprise me to see him pinch hit and then return as the starting DH later
this weekend.

Keep your fingers crossed!
Mark

P.S. Mindspring (owner of Sprynet - my ISP) is currently running a
promotion in hopes of becoming the second largest ISP in the country. From
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happier using MindSpring" to the sales representative and that
"canseco@... referred me," you'll get a $60 credit towards
Mindspring services ($10 a month for the next 6 months) - and I'll get a
referral credit too! So, if you're looking for a new ISP, call them up and
tell them canseco@... sent you! I have nothing but good things to
say about Mindspring - Their tech support is great if you ever need it, and
I've never had a busy signal. Not even once!

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From the Florida Sports Network:
Jose may return this week
By Carole Jaquis
August 18, 1999

On Monday, Canseco took his stand in a simulated game, swinging at pitches
hurled by Cory Lidle who has been off the field for a year due to shoulder
surgery and is also rehabbing his way back to active play. Canseco hit some
"monster shots" off player development executive Mitch Lukevics in a
batting practice session, sending many of the balls into the rafters and
"retiring" at least two (broken) bats. Then Lidle reminded Jose of what
it's like to face live pitching again. Lidle later commented that Canseco
was hitting as good as he'd ever seen in batting practice, and that the
six-weeks off the field showed a little more when facing real pitching.

Canseco was sidelined on July 11, the day before the All-Star Home Run
Derby (see FSN News Brief for related article), and during the days
following surgery there was even speculation on his part that "this may be
it." He'd been through all this before and had to wonder if this was the
indication that it was time call it quits.

In 1990 while with the A's, he missed 31 games due to a "slightly
protruding disc" in his back, yet finished third in the AL in home runs
(behind McGwire and Fielder). In July of 1993, he had elbow surgery which
closed out that season for him after being plagued by problems since his
debut as a pitcher for the A's. 1994 brought him to the Rangers and gave
him the Sporting News title of "Comeback Player of the Year". Used solely
as a DH, he led the Rangers in games, at-bats, runs, total bases, home
runs, RBI's and slugging percentage (.552). It was a good year.

So was 1995. Then in 1996 (on 8/1), playing for the Red Sox, the real back
problems began -- surgery was performed to remove fragments and he was then
on the disabled list with a ruptured disc through most of September. 1997
was a year of both milestones and frustrations. He stole home, hit
back-to-back homers with Mark McGwire, played 101 of 110 games through July
31. Then, he played in only seven games in the final two months of the
season. In 1998 he joined the Blue Jays organization, and made 151 starts.
Even though he missed twelve games that June and July due to the persistent
back spasms, he finished 3rd in the AL in home runs with his career-high of
46.

1999 looked like a good year, until the need for surgery was evident.

By Jose's own assessment, he'll be ready to take his place on the roster on
Friday when he is officially scheduled to be activated. However, the upper
hand of the staff will wait to see how he feels and how much strength is
returning.

Source used: St. Pete Times

Carole Jaquis is a writer for Florida Sports Network. She can be reached at
jaquis@....

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:

CANSECO UPDATE: Jose Canseco took the day off from hitting Wednesday, but
went through his exercise and conditioning program. "He feels better, some
of the stiffness has eased up," Rothschild said. Rothschild will throw to
Canseco during a workout today, then decide whether to activate him for
Friday's game.

==========
From the Sporting News:
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
August 18, 1999
By Marc Topkin

Jose Canseco is on track to return to the lineup this weekend. Canseco has
made remarkable progress in his rehab since undergoing surgery on July 11
and came through the big test of Monday's extended batting practice and
simulated game with no problems other than normal baseball soreness.

Canseco said he was pleased with what he called "aggressive hacks" that
resulted in him hitting a handful of balls out of the park. Barring any
sudden back pain, Canseco's biggest hurdle is the conditioning to be able
to run the bases. He did not do any running during six weeks of rehab and
will have to show manager Larry Rothschild that he is in game shape before
he is activated.

Rothschild says he will watch Canseco work out on Thursday and then make a
decision. . . .

==========
From PSX:

...DH Jose Canseco admits he is a couple of weeks ahead of schedule in his
rehab from back surgery, but said he is not trying to rush back too soon.
Canseco is hoping to be activated by Friday (Aug. 20) and has been facing
live pitching all week.

"I'm not going to push it to where I put myself in a position to really
damage something in my back and have a career-ending injury," Canseco said.
"I've been around a long time, had quite a few surgeries. By this time, I'm
probably an expert on the recuperation process."

==========
From the Devil Rays Site:
CANSECO TO RETURN FRIDAY?

The fellow in the black workout attire looked familiar. So did the noises
around him.

CRACK . Silence. KERPLUNK as a ball rattles around in the left field seats.

It was Monday afternoon at Tropicana Field and Jose Canseco was continuing
his solo workouts. Mitch Lukevics, Devil Rays' Assistant for Player
Personnel, continued pitching.

CRACK . Silence. KERPLUNK.

It was the next --- and one of the biggest --- steps in Canseco's road back
to the majors. On July 12, Canseco had undergone back surgery for the
second time in his career. The original prognosis had Canseco returning in
four to six weeks. So, here it was, five weeks to the day of the surgery
and Canseco was back in the batting cage swinging as hard as ever.

"I feel as good as ever," Canseco would say later. "In fact, this is the
best I have felt in some time."

There is little question his team has missed his bat. Even after a recent
surge that has seen the Devil Rays win eight of the past 12 games, the
team's PC (Post-Canseco) record is an overall 13-20. Tampa Bay had once
again fallen behind Baltimore for fourth place in the AL East. Although the
team showed some power early in Canseco's absence (the club has 117 home
runs, six more than they hit all of last year), the big fellow offers a
presence few others in major league baseball.

Lukevics finished throwing batting practice. It was time for the real thing.

On the mound was Cory Lidle, who has been out the entire season with elbow
problems and may make his first rehab start as early as Friday in the
minors. The idea was to have a simulated game and see what both could do.
Canseco would hit and then run the bases.

Like real life, things got a bit tougher now. As Rays' Scouting Director
Dan Jennings carefully watched from the dugout, Lidle and Canseco dug in
against each other. The shots didn't come as easily now but that wasn't the
point. Canseco then ran the bases, going from first to third on imaginary
single, smiling as he arrived on the base. He ended up taking 45 swings
against Lidle, getting hits here and there but not hitting any over the
fence. That wasn't the point, either. There was no pain in Canseco's back
--- and he indicated he might be able to return to the Rays' lineup as
early as Friday when the Rays return home to start a series against Kansas
City.

"As of right now, that's what I'm scheduled for," Canseco said. "I'm
definitely not going to push it or put myself at risk of a career-ending
injury. But I've been around a long time and had a lot of surgeries. I
guess by now I'm a bit of an expert on the recuperative process."

His manager, Larry Rothschild, was 1,000 miles away in Detroit, awaiting
the reports from surgeon Dr. Tom Tolli and Jennings. "Running will be the
hardest part for him," Rothschild said last week before the team hit the
road. "He has to be able to go from first to third and from second to home
without pain. I won't take a chance on him until I know he's not at risk."

Canseco admitted to being a bit winded after running some sprints.
Otherwise, he looked like the same old Jose. "I want to get back in there,"
he said. "There's only six weeks left in the season."

In fact, there is still time for Canseco to make a run at the American
League home run race. When he was disabled, Canseco led the league with 31
homers. Five weeks later, Canseco trails just five players in long balls,
led by Seattle's Ken Griffey, Jr. with 36. "If I was in the National
League, forget it," Canseco said about the home run race. "I might have a
chance here."

The Devil Rays won't make a decision on Canseco's status until the team
returns from its road trip.


==========
Mark Petrillo
mark@...
Canseconet.com - The Jose Canseco Site
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