Damn me and my predictions.

Probably just as I was typing up my prediction loaded email yesterday,
telling you how Jose was going to have a big May, Larry Rothschild decided
to bench Jose. He has been playing with a sore calf all year, and
Rothschild decided to rest him for a few games in hopes of getting his
health back to 100%. The plan is for Jose to return to the lineup Friday
in Boston. Let's hope he comes back 100% and starts playing like we all
want him to!

2 days to go....
Mark

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From the St. Petersburg Times:

NICE TO SEE YA: You might not want to invite Jose Canseco and Anaheim
closer Troy Percival to the same party. Then again, if it's a boring guest
list, you might.

Canseco and Percival had words during the Rays-Angels game at the Trop on
April 21. Percival, normally a hard thrower, struck out Canseco on a slow
curve and the Rays DH hollered something at him suggesting he "be a man"
and throw a fastball. ("Not exactly those words," Canseco said.) Sunday,
Percival hit Canseco on the elbow when he batted with one out in the ninth
and Canseco glared at the mound before heading to first.

Percival said he didn't mean anything by it. "I didn't have good command
today," he said after Sunday's game. "That stuff in Tampa Bay didn't make a
difference today. I thought it was funny."

Canseco wasn't sure what to make of Sunday's action: "I kind of glanced at
him and he more or less made a little gesture that he didn't do it on
purpose. It stays where it stays. It's part of the game."

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From the AP:
Rays' Canseco sidelined by sore calf
By Fred Goodall

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Jose Canseco was scratched from Tampa Bay's
lineup Tuesday night and was expected to miss the Devil Rays' three-game
series against Texas because of tightness in his right calf.

Manager Larry Rothschild made the decision to sit the 35-year-old
designated hitter with the hope Canseco's leg will respond to treatment
before a weekend series that begins Friday night at Boston.

"Nothing's in stone, but he should be ready," Rothschild said. "But we've
got to get him healthy. I can't keep playing him. I've got to think
about the rest of the season."

The move caught Canseco offguard, however he didn't criticize the decision.

Canseco was Tampa Bay's leading hitter during a six-game road trip that
ended Sunday, going 8-for-19 (.421) with one homer and two RBIs. He
raised his average 31 points to .284 with four homers and 10 RBIs.

"It started out as a hamstring and calf, and the hamstring got better,"
Canseco said. "Definitely, I can't run like I want to. That's been
noticeable."

Still, he arrived at the ballpark Tuesday expecting to play. He said
intends to be available to pinch hit against the Rangers but that it's not
his call.

"I can't insert myself into the lineup ... I guess they would rather have
me 100 percent," he said, adding that it's difficult to tell if the
sore calf has affected his swing.

Canseco hit his 435th career home run Saturday night at Anaheim and reached
base 17 of his last 27 trips -- eight hits, six walks, two errors
and one hit by pitch -- during the road trip.

He was leading the AL in home runs last year when he had back surgery July
11 to repair a herniated disc. He missed 35 games and finished with 34
homers and 95 RBIs in 113 games.

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From Billy-Ball Daily:
www.billy-ball-com
05/03/00

CANSECONOGO
Jose Canseco was scratched from Tampa Bay's lineup Tuesday night and was
expected to miss the Devil Rays' three-game series against Texas because of
tightness in his right calf. Canseco was Tampa Bay's leading hitter during
a six-game road trip that ended Sunday, going 8-for-19 (.421) with one
homer and two RBIs. You can follow the exploits of the wild and wacky Jose
Canseco if you visit the wild and wacky www.Canseconet.com - The Jose
Canseco Site for wild and wacky Canseco fans. Billy-Ball is still looking
for other fan sites, so send them along.

==========
From the Sporting News:
Team Report posted MAY 3, 2000
By Chris Anderson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Jose Canseco is back to being a concern again. Canseco was held out of a
recent series with Texas because of right calf stiffness.

The call was made by manager Larry Rothschild, who does not want to risk
further injury to Canseco. The original plan was for Canseco to miss three
games.

Canseco suffered from calf stiffness in the spring, and never seemed to get
on track when he ran. Because of the soreness, Canseco was moved from third
to fifth in the order and was replaced by Greg Vaughn for more speed.

Canseco said the soreness does not affect his ability to swing, only his
ability to run the bases. Canseco, who missed half of last season because
of back surgery, has four home runs this year. .

==========
From Fox Sports:

...And the offense, despite all the artillery, has been remarkably
inconsistent. The Rays are getting lots of hits and scoring runs, but not
when it counts. The Big Four of Greg Vaughn, Jose Canseco, Fred McGriff and
Vinny Castilla have come nowhere close to getting hot at the same time.
Rarely have two even been on the same roll.

"We just can't get it going," Canseco said. "We just can't find the right
method, the right way, the luck. It's not like we're getting blown out of a
lot of games. It's almost not like it's one bad inning. It's that one pitch
or that one at-bat. We just can't get over that jump."

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