Football
Associated Press 21y

Simon, Young will be retested Friday

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Randall Simon did not practice Thursday after an irregularity was detected in an electrocardiogram.

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Simon

The team's position players were given physicals Thursday before
the first full-squad workout. Simon was called off the practice
field before drills began and observed the remainder of the 2½-hour
workout.

"The trainers told us they needed to run additional tests,''
Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "We took him off the field
so they could get that accomplished. It's better to be safe than
sorry.''

Minor league first baseman Walter Young also did not work out
for the same reason. Simon and Young will be retested Friday.

Simon, acquired from Detroit in November, said the problem was
detected while he was being given an EKG.

"They want to make sure everything is fine,'' he said. "I feel
great. I was practicing every day at home and didn't have any
problems. They just want to make sure everything is positive.''

With the temperature approaching 80 degrees, the Pirates didn't
want to run the risk of having Simon exposed to the heat.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler died Monday from
heatstroke that occurred during a workout the previous day.

"I wouldn't jump the gun and say (Simon) has problems,''
McClendon said. "They just want to redo a couple of tests and make
sure he's OK.''

Simon, 27, was obtained in a Nov. 25 trade with the Tigers. He
was selected Detroit's MVP last year after hitting .301 with 19
homers and 82 RBI in 130 games.

Young, 23, was the Pirates' minor league player of the year in 2002 after batting .333 with 25 homers and 103 RBI at Class A Hickory.

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