1.   Among those absent was reliever Rudy Seanez, who is seven months removed from ligament replacement surgery on his elbow and not under contract.

2.   Bill Pulsipher underwent season-ending ligament surgery last April.

3.   Both pitchers are hard throwers, although Lewis underwent elbow ligament transplant surgery three years ago.

4.   Damian Moss, the Australian left-hander who made a strong impression in spring camp before experiencing elbow problems, will undergo ligament transplant surgery next Wednesday.

5.   He also is pulling hard for Doug Brocail, penciled in as the top setup man last year, to return soon from elbow ligament replacement surgery.

6.   In an unrelated injury, Boselli had anterior cruciate ligament surgery on his right knee two years ago.

7.   Knees that have endured a pair of anterior cruciate ligament surgeries over the past five years are partially to blame.

8.   Prieto said his sports medicine clinic would not advise any patient to begin running for six to nine months after ligament surgery.

9.   Smoltz was there, too, until he missed last season after elbow ligament replacement surgery.

10.   Sommer, who has played in England for the US national team, has had cruciate ligament surgery on both knees in the last year.