Injury Sidelines Clemens

Roger Clemens’ bid to break the American League record for consecutive winning decisions will have to wait a while.

The right-hander was put on the 15-day disabled list by the New York Yankees on Thursday because of a strained left hamstring, an injury that has nagged the five-time Cy Young Award winner for 2 1/2 weeks.

“It’s kind of a safety-first deal because it’s not anything brand new,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said. “We’d rather give him the time so the next time we put him out there we know he’s going to be all right.”

Meanwhile, Don Zimmer could leave the Yankees as soon as this weekend, depending on when Manager Joe Torre decides he’s ready to take over.

Zimmer gathered his team after Wednesday night’s loss to the Texas Rangers and announced: “After tomorrow’s game, I’m going home.”

“He was very emotional,” pitcher David Cone said. “We just sort of sat in silence, then he left.”

On Thursday, however, Zimmer said he would wait until Torre returned. And Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman said that would not happen today.

Zimmer, 68, was New York’s bench coach the last three years until being asked in mid-March to serve as interim manager while Torre recovered from prostate cancer surgery. Torre underwent a checkup Thursday and was expected to be cleared to rejoin the World Series champions today.

But Torre told Zimmer he might not want to take over right away.

Zimmer has stayed on the job out of loyalty to Torre. Otherwise, he may have already left because of excruciating pain caused by a knee injury.

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Jaret Wright and Jim Thome of the Cleveland Indians and Darren Lewis and Rheal Cormier of the Boston Red Sox were suspended for their parts in two brawls last week.

Wright received a five-game suspension and a $1,000 fine, while Thome, Lewis and Cormier each got three games and $500 fines.

The trouble began in the fifth inning Friday night when Wright hit Lewis in the shoulder with a pitch after giving up a home run. Lewis and Wright exchanged words and Lewis charged the mound as benches and bullpens cleared.

An inning later, Cormier hit Thome in the ribs, setting off a second brawl.

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Closer Jeff Brantley of the Philadelphia Phillies, put on the disabled list Wednesday night after being forced to leave a game because of shoulder trouble, could be sidelined for the season. . . . Cal Ripken was back on the field for the first time since being put on the disabled list April 18, fielding grounders and taking batting practice. . . . Jon Lieber, who suffered two small fractures near his nose when hit in the right eye by a thrown ball during batting practice Saturday, became the seventh Chicago Cub pitcher and their fourth starting pitcher to go on the disabled list. . . . Tom Schieffer resigned as president of the Texas Rangers and left open the possibility of joining the likely presidential campaign of Texas Gov. George W. Bush, a close friend and his predecessor running the team. . . . Brett Tomko of the Cincinnati Reds was demoted to triple-A.