Mathews in Hospital With Heart Trouble

Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews, one of 16 players in major league history to hit 500 home runs, has been hospitalized in La Jolla since Sunday because of a heart problem.

“I’m sure he’ll come out of this, I’m very hopeful he’s going to be just fine,” Mathews’ wife, Judy, said Thursday from the family home in Del Mar.

Judy Mathews said she took her 68-year-old husband to the emergency room Sunday at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla after he had trouble breathing.

“He’s in intensive care,” she said. “He had what they’re calling congestive heart failure because of his lungs filling with liquid and his heart having trouble dealing with all that.”

Mathews, a third baseman, played for 17 seasons. He was the only person to play with the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. He was a member of three World Series teams--two with the Braves and one with the Tigers.

Mathews hit 512 homers--tied for 13th on the career list with Ernie Banks--and batted .271 with 1,453 runs batted in.

Often batting ahead of Hank Aaron in the Braves’ lineup, Mathews led the National League with 47 home runs in 1953, his second year in the majors, and again with 46 homers in 1959.

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Cal Eldred had a screw inserted in his right elbow and the doctor who performed the surgery cautioned the procedure was done for his long-term health, not necessarily to allow him to pitch again this season.

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Toronto outfielder Raul Mondesi, who had surgery on his right elbow on Aug. 14, said he will try to play again this season.

Mondesi is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list on Sept. 20.

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Tampa Bay pitcher Ryan Rupe remained hospitalized at Cleveland after a blood clot was discovered above his right biceps, and he underwent a procedure to have an arm vein opened to improve blood flow.

The 25-year-old Rupe left his start Wednesday night against the Indians in the third inning complaining of stiffness in his arm.

But after being examined by Devil Ray trainer Jamie Reed and Cleveland team doctor Louis Keppler, Rupe was taken to the hospital.

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The New York Yankees signed 1999 NL All-Star catcher David Nilsson--but the deal came one day too late to make him eligible for postseason play.

Nilsson, now preparing to play for his native Australia in the Sydney Olympics, and the Yankees finalized their contract on Aug. 31.

According to baseball rules, however, the paperwork needed to be completed by Aug. 30 to qualify Nilsson for the playoffs and World Series.