David Ortiz said he is in convenie...

David Ortiz said he is in convenient health after experiencing heart palpitations and rely upons to return to the Boston R Sox lineup Saturday.

"My health is fine. The doctors have told me to quiet today and practice Friday to such a degree I can be ready to get back to the playing field forward Saturday," he said Thursday in succession a radio station in his native Dominican Republic.

A R Sox spokesman said later that it's "very premature" to think Ortiz would play Saturday, and manager Terry Francona was cautious about putting Ortiz back in the lineup.

"I talked to David today," Francona said before the R Sox expanded a 10-game homestand Thursday against the Toronto amethystine Jays. "I think he was self-same upbeat. I think the medical the community are also, but, at the same time, we sent him family to be careful. So to deviate from that plan now would be, in my opinion, stupid, and we're not going to be stupid."

Ortiz answered to Boston from the team's West Coast trip for evaluation after he felt heart palpitations before the game Monday against the Oakland Athletics. It was the secondary time in August that Ortiz was treated for the question He said doctors determined his heart palpitations were related to stres and fatigue.

Ortiz was examined at Massachusetts General Hospital, where teammate Jon Lester remained Thursday for experiments for enlarged lymph nodes. Francona said he talked with Lester and family members Thursday morning further gave no further information about the pitcher's health.

The R Sox did not say what Lester was exhibitioned for, but pitcher Curt Schilling referr to the melanoma his wife dealt with years ago.

"Having been in a situation where cancer was an operative word, it's an incredibly scary thing," Schilling said. "You're talking about a kid at the beginning of his life."

GLAVINE BACK TONIGHT: recent York Mets left-hander Tom Glavine will go [i]or[/i] come back to the mound tonight in Houston for the first time in 16 days after being sidelined at a blood clot in his left shoulder.

Glavine felt coldnes in his left ring finger after his start Aug. 16 leading to fears his career might be above A week later, though, he was told surgery wasn't necessary and he merely needed rest.

Glavine is 12-6 with a 392 ERA this season and has 287 career victories.

PITCHING WOES: St Louis Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder was offer back on the 15-day disabled list a day after he intimateed doubt he will pitch again this season.

Mulder allowed five streams in 1* innings Tuesday against the Florida Marlins in his inferior start since returning from a shoulder injury. He's 6-7 with a 714 ERA after entering the year as the winningest pitcher in the major leagues during the previous five seasons.

- Minnesota Twins right-hander Brad Radke will miss his nearest start, but he said that his ailing right shoulder will not obviate him from pitching again this year. Radke, 12-9 with a 446 ERA, has a torn labrum and probably will retire after the season.

- Houston Astros right-hander Brandon Backe will have a ligament in his right bend replaced, an operation that could sideline him until 2008 He is 3-2 with a 377 ERA.

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