Hamstring Injury

When the Ravens open training camp Friday, a familiar face will be back in the center of the defense. Ray Lewis is scheduled to practice for the first time since tearing his hamstring nine months ago, coach Brian Billick said yesterday. The former All-Pro linebacker had missed all of the team's spring workouts because he was still recovering from the injury. COMING TOMORROW A preview of Ravens training camp, with a look at how Brian Billick will handle camp, a fans' guide and more.

Brian Roberts' continuing injury saga will take on another chapter today when the Orioles second baseman visits a hamstring specialist in Dallas to determine why he is not responding as quickly as he had hoped after rupturing a tendon behind his right knee April 4. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Tuesday that Roberts has spoken on the phone with Dr. Daniel Cooper - who operated in November to remove scar tissue from the hamstring of Tampa Bay...

SAN DIEGO -- Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren's offensive picture looked clearer yesterday as he made final preparations for the Packers' attempt to repeat as Super Bowl champions.Wide receiver Antonio Freeman, who attended Thursday's practice as an observer while battling the flu, worked out yesterday and is expected to be at full strength for tomorrow's kickoff.Holmgren also added receiver Ronnie Anderson from the team's practice squad to replace nine-year veteran Don Beebe, whom Holmgren placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

When they introduced him at Camden Yards on Friday, Brian Roberts walked out like a 70-year-old man to slap hands with his teammates during the Opening Day festivities. One by one, the rest of the Orioles' starters jogged in from center field on a bright orange carpet to a rousing ovation from the capacity crowd. Roberts watched it all with a wistful look on his face. "I had to kind of nudge him to go out for the introductions," Buck Showalter said after the Orioles' 9-5 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Cornerback Duane Starks, the Ravens' first-round draft selection, has recovered from a hamstring injury enough to play in an NFL contest for the first time today when the Ravens meet the New York Jets in a preseason game at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.Starks, the 10th pick overall in the draft, watched from the sideline in last week's game against the Bears, but coach Ted Marchibroda said the rookie will see plenty of playing time today."

Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said yesterday that the hamstring injury suffered by senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada in last week's 24-17 win at Wake Forest isn't as serious as the one that kept him out of the first two games this season. It is still not known whether Kaheaku-Enhada will play in Saturday's game at Air Force. "We're going to continue to have him get as much treatment as he can and see what happens," Niumatalolo said before practice. "It's going to be day-to-day.

BaseballDiamondbacks: Announced retirement of LHP Mark Davis.BaseballNets: Signed F David Vaughn to 10-day contract.Wizards: Activated G God Shammgod from injured list. Placed G Tim Legler on injured list with right hamstring injury.Pub Date: 3/08/98

Marlins: Shortstop Edgar Renteria missed the game with a hamstring injury and is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced by Kurt Abbott, who opened the season at shortstop before losing his position.Mets: Jose Vizcaino, who was 2-for-3, has hit .348 in his last 55 games, raising his overall average to .328 from .239.Pirates: Pittsburgh has lost four straight at Montreal this season, being outscored 33-10.Reds: Eric Davis, who has hit safely in a season-high seven consecutive games, but has been bothered by a sore back, was out of the lineup.

On the field: The Yankees' Wade Boggs pulled up lame after Cal Ripken threw him out from deep in the hole in the fourth inning yesterday. Boggs, who has been bothered by a hamstring injury since Wednesday, played one more inning in the field before leaving the game.In the dugout: Yankees manager Buck Showalter compensated for Boggs' absence by inserting Pat Kelly at second base and moving Randy Velarde to third. Darryl Strawberry pinch-hit for Kelly in the ninth, walking amidst a chorus of boos.

They got the hitter they wanted (Bobby Bonilla) and added a durable starter (Scott Erickson) to their pitching staff, but the Orioles haven't been able to solve a problem that has dogged them since the start of the season.The real discouraging news is that there is no sign of a resolution before the year is over.Everyone has acknowledged the lack of consistency with which a contender is usually identified. But that other "C" word also comes into prominent play.With only 54 games left, the Orioles lineup has even less continuity now than it did at the season's start -- when the club opened with almost a 60 percent turnover in playing personnel.

Hereford senior quarterback Ryan Jones rushed for three touchdowns and senior running backs Ted Neubauer and John Bauer each added a pair of touchdown runs to lead the host Bulls (4-1) to a 56-12 victory over No. 9 Catonsville on Friday night. Hereford outgained Catonsville 161 yards to 59 in the first half when the Comets lost University of Maryland-bound running back DeAndre' Lane to a hamstring injury. - Craig Clary No. 3 River Hill 27, Glenelg 13: River Hill found itself in a battle for the first time this season, and to coach Brian Van Deusen's pleasure, his Hawks (5-0)

Hereford senior quarterback Ryan Jones rushed for three touchdowns, and senior running backs Ted Neubauer and John Bauer each added a pair of touchdown runs to lead the host Bulls (4-1) to a 56-12 victory over No. 9 Catonsville. Hereford outgained Catonsville, 161 yards to 59, in the first half when the Comets lost Maryland-bound running back DeAndre' Lane to a hamstring injury. No. 4 Arundel 53, North County 20: Jack Gordon completed 16 of 19 passes for 293 yards and six touchdown passes to power the visiting Wildcats (5-0)

Don Zimmerman figured it would take Scott Hopmann some time before he began to re-discover his footing in UMBC's offense. The coach's patience has been rewarded as the junior midfielder has recorded 11 points in his last three contests after posting five points in his first five games since returning from a hamstring injury. The Annapolis native and St. Mary's graduate amassed three goals and one assist in the Retrivers' 11-8 victory over America East foe Vermont Saturday.

The hamstring that sidelined Scott Hopmann is no longer an issue as the UMBC junior midfielder has registered an assist in each of his last two contests. But the Annapolis native and St. Mary's graduate has taken four shots with zero goals, and coach Don Zimmerman said Hopmann is working off the rust. “Scott's looking pretty good,” Zimmerman said Monday. “I don't think he's fully back to where he needs to be. I think his hamstring is fine, but because he missed so much time, he's not in the kind of shape that he needs to be in. But it's good to see him out there, and he's contributing in practice.

A nagging hamstring prevented Dannell Ellerbe from making his second consecutive start at inside linebacker, but Ellerbe said he is aiming to be available for the Ravens' game at the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. “Hopefully,” Ellerbe said Monday of his chances of playing in Cleveland. “Trying to. Pushing for it.” Ellerbe, who was slated to start in place of the injured Ray Lewis (toe), was replaced by Albert McClellan, who finished with four tackles in his first career start.

Wide receiver Lee Evans, who was inactive against the St. Louis Rams because of a left ankle injury, said that he is making definite progress, but not enough for him to say for sure that he'll be out there Sunday night against the New York Jets.  "Obviously, it feels better now but you can't say it's all the way back," said Evans who didn't participate in this morning's walk through. "We're still going to take it one day at a time and be smart heading through this week and heading into the bye week.

With his left leg heavily taped and his future availability uncertain, left tackle Jonathan Ogden seemed more confused than angry. Ogden suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of the Ravens' 20-6 win over the Buffalo Bills yesterday and likely will miss Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had to be helped off the field and hobbled around the locker room in obvious discomfort 30 minutes after the game. "I've never had [a hamstring injury]," Ogden said with a peculiar look on his face.

PHILADELPHIA - A forward who recently signed a 15-day contact and was playing his second game of the season became the latest to add to the Blast's misery. Joe Scigliano scored two two-point goals and added an assist as the Philadelphia KiXX defeated the Blast, 14-8, in a Major Indoor Soccer League game last night. It was the second straight loss and third in four games for the 5-7 Blast. The KiXX (8-3) maintained their hold on first place in the six-team league and have won all three meetings with the Blast.

Andre Johnson has been described as the model for NFL wide receivers. The Ravens are inclined to agree with that claim. As the Ravens prepare for Monday night's showdown with the Houston Texans, many of the defensive players are well aware of what awaits them in the form of Johnson. "He has everything you look for when you're thinking about a prototype wide receiver," cornerback Josh Wilson said. "You want a big, tall, strong, fast guy, and that's him to a 'T.' He makes plays on the ball, and he makes great runs after the catch.

In the past two weeks, Luke Scott learned it's even harder to watch his team lose on television than it is from the dugout. "It's tough to watch. It's tough to see," Scott said. "I know because I've been here and I've gone through it myself, and it is difficult. But today's a new day." Scott, who had been on the disabled list since July 1 with a strained left hamstring, was activated Monday and immediately inserted into the fifth spot in the lineup as the club's designated hitter.