Cone Pleased After Testing Shoulder

New York Yankee pitcher David Cone threw off a mound for the first time since being sidelined with tendinitis in his right shoulder and afterward said he had passed a big test.

“Today couldn’t have gone better,” the right-hander said after throwing 50 pitches from a bullpen mound before Friday night’s game against the Montreal Expos.

Cone is hoping to rejoin the starting rotation in time for New York’s big AL East series against the first-place Baltimore Orioles next week.

Cone, 12-6 with a 2.82 earned-run average, was put on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 18, one day after he removed himself from a start against Texas after the first inning because of shoulder tightness.

“It really went well. Everything I have, sliders, splitters,” he said. “The next step is to see how it responds. I’ll probably throw again in a couple of days.”

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The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed a two-year working agreement with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Pacific League, giving the Devil Rays help in scouting Japan for potential major leaguers.

Under the agreement, the Lions will scout all levels of competition throughout Japan, including high schools, on behalf of the Devil Rays. In return, the Devil Rays will help the Lions sign players outside Japan.

The Devil Rays are hoping to join other major league organizations that have turned to the Far East for players, a trend that started with the Dodgers’ success with Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo three years ago.