Rangers RHP Beltre has spine surgery

[February 25, 2011]  SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) -- Texas Rangers pitcher Omar Beltre has had surgery after being diagnosed with a genetic narrowing of the spine.

Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said Thursday that there were no surprises and that the surgery a day earlier in Texas "went as well as could be expected."

Beltre is expected to travel to Arizona to join the team this weekend, depending on how he feels.

Levine says the rehabilitation for the 29-year-old Beltre will be "very much a work in progress" and that the right-hander is at least six weeks away from any baseball activities.

The Rangers know of no other baseball players who have had a surgery for the condition known as spinal stenosis.

[Associated Press]

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