Daal hurts shoulder, MRI on tap

— -- FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Omar Daal could be headed for another trip to the disabled list. Vying to earn a spot in the Baltimore Orioles' starting rotation, Daal experienced soreness in the back of his left shoulder while throwing on a back field Tuesday. He was to have an MRI exam Wednesday to determine the extent of the damage -- and whether surgery will be required. "I am really worried. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or what the doctor is going to say," Daal said. Daal last pitched Saturday against a minor league contingent of Minnesota Twins, allowing six runs -- three earned -- in five innings. He also gave up two homers. "After I pitched on Saturday, I was feeling OK. Then the next day I thought it was regular soreness," Daal said. "Then today in the bullpen, I could only throw about 10 pitches and that was it. I feel sore in the same spot as last year -- in the back and the front." Daal spent more than two months on the disabled list last season with tendinitis in his rotator cuff. He returned in September, then rested for three months over the offseason. Daal's poor outing against the Twins on Saturday didn't count against his already unimpressive line this spring. He's 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA and has allowed 13 hits in nine innings over three starts. If Daal ends up on the disabled list, it would narrow the competition for the final spot in the rotation to Matt Riley or Erik Bedard. Daal signed a two-year contract with Baltimore in January 2003. He went 4-11 with a 6.34 ERA last year.