Elbow

Elbow with Devotchka Where: Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave. When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Price: $29-$40 Info: http://www.greektheatrela.com

PHOENIX -- After throwing curveballs off a mound for the first time since he underwent reconstructive elbow surgery, Chad Billingsley felt soreness in his forearm Saturday night. Naturally, he was worried. But the trainers told him not to be concerned. He was supposed to be sore. “I've never had surgery in the elbow,” Billingsley said. “You almost forget what it's like to throw, the soreness and stuff.” Billingsley threw 30 consecutive pitches in his latest bullpen session, rather than two sets of 15 as he had previously done.

Tiger Woods won't be on hand to defend his title at the AT&T National next week, but he plans on being ready in July to continue his quest for his first major championship since 2008. The world's No. 1-ranked golfer announced on his website Wednesday that he will not compete in the National, which benefits his foundation, at Congressional Country Club due to a left elbow strain doctors found after his return from last weekend's U.S. Open. "I have been advised to take a few weeks off, rest and undergo treatment," Woods said on his website.

Indiana Pacers power forward David West has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for elbowing Clippers power forward Blake Griffin in the jaw during their game Saturday in Indianapolis, the league announced Sunday. The incident occurred at the end of the second quarter, when Griffin missed a shot as time expired and the two reached for the rebound. West was behind Griffin and each had a hand on the ball. As the two separated, West brought his arm down and caught Griffin in the jaw. West was given a flagrant foul two and ejected from the game.

DENVER--As if George Karl needed another reason to loathe the Lakers. The self-styled Lakers hater watched video of Metta World Peace smacking Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried in the mouth Monday and came away with a fairly straightforward review: two thumbs down. “I saw it on film and I thought it was - whatever the word is - premeditated,” Karl said Friday about a play toward the end of the third quarter in which no foul was called. The NBA seemed to agree, retroactively assessing World Peace a flagrant 2 foul on Thursday.

PHOENIX - Zack Greinke is scheduled to play catch Friday, four days after he returned to Los Angeles to get his sore right elbow examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Greinke won't throw a bullpen session until next week. With only two weeks remaining in spring training, Manager Don Mattingly said he didn't think it would be possible for Greinke to pitch in more than two exhibition games before the start of the regular season. Greinke has pitched in only two games this spring and appears to be a longshot to be able to face the San Francisco Giants on April 2. Because the Dodgers have two days off in the first eight days of the regular season, they won't need a fifth starter until April 13. They could therefore place Greinke on the disabled list without making any alterations to their rotation.

Wrong place, wrong time. With three days to think things over and see plenty of replays, Lakers forward Metta World Peace viewed his elblow on Oklahoma City guard James Harden as nothing more than cosmic forces suddenly creating chaos. "It was bad timing for me and then, physically, it was bad timing for Mr. Harden," World Peace said Wednesday at the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo. "Who can write up a left-hand dunk and then all of the sudden somebody is right behind you?

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly was watching videotape of his closer, Jonathan Broxton , on Wednesday morning, seeking clues to Broxton's inability to throw strikes the night before, when team trainer Stan Conte walked into the room. "You don't need to look at tape anymore," Mattingly said Conte told him. The reason: After repeatedly insisting he felt fine in recent days, Broxton had acknowledged a sore elbow on his right pitching arm. A couple of hours later, there was more bad news for the Dodgers.

Hong-Chih Kuo is scheduled to undergo his fifth elbow operation Friday, but his agent said he intends to pitch next season — even if it's not for the Dodgers. "There's no thought of retirement," Alan Chang said. "He's fully committed and highly motivated to do what it takes. " In the final month of the regular season, Kuo sounded uncertain about his plans for 2012, telling The Times he wanted to pitch but telling mlb.com he might want to run a restaurant in his native Taiwan instead.

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal will have major surgery on his right elbow next week. The team did not say in its statement how long the three-time All-Star will be out. Dr. James Andrews, the noted orthopedist, examined Furcal on Wednesday and will perform Tommy John surgery. The 35-year-old Furcal has been sidelined since reinjuring the elbow he hurt late last season. Furcal and the team had tried rehabilitation rather than reconstructive surgery in the off-season.

If the Lakers continue to founder this season, many will ask, "What's the point?" Lose enough games, fail to make the playoffs and drop into one of the richest draft lotteries talent-wise in years. For now, though, the question is: Who's the point? The Lakers, struggling with a 10-11 record and still trying to figure out what Kobe Bryant can give them, on Thursday also lost point guard Steve Blake for at least six weeks because of a torn ligament in his right elbow. All three Lakers point guards are now injured.

Lakers tonight AT SACRAMENTO When: 7 PST. Where: Sleep Train Arena. On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 9-9, Kings 4-12. Record vs. Kings: 1-0. Update: The Lakers will use a point-guard-by-committee approach with Jordan Farmar and Steve Nash sidelined by injuries. Starter Steve Blake resumed shooting with his right hand in practice after suffering a hyperextended right elbow and will be backed up by Xavier Henry.

Blake Griffin said the bursa sac in his swollen right elbow was drained after Sunday's game against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. Griffin had the same elbow drained last season. "It's still a little big," Griffin said Tuesday. "But they put some anti-inflammatory fluid in there. It should go down in the next couple of days. " Griffin said he was told that it wouldn't be a good idea to have surgery on the bursa sac right now. "If you do, there's an increased chance of arthritis," Griffin said.

Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg underwent arthroscopic surgery in Los Angeles to remove bone chips from his right elbow. The team said outfielder Bryce Harper and first baseman Adam LaRoche also had operations last week. Harper had the bursa in his left knee repaired after it had hampered him last season. LaRoche had his left, throwing elbow cleaned up. All three are expected to be ready by spring training. Strasburg, whose procedure was performed by Dodgers team physician Neal ElAttrache, is scheduled to resume his off-season throwing program in four to six weeks, the Washington Post reported.

That C.J. Wilson surpassed the 200-inning mark for the fourth consecutive season on Sunday is as much a testament to Dr. Lewis Yocum, the longtime Angels physician who died of liver cancer at age 65 in May, as it is to the left-handed pitcher's durability. Yocum, who saved the careers of hundreds of professional baseball players, performed Tommy John surgery on Wilson's elbow in 2003, after Wilson had completed his third season in the Texas Rangers organization. Yocum also performed two cleanup procedures on Wilson's elbow, one in 2008, after Wilson's second year as a Rangers reliever, and another last October, following Wilson's first season with the Angels after signing a five-year, $77.5-million deal with the team.

The regular season is almost over and Carl Crawford is still healthy. "I'm just grateful," Crawford said. This time last year, Crawford was recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery. "Just to be able play baseball again, to be able to do what I've done all my life, not having to worry about getting hurt," Crawford said. Crawford played in his 106th game Thursday. He played in only 31 last season for the Boston Red Sox, who traded him to the Dodgers days after his operation.

Coach Vinny Del Negro said that the Clippers were concerned about Blake Griffin's burst bursa sac in his right elbow, but that his All-Star power forward was feeling well enough to play against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. Del Negro said Griffin also had a stiff neck as well from being hit in practice Tuesday. But he said Griffin went through the morning shoot-around Wednesday. "There is always a concern because Blake is such a huge part of what need to do," Del Negro said.

Chad Billlingsley's sore elbow flared up again Friday. Billingsley left the game against the Marlins with one out in the fourth inning, with what the Dodgers termed a tender elbow. He had previously been on the 15-day disabled list with a sore elbow. Since returning July 23, he had won six consecutive starts before Friday. Aggravating the elbow a second time has to be of greater concern to the Dodgers. It could be a good thing they included right-hander Josh Beckett in that proposed blockbuster deal with the Red Sox for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

NEW YORK -- Lleyton Hewitt, a 32-year-old Australian who won the U.S. Open in 2001 and who was never a U.S. crowd favorite because he once was perceived to have made racist comments toward popular American James Blake, had the crowd on Louis Armstrong Stadium chanting his name Tuesday. In a quarterfinal match against Mikhail Youzhny, Hewitt, who is ranked only 66th in the world and has had at least five surgeries over the last decade, retrieved a shot after he tripped and fell. His desperate attempt left blood running down his elbow,  and the ball went into the net. Not long after that, Hewitt was beaten by 21st-seeded Youzhny, a 31-year-old Russian, 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (3)