Indians' Manuel to have surgery

Manager Charlie Manuel of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians will have surgery on Friday to reattach his colon and is expected to be away from the team for at least two weeks.

Manuel, who had 8 inches of his colon removed during emergency surgery when it ruptured during spring training, will have tests at the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday before undergoing the operation.

He is expected to be hospitalised for a week following the surgery and it could be two weeks before he can return to manage.

While Manuel is gone, bench coach Grady Little will serve as the Indians' interim manager. Little managed the team during spring training when Manuel was sidelined.

Manuel had wanted to postpone the surgery until the All-Star break, but doctors have advised him to have the procedure performed now so that he'll be able to recover more quickly.

"I was fighting it, I didn't want to do it at this moment. I was told it was important for me to do." said Manuel.

He has had to wear a colostomy bag while his colon has been detached. He has not been able to hit fly balls or throw batting practice while he recovers, something he loved to do while he was the Indians' hitting instructor for six years.

Except for facing surgery, Manuel, who has had two heart attacks and open-heart surgery, said he feels fine.