OAKLAND: A's manager Ken Macha remains cautious with closer Huston Street (strained right pectoral muscle), who isn't expected to pitch in a game before Wednesday. After throwing about 30 pitches in a bullpen session, Street felt fatigued. He hasn't pitched in a game since April 18. ... SS Bobby Crosby (strained right triceps) was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game, though he has pinch run. Macha said the team wants to make sure Crosby can throw without any problems. He could be back at SS as early as Tuesday.
TEXAS: INF Mark DeRosa, on the DL with a high left ankle sprain, took batting practice and fielded grounders Monday. He could go to Triple-A Oklahoma on Thursday to play and be ready to rejoin the Rangers on Sunday when he's eligible to come off the DL. ... Rookie 2B Ian Kinsler (dislocated left thumb) took grounders in Arizona, but manager Buck Showalter said he's still a couple of weeks from returning. He's eligible to come of the DL this week. ... Hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, recovering from prostate cancer, visited the clubhouse for the second time in four days Monday. While cancer free after the March 28 surgery, he's still healing from the surgical incision and is rebuilding his endurance. ``I'm working up to it,'' he said.
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DETROIT: Jim Leyland was psyched up for his first visit to Anaheim as Tigers manager - walking through the clubhouse and yelling, ``Where's the Rally Monkey?'' to anyone within earshot. ``I hope we get to see the Rally Monkey,'' he told reporters, ``because they only bring it out when they're behind - don't they? I want to see that thing. I've seen it on TV, and they look like they're having a helluva time. I just hope they don't have those (thunder)sticks.'' ... RHP Matt Mantei has joined the Tigers' Triple-A Toledo club. The 11-year veteran, who turns 33 in July, had a career-high 29 saves for Arizona in 2003. He had been in Lakeland, Fla., for extended spring training since agreeing to terms on a minor league contract on Apr. 8. Mantei spent last season with Boston and went 1-0 with a 6.49 ERA in 34 appearances. ... Tigers closer Todd Jones turned 38 years old Monday.
LOS ANGELES: Maicer Izturis, who went on the 15-day disabled list Monday because of a left hamstring strain, is the third player the Angels have put on the DL in a span of six days - including RHP Bartolo Colon and reserve DH/OF Juan Rivera. ... 2B Howie Kendrick was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to replace Izturis on the roster. ... The Angels entered Monday with 16 errors in their first 19 games, which have resulted in 17 unearned runs. Last season their opponents converted 87 errors into 45 unearned runs. ... Robb Quinlan started his second straight game at 1B instead of Casey Kotchman, who is hitless in his last 14 at-bats and 9-for-58 overall with five RBIs.
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CHICAGO: One of the reasons for the White Sox winning eight straight and 12 of 13 entering Monday's series opener is a lineup that is giving pitchers more margin for error than in 2005. ``Our offense is better right now than last year,'' manager Ozzie Guillen. He singled out DH Jim Thome, acquired from Philadelphia in a November trade. He entered Monday with an AL co-leading nine home runs and is the quickest White Sox player to get to nine homers in a season. He also set a major league record by scoring at least one run in 17 straight games, a streak that ended Sunday. Last season, he played in career-low 59 games and hit seven homers for the Phillies because of back and elbow injuries. ``There weren't too many days I was pain free last year,'' he said. ... Dating to last season, Chicago had been in first place for 193 of 205 days entering Monday.
SEATTLE: DH Carl Everett didn't want to talk about his former team Monday. Everett, signed as a free agent by Seattle last winter, said last month the White Sox lack leadership with him gone and will finish third in the AL Central. He also criticized Chicago GM Kenny Williams for breaking up the team's chemistry. When asked Monday if he would say hello to his ``buds'' before the game, Everett said, ``What buds? All my buds got traded. They've still got some cool people - Jermaine (Dye) and I are still cool. But I'm not here to talk about them.'' Williams said he had not and likely wouldn't talk to Everett, who did hug some Sox during batting practice. Manager Ozzie Guillen said, ``I'm not talking about Carl Everett. He didn't mention me, he mentioned Kenny. Ask Kenny.'' ... The Mariners recalled LHP Bobby Livingston from Triple-A Tacoma to fill the roster spot of RHP Clint Nageotte, who was demoted Sunday night.
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COLORADO: 1B Todd Helton was released from the hospital Monday after spending the weekend being treated for a stomach ailment. The team said the five-time All Star was at home ``resting comfortably with his family.'' ``No diagnosis has been given at this time,'' Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. Hurdle said there was no timetable for Helton's return. Helton, 32, was hospitalized Friday with severe lower abdominal pain and a fever. ... Hurdle said he was looking forward to RHP Miguel Asencio's first start against the Phillies on Wednesday. Asencio (0-0, 0.00 ERA) started his career in the Phillies organization until the Kansas City Royals selected him the Rule 5 draft in 2001. Asencio was 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA in spring training. ``He showed us there was some substance to his pitching in spring training,'' Hurdle said.
PHILADELPHIA: Manager Charlie Manuel shuffled his lineup, moving 1B Ryan Howard up to the fifth spot and 2B Chase Utley to the No. 2 hole. CF Aaron Rowand slid down to sixth. ``If it doesn't work, I'll go try another,'' Manuel said. Manuel oddly had Howard, their best power hitter, hitting sixth or seventh. ``I think it gives us a strong top,'' Manuel said. ``We got about six guys right in a row that can hit the long ball.'' ... The Phillies promoted LHP Cole Hamels, considered the organization's top pitching prospect, to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Hamels was 1-1 with a 1.77 ERA in four starts for Class-A Clearwater. ... RHP Chris Booker (left knee inflammation) also has rehabilitation assignment transferred from Clearwater to Scranton.
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LOS ANGELES: The Dodgers finally had the lineup manager Grady Little wanted on opening day. 3B Nomar Garciaparra and CF Kenny Lofton are back and Derek Lowe was the starter for Monday's series opener in Houston. Lofton missed the first 10 games with a strained calf and Garciaparra sat out the first 17 with a strained rib cage muscle. ... Seven Dodgers stole a total of 20 bases in their first 19 games, tops in the NL. ``When you get everyone involved like that, only good things can happen,'' Little said. ``That's part of our game.'' ... The Dodgers went 0-3 at Minute Maid Park last season.
HOUSTON: LF Preston Wilson was back in the lineup Monday despite 16 strikeouts in his last 34 at-bats. Manager Phil Garner said Wilson's job is safe for now. ``If we weren't winning, I'd be forced to do something,'' Garner said. ... Before the game, Garner and Astros coaches and executives received handmade cowboy boots with the team logo and ``2005 NL Champions'' embroidered on the front. The boots were made by Justin Brands, a Texas bootmaker. ...The Brockton Rox of the Can-Am League want to talk with Roger Clemens. The free agent, seven-time Cy Young winner is mulling retirement, but Boston, the New York Yankees, Texas and the Astros are interested in signing him. The Rox say they can offer Clemens one thing the other teams can't - an opening day start. Their season begins on May 25.
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FLORIDA: Joe Girardi has spent a lot of time at Wrigley Field because he had two stints with the Cubs, the team that drafted him. But he'd never been to the neighborhood park as a manager until Monday. ``This is where it all started for me,'' Girardi said. He took a jog down Waveland Ave., earlier in the day and when he went to get coffee in the morning, some people recognized him. ``I got drafted by the Cubs and I grew up a Cubs fan,'' said Girardi, who was born in Peoria, Ill. ``I played my first game here in 1989, so it's a special place for me.'' Girardi played his first four major league seasons with the Cubs. He rejoined them for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. ... There are plenty of Cubs connections to the Marlins. Besides Girardi, pitching coach Rick Kranitz spent 22 years coaching in the Cubs organization, and bullpen coach Mike Harkey played for the Cubs. Joe Borowski, Sergio Metre and Todd Wellemeyer all pitched for the Cubs, while Dontrelle Willis and Ricky Nolasco were in Chicago's minor league system.
CHICAGO: After playing behind LHP Dontrelle Willis the last few years, OF Juan Pierre is going to get a chance to see what it's like to face him at the plate Tuesday night. ``Facing Dontrelle? That's going to be pretty weird,'' Pierre said. ``I had breakfast with him this morning, and I told him I was going to get him.'' Though Pierre and Willis talk frequently, the rest of the Marlins look a lot different than when Pierre left Miami. Willis and Miguel Cabrera are the only mainstays left from the 2003 team that won the World Series. ``They're a young team and they've got to take their lumps, but they're going to be all right,'' Pierre said. ... Dusty Baker said Todd Walker would be his first baseman most of the time now that Derrek Lee is out for about two months with two broken bones in his wrist. Walker will also play second where the Cubs can also use Neifi Perez and Jerry Hairston.
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MILWAUKEE: 2B Rickie Weeks batted leadoff Monday, replacing CF Brady Clark, who has batted first in the 17 games he has played in so far this season. Clark, who hit eighth Monday, has been struggling at the plate and is hitting just .203 with one home run and five RBIs. ... By beating the Cincinnati Reds 11-0 Saturday and then losing to the Reds 11-0 Sunday, the Brewers because the fourth team in modern history to win a double-digit shutout one day and lose a double-digit shutout the next. They are just the second team to do it against the same opponent. The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia 10-0 on June 27, 1962 and then lost to Philadelphia 12-0 the next day. ... The Brewers honored former Milwaukee Braves OF Andy Pafko in a pre-game ceremony.
ATLANTA: OF Chipper Jones will be in the Braves' lineup Tuesday after spending 15 days on the disabled list with right ankle sprain and a lateral collateral ligament sprain in his right knee. ``I'm ready to get back out there,'' he said. He said he was still trying to find the right knee brace to wear when he returns. ``The one I have right now hurts more to wear than when I'm not wearing it,'' he said. ... 2B Marcus Giles was back in the starting lineup Monday after missing the past three games with a sprain ligament in his left middle fingerSS Edgar Renteria remained out of the lineup with a strained left rib cage, which he suffered April 15 against San Diego. He is listed as day to day.
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PITTSBURGH: RHP Kip Wells, recovering from surgery in March to correct a blocked artery, joined the team for the first time on Monday. He's scheduled to see the doctor that performed the operation in St. Louis on Tuesday. Wells is expected to join the rotation by the All-Star break. ... Opponents scored in the first inning in 12 of the Pirates' first 20 games. ... The Pirates faced a 20-game winner for the second straight game in St. Louis' Chris Carpenter. The Astros' Roy Oswalt allowed one run in seven innings in a 3-2 victory on Sunday.
ST. LOUIS: Jim Edmonds, who batted second on Monday, is the seventh player to be tried in that spot in the first 19 games. Manager Tony La Russa said putting Edmonds second against left-hander Oliver Perez was a ``one-day thing. It's a good spot for him, with Albert (Pujols) behind him.'' Edmonds entered the game batting only .185 but with three homers and 12 RBIs. Juan Encarnacion, who has hit second 10 times, was batting .200 with one RBI on a groundout. Encarnacion batted fifth on Monday. ... La Russa expects OF Larry Bigbie, off to a slow start in a rehab stint from a stress fracture to his left foot, to use the entire 20 days. He also said 2B Junior Spivey, outrighted before the season, has just been ``so-so.''
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CINCINNATI: 2B Brandon Phillips was honored as NL player of the week on Monday; his 17 RBIs last week led the NL and were the most for a Reds player in a seven-day span since Ray Knight had 18 in a week in 1979. Phillips originally was drafted by the Expos in 1999; told of Phillips' award, Nationals manager Frank Robinson smiled and said: ``Not the same guy. That's a stolen identity.'' Asked what he thought about Phillips when he was in the Montreal organization, Robinson said: ``A lot of promise, looked like a tremendous prospect. I thought he was going to be, in time, a very, very good major league player.'' ... OF Cody Ross arrived in time to take batting practice with his teammates before Monday night's game. He came in a trade with the Dodgers for a player to be named later. ... INF Tony Womack was designated for assignment to the minors. He hadn't started since April 14 and was relegated to occasionally pinch-hitting after general manager Wayne Krivsky traded for Phillips on April 7. ... The Reds put LHP Eric Milton on the 15-day DL; he had surgery Monday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
WASHINGTON: RHP John Patterson will take an extra day's rest before his next start, pushed back because of stiffness in his forearm. Instead of facing Cincinnati in the series finale at home Wednesday, Patterson is now scheduled to take the mound Thursday at St. Louis. Ramon Ortiz will pitch Wednesday; his turn was going to be skipped when his planned start Saturday was rained out. ... RHP Pedro Astacio threw about 30 pitches to hitters during a workout on the RFK Stadium mound about four hours before Monday night's game. Astacio left an exhibition start April 1 after two innings with tightness in his right forearm. He went on the disabled list that day. ``He threw free and easy out there,'' Robinson said. ``He had some pop on his fastball and was able to throw his breaking ball without any complaint. So physically he was fine.'' ... SS Cristian Guzman made his second appearance in an intrasquad game at extended spring training in Viera, Fla. He went 1-for-2, hitting a single and grounding into a double play. He also was caught trying to steal.
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