Notes from Monday's games
May 22, 2006
TAMPA BAY: Manager John Maddon said OF Rocco Baldelli (left hamstring) will play RF in his minor league rehabilitation assignment that begins Tuesday at Triple-A Durham. Baldelli is expected to spend 20 days there. ... Maddon said his hitters just have to take advantage of anything Toronto ace Roy Halladay gives them on Tuesday. Halladay pitched a three-hitter against Tampa Bay on May 13. ``He just absolutely decimated us,'' Maddon said. ``He just doesn't beat himself.'' ... LHP Scott Kazmir was named AL player of the week. He went 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA.
TORONTO: Manager John Gibbons said injured RHP A.J. Burnett will throw off a mound at the end of the week. Burnett has made just two starts this season because of a sore right elbow. He's expected to be out at least another month. ... Gibbons said LHP Gustavo Chacin (elbow and forearm strain) will make a rehab start in the minors on Thursday and return to the rotation Tuesday against Boston. Chacin threw off a mound on Monday. ``He felt great. He looked good, too,'' Gibbons said. ... SS Russ Adams committed his team-leading 10th error in the second when he bounced a throw to first. Nine of his 10 errors have been on throws to first. John McDonald replaced him defensively to start the seventh. ``I put McDonald in and that's all I'm going to say about it,'' Gibbons said.
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NEW YORK: Terrence Long made his first appearance since being called up from Triple-A Columbus on Sunday. He started in left field. ... RHP Shawn Chacon, who went on the disabled list Sunday, had a hematoma in his left leg drained. ... Former major league OF Richard Hidalgo went 1-for-3, including a two-run homer in his first at-bat, in his first extended spring training game. A second former big league outfielder, Jason Romano, went 2-for-2 with a triple and two walks. Both could join Triple-A Columbus later this month. ... Reliever Octavio Dotel, who had elbow surgery, is scheduled to pitch two innings in an extended spring game Wednesday.
BOSTON: CF Wily Mo Pena was a late scratch from the starting lineup after his sore left wrist bothered him during batting practice. Pena said pain in the wrist intensified when he made ``a bad swing'' Sunday in Philadelphia, but he thinks he might play Tuesday. Willie Harris started in his place. ... RHP David Riske was activated from the disabled list and LHP Abe Alvarez was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket. ... C Jason Varitek played his 1,001st game with the Red Sox. Only 25 players have appeared in more. Carl Yastrzemski's 3,308 games are the most. ... Starting April 6, the Red Sox have been no more than percentage points out of the AL East lead.
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LOS ANGELES: RHP Bartolo Colon, out since April 16 due to right shoulder inflammation, will throw 30-40 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday. If that session goes well, manager Mike Scioscia said Colon could pitch next in a minor league game. ... OF Darin Erstad, on the DL since May 1 because of an irritated right ankle, was able to run in the outfield during a workout. Scioscia will check on how well Erstad's ankle responds before deciding on the next step.
TEXAS: RHP Adam Eaton rejoined the team, but Texas' projected No. 2 starter is still at least two weeks from throwing a ball and likely two months from pitching in a game. Eaton ruptured the tendon in the middle finger of his pitching hand in spring training and had surgery. He spent the last seven weeks rehabbing in Arizona. ``I'm glad to finally get back here and be with the team,'' Eaton said. ``The finger feels good.'' He hopes to pitch after the All-Star break. ... LHP John Danks, the Rangers' 2003 first-round pick, will miss his next minor league start because of a forearm strain. ... RHP Antonio Alfonseca (sore right elbow), on the DL since May 10, could start a rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco as early as Tuesday.
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OAKLAND: Injured CF Milton Bradley was to shag some fly balls this week and perhaps play catch. ``We want to get some baseball activities in,'' manager Ken Macha said. Bradley went on the DL on May 7, retroactive to April 27. Oakland has six players on the DL, including pitchers Rich Harden and Esteban Loaiza. An All-Star when he pitched for the White Sox, Loaiza will throw off the mound Tuesday. Harden will throw a bullpen session. Harden has a muscle strain in his back, and Loaiza has a strained trapezius muscle. ... The A's entered batting just .244, the second-lowest mark in the AL behind Tampa Bay. Former White Sox star Frank Thomas was batting only .178. But after getting a standing ovation when he came to bat for the first time, he hit a pair of solo homers against the team he spent 16 years with.
CHICAGO: Relief help could be on the way soon for the White Sox in Jeff Nelson, who was signed to a minor league contract earlier this month and has been pitching at Triple-A Charlotte. General manager Ken Williams was on a scouting trip last weekend and liked what he saw from the 6-foot-8 veteran. ``He threw the ball great. He's coming,'' Williams said of Nelson, who appeared in 49 games with the Mariners last season. ``There still isn't a guy who has a better breaking ball in the league than he has to get tough right-handed hitters out.'' ... C A.J. Pierzynski, who was punched during a brawl with the Cubs last weekend, got the night off. With lefty Barry Zito starting for Oakland, Chris Widger got the nod.
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DETROIT: INF Carlos Guillen was held out with a sore back. He had at least two hits in four of his last seven games and was expected to return to the lineup Tuesday. ... The Tigers have posted eight shutouts at the earliest point in the season since 1945, when they had eight by their 31st game. Monday's 1-0 win over Cincinnati came in the 43rd game. The 1945 club recorded its ninth shutout in the 52nd game. ... The four games in Kansas City this week are the only road games the Tigers will have between May 16 and June 4.
KANSAS CITY: The Royals held a players-only meeting before the game to air grievances certain players have with other players. OF Aaron Guiel said it was a good session and it gave everyone a chance to make themselves heard. ... RHP Zack Greinke continues to make progress in extended spring training in Arizona. Greinke left the team in February to go home and address personal issues. There were also good reports from Arizona on OF David DeJesus, who has been rehabbing a hamstring injury. He had been serving as the DH in games but is now back in the outfield.
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BALTIMORE: RHP Hayden Penn underwent surgery for appendicitis and was scratched from his scheduled season debut Tuesday night. Penn was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and LHP Adam Loewen was recalled from Double-A Bowie. Penn became ill on Monday and manger Sam Perlozzo said the pitcher went to a Seattle hospital. The Orioles did not immediately name a replacement starter for Tuesday night. Penn made eight starts last year, going 3-2 with a 6.34 ERA. He was 2-2 with a 1.48 ERA at Triple-A Ottawa this season. ... 2B Brian Roberts went through a full workout and could return sometime during the series against the Mariners, Perlozzo said. Roberts has been out since April 30 with a strained left groin. ... With Roberts out, Orioles leadoff hitters are batting .198.
SEATTLE: RHP Felix Hernandez said his right ankle was fine after he twisted it in Sunday's win over San Diego. Hernandez injured the ankle after stumbling on a pitch in the third inning. ``On a scale of 1-10 I think it's a 2,'' manager Mike Hargrove said. ``It's not a big deal.'' Hernandez allowed a career-high seven runs in six innings Sunday. He allowed 10 runs - five earned - in his previous start at Oakland. ... OF Ichiro Suzuki came in with a 15-game hitting streak, the 10th time in his career he's had a 15-game run. That's the most of any current player, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... INF-OF Mike Morse took extra fielding practice before the game, first fielding grounders at SS and then working in the outfield. He even robbed one of his coaches of a home run. ``That was pretty awesome. You've got to practice everything,'' he said. Morse hasn't played since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.
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CHICAGO: Heading into Monday night's game at Florida, the Cubs had not heard from the commissioner's office regarding possible fines and suspensions stemming from the brawl in Saturday's game against the White Sox. ... Dusty Baker said RHP Kerry Wood would make his start Tuesday night. Wood made his season debut in Thursday's loss to Washington. ... The Cubs began the series in Florida having gone 4-2 with a 2.67 ERA against the NL East. Chicago was 11-23 vs. the division in 2005.
FLORIDA: OF Jeremy Hermida was activated from the 15-day disabled list and IF Robert Andino was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. ... SS Hanley Ramirez returned to the lineup after missing five games with a strained left shoulder. He singled leading off the first Monday night against Chicago LHP Sean Marshall. ... Manager Joe Girardi said RHP Franklyn German (right shoulder tendinitis) and RHP Carlos Martinez (right elbow strain) would return ``fairly soon.'' German pitched a scoreless inning at Class A Jupiter on Sunday. Martinez threw live batting practice Monday.
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HOUSTON: Manager Phil Garner served his one-game suspension Monday night, with bench coach Cecil Cooper running the Astros against the Nationals. Garner was suspended and fined Friday, after Russ Springer threw several times at Barry Bonds and eventually hit the San Francisco slugger during a game last week. Springer was suspended for four games, and he finished serving his punishment Monday. ... LHP Wandy Rodriguez tied his career-high for strikeouts in a game by the fourth inning, with seven. ... C Eric Munson made his 10th start of the season Monday, batting fifth in the lineup - his highest spot in the order, despite entering the game with a .242 average. ``He's been taking some pretty good swings. I think he's a threat,'' Garner said. ... 2B Craig Biggio hit his 623rd double in the third inning, moving him within one of tying Hank Aaron for ninth on the career list.
WASHINGTON: RHP Zach Day left his start in the fourth inning Monday night with a sore throwing shoulder. He was charged with six runs on four hits and three walks through 3 2-3 innings. He also hit a batter, threw a wild pitch and gave up a two-run homer to Lance Berkman to the upper deck in center field. ... OF Alex Escobar was dropped from the lineup about 2 hours before Monday's game because of a left hamstring injury - and manager Frank Robinson wasn't pleased he didn't know about the problem sooner. Escobar said he felt something in his leg when he grounded out in his final at-bat of Sunday's 3-1 win over Baltimore. He told a team trainer about it Monday afternoon. ``If he had hurt it yesterday, I would expect him to let us know yesterday,'' Robinson said. ... C Brian Schneider (left hamstring) will start what's expected to be a two-game rehab assignment at Single-A Potomac on Tuesday, and the plan is for him to be activated from the 15-day disabled list Friday, when he's eligible. He'll play DH at Potomac.
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MILWAUKEE: RHP Carlos Villanueva was recalled from Double-A Huntsville Monday after Major League Baseball wouldn't let the Brewers recall RHP Chris Mabeus. The Brewers claimed Mabeus on waivers from Oakland on May 16 and sent him to the minors. According to the rules, Mabeus had to stay in the minors for at least 10 days before he could be recalled. ... An MRI performed on Monday in Milwaukee revealed no structural damage in RHP Ben Sheets' shoulder. Sheets, who's been on the disabled list with tendinitis since May 3, will rejoin the team Tuesday. ... C Damian Miller should be available Tuesday after leaving Sunday's game in the fourth inning with back spasms.
CINCINNATI: RHP Paul Wilson, whose comeback from shoulder surgery was stalled two weeks ago by shoulder fatigue, made about 25 120-foot throws before Monday's games. He was scheduled to be evaluated by the team doctor Monday night and his throwing program will be reevaluated on Tuesday, trainer Mark Mann said. Wilson hasn't pitched since May 16, 2005. ... RHP Elizardo Ramirez's start on Tuesday will be his first career appearance against Milwaukee. He has lost his last three starts despite posting an overall 3.38 ERA in those games. ... Ken Griffey Jr. extended his hitting streak to six games with a three-run homer in the first inning Monday against Milwaukee.
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COLORADO: LHP Brian Fuentes is one of only five active closers in the majors who are left-handed. The others are Billy Wagner (Mets), B.J. Ryan (Toronto), Eddie Guardado (Seattle) and Mike Gonzalez (Pittsburgh). Manager Clint Hurdle thinks having a lefty closer gives the Rockies an added advantage. ``Number one, there's not many of them. Number two, he's kind of unique in his arm angle,'' Hurdle said. ``There's a lot of deception to his delivery and he's good carry to his ball. His demeanor and the closer role fit very well. It's not so much how you feel after you save games, but how you're able to handle it when you don't. And the few times that has happened, he's bounced back nicely.'' ... Setup man Jose Mesa, one of 19 pitchers in history with 300 or more career saves, turned 40 years old on Monday. ... CF Cory Sullivan, who started 37 of Colorado's first 45 games in the leadoff spot, was dropped down to seventh in the order for the first time this season. SS Jamey Carroll was put in the top spot after hitting .342 over the previous 27 games. ``I thought I'd drop Sullivan down just for a while, maybe to take some pressure off him - if there is any,'' Hurdle said. ``I'm going with Carroll while he's hot. He gives us a good look up there against anybody, really. I don't know how long this will continue to roll. He can do some things at the top of the lineup. I think his makeup has given him a chance to take advantage of this opportunity - because I don't think there's ever a day where he comes to the park and expects to be in the lineup. At the present time, he fills a void - and more playing time is coming his way.''
LOS ANGELES: All-Star closer Eric Gagne, working his way back from elbow problems that have kept him sidelined since spring training, could be pitching for the Dodgers by the start of the next homestand on June 1. The 2003 Cy Young winner, who had a nerve removed from his elbow on Apr. 7, is scheduled to pitch one inning at Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday night and another inning on Monday night. ``I'm excited,'' Gagne said. ``It feels like I can throw 93-94 again. All I know is, the ball is jumping again and I've got a lot of rotation on it. I'm going to be pitching the ninth inning, because we want to make it as close as we can to game situations. So when I come back, I'll be 100 percent and ready to go. There's no babying, no one day off, no nothing. I'm coming back ready. I'm not coming back to get ready.''
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PITTSBURGH: The Pirates are 4-12 in one-run games following Sunday's 3-2 loss in 10 innings to Cleveland. ... The Pirates entered Monday's game hitting .297 with runners in scoring position over the last six games, during which they have gone 3-3. ... Pittsburgh has raised its batting average 17 points to .251 from .234 over the past 11 games. ... 3B Freddy Sanches extended his hitting streak to 12 games on Sunday and is hitting .388 while batting in the third spot in the order.
ARIZONA: 3B Damion Easley started in place of Chad Tracy with the left-handed Oliver Perez pitching for the Pirates. Tracy, celebrating his 26th birthday Monday, had started 42 of the Diamondbacks' first 43 games at third base. ... RHP Russ Ortiz and LHP Terry Mulholland each made minor-league rehab apearances for Triple-A Tucson in Round Rock on Sunday. Ortiz started the game, allowing two runs and six hits with two walks and four strikeouts in four innings. Mulholland threw three shutout innings to earn the win, giving up one hit and striking out one. Ortiz has been on the disabled list since April 24 with a right calf strain, while Mulholland has been out since April 12 with inflammation in his left elbow. ... Arizona plays its next six games against NL Central teams. The Diamondbacks are 8-8 against the Central entering Monday's game.
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ST. LOUIS: Slugger Albert Pujols has driven in 675 runs since breaking into the majors in 2001. ... SS David Eckstein returned to the lineup after a rare day off Sunday at Kansas City. Eckstein, who leads the National League with 18 multihit games, started the first 43 games and only took a day off at manager Tony La Russa's insistence. ``I feel great,'' Eckstein said. ``It's one of those things where Tony wanted me to get a day off. With the year Albert's having right now, I want to get on base and give him every opportunity to keep it up.'' ... On Tuesday, the Cardinals will face former teammate Matt Morris (3-4), who takes the mound for San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO: INF Kevin Frandsen's late brother always loved Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti and long listed the left-hander as his favorite player. Both grew up in the South Bay in San Jose. Now that Frandsen is back in the big leagues for a second stint with San Francisco, he is wearing Righetti's No. 19 jersey instead of the No. 8 that he wore earlier this month in his initial callup. What a tribute to his brother, D.J., who died from cancer Sept. 16, 2004, at age 25. ``They hinted it was going to happen,'' said Frandsen, called up from Triple-A Fresno before Sunday's game at Oakland. ``I'm pretty excited.'' A piece of tape with 19 written on it covered Frandsen's old number on the nameplate above his locker in the clubhouse. Righetti had come up with the idea before, but Frandsen wasn't sure he wanted to take the coach's number. ``It's an easy thing to do,'' Righetti said of giving up the number. ... 3B Pedro Feliz earned co-National League player of the week honors with Pittsburgh's Jason Bay. Feliz batted .321 (9-for-28) with three homers, 10 RBIs and eight runs scored. ``It's good,'' manager Felipe Alou said. ``Wow, that's nice. He played every day, every game, every inning.'' ... RHP rookie Matt Cain received several congratulatory calls following his one-hitter Sunday at Oakland. His parents got to watch from Tennessee. Has it sunk in? ``Not really,'' he said. ``I don't know if it ever will.''
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ATLANTA: 1B Adam LaRoche was scratched less than 10 minutes before first pitch due to a stiff neck. ... C Brian McCann is listed as day-to-day after leaving Saturday night's game at Arizona with a sprained left ankle sustained in a collision at the plate with Arizona's Eric Byrnes.
SAN DIEGO: Padres ace Jake Peavy, who started Monday night's game against Atlanta, hasn't won consecutive decisions this year. ... The Padres were swept in a weekend series at Seattle. ``We got outplayed there,'' manager Bruce Bochy said. ... Following the Marlins-Padres game at Petco Park on June 11, Petco Park will host a Mexican Baseball League game between the Tijuana Potros (Colts) and Mexico City Diablos Rojos (Red Devils).
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Notes from Monday's games
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