Notes from Saturday's games
May 27, 2006
TAMPA BAY: OF Jonny Gomes did not start. He is 0-for-15 with 11 strikeouts against Curt Schilling in his career. Greg Norton, who replaced him, said it was his first start in right field in five years. ... With Boston sitting Manny Ramirez, Joe Maddon called for an intentional walk of David Ortiz in the second inning with runners on second and third. The Devil Rays manager predicted before the game that Trot Nixon, batting in Ramirez's spot, would ``rise to the occasion.'' Nixon doubled in two runs.
Advertisement
BOSTON: LHP David Wells might not miss a turn in the rotation despite leaving his last start after taking a line drive off his knee, manager Terry Francona said. Francona said an MRI showed nothing more than a bruise. Wells will be re-examined this weekend. ... LF Manny Ramirez missed his first game of the season because of a sore back, and center fielder Wily Mo Pena also was out of the lineup because of a sore wrist. First baseman Kevin Youkilis played left and Willie Harris started in center. Youkilis had never played outfield in the majors.
---
---
CLEVELAND: Despite his team being 23-24, in third place, 10 1/2 games out of first place in the A.L. Central Division, Cleveland manager Eric Wedge is trying to keep things in perspective. ``As unhappy as I am right now, I know we've got a lot better baseball ahead of us,'' he said. ... After allowing seven runs and seven hits in the loss to Detroit on Friday night, RHP Jake Westbrook is now 3-7, with a 6.54 ERA against the Tigers.
DETROIT: Manager Jim Leyland said that right-handed reliever Ramon Colon will take LHP Mike Maroth's spot in the starting rotation. Maroth is on the 15-day DL because of irritation in his left elbow. Colon will start Tuesday ... Since rookie RHP Justin Verlander only pitched 130 innings last season, mostly in the minors, Leyland said he would keep a close eye on Verlander's innings. ``I'll watch it close,'' the Tigers' manager said. ``One game he gets around 100 (pitches), the next game I'll cut him down to close to 80.''
---
---
KANSAS CITY: Manager Buddy Bell said he isn't sure when RHP Mark Redman will rejoin the team. Redman was placed on the bereavement list on Wednesday and was eligible to return on Friday. ... OF David DeJesus could be back Monday at Oakland, Bell said. DeJesus (strained left hamstring) has been on the DL since April 19. He is scheduled to play a couple of rehab games this weekend at Triple-A Omaha. ... Bell said he has never seen anything like Friday's 1 hour, 48 minute rain delay before the bottom of the ninth inning. ``The worst part of it was that when you have a relief pitcher that knows he's going into the game and he has to wait two hours, that's unnatural for them,'' Bell said. Joe Nelson got one out in the ninth, allowing two hits and one run, and Andrew Sisco coaxed Jason Giambi into a game-ending double play for his first career save. ... Kansas City hasn't won consecutive games at Yankee Stadium since Aug. 18-19, 1999.
NEW YORK: RHP Shawn Chacon is slated to play catch Sunday as he works his way back from a hematoma on his left leg. He went on the DL last Sunday and manager Joe Torre said he probably will make a rehab start before he rejoins the club. ``Throwing is not going to be a problem,'' Chacon said. ``It's the other stuff.'' Chacon said he still needs to get to the point where he can cover first, and do over other baseball-related activities. ``It feels as good as it has felt since it first happened,'' he said. ... RHP Jaret Wright will take his turn in the rotation on Sunday. There was some concern he would have to be pushed back or miss a start after tweaking his groin in Tuesday's 7-5 win over the Boston Red Sox, but Torre said he felt fine during his bullpen session Friday. ... RHP Octavio Dotel (elbow surgery) struck out two during a perfect seventh inning in an extended spring training game. He is scheduled to pitch in another extended spring game Monday and could join the Yankees next month. ---
NEW YORK: RHP Shawn Chacon is slated to play catch Sunday as he works his way back from a hematoma on his left leg. He went on the DL last Sunday and manager Joe Torre said he probably will make a rehab start before he rejoins the club. ``Throwing is not going to be a problem,'' Chacon said. ``It's the other stuff.'' Chacon said he still needs to get to the point where he can cover first, and do over other baseball-related activities. ``It feels as good as it has felt since it first happened,'' he said. ... RHP Jaret Wright will take his turn in the rotation on Sunday. There was some concern he would have to be pushed back or miss a start after tweaking his groin in Tuesday's 7-5 win over the Boston Red Sox, but Torre said he felt fine during his bullpen session Friday. ... RHP Octavio Dotel (elbow surgery) struck out two during a perfect seventh inning in an extended spring training game. He is scheduled to pitch in another extended spring game Monday and could join the Yankees next month. ---
CHICAGO: Manager Ozzie Guillen said he's going to use Rob Mackowiak more often in CF because Brian Anderson is not giving him good at-bats. Anderson didn't start on Saturday after going 0-for-13 in his previous eight games. ``That's the why he's out of the lineup,'' Guillen said. ``I need Brian to start swinging the bat better and give me better at-bats. If we keep him here he's got to swing the bat better.''
TORONTO: LHP B.J. Ryan, signed to a five-year, $57 million contract in the offseason - the richest ever for a reliever - blew his first save of the of the season after converting his first 11 chances. ``He's human,'' manager John Gibbons said. Ryan had a 0.77 ERA. ... The Blue Jays are 3-0 in extra inning games this season. ... Russ Adams played 2B at Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. Adams started the season as Toronto's SS but nine of his team-leading 10 errors were on throwing errors to first. He went 2-for-2 with two walks.
---
---
OAKLAND: RHP Rich Harden (back muscle strain) had a 65-pitch simulated game on Saturday. Harden, out since April 27, threw all fastballs and changeups during the session. Manager Ken Macha said Harden could have a side session early next week, with a rehab start a possible next step. ...RF Milton Bradley (sprained right knee) is hitting off a tee as he gets into game shape after being out since April 27.
TEXAS: RHP Antonio Alfonseca (sore right elbow), on the disabled list since May 10, will pitch one inning in a simulated game on Sunday. Alfonseca is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Class AAA Oklahoma next week. ...RHP Frank Francisco (right elbow ligament replacement surgery) will throw one inning in a simulated game on Monday before starting a minor league rehab assignment with Class AA Frisco.
---
---
SEATTLE: Manager Mike Hargrove sat 2B Jose Lopez, who is in an 0-for-15 skid. ``It's a good spot to give him a day,'' Hargrove said. ``Especially with younger players, it's good to just give him a break to break the string.'' Willie Bloomquist started in his place. ... C Kenji Johjima apologized to Hargrove before batting practice for getting doubled off at second base in the fifth inning on Friday night. Torii Hunter made a lunging grab in center field and threw out Johjima at second to end an inning in which the Mariners loaded the bases with no outs. ``That was a very tough spot for a baserunner to get caught in,'' Hargrove said.
MINNESOTA: Lew Ford was back in the left field and hitting leadoff against left-hander Jaime Moyer. Rookie Jason Kubel filled those roles on Friday night and went 0-for-3. ... Torii Hunter has solidified the Twins' hole at the cleanup spot this month, hitting .363 with three HRs and 15 RBIs in his last 23 games. ``It's nice to just have him in the lineup,'' manager Ron Gardenhire said, referring to Hunter missing much of last season with a broken left ankle. ``The home runs will come with time. For now, it's great to have him out there in center field and leading our ballclub.''
---
---
BALTIMORE: RF Jay Gibbons was not in the lineup the day before his mother's funeral. He injured the trapezius muscle behind his right shoulder, along with his right hip and right knee while diving for Vladimir Guerrero's inside-the-park home run in Saturday night's 5-2 loss. He went to get an MRI on the knee. ... Leo Mazzone, in his first season as Orioles pitching coach, feels like he's starting from square one - similar to his first year in that role with Atlanta in 1990. The Braves finished either first or second in the NL in team ERA during 12 of his last 14 seasons there. But the Orioles' staff ERA is 5.49, higher than any team in the majors except Kansas City. ``With the exception of Kris Benson and LaTroy Hawkins, it's pretty raw,'' Mazzone said. ``But I don't look at it as a challenge. We're taking baby steps. We're just getting started with the throwing programs and the philosophies. Our first year in Atlanta we were last in the league in ERA after I started there in June, so you can't put a timetable on it. But I'm very happy here, and I'm going to do everything I can over the next three years to help put Baltimore's pitching back where it belongs. There are some good building blocks to eventually turn it into a good staff.''
LOS ANGELES: Reigning Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon, sidelined since Apr. 16 because of inflammation in his shoulder, threw 44 pitches in a simulated game. One of the batters he faced was manager Mike Scioscia, who bounded out of the batting cage in jubilation after hitting a broken-bat single to the opposite field. The simulated hit came one pitch after Scioscia lost the grip on his bat and sent it flying toward the first base dugout. ... Angels LF Garret Anderson played in his 1,662nd regular-season game with the Angels, breaking Brian Downing's franchise record. ``The individual accomplishments are great and all that, but I haven't taken the time to dwell on that too much - other than the fact that I've done it,'' Anderson said. ``It's a team sport, and that's a direction you always have to come from just to stay grounded. If I never played another game after today, I could probably give a better answer. But since I'm still playing, it's kind of hard to because the job's not done yet.'' Anderson said.
---
---
---
ATLANTA: C Brian McCann was put on the DL before Saturday's game to make room for activated starting pitcher Horacio Ramirez. Manager Bobby Cox said that McCann, who has a sprained ankle, was OK but the move was necessary. ``We had to do it. We couldn't let him play,'' Cox said. ``The good thing is he will be fine to go in two weeks, easily.'' Cox added that he felt comfortable starting a combination of C Brayan Pena and C Todd Pratt. McCann was batting .347 with five homers and 21 RBIS. ... Cox announced that John Thomson will start Monday's game versus the Dodgers and Jorge Sosa will start the second game of the series Tuesday. ... Atlanta played its major-league high 22nd one-run game and is now 9-13.
CHICAGO CUBS: The Cubs are now 5-20 in May. That's their fewest wins in the month since going 7-18 in 1961. ... The Cubs will call up Jake Kuk Ryu from Triple-A Iowa and start him Sunday against John Smoltz. He pitched briefly with the major league team this season and was sent down when Kerry Wood was activated. ... Mark Prior's next stop is Peoria where he will make the first of at least three rehab appearances with the Cubs' Class A affiliate. His second start will also be with the Chiefs and his third one with a farm team to be determined. Prior threw about 30 pitches in the Wrigley Field bullpen Saturday and said his sore shoulder was coming around.
---
---
HOUSTON: 1B Lance Berkman wanted to play Saturday, but was held out for a second night in a row with tightness behind his right knee. His knee began hurting Wednesday night, and Berkman was pulled in the third inning Thursday in Washington when the knee tightened. Manager Phil Garner is being cautious because Berkman had surgery on the knee each of the last two offseasons. ... Garner must return to Pittsburgh three more times this season - for two more Astros road trips, and to serve as the NL manager in the All-Star game. The second baseman for the Pirates' last World Series-winning club in 1979, Garner is still on the team's mailing list - he gets the newsletter that is mailed to former Pirates players.
PITTSBURGH: Ryan Doumit made his first start at catcher since April 11 on Saturday night. Doumit was out for three weeks with a hamstring injury and, after returning May 3, has been used at first base and designated hitter. Ronny Paulino, who has supplanted Doumit and Humberto Cota as the starting C, will catch Oliver Perez's start Sunday against the Astros. Previously, Cota caught nearly all of Perez's starts, but Perez has given up only two earned runs in his last two starts with Paulino catching. ... RHP Kip Wells, out all season after having surgery during spring training to repair a blocked artery, threw 46 pitches during a simulated game Saturday at Bradenton, Fla. He will pitch another simulated game Wednesday. He is expected back before the All-Star break. Wells led the NL with 18 losses last season.
---
---
MILWAUKEE: Rookie 1B Prince Fielder stole his fourth base on Friday, two more than his father Cecil had in his entire 13-year career. ... RHP Jeremi Gonzalez was acquired from the New York Mets for RHP Mike Adams on Friday and is expected to join the Brewers on Sunday. ... LHP Chris Capuano made his 11th straight quality start to begin the season - tied with New York Yankees Mike Mussina for most in the majors. ... Sunday's starter Dana Eveland (0-1, 8.22) makes his fourth start of the season. He gave up four earned runs in five innings in his last start against Philadelphia on May 18.
PHILADELPHIA: SS Jimmy Rollins, mired in a 26-for-120 (.216) slump since April 24, was moved back into the leadoff spot after a two-game absence when he hit sixth. ``He's been hitting one, two balls hard every game. He'll get his hits. We talk about balance in the lineup (with Rollins hitting leadoff) all the time, and that's how I like our lineup,'' manager Charlie Manuel said. ... LHP Cole Hamels, on the 15-day DL with a strained right shoulder, said he didn't think he would need a rehab start upon his return to the starting rotation. Manuel disagreed, ``He'll get one somewhere (either at Double-A Reading or Triple-A Scranton,'' ... Aaron Rowand was activated from the disabled list and started in center field. He suffered a fractured nose and non-displacement fractures around his left eye on May 11 against the New York Mets when he robbed Xavier Nady of a hit and crashed into the non-padded part of the center field fence. ... RHP Gavin Floyd made the start on three days rest.
---
---
LOS ANGELES: Closer Eric Gagne (right elbow) pitched one scoreless inning, striking out two, in his first rehab assignment for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday. His fastball registered in the mid-90s. ``He came out feeling great, and we're very pleased with what we heard,'' manager Grady Little said. Gagne will pitch another inning Monday and could rejoin the Dodgers by the end of next week. ... OF J.D. Drew missed Saturday's game with a sore right shoulder. ``He's been nursing it for a while,'' Little said. Drew could return as early as Sunday. ... 2B Jeff Kent left in the second inning with a sprained left wrist, which he said he hurt while swinging at a pitch. He said he will probably not play Sunday and will be day-to-day after that.
WASHINGTON: RF Jose Guillen went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, one of five injuries he's had this year. He began spring training recuperating from offseason shoulder surgery, then hurt his wrist during weight training. He also missed four games in April with a strained chest muscle and left a game early this week with a scratch eye. The hamstring has bothered him for more than a week. ``You can understand them wanting to try to play with injuries,'' manager Frank Robinson said. ``But there comes a time when it's best for them and for the ballclub for them to take time off and get this thing completely healed.'' ... The Nationals issued a news release announcing that Zach Day will have exploratory shoulder surgery next week, but Day said surgery wasn't certain and that he might seek other opinions. Day (right shoulder tendinitis) was moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. ... When the Nationals scored 10 runs Friday night, they became the first Washington team to reach double digits at RFK Stadium in 12,701 days. The Senators beat Oakland 10-3 on Aug. 18, 1971.
---
---
ARIZONA: RHP Russ Ortiz, who's been on the disabled list since April 24 with a right calf strain, allowed eight hits and two earned runs with one walk and two strikeouts in six innings of a rehab start with Triple-A Tucson on Friday. Ortiz will make another rehab start in five days. ... RHP Enrique Gonzalez, recalled on Friday to make his major-league debut Sunday, was 2-0 with a 074 ERA in his last four starts for Tucson. ... RHP Claudia Vargas was bumped from starting Sunday against the Reds to starting Monday against the Mets at New York.
CINCINNATI: Saturday's game was the second of 10 Saturday Reds home games that start at 6:10 p.m., a difficult time for tracking fly balls, according to Reds outfielders and manager Jerry Narron said. Sunglasses don't help much, Narron added. ``The best idea might be to get a welder's mask,'' he said. ... 3B Edwin Encarnacion's night off Saturday had nothing to do with his crucial error in Friday's loss to the Diamondbacks, said Narron, who just wanted to get a start for Rich Aurilia. ``It's nice to have Richie in the lineup,'' Narron said. ... RHP Bronson Arroyo will be looking for his first win in four appearances against Arizona when he starts on Sunday. Arroyo is 0-2 against the Diamondbacks, including a 3-1 loss in which he allowed a career-high 11 hits on May 6.
---
---
NEW YORK: 3B David Wright returned to the lineup after sitting out Friday's game because back spasms. ``I am a lot better; the doctors worked on it (Friday) and it could be from the muscles spasms,'' Wright said. ``More than anything it's just sore and stiff.'' .... To emphasize a right-handed hitting lineup against Marlins left-hander Dontrelle Willis, manager Willie Randolph rested starters Carlos Delgado and Cliff Floyd. Paul Lo Duca, who caught Friday night, also was not in Saturday's starting lineup. Julio Franco, Chris Woodward and Ramon Castro took Delgado's, Floyd's and Lo Duca's spot in the lineup .... Randolph still expects Steve Traschel to make a scheduled start Monday against Arizona. Traschel was held back one day because of back spasms. Orlando Hernandez, acquired from Arizona May 24, will take Traschel's spot on the rotation Sunday.
FLORIDA: OF Cody Ross joined the Marlins for Saturday's game and was in the starting lineup. Ross was acquired from Cincinnati on Friday for a player to be named later and cash. He began the season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played in eight games before being traded to Cincinnati on April 24. To make room for Ross, the Marlins optioned OF Chris Aguila to AAA Albuquerque .... The Marlins transferred P Sergio Mitre from the 15-day to 60-day disabled list because of a right shoulder inflammation.
---
---
COLORADO: Catcher JD Closser was in the starting lineup a day after being recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs when the Rockies placed C Danny Ardoin on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left knee. ... 2B Luis Gonzalez, who left after the first inning of Friday's 9-0 loss with inflammation in both wrists, came to the ballpark Saturday to be assessed by trainers, but was given medication and sent back to the team hotel to rest. He did not get much sleep Friday night because of the pain in his wrists. The disabled list is still a possibility. ... LF Matt Holliday was out of the lineup a day after getting hit with a pitch from Jason Schmidt in the right thumb in the fourth inning. His thumb remained swollen, though Holliday was hopeful he could play Sunday's series finale against the Giants.
SAN FRANCISCO: 1B Travis Ishikawa earned the chance to be in the lineup for a second straight day after going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs in his first major league start Friday night. ``I had to put him in there,'' manager Felipe Alou said. ``You've got to show a kid you know he went 3-for-4.'' Alou initially told Mark Sweeney he would start Saturday but changed his mind and Alou said he was ``afraid'' to tell his player. Sweeney understood the decision, saying: ``I understand how baseball goes. I want to win. Whatever gives us the best opportunity, I want that. If I was managing this team I would have done the same thing. ... I'll make sure I make a point to go up to him and say 'Don't worry about it.''' ... Injured 1B Lance Niekro, eligible to come off the disabled list Tuesday after being sidelined with a right shoulder injury, reported to the Giants' extended spring training facility in Scottsdale, Ariz., to get at-bats. He had nine plate appearances, going 4-for-7 and played in the field. ``He's doing well,'' Alou said. ... 3B Pedro Feliz, whose teammates believe he has played some of the team's top defense this season, had still played every inning of the season so far. He prefers it that way. ``I can't ask for anything more,'' said Feliz, who says he has felt no signs of fatigue. ``Brand new. I'm too young to be tired. I don't like days off.''
---
---
ST. LOUIS - The Cardinals beat San Diego 4-3 on Saturday to improve to 15-9 in May, their 14th straight winning month. ... David Eckstein singled in the third to extend his hitting streak to a season-high nine games. ... The Cardinals are 8-7 in one-run games. ... Jason Isringhausen has 156 saves as a Cardinal, second on the franchise all-time list and four shy of leader Lee Smith.
SAN DIEGO - Adrian Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to eight games, tying his career high. He singled in the second and added a double in the eighth. ... The Padres are 7-6 in one-run games. ... The Padres traded minor league RHP Seth Etherton back to the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named or cash. The Padres picked Etherton in the Rule 5 draft in December.
SBR Top-Rated Sportsbooks
Notes from Saturday's games
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by bigboydan
