1. #1
    bigboydan
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    Notes from Thursday's games

    the royals sweep the red sox

    the twins lose to the blue jays

    clemens finally gets a win

    prior gets killed again today.

    the mets win with the worst lineup they have ever put out on the field this year.




    Notes from Thursday's games
    August 10, 2006



    LOS ANGELES: Manager Mike Scioscia will start two rookie pitchers during the Angels' four-game series at Yankee Stadium that starts Friday night. LHP Joe Saunders will start Friday and RHP Jered Weaver on Sunday. ``They'll have to pitch their game,'' Scioscia said. ``That's all they can do.'' ... ``We'll have to pitch well and contain their whole lineup. I think if we pressure them on the offensive side, we'll score some runs. We're probably playing better in the last month than we have at any point in the season.'' ... The Angels are 51-49 in regular-season games against the Yankees since 1996 - the only team with a winning record against New York since Joe Torre became New York's manager. ... The Angels' 10-game trip, which began with a makeup game in Chicago, continues to Texas after the series in New York. ... OF Chone Figgins, in a 6-for-35 slump, started at third base Thursday. ... Rookie INF Howie Kendrick, who has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games, started at second base. ... OF Juan Rivera has 46 RBIs in his last 48 starts. ... C Mike Napoli in a 3-for-40 (.075) slump, did not start.


    CLEVELAND: Rookie 3B Andy Marte took extra infield practice four hours before Thursday's game. ``I'm going to do whatever I can to get better in every part of the game,'' said the 22-year-old, who made 19 errors in 96 games at Triple-A Buffalo before being called up July 28. ``We're working on balance, footwork and his first move right and left,'' said infield coach Luis Rivera. ``He's shown improvement already.'' ... Manager Eric Wedge said RHP Jeremy Guthrie ``most likely'' will start one game of a doubleheader against Kansas City on Saturday. ``He's been pitching well down there,'' Wedge said of Guthrie, who is 7-4 with a 3.25 ERA at Triple-A Buffalo. ... With the callup of several minor leaguers in the past couple of weeks, the Indians have the second-youngest roster in the majors. Cleveland's average age of 27.32 years trails Florida (26.59) and is slightly younger than Tampa Bay (28.00).

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    SEATTLE: Rookie RHP Mark Lowe got another night off to rest his sore elbow. The reliever hasn't pitched since Aug. 5. ``To be on the safe side, he needs another day,'' manager Mike Hargrove said Thursday. Lowe did play catch before the game. ... The Mariners started the first of two 11-game trips in the final 7 1/2 weeks of the regular season. Including Thursday, 28 of their last 49 games are on the road.

    TEXAS: RHP Kip Wells, scratched Monday because of his sore shoulder, says he's ready for his start Friday night, which will be his home debut for the Rangers in his native state. Texas acquired Wells in a July 31 trade with Pittsburgh. Two MRI exams this week revealed no structural damage. ``I had lingering soreness that was keeping me from being able to do my side work,'' Wells said. He doesn't think the soreness is related to the shoulder problem that forced him to start this season on the disabled list. ... 1B Mark Teixeira played in his 400th straight game, the second-longest active streak in the majors behind Baltimore's Miguel Tejada 1,032 in a row. The Rangers club record is 482, held by Alex Rodriguez.

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    NEW YORK: DH Jason Giambi and CF Johnny Damon were back in the lineup on Thursday. Damon left in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game with a stiff right groin, and Giambi sat out after being hit in the elbow by a pitch the previous night. ``Johnny, first thing when we got here, said he felt good,'' manager Joe Torre said. Torre said he took Damon out because he saw ``some hesitancy'' on defense. ``It was probably nothing more than a little cramp,'' Torre said. ... Bobby Abreu's home run off Jon Garland on Wednesday was his first as a Yankee and it ended a stretch of 163 at_bats without a homer - the longest drought of his career. But with a seven-game hitting streak and .412 average since being acquired from Philadelphia on July 30 entering Thursday's game, Abreu seemed comfortable with his new team. ``He's got an easy personality,'' Torre said. ``(Derek) Jeter keeps kidding him. He hits the home run and comes in, and Jeter says, 'That's why we got you, that's why we got you.' It's just making people feel at home.'' ... RHP Cory Lidle is scheduled to make his second start since being acquired from the Phillies with Abreu when the Yankees host the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. He allowed one run and four hits in six innings in a 8-1 win over Toronto on Aug. 3.

    CHICAGO: With his team in third place and trailing AL Central leader Detroit by nine games, White Sox GM Ken Williams wasn't ready to concede division race. Not with 10 games remaining against the Tigers - including three this weekend at Chicago. ``Has the division been decided?'' Williams asked before Thursday's game against the Yankees. It hasn't, but the White Sox had lost 15 of 24 since the All-Star break and were a half-game behind Minnesota in the division and wild-card races. They need to make a dent in the standings this weekend. ``It's do or die every time we play against them if you want to continue to fight for the (division),'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ``If we get swept by them, then we've got to think about a different direction.'' ... SS Juan Uribe was out of the lineup for the fifth straight game with a stiff lower back, and Alex Cintron started in his place. ``When Uribe is ready to play he better come to my office and tell me,'' Guillen said. ``I'm not going to go out and (ask), 'Are you sore?' ... When he's ready, he'll come to me or (third base coach) Joey Cora.''

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    BOSTON: C Doug Mirabelli was back in the lineup Thursday after missing four games with a left ankle sprain. Manager Terry Francona said he probably would continue to share time for a while with Javy Lopez, 35, who was acquired from Baltimore on Aug. 4. RHP Keith Foulke could be close to coming off the DL. The Red Sox plan to have him start throwing batting practice next Monday and then begin game action, possibly in Double-A. ``By the end of August, I would hope he would be about five innings,'' Francona said. The Red Sox have had losing years in Kansas City for the second year in a row. ... 1B Hee-Seop Choi was sent outright to Triple-A Pawtucket.

    KANSAS CITY: RHP Adam Bernero will start on Friday at Cleveland. The 29-year-old was signed as a non-roster free agent prior to the season and was 5-3 with a 2.84 ERA in 16 games at Triple-A Omaha. RHP Mike Wood reported to Arizona on Thursday for a rehab assignment. He's been on the DL since July 3 with a back problem. Wednesday night's 3-hour, 54-minute game against the Red Sox was the longest nine-inning game in Kauffman Stadium history. It broke by 1 minute the record which had been set Saturday against Minnesota.

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    TORONTO: The Blue Jays will take advantage of an off day Monday and let LHP Gustavo Chacin make one more rehabilitation start, this time with Class A Dunedin, manager John Gibbons said. Chacin, who is on his second stint on the DL this year with a strained left elbow, this one dating to June 10, should be activated next week and be ready to return to the rotation on Saturday. ... OF Alex Rios, who returned to the lineup July 28 after missing a month with an infection in his lower left leg, has struggled to rediscover his rhythm. Gibbons said the team probably brought him back too soon and should have extended his rehab assignment a little bit longer in Triple-A. Rios, after batting fifth the day before against Baltimore, was in the leadoff spot Thursday with Reed Johnson getting a rest.

    MINNESOTA: OF Rondell White's strained left hamstring still is causing him problems, and manager Ron Gardenhire said there was a strong possibility he would be placed on the DL after Thursday's game. Lew Ford, rehabbing a strained side muscle in Triple-A, would be activated to replace White in that case. ``When he runs, he just can't stretch out,'' Gardenhire said. ... Thursday was Joe Mauer Sideburn Night, and plenty of his teammates had fun before the game with the fuzzy replicas - which are made of synthetic hair and have double-sided tape for sticking to one's face.

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    SAN DIEGO: RHP Chris Young, who starred in both baseball and basketball at Princeton, is 8-0 with in his last 20 starts on the road. His last road loss came June 25, 2005, at Houston while pitching for Texas. ... C Mike Piazza sat out the game but got a standing ovation in the seventh inning when he was shown on the scoreboard from the Padres dugout. ... SS Khalil Greene missed his sixth straight game with a sprained middle finger on his left hand. ... RHP Trevor Hoffman's 30th save last Saturday gave him 30 saves for a major league record 11 seasons. He is second with 466 saves, 12 behind Lee Smith.

    NEW YORK: OF Endy Chavez stole two bases in a game for the sixth time in his career and first time since Sept. 24, 2004, when he was with the Montreal Expos. ... The Mets have swept six series this season but just two at home. The only other Shea Stadium sweep was two games against Florida April 7 and April 9. ... The Mets lead the NL with 35 home victories and their 69 victories for the season are second best in the majors, trailing only Detroit's 76.

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    ST. LOUIS: Jim Edmonds' solo homer was his 228th in seven seasons with the Cardinals, tying Ray Lankford for fourth on the club's list. Edmonds hit 121 with the Angels. He also had a run-scoring single Thursday, a day after he hit his first grand slam in two years. ``I've been getting closer and closer each day,'' said Edmonds, who has a sore shoulder and is batting .265. ``I'm feeling better and getting into what's going on and making adjustments.'' Manager Tony La Russa wasn't surprised. ``He's always been a prime time guy, and this is prime time for us,'' La Russa said. ... 3B Scott Rolen was sidelined by a sore back, which also forced him out of Wednesday's game. He's day-to-day. ... OF Chris Duncan had a pair of solo homers, his first two-homer game. ... Scott Spiezio, filling in for Rolen at third base, hit his third homer of the series. ``Those are accidents that happen,'' said Spiezio, who now has eight.

    CINCINNATI: OF Chris Denorfia was optioned to Triple-A Louisville before the game to open a roster spot for OF Todd Hollandsworth, acquired from Cleveland a day earlier. Hollandsworth pinch-hit in the ninth inning and grounded out. ... C Javier Valentin had a pinch-hit homer off Adam Wainright in the seventh. Valentin has three of the Reds' eight pinch-hit homers this season. ... Edwin Encarnacion extended his hitting streak to seven games (10-for-22). ... Ken Griffey Jr. went 1-for-5 with a single, extending his hitting streak to six games (9-for-25, one homer).

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    CHICAGO LHP Juan Mateo was called upon to relieve Prior after three innings. Due to today's relief stint, Mateo will not start Saturday at Colorado as originally scheduled. ... Rookie LF Angel Pagan singled in his first career at-bat against Doug Davis in the second inning.

    MILWAUKEE SS Bill Hall did not start Thursday's game. It was the first time since June 30 that Hall was not in the starting lineup. Hall is hitless in eight at_bats against Mark Prior with five strikeouts. Tony Graffanino started at shortstop for the first time with the Brewers and Jeff Cirillo started at second base. ... Milwaukee Braves legend Henry ``Hank'' Aaron was at Miller Park to promote his charity.

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    FLORIDA: Manager Joe Girardi tinkered with his lineup, starting Joe Borchard and Reggie Abercrombie in the outfield and sitting Alfredo Amezaga and Jeremy Hermida. ``The reason that you have 13 position players is that you play everyone,'' Girardi said. ``Sometimes a day off can help. Sometimes a day off helps a guy more than instruction.'' ... 2B Dan Uggla's two-run shot in the seventh inning Thursday was his 18th homer of the season, moving him alone into second place on the Marlins rookie list. The franchise rookie record for homers is 26, by Preston Wilson in 1999. ... SS Hanley Ramirez entered Thursday with 34 stolen bases, the first Marlins rookie with 30 steals since Quilvio Veras had 56 in 1993.

    WASHINGTON: 2B Jose Vidro won't be heading out on a rehab assignment Friday, after all, although he said he thinks he'll be ready to go to the minors next week. ``I'm not going to push it,'' Vidro said. ... RHP Ryan Drese (reconstructive right elbow surgery last week) said he hopes to be able to pitch by the last month or two of next season. ``I know when I'm healthy, I can pitch and I can contribute and I can help a big league team win,'' Drese said. ... RHP Felix Rodriguez (right shoulder) threw batting practice before Thursday's game and is scheduled for rehab appearances Sunday with Class-A Potomac and Tuesday with Triple-A New Orleans. ... RHP Shawn Hill (right elbow) will pitch Friday for Double-A Harrisburg. ... LHP Micah Bowie (strained upper back muscle) was not available Thursday night, leaving the club with no left-handed pitchers. ``Been there before,'' manager Frank Robinson said. ... RHP Jason Bergmann probably will be brought up from Triple-A New Orleans to start Saturday night against the Mets.

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    PITTSBURGH: RHP Shawn Chacon flew to Pittsburgh on Thursday to have an MRI exam on his sore right knee. Chacon lasted only 1 2-3 innings in Wednesday's 14-1 loss to Houston, giving up seven runs on six hits with four walks, his worst outing since the Pirates acquired him from the New York Yankees on July 31. Manager Jim Tracy said Chacon was day to day. ... Rookie RHP Josh Sharpless was unavailable for Thursday's game after spraining his right ankle in the sixth inning of Wednesday's loss. Sharpless slipped fielding a grounder from Brad Ausmus on the third-base side of the mound and left the game. ... CF Chris Duffy was out of the lineup Thursday, but Tracy said Duffy would return to the leadoff spot against St. Louis on Friday. Duffy went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's loss and is 3-for-37 since he was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 1.

    HOUSTON: The Astros have opened negotiations with RHP Roy Oswalt to discuss a contract extension. Owner Drayton McLane and GM Tim Purpura began talks with Oswalt's agent, Bob Garber, a few hours before Oswalt hit his first career home run in Wednesday's 14-1 win over Pittsburgh. Under his current deal, Oswalt is eligible to become a free agent after the 2007 season. He said he wants to stay clear of the contract talks for now. ``I'd rather be low key and get it done behind the scenes,'' said Oswalt. ... Manager Phil Garner has spoken with former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner this week to offer condolences after the death of Tanner's wife, Barbara. Garner played for Tanner in Pittsburgh in the 1970s and remains close to his former mentor. Barbara Tanner died Monday at age 78. ... The 56-year-old Garner earned his 900th career win as a manager on Wednesday. ``It means you've been around a long time,'' said Garner, in his 14th season as a manager. ``So, I've managed to survive a little bit. It's kind of a nice deal.''

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    COLORADO: Neither RHP Aaron Cook (152 1-3 innings) nor LHP Jeff Francis (146 2-3 innings) has thrown a wild pitch this season. But Francis has hit 11 batters, six shy of the franchise record set by Pedro Astacio in 1998. ... 1B Todd Helton entered Thursday needing 17 more runs scored and 30 more RBIs to become the first player with 1,000 in either category.

    LOS ANGELES: The team's 11-game winning streak, which ended with Wednesday night's 3-1 loss to Colorado, was Grady Little's longest as a big league manager. During the two seasons he managed Boston, the Red Sox's longest streak was nine games. ... The pitching staff entered Thursday with 36 wild pitches, matching its total last season. But the catchers have committed only three passed balls combined - second-fewest in the majors behind Milwaukee (one). ... Kenny Lofton, the career leader in stolen bases among active players, overtook former Dodgers great Maury Wills for 17th place on the career list at 587 Wednesday night when he swiped second base as a pinch runner.

  2. #2
    onlooker
    I'm still watching...
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigboydan
    the royals sweep the red sox
    The first 3 game series sweep of the Red Sox at home since 1991. Them Royals just killed the Red Sox hopes of cutting into that Yankee lead. Boston is in trouble.

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