Notes from Tuesday's games
April 18, 2006
TAMPA BAY: The Devil Rays began the three-game series Tuesday night with 19 homers and 73 runs, the highest totals through 13 games in their history. ... Johnny Gomes and Ty Wigginton are only the third and fourth players in team history to have at least five homers in the first 13 games. The others were Jose Canseco in 1999 and Ben Grieve in 2002. ... Manager Joe Maddon said he's hopeful that LHP Mark Hendrickson will make his 2006 debut April 27 at the New York Yankees. Hendrickson has been on the disabled list with tightness in his left shoulder.
BOSTON: LHP Lenny DiNardo will pitch again Saturday after making his first start of the season Monday, manager Terry Francona said. DiNardo took the spot in the rotation of LHP David Wells, who went on the DL. ... The Red Sox won the last five season series against the Devil Rays, winning at least 12 games each season. ... The wives of Trot Nixon, Mike Timlin and Curt Schilling ran in the Boston Marathon on Monday, Kathryn Nixon finished in 3 hours, 49 minutes, 20 seconds, Dawn Timlin in 4:07:52 and Shonda Schilling in 4:43:28. On the same day, Trot Nixon went 3-for-4 and Mike Timlin was the winning pitcher in a 7-6 victory over Seattle.
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CLEVELAND: Indians manager Eric Wedge and his wife Kate, had their first child Monday, Eva. Wedge was on hand for the birth. ... LHP C.C. Sabathia has been pitching simulated games for the Indians as he recovers from a strained abdominal muscle he suffered pitching on opening day. There is no timetable on his return. ... C Victor Martinez entered Tuesday's game with a 12-game hitting streak, tied for longest in the majors this season. He hit a flyball in his first at-bat Tuesday.
BALTIMORE: OF David Newhan was placed on the 15-day DL Tuesday after suffering a fractured right fibula in Monday's game. He will have surgery Thursday. He was replaced on the roster by OF Val Majewski, who was promoted from Triple-A Ottawa. ... LHP Tim Byrdak appears headed to the DL after a CT scan Tuesday revealed bone chips in his left elbow. ... RHP Todd Williams (shoulder, calf injury) joined the team but is still pitching in simulated games and on the side. ``I'm healthier. My arm is fine,'' he said, ``But I have to get to where I can go out there and get the heavy hitters out. I am not there yet. As long I am not there, I'm cheating the team.''
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NEW YORK: RHP Tanyon Sturtze has a sore back and might be placed on the 15-day DL on Tuesday. ``If it is not better by (Tuesday) were going to see what were going to do,'' manager Joe Torre said. Sturtze has a 7.36 ERA in six games. ... LF Hideki Matsui played in his 500th consecutive game with the Yankees - the major league record for consecutive games played to start a career. His games streak is the longest by any Yankee since Lou Gehrig's 2,139 game-streak. ... Manager Joe Torre said Aaron Small will probably make two more rehab starts before joining the Yankees. Small is on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury. He allowed one infield hit over four scoreless innings Monday in his second extended spring training start.
TORONTO: OF Reed Johnson had a childhood friend, who has been serving in Iraq, shag flies with him in the outfield. Staff Sgt. Jim Diaz is on a 15-day leave from Iraq. He's with the U.S. Army's Fourth Infantry division in Fort Hood, Texas. Diaz said he lost a couple of friends just after Christmas. Johnson paid for his trip to Toronto and had him in full uniform. ``It's the best money I've ever spent,'' Johnson said. ``It's tough to see a friend go over.''... Manager John Gibbons rested SS Russ Adams against LHP Randy Johnson. Gibbons also wants to get INF John McDonald more at-bats.
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KANSAS CITY: The Royals had lost eight straight since beating Chicago April 7 and 8 at home, and had been outscored 61-25 through the first seven games of a nine-game trip entering Tuesday. ... Kansas City's pitchers were second to Baltimore in the AL with 61 walks in 12 games. Twenty of the 43 they had walked on this trip scored. ... Royals starters were 0-7 with a 6.94 ERA entering Tuesday's game and had failed to reach the sixth inning in seven games.
CHICAGO: Paul Konerko wasn't about to offer any analysis, even though the difference between this year's start and last year's is striking. He brought a .380 average and seven-game hitting streak into Tuesday's game, after batting .218 through the first month last season. ``I really don't take inventory on my season until November,'' said Konerko, who hit .283 with 40 homers and 100 RBIs to help Chicago win the World Series last year. ``I don't even look at it at the All-Star break.'' ... Manager Ozzie Guillen had some encouraging words for rookie CF Brian Anderson: ``I told him, 'Kid, you've struggled for two weeks. I struggled for 16 years.''' Anderson was batting .143 before Tuesday's game. ... After a 3-for-38 start, Scott Podsednik's problems at the plate appeared to be behind him. The White Sox leadoff man had two hits and scored twice in Sunday's rain-shortened victory over Toronto and went 2-for-5 with a run in Monday's 9-0 win over the Royals. ``I think he's swinging the bat well,'' Guillen said. ``We played this kid against everybody last year. We're going to continue to do it.''
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LOS ANGELES: OF Juan Rivera missed his second straight game with tightness in his rib cage. Manager Mike Scioscia said Rivera was ``feeling better,'' and he hoped to take some practice swings on Wednesday. He is not expected to go on the disabled list. ... OF Tim Salmon (groin) was available to pinch hit, but Scioscia indicated that he may not see any action in this three-game series. ... OF Garret Anderson was the DH on Tuesday to save wear and tear on his body from the Metrodome turf. Scioscia said he would also put OF Vladimir Guerrero at DH at least one of the games for the same reason.
MINNESOTA: Ruben Sierra was in a Twins uniform for the first time on Tuesday after finishing extended spring training in Single-A Fort Myers on Sunday. ``I feel good,'' he said. ``Hopefully everything goes well and I help the team win.'' ... Manager Ron Gardenhire limped around the Dome on Tuesday after slipping at home on his deck near his hot tub and tearing his foot. He shuffled the lineup, moving OF Rondell White, who is in a 3-for-40 skid, out of the cleanup spot to No. 7. 3B Tony Batista hit in the No. 4 spot. ``Just to take a little pressure of Rondell,'' Gardenhire said. ... 2B Luis Castillo was back in the lineup after missing Sunday's game against the Yankees with a sore knee. Gardenhire said Castillo was still sore on Tuesday, but wanted to play.
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TEXAS: CF Laynce Nix was batting .071 and had played in only eight of 13 games entering Tuesday's series opener after starting the season 0-for-20. But manager Buck Showalter nixed the idea of the Nix, who missed the last 2 1/2 months of last season after right shoulder surgery, going down to Triple-A Oklahoma to play everyday and find his swing. ``He's playing tonight,'' Showalter said of Texas' 2002 minor league player of the year. ``We're pulling for him to get going. We know he's capable of it.'' ... INF Mark DeRosa is frustrated at not knowing the cause of pain in his lower left leg. The utilityman had played in just two of the first 13 games entering Tuesday's series opener with what the team is calling a leg strain. He could be playing a lot more, because rookie 2B Ian Kinsler has been on the disabled list since April 12 with a dislocated left thumb. Showalter said the Rangers likely will place DeRosa on the 15-day DL Wednesday. The move could be retroactive four days, to the last time DeRosa played, provided Showalter didn't have to use him Tuesday night.
SEATTLE: RF Ichiro Suzuki again batted leadoff Tuesday after a 5-for-28 road trip that left his batting average at .190. He has never hit lower than .243 in April, and his career average in the month was .301 entering this season. His other poor April came in 2003 - in which he finished with 212 hits and a .312 average. ... The Mariners sent 38-year-old RHP Kevin Appier from extended spring training in Peoria, Ariz., to Triple-A Tacoma after two outings against rehabilitating minor league players. He is scheduled to pitch for Tacoma Wednesday night as he tries to work his pitch count past 40. Appier, who strained his right calf covering first base March 17, is in perhaps his final attempt to get back into the major leagues. The former All-Star and 2002 World Series winner, a non-roster invitee to spring training hasn't pitched in the majors in 23 months after elbow surgery. Seattle, intrigued by two wins and 2.84 ERA in three March appearances, offered the minor-league rehabilitation time instead of cutting him out of spring training.
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DETROIT: RHP closer Todd Jones, on the disabled list with a pulled left hamstring, threw 20 pitches in a simulated game and said it went well. Jones is slated to throw again Wednesday, perhaps going up to 25 pitches. He hopes to be activated Friday at Seattle, but manager Jim Leyland wouldn't commit to that. ``I think this weekend,'' Leyland said. ``Maybe by Seattle. We've got some big hurdles to climb with him yet. We'll see how he feels tomorrow.'' ... Leyland said his postgame outburst following Monday's 10-2 home loss to the Indians is now in the past. ``Everything hasn't been hunkey dorey,'' said Leyland, who replaced Alan Trammell after last season. ``It hasn't been good enough, or I wouldn't be here. ... It wasn't Alan Trammell's fault.''
OAKLAND: 2B Mark Ellis returned to the lineup in the leadoff spot after being held out the last three games to work on his swing. Ellis entered the game batting .167 with two RBIs so far this season and is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. ``I feel good,'' Ellis said. ``It's a long time to be off, especially at the beginning of the season. I didn't swing a whole lot. Sometimes you can tinker too much.'' Ellis would have preferred to work out of his slump on the field, but said he respected manager Ken Macha's decision. ... RHP reliever Jay Witasick, on the 15-day disabled list with a severely sprained left ankle, believes he will return on the shorter end of the four to six week time frame trainers have given him. Witasick is eager to remove the walking boot he has to wear. He has been testing the ankle by walking carefully without the boot for short periods at home. ``I want it off,'' he said. ``But you have to be careful. It's looking better than it did, even though it's still black and blue.''
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ST. LOUIS: CF Jim Edmonds (inflamed right shoulder) sat out a fourth consecutive start Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, and OF John Rodriguez missed a second start in a row because of a sore left shoulder and an allergic reaction that occurred Monday. ... RHP Chris Carpenter starts Wednesday in Pittsburgh after going winless in his past two starts, even while allowing only one run in 14 innings. He is 3-1 in his career against the Pirates. ... OF Larry Bigbie (broken left heel) went 0-for-3 Monday night on a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Memphis. He was acquired from the Rockies during the offseason, but has yet to play for the Cardinals.
PITTSBURGH: Chris Duffy's infield single Tuesday night against the Cardinals marked the first time since opening day a Pirates leadoff hitter got a hit to start the first inning. ... 2B Jose Castillo didn't start for the first time this season, with Jose Hernandez taking his place. Manager Jim Tracy doesn't like his bench players sitting for too long a stretch, and the Pirates have a day game Wednesday. Hernandez had started once before, at shortstop. ... LF Jason Bay played in his 204th consecutive game Tuesday night, the sixth-longest streak in the majors.
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WASHINGTON: RF Jose Guillen was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game because of a left oblique strain. ... Livan Hernandez (1-2, 7.00 ERA) takes the mound Wednesday after a terrible outing last week against the Mets in which he allowed seven earned runs and 11 hits in six innings. ... Once they conclude their three-game series against the Phillies, the Nationals will have played 16 of the first 19 games on the road against teams who posted winning records last year.
PHILADELPHIA: The Phillies began a stretch where they'll play 18 of 23 games at home. ``We have a big homestand. It's a good time for us to make sure we play good in April. This gives us a chance to make some ground,'' manager Charlie Manuel said. ... Gavin Floyd (1-1, 6.23) makes his third start Wednesday. He allowed three runs and five hits in six innings in a win over Atlanta last week. ... Manuel said he prefers to continue using catcher Mike Lieberthal for no more than five starts per week. Lieberthal came in hitting .345. ``I think five days a week is good for him. He stays stronger. I don't want him getting tired,'' Manuel said.
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ATLANTA: With 3B Chipper Jones and SS Edgar Renteria still injured, SS Wilson Betemit was bumped up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup while 3B Pete Orr was dropped from leadoff to eighth. 2B Marcus Giles moved back into the leadoff spot. ``Betemit has been hitting the ball hard,'' manager Bobby Cox said. ``He would have been our starting shortstop right now, but Renteria was out there. Renteria just fell in our lap. You had to get him.'' The Braves acquired Renteria in a trade with Boston during the offseason.
NEW YORK: The Mets were missing three injured starters: CF Carlos Beltran, LF Cliff Floyd and rookie 2B Anderson Hernandez. Beltran did not start for the third straight game because of tightness in his right hamstring, but doesn't think he'll need to go on the disabled list. He rode the exercise bike and thinks warmer weather would speed up the healing process. Floyd sat out after straining a muscle in his left rib cage Monday night. He received treatment and hopes to play Wednesday. ``I feel OK. I just have to be smart and not push this thing,'' Floyd said. Mets manager Willie Randolph wants to be careful with his two ailing sluggers. ``They might be ready tomorrow,'' he said. ... 2B Hernandez was scratched from the lineup not long before the first pitch due to back spasms. Endy Chavez started in center again for Beltran. Jose Valentin was in left, and Chris Woodward replaced Hernandez at second. Woodward hit his first homer of the season leading off the third. ... Carlos Delgado, who entered with an 11-game hitting streak, struck out looking his first two times up against RHP Kyle Davies.
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FLORIDA: The Marlins were waiting for the results of an MRI on the elbow of RHP Carlos Martinez, who went on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a sore elbow. ... Hanley Ramirez led off the game with his first career homer. It marked the first time a Florida player led off the game with a homer since Juan Pierre did it last July 7. It was the Marlins' first game-opening homer on the road since Mark Kotsay did it on May 2, 2000. ... Ramirez also homered in his next at-bat. Ramirez made his major league debut last September with Boston and struck out in both of his at-bats.
CINCINNATI: C Jason LaRue was activated off the 15-day disabled list. LaRue had surgery for torn knee cartilage during spring training. ... The Reds have decided to keep three catchers for now - LaRue, Javier Valentin and David Ross. ... LHP Eric Milton gave up both of Hanley Ramirez's homers, and another by Dan Uggla, in the first two innings. Milton gave up 40 homers last season, most in the majors. ... Brandon Phillips, obtained from Cleveland in a trade April 7, started at second base again Tuesday. Phillips is making a good impression on his new team - he had career highs with three hits and four RBIs on Monday night.
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MILWAUKEE: Milwaukee recalled relievers Mike Adams and Chris Demaria from Triple-A Nashville and optioned CF Corey Hart and RHP Jared Fernandez to Nashville on Tuesday. ... CF Brady Clark celebrated his 33rd birthday on Tuesday. ... LF Gabe Gross said losing six of their last eight games after a 5-0 start has made it seem like they've been playing for much longer than a couple of weeks. ``It's almost like we've had a mini-season these first two weeks,'' he said. ``I think we're young in a lot of areas. But the more games we play that are tight and the more times guys have to come up in those situations, the better off we'll be in the long run.''
HOUSTON: The Houston Astros won their ninth game of the season on Monday night, a feat they didn't achieve until April 30 last year. That was a fact Astros manager Phil Garner had forgotten, but he did remember their early struggles. ``It was a difficult April for us,'' he said. He's happy with their performance so far but is looking for more. ``I still don't think we've played our best ball,'' he said. ... After having his first major league start pushed back for almost a week after a rainout in San Francisco, Houston rookie Taylor Buchholz was relieved to finally get that first start behind him. ``It was nice to get it out of the way,'' he said. ``Now I don't have to worry about my first start anymore.'' Buchholz lasted six innings and allowed two hits, both home runs and struck out four. ``I feel really confident right now,'' he said. ``Now I've just got to show them that I can do this consistently.''
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SAN DIEGO: 3B Vinny Castilla continues to impress manager Bruce Bochy. ``Vinny is one of the better defensive third basemen I've seen,'' Bochy said. ``If he's lost any range he's gained back in experience.'' ... OF Dave Roberts made his first start of the year in left field. ``I wanted see to see him in left,'' Bochy said. ... Seeing Rockies C Danny Ardoin getting out of way of an inside pitch in the ninth inning Monday's game had Bochy shaking his head. ``I was on a recruiting trip to South Alabama where Eddie Stanky was the coach,'' Bochy said. ``He had a drill where you leaned into pitches to get hit. It's a lost art.''
COLORADO: 2B Luis Gonzalez was batting second in the order and OF Choo Freeman was in center field. ``Just a little shakeup,'' manager Clint Hurdle said. ``I wanted to get Luis Gonzalez hitting in front of Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins and reward Choo Freeman.'' ... RHP Mike DeJean (right shoulder inflammation) began light throwing. ... RHP Sunny Kim went on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a contusion in his right shin. His spot on the 25-man roster was filled when RHP Scott Dohmann was activated from the disabled list. ... OF Eli Marrero is being slowed by a viral infection.
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ARIZONA: Manager Bob Melvin said he wasn't worried about Jose Valverde's mindset after he blew his first save in three opportunities in a 10-9 loss to San Francisco Monday night. ``Closers need to have short memories,'' Melvin said. ``We'll see what he's made of when he goes back out there again.'' ... The Diamondbacks rallied from a 7-0 deficit after three inning in the series opener before they allowed the Giants to come back for the victory. The biggest deficit the Diamondbacks have faced in a victory came against San Francisco on Sept. 15, 1998, when Arizona erased a 6-0 deficit and won 7-6. ... Brandon Webb faces the Giants on Wednesday night. He's 5-5 in 12 career starts against San Francisco with a 3.50 earned-run average.
SAN FRANCISCO: Closer Armando Benitez, sidelined with bursitis in his left knee, pitched against Chicago Cubs minor leaguers Tuesday morning in Mesa. He could return soon. ... Tim Worrell has six saves in as many opportunities as Benitez' replacement. On Monday night he earned his 44th save as a Giant, seventh on the club's all-time list. ... Despite hitting .237 as a team, the Giants won three of the first four games on their 10-game swing through Los Angeles, Arizona and Colorado. San Francisco had a 3.34 team ERA in those games.
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CHICAGO: Sean Marshall, a 23-year-old LHP who will make his third big-league start Wednesday night, has impressed manager Dusty Baker with his mound demeanor and confidence. ``He's very consistent in his personality,'' Baker said. ``Hopefully he'll get better and better as he feels more comfortable. He sits by (Greg) Maddux, and Maddux talks to him a lot.'' ... Speaking of Maddux, who turned 40 last Friday, Baker said: ``At this point, it's hard to imagine him not pitching forever. Who knows? He's not going to go out there and embarrass himself. Maddux is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA following his solid eight-inning outing in Monday night's 4-1 victory over the Dodgers. ... Baker said he believes free-agent acquisition Jacque Jones will start getting results soon. ``He's hit the ball hard with nothing to show for it,'' Baker said. ``Then he got hurt when he started hitting the ball well.'' Jones went 2-for-22 to start the season. He made his second start since missing four games due to a strained right hamstring.
LOS ANGELES: RHP Yhency Brazoban underwent what the Dodgers called successful surgery on his pitching elbow at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic. Brazoban is expected to sidelined at least one year. ... INF Nomar Garciaparra, sidelined with a strained muscle on his right side, took batting and fielding practice. ``He's doing good,'' manager Grady Little said. ``What we're going to do is see how he feels tomorrow and set the plan for the rest of the week.'' Little said Garciparra might be sent on a minor league rehab assignment. ``It's a possibility. Before we think about activating a guy with the injury he's had, we've got to make sure he can play nine innings.'' ... OF Jayson Werth, who underwent surgery in November to repair two torn ligaments in his wrist, had an MRI on Monday to check the progress. ``There's still a lot of uncertainty as to what's going on,'' Werth said. ``The doctors told me it could take up to nine months to heal. We're at five months. It could be the normal healing process. They want to try cortisone injections - we're still trying to decide on that.'' Werth said he might seek a second opinion, adding: ``I can't swing a bat.''
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Notes from Tuesday's games
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