What's the Buzz? 5/31/06

I guess we can start of with those bogus denials from Houston GM Tim Purpura. The Astros officially signed Roger Clemens to a 1 year contract. They're hoping to have him by June 22, but apparently that's just up to Roger. If he's available, he'll be worth picking up. He may not be the lights out guy we saw last year, but he's definitely going to produce.

Well, we knew it was bound to happen. 2 more casualties in the world of closers...

After picking up his second save of the season, Todd Coffey was named the team's closer by Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron. Coffey has a 1.26 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 28 2/3 innings so far. He may not keep this up but he is still a better option than David Weathers.
And Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin has decided that Jorge Julio will take over for Jose Valverde. Melvin thinks Valverde just needs the mental rest right now. What's Melvin going to say for himself after watching Julio try to close out games in Arizona?

in other news...


Giants starter Jason Schmidt left his start after just 5 2/3 innings due to a leg cramp. He was cruising with 10 K's and had only given up 5 hits and 1 ER. He will be fine for his next start and looks to be returning to the Schmidt of old.
Also for the Giants, catcher Mike Matheny is being considered day to day after getting hit in the head with a foul tip. Todd Greene will get the starts behind the plate and Matheny should be getting some sort of scan done which will tell us more.
The Yankees could be without OF Gary Sheffield again as he has not fully recovered from his wrist injury. More information will come as test results come in, but it doesn't sound too promising right now. He will probably return to the DL....for how long, we don't know yet.
The Padres are considering skipping Jake Peavy in the rotation this week as he is still suffering from a sore shoulder, which apparently has been bothering him the last 4 or 5 starts. Keep an eye on this as his next start could be his ticket to Dr. James Andrews; and that's never good.
Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell is day to day with a mild hamstring strain. They'll probably move Kevin Youkilis over to third and start J.T. Snow at first, which might not be that bad if Lowell misses any significant time.
Cubs 1B Derrek Lee had his cast removed today and is probably about 2 weeks away from resuming baseball activities. The Cubs are hoping to have him back by the end of June, but that might just be the management trying to stave off the hordes of disappointed fans.
And speaking of the Cubs, today they traded Jerry Hairston, Jr. to the Texas Rangers for 1B/DH Phill Nevin. They may platoon Nevin with Todd Walker right now, but once the real Tony Womack shows up, they will probably move Walker over to second and leave Nevin at first until Lee comes back. Either way, Nevin's value remains suspect at best with his new situation. Hairston will find minimal utility time with the Rangers.
Apparently Jeff Kent's hand/wrist are still bothering him enough that he will have an MRI done to help determine the source of the problem. He may need a stint on the DL which would bring back Oscar Robles to the majors.
Keep your eyes on Jose Vidro right now if you own him. He says his knee is fine, but Frank Robinson says otherwise.
Jim Edmonds owners are breathing a sigh of relief as he was diagnosed with a mild to moderate abdominal wall strain. So much better than hearing the words sports and hernia!!! He's still listed as day to day, but he may need to go on the DL. The move would be retroactive, so he may technically only be on it for a week.
Uh oh!!! Just one night removed from his 3 HR performance, Vernon Wells sat tonight and is complaining of shoulder pain.
Once again, Red Sox pitcher David Wells finds his way to the 15 day DL with a bruised knee. It's his third trip of the season. Do we even care if he'll be out longer than that?
The timetable for Devil rays 2B Jorge Cantu was for a return next week, but it may be bumped up to the weekend depending on how much more successful he is at AA-Montgomery.
Oakland A's second baseman Mark Ellis will be out for 3 to 6 weeks with a broken thumb. Marco Scutaro will probably take over for much of the time with Antonio Perez spelling him once in a while.
Well there you go...kudos to the anti-Bonds....Jason Kendall hit his first home run in 962 at bats today. Mark it on the calendar, kids!!!
And finally, the Allard Baird era is over in Kansas City finally!!! They replaced him with Braves assistant GM Dayton Moore which will take effect June 8th. So Royals fans have to be happy. Going from one of the worst GMs in history to an up and comer from a solid organization like Atlanta has to be inspiring. Now if they can make that translate into the team itself, wouldn't the Royals be something?

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/30/06

Some guys on an off the DL today.....

As expected, the Cardinals put starter Chris Carpenter on the 15 day DL, retroactive to May 20, with bursitis in his shoulder. He threw a pain free side session today and is expected to do so again later in the week. If all goes well, he should be back as soon as his 15 days are up. Anthony Reyes is filling in, in the meantime.
The Dodgers activated Eric Gagne today, but apparently he will start to serve his 2 game suspension he got while on the DL. He'll be ready to go on Thursday as planned.
The Giants activated 1B Lance Niekro from the DL today. The sent Travis Ishikawa back to the minors so the job looks like it Neikro's full time again, especially with a 3 for 4, 2HR performance in his first game back.
The Marlins will get a little bit of relief help as they activated Franklyn German from the DL. He will slide right back into his middle relief role.
The Mets put OF Xavier Nady on the 15 day DL while he recovers from his appendectomy. Much to the delight of the fans, the team brought up Lastings Milledge to take his place. Unless he does something amazing though, don't expect him to hang around much longer when Nady gets back.
The Blue Jays activated Gustavo Chacin today and had him start against the Red Sox tonight. He was kept on a short leash but looked good going 5 innings with just 2 ER against the potent Boston lineup.
Now it's not official, but according to reports out of Oakland, Rich Harden will pitch 2 innings at AAA-Sacramento on Wednesday and if all goes well, he could be acivated and start for the A's on Sunday.

not the DL, but some players with bumps and bruises you may need to watch...

Red Sox 2B Mark Loretta sat today with a hurt foot. He was hit with a pitch the other day and is going to see a podiatrist to check it out.
Yankees CF Johnny Damon is getting another night off as he still has the broken bone in his foot. It's not enough to put him on the DL but a night off here and there are in order.
No official results yet, but Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds had an MRI to see what's going on with an abdominal injury that has kept him out the past few days. The word out of Rumorsville isn't encouraging as it is suspected to be a 'sports hernia' which would require surgery to fix. For all you football fans out there, it could be the same injury that put Donovan McNabb out for the year -- except Edmonds has more heart than McNabb.
Padres 3B Vinny Castilla remains day to day with swelling in his elbow. Mark Bellhorn and Geoff Blum will fill in until he's ready to return.
Jeff Kent remains sidlined, but the injury is not his wrist as earlier reported. He says it is soreness in his hand but doesn't know exactly when he will return just yet.

on the trade front...

The Reds acquired Esteban Yan and cash for minor league pitcher Kyle Edens in a move that was really about money. Yan will barely be help in the middle relief department and Edens won't have an impact on the Angels staff at all. The Angels are just happy they won't have to pay all of the $1.25 million they owe Yan for his "services".
Not a trade, but close enough.......New York Newsday was reporting that Roger Clemens and the Astros had agreed on a deal that would have paid him approximately $3.5 million per month for this year. However, Houston GM Tim Purpura has denied the reports and said that he hasn't spoken to Clemens' agents since last Tuesday. Probably just a matter of time here. The Yankees and Red Sox could probably offer him more than the Astros, but insiders believe that he will stay as close to home as possible.

That's about all the breaking news I have for today...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/29/06

Happy Memorial Day to everyone...

Kansas City continues to amuse me as their closer situation remains murky and cloudy at best. Tonight, despite giving up a home run, Ambiorix Burgos got the save. Elmer Dessens is out of the role and still no shot for Andy Sisco. Burgos is a shaky option at best for your fantasy team.
The Royals outfield just got a little crowded as David DeJesus is back and Shane Costa has played his way back into a role. Costa will probably split time with Emil Brown while every once in a while spelling Reggie Sanders. It's bad enough if you're relying on the Royals OF for your fantasy team, but now everyone's at bats will be reduced.
And more for K.C. as Runelvys Hernanderz was optioned to AAA today. Another session for him to work on his mechanics, I suppose. Seth Etherton should remain in the rotaion as his replacement.
All of the closer drama may require it's own article, but for now, here's the latest: Arizona's Jose Valverde blew the save against the Mets tonight and looked pretty awful doing it throwing some bad pitches on good counts. He's now given up 9 runs in his last 5 innings and they might be looking to use other options for the time being. Luis Vizcaino is probably next in line, but there's also Brandon Lyon, who has closed for them before, and Brian Medders.
Is it just me or does Jose Valentin of the Mets look like the original Disney cartoon version of Captain Hook?
The Phillies put RHP Jon Lieber on the 15 day DL with a strained left groin. Brian Sanches was brought up for the roster spot but when the extra starter is needed, Eude Brito should be the choice.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona has decided that he wants Coco Crisp to get 10-15 at bats in before he puts him back in the leadoff spot. He wants him to find his groove. Tonight Crisp went 2 for 4 with a home run. I can't wait for him to find his groove.
Don't get too excited about Texas starter John Rheinecker and his 8 1/3 shutout innings against the Mariners. If for some reason he gets to stay in the rotation, his next opponents would be the White Sox and the Red Sox. Need I say more?
Bartolo Colon is scheduled to make the first of his rehab starts on Thursday and barring any setbacks will return to the rotation June 10th.
Some grumblings about a hamstring problem with Roy Oswalt as he was removed after throwing only 91 pitches in 6 scorless innings of a 1-0 game....stay tuned...
The Pirates finally activated 1B Sean Casey today and he gladly rewarded with a 3 for 4 performance with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.
Be careful if you're relying on Brad Penny at all. The Dodgers starter was upset when he was pulled after 4 1/3 innings and not given the chance to finish the inning after giving up 5 runs. He then said that he was playing hurt and he has a bad back. There's a little red flag for you.
The Phillies Mike Lieberthal was activated today, but Sal Fasano got the start. It is safe to get Lieberthal back in your lineup.
Kerry Wood had a much better start today giving up 1 ER in six innings while striking out 4. It's encouraging, but still needs to be watched closely.
Consider Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter day to day with a mildly sprained wrist. He was removed from the game for precautionary measures, but he will most likely be in Tuesday's lineup.
Indians 3B Aaron Boone is being considered day to day after suffering a concussion when he fell head first in the camera pit chasing down a foul ball. Lou Merloni will take his place for now. It's a shame prospect Andy Marte is hitting under .250 right now or he could make a nice call up.
White Sox DH Jim Thome continues to mash 'em as he belted his 19th and 20th HR today, both 2 run shots. Comeback Player of the Year?
Keep your eye on when it is retroactive to, but the Cardinals are expected to put Chris Carpenter on the 15 day DL. Anthony Reyes will take his spot in the rotation.
As expected, the Blue Jays moved Aaron Hill to short and brought up Edgardo Alfonzo to play second base. Alfonzo didn't play today, but this is the way it will unfold for the rest of the week.
And finally, also for the Jays, A.J. Burnett was moved over to the 60 day DL today which means the earliest he could come back is June 20th. But even that date could be too early.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/28/06

So is the monkey off Barry Bonds' back? He passed Babe Ruth today with his 715th HR off of good ol' Byung Hyun Kim. The only thing left is 40 more til Hank Aaron. If you were thinking about taking a chance on him, now would be the time to trade for him. His power numbers should start to pick up.
Can you believe it took until the 28th of May for pre-season ROY favorite Jeremy Hermida to hit his first home run of the season? If someone in your league dropped him out of frustration, you might want to think about picking him up.
The Padres activated catcher Rob Bowen from the 15 day DL. With Josh Bard playing well, and Mike Piazza still around, there may not be much room for Bowen anymore.
It could only go on for so long, but it's finally done. Kaz Matsui is no longer the starting 2B for the Mets. He could be the worst Japanese baseball player this side of Hideki Irabu. (Where is the fat toad anyway?) Jose Valentin and Chris Woodward will platoon for now, and Anderson Hernandez could come back into the mix as well.
The Rockies place infielder Luis Gonzalez on the 15 day DL with inflammation in his wrist. Jamey Carroll and Jason Smith will get to split the time.
While the Red Sox lost both Mike Timlin (shoulder) and Wily Mo Pena (wrist) to the 15 day DL, they activated OF Coco Crisp a day early and called up Manny Delcarmen. While this is actually an improvement on offense, the Boston bullpen will suffer. Jonathan Papelbon and Keith Foulke are already overworked and Julian Tavarez will undoubtedly suffer from some sort of meltdown. Crisp, by the way, went 1 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI in his return. It would be wise to get him in your lineup as quickly as possible.
Cole Hamels had a solid bullpen session and is scheduled for a rehab start around Wednesday. He could be back to start one of the games in the June 5th-7th series against Arizona.
A's starter Rich Harden threw 65 pitches in a simulated game and is expected to have his first rehab start sometime this week in Single A ball. No word on when they expect him back in the majors just yet. The same news can be applied to Angels starter Bartolo Colon. He seems to be on the same pace; maybe a rehab start next week.
Rumors out of Kansas City have OF David DeJesus being activated on Monday from the DL. We'll see how long this lasts...
The Rockies will not be activating catcher Yorvit Torrealba on Monday as previously thought. Apparently there is, in a fact, a bigger wuss out there than DeJesus.

That's about it for today...

Happy Memorial Day....enjoy your barbecue.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/27/06

So a few guys are making their way back from injuries....

The Phillies activated Aaron Rowand today. His return also marked the return to the leadoff spot for Jimmy Rollins as Shane Victorino rode the pine.
As reported yesterday, the Braves activated Horacio Ramirez from the DL today and watched as he went 7 innings, gave up 7 hits, no walks and an earned run for the victory against the Cubs today. He should be a good start for this week against the Diamondbacks. To make room for him on the roster, Brian McCann went on the DL retroactive to May 24. He'll return in early June.
The Cardinals activated Sidney Ponson, as well and he also took the win over the Padres as he went 5 innings with 7 hits, a walk, 2 ER and 4 K's. Ponson gets the Cubs his next time out so he should be worth using.
Some guys you will probably see return this Monday include OF Coco Crisp and catcher Yorvit Torrealba.

In other news...

Congratulations to Curt Schilling on his 200th career victory tonight. It wasn't pretty, but he got the job done.

An MRI on David Wells revealed just a deep bone bruise on his right knee. There is no word on whether or not he will make his next start this week, so if you have a better alternative, you should reserve Boomer for now.
Chris Carpenter, scratched from his last start with bursitis below his right shoulder, will probably avoid the DL but will most likely miss his upcoming start on Tuesday. They say he may start later in the week. Keep a close eye on this. Carpenter has an injury history and if it's more serious than reported he could miss more time.
Some more closer drama as Bobby Cox removed Chris Reitsma from a save situation against the Cubs. Mike Remlinger picked up the one out save. Cox said it was nothing more than playing the old lefty-righty matchup thing, but owners should be a little concerned.
Also on the closer front, Takashi Saito got his second save for the Dodgers as supplanted closer Danys Baez pitched the eighth. This should all be irrelevant when Eric Gagne returns to action on Thursday.
The rumors out of Detroit are that Wilfredo Ledezma was pulled from his AAA start after 2 innings so the Tigers could bring him up to start in place of the injured Mike Maroth. An interesting choice...Ledezma came close to permanently cracking the rotation last year and has a 49/15 K/BB ratio in 49 innings so far. I still don't know if he's worth picking up at all though.
Consider Dodgers 2B Jeff Kent day to day with a sprained wrist. He will miss the weekend games but he should be back for next week.
After a successful bullpen session, Mark Prior has been scheduled to make 3 rehab starts in the minors. The Cubs timetable for his return to the majors is somewhere around the June 13-15 series against Houston, but we'll see about that.
As reported the other day, the Nationals put OF Jose Guillen on the 15 day DL with hamstring tightness. It should be a good and much needed rest for him. The move was retroactive to May 24, so he should be back by early to mid June.
Devil rays 2B Jorge Cantu is expected to start a week long rehab assignment in AA early next week. This pushes his return back a little but he should still be on target to return by mid-June.
Wow. What a marathon between the Pirates and the Astros....18 innings...whew. Of course when the Pirates won, Jason Bay was involved, scoring the winning run. Scary, as he is really just starting to get going...
Jered Weaver made his long awaited debut tonight beating the Orioles as he went 7 innings with 3 hits, 1 walk and 5 K's. He'll get the Devil Rays his next time out, but his future is still uncertain. It's going to depend a lot on how well he does and the health of Bartolo Colon.
Speaking of the Devil Rays, they put pitcher Casey Fossum on the disabled list with a groin strain. Recent callup Jamie Shields will take his place for now.
And finally, the Royals re-acquired pitcher Seth Etherton from the Padres for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Kansas City lost him in the rule 5 draft earlier this year. He should start in AAA, but may come up for some middle relief help.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/26/06

Congratualtions to Derek Jeter for collecting his 2000th hit tonight!!! The play could have been ruled an error, but Jeter singled later in the game to make up for it. He's the second fastest in Yankees history to hit the milestone this quickly, only second to the legendary Joe DiMaggio.

The revolving door in the Kansas City bullpen continues as manager Buddy Bell turned to Joe Nelson with the score 7-5. When it became 7-6 and a man on third with one out he then turned to Andy Sisco who closed it out for his first save of the season. Bell didn't want to use new closer Elmer Dessens who had been hit hard the past two nights. Dessens remains the first option for saves, but I've always like Sisco to eventually take over.
Pirates 1B Sean Casey should be activated in time for Monday's game. He had a rehab start in AA-Altoona and will get two more in over the weekend. This could be a nice boost for the Pirates who are in need of help. Jason Bay can't do it all on his own.
Francisco Liriano vs Felix Hernandez? Round 1 goes to Liriano who despite only going 5 innings (pfffft!! pitch counts are for wussies) shut out the Mariners and picked up the win. Hernandez pitched a respectable game only giving up 3 runs in 7 innings.
Orioles OF Jay Gibbons is probably day to day after crashing into the wall on the Vladimir Guerrero's inside the park HR tonight. Luis Matos came in to replace him.
Ever since the reports on his lingering sore wrist problem, Carl Crawford has been lighting it up. He hit 2 HR in tonight's game and is 10 for 16 with 3 HR and 6 SB in the last 3 games. He needs to keep this up before I reconsider my opinion of him being a first rounder.
Rockies' OF Matt Holliday left today's game with a hand injury. He was hit by Jason Schmidt, but stayed in for another inning before being replaced. Consider him day to day right now.
The Rockies also placed catcher Danny Ardoin on the 15 day DL with a starined left knee and brought up J.D. Closser who will platoon with Miguel Ojeda for now. Yorvit Torrealba could find his way back into the starting position if he can ever get his ass off the disabled list. It is possible he could be activated by the end of next week.
Texas reliever Francisco Cordero continues to prove that despit a decent May, he is a long way off from supplanting Akinori Otsuka in the closer's role. He was charged with a blown save in the 8th but the Rangers came back, took the lead and then Otsuka got the save in the 9th.
Padres manager said that he will rest catcher Mike Piazza over the weekend, giving him both Saturday and Sunday off. It appears that Piazza may find himself in a much more reduced role soon.
Giants manager Felipe Alou said he should have Moises Alou back in the lineup within a week or two, depending on his rehab assignments. I think this is a generous estimate, but this will certainly put Steve Finley back on the bench when it does happen.
Mets 3B David Wright was held out tonight due to back spasms. He is day to day and should be back shortly. Jose Valentin will fill in for now.
The Phillies expect Aaron Rowand to return for Saturday's game. Shane Victorino will ride the pine and take ovver pinch hitting duties. The Phils should also get back catcher Mike Lieberthal as well this weekend. Carlos Ruiz should be sent down to AAA by Monday.
The rumors are swirling in Washington as there is talk that once they realize they are out of contention, the Nationals will probably start shopping 2B Alfonso Soriano. Keep your eyes on this as the right move to the right team could give Soriano's number an even bigger boost.
If you only have a 1 game eligibility requirement in your league, you can add the lumbering Troy Glaus to the list of shortstops. He got the start there tonight before being replaced in the 7th. The Blue Jays are going to make a move soon. There's no way Glaus will find a permanent spot at short but he's probably better there than Shea Hillenbrand or Eric Hinske, both who can play third. They will probably move Aaron Hill over to short and bring Edgardo Alfonzo up to play second, but again, it looks to only be a short term solution.
The Angels have finally decided to bring up pitcher Jered Weaver today. Unfortuantely, they are planning on using him in middle relief to start, but it's just a matter of time before they bump Kevin Gregg from the rotation in favor of the 6'7" righty. Besides, it makes them better puishing Gregg back to the bullpen. Esteban Yan was designated for assignment to make room.
A day after suffering through a Matthew LeCroy disaster, the Nationals activated Brian Schneider from the DL. Strangely, Wiki Gonzalez was sent down and the Nats will use LeCroy and Robert Fick as backups.
The Braves have decided to bring up Horacio Ramirez to start on Saturday against the Cubs, which almost clinches the fact that catcher Brian McCann will be put on the DL with his sprained ankle. You might want to wait before activating Ramirez despite the favorable matchup.
The Tigers will lose starter Mike Maroth to the DL due to an irritation in his elbow. It's been bothering him since Spring Training, but with his performances so far, it wasn't a concern. Roman Colon will probably jump in as the 5th starter now.
Cubs closer Ryan Dempster better get back on track as he was charged with anothe blown save and loss today. With the way closers have been all season around the league he could be the next in line to lose his job.
Speaking of the Cubs, they just brought up Tony Womack from AAA-Iowa today. He will probably be inserted into the lineup this weeknd, get hot for about two days and then go back to being Tony Womack again. This has platoon disasters written all over it.
On the trade front, the Reds sent backup OF Cody Ross to the Marlins for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Cincinnati will stick with Quentin McCracken as their backup outfielder while the Marlins designated Chris Aguila for assignment to make room for Ross on the big club's roster.
The Mets continue to wheel and deal as they sent recently demoted Jeremi Gonzalez to the Brewers in exchange for reliever Mike Adams. A solid deal for New york again, as Adams, who was supposed to be the closer for Milwaukee last year, will probably get some immediate middle relief work.
And finally, suspensions were handed out for the Cubs/White Sox brawl as instigator Michael Barrett got 10 games and White Sox OF Brian Anderson received 5 for his part. Barrett is appealing, but Anderson, who is losing at bats to Rob Mackowiak will probably start serving immediately.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/25/06

Slow baseball day today, but still plenty of news...

First off, we'll start with Braves catcher Brian McCann who tweaked his hurt ankle while pinch hitting the other night. Listen, the Braves should be thankful that they didn't lose him for the season. I know he has the hot bat right now, but pushing the ankle doesn't seem like the best way to handle your catcher. He still won't go on the DL, but a few more days off are not only likely, but necessary.
Because of that, the Braves will probably keep an extra catcher on the roster right now. That means they probably will not activate Horacio Ramirez for a weekend start against the Cubs. Jorge Sosa will start on 3 days rest and Ramirez will probably have another rehab start coming.
Rumors in Chicago have Tony Womack making a comeback as the new starting 2B for the Cubs. Regardless of how well he is doing in the minors, do the Cubs really think that he will be any better than the already light hitting tandem of Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Neifi Perez.
If you're still waiting on Mark Prior, it could still be some time. He threw 64 pitches in a simulated game, and will probably have one of those again on Monday. After that he will need a minimum of 2 rehab starts in the minors before being declared healthy. It sounds like somewhere like 3 or 4 weeks before he starts in the majors again.
Cortisone shots for all in the Dodgers clubhouse as both Dioner Navarro (wrist) and Jayson Werth (wrist also...hmmm) received them. Werth will end up in a cast for 3 or 4 weeks now and is becoming very doubtful for the rest of the season. Navarro, on the other hand, will probably need just another week off before starting a rehab assignment.
People waiting on Twins OF Shannon Stewart will have to wait longer. His heel problem persists and he will not come of the DL on June 4th as previously thought.
The Pirates are hoping to see 1B Sean Casey return to the lineup May 29th. He began his rehab assignment in AA ball today.
If you thought you were slick picking up 1B Daric Barton because the A's couldn't possibly go with Dan Johnson for much longer, oops! He will be out for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks after fracturing the radial head of his left elbow. Ouch! Kinda hurts just thinking about it.
The Devil Rays received great news as OF Rocco Baldelli is looking pretty goos in his rehab assignment and 2B Jorge Cantu played in his first extended spring training game today. The Rays hope to have both back in the lineup during the first week of June.
So basically Buck Showalter said to 2B Ian Kinsler, "OK rook, you're coming off the DL today. If you don't hit, you ain't staying." Kinsler needs to outhit Mark DeRosa to remain the starting second baseman. In his first game back he jacked 2 HR and went 2 for 3. So far, so good.
The Phillies have bumped Jimmy Rollins from the leadoff spot, in favor of rookie Shane Victorino. He'll be back there eventually, but for as long as he is out-produced by hustling, hungry rookies, his numbers will suffer.
The Blue Jays signed infielder Edgardo Alfonzo to a minor league contract today. He is starting at AA ball where he will compete for time with the recently demoted Russ Adams. It doesn't look like he has any real value right now, but he will probably be one of the first to be called up in the event of an injury.
Astros' OF Lance Berkman will likely miss the next few days suffering from a hyperextended knee. He said he hurt it on Wednesday initially, but aggravated it again tonight.
Some sympathy for Nationals catcher Matthew LeCroy please. He had to be removed in the seventh after 2 throwing errors and 7 stolen bases for the Astros tonight. The Nats are ecstatic that Brian Schneider will be back soon.
The Nationals may also need to put OF Jose Guillen on the DL as he is suffering from tightness in his hamstring to go along with his corneal abrasion from the other night.
The Mets picked up Dave Williams from the Reds tonight in exchange for RHP Robert Manuel. Williams will start off in AAA and will eventually be called up if they need bullpen help or maybe even an emergency spot start. Also, with newly acquired Orlando Hernandez scheduled to make a start over the weekend, Jeremi Gonzalez was demoted to AAA as well.
Bad news for the Yankees as Jorge Posada will be sidelined with a torn hamstring tendon in his left knee. They say he won't need to go on the DL and will likely just be out for a few games. But I don't know.....I'm not a doctor here but when the words torn, tendon, hamstring and knee are used in the same sentence it doesn't sound minor. Watch this as it creates yet another hole in a banged up lineup. Guaranteed out Kelly Stinnett will fill in for now.
And finally, within the Giants system, Abraham Nunez was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a performance enhancing drug. Um, really? I can't imagine how bad he would have been had he not been juiced.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/24/06

Well I don't know about all of you, but I had a lot going on in baseball today. I almost don't know where to begin. Don't you love it when you have 3 starters going on the same night and they all get the win? So good.
So I'll start with my bad news as I found out that Phillies phenom Cole Hamels was being put on the 15 day DL (retro to May 19) for shoulder tightness. He had an MRI done and it showed that there is no structural damage. No one seems to be too concerned so I have to assume for now that they're just being cautious with him. He should be activated when his 15 days are up.
Also, Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield told the media today that he has a broken hamate bone in his hand, but opted to come back instead of surgery, which would have held him out for 4 to 6 weeks. If this is true, and not some Sheffield ploy, then his power should certainly be affected...and not in a good way. We're going to have to watch this one closely.
But then I found out that Coco Crisp will play in two extended spring training games Thursday and Friday and then play for AAA-Pawtucket on Saturday night. If all goes well he could be activated from the DL on Monday.
And now just some props for Mark Buehrle, Jeremy Bonderman and Miguel Batista. Thanks guys.

In other news...

Bartolo Colon will need another simulated game before he starts his rehab assignment according to pitching coach Bud Black. He still a ways away from coming back....you have to figure a mid June return is a best case scenario at this point.
The Angels did receive some good news when they found out that Darin Erstad will begin his rehab assignment next week. Although I think they should let him take his time and give Kendry Morales more of an opportunity.
The Orioles found out that Daniel Cabrera will be out for atleast another two weeks. His MRI didn't reveal any major damage, but he definitely won't come off the DL when he is eligible this weekend.
They did get a boost today though when 2B Brian Roberts was activated from the DL finally. He led off tonight and went 1 for 4 with a run scored.
More bad news for Brian Anderson owners as manager Ozzie Guillen said that Rob Mackowiak will get increased playing time over Anderson in center field.
The Twins rotation continues to overhaul as they've pushed back Scott Baker in favor of keeping rookie Boof Bonser on normal rest, while Kyle Lohse seems to be on his way out....of Minnesota that is. The Brewers and Blue Jays are interested, as were the Mets until...
The Mets traded away perennial whipping boy Jorge Julio to the Diamondbacks for Orlando Hernandez. Crazy that Arizona gave him up so cheaply. El Duque has always been a favorite of GM Omar Minaya and he loved pitching in New York. If he remains healthy, this could be a huge boost for the Mets rotation and for your fantasy team as he should see an increase in wins and the new home ballpark should help his ERA and WHIP.
A's starter Rich Harden threw a 40 pitche session without any problems. It looks like he could begin a rehab assignment next week, and barring any setbacks, could return in early June.
The Devil Rays are saying June 3rd as a possible return date for 2B Jorge Cantu. He's been out since early April with a broken bone in his foot.
The Phillies will get Aaron Rowand back this weekend from the disabled list. It's a shame that a guy like Shane Victorino has to sit, especially since he's been so hot. Just another reason the Phillies will give when they start shopping Bobby Abreu this summer.
The Cubs are considering skipping Kerry Wood in the rotation as he is still suffering from shoulder stiffness. So much for the big return.
The Cardinals will have to be careful as they ended up having to scratch Chris Carpenter from his start today due to an inflamed bursa sac under his right shoulder. First the back stiffness, and now this. The team has not said whether or not he will make his next start. Anthony Reyes may be called back sooner than expected.
Continuing to acquire as many players as possible, the Yankees picked up infielder Nick Green from the Devil Rays for cash considerations. He'll hang out in AAA for now, but he'll really only be needed if something drastic happens to the whole infield.

That's it...except...

Uh-oh....Brad Lidge blew it again. No outs and 4 runs. Ouch. Keep an eye on this.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/23/06

Not to put you Jake Peavy owners on edge, but they are talking about tendenitis in the right shoulder. The Padres said he would make his next start, but you never want to hear them say this about your pitcher just after a 16 K performance. Monitor this situation closely.
The Giants put reliever Tim Worrell on the 15 day DL with a pinched nerve in his neck. He's been struggling lately so maybe the 2 weeks off will be helpful.
The Rangers will finally get back rookie 2B Ian Kinsler whom they expect to be activated on Thursday. He was hitting .476 with 1 HR in 21 at bats to start the year before he dislocated his thumb. D'Angelo Jimenez is likely the guy to get shipped out when Kinsler returns.
Also for Texas, they called up OF Jason Botts today. He had been tearin git up in AAA and will most likely fall into a straight platoon with Phil Nevin against righthanders at DH. Botts might be an interestin gpick up if he remains consistent. This obviously hurts the value of Nevin.
The Tigers were forced to put Dmitri Young back on the DL with his strained quad, the same injury from a month ago. They called up 3B Jack Hannahan who could get some time at DH, but the majority of playing time should go to Marcus Thames.
Coco Crisp took swings from both sides of the plate and decided against an extended spring trainin. He will join the Sox AA or AAA team for a rehab assignment on Thursday and may be back in the lineup as early as Monday of next week.
The Yankees got back Gary Sheffield tonight as they activated him from the DL this afternoon. He went 0 for 3 with a run scored, 2 walks and he even stole a base on a double steal with Derek Jeter. The Yankees are very happy to have him back in the lineup. He should start to put up some more of his traditional numbers soon.
But even with the return of Sheffield, it doesn't stop the Yankees visit to the Land of Misfit Outfielders as they signed Richard Hidalgo to a minor league deal. Can't be any worse than Mr. 0 for 8 Terrence Long who has just been awful in his first two games.
Jered Weaver making some more noise in AAA as he struck out 8 in another shutout performance. His current scoreless streak is at 27 1/3 innings. The Angels can't keep him down there much longer.
And today the Brewers joined the "teams with my favorite player names" on it as they recalled reliever Joe Winkelsas. Too bad he's not even worth a roster spot. This might be the only time I get to say Winkelsas all year....atleast until I tell you that they sent him back down. Heh. Winkelsas.
Apparently Sidney Ponson's rehab starts were so good that the Cardinals are looking at having him start against the Padres on Saturday. If you have him, you might want to activate him for this start.
Devil Ray's OF Rocco Baldelli will head to AAA this week to begin his rehab assignment. Before you get too excited, manager Joe Maddon said he wouldn't mind if Baldelli palyed 15-20 games there before coming up. Just to make sure he's ready. The.....Devil....Rays....are....taking....this....very....sloooooooooooooowly.
The Orioles are also being cautious with 2B Brian Roberts who manager Sam Perlozzo says is just a day or 2 away. The last thing they want is for him to come back too soon from a groin problem. Rushing it only risks further injury. Consider him day to day.
Maybe the Angels found something when they brought up 1B Kendry Morales. He went 3 for 5 with a HR tonight in his debut. He'll play as long as he hits and as long as Darin Erstad is out. When Erstad comes back, if Morales is still hitting, the Angels should find a spot for him.
It doesn't look like Francisco Cordero is ready to take over for Akinori Otsuka just yet. He was charged with the blown save tonight after entering the game in the 8th inning and giving up 2 walks and a single allowing the Angels to tie the game. He had been doing well, but this could be a major setback as Otsuka has been solid as the closer so far.
Paging Mr. MacDougal. Mr. Mike MacDougal. Please return soon as every closing option for the Royals just stinks. Horrible. Just like his predecessor, Ambiorix Burgos, new closer Elmer Dessens blew a save opportunity tonight coming in with 2 outs in the eighth and giving up 4 runs before recording a single out.
And finally, good news for Brian McCann owners as he came into tonight's game and grounded out as a pinch hitter. He may not start for a few games, but with no DL stint, it looks like he could be back for the weekend.

Heh...Winkelsas....

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/22/06

Just like old times for Nationals OF Alex Escobar. Just when he gets the opportunity to play somewhat regularly he goes down with a hamstring injury and ends up on the DL. The team is going to go with Marlon Byrd and Damian Jackson for now but it's only a matter of time before they bring back Ryan Church.
The Nats also put pitcher Zach Day on the 15 day DL with shoulder tendenitis. No definite decision on who will start in his place, but really...does it matter? Jon Rauch, Billy Traber, Shawn Hill...anyone really stand out?
Everyone seems to be downplaying the ankle injury to Felix Rodriguez. It's got to be something right? All that potential, blah, blah blah...
Wow!! Emergency appendectomy for Orioles pitcher Hayden Penn. He was just called up to start Tuesday's game and now this. Terrible luck. John Halama should probably get the start.
Speaking of bad Orioles' pitching, what happened to Erik Bedard tonight? 5 innings 7 earned runs? I just did my accountability article and this is how you repay me? Ugh!!!
To come to my rescue though was Hanley Ramirez. First game back and he goes 3 for 3 with 3 runs scored, 2 RBI and 2 SB. Clearly, he is the early favorite for Rookie of the Year.
Speaking of Marlins rookies, OF Jeremy Hermida was finally activated from the DL. He will platoon for a little while with Joe Borchard, but should return to full time duty very soon.
There are rumors about a possible Shea Hillenbrand for Adam Kennedy trade. The Angels could put Chone Figgins back at 2nd base or even call up Howie Kendrick again and the Jays get the middle infield upgrade they so desperately need.
Also for Toronto, they expect Gustavo Chacin to have a rehab start late this week and be ready to start for them next Tuesday against Boston when he is activated from the DL.
The timetable for Red Sox OF Coco Crisp is a return on the first of June. He took 20 cuts from each side of the plate and ran the bases today. He will hopefully play in some extended spring games next week.
Also for Boston, pitcher David Wells will be activated from the DL this week and he will start Friday against Tampa Bay.
The Twins recalled Jason Kubel from the minors to replace Shannon Stewart who went on the DL with a recurring heal problem. The same injury he missed a significant amount of time with 2 years ago. They say he should be back after his 15 days are up, but we'll see about that. Anyway, it is nice to have Kubel back up. Now if they could just get him some regular time.
And finally, while Yankees fans get troubling word that Richard Hidalgo could be on his way to the Bronx soon, they also get word that Gary Sheffield played in his first rehab game today and should be back soon. By the way....anyone catch that stellar o for 4 performance with 3 misplays in the outfield for Terrence Long? They say you need to hit rockbottom before you can pull yourself back up. I think the Yankees hit rockbottom in the outfield tonight.

Catch you next time...

Our 100th Post -- Accountability

At the suggestion of a few readers, RotoBuzz is going to dedicate its 100th post to doing a quick look back and check my credibility. Did my sleepers pan out? How close were my projections? And most of all...how about a couple of "I told you so's..."

If you found your way to this site, then chances are you came over from Addict Fantasy Sports where I started giving you pre-draft advice back in February. I started off cracking on ex-Marlins pitching and then took my way through the positions lending some friendly and hopefully helpful advice. Let's do a quick roundup...

Catchers -- If we're just talking about the first 2 months here, I guess I was wrong about Victor Martinez standing alone. We've seen some really solid performances so far. Even my guy Jorge Posada is off to a great start. I called out up and comers Johnny Estrada and Brian McCann, both hitting over .300, and everyone else I mentioned, barring injury (Ryan Doumit and Dioner Navarro), is on target. I did miss the Josh Willingham call and my super sleeper, Yorvit Torrealba, got injured right out of Spring Training.

1st Base -- Well I did all right here I think. Ryan Howard? A monster. Jim Thome? An even bigger monster. Even Jason Giambi and Chad Tracy are on target for solid seasons. Lyle Overbay has been steady, but yeah....what's up with Brad Whifferson? Of course as soon as I called him out here he went on a little tear. Still you can't strike out 40% of the time. About the only surprise I missed was Nick Swisher and his 13 HR. Chris Shelton you ask? I guess if he ended up on my roster in my primary league, well then I didn't miss him, did I?

2nd Base -- In my column, I actually just did a middle infield report, but of the 2B I singled out, I told you to go after Chase Utley and to stay away from Jorge Cantu. If you listened, you're doing fine as Utley has been solid and Cantu only has 55 AB due to a fractured foot. Even when he returns, I still don't expect a even close to a repeat of last year's numbers. I pointed out Rickie Weeks who is playing a solid second base for the Brewers, and also, in the last minute advice, I told you to check out Dan Uggla who has been much better than advertised.

Shortstop -- The other half of the column found me driving the Felipe Lopez bandwagon with Clint Barmes riding shotgun. Time to get rid of my co-pilot. I also warned you off of Jhonny Peralta who doesn't look like the same guy we saw last year. My super sleeper J.J. Hardy was showing some better power but we just lost him to a major ankle injury (hmm...trend here? hope not). But...once again in the last minute help department, you were told to pick up Hanley Ramirez. 12 steals with an average over .300? Gimme!!!

3rd Base -- I told you to check the injury reports for over here. Scott Rolen is looking solid so far, Troy Glaus has been the Troy of old with 12 dingers and a .250 avg., and Nomar Garciaparra has already seen a loss of playing time due to injury. He is, however, hitting very well right now, but again...for how long is that? Aramis Ramirez isn't off to the tear I thought he would be, but he does have 8 HR. The .230 avg. needs to be fixed. A good surprise in Ty Wigginton's performance filling in in Tampa. Definitely didn't see that coming... My sleeper, Corey Koskie, came out of the spring with the job over Bill Hall and has a solid .289 average with 5 HR. He makes for a nice 2nd option in mixed leagues.

Outfield -- Again, so much to cover in the number of outfielders. If you listened to me you are currently awaiting the return of Coco Crisp. He was off to a nice start until the broken knuckle. Keep holding on as he should be back in a week or so. Grady Sizemore, Jason Bay, Carlos Lee and Matt Holliday are all producing very well. I was down on some of the old guard and not too far off with Bernie Williams, Jim Edmonds, Reggie Sanders and Steve Finley, but with all 4 getting the playing time right now, any of them could serve me up a little humble pie. But here we go...the great Corey Patterson debate. I don't like him. I won't budge. And he's not doing anything to change my mind right now. But the infamous Graeber continues to spout off about 13 SB. "He's on pace for 50+ steals!!!" (actually it's 47, chump) is all I've heard. Listen, if you want some cheap steals at the expense of your other production, then he's your guy. But he's on pace for less than 400 AB and that's not even with all of the Orioles outfielders healthy. He's too streaky and will not see regular playing time all year. I will take this battle to the end of the season. If I am wrong I will admit it, but I know...deep in my heart...with all I've got...that Corey Patterson will eventually prove me right. To add....to twist the knife even further....to inflict more mental damage on Graeber...I will say this. (very long and dramatic pause) Jonny Gomes and Brad Hawpe have both been excellent sources of production this year and remain as solid choices in all fantasy leagues.

Pitchers -- Well, I warned you off of the ex-marlins. A.J. Burnett and Carl Pavano both have serious injuries, and Josh Beckett is up and down in Boston ( 3 good outings followed by 3 bad ones followed my 3 good ones...). What's worse is that everyone keeps saying the word "blister" to him and he freaks out. Hmmmm. For the rest, I gave you some tips on what to look for in building a staff. I liked some 3rd year guys in Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera, Joe Blanton and Scott Kazmir -- 2 out of 4 , I guess. I highlighted the return of Jason Schmidt and the effectiveness of Mark Buehrle...both producing very well although Buehrle's WHIP could use a reduction. Unfortuantely, the injury bug hit Horacio Ramirez, but he should be back soon and the Marlins staff is in disarray having sent Jason Vargas to the minors. Howver, I did like Scott Baker of the Twins as well, and he's been very servicable so far. Overall, I would give myself a B- with my overall pitching stafff predictions.

Closers -- All I can really say here is that I wish, for my drafts, I just stopped with Ryan Dempster and Jose Valverde. Both have put up solid numbers. Mike Gonzalez isn't horrible, but the Pirates sure are. How can he find a groove when he's in a save situation once a month? I mentioned Joe Borowski and he seems to be as shaky as I thought he would be in my earlier prediction for him. He hasn't lost the job yet, but the team is losing patience. And WHOA!!! Did I say Ambiorix Burgos?!?! What was I thinking? I know I wasn't sold on him 100% but wow...this guy is bad...my apologies for that one.

So there it is....a little accountability 2 months in. Some good, some bad....but definitely more good than bad. But the proof is in the pudding they say. Where are you in your league standings right now? I'm sitting in first in my primary league and in contention for solid finishes in my other 3. Write to me at hbender26@yahoo.com and let me know how it's going so far. If you're at the top, we'll try to maintain it. If not, we'll try and help get you there.

See you all in the money this year.

What's the Buzz? 5/21/06

So there it was...

The end of interleague...

The Mets took the rubber match from the Yankees, the Cubs salvaged a little bit of dignity beating the White Sox and The Giants took the Battle of the Bay behind a one hit complete game shutout from Matt Cain.

Some newsworthy items...

The Yankees placed Shawn Chacon on the DL retroactive to May 17th, so Aaron Small will get atleast once more start this week. Unfortunately, this moved opened up the door for the Yankees to bring up OF Terrence Long. Yankee fans everwhere are just shaking their heads.
Some good news for the Bombers as Jorge Posada, out with back spasms, should be ready to get back to work Monday. They also may be getting Gary Sheffield back sooner than they thought as he opted for a cortisone shot in his wrist. He told manager Joe Torre he was ready to play in a game.
But the Yankees wouldn't be the Yankees if they didn't give themselves more options. They signed DH Erubiel Durazo to a minor league contract.
Giants SS Omar Vizquel left today's game with groin tightness. It wasn't serious enough to worry, but he may get the next day or two off. Jose Vizcaino would start in his place.
Also, the Giants put 1B Lance Niekro on the 15 day DL with a shoulder injury. Mark Sweeney should see some extra time over the next couple of weeks.
X-rays were negative on the ankle of Braves catcher Brian McCann. He is day to day and should probably be back by the middle to end of the week. Whew!!! A big sigh of relief after initial responses to it were "Oh wow...he's done for the year!" McCann is having a great year so far hitting .350 with 5 HR.
As expected, the Orioles brought up Hayden Penn to start Tuesday's game against the Mariners. He might be worth considering if he pitches well enough to stay around. If not, then he'll be gone as soon as Daniel Cabrera comes back.
Is it just me or does "King Felix" just look like some dude named Felix Hernandez? They're going to continue to work on his mechanics, but something seems very wrong with him.
Watch the clock on Braves closer Chris Reitsma. He was removed from a save situation in favor of Macay McBride and has blown his last 3 chances. Oscar Villareal would actually be next in line, and then McBride.
Albert Pujols hit his major league leading 22nd HR today. How fitting it would be if he could overshadow all of this Barry Bonds nonsense with a HR record breaking season? All good vibes go to Albert.
The Astros activated Chris Burke from the DL which gives the team another option in the OF. Burke won't be anything more than a bench player.
Boof Bonser made his MLB debut today and only gave up 1 run in 6 innings. He didn't factor in the decision but his 8 K's and the fact that he'll get the Mariners his next time out may make for him to be a nice pickup.
Bells and whistles here!!! Sound the alarms!!! Kerry Wood will probably miss his next start with shoulder soreness. Need I go on...?
In his last 3 starts since taking the job from Chris Duffy, Pirates OF Nate McLouth is 6-14 with 2 HR and 3 SB. He's definitely worth a look in mixed and NL-only leagues.
The A's put reliever Joe Kennedy on the DL today. Is it possible that this poor guy's value could get any lower?
The Phillies Alex Gonzalez announced his retirement today. He wasn't getting any real playing time and really....he's not so valuable that any other teams are rushing out to pick him up. Take care, Alex. Being a major leaguer for 13 seasons is an amazing enough accomplishment.

And here it is...

my first "I told you so..."

An article in the Tampa Tribune "announced" that OF Carl Crawford has been playing with a sore wrist and that it may be the reason for his lack of power. Who didn't see that one coming? We knew it was going to be an issue all year long. Pfffffffft!!! First rounder , my ass!!! Sure, 12 SB are great, but what's up with the .261 average and just 1 HR?

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/20/06

Hard-nosed baseball today. That's what we got.

The crosstown rivalries were fierce today.

In New York, the Yankess, down 4-0 in the top of the ninth, rallied against closer Billy Wagner for the victory. Not even a save situation but I guess someone wanted more of that "Enter Sandman" drama. As the Mettalica song blared, Wagner walked in and gave a rock solid 1/3 inning with 4 ER. Mariano Rivera, the real "sandman", went on to pitch 2 innings with 4 K's and earned himself the win when Andy Phillips earned his pinstripes with a game winning RBI single in the 11th. Unfortunately, with every good bit of Yankees news comes a little bad as the rumors are now swirling that the Bombers could be interested in signing Richard Hidalgo. First Terrence Long and now this? Please say it ain't so...
While Barry Bonds tied Babe Ruth on the all-time HR list with his 714th career HR today, the real story was closer Armando Benitez blowing the game by allowing inherited runners to score. I don't even know why they were on base in the first place. Manager Felipe Alou shouldn't have let Jason Schmidt go out for the ninth. No matter how good he looked, he had already thrown 113 pitches at that point. In the end, the Giants came back and won it in the 10th and Benitez was given Schmidt's win.
The battle for supremacy in Chicago got ugly when Cubs catcher Michael Barrett took offense to being barrelled over by Sox catcher A.J.Pierzynski and sucker punched him after the play. Both benches cleared and in the end both catchers were ejected along with Sox OF Brian Anderson and Cubs 1B John Mabry. In the end, the Sox came out on top behind 8 solid innings of shutout ball from Freddy Garcia and 2 HR and 6 RBI from Tadahito Iguchi. The poor Cubbies are really get pushed around that town these days.

In other news...

The countdown begins on Reds closer David Weathers. He blew his third straight save opportunity today and Todd Coffey is waiting in the wings with his 0.70 ERA and his 22 K's in 25 2/3 innings.
Braves catcher Brian McCann, off to a great season so far, left today's game with a left ankle sprain suffered in a home plate collision today. They say he's day to day, but it looks like he may end up on the DL.
Cardinals pitcher Anthony Reyes made his long awaited debut throwingfor 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball allowing only 4 hits. No word on whether he will get another start before Sidney Ponson comes back. The team may not need a 5th starter next week.
Twins OF Shannon Stewart may need to go on the DL with a heel injury that seems to be lingering. If he does, look for the return of Jason Kubel. He should get the call up and platoon with Lew Ford if Stewart goes down.
The Mariners finally ended their relationship with Matt Lawton as the designated him for assignment and will probably grant him his release. Maybe he'll catch on somewhere else, but if he's not happy being a bench player these days, maybe he should find a new line of work.
Also on the release front. the Angels finally dumped infielder Edgardo Alfonzo. He was pitiful in the meager 50 at bats he got and it doesn't look like he will find a job elsewhere unless a serious plague strikes a few teams. He could be calling it a career.
Jason Lane continues to lose playing time in Houston with his poor play. Not that Preston Wilson has been any better, but that still isn't the way to be guaranteed a strating position. It could be trouble if he continues to sit, but chances are they'll go back to using him regularly soon.

That's all I 've got for you for now...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/19/06

So interleague play started today...

How'd it go in the big "inter-city" games? Well, the Mets took down the Yankees, the White Sox beat up the Cubbies, the Dodgers obliterated the Angels, and the A's took the Battle of the Bay. For the rest of them, you can check out the boxscores.

As far as news goes...

While Phil Garner showed recognition for the err of his ways and returned Brad Lidge to the closer's role, Atlanta's Chris Reitsma opened up the door for his possible exit after blowing another save. There is talk of Oscar Villareal filling in.
Dodgers closer Eric Gagne took another positive step towards a June 1st return as he threw about 20 pain free pitched in BP today.
So the Yankees are forced to add another outfielder to the DL in Bubba Crosby, who went on with a pulled hamstring. They brought up Kevin Thompson and some dude named Mitch Jones to join Kevin Reese and Melky Cabrera to form one of the most unintimidating outfields in Yankees history. On top of that, Randy Johnson continues to blow, Jorge Posada left the game with back spasms tonight and Bernie Williams will probably sit Saturday after tweaking what looked like a hamstring. Trouble's brewing in the Bronx...and it don't look good. To show how desperate they are, they just signed Terrence Long to a minor league contract.
The Nationals made a rather odd move by sending Ryan Church down to AAA and recalling OF Alex Escobar. Sure Church was slumping since his return from the flu, but to demote him right now just seems silly. The team is not better off with an Escobar/Marlon Byrd platoon.
The Marlins decided against activating OF Jeremy Hermida from the DL today. Look for him to come back just after the weekend.
While he looked pretty good in his extended spring training game, Cubs pitcher Mark Prior is still atleast 4 weeks away.
OF Shane Costa returned from the DL today and started in center field for the Royals today. He will be there until David DeJesus returns; when that will be is anyone's guess right now.
The Orioles have decided to wait until after this weekend to activate 2B Brian Roberts. He should be available for Monday or Tuesday's game.
The Astros have moved Willie Taveras back into the leadoff spot. Now hopefully, he will steal some more bases...yeesh.
Anyone else see the Cubs signed Tony Womack and put him in AAA-Iowa?
The Rangers put reliever Antonio Alfonseca on the DL with elbow problems.
And finally, for intentionally hitting Barry Bonds (and trying to with the 6 pitches before), Astros reliever Russ Springer has been suspended for 4 games. Phil Garner took the one game ban as well. Neither will appeal.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/18/06

So the Yankees pitching staff is becoming quite the drama...when last we left, Carl Pavano had left a rehab start with Triceps tightness, a wounded Shawn Chacon was getting shelled by Texas, and Tanyon Sturtze was running off to Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion on that torn rotator cuff. Well today, "Crippled" Carl couldn't straighten out his arm and has been shut down indefinitely, Chacon will miss his next start with his bruised shin, and the torn rotator cuff is confirmed for Sturtze. Aaron Small steps in to the rotation for now. If Pavano truly is done for the season, look for the Yanks to make a move for some pitching help.
If that's not bad enough, Gary Sheffield still hasn't swung a bat, Bubba Crosby tweaked his hamstring tonight and was replaced by Kevin Reese, and now we're hearing about a cracked bone in Johnny Damon's foot. Damon says it is not a problem and will continue to play. Keep your eyes on this.
The Reds activated Rich Aurilia from the DL today. He will step back into his platoon against lefties with Scott Hatteberg at first.
There's closer drama in Cincy also as current closer David Weathers was used for two innings to set up Todd Coffey for the save tonight. Manager Jerry Narron says that Weathers is still the closer. Tonight's decision was based on who he thought was able to go two innings between the two for this game. Either way, it should make Weathers owners nervous. Coffey was a sleeper pick during the spring when things were still up in the air.
Not an ideal start for Phillies super rookie Cole Hamels tonight but what's up with Ryan Madson letting in yet another inherited runner score? 3 ER would have made his line a little more palatable. That's twice he's done it to him. Sabotage anyone? How well do we really know this Madson guy?
Akinori Otsuka shook off Tuesday's disaster with a perfect ninth tonight. Francisco Cordero owners should remain concerned.
The Mets got some bad news when Brian Bannister was removed from tonight's rehab game with a hamstring problem. He will have an MRI on Friday, but this could delay his return. New York will have to endure the duo of Jose Lima and Jeremi Gonzalez for a little while longer. And you thought the Yankees were having pitching woes...
The Cubs finally activate Kerry Wood from the DL. He gave up 4 runs in 5 innings, struk out 6 and had no walks. He did however serve up the long ball 3 times. He should be ok to use as he has the Marlins his next time out.
Not too much else going on today...

a bump here, a bruise there...

do I really have to acknowledge Dmitri Young choking his ex-girlfriend?

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/17/06

While Brewers closer Derrick Turnbow is supposedly not in danger of losing his job, he has struggled in his past few outings. The fact that he started the season so well probably means this is just a funk he is in, but with so many closers losing their jobs this year, it's hard not to be nervous.
And speaking of closers losing their jobs, Ambiorix Burgos has been deposed in Kansas City. His replacement will be Elmer Dessens right now. With Mike MacDougal still a ways away, Dessens should be picked up if you need relief help.
As expected, the Cardinals will call up Anthony Reyes to start Saturday's game. If he's available, he would be a decent pick up. Worry about what happens when Sidney Ponson comes back later.
Yankees starter Carl Pavano continues to face setback after setback in his rehab. He left a AA-Trenton game after one inning with tightness in his triceps. Biceps, triceps, buttocks, whatever. I can still hear GM Brian Cashman banging his head against the wall after this signing.
How about Tigers starter Justin Verlander outdueling Twins ace Johann Santana tonight? Verlander looked great tonight although he needs to raise that strikeout total. Santana, who continues to dominate may find his win total a bit low this season as their offense is becoming quite pitiful. Maybe 1B Justin Morneau can bring up that .242 average now that he's not platooning anymore. That would be a help.
Speaking of the Twins, they finally shook up their pitching staff by sending Kyle Lohse down to the minors and called up Boof Bonser. The urge to pick up Bonser stems only from his name. And I kid you not....I have been known to do that sometimes and it has panned out on several occasions...Coco Crisp, Dan Uggla, J.J. Putz, just to name a few. Bonser is likely a 4th or 5th starter at best, so you might not want to rush out there just yet.
The expected return of Braves starter Horacio Ramirez is May 30th although if he dazzles in his next rehab start they may activate him sooner. They may need him sooner as recent DL casualty Kyle Davies will require surgery to repair his torn groin muscle. Davies is expected to be out for atleast 2 to 3 months.
Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez is still being called day to day after his MRI revealed just a strain in his shoulder. He'll probably get another day or two off and see where he's at then. In the meantime, the Marlins sent OF Eric Reed to the minors and called up Robert Andino to play short.
Royals OF David DeJesus had yet another setback today and will continue to remain sidelined for far too long. The Royals may get Shane Costa back this weekend, which could give them a little offensive jolt.
Although it seems a bit inconsequential, the Indians swapped out Ramon Vasquez for Lou Merloni with their AAA affiliate in Buffalo. Just a little bench twealk there as Vasquez has been a bust at the plate.
Anyone else laughing at Josh Beckett? Methinks thou doth protest too much, blister boy.
The Brewers put J.J. Hardy on the DL with a sprained ligament in his ankle. His timetable for a return is 2 to 6 weeks. Hmmm. Not sure what kind of window that is....it's like waiting for the cable guy to get there.
The Pirates are hoping to get 1B Sean Casey back sooner than expected as he has been rehabbing pain free for a little bit. If he remains like this, he could be back by mid to early June.
Lastly, the timetable for Roger Clemens to return has been stepped up a bit as he apparently has "accelerated his workout program". He'll either end up with the Astros, Rangers, Yankees, or The Red Sox, but I'm going to put my money on a Texas team.

Catch you next time...

Birthday Wishes...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to

Steve Diamond

you're only a decade away from retiring on your son's fat Yankees contract he signs right out of high school.

from all of us here at RotoBuzz

What's the Buzz? 5/16/06

If he's not careful, Braves OF Ryan Langerhans could start losing even more playing time to upstart Matt Diaz. Langerhans is only hitting .269 with 2 HR 12 RBI with zero steals, while Diaz, who hit his first home run tonight, is hitting .365 playing only against lefties.
Marlins' SS Hanley Ramirez is being considered day to day with a shoulder strain. It's nothing serious, so look for him to continue his potential ROY bid after a day or two off.
Brian Roberts will probably be activated on Friday after playing a rehab game in AA-Bowie on Wednsesday.
Dodgers 2B Jeff Kent is being considered day to day after leaving today's game with a back injury, as is OF Kenny Lofton who also left today's game with a hamstring problem. Both should need a day or two off, but I don't think anyone is headed to the DL.
Red Sox starter Curt Schilling may have gotten the win tonight but once again served up the long ball too much -- 3 in 5+ innings against the Orioles.
Ambiorix Burgos continues to blow save after save for the Royals as he blew his third in the row tonight giving up 2 runs in 1/3 innings. I expected this to happen, but I thought maybe Andy Sisco would be the guy to fill in. Unfortunately, he's been just as bad. Burgos should continue in the job, but maybe Joel Peralta gets a chance here and there.
Word out of Milwaukee is that Ben Sheets could be out for another 4 weeks with his shoulder problems. Can't say we didn't see this coming...
The Rangers are starting to lean towards putting Francisco Cordero back into the closer's role soon. They are sticking with Akinori Otsuka, but maybe tonight's blown save against the Yankees will expedite the situation.
While Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler is 2 for 17 in his rehab assignment, there is speculation that he won't be activated this weekend and could spend a few more weeks in the minors.
If Cardinals pitcher Anthony Reyes is still available in your league, you might want to pick him up. He was skipped in the AAA-Memphis rotation to allow him to be on schedule for a possible start Saturday.
Brewers SS J.J. Hardy left tonights game after spraining his ankle after a sliding collision at home plate. He will have an MRI on Wednesday, and a DL stint may be on the horizon.
Marlins manager Joe Girardi said that a "best case scenario" for OF Jermey Hermida is a Friday return. You may have him for the weekend, but you're probably going to have to wait until early next week. They want him to get his stroke back in a few AAA games.
Not such great news for the Devil Rays as OF Rocco Baldelli is still probably a month away and 2B Jorge Cantu probably won't be ready to return from a fractured foot until early June.
And finally, did someone say "blister" and Josh Beckett in the same sentence? He says it was just a routine check, but the rest of us know the possibility here. Brace yourself.

Catch you next time...

Recap of the big news that was missed....

I was just going over some things and I figured a recap of the important weekend info is necessary; definitely for me, but if you missed something too, let's check it out...

A's starter Rich Harden (on the DL) resumed throwing, but won't be back until the end of May, at the earliest.
The Blue Jays have put a 4 week timetable on the return of A.J. Burnett
Marlins OF Jeremy Hermida could be back sometime this week which may help the top end of that lineup, although I think he should start lower in the order untill he proves otherwise. Dan Uggla has been solid in the 2 hole.
Phillies OF Aaron Rowand went on the DL after surgery to repair his broken nose. If you missed how he did it, check out this spectacular catch...
Cole Hamels was brought up on Friday of last week and pitched very well. He went 5 innngs, struck out 7 and walked 5. One hit, but the lead was given up by Ryan Madson, so no win. I'd like to see the walks reduced, but that will come as he pitches more. He get Milwaukee his next time out so expect some good results.
The delay on Coco Crisp continues as it was found that he had kidney stones. He should pass those soon and resume baseball activities shortly. On a good note, that broken knuckle has received some extra time to heal. If he can come back in June, he is going to be a huge boost to fantasy leaguers that stashed him away.
They're saying atleast 3 months on Hideki Matsui after he underwent surgery to repar his broken wrist. Kevin Reese was brought up for some OF depth as opposed to Kevin Thompson as previously reported.
The Giants activated 2B Ray Durham over the weekend.
The Astos swapped out Ezequiel Astacio for Trever Miller who was activated from the DL. Astacio has been getting beaten up, so maybe the AAA stint will help him get back on track.
The Padres put SP Woody Williams on the 15 day DL with a torn left calf muscle. There is no timetable for his return.
Apparently, Brad Lidge has gone the way of Eddie Guardado and Francisco Cordero. He has been removed from the closer's role as they tweak his mechanics. He's looked good in his last 2 outings, once in the 7th and then once in garbage time in the ninth, so he should resume his duties soon. In the meantime, Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls will get the save opps in his absence.
The Dodgers put Bill Mueller on the DL and replaced him on the roster with recent call up Oscar Robles. Mueller will miss 4 to 5 weeks while he undergoes arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
The Indians sent down Danny Graves to the minors and replaced him with Fausto Carmona.
The Marlins put Sergio Mitre on the DL and sent lefty Jason Vargas down to the minors. Looks like Ricky Nolasco is in the rotation, but that could be Ricky No-Last-O if he doesn't dazzle them. Vargas should be back up at some point.
The Pirates finally settled their center field situation...congrats to Nate McLouth who turned it on at just the right time as Chris Duffy was sent down to the minors.
The timetable for Bartolo Colon has him returning at the end of May barring any setbacks.
The A's put RP Justin Duchscherer on the 15 day DL and ended up picking up RP Steve Karsay in a deal from the Indians. Karsay will start in AAA for now.
The Cubs announced that Kerry Wood will finally return for a start on Thursday this week.
The Yankkes put RP Tanyon Sturtze on the DL and he could be out for the season. They brought up veteran Scott Erickson, but that doesn't figure to be too much of an improvement.
The Nationals put catcher Brian Schneider on the DL and called up Wiki Gonzalez from the minors.
The Angels returned 2B Howie Kendrick to the minors over the weekend. He needs a little more work before he can be an every day guy in the bigs.
The Pirates could have 3B Joe Randa back as early as today, but may lose Jack Wilson to the DL, which will probably keep Freddy Sanchez around.
The Reds threw Kent Mercker on the 15 day DL with an inflamed elbow -- never good for a 38 year old.
The Orioles are hoping to have 2B Brian Roberts back by the end of this week, but will be placing SP Daniel Cabrera on the DL with shoulder inflammation. Hayden Penn should be called up.
Anyone catch Braves 1B Adam LaRoche make an idiot out of himself for not hustling? Kudos to Nick Johnson for showing how it's done. He'll be benched in favor of Brian Jordan as a punishment.
Keep Milton Bradley reserved as he will not be activated from the DL after suffering a setback in his recovery from a strained oblique.
Dodgers catcher Dioner Navarro could be back by the end of this week.
The Twins are finally making the move you've all been waiting for...Francisco Liriano is being moved into the starting rotation. He will be replacing the struggling Carlos Silva who will go to the bullpen.
The White Sox should have Jose Contreras back starting for them on Sunday this week.
And finally, Albert Pujols continues to crush the ball and there have been zero HR for Barry Bonds so far -- still stuck on 713.

More updates later tonight...thanks for catching up with me.

And we're back...

Thank you all for coming back...

I'm back from the great Midwest and ready for some baseball. Funny thing about Iowa City; while close enough to Chicago, I didn't run into too many baseball fans. The closest they get is the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Class A affiliate for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Not much excitement from the locals without even the likes of a Brandon Wood or a Howie Kendrick.

I did, however, discover the next great Yankees shortstop and second baseman. In 20 years, you should look for Isaac and Evan Bender. They're going to be the next great double play combo in the Big Apple. If you are in a keeper league, I highly recommend stashing these two on your roster. Isaac begins T-ball next week and so far, he looks to be a solid .300 slap hitter with some slick fielding at short. Evan, on the other hand, could be a great combination of power and speed at second base.

Come back later tonight for your daily dose of What's the Buzz and other fantasy info...

RotoBuzz mini-hiatus coming...

To the RotoBuzz faithful...

I will be going away this weeknd to visit some family and will probably miss some updates over the next few days. Articles and What's the Buzz updates will continue on Monday the 15th.

Thanks for reading, and keep those emails coming...

Howard

What's the Buzz? 5/11/06

It's raining all over as 3 of today's 11 games were postponed....

We'll start with the Yankees tonight as the bad news just keeps getting worse. First, there were reports earlier today that OF Gary Sheffield may have to remain sidelined longer than the 15 days the team was hooping for, then OF Hideki Matsui (out a minimum of 4-6 weeks) fractures his left wrist in the first inning of tonight's game and finally, they dropped their 3rd game out of four to the Red Sox. It could get even uglier when they start rotating Bubba Crosby, Melky Cabrera and probable call up Kevin Thompson in the outfield to fill in. Bernie Williams will probably see a real boost in playing time as well.
In his return from the disabled list, Reds OF Ken Griffey, Jr. became the instant hero as he his a 3 run walk off HR in the 11th inning. He should come back and give you great production ...up until he gets hurt again. I'm guessing like 5 weeks...maybe 6. Chris Denorfia, by the way, was sent down to make room for Junior.
Hold on with putting Dmitri Young back in your lineups again. He re-aggravated his quad tonight and may have to go back on the DL.
The D-Train has been D-Railed. Coming into tonight's game, Dontrelle Willis was 1-3 with a 5.15 ERA and a 1.397 WHIP. His line tonight? 2 2/3 innings, 7 ER, 10 hits and 2 BB. You do the math....I bet the numbers are pretty big.
The Padres may have lost backup catcher Rob Bowen to a DL stint as he dislocated his thumb tonight. Josh Bard and Mike Piazza will handle the work in his absence.
The Mets/Phillies games wasn't shortened enough for Aaron Rowand. He'll miss a few days with a broken nose and facial lacerations after crashing in to the wall tonight making a great grab in center field. Shane Victorino will fill in over the weekend.
The injury to Orioles' utility man Chris Gomez was worse than they though as they were forced to put him on the 60 day DL with a broken bone in his left hand. They will probably call Ed Rogers and he will battle with Brandon Fahey for playing time. This will all be a moot point once Melvin Mora and Brian Roberts get healthy.
In Milwaukee, Bill Hall is starting to make a push on J.J. Hardy for playing time. The reports are that Hardy won't lose his job, but Hall could spell him for 2 or 3 games a week. Time to find that last SS available on your waiver wire.
Not that he's going to lose his job, but it should be noted that Brad Lidge had to be removed tonight from a save situation. His ERA is already over 6.00 and his command is not there. His velocity became an issue today as well. Barring some undiscovered injury, I think he'll be fine....maybe try and grab him cheap in a trade from some disgruntled owner.
Anyone else hear Curt Schilling ran and saw some mysterious doctor in New York this week? Maybe it's something, maybe it's not...
Word out of Toronto is that Gustavo Chacin could avoid the DL after being diagnosed with a mildly strained ligament in his elbow and a strined forearm. They say he's day to day. We'll see what happens when he throws his next side session.
The value of Giants 1B Lance Niekro takes another blow as Felipe Alou announced that he will platoon Niekro with Mark Sweeney. Not that he was producing well anyway, but now he's half a player on your fantasy roster.
And finally, with his job on the line and a potential demotion to the minors pending, Pirates starter Oliver Perez was seen blowing kisses up to the sky thanking the gods for the rain out. When asked what he was doing he only said "Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. And sometimes it rains." That's the best he's been all year.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/10/06

Bad news for the Blue Jays and for owners of Gustavo Chacin who is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday after he complained of soreness in his elbow. Chacin was off to a decent start this year but when he says that he's "scared to throw the ball" you've got to be worried.
The White Sox announced that Brandon McCarthy will be moved in from the pen to start Monday's game against the Twins. Exit Charlie Haeger. We hardly knew ya! McCarthy has great upside and if available, you might want to take a flyer on him for the time that Jose Contreras is out.
Orioles infielder Chris Gomez will be out for a few days after gettin ghit on the hand tonight. He had been filling in for Melvin Mora so the O's better hope Mora's ready to return or they're going to need to shuffle around a few guys.
Nationals 1B Nick Johnson -- finally living up to that potential. He's hitting .320 with 9 HR so far. Now if he can just avoid the injury bug....what a season he could have.
The Padres are learning the hard way that Mike Piazza could be done. His hitting is less than stellar and his defensive inadequacies continue to show. The Padres have both Rob Bowen and Josh Bard, so maybe they should start shopping Piazza around a little. Not that there's much interest.
Round 3 goes to the Yankees as Mike Mussina moved to 6-1 pitching 6 2/3 innings with 3 ER. The runs were a result of the long ball (David Ortiz again...jeez) but he looked pretty good the rest of the way throwing in 5 K's as well. Moose look slike a good bet the rest of the way. Trading for him might be a very good idea. And how about Curt Schilling? 6 ER in 5 innings of work and he's left to go cry in his bloody sock.
And speakin gof the Yankees, Randy Johnson had an MRI on his shoulder today and it came back negative, confirming my earlier diagnosis that he's just old and done.
Arizona's Brandon Webb remained undefeated and tied for the league lead with 6 wins as he gave up 3 runs in 6 innings of work tonight. He also struck out 6 and did not walk a batter. He did however give up a few more hits than usual and had to pitch his way out of trouble a few times, but still took another step closer to the upper echelon of pitchers.
It looks like Nate McLouth has finally taken advantage of his opportunity to take over the center field position in Pittsburgh. Chris Duffy hasn't started a game in almost a week, and McLouth is hitting .438 with 5 runs scored and a stolen base over his last 4 games.
It appears safe to get Placido Polanco back into your lineups. He finally came back after a few games off with a back injury to go 2 for 5 with a run scored.
In an attempt to get Juan Pierre going, Dusty Baker moved him out of the leadoff spot. He batted him second. Oh Dusty...when will you ever learn? Pierre started of horribly last year and still managed to heat up enough to steal 50+ bases by year end. If someon ein your league is down on him, try and make yourself a nice deal.
The Dodgers put OF Jason Repko on the DL with a sprained ankle today. It looks like Kenny Lofton will act as the full time guy now. He'll be a nice source of steals for atleast the next 2 weeks if not longer.
Javy Lopez should return to action this weekend; probably Saturday. He had been out with a minor back strain but he looks to be fine in his rehab starts. Lopez remains a solid start as a catcher in fantasy leagues.
Tyler Walker seems to be running away with that closer's job in Tampa Bay. He notched another save tonight and hasn't given up a run in his last 3 2/3 innings. I'll have to check the books, but that could be a record for a Devil Rays closer in 2006.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland continues to mishandle Chris Shelton as today he dropped him to 7th in the order amidst this slump. So you don't move him up when he's hot, but definitely move him down now where he receives absolutely no protection in the lineup. Yeah Jim, that'll get him going.
Royals SS Angel Berroa blew his wad tonight going 3 for 4 with a HR and 3 runs scored. He should follow it up with a nice 2 for 27 over the next week.
And finally, Cole Hamels is coming...? Cole Hamels is here!!! The Phillies announced that he will start this Friday against the Reds. If you are in a league that allows daily moves, you'll want him active in your lineup. He is going to be an excellent source of strikeouts this season. Ryan Madson makes the move to the pen.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 5/9/06

I'll start off with a quick nod to the league leaders in HR so far. With 14, White Sox 1B Jim Thome has been everything the Sox could have hoped for. He's the Thome of old. Expect great numbers all year. For the NL, Albert Pujols hit his 17th today. But here's the interesting thing...did you know that Pujols has led the NL in runs scored for the past 3 years? Very impressive for a power guy. I'm guessing we could be looking at #4 as he currently holds the lead in that category as well.
The Yankees put OF Gary Sheffield on the DL with left hand contusion. He''l be back as soon as he is eligible; the time off will do him good. In the meantime, the Bombers brought up Melky Cabrera to play in right. Remember last year's inside the park HR from Trot Nixon? We got another showing tonight as a wind blown ball slipped right out of Cabrera's glove again.
An speaking of the Yanks vs. Red Sox, round 2 goes to Boston....someone stick a fork in Randy Johnson. He's done like dinner.
The word on the street is that Giants OF Moises Alou will be out for 4 to 6 weeks with his ankle. Steve Finley is looking better and better every day....for a month.
Although Orioles 2B Brian Roberts is eligible to come off the DL on Monday, it doesn'y look like he will be activated. It may be atleast another week on top of that.
Braves OF Ryan Langerhans sat out tonight due to a sore throat and fever...not because he's been stinking it up lately and only hitting .264, i guess.
Out of Milwaukee, the word is that Ben Sheets will be put on the 15 day DL with shoulder tendenititis. Hmmm tendenitis...um, okay....but I think it's more than that. But that's just me. Looks like the Brewers will bring up Dana Eveland to fill in for Sheets.
So now we know the real story at the Clemens household. Roger Clemens announced today that his family has given the go-ahead for him to return to pitching this season. Guess they were sick of him just loafing around building bird houses all day. He'll be a great asset for your 2nd half so if you can obtain him for a reasonable price, you should consider it. He could be back sometime in mid to late June.
The delay on the return of Ken Griffey, Jr. continues as he remained sidelined. He said he felt a twinge in his knee again, and doesn't want to come back at less than 100%. Consider Junior day to day now.
The AL's current #1 pitcher Jose Contreras was placed on the DL today with an inflamed nerve in his back. He should be back sometime around the 20th of May.
It should be safe to use OF Jermaine Dye again. He returned to the lineup tonight fo rthe White Sox and hit his 7th HR of the season.
The Angels finally put 1B Casey Kotchman on the DL with mononucleosis. He'll need to spend a little time in the minors to help him improve on that whopping .152 average. For the time being, the Angels called up Dallas McPhereson (ugh, that won't help the team BA) and will use him, Howie Kendrick and Rob Quinlan at first base.
Well, not that we didn't think we were seeing him until the 20th, but the Cardinals officially put Sidney Ponson on the 15 day DL with a strained muscle in his right elbow. If all goes well, then he will return on time. If he needs to be out longer, the Crads will probably then promote Anthony Reyes.
As expected, Jason Kendall has dropped his appeal and began serving his 4 game suspension today. He'll be back next week.
Hmmm....6 RBI and 2 HR tonight...will the real Justin Morneau please stand up?
Nationals pitcher John Patterson remains sidelined and actually was given some sort of an injection after an examination by Dr. James Andrews. There is no set timetable for his return anymore.
And finally, let's give it up to the International League higher ups who suspended Devil Rays prospect Delmon Young for 50 games for tossing his bat at an umpire. It would have been the whole season had they been able to prove that hitting the ump was intentional. Either way, 50 games...serves him right. Punk.

That's all I've got for now...anything earth shattering will be specially reported in the morning.

Catch you next time...