What's the Buzz? 6/30/06

Another typical interleague day as the AL got the best of the NL in the overall win column and it was home runs galore. Some back to back jobs here and there, 2 HR performances from Carl Crawford and Lyle Overbay, and a little game winning grand salami for Adam Dunn. This weekend marks the end of interleague, atleast until the All Star Game and the World Series, so we can all get back to our normal schedules soon.

As far as the news today...

Big news for all you Jered Weaver fans out there as the Angels finally came to their senses and called him back up from AAA-Salt Lake. Even better is the fact that to do so, the team designated brother Jeff Weaver for assignment. The elder Weaver has been awful this year with his 3-10 and a 6.29 ERA. If you ask me, the only reason they gave him that silly 1 year, $8.325 million contract was to make little Jered more comfy and motivated. I can't think of any other reason. Really...I can't. The club will probably look to trade Jeff soon and is probably willing to absorb most of that ridiculous contract to do so. If he goes to the NL, he may have some value left yet, but don't hold your breath.
A's 3B Eric Chavez, who was out of the lineup again today, remains day to day with inflammation in his forearms. It's sort of like tennis elbow and it's been bothering him for some time now. It doesn't appear to be serious enough to warrant a stint on the DL, so it appears to be safe to keep him in your active lineup for the upcoming week.
Oakland did receive a little boost when they activated both Frank Thomas and Mark Ellis from the disabled list today. Thomas should take over at DH which will cut into the at bats for Bobby Kielty and Jay Payton, and Ellis' return means it's back to the bench for Italy's finest, Marco Scutaro. 2B Mark Rouse and OF Doug Clark were optioned to the minors to make room.
The Indians made a move today trading 1B Eduardo Perez to the Mariners for infield prospect Asdrubal Cabrera. With that, the team also called up 1B Ryan Garko from Triple-A, and it looks like he will be the new platoon partner for Ben Broussard. Now before you get too excited, he's probably only going to stay until Casey Blake and/or Jason Michaels return from the disabled list and then it's back to the minors. If he does well, we still could be looking at him being the Tribe's full time first baseman for the final two months of the season. On the other side, Perez slides in to being the new platoon partner for Carl Everett in Seattle, which means that his fantasy value pretty much stays the same. His arrival also might mean the end for Roberto Petagine right now too.
The Blue Jays got a little scare today when Vernon Wells pulled up lame after suffering from a hamstring cramp tonight. He's day to day, but with Alex Rios still out with his leg infection, the Jays will probably send Wells back out there rather than playing it safe.
Even with a CT scan showing a small fracutre in Xavier Nady's wrist, the Mets sent Lastings Milledge back to the minors to make room for the activation of Cliff Floyd. It's hard to say when we're going to see Milledge back, especially with the perrenial desire to have established players going towards the playoffs rather than hopeful rookies. Nady's injury is apparently not serious enough to go on the DL, so the club was perfectly content going with Endy Chavez out in right field. Barring any kind of a serious injury, we may not see the kid until rosters expand in September.
The Royals continue to tinker with their weak pitching as starter Bobby Keppel was sent to the minors and reliever Luke Hudson was brought up. Are we really supposed to take this club seriously?
Maybe Jorge Sosa has the job and maybe he doesn't. Only time will tell for Bobby Cox and his closer situation. Right now it's all about Sosa who picked up another save today, but watch out!!! The Braves activated Chris Reitsma from the DL and he becomes yet another awful option in an awful situation. Who knows....maybe he remembered how to pitch again with his time off.
That noise you just heard was the collective sigh of Dan Uggla owners who watched the return of their second baseman with his 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 runs scored tonight.
Trouble brewing in Philadelphia? Even with the DH available, manager Charlie Manuel has kept Pat Burrell out of action for the past 3 games now. Hmmmm. Inquiring minds want to know...
Wow...the Cubs designated Tony Womack for assignment today. Didn't see that one coming (insert sarcastic eye roll here).
The Reds are playing it safe with 3B Edwin Encarnacion as they will not activate him until Monday. They want to make sure his ankle is 100% for the second half of the season.
Keep your eyes on Yankees starter Mike Mussina. Apparently, he didn't return from the rain delay due to a groin strain he said he suffered in the first inning. This explains it. He was throwing no hit ball through 4 before coming out for an hour plus rain delay. Someone should have gotten word to the announcers before they spent the next 30 minutes back indirectly cracking on Moose for not returning. This is not an injury the Yanks can afford right now.
And finally, as expected, the Twins activated Shannon Stewart from the DL and put Rondell White on. No loss for White owners; you're better off without him active for a while. Stewart should be a nice addition for some runs scored and possibly a few swipes too. He will be setting the table for the red hot Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/29/06

I'll start tonight off with a new Ken Griffey, Jr. watch!! No, it's not for how quickly he goes down with an injury after crushing the ball this past month. He hit his 522nd career HR and is now 11 behind Reggie Jackson on the all time list. If/when he passes Jackson, he will have cracked the top 10.

In other baseball news today...

The Nationals and his fantasy owners should be concerned with John Patterson's continued arm problems. He just got back from the DL, and was forced to leave tonight's game against the Blue Jays in the bottom of the 4th inning with, what is being called "dead arm" He did not forget, however, to screw you over with 5 earned runs in 3 innings before leaving. You might want to wait and see a few more starts from him before activating him.
Speakin gof the Jays, breakout player of the year Alex Rios was hospitalized today and treated for an infection in his leg. He'll stay overnight and receive treatment for his leg, but it doesn't appear too serious. He'll pop a few antibiotics for the next couple of weeks and really should be fine after a day (maybe two) off.
The Pirates made a big move today when they sent pitcher Oliver Perez down to the minors. I guess that scraps the ideas of Perez being tried out as a reliever. They had to do something with him and really, it is the right thing. He's been awaful all season long. The team is bringing up Tom Gorzelanny, who will get his first big league start against the NL Central leading Detroit Tigers. If he just maintains even a little bit of consistency and does just half of what the Pirates say he can do, he could have some value in NL-only leagues.
It looks like Jeremy Accardo has Felipe Alou's confidence as he notched his 3rd save today against the Rangers. With Tim Worrell being shakey at best, Accardo looks to be the man until Armando Benitez comes back.
Mets 1B Carlos Delgado is day to day with a sore rib cage. Nothing to worry about. Everyone needs a day off here or there. He'll be ready to go against the Yankees this weekend.
Also, there are rumblings that Mets OF Cliff Floyd could be activated on Friday in time for the game against the Yanks. It's not clear whether he would DH or play the outfield, but at this point I think the team just wants him back.
Cubs oversensitive punkass catcher Michael Barrett has finished his 10 game suspension and will return to the lineup on Friday.
Despite giving up 6 runs in 5 1/3 innings, Jose Contreras' winning decision streak remains intact. The White Sox rallied to tie the game in the 8th, taking Contreras off the hook. I believe the streak is at 18 straight wins?
Speaking of the White Sox, they got a little bullpen boost when the activated Cliff Politte from the disabled list today. Maybe now that he's healthy he won't suck so bad this time around. He's a decent righty out of the pen, so hopefully the team will see some better results.
After going 2 for 4 in another AAA-Rochester game, Shannon Stewart will be activated in time for Friday's game. Looks like it's buh-bye to Rondell White. He'll probably end up on the DL this weekend.
The Marlins are reporting that ROY contending second baseman Dan Uggla will be back in the lineup on Friday agains tthe Red Sox. With Hanley Ramirez finally turning it back around, Uggla back in the 2 hole could be a nice boost for the team.
The Reds will also look to get back an infielder as 3B Edwin Encarnacion made another successful rehab start and should be activated from the DL in time for Friday's game.
Padres OF Dave Roberts took batting practice today and according to manager Bruce Bochy, he looked pretty good. It is possible that Roberts could be activated by the 4th of July.
The Phillies will have Jon Lieber make one more rehab start on Sunday and, if all goes well, could activate him for July 7th against the Pirates...a most favorable matchup.
And finally, if I didn't already know the background and the closeness of their relationship, I would say there's a family fued brewing in southern California. Manager Mike Scioscia was a little wishy-washy when discussing the possible bumping of Jeff Weaver from the rotation in favor of little brother Jered Weaver. It seems to be the move that they need to do. Jered has K'd 25 batters in his last 2 Triple-A starts....it's just a waste having him down there when the Angels could still pull themselves into the divisional race. We already know what Jeff can do down the stretch and in the playoffs; you'd think, by now, management would wise up and find a better alternative. Jeez!!! Right under their nose!!

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/28/06

We'll start off today by announcing that there's a new HR leader in the majors today, and his name is Ryan Howard. 27 dingers so far. This kid is just too good.

In the news today...

Blue Jays starter Ted Lilly experienced soreness in his shoulder tonight which was the reason he was removed after 6 scoreless innings. He'll be re-evaluated tomorrow, so hold off on worrying just yet. If he does miss a start, minor leaguer Dustin McGowan could be called up. McGowan could be an interesting sleeper, especially with the injuries and potential injuries to the frail Toronto staff.
Diamondbacks pitcher Juan Cruz has finished up his rehab starts and should be ready to go for the team on Monday. Cruz was having a solid season when he took over for Russ Ortiz, so he will probably be worth a look when he comes back.
Good news for Dan Uggla owners; he pinch hit tonight in the 9th, so it looks like he will avoid the DL. If he was going on it the team certainly wouldn't have let him hit tonight and wouldv'e done the move retroactive to last week. Maybe he'll be ready to go on Friday.
Looks like father doesn't always know best as the Giants put OF Moises Alou on the DL with a starined back only a few days after manager (and father) Felipe Alou said his son would be back this week. The move was retroactive to June 18th. No one was being called up as 1B Lance Niekro was activated today from his DL stint.
As expected, the Phillies put Brett Myers on the inactive list and called up reliever Adam Bernero. Myers should be back just after the All Star Break. In the meantime, that's good news for you Cole Hamels owners. With Myers being out and Jon Lieber still a week away, Hamels will stay despite another beating today. He'll be anxious to rebound his next time out.
The Pirates designated platooner, Craig Wilson, left today's game with a bruised forearm. He was getting tomorrow off anyway as they are facing righty Jose Contreras. If it's nothing serious, he'll be back on Friday.
The Tigers gave a home to perennial 5th outfielder Dustan Mohr today. He'll probably spend his time in the minors and be used as an injury replacement if needed. However, the presence of Marcus Thames definitely creates a major obstacle for him even if an injury occurs.
Speaking of Tigers injuries, Magglio Ordonez is just day to day with a bruised shin that caused him to leave today's game.
It still hasn't been made official, but look for the Twins to put Rondell White on the DL to make room for Shannon Stewart in the next day or so.
The Padres said that OF Dave Roberts should be ready to come off the disabled list by the 4th of July. They'll be careful with him, so don't expect any rush of stolen bases right away.
And finally, is it really necessary for me to acknowledge the feeble one game suspension MLB handed down to Padres catcher Josh Bard? Bard needed to be restrained after he was called out looking at strike three and his reaction was apparently enough to upset some higher ups. But really...why even bother with that kind of suspension? What's the message it sends? Might as well just fine him. The one game does nothing. Maybe he'll appeal it and and won't have to serve it for another 2 months, just like Michael Barrett did. Way to go MLB.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/27/06

Some trade winds blowing around today....

First off, the Dodgers and Devil Rays pulled off a deal where catcher Dioner Navarro and pitcher Jae Seo were sent to Tampa Bay in exchange for catcher Toby Hall and righty Mark Hendrickson. Navarro gets an immediate boost in fantasy value as he becomes the starting catcher for Tampa while Seo, who should go right in to the rotation (probably start Sunday), will need a few starts before you get ready to activate him. Hall immediately goes to backup duty as he'll replace Sandy Alomar as the primary backup to rookie Russell Martin, and while Hendrickson goes into the rotation, it opens up the door for more trade speculation (Odalis Perez maybe) when Brett Tomko comes back from the DL. Of course they could just put Chad Billingsley back in the minors...all yet to be determined.
Orioles SS Miguel Tejada's name continues to surface as the club says that it is listening to offers for their all star infielder. There have been no current offers reported, so the only ones doing the talking are the guys in Baltimore's front office. Unfortunately though, Tejada's name has been closely linked to the whole Jason Grimsley saga. Apparently Tejada has been named in the famous affidavit so this will probably affect his market value in trades.
Lastly, Detroit manager Jim Leyland made it official when he told the world that the Tigers are not trading for Phillies OF Bobby Abreu. "I want to go on the record, so all of you get your pens and pencils out, so you hear this one time," Leyland said. "We are not getting Bobby Abreu, nor are we pursuing him. End of conversation." (Source: Detroit News)

In other news...

Barring any setbacks, the Indians should have OF Jason Michaels back from the DL on Saturday. He'll slide right back into his outfield slot and should return to the second spot in the lineup.
The A's could be getting Frank Thomas back in time for the weekend. He's eligible to come off the DL on Friday, but there's still a question as to whether or not he will need a minor league rehab stint.
Speaking of rehab assignemnts, Reds 3B Edwin Encarnacion began his today and should get in a game or two before being activated by the end of this week. It comes at a very interesting time as Ryan Freel has been red hot lately and the Reds will need to find a spot for him in the lineup. It wouldn't make sense to sit Brandon Phillips who has been solid at second, so Encarnacion may miss a start here or there to Freel until he gets back on track.
Reports out of Tampa Bay have closer Tyler Walker returning at the beginning of next week. That would be refreshing....seeing the same guy getting back to back save opps there?
It looks like Phillies pitcher Brett Myers will take some time off through the All Star Break to deal with his personal problems. He's been charged with assault after allegedly hitting his wife in the face in front of two eyewitnesses. He obviously denies it, but it's a distraction the team doesn't need to have right now. Look for some counseling and hopefully a mid-July return.
Not that he should have ever been active for you, but the Pirates are finally bumping Oliver Perez to the bullpen. Maybe it was the 2-10 record; maybe it was the 6.63 ERA; maybe it was the lack of velocity. Either way, it's about time.
Joe Mauer before tonight's game: .377 After tonight's game: .389 His 5 HR and 7 SB make for a nice bonus too, huh?
Just when you got him back, Xavier Nady is out again. No DL stint, but he is day to day with a bruised left wrist he suffered tonight. Endy Chavez will take his place while he's out. Maybe, just maybe, Cliff Floyd can get himself back, but that doesn't look likely until the end of the week.
The Red Sox officially released 1B J.T. Snow. No one claimed him off waivers as they now know he can be had for the league minimum. Someone in need of some bench depth should pick him up, but he really has no fantasy value right now.
And finally, the Padres have announced that starter Woody Williams will be activated from the DL in time to start the second game of Saturday's double header. He hasn't looked good in his rehab starts, but they're going to send him out anyway. Maybe by the 2nd game, all the old man Giants will be too tired and he won't have a tough lineup to face.

Catch you next time...

Get Well Peter Gammons

For those that haven't heard, ESPN's Peter Gammons is undergoing surgery today for an aneurysm in his brain. Word is that he will be in intensive care for 10 to 12 days to start, but no other word on his recovery timetable. The fact that there is atleast some sort of recovery timetable is a great thing.
I wish him nothing but the best and a very speedy recovery.

In related news, ESPN's Baseball Tonight put Peter Gammons on the 15 day DL today with a slightly disclosed medical condition. They might bring up Trey Wingo to fill his roster spot but more interesting rumors have both Stuart Scott and Dan Patrick in the mix.

What's the Buzz? 6/26/06

Is the Morgan Ensberg ride done? Is the sore shoulder going to ruin his season? He's hitting .167 for the month of June with just one homer and today has been bumped down to the 7th spot in the order, where he went 0 for 2 with 2 walks. This concern could be all for naught, but you should watch it carefully, especially if you were banking on big power numbers from the Astros' third baseman.
The Cubs could be looking at a little bullpen help as Scott Williamson made another successful rehab outing today, tossing another scoreless inning in Triple-A. He's eligible to come off the DL today, but there's been no official word just yet.
Padres starter Woody Williams is making another rehab start today in Triple-A, and if he is successful, and by that I mean pain free, he could be back in the rotaion by the first of July. He'll probably replace Mike Thompson.
No timetable still for Giants catcher Mike Matheny who continues to miss time from his concussion he suffered a couple of weeks back. He did, however, take batting practice with the team over the weekend, so that may be promising.
Reports out of Los Angeles say that Dodgers starter Brett Tomko will likely end up on the disabled list with the oblique strain that forced him out of last Friday's start. He's listed as questionable for his start on Wednesday. Either Jae Seo or Odalis Perez will take his start if he does go on the DL.
If you were thinking that Kaz Matsui would help you out sooner rather than later, you were thinking crazy. He was just put on the Triple-A DL with a bulging disc in his back. Maybe sometime late July or August for a return to the majors, but for right now don't hold your breath.
The MRI results on Rondell White's shoulder revealed no significant damage, so he's going to have to come up with some other reason for his .182 average and lackluster play. He will probably not land on the DL, but really....does it matter?
When Freddie Bynum went on the DL, Matt Murton owners breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, it was a very short sigh as the Cubs said that Phil Nevin will start getting some starts in the outfield. Seeing as how Nevin hasn't played the outfield since 2003 and his disatrous shoulder injuries stemming from those starts, it is unclear how long this experiment will last.
So Marlins 2B Dan Uggla missed another game today with his strained hamstring. To make it worse for fantasy leaguers, mangaer Joe Girardi said a trip to the DL is now possible. Too bad he waited to give us that news after the scoring period had started. If you have him in aleague with daily moves it is wise to just keep him on the bench.
Also awaiting a possible DL stint is Yankees 2B Robinson Cano. The Yanks say they will wait another day or two and see how he heals before making a decision. Miguel Cairo will be replacing him.
And finally, the Kerry Wood saga may just have found its ending. During his throwing session today, good ol' Dr. Timothy Kremcheck hooked up a motion analysis detector to Wood's arm and apparently discovered an imbalance between the anterior and posterior muscles, which is causing the soreness. He'll be shut down for 4 or 5 days and try to correct the imbalance in the process, but it looks like he could be gone for atleast another month. If the problem can't be corrected through physical rehab, he could wind up with season ending surgery.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/25/06

Thankfully, there's just one more week of interleague this coming week. Double check those lineups to watch for games where you'll lose your DH and such...

Getting to the news...

The injury bug has bitten the Yankees again; this time it's 2B Robinson Cano who is being considered day to day with a strained left hamstring. He could miss most of the upcoming week so you might want to bench him. It's not so much the injury but that the team will likely be overly cautious; rightfully so. Miguel Cairo will take over in the meantime.
Giants closer Armando Benitez may avoid the DL after all, as the results from his MRI revealed only a slight shoulder sprain. He'll test it again on Tuesday, but expect him to take a few games off.
Also for the Giants, expect Barry Bonds to miss a few games this week as he left today with soreness in his knees, particularly the left this time. I thought he would really take to it once he passed Babe Ruth, but he's too busy on tour here teaching kids what steroids does to your body. He'll be in and out like this all season long.
It may not have been a save situation, but did you see Brad Lidge blow the game for the Astros in the 9th? Sure they came back and won it in 13 innings, but him giving up 4 runs, a grand slam to Tadahito Iguchi, is not going to instill confidence with Phil Garner. He does have 19 saves, but his ERA and WHIP are ridiculously inflated this year.
Takashi Saito is entrenching himself in the closer's role for the Dodgers while Eric Gagne remains on the DL. He's just plain outpitched Danys Baez all year and deserves this spot. Look for him to allow the club to take their time with Gagne's rehab.
It looks like Red Sox 2B Mark Loretta will miss a game or two this week with his strained neck. Alex Cora will take his place Monday and probably Tuesday if there's no improvement.
Big decision for Brewers SS J.J. Hardy who has to figure out if he will undergo surgery to repair a tendon that keep snapping in and out of position in the ankle he sprained earlier this year. If he has surgery, he'll miss two or three months. If he opts to play through it, he will have surgery in the offseason and be back for 2007 Spring Training. Of course he could also opt to play through it, re-injure it worse, and screw himself up for good. Either way, he shouldn't be on your roster right now.
Braves starter John Smoltz thre a bullpen session today and declared himself ready to return to the mound this week against the Yankees. He'll throw another side session on Tuesday to double check and stay loose, but barring anything disastrous, he should be ready to go.
Speaking of the Braves, it looks like Jorge Sosa is the flavor of the month for saves right now. He got one today after getting the win the other night with 2 scoreless innings of work. He's the best thing Bobby Cox has right now, so use him while you can.
The Cubs officially put OF Freddie Bynum on the DL with shoulder inflammation. He had dealt with blood clot problems earlier in his career, so the team doesn't want to take any chances. Matt Murton, once again, becomes a full time guy. Maybe he can do something with it this time.
Welcome back Derrek Lee...1 for 4 with 2 strikeouts. It's going to take a little while before he gets back into a groove.
The Royals announced that Mike Sweeney's rehab has been pushed back about a week. He will begin monor league rehab games probably around Friday. This is apparently the doing of manager Buddy Bell who says that he wants him back for good; not for a few weeks and then back onto the DL. Makes sense, obviously. Look for Sweeney to return in about 2 or 3 weeks.
The Orioles signed Russ Ortiz to a one year deal and are apparently throwing him right into the rotation. If his re-uniting with Leo Mazzone can help him then he may be an interesting pickup. If he just pitches like he did with the Diamondbacks, then stay away. Adam Loewen, incidentally, is being sent down to Triple-A.
And finally, straight from downtown Rumorsville, the Brewers are apparently scouting Yankees pitching prospect Philip Hughes and are lookin gat him and a few other prospects in exchange for OF Carlos Lee. Verrrrrrry interesting...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/24/06

A bit of a slow news day today, but here's some stuff you should know...

With both Tony Womack (back spasms) and Freddie Bynum (swelling in the right arm) getting hurt today, the Cubs are pushing up the return of 1B Derrek Lee to Sunday. If you can make daily moves, then you might as well, but he may need a few games to get the rust off. For all you Matt Murton owners, you get a little reprieve here. With Bynum out, there is little chance he will be sent to the minors and will probably be allowed to play through this slump.
The Braves have finally tired of pitcher Mike Remlinger's ineffectiveness on the mound and designated him for assignment when they brought up Chuck James to start on Sunday. Look for Remlinger to maybe end up elsewhere for the second half of the season.
Not that he should have been active for you, but if you have Rondell White, you should know that he went in for a shoulder exam with Dr. Timothy Kremcheck. We'll know more on Monday whether or not they need to put him on the DL. If they do, they may want to expedite the return of Shannon Stewart to help generate some offense.
Giants manager Felipe Alou says he hopes to have Moises Alou back in the lineup by Tuesday. He's been out the past week with back spoasms, but it doesn't look like he'll need much more time off. Unless you hear anyhting by Monday morning, it should be safe to get him back in your lineup for the upcoming scoring period.
Also for the Giants, there is some speculation that closer Armando Benitez may go on the disabled list with elbow tightness. Regardless of his up and down season, Tim Worrell would be next in line for saves.
The MRI on Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez was negative for any shoulder damage. They are calling yesterday's injury a pinched nerve in his neck. He will not go on the DL, but he should definitely get some much needed rest.
Speaking of hurt Mets...anyone know why it takes Cliff Floyd longer to heal than anyone else in the MLB world? Even with the club hoping to activate him this week, it's not a good sign when he says he's too sore to even DH in a minor league game. What's the word I'm looking for here...?
The Angels put 3B Dallas McPhereson on the 15 day DL, retro to June 22, with lower back spasms. Bad timing as he was playing pretty well while attempting to entrench himself at third with the team. Looks like Maicier Izturis will see an increase of playing time.
Red Sox 2B Mark Loretta is day to day with a mild neck strain. He'll probably get Sunday off and should return after that. Alex Cora will get the nod in his absence.
The Indians finally conceded and put OF Jason Michaels (sprained ankle) on the DL retroactive to June 16. It looks like Todd Hollandsworth (you believe he's still going?) will get some extra time for the next week.
The MRI on Cardinals pitcher Mark Mulder doesn't look too good. Results showed a partially torn labrum and rotator cuff inflammation. He'll definitely be out through the All Star Break, and possibly longer. No word yet on the possibility of surgery.
Despite the rainout today, Marlins 2B Dan Uggla was not in the starting lineup which makes 3 straight games. Manager Joe Girardi is downplaying the hamstring problem and says he still hopes to have him in this series against the Yankees. Maybe he'll see some game time in the day/night doubleheader on Sunday. Consider him day to day.

That's really all the news I've got here....you want highlights, go check Sportscenter.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/23/06

Do I really start off today with this...? Brett Myers? C'mon man...what's this all about? According to his wife and 2 eyewitnesses Myers hit her in the face. He was arrested and charged with assault in Boston and he pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. Set free on bail. Somewhere here there's a joke to be made that includes Devil Rays SS Julio Lugo slamming his wife's face into the hood of his car, but I just can't find it right now. Right now it doesn't look like this has any fantasy impact but you never know how someone will react when something like this happens.

In real baseball news...

Anyone know the record for most guys in a season to come off the DL just to go back on 2 weeks later? I don't know either, but add Darin Erstad to this year's list. The Angels outfielder who was on the DL for all of May and the first 11 days of June went back on today with a right ankle injury. The move was retro to June 18th, but there's still no set timetable for his return. Juan Rivera and Tim Salmon should see an increase in at bats for a little while. The team also called back up OF Tom Murphy for bench support.
The Reds Ryan Freel is making it as difficult as possible for the team as they await the return of 3B Edwin Encarnacion. He had 5 hits today and stole 2 bases and could push Encarnacion and 2B Brandon Phillips for playing time. The club could also sit Rich Aurilia and/or Scott Hatteberg if they want more speed than pop.
As good as Tigers rookie Justin Verlander has been -- he collected his 9th win today --he seems to be slipping and has not been as dominant as he was early in the season. He gave up 4 runs in 6 innings today for the win, but he gave up 7 hits and 3 walks in the process. His diminishing 58/31 K/BB ratio is another indication that he could be wearing down. You might want to trade him now while his value is at its peak.
Also for the Tigers, the x-rays on Ivan Rodriguez were negative. He took a foul tip off the wrist but remained in the game. When he had trouble swinging the bat in his next plate appearance, the Tigers took him out and sent him to the hospital. Better safe than sorry. Maybe he gets tomorrow off, but he should be fine.
Should I give some props to that "HGH-head" Albert Pujols for his 4 for 4 and a home run tonight? I'll think about it...
The Nationals activated pitcher John Patterson from the DL today and got a solid start out of him against Baltimore. He went 6 innings giving up 2 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits, with no walks and 3 K's. It appears to be safe to activate him. To make room for him on the roster, the team put pitcher Tony Armas, Jr. on the DL, retro to June 20th, with a right forearm strain. Rookie Shawn Hill will remain in the rotation until Armas gets back in 2 weeks.
Braves starter John Smoltz left tonight's game in the second inning with a right groin strain. He'll be re-evaluated tomorrow and the team is calling him day to day. However they're also making contingency plans to have either Chuck James or Lance Cormier make a spot start this coming weekend if Smoltz ends up on the disabled list.
Check back tomorrow for an update on Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez. He left tonight's game with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. He threw a breaking ball and seemed fine but his next pitch sailed wide left and he doubled over in pain with his limp arm hanging. Not good as Sanchez has been one of the brighter spots of the Mets' pen. He is scheduled to return to New York on Saturday and will have an MRI done immediately.
Indians 3B Aaron Boone should officially be considered on the hot seat. He played tonight, after gettin gth epast 2 games off, and is currently mired in a very unproductive 1 for 17 slump. Meanwhile, prospect Andy Marte is on a ridiculous tear in Triple-A right now. There's definitely no timetable, according to manager Eric Wedge, but we all know it's coming soon.
The A's made a few minor bullpen moves when they got back reliever Justin Duchscherer (elbow) and put Jay Witasick on the DL with a bum ankle. Duchscherer will return to his setup duties along with reliever Kiko Calero. If you have a league that counts things like holds or you just need a little relief in the WHIPhole, Oakland's pen has been solid the past 2 weeks.
Consider Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds day to day....again. He sat out again today while he's still recovering from that concussion he got slamming into the outfield wall.
The Phillies claimed reliever Gabe White off waivers from the Reds today. Pffffffft!!!! C'mon, really? His 6.26 ERA doesn't set off any alrms here? If he actually pitched for them I bet his ERA goes over 8.00 faster than it goes under 5.00.
The Yankees got some good news today when Dr. James Andrews declared there was no structural damage in Octavio Dotel's elbow and he should resume throwing just after the weekend. The Yanks hope to have him back just after the All Star Break.
The Indians made a minor move swapping out backup catcher Tim Laker for backup catcher Kelly Shoppach with AAA-Buffalo. Shoppach doesn't gain any value unless something real bad happens to Victor Martinez.
Uh-oh!!! With Mark Mulder on the DL, the Cardinals have announced that Sidney Ponson's 5 day banishment to the bullpen is over and he will start on Sunday. I recommend he stays on your bench. Remember his 1 inning, 6 ER relief appearance this past week? Yuck!!
The word out of Rumorsville has the Orioles interested in Russ Ortiz who was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks the other day. He officially becomes a free agent on Friday, so they'll probably wait until then. Ortiz would be re-united with former pitching coach Leo Mazzone, whom he played for in Atlanta from 2003 through 2004. He posted an impressive 36-16 record in that time. Hmmmm. Interesting. Might be worth a look.
Congratulations to White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras who not only upped his record to 8-0 tonight, but also has run a streak of 16 consecutive winning decisions. He remains a must start in all leagues.
And finally, if you were thinking that Dodgers 3B Bill Mueller was going to come back and help your team's batting average, he will not. Team trainers and doctors are saying that it looks like his season, and possibly career, is over. He's had 3 surgeries in 3 years and they're saying that he has degenerative, arthritic changes in his knee. Atleast he will be leaving the game with a World Series ring and a batting title. It's been a great ride, Bill. Good luck to you.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/22/06

I guess we should start with today's most popular news; that being the return of Roger Clemens. After months of speculation (he said sarcastically) we finally got to see the Rocket make yet another return to the mound for his hometown Houston Astros. He pitched a fairly decent game, being allowed to throw 100 pitches, working 5 innings with 2 ER and 4 K's. It was a solid start for him as he consistently hit the low 90's with his fastball. Considering that this could very well have been a final rehab start, look for him to come out firing hard his next outing. He should provide your team with a very solid boost right now.

in other news...

More returns to the mound for some other guys as Blue Jays starter A.J. Burnett and Braves lefty Horacio Ramirez made their returns tonight; against each other. Burnett looked great allowing 2 runs in 6 innings with 7 K's. His velocity was fantastic and, truth be told, they would have been 6 scoreless innings if not for mistakes by 3B Shea Hillenbrand. You should activate Burnett immediately if you haven't don so already. Lord knows how long you'll have him for. Ramirez, back from a line drive to the noggin, went 6 2/3 allowing only 1 run. He would have received the win if not for a shaky Atlanta bullpen. On the downside though, he did give up 6 walks, one of which was intentional. Hopefully he can reduce that number his next time out, but for now, he looks good to activate again.
Back again from the minors, Anthony Reyes had quite the duel with Freddy Garcia and the White Sox tonight. He ended up on the losing end of a 1-0 game though as the only hit he gave up was a solo shot to Jim Thome. With Mark Mulder going on the DL today (shoulder strain) and Sidney Ponson being shaky at best, look for Reyes to stay up with the club for the year. If he's available, I recommend picking him up.
And speaking of Cardinals and returns, Albert Pujols was activated today. Sure he went 0 for 4 in his return, but did you hear me? Albert Pujols was activated today!!!
Francisco Liriano continues to pitch well for the Twins, as he outdueled Clemens tonight. With the victory tonight, he boasts a 7-1 record with a 2.17 ERA. If he doesn't wear down in the second half, he could become one of the AL's elite pitchers.
In Tampa, the flavor of the month for closing appears maybe to be Brian Meadows instead of Shawn Camp. Meadows received his second save opp in as many days today, but don't get too excited. No one in the Tampa pen is really worth picking up just yet.
The Kansas City pen might get a boost soon as Mike MacDougal made another rehab appearance today and looked pretty good. The Royals will want him to get in atleast 3 or 4 more appearances in the minors and definitely need to test him on back to back days. 2 weeks seems like a fair assessment.
The Cubs will probably have 1B Derrek Lee back early nex tweek as he should finish up his rehab in Triple-A this weekend. OF Matt Murton is a candidate to be sent down, although I would be surprised if it was him. The club can't be that sold on Frank Bynum....unless they just want to keep on losing.
And finally, keep your eyes on Giants' starter Noah Lowry. While he insists that he is healthy, the tema is concerned with the notable decrease in velocity he has shown his past few outings. You might want to try and deal him if you can, atleast before word gets out that he could be experiencing problems.

That's about all I've got for you today.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/21/06

So it looks like last year's hottest out of the gate is back to rockbottom again. After going 0 for 5 tonight, Rockies SS Clint Barmes has his average back below .200. It looks like Omar Quintanilla should star getting some more time, but before you go picking him up, check on the status of Kaz Matsui. He was tearing up Triple-A last I looked, and could find a nice re-birth in Colorado. He definitely has something to prove now, doesn't he?
Ok....so now that's 5 games Troy Glaus has started at shortsop. He should be eligible in most leagues right now.....I'm persoanlly waiting for 5 more so he qualifies in my league.
In his Royals debut, Joey Gathright went 2 for 3 with a run scored. No stolen base, but if he continues to hit, the steals will come.
The Marlins got a little boost today when Josh Willingham was activated from the DL today. He will return to the lineup on Friday when the Marlins take on the Yankees. Outfielder Chris Aguila was sent down to make room on the roster.
My dark horse for saves in Tampa went to the glue factory today when Ruddy Lugo was put on the DL with his strained back. While Shawn Camp remains the favorite, Brian Meadows was the guy that got the ball tonight for the save. What a mess.
Congratulations to Mets SS Jose Reyes for hitting for the cycle tonight. That and $2 will get you a super nice subway ride into the big city, Jose...way to go.
Good ol' Jim Edmonds does it again!!! He hits a home run and shortly after he leaves the game with a concussion after crashing into the wall trying to rob Joe Crede of a home run tonight. This guy is just a true gamer. Gives 110% every night he plays. His day to day status is a nice relief, but fantasy owners should always have a good backup if/when Jim gets hurt.
After watching 1B Derrek Lee take batting practice today, manager Dusty Baker said that he may send him on a rehab assignment. It looks like he may be a little more than a week away.
A few good MRI results for the Nationals as Nick Johnson's came up negative for his back and Tony Armas, Jr.'s showed only some inflammation. Both should be ready in a few days.
Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols took batting practice today and took a few grounders at first. Manager Tony LaRussa said he expects the slugger back in the lineup on Monday. ::sounds of Pujols owners cheering and rejoicing::
Frustarted by their pitching this season, the Diamondbacks cut all ties with both Russ Ortiz and Terry Mullholland. Ortiz may pick up elsewhere at some point but it looks like the end for Terry. Neither has any fantasy value at all right now.
Speaking of minimal fanatsy value, Jason Johnson was just traded by the Indians to the Red Sox for cash considerations. He's always had promise, so let's see what Boston can do with him now.
Rumors out of Anaheim have the Angels possibly bringing 2B Howie Kendrick back up from the minors. He might be a nice one to stash away if you have the bench room.
If you listened to me earlier in the year you may have taken a chance on Scott Baker. Well, he was average at best to start the year and the club snet him down where he is tearing up the minors. He's got a 28/11 K/BB ratio in 27 innings. He has 28 K's, a 2-0 record and a 2.33 ERA. He should be back in the Twins rotation sometime around the All Star Break.
And finally, the Kerry Wood disaster continues...although there is no actual structural damage, Wood says he is still experiencing a lot of soreness. He says his arm shuts down on him after 60 or 70 pitches. Not good if you want him in your rotation. The Cubs could bring him in to do short relief, but that's not going to help you out very much. Keep him on your bench and wait to see where this all gets sorted out.

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

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/20/06

We'll start tonight with some good news for all you waiver wire hounds...if he was released in your league (and I'm sure he was in most of your leagues), it's time to pick up outfielder Joey Gathright. Today the speedster was traded to Kansas City along with infielder Fernando Cortez in exchange for pitcher J.P. Howell. The Royals plan to use him immediately in center field, shifting David DeJesus to left and Emil Brown to the bench. Now sure he's going to a worse offensive team and sure he pissed away every chance he got this season in Tampa...but maybe...just maybe, the change of scenery will help get him started. His speed and stolen base potential are just too good to pass up here; in spite of what I've said about him before. A special thanks to "Johnny-on-the-spot" reporter Keith Giordano for this news today.

In other news...

What a great night to have a fantasy roster loaded with White Sox hitters and what a lousy night if your team is loaded with Cardinals pitching. 20-6? Jeez!!! Mark Mulder was horrible; if you didn't get a chance to deactivate Sidney Ponson, then whoops!! Just fantastic numbers all around for every White Sox starting position player; No RBI for Jim Thome was a little weird, but what can you do...?
Watch out for another rough Brad Lidge stretch. He gave up the lead in a tie game tonight and just hasn't even remotely resembled the lights out closer we saw in previous years. He's not going to lose his job (famous last words) but he's not the guarantee he once was.
Maybe Ron Gardenhire has lost his hatred for SS Jason Bartlett. Gardenhire has started him every game since the teams called him up last week and has been nicely rewarded as Bartlett has been 10 for 22 with 3 walks. If he keeps this up you might look into him for AL-only leagues.
So Shawn Camp still remains the favorite for saves in Tampa Bay while Tyler Walker (who will begin throwing this week) remains on the DL, as my dark horse pick for saves, Ruddy Lugo, will be sidelined with a mild back strain. Ironically, Lugo was in the middle of a save opportunity tonight when he left injured.
Speaking of D-Rays pitching, how am I supposed to think they are trying to improve their team when they replace Seth McClung in the rotation with Tim Corcoran and then call up Edwin Jackson to pitch out of the pen? C'mon....really?!? Ugh!!!
My super sleeper, 2B Dan Uggla, is being listed as day to day after suffering from stiffness in his leg during tonight's game...tonight's game in which he hit his 13th HR. He'll probably get tomorrow off, so no big deal. Look for the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year to return either Thursday against Baltimore or Friday against the Yankees, at the latest.

Wow!! Ryan Howard!!! 'nuff said.

Apparently Giants OF Moises Alou is still being bothered by the sore back that put him on the shelf earlier this year. He'll have an MRI done on Wednesday and depending on the results, Alou could be looking at another DL stint. Steve Finley would get the regular playing time, again, if that's the case.
So far, so good on the Albert Pujols watch. He took grounders in the infield, ran in the outfield and took a bunch of cuts in batting practice. Everything looks good so far according to manager Tony LaRussa, and there's slightly better than an outside chance that he could return for this weekend. Aren't you glad you didn't panic and trade him off?
Also coming back soon will be Cubs 1B Derrek Lee. He took a few swings today and it's looking like maybe just another 2 weeks before he's back.
The Diamondbacks may put outfielder Scott Hairston on the DL after he hurt his shoulder on Monday when he crashed into the wall. It doesn't appear to be a big deal, and the move to the DL would be more to get another pitcher on the roster as we suffer through interleague some more.
The Dodgers activate Cesar Izturis today and made him their starting third baseman immediately, having also sent down Willy Aybar. With Bill Mueller still atleast 3 weeks away from returning, Izturis will have plenty of opportunity to re-insert himself into the starting lineup.
The Nationals may lose pitcher Tony Armas, Jr. who has been complaining of elbow and forarm stiffness. He'll be examined by team orthopedists on Wednesday and a decision will be made soon after. If you have healtier alternatives, you might want to get yourself ready.
Although he threw 70 pitches in a simulated game today, the Cubs are not rushing Kerry Wood back just yet. He's just not ready yet and may need another rehab start or two before returning to the majors.
The A's have lost Milton Bradley to the DL again today as he went on for a strained left shoulder this time. He missed more than a month his last stint when he sprained his knee, so it doesn't look like he's that quick of a healer. Better check for a healthier option.
The Indians have officially designated pitcher Jason Johnson for assignment. The team will undoubtedly try to trade him, but they'll probably be on the hook for most of his contract no matter where he ends up. He's just been a disaster this season, again. Rumors have Jeremy Sowers being called up to take his spot in the rotation.
Even thought I reported this a few days ago, Padres OF Dave Roberts officially went on the DL today with his bruised knee. They say it's 2 to 6 weeks, so keep a watchful eye on his rehab process. The move was obviously retroactive to June 18th.
Looks like the return date for Nationals 1B Nick Johnson is this Friday. Nick the Stick has always been injury prone, so better safe than sorry here. I'd rather see him miss a few games now than a few weeks later.
The Yankees may not be getting that boost to their middle relief just yet as they hoped. Octavio Dotel is experiencing triceps tendenitis as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and will probably be shut down until the weekend. The team is downplaying it, but an examination is coming and possibly a precationary MRI.
And finally, while the Indians don't have him in their immediate plans just yet, 3B prospect Andy Marte his a HR in his 5th straight game today and has been on a ridiculous tear these past 2 weeks. Let's see how Aaron Boone responds to all the hype that Cleveland is going to endure.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/19/06

A short slate of games today, but let's see what else is going on in the world of baseball...

So the Mets activated OF Xavier Nady today. It didn't technically mean that Lastings Milledge was going to the bench immediately, but that's what happened anyway. Endy Chavez got the start in left tonight, but look for Milledge to make a few more starts before Cliff Floyd comes back from the DL.
The Rangers will be without starter Kameron Loe for a while as it is expected that he will go on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. There's been nothing specific released about the injury so no one's sure when he will be back. Robinson Tejeda should get called back up to take his spot in the rotation.
The Yankees made a few minor moves today releasing pitcher Scott Erickson and sending infielder Nick Green back to AAA-Columbus. Neither has any real value here as Erickson is on the tail end of a career and Green, who could've been claimed off waivers, was left alone by other teams and will probably just stay down in the minors.
So depending on your league's eligibility rules, interleague play could be a great thing for Troy Glaus owners. Manager John Gibbons wants to keep both his and Shea Hillenbrand's bat in the lineup so Glaus will continue to play shortstop against Atlanta this week.
It looks like Marlin's OF Josh Willingham and Minnesota's Shannon Stewart will begin their respective rehab assignments this week and should be ready to go by the end of the weekend/early next week.
The Indians may have to put OF Jason Michaels on the DL with his sprained ankle after he missed yet another game today. He said he was feeling better, but as we've seen with guys like Craig Monroe and the aforementioed Cliff Floyd, it seems to be the injury keeping guys out longer than expected. Obviously any move to the DL would be retroactive.
It looks like J.T. Snow is done in Boston as the Red Sox designated him for assignment today. The team will try to trade him over the next 10 days, but it doesn't look like too many teams are interested in the aging first baseman.
Speaking of finished, Tony Batista is officially dunzo in Minnesota. The Twins released him today, and it's very possible that he could remain unemployed for the season.
There may be a little boost for your pitching staff as the Nationals announced that John Patterson will return to the mound this Friday after being sidelined with a strained forearm. He gets a pretty decent matchup against Baltimore, so you might want to get him active if you have daily moves allowed.
The MRI on Padres OF Dave Roberts revealed no structural damage to his knee, but they are putting a 2-6 week timetable on his return. Ben Johnson figures to be called up to take his place.
MLB upheld the suspension of Cubs catcher Michael Barrett today which means that he started serving his 10 game ban today. Henry Blanco will get the primary duties in his absence and may call up Geovany Soto to play a reserve role.
And finally, Albert Pujols took some grounders and has hit some soft tossed pitching. He'll take batting practice on Tuesday and be re-evaluated from there. You can tell how anxious the team is to have him back when you have closer Jason Isringhausen playing doctor and announcing that the club should have him back for the weekend series against Detroit. We'll let the real doctors make that call.

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

Catch you next time...

Separated At Birth???

Phillies catcher Sal Fasano and porn legend Ron Jeremy? There's even a triplet out there if you can remember baseball great Rusty Bridges from the movie Meet The Fockers.

What's the Buzz? 6/18/06

Let's just get right to it today...

It looks like the Padres will be putting OF Dave Roberts on the DL after all with a bruised right knee. He left Saturday's game after crashing into the wall. Eric Young should take over in his absence and it looks like Mark Bellhorn could star leading off. I, personally, think they should try Josh Barfield there for a bit and see what he can do.
The Braves put 1B/OF Brian Jordan on the DL which means that Adam LaRoche, for now, no longer has a platoon partner. Maybe some full time play could help him out and show he can do the job full time.
So long Steve Karsay. The A's announced his retirement today. The injury problems sucked, but it was still a fun ride wasn't it?
The awaited return of Bartolo Colon came today. Not bad. He went 7 1/3 allowing 6 runs, 4 earned, with 11 hits, 1 walk and 6 K's. The K's were encouraging as was the fact that he threw 115 pitches in his first game back. He is ready to return to your lineups. As previously reported, Jered Weaver was sent back to AAA-Salt Lake.
The Pirates lost pitcher Victor Santos to the 15 day DL with a strained right rotator cuff. Now owrd on how much time he will lose...an MRI will be done on Monday. Get ready for this....taking his roster spot is none other than Kip Wells, who was activated from the 60 day DL. Better wait a few starts before picking him up.
It appears that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa wants to see more of Anthony Reyes on the mound this season. Sidney Ponson gets pushed to the bullpen, although LaRussa intimated that it could be a short stay there. Still, it is an odd choice as Ponson only has had 1 real bad outing (his last one) and he has the second best ERA on the team. We'll watch this one closely, but I assume Aruba's finest will be back sooner than later.
The so long to Lastings Milledge countdown began today with the activation of Xavier Nady today. Cliff Floyd is eligible to come off the DL on the 22nd so it's just going to depend on his recovery time.
The Blue Jays will have A.J. Burnett back on the mound for Thursday's contest against the Braves. He had a fairly successful final rehab start today and said he is not experiencing any pain or stiffness. Use him while you can.
Phil Nevin, always improving on that eligibility, started at catcher for the Cubs today. Even with the possibility of him behind the plate he still doesn't make for a very safe option.
Congratulations to Kenny Rogers for notching his 200th victory today against the Cubs. He's also the first pitcher to 10 wins in the major leagues and has been a solid option so far. Beware of him in the second half though. He may not tank, but he definitely won't repeat these numbers.
And while that happened, Tom Glavine moved up to 27th on the all time list with his 285th victory today. He gave up 4 runs, but he also struck out 6.
For everyone waiting, Albert Pujols took 30 swings off a tee the other day and if he remains pain free, he could be taking batting practice this week. That would definitely put him on a quicker pace to returning to your lineups.
Consider Nationals 1B Nick Johnson day to day with back spasms. It doesn't sound too serious, but you can't blame the team for being overly-cautious.
The Reds could be getting back 3B Edwin Encarnacion back by the end of the week. He's eligible to come off the DL on the 24th and should begin his rehab assignment by Wednesday.
Returning to the mound today was everyone's favorite injury risk, Mark Prior. He was smacked around for 8 runs, 7 earned in just 3 2/3 innings. His velocity was fine but his control was way off. It's probably safe to get him back in to your lineup this week, but be careful....his next injury is just around the corner.

Lastly...

How ridiculous is 1B Ryan Howard with his 23 HR and 59 RBI? Sick.
And how pretty is 2B Dan Uggla? Just keeps on hitting...

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/17/06

Some interesting developments today....stuff that isn't going to make some fantasy leaguers too happy....

The first is that the Angels have announced that they will send Jered Weaver back to AAA-Salt Lake when Bartolo Colon is activated from the DL on Sunday. It seems like an odd move seeing as how Weaver had posted a 4-0 record with 22 K's, a 1.37 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. It just doesn't make sense for a team trying to recover from a bad start and is looking to get back into the divisional title hunt. Jeff Weaver to the bullpen seemd more like the right move to me. Either way, there's no guarantee that Colon's shoulder will hold up (he looked rough in his rehab starts), and the younger Weaver could be back sooner than later.

It looks like the ride for Yankees journeyman pitcher Aaron Small is over. The Yanks optioned him to AAA-Columbus today and brought up rookie T.J. Beam who saw his first action against the Nationals today. For most people, this really doesn't come as much of a surprise. Small had always been a career minor leaguer. Last year's stretch was probably the pinnacle of his career which, if he languishes in the minor all season, could be finished. He had expressed retirement thoughts last season before he was brought up.

Mets manager Willie Randolph has probably upset the hordes of bandwagon fans as he announced that Lastings Milledge will probably be sent down to Triple-A once Xavier Nady (appendectomy) returns from the DL and Cliff Floyd fully heals from his ankle sprain. With Floyd being put on the DL today it will extend Milledge's stay by another week. However, once the veteran returns, it's time for the rookie to return to the minors. Randolph said he would rather have Milledge play everyday down there than to be a 21 year old bench player; that it would just be better for his continued development.

In other news....

Some AL managers are using interleague as an opportunity to rest some of their banged up players as guys like Manny Ramirez (knee), Chipper Jones (thumb) and Royce Clayton (shoulder) all got the day off today strictly for precautionary reasons. All should be fine come Sunday and Monday.
It looks like Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth will miss the rest of the weekend and possibly Monday with his back spasms that caused him to leave Friday night's game. He is day to day.
Also being called day to day with back spasms is Nationals 1B Nick Johnson. He left this afternoon's game in the 6th inning and the team will hold him out until he is 100% ready to return. He is in the middle of a fantastic season and with his injury history, better safe than sorry is the way to go.
Regardless of his earlier statements, Mike Hargrove says that Joel Pineiro will make his next scheduled against the Dodgers and will remain in the rotations. I knew it was just motivation. The arms in the pen and in their farm system are just not that good.
The Giants are keeping a close watch on catcher Mike Matheny. He was supposed to come off the DL on Friday, but is still experiencing problems from his concussion. Todd Greene and Eliezer Alfonzo will continue to fill in.
The Padres announce that Woody Williams will begin his rehab assignment very soon and is on schedule to return on July 1st. Williams has been out with a calf injury.
It's good to see some managers not panicking (a la Terry Francona) and giving a vote of confidence to their slumping players. Both Marlins' Hanley Ramirez and Dodgers' Rafael Furcal received votes of confidence from their managers and will NOT be removed from the leadoff spot. Granted, Coco Crisp is not your prototypical leadoff guy, but he is definitely the closest thing the Red Sox have right now. He was bumped for Kevin Youkilis a few days ago, returned to leadoff last night, but found himself in the 8 hole again today. Ugh.
The Indians are reporting that OF Casey Blake will miss more than just the minimum 15 days due to his oblique strain. Hmmm...career #'s so far, on pace for a career year? oblique strain? sounds like HGH to me. Probably not, but in this day and age...who knows anymore?
If you're still waiting on Ben Sheets to come and rescue your fantasy pitching, you're probably going to have to wait until atleast post-All Star Break. He threw a 70 pitch side session today and claimed that he still isn't even close to being game ready.
More infield woes for the Reds as 3B Rich Aurilia is day to day with a strained right arm. He will probably be replaced by Ryan Freel which should get a little more speed into the lineup again.
Congratualtions to Cardinals pitcher Jeff Suppan for his 100th career victory tonight. He's been somewhat reliable this season, but he could definitely improve on the 5.07 ERA.
The Padres got a little bit of a scare tonight when Dave Roberts was forced to leave the game after crashing in to the outfield wall chasing down a pop fly. He is being listed as day to day with a strained right knee, so he should probably sit in leagues with daily moves. He'll need a couple of games off so if you have a healthier alternative you should look to it.
Morgan Ensberg owners got a boost finally when the third baseman returned to the lineup for the first time since June 9th. He should be safe to return to your active roster this week.
And finally, there was news yesterday that the Reds were thinking about replacing Brandon Claussen in the rotation with Joe Mays, and today that news is reality. Claussen was put on the 15 day DL with shoulder tendenitis and Mays has been put on a schedule to coincide with Claussen's old one. No official roster move has been made. Let's just hope the Reds don't bring up yet another useless position player; you'd think they had enough, but who knows.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/16/06

So interleague play continued....woo hoo (he said sarcastically). I've never been a big fan of it since its inception and there really hasn't been anything that has changed my mind. Fantasy wise, it can be a pain, especially if you have a few guys that DH a lot. You're always going to lose some quality at bats if that's the case. For pitchers, it can be hit or miss. Some guys thrive and others do not. Obviously, it's rough on the NL pitchers who go to AL parks and deal with a DH and it's a bonus for some AL pitchers who get true #8 and #9 guys in the lineup. Either way, I still think they should get rid of it. All Star Game and World Series...that's where the two leagues should meet. 2 times and only 2 times.

Now for some news...

Despite striking out 9 in 6 innings and only allowing 3 runs tonight, it still looks like Jeff Weaver will be the guy who goes to the pen when Bartolo Colon is activated. I didn't believe it when they said he was pitching for his job tonight. He was done the moment his brother, Jered Weaver, got his second win in as many starts a couple of weeks ago.
As expected, the Dodgers activated catcher Dioner Navarro from the DL and immediately sent him to Triple-A. Russell Martin has assumed the duties for the big club.
The Blue Jays' Troy Glaus improved on his eligibility today starting his second game at shortstop tonight. It wasn't incredibly impressive, but he did have a HR for the team tonight.
Braves 1B/OF Brian Jordan is considered day to day with a bruised shoulder. He wasn't supposed to get much time during interleague anyway, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal.
While it could be a disastrous idea, the Reds are contemplating pulling Brandon Claussen from the rotation after another poor outing tonight, and replacing him with Joe Mays. Neither pitcher is recommended at this time.
Damon Hollins got the start tonight for the Devil Rays in place of ailing Jonny Gomes. He went 4 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI. If you have him in a league that allows daily moves, he might be a nice quick option while in Citizen's Bank Ballpark.
Roger Clemens is ready. He is slated to make his first start of the season on Thursday against the Twins. He had a successful start at the Triple-A level and is ready to go. Time to get him into your active lineup.
So apparently, Cardinals fill in guy Scott Speizio was diagnosed with a virus similar to mononucleosis. If that's really the case, then he could be put on the DL for a little while. It could be the same thing that happened to Casey Kotchman of the Angels earlier in the year. If Speizio is out for a little while, look for Brian Daubach to return as a fill in first baseman.
A's outfielder Milton Bradley is still considered day to day as the MRI on his shoulder revealed no major damage. He'll still miss the weekend series, but could be back by the middle of next week.
The Yankees may be without reliever Kyle Farnsworth for a little while as he lef ttoday's game with an apparent back injury. He must have pulled something when reaching for a grounder tonight, but a better evaluation will be done tomorrow.
The Nationals may be without SS Royce Clayton for a little while as he hurt his shoulder attempting to make a diving grab at short. Brendan Harris should get the nod in his absence.
Be careful all you Mark Prior owners out there. While he was, up until tonight, ready and waiting to start this Sunday's game, the decision of whether to start him will be , at best, last minute. The club may feel that he is just not ready yet.
Even though he is not going on the DL, Braves starter Horacio Ramirez will not make his next start. There's no concussion reported, but c'mon. He got hit square in the forehead on a line drive come-backer in a game. He needs the time off right now.
Also, the Braves lost starter John Thompson who is out with blisters. To make up for it, the club called up Lance Cormier who will start in Thompson's place next. They probably won't need the 5th starter coming up so they should be fine for now.
So in an effort to jumo start their offense, the Royals optioned OF Shane Costa to the minors and replaced him with the even worse hitting Kerry Robinson. Really....is this even a major league club anymore?
The Rangers swapped out middle relievers when they activated LHP Fabio Castro from the DL and replaced him there with RHP John Wasdin. Move along now...nothing to see here.
The word on the street is that Albert Pujols will start taking batting practive on Saturday and he could return from the DL sometime in the next few weeks. It would be a great boost fo rthe Cards if that were really the case.
So apparently the Red Sox finally convinced themselves that they needed to put pitcher Matt Clement on the DL after all. He's had a rough beginning this year and the shoulder stiffness is not boosting anyone's confidence in him right now. The team brought up OF Gabe Kapler to take his place on the roster. Ugh!!
It looks like the Cubs are tiring of Matt Murton's slumps as they announced today that he could very well find himself in a staright platoon with either Freddy Bynum or John Mabry. For as long as this experiment lasts, Murton's value is taking a huge hit.
And finally, way to go B.J. Upton. It's not bad enough that you commit more errors than any 3 players combined in a week, but now he goes and pulls an Esteban Loaiza and gets a DUI? C'mon guys...fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/15/06

Just to remain active on the bandwagon, I'll start today with "Congratulations!" to Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera for hitting his first major league home run today. Cabrera has been one of the bright spots for the injury plagued New York outfield.

Also in today's news...

If you were hoping to get Juan Cruz back in to your rotation, you may have to wait longer than expected. He's experienced some more stiffness in his shoulder and was sent for an MRI today. No results just yet, put Arizona is preparing to endure atleast one more start from Kevin Jarvis. Cruz was having a decent run as the replacement for Russ Ortiz, but this shoulder problem could keep him out through the All Star Break.
Tack on a strained hamstring to the list of injuries Johnny Damon will try to play through. He left today's game and was replaced by Bubba Crosby, who was just activated from the DL. The Yankees will probably sit Damon atleast one game to be on the safe side. He already has the broken bone in his foot so a rest might be good.
Also for the Yankees, MLB handed out suspensions today for Randy Johnson (5 games) and manager Joe Torre (1 game) for yesterday's game against the Indians. It's really not that big of a deal. Johnson will appeal and then even when he does serve it just means he gets a start pushed back for one day. Joe Torre gets a mini-vacation as Lee Mazilli will get the reigns for a day.
I wasn't so sure about Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco a few weeks ago, but after posting 4 quality starts in his last 5 outings, he is gaining more and more attention. His 3.06 ERA will be tested against Baltimore during interleague play where he now has to deal with a DH.
The Twins may be in need of bringing back Scott Baker pretty soon as Carlos Silva, who actually pitched a relatively decent game, was forced to leave today's game with a leg injury. If it was nothing more than a cramp, then Silva might have pitched his way out of a demotion today. Either way, Baker is looming and should be back at some point soon.
So Chad Billingsley had a fairly successful first start today. He went 5 1/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits. He walked 2, had one wild pitch and one hit batter. He even helped his own cause with a 2 RBI single in his first at bat. He'll need to improve his command, but I'm willing to say that could be attributed to nerves from his debut. He gets the Mariners next so I'd keep him active and see how he progresses.
If you were wondering if the trade of Juan Castro has any significance to fantasy, it really doesn't. The Twins get back a decent prospect in OF Brandon Roberts, but he won't see the majors for some time. Castro goes to the Reds where he will serve as a reserve infielder and compete for at bats with Ryan Freel.
You might be too late if you were looking to get Juan Pierre for cheap. He stole 4 bases tonight, and while his average continues to stink, it was about this time last year that he turned his season around. Think about the potential. He already has 24 steals.
The Mariners are close to dropping Joel Pineiro from their rotation according to manager Mike Hargrove. They really don't have anyone to replace him, so it might just be a motivational tactic. If you own him, though, you may want to keep an eye on this.
With Jim Edmonds healthy enough to return to center field and Scott Speizio out with an upper respiratory infection, Chris Duncan is getting the opportunity to prove he can be the Cardinals' permanent fill in for the injured Albert Pujols. He might be worth a short term look in NL only leagues.
In Pittsburgh, OF Jose Bautista is really pushing for some playing time in center field. He had another great game tonight going 3 for 5 with a homer, and Nate McClouth continues to struggle at the plate. Can anyone tell me when was the last quality center fielder the Pirates ever had? This spot has been a black hole for them for some time now.
If you've been reading my column on addictfantasysports.com, can I say I told you so about Jonny Gomes yet? His 0 for 4 performance today dropped his average to .248
The Indians could be without OF Jason Michaels for a little while as he left today's game with a sprained right ankle. He'll be evaluated tomorrow to decide whether or not he needs to go on the disabled list. This obviously comes on the heels of even worse news as the Tribe was forced to put Casey Blake, one of their strongest hitters, on the DL with an oblique strain. Recent call up Franklin Gutierrez should see some playing time over the next few days.
The Sox, both Red and White, exchanged relievers when Boston sent righty David Riske to Chicago for lefty reliever Javier Lopez. It looks like Chicago got the better end here as Riske will move right into the bullpen while Lopez wasn't even being used. Riske replaces Sean Tracey who was demoted to the minors after landing in Ozzie Guillen's doghouse for failing to hit Texas 3B Hank Blalock the other night. I guess when 'Old School" Ozzie wants someone hit, you better hit him.
Just in time for interleague play, the A's placed DH Frank Thomas on the 15 day DL with a strained right quad. They'll probably use the roster spot on another pitcher as they have their next 9 games in NL parks. Thomas should be back as soon as his 15 days are up.
Here's an interesting twist to the Tampa Bay outfield scene. Apparently the Devil Rays and Angels are talking about a Carl Crawford for Ervin Santana exchange. And while you say that sounds odd for Tampa Bay, it is the Angels who are the ones balking at giving up one of their prized young arms.
Speaking of the Angels and their young arms, it appears that Jered Weaver will be pushing out his brother from the rotation when the team activates Bartolo Colon from the DL. Jeff Weaver will probably go to the bullpen and may even be a candidate for a trade.
The Cubs will activate Mark Prior this Sunday and have him start against the Detroit Tigers. He was consistently throwing in the 90's in his last Triple-A start when he struck out 10, so he appears to be ready. Time to use him now....you never know when he's going down again.
Staying with the Cubs, the timetable on 1B Derrek Lee will not be pushed up as previously hoped by the organization. He had a discouraging outing today in his attempts to swing a bat and doesn't have the arm strength he though he would have right now. He hopes to be hitting off a tee by the end of the weekend.
And finally, my apologies for not reporting the Twins designating Tony Batista for assignment the other day. I missed that like Tony misses the breaking ball. Sorry. I guess now, with that and the trading of Juan Castro, the Twins will start using Terry Tiffee and Nick Punto at the hot corner.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/14/06

We knew it was coming soon...

"Congratulations!" to Steve Finley for hitting his 300th career HR tonight. With his 316 SB, Finley joins Bobby and Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Andre Dawson, and Reggie Sanders in the esteemed 300 HR-300 SB club.

In other news...

Consider Yankees catcher Jorge Posada day to day again, this time with a sore elbow; the result of a Jason Johnson fastball. He'll probably just get Thursday off and be back for the weekend series against the Nationals. On a side note with this, I have to give kudos to (believe it or not) Randy Johnson for standing up for Posada and "plunking" Eddie Perez. Johnson and Posada have been in need of a serious bonding moment. Maybe this can translate into better chemistry on the field.
The Yankees also got an offensive boost as Jason Giambi returned to the DH spot tonight. He was day to day with a hand injury but it looks safe to get him back in your lineup.
Another player back is Tigers OF Craig Monroe who had been day to day with a sprained ankle. Monroe convinced Jim Leyland that he was atleast healthy enough to DH. Maybe not as he went 0 for 4.
The Tigers brought up lefty Wilfredo Ledezma from the minors today. He'll probably start off in the bullpen, but could possibly find his way into the rotation. If you've ever seen this guy, he has some looping curveball. Definitely someone to keep in mind for a later in the season waiver pick up.
It didn't take the Braves newest closer, Kenny Ray, too long to put himself on thin ice with Bobby Cox. He was being asked to give a 2 inning save performance and ended up blowing a 3 run lead in the eighth. Don't worry, he hasn't lost the job...yet.
Roy Oswalt returned from the DL today for the Astros and went 6 innings allowing 3 runs in a win over the Cubs. He only had 2 K's, but still a very encouraging first outing.
Bad news for the Red Sox as Matt Clement left tonight's start with shoulder and bicep soreness. He is returning to Boston tomorrow for a full examination. A DL stint is a strong possibililty, but more will be known later.
Speaking of the Sox, manager Terry Francona is shuffling up the lineup moving Coco Crisp down to the eighth spot and Kevin Youkilis back to leadoff. It's supposedly a work in progress and nothing is etched in stone, but this does hurt Crisp's fantasy value a bit. Let's hope he gets hot and Francona puts him back at the top of the order.
The Indians are calling Casey Blake day to day as he was a late scratch before tonight's game against the Yankees. He was experiencing lower abdominal soreness.
And right back on the DL goes Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons with a strained knee ligament. He had just come back this past Monday so this is driving his owners nuts. He came back too soon and re-aggravated the same knee. The O's brought back infielder Eddie Rogers to take his place on the roster.
OK all you waiver wire hounds...if he's still available, go and grab Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley. He's the third in the "big 3 of rookie call ups"; Jered Weaver and Cole Hamels being the first two. He's got a great live arm and will get his first taste of the bigs in San Diego on Thursday. If you have him, start him.
With nothing else to do with him, the Braves put Chris Reitsma on the 15 day DL. Actually, there is something as he has experienced numbness in his pitching hand; a result of ulnar neuritis.
And just like that the Tampa Bay bullpen goes to crap again as closer Tyler Walker went on the DL with an elbow straing. The committee closing will start again as Shawn Camp, Travis Harper, and Chad Harville should all get some sort of save opportunity. The sleeper choice to step into the role is reliever Ruddy Lugo. None of these guys are worth picking up right now, so if you have been using Walker, you're going to have to look elsewhere for saves.
And finally, contrary to previous reports, there may not be any catcher controversy for the Dodgers. The rumors are that when Dioner Navarro comes off the DL, he will be assigned to Triple-A. Russell Martin is looking better and better in NL-only leagues.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/13/06

Sorry to all, but this edition isn't going to be as in depth as usual. My 8 year old nephew is staying over after my wife and I took him to his first outdoor concert today (moe. in Central Park) and he's sleeping in the room where the computer is.

In the news...

The following guys have been put on the 15 day DL today:

Lance Niekro (1B Giants) groin strain
Josh Willingham (OF Marlins) strained hand ligament -- not on yet but expected to be on Wed.
Keith Foulke (P Red Sox) elbow tendenitis

The following guys are considered day to day and still haven't played:

Craig Monroe (OF Tigers) sprained ankle
Morgan Ensberg (3B Astros) bruised shoulder
Ryan Langerhans (OF Braves) strained hip flexor
Daryle Ward (OF Nationals) flu
Jason Giambi (1B Yankees) bruised hand

The following guys should be back from the DL very soon or just got back:

John Patterson (P Nationals) back on June 23
Joe Randa (3B Pirates) returned today
Mike Timlin (P Red Sox) returned today
Octavio Dotel (P Yankees) within 2 weeks
Shannon Stewart (OF Twins) possibly Friday
Jeff Kent (2B Dodgers) returned today

The following guys did really well today:

Chris Carpenter (P Cardinals) 7 shutout innings, 13 K's and a win
Roy Halladay (P Blue Jays) complete game victory, 6 hits, 1 ER

oh yeah...Kevin Mench may be losing his job to Mark DeRosa, the D-Backs designated Russ Ortiz for assignment and Dmitri Young is going to jail after failing to appear in court today. Well, maybe not jail, but there's a warrant out for him.

Sorry if you're feeling a little shortchanged, but c'mon...the kid's only 8.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/12/06

Pretty short day today, so this could be quick...

Don't worry about Tyler Walker losing his job after blowing the save tonight against the Tigers. It's only his 2nd blown save in 12 chances and by Devil Rays standards, that's pretty damn good. His numbers in May give him the leeway here in June. He should rebound fine in his next chance.
Blue Jays starter A.J. Burnett looked sharp in his Triple-A start tonight and may be coming back earlier than expected. At the worst he'll be back on June 22nd so it's basically just depends on whether or not they think he needs another rehab start. They'll probably get him up as quick as they can...it's not like you know how many good starts you can get from him before the next injury occurs.
Reds catcher David Ross is pushing his way into the lineup more and more. His pairing with Bronson Arroyo is one thing, but these 2 HR games and the power he's showing definitely overshadows anything Jason LaRue has done.
The MRI on Morgan Ensberg's shoulder revealed no structural damage; just a little inflammation. He'll be back on Tuesday.
Big streak for Jose Contreras right now...while fanning 11 in tonight's game against the Rangers, he won his 15th straight decision.
The Orioles got back Jay Gibbons tonight. He was in the DH slot and went 2 for 5 with a run scored. He'll probably return to the outfield in a day or two.
A few other guys activated from the DL or back from day to day injuries today: Rockies IF Luis Gonzalez, Tigers OF Craig Monroe, Angels 1B/OF Darin Erstad, and Blue Jays SS Russ Adams
Say goodbye to Blue Jays 2B Edgardo Alfonzo and the guy with one foot out the door and the other on a banana peel is Twins DH Rondell White.

Catch you next time...

Thought of the Day

Don't you wish your favorite MLB team could play the Royals every day? Atleast the Pirates have been putting up some sort of a fight lately...

What's the Buzz? 6/11/06

How about we start tonight with a little Rocket update...

In his second minor league start, this time in AA-Corpus Christi, Roger Clemens struck out 11 in six scoreless innings. If for some inane reason he is available, I suggest you get him. In the meantime, he will get one more start (in AAA-Round Rock) and then pitch his first game of the season for the Astros on June 22.

In other news...

If you were watching the Marlins game you would have seen SS Hanley Ramirez get helped off the field after falling into the stands going after a foul ball. It's just some stiffness and a few aches in the back as the x-rays were negative. He should be ready for action on Tuesday.
Indians manager Eric Wedge is tiring of SS Jhonny Peralta's current slump and overall poor start. Perralta sat in favor of Ramon Vasquez and Wedge was cryptic about who will start on Tuesday. My guess is Peralta, but if he doesn't snap out of it soon he could be looking at some serious bench time.
Although a DL stint is apparently not in order, Reds reliever David Weathers is suffering from shouldr tendenitis. He's already lost the closer's job to Todd Coffey so his value has diminished drastically. This clinches the demise.
Seems that the stock on Padres ace Jake Peavy has significantly dropped as of late. His past 3 starts have been subpar at best, including tonight's 6 ER in 5 innings against the Marlins. His strikeouts were solid, but the runs allowed and the shoulder problems should be a red flag on him right now.
Despite leaving in the second inning after getting drilled in the forehead by a Lance Berkman line drive, Braves lefty Horacio Ramirez will get his regular turn in the rotation this week. Not sure what's worse...the line drive that hit him, the 6 ER he had given up before being hit, or the concussed version of him pitching to Boston next week. Yeesh.
The Red Sox will receive a little bullpen help as Mike Timlin is expected to be activated from the DL on Tuesday. If your league counts holds, he will be solid setting up super-closer Jonathan Papelbon.
The Yankees activated pitcher Shawn Chacon today. He went 5 2/3 innings today allowing 5 runs, although only 3 were earned. He gets the Nationals next time out so he should be a good start next week.
Also, keep an eye on Johnny Damon. He's already playing with a broken bon ein his foot, but this morning, his elbow apparently locked up on him. They say it's nothing serious, but it's enough to get your attention. Eyes open people.
The Royals acquired pitcher Brandon Duckworth from the Pirates today for cash considerations. Interesting that these two teams would be involved in a cash transaction. I thought they were all too poor. I guess maybe the Mets, Yankees, and the Red Sox paid for this one with their revenue sharing. As for fantasy value? C'mon...it's Duckworth...for the Royals...'nuff said.
Speaking of the Mets, they have some serious decisions to make. Reports say that Xavier Nady will be available to play by June 19. They just picked up Eli Marrero as a bench guy who plays the outfield, Cliff Floyd is expected back on Tuesday, and Lastings Milledge, while slowing down offensively, has been a real bonus for the team thus far. Maybe Marrero taking grounders at third the other day are a hint, but someone's going to be demoted. My guess is Milledge right now. While he's looked solid defensively, his bat has slumped lately due to his over-aggressiveness at the plate. He could use some polishing, I think.
And finally, don't forget to activate Astros starter Roy Oswalt for the upcoming scoring period. He'll make his return from the DL on Wednesday.

Catch you next time...

What's the Buzz? 6/10/06

We'll start off today with "Congratulations!" to Reggie Sanders who joined the 300 HR-300 SB club today after hitting one out off of Tampa Bay starter Casey Fossum. Sanders joins Willie Mays, Andre Dawson, and Bobby and Barry Bonds in the elite group. Membership will soon increase to 6 when Steve Finley punches his ticket. He's locked on 299 HR right now.

In the news today...

Despite reports out of Chicago, the White Sox are not going to send Brian Anderson and his .154 batting average down to the minors. They'll keep him up with the club and he'll remain a bench player with the occasional start in center field. He has very minimal fantasy value right now.
The word out of Colorado is that the Rockies will keep newly acquired Kaz Matsui in the minors (Colorado Springs) for about a month, have him play both second and short, and then make an evaluation. This could be do or die for Matsui. If he can't get it together and show that he can play regularly in Colorado, then maybe MLB should just export him back to the Far East. He has been an abyssmal disappointment thus far.
Marlins OF Josh Willingham, who has been day to day with a hand injury, will probably be sidelined through the weekend series against the Padres. The MRI revealed only a strain, but the team doesn't want to take too many chances. Joe Borchard will fill in for Willingham in left.
The Dodgers will get an offensive boost this coming week as 2B Jeff Kent is scheduled to come off the DL on Tuesday. He should be active in all formats.
The latest report has Twins OF Shannon Stewart playin gin a rehab game on Tuesday and hopes to get back in action in time for the interleague series against Pittsburgh next weekend. Monitor his progress if you are counting on him coming back. The heel issue is one that has plagued him for some time now, and he's always been slow to recover from it.
The Nationals activated OF Jose Guillen from the DL today, although he was not in the starting lineup today. He'll be the regular come early next week, which will mean we probably won't see much of guys like Marlon Anderson and Marlon Byrd very much.
Once again, the Phillies put catcher Mike Lieberthal on the 15 day DL with a strained left hip. Do we see a pattern here? How many times do we have to watch a team bring someone back too early only to watch them re-injure themselves after only a few games?
Along with Gustavo Chacin (elbow, should miss atleast a month), the Blue Jays also put Pete Walker on the DL with bursitis in his right shoulder. He wasn't doing that well to begin with, so going to recent call-up Vinnie Chulk isn't that much of a downgrade.
Well, it looks like Kenny Ray has officially taken over the closer's role in Atlanta after he notched his fourth save today. It was just a matter of time before someone stepped up. Oscar Villereal and Macay McBride will remain the set up guys and who knows where Chris Reitsma is going to go. Mop up duty seems most likely for now.
Brewers OF Brady Clark is day to day with a strained shoulder. He'll miss a few games, so expect to see Gabe Gross and Corey Hart to get some action early this week.
And finally, there could be a minor catcher controversy for the Dodgers once Dioner Navarro comes off the DL soon. Russell Martin has received the majority of the starts since Navarro went down and has been very impressive both offensively and defensively since taking over, including a 3 for 5 night tonight with a 3 run homer. If Martin holds the job down, he could be a real nice pickup in NL-only leagues and possibly as a second catcher in mixed leagues as well.

Catch you next time...