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...
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...
posted by Howard Bender at
10:33 PM
