What's the Buzz? 7/16/06
So just to show you that it's not the Mets, but their fans that I hate, I'll start off tonight with some props for the team and their 11 run sixth inning today. When starter Orlando Hernandez put them in an immediate 5-0 hole after two innings, the team started to claw it's way back a little and then BAM!! An explosive 6th inning that featured grand slams by Carlos Beltran and Cliff Floyd (his 2nd HR of the night) and a 2 run shot by potential NL MVP David Wright. That inning alone was worth watching that entire game.
And now for the news...
Sticking with the Mets for just a quick second, the latest news on the return of Pedro Martinez remaims murky at best. They want him to throw atleast 2 bullpen sessions and one simulated game before he comes back from his bout with food poisoning. Apparently that 100 lb. frame took a beating and needed to have a lot of fluids replenished. Maybe middle of next week...maybe next Sunday. No one quite knows for sure. Perhaps benching him this week is a wise move.
The Diamondbacks are calling rookie 1B Conor Jackson day to day with a strained shoulder he suffered today. He'll be sent for a precautionary MRI, but the team seems to think he will avoid the DL. The infamous Tony Clark waits in the wings.
So the bad news for the Twins just got worse as the x-rays on Torii Hunter revealed a stress fracture in his left foot. He was put on the 15 day DL, and was originally expected to miss atleast a month, but manager Ron Gardenhire says he hopes to have him back when his 15 days are up. I'm not so confident. I guess it depends on how "in the race" the Twins are in 2 weeks. Looks like we're going to see a lot of Terry Tiffe and Nick Punto these days. Just because recently activated Rondell White hit a homer today doesn't mean anything. Hey! Maybe we'll even see Erubiel Durazo. Any way you slice it, it's trouble for the Twinkies.
And a bigger HEY!! Brett Myers came back today! Looks like he spared his wife this afternoon and threw the beat-down on the Giants instead, holding them to 2 runs in 7 innings for the victory.
One day after being told he was going to play regularly at first by manager Felipe Alou, Lance Niekro was shipped down to the minors. Mark Sweeney remains the team's best option, but they did bring up Chad Santos who may be given the opportunity at some point as well.
Uh-oh!! Is the Big Hurt hurt...again? Frank Thomas left today's game after the third inning with an undisclosed injury. They're saying it's nothing new....just more of the same ankle problems that have plagued him the past few years. If that's the case, a DL stint may be necessary.
As expected, the Reds put catcher David Ross on the 15 day DL, retro to July 8, with a lower abdominal strain. Jason LaRue, a much weaker bat, will pick up the slack in the meantime, but hopefully not for too long. The team will likely get Ross back by next Sunday.
And finally, I wonder how Ozzie Guillen feels about reliever Sean Tracey being brought back to take Cliff Pollitte's roster spot? Remember it was Tracey who Guillen reprimanded and later had shipped out of town for not hitting Hank Blalock as ordered. Old time hockey?
Anything else?
How about "Congratulations!" to Mariano Rivera for recording his 400th career save today? He becomes only the 4th player in history to record that many saves, joining Lee Smith, John Franco and current Padres closer Trevor Hoffman. Way to go Mo!!!
Catch you next time...
And now for the news...
Sticking with the Mets for just a quick second, the latest news on the return of Pedro Martinez remaims murky at best. They want him to throw atleast 2 bullpen sessions and one simulated game before he comes back from his bout with food poisoning. Apparently that 100 lb. frame took a beating and needed to have a lot of fluids replenished. Maybe middle of next week...maybe next Sunday. No one quite knows for sure. Perhaps benching him this week is a wise move.
The Diamondbacks are calling rookie 1B Conor Jackson day to day with a strained shoulder he suffered today. He'll be sent for a precautionary MRI, but the team seems to think he will avoid the DL. The infamous Tony Clark waits in the wings.
So the bad news for the Twins just got worse as the x-rays on Torii Hunter revealed a stress fracture in his left foot. He was put on the 15 day DL, and was originally expected to miss atleast a month, but manager Ron Gardenhire says he hopes to have him back when his 15 days are up. I'm not so confident. I guess it depends on how "in the race" the Twins are in 2 weeks. Looks like we're going to see a lot of Terry Tiffe and Nick Punto these days. Just because recently activated Rondell White hit a homer today doesn't mean anything. Hey! Maybe we'll even see Erubiel Durazo. Any way you slice it, it's trouble for the Twinkies.
And a bigger HEY!! Brett Myers came back today! Looks like he spared his wife this afternoon and threw the beat-down on the Giants instead, holding them to 2 runs in 7 innings for the victory.
One day after being told he was going to play regularly at first by manager Felipe Alou, Lance Niekro was shipped down to the minors. Mark Sweeney remains the team's best option, but they did bring up Chad Santos who may be given the opportunity at some point as well.
Uh-oh!! Is the Big Hurt hurt...again? Frank Thomas left today's game after the third inning with an undisclosed injury. They're saying it's nothing new....just more of the same ankle problems that have plagued him the past few years. If that's the case, a DL stint may be necessary.
As expected, the Reds put catcher David Ross on the 15 day DL, retro to July 8, with a lower abdominal strain. Jason LaRue, a much weaker bat, will pick up the slack in the meantime, but hopefully not for too long. The team will likely get Ross back by next Sunday.
And finally, I wonder how Ozzie Guillen feels about reliever Sean Tracey being brought back to take Cliff Pollitte's roster spot? Remember it was Tracey who Guillen reprimanded and later had shipped out of town for not hitting Hank Blalock as ordered. Old time hockey?
Anything else?
How about "Congratulations!" to Mariano Rivera for recording his 400th career save today? He becomes only the 4th player in history to record that many saves, joining Lee Smith, John Franco and current Padres closer Trevor Hoffman. Way to go Mo!!!
Catch you next time...
posted by Howard Bender at
10:52 PM
