What's the Buzz? 7/2/06
Let's start it off with some more "Congratulations!!"...this time to all the guys that were named to the All Star Game this year. While I don't agree with all of the selections, it's stilla nice thing for a guy. For a listing of the rosters, you can check it out at MLB.com.
And now the news...
The Braves are again making arrangements for Lance Cormier to start on Tuesday for the injured John Thompson. The blister on Thompson's middle finger, that pushed him to the DL on June 14th, has not fully healed just yet.
The Cubs plan to activate Glendon Rusch from the DL on Monday. He will more than likely go into the bullpen. If you're using him at all, you've got to be sitting in the basement of your league. If you don't have him, be thankful and just keep doing what you're doing.
Also for the Cubs, they are hoping they might be able to activate Wade Miller shortly after the All Star Break. Miller was signed in the offseason after the Red Sox let him go but he hasn't pitched for them at all this season due to shoulder problems. He might be a good second half sleeper if the matchups unfold his way. Unfortunately, the way the ball carries in Wrigley sometimes, he could be dangerous.
The Indians should be activating OF Jason Michaels from the DL on Monday which means it's safe to get him back in the lineup. The pressure will be on 1B Ryan Garko now, because once Casey Blake returns (which should be sooner than later) the Tribe will need to make a decision on whether or not to keep him up with the big club.
The Blue Jays swapped out soem reliever today by sending down Jason Frasor and calling up Shawn Marcum to take more of the middle relief. Frasor became expendable when he was replaced as the team's 7th inning guy by Brian Tallet.
Even after calling off a throwing session on Friday, due to elbow soreness, Dodgers closer Eric Gagne swears that he will pitch again this season. Thanks Eric...just what his owners need...a sliver of hope. Takashi Saito continues to be the man in L.A. for now.
Well this could be interesting....apparently, the Mets are bringing in Rickey Henderson to tutor Jose Reyes in the art of basestealing. There is no question that Henderson will make Reyes a better and more efficient basestealer, but if he has any impact on the young shortstop's attitude, the clubhouse could be in trouble. Just wait until Reyes starts to refer to himself in the third person on camera.
Another explosive personality could be joining New York, but this time, for the Yankees. Former Tampa Bay reliever Jesus Colome, who has been rehabbing in the Yanks' farm system, has strted pitchin gon back to back days and could be about a week away from joining the Bombers' bullpen.
The Yankees also released 1B/DH Erubiel Durazo today. Durazo was hitting .290 with a .400 OBP but he wasn't doing anything special to warrant a call-up. Maybe he'll land with another team soon.
In his recovery from a concussion, Giants backstop Mike Matheny has begun to catch pitchers for the first time in his rehab. He should probably be back just after the All Star Break.
Tampa Bay has sorted out it's catcher situation for now. Josh Paul will serve as the personal catcher for Scott Kazmir and James Shields and recently acquired Dioner Navarro will catch the other three starters. Neither will be useful as a #1 guy, but if you need a second catcher in an AL only league, Navarro would be the guy to go after.
The same foot problems that plagued Braves 3B Chipper Jones are coming back apparently. He says it's been bothering him for about a week now and he was replaced in the lineup on Saturday by Wilson Betemit. Jones will see a specialist on Monday and have x-rays done, so more will be known then. If he does go on the DL, Betemit's value will increase dramatically. For what it's worth, he did come off the bench today for a pich hit homer.
More bad news for Phillies' backstops as Sal Fasano left today's game with inflammation in his knee. With Mike Lieberthal still down, the team may have to call up Carlos Ruiz if Fasano goes on the disabled list.
The Padres bullpen took a hit today when the team was forced to put reliever Alan Embree on the DL with a strained groin. He was doing pretty well, save for last night's debacle, and will be a hard guy for the team to replace. Cla Meredith was called up from Triple-A to take his place.
Blue Jays OF Vernon Wells missed another game today with a hamstring injury today. No on eis saying anything about the DL, so for now it appears safe to keep him in the lineup this week. He should be back in the lineup on Monday but there's really no way to tell with a hamstring...just ask owners of Dan Uggla who lost him for a little more than a week when they were told no DL stint was necessary.
Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez will miss his Monday start due to a hip strain. It's apparently something that's been nagging him for a little more than a month now. The team is downplaying the injury and they say he will get a start later in the week. Obviously this is still not something you want to see when you thought you were getting 2 starts out of him this week. Darren Oliver will start in his place on Monday.
Nationals pitcher Tony Armas, Jr. said he expects to be activated and start on July 5th when he is eligible to come off the DL. Obviously it's the team's decision, but his confidence is atleast a good sign.
Also for the Nats, OF Jose Guillen is day to day with hamstring tightness. He'll probably get the day off on Monday, and barring anything major, should be around to play on Tuesday.
Kevin Millwood left tonight's start in the 4th inning due to a strained biceps muscle and could end up on the disabled list. He was charged with 6 ER in 3 1/3 innings and it is his second bad start in a row. Maybe a rest is what he needs, but it could be looooooong summer for him.
It appears that Mariners OF Jeremy Reed broke his thumb diving for a ball tonight. He'll see a specialist on Monday so we'll await x-rays and a diagnosis. In the meantime, Willie Bloomquist should take over in center, but the team could also bring up Chris Snelling or Shin Soo Choo.
To ease your concerns, if you own Cubs closer Ryan Dempster, manager Dusty Baker reiterated to the media that Dempster remains the teams closer. Not going anywhere....for now. Bobby Howry still lurks.
And finally, we have another streak to keep an eye on as Angels SS Orlando Cabrera has reached base safely in 59 straight games. The record is 84 set by Ted Williams. If his OBP was over .400, I'd say there's a shot, but seeing as how it isn't...and it's Orlando Cabrera, my guess is that he'll fall more than a few games short.
Catch you next time...
And now the news...
The Braves are again making arrangements for Lance Cormier to start on Tuesday for the injured John Thompson. The blister on Thompson's middle finger, that pushed him to the DL on June 14th, has not fully healed just yet.
The Cubs plan to activate Glendon Rusch from the DL on Monday. He will more than likely go into the bullpen. If you're using him at all, you've got to be sitting in the basement of your league. If you don't have him, be thankful and just keep doing what you're doing.
Also for the Cubs, they are hoping they might be able to activate Wade Miller shortly after the All Star Break. Miller was signed in the offseason after the Red Sox let him go but he hasn't pitched for them at all this season due to shoulder problems. He might be a good second half sleeper if the matchups unfold his way. Unfortunately, the way the ball carries in Wrigley sometimes, he could be dangerous.
The Indians should be activating OF Jason Michaels from the DL on Monday which means it's safe to get him back in the lineup. The pressure will be on 1B Ryan Garko now, because once Casey Blake returns (which should be sooner than later) the Tribe will need to make a decision on whether or not to keep him up with the big club.
The Blue Jays swapped out soem reliever today by sending down Jason Frasor and calling up Shawn Marcum to take more of the middle relief. Frasor became expendable when he was replaced as the team's 7th inning guy by Brian Tallet.
Even after calling off a throwing session on Friday, due to elbow soreness, Dodgers closer Eric Gagne swears that he will pitch again this season. Thanks Eric...just what his owners need...a sliver of hope. Takashi Saito continues to be the man in L.A. for now.
Well this could be interesting....apparently, the Mets are bringing in Rickey Henderson to tutor Jose Reyes in the art of basestealing. There is no question that Henderson will make Reyes a better and more efficient basestealer, but if he has any impact on the young shortstop's attitude, the clubhouse could be in trouble. Just wait until Reyes starts to refer to himself in the third person on camera.
Another explosive personality could be joining New York, but this time, for the Yankees. Former Tampa Bay reliever Jesus Colome, who has been rehabbing in the Yanks' farm system, has strted pitchin gon back to back days and could be about a week away from joining the Bombers' bullpen.
The Yankees also released 1B/DH Erubiel Durazo today. Durazo was hitting .290 with a .400 OBP but he wasn't doing anything special to warrant a call-up. Maybe he'll land with another team soon.
In his recovery from a concussion, Giants backstop Mike Matheny has begun to catch pitchers for the first time in his rehab. He should probably be back just after the All Star Break.
Tampa Bay has sorted out it's catcher situation for now. Josh Paul will serve as the personal catcher for Scott Kazmir and James Shields and recently acquired Dioner Navarro will catch the other three starters. Neither will be useful as a #1 guy, but if you need a second catcher in an AL only league, Navarro would be the guy to go after.
The same foot problems that plagued Braves 3B Chipper Jones are coming back apparently. He says it's been bothering him for about a week now and he was replaced in the lineup on Saturday by Wilson Betemit. Jones will see a specialist on Monday and have x-rays done, so more will be known then. If he does go on the DL, Betemit's value will increase dramatically. For what it's worth, he did come off the bench today for a pich hit homer.
More bad news for Phillies' backstops as Sal Fasano left today's game with inflammation in his knee. With Mike Lieberthal still down, the team may have to call up Carlos Ruiz if Fasano goes on the disabled list.
The Padres bullpen took a hit today when the team was forced to put reliever Alan Embree on the DL with a strained groin. He was doing pretty well, save for last night's debacle, and will be a hard guy for the team to replace. Cla Meredith was called up from Triple-A to take his place.
Blue Jays OF Vernon Wells missed another game today with a hamstring injury today. No on eis saying anything about the DL, so for now it appears safe to keep him in the lineup this week. He should be back in the lineup on Monday but there's really no way to tell with a hamstring...just ask owners of Dan Uggla who lost him for a little more than a week when they were told no DL stint was necessary.
Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez will miss his Monday start due to a hip strain. It's apparently something that's been nagging him for a little more than a month now. The team is downplaying the injury and they say he will get a start later in the week. Obviously this is still not something you want to see when you thought you were getting 2 starts out of him this week. Darren Oliver will start in his place on Monday.
Nationals pitcher Tony Armas, Jr. said he expects to be activated and start on July 5th when he is eligible to come off the DL. Obviously it's the team's decision, but his confidence is atleast a good sign.
Also for the Nats, OF Jose Guillen is day to day with hamstring tightness. He'll probably get the day off on Monday, and barring anything major, should be around to play on Tuesday.
Kevin Millwood left tonight's start in the 4th inning due to a strained biceps muscle and could end up on the disabled list. He was charged with 6 ER in 3 1/3 innings and it is his second bad start in a row. Maybe a rest is what he needs, but it could be looooooong summer for him.
It appears that Mariners OF Jeremy Reed broke his thumb diving for a ball tonight. He'll see a specialist on Monday so we'll await x-rays and a diagnosis. In the meantime, Willie Bloomquist should take over in center, but the team could also bring up Chris Snelling or Shin Soo Choo.
To ease your concerns, if you own Cubs closer Ryan Dempster, manager Dusty Baker reiterated to the media that Dempster remains the teams closer. Not going anywhere....for now. Bobby Howry still lurks.
And finally, we have another streak to keep an eye on as Angels SS Orlando Cabrera has reached base safely in 59 straight games. The record is 84 set by Ted Williams. If his OBP was over .400, I'd say there's a shot, but seeing as how it isn't...and it's Orlando Cabrera, my guess is that he'll fall more than a few games short.
Catch you next time...
posted by Howard Bender at
10:34 PM
