What's the Buzz? 7/8/06
You'd be hard pressed to find me admitting I was wrong about something, but it looks like I went after the wrong "young pitching phenom" when I chose to draft Cole Hamels instead of Jered Weaver. Cole still has time to prove me right come season's end, but Weaver has been great. Tonight's win featured 2 hit ball through 7 with 2 walks and 5 K's giving him a 1.12 ERA now in half a dozen starts. He looks real good out there and appears to be very comfortable on the big stage. Barring any kind of mental meltdown (a Weaver family tradition?) he looks like a great play for the second half.
And now the news today...
Baltimore 3B Melvin Mora is day to day with a sore rib cage muscle he suffered in today's game. It'd likely that he'll get Sunday off and be back in action when we return from the All Star Break.
As an Horacio Ramirez owner, I just don't know what to do with this guy. I'll admit it. I liked him in the pre-season and thought the lefty was going to be solid this year. He shows some brilliance and then sometimes he's just awful and prone to the injury. He claims that the hamstring tightness that led to his 1 inning 7 ER performance will not force him to miss a start. I just don't know whether or not to activate him. He is, after all, pitching in San Diego.
The A's will activate Milton Bradley from the DL right after the Break, so expect to see him in the outfield for Thursday's game.
Consider Royals 2B Mark Grudzielanek day to day after he left today's game in the 5th inning with lower back issues. Tony Graffanino will likely get the start on Sunday, but don't expect Grudzielanek to miss any time post-Break.
It looks like the Braves could be going back to a closer-by-committee as Kenny Ray picked up the save tonight. This on the heels of Jorge Sosa blowing a 5 run lead the other day. Bobby Cox needs to find a go-to guy soon.
The Astros better do a little work over the Break and try and find what's wrong with Brad Lidge this year. Another 2 earned in the ninth to blow the game. Unless a guy like Dan Wheeler or Chad Qualls steps it up, Lidge shouldn't lose his job just yet, but he really needs to fix whatever it is that needs to be fixed.
It is more than likely that Kerry Wood is done for the season after an MRI revealed a partial tear in his right rotator cuff. The only question surrounding him now is whether to go with surgery or just rehab. He's going to run around a get a few more opinions, but the diagnosis doesn't look good for this season at all.
The Yankees may not have 2B Robinson Cano for the first series back after the All Star Break after he experienced some tightness in his hamstring while running the bases today. A July 17th return looks more like it. You never want to rush back from a hamstring injury. Then it just lingers and the team doesn't want to have to go another run with Miguel Cairo and Nick Green.
Edwin Encarnacion owners better hope that the rookie straightens himself out over the Break. Today was 2 games in a row that he has been benched since making an error in his return from the disabled list. The Reds will obviously miss his bat in the lineup, but third base is a tough spot to allow error prone baseball. I think he'll bounce back after the Break. Does the team really want to go with Rich Aurilia or Ryan Freel all season?
Careful all you Orioles outfield lovers. Despite the loss of Luis Matos, the outfield could get crowded again as David Newhan could be looking at resuming baseball activities in 2 weeks. If he has a good rehab he could rejoin the team sometime in late July or early August.
Mets 1B Carlos Delgado is day to day with a bruised hand he suffered after getting plunked by Marlins starter Josh Johnson. It doesn't seem to be too serious as he stayed in for three more innings and was then pinch hit for. He should be fine after the Break.
And finally, another sign that Andy Marte could be on his way soon........the Indians are having Ronnie Belliard take grounders at third in practice and we may see him at the hot corner with Ramon Vasquez getting time at second. But how long before the Tribe understands that Vasquez is no every day guy? I hope to see Marte called up no later than the beginning of August.
Slow news day today....probably more of the same tomorrow and the next few days, but hey...what do you expect? It's almost intermission.
Catch you next time...
And now the news today...
Baltimore 3B Melvin Mora is day to day with a sore rib cage muscle he suffered in today's game. It'd likely that he'll get Sunday off and be back in action when we return from the All Star Break.
As an Horacio Ramirez owner, I just don't know what to do with this guy. I'll admit it. I liked him in the pre-season and thought the lefty was going to be solid this year. He shows some brilliance and then sometimes he's just awful and prone to the injury. He claims that the hamstring tightness that led to his 1 inning 7 ER performance will not force him to miss a start. I just don't know whether or not to activate him. He is, after all, pitching in San Diego.
The A's will activate Milton Bradley from the DL right after the Break, so expect to see him in the outfield for Thursday's game.
Consider Royals 2B Mark Grudzielanek day to day after he left today's game in the 5th inning with lower back issues. Tony Graffanino will likely get the start on Sunday, but don't expect Grudzielanek to miss any time post-Break.
It looks like the Braves could be going back to a closer-by-committee as Kenny Ray picked up the save tonight. This on the heels of Jorge Sosa blowing a 5 run lead the other day. Bobby Cox needs to find a go-to guy soon.
The Astros better do a little work over the Break and try and find what's wrong with Brad Lidge this year. Another 2 earned in the ninth to blow the game. Unless a guy like Dan Wheeler or Chad Qualls steps it up, Lidge shouldn't lose his job just yet, but he really needs to fix whatever it is that needs to be fixed.
It is more than likely that Kerry Wood is done for the season after an MRI revealed a partial tear in his right rotator cuff. The only question surrounding him now is whether to go with surgery or just rehab. He's going to run around a get a few more opinions, but the diagnosis doesn't look good for this season at all.
The Yankees may not have 2B Robinson Cano for the first series back after the All Star Break after he experienced some tightness in his hamstring while running the bases today. A July 17th return looks more like it. You never want to rush back from a hamstring injury. Then it just lingers and the team doesn't want to have to go another run with Miguel Cairo and Nick Green.
Edwin Encarnacion owners better hope that the rookie straightens himself out over the Break. Today was 2 games in a row that he has been benched since making an error in his return from the disabled list. The Reds will obviously miss his bat in the lineup, but third base is a tough spot to allow error prone baseball. I think he'll bounce back after the Break. Does the team really want to go with Rich Aurilia or Ryan Freel all season?
Careful all you Orioles outfield lovers. Despite the loss of Luis Matos, the outfield could get crowded again as David Newhan could be looking at resuming baseball activities in 2 weeks. If he has a good rehab he could rejoin the team sometime in late July or early August.
Mets 1B Carlos Delgado is day to day with a bruised hand he suffered after getting plunked by Marlins starter Josh Johnson. It doesn't seem to be too serious as he stayed in for three more innings and was then pinch hit for. He should be fine after the Break.
And finally, another sign that Andy Marte could be on his way soon........the Indians are having Ronnie Belliard take grounders at third in practice and we may see him at the hot corner with Ramon Vasquez getting time at second. But how long before the Tribe understands that Vasquez is no every day guy? I hope to see Marte called up no later than the beginning of August.
Slow news day today....probably more of the same tomorrow and the next few days, but hey...what do you expect? It's almost intermission.
Catch you next time...
posted by Howard Bender at
10:42 PM
