MLB News and Notes August - 4

Braves place Renteria on DL
August 3rd, 2007

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves placed shortstop Edgar Renteria on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a sprained right ankle.

Renteria suffered the injury in the eighth inning of the Braves' loss to the Astros on Thursday when he got tripped up while trying to field a Ty Wigginton ground ball.

For the season, Renteria is hitting .336 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI.

Atlanta recalled pitcher Joey Devine from Triple-A Richmond to take his spot on the roster.

Orioles recall Birkins; option Doyne
August 3rd, 2007

St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - The Baltimore Orioles have recalled pitcher Kurt Birkins from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned pitcher Cory Doyne to the same club.

Birkins, who has been recalled four times by the Orioles this season, is 0-1 with a 10.00 ERA in 4 appearances. At Norfolk, where the lefty was primarily a starter, he went 6-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 17 games.

Doyne, a righthander, has thrown 3 2/3 innings with no record and a 14.73 ERA. At Norfolk, he has gone 0-1 with 29 saves and a 2.23 ERA in 42 games.

Diamondbacks claim Cirillo off waivers, bring back Kim
August 3rd, 2007

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks announced Friday they have claimed infielder Jeff Cirillo off waivers from Minnesota and right- handed pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim from Florida.

Cirillo, 37, had a .261 batting average with a pair of homers and 21 RBI in 50 games this season with Minnesota, hitting safely in five straight games from June 17-23.

Over parts of 14 major league seasons, Cirillo owns a .297 average with 112 homers and 721 RBI. He notched a career-high 17 long balls in 2001 with Colorado and a career-high 115 RBI in 2002.

Kim, 28, has a 6-5 mark with a 4.63 ERA in 17 games, 14 of which have been starts, for Colorado and Florida this season. His career record is 50-57 with a 4.20 ERA in 383 games over parts of nine seasons.

Kim played for Arizona from 1999-2003, posting 70 saves for the third-highest total in franchise history.

Also, the club transferred Randy Johnson from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list and designated infielder Brian Barden for assignment.

Notes from Friday's games
August 3, 2007

CHICAGO: DH Jim Thome remained out of the lineup on Friday against Detroit after leaving Thursday's game against the Yankees because of back spasms. ... INF Alex Cintron was also unavailable on Friday with the flu after he also left Thursday's game. ... LHP Mark Buehrle, Friday night's starter, has been away from the team with his family tending to the birth of his first child and his grandfather's illness, since his last start on Sunday.

DETROIT: Tigers' INF Neifi Perez was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a third time for a banned stimulant, a penalty that finishes his season. Perez was suspended for 25 games on July 6 when he tested positive for a second time. Under baseball's labor contract, a player who tests positive for the first time is sent for counseling. ... DH Gary Sheffield is day-to-day and will undergo therapy and rehab for shoulder soreness and numbness in his right arm and hand. ... RHP Jose Capellan was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make room for RHP Zach Minor, who returned from the bereavement list on Friday.

KANSAS CITY: The Royals arrived in New York early after their game against Minnesota on Thursday afternoon was postponed because of the fatal freeway bridge collapse. ``It's an unfortunate situation in Minneapolis obviously,'' said manager Buddy Bell, whose team left Minnesota around noon Thursday. ``It's quite unusual that we travel like that.'' The game will be made up on Aug. 31 as part of a day-night doubleheader. ... RHP Kyle Davies will make his Royals debut Saturday against the Yankees. Kansas City acquired Davies from Atlanta for reliever Octavio Dotel on Tuesday. ``I'm anxious to see him,'' Bell said. ``Heard a lot of great things about him.''

NEW YORK: C Jorge Posada wasn't in the starting lineup because of a bruised left knee stemming from a collision at the plate with Danny Richar in the eighth inning of Thursday's 13-9 loss to the Chicago White Sox. ``It's just a little puffiness in his knee,'' manager Joe Torre said. ``It's not a concern.'' Jose Molina replaced Posada at catcher. ... 1B Doug Mientkiewicz (broken right wrist) took about 30 swings Thursday and another 60-90 before Friday's game. ``It feels better than I thought it was going to feel,'' he said. ... Before the game, INF Wilson Betemit got some instruction at first base from bench coach Don Mattingly, a former All-Star first baseman, third base coach Larry Bowa and first base coach Tony Pena. ... Shelley Duncan got his first career start in right field. He was batting .292 with five homers and 10 RBIs in just eight games entering the day. ... 1B-DH Jason Giambi (left foot) was scheduled to play for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a doubleheader against Buffalo on Friday. Torre said Giambi could be back with the team during its series in Toronto next week. ... RHP Roger Clemens celebrates his 45th birthday on Saturday.

TEXAS: With Mark Teixeira traded and Sammy Sosa starting infrequently, manager Ron Washington intends to use OF Marlon Byrd predominantly in the clean up spot because Byrd handles off-speed pitches better than Jason Botts or Nelson Cruz. ... RHP Vicente Padilla (right triceps irritation) pitched just one inning in a rehab start at Double-A Frisco on Thursday before the game was interrupted by rain. Padilla will pitch at Frisco again on Sunday or Monday. ... Washington said he will use the Rangers' next off day on August 9 to reorder his starting rotation, splitting up left-handers John Rheinecker and Kason Gabbard.

TORONTO: RHP A.J. Burnett (sore shoulder) will pitch for Triple-A Syracuse at Ottawa on Monday and is expected to throw 90-95 pitches. If all goes well, Burnett could return to Toronto's rotation next Friday or Saturday at Kansas City ... The Blue Jays purchased INF Ray Olmedo from Triple-A before Friday's game and designated SS Royce Clayton for assignment. Olmedo batted .290 with one home run and 26 RBIs in 97 games at Triple-A, making 16 errors. The Blue Jays have 10 days to trade Clayton, release him or send him to the minor leagues. ... Starting Friday, the Blue Jays play 15 of their next 19 games at home, where they are 31-20 overall and have won 10 of their past 12 series.

BALTIMORE: LHP Kurt Birkins was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk for the fourth time this season. He will be a swing man out of the bullpen. ... RHP Cory Doyne was optioned to Norfolk. ... LHP Erik Bedard, the AL pitcher of the month for July, will make his next start Sunday. He went 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA over six starts in July, allowing 19 hits in 40 2-3 innings. ... Bedard is 12th Orioles' pitcher to win the AL monthly pitching honor, and the first since RHP Ben McDonald in April 1994.

TAMPA BAY: RHP Jeff Niemann, who left his start Monday at Triple-A Durham because of right shoulder fatigue, will miss his next two starts as a precaution. Medical reports on the fourth overall pick in the 2004 amateur draft were good and showed no structural problems. He is scheduled to make his next start on August 15. ... RHP Wade Townsend (elbow discomfort) gave up three hits over six scoreless innings Thursday night in his first start since July 22 for Class-A Columbus. The first round pick in the 2005 amateur draft missed all of last season after undergoing right elbow ligament replacement surgery. ... RHP Doug Waechter, coming back from shoulder surgery, is 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA in four starts at Class-A Vero Beach.

CLEVELAND: RHP Scott Elarton signed a minor league contract Friday, and was assigned to pitch out of the bullpen for Triple-A Buffalo. Elarton, an Indians pitcher in 2004-05, was released last week by Kansas City after going 2-4 with a 10.46 ERA in nine starts. ... LHP Aaron Laffey is expected to be called up from Buffalo to start Saturday's game and take Cliff Lee's spot in the rotation. It will be the first major league action for Laffey, who is 7-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with the Bison. The 22-year-old began the year at Double-A Akron, going 4-1 with a 2.31 ERA in six starts. ``We don't want him to do anything special, just come up here and pitch his ballgame. He deserves the opportunity,'' said Cleveland manager Eric Wedge. ... After getting Thursday off, DH Travis Hafner batted fifth Friday. Hafner entered the game 6-for-39 in his last 10 games.

MINNESOTA: With 3B/DH Jeff Cirillo being claimed off waivers by Arizona, manager Ron Gardenhire will use Rondell White more often as the DH and also hopes to play White in LF some, too. ``That would kind of help out the situation,'' Gardenhire said. White missed 3 1/2 months because of a calf injury that led to a hamstring problem. ... Cirillo was supposed to play more, but his bad knee didn't allow that. The 37-year-old has talked about retiring. ``His mobility wasn't as good as he wanted it to be, but he did his job here,'' Gardenhire said. Cirillo batted .261 with 13 extra-base hits in 153 at_bats. ... Minnesota's game against Kansas City that was postponed Thursday due to the nearby bridge collapse will be made up on Friday, Aug. 31, as part of a day-night doubleheader.

NEW YORK: OF Moises Alou didn't start after hitting his hand on a wall in Milwaukee on Thursday but he came up as a pinch-hitter and delivered a single in a four-run ninth. 2B Luis Castillo was given the day off. ... GM Omar Minaya was encouraged by Pedro Martinez's simulated game earlier this week when he threw 5 1-3 innings as he recovers from rotator cuff surgery. After starting slowly, Martinez worked his way into the session in Florida. ``It was a positive outing,'' Minaya said. He said location at this stage is more important than velocity and that Martinez displayed muscle memory and arm speed. Now the Mets will see how Martinez recovers and perhaps formulate a plan for his rehab outings. ... Orlando Hernandez came at the Cubs with a variety of speeds and arm angles - once throwing an Ephus-like pitch to Cliff Floyd for a high strike - and struck out nine, one shy of his season high. ... Seven of Ramon Castro's homers have come on the road. ... The Mets have won 15 games in their last at-bat this season. ... Carlos Delgado's four walks tied a career high first set in 1999 against the White Sox.

CHICAGO: Carlos Zambrano was treated with the usual summer staples - water and Gatorade - after he left in the sixth inning with heat-related cramping. Zambrano vowed to start drinking more water, saying he's never been a big water drinker. It's his second heat-related problem in a month and Friday's temperature was only 77 degrees. ... Kerry Wood came off the DL and it appeared as he warmed up in the seventh inning that he might get in his first game since last June 6. But Bob Howry, who'd warmed up earlier, got the call after the fans went wild thinking that Wood would enter the game. ... The Cubs have lost 16 games in an opponent's final at-bat this season. ... Shawn Marshall, who scratched his cornea the night before his start on Thursday, was given eye drops and will not wear his contact lenses until next week. Marshall said his vision was fine and was not responsible for his poor outing against the Phillies in which he gave up nine hits and seven runs in 2 2-3 innings.

HOUSTON: The Astros placed RHP Chris Sampson on the 15-day DL on Friday with a right ulnar collateral ligament sprain. LHP Stephen Randolph was brought up from Triple-A Round Rock. Randolph, 33, appeared in five games this season, with no decisions and a 17.36 ERA. He has appeared in 100 major league games and is 10-6 with a 5.29 ERA. Sampson (7-8, 4.53 ERA) was scheduled to pitch Sunday. Instead, RHP Matt Albers will start on Sunday against the Marlins. ... RHP Brandon Backe made his first rehab start on Thursday night for Double-A Corpus Christi at San Antonio. Backe allowed three runs on five hits over 5 innings. Backe had surgery on his right elbow on Sept. 7, 2006. This was his first appearance since Aug. 18, 2006, at Milwaukee.

FLORIDA: The Marlins placed LHP Renyel Pinto on the 15-day DL with a left shoulder strain. RHP Carlos Martinez was recalled from Double-A Carolina to replace Pinto, who left Thursday's game against the Colorado Rockies after throwing only five pitches in the fifth inning. ... RHP Josh Johnson underwent season-ending surgery on his elbow. Johnson made only four starts this season He pitched 15 2-3 innings and was 0-3 with a 7.47 ERA.

CINCINNATI: Manager Pete Mackanin altered his pitching rotation, moving LHP Bobby Livingston to Saturday night's game in Pittsburgh and bumping up RHP Bronson Arroyo (4-12) to Sunday's game on three days' rest. Arroyo lasted only 1 2-3 innings in a 7-2 loss to Washington on Wednesday, and his 58 pitches were about half as many as he throws in a normal start. He wasn't scheduled to start again until Tuesday. Mackanin said ``Livingston is in ink, Arroyo is in pencil'' - meaning he might change his mind. ... Mackanin also was the Pirates' interim manager after Lloyd McClendon was fired at the end of 2005 season. Mackanin had a 12-14 record.

PITTSBURGH: RHP Matt Morris makes his Pirates debut Saturday night, facing Cincinnati in his first outing since being traded by the Giants on Tuesday. Morris was 0-4 in his final four starts with San Francisco and is 8-6 in his career against Cincinnati. ... Maybe this is why the Pirates traded for Morris: He is 6-0 with a 2.37 ERA in eight career starts at PNC Park, though he usually played for better teams than the Pirates team he was facing. ... No. 5 starter Tony Armas won't be taken out of the rotation despite the addition of Morris and will start Wednesday at Arizona. Armas limited the Cardinals to one run in 6 1-3 innings on Wednesday night, his first start since May 17.

ST. LOUIS: OF Rick Ankiel's long wait to return to the major leagues could be over soon. The pitcher-turned-outfielder's power numbers at Triple-A Memphis (31 HR, 85 RBIs) have earned him a call up - possibly this month, manager Tony La Russa said. ``There's no doubt he'll be here in September. Whether he gets here before September, that remains to be discussed.'' ... RHP Joel Pineiro, acquired this week from the Red Sox, is looking forward to his first NL start Saturday. ``I'm excited about swinging the bat,'' he said. ``Hopefully, I don't pull a rib cage on the first swing.'' ... The Cardinals' bullpen threw a total of 9 2-3 innings Wednesday and Thursday, so La Russa said three relievers wouldn't be available Friday - though he wouldn't say who.

WASHINGTON: RHP Jason Simontacchi won't need surgery on his right elbow. Instead, he got a second cortisone shot and will be shut down for four to six days. Simontacchi is one of seven Nationals pitchers on the DL. Manager Manny Acta said Simontacchi eventually will head to the team's spring training complex in Viera, Fla., for what could be about two weeks. ... Three other injured Washington RHPs are headed to Florida: John Patterson, Jason Bergmann and Jesus Colome. Bergmann, sidelined by a hamstring injury, threw a bullpen session Friday ``with no problems,'' Acta said. The righty, 2-5 with a 4.56 ERA, is probably 10 to 15 days away from returning. ... RHP Ross Detwiler, the team's first-round pick in June's amateur draft, threw four innings of one-hit ball Thursday for the Gulf Coast League Nationals. He'll be promoted to Class-A Potomac and start there Wednesday or Thursday.

PHILADELPHIA: Kyle Lohse's status for his next scheduled start was undetermined by manager Charlie Manuel. Lohse, who left Thursday's game at Chicago after Jacque Jones lined a pitch off of his throwing arm, still had swelling in the arm. Manuel confirmed Lohse would throw a bullpen session on Sunday. ``He's got a hemorrhage on his arm, and it's still swollen,'' said Manuel. ``We'll know more on Sunday. If he gets the soreness and tightness out of there, he might be able to go.'' The Phillies have a day off Monday, so Lohse could get an extra day of rest. ... Catcher Rod Barajas was placed on the 15-day DL Friday with a right groin strain. Manuel also confirmed that he has a slight hamstring injury that has been bothering him for ``about the last five or six days.'' ... Manuel joked that the team would have no problems regardless of how many players were injured. ``We'll play who we have to,'' said Manuel. ``You never know - tomorrow may never get here.'' ... LHP Cole Hamels gets the start in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader. Hamels is 12-5 with a 3.50 ERA. In his other start against Milwaukee, he went eight innings and allowed two earned runs to get the victory.

MILWAUKEE: The altercation that occurred during Thursday's game between catcher Johnny Estrada and manager Ned Yost, and then by infielder Tony Graffanino and Yost, was briefly discussed before Friday's game. ``It's a dead issue as far as we're concerned'' said Estrada. ``It's something that happened and we're just trying to put it past us and move on.'' Yost was not as forthcoming in discussing it. ``With all due respect, there are some things you don't get to know,'' he told a larger than usual media contingent before Friday's game. ``What happened yesterday happened. I think it's going to be good for all of us. It just shows you the desire and intensity we all have to win.'' ... The 12 runs and 18 hits allowed to the Mets on Wednesday were both a season high. ... Saturday night's starter is RHP Dave Bush, who is 9-8 with a 4.87 ERA. Bush is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts against the Phillies.

ARIZONA: CF and leadoff hitter Chris Young entered Friday night's game at Los Angeles leading all rookies with 19 home runs. ... RF Justin Upton, the younger brother of Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton, made his first big league start one night after debuting as a late-inning defensive replacement against San Diego and fouling out in his only at-bat. Justin is one of two players on the Diamondbacks' roster who's a kid brother of an established big league veteran. The other is Stephen Drew, whose brother J.D. plays for the Red Sox. OF Scott Hairston, whose brother Jerry plays for the Texas Rangers, was traded by the D'Backs to San Diego last Saturday. ... Rookie C Mark Reynolds turned 24 years old on Friday.

LOS ANGELES: That strange interlude in the Dodgers' schedule - otherwise known as the Barry Bonds traveling circus - was replaced on Friday night at Chavez Ravine by a real live pennant race between the home team and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Four teams in the NL West - excluding Bonds' San Francisco Giants - were separated by 3 1/2 games entering Friday. ``This is a good opportunity for us,'' LF Luis Gonzalez said. ``If we can take all three of these games and San Francisco gets hot and plays well in San Diego, it'll definitely turn things around in a hurry. The way everybody's all piled up together in our division, you can go from first to fourth in a matter of four days.'' ... According to team spokesman Josh Rawitch, 60 daily press credentials were distributed for the series opener with the Diamondbacks - as opposed to 300 for each of the three games with the Giants. ... Gonzalez's single in Thursday night's 4-2 loss was the 250th of his career against San Francisco - the most he has against any team. ... 2B Jeff Kent didn't start for the fourth consecutive game because of a strained left hamstring.

Rangers place Loe on DL
August 3rd, 2007

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kameron Loe was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday night due to tightness in his lower back.

Loe suffered the injury during a bullpen session on Wednesday in Cleveland. The move is retroactive to July 30.

Loe's last start came July 29 at Kansas City when he gave up eight hits and six runs over 5 1/3 innings. He's lost three straight decisions to watch his record fall to 5-9 with a 5.80 ERA this season.

The Rangers replaced Loe's roster spot by recalling right-hander Mike Wood to start Saturday's game against the Blue Jays.

Waived by Twins, Cirillo goes to D-backs; Twins activate Cuddyer
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Infielder Jeff Cirillo was claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday after he was placed on waivers by the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins also reinstated right fielder Michael Cuddyer from the 15-day disabled list before their game against the Cleveland Indians. Cuddyer was out because of a bruised right thumb, and he will wear a protective sleeve while running the bases.

The Twins host the Indians again on Saturday. Oddsmakers have Minnesota at -121 favorites with the total set at 9 1/2.

Teams frequently send players through the waiver system in August, but they can pull them back if another club puts in a claim. Since the Twins needed to free a roster spot for Cuddyer, general manager Terry Ryan decided to allow Arizona to claim Cirillo without worrying about compensation in a trade.

The 37-year-old Cirillo left the Milwaukee Brewers, his original team, this winter for a $1.5 million, one-year contract and the prospect of more playing time.

He was bothered this spring by a medial meniscus cartilage tear in his left knee, though, and had trouble finding a comfort zone after spending about a month on the disabled list at the beginning of the season. Cirillo played mostly at third base and designated hitter, but rookie Brian Buscher and the recently activated Rondell White have been receiving the most at-bats at those spots.

Cirillo, a two-time All-Star who has also spent time in his career with the Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, was batting .261 with nine doubles, two triples, two homers and 21 RBIs in 153 at-bats. Cirillo will join an Arizona team that recently moved into first place in the NL West and play for manager Bob Melvin, whom he played for with the Mariners.

''It kind of works for a lot of people,'' Ryan said.

Cuddyer got hurt when he hit his hand on second base while trying to break up a double play in a game against the Detroit Tigers on July 18. He's been one of the team's few reliable hitters this year, not as productive as he was in his breakout last season but still an important part of the lineup.

Cuddyer was batting .289 with 10 home runs and 56 RBIs at the time of the injury.

Baseball Today - August 4

SCOREBOARD

Boston at Seattle (10:05 p.m. EDT). Daisuke Matsuzaka seeks win No. 13, facing off against Jarrod Washburn.

STARS

Friday

-Garrett Atkins, Rockies, had three hits, including a three-run homer, in Colorado's 9-2 win at Atlanta.

-Doug Davis, Diamondbacks, allowed three hits over eight innings in a 1-0 victory over the Dodgers.

-Yovani Gallardo, Brewers, struck out seven to win his third straight decision, leading Milwaukee over Philadelphia 2-1.

-Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals, drove in the winning run with a ninth-inning single and Washington beat St. Louis 3-2.

-Grady Sizemore, Indians, homered and had four RBIs in a 5-2 win over Minnesota.

-Scott Hairston, Padres, hit two homers, including the game-winner in the 10th inning of a 4-3 win over San Francisco.

SUSPENDED

Tigers infielder Neifi Perez was suspended for 80 games Friday after testing positive for a third time for a banned stimulant. Perez was suspended for 25 games on July 6 when he tested positive for a second time. Under baseball's labor contract, a player who tests positive for the first time is sent for counseling. Perez has been the only player suspended by baseball for stimulants since baseball banned them before the 2006 season.

BLANKED

Doug Davis allowed three hits over eight innings and catcher Chris Snyder homered in the eighth, leading Arizona to a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles and extending the Diamondbacks' lead over the Dodgers to two games in the NL West.

SURGING

The New York Mets (62-47) moved 15 games over .500 for the first time since early June with a 6-2 win over the Cubs on Friday. ... Baltimore's Daniel Cabrera improved to 6-0 in his career against Tampa Bay, 3-0 this year after a 3-1 win. ... Chicago's Jermaine Dye homered in a 7-4 win over Detroit and is now 27-for-84 with 10 homers, eight doubles and 18 RBIs since the All-Star break. ... Colorado has won five of six following a 9-2 win over Atlanta.

SLUMPING

Tampa Bay is 8-27 since June 25, following a 3-1 loss to Baltimore on Friday. ... Detroit lost its third straight and ninth in 11 games after a 7-4 loss to Chicago. ... Florida's Dontrelle Willis lost his eighth straight decision, 8-2 to Houston. It is the longest losing streak of his major league career, and Willis hasn't won since May 29 at the Chicago Cubs, a span of 12 starts.

STRONG IN DEFEAT

Mark Teixeira hit a solo home run in the ninth, his third in three games since being traded to Atlanta from Texas, but the Braves lost 9-2 to Colorado. ... Vladimir Guerrero went deep twice for the second consecutive day, but the Angels lost 8-4 to Oakland.

SPEAKING

''You have to be nasty to win. Right now we are a nice team who are getting their butts beat.'' - Detroit manager Jim Leyland after his team dropped its third straight and ninth of 11, 7-4 to Chicago on Friday.

Tigers place Miller on DL, recall Rodney
August 4th, 2007

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers placed rookie left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a left hamstring strain. The team recalled right-hander Fernando Rodney from Triple-A Toledo to fill the roster spot.

Miller, a 6-foot-6, 210-pounder who was the Tigers' top pick in the 2006 draft, is 5-4 with a 4.42 ERA this season, his first full tour in the majors. The former North Carolina standout spent just over two months in Detroit's farm system last summer before a September call-up.

Miller left his start Friday night against Chicago after four innings when he aggravated the hamstring.

Rodney was an integral part of the bullpen during the Tigers' run to the World Series in 2006. But he was just 1-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 27 appearances this season before being placed on the disabled list June 24. During his rehabilitation stint in Toledo, Rodney appeared in four games, tossing three scoreless innings.

D-backs claim Kennedy off waivers from A's
August 4th, 2007

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks continued to use the waiver wire to add to their roster as the club claimed pitcher Joe Kennedy off waivers from the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.

On Friday, Arizona claimed infielder Jeff Cirillo off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim from the Florida Marlins.

Kennedy went 3-9 with a 4.37 ERA in 27 games (16 starts) with the A's this season.

Oakland also announced that pitcher Ruddy Lugo has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to take Kennedy's spot on the roster.