MLB News and Notes August - 5

Notes from Saturday's games
August 4, 2007

KANSAS CITY: The Royals have lost 18 of their last 19 games at Yankee Stadium. ... CF David DeJesus singled in the third inning Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. It's the longest of the season for Kansas City. ... RHP Kyle Davies gave up five runs in three innings in his first start for the Royals. ``I had good stuff,'' said Davies, who was acquired from Atlanta on Tuesday. ``I just have to work on my location, and that's what we're going to do. It's not like it's shattering.'' ... The Royals used seven pitchers and allowed a season-high 21 hits. ``There's not much to say,'' manager Buddy Bell said. ``They're just swinging the bats great.''

NEW YORK: New York has scored 66 runs in its last six games. ... Six players had three or more hits in Saturday's 16-8 victory over Kansas City. It was the first time that had happened in club history since the second game of a doubleheader at Washington on Sept. 6, 1942, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It was the first time in the majors since Minnesota did it on Aug. 6, 2006, at Kansas City. ... 2B Robinson Cano is batting .482 (40-for-83) with five homers and 23 RBIs in his last 21 games. ... 3B Alex Rodriguez's 500 career homers have come off 305 different pitchers. ... New York is 24-8 in its last 32 games at Yankee Stadium. ... The Yankees optioned Sean Henn to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and designated Colter Bean for assignment to make room for RHP Phil Hughes, who started Saturday's game. ... Hughes allowed six runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings against Kansas City. It was his first big league game since May 1, when he had a no-hitter after 6 1-3 innings against Texas but was forced to leave due to a pulled left hamstring. His recovery was sidetracked when he injured his left ankle. ``My hamstring, ankle, everything held up well,'' the 21-year-old said. ... LHP Mike Myers got the win Saturday in his 865th appearance, snapping a tie with Phil Niekro for 24th on the career list. ... Roger Clemens turned 45 on Saturday.

TEXAS: The Rangers allowed six first-inning runs in a 9-5 loss to Toronto Saturday and have been outscored 80-45 in the first inning this season. ... Manager Ron Washington said he'll shake up his lineup for Sunday's series finale in Toronto. Jarrod Saltalamacchia will make his first start at catcher since joining Texas in a July 31 trade with Atlanta, Sammy Sosa will start at designated hitter, Brad Wilkerson will play first base and Jerry Hairston Jr. will start in center. ... The Rangers will use their off day on Aug. 9 to skip RHP Kameron Loe's spot in the starting rotation. Loe was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a stiff back, retroactive to July 30. He's expected to be healthy again within a week.

TORONTO: Frank Thomas hit two home runs in a 9-5 victory over Texas Saturday, giving him 505 for his career and moving him past Eddie Murray into sole possession of 20th place on baseball's career list. Thomas finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, giving him 1,639 for his career and moving him past Ernie Banks into sole possession of 24th on the career list. ... Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said he'll give 3B Troy Glaus and SS John McDonald the day off Sunday, freeing up space for INF Ray Olmedo and INF Hector Luna to make their Blue Jays debuts. ... Toronto has won seven straight at home, its longest home winning streak since taking eight straight April 14-21, 1999.

LOS ANGELES: RHP Dustin Moseley will keep his spot in the starting rotation for the time being. ``Dustin took a step forward (Friday night),'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``He maintained his stuff. We'll keep evaluating it but we're all happy with where he is.'' ... IF Howie Kendrick, on the 15-day disabled list with a fracture in his left index finger, will be evaluated next week. He's been out since July 9 and can throw and run, but he's unable to take grounders. ``One thing you can't rush is time to heal,'' Scioscia said. ``He's moving in the right direction.'' ... Scioscia said he's leaning toward letting the starting pitchers get an extra day of rest with two off-days coming up over the next two weeks. ``Right now our guys benefit from a little extra time,'' he said.

OAKLAND: X-rays taken of C Kurt Suzuki's sore left hand were negative. He was hit by a pitch in Friday night's game by RHP Scot Shields. ``It's always a little scary but everything is fine,'' Suzuki said. ``It's nothing more than a bruise.'' ... Manager Bob Geren won't push RHP Huston Street back into the closer's role. He was used in the eighth inning. LHP Alan Embree, who has retired the past 22 hitters he's faced, remains the closer. He set an Oakland left-handed record with his 13th save. ``Alan has done such a nice job I don't feel I need to rush with (Street),'' Geren said. ``We'll just get him out there and get a few appearances under his belt.'' ... RHP Ruddy Lugo was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to replace LHP Joe Kennedy, who was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lugo was 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA and a team-leading 10 saves in 17 relief appearances with the RiverCats.

CLEVELAND: LHP Jason Stanford was designated for assignment to make room for rookie Aaron Laffey, and he's expected to become a free agent. Stanford had a 3.61 ERA in 87 1-3 career innings, but never found his niche in stints with the team in 2003, 2004 and 2007. ``He has had his series of ups and downs, but he is a great competitor. We just didn't see any additional opportunity for him here,'' manager Eric Wedge said. The recent return of LHP Aaron Fultz from the disabled list made Stanford expendable. Wedge has been overworking Rafael Perez and Betancourt lately, and he's eager to use Fultz more in a middle role to relieve some of the burden. ``We have to try and handle them as best we can,'' Wedge said.

MINNESOTA: With Luis Castillo traded and Nick Punto struggling, rookies Alexi Casilla and Brian Buscher are going to get plenty of playing time at 2B and 3B. That will mean some patience is required of the Twins, who are trying to stay in the playoff chase. Casilla, especially, is prone to erratic play in the field. He made one error and another wild throw in Friday's game that led to two runs. ``He's going to try to make plays, sometimes when they're not there,'' manager Ron Gardenhire said. ... DH Rondell White is feeling better about his running and told Gardenhire he could probably help in the outfield by next week's series at Kansas City. ``That would be wonderful,'' the manager said. ``If we can get him doing that, we all know that he swings the bat better and plays better if he is in the outfield.''

CHICAGO: Manager Ozzie Guillen said RHP Gavin Floyd might stay in the rotation if Sunday's start at Detroit is successful. Floyd is 0-1 with a 9.58 ERA in two starts this season but Guillen said he wouldn't rule out a five- or six-man rotation if he pitches well. ... The White Sox need 82 home runs in their last 53 games to extend a streak of 200-homer seasons to eight. The Yankees are the only other team with seven straight 200-homer years.

DETROIT: Gary Sheffield said his right shoulder felt better Saturday, but manager Jim Leyland said he didn't expect the DH to be ready until at least Monday. Sheffield hasn't played since Aug. 1 at Oakland. ... The Tigers hoped to give RHP Fernando Rodney another rehab appearance at Triple-A Toledo but called him up Saturday because they don't expect RHP Chad Durbin to return until Monday. Durbin's wife gave birth to the couple's first child Friday. ... Leyland said he wasn't sure who would replace LHP Andrew Miller (hamstring), who was scheduled to start Wednesday against Tampa Bay before going on the 15-day disabled list Saturday.

BALTIMORE: 3B Melvin Mora, out since July 13 with a mid-foot sprain, will likely be activated from the 15-day disabled Sunday. Manager Dave Trembley said Mora will see team trainers for final clearance to return. ``I think there's a good chance he'll play,'' Trembley said. Mora played two minor league rehab games with the Gulf Coast League Orioles. ... Mora has 23 homers in 423 at_bats during his career against Tampa Bay. ... 2B Brian Roberts was rested and out of the starting lineup. ... SS Miguel Tejada was the DH for the fourth time this season. Trembley said Tejada was going to DH once during the weekend series with the Devil Rays.

TAMPA BAY: Hall of Famer Jim Palmer threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... RHP Jason Hammel (right biceps) had a bullpen session and could make his next scheduled start Tuesday. Hammel, who will be re-evaluated Sunday, left his last start Wednesday with arm tightness. ... RHP Jay Witasick, sidelined since July 22 with a strained right elbow, is expected to go on a minor league rehab assignment before being activated from the 15-day disabled list.

NEW YORK: Mets C Paul Lo Duca missed his sixth consecutive game because of a sore hamstring. Although Lo Duca says he's healthy enough to play, manager Willie Randolph wants to be careful with his starting catcher. ``He's not ready,'' Randolph said. ``No way am I going to put my number one catcher out there on the (fourth) of August with a possibility of me losing him for a month if he pops it again.'' Randolph said that Lo Duca will take part in pregame drills on Tuesday before a decision is made on his return. ... Randolph had the initials B.P. etched on his cap Saturday in honor of former Pirates teammate Bill Robinson, who passed away Friday. ``My man Bill Robinson was buried today,'' Randolph said. ``(He was) a brother of mine, taught me how to play the game, took me under his wing.'' ... Mets starter John Maine 2 2-3 innings was his shortest start since Sept. 30, 2005 at Tampa Bay when he was starting for Baltimore. His shortest outing of his career came on Sept. 20, 2005 against the Yankees, when he only pitched one inning.

CHICAGO: Manager Lou Piniella said Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol will not be available out of the bullpen on Sunday against the Mets. Marmol pitched two innings of relief on Friday and got one out in the eighth on Saturday. ... LHP Ted Lilly is 8-1 over his last 10 starts since June 15. He has a 3.04 ERA during the span. ... Reliever Kerry Wood, who was activated off the 60-day disabled list on Friday and hasn't pitched in a major league game in 14 months, may get his chance on Sunday night. ``We'll get Kerry in real quick. He won't be out for long probably (Sunday),'' said Piniella. ... Piniella is a big fan of Mets starter Tom Glavine, who will be going for his 300th win against the Cubs on Sunday night, but Piniella would rather have Glavine do it in front of his home crowd, instead of at Wrigley Field. ``He's a pro, I wish him well but not tomorrow. It would be really nice to do at home in Shea Stadium,'' said Piniella.

COLORADO: Manager Clint Hurdle rested LF Matt Holliday because of a sore thumb. Holliday said he injured the thumb sliding headfirst into home plate Friday night. He said he expects to play on Sunday. Hurdle also rested CF Willy Taveras to give Cory Sullivan a start. ``I hate to see a guy go more than two weeks without a start and it's been more than two weeks,'' said Hurdle of Sullivan. ``Tonight was an opportunity to get him involved.''

ATLANTA: INF Willy Aybar has completed a rehabilitation program for substance abuse and is working out in Florida in preparation for a minor league assignment. Braves general manager John Schuerholz said he hopes Aybar will be ready to join Atlanta's roster on Sept. 1. ... CF Andruw Jones was held out because of a sore left elbow. He said he had a cortisone shot in the elbow following Friday night's game. Jones has had increased problems with soreness in the elbow for several days and had the elbow wrapped in Friday night's game against Colorado. Jones also may be held out Sunday. The Braves are off Monday, giving Jones the chance for three straight days to rest the elbow.

HOUSTON: The promotion of LHP Stephen Randolph from Triple-A Round Rock on Friday gave the Astros three left-handed relievers. Mark McLemore and Trever Miller are the others. ``I don't ever remember having three healthy lefties in the bullpen,'' said manager Phil Garner, who previously managed Milwaukee and Detroit. ... RHP Brian Moehler entered Saturday night's game at Florida having pitched in each of Houston's previous five games. ... Following Sunday's game, Houston will head home for series against Chicago and Milwaukee. The Astros are 4-0-2 in their past six series at Minute Maid Park.

FLORIDA: LHP Scott Olsen is the scheduled starter for Sunday's series finale against Houston. It will be his third start since being arrested and charged with DUI and resisting arrest. ``We want to see what we've seen from him in the past three starts in terms of his concentration and composure,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ... RHP Ricky Nolasco (right elbow inflammation) continued his rehab by throwing on the side Saturday. Gonzalez said Nolasco will pitch in relief when he returns and likely won't be ready to start until late-August at the earliest. ... Gonzalez said RHP Rick VandenHurk will start Tuesday at Philadelphia.

CINCINNATI: Manager Pete Mackanin said that RHP Aaron Harang was on track to start Tuesday's game against Los Angeles. Harang, who is 10-3 for a team that was 18 games under .500 through Friday, has not pitched since July 28 due to a sore lower back. ... Cincinnati has not had a winning roadtrip since June 19-26, 2006. The Reds are 0-10-2 in road trips this season. ... LHP Eddie Guardado pitched a scoreless inning in a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Louisville Friday and is scheduled to throw again Sunday. He has not pitched this season after tearing his left elbow ligament and subsequently having Tommy John surgery.

PITTSBURGH: Manager Jim Tracy said that LHP Tom Gorzelanny has not experienced any setbacks with his sore left shoulder and will start Sunday, as has been planned since the middle of the week. Gorzelanny has not pitched since lasting only 2 1-3 innings in his previous start July 25. He was originally pushed back to Saturday and then to Sunday to give the shoulder one more day to feel better. ... OF Xavier Nady still has yet to return to the lineup since leaving Tuesday's game with a strained left hamstring. He was used as a pinch hitter Thursday. Tracy said the team hopes to have Nady back in the lineup Tuesday at Arizona. ... C Humberto Cota, who had appeared in only one game since April 22 and was with Triple-A Indianapolis, will have season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

PHILADELPHIA: In starter Cole Hamels' five losses, the Phillies have scored a combined eight runs, and never more than three. ... Tomorrow's starter, RHP Adam Eaton, is 9-7 with a 5.87 ERA this season. In five career games against the Brewers, Eaton has never lost and has a 4.20 ERA, including a no-decision earlier this season in Philadelphia. In that game, Eaton went 7 2-3 innings, allowing one earned run. ... Coming into Saturday, the Phillies had homered in 10 straight games against the Brewers. ... The Phillies haven't won at Miller Park since May of 2005. ... Phillies pitchers are tied with the Chicago Cubs for most hits this season with 39. Last season, the Phillies pitchers were last in the National League with 29. ... Kyle Lohse will throw a bullpen session Sunday to attempt to reduce soreness and tightness in his throwing arm. Lohse left his last start early after a line drive from the Cubs' Jacque Jones hit his forearm. The swelling in his arm had gone down by Friday, and a small red abrasion was the only mark on his arm.

MILWAUKEE: After Friday's home victory, the Brewers now have a home record of 38-19. The 38 wins at home leads the major leagues, five more than the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are second in the NL. ... Saturday, the Brewers will surpass the two million mark in attendance. It is the fourth straight year they will accomplish that feat, and the fifth since opening Miller Park in 2001. ... Friday's 2-1 win marked only the second time the Brewers were victorious scoring under three runs. The team is 2-22 in such contests. ... Sunday's starter, RHP Jeff Suppan is 3-5 with a 6.75 ERA in nine career starts against the Phillies. He lost to the Phillies on May 16th in Philadelphia, allowing four earned runs in seven innings. ... The 39,483 attendance of Friday's game marked the first time in eight games the Brewers did not host a sellout crowd. ... RHP Scott Linebrink was activated from the bereavement list before Saturday's game. To make room for Linebrink, RHP Elmer Dessens was designated for assignment. ... Craig Counsell, who was a late scratch before Friday's game, was available to pinch-hit. Counsell said it was a one-time thing, and was available to start Saturday's game.

ST. LOUIS: Manager Tony La Russa shook up his batting order, batting pitcher Joel Pineiro eighth and second baseman Adam Kennedy ninth. La Russa used this strategy 76 times in 1998 - but not since. ``I've been thinking about it for a while. Our offense has been very erratic,'' La Russa said. ``We're just not getting enough guys on base. (What) we're trying to do is get a legitimate position player in the lineup.'' Kennedy regularly batted ninth with the Los Angeles Angels last season. ...1B Albert Pujols was not in the starting lineup for just the second time this season due to a sore right elbow. La Russa said he was available to pinch hit.

WASHINGTON: RHP Tim Redding has won just once in six starts despite a 2.43 ERA. ``Every fifth or sixth day lately has been a big step for me,'' Redding said. ``Every start I get up here is a big step. It's been almost two seasons since I've been up here.'' Redding pitched in 10 games in 2005 - nine with San Diego and one with the New York Yankees - without winning. Since 2004, he has just one win - on July 8 against Milwaukee. ...Saturday's game time temperature was 88 degrees, but the Nationals are thinking cool. ``High temp upper 50s. Low temp lower 50s,'' the board outside the team's clubhouse read. After Sunday's game, Washington travels to San Francisco to play the Giants. ``At times that helps to rejuvenate yourself,'' manager Manny Acta said.