Notes from Sunday's AL games
August 5, 2007
KANSAS CITY: LF Joey Gathright made a nice catch to retire Melky Cabrera in the first inning, tumbling onto the wall in foul territory. ``I tried to avoid the wall but I couldn't,'' he said. ``It didn't feel too good but at least I got the ball.'' ... RHP Gil Meche dropped to 3-4 with a 4.80 ERA in 11 career starts against New York. ... 1B Ross Gload is batting .500 (19-for-38) with two home runs and 11 RBIs in his career against the Yankees. ... CF David DeJesus' team-best 13-game hitting streak ended when he went 0-for-4.
NEW YORK: The Yankees sold out their six-game homestand. ... CF Melky Cabrera singled in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. ... RF Bobby Abreu has gotten three hits in four of his last five games. He is batting .609 (14-for-23) with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last six. ... RHP Luis Vizcaino turns 33 on Monday.
TEXAS: C/1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia, acquired in a trade with Atlanta last week, made his debut behind the plate Sunday and impressed manager Ron Washington with his receiving skills. ``He was excellent,'' Washington said. ``He made every pitch that was thrown look like it was a strike.'' Saltalamacchia also snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a single in the seventh and finished 2-for-4. ... OF Frank Catalanotto hit his sixth career leadoff home run Sunday and is four runs shy of 500 for his career. ... RHP Vicente Padilla (right triceps irritation) was scheduled to pitch four innings for Double-A Frisco on Sunday and will make at least one more minor league rehab start before rejoining the Rangers.
TORONTO: OF Matt Stairs became the third Canadian-born player to reach 1,500 games Sunday, going 3-for-3 with three doubles and two RBIs in a 4-1 victory over Texas. Larry Walker and Terry Puhl also reached the 1,500 game plateau. ... RHP Jeremy Accardo recorded his 20th save Sunday. The 25-year-old became the third-youngest pitcher to reach the mark this season, behind Chad Cordero and Francisco Rodriguez. ... The Blue Jays have won eight consecutive home games, matching their longest home winning streak since April 14-22, 1999. Toronto's last home defeat was a 4-2 loss to Seattle on July 20.
LOS ANGELES: OF Juan Rivera has begun taking batting practice and throwing long toss in addition to running in 90-foot intervals as he recovers from a broken left leg. He has yet to play this year after suffering the injury during winter ball. ... RHP Chris Resop, on the disabled list with right triceps tendinitis, is undergoing treatment at the Angels spring training facility in Tempe, Ariz. ... RHP Jered Weaver, who will face the Red Sox on Monday, has given up four hits and a walk to Boston's David Ortiz in six career at bats. The rest of the current Red Sox roster is a combined 5-for-40 against Weaver. ... OF Garret Anderson hit his first triple of the season and the 32nd of his career. Of his 2,147 career hits, 1 1-2 percent have been triples.
OAKLAND: RHP Dan Haren, who has hit three batters, threw a pitch behind Vladimir Guerrero in the first inning that drew warnings to both teams from home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor and crew chief Joe West. ... SS Donnie Murphy was a late scratch because of stiffness in his lower back. J.J. Furmaniak replaced Murphy in the starting lineup, his first major league start since Oct. 1, 2005, while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. ... LHP Dallas Braden, scheduled to pitch at Texas on Monday, will be looking to end his personal six-game losing streak. He won his major league debut in Baltimore on April 24 and has since gone 0-6 with a 5.85 ERA in 10 games. ... 1B Dan Johnson hit his first home run since hitting one in three straight games June 30-July 2.
CLEVELAND: With Sunday's loss, the Indians fell to 10-13 since the All-Star break. ``Obviously we don't have a whole lot going our way right now except our starting pitching has been fantastic,'' Casey Blake said. ``Certainly our offense isn't clicking on all cylinders. But we are still optimistic that when we do get it going we should be tough to beat.'' ... OF Grady Sizemore snapped a 12-game hitting streak after going 0-for-3. ... Manager Eric Wedge said he's pleased thus far with the production with Sizemore and Kenny Lofton at the top of the batting order. Lofton made his fifth start in the No. 2 spot on Sunday since being acquired from Texas two weeks ago. Wedge is hoping the order of Sizemore, Lofton and Casey Blake will give the Indians an early offensive lift.
MINNESOTA: Manager Ron Gardenhire said OF Lew Ford seemed shocked but didn't say much after being optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. Gardenhire said the Twins demoted Ford and called up LHP Carmen Cali to provide some relief for the bullpen. Ford has been a disappointment, batting .232 with six doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs in 49 games. ``I had to make a move and he can go down there and get some swings,'' Gardenhire said, adding he had plenty of outfielders and needed to keep his infield intact. ... Gardenhire said DH Rondell White, who came off the DL on July 22 after being out nearly all season with a strained right calf muscle, is expected to get some playing time in the outfield this week. ... C Joe Mauer threw out two runners attempting to steal second on Sunday, bringing his season total to 14 of 28.
CHICAGO: OF Jerry Owens doubled Sunday at Detroit to extend his hitting streak to seven games and has reached base safely in 18 of his last 19 games. ... The White Sox did not homer Sunday, which means they must hit 80 home runs in their last 51 games to extend their streak of 200-homer seasons to eight. The Yankees also have an active seven-season streak. ... Sunday's victory secured Chicago's first three-game series sweep at Detroit since April 10-13, 2006. The White Sox have won three of their last four series.
DETROIT: RHP Chad Durbin will take LHP Andrew Miller's place in the rotation Wednesday against Tampa Bay. Manager Jim Leyland made the decision after LHP Kenny Rogers (elbow inflammation) did not feel ready after throwing Sunday morning. Durbin, who rejoined the club Sunday after his wife gave birth to the couple's first child, is 6-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 14 starts this season. ... RHP Joel Zumaya (finger strain) threw Sunday but Leyland said there's no timetable for his return. The reliever has been on the disabled list since May 3. ... Morning rains likely kept some fans away Sunday as the Tigers saw a Comerica Park record streak of 14 straight sellouts end.
BALTIMORE: INF-OF Freddie Bynum, sidelined since July 7 because of a strained left hamstring, might be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. He is scheduled to play in minor league rehab games through Monday. ``The reports say he is not experiencing any discomfort and his leg is fine,'' manager Dave Trembley said. ``Hopefully he'll be ready to go.'' ... Trembley said LHP Brian Burres will remain in the rotation. Burres allowed seven runs and eight hits over 3 1-3 innings in Saturday's 9-2 loss to Tampa Bay. ... INF Aubrey Huff has hit four of his eight homers this season against Tampa Bay.
TAMPA BAY: RF Delmon Young has not homered in his past 39 games. The rookie has appeared in all of the Devil Rays' 110 games this season and is hitting .292 with nine homers and 57 RBIs. ... RHP Jason Hammel (right biceps) was re-evaluated and cleared to make his next scheduled start Tuesday at Detroit. ... RHP Jason Witasick (right elbow strain) threw 13 minutes off a bullpen mound. It hasn't been determined if he will come off the 15-day disabled list when eligible Tuesday. ... LF Carl Crawford has three homers in the last six games after not hitting one in his previous 42 games.
BOSTON: IF-OF Eric Hinske is heading back to Boston instead of onto his team's next stop at the Los Angeles Angels because of complications with his wife Kathryn's pregnancy. ``He has some things to take care of,'' manager Terry Francona said. ``That's where he has to be.'' ... Francona wouldn't give specifics on what he was expecting Monday in RHP Curt Schilling's first start in almost six weeks. ``It would be good if he went out and pitched eight innings every time,'' Francona said, adding Schilling's pitches looked ``crisp'' in a bullpen session over the weekend. ... Francona said Boston will option LHP Javier Lopez to Triple-A Pawtucket to clear roster space for Schilling's return from the DL Monday - not because he deserves it, but because ``at the moment, he's an optional player.''
SEATTLE: Manager John McLaren benched 1B Richie Sexson for the second consecutive game. The slugger, in the fourth year of a $55 million, five-year contract, is batting .196 and was 2-for-25 (.080) on the homestand. During a three-strikeout night Friday, the sold out home crowd cheered him for simply fouling a ball at the plate. ``When people boo you - when people cheer when you hit a foul ball - it's a humbling experience. It hurts,'' McLaren said, adding it will good for Sexson to get away from the jeers when the Mariners start a road trip to Baltimore and Chicago Tuesday. ... Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-5 and is hitless in his last 12 at_bats, one short of his season high. ... Jose Vidro, the usual DH, started at 2B for the third time this season, replacing slumping Jose Lopez. Vidro extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single in the ninth.
Notes from Sunday's NL games
August 5, 2007
NEW YORK: C Paul Lo Duca returned to the lineup after missing the previous six games with a sore hamstring. Lo Duca spent 30 minutes convincing manager Willie Randolph that he was ready to return. ``It took some negotiation to get into the lineup,'' Lo Duca said. ``But Willie finally cracked. I grinded him down pretty good.'' Lo Duca added that he was feeling better. Meanwhile, Randolph discounted his catcher's negotiating skills. ``He didn't convince me,'' Randolph said. ``I watched him run. He looked like he had improved from the other day.'' ... RHP Brian Lawrence will be skipped in the rotation. With Monday's off-day, the Mets will pitch LHP Oliver Perez, RHP Orlando Hernandez and RHP John Maine in the three-game series against the Braves starting Tuesday. Randolph said that Lawrence might get a start over the weekend.
CHICAGO: Manager Lou Piniella gave reliever Carlos Marmol the night off. He pitched two innings on Friday and got one out in the seventh inning on Saturday. ... On Saturday, the Cubs scored all their runs against the Mets with two outs in the third inning. They scored the third-most runs in the NL this season with two outs and Cliff Floyd leads the team with a .377 average with two outs. ... Starting with Sunday's game, the Cubs will play seven straight night games. ... Before Sunday's game, OF Jacque Jones, who got off to a slow start, had hit safely in 11 of his last 15 games with a .339 batting average during the span. ... The Cubs starting rotation has a .600 winning percentage which leads the NL. ... Jason Marquis, Chicago's starter Sunday night, was a teammate of Tom Glavine while with the Braves from 2000-02.
COLORADO: LF Matt Holliday didn't play Saturday night because of a sore thumb. He took batting practice before Sunday's game and felt OK and was in the lineup. Holliday said he injured the thumb sliding head first into home plate Friday night. He hit his head on the wall trying for a leaping catch of Chipper Jones' two-run homer in the fifth. ... LHP Brian Fuentes, on the 15-day DL since July 13 (retroactive to July 4) with a strained left lateral, threw 25 pitches in the bullpen and said his shoulder felt fine. He's scheduled to throw a simulated game on Tuesday. Fuentes has an 0-4 record with 4.06 ERA and 20 saves. ... RHP Rodrigo Lopez, placed on the 15-Day DL on Thursday after an MRI indicated a partial tear of the flexor tendon in his right arm, said he will get another opinion next week. He was 5-4 with a 4.42 ERA.
ATLANTA: The double by C Corky Miller was his first since July 14, 2002, against Houston when he was with Cincinnati. ... CF Andruw Jones didn't start for the second straight game. He's been playing despite a sore left elbow. He said he had a cortisone shot in the elbow following Friday night's game, and is expected to play Tuesday when the Braves play the Mets. ... 3B Chipper Jones, who is battling a sore left thumb, went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in Saturday night's 6-4 win. He has struck out three times in only 26 of 1,848 career games. Jones said the problem was not his thumb, but in the mechanics of his swing. He took BP after Saturday night's game and against before Sunday's game with hitting coach Terry Pendleton in an effort to fix it. ``Something in my timing mechanism is not right,'' Jones said. ``I've just got to go on and keep swinging until my timing's back. It was a little better today.'' ... RHP Buddy Carlyle, who injured his side while batting in his previous start and had to leave after five innings, threw a regular bullpen session on Sunday. He said he felt fine and would be the starter on Tuesday against the New York Mets.
HOUSTON: With a runner on first in the ninth, pinch-hitter Luke Scott hit into 1-5-3 doubleplay against Florida. ``It was going to be a base hit all they way,'' Scott said. ``The ball hit off the pitcher's leg and went right to the third baseman. That's the way it has been going for us this year.'' ... LHP Trever Miller hasn't allowed a run in his past 16 outings, a span of 13 innings. ... Houston has homered in eight consecutive games.
FLORIDA: 1B Mike Jacobs went 0-for-5 Sunday and is hitless in his past 25 at_bats. ``I'll be all right,'' he said. ``It's not the first time I've struggled, and it won't be the last.'' ... OF Cody Ross, who had two RBIs Sunday, is batting .400 (8-for-20) with runners in scoring position. ... The Marlins won on a walkoff wild pitch for the first time in franchise history Saturday against Houston.
CINCINNATI: Sunday's postponement by rain of a game in Pittsburgh robbed the Reds of a chance to earn a split during its six-game roadtrip. Of the 13 trips Cincinnati has taken this season, the team has not posted a winning record in any of them. The Reds have lost 11 and split only two. ... The rainout did, however, give the Reds their third sweep of the season - albeit an abbreviated one - and all three have come in the past month. ... The Reds have the second-best record (16-13) among NL Central teams since Pete Mackanin took over as interim manager.
PITTSBURGH: RHP Matt Morris was merely adequate in his Pirates' debut Saturday, but much of the focus surrounding his acquisition centers on his ability to act as a mentor for the young Pirates pitching staff. ``But performance is always number one,'' general manager Dave Littlefield said. ``That's what we're most interested in, and I feel confident he's gong to give us some good, solid performances.'' ... Closer RHP Matt Capps went 30 days between save opportunities before losing Saturday night's game. ``You've got to find spots to plug him in and you give him an inning here and an inning there to keep him as sharp as possible,'' manager Jim Tracy said, ``so when a situation like last night presents itself, he's the guy that goes out there.'' ... OF Chris Duffy, on the disabled list since June 29 with a sprained left ankle, has resumed baseball activities. Littlefield said there is no time table for his return.
PHILADELPHIA: This time the Phillies had the dramatic come-from-behind victory. Philadelphia scored five runs in the ninth inning to tie the game at 6 on Sunday. They scored two more in the 11th to win. ``We were very lucky,'' said manager Charlie Manuel. ``I feel like definitely we had some luck there at the end.'' On Saturday night, the Brewers came back from a four-run deficit to win 6-5. ... The victory gave the Phillies a 3-4 record on their road trip. After a day off they play Florida at home Tuesday night. ... Pat Burrell singled in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, which tied his career record.
MILWAUKEE: The Brewers' 8-6 loss in 11 innings to Philadelphia on Sunday gave them a 3-3 record on their homestand. Claudio Vargas (9-3) pitches Monday night as Milwaukee opens a six-game road trip in Colorado. Although the Brewers have a woeful 21-32 away record, manager Ned Yost is looking forward to going on the road. ``I see it as a challenge. I embrace it,'' he said. ... Rookie Ryan Braun hit his 20th home run Sunday to give Milwaukee a 5-1 lead. He did it in his 64th game to become the fastest Brewer to reach 20 homers. The old mark was 94 by Bill Schroeder. Braun also got there quicker than any major leaguer since Albert Pujols, who did it in 63 games in 2001.
ST. LOUIS: 1B Albert Pujols returned to the lineup after missing Saturday's game with a sore right elbow. It was the first game Pujols missed all season. ... Manager Tony La Russa batted his starting pitcher in the eighth spot for the second straight game. Ironically, the batter hitting ninth was 2B Aaron Miles, who pitched a perfect eighth inning in Saturday's 12-1 loss. ... LHP Tyler Johnson, who's been on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left biceps since June 19, should be reactivated from the DL sometime early this week. ... La Russa was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing a checked swing, his second this season.
WASHINGTON: LHP John Lannan will pitch against Barry Bonds on Monday in San Francisco. It will be the 22-year-old rookie's third major league start. ``I'm really not focusing that much on it. When I do have to face him, if the situation arises and I have to pitch around him, I will. If I have the opportunity to pitch against him, I will have a game plan. I will make smart pitches and just pitch my game,'' Lannan said. ... Nationals SS Felipe Lopez left the game in the sixth inning with tendinitis in his right knee. He's listed as day-to-day. ...3B Ryan Zimmerman has 13 game-winning RBIs this season.
ARIZONA: RHP Dustin Nippert was optioned to Triple-A Tucson to make room for LHP Joe Kennedy, who joined his new teammates a day after getting claimed off waivers from Oakland. ``I wasn't surprised that I was put on waivers, but surprised that I was let go with no compensation,'' Kennedy said. ``I'm looking forward to this situation and being a part of it. It's a great opportunity for me.'' ... LF Eric Byrnes, who played across the Bay from Barry Bonds for six seasons with the Athletics, was glad Bonds was finally able to tie Hank Aaron's home run record Saturday night at San Diego. ``I'm sure it would have been nice for it to happen in San Francisco, but I'm sure he's just happy to get it out of the way. Hopefully, 756 happens there and he can get the proper celebration that he deserves. To play the game that long and be that consistent and hit that many home runs - and to be able to endure all that he's endured and continue to persevere through all that - says a lot about him as a player and as a person. That is the greatest record in all of sports, so I hope people appreciate what that's going on. As a colleague and as a friend, I'm proud of him.''
LOS ANGELES: 3B Nomar Garciaparra, a two-time AL batting champ with Boston, was 0-for-4 during Brandon Webb's shutout against the Dodgers, and is hitless in 17 career at_bats against him. ... Tom Catlin, the Dodgers' vice president of creative services, said the reason Barry Bonds' record-tying 755th home run wasn't shown on the stadium's video board during Friday night's game was because the crew independently felt that showing it would only intensify the booing that began after a graphic with Bonds' face and the information on the homer was put up on the screen. ``We do feel that it's incumbent on us to inform our fans that it happened, but we didn't feel like it was something that we would want to celebrate here,'' Catlin said. ``There was no plan to not show it, but there was a miscommunication in that a graphic would be enough. But if he does break the record, we will show the video in the stadium.'' Bonds didn't play on Sunday, and the Dodgers won't be back at Chavez Ravine until Aug. 13.
SAN FRANCISCO: RHP Russ Ortiz pitched in his final rehab start Saturday at Triple-A Fresno, allowing five runs and six hits in five innings. He could pitch in relief this week and then perhaps start one of the team's two games of a makeup doubleheader Aug. 13 at Pittsburgh. ``If he feels fine, we'll find a spot for him,'' manager Bruce Bochy said. Ortiz has been out during his second DL stint of the year since June 7 with a strained right forearm. ... LHP Pat Misch pitched well in his first major league start Saturday and might have earned himself another shot come Thursday. ... The Giants have played in front of 26 straight sellout crowds, starting July 6 at St. Louis. That includes 12 straight in their waterfront ballpark, where the Giants open a seven-game homestand Monday night against Washington as Barry Bonds tries for his 756th home run to break Hank Aaron's 33-year-old record.
SAN DIEGO - RHP Clay Hensley, who allowed Bonds' 755th homer, was optioned to Triple-A Portland before Sunday's game and replaced on the roster by RHP Mike Thompson. The Padres needed a fresh arm after using all seven relievers in Saturday night's 3-2, 12-inning win. ... RHP Justin Germano left Sunday's game after getting hit by a comebacker on the right thumb but is probable to make his next scheduled start Friday night at Cincinnati. ... Greg Maddux made his ninth career pinch-running appearance, and his first since June 4, 1988, at the New York Mets while with the Chicago Cubs. ... Marcus Giles snapped an 0-for-15 skid with a game-tying single in the second.
Kerry Wood returns, pitches a scoreless inning for Cubs against Mets
August 5, 2007
CHICAGO (AP) -Kerry Wood came back and pitched a scoreless inning of relief Sunday night, his first major league appearance with the Chicago Cubs since June 6 of last season.
Wood, who pitched only four games last season because of shoulder problems, had been rehabbing this season and finally came off the disabled list last Friday.
When he entered Sunday night's game against the Mets, Wrigley Field erupted with a loud ovation and the crowd that had come to see if Tom Glavine could get his 300th career win began chanting ``Kerry-Kerry-Kerry.''
Wood's first pitch was clocked at 93 mph and he retired New York's Paul LaDuca on a grounder to third. Wood allowed one hit and struck out Jose Reyes to end the inning.
The 1998 NL Rookie of the Year, Wood's career has been slowed by injuries. He won 14 games in 2003 and pitched the Cubs into the playoffs. His most memorable performance came in his rookie season when he struck out 20 Houston Astros in a one-hitter in just his fifth major league start.
Baseball Today - August 6
SCOREBOARD
Monday, Aug. 6
Tampa Bay at Detroit (7:05 p.m. EDT). Justin Verlander (11-4) tries to help the Tigers end a five-game losing streak.
STARS
Sunday
-Tom Glavine, Mets, earned his 300th victory in an 8-3 win over the Cubs.
-Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks, allowed seven hits and struck out four in his fifth career shutout and Arizona topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0.
-Yunel Escobar, Braves, hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning in Atlanta's 6-5 win over Colorado.
-Wes Helms, Phillies, hit a two-out, two-run double in the 11th inning and Philadelphia came back to beat Milwaukee 8-6.
-Scott Baker, Twins, allowed four hits in eight innings and retired 19 of his last 22 batters in Minnesota's 1-0 victory over the Indians.
300 WINS
Tom Glavine joined pitching's most prestigious club with a vintage performance, earning his 300th win Sunday in the Mets' 8-3 victory over the Cubs. Glavine (10-6) became the 23rd pitcher with 300 victories, the first since former teammate Greg Maddux reached the milestone in 2004 while with the Cubs. The 41-year-old Glavine is only the fifth lefty to win 300.
HOMESPUN
The New York Yankees beat Kansas City 8-5 on Sunday to wrap up a 5-1 homestand. The Yankees have scored 102 runs in their last eight games at Yankee Stadium and improved to 18-7 since the All-Star break, moving 11 games over .500 for the first time this year.
DEMOTED
San Diego right-hander Clay Hensley was optioned to Triple-A Portland on Sunday, a day after serving up the home run that allowed Barry Bonds to tie Hank Aaron's record. The demotion had nothing to with Bonds' historic shot. San Diego's bullpen was taxed after two straight extra-inning games, and the Padres needed a fresh arm.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Fausto Carmona allowed one run in seven innings but lost in Cleveland's 1-0 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. It was his second straight after winning five in a row. ... Ryan Spilborghs hit a pair of solo home runs in Colorado's 6-5 loss to Atlanta. It was the second time he has hit two homers in a game. He also did it on June 10 at Baltimore.
STREAKS
Erik Bedard won his career-best eighth straight decision in Baltimore's 11-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Bedard (12-4) is 8-0 in his last 10 starts since losing to Colorado on June 10. ... Brandon Webb pitched a complete game in Arizona's 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers and extended his scoreless streak to 24 consecutive innings. ... Washington beat St. Louis 6-3 for their first six-game winning streak in more than a year. ... Bobby Jenks pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 32nd save in the Chicago White Sox's 3-1 win over Detroit. He has retired 32 straight batters.
SPEAKING
''Never really gotten hit by a moving vehicle before. That was the most athletic thing I did all day.'' - Boston's Coco Crisp, on the ''Mariner Moose'' mascot clipping him with an ATV during a stunt in the middle of the fifth inning of a 9-2 win over Seattle on Sunday.
Cubs' Soriano out 2-to-4 weeks after injuring quad
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs star left fielder Alfonso Soriano strained his right quadriceps during Sunday's 8-3 loss to the New York Mets and will be sidelined 2-to-4 weeks.
Soriano singled with two outs in the third for Chicago's first hit and then tried to go to third on a single by Ryan Theriot. Soriano pulled up between second and third, favoring his right leg, and tried to hop to third base, where he was tagged out easily. He was then helped off the field.
''It's going to be a tough loss. I don't know what we'll do,'' Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. ''Losing Soriano is the toughest thing about this homestand.''
Soriano was replaced in left field by Cliff Floyd, who had been playing right. Mark DeRosa went from second base to right and Mike Fontenot entered the game at second.
The Mets were leading 1-0 at the time behind Tom Glavine, who became the 23rd pitcher with 300 wins.
Chicago remained one game behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
Yankees release Mike Myers
August 6th, 2007
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees have released relief pitcher Mike Myers.
Myers had a solid record of 3-0 with a 2.66 earned run average in 55 games this season, but the veteran lefty struggled in the most important part of his job as left-handed batters were hitting .312 against him.
In his final appearance as a Yankee on Sunday against Kansas City, Myers gave up a run on two hits in one inning of work.
The 38-year-old Myers was in his second season with the Yankees. He has also pitched for Detroit, Florida, Milwaukee, Colorado, Arizona, Boston and Seattle since breaking into the majors in 1995, and has an overall record of 24-24 with a 4.11 ERA and 14 saves in 866 appearances -- all in relief.
Umpires balk at background checks
August 6th, 2007
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - The World Umpires Association is refusing to cooperate with a Major League Baseball request for background checks of its members.
The union called the request a "knee-jerk, misguided witch hunt" in response to the NBA betting scandal involving referee Tim Donaghy.
"The umpires believe that the integrity of the game is paramount and understand the need for thorough security and personal background investigations in light of recent allegations of wrongdoing affecting the National Basketball Association," WUA spokesman Lamell McMorris said. "However, the umpires have decided not to sanction the league's decision to launch background investigations until they come back to the negotiating table to answer critical questions regarding the process and use of the information.
"We are committed to fulfilling our obligation to maintain the integrity of the game, but Major League Baseball also has a responsibility to do what's in the best interest of the sport and its fans -- and that is to not engage in knee-jerk, misguided witch hunts against the umpires without fair negotiations. The league hasn't investigated the umpires in the past thirty years for good reason -- our guys are of the highest ethical standing."
Last week, MLB indicated that the league will initiate background checks of each major league and minor league umpire for the first time since they were hired.
The World Umpires Association represents MLB's 70 full-time umpires.
Maroth heads to disabled list
August 6th, 2007
St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Mike Maroth was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow tendinitis on Monday. The move is retroactive to August 5.
Maroth has lost his last four decisions, and has been charged with 26 earned runs and 36 hits over 11 1/3 innings in his last four appearances.
To fill the roster spot, the Cardinals activated pitcher Tyler Johnson from the disabled list in time for the club's tilt with San Diego. Johnson was 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 37 games this season before heading to the DL on June 19 with a left bicep injury.