MLB News and Notes September 25

Padres LF Milton Bradley tears ACL
September 24, 2007

SAN DIEGO (AP) -Padres left fielder Milton Bradley tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee when he was spun to the ground by his manager Sunday during a blowup with an umpire and will miss the rest of the season.

The diagnosis came from an MRI exam, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had yet to be made.

Bradley, who helped spark the wild-card leading Padres during the season's second half, was ejected by Mike Winters. He then hurt his knee during a bizarre scene when manager Bud Black spun him to the ground to keep him from going after the first base umpire in the eighth inning of Sunday's 7-3 loss to Colorado.

The Padres, trying to reach the playoffs for the third straight year, entered Monday night's game at San Francisco with a one-half game lead over Philadelphia in the wild-card race. San Diego was 2 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West with seven to play. San Diego had won seven straight against last-place teams San Francisco and Pittsburgh before their offense went flat and lost three straight to the hot-hitting Rockies.

The Padres were incredulous after Sunday's game, saying Winters baited Bradley, leading to the confrontation.

Bradley, whose volatile temper has overshadowed his talent during his career, called it ``the most unprofessional and most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.''

``It's terrible. And now, because of him, my knee's hurt,'' Bradley said Sunday. ``If this costs me my season because of that, he needs to be reprimanded. I'm taking some action. I'm not going to stand pat and accept this, because I didn't do nothing wrong.''

Bradley was playing his third game back from a 12-game injury layoff. Batting .313, Bradley hit his 11th homer earlier in the game.

As Bradley walked to the plate in the eighth, umpire Brian Runge asked the player if he had flipped his bat in the ump's direction after taking a called third strike to end the fifth.

``I said, 'Are you kidding me? That's ridiculous,''' Bradley said. ``He said, 'Well, it was reported to me by the other umpires that you threw your bat at me.' And I said, 'That's completely ridiculous. I've done a lot of things. I'm trying to turn it around. I would never harm anybody.'''

Bradley singled, then asked Winters if he told Runge he threw his bat. ``He goes, 'Yeah, you did.' I go, 'Are you kidding me? That's completely ridiculous. If I strike out and the inning's over, why are you looking at me? Everything's always about me.'''

Then, a fan heckled Winters.

``I pointed to the guy in the crowd, affirming it,'' Bradley said.

Bradley said Winters responded with a string of expletives.

``That's when I went at him, and he kicked me out,'' Bradley said.

First base coach Bobby Meacham began to restrain Bradley, and Black came running out. Bradley got away from Meacham, but Black grabbed him by the jersey.

Bradley tried to get free and, after a few seconds, Black spun Bradley around and the player collapsed. Bradley immediately grabbed his right knee and eventually had to be helped off the field.

``I was trying to pull Milton away from the argument,'' said Black, later ejected for arguing a checked-swing call against Adrian Gonzalez.

Crew chief Bruce Froemming wouldn't allow a reporter to speak with Winters.

Meacham defended Bradley, and also said Winters used profanities.

``In 26 years of baseball, I can honestly say that's the most disconcerting conversation I have ever heard from an umpire to a player,'' Meacham said. ``It was almost like he wanted to agitate the whole thing. He wanted to get Milton boiling for some reason. Milton, he held his cool. I was just appalled.''

Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, a former general manager and president of the Oakland Athletics, said he'd never seen a player injured like that. Asked about Black's actions, though, Alderson said: ``But as far as I'm concerned, it was necessary.''

Alderson used to work in the commissioner's office, where one of his duties was overseeing umpires.

``We're not going to sit by and see an umpire bait a player,'' Alderson said. He added that if the commissioner's office concludes the situation was handled appropriately, ``I'll be shocked.''

Alderson and general manager Kevin Towers didn't immediately return calls seeking comment on Monday.

Mulder, Molina undergo surgery
September 24th, 2007

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals announced that both catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Mark Mulder underwent surgical procedures on Monday.

Molina underwent a medial menisectomy of his right knee and should be able to assume full athletic activities in four-to-six weeks. In 111 games this season for the Cardinals, Molina hit .275 with six home runs and 40 RBI.

Mulder underwent left shoulder arthroscopic surgery that revealed complete healing of the previous labral repair and only partial healing of his previous rotator cuff repair.

The left-hander, who had arthroscopic surgery earlier in the season, underwent debridement of the unhealed portion of the rotator cuff and is expected to return in 2008. Mulder was 0-3 with a 12.27 ERA in three September starts.

Mulder also battled through shoulder problems in 2006, going 6-7 with a 7.14 ERA in 17 starts.

Each procedure was performed by Cardinals' team physician Dr. George Paletta in St. Louis.

Notes from Monday's games
September 24, 2007

TORONTO: 2B Aaron Hill extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He went 9-for-19 with three doubles in the four-game series. After a couple of misplays during the weekend, he made a diving stop to rob Bobby Abreu of a hit. ... The Blue Jays expect RHP A.J. Burnett to pitch Tuesday night in Baltimore. He lives in the Baltimore area, and was there Monday on what manager John Gibbons said was ``personal business.''

NEW YORK: Roger Clemens is scheduled to start Tuesday night at Tampa Bay. He's been pushed back a couple of days because of hamstring trouble. Manager Joe Torre said Clemens should be OK ``as long as he touches the ball and gets a little work this week.'' ... Derek Jeter has hit in 11 straight games.

MINNESOTA: DH-OF Rondell White said there is a ``99 percent chance'' he will retire after this season. ... Matthew LeCroy played catcher for the first time since May 25, 2006, when he was benched in the middle of an inning by Washington manager Frank Robinson, who later cried about the move, after Houston stole seven bases against LeCroy. ... Manager Ron Gardenhire said banged-up C Joe Mauer will start Wednesday, when LHP Johan Santana pitches, but might not play again after that. ... LF Lew Ford (hand) was scratched from the lineup.

DETROIT: RHP Jeremy Bonderman (elbow) did not respond well enough to a bullpen session Saturday to get one last start this season. ``I'm OK with it,'' said Bonderman, who was shut down after pitching on Sept. 9. ``My elbow feels good, but it was pretty sore after throwing.'' ... RHP Todd Jones is looking forward to being a free agent this offseason. ``I feel like I've earned that right,'' said Jones, who had 38 saves in 43 chances entering Monday and 301 in his career. ``It'll be a fun winter, but it will be a tough and interesting process.'' Jones said he would be willing to sign a one-year deal. Manager Jim Leyland hopes Jones returns, but the closer said the front office has not given him any indication about its plans for him.

KANSAS CITY: Manager Buddy Bell said he was resting OF Emil Brown and DH Mike Sweeney because of the unusual makeup game Monday. Sweeney is batting .345 (15-for-43) since missing more than two months with inflammation in his right knee. ``He's healthy now and he feels great, and I want to keep it that way,'' Bell said. ... OF David DeJesus, who on Saturday became the first Royals player to score 100 runs since Carlos Beltran in 2003, has impressed Bell. ``He's still got a ways to go offensively, but he's a big part of it.'' ... The Royals played in Detroit on Sunday and will play a three-game series in Chicago beginning Tuesday. ``I'm still trying to figure out why we didn't play a day game,'' Bell said about Monday's night game in Baltimore.

BALTIMORE: RHP Jeremy Guthrie said he feels fine and is ready to start Thursday against Toronto. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 9 due to a strained muscle in his rib cage. ... Bench coach Tom Trebelhorn said he's eager to return for an eighth season. He missed time this year due to the illness of his wife, but said she's fine and would like him to come back. ... RHP Daniel Cabrera started Monday after serving a six-game suspension for throwing at Boston's Dustin Pedroia on Sept. 7. Orioles manager Dave Trembley said he hopes Cabrera has learned from the suspension. ``I think it would be to his benefit to do that. I think he would regain a lot of respect from his teammates by going about it that way,'' Trembley said.

LOS ANGELES: A day after the Angels clinched their third AL West title in four seasons, OFs Garret Anderson and Vladimir Guerrero weren't in the starting lineup. ``Garret and Vlad are two guys who've been pushing it the last two weeks,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``Garret's played the outfield a lot, Vlad's a little banged-up.'' Guerrero had been limited to DH duty the past 13 games because of an inflamed right triceps that made throws from the outfield difficult. ... Scioscia is happy to have an off day between three-game series in Texas and Oakland. ``We have Thursday off, which helps us a little with the everyday guys,'' he said. ``These guys are going to play, but they're also going to get time off to recharge. That's number one.''

TEXAS: 3B Hank Blalock threw from about 150 feet and said he is having less soreness in his elbow. But he won't try to play in the field again this season. ``The good thing is I know my elbow's going to be fine,'' Blalock said. ``I'll come back next year as strong as ever.'' Blalock strained a flexor tendon in his elbow while coming back after surgery to remove a rib that was affecting nerves. Blalock was the DH for the 16th time Monday since coming off the disabled list. ... DH Sammy Sosa's last start of the season could come Wednesday when the Rangers are scheduled to face left-hander Joe Saunders in their final home game. Seattle has three right-handers set to face Texas next weekend.

WASHINGTON: RHP Shawn Hill was scratched from his final start of the season and will have surgery on his right arm. LHP Mike Bacsik will start in place of Hill in the finale of the three-game series against the Mets on Wednesday night. Hill will have an operation to have a radial nerve in his right forearm decompressed then have surgery on his left shoulder later. He is expected to be ready for spring training next year. ... C Jesus Flores is day-to-day with a bruised left elbow. He was hit by a pitch during the Nationals' 5-3 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday.

NEW YORK: RHP Orlando Hernandez threw on flat ground Monday after the boot protecting his sore right foot was removed. Hernandez said he threw easy and felt good. He plans to throw a bullpen session Tuesday if the foot responds well. ... OF Marlon Anderson's appeal of his two-game suspension will be heard Wednesday. Anderson was ejected in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss to Philadelphia on Sept. 15 and threw his batting helmet toward home after he reached the dugout. ... Entering Monday, the Mets had scored seven or more runs in a franchise-record six straight games. ``I think that when you score as many runs as we have with the offensive team we have, I think that it's a collective kind of effort to get it done and make sure that you do your part,'' manager Willie Randolph said.

ST. LOUIS: 1B Albert Pujols and CF Jim Edmonds lobbied manager Tony La Russa for the chance to play Monday night, but only Pujols was successful. Day-to-day with a strained left calf, Pujols pinch hit Saturday and Sunday. He took part in batting practice Monday and was deemed ready to play. Edmonds, day-to-day with a groin injury, pinch hit Saturday and Sunday, but hasn't started since Sept. 17. ``They say they're better, but we'll see,'' La Russa said before the game. ``If they say they can go, they go.'' ... C Yadier Molina and LHP Mark Mulder underwent successful surgeries in St. Louis. Team physician Dr. George Paletta performed a medial menisectomy on Molina's right knee and arthroscopic surgery on Mulder's left shoulder. Molina is expected to be able to resume full athletic activity in four to six weeks. Mulder should be ready for competitive activity in 2008.

MILWAUKEE: Manager Ned Yost still was steamed at Sunday's umpires. ``I stand by everything I said yesterday,'' he said after his team's fourth straight loss. He was ejected during Atlanta's four-run rally in the seventh inning. After a close play at second, Yost rushed out to argue and was tossed by second base umpire Chris Guccione. Then Yost seemed to vent at first-base umpire Jerry Layne about an earlier safe call. ``If the truth gets you in trouble, then the heck with it,'' he said. ... C Johnny Estrada hurt his left knee running out a grounder in Saturday's loss to Atlanta. He was replaced by C Mike Rivera in the third inning of Sunday's game. He did not start against St. Louis on Monday.

SAN DIEGO: After losing OFs Milton Bradley (knee) and Mike Cameron (thumb) for the remainder of the regular season - and Bradley for longer because he will need reconstructive surgery - the Padres acquired OF Jason Lane in a trade with Houston for a player to be named later or cash. Bradley tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee when he was spun to the ground by his own manager during a blowup with an umpire. Cameron tore a ligament in his right thumb Sunday when Bradley stepped on his hand as they pursued an inside-the-park home run by Colorado's Garrett Atkins. San Diego manager Bud Black said before Monday night's game at San Francisco that Cameron might be able to pinch-run this week, but that would be it. ``I was kind of shocked,'' Cameron said. ``The first thing that came out of (the doctor's) mouth was two weeks. I said, 'I don't got two weeks.' I could take seven to 10 days or up to a month. It depends how it heals.'' ... Black said Greg Maddux's sore back was much improved Monday, a day after he was roughed up in 3 2-3 innings by Colorado.

SAN FRANCISCO: Barry Bonds missed his ninth straight start while nursing a sprained big right toe, though manager Bruce Bochy was still hopeful the home run king would play a final time in front of his home crowd. The Giants announced Friday they would part ways with the 43-year-old Bonds after this season, his 15th with the club. Bochy knows it would be a shame if Bonds doesn't get the recognition he's due. ``We all know what Barry has done for this city, this organization, the fans,'' Bochy said. ``We'd all like to see him out there. I think if Barry's healthy, he would want to get out there and play.'' ... Randy Winn stole his 14th base in the first, his most since swiping 19 in 2005 for Seattle and San Francisco.

Brewers' Estrada likely out for season
September 24th, 2007

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Milwaukee Brewers catcher Johnny Estrada is likely out for the remainder of the season due to a torn medial Meniscus in his left knee.

Estrada, who is hitting .278 with 10 homers and 54 RBI this season, left Sunday's game against Atlanta due to a sore knee.

Damian Miller started Monday's game at catcher for the Brewers in a 13-5 home win over St. Louis. Mike Rivera also saw time behind the plate for Milwaukee, which trails first-place Chicago by three games in the NL Central.

Baez to have elbow ligament replacement surgery.
September 25, 2007

BALTIMORE (AP) -Orioles reliever Danys Baez will undergo elbow ligament replacement surgery and will probably miss the 2008 season.

Baez last pitched on Sept. 12. The injury was initially diagnosed as a strained right elbow, but an examination Friday by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., revealed further damage.

The right-hander hoped to avoid surgery through an extensive rehabilitation program. However, an Orioles official said Tuesday that Baez has decided to have an operation.

Baez was a huge disappointment this season, his first with the Orioles after signing a three-year, $19 million contract in November. He finished 0-6 with a 6.44 ERA and three saves.

The 30-year-old spent a month on the disabled list June 16 with a strained right forearm. He allowed runs in 11 of 22 outings after being activated.

He started the season well, entering May with a 2.92 ERA in 13 appearances, but allowed runs in eight of 12 appearances after May 13.