Julio Lugo will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday to repair a torn mensiscus. The Red Sox are not sure of the severity of the tear, but Julio is unlikely to make opening day, handing the starting shortstop job to Jed Lowrie.

This is a great opportunity for Jed. If he plays well while Lugo is out, he may win the job permanently. Holding him back will be Lugo's contract, which pays him $9 million a year through 2010. (There is a vesting option for 2011, but it doesn't look like Julio will reach the 2400 PA needed.) It's possible that if Lowrie plays well, the Red Sox send Lugo back to the position until they can trade him.

Mike Lowell and Chase Utley are both recovering well from their hip surgeries. Lowell played Friday night, hit a home run and started a double play in the field. Chase Utley played in a minor league intrasquad game. So far, so good for both.

In a related item, Alex Rodriguez is off crutches and will start working in a pool.

Robinson Cano came back from the WBC with a stiff shoulder. He knew about it before he left the Yankees camp but didn't say anything:

I checked with Brian Cashman, who confirmed with trainers that today is the first the Yankees had heard about any problems with Cano's shoulder. Cano doesn't think it's anything serious, just stiffness, but as I pointed out to him, that's what Alex Rodriguez thought about his hip and he just had surgery.

It's probably good for the Yankees that the Dominicans got ousted by the Dutch. (I love writing that.)

Manny Ramirez couldn't start today:

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez was scratched his first scheduled spring training start because of tightness in his left hamstring.

I guess he wasn't working out much in Costa Rica.

Jeff Passan pens an excellent piece on Mark Prior that questions whether his mechanics caused his injuries. Well worth the read.

Fernando Perez of the Rays will miss three months after injuring his wrist trying to make a diving catch. Joe Maddon discusses the impact on the team:

As for the impact on the Rays opening day roster, Maddon said Perez "probably would have played" in centerfield to open the season if CF B.J. Upton were not ready to return from offseason left shoulder surgery. Now, Maddon said Perez's absence gives other players opportunities to get out there.

"Now we've Got Gabe (Kapler) out there, going to get Ben Zobrist out there," Maddon said. "It just gives some other people opportunities out there in case something else were to happen. That's the impact."

I'm guessing this gives the Rays an incentive to get Upton back sooner than later.

Alfredo Amezaga sprained his knee and will miss some time:

Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez didn't rule out Amezaga returning before the season opener April 6, but baseball operations president Larry Beinfest wasn't optimistic.

"It's doubtful right now," Beinfest said. "He's very valuable to this team. It's tough."

The Marlins don't know how Amezaga sustained the injury. He complained of knee stiffness after playing nine innings Sunday for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

Amezaga returned to South Florida, and the injury was diagnosed in Miami by Dr. Lee Kaplan. Amezaga will wear a protective cast for two weeks before resuming activity.

He's been a very productive player for Florida the last three years. If the Yankees can handle missing A-Rod, however, I think the Marlins can take a couple of weeks without Alfredo.

Erik Bedard was scratched from his latest start:

Seattle Mariners left-hander Erik Bedard was scratched from his scheduled start against Kansas City on Wednesday because of a sore butt.

This injury certainly made Carl Pavano the butt of jokes. The Mariners say it's not serious, so Erik should be all right in the end.

Joe Mauer's injury is an inflammed lower back:

The Twins were relieved to learn today that catcher Joe Mauer only has an inflamed sacroiliac joint following an exam on Tuesday in Fort Myers and a meeting this morning with Twins team physician Dr, John Steubs.

The Twins will switch to a stronger prescription of medication and see how Mauer responds over the next few days before he tries to do any physical activity.

I hear morphine works well, or anabolic steroids. :-)

The Star-Tribune baseball blogs are on Joe Mauer watch today as the Twins await the results of Mauer's examinations.

The Twins lost Johan Santana last season and were able to compete. Can they take a hit to the other half of their outstanding battery and still win? The Mariners did that in 2001 after losing Griffey and A-Rod, but they brought in Ichrio and Boone who took up most of the slack. Finding a replacement for Mauer will be more difficult.

David Ortiz's shoulder is preventing him from playing first base, and that's preventing the Dominican Republic from putting their best WBC team on the field.

Johan Santana's elbow appears to be fine. He'll start on Thursday after a good bullpen session:

Since a false start earlier in camp, when he was scratched from a "B" game against Italy because of elbow tightness, Santana has shown no signs of being slowed. One clear indication Mets officials feel good about the ace's health is that few executives bothered to monitor Santana's bullpen session. Only chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, who had just returned to camp, checked it out. Manuel suggested Santana could go two or three innings and throw 45 pitches against the Marlins.

"Right now, I feel pretty good, and I felt like I could get in a game," Santana said.

There's no mention of Santana's status for opening day.

I'm continuing to wonder if Eric Chavez will ever be healthy again:

Eric Chavez's surgically repaired right shoulder bothered him when he was hitting during Oakland's exhibition game Sunday, forcing the Athletics to push back his spring debut in the field.

Chavez was scheduled to play third base against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday but was scratched, and manager Bob Geren said there was no timetable for his return.

"He experienced some pain in his shoulder yesterday, so we're going to give him a few days off even from DHing," Geren said.

The A's kept Chavez and let Miguel Tejada go. At the time, it looked like the right move. Beane got Zito and Mulder right, but he got the left side of his infield wrong.

Joe Mauer needs an MRI due to back pain:

"We've got to figure out what's going on so we can get him back and get him on the field," manager Ron Gardenhire said after the Twins' 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. "This is another effort to try to figure out where we are at and what we need to do. He's not on the field yet. He's not able to consistently go out and do anything. Concerned? Yeah."

Mauer is not only the best offensive player on the Twins, but plays a key defensive position well. Losing him hurts the Twins on both sides of the ball.

Doctors operated on Alex Rodriguez this morning:

Dr. Marc Philippon performed the 1-hour, 20-minute procedure Monday at Vail Valley Surgery Center in Colorado.

"The surgery went exactly as we planned," Philippon said on a conference call. "No surprises."

I wonder if they'll use the running tank for A-Rod's recovery? The White Sox bought one for Bo Jackson in the early 1990s that allowed him to make his comeback. The patient runs in a tank of water, and as he or she becomes stronger, less water is used so the patient supports more of his or her own weight. Ozzie Guillen later used the tank after an injury and came back twice as fast as expected.

Last season, the Angels lost both John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar to spring injuries. History is repeating as Ervin Santana goes down with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his elbow. He'll miss the start of the season. His improvement on the road last year was a big reason the Angels were able to tolerate the injuries to their big two starters and make the playoffs. Right now, they don't think Santana will miss much of the regular season, but we all know how minor elbow injuries can quickly turn into major ones. The Angels don't quite have the depth they did last year:

Santana's absence means that the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation among Dustin Moseley, Shane Loux and Nick Adenhart will now be a battle for the final two rotation spots behind John Lackey, Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver.

Weaver has been slowed this spring by shoulder tightness but is scheduled to make his exhibition debut on Tuesday.

Kelvim Escobar is far ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery, but the veteran right-hander is not expected back until May at the earliest.

A lengthy injury to Santana should make the division more interesting.

David Epstein at Sports Illustrated gives us a complete medical view of what's wrong with Alex Rodriguez and how it's fixed.

Alex Rodriguez opts for surgery on his hip:

Alex Rodriguez will have arthroscopic hip surgery on Monday and is expected to miss six to nine weeks.

Rodriguez has a torn labrum and a cyst in his right hip. The cyst was drained last Wednesday, and the Yankees slugger had additional tests Friday to test the hip's strength and flexibility.

From what I've read earlier on the matter, it sounds like they compromised and are going to fix the labrum, not the bone. The more complicated surgery would have put Alex out for four months, where the labrum repair would take less time to heal. I suppose they could always go back in during the off-season and repair the bone, giving him plenty of time to heal.

Update: Here's more from Peter Abraham. They are indeed going to perform two surgeries:

UPDATE, 9:36 a.m.: Alex Rodriguez will have less invasive surgery to repair the labrum, try to play and then have a full repair after the season.

UPDATE, 9:40 a.m.: A-Rod has an impingement, meaning bone is striking bone. The initial surgery will fix the labrum. The second will repair the bone deformity.

The goal, Dr. Philiipon, will be a rapid rehab. "It's a very good option," he said.
He said the rehab will take 6-9 weeks.

UPDATE, 9:47 p.m.: Surgery will be Monday. Dr. Philippon said he's 85-90 percent certain A-Rod won't have a setback this season.

A-Rod will stay in Vail for several weeks.

Again, it'll be 6-9 weeks before he plays in a MLB game. So late April possibly.

UPDATE, 9:58 a.m.: Dr. Philippon said it's 100 percent that A-Rod will need a second surgery.

The larger surgery would have kept him out 3-4 months. They'll gave to reshape the femoral head of the bone.

The Yankees and Alex Rodriguez are trying to decide if he should opt for surgery now, or try to play with his injured hip. Surgery now might be better, because playing with the injury might make it much worse and surgery more complicated. He also might opt for just fixing the labrum, and not the bone, which would lead to a quicker recovery time.

When a reporter asked Girardi why Rodriguez had not decided to have the surgery immediately, he paused.

"The players always believe that they can always play through everything," Girardi said. "Sometimes they're right. Sometimes they're wrong."

Asked a similar question, Cashman said: "It's a fair question." He described the recent events and conversations as "kind of a roller coaster" and said "this is a very difficult decision for everybody involved."

"We have to make sure we don't make a short-term decision at the expense of a long one," Cashman said.

Indeed. The Yankees have a long term investment here, and it may be better to have Alex miss four months now than the last four years of his contract.

A couple of people wrote yesterday asking if I thought Alex Rodriguez's cyst was caused by his steroid use. I don't know, but that part of the hip doesn't seem like the place someone would inject steroids. I assumed they would go into the meaty part of the muscle. The New York Daily News spoke to doctors, and they doesn't think so either:

"Because A-Rod kept changing his story about his steroid use," said Dr. Lewis Maharam, the medical director of the New York Road Runners Club, "it made us skeptical about his hip issue, thinking it could be steroid-related. It is not. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is linked to steroids and sometimes described by the lay public as a cyst. This is not what he has."

According to Dr. Struan Coleman, a hip specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery who is not treating Rodriguez but is familiar with his case, fluid from inside A-Rod's hip joint has been pushed through a tear in the labrum (a rubbery ring of cartilage in the hip) and has formed a cyst outside it.

Coleman, Maharam and three other doctors contacted by the Daily News agreed that it is unlikely that Rodriguez's injury has anything to do with his admitted steroid injections.

The doctors seem to believe that A-Rod shouldn't rush surgery.

Good and bad news for Alex Rodriguez:

Alex Rodriguez has a torn labrum in his right hip, but the New York Yankees think he can avoid surgery.

A cyst in the hip was drained Wednesday, and the third baseman will miss the World Baseball Classic. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that if surgery is needed, Rodriguez would be sidelined for four months.

"If at some point it's not working and it's a problem, then the other one becomes more of a choice," Cashman said Thursday. "Right now, the route we're going is conservative."
Cashman said that if Rodriguez is able to play, the three-time AL MVP might have offseason surgery to repair the labrum tear. Cashman said Rodriguez's preference was to try rest and treatment first.

"We're collectively trying to figure out what is best to do," Cashman said. "We don't want to rush into it. We want to digest it."

Seems like the Yankees are going to see if he can play on it this year like he did last year. If so (see Chase Utley), he can get it fixed in the off season when he has plenty of time to recover. It should be an interesting year for Alex.

Update: Peter Abraham talks to a hip expert:

A-Rod's ability to play depends on the size of the tear and how quickly it gets larger. At some point, surgery will be needed. If it is only soft tissue, the recovery time is six to eight weeks. If bone must be repaired, it would take three to four months.

Brian Cashman indicated today that surgery would knock A-Rod out for four months, so it is likely he has some sort of bone deformity. This comes from wear and tear or some sort of anatomical abnormality.

Dr. Buly, who is a Yankees fan, said A-Rod would soon have trouble pivoting or flexing. Running, at least at first, will not be a problem.

Is A-Rod at 80% better than most players at 100%?

Shawn Hill is traveling for an appointment with Dr. Andrews.

Kevin Long discusses how A-Rod's hip injury hurt his swing:

Kevin Long, the Yankees' hitting coach, said he knew Rodriguez had a hip problem last June or July. Long noticed subtle changes in Rodriguez's hitting, notably in his right foot, the back one in his stance.

The foot was not pivoting fully, Long said, and as a result, Rodriguez could not fully turn his waist and clear his hips. This caused his bat to drag and prevented him from driving through the ball and generating maximum power.

"Speed-wise, to catch up to 95, 96 mile-an-hour pitches, you've basically got to get your hips through," Long said. "It affects bat speed, power, balance. From a technical standpoint, it affects quite a few things. But he's so gifted and so talented that he made due with what he had."

It's going to be interesting to see how Utley and Lowell come back from their hip operations. It may tell us how worried the Yankees should be about Rodriguez long term.

Brandon McCarthy is feeling better and will start the B game on Friday.

Brandon Morrow is experiencing a little spring training pain:

Stuff like this is why I only expect Morrow to throw between 120-140 innings this year. He's going to need to be handled differently than the rest of the staff, and when his arm starts feeling things, they're going to have to let him skip starts. This is why trading for guys like Garrett Olson and Jason Vargas was important - the M's need to have guys around to take the hill on days when they want to be careful with Morrow's arm.

Alex Rodriguez's brother tells the New York Post that A-Rod needs hip surgery that will cost him 10 weeks:

"Alex is destroyed," Joe Dunand told lasmayores.com, a Spanish language version of MLB.com, in a translated version. "But most important is that the operation is successful and Alex can continue (playing)."

Dunard said Alex would be operated on Monday in Colorado, presumably to remove a cyst.

The Yankees have not confirmed this. Obviously, it's a big blow for the Yankees, who would be without the slugger for about six weeks, if everything goes well. I wonder if Swisher can play third? I would think the Yankees are looking for a good glove right now.

Update: Cody Ransom seems like the likely replacement. At least he knows how to take a walk. I wonder, however, if the Yankees might try for Hank Blalock?

Justin Duchscherer's elbow is bothering him, and he's likely not to make his opening day start:

Duchscherer had an MRI exam Tuesday and it showed no significant damage. A doctor recommended the two-time All-Star rest his arm for a week.

Duchscherer will visit Los Angeles Angels team doctor Dr. Lewis Yocum. The pitcher has yet to appear in a spring game.

Meanwhile, Johan Santana wants to start opening day.

Brandon McCarthy will miss his next start. He stopped throwing his curve ball partly because it hurt.

My Baseball Bias rounds up information on a cyst on A-Rod's hip that might keep him out of the WBC.

J.D. Drew flew to Boston yesterday for an injection in his back:

"The reason we did it was kind of -- I want to explain this right -- kind of precautionary," Francona said. "We have some time right now because it's so early in March, and J.D., through getting looked at by some different people, though this could be a benefit to him. If it worked, we think we thought OK, good. If it didn't seem to do anything, OK, well it's March 3 or March 2.

"I just think we kind of did to, if we run into a problem later this year, maybe we know a little bit quicker where to go."

If I read that correctly, the Red Sox are trying something that might make things better, so it was worth the trip to Boston. Drew posted a .408 OBA and a .519 slugging percentage in 2008. Those numbers are tough to replace, so it's understandable that the Red Sox will do anything they can to keep him in the lineup.

Update: Drew gave an interview on the subject today.

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With elbow feeling better and a heavy snow storm blowing into New York, the Mets are keeping Johan Santana in Florida.

By the way, why does he need to go to New York for an MRI? Florida must have MRI machines, and can't someone just email the doctors the results? This is the age of rapid communications. The doctor should be able to examine the pictures on his I-Phone.

Jeremy Bonderman suffered a set back with his surgically repaired shoulder. Bless You Boys wonders how bad it might be:

Remain calm, Leyland said, all is well. Bondo would instead pitch in a simulated game where coaches could watch him more closely, and his pitch count could be controlled exactly. (Such a strategy didn't look so bad after Dontrelle Willis pushed through 43 pitches on Friday.)

But what are we to think after the Tigers canceled Bonderman's simulated game, opting to prescribe anti-inflammatory meds and sit him down for a couple of days? I kind of feel the same as when I'm watching a movie and a character coughs noticeably. Okay, something bad's going to happen.

The strange thing is, despite poor strikeout and walk numbers in 2008, Bonderman posted the 2nd best ERA of his career before succumbing to the injury. He's still very young. The Tigers seem willing not to rush the healing process, so there's still every reason to hope Bonderman fulfills his potential.

Johan Santana is headed to New York for more tests on his elbow. Given that the city might get a foot of snow, Johan better leave now.

Fortunately, Santana says he fine:

Santana threw approximately 31 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday, according to Newsday. He said he felt no discomfort after the throwing session.

"I feel fine," Santana said, according to Newsday. "It's the first time in the last four days that I've thrown, but I feel good. I don't think there will be any problem."

Minaya described the tests -- which might include an MRI -- as "precautionary."

With a player of Santana's abilities, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Joe Nathan pulled out of the WBC due to a sore acromioclavicular joint. There's no word on the seriousness of this, or if it was just a precaution.

The Yankees are being careful with Jorge Posada, who suffered some shoulder soreness:

Accounts of the injury differed slightly between the manager and the player. Girardi said Posada woke up Saturday morning with a little soreness. Posada said he hurt it Thursday in the on-deck circle while stretching before his first at-bat in his first exhibition game.

"I wasn't thinking," Posada said. "I grabbed a bat and go back all the way, and I wasn't supposed to do that. I felt it in the shoulder. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to do it. I kept playing, and there was nothing wrong."

He'll take a couple of days off to see how it feels.

Johan Santana's elbow isn't getting any better, and now there's a report he might miss opening day. I'm waiting to hear about the trip to Doctor Andrews.

I suppose the Yankees and Red Sox not trading for Johan might end up looking pretty good.

Johan Santana has a sore elbow, but Jerry Manuel says it's no big deal:

Manager Jerry Manuel told the website that the problem is "nothing abnormal" for Santana, and that Santana instead would throw a side session Friday. Santana had offseason knee surgery, which might have affected his throwing program and contributed to the elbow discomfort.

I'm sorry, no one wants to hear "Santana", "elbow" and "discomfort" in the the same sentence. We've seen nothing to worry about turn into Tommy John surgery too often.

Ryan Feierabend may need season ending surgery. So far in his career he's been a much better minor league than major league pitcher, so there was some hope for him maturing. That is going to be put on hold.

Kerry Wood's back is sore.

Boof Bonser's surgery revealed a torn rotator cuff, and he'll likely miss the entire 2009 season.

Homer Bailey almost took out his hands this off season; twice.

Vernon Wells's hamstring injury doesn't seem to be that serious:

"It's the same injury I had (from last season) and (doctors) told me it's a unique injury. There's a chance of it coming back, of rupturing the tendon, but right now it's just a strain on the scar tissue from the original (injury).

"It's not as bad as it seemed," Wells said of yesterday's estimates of a four week layoff. "It's something that if I needed to get through right now, I could. But (it's spring training), and we have time to get ready for the opening of the season."

He says he'll miss two weeks instead of four, as originally reported.

Boof Bonser says he needs shoulder surgery, although the team hasn't officially agreed:

"They're going to have to go in and clean it out," he said.

Bonser said team doctors were looking the results of the MRI exam he underwent yesterday in St. Petersburg, Fla., and official word should come after today's workout.

It's a blow for Bonser, who was trying to figure out his bullpen role. Some feel he could be late-inning guy because he can hit 94 on the gun. But the Twins might want another long reliever to go with Matt Guerrier since Jesse Crain, Luis Ayala, Craig Breslow and Jose Mijares are largely one-inning guys.

Stay tuned.

Update: Bonser will undergo surgery Wednesday:

Bonser will miss at least several weeks because of the surgery - but even longer if he needs more than just a clean-up. Bonser reported shoulder soreness at the end of last season but an MRI revealed no structural damage. Rest didn't help, as Bonser threw three times off a mound in January and still felt discomfort.

Basically, they won't know much until they get a look inside.

Darin Erstad suffered a small fracture of his cheek bone. The comment on the article at BBTF is priceless.

David Dellucci had reporters going with the story of his thumb injury:

Dellucci, who will miss at least the first three games of the Cactus League season, told reporters Saturday morning that he suffered a cut left thumb when an alligator bit him while he was saving a boy while fishing near his home in Baton Rouge, La.

He hooked two of the three reporters gathered around him hook, line and sinker before coming clean.

Dellucci said he smashed his thumb while trying to close the tailgate of his trailer on Feb. 1. He called the Indians with news about the mishap right after it happened and reported to camp early to get it checked out.

As reported in an earlier post, Dellucci needed three stitches to close the cut. Then he needed surgery on the thumb to reclose the cut properly and reattach the nail to the nail bed.

If a gator was that close, he would have gotten more than the thumb. :-)

David Ortiz isn't working out.

About the only real news from the Q&A was that David Ortiz was once again absent from on-field workouts as he continues to nurse a sore left shoulder after sleeping on it awkwardly two nights ago. Ortiz also sat out yesterday's on-field sessions.

After 30-odd years of sleeping, you'd think Ortiz would be good at it by now.

At least he didn't have a bad dream. :-)

Jered Weaver is experiencing the same tightness he did last year, but this time the Angels were on top of it early:

Asked if there were similarities between this spring and 2007, Weaver said, "It's the same kind of feeling, nothing we haven't dealt with before."

The difference is, in 2007, the Angels did not know Weaver's arm was tight until camp opened. This winter, the problem flared up in early January, and Weaver immediately notified the Angels, who had him come to the stadium for the next five weeks or so for treatment and strengthening exercises.

Weaver, who went 11-10 with a 4.33 ERA in 30 starts last season, didn't pitch in any exhibition games in 2007. This spring, he is scheduled to begin throwing off a mound in a week to 10 days.

"We didn't get to it as quickly [in 2007] as we did this time," Weaver said. "But I'll be on pace to start season. I definitely have enough time to get going. I'm on schedule ... just a little tardy."

Jose Guillen removed his own ingrown toe nail:

"The doctor saw me (Wednesday)," Guillen said, "and he said we'll see how it feels in the morning. If it wasn't any better, he wanted me to have surgery. I thought, 'Whoaaa.'

"So I went on my own (Wednesday) to the pharmacy, got some tweezers, came home and pulled it out myself. Let me tell you, I cried. I had one tough hour. But I got it out."

Guillen said the nail had hooked and twisted deep into the skin.

"I reached in there (with the tweezers)," he said, "and poked around until I got the end of it. Then I counted one, two, three and just pulled .... Oh, my God. It came out, but tears were running down my cheeks."

There's no crying in baseball!

I wonder if he'll apply to medical school when his career is over?

Chase Utley is starting to believe he'll be ready for the Phillies opening game:

"I think it's pretty realistic at this point," Utley said. "We've pushed it over the past week and a half, two weeks that I've been down here, and it's responded extremely well. We're not overdoing it yet, but we are putting it to a good pace, and I think we are all pretty comfortable with it.

"I would say my chances right now -- I don't want to jinx myself -- are fair to quite fair."

Every day Utley plays makes in less likely the Phillies will need to chase the Mets down the stretch.

Hat tip, Phillies Nation.

Jeff Francis will likely miss the 2009 due to exploratory surgery:

He came to spring training hoping to test his shoulder before making a decision on what to do next and reported feeling less discomfort in camp. But Francis changed his mind after watching video of his pitching form in a Tuesday bullpen session.

"It didn't look anywhere close. I was really disappointed," Francis said. "There is obviously something going on."

He said he spotted changes he had made in his delivery to avoid pain.

"I had no arm speed, my arm was short and the arm action was short and I was not powerful at all," he said.

Francis said it was bad time of year to make the decision, but "I think it is a necessary one."

I'm surprised exploratory surgery would do that much damage. I assume the doctors will find something, and fixing the something is what's going to put him on the shelf for a year.

Boof Bonser ended 2008 with a sore shoulder, and starts 2009 the same way:

After indicating that Boof Bonser's shoulder would be well enough for him to throw a bullpen session by today, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Tuesday that Bonser's next session has yet to be scheduled.

Bonser received a cortisone shot in his shoulder Thursday to help battle tendinitis. So it appears he needs more time to get the soreness out of the area.

"Day to day," Gardenhire said. "He's not throwing. He had an injection. He's doing all the other stuff. I have not gotten an update on when he will start his throwing program. All we have to do is calm down the inflammation in his shoulder. Which, through all the exercises and treatment that he's getting, is going to happen here pretty soon."

Or maybe not. When someone takes the winter off and the shoulder doesn't heal, doesn't that indicate there's something more serious going on? No one wants to see another pitcher turn into Mark Prior.

Mike Napoli's shoulder is coming along slowly:

"I'm doing everything but catching," Napoli said Monday. "I have someone throwing the ball back for me."

Unfortunately, catchers can't use a designated thrower. He'll probably DH some early in the season.

David Ortiz says his wrist is healed:

Ortiz, looking slimmer than last season, said his left wrist has healed 100 percent after heeding Dr. Thomas Gill's advice to take two months off and then resuming his hitting program. Ortiz said once he returned to hitting he was fine, and the "popping" noise he heard and felt in his wrist was gone.

"I'm feeling fine right now," he said. "I have no problem swinging."

We'll see. Ortiz also talks about how he'd like to have Manny back.

Erik Bedard threw off a mound for the first time since his surgery on Sunday.

"He looked in shape and he looked healthy," Wakamatsu said. "We're not trying to put all the attention on one guy. I think it was a big help, the meeting I had with him before the season. I got to know him, and we've built a good relationship. He's got a good sense of humor. He just doesn't want to be the center of attention.

"That's fine. As long as he goes out there every five days, we'll be happy."

A healthy Bedard would give the Mariners a big boost in 2009. With the AL West looking like a weak division, that could help them compete for a division title.

Ben Sheets underwent surgery on Tuesday and may make it back for the second half of the 2009 season. We could see more intense bidding in July than we've seen all winter.

Finally, a place where we can get accurate information about a player's injury history. Fantasy Pitch F/X now has a tool that allows you to enter a player's name and see all his stints on the DL, the body parts he injured, and the total number of days missed. Excellent work!

Hat tip, Beyond the Boxscore.

Both Chien-Ming Wang and Jorge Posada are making progress rehabilitating their injuries.

Carlos Pena underwent abdominal surgery over three weeks ago, but should be ready for spring training. He won't play in the WBC, but should be ready for the season. I wonder why they didn't announce this earlier?

Baseball Time in Arlington comments on Joaquin Benoit's surgery:

Benoit, coincidentally, is set to earn a base salary of $3.5 million in 2009. Toss in Frank Catalanotto's seemingly immovable $4 million salary (coupled with a $2 million buyout for 2010), and that's suddenly more than 10 percent of the projected 2009 payroll sunk into either damaged or superfluous goods.

With the injury to Hurley, I'm betting Texas is being pushed more toward signing Ben Sheets.

Troy Glaus underwent shoulder surgery which will sideline him for three months:

Glaus will begin physical therapy next week following Wednesday's surgery in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old hit .270 with 27 homers and 99 RBIs last season, his first with the Cardinals.

It wasn't immediately clear why the 2002 World Series MVP waited until now to have the surgery, which likely will cause him to miss the Cardinals' opener on April 6. Glaus appeared at the team's annual Winter Warmup event last weekend and made no mention of an injury or a need for surgery.

Glaus had two cortisone shots and missed a few games in September due to what was described as a strained right shoulder. But an MRI at the time showed no significant problems.

That's certainly a blow to the Cardinals offense, at least opening the season. This will be the fourth year from 2003 on in which Troy lost significant time due to injury.

Tom Glavine is throwing pain free and feels he will pitch in 2009.

There seems to be some question about the health of Rich Harden:

''His arm action's good; he's throwing free and easy,'' Rothschild told a roomful of fans during the Cubs Convention, the day after watching Harden throw for the first time since October. But then he added: ''He's not close to throwing off a mound yet. There's some issues there, no question.''

Huh? Nobody around the Cubs expected Harden -- who gutted out the final month of a 10-2 season with shoulder discomfort -- to be the staff's 230-inning horse or even to provide more than about 25 starts, given his history of arm troubles and the handle-with-care tag the club has put on him.

And even in the wake of Rothschild's comments -- and manager Lou Piniella's subsequent evasive response to specific questions about Harden's condition -- Cubs insiders say Harden is right on schedule toward a strong, on-time and well-conditioned start to spring training and the season.

But sources also confirmed Saturday that Harden has a tear in the joint, just severe enough that some players might seek surgery but slight enough to be in a range often treated effectively with a strengthening program, therapy and a well- managed work schedule.

All this sounds a little too much like what went on with Mark Prior.

Chris Carpenter is feeling fine:

Carpenter said the procedure in November to move the nerve "did wonders for my elbow. A lot of the problems I was having with my elbow are gone. ... All of them are."

He continues to condition his shoulder while stretching out throwing sessions at Busch Stadium.

"The first week, every day you wake up it's a little cranky, a little sore," Carpenter said. "You get it going, you start working it every day and it's like anything else. Each day you progress and hope it gets stronger, and that's what it's done."

No doubt the Cardinals are looking forward to getting their ace back.

B.J. Upton's continues his recovery from surgery on his left shoulder, but it looks like he won't be ready to play until sometime in April.

Daniel Cabrera took out Melky Cabrera by hitting him with a pitch in a winter league game. It's not clear if this is good news or bad news for the Yankees. :-)

Carlos Guillen returned to action in the Venezuelan Winter League. His back appears to be better.

Barry Bonds underwent hip surgery. That's just another reason why teams won't sign him.

The Nationals' leader in wins, Tim Redding, underwent foot surgery on Friday and should be ready for spring training. Redding is a low strikeout pitcher who does okay in years he keeps his walks low.

Freddy Garcia suffered an injury in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Chad Billingsly broke his leg from slipping on the ice. Jon Weisman has details. Chad is expected to be ready for spring training.

Dernell Stenson Award winner Jason Donald may not be blocked from starting, as the Phillies infielders keep going under the knife. This time, Pedro Feliz undergoes back surgery:

Feliz' procedure, a lumbar discectomy that will correct the intermittent symptoms that placed him on the disabled list for 26 days in July and August, requires an 8-to-12-week rehabilitation period, meaning he likely will be at full strength either at the start of spring training or soon thereafter.

The Phillies had Donald practicing at both Utley's and Feliz's positions:

Donald, meanwhile, has quickly become one of the Phillies' top prospects. He hit two home runs in a spring-training game against the Blue Jays, then hit .307 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI at Double A Reading. He also finished fourth in the recently completed Arizona Fall League with a .407 batting average.

During the AFL season, Donald played both second base and third base in addition to his natural position at shortstop.

I could see Donald moving into Feliz's position if he can post high OBAs as he did in the minors.

I'm out at Red Robin and just saw on ESPN that Chase Utley needs hip surgery and may be out until mid-June. More later.

Update: Here's the story from Jayson Stark:

Utley consistently downplayed speculation about his bad hip during the second half of the postseason. But the Phillies revealed Thursday that since the World Series, he has had the hip evaluated by Phillies team physician Michael Ciccotti, of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's Rothman Institute, and by Dr. Bryan Kelly, of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Both doctors recommended that Utley undergo surgery on his right hip. That procedure, described by the club as an "arthroscopic evaluation with treatment of any labral or bony injury," will be performed by Dr. Kelly next week.
According to the Phillies, Utley would be able to resume baseball activities in three to four months -- meaning sometime during spring training, but possibly not until the week before Opening Day.

However, full recovery time is projected at between four and six months. That means the best-case scenario is a return in early April, but the worst-case scenario is late May or early June, depending on how long a rehab option the club feels he would need.

So Amaro starts his tenure with a huge hole to fill. I wonder if this will make them more likely to re-sign Pat Burrell to keep two big bats in the middle of the lineup?

Pat Neshek hurt himself throwing last week:

Minnesota Twins reliever Pat Neshek will have ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow and is expected to miss next season.

The right-hander re-injured his elbow last week during a throwing session at the team's facility in Florida. He had an MRI exam Tuesday, which revealed a complete tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. The procedure could take place next week.

After a standout season in 2007 as Minnesota's primary setup man, Neshek sustained a partial tear of the ligament during a game in May. The Twins recommended rest and rehabilitation rather than surgery at the time. Neshek said last month his recovery was on track and he'd be ready for spring training.

That's too bad. I wonder if more players will opt for surgery first after this incident.

Two Oakland Athletics players underwent surgery last Friday, Daric Barton and Greg Smith.

Michael Axisa passes on this story about Jonathan Papelbon's shoulder:

If the Red Sox had taken a lead in Game 7 of the ALCS on Sunday night, All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon wasn't coming out of the bullpen.

According to Daisuke Matsuzaka, manager Terry Francona informed him that Matsuzaka was going to be the closer because Papelbon's right shoulder was barking.

So, is it just a short term injury or something more long term?

Terry Francona scheduled an operation:

Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona will be heading for surgery this offseason.

Francona said Tuesday that he's had a back problem and hasn't had full feeling in his arms since May. He hopes to get that fixed this winter so he can be ready for spring training.

I wish him the best.

Mike Lowell underwent hip surgery today. Since it only required an arthroscope, his time to recover should be reasonable.

Ken Griffey, Jr. underwent knee surgery yesterday:

Griffey's knee troubles could be the source of his dip in home runs last season. He hit 30 in 428 at-bats in the 2007 season but just 18 in 528 at-bats in 2008.

"There's no question," Dr. Tim Kremchek said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "It affected that push-off leg. How much I don't know. But he was dealing with it all year. There's not much you can do early in the season."

Does a team take a chance on Griffey, and for how much? He's already at 600 home runs so there's no real milestones left for him to reach. He's unlikely to pass Mays this season, if ever. He's no longer a defensive asset, so you have to hope he can bang a bunch of homers from the designated hitter spot. I suppose he might draw some fans to a bad Seattle team, but outside of that, I just don't see an upside to a team offering him a contract.

Dr. James Andrews operated on Travis Hafner today, Tuesday:

Dr. James Andrews performed the 45-minute procedure. In a statement, the Indians said Hafner underwent a debridement, or cleaning, of his right shoulder joint. Hafner's strained shoulder kept him on the disabled list from May 30 through Sept. 8.

The Indians expect him to be ready for the 2009 season.

Hafner actually showed a big offensive decline in 2007, so that makes me wonder how long the shoulder was bothering him. We'll see if he can get close to his 2006 numbers next season.

The Rockies first round pick from 2006 needs Tommy John surgery. He won't be pitching again before 2010.

Mike Lowell will not be returning to the Red Sox lineup if they reach the World Series:

Mike Lowell will undergo surgery on his right hip Monday, depriving the Red Sox of last year's World Series MVP for the rest of their season.

The third baseman, who is not on Boston's roster for the AL championship series, chose to have the surgery as soon as possible so he would have a good chance to be ready for the start of spring training.

The Red Sox signed Lowell through 2010 after their 2007 World Championship. He's a fan favorite and still a good third baseman, but injuries are starting to take their toll on his career. The Red Sox front office does a good job in general, but even they sometimes get caught up in the moment and don't make the best decisions.

Doctors take a look at the inside of Travis Hafner's shoulder on Tuesday:

Andrews will clean out the shoulder and investigate why it's causing pain, Indians head trainer Lonnie Soloff said. Soloff didn't indicate how long Hafner will be out and said he would know more Tuesday about what the procedure will involve.

There were no tests or images that indicated the shoulder needed to be repaired or reconstructed, Soloff said.

It looks like James Andrews won't know the extent of the damage until he's inside.

Surgeons fixed Albert Pujols's elbow today:

Pujols' operation, performed by Cardinals team physician Dr. George Paletta, included decompression and transposition of the ulnar nerve. It did not require reconstruction of the medial collateral ligament.

The Cardinals first baseman played an MVP season with a bad elbow. Imagine what he'll do in 2009 healthy.

Josh Beckett says he is fine:

"Unless you guys are getting information somewhere else, I don't know what to tell you guys. You just keep asking the same questions about my health -- I tell you I'm fine. Just go on, write that. I'm fine."

I just his results are just random variation.

The Cubs want a look at Rich Harden's shoulder before they pick up his option:

General manager Jim Hendry said Harden would be examined Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. He received a cortisone shot in his right shoulder in early September and his velocity dropped after a 109-pitch outing Aug. 24 against Washington. Harden still was throwing in the 95-96 m.p.h. range in the seventh inning of that game when he struck out the side to finish with 11 strikeouts.

One advance scout told Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper that he believed Harden had elbow or shoulder problems: "I've had him consistently down at least 5 miles per hour from what he used to throw. There's something in [his arm.]"

It's not clear that refusing the option and letting Rich go to arbitration saves the Cubs any money. If the exam shows the need for surgery, however, they could argue to an arbitrator that a partial season isn't worth as much as a full season, I suppose.

Surgeons fixed Mariano Rivera's shoulder today.

Altchek shaved a calcified joint on the top of Rivera's shoulder. The 38-year-old Rivera had 39 saves this year, and his 1.40 ERA was his best since 2005.

Given his performance, maybe they should have left the shoulder as is. :-)

It appears that Mike Lowell is done for the playoffs. He made a valiant try to play, but his body didn't hold up.

Surgeons repaired Rickie Weeks's knee today:

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks underwent a debridement of the meniscus of the left knee on Monday.

The procedure was performed by Dr. William Raasch at Froedtert Medical Center in Milwaukee and Weeks will begin therapy later in the week. He is expected to be ready for spring training.

Joe Maddon just said that Pena scratched his eye at home. He was okay in batting practice, but as he got into the game his vision blurred.

Willy Aybar replaces Carlos Pena to start the third inning. No word on why yet. The White pick up two singles to start the inning, but a bunt and a popup brings up Wise with two men on in scoring position.

Update: Wise delivers a three-run homer to rightfield.

Update: Dye hits a double over the centerfielder's head as the White Sox continue to hit Shields this inning.

Update: Thome grounds out to end the inning. Chicago takes a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the third. Wise now has two huge home runs as he replaces Carlos Quentin.

Update: The Rays come right back. A single by Barlett and a triple to center by Iwamura cut the lead to one, and the tying run is at third with on one out.

Update: Upton strikes out swinging, fouling a check swing into the catcher's mitt.

Update: Aybar gets the ball in the air, and Iwamura just beats Wise's throw from left to tie the game. Longoria comes up and hits another home run! The Rays lead 4-3, and Longoria has a perfect post-season line of 1.000/1.000/4.000.

Update: Floyd flies out to end the inning. TBS showed a good replay of Longoria hitting the home run. He starts his swing looking for the fastball, then realizes the pitch is a change up. He hesitates to time the pitch, then smashes the ball. That was a great example of a hitter making a split second adjustment.

Johan Santana underwent knee surgery today:

Wow. I just received a call from the Mets, who said Johan Santana had successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The procedure was arthroscopic, and was performed today by team physician Dr. Stuart Coleman at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

The release said Santana suffered the torn meniscus before his last start -- Saturday's three-hitter on three-days rest that saved the Mets' season for another day. I've posted the complete release below. Let the legend grow...

That's the definition of a gamer.

The Padres are trying to recover some on Khalil Greene's salary:

Greene broke the fifth metacarpal bone in his left hand in punching a Petco Park storage cabinet after his 100th strikeout of the season. The injury caused Greene to miss the season's last two months and nearly a third of the Padres' scheduled games.

On a pro-rated basis, that could leave as much as $1.47 million of his $4.5 million salary in dispute.

The Padres are not only trying to get some money back, but discourage that kind of behavior in the future.

Pat Burrell suffered back discomfort Tuesday afternoon. It's not clear if he'll be able to play in game one of the Brewers/Phillies series on Wednesday.

Josh Beckett will start game three instead of game one of the ALDS due to a muscle strain. There is suspicion, however, that the injury is more serious:

However, a strained oblique tends to sideline a player for longer than a week. The Sox have had four oblique injuries in the last two years, and the average amount of time missed was three to four weeks.

The injury also caused Ken Rosenthal to change his prediction for the series. With the extra day off, however, Boston can pitch Matsuzaka and Lester twice, one on three days rest. I'm not sure that's puts Boston in the hole.

Update: I see Lester is starting game 1. That makes perfect sense since he can then pitch game four at home on normal rest, and Dice-K can pitch two games on the road where his ERA is much better.

Mariano Rivera undergoes shoulder surgery on Oct. 6th. As River Ave. Blues notes:

The Yanks doled out very large contracts last year to two players in their late 30s, and both suffered shoulder injuries this year. While Jorge Posada and Rivera both earned their deals and are, in a sense, getting paid for past accomplishments, I can't imagine the Yanks will give out too many more of these long deals to older players.

The only player really left in this category is Jeter, whose contract expires in two seasons. He'll be 36 at that point. It's tough for me to believe the Yankees won't keep him on the team somehow, especially if they can get Derek chasing Rose and A-Rod chasing Bonds at the same time. A short term guarantee with revolving team options (think Tim Wakefield) might be more appropriate at that point.

The Dodgers will leave Hong-Chih Kuo off the NLDS roster:

Kuo, the Dodgers' top middle reliever with 96 strikeouts in 80 innings, warmed up in the bullpen to pitch in relief Saturday night at San Francisco but said he couldn't feel his fingers and didn't enter the game. He then threw for about 15 minutes in the indoor cage and still was having problems with numbness -- and his skin became red.

The Dodgers didn't want to take any chances on Kuo, who has a long history of injury problems, might have a blood clot. He will undergo more tests in the coming days, then head to instructional league in Arizona to determine whether he might be available if the NL West champions advance to the National League Championship Series.

One of their top relievers, this makes beating an excellent Cubs offense even more difficult.

Update: On the other hand, T.J. Simers notes that Torre has done very well against Piniella in the playoffs.

From a comment to the previous post, J.J. Hardy may be injured from the home plate celebration after the Braun grand slam won the game for the Brewers. If they need to replace him with Craig Counsell, they don't lose much in OBA put do lose quite a bit of power.

In the clearest indication that the Yankees don't believe they are going to the post season, Hideki Matsui undergoes knee surgery today.

He'll be ready for Spring Training, but how he fits in the 2009 Yankee lineup is, right now, open for debate.

Matsui still hits well and gets on base well. His power, however, fell off this season. If a new knee can bring back his home run stroke, he'll fit in fine with the Yankees plans.

The Phillies take a 3-2 lead over the Marlins in the top of the fifth, and Anibal Sanchez leaves the game with what appears to be an injury to his right leg. The Marlins have never won 10 games in a row, the only active team never to experience a double digit win streak.

Hanley Ramirez's injury was not caused by him swinging the bat.

Michael Hunt looks at the two possible outcomes of Ben Sheets injury. In addition to the forearm tightness from batting, Sheets says his elbow is bothering him. Hunt notes that the team could rally without Ben, or be pulled down by the loss. I tend to think they have enough to win the wild card without Ben, but his absence would really hurt them in the playoffs.

Hanley Ramirez left tonight's Marlins game with a sore shoulder after hitting two home runs. This reminds of Ron Bloomberg, the first designated hitter. He once swung so hard he tore his shoulder and ended up on the disabled list. An extended loss of Hanley at this point would kill the slight chance the Marlins have of making the playoffs.

Florida leads Houston 9-2 in the seventh. Hunter Pence hit two home runs for the Astros.

Ben Sheet lasts only two innings tonight. The comments at Brew Crew Ball notes the exit:

Why? Pllleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeee goooooooodddddd nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm watching the Brewers version of the broadcast but I have not heard a report. In other comments, it was noted that Ben's velocity was down.

The good news is Milwaukee is up 3-1 in the fifth.

Update: I just heard right forearm strain for Sheets. I'm guessing that puts the rest of the regular season in jeopardy. It also lowers the chance of the Brewers making the playoffs, and winning if they do get there.

Mike Lowell is not playing tonight, and the Red Sox are trying to find out if he'll be able to play again this season.

Joel Zumaya can't catch a break. Actually, he can. His sore shoulder is now a stress fracture in his throwing shoulder. He hasn't pitched well this season, walking 22 in 23 1/3 innings.

Paul Konerko's knee injury isn't as bad as it looked last night.

Sox Side Sox saw Paul Konerko injured and believes he's done for the year. Paul's power came back in August, so this is a big loss for the White Sox.

Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden are scheduled to pitch later this week. Good news for the Cubs.

Albert Pujols is considering surgery on his elbow, which would cost him the start of the 2009 season:

But the St. Louis Cardinals and Pujols have both said that surgery on the elbow will eventually be necessary. He's been playing with the injury since 2003.

"I'm thinking about it; I'm thinking really hard," he said. "There's just a lot of things next year going on, the All-Star Game [in St. Louis], the [World Baseball] Classic, you know. But I think in the long run, the sooner that I get it done, the better it's going to be for me, because I'm going to heal quicker than if I wait two or three more years. But it needs to be done."

Given his great hitting since 2003, imagine what he'll be like with a new arm!

The Angels scratch Jered Weaver from another start due to cuts on his fingers.

Billy Wagner may not pitch again until 2010:

Mets closer Billy Wagner has a torn ligament in his left elbow and will have surgery this week, meaning he'll miss the rest of this season and likely all of 2009, too.

The surgery will repair a torn MCL ligament and a torn flexor pronator, and has a recovery time of at least a year, the Mets announced Monday. Since Wagner is currently in the third year of a four-year, $43-million contract, it's possible he has thrown his last pitch for the Mets, though the team holds a $8 million option on Wagner for the 2010 season or there is a $1 million buyout on the deal.

We know what Omar Minaya will be looking for this winter. At age 37, it's possible that Wagner will not be able to make a comeback. Wagner was quite durable during his career, only missing significant time in 2000 and 2004. What do Mets fans think of John Maine going to the bullpen, possibly in the closer role? He certainly can strike out enough batters to be successful in the role.

David Oritz says he still has problems with his injured hand:

"Yup, been a while," Ortiz said, of hitting a home run. "I've just had zero luck. Swinging like [expletive]. My hand is not OK. It's still bothering me once in a while, but we're winning so I don't pay attention to it. I keep on trying."

And that's about all that can be done at this point. With Ortiz and the team deciding to let the wrist heal on its own, instead of opting for surgery, Ortiz will have to play through the clicking the rest of this season.

"There is not a doctor that can fix that for now," Ortiz said. "It's just the same thing. On and off. You're feeling good, then you're clicking back. You try not to think about it. Just play. Since I got that thing my whole swing has changed. I mentally try to keep the same approach of going to the plate and not thinking about it. But it's hard, man. It's tough."

The Red Sox are playing quite impressive baseball. They're deep enough that some section of the team always seems to be working. The own the highest run differential in the AL, +155, second only to the Cubs. The difference in one run victories is the reason they are 1 1/2 games behind instead of 6 1/2 games ahead of the Rays. They've done this with Ortiz hurt, Manny gone, Drew hurt and Beckett not pitching up to last year's level. Not a bad performance at all.

Billy Wagner's simulated game this afternoon went poorly. ESPN showed video of him pitching. He looked fine, then threw a pitch at the feet of the batter and walked off the mound in pain:

Before reaching his scheduled allotment of 15 to 20 pitches, Wagner hit Gustavo Molina in the foot and walked off the mound, shaking his head.

"That's it, I can't do it anymore," he said.

It was Wagner's first time facing hitters since Aug. 16, when he also felt tenderness that hindered his progress. General Manager Omar Minaya would not call Sunday's outing a setback, but Wagner was distraught enough that he did not speak to reporters. Minaya said Wagner would be examined by team doctors on Monday.

"We're going to be conservative," Minaya said. "We've been conservative. We'll continue to be conservative. He's been showing great signs, great progress. He's throwing the ball pretty good as you guys saw -- he showed great velocity --but that being said, it's not only going to be about velocity. It's about feeling those feelings in the area of the arm that he is feeling."

The Mets are going to need to win with the bullpen they have. As long as the offense can play up to their potential, this shouldn't be a big problem.

The Diamondbacks are skipping Randy Johnson's turn in the rotation due to a sore shoulder:

"We talked earlier in the season that if we ever got in a position with Randy, whether it was his back or shoulder, we don't want anything to linger if there is a little issue there where he has to overcompensate in some other areas," Melvin said before Saturday's game against the Dodgers.

"I don't think it's a long-term thing," Melvin said. "But if we would have run him out there tomorrow not feeling great, it could linger for a while."

Melvin said he made the decision after speaking with Johnson on Saturday, adding that Johnson did not ask to be pushed back.

"He knows how to pitch with some pain," Melvin said. "(But) it felt like the best thing to do."

The Diamondbacks need to beat the Dodgers. My question is, will they be better able to do that with Johnson pitching through pain or a healthy Max Scherzer on the mound? Scherzer has very good strikeout numbers, but he does walk a high number of batters. The Dodgers also hit lefties better than righties, so indeed, it seems Melvin is making the right move.

The Rays activated Evan Longoria off the disabled list, but he's not in the lineup today. Toronto leads Tampa Bay 2-0 in the third inning

Shawn Hill's surgery went well and he won't need another round of Tommy John surgery.

My mention of Carlos Quentin in the previous post now looks ill advised. Quentin appears done for the season:

Carlos Quentin's season appears to be over as the White Sox left fielder and MVP candidate suffered a fractured right wrist that will require surgery Monday, according to sources.

It's not certain how Quentin suffered the injury, but speculation is he punched a locker in Boston. He was a late scratch before Monday's game in Cleveland and hasn't played since.

A locker in Boston would be appropriate since his loss makes Boston winning the wild card more likely. The Globe notes this will also help Pedroia in a bid to win the MVP award. Of course, the Rays lost their best hitter and didn't miss a beat. Maybe the White Sox can do the same.

Update: Quentin broke the wrist slapping his bat in frustration during a game in Cleveland on Monday.

Carlos Zambrano's MRI revealed shoulder tendinitis and received an anti-inflammatory injection.

General manager Jim Hendry said Zambrano hopes to start throwing again when the team begins a series in St. Louis on Sept. 10. If all goes well, Zambrano would start at Houston in the following series.

Zambrano, 13-5 this year, left his start Tuesday night against the Astros after five innings, saying he did not feel well. He was examined Wednesday by team orthopedist Dr. Stephen Gryzlo.

Zambrano is 1-1 over his last six starts and has made it past the fifth inning only twice.

As I noted in my radio show last night, there's no real reason to rush Carlos back. The Cubs are good enough to coast to the playoffs without Carlos and Harden. They need both healthy for October, so there's no reason to take any chances. The Cubs should do what the Red Sox did in 2007, coast into the playoff and make sure everyone is healthy.

Carlos Zambrano missed his MRI today and will undergo the scan tomorrow.

Jesus Flores sprained his ankle in the collision with Chase Utley Tuesday night. He should be back before the season ends.

The short outing by Carlos Zambrano wasn't just the Cubs being careful. Zambrano is injured:

So it was a bit of a surprise when Cubs manager Lou Piniella revealed that Zambrano left because of arm problems. Zambrano will have his right arm examined Wednesday.

Any absence could affect the Cubs, who are trying to hold on to first place in the NL Central, not to mention the best record in the league. With starter Rich Harden being skipped for precautionary reasons this week, this is news the Cubs didn't need to hear.

"He told our pitching coach he wasn't feeling good," Piniella said. "It has to be in his arm. I just don't know. We'll let you know tomorrow when we find out."

The Cubs are a deep team with an offense that's capable of winning with a less talented staff. I doubt that injuries to both Zambrano and Harden would keep them out of the playoffs at this point. It does, however, lower their chances of getting to the World Series given the front-line starters of the DBacks, Brewers and Mets, should any of those teams earn a playoff berth.

Ben Sheets leaves the game after five innings and 54 pitches for a pinch hitter. The Mets announcers just reported that Sheets left with a tight left groin. The Brewers lead 1-0, so Sheets is in line for the win.

Jeff Kent needs knee surgery:

Jeff Kent will undergo an operation on his left knee Tuesday that could end his season and 17-year career. An MRI exam this morning showed that Kent, who is contemplating retirement, had a torn medial meniscus.

Manager Joe Torre and General Manager Ned Colletti said they were holding out hope that the 40-year old Kent could return this season.

Kent was on a good roll until a few days ago. Overall, however, his 2008 season was a big disappointment as both his OBA and his slugging percentage collapsed. Without the injury, he might have continued his hot hitting and helped the Dodgers to a playoff spot. That is going to be tougher for the team now.

Howie Kendrick re-injures a hamstring and heads to the 15-day disabled list. With their huge lead in the AL West, the Angels can afford to give Kendrick all the time he need to heal for the playoffs.

I took a good look at Kedrick's stats, since the article described him as "one of the Los Angeles Angels' top hitters this season." That's true, but I wonder if they would say the same about Mike Napoli. Mike's batting average is 90 points lower than Kendrick, but his OBA is one point higher and his slugging percentage is 66 points higher. Kendrick really has a low number of walks for a .300 hitter.

Josh Beckett won't start Friday against the White Sox. Instead, he's visiting Dr. James Andrews. That's seldom good news.

Evan Longoria is still looking to return on September first when rosters expand.

He will probably wait another couple of days to start swinging a bat.

"I want to be pain-free before I start swinging. I just need it to where it's comfortable when I swing," Longoria said. "It's definitely not pain-free, but there's a lot less pain than there has been in the past week. That's a big plus. I'm just tentative to put it to full-boar yet."

The Rays weathered the injury well so far, going 11-4 since Evan broke the wrist.

The Red Sox finally put J.D. Drew on the disabled list after playing a man short for a week.

The Mets place John Maine on the disabled list due to a bone spur:

Maine said rest helped alleviate the pain the first time and hopes another break will make him available for the final couple of weeks of the regular season.

This will put pressure on Oliver Perez to step up. If he can pitch like he did in July, it should help.

Johnny Cueto right elbow is strained and he'll miss at least one start for the Reds. He's been pitching better in August, so that appears to be a loss for the Reds.

It what was an otherwise wild game, the Reds might have lost Johnny Cueto:

Reds starter Johnny Cueto left after three innings with soreness in his right triceps tendon and will be examined Monday in Cincinnati. Cueto gave up one unearned run but didn't allow a hit and walked three.

This was the fourth extra-inning game of the day.

Josh Beckett continues to experience numbness in his hand and won't start on Tuesday. He could go as early as Friday.

"It's gotten better," he said. "We had the one day (Friday) where it kind of came back. That's why we decided to do what we did. It has gotten better. The treatment and stuff is definitely working."

Francona intends to be "overly cautious" with Beckett, who is 11-9 with a 4.34 ERA in 23 starts.

It seems to be caused by the way he sleeps, so they are putting a cast on his arm at night to protect the arm.

J.D. Drew herniated a disk:

The original lineup had Drew in right field, but he was scratched soon after the clubhouse opened. He was sent to a local hospital for an MRI, where it was learned he had a herniated disc.

"I hope I won't have to go on the disabled list," said Drew, who said he felt good Thursday and thought he'd be able to play Friday. On Friday morning he was a little stiff and took a hot bath in attempt to loosen the stiffness. After the bath his back locked up, and Drew said he felt "progressively worse" during the day. He was having difficulty walking in the locker room.

There's no word on how long he'll be sidelined.

He injured the sheath around the disc back in 2001.

Sean Gallagher and Justin Duchscherer both hit the disabled list for the Oakland Athletics, setting a team record for DL use. It also leads them with an all-lefty rotation:

The A's recalled left-handers Dana Eveland and Dan Meyer from Triple-A Sacramento to join the rotation. Eveland, in his second stint with the A's this season, is scheduled to start on Saturday. Meyer is scheduled to pitch Sunday. He is also in his second stint with Oakland this year.

The team now has an all left-handed, five-man rotation -- including Thursday's starter Greg Smith, Gio Gonzalez and Dallas Braden. The only other time Oakland has had an all-southpaw rotation was in 1973 with a four-man staff of Vida Blue, Ken Holtzman, Darold Knowles and Paul Lindlad.

Sounds like something sinister is going on in Oakland. I can't imagine an all-lefty rotation works that well. Most hitters are still right-handed, after all.

River Ave. Blues posts the latest on Carl Pavano. He's like death and taxes rolled into one.

Orioles closer George Sherill goes on the 15-day disabled list with a sore shoulder. Right now it doesn't look serious. Former closer Jason Isringhausen looks to miss the rest of the season for the Cardinals. He suffers from a torn tendon in his elbow.

Billy Wagner's elbow isn't healing, and he's likely out for the season. Wagner blew seven saves this season. Feliciano and Heilman have combined to blow five in ten opportunities.

Word comes from Beijing that Matt LaPorta is okay:

The USA Olympic medical staff informed the Indians on Tuesday that outfield prospect Matt LaPorta suffered no ill effects from being hit in the head by a pitch during Monday's game against China.

"He had no symptoms of post-concussion syndrome when he woke up Tuesday morning," said Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff, who added the back left side of LaPorta's head and neck, where he was hit, was still sore.

That had to be tough for the Indians front office to watch. They trade one of their best players for a potential future star, and then watch him go down in a game half-way around the world. It least it doesn't appear to be too serious an injury.

Josh Beckett is suffering from numbness in his right hand:

"We've got to figure out what ... it is," Beckett said Tuesday. "Obviously, (being pushed back) is not what I want, but at this juncture it needs to happen."

Beckett was scheduled to pitch Saturday against Toronto. Instead, he's tentatively set to start Tuesday night when the Red Sox play New York at Yankee Stadium.

"I don't know. It's still seven days away," he said. "We'll see."

Beckett will undergo tests to determine the cause of the numbness -- and to rule out a serious condition such as a blood clots.

Oil Can Boyd suffered numbness in his arm before he was diagnosed with a blood clot.

It looks like Ian Kinsler will miss the remainder of the season with a sports hernia. At age 26, Kinsler made a major leap in performance this season, raising his OBA about 25 points and his slugging percentage about 70 points over the averages of his first two seasons. Their 2-10 record over their last 12 games pretty much takes Texas out of the playoff picture, so they should concentrate on getting Kinsler well for next season.

Justin Duchscherer left the game against the Twins after 2 2/3 innings due to hip pain. He did not allow a run. Kirk Saarloos has continued the shutout as the Athletics lead the Twins 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh.

MetsBlog.com notes the Mets have a tough decision coming up on Luis Castillo.

Carlos Silva goes on the disabled list with pain in his elbow. He had the pain before he gave up nine runs to the Twins last night, but didn't bother telling the team until after the game.

It's been a bad couple of days for injuries. Tom Glavine returns to the disabled list after a one game return from injury. At his age, you start to wonder if his career is over.

The Angels lost Macier Izturis for the duration:

Maicer Izturis' left thumb injury was far worse than the Angels feared.

The shortstop suffered a torn ligament diving for a grounder Wednesday night against Seattle and will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday in Los Angeles, putting at least a small damper on the Angels' World Series hopes.

"It's a tough loss," Manager Mike Scioscia said before Friday's game against the Indians. "We feel terrible for Izzy because we know how much a part of the club he was. It's going to put more weight on others to carry the load."

With a .329 OBA and a .362 slugging percentage, Izturis wasn't exactly an offensive force. According to Bill James Online, he ranks 15th in +/- at shortstop. In general, he's okay.

Erik Aybar takes over the position. I don't think he'll make much of a difference.

Chris Carpenter was supposed to miss one start, but instead his strained shoulder places him on the disabled list. It's of course the prudent thing to do as the Cardinals don't want to see Chris's reconstructed elbow damaged due to a faulty shoulder.

Joba Chamberlain threw for six minutes this afternoon.

Aramis Ramirez left tonight's game against the Braves with a hip contusion. He was 2 for 2 with a home run as the Cubs are once again pounding the Braves. It's 11-4 in the top of the seventh as Tom Glavine pitches poorly in his return from the disabled list.

Troy Percival left the game against Oakland with an injury today. Is it time to call up David Price?

Shoulder tendinitis puts Dan Giese on the disabled list, which may accelerate the return of Phil Hughes to the majors.

Brad Penny didn't last long in the majors as he returns to the disabled list.

The move, which came a day after a stiff-shouldered Penny was tagged for six runs in a season-low three innings, was one of several the Dodgers made today.

Right-hander Cory Wade, who hasn't pitched since Saturday because of discomfort in his shoulder, also went on the DL. Taking the places of Penny and Wade on the active roster are left-hander Eric Stults and right-hander Tanyon Sturtze, who were called up from triple-A Las Vegas.

Manager Joe Torre conceded that losing Penny was a serious blow, but noted, "We're used to playing this game without Brad Penny. It's been a fact of life for the last month or so."

Update: You can add Alberto Gonzalez to the list as well.

Aaron Rowand left the game against the Astros with a back injury. Rowand, Winn, and Aaron's replacement Fred Lewis are the only three hitters having decent years for the Giants. If this is more than a day-to-day injury the Giants will score even fewer runs.

It looks like Tim Lincecum will make his next start after getting hit with a line drive:

One day after getting drilled by a Brad Ausmus line drive, Lincecum seemed to be walking normally. The side of his right leg, just below the kneecap, didn't appear overly swollen, though Lincecum (whose legs aren't exactly in the Bengie Molina range) considered it lots of swelling.

The area was reddened, and Lincecum spent much of his time in ice. He rode a stationary bike and did his usual rotator-cuff and abdominal work and plans to throw on the side today or Friday.

Shall we start calling him Bird-Leg Lincecum?

Joel Zumaya returns to the disable list with a sore shoulder.

The Boston Red Sox placed Mike Lowell on the disabled list today:

Righthander pitcher David Pauley has been recalled from Pawtucket to take Lowell's spot on the roster.

Lowell struck out looking in the seventh inning after having strained his right oblique during the at-bat.

Sounds like Kevin Youkilis will be getting some play at third and Sean Casey at first.

A line drive to the knee forced Tim Lincecum out of the game against the Astros:

The 24-year-old Lincecum fell to the ground as manager Bruce Bochy and the team's medical staff rushed to check on him. Lincecum limped off the field and was replaced by right-hander Keiichi Yabu.

Let's hope it's not serious.

The Dodgers replace Nomar Garciaparra with Andruw Jones on the disabled list.

Baseball Digest Daily alerts me that Evan Longoria is going to be resting his wrist for a while:

Just a day after losing two-time All-Star Carl Crawford the Rays were dealt another blow, as the team announced on Monday evening that All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria will be joining Crawford on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 8. Longoria was hit on his right wrist in the ninth inning of Thursday's loss to the Mariners and although initial X-rays taken after the game were negative, the Rays have now announced that the rookie's wrist is fractured.

Longoria started hitting his stride early in June and stayed hot up until his injury. We'll have to wait to see how long this is going to take to heal. It's a real blow to the Rays offense.

Update: David Oritz is resting his wrist tonight.

Doctors repaired Carlos Lee's finger and appear satisfied with the results.

Orlando Hudson underwent the first of two surgeries to repair his left wrist and will miss the rest of the season. It's a blow to the Diamondbacks both offensively and defensively.

Carl Crawford follows Carlos Lee onto the disabled list with a bad finger.

Carl Crawford has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a subluxation of his right middle finger tendon, and his status for the remainder of the season is unknown.

Rocco Baldelli was activated off the disabled list to take Crawford's place on the roster; Eric Hinske was penciled in as Sunday's left fielder.

I don't know how much this really hurts. Crawford was an out machine this year, posting a .319 OBA with little power. If the Rays had picked up Jason Bay, they wouldn't be missing Crawford much. Baldelli hit great at AA, but we'll see how it translates to the majors.

Chris Carpenter leaves the game after 66 pitches. He throws a 0-1 pitch inside to Jim Edmonds, then calls out the trainer. He pats his upper arm, indicating the area that's bothering him. No work yet on what is bothering him.

Carpenter was working very efficiently but had allowed two runs. Ron Villone comes in and induces a double play grounder that goes through Kennedy's legs and plates the Cubs third run of the game.

Carlos Lee goes down for the season with a broken finger. It's amazing how something so small can be so important to a player's performance. This likely kills any chance for a wild card comeback by the Astros. Lee's stats surged since the All-Star break. He was slugging .667 with 24 RBI in 21 games.

It looks like Orlando Hudson played his last game of the 2008 season Saturday night:

Hudson either broke or dislocated a bone in his left wrist in the sixth inning of an 11-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field, an injury that likely means his season will end early for the second year in a row and perhaps closes the curtain on his career with the Diamondbacks.

"We're not 100 percent sure whether or not he has to have surgery," manager Bob Melvin said. "Probably a pretty good chance we'll know in the morning. If he has the surgery, he's out for the rest of the year. If he doesn't, there's still a chance he could be out for the rest of the year."

The DBacks acquired Hudson as a defensive second baseman, but he's hit very well for the team in his three years as well. With Toronto, his averages came in at .270/.327/.417. Since he joined the Diamondbacks, those increased to .294/.365/.448. So the Diamondbacks lose both offensively and defensively with this injury. His likely replacement, Augie Ojeda, posted pretty good OBAs the last three years but with no power.

A week into August, the team is neither hitting nor pitching well. They've been outscored 52-37 in nine games for a 3-6 record. The only saving grace so far is that even with Manny, the Dodgers aren't scoring that much better, 36 runs in eight games. Their pitching is spot on, allowing just 28 runs for a 4-4 record. Right now, the Diamondbacks need a boost, and this injury does just the opposite.

Orlando Hudson leaves the game against the Braves with what looks like a serious wrist injury. Brian McCann singled with the bases loaded, then tried to advance to second on the throw. The catcher threw to second, but the throw was wide to the first base side and Hudson, in an effort to catch it, dove into McCann. His glove was bent all the way back, and he walks off the field with the trainer supporting the Orlando's left hand.

McCann tries to steal third, the throw is wide again, and this time Reynolds is hurt. He stays in the game, however, but he was limping for a minute. Atlanta leads 9-3 in the top of the sixth.

Andy Pettitte may miss his next start. Since Melky Cabrera lost his starting outfield job, maybe he can become the reverse Ankiel and start pitching!

The Mets remain pessimistic about Ryan Church returning to the lineup this season:

"I'm not optimistic about that," manager Jerry Manuel said of getting him back. "It's very foreign to all of us and we just aren't sure as to where it could go. And historically, it hasn't gone in our direction.

"We've been going through this, I don't know how long. Two months? Whatever. But, if it does turn out to be something favorable for us, it would be very, very welcome."

Via Bronx Banter, the New York Times discusses Joba Chamberlain's injury:

Tendinitis is a vague term that can indicate a tear of some degree. Jorge Posada said in May that he had rotator-cuff tendinitis, but he actually had a tear in his subscapularis muscle. He eventually had labrum surgery.

Reminded of that, Mussina guessed that Posada aggravated his condition by throwing for so long before giving in to the pain. Girardi said tendinitis was nothing alarming.

"We're not going to rush anything, but that's pretty good diagnosis," he said. "Tendinitis is something that you could probably walk around and find it in 75 percent of the players."

Ian Kennedy pitched well at AAA. I'm sure the Yankees were looking forward to Ian improving the rotation, now they hope he can keep it from getting worse.

The Yankees broadcast called the injury shoulder tendinitis. There's no structural damage.

Tiffany Berryman is hearing that Joba Chamberlain has a rotator cuff tear, but she can't confirm the rumors.

Joba Chamberlain goes on the disabled list, but the Yankees haven't explained the injury yet.

Asbrubal Cabrera trips near the third base coaching box at Tropicana Field as he's walking out to take the field for the bottom of the sixth. He needs to come out of the game, and due to Marte pinch hitting for the DH, Wedge is limited to the moves he can make without losing the designated hitter.

Update: Sal Fasano ends up playing first. Garko started the game at DH, but Wedge removed him for not hustling.

Joba is going to see Dr. Andrews. That's seldom good news.

Billy Wagner goes on the disabled list with a strained forearm:

Wagner had an MRI exam and X-rays on his pitching arm Tuesday. The tests showed no structural damage, but the forearm strain requires rest.

"It's like a pulled hamstring," he said.

The left-hander is 0-1 with a 2.30 ERA and 27 saves in 45 appearances. After sitting out a game with a sore shoulder two weeks ago, Wagner began feeling discomfort near his elbow while pitching in Florida last Tuesday.

Seven blown saves is the most Wagner's recorded in a season since 2000, when he was 6/15 for Houston.

Joba Chamberlain gives up three runs in the bottom of the fifth, then leaves with what appears to be a shoulder injury, as that's where he pointed while talking to the trainer on the mound.

He was almost out of the inning early when Ian Kinsler nubbed one in front of the plate. Pudge pounced, threw to second, and because Kinsler didn't run, the Yankees got an easy double play. One of the other umps, however, said it hit Kinsler in the box, foul ball. Kinsler walked, and scored on a Michael Young three-run homer. The Rangers lead 5-4.

The Yankees announcers were wondering why Girardi didn't warm up Mariano Rivera when Edwar Ramirez got in trouble in the 8th inning today. Rivera was suffering from back spasms:

Rivera said his back started nagging him between the shoulder blades after he took the loss in Friday night's 1-0 defeat against the Angels.

The All-Star closer said it was nothing to be concerned about, but it was uncertain whether he'd be available to pitch Monday night at Texas in the opener of a 10-game trip.

The Yankees will just need to score enough runs to alleviate the need for a closer.

Both Adam Jones and Luke Scott are running on bad wheels right now.

The Mets put John Maine on the disabled list and send Billy Wagner for an MRI. That's two of their three most important pitchers with injuries as the Mets are sinking once again in the NL East. They're losing 4-0 to the Astros in the top of the ninth.

Update: The Mets do lose 4-0, failing to pass the Marlins. Former Mets third baseman Ty Wigginton does some damage, doubling, homering and scoring twice.

Phil Hughes pitched more impressively than Carl Pavano last night. If Phil keeps making that kind of progress, he may be back in the Yankees rotation by mid-August.

Joe Girardi says Chien-Ming Wang won't return for the stretch drive.

"The chances of getting him back on September 1st is zero," Girardi said. "October 1st is possible."

Wang, a 19-game winner each of the past two seasons, was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA when he got hurt. Girardi said he wouldn't hesitate to throw Wang back into the rotation just as soon as he's ready to go, pennant race or not.

"I would not hesitate," Girardi said. "As long as he's healthy we'll throw him out there."

That seems to leave Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes as the best chances to improve the Rasner/Ponson end of the rotation. Kennedy is pitching well at AAA. Hughes made his first rehab start, as did this pitcher, lurking in the shadows.

The Mets broadcast just mentioned that John Maine suffered a strain of his rotator cuff. It's not clear than he'll need to go on the disabled list, but with days off, the Mets could go two turns through the rotation without Maine.

Nomar Garciaparra may be headed to the disabled list for the third time this season:

The Dodgers' pursuit of a shortstop before Thursday's non-waiver trading deadline could intensify after an MRI exam Monday on Nomar Garciaparra's left knee revealed a minor sprain of his medial collateral ligament.

Similar injuries typically sideline players for about two weeks, meaning the shortstop could be headed for the disabled list for the third time this season.

Nomar is actually hitting for power in his short time healthy with the Dodgers, actually plugging the offensive gap at shortstop.

The Dodgers failed to gain ground on the Diamondbacks last night. They fell behind San Francisco 7-0. They did rally for six runs before the Giants bullpen shut them down with 3 2/3 one hit innings. They remain a game back in the NL West, one game under .500.

John Maine wanted to pitch through the pain in Florida Monday night, but his coaches would not risk a bigger injury:

"I said I was sore, but capable of pitching," said Maine.

That was good enough for the Mets to give him the ball, but by the fourth inning pitching coach Dan Warthen was growing concerned.

The Mets let him go out for the fifth, but quickly knew he wouldn't finish.

"I didn't like that his arm angle dropped," Warthen said of Maine's body language, figuring compensation for the shoulder could lead to problems elsewhere. "We were worried he might blow out his elbow."

As they should be. Maine is too valuable to the rotation right now to take any risks. It cost the Mets the game, but it did not cost Maine the season.

The Marlins scheduled Anibal Sanchez to pitch on Thursday. The team keeps getting better.

Jorge Posada and the Yankees opted for surgery on the catcher's shoulder:

Posada was debating whether to have the surgery or to try to come back after rest and rehabilitation. But after Posada's batting practice session today at Yankee Stadium, GM Brian Cashman said surgery was "the obvious way to go."

Recovery from the surgery could take up to six months, which means Posada may not be ready for the start of spring training next year.

Jose Molina is pretty much an offensive black hole, but he's doing a great job with the pitching staff and controlling the running game. This may lead to the Yankees going after one of the Texas catchers.

The Braves place their best hitter and best pitcher on the disabled list:

The Braves also optioned left-hander JoJo Reyes to Triple-A Richmond. Atlanta recalled pitcher Charlie Morton and catcher Clint Sammons from Richmond and activated reliever Jeff Bennett from the disabled list.

At 7 1/2 games back, the Braves are not out of it, but this sure isn't going to make it easy for a comeback. I would guess this would make a Teixeira trade somewhat more likely.

Aaron Hill joins the list of players taking a very long time to recover from a concussion:

"I've heard all the stories," Hill said of the Matheny case. "He was telling Jeremy, `Just tell him don't push it; it's the worst thing to do.'"

Hill is heeding Matheny's words. And if avoiding stress is the way to go, then there's a certain serendipity that he and the Jays were able to reach agreement on a guaranteed multi-year contract in May. Goals collide. Hill won't worry about his future and the Jays aren't pressured to rush him back. Perfect.

"You could look at it that way," Hill said. "Obviously, for anybody it's nice to have that security. But even if it didn't happen, I'm still young. I still have a long time to play. It would have been one year of a setback."

The Jays were 30-25 with Hill playing, 23-27 without him.

Carlos Gomez injured himself making a catch:

Minnesota Twins center fielder Carlos Gomez was immobilized and taken from the field on a cart after crashing into the padded wall while making a spectacular catch in the first inning of Friday night's game against the Cleveland Indians.

After a long run, Gomez jumped as he neared the wall and caught Ben Francisco's drive before slamming into it on his right side. He crumpled on the warning track and, while in obvious pain, shoveled the ball to left fielder Delmon Young. As Gomez writhed around grabbing his lower back, Sizemore tagged up and scored all the way from second base.

Gomez remained on the ground for several minutes and was attended to by trainers for both teams before being placed on a backboard and lifted onto a cart.

I hope it's not too serious.

Chipper Jones left tonight's game against the Marlins with a hamstring injury.

Jorge Posada went on the disabled list Monday, and this time the rest of the season is in doubt:

Posada said he was planning on starting a rehab program Monday before discussing his options with Altchek. Posada, who acknowledged more damage in his shoulder beyond an injured labrum, could miss part of next season if he waits to have surgery.

It was a tough call to re-sign Posada to a new contract. I understand the Yankees were rewarding him for many years of great service, but that contract doesn't really look good right now. I expect Jorge, if surgery is successful, will take Giambi's place at first, since I don't expect New York to re-sign Jason. I wonder how Posada's season will also effect the Red Sox's offer to Varitek.

This is a sad story. Baltimore's Adam Loewen fractured his elbow for a second time, ending his pitching career. He'll try to reinvent himself as an outfielder, a la Rick Ankiel:

Rather than rehabilitating again, Loewen is expected to report to the instructional league this fall and try to reinvent himself as an outfielder. Loewen hasn't faced live pitching regularly since 2003, when he played first base for Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., batting .353 with a homer and 38 RBIs in 45 games.

"If I did choose the other path of pitching, it would be a long road with no clear ending," said Loewen, who pitched in seven games this season, starting four of them. He last pitched July 6 against the Texas Rangers, leaving the game after feeling elbow pain. "This is not a simple decision, but it's right there in front of me and it was easy to make for me.

Good luck to him. Playing in the National League, Ankiel was hitting all along. He had four extra-base hits in 2000. Working for Loewen is that he's only 22 years old, so he's relearning hitting while he's still growing toward his athletic peak.

Derrick Goold takes a look at how Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter are recovering from their injuries.

The Dodgers lose Takashi Saito to an elbow injury:

General manager Ned Colletti said it is difficult to replace a closer.

"As far as trading for a closer, it's a lot like trying to acquire a shortstop - it's a premium position and most teams don't carry an excess," Colletti said from the All-Star game in New York.

Manager Joe Torre said Sunday that Jonathan Broxton would be the team's closer until further notice. But Torre was unsure who would take over for Broxton as setup man.

Am I missing something, or doesn't Hong-Chih Kuo post numbers nearly identical to Saito? Since Kuo pitches mostly in the sixth and seventh inning, wouldn't it be less upsetting to the set roles of the bullpen to move Hong-Chih to the closer spot and find someone else to work the sixth? It should be easier to acquire a third or fourth reliever than a closer.

Red ace Aaron Harang gets placed on the disabled list due to a right forearm strain. It was clear something was wrong as four of his last six starts were poor.

It appears Mark Mulder's career is over:

Opening a 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cardinals lefthander walked from the field after managing one out, a strikeout of shortstop Jimmy Rollins, followed by two walks. The same pitch that struck out Rollins caused Mulder pain so severe he could not throw any of his last eight pitches from the same angle or with the same force.

...

The Cardinals are expected to put Mulder on the disabled list today and promote lefthanded prospect Jaime Garcia from Class AAA Memphis. Mulder is scheduled to have an MRI today in St. Louis; the procedure may be little more than a formality for a pitcher who has needed two shoulder operations and has had four unsuccessful rehab assignments since earning his last major-league win in June 2006.

Mulder did put together six great seasons. At the end of 2005 he was 97-50, a .660 winning percentage. While he was never much of a strikeout pitcher, he walked less than three batters per nine innings and allowed 19.5 HR per 200 innings. It's just another example of how fragile pitchers can be.

Mark Mulder walks two batters and leaves the game against the Phillies after recording just one out:

The Cardinals said Mulder had left shoulder discomfort and will be evaluated on Thursday.

Mulder, coming back from two shoulder operations, made his first start since September and hasn't won a game in 25 months. The former 20-game winner struck out Jimmy Rollins to start the game, then walked Shane Victorino and Chase Utley.

It seems to me the Cardinals rushed Mulder back a bit. I wonder if this means the Cardinals are more likely to trade for someone like A.J. Burnett. Burnett gave up one run through the first five innings against the Orioles tonight, but then allowed six in the sixth. That's not helping his trade value.

The Phillies break their scoreless streak with a run in the 5th, and lead the Cardinals 1-0.

Bob Sikes notes that Ryan Church's concussion history goes back to 2005.

Ryan Church goes back on the disabled list due to lingering effects of his concussion. I'm really afraid this is turning into a Mike Matheny situation.

Jeff Suppan goes on the disabled list, opening up a spot for C.C. Sabathia. I suspected the Brewers would send McClung back to the bullpen where he pitched more effectively this season, but Suppan and Bush have higher ERAs, and Suppan wasn't showing Bush's improvement.

Ryan Church can't play for the Mets today:

Ryan Church is not playing today. He's still feeling it from the migraines. He's not supposed to be out in the sunlight because the sensitivity to his eyes can trigger another one.

I don't know if these are concussion related, but his head is clearly not 100% at this point.

Rafael Furcal won't be coming back after the All-Star break:

Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal will have surgery on Thursday to relieve pressure on a disk in his lower back and could be out at least eight weeks, manager Joe Torre said.

Even with the great number Furcal posted early this year, Dodgers shortstops own a .244/.316/.373 line. That's not great, but take away Furcal and it's just awful.

I did not know someone could fracture a testicle.

Halos Heaven presents a photo essay on Kelvim Escobar's rehabilitation assignment.

Chad Cordero's shoulder forces him to miss the rest of the season:

Cordero will have surgery on the shoulder, which has been bothering him all season. The date for the procedure has not been set.

Cordero has pitched in only six games, allowing one run in 4 1/3 innings. Jon Rauch has been serving as the closer in Cordero's absence.

Despite last night, Rauch has pitched well for the Nationals. The problem is, instead of having a 1-2 punch at the end of the game, Washington just has the 2. There's really nothing backing up Jon in the bullpen. So unless the starters can go eight innings, there's there danger the setup men are going to get lit up.

Miguel Cabrera left the Tigers/Twins game with a tight left hip flexor. The Tigers were down 4-1 but scored twice in both the seventh and eighth inning to take a 5-4 lead over Minnesota. The Twins bullpen, so tough during the winning streak, has given up three runs in 2 1/3 innings so far tonight.

Update: The Tigers hang on for the 5-4 win. They now trail the Twins by 2 1/2 games for second place in the AL Central. Detroit finishes the month 19-8 while the Twins go 18-10.

The Astros defeated the light hitting Dodgers 4-1 this evening, but lost Roy Oswalt to an injury:

Oswalt allowed one run and six hits with nine strikeouts through six innings. He grounded out to relief pitcher Ramon Troncoso to end the Astros' half of the sixth. Houston led 4-1.

Catcher Brad Ausmus walked before Oswalt batted and while he was in the dugout putting on his equipment, backup catcher Humberto Quintero caught Oswalt's warmup pitches for the seventh.

Oswalt called Quintero to the mound and after a brief conversation, Quintero signaled to the dugout. Manager Cecil Cooper and assistant athletic trainer Rex Jones came out to check on Oswalt and he walked off the field with Jones. Oswalt threw 78 pitches.

I'll watch for more information Tuesday morning. The Dodger picked up eleven hits this evening, but only two were for extra bases, and only one came with runners in scoring position.

Lance Berkman hit home run 22. He trails Utley and Uggla by one for the NL lead.

It looks like Chipper Jones is not healing as quickly as expected, and he's likely going to go on the disabled list. With the expectation that the time off heals the injury, this makes it a bit more likely that Chipper will hit .400, since he'll have a smaller number of at bats this season.

The Tigers will sit Magglio Ordonez Sunday afternoon after suffering back spasms on Saturday. He hasn't had a day off all season, and this seems like a good time for one. He's fallen off in June after a very hot May.

Jason Isringhausen recorded the last out of the sixth, but appeared to be in a bit of distress warming up for the seventh. He seems to be favoring his left leg, but he's staying in the game, hitting the low 90s on the radar gun, and getting outs. The Cardinals and Tigers are tied at one in the bottom of the seventh. Pujols is perfect on the day with three hits and a walk in four trips to the plate.

Albert Pujols is back in the lineup for the Cardinals today. He's the designated hitter, not the first baseman.

Update: Albert singles his first time up.

Brian O'Nora had a broken bat hit him in the head tonight:

O'Nora was injured in the bottom of the second inning when Olivo's bat broke on a groundout to shortstop. The umpire walked over to the corner of Kansas City's dugout, where he was treated by Royals trainer Nick Swartz and led down the tunnel.

The Royals later announced that O'Nora had a small cut on his forehead and was taken to St. Luke's Hospital for further evaluation.

Does anyone know if it's a maple bat?

Both Hidekei Matsui and Johnny Damon are hurting, so the Yankees called up Justin Christian.

Christian, 28, was batting .309 with 39 RBIs, 35 runs scored and 18 steals for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year. A former infielder, he has played all three outfield positions this season. He was never drafted -- not out of high school, Skyline Junior College, Auburn University or Southeastern Missouri State University. He was playing independent ball with the River City (Mo.) Rascals in the independent Frontier League when the Yankees signed him in 2004.

"It's kind of a dream come true," Christian said, "but I'm trying to keep it all in perspective right now."

Girardi said one reason Christian got the call over fellow Triple-A speedster Brett Gardner is that the Yankees face five lefties in the next six days. but also, Girardi said, "He's earned it."

He's playing well this year, but don't expect anything great out of Justin. His minor league OBA is okay, but he has little power.

Nick Johnson won't play again in 2008:

First baseman Nick Johnson will miss the rest of the season, the Washington Nationals confirmed today. Dr. Richard Berger of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., operated today on the Nationals' clean-up hitter and repaired a small split tear in a ligament on the ulnar side of his wrist.

A team announcement about the procedure said that Johnson is expected to miss the remainder of the 2008 season.

I like Nick. I like his selectivity at the plate, his smooth fielding, and the fact he looks like Babe Ruth. Given his injury history, however, I'm not sure I'd want him on my team at this point. Easily injured and slow to heal is just not a good combination.

Jeff Francoeur received a contact lens for his right eye to help with seeing the ball at night:

His vision in the eye has deteriorated since Francoeur was struck in the face by a pitch while squaring to bunt in a 2004 minor league game, and he thinks it might be a cause for the wide gap between his offensive statistics in day and night games.

He's hitting like an MVP during the day this season, and like Mario Mendoza at night. If this doesn't work, he might have to play for the Cubs.

It looks like Felix Hernandez's sprained ankle isn't too bad:

To start at the end and work backward, it appears the Mariners averted disaster. In fact, the news after the game was upbeat, and Hernandez himself was in a good mood, vowing not to miss his next start.

"I'm going to pitch next time. For sure," he said.

The Mariners weren't willing to go quite that far, but manager Jim Riggleman said X-rays were negative, and termed the sprain "mild."

"We hope we can get him back out there as soon as possible," Riggleman said. "[Trainer] Rick Griffin is pretty encouraged. He may miss a couple of days off his next start, but we're not thinking DL at all."

Since Felix is the only player the Mariners can depend on at this point (offensively too, after last night's grand slam), his going on the DL would certainly devastate this team.

Kevin Youkilis left the game after a freak injury. The infielders were warming up between innings and a throw bounced in front of Kevin at first, came up and hit him in the eye. That left him with a swollen black eye, and Moss is in to play first, as Sean Casey is serving a suspension. The game is scoreless in the bottom fifth as both Haren and Beckett are on tonight.

Bradford Files has the results of Curt Schillings surgery:

But the biggest source of good news for Schilling was that the rotator cuff was only partially separated from the bone, needing just one stitch to bring it together. If the rotator cuff had been damaged to the point where surgery was needed, the pitcher's hopes of returning to the mound in 12 months would not have been possible. So, the prognosis basically leaves the door open for a return.

"It certainly is possible," said Morgan regarding another attempted return to the mound for Schilling.

I wonder if Curt will think it's worth the work. I don't think the Red Sox would sign him to another contract until they were sure he could contribute.

Eric Bedard pitched three shutout innings then left the game against the Braves with back spams. The bullpen is doing a good job in relief as the Mariners lead the Braves 2-1 in the seventh. Not a great way for Riggleman to start his tenure with the Mariners, losing one of his front line pitchers.

Jolbert Cabrera went four for four tonight, and was on first base in the top of the seventh when a ball got away from Molina. Cabrera took off second and just made it on a hands first slide. Unfortunately, he jammed a hand on the slide and is out of the game. He's the fourth Reds shortstop to go down with an injury this year. Hairston also injured his hand on a similar slide into second. Maybe Dusty should institute a feet first slide rule.

It turns out Schilling's doctor was right and the Red Sox were wrong about the condition of Curt's shoulder:

The Globe's Gordon Edes reports that the Red Sox have confirmed that Schilling will have surgery, and that GM Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona will discuss this development before the Red Sox-Cardinals game at Fenway Park tonight. Schilling will not be at the ballpark, according to the club.

Schilling said the major procedure would be performed by Dr. Craig Morgan, who thought Schilling should have chosen surgery in the offseason rather than the rehab program recommended by the Red Sox. When asked if this meant that Dr. Morgan's initial analysis of the injury and rehab was correct, Schilling replied, "I don't know ... and I don't care.

"There's a chance a lot of things could happen here. My season's over. There's a pretty decent chance that I've thrown my last pitch forever, so I don't care. It doesn't matter. I'm going in to make it not hurt anymore, which is pretty much all I care about."

Dr. Morgan's reputation just went up a peg.

Schilling had an impressive career for someone who didn't pitch consistently well until he was 28 years old. From 1995 through 2007, Schilling walked just 1.74 batters per nine innings, sixth among pitchers with at least 1200 innings. Curt, however, was the only one of the leaders to combine that low walk rate with an extremely high strikeout rate. He pitched some memorable playoff games along the way, including game 7 of the 2001 World Series and the bloody sock game against the Yankees. I hope he keeps blogging and gives us an insider's view of the game from the outside.

The ESPN broadcast just mentioned that Carlos Zambrano left the game due to shoulder discomfort. He walked four and struck out just two in 6 2/3 innings tonight. This could be a much bigger injury than Soriano's hand.

Both Bartolo Colon and Brad Penny both go on the disabled list. Bartolo hurt himself batting Monday night, while Penny's tendinitis may explain his poor start this season.

Update: Paul Konerko hits the disabled list as well. With a .322 OBA and a .368 slugging percentage, this might actually help the White Sox offense.

Yadier Molina is out of the hospital and will be with the Cardinals in Kansas City. It's not clear if he will play.

David Ortiz is out of his cast:

David Ortiz, who had been in a hard cast since June 2 to protect the partial tear of the tendon sheath in his left wrist, had the cast cut off Monday and replaced with a removable splint.

This will enable the Sox' designated hitter to perform some range of motion exercises to help with his rehabilitation. While it is far too soon to place a timetable on Ortiz's return to the lineup, manager Terry Francona said the switch from a hard cast to a removable one constituted a step in the right direction.

I just saw on NESN that Kevin Youkilis will miss tonight's game due to back spasms.

Chien-Ming Wang is gone for a while:

Wang will be in a protective boot for six weeks. That's July 28. He would need at least four weeks to get his arm back in shape to pitch - assuming that he is fully healed after six weeks.

That's Aug. 25 at the earliest.

I wonder if there is any water work he could do during the healing process to speed his return to the majors? Bo Jackson did that to help recover from his hip. I wonder if throwing in water would allow Wang to keep enough weight off the foot to at least play catch?

Yadier Molina suffered a concussion after his collision with Eric Bruntlett. Let's hope the Cardinals do a better job with Yadier than the Mets did with Church.

There's plenty of angst in the New York media over Chien-Ming Wang's foot. The speculation runs toward a very serious injury that threatens the rest of Chien's season:

The injury is to the top of Wang's foot, the same general area that reliever Brian Bruney injured when he tripped while covering first base in April. Bruney was found to have a Lisfranc injury and is expected to miss a minimum of three months.

Wang has symptoms of the same injury, including swelling and the inability to bear weight on the foot; he left Minute Maid Park on crutches, in a soft cast. Bruney's injury was in the middle of the foot, and Wang's is believed to be in the webbing of his toes, between his big toe and second toe.

Here's some information on Lisfranc injuries. They are generally tough to diagnose, hence the MRI for Wang.

The other thing these stories expect is for the Yankees to overcompensate:

"You're going to go through injuries, and you've got to find a way to get it done," Girardi said. "But it's not easy to replace 19 wins."

As it happens, though, another 19-game winner from 2007 may hit the trade market soon. With their playoff hopes fading, the Cleveland Indians are likely to trade Sabathia, last year's American League Cy Young award winner, who won again on Sunday and has a 2.21 earned run average over his last 11 starts.

The Yankees were interested in him before Wang's injury, and their need has become more acute. Sabathia can be a free agent after the season, and the Yankees have the payroll space to afford him and the prospects to obtain him.

I disagree with the idea that Wang is difficult to replace. For one thing, Chien-Ming holds a 4.07 ERA in 2008. That ranks 48th in the majors among pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched, between Hiroki Kuroda and Odalis Perez. Those two have a combined 5-11 record, reflecting the poor offense that play behind them.

Longer term, of course, Wang is a very good pitcher. Since the start of 2005, his rookie season, Wang ranks 18th in ERA among pitchers with 500 innings. Once again, his record is out of whack with the surrounding ERAs. Wang is 54-20, a .730 winning percentage. Hudson and Harang, 17th and 19th respectively, are 50-35 (.588) and 46-39 (.541). On a team that wasn't an offensive power house, Wang would more likely be 41-33 over that time. So really, the Yankees should be thinking about replacing a fourteen game, not a nineteen game winner.

This is very important. New York could replace Wang with Harang, for example, for a lower cost than Sabathia. Harang holds a cheap contract that goes through 2010 with an option for 2011, and he's not a Cy Young award winner. Since Jocketty and Baker both have a history of liking veterans, maybe the Yankees could get away with losing fewer prospects by throwing in Bobby Abreu.

On the other hand, there are reasons to trade for Sabathia even if Wang is healthy. If the main reason for a trade is to replace Wang, however, the Yankees should be able to replace his ERA, and likely his wins, without acquiring one of the best pitchers in the game.

The Yankees really don't like interleague play after today, as Chien-Ming Wang injured an ankle running the bases. Peter Abraham got in a couple of questions:

Wang did not want to meet with the media. But as he left the clubhouse and was taken away on a golf cart, I managed to get two questions in:

Q: How does it feel?

A: "It hurts a lot."

Q: Do you think it's bad?

A: "Maybe. I'll know tomorrow

."

He's unlikely to make his next start. This might give Ian Kennedy an opening to work back into the rotation, or Dan Giese, who did an excellent job as Joba's shadow.

The Cardinals and Phillies are tied at six in the top of the ninth. With runners at first and third, Rollins grounded to the first baseman, who threw home to Yadier Molina. Bruntlett, coming home from third, did not slide, and smashed into Molina's head as he tried to avoid the tag. Brunlett was out, and Molina is being kept very still in case there's a neck injury. They're taking him out on a body board to keep him immobilized.

Just saw the replay in slow motion, and Bruntlett came over Molina's back and drove Yadier's head into the ground. Let's hope this isn't serious and just a precaution.

An inflamed elbow sidelined Victor Martinez Wednesday night:

"Victor got hurt on a swing in the first inning," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He winced when it happened. It's something that's been bothering him on and off all year. It must have been one of those swings that bit him a little more than usual."

Martinez, who has battled a sore left hamstring since Opening Day, was not required to make a throw during the first inning so it is uncertain when he was injured.

It's clear the injuries destroyed Martinez's ability to hit this season. He holds a .332 OBA and a .333 slugging percentage. His career numbers are .370 and .463. He wasn't helping the team, and a stint on the DL will probably do both parties some good.

The pitch that hit Soriano last night broke a finger and he'll be out six weeks. The Cubs lose their highest slugging regular, but also the one with the lowest OBA.

Tom Glavine's elbow breaks down, putting 3/5 of the Braves projected starting rotation on the disabled list. Smoltz, Glavine and Hampton are by default turning the Braves into a young team. Old rotations can be pretty good, providing they stay healthy. That turned out not to be the case with the Braves.

While we were waiting for Albert Pujols's elbow to snap, his calf gave out instead:

The Cardinals' first baseman crumpled one step out of the batter's box during the seventh inning after aggravating a left calf strain that limited him to pinch-hit duty during last Thursday's split doubleheader in Washington. This time Pujols screamed out in pain and had to be helped from the field.

Albert's runs created stands at 56 right now, about 1/6 of the St. Louis offense. Right now, St. Louis has a three-game cushion in the wild card race, so they'll need to bank on that and hope the injury doesn't sideline the slugger too long.

Phil Hughes writes on his blog that he is pain free and received his new glasses.

John Delcos rips the Mets over the handling of Ryan Church's concussion:

Church said he told the team he felt he could play and absolves the team of all blame. He's being the good soldier. And, don't forget, he was thinking with a head injury.

I asked Omar Minaya, sarcastically, I admit, where Church got his medical degree so he could make such a decision. The Mets weren't happy with the question and told me so, and my response was to tell them I still thought they mishandled the situation.

He continues:

Then again, why weren't the Mets smart enough to get a second opinion? For that matter, why didn't Church's agent? How about acting in the best interest of your client?

Willie Randolph said concussions weren't common in baseball and little is known about them. When I asked if the team didn't seek advice from the Giants, Jets or Rangers, who deal with concussions all the time, he said he didn't think so.

Well, why the hell not? And, by the way, plenty is known about concussions. Also, while I'm in full attack mode right now, how as manager can you not know what the front office is doing regarding your best player so far this year?

If you don't know, then ask somebody who does.

The Mets and Church screwed up on this one, and I just hope there was no permanent damage.

Adam Wainwright sprained a finger and will miss two weeks on the disabled list. As the Cardinals best starter, it's a tough loss, but he'll probably miss just two starts.

Jerry Hairston, Jr. broke a finger, and will probably be out a month. He's the third Reds shortstop to go on the DL, joining Alex Gonzalez and Jeff Keppinger.

The Mets place Ryan Church on the DL due to his concussion. Let's hope this doesn't turn into another Mike Matheny situation.

Finally, Rickie Weeks's sprained knee will give him two weeks off. Weeks isn't hitting, although he is drawing enough walks to have an OBA in the low .300s. Not great, not terrible. He's playing poorly enough, however, for someone to step in and try to take his job. Hernan Iribarren has a career .378 minor league OBA, although that has come down as he rose through the Brewers system.

Cubs f/x implies that doctors missed Mark Prior's real injury for five years:

Prior's anterior capsule was torn away from the humerus, the bone in the upper arm. Team physicians Heinz Hoenecke and Jan Fronek performed the surgery and said the second injury is normally associated with traumatic events like a fall.

Prior fell on his right shoulder in a collision with Marcus Giles in 2003. Maybe Mark has a chance to come back after all.

Tadahito Iguchi separated a shoulder and will miss at least four weeks. It's another injury that's helping to tear down the Padres season. However, Iguchi wasn't hitting very well, so maybe there's a player out there that can take advantage of the opportunity to play himself into a position.

Jacoby Ellsbury's wrist checked out fine in an MRI.

Manny's hamstring was bothering him, so he was lifted for a pinch runner in the 7th. With the Sox bench thin, Kevin Cash got the call. This may be the only time that ever happens.

Longoria hits a line drive to right-center in the fourth . Ellsbury dives and makes the catch, but injures his hand. With Crisp ejected earlier, the Sox have Carter, Drew and Youkilis left to right.

Carlos Pena hits the disabled list:

Carlos Pena has gone on the 15-day disabled list with a broken left index finger suffered in last night's game in the first inning.

Pena is providing a good example of regression to the mean. After his monster 2007 season, he's back to hitting like his worst years in Detroit.

John Smotz's return from the disabled list proved short as he'll undergo shoulder surgery than will knock him out for the rest of the season:

The Braves have called a media conference at 11:30 a.m. at Turner Field to be attended by Smoltz, general manager Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox. A Braves official confirmed surgery for Smoltz will be announced at the media conference.

...

Smoltz had moved back to the bullpen from his preferred starting role as a concession to persistent pain in his throwing shoulder. He had hoped he could get through the season by pitching in one-inning stints and by altering his pitching delivery and throwing sidearm.

Luckily for the Braves, their young pitchers are proving better than their old pitchers. Hampton is gone, Smoltz is gone and Glavine is pitching poorly. I hope they don't trade prospects for Maddux at this point.

The Red Sox call up Chris Carter to replace David Ortiz on the roster.

Lyflines would love to see Barry Bonds take over DH duties for the Red Sox while Ortiz is on the disabled list. Boston certainly has the financial power to pull off the deal.

David Ortiz's wrist pop will sideline him for at least one month, and he may end up needing surgery after that. So do the Red Sox move Manny to designated hitter and improve their defense with Crisp in every day, or do they try to find another designated hitter? Maybe use Casey at DH and hope his OBA stays high?

Ryan Zimmerman has a tear in his left shoulder, but the Nationals still haven't placed him on the disabled list. They're not playing tonight, but Washington played a man short for a week while they waited to see what would happen. Zimmerman isn't hitting all that great, so this would have been a good time to try someone else.

The Red Sox say they're evaluating the situation with David Ortiz's wrist and we won't know anything until the end of the game.

Nick Blackburn is fine after taking a line drive off the face:

Nick Blackburn returned to the Metrodome after getting checked out and met with Bobby Abreu after the game. Abreu was relieved to see the Minnesota pitcher was OK after being hit with that line drive.

"I was scared," Abreu said. "You never want to see something like that."

Blackburn, remarkably, came away with a fat lip and bruised nose. He broke no bones and has all his teeth.

I saw this headline and thought, "Doesn't your season have to start first?"

Prior has shoulder tear, will have season-ending surgery again

Mark is having the surgery because he wants to make a comeback. I think it's time to take the money he's earned and start a find a new business.

Shawn Estes's comeback got short circuited:

Former Giants pitcher Shawn Estes has to feel cursed. After working for more than two years to rebound from a Tommy John elbow reconstruction, and triumphantly earning his 100th career victory May 13 for the Padres, Estes tripped on the stairs between the visiting clubhouse and dugout at China Basin on Friday night and fractured the thumb on his pitching hand.

Estes landed on the disabled list again with no timetable for his return. Doctors said it was too soon to tell if he would need surgery to insert a pin.

"I kind of feel I'm going to wake up at some point and say, 'That was a pretty realistic dream,' " said Estes, his badly swollen left thumb in a splint. "I've been through a lot the last couple of years. I'm very disappointed, borderline depressed. I'll have to stay as far away from the Golden Gate (Bridge) as I can for the next couple of days."

Let's hope he was just kidding on that last statement.

The Red Sox placed Daisuke Matsuzaka on the disabled list Friday with a strain in his rotator cuff:

"There was no structural changes, which is really good news," Francona said. "The final diagnosis is a mild deltoid rotator cuff strain. The best way we can see to attack this is we'll DL him, take the time down, strengthen him, get him ready to pitch the rest of the season. That's kind of where we are."

The article also notes that while Dice-K is not a leader in pitches per start, he is among the leaders in pitches per inning.

Troy Percival goes on the disabled list with a strained hamstring:

Percival, 1-0 with 14 saves in 16 chances and a 2.95 ERA, limped off the mound during the ninth inning of Wednesday's 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. An MRI exam revealed no significant damage, however the AL East leaders don't want to take any unecessary chances with the 38-year-old right-hander.

It's not clear who will fill in as closer.

Here's the latest on Matsuzaka's shoulder:

Matsuzaka under went some baseline strength tests yesterday on his right shoulder and Terry Francona indicated that Matsuzaka tested well in comparison to the tests he had taken in spring training. The Sox are usually very cautious in such matters and a good bet would be that Matsuzaka would miss his next start and that someone would make his start scheduled for next Tuesday. That would either be Justin Masterson (who would be on normal rest) or Clay Buchholz.

He'll have an MRI Friday in Boston.

Troy Percival just struck out Boggs looking, but on the third strike pitch fell over. At first I thought he just threw the ball hard, but he stood up and started limping. The Rays took him out of the game, and Wheeler comes on to try to finish the game. Watching in slow motion, it's clear that his left leg gave way after he planted and delivered the pitch. The Rays may need to find a different closer for a while.

Update: Wheeler allows a run, but Upton makes a great diving catch in short center to end the game. The Rays win 5-3 and stay in first for another day.

Garza pitches another great game, striking out ten over eight innings and allowing just two runs. Matt ends May 4-1 with a 2.52 ERA.

Ian Kennedy is going on the disabled list:

Kennedy strained the lat muscle behind his right shoulder in the third inning of last night's 10-9 loss against Baltimore and will be placed on the disabled list today.

He was scheduled to take a train back to New York this morning for an MRI exam.

"I'm not really sure when I did it," Kennedy said. "I think it was the first batter of the third inning. I tried to get through it and I got through the inning, but I had to tell them."

So it looks like the Yankees timed Joba's move to the rotation just right.

Daisuke Matsuzaka felt fatigue Tuesday night:

As for Matsuzaka, the Red Sox were identifying his problem as right shoulder fatigue.

"He felt some, I guess, fatigue is the right word," manager Terry Francona said. "We're not going to run somebody out there when we think [there's something wrong]. It's too long of a season. I don't think he really wanted to give the ball up."

Matsuzaka was examined by med ical personnel, and will be further examined today.

"Even before I went up on the mound, I felt that things were a little bit off in the bullpen," Matsuzaka said, through interpreter Masa Hoshino. "I wouldn't go so far as to call it discomfort, but I wasn't at my best even before going into the game.

"After pitching the third inning, I definitely felt that there was something wrong. At that point, I had a conversation with the coaching staff."

"We knew in between innings," Francona said. "I knew that we wanted to keep an eye on him."

Wow. There's something wrong, and they send him out for another inning. He was coming off a 118 pitch outing, and he does rank 19th in pitcher abuse points at Baseball Prospectus (subscription required). We'll see if he misses his next start.

Manny Ramirez hit home run 499, but the Red Sox lost 4-3 as Mike Timlin gave up the winning run in the ninth. Also, in one of the most unusual ejections I ever saw, Julio Lugo was tossed for arguing a check swing call from shortstop. Francona came out and in defending Lugo got himself tossed as well.

Ryan Church is not doing well in his concussion recovery.

Fausto Carmona goes on the disabled list with a strained hip. After the game, his status was described as day to day:

Carmona was injured as he ran to cover first base in the third inning of Cleveland's 13-9 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday night. He threw one pitch to the next batter, then left the game. The right-hander allowed six runs over two innings, hiking his ERA from 2.25 to 3.10.

Cleveland optioned right-hander Jensen Lewis to Triple-A Buffalo. The Indians recalled Edward Mujica from Buffalo and purchased the contract of right-hander Scott Elarton from the Bisons.

Carmona's injury occurred at about the same time that right-hander Jake Westbrook was pitching six scoreless innings during an injury rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Akron. Westbrook has been sidelined since April 22 with a strain near his left ribcage.

The extent of Chris Young's facial injuries are now appearant:

"I have a headache, but given the circumstances, I probably feel as good as I could," Young said. "But there's a lot of pressure, a lot of swelling and a constant headache."

Padres trainer Todd Hutcheson said Young will be prevented from doing anything baseball related for at least two weeks.

"The fracture did go beyond the nasal bone and affected some other facial bones," Hutcheson said. "Because of that it's required a lot more extensive evaluation."

Hutcheson said the evaluation process will have to wait until the swelling subsides. But Padres manager Bud Black said that Young's return is "not going to be in two or three weeks. It's going to be much longer."

A CAT scan revealed a "small crack in the bones of the skull," Hutcheson said. "We're a little concerned about the movement of fluid."

Here's wishing Chris a speedy recovery. He is lucky, considering line drives to the face have ended careers for pitchers.

Ryan Church suffered his second concussion of the year trying to break up a double play last night:

The play happened in the ninth with Atlanta leading 6-2. After Carlos Beltran and Church provided a glimmer of one-out hope with back-to-back singles, Damion Easley hit a hard grounder back to the mound.

Manny Acosta fielded it and turned quickly to throw to second. Escobar took the throw and veered off to the side of the bag to make the relay to first. Church slid toward the shortstop, hoping to break up the double play, but his helmet collided with Escobar's right knee, which was up in the air as he completed his follow-through.

Church was sprawled face down in the dirt for several minutes, but he never lost consciousness. He finally rolled over and walked slowly to the Mets clubhouse.

Thank goodness players wear helmets on the base paths or this might have been worse. Church has an OBA of .379 and a slugging percentage of .534, so the Mets can't afford to lose him for a long stretch. With the double header loss (by a combined score of 12-3), New York sits in fourth place in the NL East, 2 1/2 games out of first. My guess is the good will from sweeping the Yankees wore off fast yesterday.

Andruw Jones's knee fails him. He may need surgery, but Andruw wants to play:

"Hopefully, I can do it [surgery] in the offseason," Jones said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Jones was scratched from Monday night's game against Cincinnati because of swelling due to fluid buildup. He said he felt discomfort during the Dodgers' weekend games against the Angels.

Given Andruw's .548 OPS the Dodgers probably are better off if they can put him on the DL for a couple of months while he recovers from surgery. For all we know, the knee was bad the entire season, which would certainly explain a lot.

John Smoltz may spend more time on the disabled list than originally planned:

"It could be anywhere between the [late May] timetable I discussed and a lot longer," Smoltz told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for Monday's editions.

Smoltz told the newspaper that he had discomfort after bullpen sessions on Thursday and Saturday and that a cortisone shot and rest haven't solved his shoulder problems since going on the 15-day disabled list.

The rotation has pitched well in terms of ERA since Smoltz went down, posting a 3.89 mark. However, they are putting pressure on the bullpen by not going deep into games. The last time through the rotation, no starter completed six innings. They're averaging 5 2/3 innings per start in Smoltz's absence.

Jake Peavy's elbow will force him to miss a start:

"It's not like a normal soreness. That's obviously the reason we're missing the start is because it's not normal," Peavy said before Sunday's interleague series finale in Seattle. "Your arm is sore all the time, but I do feel some of it in the elbow (and) that's always a cause for concern. We don't know how big, but it's always better to be safe than sorry."

Peavy has lost three of his last four decisions, but his noted sharpness with all his pitches has been absent. Peavy said that's in part due to his decision not to throw bullpens in between his start, hoping that throwing less would reduce the discomfort.

And it's not just one pitch. Peavy notices the issue in his elbow on every throw.

"It's to the point now where we need to take a step back," Padres' manager Bud Black said.

I don't really like the sound of this.

Jason Isringhausen goes on the disabled list:

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last weekend that Isringhausen hurt his right hand striking a television set in frustration in manager Tony La Russa's office.

There appears to be a disagreement about why he's on the DL, according to MLB Fanhouse. Their theory is that the Cards wanted to send him to the minors without releasing him.

Nick Johnson will miss six weeks:

Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist.

If they ever remake Unbreakable, they can cast Cal Ripken in the Bruce Willis role and Nick Johnson as a substitute for Samuel Jackson.

Hat tip, BBTF.

Jeff Keppinger will lose four to six weeks while hid kneecap heals. Griffey helped Jeff through his depression:

"Griffey calmed me down a lot because I was struggling with it," said Keppinger. "He told me to take it easy and relax and everything will take care of itself."

Mark Prior was expected to be back in the majors around June 1, but his back may keep him out longer:

In his last rehab outing, he threw 10 or 15 pitches and had a feeling "like a firecracker going off in his back."

Prior, who has a career record of 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA, is seeking a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews.

You can set your watch by Prior's injuries.

Clay Buchholz goes on the disabled list with a broken nail. His manicurist provided no information on how long it will take to heal. :-)

While it's easy to joke about something that's a staple of sitcoms, it's sad that something as small as a finger nail can stop a pitcher from throwing effectively.

Ryan Doumit fractured his thumb last night. That's bad news for the Pirates, as their fine offensive performance is built around the excellent hitting of four players. There's not a lot of depth in the lineup to cover that injury unless Freddy Sanchez starts hitting again.

Baseball Digest Daily writes:

On a foul ball in the second inning of tonight's game vs the Marlins, Jeff Keppinger fouled a ball off his left knee. X-rays revealed that the Reds SS suffered a fractured left kneecap. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow.

Something else going wrong for the Reds.

Rafael Furcal hasn't played the last five games for the Dodgers, and now he's going to be out even longer as Los Angeles will place him on the disabled list:

Team spokesman Mark Rogoff said Furcal would go on the disabled list retroactive to May 6, making him eligible to return May 21. Rogoff said an MRI taken Monday confirmed the switch-hitting shortstop has a lower back strain. He'll receive a cortisone shot Tuesday and began rehabilitation Wednesday with team physical therapist Sue Falsone, Rogoff added.

Furcal is the third-leading hitter in the National League with a .366 average.

The Dodgers lost four in a row, scoring just seven runs.

Eric Chavez will begin his rehabilitation assignment on Thursday. He can come off the disable list May 27th, but the Athletics expect it to take longer.

Chavez will need to be up to full speed for his return. Jack Hannahan is playing well. He's getting on base at a .402 clip despite a low batting average. He offers little power, however, slugging just .372. Chavez, however, hasn't posted an OBA near that level since 2005. Unless Eric comes back pounding the ball out of the park, I'm not sure the A's aren't better off sticky with Hannahan.

Kevin Millwood didn't get very far in his start against the Athletics, pulling a groin muscle in the first inning. So far the relievers are keeping the Rangers stretch of good pitching alive as they've allowed just two runs. The Rangers lead the A's 3-2 in the seventh.

Julio Lugo may have a concussion and Jed Lowrie starts at short for the Red Sox tonight.

Vernon Wells broke his wrist Friday night:

With a runner on first base, Cleveland's Franklin Gutierrez hit a fly ball to shallow right-center. Wells raced in and caught the ball inches above the ground, then rolled over twice and remained in a kneeling position.

The center fielder got to his feet, but remained bent at the waist with his right hand holding his right thigh as head trainer George Poulis came out to attend to him. Wells walked back to the dugout.

He'll be out six to eight weeks, but it always seems it takes a few weeks after a hitter returns from a wrist injury to get his stroke back.

Wilson Betemit picked up his third extra-base hit in his last three games, but injured himself running out the double. This looked more serious than the pink eye. His double drives in the Yankees third run of the game and they lead by two in the fourth.

Update: The injury is a strained hamstring.

Yovani Gallardo needs surgery on his knee and will likely miss the rest of the season. I suppose that's good news for David Bush, but not for the rest of the Brewers. In his brief 130 1/3 innings in the majors, Gallardo combined a high strikeout rate with a low walk and home run rate. That's exactly what a pitcher needs to succeed in the majors.

John Lackey continues to make progress as he works to return to the Angels starting rotation.

Kason Gabbard just left the Rangers/Mariners game with two out in the fourth and a 4-0 lead. After a walk, an infield single and error, there's runners on second and third. He only threw 63 pitches, but he looked hurt walking off the field.

Update: There was a brawl, and Gabbard was in the middle of it.

Update: It started when Gabbard threw at Sexson, and Richie charged the mound.

Update: Comments from people who saw the pitch say Gabbard did not throw at Sexson. I'm watching the Seattle feed, and they seemed to indicate Gabbard threw at him, although they were a bit ambiguous about it.

Update: FSN Northwest finally showed the replay in the bottom of the sixth. The pitch from Gabbard was head high, but right over the middle of the plate. It was no where near hitting Sexson.

Mark Mulder has a strained rotator cuff.

The Blue Jays lost two shortstops to injury Tuesday night, although it appears Eckstein won't be out very long. This isn't something that's easy to overcome. If you lose first basemen, there's always someone kicking around who can at least hit. Good shortstops are hard to find.

Matt Cain left the game Saturday night with tightness in his hamstring:

Cain left the game in the eighth inning with tightness in his right hamstring, which he began feeling an inning earlier. Manager Bruce Bochy said he removed Cain as a precaution, adding, "I talked to Groesch. He thinks Matt will be fine for his next start."

The Giants can ill afford to lose Cain, especially with Barry Zito now in the bullpen. After a wobbly start to the season, Cain is starting to dominate again. He has allowed three runs over 191/3 innings over his last three starts. Moreover, he is pitching more economically.

At least they have Barry as an emergency starter!

The Projo SoxBlog reports that Curt Schilling is doing very well in his rehablilitation. So far, the Red Sox doctors are correct in recommending against surgery.

The Yankees broadcast just mentioned that Posada is suffering from rotator cuff tendinitis. It will take six weeks to heal.

Yovani Gallardo was injured on Thursday, despite staying in the ballgame. Baseball Digest Daily sends this alert:

Per the media relations department, the Brewers have placed RHP Yovani Gallardo on the 15-day disabled with a torn ACL in the right knee. Wow, that one has to hurt...literally and figuratively. The poor guy can't stay healthy. More than likely, he's done for the year.

Now they really need Ben Sheets to stay in the rotation.

The good people at Baseball Digest Daily just tipped me to these two stories. First, Phil Hughes really is injured:

Phil Hughes has a stress fracture in one of his ribs, and the New York Yankees' pitcher is expected to be sidelined until at least July.

That explains a lot. The Rockies lost Troy Tulowitzki for a while as well:

Colorado Rockies star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki tore a tendon in his left quadriceps and could be out until the All-Star break, if not longer.

"Best case scenario is six weeks. The realistic one is a few months," agent Paul Cohen told The Associated Press on Thursday. "We're hoping it's a couple months, but we won't know until they do further medical tests."

Cohen said team doctors will have a better feel for a timeline next week after "massive swelling and bleeding" subside. "It's a non-surgical tear, which could be a good thing."

That hurts their defense a great deal. Luckily for the Rockies, Barmes is hitting fine so far.

Phil Hughes won't make his next start, but not because he went to the minors. The Yankees placed him on the disabled list:

Yankees starter Phil Hughes was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday night with a strained right oblique muscle.

So my question, when did this happen? Did he pitch poorly last night due to the strain? Or has he had this a while was was trying to pitch through it?

Chad Cordero hits the disabled list:

Nationals reliever Chad Cordero is expected to be sidelined for at least a month with a tear in a muscle below his pitching shoulder, although the team determined Wednesday he won't need surgery.

It appears the job is Rauch's to lose.

Aaron Cook is the Rockies Tim Lincecum, pitching well and winning despite a poor start by the Rockies. He won Tuesday night's matchup with Lincecum 3-2. Tim out pitched Aaron in terms of hits, walks and strikeouts, but Cook spread out his hits better. Both are 4-1.

The Rockies, however, lost their shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki to a quad injury.

Tulowitzki, a late lineup addition after Jeff Baker was scratched due to a broken blood vessel that happened during pregame warmups, left after bending over to try to stop Aaron Rowand's single. Tulowitzki grimaced and grabbed his left hip and lower back area. He then walked gingerly off the field.

Despite his poor start at the plate, Tulowitzki is a fine defensive shortstop, and I suspect the injury will hurt the Rockies. We've seen already how bad quads slowed Jeter and A-Rod.

Alex Rodriguez's quad injury sends him to the disabled list.

So much for the sunny prediction before the game that Rodriguez would be out only a day or two. It appears at first glance that the Yankees made a mistake in bringing him back as quickly as they did.

Rodriguez played a role in that decision, so he bears some responsibility. But the Yankees are 0 for 2 with key injuries so far this season. Posada came back too soon, as did A-Rod. They both aggravated their injuries and ended up on the disabled list.

Last year, when the Yankees got off to a poor start, I was pretty confident the offense would play well enough to make up for the poor pitching. I'm not getting that feeling at all this year. The injuries, the sluggish play by the veterans make this look like a team that just doesn't have it.

John Smoltz does on the disabled list due to his shoulder:

Smoltz was examined in Birmingham, Ala., by Dr. James Andrews, who diagnosed a severely inflamed biceps tendon and inflammation of the rotator cuff in the right shoulder. The 40-year-old pitcher went on the DL retroactive to Monday.

"It could have been worse. It could have been injured in there or frayed or torn or whatever, but the report is pretty darn good actually," Braves manager Bobby Cox said before his team's series opener against the Washington Nationals. "It's been inflamed for a while, and he has pitched with it."

Andrews injected Smoltz's shoulder for the inflammation and prescribed rest and rehabilitation until he is pain free, the team said. The Braves aren't sure when Smoltz will return.

"He can rest a couple of weeks," Cox said, "and we'll see then where we go."

It's a set back for the Braves as Smoltz is the best starter they've trotted out this year.

Alex Rodriguez re-injured his quad last night:

"There is no way I am playing [tonight]. If I had to guess I will miss more than one game," said Rodriguez, who missed three games last week and felt it getting out of the batter's box running out a ground ball in the fourth inning. "I thought I pulled it a bit. It's important to get it right."

We're starting to see age catch up to the Yankees. The only older stars with a good OBA this year are Damon and Matsui. Jeter, Rodriguez, Abreu,Posada and Giambi just aren't creating the opportunities they usually do. I would guess they'll all break out of this slump at some point, but it's not a given. Just like young teams like the Diamondbacks can suddenly gel, old teams like the Yankees can just as suddenly fall apart.

Moises Alou is turning into Carl Pavano. He may have a fractured ankle, injured while he was rehabbing from a hernia.

It looks like Jorge Posada's contract may be an albatross for the Yankees:

Posada has already shared his magnetic resonance imaging results with Andrews, and Posada has said that surgery would not be necessary. But the problem has not improved as Posada hoped, again raising the specter of an operation.

It could be time for the Yankees to start moving their catching prospects along a bit faster.

Molina coaxed an excellent start out of Wang today as he combined with Chamberlain and Rivera to shutout the Indians 1-0 in one of the many pitching duels of the afternoon. Wang struck out nine in seven innings, the second highest strikeout total of his career (10 is his high). Sabathia seems to have recovered full from his bad start as he only allowed one run over eight innings. Melky Cabrera provided the offense with a solo home run. Offensively, he's arguably having the best season on the Yankees.

Peter Abraham reports that the reason for the Yankees not using Joba today depends on who you ask.

Chamberlain has not physically been in the bullpen for two days as he receives treatment on a leg injury - apparently a mild left hamstring strain suffered when he slipped on a wet mound in Chicago.

Gary Sheffield doesn't know the extent of his shoulder injury and may need to go on the disabled list. The advantage of having a deep offense is that the Tigers can probably absorb the loss, and be a better defensive team with Cabrera at DH and Inge at third.

Inge is sure getting a lot of playing time for someone who wasn't supposed to start.

The Brewers decided to skip Ben Sheet this time through the rotation:

Unsure how many pitches the veteran right-hander might be able to make, the Milwaukee Brewers decided Monday to scratch him from that start. Sheets, who came out of his last start in Cincinnati after five innings with soreness in his triceps, now is scheduled to pitch next Tuesday in Chicago.

Manager Ned Yost said right-hander Dave Bush would start in Sheets' place Wednesday against Philadelphia. Bush's turn was skipped Sunday in Cincinnati when right-hander Yovani Gallardo was activated from the disabled list.

"We'll give (Sheets) the benefit of missing a full start and see if we can get that (soreness) gone," Yost said. "It's just a minor strain. He definitely could pitch through it but it doesn't make sense to pitch through it now.

A few years ago I saw a private study that noted the biggest factor in future injuries was previous injuries. With Sheets, Hampton, Harden and Pedro Martinez all going down this month, that seems to be holding up fairly well.

Chipper Jones's injury appears to be okay as he's listed in tonight's starting lineup.

The Cardinals get some good news on Mark Mulder:

Mulder, making his second start on a medical rehabilitation program as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery, pitched six scoreless innings for Class AA Springfield against Tulsa. In throwing 76 pitches, Mulder walked three, allowed three hits and fanned only one. According to stadium radar readings, Mulder often was between 87 and 90 mph.

Mulder told the Springfield News-Leader that he was pleased with his location, "especially with my changeup and cutter."

"They were hacking," he said. "I wasn't exactly missing many barrels (of the bat)."

Right now the Cardinals have three starters doing well. A healthy Mulder could give them a fourth. The trick is staying in the race until Mark is ready to return.

David Weathers goes on the disabled list, despite a negative MRI:

The diagnosis was ulnar nerve inflammation in his right elbow.

"The MRI is real good news, especially knowing he is toward the end of his career, a bad time for anything bad to happen," manager Dusty Baker said. "Let's face it, this guy pitched a lot the last three years here (70, 67, 73 appearances). This could be a warning, a red flag from his body, that maybe he might need this (rest) right now.

They're talking about bringing up Homer Bailey.

It was a bad day for third basemen. Both Alex Rodriguez and Chipper Jones had to leave their games with quadriceps injuries.

Jimmy Rollins heads to the disabled list as he's no longer able to pinch-hit through the injury. The Good Phight doesn't like the way the Phillies handled this:

Could the Phillies mishandled this situation any worse? Putting Rollins out there for pinch hitting duties could only make the ankle worse. They had a short bench because of it and now he has to miss another 2 weeks which will make it pretty much a month total. It may have been that anyway, but who knows and we'd have a little bit deeper bench. No comment on the callups...

Alex Rodriguez just left the game after grounding into a fielder's choice. The trainer came out and examined A-Rod's upper thigh on his left leg, then took him out of the game. The Yankees lead 2-0 in the top of the sixth behind a strong performance by Andy Pettitte. Rodriguez drove in a run in the game.

A groin injury force Wandy Rodriguez out of the Astros game on Saturday night:

Rodriguez said the pain became unbearable when he went to the dugout after the fourth inning. He left with the game tied at 2 and received a no-decision in the Astros' 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.

"I went to (pitching coach) Dewey Robinson and said, 'I can't take the pain anymore,' " Rodriguez said.

That really hurts, as Wandy's been the Astros best starter this year. Chacon has a better ERA, but Wandy's K/BB/HR do a better job of making you believe his ERA is real.

Tom Glavine goes on the disabled list for the first time in his career. At age 42, that's pretty amazing, considering there have been pitchers who spent more time on the DL than active on a major league club.

The Braves keep seeing their closers injured.

Peter Moylan won't be stepping in as the Braves' closer while Rafael Soriano is on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right elbow. Instead, Moylan also was placed on the DL Tuesday afternoon, and his outlook actually might be more troublesome than Soriano's.

He's off to see Dr. Andrews.

Erik Bedard's hip lands him on the disabled list:

The move is retroactive to April 9, and Seattle's ace isn't sure when he might pitch again.

Seattle traded five players to the Baltimore Orioles in February for the 28-year-old Bedard, boosting hopes of a playoff berth this season. He was scratched from a scheduled start Sunday for the second time in eight days.

The left-hander played catch before Tuesday's game against Kansas City, then emerged from manager John McLaren's office with a trainer smiling and joking.

"It's a lot better," Bedard said, adding when asked if the pain comes and goes that "it's going now."

But when asked if he would be able to take his next turn in the rotation Friday at the Los Angeles Angels, Bedard said, "No way."

Seattle announced an hour later that Bedard was going on the DL. The Mariners will make a corresponding roster move Wednesday.

It sounds like it's not too serious, but we'll see.

Alfonso Soriano had to leave the game after the top of the first due to a strained calf muscle. The Cubs trail the Reds 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth.

This strain leads the Cobra Brigade to recall the strangest Cubs injuries.

The Indians doctors are taking a look at Joe Borowski's shoulder today:

Joe Borowski doesn't know what's wrong. One day he feels like he can throw the ball through a brick wall.

"The next day, I feel like I'm throwing through water," said Borowski.

Monday night, Borowski should have come to the mound in the ninth inning at Progressive Field wearing scuba gear. Boston, quick to recognize a theme, dunked the Indians closer, turning his 4-3 lead into a 6-4 defeat as Manny Ramirez hit a two-run, two-out homer into the left-field bleachers.

Borowski met with Tribe manager Eric Wedge, General Manager Mark Shapiro and the team's medical staff after the game to discuss the condition of his right arm and shoulder.

I supposed the worst thing for Borowski would be the doctors finding nothing wrong, which means he just stinks.

Update: Juan in the comments properly chides me for using the words stinks. I should have said pitches poorly. I apologize.

Update: Borowski goes on the DL with a strained triceps.

Jose Molina and Wilson Betemit go on the disabled list (Betemit for pink eye), and Chamberlain goes to the brevement list (where he must spend three days). With Jeter back in the lineup, Gonzalez moves to second, replacing the struggling Robinson Cano.

Lookout Landing notes this about Erik Bedard's hip:

Ironic that there were rumors about AJ's hip holding up the trade not too long ago. Good one, world.

The Braves are feeling the pain of an old rotation:

Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine left his start against the Washington Nationals with a strained right hamstring after failing to record an out in the first inning Sunday, matching the shortest outing of his 22-season career.

The first four batters Glavine faced reached base, on three hits and a walk, as Washington took a 1-0 lead. After throwing his 16th pitch, to get to a 1-2 count on Wily Mo Pena, Glavine walked off the mound, then briefly doubled over.

Manager Bobby Cox and an Atlanta trainer checked on the left-hander, and a few moments later Glavine walked off the field.

The 42-year-old Glavine, who has 303 career wins, was listed as day-to-day.

The Braves saw Smoltz, Hampton and now Glavine injured this season.

Jose Reyes gets the weekend off:

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes could miss at least the next two games with a sore left hamstring, manager Willie Randolph said Saturday.

Dontrelle Willis faced two batters tonight before he was removed with an injury:

Willis has continued to say that his left arm is healthy, but uneven performances since spring training have raised concern. Tonight's outing casts even more doubt on his ability to be a dependable starter for the Tigers. He left the game with what the team called a hyperextended right knee.

He walked Chicago's leadoff hitter, Carlos Quentin, on five pitches. Then he slipped on the wet mound while delivering his first pitch to the next hitter, Orlando Cabrera. That brought head athletic trainer Kevin Rand to the mound.

Willis stayed in the game - but not for long. His third pitch to Jim Thome, a slider, carried well wide of the strike zone and bounced away for a wild pitch.

Rand and Tigers manager Jim Leyland came back to the mound. Willis appeared to say that he wanted to stay in the game, but the discussion was brief. Leyland called down to the bullpen for Aquilino Lopez, who had not even begun to warm up.

More bad new for Detroit, who at least lead 3-2 in the fifth.

Via 6-4-2, Rich Harden goes on the disabled list:

Harden first experienced the injury while throwing a bullpen session upon his arrival in the United States following his team's 18-hour flight from Japan at the end of March. In his last outing against Boston on April 2, Harden was forced to leave after just five innings because of inconsistent velocity on his pitches stemming from the shoulder strain.

In two outings this season, Harden is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA. His 15 strikeouts are second only to Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Imagine what Harden will be like if he ever gets completely healthy.

Mike Lowell went on the disabled list with a thumb injury:

Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell has been placed on the 15-day DL with a sprained left thumb. Jed Lowrie has been recalled from Pawtucket.

Hitters always seem to get set back by hand and wrist injuries. They heal, but it takes them a while to get their stroke back.

MLB FanHouse examines the case for Garza being damaged goods.

It would be a difficult case for Tampa to win. Garza was a young pitcher trying to stay in the major leagues, a sure recipe for hiding an injury if ever there was one. Throw in his issues with team brass and there's little chance he'd risk his spot on the team if he thought he could pitch through the pain. And one other thing. The Rays knew that he'd had nerve issues while in college. That's not a winning case unless you're trying to prove that Tampa may have made too big a gamble with a trade chip as valuable as Young.

Orlando Hernandez's foot is back in a boot, and he'll be out at least two more weeks.

Yovani Gallardo pitched well in a rehab start:

Anyway, good results from YoGa. 5.1 innings, 6 K's, 1 BB. 2 runs on 7 hits, though with rehab starts, I always pay more attention to the K/BB numbers than anything else. I don't know whether, or how long, he would've kept pitching, but those 5.1 innings are all the Sounds got to throw.

This next round through the rotation of Bush, Villanueva, and Parra will be worth watching closely, as it may well determine who stays. The fact that Gallardo is lined up with Bush is interesting in itself.

Jorge Posada says his shoulder is dead and may be headed to the disabled list.

With Derek Jeter out:

Manager Joe Girardi wasn't ruling out moving Alex Rodriguez back to his old home at short if Jeter is out for a while, saying, "It's something we'll talk about internally." But Jeter said he was told it wasn't that bad, that his MRI showed just a mild strain.

Rich Harden's next start was pushed back to Saturday:

The Oakland Athletics right-hander has struggled to overcome injuries the last three seasons. But the back condition is believed to be minor and possibly related to Oakland's long flights to and from Japan last month, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Harden is now expected to start on Saturday at Cleveland, according to the report.

This makes the Red Sox keeping Josh Beckett at home appear prudent.

Jeter fails to come out to play defense in the top of the third inning. Betemit moves from first to short and Ensberg takes over at first. The Yankees lead 2-1 on a two-run homer by Abreu.

Update: The report on Jeter is a strained left quadricep.

Bartolo Colon is experiencing soreness on his right side. Here's a useful graphic.

If Dioner Navarro didn't have bad luck, he'd have no luck at all.

Mike Hampton returns to the disabled list:

Relying on Hampton for anything more than lengthy DL stints is a fool's errand, but the lefty's latest injury hightlights the precarious position of the Braves starting rotation. Atlanta has the core of a championship-caliber offense, but John Smoltz (41, shoulder), Chuck James (rotator cuff), and Tom Glavine (4 K/9 in '07) all come with varying degrees of uncertainty. Jair Jurrjens, a stike-thrower with a good curve, is a promising young arm and Tim Hudson figures to post another solid campaign, but it isn't difficult to envision a scenario where the Braves are scrambling for a starter or two at some point.

Mike Hampton came close to starting a game:

Hampton, scheduled to make his first start since Aug. 19, 2005, strained his left pectoral muscle while warming up in the bullpen before Atlanta's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was seen grimacing after throwing a pitch.

The Braves left-hander was listed as day to day.

Or year to year. Jeff Bennett got the start and allowed two runs in four innings. Duke is pitching a Duke game, having allowed ten hits but just two runs through 5 2/3 innings.

Update: Make that three runs.

Update: An error brought in the third run with two out. Duke walks a batter and leaves with the bases loaded.

Update: Escobar strikesout to end the inning. The Braves lead 3-2 after six innings.

Joel Zumaya is still playing Guitar Hero.

Scott Kazmir seems to be doing well in recovering from an elbow strain:

"My arm feels alive," said Kazmir, who also made 64 throws on level ground. "It feels like I'm getting good extension on the ball. My mechanics are good, so I'm happy where I'm at."

The left-hander threw changeups off the mound for the first time since he got hurt. He will add his slider the next time he works in the bullpen.

J.J. Putz allowed that home run after injuring a rib:

Yet despite putting their All-Star closer on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, the team was feeling lucky that his rib injury wasn't anything more serious than what it turned out to be: costochondritis, an inflammation of the area where the ribs attach to cartilage.

Throwing a third-pitch splitter to the Rangers' Michael Young on Tuesday night, Putz felt a sensation he described as "like an ice pick stabbing you in the side." He stayed in, and the next batter, Josh Hamilton, hit a two-run homer to give Texas the victory.

Putz reported the pain to head trainer Rick Griffin after the game and was looked at by team medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan. They determined Putz should have an MRI exam Wednesday morning to rule out an injury, and that exam discovered the area of inflammation where his 10th rib attaches to a grouping of cartilage on the front of his torso.

The injury is not unusual in baseball, but for a pitcher it usually occurs on the "front" side, or the side that faces the batter as the pitcher is in his windup. For Putz, a right-hander, it is on his right, or back, side. That should make recovery a little easier since the front side takes the most strain.

McLaren is going to decide which reliever to use as closer based on the situation.

MetsBlog.com has the latest on the Pedro Martinez injury. He'll be on the DL four to six weeks.

Pedro Martinez told the SNY sideline reporter that the pitcher heard a pop in his left hamstring. Martinez is headed back to New York for an MRI.

Update: The Marlins and Mets are going to extra innings tied at four.

Victor Martinez's injury appears to be minor:

Cleveland could have resent the same e-mail from last April, when Martinez pulled a quadriceps muscle while trying to beat out a ground ball in the third inning of Cleveland's first home game, a snow-covered affair that eventually was postponed.

Helped by a few more bad-weather postponements, Martinez missed six games but never went on the disabled list. He wound up having his finest major league season, batting .301 while setting career-highs in homers (25) and RBIs (114). Martinez also provided the punch in Cleveland's lineup as designated hitter Travis Hafner struggled through a season he'd like to forget.

Carlos Zambrano did not injure his finger yesterday, but left the game with a forearm cramp. It's a recurring problem.

Zambrano started the game without shirt sleeves, then came out in sleeves in the fourth inning after the first rain delay before going without sleeves again in his final couple of innings after the temperature rose a bit. He said after the game he felt OK and conceded he has to "drink water" to prevent the cramping.

Zambrano also repeated he would do something so "it doesn't happen again."

"We'll take care of it," he vowed.

Of course, Zambrano has said that many times before, and it has yet to stop happening to him.

Maybe someone just needs to watch him drink a glass of water between innings.

Carlos Zambrano gave up a double to Bill Hall, but picked him off second. However, Zambrano just injured his right pointer finger and had to leave the game.

Update: He injured the finger on the pickoff throw. There's still no score, as Marmol strikes out Hart on one pitch (the count was 2-2). The teams are going to the bottom of the seventh.

Victor Martinez left the Indians game with a hamstring injury. He's a big part of this Cleveland offense.

Mark Prior keeps making progress in his rehabilitaion.

Kelvim Escobar appears to be done for the season if not longer.

I believe that Escobar will attempt to rehab, and is just considering retirement after learning that his 2008 season is all but lost. It's gotta be depressing, and I don't blame him for having doubts. The article mentions Mark Mulder and Bartolo Colon as two other pitchers attempting to rehab from the same injury, and we all know how that's going.

This certainly brings Seattle that much closer to winning the division. Trading for the now in Bedard might not look so bad at the end of the year.

Here's a very nice comparison of the injuries to the thumbs of Adrian Beltre and Andy LaRoche. We get a nice history lesson as well.

Kelvim Escobar suffers a setback in his rehabilitation. It doesn't sound major at the moment.

Hat tip, Halos Heaven.

Moss starts in rightfield for the Red Sox today. Drew was scratched with a bad back. Moss grounds into a force out in the second inning after Lowell singled to start the frame. Varitek grounds into a double play to end the inning.

Update: Blanton repeats his 10 pitch, 8 strike performance of the first inning.

This is supposed to happen to the old players on the Giants:

San Francisco Giants infielder Kevin Frandsen ruptured his left Achilles tendon in a minor league game Monday and could miss the entire season.

Frandsen, who was expected to be a key utility infielder and perhaps start at times at second base, injured his leg while running the bases after getting aboard on a single.

The fact that he was expected to be a utility infielder amazes me. At this point, he's more a futility player.

There's a little bit of concern about David Price's elbow in the Rays World this morning.

Scott Segrin sends along this article (with a hat tip to Rightfield Bleachers) on how the height of the mound causes stress on pitchers:

The study found that, compared to flat ground, pitchers on a 10-inch mound can experience increases in superior shear and adduction torque in the shoulder. According to Raasch, that means a greater amount of stress on the joint surface and surrounding structure.

Some injuries can be devastating: a rotator cuff or labrum tear. And months of rehabilitation.

Raasch and his researchers recruited 20, top-level major-league pitchers as well as Milwaukee-area Division I college pitchers for the study. The researchers used a motion-analysis system using eight digital cameras that recorded the three-dimensional positions of 43 reflective markers placed on their bodies.

Using different mound levels - flat, 6 inches, 8 inches and 10 inches - the cameras focused on determining whether there was increased stress at different levels.

At the moment, they're not saying lower the mound, but further study could lead in that direction.

A grounder during drills tears the finger nail off Scott Rolen's right middle finger and broke the bone as well. It's not clear if he'll be ready for opening day.

Chris Capuano's injury turns out to be very serious, and he might need Tommy John surgery again. This will certainly give the youngsters on Milwaukee a chance to prove they belong in the majors.

Curtis Ganderson will miss three weeks with a broken finger. That will make it tough for him to break the triples record, but might give Brandon Inge a chance to learn a new position.

Somehow I feel Sidney Ponson's injury can only be good news for the Rangers.

Freddy Sanchez's shoulder is acting up:

Second baseman Freddy Sanchez felt pain Friday in his surgically repaired right shoulder, a major setback that may force him to begin a second consecutive season on the Pittsburgh Pirates' disabled list.

Sanchez didn't make any throws while playing six innings of a 5-1 exhibition loss to Cincinnati, only the second time he has appeared defensively this spring. The pain occurred when he threw between innings and during pregame warmups.

"I'm very concerned now. I was hoping after the first day [in the field Wednesday] that this day would be easier, and I'd be able to work through it a little better. But it kind of seemed like it was worse," Sanchez said. "It's got me concerned."

Sanchez only missed 15 games last year, but his averages were all off 30 to 40 points. Most of his OBA and slugging percentage comes from his batting average, so if he doesn't hit .300, he may not be that much help to the team.

John Smoltz developed a knot in his shoulder:

Wednesday side session. It's the same area that he injured when he slipped making a warmup pitch on May 29 at Milwaukee, but Smoltz said this isn't anywhere near the severity of that injury.

He pitched after that injury, but ended up going on the disabled list in July when the inflammation wouldn't subside without an injection and rest.

The soreness is not in the shoulder that would indicate rotator-cuff or labrum problems, the type that most commonly require surgery.

"So many people the last few years have just been waiting to say, 'This is it,'" Smoltz said, referring to those who've anticipated a career-threatening injury to the man who's had four elbow surgeries.

"I will let everyone know when it's it. That's not a problem."

Adding to the Dodgers injury woes at third base, Nomar Garciappra has a broken hand:

Garciaparra had an MRI on Wednesday in Los Angeles that revealed a microfracture. The Dodgers do not consider the injury to be as serious as a complete fracture of a bone, and expect to know more once the 34-year-old is examined Thursday by the team's medical staff in Arizona.

Maybe they can fix it with a nano-cast.

Joe Torre seems to like Blake DeWitt. Of course, Inge and Crede are available. The fact that both are out there may keep the Dodgers from giving up too much to acquire one of them.

Just as Kerry Wood was getting close to being the closer:

Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood has developed back spasms and was scratched from today's pitching assignment. This comes as Wood was declared the team's probable closer.

By the way, do people really declare that someone is probably the closer? Is that like Michael declaring bankruptcy in The Office?

Carlos Delgado was hurt in a freak gardening batting accident:

The slugger hit an RBI double in the third inning and later took a lead off third base.

Brady Clark swung and broke his bat, and the jagged barrel sailed down the line and speared Delgado on the outside of his right forearm. Right away, his arm was covered in red streams.

"It was a lot more blood than I wanted to see," Delgado said.

Delgado immediately left the game and exited with a small bandage. He was previously scheduled to be off Monday and expected to be out a couple of days.

Delgado wanted to throw the bat at Mike Piazza, but couldn't locate the former Met. :-)

The Projo SoxBlog reports that Josh Beckett will not make the trip to Japan:

"He will not go to Japan, which I think we're using common sense," said Francona. "We're trying to do things in the correct order, and he completely understands."

Beckett played catch with pitching coach John Farrell back in Fort Myers this morning and Francona said the pitcher felt no pain. Beckett played catch at 60 feet and then progressed to 75 on flat ground with "no concerns."

"He did fine," said Francona this morning from Bradenton where the Red Sox will face the Pirates. "He had no concerns and that's what we were shooting for. He'll ramp it up a little more (Monday)."

The question now is who going to get the second start in Japan?

Looks like age caught up with Juan Gonzalez:

The St. Louis Cardinals were awaiting results of an MRI on Juan Gonzalez's strained abdomen on Saturday, an injury that has marred his comeback attempt.

The test was done on Friday and was being evaluated by a specialist, team spokesman Brian Bartow said.

The 38-year-old Gonzalez, who has only one at-bat the last three years, missed his fifth straight game and did not make the trip Saturday for a game against the Mets. He had been listed as day-to-day two days earlier. Manager Tony La Russa said there had been no improvement.

"I do not think he was better this morning, and he's been resting and being treated," La Russa said after the Cardinals' 10-3 victory. "So that's not a good sign."

I'd be very surprised if Gonzalez is productive at all this season.

Via 6-4-2, John Lackey won't be around on opening day.

Angels ace John Lackey has been diagnosed with a strained right triceps after an examination on Friday by Dr. Lewis Yocum, team orthopedist. He will be shut down without baseball activities for three to four weeks, at which time he'll be re-evaluated. Lackey, the reigning American League ERA champion and an All-Star for the first time in 2007, pitched 1 2/3 innings on Monday and said he felt fine afterward. But the elbow became sore the following day, and a bullpen session on Wednesday did not go well, he said.

This means the Angels start the season without their top two starters from 2007. While this is good news for Joe Saunders, it's even better news for the Seattle Mariners. This has to give them some hope for winning the division.

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I find this unbelievable. The Dodgers are telling Jason Schmidt to pitch through his pain.

Pain is part of our lives for a reason. Pain tells us when something is wrong. Pain's message is stop what you are doing, you're hurt. A bruise here or there is one thing, but pain throwing a baseball can only lead to more pain.

Schmidtty, I'll always remember that home run you hit for us.

I believe Jon's right. If this continues, that will be Dodgers fans only memory of Jason Schmidt.

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Wily Mo Pena underwent an MRI and will miss at least four weeks:

The results from Wily Mo Pena's MRI are back, and they reveal what many in the organization suspected yesterday. It is a Grade 2 strain of the left oblique. A club spokesman -- delivering the report from the medical staff -- said it was a "significant tear of the muscle," and it will "very possibly take four weeks" to recover. For now, he'll have a "very low level of activity" to allow healing to take place.

The problem with this muscle is that it's so central to the swing. Every time he moves, he's going to feel it. It's likely he can even feel a twinge when he breathes.

Scott Olsen threw without pain yesterday and may be back to starting in early April.

I wonder if the competition caused by all the injuries to the Marlins starters will be good for the team down the road? The injuries create opportunities for the minor league pitchers as they compete for a spot in the rotation. If that competition is turned into a learning experience, maybe Florida comes out of this with a deeper staff that they originally envisioned.

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Fernando Rodney will likely miss opening day, and Carlos Beltran says he can't play nine innings yet.

Correction: Fixed the Beltran link.

Scott Kazmir is ready to pitch again.

The injury to Sergio Mitre brings back bad memories for FishStripes:

Dr. Andrews had Mitre undergo an MRI to looked for ligament damage and found none. So rest was prescribed. I hate to bring up bad subjects but this keeps tracking exactly as to what happened to Josh Johnson.

Johnson was initially diagnosed as a forearm strain by Dr. Andrews who recommended rest. After the rest period he made four starts and then ended up having Tommy John surgery.

Not saying this will happen again, but it does have an eerie feeling about it.

The Marlins depth chart for starting pitching goes eight deep, but four of them (Mitre, Olsen, Sanchez and Johnson) are injured. That doesn't leave a lot of good options for Florida.

The Indians are taking good care of Juan Lara:

The Indians have released injured reliever Juan Lara and re-signed him to a minor league deal that will pay him an estimated $100,000. By releasing Lara, they cleared a spot on the 40-man roster.

They will continue to pay Lara's medical expenses as he recovers from a near fatal off-season accident in the Dominican Republic. Lara is undergoing occupational rehabilitation at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland.

The Indians always seem to do the right thing by their players, one reason they are able to keep their stars around.

Thanks to Bryan Belknap for the link.

Art Martone donated $50 or more to the Baseball Musings Pledge Drive and dedicates this post to the Projo SoxBlog.

The Blue Jays decision on their fifth starter became a little easier today, but not in a good way:

The Blue Jays' first physical setback of spring training was a big one. Casey Janssen, leading candidate for the No, 5 spot in the rotation, is done for the season.

The 26-year-old right-hander, such a key component to Toronto's terrific bullpen a year ago, was diagnosed with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and faces surgery either next Tuesday or Wednesday. He's expected to begin throwing in four months and be 100 per cent for next spring training.

That moves Jesse Litsch into the leading role for the last spot in the rotation. Depth charts already had Jesse ahead of Casey, so it's not that big of a surprise. Despite a 6.75 ERA so far in the spring, Litsch struck out nine while walking just two in eight innings of work. If those ratios hold up during the regular season he'll be more than all right.

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With Eric Chavez out, Jack Hannahan is making an impression on the Athletics:

After his Aug. 14 acquisition, Hannahan hit .278 with three homers, 21 RBIs and a .369 on-base percentage in 41 games. In an early September series against his pals from Detroit, he went 4-for-10 - with a homer in the opener and game-ending bloop single over Inge in the 10th inning of the finale.

In Tuesday's 6-4 exhibition victory over the Cubs, he made a diving stop to his left, robbing Derrek Lee of a hit and starting an inning-ending double play. He also went 1-for-3 to keep his average at .333 through 10 games.

"A very good fit for us," manager Bob Geren said.

Hannahan posted a .363 OBA in his long minor league career. At 28, he has no pop, but gets on base well. Chavez hasn't done the latter is two of his last three seasons. We might be looking at a more permanent replacement here.

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Starting with Felix Pie of the Cubs, It hasn't been a good week for parts where the sun don't shine:

The other day, Lackey covered Kaz Matsui's "ongoing problem with hemorrhoids," which, on the scale of unnecessary disclosures, ranks somewhere up there with the details of a soon-to-be-former New York governor's paid-sex preferences. The hemorrhoids were bad enough. So let's take it a step further! Today the Houston Chronicle (via BBTF) informs that Matsui is expected to miss four or five days with a condition known as "anal fissure."

Having ocassionally suffered from hemorrhoids, I feel Kaz's pain. However, there's a great Emily Latella skit in here:

Emily: What's all this about Kaz Matusi having Amy Fisher? Who hasn't had Amy Fisher?

Anchor: No, that's anal fissure, not Amy Fisher.

Emily: Oh, that's a very different Buttafuco. Never mind.

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Only 45% of players who receive shoulder or elbow surgery return to their pre-injury level of play:

Over a four-season period, Cohen and colleagues studied 44 players from one professional baseball club (major league, AAA, AA and A) who underwent 50 shoulder and elbow operations by a variety of surgeons. There were 27 shoulder surgeries performed on 26 players and 23 elbow surgeries performed on 21 players. A key finding of the study was that players returning after elbow surgery were more likely to comeback to the same or higher playing level than those who had shoulder surgery. Thirty-five of the players were pitchers with 43 percent returning to the same or higher playing level.

The researchers found that overall, only 20 of the 44 players (45 percent) returned to the same or higher level of professional baseball. For ballplayers at the major league, AAA, or AA level, the study found only 4 of 22 (18 percent) were able to return to the same or higher level.

"As a surgeon, obviously these statistics were disappointing and somewhat lower than what we would like them to be," said Cohen. "This may give us cause, however, to look at how we evaluate and treat these injuries to the throwing arm. Our goal is to get these elite athletes back to their premier pre-injury health. This is important both to the player who is making a living off his athletic ability and the organization that wants its players in top shape. We may need to examine if there is a way to 'fine-tune' these procedures to customize them for the demands of a professional baseball player."

Hat tip, BBTF. Maybe Kerry Wood was right to try to rehabilitate without surgery.

Felix Pie is out with testicular torsion.

Pie said he's not sure what caused the injury - essentially a twisting of the testicle severe enough to affect blood flow -- which more often occurs with late-adolescent boys.

Off hand, I suspect this injury will arouse a mass debate.

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Josh Beckett's back is worse today.

Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, who spent the morning undergoing treatment for a strained lower back muscle, was considerably more pessimistic about his condition today than he was yesterday. He said he had difficulty sleeping last night because of the back, and said he did not know when he'll be able to resume baseball activity.

A trip to Japan for Josh continues to look iffy.

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The Mets are healing, as both Carlos Beltran and Delgado are expected to play today.

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Adam Eaton diagnosis is a herniated disk. At 30 years old, his back is also arthritic. Unfortunately for Phillies fans, Adam feels he can be ready for opening day. If he pitched another 1/3 of an inning in 2007, he would have posted the highest ERA in the majors by 1/2 a run.

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The Tampa Bay Rays ran over a Yankees minor league catcher today, breaking his wrist:

"I think it's uncalled for in spring training. You get people hurt and that's what we got, we got Cervelli hurt," said Joe Girardi. I can't agree more - there's no place for a play like that at this time of year, and I'm fairly certain there will be some retribution at some point. The to teams meet again on Wednesday, and the Rays visit the Bronx for a weekend series starting April 4th. Watch out.

Yes, from the Yankees point of view, this is uncalled for. For the Rays fans, however, it's good to see the team being aggressive.

Scott Kazmir's rehabilitation is going so well the Rays think he can start opening day.

Update: Meanwhile, David Price is right.

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Josh Beckett could not make his start this afternoon due to back spasms:

Beckett seemed to lose his footing on his last warmup pitch and called catcher Jason Varitek to the mound. Beckett put his right hand on the lower middle part of his back and soon was joined by manager Terry Francona and teammates. The right-hander walked to the dugout without an apparent limp.

With Schilling injured and Gabbard traded to Texas, the Red Sox rotation is not as deep as it was a year ago. In 2007, Lester, Gabbard and Buchholz were able to give Boston replacement performances well above replacement value. This year, the fall-back plan is Bartolo Colon.

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Mike Hampton pulled a groin, and not in the good way.

Dex at Gaslamp Ball sounds like he believes the Jim Edmonds injury will be a positive for the Padres.

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Noah Lowry will miss the beginning of the season:

San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry needs surgery after a recent bout of wildness and is probably out until the end of April.

Lowry was the Giants' top winner with a 14-8 record last season. The lefty had trouble throwing strikes this spring and the team sent him back to the Bay Area to be examined by a hand specialist.

The Giants said Thursday that Lowry was diagnosed with exertional compartment syndrome. According to MayoClinic.com, it is "an exercise-induced neuromuscular condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes even disability in affected muscles of the legs or arms" and seems to affect primarily athletes in their 20s.

You expect this from the old players on the Giants. It they start losing the young ones as well they might challenge the Marlins for worst record in the NL.

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Albert Pujols' elbow is in bad shape:

Cardinals team physician Dr. George Paletta confirmed the diagnosis on Wednesday, and said that Pujols will need reconstructive surgery at some point, but not immediately. He said the Cardinals' first baseman has a "high-grade" tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, as well as bone spurs, inflammation and arthritis in the joint.

Paletta confirmed that Pujols could have undergone arthroscopic surgery to help the bone spurs and arthritis, but not the ligament tear; he could have had arthrscopic surgery and Tommy John surgery to rebuild the elbow (causing him to miss at least this season), or he could wait.

When he reported to camp, Pujols said he will not change his routine as he prepares for Opening Day.

"If it blows out it's going to blow out," Pujols said. "You can't control that."

Albert has three years plus an option left on his contract. Are the Cardinals better off letting him play and hoping the elbow lasts three years, or should they shut him down and insist on surgery, so he's 100% when this team is ready to compete again?

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I think Moises Alou should adopt a new theme song this year:

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Moises Alou's groin strain turned out to be worse than previously thought:

Moises Alou will have surgery for a hernia and miss the start of the season, the most serious in a string of recent setbacks for the depleted New York Mets.

After reporting discomfort in his right groin, the oft-injured Alou left spring training camp Wednesday and was sent back to New York for tests. He is scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday.

The 41-year-old left fielder is expected to resume baseball activities in four to six weeks, making it likely he'll be sidelined for at least most of April.

All four leftfielders on the Mets depth chart are now listed as injured. It's just a sea of red injury markers. Does anyone think the Mets are missing Lastings Milledge right now?

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A reader donated at least $50 and dedicates this post. His buddy Stephen Burwell sits on the board for the ALSA-Evergreen Chapter, and sends this quote:

"In 1939, Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS which ended the consecutive game streak of the "Iron Horse" at 2,130 games. Yet, almost 70 years later there is still no known cause, cure, or treatment for ALS. ALS is not rare; every 90 minutes someone in the US is diagnosed with ALS. Find out more information about ALS at www.alsa-ec.org".

Two of the White Sox youngsters are being shut down for a couple of days:

Owens, who has taken the early lead as leadoff man/center fielder, continues to be bothered by a nagging groin pull that has bothered him for several days.

"I don't like the way he was running the bases," Guillen said. "The key for him is his legs and we have to keep those legs fresh. ... There's no reason for him to go out there and hurt himself again. All of a sudden a minor injury could become a big injury. We learned that from having [Scott] Podsednk. Pods would go from a little soreness to a big deal."

Quentin, acquired in an off-season trade with Arizona, is clearly falling behind this spring as he comes back from left shoulder surgery to repair labrum and rotator cuff tears. The soreness affects his swing more than his defense, though Guillen characterizes the situations as "not a big deal."

"This kid is going to be here for good and I think he was creating bad habits with his swing and it led to some soreness, but he'll be fine," Guillen said. "If it was the start of the season, he could play. But rather than have him push it and lose one more week, we are holding him back. I think it's the best for him."

Seems prudent.

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Moises Alou pulled a groin. Johan and Pedro may have to strike out all the batters they face, because there may not be any fielders left by the time the season starts.

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It looks like Noah Lowry's wildness had an organic basis:

A day after a wild outing, Giants pitcher Noah Lowry was diagnosed with tendinitis in his left wrist Tuesday and sent back to San Francisco to see a hand specialist.

The lefty is expected to be inactive for at least three or four days. On Monday, he walked nine of the 12 batters he faced against Texas.

I saw some speculation that he was becoming Steve Blass, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

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Just when things are looking up for Hank Blalock, his car gets hit from behind:

Hank Blalock's car was rear ended yesterday as he came home from lunch (at Chuck E. Cheese) with his wife and one of his kids (his 3-year-old son). Blalock said he was sore and has stiff neck, but is fine otherwise. His wife and child are also fine after getting checked out by a doctor. Blalock said it was a hard hit, adding that one witness thought the other car was going about 40 mph.

I had that happen to me once. I was going 60 MPH in the middle lane of a highway at 1 AM, on my way back from ESPN. No one around me. A pickup truck gets on the highway, and either he fell asleep or wasn't paying attention and plowed right into me. Then the jerk turns his lights off and continues down the highway. Luckily, I had my cell phone, called the state police, and they arrested him in Hartford where he was still driving with his lights off. It took me about two weeks for the soreness to subside.

And no, I did not explode.

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Micah Owings didn't start today:

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Micah Owings skipped a scheduled start Monday because of a sore shoulder.

Like most of these spring injuries, no one seems too concerned about it. Anytime you hear sore shoulder before the pitchers have done much this spring, you have to wonder what's going on. At least Owings could always become an offensive player.

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This has to be disheartening to both Crosby and the Athletics:

Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby was dropped from the starting lineup for Monday's exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels due to back spasms.

I wonder if at some point the Athletics just drop Bobby. Is there really any chance he's ever going to live up to his potential? His seasonal age is 28 for 2008, meaning he should be playing at his peak. All the injuries retarded his growth as a hitter, and I wouldn't be surprised if Oakland was just better off finding a new solution at shortstop.

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Halos Heaven notes that John Lackey probably won't be ready for opening day, and that the Angels may move a some pitchers up and down the system during the first week of the season to cover themselves.

I looked at the AL West a couple of weeks ago for my radio show, and I just don't see LAnaheim running away with this division. I know the Mariners blogs are down on the construction of that team, but now the Angels have Lackey and Escobar both hurting. I don't see why the Mariners can't win this division; it's not like the Angels are put together particularly well either.

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Alfonso Soriano will miss a few days of practice with a broken finger.

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Shawn Hill's arm problems continue. His elbow is suffering from overuse:

"It's gotten mildly worse, but it's not terrible," Hill said Saturday. "I'll treat it day by day, and they just want to make sure that moving forward we're not pushing through something that should be stopped."

Nationals manager Manny Acta said Hill will seek a second opinion Sunday at Duke University.

"I feel bad for the kid," Acta said. "For the last five years he hasn't been able to pitch a full season in the big leagues or the minor leagues."

Hill missed the entire 2005 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Hill pitches well when he's healthy. He walks few batters, 2.5 per nine since returning from Tommy John surgery. The Nationals can use that kind of control over a full season.

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Ryan Church and Marlon Anderson just had a nasty collision in the Dodgers-Mets game. There was a shallow pop up to right. Church ran in, Marlon ran out, and two got to the ball at the same time. Church called the ball late, Anderson tried to stop but the two hit each other and were on the ground for a few minutes. Church is being helped off the field with one arm over Randolph's shoulder and the other around a trainer. Anderson is leaving under his own power.

Update: Church has a concussion.

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Carlos Delgado returned to New York for an MRI on his troublesome hip:

Omar Minaya doesn't seem concerned, but it's early. The Mets have some temporary options, but if this guy goes down for a month or two, they'll have problems.

Maybe they can get a spare first baseman from the Yankees. :-)

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Ray Durham's shoulder is bothering him:

Second baseman Ray Durham's sore right shoulder had been improving, but the pain was worse when he reported to work and was to undergo an MRI exam Thursday evening to determine the nature of his injury.

Manager Bruce Bochy had hoped Durham could be the designated hitter for today's game against Seattle at Scottsdale Stadium. Now, that is unlikely.

With both Vizquel and Durham down, it looks like Kevin Frandsen can win a middle infield job that should be his anyway. Age is really catching up with this team right now.

Sergio Mitre suffered elbow problems today:

With Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez still sidelined for the foreseeable future, Mitre is expected to be leaned on a lot this season, anchoring the Marlins' young staff of hurlers. A tight elbow in February is bad news. Mitre is also coming off of a season in which the injury bug bit him quite a bit. In 2007, he spent time on the DL with a blister on his throwing hand, missed a start with a bad hamstring and was shut down at the end of the season due to fatigue.

"I don't know what else I have to go through," a frustrated Mitre said. "We'll see."

I wonder how many starters the Marlins are going to end up using this season.

Frank Stevenson looks at x-rays of pitchers and comes to a couter-intuitive conclusion:

In the old days, kids were not limited with any pitching counts or which kind of pitches they were allowed to throw. Instead they just kept pitching, and pitching, and pitching, and pitching over and over again. When pain began they would typically just keep pitching and pitching and pitching. Well, when comparing the x-rays we noticed that differences could be seen in the old timers vs the newer cases. For example, the AC joint was more flattened and smoothed out (both the clavicle and the acromion) in pitchers like Nolan Ryan's and others. This would allow the joint to continue being used without developing any friction or increased irritation which would latter result in rotator cuff injuries, bursitis, or extreme cases of early arthritis. The flattening of the bones that made up the AC joint were done EARLY when they were a kid; before the growth plates fused and before the bone ossified to adult "hardness". So, in other words, the over pitching and non-limitations allowed the joints and bone to change and be altered to a perfect "pitcher's joint" when they were young, which fused and hardened, and stayed that way into adult hood; allowing them to throw over and over again without injury-- in other words the joint ADAPTED to what it needed to be in order to be placed under that stress. Same goes with the elbow.

Now today we have limitations we place on little leaguers and pitchers. They are only allowed to throw so many pitches, so many innings, not allowed to throw curve balls until a certain age, etc, etc. The theory is that they AREN'T placing ENOUGH stress on these joints to alter them and instead the joint grows like every other persons; a normal AC and elbow joint. When placed latter in the big leagues these joints can't handle the stresses placed on them (the AC joint and elbow weren't created to withstand these pressures) and they blow out early ending careers way too early.

There may be something here, but I believe it's somewhat more complicated than this. Afterall, players there were a number of old players (Drysdale, Koufax) who threw all the time and saw their careers end early. I wonder how many of these pitchers with adapted shoulders and elbows had a genetic predisposition to that configuration?

Fernando Rodney's shoulder is bothering him more:

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said today that Rodney has stopped throwing the ball. There is no word on when he will resume doing so.

"I'm concerned," Leyland said.

Leyland said that Rodney has tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. It's the first time anyone with the Tigers has classified Rodney's problem as anything more serious than shoulder stiffness.

Rodney isn't concerned and thinks he'll be back to work in ten days.

The Rays sidelined Scott Kazmir for two weeks.

"It was just a little scary because I never felt it before," Kazmir said, according to the Times. "But after I talked with [team trainer Ron Porterfield] and everything and we did some of the strength tests, I felt confident it would be all right."

It's probably a good thing he didn't try to pitch through the discomfort. Missing two weeks in March is better than two months in the summer.

Update: It looks like the ESPN article was incomplete. The Heater explains the injury will force Kazmir to miss the start of the season:

"Relatively speaking, it is good news,'' Friedman said.

Friedman said the Rays would not put a specific timetable on Kazmir's return, but it sounds as if they expect him "at most" to miss only a few regular-season starts. The Times reported Wednesday that Kazmir is unlikely to make his expected opening day start and expected to miss about two weeks.

"I expect it would be two weeks at least until he is throwing to a hitter,'' Friedman said.

Friedman said an MRI and examination by Dr. Koco Eaton showed that "the nerves, the tendons, the ligaments, everything's intact.''

So it will be two weeks before he starts throwing, then he needs to take time to rebuild his arm strength.

The Disabled List Informer discusses what might be going on in Scott Kazmir's elbow.

Omar Vizquel undergoes knee surgery Wednesday and will miss spring training:

"My knee was feeling good," Vizquel said. "I wanted to give it a hard shot in order to make a decision. It didn't work. I felt a little pop when I was running. That's what I wanted to see -- to see if I could sustain the pain, and I couldn't."

As for Vizquel's return, athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said: "The goal is the first week of the season but the knee will tell us."

Team orthopedist Ken Akizuki is scheduled to perform the operation back in the Bay Area to remove a torn medial meniscus. Vizquel was expected back in camp Thursday.

Minus Vizquel, manager Bruce Bochy plans to use Kevin Frandsen at shortstop. Once Vizquel is back, Frandsen could compete for the starting job at second base with Ray Durham.

I think the chance of Omar being the regular shortstop for the Giants again is slim. He was terrible offensively last year, and I have to believe a knee injury is going to cut into his range. He was still above average last year, but this could change that.

Frandsen, who put up impressive minor league OBAs, never received a real chance to play from the Giants. If Kevin lives up to his minor league record offensively, the Giants would be foolish to return Vizquel as anything but a late inning defensive replacement. Time to make Frandsen part of the youth movement.

Scott Kazmir felt something in his elbow warming up today and will undergo an MRI.

Kazmir, scheduled to work one inning, said he didn't feel a pop in his elbow.

"No, nothing like that. Discomfort," he said, adding that he shut himself down immediately because he didn't want to take any unnecessary chances.

"It was just a little scary because I never felt it before," Kazmir added. "It kind of feels like maybe I tried to do a little too much to get warmed up. Maybe I hyperextended it or something like that. That's kind of what it feels like."

The Cubs sent another player to the hospital today:

Another day at Cubs camp, another trip to the hospital for a non-baseball issue.

This time it was right-hander Jose Ascanio, who was sent to the hospital today to be examined for injuries suffered Saturday night in a one-sided fistfight at a Scottsdale convenience store.

Ascanio, the reliever acquired from Atlanta in December for Will Ohman, was not seriously injured but suffered bruises and abrasions to the left side of his face.

``He got beat up pretty good last night,'' manager Lou Piniella said. ``He got punched a few times by a guy that was looking for some money. He didn't get robbed. But the guy asked for money and evidently the young man said, `I don't have any money,' and the guy punched him a few times.''

On the positive side, Ascanio didn't injure his pitching hand by fighting back. Still, I would think a professional athlete could have taken a robber in a fist fight. Maybe the thug had a weapon.

Brad Lidge's knee turned out to be serious enough for surgery:

Phillies closer Brad Lidge is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Monday and could miss the regular-season opener.

Lidge, Philadelphia's biggest offseason acquisition, limped off the field Saturday after injuring his knee when he caught a spike in the mound on his first pitch of batting practice. Doctors removed torn cartilage from the same knee in October.

The 31-year-old right-hander was expected to return to Philadelphia on Sunday for surgery Monday that would sideline him for three to six weeks. The Phillies open the season at home March 31 against Washington.

I assume this puts Tom Gordon in the closer role until Lidge comes back. I don't think they'll move Myers out of the rotation at this point.

The Zo Zone updates us on Brad Lidge's knee.

Brian Giles says his recovery from microfracture surgery is going well:

Giles did a deep-knee bend, squatting as a catcher would.

"Last year, I was unable to squat like this because my knee would catch," he said.

It's a familiar storyline, the surgically repaired ballplayer renewed by the prospect of a healthier season. It can be a cruel tease, or the happy starting point to a long journey ahead.

Giles, 37, said his body is telling him he is on the right track in his comeback from microfracture surgery performed last October, that he will return to the lineup in mid-March and start in right field in Petco Park on Opening Day, March 31.

"I've been doing sprints, running since the end of January, and I feel good," said Giles, who is entering the final guaranteed year of a contract that specifies a $9 million salary and a $3 million buyout on a $9 million club option for 2009.

A good knee, combined with a change in hitting mechanics might mean Giles returns to being a power hitter this season. At age 37, however, don't put too much hope on that outcome.

Brad Lidge threw one pitch and needed to be taken off the field:

"It was my push off leg," Lidge said. "I caught my spike in the mound. I threw the pitch but it felt like I pulled something in the knee. ... It swelled up a little, but I'm optimistic that I just pulled some scar tissue loose."

Doctors removed torn cartilage from the knee in the fall.

Meanwhile, Mark DeRosa needed to be carried off the field on a stretcher, but the report provides no reason. An injury to DeRosa might grease the skids for a Brian Roberts trade.

Update: DeRosa suffered from an irregular heartbeat:

"Mark's doing fine," manager Lou Piniella said. "He came in with a rapid heartbeat from doing the things on the field and was having a little trouble breathing, so they called in the medical team.

"He's completely stable, but better be safe than sorry. With the irregular heartbeat and so forth, they sent him to the hospital to test him and evaluate him. But he's fine."

A team spokesman said DeRosa felt faint but never lost consciousness.

"I talked to him. He was a little nervous and outside of that he's OK," Piniella said.

Team trainer Mark O'Neal accompanied DeRosa to the hospital.

"We'll find out what the medical staff or doctor at the hospital tells us to do," Piniella said. "I don't expect this to be serious and don't expect it to be too long."

George Sherrill wins the prize:

Reliever George Sherrill left today's workout with some discomfort in his right hamstring. He grabbed the back of his leg and walked to the trainers room from one of the back fields before receiving treatment. No word on how this could impact his participation tomorrow.

Hunter Pence keeps having bad luck:

Hunter Pence's teammates got quite a laugh in the clubhouse this morning when he almost hurt himself taking "dry" swings, or air swings as he called them.

With a bat, Pence made his swing motion and took a pretty strong stroke, hitting his arms on a laundry cart behind him.

Pence smiled sheepishly as his good friend, Tommy Manzella, the shortstop prospect, shook his head.

"Hunter," Manzella said, "go sit down."

Eric Chavez discusses his three surgeries:

In November, Chavez had a procedure to remove damaged tissue from his left shoulder. Before that, he had right shoulder surgery performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum on Sept. 5 to repair a torn labrum, fix a damaged biceps tendon and remove a loose body from the joint. Then on Oct. 9, Chavez had surgery on his back.

In hindsight, he wishes he would have had the operation on his right shoulder after the 2006 season instead, saying it was a "foregone conclusion." The left shoulder, which began bothering him again during rehab on the right side, surprised him most. There was a fairly significant tear in that side also.

"It was kind of a relief because I knew the problems I was having with my arms, now I knew there was a relation there," he said. "The two surgeries, the right shoulder and the back, I was fine with. When I heard about the third, I was kind of waving the white flag a little bit."

That's quite a lot of healing to go through in one winter. The Athletics shouldn't expect much from Eric any more, but it would be a pleasant surprise if he does return somewhat to form and a boost for the A's offense.

Hunter Pence spent the night in the emergency room:

Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence was apparently injured in a freak accident on Monday, suffering lacerations to both his hands and knees in an accident through a sliding glass door.

A team spokesman for the Astros told the Houston Chronicle that Pence spent part of Monday night in the emergency room at a local hospital and will be examined Tuesday morning by team physician David Lintner.

The team is still verifying the accident and more information is expected to be released Tuesday.

It sounds like the wounds were superficial, but stay tuned.

Rich Harden threw well in his simulated game Monday:

"It went very well," said Harden, who threw all his pitches and was working especially on his breaking ball. "I felt great, and what I'm most happy about ... is that I threw 30 warm-up pitches and then 40 pitches and I wasn't tired at all. Everything was really nice and easy. I felt very comfortable."

Harden's fastball and changeup looked sharp and though his breaking ball was up in the zone a little, he managed to bring it down toward the end of the session.

Meanwhile, Dan Johnson appears to be infection prone. He fought both viral meningitis and sinusitis over the winter, the sinusitis nearly putting him out of action:

A recent bout of sinusitis turned so severe, Johnson revealed Monday, that he had to spend eight days in the hospital late last month - and he nearly had to have a hole drilled into his forehead.

That treatment, however, would have meant he'd be out of action for two months, and Johnson, in a perpetual fight for a roster spot, didn't want to miss any time.

"I said, 'No, no, no! I have to get back to my job,' " Johnson said.

So rather than have the hole drilled and the sinuses drained, then packed with material to prevent further infection, Johnson requested to be treated with antibiotics.

He's down 15 pounds from last year. It seems medically, Murphy's law applies to Dan. Maybe he and Nick Johnson should form a club!

Hank Blalock is throwing well. He threw from third to first today, having recovered from last season's shoulder surgery:

"He was awesome," Washington said. "He had great carry and was very consistent. He's really learned how to use the bottom half of his body to help make his throws consistent. Everything was right there on the bag."

I sure the Rangers hope a healthy shoulder also helps Hank's hitting.

It's not clear that the injury to Gallardo is going to change the Brewers rotation much:

If Gallardo can indeed throw off a mound again a month from today-on 3/18-he might actually be able to get in a few Cactus League starts and be ready by mid-April. The Brewers don't need a 5th starter until 4/19 at Cincinnati, so a four man rotation of Sheets, Suppan, Villanueva, and Bush might suffice...provided all do well enough in Maryvale.

Via FishStripes, Cody Ross overcame a hamstring injury with the help of injections:

Steadman asked Ross if he wanted to undergo a procedure. Basically, Ross had blood withdrawn from his arm. It was placed into what he calls a "high-tech machine" that cleans out the blood, leaving in the cells that help healing. The blood was then injected directly into Ross' hamstring. He received three or four of the injections.

He's better. I wonder if these with be called the Cody Ross Injections?

Bradford Files listened to Curt Schilling speak to the press this morning and has quotes:

"Let's be clear, if some people want to believe this was me taking advantage of the situation financially I wouldn't have done it here. I would have done it in at least two other places for $14 million. If I was going to sit my ass on the DL and collect a paycheck. I know that for a fact. People are going to believe what they believe. I was healthy at the time. I didn't feel great, but I felt like I was 40 or 41. I went through the physical, I had an MRI at the time as well. I did everything they asked, passed every test they asked me to take and I felt fine. If Theo tells you anything about our discussions and negotiations I think we were both very comfortable saying I want to go out, compete, be the ace of the staff for this final year and all the things that go with that."

Update: More from Schilling. The Globe wasn't invited to the party, but they saw the NESN tape:

"I'm obviously going to fall back on the guy (Morgan) who's already been down this path and who's always been right,'' Schilling said.

"....I immediately jumped on that when no one else was really offering me a difference, a change.''

It was at that point, he said, that the contract became an issue. "I think there was some belief on their end that I was going to go off and do my own thing and have surgery on my own,'' Schilling said, "or something like that. I immediately assured everybody that I was talking to I would never do that, No. 1, and No. 2, I couldn't do it legally, anyway.''

Schilling said he is following the Sox prescribed regimen "because I don't have any choice. If their course of action doesn't work I don't pitch this year, I might not ever pitch again.''

Schilling did not come right out and say the Sox doctors were wrong, but he called their judgment into question this way. "I think there's unspoken here that doctors have egos every bit as much as professional athletes. These are some of the top people in the world at what they do. I had three different doctors tell me three completely different things with three completely different courses of action. I'm obviously going to fall back on the guy who's already been down this path before.''

Nick Johnson received good reviews today:

Nick Johnson delighted onlookers, including the manager and GM, with a solid batting-practice session (Jim Bowden's assessment: "Phenomenal"), then said afterwards his leg feels great and he fully expects to be in the lineup when exhibition games begin at the end of the month. According to Bowden, the difference between seeing Johnson take BP today, versus seeing him last September (which was only a year after breaking his femur), was, "Night and day. Not even close."

Nick's a favorite of mine. Not only do I like his plate discipline, but he looks like Babe Ruth.

Anibal Sanchez is slowly turning into Carl Pavano:

Originally, the Marlins had hoped Sanchez might be ready to open the season with the club after undergoing labrum surgery last June. But the target date continues to be pushed back with every setback.

''They told me I have to wait for 10 days and start over again,'' Sanchez said of the latest recovery program. ``They said I had to start again because I felt pain when I was throwing at 90 feet.''

After receiving the diagnosis from Andrews last week, Sanchez said he returned home to Venezuela to visit his family.

''I just want to work to be ready,'' he said.

Yovani Gallardo torn cartilage in his knee:

Gallardo will return to Milwaukee on Monday and have the arthroscopic procedure Tuesday. He then will return to the Brewers' camp to begin physical therapy.

Brewers spokesman Tyler Barnes said Sunday the right-hander had discomfort a few days ago after a throwing session. His knee swelled up afterward.

In his first season in the majors, Gallardo repeated his minor league performance of lots of strikeouts, few walks and few home runs allowed. Doctors do well repairing knees since the introduction of arthroscopic surgery. I would guess, however, that he'll need an extended spring training.

Jason Schmidt threw pain free today:

Schmidt spent extensive time last summer and during the offseason working with physical therapist Brett Fischer near his Scottsdale, Ariz., home.

"We've been throwing longer 'pens than that," Schmidt said. "He has done so many of these with me. There were points where I thought I was ready to go to the next level, he held me back at times I wanted to push forward. If I would have done that, I probably would have had the big setback."

A healthy Schimdt would be a great improvement over the Dodgers third starting slot last year, so this is an encouraging sign.

Carl Pavano can't catch a break.

There's speculation that Albert Pujols needs Tommy John surgery. I agree with Brew Crew Ball on this:

In years past, this would have been cause for some serious schadenfreude, but with the Cardinals unlikely to challenge for the NL Central title this year (Chris Carpenter isn't due back from his TJ surgery until after the All-Star Break), an extended Pujols absence would help the Cubs just as much as it would help the Brewers.

Of course, if Pujols does have the surgery, he might pitch until he's 46. :-)

Ten months after Tommy John surgery, B.J. Ryan is throwing off a mound, and may be ready for opening day.

Ryan has surprised some observers and confounded the experts. He has thrown his two bullpen sessions with no physical problems and is slated to throw next from the mound Saturday, the first official day for pitchers and catchers. The 32-year-old is three months away from reaching one year post-surgery, the accepted rehab period for pitchers who have undergone the same tendon transfer procedure.

...

Of all the question marks on the Jays coming into camp, Ryan's ability to be ready for opening day has the most repercussions. If he proves he can pitch like he has in the past, then Jeremy Accardo can be moved back to a setup role and the spring can be spent allowing Casey Janssen to compete for a starting spot. If Ryan is not ready, Janssen would have to remain in the 'pen, with Jesse Litsch the leading candidate for the fifth spot.

The Red Sox do not have insurance on Curt Schilling's contract. Edes indicates the Red Sox are worried about pitching, but I thought they were decently deep at the minor league level.

Curt Schilling received a cortisone shot in his shoulder.

The painkilling shot would allow Schilling to begin rehabbing an injured shoulder tendon. Boston's team physician believes the tendon is damaged, not torn, and that rehabilitation gives Schilling his best chance to play this year.

Schilling's physician, Dr. Craig Morgan, disagrees, saying the tendon is torn and requires surgery.

While I have sympathy for Schilling pain, does anyone else think this is a positive for the Red Sox? This gives Boston the chance to move their good, young pitchers into the rotation. I'd rather have Buchholz pitching every fifth game.

Dr. Morgan gave Curt Schilling a second opinion on his arm injury, and is in the minority of the three doctors who examined the Red Sox pitcher. Morgan's opinion is that Schilling will never pitch again without surgery:

"When the tendon becomes irreversibly diseased, which my opinion is that it is now, the fibers are bundles within the single tendon, can start to separate longitudinally. It isn't torn cross-wise, it separates into these bands of spaghetti would be a good term to have a layman understand it. And once you see that, which is how it appears on his recent MRI, then really conservative measures will not resolve the pain. And without resolving the pain by conservative measures, I see no shot at being able to have him become pain free and strengthening of the shoulder muscles with or without a cortisone shot. I don't think this guy will even be able to exercise, to be able to find out whether that approach is successful in any way, shape, or form.

And this on Schilling's pain:

Morgan said Schilling was in pain when he started his exercise program before January, and when he started his offseason throwing program, he had a dramatic increase in pain.

"And by dramatic, he told me he could throw a ball five feet. By dramatic, I mean this guy's got pain opening a door. He was not able to complete all of the positions that were requested for his MRI on Jan. 24 because he couldn't put his arm above his head and hold it there without excruciating pain -- that's what we're talking about here."

There's a link to the audio at the post.

Curt writes about his shoulder at 38 Pitches:

Please understand that a lot of what has been reported is not true. When the club feels it's appropriate to further discuss the details of this issue publicly I will elaborate but I need to make it clear that Dr Morgan did NOT diagnose me with a tear of the rotator cuff at any time during this process, nor did he recommend rotator cuff surgery.

...

After being diagnosed by the Red Sox medical staff I sought a second opinion, as anyone would, and when it became clear there was disagreement (which is not uncommon by the way), I agreed to see an independent Doctor from a list the Red Sox provided me, for the third opinion.

At this time I have agreed to abide with the clubs wishes in hopes that will provide the results they believe it will.

It certainly doesn't sound like the Red Sox will get a full season out of Curt Schilling.

Over at YanksFan-SoxFan, a link to a Boston Herald post on the state of Curt Schilling's shoulder.

While the precise nature of Schilling's injury is not known, it is believed that the right-hander is suffering from an injury to the rotator cuff and/or labrum that might require surgery. It is possible that the sides disagree on how to treat Schilling's ailment and that a course of treatment, too, is a part of their disagreement.

If Schilling has surgery on his shoulder, it is almost certain that he would be unable to pitch this season.

Did Curt's off season workout regimen not work?

Update: A no comment from Schilling.

Update: The Red Sox issued a statement on Schilling:

Curt Schilling was examined by Red Sox doctors in January after he reported feeling right shoulder discomfort. Curt has started a program of rest, rehabilitation and shoulder strengthening in an attempt to return to pitching.

Kelvim Esobar came down with shoulder soreness.

The Angels said an MRI taken by Dr. Lewis Yocum showed no significant changes in Escobar's shoulder. Escobar was 18-7 with a 3.40 ERA in 30 starts for the AL West champions last season.

I suppose it's better to happen now so he has time to heal for the regular season.

The Pirates are taking steps to prevent so many of their pitchers from going under the knife.

It looks like Paul Lo Duca will miss the start of spring training:

Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca was scheduled to have surgery on his left knee Monday to repair what his agent called a minor meniscus tear.

Lo Duca will see a team doctor on Monday "for further testing," general manager Jim Bowden wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Sunday.

"If an operation is indicated," Bowden continued, "it will be arthroscopic and the estimated recovery time would be 4-6 weeks, with the expectation he could be ready for opening day."

It could be a lot worse. Paul just winds up with some extra vacation time.

Paul Lo Duca injured his left knee and needs to travel to Washington for an examination. A catcher with a bad knee was not what the Nationals had in mind when they signed Paul.

River Ave. Blues has the goods on Hideki Matsui's knee. He can't run.

A Twins pitching prospect was injured in a car accident over the weekend:

Twins pitching prospect Jose Mijares, 23, broke his left elbow in a car crash early Sunday morning in Venezuela and could miss four to six months, General Manager Bill Smith said today.

His was the only vechicle involved. I'm not sure if the Twins consider him a major prospect. He was on the forty man roster, but his minor league walk rate is very high. That doesn't fit with the Twins philosophy.

Let the Dick Cheney jokes begin!

Nationals right-hander Luis Ayala was hit in the left forearm by a shotgun pellet during a hunting trip but is expected to be able to participate when spring training begins next month.

I'm very glad his injuries were minor and shouldn't keep him out of spring training.

Here's the latest on Juan Lara's progress after he was injured when a motor cycle hit his vehicle. Let's hope he continues to improve.

Chad Gaudin will probably be late to spring training:

Right-hander Chad Gaudin needs surgery to repair a tear in the cartilage of his left hip joint, the Oakland Athletics said.

The 24-year-old pitcher, who spent the entire 2007 season in the starting rotation, is scheduled to undergo the procedure on Dec. 18 in his hometown of New Orleans, according to the A's. He also will have a bone removed from his right foot during a different operation on the same day.

Gaudin's estimated recovery time is eight to 12 weeks, the team said.

Haren and Gaudin absorbed over 400 innings for the Athletics in 2007. With Dan gone, the A's can't afford to Chad for any length of time.

David Ortiz talks about his recovery from knee surgery:

Boston's designated hitter had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Nov. 6 to repair damaged cartilage that has bothered him all year.

"I think I will be training and running at full speed by January," he said Tuesday. "It was a simple operation."

Full speed, I believe, is a relative term. I don't think he'll be winning races against Ellsbury, but he might be able to beat Schilling. :-)

Juan Lara's injuries were detailed today:

Lara, who pitched in one game for Cleveland last season, was returning from a winter league game Saturday night in San Pedro de Macoris when the sports utility vehicle he was driving was hit by a motorcycle, killing both its rider and passenger.

"Juan's condition is very fragile. In the last medical report we found that he has a severe brain trauma, and we also found a fracture in the spinal column, with the D2 [second vertebra] in an unstable condition," hospital spokeswoman Dashira Martinez told The Associated Press.

Martinez said doctors have not determined whether there will be any paralysis.

It would appear, however, that his baseball career is over.

The Braves idea to bring back Mike Hampton in 2008 isn't going well:

The Braves left-hander injured his right hamstring in the first inning of his first start in the Mexican Winter League last week. He left after one inning, and it's uncertain if he'll pitch again this winter.

"We don't know when he'll come back [in winter ball], if at all," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "There's only four weeks left in the season, and hamstring injuries usually take a while."

Hampton, 35, has missed the past two seasons recovering from elbow surgeries on his pitching arm, and the Braves hoped he could make seven starts in Mexico to better gauge the likelihood of having him back in Atlanta's starting rotation for the 2008 season.

Indians pitcher Juan Lara suffered injuries in a motor vehicle collision:

Lara was returning from a winter league game Saturday night in San Pedro de Macoris when the sports utility vehicle he was driving was hit by a speeding motorcycle, instantly killing the two people on the motorcycle, Indians spokesman Bart Swain said.

Lara was stopped at an intersection when he was struck on the passenger side. Swain couldn't provide any further details on Lara's condition.

"We are monitoring his status very closely," Swain said, "and he is definitely in our prayers right now."

Let's hope he recovers quickly.

Curt Schilling talks about his injury and pitching mechanics in detail, noting how inflexibility in his ankle interferes with the power transfer of his delivery.

Someone with easy repeatable mechanics is apt to hide the symptoms or problems much longer than others. This is basically what's happened to me over the past year. You do not just lose 5 mph in a week or two span, barring an injury. I was concerned the entire season I had a labral tear. I don't. I basically have major clogs in the kinetic chain that are a direct result of limited, to almost non existent flexibility in my right ankle.

The major indicators are my left hip, which is tight, and my thoracic spine. Bottom line is I've lost flexibility in areas I cannot afford to. At 35 I could overcome them, or didn't have them. I can't now.

Read the whole thing for a great post on pitching mechanics. Schilling's doctor thinks with proper work during the off season Curt will regain his fastball.

Ryan Zimmerman broke his hamate bone:

"My hand has hurt before. Anybody who plays professional baseball plays with bangs and bruises," he added. "I don't know if I kind of cracked it before or during the season -- or the past two seasons -- and it led up to it finally totally cracking."

If he injured the hand earlier in the season, that could explain his offensive falloff this year.

The Tigers lost Joel Zumaya until the middle of 2008:

Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya underwent surgery Wednesday on his throwing shoulder and will be out until at least the midpoint of the 2008 season, the team announced today in a news release.

The procedure, an AC joint reconstruction, took place at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego. The right-hander was injured moving personal items during the California wildfires, the team said.

The Tigers went 52-46 with Zumaya out in 2007, between May 2nd and August 20th, a little worse than their .543 overall winning percentage. It's a loss, but one they can absorb.

Thanks to Baseball Digest Daily for the heads up.

What is Mark Prior's condition:

They would like to keep Prior, but what complicates matters is that the right-hander will be a free agent after the 2008 season. Let's say the Cubs sign him for next year, and he isn't able to pitch until August -- and then choses free agency and leaves for another team. That means the Cubs would've paid him for two months of work. He received $3.575 million in 2007 and didn't make one big league start. The Cubs have invested a lot of money in the right-hander, and in a perfect world, a two-year deal with incentives through 2009 would make more sense. The question becomes whether Prior will accept that.

Christopher Gialloreto sent the link and this:

This is how they do it. Who the heck ever said anything about August?! They just slip that in there in a few of Crappy Muskat's stupid columns that no one reads anyway and then it's old news that he wasn't going to be ready come April when he's not pitching. What a joke.

Of course, at this point Prior's turned into Carl Pavano. Would any team sign him as a free agent at this point? And if they did, wouldn't most of the money have to come from incentives?

Via Bad Altitude, Aaron Cook and Jason Hirsh may be ready to play in the NLCS:

The Rockies thought starting pitchers Aaron Cook and Jason Hirsh were out for the season. But they didn't realize their season would extend to the National League Championship Series, and now the two starters are ready to return.

Cook and Hirsh are both eligible to come off the disabled list Oct. 7. A decision has yet to be made whether they will join the NLCS roster.

"I'm saying I'll be back, but it still needs to be discussed," Cook said.

Hirsh said, "I'd say 75 percent chance. Worst case, I come out of the 'pen."

That would make a good team even better.

The Angels left Gary Matthews, Jr. off the ALDS roster:

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said earlier Tuesday that Colon would be on the roster for the best-of-5 series that starts Wednesday at Fenway Park. But after feeling pain in his right elbow during the workout, he was replaced in the bullpen by righthander Dustin Moseley.

Matthews, who has never been in the playoffs since breaking into the majors in 1999, will be replaced in center field by Reggie Willits, and on the roster by Erick Aybar.

That certainly hurts the Angels defensively.

Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis both started for the Red Sox this afternoon. Manny picked up three hits and a walk, and Youkilis reached base twice. The Red Sox defeat the Athletics 11-6, as the offense is looking very good. Manny batted second again today, but I wonder if with Youkilis back Kevin returns to the two slot soon.

Mike Cameron will miss the rest of the regular season:

Not only will the Padres be without Bradley for the final week and a possible playoff appearance, but they'll get little if any contribution from center fielder Mike Cameron, who has a torn ligament in his right thumb.

Cameron was hurt when he made a sliding attempt at Garrett Atkins' inside-the-park home run, then had Bradley step on his hand. 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.

Brady Clark and Scott Hairston take over for the two injured outfielders tonight. Hairston's played very well for the Padres, but if you take his career as a whole he can't match Bradley.

The Padres do get off to an early lead on singles by Brian Giles and Kevin Kouzmanoff, assisted by an error and a wild pitch. They lead 1-0 in the first.

I just heard on the Yankees broadcast that Milton Bradley's knee injury will keep him out into the 2008 season.

Update: Here's the story from ESPN.

An MRI taken by Padres left fielder Milton Bradley shows he has a torn ACL, a source told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, and the volatile outfielder is expected to miss the rest of this season and part of next year, too.

Black would have been better off letting Bradley punch the ump.

Here's the latest update on Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez. Both work on today's off day, but there's no word on when either will return to the lineup. They've scored 28 runs in the seven games without both going 2-5. They did have a good weekend against Tampa Bay.

Derrek Lee gets a base hit to rightfield in a 2-2 tie. Ken Griffey fields the ball and gets it back in to hold Theriot at third, then collapses. He struck out the previous inning, and replays show a twinge of pain on the K. But when he planted to throw, his glove went to his groin, so it's either a high hamstring pull or a groin pull. He's limping off the field now, but he's probably done for the season.

The Cubs have runners at first and third with one out.

Update: Matt Murton hits a soft fly ball toward the line in leftfield. Dunn dives and appears to make a catch, but the umpire indicates the ball hit the turf. The run scores from third, but Dunn throws out Lee advancing the second. The rare fly ball fielder's choice puts the Cubs in the lead 3-2.

Update: Howry, who pitched the eighth, stays in and gets the Reds in the ninth and the Cubs win 3-2. Meanwhile, the Astros score in the bottom of the seventh to tie the Brewers at two, then take the lead int he bottom of the eighth. They now lead 4-2 and the Brewers are in danger of falling a game behind the Cubs.

Claudio Vargas replaces Ben Sheets at the start of the second inning. Sheets got through the first inning on just twelve pitches, but gave up a double and a single to put Houston up 1-0. I just turned on the game to see if the announcers report anything.

Both Sheets and Zambrano are pitching on short rest tonight. Ben is out, and Zambrano has allowed five hits and three runs through two as the Reds lead 3-0.

Update: The Houston broadcast reports Ben Sheets left with tightness in his left hamstring. That's not good news for Milwaukee.

Here's why Mariano Rivera pitched poorly last night. That's some errant throw. Thanks to MS for the tip.

Troy Glaus requires surgery on his foot to decompress a nerve. He'll miss the rest of the season and reporters asking him questions about steroids. With Toronto's elimination number down to seven after losing the first two games of the series to the Yankees, there's not much he's going to do for the team at this point.

Yesterday I wondered if Bonderman's elbow had been bothering him for a while. The answer is not good:

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said the team will probably shut down the right-hander because of a nagging elbow injury that is not getting better. "This guy is a trooper and wanted to go out there for us," Leyland said Sunday after the Seattle Mariners beat Detroit 14-7. "But he's not right."

Bonderman (11-9) gave up six runs and seven hits in 1 1-3 innings -- matching the shortest outing of his five-year career -- in what might end up being his final outing of the season.

"I wanted to go out and give it a chance," he said. "I didn't really help anybody -- myself or the team."

Bonderman is scheduled to have his elbow examined on Monday.

"It's frustrating, but at least now we're going to find out a reason why this is happening," he said. "I've had it for a while, and it's been getting worse over a period of time.

The Orioles King Lear season continues as Jeremy Guthrie goes down with an injury:

Guthrie needed just one warm-up pitch to conclude that he couldn't go on, and his largely successful season, one that saw him go from waiver-wire pickup to one of the most dominating starters in the American League in the season's first half, was probably over.

A strained left oblique injury forced the rookie right-hander to leave the Orioles' eventual 3-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox in the series finale before an announced 39,234 on a beautiful afternoon at Camden Yards.

Guthrie had been pitching poorly lately, giving up eleven home runs since the start of August as opposed to the twelve he allowed through the end of July. Maybe this has been bothering him for a while and just came to a head today.

The Diamondbacks are now talking about surgery for Orlando Hudson.

Hudson learned Thursday that he has a torn ligament in his left thumb. Team officials said they will wait until Sunday to see if rest and treatment will allow him to return this season. But, at this point, season-ending surgery appears to be the most likely route.

"We're going to give it a couple of days, regroup and make a decision on Sunday," General Manager Josh Byrnes said. "(Surgery) is a scenario, no doubt."

Offensively, Hudson's created the second most runs on the team behind Eric Byrnes. This isn't a great offensive team to begin with, so a loss of Hudson for the rest of the season makes the Diamondbacks even more dependent on their pitching.

Elmer Dessens only lasted 2 1/3 innings, but there's good news and bad news with the situation. The good news is he didn't give up a hit. The bad news is he strained a hamstring. Dessens hasn't pitched well at all this season, so losing him during a good outing just hurts more.

The Rockies offense, however, knocked Germano out early. Colorado leads San Diego 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Kaz Matsui hit a two-run homer off Germano to help the cause.

Orlando Hudson tore a ligament in his left thumb:

"Nothing to worry about, just maybe a couple of days," he said.

Hudson, who visited hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan and underwent an MRI exam, injured the thumb while sliding headfirst into third base in the seventh inning of Tuesday night's game. He was back in the lineup Wednesday night but left that game in the eighth inning, as the injury had worsened.

He should be able to field just fine, but I wonder how much this will affect his batting. He's on a pace to set career highs in batting average and on-base average.

Dodgers Thoughts notes the severity of the injury to Juan Encarnacion's eye.

Paletta said the eye socket was essentially crushed on impact, comparing the injured area to the disintegration of an egg shell or ice cream cone, and that the optic nerve had sustained severe trauma. Reconstructive surgery may not take place for several days while doctors wait for swelling to subside.

Paletta said there was no rupture to the eyeball.

Encarnacion, who is in the second year of a three-year free agent contract, crumpled to the grass after being struck while waiting to pinch hit in the on-deck circle in the sixth inning on Friday. He remained hospitalized with a concussion and multiple fractures to the eye socket.

It's been a bad year for people getting severely injured while on the field but not in the game. Let's hope this season takes care of that bad luck for a long time, and the Juan makes a full recovery.

As for the Cardinals, Juan's not a very good hitter. I suspect this injury will help them more than hurt them by forcing them to find a replacement sooner than if they just let his contract run out at the end of next season.

Update: Scott Rolen wasn't really helping the team much with his bat, either. With luck, his surgery will return some of his power.

Manny Ramriez strained an oblique muscle and will likely be out for a while:

Ramirez was diagnosed with a strained left oblique by team internist Dr. Larry Ronan, and though the team is calling Ramirez day-to-day, the normal recovery period for such an injury is usually measured in weeks.

Ramirez, 35, who has been bothered by the injury for a couple of weeks and sat out games last Wednesday and Sunday, aggravated the oblique while swinging in the sixth inning Tuesday night.

It's a good thing the Red Sox built a good lead in the division. That gives them the luxury of waiting out the injury.

Jeff Kent takes a pitch on the ear flap of his helmet, and doesn't go down. There's a nice bruise forming around his left ear, but Jeff walked off the field under his own power. Thank goodness for high-tech batting helmets. The Mets lead 2-1 in the top of the fourth.

Jair Jurrjens gives up a home run to Jason Giambi, then calls out the trainer. He clearly showed shoulder pain, and he's out of the game. Chad Durbin takes over with a 3-1 lead.

Mark Prior says his shoulder is healing well:

He was told after the surgery that he wouldn't be throwing again for six months, which means Prior will probably start a throwing program in October.

He's scheduled to visit Andrews in a couple of weeks to see where he stands.

"Every checkpoint they wanted me to be at, I'm either at or ahead of schedule," Prior said. "I feel good."

Prior said his labrum suffered a "significant tear" and there was also wear and tear on the rotator cuff. After hearing his mental toughness questioned frequently, it was a relief to learn the reason for his shoulder pain.

"Obviously [surgery] wasn't a road we wanted to go down, but looking back at what they found, it was inevitable," he said. "Fortunately for players today, we have the benefit of modern medicine, and when things get hurt we get them fixed and get back out there and play."

There are some players who are just injury prone, however. If Mark shows he's healthy next spring, do the Cubs keep him or try to trade him to another organization rather than risk losing him to another break down?

Ben Sheets suffered a set back recovering from his finger injury:

Any chance Sheets had of pitching this weekend ended when he developed a blister on his middle finger - the same finger he originally injured to go on the disabled list - during a simulated game Monday in Phoenix. Manager Ned Yost hoped to get Sheets a start against the Giants on Saturday, then bring him back for the finale of the three-game series in Chicago.

Yost still hopes Sheets can pitch one of the final two games in Chicago but that is anything but a certainty because a deeper blister formed under the original one after he threw in the bullpen Wednesday, and that was with the finger wrapped.

"I'm just not taking a chance on him right now," Yost said. "It would be crazy to push him and set him back. I'm trying to do the right thing."

In 38 games since Sheets went down, the Brewers starters are 10-13 with a 5.33 ERA.

Via Bronx Banter, Gary Sheffield won't be carrying the Tigers on his shoulder for a while:

"It's time to shut it down and get myself right," said Sheffield, unsure as to how long it might take to get himself right.

The buzz has been about the Tigers' kids lately. Joel Zumaya triumphantly rode in from the bullpen on a golden chariot Tuesday night. Just days removed from Double-A ball, Cameron Maybin and Jair Jurrjens have heightened expectations for the future.

But don't kid yourself.

Two guys with 80 years of life and almost 40 years of major league experience between them hold the pennant chances in their grasp.

The Tigers are dead if they can't count on Sheffield and Kenny Rogers.

Granderson, Polanco, Ordonez and Guillen still represent a great offensive core. They're not yet dead. But they're not getting better.

Edwin Jackson hit Dustin Pedroia in the elbow starting the third inning, putting him out of the game. The broadcast just reported that X-rays were negative, and he's bruised.

The Red Sox lead 1-0 in the sixth. Dice-K is working on a one-hitter through five. He's collected six strikeouts so far, three of them against Iwamura.

Update: Upton takes Matsuzaka deep, a two-run shot that puts the Devil Rays up 2-1. It's the 18th for B.J. and the 18th allowed by Daisuke. The elder Upton is certainly coming into his own this season, with a great OBA and a fine slugging percentage.

Cole Hamels doesn't think his sore elbow is serious:

"I'm not necessarily nervous," Hamels said. "It's just a matter of listening to your body and trying to pay attention when you feel some discomfort. I felt it on two pitches in the bullpen and it just didn't feel right.

"I know it's not serious because I talked to guys who have had Tommy John [reconstructive elbow] surgery. They asked me if I could do all these moves and when I could they said I was OK."

That, of course, remains to be seen.

The Phillies are weathering the Utley injury well. They are 14-9 since Chase broke his hand, a .609 winning percentage and the same as the Mets. They were only three games above .500 when Utley went down. Maybe they can do the same in Cole's absence.

This looks like bad news for Philadelphia:

Phillies ace left-hander Cole Hamels will miss his scheduled start Wednesday night because of soreness in his left elbow.

Team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti said tonight that Hamels began feeling the soreness , which Ciccotti described as a "mild medial elbow strain," several days ago and brought it to the team's attention today. Hamels will undergo an MRI exam Wednesday.

How often do we see a sore elbow turn into something more serious?

The Houston Astros defeated the San Diego Padres Saturday night, but lost two players to injury:

Left fielder Carlos Lee, who leads the team in homers and RBIs, and starting pitcher Roy Oswalt, who's among league leaders in wins and ERA, were forced to leave the Astros' 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

Lee left in the third inning with a strained right hip flexor, and Oswalt left after throwing 67 pitches in 4 2/3 innings with a strained left oblique muscle. Both are listed as day-to-day.

"It concerns me, obviously, because they're our horses, but we'll get through it," manager Phil Garner said.

The Astros are 7 1/2 games out in the NL Central. With the quality of teams in the National League, one has to consider Houston in the race. That makes the Astros face a tough choice with Oswalt. He's a valuable commodity, so do you let him pitch through the injury and try to win, or do you protect his health and the value of his long-term contract?

With the loss, the Padres fall five games behind Arizona in the NL West race. The Diamondbacks and Red Sox are tied for the biggest division lead with a five game bulge.

In case you've been wondering what's keeping Nick Johnson from playing, it's his hip:

General manager Jim Bowden said Thursday that Johnson will have another surgery on the leg and will not play in 2007.

"We just couldn't quite get over the hump with his hip," Bowden said. "He couldn't quite get to the ground ball to his left. His hitting has come along great. There was no question in our mind that he made tremendous progress offensively. But it just wasn't allowing him to be Nick Johnson. You've got to have the hip in baseball."

According to the broadcast, Johnson will have hardware removed in the operation next week. I remember a friend who broke his ankle, had it pinned, and never seemed to completely recover. A year later they decided to take out the pin, and he got better quickly. I hope the same is true for Nick.

The Dodgers will need to do without Nomar Garciaparra for a while:

The Los Angeles Dodgers' postseason hopes took another hit on Tuesday when third baseman Nomar Garciaparra was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left calf muscle.

Garciaparra said the injury has plagued him for more than a week.

"We all have injuries and you deal with them. It wasn't an easy decision," said Garciaparra, who is on the DL for the ninth time in his career and third time in less than two seasons with the Dodgers.

Given Nomar's poor hitting, I'm not sure how much of a hit the Dodgers' hopes really took here. It would be nice, however, to have Betemit around to replace him.

Travis Hafner left the game Wednesday night due to a sore knee.

Hafner entered the game batting .255 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI in 109 games. In Hafner's first five years, he never played more than 140 games.

Hafner does a great job of getting on base for the Indians, but his power is down this season. And at least in June, no one knew why:

Believe me, I'd love to shed light on this problem, but the two people who have studied it most -- Hafner and hitting coach Derek Shelton -- don't see any mechanical differences in Pronk's swing that would account for the power outage. Shelton chalks it up as one of those rough patches that every hitter -- even one of Hafner's caliber -- goes through, but this has gone on for the better part of the '07 season.

So maybe it's just a slump, or maybe it's the decline of a 30 year old. Hafner is slugging .438 after slugging near or over .600 the last three seasons.

The Indians lost in extra innings 6-4 to the White Sox. They had two chances to win as they led 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, but Dye homered to tie the game. Cleveland scored in the 12th, but a solo shot by Pierzynski again tied the game. Finally, a two run shot by Uribe sealed the game in the bottom of the 13th.

This is pretty remarkable:

X-rays taken Wednesday show Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh suffered a broken leg when he was hit by a line drive in the first inning the night before, even though he stayed in for five more innings and got the victory.

The guy should get some iron man award. That had to be painful.

The Cubs lose Alfonso Soriano for at least two weeks.

"How devastating. I mean, leadoff hitter, valuable guy, leads my team in home runs, he's got a lot of energy," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.

"It's going to be a tough loss."

Piniella said he didn't know what the Cubs would do to fill the hole and would discuss potential moves with general manager Jim Hendry. The Cubs are one game behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.

Soriano's slugging percentage of .511 was somewhat wasted in the leadoff spot. The seven, eight and nine slots in the Cubs lineup produced OBAs of .293, .276 and .235. So it's not surprising that 14 of Soriano's 18 home runs were solo shots. But this also means he might not be that difficult to replace. A high OBA hitter in the lead off slot could make up for Soriano's power by being on a lot more to be driven in. Someone like DeRosa or Fontenot will extend the offensive context of the whole team, and give Lee and Ramirez more opportunities to drive in runs. It's an injury the Cubs should be able to play through, especially if it takes just two weeks to heal.

Kyle Lohse takes a line drive to the arm in the bottom of the first off the bat of Jacque Jones. He doesn't come out for the second. Durbin is in with the Phillies offense giving him a 4-1 lead. No word on how serious the injury might be.

Pedro Martinez is ready for his first rehab assignment:

At a news conference at the Mets' spring training complex, Martinez said he plans to throw 45 pitches Wednesday for the St. Lucie Mets and could make another start for the Class A team before determining the next step in his comeback.

"I don't know how I'm going to be," Martinez said. "I just know I feel better than the last two years or so. ... Every time I throw I bounce back really quickly. Right now, I'm 100 percent healthy."

The NL West race became more interesting as Brad Penny's cramp turns out to be an abdominal strain. That's the same injury that put San Diego's Chris Young on the disabled list. Derek Lowe is experiencing problems with his hip.

Despite their different records, Lowe and Penny's stats are very much alike. Their strikeout and walk numbers are nearly identical, the big difference being that Lowe's allowed nine home runs to Penny's four. The other difference is one of luck, as Brad's allowed a .229 BA with runners in scoring position while Lowe is at .260.

Arizona could not have picked a better time to get hot. The bullpen during this eight game streak is posting a 1.26 ERA, allowing just four earned runs in 28 2/3 innings. Combine that with Arizona scoring early, the combination of early leads and late shutdowns put the Diamondbacks .001 behind Los Angeles. With the Dodgers two best starters possibly shelved, it's time for Arizona to press the advantage.

The Padres' Chris Young lands on the disabled list due to a strained oblique. He left his last start early, and the team expects him to miss two weeks. It doesn't sound that serious, and the rest might do him good down the stretch. At least he doesn't have to worry about his league leading ERA going up!

Aaron Harang had to leave tonight's game against the Cubs after one inning due to a stiff back. Can Cincinnati's season get any worse?

Harang is unbeaten since dropping a 5-3 decision to Cleveland on May 20th. He is also perfect at Great American Ball Park since May 5, holding a 3-0 mark and a 2.45 ERA in his last seven home starts.

Overall, Harang is 10-2 in 22 starts this season for Cincinnati.

Let's hope it's not too serious. The Cubs took advantage of his injury to score two runs in the first, then another four off the bullpen. They lead 6-1 in the sixth inning.

Randy Johnson will undergo back surgery next Friday and be out for the rest of the season. Trading him away worked out well for the DBacks. Trading to get him back not so much.

Doctors pinned Chase Utley's broken hand today, and his prognosis is good.

The All-Star second baseman could be back in only three weeks, encouraging news for a team that sorely needs one of their top run producers as it chases New York in the NL East race.

"It's going to be tougher," said NL MVP Ryan Howard. "That's a big bat out of the lineup."

Utley had a pin inserted into his hand to stabilize a broken right ring finger during surgery Friday and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He was struck by a pitch from Washington's John Lannan in the fifth inning of the pitcher's major league debut on Thursday.

And the Phillies picked up Tadahito Iguchi from the White Sox as Kenny Williams starts breaking up the team. Iguchi's batting average and slugging average are off this year, but he's still putting up a .340 OBA. Not great, but better than the NL average.

Chase Utley broke his hand in Thursday's afternoon loss to the Nationals. Utley is by far the best offensive second baseman in the game. He leads MLB second sackers in both OBA and slugging percentage. That makes him very valuable and very difficult to replace.

Chris Carpenter needs Tommy John surgery:

Carpenter's only major league appearance in 2007 was on opening day, when he gave up five runs in six innings in a loss to the Mets. On May 8, he underwent surgery to shave bone spurs from his elbow, but he was shelved again after only two rehab appearances.

He's not likely to see action again until 2009. It's a huge blow to the Cardinals. Since the start of the 2004 season, Carpenter is fourth among pitchers with 400 innings in ERA. That translated to the best winning percentage among pitchers with at least forty decisions. The Cardinals now need to find a way to replace that kind of production. At least knowing now they can make a move before the trade deadline.

Viva El Birdos looks at the possibility that Chris Carpenter's career is over.

Both Torii Hunter and Marcus Thames suffered hamstring injuries last night. Joe Christensen will keep you up to date on Hunter. Here's Leyland on Thames:

"The catch might be a little expensive because he [Thames] is not good," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Marcus Thames makes a great diving catch to end the eighth inning in Minnesota. He runs in from left, dives, makes a back hand catch in the air then rolls over two or three times. He holds on to the ball, but he looked like he pulled his left hamstring. In a 3-2 game, stealing a hit from Mauer with a man on first might have saved the game. He did take a big risk, however. If he doesn't catch the ball, it rolls to the wall and the game is tied. But that one will be on the highlight reels for the season.

Ben Sheets ends up on the disabled list.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed pitcher Ben Sheets on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a sprained finger on his pitching hand.

The right-hander was injured Saturday during his start against Colorado. Sheets, who turns 29 on Wednesday, said he "felt something pop, snap."

Monday's MRI revealed no further damage to the middle finger, and Sheets (10-4) was expected to have additional tests Tuesday.

Ben Sheets sprained a finger Saturday:

The right-hander threw a pitch to Helton and immediately grimaced in pain. After meeting on the mound for a couple minutes with head trainer Roger Caplinger and manager Ned Yost, the Brewers ace was removed from the game with the Rockies leading 1-0.

"I'm kind of optimistic. I think I'll be alright," Sheets said on Saturday. "Hopefully, it's like a groin strain. You come out, you be smart and hopefully in five days you go about your business."

Sheets said it was a sprain of the top knuckle on the finger. He said he first felt pain on the second to last pitch he threw.

"I felt something pop, snap -- I don't know what it was," Sheets said. "I knew when the trainer got out there, that there wasn't going to be any more pitches for me."

X-rays were negative, but the team said Sheets would undergo an MRI on Monday if it continues to bother him.

Sheets is by far the Brewers best starter this year, the only regular with an ERA under 4.00. Without Ben the rest of the starters are 26-23. It's a perfectly good way to win a division, have one starter who is excellent, and if the others can stay around five hundred, the team will contend. The problem, of course, is if your excellent starter is injured, there's not much depth below. Yovani Gallardo, however, is posting a 2.79 ERA in three starts, with 19 K in 19 1/3 innings beginning a game. If he can continue to pitch like that, he could move into Sheets spot easily. With luck, however, the finger injury isn't serious.

David Ortiz has been playing with a torn meniscus for a year:

Speaking to reporters after Boston returned from the All-Star break to beat Toronto 7-4, Ortiz said he hurt his knee during batting practice at Yankee Stadium last summer, probably during the series June 6-8. Ortiz said when he twisted his leg to field a bunt, his knee turned but his spike got caught in the netting that protects the grass in front of home plate.

Ortiz said he hasn't needed surgery because the knee is free of inflammation.

"It wasn't anything major," he said. "I just kept playing through it last year. This year, it's been bothering me more than it used to."

At some point, the Red Sox should put Ortiz on the DL for two weeks to give the knee a rest. Maybe if they retain this big lead and clinch early, they can rest him for the playoffs. Even seven days on the bench as a pinch hitter when they play the Royals and White Sox might do him a world of good.

John Smoltz heads to the disabled list with an inflamed shoulder:

The Braves said the MRI also showed a "good" rotator cuff, and as a result Smoltz will not travel to Birmingham, Ala., to meet with Dr. James Andrews, as had been tentatively planned.

Smoltz, 40, was placed on the disabled list retroactive to July 3. He will be eligible to come off the DL on July 18. He will miss Tuesday's All-Star game in San Francisco as well as Saturday's scheduled start at San Diego.

It sounds like it could have been a lot worse.

Here's the latest update on Phillip Hughes, straight from the pitcher's keyboard.

Bill Hall injured his ankle against Pittsburgh Thursday:

Trying to rob Pittsburgh's Ryan Doumit of a home run in the second inning Thursday afternoon at PNC Park, the Milwaukee Brewers' centerfielder planted his right foot in the padded wall and leaped as high as he could. The valiant effort was in vain as Doumit's drive off right-hander Ben Sheets carried beyond Hall's reach.

Unaware how high he was in the air, Hall was unable to prepare himself for the hard landing that followed.

"The ground kind of sneaked up on me, I guess," said Hall, who almost certainly is headed for the disabled list.

Hitting the warning track feet-first, Hall's right ankle took the brunt of the impact and he went down hard. He remained sprawled on the ground in pain as teammates and trainers rushed to his aid.

"I came down a lot later than I thought I would," he said. "I didn't realize I was up that high. Everything was good except for the landing.

Hall will be replaced by Tony Gwynn. I'm not sure how much of a loss this is. While Gwynn doesn't have the pop of Hall, he gets on base a lot better. Gwynn has a .363 OBA to Hall's .336. The Brewers are a decently deep team, so they should be able to absorb the loss.

Alex Rodriguez won't be in the starting lineup today in order to rest his hamstring.

Hanley Ramirez sat last night after tweaking his left hamstring Monday. He couldn't run, but he could still hit, so in the seventh Fredi Gonzalez sent him up to pinch hit against Greg Maddux, Hanley representing the tying run. Ramirez lauched an 0-2 curve ball into the seats for a tie game:

''That was the first curveball he threw the whole game,'' Ramirez said of Maddux. ``He didn't throw more than three. He made a mistake.''

In this case, the injury worked to the benefit of the Marlins.

What followed was somewhat strange. After a single and a double, Cla Meredith is brought in to intentionally walk Cabrera, then is removed so Ring can pitch to Jacobs. The only reason I can think for the move is that Ring wasn't ready, so to give him more time to warm up, Black made a pitching change rather than have Maddux issue the intentional walk. Still Meredith hadn't pitched in two days, so it's not like he wasn't usable for the game. (No news stories report on why Black made the move.)

It looks like Ian Kinsler is heading to the disabled list:

Kinsler went back to Dallas on Sunday to have an MRI exam performed on his strained left foot. The Rangers want to be sure he does not have a stress fracture.

The Rangers added infielder Desi Relaford to the roster Sunday because of the unavailability of Kinsler or Jerry Hairston Jr. Hairston suffered a flare-up of "jumpers knee" Saturday and required an anti-inflammatory injection. He could be back in the lineup today or Tuesday.

Kinsler posted a .393 OBA in 14 games before the foot sidelined him.

A. J. Burnett lands on the disabled list with an injured shoulder:

A.J. Burnett is on the disabled list again and while the Jays released little information, there is serious concern with this latest problem for their hard-throwing right-hander.

Burnett's shoulder, the one that forced him to miss a start in mid-June, is acting up again.

The Jays shipped him off to Birmingham, Ala., for a visit with specialist Dr. James Andrews and would only say the measure was precautionary.

"His shoulder is still bothering him, so we had to get it checked out," Jays manager John Gibbons said.

In two years with Toronto he's started 36 games, which means he's missed about 15 starts with various injuries. In a season in which home runs are down, Burnett allowed 15 compared to allowing 14 last year in 40 more innings.

Jorge Sosa tried to sacrifice in the top of the sixth, and it ended up a double loss for the Mets. The lead runner was thrown out, and Sosa limped off the field with what appeared to be a hamstring pull. Sosa had allowed three runs in five innings, including a monster home run by Ryan Howard.

Did Julian Taverez's hamstring cost the Red Sox the game last night?

Tavarez held Seattle to two hits - Richie Sexson's double and Ben Broussard's RBI single - through four innings. But as he finished striking out Jose Vidro in the fourth - his only strikeout of the game - Tavarez stumbled off the mound awkwardly.

Eight of his next nine pitches were balls. And in the next 1 1-3 innings, Tavarez allowed five runs and four hits with three walks.

"It hurt a little bit, you know, my hamstring," Tavarez said. "But ... it didn't affect me at all. Things just went wrong."

Sure. Meanwhile, Jeff Weaver didn't pitch great, but he held on long enough to get the win. He used a lot of pitches to get through 5 2/3 innings, throwing 104 to twenty seven batters. The Red Sox had their chances, but only scored two runs. Seattle takes the game 9-4 and picks up a game on the Angels.

The hospital released Justin Morneau today.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Twins GM Terry Ryan isn't going to make a roster move "until our people [doctors] have a chance to get together with Justin, and we find out how sore he is. If we're fortunate here, we could have Justin back in a couple of days."

Joe Christensen keeps us up to date on Justin Morneau's condition:

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau will remain in the hospital for a third straight night tonight, while being monitored for a bruised right lung.

General Manager Terry Ryan said tonight that Morneau had a second chest X-Ray taken today, and once again, it showed no broken bones. But the doctors are taking no chances after Morneau coughed up blood Friday. Ryan said Morneau probably would be released from the hospital Monday and cleared to fly home.

"They don't want to have any complications when he gets on an airplane," Ryan said. "They're thinking probably tomorrow. They didn't want him to go today. They wanted to make sure everything is in order so there's no possibility of complications."

I thought two days of recovery time sounded optimistic.

Jon Lieber looks finished for the season. And some praise for Charlie Manuel.

Justin Morneau made a joke from the hospital yesterday:

It sounds like Justin Morneau was in good spirits tonight. Watching the Twins' 11-1 victory from his hospital bed, he sent a text message to the team's baseball communications manager Mike Herman: "Wally Pipp."

That makes Jeff Cirillo Lou Gehrig!

Justin Morneau's injury last night looks to be minor:

Minnesota Twins slugger Justin Morneau spent Friday night in the hospital with a small bruise on his lung after he collided with Florida Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo.

Morneau was coughing up blood repeatedly when he was taken from the stadium on a stretcher, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. But X-rays taken at the hospital were negative and a CT scan was normal, team spokesman Mike Herman said.

Morneau, the 2006 American League MVP, was expected to miss a couple of games, Herman said.

That's good news. I had a friend puncture a lung sail boarding after he was slammed into the water by a gust of wind. I'm glad that didn't happen here.

Justin Morneau suffered a serious injury during tonight's 5-4 loss to Florida:

Minnesota Twins slugger Justin Morneau was taken to a hospital Friday night with an injury to his upper right chest after he collided with Florida Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo at home plate.

Morneau was coughing up blood repeatedly, was out of breath and had chest pains, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Morneau, the 2006 American League MVP, was taken away on a stretcher by fire-rescue workers after the game. He was sitting upright, wearing an oxygen mask and seemed alert.

I wonder if a rib broke and punctured a lung? Let's hope he recovers quickly.

Anibal Sanchez's season is over. Fishstripes provides the details. And that blog also wonders who is watching out for the pitchers on the team:

Dan is absolutely correct that the sudden increase in innings for Sanchez last season, and others, meant he was an injury waiting to happen.

But Brickell also has a point. How in the world wasn't this problem spotted before Anibal was sent to the minors and before exploratory surgery had to be performed. Really, I could see that Sanchez was still having shoulder problems, and I wasn't the only one. If it was identified sooner would it have changed the outcome? Probably not. But the fact that the existence of potential injuries aren't noticed until they happen doesn't inspire much confidence. Case in point, Dontrelle Willis.

I'm not sure whose job it is to evaluate the pitchers, though one would think it would be the pitching coach. But whoever it is, they are putting our young arms in jeopardy by sending them out to the mound when they are damaged goods.

The imaged Curt Schilling's shoulder, and like Yogi's head, found nothing:

Curt Schilling's right shoulder was normal, according to an MRI exam, but the Boston Red Sox likely won't take his next turn in the rotation following a cortisone shot.

"I had an injection yesterday, so I'm giving it a couple of days here to see how it plays out," Schilling told WEEI-AM on Wednesday. "The best case is that I'll be pitching on Sunday ... but that doesn't seem like that's going to be the case."

It may just be that Curt is at the point in his career when he has good days and bad days. He's made fifteen starts. Seven were poor. But of the eight were good, in seven of them he allowed two runs or less. The Red Sox should probably keep a long man ready for his bad days, and get him out early before there is too much damage.

Jason Schmidt undergoes shoulder surgery today.

Also Tuesday, the Dodgers announced that right-hander Yhency Brazoban will have surgery Friday to repair a tear in his labrum and will be out indefinitely.

"The timing on him coming back doesn't look that good," manager Grady Little said.

Brazoban, who missed 29 games earlier his year because of a sore elbow, has appeared in just four games for Los Angeles this season, allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Right-hander Chin-hui Tsao (strained shoulder) threw from flat ground before Monday's game and was able to throw his breaking ball without pain, Little said. A decision on his return will be made after he throws from the mound on Wednesday.

Little also said infielder Ramon Martinez (sore back) is close to resuming workouts and could rejoin the team in Arizona next week.

Despite the rash of injuries to its pitching staff, Los Angeles is ranked second in the National League with a team ERA of 3.67.

The pitching staff numbers are impressive, striking out 7.8 batters per nine, with the bullpen's rate well over 9 per nine. They don't allow many home runs (2nd in the NL) nor walks (4th in the NL). They're winning on their depth.

Correction: Fixed a typo.

Dontrelle Willis left tonight's game against the White Sox with a tight left forearm. The Fish just get Johnson back, and now it looks like Dontrelle's in trouble.

The Red Sox sent Curt Schilling home to undergo an MRI (when I was in college, we called it Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, NMR, but that name didn't go over well as a diagnostic tool). The clubs wants to make sure his shoulder is okay.

A.J. Burnett's shoulder is acting up:

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander A.J. Burnett felt pain in his right shoulder during a throwing session Sunday and was scratched from his next scheduled start, June 23 against Colorado.

"He was a little tender so he won't make that one," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We'll probably throw him on the DL. We'll know something Tuesday."

"We're not going to throw him out there if he's still feeling it," Gibbons said.

Burnett, who did not speak to reporters, is 5-6 with a 4.00 ERA in 14 starts this season. He left a start in San Francisco last Tuesday after 4 2/3 innings because of pain in his shoulder.

Burnett looked like he was pitching better than his ERA. His luck might have turned positive, but it's going to be a while before we find out.

James Loney just suffered a bruised knee in his collision with the wall.

"I think a lot of my body parts hit the wall," said Loney, the right fielder who banged into the right-field scoreboard in the eighth inning of the Dodgers' 10-4 loss to the Angels while attempting to catch Gary Matthews Jr.'s towering fly ball. "It was kind of hard to tell. I know my knee hurt the worst."

Luckily for Loney, he emerged from the frightening collision with only a bruised right knee. It had looked much worse when he crumpled to the warning track and remained motionless while Matthews circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Trainers from both dugouts and every Dodgers player on the field besides reliever Brett Tomko and catcher Mike Lieberthal gathered around Loney.

James Loney, playing his third game in the outfield, tries to catch a deep fly ball by Gary Matthews and crashes into the wall. He was on the ground for a long time. At first, it looked like his left hand and his face took the brunt of the impact, but his knee ended up under the padding on the wall, and that's what was really banged up. The Dodgers took him off the field on a cart, and he limped with support into the dugout. Matthews ended up with an inside the park home run on the play. The Angels lead the Dodgers 9-3 in the top of the eighth.

The Dodgers replaced Loney with Betemit, playing his first game in the outfield.

I have to disagree with this:

It was a costly victory, though. Left fielder Garret Anderson went on the DL after the game, having re-aggravated his right hip while making a backhanded catch in the first.

Anderson isn't hitting this year. He left the game with a .265 OBA and a .411 slugging percentage. Those should be fairly easy to replace. Reggie Willits, who replace him, owns a .424 OBA although he doesn't hit for much power. I'll take the player who doesn't make as many outs.

Adam Everett broke his leg Thursday in a collision with Carlos Lee:

Everett fractured his right fibula in a collision with left fielder Carlos Lee while chasing a popup in the fourth inning. The Astros blew a one-run lead in the sixth and lost on a single by Jason Kendall off Brian Moehler in the 11th.

"It's tough," Everett said. "I felt like we were right on the verge of getting to play better. And it's just frustrating. That's the only thing I can say. It's a tough time of year. This is tough on everybody. It's not much fun."

Eric Bruntlett takes over at shortstop.

Bruntlett, 29, hit .279 in 60 games at Round Rock, with a .362 average and 15 runs scored in May. His teammates are confident Bruntlett can be effective with the glove as well as the bat.

"In my career, Eric Bruntlett has made a few spectacular plays when I've been pitching," reliever Brad Lidge said. "He's definitely a guy that can help us out."

It's difficult to replace Everett's range. But Bruntlett should provide more offense than a player with an OPS under .600. As long as Eric can make the routine plays, the Astros should be okay.

Grady Sizemore hits a slow roller between first and the pitcher. Boone fields it, throws to Wilis covering, but the ball is to the home plate side of first. Dontrelle dives back with his throwing hand and Sizemore's spikes scrape the left hand. Dontrelle was rolling around in pain, but he's going to stay in and pitch.

Orlando Hudson blooped a single to right in the top of the sixth, but limped to first base. He's out of the game, although from the replay it's not clear what happened. It looks like it must have been on the swing, since he could not run hard out of the box. The Yankees lead 4-1 going to the bottom of the sixth.

Josh Johnson is ready to return, while Anibal Sanchez goes to visit Dr. Andrews.

Roger Clemens won't start Monday against the White Sox.

Roger Clemens was scratched from Monday's start against the Chicago White Sox because of a fatigued right groin.

As source told FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal that Clemens feels he needs another 4-5 days to prepare and is aiming to make his start against the Pirates next weekend.

Clemens first experienced the pain during his last minor league outing, for Triple-A Scranton on Monday. Rather than risk additional injury, he decided to be cautious, the Yankees confirmed during Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox.

I don't know quite how Rogers Clemens' contract works, but it is prorated to his time in the majors. That makes me wonder if the Yankees and Roger have an out here. At this point, Clemens doesn't help that much, especially when you don't have the relievers to get a team from the sixth to the ninth inning. And Roger may not want to play for an also ran. I wonder if both sides just walk away from the contract and blame an injury? We'll see if he actually just misses one start, or if the injury starts to drag out.

In a strange season for the Yankees, a strange injury for Giambi:

Jason Giambi will be sidelined at least three weeks and possibly far longer after tearing tissue in his left foot while rounding the bases on a home run.

The latest setback in a tumultuous season for the New York Yankees designated hitter occurred Tuesday night in Toronto. Giambi was examined in New York on Thursday by Dr. William Hamilton and will be placed on the disabled list before Friday's game at Boston.

"I'd say it's a severe injury," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

While the best-case scenario likely would have Giambi returning in three to six weeks, Cashman couldn't rule out that Giambi could miss the remainder of the season.

At least he went out on a high note.

In the notes to this article on what A-Rod said to Howie Clark, there's some real bad news:

A second magnetic resonance imaging exam on Phil Hughes's left ankle revealed a Grade III sprain, indicating a torn ligament. Hughes will not be allowed to throw off a mound for about six more weeks, though General Manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees have ruled out surgery. "He can walk on it, and it doesn't look all that bad," Cashman said. "But it is what it is. They've got him in a boot. He's been throwing with a boot on it. But it's going to push him back, because he's not going to be able to throw off a mound." Cashman said Hughes's hamstring was almost fully healed when he injured the ankle doing conditioning drills last Friday. Hughes's timetable would make it unlikely that he could return before August.

Maybe it's not Pavano. Maybe it's the way the Yankees rehab their pitchers.

As for A-Rod:

Rodriguez singled in the ninth to make it 7-5, and his verbal interference with Clark allowed the Yankees to pile on. The third base coach, Larry Bowa, said that Rodriguez did not cross a line of good sportsmanship.

"If you say, 'I got it,' I think that's very unacceptable," Bowa said. "He didn't say, 'I got it.' He said, 'Hey, hey.' They parted like the Red Sea."

Alex claims he said, "Ha." John Gibbons sums up why this probably bothers people so much:

"Maybe I'm naïve. But, to me, it's bush league. One thing, to everybody in this business, you always look at the Yankees and they do things right. They play hard, class operation, that's what the Yanks are known for. That's not Yankee baseball."

The Jays say it was more than "Ha."

With two out in the ninth and the Yankees on their way to a 10-5 win, Jorge Posada launched a sky-high pop-up. As substitute Jays third baseman Howie Clark settled under the ball, Alex Rodriguez ran past him on the basepath. Video replays clearly showed Rodriguez yelling something that was variously described by Jays on the field at the time as "Mine!" or "I got it!"

Clark thought he was being called off by shortstop John McDonald. So he stepped out of the way and it fell in as another run scored.

"I was under the fly ball and I thought I was called off ... and I let it drop. I heard a `Mine!' call," Clark said.

In reality, I think the Blue Jays are upset that they were fooled. Last night's game was Howie Clarks' 2007 debut. That means he hasn't had time to build a pattern recognizer for his teammates voices, and what they say to call him off the ball. So he hears something, and drops the ball. That's pretty embarrassing. So sure, they're mad at A-Rod, but if Clark plays a few games with McDonald, this doesn't happen.

Once nice thing about a big lead is that it allows a team to give a slugger time to heal.

Two people wrote to me about Ryan Freel's collision yesterday. He's hurt, but it doesn't appear to be too bad:

Freel was diagnosed with contusions to his head and neck after his head collided with Hopper's right elbow while the center fielder was catching Humberto Cota's fly ball to the warning track in right center field.

He's going to be looked at by doctors again today.

Scott Rolen might have a concussion:

The Cardinals traveled to Denver Sunday night unsure if third baseman Scott Rolen would be part of tonight's lineup against the Colorado Rockies, a result of his fourth-inning collision with first baseman Dmitri Young.

The mishap forced Young from the game following a fifth-inning rain delay with soreness in his lower left back. Manager Tony La Russa said following Sunday's 7-2 loss that the club suspected Rolen may have sustained a mild concussion. Rolen was credited with an infield single on the play and remained in the game until Chris Duncan pinch hit for him in the eighth inning of a 7-1 game.

"He says he's better," La Russa said. "He didn't have trouble concentrating. He could drive home. I asked him about flying tonight -- he was more assured than the doctors.

Given what happened to Jim Edmonds last season, I suspect the Cardinals will be very careful with Scott.

Mike Gonzalez needs reconstructive elbow surgery. Given the way LaRoche is hitting, this appears to be a trade that hurt both clubs.

Victor Diaz breaks his bat and grounds into a double play. As Joe Nathan turns to watch the play develop at second, the head of the bat hits him in the back of the leg. He hops around for a few minutes, then jogs it off and continues pitching.

Update: Nathan gives up a double and a walk, but the double was more Hunter's fault than Nathan's. Torii didn't track the ball well and it ticked off his glove deep in left center. However, Nathan strikes out Sosa to end the game and Minnesota takes home a 5-3 win.

A healthier foot means healthier offensive production for Kevin Youkilis:

"Last year I was injured a lot," Youkilis explained after helping lead the Red Sox to their 30th win of the season (30-13), 6-3 over Atlanta yesterday at Fenway Park [map]. "My foot was not good. I had plantar fasciitis all year. That was a problem. But now it's pretty good." The tear in his foot began to bother Youkilis at the end of the 2005 season and lingered throughout '06. After maintaining a .300 average through June, the Sox first baseman struggled through July with a .236 clip, and finally finished with a .216 mark in September. "It hurt every day, just sometimes it hurt more than others," he said. "You would have those 3 -hour games and I would get to the seventh inning and that's when it got bad. But you can't make excuses." By the time the season closed, he knew waiting out a solution wasn't the tack to take. In October, Youkilis had the ailment treated with a procedure called "extracorporeal shock wave therapy." He could feel the effects right away, and two months later was back in full stride again, heading toward the '07 season.

Darrell Rasner, facing the second batter of the game, gets hit in the pitching hand on a comebacker by Endy Chavez. He's allowed to test the hand, but after trying a few he jumps in pain and is removed. Three weeks ago, on a Fox broadcast, Karstens took a line drive off his leg which broke a bone. If I'm Yankees management, I'm pulling my team from Fox broadcasts. :-)

Update: Myers enters the game and gets the first two outs, but gives up a long home run to David Wright. That makes the score 3-1 Mets.

Update: The report on Rasner is a broken index finger.

Update: Wright hits his second home run of the day off Myers. Damon jumps, the ball hits his glove, but he can't hold on. The Mets lead 6-2 in the bottom of the third.

Both Josh Beckett and Jeremy Bonderman will miss starts due to the skin on their fingers.

Beckett will throw a side session on Friday. If that goes well, it's conceivable he could be slotted back into the rotation during the early part of next week.

This is hardly the first time Beckett has had a finger issue. He had several blister problems during his years with the Florida Marlins.

As for Bonderman:

The Tigers will call up first-round draft pick Andrew Miller to make his first Major League start Friday night against the Cardinals at Comerica Park. Miller will take the place of Jeremy Bonderman, who will be placed on the 15-day disabled list with continued blister problems on his right middle finger. The blister is gone, but the cut that remains has not healed enough to allow him to throw without pain.

Bonderman felt the cut when he tried to throw off the mound Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park. With just two days before his scheduled start, the Tigers decided to scratch him.

Ivy Chat has more on why Derrek Lee didn't return to New York last night, plus this observation:

The Derrek Lee and Mark DeRosa stuff is frustrating. Not because they are hurt. Injuries happen. The frustration comes from the nebulous diagnoses and the team playing two players short while these guys recuperate. This has all the smell of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood injuries from years past. "He's fine, he's just having dialysis and we're seeking marrow donors. But, he's fine," is the standard tripe from the Jim Hendry era.

Huston Street hit the disabled list, and there's not a clear cut replacement:

Athletics placed RHP Huston Street on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 13, with an irritation in his right ulnar nerve. It was thought that an A's reliever might go on the DL today, but there was no indication it'd be Street. Under normal circumstances, Justin Duchscherer would fill in as the team's closer. However, he might be day-to-day for the foreseeable future because of his hip. Kiko Calero is likely next in line for save opportunities, though he's been a disappointment so far this year. Alan Embree could also be an option when lefties are due up in the ninth. Duchscherer is probably the best bet of the group at the moment.

It's a good time to start winning blowouts.

I notice Derrek Lee did not start for the Cubs tonight. Does anyone have word on his condition?

Josh Beckett describes the procedure to heal his finger:

Unlike a blister, there is no depth to the skin abnormality, which should limit any kind of long-term effects. "There are two things we have to do," said Beckett, who turns 27 tomorrow. "We have to get it to dry out because you have fresh skin, and then we have to toughen it up. What the timetable is, I'm not sure what we are looking at. Hopefully I can make my next start, but that is a big hopefully." According to Farrell, who also reiterated that it has yet to be determined if Beckett will make his regularly scheduled start Friday against Atlanta, there were no signs that this kind of injury was looming. "This is the first of any issues," the pitching coach said. "He's managed it very well. He hasn't missed a side bullpen (session). Everything has been in order."

Given their eight game lead in the AL East, the Sox can more than afford to give Beckett the time to heal properly.

Josh Beckett left the Red Sox game after four innings today.

The rally saved Josh Beckett from his first loss of the year. But he left after four innings with a torn flap of skin on his right middle finger, failing to become the first eight-game winner in the major leagues and tie the franchise record - held by Babe Ruth and two others - for wins to start a season.

I have no idea about the seriousness of the injury. I can see where he might miss a start if it takes a while to heal.

The Phillies placed Ryan Howard on the disabled list Saturday to give him a chance to heal:

"For long-term reasons, we wanted to be cautious with this and let him heal," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said after an 11-7 win over the Chicago Cubs. "We fully expect him to be 100 percent and ready to go within 15 days."

Howard slumped this year after hitting .313 with 58 homers and 149 RBIs in one of the best seasons ever for a sophomore player. He's batting just .204 with six homers and 23 RBIs, and has 39 strikeouts in 98 at-bats. Howard's pinch-hit grand slam helped the Phillies beat Arizona on Wednesday. He had one more at-bat in that game but hasn't played since.

Ryan really isn't helping the team right now. If he does come back 100%, the Phillies will be in much better shape.

The Blue Jays defeated Scott Kazmir and the Devil Rays 5-1 tonight. A.J. Burnett struck out ten and walked five, but only allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, Troy Glaus left after one plate appearance:

Glaus, who earlier this season spent time on the disabled list with a bone spur on his left heel, began limping halfway toward first base and then stopped as he rounded the bag and bent over in pain.

Trainer George Poulis came out and helped him off the field.

Glaus is the Blue Jays' best hitter this season. Losing him for any more time won't help Toronto climb back into the playoff race.

Correction: Fixed name of ex-Marlins pitcher.

Bad news for the Blue Jays today:

The Toronto Blue Jays announced Thursday that closer B.J. Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery in his left elbow and will be out for the remainder of the season.

Ryan, 31, first experienced soreness in March during spring training. As per the advice of medical officials and team doctors, it was recommended he rest and rehab for two weeks and Ryan was eventually pain free and throwing.

After his appearance on April 14 against Detroit, he complained of pain in the elbow and was placed on the disabled list.

I suspect Ryan will be out most of next year as well. Money for nothing ...

Dave Roberts visits Dr. Lewis Yocum to see if he needs elbow surgery:

If Roberts has the procedure -- nearly identical to what slugger Barry Bonds underwent after last season -- the recovery time is likely to be at least four weeks.

"My worst fear is to be in this situation late in the year," Roberts said. "I'm trying to step away from all that and realize what's in mine and the team's best interest to get through the season in the most productive way."

The 34-year-old Roberts homered in the Giants' 5-3 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday, but noted afterward that he did so under the influence of strong anti-inflammatories and was fresh after not having played in the three previous games. He said he doesn't intend to stay on such medication for a long period of time.

Roberts isn't productive right now, so fixing the problem should be a priority. Once again, the old age of the Giants hurts them.

Quo Vadimus posts on Joel Zumaya's dislocated middle finger:

Manager Jim Leyland says the injury could keep Zumaya out "months", but they want to get an MRI before any timetable is established. Either way, it'll be weeks before Zumaya starts throwing again, and for a Tigers bullpen which has been shaky already this season, to lose one of the game's most dominant set-up men, not just with his 101 MPH fastball but his knee-buckling 85 MPH breaking ball, is a huge blow, almost as big, if not larger, then the team's loss of starter Kenny Rogers.

Chris Carpenter requires surgery:

Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter, sidelined since opening day with an elbow injury, will undergo arthroscopic surgery early next week after suffering a setback in his rehab program.

According to the Fox telecast, he'll miss three months. So ends a horrible week for the Cardinals. They lose Josh Hancock on Sunday, get swept by the Brewers and split with the Astros, losing by the unlucky score of 13-0 today. With Carpenter gone, the rest of the season doesn't look very good for this team.

Kevin Millwood caught an injury from the Yankees:

Texas Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood was scratched from Thursday's scheduled start against the New York Yankees due to a mild left hamstring strain.

Mike Wood was brought out of the bullpen to replace Millwood and make his first start for Texas. Millwood was hurt Wednesday and Rangers manager Ron Washington said Millwood was pulled from the start as a precaution.

He injured the leg taking batting practice to prepare for interleague play, according to the YES broadcast.

Mike Wood did a good job in an emergency start. He allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings, and the Yankees lead 3-2 going to the bottom of the seventh.

Carl Pavano needs to visit Dr. Andrews.

Then Hughes went down and Pavano, who went on the DL with Mussina on April 15, was shut down after cutting short a bullpen session on Wednesday in Texas.

Pavano hasn't pitched since April 9 and has made only 19 appearances for the Yankees since signing a four-year, $39.95 million contract before the 2005 season.

"I don't think it ever gets easy," Pavano said, according to The Times. "I never dreamed it would be four weeks later and we're still concerned about it."

I suppose the Yankees should be happy Pavano started twice for them. Given his history, that may be it for the year.

Clay Hensley joins the list of pitchers leaving games early with injuries. He hurt his groin:

Hensley left with a 1-2 count against Felipe Lopez leading off the third. The right-hander was hurt when he broke off the mound on a ball that was grounded foul. After being checked by the trainer, Hensley threw one warmup pitch and was in obvious pain.

"It doesn't look good," manager Bud Black said. "Right away the doctors felt as though this was going to be at least two weeks."

Black said Hensley will have an MRI. It wasn't clear whether Hensley will accompany the Padres on a six-game road trip that begins Friday at Florida.

Black wouldn't say who would make Hensley's scheduled start Tuesday at Atlanta, but one possibility is Justin Germano, who's at Triple-A Portland.

Given that Hensley held the highest ERA among the Padres starters at 7.62, replacing him might actually help the team.

A sore shoulder sent Tom Gordon back to Philadelphia. And this isn't the first time:

After the game, the Phils suffered another loss. Manuel announced that closer Tom Gordon arrived at the ballpark with a sore right shoulder and is headed home to be checked by team physician Michael Ciccotti.

Gordon's sore shoulder means the Brett Myers era as closer will begin Thursday in San Francisco.

As Manuel announced Gordon's status, it became clear that the organization intentionally misled the public about the pitcher's condition in spring training.

Remember that not-so-secret trip home to Philadelphia that Gordon took in the spring? Remember how organization officials insisted that Gordon's shoulder, which landed him on the disabled list last season, was fine? Remember how the Phils repeatedly said he went home for a routine exam?

Turns out that was a whole load of compost.

"He was stiff," Manuel admitted tonight.

Stiff when he went back to Philly?

"Yeah," Manuel said. "He was sore in spring training."

The writer seems upset by this, but I understand keeping injuries close to the vest, especially if you think the player can work through it. This also make clear that the move of Myers to the bullpen was in anticipation of Gordon's shoulder not improving.

Mike Piazza was on second when Dan Johnson hit a ground ball to Lowell deep at third. Lowell and Piazza both dove into the bag, with Mike Piazza getting the worse of the collision. He was on the ground a while, then left the game clutching his left shoulder.

Bob Wickman hits the DL with a back injury:

Braves closer Bob Wickman went on the disabled list with an upper back injury on Monday, one day after the veteran blew a save for the second straight time.

The team called the injury a strain. Wickman said he has tendinitis in his upper back, and he attributed his recent struggles to "stubbornness on my part."

Wickman says he has been feeling no discomfort in pregame warmups while throwing in the outfield, so he keeps telling pitching coach Roger McDowell he was available to pitch. The troubles come when he threw off mounds.

"You'd think I'd be smart enough," Wickman said. "Every time Roger came up to me in the outfield and asked me I said yes. I believe the last couple days I've been hurting the team rather than helping them. ... You try extending off the mound, it kind of catches."

The Mets scratched Orlando Hernandez from tonight's start. He's suffering with bursitis:

El Duque, 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five starts, told the Mets on Sunday in Washington that he felt pain in the shoulder and was sent to New York to see a doctor.

Chan-Ho Park starts in Hernandez's stead.

The line drive off Jeff Karstens' leg did more than knock the pitcher out of the game:

The New York Yankees lost another starting pitcher Saturday when Jeff Karstens was hit by a line drive, breaking his right leg.

On his first pitch of the game against Boston, Karstens was hit on the side of his knee by Julio Lugo's liner. He won't need surgery and is expected to return this season, team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon said.
"It's not as bad as it could have been," Hershon said.

In the clubhouse after the game, Karstens had an air cast on his leg. He won't need a conventional cast, Hershon said.

"They said no throwing tomorrow at least," Karstens joked.

Given his great relief work yesterday, I assume Igawa takes Karsten's spot in the rotation.

The White Sox are going to be without Jim Thome for a couple of weeks:

White Sox slugger Jim Thome is likely headed for the 15-day disabled list with a rib cage injury.

Thome left Friday's game against the Los Angeles Angels after fouling off a pitch in the first inning. He re-aggravated a right rib cage injury that caused him to miss the two previous games.

There's not much offense in the Chicago lineup without Thome. He's accounted over one quarter of the White Sox's walks this season.

Biomechanics nerds are in! Anyone interested in becoming the biomechanics writer for Baseball Musings?

Mark Prior is officially done for 2007:

Mark Prior yesterday underwent successful right shoulder arthroscopy performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL. During the arthroscopy, Dr. Andrews performed a debridement of Mark's right rotator cuff as well as repair of labral and capsular injuries in his right shoulder.

Here's some information on debridement. It sounds like his shoulder was in pretty bad shape. At this point, do fans think he'll ever pitch again?

Scott Kazmir hit Derek Jeter with a pitch in the first inning. Jeter did not come out to play shortstop in the bottom of the first. He was hit above the knee.

Nick Swisher is running hard around third, trying to score on a Chavez single when he's held up the the third base coach. He injures his leg trying to stop and leaves the game limping. Scutaro pinch runs and scores on an error by Mora, letting a double play ball go through his legs. It's worse, however, as Mora throws up his hands after the error and doesn't cover third, allowing Chavez to advance to that base. He then scores on a sacrifice fly. It's 2-0 Athletics in the first.

The Blue Jays moved closer B.J. Ryan to the 60 day disabled list today.

Ryan was initially ruled out for 4-6 weeks on Sunday, April 15th with a "strained ligament" in the elbow of his throwing arm. According to G.M. J.P. Ricciardi at the time, Ryan was not to begin throwing again for the first four weeks, with the hope that he might return quickly upon restarting his pitching regimen.

That plan appears to have changed. The first timeline would have seen Ryan return some time in late May.

Jason Frasor seems up to the task so far.

Eric Gagne hit the disabled list today:

Gagne, the 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner for Los Angeles, was appearing in consecutive games for the Rangers for the first time Sunday when he started favoring his right leg after his 11th pitch. He was diagnosed with a hip injury

.

The Rangers at least have an experienced closer who can take over. The Oakland Athletics lose a more valuable player:

The Oakland Athletics placed their ace right-hander on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a strained right shoulder and also put center fielder Milton Bradley on the DL.

The 25-year-old Harden went 4-0 with a 4.24 ERA in only nine starts last season because of two stints on the disabled list with a lower back and elbow injury.

The A's said Sunday that Harden, who threw a bullpen session before the game, would not make his scheduled start Tuesday at home against Baltimore. He left his outing April 15 against the New York Yankees in the seventh inning with a stiff throwing shoulder, but manager Bob Geren had said Harden probably wouldn't need to go on the DL.

Dan Haren makes a good ace, but it's tough to lose your best pitcher. Let's hope Harden doesn't turn into another Carl Pavano.

Connor Jackson admitted to a hamstring injury on Sunday:

First baseman Conor Jackson left the game in the fourth inning with a left hamstring injury that apparently has been bothering him almost since the beginning of the season.

Jackson said he hurt it during the season-opening series in Colorado and re-aggravated it against the Dodgers last week.

That's likely a big reason behind his dismal start. He drawing walks just fine, but he's slugging just .281.

With Posada injured, Wil Nieves hurts his catching hand. Wil looks like he's staying in the game, but Josh Phelps was getting his catching gear out.

I just saw the clip of Gagne leaving the game against the Oakland Athletics with an apparent knee injury, although SeamHeads say it might be his back. The Rangers held on for a 4-3 win. Once again, the Oakland pen wastes a good start. Chad Gaudin struck out seven over six innings, allowing just one run. The A's pitchers need to become a bit more efficient if they're going to go deeper in games to pick up wins.

What causes this?

Florida Marlins slugger Miguel Cabrera left Thursday's game against the New York Mets after two innings with a stiff torso.

Rigor Mortis? The Marlins can ill afford to lose their best offensive player for any length of time.

The Mets poured it on after Cabrera left the game, scoring six runs in the third. Beltran picked up two doubles and a homer to help New York to an 11-3 win over the Marlins. The Mets outscored them 20-5 in the two game series.

It looks like Felix Hernandez stopped throwing in time:

"I think 10 to 20 days is a reasonable estimate," Khalfayan said when asked when Hernandez might again pitch in a game. "That's as good a news as you can get from an elbow injury."

If Hernandez continued to pitch with the strain, he could have stressed elbow so severely he would have required elbow-ligament replacement surgery.

The question for me is, was this caused by his mechanics? And if so, do the Mariners work on changing those to prevent this injury from recurring?

Ryan Howard sits out today's game against the Nationals with a leg injury:

The reigning NL MVP hurt himself running out a fielder's choice grounder in the 10th inning Wednesday night but stayed in for the rest of Philadelphia's 5-4 loss in 13 innings.

Howard went 0-for-5 Wednesday to drop his average to .213 for the season.

The Phillies listed him as day-to-day, saying he sprained the ligament that connects the tibia to the fibia just below the knee.

Here's a place that deals with tibia injuries:

First Doctor: Get on parade! Come on! We haven't got all day, have we? Come on, come on, come on. (the patients painfully get themselves into line) Hurry up ... right! Now, I know some hospitals where you get the patients lying around in bed. Sleeping, resting, recuperating, convalescing. Well, that's not the way we do things here, right! No, you won't be loafing about in bed wasting the doctors' time. You - you horrible little cripple. What's the matter with you?

Patient: Fractured tibia, sergeant.

First Doctor: 'Fractured tibia, sergeant'? 'Fractured tibia, sergeant'? Ooh. Proper little mummy's boy, aren't we? Well, I'll tell you something, my fine friend, if you fracture a tibia here you keep quiet about it! Look at him! (looks more closely) He's broken both his arms and he don't go shouting about it, do he? No! 'Cos he's a man - he's a woman, you see, so don't come that broken tibia talk with me. Get on at the double. One, two, three, pick that crutch up, pick that crutch right up.

The patient hobbles off at the double and falls over.

Patient: Aaargh!

The Angels lost their second player to a hit by pitch injury as Howie Kendrick visits the disabled list with a broken bone in his left hand:

Kendrick, hit by a Chad Gaudin fastball in the seventh inning Tuesday night, returned to Southern California on Wednesday for an MRI test and CT scan, which revealed a non-displaced fracture at the base of his middle finger.

No timetable was given for his return, but Kendrick, whose hand was not placed in a cast, is expected to be out at least a month to six weeks.

The Oakland Athletics miss Guerrero due to his taking a pitch on the hand in Boston. Those two players represent a good chunk of the Angels offense.

Felix Hernandez wasn't the only pitcher lifted for elbow tightness last night. Rodrigo Lopez left the Rockies game against the Dodgers after four good innings with the same complaint.

But beating the Dodgers is more than just another victory, even when Lopez had to depart after four innings at Coors Field because the right elbow tightness that forced his start to be pushed back from Sunday flared up.

...

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said Lopez's situation will be re-evaluated today, but Lopez made it apparent he is headed to the disabled list.

He said he felt he would be out "at least two weeks," but he had some hope because he said the trainers told him the problem was a muscle issue, not structural.

It's too bad for the Rockies because Lopez is off to a great start. He's not putting people on base with walks, so when the inevitable hits come, they're doing less damage. So far, his ERA is 1.59, with a 1.64 at Coors.

Felix Hernandez left Wednesday's Mariners game with elbow tightness. Although Hargrove remained optimistic, the story points to a more ominous outcome:

Elbows are always a serious business.

Any Mariners doubting that could walk across the field and ask the Twins about that nagging elbow tightness that their own star hurler, Francisco Liriano, complained of last season before being declared out until 2008.

Or, the Mariners could just tap Seattle relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes on the shoulder -- of his non-throwing arm -- and ask about the career-threatening elbow injury he's dealing with.

For the record, Hargrove's gut was overflowing with positive vibes about Rhodes when he first reported some elbow tightness back in spring training.

U.S.S. Mariner is overwrought:

Now we just hold our breaths and hope like crazy, because without Felix, rooting for this team is about as much fun as having your eyelids ripped out.

I don't think it's quite that bad, unless Jeff Weaver is pitching. :-) Lookout Landing blames it all on Scrappy the Scapegoat:

Scrappy better hope for Scrappy's sake that Felix gets healthy.

Meanwhile, we wait and see. My predictions of a suprise season by the Mariners was based on Felix pitching like he did in the first two games for the entire season. The probability of the Mariners making the playoffs went way down last night.

Felix Hernandez left the game against the Twins in the first inning after throwing a slider. He put his hands up, called for the trainer, and came out of the game. It wasn't clear if he hurt himself on that pitch, or was hurting all game. He allowed 2 hits and 2 walks before coming out, and the Twins scored three runs in that inning. They now lead 5-0 in the bottom of the second.

Alfonso Soriano came within an inch of making a shoe string catch off a Clay Hensley single, but the ball bounces into his glove, allowing Cruz to score from third. What's worse, Soriano limps off the field with what looked like a hamstring injury. Given that his OBA is .288 so far this season, it might actually help the Cubs. I wonder if the Cubs will be ordering Pie soon?

Troy Glaus and B.J. Ryan joined Reed Johnson on the disabled list today. With the Jays and Yankees losing significant players to injury, this opens up a big window of opportunity for the Red Sox. Eleven of Boston's next thirteen games are against Toronto and New York.

Vlad Guerrero left the game in the first inning after being hit by a pitch, but it doesn't appear to be serious.

The first base ball boy at Dodger Stadium just took a ricochet in the face. He got into position to field the ball, but it hit off the side wall and bounded right into his kisser. He spun around, fell on his side and he's just laying there on his back.

Update: He's sitting up now.

Update: He started walking off the field with someone supporting him on each side, but ended up going off on his own power.

Both Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano hit the disabled list for New York. It's not clear yet who the Yankees are going to call up, but the staff is likely to get a lot younger over the next two weeks.

Toronto also puts a major member of their staff on the DL, as B.J. Ryan goes down with an elbow injury. And in what might be an ominous sign, he's going to visit Dr. Andrews.

The Yankees scratched Carl Pavano from tomorrow's start:

Pavano was pushed back to Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium as a precaution. He felt the problem in his throwing arm during his previous start Monday night and informed the Yankees afterward about it, then was told he'd be skipped upon arriving at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday. Right-hander Darrell Rasner will start Saturday in the middle game with the defending AL West champion Athletics.

Pavano threw seven innings in an 8-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Monday, giving up six hits and two runs for his first victory since May 22, 2005.

"I'm just going to give it a little extra time to get out of there," said Pavano, who threw long toss Tuesday and Wednesday. "It just didn't feel like it should feel. I'm not frustrated at all. It's just something I've got to deal with. That's just the way it is."

If things keep going like this, the average age of the Yankees rotation will be 23 by the end of the year.

The Padres placed Josh Bard on the disabled list.

San Diego Padres catcher Josh Bard was put on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a strained groin sustained the night before in a 4-0 victory against the San Francisco Giants.

Bard was off to a slow start, but he was 3 for 4 with runners in scoring position.

Mark Prior continues to decline physically:

Mark Prior's first extended spring outing ended badly on Thursday when the injury-plagued right-hander was forced to leave his start early.

Prior experienced discomfort in his right shoulder, according to a statement by the Cubs.

Prior is scheduled to see orthopedic specialist Dr. Lewis Yocum in California for further evaluation over the next several days.

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry confirmed Prior was removed from the game against minor league hitters, but declined to comment on the injury without having all the details.

I'm starting to believe he'll never pitch again.

Jaret Wright on his shoulder:

"It only hurts when I throw," Wright said.

Mike Mussina left the game against Minnesota in the third inning:

After allowing consecutive hits to Luis Rodriguez and Alexi Casilla at the start of the inning, Mussina went to a 2-1 count against Luis Castillo, then motioned for someone to come from the dugout. Pitching coach Ron Guidry visited the mound, followed by a trainer and manager Joe Torre, and Mussina walked off after the brief conference.

Stay tuned. The Yankees are leading 1-0 despite only picking up one hit. A-Rod drove in the run with a sacrifice fly.

Chris Carpenter goes on the disabled list, as his elbow turns out to be worse than thought:

Cardinals staff ace Chris Carpenter was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday after an MRI exam in St. Louis revealed arthritis and a previously undiscovered impingement in his right elbow.

The next thing we'll hear is that the rest didn't work and he'll require surgery.

Coming up on Worse Than Thought, Jason Schmidt's hamstring!

Jason Schmidt appears to pull a hamstring covering first base on a Nomar Garciaparra error. He comes out of the game in favor of Hendrickson.

Update: The Dodgers defense is really sloppy today. Kemp didn't know where the wall was when he crashed into it. Garciaparra makes an error, then Martin makes a throwing error to allow Matsui to steal second and take third. Then on a shallow fly ball, Pierre gets a bad jump. He needs to dive to make the catch which allow Kaz to tag from third and score easily. The Rockies lead 4-2 in the fifth.

Mike Hampton won't pitch in 2007:

Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Hampton will have surgery on his left elbow on Tuesday in New York and will miss the 2007 season, the team announced Monday.

Hampton, who had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow performed by Dr. Dave Altchek on Sept. 26, 2005, visited Altchek Monday in New York after experiencing more pain in the elbow.

Altchek found that Hampton, 34, has a torn flexor tendon in the elbow.

I'm not sure how much Atlanta was really depending on Mike, but now they know to move on.

Jeff Baker drives a ball to the right field wall in the top of the fourth. Matt Kemp goes back, leaps, crashes into the wall and falls into a clump on the ground. He's taken out of the game, walking off on his own power, but his right arm looks injured. The Rockies take the lead on the triple, 2-1, then extend it to 3-1 on a a bobbled infield hit.

Update: Jason Schmidt homered for the Dodgers only run. It's the seventh of Jason's career.

Ryan Howard and Abraham O. Nunez both go for a Reyes pop up behind the pitcher's mound. The two collide with Ryan's right forearm smacking into Nunez's head. He was down for a minute, but stays in the game. Howard drops the ball, and the alert Reyes ends up at second base.

Update: Reyes goes to third on a ground out and scores on a sacrifice fly. The Mets take a 3-2 lead on an unearned run.

Maine did not last long. He gave up five hits and six walks in 4 2/3 innings, but given the Phillies poor timing of their hits, he only allowed two runs.

Update: Howard makes up for the error with a three-run homer off Burgos. The Phillies lead 5-3 in the 7th.

Update: The Mets score in the bottom of the seventh, but a diving catch by Shane Victorino saves the tying run. The Phillies lead 5-4 going to the 8th.

Beaten by the Mets on Sunday, Chris Carpenter's next start gets pushed back due to an elbow inflammation. Much of the predicted success of the Cardinals assumes a healthy Carpenter, so you can understand why St. Louis is very careful with him.

Johnny Damon left the Yankees game today with cramps in both his legs. Did he get dehydrated, or is it something more serious?

I just called the radio station that reported the story, and it was indeed a hoax. I'm very sorry to have been fooled by this, but being April 2nd, I assumed the jokes were over. My apologies to all. The DJ who pulled this wasn't on the air yesterday, so he decided to do it today. What a jerk.

My daughter just heard on the radio that Curt Schilling broke his arm in a car accident in Kansas. I'm looking for a story now.

Update 8:10 AM: Still nothing on the web, but our local radio station says that Schilling stepped off a curb this morning and was grazed by the side-view mirror of an SUV. There's no official word from the Red Sox, but Curt either has a bone bruise or a fracture. Daisuke Matsuzaka might end up pitching the opener this afternoon. Stay tuned.

Update 10:20 AM: It's been too long without confirmation of this story, so like a lot of people in the comments I'm becoming suspicious. I just wrote a friend from ESPN and he hasn't heard anything about this. I'm checking with others who might know something.

Update 10:49 AM: The Schilling story is indeed a hoax. Somehow, the DJ on that station doesn't realize that April Fools Day jokes don't work on April 2nd! I'm sorry to have fallen for it.

This is very good news for the Arizona Diamondbacks:

Johnson, making his second start of spring training in his return from back surgery, struck out five San Diego batters in three shutout innings on Thursday night at Chase Field, the same ballpark (albeit with a different name) in which he did the bulk of his work in winning four Cy Young Awards with the Diamondbacks.

Johnson's schedule puts him back in the majors on April 19th. A healthy Johnson means that Arizona's rotation has the potential to be the best in the division. On another note, good and bad news for Micah Owings. Two of his competitors for the fifth spot in the rotation were sent to the minors, but he pitched poorly in relief.

Kenny Rogers starts the season on the disabled list with a tired arm. That's one of the dangers carrying old pitchers on your team, you never know when they are going to break down. The Tigers take two days off in April, so it's not that easy to go with just four starters. However, they do get the second day of the season off, so they don't need a fifth until April 11th, when Rogers should be back. It's good the Tigers built up plenty of pitching depth.

A batted ball by Reed Johnson hit CC Sabathia on the left arm today, causing swelling. It's not clear if he'll be able to start opening day:

Last year, Sabathia strained an oblique muscle in his Opening Day start against the White Sox. In 2005, he began the season on the disabled list when he strained the same muscle while warming up for his first spring training start.

"I almost got out of here," he joked. "But the Winter Haven curse got me again."

Ahtletic Supporters looks at what the A's might do if Dan Johnson's hip flexor turns out to be serious. Johnson is one of the players I see making Oakland better this year as an eye problem limited his usefulness in 2006. Losing him to a hip injury would be a tough break at this point.

Freddy Sanchez's knee will force him to miss opening day, but not much more:

Because Sanchez was out so long, he probably can't get enough spring training at-bats to be ready to start Monday against the Astros ' Roy Oswalt in Houston . Sanchez hopes to be ready for the Pirates' April 5-7 series in Cincinnati or, if not then, the April 9 home opener against St. Louis .

If Sanchez is placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, the Pirates can backdate the move by nine days as long as he doesn't play in a major league exhibition game. That means he could be activated less than a week into the season.

"Maybe I miss one series," Sanchez said. "If I push it now and get healthy by the (start of the) season, I'm probably going to need some at-bats. It probably wouldn't be good to be healthy and then the day before get thrown into the fire against Oswalt."

Sanchez remains one of the few bright spots on the Pittsburgh roster. He and Bay provide most of the offense, so the sooner he returns, the better.

Chien-Ming Wang heads to the disabled list:

Yankees right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, a 19-game winner last season, will start the season on the disabled list with a right hamstring pull.

Wang, who had been under consideration to start opening day April 2 against Tampa Bay, is expected to be sidelined at least a month.

That's a bit of a blow to the Yankees, but all those off-season trades means the Yankees have pitchers available:

"We have depth. We have choices," Cashman said. "It's a short-term issue that you're dealing with. Somebody else will get an opportunity."

Also, looking at the Yankees schedule, they could get away with just one start from the fifth spot in the rotation during the first 17 games.

Chone Figgins injured his hand:

X-rays taken Friday by hand specialist Dr. Steve Shin at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic revealed Figgins has fractures of the index and middle fingers on his right hand. He was injured in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game against Arizona in Tempe, Ariz., when a grounder hit by Conor Jackson bounced off his hand. Figgins was charged with an error on the play and came out of the game after the inning.

He's likely out until May. Izturis gets the nod to take over the position.

The Twins caught a Joe Mauer injury before it turned into something serious:

Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer has an injury in his left leg, and will sit out for a few days for treatment.

The Twins describe his injury as a stress reaction -- a precursor to a stress fracture. An MRI found nothing more
serious.

Joe Christensen broaches the position move argument based on this. If Mauer stays a catcher, history says the position shortens his offensive dominance. Yet the Twins receive more value for their dollar with Mauer behind the plate, especially given his defense. Maybe if they don't reach an agreement with Morneau, Mauer can move to first when Justin leaves for a free-agent payoff.

The Angels set their rotation for the start of the season, but Jered Weaver will sit out at least the first go-round:

Weaver will work in some breaking pitches for the first time in a 50-pitch simulated game on Thursday after delivering 45 pitches, all fastballs and changeups, in a camp outing on Monday. He could be ready for a Minor League game this weekend.

"Looking at [Weaver's] time frame," Scioscia said, "he'll certainly miss his first start but can be folded in shortly after on the 15th or 16th [of April]. Bart's program will be a little behind [Weaver's]."

Neither pitcher has experienced any setbacks thus far, the manager said, but caution is the order of the day for both.

At the moment it doesn't sound too serious.

According to this AP article, Mark Prior may start the season on the DL, along with Kerry Wood:

The 26-year-old Prior was 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA last year when his season was cut short by a strained right shoulder. He is 0-1 with an 18.90 ERA in two spring training appearances, allowing seven runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings with five strikeouts and no walks.

'How many innings has he pitched?' manager Lou Piniella asked Monday. 'You need 25 or so innings. In fairness to the person, is he going to be ready?'

Now, I understand Wood going on the DL, since he injured his triceps, but is Prior injured? I talked about this last season with Kansas City when they tried to put Greinke and Hernandez on the DL. Hernandez was just out of shape. Greinke was ill, but that was not conveyed to the public until later. Teams should not be allowed to put a player on the DL unless they are actually injured. Send him to the minors.

Rich Harden threw well for Oakland yesterday:

Still, Harden struck out seven, walked two, allowed five hits and one run in five innings during the Athletics' 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. When his fastball wasn't working, Harden went to his offspeed stuff with no problem, getting outs with change-ups and sliders.

Meanwhile, Randy Johnson starts the season on the DL for the Diamondbacks:

Johnson threw 54 pitches Monday in his second batting practice session, showing the regular-season bite on his slider that causes right-handed hitters to swing at balls that would hit their back foot. But D-Backs general manager Josh Byrnes confirmed that Johnson will still open the season on the disabled list, a fate that appeared unavoidable from the start of camp.

"We've got him for two years, and he's pretty valuable for us. We don't want to rush things," Byrnes said.

Rick Hurd writes on the steps the Giants are taking to protect catchers in light of Mike Matheny's career ending concussion:

Conte was the Giants' lead trainer when Matheny's saga began, and as the weeks passed without any resolution, he said the team's medical staff pursued as much information as it could. He said they interviewed more than 250 professional catchers about headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and other symptoms that occurred often after a steady diet of foul tips to the grill.

They also examined the effectiveness of hockey masks -- a one-piece mask that covers more of the skull -- when compared with conventional masks against 94- to 104-mph baseballs. They watched every game of the 2005 season on videotape and determined that catchers get nailed slightly less than one time per game.

They also discovered that early concussive symptoms in catchers were present through the course of a season, "only we never knew it because catchers are conditioned to play through anything," Conte said.

So now they're watching for signs of concussion early:

Now, in the name of Mike Matheny, it's time for the un-conditioning to start. The Giants' research helped lead to refinements in a basic cognitive-skills test that the St. Louis Cardinals already had in place, and Conte said it's hopeful that the test eventually will be standard operating procedure for every team in the majors.

"It would give you a baseline to start with," he said. "That way, we'll have a better idea if something fishy is happening."

Chipper Jones sprained his ankle yesterday.

The veteran third baseman left a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals after spraining his left ankle attempting to run out a ground ball in the first inning at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla.

It was his right foot that caused problems in 2006, with both ankle and foot injuries. Of course, an injured Chipper hits better than most major leaguers, but you have to wonder how many injuries he can sustain and still keep up that level of play.

Randy Johnson continues to reach milestones as he continues to rehabilitate his back. He pitched batting practice on Saturday, and the young Arizona hitters who faced him walked away impressed:

"He threw a slider out there I happened to catch," Josh Ford said. "But the ball just explodes out of his hand. And he's not even trying to throw hard. He's just trying to throw loose and nice and easy and that ball still was jumping out of his hand. He's got that life, you know?"

Carter knows. Johnson ate him up on Saturday.

"It was hard to know where the ball was going to be," Carter said. "I was off by an inch or 2. I know he's not 100 percent, but really, he's probably the toughest pitcher I've ever faced.

"I wasn't loose, but hey, you don't know if you'll ever get a chance to face a guy like that and I was impressed."

So was outfielder Justin Upton, the future of the franchise who was facing the man that helped pave the way.

"Really nice movement," Upton said. "He was up in the zone a little bit, but he started to groove it at the end and he was pounding the zone. . . . It was a cool experience for me. He's one of the greatest pitchers of all-time and I'll be able tell people about it."

It's still not clear if Randy will be ready for the start of the regular season, but everyone is pleased with this progress. That's making the competition fierce for Johnson's spot in the rotation.

Cliff Lee missed a bullpen session and may start the season on the DL.

The left-hander was unable to work his scheduled bullpen session Thursday because of the same strained right abdominal muscle that has prevented him from pitching in a game since spring training began. Head trainer Lonnie Soloff said Lee will attempt to throw another bullpen session Sunday. If nothing changes, he almost certainly would begin the regular season on the disabled list.

"We understand the clock is ticking for Opening Day and for Cliff's first start," Soloff said. "If he is unable to progress by Sunday, the start of the season is questionable."

The beneficiary could be Fausto Carmona. He wasn't much of a strikeout pitcher in the minor leagues, but he made up for that with great control and the ability to keep the ball in the park. Neither of those translated into the majors last year, however.

Metsblog.com relays good news from Pedro Martinez.

Mark Kotsay gave the Athletics some bad news:

Now they will have to make do without one of their inspirational leaders with the news that Kotsay will undergo back surgery this morning, a procedure expected to sideline him anywhere from eight to 12 weeks.

Kotsay confirmed his plans via a phone message Wednesday night. He's been in Southern California for the past few days consulting with Dr. Robert Watkins, in what amounted to a third opinion on results from an MRI he had Feb. 28.

The longer the center fielder stayed away from the team's spring training complex, the more speculation grew that he might be considering surgery for a lower back problem that has plagued him off and on since the 2003 season, when he was with the San Diego Padres.

Inspiration is one thing, but the last two seasons Kotsay didn't hit well. Maybe the back surgery corrects that. I'll trade three months out of action for a return to an above average OBA.

The Ryan Klesko Memorial Muscle Strain happened today.

Pedro Martinez started throwing today:

The New York Mets ace lightly tossed a ball for about 10 minutes from a distance of about 45 feet at the Mets' minor league complex.

"He looked good," said Randy Niemann, the Mets' rehabilitation pitching coordinator. "It's just the beginning. It's the start of a long process, but he looked really good."

Pedro is still not expected back soon.

Kris Benson's attempt to rehabilitate his shoulder is not going well:

Working on the advice of two doctors, Benson is attempting to rehabilitate the injury at spring training camp. If his bid is unsuccessful, the operation would force the right-hander to miss the 2007 season.

"I had a rough couple days," Benson said Wednesday. "I don't know if it's just a little bump that I'm going through or what, but the last couple days have been pretty sore. ... Whenever it gets flared up like it is, it's tough to get that range of motion."

After experiencing pain while throwing in the offseason, Benson initially resigned himself to surgery. But further examination determined that he might be able to ease the pain with a rehabilitation program.

He was working two hours daily with trainer Richie Bancells before taking a day off Sunday. Upon his return, Benson experienced far more pain than usual.

It's a good try by Benson, it looks like he'll be visiting the surgeon sooner rather than later.

Here's one reason you may not want really good hitters at tough defensive positions:

Reigning NL batting champion Freddy Sanchez sprained a ligament in his right knee Tuesday and left the Pittsburgh Pirates' 11-10, 10-inning loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sanchez, who formerly played at Oklahoma City University, was injured when the Phillies' Rod Barajas slid into his knee as he was turning a double play at second base in the fourth inning.

It doesn't look serious, but the chance of that injury is a lot lower if you're playing third base.

Josh Johnson is out until June:

Florida Marlins right-hander Josh Johnson finally has a diagnosis for his sore arm - an irritated ulnar nerve that will likely force him to miss at least the first two months of the season. Johnson was relieved to learn the injury wasn't worse. "If it was real bad, I'd probably be out for four months," he said Tuesday. "It's good to know exactly what it is."

It's not great news, but it's better than structural damage. Given the injuries the Marlins staff is acquiring, any missed time is going to cost the team.

Baseball Musings is holding a pledge drive in March.

Mark Grudzielanek is going under the knife:

Veteran second baseman Mark Grudzielanek became the Royals' first major spring casualty Sunday when an examination revealed torn cartilage in his left knee.

Grudzielanek left camp in late morning for Kansas City, where he is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday to repair a meniscus tear. The procedure typically requires a recovery period of two to four weeks.

"I'm relieved, actually," he said. "I knew there was something in there, and I was worried it might be something serious. So to find out it's something minor is really pretty good news.

It's an opportunity for Esteban German to impress some people on the Royals. He hit well last season in limited duty. If he can keep that up, it would give the Royals a deeper infield and improve the team.

Grudzielanek's never been that good of a hitter. He did post two fine seasons at opportune times, once when he was 29 and once when he was 33. Those are good ages to have career years, since teams seem to weed out the players who can play from those who can't around that time. His age 29 season bought him a few more major league seasons, as did his age 33 year. But despite his decent batting average, he's not a good offensive player.

Baseball Musings is holding a pledge drive in March.

6-4-2 Notes that the ex-Angels on the Cardinals are having a sore spring.

Pedro Martinez can start throwing soon:

New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez can start throwing Saturday as part of his recuperation from October rotator cuff surgery.

The Mets don't expect him in a game until August, but this is certainly a good sign.

Baseball Musings is holding a pledge drive in March.

Via FishStripes, Josh Johnson's arm problem is nerve related, and Tankersley's shoulder is inflamed. It's a good thing the Marlins stocked up on good, young arms last year.

Correction: Fixed Johnson's first name.

Baseball Musings is holding a pledge drive in March.

Bobby Jenks is suffering from a tight shoulder:

He faced only three batters in a 12-4 loss to Colorado before manager Ozzie Guillen took him out. Jenks doesn't expect to miss any game action.

"There is no pain at all, no sharp pain, just one pitch where it caught right away," Jenks said. "That is why I called Ozzie out there. There is nothing wrong with it. It is just tight. I couldn't get the extension, and I can't accelerate through the ball because I have no range right now."

Jenks is in his second full-year with the White Sox. He said the tightness had been there since he arrived at spring training.

He kept throwing after he left the game to stretch the shoulder.

Bobby Kielty and Mark Kotsay each are suffering through injuries, although Kielty's will likely keep him out of action longer:

Oakland Athletics outfielder Bobby Kielty has a torn meniscus in his left knee that will require arthroscopic surgery in the coming days, sidelining him for three-to-six weeks.

Kielty, who came to camp in the best shape of his career, injured the knee Sunday during a rundown drill -- and just when he was ready to get through a healthy spring training, for a change.

This should give Shannon Stewart a good shot at an opening day start.

It looks like Melkey Cabrera is going to get some playing time.

Hayden Penn sprained his ankle yesterday after his workout.

Manager Sam Perlozzo believes Penn twisted his ankle yesterday while carrying boxes up some steps.

Shades of Clint Barmes?

FishStripes rounds up the information on Josh Johnson's injury and how the Marlins might replace him in the rotation.

Baseball concussions keep happening:

Baltimore Orioles reliever Jamie Walker sustained a concussion Friday when he was hit in the back of the head by a Nick Markakis line drive during batting practice.

He walked off the field, so let's hope it's not too serious.

Randy Johnson threw off a mound today:

Arizona left-hander Randy Johnson reported no problems after throwing off a mound Friday morning for the first time since October back surgery.

Johnson said he felt "pretty free and easy" throwing 25 fastballs.

"I'm feeling a lot better than I did the last time I picked up a ball, let's put it that way," the 43-year-old Johnson said.

The last time Johnson underwent back surgery he came back to post a 20-4 record with a 2.28 ERA (his best year by the ERA+ method). That was ten years ago, but if the surgery can even shave a run off his 2006 season, he'll be a successful pitcher for the Diamondbacks.

Getting Paid to Watch gives us the low down on Orlando Hernandez's condition. My 80+ year-old dad suffers from the same thing.

MetsBlog rounds up information on Orlando Hernandez's injury:

The Mets have told reporters that Orlando Hernandez has been sent to New York so doctors can examine a recent pain in his neck.

He must have a teenager at home (rim shot).

Of course, this is the big worry going into the Mets season. How healthy is this rotation when you're depending on two 40 year olds? How good can the starters be if you're depending on Park and Perez to relive the brief glory of their careers? It's a good thing the Mets offense should score a lot of runs, they'll need them.

There are two stories about slow healing finger injuries today. Coco Crisp still suffers pain from his fracture:

The Red Sox [team stats] manager said that his switch-hitting center fielder recently told him that he still can feel the injury when he swings a bat left-handed but said he wasn't concerned that it will continue to affect his performance during spring training. Crisp is due to report to camp with Sox position players today, undergo a physical examination tomorrow and take part in the first full-squad workout Thursday. "As of a couple of weeks ago, he still felt it there, but I don't think he was very concerned about it," said Francona, who exchanged frequent e-mails with Crisp during the winter.

Meanwhile, Padres shortstop Khalil Greene reports a similar discomfort:

Khalil Greene's left middle finger is still sore six months after he injured it. The San Diego Padres shortstop insists it's not an issue.

Greene checked into camp Monday, two days ahead of the reporting date for position players.

"It's still sore when I swing," Greene said. "It's in a loosening phase. It's hard to gauge because all the weather has been sub-50 degrees. When it was warm, it felt good ... There's still some sense of soreness, but it's not major. It's about normal."

Hitting a ball in the cold always hurts. The Red Sox play eleven home games in April, when the weather can be iffy. We'll see how Crisp does if the weather is cold. The Padres play five potentially cold games in April, visiting Chicago and Colorado.

Shawn Chacon suffers from arthritis in his right knee:

Chacon has had two surgeries on the meniscus inside the knee, and he strongly considered having another after last season. But a doctor advised him in October that doing so would only exacerbate the problem, and all concerned decided against it.

"I've got some pretty good arthritis," Chacon said. "The thought process was that, if I can keep my leg strong enough to where I can minimize the pain and the fluid that gets in there from day to day, I'll be better off than if I go in there again to have it scoped, shave out more meniscus and basically creating more arthritis."

Chacon has made his scheduled pitching sessions and run through all fielding drills this spring with no apparent problem.

The Pirates are pretty good at adding injured pitchers to their staff.

Corey Koskie will miss spring training due to the concussion he suffered last year:

After weeks of uncertainty, the Milwaukee Brewers now know that third baseman Corey Koskie will not be physically ready to take part in spring training when position players are scheduled to report Friday.

Because Koskie has not completely recovered from the post-concussion syndrome that sidelined him for the entire second half of last season, assistant general manager Gord Ash said the Brewers had no choice but to "aggressively plan" for other options at third base.

"The good news is that he continues to improve," Ash said. "The troubling news is he hasn't improved enough to get on the field yet."

Ash said the Brewers might decide to platoon left-handed-hitting Craig Counsell and right-handed-hitting Tony Graffanino at third base until Koskie is ready to return to duty. But club officials also are interested in seeing if minor-league prospect Ryan Braun looks ready to jump to the big leagues after only a half-season as high as the Class AA level.

Braun tore up the low minors, and his addition would give the Brewers a very young infield.

Jered Weaver's biceps are not healthy:

The right-hander, who went 11-2 as a rookie last season, has tendinitis in his biceps and will be limited early in spring training.

He is not expected to throw off a mound for a while - perhaps about two weeks.

They seem to be blaming it on his increased workload last season.

It's been a bad week for Jose Acevedo. He didn't report to the Orioles camp as a non-roster player, then ended up in a motorcycle accident. Let's hope he makes a speedy recovery.

Eric Gagne's recovery may not be coming along as well as reported.

Kerry Wood and hot tubs don't mix.

Take it away, god father of soul!

Here's the latest on Nick Johnson's recovery from a broken femur:

"It's coming along slowly _ baby steps right now," an upbeat Johnson said recently. "I'm just starting to walk. I won't be ready for spring training or the season opener, but I hope to be back before the All-Star break."

Johnson is undergoing a rigorous rehab program with physical therapist Greg Parry and doing his regular winter conditioning with Lee and others under ex-Kings strength coach Al Biancani.

"I have a lot of work to do to build up the strength in my leg, but I'm staying positive," Johnson said. "There's pain, but you learn to deal with it."

Balls, Sticks and Stuff notes the retirement of Phillies trainer Jeff Cooper and his innovations. One of my college roommates is a radiologist in Philadelphia, and for the last few years he's gone down to Florida during spring training to conduct ultrasound imaging on the Phillies pitching staff. He can't talk much about it other than he's doing it, but I'm sure this is another example of the Phillies being innovative on the subject.

Kris Benson tore his rotator cuff and will miss the 2007 season:

Benson, 32, will require surgery to repair his injury, which surfaced after he began throwing in off-season workouts, according to a source with knowledge of his condition.

"We'd like to get (the surgery) done as soon as possible so we can start the recovery process," Benson's agent, Gregg Clifton, told The Associated Press. "No one can accurately predict the duration of recovery. I'm not a doctor. It's not what I think or what Kris thinks. It's what the doctors think."

The Orioles, coming off nine straight losing seasons, expected Benson to solidify a rotation that includes left-hander Erik Bedard, righty Jaret Wright and two promising youngsters, righty Daniel Cabrera and lefty Adam Loewen.

To replace Benson, the Orioles could sign a free agent from a dwindling list that includes right-hander Steve Trachsel, left-hander Ron Villone and left-hander Mark Redman.

This season would be Benson's walk year. I doubt the Orioles will pick up his option for 2008, and a big payday is going to be delayed another season. Given the decline in Benson's strikeouts and the increase in his home run rate over the last three seasons, it's possible the market for him would be thin anyway.

Good news for Jason Isringhausen:

Climbing a mound for the first time since having hip surgery Sept. 21, closer Jason Isringhausen threw 20 pitches without discomfort before laying out a schedule that would have him ready for the defending world champions' season opener April 1.

Isringhausen threw easily. More important, the club's career saves leader reported no problems landing on his left leg, a move that left him in agony for much of last season.

"It's a much more positive situation when you come in here feeling good physically," said Isringhausen, who conceded Tuesday that his hip never allowed him to feel comfortable last spring. "It's one reason I struggle so much with my command. It was never really right."

What suffered last year were his walks and homeruns. For the first time in his career as a reliever, Isringhausen allowed home runs in the double digits. Keep your eye on his walk rate when he starts the season to see if he's actually improved.

If you're looking to make a buck, you can sell quack medicine to J.D. Drew. I was willing to give the story the benefit of the doubt until I got to this part:

"Besides QRS, the other part of our discussion went into what causes inflammation and what strategies can be used," Mariea said. "We discussed electromagnetic radiation in use of the cell phone, and how that messes up cell-to-cell communication, dehydrates us and then inflammation ensues.

"So I had him wear a BIOlife pendant, which is an energy-support device he wears under his shirt. The QRS also increases energy production by 500 percent, but really helps by decreasing inflammation and improving circulation. Then we talked about what he should be eating and what he shouldn't be eating."

Hat tip, Dodger Thoughts.

Update: The Soxaholix comments.

Wayne Krivsky expects the just signed Eddie Guardado to pitch this season:

Guardado had Tommy John surgery on Sept. 8, and the typical rehab is a little less than a year. Krvisky said the timetable is usually shorter for a reliever than a starter.

"I'm not into the prediction business, but he'll be ready at some point in the year," Krivsky said. "Hopefully when he comes back, he's healthy."

I always thought Tommy John surgery you had to expect the pitcher out for at least one full season. Can someone comment on this? If I were Krivsky, I'd be pushing this as a 2008 move. Then, if Eddie does come back quicker, it will give fans something to be happy about. It seems he's setting them up for disappointment this way.

Dan Fox weighs in with some more information on hit batters. He brings up the increasing size of the batter as a contributing force.

Steve Treder explores the hit by pitch explosion at The Hardball Times. To sum up the article, it's a combination of unintended consequences (rules to lower hit batters seem to have raised them) and more security leading to risky behavior (more padding makes batters more likely to lean over the plate).

However, I would like to comment on one thing:

We found it plausible to explain the steady decline in HBP rates that characterized the 1900-1935 and 1970-1985 periods as a function of steadily improving skill among pitchers. Does it therefore follow that the rapid boom in HBP rates since the late 1980s indicates suddenly declining skill in the average major league pitcher? No doubt, people who say "expansion has watered down pitching staffs" would offer that argument. But I've never found it compelling in many regards, and in this case it clearly doesn't fit the shape of the change. The expansions of 1969 and 1977 didn't correspond with HBP rate increases, and the modern HBP boom gained momentum before the 1993 expansion. So it must be something else, something that overrides the historical trend toward ever-more-competent pitchers.

However, there's another trend here that combined with expansion further dilutes pitching staffs. The idea was first suggested to me by Phil Orlins, the producer of Sunday Night Baseball at ESPN during my time there. That the dilution was coming from the expanding size of pitching staffs. When I was young, teams talked about taking whether they would take 9 or 10 pitchers north from spring training. Now they talk about taking 11 or 12. So it's not that there's just four more teams than there were in the 1980s with 40 more major league pitchers, it's that plus an extra sixty pitchers due to the the expansion of staffs. And everyone of those extra pitchers isn't as good as the first ten. It may be a small contributor, but one that should be considered.

Hat tip, Sabernomics, where you can find extensive writing on the subject.

Update:

I think there's more to the pitching dilution argument than Steve argues. Using the Day by Day Database, here's a chart from 1957 to 2006 of HBP percentage from two groups, those with "low" ERAs and those with "high" ERAs. Low in this case is under 5.00. In looking at individual groups, that seemed to be the dividing line. Click on the graph for a larger image.

It's clear that low ERA pitchers are better at missing batters than high ERA pitchers, and both have gotten worse over time. Also notice how after each expansion, the gap between the two lines widen. Then look at this chart:

High ERA pitchers are getting more and more batters faced. They're on par now with low ERA pitchers. More bad pitchers facing more and more batter and hitting them at a higher rate is one reason hit by pitches are going up.

Update: John Perricone comments.

The Dallas Morning News details Brad Wilkerson's rehabilitation from shoulder surgery:

He called Arlington-based trainer Derek Southers, who worked with Wilkerson's wife, Dana, during the season, and asked him to spend the winter in Florida. As a beefy bad dude, Southers was no match for Chuck Norris in a few episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, but he's completely capable of inflicting pain on a mild-mannered baseball player.

Southers set up a six-day-a-week workout schedule. The plan also included the elimination of sugars, bread and dairy products from Wilkerson's life. Particularly difficult was bidding farewell to Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream. The result: Wilkerson said he dropped from 225 pounds to 212 in 60 days.

"And he's getting as strong as me," Southers said. "He's not supposed to be doing it that fast. It's not in the rules. But he came to me saying he wanted to be in better shape than ever before. He's worked hard at it."

By mid-December, Wilkerson was already beginning to hit off a tee. He joined a handful of South Florida-based players for workouts in Jupiter, Fla., after the holidays.

I for one, hope he comes back strong. In my mind, the Soriano for Wilkerson trade was a good deal. Brad seems to be committed to proving that true.

Here's what J.D. Drew said about his shoulder yesterday:

"Extremely confident," the 31-year-old said about his shoulder during a teleconference yesterday. "The thing that was really beneficial was to see where it was at the end of last season [with the Dodgers], to see the swing and everything kind of come back around as far as the strength and power numbers go. Those were telltale signs for me. This offseason's been a great chance for me to catch up on the strength gains and get a lot of work in."

This seems to confirm the thoughts that he did go through a weak period in the middle of the season in 2006 as he recovered from labrum surgery.

WasWatching notes that Carl Pavano throws from a mound today. Despite this, he's still down on Carl:

The upshot of what I started to write last night was around what was a reasonable expectation for a season's innings pitched total from Pavano - based on his big league career to date.

Getting more than 137 big league IP from Carl Pavano in a season is a rare thing. Sure, he posted 200+ IP in 2003 and 2004. However, it's a much safer bet to expect less than 140 IP (in a season) from the Duke of the D.L, the Rajah of Rehab, the Prince of the Paycheck-Cashers, or whatever you want to call him.

My problem with this line of thinking is how many pitchers post numerous 200 inning seasons anyway? Last year, 45 pitchers reached that mark or 1.5 per team. For example, through age 30, Schilling only pitched three 200 inning seasons. Someone wanting to hire Curt at that point might have thought he wasn't worth the injury risk, but he ended up having a very productive decade.

I'd say the probability is high that Pavano doesn't pitch tons of innings this year. But at this point, New York would be very happy to get 140 productive innings out of Carl.

Al Bethke speculated that Doug Davis' arm isn't healthy, and now there's a story that lends credence to that thought.

C.C. Sabathia looks like he's recovered from knee surgery:

Sabathia said the Sept. 29 arthroscopic procedure, which repaired a torn meniscus, went well. He will begin a running program next week and should be ready for a full workout regimen when spring training opens Feb. 15.

The Cleveland lefty is also looking forward to a big payday after the 2008 season:

A few transactions caught Sabathia's attention this winter, however. Left-hander Barry Zito's free-agent contract with San Francisco pays him $18.5 million per season. Right-hander Jason Schmidt signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $15.6 million per year.

"I was excited," Sabathia said Friday. "It's a good market for pitchers. Hopefully, if I can stay healthy and have some good years, I'll be in the position those guys were in."

Cleveland's 26-year-old left-hander will be in that position -- free agency -- following the 2008 season. His 81-56 record and 3.95 career ERA would seem to put him in at least the same neighborhood as Schmidt and Zito. It's a neighborhood that Sabathia and his bosses realize might be a little too posh for middle-market teams such as the Indians.

"People have tough decisions to make coming up the next couple years," Sabathia said.

The article gives the impression that C.C. would take a hometown discount. Still, even a discount means tens of millions of dollars and a long term contract. That would be easier to award if the Tribe wins and the fans ate up tickets as they did in the 1990s.

Albert Pujols took an extra two weeks rest this off-season, and his injuries appear to be a thing of the past:

Insisting the body that betrayed him for much of his productive 2006 no longer bothers him, the Cardinals first baseman made it through a two-hour autograph session at the downtown Millennium Hotel on Saturday. Before, he casually engaged the media that became a thorn to him at times in the 83-win team's World Series run.

"I feel real good," said Pujols, who took six weeks rather than a month off following the team's Series clincher Oct. 27. "I'd rather be greedy later on than early on when I'm working out. I feel real good. So far I haven't felt any of those injuries I suffered during the season. That's a good sign."

Pujols put up unbelievable numbers in 2006 with the injuries. If he's healthy, we could see a record setting season.

Jim Emonds underwent surgery to fix his hammer toe on Friday.

Slowed by post-concussion syndrome as well as his sore right shoulder for much of the regular season's final weeks, Edmonds took daily cortisone injections to deaden pain from what Paletta described as a "hammer toe."

Edmonds had a pin inserted in the toe during a procedure performed Friday in Charlotte, N.C., by Dr. Bob Anderson.

The foot rehab is expected to coincide with that prescribed for his surgically repaired right shoulder.

"The shoulder is the main issue," Paletta said. "The toe was still bothering him and had not settled down, so he was left with two choices -- the pain would continue or have this procedure. The timing of (the foot surgery) made sense. His (foot rehab) should jibe with his shoulder rehab, which will take him late into spring training. Ideally (opening day) will be the time frame."

A press release issued by the Cardinals on Tuesday said Edmonds is expected to be ready for opening day.

2006 Was so bad injury-wise for Edmonds, 2007 almost has to be better.

Nick Johnson is making slow progress with his broken femur:

Shortly after Johnson fractured his right femur in a violent collision with right fielder Austin Kearns on Sept. 23 in New York, Ben Shaffer, the team's orthopedist, was optimistic that Johnson would be ready by the start of the 2007 season. But Shaffer said yesterday that Johnson was slow to regain flexibility in his leg. Shaffer said that although Johnson has shown significant progress recently and that the bone is healing as expected, he would not predict Johnson would be ready by the opener.

"I'd love to see him back in April," Shaffer said. "I'd love to see him back on Opening Day. But even if the bone heals completely and his gait is back to normal, how conditioned is he going to be?

Nick seems to be a slow healer with brittle bones. Can any doctors out there comment on this?

NL Rookie of the Year Hanley Ramirez is out of the winter league with a sore shoulder:

Hanley Ramirez, this year's top rookie in the National League, will miss the rest of the Dominican winter league season because of a left shoulder strain, but the Florida Marlins shortstop is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

There's no details on what caused the soreness.

Juan Rivera broke his tibia playing winter ball.

Rivera broke his left tibia in the Oriente Caribbeans' game against the Aragua Tigers in Maracay. The Angels said Rivera's leg has been placed in a cast and he will be flown to Miami, where he will be re-examined by a trauma specialist Saturday.

Maybe they should send him here for rehab. :-)

6-4-2 Has more.

Ken Griffey injured his left hand.

Griffey's throwing hand will be in a hard cast for three weeks, then will be re-examined, Reds spokesman Rob Butcher said Friday.

Butcher said he could not say when or how the accident occurred because Griffey did not authorize any more details to be released. Butcher also could not say whether Griffey would be ready when spring training starts in mid-February.

Probably a freak gardening accident.

Here's a novel hypothesis concerning Joel Zumaya's injury. It's my daughter's favorite video game.

Jason Isringhausen reports he's making good progress recovering from his hip surgery. He says he'll be ready to pitch opening day:

Noting Isringhausen's progress, general manager Walt Jocketty said Friday that the club could consider transferring Adam Wainwright to the rotation if Isringhausen maintains his current pace.

Note, however, that Isringhausen has yet to throw a pitch.

Francisco Liriano underwent Tommy John surgery yesterday. He won't pitch again until the 2008 season. Meanwhile, the Twins are looking for a replacement:

The Twins were planning to bolster an already thin starting rotation before Liriano decided last week to have the surgery. The team's top priority in the offseason is to acquire a veteran starter. The Twins are believed to have some interest in Gil Meche, 28, a free-agent right-hander who is 55-44 with a 4.65 earned-run average in six seasons with Seattle.

Ryan usually isn't active on the free-agent market, and a trade would seem the more likely route for the team to try to meet its need.

Meche walks way too many for a Twins pitcher, but he did see a huge jump in his strikeout rate in 2006. He struck out 7.5 per 9 last season, after averaging, 6.0 during his five previous seasons.

As expected, doctors scheduled Tommy John surgery for Francisco Liriano:

Liriano will undergo Tommy John surgery Monday in California with Dr. Lewis Yocum performing and Twins physician Dr. John Steubs assisting, the team said Friday.

The Tommy John procedure, which is a replacement of the ulnar collateral ligament, is named after the former Yankees pitcher. Recovery typically takes at least a year.

That's some sophomore slump. When and if he returns to action in 2008, he'll be just 24, so there's plenty of time for a great career. However, his mechanics are likely the cause of the injury. Can these be changed without hampering his effectiveness?

Doctors performed surgery on Randy Johnson's back yesterday:

"The surgery went fine. The doctor said he was thrilled," said Johnson's agent, Barry Meister. "Randy will return home to Phoenix tomorrow."

Now the Yankees will wait to see if it makes a difference.

Aaron Gleeman notes that Francisco Liriano is headed for Tommy John surgery, and wonders why it wasn't done sooner.

I realize surgery is always the last resort, but injuries like Liriano's simply don't heal on their own. Had Liriano gone under the knife when it became an option, he'd be over a month into his recovery and on track to pitch in the second half. Now, even if he elects to have the same surgery, he'll have to make quick progress to pitch at all in 2007. Of course, in the grand scheme of things 2007 matters little, but that's why the Twins should have taken the long-term approach with Liriano the entire time.

Regardless of how many times the Twins stick Liriano back on the mound after a little time off, this is not something that figures to go away. Rather than risk further damage by gambling on a non-surgical option, I think it's time to put aside any thoughts of Liriano being a part of the 2007 team and do what's best for his long-term career. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, evidence suggests that Tommy John surgery is as close to a speed bump on the road to greatness as you'll get in a situation like this.

The Mets are making some surgeons rich this off season, especially Carlos Delgado:

Delgado had surgery on his right wrist because of carpal tunnel syndrome. Lo Duca had an operation to repair a ligament tear in his left thumb. Heilman underwent surgery for tennis elbow on his throwing arm, and the right-handed Woodward had a torn labrum in his left shoulder repaired.

Left fielder Cliff Floyd is scheduled to have surgery Wednesday on his left Achilles' tendon. Right-hander Roberto Hernandez is scheduled to have surgery on his right knee the same day.

Delgado is set to have surgery again next Monday to repair tennis elbow in his right arm.

There's going to be a lot of scar comparisons in the clubhouse come spring training.

Randy Johnson opted to undergo back surgery:

Yankees pitcher Randy Johnson will have surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back that hampered him during the final weeks of the season.

General manager Brian Cashman said last week that surgery was probable, but that the Big Unit would first be examined by Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles.

"He's consulted with Watkins. He's going to need surgery," Johnson's agent, Barry Meister, said Tuesday. "I need to talk to Brian about scheduling, but it most likely will be during the week next week."

It's not clear if he'll be ready for the start of spring training, but it doesn't appear that he'll be too far behind.

Albert Pujols is playing with a bad hamstring:

The St. Louis Cardinals' star has been nursing a right hamstring injury for several weeks and is under orders to run under control. Manager Tony La Russa said the injury also has affected Pujols' ability to drive the ball.

"He doesn't have that big power push," La Russa said. "He's not going to be generating as much power, but he can still generate base hits. Just got to be careful running."

Why would you announce such a thing?

"Mostly I mentioned it so when people watch him running I don't have to answer questions later on about him jogging," La Russa said. "You probably noticed, he's laboring when he runs."

If I'm the Mets, and I know Albert can't generate as much power, don't you pitch him differently? If you think he's going to damage you pulling the ball, you might pitch him away. If you don't, you might go inside more. Is this just a mind game La Russa is playing? Albert seems to hit the ball pretty hard. Something here just doesn't make sense.

Joel Zumaya's wrist isn't as bad as first reported:

The Tigers might have Joel Zumaya's heat even in the Midwest chill.

Detroit hopes the hard-throwing Zumaya will be ready for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series despite a tender wrist.

The rookie reliever injured his right wrist warming up before Wednesday's Game 2 in Oakland and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging exam after the team arrived back in Detroit on Thursday, a day off for the teams heading into today's Game 3. The test revealed only inflammation.

That's good news for the Tigers and bad news for the Athletics.

I'm blogging from my phone so I can't link. but ESPN has a story that Zumaya is suffering from the same wrist injury as last month.

Update: Here's the link.

Zumaya saw a doctor both Wednesday and Thursday, but the Tigers aren't sure when he'll be able to pitch again.

In September, Zumaya was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right wrist and received a cortisone shot.

Zumaya's allowed one hit in three innings while striking out three. With him out of action, a selective Oakland team can drive Detroit's pitcher's out of the game early and give Leyland less flexibility in the pen.

Both Randy Johnson and Jason Giambi face surgery soon, Johnson's likely to be the more serious:

Randy Johnson almost certainly will have back surgery in the coming weeks to repair a herniated disk, and it's possible that he may not be ready to start spring training on time, GM Brian Cashman said yesterday. Still, the Big Unit is expected to be ready for Opening Day.

"The medical opinions seem to be that even if he does have the procedure, an October procedure should give him enough time to be ready for the season," Johnson's agent, Barry Meister, said.

I suspect replacing Johnson will be high on the Yankees to do list, given the uncertainty of his back.

Jim Edmonds is getting injections in his foot to numb the pain:

Jim Edmonds' most complicated season resumes this morning with a simple, painful truth. The Cardinals center fielder will arrive at Busch Stadium shortly before 9 a.m. and limp to the trainer's room, where he will accept a needle near the ball beneath his left foot.

The Lydocaine injection will eventually numb the area, allowing Edmonds to walk as someone capable of playing Gold Glove defense rather than a man appearing like he is literally on his last legs.

Given his injuries to his head and his foot this season, it's impressive that he's playing at all. I wonder if he'll be back next year, especially if he takes home a World Series Ring.

Nomar Garciaparra won't start in the post season:

Dodgers first baseman Nomar Garciaparra has a tear in his left quadriceps and won't be in the lineup for Game 3 of the NL playoffs today when Los Angeles tries to avoid getting swept by the New York Mets.

It's unlikely Garciaparra would be able to start another game in the post-season, no matter how far the Dodgers advance, manager Grady Little said yesterday.

It's not clear if he can play the role of Kirk Gibson. At this point in his career, Nomar is just a muscle tear waiting to happen. The Dodgers were fortunate it didn't happen until late in the season. Maybe this is Loney's chance to be the hero.

Pedro Martinez underwent rotator cuff surgery yesterday. The operation was deemed a success.

It was Morgan, when Martínez first learned he had a partial tear of his rotator cuff in 2001, who advised against surgery, a recommendation supported by Dr. Lewis Yocum when Martínez sought a second opinion. Instead, under the supervision of former Sox physical therapist Chris Correnti, Martínez embarked on a program to strengthen the muscles in his shoulder around the tear. Martínez rebounded the following season to win 20 games, defying those who thought he'd never be the same and rewarding his faith in the Sox medical team.

But after averaging 15 wins over the next three seasons, including his last two with the Red Sox, and signing a four-year, $53 million contract with the Mets, Martínez broke down physically this season, sidelined by toe, hip, and calf injuries, before an MRI revealed the torn cuff. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was just 9-8 with a 4.48 ERA in 23 starts, only 2-5 with a 8.74 ERA in his last eight starts, a stretch that began with him allowing eight runs (six earned) in three innings in his first appearance at Fenway Park since leaving as a free agent.

The Mets' great season, with and without Pedro, is likely helping to shield Minaya from criticism of the deal. He built enough depth into the club to overcome the injuries.

Mark Ellis broke his index finger in his ninth inning at bat yesterday and is out of action.

"It puts a real damper on the team's win," A's general manager Billy Beane said even before the team got the final diagnosis. "It's a concern. We've already lost half our infield. Mark's presence is critical."

D'Angelo Jimenez takes over for Mark. Jimenez isn't much of a hitter, but he can draw a walk. For his career he's batting .264 with a .349 OBA. Why am I not surprised the A's have someone like that on their bench?

Barry Bonds underwent surgery to clean out his elbow.

Barry Bonds had surgery to remove bone chips from his troublesome left elbow that caused the San Francisco slugger pain and swelling throughout this season.

Bonds, who had the operation Monday, said he expects to be ready to resume his offseason workout regimen later this month.

"As soon as I heal in the next few weeks, I will begin my offseason training," Bonds said Wednesday in a posting on his Web site, www.barrybonds.com.

The question is, will anyone sign him?

It's official, Orlando Hernandez has a torn calf muscle. John Maine gets the nod for game one, and Oliver Perez makes the roster. The rotation for round one is Maine, Glavine, Trachsel and TBA. I bet the Dodgers hope Perez starts game four.

Orlando Hernandez says he'll try to pitch today:

Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, who has enjoyed so many memorable Octobers, had his injured right calf in a bucket of ice on the eve of his latest postseason start.

"Hopefully I can pitch," he told Newsday last night. "My plan is to go out there. I think I can do it. Let's see."

The best part of the article is the description of the hospital waiting room:

Earlier, in a waiting room at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, Hernandez sat with Ramirez, waiting for the MRI. "It's not good," he said, holding his outstretched right leg. "It's tightening up."

"Mr. El Duque, Mr. El Duque, please write you name for us on this piece of paper," said a hospital worker who entered the room.

"Mr. Hernandez," El Duque corrected her. He signed his name. "That doesn't say El Duque," she said.

"El Duque is not his real name," someone told her.

"Excuse me, is he who I think he is?" asked an older man sitting in the waiting room, looking at Hernandez and holding a newspaper opened to the sports section.

"Yes," someone said.

The man stood, stepped toward Hernandez and shook the pitcher's hand. "Good luck to you," said the man.

El Duque was told that the woman in the hospital lobby was overheard saying she was leaving because an injured Yankee was being treated at the hospital. "I'll never be seen," she said in a huff.

Hernandez laughed. "A Yankee would have had his MRI already," he joked.

Good comedy.

I don't have a link yet, but ESPN just reported on the air that Orlando Hernandez hurt his calf and will undergo an MRI today.

Update: Here's a link.

In addition to Pedro's calf injury, doctors also diagnosed him with a torn rotator cuff:

Pedro Martinez has a rotator cuff tear that will sideline him for eight months, possibly to the All-Star Break next season, GM Omar Minaya announced today.

The ace already had been sidelined for the postseason with a left-calf tear. Minaya suggested the team didn't know Martinez had shoulder discomfort until after his last outing, when he allowed seven runs in 2.2 innings in Atlanta.

Rotator cuff injuries used to be a sure career ender. The Red Sox not re-signing Martinez is looking like a very good move at this point.

Tomorrow, Pedro spontaneously combusts!

The New York Daily News presents an excellent roundup on Randy Johnson's injury.

"Nobody knows at what point (the herniated disk) happened," Cashman said. "I know he didn't have it last year when he had back stiffness, so it's something new. It happened at some point this year. I'm assuming recently, but I couldn't tell you when."

Asked if offseason surgery were a possibility, Cashman said, "Obviously, it if continues to be a problem and becomes worse, that's something you'd have to have on the list of options. But it's also possible it doesn't have to take place."

Cashman recalled two players with back issues who were able to pitch after epidurals - Jeff Nelson and Darren Holmes, which was part of the reason for the GM's "cautiously optimistic" outlook. "There are people who have this and function with it and it's not a problem if it's under control," Cashman said. "Other people, it needs to be addressed surgically."

Randy Johnson's back is out:

Yankees lefty Randy Johnson has a herniated disc in his lower back, an injury that could prevent him from pitching in the playoffs next week.

The injury was discovered during an MRI exam Thursday. After being examined by team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon and back specialist Dr. Paul Kuflick, Johnson received an epidural injection Friday.

"Hopefully that will ease the discomfort," New York manager Joe Torre said. "If it doesn't ease the discomfort, I'm not sure he's going to be able to pitch. But we don't expect that to be the case."

A healthy Wang, Johnson and Mussina can hold opponents' runs low enough to give the Yankees excellent offense a chance to win. In a five game series, you could see the Yankees find three wins in four starts by that trio. In a seven game series, with those three starting six of the games, you could see the Yankees winning four. But with just Wang and Mussina? Lidle and Wright are iffy at best. The Yankees road to the World Championship just got tougher.

Pedro Martinez injured his other calf, and he's out for the year:

jeez, the thing is, it was the right calf that he was rebounding from...which means he had to have damaged the left, while nursing back the right

Everything's connected. Here's the news story:

The Mets tonight shut down Martinez for the rest of the season because of a newly revealed injury to his left calf. Martinez had missed a full two months of the season because of an injury to his right calf.

It was not clear when Martinez suffered the latest injury. He has returned to New York for further evaluation.

The Mets went a month without Pedro in the rotation. The starters in that time did not look good. They did, however, go 13-9 in 28 starts despite a 5.58 ERA. The Mets offense is very good, can can do a lot for a pitcher with an ERA of 5.00. Note that the bullpen did not lose a game during this stretch, either.

Brad Radke is going to make a start tonight.

For the 33-year-old Radke to be able to throw one pitch would seem to be an accomplishment. He has been pitching on borrowed time the past few seasons with a nagging right shoulder injury, and that time seemed to expire on Aug. 25.

Radke, 12-9 with a 4.46 earned-run average this season, left his start at Chicago that night after two innings. He later was diagnosed with a rare stress fracture in his shoulder socket, and almost no one in the organization expected him to return.

'Honestly, I've been leery, so I think it's incredible,' manager Ron Gardenhire said. 'It's going to be nerve-racking for me because I don't want to have to walk out to the mound having him grabbing his arm. But I know this is all he's wanted. I'm really excited for him.'

I hope it goes well for Brad. He's had a fine career, and it would be good to see him go out on a high note. However, I suspect Gardnehire's fear is the more likely outcome.

Pedro Martinez's calf is the cause of his pitching woes now:

Slowed this time by an ailing calf, Martinez said he's got no confidence in his pitches and all but conceded that he won't start in Game 1 of the NL playoffs next week -- if he's able to pitch at all in the opening round.

"I've worked hard to try and get back, but obviously I'm not 100 percent," Martinez said. "I don't feel healthy."

I don't think this will hurt the Mets all that much in the NL playoffs. Obviously, they're a much better team with Pedro healthy, but the offense is capable of scoring lots of runs, so even a decent pitcher will do well with this team (note that Steve Trachsel is 15-8 with a 4.97 ERA). If they get to the World Series, however, especially against the Yankees or Twins, they'll miss a sound Martinez.

Here's the latest on Nick Johnson's injury:

The first baseman collided with right fielder Austin Kearns while chasing David Wright's blooper down the right-field line that fell in for a triple. Johnson was immobilized and taken to a hospital. He was scheduled to have surgery Saturday night in New York to repair his right femur, the bone in the upper part of his leg.

Second baseman Jose Vidro, who was near the collision, said he heard a "crack." Washington manager Frank Robinson said that when trainers tried to move Johnson, "You can't even describe the sounds he made."

"You sit there and see a teammate and a friend on the ground yelling in pain," Kearns said. "It makes you sick to your stomach. I'm just sick to my stomach, I don't know anything else to say."

He was so close to playing a full season, too. Here's best wishes for a speedy recovery, Nick.

Nick Johnson is being taken off the field on a stretcher after colliding with rightfielder Austin Kearns. Johnson is lying on the ground on his stomach. I've seen him move, but they're immobilizing a leg. This looks pretty serious, and they're being very cautious.

Update: He's in a lot of pain as they take him off the field. I haven't seen any blood on his pants, so I don't think it's a compound fracture. I'll bet he broke a bone, however.

Update: I just watched the replay again, and as Johnson rolls, you see his lower right leg flop over, as if he had no control. It sure looks like that leg broke.

Coco Crisp's broken index finger requires surgery.

The Boston Globe reported on its Web site on Friday that Crisp will undergo surgery on his left index finger on Monday. According to manager Terry Francona, Crisp has a fracture that will require the insertion of a pin or screw.

With luck, a healthy Crisp can get his career back on track in 2007.

Eric Milton underwent elbow surgery today:

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Eric Milton underwent arthroscopic surgery Friday to clean out his left elbow, the team announced.

The 30-minute procedure was performed by team medical director Dr. Timothy Kremcheck. Milton is expected to recover fully by spring training, the team said.

Toronto is shutting down Roy Halladay for the rest of the season:

The team had only to confirm the decision today after Halladay suffered a right forearm strain in Wednesday's 3-2 win over New York.

It was Halladay's second arm related injury in his last three starts. He also missed a start in April with a right forearm strain. With nothing to play for but second place, the club was fully expected to shut down their top pitcher and best player, and have him healthy for spring training next February.

This also kills any chance had at the Cy Young award, especially if Santana wins 20.

Here's the latest news on Brad Radke. The fact that he can play catch is a very good sign:

After four consecutive days of playing catch pain-free, Radke experienced 'dull' pain during a bullpen session in which he estimated he threw at about 80 percent strength.

'It was all right,' he said. 'Of course, it wasn't 100 percent, but I didn't expect it to be 100 percent. I threw all my pitches. Everything else was fine.'

Radke (12-9), who said late in the week that he hoped to return to the rotation as soon as next weekend in Baltimore, didn't sound as confident about that plan after throwing Saturday. But he expressed optimism about his progress and plans to play catch again today in anticipation of a second bullpen session Tuesday.

'I'll know more Tuesday,' he said. 'I could have thrown it as hard as I wanted, but I don't want to go out there and throw it as hard as I want and blow it out. I've got to ease into it.

Andruw Jones just hit a hard ground ball to the box that hits Anibal Sanchez on the back of the hand. After checking him out and letting him throw some warmup tosses, he stays in the game and strikes out McCann, the next batter he faces. The game is scoreless in the bottom of the fourth.

Francisco Liriano's MRI showed nothing new:

Minnesota Twins fans can relax a little bit for the moment. Francisco Liriano's MRI shows no new structural damage to his left elbow, two sources told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Liriano's MRI results were very similar to the results from early August, which showed a mild tear of his ulnar collateral ligament, the paper reported.

Liriano, 22, could still be headed for a second opinion.

With luck, all he needs is a winter off.

Nick M. attended the Twins game yesterday and offers his thoughts on Liriano's future:

If he is going to come back and be a successful pitcher, he'll have to change his delivery motion and likely either rid himself of his slider or find a different way to throw it. It is, of course, quite difficult to know whether or not the Twins are thinking of this, but they should be. It's good that they have shut him down for the year now, but they may have wanted to be more cautious before.

When there is elbow pain in a pitcher's throwing arm, you have to consider the pitcher. A power pitcher like Liriano who throws a lot of breaking balls needs to be treated a certain way. Without his slider, he may not be as confident, so the plan of simply asking him to throw less sliders and throw more fastballs and changeups sounds a lot easier then it is in action.

Needless to say, this news sends a depressing wave through the organization and fanbase, but I am in no way surprised. When he first injured himself, I suggested that the Twins be cautious and consider revamping his delivery to take pressure of the young pitcher's left elbow. Now, with Liriano likely more hurt than he was before, they may have to do that anyway.

The Twins radio announcer described Liriano's motion as violent. He uses every muscle in his body to generate speed, putting lots of stress on the elbow. Yesterday, the elbow couldn't take it.

Purchase ALDS tickets.

Trey in the comments to this post writes:

ESPN reported on SportsCenter that manager Ron Gardenhire has said Francisco Liriano is shut down for the season.

Which should have been a given I think earlier. Obviously thats easier to say now but this raises the question of whether the Twins rushed him back to help the playoff run.

I don't know if it's a given. His rehab was okay, and the Twins are trying to win a playoff spot. I can't blame them for trying to get him healthy and back in the lineup. But it's good they're not going to try again.

The good news for Houston fans is that the Astros lead the Cardinals 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh. The bad news is that Andy Pettitte left the game early with an injury:

Astros lefthander Andy Pettitte, who was scratched Monday and pushed back a day because of a tender left ankle, departed with a left elbow flexor muscle strain Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Pettitte exited down 2-1 against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He was taken out of the decision when Orlando Palmeiro hit a two-run single up the middle to give the Astros a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

I haven't seen anything on the serverity of the injury.

The chances of the Twins making the playoffs just got better:

The Minnesota Twins on Monday activated rookie phenom Francisco Liriano from the 15-day disabled list.

Liriano, who has drawn comparisons to 2004 Cy Young Award winner and teammate Johan Santana, has taken the American League by storm this season, going 12-3 with a 2.19 ERA. However, he has been on the disabled list since Aug. 8 with a strained ligament in his left elbow.

The 22-year-old left-hander is expected to start Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics.

With Silva returning to form, I'm guessing Baker is out of the rotation. If Liriano pitches as he did before the injury, the Twins become that much tougher an opponent in post season as well.

Roy Halladay left the game today after being hit by a batted ball.

With two outs in the opening frame, Angels left fielder Garret Anderson sent a 2-2 pitch back up the middle. The ball bounced off Halladay's back -- near his throwing shoulder. After Toronto head trainer George Poulis, pitching coach Brad Arnsberg and manager John Gibbons visited Halladay on the mound, the pitcher left the game. He was replaced by right-hander Josh Towers.

Last season, Halladay had a bone broken in his left shin by a line drive off the bat of Texas' Kevin Mench on July 8 in Arlington. That shot ended his season after the former American League Cy Young Award winner went 12-8 with a 2.41 ERA.

He must feel like there's a bull's eye painted on him.

Arthur Rhodes is heading back to Philadelphia to have his shoulder examined:

With closer Tom Gordon and Rick White unavailable, Sanches was thrown into a tough situation when Rhodes was forced to leave with a strained left shoulder after throwing a wild pitch that gave the Marlins runners on second and third with one out.

"It looks like he's hurt pretty bad," Manuel said of Rhodes, who will fly to Philadelphia today for an examination.

The speculation is that Rhodes will be out for the rest of the season.

With the Phillies and Marlins tied in the bottom of the tenth, Arthur Rhodes lets loose a wild pitch that puts runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. After he throws the pitch, he looked in pain and he's removed from the game.

Update: Sanches comes in and loads the bases with an intentional walk. Cody Ross then singles to center on a 1-1 pitch to win the game for the Marlins. You might think they just won the World Series! There's a lot of enthusiasm on this team.

Jeff Conine tied the score in the ninth with an RBI single. He's six for twenty two this year vs. his former team.

Jason Isringhausen's left hip is causing him problems:

According to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jason Isringhausen will not pitch this weekend and could be done for the year due to pain and inflammation in his arthritic left hip.

The right-hander blew his 10th save on Wednesday and then told the club that issues had flaired up with the hip.

"It's just gradually gotten worse and worse," Isringhausen told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday. "I've never had this much problem with my control. The other day [Wednesday], I had no idea where the ball was going.

The Cardinals bullpen put up good numbers this season, especially with their control. That indicates some depth, so I would think they can overcome this injury.

The Arizona Republic rounds up the latest on the injury front. Mark Mulder gets rotator cuff surgery, Everyday Eddie Guardaro will miss a season after ligament replacement surgery. HIdeki Matsui is rehabbing and will be the DH for the Yankees once he's back. Francisco Liriano should be back next week against the Indians.

Not injury related, Dmitri Young was cut loose by the Tigers. Dombrowski said it was performance related, but he's hit well since his return from the DL. He hasn't hit well the last 10 games he's played, but it's just 44 at bat, much too small a sample size to draw any conclusions. It seems the Tigers were looking for an excuse to cut him loose.

Metsblog.com notes that the Mets keep shifting on how much time Pedro needs to get ready for the post season:

...however, for what it's worth, i am noticing a change in language from people at shea...it once was said martinez would need three-to-four starts to be ready for october...you heard the same, over and over...now, the rhetoric seems to be shifting to two-to-three starts...

...i'm not sure if this matters at all, but it may be a sign that he will not return to action until the third week of september, at home against the marlins, as opposed to returning the week before in florida...

I take it to mean Pedro isn't healing as fast as they thought he would, and to me that's a bad sign.

Carlos Zambrano didn't just have a bad outing yesterday, he had a bad back:

In the last two seasons, Carlos Zambrano has left games early with back pain, a blister on his finger, tennis elbow and an injured big left toe.

For the most part, the Cubs ace has puffed his chest out, showed his macho, shrugged off those injuries and proclaimed he would make his next start.

He always did.

So it might be cause for concern that Monday -- the first time in 2006 that Zambrano left a game because of injury -- he not only kicked aside the tough-guy act, but requested an MRI for this morning after feeling back stiffness and spasms.

The 25-year-old Cy Young Award hopeful left Monday's game -- a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh in front of a Wrigley Field crowd of 39,868 -- in the second inning.

"It feels better after they iced me," Zambrano said after the game. "But I'll have an MRI and we'll see what will happen after that. We'll talk about what could happen. We'll see if they stop me for the year. I don't know. We'll see."

Stopping him for the year would certainly take him out of the Cy Young race, although Chris Carpenter may be doing that all by himself.

The early reports on the knee are good:

Beltran, who trudged off the field with his left arm draped around trainer Ray Ramirez's shoulder, had X-rays taken at St. Joseph's Hospital in downtown Houston last night. The X-rays came back negative and Beltran is day-to-day. Warren Kadrmas, a former team doctor who attended the game, told Beltran he didn't feel any gaps in the center fielder's knee, suggesting no ligament or tendon damage.

"He made a great catch, unbelievable catch," said Mets manager Willie Randolph. "He went all out and sacrificed his body, that's why he's one of the great players in the game."

Randolph planned to give Beltran a day off today regardless. The Mets' 161/2-game lead in the NL East affords them the luxury of an extended rest if necessary. "I don't want to make this a gloom-and-doom situation," Randolph said. "He'll probably be fine." Beltran sounded reasonably upbeat and even made light of the situation, noting that there was no comparison between this crash and his scary head-to-head collision with Mike Cameron last season.

"After we collided I didn't know where I was. This one I knew where I was. After I heard the boos, I knew I was in Houston," said Beltran, who has been jeered each game here since defecting to the Mets, though the crowd mostly offered sympathetic applause after the injury.

Sometimes damage doesn't show up until after the swelling goes down, so I'm sure he'll be examined again before he plays. A few days off won't hurt him or the team. The Mets magic number is 12 with 28 games to play for the division, 17 for home field through the NL playoffs.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz blogs the game for the Houston Chronicle:

Berkman lined a shot toward the left-center field wall, but Beltran sprinted in and made the catch while crashing into the wall. Once Beltran limped off the field, Wagner struck out Chris Burke to seal the Mets' 4-2 victory.

The Mets are 21-9 since the start of August. They can afford to give Beltran time to heal if he needs it. With luck, it's nothing, but even taking three weeks off would be fin at this point.

Update: It looks like his knee.

Jon Lester does indeed have cancer.

Boston Red Sox rookie pitcher Jon Lester has a form of lymphoma and will begin treatment within the week, the team said Friday.

The 22-year-old left-hander was placed on the disabled list Monday with back pain, but tests revealed enlarged lymph nodes. The team said Lester has a treatable form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

There's more information on the disease here:

Systemic ALCL can involve lymph nodes and extranodal sites acting aggressively but responds to chemotherapy used to treat other large cell lymphomas. The systemic form is associated with a t(2;5) chromosomal abnormality, leading to the production of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) protein. This so-called "classic" ALCL is most common in children and adolescents.

Meanwhile, Brad Radke's career may be over:

Twins pitcher Brad Radke has a stress fracture in his right shoulder, an injury Minnesota doesn't necessarily think will end his season.

Radke's injury, to the glenoid area of the shoulder joint, is a rare condition and was not detected in previous exams, the Twins said Friday. Dr. Dan Buss recommended that he not throw for two to three weeks.

Radke is going to retire at the end of the season. If the Twins don't make the playoffs, he may not pitch again.

Update: Sorry to not have written this last night, but I hope both players make speedy and full recoveries.

As if the Red Sox didn't have enough troubles, Coco Crisp is out with a bad shoulder. Kapler is in center today, flanked by Youkilis and Hinske.

Schilling struck out Nick Swisher in the first for his 3000th strikeout. He has the best strikeout/walk ratio of any pitcher with 3000 K. That will change once Pedro gets to 3000.

Update: Sorry, I had looked at BaseballReference.com which had Pedro ahead of Schilling through 2005. Curt passed Martinez this season.

If there's one person I don't want hitting a line drive at my head, it's Vlad Guerrero:

One out into the eighth inning, the Seattle Mariners' lead over the Los Angeles Angels wasn't important. Neither was the Mariners' eventual 6-4 victory, nor even the game of baseball for that matter.

Mariners relief pitcher Rafael Soriano writhed on the ground in front of the mound at Safeco Field, having experienced one of the game's worst fears.

Power-hitting Vladimir Guerrero had hit him in the head with a line drive.

Let's hope Soriano doesn't end up like Jim Edmonds:

Dr. Edward Khalfayan, a team physician who was on the field tending to Soriano, said the pitcher had a concussion.

"We don't feel it's anything very serious," Khalfayan said. "He didn't lose consciousness at all. He was able to move his arms and legs. He had normal sensations. He just had a very bad headache and he had swelling in the back of his head. He did not have anything that indicated that he had a fracture."

Khalfayan said Soriano would remain in the hospital overnight and undergo more tests today. He said it typically takes one or two days to determine the severity of such an injury.

Here's Guerrero's reaction:

Guerrero was visibly shaken by the scene. He stood quietly on first base, then went to the dugout and sat expressionless during the delay.

"As soon as I turned around and saw him on the ground, all I could do was pray for him and his family that he will be OK," Guerrero said.

Let's all hope Soriano is okay. With batters getting stronger all the time, I wonder if the time has come for pitchers to start wearing head and face protection? Bryce Florie had his career ended by such a drive, and Matt Clement hasn't been the same his he was hit in the head. Jaret Wright seems to get hit every time he pitches. It's quite possible we'll see a death from this at some point.

Derrek Lee is off the disabled list and back in the Cubs lineup. Unfortunately, he's 0 for 2 so far as Pittsburgh jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the fourth. Jason Bay, having another outstanding year for the Pirates, hit his 29th homer of the season and drove in half of the Pirates runs. That gives him 93 RBI on the season and 85 runs scored. Looks like he'll break the century mark in both categories again.

We now have an explanation for Carl Pavano's mystery ailment:

Carl Pavano, the Yankees' oft-injured free agent pitcher, was hurt in a car accident on Aug. 15 but informed the club of the injury only in recent days, and he was examined in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday for a possible rib fracture.

It's a case of bad luck and bad judgement. At this point, Pavano's luck is so bad that it can only get better.

Brad Wilkerson is on the mend after shoulder surgery:

Wilkerson said he has already started rehab and expects to begin his normal off-season routine on Nov. 1, which is his usual start date. He also will be ready to swing a bat at that time and plans on working with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo several times over the winter.

Maybe Texas can still get a long term positive out of Wilkerson.

Derek Lowe left the Dodgers game early last night:

Dodgers starter Derek Lowe lasted only 3 2-3 innings before leaving with a bruised left thumb. Lowe, winner of four of his last five starts, was struck in the left hand by Chad Tracy's line drive. X-rays were negative.

Lowe allowed a run on five hits, three of them infield singles.

The pen did a good job, allowing just 2 runs over 5 1/3 innings. That was enough, however, to tie the game and set up the game winning home run by Jeff Kent leading off the ninth inning. The Dodgers are in a bit of a home run drought, having hit just seven in their last 10 games, five in their last three. They've also lost six of their last nine.

After a week back from his injured back, Bobby Crosby is back on the DL. The way he's playing this year, the A's may be a bit better off. Overall, the A's shortstops are hitting .235 with a .310 OBA and a .359 slugging percentage. Most of that come from Crosby who contributed .229/.298/.338. What they really need is the 2005 Crosby.

Mike Mussina went on the disabled list today, and Ben Kabak notes this will prevent him from winning 20 for the first time in his career.

Aaron Rowand is likely out for the rest of the season:

Rowand, who won a World Series ring with the Chicago White Sox last year, broke his left ankle in the bottom of the eighth inning when he collided with second baseman Chase Utley while charging a short fly ball hit by John Mabry. Rowand went flying and tumbled on the ground, landing on his neck before rolling over and jamming his ankle. He was down for a bit before being helped off the field and was taken to a hospital for X-rays.

"I heard my neck crack when I hit the ground," he said. "Then I just laid there and took inventory."

Rowand was upbeat Tuesday despite the injury. He watched highlights of his collision on the clubhouse TV and talked to new teammate Jamie Moyer, who started for the Phillies Tuesday.

Last time he was out, the Phillies went 9-4 in his absence. This forces the high OBA David Dellucci into the lineup, which might in fact make the offense better. They're 1-0 without Aaron in this set of games.

Manny Ramirez's hamstring is still cramped, so he's out of the lineup tonight. Alex Gonzalez goes on the DL, making room for Dustin Pedroia, who's batting ninth today. Pena's in left, and Kapler's in right. With the Twins and White Sox losing, Boston has a chance to pick up a game in the wild card. However, with Oakland dropping a game to Toronto, the Angels also have a chance to gain in the West.

Manny Ramirez right hamstring cramped during today's game. I doubt a long plane ride is going to make it feel much better.

The Cardinals may lose David Eckstein for the rest of the season:

The injury occurred when third-base coach Jose Oquendo waved Eckstein home on first baseman Albert Pujols' one-out single into shallow left field. A weak throw by Cubs left fielder Angel Pagan arrived at about the same time as Eckstein, whose left leg became pinned beneath Barrett. The slide jarred the ball from Barrett, who then kneed Eckstein behind the ribs in the ensuing scramble.

Barrett "really got my leg pretty good, so that's what I was really feeling when I came off," Eckstein said. "I was just hoping it was a cramp. When I went out there to throw, I definitely felt it."

Eckstein left the field after making one warm-up toss before the bottom half of the inning. "As soon as I threw the ball there was no chance," said Eckstein, who was examined by a Cubs team doctor but did not have X-rays.

It may not be that big of a loss. Eckstein's done a poor job getting on base since the start of June. If the Cardinals can find a player with even league average OBA and a little power, they should actually improve with David out of the lineup.

Hat tip 6-4-2.

During my radio show yesterday I mentioned how Jim Edmonds OBA and slugging percentage fell off this year. I speculated it was just him getting older, but now we know the real reason:

St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome Wednesday, one day after leaving a game because of dizziness and blurred vision.

Edmonds underwent an MRI on Tuesday night that showed normal brain function, then had a battery of tests Wednesday to rule out other possibilities such as diabetes, nutrition deficiencies or an infection. Trainer Barry Weinberg said all the tests were normal.

"We're just going to keep it under the category of post-concussion syndrome and we'll just go day by day and see how he feels," Weinberg said. "He's got to just give me the input every day."

The concussion happened nearly two months ago:

Edmonds sustained what was described as a slight concussion on June 21 when he crashed into the wall in Chicago trying to rob White Sox third baseman Joe Crede of a home run. Edmonds said he's had intermittent bouts of dizziness and blurred vision along with nausea since then, feelings that have intensified after a couple of diving attempts in the last week or so.

"The last four or five days I've just really been clueless," Edmonds said. "I started to notice it the most when I tried to catch two fly balls on Saturday night and both of them almost came out of my glove."

But he said Tuesday was "terrible" and the "worst day."

Edmonds mentioned to assistant trainer Greg Hauck that he was having difficulty focusing and had blurred vision before taking the field for the fifth inning. He was removed before a pitch was thrown after the news was relayed to manager Tony La Russa and Weinberg, who met Edmonds on the field.

Until he woke up Wednesday, Edmonds had thought it was only the second inning when he came out.

"You don't really know what's what," Edmonds said. "I couldn't believe it was the fifth inning."

The Bridwatch apologizes. Dwight Schrute can sympathize.

Update: Added missing link to article.

The Mets returned Pedro Martinez to the disabled list today:

Pedro Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday by the New York Mets with a minor strain in his right calf.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was examined in New York on Tuesday, one day after the injury forced him out of his start against the Philadelphia Phillies following the worst first inning of his career.

There's no word in the article on how long they expect him to be out of action.

Placido Polanco's shoulder landed him on the disable list:

he Tigers have suffered their third major injury of the season.

They've already overcome Mike Maroth's elbow surgery.

They've already overcome Dmitri Young's two-month absence with a leg injury and personal woes.

Now they must overcome second baseman Placido Polanco's separated left shoulder.

The Tigers placed Polanco on the disabled list with that injury, which he suffered making a diving catch in the seventh inning Tuesday night. The club recalled infielder Ramon Santiago from Triple-A Toledo to take his place. Santiago and Omar Infante figure to get the starts at second base in place of Polanco.

Polanco's offense wasn't that good this year, at least among regular second basemen. Still, I'd much rather have Placido in there than Infante. Santiago isn't much better. It's a good thing the team's built a big lead in the race for the playoffs.

Placido Polanco of the Tigers separated his shoulder diving for a pop up in the outfield. He's out and Ivan Rodriguez is playing second. For Baltimore, Melvin Mora caught a hard line drive, but the ball smashed into his thumb, and he was pulled from the game as well.

Correction: Sorry, Pudge Rodriguez is playing second for Polanco. I was watching the game, and they showed Carlos Guillen when they were talking about the second base replacement. Peter Gammons did a piece for ESPN many years ago talking about I-Rod's foot work, and how it was so good he could easily move to second base.

Andruw Jones won't be in the lineup for the Braves tonight:

The Braves said Jones has patellar tendinitis in his left knee.

There's no word on the seriousness of the injury or how it happened.

Pedro Martinez strained his calf warming up in the bullpen Monday night, leading to his disasterous first inning:

Two starts ago, in Florida, Martínez wore an ice pack on the same calf, of his push-off leg, before taking the mound. But questions about his health subsided after he pitched six impressive innings, allowing one run while striking out nine and surrendering no walks in a no-decision.

On Monday night, Martínez was vulnerable from the beginning and lasted only one inning. This was his briefest appearance since June 20, 1995, when, with Montreal, he lasted two-thirds of an inning while allowing six hits and five runs against Houston. Never before had he given up six runs in the first inning.

When Martínez said he felt tightness in the bullpen, nobody informed Randolph. Martínez thought the muscle would loosen up, Peterson said, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

This is one of those things that's not going to bother the Mets standing the rest of the season. What it could do, however, is effect their playoff chances. The Mets goal right now should be getting Pedro healthy for October.

This time it's rotator cuff tendinitis.

The Cubs want Prior to rest for three weeks before throwing again, which could mean the end of his season if he doesn't have time to make enough rehab starts before rejoining the Cubs.

"Everybody can do the math as to what that does for the rest of the season," Cubs trainer Mark O'Neal said. "At the end of the three weeks, hopefully we're going to (start) throwing and we'll go from there - I haven't really looked at the calendar. Then it would take 10 days of bullpen to get going again. The likelihood of him returning this year is questionable."

Prior began the season on the DL with a sore shoulder and went back on in July with a strained oblique muscle. He's made nine starts, going 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA, his only win coming against Pittsburgh on Aug. 5, when he allowed five hits and two runs in 5 2-3 innings.

What a shame. With all the injuries, you have to wonder if he'll be able to come back, and if he does, will he lose his ability to strike out batters.

Francisco Liriano underwent an enhanced MRI and the results show the injury to be quite extensive:

The test showed a mild chronic strain of his ulnar collateral ligament, and a clinical exam revealed weakness and stiffness in his shoulder that is causing that soreness in his forearm near his elbow.

Team physician Dr. John Steubs said Thursday night that he was "optimistic, but not totally confident" that Liriano would pitch again in 2006. For now, he'll treat the shoulder and elbow with physical therapy.

Elbow to shoulder to forearm. We are complicated machines.

Brad Wilkerson continues to suffer through a bad season, and now is on the bench as Matt Stairs gets the starting job. It was my opinion that the Wilkerson for Soriano trade would work out well for the Rangers, but Brad's been a disappointment. However, there is a reason for his slump:

Wilkerson has battled shoulder problems all season and has had a pair of cortisone injections to relieve soreness. He received the most recent injection the weekend before the All-Star break. While Wilkerson has said the pain has subsided, his performance has not picked up.

Showalter is still positive about Brad:

"Brad has been very team-oriented since he got here," manager Buck Showalter said. "I still think he's got his best baseball ahead of him. I hope we get to a point where he gets back in there and helps us. But he's handled this with a lot of maturity."

Showalter met with Wilkerson last weekend in Anaheim to discuss the rest of the season. Though Wilkerson has considered shoulder-ending surgery, he assured the manager he'd be available if needed. Wilkerson said if he had surgery during the season, it would only be after the AL West race was decided.

Batgirl links to an article indicating Liriano's elbow is injured, contradicting earlier stories. The article is not definite on the injury, but everything I've read from the Twins says it's not the elbow.

Update: Sports Illustrated is still referring the problem as muscular.

It was continued soreness in his forearm that's being blamed for Francisco Liriano's poor performance last night:

'It started bothering me in the second inning,' Liriano said. 'It really bothered me. I couldn't throw fastball, changeup, slider or anything.'

After facing Detroit on July 28, Liriano (12-3) missed his next scheduled start because of inflammation in his forearm. But the rest hardly seemed to help _ he gave up a long homer to Marcus Thames and an RBI double to Magglio Ordonez.

'It's a muscular problem. As the game was going on, he started to feel it,' Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. 'We had him checked out before, and everything was fine, but we'll have him checked out again. It's muscles, not his elbow.'

My first reaction is to shut down Liriano. However, the Twins are still in the heat of the wild card race, which makes the decision more difficult. However, the Twins are about to pull another good, young pitcher out of their system, Matt Garza. Instead of using him to replace the #5 starter, put Liriano on the DL and let Garza take Francisco's spot. Liriano is too valuable to take a chance this injury might lead to more trouble if he tries to pitch through it.

WasWatching links to the latest on Hideki Matsui's wrist. He's still a month away from returning.

Boof Bonser made today's start in Minnesota due to an injury to Francisco Liriano.

"It's not an elbow, it's just in the forearm, it's muscular," Minnesota pitching coach Rick Anderson said after Tuesday night's 9-0 loss to Texas. "It's just more of a precaution. You don't want to mess with him. If we were to run him out there and it's not 100 percent and something happens you'd never forgive yourself."

Anderson said Liriano would likely miss one start, adding that if it were late September he would likely start.

"He could pitch, but we're not going to let him pitch," he said. "He doesn't want to do this, but we made him do it."

Let's hope it is indeed not serious.

According to the NESN broadcast, Jason Varitek requires knee surgery and the Red Sox placed him on the disabled list. Here's the story from the Globe.

Update: The surgery was speculation on the part of the announcers. That has not yet been decided.

Update: Ken Huckaby, called up to replace Jason, was hitting very poorly at AAA.

Duaner Sanchez is out for the season after getting injured in a taxi-cab accident:

Sanchez, 26, apparently was injured while riding as a passenger in a taxicab that was involved in a car accident Sunday night after the Mets landed in Miami. He returned to New York to undergo surgery on Monday.

The Mets already had been looking for bullpen help, and their search intensified in the final hours before Monday's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline. Mets GM Omar Minaya was on the phone early Monday morning contacting other clubs about relievers who might be available.

That puts a little more pressure on the Mets. Let's hope Sanchez can make a full recovery. Stay tuned for news on the trade front here.

Trot Nixon swings and misses for strike two in the bottom of the third. He follows through all the way around and injures himself. He's out of the game, and Pena strikesout in his place.

I noticed Albert Pujols is not in the lineup for the Cardinals today. He hasn't been traded, it's an elbow injury. St. Louis could use his hitting as the Cubs are out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the third.

Chipper Jones returns to the disabled list:

Jones said he didn't try to talk the team out of placing him on the DL with the oblique injury.

"I didn't have any grounds to fight it," Jones said. "I took four days off and it did feel better but it just wasn't ready. I'm going to need probably the better part of the DL stint to get it completely healed."

Jones also was on the disabled list from April 10 to April 25 with a sprained right ankle and knee, and he also has had to play through problems with his feet for the second straight year.

Jones was a leader in the Braves resurgence. They're 3-4 since his injury.

Doctors are taking a look at Chris Benson's elbow:

The Orioles sent Kris Benson back to Baltimore yesterday to have his right elbow examined after the starting pitcher complained of soreness in his pitching arm after his start on Tuesday night.

Benson is scheduled to see team doctor Andy Cosgarea today, leaving his status to make his next start, Sunday at Camden Yards against the Chicago White Sox, in doubt.

He's only pitched one good start in his last six, and the home runs are just flying off opposing batter's bats. It sure seems like there's something wrong.

As if getting trounced by the Angels today isn't bad enough, Scott Kazmir is going to miss his next start:

"He's a little bit sore," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said before Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. "We just wanted to move him back and give him a couple extra days. We're pretty sure he's going to be fine at that point. I really have no major concerns at all. I think a little extra rest will do the trick."

That sounds familiar...

There's not much chance of the Cubs offense getting much better now that Derrek Lee is on the disabled list again:

Clearly bothered by inflammation of the right wrist after undergoing surgery three months ago, Derrek Lee was put back on the disabled list by the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

The slugging first baseman hit just .227 with one home run and four RBI in 20 games since being activated from the DL on June 25. After nearly a month of trying to play through pain in the wrist, Lee will now get to rest it for at least two weeks.

If two weeks is enough. That's the problem with hitters and wrist injuries. They often seem to come back too early and end up struggling.

Jake Peavy hit Barry Bonds in the knee last night:

Just when things looked up for the slugger and after he gave his right knee a clean bill of health, he hurt the other one.

Bonds left the Giants' 8-2 victory over San Diego on Friday night because of a bruised left knee following a leadoff single in the third inning, giving way to pinch-runner and defensive replacement Todd Linden. Bonds, hit by Jake Peavy's pitch in the first inning, was listed as day-to-day.

After Peavy pounded Bonds, the Giants pounded back with seven runs off the Padres ace in four innings. Omar Vizquel knocked out a single, double, and triple in the winning cause as the Giants took the game 8-2. Matt Cain was one out away from a shutout when Greene lauched a two run homer.

The Giants find themselves just 1/2 game behind the Padres for the NL West lead with two more games this weekend.

It wasn't Tim Wakefield's back, it was his ribs:

The Red Sox will have to make do without pitcher Tim Wakefield for at least three weeks, after extensive tests revealed he has a stress fracture in his rib cage, a source with direct knowledge of the injury confirmed.

The Red Sox were trying to keep it quiet:

The Sox had put off placing Wakefield on the DL for a couple of reasons: They were awaiting a definitive analysis of the tests, and they also wanted Epstein to have more time to explore trades without clubs gaining leverage upon learning of Wakefield's injury.

Luckily, David Wells is close to returning, although the Sox may be trading one back problem for another.

Hideki Matsui aims for an August 15th comeback:

Matsui broke his left wrist May 11 diving for a ball in left field. He had surgery a couple days later and the Japanese import was told he would be able to play in three months. Matsui took it literally and so Aug. 15 became the target date for his return. Tomorrow a doctor will assess whether he can begin hitting drills, which would be a huge step toward meeting his goal.

An early comeback by Hideki would lessen the need for the Yankees to trade for an outfielder.

Jeff Kent is on the DL.

Troy Glaus's knee continues to bother him.

Prolonged treatments hadn't eased the soreness in the third baseman's right knee enough to get Glaus down the hall to the private players' lounge any quicker.

He paused momentarily when asked how he was doing after being pulled from the 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners after struggling through a fourth-inning at-bat.

"Obviously, not well right now,''said Glaus, offering up a quick grin on an otherwise long face.

Glaus ranks 11th in the majors in slugging percentage as a third baseman.

Sometimes events have a way of moving a team in the right direction:

Counsell suffered a right rib fracture while swinging through a high fastball from Brewers reliever Matt Wise in the seventh inning. A grimace covering his face, Counsell immediately dropped his bat and reached for his side.

With their shortstop on the disabled list, the Diamondbacks go to their deep farm system at the position:

Help, however, is on the way. Top prospect Stephen Drew will be recalled today from Triple-A Tucson, where he's hitting .283 with 13 home runs. Melvin suggested after the game that Damion Easley will start at shortstop today against Brewers left-hander Chris Capuano, thus giving Drew a chance to get settled.

After a good start in April, Counsell hasn't hit well. If Drew (or Upton) is as good as they say, Counsell could be the latest player to join the Wally Pipp club.

Back in the fall of 1978, Bill Murray took over for Dan Ackroyd playing the male anchor on weekend update. When he got to the story about Pope John Paul I dying, he said, "We did this story last month!"

That's how I feel whenever I see a story like this:

Cubs right-hander Mark Prior went back on the 15-day disabled list Friday, this time with a strained left oblique muscle.

What's up with Manny's knee? Gordon Edes tries to get confirmation of Will Carroll's story:

One source, although not offering direct confirmation of Carroll's report, acknowledged some degree of accuracy. Another source, however, said neither the Red Sox medical staff nor an outside entity have administered an MRI to Ramírez and have not indicated they intend to do so. Without an MRI, the source said, the Sox would only be guessing there is a tear.

Part of the problem is this:

Red Sox officials will not offer details on Ramírez's injury, saying they are prevented from doing so by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects the privacy of medical patients.

Which is the same right all of us possess. Manny would need to give permission for the club to talk about the injury. Without that, we'll just have to rely on sources. That privacy may also have led to this:

One high-ranking MLB executive said last night that in his conversations with Red Sox officials, they never told him Ramírez was injured, only that he didn't want to come.

Will Carroll had this to say about Manny in his Under the Knife column.

Ramirez is suffering from a small tear in the medial meniscus of his right knee. It's an injury he can play with, but one that can "grind," a bone-on-bone situation that is unpredictable and painful.

So I asked him:

In regards to Manny Ramirez's injury, how much will three days off help? How much would batting in the top of the first, then coming out of the game hurt?

Will's reply:

Good question. I don't think it would be problematic for him to have done it, but any rest is better than none.

Earlier this year I compared Rick Ankiel to a character from Li'l Abner. Now Mark Prior is competing for the title:

Prior, who has made just four starts after recovering from a shoulder injury, said he wasn't swinging hard in batting practice Saturday and simply was trying to get loose. He said his left side didn't feel right, and he watched the Cubs' 3-1 victory Saturday night from a couch in the visitor's clubhouse.

"I was sitting on the couch and I got up and felt the pain in my side," Prior said. "This morning, I felt good and I was getting ready and then I sneezed, and I realized it wasn't getting better."

It's sad to see so much talent ruined by injuries.

Al at Bleed Cubbie Blue mourns the loss of Kerry Wood's career as a starter as he's facing rotator cuff surgery.

Eric Gagne's woes continue. He now suffers from two herniated discs and may need surgery.

Manager Grady Little spoke to Gagne in the hospital Thursday morning and said the closer had concern in his voice.

'We have concern now too,' Little said. 'We hurt because he's not with us, but he hurts more.'

Assuming Gagne, 30, undergoes surgery, the club is not expected to exercise the $12-million option for next season. His contract includes a $1-million buyout.

'Anyone who knows Eric and the type of competitor he is knows this has been a frustrating time,' said Scott Boras , Gagne's agent. 'We can't predict the time frame. We do know there will be a time Eric Gagne will be back on a major league mound.'

Earlier this decade, I remember fans arguing about who was the greatest closer, Gagne or Rivera. The Gagne side would point to the streak. The Rivera side would point to the longevity. The Rivera side won this argument.

Pedro Martinez gets his two week vacation, going on the DL with pain in his right hip.

Martinez (7-4) last pitched June 28 against the Red Sox in Boston when he allowed eight runs -- six earned -- and seven hits in just three innings.

The star pitcher revealed last week that he recently received a cortisone injection in his ailing hip. He felt similar discomfort last season, his first with the Mets, and aggravated the injury when he slipped in the bathroom and fell on his hip while changing his shirt during a series in Florida in May.

Since coming to the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1992, Martinez has made several trips to the disabled list but none since signing with the Mets.

With the all-star break, he won't miss that many games. And with a big lead, the Mets can afford to let Pedro get healthy for the stretch run and playoffs.

Here's the latest:

Damon, the last member of the Yankees' original outfield still in the lineup, felt pain in his left side during batting practice. He started the game but knew after one at-bat he would have to come out. The injury was called a strained oblique.

'I won't be in there tomorrow,' said Damon, who has never been on the disabled list. 'I hope it's only going to be a couple of days. I'm a quick healer.'

Here's an example of why I love the internet. A pitcher e-mails a reporter directly with the status of his injury. As it turns out, Brian Bannister's injury was more serious than first reported because the extent of the original injury did not show up on the MRI. The real interesting part of the e-mail comes later, when Bannister talks about keeping in pitching shape:

My arm has remained in pitching shape throughout this entire process, because it has never bothered me to pitch, just to run. I have also used the time to work on many aspects of my pitching, and have developed two new pitches that are sharper and more consistent.

If these pitches work, the Mets will not only get back a healthy pitcher, but one that's tougher to hit.

Hat tip, MetsBlog.com.

I heard both on the Yankees radio broadcast and the Fox game of the week that Hideki Matsui is talking about being back with the team some time in August. That's good news that he's progressing so well, and better news for the Yankees who will be able to fill in one hole at least.

Mark Mulder's rotator cuff is less than healthy:

St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder has rotator cuff inflammation and irritation in his left shoulder, an MRI revealed.

The Cardinals plan to re-examine Mulder's shoulder in about a week, and haven't set a timetable on his return. Mulder was supposed to start Sunday, but Sidney Ponson took his spot in the rotation against the Tigers.

It sounds like the Cardinals shut him down before a tear happened.

Robinson Cano pulled a hamstring in last night's loss.

The second baseman was the Yanks' only everyday player who hadn't missed a game because of injury or illness, but he could be out tonight when the Bombers face the Braves.

They'll determine today how seriously Robinson hurt the muscle.

Barry Bonds' knee is hurting again. The picture does a good job of showing his discomfort:

Bonds is day to day. The seven-time NL MVP had surgery on his left knee after the 2004 season ended, then underwent three operations on his right knee last year.

Fans booed when A's starter Esteban Loaiza walked Bonds on four pitches leading off the second. He scored on Steve Finley's double to left-center two batters later, but was clearly uncomfortable running the bases and hobbled home with a grimace on his face.

He's been hitting and running somewhat better lately, even stealing a base the other day. The problem, of course, is that he might start pushing himself too much, and something like this happens. The Giants get Monday off, so he'll have a day to recover if it's minor. At this point, however, you just don't know if the knee is going to go for good.

A.J. Burnett is on the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays this evening, his first start since April. So far so good as he's tossed three shutout innings, allowing one hit while striking out five. And he's done it with only 38 pitches.

Albert Pujols is in the starting lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals tonight. He lined out to left in his first plate appearance.

Update: Mulder, however, goes on the DL with a shoulder strain.

It looks like Albert Pujols is almost healed:

Albert Pujols should be ready to come off the disabled list and play by Monday when the St. Louis Cardinals open a three-game series at home against the Cleveland Indians, manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday.

"Sooner than that? Maybe," La Russa said.

That's certainly good news for the Cardinals. Not that he would have helped in this series against the White Sox, but Cardinals opponents failed to gain much ground during his absence, and the team will only get better with their big bopper back bashing.

Spasms in Moises Alou's back may force him back on the disabled list.

Derrek Lee took batting practice yesterday and looks to return this weekend:

Trainer Mark O'Neal acknowledged Lee is pressing to return.

"It's still a strength issue,'' O'Neal said. "He's real antsy, and we're just trying to make a good decision. We're trying to restrain him to make sure he has the strength to be able to tolerate four or five at-bats.''

At 15 1/2 games back in the division and 10 1/2 back in the wild card, Lee will need to work a great deal of magic to get the Cubs back in the playoff picture.

Octavio Dotel suffered new pain:

The Yankees said that Dotel has triceps tendinitis - a minor injury - and that he'll be able to throw on Thursday when he reports to Double-A Trenton. Some teammates, however, were a little more concerned because of the way Dotel described his symptoms; tendinitis usually results in a heavy and fatigued feeling and Dotel said that he felt more of a sharp pain.

Dotel said he had not undergone an MRI, though he added that he might ask to have one to put his mind at ease that he didn't have a more serious condition, like a bone spur.

GM Brian Cashman said, "It's definitely a small setback but at the same time he's close (to being ready). It's nothing major."

The Yankees are now looking at an end of the month return for Dotel.

When you see a box score that has Frank Thomas 1 for 1 with a hit by pitch, replaced by a pinch runner, you know something went wrong:

Frank Thomas left the Oakland Athletics' game against Seattle on Wednesday night in the third inning because of a strained right quad.

"It's the same thing I did in New York," Thomas said. "It's going to be awhile one way or the other."

Thomas was hit by a pitch in the second inning and later came around to score. With two outs in the third and Eric Chavez on first, Thomas hit a sharp line drive that hit off the top of the left-field wall. Chavez came around to score, but Thomas didn't even attempt an extra base.

The Athletics went on to an easy win over Seattle, 7-2. That gives them 10 wins in their last dozen games. The starters pitched particularly well during this streak, posting a 2.60 ERA.

The one bright spot for the Mariners was Ichiro who went 2 for 3 to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Suzuki is 33 for 63 during the streak, a .524 batting average. The rest of the team is batting .258.

Rick Ankiel is sidelined for the rest of the season to recover from his knee surgery.

At what point does it become worthless to wait for this play to develop into anything? After all, he debuted in majors in 1999, almost seven years ago. At some point, he's just going to be too old to have any kind of decent career. If he's happy playing minor league ball, that's fine, but at this point the chance of his having any kind of major league career is pretty slim. Maybe Ankiel should use part of this time off to see if there's something else he'd like to do with his life. For whatever reason, major league baseball doesn't seem to be in the cards for him.

FishStripes provides the details of Josh Willingham's hand injury. It's too bad that just as the team starts to play well, one of their better hitters goes down with an injury that prevents him from swinging the bat.

Barry Bonds is back in the Giants lineup tonight as they open a series against the reeling Diamondbacks. Bonds is 0 for 1 so far with a fly out. Arizona takes an early 1-0 lead, the first they've had in many games.

A.J. Burnett pitched five no-hit innings in a AAA rehab start last night:

Burnett threw all of his pitches last night, with his fastball topping out at 97 m.p.h. He had trouble with his curveball early, but it got tighter as the game went along. With a five-inning or 75-pitch limit, Burnett threw 46 of his 67 pitches for strikes and afterwards said — half-jokingly — that he couldn't remember the last time he had thrown so few pitches in five innings.

He should return to the majors the same day as Roger Clemens, June 22nd. With all the injuries their starters suffered this season, the Jays still find themselves just three games back. With their offense, good second halves from Halladay and Burnett should make them better.

Kerry Wood is back on the DL:

"I'm not injured," Wood said. "I didn't hurt anything. It's just something that kind of comes along with having shoulder surgery. I'm having a little bit of a tough time recovering and getting this thing ready to go every fifth or seven days sometimes. So we'll take the time to get it right now, and get back before the All-Star break and finish the season healthy."

At this point it doesn't matter for the Cubs. They can't score enough runs consistently to support even a healthy Wood or Prior. Best to let Kerry completely heal.

Joe Crede left the game early and Barry Bonds isn't starting.

Gary Sheffield is scheduled for surgery next Tuesday:

The surgery will be performed on Tuesday by Dr. Charles Malone and will sideline Sheffield until at least September.

Sheffield originally hurt the wrist when he collided at first base with Shea Hillenbrand of the Toronto Blue Jays on April 29. He missed three games, returned for two games and then went on the disabled list May 9 with a contusion and sprain of the wrist and missed 16 games.

He returned on May 23, made five starts as a designated hitter and then returned to right field on May 29. Two days later, he went back on the DL with the ligament tear.

"I am told it's not a season-ending injury," Cashman said before the Yankees played Boston. "He experienced worse pain after he tried to come back. Surgery is being recommended. It wasn't an option earlier."

His replacement, Bernie Williams just gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead with a solo shot off Curt Schilling, the second allowed by Curt in the game. Johnny Damon led off the Yankees first with a shot of his own. Williams now has two homers in June after hitting that many through April and May.

Schilling, like Beckett, has allowed all of his home runs this season on the road, twelve after the Williams dinger.

Rich Harden returns to the disabled list today:

Disturbing news for the A's. Right-hander Rich Harden is back on the disabled list, this time with a sprained ligament in his right elbow.

The way Harden's career is going, he may wind up with more days on the DL than days in the majors.

Rocco Baldelli is back in the Devil Rays lineup after missing the entire 2005 season. He's playing centerfield, and in his first at bat flied out to left field. There's no score after two innings in Tampa Bay.

Eric Gagne earned the save despite look of pain as he pitched last night:

Eric Gagne converted his first save in nearly a year on Tuesday night, but the grimace on his face and slow readings of the radar gun told the rest of the story.

Gagne admitted his elbow was "a little sore and stiff" after he put down the Mets in order in the ninth inning of the Dodgers' 8-5 win. Gagne underwent surgery on April 7 to remove a nerve and said he's still not 100 percent two months later, even after a two-game rehabilitation assignment and a one-inning return appearance at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

He was throwing in the high 80's/low 90's. There should at least be some concern here by the Dodgers.

Roy Oswalt won't be pitching for a couple of weeks for a little over a week:

Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 30 on Tuesday.

Oswalt, 5-3 with a 3.11 ERA, has been diagnosed with a mid-back strain on the left side and is scheduled to return on June 14.

The Devil Rays activated Jorge Cantu from the DL today. The Devil Rays offense at second base is pretty bad (actually, it's really bad throughout the infield, so Cantu should give them a boost.

Fake Teams sends along information heard on XM that Albert Pujols' injury is worse that reported so far.

Roy Oswalt's back gets an evaluation today after it forced him to miss a start yesterday:

Oswalt is unsure whether the hamstring injury had anything to do with the back problems that sidelined him Sunday.

"(The strained hamstring) may have changed my mechanics in St. Louis, but it seems like I would have felt it the next day or two," Oswalt said. "I really didn't feel it until the fourth day."

After Sunday's game, Oswalt was unsure whether he would be placed on the disabled list. Garner said the team's doctors will determine that in the next couple of days.

Nieve was scheduled to start tonight's game against the Chicago Cubs, but Garner said rookie Taylor Buchholz will start instead and Wandy Rodriguez will get the nod Tuesday.

It's almost always the case that pitching through an injury is the wrong thing to do (unless you're Curt Schilling).

Frank Thomas' foot is bothering him again. He could barely run out a double and score yesterday before he was taken out of the game. He's been hitting like Frank Thomas of old lately, so this would be a bad time to lose him, especially with others getting healthy.

Matt Clement threw three pitches to Brandon Inge in the top of the seventh and leaves with an injury. It wasn't obvious he was hurt, but Varitek noticed it and stopped the game and called out the trainer. Van Buren is on in relief.

Update: Shouldn't va Buren only relieve pitchers named Jackson?

Roy Oswalt did not make his scheduled start today due to back spasms. The Reds lead the Astros 2-1 in the fourth on solo home runs by Kearns and Freel. Ensberg added his 18th for Houston.

The AP reports that Albert Pujols is not listed in the lineup today:

"He's sore," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "I think we'll disable him."

Although the move was not yet official, Pujols was not listed on the lineup card. Minor league call-up Chris Duncan was, and he took batting practice.

Duncan was up briefly but sent back down on May 27. He's having a decent year at AAA, good OBA but not a lot of power. He looks like someone who is developing slowly in the minors. At age 25, at least the Cardinals should be getting peak performance from him.

Cardinals fans, is there anyone else in the organization you'd like to see up?

Update: It's now official. They're not going with Duncan today. Edmonds is in the lineup at first base and Taguchi is playing center. It's looks like Edmonds can handle first base with his injury but not centerfield. Pujols going on the DL might have kept Edmonds off, since he now has a place to play.

Albert Pujols is out of the Cubs/Cardinals game after going 0 for 1. Rotowire reports he left with a back injury. That's the one injury the Cardinals can't afford.

Update: Here's the AP story.

Mike Matheny makes his way to the disabled list with a concussion:

The 35-year-old Matheny was hit in the head several times by foul balls during a three-game series at Florida this week. He left Wednesday night's game in the third inning after a foul tip nailed him and was examined Thursday by a specialist in Pittsburgh.

"He's really got a mild concussion, which isn't bad, but he's had several of these," Giants trainer Stan Conte said. "The cumulative factor is something we're concerned about, but we don't think it's going to be a long time."

Does he use the hockey helment? He was using it in 2005. I wonder if they're not as effective as the batting helmet/catcher mask combination.

There seems to be some confusion over Mark Prior's injury.

In a story in Tuesday's Moline (Ill.) Dispatch, Prior was quoted in the postgame press conference as saying the injury 'was a tear.' The Tribune, the Sun-Times and the Associated Press did not quote Prior as saying that.

Because in March the Cubs had said results from Prior's MRI showed a moderate shoulder strain but no tearing, the ongoing criticism of the team underselling injuries erupted Thursday after someone flagged WSCR-AM 670 to the story.

Here's the exchange between the reporter and Prior:

Reporter: 'Is this process frustrating to you, especially since there is really no tear or anything, just sore '

Prior: 'There was a tear. Let's not belittle it. There was a strain. The thing was, there was a strain and a strain is a tear in the muscle. More frustrating than anything is not kind of knowing when you did it. It showed up almost two or three days later, I guess, after the day I did it in that game down in Mesa (Ariz.).

I don't know why the Cubs downplay these injuries. The fans are still going to show up. I suggest a few months ago they were looking for a competitive advantage vs. the other teams in the NL Central, but that was roundly criticized. Maybe they just don't want to get all the questions from the press about protecting Prior's arm. You'd think they weren't owned by a media company!

Mariano Rivera hurt his back putting his shoes on today.

Rivera hurt his back early on Thursday and the Yankees said he wouldn't be available for their game against the Tigers.

"He had one shoe on, and when he went to put the left shoe on, something spasmed," Torre said before Thursday's game against Detroit. "It's something new every day."

The Yankees are leading 6-5 in the ninth but won't be able to go to Mo for the save. Cobmined with Sheffield going on the DL, the Yankees club house is looking like a M*A*S*H unit. Fransworth gets a chance to close tonight.

Update: Farnsworth blows the save, with one out, a walk and two singles tie the game. Detroit is still batting with one out and two on.

Update: Farnsworth falls behind Carlos Guillen 3-1, and Guillen smacks a hit into right to score Pudge Rodriguez from second base to take the game 7-6.

It's a great win for Detroit, down 5-0 in the third, they fought back, scoring five against Wang and then getting to Farnsworth for the win. They put a little more space between first and second place in the AL Central.

Correction: Fixed spelling of Farnsworth.

Mike Maroth sees the surgeon tomorrow:

Left-hander Mike Maroth will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Friday to remove bone chips in his elbow. It is not known how long he will be sidelined.

It's a tough loss for the Tigers. Luckily, their rotation is so deep this year they should be able to get through the injury in good shape.

Carlos Beltran just foulded a pitch off his right knee. He was on the ground for a couple of minutes and is obviously in pain. He's up, and they're trying to decide if he can stay in the game.

Update: Beltran stays in the game and strikes out with a man on second. The game remains tied at zero as the Diamondbacks and Mets go to the top of the second.

Update: Beltran does not take centerfield in the top of the 12th.

Barry Bonds isn't in the lineup again tonight after complaining of a bad back yesterday. There doesn't seem to be much communication between Alou and his star slugger:

Bonds sat out Tuesday night's 5-3 loss to the Florida Marlins because of a sore back. Manager Felipe Alou had planned to rest him Wednesday anyway and filled out the lineup without receiving an update on his star's condition.

"I haven't talked to Barry," Alou said, adding that he assumed Bonds' back was still bothering him when the seven-time NL MVP didn't stop by the manager's office when he arrived at the ballpark.

Somehow I'm not suprised.

Jim Edmonds, out of the lineup again today, will visit a specialist after the game:

Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds, his lower abdomen sore enough to keep him out of the starting lineup for four consecutive games, will see a specialist in sports hernias after Wednesday’s game, Cardinals officials said Tuesday night.

Edmonds had an MRI scan taken Tuesday, but the Cardinals would prefer that a specialist view the results and consult with Edmonds before a diagnosis is finalized.

The Cardinals are batting Encarnacion fifth today, and it cost them in the first inning. Pujols reached when his potential double play ball hit an umpire after a Rodriguez single, then Rolen was hit to load the bases. Encarnacion hit a shallow fly ball for the second out. He's now 10 for 52 with runners in scoring position, a .192 batting average. Rolen's not doing that much better, but he hitting .240 in that situation.

The Astros lead 1-0 in the second.

Jon Weisman worries that the Dodgers players aren't honest enough about the extent of their injuries.

David Wells tested his knee yesterday, and the results were such that the Red Sox scratched him from his Wednesday start. Boston is undecided as to what they will do:

Francona was also kidded that perhaps the choice would be Roger Clemens, but he laughed that off.

Derek Jeter is out of the Yankees-Tigers game. He jammed his knee sliding into second during the third inning.

Meanwhile, Randy Johnson works on a no-hitter through 5 2/3. He's walked two and struck out three. Two good plays in the sixth helped him out, as Cairo is perfectly positioned to catch a hard, sinking line drive and A-Rod makes a great play to his left on a ground ball.

Update: After a Thames walk, I-Rod singles to right to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two out. The Yankees lead 4-0.

Update: Johnson gets out of the inning by striking out Ordonez. He's just given up one hit through six.

Chris Carpenter's sore shoulder is sending him to the disabled list:

Team trainers have described Carpenter's condition as scapulothoracic bursitis - inflammation of a bursa sac between his right shoulder and rib cage. The area had become swollen and created what trainer Barry Weinberg described as "a clicking" sensation when Carpenter pitched. Carpenter admitted after his last start May 19 in Kansas City that he had been uneasy about his mechanics for some time.

If Carpenter's recovery allows him to throw within the next several days, he could return to the rotation by next week's series against the Cincinnati Reds.

David Wells is on crutches, but there's no phyical damage to his knee after being hit with a line drive on Friday:

Francona was speaking in positive terms, even throwing out the possibility that Wells wouldn't miss a start.

``I think there's an outside chance he could start, I don't know," said Francona. ``I guess we're still holding on a little bit of hope. I think there's a chance his start would be pushed back a few days, which is still not the worst thing in the world."

My guess is he misses his next start. It's silly after the problems he's had to rush Wells back and potentially make the problem worse.

The CBSSportsLine Box reports that Jeff Kent left the Dodgers/Nationals game early with a hand injury. I'm seeng the Mets game, so if you saw the injury, I'd appreciate you leaving a comment with a description.

Jose Guillen landed on the DL today with a bad left hamstring.

The initial report on David Wells is pretty good.

The 43-year-old left-hander, activated before the game after being on the disabled list since April 14 with a sprained right knee, was hit on that knee by Travis Lee's liner in the fifth inning. He winced in pain, fell to the ground and was helped off the field.

But an examination showed only a deep bruise with "no immediate evidence of a serious injury," Red Sox medical director Dr. Thomas Gill said. Wells was to be checked further on Saturday.

David Wells stint off the DL didn't last long. In the top of the fifth, Travis Lee lines a ball off Wells' right knee, and Wells goes down hard. He has to be helped off the field. He was pitching very well tonight, although losing 1-0 on a Carl Crawford home run. It the same knee that put him on the disabled list. We might have seen the last of Boomer tonight.

Mark Prior hits rehab next week on his way back to the Cubs. Which brings up the question, how well do the Cubs need to pitch to win?

With five runs today, the Cubs have 172 runs in 47 games. That's 3.66 runs per game. To put up a .590 winning percentage with that low level of scoring the pitching and defense would have to limit the opposition to 3.05 runs per game. Since they're at 5.02 right now, I don't think Prior is capable of making a two run dent in the staff.

And with Tony Womack in the fold, the offense isn't getting any better.

Mike Maroth goes on the disabled list with a sore elbow. The Tigers staff stayed pretty healthy to this point. Maroth was pitching well until his last start where the injury took it's toll. They'll have to make due with out him for three starts.

Jorge Posada torn a knee tendon, but it's not one that's really needed:

Working in the Yankees' favor is the tendon isn't a big part of the knee's function.

"It's the one they use for transplants," Cashman said. "It's one you don't need. It's an unusual injury."

Still, it bothered Posada enough that he missed Wednesday night's 8-6 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Always one of the game's tough guys, it had to be a problem for Posada to miss a Yankees-Red Sox tilt.

Sounds like if it keeps bothering him they can just remove it rather than repair it.

Last night Jaret Wright left his start early. It turns out it was an injury.

Turns out, Wright's ribs were not a problem. His groin, however, could be another story. Wright came out of his start last night after throwing five scoreless innings because he tweaked his groin in both the fourth and fifth.

Wright is expected to make his next scheduled start Sunday against Kansas City, Joe Torre said, and Wright downplayed questions about the injury afterward. But it's certainly enough to cause concern in Yankeeland, especially because Wright is perhaps more important than ever because Carl Pavano is scheduled for surgery, Shawn Chacon is on the disabled list and Aaron Small has struggled.

"I'm really not concerned at all," Wright said. "I just tweaked it twice. I definitely wanted to go back out there, but it was probably the smart thing to do to come out."

Probably. I believe three tweaks equals a pull.

Coco Crisp is due back Monday. Coco last played on April 8th. Centerfield hasn't been strong offensively for the Red Sox since. From 4/9 on, Red Sox centerfielders are hitting .270 with a .318 OBA and a .369 slugging percentage. The big question is what happens to Youkilis, who's proven himself an adept leadoff hitter, putting up a .429 OBA in the #1 slot. I would guess Loretta gets moved down to the bottom of the order with Coco and Kevin batting 1 and 2.

Gary Sheffield is likely to play for the Yankees tonight. He certainly looked good to me in his rehab assignment last night. He swung hard and didn't appear to flinch when he made contact. It was cold at the game last night, too. Gary was the DH, but he was the only one on the bench when Trenton was in the field not wearing a jacket.

Sheffield also said he didn't get a cortisone shot, but another drug.

Sheffield later told the Daily News he wasn't sure of the exact name of the medication, but that his doctor had spent 20 minutes explaining to Sheffield and Sheffield's wife, DeLeon, that there were no long-term damages to fear from using it. Sheffield said he had taken four cortisone shots when he played for the Braves to relieve various pains and that he had suffered on the field as a result.

"I went in there and told them I wasn't going to do the cortisone shot. (The doctor) recommended something else. I told him, 'Tell me what it is.' And he had to explain it to my wife. She was like 'Okay, as long as it's not damaging anything,'" Sheffield said.

Whatever it was, it did the trick.

I just got back from New Britain, Connecticut where Gary Sheffield played for the Trenton Thunder tonight. It was cold and windy, so I only stayed for his first three plate appearances. Here's Gary in the on-deck circle before his first plate appearance in the first inning:

Here's the video of the three meaningful swings:

Cliff Floyd hurt his left shoulder making a diving catch, and is being examined. He's out of the game.

Carl Pavano just keeps falling apart. He could play the Elijah Price character in unbreakable.

Carl Pavano just keeps falling apart. He could play the Elijah Price character in unbreakable.

Mark Prior threw two innings in a rookie league game today. At least there's some good news for Cubs fans today.

Brian Bannister didn't last long in his rehab start today. Yankees outfielder Bubba Crosby came up lame on what should have been a double down the right field line. He made it to first, but limped almost all the way down the bases. That puts the Yankees down three outfielders. Kevin Reese, his replacement, just made an error in left on a high fly ball in the sun.

Carl Pavano still has two pains in the butt. All the other Yankees just have Steinbrenner. :-)

It turns out Victor Zambrano needed Tommy John surgery, his second time having the procedure. MetsBlog looks at the speculation that his career is over.

Tanyon Sturtze was asked to get two out in the sixth inning today, and instead got one and gave up two hits that led to two runs. He was booed off the mound and then placed on the disabled list.

Torre said Sturtze is having trouble finishing his pitches because of the discomfort in his shoulder.

"He's kept it to himself. He's trying to be a team guy," Torre said. "He should know better, basically. If you're not going out there with all your ammo, it's hard to give us what we need or what you're capable of."

This is about the third or fourth pitcher this week keeping an injury to himself. Isn't the point of gauranteed contracts that the player can take care of injuries without having to worry about losing money?

The Mets didn't have to use an option on Bartolome Fortunato as he complained about his elbow and needs Tommy John surgery. To quote one commentor:

Didn't he miss all of last year as well because of surgery? Both pitchers that we got in the Kazmir deal have been damaged goods.

That trade is going down with Fergosi for Ryan as one of the worst in Mets history.

Luis Castillo is going to need surgery on his right knee after the season:

Castillo, who said the knee felt about 70 percent as he rejoined the lineup Friday, pulled his left quadriceps while legging out a triple for the Florida Marlins on a cold night in Colorado on April 26, 2005, and the other leg began bothering him later in the season as he compensated for a still-gimpy quad, he said.

He planned to be fully recovered by spring through weight training and therapy, but the discomfort has lingered — spiking at least twice this season when he hit bases awkwardly while running out ground balls.

It doesn't seem to be bothering his offense too much as he's hitting .345 with a .400 OBA. He went 3 for 5 with a double last night as the Twins pounded Chicago 10-1 behind another great performance by Johan Santana. Too bad Johan can't start every other day.

Hideki Matsui apologies for being injured:

"Due to this injury, I feel very sorry and, at the same time, very disappointed to have let my teammates down," Matsui said in a statement. "I will do my best to fully recover and return to the field to help my team once again."

Hideki is the one Yankees player that even Yankees haters like and respect. This is one reason why. He plays his behind off and then issues an apology for a freak accident. Get better, soon, Hideki!

Woody Williams appeared to injure his left leg going from first to third on a double. Just as he approached third he came up lame. It doesn't look like a hamstring, it might be his calf. He's out of the game.

Hideki Matsui may be out for the season:

Hideki Matsui fractured his left wrist on a first-inning play, and the Yankees' iron-man leftfielder might miss the rest of the season, general manager Brian Cashman said. His injury ruined the night, and to further sour it for Yankees fans, the home team fell to the Red Sox, 5-3, at Yankee Stadium.

Matsui suffered the fracture when he tried to make a sliding catch of Mark Loretta's line drive. He spent the night at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, where he will undergo corrective surgery this morning.

Hideki never missed a game since he joined the Yankees, and his streak of consecutive games goes back into his days playing Japanese baseball. That puts two thirds of the Yankees outfield on the disabled list. It looks like we'll see a lot of Bubba Crosby and Melky Cabrera in the outfield.

Damon was hurt in the game also:

Last night, the Yankees couldn't overcome both the early loss of Matsui and a substandard effort by starting pitcher Shawn Chacon. Despite benefiting from some great defense - Johnny Damon aggravated injuries to his left shoulder and left foot when he ran into the centerfield wall snaring Doug Mirabelli's fourth-inning blast; Crosby robbed Mike Lowell of a two-run homer - and receiving a 3-1 lead, Chacon couldn't make it through the fifth inning.

This reminds me of 1975, when the Yankees outfielders fell like flies and two catchers (including Munson) were playing the corner outfield positions.

Will Carroll responses to yesterday's post on Randy Johnson in his Under the Knife column (subscription required). Will points out that it's Johnson's knee that the problem.

From the very first pitch, Johnson was not extending, appearing instead to shorten his stride to reduce stress on that damaged front knee. Watch Johnson’s leg--it’s nearly straight. He’ll either “pop up� on his follow-through, getting taller, or rotate to the third base side. Both actions take the energy that normally heads to the plate in a delivery and redirects it.

So it's an injury causing bad mechanics. Last weekend on Lehigh Valley Yankees Fan Club Radio I was asked what the Yankees were going to do with Pavano when he came back. My semi-joking reply was, "He'll take the place of the next injured starter." Maybe Randy needs a two week vacation to let the knee heal.

Jose Contreras goes on the disabled list with a pinched nerve.

Contreras began experiencing pain in his lower back and right leg while throwing lightly on the side with Freddy Garcia on Sunday.

"It's really bad I have to miss starts ... especially when I'm pitching so well," Contreras said through an interpreter. "What upsets (me) the most is I wish it had been on the mound or while I was doing one of my workouts. I was just throwing really softly with Freddy on the side, and that's where I felt the pain."

Put that one in the freak injury department. The White Sox pitching is deep, so they should be able to absorb two missed start by Contreras.

The team is up 6-1 on the Angels in the third. Garcia is pitching and has four strikeouts through three innings, but did allow five hits. Jim Thome launched his 14th home run, a three run shot.

Gary Sheffield's wrist lands him on the DL. Melky Cabrera is recalled in his place. We'll see how another year in the minors improves the young Cabrera. He looked lost replacing Bernie Williams in 2005.

The Angels disabled Darin Erstad due to an ankle injury:

Erstad, 31, is batting just .238 (19-for-80) with four RBI in 22 games this season.

Somehow, Erstad seems older than 31 to me. He'll be 32 on June 4th. Erstad seems old because he's been around a long time, and he peaked early. He hasn't had a good offensive season since 2000, when he was 26. It's not that he's old, he's just playing old.

Sidney Ponson's elbow bothered him the entire time he was in the game yesterday:

After he came in from the third inning and with the Cardinals ahead 2-0, Ponson informed trainer Barry Weinberg he was having pain in the back of his right elbow.

"He felt it on a pitch," Weinberg said. "The question that got him out of the game was, 'On which pitch did it hurt?' He said, 'All of them.'"

He's lucky he didn't end up like Victor Zambrano.

Victor Zambrano's elbow was a disaster waiting to happen:

Zambrano said persistent elbow trouble prevented him from matching fans' expectations. "I can win 15-20 games," he said. "I never was feeling good to prove what I can do. ... Maybe they can understand a little bit more and have a better relationship."

Mets staff insisted Zambrano never acknowledged the full extent of the elbow troubles, with Minaya calling the result of the lack of disclosure "a lesson to others." Still, the GM noted that players pitch through nagging injuries and suggested Zambrano may have merely underestimated the severity, saying there's a "fine line" between soreness and pain. Zambrano said he felt he could pitch through discomfort.

Given Zambrano's record, I'd say he couldn't pitch through discomfort. Also, it's one thing to want to keep pitching when the season is underway, but did he ever go to a doctor during the off season? It's possible that his elbow could have been fixed without him missing any time.

Gary Sheffield's wrist is keeping him out of action, and it sounds like it will likely land him on the DL.

Sheffield said he's experiencing pain even when he's swinging at 70 mph pitches in batting practice.

"I can't hardly do it in BP," he said. "Take that into the game, starting and stopping your swing, breaking balls and fastballs, I just can't do it."

I always hate to see a player with a wrist injury, since even when they heal it takes time to get the swing back.

Ben Sheets is not making his scheduled start today against the Dodgers due to shoulder stiffness. The Brewers are down playing the injury:

"It's stiffness in the front of his shoulder, which is not a serious thing. So instead of battling through what we battled through last time, we thought we'd give him an extra day, hoping that the five days would make him feel better," Yost said. "Guys play sore and they play hurt. If it jeopardizes their career, they don't play. But Ben's career is not being jeopardized in the least."

Victor Zambrano needs season ending surgery after he walked off the mound yesterday at Shea Stadium.

Zambrano has a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow and will require surgery that will sideline him until 2007, agent Peter Greenberg told the Daily News last night after meeting his client at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

"He's out for the year," said Greenberg, who described the recovery time for this injury as less than the 12 months prescribed for Tommy John surgery. "He's down, obviously. He's been pitching with some pain for a while. Now he knows what it is. The doctor told him the ligament is in good shape, which is good news."

The Mets are now if a bit of a pickle pitching wise with three starters injured. Jose Lima, coming off one of the worst seasons ever for a pitcher, is going to start today. Oliver is available, or Aaron Heilman.

Chris Burke, making his first start in right field, makes a great catch at the 375 foot sign at Coors Field. He crashed into the wall, however, and was lying on the ground holding his left shoulder. He's coming off the field on his own power, but he's holding his left arm across his belly. He can't seem to swing it like he's doing with his right arm.

I was driving around this afternoon, listening to the beginning of the Mets game. Victor Zambrano dominated the first four batters, striking out three, including cleanup hitter Andruw Jones. He then sprinted off the mound with an apparent arm injury. The Mets need to use five other pitchers to finish out the game, but a four-run seventh was enough for New York to hang on to a 6-5 victory over the Braves. Jose Reyes added three more hits, making him 12 for 32 in May, a .375 BA.

Coco Crisp is taking longer to heal than expected, and is probably going to be out a few more days than originally thought. Francona is already getting questions about where Youkilis will bat when Crisp returns:

When he does return he'll reclaim his spot atop the order, pushing out Kevin Youkilis, who went into last night leading all leadoff hitters in on-base percentage (.420). It might make some sense, instead of sending him back to the eighth spot, to bat Youkilis second. Mark Loretta, the current No. 2 hitter, went into last night batting .217 with a .274 OBP.

''I'm not going to do the batting order two weeks ahead of time," manager Terry Francona said. ''Two weeks is a lifetime. When the time comes to get Coco back, I'll do what I think is best for the lineup. But that's a long way away. I think Youkilis can hit anywhere in the lineup."

Moises Alou is on the 15 day disabled list with a sprained ankle. This is the sort of thing you need to expect when the best players on your team are in their late 30s and early 40s. On days that Bonds can't play, there's not going to be much offense in the middle of the Giants lineup.

I can't believe I get to mention bulging discs twice in the same day!

An examination Tuesday in Kansas City confirmed that Royals captain Mike Sweeney has a bulging cervical disk — but a different disk from the one that sidelined him for extended periods in 2003 and 2004.

The prognosis is the same, however: Sweeney is expected to spend the next several weeks on the disabled list.

It seems the Royals can lose as well with Mike as without him, although he did add to the team's walk total.

Ruben Sierra suffered a pretty serious injury:

Minnesota Twins reserve Ruben Sierra is expected to miss several months with a ruptured biceps tendon near his left elbow.

The 40-year-old Sierra had an MRI test before Monday night's game against Seattle. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday after hurting himself the day before while swinging at a pitch.

Although the story says he'll return this season, I have to wonder. First of all, he's been a poor offensive player the last three seasons. Missing a few months of the season at this point doesn't seem like the way to improve things. This may actually be a blessing for the Twins if they can find someone who can hit to DH.

A strained back will keep Rich Harden out of action for three to six weeks:

Harden was on the disabled list from May 15-June 21 last season with a strained left oblique muscle. He was out most of September with a pulled "lat" muscle, located under the right shoulder. Harden also underwent surgery to repair a strained left labrum shortly after the season.

The A's were 3-11 in starts Harden missed last season.

"Our team is undefeated (5-0) when he starts," manager Ken Macha said. "That's pretty significant."

C.C. Sabathia pitched well in his rehab assignment.

Sabathia, who strained an abdominal muscle on opening day, allowed six hits and two runs -- one earned -- in five innings. He walked one and struck out five, getting the victory in Buffalo's 8-4 win over the Syracuse SkyChiefs.

Sabathia threw 51 of his pitches for strikes, and his fastball topped out at 95 mph.

"They just told me 75 to 85 pitches. I could have gone longer," he said.

That's good news for the Indians. The team is sporting a 5.43 ERA entering today's action.

We'll keep our eye out today for the results of tests on Rich Harden's back.

A.J. Burnett's latest injury is the same as the last one. That makes me wonder if returning him to the rotation early because of the Halladay injury was a mistake.

A.J. Burnett officially goes back on the disabled list, but we don't know the severity of the injury yet.

A.J. Burnett's early exit from last night's game was due to his elbow.

The Jays' huge investment of $55 million (all figures U.S.) in right-handed starter A.J. Burnett is balanced precariously on a tightrope over payroll disaster.

Removed from last night's game after four innings and 78 pitches, the 29-year-old said he felt pain in his right elbow consistent with what he felt at spring training and will fly to Birmingham, Ala., on Monday to see orthopaedist Dr. James Andrews.

"Preliminary exams say the same thing," manager John Gibbons said. "We'll let (Dr. Andrews) determine that and then go from there. It's big. The second time it's happened to him. You've got to move on. We've just got to hold down the fort and hopefully he's not out for any length of time."

Did the Jays rush him back?

Whatever it is? That's the question of the month and maybe the season for the Jays. Burnett revealed last night that the scar-tissue problem first popped up as he warmed up for the Marlins just prior to the 2004 season opener.

He was shelved and not re-activated until June 3, missing 62 days for the same injury that the Jays kept him out for just 28 days this time. If the Jays are as prudent as the Marlins, his return would be late June.

If there's any medical professionals reading this, can the scar tissue be cleaned out?

Derrek Lee is going on the DL.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee broke two bones in his right wrist in a collision with the Dodgers' Rafael Furcal and is expected to be in a cast up to six weeks.

Add to that the extra time it takes to recover from wrist injuries, and the Dusty's pledge not to worry about the team's hot start looks right on the money. According to Win Shares, Lee was responsible for 11 of the 79 Cubs wins last year. That's a huge number for one player. Who ever replace Derrek (short of Albert Pujols) puts the Cubs in a hole. I'd say the odds are good right now of 98 straight years without a World Championship.

Ivy Chat provides the x-ray and notes how Hendry never makes a trade to fill in for an injured player.

Kaz Matsui makes his first start of the year at second base for the Mets. He hasn't batted yet, but he did turn the pivot in a double play. The Padres lead 1-0 in the middle of the second inning.

Update: Kaz starts the season off right with a home run in his first at bat. He did the same thing in 2004.

Bartolo Colon goes on the disabled list today with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. I wonder if he'll be used as an example of the World Baseball Classic hurting a pitcher?

Some trouble for the Twins as Castillo comes out of the game in the bottom of the seventh. It looks like he hurt himself diving into first base on a pickoff throw. He stayed in for another batter, then came off the field, and it looked like he was laboring while he was jogging off.

Castillo is a great pickup so far. After a 3 for 4 today, he's batting .404 with a .481 OBA.

The AP updates the progress of the Yankees injured pitching corps. Most interesting:

Reliever Octavio Dotel is scheduled to pitch an inning Friday in his second extended spring training game since ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow last June.

The View from the Bleachers informs me of Derrek Lee's injury last night in a collision with Scott Eyre:

Lee was revealed to have a sprained right wrist after a collision at the first base bag with Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal, though x-rays were inconclusive. He was scheduled to fly to Chicago today to be examined by team doctors. Eyre's injury, a bruised right knee, was considered to be less serious, and he said he expected to be able to pitch this weekend in St. Louis.

For manager Dusty Baker, watching Lee and Eyre get injured was about as tough as it gets.

"You never see losing two guys on one play," Baker said. "We've just got to wait and hold our breath and hope everything is all right."

I hate seeing hitters suffer wrist injuries. Those seem to reduce hitting even after they're supposedly healed.

A scout describes how Barry Bonds' knees and elbow hurt his production:

But it's possible that Bonds simply is hurting too much to approach peak efficiency ever again.

As a left-handed batter, Bonds is significantly hampered by his particular combination of injuries. "because of his right knee, he lacks a firm base when he swings," the scout said. "And because of his left arm" -- the dominant arm for a left-handed hitter -- "he can't get full extension. It's a double-whammy."

Even when he hit a monstrous double Tuesday night -- it would have been a homer in many parks -- Bonds' form was flawed.

"It was almost like a one-handed swing. One-and-a-half handed," Alou said.

My good friend Jim Storer called yesterday to ask what I thought was the probability of Bonds breaking Aaron's record, and how that had changed since before the season started. I had the probability of Bonds catching Aaron low. There seemed to be a very good chance that the injuries would hamper him to the point that he couldn't play long enough to get the 48 homers needed. I'd say there was a 20% chance coming into the season, but after watching Barry play, that's down to 5% and that's being generous.

What's really interesting is the probability of passing Ruth is also dropping. While I didn't believe it was a given Bonds would pass Ruth this season, the odds were pretty high it would happen, 80 or 90%. I'd say it's closer to 50/50 now. If he plays the whole season, he'll manage to put seven balls beyond the fence. But at some point, teams will stop fearing a hitter with a batting average below the Mendoza line, and his OBA will drop accordingly. At that point, he stops being valuable to the team, and the Giants will need to choose between a record and winning the division. And Bonds will need to decide if it's worth the physical pain to continue to pursue the record.

Here's more on the injury that cause Varitek to limp down the line on a grounder yesterday.

Surprise! Ken Griffey is on the DL again:

The Cincinnati Reds put Griffey on the 15-day disabled list Monday night following a 9-1 victory over Florida, giving him time to rest an inflamed tendon behind his right knee. Before the game, Griffey said he didn't expect to go on the DL.

Things changed after he got a magnetic resonance imaging test that found fluid in the tendon, prompting the Reds to make a precautionary move with the 36-year-old outfielder.

This injury doesn't appear to be that serious, but these nagging injuries to Ken are going to keep coming along. The team should just go into a season expecting no more than 120 to 130 games from Griffey in a season at this point.

Jason Varitek just grounded out, and he was limping to first as re tried to run down the line. He's in the dugout putting on his catching gear, but we'll see if he comes out for the top of the third.

Update: Varitek stayed in the game.

Update: Jerry Remy noticed that Varitek shifted the position of his shin guard while batting, making Jerry wonder if Jason fouled a ball off his foot, which bothered him while running. He looked better running out this grounder.

Redleg Nation isn't optimistic about a quick return to the lineup by Ken Griffey, Jr.

Sean Casey broke his back:

The injury occurred Friday night when Casey was accidentally hit in the back by John Mabry of the Chicago Cubs during the third inning of the Pirates' loss. In visible pain, Casey needed assistance from two trainers just to leave the field.

Manager Jim Tracy immediately knew Casey was in trouble.

"When I got to the field and I listened to a little bit of the conversation between Sean and (head athletic trainer) Brad Henderson, I knew it was something more than Sean having just had the air taken out of him," Tracy said. "(Casey) was in a lot of pain last night. He couldn't even lay still."

He'll miss six to eight weeks. Casey was hitting well, actually slugging near .600. Sean's weakness at first base was a lack of power, but he started off 2006 just fine.

David Wells is back on the DL:

Wells had offseason surgery on the knee and struggled in his only start of the season, an 8-4 loss to Toronto last Wednesday, after beginning the season on the disabled list. He allowed seven runs on 10 hits - three of them homers- before being removed with no outs in the fifth inning. After Friday night’s game against Seattle, Wells received a shot of the joint lubricant Synvisc in the knee. It normally is administered in a series of three injections one week apart.

The teams that didn't trade for Wells are patting themselves on the back right now.

People who don't want to see Barry Bonds pass Ruth and Aaron may get their wish after all:

The Giants left fielder told MLB.com that he has ``10 to 12 bone chips floating'' in his elbow, which he said was swollen to ``almost twice the size'' of his right elbow. Bonds indicated that he wants to keep playing, as ballplayers with bone chips often do. But he won't undergo surgery to fix the problem.

``I'm going to keep playing until it blows up,'' said Bonds, who's batting .167 (3 for 18) after going 0 for 2 with two walks. ``If I have to have a procedure, then I'm done. Finished. That would be it.''

Three bad major joints. How long can he play on one elbow? And still, teams keep walking the slugger. He can't run. You can probably throw him out from right field on a single. (Actually, that's where the second baseman usually plays.) When they do pitch to him, he continues to make outs. The elbow appears to be cutting down on his ability to get a ball over the fence.

Barry's body is failing. Mike Schmidt realized his career was over after two poor months of hitting. When will Bonds do the same?

Update: In case you're wondering, the longest Bonds went without a home run at the start of the season is 12 games in 1998. Teams appeared to fear him less during that slump.

Brandon Backe left today's Astros-Giants game after two innings with a strained right elbow. He gave up a solo home run to Alou in the second, and the score remains 1-0 Giants in the fourth.

The bad news first. Coco Crisp fractured his finger and will miss at least 10 days. Crisp is off to a very good start, setting the table with a .385 OBA.

The good news is that the Red Sox signed David Ortiz to an extension through 2010 with an option for 2011. I haven't seen any details on dollars yet.

Both Chipper Jones and Marcus Giles exited today's Atlanta game early with injuries. It's not clear if the injuries are serious or not.

Eric Gagne underwent surgery yesterday, and it looks like he'll miss two months:

Dr. Frank Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella of the team's medical staff in Los Angeles performed Friday's operation on Gagne, which lasted 30 minutes and was the second for the closer in less than a year.

"I think it's good news," Jobe said on a conference call. "He'll begin throwing a ball in three weeks, and in six weeks, get in a game. Those are guesses, a week one way or the other. I don't think it will be longer than six to eight weeks."

The nerve removed was the same one that was moved during a 2005 season-ending operation on June 24.

If Gagne doesn't do well upon his return, they can change his entrance music to, "If I Only Had the Nerve."

From Robin to Rickie likes what he read about Ben Sheets rehab start last night:

The big thing that jumped out at me, though, is he was throwing his fastball in the mid-90s, topping out at 96. I remember a couple of years ago when he started the season and his fastball had jumped from low 90s to 95, 96, 97. He was literally blowing away hitters, and combined with his outstanding curve and changeup, he dominated.

A.J. Burnett pitched in Dunedin tonight, throwing four innings.

"It felt good," said Burnett, "It's a lot different getting out there in competition. You can go out there and throw as many bullpens as you want, but getting out there in live competition you really see how you do and how you feel. I made some pitches to get out of that jam."

The new is not so good for Eric Gagne.

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne is to undergo arm surgery for the second time in less than a year, the National League team said on Thursday.

Gagne will have the surgery on Friday to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow, the same one that was operated on last season. The 30-year-old reliever, who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2003, missed most of last season after the first surgery.

First Nomar, now Gagne. It's only a matter of time before Drew goes down.

Noah Lowry suffered a lower back strain. No word yet on how long he'll be out.

After a pitch to Brian Jordan, Noah Lowry grabs his right side just below the rib cage. He tried to make a few practice pitches, but the Giants remove him from the game. Jeff Fassero is on in relief.

Brew Crew Ball notes that Ben Sheets is making his first rehab start tonight, and the radio broadcast is availabel on-line.

C.C. Sabathia does indeed go on the disabled list with an abdominal strain. He's replaced by the slightly shorter Jason Davis. There's no word on how long milliliter might be out.

The Dodgers may place Nomar Garciaparra on the DL today.\

No one was willing to say it, but Dodgers first baseman Nomar Garciaparra probably will be placed on the 15-day disabled list today with a strained muscle in his right side, an injury he suffered during Sunday's Freeway Series finale at Angel Stadium.

So much for the Dodgers staying healthy.

C.C. Sabathia underwent an MRI today, but the Indians are not going to announce his status until tomorrow.

Not only did Armando Benitez go down with a bad knee, Todd Jones injured his hamstring and is going to miss the first two weeks of the season. It seems last year the Tigers had too many closers, and now they're down to none.

Armando Benitez starts the season on the DL after getting pounded by the Oakland Athletics today:

Bonds is expected to be the Giants' designated hitter in their final exhibition Sunday. The seven-time NL MVP's troublesome right knee and strained left elbow are no longer the Giants' biggest injury concerns.

Instead, they're wondering when Benitez will recover from the left knee bursitis that has turned one of the game's most feared closers into a struggling shell of himself.

"He's not throwing the ball well," San Francisco manager Felipe Alou said. "We know he's not 100 percent. He took it well. He's a battler. He wants to be on the hill, but he also knows he's not there yet."

First impressions are strong, and my impression of Armando comes from his days with the Orioles, where Baltimore fans were the ones afraid of him. :-)

Adam Eaton's finger injury is both serious and unusual:

"I'd be happy if someone said he could come back by May 1," manager Buck Showalter said Thursday. "The trouble is, there is nothing in baseball to compare this injury to."

Showalter said team physician Dr. Keith Meister told him rock climbers are the only people who get the kind of injury Eaton suffered while throwing a curveball against his former team, San Diego, in the second inning of a spring training game Wednesday.

The Rangers shouldn't feel too bad. Chris Young has an 11.40 ERA in spring training for the Padres.

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A.J. Burnett will start the season on the DL and miss his first two starts.

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The Texas Rangers announce their rotation for 2006, and a little while later their number two starter walks off the mound with an injured finger:

Eaton was having discomfort in his right middle finger. He missed much of last season with San Diego with a torn tendon sheath in the same finger.

Though the extent of Eaton's injury was not immediately known, it seems almost certain he will open the season on the disabled list. He has pitched just 3 2/3 innings since March 9.

The Rangers don't have an open date in their first ten games, so they need to decide on a fifth starter again.

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With the Cubs next in line to end their World Championship drought, this headline doesn't bode well for the team's season.

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Tuesday was a bad day to be a Kim for Colorado, unless the Day was Zach.

Byung-Hyun Kim, slotted to be the No. 4 starter, came out of the Rockies' 6-6 tie against the San Francisco Giants at Hi Corbett Field because of a strained right hamstring.

Sun-woo Kim, one of three pitchers considered in the hunt for the No. 5 slot, also suffered a right hamstring strain and, instead of starting today's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, will pitch in a simulated game with the hope he can build arm strength without aggravating the injury.

Zach Day is the likely pitcher to move up in the rotation:

Day has been the in-house favorite for the fifth starter spot since spring training opened, and though he gave up four runs in five innings Tuesday, he got only one flyball out.

He struck out six and got eight outs on groundballs. It was a solid follow-up to the strong five innings he worked Friday against Arizona.

Day, however sports a 9.75 ERA in 24 spring innings. The eleven walks in that span needs to improve. I'm not sure there's much he can do about the home run every eight innings.

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Good news on the Yankees pitching front yesterday. Wang's knee was good enough to throw 50 pitches in the bullpen. Carl Pavano threw an inning in an actual game, although he did have a mishap:

The ball was trickling along the first base line and Carl Pavano - he of the balky back - lumbered after it. Pavano bent down, fielded the grounder and, in a move that could hardly be called graceful, tumbled to the ground and tagged the bag with his glove as he rolled.

For just a moment, everyone feared the worst. Pavano was making his spring debut two days before the Yankees leave Florida because he's been nursing an injury and this couldn't have helped. But Pavano came up smiling, shot a goofy look at Joe Torre and pitching coach Ron Guidry - who was laughing hysterically - and then proceeded back to the mound to finish his lone inning of work.

So it looks like the rotation will be Johnson, Mussina, Wang and Chacon, with the healthier of Wright/Pavano eventually joining those four.

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The Seattle Mariners recevied good news today as Jeremy Reed has a sprained, not fractured wrist:

That means Reed will likely be back in Seattle's lineup far sooner than the team's original estimate of four-to-six weeks -- perhaps even by next week.

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Mark Prior threw for the first time in two weeks yesterday. The Cubs are still being quite opaque about how long his rehabilitation will take.

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For a number of years, teams manipulated rosters through the disabled list. The Royals are really taking it to new heights this season. Today, they put Runelvys Hernandez on the DL due to a lack of stamina. I'm sorry, that's just not a good reason. He's not sick. He's not hurt. He's overweight and out of shape.

The Royals may commit Zack Greinke to the DL as well. As far as we know, there's nothing physically wrong with Greinke, either. He's not even seeing a doctor. (If indeed he's suffering from a real mental illness, I'd have no problem with his being on the DL. But as far as we know, he's just seeing a sports psychologist, so it seems way short of that.)

I think it's time to stop abusing the disabled list. It's for people who are hurt. If a player comes into camp out of shape, or has personal problems that prevent him from playing, the team shouldn't get to save options on the player by sticking him on the DL. Make them bite the bullet and ship the player to the minors or give them a release. Use the DL for its intended purpose.

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It looks like the Houston Astros will be without Jeff Bagwell and an insurance check:

The Astros have been told they cannot collect on the insurance policy they hold on disabled first baseman Jeff Bagwell's $17 million salary for this year, an attorney for Connecticut General Life Insurance has confirmed.

"On March 13, 2006, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company notified the Houston Astros that it had denied a total disability claim submitted by the Astros relating to Jeff Bagwell," said attorney Ty Buthod, a partner at the Houston law firm of Baker Botts. "The company determined that there had been no adverse change in Mr. Bagwell's condition or ability to play baseball between the end of last season, when he was an active member of the roster, and January 31, 2006, the date the policy expired. The company carefully reviewed the claim as submitted by the Astros and determined that the claim did not support a finding of total disability."

It seems that since Bagwell was able to pinch hit at the end of last season, and the insurance company didn't see anything that would hurt his ability to pinch hit over the winter, he's not "totally" disabled.

The Astros are likely to take this to court. My guess is that the two sides settle at a later date for something less than $15 million, especially once Bagwell retires.

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U.S.S Mariner notes that Felix Hernandez won't make his Wednesday start due to shin splints. The young pitcher may turn out to be the biggest draw in Seattle this season, so this isn't good news.

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The Yankees came into spring training with seven possible starters, and now four are injured in one way or another. Wang took a shot off the knee yesterday and it's bruised.

"No problem," said Wang, who had a gauze wrap around the knee. He left the stadium joking and in good spirits.

"I came in and looked at him and I could see discoloration on his knee. Everything is normal so that's good," said Joe Torre, who was less certain about Wang starting Friday. "We're thankful that is wasn't more than what it was. The next 48 hours will probably tell us more."

With memories of last season's slew of injured pitchers probably still fresh in Torre's mind, the Yankee skipper can ill-afford to lose a starter of Wang's caliber before the season begins. Righthanders Carl Pavano (back) and Aaron Small (right hamstring) already are on the disabled list.

Add to that Wright's back spasms, and it's a good thing the Yankees don't need a fifth starter for a while.

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Doctors examined Bonds' elbow and the doctors are happy, although it's not clear why, or even what caused the pain. And this is the first I've heard about swelling:

By Sunday, Bonds had full range of motion in the joint, the swelling was gone and he was not in pain, trainer Stan Conte said.

"If this were a regular-season game, he could probably play," Conte said. "We're trying to be ultraconservative. He shouldn't have any restrictions, but we'll see how he comes through."

Bone on bone in his knee, an elbow that swells up after a seven-inning game, and Bud Selig thinking about investigating him. It doesn't sound like the best time to be Barry Bonds.

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Cardinals Diaspora notices that Rick Ankiel is available to pinch hit and wonders if the injury was a way to keep other teams from claiming the pitcher turned outfielder so the Cards can send him back to AAA.

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Joe Hamrahi dontated $50 or more and sends this dedication:

I'd just like to use this space to thank David Pinto and everyone who has supported our growth at Baseball Digest Daily over the past few years including Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, Bill James, John Sickels, Marc Normandin of Beyond the Boxscore, John Dewan and the crew at BIS, Jeff Francoeur, Svend Jansen and the Louisville Bats, Nicole Saunches and the Milwaukee Brewers, Shawn Holliday and the Connecticut Defenders, Nicholas Skinner and the Mississippi Braves, Bill Wanless and the Pawtucket Red Sox, Roy Smith of the Dodgers, just about the entire front office of the Atlanta Braves, Bill Shanks, and my colleagues who have worked so hard to help me...Matt Gabriel, Jim Evans, Bob Monek, Julie Masow, and Brad Laney. Thank you all!

Jason LaRue needs to undergo knee surgery and be out at least two weeks. Javier Valentin takes over behind the plate. LaRue is the better offensive player, but the Reds offense isn't contingent on the play of the catcher, so they shouldn't lose many runs due to the injury.

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Cristian Guzman starts the season on the disabled list for the Washington Nationals. Normally, I'd say this was addition by subtraction, but they're replacing him with the just as poor Royce Clayton.

Meanwhile, Bowden believes the offense will be better this year, based mostly on the hope that the team is healthy. They're likely to be a little better. Left field will be up, but at the cost of less offense in center. Third base will be better with Zimmerman, but overall it's not a huge boost.

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The Big Hurt is feeling no pain and will play today for the Oakland Athletics:

Goldman was pleased with the condition of Thomas' surgically repaired left foot. "Thank goodness," Goldman said. "Everything looks good."

Goldman said the A's have received a specially designed shoe with built-in shock absorbent cushion that will help lesson the pounding Thomas takes while he runs. Goldman said it's a basketball-type shoe with specially installed cleats.

So far the investment in Thomas is looking like money well spent for the Athletics.

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Lookout Landing wishes Jeremy Reed would be more careful with his body:

Perhaps all that grit, hustle, effort, and hard-nosed determination isn't worth the downside after all. Jeremy really ought to slow down, or at least start paying closer attention to Ichiro and taking notes, since he seems immune to even the most minor aches and pains. People don't talk about it very often, but there's a right way and a wrong way to be a balls-to-the-wall kind of player, and right now Reed isn't helping himself by fielding like a crazy person.

I remember a Bill James piece about Butch Hobson back in 1982 that made a very similar point.

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Barry Bonds did not play today. After a swing in batting practice, he felt something was wrong with his elbow, and took himself out of the game.

Bonds played seven innings - his longest outing of the spring - Friday in an exhibition against Colorado, going 1-for-3 with an RBI single. He's 10-for-16 with four homers in Cactus League play, looking strong and sharp after three operations on his right knee limited him to 14 games last season.

Bonds had surgery on April 20, 1999, to repair a damaged triceps tendon near his left elbow. He was on the disabled list for seven weeks, but hasn't had a serious problem with the elbow since.

The Giants must hope to get about 120 games out of Bonds this season. But I don't think he's played two games in a row yet. It's possible that 80 to 100 games is a more realistic total for Barry. That, of course, would make a Giants division title tougher.

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A.J. Burnett threw yesterday and felt no discomfort. However, the Jays are going to work him back into the rotation very slowly:

With four off-days in April, it works out as follows: Halladay could pitch April 4-9-14-19-25; Gustavo Chacin would follow and pitch April 5-11-16-22-27; in order to face Boston and the Yankees twice, Ted Lilly could be slotted April 6-12-18-23-28; Josh Towers would go April 7-13-21-26.

Downs's two games then come April 8 against the Rays and April 15 at the White Sox, a cold-weather start, in any case, and one to be avoided for a recovering Burnett elbow.

Such a first-month scenario of maximizing the Jays' top four starters in Burnett's absence would allow 34 days from today to return to the point he was at the time of the torn scar tissue. His progress would continue to be monitored with the veteran Downs still available after his April 15 start, in long relief.

The Jays tried a four man rotation in 2003 but it didn't last. As I said then, I like using your five man staff this way, only using the fifth starter when needed. Start the front four every fifth day, not every fifth game.

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Mariners centerfielder Jeremy Reed won't start the season with the club as he's broken a bone in his right wrist. It seems those injuries are very bad for hitters. Even after they've healed, it seems to take them a while to get their hitting stroke back. Right now, the Mariners are looking at six weeks of Morse in center.

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Larry Bigibe suffered a stress facture in his left foot. This is probably a break for So Taguchi as well, as he probably gets to play full time until Bigbie returns.

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Part two of Evan Brunell's survey of experts on pitcher's injuries is up at Firebrand of the American League.

The Reds organization is attempting to change conventional thinking around baseball with regard to starting pitching and Kullman was at the forefront of it all. He oversaw a unique system in the Reds’ minor league system at the Class-A level and below. Instead of one starter going as long as he can, the Reds pull their pitchers after three to five innings and replace them with another pitcher who then goes a maximum of three to five innings. The former general manager of the Reds, Dan O’Brien, hired prior to the 2004 season, implemented this strategy. The reasoning was that if pitchers were to continually decrease in endurance to save their body from injuries, why not decrease it significantly, to three to six innings, so they can exit while their arm is fresh and bounce back quicker? “If we, as an industry, are going to continually limit starting pitcher workloads with arbitrary pitch and inning counts, why not at least get them out there one day sooner?” asks Kullman.

Critics say that this method is not utilizing the talents of a great starting pitcher correctly. However, as Kullman argues, what is the difference between a starter giving you seven to eight innings every fifth day, or five to six every fourth day? In addition, those great pitchers who can go eight innings consistently without significant harm to their career is a list so small that it can be denied in favor of the more advantageous system the Reds are slowly implementing. Kullman believes that this system should one day reach the major league level, for it will lessen the risk of the pitcher becoming fatigued, which leads to injury. University of North Florida’s Joshua Papelbon, a junior and brother to the Boston Red Sox’s young pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, says that “your arm and body can only take so much. The longer you continuously throw in a game the more and more you put yourself at risk of getting injured.”

Let's do the math. Six inning every four games equals 240 innings. Seven innings every five games equal 224 innings. And 224 inning go to a fifth starter, who is by definition worse than the other four. You need a good bullpen for this strategy, however.

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Frank Thomas ran the bases for the first time yesterday. If his foot checks out, he's likely to play in a real game on Sunday.

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Evan Brunell surveys experts on the causes of pitching injuries in part 1 of a two part story. I'm waiting to see if in the second part he discusses if the information we've learned is actually preventing injuries.

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MetsBlog.com notes that Billy Wagner will be shut down for a few days due to a swollen middle finger. (Insert joke here.) Maybe the Mets should let him pitch with it. The swelling might put a crazy spin on the ball and make Wagner more difficult to hit. :-)

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Lesson #755714708 on why it's good to have a deep starting staff.

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The Kansas City Royals are already down two starting pitchers, and now they've lost their closer:

MacDougal, who was a 2003 All-Star selection, led the team with 21 saves in 25 opportunities last season.

"He has injured a major muscle that comes off the back under the shoulder blade and attaches to the upper arm bone," Royals trainer Nick Swartz said Sunday. "He injured it where the tendon is attached to the upper arm bone is.

"Right now I'm looking at a minimum of four weeks, at the two-week mark we'll repeat his MRI and make another assessment."

It's hard to believe the Royals could be worse than in 2005, but if their pitchers keep falling like flies, it could happen.

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According to the Toronto Star, Burnett's problem was caused by scar tissue.

The Jays were tight-lipped about Burnett's situation after he left the game. Ricciardi said he was later told the MRI showed "scar tissue breaking up'' from Burnett's previous "Tommy John'' ligament transplant surgery.

Scar tissue is a rather common post-surgical occurrence and can be painful when it starts to come apart. But other than some swelling and stiffness, it can usually be dealt with swiftly.

The Jays will gladly wait the five days or more, even if it causes Burnett to miss his first start of the season since Toronto has capable spot starters in Scott Downs and Pete Walker.

Thanks to Zach for the link.

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A.J. Burnett left the Blue Jays game early yesterday and underwent a contrast MRI of his elbow:

"A.J. Burnett experienced some discomfort in his right elbow during today's start against Boston," Blue Jays spokesman Jay Stenhouse said. "He was removed from the game for precautionary reasons. He was taken for a contrast MRI that showed no damage to the elbow. As a result of the MRI procedure, A.J. will need to wait for the contrast dye to dissipate prior to resuming throwing. This is likely five days. Both A.J. and the Blue Jays are very pleased by the result."

And while the Jays know what's not wrong, they don't seem to know what is wrong. Stay tuned.

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The Daily News has a picture of the new stadium the Mets plan to build. It's definitely a throwback, as it pays homage to Ebbets Field. If anyone has a better picture, let me know.

Meanwhile, Kaz Matsui is out for three weeks.

Willie Randolph estimated Matsui would be held out of baseball activities for three weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right knee. That suggests Matsui will start the season on the disabled list, opening the door for Anderson Hernandez to head north with the Mets, though the manager maintained there would be an open competition with Jeff Keppinger, Chris Woodward and Jose Valentin.

In the minors since age 18, Hernandez didn't show any offenesive talent until he joined the Mets organization last season. He'll be 23 in 2006, so maybe the Mets are getting lucky and he's maturing at the right time.

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The Nationals lived through a lot of bad news this winter. They received more today.

Washington Nationals reliever Luis Ayala, who faced only one batter in his final appearance in the World Baseball Classic, will have reconstructive surgery on his right elbow and is expected to miss the entire season.

Next up next week, dealing with Soriano.

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Barry Bonds scored from first on a double today, but failed to go after a ball in shallow left center that dropped for a hit. He'll have a day off to recover tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how he feels then.

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The preliminary report on Mark Prior isn't terrible, but they haven't finished testing him yet.

According to team trainer Mark O’Neal, Prior has a “posterior shoulder strain.”

Prior, the Cubs’ 25-year-old right-hander, visited Dr. Lewis Yocum Wednesday in Los Angeles, and an initial exam led to the diagnosis. The next step for Prior will be an MRI athrogram, which was scheduled for this morning. It’s possible the Cubs might have more definitive word by this afternoon.

Yocum, team doctors and the training staff then will huddle Saturday in Arizona “to come up with a game plan after that to try to confirm the diagnosis,” O’Neal said Thursday morning.

Prior will not be able to take part in any throwing activity for at least 48 hours after the MRI athrogram because he’ll have a dye injected into his shoulder, and that needs two days to leave his system.

Stay tuned.

Update: The Cub Reporter has more.

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The word on Johnny Damon's shoulder is tendinitis.

The Yankees sent Damon to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in California on Tuesday, and the speedy leadoff man was cleared to pinch-run for the U.S. squad if needed. Whether Damon can hit will be determined before Thursday's game, but he will not play in the field.

"I spoke to Johnny yesterday," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday. "He's not worried. He just needs to get it calmed down, so that's why he's not a defensive player for them right now."

I suspect Yankees fans are worried.

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The Rockies suffered a few injuries yesterday, showing that:

"The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.”

None of these injuries were to projected starters, but to players who might make a difference to the team if things worked out well.

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The Cub Reporter has the scoop on Mark Prior's shoulder.

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An MRI shows Jason Rupe with an inflamed elbow, not a tear. He won't be on the opening day roster, however.

Rangers manager Buck Showalter said the plan was for Rupe to be shut down for 10 days and then slowly start pitching again.

“It will be tough for him to start for us,” Showalter said. “But this is as good news as we could expect.”

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Johnny Damon's shoulder is sidelining him in the World Baseball Classic. According to Damon, it's just limiting his throwing. In that case, how can he tell he's injured?

So what do the Yankees do if this doesn't clear up? Do you DH Damon and play Bernie in center? Or do you prefer Damon's range and let him play the field? The Yankees could have Damon flip Matusi or Sheffield the ball to throw in after a catch. :-)

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Pedro Martinez continues to work his way back into shape:

New York Mets right-hander Pedro Martinez threw 81 pitches off a mound during a bullpen session Saturday as he continues to recover from a right toe injury.

"It felt pretty good," Martinez said. "The results are great. I didn't throw too many at once. It's not time yet. It's just time to work."

Martinez took three breaks during the session in what he said was an attempt to better simulate an actual game.

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Ben Sheets felt some discomfort in his shoulder today. Eric has a quote from Yost that it may be a good thing.

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Another injury has Matt Mantei thinking about leaving the game:

Mantei could decide to retire as soon as today depending on the severity of the injury.

Not including Tuesday's setback, the right-hander has been injured in 10 of the last 11 seasons dating back to 1995.

"Just when you start thinking you're getting over the hump... we'll see," Mantei said after receiving treatment in the training room. "I felt a little twinge and then I threw the next one and I felt just about as bad as when I blew out my elbow, so I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

"I'm trying to remain hopeful, but it's not good. I can barely breathe, so it's not good."

When Mantei pitched, he struck out and walked lots of batters, but kept the ball in the park. Overall, he was effective. He just didn't pitch that much. The Tigers poor luck with veteran relievers continues.

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Scott Rolen showed he was healthy yesterday:

Rolen tested his surgically repaired left shoulder for 4 1/2 innings of a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made contact in each of two hitless at-bats, cleanly fielded three defensive chances and tested himself by departing from what was intended to be a conservative script.

Diving after a second-inning smash by Dodgers designated hitter Andy LaRoche, Rolen landed heavily on the same shoulder that collided with Dodgers first baseman Hee Seop Choi last May 10.

"I thought about that dive a little bit," Rolen said. "I dove. I wasn't not going to dive, but normally you don't think about diving."

The smash got past for a double, but Rolen collected himself and stood without indicating any distress.

"I thought he was probably ahead for his first game," said manager Tony La Russa, who penned Rolen into the leadoff spot before reconsidering and batting him second behind David Eckstein.

That's good news for the Cardinals and their fans, although I'm sure they'd rather Scott saved his dives for games that mattered.

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Robert Fick underwent elbow surgery today:

Fick had loose bones removed from his right elbow by Dr. Tim Kremchek in Cincinnati, Ohio. Fick is scheduled to return to spring training Tuesday and begin hitting and throwing within a week. The Nationals expect him to be ready to play opening day on April 3.

I continue to be amazed at how you can have surgery today and be playing again in a week.

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David Bell's bad back will keep him from starting the regular season with the Phillies:

Charlie Manuel essentially extended David Bell's spring yesterday when he allowed that Bell probably won't return to the lineup in time to get enough at-bats to get ready for the season.

Bell has missed time due to his bad back each season since 2003. Apparently he is suffering from a facet joint issue again. The problem won't let him resume baseball activity for 1 to 2 weeks, Manuel said. That would limit Bell to between 30 and 50 at-bats at best, assuming he has no setbacks.

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Over at Ivy Chat, Chuck doesn't believe Prior is healthy:

Notice Dusty trying to set expectations that "somebody" (read: Prior) could get hurt in camp. This way, there's no shock when it's finally announced that Prior is hurt.

I'll make the sapredicationion I made a few years back. If Prior doesn't throw in a game by the second time through the spring rotation, he's a lock for the DL to start the season.

This is a near dead repeat of what they did two years ago.

It seems to me there are two dynamics at work here:

1. The fans want to know the extent of injuries right away to make decisions on buying tickets and drafting fantasy players.
2. The clubs want to keep injuries as quiet as possible to sell more tickets and keep the competition guessing.

With fantasy baseball as big as it is, lots of people outside of Chicago have a stake in the health of Mark Prior. You're going into your draft, and you hear a rumor that Prior is hurt. What do you do? Healthy, he's a valuable player. Do you draft him early and hope for the best, or do you wait to see if he can be picked up at a lower cost? You'd like good information for the deal, but the baseball clubs in general have no reason to help you.

On the other hand, you have trying to build teams to win a division. If you're the St. Louis Cardinals, building your team to try to beat the Cubs, you might spend more money if the Cubs have Mark Prior than if they don't. It's to Chicago's advantage to get the Cardinals to spend more now so they have less maneuvering room come the trading deadline. They want the all the teams in the division to think Prior is healthy, so they waste resources preparing for that possibility.

So don't be too tough on the Cubs management. They want to sell tickets. They want to keep the competition guessing. They don't care about fantasy drafts. The way they are handling the Prior situation is exactly the way any team should be expected to handle a potential injury. Keep it as quiet as possible until the player goes on the DL.

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Jose Guillen won't need surgery after all:

"Guillen was given an injection in the wrist, which will be immobilized for 7-to-10 days, at which time he is expected to be able to begin baseball-related rehabilitation," the Nationals said in a statement. "The doctors agreed that a non-operative approach is in Guillen's best interest at this time."

Not much is going right for the Nationals right now, so this has to be a welcome development.

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Kerry Wood suffers another setback as he requires surgery on his knee:

Chicago Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood will have minor arthroscopic surgery on his right knee next week, general manager Jim Hendry said Friday.

Wood's surgery will take place Tuesday in Los Angeles.

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The left field situation in Washington is up in the air, and now the likelihood is that the Nationals need to find a right fielder as well:

Guillen was examined early Friday by a hand specialist, who diagnosed swollen tendons and a damaged tendon in the left wrist. Guillen told the team he thought he hurt the wrist during weight training.

The doctor recommended surgery to repair the damaged tendon, which would likely keep Guillen out of the lineup until June. The Nationals said they would seek a second opinion later Friday.

After a successful debut in D.C, Murphy's Law hit the franchise full on.

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When I was young, there was a comic strip call Lil' Abner. One of the characters was Joe Btfsplk who walked around followed by a cloud, and was considered a jinx. Rick Ankiel is the modern day embodiment of that character. Today, he injured his knee, setting back his attempt to make the majors as an outfielder.

"Yesterday he felt a little twinge in his knee," assistant team physician Robert Shivley said. "It was pretty well localized to the bottom end of his kneecap, in the patellar tendon. We're going to reevaluate him in 10 days, two weeks, and hopefully he'll be ready to go by then."

The 26-year-old Ankiel had been impressive in spring workouts. He batted a combined .259 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI in 85 games split between Double-A Springfield and Class-A Quad Cities last season.

Nothing is ever easy for Rick.

In addition to his torn labrum, Brian Lawrence also has a torn rotator cuff:

Washington Nationals right-hander Brian Lawrence had surgery Sunday to repair his torn right labrum, and during the surgery doctors also discovered that Lawrence had a torn rotator cuff, which also was repaired. The additional injury makes it more likely Lawrence will miss the entire season.

A team official described the tears as "extensive" but said the Nationals hoped Lawrence could begin throwing in 12 weeks and return to the active roster in four to eight months. He is expected to rejoin the team in Viera and begin physical therapy.

At least the doctors found it and fixed it at the same time, so he doesn't need additional surgery.

Curt Schilling threw off the mound yesterday for 16 minutes, tossing batting practice. All indications are he's in much better shape than in 2005:

For now, Schilling notices a big difference between this spring and the conclusion of last season. “Just the freedom of movement and the kind of thought you put into that stuff,” Schilling said. “From a mental standpoint, I’m not thinking about any of the stuff I was thinking of last year.”

Brian Lawrence will wait until the middle of the season to make his Washington Nationals debut. He tore his labrum at some point and will miss half the season.

Jeff Bagwell reported to camp, despite the Astros filing an insurance claim against his arthritic shoulder. The Houston Chronicle rounds up quotes from both Bagwell and owner Drayton McLane.

Mark Prior and Kerry Wood each threw off the mound yesterday.

Eric Gagne continues to make progress toward his return to big league action:

Dodgers closer Eric Gagne pitched Thursday to hitters for the first time since elbow surgery in June.

"I expected to feel good but I didn't expect to have so much zip on my fastball and movement on my change-up," Gagne said. "I was surprised. It's reassuring."

At the end of this long article on Frank Thomas' health is an important blurb about Bobby Crosby's shoulder:

SS Bobby Crosby (sore right shoulder) played catch from 90 feet and said he felt no pain. "That's a good sign," he said.

Rocco Baldelli had a good first day back from knee and elbow surgeries:

Wednesday couldn't come fast enough for Baldelli, the Devil Rays' 24-year-old center fielder who missed all of last season with reconstructive surgeries to his left knee and right elbow. The "Tommy John" surgery on his elbow still limits his throwing, but it didn't dampen his excitement for the Rays first full-squad workout of the spring.

"I wasn't nervous," Baldelli said, "but I didn't sleep (Tuesday) night."

I suspect we'll see a lot of teams testing that elbow on the basepaths. I wonder if the Devil Rays wouldn't be better served moving Rocco to left and Crawford to center until Baldelli shows he can throw?

Bobby Crosby is hurting again:

Shortstop Bobby Crosby's right shoulder is hurting him, and the A's are concerned.

"I started feeling tight about seven days ago," the 2004 AL Rookie of the Year said Wednesday. "I think I did it lifting weights at home. When I first started throwing, I said, `That hurts."'

Crosby's absence from the lineup in 2005 really hurt the Athletics:

Crosby sat out nearly eight weeks last season with two broken ribs after getting hurt Opening Day. The A's dropped 15 games below .500, then went 55-24 from the day he came back, May 30, to Aug. 27, when he got hurt again, breaking his left ankle in a home-plate collision.

On the plus side, the Athletics are deeper offensively this season, so it's possible they'll do better than last year if Crosby misses time.

Vernon Wells injured his leg, and it's likely to keep him out of the first round of the World Baseball Classic. Otherwise, it doesn't seem to be all that serious.

The Chicagoist is wary of Mark Prior's condition.

Curt Schilling says he's healthy, and he's ready to pitch like he did in 2004.

''Taking the ball on Opening Day and throwing 120 pitches," he said, ''is not something I'm concerned about."

He said he couldn't explain exactly what happened while working out in Arizona this winter, but something suddenly clicked.

''This wasn't winter rehab as much as it was getting over some thresholds," he said. ''Six, seven weeks ago, I turned a corner. I'm not sure why, but for the first time since April 2004 I can do manual work. Running, moving, a lot of the things that go with staying in shape and pitching shape. That's made a big difference.

Obviously, if Schilling is 80% of what he was in 2004, the Red Sox are in very good shape.

Bob Sikes offers his trainer's insight into the problems with Pedro Martinez's great toe.

Chris Duffy spent the winter re-learning how to run so he doesn't injure his hamstring again:

Tracy holds lofty expectations for Duffy, who has spent the better part of his off-season learning a new running style. The gist of it is that he's now firing his gluteus muscles, which he's done well to strengthen through various daily exercises and technique drills.

"I've really fine-tuned myself getting those little muscles strong and trying to fire a hamstring the way you're supposed to," Duffy said. "I'm probably in the best shape I've ever been in."

The Pirates hope Chris can repeat his .385 OBA over a full season. Given that his minor league OBA was .370, that may be a bit of a stretch, but even .360 would help the Pittsburgh offense.

Jim Thome's elbow is doing well:

"[My elbow] has been coming along good," said Thome, the only position player for whom the Sox sought permission to report with the pitchers and catchers because of injury. "Herm has done a terrific job. I've spent a lot of the winter in Chicago. I've gone back and forth to Cleveland (his off-season residence) and Peoria (his hometown). It has been the circuit for me. I have tried to work very hard from Day One since I've had the surgery, so it's great."

Thome then stepped into the covered batting cage and started hitting balls that were flipped to him by Thomas for about 30 minutes, with Thome taking a break to pick up balls or talk briefly to Schneider or right fielder Jermaine Dye, who made a brief visit.

Thomas sometimes would flip balls that were low and outside, and then high and inside. Thome showed no signs of favoring his elbow as he displayed a fluid swing.

Although Thome is expected to face live pitching this weekend, he already has hit off batting practice pitchers at U.S. Cellular Field without any discomfort.

"You can't simulate a game situation, but you can come close," Thome said. "I've been feeling good. I really have. I feel nothing [in the elbow]."

Octavio Dotel's recovery from Tommy John surgery is going well.

"It's more than I expected, way more," Dotel said. "I didn't expect this so soon. When I had the surgery, there were a lot of comments about how long it would take, if I could come back. You don't want to hear it, but you start thinking about it. "I'm really surprised at what I have already."

Dotel is talking about being ready to pitch in April.

Ryan Speier is out for the season after shoulder surgery. Speier pitched a short but very effective season for the Rockies in 2005:

Speier, a side-arming right-hander, went 2-1 with a 3.65 earned-run average in three stints with the Rockies last year and pitched 24 2/3 innings without allowing a home run. Speier jumped from Class AA Tulsa to make the Rockies' Opening Day roster and, that day, won his first game in his major-league debut. Speier was optioned to Class AAA Colorado Springs on April 28 after going 1-1 with a 9.82 ERA in 10 games.

He returned to the Rockies for a week in August, and finally, in September, when the rosters were expanded, going 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA in 12 games.

He could have been another test case for unusual deliveries working in Colorado.

Adam Dunn broke his hand twice in 2005.

Reds manager Jerry Narron let it slip this week at a Dayton Agonis Club meeting when somebody criticized Dunn.

"He broke his hand twice last year and wouldn't let us X-ray it because he wanted to play," said Narron.

When Dunn was asked about it, he uttered a profanity and said, "He isn't supposed to be talking about that. It was not that big of a deal."

Asked how long the hand hurt, Dunn said, "What time is it now?"

So, it still hurts.

"Yeah, I had it checked this week and the doctor said I should put a splint on it, but the heck with that," said the man who takes over first base for the Cincinnati Reds this year.

I understand playing through an injury during the regular season, but it would be prudent to let the bone heal in the off season.

Lance Berkman underwent knee surgery today, and the reports are good:

Berkman, who turns 30 on Feb. 10, does not expect to miss a lot of Spring Training. He will likely be ready to play when the Grapefruit League season begins on March 2, but he withdrew his name from the United States roster for the World Baseball Classic.

The Houston Astros filed a claim on Jeff Bagwell's insurance policy:

He is disabled at this point, GM Tim Purpura said today of Bagwell's his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Bagwell still wants to play. I assume if he makes the team, the claim gets withdrawn.

John Smoltz is recovering quickly from his late-season shoulder inflammation. He now wishes he hadn't pulled out of the World Baseball Classic so soon:

Smoltz was wary about pushing his arm too hard this spring, so he pulled out of the World Baseball Classic earlier this month. Now he says he feels so good that if he had waited he might have made a different decision.

"I did it a little prematurely because I thought the timeframe was actually shorter than it actually is," he said about the deadline to commit to the Classic. "It probably is best because of how bad I want to play in it."

Scott Rolen is working his way back from shoulder surgery.

"Huge difference - there is no doubt - from where I finished playing to where I am right now," Rolen said Monday at the Winter Warm-Up, his first public appearance since October. "When I was playing at the end of (my) season, I'd take a swing and it felt like my whole shoulder capsule was bouncing around in there. And now, the tightness ... that's a good feeling to me.

"My shoulder feels like it's new."

The Houston Astros and Jeff Bagwell are facing tough decisions regarding the first baseman's shoulder:

The trip was at the request of the Astros, who are trying to get a better idea on the status of Bagwell's shoulder. Bagwell underwent capsular release surgery in June and missed 115 games last season.

"I threw 20 balls and took about 15 swings on videotape and went and saw Dr. Andrews, who was a heck of a trouper for seeing me in his hospital bed after a heart attack," Bagwell said. "We had a good conversation. He examined me, and that's about the extent of it right now."

The Astros face a Jan. 31 deadline for filing an insurance claim that would pay the club about $15.6 million if Bagwell decides he can't play. Bagwell is scheduled to make about $17 million this year and insists he will to try to play.

There's a Jan. 31 deadline on filing the claim. If Bagwell can't play anymore, the Astros would like him to retire to free up that $15 million dollars. Bagwell, however, wants to play and doesn't want to be rushed into a decision:

"It didn't look great, but then again for three years-plus at this point during the offseason I couldn't throw the ball five feet," he said. "That's not what I was trying to gear up to do. I was trying to gear up to play on April 1 or whenever opening day was.

"Apparently, the Astros wanted something now. It's very easy to say now 'Oh, it doesn't look like he can play.' I've never looked like I could play (at this point) in the last four years."

I would guess the insurance company wants strong evidence that Bagwell can't play because of the injury. I wonder how bad Bagwell has to be for the Astros to collect? If he can't throw, but can pinch hit, do the Astros get the money?

Update: At least one person is confused by this. Bagwell is owed $17 million if he plays or not. If the Astros believe he can play, and don't file a claim by Jan. 31, the money comes out of the Astros pockets. If they believe he can't play, they have a stronger case if Bagwell retires due to the injury. If the claim is found to be valid, $15 million of Bagwell's salary comes out of the pocket of the insurance company. The Astros then have $15 million to spend somewhere else. For example, they can sign Roger Clemens on May 1. Or maybe make a trade for Manny Ramirez. You can do a lot with $15 million.

Rafael Furcal needs minor knee surgery.

Shortstop Rafael Furcal, who signed a $39 million, three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last month, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Monday the procedure on Furcal's meniscus cartilage will be minor. Furcal is expected to recover fully in two to three weeks and should be ready when spring training opens, Colletti said.

It doesn't sound like a big deal.

Dr. John Uribe is scheduled to perform surgery on Jose Guillen to fix Guillen's torn labrum.

Guillen originally suffered the injury sliding into home plate in late June, and his drop-off in production was precipitous. Prior to the all-star break, he hit .310 and slugged .539 with 18 homers and 51 RBI. After the break, his batting average dropped to .246, his slugging percentage to .395 and he hit just six homers with 25 RBI.

It makes you wonder if Guillen should have been operated on right away. While Washington would have played poorly in his absence, a healthy return could have kept the Nats out of last place.

Reggie Sanders' one great post season was dealt a set back last night:

When Reggie Sanders nearly landed on his head in pursuit of an eighth-inning triple by Adam Everett, he was shaken and had to leave. Call it symbolic. The hottest and mightiest Cardinal of the 2005 postseason departed on wobbly legs with lower-back pain.

And with right fielder Larry Walker aching all over and completely ineffective so far this postseason and with Jim Edmonds yet to make an impact as a hitter in the NLCS, the Cardinals can't afford to have their Mr. October become Mr. November — as in Sanders' Superman streak is over for the month.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa described Sanders' spill as a "train wreck ... he's got sore spots all over his body. He's bruised all over his body."

La Russa said Sanders is "50-50" for Game 3.

For the second time in the inning, a ball goes off Mulder's body. Giles hit a grounder off him, but Mulder recovered and got the out a first. Randa just hit a hard liner off Mark's left arm, giving Randa a single. Mulder is staying in the game, but he was clearly hurt.

Mulder hits Nady to load the bases with one out.

Update: Ben Johnson strikes out. He swung the bat pretty well for a 16th century playwright. Astacio grounds out to Mulder to end the inning. The Padres let an excellent scoring opportunity go to waste.

Jake Peavy is talking about pitching game 4 of the NLDS:

"I wouldn't rule it out," Peavy said Wednesday. "We've got a great medical staff taking a look at all of our options, and I feel like we've got some pretty good options that we can take advantage of.

"Hopefully those can make me feel a whole lot better than I feel right now and I'll get back out there."

Peavy said team doctors are considering a numbing injection into the break, on his right side.

If Dan Pastorini could play with broken ribs, why not Peavy:

Pastorini broke the NFL record for getting sacked as a rookie, broke it in 1972 and again in 1973. During one game his rookie season, he was sacked 15 times. Protocol in the Oilers' huddle called for at least one lineman to say "I'm sorry" before Pastorini called the next play. To protect Pastorini's ever-collapsing rib cage, engineers invented football's first flak jacket.

This is very bad news for the Padres playoff hopes. Jake Peavy broke two ribs during today's game.

Initial X-rays were negative, but the Padres sent Peavy to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for an MRI, which revealed the fractured rib. A team spokesman said Peavy might have also broken his ninth rib, and that additional tests were being done.

Padres manager Bruce Bochy said the team didn't know when Peavy suffered the injury.

He could break them twisting on a play, or even coughing. Even if the Padres manage to get by St. Louis, I don't give them much chance of going past that without their ace.

Update: The Fox pre-game show just reported that Peavy broke his rib in the Padres celebration after they clinched. Those player piles are funny until someone loses the opening game of the LDS. :-)

Blum hits a line drive off Kevin Millwood's knee for a base hit. Millwood looked hurt, but he's staying in the game. The hit puts runners at first and third for the White Sox in a 0-0 game. Harris hits the first pitch for a single to right to put the Sox ahead 1-0.

It appears Barry Bonds' knee isn't holding up all that well.

With two outs in the second inning and nobody on for the Padres, Bonds did something that probably impressed his teammates even more than the four homers he has hit since his return. He ran full speed into the left-center gap and caught an Xavier Nady drive. Bonds seemed to aggravate his knee injury on the play, limping badly as he tried to stop himself. He couldn't, until he got to center field.

Bonds labored to jog in from the outfield. His reward was a sea of high-fives as soon as he reached the dugout steps.

Bonds was playing his fourth straight game. Earlier, he said the knee felt a little better, but Alou said he would not have played Bonds "under normal circumstances." Even Sunday, Alou said, "he didn't look like he was standing on both legs like he did in the beginning, maybe because he played the night before."

If the knee is going to be ruined again, the Giants better win the division to make it worthwhile.

Griffey will go under the knife again.

He will have arthroscopic surgery to clean out his left knee and treat scar tissue around his hamstring. The hamstring injury threatened his career last season.

Griffey missed his 15th straight game Wednesday night because of a sprained right foot. He is batting .301 with 35 home runs and 92 RBI in 128 games. Griffey is tied with Mickey Mantle for 12th on the career home run list with 536.

It's not clear from this article, but it doesn't seem like the surgery is related to the foot injury. He'd probably need this even if he were still playing. The sooner they clean out his knee, the sooner he'll recover.

Kameron Loe just took a line drive to the head off the bat of Vlad Guerrero. The ball ricochetted to shortstop where Young caught it for the out. Loe didn't appear to be hurt, but the Rangers were smart and removed him from the game.

The ball appeared to hit the bill of his cap straight on, which may have cushioned the blow. They replayed the audio of the beaning, and it sounded pretty bad. Let's hope Loe is okay.

Bobby Crosby tried to beat out an infield hit in the sixth inning and lands hard on his left foot as he reaches the base. He's thrown out and appeared to be in pain. I'm waiting to see if he comes out to play his position in the top of the seventh. The Athletics still have a 5-0 lead.

Update: Crosby came out to play short in the seventh. The injury wasn't as bad as it looked.

The Oakland Athletics activated Bobby Crosby tonight and he'll be in the lineup against the Twins. The Athletics have hope with Crosby in the lineup.

Crosby already sat out April 5 to May 29 with two broken ribs after getting hurt opening day at Baltimore. The A's went 55-24 for a .696 winning percentage from the day he came back May 30 to Aug. 27, when he got hurt again -- also at Camden Yards. He collided with Orioles catcher Sal Fasano.

"I feel it," he said. "There's still a broken bone in there. ... Hopefully I can come out hot like last time I came off an injury. Last time it worked out well. Hopefully we can do the same thing."

Luis Castillo injured his hamstring late in last night's game, possibly leaving the Marlins without either side of their keystone combination:

Second baseman Luis Castillo left the game in the seventh inning after he limped into third base on Jeff Conine's double. He was diagnosed with a tight right hamstring and is listed as day-to-day.

The Marlins already are without shortstop Alex Gonzalez (sore right elbow) and backup Damion Easley (sprained right ankle). If Castillo misses any action, utility infielder Mike Mordecai will start at second.

It's an especially tough loss offensively, since Castillo provided a great spark since moving to the lead off spot. If Mordecai and Andino are both in the lineup, you may see Dontrelle Willis bat 7th.

You might think that Jaret Wright has one of those "Hit this, win a prize" ads on his uniform. He was knocked out of a game a couple of weeks ago when an liner hit him in his collar bone. Today, he left the game in the third inning when the sharp end of a broken bat gets what appears to be Wright's pitching arm. Al Leiter comes on in relief with the Yankees losing 4-2.

Vlad Guerrero re-injured his shoulder last night.

"He's day-to-day; we're not going to play him if there's a risk of injury and [missing] substantial time," Scioscia told the newspaper. "If the lead shoulder is not impacting his swing and he's not at a risk of injury, he'll play."

Barry Bonds is likely to be tested at the plate this evening. Should he also be tested in the field? Legs have a lot to do with generating power in throwing. Should the Padres run on Bonds as much as possible? Should they even try going first to third on singles to left? Stretching singles into doubles? The experiments the Padres conduct on Bonds in the field will be as interest as the ones at the plate.

Barry Bonds gets his first look at major league pitching in nearly a year tonight. I'm wondering what Adam Eaton will throw to start off Barry's 2005 season. Will he try to hit the corners? Will he throw up and in to move Barry off the plate? Or does he go straight for the knees to see if Barry can stand in against that pitch? If there's a man on 2nd, do they intentionally walk him? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

ESPNews is reporting that Bonds will be activated Monday. I don't have a link to a story yet.

Update: Here's the link.

The Giants may be getting Barry Bonds back soon, but they lost their superstar on the pitching side last night.

Jason Schmidt, trying for his 13th win, strained his right groin throwing a pitch to Oscar Robles in the fifth inning and had to leave the game, trailing 4-2 after he allowed four runs in a 34-pitch first inning.

Luckily, it led to one of the more colorful paragraphs I've read this season:

The horrid defeat aside, the Giants hardly can imagine a stiffer blow than a Schmidt injury. He hurt the same groin last year on Aug. 17 and stayed off the mound for 11 days. When he returned, he was not the Cy Young Award candidate he had been.

Schmidt was 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA at the time of the injury but 3-3, 5.44 thereafter.

The Giants used six relievers last night after Schmidt left. Whatever happened to the long reliever? Teams used to carry a pitcher whose job it was to come in when the starter broke down early and pitch most of the rest of the game. You'd think with 12 men on a pitching staff there would be a hurler capable of throwing more than 1 2/3 innings.

With the blown win last night, the Giants are now six games out of the division with 24 to play. With seven games left against San Diego, the Giants will pretty much need to take 6 of those to have a shot at the division.

Vin Scully just reported during the Dodgers broadcast that an MRI reveals that the Dodger shortstop needs Tommy John surgery.

The Daily News follows up on Mike Cameron's injury. His recovery doesn't sound like a lot of fun:

Inactivity has drastically altered Cameron's appearance. Whatever the actual pounds lost, his face is considerably thinner, making him look like a different person. Teammates joke he should now wear lightweight Gerald Williams' pants.

"Beat me while I'm down," Cameron said, clearly enjoying the banter at his expense, because it meant he was surrounded by his teammates.

Cameron, who makes his home outside Atlanta and was in uniform yesterday, will try to lift weights for the first time today. He's limited to walking around his neighborhood because he continues to get lightheaded when he attempts to run. Light still creates a glare and forces him to squint, so Cameron wears sunglasses to protect his eyes. He shouldn't require further surgery, but got a reminder of the titanium plates in both cheeks and above his right eye when he set off an airport metal detector en route to New York for a checkup.

Let's hope he makes a speedy and full recovery.

Pedro Gomez, hoping for something to do this baseball season, is reporting that Barry Bonds may be back with the Giants tomorrow night.

The 41-year-old slugger took 17 swings and hit five balls over the fence during his turn in the batting cage.

"I did pretty well today," he said. "When I get back on the field, I want to be playing where I left off."

More interesting, however, is the side bar which explains why Bonds spent so much time in Los Angeles:

As Barry Bonds joined his teammates for the first time in nearly three months, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN's Pedro Gomez that Bonds' banishment to Los Angeles in late June was precipitated by a clubhouse fight with a teammate.

Bonds is alleged to have punched the unnamed teammate in the jaw, and the Giant put Bonds in a headlock. Late June is when Barry's knee swelled up again. Did this tussle help aggrevate the injury? If so, Barry's ability to be disliked may have cost him half a season and the Giants the division.

Jaret Wright was just hit by a line drive. It looks like it got between the neck and the shoulder, maybe it grazed his mouth. He's been taken out of the game after going 5 1/3 innings of 3 hit, shut out ball. Sturtze is on in relief.

Update: Sturtze allows the Ibanez, who reached base on the liner off Wright, to score. Wright will not get the win as the score is tied at 1 in the bottom of the fifth.

Bobby Crosby is on the DL again.

Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby went on the disabled list for the second time this season Wednesday, this time with a broken left ankle.

The Athletics resurgence pretty much coincided with Crosby's return to the lineup. It's a better team now than it was at the start of the season, so we'll see how the A's hold up to this loss. That much offense is difficult to find at shortstop.

The AP is reporting that Roy Halladay won't be back this year. That's a huge blow to the Blue Jays chances of winning the wild card.

It looks like the news isn't too bad for Zach Duke.

"They're saying I might miss one start, at the most," said Duke, who was wearing a brace on his ankle after the game. "It hurts right now, that's for sure."

Ty Wigginton returned to the Pirate lineup tonight and ended up at third base in both the top and bottom of the inning. He's at his familiar position defensively, and in the bottom of the inning hit a bases loaded triple in his first at bat. Zach Duke takes a 4-0 lead into the top of the 2nd.

Update: Zach Duke was injured on the bases. Duke and Duffy each singled to start the 2nd. Then McLouth hit a liner to short that was dropped by Eckstein. Duke was retreating to the bag, and Duffy was running trying not to be forced. They got the force on Duffy, and then for some reason, Duke started to third and was immediately tagged out. As soon as he got back to the dugout, a reliever started warming up in the bullpen.

They're interviewing McClendon now, and he said Duke rolled his ankle and can't pitch in this game anymore. Lloyd doesn't know the extent of the injury. He sounds like it's serious.

Scott Rolen decided on surgery for his shoulder, ending his season. The good news is he should be ready for spring training in 2006.

Scott Rolen needs surgery on his shoulder, and the sooner he has it the more likely he'll be ready to play next season. The question for Rolen is should he try to finish this season to help the Cardinals win.

"I have a chance of being part of something pretty special, or walk around in a sling," Rolen said. "One of the questions is, what's my best chance to win a ring as a St. Louis Cardinal?

"It might be not to play, and that's not an easy decision to say: 'I can't help this team, I can hurt this team - so my best shot at winning a World Series is not to play."'

What might make the decision easier for Rolen is that Abraham Nunez is having his career year. His OBA is 50 points higher than his average and his slugging percentage is 70 points higher. (There just seems to be something magical about moving to the Cardinals.) Rolen is probably better than the career average Nunez, but he's probably not better than the Nunez playing for the Cardinals right now.

Mike Cameron was placed on the DL today with multiple fractures in his nose and cheeks. There's a video link here if you dare to watch.

Jim Thome's elbow needs surgery, and he'll miss the rest of the season. Ryan Howard isn't a superstar at first base for the Phillies, but he's an improvement over the injured slugger who lost his power.

They just announced on the Yankees broadcast that Carl Pavano has rotator cuff tendinitis and needs six more weeks to recover.

Alex Belth links to the bad news about the Yankees pitching staff.

Tim Kurkjian examines the return of Nomar Garciappara and Kerry Wood to the Cubs active roster. Kerry is moving to the bullpen to try to save his arm:

Wood has been on the disabled list twice this season with arm injuries.

"He has been having trouble in the third or fourth inning, when he has had to throw a lot of pitches," Rothschild said. "It's happened two or three times to him, going back to last year in L.A. It has never been so bad that he can't throw, but it has been prohibitive."

That makes sense. There's even speculation he'll become the Cubs closer, although he's probably better used as a two inning pitcher through the critical parts of the opposition lineup.

As for Nomar:

Garciaparra is coming back following a tepid finish to last season, and a poor start to this year: 8-for-51 with no homers, four RBI and four walks when he was injured in April. And, say most scouts, the bigger worry is his defense.

Last year, Nomar got off to a slow start with the bat and glove. His bat came around first, but his defense took a couple of months and didn't improve until he arrived with the Cubs. To make the best of the situation, I guess the Cubs can use Nomar's bat early, Neifi's glove late.

Barry Bonds told MLB.com today that it's unlikely that he'll return to action in 2005.

Bonds had been hoping that he'd return to the field sometime in September, especially if the Giants remain in the National League West race. But he said a recent MRI showed he's still slightly building fluid in a knee that has been scoped three times since Jan. 31, causing intermittent swelling.

"I don't think you're going to see me out there this year," Bonds said during a telephone interview. "That's the reality of the situation. I'm improving. I'm happy with the progress. I'm working out hard on the exercise bike and the elliptical machine, but I'm just not there yet. The last thing I want is to get back on the field and be out again a week later.

"The doctors say it's wise for me to work out hard this winter and be ready to go next season. I want to be out there and play the whole year."

I'm not surprised by this at all. It's too bad for the Giants, since they are now close enough to make a run at the division. Getting Bonds back for a few weeks in the lackluster NL West could have a made a big difference in their prospects.

It also greatly reduces the chance of Bonds breaking Aaron's record. Going a year without seeing live pitching is going to hurt his timing. It's not going to be easy to regain that, especially when you're standing on two bad knees. Barry Bonds at 50% is still a very good ballplayer, but I don't know if he's good enough to hit 50 home runs in two years, especially if he has to play the outfield.

Torii Hunter is headed for the DL.

Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter has a torn tendon in his left ankle and will be sidelined for at least 4-6 weeks, ESPN's Harold Reynolds learned Friday night.

Hunter's a good player. He's a fine centerfielder who doesn't hurt you with the bat. He'll be tough to replace.

Frank Thomas will be out for the rest of the season. He has a fracture in his left foot and will go into a cast.

It's too bad that Thomas isn't able to be a part of this great season for the White Sox. While Chicago has done fine without him, a healthy Thomas would have added an extra dimension of offense to the team. It would also be nice to see Thomas have another chance to win a championship.

It looks like the line drive to Matt Clement's head was not too bad. A second CAT scan was negative, and he was released from the hospital this afternoon.

Francona visited Clement at the hospital after the Red Sox rallied to beat the Devil Rays 10-9 in 10 innings Tuesday night and said the pitcher was in good spirits and talking on the telephone when he entered the room.

"He laughed a lot. He was Matt. He just had a bump on his head," the manager said, adding that he was amazed Clement wasn't injured more seriously.

"He had a little cut on his ear. I didn't stand over his bed, but I don't think he was really that swollen. It was amazing. ... I was really surprised."

Update: The news on Trot Nixon wasn't good as he's been placed on the DL.

I only heard the end of the report, but the Red Sox broadcasters were briefed on Clement and their reaction was that the news was good.

I just received an e-mail saying that Matt Clement was hit in the head with a line drive. They have not shown a replay since I tuned in. Let's hope he's okay.

Chad Bradford came in to take Matt's place, and Huff just hit a grand slam to tie the game at five. Aubrey did not have a grand slam before the Baltimore series, and now has two. The Devil Rays band wagon keeps rolling along.

Update: NESN finally showed a replay, and suggested that people might want to turn away. It was pretty nasty. The ball got Matt square in the side of the head, and he just fell to the ground. Jerry Remy just reported that Clement was just taken away by ambulance.

Larry Walker joins Reggie Sanders, Scott Rolen and Yadier Molina on the DL. That's nearly half the Cardinals starting lineup. If a team is going to make a move on the Cardinals, now is the time. Luckily the Cardinals have such a big lead that they can afford to take time to get healthy for the stretch run and the playoffs.

Jose Guillen left the Nationals game in the bottom of the ninth after being hit on the hand with a pitch. The game is in the 10th with the score tied at 1, and the Nationals are out of position players. They're going to go the rest of the game with the lineup they have now.

Frank Thomas is back on the DL. His left foot is bothering him again. Maybe he can get a transplant from Daniel Day Lewis. :-)

Livan Hernandez gave a very strange press conference last night in which he indicated:

1. Something has him upset.
2. He may opt for knee surgery today and shut down for the rest of the season.

Both of these items took people by surprise. We'll see how it plays out.

Reggie Sanders is on the DL with a broken right leg. Sanders is having his typical odd year; hitting well for power. With the depth of the Cardinals team, however, it's unlikely he'll be sorely missed. With the big four healthy, St. Louis has plenty of offense.

I'm back from Baltimore, and the biggest story while I was gone was the injury to Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays ace leg broke when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kevin Mench. With Halladay, the staff is unremarkable:

Blue Jays Starters, 2005	Halladay	Others
Record	12-4	22-29
ERA	2.41	4.79
K per 9	6.9	5.6
BB per 9	1.1	2.7

Halladay is a big reason the Jays are staying in the race. His absence may be a big reason they fall out of contention.

Kelly Wunsch was called into the game for the Dodgers, but turned his ankle on his last warm-up pitch. He couldn't come in to pitch, so righty Franquelis Osoria is called to pitch to lefty Todd Helton. Helton takes him deep for a three run homer and an 8-5 Rockies lead. That's one costly warm-up pitch.

Keith Foulke needs surgery on his left knee and is on the DL. It looks like Timlin is moving into the closer's role.

It looks like Curt Schilling won't pitch Saturday for the Red Sox. My college roommates and I are going to that game in Baltimore, and for a while it looked like we were going to get to see Schilling's return. We'll just have to settle for two teams fighting for the AL East lead. :-)

Keith Foulke may have problems as well:

The Red Sox said Tuesday that Keith Foulke, who closed out all four games in the World Series, would return to Boston to have MRI exams on both of his knees. The right-hander is 5-5 with a 6.23 ERA and 15 saves, and two of his four blown saves have come in the last week.

The Red Sox are just finding out now that one or both of his knees may be bad? Did Foulke keep this from the front office?

Update: More on the Foulke injury here:

Francona said Foulke's left knee has been bothering him "for years. For a while."

"I do think his right knee is starting to hurt also because he's favoring it," Francona said. "If he gets it checked and he's OK, good. Missing one day of the season is not the end."

Good to know the Red Sox signed a closer with a bad knee to a long term contract.

Jon Weisman has thoughts on J.D. Drew's injury and if DePodesta should be blamed by Dodgers fans for not seeing that this would happen. The news is that Drew will hear if his season is over today; I believe that's just a formality. Wrists injuries, even after healing, require time for a player to rebuild his swing. Even if Drew comes back in the beginning of September, I doubt he'd be effective during the last month of the season. With Drew, it's best to wait 'til next year.

This is turning into an epidemic. Kenny Rogers' punch of a water cooler on June 17 resulted in a broken hand. He'll join my daughter on the DL (by the way, it's her birthday).

At some point, major league baseball clubs should institute anger management for all their players. You hear about incidents like this at least once or twice a year:

Oliver Perez's temper has landed him on the disabled list.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates placed their ace lefthander on the 15-day DL with a broken left big toe, which was suffered when he kicked a laundry cart in the clubhouse following his start against St. Louis on Sunday.

Given the way he's pitched this season, "ace" is a very generous title. The Pirates might actually improve with Perez on the DL. He has to be one of the big disappointments of 2005.

Barry Bonds' knee is not swell, but swollen. Once again, his rehab caused more hurt than help. It's becoming clear this will continue to be a protracted process of healing, if it heals at all. It could very well be that Barry's reached the point in his life where his knee will just not carry him through the rigors of being an elite athlete. The odds of Barry breaking Aaron's record keep getting longer with every set back while the odds of his ever returning are shorter and shorter. Most players faced with this injury and rehab would retire. It's a testament to his competitiveness that Bonds labors on. I wonder at what point he says, "No more."

Bruce Chen left today's game against the Atlanta Braves with a sprained big toe. He pitched 4 2/3 scoreless inning before the injury. The early exit forced the Orioles to go deep into their bullpen, and it cost them the game 5-4. I've always heard the big toe is an important digit, and today it may have cost the Orioles a win.

Eric Gagne's surgery went better than expected. He did not require a ligament replacement.

The doctors found a slight amount of fraying from the original graft that was stitched when Gagne underwent Tommy John surgery in 1997. Also, there were nerves that had scarred down onto the graft, which was causing Gagne considerable pain. The surgery relieved the pressure the nerves were placing on the graft.

"The ligament was intact, but there was a sensory nerve that was running right along the elbow bone, along with the ligament," Jobe said. "So the symptoms were identical to a ligament tear, but it was really just an irritation to the nerve."

He should be ready for spring training. Good news for Eric and the Dodgers.

They're 1-9 over their last 10 games, they've lost two in a row to the Padres, they're four games under .500 and now they've officially lost their closer for the season. Eric Gagne needs Tommy John surgery, which of course means they may not get him back until 2007.

This isn't the death knell for the Dodgers. They did fine in the early part of the season with Eric on the DL. They need to get the offense back to where it was in April when they were scoring 5.5 runs per game, instead of their June output of 3.6 runs per game.

Curt Schilling set a return date of July 10th, just before the All-Star break.

Schilling threw a light bullpen session before the Sox' 6-5 win over the Pirates last night. Yesterday marked his return to his team after a stint in Tempe, Ariz., at the Athletes Performance Institute, where he received intensive attention and treatment - ``seven hours a day,'' he said - on his foot. Former team doctor Bill Morgan, who stitched up Schilling last October, watched the pitcher's session yesterday - after being invited by Schilling. Schilling wore a less dramatically altered boot yesterday, and said that the hope is that he can wear a normal shoe when he pitches.

Rehabilitation can be a full time job.

Tim Hudson is the latest Braves pitcher to hit the disabled list. It seems that team is being held together with duct tape and string right now. I wonder if Smoltz can pitch every day?

As expected, Eric Gagne returned to the DL yesterday. There is speculation that the injury to his elbow is much more serious this time around and he might require Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers did okay without him earlier in the season. They were 21-14 while Gagne was on the DL, 12-17 since.

Kevin Brown's back pain returned last night. He was actually pitching well before it hit him.

The White Sox trainer discusses why Frank Thomas will continue to have minor injuries.

So says longtime White Sox head athletic trainer Herm Schneider, who knows Thomas' career medical history and the hitter's stubborn ways.

"Frank's body is changing, and he needs to understand there are certain things he can't do that he used to," Schneider said Tuesday. "He tries to lift (weights) before games, early in the day, and his legs get tight. He has a tendency to drink a lot of coffee, which dehydrates you in warm weather.

"Those kinds of things, he needs to back off and change. But Frank has a tendency not to listen until the horse is out of the barn."

There seems to be some controversy about Barry Bonds' rehabilitation.

Barry Bonds' brief workouts might have been ill-advised and premature.

San Francisco Giants trainer Stan Conte told the San Jose Mercury News on Monday that the infectious-disease specialist treating Bonds recommended that the left fielder should avoid "significant-impact activities." Those activities include the light resistance and agility drills Bonds performed over the weekend. Robert Armstrong made the recommendation after reviewing Bonds' latest blood tests, MRI exam and X-rays.

Conte, however, told the paper that no final decision will be made on the sluggers' rehab until Armstrong consults with Arthur Ting, Bonds' primary physician. Conte told the newspaper that Ting "will make the determination on what Barry can do and what he can't do."

I appreciate that Bonds wants to get back quickly, help his team out of their funk, and persue Ruth and Aaron. I also appreciate that doctors tend to be very conservative with injuries and Bonds should know his own body best. But so far, he's pushed himself too much and each time he's ended up with a set back. Barry needs to find the quickest path back to health, and in this case, the slow, steady route might be the quickest.

Carlos Zambrano appears to have hurt his big toe. After singling in the bottom of the fifth, Carlos make a bad slide into second. He tried to warm up for the 6th, but came out of the game in favor of Wellenmeyer. Another ace may be down.

Update: It's a strained big toe. He'll have X-rays.

I was sitting down to watch the White Sox play the Padres on Friday night when my daughter comes home from a going away party. She walks in to the TV room with a bag of ice on her wrist. It turns out the young man who is going away is a wrestler and very muscular. While my daughter takes about 15 minutes to tell the story (she takes after my mother that way) what basically happened was that the wrestler didn't think Melinda could hurt him. So he told her to punch him in the upper arm.

Now my daughter never saw Bull Durham. If she had, she might have used her left hand. But no, she wound up and hit him as hard as she could with the right. Everyone heard a crack. The wrestler didn't feel a thing.

So she's feeling pretty stupid, but she doesn't think it's broken. I'm looking at her hand, and it doesn't look swollen at first, then I notice it's swollen underneath. So I rotate the wrist 90 degrees to look and she lets out a scream. At that point we head for the ER. Three hours later she's being wrapped in a cast above the elbow. She broke a small but very important bone in the wrist. Luckily, she's not in a lot of pain. It's going to be very interesting watching her ballet recital next week. I hope to have pictures later.

Update: Here's a picture of the cast. She wouldn't let me take a picture of all of her. Click on the photo for a larger image.

Some good news for the Braves, as it looks like Chipper Jones will not need surgery.

Chipper Jones avoided the worst-case scenario but still will be out of the Atlanta Braves' lineup for up to six weeks due to an injured left foot.

On Thursday, Jones met with foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C., and the recommended treatment was against surgery, which would have sidelined the star third baseman for up to four months.

Mike Piazza had to leave the Mets game after the top of the first after taking a foul ball off his left wrist. Piazza's bat was hot lately, so this could be a big blow to the Mets if it turns out to be serious.

Jeff Bagwell underwent surgery on his shoulder, and can't resume baseball activity for three months. I take that to mean he won't be back this season.

Not much new information on Estrada, but he's been released from the hospital and will miss tonight's game.

The Rockies rookie second baseman Clint Barmes is going to be out for three months with a broken collar bone. Talk about freak injuries:

In an interview Monday, Barmes said he was returning home the previous night with groceries cradled in his left arm and a sweat shirt in his right hand. He got tired of waiting for the elevator and decided to take the stairs to his fourth-floor apartment.

"I figured, I'm an athlete, I can walk up the stairs, it's not that big a deal," he said. "Obviously, if I had to go back, I would have waited, or at least been a bit more careful going up."

Barmes said when he felt himself slipping, he dropped the sweat shirt and tried to grab onto the railing. Next thing he knew, he had landed directly on his shoulder. Once in his apartment, he said it didn't feel too bad, but he moved it around, felt some cracking and knew something was wrong.

Although they are touting him as rookie of the year in the article, Barmes good number were all a Coors effect. He was batting 135 points higher at home with a similar rise in this OBA, and his slugging percentage was close to .300 points higher at Coors. One look at his road numbers and you'd think ultility infielder rather than ROY. The Rockies need to find players who can be senational on the road as well as at altitude.

Damon went after a fly ball triple into the triangle at Fenway, and hit his head on the rail of the bullpen. He finished the inning in the field, but did not come out to lead off the bottom of the third. The Red Sox should be careful with Damon after this.

That didn't take long.

Update: Batgirl has the real story behind Frank Thomas' hip injury. :-)

Thank goodness for better imaging. Although X-Rays were negative, an MRI of Mark Prior's right arm showed a slight fracture. No clue how long this will keep him out of action.

Brad Hawpe just hit Mark Prior with a line drive. Prior is on the ground in pain, and it looks like his right elbow in injured. He's coming out of the game with the score 1-1 in the top of the fourth. The ball was deflected in the air and caught by Ramirez for the out. You could see the welt on Prior's arm as he was led off the field.

Javy Lopez is down at least six weeks with a broken hand.

Lopez, who was struck in the hand by Bret Boone's foul tip in the third inning of the Orioles' 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night, will have a plate inserted in his right hand by Dr. Mark Deitch, a hand specialist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Orioles head trainer Richie Bancells said that by having the surgery, it could help the catcher return to the Orioles' lineup two weeks sooner than if he let the hand heal while in a splint. Bancells said Lopez will likely begin motion work with his hand three weeks after the surgery. It will be three more weeks before Lopez can resume baseball-related activities.

Lopez was providing power from the catcher's slot with 19 extra-base hits. His injury makes it more important for Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro to regain their power strokes.

Rick Duncan links to a report on Boston Dirt Dogs about a possible Keith Foulke injury. I haven't seen another story confirming this yet.

I also disagree with Rick's conclusion:

The Sox are going nowhere without a healthy Keith Foulke.

The Red Sox haven't had Keith Foulke all year, given the way he's been pitching, and they're doing just fine. My feeling is, that if Foulke is injured, the Red Sox would be much better off with someone healthy toiling in the closer role.

Roger Clemens had to leave last night's game with a strained groin, allowing the Cubs to come back against the Astros bullpen. Things just keep getting worse for Houston. Luckily, Clemens felt the tightness and stopped before it became truly serious:

After the future Hall of Famer began feeling tightness in his right groin in the third inning, he focused on control and guile to finish with five scoreless innings against the Cubs.

Unfortunately for the Astros, they couldn't capitalize on the two-run lead he gave the bullpen. Even worse than the 4-2 loss before a crowd of 38,805, Clemens might have to miss a start because groin injuries aren't easy to overcome for pitchers, especially those who are 42 years old.

"I'm not concerned right now," Clemens said after holding the Cubs to two hits and one walk over five innings while striking out six. "I'll know more tomorrow. Like I said, I know enough about my body that I didn't tear it. I think it's more than just a mild strain. I'll deal with it the best I can and go from there.

"I probably could have finished the game if it was my elbow or my shoulder, but my legs, if I was to drive a ball in over 90 miles per hour, I probably would have torn it."

He's pitching great this season, but at 42, his body may betray him at any time.

Curt Schilling can't balance on his reconstructed ankle.

Apparently, Schilling has been feverishly searching to have a shoe made to help him with balance issues he has suffered since offseason surgery was performed on his right ankle. After acknowledging the recent positive step of having a removable boot-cast taken off the ankle, Schilling got into the shoe topic. ``We're working our butts off trying to find somebody out there to build me a shoe I can actually pitch in,'' said Schilling, who wouldn't put a timetable on his return. ``There are issues now, and there have been since spring training, with some of the fine points of my mechanics. One of them is balance. I just cannot seem to get a grasp on it right now, and I don't think I'll be able to unless I have a shoe that fits and works. ``We've been spending a lot of time and working a lot of hours with different people to have a shoe built that I'm going to be able to throw in.''

What if it's not the shoe? What if in reconstructing the ankle he lost enough flexibility that he can't balance? There was not a lot of information released about Curt's surgery, so we don't know if there are screws or pins in there.

Try balancing on your right foot, and shifting your weight around. Your ankle flexes to compensate for the weight shift. I suppose you can build a shoe to compensate for a specific balance problem (like pitching from a wind up) but I wonder if you can compensate for all the ways a pitcher might need to balance? This doesn't sound like good news for the Red Sox.

Update: I spoke with a friend who had similar surgery on his ankle. He's recovered very well from it and competes in triathlons. He told me his ankle can take a pounding. He also told me that he's discouraged from playing basketball, since rolling his ankle would be very bad. The forward-backward movement of running seems to be okay, but the sudden side-to-side movement of basketball isn't. It's that side to side movement that Schilling would generate when he's balancing on his foot in his pitching motion.

Rooftop Report has a link to a story that says Carlos Zambrano's elbow injury comes from typing two much on a computer.

I've had problems with my right arm from typing. Of course, I was 30 at the time and had been typing every day for six years. An ergonomic keyboard fixed that. But I noticed it when my daughter was crawling and I wanted to crawl with her, I couldn't put any weight on my right hand.

Barry Bonds has started rehab on his knee.

Bonds' quest for the home run record is going to make for a great book someday, no matter how the race ends. With his father a major leaguer, you have a person spends his entire life in baseball. He comes up as a lead off hitter, and a good one. He then morphs into a slugger, because his team won't pay him unless he drives in runs. He wins 2 of the next three MVPs, and probably should have won all three. Yet he fails the Pirates in the playoffs every year. He leaves the stingy team for a big contract in his home town, has a monster year but the Giants lose the division on the last day of the season. By now it's becoming clear he's the greatest hitter of all time. He continues to have great seasons, then bulks up late in his career and goes on a home run tear, setting the single season record and threatening the all-time record for long balls.

All the while, however, his attitude and demeanor create foes in both the press and among teammates. There's enough animosity toward Bonds that an IRS agent starts looking for links to steroids and starts a major scandal. On the brink of the record, his knees, leaked testimony and a jilted lover all conspire to end his career. We're just waiting to see if he fights back and wins the title, or if he's defeated by the forces allied against him.

I'm not optimistic that Bonds will break Aaron's record at this point. He's still a National League player, which means he has to run around the outfield. I can't believe his range is going to be any good. So if the Giants want to win games, at some point they have to make a decision about bring in defensive replacements for Barry. That will give him less chances to bat and break the record. And who knows how good his batting will be. Legs are extemely important in generating power. If he can't push off as hard, or plant as firmly as he did before, he's going to be less of a home run threat. If pitchers are no longer afraid of the home run, they might start coming after him, which would drive his OBA and slugging down further. It's quite possible that Bonds comes back and finds he just can't play the game anymore.

We will see. Whether it's a steady advance to glory of a precipitous decline, it going to be a fascinating story to watch.

Vlad Guerrero injured his shoulder last night, and it's not clear how serious the injury is at this point. The loss of Guerrero would be a serious blow to the Angels offense, as he's the only regular who has been producing at a decent rate. If he's going to be out for any length of time, it gives the Rangers a chance to surge into first, and the Athletics and Mariners a chance to climb back into the race.

John Thomson injured his right middle finger and will miss three months of the season.

While the initial diagnosis was a strained tendon flexor, the first-place Braves worried it was much worse. An MRI confirmed their fears, showing the right-hander actually has a partial tear to the supporting structure around the tendon.

Surgery won't be required, but it will be at least a month before Thomson can pick up a baseball to begin his rehabilitation.

This is more bad news for the Braves. Kolb is out as the closer, and now they're down one starting pitcher. With four teams within 1 1/2 games of the NL East lead, the Braves appear to be in for a real fight for the division this season. On the positive side, Hampton, Smoltz and Hudson are as good as any starting three in the NL.

Frank Thomas had a good night as he started his minor league rehad last night. He reached base in his three plate apperances with a single, double and a walk. His return may cause a problem, however:

Thomas said he would prefer to spend the maximum 20 days with Charlotte before reporting back to the Sox. General manager Ken Williams said a timetable hasn't been set on Thomas' return and it could be sooner than 20 days.

"We want him to be healthy and to play pain-free on a daily basis," Williams said.

If Thomas spends the entire 20 days in Charlotte, it will create an interesting predicament for him, Williams and Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Thomas then would be eligible to join the Sox the week of June 6, when the Sox begin a six-game trip to Colorado and San Diego—two National League cities. If Thomas is activated, he either would have to play first base or just pinch hit.

"That's a problem," Thomas said. "We'll see. I'm not going to be against [playing first], but I want to be healthier before I even attempt to take ground balls and play some first base."

I'm surprised by this. I would think Frank would want to rejoin the team as soon as possible. Also, why not put him at first? The White Sox first basemen aren't exactly burning up the league. A healthy Thomas makes that offense a lot better.

Scott Rolen is headed for the DL with a sprained shoulder.

Paletta said the ball slipped from Rolen's shoulder socket in the collision. The MRI will determine whether structural damage was done to the surrounding area.

``Realistically, we're not looking at a couple days here,'' said Paletta, who considered the two- to three-week estimate more realistic pending today's exam. ``If the MRI comes back and shows he did any kind of structural damage, we would have to re-work that estimate.''

The Cardinals have the depth to be able to sustain an injury to a player of Rolen's quality. But this no doubt weakens the team. If a National League Central club is going to make a run at the Cardinals, now may be the best time to do it.

Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News reviews the bullpen woes the Rangers are facing with their two setup men out for the year. Both men blew out their tendons despite efforts to keep them healthy.

The Rangers' plight shows how difficult it is to maintain bullpen success from season to season.

The Rangers have lost three relievers to "Tommy John" surgery: Ryan Bukvich, Almanzar and Francisco. Bukvich was in the Kansas City organization last season. Almanzar and Francisco were with the Rangers, and Showalter tried to protect them and every other reliever as much as possible.

No Rangers reliever ranked among the AL's top 20 in appearances last season. The New York Yankees had three relievers among the top seven for appearances.

No Rangers reliever was abused in terms of constantly warming up without pitching. Yet, there have been two crucial blowouts.

Is it something else? The author suggests the radar gun:

Almanzar and Francisco might have been pushed too hard before joining the Rangers. Or the affection for high radar-gun readings may have gotten them.

Many baseball people believe pitchers, especially relievers, are hurting themselves trying to light up the radar gun. In the macho arena of relief work, no one wants to get outs at 90 mph when he can let it fly closer to 100 mph.

For whatever reason, major league relievers are breaking down at a high rate.

I don't really trust that last line without some proof. Every year people think injuries are up, and in fact they are pretty much in line with the history of baseball. If there is a reason Texas pitchers are breaking down like this, the Rangers should work very dilligently to find the problem and correct it.

Two stars went on the DL today. Jason Schmidt went down with a sore shoulder. If the Giants can win with both Bonds and Schmidt out, Alou deserves the manager of the year award.

Jeff Bagwell also has a shoulder injury. Bagwell used to go on the DL when he would be hit by pitches on his hand. In fact, if the strike hadn't stopped the 1994 season, Jeff would not have won the MVP. He had just gone on the DL with a break from being hit in his hand. This is his first trip to the DL since 1998.

Greg Zaun appears to be seriously hurt. He tried to take out Pedro Lopez with a slide to the infield side of second base, and Lopez's knee got Zaun in the head. They have him restrained on a body board, and they have put an oxygen mask on him. The announcers say he has moved his legs. Sox lead 5-4 in the 9th with two out.

Update: Marte gets the last out, and the White Sox go to 13-3 in one run games.

Following up this post, Dr. Arthur Ting defended himself.

"I'm one of the busiest orthopedists in town. If I did so many bad things, why would patients come to me? Write about all the time I donate to kids who don't have insurance," said Ting, who has made a name for himself treating star athletes.

That's not much of a defense. However, one good thing that has come from the Bonds issues of the last week is that the Giants will now be more transparent in discussing Bonds' knee.

The Giants also announced they're lifting their own gag order on Bonds' rehabilitation, saying they'll begin updating the public "as events warrant." Also, the club acknowledged for the first time which doctors have been overseeing Bonds' medical condition, and one is Dr. Robert Armstrong, an infectious disease specialist who prescribed "aggressive antibiotic therapy."

I just saw this story on the doctor who worked on Barry Bonds' knee. He's on probation for unprofessional conduct.

It seems to me like a case of cutting corners. For all I know he's a great surgeon who doesn't have time for all the patients who want to see him and pawns them off on others he doesn't properly supervise. Shouldn't he be made to have a big sign in his office that he's on probabtion? If I go to him as a patient, shouldn't that be disclosed to me? Did Bonds know?

Right now, it seems like Bonds is bad luck for anyone who associates with him. Or is it the other way around?

Dan Wilson tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee yesterday and landed on the 60-day DL. At 36, with his career on the downside, this could be the end for Dan. Since 2003, his offense has not been good enough to support his defense as a catcher.

This does not bode well for Terrmel Sledge:

Before all that, though, Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden said Sledge's hamstring pull -- suffered in Monday's win over the Dodgers -- is the worst he's seen since Cincinnati star Ken Griffey Jr. suffered a career-altering injury in 2001.

"I'm really scared," Bowden said. "I couldn't sleep last night, praying for Terrmel."

Sledge underwent an MRI exam Tuesday, performed by one of the Dodgers team doctors, and the results showed a partially torn hamstring. No surgery is required, but the recovery time will be at least two months, a significant blow despite the fact he was hitting just .243 with eight RBI in 37 at-bats. Robinson hit Sledge fifth regularly, a job which fell to Ryan Church, who began the season as the starting center fielder, struggled and lost his job, but went 2 for 4 Tuesday.

With both Larry Walker and Scott Rolen hurting, now would be a good time for other teams to try to take advantage of the Cardinals. Of course, Pujols and Edmonds can still do a lot of damage on their own.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Bonds' knee has taken a turn for the worse, requiring another arthroscopic procedure to relieve an infection.

Bonds has now confirmed the story on his web site, including a picture of him recovering.

According to the newspaper story, Bonds will not be able to rehab for two weeks while the infection clears. That's another set back in his rehab, and it looks like his prediction of being out at least half the season is going to be very accurate.

Nick Swisher is on the DL. Given the overall state of the Athletics offense and Swisher's in particular, this can only improve things.

Bleed Cubbie Blue has the news on Kerry Wood; out at least three weeks with a supraspinatus muscle strain.

Update: At least Wood has a day job.

Barry Bonds had his knee drained again. Maybe if the chiropractor stopped twisting it Bonds wouldn't get so much fluid. I find it interesting that major league teams would let chiropractors work on their players. A good massage therapist would do the same thing and probably cost less.

Joey Eischen just injured himself fielding a chop off the bat of Kaz Matsui. Eischen leaped for the ball and appeared to land hard on his left wrist (his pitching hand). He appears to be in a lot of pain as he's taken off the field.

Curt Schilling joins David Wells on the DL with a bone bruise on his repaired ankle.

Schilling's injury, which happened last Saturday at Tampa Bay, affected the same ankle that was covered by a bloody sock in last year's postseason.

He said he felt a sharp pain on his first pitch to Travis Lee in the sixth inning. Lee hit an 0-2 pitch for a double, driving in the tying and winning runs in the Devil Rays' 6-5 victory. Schilling stayed in the game through the seventh.

"The way it was explained to me was that the ankle bone was just not ready to take the force I put on it the other day," Schilling said. "I knew when I threw the pitch I had done something. ... I think it was the hardest pitch I've thrown all year."

Doctors told him that if he continued pitching without rest "there was a very legitimate possibility that we could break the bone and the season would be done," said Schilling, who is 1-2 with a 7.13 ERA. Last season he was 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA.

It looks like John Halama will be moved into one of the two slots. Wade Miller is not ready to return yet.

Sounds like this is a golden opportunity for the Orioles to put more space between them and the Red Sox.

Magglio Ordonez needs hernia surgery and will likely miss 2 to 3 months of the season.

It's not clear how much he'll be missed. The Tigers are tied with Boston in runs scored per game at 5.7, 2nd in the AL. Ordonez made almost no contribution to that. If the Tigers can stay at that level of offense, Ordonez should give them a big boost when he returns.

It wasn't a good night for closers as Jason Isringhausen and Armando Benitez both sustained injuries. It's not clear at this point if either of them will be placed on the DL, but the management of both teams is preparing for the possibility.

Nick Johnson hit his first home run of the season tonight, but then left the game with an injury to his left knee. I've no idea at this point if it's bad, but Nick just can't seem to stay healthy.

Update: It doesn't look like a serious injury. Johnson fouled a ball off this leg.

David Wells injured his foot last night against the Orioles:

The 41-year-old southpaw left the game after sustaining what initially was diagnosed as a sprained right foot while trying to field a ground ball in the fourth inning. He was taken for undisclosed tests at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where the Sox frequently send players for MRIs.

Johnny Damon summed up Boston's pitching woes:

``Our pitching staff is pretty banged up,'' said Sox center fielder Johnny Damon [stats, news], who was 3-for-3 with two walks. ``I said all along in spring training, if we can stay healthy, we'll be fine. We have Curt Schilling, who's not totally healthy. We have Wade Miller [stats, news] (rotator cuff) and now David Wells, and Matt Mantei got hurt. We just need to stay in the thick of things.''

Jaret Wright was just removed after throwing a pitch and grabbing his arm. I'm sorry to say that an injury to Wright could only help the Yankees at this point.

ESPN is reporting that Bonds is on crutches again. Bonds explains why on his web site:

I just wanted to give you an update of what happened Thursday, 4/21. I had some fluid drained out of my right knee because there was a little bit of swelling. By draining the fluid, it alleviates the discomfort. My doctor wants me to use crutches for the next couple of days to make sure the fluid doesn't come right back. This was merely a precautionary measure. My spirits are still high about my recovery as a whole and I can't wait to get back to rehabbing next week.

It's pretty obvious that he won't be back on May 1. His original estimate of 1/2 a season seems a lot more reasonable at this point.

I just turned on the Cubs-Cardinals, and the St. Louis announcers are describing a groin injury to Garciaparra that sounds pretty bad. I have not seen a replay, but it appears he was in a great deal of pain. If this is a severe injury, it will put the starting middle infield for the Cubs out of action.

There's not much news about Bonds rehabilitation. But the little that's out there is not good.

Elmer Dessens gave up a walk, single and fly out in the fourth when had to leave the game with an injury. Buddy Carlyle took his place and immediately gave up a three run homer to Chris Magruder. He now has loaded the bases with 2 walks and a hit batter.

The broadcast is reporting the Dessens has soreness in the back of the shoulder. Good news, however, is that Penny may be able to start Sunday.

Update: Overbay hits what at first looked like a single to center, but the ball was moving and got by a diving Bradley. He clears the bases and the Brewers end up scoring six in the fourth to take a big lead on the Dodgers.

Magglio Ordonez has a hernia and will miss four to six weeks. This won't effect his contract; a knew injury would void it.

Moises Alou has a strained calf muscle that may land him on the DL:

Alou, San Francisco's 38-year-old right fielder, will have an MRI on his strained right calf Friday to determine his status. He left Wednesday's 10-4 loss to the Dodgers after the fourth inning with tightness in the calf -- the same injury that landed him on the DL during the 2000, '01 and '02 seasons.

"I think the DL is something we'll consider the next couple days based on how he reacts," trainer Stan Conte said Thursday before the Giants hosted the Dodgers. "Three of the last five years he had this problem and spent 15-17 days on the DL and didn't have any problems the rest of the year."

The Giants have a good team if they stay healthy. But it looks like they'll be without their two best hitters for most of April. Looking at the boxscore last night, they seemed to make Jeff Weaver's life very easy. Weaver threw eight shutout innings, averaging less than 13 pitches per inning. Given that he only struck out two, the Giants were likely swinging early in the count, and getting nothing out of the balls in play. They were 5 for 25 on balls in play, a .200 average. That's not going to win them many games as the month progresses.

Games in April count, too. Teams have both won and lost the division in April due to good or poor starts. The Giants are facing May 1 so far behind the division that a perfect Barry Bonds couldn't help them climb out of the hole.

Dave Roberts starts the season on the DL, now Eric Young appears to be hurt. He made a great catch, leaping against the wall in centerfield but injured his shoulder. Adam Hyzdu is going to see some playing time.

Update: Adam Hyzdu makes a great catch in the 2nd, diving to snare a liner. I'm thinking, "He's going to get injured, too!" but he came up just fine.

X-Rays on Bobby Crosby's left hand were negative. Crosby was concerned that he had a broken bone after being hit by a pitch. He's now optimistic about being in the opening day lineup.

Dallas McPherson will not start the season with the LA Angels.

The Angels thought enough of McPherson to allow power-hitting Troy Glaus to sign a free-agent contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks during the offseason. But McPherson has been limited this spring by a protruding disk in his lower back.

Robb Quinlan will get the starting job instead. He has excellent minor league numbers and has done well with the bat at the major league level in limited playing time. It looks like the Angels will okay at third base no matter whom they start.

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Tony Armas Jr. has gone on the 15 Day DL with a groin pull.

The injury, suffered during the first inning of Sunday's game against the New York Mets, is described as a grade 1 pull, the least severe of three levels. Still, the injury is extremely disappointing for Armas, who has now spent time on the disabled list in four straight seasons. In May 2003, he underwent shoulder surgery, and this spring was the first time since then that his arm felt good.

This reminds me of a Mike Barnicle column from the Boston Globe in the mid 1980's. Mike was providing a preview of the Red Sox season, and one thing he looked forward to was the Tony Armas Memorial Groin Pull. Unfortunately, I can't find it on-line, so I'll have to trust my memory.

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Indians ace CC Sabathia will start the season on the DL. He's expected to miss one or two starts. Since he hasn't pitched in a game this spring, I wonder if that's realistic, or if players just don't need six or seven weeks to get ready for the season. :-)

Also, the Indians sent Kaz Tadano to Buffalo, reducing the number of players called Kaz in the majors to three.

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Sidney Ponson was involved in another fight. It seems a drunk would not let Sir Sidney alone:

This time, Ponson was eating dinner with his girlfriend when a man approached and essentially challenged him to a fight, according to the pitcher and his agent. Ponson said the man eventually began to push the pitcher in the chest.

"It kept going on and on; he was nagging me forever," Ponson said. "It was the worst I'd ever heard. Then he touched me, and I had to draw a line. ... You clearly could see the guy was intoxicated. It was one of those things, you can't do nothing about it."

Praver said Ponson attempted to ignore the man, but the verbal abuse escalated to a physical confrontation.

"It was one of those things, people are going to find out who I am, try to push my buttons. ... I held back as much as I could," Ponson said.

I wonder why the resturant didn't step in and remove the man? Also, I suppose you have to be pretty drunk to think you can take on a professional athlete in a fight, especially one as big as Ponson.

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Lots of speculation about how quickly Barry Bonds can recover from his knee operation, and even more about if he wants to come back.

On the knee:

Bonds had surgery on his right knee on Jan. 31, then banged it into a table at SBC Park; he had another operation on the same knee last week in San Francisco. Conte was relieved afterward because he said that Bonds's long-term prognosis was promising.

"It's not a matter of if he'll play again," Conte said. "It's a matter of when."

On any return:

What awaits Bonds now is anyone's guess. A month ago, you had to give $10 to win $1 on a "can-he-catch-Hank Aaron'' bet. Now, even Babe Ruth seems far away.

Besides, the home run records are now an afterthought. The specter of Bonds in the dock is just as compelling.

This story has grown so many tentacles that it often seems in danger of strangling itself. Tuesday's developments make it more tangled still. Every day there are more members of the "everybody" class, and fewer buffers between Bonds and a hard, cruel world that may get even harder and crueler.

This isn't the endgame, but you can see it from here.

Being a jerk is a big part of what brought Barry Bonds to this point. Unfortunately, it's also part of what made him the great player. The supercompetitiveness could not be left on the field. He wanted his opponents to hate him. His clubhouse perks set him apart from his teammates. He wouldn't tolerate the press. What's left is a reservoir of goodwill that could fill a thimble.

So when the feces hit the fan, there was no one to back up Bonds. After Sunday's revelations, I doubt he's getting much support from his family. Bill James would often write in his Abstracts that every strength covers up a weakness. Bonds ego driven competitiveness pushed him to the top of the list of great hitters. But in his hour of adversity it's left him alone and pathetic.

Will he be back? Probably. In the end, the competitiveness will win out. I wonder, however, if things will be the same on the field. Will pitchers be more willing to go after a weak kneed Bonds? Will he be able to drive his body with his repaired left knee? Will he be able to plant his right leg for the follow through on his swing? Will other teams take advantage of his immobility in left field?

I hope Scorsese makes this into a movie some day.

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I'm watching the Mets-Braves on ESPN. They're showing an interview with Bonds, and Barry is saying he's going to out for at least 1/2 a season if not the whole season.

He's saying how tired he is, how "you guys" (meaning the media) have finally got to him. This is a huge set back for the Giants.

Update: Some quotes from the interview:

BB: I'm tired guys, just tired.

ESPN: Of?

BB: Everything. Tired.

...

BB: You guys wanted to hurt me bad enough, you finally got there.

...

BB: I don't know if I'm going to be back yet.

ESPN: Did you just say a little while ago maybe mid-season, maybe next season?

BB: Maybe. I told you that before I left remember? You thought I was joking. Didn't you say stop kidding?

I don't think I've ever seen Bonds look so defeated. It looks like Aaron and Ruth are safe for a while.

Update: Here's the report at SFGate.com.

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The Tribune-Review is reporting that Jason Bay's wrist is not healing as quickly as expected:

Bay still has not been cleared to swing a bat as the swelling in his hand slowly subsides.

"We'd like to get him back out there," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "It's something we have to evaluate over the next three or four days and make a decision."

Bay has accumulated only 15 at-bats this spring. He could make up the lost time in minor-league games, but if Bay does not return until next week, he may have to stay behind in extended spring training when camp breaks.

Wrist injuries to hitters always concern me. It seems to take a lot of time after the injury has healed for the batter to get his stroke back. If Bay is sidelined, that will make it difficult for the Pirates to get off to a good start in 2005.

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It appears accounts of Mark Buehrle's foot injury were greatly exaggerated. It does not appear to be a break, and the foot will not be placed in a cast. Good news for the White Sox.

Where does this leave Brandon McCarthy? Do they send him to AAA for more seasoning, or do they believe he can get the job done now and make him their fifth starter anyway? Isn't it worth seeing if he'll be better than the projected 3-4-5 starters Hernandez, Contreras, Garland and Hermanson? The White Sox are supposedly going with speed over power this season. That's going to mean fewer runs. They'll need as low a team ERA as they can get; why not give McCarthy a try? He may turn out to be Bret Saberhagen.

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Mark Buehrle will miss the start of the season with a broken foot. Buehrle, the ace of the staff, was having a great spring, striking out 12 and walking only 2 in 18 2/3 innings.

He'll be replaced by Brandon McCarthy. McCarthy's had an excellent spring as well, with 9 K and 1 BB in 15.1 innings. His ERA is 0.59. The 21 year-old has been phenomenal at every level of the minors so far. In his career, he's walked 60 while striking out 406. It was just a matter of time before Brandon made the rotation; the other four staters may wonder who's going to be out of a job when Buehrle returns.

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It looks like Roberto Alomar's career is over. After playing one inning last night, in his first game in over a week, Alomar went home. An annoucement is expected today.

This was the same thing that happened to him in the Puerto Rican Winter League this off season. It's time to start the Hall of Fame discussion. He's very close. He came up at a young age which allowed him to have impressive career numbers despite a rapid decline in his mid-30's. He went from 37 win shares in 2001 to 15 in 2002 and slid further from there. A steady decline would have made him a lock by now. But the injury killed the longevity portion that goes into Hall voter's calculations.

Looking at the 1990s, Alomar's prime years of production (1990-1999), his comptemporaries are Knoblauch, Biggio and DeShields. They all played over 1200 games at second base, but I think we can dismiss Delino as not being nearly the hitter the other three were. In looking at their batting stats, Alomar does not stand out as much as I thought he would.

1990-1999	Alomar	Knoblauch	Biggio
Batting Avg.	.308	.297	.295
On-Base Avg.	.382	.386	.386
Slugging	.462	.417	.438

If fact, given that Biggio spent most of the decade in the Astrodome, I'd give Craig the nod as the best offensive second baseman of the decade. Alomar may get points for defense, but I don't think it's enough. Win shares confirms this, giving Biggio the 2nd highest total of the decade behind Bonds! (Biggio 287 (2nd), Alomar 243 (7th) and Knoblauch 208 (T-15th).)

My guess is that people will remember Alomar's post-season heroics, and that will give him the push he needs to gain election. But at some point, Craig Biggio should go in as well, as the best second baseman of the 1990s.

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Will Carroll comments on an episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. It looks at how teens and younger are blowing out their arms with too many pitches and the wrong pitches. This is the kind of story HBO should make available to everyone.

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The San Francisco Chronicle has a roundup of reaction to Bonds' knee surgery:

Despite all the optimism this spring Bonds would be ready by April 5, Sabean said he and manager Felipe Alou were "pretty blunt" in their conversations.

"As I sit here I thank God for Pedro Feliz and the fact he's played so much left field," Sabean said. "He has hit fourth all spring. It was a contingency. We obviously didn't know we were going to go down this path."

Even as Giants players said the right things about this veteran club's ability to pull together and overcome Bonds' absence, they could not downplay this development.

"It's a big blow for the team," Moises Alou said. "Barry is Barry, man. You're talking about Barry, you're talking about the best. Now is the time for us to show that we are a team."

I never thought I'd hear thanks offered for a 30-year-old with a career .288 OBA. Yes, he has some power, but Pedro will make a lot of outs in situations where Bonds would be walked. Last season, Bonds was 1 point short of doubling Feliz's OBA (.305 for Pedro, .609 for Barry). That's a huge falloff in offense.

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Barry Bonds had another surgery on his right knee today.

While the San Francisco Giants offered no timetable for the slugger's return, it took the seven-time NL MVP more time than expected to recover from the original surgery on the knee Jan. 31.

The Giants said in a statement that Bonds had arthroscopic surgery to repair tears in the knee. The operation was performed in the Bay Area by Art Ting, the same doctor who performed Bonds' earlier surgery.

Bonds, 40, has "experienced periods of swelling in his knee following an incident when he accidentally hit his knee on a table at SBC Park Feb. 4. Neither rest nor his current rehabilitation program has helped alleviate the periodic swelling," the Giants said in a release.

That's the problem with having an old team. If you get injured, it takes longer to heal.

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Mike M at East Coast Agony is in agony over Steve Trachsel's herniated disk.

Farewell, Trachsel, you unremarkable, deliberate, and crucial component. Your herniated disc has manifested itself at precisely the right time: too early to interrupt a scramble for the pennant, but not too late to lower the expectations of fans to where they belong.

Somehow, I can't get myself worked up over Steve Trachsel. He's appeared to be good the last few years, and I suspect it's Shea. Last year, he had a 3.06 ERA at home, 5.65 on the road. Maybe if the Mets used him in a home/road platoon in the fifth slot he'd be okay. It really shouldn't be difficult to replace his 10 win shares from last season.

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It looks like C.C. Sabathia will miss the opening of the season with a mild strain of his right abdominal muscle. If Cleveland is going to compete for the AL Central division this year, they'll need stronger pitching than they received in 2004. Having Sabathia out for any length of time makes that goal more difficult to achieve.

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Chad Bradford will undergo surgery to try to relieve his back spasms. He'll likely miss the first half of the season. It's not clear from any of the articles just what the surgery will entail. I assume it's some form of a herniated disk, but that's just speculation.

Bradford has been plagued by lower-back soreness and spasms for years, and the problems flared up again early in spring training. His back locked up with spasms last week, and days of rehabilitation haven't fixed the problem.

"With my delivery, it's not the first time I've had lower back problems," Bradford said. "The way I twist and turn out there, it grinds on my back. But if I threw over the top, I'd be at home right now working somewhere, and not in the bigs."

This is probably why we don't see many submariners in baseball. Still, he's had a seven-year career in the majors and has made some money. Lots of people might think it's a worthwhile risk.

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Brad Finn donated $50 to the pledge drive and dedicates this post to "Linda, my wonderful wife and soul mate."

Via Redleg Nation, Griffey's trainer describes the cause of Ken's injuries:

Mann said a lack of flexibility isn't Griffey's problem. Griffey is Gumby. "Hyper mobile," Mann called him. Griffey has injured himself because his muscles haven't been strong enough to support his joints. When he stops suddenly, or changes direction at full speed, he tears things and the headlines the next day are sad.

To fix this, Mann said Griffey will do strength training five or six times a week, along with "high intensity agility work" and sprinting. In other words, he'll be dead every night by 7:05.

It's too bad the Reds no longer have Pokey Reese. :-)

Barry Bonds' knees seem to be coming along quite nicely. I wonder how much this has to do with it:

While other players can relax in the afternoon, Bonds has been straining through an hour of water exercises designed to improve his strength and wind after the surgery. But that's fine with Bonds as long as his knee stays as sound as it appears.

"I keep it at a lower impact so I can push myself a little bit harder ... without having my entire body weight on it," Bonds said. "The good news is, it's coming back. The good news is, it's not progressive soreness. As the day goes on, it kind of subsides away. Hopefully, I don't have that progressive pain."

Many years ago I was on a tour of New Comiskey Park and they pointed out the water tank that had been installed for Bo Jackson to rehabilitate his hip. Ozzie Guillen had suffered an injury that season, and we were told the tank had cut his recovery time in half. Looks like it's helping Barry as well.

The Cub Reporter is happy Chicago didn't acquire Jorge Julio, as it looks like he'll miss opening day.

If you're planning a trip to Arizona to see Barry Bonds swat home runs, you need to go in late March. Bonds will be recovering over the next six weeks from knee surgery.

There are lots of Joe Mauer knee bending sightings over at Batgirl.

Albert Pujols' heel pain has returned. I didn't realize how much it bothered him last season.

"I'm telling you I'm not going to go through the same thing I went through last year," Pujols said. "I don't think my body can handle that in back-to-back years."

Despite his numbers, Pujols said it was difficult to play with the injury.

"Only God knows and myself, how much pain I was playing in," he said. "It's over, I went through it and that's something I don't want to experience again."

Maybe if his heel was healthy he would have cracked the 100 extra-base barrier. He only had 99 in 2004.

George Kell is in the hospital recovering after an auto accident.

Baseball Hall of Famer George Kell is hospitalized and will need some physical therapy after breaking his left leg and left arm in a car crash, his wife said Friday.

Carolyn Kell said her 82-year-old husband was "doing very well" but remained hospitalized following a crash Tuesday with a tractor-trailer.

Not a fun way to spend new year's eve. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery. In case you're not up on George Kell, here's a account of the 1949 AL Batting Race, where Kell beat out Ted Williams on the last day of the season. Notice that even without an internet and cell phones, information found it's way to the right people. :-)

Curt Schilling is going to miss the start of the regular season.

"I'm going to be late, I think, starting the season," Schilling told WEEI-AM on Tuesday.

Schilling said he had a cast removed from the ankle over the weekend and learned for the first time that he wouldn't be able to rotate his ankle for four to five weeks. That means he won't be able to resume throwing when he had planned.

"So I'm looking at least another month before I start throwing, which puts me a month behind," he said.

David Wells on opening day, anyone?

Lance Berkman tore up his knee in a flag football game and will need at least five months to recuperate. Unlike Aaron Boone last year, Berkman's injury did not violate his contract.

"In all of our guaranteed contracts, there is a prohibition against (non-baseball athletic activities),'' Purpura said. "Now, the salary that he was paid for this year and the terms on his guaranteed contract essentially expired at the end of the season, so there's really no prohibition, per se, at this point against it. But, obviously, it has the potential to impact his ability to play next year."

This injury may also give the Astros more of a reason to pursue Carlos Beltran.

It looks like Curt Schilling will not start game five of the ALCS, at least if it's played on Sunday. Lowe will go instead.

I'm finally back home and ready for baseball. Unfortunately, Schilling may not be.

Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the AL championship series Sunday.

Schilling lasted just three innings and 58 pitches in Boston's 10-7 loss to the New York Yankees in Tuesday night's opener, allowing six runs, his poorest playoff performance since 1993.

The Red Sox said the sheath that covers a tendon in Schilling's ankle is torn.

"The tendon is snapping over the bone," Red Sox physician Dr. Bill Morgan said Wednesday.

That doesn't sound good. And it doesn't sound to me like four days off is going to make it much better.

It's enough to make you believe in the curse. The Red Sox made a deal to get A-Rod. It falls through; no big deal, they still have Nomar and Manny. But then the Yankees get A-Rod. The Nomar spends half the season on the DL and ends up traded for defense. Still, they played extemely well, and a big reason was Schilling, who came to Boston to beat the Yankees. Now, just when they need him most, his ankle (which has bothered him most of the season), betrays him.

I have no doubt Pedro will pitch well. But the Red Sox chances for winning now fall on the arm of Bronson Arroyo.

Kevin Brown needs surgery on his left hand.

An examination by hand specialist Melvin Rosenwasser performed at Yankee Stadium revealed that Brown has a displaced fracture of the fifth metatcarpal of his left hand and a non-displaced fracture of third metacarpal. Surgery to repair the displaced fracture, a procedure in which a pin will be inserted, is scheduled for today. The non-displaced fracture extends into the wrist.

So much for spitting on it, taping it up and going out and pitching as Brown said he planned to do Friday night after he slugged a clubhouse wall with his non-pitching hand in a fit of pique that may have irreversibly damaged the Yankees season.

At least Brown didn't do the totally stupid thing and hit the wall with his right hand. Crash Davis must have worked with him in the minors. :-)

This has to be more good news for the Red Sox. The Yankees pitching, to say the least, is in disarray. Vazquez, coming off the 22-0 drubbing, has given up three more runs in the first today. Mussina stinks this year. Vazquez is getting whiplash watching balls fly out of the park. At this point, they have Orlando Hernandez and that's it for the rotation.

There have been teams that have won entirely on offense (the Big Red Machine of the 1970's and the Blue Jays of the early 90's come to mind). The Yankees have an offense capable of winning with pitchers with 5.00, but that will be tough when you have to face the good pitching staffs of Oakland, Boston and Minnesota in the playoffs.

Troy Glaus returned to the Angels lineup yesterday and will be the DH down the stretch for the Halos. Another power bat in the lineup makes Anaheim look strong down the stretch. The Angels are near the bottom of the league in HR despite the presence of Guerrero, so Glaus will be a welcome addition.

Brad Penny has gone on the 15-Day DL.

"He is better and he's making improvements but he still has some stiffness in that area from moving up into the lower part of the bicep," said Dodgers manager Jim Tracy. "So as far as actually going out and doing any kind of tossing or throwing on the flat ground, as of this morning we do not have any specific timetable in mind as far as that is concerned."

This is rather different than the prognosis in this article. It makes one wonder if the Dodgers are trying to avoid bad PR here. Jon Weisman has his thoughts here.

Ken Griffey Jr. will miss the rest of the season with a very bad hamstring tear. I think at this point, the chance of Griffey catching Aaron is nil. He really had to have a very good rest of his career to do it, but at this point it seems every time he moves he gets hurt. Here's a post on Griffey's Hall of Fame chances from last year. I still think it's an interesting discussion.

Tom Glavine was in a car accident yesterday.

Mets pitcher Tom Glavine lost his two front teeth and needed stitches in his lower lip after the cab he was taking from LaGuardia Airport collided with an SUV yesterday afternoon. He was released from the hospital last night but will miss his scheduled start tonight against the Astros.

Since Glavine was a hockey player in high school, I'm surprised he had two front teeth to lose! All kidding aside, I'm glad Glavine is okay. I'm always had an affinity for Tommy John lefties, and Tom is one of the best of that breed.

Ken Stagg writes:

A bad Mariners season gets much worse.

Pineiro was giving up a lot more HR this year, especially on the road where he had allowed 12 in 67 innings. On a team that got old quickly, it tough to see them lose a young star for an extended period of time.

In reading the Boston Globe's account of Schilling's performance last night, the following struck me:

The thin air in mile-high Denver may have played a role by affecting one of his signature pitches.

"In a place like this, he didn't have a real good split," catcher Jason Varitek said. "Without that, it's hard to rely on your breaking balls, so you're going to have to locate your fastball."

That turned out to be a problem as well, particularly when he left a 95-mile-per-hour heater over the plate with an 0-and-2 count to Vinny Castilla in the fourth. Schilling had created a mess for himself by issuing consecutive walks to Royce Clayton and Todd Helton. And Castilla capitalized by pounding the fastball for a two-run double that put the Rockies ahead to stay.

"I made about as many mistakes in a span of three hitters as you can make," Schilling said, "and it beat us."

Now, Schilling had a track record at Coors which was not stellar:

The victory came against Curt Schilling, the Red Sox ace who came into the game with a 4-3 record and 5.35 earned run average in 12 starts at Coors Field.

So the Red Sox have a pitcher with an injured ankle. His out pitch doesn't work well at this park. It's a really lousy weather night (game time temp, 48 °F). Did anyone think, "Let's have Schilling skip this start and send him against the Giants on Friday." A game at Coors is likely to be won in a slugfest anyway, and a long reliever can get hammered just as easily as a number one starter.

The good news is he threw 113 pitches and says the ankle felt better (from the same Globe article):

But Schilling said his ankle has improved considerably and attributed his struggles more to shoddy command than physical infirmity.

"It feels better and it feels stronger," he said. "That's why tonight is as disappointing as it is. As good as I felt, I just had too much trouble executing."

Will Carroll hits the big time and discusses pitch counts over at MLB.com.

Eric Chavez has a broken hand.

"It's broken," the three-time Gold Glove third baseman said late Tuesday as he walked back into the Oakland Coliseum after getting X-rays at a hospital.

Chavez left the Athletics' 6-4, 12-inning win over the Chicago White Sox in the 11th after getting hit near his wrist by a pitch from Damaso Marte.

It was uncertain how long Chavez will be out.

I always worry about wrist injuries. They seem to disrupt hitters more than any other. Even when they have healed, it takes a while for a player to get his stroke back.

So who is going to replace him? The A's AAA team has a third baseman named Adam Morrissey, (acquired from the Cubs for Mark Bellhorn),but he's listed as temporarily inactive. His numbers are good, and it's seems like the choice, but I can't find out why he was put on the inactive list on May 28th. Mark Tehan is tearing up the Texas League. I guess it's nice to have a deep farm system.

It's always tough to lose your best offensive player. Unlike the Red Sox, the A's don't have a lot to fall back on. I'm excited to see how Beane deals with this situation.

Update: Leonard in the comments below gives the reason for Morrissey's inactivity:

Regarding Adam Morrissey - From the Sacramento Bee, May 28 :-

Woe, Canada - The River Cats will be without Morrissey, their second-leading hitter, for the four-game series at Edmonton that begins tonight because of what the team called "paperwork issues" with his passport.

A regular starter at second and third base, the native of Australia is expected to stay in Sacramento and work out while the River Cats make their only Canada trip of the year. He is scheduled to rejoin the team Tuesday to complete the trip with four games at Tacoma.

So I guess he's free to join the A's anytime.

It amazing to me that hitters are so strong they can injure themselves on a check swing. The Yankees had a player named Ron Bloomberg in the 1970s (he was the first designated hitter). He had a huge upper body for the time, although I doubt we'd be impressed today. But he'd swing so hard, he tear his should muscles. Memory is a bad thing to rely on, but I seem to recall him getting a hit and injuring his shoulder with the swing.

Kerry Wood is now on the DL. I believe that Prior, Wood and Sosa are the three best players on the team. As Bill Kelly said when he alerted me to this, "They blew up the Bartman ball, right?"

Look like those back spasms were more serious than first imagined. Sammy Sosa went on the DL tonight. That's a big blow to the Cubs, and it's especially painful that on the same night the Cubs get 1-hit by Jason Schmidt (13 K, 1 BB in 9 innings). However, what is Alou thinking, letting Schmidt throw 144 pitches, when his staff is in tatters as it is? We'll keep our eye on Jason over his next few starts. This may be a great example of winning the battle but losing the war.

Bonds did play, drew two walks and scored the only run. If you put Bonds on enough, he'll score. He's in a batting slump, pitch to him.

It looks like Troy Glaus will miss very significant time this season:

The most promising season in Troy Glaus' seven-year career probably ended Monday with the Angels' announcement that the third baseman would undergo shoulder surgery, another blow to a team already ravaged by injuries.

Lewis Yocum, team physician, will operate on Glaus on Friday to repair a fraying of the labrum, which is cartilage around the bone, and rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

Glaus is an excellent hitter, and a hot finish to the 2002 season (and the post-season) helped get the Angels their World Championship. The Angels do have lots of depth. As long as Vlad is healthy, they are going to have offense. Figgins can get on base, but he lacks Glaus' power. It's not a death knell by any means for the team, but it does bring them closer to the rest of the division.

This happened to my mother once.

Marcus Giles broke his collarbone last night and will be out 6-8 weeks. Not only is this bad for the Braves, but it dimishes baseball as well. Marcus is one of those players you just love to watch. He's always in the game, always giving his all, and producing both offensively and defensively. His broken bone came at the expense of one of those all-out efforts. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

The Boston Dirt Dogs appear to have scooped the Boston Sports media on Nomar Garciaparra's injury. They are reporting that Nomar tore his Achilles sheath, a much more serious injury than earlier reported. The Boston press has criticized Dirt Dogs for this, in effect saying they are unreliable. The Dirt Dogs points out all the times they were right, even managing to claim they were right on A-Rod.

Edward Cossette of Bambino's Curse, who I admire greatly, would like this "bloggers vs. big media" story to get more play. So on his behalf, I'm writing up the story.

But also because I believe they are correct here. Boston Dirt Dogs did the leg work, found people close to Nomar and got the story. It's something any good reporter should do, but the Boston media spends so much ink criticizing everything they see they can't get out of the office to find out what's really going on.

Unfortunately, if you are reading this a few days from now, you'll have a difficult time finding the story because Dirt Dogs does not provide permalinks with their posts. Like Sons of Sam Horn, they do not make it easy for outsiders to give them publicity. The internet, and the blogosphere especially, is a conversation. If you really want to be part of that conversation, if you really want the support of everyone who is trying to get his or her voice heard, then make it easy for people to join in. Permalinks, track backs and comments all are part of that. It's time you joined the club.

As for the injury itself, it's too bad for Nomar. This is a very good team the Red Sox have assembled, and it would be even better with Garciaparra playing every day. And with his contract up, the huge payday may not be around the corner for someone who has missed significant time in two of his last four seasons and is past his prime. All-in-all, not completing the A-Rod deal looks very bad for the Red Sox right now.

Barry Bonds missed another game today after missing yesterday's with back spasms. He's having an interesting May; he's not hitting a lick, but he's being walked enough that his OBA is .459. I'm interested to see what happens if he keeps not hitting. Will umpires start calling close pitches strikes? I remember at the end of Jack Clark's career, something similar happened. Clark couldn't hit anymore, and he was using his selectivity to stay in the game. But when it became clear he wasn't going to swing at anything, the umpires started calling borderline pitches strikes. Since Clark couldn't hit those pitches anymore, his OBA went down, and he was out of the game quickly. Will Bonds career end the same way?

Austin Kearns has come out of the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh game after being hit by a pitch on the wrist. The Reds lead 2-0 in the third.

Update: Kearns has a broken bone in his hand just above the wrist.

Julio Franco just came out of the Braves game after getting a pinch-hit single and an RBI. He did not appear to be injured, but he did appear to be dizzy. Franco's been solid for the Braves so far this year, so they'd hate to lose them. But also given the history of players with vertigo, there's a possibility we just saw Julio's last hit, his 2365th.

Johnny Damon will miss three games due to injury. However, the NESN broadcast showed a group of fans sitting in centerfield, wearing fake beards and wigs, with Damon's Disciples T-shirts on. I wonder if they read Baseball Musings?

Update: They just interviewed Damon's Disciples on NESN. The T-Shirts cost $20 and the wigs cost $17. They did not mention Baseball Musings.

This isn't good.

Mauer tore medial meniscus cartilage that will require surgery. The team set no timetable for his return, but the Star Tribune reported on its Web site that Mauer could miss at least three weeks.

I hope it's not too long. He looked like a very mature hitter watching him opening night. The hazards of being a catcher and playing on turf.

Mark Prior's injuries were unbelieveably cured today by famed faith healer Peter Popov. Using the tried and true technique, Popov smacked the young fireballer in the head to drive out the demons inhabiting in his sore leg and elbow. While his arm and tendon are now fine, Prior is listed in serious condition at Chicago Hope hospital with a severe concussion. Neurosurgeon Adam Arkin had this to say:

"I'm not a doctor, but I used to play one on TV. I don't know why they brought him here. After all, ER is supposed to be in Chicago, and they're still on the air. Still, I'm looking forward to drilling a hole in Mark's head while Mandy Patinkin sings some Sondheim."

At least for a while. It's looking more and more like the Red Sox should have spent the money on A-Rod. At least Nomar gets to spend more time with his bride!

Mark Bellhorn will take over at 2nd base as Pokey Reese moves to SS. Bellhorn is the kind of player I'd expect the Red Sox to pick up as a role player. He doesn't hit much, but he's pretty good at getting on base. He's the kind of player you use to pinch hit leading off an inning when you're down a run or two. He's likely a lot more valuable offensively than Pokey Reese. It will be interesting to see how he plays for three weeks. If Bellhorn has a good offensive start a Pokey a poor one, there might be pressure to keep Bellhorn at 2nd base when Nomar returns to the lineup.

Looks like Mark Prior is going to be out a while. Luckily for the Cubs, they have a deep staff, and if they take advantage of days off, they would only need a fifth starter three times in April.

Meanwhile, Jason Steffens has some harsh criticism for Jack McDowell and Fox Sports.

According to this article on ESPN.com, Brendan Donnelly is in the hospital because of nosebleeds:

Donnelly returned to a Scottsdale hospital late Saturday and underwent a third surgery on his fractured nose, which was broken in 20 places on March 9 while he shagged flies during batting practice.

"They told me I lost half the blood in my body," Donnelly said Saturday, adding that he'd lost seven pints of blood. "I didn't realize how serious it was."

I used to get nosebleeds quite often when I was growing up. Never this bad, but I would wake up with blood all over my pillow. The usually happen during the change of seasons with me. They are a bother, but I never realized they could be this bad. Let's all keep Brendan in our thoughts today.

Here's some good news on Jose Reyes. He may be ready for opening day.

Juan Pierre has dislocated his pinkie. As my wife Marilyn said, "It must be annoying that something that small can lay you up." It's likely he'll only miss a few days, but if there's a chance he could miss six weeks.

Rick Helling is out after having his leg broken by a line drive:

Helling, who signed a minor-league contract with the Twins this season and was expected to be their fifth starter, was hit in the lower leg by a hard liner off the bat of Philadelphia's Shawn Wooten in the fourth inning Saturday.

Helling left the game with what he and the team believed was a bruise, but X-rays on Sunday morning revealed a fractured right fibula.

This might actually be a good thing for the Twins. Helling isn't that great a pitcher, and this might open the door for someone younger and better.

Larry Walker, who spent the off-season rehabilitating from surgery, has once again injured his left groin.

With one check swing, Larry Walker ruined 11 days of rest. In his first game since March 8, the Rockies right fielder aggravated his strained left groin, creating the possibility he won't be available for opening day.

"Are we back to square one? I am not sure yet," trainer Tom Probst said.

Walker grimaced during his second at-bat while striding to swing. He grounded out to second base on the next pitch, jogged slowly down the line, then exited to the clubhouse, where the team doctor examined him.

Looks like that thinner body isn't any healthier.

Howie Beardsley has the latest on Mark Prior's right Achilles. While Prior is the best of that staff, it is certainly nice to have a staff so deep that you could lose Prior for a considerable length of time and still win.

Nomar Garicappara and Trot Nixon have both been sidelined with injuries. Enough injuries like these to the Yankees and Red Sox, and suddenly you don't have that strong a division. That's why if I'm a fan of Toronto or Baltimore, I'm optimistic going into the season. The right balance of good luck for those teams and bad luck for NY and Boston, and suddenly you have a Cinderella situation.

Elephants in Oakland wonders about the health of Mark Mulder. It seems that Ken Macha won't let his pitchers swing the bat in spring training games, and this has raised a red flag.

Gary Sheffield's injured thumb does not appear to require surgery. Sheffield is going to play with the torn ligament, much as Jeter did in last year's playoffs. Who says today's players are soft?

Looks like Gary Sheffield has a serious thumb injury.

Cashman said the worst-case scenario would be that Sheffield requires surgery, meaning he would be out two to three months. The best-case scenario, Cashman said, would be that the right fielder could return for spring training games.

This is what I mean when I say teams like Toronto just have to stay competitive to have a chance against the Yankees and Red Sox. If Sheffield is out for an extended period, that hurts the Yankees offense. One or two more injuries like that and the Yankees suddenly look less like a super team and more like one can beat with a few lucky breaks.

The Cincinnati Reds had two youngsters sustain serious ankle injuries last year. Felipe Lopez has made a very quick recovery and is vying for the job at shortstop. Jose Acevedo is recovering from ankle surgery and pitched well in his quest to make the rotation.

Shallow Center links to a report about Jim Thome breaking the middle finger of his right hand. It looks like Thome will get March off at least. The real question, however, is what is he going to do if someone cuts him off in traffic? :-)

John Smoltz appears to have recovered just fine from his fourth elbow surgery. However, that was his last surgery:

"He couldn't do any better than he's doing," manager Bobby Cox said. "From what I hear, he's the strongest he's ever been. He's super-strong."

But there's also a bit of apprehension surrounding one of the game's most dominant pitchers. Smoltz's elbow has been through reconstructive surgery, plus two arthroscopic procedures. The latest operation left him with a nasty, three-inch scar running along the inside of his right arm.

He doesn't plan to go through another major surgery. If the elbow acts up again - and history says it will at some point - Smoltz plans to retire.

"I'm not afraid to go out there pitching hurt," he said. "But I don't anticipate doing this again. I've had too good a career."

It seems Smoltz develops a lot of scar tissue. That helps him heal fast, but the buildup leads to other injuries. We'll see how long he lasts this time.

Looks like JT Snow hurt his foot while trying to catch a foul ball. His foot caught on the edge of the grass and warning track near the tarp. It's been raining there, so the wet ground may have something to do with it. Doesn't look serious, but he came out of the game.

Correction: As pointed out in the comments, it was Lance Niekro, not Snow. Snow would have made the play, which should have been my first clue.

It doesn't look serious, but you hate to see any injury with the word "Achilles" in it.

Billy Wagner hurt his finger. It doesn't look serious, but will keep him on the sideline for one week.

Larry Walker has trimmed down, according to this article by Tracy Ringolsby:

He canceled plans to spend the winter in South Florida, choosing instead to stay in the Denver area. After undergoing surgery on his right knee and left shoulder, he spent the winter working out regularly at Coors Field under the supervision of Rockies conditioning coach Brad Andress.

And on Thursday, when pitchers and catchers reported for spring training, Walker greeted them. He arrived Feb. 7, eager to see the results of his off-season effort.

Walker is noticeably trimmer. Word is, he lost about 30 pounds, but he's not saying.

"I didn't even weigh in when I took my physical," he said. "I know my pants got awful loose, but I didn't lose as much weight as I expected. Brad said he thought I was fine.

"The program was a lot more agility, not strictly work in the weight room."

There is going to be a lot of talk this year about players being thinner due to stopping steroids. Just remember, physcial therapy after surgery gives one a very good workout. And, as in the case of Walker and Giambi, doctors are likely to want you to take weight off after knee surgery. I'm not drawing any conclusions here. I just want people to be aware that there are other reasons for losing weight.

As for Walker, good for him. He's always been a fun player to watch, and the picture of him with the article makes it look like he's in great shape. A great year from Larry will be a boon to Rockies fans.

Bronx Banter is reporting that Aaron Boone injured his knee playing basketball last week and may miss the entire season.

Offensively, this doesn't hurt the Yankees too much. You can replace Boone's bat. Defensively, it is a problem. Can Drew Henson step up and finally realize his potential? Or will the Yankees take this as an opportunity to move Jeter to third and find someone who can really play shortstop? Who can they trade for A-Rod?

Update: An intriguing solution would be to sign Ivan Rodriguez and move him to third base. Peter Gammons did a piece on Pudge's footwork a few years ago in which it was noted that he moved like a second baseman. Pudge could have easily been in fielder. He has the arm for third base, he has a great bat for third base, and no one else seems to want him. Why not give it a try?

Good news for the Houston Astros. Roy Oswalt has recovered from his Oct. 8 groin surgery and is cleared for full workouts:

"I'd say after the surgery I feel a lot looser than I've felt," he said. "I've always felt like tight. As far as stride, I feel a lot looser, so I hope that will help."

There was a time in July when Oswalt couldn't even push off with his right leg because of the strain.

"I think my groin is a lot looser, so I don't think it will contract as hard as it usually did," he said. "I'm cleared, and the doctor says it looks good. I don't feel anything. Now my goal is to be in good shape before I get to spring training."

Here's the latest on Johnny Damon's condition.

As the Red Sox winged their way to New York, riding the exhilaration of their Division Series victory over the A's, center fielder Johnny Damon stayed in an Oakland hospital after sustaining a concussion during Monday night's game.

Damon was knocked unconscious when he and second baseman Damian Jackson collided while chasing Jermaine Dye's seventh-inning flyball. Jackson's head crashed into the right side of Damon's face in a frightening, violent collision.

After his team completed its 4-3 win, Red Sox manager Grady Little said Damon would remain at Highland Hospital for at least five or six hours. The Red Sox said test results were normal and a neurologist will examine Damon today.

Sounds like nothing is broken. That's good news. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery for Damon.

Marcus Giles tripped over first base in the bottom of the sixth and has been taken out of the game. A serious injury for the Braves if he can't play.

This is bad news.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Mark Mulder has a stress fracture in his right hip, putting the rest of his season in jeopardy.

"Mark is not going to be here for awhile," Athletics manager Ken Macha said Friday.

Macha and trainer Larry Davis would not speculate on how long the ace left-hander would be sidelined.

"I'm not going to even put a number on it," Davis said.

I guess we are going to find out just how good Billy Beane has been at drafting and developing pitchers. This has to give Red Sox fans more hope for a wild card.

Tom Glavine and Roy Oswalt had to leave their games this evening with injuries. Glavine appears to have injured his rib cage, while Oswalt's injury has not been reported.

Phil Nevin was activated today and played in a losing effort against the St. Louis Cardinals. He had a single and a walk in a successful 2003 debut.

I just saw the highlight. Mora was hit on or near the left eye.

Melvin Mora was hit by a pitch today and left the game for a pinch runner. I did not see the injury, so I don't know how extensive it might be.

Curt Schilling has a broken hand. When I first saw this headline, I assumed he did smashing the camera, but he got hit with two batted balls in his last start. Things just aren't going right for the DBacks pitching staff this year.

It looks like Mo Vaughn will not be returning to the Mets, according to this ESPN.com story. It's a good news/bad news story. Mo's knee is in really bad shape, and if he played he risks permanent disability. The good news is that he gets paid 15 million dollars next year to rest. No work and pay.

I just heard on the Yankee radio broadcast that Bernie Williams underwent knee surgery this afternoon.

Nick Johnson has gone on the 15 day DL with a stress facture of his hand.

New York Yankees first baseman Nick Johnson will miss four-to-six weeks with a stress fracture in his right hand, the latest injury in his young career.

"It's very frustrating," Johnson said before Friday's game against the Texas Rangers. "I thought I would be back in a couple of days. That's not the case. It's going to be awhile. I'm just going to try to get it right."

Johnson said he hurt himself on a foul ball in the ninth inning Wednesday night. He then grounded out, ending a loss to the Angels.

Johnson pulled himself out of Thursday's game and had tests Friday, which showed a stress fracture in the third metacarpal bone in his right hand. He will be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

He's going to be out a while, but bones heal. If it had been a wrist injury, I'd be more worried about his coming back.

Both Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr. returned from the disabled list tonight after suffering dislocated shoulders. Both were out the minimum six weeks doctors expected.

Jeter is in the lineup and 0-1 so far tonight. He's batting 2nd, making Nick Johnson the best #9 hitter in the game. He'll give Soriano lots of RBI opportunities.

Griffey will not be in the starting lineup tonight, as the Reds don't want to risk further injury by rushing his return to everyday play.

It looks like Randy Johnson's knee did not heal in the time on the DL. He'll undergo arthroscopic surgery to have the knee repaired. Mark Grace had the quote of the night:

"Really?'' Arizona first baseman Mark Grace said about the news. "That's really bad."

Not much seems to be going right for the DBacks this year.

Ken Griffey, Jr. became the 2nd star player this year to succumb to a dislocated shoulder. This is a huge blow to the Reds, and to Griffey's chances of breaking Aaron's home run record.

When he left Seattle, Griffey seemed a shoe in to threaten 755 HR. But injuries have cost him a lot of playing time over the last few years. Just goes to show how difficult it is to predict who will break a record.

Update: Ben Jacobs reminds me that Phil Nevin also had a dislocated shoulder. I guess that would have been the trade that hurt both clubs. :-)

I didn't see it, but reader Jan from Wellesley tells me that happened:

Jeter was digging for third and Huckabay, the catcher had to come up the line and cover third. He got the ball as he came running in to the bag, and Jeter's left shoulder met his shin guard with full force, pushing the shoulder back. Jeter was in excruciating pain for some time as they tried to push it back in, and as they waited for a very long time for transportation out of SkyDome. It looks very bad -- Kaat and Murcer think he can be out for the whole season. They have this game on ESPN2 also, so I'm sure that ESPN will have more on it. Oh, and it was a clean, hustling play by Huckaby, and he looked quite upset when he saw the kind of pain Jeter was in. Sorry, I wasn't watching what Giambi did that led to Jeter racing toward third ...

Jeter out for the season would be a huge loss for the Yankees. Despite his defense, he's still a championship quality ballplayer.

Update: Jamie Wheeler adds some information:

I just thought I'd try to clear up what happened with Jeter's injury. He was on second and Giambi grounded out. Jeter broke for third, with the Jays being shifted for Giambi. Huckaby was paying attention and raced to third to cover. Jeter, Huckaby and Delgado's throw arrived at third at about the same time, and Huckaby slid to apply the tag, and his shin guard hit Jeter's shoulder.

They just updated it on Sportsnet, and it's a dislocated left shoulder, which was popped back into place at SkyDome. He is on his way to a local hospital.

Update: Daniel Shamah has one more fact to add.

Actually, he was on first when the play started. He took second on the
ground ball, and seeing that no one was covering third took a chance.
Huckaby was flying up the line to catch up and his left knee landed on
Jeter's left shoulder. He was writhing in pain for a good ten minutes.

Just as I thought the Angels were safe, Troy Glaus appears to have a wrist injury. He's the power on the team, and wrist injuries seem to hamper swings long after they appear to heal.

Nick Johnson continues to suffer from hand injuries. This could lead to more playing time for Bubba Trammell.

Dusty Baker is facing some injury problems:

With medical issues hanging ominously over Alfonseca, Alou, O'Leary, Kerry Wood and Mark Grudzielanek--just 11 days before the season begins--plus questions about how Hee Seop Choi, Bobby Hill and Mark Bellhorn will produce in the infield in their first opportunities as full-time starters, the Cubs are burdened by uncertainty.

The Grudzielanek injury may actually be a positive. I'm one of those who thinks Mark's best days are behind him.