Saturday, May 04, 2002
Notes from Friday's games
The Associated Press
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Angels-Blue Jays
ANAHEIM: DH Brad Fullmer, acquired from Toronto, hit .211 in April with no home runs. RHP Brian Cooper, sent to Toronto in the Fullmer deal, isn't with the Blue Jays. Cooper is pitching at Triple-A Syracuse. ... 2B Adam Kennedy tied a team record with eight RBIs on April 19, 2000, at SkyDome. ... INF Benji Gil, on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle, continues to work out with the team. Gil is expected back soon. ... Starter Aaron Sele allowed four runs — one earned — in 5 2-3 innings against Toronto on Saturday. The Angels won 11-4.
TORONTO: LF Shannon Stewart missed his third straight game with sore hamstrings. ... LHP Mike Sirotka, recovering from shoulder surgery, threw off the mound Thursday. Manager BMartinez said Sirotka said he felt “awesome.” Martinez didn't know when Sirotka might throw from the mound again. Sirotka missed all of last season with the injury. ... RHP Steve Parris, recovering from shoulder surgery, threw a 50-pitch bullpen session Thursday. “His arm is progressing very well,” Martinez said. Martinez said the team will decide in the next few days when Parris will start a rehab assignment. ... The Blue Jays claimed RHP Pete Walker on waivers from the New York Mets.
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Rangers-Indians
TEXAS: 1B Rafael Palmeiro is close to moving up on a few career lists. Entering the game, he needed eight RBIs for 1,500. He also needs two RBIs to pass Dave Parker for 34th place on the career list. Palmeiro is just two hits from tying Hall of Famer Joe Morgan for 75th place. And he needs just one double to break a tie for 36th place with Goose Goslin. ... RHP Chan Ho Park, out with a strained right hamstring since opening day, will pitch in the bullpen this weekend before working a simulated game Monday in Texas. GM John Hart said Park is expected back by mid-May. ... OF Juan Gonzalez still can't squeeze a bat, Hart said. Gonzalez went on the 15-day disabled list April 11 with torn muscle fibers in his right hand. Gonzalez is scheduled to see a doctor Monday, and Hart said he hopes the slugger can begin swinging a bat next week.
CLEVELAND: DH Ellis Burks missed his fourth straight game with a strained hamstring and probably won't play this weekend, manager Charlie Manuel said. ... Manuel said the only way for the Indians to get out of their current slump is to keep playing hard. “You've got to keep grinding,” said Manuel, whose nickname was “The Grinder” during his playing career. “I was 9-for-115 once in Japan and I closed my eyes and told this guy, 'I'm going 10-for-10.' Well, I went 11-for-11 and hit six or seven home runs. Baseball is a game where you have to stay at it. You have to keep your chin up and keep at it.” ... Manuel said he knows better than to listen to sports talk radio. Lately, Cleveland radio has been buzzing with callers saying the Indians should fire Manuel. “Things like that have never bothered me,” he said. “I never listen to that stuff.”
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Mariners-Yankees
SEATTLE: Mike Cameron said he didn't sleep on the flight to New York on Thursday night after tying a major league record with four homers against the White Sox. Instead, he thought about the magnitude of his feat. “There have been 13 guys in the history of the game to do it,” he said. “When you start naming them, I'll be one of them.” ... Seattle's Japanese relief duo of Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Kazuhiro Sasaki have combined for an 0.34 ERA in 26 1-3 innings.
NEW YORK: The Yankees bullpen has not allowed a run in its last 10 games, a span of 20 innings. New York relievers have held opponents to a .103 average (7-for-68). ... After getting knocked out in the second inning of his first two career starts against Seattle, LHP Ted Lilly took a no-hitter into the eighth last Saturday against the Mariners before losing 1-0. Lilly started Friday night. ... Closer Mariano Rivera has 223 career saves, one shy of Dave Righetti's franchise record.
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Royals-Orioles
KANSAS CITY: RHP Roberto Hernandez experienced few problems after his first outing of the season, a one-inning stint Thursday in which he allowed two runs. “There's still a little soreness, but that's just from doing forearm stabilizing exercises,” said Hernandez, who was activated from the disabled list before the game. Interim manager John Mizerock said Hernandez, who has 294 career saves, won't return to the closer's role until he shows he can get hitters out. ... C Juan Brito was in the starting lineup, his major league debut. Mizerock gave Brito the start for two reasons: He didn't want to use A.J. Hinch on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, and Brito is familiar with LHP Jeremy Affeldt. Brito and Affeldt, both 22, were minor league batterymates in each of the past three seasons. ... With Affeldt now in the rotation and LHP Brian Shouse (left elbow) on the disabled list, the Royals are without a left-handed relief pitcher. That doesn't worry Mizerock, who said his relievers haven't had an opportunity to settle into designated roles. RHPs Cory Bailey and Jason Grimsley, the manager said, can be equally effective against right-handed or left-handed hitters. “Some people say a good right-hander is better than a bad left-hander,” Mizerock said. ... Since taking over for the fired Tony Muser on April 30, Mizerock hasn't changed many team rules. However, the Royals are no longer stretching in the outfield on the road, as they did under Muser. Now they stretch in front of their dugout. The main reason: “We spent more time out there dodging (fly) balls than we did stretching,” Mizerock said.
BALTIMORE: David Segui was scratched from the starting lineup minutes before the game. The Orioles listed the reason as “manager's decision.” He was replaced at DH by Jay Gibbons. ... C Izzy Molina arrived in Baltimore, delighted about his first stint in the majors since 1998 with Oakland. Called up late Thursday night from Triple-A Rochester, Molina is the backup to Brook Fordyce while starting catcher Geronimo Gil is sidelined with a sore groin and hamstring. “Whether I'm here a week, a month, whatever, this sure beats being down in Triple-A,” Molina said. ... Manager Mike Hargrove said RHP Sean Douglass will make his scheduled start Monday against Cleveland. Douglass is 0-1 with a 9.45 ERA in two starts since replacing Josh Towers in the rotation. ... Starter Scott Erickson gave up two runs in the first inning, two more than he allowed over nine innings Sunday in his last start against Kansas City.
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Red Sox-Devil Rays
BOSTON: RHP Derek Lowe will make his first start Saturday since throwing a no-hitter one week earlier against Tampa Bay. It's a good thing Lowe has no superstitions because some of his game gear from the no-hitter will be displayed at the Hall of Fame. “I'm definitely going,” said Lowe, who visited Cooperstown five years ago. “Knowing you have something in there, it will be different.” ... OF Rickey Henderson and manager Grady Little talked before the game. Henderson has recently expressed unhappiness with his playing time. “I feel strongly it won't disrupt anything,” Little said. “He's having fun. He just wants to play. I don't fault him for that.” Henderson and struggling 1B Tony Clark are expected to play Saturday. ... RHP Dustin Hermanson (right groin) is a few days from throwing off a bullpen mound. Little is hopeful Hermanson could return sometime around June 1.
TAMPA BAY: Manager Hal McRae said it's something he doesn't want to do, but conceded the possibility exists the Devil Rays might use a closer by committee the rest of the season. Former closer Esteban Yan, who will be part of the committee, was dropped from the full-time role after walking the No. 8 and No. 9 hitters en route to blowing a save opportunity Thursday at Minnesota. Yan has voiced his displeasure with the move. “He should be angry at me and angry at himself,” McRae said. ... McRae said when Yan was removed Thursday after walking the only two hitters he faced, it was the first time he pulled his closer. ... LHP Wilson Alvarez (ribs) will throw in the bullpen Sunday and will be re-evaluated after the session.
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Tigers-Twins
DETROIT: 3B Dean Palmer underwent back surgery and will be sidelined approximately two months. ... The Tigers officially put closer Matt Anderson on the disabled list Thursday and called up pitcher Fernando Rodney from Double-A Erie. Rodney gave up just three hits and no runs in eight innings. Juan Acevedo, who got Detroit's first save of the season Wednesday, assumes closer duties. ... Anderson is one of nine Tigers currently on the DL. Detroit has used a league-high 34 players this year. ... Randall Simon was back in the lineup after being removed Tuesday with a strained quadriceps.
MINNESOTA: OF Torii Hunter, named AL player of the month Thursday, is the first Twins player to win the award since Kirby Puckett in June 1992. ... Starter Brad Radke entered without a loss to Detroit since June 15, 1998, a streak of nine starts and six wins. ... Minnesota is 13-1 when it gets a quality start, and for the first time this season, Twins pitchers have recorded four quality starts in a row — all wins over Tampa Bay.
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Athletics-White Sox
OAKLAND: LHP Mark Mulder threw on the side without problems and then flew to Arizona, where he'll pitch a simulated game Sunday. The runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award last season has been on the disabled list since April 16 with a strained left forearm. “We're trying to be as careful as possible,” manager Art Howe said. “He was slated to pitch tomorrow. I didn't think he was ready.” ... OF David Justice was out of the lineup again, still bothered by a sore groin. “No sense putting him out there on a cold night,” Howe said. “Every day that we can give him, he's that much closer to 100 percent.” ... Jermaine Dye is hitting .292 in six games since coming off the disabled list, better than Howe expected. “He's gifted,” Howe said. “He's an outstanding hitter and has a great approach at the plate. He doesn't have many flaws.” ... The Athletics didn't arrive in Chicago until 3:30 a.m. Friday after the plane they were supposed to take was hit by lightning on its way to New York. The A's found another plane and left about 90 minutes behind schedule.
CHICAGO: RHP Rocky Biddle thought he was in trouble when Triple-A Charlotte manager Nick Capra called him about midnight Thursday. But Capra had good news, telling Biddle he and Matt Ginter had been called up. “Funny thing is, Capra was my manager the first time I came up, so we've got something going,” said Biddle, who started the season on the disabled list after having shoulder surgery last season. “I don't even think back to when I was hurt,” Biddle said. “I did my rehab, let's go.” ... Paul Konerko, who had his career-high 18-game hitting streak snapped Thursday, got the night off. “We just felt it was time to give him a breather,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “We're going to need him as fresh as possible as long as possible.” ... The White Sox had lost 10 straight to Oakland coming in, dating to last season. “It's up to us to prove to them that we're on the same level as they are,” general manager Kenny Williams said.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Rockies-Phillies
COLORADO: Mike Gallego joined the Rockies as a coach to new manager Clint Hurdle. Gallego was the team's minor league roving infield coordinator for two years after serving in the same capacity with Boston in 1999. Gallego spent his 13-year career with the Oakland A's, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals. ... Saturday's starter RHP Jason Jennings, a rookie, has been more effective on the road than at home. At Coors Field, he is 2-1 with a 6.55 ERA but away from home he is 4-2 with a 3.05 ERA.
PHILADELPHIA: Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, who played his entire career with the Phillies, joined the team for two games against the Rockies as a special hitting instructor. Schmidt, who was a teammate of manager Larry Bowa, also spent time with the team during spring training. ... After a three-game trial, Travis Lee and Marlon Anderson flipped positions in the batting order on Friday, with Lee moving back to the sixth spot and Anderson moving to eighth. In three games against the Giants, Lee was 6-for-11 with a homer in the eighth position while Anderson was 3-for-12 in the six hole. Lee disagreed that the change in batting position resulted in his surge. “It wasn't because I was hitting eighth that I got hits,” says Lee, who added that Bowa can “put me where he wants to put me.” ... Utility player Dave Hollins left the team on Friday to go home to Buffalo and receive medical treatment from his private physician. Hollins, who was eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on April 27, is suffering from the effects of spider bites on his left knee during spring training that caused an infection.
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Mets-Astros
NEW YORK: The Mets are second in the NL with eight come-from-behind victories this season, three behind league leader St. Louis. ... After next Thursday's Mets-Rockies game in Shea Stadium, catcher Mike Piazza will film a scene with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant for their upcoming movie, “Two Weeks Notice.” ... Piazza is nine RBIs from 1,000 for his career and Edgardo Alfonzo is 10 away from 500.
HOUSTON: Relievers Hipolito Pichardo and Nelson Cruz both arrived from Triple-A New Orleans on Friday afternoon and are expected to be called up for Saturday's game. The Astros are one under the 25-man roster limit after reliever T.J. Mathews was placed on the disabled list with a strained right biceps Friday. They will make another roster move before Saturday's game. ... Craig Biggio hit the 30th leadoff homer of his career Thursday, tying him for the all-time National League lead with Bobby Bonds. Biggio is sixth on the major league list, three behind Paul Molitor. Rickey Henderson has the record with 80.
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Marlins-Brewers
FLORIDA: Manager Jeff Torborg served his one-game suspension for an ejection in the home opener against Montreal on April 8. Major league baseball reduced its original two-game suspension to just a single contest after a review. Bench coach Rick Renick guided the team. ... LHP Armando Almanza made his first rehab assignment for Jupiter, the Marlins' Class A affiliate. He started and pitched one inning, facing four batters. He allowed one hit and struck out one. ... OF Kevin Millar missed his fourth straight game with a left abdominal oblique strain. He has a nine-game hitting streak and played 23 games, but faces the possibility of being placed on the disabled list.
MILWAUKEE: The Brewers are one of three teams who use a software system capable of accessing video clips of players. The team had only six scouting reports of Marlins starting pitcher Kevin Olsen, but was able to find his starts with the click of a few buttons. Thanks to the technology, it's no problem scouting Olsen, who has made just five major league starts, none against Milwaukee. “If he's pitched, we've got it,” Brewers manager Jerry Royster said. ... Reliever Curtis Leskanic threw a simulated game Friday and is eager to return. “It went pretty well today,” he said. “Every third or fourth slider, I would feel it.” Leskanic was placed on the disabled list after offseason surgery to repair a tear in the rotator cuff of his right shoulder and a torn labrum. He is scheduled for another simulated game Monday, and if all goes well, he probably will be sent to Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Braves-Cardinals
ATLANTA: Gary Sheffield began the night in a career-worst 0-for-28 slump that dropped his average to .203. He's been struggling to adjust to playing with a sprained left wrist. ... RHP Jason Marquis, on the DL since April 15 with tendinitis in his shoulder, will make a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Richmond. Manager Bobby Cox expects him to rejoin the rotation after that. ... LHP Tom Glavine, who is 15-5 for his career against the Cardinals, will not pitch in the three-game series. ... Closer John Smoltz hasn't allowed a run in his last eight games, covering 10 innings.
ST. LOUIS: CF Jim Edmonds was out of the lineup a day after he injured his right groin running down a fly ball in the gap, but he was available to pinch hit and could play on Friday. Edmonds took himself out of the game after 4 1-2 innings Thursday. “He's better, but it would be a push to play him,” manager Tony La Russa said. “So it's not worth the risk.” ... LHP Bud Smith, on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, is scheduled to throw again in the bullpen on Friday and could start Tuesday at Chicago. ... The bullpen has logged a major league-high 109 1-3 innings, mostly due to the fact six pitchers are on the disabled list. “I'll make a prediction,” La Russa said. “Later on this summer, our guys will be complaining about a lack of work.” ... LHP Rick Ankiel, who began the year on the DL with elbow tendinitis, may rejoin the team on next week's trip. But he can't be activated until May 28 because he was moved to the 60-day DL.
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Cubs-Dodgers
CHICAGO: Four-time All-Star OF Moises Alou, limited to 12 games this season because of back and calf injuries and hitting .162, has played only two seasons of 150 or more games since making his big league debut in 1990. “I'm jealous of anybody who can play every day,” said Alou, who has been on the DL nine times and sat out the entire 1991 and 1999 seasons. “I would love to get to this locker, throw my spikes and my uniform on and say, "Let's go play.' But instead, I go straight to the trainer's room — and that really kills me. I have to get treatment, take anti-inflamatory medication and pain-killers to be able to play a game, and that takes a lot of the fun out of it. But I don't say, "What if?' because I've had a great career so far. I mean, I'm not satisfied with it, but I'm happy with what I've done.” ... Cubs radio play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes called his 1,000th consecutive regular-season game. Hughes' broadcast partner, former Cubs great Ron Santo, returned to the booth after missing three games to get his artificial leg replaced by his doctor in Phoenix. ... Manager Don Baylor said 3B Bill Mueller is on track for a return to the roster Monday, a week after beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa. Mueller started the season on the DL after undergoing knee surgery March 11.
LOS ANGELES: Manager Jim Tracy is impressed with the way LHP Omar Daal has settled back into his relief role after winning both starts while Kevin Brown was on the DL. Daal's preference to be a starter is no secret, in fact he demanded a trade in spring training. But Tracy hasn't heard a peep out of him. “The professionalism this man has displayed is off the charts,” Tracy said. “The message he's giving to this club and his teammates is, "When needed, I'm going to go out there and give you everything I've got.' What he has done is absolutely awesome. I respect it and I marvel at it. I understand what his feelings are, but I wouldn't try to change his feelings. It wouldn't be fair.” ... LHP Odalis Perez has 30 strikeouts and three walks in 46 1-3 innings over his six starts. His minor league strikeout-to-walk ratio was 387-118. ... The Dodgers entered with a 15-2 record when scoring first.
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Expos-Diamondbacks
MONTREAL: Manager Frank Robinson credits the team's surprising success thus far to the attitude of the players. “They play with enthusiasm. They play hard. They don't bring the organization's problems with them to the ballpark.” ... 1B Andres Galarraga was placed on the 15-day DL with a lower back strain, and the Expos called up LHP Joey Eischen from Triple-A Ottawa. ... Vladimir Guerrero, the NL player of the month for April, went 0-for-3 in Montreal's 8-2 loss at Houston on Thursday, snapping his 11-game hitting streak. Guerrero has been named player of the month four times. ... Montreal's game at Arizona on Friday was its first against the NL West, but the Expos play nothing but NL West teams until their May 21-26 homestand. ... Montreal leads the NL in runs, sacrifice hits, walks, intentional walks, stolen bases and on-base percentage.
ARIZONA: OF Luis Gonzalez was out of the starting lineup for the second time since 1999. Gonzalez, mired in an 0-for-19 slump, has the longest consecutive games streak among active players at 355, and manager Bob Brenly promised to get him into the game at some point. ... OF David Dellucci was placed on the 15-day DL with a left hamstring strain. The Diamondbacks activated INF Danny Klassen, who had been on a rehab assignment with Double-A El Paso after being sidelined with an inflamed right big toe. ... Diamondbacks officials said they will allow Arizona starters to decide whether to open the roof of Bank One Ballpark on days when weather isn't the deciding factor. RHP Curt Schilling likes the roof closed because he thinks the ball doesn't fly as far in those conditions.
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Pirates-Padres
PITTSBURGH: 3B Aramis Ramirez missed his third straight game with a sprained right ankle. Ramirez, who finished his seven-game suspension Tuesday for throwing his helmet in a brawl, is expected to see action during the three-game series. ... The Pirates and Royals came into Friday night with 12 home runs, tied with NL leader Sammy Sosa.
SAN DIEGO: RHP Kevin Jarvis (right elbow strain) will start Saturday night, when he is eligible to come off the 15-day DL. Jarvis (1-3) missed his last two starts after coming out of a start April 17 against San Francisco with the injury. ... The Padres are thriving outside the NL West. San Diego has won six of nine against non-NL West teams, while compiling a 9-10 record against division foes.
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Reds-Giants
CINCINNATI: OF Austin Kearns was back in the starting lineup after sitting out for most of the past two games. Kearns was hit above the left eye by Giovanni Carrara's pitch Tuesday. He pinch-hit Thursday night against the Dodgers. Before Friday night's game, Kearns had reached base safely in 13 of 15 plate appearances. He is 13-for-22 after a 2-for-12 start. ... The Reds have won each of their last four series and seven of nine this season. ... The Reds swept the Giants three games last season at Pacific Bell Park. It was their first series sweep in San Francisco since 1996 at Candlestick Park.
SAN FRANCISCO: OF Reggie Sanders needs one home run to reach 200 for his career. ... LHP Kirk Rueter came in 8-1 with a 3.30 ERA against the Reds, including last Sunday's 3-1 Giants' victory. Rueter needed two more wins to reach 100 for his career. Rueter is the first Giants lefty to win at least 10 games in five consecutive seasons since Johnny Antonelli had six from 1954-59. ... RHP Jason Schmidt (0-0) will make his third start of the season Saturday. Schmidt, who started the year on the disabled list with a right groin strain, hasn't yet made it past the fifth inning.
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Tyson admits biting Lewis
Ward Burton wins pole for Pontiac 400
Coming up this week
Rackers faces winds of change
Bengals notes: Annual quarterback battle begins
49ers' Owens scores seven points in USBL debut
NFL notebook
Ohio prep roundup
Kentucky prep roundup
Tristate high school results
Baseball tournament schedule
Softball tournament schedule
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Notes from Friday's games