MLB Player Notes
Friday, April 6, 2007 - MLB Player Notes
American League
Bartolo Colon - SP - Angels
Bartolo Colon (shoulder) fanned five in four scoreless innings Thursday for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. He allowed one hit and walked one. Colon is expected to make two or three more starts in the minors before coming off the DL, probably by the end of the month. Once healthy, he'll push Joe Saunders out of the rotation.
Chien-Ming Wang - SP - Yankees
Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) reported no problems Thursday after throwing 40 pitches from the top of the mound. Wang might throw batting practice in the next few days. He could rejoin the rotation in about two weeks.
Mark Buehrle - SP - White Sox
Mark Buehrle thinks he'll make his next start after leaving Thursday's game with a bruised forearm. Buehrle, who was hit by a comebacker today, is due to pitch Tuesday against the A's.
Source: WhiteSox.mlb.com
Johnny Damon - OF - Yankees
Although he said he was feeling better than he was Wednesday, Johnny Damon was sent for an MRI Thursday on his strained right calf. Damon could be DL bound, but the Yankees appear to be another day or two from making a decision. Melky Cabrera started in center field Thursday. Robinson Cano has moved into the leadoff spot.
Rocco Baldelli - DH - Devil Rays
Because of the weather, Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) was held out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees. The Rays don't want him trying to run with the temperature in the 30s. He'll be back DHing on Friday. Jonny Gomes is filled in Thursday.
Dioner Navarro - C - Devil Rays
Dioner Navarro was out of the starting lineup for Thursday's game because of his injured left hamstring. Navarro would have played had the game been in Florida, but the Rays didn't want to take the chance with the temperature in the 30s on Thursday night. Navarro should be back on Friday. Josh Paul is filled in.
Reggie Sanders - OF - Royals
Reggie Sanders is likely to make his first start of the season Saturday against lefty Mike Maroth. Royals manager Buddy Bell didn't say where Sanders will play. Perhaps he'll be used in right field to give Mark Teahen his first day off.
Source: Royals.mlb.com
Justin Verlander - SP - Tigers
The Tigers will start Justin Verlander on Friday and push Chad Durbin to the back of the rotation following Thursday's postponement. Mike Maroth, Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson will follow Verlander before Durbin goes on Tuesday.
Gustavo Chacin - SP - Blue Jays
Gustavo Chacin will make his season debut on Friday after his start Thursday was postponed. Tomo Ohka will go Saturday. The Jays will have Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett stay on schedule the following two days, so Josh Towers won't make his first start until Tuesday.
Francisco Rodriguez - RP - Angels
MLB confirmed Thursday morning that it is investigating whether Francisco Rodriguez doctored the baseball during two appearances against the Rangers this week. Rangers GM Jon Daniels said he did not contact MLB in order to start the investigation. It sounds like MLB decided to look more closely at his appearances against Texas on Monday and Wednesday after seeing the evidence presented on The Cheater's Guide to Baseball Blog.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Mark Kotsay - OF - Athletics
Oakland Athletics center fielder Mark Kotsay still hopes to return to the A's lineup in mid-May. Kotsay had back surgery a month ago and his rehab has been progressing nicely, "things are going good," said Kotsay. "There haven't been any setbacks. I think we're making good progress; I haven't had any pain."
Source: MLB.com
Shea Hillenbrand - DH - Angels
Angels designated hitter Shea Hillenbrand is out of the Angels lineup for the second straight game due to tightness in his groin. Hillenbrand is still considered day-to-day. Reggie Willits was the Angels DH and batted ninth.
Source: MLB.com
Craig Monroe - OF - Tigers
Had Thursday’s Detroit-Toronto game been played, manager Jim Leyland said Craig Monroe would have been rested in favor of Marcus Thames in left field. Monroe is battling an unspecified “slight strain,” and Leyland didn’t want to run the risk of aggravating the injury in Detroit's frigid conditions. With the team set to open a series in Kansas City on Friday night, Monroe’s availability for the game will likely depend on the weather once again.
Source: MLB.com
J.D. Drew - OF - Red Sox
J.D. Drew roped his second double of the season and walked in Thursday's win over the Royals. Drew's shoulder -- which delayed his eventual multiyear contract with the Red Sox -- has held up quite well in the early going, as he upped his on-base percentage to an even .500 in three games played.
Source: MLB.com
David Riske - RP - Royals
David Riske threw a perfect ninth inning in Thursday's loss to the Red Sox, striking out Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz. Riske, 30, will be relied upon as the Royals closer while Octavio Dotel nurses a strained left oblique.
Source: MLB.com
Jose Contreras - SP - White Sox
After having a conversation with pitcher Jose Contreras about his implosion on Opening Day, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen determined there was nothing wrong with the veteran right-hander. The good news is that Guillen doesn't believe Contreras was hiding an injury. "He just had a bad game," the skipper said. "I'm always worried about my players. ... We had a good conversation and he said he just had a bad game." Contreras' next start will come against Minnesota on April 8.
Source: MLB.com
National League
Freddy Sanchez - 3B - Pirates
Freddy Sanchez (knee) went 1-for-2 with two walks for Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday night. Sanchez got the start at second base, though he didn't play the full game. It's possible that he'll be activated Saturday, depending on how comfortable he is at the plate.
Stephen Drew - SS - Diamondbacks
Stephen Drew was held out of Thursday's lineup to rest his sore right quad. The injury has been bagging him for a week now, but he'll probably be back at shortstop on Friday. Alberto Callaspo started tonight.
Micah Owings - SP - Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks purchased the contract of RHP Micah Owings from Triple-A Tucson. J.D. Durbin was designated for assignment Wednesday to open up a spot. Owings will make his first major league start Friday against the Nationals. He's only expected to stay in the rotation until Randy Johnson returns in two weeks, but maybe he'll overtake Edgar Gonzalez within that timeframe.
Josh Hamilton - OF - Reds
Originally expected to make his first start on Thursday, Josh Hamilton is instead on the bench with flu-like symptoms. He'll have to wait until sometime this weekend for his first start over Ryan Freel or Ken Griffey Jr.
Source: Cincinnati Enquirer
Chris Carpenter - SP - Cardinals
Swelling has gone down enough in Chris Carpenter's elbow that he will begin preparing to start against Pittsburgh on Tuesday. "The swelling is gone, basically, so now it's just throwing," Carpenter said. "If (the swelling) comes back, then obviously we'll have to go back a step... I was excited when I got up this morning. I felt good. I felt it was back to normal." Carpenter will throw a side-session on Saturday.
Source: St Louis Post-Dispatch
Mike Hampton - SP - Braves
Though Mike Hampton has experienced pain in his pitching elbow, the Braves medical staff has reassured him that it's just part of the process that he'll undergo while coming back from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. Hampton hopes to throw a bullpen session on April 7. If all goes well, the Braves will then determine when he'll make the first of what will likely be five Minor League rehab starts.
Source: MLB.com
