MLB Player Notes

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - MLB Player Notes

National League

Adam LaRoche - 1B - Pirates
Adam LaRoche didn't play Wednesday because of back stiffness. LaRoche is expected to be available after Thursday's off day. Brad Eldred replaced him at first base today.

Jorge Julio - RP - Marlins
Manager Fredi Gonzalez wasn't willing to commit to Jorge Julio as closer after another blown save on Tuesday. A big change from Sunday, when Gonzalez made it clear he was still behind Julio. "We'll do what's best for the team, the organization and the individual," Gonzalez said Wednesday. It sounds like Henry Owens might be the new favorite for saves in Florida.
Source: Marlins.mlb.com

Chris Duncan - OF - Cardinals
Pinch-hitter Chris Duncan homered off Salomon Torres in the top of the ninth to break a tie and help the Cardinals beat the Pirates 3-2 on Wednesday. Duncan had started against a couple of lefties, but So Taguchi got the nod over him versus Paul Maholm today. The home run was Duncan's second in 25 at-bats this season.

Salomon Torres - RP - Pirates
Salomon Torres, who blew a save on Tuesday night, lost on Wednesday after giving up a solo homer in a tie game. Meanwhile, Matt Capps extended his scoreless streak to 6 1/3 innings to start the year. It's doubtful that the Pirates will be quick to make a change, but they may eventually find they'd be better off with Capps closing games.

Scott Rolen - 3B - Cardinals
Scott Rolen missed a second straight game with upper back spasms on Wednesday. Scott Spiezio got another start at third base. Rolen said he was only slightly improved from where he was Tuesday. Still, he hopes to return for Friday's game.

Rich Hill - SP - Cubs
Rich Hill will next start Saturday after his outing Wednesday against the Astros was rained out. Carlos Zambrano will start Friday as previously scheduled. Ted Lilly is being pushed back to Sunday, with Jason Marquis to follow on Monday.

Wandy Rodriguez - SP - Astros
Wandy Rodriguez won't make his next start until Monday after Wednesday's game was rained out. The Astros will stick with Roy Oswalt, Jason Jennings and Woody Williams for this weekend's series against the Phillies. Rodriguez will face the Marlins.

Rafael Furcal - SS - Dodgers
Rafael Furcal (ankle) went 0-for-4 with a walk while serving as the designated hitter for Single-A Inland Empire on Tuesday. Furcal, who faced the Angels' Bartolo Colon in the game, will start at short in his final rehab game Wednesday. He will rejoin the Dodgers on Friday.
Source: Los Angeles Times

Chris Sampson - SP - Astros
Chris Sampson, who left Tuesday's game after five scoreless innings due to a sore calf, doesn't expect to miss his next scheduled start. "It's numb right now because I just finished icing, so I can't really feel it, but it's fine," Sampson said. "Pitching, walking — all that doesn't bother it. When I try to run on it, that's when it starts getting pretty sore."
Source: Houston Chronicle

Eric Milton - SP - Reds
LHP Eric Milton will have his next scheduled start pushed back one day so that Kyle Lohse will pitch on regular rest. Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo and Lohse will be the starters for this weekend's series against the Cubs. Milton will start on Monday against the Brewers.
Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

Carlos Quentin - OF - Diamondbacks
Carlos Quentin (shoulder) is expected to get three at-bats in an extended spring game on Wednesday. Quentin could begin a minor league rehab on Friday and should return to the D-Backs early next week.
Source: Arizona Republic

Adrian Gonzalez - 1B - Padres
Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBI in the loss to the Giants on Tuesday. Gonzalkez has three homers and nine RBI in 31 at-bats, but he needs some more help from his teammates. He's scored just one run when he wasn't driving in himself.

Josh Hamilton - OF - Reds
Josh Hamilton's first major league hit was a two-run homer off Edgar Gonzalez Tuesday against the Diamondbacks. Hamilton also walked twice while filling in for Ryan Freel atop the order. He'll probably get a start in place of Ken Griffey Jr. sometime this week. Still, playing time will be hard to come by until either Freel or Griffey gets hurt. Adam Dunn can't sit at all with the way he's playing, and the Reds seem resistant to the idea of using Freel in the infield now that he's a regular outfielder.

Brett Tomko - SP - Dodgers
Brett Tomko pitched six innings of one-hit ball and struck out nine Tuesday against the Rockies. No rust on Tomko, who hadn't made an appearance since the beginning of the season. Outings like this figure to be few and far between for the 34-year-old, but with Dodger Stadium aiding him, he could have a little fantasy value for as long as he remains in the rotation. Unfortunately, he's a weaker play next week, as he'll be pitching in Arizona.

Jason Schmidt - SP - Dodgers
Jason Schmidt said he felt fine on Tuesday and planned to make his next start Sunday as scheduled. Schmidt left Monday's game with right hamstring tightness.

Kevin Kouzmanoff - 3B - Padres
Kevin Kouzmanoff is expected to sit out a few games with a bruised left elbow, manager Bud Black said. Russell Branyan started in his Tuesday tonight. Geoff Blum could play Wednesday with the Giants set to throw lefty Noah Lowry. It sounds like Kouz will be back on Friday.

Hanley Ramirez - SS - Marlins
Hanley Ramirez didn't start Tuesday and may not return to the lineup until Friday's game. Ramirez feels he can play on his stiff right hamstring, but the Marlins are being especially cautious. "We have the off day Thursday, we'd like to give him another day," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Again, he is progressing." Alfredo Amezaga is playing shortstop in his place.

Chris Young - OF - Diamondbacks
Chris Young may be held out of the lineup until Friday's game because of his groin injury, manager Bob Melvin said. It sounded like Young would return Tuesday night. Instead, Alberto Callaspo is getting another start in the outfield.

American League

Jermaine Dye - OF - White Sox
Jermaine Dye hit a game-tying homer in the eighth and the White Sox scored three in the ninth to beat the A's 6-3 on Wednesday. Dye also singled. He had been 2-for-20 with no extra-base hits this season. Now his average is up to .160.

Huston Street - RP - Athletics
Huston Street took a loss after giving up three runs in the ninth Wednesday against the White Sox. Street wasn't happy about some ball-and-strike calls when he walked back-to-back batters to load the bases with no outs. Darin Erstad followed with a routine fly to shallow left. Fortunately, that's where Shannon Stewart was stationed, so the White Sox had no problem getting a run home. After an intentional walk to Jim Thome, Paul Konerko doubled over Stewart's head to put the game away.

Tadahito Iguchi - 2B - White Sox
Tadahito Iguchi returned to the starting lineup and went 1-for-3 with a walk on Wednesday. Iguchi rested a bruised finger on Tuesday.

Jonny Gomes - DH - Devil Rays
Despite leading the Rays in home runs this spring, Jonny Gomes is on the bench Wednesday for the seventh time in eight games this season. Even Carlos Pena, who was sent down and then recalled when Greg Norton got hurt, is making his third start. Gomes doubled and walked in his only start, so this isn't about production. Instead, this has a lot more to do with Elijah Dukes. The Rays want to start Dukes and all three of their outfielders, closing off the DH spot, and they're not willing to try Gomes at first base, even though he wanted to play there last month. Gomes will get another shot eventually, but it seems like it's going to take time.

Eric Gagne - RP - Rangers
Eric Gagne pitched a perfect inning Tuesday in his third and final appearance for Double-A Frisco. Gagne is expected to come off the DL on Friday. Manager Ron Washington indicated yesterday that Gagne would return to the closer's role immmediately.

Octavio Dotel - RP - Royals
Manager Buddy Bell said Tuesday that the "best-case scenario" for Octavio Dotel's (oblique) return is now April 20. Dotel's timetable continues to be pushed back, this time by about a week. "He hasn’t really had any setbacks," Bell said. "We’re just being real cautious with him. He’s going to throw off of the mound on Thursday."
Source: Kansas City Star

Wily Mo Peña - OF - Red Sox
Manager Terry Francona indicated that Wily Mo Pena will get his first start of the season Thursday against Jarrod Washburn. Pena will likely start in right field in place of J.D. Drew. Francona initially said that he planned to get Pena 400 at-bats this season, but that's going to be impossible starting him once every two weeks or solely against left-handers.
Source: Boston Globe

Ramon Hernandez - C - Orioles
Ramon Hernandez (oblique) is expected to be activated from the disabled list as soon as he's eligible to return Sunday. "Ramon had a little progress yesterday," manager Sam Perlozzo said. "He has minimal discomfort in the oblique and is on a throwing program." Alberto Castillo should start packing.
Source: Washington Post

Chone Figgins - OF - Angels
X-rays showed that the fractures in Chone Figgins' fingers have healed and he's begun taking dry swings. Figgins is expected to begin throwing by this weekend and could then begin a brief minor league rehab assignment. "Once he gets his arm stretched out and takes some swings, he won't be that far away," manager Mike Scioscia said.
Source: Los Angeles Times

Jered Weaver - SP - Angels
According to the Los Angeles Times, Jered Weaver's (shoulder) scheduled Monday return against the Red Sox "is looking a little iffy." Weaver is expected to throw 90 pitches in a start at Single-A Wednesday, but the Angels could decide that he needs one more minor league appearance before returning. "It's penciled in," manager Mike Scioscia said. "It will depend on how he feels. If he can pitch a little deeper into the game and get his pitch count where it needs to be and maintain his velocity, we'll certainly look at doing that. But there's a chance he could need one more rehab start."
Source: Los Angeles Times

Bartolo Colon - SP - Angels
Bartolo Colon (shoulder) gave up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings Tuesday in his second rehab start for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. He struck out five and walked none. Colon is probably going to make two more starts before coming off the disabled list.

Dan Johnson - 1B - Athletics
Dan Johnson (hip) could get into an extended spring training game in the next week to 10 days. He'll need a couple of weeks after that before he's ready to rejoin the A's, but it looks like he could be back at first base in early May. Travis Buck might head to Triple-A then.

Zack Greinke - SP - Royals
Zack Greinke allowed one run in six innings and struck out five in a victory over the Blue Jays on Tuesday night. Greinke has walked just one batter in a couple of very impressive showings so far. His flyball tendencies will begin to result in homers before long, and it seems unlikely that he'll finish with a great ERA. Still, all signs point to him being the Royals' best pitcher this year.

Alex Gordon - 3B - Royals
Alex Gordon hit his first career homer Tuesday in the win over the Blue Jays. It was a two-run shot off Josh Towers. Gordon is still just 2-for-24 with a 10/0 K/BB ratio. At least he was nowhere to go but up.

Nate Robertson - SP - Tigers
Nate Robertson shut out the Orioles for 7 1/3 innings on Tuesday to improve to 2-0. Robertson had a 1.86 ERA in three starts against Baltimore last year, and the Orioles might be even worse against left-handers this season than they were then. Robertson's next start will come against Toronto, the team he beat in week one.

Brian Roberts - 2B - Orioles
Brian Roberts went 0-for-4 and committed an error on a double-play ball that gave the Tigers two runs Tuesday in a 3-1 loss. Roberts had a lousy spring and is off to a 5-for-30 start during the regular season. He thought he'd be a better hitter this season with his elbow healthier than it was a year ago, but he's hurt the Orioles so far.