Baseball

Yankee veteran Posada out 5 weeks

Jorge Posada has suffered the first significant injury of his lengthy major league career. (Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has opted not to have surgery on his right shoulder, but will be out of the lineup at least five weeks.

Posada met this week with Yankees physician Dr. Stuart Hershon and sports orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, among others, and chose to rest the shoulder instead.

“I thought I was going to have to get surgery. We’re going to look at that option probably after the season,” Posada said Friday.

Posada, 36, said he has inflammation of the rotator cuff but the condition of his labrum was unchanged from a scan taken during the offseason for an insurance policy. The catcher signed a reported four-year, $52.4-million US contract in the offseason with the only team he has played for.

“All the doctors agree,” he said. “It just needs rest.”

Posada has one home run and 11 runs batted in with a .302 batting average in 18 games this season.

Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Posada has hit 219 home runs and 872 RBIs with a . 277 average in his career. He was an active member of three championship Yankee teams between 1998 and 2000.

New York are also without star third baseman Alex Rodriguez (strained right quadriceps) and promising young pitcher Phil Hughes (broken rib).
Source: www.cbc.ca

Brewers’ Gallardo tears ACL, Turnbow cut

Starting pitcher might need surgery; Bush recalled from triple-A

The Milwaukee Brewers have lost a couple of pitchers — one by choice, the other by accident.

Starter Yovani Gallardo tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a collision near first base in Thursday’s 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs and might require surgery, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Friday.

Also Friday, former closer Derrick Turnbow was released after sporting a 15.63 earned-run average in eight games this season.

If Gallardo has surgery, there’s a good chance the right-hander will be out for the remainder of the season.

He was injured when he rushed toward first base to cover a slow roller by Chicago’s Reed Johnson in the fifth inning. As Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder went to apply a tag, Gallardo hurdled Johnson and landed awkwardly on his right leg.

Gallardo stayed on the ground for a few minutes, but managed to walk it off and keep pitching, completing the inning and another before leaving.

Right-hander Dave Bush, who lost his starting job recently when Gallardo returned from injury, was recalled Friday from triple-A Nashville.

Meanwhile, Turnbow allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Cubs on Wednesday and was designated for assignment with $3.2 million US remaining on this year’s salary.

The Brewers have 10 days to trade Turnbow, place him on unconditional release waivers or send him outright to the minors.

The righty had 39 saves in 2005 and 24 the following year when he was named a National League all-star. But Turnbow suddenly lost his form at mid-season in 2006.

After converting 51 or 55 save chances at the start of his career, Turnbow went 0-6 with a 13.06 ERA from July 1 on in 2006 and lost his closer’s job to Francisco Cordero. Turnbow was 4-5 with a 4.63 ERA as a setup man last year.

Outfielder Joe Dillon was summoned from triple-A Nashville to take Turnbow’s spot on the roster.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Jays aim to put road woes in rear-view

Right-fielder Alex Rios, foreground, hit a seventh-inning home run in Toronto’s 3-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. (Charles Krupa/Associated Press)

Coming off a disastrous road trip that saw them tumble into last place in their division, home probably never seemed so sweet for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto will look to get back on track as Shaun Marcum takes the mound against the visiting Chicago White Sox at Rogers Centre on Friday.

The Blue Jays (12-17) went 2-7 during the road swing, dropping series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox.

A.J. Burnett provided Toronto with a measure of momentum to build upon with a dominating 3-0 shutout win in the series finale with the Red Sox on Thursday.

The right-hander pitched a strong 7 2/3 innings — allowing just three hits while striking out five.

Scott Rolen had an RBI single and Vernon Wells brought home a run with a sacrifice fly in the win. Alex Rios closed out the scoring in the seventh with his third homer of the season and first since April 19.

“Just a good W for us to get back on track,” Burnett said.

It was the third consecutive dominant performance by a Jays starter in the series, but Burnett’s was the only one capable of earning a win.

Marcum, who will seek to avoid the first three-game losing streak of his career on Friday, know how a solid start can go to waste. In a 2-1 loss against the Royals on Saturday, Marcum held his opponents to just two runs on four hits in seven innings of work.

Including that start by Marcum, the Jays have allowed just seven total runs in their last five games but only have a 2-3 record to show for it. The Toronto bats went silent in those three losses, scoring only two runs.

Marcum has enjoyed some recent success against the White Sox (14-12) with a 1-0 record and a 3.27 ERA in two starts last season.

White Sox send ace to hill

The Blue Jays right-hander will have a tough matchup on Friday against White Sox ace Mark Buehrle (1-2, 5.65 ERA), who started the season slowly but settled down nicely in his last start.

Buehrle has given up 38 hits in 28 2/3 innings and allowed opponents to bat .333 against him, which is up from .269 last year. But in Chicago’s 6-5 win over Baltimore last Saturday, the right-hander held the Orioles to three runs on three hits in six innings of work.

Buehrle has posted a 3-2 record in 10 career games against the Blue Jays, with a 3.12 ERA.

Like Toronto’s, the Chicago offence has been anything but consistent — ranking dead last in the American League in both hits (219) and team batting average (.242). Were it not for their league-leading home run total of 36 and a middle-of-the-pack on-base percentage of .335, the White Sox likely wouldn’t find themselves atop the AL Central.

Timely hitting was again in short supply during Chicago’s last series, against the Minnesota Twins. The White Sox suffered a 3-1 loss on Tuesday and a 4-3 defeat on Wednesday in the two-game set — going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

“When our pitchers go out there and do a heck of a job for us, we have to score some more runs for them,” said outfielder Nick Swisher, who’s struggled with a .163 average in his last 11 games. “And it’s going to come…. We’ve had plenty of opportunities to win a lot of games, and that’s one thing we’re going to have to work on.”

Chicago general manager Ken Williams told the team’s official website that the focus can’t be on numbers.

“Just don’t start looking at the [averages on the scoreboard] and start swinging outside the zone and stop getting on base,” Williams said. “As long as they don’t panic and do what they are doing… we are OK.

“We really have a chance for another very special season if they keep that hard-nosed, grinder-type mentality. The talent is what it is — it’s there.”
Source: www.cbc.ca

Yankees’ Phil Hughes shelved with broken rib

Phil Hughes is winless in six starts with a 9.00 earned-run average this season. (Winslow Townson/Associated Press)

New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes will be sidelined at least two months because of a broken rib.

Hughes, 21, learned Thursday that he has a stress fracture in the ninth rib on his right side.

An MRI confirmed the injury, which landed him on the 15-day disabled list.

“I’m disappointed,” Hughes said. “At least, I have an answer to what was going on.”

How Hughes suffered the injury remains a mystery, but he recalls feeling a slight discomfort following a two-inning, rain-shortened stint at Chicago on April 24.

“It wasn’t like one specific pitch where I felt it,” Hughes said. “It was one of those things where I woke up one morning and there was a little discomfort.”

“There is no indication or any episode he can recall of an action that took place,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “There was [not] some bang, a car door opening, a fall on a coffee table.

“We asked every question and there is no bruise. The first time he noticed it was from a cough a week ago.”

Hughes is 0-4 with a 9.00 earned-run average in six starts this season, his second in the majors.

“He had a great March [at spring training] and pitched well against Toronto and had two good innings against the White Sox,” Cashman noted. “In between, he’s had bad starts.

“How much of that is because of the ribcage, I don’t know. All I know is we have been searching for his fastball command.

“His velocity has been there. Ultimately, we’re in a gray area where we don’t know when this occurred and what necessarily caused it.”

Hughes, considered one of New York’s top pitching prospects, is 5-7 in 19 starts with a 5.51 ERA and 71 strikeouts over 94 2/3 innings since making his debut with the Yankees on April 26, 2007.

“I know it is going to be at least a few weeks until I’m even throwing again,” he said. “That is the most disappointing part.”

“Starting pitchers take longer than anybody because they have got to build their arm strength up and the ability to go deep in games,” Cashman explained. “I think now we have a better idea why his fastball command has been off.”
Source: www.cbc.ca

Rockies’ Tulowitzki out several weeks

Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki, seen in a game last week, will be lost for several weeks due to injury. (Mark Zalubowski/Associated Press)

Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies will be out of the lineup a minimum of six weeks, and likely longer, after suffering a torn tendon in his left quadriceps.

“Best-case scenario is six weeks. The realistic one is a few months,” agent Paul Cohen told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Tulowitzki was injured during Tuesday’s game against San Francisco, won by the Rockies 3-2.

The Santa Clara, Calif., native has been struggling at the plate so far this season, batting just .152 with one home run and 11 runs batted in.

Last year, Tulowitzki was runner-up to Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers in voting for the NL rookie of the year. He hit 24 home runs and 99 RBIs with a .291 average and a .479 slugging percentage. The home run total was a new record for rookie NL shortstops.

Tulowitzki added a memorable home run in the playoffs against Philadelphia as the Rockies made it to the World Series, bowing out to the Boston Red Sox.

He was rewarded with a six-year, $31-million US contract in January.

Colorado (11-17) entered Thursday’s action tied with San Diego for last place in the National League West.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Jays lose 2nd squeaker to Red Sox

Manny Ramirez, left, and Kevin Youkilis celebrate Wednesday’s 2-1 Red Sox win. (Winslow Townson/Associated Press)

For the second straight night, the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays on a walkoff single.

Jason Varitek singled in Manny Ramirez with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the hometown Red Sox nipped the Blue Jays 2-1 at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.

Ramirez slid in ahead of the throw to home plate from Blue Jays centre-fielder Vernon Wells, who gunned down Jed Lowrie at the plate on the previous play — a single by Brandon Moss.

On Tuesday night, Wells misplayed the single from Kevin Youkilis that delivered David Ortiz with the decisive run in the bottom of the ninth of a 1-0 win for the Red Sox (17-12).

Jonathan Papelbon (2-0) earned the win, as he did Tuesday, in relief of Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, who baffled the Blue Jays over seven scoreless innings.

Matsuzaka scattered two hits, walked two batters and struck out four.

Toronto starter Dustin McGowan lasted 7 1/3 innings, giving up just four hits, including a solo home run to Ortiz in the seventh.

McGowan walked one and struck out five.

Reliever Scott Downs (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

Fredericton’s Matt Stairs had two hits and Alex Rios had the run batted in for the Blue Jays (11-17), losers in 11 of their last 14 outings.

Trailing 1-0 in the eighth inning, Adam Lind singled off reliever Manny Delcarmen, took third base on Gregg Zaun’s double, and scored on Rios’s sacrifice fly off reliever Hideki Okajima.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Mariners cut outfielder Wilkerson

Seattle recalls Balentien, catching prospect Clement from triple-A

Right-fielder Brad Wilkerson and pinch-hitter Greg Norton were cut Wednesday by the Seattle Mariners.

They promoted catching prospect Jeff Clement and power-hitting outfielder Wladimir Balentien from triple-A Tacoma to replace them.

Wilkerson signed a one-year contract worth $4 million US before spring training.

In 19 games, he was batting .232, with five runs batted in.

The team has 10 days to trade Wilkerson and Norton, release them or assign them outright to the minor leagues.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Nationals lose Cordero 4-6 weeks

Closer placed on disabled list with tear in muscle below right shoulder

Nationals closer Chad Cordero missed time earlier this month with tendinitis in his right shoulder. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Chad Cordero doesn’t require surgery but a tear in a muscle below his right (pitching) shoulder will keep the Washington Nationals closer out of the lineup at least a month.

Cordero threw only 13 pitches in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 6-3 win over the visiting Atlanta Braves before motioning to the dugout and leaving shortly after.

The right-hander had an MRI and was checked out by a team doctor Wednesday.

The Nationals said Cordero will miss four to six weeks but they did not immediately put him on the disabled list, because they haven’t decided what the corresponding roster move will be.

It will be Cordero’s second trip to the disabled list this season after missing time because of tendinitis in his throwing shoulder.

He has appeared in six games this season, sporting a 2.08 earned-run average over 4 1/3 innings with no saves.

Jon Rauch will be the Nationals’ stopper in Cordero’s absence. He has two wins and five saves in seven opportunities this season with a 4.38 ERA.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Giants catcher Alfonzo suspended 50 games

Eliezer Alfonzo has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing susbtance. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Eliezer Alfonzo of the San Francisco Giants has tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance, earning him a 50-game suspension.

Alfonzo, 29, is the first player penalized this year under Major League Baseball’s drug program and will begin his suspension on Thursday.

The catcher, from Venezuela, was optioned to triple-A Fresno just before opening day, where he has hit .306 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 16 games.

Alonzo spent the better part of the last two seasons with the big-league club, although he missed most of the 2007 season with a knee injury.

In 113 games with the Giants during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Alfonzo hit .263 with 13 homers and 45 RBIs.
Source: www.cbc.ca

Yankees forced to shelve ailing Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez is headed to the disabled list for the fifth time in his MLB career. (Orlin Wagner/Associated Press)

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will be sidelined at least two weeks because of a strained right quadriceps.

Rodriguez, 32, learned Tuesday that he has a Grade 2 strain and will be put on the DL for the fifth time in his major-league career, but the first time since suffering a strained right knee in July 2000.

“Hopefully, it will be no more than the 15 days,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “But we have got to get it right.”

Rodriguez has been hampered by the injury since April 20, sitting out three games before returning to the lineup for four games.

He is hitting .286 with four home runs, 11 runs batted in and 14 runs scored in 24 games this season, his fifth for the Yankees.

“He is a hard guy to replace,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We have to find a way to get it done.”

Rodriguez, nicknamed A-Rod, is a lifetime .306 hitter with 522 home runs, 1,514 runs batted in, 1,515 runs scored and 266 stolen bases in 1,928 games over 15 MLB seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Yankees.

A three-time most valuable player in the American League, he recently moved past Willie McCovey and Ted Williams into 15th place on baseball’s all-time homer list.

Rodriguez trails Barry Bonds (762); Henry Aaron (755); Babe Ruth (714); Willie Mays (660); Sammy Sosa (609); Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cincinnati Reds (597); Frank Robinson (586); Mark McGwire (583); Harmon Killbrew (573); Rafael Palmeiro (569); Reggie Jackson (563); Mike Schmidt (548); Mickey Mantle (536); and Jimmy Foxx (534).
Source: www.cbc.ca