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September 2008
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August 2008 ArchivesJeff Kent will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, but the Dodgers are not ruling out his return this season. He could miss anywhere from two to eight weeks depending on the damage found in the knee. Kent was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and Chin-lung Hu was recalled. James McDonald, Chin-lung Hu, Jason Repko and Eric Stults are on their way to Los Angeles from Class AAA Las Vegas and are expected to be activated tomorrow, with McDonald making the majors for the first time. Clayton Kershaw also left Vegas, and he can be activated on Tuesday for his start, as did Delwyn Young, who will be activated from the disabled list. There should be a a couple more call-ups later on since Joe Torre said he expected the team to have 35 players soon enough. The names listed above would give the Dodgers 31 players, and Scott Proctor and Andruw Jones make it 33. One other player expected to be called up soon is catcher A.J. Ellis, but he has yet to leave Vegas. Also, Tanyon Sturtze was outrighted to Las Vegas and is available for a call-up if needed. I just talked with Angels GM Tony Reagins and he said that something could still be done even though shortstop David Eckstein was traded to Arizona. The Angels were believed to be interested in re-acquiring the fan favorite to provide middle infield depth, but now their focus could be on Toronto infielders John McDonald or Marco Scutaro. The Angels' pursuit of David Eckstein ended Sunday when the shortstop was traded to Arizona for minor league pitcher Chad Beck. Eckstein, who played for the Angels from 2001-04 and remains a fan favorite, could have provided middle infield depth for the Angels, playing without Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick. Each is suffering from left hamstring strains. Manager Mike Scioscia was just ejected from the game for arguing with home plate umpire Bill Hohn about balls and strikes. That's usually a no-no. Scioscia appeared upset that Hohn did not appeal on Hank Blalock's check swing in the fifth inning and was thrown out for the fourth time this season. Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter were both given Sunday off, to coincide with Monday's off day, but also to rest each player. Hunter made two incredible catches the previous two games and was a little stiff. He said Sunday was his "spa day" where he was just going to relax and get treatment. Guerrero missed two games earlier in the week to rest his legs and that was the case again Sunday. With an 18-game lead starting the day, the Angels can afford to give both players a day off. "It's a luxury we're doing it on the same day," Manager Mike Scioscia said. Facing RHP Kevin Millwood: Willits - RF Lackey - RHP
It's 1988, and Sarah Palin is a sports anchor in Alaska. Check out what she has to say about the Dodgers and Tommy Lasorda at the 3:07 mark. Time: 5:05 p.m. The Angels conclude their series with Texas looking for a four-game sweep. Lackey gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings earlier this season against Texas but earned a no-decision. For the second straight night, Angels center fielder Torii Hunter reached over the fence and robbed a Texas hitter of a home run. Saturday it was Hank Blalock who stood at first base with a look of shock after Hunter took away an apparent two-run homer in the seventh. "That's exciting ... two days in a row," said Hunter. "I'm just happy to be able to use that glove. That's what (owner) Arte (Moreno) got me over here for." Hunter, who also finished 2 for 4 with a run and RBI in the 4-3 win, said he enjoys taking away homers over hitting them. Angels manager Mike Scioscia has said he liked the new replay system as long as it was applied only to home runs and not to base-running calls. That sentiment was put to the test Saturday as replays showed (to the viewing public, not the umpires) two close calls. The following inning Texas' Chris Davis grounded to first where Mark Teixeira appeared to start a double play. Davis however was ruled safe at first and a run scored, putting the Rangers up 3-2. Both manager argued their respective cases and the game resumed. "Those plays have no place ever to be looked at by instant replay," Scioscia said. "That would be an extreme disservice to the game." Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 53rd save as the Angels rallied to beat Texas. Manny Ramirez after homering twice got out of his clubhouse chair, raised both arms fists clenched and declared, "Thank you Joe for cutting my hair!" Figgins 3B The Angels' pursuit of a middle infielder is apparently going down to the deadline. General manager Tony Reagins said before Saturday's game that the team is still looking, but "There's been no movement in any direction. Status quo." For a player to be eligible for the postseason, a trade would have to be done by 9 p.m. Sunday. The Angels' pursuit of a middle infielder is apparently going down to the deadline. General manager Tony Reagins said before Saturday's game that the team is still looking, but "There's been no movement in any direction. Status quo." For a player to be eligible for the postseason, a trade would have to be done by 9 p.m. Sunday. - Jeff Kent might have played his final game of baseball, as the MRI exam he undergoes tonight in Los Angeles could very well reveal a cartilage tear in his left knee that would sideline him for the rest of the season. Kent, 40, could very well opt to retire since this is the final year of his Dodgers contract. "I think he was just trying to help us win a pennant," Manager Joe Torre said. "All the hints were this was probably going to be it for him. I really respect what he's done here. He's a professional. There's some people who may have made something of the person he is or what he's said, but when you cut to it, he went out and played baseball." - Blake DeWitt gets the start at second base for the first time in his career. The Dodgers will also get second base help by activating Delwyn Young from the disabled list Monday and recalling Chin-lung Hu in September. Pablo Ozuna could also return if he clears waivers. - Andruw Jones returned to Los Angeles to be seen by ElAttrache, who will examine his irritated right knee. - Jason Schmidt's velocity was in the upper-80s last night, and Torre reiterated that he's not expected to be able to return to the team this season. - Rafael Furcal will return to Arizona to work out next week, and the Dodgers will reevaluate him at the end of that week. - Pitcher James McDonald is expected to be called up from Class AAA Las Vegas in September. Time: 5:10 p.m. Jeff Kent revealed tonight he had been playing with pain in his left knee for about a month, and after it gave out Friday, he'll need to undergo an MRI exam on it today. Kent' guesses he'll be out at least a day or two. Frankie Rodriguez notches his 52nd save. Ervin Santana goes eight strong innings. - Scott Elbert remembers the day of his shoulder surgery well. "I'll never forget it," he said. "June 5, 2007." That was when he had the procedure to repair a torn labrum and remove scar tissue from his left shoulder. More than a year later, he was in the majors and with the team in Arizona. Elbert got married in the spring and has a house in nearby Surprise, Ariz., but chose to stay with the team. "Let it all soak in," he said. - Russell Martin hit leadoff for the first time in his career, with Torre citing his on-base percentage, his team-lead in walks and also just as a way to mix things up. Matt Kemp has been struggling, but also hits Doug Davis well, so he hit fifth. - Andruw Jones and Scott Proctor are expected to be activated from the disabled list Monday when rosters expand to 40, and Delwyn Young is expected to be activated that day or the day after. - Takashi Saito threw returned to the mound today in Los Angeles, throwing 15 pitches. Rangers Angels Probable starters for the second game of this four-game set... RHP Dustin Nippert (1-3, 7.83) vs. RHP Ervin Santana (13-5, 3.41) Gametime is 7:05 You already have my ideas for changing sports in our region and for fixing hockey. Today I tackle this country's most popular (and self-absorbed) sport:
(AP photo) Time: 6:40 p.m. The Dodgers' charter flight touched down in Phoenix at 1:25 a.m., meaning their bodies felt like it was 4:25 a.m. Juan Rivera's bases clearing double in the eighth inning gave the Angels their first lead of the night. Frankie Rodriguez notched his 51st save. Angels extend their lead to 16 games. Asked if he felt snakebitten by the Dodgers' recent woes. here's James Loney at his finest... "I've never been bit by a snake, but this might feel a little bit worse." After the game, it was announced the Dodgers would purchase the contract of former first-round draft pick Scott Elbert to make his major league debut. Clayton Kershaw was optioned to Class AAA Las Vegas, but it was more of a procedural move, and he is expected to make his next start. This way, the Dodgers get an extra arm in their bullpen while Kershaw can spend the next few days working on some things in Las Vegas. He doesn't have to stay in the minors 10 days because the minor league season will be over by then. Rangers Angels Instant replay will be in use today when the Angels take on Texas, and the first noticeable sign is the two grey orbs atop each foul pole. Only series' that begin today will implement replay -- Philadelphia at Chicago (NL), Minnesota at Oakland and Texas at LAA. So, he gets to use the technology first? Clayton Kershaw gave up five runs and was knocked out in the third inning in the shortest outing of his young career. Might it have something to do with the fact that he wasn't able to join teammates Chad Billingsley and Andre Ethier on a tour of the White House, where the George W. Bush fan might have gotten glimpse of as the others did of the president? The Angels put second baseman Howie Kendrick on the 15-day disabled list due to a tight left hamstring, an injury which forced him to miss time in April and May. In his place, the Angels recalled Brandon Wood from Triple-A Salt Lake. General Manager Tony Reagins said before the game he's looking to make a deal for some infield depth, which became a priority after last night, when Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar went out within a matter of innings. Cory Wade was activated from the disabled list, and Tanyon Sturtze was designated for assignment. The 60-man roster spots Sturtze and Pablo Ozuna free up are earmarked for Scott Proctor and A.J. Ellis. Welcome to Angel Stadium for the beginning of a four-game set with the Texas Rangers, second place in the West but currently 15 games out. Players from both teams have trickled onto the field here, and it's always interesting to see how teams warm up. While the Angels are taking a little early BP, three guys from the Rangers are tossing around a football, a fitting pastime for the start of college football season. So, who you got: Oregon State or Stanford? Time: 4:10 p.m. Time for some, um, motivational music... As I noted in today's column, the inspiration for my "Five Ways I'd Change SoCal Sports" list came from the "Puck Daddy" blog at Yahoo Sports, which has been running a weekday feature throughout August where various bloggers, beat writers, etc. have proffered five ways they'd change the NHL. Here's my five. (And no, none of them involve firing Gary Bettman, but don't think that wasn't under consideration). Here are your probable starters for tonight's game... Brandon McCarthy (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Jon Garland (11-8, 4.49) Top storyline: The health of Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, both of whom left last night's game with hamstring injuries. The news is especially troubling for Kendrick, who missed time in April and May due to a similar injury. Oakland snuffed a ninth inning rally by the Angels, who left 13 runners on base during the game. More pressing, however, were hamstring injuries to Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, who are listed as day-to-day but will likely miss Thursday's opener against Texas. Andruw Jones homered tonight in a rehabilitation assignment game for Class AAA Las Vegas, but has spent the past three games playing first base. "He's a little spooked about stepping in a hole," Manager Joe Torre said. Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick left the game in the fourth inning after reaching second base following a single by Mark Teixeira. He was pulled for pinch runner Sean Rodriguez, who stayed in the game to play second. Not sure if it was because of an injury, but that seems the most likely case. More info to follow. If anyone wants to get on the guestlist for the pity party, post your name and plus how many. Athletics Angels Garret Anderson and Vladimir Guerrero are in the starting lineup tonight against the A's, in the sixth and fourth spots, respectively. Anderson had been out with tendinitis in his left knee. Guerrero missed the first two games of the Oakland series to rest his legs. Third baseman Chone Figgins won't play tonight against the A's after hurting his left big toe in a rundown last night in the seventh inning. While it's not debilitating, manager Mike Scioscia decided to give Figgins the night off. "It's tough for him to push off," Scioscia said, "and if Figgie can't run there's a big part out of what he can bring." X-rays taken at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic looked normal, an Angels spokesman said, adding Figgins is day-to-day. "We're going to give him today and see if it doesn't respond," Scioscia said. "We anticipate he'll be able to play tomorrow or the next day." Tanyon Sturtze was shaking the hands of his teammates and packing his bags after Manager Joe Torre told the reliever he was being designated for assignment. Minutes later, Sturtze was called back in and told, "We're not quite sure yet." Cory Wade is healthy, but it appears the Dodgers will hold off another day before making the move to activate him from the DL after reconsidering the Sturtze move. This time, it might not even be Sturtze getting sent out, as the team could still option Ramon Troncoso so they don't lose Sturtze, as they can recall Troncoso in September. "He certainly understands when I tell him something that I'm telling him the truth for the moment, for that minute," Torre said of Sturtze. Torre also said Sturtze "was not OK" with all of this. Sturtze declined comment. The Dodgers recalled infielder Blake DeWitt and designated infielder Pablo Ozuna for assignment. DeWitt was hitting well at Class AAA Las Vegas and learning to play second base, and he takes over for Ozuna as Jeff Kent's backup. DeWitt is not in the lineup, with Kent and third baseman Casey Blake starting. The Padres extended their "player development contract" with Single-A Lake Elsinore through the 2012 season, the club announced in a release. Here's that release: SAN DIEGO, CA - The San Diego Padres today extended their Player Development Contract with Single-A Lake Elsinore of the California League for four years through the 2012 season. Vice President of Scouting and Player Development Grady Fuson made the announcement. "We are extremely excited to extend our affiliation with Lake Elsinore," said Fuson. "Dave Oster and his staff have created one of the best venues in minor league baseball and to have them in our backyard is a perfect fit. I speak for all our staff and players when I say this is one of the best marriages in baseball." Since becoming the California League affiliate of the Padres in 2001, the Storm has compiled a 594-517 (.535) record over parts of eight seasons, including a 67-67 (.500) overall mark in 2008. Lake Elsinore has advanced to the championship series three times during that span and were named co-champions in 2001. Since becoming a Padres affiliate, 33 former Storm players have reached the Major Leagues, including 25 who made their Big League debut with the Padres. Current Padres who have played for the Storm include Jake Peavy, Khalil Greene, Clay Hensley, Chase Headley, Nick Hundley, Sean Kazmar and Tim Stauffer (60-day disabled list). Luke Carlin, Paul McAnulty and Colt Morton round out a list of 10 former Storm players who have appeared for San Diego in 2008. "I am very pleased that we are extending our relationship with Lake Elsinore for four more years, and I hope it lasts well beyond this most recent agreement," said Padres Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Towers. "I think the Storm and the Padres share a fan base, which is beneficial to both clubs. From Gary Jacobs to Dave Oster, the entire Storm organization has been terrific to work with." ― Visit the Padres on the Internet at padres.com and padresbeisbol.com ― Angels reliever Shane Loux was named pitcher of the year by the Pacific Coast League Wednesday. Loux was 12-6 with a 3.98 ERA for the Salt Lake Bees, the Angels' AAA affiliate. In four relief appearances with the Angels, Loux is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA. The news came in a one-sentence release from the Chargers moments ago: "San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman informed the team this morning that he has decided to forego surgery on his knee and will play in the 2008 season." What it means: -- After four different opinions on his injured left knee, Merriman has determined that he's willing to risk what has been described as a potential career-threatening injury in order to get back on the field. -- The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker, who can be a free agent after the 2009 season, has also put his bargaining power at risk. -- It's a high-risk, high-reward situation for the Chargers, too. They'll have one of the game's best pass rushers on the field for opening day, but can they keep him in one piece all season? -- Jyles Tucker, the second-year linebacker from Wake Forest who signed a five-year contract extension this past week, will be in a state of readiness ... just in case. Pitcher Scott Elbert and shortstop Ivan DeJesus Jr. will play in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Rafters after fine seasons at Class AA Jacksonville. UPDATE: Also on the team are catcher Lucas May, outfielder Andrew Lambo and pitchers Justin Orenduff, Travis Schlichting and Brent Leach. Infielder Russ Mitchell and outfielder Jamie Hoffmann will also play on some days. Time: 4:10 p.m. Maddux tries again for his first win back with the Dodgers. LHP Joe Saunders (14-6, 3.37) vs. Oakland LHP Gio Gonzalez (1-2, 6.52) Saunders is 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA against Oakland this season and is 4-1 lifetime. John Lackey improved to 11-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.95 with a complete game win Tuesday. Lackey needed just 98 pitches and nearly had a shutout. Jack Cust hit a solo homer with two out in the ninth. An MRI revealed Garret Anderson has tendinitis in his left knee. He is day to day. Vladimir Guerrero, who has rested the past two games, is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday. The Dodgers have now lost five straight games, scoring all of six runs in that span. They have scored only one run in the past 22 innings. They have lost seven straight road games for the first time this season. Saturday's game against the Rockies at Petco Park, originally scheduled for 12:55 p.m., has been changed. The game is now scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. Jake Peavy (9-9, 284 era) is scheduled to start for the Padres. Ubaldo Jimenex (9-11, 3.95) is the scheduled starter for the Rockies. Peavy needs 2.0 innings pitched to tie Andy Benes for fourth on the club's all-time list. Reliever Cory Wade is expected to be activated from the disabled list today, assuming he no longer feels some aches pains coming out of his one inning of work in a rehabilitation assignment game for Class A Great Lakes. "It's still day-to-day," said Wade, who has proven himself to be reliable out of the bullpen going 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA in 40 appearances. "It's amazing what human adrenaline will do to you." Shoulder inflammation had landed Wade on the disabled list for the first time in his career. Watching the Dodgers on national television for the previous two games wasn't a good time for the rookie right-hander. "It was terrible," he said. Figgins 3B |
