The Treatment Room
Red Sox activate RHP Curt Schilling
Red Sox activated RHP Curt Schilling from the 15-day disabled list. After giving up four runs over six innings in his returning start Schilling bounced back Sunday against the O’s allowing just five base runners over six shutout innings.
Cubs place OF Alfonso Soriano on the DL
Cubs placed OF Alfonso Soriano on the 15-day disabled list with a torn right quadriceps. The Cubs where hoping that Soriano would be back in 3-4 weeks but an MRI revealed that the tear would take 6 weeks to heal.
Cardinals place LHP Mike Maroth on the DL
Cardinals placed LHP Mike Maroth on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow tendinitis.
Maroth tossed 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his Cardinals debut, but has been demolished for 46 runs (38 earned) over 24 1/3 innings since then.
Reds place OF Ryan Freel on the DL
Reds placed IF/OF Ryan Freel on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to August 3 with torn cartilage in his right knee. Freel won’t be retuning this year and has hinted that he may play in the Dominican winter leagues. Josh Hamilton will take over in centerfield.
Reds activate LHP Eddie Guardado
Reds activated LHP Eddie Guardado from the 60-day disabled list. Guardado has struggled since returning giving up five runs over two innings. Many people held on to Guardao hoping he would be given the closer job back but I can’t see this happening.
Yankees activate 1B Jason Giambi
Yankees activated 1B/DH Jason Giambi from the 15-day disabled list. Since returning Giambi has started four of seven games and homered twice. After homering in back to back games over the weekend I would expect Giambi to get more playing time.
Braves place RHP Octavio Dotel on the DL
Braves placed RHP Octavio Dotel on 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 8, with a strained right shoulder. Dotel’s strain is only a minor and he is hopefull that he will miss only the minimum. Wickman will be the closer while Dotel is out.
Mets activate OF Carlos Beltran
Mets activated outfielder Carlos Beltran from the 15-day disabled list. Beltran missed 16 games while he was out and the injury still affects him when he bats against left handers. Beltran hasn’t ever been fully healthy this year and his 20HR and .258AVG reflect that.
Padres activate RHP Chris Young
Padres activated RHP Chris Young from the 15-day disabled list. In his returning start against the Cardinals Young gave up four runs in six-plus innings to take the loss.
Padres place C Michael Barrett on the DL
Padres placed catcher Michael Barrett on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion. Josh Bard will now get most of the starts with Pete LaForest acting as his back up.
Mets Place C Paul Lo Duca on the DL
Mets placed catcher Paul Lo Duca on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Lo Duca didn’t want to go on the disabled list, but the Mets want to get him back at 100 percent. Ramon Castro will take over the starting job for the next couple of weeks.
Blue Jays activate RHP AJ Burnett
Blue Jays activated RHP A.J. Burnett from the 15-day disabled list. Burnett was superb in his returning start allowing allowing one run and three hits over 7 1/3 innings. This start changes noting for me, along with Prior, Wood and Harden he is and for ever will be on the YPNM list.
Transactions
Yankees call up RHP Joba Chamberlain
Yankees purchased the contract of RHP Joba Chamberlain from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After beginning the season as a starter, Chamberlain moved to the bullpen with as a setup man for Mariano Rivera. He struck out 18 batters in eight scoreless innings at Triple-A, giving him 135 strikeouts in 88 1/3 total minor league innings this season. ‘Joba the Hut’ has looked good so far striking out six batters over 4 scoreless innings.
Blue Jays release Royce Clayton
Toronto designated Clayton for assignment on Friday and apparently didn’t want to wait the full 10 days to see if someone would take Clayton and his salary off their hands. He may latch on somewhere as a utility man, but Clayton’s days of starting should be over.
Boston signs OF Bobby Kielty
Red Sox signed OF Bobby Kielty to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Pawtucket. If Kielty hits well in AAA he may get called up before September. Kielty destroys left handed pitching so if he gets called up don’t be surprised to see Drew lose some at bats.
Rockies send C Chris Ianetta to AAA
Struggling Colorado back-up catcher Chris Iannetta was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday. Ianetta was batting just .179 with 15 RBI in 51 games this year. Ianetta hasn’t been getting regular playing time and the Rockies probably should have sent him down earlier.
Cubs call up OF Felix Pie from AAA
Cubs recalled OF Felix Pie from Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs originally chose to call up Eric Patterson instead of Pie when Alfonso Soriano headed to the disabled list earlier this week, but Angel Pagan going on the shelf allows them to carry both young outfielders.
Pie was hitting .362 in Iowa but it remains to be seen how many at bats he will get with the Cubs.
D-Rays cut LHP Casey Fossum
Devil Rays released LHP Casey Fossum.
Fossum wanted to become a free agent after being cut following Tuesday’s game. It’s hard to imagine a contender wanting him after he flopped in both the rotation and the pen for Tampa Bay.
Rockies call up 3B Ian Stewart
Rockies purchased the contract of third baseman Ian Stewart from Triple-A Colorado Springs. With Helton out injured Stewart has been playing third with Atkins playing first. Stewart is the Rockies top hitting prospect but he may be sent down when Helton returns.
Rockies sign RHP Elmer Dessens
The Rockies have signed RHP Elmer Dessens to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Dessens was released by the Brewers last week. He could eventually be used as a fifth starter by the Rockies.
Brewers call up 2B Rickie Weeks from AAA
Brewers recalled 2B Rickie Weeks from Triple-A Nashville.
Weeks’ demotion lasted only a week because of Tony Graffanino’s season-ending knee injury. After going 10-for-22 (.455) in six games at Nasvhille, Weeks figures to reclaim his starting job at second base. If Weeks if over ongoing wrist problems, he could have plenty of value down the stretch.
Cardinals call up OF Rick Ankiel
Cardinals recalled OF Rick Ankiel from Triple-A Memphis. Ankiel ranks second among all minor league hitters with 31 homers, although as a 28-year-old at Triple-A his lack of plate discipline and high strikeout totals are equally as important. Since his call up the former pitcher has hit three homeruns in four games.
WHO’S HOT & WHO’S NOT
HOT
Magglio Ordonez- Nobody was happier to see Gary Sheffield return to the Tiger lineup than Magglio. With the returning protection of Sheff Ordonez hit four homeruns, scored nine runs and had ten RBI last week.
Raul Ibanez- The Mariners are now tied for the wildcard spot and Raul Ibanez is getting hot at just the tight time. Ibanez belted five homeruns last week, drove in ten runs and scored six runs. The five homers nearly doubled Ibanez’s season total of 6 before last week.
Troy Tulowitzki- Tulowitzki, Reyes and Ramirez are the new holy trinity of shortstops. Tulowitzki has now joined Ryan Braun and Hunter Pence in the race for NL Rookie of the Year. Triple T batted .483 with 12 RBI and 7R last week.
NOT
Jeff Kent- Before last weeks slump Kent has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball and had raised his batting average over .300. Kent missed six games with a leg injury and it may still be affecting him, since returning he has just one hit, one rbi and zero runs scored.
Scot Rolen- Rolen’s season long struggles continued last week. He hit just .130 and scored only two runs. Rolen also only drew one walk to leave him with a OBP of .167 for the week.
Chris Duncan- The Cardinals are red hot right now but sadly their left fielder is not. Last week Duncan hit just .071, scored only one run and didn’t drive in anybody.
The Week Ahead- Who To Pick Up & Who To Avoid
PICK UP
Oakland Athletics- The A’s play seven games this week against three AL central teams. After they face the Tigers on Monday they play three game sets against both the White Sox and the Royals. The Sox era over the past month is 5.20.
San Francisco Giants- The Giants will play eight games in the next week. They open up with a double header against the Pirates and then play both the Braves and Marlins in three game sets. Look to pick up Noah Lowry for his two starts against the Pirates and Marlins
AVOID
Houston Astros- The Astros play seven games this week in two of the worst hitting parks against two of the best pitching teams. They open up with four against the Dodgers and will face both Derek Lowe and Brad Penny. They then head south to face the Padres and the 1-2 combination of Jake Peavey and Chris Young.