MLB NOTEBOOK
Published 11:23 pm Saturday, September 6, 2008
ANGELS: Los Angeles called up reliever Jason Bulger from Class AAA Salt Lake. The right-hander, who was 4-0 with a 0.63 ERA and 16 saves in 37 games for Salt Lake, had a 6.75 ERA in six appearances with the Angels this year.
INDIANS: Cleveland pitcher Anthony Reyes will likely miss his Wednesday start at Baltimore because of a sore elbow. The right-hander left his start Friday at Kansas City after three scoreless innings and 39 pitches due to elbow stiffness.
ORIOLES: Baltimore rookie reliever Jim Johnson is apparently done for the season with a shoulder injury. An MRI revealed that Johnson does not have a torn labrum. Pitching primarily in the eighth inning as a setup man for closer George Sherrill, Johnson was 2-4 with a 2.23 ERA and one save in 54 games.
RANGERS: Texas designated hitter Milton Bradley, second in the American League in hitting, was scratched from the starting lineup Saturday against Boston because of left wrist soreness. The team said Bradley, whose .327 average trailed only Dustin Pedroia’s .332, was available to pinch-hit if needed.
RAYS: Evan Longoria was activated off the 15-day disabled list. Longoria, out since Aug. 7 after being hit by a pitch from Seattle’s J.J. Putz, had not swung a bat in four days because of lingering pain in his fractured right wrist. Longoria is hitting .278 with 22 homers and 71 RBI in 104 games and is considered a leading contender for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
RED SOX: First baseman Kevin Youkilis was back in Boston’s lineup against the Texas Rangers, rejoining the Red Sox earlier in the day after missing the series opener to attend to a family matter. The return of Youkilis came a day after third baseman Mike Lowell and ace pitcher Josh Beckett were activated from the disabled list. Outfielder J.D. Drew, out since Aug. 18 with a strained lower back, took flyballs and batting practice for the second straight day Saturday.
ROYALS: Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier took batting practice indoors and both could be activated from the disabled list as early as next weekend when the Kansas City Royals visit Cleveland. Gordon and Maier went on the DL in August. Gordon has been out with a right hip flexor tear, while Maier sustained three broken bones in his face Aug. 20 when he was hit by a pitch while attempting to bunt in a game at Cleveland.
WHITE SOX: Chicago designated knuckleballer Charlie Haeger for assignment and purchased infielder-outfielder Jason Bourgeois’ contract from Class AAA Charlotte. Haeger, who has not pitched for the White Sox this season, was 10-13 with a 4.45 ERA in 28 games, 25 starts, with Charlotte this season. Bourgeois has no major league experience. He batted .286 with nine homers, 48 RBI and 30 steals in 127 games with Charlotte.
ASTROS: Houston Ty Wigginton strained his left groin running out a ground ball in the first inning against Colorado on Saturday night. Leading off the game, Wigginton ran hard to try to beat the throw to first on a ground ball to second base. He was thrown out, but hit the first base bag awkwardly. Wigginton came out of the game. Darin Erstad replaced Wigginton in left field when the Astros took the field in the bottom of the first. Wigginton is listed as day-to-day.
CUBS: With Chicago’s losing streak up to six games and the batting order failing to produce, manager Lou Piniella shook up his lineup, giving center fielder Jim Edmonds and right fielder Kosuke Fukudome a day off. Piniella held out the possibility of more lineup changes as the Cubs try to hold onto their NL Central lead. They were four games ahead of Milwaukee heading into the second game of their series Saturday night against the Cincinnati Reds.
NATIONALS: Jason Bergmann was removed from Washington’s rotation for the rest of the season. Nationals manager Manny Acta said rookie right-hander Shairon Martis will remain in the rotation. Bergmann (2-11) is 1-10 in his past 20 games after giving up seven runs in 21/3 innings of Friday night’s 10-5 loss to the Braves.
Associated Press
