Wheeler ...

[IE]

Dan Wheeler shoved starter Chris Sampson after coming out of an ugly appearance Wednesday against the A's.




Wheeler, who entered with a 3-2 lead to start the eighth, was charged with two runs before leaving with two outs and four overall. Sampson apparently tried to console Wheeler when he came back to the dugout.

Wheeler turned and shoved Sampson, then yelled at Sampson to go to the other end of the dugout. "There's nothing going on," Wheeler said after the game. "I love Chris. It was just frustration on my part. I'm a professional, I should be better than that. I take full responsibility." It doesn't sound like anything that will get him suspended. However, the bad outing sure won't help his chances of reclaiming the closer's role.

 

[IE]

John Smoltz had his start pushed back one more day to Saturday.


Smoltz said he felt fine after a bullpen session, but he decided to request one additional day off. Buddy Carlyle will be moved up to Friday. Both pitchers will face Cleveland.

 

[IE]

Burnett to skip next start

Right-hander undergoes additional MRI exam Wednesday



Toronto manager John Gibbons insists he isn't too worried about A.J. Burnett's latest injury, but the Blue Jays still plan on being cautious with the pitcher. On Wednesday, Gibbons said Burnett would skip his next scheduled start and he was optimistic a trip to the disabled list wasn't necessary.

"He's fine," said Gibbons, following Toronto's 7-4 win over San Francisco at AT&T Park on Wednesday. "He'll miss one start. He doesn't need to go on the DL, we don't think."

On Tuesday night, Burnett exited his outing against the Giants in the fifth inning after feeling pain in his right shoulder. The initial test performed by the Jays' medical staff revealed a mild strain, but the 30-year-old right-hander underwent an additional MRI exam at a hospital in San Francisco.

The second test confirmed Toronto's evaluation of the injury. Given the early indications Tuesday, Burnett sounded as hopeful as Gibbons that he'd be able to avoid his ninth career trip to the disabled list.

"I've thrown a lot here recently, so maybe I'm a little tired," Burnett said after Tuesday's outing. "I may need another day off -- miss a start or something. We don't know. All the tests were negative, so we're just going to get it checked out to make sure. I'm not too worried about it."

Burnett left the game after throwing 82 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. He said the shoulder issue might simply be a case of fatigue, considering he threw 372 pitches over his previous three trips to the mound. For the season, Burnett is 5-6 with a 4.00 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 90 innings over 14 starts. riginally, Burnett was scheduled to start next Sunday, when Toronto hosts Washington in the finale of a three-game Interleague series. Gibbons said that right-hander Josh Towers, who recently moved back into the rotation after a stint as a reliever, will replace Burnett for the outing against the Nationals.