Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Kevin Brown's latest trip to the disabled list
(for continuing discomfort in his elbow) is his sixth since
signing a then-record $105 million contract in December 1998,
including five in the past 15 months.
This time, there is talk Brown could miss the rest of the season. . . .
How nice would Griffey look in an Orioles uniform, launching balls over the short porch in right? Very nice. And there is plenty that makes sense about a Griffey deal for the Orioles, such as his relatively affordable (by superstar standards) contract, the Orioles' thirst for a star to assume Cal Ripken's role as the face of the franchise, their depth in young pitching to give up (the starting point likely would be Ponson and lefty Erik Bedard) and Griffey's souring relationship with fans in Cincy.
But one ingredient is missing from this trade equation:
The Reds don't want to trade Griffey, whom they rightly view as their franchise player -- a 32-year-old slugger who still may not have reached his offensive peak -- and the main attraction when they move into their new stadium in 2003. The Reds also led the National League Central by two games entering the weekend.
As it turns out, the Orioles' talks with the Reds
have centered around Juan Encarnacion, a
far less tantalizing player, but the only
outfielder the Reds seem willing to give up.
(The Reds have made it clear that young stars
Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns, as well as Griffey, are off limits.)
Some in the Orioles' organization would be
willing to trade Ponson for little more than
a sack of baseballs, so fed up are they with his
continued lack of maturity.
However, Encarnacion for Ponson straight up
would not be a very good deal for the Orioles,
given Encarnacion's penchant for striking out and
turning up his nose at walks, Ponson's still-formidable
ability and the Orioles' glut of outfielders.
It is possible those talks could be expanded to
include Reds closer Danny Graves, who would be a
perfect fit for an Orioles team that has thrust
young Jorge Julio into the closer's role too soon.....
Kyle Farnsworth needed just
seven pitches to complete a perfect
inning Friday for Triple-A Iowa.
His fastball was clocked as high as 99 mph.
Farnsworth is slated to be activated from the
disabled list Tuesday or Wednesday
Redding on Monday
Originally scheduled to start Monday against the Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark, Wade Miller will make his second start since coming off the disabled list on Tuesday.
Tim Redding, who pitched two innings in relief after Miller came out of Wednesday's game with a stiff upper back after four innings, will start Monday.
"We flipped them just to give (Miller) another day," manager Jimy Williams said. "It's probably good for Redding, too, because he only pitched two innings (Wednesday)."
Miller, who was on the disabled list from April 13 to May 29 with a pinched nerve in his neck, said his back has loosened up.
"They just want to push me back a day, but it's fine," Miller said. "I felt all right and had a decent bullpen (Friday). I just wanted to feel free. I wanted (the ball) to come out of my hand freely, and it did."
Dave Williams has been place on the disabled list with a shoulder injury and could be lost for the season if he has surgery.
Williams has requested a second opinion and will see Dr. James Andrews next week in Birmingham, Ala.
Williams pitched Monday against the Cubs, his best outing in a month. But shoulder pain cut short his routine side session Thursday, and a medical test confirmed a tear in the labrum of the left shoulder.
Dr. Patrick DeMeo recommended surgery.
"I don't want to speculate, but it doesn't look good," Manager Lloyd McClendon said yesterday.
Left fielder Chuck Knoblauch was out of the Royals' starting lineup for the fourth straight game Saturday night. A decision on whether to put him on the disabled list is pending.
Knoblauch took a round of live batting practice before the game against the Texas Rangers, testing his strained left forearm.
"It was better," Knoblauch said.
However, he still cannot swing the bat properly.
"It's easy for him to swing up, that's why he's been hitting so many fly balls," manager Tony Pena said.
"It's tough for him to get on the top of the ball because he can't swing right."
Knoblauch needs to swing down on the ball to produce ground balls and line drives and use his speed.
"He swung the bat pretty well," assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson said after watching batting practice. "We'll ice it down and see how he responds."
Jackson said the disabled-list decision could be made after the club moves to Chicago for a four-game series. Since first injuring the forearm on a checked swing April 26 against Baltimore, Knoblauch has been out of the starting lineup 12 times.
"He's better than he was a week ago, but this is not something that goes away that quickly," trainer Nick Swartz said.
With left-hander Chris George staying with Class AAA Omaha, Neb., for more work, rookie right-hander Miguel Asencio will get his third start Tuesday night in Chicago.
Asencio, in starts against Anaheim and Texas, gave up five hits and four runs in 11 innings. He had six strikeouts and five walks.
He'll be matched up with one of the AL's best pitchers. Left-hander Mark Buehrle has an 8-3 record and 2.77 ERA for the White Sox.
Kenny Lofton took batting practice Saturday and will return to the starting lineup today.
The Rays designated RHP Lee Gardner for assignment after Saturdays's game to make room for LHP Jason Jimenez, selected from Triple-A Durham. Jimenez, 26, was Tampa Bay's 28th-round pick in the 1997 draft. He was 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Bulls. Gardner, 27, a 1998 free-agent signee called up to the majors for the first time May 17, had a 4.91 ERA in four appearances for Tampa Bay.
Kevin Brown's latest trip to the disabled list
(for continuing discomfort in his elbow) is his sixth since
signing a then-record $105 million contract in December 1998,
including five in the past 15 months.
This time, there is talk Brown could miss the rest of the season. . . .
How nice would Griffey look in an Orioles uniform, launching balls over the short porch in right? Very nice. And there is plenty that makes sense about a Griffey deal for the Orioles, such as his relatively affordable (by superstar standards) contract, the Orioles' thirst for a star to assume Cal Ripken's role as the face of the franchise, their depth in young pitching to give up (the starting point likely would be Ponson and lefty Erik Bedard) and Griffey's souring relationship with fans in Cincy.
But one ingredient is missing from this trade equation:
The Reds don't want to trade Griffey, whom they rightly view as their franchise player -- a 32-year-old slugger who still may not have reached his offensive peak -- and the main attraction when they move into their new stadium in 2003. The Reds also led the National League Central by two games entering the weekend.
As it turns out, the Orioles' talks with the Reds
have centered around Juan Encarnacion, a
far less tantalizing player, but the only
outfielder the Reds seem willing to give up.
(The Reds have made it clear that young stars
Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns, as well as Griffey, are off limits.)
Some in the Orioles' organization would be
willing to trade Ponson for little more than
a sack of baseballs, so fed up are they with his
continued lack of maturity.
However, Encarnacion for Ponson straight up
would not be a very good deal for the Orioles,
given Encarnacion's penchant for striking out and
turning up his nose at walks, Ponson's still-formidable
ability and the Orioles' glut of outfielders.
It is possible those talks could be expanded to
include Reds closer Danny Graves, who would be a
perfect fit for an Orioles team that has thrust
young Jorge Julio into the closer's role too soon.....
Kyle Farnsworth needed just
seven pitches to complete a perfect
inning Friday for Triple-A Iowa.
His fastball was clocked as high as 99 mph.
Farnsworth is slated to be activated from the
disabled list Tuesday or Wednesday
Redding on Monday
Originally scheduled to start Monday against the Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark, Wade Miller will make his second start since coming off the disabled list on Tuesday.
Tim Redding, who pitched two innings in relief after Miller came out of Wednesday's game with a stiff upper back after four innings, will start Monday.
"We flipped them just to give (Miller) another day," manager Jimy Williams said. "It's probably good for Redding, too, because he only pitched two innings (Wednesday)."
Miller, who was on the disabled list from April 13 to May 29 with a pinched nerve in his neck, said his back has loosened up.
"They just want to push me back a day, but it's fine," Miller said. "I felt all right and had a decent bullpen (Friday). I just wanted to feel free. I wanted (the ball) to come out of my hand freely, and it did."
Dave Williams has been place on the disabled list with a shoulder injury and could be lost for the season if he has surgery.
Williams has requested a second opinion and will see Dr. James Andrews next week in Birmingham, Ala.
Williams pitched Monday against the Cubs, his best outing in a month. But shoulder pain cut short his routine side session Thursday, and a medical test confirmed a tear in the labrum of the left shoulder.
Dr. Patrick DeMeo recommended surgery.
"I don't want to speculate, but it doesn't look good," Manager Lloyd McClendon said yesterday.
Left fielder Chuck Knoblauch was out of the Royals' starting lineup for the fourth straight game Saturday night. A decision on whether to put him on the disabled list is pending.
Knoblauch took a round of live batting practice before the game against the Texas Rangers, testing his strained left forearm.
"It was better," Knoblauch said.
However, he still cannot swing the bat properly.
"It's easy for him to swing up, that's why he's been hitting so many fly balls," manager Tony Pena said.
"It's tough for him to get on the top of the ball because he can't swing right."
Knoblauch needs to swing down on the ball to produce ground balls and line drives and use his speed.
"He swung the bat pretty well," assistant general manager Muzzy Jackson said after watching batting practice. "We'll ice it down and see how he responds."
Jackson said the disabled-list decision could be made after the club moves to Chicago for a four-game series. Since first injuring the forearm on a checked swing April 26 against Baltimore, Knoblauch has been out of the starting lineup 12 times.
"He's better than he was a week ago, but this is not something that goes away that quickly," trainer Nick Swartz said.
With left-hander Chris George staying with Class AAA Omaha, Neb., for more work, rookie right-hander Miguel Asencio will get his third start Tuesday night in Chicago.
Asencio, in starts against Anaheim and Texas, gave up five hits and four runs in 11 innings. He had six strikeouts and five walks.
He'll be matched up with one of the AL's best pitchers. Left-hander Mark Buehrle has an 8-3 record and 2.77 ERA for the White Sox.
Kenny Lofton took batting practice Saturday and will return to the starting lineup today.
The Rays designated RHP Lee Gardner for assignment after Saturdays's game to make room for LHP Jason Jimenez, selected from Triple-A Durham. Jimenez, 26, was Tampa Bay's 28th-round pick in the 1997 draft. He was 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Bulls. Gardner, 27, a 1998 free-agent signee called up to the majors for the first time May 17, had a 4.91 ERA in four appearances for Tampa Bay.
