tbay closer...

[IE]

Closer Danys Baez is not expected to pitch again until Saturday at the earliest because of slight stiffness in his right shoulder. Neither Baez nor Piniella thinks the problem is serious, and both expect him to be better with a few days rest.

Baez has blown three straight saves and five of his past nine. He said the stiffness isn't affecting his throwing but bothers him before he loosens up and may have caused some inflammation in his biceps.

The problem may be the result of recent heavy use as Piniella brings him in frequently in the eighth inning, Baez said.

"I've been throwing a lot the last month. A couple weeks ago I pitched five times in one week. And I've been throwing too many pitches."

===

Reliever Lance Carter returns to active duty tonight after serving his three-game suspension.

 

[IntenseOperator]

How much work can a TB closer get this season?

 

[IE]

Bronson Arroyo strategy...


===

Today's Sox starter, Bronson Arroyo , said there's a simple explanation for why he's holding right-handed batters to a .215 average while lefties have pounded him for a .359 mark.
``It's because of my breaking ball,'' Arroyo said, referring to his looping curveball. ``Righties are a lot more overmatched by the breaking ball than lefties. That's why I'm seeing seven lefties in every lineup lately. Righties have a lot less chance because the breaking ball's going away from them and I can pull it two feet off the plate and not worry about them hitting it. If I do that to a lefty, I hit him in the back knee.
``They're going to stack lefties on me, so all I can do is get on the inner-half (of the plate) better with my cutter early in the game to try to get them off my breaking ball.''

 

[IE]

RHP Chan Ho Park (6-1, 5.09 ERA): Park struggled through five innings against Kansas City on Saturday to win for the fifth consecutive time and reap his 100th win. There are trouble signs brewing with Park. In the last month, he has allowed at least four runs four times in six games. Batters are hitting .324 against him in that span. He's also been much less efficient, averaging 18.7 pitches per inning.

RHP A.J. Burnett (3-4, 3.03): Burnett has been a tough-luck pitcher. He has allowed more than three runs just once in 11 starts this year, yet has a losing record. Burnett ranks eighth in the NL with 70 strikeouts. He has been extremely tough on left-handers, holding them to a .205 average this season. Leadoff men are hitting just .097 against him in 31 at-bats.



RHP Nick Regilio's elbow was sore Thursday and he was unavailable. Manager Buck Showalter said the Rangers would probably have an extra pitcher ready to join the team in Florida. Double-A RHP Juan Dominguez and LHP C.J. Wilson headed to Florida to join the Rangers after Thursday's RoughRiders game. ... 2B Alfonso Soriano said he thinks he'll be able to return to the field this weekend against Florida. Soriano has not started since Sunday's game at Kansas City, during which he suffered a mild left hamstring strain. ... Even though he landed on the DL, LHP Ron Mahay's groin strain was apparently not very severe. He expects to throw off a mound today.

 

[bryanz]

how many lefties will be in the cubs line up today ?

 

[IE]

counting switch-hitters probably something like this:

Jeromy Burnitz
Todd Hollandsworth
Corey Patterson
Neifi Perez
Todd Walker

w/ rhanders

Lee,Derrek
Ramirez,Aramis
Blanco,Henry

 

[IntenseOperator]

Bronson Arroyo strategy...


===

Today's Sox starter, Bronson Arroyo , said there's a simple explanation for why he's holding right-handed batters to a .215 average while lefties have pounded him for a .359 mark.
``It's because of my breaking ball,'' Arroyo said, referring to his looping curveball. ``Righties are a lot more overmatched by the breaking ball than lefties. That's why I'm seeing seven lefties in every lineup lately. Righties have a lot less chance because the breaking ball's going away from them and I can pull it two feet off the plate and not worry about them hitting it. If I do that to a lefty, I hit him in the back knee.
``They're going to stack lefties on me, so all I can do is get on the inner-half (of the plate) better with my cutter early in the game to try to get them off my breaking ball.''

The right-hander rebounded with a strong performance in his last start after he was hit hard by Baltimore in an 8-1 loss on May 30. Though he didn't receive a decision, Arroyo limited the Angels to two runs and six hits in six innings on Saturday

Methinks he may have cleared up things a bit. I don't know how many lefties were thrown at him in his last start.

 

[bryanz]

thanks for the Arroyo info friday & all the good stuff you put out.