Grady Sizemore of Cleveland Indians to have knee surgery, miss six to eight weeks

NEW YORK -- Grady Sizemore will have surgery on his left knee next week and is expected to miss at least six to eight weeks.

Cleveland's three-time All-Star has a deep bone bruise in the knee he injured May 16, and the condition and stability of the cartilage beneath his kneecap will be assessed during the arthroscopic operation by Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colo.

Sizemore

Steadman pioneered the use of microfracture surgery, which stimulates stem cells to repair and re-grow cartilage. Indians trainer Lonnie Soloff said that neither microfracture, nor anything else, had been ruled out.

"The specifics of the surgery won't be available until after the procedure takes place, so there'll be some intra-operative decision-making process that determines what Dr. Steadman will do during surgery," Soloff said.

The surgery hasn't been scheduled yet, though it is planned for some time next week.

"The question isn't how much cartilage is there, it's the stability of the cartilage," Soloff said. "We'll have a specific update after the surgery."

Cleveland officials consulted several knee specialists about their star center fielder, who would be a key player on any Indians contender in the near future.

He was certainly expected to perform on this edition of the team, which was 18-29 before Sunday's game and stuck in last place in the AL Central.

"Big blow," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He's such an important part of this ballclub, because even when he's struggling offensively as he was, he brings so much to the table. Speed never goes into a slump. He's always played great defense."

Sizemore missed the final month of 2009 after having surgery on his abdomen and left elbow, injuries that hounded him throughout the worst year of his career.

After averaging 29 homers and 118 runs in his All-Star years, the Gold Glove center fielder batted only .248 with 18 homers and 73 RBIs in 106 games.

Sizemore is one of the few remaining stars on a young roster that is expected to help the small-market Indians eventually contend again, after trading away Cy Young Award winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee for prospects.

The last time the Indians overhauled their personnel, they traded away pitcher Bartolo Colon at the deadline for two prospects. One was Lee, who was traded to Philadelphia last season and went on to start Game 1 of the World Series -- against, of all people, Sabathia and the New York Yankees. The other player was Sizemore.

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Umpire Joe West, Chicago White Sox's Ozzie Guillen, Mark Buehrle fined

NEW YORK -- Umpire Joe West, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and pitcher Mark Buehrle were fined by Major League Baseball on Friday in the wake of their balk flap.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press there weren't any suspensions. The amount of the fines was not known.

“

I didn't say anything. I didn't touch anybody. I didn't do anything to cause anything.

”-- White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle

Guillen and Buehrle were ejected by West on Wednesday for arguing a pair of balk calls in Chicago's 5-4 win over Cleveland. Guillen was tossed for arguing the first balk. An inning later, Buehrle threw his glove to the ground after another balk call and had to be restrained.

"I didn't say anything. I didn't touch anybody. I didn't do anything to cause anything," Buehrle said before Friday night's game at Tampa Bay.

"I figured there was going to be a fine because no matter what, you get tossed from a game no matter what it is, there's always a fine. That's what I assumed I was getting. If I was getting suspended, I think I would have been surprised, yeah."

West is the head of the umpires' union. He was penalized after his publicist revealed West's schedule and told the media the veteran umpire was available to revisit April comments about the New York Yankees and Boston playing so slowly.

Asked about the fine before Friday night's game between Kansas City and Red Sox at Fenway Park, he said: "I will say that's none of your business."

Guillen was away from the White Sox for a day to attend his son's high school graduation in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Guillen unleashed a profanity-filled tirade about West after the ejections, saying, "sometimes he thinks people pay to watch him umpire." The manager said he argued because he thought West was showing up Buehrle.

"He's the type of guy that wants to control the game, and to me is one of the best umpires in the game, no doubt," Guillen added.

After the White Sox-Indians game, West disputed Guillen's version of the events.

"I don't know what he's talking about. Ozzie came out because Buehrle was making gestures on the mound that could have got him kicked out so he was protecting Buehrle, that's all he was doing. I don't have a problem with that," West said.

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Baltimore Orioles OF Adam Jones detained for hours entering Canada

TORONTO -- Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones was detained by Canadian immigration officials for a few hours Thursday night after he landed in Toronto for this weekend's series.

"They said I had a criminal record," Jones said. "My mom raised me better than that. I've never done anything like that, been involved in anything criminal in my entire life. It was a long, pointless situation because of the circumstances, but I'm glad everything got cleared."

Jones

Jones had to leave the airport for extra screening. He was not able to go until about 5 a.m. ET.

"We went to immigration," he said. "I was considered detained."

Jones blamed the incident on a case of mistaken identity.

"They had the wrong person," Jones said. "They thought I was somebody else."

Jones said he was not told whether he had been mistaken for NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones, who has had frequent legal troubles.

"I don't know if it's him," Jones said. "We've got the same name, obviously, but I don't know if it's him."

Jones posted a note about the incident on his Twitter account but deleted it shortly afterward.

A message written about 5:30 a.m. Friday read: "detained by immigration in canada for no false accusations till 5am and appreciate someone from the team making sure were ok NOOOOOOTTTTT"

Jones said at least one other Baltimore player had to go through extra screening, too.

Earlier this month, the major league players' union warned members with criminal convictions or arrests to contact the association before trying to enter Canada.

In a memo sent to agents by Doyle Pryor, a union assistant general counsel, this series between the Orioles and Blue Jays was specifically mentioned, as were upcoming visits to Toronto by Tampa Bay (May 31-June 2) and the New York Yankees (June 4-6).

"Individuals who are not Canadian citizens may be detained at the border and, in certain cases may not be permitted to enter Canada at all, if they have any sort of past criminal record," the memo said. "Recently, Canadian authorities have stepped up enforcement of these laws, resulting in several non-Canadian players traveling to Toronto with their teams being detained at the border because of a past criminal record."

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Jose Lima memorial held in Queens

NEW YORK -- David Ortiz lingered near the casket, took one final look at his friend's face, and slowly walked away.

Jose Lima, the exuberant pitcher who could always draw a crowd with his singing and dancing, was mourned Friday by fellow All-Stars, family and friends. He died Sunday at age 37 after paramedics found him in cardiac arrest at his home in Pasadena, Calif.

Torres: Over Too Soon

Jose Lima may have rubbed some people the wrong way, but at his wake Friday, it was clear that he passed too soon, ESPNdeportes.com's Adry Torres writes. Story

"He was one of the happiest men in the world," New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano said. "It's very sad, to lose him so young."

Yankees coach Tony Pena also was among the hundreds at the wake. It was held at a funeral home on a tree-lined residential street in Queens, about a mile from where Lima threw his last big league pitch, for the Mets in 2006.

Many of the mourners wore T-shirts stamped with "Lima Time" -- he liked to shout out that phrase, to ramp up the excitement when he was pitching -- and a picture of him frolicking on the beach.

Ortiz came down from Boston to honor his former Dominican winter league teammate. The star slugger stayed an hour, then headed back to Fenway Park and hit an RBI single in the first inning against Kansas City.

Ortiz said he would remember Lima "for what he was, a great guy."

The wake was originally set for Thursday, but paperwork in California pushed it back by a day. Johan Santana and Jose Reyes of the Mets, Miguel Tejada of the Orioles and Placido Polanco of the Phillies were among the many players who had planned to attend before the postponement affected their travel schedules.

"I never played with him, but I loved to be around him," Santana said early Friday, after the Mets beat Philadelphia 3-0. "He was so charismatic. Always happy, always smiling, always wanting you to smile."

The wake drew people from all walks. The Counsul General of the Dominican Republic in New York, Rafael Evans, came in a suit and tie. Merengue singer Shino sported oversized sunglasses, a bright blue shirt and a modern fedora.

Lima's 13-year-old son, Jose Jr., wore a new Dodgers hat. He embraced Lima's brother, Lezcano, as they tried to find the right words to describe him.

"There was not one day of the year that my brother was mad," Lezcano said, stifling tears.

"Happy," Jose Jr. said.

A funeral was planned for Saturday in the Dominican at Estadio Cibao, the ballpark in Santiago where he pitched for the famed Aguilas. An Aguilas hat was in the casket and a red rose was placed on Lima's chest.

Lima spent 13 seasons in the majors with Houston, the Dodgers, Detroit, Kansas City and the Mets, going 89-102 overall. He was an All-Star in 1999 when he went 21-10 for the Astros.

Cano's career started a year before Lima's ended.

"He used to play against my dad," Cano said. "Every time he'd see my dad, he'd ask about me. He just made everyone feel better."

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Washington Nationals prospect Stephen Strasburg goes 5 innings, allows 2 runs

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Even on an off night, Stephen Strasburg still impressed.

Strasburg

Strasburg, who had not allowed a run in winning his first three Triple-A starts for the Syracuse Chiefs, went five innings Monday night against the Toledo Mud Hens, allowing five hits and two runs, one earned. He left with the score tied at 2, but his team won 6-3.

"Today was one of the games where you didn't really have all your stuff working," said Strasburg, who threw 52 pitches, 36 for strikes, did not walk anyone and struck out five. "Those are the games where you're going to have to go out there and pitch and really do your best to stay in it. I was able to do that and we came out with a win. What can I say?"

The right-hander had allowed only four hits and no runs in 18 1/3 innings in his first three starts. In 45 1/3 innings in eight starts between Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg, he has struck out 54 and yielded just 22 hits and 10 walks. He has an overall ERA of 0.99 -- 0.39 with the Chiefs.

Strasburg, the top pick in the 2009 amateur draft by the Washington Nationals, was finally touched for an unearned run in the third, ending his scoreless streak at 20 1/3 innings at the minors' highest level. Deik Scram hit a hard grounder over first base and down the right-field line for a triple and scored on a passed ball.

"It was a little more stressful for him tonight," Chiefs manager Trent Jewett said. "I didn't think he was as sharp as he had been, but he's good. I felt like he competed all the way and made the best of what he had tonight, which is much better than most. An off night for a guy that good is still a real good night."

In his previous start last Wednesday in Rochester, Strasburg allowed three hits and struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings. He started strong again on a picture-perfect night with temperatures in the low 80s, breezing through the first inning on seven pitches against the aggressive Mud Hens.

Will Rhymes and Carlos Guillen put the ball in play on the first pitch, and both hit soft fly balls to the outfield before Strasburg caught Scott Sizemore looking at a 2-2 curve to end the inning.

Jeff Frazier singled to center with one out in the second for Toledo, hitting an 81 mph curve up the middle on a 1-1 offering. Strasburg then struck out Casper Wells with an 83 mph curve after five straight pitches registered 96 mph or faster on the Alliance Bank Stadium radar gun. Brent Dlugach was retired on a comebacker to end the inning.

Kevin Mench was ejected after a called third strike in the bottom of the third and Jewett followed him to the clubhouse after a long tirade directed at plate umpire Alan Porter.

Strasburg seemed distracted by the delay as he warmed up for the fourth, and the Mud Hens took advantage. Guillen led off with a line single to right, and after Ryan Strieby struck out swinging at an 81 mph curve, Frazier lined a double down the left-field line and Wells followed with an RBI single to left to tie the game at 2. All three balls were hit well.

"They showed they were an aggressive team the first couple of nights," Jewett said. "If you have any baseball knowledge, you look at the numbers he's put up, you realize he's not going to walk you, his stuff's phenomenal, I'd better get after it. They don't know how long he's going to pitch, and nobody wants to get embarrassed. By far it was the biggest test for him."

Strasburg then settled down, striking out Dlugach looking at a 95 mph fastball over the inside corner and getting Scram on a liner to shortstop Pedro Lopez, who made a nifty diving catch to his right.

The Mud Hens went down in order in the fifth as Strasburg needed just eight pitches to retire the side.

"He pitched on the heels of me being out there too long," Jewett said. "I thought he did a nice job of that."

Strasburg, who threw 92 pitches in his previous outing, was not very happy when he was pulled and neither was the crowd of 13,288, the second-largest in franchise history behind the 13,766 that turned out for his Triple-A debut on May 7. Most streamed for the exits when they realized he was through for the night.

"It was kind of a shock to me, I'm not going to lie," Strasburg said. "But he [pitching coach Greg Booker] has the final say. There's not much you can do. I don't want to create a big scene in the dugout. I want to keep those guys focused."

Strasburg, who signed a $15.1 million, four-year contract with the Nationals, is expected to make one more start for the Chiefs before being promoted to Washington.

"That's part of the learning process," said Chiefs center fielder Pete Orr, who hit a solo homer in the first. "I thought he did great. At the big league level, he's not going to have his best stuff every night. He's going to have to learn how to pitch. That's what he did."

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Homer Bailey of Cincinnati Reds placed on 15-day disabled list with sore shoulder

CINCINNATI -- Right-hander Homer Bailey was surprised when the Cincinnati Reds put him on the 15-day disabled list Monday after a medical test found nothing more serious than inflammation in his pitching shoulder.

With a worn-down bullpen, the Reds weren't about to take any chances.

Bailey

The Reds called up 24-year-old reliever Enerio Del Rosario from Triple-A Louisville to take Bailey's roster spot and help the bullpen get through the rest of the week. The Reds expect to make another move to add a starting pitcher on Friday, when Bailey would make his next start.

Bailey had tightness in his shoulder during a 4-3 loss in Cleveland on Sunday. The problem developed in the third inning, forcing him from the game. A medical test on Monday found no serious problem, but the Reds weren't about to carry two starters who had to leave games early because of a medical problem. Right-hander Johnny Cueto left his start on Saturday in Cleveland after six innings because of a blister on a finger.

The Reds were concerned that the inflammation in Bailey's shoulder could linger.

"It was more precautionary than anything," Baker said.

The 24-year-old Bailey hasn't been on the disabled list since 2008, when he sprained his right knee while pitching for Louisville. He's never had shoulder problems. A medical test on Monday found no serious injury.

"The MRI found no structural damage at all," Bailey said. "They just said there may be a little inflammation in the shoulder. [The doctor] wanted to do a cortisone shot, but I said that's not necessary. I just found out [about the DL] though I feel it's not necessary. I could understand missing one start, but I'm not that hurt."

During batting practice, Bailey wandered onto the field and Baker took him aside for a chat by the backstop.

Bailey is 1-2 with a 5.51 ERA in nine starts. His replacement in the rotation won't be left-hander Aroldis Chapman, who had to miss a scheduled start on Monday at Louisville because of a blister on his pitching hand.

Del Rosario will be making his big league debut. The right-hander was 1-1 with three saves and a 1.46 ERA in 20 relief appearances for Louisville this season, salvaging a career that turned around when he changed his delivery.

Del Rosario was nearly released at Class A last season. The coaching staff suggested he change his delivery, going to more of a sidearm approach, and everything improved. He made it all the way up to Louisville by the end of the season.

Bullpen coach Juan Lopez said Del Rosario was throwing in the low 90-mph range during spring training, which makes his drop-down delivery difficult on hitters.

"He's always had a good arm," Lopez said. "They were trying to do something different with him."

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Minnesota Twins soften stance on ex-mate Carlos Gomez's bat flip after home run

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins know the colorful Carlos Gomez well, after spending two seasons with his raw talent, energetic presence and lack of discipline.

That's why, though peeved about his accidental bat flip that hit former teammate Joe Mauer, the Twins were willing to give Gomez a break for his breach of baseball etiquette.

“

We've seen that before, but the thing is that's got to stop.

”-- Twins catcher Joe Mauer on Carlos Gomez's bat flip

Gomez was celebrating a late home run on Friday night that came with his Milwaukee team trailing 15-0 when he got a little too exuberant, as the Twins saw many times.

Gomez tossed his bat and stared as the ball soared into the seats before beginning his jog around the bases. When he reached the plate and heard Mauer's voice, he put his hand to his mouth -- to say, "no talking," Gomez said.

Brewers teammate Joe Inglett later explained to Gomez that Mauer was trying to tell him to be more careful with his bat. Upon hearing that, Gomez was deeply sorry.

He just came off the disabled list to face his old team, and the speedy center fielder was even more pumped up to play than usual.

"I didn't even know the bat was going to hit him," Gomez said. "I'll say again: I didn't try to do this. I wasn't like, if I hit a home run, I've got to pimp, I've got to do this and that. I had a good night, but you have to be more professional. That happened. Sometimes you get excited. When you're out 16 or 17 games and you play good, you get excited."

Mauer revealed before Saturday's game that the bat hit him on the wrist. The AL MVP said he realizes Gomez didn't mean any harm and can get caught up in the moment, but he also warned Gomez to curtail his flamboyance, for his sake and others.

"We've seen that before, but the thing is that's got to stop," Mauer said.

Gomez reiterated his apology before Saturday's game and said he would understand if the Twins chose to retaliate. He lined out to third base in his first at-bat, and none of Kevin Slowey's pitches came near him.

Gomez, though, said it will be difficult for him to change his style.

"It's hard to me, because I've been doing this since I'm in the minor leagues," he said, smiling.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was irritated on Friday night, but on Saturday he softened his stance. He said he respects Gomez's passion and that he doesn't need to apologize.

"Go-Go, he's one of my favorites. I enjoyed the heck out of having him here," Gardenhire said. "Just one of those moments that we know Go-Go can have every once in a while. He was excited, and it just happened."

Gardenhire added: "Yeah, we were a little fired up about it, but when it's all said and done we like this kid a lot."

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New York Mets' John Maine admits shoulder is bothering him

NEW YORK -- John Maine acknowledged Saturday that his right shoulder is bothering him, then quickly backed away again, saying he thought he could remain in the New York Mets' starting rotation.

It's hard to tell exactly what's going on with Maine. He'll visit a doctor Monday for more tests that should determine what the next move is for the oft-injured pitcher.

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"There's still something going on back there," said Maine, who had surgery in September 2008 to remove a lesion from the back of his right shoulder socket. "Who knows what it is? It's something that has to be found. If it comes back good, you know I'll deal with it and pitch, like I have been."

Maine has struggled all season, going 1-3 with a 6.13 ERA in nine starts. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with right shoulder weakness after he missed three months last year with a tired shoulder, which he blamed on overwork following the operation.

"I've never had anything before in my life," Maine said. "The last two years, I don't know, I just want to go out and pitch. That's the only thing. ... It's upsetting."

Maine was lifted after just five pitches Thursday night in Washington because manager Jerry Manuel and pitching coach Dan Warthen were concerned about his lack of velocity. The 29-year-old right-hander disagreed with the decision and let Manuel know during a spirited discussion in the dugout.

Maine had been saying he felt the same as he had all season, but appeared to be backing off a bit before the Mets beat the New York Yankees 5-3 on Saturday night.

"It's the same area," as his shoulder discomfort last year, Maine said. "But I don't exactly know what's going on. That's why we're going to go see a doctor."

The Mets are off Monday, giving Manuel some flexibility as he lines up his rotation for a three-game series against NL East-leading Philadelphia. Raul Valdes or knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will start in Maine's spot Tuesday night, followed by Hisanori Takahashi and Mike Pelfrey.

Manuel indicated he was leaning toward Valdes for the opener. The lefty pitched five innings after Maine departed Thursday night.

While Maine's status was largely unclear, reliever Ryota Igarashi rejoined the team after making four minor league rehab appearances to test his injured left hamstring. Manuel said he would be activated Sunday.

Second baseman Luis Castillo returned to the lineup against the Yankees after being limited to pinch-running duties in the Mets' 2-1 loss on Friday night. He went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Castillo has been hampered by a bruised left heel and admitted he isn't 100 percent.

"It's going to be a day-by-day thing," Manuel said before the game. "He has an injury where it's kind of strange. It's almost like he's playing with a little rock in his shoe. You can play with it, but it's going to be some discomfort."

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Toronto Blue Jays' Dustin McGowan throwing, playing catch while rehabbing shoulder

PHOENIX -- Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dustin McGowan, sidelined since July 2008 because of shoulder surgery and a subsequent knee injury, is throwing and playing catch.

McGowan

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos says Friday that McGowan is throwing from 60 feet and his right shoulder rehabilitation is going well.

McGowan left a game on July 8, 2008, because of a sore right shoulder that required surgery. Delays in rehabilitation, including right knee surgery, sidelined him for all of 2009.

Right-hander Jesse Litsch (elbow surgery) is eligible to come off the 60-day DL the first week of June. Lefty Brian Tallet will pitch next Tuesday for Triple-A Las Vegas as he attempts to return from a 15-day DL stint because of left forearm stiffness.

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Forbes Magazine : New York Yankees most valuable brand in sports

NEW YORK -- Yankees fans have another title to crow about.

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The franchise that has won 27 World Series championships is now the most valuable brand in sports, according to Forbes magazine.

The New York Yankees name alone was judged to be worth $328 million toward the team's overall value, Forbes said in an article published online Tuesday. The magazine says the Yankees are worth $1.6 billion.

The Yankees beat out another team with a massive worldwide fanbase, English soccer team Manchester United, thanks to increased merchandise sales, improved local TV ratings on their own network, and the falling value of the British pound against the U.S. dollar.

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Hanley Ramirez of Florida Marlins rips skipper Fredi Gonzalez after benching

MIAMI -- Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez defended his play Tuesday and took shots at his manager and teammates, a day after he was pulled from a game for not hustling.

Ramirez, a two-time All-Star and last year's NL batting champion, wasn't in manager Fredi Gonzalez's starting lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks. On Monday night, he accidentally kicked a ball and then lightly jogged after it, allowing two runs to score.

"It's his team. He can do whatever," Ramirez said, mixing in an expletive. "There's nothing I can do about it."

"That's OK. He doesn't understand that. He never played in the big leagues," he said.“

We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls. They don't apologize.

”-- Hanley Ramirez to reporters

Responded Gonzalez: "He's right, but I know how to play the game."

"I played six years in the minor leagues and I know what it takes to play this game and I know the effort it takes to play this game," he said.

It seemed unlikely Ramirez would say he was sorry.

"We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls," he said. "They don't apologize."

The trouble for Ramirez started in the first inning Monday night after he fouled a ball off his left shin and was tended to by a trainer. He grounded into a double play and did not run full speed down the line.

Ramirez's costly misplay came the next inning after Tony Abreu's looper fell near him in short left field. Ramirez booted the ball about 100 feet toward the left-field corner and slowly chased it.

"I wasn't trying to give up," Ramirez said. "That was the hardest I could go after the ball."

Ramirez was replaced by Brian Barden an inning after the play. Gonzalez, in his fourth season as Florida's manager, confirmed Ramirez was yanked for not hustling in the 5-1 loss.

Ramirez is hitting .293 with seven homers and 20 RBIs this year. He is the Marlins' highest-paid player after signing a $70 million, six-year contract in 2008 and has become the face of a franchise that moves into a new ballpark in 2012.

For all his talent, however, there have been occasions in which some speculated Ramirez didn't always hustle. Nothing ever reached this level, though.

Barden started in place of Ramirez on Tuesday afternoon.

"It's our team. I'm just the guy that makes the lineup," Gonzalez said. "I can't control everybody going 4-for-4, but you can control the effort."

Ramirez said he lost some respect for Gonzalez for the episode.

"A little bit. We got 24 more guys out there," Ramirez said. "Hopefully they can do the same things I can do. They're wearing the Marlins uniform."

Veteran infielder Wes Helms hopes Ramirez apologizes to his teammates.

"I can't overlook it," Helms said. "I know people say that's just the way he is, but you know what? That's not the way it is. That's not the way the game's supposed to be played.

"And that's what we want from Hanley. We want him to be that guy that goes out there every day ... and busts his butt and does anything he can for his this team. That right there will earn the respect of not only his teammates but everybody in the league," he said.

Gonzalez hopes the situation doesn't draw focus from his team.

"If it's handled the right way, I think it could be good," he said. "If it's not, it could be distraction, it could grow into some ugly stuff. But let's wait and see what happens. Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill just yet."

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Oakland Athletics put Justin Duchscherer on 15-day disabled list

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics put right-hander Justin Duchscherer back on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, one day after his scheduled start was scratched because of recurring inflammation in his left hip.

Duchscherer

The A's also optioned backup catcher Josh Donaldson to Triple-A Sacramento and reinstated catcher Kurt Suzuki from the DL after he missed 19 games because of a strain in his ribcage. The team went 7-12 in the absence of their RBI leader from last season.

Right-hander Chad Gaudin, in his second stint with the A's and first as a full-time reliever, was designated for assignment after giving up eight earned runs, 12 hits and four homers in 4 1/3 innings during his previous two outings.

"Anytime this happens, it's a surprise," said Gaudin, who has pitched for six big league clubs and four in the last three seasons. "I sensed it last night. I thought they'd have more faith in me. I know I can pitch. Obviously, if you pitch good, you're going to stay. But the decision's been made and I can't change what's happened. All I can do is turn a negative into a positive."

In Friday's 12-3 loss to the Angels, Gaudin surrendered five earned runs and eight hits over 2 2/3 innings, including a two-run homer to Kendry Morales, as his ERA rose to 8.83. On Tuesday, Gaudin tied a career high by giving up three homers at Texas.

"It's hard to keep comfortable when you never know when you're going to pitch and you're throwing every four to six days. It's a little tough to get a rhythm. It's just a matter of getting into a routine so you can prepare and plan for then you're going to pitch."

The A's also selected the contract of left-hander Cedric Bowers and recalled right-hander Henry Rodriguez, one day after Rodriguez was optioned to Sacramento to make room on the roster for Duchscherer.

"Cedric's been throwing the ball real well down there, so we made a change in that direction," manager Bob Geren said. "He's a competitor, he throws strikes and he's had experience."

Duchscherer lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his last outing, giving up four runs in a 6-3 loss at Toronto. He missed last season after he underwent arthroscopic right elbow surgery on March 31 and later was treated for clinical depression.

Duchscherer is on the DL for the seventh time in his career, which began in 2001 with Texas. After Saturday night's game, he met with reporters and sounded inconsolable.

"If I have to have surgery, I'm done for the year," Duchscherer said. "That's obviously not an option I want to explore unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want to do it. It's very mentally draining."

Duchscherer dismissed the idea that his mechanics have led to his hip problems.

"I've talked to both my pitching coaches, Curt Young and Ron Romanick, and they said I have some of the best mechanics they've ever seen," the right-hander said. "I never asked the question, 'If that's true, then why do I get hurt?' But I think more than anything, it's genetic. I mean, I have a little bit of a genetical issue with the size of the head of my femur.

"From what I was told by the doctor, over years and years of grinding and pounding, the cartilage gets worn away in the hips -- which is something I can't really control," Duchscherer added. "It's very frustrating because I feel like I'm a really good pitcher, and I don't need to be a power pitcher to pitch at this level. But my body's not cooperating."

Oakland Athletics pitcher Justin Duchscherer placed on DL with inflamed hipVilla focused on football

Albert Pujols moves to cleanup for St. Louis Cardinals

ST. LOUIS -- Albert Pujols was batting cleanup instead of his accustomed No. 3 spot for the first time in nearly seven seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals' first game since dropping out of the NL Central lead.

Pujols

Matt Holliday moved up to third against the Washington Nationals, switching spots with Pujols. The Cardinals had lost nine of 12 and were not in first place for the first time since July 30, 2009.

The last time Pujols didn't bat third for the Cardinals was May 30, 2003, a string of 1,046 games. Eduardo Perez batted third and Pujols fourth that day against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cardinals also activated Felipe Lopez (elbow strain) from the 15-day disabled list and had him batting leadoff.

Pujols was making his 235th career start batting cleanup.

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Jonathon Niese of New York Mets leaves start vs. Florida Marlins

MIAMI -- New York Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese left his start against the Florida Marlins in the third inning after re-injuring his right hamstring.

Niese underwent surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon Aug. 6 and missed the final two months of last season.

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The Mets trainer and manager Jerry Manuel trotted to the mound Sunday after Niese threw a first-pitch strike to Hanley Ramirez with no outs and the Mets trailing 3-0. Manuel signaled for a reliever, and Niese limped slightly as he walked to the dugout.

One pitch earlier, Niese scrambled to barehand a bunt before making an errant throw to first base, allowing a run to score.

The Mets said Niese will return to New York for further evaluation.

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Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella says winning, not reputation, matters

CHICAGO -- Fed up with losing, Lou Piniella says he expects his Chicago Cubs to live up to their reputations and salaries.

"Don't let names fool you," he said. "Production wins."

And winning is the only thing that matters to Piniella, whose team has the third-highest payroll in the major leagues ($146.6 million) but took a 15-22 record into Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.

Lou Piniella

Frustrated Cubs manager Lou Piniella had a spirited pregame press conference Sunday.

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Asked if young outfielder Tyler Colvin might be better off playing everyday in the minors instead of serving as Chicago's late-inning defensive replacement, Piniella raised his voice and changed the subject -- to winning.

"He needs to play? What we need to do is win," Piniella said. "We keep talking about at-bats for people. We talk about people needing to play. We talk about everything but winning baseball games. That's what the hell I want to talk about ... period.

"Outside of that, I'd like to see people get hot and stay hot and win games, and everything will take care of itself. I wouldn't be getting asked these questions day in and day out, OK? And having to make excuses and everything else, OK? So, if we start doing the things that we're capable of doing, I won't have to answer these questions all the time."

In his fourth year with the Cubs, Piniella's contract expires after the season. He turns 67 in August and has said this will be his last managing job. But he hasn't said whether he wants to return in 2011; nor has new owner Tom Ricketts said he wants Piniella to stay.

Piniella managed the Cubs to NL Central titles in 2007 and 2008, but Chicago was swept out of the playoffs each year. The Cubs went 83-78 in '09, with Piniella blaming injuries and poor clubhouse chemistry.

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The Cubs have been healthy this year but have been hurt by poor relief pitching, a lack of clutch hitting and the horrible starts of former All-Stars Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee.

Piniella said he doubted high-priced players such as Ramirez, Lee and Carlos Zambrano were buckling under the weight of their contracts.

"They've had great seasons, and they're rewarded for that financially," he said. "But at the same time, you've got to continue to do it if you want to win. You can't stop the production."

Considering the talent on the roster, what would Piniella have said back in spring training had somebody told him the Cubs would be well under .500 in mid-May?

"If the talent that we had was playing up to [expectations], I'd tell you I didn't think that would happen," he said Sunday. "We're confident that we'll get it going but we've got to score more runs consistently and we've got to keep [opponents] from scoring, especially late, because you can't come back from those things."

Famously hotheaded during his playing days with the Yankees and in a managing career that included stops in New York, Cincinnati, Seattle and Tampa Bay, Piniella mostly has been calm and patient in Chicago -- where the Cubs haven't won a World Series title since 1908.

He often has joked that he finally has grown up, making it unnecessary to argue with umpires and scream at players.

"Everybody's trying. Nobody's going through the motions," Piniella said. "It's just a question of being more consistent. Once we do that, we'll win more baseball games.

"And then everybody will be happy. The media will be happy. The manager will be happy. The players will be happy. The fans will be happy. And if not, we'll continue to be unhappy."

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jim Edmonds leaves with strained muscle

MILWAUKEE -- Center fielder Jim Edmonds has left the Milwaukee Brewers' game against the Philadelphia Phillies with a strained left oblique.

Edmonds

Edmonds hurt himself in the second inning Saturday when he checked his swing, fouling a ball off. He immediately clutched at his left side, but remained in the game until Jody Gerut replaced him in center to start the fourth.

Edmonds is hitting .280 with three homers and eight RBIs in 27 games. The team says he is day to day.

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Tampa Bay Rays designate slumping Pat Burrell for assignment

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Pat Burrell's unproductive stint in Tampa Bay is over.

The Rays designated the ex-Philadelphia slugger for assignment before Saturday's game against Seattle and selected the contract of former Texas Rangers infielder Hank Blalock from Triple-A Durham.

Burrell

Burrell has struggled since signing with the Rays two months after helping the Phillies beat Tampa Bay in the 2008 World Series. He batted .221 with 14 homers and 64 RBIs in 2009, while making the transition from everyday outfielder to designated hitter.

The 33-year-old was hitting .202 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 24 games this season. He was 2 for 25 with no extra-base hits or RBIs in May and batted .053 (1 for 19) against left-handed pitching.

"I don't think it totally caught him off-guard," Rays manager Joe Maddon said, noting the righty-hitting Burrell's playing time had decreased because of Willy Aybar's success against left-handed pitching.

Tampa Bay will be responsible for the remainder of Burrell's $9 million salary in the second season of a $16 million, two-year contract. If he's released, a team that signs him would pay just a prorated share of the $400,000 minimum.

In the unlikely event he's traded, Burrell would receive a $200,000 bonus.

In addition to serving as a DH against lefty pitching, the Rays could use Blalock some at first and third base.

"We feel like with Hank's left-handed bat and positional flexibility that it fits us better right now," executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, adding Blalock's addition also figures to make the bench stronger for interleague play.

"It was not a primary reason for the move," Friedman added, "but it definitely helps as we go into National League parks."

Blalock, who signed a minor league contract with the Rays in March, is a two-time All-Star who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Texas Rangers.

The 29-year-old hit .234 with 25 homers and 66 RBIs in 123 games last year after missing much of the previous two seasons with injuries.

"I believe he's going to fit into our culture well," Maddon said. "I think he's going to fit into the clubhouse well."

Blalock's minor league deal included a clause allowing him to opt out and seek a job elsewhere if he wasn't on the 25-man roster coming out of spring training. Instead, he accepted an assignment with Durham, where he batted .349 -- tied for second in the International League -- with four homers and 24 RBIs in 26 games.

Burrell spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Phillies. In the four seasons prior to signing with Tampa Bay, he averaged 31 homers and 99 RBIs and seemed like a good fit for a lineup lacking right-handed power hitter.

"The transition from the National to the American League, going from position player to DH is not always that easy," Maddon said.

"The thing about Pat that I respect so much, this guy worked very, very hard" despite a lot of outside criticism. "But I'm always about effort and work, and this guy did that every day. He was the first guy showing up. He was always in the cage, always worked on his defense even though he didn't play out there. He was very supportive among his teammates. It's just unfortunate that it did not work out."

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Bud Selig ignores demands to move 2011 All-Star Game

NEW YORK -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is ignoring calls to move next year's All-Star Game from Phoenix because of Arizona's new immigration law.

Asked about such demands at a news conference Thursday following an owners meeting, he responded with a defense of baseball's minority hiring record.

"Apparently all the people around and in minority communities think we're doing OK. That's the issue, and that's the answer," he said. "I told the clubs today: 'Be proud of what we've done.' They are. We should. And that's our answer. We control our own fate, and we've done very well."

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he wouldn't participate in next year's All-Star Game if it remains in Arizona because of the law, which empowers police to determine a person's immigration status. The Major League Baseball Players Association condemned the law and Rep. Jose Serrano, a New York Democrat whose district includes Yankee Stadium, sent Selig a letter asking him to move the game.

Selig cited sports sociologist Richard Lapchick, whose annual report from the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports last month gave baseball an A for race and a B for gender hiring. Selig also referenced a lifetime achievement award he received in March from the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

"We're a social institution. We have done everything we should do -- should do, our responsibility," he said. "Privilege to do it. Don't want any pats on the back, and we'll continue to do it."

Leaders of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and 10 other groups on Thursday released a letter in which they ask Selig to not take a position against the state by moving the game.

The letter says a relocation would cost jobs for "innocent citizens, including our Hispanic community," and it says baseball shouldn't become "a pawn in a political debate."

Presente.org, issued a statement Thursday asking Selig to move the game, saying "the commissioner is clearly out of touch with the 'minority communities' he says MLB is so in tune with."

Selig also said he remained optimistic about attendance this season.

"We're down about 2 percent. I'd rather be up 2 percent," he said. "We've had a lot of horrendous weather."

Still, the major leagues went into late April without a rainout for the first time since 1985.

Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, said management might make a proposal to change the way injured players serve drug-related suspensions when the next collective bargaining agreement starts, for the 2012 season. Currently, time on the disabled list counts toward those penalties, and Cincinnati Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez is serving his 50-game suspension while sidelined following reconstructive elbow surgery.

"I suspect ultimately we'll have a proposal on that," he said.

Selig also said he wouldn't mind if the Wilpon family, which owns the New York Mets, bought the NHL's New York Islanders or added an expansion MLS franchise to its holdings.

"If somebody believes that kind of synergism will help, then I think that's good," he said. "If there's an owner who believes that owning another sport will really help baseball and help them, fine. I think that's great."

At the news conference, Don Hooton said Selig was being given the first "Taylor's Award" by the Taylor Hooten Foundation, presented for educating youth about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs. Taylor Hooton, Don's son, committed suicide at age 17 in 2003 after apparently taking steroids in an effort to get stronger for high school baseball. Major League Baseball is a founding sponsor of the foundation.

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Texas Rangers among teams scouting habits of umpires

Ron Washington flips the pages of his three-ring notebook, filled with inside info on the other team's pitchers and hitters.

The Texas manager gets to the back of the black binder, reaches into the pocket and pulls out another scouting report -- on that night's home plate umpire.

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AP Photo/Ben MargotRon Washington, reacting to his ejection by crew chief Joe West last Monday, said technology has made a difference in how teams can scout umpires.

It's a color-coded computer printout showing his strike zone -- how he tends to call balls and strikes -- and whether he usually gives the pitcher a break if the ball sails just off the corner of the plate.

In this ump's case, the calls on the edges are too inconsistent to be predictable.

"We do have their tendencies in the dugout on the wall. The name of the umpire and his tendencies, what they call and what part of the zone they call strikes," Washington said.

"When I was playing, we just knew he was a high-ball umpire or a low-ball umpire, whether he was a pitcher's umpire or a hitter's umpire," he said.

The difference now?

"Technology," Washington said.

For years, baseball teams have scouted the opposition -- which pitch is most effective against a certain batter, which catcher has a strong throwing arm, and the like.

Now teams are taking it to a different level by scouting the umpires -- compiling information on how consistently they call balls and strikes, how quick they are to eject someone arguing a call, where the crew comes from, the next time they're next in town.

The Rangers aren't the only ones taking advantage, either. Several teams track umpires on a daily basis and provide their players with the detailed reports.

Here's how one team assessed Hunter Wendelstedt: "Inconsistent zone, both in-game and from game-to-game, seemingly losing focus at times by balling pitches over middle and calling strikes on pitches well off plate. Seems to want hitter to put ball in play."

Or this look at Gerry Davis: "Hesitates to punch hitters out. Towards the top of the league in umpire ERA in 2009, with low K and low BB rate in 2009 and has continued in 2010. Need to earn strikes with him behind the plate."

In other words, the report says Davis is reluctant to call strike three when a batter doesn't swing.

Some teams attach headshots of the crew, along with a short bio about each of the four umpires. Such as this nugget on Marty Foster: "Attends as many Wisconsin Big Ten football games as possible."

And this about Ed Hickox: "Is a sworn police officer in offseason, working as a detective for the Daytona Beach Shores Police Dept."

“

We like to get the players to know who's going to be there, get to know them and give them a little bit of background, so the players can say hello.

”-- Athletics manager Bob Geren

"It's just more of a reference to get to know them better, a communication tool," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "We like to get the players to know who's going to be there, get to know them and give them a little bit of background, so the players can say hello."

"We keep umpire media guides in the dugout. Guys feel uncomfortable if they go out and don't know who they are -- and we have a lot of young players," he said.

Advance scouts sometimes prepare the reports. Other clubs rely on watching video. Stat services and websites also compile the numbers.

"There's so much more data on umpires and it's much easier to track their balls-strikes calling. Guys have more specific reputations because the data is better," Oakland director of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said.

Exactly how many teams do it is hard to say -- at least a couple of clubs declined to directly answer whether they scout umpires, or they dodged the question.

At Fenway Park last week, longtime crew chief John Hirschbeck shook his head when shown a team's scouting report on a different set of umpires.

"I'm surprised, but I guess I'm not surprised," he said. "Everyone is looking for an edge."

"We try to call every pitch the same way. The stats, those can depend on the matchup, who's pitching that day," he said. "Luck of the draw."

Even though baseball's rule book precisely defines the strike zone, umpires could vary in how they interpret it -- not easy in a game where the pitch frequently comes in at more than 90 mph and can dip several inches at the last split second.

To James Hoye, the personal tidbits and pictures made more sense than the strike zone tendencies. He's working his first full season as a major league umpire, with Wally Bell and Laz Diaz on Hirschbeck's crew.

"Instead of asking Wally the name of the guy who's at second base, they can see for themselves," Hoye said.

Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said the Braves don't chart the umps. But he could understand why a team would: "If it helps to win one ballgame a year, it's not a waste of time. Might get you to the playoffs."

It could come down to a single pitch, and how it's handled. Here's what one team posted about Jerry Layne: "Seems very influenced by a catcher's receiving." That refers to a catcher's practice of subtly moving his mitt back into the strike zone after catching a close pitch.

Here's a line from the report on how umpire Fieldin Culbreth reacts on a full-count: "Seems to expand zone on 3-2, as he punches out hitters he normally calls a ball in different counts."

Asked for comment on the practice of scouting, Culbreth, who is on the board of directors of the umpires' union, the World Umpires Association, said: "I'd rather not get involved in that. It doesn't matter."

Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Bob Schaefer said such reports could result in information overload.

"I mean, it's tough enough for a hitter to look at a pitcher and see what the pitcher's trying to do to him. So you'd clog everything up if you worry about the umpire," he said.

The Toronto Blue Jays certainly keep tabs.

"Every umpire that comes into town, whether at home or on the road, we have their tendencies. We know what type of umpires they are," hitting coach Dwayne Murphy said.

"They have that information. I'm not sure which site or where we get it from, but that information is there. They all have it," he said.

That's news to many people.

"I never heard of that. That's very interesting," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said.

Wondered Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez: "Do people do that? Maybe I'm missing the boat; you tell me. I haven't. Who has done that? I want to ask them. Maybe it'll help us win another game or two."

Washington pitcher Craig Stammen's first reaction was: "Huh? That's smart." Nationals teammate Livan Hernandez got wide-eyed. "I never heard of that," the pitcher said.

Neither had Milwaukee outfielder Jim Edmonds. "It's probably not a bad idea. It's an interesting concept," he said.

Told that Texas kept umpire charts, veteran A's star Eric Chavez chuckled. Ron Washington, a former Oakland coach, got ejected by Joe West during the recent Rangers-Athletics series.

"When Wash came out to argue the other day, he didn't read his reports," Chavez kidded. "Maybe he should do his homework."

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Colorado Rockies get Brad Hawpe back, Troy Tulowitzki day to day

DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies juggled their lineup against Philadelphia with Carlos Gonzalez out of the country, Troy Tulowitzki day to day with a strained thigh muscle, Brad Hawpe back from an injury and Todd Helton getting a mental break.

The best news for the Rockies was that Monday's MRI on Tulowitzki revealed only a minor strain of his right quadriceps. Manager Jim Tracy says the shortstop won't need to go on the disabled list but will rest for a couple of days.

Tulowitzki

"He's a little sore today," Tracy said before Colorado hosted the Phillies. "We're not going to take any chances with that.

"It's a day-to-day type thing. It's not a disabled list situation, but we need to be cautious with it," the manager added. "What you don't want to do is rush him back to the point where it now becomes a nagging thing that he's playing with 10 or 12 days and we actually set him back further."

That's in contrast to 2008, when Clint Hurdle was the manager and Tulowitzki was allowed to play through pain in his left quadriceps and ended up missing 46 games when he ultimately tore a ligament in the thigh.

He also missed a month in the minors in 2005 with a strained quadriceps. Both of those previous injuries were to his left leg, not his right.

Tulowitzki was injured Sunday in Los Angels when he was attempting a double-play relay.

The Dodgers' Jamey Carroll grounded to pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who wheeled to throw to second. Tulowitzki avoided Blake DeWitt but his relay throw wasn't in time. Tulowitzki took an awkward step on the play, in part because he was screened on the throw by second-base umpire Gary Darling.

With Tulowitzki out, Clint Barmes moved over to shortstop and Melvin Mora started at second base Monday night.

Tracy also shook things up at first base, where Helton is in a power slump -- he has just four extra-base hits in 100 at-bats, all of them doubles -- and Jason Giambi has been unable to find a groove at the plate in limited pinch-hitting duty.

"I think it's good that we get Todd a break today. I think it's also very important that we get Jason Giambi in the lineup and get him involved against someone other than a dominant closer," Tracy said.

Helton has no homers and just seven RBIs in the slowest start of his career.

"It's not easy being Todd Helton," Tracy insisted. "It's really hard to be Todd Helton because everybody expects the unbelievable from him every single day. So, it's really, really hard to be Todd Helton. And if you understand that fact, you're mindful that every once in a while it's really great to give this guy an opportunity to take a step back and catch his breath and mentally relax and then resume. He's a human being. He's not a robot."

Giambi re-signed with Colorado after failing to find a DH role with an American League team this offseason, but his opportunities have been few and far between, and his own slow start has raised some eyebrows and questions that have irked Tracy.

"We need to bear in mind the fact that he has all of 22 at-bats. We're in the fifth week of the season. And he's accustomed to having 22 at-bats within three to four days of the season," Tracy said.

Giambi will get plenty of time to find his swing. Tracy wants to use him in the DH role during an interleague series at Kansas City later this month.

"I think we need to give him a series of at-bats in fairness to this guy and what he's done during the course of his career before we'll really know" where he's at as a hitter, Tracy said. "Knowing the reputation and the resume of the player, he's one swing away."

Hawpe returned from the 15-day disabled list but the Rockies didn't have to send anyone to the minors to make room for him because they placed Gonzalez on the three-day bereavement list. Gonzalez is attending the funeral of an uncle in Venezuela.

He'll return to action Wednesday, when pitcher Jason Hammel (strained right groin) returns from the DL and starts the series finale.

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Cleveland Indians activate Kerry Wood off DL with back healthy

CLEVELAND -- Kerry Wood is eager to finally make his first pitch of the season.

Wood

The Cleveland Indians have activated the veteran closer from the disabled list on Friday.

"I'm ready," said Wood, who has been sidelined since straining a muscle in his upper back during spring training, sending him to the DL for the 13th time in his career.

"I feel fine. I've had a lot worse injuries. This one has been more frustrating than painful."

Wood made two rehab appearances for Double-A Akron before being activated.

"We got good reports on him, that's he's throwing well and he's healthy," manager Manny Acta said.

While Wood was out, Chris Perez handled closing duties for the Indians, who have lost four straight and will open a three-game series Friday against Detroit.

To make room for Wood, the Indians optioned right-hander Jensen Lewis to Triple-A Columbus.

"That move was not only based on performance," Acta said. "It was a very tough decision and we told Jensen that. There are some other guys who are out of options and could not be sent down."

Lewis was 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.

Asdrubal Cabrera was not in the lineup for the third straight game. The Indians' shortstop strained his left quadriceps muscle Monday night.

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Oakland Athletics pitcher Justin Duchscherer placed on DL with inflamed hip

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Justin Duchscherer's inflamed left hip is much better following a cortisone shot Wednesday, yet the two-time All-Star was placed on the disabled list two days later by the Oakland Athletics because he isn't ready to pitch.

Duchscherer

The move made Friday was retroactive to April 30, a day after the right-hander last appeared in a game. That means he could return to start next Saturday against the Angels in Anaheim.

"I have no choice. I have to give the cortisone time," Duchscherer said. "I'm definitely encouraged. I feel great and feel like they definitely got the right spot."

The A's recalled righty reliever Edwar Ramirez from Triple-A Sacramento to fill Duchscherer's roster spot. This will be Ramirez's second stint with Oakland this season after making the opening day roster and going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in six relief appearances. He was optioned to Sacramento on April 27 and made three appearances. He had only one walk in four innings, so he's encouraged he's finding his command again.

While he held A's opponents to a .194 batting average he also had eight walks in 10 innings.

"It helped me a lot," he said of his brief trip to the minors. "I was up there working on some things. I walked too many people. I worked on my control."

Duchscherer, who missed all of last season recovering from elbow surgery and then a bout with clinical depression, said he felt fine after playing catch during Thursday's off day. He is set to throw a bullpen session Monday before the team travels to Texas.

Duchscherer is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in five starts this season. He left his last outing April 29 at Toronto after just 3 1-3 innings because of discomfort in the hip.

"I feel 100 percent right now," Duchscherer said. "I have no fear of completely ruining my hip."

He becomes the 11th A's player on the DL this year and ninth currently, the most since also having nine on May 29, 2008. Oakland has used the disabled list 75 times since the start of the 2007 season.

Injured lefty starter Brett Anderson, on the DL with a left forearm strain and elbow inflammation, began a 2-to-3 week throwing program Friday. He made 30 throws in the outfield and was scheduled to throw again Saturday.

Sidelined catcher Kurt Suzuki tested his strained left side muscle with running in the outfield and was set to do start hitting off a tee Saturday, then take batting practice from the coaches Sunday.

Outfielder Travis Buck, nursing a strained right oblique muscle, and injured second baseman Mark Ellis, who has a strained left hamstring, are both rehabilitating in Arizona. Buck is limited to range of motion exercises, while Ellis finished Day 6 of his program.

"He's passing every test," manager Bob Geren said. "He's still a ways off but he hasn't had any setbacks."

Center fielder Coco Crisp, yet to make his A's debut because of a broken left pinkie, had another X-ray on the finger to determine the next step in his rehab schedule.

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Ernie Harwell getting final goodbyes from fans in Detroit

DETROIT -- Thousands of Detroit Tigers fans lined up outside Comerica Park on Thursday to give beloved broadcaster Ernie Harwell the send-off he wanted, paying their respects as they shuffled past his casket and swapping their favorite memories of the Hall of Famer.

[+] Enlarge

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty ImagesThe passing of Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell was felt all around Major League Baseball. The Yankees paid tribute prior to their game Wednesday.

After waiting for more than eight hours, Westland resident Bud Sommerville entered the stadium's front gate and approached Harwell's open casket. He took some pictures of Harwell, who was dressed in his signature hat, then removed his own cap and placed it on his heart in a solemn farewell.

"I met him for the first time at the ballpark," Sommerville, 54, said as he held back tears. "I guess the last time I will see him is at the ballpark."

Harwell, considered by many Tigers fans to be the voice of summer, died Tuesday of cancer at age 92. Planning for Thursday's public viewing began in September after Harwell was diagnosed with an inoperable form of the disease, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. Harwell's attorney and friend Gary Spicer invited Dombrowski and Tigers owner Mike Ilitch to Harwell's home, and Harwell asked to have the viewing at Comerica Park so fans could come.

"You can see that it didn't make a difference what age, what color, what religion -- you were touched by Ernie," said Dombrowski, who greeted mourners after they paid their respects.

“

You can see that it didn't make a difference what age, what color, what religion -- you were touched by Ernie. There were so many people that said, 'I never met him but I knew him.'

”-- Dave Dombrowski, Tigers GM

"There were so many people that said, 'I never met him but I knew him.' "

Harwell's casket was placed near a life-sized statue of the Hall of Fame broadcaster, microphone in hand, with the inscription, "The Tigers' broadcasting legend and masterful storyteller for 42 seasons."

Sommerville said he arrived at the ballpark before midnight to ensure he'd be first in line to pay tribute to a man he said "treated you like he knew you forever."

He fondly recalled Harwell inviting him and his two sons into the broadcast booth at Tiger Stadium in 1999 just before his oldest son shipped off to Saudi Arabia with the Air Force.

Sister Deborah Ciolek, a 56-year-old nun with the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, said she came to honor Harwell's memory and that of her father, who passed along to her his love of baseball.

"I was one of the guilty ones who had the radio in the bed listening to the West Coast games at night, even falling asleep," Ciolek said.

She said Harwell's "soothing, gentle voice" reminded her of her dad and she praised the broadcaster's love of God, family and the game.

He was "truly an inspiration," she said. "The voice of summer, the voice of the Tigers -- I guess we can say that Ernie is our Tiger."

Across the street, the marquee of the Fox Theatre read: "Thanks for the memories Ernie." Other venues nearby had similar public messages.

Inside the ballpark, some mourners knelt, others made the sign of the cross, while many snapped photos and removed their old English "D" caps while standing in front of the casket.

Dombrowski said he heard many great Harwell anecdotes from fans on Thursday, but one stood out: A man too shy to ask his girlfriend to marry him told Dombrowski that Harwell proposed for him over dinner.

A half hour after the viewing began, the cool morning air was filled with plaintive tones of a trumpet outside the stadium, pointed in Harwell's direction, playing taps.

"I've been listening to him forever. I just felt like I needed to do it," said Bill Ebbitt, 58, of Garden City.

The Tigers said the viewing would continue until the last fan had said goodbye. By early Thursday afternoon, more than 4,000 people came through the gate, Tigers spokesman Ron Colangelo said.

Family members will hold a private funeral service.

The Tigers plan a tribute to Harwell before Monday's game against the New York Yankees.

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Philadelphia Phillies' Robin Roberts dies at age 83, was Hall of Fame pitcher

PHILADELPHIA -- Long before pitch counts, setup men and closers, Robin Roberts usually finished what he started.

Roberts, the tireless Hall of Fame pitcher who led the Philadelphia Phillies to the 1950 National League pennant as part of the famed "Whiz Kids," died Thursday at his Temple Terrace, Fla., home of natural causes, the Phillies said, citing son Jim. He was 83.

Few Compared To This 'Whiz Kid'

Robin Roberts was a 7-time All-Star in 14 seasons in Philadelphia. How his numbers stacked up as a Phillie and during the prime of his MLB career:

Phillies career ranks

Starts 471 2nd 

Wins 234 2nd 

Strikeouts 1,871 2nd 

20-win seasons 6 T-1st 

MLB ranks in 1950s

Complete games 237 1st 

Wins 199 2nd 

Strikeouts 1,516 2nd 

"He was a boyhood hero of mine," team president David Montgomery said. "Then I had a chance to meet him personally. I remember pinching myself knowing I was talking to Robin Roberts. His career and stats speak for themselves. But first and foremost he was a friend and we'll miss him badly."

The right-hander was the most productive pitcher in the National League in the first half of the 1950s, topping the league in wins from 1952 to 1955, innings pitched from '51 to '55 and complete games from '52 to '56.

He won 286 games and put together six consecutive 20-win seasons. Roberts had 45 career shutouts, 2,357 strikeouts and a lifetime ERA of 3.41. He pitched 305 complete games, but also gave up more home runs than any other major league pitcher. Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer is on the verge of breaking that mark. The 47-year-old Moyer has given up 498 homers, seven fewer than Roberts.

Roberts played in an era when pitchers expected to go the distance. Put it this way: In the past 25 years, Phillies pitchers threw a total of 300 complete games -- five fewer than Roberts all by himself. Roberts made 609 career starts, finishing more than half.

"Robin was one of the most consistent, competitive and durable pitchers of his generation and a symbol of the Whiz Kids," commissioner Bud Selig said. "Robin truly loved baseball and always had its best interests at heart."

Long after his career ended, Roberts followed the Phillies closely and was still popular in Philadelphia, drawing boisterous applause from fans each time he came back. A statue of him outside the first-base gate at Citizens Bank Park was adorned with a wreath Thursday, one of several tributes the Phillies planned.

Roberts' No. 36 jersey, which the team retired in 1962, was hung in the dugout before an afternoon game with St. Louis. It will remain there the rest of the season, at home and on the road. Players will wear No. 36 on their sleeves, starting Friday night.

"He was still really close to the organization and he loved this current team," said Larry Shenk, the vice president of alumni relations. "He was a special human being."

Phillies All-Star right fielder Jayson Werth was Roberts' favorite player because he also came from Springfield, Ill. Fittingly, Werth hit a three-run homer in the first inning against the Cardinals.

"Robin would always tell me stories about people in my family being that he was from my hometown, but especially about my grandfather and my great-grandfather," said Werth, the grandson of former major leaguer Dick Schofield. "He would make it a point to tell me good things about them. That was how much of an overall good guy he was. He will definitely be missed and remembered. He definitely has a special place in my heart."

Roberts was the leading pitcher on the 1950 squad that won the franchise's first pennant in 35 years. Roberts put together a 20-11 season with a 3.02 ERA and five shutouts.

The team, with several 25-and-younger stars such as Roberts, Richie Ashburn and Del Ennis, was dubbed the "Whiz Kids." It marked the end of a three-decade span in which the Phillies were mostly awful.

The Phillies led by 7 games with 11 to go but struggled to hang on as injuries -- especially to the pitching staff -- took their toll. On the final day of the season and just after his 24th birthday, Roberts made his third start in five days and pitched the Phillies to a 4-1 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers to clinch the pennant.

Roberts started Game 2 of the World Series against the Yankees and held New York to one run on nine hits through nine innings. With the score 1-1 in the top the 10th, Joe DiMaggio led off with a home run, giving New York a 2-1 win. The Yankees would go on to sweep. Roberts, who pitched in relief in Game 4, finished the series with a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings.

Roberts spent 14 of his 19 seasons in Philadelphia and was the stalwart of their rotation from 1948 to 1961. His 234 wins as a Phillie are even more impressive considering the team lost more games than it won in that stretch. His best statistical season came in 1952, when he went 28-7 with a 2.59 ERA.

"Probably the best fastball I ever saw was Robin Roberts," said Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, who connected for three of his 369 career homers off Roberts. "His ball would rise around six or eight inches, and with plenty on it. And he had great control, which made him very difficult to hit."

He signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles and spent 1962-64 there before winding down his career with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs.

Roberts was a control pitcher who relied heavily on his fastball. He threw strikes, sometimes to his detriment. He gave up only 1.3 walks per game over his career, but also gave up at least 40 home runs in three straight seasons.

"I had a high fastball and I either overpowered them or they overpowered me," he once said.

Roberts started five All-Star games and was placed on the team seven times. His best years came before the Cy Young Award, but Roberts twice was chosen pitcher of the year by The Sporting News. He also was the publication's player of the year in 1952.

Roberts was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976. He remains the franchise's career leader in games pitched, complete games and innings pitched. He was the leader in wins and strikeouts until Steve Carlton eclipsed those marks.

Robin Evan Roberts was born Sept. 30, 1926. His parents, Tom and Sarah, had moved to central Illinois from Wales in 1921. His father was a coal miner and Roberts grew up listening to Cubs games on the radio.

Roberts played baseball, basketball and football at Lanphier High School in Springfield before going to Michigan State, where he starred in basketball and baseball.

"I went out for the baseball team at Michigan State," Roberts once said. "They asked me, 'Well, what do you play?' And I said, 'What do you need?' And they said, 'Pitchers.' So I said, 'Well, I'm a pitcher.' "

During the summers of 1946 and 1947, Roberts pitched in the semiprofessional Northern League for Montpelier, Vt. He signed with the Phillies for $25,000 following his college graduation in 1947. He spent little time in the Phillies' farm system before being called up.

After retiring from baseball, Roberts was a stockbroker and baseball coach at the University of South Florida.

Best-selling author James Michener, who lived outside Philadelphia, once summed up Roberts' career in The New York Times.

"For two generations of fans, he symbolized the best in athletic competition," Michener wrote. "Day after day he went out there and threw that high, hard one down the middle, a marvelously coordinated man doing his job. If he had pitched for the Yankees he might have won 350 games."

Roberts is survived by four sons, one brother, seven grandchildren and one great-grandson, the Phillies said. His wife, Mary, died five years ago.

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Catcher Joe Mauer improving, but still misses third straight game for Minnesota Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- Joe Mauer's bruised left heel is improving, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire says he isn't ready to put the AL MVP back in the lineup just yet.

Mauer

Mauer was not in the lineup for the third straight game, missing the series opener against the Detroit Tigers on Monday night. He was injured on Friday and has what the team is calling a deep bone bruise.

Mauer was not available for comment before the game. Gardenhire says Mauer is still sore, "but he's better than yesterday." Mauer is listed as day-to-day.

Wilson Ramos got his second straight start at catcher in Mauer's place. He got four hits in his major league debut Sunday.

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Atlanta Braves closer Billy Wagner to retire after season

ATLANTA -- Billy Wagner has given the Atlanta Braves early notice he plans to retire after the season to spend more time with his family.

Wagner

Wagner said he is making his plans known early this season so the Braves can have time to prepare for 2011.

Wagner, 38, plans to retire even though he has a $6.5 million option to play in 2011.

He said the extra time he spent with his wife and four children while recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery in 2008 made it more difficult to be away from his Virginia home.

"I think when I was home with the kids I just enjoyed it, probably too much," Wagner said. "It's where I want to be and I think it's something else the Lord has got for me to do and I'm going to go that way."

Wagner used an off day on Monday for a quick trip to his home in Crozet, Va., near Charlottesville. The Braves open a series at Washington on Tuesday.

Braves general manger Frank Wren said Wagner's decision is not a complete surprise.

"We knew this was a possibility from the beginning," Wren said Monday. "We respect Billy's desire to be with his family and we are glad he is with us this year."

The 2011 option for Wagner kicks in if he finishes 50 games this season. He is 1-0 with two saves and a 2.00 ERA in his first season as the Atlanta Braves' closer.

Wagner has proved he has made a full recovery from his elbow surgery. The left-hander's fastball still hits the upper 90s on the radar gun.

He is sixth all-time with 387 career saves, including two this season.

Wagner is chasing John Franco's record of 424 saves by a left-hander. In spring training, Wagner said he was motivated by the record, but now he says he'll retire even if he falls short of that mark this season.

Wagner said he told manager Bobby Cox of his decision on Friday so the Braves would know what to expect when preparing for next season.

"I really just wanted to make sure they know where I stand so if something comes up and they have to make a move they're not caught off-guard," Wagner said.

Wagner said he didn't discuss the possibility of retirement during contract negotiations with the Braves last winter.

"No, I didn't think it was the time," he said. "I thought we should go on and get playing and see where it goes. We were planning to tell them at the right time."

Wagner said his decision so early in the 2010 season was not an indication he is not satisfied with his performance.

"It has no bearing on how I'm pitching," he said. "I just think it's the right time. I'd like to be able to go out when I feel halfway decent and not laboring to get through seasons and then I can enjoy my family when I'm done."

Wagner made his debut with Houston in 1995 and remained with the Astros through the 2003 season, when he set a career high with 44 saves. He was Philadelphia's closer for two years before four years with the Mets. He had elbow surgery in September 2008, and returned with the Mets last season before he was traded to the Boston Red Sox.

He has a 2.38 ERA in 791 career games.

Wagner and his wife, Sarah, have three sons and one daughter, ages 3 to 11.

He had a quick answer when asked about his plans for retirement.

"I'm going to be a Little League coach with my kids," he said. "I enjoy it. I enjoy being around them and being on the farm and want to do a lot of stuff with my church. That's really what I want to do, just slow it down and see what comes along."

The Braves don't have an obvious closer in line for 2011.

Takashi Saito, also in his first season in Atlanta, has been a closer in his career, but he is 40. Peter Moylan, 31, has been effective in a set-up role but has only two career saves in his five years with the team.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins still slowed by strained right calf

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins still feels tightness in his strained right calf and says it could be the end of the month before he returns to the lineup.

“

I've pulled a muscle, I've strained my groin a little, but not something like this where you feel like somebody shot you.

”-- Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins

Rollins has been on the disabled list since April 14 with the injury occurring during warmups before Philadelphia's home opener. Rollins said before Sunday's game against the Mets he'd like to be back in two weeks.

"I've pulled a muscle, I've strained my groin a little, but not something like this where you feel like somebody shot you. That's different," Rollins said.

"I've never been in that situation. They said two to four weeks and they weren't talking about being healthy; they were talking about determining what the next step would be. It's probably pretty accurate, unfortunately."

The three-time All-Star says he still feels tightness when he moves to his left fielding groundballs. Rollins also feels the calf acting up when he shuffles side-to-side.

The 31-year-old leadoff hitter was off to a hot start, hitting .391 and scoring eight runs in seven games. Rollins was also showing more patience at the plate, drawing seven walks.

He doesn't know when he'll try and run.

"Once we get past jogging, we'll progress," he said. "Until then, I don't have a set date."

The Phillies also said that Joe Blanton will make his first start of the season against St. Louis on Monday. Blanton has been on the disabled list while recovering from an oblique strain suffered in spring training.

The Phillies will have to make a move before Monday's game to make room for Blanton on the roster. Kyle Kendrick will get the start on Wednesday against the Cardinals.

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Former major leaguer Dave Roberts has lymphoma

Dave Roberts, whose stolen base for Boston in the 2004 playoffs sparked the Red Sox to an elusive World Series championship, is being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Roberts

Roberts was diagnosed in mid-March and he says the cancer was detected early. He says the prognosis is "good." He has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy so far.

The 37-year-old Roberts is working for the San Diego Padres as a special assistant. He was scheduled to talk about his health later Monday.

Roberts played 10 seasons in the majors for Cleveland, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston, San Diego and San Francisco. The speedy outfielder retired after the 2008 season with the Giants, then worked in television last year for the Red Sox.

Roberts was a career .266 hitter with 243 steals. His biggest highlight came in Game 4 of the 2004 AL championship series, where Boston was three outs away from getting swept by the New York Yankees.

With the Red Sox down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth at Fenway Park, Roberts entered as a pinch-runner after Kevin Millar drew a leadoff walk from Mariano Rivera. Roberts stole second on the first pitch and later scored the tying run on a single by Bill Mueller.

The Red Sox went on to win 6-4 in 12 innings, then became the first team in major league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win a postseason series. Roberts was on the World Series roster, but did not play as Boston swept St. Louis for its first championship since 1918.

In fact, Roberts did not get to bat at all in the 2004 postseason. Yet his steal was credited as spurring the Red Sox toward their title.

Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield was among Roberts' teammates that year.

"It's saddening to hear that a guy which has such great character as Dave Roberts was stricken with the illness. I'm optimistic that it's going to be treated and he'll live a long and healthy life," Wakefield said before Boston's home game against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

"We prayed for him in chapel yesterday. Hopefully, a lot of prayers go his way," he said.

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Brian Roberts of Baltimore Orioles (back) says he's not close to return

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles could be forced to go several months without second baseman Brian Roberts, who conceded Sunday that the timetable for his return from the disabled list is very much uncertain.

Roberts was placed on the 15-day DL on April 12 with a strained abdominal muscle and to receive further treatment on a herniated disk in his back. His stomach is no longer an issue, but he's still not ready to test his ailing back.

Roberts

At this point, there's no telling when he will be cleared to begin baseball activities.

"I don't know if it's three weeks or three months," Roberts said. "I don't think it will be three months. That's not a scenario we talked about. But I don't have any answers at this point, so I can't rule that out."

The two-time All-Star missed much of spring training after receiving an epidural shot for his back. He played his first exhibition game on March 26, then participated in the first four games of the regular season before hurting himself while stealing second base in a game against Toronto on April 9.

He received another epidural shot soon after that, and remains in a holding pattern.

"This time we're being more cautious, taking it a little slower," he said. "There are things we're still waiting to see. We're waiting for improvement in certain areas."

He won't accompany the team to New York and Minnesota for a road trip that begins Monday, but he's been with the Orioles during their current homestand. Watching Baltimore get off to a 6-18 start has left him feeling helpless.

"It's been difficult for sure, watching the team struggle," he said.

Adam Jones has been batting leadoff for Roberts and Ty Wigginton has been manning second base. It could be that way for a while.

"As soon it as was announced to me it was going to be weeks ... we just had to prepare ourselves accordingly," manager Dave Trembley said. "That's why I put Jones in the leadoff spot and I'm not going to tinker with it. Because I couldn't tell you when Brian is going to come back."

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