Texas Rangers shut down Josh Hamilton for rest of season

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Texas Rangers shut down outfielder Josh Hamilton for the remainder of the season Tuesday to rest the pinched nerve in his back.

Hamilton

The Rangers began the day six games behind Boston in the AL wild-card standings with six games to play. Texas' loss to the Angels on Monday night clinched Los Angeles' fifth AL West title in six seasons.

Hamilton has missed 21 of the Rangers' past 23 games with a back problem related to injuries from a crash into an outfield fence. Manager Ron Washington said the Rangers are looking toward Hamilton's future by deciding not to ask their slugger to limp through the pain for a few final games.

"His back trouble isn't getting any better," Washington said. "Even if he did happen to go out on the field and play these last few games, we think it's better to let Josh get healthy and come back to spring training ready to go."

Hamilton was an All-Star last season while leading the AL in RBIs, and the former No. 1 pick's improbable recovery from drug addiction and alcohol abuse became a national inspiration. But this season has been an ordeal at times -- including the Rangers' previous trip to Anaheim in August, when online publication of party photos forced Hamilton to publicly acknowledge a slip in his sobriety last January.

Hamilton hit .268 with 10 homers and 54 RBIs this season while missing long stretches with injuries. He spent two weeks on the disabled list ending in early May with a strained rib cage muscle from a run into a wall, but he hurt himself again six days after returning while charging into another wall.

Hamilton had surgery June 9 to repair a slight abdominal tear, but said the pinched nerve and accompanying pain were related to his earlier injuries and rehabilitation. He received several painkilling injections while attempting to come back earlier.

Hamilton was batting .346 with 25 RBIs over his last 32 games before his latest injury absence, raising his average 48 points. He was the Rangers' designated hitter on Friday and Saturday against Tampa Bay after missing their previous 19 games, but his health didn't improve.

Although Washington refuses to make excuses, the Rangers' chase of just the fourth playoff berth in franchise history was seriously hampered by the injury absence of their two best hitters. In addition to Hamilton's woes, third baseman Michael Young just returned to the lineup with two hits Monday night after missing all but one game since Sept. 1, when he strained his hamstring.

"You can't expect young players to come in there and pick it up to the same level as these guys," Washington said. "We're still trying to win some games because we don't want Seattle to catch us [for second place in the AL West], but we're thinking about the future as well."

Texas (85-71) began the night five games ahead of the Mariners (80-76), who host the Rangers for a season-ending, three-game series this weekend.

Washington said he wants to take a look at Julio Borbon in center field before the season ends, and Taylor Teagarden will get a chance to catch "several games." Young relievers Pedro Strop and Guillermo Moscoso also will get ample work.

European reviewTexas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton returns to lineup

Doubt cast upon game-ending grab by Colorado Rockies' Clint Barmes

DENVER -- The Catch might not have been a catch after all.

Clint Barmes returned from a day off in the mountains with his family Tuesday to learn that doubt had been cast upon his sensational game-ending grab that cinched the Colorado Rockies' victory over the St. Louis Cardinals 48 hours earlier.

Barmes

The second baseman's tumbling catch of Ryan Ludwick's one-out flare to shallow right field, followed by his strike to first base to double up Albert Pujols and seal the NL wild-card leading Rockies' 4-3 win was immediately termed "the defensive play of the year" by manager Jim Tracy.

However, a fan, Craig Welling, posted images on his photo blog from his vantage point in right field, and one of the shots clearly showed the ball on the grass for a split second as Barmes rolled over.

Barmes' body blocked television angles as well as those of professional photographers.

So, did he make the catch or not?

"When I popped to my feet, the ball was in my hand," Barmes said. "I never said I caught it clean."

After the game, Barmes said he thought he made the catch but that it happened so fast, he wasn't sure.

Barmes said Tuesday that all he knows for sure is that the ball bobbled around his body as he tumbled.

"Once I was heading down, the ball bounced off my glove," he said. "I felt it hit my chest. I'm reaching for it, trying to battle to catch it before it hits the ground. At that point, it happened so fast, my knee hit [the ground], I flipped, I knocked my hat and my glasses off, scratched my forehead. I come up and the ball's in my hand."

Right fielder Ryan Spilborghs immediately hollered at him to throw to first base to double up Pujols, who, like Julio Lugo at third base, had run on contact.

First-base umpire Sam Holbrook ruled it a catch, and the throw to first ended the game.

"It's not like I'm sitting here trying to play it off and try to cheat them out of an out or whatever," Barmes said. "I honestly thought that I caught the ball at the time. ... I wish I could say I'm good enough, my hand-eye coordination is good enough, as I'm rolling that fast and I'm in full-speed and I hit the ground rolling that I can react and try to pick a ball up on the ground."

Spilborghs, who had the best view of the play, was coy when asked Tuesday whether the Rockies got away with one.

"It was a good play, that's all it was," he said. "It doesn't really matter because the play's over."

But did he see the ball hit the ground?

"It's more fun not to say whether I did or I didn't," Spilborghs retorted.

Barmes even held a news conference Tuesday before the Rockies faced the Milwaukee Brewers so that he didn't have to talk about the play over and over with individual reporters.

"You look at my quotes on Sunday, I never once said I for sure caught the ball. I said, 'All I know is whenever I hit, I rolled, the ball was not in my glove, it somehow was in my throwing hand when I came up and I finished the play out of reaction,'" Barmes said. "I went and looked at the replays and I saw two, slowing it down frame by frame and I couldn't tell. And so, I just assumed it worked out great -- the ball, I caught it clean.

"And obviously today showing up, the picture showed that I didn't."

Even if baseball had instant replay for these types of situations, the call wouldn't have been reversed because there was no video angle that conclusively showed the ball had hit the grass.

"The bottom line, like a lot of the guys in [the clubhouse] said, we got the win and that's all that matters," Barmes said.

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Texas Rangers' Omar Vizquel, 42, hopes to play again in 2010

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Omar Vizquel wants to extend his term as the oldest position player in the major leagues.

The 42-year-old Rangers infielder said Sunday that he's planning to play another season.

Vizquel

"I'm going to play. I'm going to try to give it another shot," Vizquel said before the Rangers' home finale against Tampa Bay. "I still feel physically pretty good. When my body feels like that, I better take advantage of it."

Vizquel is wrapping up his 21st major league season, his first in Texas. He signed with the Rangers last winter knowing he would serve primarily as a mentor to rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus.

An 11-time Gold Glove winner, Vizquel's 2,680 games at shortstop are a major league record. Only Ozzie Smith has won more Gold Gloves at shortstop (13), but Vizquel is the only shortstop to win the award multiple times in the American and National League.

Before coming to Texas on a $1 million deal, Vizquel had played all but two of his games defensively at shortstop. He had one game at second base in 1991 and one in right field 10 years ago.

Vizquel has started 43 games for Texas -- 21 at shortstop, 14 at second and eight at third -- and has 202 fielding chances without an error, the most among any non-first baseman in the major leagues. In 59 games overall, he has a .266 batting average.

"I'm pretty happy about what I did," he said.

Vizquel, whose 2,702 hits are the most by a native of Venezuela, becomes a free agent after the season.

"If he wants to play another year, we want him another year," manager Ron Washington said. "He's certainly part of my plan if that's what he wants to do."

A .273 career hitter in 2,739 games, Vizquel also played for Seattle (1989-93), Cleveland (1994-2004) and San Francisco (2005-08). He turns 43 on April 24.

Texas Rangers’ Omar Vizquel, 42, hopes to play again in 2010Romaric out of Rangers tie

Texas Rangers' Omar Vizquel, 42, hopes to play again in 2010

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Omar Vizquel wants to extend his term as the oldest position player in the major leagues.

The 42-year-old Rangers infielder said Sunday that he's planning to play another season.

Vizquel

"I'm going to play. I'm going to try to give it another shot," Vizquel said before the Rangers' home finale against Tampa Bay. "I still feel physically pretty good. When my body feels like that, I better take advantage of it."

Vizquel is wrapping up his 21st major league season, his first in Texas. He signed with the Rangers last winter knowing he would serve primarily as a mentor to rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus.

An 11-time Gold Glove winner, Vizquel's 2,680 games at shortstop are a major league record. Only Ozzie Smith has won more Gold Gloves at shortstop (13), but Vizquel is the only shortstop to win the award multiple times in the American and National League.

Before coming to Texas on a $1 million deal, Vizquel had played all but two of his games defensively at shortstop. He had one game at second base in 1991 and one in right field 10 years ago.

Vizquel has started 43 games for Texas -- 21 at shortstop, 14 at second and eight at third -- and has 202 fielding chances without an error, the most among any non-first baseman in the major leagues. In 59 games overall, he has a .266 batting average.

"I'm pretty happy about what I did," he said.

Vizquel, whose 2,702 hits are the most by a native of Venezuela, becomes a free agent after the season.

"If he wants to play another year, we want him another year," manager Ron Washington said. "He's certainly part of my plan if that's what he wants to do."

A .273 career hitter in 2,739 games, Vizquel also played for Seattle (1989-93), Cleveland (1994-2004) and San Francisco (2005-08). He turns 43 on April 24.

Texas Rangers’ Omar Vizquel, 42, hopes to play again in 2010Romaric out of Rangers tie

Texas Rangers' Omar Vizquel, 42, hopes to play again in 2010

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The oldest position player in the major leagues is planning to play another season.

Vizquel

Rangers utility infielder Omar Vizquel says he feels good physically and "better take advantage" of how he feels.

The 42-year-old Vizquel is wrapping up his 21st major league season, his first in Texas, where he served primarily as a mentor to rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus and a part-time player. He went into the Rangers' final home game Sunday hitting .266 in 59 games, with 43 starts -- 21 at shortstop, 14 at second base and eight at third.

Vizquel, an 11-time Gold Glove shortstop whose 2,702 hits are the most by a Venezuelan native, becomes a free agent after the season.

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Philadelphia Phillies plan to use other options at closer besides Brad Lidge

MILWAUKEE -- The Philadelphia Phillies suddenly are auditioning potential replacements for struggling closer Brad Lidge and juggling their rotation with Pedro Martinez still bothered by a stiff neck.

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Friday that the World Series champions will consider other options for closing games, adding that manager Charlie Manuel could keep Lidge in the mix.A Tale of Two Years

Brad Lidge's 2009 has been the complete opposite of his 2008 campaign.

 2008 2009 

W-L 2-0 0-8 

ERA 1.95 7.48 

Saves 41 31 

Blown saves 0 11** 

Opp. BA .198 .305 

**Most in NL since 1998

"I don't think any decision's been made officially," Amaro said. "I think Charlie's going to put people in to pitch in the seventh, eighth, ninth inning that he feels are going to be most effective. It doesn't necessarily mean Lidge isn't one of those guys. He still could be one of those guys."

FoxSports.com first reported that the Phillies would try other pitchers as their closer.

Philadelphia also decided to scratch Martinez from his start Saturday against the Brewers and replace him with right-hander Kyle Kendrick. Martinez injured his neck during an at-bat in Atlanta last Saturday and it's not clear when he will pitch again.

Martinez, 5-1 with a 3.32 ERA since signing with the Phillies on July 15, said he is feeling better but didn't want to push himself.

"I'm not going to put anything in jeopardy," Martinez said. "I'm going to be smart."

Lidge has blown 11 of 42 save chances this season for the NL East leaders. He is 0-8 with a 7.48 ERA. Last year, Lidge was perfect in 48 save tries in the regular season and playoffs.

Lidge pitched the seventh inning of Friday's 8-4 loss to Milwaukee. The Brewers were leading 7-2 when Lidge came in and gave up a run, but he still considered the outing valuable.

For now, he's more concerned about straightening himself out than he is about his role.

"Keep giving me the ball," Lidge said. "It doesn't matter, the situation. I need to get myself ready to pitch this postseason. It doesn't matter to me if it's a one-run game or we're down by seven. Work like that tonight is very productive for me."

Lidge said 20 of the 24 pitches he threw in a blown save at Florida on Wednesday were sliders. He used Friday's outing to work almost exclusively on his fastball.

"The command hasn't been there, and I think that sometimes you kind of fall into patterns that become super-predictable," Lidge said. "After Florida, when I thought about that outing in my mind, throwing that many sliders, that's never smart."

And with the end of the regular season approaching, the team is running out of time for Lidge to regain the form he showed last year.

"It may take some guys to step up and pitch in different roles that they are not typically accustomed to," Amaro said. "And Brad may be asked to do something different than he's been doing for us. Again, at the end of the day, it's about how we can get the last six or nine outs."

Left-hander J.C. Romero and right-hander Brett Myers, both on the DL, might be able to help out. The Phillies are hoping each will be able to return next week.

Romero has been on the disabled list since July 23 with a strained left forearm and Myers, who missed most of the season because of a strained right hip, has a muscle strain in his back.

"If [Manuel] feels they can get them out, he'll put them out there," Amaro said. "And again, maybe Brad Lidge is one of those [players] out there."

Other potential ninth-inning options include right-hander Tyler Walker, who earned 23 saves for San Francisco in 2005, and rookie left-handed starter J.A. Happ.

"Our best [plan] is to have Lidge pitch the ninth," Amaro said. "Right now, he hasn't been doing that effectively. And we might have to make an adjustment off of that."

Amaro said he hasn't talked to Lidge about his confidence.

"He has not performed the way he knows he can perform and the way we know he can perform," Amaro said. "He'll show us how confident we are."

Is this an unsettling situation with the playoffs approaching?

"Well, we'd rather have the seventh, eighth and ninth locked up like we have in the past," Amaro said. "This isn't a perfect world, unfortunately."

Manuel said the return of Romero and Myers would provide a boost, but acknowledged it wasn't an ideal situation.

"There's always challenges," Manuel said. "That's what makes it good."

Zigic staying at ValenciaCharlie Manuel, Brad Lidge meet to discuss closer’s role with Philadelphia Phillies

Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton returns to lineup

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton was back in the lineup Friday night after missing 19 games because of a pinched nerve in his back.

Hamilton

Hamilton was batting third as the designated hitter for Texas in the opener of its final homestand of the season against Tampa Bay. It was his first game since Sept. 1.

"I'm very happy to be back out there," Hamilton said. "Obviously, it has been frustrating. At the same time, it ain't like I got hurt from not being in shape, or by swinging the bat, or running or throwing or anything like that. It was from hitting a wall."

Literally, and "very hard," he said.

An All-Star last year, Hamilton has been out a lot this season as Texas faded from postseason contention.

Hamilton hurt himself crashing into an outfield wall making a catch May 17, less than a week after he came off the disabled list following a strained rib cage muscle sustained when he ran into another wall.

He had surgery June 9 to repair a slight abdominal tear. He said the pinched nerve and accompanying glute pain was related to the earlier problems and rehabilitation to get back on the field.

"Physically, I'm good enough, and that's what matters at this point," Hamilton said. "The pain over the past week hasn't gotten any worse. That's a positive. If it stays like it is, I can deal with it."

Hamilton had several injections in an attempt to come back sooner.

Last year's AL RBI leader entered Friday night's game hitting .270 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs in 87 games.

All-Star third baseman Michael Young was out for the 20th time in 21 games because of a strained left hamstring. His one game in that stretch was a single at-bat when he tried to come back Sept. 15.

Manager Ron Washington said Young "probably won't" play in the weekend series against the Rays.

Texas Rangers’ Michael Young decided ‘just not ready’ to playRomaric out of Rangers tie