Friday, July 1, 2011

Scoop Du Jour

Thu Jun 30 07:07am EDT

Braves' Chipper Jones hopes to avoid DL

Chipper JonesThe small meniscus tear in the right knee of Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones(notes) is "bugging" him, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, but he's hoping to avoid surgery or a stint on the disabled list.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez sat him Wednesday so that he would have two days off in a row, the paper notes, since Atlanta isn't playing Thursday.
"If you've got torn meniscus, you've got torn meniscus," Jones said, the paper reports. "There's not a lot you can do about it. Just have to stay on top of it [with treatment]. If I have to go on the DL for it, I'll probably get the surgery. But if I can avoid it, I'd rather not."
Surgery would cause the 39-year-old to miss three weeks. He is batting .252 with seven homers.
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  • Josh JohnsonThe Florida Marlins had hoped that ace Josh Johnson(notes) and his sore right shoulder could return fully healed just after the All-Star break, but that date has now been pushed back, according to the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.
    Johnson visited famed orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday and was told not to throw a ball for a week to 10 days, the paper reports; he was also given a cortisone shot. The good news is that Andrews doesn't need to perform surgery.
    The Sun-Sentinel notes, though, that now Johnson isn't expected back in the Marlins rotation till sometime in August.
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  • Brad LidgeWith Brad Lidge(notes), Jose Contreras(notes) and Ryan Madson(notes) all on the disabled list, the Philadelphia Phillies turned to 25-year-old Antonio Bastardo(notes) in the ninth inning to close out the 2-1 game against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. He faced Kevin Youkilis(notes), David Ortiz(notes) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia(notes), and put them down in order for his third career save.
    The Phils hope he can keep up that kind of performance for at least the next month. At that point, Lidge thinks he may be ready to return.
    "Honestly, my shoulder right now feels like nothing ever happened," Lidge said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Of course, what happened was a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder as well as elbow problems in the same arm.
    But Lidge, who is making $11.5 million this season, thinks he's headed for a rehab assignment in the minors next week, the paper reports. "I feel good enough to do it," he said.
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  • Derek JeterThe players on the roster of the Double-A Trenton Thunder may be getting a treat this weekend. The word is that New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter(notes) may be coming to town for a rehab start.
    The Newark Star-Ledger reports that Jeter did a few more things Wednesday than he had previously to test the left calf strain that he suffered June 13 against the Cleveland Indians. He remains six hits shy of 3,000.
    "Derek had another good day, did a little more base-running today, a little defense with some lateral movements so he got tested pretty good," said Yankees GM Brian Cashman, the Star-Ledger reports. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow and we'll repeat that for the next day or two. If all goes well, we could see him on a rehab assignment as early as Saturday."
    Cashman said if all goes well, Jeter could be back with the big club for the July 4-6 series against the Indians. The Yanks, by the way, are 11-3 without Jeter.
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  • J.J. HardyShortstop J.J. Hardy(notes) has only played 50 games for the Baltimore Orioles, but they'd like him to stick around. The Baltimore Sun reports that the O's want to start talks with Hardy's agent about a contract extension before the All-Star break.
    Hardy, who is a free agent at season's end, is hitting .307 with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and 30 runs this season. Nine of those dingers came in the month of June. Last year, with the Minnesota Twins, he had only six homers and 38 RBIs.
    "Talks haven't gotten serious to this point, but that should change as the Orioles get closer to the July 31 trade deadline," the Sun reports. "With the struggles of veterans Derrek Lee(notes) and Vladimir Guerrero(notes), Hardy has emerged as arguably the Orioles' biggest trade chip as several contenders, including the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants, could be looking for a shortstop upgrade."
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  • Shin-Soo ChooCleveland Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo(notes) underwent thumb surgery Tuesday that is going to have him off the field for 8-10 weeks, according to MLB.com.
    "It means that [the doctor] had to go inside and put the bone back in place," Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff said, according to the site.
    Shin-Soo Choo is batting .244 this year with five homers, 11 stolen bases and 28 RBIs for the Indians, who are one game behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers in the American League Central.
    Last year, he batted .300, stole 22 stolen bases, hit 22 homers and had 90 RBIs for Cleveland. Plus, he helped his South Korean teammates win the gold medal over Japan at the Asian Games last fall, which got him out of having to serve the usually mandatory military service of his home country.
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    Source: MLB.com

  • Josh JohnsonFlorida Marlins ace Josh Johnson(notes) is currently on the 60-day disabled list with an injured right shoulder. Soon, it may be decided that he'll need even more time before his next trip to the mound.
    The Miami Herald reports that Johnson will visit famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday.
    "He threw a [bullpen session] on Friday and reported a little bit more stiffness and just didn't feel right," said Larry Beinfest, Marlins president of baseball operations, according to the Herald. "Obviously it's not what we were looking for in the progression."
    Johnson started only nine games this season for the Marlins, going 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA. He's under contract for two more seasons in a four-year deal that pays him $39 million.
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    Source: Miami Herald

  • Jonathan BroxtonJonathan Broxton(notes) was supposed to be back on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster this weekend. Instead, he and the sore elbow that put him on the DL in early May will need to take at least three more weeks off from pitching, according to the Los Angeles Times.
    The paper notes that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said if the right-hander pitches again this season, he would consider it a bonus.
    The Dodgers have sent three closers to the disabled list this season: Broxton, Vicente Padilla(notes) and Hong-Chih Kuo(notes).
    In his time with the Dodgers this season, Broxton is 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA and seven saves. He's a free agent at season's end.
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  • Adrian GonzalezEven before Cliff Lee(notes) and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-0 Tuesday night, Boston manager Terry Francona had made his decision.
    The Boston Herald reports that Francona told designated hitter David Ortiz(notes) that he would get the start at first base Wednesday night for the second matchup between two of baseball's best teams, and he told first baseman Adrian Gonzalez(notes) that he would be moving to right field.
    The Boston Globe tells Sox fans not to worry too much about Gonzalez, who is batting .357 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs: "He's smart enough not to run into a wall and slow enough not to hurt himself chasing down a ball," the Globe wrote.
    The Red Sox will face rookie Vance Worley(notes) (2-1, 2.83 ERA) Wednesday while the Phils will go up against John Lackey(notes) (5-6, 7.36 ERA).
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  • Carlos BeltranRangers president Nolan Ryan "downplayed" rumors that the Texas Rangers are interested in trading for New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran(notes) or closer Francisco Rodriguez, according to ESPN.
    "I can't believe that we have an interest in either," Ryan told a local radio station, the site reports.
    The Rangers lost two of three to the Mets this past weekend. While Beltran took the opportunity to showcase himself, going 4 for 12 with five RBIs, Rodriguez didn't do himself any favors by allowing two runs on two hits in Sunday's Mets win.
    "I don't see that's an upgrade" on the relief front, Ryan said, according to ESPN. "And Beltran, you worry about his knee. And you're taking on an awful lot of salary." Beltran is making more than $19 million this year. "He's had so many medical problems and played so little at times, it's just a real risky situation," Ryan said.
    Rodriguez is pulling in slightly more than $12 million this year.
    However, Ryan did let on that his team has had trade talks with other teams already.
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