Twins' Faith in Liriano Could Finally Pay Off

In November 2003, Francisco Liriano was an afterthought in the trade that sent catcher A. J. Pierzynski to the Giants and pitcher Joe Nathan to the Twins. Liriano was coming off an injury-plagued season, and San Francisco included him and pitcher Boof Bonser, another minor leaguer, in the trade.
Finally healthy this season, Liriano has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the Twins' organization, if not in the entire minor leagues.

While Pierzynski played just one season for the Giants before signing with the White Sox as a free agent, Nathan has saved 78 games for the Twins since the trade, and Bonser leads the Class AAA International League with 161 strikeouts. But Liriano has made a bigger impression this season and was rewarded yesterday with a call-up to Minnesota.
After being promoted to Class AAA Rochester in June, Liriano posted a 9-2 record with a 1.78 earned run average, 112 strikeouts and 24 walks over 91 innings.
Liriano, a 6-foot-2 left-hander, was third in the International League in strikeouts even though he was the only pitcher among the top 20 who had thrown fewer than 100 innings.
He was the starter for the World Team in this year's Future's Game and threw a perfect first inning. This week, he was named the International League's rookie of the year.
"This year I just wanted to stay healthy," Liriano, 21, said in a telephone interview. "Things have just got better and better. I've come a long way, but I just got to keep working and see what happens."
One of the things Liriano has been working on is maintaining a consistent motion to avoid putting additional strain on his left elbow, which gave him problems in 2003.
"There were some things he was doing wrong, and we just tried to find a way where he could finish his motion where it wouldn't be so much strain on his body," said Bobby Cuellar, the Rochester pitching coach. "He's done a lot of individual work on it, and he's done pretty well with it."
Earlier this season, the Twins balked at including Liriano in a trade for Texas second basemen Alfonso Soriano, and the deal fell through. Liriano said that despite the comparisons to Johan Santana, Minnesota's Cy Young Award winner, and all the other attention he has drawn, he needed to keep his focus.
World Cup Is Under Way
The 2005 World Cup began yesterday in the Netherlands, with the Netherlands defeating China, 13-3, in the first game.
The tournament, the largest official international event of the year, runs through Sept. 17. Amateur players and those not on the 40-man rosters of major league organizations comprise the rosters.
The United States team has a distinctly Queens flavor thanks to two players from the Mets organization and a former Mets manager. Outfielder Lastings Milledge (Class AA Binghamton) and the right-handed pitcher Brian Bannister (Class AAA Norfolk) are on the team, which will be managed by Davey Johnson, who guided the Mets to their last World Series title, in 1986.
The Greek team withdrew for financial reasons and will be replaced by the Czech Republic.
Isotopes' Slugger Is Hot
Albuquerque outfielder Mike Colangelo hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning of the Isotopes' 11-6 victory over Round Rock on Wednesday night, giving him home runs in six straight games. He was one shy of the Pacific Coast League (Class AAA) record, set in 1977 by Claude Westmoreland, but he failed to hit a home run on Thursday night. The Anaheim Angels selected Colangelo in the 21st round of the draft in 1997.
Steroids Joke in Richmond
The Richmond Roosters of the independent Frontier League are proud of the fact that they have never had a player test positive for steroids, and now they are going to take their drug policy even further, or so they joke in a recent promotion.
"We're planning on doing some random fan testing between now and the end of the season," Deanna Beaman, the team's vice president and general manager, said in a release. "We owe it to our players."
Beaman said testing would be conducted in and around Don McBride Stadium.
"We'll take notice if we see any weight gains," she said.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/

Kids' baseball fantasies help better teens' realities

San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal races to second base with a group of children during the "Field of Dreams" fantasy batting fundraiser at SBC Park. Left: Grant Manning, 4, takes a hack during the event on Saturday. The fundraiser was sponsored by Juma Ventures, a nonprofit group that helps teenagers from lower-income neighborhoods find jobs and develop skills. The nonprofit has placed young employees at Ben & Jerry's ice cream shops, concessions at Bay Area sports stadiums and at the Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/

WiFi At The Ballpark

The 2005 baseball season hasn’t been kind to San Francisco Giants fans. The team has played poorly, Barry Bonds has been out all year, and so on. However, if you can muster up the energy to go out to SBC Park before the season ends, bring along your laptop. The stadium has added live, live, streaming video capabilities to its wireless Internet network for fans. Essentially, as the Giants are getting pounded, fans will have the ability to watch streams of other baseball games (like the Oakland A’s) over MLB TV. According to park officials, the streaming video is best watched on a laptop, but handheld devices will soon have the capability as well. In addition, some of the brand new stadiums will be featuring high-speed wireless connectivity. The new facilities for baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals and football’s Arizona Cardinals will be the beneficiaries of some of most cutting-edge WiFi networks next year.

Source: http://wireless.weblogsinc.com/

The ticker

Two cents worth
The Lions need a quarterback? Why not wait a couple of weeks to see if former Central Michigan/NFL QB Gary Hogeboom gets voted off "Survivor: Guatemala"? That's a better fit than, say, Jesse Palmer of "The Bachelor," who was cut by the Giants. Every season of "Survivor: Allen Park" has its shocking big twists, too, starting with the Jeff Garcia injury.
Magazine rack
Lions receiver Roy Williams is featured in the back-of-the-issue Q&A with Dan Patrick in the new ESPN the Magazine (the one with "Family Guy" on the cover and also a nice story on Rip Hamilton's loyalty to his hometown of Coatesville, Pa.).
In the tongue-in-cheek interview, Williams -- who was in the movie "Friday Night Lights" -- says he thinks his acting skills are "up there with Denzel's" and, growing up, his favorite superhero was He-Man and his best sport was baseball.
Williams: "I quit in eighth grade 'cause this one pitcher had no control, hit me dead in the side."
Patrick: "You were soft back then, is that what you're saying?"
Williams: "No, I'd just rather get hit with pads on."
Williams also admitted to being an aficionado of "The Lion King" and "Hakuna Matata," which we've always said would be a better song than "Gridiron Heroes" for Lions fans, too:
"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase.
"Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze.
"It means no worries for the rest of your days.
"It's our problem-free philosophy.
"Hakuna Matata!"
The Lions also got a little rip in the September issue of GQ (the one with Tom Brady on the cover), which said the Lions' new third jerseys are "only four years behind the black-uni trend. Given that the Lions are about six years behind the rest of the league in most other areas, this counts as progress." We'll reserve judgment until we see what Vogue's NFL preview issue says about them.
Fair condition
Amazingly, St. Louis/former Lions defensive back Terry Fair might suit up when the Rams open against San Francisco on Sunday, something that was pretty far from his mind Monday night as he lay on Ford Field with a neck injury after trying to tackle Kevin Jones.
"I've never been through anything like that before," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It was frightening. When you're down like that, there's always a possibility of you not being able to play this game."
Or worse. "It seemed like an eternity," Fair said, before he started regaining feeling.
Odd things can flash through a person's mind at times like that, but Fair said he thought of the movie "Jerry Maguire," when receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) falls on his head while catching a TD pass, lies motionless on the field for several minutes before getting up and dancing.
"Yeah, I had everything but the dancing," Fair told the Post-Dispatch. Instead, as he was carted off the field, he flashed a thumb's-up sign to the cheers of the crowd.
"I just wanted to let my family at home know I was all right," he said. "My mom always tells me, 'If you go down, let us know you're OK by doing something.' But to get the response from the fans and all the players, hearing them, that really meant a lot to me."
Bottom line
Jason Christiansen, quoted in the L.A. Times on being traded from San Francisco to Anaheim: "It's good to get out of a situation where if you pitch a good game, guys ask, 'Did you miss Barry Bonds today?' ... The last five months, we saw him about 20 days. It's tough to answer questions about someone you don't know anything about unless you go on to his Web site."
CBS announcer Patrick McEnroe, on Sania Mirza making the round of 16 at the U.S. Open: "She's the biggest thing in India other than outsourcing."
Southern Cal's Aussie high jumper Alex Church, asked by the L.A. Daily News if he was impressed by the 63-17 victory over Hawaii: "I don't know. It's not rugby."

Source: http://www.freep.com/

Oakland needs to invest in Bonds, and the Giants would love to sell

Around the A's ballpark these days, you hear a lot of crazy speculation. Like, with Bobby Crosby out, how about Nomar Garciaparra?
Crosby's not coming back soon, and even though Nomar is a superstar no more (he's hitting .262 for the Cubbies), he is a big-time player with the pennant-race experience the A's lack.
It might work. But why not think bigger? Biggest?
Barry Bonds.
The Yankees slapped around the A's over the weekend, two games out of three. It's scary when you compare the Yankees' Murderers' Row with the A's Banjo Blvd.
Derek Jeter led off Sunday evening's game by slashing Barry Zito's first pitch over the fence.
"Don't worry," said someone in the press box, "Kendall will answer back."
Jeter has 15 homers. A's leadoff man Jason Kendall has zero. That's not to single out Kendall. Whatever is ailing the A's -- losers of four of their last five -- won't be cured by Dr. Longball.
Unless they get Bonds.
The Giants would love to dump Barry's salary, for this month and for 2006, and his bizarre diva act has to be wearing thin with everyone at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, from the top down.
The Giants could trade Bonds and not tell him, let him find out from the team's Web site. Sweeeet.
Besides, the Giants' goal every year is to be in contention for a playoff spot into September, and they've already accomplished that.
It would be a big financial gamble for the A's, but with a big upside. What if Bonds got smart and spent part of his rehab working on bunting? Even waddling and limping down the line after bunts to the left side against the shift, Bonds could hit .500.
A panic move by the A's? Absolutely, and if the A's aren't in full panic mode, they should be. Crosby out. Rich Harden hurting. Mark Kotsay a zombie. Zito absolutely hammered Sunday.
The A's say they expect Crosby to miss only three weeks, but amateur orthopedists like me can't help but wonder if the A's are being overly optimistic.
Likewise, the A's are giving Sunday as the target for Harden's return, but injured power pitchers are wildly unpredictable creatures.
The A's would be crazy to gamble on Bonds, who might not hit another home run, but who's crazier than Billy Beane?
And if you want evidence that a suspected steroid slugger, now presumed to be clean, can come back from 'Roidville to be a productive power hitter, you have to look only at Jason Giambi.
This is the mystery of the baseball season so far: How Jason got his groove back.
Giambi even has gained back most of his old muscle mass and definition after shrinking down to Marco Scutaro size. Giambi isn't the comeback kid, he's the re-incarnation ragamuffin.
Kendall led off the bottom of the first Sunday with a bouncer to Jeter at shortstop. Jeter threw high to first. Giambi leaped to make the catch and came down on the bag just ahead of Kendall. Last year, the thin Giambi would have hung in the air too long. This year, he's quicker back to earth.
The Oakland fans boo Giambi with gusto, but you won't find anyone in either clubhouse to speak ill of the big lug. In the face of conclusive evidence that he juiced, Giambi didn't go Raffy on us, claiming someone spiked his Whopper, or hid behind his lawyer's skirt. Giambi still sidesteps 'roid questions with equanimity.
"It's impossible not to like the guy," says a team insider of the man who almost ruined the Yankees.
Besides, if you say anything bad about Giambi, you'll have to fight A's third-base coach Ron Washington and about 30 of his relatives, after they got flooded in New Orleans and Giambi quietly slipped Wash a check for $20,000.
While the pitching-thin Yankees are banking on Giambi and the other big Yankee crankers, the A's seem to be hoping their mystical esprit de goof can keep them afloat until their key guys get healthy.
The Yankees like to think they're above relying on a loosey-goosey clubhouse to produce wins, but had the A's swept the weekend series, George Steinbrenner would have fired the Yankees' clubbie and hired Chris Rock.
The A's can't worry about New York, though. They have to worry about themselves.
After the A's got blanked Saturday by a Yankees pitcher (Aaron Small) from nowhere, Eric Chavez bristled, "We've faced a lot of average pitchers this season ... and haven't done anything against them."
Could that be because the A's offense, graded on the playoff-team curve, is well below average?
Barry Bonds, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/

Mets can't stop Chipper

ATLANTA - Chipper Jones can't really explain his success against the New York Mets. He just hopes the hits keep coming.
"I respect that organization and the players over there," said Jones, who hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning of the Braves' 4-2 victory Monday.
"It just so happens that when we play each other a lot late in the season over the last few years, I've had some pretty meaningful hits," said Jones, who had three RBIs.
Andruw Jones hit his major-league-leading 45th homer for the Braves, who improved to 49-20 against the Mets at Turner Field, 5-1 this season. Atlanta estimated his home run went 452 feet, sixth longest at Turner Field and the longest by a Brave.
Chipper Jones thinks his teammate should win the NL MVP award.
"I think he's a landslide winner," he said. "You're talking about a guy who plays Gold Glove defense, the best centerfielder in the game, bar none. Everybody's just been waiting for him to turn the corner offensively, and now he's done that."
Chipper Jones hit a run-scoring double that tied the score in the first and homered against former Devil Ray Steve Trachsel. Jones has 34 homers against the Mets, second among active players to Barry Bonds' 35. He also has a .337 career average in 531 at-bats against New York with 102 RBIs.
Chipper and Andruw Jones homered in the same game for the 48th time, most among active teammates.
New York has lost five of six and seven of nine after going 9-2 from Aug.19-26.
Andruw Jones' homer gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead in the fourth, but New York tied the score in the eighth when David Wright tagged up at third and beat Jones' throw from center to give Ramon Castro a sacrifice fly against Blaine Boyer. The rookie right-hander had pitched 152/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
ASTROS 4, PHILLIES 3: Andy Pettitte pitched 52/3 shutout innings, Lance Berkman hit a three-run homer and visiting Houston moved into the wild-card lead.
The Astros moved a half-game ahead of Philadelphia and one ahead of Florida with their 10th straight win over the Phillies.
Pettitte allowed three hits, struck out five and walked none. Former Devil Ray Dan Wheeler escaped a jam with the bases loaded in the seventh, and Brad Lidge pitched the ninth for his 33rd save, although he gave up a run and had the winning run at second before getting the final out.
NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 2: Livan Hernandez didn't allow a hit until the fifth, took a shutout into the ninth and drove in a run with one of his two singles, leading host Washington. The Nationals won their third straight, all against clubs ahead of them in the tight wild-card standings. Hernandez left after allowing Miguel Cabrera's 29th homer, a two-run shot with no outs in the ninth.
CARDINALS 6, CUBS 4: Albert Pujols hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth for host St. Louis. Jeff Suppan didn't allow an earned run in six innings, and five relievers finished as the Cardinals stopped Chicago's three-game winning streak.
GIANTS 3, DODGERS 1: Julio Ramirez scored the go-ahead run on third baseman Mike Edwards' throwing error in the eighth, helping visiting San Francisco win its sixth straight. The second-place Giants trail San Diego by five games in the West.
BREWERS 6, REDS 1: J.J. Hardy singled with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to drive in the go-ahead run, and Geoff Jenkins tied his career high with five hits to back Tomo Ohka's seven efficient innings for visiting Milwaukee.

Source: http://www.sptimes.com/

Bonds works out, but won't say when he will be returning

Barry Bonds worked out with the San Francisco Giants on Monday, taking batting practice and testing his throwing arm before the team opened a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Bonds, recovering from three operations on his right knee since Jan. 31, said he didn't know when he would return to the lineup.''It's day-by-day right now, get through today and see how I turn out,'' he told a horde of reporters in the Giants' dugout.The 41-year-old slugger took 17 swings and hit five balls over the fence during his turn in the batting cage.''I did pretty well today,'' he said. ''When I get back on the field, I want to be playing where I left off.''Palmeiro still considers return in 2006: Rafael Palmeiro was sent home to Texas to rehabilitate knee and ankle injuries, leaving his baseball future unclear during a season in which he was suspended for a positive steroids test.Palmeiro's season unraveled soon after he collected his 3,000th career hit on July 15. He received a 10-day suspension on Aug. 1 for failing a drug test, and upon his return was booed by fans in Baltimore and on the road.He is 2-for-26 with one RBI since coming back, and has been bothered the past two weeks by injuries to his left ankle and right knee. The Orioles still expect him to play this month, but decided Monday that the first baseman should go home to recover.''It is in his and the Orioles best interests for Palmeiro to stay off the knee as much as possible to allow it to heal completely,'' the team said in statement. ''At the same time, remaining with the team while unable to play has created an unnecessary distraction for both Palmeiro and the ballclub.''Palmeiro, who has not played since Tuesday in Toronto, left for Texas shortly after the Orioles' 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays on Monday.Cardinals bring up six from Triple-A: St. Louis added six players to the roster for the final month of the season on Monday, including the son of pitching coach Dave Duncan.The Cardinals purchased the contract of first basesman Chris Duncan from Triple-A Memphis. They recalled outfielders Skip Schumaker and John Gall and pitchers Anthony Reyes, Randy Flores and Adam Wainwright.Reds activate Freel: Cincinnati activated infielder Ryan Freel from the 15-day disabled list and added three right-handed pitchers to their roster.Joe Valentine, who opened the season with the Reds, Allan Simpson and catcher Miguel Perez were recalled from Triple-A Louisville. The Reds also purchased the contract of pitcher Chris Booker from the Bats.Rangers recall Wilson, McDougall: Texas recalled left-hander C.J. Wilson and infielder Marshall McDougall from Double-A Frisco before Monday's game against Minnesota.Nationals call up three: Right-hander Darrell Rasner was recalled from Double-A Harrisburg by Washington so he can start against Florida today.The Nationals also recalled righty reliever Travis Hughes and purchased the contract of catcher Keith Osik, both from Triple-A New Orleans.Righty Ryan Drese (shoulder) was transferred from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list.Reliever Luis Ayala was scheduled to have an MRI exam on his bothersome right elbow Monday.

Source: http://www.mcall.com/

Alou: Bonds' return 'in the hands of trainers, doctors'

LOS ANGELES -- Barry Bonds put in a rigorous workout Tuesday, but the San Francisco Giants slugger was not activated off the disabled list.Bonds was on the Dodger Stadium field well before his teammates, lightly running the bases, shagging fly balls, taking some swings and doing cutting drills under an intense sun. Later, he took his turn with the rest of the Giants in the batting cage.
Bonds will be evaluated Wednesday morning at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic, team spokesman Blake Rhodes said.
The 41-year-old slugger has yet to play this season while recovering from three operations on his right knee since Jan. 31. He has been in Los Angeles for two months rehabbing his knee and practicing his hitting.
"We waited a long time, so if we wait another day or two or three, it's OK," Giants manager Felipe Alou said.
Bonds also worked out Monday, but Alou got his first good look at the slugger in action in the outfield Tuesday and said, "His swing is intact. The hand-eye coordination is intact. The bat is ready. The other stuff, I don't want to get into."
Bonds impressed Alou by fielding several line drives hit by a coach.
"I saw balls that were hit where he had to run and stop. I didn't see much favoring in the knee," Alou said. "He's so much better than he was in spring training. That was a real workout."
Bonds told reporters Monday that he didn't know when he would return. On Tuesday, Bonds wasn't talking to reporters, Rhodes said.

Bonds' No. 25 jersey hung in his locker and he sat munching half of a grilled sandwich before his second round in the batting cage.
Pitcher Noah Lowry is eager to see Bonds return to the lineup for the Giants, who had won six straight going into Tuesday night's game against the Dodgers.
"We've been trying to battle this whole year without that major factor," he said. "Having him in our lineup is only going to help us. He's the best player in the game."
If and when Bonds returns, it will likely be in a pinch-hitter's role.
"He'll probably pinch-hit for anybody in the lineup," Alou said.
Alou and Bonds chatted in the manager's office after his one-man workout, and Alou said they discussed "possibilities."
"He's still in the hands of the trainers and doctors," Alou said. "When we're given the green light, we'll stick him in there."

Source: http://cbs.sportsline.com/

Anyone for Fun 'n' games: 9/7/05

On foreign grounds:The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim acquired former Pirate Jason Christiansen from the San Francisco Giants last week to give them a much-needed left-handed reliever. More often than not, Christiansen pitches to one left-handed batter and leaves the game. Christiansen, however, never has pitched in the American League. So, he has not pitched against most AL batters and most AL batters have not faced him. You would think that Christiansen would brush up on some of those new faces. You would be wrong, reports the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. "I'm not a huge fan of the game." Christiansen said. "I don't sit and look at other teams and watch baseball all the time. I can't tell you 10 guys who play for the [Texas] Rangers." Shocked by such an admission, we quickly ticked off the names of 10 Rangers just to make sure we could. But Christiansen softened his words, admitting that "I'll definitely be picking the brains of a few guys here to see what their game plan is [against particular hitters]." We are so glad to hear that.
Dare we repeat it I:Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune on the New Orleans Saints' plight: "Despite the Saints' willingness to find a neutral field in a safe place much nearer their homes, the NFL is forcing the New Orleans team to move its first home game more than 1,300 miles to the home field of the New York Giants. What a kind and generous gesture this is for the NFL to make ... not." Ouch!
Dare we repeat it II:The Miami Herald's Greg Cote offers this boxing update: "Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym won a big bantamweight bout the other day. The correct pronouncement of that is "ban-tum-wait." Wish we had thought of that.

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/

Ortiz Comes Through Again for Red Sox

David Ortiz doesn't always get the hit that wins the game for the
Boston Red Sox. It just seems that way. Big Papi homered with one out in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday night to give Boston a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

"For a minute," Ortiz said, "it gave me a flashback for what happened last year."
It gave Los Angeles nightmares.
Ortiz batted .545 in Boston's first-round playoff series against the Angels last year, including a homer with two outs in the 10th inning of Game 3 to complete the sweep. He had two more game-ending hits in the AL championship series against the
New York Yankees as the Red Sox went on to win their first
World Series title in 86 years.
Tuesday night's home run was his 38th of the season — and the seventh walkoff shot in his career.
"You never get tired of it," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "We've seen it so many times. I hope we see it a bunch more."
In other American League games, it was: Baltimore 5, Toronto 0; Cleveland 6, Detroit 1; Tampa Bay 4, New York 3; Chicago 6, Kansas City 5; Texas 10, Minnesota 7; and Seattle 3, Oakland 2.
Ortiz struck out with runners on second and third and no outs with the game tied in the seventh. In the ninth, it was a different — yet familiar — story.
Scot Shields (8-11) fell behind 3-0 to Ortiz. He fouled off two pitches then hit one halfway up the grandstand in right. It was his league-leading 120th RBI and it moved Boston four games in front of second-place New York in the AL East.
"It's incredible how he does things the way he does them," said Tim Wakefield, who gave Boston its second complete game in three days. "He's Mr. Clutch. He proved that last postseason. He did it again tonight for us."
Wakefield (15-10) pitched his second complete game of the season, allowing two runs and eight hits while walking three, two intentionally. He struck out seven to win for the seventh time in eight starts and give the Red Sox their 22nd win in their last 25 home games.
"We had a chance to get to him tonight, but it seems like he has an ability to step it up when he gets in trouble, and he did that tonight" Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy said. "There aren't many times when you're going to be able to hold that lineup to two runs that late in the game, so it was frustrating because we weren't able to get it done."
Boston led 2-0 before the Angels tied it with runs in the sixth and seventh.
Vladimir Guerrero was 2-for-2 and walked twice for Anaheim, which has lost five consecutive road games and 11 of their last 12 at Fenway Park, including the playoffs. The Angels stayed 1 1/2 games in front of Oakland in the AL West.
Orioles 5, Blue Jays 0
Daniel Cabrera came off the disabled list to throw seven innings of four-hit ball for Baltimore. Cabrera (9-11) hadn't pitched since Aug. 12 because of a strained back.
Javy Lopez drove in three runs and Miguel Tejada doubled, walked twice and scored three runs for the Orioles, who ended a three-game losing streak.
Ted Lilly (8-10) was also activated from the disabled list before the game after a bout with tendinitis of the left biceps, and gave up three runs, three hits and five walks in 2 1-3 innings for the visiting Blue Jays.
Indians 6, Tigers 1
Cliff Lee (15-4) allowed four hits over eight shutout innings to win his sixth straight decision, and Grady Sizemore, Coco Crisp and Aaron Boone homered for Cleveland.
Detroit scored in the bottom of the ninth, its first run in 27 innings, to avoid its third straight shutout. The Tigers have lost six straight. Jason Johnson (7-12) gave up two runs and five hits in six innings, walking two and striking out two.
Devil Rays 4, Yankees 3
Jonny Gomes had two hits for Tampa Bay, which won the season series for the first time against the Yankees and beat Mariano Rivera (6-4). The Devil Rays, who scored the go-ahead with one out in the ninth on an error by second baseman Robinson Cano, are 10-4 against New York in 2005 after beginning the season 31-80 against the Yankees since entering the majors in 1998.
The Yankees couldn't hold a three-run lead with Randy Johnson on the mound and lost the opener of a six-game homestand.
Chad Orvella (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings and Danys Baez got the final three outs for his 34th save.
White Sox 6, Royals 5
Paul Konerko homered for the third straight game and Juan Uribe hit one for the second day in a row to lead Chicago to its sixth consecutive victory.
Orlando Hernandez (9-7) won for the first time since July 29 after losing four straight decisions.
Rangers 10, Twins 7
Mark Teixeira's three-run homer off Joe Nathan (7-4) in the top of the ninth broke a 7-7 tie and made him just the fifth player in major league history to hit 100 in his first three seasons. Teixeira joined Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner, Eddie Mathews and Albert Pujols on the elite list.
John Wasdin (2-1) pitched 2 1-3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.
David Dellucci had a grand slam and tied a career high with five RBIs for the Rangers, who led 5-0 after two innings.
Mariners 3, Athletics 2
Mike Morse hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh, and Joel Pineiro (6-9) ended a three-start winless stretch with eight strong innings to lead Seattle, which clinched its first road series since taking all four against the Angels from July 7-10. Eddie Guardado finished for his 31st save.
The A's lost their fourth straight and sixth of seven.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/

Cubs aim to close Busch era with slam

Chicago:Greg Maddux and Mark Mulder met once this season on Aug. 11. In that game at Wrigley Field, Maddux went the distance and held the St. Louis Cardinals to four runs for an 11-4 Chicago Cubs win. Mulder lasted four innings, and it was his only loss since the All-Star break.
The two will meet again Wednesday in the series finale, and the Cubs' last game at old Busch Stadium.
Maddux is coming off a win against Pittsburgh, in which he lasted five-plus innings. He wasn't feeling well that day, yet gutted out the victory, and is four shy of posting his 18th consecutive 15-win season.
The Cubs probably won't miss the old Busch. The team has an all-time record of 140-190 at the circular stadium.
Cubs manager Dusty Baker has seen plenty of ballparks pass, including Candlestick, Forbes Field, Connie Mack, Three Rivers and Fulton County Stadium.
"It just lets you know you're getting older and you can't stop progress," Baker said.
He did have a suggestion for the Cardinals regarding their new home.
"San Francisco was supposed to be a hitters' park and it's turned into a pitchers' park," Baker said. "You have to see where the prevailing winds come from. The people who know most about that are the construction workers who are there year round. That's who I asked when Pac Bell was built."
That's where the Cubs are headed after this series in St. Louis. It will be the last leg of this three-city, three time zone road trip.
Pitching matchup
CHC: RHP Greg Maddux
• 11-11, 4.41 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 4.00 ERA vs. STL in 2005
STL: LHP Mark Mulder
• 15-6, 3.62 ERA in 2005
• 0-1, 15.75 ERA vs. CHC in 2005
Player to watchDerrek Lee has a sore left shoulder and a sore right foot, but he might feel better when he sees Mulder on the mound. Lee is 8-for-9 lifetime against Mulder with one home run. Lee is getting close to becoming the first Cub ever with 100 runs scored, 100 RBIs, 40 doubles and 40 home runs.
Quotable"It turned out well. They said everything looked good in there and they did what they had to do, they cleaned up what they had to clean up, and they said I should recover fine." -- Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Aug. 31, and began his rehab on Tuesday
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• STL: Fox Sports Net Midwest
• CHC: Comcast Sports Net

On radio
• STL: KMOX 1120 AM
• CHC: WGN 720 AM

Quick hitsMichael Barrett is 2-for-6 lifetime against Mulder, Nomar Garciaparra is 6-for-19, Jerry Hairston is 1-for-5, Matt Murton is 0-for-2, Neifi Perez is 6-for-17 and Todd Walker is 0-for-3. ... Einar Diaz is 3-for-7 against Maddux, Jim Edmonds is 4-for-18, Mark Grudzielanek is 17-for-50, John Mabry is 13-for-41, Albert Pujols is 7-for-18 with three home runs and Larry Walker is 20-for-73 with two home runs and 17 strikeouts. ... The Cubs have reached a combined home/road attendance of five million this year for the ninth time. They've also done so in 1993 and every year since 1998. Last year marked the first time the Cubs surpassed six million in home/road attendance.
On deck
• Thursday: at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m. CT
• Friday: at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m. CT
• Saturday: at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m. CT

Source: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/

Pittsburgh fires McClendon; Mackanin is interim manager

Lloyd McClendon was fired Tuesday as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates with the team only one defeat away from a fifth consecutive losing season. Bench coach Pete Mackanin will serve as interim manager for the rest of the season.
McClendon, a Gary, Ind., native, was on the verge of becoming the first manager in team history to have five consecutive losing seasons.
The Pirates have not had a winning season since winning the National League East in 1992. They averaged 91 losses in McClendon's first four seasons.
No timetable for Bonds
Giants general manager Brian Sabean said outfielder Barry Bonds will not be activated until he proves his surgically repaired right knee can handle the rigors of a game. Sabean said he won't commit to a timetable.
Bonds, who took batting practice Tuesday, will be evaluated today by Dr. Lewis Yocum.
Schillings to care for family
Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and his wife, Shonda, paid to fly a New Orleans family of nine to Boston and pledged to provide them with housing for a year. The family fled New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina struck.
Etc.
The Yankees presented a check for $1 million to the Salvation Army for its hurricane relief effort. OF Matt Lawton, whose parents' home in Mississippi was destroyed, took part in the presentation. . . . Cubs RHP Kerry Wood said he expects to be ready for spring training. He is beginning a four-month rehabilitation from shoulder surgery. . . . The Reds purchased OF Chris Denorfia's contract from Triple-A and designated RHP Ben Weber. Denorfia, 35, hit .310 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs for the Bats this season. . . . The White Sox recalled OFs Brian Anderson and Joe Borchard and RHP Jeff Bajenaru from Triple-A.

Source: http://www.indystar.com/

Giants come up short in bid for seventh

LOS ANGELES -- They were two Giants relievers feeling each other's pain.
Maybe it was worse for rookie Jeremy Accardo, involved in his first-ever Major League pennant race, watching in horror as Dodgers star Jeff Kent -- a former Giants hero and now a Giants killer -- rocketed a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th, lifting Los Angeles to a 4-2 victory over San Francisco on Tuesday night.
As Accardo made his lonely walk through the Dodger Stadium tunnels, someone patted him on the back, then veteran bullpen mate LaTroy Hawkins put an arm around the 23-year-old's shoulder.
"Keep your head up," Hawkins told the youngster. "He pitched great. I said, 'I remember my first walk-off home run. It ain't the first, and it won't be the last.' He's a tough kid and has an idea of what he's doing out there.
"He'll bounce back -- I'll guarantee it," said Hawkins.
It's likely both will, but the image of Mr. Kent spoiling what could have been San Francisco's season-high seventh straight win will run -- and rerun -- through their minds overnight.
Kent had ruined Hawkins' game as well, the reliever issuing a key double to Jayson Werth before Kent cracked a single into left field to tie the game at 2 in the eighth.
"That's Kent's job, to try to put the ball in play -- that's the way it works," said Hawkins, who had a sparkling 1.20 ERA over his last 17 appearances. "We've been playing great, though. It was just a bump, and we'll come out tomorrow and try to win the series."
Still, Accardo was crestfallen. The slender fastballer had been unscored upon in six of his eight outings for a 2.25 ERA, while stranding all seven inherited runners since his recall from Triple-A Fresno on Aug. 12.
But Kent being Kent ... well, he took advantage of Accardo's mistake pitch moments after Oscar Robles hit a two-out single.
"The pitch was supposed to be away because if you get beat with a homer you want to make him go the other way," said Accardo. "My shoulder fell off a little bit and the ball ran up and in on him. He has a quick bat -- it's not where you want to throw the ball.

"It's tough to get a pat on the back when you don't deserve it," he said of Hawkins' commiserative gesture. "He was telling me to keep my head, and said, 'I pitched the ball pretty well until the last two guys.' But it's some that'll take a while to get over."
At least until the next time he pitches.
The Giants were fortunate in that National League West leader San Diego dropped a 6-5 decision to Colorado, meaning San Francisco remained five games back of the Padres in second place.
But the loss impacted, yet again, a solid spot start by Brett Tomko, who was replacing the injured Kevin Correia for this crucial contest. Tomko hasn't won a game since July 22 and has seven straight no-decisions, but he limited the Dodgers to three hits over seven frames, allowing only a solo homer to Jose Cruz Jr. in the second.
Under the circumstances, it was a superb outing. After twice being demoted to the bullpen after wobbly starts, the right-hander's hard-luck campaign continued unabated. Since his last victory, the Giants have lost six of his starts by a total of eight runs.
"I felt pretty good and confident -- I usually pitch pretty well here," said Tomko of Dodger Stadium. "It was a tough one, a tough loss. [With San Diego losing] it's kind of a wash, but it would have been nice to gain a game on them."
Tomko even managed a broken-bat single to help the Giants' cause on Tuesday night. The right-hander's hit advanced Angel Chavez to third after the rookie's double. Chavez then came home on Randy Winn's perfect squeeze bunt that put them in front, 2-1.
Chavez singled in the fifth inning for his first Major League hit.

Source: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/

Bay Area superstars sinking fast

With Jerry Rice out and Barry Bonds on the way back in, the notion of what constitutes a star anymore is getting jumbled, particularly in the Bay Area.
Gone is the best football player in history, some say, a man embraced with awe and respect.
Returning, if just for a brief time, is the best baseball player in history, some say, a man embraced with awe and suspicion.
And in the void between sits the Bay Area, suddenly facing a dearth of superstars to cherish.
Where have all the sports heroes gone? Rice retired Monday in Denver, but he is part of San Francisco. And during the two decades of Rice's NFL career, the Bay Area was home to some of sports' greatest and best-known professional athletes.
Now it has entered a faceless phase, an era in which most of its best pro athletes barely are recognized in their neighborhood.
It's official: The golden age of Rice has been replaced by the aluminum age of Foyle — and Peterson, Porter, Durham, Kotsay, Cheechoo and all the other not-so-famous names of the Bay Area's top players.
The most famous of the Bay Area's remaining athletes is Bonds, the 41-year-old Giants slugger whose chase of the career home run record was sidetracked by a bad knee. And with Bonds' reported involvement with steroids in recent years, the chase, should it continue, faces a bout of ambivalence. More people might be rooting against him than for him, an odd position for an area's No.1 athlete.
It's just as telling that the next two most-famous professional athletes haven't played a game for the hometown teams. But that's the way it is for Raiders receiver Randy Moss and 49ers quarterback Alex Smith.
Beyond them, Bay Area sporting events are like regularly scheduled meetings of Athletes Anonymous.
"My name is Eric …"
"Hi, Eric."
"… and I have a problem."
"Uh, sorry to interrupt, Eric. You look vaguely familiar. Do we know you?"
"Well, that's the problem. I'm Eric Chavez, the most famous everyday player on the most competitive professional team in the Bay Area."
"Oh, of course. For a second I thought you were the pizza delivery guy from last night."
It's always a bad sign when you can name more players from a decade or two ago than you can name on a current team. But that's the way it is with the Giants, A's, 49ers, Raiders, Warriors and Sharks.
Gone from the 49ers are Rice, Joe Montana, Roger Craig and so many others. Gone from the Raiders — who haven't come close to matching the personalities from the Raiders teams in Los Angeles and Oakland, Part I — are the likes of Tim Brown, Chester McGlockton and Rich Gannon.
Gone from the A's are Dennis Eckersley, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. Gone from the Giants are Will Clark, Matt Williams and the pre-suspicion Bonds. Gone from the Warriors are Chris Mullin (the player), Tim Hardaway and pre-choking Latrell Sprewell.
Gone from the Sharks are Owen Nolan and Mike Ricci.
In their places are … well, I forget. Anyone have a roster handy? A list of the best current professional athletes in the Bay Area pales to any such list made at any point in the past 20 years.
"As an observer, I know there is a little bit of a down time," says Ken Flower, president of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, which inducted five members in its inaugural 1980 class and four each year since. "But we know that there are a lot of new names [soon to be eligible] and a lot that are still on the ballot who are very deserving."
The Hall isn't worried, partly because the limited number of inductees means there always are a backlog of possibilities. The yet-to-be-inducted football nominees, Flower says, includes Daryle Lamonica, Roger Craig and Brent Jones, for example. The only reason McGwire isn't in, Flower says, is because he couldn't commit to this year's or next year's banquet, a prerequisite to entry.
That waiting list should let the Hall bide its time through these lean years in Bay Area sports.
But it won't help fans, looking for a new favorite player now that their old ones are gone.

Source: http://www.fresnobee.com/

Players tattle: Christiansen battled Bonds

LOS ANGELES — Jason Christiansen respects Barry Bonds and he doesn't envy everything the star slugger has to deal with on a daily basis.
As for the now well-publicized altercation in June between the two men, Christiansen told reporters that he wished "something like this didn't come up."
ESPN reported Monday night that Bonds and an unnamed player argued and got in a physical altercation in June after the player complained about flexibility coach Harvey Shields. Christiansen was fingered as the player by others who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
But when Angels reporters approached Christiansen in Boston, the reliever initially denied he knew anything about the incident.
"Wow, that's news to me," he said.
Christiansen, who was traded to the Angels on Aug. 30, later said he was glad to see Bonds had returned to the Giants.
"Barry always has his moments with everyone," Christiansen said. "Most are good ones, and in some situations he might rub you the wrong way. For the most part, he does his own thing. I wouldn't want to be him with all the things he deals with on and off the field.
"I have a lot of respect for Barry and what he does. I wish something like this didn't come up."
A Giants official laughed off the suggestion that Christiansen was traded because Bonds was close to rejoining the team. The two players had made amends, and the trade was strictly based on Christiansen's performance, along with that of left-hander Jack Taschner.
KUDOS FOR LOWRY: As expected, Noah Lowry was named the NL pitcher of the month for August after he went 5-0 with a 0.69 ERA.
"Confidence and consistency," said Lowry, who began incorporating his curveball and slider more into his fastball-change repertoire. "It's really what it comes down to — having four pitches and having the confidence to throw them in any count, and then being consistent with them."
Lowry won player of the week honors last season and received a Swiss watch. He gets a trophy for the monthly award.
CORREIA TO FACE HITTERS: Kevin Correia's shoulder felt fine a day after he threw off a mound, and the right-hander could face hitters in simulated game conditions today. Correia said he should be able to make his next turn in the rotation, though he'd understand if the club decides to leave Brett Tomko in his spot.
"I'm past the point where I'm just happy to be here," Correia said. "I want to win games. At this point in the year, I just want us to put the best guys out there and win."
ONE-HOPPERS: Ray Durham (hamstring cramp) didn't start as a precaution but was available to pinch hit. ... Right-hander Brian Cooper handed out cigars in the clubhouse. His wife gave birth to a girl, McKenna, on Friday. It's the couple's first child. ... Cubs right-hander Jerome Williams is scheduled to face his former team on Friday at SBC Park. He will oppose Matt Cain. ... Season ticketholders can purchase postseason tickets starting today. A limited number of single-game tickets will be available at a later date.

Source: http://www.insidebayarea.com/