MLB Capsules: Cards get Westbrook from Cleve, send Ludwick to S.D.
TORONTO (AP) — The NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals were the prime players in a three-team trade Saturday, getting pitcher Jake Westbrook from Cleveland and sending outfielder Ryan Ludwick to NL West-leading San Diego.
"I'm excited to go to a club that's contending for a playoff spot and pitch in some meaningful ballgames," Westbrook said. "That's why you play the game, to get a chance to play in the playoffs and I look forward to doing that."
Westbrook was scratched from his start in Toronto and headed for a flight to St. Louis. He said he was sad to leave Cleveland, his major league home since 2001.
"It's tough because this is all I've known other than about a week in the big leagues with the Yankees," he said.
The deal was announced about three hours before the non-waiver trading deadline.
"Anytime you're trading a veteran guy at this point in the year it's a difficult thing to do," Indians assistant general manager Chris Antonetti said. "With Jake it's even more difficult because his contributions on the field for almost a decade or longer. This guy epitomizes professionalism. I'm not sure there's a classier act anywhere in baseball."
Antonetti said the Indians sent cash to St. Louis and San Diego, adding that Westbrook agreed to "adjust" a $2 million trade bonus to ensure the deal went through.
"He worked with us to be able to make it work," Antonetti said.
Westbrook is eligible for free agency following the season. Josh Tomlin started in his place against the Blue Jays.
"I was just hanging out, waiting to hear the final word," Westbrook said.
A 2004 All-Star, the 32-year-old righty was 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts this year. He is 69-71 overall in 10 major league seasons.
The Cardinals had been trying to boost their rotation. Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny have been out with injuries and Jeff Suppan, signed in midseason, has not been able to regain his form.
The 32-year-old Ludwick broke into the majors with Texas in 2002, and became an everyday player when he joined the Cardinals. He's a career .272 hitter whose best season came in 2008, when he hit 37 homers and had 113 RBIs and was an All-Star.
Ludwick has better offensive numbers than any of San Diego's current outfielders. He has played the bulk of his career in right and center. He's expected to report on Sunday.
The Padres also had had interest in Westbrook. General manager Jed Hoyer said the Cardinals asked a few weeks ago about pitching but that the Padres weren't in position to give up any.
"It made me think that if we could possibly find them a starting pitcher, then we might have a match," Hoyer said. "We were looking for a corner outfielder that could hit right-handed pitching. Ludwick made a ton of sense so we kept pursuing him. A three-team deal made a ton of sense. The two teams that are in contention right now get pieces that help and the Indians got good prospects and they got some cash relief. It was a really logical three-way deal but it was hard to put together so it took a lot of work."
Ludwick can play right or left field. "We've been lacking production from our corner outfield spots and we made a move to correct it," Hoyer said.
This is San Diego's second trade in two days. The Padres acquired shortstop Miguel Tejada on Thursday from the Baltimore Orioles for a Double-A pitcher.
Ludwick hit .281 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs this season. He was eligible for free agency after this season and the Cardinals already have a number of high-priced players such as Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. Plus, rookie outfielder Jon Jay has had a huge July, hitting over .400.
"We've been looking for a quality starting pitcher to add to our rotation for some time," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. "Westbrook is someone we've had our eyes on for a good period of time."
"We also want to wish Ryan Ludwick all the best with the Padres. He did an outstanding job for us over the past 3½ seasons," he said.
Minus Ludwick, the Cardinals' outfield has Holliday in left, Colby Rasmus in center and Jay in right. Randy Winn is a backup outfielder and Felipe Lopez could be used out there, too, when third baseman David Freese returns, presumably next week.
St. Louis also acquired left-hander Nick Greenwood from San Diego. The 22-year-old Greenwood was 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA at Class A Fort Wayne.
The Indians got Double-A pitcher Corey Kluber from San Diego. The 24-year-old righty was 6-6 with a 3.45 ERA at Double-A and led the Texas League in strikeouts.
Antonetti said Kluber will be assigned to Double-A Akron.
"He has an above average fastball with a plus breaking ball," Antonetti said. "He has the ability to miss bats. He gives us another upper-level major league starter that hopefully can be part of our rotation at some point down the road."
Cleveland recalled outfielder Jordan Brown from Triple-A Columbus. The 26-year-old Brown was hitting .309 with 63 RBIs in the minors.
"We certainly don't like doing these deals," Antonetti said. "We want to be on the other end of them. That's what we're working towards."
Dodgers acquire Cubs LHP Ted Lilly
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Joe Torre believes his Dodgers can make a playoff run with their latest upgrades.
The Los Angeles manager has a familiar face for the push: left-hander Ted Lilly.
Lilly was traded to the Dodgers by the Chicago Cubs on Saturday along with infielder Ryan Theriot for infielder Blake DeWitt and minor league right-handers Kyle Smit and Brett Wallach. Lilly pitched for Torre with the New York Yankees.
Just before the deadline, the Dodgers boosted their bullpen by getting reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-hander James McDonald and minor league outfielder Andrew Lambo.
General manager Ned Colletti even fielded inquiries about injured slugger Manny Ramirez.
Yet none of those last-minute calls were ones Colletti considered serious or something that could get done in the closing 30 minutes before the deadline. Ramirez, on the disabled list since July 20 with a strained right calf, has a no-trade clause.
He could rejoin the Dodgers in the next week to 10 days, Colletti said.
"We got a call from one team that offered us a very low dollar figure with no players attached to it," Colletti said in a conference call. "We still need him on this club. The club was built with him as the left fielder. ... That didn't materialize and we're going forward."
Colletti was still plenty busy right up to the deadline. He was looking to bolster his starting rotation and bullpen, and accomplished both.
Los Angeles also received approximately $2.5 million cash to cover part of what remains in Lilly's $12 million salary. The Pirates will pick up $500,000 of Dotel's salary.
Colletti and Cubs GM Jim Hendry talked during Chicago's visit to Dodger Stadium in early July, then negotiations began in earnest Friday afternoon.
Hendry, in a hospital bed when he signed Lilly to a $40 million, four-year contract in December 2006, didn't rule out the possibility of Lilly returning to the Cubs next season as a free agent.
"I wouldn't close the door to that," Hendry said. "We'll just wait and see how that goes. For now, Teddy's got to go out and do what's best for the Dodgers and try to contribute to them getting into the postseason. We'll worry about the offseason in the offseason."
Third in the NL West, the Dodgers already acquired center fielder and leadoff man Scott Podsednik from Kansas City on Wednesday. Theriot is slated to be the team's everyday second baseman, while Lilly could make his Los Angeles debut as soon as Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium against the first-place San Diego Padres.
"Hopefully it makes us better," Torre said before the Dodgers played the San Francisco Giants. "That's all you can do. I just talked to Theriot and he's excited. Hopefully Ted Lilly will give us a little more stability in our rotation. I had Teddy before and I'll tell you one thing, he's a competitor."
Lilly is 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA and hasn't won since June 13. He pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings against Houston on Tuesday and has allowed four earned runs over his last 16 innings. He is eligible for free agency after the season.
Theriot has a .284 average with one homer and 21 RBIs.
The 24-year-old DeWitt, a first-round pick in the 2004 amateur draft who bats left-handed, is batting .270 with 15 doubles, one homer and 30 RBIs. He hit .295 with a triple, three doubles and six RBIs in 21 games in July.
DeWitt isn't sure what to expect with the Cubs, considering this is the first trade of his career.
"This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to me. It definitely comes as a little surprise," DeWitt said shortly after receiving the news. "I haven't really had time to gather my thoughts yet. ... It happened. I appreciated the opportunity I had here. I had a lot of fun here and I look forward to the opportunity in Chicago."
The well-traveled Dotel was 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA in 41 relief outings and 40 innings this year for the Pirates.
McDonald is 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA in four games and one start this year.
The Dodgers trailed San Diego by seven games to start Saturday, but Colletti was confident his new-look roster would compete for a playoff spot over the final two months.
"I base it on our track record, the players we have and the players we've added," he said.
-- Janie McCauley
K.C. trades Ankiel, Farnsworth to Braves
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Atlanta Braves made a five-player deal Saturday to upgrade their outfield and an already formidable bullpen, acquiring Rick Ankiel and right-hander Kyle Farnsworth from Kansas City for three players.
The NL East leaders are trying to fend off a charge by second-place Philadelphia, which had cut a seven-game deficit to 3½ entering play on Saturday. The Phillies also made one of baseball's most high-profile trades this week, acquiring starter Roy Oswalt from Houston.
Atlanta sent reliever Jesse Chavez, outfielder Gregor Blanco and minor league pitcher Tim Collins to the Royals. Kansas City included cash in the deal.
Ankiel joins an outfield that currently features rookie Jason Heyward in right, Melky Cabrera in center and Eric Hinske in left. The Braves demoted struggling outfielder Nate McLouth — who started a team-leading 52 games in center — to the minors four days ago with a .168 average.
"Ankiel's a tremendous outfielder, a great athlete," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "Hopefully he helps solidify things out there in center."
The 31-year-old Ankiel batted .261 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 27 games for the Royals, who signed him to a one-year, $3.25 million deal. He has missed time with an injured right thigh.
"I know he hasn't played much, but since he's been back, he's played well," manager Bobby Cox said. "He's great defensively. He's really, really good."
Atlanta's offense has struggled lately, but still ranks among the top in the NL. The Braves are fifth in batting average and runs scored.
Farnsworth joins a bullpen that is already one of the NL's best, bringing the Braves a hard thrower who can help them get to closer Billy Wagner. The 34-year-old Farnsworth is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA. He's in the second year of a two-year, $9.25 million deal.
Atlanta's bullpen leads the NL with 21 wins and is second to San Diego with a 3.22 ERA.
"Farnsworth — we know he can be really dominant," Jones said. "I think that moves out bullpen to top-notch. When we get to the seventh inning with a lead, I like our chances."
Both players were expected to join the Braves for the final game of their series against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. The Reds won 5-2 on Saturday.
The Royals got three young players in the deal. Kansas City recently traded outfielder Scott Podsednik to the Los Angeles Dodgers and infielder Alberto Callaspo to the Los Angeles Angels.
"It's been busy," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "I'm very comfortable with our strategy. It all unfolded originally with Alberto Callaspo and Scott Podsednik. We felt we needed to get out in front, figuring it was going to be a busy trade deadline."
"We were certainly necessarily motivated to move Rick. The deal had to feel right for us. The three we got in return for Rick and Kyle Farnsworth made sense for us," he said. "It is great for Rick and Kyle to join an organization that is 3½ games up in the pennant race and go there and send Bobby (Cox) out in style."
The 26-year-old Chavez spent his first full season in the majors with Pittsburgh last year. He went 3-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 28 games with the Braves. The 26-year-old Blanco was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett before Saturday's game, then dealt away. He has batted a combined .269 in eight minor league seasons.
The 20-year Collins came to Atlanta on July 14 in a five-player deal that sent shortstop Yunel Escobar to Toronto and brought shortstop Alex Gonzalez to the Braves. The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Collins has pitched at Double-A all season, going 1-0 with a 2.29 ERA in 41 appearances.
Chavez and Blanco will join the Royals on Sunday and Collins will go to Triple-A Omaha.
-- Joe Kay
Arizona sends Snyder to Pirates in 5-player trade
NEW YORK (AP) — Wrapping up their flurry of deals before baseball's non-waiver trade deadline, the rebuilding Arizona Diamondbacks shipped catcher Chris Snyder to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday in a five-player swap.
Arizona also sent minor league shortstop Pedro Ciriaco and cash to the Pirates for former AL Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby, outfielder Ryan Church and right-hander D.J. Carrasco.
The trade was the second of the day for the struggling Diamondbacks, who also moved reliever Chad Qualls to Tampa Bay for a player to be named. Earlier in the week Arizona unloaded a pair of All-Star pitchers, shipping Dan Haren to the Los Angeles Angels and then Edwin Jackson to the Chicago White Sox.
"I guess maybe you could say it was somewhat of a distraction recently. There's been a lot of talk about these things. But we just want to try and get on track," interim manager Kirk Gibson said Saturday before his team played the New York Mets. "We certainly are not the team that has played so poorly and accomplished so little as we have so far."
The trading frenzy saved the Diamondbacks money and brought several youngsters to the organization.
"We've done a lot of positive things the last few weeks," interim general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "We're a struggling ballclub and we needed to get better."
In a deal between two last-place teams, Pittsburgh receives a catcher who had a 240-game errorless streak end on June 6, the third-longest run in major league history behind those of Mike Redmond and Mike Matheny. Snyder, 29, is hitting .231 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs. He will supplant the injured Ryan Doumit (concussion) as Pittsburgh's primary catcher.
Doumit, who will mostly play right field when he is activated from the disabled list, has thrown out only five of 61 runners attempting to steal (8 percent). Snyder has a 16.1 percent success rate (9 of 56) and is considered a far superior defensive catcher.
"Ryan will continue to get some time behind home plate. It will also allow us to keep Ryan's bat in the lineup by playing him in right field as well," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "There are still plenty of at-bats for all of those guys."
Snyder missed the final three months of last season with a back injury that required surgery. He is making $5.25 million this season as part of a three-year, $14.5 million contract he signed with the Diamondbacks in December 2008. It includes a club option for 2012.
The emergence of 27-year-old catcher Miguel Montero, who has shown pop at the plate when healthy, made Snyder somewhat expendable in Arizona.
"Unfortunately, Chris' playing time has waned the past few years," Dipoto said.
Ciriaco, 24, batted .259 with six homers, 51 RBIs and 14 steals at Triple-A Reno this year and was picked for the Futures Game. He is expected to report to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Pittsburgh also recalled infielders Argenis Diaz and Jeff Clement from Indianapolis. In other deals, the Pirates sent left-handed reliever Javier Lopez to San Francisco and closer Octavio Dotel to the Dodgers, gaining a total of six players whose rights they control for several years.
Of the five players they traded, the Pirates controlled only Dotel's rights for next season.
"We feel this is a pretty solid return and another step for us as we build depth and try to return winning ways to the major league level," Huntington said.
The Pirates are last in the NL Central at 36-66 and headed to a major league-record 18th consecutive losing season. Arizona was last in the NL West at 38-65 going into Saturday night's game.
"We wanted to be in a flexible position. There are still holes to fill. We maintained a core group to build around. We have the flexibility from a payroll perspective to move into next year," Dipoto said. "For the most part, we feel the group of players on the field right now, the core group, is the group we want to build with."
The 31-year-old Church was signed as a free agent in January and is hitting just .183 with three homers and 18 RBIs. His production dipped sharply after he sustained a pair of concussions in a three-month span while with the Mets in 2008.
Church is expected to join the Diamondbacks on Monday when they open a series at home against Washington.
Crosby, a 30-year-old utility infielder, also signed with the Pirates as a free agent during the offseason and hit just .224 with one homer and 11 RBIs. In 2004, he was voted the AL rookie honor after hitting .239 with 22 homers and 64 RBIs for Oakland.
He is expected to arrive in time for Sunday's series finale against the Mets.
"Experience on the bench," Dipoto said. "They are pending free agents, and we know that."
Carrasco, 33, is 2-2 with a 3.88 ERA in 45 games this season, striking out 45 in 55 2-3 innings. He has a 22-18 record in 23 starts and 203 relief appearances in six big league seasons with Kansas City, the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh.
"He brings flexibility," Dipoto said.
The right-hander was expected to be available out of the bullpen Saturday night, taking Qualls' spot.
To replace Snyder, the Diamondbacks recalled catcher John Hester from Reno. He could catch newcomer Daniel Hudson on Sunday, Gibson said. Hudson was acquired from the White Sox in the deal for Jackson.
Qualls, 31-year-old right-hander, is 1-4 with 12 saves and an 8.29 ERA this season, striking out 34 and walking 15 in 38 innings, down from a career-high 24 saves last year.
"He had a rough year. He was very thankful for his opportunity here," Dipoto said.
Rays acquire reliever Chad Qualls from Diamondbacks
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays acquired reliever Chad Qualls Saturday, but came up short in other efforts to bolster the roster before baseball's trade deadline.
Without providing specifics, executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club "set our sights high" in exploring ways to strengthen the chances of making the playoffs. He said he remains confident the Rays have enough talent currently on hand and in the minor leagues to remain in contention.
"We had a specific group of players that we felt like would really impact us that we felt like we'd be aggressive" in pursuing, Friedman said. "At the end of the day, there wasn't a lot of activity on that front."
Qualls was obtained for a player to be named. The 31-year-old right-hander is 1-4 with 12 saves and an 8.29 ERA this season, striking out 34 and walking 15 in 38 innings, down from a career-high 24 saves last year.
The Rays feel he's a lot better than the numbers.
And, Qualls fills a need with right-hander Grant Balfour going on the 15-day disabled list with a ribcage strain. Balfour's injury was the result of what manager Joe Maddon described as horseplay between the reliever and pitching coach Jim Hickey.
"It was just kind of a freaky thing, just messing around. Pitching coach and a pitcher that know each other well. ... Something guys do almost everyday and nothing ever happens," Maddon said. "It's just a freaky, goofy thing. It's really unfortunate."
Balfour, who could be sidelined four to six weeks, is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 43 1-3 innings.
"There's not a whole lot to explain," Maddon said, adding that the incident occurred before batting practice at Tropicana Field on Friday. "It was a weird, freaky thing. It just happened,. It stinks. We did what we had to do to try to counteract it, and that's get Qualls."
The Rays entered Saturday night's game against the New York Yankees with the second best record in baseball, one game behind the defending world champions in the AL East.
The Yankees made three key additions prior to the trade deadline, acquiring Lance Berkman, Austin Kearns and right-handed reliever Kerry Wood.
The Rays insisted they weren't concerned about how much the Yankees might have helped themselves for the stretch run.
"It's not unexpected. ... It's nice that they considered us enough of a threat to do all that," owner Stuart Sternberg said. "I wonder what would have been if they were 12 games up."
Maddon said he doesn't know much about Qualls, but likes the little he's heard about the right-hander.
"I know if you look at his numbers, they're not that good. ... But his stuff is really good," Maddon said. "He's done a lot of really good work in the past. ... I know he's coming off some type of knee injury that had an impact this season. I'm hoping we're getting him at the right time."
The manager also said he wasn't concerned about the Rays not bringing in a hitter to bolster the offense.
"We had a lot of good ideas, it just did not happen. I like our guys who are here. I like the guys who are in the minor leagues that could come up and help us at some point," Maddon said.
"It's cool to make acquisitions, but if you don't get it done and you have a good team like we do, I'm really not going to lament that situation a long time."
-- Fred Goodall
Giants acquire lefty reliever Lopez from Pirates
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Giants general manager Brian Sabean spoke to more than 20 teams about 50-plus players leading up to Saturday's trade deadline.
In the end, San Francisco fulfilled two of its biggest needs.
The Giants bolstered their thin bullpen with a pair of swaps Saturday, including the key acquisition of Javier Lopez from the Pittsburgh Pirates to get the left-handed reliever they desperately sought.
"That's our acute need," Sabean said after San Francisco's 2-1 win over the Dodgers. "It was obvious we needed to make something happen to strengthen the bullpen."
The Giants, who have missed the playoffs the past six seasons, began the day 2½ games back of the first-place San Diego Padres in the NL West. Sabean believes he has a playoff club, though catching the Padres will be tough.
Both San Diego and the Dodgers were busy making deals Saturday, too.
"It's the same thing that's transpired the whole year: We're all trying to slow down San Diego," Sabean said. "It's going to be a rough two months. These games take on a playoff gravity. ... This is a very stout group. These guys are game. They're in a position now where they really control their own destiny. And they know it's not going to be easy."
Getting Lopez in uniform Sunday should provide an immediate lift. Manager Bruce Bochy is ready to get him on the mound.
Injured Giants lefty relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler aren't expected to return from the disabled list until at least the third week of August — a problem that forced starter Jonathan Sanchez into duty out of the bullpen Friday night.
San Francisco also acquired righty reliever Ramon Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox for pitching prospect Daniel Turpen — and general manager Brian Sabean was close to adding another reliever but didn't make a third deal before the trade deadline.
Lopez was set to get to San Francisco in time for the Giants' series finale with the rival Dodgers. Ramirez likely will join the Giants on Tuesday at Colorado.
Sabean was unwilling to trade Sanchez or fellow lefty starter Madison Bumgarner, the team's 10th overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft.
"We couldn't cover the loss of one of those pitchers to catch San Diego," Sabean said. "It was a quandary."
San Francisco is sending right-hander Joe Martinez and outfielder John Bowker to the Pirates.
The 33-year-old Lopez is 2-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 50 appearances and 38 2-3 innings this season.
Many deals Saturday were completed right up to the wire, the Giants not excluded.
"The long and short of the process this year, it was maybe as difficult or as time consuming to get any deal done because of the shortage of talent and the relative shortage in supply," Sabean said.
Lopez is be under the Giants' control through the 2011 campaign.
-- Janie McCauley
Orioles send Ohman to Marlins for VandenHurk
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles traded left-hander Will Ohman to the Florida Marlins on Saturday for right-hander Rick VandenHurk.
VandenHurk was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after the trade, and third baseman Josh Bell was recalled from the Tides.
The 32-year-old Ohman was 0-0 with a 3.30 ERA in 51 appearances during his first season with the Orioles.
"I thought there was a possibility. Nothing's ever certain," Ohman said. "You're with the team that wants you the most, so I guess my time here is done."
"Anytime you get traded, it's a good feeling to know that you did well enough in a place that you were to merit the trade. There's somebody else out there that thinks you're serviceable. In that way, I guess, it's a compliment."
To make room for Ohman, the Marlins sent right-hander Alex Sanabia to Triple-A.
VandenHurk, 25, allowed one earned run in 1 1-3 innings and two games for Florida, and he was 8-4 with a 4.68 ERA in 98 innings for Triple-A New Orleans with 87 strikeouts.
Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel said the deal was made shortly before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for non-waiver trades. Samuel is managing his last series — the newly hired Buck Showalter takes over next week.
"It came right down to the wire, as we were looking at the time and we thought, 'Well, nothing's happened,' and then the next thing you know, my phone is ringing and we lose Ohman," Samuel said. "He was somebody we relied on to be our situational lefty out of the 'pen."
Earlier this week, the Orioles traded infielder Miguel Tejada to San Diego.
"You wish those guys well. ... The same with Tejada when we lost him the other day — he got a chance to play for something," Samuel said. "I know a lot of guys who were probably a little uncomfortable this time of the month not knowing if they were staying here or not. We do the best we can with what we've got and it's just unfortunate we lost those guys."
Dodgers add Octavio Dotel in trade with Pirates
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Los Angeles have acquired reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-hander James McDonald and minor league outfielder Andrew Lambo.
The Dodgers made two deals Saturday. They earlier got left-handed starter Ted Lilly and infielder Ryan Theriot from the Chicago Cubs for infielder Blake DeWitt and two minor league pitchers.
The well-traveled Dotel was 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA in 41 relief outings and 40 innings this year for the Pirates.
McDonald is 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA in four games and one start this year.
Tigers trade OF Wilkin Ramirez to Braves
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers have traded outfielder Wilkin Ramirez to the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named or cash. The deal was announced Saturday.
The Tigers designated Ramirez for assignment this week after getting Jhonny Peralta from the Cleveland Indians. Ramirez hit .216 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 41 games with Triple-A Toledo.
American League
Mariners demote centerpiece to Cliff Lee trade
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have demoted struggling first baseman Justin Smoak to Triple-A Tacoma and placed outfielder Milton Bradley on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right knee.
Smoak was the centerpiece of Seattle's trade of Cliff Lee to Texas. His demotion before Saturday's game at Minnesota means Seattle traded the 2008 AL Cy Young winner and an All-Star a few weeks ago for four minor leaguers, only one of whom is at Triple-A.
The 23-year-old Smoak is batting just .159 with five RBIs in 16 games for the Mariners.
"We've been making some adjustments with him," Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said. "We're just trying to get him an environment where there's not as much pressure to produce right now. We know the total amount of at-bats he's had in professional baseball."
Smoak, the No. 11 overall selection in the 2008 draft, started his first full professional season in 2009 at Double-A Frisco, where he hit .328 with six homers and 29 RBIs in just 50 games. He began this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City and hit .300 with two home runs and five RBIs before joining the Rangers on April 23, after just 727 minor league at-bats.
Considered one of the top prospects in baseball, Smoak hit just .209 with eight homers and 34 RBIs in 70 games with the Rangers.
"You feel good at times and the game is going slow and then you start trying to do too much and it starts catching back up with you," Smoak said at the time of his trade. "That's what I'm trying to do, find a way to stay consistent."
Despite a 39-65 record heading into Saturday, the Mariners felt a trip to Tacoma was important for Smoak's development.
"It was a thought process even during the trade that we would do this or that we would start him there," Wakamatsu said. "We wanted to take a look at him, and this gives him an opportunity to go down there and relax a little bit and work on some things."
Bradley, who is hitting .205 with eight home runs this season, hasn't played since July 26 because of his bad right knee. He is eligible to return from the DL on Aug. 11.
Seattle recalled reliever Sean White and infielder Matt Tuiasosopo from Tacoma to fill the two open spots on the Mariners' roster.
Royals give Yost two-year contract extension
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ned Yost has been through this before.
Yost helped turn the Milwaukee Brewers from a perennial loser into a playoff team, and now will have the chance to do the same with the Royals. The ailing franchise gave him a two-year contract extension Saturday that will keep him in Kansas City through 2012.
Hired as a special adviser to baseball operations in January, Yost was called up to replace the fired Trey Hillman in May. He was 31-37 since taking over entering Saturday night's game against the Baltimore Orioles, and is confident his team is turning the corner.
"Soon as I got here this spring, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel," Yost said. "To come in and help build that up at the top is very, very appealing to me. I never wanted to play my options out. I never wanted to go anywhere else. This is where I wanted to be."
Yost, who was on the Atlanta Braves staff from 1991-2002, turned around a Brewers franchise from 2003-08 that had finished 56-106 and 41 games out of first place before he arrived.
The Royals have not made the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series and have had only one winning season since 1994. They lost 100 or more games in four of five seasons from 2002-06.
"This is my type of deal here," Yost said. "I like this. I like building. I like helping an organization when it's struggling at the bottom. And this organization is not at the bottom.
"It's at the tip of the iceberg. What's below the water level is our player development, our scouting department, our prospects we have in the minor league system," he added. "We have a number of incredibly talented young kids in our minor league system that I think are going to come up to the big leagues and help us win championships."
The Royals farm system is teeming with blue-chip prospects, including first baseman Eric Hosmer, who had four hits in the Futures All-Star game, third baseman Mike Moustakas, shortstop Chris Colon and left-handed pitchers Mike Montgomery and John Lamb.
"When I got to Milwaukee, all our prospects were at low-A ball," Yost said. "The majority of our kids are in High-A, Double-A right now. Plus, in Milwaukee our prospects inventory was young power hitters. Here we've got a beautiful mix of pitching prospects and young position players.
"So there is a lot more pieces involved with what we have now. Plus, with some of these deals we made, we've just added quality kids to go into that mix. There's a lot more going on here now than when I first joined Milwaukee for sure."
Mauer has cortisone shot; will miss games
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Joe Mauer is expected to miss two games after receiving a cortisone shot in his right shoulder following the Minnesota Twins' 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
The reigning American League MVP, Mauer has been dealing with tendinitis since he took a foul tip off the shoulder earlier in July. Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said an MRI on the shoulder came back clean.
Gardenhire says he will miss Sunday and likely Monday. He says Mauer likely would have sat Sunday anyway.
The soreness hasn't seemed to hurt his swing.
Mauer hit .344 in July with 19 runs, 12 doubles, three home runs and 19 RBI in 23 games.
Tigers RHP Galarraga says he'll make next start
BOSTON (AP) — Detroit Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga says he will make his next start.
Galarraga left Friday night's game after being hit by a line drive from the bat of Kevin Youkilis on his right ankle. He was limping around the clubhouse before Saturday's game against the Red Sox and said it's sore, but not so painful that it keeps him from walking.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland says there was no broken bone.
Galarraga is 3-3 with a 4.28 ERA this season.
Galarraga is perhaps best known for his near-perfect game in June that was spoiled by a bad call on what should have been the final out. The Tigers said they will give away 40,000 "Almost Perfect" commemorative prints on Tuesday night to recognize the performance.
A's recall Bonser, option Bowers
CHICAGO (AP) — The Oakland Athletics recalled pitcher Boof Bonser from Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, after he signed a minor league deal with the team earlier this month.
To make room for Bonser, the A's optioned reliever Cedric Bowers to Sacramento.
Bonser was designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox on June 18 and elected to become a free agent after clearing waivers on June 28. The A's plan to use him in long relief.
"He gives us some experience, gives us some length," manager Bob Geren said. "A good pitcher is going to help us. He doesn't always have to go long."
Bonser went 2-1 with a 4.56 ERA in 23 2-3 innings at Sacramento, while Bowers was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 appearances for Oakland this season.
Westbook scratched, sign a trade to St Louis close
TORONTO (AP) — Cleveland's Jake Westbrook has been scratched from his scheduled start at Toronto, a sign the Indians are close to trading the pitcher.
The Indians have been discussing trading the pitcher to the St. Louis Cardinals, which would be part of a three-team deal that also includes San Diego.
A 2004 All-Star, the 32-year-old right-hander is 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts this year and has a 69-71 record in 10 major league seasons.
Josh Tomlin will start in Westbrook's place.
Indians activate Kerry Wood from disabled list
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians have activated Kerry Wood from the disabled list.
The Indians announced Saturday that Wood will take the place of Austin Kearns, who was traded Friday to the New York Yankees.
Wood was placed on the disabled list earlier this month for a blister on his right index finger. It was his second time on the DL this year. He didn't pitch until May 8 because of a strained muscle in his upper back.
It's possible that Wood could be dealt to a contender before Saturday's 4 p.m. trading deadline.
Red Sox designate OF Hermida for assignment
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have designated outfielder Jeremy Hermida for assignment. Outfielder Ryan Kalish was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket to replace him on the roster.
Hermida had originally been listed in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers, which was scheduled for 4:10 p.m.
An announcement was made in the press box 20 minutes before the first pitch with the change. Hermida was batting .203 with five homers and 27 RBIs this season.
Garza's bid for consecutive no-hitters ends
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — It didn't take long for Tampa Bay's Matt Garza to lose his bid to pitch consecutive no-hitters.
The right-hander retired the New York Yankees in order in the first inning Saturday night. Garza walked Alex Rodriguez on a 3-2 pitch to begin the second, then gave up a double to Robinson Cano. Garza pitched the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay history, beating the Detroit Tigers 5-0 last Monday.
National League
Rockies, Cubs amazed by Colorado's rally
DENVER (AP) — The Chicago Cubs don't want to hear anything about the humidor making Coors Field a pitcher's park.
The Colorado Rockies made it look like the old Coors Canaveral launching pad when they batted around three times and nearly a fourth in a 17-2 romp of the Cubs on Friday night.
The game was still tight — 5-2 — with runners at the corners and two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Rockies closer Huston Street was warming up in the bullpen, ready to go for a save.
Then, the Rockies set a major league record by pounding out 11 consecutive hits in the inning.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, two teams in major league history have strung together 12 straight hits, but both times the streak spanned two innings.
In 1920, the St. Louis Cardinals had 10 straight hits in an inning before the third out was made on the basepaths. The first two hitters in the next inning got hits. The Dodgers did the same thing in 1930.
But nobody had ever strung together 11 straight hits in the same inning.The Rockies' previous best was seven straight hits.
By the time Ian Stewart flied out to deep center with the bases full to end the inning, the Rockies had set several franchise records: a dozen runs in the inning on 13 hits, eight of them for extra bases, in 18 plate appearances.
According to STATS LLC, the 12 two-out runs is the most since March 21, 1956, when the Kansas City Athletics scored 13 times with two outs in the second inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox. And the eight extra-base hits in the eighth inning tied a major league mark set by Cleveland last season.
The 12 runs tied the NL record accomplished twice by the Dodgers when they played in Brooklyn, the last time coming on Aug. 8, 1954, against Cincinnati.
The Boston Red Sox were the last team to bat around twice in an inning, on June 26, 2003, when they scored 14 in the first inning against Florida.
Colorado established a number of other franchise records in the 17-2 rout: 12 extra-base hits in a game (old mark seven); 8 extra base hits in an inning (six); 12 runs in an inning (11); 13 hits in an inning (nine); 18 plate appearances in an inning (16); seven players with multiple RBIs (five).
"This game makes you twirl your head sometimes," said winning pitcher Jeff Francis. "There's no reason for something like that to happen. This is a team that's been looking for some hits for a long time now and you pound out 13 in one inning?
"It's just nuts. Those guys are major league pitchers."
The Rockies batted around twice in the inning against relievers Sean Marshall, Andrew Cashner and Brian Schlitter. Troy Tulowitzki had two doubles and three RBIs, Clint Barmes and Melvin Mora also had two hits and Brad Hawpe and Chris Iannetta reached base twice in the inning. Dexter Fowler and Ian Stewart both hit two-run homers.
Every batter got at least one hit in the eighth.
"I haven't seen anything like that at any level," Tulowitzki said. "That was special, something you'll never see again."
After all, Carlos Gonzalez had two strikes on him with two outs when he started the streak with an RBI single to right that made it 6-2.
"You're just trying to extend the inning, not try to do too much, put the ball in play," Tulowitzki said.
And they did, over and over and over. All the hits were squared up, too. There were no cheap flares or batters sticking their bats out and reaching base on bloops between fielders. Even the last out was hit hard.
"Those were good pitchers they're throwing out there," Tulowitzki said. "It wasn't like they're guys that just got called up. Those guys had good numbers."
"Had" being the operative word. Marshall allowed five earned runs in two-thirds of an inning. Cashner allowed six earned runs without recording an out and Schlitter allowed a hit, two walks and a run before dousing the rally.
By the time the Cubs got the third out — about half an-hour after the inning started — Clint Barmes was on deck about to bat for the third time in the inning. Mora, who pinch-hit early in the eighth, worked up a sweat.
"I told Mora he played a helluva game tonight," Rockies manager Jim Tracy cracked. "You don't get to do that very often. Two at-bats and he blisters two balls."
The Cubs couldn't believe what had happened to them.
"You don't expect an inning like that, a big one, anywhere," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "This is a tough park to pitch in at times. Sometimes the breaking ball doesn't break as well up here in the light air."
Piniella said he felt sorry for his pitchers, who had no answers.
"It was as dumbfounding for us as it was people to watch the game," Marshall said. "You hate to be on the receiving end. Nobody has ever seen anything like this. I don't think it's going to happen again."
It might have looked like batting practice, but both the Cubs pitchers and Rockies hitters insisted the pitches weren't grooved.
"They made some good swings on some pretty good pitches," Marshall said. "Gonzalez hit a ball that almost bounced and Tulowitzki hit a ball that was down. This is a tough place to pitch. The ball doesn't break quite as much as anywhere else.
"It was a crazy inning."
-- Arnie Stapleton
Padres players encouraged with additions
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Adding Ryan Ludwick and Miguel Tejada in the span of three days has convinced San Diego Padres players that management wants to win now.
The NL West-leading Padres acquired Ludwick from St. Louis on Saturday in a three-team deal that sent Cleveland pitcher Jake Westbrook to the Cardinals. The Padres sent one prospect each to St. Louis and Cleveland.
Ludwick can play either right or left field and is expected to add pop to an outfield that hasn't shown much in spacious Petco Park.
"It gets us in a position where we have a chance to make it to the playoffs and the team's put us in the position where we can get past the first round, I believe," All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. "It's a good feeling."
San Diego opened the season with a payroll of $37.8 million, second-lowest in the majors behind Pittsburgh. The way most people envisioned the season playing out, the Padres would be so far back by the trading deadline that they'd deal Gonzalez for multiple prospects.
Instead, the Padres have led the NL West for all but three days since April 20, forcing management to be buyers, not sellers. The Padres have taken on $3 million in payroll in the two deals by first-year general manager Jed Hoyer. Hoyer was hired in the offseason from Boston, where he was part of the front office that built World Series winners in 2004 and 2007.
"I think Jed, first of all, comes from a place where this is what they do, so he's got that mentality," Gonzalez said. "Whenever you're in a position that you can win a World Series, you've got to make the team better and do whatever it takes. They've definitely added some guys they know are dependable and will give you quality at-bats every time they're out there."
Gonzalez said the players have been confident all season, and are even more upbeat now.
"When you matched us up a week ago against, say, Roy Halladay or Chris Carpenter, I feel like Chris Carpenter, if he executes his game plan, he's going to dominate you. Now, it's not that easy to say. We can match up against any quality No. 1," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said it's the first time he's felt that way since 2006, when the Padres won their second straight NL West title. But they were swept both years by the Cardinals in the divisional series. He said he would have felt that way in 2007, but outfielders Mike Cameron and Milton Bradley were injured in the same game with a week to go in the season, and the Padres lost an epic, 13-inning wild-card tiebreaker at Colorado.
"This just kind of solidifies our lineup a little more," Gonzalez said.
Second baseman David Eckstein, a former teammate of Ludwick, agrees.
"It was the club saying, 'Hey, we want to win this year. We're going to try and add some pieces that will help you guys go out there. That's more than the money or anything like that. Hopefully it will be a good confidence boost for the club," Eckstein said.
Ludwick hit .281 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs this season, better numbers than any of San Diego's current outfielders. He's expected to report on Sunday.
Hoyer had also targeted a starting pitcher, but felt the lack of offense from his outfielders was a bigger problem that couldn't be addressed from within the organization.
"We needed some thump in the lineup," Hoyer said. "Our corner outfield production has been subpar this year, to say the least. We needed to provide some real offense there. We hadn't been getting it."
-- Bernie Wilson
Cardinals retire Herzog's number
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals retired former manager Whitey Herzog's No. 24 in a ceremony Saturday before St. Louis played the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The sold-out crowd at Busch Stadium gave the newly inducted Hall of Famer a prolonged standing ovation after team owner Bill DeWitt made the announcement.
"You built a platform that we are happy to still have going today," said DeWitt. "We will permanently retire No. 24 in your honor today."
The 78-year-old Herzog was brought onto the field in a carriage pulled by two Clydesdales, Diamonds and Pops. Also in attendance were members of the 1985 National League championship team led by Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith.
"It's a wonderful experience," Herzog said. "I was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame in Coopertown, N.Y., and it was a wonderful honor. But let me tell you folks, to be here tonight with my number being retired at Busch Stadium in front of these players who are responsible for me being here and you fans, that's really great.
"I want thank you Mr. DeWitt and the organization for this honor," he said. "I couldn't be happier. Thank you very much."
A spokesman for Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared Saturday to be Whitey Herzog Day in the state.
Herzog, a native of New Athens, Ill., was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame a week ago in Cooperstown, N.Y., along with outfielder Andre Dawson and umpire Doug Harvey.
Herzog managed 18 seasons. He spend 16 of them with St. Louis (1980-90) and Kansas City (1975-79). He won three division titles with Kansas City and two NL pennants with the Cardinals and one world championship in 1982.
As an outfielder with four teams from 1956-63, Herzog hit .257 with 25 homers and 172 RBIs.
Fans received a Herzog bobblehead doll at the game.
Some of the players on Herzog's 1985 National League championship team on hand for a 25th anniversary celebration were Jack Clark, Vince Coleman, John Tudor, Jose Oquendo, Andy Van Slyke, Tito Landrum and Danny Cox.
Other retired St. Louis numbers include Smith's No. 1, Red Schoendienst's No. 2, Stan Musial's No. 6, Enos Slaughter's No. 9, Ken Boyer's No. 14, Dizzy Dean's No. 17, 's Lou Brock's No. 20, Bruce Sutter's No. 42, Bob Gibson's No. 45 and No. 85 in honor of former owner August A. "Gussie" Busch Jr.
Braves 2B Prado has broken knuckle
CINCINNATI (AP) — Second baseman Martin Prado broke the second knuckle on his right pinkie finger while diving into home plate in the Atlanta Braves' latest win, an injury that will sideline the leadoff hitter for at least a week.
Prado jammed the hand while sliding hard into home plate Friday night during the 10th inning of a 6-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds. X-rays initially were inconclusive. Tests on Saturday found the fracture, which won't need surgery.
Prado is expected to be sidelined for a week to 10 days. Manager Bobby Cox said the team will take a day or two before deciding whether to put him on the 15-day disabled list.
"There's no swelling hardly, which is good," Cox said. "We're going to wait a day or two and see."
Even if it's temporary, it's still a big setback for the NL East leaders. Prado has a career-high 13 homers, leads the National League with 138 hits and ranks third in batting average at .315. He leads the majors with 44 multihit games.
He sat glumly watching video of Braves' at-bats on Saturday afternoon before the second game of their series against the Reds. His right hand was wrapped.
"I don't want to be out," Prado said. "The most important games are coming up. I want to be part of it."
The Braves led the NL East by a season-high seven games on July 22. They went into a 2-4 slump, and Philadelphia won eight in a row, cutting the lead to 2½. The victory on Friday night, combined with the Phillies' loss in Roy Oswalt's debut with them, pushed it to 3½ games again.
Prado said the finger got stuck in a small hole in the dirt around home plate when he dived headfirst, scoring on Jason Heyward's two-run double. He immediately grabbed the hand, thinking he had broken the finger.
"I felt it," he said. "It was not normal pain."
The injury is expected to affect his hitting more than his throwing. Prado is having one of his best seasons at the plate, reaching 100 hits this season in the second-fewest games in Braves history, doing it in his 69th game. Ralph Garr got 100 hits in 62 games in 1974.
Prado said he's more disappointed about how the injury could affect the team than his swing. Omar Infante played second base and batted leadoff on Saturday. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez was back in the lineup after missing two days with a stomach illness.
"I don't care about numbers," Prado said. "I care about first place. I think we have a team that can make the playoffs."
-- Joe Kay
Reds stay pat before trade deadline
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds tried to strengthen their bullpen before the trading deadline, but ended up staying pat after a couple of potential deals fell through.
While other playoff contenders made moves Saturday to try to improve, including the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati didn't strike a deal.
"There are certain things we were looking at to see if we can improve," general manager Walt Jocketty said, referring to the bullpen. "But I still like our club. I've always liked our club. I have faith we'll stay in this thing until the end."
The Reds and Cardinals are locked in a two-team race in the NL Central, separated by only a half-game on Saturday. The Reds have plenty of starting pitching, but the middle of the bullpen has struggled.
Jocketty said the Reds worked on a couple of deals for relievers, but those players wound up staying with their teams on Saturday when the non-waiver trading deadline passed at 4 p.m. EDT.
"We had a couple yesterday that we had been working on for a while that fell apart at the end," he said.
Jocketty noted the Reds have some options in the minors. Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman has been moved to the bullpen at Triple-A Louisville, an experiment to see if the hard-throwing left-hander could help in relief this season.
The Cardinals were part of a three-team deal that strengthened their pitching staff. They got Jake Westbrook from Cleveland and sent outfielder Ryan Ludwick to San Diego.
"I think they gave up a pretty good hitter, and their offense has struggled lately," Jocketty said. "He's a good addition for them, but they also lost a pretty good player."
Cincinnati hadn't been in contention this deep into a season since 1999, when the Reds lost a one-game playoff to the Mets for the NL wild card. They haven't been in the playoffs since 1995.
-- Joe Kay
Dunn still a National as trade deadline passes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Slugger Adam Dunn is still with the Washington Nationals despite a lot of interest from other teams.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said several clubs called about Dunn before Saturday's deadline for making trades without waivers. Rizzo says the Nationals didn't get an offer worth taking.
Dunn leads the Nationals with 24 home runs and 54 RBIs. He was in his usual cleanup spot Saturday night against Philadelphia.
The Nationals did trade All-Star closer Matt Capps and infielder Cristian Guzman in the days leading up to the deadline.
Washington did announce the signing of Cuban pitcher Yunesky Maya. The 28-year-old righty played for Cuba in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic and was picked as the top pitcher during the country's regular season last year.
Gonzalez homers in ninth to hit for cycle
DENVER (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez hit a game-ending home run leading off the ninth inning to become the sixth player in Colorado Rockies history to hit for the cycle.
Gonzalez, who singled, tripled and doubled in his first three at-bats, hit the first pitch from Chicago Cubs reliever Sean Marshall in the ninth to give Colorado a 5-4 win. It was his 21st homer of the year.
The last Rockies player to hit for the cycle was Troy Tulowitzki, who did it Aug. 10, 2009, against the Cubs.
League News
MLB rescinds Venters' 4-game suspension
CINCINNATI (AP) — Major League Baseball has rescinded a four-game suspension for Braves reliever Jonny Venters, deciding he didn't purposely throw at Milwaukee's Prince Fielder.
Venters threw a pitch over Fielder's head, then hit him in the back on July 17. Both teams were warned after the first pitch, and Venters and Braves manager Bobby Cox were ejected after the next pitch hit Fielder.
It happened one inning after Fielder homered to start a five-run inning in Milwaukee's 6-3 win.
Cox served a one-game suspension, though he contended Venters didn't throw at Fielder. Venters had a hearing on the suspension last week and made the same point.
