MLB Capsules: Coonelly says Pirates' $120 debt manageable
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates aren't winners on the field, but they're apparently no longer losers to the banks.
The last-place Pirates were $120 million in debt a year ago, yet were in far better financial shape than they were a few seasons ago, according to team president Frank Coonelly.
Under former owner Kevin McClatchy, the Pirates' debt-to-equity ratio exceeded Major League Baseball's standard and the club was forced to asked one of its minority partners — Bob Nutting, now the principal owner — for a loan to fund operations in 2003.
That season, the Pirates traded star third baseman Aramis Ramirez to the Cubs for little in return merely to shed his salary and meet the debt-to-equity formula.
According to club financial statements obtained by The Associated Press, the Pirates owed Major League Baseball's credit facility $59 million a year ago and nearly $63 million for the fiscal year ending on Oct. 21, 2008. The club also owed $61 million in revolving bank notes, up from $40 million in 2008.
Total credit available to the Pirates through the MLB facility was nearly $63 million, meaning the Pirates were close to reaching that limit. The bank loans' maximum ceiling of $70 million could be raised to as much as $100 million under certain conditions.
"Each of the last two years, we increased our debt," Coonelly told the AP in an interview last week concerning the financial statements. "That's not increased by taking out a new loan, there is an MLB credit facility we're involved in and we also have a local facility involved. We're comfortable with our debt level as it is, as are our banks. We meet with the banks on a regular basis and the banks are comfortable with our debt level."
In 2008, the last season for which full financial reports are available, the Pirates had $6,102,379 in interest expense, up from $5,5251,096 the season before. The club also made a $20,442,550 distribution to partners that season to cover $10.4 million for income taxes on the Pirates' profits and a $9.6 million payment on the 2003 loan made by the Nutting family. Part of that loan was converted into a $20 million equity stake.
The Pirates said the debt grew to fund projects such as a $5 million training academy in the Dominican Republic, $2 million in improvements to the Pirate City spring training complex in Bradenton, Fla., and the $2 million purchase of the Bradenton Marauders Class A minor league team. The club has spent $31 million signing amateur draft picks since 2008.
"It's important to remember the club should be, needs to be and is in solid financial shape," Nutting told reporters on Sunday. "That's what's allowed us to make the kinds of investments that we've made — the development system, the Dominican, the draft signings. It's important the team not be in the kind of financial shape it was in, in 2003 and 2004, when we were struggling and making bad decisions purely driven by financial constraints and pressure."
While the Pirates are carrying considerable debt, it is believed to be only a fraction of that of some other clubs. It is common for major league teams to owe such debt because annual revenues are so substantial — the Pirates received nearly $70 million in MLB-generated revenue alone in 2008 — that they cover operating expenses each season. Owners aren't burdened by the debt because franchise values historically rise each year, meaning most teams could be sold for a substantial profit.
The Pirates' profits for the two most recent seasons available — a combined $29,416,281 — were higher than those of all but one of the five other clubs whose financial statements were revealed Monday by website Deadspin.com, a day after the AP disclosed the Pirates' finances.
Commissoner Bud Selig said his office is trying to determine how the documents were leaked.
"We share information with the union and everybody. People are going to make a lot more of this than there actually is," Selig said. "I'd like to know how it got out."
The Pirates' documents show the team made $14,408,249 in 2008 and $15,008,032 in 2007, plus $5,409,087 in 2009, according to the club's figures. A full financial statement for the 2009 season wasn't made available to the AP.
According to the teams' financial statements, the Marlins' net income for 2009 and 2008 was about $33 million, including a $29.4 million profit in 2008 when the club's payroll was trimmed to $29.7 million. The Marlins have since agreed to increase payroll before moving into a new ballpark in 2012, following a players' union protest that the club wasn't fully using its revenue sharing funds.
The Los Angeles Angels' net income was $10,732,000 in 2009 and $7,088,000 in 2008. The Texas Rangers, who were recently sold, lost $11,982,000 last season and dropped $10,435,000 in 2008.
The Tampa Bay Rays' net income was $4,016,163 in 2008 and $11,066,191 in 2007. The Seattle Mariners lost $4,533,000 in 2008 but made $17,864,000 in 2007, despite a $113,242,000 payroll.
Selig statue unveiled in front of Miller Park
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bud Selig worried about this day for several weeks, leading up to seeing his statue for the first time.
"Given the guy didn't have much to work with because I was never confused with Clark Gable, I thought he did a masterful job," Selig said at the unveiling Tuesday. "I thought he captured me really remarkably well."
The former Milwaukee Brewers owner who became baseball commissioner was honored with a bronze, 7-foot statue in front of Miller Park. It was designed and produced by Brian Maughan and portrays Selig with his right arm extended, his hand holding a baseball.
The statue joined those of Robin Yount and Hank Aaron at the stadium Selig pushed to get built.
Yount, Aaron and fellow Hall of Famers Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks and Al Kaline attended the ceremony along with more than a dozen owners and other dignitaries representing most of the 30 clubs. Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, also sat in the front row.
"Bud Selig is my hero. He has taken baseball to a far better place than where he found it," Aaron said. "His life teaches us to persevere, never quit and to extend your hand to help others along this journey."
Selig, a lifelong baseball fan who brought the Seattle Pilots to Milwaukee in 1970 and renamed them the Brewers, continued to live in his hometown after becoming commissioner.
He was the interim leader in 1992 after the resignation of Fay Vincent, and became commissioner on a full-time basis in 1998.
Selig handed over ownership of the Brewers to his daughter, Wendy Selig-Prieb, and the franchise was sold to a group led by Los Angeles investment banker Mark Attanasio in 2005.
Selig established interleague play and the wild card, a pair of initiatives that didn't sit well with baseball traditionalists but likely contributed the sport's rebound in popularity in the late 1990s.
Home run record chases by Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds also boosted the sport's profile — but those players' feats eventually would lead to perhaps the biggest test of Selig's leadership in the wake of the steroids era.
His attempts to explain weaknesses in the sport's drug testing policy by blaming the players' union's inflexibility didn't sit well with members of Congress.
But as time has past since those hearings, some in the baseball community have called Selig the greatest commissioner in history, and it was repeated several times during Tuesday's celebration.
"Believe me when I tell you, it's not an easy job to be commissioner of 30 different owners who have different needs," Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said. "He has a vision for the game and he's done some wonderful things for the game."
Besides Aaron and Yount, 20 other former Milwaukee players were on stage, including Rollie Fingers, Paul Molitor and Ted Simmons.
During his time as owner, Selig worked relentlessly to bring a club back to Milwaukee after the Braves left in 1965. He succeed in bringing the Pilots just before the start of the 1970 season and fought again in a contentious battle with Wisconsin's state Assembly in the 1990s to build a new park, one of nearly two dozen built during his tenure as commissioner.
"In my respects, I see this as a tribute of a lifetime of service to my sport, my state and community," Selig said of the statue. "A community in which I was born and raised and continue to live. You have no idea how deeply touched I am."
The commissioner said children would recognize Yount and Aaron in the area in front of Miller Park, but he hoped to leave this lasting legacy when they saw the statue of the man dressed in a suit and tie.
"I hope that one day when a child walks past that statue and says to his parent and asks, 'Who's that?' the parent will say, 'He was just a passionate man from Milwaukee, a youngster who just like you had a dream to make this a better place. He never lost hope and he never lost faith and through it he made baseball (and) the community a better place in which to live,'" he said.
-- Colin Fly
Dodgers' Ramirez says he hasn't heard anything
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez says he's heard nothing amid speculation that he'll be put on the waiver wire at the end of the week.
"No, man, nothing," Ramirez said while snacking on a banana before returning to a conversation in Spanish with teammates Vicente Padilla and Ronnie Belliard. The clubhouse closed moments later for a standard team meeting before Los Angeles began a three-game series with Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Clubs looking to add the enigmatic hitter would need to put him on their roster by Aug. 31 to make him available for the postseason. Ramirez came into Tuesday's action hitting .312 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 62 games. He's also made three trips to the disabled list this season.
"I don't think that it's anything different than what goes on in July. All the rumors that fly around in July about trade possibilities," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "You know I can't talk about what's going on, but just the attitude, I don't see any concern, first off in his game. ... You really are bred to deal with distractions. It's our job, and so, I don't see it affecting him at this point."
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt was at Miller Park for the unveiling of a statue honoring baseball commissioner Bud Selig, as was White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, whose team is rumored to have interest in Ramirez. McCourt said the day was about Selig and he wasn't discussing any business.
"This is all about Bud," he said.
A Dodgers spokesman said GM Ned Colletti wasn't on the team's charter to Milwaukee, but is expected to join the team at some point during this series. Several White Sox players were intrigued by bringing in Ramirez to help bolster their offense.
"It's just a rumor at this point. If he shows up tomorrow in his uniform, we'll all welcome him," Paul Konerko said. "Hopefully it'll be good. But until then, it's tough to comment on. We only see as players what you guys see, what's on the TV, if at all."
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said if he was asked by GM Ken Williams if he wanted Ramirez, he would say yes. Ramirez was adored in Los Angeles and his sometimes erratic play coined the phrase "Manny being Manny" during his 7½ seasons in Boston.
Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers in 2008 and signed a $45 million, two-year extension in 2009 that included $10 million each season and three payments of $8,333,333 each from 2011-13. But, Mannywood's run is ending with the 38-year-old coming off an injury-plagued season and eligible for free agency in the offseason.
"Manny is a tremendous hitter. I don't think anybody doubts that. Can he help us? I don't know because he hasn't played in the big leagues in a while. He's a presence in the lineup, he makes our ball club better if he's a presence in the lineup," Guillen said. "The same thing happened a couple years ago. We had Ken Griffey, Jr., we handled him very well, players loved him. I don't expect anything different with Manny."
Williams said it's a violation of tampering rules if he spoke specifically about Ramirez, but said that his club can never have too much offense.
"We've got to have the conversation and see what the numbers are on the salary, how we're doing in the standings and the gate. The last 30-some odd days it changes seemingly on a day-to-day basis," he said. "You have to think really long and hard about where you are at a given time and what you're going to do."
-- Colin Fly
Reds CF Jim Edmonds put on disabled list
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Cincinnati Reds center fielder Jim Edmonds went on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained right oblique muscle, though the club still hopes he can return for the stretch run.
Manager Dusty Baker isn't about to guess when Edmonds might be ready to play again.
"I don't know," Baker said before the middle game of the Reds' series with the San Francisco Giants. "With that oblique, it's tough. These things usually put you on the 15-day DL, but that's rarely enough. Everybody heals differently. If anybody knows how to heal, it's him. He's had a number of injuries."
Edmonds was injured in the sixth inning of the Reds' 11-2 loss to the Giants on Monday night. He felt it on a swing and a miss against Matt Cain.
Edmonds grimaced on his follow through and was lifted for pinch-hitter Drew Stubbs. The 40-year-old Edmonds is batting .272 with nine home runs, 21 RBIs and 23 doubles with the Reds and Milwaukee.
General manager Walt Jocketty expects Edmonds back in 2 to 3 weeks.
Jocketty said it seems the training staff attended to the injury right away, which could help Edmonds' chances of contributing late in the year.
"It's hard to tell with those types of injuries," Jocketty said. "It was determined it's going to be at least two weeks."
The Reds also optioned right-handed reliever Jordan Smith to Triple-A Louisville and recalled right-hander Sam LeCure and Triple-A All-Star second baseman Chris Valaika from Louisville. This will be LeCure's second stint with the Reds this season. He was scheduled to pitch Tuesday, so Baker had him as an option for long relief.
When Valaika plays, he will become the eighth Red to make his major league debut this year. He provides another right-handed bat and some versatility for Baker considering he can play second, third and shortstop.
Laynce Nix wasn't in the lineup after spraining his left ankle Monday. He was listed as day to day and exams showed no ligament damage.
Jocketty said reliever Russ Springer is done for the season as he recovers from a herniated disk and so is reliever Jason Isringhausen, signed a minor league deal last month and is coming back from elbow surgery.
-- Janie McCauley
Kids with peanut allergies get safe Cubs game
CHICAGO (AP) — John Rudnicki is getting a special present for his eighth birthday: a trip to Wrigley Field for a Chicago Cubs game, complete with a seat in a skybox, hot dogs, lemonade — and no peanuts.
The Wilmette boy is so severely allergic to the nuts that he's been to Wrigley only once before, despite being a hard-core Cubs fan.
But on Monday, the Cubs for the first time are setting aside a skybox for fans in which peanuts won't be served or allowed.
For those with severe, life-threatening peanut allergies such as John, the news is as welcome as an Aramis Ramirez home run or a Carlos Marmol late-inning strikeout.
"You can hang out and you don't have to worry about peanuts. You can watch the game," said John. "That's good."
Fans began lobbying online earlier this year for a peanut-free zone at Wrigley Field, where the traditional snack is almost as prevalent as the traditional outfield ivy.
Cubs fan Joyce Davis launched a website in June after her 10-year-old daughter, Julia, attended her first game at Wrigley Field. Though the Gurnee residents wiped down their seats and tried to avoid contact with peanut-munching fans, they still had to leave after a half-hour because Julia's allergies caused her to break out in hives and begin wheezing.
Davis and her daughter wrote a letter to the Cubs' organization and then started a Facebook page pushing for a peanut-free zone at Wrigley. It quickly gained support from others who have peanut allergies, including the Rudnicki family.
The Cubs listened.
Club officials announced that for Monday's 7:05 p.m. game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the centerfield Batter's Eye skybox will be a peanut-free zone reserved for those with allergies.
"It's a school night, it's a night game and we don't care. We're going to be there," said Joyce Davis. "For her to go and not worry, it'll be a tremendous relief."
John Rudnicki and his mother, Kelly, can't wait to go either.
"It's our birthday present to him," said Kelly Rudnicki, a blogger and author on food allergies who has written two books, including The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book.
Rudnicki, a mother of five, sees the game as a chance for her oldest son to not only safely enjoy one of his passions, but as a way for him to spend time around other young people dealing with the same allergy.
"It's not only the opportunity for him to go to a baseball game, but it's an opportunity to be around other kids like him," she said.
She and Davis hope the Cubs continue the practice beyond one game, though they praised team officials for answering their concerns and providing a safe place for those with potentially deadly allergies.
"They're giving these kids a place to have this normalcy. That's great," Rudnicki said.
-- Dan Rozek
Nats put Strasburg on DL, call up RHP Balester
WASHINGTON (AP) — As expected, the Washington Nationals put rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg back on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday and scheduled him for a further test this week on his strained right forearm.
Strasburg was on the disabled list earlier this month with tightness in his right shoulder. This is his first season in the majors after being the overall No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft.
The Nationals aren't sure when he will pitch again. He will undergo an magnetic resonance imaging arthrogram, where dye is injected into the arm to show contrast, on Thursday.
The Nationals called up right-hander Collin Balester from Triple-A Syracuse. Washington manager Jim Riggleman said Balester would be used out of the bullpen.
Balester's stay could be a short one, however. The Nationals have not announced who will take Strasburg's scheduled start Thursday, and Balester could be sent back to the minors to make room for another pitcher.
Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, sent to Syracuse on Aug. 1 after a minor league rehabilitation assignment following ligament replacement surgery performed in August 2009, could be recalled to make the start.
Riggleman said he had settled on a Thursday starter but would not announce his decision until the official roster move was made.
Oswalt plays outfield after Howard ejection
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Roy Oswalt became the first Phillies pitcher to play a position in the field in 39 years after Ryan Howard was ejected in the 14th inning on Tuesday night.
Oswalt caught a routine fly ball from Astros catcher Jason Castro, earning a loud ovation from the fans who remained. The last pitcher to play a position was Bill Wilson on Aug. 6, 1971. Oswalt was forced to go into the outfield with Philadelphia out of position players. Raul Ibanez took over at first for Howard.
Howard was tossed by third base umpire Scott Barry after being rung up on a check swing, the second one of the at-bat. He threw his bat and helmet after striking out for the fifth time, causing the ejection, then charged toward Barry, gesturing wildly.
Marlins recall Maybin to play center field
NEW YORK (AP) — The Florida Marlins have recalled Cameron Maybin from Triple-A New Orleans to take over for Cody Ross in center field.
The move made Tuesday before the Marlins faced the New York Mets comes two days after Florida let Ross go to the San Francisco Giants on a waiver claim. Ross was the third-highest paid player on the cost-conscious club with a salary of $4.45 million.
Maybin is slated to bat seventh but Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez sees him taking over the leadoff spot by the end of the week.
Maybin hit .338 this year in Triple-A with four homers and 23 RBIs in 33 games. He was hitting .225 for the Marlins with five homers and 19 RBIs in 51 games before being sent down on June 17.
Pirates RHP Ohlendorf likely out for season
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pirates right-hander Ross Ohlendorf has a damaged muscle in the back of his right shoulder that could sideline him for the rest of the season.
An MRI exam on Tuesday revealed a strain that will need recovery time and rehabilitation but won't require surgery. The Pirates did not immediately place Ohlendorf on the disabled list, but a move could occur by Wednesday.
Ohlendorf is 1-11. He felt tightness in his shoulder while warming up before Monday night's start against St. Louis, but tried to pitch through it. After walking a batter and allowing a single, he was lifted after throwing eight pitches.
Despite his record, Ohlendorf has been the Pirates' most consistent starter since the All-Star break.
Diamondbacks recall Ryan Roberts, release Bobby Crosby
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have recalled utilityman Ryan Roberts from Triple-A Reno and released infielder Bobby Crosby. The Diamondbacks made the move before Tuesday night's game at San Diego.
The 30-year-old Crosby was acquired in a multiplayer trade with Pittsburgh on July 31. He hit .167 with two doubles and two RBIs in nine games for the Diamondbacks.
The 29-year-old Roberts hit .176 with three RBIs in 12 games for Arizona before being sent down June 20.
Cardinals put LHP Reyes on DL, call up RHP Salas
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have placed left-hander Dennys Reyes on the 15-day disabled list with elbow soreness and recalled right-hander Fernando Salas from Triple-A Memphis.
Salas is 0-0 with a 2.51 ERA in 12 games with St. Louis, allowing four runs — including three homers — in 14 1-3 innings.
Reyes has pitched in 50 games, going 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 32 innings.
Cubs purchase Maine's contract, send Berg to Iowa
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Scott Maine from Triple-A Iowa.
The 25-year-old Maine has not pitched in the majors. He's split this season between Iowa and Double-A Tennessee, going 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA.
The Cubs optioned right-handed pitcher Justin Berg to Iowa on Tuesday. He was 0-1 with a 5.77 ERA in 35 games.
American League
Damon stays in Detroit, nixes return to Red Sox
DETROIT (AP) — Johnny Damon is staying in Detroit.
The 36-year-old outfielder decided to pass up a chance to return to the Boston Red Sox, rejecting their waiver claim and choosing to remain with the Tigers.
"These guys really like me here," Damon said Tuesday, adding he spoke to each of his teammates individually to be sure he was wanted in the Tigers' clubhouse.
Damon was popular in Boston when he helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series to end an 86-year drought. With his long hair and beard, he was part of the group of Red Sox players who called themselves the "Idiots."
He fell out of favor, however, with many Boston fans when he later became a free agent and joined the rival New York Yankees.
"Considering the buzz that Johnny created for many years here, one of the original 'Idiots' of the World Series champions here, I thought it would be a great idea. But sometimes the ideas of others are not the same as the person who actually has to be in the situation," Red Sox outfielder Mike Cameron.
Damon's contract gives him veto power over trades to all but eight teams. Because the Red Sox weren't one of those clubs, he was able to block the move.
Damon said he was leaning toward staying put from the beginning. He texted former Red Sox teammate Jason Varitek and talked to David Ortiz, and both tried to convince him to return to Boston.
"They told me they wanted a spark," Damon said.
Said Varitek: "I reached out to him, as a friend, as a teammate, and ultimately, he's obviously had some decisions to make."
"I can only speak for what Johnny has meant here and what he has done as a player and what he is as a teammate. He would have been a big addition to our team with what he can do," he said.
The banged-up Red Sox began the day 5½ games behind New York and Tampa Bay in the AL East. Detroit started 10 games behind Minnesota in the AL Central and far out of wild-card contention.
"This game's tough enough and when you're in a position and you're in a city and you're in a place where you want to be, a place where you're happy, there's no real reason of doing that," Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "I've always admired Johnny since I came here in '05 and he was one of the players that took me under his wing and showed me the big leagues. I wish him nothing but the best."
"I'm not surprised because he's in a situation where he's happy and if he's happy, why not stay? If he's not happy, obviously he would have left."
Damon is hitting .272 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 111 games. This is his first season in Detroit.
"I feel like we're not out of it yet," he said. "At least we can make some kind of run."
Damon said he'd like to play in Detroit next year, too, but "there's no guarantee."
Tigers star Miguel Cabrera welcomed Damon's decision.
"It's good for us. He stays here and we can play more together and see what happens. We can do a lot of things," Cabrera said. "We can win more games, we can get more support in the lineup. If he stays here for some reason, it's because he likes it here, he believes in us. That's good."
Said Damon: "I've said Miguel Cabrera was the best hitter I've ever seen and I wanted to see it for a whole year."
Damon talked to Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski on Monday night before he made his decision and spoke to assistant GM Al Avila and manager Jim Leyland on Tuesday.
"I told him to do what your heart tells you," Leyland said. "Don't worry about the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Jim Leyland, Terry Francona or anybody else."
One of Damon's concerns about remaining with the Tigers was his playing time. He was concerned the team might want to look at younger players.
"Yes, he's going to play," Leyland said. "Is he going to play every game? No. He hasn't played every game to this point."
M's, Red Sox set for doubleheader after rainout
BOSTON (AP) — Johnny Damon won't be playing left field for the Red Sox in Boston's longshot bid for a playoff spot.
Expect to see a group of far less accomplished outfielders — Daniel Nava, Bill Hall, Darnell McDonald and Ryan Kalish — sharing that spot.
Damon rejected Boston's waiver claim on him and said Tuesday he's staying with the Detroit Tigers. Barring a move for another veteran, the Red Sox will go with what they already have.
"We've got nothing else," David Ortiz said after Tuesday night's game with the Seattle Mariners was postponed by rain. "It's not like (we) have more options. Of course, we're battling and we've got to ride with this."
The Red Sox began the day 5½ games behind the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. Tuesday's game was rescheduled for Wednesday night as part of a day-night doubleheader, although the probability of precipitation ranged between 40 and 80 percent from noon until midnight.
Tuesday's scheduled pitchers, Josh Beckett (3-3) and Seattle's David Pauley (2-4) will pitch the opener, with Jon Lester (13-8) facing Felix Hernandez (9-10) in the night game.
Seattle interim manager Daren Brown managed Pauley earlier in the season at Triple-A Tacoma.
"He's pitched on a lot of (rainy days) down at Tacoma," Brown said. "It seems like every time it was his day to pitch we had weather like this and I think he had five or six starts in a row that were either delayed or canceled. Hopefully, it will be nice tomorrow."
If the teams can't get both games in, they could play Thursday, an off day for both.
The Red Sox open a key three-game series in Tampa on Friday night. Had Damon agreed to return, he might have been playing in it.
His parting with the Red Sox after the 2005 season was rocky. And only six players remain from that team with just four still around from the 2004 World Series champions that Damon was a part of. Terry Francona is still the manager.
Damon said before Tuesday night's game against Kansas City that he was staying in Detroit.
"These guys really like me here," he said.
So does Ortiz.
"We'd love to have our friend back here, but he has his own life," Ortiz said. "It's not all about him saying 'yes' or 'no.' It's all about him figuring things out with his family."
The Red Sox began the season with an outfield of Jacoby Ellsbury in left, Mike Cameron in center and J.D. Drew in right. But Ellsbury has played only 18 games because of rib injuries and almost certainly is out for the year. Cameron, who has played 48 games, is scheduled for season-ending abdominal surgery Friday.
So rookies Nava, who is hitting .277, and Kalish, batting .239, were called up. Hall, signed as a utility player in the offseason, is batting .240 with 17 homers. And McDonald is hitting .271 in 93 games after starting the season at Triple-A Pawtucket.
"We're trying to play our best," Ortiz said. "Toward the end of the season you've got to win as many games as you can so you can be playing in mid-October."
Notes: The Red Sox activated C Kevin Cash from the disabled list and sent C Dusty Brown to Pawtucket. ... Brown and Francona met with umpire Joe West, dressed in street clothes, on the field during a downpour about a half hour before the game was called at 7:26 p.m., 16 minutes after the scheduled start.
-- Howard Ulman
Indians' GM-in-waiting Antonetti likes outlook
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chris Antonetti intends to stay the course plotted by Mark Shapiro for the Cleveland Indians.
Antonetti said Tuesday he doesn't expect any drastic change in organizational philosophy when he officially becomes general manager and Shapiro assumes the role of team president on Nov. 1.
"I'm excited by the opportunity and the challenge," said Antonetti, completing his ninth year as assistant general manager. "I'm confident we have the people in place to be successful. We're all building towards trying to get back to a championship-caliber club."
Impatient fans question how that process is going. Cleveland has not won a World Series since 1948 nor played in one since 1997. The Indians are currently last in the AL Central and in danger of finishing worse than the 65-97 record a year ago that led to the firing of the coaching staff.
Antonetti has gradually been given more responsibility over the baseball operations and said the team's progress will be reflected in incremental steps as well.
"It's not going to happen overnight," he said. "The first thing we need to do is get guys back and healthy."
Season-ending injuries to former All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore and promising young catcher Carlos Santana have contributed to Cleveland's poor record. Other key players being sidelined — such as shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, designated hitter Travis Hafner and outfielder Shin-Soo Choo — also hurt.
Antonetti expects all of them to be ready to for the start of the 2011 season.
"That will give us a nucleus to build on, but we need to be able to supplement that," Antonetti said. He said the club will have to examine its finances before deciding if it can bid for any free agents this winter.
Despite being 24 games under .500, Antonetti insists the Indians are not a lost cause. He listed an improved bullpen and depth of minor league talent as among the positives, but admitted better infield defense continues to be a priority.
"We have a pitching staff that largely relies on ground-ball contact, and we haven't always done a very good job of picking up the ball behind them," he said.
Not a lot of help will be coming from the minors this season. Antonetti said the Indians will probably keep some prospects at Triple-A Columbus when rosters are expanded on Sept. 1. With the Clippers pushing for a postseason berth, top players will stay there for the playoffs and then possibly be called up.
Yankees move RHP Vazquez to bullpen
TORONTO (AP) — The New York Yankees are moving Javier Vazquez to the bullpen and will let rookie Ivan Nova start in his place this weekend.
Vazquez was among the top pitchers in the National League last season, but has struggled this year. He's 9-9 with a 5.05 ERA in 23 starts and has not won in five outings.
"I'm disappointed, obviously," Vazquez said. "But I'm also not doing my job so I understand, of course."
Also, shortstop Derek Jeter returned to the lineup after not starting Monday, his first day off after playing 17 days in a row. Manager Joe Girardi said Jeter has been bothered by soreness in his left leg.
The Yankees also skipped Vazquez for a start in May, and he won five of his next seven outings.
"The last time we skipped Javy a start it seemed to kind of jump-start him," Girardi said.
Vazquez will be available in relief on Wednesday, Girardi said.
"It's tough to look a veteran in the eye, (a guy) that's had a lot of success in his career and has pitched really well for us at times and tell him we're going to skip you a start because you know how bad he wants to be out there," Girardi said.
Nova will pitch Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, and Girardi will re-evaluate the decision after that game.
"I want to see where we are after Sunday's game to decide what we're going to do," Girardi said.
Nova made his first major league start against Toronto on Monday night, allowing two runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings.
"I think his stuff is even better than he's shown," Girardi said of Nova.
Tigers' Ordonez to have season-ending ankle surgery
DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery on his right ankle Wednesday.
The 36-year-old slugger, sidelined since July 25, was hitting .303 with 12 home runs and 59 RBIs before he was injured.
The procedure will be performed by Dr. Phillip Kwong of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles.
Ordonez, a free agent after this season because he will not be able to meet games and at-bat incentives which would have extended his deal, is expected to make a full recovery for 2011.
When asked the chances of the Tigers re-signing Ordonez for next season, Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski said the team will not comment on the status of any player for 2011 during the remainder of this season.
A's OF Jackson to have surgery; Buck to minors
CLEVELAND (AP) — Oakland Athletics outfielder Conor Jackson will have sports hernia surgery on Sept. 1 and could miss the rest of the season.
Jackson, acquired from Arizona on June 16, is batting .228 with one home run and five RBIs in 18 games for Oakland. He's batting .236 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 60 games overall.
Jackson was placed on the disabled list Friday. He was also on the DL from July 1-Aug. 15 with a strained right hamstring and he missed most of last season with a fatigue-causing illness known as "valley fever."
Before Tuesday night's game against Cleveland, the A's optioned outfielder Travis Buck to Triple-A Sacramento and recalled outfielder Matt Carson from the same club.
Steinbrenner monument at Yankee Stadium set
NEW YORK (AP) — A monument to George Steinbrenner will be dedicated at Yankee Stadium next month.
The late New York Yankees owner will be remembered with the seventh memorial at the ballpark's famed Monument Park. The tribute is set for Sept. 20 before the Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays.
His family issued a statement Tuesday saying the monument will reflect Steinbrenner's appreciation for all Yankees fans.
The six monuments now at Yankee Stadium honor Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Miller Huggins and the victims and heroes of Sept. 11.
Swisher leaves game after fouling ball off knee
TORONTO (AP) — Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher left Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays after fouling a pitch off his left knee.
Facing reliever Casey Janssen in the seventh inning, Swisher fouled a 1-2 pitch off his knee and fell to the ground in pain. Trainer Gene Monahan and manager Joe Girardi came out to check on Swisher, who stayed in the game for two more pitches before being replaced by Brett Gardner, who struck out looking. The strikeout was charged to Swisher.
Swisher is batting .292 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs in 120 games.
Gardner went to left field in the bottom of the inning, with Austin Kearns moving from left to right.
Rays manager Joe Maddon ejected in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has been ejected for arguing a caught stealing call in a game against the Los Angeles Angels.
He was ejected by second base umpire Angel Campos in the fifth inning Tuesday night.
Evan Longoria singled with two outs and then tried to steal second, but his momentum carried him off the bag while Erick Aybar kept his glove in contact with Longoria.
Maddon appeared to claim that Longoria was nudged off the bag, but he was ejected for the fourth time this season.
League News
Report: MLB investigation focusing on insurance
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times is reporting that Major League Baseball is focusing on leaked financial documents in an investigation on insurance companies that do business with clubs.
The paper reported on its Website on Tuesday night citing two anonymous MLB executives. The Times reported the companies under investigation sell liability insurance for top-level team executives and directors, not players.
