MLB Capsules: Commentary - Morgan's 'crime spree' about to come to an end
Good weather, cheap tickets, convenient parking and even bobblehead giveaway nights can't spark much interest in a meaningless September game between the Nationals and Marlins, two teams whose payrolls tipped off their lowly intentions to fans even before the season began.
But Nyjer Morgan can.
Washington's feisty, 30-year-old center fielder put baseball back on sportstalk's front burner for at least a day, but not the way Bud Selig envisioned. Then again, it's not as though the commissioner didn't see this coming. Either way, he's the one responsible for sorting it out.
Morgan has been on baseball's version of a crime spree the last two weeks. Already appealing a seven-game suspension for firing a baseball at fans in the stands Aug. 21 in Philadelphia, he nearly set off a brawl with a cheap shot Saturday on Cards catcher Bryan Anderson, then doubled down by starting a melee Wednesday with the Marlins.
"He was playing his game," said Florida manager Edwin Rodriguez, who joined his Washington counterpart, Jim Riggleman, and four others in getting ejected before the night was through. "We were playing ours."
Morgan's "game" previously meant channeling his intensity and considerable talents into putting up respectable numbers at the plate for the Nationals, and the hapless Pirates before that. But as his production dipped, Morgan increasingly veered off in the direction of provocation. Along the way, he crossed a line between fierce and dangerous.
The bench-clearing brawl that began in the top of the sixth had actually been simmering since the night before. That's when Morgan barreled into Marlins' catcher Brad Hayes on a play at the plate — he probably could have beaten the tag with a slide — separating Hayes' shoulder and knocking him out for the remainder of the year.
As payback, Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad plunked Morgan in the fourth. He promptly stole second and third, despite the fact that his team was 11 runs down at the time, ruffling the Marlins' scales one more time. In the sixth, presumably for the sin of showing him up, Volstad threw behind Morgan, who responded by rushing the mound and —as the kids like to say — it was on, baby!
"Once is good enough," Morgan said about the Marlins' retribution, "but twice, no, it's time to go."
Baseball has a code of unwritten rules to cover such situations, and most of the time they're understood well enough to keep the peace. Morgan's uncalled-for elbow on St. Louis' catcher, for example, got him in almost as much trouble with his own manager as it did with the Cardinals. Riggleman called it "unprofessional" and sat him down for a game.
But there was no consensus on where the blame for the Florida fight belonged, although everyone agreed that Morgan was at the center of events and — some surprise — proud of it. When teammates finally dragged him out from underneath the pileup, Morgan fired both hands into the air, beat his chest and walked off like he was Stone Cold Steve Austin.
A call to Major League Baseball seeking comment Thursday afternoon was not returned, but it's unlikely a lack of evidence is keeping Selig from rendering punishment.
Morgan's file down at headquarters is already bulging. All that remains is for the commissioner to decide how many more games to tack onto the seven already handed Morgan — the recommendation here is at least 10 — plus whether fines and suspensions are warranted for the other participants.
Frankly, it's surprising that late-season brawls between teams going nowhere aren't more common. Perennial bottom-feeders like the Nationals practically breed malcontents because the promise of rebuilding stretches on from year after year and never gets fulfilled.
Whether it was stress, frustration or something else altogether that pushed Morgan from being a tough competitor into a marginally dirty one, only he knows. But if Selig wants to do some lasting good for baseball — beyond meting out an appropriate sentence to Morgan — he'll take into account the recent grumbling set off by the release of teams' financial statements illustrating how little a few of those franchises are interested in winning.
Because while we're on the subject of unwritten rules, if he's going to whack players for trying too hard, he might want to consider doing the same for franchises that don't try hard enough.
Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke@ap.org.
American League
Boston's Pedroia concedes surgery possible on foot
BALTIMORE (AP) — Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is bracing for the possibility of having season-ending surgery on his broken left foot.
Pedroia will be examined on Friday.
"I have a CT scan early in the morning," Pedroia said Thursday before Boston's game against the Orioles. "If I have to have surgery, we'll do it later in the day."
The injury originally occurred in late June. Pedroia returned for two games in August, then went back on the 15-day disabled list. The 2008 AL MVP and the Red Sox hoped for his return this month, but his recovery hasn't gone as swiftly as anticipated.
Pedroia is reluctant to write off the 2010 season, but acknowledged surgery is probably the best solution.
"I think that would make it heal more," he said. "They said there's like a 50 percent chance that (without surgery) I could feel better and still, like what happened last time: I played two games and not be able to walk the next day.
"Putting the screw in is probably the best idea. It's a 90 percent chance that I heal, that that bone heals," he said. "So there's a good chance I'll have the surgery at some point."
Pedroia averaged 150 games over the past three season. This year, he's batting .288 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs in 75 games.
By having surgery now, Pedroia would be able to get a jump on his offseason workouts.
"I don't want to get to January and go through my workouts and not feel good and then I miss some of next year," he said. "None of us want that to happen."
Also for Boston, catcher Jason Varitek ran hard in the infield Thursday and also is scheduled to have a CT scan on his broken right foot. If the examination is encouraging, Varitek could begin a rehabilitation assignment this weekend, manager Terry Francona said.
-- David Ginsburg
Gardenhire ejected in 7th inning
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected in the seventh inning against Detroit on Thursday night after arguing a close play at second base.
Second baseman Alexi Casilla took a relay throw from J.J. Hardy at the bag and started to the turn the double play, and appeared to drop the ball on the exchange from his glove to his hand. However, crew chief Joe West ruled that Casilla dropped the ball entirely and called Austin Jackson safe at second.
Gardenhire immediately came out to argue, and it wasn't long before he was ejected for the fourth time this season and 51st time of his career.
It was the second time in the game Gardenhire argued with West about a call at second base. West ruled that Hardy did not beat Will Rhymes to the bag in the fifth inning.
Twins RHP Baker leaves game in 2nd
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins starter Scott Baker left Thursday night's game against Detroit after two innings because of pain in his right elbow.
Baker allowed two runs and three hits, including a homer by Don Kelly. He has had trouble keeping his arm loose in some starts this season, and there was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.
It is the latest injury for the Twins. Jason Kubel, Jim Thome and Orlando Hudson are considered day-to-day with bumps and bruises but did not play Thursday.
Justin Morneau has been out nearly two months because of a concussion and pitchers Jose Mijares, Ron Mahay and Kevin Slowey are also on the disabled list.
Jeff Manship replaced Baker in the game.
Tigers' Cabrera leaves game in 6th
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera left Thursday night's game against Minnesota in the sixth inning with left biceps tendinitis.
Cabrera went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in the game. After coming in from the field after the fifth inning, the first baseman walked with a team trainer from the dugout back into the clubhouse. The Tigers say he is listed as day-to-day.
He started the night hitting .338 with 33 homers and 107 RBIs, putting him in the top two in all three triple crown categories.
Manager Jim Leyland moved Don Kelly from left field to first base to replace Cabrera and put Casper Wells into left field.
A's pitcher Braden leaves with heat-related cramps
NEW YORK (AP) — Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden has left his latest start because of heat-related cramps.
Braden bent over after a pitch in the sixth inning Thursday at Yankee Stadium. He was checked by a trainer and slowly walked off the field.
New York led the A's 1-0 at the time.
Yankees' Swisher leaves early with stiff knee
NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher has made an early exit against Oakland because of stiffness in his left knee.
Swisher grounded out in the first inning Thursday, then left the game. Curtis Granderson took Swisher's spot in the batting order, and the Yankees repositioned their outfield.
The Yankees say Swisher is day to day.
National League
A rookie thanks Clemente for saving father's life
PITTSBURGH (AP) — When Pirates second baseman Neil Walker takes the field at PNC Park, he needs only to glance over his shoulder at the 21-foot Roberto Clemente Wall in right field for inspiration.
Walker, one of the majors' top rookies, grew up in Pittsburgh hearing countless stories about one of baseball's greatest outfielders and a man whose influence in his native Puerto Rico extends far beyond the diamond.
While Clemente died 13 years before Walker was born, the two will be forever linked by the night of Dec. 31, 1972 — when Clemente's plane, jammed with relief supplies for Nicaraguan earthquake victims, crashed off the waters of San Juan. Walker's father, Tom, was one of the last to see Clemente alive and had been minutes away from climbing aboard the plane himself.
"I can remember it like it was yesterday," said Tom Walker, a major league pitcher for six seasons from 1972-77. "We left the airport, and it was the last time I ever saw Roberto Clemente. He saved my life by not letting me get on that plane."
The elder Walker and fellow Expos pitching prospect Balor Moore were playing winter ball together on Clemente's team, which featured mostly Pirates prospects. When the devastating earthquake struck, Clemente asked his fellow Puerto Ricans for help. So respected was Clemente, who only three months before had gotten his 3,000th hit, his countrymen responded by donating tons of food, clothing and medical supplies.
"There was so much stuff — there were donations everywhere at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, our ballpark," Walker said. "Balor and (former Pirates catcher) Manny Sanguillen and myself helped load up the trucks and we went to the airport. We told Roberto we wanted to go with him, but there was a party on New Year's Eve and he would absolutely not let that happen."
The DC-7 was so filled with 16,000 pounds of supplies, Walker said, "There was hardly room for anything else, but by no means did Roberto think the plane was unsafe."
The aging plane burst into flames shortly after takeoff and was never seen again, killing Clemente and four others. Sanguillen, one of Clemente's closest friends, was so heartbroken he walked the beaches for days, searching for any sign of life.
Walker was saddened by the death of a man he greatly respected and was shaken by the realization he could have been on the plane himself.
"Winter baseball just stopped," Walker said. "The Pirates sent down a planeful of players for a memorial service at a Catholic church, and there were a lot of tears. He really was a hero. He was a great humanitarian. He was so popular in Puerto Rico, he could have run for governor, but he knew better than that. His value was in helping people, and it cost him his life."
Neil Walker has heard these tales from his father, and many others, and the two have made multiple visits to the downtown Pittsburgh sports museum that contains Clemente artifacts. A trip to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown revealed Clemente's full name is Roberto Clemente Walker; Walker was his mother's maiden name. Tom Walker's full name is the very similar Robert Thomas Walker. That also made an impression on Neil Walker.
"Many of the younger players today are focused on the current players, but Neil knows stories of Roberto and Bill Mazeroski, who's been an idol to Neil," said Tom Walker, who once pitched a 15-inning no-hitter in Double-A. "Neil has a sense of the history of the game."
So when Hall of Famer Mazeroski attended the Pirates' spring training camp as an infield instructor, Walker asked for help — even though Walker was drafted as a catcher in 2004 and was playing third base at the time. Walker sensed the more positions he knew, the better off he'd be.
Mazeroski's help proved invaluable earlier this season when the Pirates, realizing that Aki Iwamura wasn't working out at second, hastily asked Walker to learn the position. Walker played barely a dozen games there at Triple-A, yet has been an above-average fielder while hitting .310 with nine homers and 49 RBIs since his May 25 callup.
Walker is currently one of the NL's hottest hitters, going 16 of 36 (.444) since Aug. 24. He has seven hits in his last two games, and has homered in four of his last five despite playing on the majors' worst team. His average is the third highest among all rookies with at least 300 at-bats.
"The better you do here, the more confidence you build," Neil Walker said. "You're definitely rewarded in this sport for how much you can take, especially mentally, because this game will run you down and humble you quickly."
He learned that while being switched from position to position in the minors. Walker also had a difficult time convincing the Pirates he was an everyday player; they thought as recently as spring training he might be a utility man at best. It also didn't help that he was drafted by the former Pirates regime, not the current one.
Once he reached the majors, the 24-year-old Walker realized he belonged.
"When you're in the minor leagues, you tend to glorify certain guys and certain situations," Walker said. "Then all of a sudden you're facing them and you're thinking, 'This guy's got good stuff, but he's not that much different from what I was facing before.' "
When Walker goes into a slump, he calls on older brothers Matt (former Triple-A player) and Sean (former college player) and sister Carrie (a former pro basketball player in Ireland) for support. He is especially close to his sister, who is married to Tigers utilityman Donnie Kelly.
His father, who pitched in the majors for six seasons, also is an inspiration. So is the giant shadow cast by the Clemente wall.
"I think I have a good perspective on how the game needs to be played," Walker said.
-- Alan Robinson
Delcarmen meets up with new teammates
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies returned home Thursday to play a makeup game with the Philadelphia Phillies and pick up their newest teammate, Manny Delcarmen.
The hard-throwing right-handed reliever met up with his bleary-eyed teammates at Coors Field two days after the Rockies acquired him from the Boston Red Sox for minor league pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller.
"Hopefully, I can bring something positive to the team," Delcarmen said.
Rather than have him fly all the way to San Francisco, the Rockies had Delcarmen meet them in Denver, where they had to make up a May rainout with the Phillies before flying back to California for a crucial three-game set against the NL West-leading San Diego Padres.
The 28-year-old Delcarmen was 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA in 48 games for Boston this season. He was a key member of the Red Sox bullpen for several years, and pitched in Boston's sweep of Colorado in the 2007 World Series.
He was a fixture on Boston's bullpen since 2006 but has struggled at times the last two seasons for his hometown team. Boston general manager Theo Epstein said earlier this week: "Manny wasn't necessarily pitching in the highest leverage situations with us anymore. We had a couple of guys that passed him on the depth chart."
Delcarmen said he was nevertheless stunned when informed of the trade.
"Honestly, I didn't even know what to say when they told me. They were like, 'You have no reaction.' I was just in shock," Delcarmen said.
The Rockies have had their eyes on Delcarmen for a long time. When they were talking about trading clubhouse leader Todd Helton to the Red Sox in January 2007, the talks broke down after Epstein refused to part with Delcarmen and fellow reliever Craig Hansen.
Delcarmen said he was eager to help his new team keep pace in the NL playoff chase.
"I'm feeling fresh," Delcarmen said.
Delcarmen met with manager Jim Tracy upon his arrival at Coors Field.
"He said, 'I need you,'" Delcarmen said. "When I got traded, I was keeping track of them the last couple of days, watching these games and being 4½ back in the wild card, I'm definitely going to come in positive and I'm going to try to help the team out and get where they want to get."
Tracy said Delcarmen will be used in front of righties Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt.
"It's a power arm that's had some success in Boston, which is not the easiest place in the world to pitch with the stress load and everything else that's on you day-in and day-out pitching for that ballclub — which plays right into what we're trying to do here year-in and year-out," Tracy said.
Tracy said he sees Delcarmen being able to solve his command issues much like starter Jorge De La Rosa did in Denver under the tutelage of pitching coach Bob Apodaca and bullpen coach Jim Wright.
"If there's one thing that jumps out at you that maybe has been a little problem spot for him is consistency with his command. But it's 95, 96 mph. It's a beautiful arm to have in the fifth, sixth inning, so that we don't continue to ride Belisle down to the point where we have nothing left," Tracy said.
"I recall Jorge when he wore a different uniform other than the Rockies, command was always his problem. So they solved this equation before."
-- Arnie Stapleton
Marlins C Baker to undergo elbow surgery
MIAMI (AP) — Florida Marlins catcher John Baker will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair an injury to his throwing elbow that sidelined him for most of this season, meaning he might not play again until 2012.
Dr. James Andrews will perform the reconstructive surgery Friday, the Marlins said.
Baker has been sidelined since May 12 and had hoped to return this year, but he endured repeated setbacks in rehabilitation. He played in only 23 games and batted .218.
Reserve infielder Donnie Murphy underwent surgery Thursday to repair a dislocated right wrist. He was injured making a tumbling catch in Wednesday's win over Washington.
Murphy was recalled from the minors in July and gave the Marlins a spark with two walk-off hits.
Glaus returns from disabled list
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves activated Troy Glaus from the 15-day disabled list Thursday after the infielder missed 14 games with left knee inflammation.
Glaus spent his rehab stint at Triple-A Gwinnett playing exclusively at third base, the position he played most of his first 11 years before the Braves signed him as their first baseman last winter. Glaus hit .333 in 30 at-bats with two homers and eight RBIs at Gwinnett.
The unstable knee contributed to Glaus' .173 batting average in a 51-game stretch since June 13. He was the National League player of the month for May.
Glaus lost his status as an everyday player when Derrek Lee was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs last month. Martin Prado is the third baseman with Chipper Jones out for the season with a knee injury.
-- George Henry
Mets' Santana leaves after 5 innings
ATLANTA (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Johan Santana left Thursday night's game with Atlanta after five innings because of a strained pectoral muscle.
It was Santana's shortest outing in 23 starts. The Mets, who were leading 2-1 when he left the game, announced his injury in the bottom of the eighth.
Santana threw 43 of 65 pitches for strikes and allowed three hits, one run and one walk with three strikeouts to avoid losing four straight starts for the first time since May 18-June 3, 2004, with Minnesota.
Tracy ejected for arguing call in sixth
DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy has drawn his second ejection of the season.
Tracy was tossed by home plate umpire Paul Emmel in the sixth inning of Thursday night's game against Philadelphia.
Tracy argued vehemently after Emmel ruled that a pitch had struck Mike Sweeney on his right hand with the bases loaded, driving in a run.
Tracy's only other ejection this season also came against the Phillies at Coors Field, on May 12. Bench coach Tom Runnels took over managerial duties.
Minor Leagues
Kansas City Royals extend deal with Triple-A Omaha
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have extended their contract with Triple-A Omaha through the 2014 season.
The Omaha club has been Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate since the Royals joined the American League in 1969 as an expansion team. The teams announced the extension Thursday.
More than 700 of the nearly 1,000 players who have been part of the Omaha team over the years have gone on to play in the major leagues.
The Omaha Royals are moving into a new ballpark southwest of Omaha next season, and the team could have a new name by then. Fans have been asked to submit name suggestions.
Elsewhere
Lawyer: Ford, family settle in player crash death
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. on Thursday settled a Mississippi lawsuit over a 2001 accident in which a New York Mets prospect was killed when his SUV crashed in the Florida Panhandle, a lawyer for the player's family said.
The settlement came shortly after the jury in Jasper County had awarded $131 million in actual damages to Cole's family and before it was to consider possible punitive damages, Tab Turner an attorney for the family of Brian Cole, told The Associated Press.
Turner, from Little Rock, Ark., said the settlement amount and terms were confidential.
"The family is glad this is finally over. I thought the verdict was an appropriate response to the evidence. They put zero percent of the fault on Brian Cole and 100 percent of the fault on Ford Motor Co. for a defective and unreasonably dangerous vehicle," Turner said.
Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said the accident was a tragedy and the company offered its sympathy to the Cole family for their loss.
However, Evans said in a statement that the Mississippi court "denied Ford a fair trial by excluding evidence that the jury should have heard and considered about Brian's driving and the speculative nature of plaintiffs' claims."
Cole, then 22, died from injuries he suffered when his Ford Explorer overturned as he drove home on March 31, 2001, from spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla., to Meridian, Miss., with his cousin, Ryan Cole. Brian Cole was ejected from the SUV.
He was taking his Explorer home and was to fly Sunday to Binghamton, N.Y., to join the Mets' Double-A team for its season opener.
The one-car accident occurred on Interstate 10 near Florida Highway 286, just south of the Georgia border and about 45 miles northwest of Tallahassee, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Brian Cole, who was single and the youngest of five children, was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Ryan Cole, then 17, was treated and released.
Turner said the family made two claims: the Explorer was unstable and its safety belts didn't work in rollovers.
"That permitted Brian Cole to be thrown out of the car during the rollover despite being belted," he said.
Evans said Ford blamed speeding and reckless driving for the accident.
"Brian Cole had been driving over 80 mph when he drifted off road for unknown reasons, suddenly turned his steering wheel 295 degrees, lost control, and caused the vehicle to roll over more than three times," Evans said. "He was not wearing his safety belt and died after being ejected from the vehicle. His passenger, who was properly belted, walked away from the accident."
Brian Cole went to Meridian High School and was Baseball America's junior college player of the year in 1998 at Navarro Junior College in Texas. He was selected by the Mets in the 18th round of the 1998 amateur draft and turned down a football scholarship to Florida State.
-- Jack Elliott
