MLB Capsules: Baseball player helps as sports world picks up environmental pace
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chris Dickerson remembered cringing as he looked at the excess of empty, discarded plastic bottles by his Triple-A teammates in Louisville.
"One guy uses eight bottles a day, whether it's Gatorade or water or juice," he said, "and all of this stuff is being thrown in the trash cans."
The sight of all that waste a couple of years ago was the tipping point for Dickerson, a Cincinnati Reds outfielder.
"Multiply that by a week, by a year, by the 15 teams in that league. You're looking at a tremendous amount," said Dickerson, who developed a passion for ecological issues while witnessing pollution problems as he grew up in Southern California.
In 2008, he helped found the nonprofit organization Players for the Planet to encourage pro athletes to be environmental ambassadors in their communities, proving the possibility that jocks and treehuggers can coexist.
As a Minnesota-based sports marketing agency is banking on, professional franchises — like any profit-driven businesses — are finding more ways to go green and make money at the same time.
There is a certain insular, indulgent culture in the sports world that can create hurdles for social causes like this to take hold. Sometimes, they're masked as mere symbolic gestures and goodwill-generating promotions for teams. The sheer enormity of stadiums makes it difficult to keep carbon footprints small. Players can get caught up in the big-league lifestyle.
"It's hard to get just any athlete and even then, they're like, 'I love what you're doing, but I can't really endorse it because I'm driving a big truck and I have a huge house,'" Dickerson said. "So some of the things these athletes do aren't necessarily a green lifestyle. They like the idea, but they're not necessarily that green. I think that's why a lot of them are hesitant to be part of it."
Dickerson praised the use of solar power at Fenway Park in Boston and Progressive Field in Cleveland as progressive ideas he'd like to see replicated more throughout the majors. He pointed to supportive e-mails and letters he has received as examples of momentum. He also insisted real change can be accomplished in easy steps.
"That's the message we're trying to get across: It doesn't have to be a huge shift in your daily lifestyle," Dickerson said. "It's little things like getting a recycle bin, turning off all the lights when you leave your house, trying to cut down on your air conditioning, using compact fluorescent light bulbs."
Dickerson even has a sign above his locker that says, "Trees are for hugging."
In Minnesota, trees are being planted by the Department of Natural Resources — 100 of them each time a Twins pitcher breaks a bat during a game this season in partnership with the team. Target Field, when it opened this year, was given the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design score for a major league ballpark by the U.S. Green Building Council.
With Twins CEO Jim Pohlad pushing the issue during the construction process, an extra $2 million was budgeted for LEED features. Architect Populous and builder Mortenson helped factor in features like a rainwater recycling system that's used to irrigate the field and wash the seating area.
By the team's estimate, 20 percent of customers take mass transit, and more than 400 people ride a bike to games.
"We didn't know we'd be building new bike racks, but certainly that's a good problem to have," Twins president Dave St. Peter said.
Arguments can be made that sports, by size alone, are simply anti-green.
"You can always look at things in different contexts," said John Carmody, director of the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota. "Should we have four teams sharing one stadium? Should we be building a stadium at all? But the more realistic and pragmatic approach is that various organizations, like baseball teams, have their needs. We aren't questioning whether they're having a field. We're saying that within the context of having a field, we're going to make it as sustainable as possible."
Baseball isn't alone. As the green movement has begun to mesh into mainstream society, the pace of environmentally driven activities has picked up throughout the industry.
The NFL's Environmental Program helps plant trees around the communities that host the Super Bowl and seeks to reduce waste and carbon emissions around the annual event.
In April, during the NBA's Green Week, players wore socks made from 45 percent organic cotton during games. The Dallas Mavericks gave away reusable grocery bags for fans who brought plastic trade-ins. The Phoenix Suns, for a game against the rival Spurs, handed out 10,000 "Beat San Antonio" signs for fans made out of paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as being eco-friendly.
The NHL touted sustainability initiatives at the draft last month in Los Angeles, like receptacles for recyclables at Staples Center and leftover food donations to a downtown homeless shelter. The recently retired Scott Niedermayer became unofficially known as hockey's treehugger, the captain of the Anaheim Ducks and Team Canada who tried to persuade teammates to drive hybrid vehicles as he does. Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference recently took a Sierra Club-organized tour of the oil spill site in Louisiana to help raise awareness of environmental issues.
"As athletes you have more of a platform for anything you may want to speak your mind about, something that's close to your heart," said Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey. "It's neat to hear somebody like Dickerson stepping forward and doing that. I think everybody appreciates it certainly. You look at the canisters in here, the recycling's always full, and it's a neat thing. It doesn't take a lot to make a difference, and I think that's maybe the message that translates the best: a little bit goes a long way."
This is big business, though. The name of the game, even with every best intention, still revolves around the other kind of green.
"At the end of the day, the industry will move only if there's money to be made," said Mark Andrew, founder of the Minnesota-based sports marketing agency GreenMark. "You can actually make a profit by doing right by the environment."
GreenMark's mission is to put sports organizations in touch with green businesses to create sponsorships. GreenMark, which also counts the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco 49ers as clients, connected a company that specializes in clean-water innovation, Pentair, with the Twins to implement the rainwater recycling system for Target Field.
Pentair's profile was raised, and the team gained a major sponsor.
"Sports has lagged behind the rest of the private sector in implementing truly green practices and operations," Andrew said. "However, they're catching up and sports as an industry is doing a much better job than they were."
Minor Leagues
MLB begins testing for HGH in minor leagues
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball implemented random blood testing for human growth hormone in the minor leagues on Thursday, the first professional sports league in the United States to take the aggressive step against doping.
The blood testing becomes part of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, which commissioner Bud Selig introduced in 2001 to test for performance-enhancing drugs.
"The implementation of blood testing in the minor leagues represents a significant step in the detection of the illegal use of human growth hormone," Selig said in a statement. "HGH testing provides an example for all of our drug policies in the future."
Testing will be limited to players with minor-league contracts because they are not members of the players' association, which means blood testing is not subject to collective bargaining.
"Obviously, we make a separate decision with regard to the minor-league program, but the Major League Baseball Players Association has been proactively engaged in conversations with us on the scientific and logistical issues associated with blood testing at the major league level," said Rob Manfred, executive vice president labor relations for Major League Baseball
The players association has long been against blood testing.
"The union's position on HGH testing remains unchanged," union executive director Michael Weiner said. "When a test is available that is scientifically validated and can be administered safely and without interfering with the players' ability to compete, it will be considered.
"We have been engaged with the Commissioners' Office on this subject for several months, though they have not shared with us the specifics behind their decision to begin blood testing of minor leaguers," Weiner said. "We look forward to further discussions."
Outside experts have long questioned the union's logic against blood testing. Told of baseball's announcement, Gary Wadler, who chairs the committee that determines the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned-substances list, said it was "a significant step forward."
"One important thing is, as young players evolve through the minor leagues, the concept of a blood test will no longer be alien to them," Wadler said. "It will be easier to implement it in the major leagues as more players in the minor leagues recognize it makes sense."
Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, also welcomed the news.
"This is another important step in the fight to return all of the playing fields in the U.S. to clean athletes," he said. "We applaud MLB's efforts in this regard."
Tigers president and GM Dave Dombrowski said in an e-mail to The Associated Press: "Seems like a positive step for the game."
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said: "Whatever has to be done to gain the full trust of the fans, we have to do what we can."
Blood samples will be collected after games by the National Center for Drug Free Sport, the organization that currently collects urine samples in the minor leagues. The blood samples will be taken from the non-dominant arm of players who are not members of a major league team's 40-man roster, and sent to a testing laboratory in Salt Lake City for analysis.
Dr. Gary Green, the medical director for Major League Baseball, called the testing "a major development in the detection of a substance that has previously been undetectable."
"The combination of widespread availability and the lack of detection have led to reports of use of this drug amongst athletes," Green said. "This is the first generation of HGH testing and Major League Baseball will continue to fund the Partnership for Clean Competition for ongoing research to refine testing procedures in this area."
The Partnership for Clean Competition is a coalition of MLB, the NFL, USADA and the U.S. Olympic Committee that funds research for drug testing.
The NFL doesn't currently conduct blood tests for performance-enhancing drugs. But the league has recently said it would like to begin such tests, while the union has long been against them. With the current collective-bargaining contract due to expire in March, the issue is expected to be a key point in upcoming negotiations.
American League
Angels acquire 3B Alberto Callaspo from Royals
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels made a move to boost their offense on Thursday, acquiring infielder Alberto Callaspo from the Kansas City Royals for pitchers Sean O'Sullivan and Will Smith.
The Royals activated outfielder Rick Ankiel from the disabled list and had him available for Thursday night's game against the New York Yankees. Ankiel hit .210 in 19 games before going on the disabled list May 3 with a pulled right quadriceps.
Callaspo, batting .275 with eight homers and 43 RBIs in 88 games, was taken out of the Royals' lineup before the game and replaced by Wilson Betemit.
Kansas City plans to make another roster move when O'Sullivan, a reliever and spot starter, joins the Royals. Smith will report to Class-A Wilmington.
"Well, we haven't had a chance to discuss anything. But I would imagine that he'd be a starter," Royals manager Ned Yost said after the Royals' 10-4 loss to the New York Yankees. "We lost Alberto and we hate that, but we're getting two pitchers in return and that always helps. We got two pretty good arms in the deal and you have to have arms to build up your system."
Callaspo, an Angels minor leaguer from 2001 until he was traded to Arizona in 2006, will report to his new team Friday for the second game of a four-game series against Texas.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Callaspo will bring versatility — he's played third, second base and shortstop during his career — and give the team a productive bat to help fill the void left by first baseman Kendry Morales' season-ending broken leg.
Callaspo will become the Angels' everyday third baseman, with Maicer Izturis — who started at third in Thursday night's opener against Texas— moving into a utility role.
"What he does in the batter's box has a chance to be something special," Scioscia said. "He brings us a lot of depth on some of the things we're looking at that Kendry's injury has created. He can hit in a lot of different areas, from the two hole to six or seven. He's good with guys in scoring position. He'll be a boost to our offense."
Brandon Wood opened the season as the Angels' starting third baseman, but he's in a 2 for 20 skid that has lowered his average to .168. Wood has started only six games in July.
O'Sullivan is expected to move into the Royals rotation after posting a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings for the Angels. The 22-year-old O'Sullivan, one of the Angels' top pitching prospects, allowed two hits in six innings of a 10-2 win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
"This wasn't by any means an easy decision on (general manager Tony Reagins') part," Scioscia said. "But to get something, you have to give something up. Sean is a young kid, not even 23 yet. He showed what he was made of (earlier in the week against the Yankees). He has a bright future. We think it's a trade that will help both organizations."
O'Sullivan was still trying to let the news sink in as he cleaned out his locker in the visitor's clubhouse in Arlington.
"I've never switched teams before in my life," O'Sullivan said. "But I'm going someplace where they wanted me. Hopefully I'll get an opportunity there. I've got to let it soak in."
O'Sullivan got the news from Scioscia.
"He said it was a move we had to make and they really wanted you in the deal," O'Sullivan said.
Mauer struggling to get going at plate
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Everything has always seemed to come so easy for Joe Mauer on the baseball diamond.
That smooth left-handed swing brought him three AL batting titles in his first five full major league seasons. The big arm that made him a top quarterback recruit in high school helped him win two Gold Gloves the last two years.
Yet after his biggest season yet — a .365, 28-homer, 96-RBI season that earned him the AL MVP and an eight-year, $184 million contract extension — the Minnesota Twins' All-Star is having a very un-Mauer like season.
He entered the game Thursday night at Baltimore hitting .297 with just four homers and 41 RBIs and drew perhaps the harshest criticism of his career for laying down a bunt during a loss this week to the Cleveland Indians.
"I come to work every day. I'm working hard trying to turn it around," Mauer said. "It's not just going to come to you. You've got to put in the work."
Most catchers would be delighted to be hitting .297 this deep into the season. Most catchers, however, are not Mauer.
Whether it's a shoulder that has been sore for most of the season, pitcher-friendly Target Field or the weight of expectations generated from the huge extension he signed before this season, something seems to be holding him back.
Despite hitting third, a slot in the lineup that is designed to increase run-producing opportunities, Mauer has just one more RBI than leadoff man Denard Span. His slugging percentage (.439) is 58 points lower than where he finished last season and he has yet to hit a home run in his new ballpark.
Those dips have drawn calls for Mauer to be moved in the batting order, but manager Ron Gardenhire had him hitting third at DH for the series opener against the Orioles.
The biggest indicator that something isn't right came on Tuesday night against the Indians. With the score tied at 3 in the seventh inning, Mauer stepped to the plate with runners on first and second and one out.
With Indians third baseman Jhonny Peralta playing back, Mauer tried to bunt for a hit, but it stuck in the dirt and he was thrown out by catcher Carlos Santana. Jason Kubel grounded out to end the inning and the Twins lost 4-3.
The strategy brought an outcry from fans who have rarely criticized their St. Paul-born golden boy, who is easily the most beloved athlete in the Twin Cities. They wanted to see the face of the franchise swing away to try to put the Twins ahead, and they weren't alone.
"Ballplayers do stupid things. There's not anybody who's ever been out there that hasn't done something stupid in their career," former Twins catcher Tim Laudner said on the FSN postgame show. "We've all done it.
"If you were to ask Joe Mauer right now what kind of play that was, I would hope that he would say: 'That was a really stupid play. I'm the guy that's going to drive that run in. I'm the guy that's going to hit the ball into the gap and hit a double.'"
Third base coach Scott Ullger admitted he was surprised to see the bunt.
"I really can't recall a No. 3 hitter doing that, but stranger things have happened," Ullger said. "Joe's just trying to help win the game. Whether that's the right thing or the wrong thing, he's just trying to win the game."
Mauer said the combination of facing a tough lefty in Rafael Perez with Peralta playing back made it the right play for him at the time. But he added later that he is "not feeling the greatest at the plate right now. That factors in."
The Twins sure need him to start hitting like he always has.
They trailed the Chicago White Sox by 2½ games in the AL Central after Wednesday's games. They have also been without All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau since July 8 and are not sure when he is going to return from a concussion.
Gardenhire likes to say that Mauer is always one of the last players on his team he has to worry about, and that stance hasn't changed through this tough stretch.
"He's hit the ball hard the whole first half and doesn't have a lot to show for it," Gardenhire said. "If he keeps swinging, he'll be fine."
-- Jon Krawczynski
Wakefield to 'pen when Beckett returns for Boston
SEATTLE (AP) — Josh Beckett is joking in the dugout and impressing in his prestart workouts prior to his return to Boston's rotation Friday at Seattle.
Tim Wakefield isn't laughing nearly as much.
The 43-year-old knuckleballer is heading to Boston's bullpen when Beckett, the No. 1 starter, two-time All-Star and former World Series MVP, returns from the disabled list to make his first start since mid-May.
"Well, I don't think he wanted to hug me," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said dryly of Wakefield before Thursday night's series opener at Seattle.
"I guess we do what's best for the team, explain it. Regardless of who you are, we try to have the same attitude: Put the team first."
Boston began Thursday 2-5 since the All-Star break and seven games out in the AL East.
Wakefield, who is signed through 2011, was selected for the All-Star team last season for the first time but is 3-8 with a 5.58 ERA this season. He was unable to hold onto a 4-0 lead in Tuesday's loss at Oakland. He allowed three earned runs in six innings.
Francona said Wakefield will be ready "if we need him again (in the rotation), which I don't doubt we will."
Beckett is ready, following Boston's patient approach to his low back strain. He is 1-1 with a 7.29 ERA in eight starts this season, but Francona remarked how good Beckett looked during a recent minor-league rehabilitation stint.
"Now, he may not throw a no-hitter (Friday), but he's got good arm strength and he's got real good arm speed. And you can hear him in the dugout (on this road trip) making stupid comments, which is good," Francona said jokingly.
Beckett said he didn't want to talk Thursday but he'd be plenty available this weekend. He hasn't been that since May 18, when he lasted 4 2-3 innings and allowed the Yankees five runs.
Even before the 30-year-old started feeling back pain, he was struggling.
Beckett allowed five runs on opening night against New York. A day later, he agreed to a $68 million, four-year contract extension, and then allowed seven runs to Texas and eight at Toronto over consecutive starts in late April.
"I think he tried to live up to his contract. Not in a bad way," Francona said. "He's a conscientious kid."
One that Boston is relying upon to spark a summer resurgence, starting Friday night.
-- Gregg Bell
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez hits 599th home run
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez has hit his 599th career home run, leaving him one shy of becoming the seventh major league player to reach 600.
The New York Yankees slugger connected in the seventh inning Thursday night on an 0-2 pitch from Kansas City Royals reliever Robinson Tejeda. The solo shot to right field cleared the fence by a few feet and put the Yankees ahead 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. It was his 16th homer of the season.
Rodriguez came up again with a chance for No. 600 in the eighth, but he hit an RBI double to right-center and was pulled for a pinch runner.
The three-time AL MVP, who turns 35 on Tuesday, is closing in on becoming the youngest player to reach the 600-homer milestone.
Before last season, he admitted using steroids from 2001-03 with Texas.
Jeter hits inside-the-park homer vs. Royals
NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter hit an inside-the-park home run against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning of the New York Yankees' 10-4 win on Thursday night.
Center fielder David DeJesus tracked down Jeter's deep drive off Bruce Chen. He snared the ball just before he ran into the padding on the fence in front of the Yankees' bullpen with his arm extended in front of him. His glove and wrist twisted back and the ball popped out as DeJesus fell.
"After I caught it, I jammed it into the wall and coming down, I thought I still had it," DeJesus said. "At first, I thought it was my wrist, and then I looked down and saw my thumb growing."
Jeter looked over his shoulder, puffed his cheeks and motored home for the second inside-the-park home run of his career, tying the game at 3. His first came Aug. 2, 1996, his rookie season.
DeJesus remained down while right fielder Willie Bloomquist retrieved the ball and threw it toward the infield. DeJesus was immediately replaced by Rick Ankiel, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list earlier Thursday.
The Royals said DeJesus sprained his right thumb and would be sent to Cleveland to see a hand specialist.
Yankees will wear black armband to honor Houk
NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees will wear black armbands for the rest of the season to honor former manager Ralph Houk and will observe a moment of silence before Thursday's night game against the Kansas City Royals.
Houk, who died Wednesday at 90 in Winter Haven, Fla., followed Casey Stengel as Yankees manager in 1961 and led New York to championships in his first two years. He reached the big leagues in 1947 and spent parts of eight seasons as a backup catcher for New York, playing in only 91 games.
The armband will appear below the Bob Sheppard patch on the left sleeve of their jerseys for the remainder of the season. Sheppard, the longtime Yankee Stadium public address announcer, died on July 11.
The Yankees are also wearing a patch on the chest in memory of former team owner George Steinbrenner, who died last week.
Orioles' Roberts lobbies for early return from DL
BALTIMORE (AP) — Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts is ready to end his 14-week stay on the disabled list.
Roberts has been sidelined since April 9, when he strained an abdominal muscle sliding into second base against Toronto. He's also been dealing with a herniated disk in his back, an injury that limited his participation in spring training.
The two-time All-Star has been playing for Double-A Bowie in a rehabilitation assignment this week. On Thursday, Roberts declared himself fit to return to the Orioles.
Speaking in the Baltimore clubhouse, Roberts said: "There's nothing I don't think I can do."
Interim manager Juan Samuel says the team will wait for the medical staff to clear Roberts before deciding whether to activate him from the DL.
Blue Jays recall McCoy
DETROIT (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays recalled infielder Mike McCoy from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to Thursday's game against the Detroit Tigers.
McCoy is hitting .200 in 28 games with Toronto this year, and will provide insurance while Fred Lewis recovers from an ankle injury sustained Wednesday night.
To make room for McCoy, the Blue Jays optioned pitcher Marc Rzepczynski to Las Vegas. Rzepczynski started for the Blue Jays on Wednesday, allowing five runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-2 loss to Kansas City, and has a 7.15 ERA in four appearances.
Book on Minnesota Twins' new ballpark now on sale
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Target Field has been open for just four months, but a book on the Minnesota Twins' new ballpark is already on sale.
"Target Field: The New Home of the Minnesota Twins" is authored by former Star Tribune writer Steve Berg. The coffee table book sells for $40.
Berg writes that Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat may be more responsible that anyone for making the stadium a reality. It was financed through a partnership between the county and the Twins.
The book explores the Twins' long journey starting in 1994 when owner Carl Pohlad said his team needed a new stadium because the Metrodome didn't deliver enough revenue. It runs through the years of battles at the State Capitol up through opening day in April.
Citgo sign outside Fenway Park to get makeover
BOSTON (AP) — The iconic red, white and blue Citgo sign visible over Fenway Park's famous Green Monster in left field is going dark for a couple months for an extreme makeover.
The Venezuelan oil company says 218,000 LED lights on the 3,600-square-foot sign will be replaced with more environmentally friendly and weather-resistant lights.
The more than 9,000 feet of lights on the 45-year-old sign were replaced five years ago, but those lights that saved $18,000 a year in energy costs are now out of production.
The sign went dark for four years starting in 1979 at the height of the energy crisis, and in 1982 Citgo announced plans to dismantle it. But the sign stayed after an uproar from Red Sox fans.
National League
Zambrano pitches scoreless inning in Triple-A
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Carlos Zambrano pitched a shaky scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance for Triple-A Iowa since being put on the restricted list by the Cubs after his latest confrontation with a teammate.
Zambrano received a warm welcome from the standing room-only crowd when he came out for the seventh inning. The volatile right-hander allowed a pair of hard singles to visiting Oklahoma City before getting Jarrod Saltalamacchia to ground out.
Zambrano was suspended without pay for three days and later put on the restricted list following a heated dugout argument with Derrek Lee on June 25.
He'll likely make at least one more appearance in relief for Iowa before the Cubs evaluate if he's ready to return to Chicago.
Zambrano threw 15 pitches and topped out at 91 mph Thursday night, but he needed a little help to get out of the seventh inning unscathed. Hernan Iribannen hit a long fly ball to center with one out, only to have Sam Fuld make a leaping catch at the wall.
Zambrano reported to Arizona last week after completing anger management sessions, tossing a scoreless inning for the Cubs rookie league team in Mesa, Ariz., on Monday.
Zambrano reported to Des Moines on Tuesday and was supposed to speak with reporters Wednesday for the first time since his dugout dustup at U.S. Cellular Field. He left Iowa after a morning workout, though, and wasn't in uniform until Thursday.
An Iowa Cubs spokeswoman said Zambrano planned to address his Chicago teammates before speaking with the media.
This was Zambrano's first stint back in Iowa since making three starts in 2002. Zambrano first arrived in Des Moines as a 19-year-old reliever in 2000, and the following year he went 10-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 150 2-3 innings.
The I-Cubs still hang a banner featuring Zambrano outside their gift shop, partly because of his accomplishments in the majors and partly because they thought they'd never see him again — unless he was coming back from an injury.
Zambrano's return certainly didn't hurt ticket sales. There were lines around the block at the ticket office nearly two hours before the game — though in all fairness, it was also Bobblehead Night for Indianola, Iowa, native and Dodgers infielder Casey Blake — and Zambrano obliged a long line of autograph seekers beforehand.
Zambrano's brief appearance to Des Moines capped an unusually hectic homestand for the I-Cubs.
Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Tuesday that current Iowa manager Ryne Sandberg would be considered for manager's job in Chicago, which will be open once Lou Piniella retires after the season. Sandberg, a Cubs great, has made no secret of his desire to succeed Piniella.
Sandberg wasn't on hand Thursday to watch Zambrano pitch, though. The Hall of Fame second baseman left for Cooperstown earlier in the day to be on hand for former teammate Andre Dawson's induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend, although he did speak with Zambrano before he left.
"I just talked to him about how we had a good thing going here, we've got some good players here, we're having a good season. A very positive year, and I want him to join in on that, be part of the team," Sandberg said Wednesday. "Get his work in, get his innings in, and hopefully get back him to the big leagues where he belongs."
-- Luke Meredith
Moyer headed to DL, Phillies set rotation
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer is headed for the 15-day disabled list with an elbow injury that forced him out of his last start after only one inning.
The 47-year-old left-hander was hurt Tuesday and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he had a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strain of the flexor pronator tendon. Amaro said that Moyer would be out indefinitely, but the team hadn't determined Thursday whether he'd require reconstructive surgery.
Among the tests Moyer had yet to undergo was an ultrasound, Amaro said. Moyer returned to Philadelphia earlier in the week.
"He's going to be out quite some time," Amaro said. "He had some discomfort in the elbow earlier and I think it just got to the point where it became a real issue."
Kyle Kendrick, optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after surrendering three homers in one inning in his last start, will be recalled and pitch in his regular spot on Saturday.
The Phillies plan on recalling left-hander J.A. Happ to replace Moyer on Sunday.
Earlier in the week, Amaro had sounded optimistic the team would acquire a pitcher. He declined to say Thursday whether pitching was still a priority at the trade deadline or whether the Phillies had deals in the works.
"I'm not going to get into that," Amaro said.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee expected Kendrick to bounce back from the mental blow he absorbed earlier in the week.
"You'd better be flexible in this game, that's for sure," Dubee said. "It's another opportunity."
Moyer is 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA and left-hander Cole Hamels said he's been a mentor to the rest of the staff.
"No disrespect to Jamie, but he's been a pleasant surprise after not being in the rotation last year at the end of the year and coming off two surgeries," Amaro said. "He's been in a lot of ways a godsend, he's pitched quite well under the circumstances."
Happ won 12 games as a rookie last year but has been hampered by a left forearm strain since April and was sent to the minors earlier this month after making six rehab starts.
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Reds activate Hernandez, reach Isringhausen deal
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds rearranged their catchers on Thursday, gave third baseman Scott Rolen more time to get over a hamstring injury, and provided right-handed reliever Jason Isringhausen with a chance to continue his comeback from elbow surgery in the minors.
Catcher Ramon Hernandez came off the 15-day disabled list and started at first base for the final game of a series against the Washington Nationals, allowing Joey Votto to get a day of rest. Hernandez had been sidelined since July 9 with an inflamed left knee.
Catcher Corky Miller was sent to Triple-A Louisville to open a spot. Miller has been an important backup, filling in while No. 2 catcher Ryan Hanigan recovered from a broken left thumb in June, then when Hernandez got hurt.
Miller batted .246 with one homer and seven RBIs, starting 18 games. The 34-year-old catcher cleared waivers and was sent outright to the minors.
"He's played well," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's valuable to our organization and to us, and he'll be back at some point in time — any injury or if not, then in September. He's learning. He's become a much better hitter. A lot of times you don't think that can happen at that age, but you see it happening for him."
The Reds decided against putting Rolen on the disabled list for now. He felt burning in his right hamstring while tagging up during a game last Friday. He got a cortisone shot and is working out.
The Reds are willing to play short-handed rather than put him on the 15-day disabled list. The Reds are 45-31 when he's in the starting lineup. He'll accompany the team on a six-game trip that begins Friday in Houston.
"He's doing more every day," Baker said. "We're just hoping he gets better to the point where we can get by and win games like we are right now without having to put him on the DL."
Like Rolen, Isringhausen played for general manager Walt Jocketty in St. Louis. He had elbow surgery in September 2008 with the Cardinals, then signed with Tampa Bay. He had to have the elbow rebuilt last June, leaving him with 293 career saves.
A free agent, Isringhausen has been working out and hoping some team would give him a chance to make a comeback. He threw in the bullpen for the Reds this week, impressing them enough to offer a minor league deal. He accepted it on Thursday and will report to Triple-A Louisville.
Baker watched him throw on Tuesday.
"I think he did very well," Baker said. "I was very pleasantly surprised."
-- Joe Kay
GM Minaya says Manuel's job with Mets is safe
LOS ANGELES (AP) — New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya says Jerry Manuel's job is safe despite the team's 8-16 record in its last 24 games.
The Mets opened a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night having lost three in a row. They were second in the NL East, seven games behind Atlanta.
Slumping badly at the plate, New York entered 1-6 on its 11-game road trip and has had only one winning trip this season, from June 11-20 at Baltimore, Cleveland and the Yankees.
Minaya said he's very happy with the job Manuel is doing, and that it's not right to discuss the manager's status after a losing streak.
Manuel's two-year contract expires at season's end. He was named interim manager in June 2008, then got the job full-time after that season. The Mets were 70-92 in his first full season at the helm in 2009.
Manuel was talking with reporters when Minaya came by the dugout. The manager joked to Minaya that he had told the media he signed a two-year extension Thursday.
"Jerry Manuel's our manager and will be our manager," Minaya said.
Phillies fire hitting coach Milt Thompson
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have fired hitting coach Milt Thompson and replaced him with former outfielder Greg Gross.
Thompson supplanted Gross as batting coach in 2004 and has been part of consecutive National League championship teams the past two years.
But the Phillies, still missing injured slugger Chase Utley, have slipped offensively this season. After a 2-0 victory in 11 innings against St. Louis on Thursday they are 49-46 and seven games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.
The 57-year-old Gross has been a coach for Triple-A Lehigh Valley the past three seasons and served as the Phillies' major league batting coach from 2002-04.
He played 10 years for the Phillies (1979-88) and reached two World Series.
Pirates place C Doumit on DL, recall Jaramillo
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pirates placed catcher Ryan Doumit on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion and recalled Jason Jaramillo from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Doumit, tied for second on the team in home runs with eight and RBIs with 32, left Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning because he felt lightheaded and nauseous. Doumit did not play Tuesday after taking a foul tip off his mask during a game Monday.
Jaramillo was optioned to Indianapolis at the All-star break after hitting .164 in 24 games with Pittsburgh. He went 6 for 17 with a double and four RBIs in five games with Indianapolis.
Manager John Russell said Jaramillo and Erik Kratz would split the catching duties.
Brewers send down Cain to make room for Gallardo
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers optioned outfielder Lorenzo Cain to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, making room on the roster for pitcher Yovani Gallardo to come off the disabled list and start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 24-year-old Cain went 3 for 5 with a run scored in three games since being recalled last Friday. The Brewers bullpen has been taxed recently, and manager Ken Macha said the team wanted to get Cain more at-bats in Triple-A.
Gallardo hadn't pitched since he left a game July 4 in St. Louis with an oblique strain, costing him the opportunity to appear in his first All-star game.
Rockies' Helton postpones return
MIAMI (AP) — Todd Helton has decided he needs to strengthen his legs before rejoining the Colorado Rockies.
Helton, who is on the disabled list with a stiff back, was expected to report to Class-A Asheville on Wednesday to begin a rehabilitation assignment. Instead he decided to go to Denver for leg-strengthening exercises, manager Jim Tracy said Thursday.
Pain is not an issue, Tracy said.
Helton, who had been working out with the Rockies during their series against the Florida Marlins, is struggling through the worst season of his career. The first baseman is hitting only .246 with two home runs and 16 RBIs, and he has been sidelined since July 4.
Elsewhere
Rose's bat auctioned for $158,776
CINCINNATI (AP) — The black Mizuno bat that Pete Rose used to get his final hit has been auctioned for $158,776, less than expected for the 32 ounces of baseball history.
Rose used the bat for hit No. 4,256, a single off San Francisco's Greg Minton on Aug. 14, 1986. His final hit stands as the major league record.
Lelands.com auctioned the 34-inch, 32-ounce bat online this month. Seven bids were received.
Lelands.com president Mike Heffner expected the bat to fetch a bigger price. He thinks the tough economy and Rose's controversies — he's got a lifetime ban for betting on baseball — held down the price.
"I think Pete Rose memorabilia in general — you either love it or you hate it," Heffner said in a phone interview Thursday. "There's not a whole lot in-between. I love Pete Rose, but there are people out there who won't touch it because of the problems he had. It does affect the prices that the items sell for."
Rose broke Ty Cobb's record with his 4,192nd hit on Sept. 11, 1985, when he was the Cincinnati Reds player-manager. He played for one more season, batting .219 in 72 games. He had 52 hits in 1986, including that final one off Minton.
Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 for betting on games involving the Reds. He displayed the bat used for his final hit at his restaurant in Boca Raton, Fla. It was eventually bought by Richard C. Angrist, a prominent collector of sports memorabilia. Angrist put some of his items up for auction through Lelands.com.
The Angrist collection included the bat that George Sisler used to get his record 257th hit during the 1920 season. That bat drew 31 bids and went for $152,647.
"It sold for almost as much as the Pete Rose bat, which was well beyond our expectations," Heffner said. "It went for almost six times what we thought it would go for. Auctions are very strange. All it takes is two guys who really want that item."
The record for an auctioned bat is $1.3 million, paid for one that Babe Ruth used to hit his first homer at Yankee Stadium.
-- Joe Kay
Hearing Friday to set trial date for Barry Bonds
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Lawyers and judges plan a meeting to hash out a trial date in the long-running Barry Bonds perjury case.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston has scheduled an 11 a.m. PDT hearing Friday in San Francisco. Bonds has pleaded not guilty to charges that he lied to a grand jury in December 2003 when he testified that he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
His trial was delayed because the government unsuccessfully appealed Illston's order barring prosecutors from showing key evidence to the jurors such as urine samples that tested positive for steroids.
Bonds has six attorneys, the government three primary prosecutors and Illston has a full docket, making it possible that a start date could slip into early next year.
Negro Leagues to begin fundraising drive
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A fundraising campaign is under way to create an education and research center named for Negro Leagues star Buck O'Neil.
Money already has been raised, but the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City plans to open the campaign officially on July 28. The center will be located in the same YMCA where black entrepreneur Rube Foster and a small group of other businessmen founded the Negro Leagues.
O'Neil died in October 2006 at 94. He was a two-time Negro Leagues batting champion and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs.
