MVN - Most Valuable Network

Today’s News/Notes/Rumors

When there’s a ton of little minor pieces of news that still deserve to posted, I like to put them all in one big link post. Enjoy!

• The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that pitcher Carlos Villanueva will no longer be a reliever, and will start in either the MLB or AAA. With Chris Capuano’s injury, it’s likely he’ll be in the big league rotation for at least a couple of weeks. He’s never really gotten a chance before, and I think he’ll show them that he can do some good things on the mound.
• Dodgers veteran outfielder Jason Repko will likely begin the year in AAA, according to the LA Times, because of the Dodgers great outfield depth. But, because of how well he hit in Spring Training, he could be called up to LA soon after.
• According to the Chicago Sun-Times, either Juan Uribe or Alexi Ramirez will win the White Sox second base job, not the originally planned Danny Richar. Uribe could still be traded, as Ramirez, the Cuban defect, has been the surprise and star of Chicago’s camp.
• The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Reds pitcher Jeremy Affeldt will go to the bullpen after struggling in camp, attempting to become a starter.The left-hander did a nice job for the Rockies in the ‘pen last year, so its not that big of a deal for Cincinnati.
• According to the East Valley Tribune, Diamondbacks reliever Doug Slaten will pitch in two minor league games this week. The club feels that the left-hander, coming back from knee surgery, will be able to start the season with the club.
•  Royals first basemen Ryan Shealy will likely not make the club, according to the Kansas City Star, because of Ross Gload, Billy Butler, and Mark Teahen being in front of him. He still has an option left, which aways the Royals to send him down even more.
• Athletics.com thinks that rookie Dana Eveland has won the A’s fifth spot in the rotation, as he’s going to Japan.
• Pirates second basemen Freddy Sanchez will make his second base debut tomorrow, not today, trying to recover from a surgically repaired shoulder, MLB.com reports.
• According to the ,we’ll know who the Cubs closer and one of the two open rotation spots by the end of the week. Kerry Wood is expected to win the closing position, and Ryan Dempster will almost certainly get the third spot.
• Even with a groin injury, Boston.com reports that Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp will make the trip to Japan. Wouldn’t it be funny if once he got there he was traded?
• Lastings Milledge got back into the lineup today with a sore toe, going two for five.
• The Baltimore Sun reports that as expected, George Sherrill has won the Orioles closing job.
• Phillies closer Brad Lidge will pitch in his first Spring Training game after undergoing minor knee surgery, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. Lidge hopes to be ready for the start of the season, which would be great for the Phillies, as Tom Gordon wouldn’t have to be the closer.
•  The Philadelphia Daily News also reports that pitcher Kris Benso, trying to come back from rotator cuff surgery in early 2007, has biceps tendinitis, which will back him up a week. The Phillies still think he’ll be ready to pitch in the MLB by May, though.
• Aaron Rowand of the Giants doesn’t believe that his team will be able to land former teammate Joe Crede, according to the Chicago Tribune. Its looking doubtful like they will.
• The Newark Star Leger reports that Mets back-up middle infielder Jose Valentin is thinking about retiring after suffering from knee and pinched nerve injuries this Spring Training. The thirty-eight year old was probably going to make the team, but he just can’t stay healthy.
• According to the Boston Herald, pitcher Jon Lester won’t go with the Red Sox to Japan.
• According to the Washington Post, Nationals pitcher Shawn Hill, trying to come back from forearm soreness, won’t be ready for Opening Day. No need to rush him.
• Blue Jays reliever Armando Benitez will make his debut Thursday, according to the Toronto Sun. Benitez, in my opinio, is a long shot to make the team because of his age. He signed a minor-league deal last week.
• MLB.com has the scoop an a very nice gesture by the Yankees. They played Virginia Tech’s baseball team, right now winning eleven to nothing. They brought many of their regulars to the game, which made it even nicer. Obviously, this game is to ease the pain of the tragedy that took place at VT roughly eleven months ago.
• Cubs pitcher Sean Gallagher, according to the Chicago Tribune, will start in place of Carlos Zambrano in his next start in front of a Baltimore scout. The Cubs are obviously trying to trade for Brian Roberts, and Gallagher is believed to be involved.
• According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the talks that the Pirates had with closer Matt Capps on an extension are no longer going on. The two sides could resume negotiations, but for now, they’re off. The club continues talking with first basemen Adam LaRoche.
• Orioles.com reports that Baltimore pitcher Garrett Olson has been demoted to the minors, taking him out of the fifth spot competition. It’ll now be between Brian Burres, Matt Albers, Jon Leicester and Jim Johnson. Even though Albers struggled today, I expect him to win.
• Scott Kazmir, nursing a strained elbow, said that even though he was scratched from his Sunday start, his comeback is going as planned, according to rays.com. Kazmir is expected to start the season on the DL.
• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that nothing was found wrong with Cardinal outfielder Juan Gonzalez’s sore abdomen after looking at a MRI. Gonzalez is still unable to play with the soreness, and its looking like his comeback after not playing for two years could be close to over.
• The struggling Brewers second basemen Rickie Weeks will take a couple of days off with a sore hand, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Weeks, a guy who I think is going to have a breakout season, has looked terrible so far.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 at 5:42 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.