Since there's always health news to report
I'm gonna report some. Shall I start with the pitchers? I believe I shall.
Brad Penny and Hiroki Kuroda both are playing catch today and tossing a BP tomorrow. The former isn't doing a simulated game because he's "Still feeling a little something in his shoulder," according to Joe Torre. The latter, assuming his neck can continue an unstiffened path, will toss with a hitter or two in his session. But for both, the comfort level will be important in determining the exact plan of action. Jason Schmidt just threw 45 pitches for the Vegas squad during a game in Fresno. Scott Proctor's MRI revealed tendinitis with no structural damage, which was positive news. He won't be able to throw for at least ten days.
Whew...
As for some positional guys, if everything goes as currently playing
out, Monday will see Andruw Jones, Raffy Furcal and probably Nomar
Garciaparra leave for Vegas to do a rehab assignment. Their work and plans of attack, however, will vary. Jones will DH on Monday, then play five innings on Tuesday, then repeat the cycle another two days. He'll rest from there, then pick it up again a week from this coming Monday for eight straight games. Assuming everything holds up as hoped, the center fielder will rejoin the team for the series in Arizona after the All-Star break. Nomar will play 3rd from the moment he joins the Vegas squad, with the hopeful return date either a week from today or tomorrow. Furcal will DH on his first day in Triple-A (likely splitting with Jones), then play short the rest of the time. Fingers crossed, we're looking at a return either a week from tomorrow or Sunday.
By the way, if you're a betting man and can find one of them casinos that takes action on everything, I'd like to think that loading up on the 51's next week is a good call. They really oughta be able to stomp the competition.
And finally, today's "Succinct Season Summary" Award goes to... Joe Torre!
"The frustrating part about what we're doing now is that we're getting really good pitching and we're coming up empty."
Not much to argue with on that assessment.
AUDIO
Joe Torre, Part I: Download joe_torre_part_i.mp3
Joe Torre, Part II: Download joe_torre_part_ii.mp3
Joe Torre, Part III: Download joe_torre_part_iii.mp3
Joe Torre, Part IV: Download joe_torre_part_iv.mp3
TONIGHT'S LINEUPS
HALOS
Erick Aybar - SS
Howie Kendrick - 2B
Garrett Anderson - LF
Vladdy "My favorite guy to watch hit next to possibly Ichiro" Guerrero - RF
Torii Hunter - CF
Casey Kotchmann - 1B
Robb Quinlan - 3B
Jeff Mathis - C
Joe Saunders - P
DODGERS
Pierre - LF
Kemp - CF
Martin - C
Kent - 2B
Loney - 1B
LaRoche - 3B
Young - RF
Berroa - SS
Park - P
AK
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Oh good, Ethier sits again. DeWitt sits again. Let me guess, Joe Saunders is a lefty. Or a righty. Or has a screenplay of Torre and Juan Pierre in a hot tub. Here's a snippet.
Torre: Juan, toss me another beer, would you?
Pierre: Sure, skip.
Pierre reaches back into a cooler full of beer bottles, grabs one, and tosses it in Torre's direction. but it lands three feet short and six feet to Torre's left.
Torre: Great throw, Juan. It was getting kind of hot in here anyway, and that cold beer cooled things down to the perfect temperature.
Pierre: You want one for drinking?
Torre: Sure.
Pierre reaches into the cooler again and grabs another beer. He takes a running start, double clutches, and then hands the beer to Torre.
Torre: Great approach, Juan.
Posted by: SaMo | June 27, 2008 at 07:37 PM