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Many of this weekend’s fireworks were caused by
injuries. There were hammys popping, elbows
exploding–plus soreness and even parasites. So, let’s
get right into it…

  • I’ve been trying and I can’t find anyone that has a
    career path like Phil Nevin‘s. He’s
    gone from first-round pick to first-round bust to
    journeyman to star to injury-prone in the space of a
    decade. He’s been traded three times for a collection
    of warm bodies. Even PECOTA’s comps list can’t find
    anything quite like Nevin.

    He’s down, once again, and headed for surgery. This
    time, it’s a torn meniscus, the second such surgery
    he’s had. Nevin should be out until mid-August, but
    it’s a straightforward procedure. The injury shouldn’t
    affect his hitting, and Nevin wasn’t exactly tearing
    up the basepaths anyway, so this shouldn’t change his
    game upon return. This does give me a chance to point
    at the attrition and drop rates that PECOTA has for
    Nevin. If you’re in a keeper league or are Kevin
    Towers, take note.

  • Eric Chavez is not only a fast
    healer, he appears to be rust-resistant. In his start
    at Triple-A, Chavez came back with two singles and a
    walk. He started at DH, but his fielding isn’t
    expected to be a problem. The rehab assignment is not
    expected to be a long one, so Chavez could be back
    later this week.

  • The Orioles are an organization in flux in many ways.
    I’ll wager that they didn’t expect Melvin
    Mora
    to be their best player given all their
    big-ticket free-agent signings, and that they
    certainly didn’t expect to be looking up at the Devil
    Rays. Mora is headed to the DL with foot and
    hamstring problems. He’d been battling the problems
    for all of June and the team finally decided to just
    give him time off until after the All-Star break. He
    should return good as new, but David
    Newhan
    ‘s doing his best to Wally
    Pipp
    him in the meantime.

  • It wasn’t a setback that sent Sean
    Casey
    to the DL, but rather a lack of
    progress. The Reds went as long as they could before
    shutting him down, in essence cutting down the time
    he’ll spend off the roster, hoping he can return as
    soon as the 15-day minimum expires.

  • The Marlins’ pitching problems are growing. Already
    fretting over Brad Penny‘s lost
    velocity in recent weeks, the team got another dose of
    bad news from Josh Beckett. In his
    first start off the DL, Beckett lasted only four
    innings, leaving due to yet another blister problem.
    He was immediately placed back on the DL, with Beckett
    complaining of the worst blister injury he’s ever had,
    among the many he’s had to endure.

  • I seldom talk about the Brewers here; this season,
    it’s not because they’re a boring, losing team. The
    Crew currently rank among the healthiest teams around,
    proof of…something. Maybe luck, maybe design, though
    it’s too soon to assign credit. The team did suffer a
    minor setback, as Junior Spivey heads
    to the DL after injuring his shoulder on the bases. He
    should miss just a few days more than the minimum.

  • The Cubs’ pitching staff was just starting to look
    healthy when Carlos Zambrano clutched
    at his forearm during his last start. A couple veteran
    observers at Wrigley called to ask if I was watching,
    mentioning that Zambrano’s mechanics seemed off and
    that his velocity was up. The velocity I’m unsure of.
    While it was higher, it tailed off quickly and could
    be a radar gun error. For the mechanics, he did seem
    off, if only slightly. If the problem is only
    cramps–and there’s no reason to think it’s anything
    else at this stage–Zambrano should show little ill
    effect. I’ll be watching his mechanics in his next
    start.

  • Meanwhile the Cubs are looking ahead to Kerry
    Wood
    ‘s rehab start tonight. How he does will
    affect the big club’s rotation after the break. If
    Wood comes through as expected, he’ll be back in the
    rotation, while Mark Prior will be
    skipped, starting again after the break. Either way,
    Glendon Rusch will be pushed back
    to the bullpen once Wood returns. The Cubs will also
    keep an eye on Iowa while Alex
    Gonzalez
    rehabs his broken hand. Gonzalez is
    expected back after the All-Star break, but there are
    some in the Cubs clubhouse who think he’ll be on the
    field for the important Cards series later this week.

  • The Dodgers are a bit banged up. Juan
    Encarnacion
    has been dealing with a sore
    shoulder. Yes, it happened much the same way
    as it did with Richie Sexson, but
    with far less damage. Encarnacion will just need rest,
    likely keeping him off the field through the break.
    The DL is a possibility. Top prospect Edwin
    Jackson
    scared the Dodgers when he left
    Saturday’s game with elbow…well, he insists it isn’t
    pain. Described as a “looseness at the end of my
    release,” he’s describing something akin to what Tommy
    John survivors feel coming back. Not a good sign at
    all. In the minors, the Dodgers will have to wait a
    bit more on reliever Paul Shuey. He
    aggravated his surgically repaired hip fielding a
    bunt.

  • The Rangers continue to have injury problems. With
    Chan Ho Park almost ready for a rehab
    assignment and Gerald Laird ahead of
    schedule, the Rangers now have to deal with a back
    strain to DH Brad Fullmer. Fullmer
    had a cortisone injection on Saturday, so he could be
    back in the lineup as early as Tuesday. That the
    Rangers have been so damaged yet remain in the race
    gets Buck Showalter the mid-season nod for Manager of
    the Year.

  • Quick Cuts: Carlos Delgado has
    had shown good power in his rehab appearances. The
    Blue Jays hope he keeps that up when he returns to the
    majors…The Braves are running out of middle-infield
    options, at least until Marcus Giles
    gets back in a week. Nick Green left
    Monday’s game with a back injury…Juan
    Gonzalez
    is saying he’ll be ready in two
    weeks. The Royals would do well to showcase him and
    trade him, letting the kids play…The new iMac rules,
    but this big 17″ screen is going to take some getting
    used to…Todd Hollandsworth is on
    the DL as much for roster purposes as for his injury.
    He’ll be back in two weeks…If Jose
    Contreras
    isn’t the answer, the other Cuban
    pitcher on the Yanks roster, Orlando
    Hernandez
    , might get a chance. The Yanks are
    also very encouraged by Steve
    Karsay
    ‘s progress…Doug
    Mientkiewicz
    is dealing with his chronic
    wrist problem and now a severely bruised foot. Do I
    have to suggest calling up Justin
    Morneau
    again?…Shannon
    Stewart
    could be back early next week, if not
    for that pesky All-Star break.

Finally, the Yankees are still working on how two
players and a player’s wife all got giardia, a common
intestinal parasite. While easily cured, it is
apparently not easily traced. No one else on the team
(or wives and children) are showing symptoms.

Back tomorrow…

Thank you for reading

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