American League notebook -- Monday, July 16, 2012
Baltimore: RHP Chris Tillman was recalled from Class AA Bowie (Md.) to make his second major league start of the season. Tillman, 24, gave up no earned runs in 8 1/3 innings at Seattle on July 4. In an combined 17 outings (16 starts) for Class AAA Norfolk (Va.) and Bowie, Tillman was 8-9 with a 3.79 ERA. ... 2B Robert Andino injured his left shoulder Sunday, and he went for an MRI exam the next day. Steve Tolleson started at second base Monday, his first major league appearance at the position since 2010, when he played for Oakland.
Boston: OF/IF Brent Lillibridge, who came to the Red Sox last month in the deal that sent 3B Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox, was designated for assignment. The move cleared a spot for LF Carl Crawford, who came off the 60-day disabled list after recovering from wrist, elbow and groin injuries. Lillibridge went 2-for-16 (.125) with no extra-base hits and no RBI for Boston. ... The Red Sox announced in a statement that they had asked team adviser Bill James to stop commenting publicly on the Penn State scandal. James had defended Joe Paterno last weekend on his website and on ESPN radio.
Chicago: With RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow) questionable for his Wednesday start, which was already pushed back from Monday, LHP Jose Quintana is on call to pitch that day at Boston. Quintana would be on regular rest, having started Friday at Kansas City. The team had hoped to have Quintana pitch Thursday as part of a six-man rotation, giving extra rest to RHP Jake Peavy and LHP Chris Sale. ... Sale limited the Royals to one run in eight innings Sunday despite allowing a career-high 10 hits. "He definitely didn't have his best stuff," C A.J. Pierzynski said. "At the same time, he battled and got a lot of ground balls when we needed them, got a couple of strikeouts when we needed them."
Cleveland: OF Trevor Crowe, the 14th overall pick in the 2005 draft, was released. He was hitting .250 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 38 games with Class AAA Columbus (Ohio). Crowe, 28, played 205 games with Cleveland from 2009-11, hitting .245 with three homers, 55 RBI and a .295 on-base percentage. ... LHP Giovanni Soto, 21, pitched a no-hitter Sunday for Class AA Akron (Ohio) in a 2-1 victory over Altoona (Pa.). He gave up an unearned run, walked three and struck out six. Soto is 6-6 with a 3.73 ERA in 18 starts. The Indians acquired him in the 2010 trade that sent SS Jhonny Peralta to the Tigers.
Detroit: RH reliever Brayan Villarreal was not available to pitch Sunday because he came down with a stiff neck while shagging fly balls Friday afternoon. The injury was considered minor. ... RH reliever Al Alburquerque is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, the first of two before being assessed for a possible rehab assignment. Alburquerque has been out all season after sustaining an injury that required a screw to secure the bone at the tip of his right elbow.
Kansas City: CF Lorenzo Cain made his eighth start of the season and hit in a fifth different spot in the batting order. Cain batted fifth Monday being in the cleanup spot Sunday. He has also batted second, seventh and ninth. ... RHP Luis Mendoza is 1-3 in his past six starts, but five of them have been quality starts (six innings or more, three or fewer earned runs). He has a 3.11 ERA in that stretch, allowing two runs or fewer in four of the six outings.
Los Angeles: C Chris Iannetta (wrist surgery) and OF Vernon Wells (thumb surgery) could both be ready for rehab assignments later this week. Iannetta threw to bases as part of his defensive workout Monday. Wells has been taking batting practice for the past few days. ... OF Mike Trout led the AL with 30 stolen bases through the weekend. He is the sixth rookie in franchise history to steal 30 bases, joining Jose Cardenal (1965, 37), Jerry Remy (1975, 34), Gary Pettis (1984, 48), Devon White (1987, 32) and Chad Curtis (1992, 43).
Minnesota: LHP Brian Duensing allowed six runs on seven hits in two innings against the A's on Sunday. In four starts since joining the rotation June 23, Duensing is 0-4 with a 10.13 ERA. He hasn't completed the fifth inning in any of the outings. ... Manager Ron Gardenhire, on his slumping team: "Obviously, we're getting farther and farther out, and we're supposed to be going the other way. We have to really start winning baseball games, figuring out how to win them and not lose them."
New York: LF Brett Gardner, who hasn't appeared in a game for the Yankees since April 17 due to a strained right elbow, experienced another setback Monday when he felt soreness in his elbow during a simulated game at the team's minor league complex in Tampa. "It's puzzling ... and it's a concern," manager Joe Girardi said. ... LHP CC Sabathia (strained groin) will be activated off the disabled list to start Tuesday against Toronto. "Just stay healthy, please," Girardi said.
Oakland: RH reliever Jim Miller returned from paternity leave after missing the weekend series at Minnesota. Miller is 2-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 19 appearances. LHP Pedro Figueroa was optioned to Class AAA Sacramento (West Sacramento, Calif.) without having appeared in a game during his latest major league stint. ... The new first base platoon is packing plenty of power. Right-handed-hitting Chris Carter has five homers in nine games with Oakland, while left-handed-hitting Brandon Moss has 11 homers in 27 games.
Seattle: Jesus Montero played catcher in the series opener at Kansas City, the first time he's been behind the plate since July 4. He sustained a concussion in the holiday game against the Orioles, and he sat out the next three games before returning to action at designated hitter. ... RHP Blake Beavan will be called up Tuesday to start in place of RHP Erasmo Ramirez (elbow). Beavan, 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA in six starts for Class AAA Tacoma (Wash.), went 3-6 with a 5.92 ERA in 12 starts for Seattle earlier this season.
Tampa Bay: 3B Evan Longoria, out since May 1 due to a partial tear of his left hamstring, probably will accompany the Rays on their road trip next week, manager Joe Maddon said. It remains uncertain when Longoria might be ready to start a new rehab assignment. He played two games for Class AAA Durham (N.C.) in mid-June before the hamstring acted up. ... 2B Will Rhymes batted leadoff again despite his struggles in that spot. He entered play Monday 3-for-17 (.176) with one walk in four games (three starts) in the leadoff position.
Texas: RHP Neftali Feliz, out since mid-May with a sprained elbow ligament, made his first rehab start Monday for Class AA Frisco (Texas). The Rangers plan to prepare him to return to the rotation, which means he likely will make several starts before the club makes any decisions on his status. ... RHP Yu Darvish has allowed 10 homers this year in 109 innings. In his final two seasons in Japan, Darvish allowed 10 homers over 434 innings. "The only answer I have is that it's different baseball here," Darvish said.
Toronto: LH reliever Luis Perez, who went on the disabled list last week due to a torn ligament in his left elbow, will undergo Tommy John surgery Tuesday. He finishes the year 2-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 35 appearances. ... The Blue Jays purchased the contract of LHP Nate Robertson from Wichita (Kan.) of the independent American Association and assigned him to Class AAA Las Vegas. Robertson, 34, had an 8.10 ERA for the Cubs' Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa affiliate earlier this year. He last pitched in the majors in 2010 for the Marlins and Phillies.
