National League notebook -- Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Arizona: 3B Ryan Roberts' inside-the-park home run in the sixth inning was the eighth in team history and fourth at Chase Field. "I needed oxygen. I almost fell down three times," he said. ... The D-backs tied a franchise record with six home runs, the third time they have done it. They had nine homers in the last two games of the Seattle series, and 2B Aaron Hill, who hit for the cycle in the first game of the series Monday, homered and doubled in all three games of the series.
Atlanta: The diagnosis on RHP Brandon Beachy's partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow was confirmed by Dr. James Andrews, and Beachy is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery today. RH reliever Todd Redmond was sent down to Class AAA Gwinnett (Lawrenceville, Ga.), and RHP Jair Jurrjens will be called up Friday to take Beachy's spot in the rotation. ... 3B Chipper Jones was given the day off on a hot afternoon in New York, but that did not stop the Yankees from honoring Jones before the game. Former teammate Andruw Jones and Yankees captain Derek Jeter presented the retiring Brave slugger with third base from Tuesday's game enclosed in a glass case.
Chicago: 1B Bryan LaHair moved back to first after two games in right field. The Cubs have been preparing for the eventual call-up of 1B Anthony Rizzo from Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa, and giving LaHair time in the outfield beforehand is part of the plan. "I'm OK with it," LaHair said. "I did it a bunch in the minors. Two years ago, three years ago, I played 80 games in the outfield. I've bounced back and forth quite a bit." ... 3B Ian Stewart (left wrist) hopes to start hitting off a tee this weekend. He returned to the club after having his wrist examined at the Cleveland Clinic and getting a cortisone shot.
Cincinnati: LH closer Aroldis Chapman continues to throw almost exclusively fastballs. For more than two months, the strategy worked -- Chapman did not allow an earned run in 29 appearances. But he had allowed six runs over his last 5 1/3 innings through Tuesday and had taken three losses. Chapman was throwing fastballs 88.3 percent of the time, according to fangraphs.com. ... 2B Brandon Phillips lost his appeal on the ball he scored on Monday. It was scored a double and an error on LF Johnny Damon. Phillips went through the appeal process, hoping it would be scored an inside-the-park home run.
Colorado: SS Troy Tulowitzki is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery today in Philadelphia to remove scar tissue from his left groin area. The surgery will be performed by Dr. William Meyers, a sports hernia specialist, who examined Tulowitzki for the third straight day Wednesday. No timetable was given for his return, but Tulowitzki figures to be out until August. ... LF Carlos Gonzalez returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a right knee strain. CF Dexter Fowler, mired in a 2-for-25 slump, was not in the lineup for the second straight game.
Houston: RHP Kyle Weiland (shoulder surgery) is in a conditioning program in hopes of pitching again this year. "This week has been a big improvement," he said. "I'm starting to get my strength back." ... OF Justin Maxwell left the game because of a sprained ankle and will get an MRI. There was no specific moment of impact that caused the injury; rather, a month's worth of pain got to be too much. "Every time I hit, I kind of roll my ankle," he said.
Los Angeles: LHP Ted Lilly (shoulder) could begin throwing by the end of the week, manager Don Mattingly said. Lilly hasn't thrown since May 23. ... CF Matt Kemp, who has missed 33 games in two stints on the disabled list because of a left hamstring strain, is expected to return close to the All-Star break. Dodgers trainer Sue Falsone told MLB.com that the club wants Kemp to have a rehab assignment longer than the two games he played with Class AAA Albuquerque before his May 29 return, which lasted all of two games.
Miami: Owner Jeffrey Loria insists he isn't panicking despite the Marlins' uneven start. "People should relax," he said. "We're going to be fine. It's going to be one hell of a run." ... RH reliever Steve Cishek, a native of Falmouth, Mass., went inside the Green Monster at Fenway Park and signed his name on the wall -- a rite of passage for visiting players. "I felt like a tourist," he said.
Milwaukee: RHP Tyler Thornburg was optioned to Class AAA Nashville after making his major league debut Tuesday. The Brewers will make a corresponding player move today to add a pitcher to their bullpen. The pitcher Thornburg replaced, RHP Shaun Marcum, said tests run on his ailing elbow revealed no structural damage, and he still hopes to avoid going on the disabled list. ... OF Norichika Aoki was given the day off after going 1-for-10 in the previous two games. Manager Ron Roenicke said Aoki appeared to be fatigued and took some "different swings" during an 0-for-5 night Tuesday.
New York: Jordany Valdespin was again in the lineup, this time at second base, because he was 10 for his last 21 and the Mets had won all four games he had started. "He's added some spark," manager Terry Collins said. Valdespin was in left field Tuesday just to get his bat in the lineup. ... LHP Johan Santana's six shutout innings Tuesday were a relief to both him and the Mets after two bad starts following his no-hitter. "I was just waiting for this," Santana said. "I knew I was coming into this game on regular rest and I felt good."
Philadelphia: LH reliever Raul Valdes was recalled from Class AAA Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Pa.), and C Erik Kratz was sent down. The addition of Valdes gives the Phillies four lefties in the bullpen. ... RHP David Herndon underwent Tommy John surgery Tuesday. The procedure was performed by Dr. James Andrews. ... 1B John Mayberry Jr., who normally plays against left-handed pitchers, was in the lineup even though the Phillies were facing a right-hander. The reason: He had homered in the previous three games.
Pittsburgh: RHP Brad Lincoln will make his next scheduled start Saturday despite being rocked in each of his last three outings and despite the Pirates having other options in the minors. "The results haven't necessarily been what we've wanted, but I think we need to give this young man a chance to channel through the transition period, which isn't as easy as some people might think it is," manager Clint Hurdle said. ... MLB called the Pirates to tell them two former stars, Hall of Fame 2B Bill Mazeroski and CF Bill Virdon, could not serve as guest instructors in the home dugout during a game, as they did Tuesday. Hurdle said the two would continue to work with the team before the game.
St. Louis: LF Allen Craig almost sounded honored to watch Detroit RHP Justin Verlander throw him three 100 mph or better fastballs with the bases loaded in the seventh inning Tuesday, then strike him out on an 87 mph curveball. "It was fun to be a part of, to have him come at me like that," Craig said. "He beat me on that one." ... SS Rafael Furcal, who never has been voted an All-Star Game starter, has taken over the balloting lead at shortstop for the NL team. "They finally want to see me, maybe," said Furcal, who has been on All-Star teams in 2003 and 2010 as a reserve.
San Diego: LF Carlos Quentin, a top candidate to be traded before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, said he'd like to remain with the Padres. "I don't really have a say in whether or not I'm traded, but a lot of things I'm seeing here are really positive," he said. "I'm definitely open to talking about a future with the Padres." ... RHP Edinson Volquez has averaged four walks a game over his last six starts. He allowed six runs on five hits and four walks in five-plus innings Tuesday.
San Francisco: LHP Barry Zito's outing Tuesday marked the fifth time since he joined the Giants in 2007 that he has given up at least eight earned runs in a start. He gave up that many just twice in his seven years in Oakland before signing with San Francisco. ... RH reliever George Kontos was not with the team because he went to Chicago to attend his grandfather's funeral. He probably wouldn't have been used anyway because he threw 30 pitches Tuesday in relief of Zito.
Washington: LHP Ross Detwiler is back in the rotation and will start Sunday, and RHP Chien-Ming Wang will pitch out of the bullpen, manager Davey Johnson said. "Chien-Ming is very valuable to us, and I feel in the starts that he hasn't gotten better with his mechanics," Johnson said. ... RF Michael Morse took extra hitting after Sunday's game and early batting practice Tuesday. It paid off with his first homer since last Sept. 27.
