National League team-by-team notebook -- Sunday, August 19, 2012
Arizona: LHP Patrick Corbin is 3-0 in four starts since returning to the majors and joining Arizona's starting rotation. Through 26 innings, he has a 2.77 ERA with six walks and 24 strikeouts. ... RH reliever Josh Collmenter, on the disabled list with ulcers since Aug. 10, pitched a bullpen session Saturday and will pitch in a simulated game this week at the team's spring training facility. He is eligible to come off the DL on Saturday.
Atlanta: 3B Chipper Jones got Sunday off as planned. After starting seven of eight games, Jones wanted to be ready for the three-game series against the Nationals that begins today. ... SS Andrelton Simmons (broken right pinky finger) will not accompany the team on the three-city, 10-game road trip beginning today. He has not been cleared to swing or throw a ball because the break is healing slowly.
Chicago: SS Starlin Castro reportedly is on the verge of signing a seven-year, $60 million contract extension. Both the Cubs and Castro's side acknowledged talks are ongoing, but said no deal has been completed. ... LHP Brooks Raley earned his first major league victory Saturday night. Raley was recalled from Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa as the 26th man for a day-night doubleheader.
Cincinnati: RHP Todd Redmond was optioned to Class AAA Louisville Sunday after he was recalled to make his first major league start in Saturday's second game of day-night doubleheader against the Cubs. The recall was Redmond's fourth of the season and he got the decision in the Reds' 9-7 loss. ... Sellouts in Saturday's second game and Sunday gave the Reds 13 this season, a single-season record at 10-year-old Great American Ball Park.
Colorado: OF Eric Young Jr. (left intercostal muscle strain) left Sunday's game after the first inning with an injury to his rib cage. He checked his swing striking out and walked back to the dugout. OF Andrew Brown, who was recalled Sunday from Class AAA Colorado Springs, replaced him in left field. ... RF Michael Cuddyer (strained right oblique) was placed on the 15-day disabled list and could be out for the season after re-aggravating the injury. He said the injury was more severe this time. He originally was hurt July 31 and Aug. 4 was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to Aug. 1. ... LF Carlos Gonzalez is expected back Tuesday after being placed on the bereavement list Saturday.
Houston: The Astros fired manager Brad Mills after less than three seasons and replaced him with interim manager Tony DeFrancesco, who was managing Class AAA Oklahoma City. Also fired were first base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Mike Barnett. "We're not happy with the results on the field this year," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "It's nobody's fault in particular, but we do want to move forward as positive as we can, win as many games as we can the rest of this year and put ourselves in position to have a successful 2013."
Los Angeles: RHP Chad Billingsley pitched seven scoreless innings Sunday, extending his scoreless streak to 15 consecutive innings. Billingsley, who has a 1.30 ERA in his last six starts, is the first Dodgers pitcher to win six consecutive starts since Kevin Brown won seven in a row from May 14-June 17, 2003. ... SS Luis Cruz (cramp) left after running out a grounder in the eighth inning Sunday. Cruz, who hit .448 (13-for-29) with two home runs during the 10-game road trip, said he expected to play today against the Giants.
Miami: Outfielders Emilio Bonifacio (jammed thumb) and Justin Ruggiano (back spasms) were back in the starting lineup Sunday. Bonifacio and SS Donnie Murphy were activated from the disabled list. To make room, OF Scott Cousins was optioned to Class AAA New Orleans (Metairie, La.) and SS Gil Velazquez was designated for assignment.
Milwaukee: LF Ryan Braun stole his 20th base of the season Saturday night, notching his third 20 home run/20 stolen base season and ninth in franchise history. Braun, who has 33 home runs, became the Brewers' second 30/30 player in 2011, joining Tommy Harper (1970). ... 1B Corey Hart and 3B Aramis Ramirez did not play Sunday as manager Ron Roenicke wants to give his regulars some rest. 2B Rickie Weeks sat Saturday night.
New York: SS Ruben Tejada was out of the starting lineup Sunday for the first time since July 24. In that stretch, he had a career-high 14-game hitting streak and posted 10 multiple hit games, but has cooled off recently. Tejada pinch-hit in the sixth inning Sunday. ... Mets general manager Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins today will discuss their plan for struggling LHP Johan Santana. Reports have indicated Santana could be shut down the rest of the year.
Philadelphia: LHP Cole Hamels won his third consecutive start with a 4-3 victory over the Brewers on Saturday. He is 3-1 with a 1.38 ERA in four August starts. ... 1B Darren Ruf, a 2009 20th-round draft pick, entered the weekend at Class AA Reading (Pa.) batting .312 with 29 home runs, 83 RBI, and a whopping .993 OPS.
Pittsburgh: LF Starling Marte (strained right oblique muscle) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and OF Jose Tabata was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis. Marte, a rookie, was injured Saturday while scoring from first base on a double. The 24-year-old is hitting .253 with four home runs, 10 RBI and four stolen bases in 23 games since being recalled from Indianapolis July 26. ... RHP Kevin Correia has been moved back to the bullpen after making two spot starts while the Pirates went to a temporary six-man starting rotation for two weeks.
St. Louis: RHP Lance Lynn, who came out after 4 1/3 innings Saturday, appeared to let his emotions get the best of him during the game and discussed it with manager Mike Matheny afterward. "It's not the kind of game he wants," Matheny said. "I think the bigger message is that's not how he needs to respond. That had as much to do with his exit as anything else. You just can't let things spiral." ... LH reliever Barrett Browning, who spent 6 1/2 years in the minors, earned his first big-league win Saturday with a scoreless inning.
San Diego: RH closer Huston Street (calf), on the disabled list since Aug. 11, threw a football Saturday but has not resumed throwing a baseball. "It's gotten a lot better in the last 48 hours," Street said Saturday. ... The Padres optioned RHP Ross Ohlendorf to Class AAA Tucson Saturday, one day after he allowed eight runs in just 2 1/3 innings to the Giants. Ohlendorf has a 7.58 overall ERA over 48 2/3 innings this year. RH reliever Nick Vincent was recalled to take his place.
San Francisco: RHP Ryan Vogelsong has allowed 11 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings over his last two outings. Vogelsong had allowed just 10 earned runs in the six starts prior to his recent struggles. ... RH reliever Clay Hensley notched his third save of the season Saturday. RH closer Jeremy Affeldt was given the chance to close it out but gave up two runs before turning the ball over to Hensley.
Washington: CF Bryce Harper homered and tripled on Sunday, marking his first multi extra-base hit game since July 3. Harper was given Saturday off to rest after hitting just .191 since the All Star break. ... Scott Boras, the agent for RHP Stephen Strasburg, told the Washington Post that the Nationals would be taking "severe risks" if they decide not to shut down his client. "This is the only industry I know where people are saying, 'I want to risk years of productivity, for a one- or two-month benefit," Boras said. Strasburg is not expected to pitch in the playoffs after reaching his 180-inning limit.
