Around the Majors: Giambi update

1) Although all of the results aren’t in yet, tests on Jason Giambi ruled out cancer and he is expected to be able to play today.

2) The Braves tied the Phillies for 1st place in the NL East.

3) The Marlins passed the Mets into sole possession of 3rd place in the NL East.

4) The Padres passed the Giants into 2nd place in the NL West.

5) Angels CF Garret Anderson had to leave yesterday’s game, due to a tight groin muscle, and he could be out of the lineup for a few days.

After 28 RCAA/.871 OPS and 33 RCAA/.885 OPS seasons, Anderson is hitting .450 SLG, .354 OBA, .804 OPS, 7 RCAA in his first 52 games. He has a .807 career OPS, compared to his league average of .775, and 29 RCA in 1417 games.

6) Redsox 1B David Ortiz was suspended for 5 games for an outburst on Friday.

After 15 RCAA/.839 OPS and 33 RCAA/.961 OPS seasons, Ortiz is hitting .618 SLG, .364 OBA, .982 OPS, 28 RCAA in his first 92 games. He has a .866 career OPS, compared to his league average of .771, and 75 RCAA in 675 games.

7) The Redsox called up P Abe Alvarez before the first game of their doubleheader yesterday and sent him to the minors afterwards, designated P Jimmy Anderson for assignment, moved DH Ellis Burks from the 15 to the 60 day DL and officially added INF Ricky Gutierrez to the roster.

Anderson has a 5.42 ERA/-64 RSAA in 122 career games, including a 5.17 ERA/-1 RSAA in 12 games in 2004 (first 7 with the Cubs).

8) The Indians called up P Chad Durbin and sent P Jeriome Robertson to the minors.

Durbin has a 6.34 ERA/-45 RSAA in 61 career games, including a 10.70 ERA/-12 RSAA in 10 games (2 starts) in 2004.

Robertson has a 5.71 ERA/-26 RSAA in 51 career games, including a 12.21 ERA/-12 RSAA in 8 games in 2004.

9) The Tigers activated P Danny Patterson from the DL and sent P Craig Dingman to the minors.

After pitching in just 25 games in 2002-03, Patterson has a 4.59 ERA/-1 RSAA in 33 games. He has a 4.12 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.68, and 25 RSAA in 346 games.

Dingman has a 7.11 ERA/-10 RSAA in 32 career games, including a 5.03 ERA/-1 RSAA in a career high 15 games in 2004.

10) The Twins activated 1B Doug Mientkiewicz from the DL and sent C Rob Bowen to the minors.

After 5 RCAA/.756 OPS and 23 RCAA/.843 OPS seasons, Mientkiewicz is hitting .364 SLG, .334 OBA, .698 OPS, -11 RCAA in his first 75 games. He has a .775 career OPS, compared to his league average of .768, and 14 RCAA in 640 games.

Bowen has -2 RCAA/.514 OPS in 14 career games, including 0 RCAA/.741 OPS in 7 games in 2004.

11) The BlueJays called up P Kevin Frederick, sent P Bob File to the minors and moved C Bobby Estalella from the 15 to the 60 day DL.

Frederick had a 10.03 ERA/-7 RSAA in 8 games with the 2002 BlueJays.

File has a 4.27 ERA/6 RSAA in 79 career games, including a 5.48 ERA/-2 RSAA in 14 games in 2004.

12) Cubs P Carlos Zambrano (5 games) and LaTroy Hawkins (3 games) were suspended for incidents from Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

They are both appealing.

After starting his career with 3.66 ERA/4 RSAA and 3.11 ERA/26 RSAA seasons (he also pitched in 6 games in 2001), Zambrano is off to a 2.81 ERA/19 RSAA start in his first 18 starts. He has a 3.37 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.25, and 40 RSAA in 88 games.

After 2.13 ERA/20 RSAA and 1.86 ERA/24 RSAA seasons, Hawkins is off to a 2.81 ERA/8 RSAA start in his first 48 games. He has a .4.92 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.67, and -11 RSAA in 414 games, but is working on his 4th year with a positive RSAA in the past 5.

13) The Marlins traded P Darren Oliver to the Astros for a player to be named later or cash.

After 4.66 ERA/-2 RSAA and 5.04 ERA/-5 RSAA seasons, Oliver is off to a 6.44 ERA/-15 RSAA start in his first 18 games (8 starts).

14) Rangers P Ricardo Rodriguez broke his right elbow, when he was hit by a line drive, and is out for the rest of the season.

Rodriguez has a 5.05 ERA/-10 RSAA in 27 career games, including a 2.03 ERA/9 RSAA in 4 starts (5 games) in 2004.

15) The Rockies signed P Jamey Wright, after the Royals released him from a minor league contract, and moved P Dennis Stark from the 15 to the 60 day DL.

Wright, who will be added to the major league roster and hasn’t made his 2004 debut yet, has a 5.15 ERA/-28 RSAA in 178 career games.

16) Reds P Jesus Sanchez became a free agent when he refused an assignment to the minors. He had been removed from the 25 and 40 man rosters when he was designated for assignment on Sunday.

17) The Expos activated P Zach Day from the DL and sent P Scott Downs to the minors.

After starting his career with 3.62 ERA/2 RSAA and 4.18 ERA/14 RSAA seasons, Day has a 3.90 ERA/1 RSAA in his first 18 starts. He has a 4.00 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.26, and 17 RSAA in 60 games.

Downs has a 6.06 ERA/-24 RSAA in 25 career games, including a 8.41 ERA/-10 RSAA in 5 starts in 2004.

18) The Diamondbacks 11 game losing streak is their 2nd 10+ streak of the season.

19) The Diamondbacks called up P Edgar Gonzalez and sent P Brian Bruney to the minors.

Gonzalez has a 7.33 ERA/-8 RSAA in 11 career games, including a 12.46 ERA/-8 RSAA in 2 starts in 2004.

Bruney has a 45.20 ERA/0 RSAA in his first 15 career games.

20) The Cubs signed INF Denny Hocking to a minor league contract.

Hocking has -124 RCAA/.654 OPS in 931 career games, including a .223 SLG, .257 OBA, .481 OPS, -15 RCAA in 55 games with the 2004 Rockies.

21) According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles are listening to trade offers for P Jorge Julio.

22) The Orioles will call up P John Maine today.

Maine will make his major league debut by starting tonight.

23) Twins SS Cristian Guzman may leave the team for a few days, after his grandfather died. He’s also been sidelined due to back spasms.

After -24 RCAA/.677 OPS and -18 RCAA/.676 OPS seasons, Guzman is off to a .382 SLG, .310 OBA, .692 OPS, -16 RCAA start in his first 87 games. He has a .684 career OPS, compared to his league average of .773, and -125 RCAA in 783 games.

Guzman has moved into 3rd place on the Senators/Twins all time list for worst career RCAA and, over the course of this season, has broken Pat Meares’s Twins record–

RCAA                           RCAA    
1    George McBride             -215   
2    Ossie Bluege               -164   
3    Cristian Guzman            -125   
4    Howard Shanks              -123   
5    Pat Meares                 -120   
6    Bucky Harris               -114   
7    Greg Gagne                 -112   
8    Denny Hocking              -109   
9    Sam Dente                   -96   
10   Zoilo Versalles             -91   

24) The Cardinals traded minor league P Jason Ryan to the Royals for future considerations.

Ryan had a 5.94 ERA/-6 RSAA in 24 games with the 1999-2000 Twins.

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