Wood, Prior return to round out staff
By wire services
Published June 26, 2005
CHICAGO - Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood, who is on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, probably will start Wednesday's game against Milwaukee, manager Dusty Baker said.
With the return of Wood and Mark Prior, who is scheduled to start today against the White Sox, the Cubs' rotation will be at full strength.
"I look at it as we acquired two quality guys, similar to a trade," Baker said. "We've done what we could with who we could. We've sort of treaded water."
Wood (1-1, 6.15 ERA) has been on the disabled list since May 3. Prior (4-1, 2.93 ERA) went on the DL with a fracture in his right elbow May 28.
The Cubs sent right-hander Todd Wellemeyer to Triple-A Iowa and recalled righty Roberto Novoa before Saturday's game.
Nationals' profit helps MLBThe recent report in the Washington Post about the Nationals' estimate of a $20-million profit this season is very good news for Major League Baseball, which can now expect to extract a higher price in the impending sale of the franchise.
But it's also very good news, in the immediate future, for this year's Washington team and its fans. The Nationals, still being run by MLB until they are sold, have been told that they will likely be given permission to add to the roster for the pennant run.
ANGELS: Right-hander Kelvim Escobarwill undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow, and is expected to be sidelined at least two months. The decision was made following an examination by team physician Dr. Lewis Yocum.
ASTROS: Houston retired the uniform number of three-time All-Star Jimmy Wynn, honoring the slugging exploits of the "Toy Cannon." Wynn, No. 24, ranks among Houston's top 10 in homers (223), runs (829), hits (1,291), games (1,426), at-bats (5,063) and walks (847). He hit a career-high 37 home runs in 1967, a club record until Jeff Bagwell hit 39 in 1994.
BRAVES: Double-A Mississippi pitcher Roman Colon was recalled to start Saturday's 5-4 interleague win over Baltimore. In his first major-league start, the right-hander allowed four hits over six innings, striking out four and walking one, and left with the game scoreless.
BREWERS: Third baseman Jeff Cirillo was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken bone in his left hand. Cirillo had the fourth metacarpal in his hand fractured when he was hit by a Matt Guerrier pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of Friday night's 3-1 win over Minnesota.
D'BACKS: Arizona will be without Tampa native Luis Gonzalez for at least three days because of a death in the family Saturday.
DODGERS: A day after undergoing season-ending surgery on his pitching elbow, closer Eric Gagne showed up at Angel Stadium wearing a cast and a relieved smile.
"Why not? I get paid," the 29-year-old right-hander replied when asked why he was attending Saturday night's Dodgers-Angels game so soon after his operation. "I'm here to give myself moral support - be with my teammates. It's good to be here, worry about the good stuff, winning a ballgame."
ORIOLES: Pitcher Bruce Chen left the game against Atlanta because of a sprained big toe on his left foot. X-rays were negative, and Chen hopes to be able to make his next scheduled start.
REDS: Cincinnati placed infielder-outfielder Ryan Freel on the 15-day disabled list and purchased the contract of outfielder Jason Romano from Triple-A Louisville.
MINORS: Handing out bloody socks seemed like a bad idea for a ballpark promotion, so the Brockton Rox minor league team devised a much more sanitary way to pay tribute to World Series Red Sox ace Curt Schilling.
The first 1,000 fans at Saturday night's Rox game were to each get a free "Bobble Ankle," a Schilling-shaped doll with a flimsy ankle instead of a bobbing head.
The figurine, which the Can-Am League team also is selling for $25 over the Internet, celebrates Schilling's grit for pitching with an ankle injury that left blood seeping through his sock.