MLB Rumor Mill

MLB Rumor - May 10 "Pedro Martinez took another step toward returning to the Mets' rotation, tossing about 60 pitches, including his entire repertoire, in a batting-practice session Friday in Port St. Lucie. GM Omar Minaya said the Mets were "very encouraged by Pedro's progress," but stopped short of defining a time frame for Martinez, who went on the disabled list April 2, one day after leaving his first start of the season with a strained left hamstring."New York Daily News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 10 "Alex Rodriguez is progressing toward a potential Thursday return from the disabled list. Rodriguez took 57 swings in batting practice and fielded 31 grounders in Tampa on Friday, according to The Associated Press. Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps muscle. He is eligible to come off the DL Thursday. He hit several long home runs Friday and ran in the outfield. After leaving the field, he said the session went "good.""Newsday Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 10 "Lambasted for their major league-low $21 million payroll and perpetual trading of star players, the Marlins are finally keeping one in the fold. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez told an acquaintance he has agreed to the framework of a six-year, $70 million extension. That ranks as the richest contract in franchise history, topping the six-year, $61 million deal Gary Sheffield received in April 1997."South Florida Sun Sentinel Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 10 "Friday was a good day for Eric Chavez. The six-time Gold Glove third baseman hit, fielded, threw and ran. Pretty much everything. "Except play a game," he said with a smile. That'll come. Manager Bob Geren said Chavez could begin a minor-league rehab assignment "in the one- or two-week range," and Chavez agreed. He's eligible to come off the disabled list and join the A's on May 27, and Geren said, "It's his goal right now.""San Francisco Chronicle Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 9 "John Smoltz said the pain in his shoulder has mostly subsided in 10 days of rest, and after a couple of days more he'll be ready to pick up a ball again by Sunday in Pittsburgh. He'll start by playing catch and eventually work up to a minor league rehabilitation assignment. Smoltz is gearing up to return as a reliever, he said, some time before the end of the month. "Something starting with a '2'," Smoltz said. "One of those days.""Atlanta Journal Constitution Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "The Cardinals hesitate to call it another setback in the ongoing saga of Mark Mulder's two-year recovery from a shoulder injury, but Wednesday's decision to sideline the lefty for a week or more is at least a sidetrack. After meeting with the team doctor Wednesday, Mulder was judged to have a mild rotator cuff strain and was removed from his rehab assignment."St Louis Post Dispatch Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "Those are not the words of an executive dithering over a decision, but of a man who has already made up his mind. Barring a Fountain of Youth effort Thursday afternoon against the Braves, or an unscheduled trip to the disabled list, Edmonds may be lucky to last the weekend with the Padres."San Diego Union Tribune Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "Harden pitched Tuesday night for Class-A Stockton, his second rehab outing in his recovery from a strained muscle underneath his right shoulder. Harden went six shutout innings, allowing three hits, striking out nine, walking none but hitting three batters. If the hard-throwing right-hander comes out of that start OK, A's manager Bob Geren indicated Harden could start Sunday at Texas."Oakland Tribune Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "Howie Kendrick took his .500 average (18 for 36) to the disabled list more than three weeks ago and came out hitting, going 5 for 6 in the first two games of his minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga this week. But he won't be bringing his hot bat back to the Angels' lineup until next week at the earliest. Kendrick still "felt a bit of tightness" in his strained left hamstring as Tuesday's game went on, according to Angels manager Mike Scioscia."Los Angeles Daily News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "Julian Tavarez remained with the Red Sox yesterday, which is fine with him. “Whatever I get, I’ll take it,” said the reliever, who pitched in his first game since April 24 last night against the Tigers. No advancements in trade talks regarding Tavarez were made yesterday between the Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. The Rockies remain interested in acquiring the 34-year-old to help their struggling rotation."Boston Herald Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "The Braves finally got some good medical news Wednesday when an MRI and bone scan of closer Rafael Soriano's right elbow showed no tears or other structural damage. "That was a relief," general manager Frank Wren said after meeting with team doctors and Soriano just before Wednesday night's game against San Diego. The right-hander will resume his throwing program. There's still no timetable for his return..."Atlanta Journal Constitution Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 8 "Looking to lock up one of the best pitchers in baseball into the next decade, the Diamondbacks have resumed talks with ace Brandon Webb on a contract extension, and it appears the sides are getting closer to a deal. "Yeah, some progress has been made," Webb said. "We've been talking a little bit more. We've made some headway. We'll see where it goes." Webb did not want to comment beyond that, declining to go into specifics."Arizona Daily Star Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 7 "Defenseman Philippe Boucher skated Monday for the first time since suffering a strained hip in Game 3 of the Dallas Stars' first-round series with the Anaheim Ducks and was on the ice again at Tuesday's optional team workout. Boucher, who has missed the last nine games, hopes to play in the Western Conference finals against Detroit, but coach Dave Tippett said there is still no timetable for his return."Dallas Morning News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 7 "Brandon Inge announced before Tuesday's game against the Red Sox that he's agreeable to helping out at catcher. He will catch as often as manager Jim Leyland wants him to catch in 2008. He will work behind the plate if the Tigers want him to become their full-time catcher in 2009, which is going to be the request, you can bet, after Pudge Rodriguez's contract expires in five months.Detroit News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 7 "Canadian Eric Gagne hasn't blown his chance to be the Milwaukee Brewers' closer - at least not yet. The 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner began this week's series at Florida leading the majors with five blown saves. But before Tuesday's game, manager Ned Yost said he's sticking with Gagne in the ninth inning. Yost said it was "ridiculous" to even discuss a change, despite the Mascouche, Que., native's 6.14 ERA in 16 games."Canoe Slam! Sports Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 7 "An MRI exam Tuesday on Orlando Hudson showed "a little bit of a strain" in his right hamstring, manager Bob Melvin said, and the Diamondbacks second baseman's status is unclear. "So whether it's a two, three, four, five days, we're not really sure," Melvin said. "We're going to have to process that in the next couple of days and see what we're going to do." Putting Hudson on the disabled list remains an option."Arizona Republic Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 6 "It is a character trait Curt Schilling has displayed on other occasions over the course of his life, and yesterday he did it again. He admitted he was wrong. The Red Sox medical staff, he said, recommended the right course of treatment for his ailing right shoulder, which is why he will be playing catch for the first time this spring this afternoon."Boston Globe Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 6 "Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro held a conference call on the team's day off Monday to announce officially what had been rumored for a few days: The team will designate veteran outfielder Jason Michaels for assignment and recall rookie Ben Francisco from Triple-A Buffalo today. ''(Francisco) is an outfielder that we felt potentially could give our club a spark. (He's) obviously got more power and has the ability to not necessarily be a platoon guy,'' Shapiro said. ''He has been a guy who has hit left- and right-handed pitching,"Akron Beacon Journal Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 5 "Matt Wise and Ramon Castro both may be activated for next weekend's series against the Reds at Shea, assistant GM John Ricco said. Wise, on the DL with a bruised right forearm, is expected to work back-to-back days this week with Single-A St. Lucie. Castro, out with a right hamstring strain after signing a two-year, $4.6 million contract over the winter, could already have been declared ready, even though he's not running 100%, Ricco suggested."New York Daily News Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 5 " With starter Rich Harden and reliever Keith Foulke nearing their returns to the big-league roster, A's manager Bob Geren has decisions to make, including whether he carries 11 or 12 pitchers, and whom Harden will replace in the starting rotation. "We are deeper with Harden and Foulke coming back," Geren said. "It gives us good options.""San Francisco Chronicle Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 5 "The latter scenario sounded most likely yesterday. General manager Neal Huntington has had preliminary talks with the Rays aimed at a trade, perhaps one limited to a cash transaction, to keep Meek. The Pirates then could assign Meek to the minors and retain his major-league rights. "Our hope is that we can keep Evan," Huntington said. Meek, who turns 25 next week, had a 6.92 ERA, 12 walks, 3 home runs and 7 strikeouts in 14 innings."Pittsburgh Post Gazette Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 5 "Chone Figgins avoided the 15-day disabled list Sunday, an MRI test on the infielder's right hamstring showing a mild strain, but pitcher Dustin Moseley did not. The right-hander, who underwent ligament relocation surgery last October, was placed on the DL because of tightness in his forearm and was replaced on the roster by infielder Sean Rodriguez, who was recalled from triple-A Salt Lake."Los Angeles Times Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 5 "Saying little and walking without a limp, David Ortiz confirmed that some last-minute tightness in his sore right knee caused him to miss yesterday’s 7-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays and should not keep him out of tonight’s road trip opener in Detroit. Ortiz was asked if one day of rest was enough to get him back in the lineup. “Of course,” Ortiz said. “It’s all right, it’s a little better.”"Boston Herald Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 2 "Phil Hughes someday may turn into the kind of pitcher who will justify Brian Cashman's faith in turning down the Johan Santana trade. That day, however, will have to wait - perhaps until after the All-Star break, at the very least. That's how long Hughes could be out with a stress fracture of a rib on his right side, an injury that was discovered yesterday."Newsday Comments (0)

MLB Rumor - May 2 "When Rays CF B.J. Upton collapsed to the ground Thursday after fouling off a fifth-inning pitch by Orioles LHP Brian Burres, it conjured visions of yet another extended stay on the disabled list for a crucial Rays player. Upton immediately headed for the clubhouse, clutching his left arm. By the time he got there, there was a sense of relief that the strained left shoulder he inflicted upon himself with his hard swing was not going to cost him more than a couple days of playing time."Tampa Tribune Comments (0)