Around the Majors: 1st place Twins

1) The Twins passed the Whitesox into 1st place in the AL Central.

2) According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Twins 1B Doug Mientkiewicz has been told he’s going to be traded. The speculates he could be going to the Pirates, as part of a package for Kris Benson, or to the Redsox. The paper also reports the Twins and Angels are the frontrunners for Benson.

3) According to the San Diego Union Tribune, in an effort to acquire Diamondbacks CF Steve Finley, the Padres are trying to put together a 3 or 4 team deal and the Padres are Finley’s top choice.

Finley has said he won’t waive his no trade clause to go anywhere where he won’t stay in CF. Although the Marlins have Juan Pierre there, that does not eliminate them as a candidate, since they would reportedly move Pierre to LF and then return him to CF when Finley becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

4) The Redsox placed RF Trot Nixon and P Curtis Leskanic on the 15 day DL, called up 1B-C Andy Dominique, officially added P Terry Adams to the roster and moved P Brad Thomas from the 15 to the 60 day DL.

Nixon aggravated a left quadriceps injury that’s bothered him for months. After 13 RCAA/.808 OPS and 44 RCAA/.975 OPS seasons, he’s hitting .424 SLG, .345 OBA, .769 OPS, -1 RCAA in his first 29 games. Nixon has a .858 career OPS, compared to his league average of .772, and 97 RCAA in 725 games.

Leskanic has tendinitis in his shoulder. After missing the 2002 season and having a 2.22 ERA/15 RSAA in 2003, he has a 7.06 ERA/-7 RSAA in his first 33 games (first 19 with the Royals). Leskanic has a 4.42 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.33, and 59 RSAA in 585 games.

Dominique was 2 for 10, with -2 RCAA, in his first 6 career games.

5) The Astros passed the Brewers into 4th place in the NL Central.

6) Carlos Delgado tied Ron Cey for 89th place on the all time HR list, with 316.

7) A’s 3B Eric Chavez hit his 150th career HR.

After 21 RCAA/.860 OPS and 26 RCAA/.864 OPS seasons, Chavez is hitting .504 SLG, .401 OBA, .905 OPS, 12 RCAA in his first 63 games. He has a .853 career OPS, compared to his league average of .772, and 99 RCAA in 807 games.

8) On Friday, Angels LF Jose Guillen hit his 100th career HR.

After -20 RCAA/.653 OPS and 27 RCAA/.928 OPS seasons, Guillen is hitting .525 SLG, .369 OBA, .894 OPS, 19 RCAA in his first 94 games. He has a .764 career OPS, compared to his league average of .773, and -40 RCAA in 844 games.

9) The BlueJays called up Ps Sean Douglass and Mike Nakamura.

Douglass has a 6.30 ERA/-19 RSAA in 24 career games, including a 0.00 ERA/2 RSAA (4 shutout innings) in 2 games in 2004.

Nakamura has a 7.57 ERA/-11 RSAA in 29 career games, including a 7.43 ERA/-7 RSAA in 17 games in 2004.

10) The Yankees sent OF Bubba Crosby to the minors and called up P Bret Prinz.

Crosby has -4 RCAA/.528 OPS in 41 career games, including a .389 SLG, .256 OBA, .645 OPS, -2 RCAA in 32 games (41 PA) in 2004.

Prinz has a 4.76 ERA/-1 RSAA in 87 career games, including a 4.91 ERA/-1 RSAA in 18 games in 2004.

11) The Mets placed P Orber Moreno on the 15 day DL and called up P Tyler Yates.

Moreno has a strained right shoulder. He has a 4.44 ERA/-1 RSAA in 47 career games, including a 3.38 ERA/3 RSAA in 33 games in 2004.

12) The Indians traded minor league 3B-OF Russell Branyan to the Brewers for future considerations.

Bryan has 1 RCAA/.790 OPS in 400 career games.

13) Angels P Kevin Gregg tied the modern day major league record with 4 WP in an inning, tying the mark set by Walter Johnson (1914) and Phil Niekro (1979). In 1890, Bert Cunningham had 5 in an inning.

Gregg has a 3.59 ERA/7 RSAA in 40 career games, including a 3.72 ERA/4 RSAA in 35 games in 2004.

He’s already thrown 10 WP in 55 2/3 IP. Gregg moved up to a tie for 5th on the Angels single season list for worst WP, vs. the league average–

WILD PITCHES                  YEAR     DIFF   PLAYER   LEAGUE   
1    Nolan Ryan               1977      -12       21        9   
T2   Nolan Ryan               1972      -10       18        8   
T2   Rickey Clark             1968      -10       13        3   
T2   Tom Murphy               1971      -10       17        7   
T5   Tom Murphy               1969       -8       16        8   
T5   Kevin Gregg              2004       -8       10        2   
T5   Chuck Finley             1996       -8       17        9   
T5   Jeff Robinson            1991       -8       10        2   
T5   Kirk McCaskill           1988       -8       13        5   
T5   Jim Abbott               1996       -8       13        5  

14) Reds SS Barry Larkin was out of yesterday’s lineup, due to a strained oblique muscle, and is day to day.

After -27 RCAA/.672 OPS and -3 RCAA/.726 OPS seasons, Larkin is hitting .428 SLG, .352 OBA, .780 OPS, 2 RCAA in his first 80 games. He has a .816 career OPS, compared to his league average of .750, and 273 RCAA in 2149 games.

Correction from yesterday–Jerome Williams, not Woody, started for the Giants yesterday.

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