Around the Majors: Devil Rays call up Upton

1) The Devil Rays called up SS B.J. Upton and utilityman Damian Rolls and sent INF Jorge Cantu and OF Joey Gathright to the minors.

Upton, who turns 20 later in the month, was given an A grade by John Sickels, who ranked him as the 4th best hitting prospect in baseball, and was ranked as the Devil Rays #1 prospect by Baseball America. He was the 2nd overall pick in the 2002 draft and had a .878 OPS (.407 OBA, .471 SLG) in 29 games in AA and a .930 OPS (.411 OBA, .519 SLG) in 69 games in AAA in 2004.

2) Diamondbacks LF Luis Gonzalez will have Tommy John surgery today.

After 30 RCAA/.896 OPS and 31 RCAA/.934 OPS seasons, Gonzalez hit .493 SLG, .373 OBA, .866 OPS, 11 RCAA in 105 games. He has a .859 career OPS, compared to his league average of .765, and 280 RCAA in 2008 games.

3) The Braves sent P Sam McConnell to the minors and moved P Horacio Ramirez from the 15 to the 60 day DL, to make room on the 25 and 40 man rosters, respectively, for newly acquired P Tom Martin.

McConnell had a 3.86 ERA/0 RSAA in his first 10 career games.

4) Tigers P Jeremy Bonderman had to leave yesterday’s game, in the 2nd inning, after being hit in the left shin by a line drive. X-rays were negative.

After starting his career with a 5.56 ERA/-23 RSAA in 2003, Bonderman is off to a 6.06 ERA/-22 RSAA start in his first 21 starts (22 games).

Bonderman’s set the record for worst career RSAA through the age of 21 (since 1900)–

RSAA               
1    Jeremy Bonderman            -45
2    Camilo Pascual              -44   
T3   Javier Vazquez              -43   
T3   Dick Welteroth              -43   
5    Cal McLish                  -42   
6    Herb Pennock                -41   
T7   Joe Bush                    -37   
T7   Walt Masterson              -37   
9    Jim Waugh                   -35   
10   Rube Bressler               -34   

5) The Brewers sent P Ben Hendrickson to the minors and called up INF Trent Durrington to the minors.

Hendrickson had a 8.47 ERA/-8 RSAA in his first 4 career starts.

Durrington has -20 RCAA/.460 OPS in 87 career games, including a .375 SLG, .235 OBA, .610 OPS, -2 RCAA in 28 games (34 PA) in 2004.

6) The Mariners sent P Travis Blackley to the minors and called up P Clint Nageotte.

Blackley had a 10.04 ERA/-17 RSAA in his first 6 career starts.

Nageotte had a 6.85 ERA/-7 RSAA in his first 4 career starts (5 games).

7) The Cubs activated P Ryan Dempster from the DL and sent P Todd Wellemeyer to the minors.

Dempster had Tommy John surgery last year and made his 2004 debut yesterday. He’s coming off 5.38 ERA/-28 RSAA and 6.54 ERA/-29 RSAA seasons and has a 5.01 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.39, and -80 RSAA in 162 games.

Wellemeyer has a 4.95 ERA/-3 RSAA in 27 career games, including a 2.25 ERA/4 RSAA in 12 games in 2004.

8) Redsox DH David Ortiz dropped his appeal of a 5 game suspension, from a July 16 incident, and started serving it yesterday.

After 15 RCAA/.839 OPS and 33 RCAA/.961 OPS seasons, Ortiz is hitting .617 SLG, .377 OBA, .994 OPS, 34 RCAA in his first 99 games. He has a .870 career OPS, compared to his league average of .771, and 81 RCAA in 682 games.

Ortiz could become just the 6th DH to have back to back 30+ RCAA seasons–

1    Edgar Martinez           1995-01    7   
2    Paul Molitor             1991-94    4   
T3   Hal McRae                1976-77    2   
T3   Ken Phelps               1987-88    2   
T3   Chili Davis              1994-95    2   
T3   David Ortiz              2003-04    2   

9) Expos P Zach Day will go on the DL today, after breaking a bone in his right middle finger while trying to bunt yesterday. He’s expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Day has a 4.01 ERA/18 RSAA in 61 career games, including a 3.93 ERA/2 RSAA start in his first 19 starts.

10) Cardinals RF Reggie Sanders was out of the lineup for the past coupe of games, due to a strained rib cage muscle, and is day to day.

After 6 RCAA/.779 OPS and 22 RCAA/.913 OPS seasons, Sanders is hitting .481 SLG, .293 OBA, .774 OPS, 1 RCAA in his 88 games. He has a .832 career OPS, compared to his league average of .766, and 130 RCAA in 1525 games.

11) The Pirates sent C J.R. House and P Mark Corey to the minors.

Corey had just been called up.

House is 2 for 6 in 4 career games, including 1 for 5, with a 2B and -1 RCAA, in 3 games in 2004.

12) The Redsox sent C-1B Andy Dominique to the minors.

Dominique was 2 for 11, with -2 RCAA, in his first 7 career games.

13) The Brewers passed the Reds into 4th place in the NL Central.

14) Sammy Sosa watch–hit #562, is 1 behind Reggie Jackson for 8th place on the all time HR list.

15) Rafael Palmeiro watch–hit #542, is 6 behind Mike Schmidt for 10th place.

16) Manny Ramirez passed Rocky Colavito and tied Mike Piazza for 55th place on the all time HR list, with 375.

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