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PHOENIX -- Brewers starter Shaun Marcum said he felt Cubs Carlos Pena Jersey immediate relief from a strained neck Monday after visiting a Phoenix-area chiropractor, and he was planning to make his Rangers Nelson Cruz Jersey next start on schedule. Marcum Authentic Carlos Pena Jersey was hurt in the fifth inning of Sunday's win at Colorado, when he slid to the third-base side of the pitcher's mound to field a bunt. Marcum made a tumbling throw to first base for the inning-ending out, then returned for the bottom of the sixth inning before making an early exit. The right-hander will test his neck in a bullpen session Tuesday and is scheduled to start Friday in San Francisco. "We had an adjustment and should be good to go now," Marcum said. "As soon as he did it, it was like ... that felt good." Brewers still don't plan to put Braun on DL PHOENIX -- Brewers officials remained hopeful Monday that Ryan Braun's lingering left leg injury will not land him on the 15-day disabled list, even as the left fielder missed his 10th start in the team's past 13 games. Braun aggravated a left calf and hamstring strain during Saturday's game at Colorado, but he appeared as a pinch-hitter Sunday and went through his normal pregame routine on Monday at Chase Field. "Just talking to Roger [Caplinger, the Brewers' head athletic trainer], I still don't think it's going to be [a DL situation]," said manager Ron Roenicke. "You always get concerned when an injury isn't healing up the way you think it's going to. ... Roger thinks it's getting better. If it doesn't, we're going to have to start talking about that." The injury cost Braun a chance to start a fourth consecutive All-Star Game last week. But even given Saturday's setback, he's making progress. "If it's not progressing, then I would worry about it," Roenicke said. "But when Roger tells me it's getting better all the time, I feel OK pinch-hitting him. "It's not coming along real fast. A lot of Ryan's game is his legs. He had two or three balls in Colorado that he would have beat out normally. Because he can't run, they're outs. He relies on his speed in the outfield. He's a plus defender out there, and when you Ryne Sandberg Jersey don't have the speed you're used to having, it changes his game. "We're going day by day. I'm hoping he can play [Tuesday], but it will be day by day." 'Hot hand' plan could benefit Wilson at short PHOENIX -- Mets Jose Reyes Jersey Brewers manager Ron Roenicke has begun handling shortstop the same way he juggled center fielders earlier this season. The hot hand will play, potentially meaning more opportunities in the immediate future for journeyman Josh Wilson. The team's starting shortstop for most of the season has been Yuniesky Betancourt, who was back in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the D-backs after sitting the previous two games. Betancourt entered the week with a .256 on-base percentage, worst of the 151 Major Leaguers with enough plate appearances Jose Reyes Jersey to qualify for the batting title. In limited duty, Wilson is batting .294 (15-for-51) with a .321 on-base mark. He credits a series Authentic Nelson Cruz Jersey of mechanical tweaks made last season with the Mariners. "The problem is, the longer I play [Wilson], the longer that Yuni sits out," Authentic Jose Reyes Jersey Roenicke said. "I don't want Yuni sitting out too long. I still want him Cubs Ryne Sandberg Jersey to have the opportunity to get it back together. Carlos Pena Jersey "Really, it's who's playing better. I don't know if it's strictly 50-50. Right at this point in time, yeah, [Wilson] is playing better." Both players broke into the Majors in 2005, but Betancourt has appeared in 899 games with more than 3,300 at-bats in five-plus seasons as a full-time starter. Wilson entered Monday having played in 330 games, just shy of 1,000 at-bats, and is a .231 lifetime hitter. "I saw Josh a lot when he was with the Mariners [from 2009-10]. I know what Josh is," Roenicke said. "He's a really valuable player to have, and when he's swinging the bat well, I like putting him out there." Wilson didn't begrudge the move back to the bench. "We've got a good team, and Yuni is a guy who has had great success Authentic Ryne Sandberg Jersey in the game," Nelson Cruz Jersey Wilson said. "He deserves some chances to play, too, and contribute to the team. So, no, it's not disappointing at all. "I still, at some point, believe I'm going to be an everyday player. I want to be an everyday player. But that takes proving it, and over the last three or four years of my big league career, I haven't. I've been a .220, .230 hitter, and that's not going to cut it." Last call The Brewers transferred left-handed reliever Mitch Stetter to Triple-A Nashville on Monday to continue his rehabilitation from a left hip injury. Stetter had been rehabbing at the team's facility in Phoenix, where he made four appearances for rookie-level Arizona from July 7-15.

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By: jerseys0419 | On: Wed Jul 20, 11 8:22 PM

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NEW YORK -- Though no date is set, injured Mets third baseman David Wright continues to inch toward a return. Wright played all nine innings in the field Monday evening for Class A St. Lucie, finishing 3-for-6 at the plate, and is scheduled to participate in three additional full games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday."We have nothing etched in stone," Mets manager Authentic Alfonso Soriano Jersey Terry Collins said of Wright's return, "but we're looking toward the weekend."Rehabbing from a stress fracture in his lower back, Wright is nearly certain to rejoin the Mets at some point in Miami, possibly as soon as Friday. He hit .226 with six home runs in 39 games Alfonso Soriano Jersey prior to landing on the disabled list, playing many of those contests with discomfort in his back.Through four rehab games in St. Lucie, Wright is batting .400 with two doubles and four singles in 15 at-bats."He's not as sore or stiff as he thought he was Cubs Alfonso Soriano Jersey going to be," Collins said. "Each game, he's seeing the ball better. He's feeling more comfortable." Sick Beltran misses third consecutive game NEW YORK -- Batting a stomach virus for the past three days, Carlos Beltran nonetheless stood in the dugout Monday evening, holding a bat while the Mets threatened against the Marlins.The late rally wilted and his Authentic Johan Santana Jersey chance never came. But Beltran, despite battling a fever that he claims reached 105 degrees over the weekend, expects to return to the lineup on Tuesday."I came to Johan Santana Jersey the ballpark with a little more energy than the past couple days," he said Monday night. "I'm just hoping tomorrow to feel better than what I felt today and be in the lineup."Since Saturday, Beltran noted, he has experienced difficulty simply getting out of bed."Every joint hurts," he said. "It's been terrible. Fever three nights in a row. [Monday] was the first day where I felt Michael Cuddyer Jersey able to do things related to baseball."So he did. Beltran took batting practice for the first time in three days, assuring manager Terry Collins that he could Twins Michael Cuddyer Jersey pinch-hit if necessary. He visited a doctor for precautionary testing earlier Monday, after receiving fluids over the weekend.Barring a setback, Beltran -- who is batting .287 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs this season -- expects to be in the starting lineup on Tuesday.In his absence Monday, Scott Hairston played right field and hit cleanup against the Marlins, with Daniel Murphy shifting up to the third spot in the lineup. But Hairston became the team's latest injury casualty in the game's opening moments, departing after two innings.If nothing else, Beltran's medical episode may delay updates for those seeking a resolution on his future with the Mets. Given the outfielder's production and his team's double-digit deficit in the National League East, Beltran's name has come up increasingly often in recent trade rumors."The thing that makes it somewhat easy is the way this guy approaches it," Collins said. "He knows it's part of the game. He knows it may happen. He has said to me many times, 'I want to stay here. I want to help this team win as many games as I can. I came here to be a Met. I came here to help this team Mets Johan Santana Jersey win, but I know I may Authentic Michael Cuddyer Jersey get traded, so it's part of the business.' But he doesn't let it affect the way he goes about things. Hairston leaves early with bruised shin NEW YORK -- A recent savior of sorts for the Mets, outfielder Scott Hairston has become the team's latest injury casualty, leaving Monday's 4-1 loss to the Marlins after two innings with a left shin contusion. X-rays were negative, and the club listed Hairston as day-to-day."He's got a real bad bruise on the Starlin Castro Jersey top of his foot," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He didn't think he could run, so we got him out."Fouling a ball off his shin during his first plate appearance Monday, Hairston completed the at-bat by grounding a ball to shortstop and limping to first base. Authentic Starlin Castro Jersey He stayed in the game for another half-inning on defense, but did not return to the first with his Mets teammates for the top of the third.Lucas Duda shifted from first base to right field to replace Hairston, with Nick Evans entering the game at first.In the lineup due to regular right fielder Carlos Beltran's illness, Hairston is hitting .264 this season with five home runs in 91 at-bats. He was 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs in his lone start against the Cubs Starlin Castro Jersey Phillies last weekend.The Mets expect Beltran to return to the lineup on Tuesday. Mets sign outfielder Perez, lefty Chacin NEW YORK -- The Mets on Monday announced the signings of outfielder Fernando Perez and left-handed pitcher Gustavo Chacin, assigning both players to Triple-A Buffalo.Perez, 28, hit .238 with three home runs in 76 games earlier this season with Triple-A Iowa, a Cubs affiliate. He is a career .276 hitter with a .358 on-base percentage over parts of eight Minor League seasons, hitting .234 over 41 big league games with the Rays in 2008-09.Chacin, 30, was 3-6 with a 5.13 ERA in 27 games earlier this season for Triple-A Oklahoma City, an Astros affiliate. Spending most of last season as a reliever with Houston, Chacin made his mark in the big leagues as a 25-year-old rookie in 2005, finishing 13-9 with a 3.72 ERA in 203 innings.

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By: jerseys0419 | On: Wed Jul 20, 11 8:17 PM

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KANSAS CITY -- It still looks like the Bubba Starling question won't be answered until the Aug. 15 signing deadline.Starling, a right-handed power-hitting outfielder, was the Royals' top choice in June's First-Year Player Draft but is currently throwing footballs in practice at the University of Nebraska, where he has a scholarship."It'll be an August Rangers Josh Hamilton Jersey 15th thing, same as every year," Royals general manager Dayton Moore predicted. Gordon rests sore foot; Maier leads off KANSAS CITY -- When left fielder Alex Gordon hobbled off the Royals' plane on Cubs Matt Garza Jersey Sunday night, manager Ned Yost started thinking about a different lineup for Monday night's game against the White Sox.Gordon was a casualty of his own foul ball during Sunday's 4-3 loss at Minnesota. "He fouled a ball off his [right] foot, continued to play and when he got off the plane, he wasn't moving very good," Yost said on Monday. "He had a lot of swelling. They treated him last night after getting off the plane. His pain was about a nine out of 10, and he came today and it was a 3 1/2 out of 10 and he could probably play, but we'll give him a day. He'll more than likely be in there tomorrow."Backup Mitch Maier got the call for left field and was inserted in the leadoff spot in the batting order, moving Chris Getz down to ninth. Maier, a left-handed batter, had good success previously (9-for-26, .346) against White Sox lefty Mark Buehrle, but he went 0-for-4 against the southpaw in the 5-2 loss.As Yost pointed out, the Royals really don't have a prototypical leadoff man on the roster."It's kind of up for grabs a little bit right now," Yost said. "We don't have the perfect-case-scenario leadoff guy right now. "I don't like bouncing guys back Josh Hamilton Jersey and forth. I liked it when Gordo was in there, but we'll fit Mitch in there today and continue to think through it. We can put Gordy back in there, Melky [Cabrera] did OK in that spot. I like having a little pop there. Getzy does a real nice job of putting the ball in play and has a real high average with runners in scoring position." Lefty Teaford optioned to Triple-A Omaha KANSAS CITY -- Left-handed reliever Everett Teaford was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to make roster room for returning starter Danny Duffy.The expected move on Teaford was made after Monday night's 5-2 loss to Chicago, but the Duffy activation will not be made official until Tuesday before he Authentic Matt Garza Jersey faces the White Sox.Teaford faced two batters in the sixth inning on Monday, giving up an RBI groundout to Mark Teahen and a run-scoring single to Juan Pierre. Both runs were unearned and charged to losing pitcher Kyle Davies.In two stays with the Royals this year, Teaford has no record with a 2.25 ERA. He got his first Major Mets Ike Davis Jersey League save on July 9 by pitching three shutout innings against the Tigers. Moore not expecting much Deadline action KANSAS CITY -- On the Trade Deadline front, Royals general manager Dayton Moore is doing a lot of talking but sensing little action."There's a lot of talk," Moore said, but he Justin Morneau Jersey added: "I don't think Matt Garza Jersey we'll do much."Most trade speculation centers around center fielder Melky Cabrera, right fielder Jeff Francoeur and infielder Wilson Betemit.Moore ticked off the names of current Royals Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Ike Davis Jersey Escobar and such up-and-comers as outfielder Lorenzo Cain, second baseman Johnny Giavotella and catcher Salvador Perez."That's an important part of our future, so we've got to make sure we have some quality guys around them Authentic Ike Davis Jersey that can produce and help stabilize things," Moore said. "We know these guys, we like these guys and I think just keep 'em unless we get something that's going to make sense."The Royals' biggest needs are starting pitchers and right-handed hitters with power. Crown Points •Scout Kelly Heath is no longer coordinating the Royals' in-house advance scouting on opposing teams. "Kelly just felt more comfortable Authentic Justin Morneau Jersey being out there in the field," general manager Dayton Moore said. Instead, bullpen catcher Bill Duplissea is working with video coordinator Mark Topping on the scouting reports.•Pitcher Jeremy Jeffress, who started the season in the Royals' bullpen and Authentic Josh Hamilton Jersey was optioned to Triple-A Omaha, has been sent to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to work as a starter. Just three of his 16 Omaha outings were starts and he had a 2-3 record and 7.13 ERA.•Second baseman Johnny Giavotella hit two home Twins Justin Morneau Jersey runs and was 4-for-4 in a 7-4 Omaha win over New Orleans on Sunday. That made him 13-for-24 (.542) in his last six games. Veteran pitcher Jeff Suppan went seven innings and boosted his record to 8-5.•Pitcher Aaron Crow will meet donors at the Community Blood Center, 4040 Main St. in Kansas City, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday. All registered donors in the 19th annual Royals Blood Drive through Friday will receive two tickets to a Royals game and a commemorative T-shirt.

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By: jerseys0419 | On: Wed Jul 20, 11 8:09 PM

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NEW YORK -- After a David Wright Jersey torrid first two months to the season, Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez has cooled off considerably. Manager Jack McKeon said the team's hitting coach, Eduardo Perez, is working with Sanchez to get him back on track."He was the one guy that was really carrying us before I got here," manager Jack McKeon said. "Since I got here, the other guys have picked up. That'd be nice if Rangers Lan Kinsler Jersey he jumps in there. That would be really a plus."During the first two months of the season, Sanchez batted .322 with a .921 on-base plus slugging percentage. In June and half of July, Sanchez is batting just .232 with a .684 OPS. Despite his recent struggles, McKeon is confident Sanchez will be able to get back to his earlier form."It's just a matter of time," McKeon said. "Guys go in a rut, then they figure things out." Mujica racking up wins in relief NEW YORK -- The Marlins began the season with a starting rotation headlined by star pitchers Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. And yet midway through July, the team leader in wins is ... reliever Edward Mujica?After the Marlins rallied late to win Sunday, Mujica moved to 8-2, with two more wins than the three nearest Marlins -- Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez and Javier Vazquez. Mujica has now been the winning pitcher in each of his past two appearances, and three of his last four."I just want some more," Mujica joked. "I need 10 more to have the record. I want to be an 18-win reliever."And it's not just in the wins column where Mujica has been performing. He has posted a solid 3.07 ERA on the season, and has allowed just four earned runs in his past 19 2/3 innings for a 1.83 ERA Authentic Joe Mauer Jersey since the beginning of June."I'm just trying Authentic Kosuke Fukudome Jersey to do the same as the last two years," Mujica said. "My delivery and my pitches have been the same." Coghlan has setback during rehab NEW YORK -- Chris Coghlan's rehabilitation from knee inflammation has hit a bump in the road.The Marlins outfielder will stop playing games for Double-A Jacksonville in Twins Joe Mauer Jersey order to receive treatment on the left knee that has had him on the disabled list since June 17."The knee stiffened up a bit, and we want to back him off and get it completely healthy," Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said in a statement through a team spokesman.Coghlan is batting .230 with a .296 on-base percentage and a .368 slugging percentage in Mets David Wright Jersey 65 games this season. Helms not counting Marlins out NEW YORK -- When asked, most Major Leaguers will tell you they don't check the standings, that they're focused solely on competing on the field. But even though the Marlins come into their Monday night game at Citi Field in last place in the National League East and 10 games out of the NL Wild Card, Wes Helms says he's always checking in to see how the Marlins measure up."You always want to say, 'Hey, did Philly win tonight?' or 'Hey, did Atlanta win?' 'Where's Washington and New York? Did we leap them in the standings?'" Helms said. "That's just part of life. We're human. For a team to say they don't watch Authentic David Wright Jersey the scoreboard, they're lying. It always happens."Still, Helms acknowledges that scoreboard watching Authentic Lan Kinsler Jersey won't bring the Marlins any closer to the Phillies and Braves -- the only way to catch them is to win games. And lately, Florida has been doing that.The Marlins have won 10 of their last 13, moving them a game and a half closer to Wild Card-leading Atlanta."The biggest thing that should be on our minds is today's game," Helms said. "If we think like that, then we'll put ourselves in a good position in September."It's hard, but it's something you've got to do."Such a comeback wouldn't be Cubs Kosuke Fukudome Jersey completely unprecedented for Helms. He was a member of the Phillies team that came back from seven games behind the Mets with 14 to play to win the NL East in 2007. And he's firmly convinced this year's Joe Mauer Jersey Marlins squad is still very much in the playoff hunt."Anything can happen in this game," Helms said. "It's going to be tough, but anything's doable until it's over. Until we're eliminated, we're going to think that we have a shot." McKeon reflects on missed call in Chicago NEW YORK -- A day after a missed call on a pickoff play helped the Marlins claim a 7-5 win at Wrigley Field on Sunday, manager Jack McKeon said he had no sympathy for the Cubs. Video replays showed that in the eighth inning, Chicago reliever Kerry Wood picked off Florida Lan Kinsler Jersey pinch-runner Brett Hayes, who was ruled safe at second base. Had Hayes been called out, it would've been the final out in an inning in which the Marlins scored three times."How about the guys that followed?" McKeon said. "That's like a pitcher coming in and a guy boots a play and then the pitcher gives up four or five runs and everyone blames that poor guy who made the error."After the missed call, Emilio Bonifacio singled, then Greg Dobbs walked with the bases loaded Kosuke Fukudome Jersey and Logan Morrison hit a two-run single."Just like the [Steve] Bartman game [in the 2003 National League Championship Series]," McKeon said. "They blame Bartman, but hey, there was a double-play ball to the shortstop the next pitch, and he boots it, and poor Bartman got blamed."

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By: jerseys0419 | On: Wed Jul 20, 11 8:03 PM

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