Baseball notes: Instant replay will debut Thursday
Associated Press
Umpires will be allowed to check video on home run calls starting Thursday after Major League Baseball, guardian of America’s most traditional sport, reversed its decades-long opposition to instant replay.
“Like everything else in life, there are times that you have to make an adjustment,” baseball commissioner Bud Selig said following Tuesday’s announcement. “My opposition to unlimited instant replay is still very much in play. I really think that the game has prospered for well over a century now doing things the way we did it.”
The 74-year-old Selig, who described himself as “old fashioned” and an admirer of baseball’s “human element,” softened his opposition following a rash of blown calls this year.
For now, video will be used only on so-called “boundary calls,” such as determining whether fly balls went over the fence, whether potential home runs were fair or foul and whether there was fan interference on potential home runs.
“Any time you try to change something in baseball, it’s both emotional and difficult,” Selig said. “There’s been some concern that, well, if you start here, look what it’s going to lead to. Not as long as I’m the commissioner.”
Yaz leaves hospital
Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski was released from a Boston hospital a week after having triple bypass surgery.
The former Boston Red Sox outfielder had surgery after experiencing chest pains. Yastrzemski, the last player to hit for the Triple Crown by leading the AL in batting average, homers and RBIs in 1967, turned 69 recently.
On the DL
J.D. Drew was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, leaving the Boston Red Sox without their All-Star right fielder during a tight pennant race.
Boston got much better news about Josh Beckett, who felt strong in a 50-pitch side session and is on target to start Friday night against the Chicago White Sox.
Beckett missed a turn in the rotation because of numbness and tingling in his right arm.
Drew was put on the DL retroactive to Aug. 18, and the move opened a roster spot for right-hander Tim Wakefield. The knuckleballer was activated from the DL to start the opener of a three-game series against New York, Boston’s final regular-season visit to Yankee Stadium.
* The Red Sox also called up infielder-outfielder Joe Thurston, purchasing his contract from Triple-A Pawtucket. Right-hander Chris Smith was optioned to Pawtucket.
* The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Brian Barton on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right side muscle.
Barton, selected in the Rule 5 draft last winter, is hitting .269 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 130 at-bats. He was injured beating out a bunt for a single during a career-best three-hit game on Sunday.
Outfielder Nick Stavinoha, batting .337 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs at Triple-A Memphis, was recalled for his third stint with the team. He was batting .200 (5-for-25) with four RBIs for St. Louis.
* The Washington Nationals placed outfielder Austin Kearns on the 15-day disabled list due to a stress fracture in his left foot.
Kearns is expected to miss two to four weeks with the injury, which the team believes was sustained Aug. 3 when Kearns fouled a ball into his foot.
Glavine sore
Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said he is just a little sore after having season-ending elbow surgery last week and is unsure whether he’ll pitch next season.
The 300-game winner said he’ll wait to see how his recovery goes before deciding whether he will try to return for his 23rd season.
Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery, told the 42-year-old left-hander that his flexor tendon had not pulled away from the bone, as the Braves had previously thought.
Rather, Andrews only had to clean out scar tissue and sew together a small gap that had formed in his tendon.
Fuentes bereaved
The Colorado Rockies placed closer Brian Fuentes on the bereavement list and recalled Steven Register from Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Fuentes can stay on the bereavement list three to seven days but Rockies manager Clint Hurdle is not putting a timetable on his return.
Longoria back?
Tampa Bay Rays rookie third baseman Evan Longoria will resume hitting this week as he continues a rehab program for a broken bone in his right wrist.
The All-Star expects to start throwing today and hitting within the next few days. He hopes to return around Sept. 1.
Longoria, out since Aug. 8, is hitting .278 with 22 homers and 71 RBIs in 104 games. He is considered a leading contender for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. The Rays are in first place in the AL East, leading the Boston Red Sox by 4½ games coming in to Tuesday’s games.
Also, closer Troy Percival threw off a bullpen mound for the first time since being sidelined on Aug. 15 by a right knee injury.
Rolen activated
The Toronto Blue Jays activated third baseman Scott Rolen from the 15-day disabled list.
Rolen was placed on the DL on Aug. 10 with left shoulder tightness. He is expected to work out with the team for a couple days before returning to the starting lineup.
Rolen is hitting .252 with seven homers and 38 RBIs in 88 games.
| |
|
Filed by Associated Press August 27th, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 1% |
 Email this story
 Print this story
Read comments and discuss this story
Report an innappropriate comment
|
In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement
and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered, click here. If you are registered, click here to log in.
Write a Comment