Los Angeles Angels: Right-hander
Kelvim Escobar will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow, and
is expected to be sidelined at least two months.
The decision was made following an examination by team physician
Dr. Lewis Yocum on Saturday.
Escobar, 2-2 with a 3.54 ERA in seven starts, has been on the
disabled list three times this season because of elbow problems. He
threw a 35-pitch, two-inning simulated game Friday.
The 29-year-old Escobar was 11-12 with a 3.93 ERA last year in
his first season with the Angels. Before that, he pitched five full
seasons and parts of two others with the Toronto Blue Jays, going
58-55.
Escobar said he expected to pitch again this season.
"Yes, definitely," he said. "It's tough, you know? I'm
frustrated. I just tell myself I did everything I can to avoid the
surgery."
The operation will be performed sometime in the next week.
Rookie Ervin Santana has been filling in for Escobar, and he did
an excellent job in his fifth start Saturday night, pitching 6 2/3
solid innings in the Angels' 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles
Dodgers.
"I'll be taking his spot. I'll try to do the best I can," said
Santana, a 22-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic.
Chicago Cubs: The Braves optioned third baseman Andy Marte to Triple-A Richmond on and recalled right-hander Roman Colon, giving Atlanta a 13-man pitching staff.
Colon was called up from Double-A Mississippi to start Saturday against Baltimore.
Marte was brought up on June 6 when Chipper Jones was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a foot injury. The rookie had been playing behind Wilson Betemit at third base and hit .200 with no homers and three RBI in 35 at-bats.
Braves manager Bobby Cox said he has to overstock his bullpen because two starting pitchers -- Colon and Jorge Sosa -- are converted relievers who can't be counted on for more than five innings. Another addition to the rotation, rookie Kyle Davies, also has had difficulty making it past five or six innings.
"We have no off days until the [All-Star] break," Cox said Saturday. "If we get five innings every start, we're doing good."
The Braves have three starting pitchers on the disabled list: John Thomson, Tim Hudson and Mike Hampton. Another starter, Horacio Ramirez, is questionable for his next start with a groin injury.
Cox said Marte "doesn't deserve to go" but the Braves have had strong play from Betemit, who entered Saturday's game hitting .323.
The Braves are left with one utility infielder, Pete Orr.
Washington Nationals: Security will be tightened around RFK Stadium
after 12 vehicles belonging to Nationals' players and
employees were broken into, and Marlon Byrd's SUV was stolen from a
gated parking area while the team was on a road trip.
"They've got good security here, but there's always ways to
tighten it," said Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey, who met with
Sports and Entertainment Commission Chairman Mark H. Tuohey and
Nationals President Tony Tavares before Saturday's game against
Toronto.
Tuohey said the players' parking area would be moved further out
of public view and new fencing would be installed around the lot.
He added that the commission plans to upgrade lighting, improve
security camera coverage, install a swipe-card system and add more
personnel to monitor the area.
"We're going to make sure this doesn't happen again," Tuohey
said, adding that improvements could begin as soon as Monday.
The break-ins occurred the afternoon of June 20, while the
Nationals were in Pittsburgh. Credit cards, CDs, clothing and other
personal items were stolen from the vehicles, police said.
Byrd's black Cadillac Escalade remains missing.
"I don't understand how that can happen," the outfielder said.
"We're gone and my car drives off the lot? And no one notices? And
when we get back and I'm standing there looking for the car, no one
knows that it happened? That just doesn't make sense to me."
Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks will be without Luis Gonzalez for at least three days because of a death in the family
Saturday.
After Gonzalez's stepfather passed away in Tampa, Fla., the
outfielder caught a flight for Florida and was placed on
bereavement leave -- allowing him to miss three-to-seven days.
Quinton McCracken replaced Gonzalez in left field against the
Detroit Tigers, and infielder Matt Kata was called up from Triple-A
Tucson to fill the roster vacancy.
Gonzalez, who has an eight-game hitting streak, was batting
.307, with 10 home runs and a team-high 49 RBI.
Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers placed third baseman Jeff Cirillo on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, one day after he
broke a bone in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch.
Cirillo, hit by Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Guerrier in the
eighth inning Friday night, will miss four to six weeks.
The Brewers called up infielder Trent Durrington from Triple-A
Nashville to replace Cirillo on the roster.