The budget-conscious Tampa Bay Rays saved some money and added some promising bullpen help Tuesday night when they traded infielder Akinori Iwamura to the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-hander Jesse Chavez. The Rays held a $4.85 million option on Iwamura for next season, but did not intend to pick it up because of the depth they have at second base.
A high-priced slugger is having a hard time in the postseason with the New York Yankees. No, not that one. This time, it's Mark Teixeira who looks out of sorts at the plate. While Alex Rodriguez is piling up RBIs in the cleanup spot behind him, Teixeira is searching for answers in his first postseason after signing a $180 million, eight-year contract with New York in January.
Ryan Howard's World Series can be summed up like this: swing and miss. Over and over, Howard has gone down swinging against the New York Yankees. Overall, the Philadelphia Phillies' slugger has struck out 12 times in the first five games, tying Willie Wilson for most whiffs in a World Series. Wilson did it with Kansas City against the Phillies in 1980.
The mother of New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain faces up to 20 years in prison when she's sentenced next month on a felony drug charge. Jackie Standley pleaded no contest Monday to an amended charge of delivery of a controlled substance, according to court records. The 44-year-old Standley was arrested in May after selling a gram of methamphetamine to an undercover officer at her…
The Washington Nationals have hired former Chicago White Sox general manager Ron Schueler as special adviser to GM Mike Rizzo and promoted Bill Singer to director of professional scouting. Schueler worked for the San Francisco Giants the past two seasons. He was GM of the White Sox from 1990-2000. Singer's new duties include overseeing Washington's major league, minor league and winter…
The Washington Nationals have hired former Chicago White Sox general manager Ron Schueler as special adviser to GM Mike Rizzo and promoted Bill Singer to director of professional scouting. Schueler worked for the San Francisco Giants the past two seasons. He was GM of the White Sox from 1990-2000. Singer's new duties include overseeing Washington's major league, minor league and winter…
The Minnesota Twins have moved third baseman Brian Buscher off their 40-man roster and assigned him to Triple-A Rochester. The move was made Tuesday. Buscher will become a minor league free agent 16 days after the end of the World Series. Over parts of three seasons, Buscher batted .266 in 436 at-bats with eight home runs and 69 RBIs while going back and forth between the Rochester club and the…
Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the Japan Series between the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters. Bush, wearing a Yomiuri warmup jacket, took the mound Tuesday at Tokyo Dome and threw a pitch to Giants catcher Shinnosuke Abe that bounced once in the dirt before being caught.
Chase Utley is too old-school to flip his bat, pause at the plate, jog slowly or do any flashy handshakes after he hits home runs. It's not like he doesn't have enough opportunities. Utley connected twice Monday night to tie Reggie Jackson's record for homers in a World Series, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 8-6 in Game 5 to avoid elimination.
The way Alex Rodriguez sees it, the New York Yankees are in solid shape. They won two of three in Philadelphia and still have a pair of chances to wrap up the World Series back home in the Bronx. Andy Pettitte is expected to pitch Wednesday night in Game 6 and then CC Sabathia in Game 7, if needed. "Obviously, you want to get greedy and win all three," Rodriguez said, summing up the…
