<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=statsbold>Date</TD><TD class=statsbold> Player</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>The Mariners placed Jeff Nelson (P) Sea on the bereavement list following the death of his father-in-law, according to the AP. Nelson remained in Seattle and did not accompany the team to Detroit.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>The Mariners recalled Masao Kida from Triple-A Tacoma Tuesday to take the roster spot of Ryan Franklin, who was suspended for violating baseball's steroids policy, according to the AP. Kida was 3-5 with 17 saves and a 3.61 ERA in 42 appearances at Tacoma.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>ESPN.com reports that Torii Hunter (OF) Min will miss the rest of the season after an MRI and CT scan revealed a small fracture in his left ankle. Hunter hit .269 with 14 homers and 56 RBI before suffering the injury.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>As expected, the Indians recalled Ramon Vazquez (SS) Cle from Triple-A Buffalo, according to the AP. He hit .214 with four RBI in 21 games for the Bisons. Vazquez batted .197 in 27 games with the Red Sox earlier in the year.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>The Tigers and Placido Polanco (2B) Det agreed to an $18.4 million four-year contract extension that will stretch through the 2009 season, according to the AP. He is batting .358 with two homers and 17 RBI in 31 games with Detroit this year. Polanco was acquired from the Phillies on June 8.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>ESPN.com reports that Ryan Franklin (P) Sea has failed a drug test and will receive a 10-day suspension. Major League baseball is expected to make an official announcement this afternoon, and Franklin is also expected to address the media.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Denny Bautista (P) KC is scheduled to test his ailing right shoulder by throwing for the first time in nearly a month before tonight's game, according to the Kansas City Star. "I’m feeling good," said Bautista. "I’m ready to go. I want to see if I can throw breaking pitches without pain." If no problems develop, Bautista should be able to return to the rotation by Labor Day.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he will use Jason Bartlett at shortstop and Nick Punto (2B) Min at second base for the foreseeable future, hoping to inject some speed into the struggling lineup, according to the Star-Tribune. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Hideo Nomo (P) NYY allowed three hits, four walks and two runs in two innings in last night's debut with Triple-A Columbus, according to the New York Daily News. Provided he shows some sort of improvement, he should get a shot with the Yankees, who currently have four starting pitchers on the disabled list.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Felix Hernandez (P) Sea is believed to have accompanied the Mariners on their charter flight to Detroit, fueling speculation that he will be recalled in time to start Thursday's game, according to the Seattle Times. Hernandez, widely regarded as the best pitching prospect in baseball, pitched four hitless, scoreless innings on Saturday in his most recent appearance for Triple-A Tacoma. It was his first start following five relief appearances since coming off the DL July 9 for bursitis in his right shoulder. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>The Yankees are considering recalling speedy outfielder Kevin Thompson (OF) NYY from Triple-A Columbus, according to Newsday. He was moved from left to center field a week ago today. Between Double-A and Triple-A this year, Thompson has hit .322 with 13 home runs and 35 steals.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Jason Bay (OF) Pit expects to play tonight after leaving Monday's game in the sixth inning after he fouled a ball off his foot in the fifth, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Larry Walker (OF) StL will have light activity Friday and, if the weekend goes well, will begin swinging a bat Monday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He's on the DL with a herniated disc in his neck. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Chien-Ming Wang (P) NYY experienced no problems with his rotator cuff injury while throwing yesterday, according to Newsday. The Yankees hope he can return next month.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Jaret Wright (P) NYY could return to the Yankees as early as three weeks from now if he has no setbacks in his twice-surgically repaired right shoulder, according to Newsday. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Jay Payton (OF) Oak is earning more playing time due to his recent hot streak, according to the Contra Costa Times. He's hit five home runs with 14 RBI in the last 13 games. "If any of those guys go off you have to keep them in there every day," A's manager Ken Macha said. "Payton may be the guy."</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>The Dodgers plan to promote Franquelis Osoria (P) LAD from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace the injured Wilson Alvarez on the roster, according to the LA Times. Osoria posted a 4.50 ERA with the Dodgers in 11 appearances earlier this season.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Triple-A Buffalo placed Kazuhito Tadano (P) Cle on the minor league disabled list on Monday due to a sore right shoulder, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Wilson Alvarez (P) LAD is expected to be placed on the disabled list for the third time this year because of shoulder pain after informing the Dodgers that he plans to retire after the season, according to the LA Times. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>The Indians will likely promote Ramon Vazquez (SS) Cle from Triple-A Buffalo today, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The team had hoped Travis Hafner would be ready to come off the DL, but he's not quite over his concussion.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>The Diamondbacks promoted Stephen Drew (SS) ARZ from Single-A Lancaster to Double-A Tennessee on Monday, according to the Arizona Republic. Drew hit .389 with 10 home runs and 39 RBI at Lancaster. "He showed that he was overmatching A ball," Diamondbacks farm director Bob Miller said. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Although he's been plagued by a cracked fingernail on his throwing hand recently, Kip Wells (P) Pit will make his scheduled start tonight, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Jody Gerut (OF) Pit showed up at Turner Field in time to make his Pirates debut yesterday morning, but the bag carrying his knee brace was shipped to Pittsburgh instead, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I'm not 100 percent," Gerut said, "or I wouldn't still be wearing the brace." Gerut tore his ACL last September. Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon plans to bat Gerut fifth and play him in right field.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>White Sox batting coach Greg Walker expects Tadahito Iguchi (2B) CWS to continue getting better, according to the Chicago Tribune. "The more he understands this league, the more power he'll hit for," said Walker. Iguchi has eight home runs so far this year, but he combined for 51 in his final two seasons in Japan.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Adam Dunn (OF) Cin has batted cleanup the last four games, and Reds manager Jerry Narron said that Dunn will continue to hit there if the matchups are right, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I like him there," Narron said. "He'll be there if the other club doesn't have a lot of left-handers in the bullpen." </TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Luis Matos (OF) Bal will likely return to the Orioles' lineup tonight, according to the Baltimore Sun. He's been sidelined with a sore right thumb.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>Kerry Wood (P) ChC is scheduled for his second relief appearance today for Single-A Peoria, according to the Chicago Tribune. Barring any setbacks, he's expected to be activated from the DL on Friday.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Jim Thome (1B) Phi faced live pitching yesterday at the Phillies' minor-league complex in Clearwater, Fla, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It's coming along great," Thome told the AP. "And my back has been great. We're coming along pretty good there." Thome has been on the disabled list since July 1 with tendinitis in his right elbow.</TD></TR><TR><TD class=statspink vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=statspink>The Marlins don't believe the elbow inflammation that landed Scott Olsen (P) Fla on the minor-league disabled list is serious, according to the Miami Herald. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=stats vAlign=top noWrap>Aug. 2</TD><TD class=stats>Carlos Delgado (1B) Fla was able to swing a bat Monday, but his sore left arm kept him out of the lineup for a fifth straight game, according to the Miami Herald. Marlins manager Jack McKeon called Delgado's status "day-to-day" but said he was improving. "It's a situation where, to take a day or two days and stop the inflammation and then play the whole year is much better than to go out there and make it worse and just go one step forward and two steps back," said Delgado.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
