1st place Cardinals; A Yankees 1st for Clemens

[nyy26wc]

1) Yesterday's scores--

Reds 5, Indians 4
Yankees 7, Mets 1 (1st)
Yankees 9, Mets 8 (2nd)
Giants 8, A's 7 (10)
Astros 2, Rangers 0
Whitesox 7, Cubs 6
Expos 4, BlueJays 2
Devil Rays 9, Braves 7
Marlins 10, Redsox 9
Phillies 9, Orioles 5
Twins 5, Brewers 2
Rockies 5, Pirates 4
Cardinals 13, Royals 9
Diamondbacks 7, Tigers 0
Padres 6, Mariners 0
Angels 3, Dodgers 1

2) Standings--

AL EAST         WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Yankees          50   30  .625   -     22-17  28-13  18-11 09-01 11-13 WON  6
Redsox           46   33  .582   3 1/2 27-12  19-21  15-13 15-08 07-05 LOST 1
BlueJays         46   35  .568   4 1/2 22-18  24-17  17-16 11-08 08-04 LOST 1
Orioles          35   43  .449  14     17-21  18-22  10-14 11-14 09-03 LOST 3
Devil Rays       26   53  .329  23 1/2 15-25  11-28  16-22 04-08 03-09 WON  1

AL CENTRAL      WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Royals           42   35  .545   -     21-16  21-19  06-13 24-06 03-09 LOST 1
Twins            42   37  .532   1     20-20  22-17  13-12 14-11 06-06 WON  1
Whitesox         39   41  .488   4 1/2 23-17  16-24  10-07 16-18 03-09 WON  3
Indians          31   47  .397  11 1/2 17-22  14-25  04-05 15-14 07-16 LOST 1
Tigers           18   60  .231  24 1/2  6-31  12-29  06-13 05-25 03-09 LOST 8

AL WEST         WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Mariners         52   27  .658   -     24-16  28-11  02-04 24-06 16-10 LOST 1
A's              45   34  .570   7     28-11  17-23  04-02 18-12 15-11 LOST 2
Angels           39   39  .500  12 1/2 21-17  18-22  13-17 05-00 11-15 WON  2
Rangers          30   49  .380  22     18-23  12-26  15-15 02-04 10-16 LOST 1

NL EAST         WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Braves           50   28  .641   -     27-12  23-16  15-16 13-04 13-03 LOST 1
Phillies         43   34  .558   6 1/2 23-16  20-18  17-14 08-06 11-08 WON  4
Expos            44   36  .550   7     26-14  18-22  14-12 11-10 11-05 WON  1
Marlins          41   41  .500  11     23-18  18-23  16-18 10-08 06-10 WON  1
Mets             34   45  .430  16 1/2 17-21  17-24  15-17 07-10 07-09 LOST 4

NL CENTRAL      WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Cardinals        42   37  .532   -     25-15  17-22  08-04 23-21 02-04 WON  1
Astros           42   38  .525     1/2 24-15  18-23  07-11 20-13 04-08 WON  1
Cubs             41   38  .519   1     20-19  21-19  04-02 23-21 06-06 LOST 4
Reds             38   41  .481   4     21-19  17-22  08-12 16-17 07-08 WON  1
Pirates          33   44  .429   8     14-24  19-20  06-08 13-18 09-11 LOST 1
Brewers          33   46  .418   9     15-27  18-19  05-12 14-19 09-09 LOST 1

NL WEST         WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Giants           48   31  .608   -     25-14  23-17  07-09 10-05 21-10 WON  2
Dodgers          45   34  .570   3     24-16  21-18  10-06 10-05 14-17 LOST 2
Diamondbacks     43   36  .544   5     24-18  19-18  10-09 14-07 10-16 WON  10
Rockies          42   40  .512   7 1/2 29-13  13-27  05-11 08-09 20-14 WON  1
Padres           27   55  .329  22 1/2 15-27  12-28  03-13 04-11 13-21 WON  1

AL EAST         WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Yankees          50   30  .625   -     22-17  28-13  18-11 09-01 11-13 WON  6
Redsox           46   33  .582   3 1/2 27-12  19-21  15-13 15-08 07-05 LOST 1
BlueJays         46   35  .568   4 1/2 22-18  24-17  17-16 11-08 08-04 LOST 1
Orioles          35   43  .449  14     17-21  18-22  10-14 11-14 09-03 LOST 3
Devil Rays       26   53  .329  23 1/2 15-25  11-28  16-22 04-08 03-09 WON  1

AL CENTRAL      WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Royals           42   35  .545   -     21-16  21-19  06-13 24-06 03-09 LOST 1
Twins            42   37  .532   1     20-20  22-17  13-12 14-11 06-06 WON  1
Whitesox         39   41  .488   4 1/2 23-17  16-24  10-07 16-18 03-09 WON  3
Indians          31   47  .397  11 1/2 17-22  14-25  04-05 15-14 07-16 LOST 1
Tigers           18   60  .231  24 1/2  6-31  12-29  06-13 05-25 03-09 LOST 8

AL WEST         WON  LOST  PCT  GB      HOME   ROAD   EAST  CENT  WEST STREAK
Mariners         52   27  .658   -     24-16  28-11  02-04 24-06 16-10 LOST 1
A's              45   34  .570   7     28-11  17-23  04-02 18-12 15-11 LOST 2
Angels           39   39  .500  12 1/2 21-17  18-22  13-17 05-00 11-15 WON  2
Rangers          30   49  .380  22     18-23  12-26  15-15 02-04 10-16 LOST 1

3) Today's schedule--

Diamondbacks (Miguel Batista) at Tigers (Nate Cornejo), 1:05
Reds (Jimmy Haynes) at Indians (Jason Davis), 1:05
Expos (Tomo Ohka) at BlueJays (Kelvim Escobar), 1:05
Braves (Russ Ortiz) at Devil Rays (Jorge Sosa), 1:15
Rockies (Shawn Chacon) at Pirates (Jeff Suppan), 1:35
Phillies (Kevin Millwood) at Orioles (Rick Helling), 1:35
Cubs (Kerry Wood) at Whitesox (Esteban Loaiza), 2:05
Marlins (Brad Penny) at Redsox (Derek Lowe), 2:05
Brewers (Matt Ford) at Twins (Rick Reed), 2:05
Cardinals (Brett Tomko) at Royals (Chris George), 2:05
Rangers (Mario Ramos) at Astros (Ron Villone), 2:05
Dodgers (Odalis Perez) at Angels (Aaron Sele), 4:05
A's (Mark Mulder) at Giants (Jesse Foppert), 4:05
Padres (Kevin Jarvis) at Mariners (Freddy Garcia), 4:05
Mets (Al Leiter) at Yankees (Jeff Weaver), 8:05

4) Yesterday's HRs--

Carlos Delgado--#26
Mike Lowell--#25
Jim Edmonds--#23 & #24
Barry Bonds--#22
Jason Giambi--#21
Alfonso Soriano--#21
Jim Thome--#19
Scott Rolen--#15
Tony Batista--#15
Rondell White--#14
Jay Gibbons--#14
Jeromy Burnitz--#13
Nomar Garciaparra--#12
Corey Koskie--#12
Vinny Castilla--#12
Reggie Sanders--#12
Torii Hunter--#11
Juan Encarnacion--#11
Matt Lawton--#9 & #10
Tim Salmon--#10
Raul Ibanez--#9
Hideki Matsui--#8
Edgar Renteria--#7
Ricky Ledee--#7
Ty Wigginton--#6
Derek Jeter--#5
Shawn Wooten--#4
Sean Burroughs--#4
Mark Kotsay--#3
Roger Cedeno--#3
Adam Piatt--#2
Aaron Rowand--#2
Tomas Perez--#1

5) HR leaders--

AL
1) Carlos Delgado--26*
2) Bret Boone--22
T3) Jason Giambi--21*
T3) Alfonso Soriano--21*
5) Vernon Wells--20
6) Alex Rodriguez--19
T7) Rafael Palmeiro--18
T7) Juan Gonzalez--18
T7) Garret Anderson--18
T7) Carl Everett--18

NL
1) Mike Lowell--25*
2) Jim Edmonds--24**
3) Javier Lopez--23
T4) Barry Bonds--22*
T4) Gary Sheffield--22
T4) Adam Dunn--22
T4) Richie Sexson--22
8) Albert Pujols--21
9) Andruw Jones--20
T10) Jim Thome--19*
T10) Geoff Jenkins--19

**--hit 2 yesterday
*--hit 1 yesterday

6) The Cardinals passed the Cubs into 1st place in the NL Central.

7) Barry Bonds watch--hit #635, is 25 behind Mays, is 79 behind Ruth, is 120 behind Aaron's record.

8) Matt Lawton hit his 100th career HR.

After 13 RCAA/.797 OPS and -8 RCAA/.741 OPS seasons, Lawton's off to a .393 SLG, .327 OBA, .720 OPS, -1 RCAA start in his first 72 games. He has a .788 career OPS, compared to his league average of .776, and 35 RCAA in 1005 games.

[nyy26wc]

1) Roger Clemens became the first pitcher in Yankees history to make 100 consecutive starts without a complete game.

After 3.51 ERA/24 RSAA and 4.35 ERA/0 RSAA seasons, Clemens is off to a 3.36 ERA/9 RSAA start in his first 17 starts. He has a 3.16 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.39, and 612 RSAA in 591 games.

2) The Marlins placed P Kevin Olsen on the 15 day DL and called up P Nate Bump.

Olsen suffered a concussion when he was hit by his ear by a line drive on Saturday. While he was hospitalized overnight, the injury wasn't serious. But, the Marlins needed to get another arm into the bullpen after Friday's rout against the Redsox and couldn't afford to just have Olsen be unavailable for a few days. Olsen has a 4.71 ERA/-6 RSAA in 25 career games, including a 11.17 ERA/-8 RSAA in 4 games in 2003.

Bump, who turns 27 next month, didn't make into John Sickels's book or Baseball America's top 30 prospect list for the Marlins. He was the Giants 1st round pick in 1998 and was considered a prospect when he was dealt to the Marlins as part of a Livan Hernandez trade in 1999. Bump came into the year with a 3.87 ERA in 5 minor league seasons, including a 3.38 ERA in AA in 2002, and was off to a 4.43 ERA start in 15 starts in AAA in 2003, which was his first time at that level.

3) Braves P Paul Byrd had more pain in his elbow during a bullpen session yesterday. He already had elbow surgery on April 11 and could have another surgery that would be season ending.

After 4.44 ERA/5 RSAA and a 3.90 ERA/35 RSAA career year, Byrd's been on the DL for the whole season. He has a 4.39 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.46, and 35 RSAA in 196 games.

4) The Astros called up P Mike Gallo, sent P Nate Bland to the minors and moved P Brian Moehler from the 15 to the 60 day DL.

Gallo, 26, didn't make it into Sickels or BA's books. He came into the year with a 3.85 ERA in 4 minor league season, with his 1 IP in AA in 2002 being his only time above Hi-A ball. After having a 1.37 ERA in 17 games in AA in 2003, he was promoted to AAA, where he had a 2.08 ERA in 16 games.

Bland had a 5.75 ERA/-3 RSAA in his first 22 career games.

5) The Indians sold minor league P Jason Phillips to the Orix Blue Wave.

Phillips has a 6.20 ERA/-10 RSAA in 17 career games, including a 9.00 ERA/-3 RSAA in 3 games in 2003.

6) The Diamondbacks set a team record with their 10th consecutive win.

7) The Diamondbacks placed SS Tony Womack on the 15 day DL and activated 3B Shea Hillenbrand from the DL.

Womack sprained his right knee yesterday. After 3 consecutive years with -23 RCAA, he's hitting .338 SLG, .270 OBA, .607 OPS, -21 RCAA in his first 61 games. Womack ha a .680 career OPS, compared to his league average of .777, and -115 RCAA in 980 games.

After starting his career with -20 RCAA/.682 OPS and 5 RCAA/.789 OPS seasons, Hillenbrand's off to a .460 SLG, .335 OBA, .795 OPS, -1 RCAA start in his first 57 games (first 49 games with the Redsox).

8) The Pirates released 1B Kevin Young.

After having 3 consecutive years with a double digit negative RCAA, Young would be on pace to do it again if the Pirates had given him more than just 96 PA. Young was off to a .321 SLG, .302 OBA, .624 OPS, -3 RCAA start in 52 games and has a .762 career OPS, compared to his league average of .774, and -70 RCAA in 1205 games.

Young is the all time leader in worst career RCAA by a Pirates 1B

RCAA                       
1    Kevin Young                 -55   
2    Charlie Grimm               -32   
3    Preston Ward                -30   
4    Duff Cooley                 -29   
5    Fritz Mollwitz              -24   
T6   Sam Barkley                 -23   
T6   Tony Bartirome              -23   
8    Babe Dahlgren               -21   
9    Ed Stevens                  -20   
10   Bill McKechnie              -17  

Young also had another -11 RCAA in seasons in which he was a 3B with the Pirates.

9) Cardinals P Kiko Calero will have season ending knee surgery tomorrow.

Calero ruptured the tendon in his right knee yesterday. He has a 2.82 ERA/6 RSAA in his first 26 career games (1 start).

10) According to according to Chuck Knoblauch's agent, he may be considering a comeback after this season. But, the agent denies rumors that he'll go to Japan or the independent leagues, while starting the comeback during winter ball is the "more likely scenario."

Correction from yesterday--Frank Thomas passed Andres Galarraga with 393rd career HR, not 394th.

[nyy26wc]

1) The Redsox placed 1B-DH Jeremy Giambi on the 15 day DL and called up OF Gabe Kapler.

Officially, Giambi has bursitis in his shoulder, while the Boston Herald reports he "didn't want to be placed on the 15-day disabled list." This could easily be another case of a team taking a player who was on the bubble for keeping his roster spot and placing him on the DL in order to defer having to make the choice of cutting ties with him or reducing the pitching staff from 12 to 11.

After 14 RCAA/.841 OPS and 27 RCAA/.919 OPS seasons, Giambi's having an off year, hitting .355 SLG, .331 OBA, .685 OPS, -4 RCAA in his first 43 games. He has a .807 career OPS, compared to his league average of .774, and 27 RCAA in 503 games.

After 6 RCAA/.785 OPS and -15 RCAA/.688 OPS seasons, Kapler's off to a .347 SLG, .338 OBA, .685 OPS, -1 RCAA start in his first 40 games (first 39 with the Rockies). He ha a .767 career OPS, compared to his league average of .777, and -18 RCAA in 539 games.

2) The Tigers sent P Franklyn German to the minors and called up P Chris Mears.

After starting his career with a 0.00 ERA/3 RSAA in 7 games in 2002, German has a 3.90 ERA/2 RSAA in his first 31 games in 2003.

Mears, 25, didn't make it into either Sickels or BA's books. He came into the year with a 4.06 ERA in 7 minor league seasons, including a 3.15 ERA in AA in 2002, his first time that high (other than 1 game in 1998), and had a 2.92 ERA in his first 20 games (5 starts) in AAA in 2003.

3) The Yankees sent P Jason Anderson to the minors when they called up P Brandon Claussen.

Anderson has a 4.00 ERA/0 RSAA in his first 19 career games.

Claussen made his major league debut by starting yesterday. He probably was originally called up just to make that start, but might have bought himself more time with a good first outing. If Jeff Weaver continues to struggle, Claussen may be moved right into his spot in the rotation. Or, maybe a good start tonight by Weaver would be enough to save his tenuous spot on the rotation and Claussen will go back down. Meanwhile, expect Claussen's name to continue to appear in trade rumors.

4) Yankees 3B Robin Ventura was given a day off for the yesterday's entire doubleheader and is expected to also be given tonight off. But, MGR Joe Torre says Ventura would be available as a pinch hitter.

After 1 RCAA/.778 OPS and 14 RCAA/.826 OPS seasons, Ventura's off to a .423 SLG, .345 OBA, .768 OPS, 4 RCAA start in his first 70 games. He has a .811 career OPS, compared to his league average of .761, and 166 RCAA in 1909 games.

5) The Mets sent OF Tsuyoshi Shinjo to the minors and called up OF Raul Gonzalez.

After starting his career with -7 RCAA/.725 OPS and -8 RCAA/.664 OPS seasons, Shinjo's off to a .246 SLG, .238 OBA, .438 OPS, -11 RCAA start in his first 62 games. He has a .668 career OPS, compared to his league average of .772, and -26 RCAA in 303 games.

Gonzalez is off to a .395 SLG, .350 OBA, .745 OPS, -2 RCAA start in his first 37 games, which are just 3 shy of his career high, set in 2002. He has a .685 OPS/-8 RCAA in 91 career games.

6) The Mariners activated 1B-DH Greg Colbrunn from the DL and sent INF Luis Ugueto to the minors.

After 2 RCAA/.868 OPS and 15 RCAA/1.004 OPS seasons with the Diamondbacks, Colbrunn is off to a .447 SLG, .333 OBA, .780 OPS, -1 RCAA start in his first 19 games. He has a .803 career OPS, compared to his league average of .765, and 16 RCAA in 969 games.

After having -2 RCAA/.628 OPS in 62 games (25 PA) in 2002, Ugueto is 0 for 1 in 3 games in 2003.

7) Dodgers LF Brian Jordan denies the reports that he may need knee surgery. Nevertheless, it is believed that surgery may be inevitable for him.

8) According to the Houston Chronicle, if the Mets don't drop interim from GM Jim Duquette's title, they'll try to hire Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker.

9) The Reds placed P Kent Mercker on the 15 day DL, retroactive to Saturday, and are expected to call up OF Stephen Smitherman today.

Mercker has a sprained lower back. After having a 6.14 ERA/-5 RSAA with the 2002 Rockies, he's off to a 2.45 ERA/5 RSAA start in his first 36 games. Mercker has a 4.34 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.23, and 2 RSAA in 461 games.

Smitherman, 24, was ranked as the Reds #13 prospect by Baseball America and was given a C grade by John Sickels. He never played above HI-A ball until 2003 and was off to a .968 OPS (.399 OBA, .569 SLG) start in 79 games in AA.

10) Reds RF Austin Kearns had to leave yesterday game, due to a bruised left quadriceps, and is day to day.

After having 21 RCAA/.907 OPS in 107 games as a 22 year old rookie in 2002, Kearns is off to a .475 SLG, .374 OBA, .848 OPS, 9 RCAA start in his first 76 games.

11) According to the Chicago Tribune, the Whitesox may be considering moving 2B D'Angelo Jimenez to 3B and, if a move is eventually moved, they'd either call up prospect Aaron Miles or trade for a 2B such as Roberto Alomar or Luis Castillo.