Times wires
Sunday, May 8, 2011
TORONTO — Justin Verlander was picking up the check. The steaks and wine were on him, and why not?
He had just pitched the second no-hitter of his career, and after he made sure the Blue Jays pretty much came nowhere near the ball, he made sure his teammates came nowhere near the bill.
Fresh off the 9-0 victory, Verlander went for dinner at Barberian's Steak House in downtown Toronto.
"A great night," Verlander said. "It was fantastic. Probably one of the best dinners I've ever had."
C Alex Avila, RHPs Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer, utilityman Don Kelly and video coordinator Jeremy Kelch joined Verlander for an evening of food, drink and cigars in the wine cellar of the historic restaurant.
"To be honest, the thing I'm going to remember is having dinner with those guys," Verlander said. "It was a pretty intimate setting, not a lot of guys, just a small group."
Avila, who caught the no-hitter, echoed his batterymate's sentiments.
"Those times are the best, when you can just enjoy something like that, celebrate something as historic as a no-hitter with people you care about," Avila said. "It was a good time, a good meal. It was definitely the best steak and the best wine I've ever had."
Verlander, a self-described "filet connoisseur," picked up the tab after ordering several high-priced bottles of wine to accompany the steaks.
"I don't think I could make those guys pay for that," he said.
In truth, the only ones paying for Verlander's brilliant Saturday were the Blue Jays, who managed just a walk against the Tigers right-hander.
"You could certainly tell from the dugout he sniffed it," Toronto manager John Farrell said. "In the last three innings, he almost took on a closer's mentality and he stepped on it for sure. The fact that he's thrown a couple of no-hitters isn't an accident. He was better than every guy that stepped to the plate."
ROYALS-NATIONALS TRADE: Kansas City traded minor-league OF Gregor Blanco to Washington for a player to be named.
ANGELS: 1B Kendrys Morales plans to travel to Vail, Colo., this week to get a second opinion on his broken left foot from foot and ankle specialist Dr. Thomas Clanton. Morales has not played since breaking his ankle nearly a year ago.
ASTROS: OF Jason Bourgeois went on the 15-day disabled list, and the contract of INF Joe Inglett was bought from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his place on the roster.
A'S: Closer Andrew Bailey, out all season with a forearm injury, felt good a day after throwing live batting practice and could start a minor-league rehab assignment within 10 days.
MARLINS: LF Logan Morrison, who was batting .327 with a .424 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage when he went on the disabled list April 21 with a strained left foot, could be cleared to begin a rehab assignment today.
METS: RHP Chris Young went on the disabled list with shoulder tightness that prevented him from making his last start. LHP Johan Santana was transferred to the 60-day DL to free up space on the 40-man roster.
PHILLIES: C Carlos Ruiz went on the 15-day disabled list because of inflammation in his back.
RED SOX: SS Marco Scutaro went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique. SS Jose Iglesias was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket. Iglesias is considered one of the team's top prospects but was batting .253 with no extra-base hits and two walks in 24 games at Pawtucket.