Times wires
Monday, May 30, 2011
ST. LOUIS — Former major-league C Mike Matheny, whose career was ended by concussions, said the hit that knocked out the Giants' Buster Posey for the rest of the season could have easily been avoided.
"You know what, it wasn't a dirty play, he didn't come high spikes, he didn't come high elbow," Matheny said Monday. "But it wasn't a necessary play. He was hunting. Buster gave him an option and he didn't take it."
Matheny, 40, finished his career with San Francisco in 2007 and is a minor-league instructor with the Cardinals, where he played from 2000-04. He said that the Marlins' Scott Cousins went out of his way to take out Posey in a play at the plate last week.
Matheny, who won four Gold Gloves, isn't in favor of rules changes to protect catchers and believes hard contact plays at the plate are just part of the game. But he said Cousins had an opening to slide while Posey was defenseless while awaiting a throw and instead hit him in the opposite shoulder.
"I don't think you legislate," Matheny said. "I think you just put a mark in the column that that kid took a run at a catcher. To me as a catcher I know the next time I get the ball I'm going to stick it to him. You make those notes as a catcher."
METS DEAL: Hedge fund manager David Einhorn, who has agreed to buy a minority stake in the Mets, said the deal is a "win-win agreement" for both sides. The club's cash-strapped owners plan to sell a minority share to Einhorn for $200 million. Einhorn would not disclose additional details but said it's a fair deal and he hopes it will be completed in the next few weeks.
In other Mets news, 1B Ike Davis, who has been out since May 10 with a bone bruise in his left ankle, will seek a second opinion and likely have an MRI exam. And SS Jose Reyes went on the bereavement list after the death of his grandmother in the Dominican Republic.
LASORDA ILL: Former Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda is recovering at home from a bacterial infection that caused the 83-year-old to be hospitalized, team spokesman Josh Rawitch.
STADIUM FIRE: A small, pre-dawn fire occurred at Dodger Stadium in the same storage area where a blaze broke out Saturday night, authorities said. The fire was reported shortly after 5 a.m. and was quickly extinguished.
CARDINALS: LF Matt Holliday returned to the lineup after missing six starts with a left quadriceps injury.
CUBS: LF Alfonso Soriano left the game against the Astros after straining his left quadriceps running out a grounder in the first. … Utility INF Jeff Baker went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained groin, and INF D.J. LeMahieu was promoted from Double-A Tennessee.
GIANTS: LF Aaron Rowand bruised his right hip when he was struck by the ball while diving into second base on a pickoff attempt in the fifth. He stayed on base after testing his legs, but Nate Schierholtz replaced him in the bottom of the inning.
MARLINS: SS Hanley Ramirez was held out a day after leaving a game with lower back soreness. Ramirez told the Palm Beach Post that his back has been bothering him for "maybe a month."
PIRATES: C Ryan Doumit (left ankle sprain) and INF Steve Pearce (right calf strain) went on the 15-day disabled list. RHP Ross Ohlendorf was transferred from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list, and the contracts of C Dusty Brown and INF Josh Harrison were purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis.
ROYALS: Veteran Joakim Soria lost his job as closer after his second straight blown save and fifth this season. Manager Ned Yost said he would use rookie Aaron Crow as his closer "for the time being."
TWINS: LHP Francisco Liriano is headed to the 15-day disabled list with inflammation of his throwing shoulder.
YANKEES: C Russell Martin was scratched because of a sore left big toe.