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May 1, 2013

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Late homer spoils Cahill's strong outing Putz blows save after allowing two-run shot in ninth By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_30_sfnmlb_arimlb_1&mode=recap_home&c_id=ari

Recovering Gregorius cleared for baseball activities By Tyler Emerick / MLB.com http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46237790&notebook_id=46238398&vkey=notebook_ari&c_id=ari

Lincecum looking for sweep vs. McCarthy and D-backs Veteran hurlers each come into finale with something to prove By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_01_sfnmlb_arimlb_1&mode=preview

Closer J.J. Putz blows another save in Arizona Diamondbacks loss to San Francisco Giants By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430closer-jj-putz-blows-another-save-arizona-diamondbacks-loss-san-francisco-giants.html#protected

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero’s luck all bad in April By Scott Bordow / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430arizona-diamondbacks-catcher-miguel-monteros-luck-all-bad-april.html

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Martin Prado insists his hitting will improve Veteran is batting just .216, but he’s not ready to hit panic button By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430arizona-diamondbacks-martin-prado-insists-his-hitting-will-improve.html

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt downplays his hot start but indicators don’t By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430arizona-diamondbacks-paul-goldschmidt-downplays-his-hot-start-indicators-dont.html

Kirk Gibson’s tough decisions; J.J. Putz’s status; farm report; & other stuff By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/nickpiecoro/2013/05/01/kirk-gibsons-tough-decisions-putzs-status-farm-report-other-stuff/

D-backs' blown save count hits 10 in loss to Giants By Jack Magruder / FOXSportsArizona.com http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/D-backs-blown-save-count-hits-10-in-loss?blockID=898075&feedID=3563

Sandoval sinks D-backs with 9th-inning homer off Putz By Associated Press / FOXSportsArizona.com

http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/Sandoval-sinks-D-backs-with-9th-inning-h?blockID=898037&feedID=3563

McCarthy's has deserved better, metric suggests By Jack Magruder / FOXSportsArizona.com http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/McCarthys-has-deserved-better-metric-sug?blockID=897947&feedID=3563

1 on 1 with Cody Ross By FOXSportsArizona.com http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/1-on-1-with-Cody-Ross?blockID=897897&feedID=3607

Putz struggles again as D'Backs fall to Giants 2-1 By Associated Press / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1625246/Putz-struggles-again-as-DBacks-fall-to-Giants-21

Grit Index: Bullpen lets D-backs, Cahill down in heartbreaking loss By Kyndra de St. Aubin / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631137/Grit-Index-Bullpen-lets-Dbacks-Cahill-down-in-heartbreaking-loss

Sandoval's 2-run HR leads Giants past D'Backs 2-1 By Associated Press / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1630807/Sandovals-2run-HR-leads-Giants-past-DBacks-21

D-backs shortstop Didi Gregorius cleared for baseball activity By Kyndra de St. Aubin / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631117/Dbacks-shortstop-Didi-Gregorius-cleared-for-baseball-activity

D-backs' Martin Prado working hard to get on track By Vince Marotta / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631044/Dbacks-Martin-Prado-working-hard-to-get-on-track

Cahill effective, but Giants win on Sandoval's blast By Mark Brown / The Examiner http://www.examiner.com/article/cahill-effective-but-giants-win-on-sandoval-s-blast

Dbacks overcome injuries, inconsistencies to post winning April By Eric Sorenson / Pros2Preps.com http://www.pros2preps.com/2013/04/dbacks-overcome-injuries-inconsistencies-to-post-winning-april/

Mark Grace 'model inmate' during DUI jail sentence By Shawna O'Reilly / The Examiner http://www.examiner.com/article/mark-grace-model-inmate-during-dui-jail-sentence

Kirk Gibson not ready to tinker with D-backs' bullpen By Kyndra de St. Aubin / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631224/Gibson-not-ready-to-tinker-with-bullpen

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RHAM's A.J. Pollock Finding A Home In The Major Leagues With D'Backs By The Courant http://articles.courant.com/2013-04-17/sports/hc-aj-pollock-0418-20130417_1_yankees-mariano-rivera-wednesday-night

Former All-Star Mark Grace a 'model' inmate By Laurie Merrill / USA TODAY Sports http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/04/30/mark-grace-model-inmate-at-tent-city/2124099/

Our first walk in the (ball)park A column debuts about the places where the national pastime is played By Jim Caple / ESPN.com http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9224567/a-celebration-baseball-stadiums-our-happy-places

Giants-Diamondbacks Preview By ESPN.com http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/preview?gameId=330501129

Closing Time: J.J. Putz, closer on the brink By Scott Pianowski / Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/fantasy-roto-arcade/closing-time-j-j-putz-closer-brink-135456471.html

Diamondbacks sign Juan Rivera By Nathan Aderhold / SBNation.com http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/5/1/4289082/diamondbacks-sign-juan-rivera

Tyler Skaggs' struggles continuing in Triple-A By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1630899/Tyler-Skaggs-struggles-continuing-in-TripleA

Aces Fall to 51's, 10-2 By Reno Aces http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46235130&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t2310&sid=t2310

Reno Aces continue to tumble below .500 By Chris Gabel / Reno Gazette Journal http://www.rgj.com/article/20130501/SPORTS03/305010008/Reno-Aces-continue-tumble-below-500

Rhode Island's Anthony Meo seeking success in Baseball City with Mobile BayBears By Mark Inabinett / AL.com http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/05/rhode_islands_anthony_meo_seek.html

Mobile BayBears Notebook: Kentrail Davis, AJ McCarron coming to The Hank

By Mark Inabinett / AL.com http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/04/mobile_baybears_notebook_kentr.html

Barbosa Leads Charge In 3-1 Win Rawhide notch 11th win in a row at home on Tuesday night By Josh Jackson / Visalia Rawhide http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46240142&fext=.jsp&vkey=recap&sid=t516

Rawhide claim 11th straight home win By Visalia-Times Delta http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20130501/SPORTS/305010005/Rawhide-claim-11th-straight-home-win

Drury, Silver Hawks pound Rattlers By South Bend Tribune http://www.southbendtribune.com/sports/silverhawks/sbt-pro-baseball-drury-silver-hawks-pound-rattlers-20130501,0,4764493.story

May 1, 2013 • MLB.com

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Late homer spoils Cahill's strong outing Putz blows save after allowing two-run shot in ninth By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_30_sfnmlb_arimlb_1&mode=recap_home&c_id=ari PHOENIX -- Tuesday night's game had a storybook feel to it for the Arizona Diamondbacks. At least right up until Pablo Sandoval's two-run homer in the ninth led to a nightmarish ending as the D-backs fell, 2-1, to the Giants at Chase Field. The D-backs and Giants have faced each other five times this year with all of the games being decided by two runs or less. "That's what baseball's about, dude," Giants right fielder Hunter Pence said. "These games against Arizona have been unbelievably close, incredible baseball battles. It's like the smallest things go the longest ways." Right from the start, this one looked to be a nip-and-tuck affair with the two starters -- D-backs right-hander Trevor Cahill and Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner -- locking horns in a classic pitcher's duel. Through seven innings, both pitchers were working on three-hit shutouts. "I felt like everything was down in the zone and I made the pitches when I had to," Cahill said. "I trusted my stuff and let them get themselves out." Bumgarner would depart first as the Giants pinch-hit for him in the top of the eighth. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy then turned to Santiago Casilla, who entered the game not having allowed a home run this season. That changed when Josh Wilson crushed a 1-2 offering into the bleachers in left for his first home run since June 5, 2011, a span of 95 big league at-bats. That homer, which came when he was with the Brewers, was a game-winning shot. It seemed like this one would be as well. The Wilson homer came on the seventh pitch of the at-bat after he fouled off a nasty slider from Casilla. "He tried to come with a fastball in and I was just thinking to try and put it in play," Wilson said. "Sometimes the barrel meets it just right and I was fortunate to get the homer out of it." With a lead, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson decided to let Cahill, who had thrown just 82 pitches, hit for himself later in the eighth. When the ninth started, though, Gibson did not like what he saw. Cahill threw three pitches in the dirt and when leadoff man Angel Pagan lined a single to right, Gibson brought in closer J.J. Putz. "It's always frustrating," Cahill said of not finishing the game. "I figured he'd leave me in until I got somebody on. I felt like I made a lot of my pitches and kept the ball down all night. I left one up and he got a hit. It's real frustrating when you're so close and you can't finish it out. You're going to kick yourself maybe even more than if I'd only gone three innings and given up 10. It's a bad feeling."

Said Gibson, "He pitched a great game, right on through to the ninth inning. But he threw three to the backstop in the ninth and I didn't want him to get the loss, so I took him out and went to our closer. It's a no-brainer. It's a pretty good lineup you're facing, and it's in the middle of it." Putz looked sharp in striking out the first batter he faced, Marco Scutaro, and he jumped ahead of Sandoval 0-1 before he hung a split-finger fastball that Sandoval crushed for a two-run homer. "I made some good pitches on Scutaro, some good pitches on [Buster] Posey," Putz said. "The one to Pablo just didn't come out of my hand. That's pretty much how the split is. If it doesn't come out of your hand right, that's pretty much what's going to happen." The split has been Putz's out pitch for years, but he has struggled with it in 2013. Hanging splits were hit for game-tying homers earlier this year by Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli and the Giants' Brandon Belt. So far this year, Putz is 5-for-9 in save opportunities. "You can't make mistakes to Sandoval like that, he's a really good hitter," Gibson said. "I had confidence in my closer, it didn't work out tonight." Putz has blown four saves this year, matching his total for all of 2011. Last year he blew five saves. The D-backs have blown nine saves this year, but Gibson said after a tough loss was not the time to say whether he was considering making changes with the bullpen structure. "Not right now," he said. "We just lost the game, [Putz] feels as bad as anybody. I'm aware of the blown saves. Given that, we've battled back pretty good, actually thought we'd come back and at least tie it up and win the game later."

Recovering Gregorius cleared for baseball activities By Tyler Emerick / MLB.com http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46237790&notebook_id=46238398&vkey=notebook_ari&c_id=ari PHOENIX -- Four days after being hit in the helmet with a 93-mph fastball, D-backs shortstop Didi Gregorius cleared all concussion tests Tuesday and resumed normal baseball activities. "He'll take ground balls, swing and do everything today except play the game," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "He has passed everything he has needed to pass." Rockies reliever Josh Outman drilled the rookie in the head on Friday and Gregorius complained of soreness and headaches before the D-backs placed him on the seven-day disabled list with a mild concussion. A CT-scan came back normal, but the club opted to err on the side of caution. Aside from being symptom-free, Gregorius had to pass a series of tests to be cleared that involved answering 20 questions correctly, then exercising under light distress and answering the questions again. The 23-year-old is eligible to be activated Saturday, but Gibson said he wasn't sure yet whether that will happen on time. Before the injury, Gregorius had hit safely in all seven games in which he appeared, going 11-for-27 with four doubles and two home runs. Reynolds feeling strong despite heavier workload PHOENIX -- Still with a game left to be played in April on Tuesday, D-backs reliever Matt Reynolds has already eclipsed his career-high

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innings pitched in a single calendar month, tossing 12 2/3 frames over 12 outings this month. Even with the heavy workload, Reynolds, who has yet to allow a run in 2013 and is riding a 15-inning scoreless streak dating back to last year, said his arm is feeling as strong as ever. "It feels good," he said. "I prepared for this in the offseason and built my arm strength up for it. Then kind of once the season starts, you do your maintenance on it." That maintenance is a workout regimen the 28-year-old has developed and tinkered with throughout his career until he felt he had it just right. The type of daily activities he performs includes running, lifting and shoulder strengthening exercises. "It's become something I've gotten more strict about doing over the years," he said. "I feel like it works and I trust it. It has gotten to the point where I wouldn't be doing anything else anymore." The results are hard to argue with. The left-hander has walked just one batter this season and is averaging just 12.20 pitches per inning, down from 17.06 from last year. That efficiency has let D-backs manager Kirk Gibson go to Reynolds more often and for a longer duration so far in 2013. Reynolds pitched two innings or more just three times over his first three seasons in the Majors, all with the Rockies, a feat he's already accomplished twice this year after being acquired in the winter by the D-backs in a trade for Ryan Wheeler. While Reynolds' success has been a revelation for Arizona thus far, count D-backs closer J.J. Putz as someone who isn't surprised by the southpaw's stats. "He was impressive when he was on the other side," Putz said. "He throws strikes, he's aggressive, he throws all his pitches for strikes and he's on a pretty good roll right now." Snake bites • The D-backs announced Tuesday that they have traded Triple-A Reno utilityman Mark Teahen to the Cincinnati Reds for cash or a player to be named later. The 31-year-old veteran has hit just .209 with no homers and five RBIs in 21 games with Reno. • The D-backs signed outfielder Juan Rivera to a Minor League contract on Tuesday. The 12-year veteran was last with the Yankees in Spring Training before being released. In 109 games with the Dodgers last season, Rivera hit .244 with nine homers and 47 RBIs. • Aaron Hill, currently on the 15-day disabled list with a broken left hand, had his fractured bone examined Tuesday and the doctors kept him in a splint. The second baseman will be reexamined next week to see how much the bone has regenerated before moving forward with the rehab process. • Since April 12, Miguel Montero has hit just 8-for-56 and has seen his batting average drop from .265 to .198 over that span. Still, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson is confident the catcher will break out of the slump. "He hasn't had the results, but he has hit the ball better," Gibson said. "Just like anybody else that is struggling, it takes a life of its own and it

becomes more than it should. When you get in a slump, the danger is that you think too much about it. But there's nothing you can do about it, the key is trying to block it out. The good ones do that, he's a good one and so that's what he does." • In celebration of Dia de los Niños (Children's Day), a handful of Arizona's players hosted and chatted with a group of kids from a local Si Se Puede learning center on Tuesday during batting practice. The players included Montero, Alfredo Marte, Wil Nieves, Gerardo Parra and Martin Prado. Earlier in the day, Montero also visited children at the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. While Children's Day in the U.S. is held in June and isn't as popular as Mother's or Father's Day, in Mexico the holiday is widely celebrated every year on April 30.

Lincecum looking for sweep vs. McCarthy and D-backs Veteran hurlers each come into finale with something to prove By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_05_01_sfnmlb_arimlb_1&mode=preview San Francisco right-hander Tim Lincecum is in the midst of a hugely important season from an individual perspective. He's trying to prove that he can still be an elite starter in the Major Leagues. Meanwhile, D-backs catcher Miguel Montero is trying to bust out of a slump, and his manager is expressing confidence that he will do exactly that soon. Those are two intriguing storylines as the Giants and D-backs play again on Wednesday at Chase Field in a key National League West matchup, with right-hander Brandon McCarthy opposing Lincecum. Lincecum, the two-time Cy Young Award winner, has been a bit resurgent after a disappointing 2012 campaign and showed it again in a terrific outing in his last start. Despite taking a loss -- his first of the season -- Lincecum went seven innings, marking the first time he had done so since Aug. 10 of last year. He struck out nine batters, his highest total in a single game since last July 14. He gave up two runs to the Padres, who happened to hold the Giants to one. "On a personal note, it was great to go seven and not be all over the place," said Lincecum, who has battled command problems over the last few years, but only walked three in his last outing and has a 1.32 ERA and 17 strikeouts in his last 13 2/3 innings. "I'll take it as a positive that I put the team in position to come back. I'm trying to get away from comparing this year to last year." Montero needs to improve his numbers in a hurry if the D-backs are to continue their solid start. Montero is just 8-for-61 since April 12 and has seen his batting average drop from .265 to .200 over that span. Arizona manager Kirk Gibson doesn't seem terribly concerned about it, however. "He hasn't had the results, but he has hit the ball better," Gibson said. "Just like anybody else that is struggling, it takes a life of its own and it becomes more than it should. When you get in a slump, the danger is that you think too much about it. "But there's nothing you can do about it. The key is trying to block it out. The good ones do that. He's a good one and so that's what he does."

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Giants: Panda loves Phoenix Third baseman Pablo Sandoval enters Wednesday with a lifetime batting average of .357 (50-for-140) with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 37 games at Chase Field, including the game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Tuesday's game. Overall, Sandoval has 11 hits in his last 17 at-bats. • Catcher Buster Posey's season-high 10-game hitting streak was snapped on Tuesday. He's still batting .371 (13-for-35) with three doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs over his last 11 games. • Sergio Romo has not allowed a run in 26 games against the D-backs, a span of 19 innings. D-backs: McCarthy looking to bounce back Arizona had high hopes for McCarthy when it signed him in the offseason, but through his first five starts with the club, the right-hander is winless. In each outing, McCarthy has allowed at least eight hits. However, opponents are batting .396 on balls hit in play against McCarthy, almost 100 points above the league average of .300. "He is throwing well, he had the best stuff he has had since joining us," Gibson said of McCarthy's outing last Friday. "But if you look at the difference a few plays make, it's huge. But it's part of baseball and he has to deal with it. ... In my mind, he understands what's going on." • First baseman Paul Goldschmidt loves facing Lincecum. In 14 at-bats against the San Francisco starter, Goldschmidt has eight hits, including five home runs and 10 RBIs. • Heath Bell continues to make strides out of the bullpen. The veteran is 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 12 strikeouts in his last eight games. Bell has struck out 14 batters in his last nine games. Worth noting: • Giants pitchers have allowed 29 home runs this season in 27 games. Twenty-four of those home runs have been allowed by Giants starting pitchers, the second-most in the Majors behind Seattle's starting staff (25). • Arizona went 6-0 in extra-inning games in April, matching its most extra-inning games in a single month. The D-backs are hitting .304 (17-for-56) in extra innings.

Closer J.J. Putz blows another save in Arizona Diamondbacks loss to San Francisco Giants By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430closer-jj-putz-blows-another-save-arizona-diamondbacks-loss-san-francisco-giants.html#protected The Diamondbacks bullpen is supposed to be one of their strengths, and the unit’s 2.60 ERA entering Tuesday night, the fifth-best mark in the majors, is one indication that perhaps it is. But recent events, and another statistic, tell a different story. The Diamondbacks blew their major league-leading ninth save opportunity in a crushing 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night at Chase Field, the second defeat charged to the bullpen in as many days. With the Diamondbacks clinging to a 1-0 lead, closer J.J. Putz hung one of his trademark splitters and rotund Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval launched it into the right-field stands in the top of the ninth inning, negating a brilliant outing from right-hander Trevor Cahill and an unexpected solo home run from light-hitting infielder Josh Wilson.

It was Putz’s fourth blown save in nine chances and it came one day after another normally reliable reliever, Brad Ziegler, struggled to throw strikes and was charged with two runs and the loss in Monday night’s 6-4 Giants victory. Putz’s struggles prompted questions of Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson, not only about his decision to remove Cahill after a leadoff single in the ninth but of whether he’ll make a change at closer. “Not right now,” Gibson said when asked if he’d considered removing Putz from the role. “We just lost the game. He feels as bad as anybody. I'm aware of the blown saves. Given that, we've battled back pretty good, (and I) actually thought we'd come back and at least tie it up and win the game later.” It was the second night in a row Gibson made a decision that backfired, given that he stuck with Ziegler long enough for Brandon Belt to deliver the go-ahead single on Monday. Neither of the decisions seemed clear-cut either way, although Gibson called Tuesday night’s move a “no-brainer.” After Wilson’s solo shot in the bottom of the eighth, Gibson let Cahill hit two batters later and sent him back to the mound in the ninth to protect the 1-0 lead. But Cahill ran the count full against the first batter, Angel Pagan, throwing three balls in the dirt before leaving a sinker up that Pagan pulled into right field for a leadoff single. Gibson wasted no time, immediately going to Putz, saying later he didn’t want Cahill to get the loss. “I had confidence in my closer,” Gibson said. “It didn't work out (Tuesday). … We thought about (leaving Cahill in), but I made the decision. If you have a closer, you're going to go to him and you expect him to do his job.” But after striking out Marco Scutaro on a nasty off-speed pitch, Putz hung an 0-1 splitter that Sandoval hit out. “It just seems like every time I leave one of those up, it’s getting crushed right now,” Putz said. “It’s very frustrating.” It was especially frustrating for the Diamondbacks considering the wasted effort by Cahill, who, in eight-plus innings threw just 88 pitches, 61 for strikes. “I felt like I made a lot of my pitches and kept the ball down all night,” Cahill said. “I left one up and (Pagan) got a hit. It’s real frustrating when you’re so close and you can’t finish it out. You’re going to kick yourself maybe even more than if I’d only gone three innings and given up 10. It’s a bad feeling.” Cahill, who struck out five, walked only one and recorded 11 ground-ball outs, said he wasn’t surprised when Gibson came to get him after the single. “(Putz) is going to close it out more times than not,” Cahill said. “If it’s the same situation next time, I’ll give him the ball and I’m sure he’ll shut it down.” Giants 2, Diamondbacks 1 Recap: Third baseman Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer into the right-field stands off closer J.J. Putz to give the San Francisco Giants the victory over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

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Putz’s blown save wasted a magnificent performance by starter Trevor Cahill, who allowed just four hits and one walk in eight innings before being lifted after Angel Pagan led off the Giants’ ninth with a single. Pagan scored on Sandoval’s homer, which came on an 0-1 pitch. The Diamondbacks couldn’t muster any offense against San Francisco starter Madison Bumgarner, who allowed just three hits in seven innings. But second baseman Josh Wilson greeted reliever Santiago Casilla with a home run to start the eighth for what looked like the game-winning run. Rare blast: h Wilson isn’t considered a home run hitter. His last blast was in June 2011. But he turned on a 1-2 pitch from Casilla in the top of the eighth and drove it into the left-field stands for a 1-0 lead. Glove work: Shortstop Cliff Pennington’s batting average continues to hover around .200, but his defense has been stellar. With runners on first and second and one out in the fourth, he dove to his right to field a Hunter Pence hard ground ball and got the force out at second. If Pennington doesn’t make the play, the Giants lead 1-0. Instead, Cahill got out of the inning without allowing a run. Bad finish: After Putz suffered his fourth blown save of the year, there was some talk that manager Kirk Gibson should have allowed Cahill to try to finish the game. But Cahill has a history of tiring at 90 pitches and with Marco Scutaro, Sandoval and Buster Posey due up, turning to Putz seemed like the right decision. Unfortunately for Arizona, it backfired.

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero’s luck all bad in April By Scott Bordow / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430arizona-diamondbacks-catcher-miguel-monteros-luck-all-bad-april.html Miguel Montero is certain he’ll be prominently mentioned when Major League Baseball rolls out its highlight reel from the first month of the season. Unfortunately, he’ll be the guy who was robbed by great defensive plays — over and over and over again. “The top 10 plays of the month, I guarantee four of them are balls I hit,” Montero said. “I’m not having enough luck.” The web gems — a bases-loaded catch by Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen, a running grab by Los Angeles’ Matt Kemp and diving catches by San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval and Colorado’s Dexter Fowler — have contributed to a miserable offensive start for Montero, who was hitting .200 following Tuesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Montero was able to go 1 for 4 to raise his average to .200 in the Diamondbacks’ 2-1 loss. In addition, Montero had just one homer and 10 RBIs and he had struck out 21 times, compared with 16 the first month of the 2012 season. “It’s been tough. It’s been a rough month,” Montero said. “Obviously I want to help the team a little bit more offensively.” Montero has been able to shrug off the lack of production because the Diamondbacks are winning — “I would be a lot harder on myself if we weren’t,” he said — but admitted the slump has begun to get to him mentally. After hitting the ball hard but lining out to left in his first at-bat Monday, he struck out his next three times up. “It gets a little in your head when you’re hitting the ball right at people and they’re making a diving catch,” he said. “It’s tough. It’s something

you have to learn how to keep your composure and keep battling. That’s what I’m trying to do.” Manager Kirk Gibson’s advice: Don’t think about it. Don’t look up at the batting average on the scoreboard. Don’t read the box score. Just play. “Like anybody who is struggling, it takes on a life of its own,” Gibson said. “We’re at the point of the season where guys are not where they want to be and it becomes something more than it should. … I think that when you get in slumps the danger is do you overthink them? “I can tell you the more people that talk to you about it, it’s a negative connotation. I think you need to talk less about it. You look at the really good swings and really work to make it less of an issue internally. … Because if you’re right when you go up to the plate it’s my belief you’ll have a better chance of succeeding at your job.” Of course, it wasn’t Gibson’s average that was right at the Mendoza Line Tuesday. Montero is more bothered by the strikeouts than the average. He came into this season determined to cut down on the career-high 130 strikeouts he had last year. When told he already had struck out 21 times, he said, “Really? Wow.” Montero said the strikeouts and his increased walk total — he has 13 walks compared with nine the first month of the 2012 season — are a result of taking more pitches to try to get into better hitting counts. “I’m trying to shorten my swing, put the barrel on the ball and make things happen,” he said. Whatever the reason, Montero has yet to approximate the player who hit .286 last year with 15 homers, 88 RBIs and a .391 on-base percentage. But, the calendar has just turned to May. “There’s still five months to go,” he said. “Still time to get hot and get cold again and get hot again. Hopefully I can get on a hot streak the next couple of days.”

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Martin Prado insists his hitting will improve Veteran is batting just .216, but he’s not ready to hit panic button By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430arizona-diamondbacks-martin-prado-insists-his-hitting-will-improve.html To those who might be concerned about Martin Prado’s slow start at the plate, the Diamondbacks third baseman has a message: Worry not. Everything will be OK. “There is nothing wrong with me,” Prado said. “I know the results are not the same as what I’m capable of doing, but I feel like everybody’s panicking. I’m not panicking. I know what I can do. I don’t care what people say. I just care what I do, what I can control, and how I can prepare for a game. That’s all that matters.” Manager Kirk Gibson said that part of his thinking for putting Prado in the leadoff spot on Monday night was to keep him from thinking about situational hitting and allow him to just swing the bat. But Prado said where he hits in the lineup doesn’t matter, and he thinks Monday night might have been the best he’s felt at the plate all season. “Not because I hit a homer, but because I feel like I was staying back and getting my balance and my bat was staying (in the zone) longer,” Prado said. “It has nothing to do, I don’t think, with situational stuff.”

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While he has played well defensively, Prado is hitting just .216 with a .267 on-base. Still, the Diamondbacks have played well for the first month, entering Tuesday night with a 15-11 record. “We’re winning,” Prado said. “That’s all that matters. It’s not about one guy. It’s about 25 guys. It’s not about me. I know that I should do better and perform in a different way.” Short hops Shortstop Didi Gregorius was cleared to participate on the field during batting practice, but Gibson said he wasn’t sure whether Gregorius would be back on Saturday, the day he’s eligible to return from the seven-day concussion disabled list. Gregorius was hit on the head by a pitch from Rockies left-hander Josh Outman on Friday. Gibson did not have an update on second baseman Aaron Hill’s timetable. When Hill went on the disabled list on April 16 with a broken hand, the club said he would miss four to six weeks. Gibson said he’s not sure Hill will return on the front or the back end of that estimate. Infielder Willie Bloomquist has been participating in extended spring-training games, although he’s been limited to playing defense and bunting at the plate due to his oblique strain. But he said he’s planning to swing the bat in a game on Thursday. “I’m just about there, if not there, physically,” he said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting back in baseball shape. Getting my timing, getting my swing, getting my approach and all that stuff.” Given how much time he missed — and how limited his spring training was due to his participation in the World Baseball Classic — Bloomquist is not sure how long he might need to be ready to come off the DL. Triple-A Reno infielder/outfielder Mark Teahen was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later or cash considerations. The team signed veteran outfielder Juan Rivera to a minor-league deal.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt downplays his hot start but indicators don’t By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20130430arizona-diamondbacks-paul-goldschmidt-downplays-his-hot-start-indicators-dont.html Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, always looking to downplay and ever wary of upsetting the baseball gods, properly noted the newness of the season when asked about his good start. “It’s a long season,” Goldschmidt said this week. “It’s been 25 games. You just go out there and try to have good at-bats.” He might have a new $32 million contract, but he still gives the same restrained answers in interviews — although he does apologize for them almost immediately. Goldschmidt’s first month has gone about as well as he and Diamondbacks could have hoped. He entered Tuesday night with a .299 average, .400 on-base, .515 slugging and a team-best 18 RBIs — all numbers he’s compiled without yet facing San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum, whom he’s basically owned during his 11/2 years in the major leagues. (And don’t think it’s a coincidence that this story is running on the day Goldschmidt will see Lincecum for the first time this season. Goldschmidt is 8 for 14 with five homers in his career off him.) If there were questions about Goldschmidt heading into this season, they

revolved around his success against right-handed pitching. But thus far he’s gone about answering them. Though he entered the season with a pedestrian .769 on-base-plus-slugging against right-handers, he has a .929 OPS against them through 26 games. Goldschmidt is not sure how to explain the improvement, saying he doesn’t feel like he’s made any major changes. But he does acknowledge that experience could be a factor. “I think it definitely helps,” he said. “The more experience and the more you see guys, even if it’s just one or two ABs off of a reliever or starters in our division, I think it helps. But I don’t know how much.” While it’s early, there are some very good indicators deep within Goldschmidt’s numbers. The easiest to digest is his O-Swing percentage, which uses pitch data to show how often a hitter swings at pitches outside the strike zone. According to FanGraphs, Goldschmidt has gone from swinging at about 28-29 percent of those pitches in 2011 and 2012 to just 22.9 percent this season. “If you’re swinging at the right pitches, that’s the way you’re going to give yourself the best chance to succeed,” Goldschmidt said. “You always try to do that. There’s going to be a time when I’m not hitting very well and probably the majority of the reason will be that I’m swinging at pitches out of the zone.” After looking more closely at Goldschmidt’s first month of the season, FanGraphs analyst Eno Sarris came away encouraged. “He’s smoking line drives from the right side — 31 percent, probably not sustainable — but I like what he’s doing with his decision to swing,” Sarris wrote in an e-mail. “Swing percentages in general stabilize very early, so this could be real.” Sarris sent along a heat map that shows which pitches Goldschmidt has been better at laying off compared to previous seasons. When facing right-handers, Goldschmidt has been taking more pitches off the outside part of the plate and more that are just below the strike zone. Whatever the specific areas of improvement, people with the Diamondbacks have ceased to be surprised by anything Goldschmidt does. “It’s just the work ethic and the time he puts in,” assistant hitting coach Turner Ward said. “This game is always about adjustments. He wants to be the best at what he’s doing. It’s not easy doing it day in and day out, grinding it out and staying consistent, but that’s what he does. Good day, bad day, that’s just kind of who he is.” Lately, there have been a lot of good days, even if Goldschmidt has been understandably r0eluctant to talk much about them.

Kirk Gibson’s tough decisions; J.J. Putz’s status; farm report; & other stuff By Nick Piecoro / The Arizona Republic http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/nickpiecoro/2013/05/01/kirk-gibsons-tough-decisions-putzs-status-farm-report-other-stuff/ Kirk Gibson got a lot of credit when things went right for him two years ago, winning the manager of the year award after a season in which all of the buttons he pushed seemed to produce positive results. Perhaps that means he deserves some blame for the past two nights, when his button-pushing led to disastrous results against the San Francisco Giants. He stuck with reliever Brad Ziegler in the eighth inning on Monday night only to see Ziegler allow the go-ahead single. And then on Tuesday night, he lifted Trevor Cahill in favor of J.J. Putz only to watch

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Putz hang a splitter and Pablo Sandoval destroy it for a go-ahead, two-run home run. Both decisions were far from no-brainers. If it were me standing at the top step of the dugout, I probably would have handled both situations differently. I’d have probably gone to a left-hander more quickly on Monday night as Ziegler’s command deserted him. And I’d have probably stuck with Cahill a little longer on Tuesday night. But there are arguments the other way in both cases, and they only illustrate the difficulty of Gibson’s job. On Monday night, he was playing with a short deck, as some of his relievers were unavailable. Gibson was trying to manage for the long run, trying to avoid using any more pitchers than necessary.* (*I’d give you more specific examples, but this was a case of Gibson’s guardedness not helping his cause. After the game, he wouldn’t say who was unavailable, nor would he say how many of his pitchers he was trying to avoid using. Reporters usually ask such questions not to be contradictory or to second-guess but rather to give the manager a chance to explain his strategy, to give us a frame of reference when writing/telling our stories. And besides, if he was trying to, say, give David Hernandez a day off, what’s the big deal in admitting it after the game? He didn’t use him anyway.) On Tuesday, after Josh Wilson’s solo homer in the bottom of the eighth, Gibson allowed Cahill to hit for himself and then sent him back out in the top of the ninth. But after six pitches and a single to Angel Pagan, Cahill was gone. Gibson has never seemed to have much faith in Cahill late in games, plus he was about to face the heart of the Giants order for the fourth time in the game. Gibson cited a few reasons for the move: 1) His faith in Putz; 2) How Cahill looked against Pagan (i.e., three pitches in the dirt followed by a high sinker that went for a hit); 3) And not wanting Cahill to get tagged with the loss. To an extent you can understand all of those reasons. But you could also argue them all. 1) Putz hasn’t looked very good lately, and even his save on Sunday against the Rockies was a little shaky. 2) Cahill didn’t look very good in walking Buster Posey to lead off the seventh inning, but he had no trouble getting out of that jam, striking out Hunter Pence before getting Gregor Blanco to bounce into a double play. And besides, Cahill’s pitch count was only at 88. Why not see if Cahill couldn’t have gotten another double-play ball? 3) Who cares if Cahill gets charged with the loss? If he’s the best pitcher for the situation, shouldn’t you stick with him? Does he really feel so much better about things as it turned out, with the team losing the game? Again: From my vantage point, knowing what I know, I’d have gone the other way both nights. But they didn’t seem like easy calls to me, at least not as easy as some seemed to think, judging by the outrage I saw on my Twitter feed. ***

Gibson avoided the question of the team will do with Putz after Tuesday night’s game, but you have to imagine it’s a situation the Diamondbacks are mulling over. As it was early last season, Putz’s velocity has been down, and he’s been making mistakes with his best off-speed pitch, his splitter. He hung splits against Francisco Cervelli, Brandon Belt and Sandoval and they all wound up going for home runs. Putz said after that it seems like every time he makes a mistake with the pitch it winds up getting hit. He’s given up three home runs already; he allowed four homers in each of the past three seasons. He’s also walking more guys. He’s already issued seven free passes after walking only 11 all of last season. There were times early last season when Putz didn’t look very good, either, but the Diamondbacks stuck with him and wound up getting five dominant months from him. We’ll see what they end up doing. But the bullpen as a whole, despite the painful blown leads of the past week or two, has actually been very good. Or, at least, very good at times. Entering Tuesday night, the relievers had the fifth-best ERA in the majors yet Tuesday night’s blown save was the team’s major league-leading ninth. *** Farm report Triple-A Reno: LHP Tyler Skaggs gave up eight runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to Las Vegas on Monday night. In five starts, he’s allowed 22 runs (18 earned) in 26 1/3 innings, which comes out to a 6.15 ERA. The PCL is not an easy place to earn a living if you’re a pitcher, although let’s not forget Skaggs did have success there last season. Double-A Mobile: RHP Bradin Hagens isn’t missing a ton of bats this season, but he’s been getting ground balls and getting guys out, something he did again on Monday night. He allowed just one run in seven innings in a win over Jacksonville. Hagens got 12 ground ball outs on Monday. He recorded 11 ground outs on April 7, nine on April 14 and 13 on April 24, and he has a 1.92 ground ball/fly ball ratio. High-A Visalia: Off. Low-A South Bend: 2B Fidel Pena had two hits – his first homer and his fifth double – as the Silver Hawks overcame a short outing from LHP Cody Wheeler. *** Tom Verducci doesn’t like the patience of the modern hitter. *** Marc Normandin with some GIF-related pie coverage. *** Jeff Mangum is getting the band back together. *** Here’s Todd VanDerWerff’s write up of the latest episode of Mad Men.

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*** This is Put Me To Work by PAPA, in a Wilcox Sessions performance.

D-backs' blown save count hits 10 in loss to Giants By Jack Magruder / FOXSportsArizona.com http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/D-backs-blown-save-count-hits-10-in-loss?blockID=898075&feedID=3563 PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks spent the offseason fortifying their bullpen, which has made its early struggles even more mystifying. The D-backs suffered their major league-high 10th failed save conversion when closer J.J. Putz gave up a two-run home run to Pablo Sandoval for a 2-1 San Francisco victory at Chase Field on Tuesday. Sandoval hit a split-finger pitch that stayed up in the strike zone, a pitch that Putz has had trouble throwing where he's wanted this season. But it's the same pitch he got Troy Tulowitzki with for the final out in victory over Colorado on Saturday, and set up Carlos Gonzalez for an out-of-the strike zone fastball for the final out against the Rockies on Sunday. This time it stayed thigh-high. “It just seems like every time I leave one of those up, it’s getting crushed right now. It’s very frustrating. The one that Pablo hit just didn’t come out of my hand,” Putz said. Putz has five saves and four failed chances, and he has given up ninth-inning home runs to the Giants twice in the last eight days. The first was to Brandon Belt as a pinch-homer on April 23 to tie the game at 4. The D-backs rallied to win that one, 6-4. This time Sergio Romo pitched a 1-2-3 10th inning for his 10th save, tied for the National League lead. Putz was asked if his confidence was shaken. “I don’t think so,” he said. “That’s pretty much how the split is. If it doesn’t come out your hand right, that is pretty much what is going to happen.” The bullpen woes have not been solely Putz’s. David Hernandez failed to convert save opportunities twice in San Francisco last week. The most effective reliever this season has been left-hander Matt Reynolds, who has not allowed a run in 13 innings and converted two saves in San Francisco, the first two late-inning save chances of his career. But if role changes in the bullpen, even temporary, are to be considered, it will not be in the heat of a defeat, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. “Not right now. We just lost a game. I’m not thinking of that right now,” Gibson said. “(Putz) feels as bad as anybody. I’m aware of the (10 blown) saves. Given that, we’ve battled back pretty good.” Sandoval’s home run, his fourth of the season and the sixth in his career at Chase Field, trumped Trevor Cahill’s most efficient outing of the season, a game in which the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner was almost equally as effective. Cahill gave up three singles and threw only 82 pitches in eight shutout innings, striking out five. He left after Angel Pagan opened the ninth inning with a single to right field.

The D-backs led 1-0 on Josh Wilson’s first homer of the season in the eighth, and Gibson went to Putz, who had two saves and a victory in three appearances in the recent four-game series against Colorado. The fact that Cahill threw several pitches to the backstop while warming up for the ninth also played into the decision, Gibson said. “I didn’t want (Cahill) to get the loss, so I took him out and went to our closer,” Gibson said. “It’s a no-brainer. That’s a pretty good lineup you are facing there. You are in the middle of their lineup. You can’t change their lineup. And Sandoval is a pretty good hitter. You can’t make mistakes like that to him, and we did, and he hit it out of the ballpark. I had confidence in my closer. It didn’t work out tonight. In general, that’s the way it is going to play out. You have a closer, you are going to go to him.” Cahill was the first player to give Putz a pat on the back as he returned to the D-backs’ dugout later in the ninth inning. “He’s going to close it out more times than not," Cahill said. "The same situation next time, I’ll give him the ball and I’m sure he’ll shut it down." Putz was the first player available after the game. “It’s a shame that he (Cahill) didn’t get a better outcome. He pitched his tail off tonight,” Putz said. DID YOU NOTICE? Cliff Pennington snuffed out the Giants’ only run-scoring opportunity in first eight innings when he dove to his right to grab Hunter Pence’s one-hop grounder with runners on first and second and turned into into a force play at second for the second out of the fourth inning. Pennington has made all the plays this year. STAT OF THE GAME 95 -- at-bats between Josh Wilson home runs, whose previous one before last night came on June 5, 2011, while with Milwaukee. TAKEAWAYS --Trevor Cahill credited his most efficient outing of the spring to a here-it-comes approach, saying, “I was going to throw strikes, and if they hit me, they hit me. That was the attitude going in.” He gave up only four singles and walked one, and had only three three-ball counts in 88 pitches. --Didi Gregorius was back on the field for pregame work Tuesday after passing all the tests necessary for medical clearance. It is unclear if the Gregorius, who was hit in the right temple by a pitch Friday, will return when eligible Saturday, but it was a positive sign. --The Giants are starting Tim Lincecum today, so you can pencil Paul Goldschmidt into your lineup. Goldschmidt is 8 for 14 with five home runs and 10 RBI against Lincecum in his career. The two did not meet in the D-back’s series at AT&T Park last week. --Pablo Sandoval cannot get enough of Chase Field, and his two-run, game-deciding home run Tuesday was the just the latest blow. He is hitting .357 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 140 career at-bats at Chase Field. LAST CALL The D-backs signed long-time major league outfielder Juan Rivera to a minor-league contract, and he'll spend the next 7-10 days in the

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extended spring training program. Rivera hit .244 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 109 games last year with the Dodgers, when he made the majority of his starts at first base. He was added as minor-league depth.

Sandoval sinks D-backs with 9th-inning homer off Putz By Associated Press / FOXSportsArizona.com http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/Sandoval-sinks-D-backs-with-9th-inning-h?blockID=898037&feedID=3563 PHOENIX -- A sore elbow couldn't slow Pablo Sandoval. The San Francisco third baseman hit a two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth inning and the Giants rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Tuesday night. Sandoval was taken out of the Giants' win Monday by manager Bruce Bochy after hitting a tying RBI single in the fifth inning because of discomfort in his right elbow. After Tuesday's game, his right arm was wrapped in ice from his forearm to shoulder, but the pain couldn't erase his wide smile. "I don't want to come out of the game," Sandoval said. "But he made a good point and said, `I'd rather lose you for two at-bats than for three weeks.' "Today, I came out and felt good, less pain. I told Bochy I want to play. I don't want to come out. I just want to play." Sandoval also singled in the fourth against Arizona starter Trevor Cahill and is 11 for 17 in his past four games. "He's swinging good," Bochy said. "When you get a good hitter like that in the zone, it's fun to watch. We weren't sure he was going to play, but he shows up, says he fine, and ends up swinging the bat well." Cahill left after allowing a leadoff single to Angel Pagan, the Giants' fourth hit against the right-hander. J.J. Putz (2-1) came on for Arizona and struck out Marco Scutaro, and quickly went ahead 0-1 on Sandoval. But Sandoval drove Putz's next pitch, a hanging split-finger fastball, deep into the right-field stands to give the Giants the lead and hand the struggling Diamondbacks closer his fourth blown save in nine chances. "It seems like every time I leave one of those up it's getting crushed right now," Putz said. "It's frustrating. I made some pretty good pitches on Scutaro, some good pitches on (Buster) Posey (following Sandoval). The one to Sandoval just didn't come out of my hand right." It was San Francisco's second straight come-from-behind victory, rallying for a 6-4 win in the series opener Monday. Sandy Rosario (1-0) recorded the last out of the eighth inning for his first career win, and Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his 10th save. Josh Wilson had given the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead with a home run in the bottom of the eighth off Santiago Casilla, who had come on after Madison Bumgarner threw seven scoreless innings. It was Wilson's first homer since June 25, 2011, for Milwaukee at Florida. The late-inning power display was in sharp contrast to the game's first 7 1/2 innings. Bumgarner allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two before giving way for a pinch hitter when his spot in the lineup came up in the eighth. Cahill's line to that point was slightly better, with five strikeouts to go with the three hits and one walk through eight innings. "I figured he would leave me in until I got somebody on," Cahill said. "It's real frustrating when it is so close and you can't finish it out. You're

going to kick yourself even more than if you only went three and gave up 10 runs. It's a bad feeling." Only two players had reached base during the game for either side, both in the fourth. Scutaro singled to lead off the inning for the Giants and went to third on a single and fielder's choice, while Martin Prado singled to start the bottom of the inning and advanced on a two-out single. The pitchers' duel was nothing new for Cahill, who has pitched in only one game decided by more than two runs so far. In his last four starts, both teams have combined for an average of 4.0 runs per game, including a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles on April 14 in which Cahill earned a no-decision after trading zeroes with Josh Beckett for 7 1/3 innings. Over his past two starts, Cahill has allowed two runs - one earned - on eight hits over 13 innings. "I didn't want him to take the loss," said Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. "I had confidence in my closer and it didn't work out." Bumgarner struck out two, threw 62 of 102 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.55. He became the first Giants pitcher with at least six starts of two or fewer runs since Kevin Correia went seven such outings in 2007. "It's probably been a little bit of everything," Bumgarner said. "The command's been there, the mechanics have been good and I've felt the same pretty much every time out. I think if you're feeling good and your mechanics are going good it doesn't matter if you have to sit down for a long inning or get up and down so much." NOTES: Arizona SS Didi Gregorius, who was hit in the head by a pitch from Colorado's Josh Outman on Friday and subsequently placed on the 7-day concussion list Sunday, passed all concussion exams Tuesday and was cleared to resume baseball activity. The rookie had appeared in seven games, going 11 for 27 with a pair of home runs. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Scutaro will be given the day off Wednesday ahead of San Francisco's scheduled off day Thursday. ... Arizona signed OF Juan Rivera to a minor league contract. Rivera had been with the New York Yankees in spring training on a minor league deal after hitting .244 with nine homers and 47 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. ... The Diamondbacks traded minor league IF Mark Teahan to Cincinnati for a player to be named later. ... Giants LHP Jeremy Affeldt, eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, is scheduled to throw either during an extended spring game or for Class A San Jose and be reinstated Friday. ... Arizona RHP Brandon McCarthy will seek his first win with the Diamondbacks when he faces RHP Tim Lincecum and the Giants in the series finale Wednesday. Lincecum is 7-8 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 career starts against Arizona, but has lost his last six against the Diamondbacks dating to Sept. 29, 2010.

McCarthy's has deserved better, metric suggests By Jack Magruder / FOXSportsArizona.com http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/McCarthys-has-deserved-better-metric-sug?blockID=897947&feedID=3563 PHOENIX -- Analytics helped Brandon McCarthy redefine his pitching style three years ago. Now they are keeping him sane. McCarthy believes, and the Diamondbacks concur, that he is throwing the ball much better than the 0-3 record and 7.48 ERA that he will bring into Wednesday’s start against San Francisco indicates. He just might be right. The new math is on his side.

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In McCarthy’s first five starts, opponents have a .396 batting average against him on balls that have been put in play. The acronym is BABIP. That number is the batting average on opponents’ at-bats that do not result in a strikeout or a home run; that is, balls on which the defense can make a play (except for a sacrifice fly). His BABIP is abnormally, irrationally and ridiculously high, more than 100 percentage points higher than his career average of .288, which also is about major league average. A statistician would believe a regression to the mean is inevitable. It is, well, crazy. “I don’t know what’s happening," McCarthy said. "Everything is just kind of out of everybody’s reach. It is just all kind of rolling through.” McCarthy said. The D-backs have seen the same thing. “It’s not like he sore, he’s hurt, he’s mechanically screwed up, or he can’t throw the ball where he wants to throw the ball," manager Kirk Gibson said. "It’s none of that. He’s thrown the ball well. It hasn’t gone our way. We’ve very comfortable with where he’s at." “Early in the year, everything gets blown out of proportion,” Paul Goldschmidt said. McCarthy and his wife, Amanda, were on the cover of ESPN’s baseball analytics issue in the spring of 2012, and McCarthy is a strong believer that the new numbers contribute to a more accurate reflection of how a pitcher’s effort. More and more baseball people are beginning to accept, if not rely on, the validity of the higher math. McCarthy’s last start was an indicator of how thin the line is. McCarthy gave up five runs in six innings, with Carlos Gonzalez’s flared single to left field contributing to a two-run first inning. A seeing-eye single to right field and a Dexter Fowler bunt single set up a three-run Rockies’ fifth inning, capped by a bases-loaded double by Troy Tulowitzki. McCarthy struck out seven and did not walk a batter with a fastball that touched 94 mph. The Tulowitzki pitch, a cut fastball that caught a lot of the plate, simply “sucked,” he said later. As for some of the others ... “I’ve never been through a stretch like it," he said. "I’m not one to sits around and feels sorry for myself. But it gets to the point where, when is the ball going to go to somebody?” Not that McCarthy, who has given up 45 hits and 23 earned runs, is making any excuses. “I try to be fair and honest with myself, good and bad," he said. "There have been a few outings this year where I’ve thrown much better than the results have shown. Then there are some when I haven’t thrown as well, and those are the ones you feel you should be punished for." That the BABIP is so uncharacteristically high is no solace, he said, "but it’s something. “I’m not making changes. I’m not doing anything drastic. It’s just of go about my routine and hope things turn back in my direction.”

1 on 1 with Cody Ross By FOXSportsArizona.com

http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/story/1-on-1-with-Cody-Ross?blockID=897897&feedID=3607 (Video embedded on web page) Ross the boss Cindy Brunson talks with D-backs outfielder Cody Ross about winning the 2010 NLCS MVP, why he chose to play with the D-backs and more.

Putz struggles again as D'Backs fall to Giants 2-1 By Associated Press / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1625246/Putz-struggles-again-as-DBacks-fall-to-Giants-21 PHOENIX (AP) - J.J. Putz knew he was in trouble as soon as he let go of the ball. Putz surrendered a two-run homer to Pablo Sandoval with one out in the top of the ninth inning and the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Tuesday night. Putz came on after Trevor Cahill gave up a leadoff single to Angel Pagan, only the fourth hit the right-hander allowed. Putz struck out Scutaro and got ahead of Sandoval with a split-finger fastball before throwing another splitter that stayed over the middle of the plate. "It seems like every time I leave one of those up, it's getting crushed right now," said Putz, who has four blown saves in nine chances. "It's very frustrating. The one to Sandoval just didn't come out of my hand. "That's pretty much how the split is. If it doesn't come out of your hand right, that's pretty much going to happen." Sandoval's home run, his 11th hit in 17 at-bats over his past four games, squandered a stellar outing by Cahill, who finished with one run allowed over eight-plus innings with one walk and five strikeouts. "I figured he would leave me in until I got somebody on," Cahill said. "It's real frustrating when it is so close and you can't finish it out. You're going to kick yourself even more than if you only went three and gave up 10 runs. It's a bad feeling." Sandy Rosario (1-0) recorded the last out of the eighth inning for his first career win, and Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his 10th save. Josh Wilson had given the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead with a home run in the bottom of the eighth off Santiago Casilla, who had come on after Madison Bumgarner threw seven scoreless innings. It was Wilson's first homer since June 25, 2011, for Milwaukee at Florida. The late-inning power display was in sharp contrast to the game's first 7 1/2 innings. Bumgarner allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two before giving way for a pinch-hitter when his spot in the lineup came up in the eighth. Only two players had reached base during the game for either side, both in the fourth. Scutaro singled to lead off the inning for the Giants and went to third on a single and fielder's choice, while Martin Prado singled to start the bottom of the inning and advanced on a two-out single. The pitchers' duel was nothing new for Cahill, who has pitched in only one game decided by more than two runs so far. In his last four starts, both teams have combined for an average of 4.0 runs per game, including a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles on April 14 in which Cahill earned a no-decision after trading zeroes with Josh Beckett for 7 1/3 innings.

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Over his past two starts, Cahill has allowed two runs - one earned - on eight hits over 13 innings. "I didn't want him to take the loss," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "I had confidence in my closer and it didn't work out." Bumgarner struck out two, threw 62 of 102 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.55. He became the first Giants pitcher with at least six starts of two or fewer runs since Kevin Correia went seven such outings in 2007. NOTES: Arizona SS Didi Gregorius, who was hit in the head by a pitch from Colorado's Josh Outman on Friday and subsequently placed on the 7-day concussion list Sunday, passed all concussion exams Tuesday and was cleared to resume baseball activity. The rookie had appeared in seven games, going 11 for 27 with a pair of home runs. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Scutaro will be given the day off Wednesday ahead of San Francisco's scheduled off day Thursday. ... Arizona signed OF Juan Rivera to a minor league contract. Rivera had been with the New York Yankees in spring training on a minor league deal after hitting .244 with nine homers and 47 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. ... The Diamondbacks traded minor league IF Mark Teahan to Cincinnati for a player to be named later. ... Giants LHP Jeremy Affeldt, eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, is scheduled to throw either during an extended spring game or for Class A San Jose and be reinstated Friday. ... Arizona RHP Brandon McCarthy will seek his first win with the Diamondbacks when he faces RHP Tim Lincecum and the Giants in the series finale Wednesday. Lincecum is 7-8 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 career starts against Arizona, but has lost his last six against the Diamondbacks dating to Sept. 29, 2010.

Grit Index: Bullpen lets D-backs, Cahill down in heartbreaking loss By Kyndra de St. Aubin / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631137/Grit-Index-Bullpen-lets-Dbacks-Cahill-down-in-heartbreaking-loss Heading into the ninth inning Tuesday night things looked promising for the Arizona Diamondbacks. They had a 1-0 lead following a Josh Wilson solo shot in the eighth inning and starter Trevor Cahill was cruising. Up to that point the Giants had only been able to record three hits and hadn't found an answer for Cahill. Unfortunately for Cahill and the D-backs, it didn't end well. They suffered a 2-1 loss after closer J.J. Putz came in and couldn't seal the deal. Instead Putz gave up a two-run bomb to Pablo Sandoval to give San Francisco a comeback, series-clinching victory. The D-backs bullpen has now given up eleven home runs this season. Through seven it was a battle between the starting pitchers -- Cahill and the Giants' Madison Bumgarner. Neither one wanted to give in so ultimately it was up to the relievers to get the job done. For the D-backs, second baseman Josh Wilson snapped the scoreless tie with a solo shot in the eighth inning against Santiago Casilla. Casilla relieved Bumgarner (102 pitches) after seven innings. On the night, Bumgarner gave up just no runs on three hits, while walking one and striking out one. The 32-year-old Wilson had not hit a home run since June 5, 2011 against the Florida Marlins -- a span of 95 at-bats between home runs. He took a 1-2 pitch deep into left field to give the D-backs their lone run of the game. As for Arizona's starter, Cahill pitched a gem. He had his longest outing of the year, going eight-plus innings. The Good:

Starter Trevor Cahill was in a groove Tuesdsay and seemed to find his zone early. He's struggled with walks with 12 on the season heading into Tuesday night's contest, but he was in control against the Giants. Cahill threw eight-plus innings, allowed one earned run with one walk and five strikeouts before being taken out in the ninth. At the time he was replaced, Cahill had thrown just 88 pitches, 61 of which were strikes. The Bad: Closer J.J. Putz has four blown saves already in 2013. He had five blown saves in all of 2012 and four in 2011. The D-backs bullpen as a whole has nine blown saves in 2013. Noted: • The D-backs have a pension for close games this season with 20 of their 27 games being decided by two runs or less and 10 of their last 11 losses have been by one or two runs. He Said It: "We thought about it but we made the decision. In general that's the way it's going to play out. You got a closer, you're going to go to him and you expect him to do his job." -- Manager Kirk Gibson on whether he considered leaving Trevor Cahill in the game for the ninth because he had thrown only 88 pitches. Up Next: The D-backs play the finale of this series with the Giants on Wednesday at Chase Field. Right-hander Brandon McCarthy will try for his first win of the season, as he's currently 0-3 with a 7.48 ERA. McCarthy is making his sixth start of 2013 and suffered a 6-3 loss in his last outing on April 26 against the Rockies. He's also winless in his last six starts, dating back to his time with the Oakland Athletics in 2012. Opposing McCarthy will be Tim Lincecum for San Francisco. This will be Lincecum's 22nd career start against Arizona, and he's 7-8 lifetime against the D-backs with a 3.44 ERA. He has however lost six straight against Arizona with his last win coming in September 2010. First pitch Wednesday is set for 6:40 p.m. on Arizona Sports 620.

Sandoval's 2-run HR leads Giants past D'Backs 2-1 By Associated Press / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1630807/Sandovals-2run-HR-leads-Giants-past-DBacks-21 PHOENIX (AP) - Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth inning and the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Tuesday night. Arizona starter Trevor Cahill left after allowing a leadoff single to Angel Pagan, the Giants' fourth hit against the right-hander. J.J. Putz (2-1) came on for Arizona and struck out Marco Scutaro, and quickly went ahead 0-1 on Sandoval. But Sandoval drove Putz's next pitch, a hanging split-finger fastball, deep into the right-field stands to give Giants the lead and hand the struggling Diamondbacks closer his fourth blown save in nine chances. Sandoval left Monday's game with discomfort in his right elbow after hitting an RBI single in the fifth inning, but was back in the starting lineup. It was San Francisco's second straight come-from-behind victory, rallying for a 6-4 win in the series opener Monday.

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Sandy Rosario (1-0) recorded the last out of the eighth inning for his first career win, and Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his 10th save. Josh Wilson had given the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead with a home run in the bottom of the eighth off Santiago Casilla, who had come on after Madison Bumgarner threw seven scoreless innings. It was Wilson's first homer since June 25, 2011, for Milwaukee at Florida. The late-inning power display was in sharp contrast to the game's first 7 1/2 innings. Bumgarner allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two before giving way for a pinch-hitter when his spot in the lineup came up in the eighth. Cahill's line to that point was slightly better, with five strikeouts to go with the three hits and one walk through eight innings. Only two players had reached base during the game for either side, both in the fourth. Scutaro singled to lead off the inning for the Giants and went to third on a single and fielder's choice, while Martin Prado singled to start the bottom of the inning and advanced on a two-out single. The pitchers' duel was nothing new for Cahill, who has pitched in only one game decided by more than two runs so far. In his last four starts, both teams have combined for an average of 4.0 runs per game, including a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles on April 14 in which Cahill earned a no-decision after trading zeroes with Josh Beckett for 7 1/3 innings. Over his past two starts, Cahill has allowed two runs- one earned- on eight hits over 13 innings. Bumgarner struck out two, threw 62 of 102 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 1.55. He became the first Giants pitcher with at least six starts of two or fewer runs since Kevin Correia went seven such outings in 2007. NOTES: Arizona SS Didi Gregorius, who was hit in the head by a pitch from Colorado's Josh Outman on Friday and subsequently placed on the 7-day concussion list Sunday, passed all concussion exams Tuesday and was cleared to resume baseball activity. The rookie had appeared in seven games, going 11 for 27 with a pair of home runs. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Scutaro will be given the day off Wednesday ahead of San Francisco's scheduled off day Thursday. ... Arizona signed OF Juan Rivera to a minor league contract. Rivera had been with the New York Yankees in spring training on a minor league deal after hitting .244 with nine homers and 47 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. ... The Diamondbacks traded minor league IF Mark Teahan to Cincinnati for a player to be named later. ... Giants LHP Jeremy Affeldt, eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, is scheduled to throw either during an extended spring game or for Class A San Jose and be reinstated Friday. ... Arizona RHP Brandon McCarthy will seek his first win with the Diamondbacks when he faces RHP Tim Lincecum and the Giants in the series finale Wednesday. Lincecum is 7-8 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 career starts against Arizona, but has lost his last six against the Diamondbacks dating to Sept. 29, 2010.

D-backs shortstop Didi Gregorius cleared for baseball activity By Kyndra de St. Aubin / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631117/Dbacks-shortstop-Didi-Gregorius-cleared-for-baseball-activity Shortstop Didi Gregorius is still sidelined on the seven-day concussion disabled list, but he's steadily making progress. On Tuesday, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said he's been cleared for activity. "He'll work out today," Gibson said. "He'll be out there, take ground balls, and he'll swing. He'll do everything today except play in the game."

Gregorius was put on the DL with a mild concussion on April 28, retroactive to April 27. He was struck in the head by a 93 MPH fastball from Rockies pitcher Josh Outman on April 26. "Everything that is required and mandated by the team, they follow. You can rest assured our training staff is as good as anybody out there," said Gibson when asked about the timeline. "If he's doing what he's doing, obviously he's passed everything he needs to pass. "As far as I know, today is the first day he's cleared to do all the activities on the field besides play." The 23-year-old initially suffered a contusion to his right temple. At the time of his injury, Gregorius was hitting .407 in 30 plate appearances with the D-backs. Aaron Hill not close Gibson also gave an injury update on veteran infielder Aaron Hill. He's progressing but won't be coming back any time soon. "This week he saw the doctor and they left him in a splint. Next up for him, I think in another week he'll go back. They did some strength tests and stuff," said Gibson Tuesday. "Next he'll start doing more exercises and stuff like that. I think they look to see how much the bone is regenerating. He's not there yet." Hill was put on the 15-day DL with a broken hand on April 15. He suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch on April 9 against Pittsburgh.

D-backs' Martin Prado working hard to get on track By Vince Marotta / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631044/Dbacks-Martin-Prado-working-hard-to-get-on-track It's hard to read or watch anything baseball-related these days without seeing something about Justin Upton's remarkable April. The former D-backs outfielder has clubbed 12 home runs in his first month as an Atlanta Brave, three more than anyone else in the big leagues. He's one of the main reasons that the Braves are 16-9 -- the best record in the National League. The Diamondbacks got a lot in return in that January trade, yet the only player involved that's currently in the Major Leagues is struggling. Martin Prado is still getting his feet wet in Arizona, but hasn't produced at the level many expected of him when the deal was made. Entering Tuesday night's game against San Francisco, Prado is hitting just .216 and has an on-base percentage of .267. But manager Kirk Gibson thinks the veteran is on the verge of turning things around. "I think it's less mechanical and probably a little more of him pressing," Gibson told Burns & Gambo Tuesday on Arizona Sports 620. "I know he's going to come out of it and the impressive thing is he's went through this little situation here, he's been one of the better teammates you could ever have on your team. "He doesn't pout, his attitude is great, he's never out of the game, you don't see him walk down to the end of the bench and put his head down -- he's right there where everybody goes out, he's engaged, he's talking, he'll play any position and plays them well, he runs hard on the bases. We won the game the other night and (he was) the first guy on the field on the walk-off. He's been great."

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On the subject of Prado pressing, Gibson doesn't think Upton's Herculean start has anything to do with it. "I don't. I think it wouldn't matter who he got traded for. I think he's a perfectionist, he wants to do well, he has high expectations," he said. "He puts a lot of pressure on himself, that's just the way he is." After sitting out Sunday's series finale against Colorado, Prado was back in the lineup Monday night, going 2-for-5 with a solo home run against the Giants. He had been 1-for -18 (.056) in his previous four contests. According to Gibson, Prado has been working overtime in the cages trying to correct his issues at the plate. "He wants to work his way out of it and I did talk to him about it -- I thought that he needed to cut his work load in half," the skipper said. "I just think that's his demeanor, his nature and I can understand it, I was similar. "In many cases, you try harder, but sometimes less is more."

Cahill effective, but Giants win on Sandoval's blast By Mark Brown / The Examiner http://www.examiner.com/article/cahill-effective-but-giants-win-on-sandoval-s-blast After a marginal month of April, Diamondbacks right-hander Trevor Cahill turned in a stellar performance Tuesday night. That's the eforrt management expected, and finally received. Good for Cahill, not so good for the Diamondbacks. That’s because closer J. J. Putz failed to live up to his moniker as closer. Putz suffered his fourth blown save of the season, and the Diamondbacks’ ninth as a team, when Pablo Sandoval smoked an 0-1 Putz delivery into the right field bleachers with one out in the ninth inning to give the visiting San Francisco Giants a 2-1 win over the D-backs before 20,319 Tuesday night in Chase Field. Second baseman Josh Wilson snapped a scoreless tie in the eighth with his first home run of the season, and Cahill went out in the ninth to preserve the win. That valiant effect lasted all of one batter in the ninth. That’s when Cahill made a critical mistake by getting a change up in the strike zone and Angel Pagan laced a lead-off single to right. D-backs manager Kirk Gibson immediately pulled Cahill and insert Putz. After striking out Marco Scutaro, Sandoval lifted a Putz splitter, which did not drop, into the right field stands, and that powered the Giants to their second win as many nights in the desert. “I’ve been leaving too many splitters up lately, and they’re getting crushed,” Putz said. “It’s frustrating. Right now, the ball is not coming out of my hand they way I want.” Putz’s side-show clearly overshadowed Cahill’s best effort of the season. Pitching into the ninth, the 25 old right-hander limited the Giants to four hits and none between a single from Sandoval in the fourth and Pagan’s lead-off single in the ninth. In between, his signature sinker was effective, and overall, Cahill permitted only four fly balls to the outfield for the eight plus innings he worked. “I was getting the first pitch in for a strike and that was huge,” he said. “I felt I made my pitches and it’s frustrating to get so close. I was trying to throw strikes and felt confident.”

Coming into his latest start Tuesday night, Cahill was as ineffective in the regular season as he was impressive against the Giants. Cahill was 1-3, one no-decision and in his last start against the Rockies, Cahill lasted only five innings and threw 105 pitches. For one night in late April, things turned dramatically. “I threw everything down in the (strike) zone,” Cahill added. “I trusted myself, and didn’t try to do too much.” Against the Giants Tuesday night, Cahill was in total control and threw only 82 pitches through eighth innings. After surrendering the single to Pagan, Gibson said he had no hesitation to lift Cahill. Though the pitch count was low, that factor did not appear to influence Gibson’s choice to waive for Putz. For the game, Cahill ended with 88 pitches, his lowest total of the season. “I didn’t want (Cahill) to get the loss,” Gibson explained. “I have full confidence in (Putz), but it didn’t work out. You expect the closer to come in and do his job, but it didn’t work out. Wilson’s home run gave Cahill a slim margin at 1-0, but Gibson reliance on Putz prevented any chance for a complete game. For Wilson, who is filling at second until Aaron Hill comes off the disabled list, slammed his first home run since June 5, 2011 against the Marlins while a member of the Brewers. COMING UP … The Giants series concludes Wednesday night (6:40 p.m.) when Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 7.48 ERA) opposes the Giants’ two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (2-1, 3.64 ERA). Then, it’s a six game road trip with three in San Diego this weekend and three with the Dodgers in Los Angeles The Diamondbacks return to Chase Field May 9 with four with the Phillies and three with Justin Upon and the Atlanta Braves.

Dbacks overcome injuries, inconsistencies to post winning April By Eric Sorenson / Pros2Preps.com http://www.pros2preps.com/2013/04/dbacks-overcome-injuries-inconsistencies-to-post-winning-april/ After back-to-back last-place finishes in the National League West the Arizona Diamondbacks were in dire need of a makeover last winter. They traded away two-thirds of their starting 2012 outfield, added depth to their bench and bullpen and re-tooled the overall look of their lineup. The early results have been positive as the Snakes posted a winning record in April (15-12) even with key players (Martin Prado, Miguel Montero) struggling offensively and the bullpen blowing a handful of late-inning leads (nine blown saves entering Thursday’s game). Furthering issues have been key injuries to Adam Eaton, Cody Ross, Didi Gregorius, Willie Bloomquist, Aaron Hill and others. “The supposed strength which was the bullpen has certainly not delivered,” ESPN baseball insider Pedro Gomez explained to Brad Cesmat in a recent interview on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “That is cause for alarm because bullpens can absolutely crush a season…after awhile it does break your spirit.” In many instances Arizona has been able to overcome their late-inning deficiencies but the giant elephant in the corner of the room is still there.

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“They’ve thrown a lot,” manager Kirk Gibson said describing his fatigued bullpen. “Even beyond today and tomorrow…they’ve thrown a lot of innings.” Two key reasons for the early season success have been young starters Wade Miley and lefty Patrick Corbin who have combined to go 5-0 in 10 starts. That win total could easily be higher if not for some untimely bullpen collapses. The duo has picked up the slack for Brandon McCarthy and Ian Kennedy who have struggled. “Miley is proving last year was no rookie fluke,” Gomez said. “I think Miley and Corbin…they seem like they’ve figured it out. They seem like they’re very consistent. There’s a lot of confidence when they take the mound.” The Diamondbacks have relied on their fielding (best in baseball) and pitching (tied for seventh best team ERA) to set a solid foundation through the first month of season. With that being said quite a bit can change over the course of the summer as the Dbacks have seen the past couple years. Here’s hoping recent history doesn’t repeat itself.

Mark Grace 'model inmate' during DUI jail sentence By Shawna O'Reilly / The Examiner http://www.examiner.com/article/mark-grace-model-inmate-during-dui-jail-sentence Former MLB All-Star and television broadcaster Mark Grace is serving a jail sentence for a driving under the influence conviction. He is reportedly a "model inmate" who is following all of the rules, reported CBS Chicago on April 30. Grace is serving a four-month jail sentence in Arizona. Grace spent 16 years in the big leagues, playing for both the Chicago Cubs and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was known for his power hitting skills. Grace retired from baseball in 2003. He was a broadcaster for the Diamondbacks, but was fired from that role after his DUI arrest. The terms of Grace's four-month sentence allow him to be at work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. He is spending his time as a minor league hitting instructor for the Diamondbacks, where he works with baseball prospects. He is said to be a well-behaved inmate who volunteers for extra duties, including clean-up.

Kirk Gibson not ready to tinker with D-backs' bullpen By Kyndra de St. Aubin / ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1631224/Gibson-not-ready-to-tinker-with-bullpen The Arizona Diamondbacks' bullpen was supposed to be one of the strengths of the team in the 2013 season. Instead, D-backs relievers have combined to blow nine saves in the first month of the campaign. The latest missed opportunity to close out a game came Tuesday when Arizona took a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning. Starter Trevor Cahill pitched a gem, going eight innings plus one batter in the ninth before manager Kirk Gibson opted to go to closer J.J. Putz with a runner on first and nobody out. Putz gave up a two-run blast to Pablo Sandoval that gave the Giants the lead for good. After the game, Gibson was asked why he made the switch from Cahill to Putz in the ninth when his starter had thrown just 88 pitches. "He (Cahill) threw three to the backstop and I didn't want him to get the loss so I took him out and went to our closer. It's a no-brainer," Gibson said. "It's a pretty good lineup you're facing there, we can't

change their lineup. Sandoval is a very good hitter. You can't make mistakes like that and we did and he hit it out of the ballpark." The D-backs bullpen has not only blown nine saves but also allowed eleven home runs. In fairness, Arizona relievers have worked 87.2 innings through the first month -- in the top ten in the Majors. With the number of blown saves accumulating, Gibson was asked if he's already considering making a change to his bullpen lineup. "Not right now, we just lost a game so we're not thinking about that right now. He (Putz) feels as bad as anybody," said the skipper. "I'm aware of the nine saves but given that, we've battled back pretty good, I actually thought we'd come back and win that game or at least tie it up and win it later." Putz has four blown saves in April. He had five blown saves all of 2012 and four in 2011. Gibson always defends and supports his players publicly. Some of that probably comes from being a former player himself. Tuesday night was no different when it came to Putz. "I had confidence in my closer there and it didn't work out tonight." .

RHAM's A.J. Pollock Finding A Home In The Major Leagues With D'Backs By The Courant http://articles.courant.com/2013-04-17/sports/hc-aj-pollock-0418-20130417_1_yankees-mariano-rivera-wednesday-night NEW YORK — Getting from Marlborough, Conn., to the major leagues was difficult enough. The next step was for A.J. Pollock to prove, to himself, that he belongs there. "Where I've improved most is in my mind-set," said Pollock, an Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder and RHAM High alum, before playing against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. "You can get discouraged. Something doesn't go your way, you can have a good plan and it just doesn't work out, you can start doubting yourself, especially when you're facing guys like Mariano Rivera, who have been in the league for a lot of years. But what I'm doing that's right — this year, I'm more sold on it." He had never been to Yankee Stadium, old or new, before suiting up for Arizona on Tuesday night, and he hit ringing doubles his first two times up. He struck out his last time up against Rivera, the legendary Yankees closer's 1,122th strikeout victim. Pollock, a right-handed hitter, was back in the lineup against the Yankees' top pitcher, CC Sabathia, on Wednesday night, and he led off the game with pop-fly double. He added a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, and ended the night — a 4-3 Yankees win — going 1-for-3. "You walk in, your name is on the lineup card, you're in there to play," Pollock said. "You're in there to help the team win. That's the only way to go about it. Baseball is such a day-to-day kind of sport, anyway. You don't have this massive one week buildup to a game, you're playing every day. If you're not taking it day by day, you're lost." Pollock, who played soccer and basketball as well as baseball at RHAM, and then played at Notre Dame, where Yankees pitcher David Phelps was among his teammates, reached the D'Backs last year, hitting .247 in 31 games over a couple of short stints. In spring training, he was a long shot to make the team, but veterans Cody Ross and Adam Eaton got hurt and Pollock was in the Opening Day lineup, going 3-for-4. He seemed certain to go back to the minors when Ross came back, but

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Pollock broke an 0-for-14 slump with two home runs against the Pirates on April 10. When Ross was activated this week, Jason Kubel went on the disabled list and Pollock, now hitting .308 with nine of his 12 hits for extra bases, remains. "I have a hard time imagining he's not going to be with us now for the duration," said Eric Chavez, one of Pollock's most veteran teammates. "If we've had one bright spot so far this season, I'd say it was him. Everything about the way he goes about his business is just so much fun to watch. … He's got a great game." Pollock was not a highly touted college prospect when he got to Notre Dame in 2006. "But he had a great fall season as a freshman," Phelps said, after chatting with Pollock behind the batting cage, "and then he just blossomed into a superstar for us. He's a five-tool guy. I'm pumped to see him in the big leagues doing well — there are not many of us Notre Dame guys here." The D'Backs chose Pollock in the first round of the 2009 draft, and he missed the 2010 season with an arm injury, setting his career back. "But once he came back from that," D'Backs GM Kevin Towers said, "he just took off. He was a prospect that had been under the radar a bit, and undeservedly so. But not with us." Pollock's all-around athletic ability scores big points with D'Backs manager Kirk Gibson, himself a star college football player who became a great major league player. "He's an intense guy," Pollock said, "and he expects a lot out of you. He has taught me a lot last year and this year. He is big on the little things — hit the cut-off guy, base-running, get the bunt down. There are a lot of things in baseball you can't control, but he's a stickler for the things he believes you can control. And those things are part of my game. I love hearing that we're stressing those things." Said Towers: "The more you watch him, the more you appreciate A.J. You know he's fundamentally sound — he's a baseball player. You know he's going to be well-prepared. Every time he's in the lineup, I feel like he's going to do something special, on defense, at bat, on the bases. He's going to be playing baseball for a long time." Pollock was among the first of the D'Backs at the Stadium on Wednesday, to begin breaking down Sabathia on film, and to take early batting practice in the cage with coach Don Baylor. "You're looking to see what he throws in certain counts," Pollock said, "and what to look for. But at the same time, you have to have your own approach and how you want to hit." He has procured dozens of tickets for friends and family members this week, many from back home in the Marlborough-Hebron area, others from Long Island. "It's like the Bronx Zoo for me here this week," he said. But as excited as they all are for Pollock, places like Yankee Stadium are becoming just his place of business, his office, as it should be. "You get comfortable," Pollock said. "Your breath gets regulated. You start to realize you're facing the same type of pitchers you faced in Triple A, but they're a hair better. There will always be times that give you some doubts — 'Can I play here?' But you can't let that creep in. If I have the right mind-set, I can be an everyday player, an All-Star, and if I don't have the right mind-set, I'm in Double A — a fourth outfielder. That's how I have to look at it."

Former All-Star Mark Grace a 'model' inmate By Laurie Merrill / USA TODAY Sports http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/04/30/mark-grace-model-inmate-at-tent-city/2124099/ Former slugger Mark Grace is serving his jail sentence for a driving-under-the-influence conviction the way his fans might expect: as a model inmate who exceeds expectations, according to the (Phoenix) Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. "It is my understanding Mark is a 'model' inmate and does a lot of volunteering with cleanup and other activities," MCSO spokesman Joaquin Enriquez said Monday. "He is looked up to by other inmates at Tent City." NIGHTENGALE: Beer taps after ballgame facing last call Grace, of Scottsdale, has about six weeks left of his four-month sentence, which began Feb. 10 and ends June 10. He stays in Tent City from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. During the day, he works as an Arizona Diamondbacks minor-league hitting instructor at Salt River Fields on the Salt River Reservation. "He is now beginning his new chapter as a uniformed coach on the field, and I am thrilled for him and us," Derrick Hall, Diamondbacks president and CEO, said Monday. "He is full time and will be with us long after June 10 (when his sentence ends)," Hall said. "When the Arizona Summer League begins, he will be our hitting coach for that team." After Grace was pulled over in August in Scottsdale for his second DUI arrest in 15 months, the Diamondbacks fired him from his role as team broadcaster. Grace was later rehired as a minor-league coach and instructor, beginning his new job on Feb. 11. He originally faced four aggravated DUI charges, which would have carried a minimum of a year in prison, but pleaded guilty in January to reduced charges. Extended spring training at Salt River Fields runs through early June and is open to the public, according to Josh Rawitch, a team spokesman.

Our first walk in the (ball)park A column debuts about the places where the national pastime is played By Jim Caple / ESPN.com http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9224567/a-celebration-baseball-stadiums-our-happy-places A couple of weeks ago, Jenn Casselman and Dustin Bosch got married atop the home team dugout at Arizona's Chase Field. The bride wore white. The groom wore a dark Diamondbacks jersey, shorts and a baseball cap. The in-laws were … thrilled? "They thought it was awesome," Jenn said of her parents. "It was the first major league baseball game they ever saw." Jenn says the ballpark wedding was the groom's idea. (Shocking, I know.) "We were looking at something kind of private and quiet," she said. "Then he said 'Let's look into having it at a baseball game, instead.' I said that we would look into it and if it works, we'll go for it." Say this about a woman who agrees to be married at a ballpark: Why are all the good ones taken?

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If a ballpark seems like an odd place for a wedding, it shouldn't. After all, ballparks are often described as modern cathedrals, so why not get married in one? More importantly, some of the happiest moments of our lives take place at stadiums. And I'm not talking only about weddings. In an increasingly polarized culture, ballparks remain the one place where communities regularly unite in celebration. Here's just one of hundreds of examples I could cite: Edgar Martinez doubling home Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1995 division series at the Kingdome, which inspired so much joy in Seattle that people there still smile at the memory. (I'm one of them.) This is how the late, great Dave Niehaus shouted his call of that play: "Lined down the left-field line for a base hit! Here comes JOY!" He probably meant, "Here comes Joey Cora," who was the lead runner. But either way, he was right. Joy is why we go to ballparks, even in Pittsburgh or Kansas City or Houston or Seattle. As Boston fan Laura Ryan told me for a story on the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, "Honestly, I have a T-shirt that says, 'Fenway Is My Happy Place.'" Ballparks ARE our happy places, and those good feelings are what this new column, "A Walk in the Park," is dedicated to. Every month or so, I will write about stadiums, from major developments (such as the renovations at Wrigley or the pursuit of new stadiums for the Rays and Athletics) to minor ones (such as new concession items). An equally important part will be thoughts and opinions about our stadiums, both what we love (San Francisco's McCovey Cove, Wrigley's ivy walls and Fenway's Green Monster) and hate (beer prices everywhere). There will be rankings on the best and worst views, concessions, seats, prices, player perspectives (such as Torii Hunter's thoughts) and more. I've been to 50 major league baseball stadiums, including every current ballpark, as well as many more diamonds across the globe. I've offered my opinions many times at ESPN.com, and I will continue to do so. But this column will be about your views, as well. This column will be a forum for your photos, videos and opinions. I want to hear about your good times as well as your bad times at the ballpark, and I'll share my experiences with you, too. For example, after the Boston Marathon bombing, there was much speculation about what it means for security and safety at sporting events. This is understandable. Whenever there is a publicized attack or shooting somewhere, I often wonder when such a horror will take place at a ballpark. I wonder why something like the Boston attacks doesn't happen more often at sporting events. And yet … I've never felt frightened at a ballpark, not even when Mike Pagliarulo threatened to clobber me over something critical I had written. I distinctly remember eating lunch with two colleagues the afternoon before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium, when President Bush was scheduled to throw out the first pitch. The more my friends chatted about media speculation that Yankee Stadium could be a prime target for a terrorist attack, the more anxious I got. After 9/11 and the anthrax mail attacks, we were all a little on edge; and the more I thought about it that day, the worse I felt. I really didn't want to go to the stadium. But all those worries and fears disappeared the instant I walked onto the field during batting practice that evening. Looking out at the green field,

the players, the lights, the fans, I could not imagine anything bad happening -- apart from the Yankees possibly winning, that is. Perhaps I'm naïve, but I always feel happy and safe in a stadium (other than briefly when the Loma Prieta earthquake shook Candlestick Park during the 1989 World Series). And this isn't just because of security checks at the entrance. It's because of the good, warm feelings our ballparks generate. Ballparks are our happy places. Which brings me back to Jenn and Dustin and one of the best, most joyous days of their lives. Technically, their wedding was not at an actual ballgame but during early batting practice for some of the Diamondbacks. "They were all whistling at me as I was coming down to the field," Jenn said. "One guy yelled out, 'Don't do it!' Then they all stood up and cheered us when it was over." Afterward, the wedding party repaired to a luxury suite, where they enjoyed dinner and watched that night's game. The Diamondbacks lost, but Jenn said the experience still was wonderful and that she recommends it to anyone who isn't a Bride-zilla. "It was more than what you would expect," Jenn said. "It was amazing. It was good. It was lots of fun. It was a no-stress wedding." That's the feeling I'm talking about. So read on, chime in and then return each month or so to join me for a walk in the park. And before I forget, here's a final thought for the newlyweds. Remember, Jenn: You've given Dustin a lifelong pass to go see the Diamondbacks play in Arizona any time -- and every time -- he wants. But Sweetie -- it's where we got married!

Giants-Diamondbacks Preview By ESPN.com http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/preview?gameId=330501129 Tim Lincecum hasn't seemed to let his disappointing 2012 season carry over into 2013. It may be difficult for him to ignore his recent history against the Arizona Diamondbacks, though. Lincecum looks to avoid a seventh consecutive loss to Arizona as the visiting San Francisco Giants seek a three-game sweep Wednesday night. The two-time Cy Young Award winner looked like anything but last season, going 10-15 with a career-worst 5.18 ERA before making five of his six postseason appearances out of the bullpen in San Francisco's run to a World Series title. Lincecum (2-1, 3.64 ERA) has had a couple of rough outings this season as well -- he gave up six runs in six innings against Colorado on April 9 and four in five frames versus the Chicago Cubs on April 14 -- but otherwise has been solid. The right-hander scattered four hits over 6 2/3 innings of a 2-0 win over San Diego on April 20 before suffering a tough 2-1 loss to Padres on Friday despite giving up two runs and striking out nine in seven innings. "I'm trying to get away from comparing this year to last year," Lincecum told the team's official website after his last outing. "It was great to go seven and not be all over the place. I'll take it as a positive."

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Lincecum hasn't experienced many positives recently versus the Diamondbacks, though, dropping his last six starts while posting a 6.75 ERA. He allowed seven runs -- including a three-run homer to Paul Goldschmidt -- in four innings of a 7-2 loss in his last start versus Arizona on Sept. 25. Goldschmidt, who is 8 for 14 with five home runs in his career off Lincecum, went 0 for 4 on Tuesday, though, when Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth off J.J. Putz to give the Giants (15-12) a 2-1 win over Arizona. Sandoval, 11 for 18 over his last four games, went 2 for 3 with an RBI in Monday's series-opening victory and shook off an elbow inujry to contribute the big hit Tuesday. "He's swinging good," manager Bruce Bochy said. "When you get a good hitter like that in the zone, it's fun to watch. We weren't sure he was going to play, but he shows up, says he fine, and ends up swinging the bat well." Arizona (15-12) mustered only four singles and wasted a solid performance from Trevor Cahill, and it may need to provide plenty more run support for Brandon McCarthy on Wednesday if he continues allowing runs at his current pace. McCarthy (0-3, 7.48) has gotten off to a disappointing start in his first season with the Diamondbacks. He's allowed 25 runs in 27 2/3 innings over five outings after giving up six runs in six innings of Friday's 6-3 loss to Colorado. "I have never been through a stretch like this," said McCarthy, who spent his first seven seasons pitching in the AL. "It gets pretty frustrating pretty quick and makes your margin of error so small. It just puts you on a razor's edge and if you are not sharp all the way through then you're going to get hurt." The right-hander has never faced the Giants, though Hunter Pence is 3 for 7 with a double and triple lifetime off McCarthy.

Closing Time: J.J. Putz, closer on the brink By Scott Pianowski / Yahoo Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/fantasy-roto-arcade/closing-time-j-j-putz-closer-brink-135456471.html In the middle of a draft, a lot of those middle-tier closers can start to look the same. I'm not going to bag on anyone who decided to take a ride with J.J. Putz. If you're down with JJP, it probably made sense in March. That said, let's keep both eyes open and be proactive as needed. Putz is a closer on the brink right now, and it's time to audit the Diamondbacks bullpen. The Arizona closer let another game slip away Tuesday, allowing a game-flipping home run to Pablo Sandoval in the top of the ninth. Nothing cheap about the homer; it landed somewhere around Flagstaff. Putz did inherited a scant one-run lead and a runner on first, so it's not like this was the messiest blown save of the year; this doesn't grade a 10 on the Slocumb Scale. But when you're getting beat in the ninth inning and with the long ball, it leaves a scar on your clubhouse. It's the fourth blown save for Putz and the third homer allowed. He's carrying a 4.26 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. To be fair, it's not like Putz's stuff has completely flown out the window: he does have 17 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. But seven

unintentional walks over a month of play is asking for trouble, not to mention the gopher problem. And the Snakes have some intriguing relievers percolating behind their struggling closer. Let's start with David Hernandez, the eighth-inning bridge. He posted a snappy 2.50 and 1.02 WHIP last year, with 98 strikeouts (against 22 walks) over 68.1 innings. That's a closer profile. Don't hassle me about his six blown saves - they were all leads handed away in the eighth inning, a situation where the reliever inherits blown-save risk without a chance at the reward. Hernandez is doing his normal fine work this year, albeit the ratios have crept up (2.84/1.34). He has 14 strikeouts against four walks over 12.2 innings. He's widely available, and looks like the logical first stop for Arizona hedging. If manager Kirk Gibson wants to play the "proven closer" card, Heath Bell is around. Bell's 4.50 ERA and 1.60 WHIP push you off the scent, but he doers have 15 strikeouts (and just one walk) over 10 innings. He's allowed a couple of homers. I'd prefer to stay away from this guy once and for all, but I don't run the bullpen phone in the desert. Left-hander Matt Reynolds also deserves a mention, albeit he'd have to fight through the bias against southpaw closers. He's been the lockdown guy in this bullpen: 13 innings, six hits, zero runs, one walk, eight strikeouts. He didn't show this type of ability in Colorado the last two years, but you can't take those thin-air samples seriously. And Reynolds doesn't need to be pigeonholed as a left specialist; righties are slashing .120/.120/.160 against him. Sure, it's a small sample, but still - that's ridiculous. You'll recall Reynolds picked up two extra-inning saves in the San Francisco series last week, (Putz had a meltdown in that series, too). But his career strikeout profile is ordinary for a reliever, and the brilliant April could go down as batted-ball luck as much as anything. Not dissing the guy or dismissing him out of hand, just trying to keep both cleats on the ground here. So there you have it, something for everyone. Place your bets, save chasers. Four reasonable options are on the board. Will the Snakes stick with Putz (or try to fix him)? Will Hernandez get the call, a nod to usage patterns? Will Bell be pressed into the ninth, given his ninth-inning resume? Will Reynolds get some chances at handshakes, or do the Diamondbacks view him too valuable in the earlier innings?

Diamondbacks sign Juan Rivera By Nathan Aderhold / SBNation.com http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2013/5/1/4289082/diamondbacks-sign-juan-rivera Well, it took a while, but veteran slugger Juan Rivera has finally landed a deal with a new club. Just about a month removed from his surprise release by the New York Yankees, Rivera has inked a minor-league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, reports Tyler Emerick of MLB.com. Rivera will begin his D'Backs tenure getting back up to speed in extended Spring Training games for the next week or so, then will report to one of the club's minor-league affiliates -- likely Triple-A. Rivera, 34, signed a minor-league pact with the Yankees in January. Despite his down numbers with the Dodgers in 2012, the veteran seemed to be in prime position to man first base for New York on Opening Day in Mark Teixeira's absence. Rivera batted a not-so-impressive .295/.317/.377 in 61 spring at-bats, but started a team-high 13 games at the cold corner. It was not to be, however. New York signed Lyle Overbay to a similar minor-league deal on March 26, and Rivera was out of a job just two days later.

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The former Angel, Expo(!), Dodger, Yankee, and Blue Jay is a .274/.323/.443 hitter in parts of 12 big-league seasons, but hasn't hit anywhere near his career norms since 2009. Arizona is certainly not wanting in slow, thirty-something corner outfielders, but Rivera does give the some more depth should it lose more outfielders to injury. Rookie Adam Eaton is on the DL with an elbow injury and Jason Kubel just returned from a quad strain.

Tyler Skaggs' struggles continuing in Triple-A By ArizonaSports.com http://arizonasports.com/42/1630899/Tyler-Skaggs-struggles-continuing-in-TripleA A lot of people were expecting big things from Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Tyler Skaggs this season. Baseball America and ESPN each had Skaggs rated as the 12th best prospect in baseball; MLB.com had him at #10. After falling short in his quest to fill the D-backs' fifth starter role, he was optioned to Triple-A Reno. It's still early, but the 21-year-old is struggling in the minors. Skaggs gave up eight runs -- five earned -- and nine hits in just 4.2 innings of work in a 9-5 loss to the Las Vegas 51's Monday night in Reno. After opening the season by hurling six scoreless innings in a 14-1 win over Colorado Springs April 7, Skaggs has been roughed up pretty good by Pacific Coast League hitters. In his last four starts, Skaggs has given up 18 runs in 20.1 innings (7.97 ERA) while allowing 25 hits. Interestingly, despite the number of runs he's given up, Skaggs has yet to allow a home run in 26.1 innings of work and left-handed hitters are hitting .292 against him -- versus a .250 mark by right-handers. In nine starts (52.2 innings) at the Triple-A level last season, Skaggs went 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA.

Aces Fall to 51's, 10-2 By Reno Aces http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46235130&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t2310&sid=t2310 RENO, Nev.-Reno jumped on the board in the first inning for the fourth time this homestand, but ultimately fell 10-2 to the Las Vegas 51's on Tuesday afternoon at Aces Ballpark. The Aces first run came on an RBI groundout by Kila Ka'aihue in the bottom of the first. The RBI extended Ka'aihue's team-leading RBI count to 26. Reno did not score again until the bottom of the ninth, when Tyler Bortnick singled to drive home Ed Easley. Las Vegas posted two, three-run innings and a four-run inning to claim the victory over Reno. Aces pitchers struggled, allowing a run to cross on a hit by pitch, two wild pitches and a walk in the game. RHP Garrett Mock was charged with the loss in his first start of the season. He gave up three earned runs on three hits through 4.0 innings, while walking three batters. RHP Bo Schultz and RHP Will Harris each had scoreless relief outings for Reno.

RHP Zack Wheeler, the New York Mets No. 1 Prospect, earned his first win of the season for Las Vegas. Wheeler gave up just one earned run on five hits through 6.2 innings, while striking out eight. The series continues Wednesday night at Aces Ballpark. RHP Randall Delgado (0-2, 9.00 ERA) will get the nod for Reno, while Las Vegas will counter with RHP Carlos Torres (0-2, 6.27 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. PT, and fans can enjoy $1 ribs for Dollar Wednesdays presented by KTVN Channel 2 News.

Reno Aces continue to tumble below .500 By Chris Gabel / Reno Gazette Journal http://www.rgj.com/article/20130501/SPORTS03/305010008/Reno-Aces-continue-tumble-below-500 Morale was down a few days ago. But it’s better now, Aces manager Brett Butler said. The number in the win column, however, is not climbing. The Aces’ 10-2 loss to Las Vegas on Tuesday afternoon was their third straight and fifth in the past six games. It dropped the team 10 games below .500, a mark it hadn’t seen in three seasons. “Being 8-18, we’re going to have take inventory,” Butler said after an underwhelming crowd of 3,231 watched another underwhelming performance by the home team at Aces Ballpark. “The guys will have a nice dinner tonight, and we’ll talk tomorrow. They’re the only ones who can change it. We’re going to have to be able to do something different or it’s going to be a long summer.” The Aces are 3-11 at home, a place they traditionally dominate. On Monday, it was four errors that opened the door for the 51s (12-12). On Tuesday, it was the lack of early offense and then six walks and seven runs against the bullpen. “It’s execution, and to be honest, it’s magnified when you’re struggling,” Butler said. “When you’re going good, when the team’s winning or you’re close, it’s not that it’s easier to swallow, but it’s not costing you wins. But when you’re struggling like this and the morale is down, you have to figure out how to execute properly or it’s going to be a long summer. “It’s our job to figure it out. We’ve been through this in the past, maybe not exactly like this. But are we going to be able to turn the corner and move in a positive direction? Or not? If we play fundamentally and situationally sound baseball, we’ll be fine. Hopefully, we come back the next two days and split the series.” That the Aces won’t see Zack Wheeler again this series will only help in that regard. Wheeler, the Mets’ top prospect after he was acquired two years ago from the Giants for Carlos Beltran, struck out eight and allowed just five hits in a season-high 62/3 innings. “He pitched well. We just couldn’t string anything together and that shows the kind of pitcher he is,” Butler said. “Sometimes you just tip your cap in that regard.” The Aces got to Wheeler in the first on a leadoff single from Tyler Bortnick, a stolen base and back-to-back groundouts. It was all Wheeler the rest of the way. “That’s the best he’s thrown this year, absolutely,” 51s manager Wally Backman said of the 22-year-old Wheeler, who also had an RBI single and a walk.

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Six Aces pitchers combined to walk nine and hit two others. Las Vegas got four runs via a bases-loaded walk or wild pitch. Butler said miscues like that cannot continue. “I don’t know that there will be wholesale changes,” he said. “But if you’re not going to produce, there will be changes.”

Rhode Island's Anthony Meo seeking success in Baseball City with Mobile BayBears By Mark Inabinett / AL.com http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/05/rhode_islands_anthony_meo_seek.html MOBILE, Alabama - Since the end of World War II, 26 native sons of Rhode Island have played in the big leagues. Mobile can lay claim to 31 Major League players in that time span. Anthony Meo hopes to add his name to the Ocean State's MLB roll call, and Mobile could play a big part in reaching that goal. Meo, a right-handed pitcher who was born in Cranston, R.I., is scheduled to start the fourth game of the Mobile BayBears' Southern League series against the Huntsville Stars at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Hank Aaron Stadium. The BayBears and the Stars also square off at The Hank at 7:05 p.m. today, Thursday and Friday and at 2:05 p.m. Sunday. Meo, 23, has made five starts for Mobile. He's 0-1 with a 5.24 earned-run average. He's given up 21 hits in 22.1 innings, and has issued 11 walks with 13 strikeouts. In his first pro season last year, Meo went 9-8 with a 4.11 ERA at High-A Visalia. In 140 innings, he struck out 153 batters. "At this level, obviously, the hitters are a little bit better," Meo said. "You can't really get away with as many mistakes as you did in the past. You have to make quality pitches down in the zone. "At this level, you can't really sit back and try to blow it by every batter. These guys are good hitters. I'm more worried about going deep into games. If I can get an out in one or two pitches, that's what I'd rather do." Meo said he's working on his mechanics and improving his command to get the kind of results that he wants every time he takes the mound. In two of his starts this season, Meo has given up one earned run on six hits and one walk in 11 innings. But in the other three starts, he's been touched for 12 earned runs on 15 hits and 10 walks in 11.1 innings. "I'm basically trying to get into a rhythm, find some consistency and put together some quality starts," Meo said. "Everybody has goals. Mine are to go out there and stay healthy all season and improve every start." Although he has just five Double-A starts on his stat sheet, Meo has an understanding of what he needs to do to succeed. "The biggest things at this level are working both sides of the plate, keeping the ball down and having a plan and going out there and executing it," he said. Meo is a long way from home in the Port City, but he's spent considerable time down South. He had college offers from all over the nation coming out of Cranston West High School, but he chose to attend Coastal Carolina after visiting the school in Conway, S.C. He was

one of collegiate baseball's top pitchers for the Chanticleers, even throwing the first no-hitter in the history of the Big South tournament. Still, as a New Englander who grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins, the bombings at the Boston Marathon struck close to home for Meo, who tweeted, "Prayers for Boston" after the news broke. "I'm sure it hit everybody hard," he said. "I have a bunch of friends back in Boston." Meo was a second-round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and MLB.com rates him as the 11th-best prospect in the D-backs' farm system. The BayBears carry an 11-14 record into today's game as they seek a spark to send them to their third consecutive league championship. The Stars own the Southern League's worst record at 9-16 and have lost four in a row. If things go well for the BayBears, Meo could be pitching to get Mobile back over .500 on Saturday. "We have a lot of talent on this team," Meo said. "So far, we haven't caught a winning streak, but I'm sure we'll turn it around. We've got a lot of good guys on this club."

Mobile BayBears Notebook: Kentrail Davis, AJ McCarron coming to The Hank By Mark Inabinett / AL.com http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/04/mobile_baybears_notebook_kentr.html MOBILE, Alabama - Two former Coastal Alabama prep stars will be at Hank Aaron Stadium this week when the Mobile BayBears host the Huntsville Stars for a five-game Southern League series that starts on Wednesday night. Former Theodore High School standout Kentrail Davis is Huntsville's right fielder. Former St. Paul's standout AJ McCarron will throw out the first pitch before the series' fourth game. AJ McCarron Night is set for Saturday, and the Alabama quarterback will throw out the first pitch for the 7:05 p.m. game. The game is a fundraiser for the University of South Alabama Children's and Women's Hospital. Advance tickets for the game start at $7 and are available at the BayBears box office during games. For groups of 15 or more, ticket prices start at $5. Advance tickets also can be purchased online or by phone by calling 251-479-2327. When purchasing tickets online, use the special-offer code "AJ" for USA Children's and Women's Hospital to receive its portion of the proceeds. The stadium gates will open at 6 p.m. Saturday. McCarron wasn't just a football player at St. Paul's. In baseball, he was chosen for the South team for Alabama All-Star Week as a senior. As a sophomore, he pitched a five-inning no-hitter against B.C. Rain in which he accounted for 14 of the 15 outs by strikeout. Davis went from Theodore to the University of Tennessee, although the Colorado Rockies drafted him with a 14th-round pick coming out of high school. Davis was a freshman All-American for the Volunteers and was chosen for the USA Baseball national team after his first collegiate season. The left-handed hitter left Tennessee after being picked in the first round of the 2009 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Davis, 24, is starting his second season with Huntsville. In 2012, he hit .274 with 22 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs and 19 stolen bases. That came after he split his initial pro year between the Midwest and Florida State leagues, then spent 2011 with the Brevard County Manatees of the FSL. Davis played in 28 spring-training games with the Brewers this year. He hit .262 with six home runs, 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 28 games. Davis enters the series against the BayBears with a .283 batting average, 15 runs, five doubles, two homers and five stolen bases in 25 games. BAYBEARS VS. STARS Huntsville will be Mobile's first opponent this season from the Southern League's North Division. The BayBears have played their first 25 games against South Division rivals Jacksonville, Mississippi, Montgomery and Pensacola. The Stars enter the series with a four-game losing streak and, at 9-16, the worst record in the Southern League. However, Huntsville has a 6-4 record on the road. Huntsville comes to Mobile with the worst earned-run average in the Southern League at 4.75. The Stars have given up just 198 hits in 216 innings this season, but Huntsville pitchers also have walked 122 batters. That means opponents are putting an average of 1.48 runners on base per inning. Former Alabama star Jimmy Nelson from Niceville, Fla., stands apart from the Stars' other pitchers. He has a 3-0 record with a 1.30 ERA in 27.2 innings this season. He has struck out a league-leading 32 and walked just five. Nelson is Huntsville's scheduled starter in the series opener against Mobile's Michael Bolsinger. The BayBears also have a split in their pitching stats. So far this season, the Mobile starting pitchers have put up a 2.65 ERA, giving up 117 hits in 139 innings. But they have only a 5-7 collective record. The Mobile bullpen has a 5.44 ERA, giving up 93 hits in 82.2 innings. Huntsville and Mobile are tied for last in saves in the Southern League with four apiece. The series continues with 7:05 p.m. games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and a 2:05 p.m. start on Sunday. OTHER PROMOTIONS In addition to AJ McCarron Night on Saturday, the promotions at Hank Aaron Stadium during the homestand include: Wednesday: Halfway to Halloween. The BayBears are going to celebrate the halfway mark to Halloween with trick-or-treating through the suites, a costume contest and staff costumes. Fans coming to the game in costume will be able to buy discounted tickets -- $5 for a box seat, $7 for super box and $9 for stadium club. It's also a Guaranteed Wintzell's Wednesday: If the BayBears win, everyone at the game gets gumbo at Wintzell's Oyster House. Thursday: University of South Alabama 50th anniversary. Notable USA alumni on the videoboard, special guests in the stands and themed promotions during the game will celebrate the college's first half century. All USA alumni, students and staff will be able to buy discounted tickets -- $5 for a box seat, $7 for super box and $9 for stadium club. It's also Thirsty Thursday with $1 beer from 6 to 8 p.m.,

and Trigger Root playing in the Right Field Entertainment District before the game. Friday: Superhero/Ironman Night, championship T-shirt giveaway presented by Cook's Pest Control and fireworks. In honor of the new "Ironman 3" movie, the BayBears staff will be dressed as superheros, and fans are invited to to the same. The first few hundred fans will receive back-to-back champion T-shirts. The fireworks will go off after the game. Saturday: Hot Dog and Beer Cookoff. Throughout the game, there will be craft-beer tasting and hot-dog eating on the concourse. Ticket prices for the beer and hot-dog tasting are $15 through Friday and $20 on Saturday. After the game, bring your ticket to Buffalo Wild Wings to get $5 off your order. Sunday: Cinco de Mayo. The Hank will be decorated in a Mexican theme, and margaritas and tacos will be available in the concession stands. Any ticket from this series is good for the cover charge at Fuego's Cinco de Mayo celebration on Saturday and Sunday evenings. You can stay and play catch on the field after the game, too. LEAGUE SCHEDULE In the other five-game Southern League series that start Wednesday, Tennessee (14-10) visits Mississippi (15-10), Montgomery (13-12) visits Pensacola (10-13), Chattanooga (11-14) visits Birmingham (15-10) and Jacksonville (14-10) visits Jackson (11-14). The Braves have ridden a four-game winning streak to the top of the South Division, one-half game ahead of Jacksonville. Mississippi's opponent, Tennessee, is one-half game behind Birmingham for the North Division lead. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK The BayBears got to see the newest Southern League Player and Pitcher of the Week first-hand. Jacksonville right fielder Marcell Ozuna and Mississippi left-hander Alex Wood earned the recognition for the week that ended on April 28. For the week, Ozuna batted .367 with five home runs and 11 RBIs in seven games. He warmed up for the BayBears visit to Jacksonville by slugging a three-run homer to cap the Suns' seven-run rally in the bottom of the ninth during a 12-9 victory over Chattanooga on Wednesday. In the five-game series against Mobile that ended on Monday, Ozuna went 7-for-22 with eight RBIs, three homers, one triple and one double. Ozuna didn't get to the Suns until April 20 after suffering a broken wrist in spring training. Wood started his week by pitching six shutout innings at Hank Aaron Stadium on April 22. He gave up four hits and struck out eight. Mobile starter Zeke Spruill was just as good in that game, tossing eight shutout innings in a contest that Mississippi won 1-0. Wood followed that with five more shutout innings against Huntsville on Saturday night. He struck out six more in that appearance. Wood has pitched a franchise record 18.2 consecutive scoreless innings. BIG LEAGUES CALLING Marcell Ozuna's short assault on Southern League pitchers earned him a call-up to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. Pensacola Blue Wahoos left fielder Donald Lutz also got the call to the big leagues from the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

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In 10 games with the Suns - his only games above the Single-A level -- Ozuna hit .333 with 15 RBIs, five homers, three doubles and a triple. The Marlins put slugger Giancarlo Stanton on the disabled list after Monday night's game with a strained hamstring. Ozuna is not expected just to replace Stanton on the roster; he's expected to step into his place in the lineup. In 21 games for Pensacola this season, Lutz hit just .211, but he had 14 RBIs with five home runs, four doubles and two triples. Lutz becomes the first German to reach the big leagues after coming through the MLB Europe Academy. Only one Southern League player has hit more home runs than Ozuna and Lutz this season - Chattanooga outfielder Joc Pederson, who has six. LEAGUE LEADERS Mobile starter Bradin Hagens is one of four Southern League pitchers with four victories this season. The others are Birmingham's Stephen McCrary and Scott Snodgress and Jacksonville's Edgar Olmos. Olmos is a reliever. Mobile starter Zeke Spruill tops the league with 31.2 innings pitched. Even though he has pitched more innings than any player in the loop, Spruill has yet to give up a home run this season. Eleven players have appeared in 25 Southern League games this season, including Mobile shortstop Nick Ahmed, second baseman Mike Freeman and first baseman Jon Griffin. Huntsville first baseman Jason Rogers leads the Southern League with 29 hits. STATISTICAL WONDERS Jackson catcher John Hicks has gone to the plate 74 times this season without drawing a base on balls. Mississippi shortstop Luiz Nunez has 51 plates appearances without a walk, Mississippi catcher Braeden Schlehuber 47 and Mobile outfielder Ryan Stovall 45. It worked out well for Nunez: He got called up to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. Tennessee second baseman Ronald Torreyes has struck out once in 41 at-bats this season. Jackson's Hector Noesi and Pensacola's Yohan Pino have pitched 11 innings apiece without giving up a run this season. FASTBALLS MLB.com says Huntsville has four of the Milwaukee Brewers' top 20 prospects -- pitcher Taylor Jungmann No. 2, pitcher Jimmy Nelson No. 8, pitcher Ariel Pena No. 18 and outfielder Kentrail Davis No. 20. ... One of the SL's top prospects, Yasiel Puig, returned from a two-week stint on the disabled list because of a strained thumb by hitting a three-run homer in Chattanooga's 3-2 victory over Jackson on Monday. ... Tennessee's Kyle Hendricks and Marcus Hatley combined to pitch a seven-inning one-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader against Pensacola on Monday. Hendricks had a no-hitter through five. The Smokies won that game 3-0 on a pinch-hit homer by Jae-Hoon Ha in the bottom of the seventh. The Blue Wahoos won the opener 3-0 with a three-pitcher two-hitter. ... Jackson outfielder Abraham Almonte, hitting at the bottom of the batting order, hit for the cycle in a 13-1 victory over Chattanooga on Saturday - a first in franchise history. ... Huntsville outfielder Brock Kjeldgaard has struck out 31 times, the

most in the Southern League this season. ... Craig Durham has the play-by-play of Mobile BayBears' games online and on Channel 45 on the Comcast cable lineup in the area.

Barbosa Leads Charge In 3-1 Win Rawhide notch 11th win in a row at home on Tuesday night By Josh Jackson / Visalia Rawhide http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130430&content_id=46240142&fext=.jsp&vkey=recap&sid=t516 VISALIA - The Rawhide notched their 11th win in a row at home in a 3-1 defeat of the Modesto Nuts on Tuesday night at Rawhide Ballpark. The Rawhide are now just 2.0 games back of the division-leading San Jose Giants. Andrew Barbosa turned in another excellent performance, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits while striking out seven Nuts batters. The Rawhide got on the board first in the bottom of the 2nd inning. After Michael Perez stole second base with one out, Matt Helm grounded into what initially looked like a routine 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. However, Nick Gallego bobbled the ball and his only play was at first base, allowing Perez to come home and score. Chris Ellison followed it up with an RBI-single to right field to plate Sean Jamieson, giving the Rawhide an early 2-0 lead. Tom Belza padded the Rawhide lead with his third homerun of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning off of Tyler Gagnon, a solo shot to deep right field to make it 3-0. Modesto would dent the scoreboard in the top of the 8th inning when Taylor Featherstone lined an RBI-double to left field off Kaleb Fleck to cut the score 3-1. Fleck was able to strikeout the side preserve the two-run Rawhide lead. Jake Barrett was summoned in the 9th to shut down the Nuts and he did just that. Barrett struck out the side to pick up his seventh save of the season. He now has the second most saves in the California League and is a perfect 7-for-7 in save opportunities. With the win, the Rawhide improve to 16-9 and pick up their 11th win in a row at home. The Rawhide will face Modesto on Wednesday at 1 pm in game 2 of this three-game series. Get your tickets at the Rawhide ticket office or online at RawhideBaseball.com.

Rawhide claim 11th straight home win By Visalia-Times Delta http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20130501/SPORTS/305010005/Rawhide-claim-11th-straight-home-win The Visalia Rawhide extended their home winning streak to 11 games with a 3-1 win over the Modesto Nuts Tuesday night at Recreation Park. Andrew Barbosa (3-1) had a sharp six-inning start for the Rawhide (16-9). He gave up just three hits and two walks while striking out seven. He did not allow a run. Jake Barrett recorded his seventh save with three strikeouts in the ninth inning. Barrett has not allowed a run in nine appearances, and has 14 strikeouts in nine innings. Tom Belza belted a solo home run in the sixth inning, and finished 3-for-4. Sean Jamieson and Michael Perez each had two hits. Jake Lamb had a pair of doubles.

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The Rawhide continue their series with Modesto today with a 1 p.m. matinee game.

Drury, Silver Hawks pound Rattlers By South Bend Tribune http://www.southbendtribune.com/sports/silverhawks/sbt-pro-baseball-drury-silver-hawks-pound-rattlers-20130501,0,4764493.story APPLETON, Wisc. — Brandon Drury went 5-for-6, including a home run and three RBIs, and Jesse Darrah pitched six shutout innings to lead South Bend to a 12-3 victory over Wisconsin on Tuesday in Midwest League action. Drury also doubled and singled three times and scored three runs for the Silver Hawks (16-6). Socrates Brito also chipped in with three hits and two RBIs, and Michael Lang had three hits and scored twice for the winners, who cranked out 17 hits. Darrah (2-1) struck out eight and walked four, while allowing three hits. Preston Gainey (0-3) started for the Timber Rattlers and was tagged for three runs and eight hits during his 3Ð innings. South Bend later hit Wisconsin pitcher Eric Semmelhack for nine hits and nine runs (six earned).

May 1, 2013 • sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/morenews May 1, 2013

Cubs chairman threatens move out of Wrigley 12:10 pm EDT (The SportsXchange)

Cubs chairman threatens to move team from Wrigley 12:05 pm EDT (The Associated Press)

Five Reasons the Boston Red Sox Could Win It All This Year 12:04 pm EDT (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Nats who's hot/who's not-5/1 11:36 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Ricketts threatens to move Cubs without OK for Wrigley signage 11:16 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Tigers put Phil Coke on DL, recall Jose Ortega 11:03 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Ryukee of the Year? Los Angeles Dodgers Could Add Another Rookie Award Winner 11:02 am EDT (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Cashner makes his return to Wrigley 10:36 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Halladay lived in the middle of the plate in Cleveland 10:21

am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia)

How the Nats ranked statistically in April 10:17 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Roberto Alomar elected to Orioles' Hall of Fame 9:33 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

New York Mets Should Send Ike Davis to the Minors 9:31 am EDT (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Wakeup Call: That May 1 date was off the Mark 9:16 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Johnson, O'Day carry load for overworked bullpen 9:00 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

What a Bargain!: Shin-Soo Choo is a Steal for the 2013 Cincinnati Reds 8:32 am EDT (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Dodgers' Ryu whiffs 12 with pop star PSY on hand 4:07 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Cespedes drives in 4 runs, A's beat Angels 10-6 3:31 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Cespedes, A's beat Angels in shorter contest 3:30 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Orioles-Mariners Preview 3:25 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Angels-Athletics Preview 3:15 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Rockies-Dodgers Preview 3:12 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Baseball-Highlights of Tuesday's MLB games 2:51 am EDT (Reuters)

Ryu fans 12 Rockies in win 2:50 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

McLouth leads off with homer, Orioles top Mariners 2:43 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Orioles jump on Mariners early in 7-2 win 2:40 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Extra Baggs: Giants' flimsy rotation clings to Bumgarner in April 2:27 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

AL Capsules 2:19 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Houston)

Baseball standings 2:13 am EDT (Reuters)

A's 10, Angels 6 2:10 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Padres-Cubs Preview 2:05 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Orioles 7, Mariners 2 2:00 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Giants-Diamondbacks Preview 1:58 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Raburn homers twice, Indians hit 7 HRs, rout Phils 1:57 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Weeks powers Brewers past Pirates again, 12-8 1:56 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Sandoval's 2-run HR leads Giants past D'Backs 2-1 1:56 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Baseball results 1:54 am EDT (Reuters)

Sandoval's blast saves Giants 1:50 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

The pick to click-click-click: Sandoval's homer rescues Giants 1:49 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Pirates-Brewers Preview 1:49 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Papi Power 1:48 am EDT (Rotoworld)

Proposed Cubs' Wrigley restoration plan 1:47 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Pratt's Instant Replay: A's 10, Angels 6 1:47 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Despite better start, Humber still winless 1:40 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Houston)

Weeks' homer leads Brewers past Pirates, 12-8 1:40 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Dodgers 6, Rockies 2 1:30 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

White Sox-Rangers Preview 1:21 am EDT (The Associated

25

Press)

Cubs' Jackson: ‘I probably would have booed myself’ 1:15 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)

Quentin drives in 3 runs as Padres beat Cubs 13-7 1:15 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Astros-Yankees Preview 1:10 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Rays-Royals Preview 1:00 am EDT (The Associated Press)

April proves cruel for MLB's trendiest teams 12:57 am EDT (Yahoo! Sports)

Padres overpower Cubs 12:50 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Giants 2, Diamondbacks 1 12:50 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Reds-Cardinals Preview 12:49 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Atlanta Braves: Is Tim Hudson a Hall of Famer? 12:48 am EDT (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Darvish gets boost from bats, Texas tops Chisox 12:36 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Saltalamacchia's error looms large after loss 12:35 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Red Sox-Blue Jays Preview 12:32 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Shields beats his former mates 12:30 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Rangers' scoring outburst helps Darvish earn fifth win 12:30 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

This start a different story for Lester 12:22 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet New England)

Encarnacion's two homers lead Jays 12:20 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Baggs' Instant Replay: Giants 2, Diamondbacks 1 12:17 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Phillies-Indians Preview 12:17 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Price-umpire incident not resolved 12:11 am EDT (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Hafner produces at plate for Yankees 12:10 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Brewers 12, Pirates 8 12:10 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

May 1: Michael Saunders 12:04 am EDT (Rotoworld)

Kuroda and Hafner lead Yankees over Astros 7-4 12:03 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Shields leads Royals to 8-2 win over Rays 12:03 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Padres 13, Cubs 7 12:00 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

Encarnacion homers twice as Blue Jays beat Red Sox 12:00 am EDT (The Associated Press)

Holliday's homer lifts Cardinals past Reds 12:00 am EDT (The SportsXchange)

April 30, 2013

Holliday, Garcia lead Cards to 2-1 win over Reds 11:58 pm EDT (The Associated Press)

Rangers 10, White Sox 6 11:40 pm EDT (The SportsXchange)

Mets-Marlins Preview 11:38 pm EDT (The Associated Press)

Nationals' frustrating April ends with a thud 11:38 pm EDT (Comcast SportsNet Mid Atlantic)

Twins-Tigers Preview 11:36 pm EDT (The Associated Press)

Tigers' Verlander, Cabrera, Hunter cap strong April 11:31 pm EDT (The SportsXchange)

Indians blast seven homers, rout Phils 11:30 pm EDT (The SportsXchange)

May 1, 2013 • MLB.com http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/transactions

Last updated: Wed, May 1, 2013, 12:15 EDT

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Team Player Transaction

Detroit Tigers Phil Coke

Placed on 15-Day DL, (Left groin strain)

Detroit Tigers Avisail Garcia

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Bruised right heel)

Detroit Tigers Jose Ortega Called Up from Minors

Detroit Tigers Avisail Garcia Sent to Minors

Los Angeles Angels

Nick Maronde Sent to Minors

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Team Player Transaction

Arizona Diamondbacks

Juan Rivera Signed to a Minor League Contract

Atlanta Braves Luis Ayala

Placed on 15-Day DL, (Anxiety disorder)

Atlanta Braves

David Carpenter

Called Up from Minors

Baltimore Orioles Luis Exposito Designated for Assignment

Baltimore Orioles Zach Britton Sent to Minors

Baltimore Orioles Zach Clark Called Up from Minors

Baltimore Orioles Steve Johnson Sent to Minors

Baltimore Orioles Steve Johnson

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Strained right lat)

Baltimore Orioles Steve Johnson

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Baltimore Orioles Chris Snyder Purchased From Minors

Boston Red Sox Joel Hanrahan

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Sore right hamstring)

Boston Red Sox Joel Hanrahan

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Cincinnati Reds Mark Teahen Traded From, Arizona (for future considerations)

Houston Astros J.D. Martinez Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Los Angeles Angels

Mark Lowe Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Los Angeles Peter Bourjos Placed on 15-Day DL, (Strained

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Angels left hamstring)

Los Angeles Angels

Michael Roth Sent to Minors

Los Angeles Angels

Erick Aybar

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Bruised left heel)

Los Angeles Angels

Erick Aybar

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Los Angeles Angels

Scott Cousins Purchased From Minors

Los Angeles Angels

Alberto Callaspo

Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Los Angeles Dodgers

Aaron Laffey Signed to a Minor League Contract

Los Angeles Dodgers

Javy Guerra Called Up from Minors

Los Angeles Dodgers

Josh Wall Sent to Minors

Miami Marlins

Giancarlo Stanton

Placed on 15-Day DL, (Strained right hamstring)

Miami Marlins Brad Hand Called Up from Minors

Miami Marlins Joe Mahoney

Placed on 15-Day DL, (Hamstring strain)

Miami Marlins Marcell Ozuna Called Up from Minors

New York Yankees

Corban Joseph Called Up from Minors

New York Yankees

Kevin Youkilis

Placed on 15-Day DL, (Lumbar spine strain)

Oakland Athletics Evan Scribner Called Up from Minors

Oakland Athletics Daniel Straily Sent to Minors

Philadelphia Phillies

Delmon Young

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Philadelphia Phillies

Delmon Young

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Recovery from right ankle surgery)

Philadelphia Phillies

Ezequiel Carrera

Designated for Assignment

Pittsburgh Pirates

Jonathan Sanchez

Designated for Assignment

Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Morris Called Up from Minors

San Diego Padres Tyson Ross Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Seattle Mariners

Corey Patterson

Signed to a Minor League Contract

Tampa Bay Rays Shelley Designated for Assignment

Duncan

Tampa Bay Rays Luke Scott

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Strained right calf)

Tampa Bay Rays Luke Scott

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Texas Rangers Randy Wells Retired

Washington Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman

Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Monday, April 29, 2013

Team Player Transaction

Baltimore Orioles Chris Snyder

Traded From, Los Angeles (for RHP Rob Delaney)

Chicago White Sox

Leyson Septimo

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Chicago White Sox

Casper Wells

Traded From, Oakland (for cash considerations)

Chicago White Sox

Leyson Septimo

Transferred to 60-Day DL, (Left shoulder strain)

Cincinnati Reds Chris Heisey

Placed on 15-Day DL, (Strained right hamstring)

Cincinnati Reds Donald Lutz Called Up from Minors

Los Angeles Angels

Rob Delaney Traded From, Baltimore (for C Chris Snyder)

Los Angeles Angels

Erick Aybar Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Los Angeles Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw

Placed on Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List

Los Angeles Dodgers

Hanley Ramirez

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Torn ligament, right thumb)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Hanley Ramirez

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Miami Marlins

Adeiny Hechavarria

Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

Oakland Athletics Jesse Chavez Sent to Minors

Oakland Athletics Daniel Straily Called Up from Minors

San Diego Padres James Darnell Sent to Minors, For Rehabilitation

San Francisco Giants

Jose Mijares

Placed on Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List

San Francisco Giants

Sandy Rosario Called Up from Minors

Seattle Mariners

Michael Saunders

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Sprained right shoulder)

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Seattle Mariners

Carlos Peguero

Sent to Minors

Seattle Mariners

Michael Saunders

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

St. Louis Cardinals

Seth Maness Purchased From Minors

St. Louis Cardinals

Marc Rzepczynski

Sent to Minors

Toronto Blue Jays

Aaron Laffey

Refused Minor League Assignment - Free Agent

Washington Nationals

Wilson Ramos

Removed From 15-Day DL, (Strained left hamstring)

Washington Nationals

Wilson Ramos

Recalled From Minors, Rehab Assignment

Washington Nationals

Jhonatan Solano

Sent to Minors