News briefs: Reds activate Hernandez, reach Isringhausen deal
CBSSports.com wire reports
CINCINNATI -- The Reds rearranged their catchers on Thursday, gave third baseman Scott Rolen more time to get over a hamstring injury, and provided right-handed reliever Jason Isringhausen with a chance to continue his comeback from elbow surgery in the minors.
Catcher Ramon Hernandez came off the 15-day disabled list and started at first base for the final game of a series against the Washington Nationals, allowing Joey Votto to get a day of rest. Hernandez had been sidelined since July 9 with an inflamed left knee.
Catcher Corky Miller was sent to Triple-A Louisville to open a spot. Miller has been an important backup, filling in while No. 2 catcher Ryan Hanigan recovered from a broken left thumb in June, then when Hernandez got hurt.
Miller batted .246 with one homer and seven RBIs, starting 18 games. The 34-year-old catcher cleared waivers and was sent outright to the minors.
"He's played well," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's valuable to our organization and to us, and he'll be back at some point in time - any injury or if not, then in September. He's learning. He's become a much better hitter. A lot of times you don't think that can happen at that age, but you see it happening for him."
The Reds decided against putting Rolen on the disabled list for now. He felt burning in his right hamstring while tagging up during a game last Friday. He got a cortisone shot and is working out. Full Story
Yanks honor late manager Houk
NEW YORK -- The Yankees will wear black armbands for the rest of the season to honor former manager Ralph Houk and observed a moment of silence before the game against the Kansas City Royals.
Houk, who died Wednesday at 90 in Winter Haven, Fla., followed Casey Stengel as Yankees manager in 1961 and led New York to championships in his first two years. He reached the big leagues in 1947 and spent parts of eight seasons as a backup catcher for New York, playing in only 91 games.
The armband will appear below the Bob Sheppard patch on the left sleeve of their jerseys for the remainder of the season. Sheppard, the longtime Yankee Stadium public address announcer, died on July 11.
The Yankees are also wearing a patch on the chest in memory of former team owner George Steinbrenner, who died last week.
NEW YORK -- The Los Angeles Angels made a move to boost their offense, acquiring infielder Alberto Callaspo from the Kansas City Royals for pitchers Sean O'Sullivan and Will Smith.
The Royals activated outfielder Rick Ankiel from the disabled list and had him available for Thursday night's game against the New York Yankees. Ankiel hit .210 in 19 games before going on the disabled list May 3 with a pulled right quadriceps.
Callaspo, batting .275 with eight homers and 43 RBIs in 88 games, was taken out of the Royals' lineup before the game and replaced by Wilson Betemit.
Kansas City plans to make another roster move when O'Sullivan joins the Royals. Smith will report to Class-A Wilmington.
Doumit on 15-day DL for Pirates
PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates placed catcher Ryan Doumit on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion and recalled Jason Jaramillo from Triple-A Indianapolis.
Doumit, tied for second on the team in home runs with eight and RBI with 32, left the game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning because he felt lightheaded and nauseous. Doumit did not play Tuesday after taking a foul tip off his mask during a game Monday.
Jaramillo was optioned to Indianapolis at the All-star break after hitting .164 in 24 games with Pittsburgh. He went 6 for 17 with a double and four RBIs in five games with Indianapolis.
Manager John Russell said Jaramillo and Erik Kratz would split the catching duties.
Gallardo activated by Brewers; Cain to AAA
PITTSBURGH -- The Milwaukee Brewers optioned outfielder Lorenzo Cain to Triple-A Nashville, making room on the roster for pitcher Yovani Gallardo to come off the disabled list and start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 24-year-old Cain went 3 for 5 with a run scored in three games since being recalled last Friday. The Brewers bullpen has been taxed recently, and manager Ken Macha said the team wanted to get Cain more at-bats in Triple-A.
Gallardo hadn't pitched since he left a game July 4 in St. Louis with an oblique strain, costing him the opportunity to appear in his first All-star game.
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Texas Rangers' auction is on.
A federal bankruptcy judge decided to keep the Aug. 4 date to auction off the team, rejecting requests to delay it nearly two months so bidders could line up financing. And Mark Cuban, the outspoken owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a billionaire businessman, may be among those bidding on the Rangers.
"It's real simple: We're going to get it done Aug. 4 and 5," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge D. Michael Lynn said after a three-day hearing that included plenty of squabbling among attorneys involved in the long-delayed sale.
The court-appointed restructuring officer and angry creditors had argued that potential buyers would not have enough time to secure the millions needed to buy the Rangers and suggested a Sept. 30 auction. But the team countered that at least two potential bidders, Houston businessman Jim Crane and Dallas investor Jeff Beck, had time to review the deal and line up financing since they were part of the original bidding process last year.
Cuban's attorney, Clifton Jessup, said he was "under the gun" to review terms of the sale in less than two weeks. Cuban, recently qualified by Major League Baseball to participate in the auction, has not decided whether to bid but hopes to make an offer on his own rather than join an existing group, Jessup said
Hearing set to establish Bonds' trial date
SAN FRANCISCO -- Lawyers and judges plan a meeting to hash out a trial date in the long-running Barry Bonds perjury case.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston has scheduled an 11 a.m. PDT hearing Friday in San Francisco. Bonds has pleaded not guilty to charges that he lied to a grand jury in December 2003 when he testified that he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
His trial was delayed because the government unsuccessfully appealed Illston's order barring prosecutors from showing key evidence to the jurors such as urine samples that tested positive for steroids.
Bonds has six attorneys, the government three primary prosecutors and Illston has a full docket, making it possible that a start date could slip into early next year.
Zambrano back on mound in minors
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Carlos Zambrano pitched a shaky scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance for Triple-A Iowa since being put on the restricted list by the Cubs after his latest confrontation with a teammate.
Zambrano received a warm welcome from the standing room-only crowd when he came out for the seventh inning. The volatile right-hander allowed a pair of hard singles to visiting Oklahoma City before getting Jarrod Saltalamacchia to ground out.
Zambrano was suspended without pay for three days and later put on the restricted list following a heated dugout argument with Derrek Lee on June 25.
He'll likely make at least one more appearance in relief for Iowa before the Cubs evaluate if he's ready to return to Chicago.
