Archive for October 2012

Brandon League, who battled a calf injury in 2011, was able to pitch in more games this past season than at any other point in his career.  He was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers just ahead of the trade deadline this past July, and he certainly boosted their bullpen.  Now, the Dodgers are rewarding him with a new contract.

According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the move came sometime yesterday, but the exact dollar amount of the contract is unknown.  The deal is said to be worth three years with a vesting option.

After declining his option for 2013, the Oakland Athletics are discussing a new contract with free agent shortstop Stephen Drew, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

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The New York Yankees should target St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran this offseason, says Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

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It was unclear if Jake Peavy would return to Chicago next season.  The White Sox did not seem certain that they would pick up his option for the 2013 season, so the thought was they would allow him to enter free agency.  However, yesterday the team extended Peavy for two more seasons.

According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, the White Sox gave Peavy $29 million for the next two seasons.  Peavy's new agent had indicated that Peavy would test the free agent market - and suggested to Peavy that he do so.  However, the White Sox new GM and Rick Hahn managed to get a deal done.

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Despite the postseason struggles, the New York Yankees have picked up the options on Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson.  The combined cost for 2013 of these options is $30 million.  The Yankees will likely work toward a contract extension for Cano during the 2013 season.  As for Granderson, the extension was based largely on his power, but he is seeing an eye specialist because of the struggles that were magnified during the postseason.

According to David Waldstein of the New York Times, both moves were expected by the Yankees and each player was due $15 million if their option was picked up.  Waldstein said Granderson's future with the Yankees is not nearly as clear as Cano's.  Granderson strikes out far too often and does not get on base enough.  However, he has shown a knack for hitting home runs.

After making his return from a fractured ankle and torn ligaments, Stephen Drew was promptly traded to the Oakland Athletics this season.  Maybe not promptly.  He did play 40 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks before being trade.  Once the deal was made, Drew began to hit better, but he was still far from his normal self.  The A's could have brought him back next season by simply agreeing to exercise Drew's 2013 option (it was a mutual option but there is little doubt Drew would have agreed to it), but that would have cost them $10 million.  Instead, Drew elected free agency knowing the A's would not agree to the option.

According to Joe Stiglick of the Monterey County Herald, the A's intend to continue negotiating with Drew now that he is a free agent and work toward bringing him back.  Assistant GM, David Forst understands the demand for infielders this season and he understands that Drew was solid for Oakland. But while he didn't come right out and say it yesterday, he also understands that Drew is not worth $10 million right now.

Brian McCann, the once rising star for the Braves had a rough 2012.  He suffered a shoulder injury and underwent surgery a couple weeks ago.  The injury and subsequent surgery could force the Atlanta Braves' catcher to miss the beginning of the 2013 season.  He has a team option for 2013 worth $12 million, but the Braves will be turning their focus toward re-signing David Ross for now.

According to Dave O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, both the Braves and Ross want to work out a new deal.

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It didn't take long for a few of the players listed on today's earlier article regarding injuries and free agency to have their options declined.  Todd Coffey and Scott Baker both had their options declined and will become free agents.  However, both will struggle to find work for now.

According to Dyland Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers declined the team options on Todd Coffey and Juan Rivera.  Coffey has been sidelined with Tommy John surgery.

The #Dodgers declined to exercise the 2013 club options on Todd Coffey, Juan Rivera and Matt Treanor.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) October 29, 2012

Also becoming a free agent today was the Twins' Scott Baker.  According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Twins declined Baker's $9.25 million option.  As mentioned in our earlier article, Baker is going to try to come back from flexor tendon surgery by the middle of next season.  It would make no sense for the Twins to pick up his option.

This is just the beginning of the offseason transaction sure to be impacted by injuries.  Be sure to check back with us often for all the hot stove news and injury updates.
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With the World Series over, there are a lot of players about to become free agents.  This means the hot stove is about to crank up.  The worker bees at MLB front offices across the league are about to start throwing logs onto the fire and really get things heated up.  To get you ready for the offseason and the seemingly endless number of transactions that are likely to begin in the coming weeks, we've put together a list of injured player who are entering free agency:

Bartolo Colon, who was recently suspended by Major League Baseball for using performance enhancing drugs, was hit by a come-backer while pitching yesterday.  Colon is pitching in the Dominican Winter League and was hit in the face by a line drive back up the middle.  The video has made its way to Youtube, and it's a scary scene.  However, it appears Colon will be alright.

While the initial focus will be on the San Francisco Giants for winning the World Series, the Washington Nationals will soon find themselves in the spotlight.  As the celebration dies down and the long winter kicks in, there won't be much to talk about until the trades really begin.  That gives us plenty of time to start analyzing the Nationals' usage of Stephen Strasburg and whether things would have turned out differently if he had ben allowed to pitch past early September.  Even the Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander has thought about it.

According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Verlander was curious why teams don't let their best pitchers pitch.  The two-time Cy Young Award winner is no stranger to a heavy workload.  He has pitched more than 200 innings in every season since 2007.  He has led the American League in innings-pitched in three of the last four seasons.  And he wouldn't have it any other way.

One of the top honors in baseball - THE top honor in my opinion - went to Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday.  The lefty star won the Roberto Clemente award after being selected as the Dodgers' representative last month.

The award honor the late Roberto Clemente's commitment to helping the community.  Clemente passed away when traveling the plane he was traveling on crashed.  He and the plane full of relief supplies were on their way to his native Nicaragua after the country was ravaged by an earthquake.  His commitment to doing the right thing, to helping the community will be forever remember in the Roberto Clemente award, given out each year to the player who best shows sporstmanship and a commitment to the community.

According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Kershaw has worked with numerous charities in both Los Angeles and Dallas, his hometown.  He and his wife have also helped build an orphanage in Zambia.  His efforts did not go unnoticed.

Kershaw won the National League Cy Young Award last season, but if asked, he would probably say this award is much more meaningful.  This past season, kershaw was hampered by an impingement in his hip.  Yet, he still managed to go 15-9 with a 2.53 ERA.  He is certainly not out of the running for a second consecutive Cy Young.  
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Closer Mariano Rivera has said he’s undecided on whether or not he’ll return to the New York Yankees next season. While most assume this to be the case of a veteran mulling retirement, Buster Olney of ESPN believes it could be a negotiation tactic employed by Rivera against the Yankees.

Don't tell Giants fans about the ratings.  Don't tell them the World Series was boring.  For the second time in three years, their team has won the World Series, and they couldn't care less how it happened.  But how did it happen?  How did this team that didn't even make the postseason in 2011 suddenly roar through the 2012 playoffs and win the World Series?

It wasn't Melky Cabrera that helped them win.  It wasn't a repeat of 2010 when Tim Lincecum was dominating every one of his starts.  They didn't smash the ball with a ridiculously potent offense.  They didn't have their dominant closer, Brian Wilson.  No, this team was different.  Cabrera, arguably their best player, was suspended for PED use.  Pablo Sandoval missed a large chunk of time due to injuries.  Tim Lincecum struggled throughout the season and was relegated to a bullpen role in the postseason.  They hit the fewest home runs in all of baseball at home.  But they won.

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are two teams that baseball executives believe could target free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

Contract discussions between the Kansas City Royals and right-hander Joakim Soria continue, reports Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star. The Royals are interested in re-signing Soria, who missed the entire 2012 season after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery, but they are expected to buyout the 2013 option of his current contract.

“We’re still looking at that right now,” general manager Dayton Moore said. “It’s kind of moving at its own pace. Not real fast but not real slow. We still have some time.”

Lance Berkman was leaning towards retirement prior to the end of the St. Louis Cardinals’ season, but the veteran slugger is now saying that he’s “not real sure” about his future, reports Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. While he doesn’t know what’s going to happen or what his thought process will be, Berkman told Strauss that he’s willing to listen to contract offers this offseason before making a decision.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Doug Fister is showing no signs of a concussion after being hit in the head by a line drive Thursday, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN.

"He's never had a headache. He's never had dizziness. Nothing," Rand said. "He's had no symptoms at any time."

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Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told reporters, including Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, that he likes the makeup of his starting outfield once those that recently underwent surgery recover, including Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford. Both Kemp and Crawford expect to be ready when spring training rolls around.

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People familiar with the situation tell Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that there’s “no way” the San Francisco Giants will trade right-hander Tim Lincecum this offseason.

The Milwaukee Brewers are seriously considering making a run at free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton this offseason, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

Justin Verlander is better than me.  His name is equally awesome, but he is better.  There's no doubt about that.  When you see my 47 mph fastball sail high and outside, striking the chain-link backstop with a soft thud, you can see this as clear as day.  But I can take solace in the fact that he is better than just about anyone who is currently in the business of throwing baseballs.  In fact, Verlander is arguably (or unarguably - if that's a word - the best in my opinion) the best pitcher in all of baseball.  He has a unique ability.  He throws harder as the game goes on.  Rather than let fatigue take him out of a game, Verlander is a throwback to old school pitchers.  He gets better as the game goes on.  He cranks it up to over 100 mph in the late innings - very similar to myself (not true).

The qualities described above have led to Verlander winning two Cy Young awards in his career and one MVP.  A pitcher winning the MVP is rare enough on its own, but Verlander managed to sweep the awards season last year with both the Cy Young and the MVP.  But beyond the awards, Verlander is plain and simply good.  He's great, really.  He has two no-hitters and could easily have four or five with a couple lucky breaks.  So, for all the success he has had, Verlander has been handsomely compensated.  But he's worth more, and the Tigers know that.

After weeks of speculation that something may have been wrong with C.C. Sabathia's elbow, the New York Yankees' ace has undergone elbow surgery.  The procedure, which took place yesterday, was to remove bone spurs in the elbow.  He is expected to be ready for opening day with no issues related to the surgery.

Dan Martin of the New York Post says Dr. James Andrews, the renowned sports surgeon, performed the surgery on Sabathia.  He says this is the first year that Sabathia has experienced arm trouble in his career, but he should be healthy and ready to go for spring training and Opening Day.

Ever since Mariano Rivera tore his ACL, he said he'd be back.  It wasn't hard to believe him.  Sure, he is 42 years old.  Sure, he's been in the league since 1995.  Sure he's saved more games than any other human in history.  But despite all the reasons that would make it easy for Rivera to hang them up, we believed he would be back because baseball without him just doesn't seem right.  However, we may have to consider baseball without the game's greatest closer.  He has not made a decision but may retire rather than coming back for a 19th season.

According to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York, Rivera let the team know that he is considering retirement.  Brian Cashman, the Yankees' GM, was notified on Tuesday that Rivera had not made a final decision as to whether to come back or retire.

The San Francisco Giants took a 1-0 lead in the World Series last night, and they did so in dominant fashion.  They knocked around the two-time Cy Young award-winner Justin Verlander, and won 8-3.  But it's just game one.  The Tigers will throw the surprisingly talented Doug Fister at the Giants today.  The Giants will counter with Madison Bumgarner.

There are no real injury concerns holding players back in this series.  Max Scherzer seems to be healthy and will pitch Game Four.  Marco Scuataro looks like his old self and just recently won the National League Championship Series MVP.  These teams should be at as close to full health as a team can be in October.

As a side note, the Giants will not use Melky Cabrera in the World Series.  Cabrera was suspended for violating the baseball's drug policy, but he was reinstated during the NLCS.  The Giants did not use him during the NLCS either.

Game Two starts tonight at 8:00 PM EST.
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If the injury wasn't enough, perhaps the poor performance was.  The New York Yankees have faced their share of adversity, but perhaps nothing like the slump Alex Rodriguez went through this past season and this past postseason.  The slump was enough for manager Joe Girardi to pinch-hit for Rodriguez in key situations and bench him for the team's final two games.  But despite it all, Girardi says he plans to start Rodriguez at third base next season.

According to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York, Rodriguez will have to prove he is healthy among other things.  The aging third baseman has not quite been the same player since admitting PED use.  That may or may not be related, and his injuries could certainly play a role in his decline.  But for now, Girardi is sticking with him.

Max Scherzer could very easily have been the Tigers' Game One starter in the World Series.  He has has been dominant in the postseason.  He battled Justin Verlander strikeout for strikeout in the regular season.  He simply had a fantastic year.  But he also battled fatigue and injuries.  So, the Detroit Tigers will use him in Game Four limiting him to just one start in the World Series.

According to Jason Beck of MLB.com, Scherzer's fatigue and his ankle injury while celebrating the Tigers' American League Central championship have left the Tigers cautious.  They want him as healthy as possible each time he takes the mound in the postseason.  To ensure that, they have limited him to two starts so far in the playoffs.

In his list of potential free agent targets of the Baltimore Orioles, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun listed Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Could Hamilton be a fit for the O’s?

The Los Angeles Dodgers received a bit of a scare earlier this month when what was expected to be minor surgery revealed significant damage to the shoulder of All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp. However, after further diagnosis the team has announced that doctors expect Kemp to be fully healed for the start of the 2013 season, reports Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

But Kemp, who's rehabbing in the Phoenix area, was also told he should be fully healed for the start of the season. He expects to start swinging the bat in January.

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Babe Ruth.  Reggie Jackson.  Albert Pujols.  Now, you can add Pablo Sandoval to that list.  The San Francisco Giants' third baseman had not only the game of his career, but a game for the ages.  Not known as a terrible power threat, Sandoval clubbed three home runs in Game One of the World Series as the Giants went on to win 8-3.  The home runs tied him with Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit three home runs in a World Series game.

This all comes after Sandoval spent a good chunk of time on the DL this season.  He was unable to play from May 3rd through June 8th.  Then, he was placed back on the DL in July and missed 18 more games.  In total, the slugger played in just 108 games this year, the lowest of his career since his rookie season.  The strained left hamstring in July was an injury the Giants hoped would not result in a stint on the DL for Sandoval, but it ultimately did.  It didn't matter though.  The Giants won the division and are in the World Series.

So enjoy your day Pablo Sandoval.  Your name will now be said in the same breath as some of the greatest players to ever play the game.
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The Minnesota Twins have declined right-hander Matt Capps’ $6 million option for the 2013 season, reports Tyler Mason of FOX Sports North, meaning the 29-year-old will hit the free agent market this winter.

In an expected move, the San Francisco Giants left outfielder Melky Cabrera off their World Series roster. San Fran is set to take on the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the Fall Classic tonight.

Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan told reporters, including Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN, that he hopes to re-sign right-hander Scott Baker, who’s seven months removed from Tommy John surgery.

Mike Pelfrey underwent Tommy John surgery in May of this year.  The recovery time for Tommy John surgery is 12-18 months, so he will not be ready for Opening Day next season.  He managed only 19 2/3 innings-pitched this season for the New York Mets, and with his status for next season in the air, it makes sense that the team does not tender a contract offer or arbitration to Pelfrey.

Mike Puma of the New York Post confirmed the news via Twitter yesterday.

Even with the Boston Red Sox trying to get away from their mistake of a 2012 season, the drama continues.  Bobby Valentine, who was recently fired by the club, gace an interview to NBC Sports.  He spoke with Bob Costas and covered everything from team dysfunction, front office issues, and the fact that he thinks David Ortiz quit on the team.

According to the interview, as summarized by Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald, Valentine think Ortiz realized the Red Sox weren't going to compete and used the achilles injury as a reason not to play.  It's a harsh jab at one of the franchise's best players, but Valentine has never held back in his feelings and opinions of players.  He said Ortiz seemed like he was ready to contribute after coming off the DL, but then just shut it down.

Left-hander Randy Wolf is set to undergo Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2013 season, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.

The Miami Marlins made official what a lot of people around Major League Baseball were expecting. The club formally announced the firing of manager Ozzie Guillen. The Marlins sent Guillen packing after one tumultuous season, reports Matt Brooks of the Washington Post.

What he couldn't get last offseason, David Ortiz seems on the verge of getting this offseason.  The power-hitting designated hitter wanted a multi-year deal after the 2011 season, and he tested the market.  He took his bat, his size, and his encroachment on historic home run totals and went shopping.  He was looking for a team willing to show him the love of more than one year.  But his shopping spree fell flat, and he landed back in Boston with a one-year deal.  So after an injury-plagued season it seems strange to think that Ortiz would have better luck, but it looks like he will.  He and the Red Sox are closing in on a two-year deal.  And it's a great move for Boston.

The news broke yesterday.  Despite his achilles injury, despite playing in only 90 games, the Red Sox are going to bring Ortiz back for two years.  Maybe it's the turnover.  They could be tired of it.  They should be tired of it.  There was manager Terry Francona's firing, Theo Epstein's dash to Chicago, there was Bobby Valentine's hiring, there was Josh Becket and Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez's trade, there was mutiny, and there was Bobby Valentine's firing.  The turmoil in Boston feels like something from an epic novel, the type that becomes ingrained with the city's history.  Paul Revere, the Boston Tea Party, and the fall of the Red Sox.

Team interested in Alex Rodriguez need to remember he missed significant time with a significant injury this past season.  The New York Yankees' third baseman broke his left hand when hit by a Felix Hernandez fastball.  He was out for a month and a half, and when he returned his bat had gone dead.  Not that it was ever really alive before the injury.  Despite the injury and the poor hitting, it appears the Miami Marlins may not be the only team with interest in Rodriguez.  The Tampa Bay Rays may be interested as well.

According to Marc Topkin on the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays could have some interest in the aging slugger if the Yankees do decide to trade him.  Topkin points out that the Yankees may have problems with trading Rodriguez to a division rival, so if the Rays really wanted him they may have to take on more of Rodriguez's contract than other teams.  They would only be looking at him as a DH since Evan Longoria has third base locked down.

The Rangers had a fantastic season - right up until the end.  They lost the American League West on the final day of the season, so they were forced to play the one-game Wild Card playoff.  And they lost.  The Baltimore Orioles earned the right to move on into the Division Series.  But looking back, the Rangers still had an impressive season considering some of the injuries.  However, one of the key players these past two years for Texas, a player who battled through injuries this season, may not be back.  Mike Napoli's status is uncertain in Texas as the catcher/DH heads into free agency.

According to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, the Rangers are in the market for a catcher.  This does not necessarily mean they won't bring Napoli back, but the team has already considered what they would have to offer Napoli to get draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere.  Sullivan says the qualifying offer (as part of the new CBA) for Napoli would be $13.3 million for one year.  Yet, the team is not even sure they will offer him that.

At this point the slide may be forgotten.  In Game Two of the National League Championship Series, Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals slid hard into the San Francisco Giants' Marco Scutaro.  The slide caused Scutaro's body to bend at an awkward angle and looked as if it may have hurt his right leg.  It turned out, Scutaro had injured his hip.  He had tried to stay in the game but was eventually removed.  All Scutaro did was come back from that injury, lead his team to yet another comeback and into the World Series, and earn the NLCS MVP.

Standing in the rain with two outs in the ninth inning, the Giants so close to a return to the World Series, Scutaro threw his arms into the air and welcomed the down pour.  He wasn't worried about a possible delay.  He was simply enjoying the moment, as well he should.  Scutaro was fantastic in the NLCS.  He reached base an impressive 16 times says Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News.  He collected 14 hits.  He had a .500 batting average.  He earned his moment of pure joy in the cold rain on a special night in San Francisco.


Not only is Scutaro's MVP award impressive because of his performance, it's impressive because of the route he took in coming to the Giants.  Scutaro was not hitting with the Colorado Rockies this season.  In fact, his line was a meager .271/.321/.364 with Colorado.  After being traded to the Giants, he caught fire.  He hit .362/.385/.473.  And then the postseason happened.  Then the slide happened.

Holliday's slide was a play that could have gone either way.  It could have truly injured Scutaro to the point where he couldn't play (or maybe just sent him into a slump), or it could have fired him and his teammates up.  We all know it was the latter that happened.  There was no retaliation.  There was no need for it.  Holliday found himself in a tailspin of his own after the slide while Scutaro emerged as a hitting machine.

After the Game Two injury, the Giants went on to win four of the last five games, they outscored the Cardinals 24-12.  And it was due in large part to Scutaro.  He doesn't drive the ball.  He isn't going to deposit home runs into the bay.  What Scutaro does is set the table.  He got on base.  He kept innings alive.  He drove in runs.  He was an MVP.

Now, with Scutaro apparently healthy, the Giants will welcome Detroit to San Francisco for Game One of the World Series on Wednesday.
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Entering the offseason, most expected Michael Pineda, who missed all of the 2012 season due to injury, to be ready for spring training. However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the major shoulder surgery the 23-year-old underwent could keep him sidelined through the first half of the 2013 season, reports ESPNNewYork.

San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum will be available in trade this winter, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

While the St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in their first elimination game of the National League Championship Series, they did get some good news before the game.  Carlos Beltran's knee seems to be back to 100% or as close to it as it's going to get during this year's playoffs.

The Cardinals tweeted a message Saturday summarizing manager Mike Matheny's response to media about Beltran's knee.

"Right now, it seems to be everything is good." – Mike Matheny on @carlosbeltran15's knee #12in12
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) October 20, 2012

David Ortiz wants to remain in Boston.  He wants to end his career with the Red Sox.  However, to do so, he is looking for a two-year contract.  The Red Sox did not want to give him more than a year last offseason, and it is very possible they will not want to go beyond a year this offseason.  However, if they do not offer a two-year deal, there may be another team willing to go in for multiple years on the recovering slugger; the New York Yankees.

Ortiz is coming off an Achilles injury that caused him to miss the majority of the second half of the season.  He returned for one game but couldn't play again.  He seems to be ready for a relatively normal offseason workout program, but teams will certainly be concerned about the injury.  Even still, Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald suggests the Yankees may offer Ortiz a two-year deal.  And Buckley says if they do, the Red Sox should allow Ortiz to walk.

Jose Valverde may not be injured, but he's admitted to being fatigued.  That fatigue has shown in the postseason this year.  The Detroit Tigers' closer has allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings pitched this postseason.  He has fallen a long way from his dominance of 2011.  Valverde did not blow a save last season, and he still managed 35 saves this season.  However, once the playoffs began, Valverde broke down.

The Tigers, in an effort to stay prepared for when the World Series does start, played a simulated game today against some instructional league players.  Valverde pitched one inning, and he still struggled.  Valverde gave up a run on two hits and a walk in the bottom of the first inning.  It wasn't wuite your normal scenario, but considering the Tigers were trying to stay as amped as possible, Valverde's struggles are concerning.

The St. Louis Cardinals could have used a little more last night.  As they faced the San Francisco Giants' Ryan Vogelsong, St. Louis could not get much going.  Matt Holliday may or may not have made a difference, but we'll never know because he was not in the lineup last night.  Holliday was scratched before the game due to back stiffness.

Holliday tried to take batting practice today before the game, but his back would not allow it.  According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Holliday had been playing through back issues for the past few weeks.  His back just happened to tighten up on him too much for him to go today.

Chris Young was on his way to a fantastic season.  At least it seemed that way.  The Diamondbacks' outfielder was hitting .410 with five home runs on April 17th when he was injured.  He spent time on the disabled list and did not return to action until May 18th.  His average and his power numbers slowly dipped from there to the end of the season.  By the end of may he was hitting .286.  By the end of the season, he was hitting .231.  But none of that discouraged Oakland A's GM Billy Beane from pulling off a three-team deal that sent Young to Oakland.

According to Matt Snyder of CBS Sports, the Diamondbacks sent Chris Young to Oakland in exchange for Cliff Pennington, a light-hitting middle infielder.  The Diamondbacks then immediately flipped Pennington to the Miami Marlins for Heath Bell.

Curtis Granderson had a rough American League Championship Series.  He went 0 for 11.  He went 3 for 19 in the Division Series.  The New York Yankees were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS.  Of course, Granderson was not the only reason for New York's woes, but they would have loved to see his bat come alive.  Now, the Yankees are concerned that it wasn't a slump necessarily.  They are concerned about Granderson's vision.

The Yankees will send their 31-year old outfielder to an eye specialist to check his vision says Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.  Granderson was diagnosed with 20/30 vision shortly before the season began.  A source within the organization says Granderson's eyes have not been checked since last offseason when the team conducts their normal physicals.

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle yesterday, the team announced.

New York Yankees left-hander C.C. Sabathia told reporters, including George A. King III of The New York Post, that he’s concerned about his elbow.

The Cleveland Indians have announced that first baseman/outfielder Matt LaPorta underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip Thursday, reports Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

Texas Rangers right-hander Mike Adams underwent successful surgery for his neck injury, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, on Thursday, reports Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthWest.com.

C.C. Sabathia was both dominant and horrible in the 2012 postseason.  Such is the case when a team must battle through adversity and keep their intensity level at its highest point for a month.  The New York Yankees were swept out of the American League Championship Series two days ago by the Detroit Tigers.  This was with Sabathia on the hill.  Sabathia struggled, and the Yankees lost.  Now, the team wants to make sure his elbow is alright.

According to Marc Carig of Newsday, the Yankees will make sure Sabathia has his pitching elbow looked at.  When general manager Brian Cashman was asked about Sabathia's elbow, he made it clear that was on the Yankees' list of priorities.

All it took was a gruesome leg injury.  A play at the plate gone horribly wrong.  That's all.  Buster Posey, thanks to a broken leg and missing most of the 2011 season, was eligible for the Comeback Player of the Year Award in the National League.  And because he came back and was every bit as good as he always has been, he won the honor.

Posey earned 27 of the possible 30 first place votes says MLB.com's Chris Haft.  MLB.com puts on the award and polls writers from each of the team sites under the MLB umbrella.  Posey's win was no shocker considering the year he had, but Posey was just happy to be back on the field.

Washington Nationals left-hander Sean Burnett underwent arthroscopic surgery Thursday to remove two small bone spurs from his elbow, reports Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

New York Mets right-hander R.A. Dickey underwent surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle Thursday, reports Mike Kerwick of northjersey.com.

Carlos Beltran's return to the St. Louis Cardinals lineup was not a triumphant one.  The Cardinals, who won both games in which Beltran missed time, could not muster up a win with Beltran back in the lineup.  Beltran felt a pinch in his knee during the first inning of Game Three and had to leave.  He missed Game Four.  However, he was feeling well enough to return for last night's contest.

According to Daniel Brown and Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News, Beltran's status was up in the air until about two hours before first pitch.  Manager Mike Matheny felt comfortable penciling him in the lineup though, and Beltran delivered in his first at-bat.

Jaime Garcia has been out since Game Two of the National League Division Series.  He experienced pain in his left shoulder and was removed after the second inning of that game.  Later, it was learned that Garcia had been experiencing pain in the shoulder for a while, but he kept it to himself.  The team left him off the National League Championship roster and it seems clear that he will not pitch again this postseason.  However, Garcia is not ready to succumb to surgery.

Matt Snyder of CBS Sports says Garcia plans to rehab his left shoulder before undergoing surgery.  His goal is to avoid surgery altogether.  Snyder says Garcia will try two to three weeks of rehab and then make a decision on surgery.

Albert Pujols struggled at the beginning of the 2012 season, but he figured things out about midway through the season.  He finished with respectable numbers in his first season with his new team, the Los Angeles Angels.  While Pujols did not suffer any significant injuries during the season, he did undergo minor knee surgery last week.

According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the procedure was a minor arthroscopic procedure to clean up his knee.  The surgery is not expected to affect his availability for spring training next season, and he should have a relatively normal offseason.  Strauss said Pujols has already resumed his conditioning.

Brian Wilson has been out for the entire 2012 season.  The San Francisco Giants closer underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career in April of this year.  He hasn't thrown a baseball since, but that changes tomorrow.

Erin Andrews of Fox Sports said during last night's television broadcast that Wilson would throw for the first time today.  It is unlikely that he will throw very much, and the tosses will almost certainly be from flat ground, but it is progress.  And the Giants need something good to focus on.

Andy Pettitte, who came out of retirement this season and pitched well, will decide whether he will return for an 18th year.  He suffered a fractured leg earlier this season but was able to return to help the New York Yankees down the stretch and in the postseason.  Now, he must decide whether his body can withstand another full year of baseball.

According to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York, Pettitte wants to make a decision on his future within the next month or so.  He spoke to media shortly after the Yankees lost the American League Championship Series to the Detroit Tigers.

Carlos Beltran, who had to leave Wednesday's game after the first inning, did not play last night as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants.  The Cardinals managed to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the National League Division series without arguably their best hitter.

Beltran said before the game he felt better but was still sore.  According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Beltran was scheduled to receive treatment during Game Four in an attempt to make himself available for Game Five.

Brian McCann underwent shoulder surgery on Tuesday.  The injury to his shoulder affected his production in 2012, and it ultimately may affect whether the Atlanta Braves exercise their 2013 option on the All-Star catcher.  McCann is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for opening day next season, but the Braves will have to weigh whether to exercise the option and take the risk that he never bounces back or go in another direction.

Frank Wren, the Braves general manager, refused to comment on McCann's status and whether his surgery will affect the team's decision on bringing him back.  However, according to Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves should consider a one year return for McCann.  Bradley does not believe McCann's salary is enough of a deterrent to cause the Braves not to bring him back.

The New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers will have to wait another day to play Game Four.  Last night's game was rained out which may have extended New York's season.  The Yankees are trailing 3-0 and their bats have gone silent in the series.  With their leader, Derek Jeter, on the shelf for the remainder of the postseason, the Yankees have become a different team.  Their star players are not playing like stars.  Here are your Yankees injury updates:

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jake Westbrook has declared that he’s “ready to go” if the club advances past the San Francisco Giants to the 2012 World Series, reports Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com.

Injuries influence decisions.  It's common sense.  In Lance Berkman's case, his injury will influence his future as a professional baseball player.  Sure, he could come back.  He could try to work his way back to being a regular player.  He may even be successful, but for now, his future is up in the air.  It's already been reported that he may be available if the St. Louis Cardinals make the World Series, but his future beyond that is unknown.  And it looks like it will remain that way for a little while longer.

According to Scott Wuerz of the Belleville News Democrat, Berkman will not make a decision on whether to retire or not until February.  Wuerz says finding a place for Berkman to play may be the most difficult thing if he does in fact decide to continue his career.  The Cardinals have a first baseman in Allen Craig and a right fielder in Carlos Beltran.

Carlos Beltran is one of the best postseason hitters around, and the St. Louis Cardinals lost him for Game Three.  The outfielder had to leave the game in the second inning because of a left knee strain.  He suffered the injury while trying to beat out a ground ball in the first inning.

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Beltran is listed as day-to-day and the team will know more tomorrow.  Goold also pointed out that Beltran had been battling a left hand injury and had the hand in ice after Game One.

Carlos Quentin was one of the biggest additions made by the San Diego Padres during the 2011 offseason.  The team needed a power bat, but no one was quite sure what they would do with Quentin once they had him.  Sure enough, as the team started losing, trade rumors began to pick up.  The Padres didn't trade Quentin, though.  Instead, they gave him a contract extension. Now, the team must hope that he can stay healthy.

Quentin had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee during spring training.  The injury kept him out until the end of May.  Once he returned, the Padres were a different team.  With Quentin in the lineup, the team started hitting, and Quentin started hitting.  It was short-lived.  Quentin tweaked his knee in September causing him to be all but shut down.  Then, three days after the season ended, he had another surgery on his right knee.

San Francisco Giants shortstop Marco Scutaro has been diagnosed with a left hip muscle strain and is expected to play in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, reports Janie McCauley of the Associated Press.

Outfielder Brett Gardner was back in the New York Yankees’ starting lineup last night for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. While New York got Gardner back in their order, right-hander Phil Hughes exited the game early due to injury.

Josh Hamilton did not suffer a serious injury during the 2012 season.  However, he suffered through numerous minor, nagging injuries.  He most recent was a strange ordeal in which he battled a sinus infection and blurred vision.  As it turned out, the two were not related, and instead the blurred vision may have been related to Hamilton's caffeine intake.  While Hamilton may not have suffered a major injury in 2012, teams looking to sign him as a free agent will certainly consider his history.

One of those teams looks like it may be the Milwaukee Brewers.  Buster Oleny of ESPN, in an Insider piece, said that the Brewers and their small-market status may not keep them from pursuing this offseason's biggest prize.  He points out that Milwaukee did not shy away from high-priced targets like C.C. Sabathia and Zack Greinke.  Hamilton could be another high-priced target, but his price tag will certainly be much higher than anything the Brewers experienced in the past.