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High & Inside: NL Notes
By Phil Anastasia, Inquirer Staff Writer
Jul 24, 2008
Earth to Ed Houston Chronicle columnist Richard Justice thinks Astros general manager Ed Wade needs a reality check. Or at least a copy of the standings. Houston entered play yesterday tied for last place in the Central, 12 games behind Chicago and 11 behind Milwaukee.
But this week, Wade traded for his old Phillies buddy Randy Wolf, a lefthander who is 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA - and will cost the Astros between $1.7 million and $3.5 million this season.
"Ridiculous," Justice wrote of the move, noting that the Astros "threw $3.5 million at a lost season."
Padres general manager Kevin Towers made no secret that trading Wolf was a salary dump.
"I'm not going to lie. . . . The club is going to save some money," he said.
A last-place team such as the Padres normally won't find a willing trade partner in another last-place team. But Towers said the Astros had been "more aggressive" than other teams in their pursuit of Wolf.
Wolf said Wade still believed the Astros were playoff contenders disguised as cellar dwellers.
"He thinks there's still a shot," Wolf said. "He's not giving up hope. I'm up for the challenge."
Dangerous duty Reds pitcher Josh Fogg will miss tomorrow's scheduled start after needing 30 stitches in his upper lip Tuesday night when a ball hit by teammate Joey Votto struck him during batting practice.
"I feel good, other than the fact that my face is blown up," said Fogg, who also chipped a tooth.
Reds manager Dusty Baker: "He looks like Mike Tyson got him."
Good work if you can get it Remember that old saw about the U.S. government paying farmers not to grow food? It seems the Dodgers are close to paying Andruw Jones not to play.
Big money, too.
The Dodgers sent outfielder Juan Pierre to triple-A Las Vegas this week on a rehab assignment for a sore knee. If all goes well, Pierre could be back with the big club by the weekend, and Jones could be on the bench.
This after Jones signed a two-year, $36 million deal in the off-season. This after he produced numbers at the plate that would make a bad-hitting pitcher shake his head in dismay: a .163 average with 11 RBIs in 178 at-bats.
Notable The Chicago Cubs activated all-star outfielder Alfonso Soriano before their game against Arizona last night. He had been out since June 11, when a pitch fractured a finger on his left hand. . . . Jon Lieber, rehabilitating after a foot injury, threw three innings for the Cubs' rookie team in Mesa, Ariz. . . . Braves lefthander Mike Hampton, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues in 35 months, might rejoin the rotation next week. . . . The Chicago Tribune reported that the Tribune Co. had informed would-be buyers of the Cubs and Wrigley Field whether, based on last week's bids, they could continue in the auction to buy the entities.
This article contains information from the Associated Press. Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223 or panastasia@phillynews.com .
Copyright 2008
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