« April 2004 | Main | June 2004 »
May 29, 2004
Transaction
MAY 29: Recalled pitcher JUAN DOMINGUEZ from AAA Oklahoma. Sent pitcher ROSMAN GARCIA to AAA Oklahoma.
Garcia gets three days of service time, Dominguez gets another chance to prove he's ready for the big time.
Posted by Lucas at 01:31 PM
May 26, 2004
Transaction
Placed pitcher CHAN HO PARK on the 15-day Disabled List. Recalled pitcher ROSMAN GARCIA from AAA Oklahoma.
Park hits the DL for the fifth time in three seasons, this time with a sore back, the same injury that ended his 2003 campaign. Park has a 5.80 ERA, pretty good for him, and would be fine overall if not for the thirteen homers allowed in just 49 innings. Juan Dominguez will take his place on Saturday; for now, Garcia serves as the eighth reliever. Garcia has pitched terribly in AAA but was already on the 40-man roster.
Posted by Lucas at 01:30 PM
May 25, 2004
Transaction
Placed outfielders KEVIN MENCH and BRIAN JORDAN on the 15-day Disabled List. Transferred catcher GERALD LAIRD from the 15-day to the 60-day Disabled List. Added outfielders CHAD ALLEN and GARY MATTHEWS JR. to the 40-man roster and recalled them from AAA Oklahoma.
Oy. Mench pulled an oblique muscle throwing out Alex Rodriguez at home plate, while Jordan really has never recovered from last year's knee injury. Jordan, batting .109 with no power, is no loss, but Mench had started nearly every game and was the only outfielder not in a platoon situation. Mench could return in the minimum time, Jordan may need surgery. Allen and Matthews have hit extremely well in AAA but their Major League accomplishments are modest. Texas' starting outfield on the 25th consisted of Allen, Eric Young and Matthews, and Laird can't return before late July regardless of health. Again, oy.
Posted by Lucas at 01:29 PM
May 22, 2004
Transaction
Placed catcher GERALD LAIRD on the 15-day Disabled List. Transferred pitcher COLBY LEWIS from the 15-day to the 60-day Disabled List. Added catcher KEN HUCKABY to the 40-man roster and recalled him from AAA Oklahoma.
A truly disheartening injury. Already known as a defensive whiz, Laird had proven a capable hitter in posting a line of .295/.369/.379 in parts of 2003 and 2004. A home plate collision with Ken Harvey tore a ligament in his catching thumb and will shelve him for three months. Huckaby hadn't hit a lick in AAA (.241/.289/.368) but got the nod over Danny Ardoin because of his game-calling and "extra coach" skills. Rod Barajas, signed as insurance prior to the season, becomes the primary catcher.
Posted by Lucas at 01:28 PM
May 13, 2004
Transaction
Announced pitcher COLBY LEWIS will undergo season-ending rotator cuff surgery.
An MRI had revealed "significant wear and tear" of the cuff. Pitchers don't normally recover from shoulder surgery as well as Tommy John (elbow ligament transplant) surgery. Pegged as someone with great stuff but little idea of how to use it, Lewis won't have much to work with if he loses any velocity.
Posted by Lucas at 01:28 PM
Transaction
Placed reliever JEFF NELSON on the 15-day Disabled List. Recalled pitcher BRIAN SHOUSE from rehab assignment in AAA.
Nelson had pitched inconsistently and generally worse as the season progressed. He went on the DL to have his knee scoped, then decided to have bone chips removed from his elbow while he was at it. The additional surgery will delay his return until August. Shouse pitched poorly in his lengthy rehab assignment (really more of a "how long can Texas keep him in AAA" assignment).
Posted by Lucas at 01:27 PM
May 12, 2004
Transaction
Placed reliever DOUG BROCAIL on the 15-day Disabled List. Added reliever FRANK FRANCISCO to the 40-man roster and recalled him from AA Tulsa.
Brocail becomes the second pitcher in two months to succumb to the need for an appendectomy. Rather than recall Brian Shouse, rehabbing in AAA, Texas decided to play the hot hand and added Francisco to the 40-man. Francisco, acquired with pitcher Josh Rupe and outfielder Anthony Webstrer for Carl Everett last summer, has dominated AA, allowing only seven hits and striking out 30 in 17.2 innings. He also has walked ten. Francisco was eligible but unclaimed in last winter's Rule 5 draft.
Posted by Lucas at 01:26 PM