Truth & Rumors > MLB

07:12 AM ET 05.20 | Roy Oswalt may be up to a month away from a legitimate consideration in the Rockies' rotation, but his showing Saturday suggested much progress. Pitching against a team of Brewers prospects, Oswalt gave up one hit -- a first-inning leadoff bunt single -- and struck out nine with no walks in five innings. It was his third start in extended spring in Arizona. The next move for Oswalt, 35, who signed with the Rockies on May 3, is to Double-A Tulsa. He will make his first start for the Drillers on Friday at Arkansas and will be limited to 75 pitches. Bill Geivett, the Rockies' senior vice president of Major League operations, said Oswalt would need four or five starts before he is evaluated for a possible spot in the rotation.

MLB.com

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07:11 AM ET 05.20 | In Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen had started 42 of the club's first 43 games -- until this weekend. The Pirates removed [McCutchen] from the lineup Sunday because of pain in his right knee. McCutchen approached the Pirates' coaching staff after taking batting practice Sunday morning to inform them of the discomfort. "[He] had right knee soreness and he wasn't comfortable," manager Clint Hurdle said. McCutchen said he thought the pain originated Thursday when he slid into home plate against the Milwaukee Brewers. ... Hurdle said the Pirates' medical staff checked McCutchen's knee and "he felt better about the situation." "Just wanted to make sure everything was OK," McCutchen said.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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07:10 AM ET 05.20 | When Minnesota closed out its series on Sunday with the Red Sox, Josh Willingham, who had played 35 games, wasn't in the lineup. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire started Wilkin Ramirez in left field Sunday against Boston to give [Willingham] a "mental break." Willingham was 1 for 5 in the Twins' 12-5 loss to Boston on Saturday night. ... "He's been fighting it a little bit," Gardenhire said of Willingham before Sunday's game. "He was a little fired up last night (Saturday). I haven't seen that too often. He was a little beat up after the game. The best thing for him is to back him and give him a break." Entering Sunday's game, Willingham was batting .143 (4 for 28) during the nine-game homestand.

Pioneer Press

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10:47 AM ET 05.19 | The naming of Nolan Ryan's son, Reid, as Astros team president on Friday is being viewed as owner Jim Crane's effort to put a kinder, more human face on the organization. Since buying the Astros from Drayton McLane for $680 million two years ago, Crane has earned the reputation of being a cold, indifferent businessman. He fired over half of the Astros' front office employees, including secretaries who worked there for 20 or more years. And, a lot of the popular former players, like Jeff Bagwell and Larry Dierker, were are said to have felt unwelcome by the organization. Young Reid, 41, who hung around the Astros clubhouse with his dad when Nolan pitched there in the '80s and who built a worthy resume as president of the Texas Rangers' AAA and AA farm teams, figures to be a much more engaging front man for the Astros. On the other hand, Crane is said be one of the least liked owners in baseball.

New York Daily News

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09:04 AM ET 05.19 | The Marlins would not even listen to names of players that teams might be willing to offer for Giancarlo Stanton before his injury. And though he would have considerable trade value when healthy, "he wasn't helping himself with his lackadaisical play before his injury," one National League scout said. "He looked like he wants to play there like I want to be at a dentist having a root canal." Even before his injury, Stanton did not intend to ask for a trade during the season. The Marlins still haven't put a timetable on his return from his hamstring problem; it could be sometime in June.

Miami Herald

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