PHILADELPHIA — Joe Blanton earned a World Series ring the last time he was traded. He’s hoping for an encore. PHILADELPHIA — Joe Blanton earned a World Series ring the last time he was traded. He’s hoping for an encore.
PHILADELPHIA — Joe Blanton earned a World Series ring the last time he was traded. He’s hoping for an encore.
The right-hander was sent from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Dodgers on Friday after Los Angeles claimed him on waivers.
Blanton will join outfielder Shane Victorino, who was traded from Philadelphia to Los Angeles on Tuesday. The last-place Phillies also dealt outfielder Hunter Pence to San Francisco earlier this week.
The 31-year-old Blanton is 8-9 with a 4.59 ERA in 20 starts and one relief appearance. He is making $8.5 million and, like Victorino, can become a free agent after the season.
While the cost-cutting Phillies are preparing for 2013, the Dodgers entered the day a half-game behind San Francisco in the NL West. Blanton bolsters a rotation that includes reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.
Philadelphia will receive a player to be named or cash for Blanton. To fill the roster spot, the Phillies recalled right-hander B.J. Rosenberg from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Kyle Kendrick started against Arizona in Blanton’s place Friday night.
Blanton came to Philadelphia after a trade with Oakland in July 2008 and helped the Phillies win their second World Series title. He earned a victory in Game 4 against Tampa Bay and hit a three-run homer off Edwin Jackson.
Nationals acquire Kurt
Suzuki from Athletics
WASHINGTON — The Nationals acquired catcher Kurt Suzuki from the Oakland Athletics on Friday for minor league catcher David Freitas.
The 28-year-old Suzuki, who had played all five-plus of his major league seasons with Oakland, is batting .218 with a home run and 18 RBIs. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he expects Suzuki to report in time for NL East-leading Washington’s Saturday’s home game against Miami.
In a strange twist, the A’s traded Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals in December and received both lefty starting pitcher Tommy Milone and catcher-of-the-future Derek Norris.
Now, Suzuki will get to catch the All-Star Gonzalez again, across the country in the NL.
Still, Oakland general manager Billy Beane said when Norris was promoted this spring it didn’t necessarily mean Suzuki would be on the trading block. Everybody expected him to be gone soon, however.
Washington wanted to improve its catching after the loss of Wilson Ramos with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Jesus Flores has been the starter, though Johnson referred to Suzuki as “a No. 1 catcher.”
When Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo brought up Suzuki to Johnson, the manager enthusiastically endorsed the acquisition.
Hamilton clarifies
cryptic comments
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton has tried to clarify his recent cryptic comments about being disobedient.
Hamilton, who has been in a prolonged slump, talked about disobedience in a pregame interview with reporters last weekend. But Hamilton, whose past struggles with drugs and alcohol are well known, didn’t get into specifics. He said then it was frustrating not to be able to share everything.
On Friday, he released a statement in response “to the speculation” since his earlier comments.
“I felt it was important to clarify what the issue was to which I was referring, both personally and professionally. The issue is discipline,” his statement read. “Professionally, it’s been plate discipline. Personally, it’s been being obedient to the Lord in quitting chewing tobacco.”
Hamilton is hitting .201 since June 1, dropping his average 84 points to .284 overall going into Friday night’s game at Kansas City. He had 29 home runs and led the majors with 88 RBIs in 96 games.
In late June, Hamilton said he was trying again to stop using tobacco. He said that habit began when he was about 20, about the same time he tried drugs and alcohol for the first time after being the first overall draft pick.
“I was hesitant to address the tobacco once again, because it’s an area that I’ve struggled with trying to quit in the past,” Hamilton said in his statement. “I wanted to have some time of success under my belt before addressing again publicly, but feel I haven’t been given that option with all of the speculating out there as to what the mystery issue was. But there you have it — discipline.”
His statement ended with references to two bible passages, Hebrews 12:4-5 and John 3:30.
Jose Canseco signs
with Rio Grande Valley
HARLINGEN, Texas — Jose Canseco has signed with the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings of the North American Baseball League on Friday, and is expected to play Saturday night against McAllen.
The 48-year-old Canseco hit 462 home runs in 18 seasons in the majors and was the 1988 AL MVP. He later admitted using performance-enhancing drugs.
Earlier this season, Canseco played in 20 games for the Worcester Tornadoes in the Canadian-American Association. Last year, he hit .256 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs as a player-manager for the North American Baseball League’s Yuma Scorpions.
The signing comes three days after Canseco filed for bankruptcy protection in Nevada. The filing lists less than $21,000 in assets and almost $1.7 million in liabilities, including more than $500,000 owed to the Internal Revenue Service.
Slumping Indians
cut Johnny Damon
DETROIT — Johnny Damon was cut by Cleveland on Friday after struggling through 64 games with the Indians, leaving the veteran outfielder facing an uncertain future once again.
Damon, designated for assignment, signed with Cleveland on April 17 but hit only .222 with four home runs.
“He made an impact on a lot of people here, despite not performing the way he was expecting and we were expecting,” Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. “He’s still a guy who can move around pretty good. I think he was affected by missing spring training, and I think I have a sense that he probably is going to continue to play, and he is open to joining somebody else.”
The Indians recalled outfielder Ezequiel Carrera from Triple-A Columbus.
Sale to start for
White Sox on Monday
CHICAGO — Chris Sale is scheduled to pitch for the Chicago White Sox against Kansas City on Monday after skipping a start because of arm fatigue.
Sale, 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in his first year as a starter, has given up five runs in each of his last two starts. The 23-year-old left-hander has 114 batters in 124 innings and last pitched July 27 at Texas.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura made the announcement Friday. Chicago currently is using six starters.
Astros’ Cordero goes
on disabled list
ATLANTA — Right-hander Francisco Cordero has been put on the 15-day disabled list by the Houston Astros because of an inflamed right big toe.
Manager Brad Mills says he first learned of Cordero’s injury on July 25, five days after the reliever was acquired from Toronto.
Cordero is 0-3 with a 19.80 ERA and three blown saves in six games with Houston. Mills says Wilton Lopez has assumed the closer’s role.
Overall this season, the 37-year-old Cordero has a 7.55 ERA and has two saves in eight chances. He is second to Mariano Rivera among active players with 329 saves.
Right-hander Mickey Storey was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was 7-4 with a 3.05 ERA. Storey was with the team for Friday night’s game against the Braves.
Longoria could return
to Rays next week
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria could rejoin the team during a three-game series that starts Tuesday against Toronto.
Longoria has been sidelined since May 1 because of a partially torn left hamstring. His return could provide a power bat in the middle of the Rays’ struggling batting order.
Tampa Bay has used eight players at third base since Longoria was hurt. He likely will start off as a designated hitter.
