Well Dave set this up nicely with his previous post…

The Chicago Cubs today recalled right-handed pitcher Sean Gallagher from Triple-A Iowa and optioned left-handed pitcher Rich Hill to Triple-A.

The 22-year-old Gallagher is 2-2 with a 3.10 ERA (10 ER/29.0 IP) in five starts with Iowa this season.  He has limited opponents to a .196 batting average, including a .162 average to lefthanders and a .214 mark to righthanders, and has struck out 30 and walked only nine batters in 29.0 innings pitched. 

Hill is 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA (9 ER/19.2 IP) in five starts with the Cubs this season, walking 18 batters while fanning 15 in 19.2 innings.  He returns to Triple-A for the first time since the 2006 campaign.

Rich Hill is just another example of how things can turn on a dime in MLB…

Lou Pinella did not waste any time before he took LHP Rich Hill out of the ball game yesterday, in a thrilling contest that ended with an walk-off home run (2 runs) by Skip Schumaker in the eleventh inning.

Hill allowed four walks and an earned run (also struck out a batter) in 0.2 innings pitched, before he was pulled out with the bases loaded and gave the ball to RHP Michael Wuertz.

This is quite unusual for the southpaw to be that wild.  He was always around the 2 BB/9 mark in the minors, but seemed to nibble a bit more when every time he reached the majors, before settling down in 2007 when the Cubs finally decided to give him a spot in the starting rotation.  He answered the call with a 8.45 K/9 and a 2.89 BB/9, all in line with the impressive numbers he had in the minor leagues.

This year is another matter, however, and his increased usage of his curve ball (36% of all thrown balls, compared to around 25% in all previous years) has cost him dearly.

The 28-year-old needs to realize that his big looping overhand curve is a great weapon, but that his inability to keep it down in the zone will hurt him if he doesn't use his high-80s fastball and good changeup to set it up.

But with yesterday's showing, even his fastball seemed tough to spot on the corners and he missed badly with it even in 2-0 and 3-0 counts.

I was high on him way before he reached AAA, but what has made him good all this time seems to be slipping away, proven by the three out of five starts in which he's allowed more walks than he struck out batters.

That's not good at all for a pitcher that relies on control and that amazing curve ball.

That he was taken out that fast in the game shows that Pinella has had enough, even if it meant taxing the bullpen for the current series for first place in the National League Central division.  This quote he had after the game just reinforced the point:

Hill had this to say:

Unfortunately, there may not be a tomorrow for him in the near future.  That's one game his manager won't likely forget for a while.

The discussion of performance enhancer’s takes yet another
turn. In speculating what is right, I
questioned whether a scientifically
advanced procedure should be allowed
and what people think about performance
enhancer’s within the realm of academia. Truth be told, I am on the fence
with both issues in an attempt to figure out if it is simply the scientific
advancement that baseball fans angry at steroid users. This curiosity seemed to
be furthered through a recent article at ESPN the Mag.

Eric Anderson writes one of the most interesting pieces I
have ever read in a mainstream magazine where he discusses whether athletes
with prosthetics should be allowed to play professional sports. Anderson discusses one of
the most famous cases, where a South African runner was not allowed to
qualify for the Olympics due to the prosthetic legs. Olympic officials found
that the legs would give Pistorius an advantage over athletes with
‘able-bodies’. The study found that the ‘Cheetah Flex-Foot legs’ allowed
Pistorius to utilize oxygen and thus were more efficient than human legs.

However, Anderson
asserts the following,

Sports have always been about
progress: higher, faster, stronger. Technology, though, is quickly outpacing
evolution, and few know how to respond. So we draw arbitrary line: Creatine is
fine, but hGH is not. Reading lips is fine, but videotaping pregame
walk-throughs is not…We want out athletes to be superior, but not so superior
that our children can’t grow up to be just like them.

If the question lies in society worrying whether or not our
youth can grow up to be super-star athletes, I think we have lost what sports
(in my opinion) is all about-competition and entertainment. This can be tied in
with John Brattain’s article regarding Barry
Bonds and MLB’s collusion against Bonds (which I fully support said theory).
That is, Brattain opined that MLB teams are not doing their best to put out the
best lineup possible as a slight against Bonds. Can the same not be said about
a prosthetic human? 

Anderson
suggests that there are currently prosthetics used in professional sports, when
one considers the true definition of the word. That is “a prosthetic [is] “a
device, either external or implanted that substitutes for or supplements a
missing of defective part of the body.” Anderson
asserts that a swim cap or technologically improved swimsuits which make the
body more buoyant follow this definition.
 
The focus then changes to the unnatural aides we accept, such as contacts, screws, titanium, etc.
This then can be tied into what I discussed as what is right. Anderson
suggests that a prosthetic body part is simply a restorative measure. However he acknowledges the issue that may
arise if and when prosthetics become so much more advanced, that individuals
will begin removing human body parts in exchange for the superior synthetic
additions. But as Anderson
writes, isn’t this already going on with preemptive Tommy John surgery?
 

Is this simply the evolution of professional sports and of
humans a like? Or is this opening a door that needs not be opened? To take a
personal perspective on this, could I imagine what it would have been like, at
a young age, to have a prosthetic leg and be told, ‘you can play hockey, for
now’; or to be the parent of a child with prosthesis. So what is right? Can we
open up a can of worms of genetically engineered sports superstars?

Josh Willingham is out for 15 days with a bad back.  He was hitting
.341/.406/.637  (erikthenorsk/flickr)

Atlanta    

Kelly Johnson - Missed 1 game (back injury).
Zach Schreiber - Outrighted to Richmond (AAA).
    
Baltimore    

Luis Hernandez - Missed 1 game (left ankle injury).
Randor Bierd - Right shoulder injury,15-day DL (retroactive to April 30th).
Lance Cormier - Contract purchased Norfolk (AAA).

    
Boston    

Jacoby Ellsbury - Missed 3 games (groin).
    
Chicago Cubs    

Chad Fox - Contract purchased from Tennessee (AA).
Juan Mateo - Outrighted to Daytona (A).
Kevin Hart - Optioned to Iowa (AAA).
    
Chicago White Sox    

Alexei Ramirez - Placed on the restricted list (personal reasons).
Adam Russell - Recalled from Charlotte (AAA).
    
Cincinnati    

Juan Castro - Released by the Cincinnati Reds.
    
Colorado    

Jeff Baker - Missed 2 games (right finger injury).
Juan Castro - Signed by the Colorado Rockies to a minor league contract.
Jose Capellan - Designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies.
    
Florida    

Mike Jacobs - Missed 2 games (finger injury).
Brett Carroll - Recalled from Albuquerque (AAA).
Josh Willingham - Back injury, 15-day DL.
    
Kansas City    

Mike Maroth - Released by the Kansas City Royals.
    
Los Angeles Anaheim    

Matthew Brown - Optioned to Salt Lake (AAA).
Reggie Willits - Recalled from Salt Lake (AAA).
    
Milwaukee    

Joe Dillon - Recalled from Nashville (AAA).
Derrick Turnbow - Designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Yovani Gallardo - Torn ACL, 15-day DL.
Dave Bush - Recalled from Nashville (AAA).
    
Minnesota    

Adam Everett - Missed 14 games (right shoulder injury).
    
New York Mets    

Gustavo Molina - Optioned to New Orleans (AAA).
Moises Alou - Missed 26 games (hernia).
    
NY Yankees    

Jose Veras - Recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA).
    
Philadelphia    

Chris Woodward - Released by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Vic Darensbourg - Released by the Philadelphia Phillies.
    
Tampa Bay    

Gary Glover - Shoulder injury, 15-day DL.
Justin Ruggiano - Recalled from Durham (AAA).
    
Texas    

Milton Bradley - Missed 1 game (hamstring).
A.J. Murray - Recalled from Oklahoma (AAA).
    
Washington    

Paul Lo Duca - Missed 16 games (right hand injury).

• Chien-Ming Wang allowed just one run over 6 innings, and Melky Cabrera drove in 2 runs as the Yankees defeated the Mariners, 5-1. Erik Bedard was the tough luck loser, giving up just one run on 4 hits in 7 innings of work for Seattle.
• Chase Utley went 2-for-3 with a 2-run homer, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored, and Pat Burrell launched a 2-run shot in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Phillies a 6-5 walk-off win over the Giants. Aaron Rowand doubled and homered, and John Bowker collected 4 hits for San Francisco.
• Shaun Marcum struck out 9 in 6 2/3 shutout innings, and Shannon Stewart had 2 hits and drove in 2 runs as the Blue Jays blanked the White Sox, 2-0. Mark Buehrle took the loss for Chicago despite tossing an 8 inning complete game without allowing an earned run.
• Tim Hudson pitched a complete game 3-hitter, and Brian McCann hit a 2-run home run to lead the Braves to a 2-0 shutout over the Reds. Edinson Volquez had another strong outing for Cincinnati, striking out 9 while allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits through 6 innings.
• Hunter Pence hit 2 home runs, and Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman, and Carlos Lee hit back-to-back-to-back jacks in the 6th inning on the way to the Astros 7-4 win over the Brewers. Prince Fielder had 3 hits, and Ryan Braun hit a 2-run homer for Milwaukee.
• Yadier Molina reached base 3 times and drove in 2 runs, and Skip Schumaker belted a 2-run walk-off homer in bottom of the 11th inning as the Cardinals got past the Cubs, 5-3. Alfonso Soriano homered and drove in 3 runs for Chicago.
• Jose Reyes went 4-for-5 with a double, 2 triples, a stolen base and 3 runs scored, David Wright singled, doubled, and hit a 2-run homer, and Ryan Church doubled, homered, and knocked in 3 runs as the Mets beat the Diamondbacks, 7-2.
• Milton Bradley collected 3 hits, and Rangers took advantage of 4 Oakland errors to sneak by the A's, 4-3. Joe Blanton pitched well for Oakland despite taking the loss, allowing just 2 earned runs over 7 innings of work. Bobby Crosby doubled twice, walked, and drove in 2 runs for the Athletics.
• Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI, and Clay Buchholz gave Boston 5 1/3 strong innings on a very wet night as the Red Sox disposed of the Rays, 7-3. Brandon Moss hit a solo home run for Boston in its 5-run 4th inning.
• Jeremy Hermida had 3 hits, and Dan Uggla hit 2 home runs and drove in 4 to help the Marlins shake their recent slump and defeat the Padres, 6-4. Kevin Koumanoff went 4-for-4 for San Diego.
• Jose Bautista hit 2 home runs, scored 3 runs, and drove in 4, Ryan Doumit collected 3 hits and knocked in 2 runs, and Nate McLouth singled, doubled, walked, stole a base and scored 3 times as the Pirates pounded the Nationals, 11-4.
• Livan Hernandez gave up one run over 7 strong innings, and Joe Mauer reached base 4 times, scored twice, and had 2 RBI to lead the Twins to an 11-1 rout of the Tigers. Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel also had 3 hits, and Michael Cuddyer doubled twice and drove in 2 runs for Minnesota.
• Rafael Furcal went 3-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBI, and Matt Kemp smacked 2 doubles and drove in 4 runs as the Dodgers erupted for 7 runs in the 6th inning and 4 in the 8th inning on their way to an 11-6 victory over the struggling Rockies.
• Jeremy Guthrie yielded just 2 run on 3 hits over 7 solid innings, and Nick Markakis doubled, homered, and drove in 2 runs as the Orioles held off the Angels, 4-3. Melvin Mora also reached base 3 times, had 2 RBI and stole a base for Baltimore. Torii Hunter collected 3 hits for Los Angeles.

Friday's Scoreboard