According to MLB.com, Yankees catcher Jorge Posada will have surgery on his right shoulder and miss the rest of the 2008 season.

If Posada had opted not to have surgery, he would’ve likely served as a designated hitter for the remainder of the year. He would still have faced an offseason surgical procedure which very well could have delayed his start in 2009.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the recent acquisition of Xavier Nady gave the club a reliable hitter and took the pressure off Posada.

Pitcher Adam Eaton agreed to accept an assignment and was optioned by the Philadelphia Phillies to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies recalled J.A. Happ to take Eaton’s spot in the bullpen.

Eaton was removed from the rotation after the Phillies acquired Joe Blanton from Oakland. After getting the win on Saturday, Eaton struggled in relief on Sunday.

—–

Both Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson were placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday by the Atlanta Braves.  Jones’ strained left hamstring failed to improve and he was placed on the DL retroactive to July 24.  Hudson has a strained right elbow and is eligible to return on August 8.

Marlins’ Maybin back from back injury
Tonight, top Marlins prospect Cameron Maybin will return from a stint on Double-A Carolina’s disabled list that began on July 3 when he strained an intercostal muscle in his lower back. Maybin’s .825 OPS in 308 at bats this year is solid, but his 32.4% strikeout rate is tied for tops in the Southern League.

The right-hand hitting and throwing center fielder was Florida’s biggest prize in the eight-player blockbuster trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detriot last year. He lost of month of last season to a partially dislocated right shoulder.

Tigers’ top 2008 pick Perry promoted to High-A
The Tigers’ 2008 first round draft pick right-hander Ryan Perry will make his High-A debut with Lakeland tonight. Perry, the 21st overall pick, signed with Detroit on July 11. He struck out four of the six batters he faced in 2.3 innings with the GCL Tigers.

Ramirez returns to Double-A Erie following quad strain
Tigers left field prospect Wilkin Ramirez rejoined Double-A Erie following a quad strain that sidelined him since July 14. Detroit’s 14th-ranked prospect by Baseball America has terrified the Eastern League this year, but could not figure out Triple-A pitching during a brief stint with Toledo.

Tribe activates McBride, adding to a crowded catching depth chart
Cleveland catching prospect Matt McBride finished a rehab assignment with the GCL Indians and was assigned to High-A Kinston. The activation of the Indians’ 13th-best prospect according to Baseball America may force moves among the organizations other catching prospects.

Last week, Cleveland acquired catcher Carlos Santana who was assigned to Kinston and backstop prospects Wyatt Toregas and Chris Gimenez are playing well at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo.

Rangers send Ramirez back to Double-A Frisco
Rangers catching prospect Max Ramirez returned to Double-A Frisco following 13 games in the Majors. Texas’ 23rd-ranked prospect according to Baseball America was demoted to make room for right-hander Eric Hurley.

Angeles bump Trumbo up to Double-A Tulsa
Angels first base prospect Mark Trumbo was promoted to Double-A Tulsa from High-A Rancho Cucamonga. Los Angeles’ 29th-ranked prospect by Baseball America was second in the California League with 26 homeruns.

Sunday’s big news on the trade front was not a trade but comments by Boston’s Manny Ramirez who made it clear he would accept a trade to anywhere — including Iraq — if the Red Sox felt the need to trade him.  No other moves were made on Sunday and now only four days remain before the Trade Deadline.  In Part Three of Six, we look at the American League Central teams, where their needs lie and how they might change the make-up of their teams prior to the July 31 Non-Waiver Trade Deadline:

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The White Sox lead the three team race in the Central with a 2 ½ game lead over the Twins and 6 ½ game lead over the Tigers.  Two comeback wins over the Tigers this weekend helped Chicago increase their division lead.  A four-game series begins with Minnesota today and will shape how this race will look.

STARTING PITCHING – With Jose Contreras on the shelf until early August, the rotation will need a fill-in until then but it is highly unlikely the team makes a move here.  The rest of the rotation is solid although some think the team might be interested in Freddy Garcia when he’s ready to return to baseball in August via free agency.

RELIEF PITCHING – The team needs Scott Linebrink to bounce back from shoulder troubles that landed him on the DL last week.  Manager Ozzie Guillen is a little frustrated with his bullpen with most of his frustration directed at Boone Logan who is 2-2 with a 4.21 ERA.

NON-PITCHING – Third baseman Joe Crede is on the DL but should be back soon.  Other than that, the lineup is fairly solid with no glaring needs to fill.  Paul Konerko is not playing up to his potential and even spent a day on the bench this weekend but that was just a one game thing.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – General manager Ken Williams says “the climate is awful” in this year’s trade market.  ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the White Sox are at least taking a look at the available relievers out there due to Linebrink’s injury.  Most expect the Sox to stand pat this week.

MINNESOTA TWINS

They lost Torii Hunter and traded away Johan Santana so very few expected the Twins to be in contention at this point in the season.  Last week, they were swept by the Yankees but bounced back with two out of three wins over the Indians.  With a four-game series at home against the White Sox, the Twins have a legitimate shot to make up ground in the AL Central.  The team has some needs but will they make a move before the Deadline to better equip themselves for a playoff run?

STARTING PITCHING – Is it possible to have too many pitchers?  Francisco Liriano is stuck in the Minors because, according to the team, their rotation is pitching too well to clear a space for him.  Liriano’s agent contends it’s a financial decision to prevent his client from being arbitration-eligible at the end of the season.  Before the Twins made their run, Livan Hernandez was expected to be moved out of Minnesota.  Now, the Twins might hold on to the 33-year old veteran who is 10-7 with a 5.31 ERA.

RELIEF PITCHING – At first glance, the Twins’ bullpen looks fairly solid but there is some talk of Liriano’s promotion to the Majors to move one of their starters to the bullpen or use the lefty out of the ‘pen.

NON-PITCHING – The Twins have used seven different players at third base in 2008 and have been tied to every potentially available third baseman on the market.  Mike Lamb started 51 games at third this year but not since June 13.  Since then, the Twins have had good contributions from Brian Buscher who is hitting .333 with three home runs and 26 RBI in 27 games.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – If the Twins are serious about winning the AL Central, returning Liriano to the Majors and doing whatever they can to acquire a third baseman would definitely help.  Seattle’s Adrian Beltre is the name most often attached to the Twins but the teams are not matching up in trade talks. Last week, Twins Insider writer La Velle E. Neal III reported that the Twins were out of the running for Beltre.  Another name that comes up is Hank Blalock of the Rangers but nothing serious.  In the end, the Twins might not mess with the team chemistry and finish the season with the team they have now.

DETROIT TIGERS

Are they in or are they out of the race?  Dropping two out of three to the White Sox over the weekend further complicated things.  A sweep by the White Sox would have put the team 8 ½ games out and close to the point where it would make sense to become sellers but the Tigers salvaged the last game of the series on Sunday.  At 6 ½ games out, the Tigers are on the fringe of the race for the AL Central.

STARTING PITCHING – Just when it looked like Justin Verlander was back, a rough outing over the weekend gave him a loss for the first time since June 6.  Verlander won his last six decisions after starting off the season 2-9.  Armando Galarraga picked up for the disappointing failure of the Dontrelle Willis trade but the team has not found a replacement for Jeremy Bonderman who is out for the year.

RELIEF PITCHING – The Tigers’ bullpen received a major overhaul over the weekend.  Manager Jim Leyland removed Todd Jones from the closer role and replaced him with Fernando Rodney.  The team also saw Joel Zumaya go down this weekend but hope it is not serious.

NON-PITCHING – The lineup produces at home (5.73 runs per game) but for some reason struggles to produce on the road (4.38 runs per game).  Their talented lineup also offers up some options should the Tigers decide to be sellers over the next few days including catcher Ivan Rodriguez who is a free agent at the end of the season. 

WHAT MAKES SENSE – The Tigers need a bullpen arm if they are serious about a run at the playoffs.  Most recently, San Francisco’s Jack Taschner and Scott Schoeneweis of the Mets were attached to the Tigers in rumors.  Schoeneweis would cost the Tigers an outfielder as that is where the Mets are looking at the moment.  Should the team decide to sell in the next few days, Rodriguez would be the one most likely to have his ticket punched.  However, Detroit might wait until after the Deadline and attempt to get Rodriguez through waivers to trade him in August.  It is hard to see the Tigers giving up at this point after the up and down season they have had.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

After a nice start in April that had everyone buzzing, not much has gone right for Kansas City since then.  They are 12 games under .500 and 13 ½ games out in the Central.  They are definitely sellers but do they offer any help for those chasing the postseason?

STARTING PITCHING – None of their starters possess an ERA under 4.00 or a winning record.  Zack Greinke is the closest at 7-7 with a 4.06 ERA.  They also are very young with no one in the rotation over 30 which makes the Royals more willing to hold on to their starters.

RELIEF PITCHING – Lefty Ron Mahay who is 5-0 with a 1.81 ERA out of the bullpen gets the bulk of the attention in the rumor mill.  The 37-year old Mahay is familiar with the Deadline deal — he was part of the trade that sent Mark Teixeira to Atlanta last year. 

NON-PITCHING – Catcher Miguel Olivo is one of the many catchers making the rumor circuit.  A number of other Royals’ veterans find their way into the mill from time to time including second baseman Mark Grudzielanek.  The two players with the most value — outfielders Jose Guillen and David DeJesus — might be unavailable.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – A recent rumor of Brian Bannister to the Yankees for Melky Cabrera and prospects seems unlikely even if the Yankees’ pursuit of Jarrod Washburn falls apart.  There is little reason for the Royals to not part with Mahay so expect him to move for the best offer.  Olivo is also a catcher with value due to his solid defense behind the plate.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

The Indians were already busy sellers this season which saw the departure of CC Sabathia and Casey Blake.  Now, the question is will the Indians continue to sell off whatever veteran talent they have left that will not help them in 2009 and beyond?

STARTING PITCHING – Despite playing on a last place team, Cliff Lee might have a shot at a Cy Young.  He is 14-2 with a 2.29 ERA and one of the few bright spots on the club.  The only pitcher frequently tied to rumors to be traded is 37-year old Paul Byrd.  Byrd’s 4-10 record and 5.28 ERA might not bring much in return.

RELIEF PITCHING – There is not much to offer here.  The bullpen was so depleted that they went out and acquired Anthony Reyes from the Cardinals for a minor leaguer. 

NON-PITCHING – If the team were willing to part with Grady Sizemore, someone might break the bank for him.  However, he is unavailable.  A team in need of a shortstop might make a run at Jhonny Peralta who has some pop.  He is hitting .269 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI in 96 games.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – With the Indians obviously in the midst of a fire sale, anyone besides Sizemore and Lee would not be surprising.  With two trades in the books already, though, the Indians might be done with making moves.

Tomorrow – Part Four: National League Central

…For a guy who started the season in the minors Oakland Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler is set to send some of his gear to Cooperstown. Ziegler has set the record for the most scoreless innings to start a major league career (27) a record that was set back in 1907. If you’re not up to doing the math, that’s 101 years.

And here’s what the man himself had to say.

“I don’t know if that’s something I’d ever thought I’d have to do as long as it wasn’t a real embarrassing moment or someone else’s highlight, but it’s pretty incredible,” Ziegler said. “It’s real special. I feel like I’ve worked real hard to get here. Thankfully it’s not over yet. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

…As of today, Jarrod Washburn remains a Seattle Mariner. But as Kat O’Brien of Newsday reports, there’s still a big chance that a deal will get done and the Lefty starter could find his way into Pinstripes. Of course one of the hang ups on this deal is whether or not Washburn will waive his no-trade clause. Former Mariner now Yankee Richie Sexson thinks that Washburn would be up for it.

“I think he’d be up for it,” Sexson said with a grin. “If I had to bet, if things worked out [between the Yankees and Mariners], he would see a fit. This is a perfect team, a perfect fit for him.”

…According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman that a trade of Rockies Closer Brian Fuentes or Outfielder Matt Holiday are “highly unlikely” at this point. This comes from a conversation he had with Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd.

…As I’m sure you’ve heard over the weekend, the honeymoon is over between the Red Sox and Manny Ramirez. The Sox have had enough of “Manny being Manny”, and according to Manny he’s tired of the Sox as well.

“If the Red Sox are a better team without Manny Ramirez, they should trade me; I will not object,” he said.

“I don’t have any preferences. I could choose a team that offers me the best conditions or one in the chase for the postseason. I don’t care where I play, I can even play in Iraq if need be. My job is to play baseball,” Ramirez added.

He also said that “The Red Sox are tired of me, and I’m tired of the Red Sox”. Though a lot of the Main Stream Media is saying that a trade is unlikely. If they are truly tired of each other Theo Epstein will find a way to unload Manny.

…Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News is reporting that Mets shortstop Jose Reyes married his long time acquaintance Kathrine on Friday at City Hall. They plan to have a bigger ceremony this winter in the Dominican Republic.

…Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star is reporting that if the Yankees can’t get a deal done with the Mariners for Jarrod Washburn they may turn their sights on Brian Bannister of the Kansas City Royals. He says the frame work is there, as the Royals almost had Melky Cabrera two years ago in a swap for Reggie Sanders, before Sanders went down with an injury.

Cubs Sale 

The Cubs are still up for sale, but the Tribune Company has asked two potential buyers to join forces and to consolidate their offer.  According to MLB.com,  Tribune Co, told Sports Properties Acquisition Corp, a publicly traded company created for the purpose of buying a sports team, to consider merging with a group led by Michael Tokarz, chairman of MVC Capital Inc.

The other remaining suitors to buy the Cubs are Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, and Chicago businessman Thomas Ricketts.

Manny Mess

So Manny is being Manny.  Why is anyone surprised that the surly slugger now wants to be traded?  The Red Sox are not likely to get value for anything close to Ramirez in a trade deadline deal.  They are better served to wait until the off-season when they will have a bit more of an equitable bargaining position.  The Red Sox cannot expect to compete for the AL East Division title without Manny.  So, for now, put up with the shenanigans and ride it to the pennant.

Braves M*A*S*H Report

Braves’ catcher Brian McCann is scheduled to have an MRI following a home-plate collision in yesterday’s game against the Phillies. McCann collided with the Phil’s Shane Victorino and had to leave the game after being down for several minutes.  X-rays were negative.

The update on Chipper Jones’ hamstring is not encouraging.  Jones was scratched from Sunday’s game and may be headed to the DL.  Jones was quoted as saying that he is at least a couple of days away from returning to the lineup, but if things don’t improve he will be put on the DL.

Another Record Falls

In a season in which it seems that many records have been set, another one has fallen by the wayside. Brad Ziegler, a reliever with the A’s, set a record with 27 consecutive scoreless innings to begin his major league career. The previous mark of 25 was held by George McQuillan of the Phillies in 1907.

• Ivan Rodriguez went 4-for-4, and Miguel Cabrera had 2 hits and 2 RBI as the Tigers beat the White Sox, 6-4. Zach Minor was solid for 6 innings, allowing just 2 runs.
• Jarrod Washburn tossed 4-hit ball through 8 innings in what could be his final start for Seattle, Raul Ibanez singled and doubled twice, and Jose Vidro added 2 hits and 2 RBI as the Mariners shut down the Blue Jays, 5-1.
• Ubaldo Jimenez pitched 6 shutout innings, Jeff Baker and Scott Podsednik collected 3 hits apiece, and Garrett Atkins doubled, homered, and knocked in 3 runs as the Rockies crushed the Reds, 11-0.
• Jimmy Rollins reached base 3 times, homered, and scored 3 runs, and Shane Victorino hit a home run and drove in 4 to lead the Phillies past the Braves, 12-10. Chris Coste, Pat Burrell, and Jayson Werth all added home runs for Philadelphia. Mark Teixeira reached base 4 times, and Mark Kotsay had 3 hits for Atlanta.
• Geoff Blum hit 2 home runs and drove in 4, and Miguel Tejada contributed 2 hits and 3 RBI as the Astros erupted for 7 runs in the 5th inning on the way to an 11-6 victory over the Brewers. Brad Ausmus also went 4-for-4 for Houston while Ryan Braun was 3-for-5 with a home run and 2 RBI for Milwaukee.
• Alfonso Soriano went 3-for-5 with a 3-run home run, and Mike Fontenot doubled in 3 runs in the last of the 7th inning to put Chicago ahead for good as the Cubs came from behind to beat the Marlins, 9-6. Mike Jacobs hit 2 home runs and knocked in 5 for Florida.
• Kurt Suzuki went 3-for-4 with a 3-run home run, and Jack Cust smacked a 2-run homer to lead the Athletics to a 6-5 win over the Rangers. Gerald Laird had 3 hits, and Hank Blalock drove in 3 runs for Texas.
• Nick Blackburn provided another quality start for Minnesota, going 7 innings and allowing just one run on 4 hits, and Justin Morneau doubled in the go ahead run in the top of the 9th inning as the Twins went on to double up the Indians, 4-2. Cleveland’s Jeremy Sowers took a perfect game into the 6th inning before finishing up 8 innings and allowing 2 runs on 3 hits.
• Johan Santana tossed a complete game 6-hitter, and Fernando Tatis, David Wright, and Ramon Castro each went deep for New York as the Mets cruised to a 9-1 win over the Cardinals.
• Guillermo Quiroz went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI, and Garrett Olson was solid for 6 innings on the hill as the Orioles knocked off the Angels, 5-2.
• Jake Peavy struck out 10 while allowing just one run on 4 hits over 7 innings, and Scott Hairston and Josh Bard each hit home runs to help the Padres make it 2 in a row over the Pirates, 3-1. Paul Maholm was brilliant for Pittsburgh, giving up just one run on 4 hits and striking out 9 in 7 innings of work.
• Billy Butler doubled, homered, and drove in 4 runs, David DeJesus reached base 3 times, doubled twice, and scored twice, and Kyle Davies bounced back to pitch 5 solid innings as the Royals beat the Rays, 6-1.
• Randy Johnson pitched 7 shutout innings, and Conor Jackson and Stephen Drew combined to go 6-for-8 with a home run, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI as the Diamondbacks sent Barry Zito to his 13th defeat of the season by beating up the Giants, 7-2. Fred Lewis had 2 singles and 2 doubles for San Francisco. Mark Reynolds reached base 3 times for Arizona, homered, and drove in 2.
• Clayton Kershaw threw 6 scoreless innings for his first career Major League win, Matt Kemp and Russell Martin each reached base 3 times, and James Loney belted a solo home run as the Dodgers shut out the Nationals again, 2-0.
• David Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBI, and Manny Ramirez went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, and 2 RBI as the Red Sox salvaged the final game of the series by defeating the Yankees, 9-2. Jacoby Ellsbury also contributed 3 hits for Boston.

Sunday’s Scoreboard

Monday’s Probable Pitchers

 **Note - Due to inefficient code, we have changed the scoreboard to what you see above. Click through for full boxscores and play-by-play courtesy of MLB.

BDD’s daily recaps are provided by founder and managing editor Joe Hamrahi. Joe’s a CPA, a financial executive, a baseball analyst, and a proponent of using all available information (read stats and scouts!) in order to make better baseball decisions! Joe can be reached at jhamrahi@baseballdigestdaily.com.