Prior to the Mark Teixeira trade, I was invited on the “Big Show with Matt Perault” on Big Sports 590 in Omaha to discuss the trade deadline rumors (including Teixeira) and some of the tight races in the Majors.

To hear me being critical of Chase Utley’s situational production and prediction that Teixeira will be traded while declaring the Angels the front runners, you can download a Podcast of the segment from their website here. 

Also, here is a direct link to the Podcast without heading to the site. 

According to 890 ESPN Boston, the Atlanta Braves traded Mark Teixeira to the Angels for Casey Kotchman and more.

UPDATE: Kotchman told Angels’ beat writer Matt Hurst that he was dealt to the Braves for Teixeira.  According to the report on The Press-Enterprise’s blog, the deal includes minor league pitcher Stephen Marek who was also sent to the Braves. 

UPDATE: ESPN 710 in Los Angeles announced the trade was official.  Teixeira to the Angels for Kotchman and Marek.  They might have just trumped the Brewers.  Be back with the skinny on Marek in a few.

UPDATE: Marek is a 24-year old lefty who pitched at Double-A Arkansas for the Angels.  He is 2-6 with three saves and a 3.66 ERA in his first season as a reliever.  Previously, at Class-A and Rookie ball, Marek was 9-13 with a 3.51 ERA as a starter.  Marek was a 40th round pick in 2004 — the 1,193rd overall selection — out of San Jacinto College in Texas.

This trade may block a Manny Ramirez trade to the Dodgers since the Angels just raised the ante in the American League.

ESPN’s Jayson Stark is reporting that Angels first baseman Casey Kotchman was taken off the field during pregame warmups this afternoon at Fenway Park. Stark says that this is an indication that Kotchman is going to be traded to the Braves for Mark Teixeira. Details are still being finalized, and other players are expected to be involved in the deal.

If I were a GM, I would do the following:

For the Braves, I would not fold the tent.  I’d consider signing recently released Johnny Estrada for a second stint since Brian McCann is out for a while.  I’m just not comfortable with going with Clint Sammons and Corky Miller as my backstops.

For the Cardinals, I’d try to find a steady reliever who may have the makeup to close since Issy and Frankin aren’t exactly getting it done.  George Sherrill has been rumored to be available.

For the Mets, I have to find a reliable corner outfielder.  I don’t want a free swinger like Adam Dunn, but I could use some pop, such as Raúl Ibañez.  I also want a veteran utilityman to back up 2B and 3B to spell David Wright and as insurance for oft-injured Luis Castillo.  Is someone like Marco Scutaro available?

For the Cubs and Rays, I would acquire a veteran to come off the bench as a pinch-hitter, someone like Matt Stairs.

For the Yankees, since money is no object, I’d look for an everyday catcher to replace Jorge Posada.  Maybe we contact the Nationals about Paul LoDuca (who would probably be happy to be back in NYC).

For the White Sox, if Beltre is available, I make a play for him because my 3B situation is relatively unreliable.  I want to go into the post-season with something more reliable.

For the Rangers, I could get in the “Tex” sweepstakes and reacquire him, but a cheaper option could bringing in a 3B and moving Blalock to 1B.

For the Marlins, I try to acquire a veteran CF to solidify my up-the-middle defense.

Of course, if I get even one of these right, I should be offered a GM position.

Tribe’s LaPorta off to the Olympics
Baseball Digest Daily’s own Matt LaPorta left the Cleveland’s Double-A affiliate in Akron to join Team USA in China for the Olympics. LaPorta’s roster spot was taken by outfielder Ryan Goleski, who was promoted from High-A Kinston. LaPorta is expected to rejoin the Aeros in late August.

Twins’ Swarzak up to Triple-A Rochester
The Twins promoted their inconsistent right-hander prospect Anthony Swarzak to Triple-A Rochester. Minnesota’s fifth-ranked prospect was bumped up despite a 5.72 fielding-independent ERA (FIP) in 30.6 innings in July and a 6.47 FIP in 15.6 innings in June.

Mets’ Niese up to Triple-A New Orleans
The Mets promoted left-hander Jon Niese to Triple-A New Orleans. New York’s eighth-ranked prospect by Baseball America was effective if not dominating in 124.3 innings with Double-A Binghamton.

Yanks’ Melancon up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
The Yankees promoted right-hander Mark Melancon to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York’s eleventh-ranked prospect by Baseball America had a 1.82 peripheral ERA in 49.6 innings with Double-A Trenton.

New Pirates prospect Tabata nursing hamstring injury
Newly acquired Pirates left field prospect Jose Tabata will report to Double-A Altoona once he’s recovered from a recurrent hamstring injury. Tabata, formerly the Yankees’ third-ranked prospect by Baseball America, is expected to return to Eastern League action in a week or so.

Rockies to reign in Chacin for remainder of season
Rockies right-hander prospect Jhoulys Chacin will likely have this innings limited for the remainder of the season. Colorado’s 17th-ranked prospect by Baseball America has pitched 143.3 innings this year, 51.3 more than his previous high of 92 innings set in 2007.

Tigers’ Figaro up to High-A Lakeland
The Tigers promoted right-hander prospect Alfredo Figaro to High-A Lakeland. The Midwest League All-Star was leading the league in wins and innings pitched at the time of his promotion.

…It only took a 14 start winless streak for future Hall Of Famer Greg Maddux to reach career win #351. With Padres leading 8-3, Maddux was lifted from the game and given a standing ovation from the 29,000+ in attendance at PetCo Park. Closer Trevor Hoffman came on in the ninth to nail down the save for Maddux. Maddux is now just three wins shy of tying Roger Clemens for eighth on the all time win list with 354.

…Speaking of Greg Maddux he also has moved past Hall of Famer Phil Niekro for 10th on the all time strike out list. If you’re wondering Maddux now has 3,343 K’s in his career.

…It seems that Ken Griffey Junior and former Reds pitcher and current Reds Broadcaster Jeff Brantley seem to be at odds. After hitting a home run on Saturday night, Junior crossed the plate and made a throat cutting gesture - which were intended for Brantley.

Griffey is angry over different comments Brantley made and said one of them was, “He said I’m pouting because the Reds haven’t picked up my option ($16 million) for next year. If I was that concerned about money I wouldn’t have come here in the first place.”

Of course Brantley said that he never said those things. And the subject wasn’t brought up until the two sat down in the players dining area on Sunday.

…Harlingen Texas was one of the many areas effected by Hurricane Dolly, its also home to the Harlingen WhiteWings a team in the independent United League. With nine home games left in the season, the team is offering relief of their own - in the form of free baseball. The WhiteWings will allow fans to attend their last nine home games for free.

“I personally would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone, and I mean everyone, out to Harlingen Field,” Kost said. “We extend this invitation to include all the relief workers who have come to the valley from all over the state of Texas as well as nearby states.

“You won’t need to buy a ticket. Just come by our offices or the ticket windows to get as many tickets as you need,” he said.

…It’s been two months since San Diego Padres Pitcher Chris Young was hit in the face with a line drive off the bat of Albert Pujols. That line drive broke his nose and fractured his skull. He’s now ready to return to the hill tonight in his first Major League start since it happened. Young is still feeling the effects of the injury but doesn’t foresee being any more nervous in his start tonight, that he normally is.

“After the injury I wasn’t sure how that would be, if it would take a while to get over that,” Young said Monday. “I’ve faced a lot of live batters since then and I haven’t had any issues. It hasn’t been a thought. In fact, there have been comebackers that were hit hard that I’ve fielded, some have gotten past me. Never once did I worry about it. Hopefully there won’t be any in my face.”

…There’s more fall out from the Dayton Dragons/Peoria Chiefs brawl. The Dragons have released infielder Angel Cabrera, who’s hard slide was the spark in the bench clearing brawl that saw 15 players ejected and one that went to jail.

“We were trying to help this kid with his conduct out there,” Scott said. “It didn’t work out. He’s not a bad kid, but he needs to channel his aggression in a positive manner.”

…Chicago Cubs First Base Coach Matt Sinatro has been suspended for two games, for making contact with an Umpire over the weekend. He bumped umpire Rob Drake after arguing an out call at first base. Manager Lou Piniella was also ejected in the same game.

…The Commissioners office announced today that three St. Louis Cardinals Minor Leaguers have been suspended 50 games each for testing positive for steroids. Pitchers Braulin Beltre, Yedlison Pena and outfielder Andres Beras. All three were playing in the Dominican Summer league. Their suspensions start immediately.

The Atlanta Braves, after two brutal losses to the Phillies and seeing Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson placed on the disabled list, finally admitted their season was a bust and notified the rest of Major League Baseball that the bidding wars for Mark Teixeira could begin. Teixeira is one of the most productive first basemen in the game and likely provides an upgrade at first base for most teams, but not all teams want that upgrade.

Looking at this chart…

…Teixeira provides an upgrade of more than 1.0 WARP-3 or more at first base for 12 National League teams (75%) and 12 American League teams (86%), as well as an upgrade at DH for 12 AL teams (86%).

Should these teams all try and acquire Teixiera? Of course not, as a lot of these teams are in the business of selling off some of their players, not acquiring more of them. Let’s cross out the selling teams that have no business in trying to trade for Tex’s services: CIN, COL, PIT, SFG, WAS; BAL, CLE, KCR, SEA, TOR. That’s five teams from each league.

Some teams already have a capable first baseman (and DH in the AL’s case) that produces similarly or better than Teixeira, so we’ll cross them out: CHC, HOU, MIL, NYM, PHI, SDP, STL; BOS, DET, NYY. Seven NL teams and three AL teams.

The following teams are left: ARI, FLA, LAD; CHW, LAA, MIN, OAK, TBR, TEX. Teixeira will be owed about $4.4 million prorated over the final 57 games, subtract about $75,000 for each game less. There are a few small market teams who are not interested in adding more than $4 million to their payroll: FLA, MIN, and OAK.

Six teams are left: ARI, LAD, CHW, LAA, TBR, and TEX.

The Angels have traditionally been averse to big mid-season trades and presumably would be hesitant to part with Casey Kotchman; and the Rangers are unlikely to make a big move since the AL West is out of their reach and they’re behind a few teams in the Wild Card. Baseball Prospectus, after using PECOTA’s adjustments, puts the Rangers’ odds of making the playoffs at 2.1% and a 0.6% chance of that comes from the Wild Card. The White Sox aren’t going to displace Paul Konerko or Jim Thome.

That leaves the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Rays. The Diamondbacks have Chad Tracy or Conor Jackson to fill the gap at first base for the Braves, and the Dodgers and Rays have a wealth of prospects.

Who would Teixeira help the most?

• Teixeira would provide a 1.2 win improvement over 162 games (about 0.4 over the remaining 57 games) for the D-Backs at first base.

• Teixeira would provide a 2.8 win improvement over 162 games (about 1.0 over the remaining 57 games) for the Dodgers at first base.

• Teixeira would provide a 2.0 win improvement over 162 games (about 0.7 over the remaining 57 games) for the Rays at first base. Since 10 VORP is about equal to one win, and unlike WARP-3, VORP is not adjusted for a 162-game season, Teixeira provides about a 27.4 VORP upgrade over 105 games for the Rays at DH. That translates to about 14.9 VORP, or 1.5 WARP over the remaining 57 games.

Considering that the D-Backs and Dodgers are both in the tight NL West, Teixeira clearly would make the most impact with either of those teams.

Even though Teixeira provides as much as an extra win for the Dodgers, they would have to either find another spot for James Loney or, in a more likely scenario, include him in the trade to the Braves, which they probably don’t want to do. Teixeira is a free agent after the season and there’s no guarantee that he re-signs with the Dodgers, although they would get a couple draft picks if he leaves as a result of his undoubted Class A status. Loney, on the other hand, is controlled by the Dodgers for four more seasons, and will be relatively cheap in arbitration.

The Rays, a small-market team, probably don’t want to add $4.4 million (prorated over the remaining 57 games) to their payroll for two months of service, despite the fact that they definitely have the ability to entice the Braves with their deep Minor League system.

The Diamondbacks are in a similar position as the Dodgers with their first baseman, Conor Jackson: he’s productive, relatively cheap, and under control for a few more years. The D-Backs, like the Dodgers, will have to hope that the Braves don’t demand their first baseman be included in the trade.

Teixeira may be the among the best first basemen in baseball, but the market for his services is small and the Braves only have a couple days to capitalize on his value.

On Monday, no trades developed but there was more information available to take a look at how the Trade Deadline will shake out.  Most notably, the Atlanta Braves saw Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson land on the 15-day disabled list with Hudson possibly done for the season.  Will that be enough to make the Braves sellers before the Deadline?  Most of the trade rumor talk throughout the day points to at least Mark Teixeira moving on prior to the Deadline.

Also, Phillies’ general manager Pat Gillick quickly squashed rumors involving the Phillies and the Red Sox in any trade to bring outfielder Manny Ramirez to Philadelphia.  Sources from the Mets, Diamondbacks and Dodgers put a pencil line through their names as a possible landing spot for Ramirez as well.  With all four teams weighing in, it means Manny will continue to be Manny in Boston.  Finally, trade speculation swirled around Houston’s Miguel Tejada. 

In Part Four of Six, we look at the National 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 CUBS

Game one of a huge four-game series with the Brewers went to the Cubs marking the first time since joining the National League that CC Sabathia did not win.  Either way the rest of the four-game series, the Cubs have their work cut out for them with a two game lead over the Brewers and a four game lead over the Cardinals.  The Cubs were busy earlier this season when they acquired Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from Oakland.

STARTING PITCHING – Chicago is the only team in baseball with three 10-game winners in their rotation.  Carlos Zambrano (11-4), Ryan Dempster (11-4) and Ted Lilly (10-6) are joined by the recently acquired Harden (0-1 since joining the Cubs) and Jason Marquis (6-6).  The Cubs have not been attached to rumors for any starting pitchers so if the rumor mill is to be believed, this will be their rotation down the stretch.

RELIEF PITCHING – Maybe the injury to closer Kerry Wood was not all bad.  Out since the All-Star break, Wood went on the 15-day disabled list which cleared a roster space for phenom Jeff Samardzija who impressed manager Lou Piniella with a two inning save on Sunday.  The Cubs also feel they scored a nice second player in Gaudin who was the winning pitcher in relief on Sunday and Monday after losing Friday’s game.

NON-PITCHING – While Jim Edmonds has been a decent addition off the baseball scrap heap, the Cubs still want an upgrade from the left side of the plate in center field.  However, this is more of a long-term outlook than this year.  No one in the starting lineup is hitting below .270 and a number of bats available off of the bench are hitting well.  It is no surprise the Cubs score more runs per game than any other team in the National League.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – With the emergence of Samardzija and the expected return of Wood next week, it looks like the trade for Harden and Gaudin is the only move the Cubs will make.  General manager Jim Hendry’s recent comments about the state of the roster supports that outlook.  They do continue to be linked to a number of the available relievers on the market in rumors but only in interest only with no concrete offers.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Unless something comes out of nowhere, Milwaukee’s trade for CC Sabathia will end up being the biggest move of the 2008 season.  Since the trade, Sabathia is 4-0 in five starts.  The Brewers also picked up second baseman Ray Durham and might be finished with upgrades.

STARTING PITCHING – Hired gun Sabathia anchors a rotation previously headlined by Ben Sheets who is already a 10-game winner.  Manny Parra has also been a pleasant surprise and the Brewers are hoping that Jeff Suppan returns to the pitcher he was in St. Louis from 2004 to 2006.  The fifth spot in the rotation is occupied by the platoon of Dave Bush at home and Seth McClung on the road. 

RELIEF PITCHING – The Brewers rolled the dice on Eric Gagne earlier this year and with a 6.26 ERA and five blown saves in 15 chances it looks like they may have crapped out.  Although since his return from the DL and removal from the closer role, Gagne has put up six of seven scoreless outings with a 3-0 record.  After Gagne struggled, Salomon Torres stepped into the closer role and saved 20 of 24 opportunities but lost Monday’s game to the Cubs.  Those surrounding the team say they are not looking for another relief option for the stretch run.

NON-PITCHING – Milwaukee added depth with the addition of Durham and are third in the National League in home runs behind the Marlins and Phillies.  Bill Hall asked to be traded earlier this season but it seems his request fell on deaf ears.  The team also signed Jay Gibbons who is currently working off the rust in the Minors toward a Major League comeback.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – The Brew Crew is one of the best stories of the ’08 season.  They made the biggest trade of the season so far, their fans made an amazing push to get Ryan Braun and Corey Hart on the All-Star roster for the National League and are on pace to break the three million attendance mark.  Oh, yeah and they are just two games out in the NL Central.  The rumors are heavy that general manager Doug Melvin is happy with where they are at and are reluctant to sacrifice more of their future to pursue a title in 2008.  Even with Melvin’s denials, there seems to be something lacking in the left-handed reliever department and a number of available lefties on the market.

SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS

Many have sat around waiting for the wheels to fall off this oft-injured Cardinals’ team.  St. Louis has used 10 different starting pitchers and 10 members of the team made their Major League debut.  Even with the injuries, the Cardinals are just four games out of the Central lead and two games behind the Brewers in the Wild Card race.

STARTING PITCHING – The Cardinals were concerned with their rotation prior to the season so they took a flyer on free agent Kyle Lohse.  The signing paid off — Lohse is 12-3 with a 3.68 ERA.  The Cardinals get back Chris Carpenter on Wednesday who will start for the first time since Opening Day in 2007.  One of the other wounded starters, Adam Wainwright is a few days from a rehab assignment and about three weeks away from a return to the team.  There is some concern that Wainwright might be moved to the bullpen upon his return instead of back in the rotation. 

RELIEF PITCHING – Monday afternoon saw the return of Jason Isringhausen to the closer role.  Izzy was removed from the closer role upon his return from the DL in mid-June but two blown saves by Ryan Franklin pushed the Cardinals to put Isringhausen back in the closer role.  Ron Villone and Randy Flores are the team’s left-handed options out of the ‘pen and neither has impressed.

NON-PITCHING – St. Louis has had above-average production out of their lineup although they lack team speed.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – The Cardinals need to upgrade their left-handed option from the bullpen.  Any of the lefties on the market make sense here except for George Sherrill because the Cardinals do not have a shortstop to offer the Orioles.  Now that the Braves are most likely sellers, Will Ohman is spectacular against the Cardinals in his career which means manager Tony LaRussa has seen nothing but good things from him in person.  If Wainwright is headed to the bullpen, the Cardinals might be tempted to make a serious run at a starter to boost their rotation.  The big problem at starting pitcher is there is not much out there available.

CINCINNATI REDS

The Reds finished their 2000 campaign with a winning record.  Since then, Cincinnati posted seven consecutive losing seasons.  Now, they are just six games below .500 and the organization sees breaking the .500 mark as an attainable goal.  Just in case you have the MLB TV package or live in the Cincinnati area and buy into the broadcasting team who insists on declaring the Reds a postseason contender, realize they must outpace three teams in their own division to win the Central or pass five teams in the National League to claim the Wild Card. 

STARTING PITCHING – According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, Bronson Arroyo is off the market.  Another pitcher that might have brought value — Aaron Harang — is still on the DL.  Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto are unavailable and Josh Fogg would bring practically nothing in return.

RELIEF PITCHING – The Reds have had a number of relievers involved in rumors including David Weathers and Jeremy Affeldt.  Affeldt is one of those coveted lefties that teams never have enough of.

NON-PITCHING – While there are a number of players who are tradable, the Reds are not getting the offers they are looking for.  Adam Dunn and David Ross get the most attention in the rumor reports. 

WHAT MAKES SENSE – Most reports say the Reds are looking for more than teams are willing to give which means they might stand pat as the Deadline comes and goes.  One interesting rumor last week had the Reds in the market for Oakland’s Huston Street which would make one think the Reds consider themselves still in the hunt.

HOUSTON ASTROS

Last week, general manager Ed Wade went out and acquired a veteran pitcher in Randy Wolf which prompted many to wonder if Wade had lost his mind.  Many thought the Astros trade for Wolf meant the team considered themselves still in the hunt for the postseason but MLB.com’s Alyson Footer provided a great analysis of why this move made sense and did not mean the team was chasing postseason glory.

STARTING PITCHING – One look at Houston’s rotation troubles this year and the trade for Wolf makes more sense.  Whether the team is in contention or not, they still have to go out and play every day and Wolf did not cost the team much.  Roy Oswalt returned on Monday and pitched well against the Reds. 

RELIEF PITCHING – There has been talk of Doug Brocail and Geoff Geary being available with one or the other as a possibility for the Red Sox. 

NON-PITCHING – Monday’s round of rumors saw the appearance of Miguel Tejada with the Tigers and Red Sox named as two clubs interested although later in the day, a report came out that said the Red Sox had almost no interest in the All-Star shortstop. 

WHAT MAKES SENSE – Does anything make sense in Houston in 2008?  ESPN’s Buster Olney reported the Astros were after an experienced, high profile reliever.  Huh?  When you read something like that, you have to ask yourself is it even remotely possible to put yourself in the shoes of someone thinking on that wavelength at this point of the season.  One more tidbit on the Wolf trade — the team gave up relatively little to acquire Wolf and could keep him for one more season next year if he accepts arbitration.  If Wolf does not, the team might receive a compensatory pick for him next season.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

The Pirates continued to prepare for the future over the weekend when they moved outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Damaso Marte for prospects from the Yankees.  The move solidified their stance of being sellers in 2008.

STARTING PITCHING – The worst pitching in the National League has only had consistency from Paul Maholm (7-6, 3.79 ERA).  The rest of the team’s starters all own ERAs over 5.00.  The rotation is struggling so much that pitcher Jeff Karstens — recently acquired in the trade with the Yankees — will see get his first start as a Pirate this weekend.          

RELIEF PITCHING – With Marte gone, the attention turns to Pittsburgh’s other left-handed reliever John Grabow.  Grabow is 5-3 with a 3.25 ERA and is mentioned frequently in the rumor reports.

NON-PITCHING – Nady’s exit decreases the possibility of Jason Bay being moved before the Deadline.  Before Nady was moved, a deal to move Bay with the Braves was presented to the team ownership but was squashed.  Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson also frequently make the rumor rounds.

WHAT MAKES SENSE – After their trade of Nady and Marte, a trade of Bay or Grabow is more unlikely.  The Pirates shopped Wilson but there was little interest in their veteran shortstop.  If there’s a silver lining, the Pirates are on a pace to win 75 games.  If they can exceed their pace and win 76, it would be the first time this millennium that Pittsburgh won more than 75 games.

Tomorrow – Part Five: American League West

• Joe Mather went 3-for-5 with a double, home run, and 2 RBI, and Albert Pujols reached base 3 times, doubled, and drove in 3 runs as the Cardinals crushed the injury-riddled Braves, 12-2. Ryan Ludwick also had 3 hits and 2 RBI, and Braden Looper gave up just 2 runs in 7 innings for St. Louis.
• Adam Jones singled, doubled, hit a grand slam, and finished with 5 RBI, and Kevin Millar went 3-for-5 with a double, home run, and 3 RBI of his own to lead the Orioles to a 13-4 blowout win over the Yankees. Aubrey Huff also contributed a double, a home run, and 3 RBI to Baltimore’s cause.
• Paul Byrd tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings, and Kelly Shoppach led the offense with a double and a home run as the Indians blanked the Tigers, 5-0.
• John Baker went 2-for-4 with a home run, and Cody Ross collected 2 hits and 2 RBI to help the Marlins rally for 5-8th inning runs on their way to a 7-3 victory over the Mets.
• Geoff Blum went 2-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBI, and Miguel Tejada tacked on 2 hits and a walk as the Astros held off the Reds, 5-4. Adam Dunn hit a grand slam for Cincinnati.
• Kevin Slowey threw a 6-hit complete game shutout, and Justin Morneau spurred the offense with 2 hits, a home run, and 3 RBI as the Twins quieted the division leading White Sox, 7-0.
• Alex Gordon went 3-for-4 with a 2-run home run, and Zack Greinke allowed just 2 runs while striking out 11 in 7 1/3 innings as the Royals doubled up the A’s, 4-2. Mike Aviles also had 3 hits for Kansas City while Kurt Suzuki stroked 3 singles for Oakland.
• Casey Kotchman hit a 2-run homer, and Torii Hunter added a 3-run shot  to highlight a 6-run 6th inning for Los Angeles as the Angels upended the Red Sox, 7-5. Many Ramirez had 2 hits, a home run, and 3 RBI for Boston.
• Ryan Doumit and Doug Mientkiewicz picked up 3 hits and 2 RBI apiece, and Nate McLouth piled on 2 walks, a home run, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored as the Pirates returned to the win column by beating the Rockies, 8-4.
• A.J. Burnett allowed just one unearned run and struck out 10 through 7 innings, and Matt Stairs hit a 2-run home run to lead the Blue Jays to a 3-1 triumph over the Rays.
• Derrek Lee went 3-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI, and Alfonso Soriano doubled, homered, stole a base, and scored 3 times as the Cubs rallied to cool down the Brewers, 6-4.
• Adrian Beltre smacked 2 home runs and drove in 4, and rookie Bryan LaHair reached base 3 times and hit his first career Major League homer to help the Mariners sneak past the Rangers, 7-5. Ian Kinsler doubled twice, walked twice, and scored 2 times for Texas.
• Nick Hundley hit a 3-run home run, and Kevin Kouzmanoff and Khalil Greene collected 2 RBI apiece as the Padres finally got Greg Maddux a victory by beating the Diamondbacks, 9-5. Chris Young singled, doubled, and homered for Arizona.
• Jose Castillo, Fred Lewis, and pitcher Kevin Correia each drove in 2 runs, and the Giants scored 7 runs without registering an extra base hit to edge the Dodgers, 7-6.

Monday’s Scoreboard

Tuesday’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.