Brian McCann Passes Brain Functionality Exam

Braves catcher Brian McCann -- having sat out a week after sustaining a concussion in a home plate collision with Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino -- is about to be cleared to return to the field this week after a successful brain functionality comparison test.

In the test McCann was asked simple questions like: Who is president of the United States? What is the date or your birth? What is your address? What is your mother's maiden name?

McCann's ability to answer promptly and easily was then compared to an identical test he took at the beginning of the season. Because his responsiveness matched favorably, McCann will be cleared to return to the backstop after being limited to pinch hitting only.

Concussions otherwise known literally as brain bruises -- even relatively mild ones such as that experienced by McCann -- are not to be taken lightly, especially considering this season's experience with Mets outfielder Ryan Church. Church missed a number of games after suffering post-concussive dizziness, nausea, headaches and other manifestations, and had to return to the sidelines after several truncated attempts to return to action.

Fortunately for McCann, his symptoms were limited to little more than cranial discomfort, which has passed. But for others such as former Giants catcher Mike Matheny and Brewers outfielder Cory Koskie, post-concussive syndrome not only put an end to their careers, but continues to impact their lives.

Jimmy Rollins Returns to Phils Lineup From Bench

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has wiped the slate clean -- at least for now -- and restored benched leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins to his rightful spot at the top of the batting order. Rollins had been told to take a seat in the dugout Thursday after being tardy.

"Jimmy was late getting to the yard," Manuel was quoted as saying in The New York Post. "I called him in and talked to him. That's all I got to say. It's an in-house thing between him and I."

It's the second time Rollins has found himself in Manuel's doghouse for a day, having been benched June 5 for failing to hustle on a dropped pop fly.

Rollins was ordered to take a seat Thursday after he showed up late for the Phillies 3-1 loss to the Mets, then claiming he was following the team bus to Shea Stadium from his hotel but was held up in traffic. It was the second time he was late this season.

"...You can't change the (traffic) lights," Rollins said, refusing to apologize to his teammates.

Brett Myers Ready to Return to Phillies After Break

Phillies starter Brett Myers -- who recently accepted a demotion to the minors after going 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA over the first half of the season -- has told The Reading Eagle he is ready to return to Philadelphia after rediscovering his form while facing Triple A and Double A hitters.

"Sometimes you need to take a step back and take a deep breath, and I was able to do that," said Myers. "I think I'm ready to get back up there. I feel like I'm ready."

Appearing against Akron in a Reading home game as General Manager Pat Gillick, assistant Mike Arbuckle and senior adviser Dallas Green looked on, Myers struck out 10 while holding opposing batters to a 1.61 average in his most recent outing, in which he gave up three runs. Though he lost 3-2, he gave up just five hits and two walks over eight innings while throwing 118 pitches. Myers had also been effective in two Triple A appearances for Lehigh Valley -- allowing five earned runs on 12 hits over a total of 12.1 innings.

The Phillies are set to play the Mets in New York on July 22, though it appears likely the team will wait to decide on bringing up Myers until he makes one more appearance at Lehigh Valley or Reading.

Houston Astros Set to Fly the White Flag

Having taken sole possession of the National League Central cellar after losing 10-7 to the lowly Pirates, the Houston Lastros have made it clear the team is ready to run up the white flag.

Though a poll of fan sentiment is running at about 50-50 as to whether the team should continue to try for a playoff berth, manager Cecil Cooper made it clear in today's editions of the Houston Chronicle that no one should get hopes up. Be assured that --in light of Cooper's announcement -- struggling youngster Michael Bourn will soon return to the lineup with surrender terms.

Some fans had been hopeful that Houston still had some fight left when Bourn -- currently in 0-19 slump with a .218 average -- was benched in favor of veteran Darin Erstad, who is hitting better than .300 and playing All-Star caliber defense in center field.

Not to worry: Cooper told the Chronicle that Erstad soon will retake his seat in the dugout, as Bourn has merely been given a few games off to work in the batting cage to ready himself to once again stink up Minute Maid Park.

After all, the Lastros must have something to show for having acquired Bourn in the trade of closer Brad Lidge -- who is currently 2-0 with 19 saves and a 1.00 ERA with the first place Phillies.

Phillies Fielding Offers of Bullpen Help

Veteran left-handed pitcher Tony Cogan -- a 32-year-old former major leaguer coming back from shoulder surgery -- is trying to persuade the Phillies he can once again be a capable middle reliever.

The former Stanford standout -- 2-1 with a 1.11 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 33 innings for the independent Gary RailCats -- is trying to demonstrate versatility, durability and effectiveness by converting back to starting. Cogan led the Northern League with 25 saves coming out of the bullpen last year during the league's 98-game summer season.

Cogan must extricate himself from his Northern League obligations in order to sign a minor league contract with Double A Reading, then continue to demonstrate his worthiness under the watchful eye of pitching coach Rich Dubee.

For the week ending June 1, the Chicago area native was 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA, striking out 10 in his last 6.2 innings for the period.

Cogan was drafted in the 12th round of the 1999 draft, pitching 39 games with a 5.84 ERA as a middle reliever for the Royals in 2001. He was released and signed with the Cardinals two years later, but went down with a shoulder injury after a tough spring.

Not Hitting Your Weight Is Embarrassing

A general rule in baseball is you better be able to hit your weight or you are really pathetic. It is not that difficult since this usually only requires hitting about .230.  Players are usually sent tot he minors before their batting average gets a chance to descend that far, so this rare achievement truly deserves praise and admiration.

Mariners fans have grown accustomed to Richie Sexson (240 pounds, .216 average) achieving this rare phenomenon and Dodgers fans pretty much expected Andruw Jones (240 pounds last time anyone checked, .165 average) to be awful.  (note:  Chin-Lung Hu can probably be included in this category but he will be spared the humiliation of publication of either his weight or batting average).  

But nobody really expected this from Ryan Howard.  Howard is a big guy, weighing 256 pounds, so if he were hitting .240 nobody would care.  However, his .208 batting average is embarrassing no matter how you look at it.  Howard is a career .280 hitter and has made serious runs for the MVP award the last two years, so this is surprising and a huge concern to the Phillies. 

Phillies to Consider Ray King, Steve Kline

In need of a bullpen lefty, the Phillies will await a status report on former Nationals reliever Ray King -- who is expected to become a free agent -- before deciding between him, former Giants lefty Steve Kline and other candidates.

King, 34, was sent by the Nationals to Triple A Columbus late last week, but turned down the assignment, thus voiding his contract. He had a 5.61 ERA in limited play this year, following up a 4.67 mark in 67 appearances last year.

Kline, 35, a Philadelphia area native, was cut by the Giants after spring camp and signed to a minor league contract by the Phillies, but so far has struggled against Triple A bats at Charlotte.

Cubs Seek Boost from Phillies Castoff

Mindful of a lack of depth in the outfield, the Chicago Cubs reportedly have opened talks to sign 28-year-old outfield prospect Valentino Pascucci, who led the International League with 34 homers last year.


Pascucci -- a native of the Los Angeles area -- last played at the major league level in March, when the Phillies demoted him from spring camp to the minors, only to release the 6-foot-6, 260-pound slugger altogether after he struggled to make contact in a limited trial.

Pascucci last appeared in the major leagues with the Montreal Expos in 2004, who took him in the 15th round of the 1996 draft. Though he was a major contributor last year for Triple A Albuquerque in the Marlins system, his bat has been supplanted there by former Angels prospect Dallas McPherson, who is hitting nearly .300 and is approaching double digit homers in the early going.

McPherson is a natural corner infielder, but Albuquerque is giving him a tryout in the outfield.

With star outfielder Rafael Soriano out with chronic leg injuries, the Cubs have been forced to bolster the outfield with infielder Mark DeRosa, have recalled Matt Murton and signed light-hitting Blue Jays castoff Reed Johnson.

If Pascucci signs with the Cubs, expect him to be assigned to Triple A Des Moines.

Jimmy Rollins 'Fracture' Unfounded

Jeff Erickson, senior editor of Rotowire and the host of "The Rotowire Fantasy Baseball Show" on XM 175 (weekdays at noon ET) recently advanced the notion that Phillies MVP shortstop Jimmy Rollins' stint on the disabled list (ankle sprain) is worth investigating as to whether the injury is due to a fracture.

We don't know how this cockamamie rumor got started but we intend to put the brakes on it right now. Jimmy Rollins has a soft tissue injury of his ankle. He's working it, he's rehabbing, he is taking batting practice, and prior to being backdated on the DL, he pinch hit at least twice.

What may have happened is this: some Phillies medical brainiac -- despite an appropriate clinical examination and negative plain radiographs of the injured extremity -- decides, just to make sure, and just because Rollins is a multimillion-dollar MLB stud, blah, blah, blah -- that Rollins should undergo computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging ostensibly to illuminate occult fractures.

This is common practice in circles where expensive and medically unindicated tests are performed "just to be on the safe side." Every doctor's office and emergency room does it -- even to ordinary people -- because...well...they can. The subsequent fees help pay for the equipment and the doctor's kid's braces.

Anyway, it's important to recognize that the "gold standard" for diagnosing a fracture clinically is an appropriate medical history for mechanism of injury and examination of bony tenderness when a clinician pushes on the site (on the bone, not on the soft tissue).

Generally, an X-ray is then obtained to prove or rule-out bony injury. If the x-ray is negative, there is no fracture. But from time to time, a medical practitioner is convinced that the X-ray is wrong and goes on to more exotic (and expensive) imaging techniques (CT and/or MRI) and viola -- an "occult" fracture is realized.

Unfortunately -- arguably with select exceptions -- the nonplain film identified fracture outcome is exactly the same as if the fracture was never identified. Imagine, if every time somebody fell down resulting in an X-ray to rule-out fracture, and the X-ray was negative, all those people receiving a CT -- "just to be on the side" (and pay a few bills). Imagine the magnitude of that practice inflicted across the population. The unnecessary expense would probably rival the gross national product of Canada, and the superfluous radiation exposure would not do anyone any good either.

We are convinced that Rollins is fine, and he will be clubbing the ball and tearing up the base paths precisely three weeks from his original point of injury. You can bank on it.

Giants Steve Kline Awaits Trade to Phillies

San Francisco left-handed reliever Steve Kline has confided to intimates his belief that the Giants will trade him before the year is out -- likely to Philadelphia, MLB News Online has learned.

Though it could not be learned whether Kline is privy to whatever talks may have taken place between the Giants and Phillies, Kline believes he will be dealt to a contender in need of bullpen help, and the Phillies foot the bill.

Kline, 35, who will be a free agent next year, is without a no-trade clause in his contract. But Kline likely would prefer to be traded to the Phillies as he is a Pennsylvania native and followed the Phillies when he was growing up. His father -- a former minor leaguer who played with Giants Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays -- resides in Williamsport, Pa., home of the annual International Little League championship series.

The 11--year veteran is valuable not so much for his career 3.50 ERA and 39 saves, but because he is left-handed and held left-handed hitters to a .287 average last year.

Kline and veteran Eddie Guardado of Texas are tied for 11th all-time among left-handers with 796 career appearances. They will join the top 10 this year when they pass Los Angeles coach Rick Honeycutt at 797.

Phillies Skipper to Take Hitters to Woodshed

A trip to the woodshed may be in store for several Phillies regulars, as manager Charlie Manuel has found his starting lineup a bit lackluster past the midway point of spring training in Clearwater, Fla.

With Jimmy Rollins hitting .156, Geoff Jenkins .162, Jayson Werth .174, Pat Burrell .194, Chase Utley .200, and Shane Victorino .250, Manuel hints he will have a "little chat" with some of his players, according to remarks quoted by the Philadelphia Enquirer.

"It's not like a lightbulb. You don't turn it on and off," said Manuel, worrying that the team's seemingly indifferent attitude might linger into the regular season.

The Phillies stand at 5-12 on the spring, the second worst record in major league baseball, ahead of only the Pirates. It's a small sample, of course. But then again, it is what it is.

Phillies Overly Optimistic on Brad Lidge's Return

To hear the Phillies tell it, closer Brad Lidge could be back from surgery in as little as three weeks. Don't believe it.

Barring a near miracle, Lidge can be expected to miss a full six weeks recuperating from arthroscopic knee surgery, then take at least another week or two regaining his form and confidence, based on historical comparisons with other patients, medical authorities told MLBnewsonline.com.

Look for Lidge to be virtually ineffective through the first 10 days of May, and possibly another 10 days or more.

Hopefully for Lidge, that will be the end of it, but more problems could be in store.

With potential psychological difficulties lingering from his Houston Astros meltdowns over the past couple of seasons, a blow such as this is the last thing Lidge needed as he tries to rediscover himself in Philadelphia.

Mom at Heart of Phillies Ryan Howard's Troubles?

A rumor strained through the inner sanctum of the Phillies clubhouse lays first baseman Ryan Howard's performance difficulties last year at the doorstep of the affable giant's overly protective mother Cheryl Howard.

The retired business woman has taken control of her son's finances, putting him on a strict allowance, the amount of which can not be learned from month to month, but hopefully exceeds the 50 cents a week he was given as a boy. Will the 28-year-old slugger have to get a paper route?

It's not difficult to see Cheryl Howard and her husband -- computer company executive Ron Howard -- behind Ryan Howard's decision to seek an additional $3 million per year over the $7 million the Phillies offered him.

One or two million would be one thing, but the unprecedented 30-percent disparity pushed the arbitrator to the limit, especially in light of Howard's lack of service time, preponderant strikeouts, defensive liabilities and health issues.

Thankfully the arbitrator's affirmation will avoid sending Howard into another funk, such as he experienced last year when his family likely cluttered his head with distractions about him being underpaid, underappreciated and disrespected.

Don't let Howard's cheerful facade fool you. His firing of two of his agents demonstrates his frustration after he patiently waited two years for the Phillies to get rid of Jim Thome, then have the team insult him with a mere $900,000 paycheck even though Howard hit 80 homers in his first one and a half seasons.

Even more exasperating is the fact that something approaching half of his relatively meager earnings have been wiped out by his agents' fees and federal and state taxes, while teammate Chase Utley has been given an $85 million, seven year deal.

Next 10 Days Key for Phillies Chase Utley

Injured Phillies second baseman Chase Utley's rapid healing testifies to his superb physical condition at the time he was sidelined by a pitch that broke his hand, but while he already has begun hitting, it remains to be seen how quickly he can return to full strength.

Utley not only will have to stand up to intense pain resulting from the concussion of swinging a bat against speeding fastballs, but must restore strength and stamina to his wrist, which had been immobilized along with his fractured fourth metacarpal after a pin was inserted to stabilize it following the break.

Utley is not content to return to action Sept 1, he wants to come back now. But don't be surprised if he continues to be held out for the better part of three weeks. Even if he comes back in 10 days, how quickly can he be expected to rediscover his timing and power?

Components in Place for Phillies, Brewers Trade

With one too many light-hitting speedsters in the Philadelphia outfield, it looks like Shane Victorino is the odd man out.

The Phillies expected that with his ability to run, Victorino would have stolen more than a mere four bags in seven attempts last year, thus they see him as best suited to service as a fourth outfielder rather than as a starter.

So with right fielder Pat Burrell bringing power and little else to the game, and center fielder Aaron Rowand primarily desired for his glove, the Phillies could use a hitter who could hit for power and average, someone of the caliber of Geoff Jenkins.

Jenkins and his $7 million contract have been on the market since last July, but there have been no takers. After his down year in '07, it seems no one can be sure exactly how much Jenkins has left at 32. Meanwhile mixed reports come out of the Philadelphia front office as to the team's willingness to deal starting pitcher Jon Lieber, a serviceable major league hurler, or hold him in reserve as a sixth starter.

In any event, if the Phillies are to acquire this starting outfielder they supposedly want so badly, someone must be sacrificed as trade barter and Lieber is regarded as the prize. The Brewers interest would be piqued should staff ace Ben Sheets begins revisiting the trainer's room with the regularity of last year.