Maddux back in L.A.
Greg Maddux is headed back to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
San Diego and Los Angeles agreed to a trade that puts the 353-game winner in a pennant race again, according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity Monday night because no announcement had been made.
It’s unclear what the Padres will receive in return for the 42-year-old Maddux, who will join a Dodgers team tied with Arizona atop the N.L. West with records of 64-60.
The trade was expected to be announced today.
Maddux pitched for the Dodgers in 2006.
Schilling mulls over retirement
Curt Schilling says he’s leaning “very heavily” toward retirement and is waiting until spring training approaches to see if he wants to try to pitch again.
The Boston Red Sox right-hander, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery on June 23, said in his most recent blog entry that his shoulder “is getting better fast” and “I’ve still got a rather lengthy amount of time before I decide anything.”
Still, he said on 38pitches.com that “the pendulum is swinging very heavily in the direction of it just being over. I’ve never sat around and not gotten ready to head to Florida, well not in 23 or so years anyway, so to me that will likely be the last real test for me and whether or not I want to put the time and effort into getting after it one more time.”
Dr. Craig Morgan, who performed the surgery, estimated a few hours after it ended that Schilling could be throwing a ball in four months and throwing from a mound within seven months, by late January.
Schilling said that a few weeks ago he thought of trying to get ready to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, a 16-country event scheduled for March with the championship game March 23 at Dodger Stadium.
“But I just don’t think that’s in the cards,” he wrote in his blog Friday. “Next I started thinking about the original plan of pitching the 2nd half of next season. Thing is, that urgency just is not there. I miss some things I didn’t think I would, and don’t miss many things.”
Schilling, a six-time All-Star, is signed only for 2008 at $8 million.
Percival opts out of surgery
Tampa Bay Rays closer Troy Percival decided not to have surgery on his injured right knee and hopes to resume throwing off a mound in four or five days.
Percival damaged cartilage in the knee while fielding a bunt in Thursday’s game against Oakland. He might have surgery after the season ends.
If he had surgery Percival was told he would have been out until October.
“Without it, it’s very feasible it’s two weeks,” Percival said. “When I’m good to go, I’ll be out there. I don’t think it’s going to get any worst, any better.”
Kinsler out with sports hernia
Rangers All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sports hernia, and could be headed for season-ending surgery.
The former Spokane Indian, who was leading the majors with 165 hits and 102 runs, had an MRI that revealed the problem on the left side of his groin. He will be examined by a specialist in Dallas, probably today.
Upton caught jogging again
B.J. Upton, benched three times in the past two weeks for failing to hustle, was caught jogging on the bases again and thrown out at second on what should have been a routine double.
This time, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon left his center fielder in the game after his latest base running gaffe.
The speedy Upton hit a fourth-inning drive to left against the Los Angeles Angels and broke into a trot out of the batter’s box, apparently thinking it would be a home run. Instead, the ball hit the fence on a hop.
Upton casually rounded first and jogged toward second with Angels first baseman Mark Teixeira following up the line to meet left fielder Juan Rivera’s throw to an uncovered base. Teixeira fielded the ball on a hop and made the tag just before a surprised Upton touched the bag.
With the inning over, Upton dropped his head and bent over at second base for a few moments before taking his position on defense.