Category: MLB

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have traded third baseman Jhonny Peralta to the Detroit Tigers for minor league left-hander Giovanni Soto.

Peralta was in the lineup for Cleveland’s game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, but was pulled at about 6 p.m. He’s batting .246 with seven homers and 43 RBIs in 91 games.

Peralta will likely fill-in for Brandon Inge, the Tigers’ injured third baseman.

The 28-year-old Peralta is in the final season of a five-year, $13 million contract, which includes an $11 million option for 2001. He’s making $4.6 million this season.

The 19-year-old Soto has spent the entire season at Class-A West Michigan. He is 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts.

Infielder Luis Valbuena has been called up from Triple-A Columbus to take Peralta’s roster spot.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Ryan Fagan discusses the four players at the center of this year’s trade season.

The American sports fan — or at least the American sports writer — has developed a perpetual need to define things. "This was the greatest game ever!" "Greatest comeback in sports history!" "This is the year of the pitcher!"

That’s the working definition of this year’s baseball season: the Year of the Pitcher. After all, there have been five no-hitters this season, including two perfect games. Remember, that’s not including the should-have-been perfect game by Armando Galarraga. While that surely seems like a lot (more on that in a minute) the number of no-hitters to games played in 2010 is ridiculously low when compared to, say, the number of walk-off wins.

There have been 1,502 games this season in Major League Baseball heading into play on Wednesday. The five no-hitters account for .3 percent of those games, which means we’ve qualified this as the Year of the Pitcher based on less than half of one percent of all the games played this year. Meanwhile, there have been 136 walk-off wins so far, which means that more than nine percent of all games have been decided in the most dramatic fashion. That sure seems like a lot, doesn’t it?

Have a few great pitching performances stolen "the year of" away from the walk-off? To figure that out, we’re going to need a bit of perspective on these numbers.

It’s obviously impossible to compare something as rare as a no-hitter (or perfect game) to something like a walk-off win. The fact is, once a player gets a hit in the game, there is no longer a chance for that event to occur (you can’t un-ring a bell, or un-hit a game, as it were). Unlike the no-hitter, a typical baseball game could have up to 17 lead changes before getting to the ninth inning with the home team needing a rally to win. So, despite the minuscule number of no-hitters this season when compared to the total number of walk-off wins, or total number of games played, the no-hitters can really only be judged against their own historical context. Shall we.

There have been 268 no-hitters (not including shortened games) in history, dating back to 1875. Coming into the season there were just 14 no-hitters since 1999, making the five no-hitters this season stand out even more (note: for the purposes of this historical comparison, it’s difficult to count Galarraga’s perfect game that wasn’t because we do not know how many games in the course of baseball’s long history were also actual no-hitters that the umpire botched a call to ruin. Galarraga clearly threw a perfect game, but it’s hard to use that in year-to-year comparisons).

There have been five or more no-hitters in a season eleven times in the history of the majors, including this season. We have seen more than six no-hitters in a season three times before this year, and while the first (eight) was way back in 1884, the other two came within this generation. There were seven no-hitters in 1990, including two on the same day when Dave Stewart and Fernando Valenzuela each tossed a no-no on June 29th. There was, however, no perfect game that season. The following season there were another seven no-hitters, including one that featured three pitchers and another that featured four pitchers. There was one perfect game (by Dennis Martinez) as well as Nolan Ryan’s seventh and final no-hitter. 1991 makes a pretty good case for the Year of the Pitcher.

Still, of the 20 perfect games in history, two have come this season. And yes, you can add that Galarraga game back in now, making it a theoretical three of 21 perfect games in the same year. Maybe this really is the year of the pitcher.

Here are a few notes to add back that up: Josh Johnson, despite giving up three runs in his latest start, boasts an ERA that currently rivals the all-time greats. Johnson’s 1.72 ERA would be the fourth-lowest since 1968. Having said that, the number did raise more than a tenth of a run last night and it was just a few weeks ago that Ubaldo Jimenez was boasting better numbers than Johnson, before he faltered a bit by giving up four or more runs in five of his last six starts.

Jimenez, for what it’s worth, still boasts a 2.75 ERA and is one of 18 pitchers who currently have an ERA under 3.00. To add another bit of context to this year’s numbers, Chris Carpenter led the NL with a 2.24 ERA last season and there are currently three players under that mark this year, including two on his own team.

As a league, the pitching has been better than in recent years. In fact, the overall ERA heading into games on Wednesday (4.15) is the lowest since 1992 (worth noting the overall ERA was below 4.00 in every year but one from 1980-1992 and not one time since) and the overall WHIP is the best since 1992 as well. Even if it’s not the Year of the Pitcher when you look at the entire history of the game (I’d take 1968, with seven 20-game winners including Denny McLain’s 31 wins and 49 pitchers with an ERA under 3.00 including 21 with a 2.50 or better) but 2010 has been, without much doubt, the Year of the Pitcher of the Last Two Decades or So.

So.can it be both the Year of the Pitcher and the Year of the Walk-off? Sure, it can. But based on the recent history, it’s probably not. While nine-percent of all games seems like a really high number to be decided by the last swing of the bat (or, in some cases, the last ball, hit-batsman or balk) the ratio of games to games won in walk-off fashion is not significantly higher than any of the last five years.

According to baseball-reference.com, there were 211 walk-off wins in 2,430 games in 2009 (8.68 percent). In 2008, there were 228 walk-off wins in 2,428 games (9.39 percent), which is more than the current pace (9.05 percent) through the 1,502 games this season. The numbers in 2007 and 2006 were slightly lower than this year – 215 of 2,431 games (8.84 percent) in 2007 and 214 of 2,429 games (8.81 percent) in 2006 – though not so much that it would make this campaign stand out with "Year of" status. If anything, recent history would have given that moniker to the 2008 season.

Why, then, does it seem like there are so many walk-off wins this year? Perhaps it’s the ridiculous nature of some, from grand slams where the batter thought it was an out to, as mentioned above, a walk-off balk to players getting hurt on their home-plate celebration to, recently, a pie-in-the-face celebration gone horribly wrong.

How about this for an answer to the "Year of" debate: it’s the Year of Really Compelling Baseball. There have been great pitching performances and a ton of thrilling late-inning wins. Add in the fact that five of the six division races are within 3.5 games and this is shaping up to be one heckuva season.if you’re looking for that kind of definition, of course.

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle at the old Yankee Stadium in 1961.

The Roger Maris vs. Mickey Mantle home run race of 1961 placed a lot of focus on statistics and the record books. Almost five decades after that historic season, those who compile baseball’s numbers and records have officially recognized changes to other parts of the M&M Boys’ stat lines from that year.

A researcher discovered 15 years ago that Maris had 141 RBIs, not 142, and that Mantle in fact scored 131 runs instead of 132 (the mistakes were made on separate plays).

Usually, that wouldn’t be a big deal; the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and other historians/researches have spotted errors over the years.

In this case, however, the ’61 flubs had a direct effect on who led the American League in those respective categories. Now that the corrections have officially been made, Maris no longer is considered the RBI leader (he now is tied with Jim Gentile), but he is considered the new runs leader (he and Mantle had been tied).

Maris, the American League MVP that year, is best known for the then-record 61 home runs he hit. That figure is not in dispute.

For more on how the changes were discovered, check out Sean Forman’s blog post at baseball-reference.com. (H/T: AOL FanHouse)

Baseball’s injury list Tuesday looked like something from an NFL Sunday, at least in terms of volume. No fewer than eight players were scratched or had to leave early because of injuires.

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg led the parade when he experienced stiffness in his pitching shoulder while warming up. Washington took no chances and sat him down in favor of Miguel Batista.

The rest of the notable aches and pains:

Rockies closer Huston Street: Bruised the right side of his abdomen when he was hit by a line drive in batting practice Tuesday. He was sent home to rest and is listed as day to day. Street was taken off the field in an ambulance and transported to an emergency room for further examination.

Rays center fielder B.J. Upton: Left in the first inning with a sprained left ankle and may be out of the lineup for a few days. He was hurt while moving in on Will Rhymes’ one-out single.

Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton: Left in the fifth with tightness in his right hip. The Arizona Republic reports Upton hopes to miss just a couple of days.

Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino: Left in the seventh with a left oblique strain. He’ll be examined by a team physician on Wednesday. "I don’t think it’s that bad, but I’ll know more after I take the MRI in the morning," Victorino said.

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada: Scratched minutes before gametime because of a sore left knee. A Yankees spokesman said Posada experienced left knee soreness and was replaced by Francisco Cervelli.

Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew: Scratched with tightness in his left hamstring just a few minutes before the Red Sox faced the Los Angeles Angels.

Mariners third baseman Jose Lopez: Left in the first with a tight left hamstring after running out an inning-ending double play. The club says Lopez is day to day.

In addition to those injuries, the Mets learned that left fielder Jason Bay has a concussion and will miss some time, and the Royals found out right-hander Gil Meche needs shoulder surgery that likely will end his season.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Jim Leyland on Tuesday denied spitting on umpire Marty Foster during an argument the night before, going so far as to say Foster lied about the incident.

An angry Jim Leyland points at Marty Foster as umpire Gary Cedestrom tries to keep the two apart. during Monday’s argument

The commissioner’s office is reviewing the incident.

Foster ejected Leyland for arguing Foster’s call on a third-inning stolen base by the Rays’ B.J. Upton. "I had some sunflower seeds in when I was talking," Leyland told reporters prior to the Tigers’ game at Tropicana Field. "Some sprayed on him, and he indicated that I deliberately spit on him, and I’m not going to take that from anybody. I’m not going to do it.

"Did I spray him? Yes. Did I mean to? No. I was talking right close [to him] and what happens a lot of times, happened. I asked him if he was going to write me up. He said, ‘You spit on me.’ I said, ‘You mean to tell me that you’re going to write up that I deliberately spit on you?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Well that’s a blatant lie.’

"I’m tired of protecting them, worrying about what you should say and what you can’t say. I don’t care that he missed the play. I don’t care that he threw me out. But when you make accusations like that, I’m not going to accept that. That’s a blatant lie. I don’t even spit on the ground."

MLB has not made a decision on whether to suspend Leyland.

The 2011 major league season will begin for most teams on April 1, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports. The earlier start will allow the World Series to begin a week earlier and end in October rather than November.

The new setup — a Friday opening rather than a Sunday/Monday start — is in part a response to complaints that World Series teams are forced to play in November. Game 7 in this year’s Series is scheduled for Nov. 4; it’s set for Oct. 28 next year.

"Anything we could do to finish in October," baseball commissioner Bud Selig tells Nightengale, "is what I wanted to do. It shows how serious we are in doing this. I feel very good about it, and am pleased at everybody’s reaction.”

The players appear to be supportive.

"Starting the season mid-week, as we understand it, will allow for a much better postseason schedule than if we had the season begin on a Sunday night," said Michael Weiner, executive director of the players association. "We think that’s a positive step."

Rangers third baseman Michael Young tells Nightengale: "Watching the playoffs last year, you saw guys freezing out there in New York (at Yankee Stadium). That time of year, you expect cold."

Fox Sports president Ed Goren, whose network broadcasts the Series, says it’s not a given that the Fall Classic will be played in better weather. "I think the commissioner is sensitive to getting the postseason over in October. But I’ve been in cities where the weather is awful in mid-October, and beautiful the first of November," Goren tells Nightengale. "So if we’re playing Game 7 of the World Series on Oct. 28, and it’s snowed out, don’t blame baseball."

According to Nightengale, the regular season likely will officially begin March 25 or March 26, when the Giants and Diamondbacks begin a two-game series in Taiwan. That series is expected to be approved by MLB and the players. The season would end Wednesday, Sept. 28, and the division series would begin Friday, Sept. 30, or Saturday, Oct. 1. The World Series would begin Wednesday, Oct. 19.

The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Capozzi reports Chris Coghlan’s bizarre knee injury won’t change the Marlins’ strategy regarding third baseman Jorge Cantu.

Capozzi reports Coghlan would have moved from left field to third base if Cantu were to be traded before Saturday’s nonwaiver deadline. Now, the idea is to platoon Donnie Murphy and Wes Helms at third in place of Cantu, who was benched Tuesday by interim manager Edwin Rodriguez.

Logan Morrison was called up Tuesday to replace Coghlan on the roster. Morrison will be the Marlins’ everyday left fielder, Capozzi reports via Twitter.

There’s still a possibility Cantu will stay in Florida. Capozzi says the Marlins could keep him if they can’t make a suitable deal.

If the White Sox want to acqire Nationals slugger Adam Dunn in a deadline deal, they’ll have to give up at least two top prospects, ESPNChicago.com’s Bruce Levine reports.

Washington wants right-hander Dan Hudson in any deal, and it is also asking for one of three prospects playing at Triple-A Charlotte: outfielder Jordan Danks (the younger brother of White Sox left-hander John Danks), catcher Tyler Flowers and infielder Brent Morel.

Hudson has been so-so since being recalled from Charlotte just before the All-Star break. He’s 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA in three starts and has worked past the sixth inning just once.

A source tells Levine the White Sox rejected Washington’s proposal of Dunn for Chicago second baseman Gordon Beckham straight up.

Levine also reports five other teams are in pursuit of Dunn, who can become a free agent after the season: the Angels, Tigers, Rangers and two unidentified National League teams.

The Cubs "have made it clear" to teams that right-hander Carlos Zambrano is available, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports.

Zambrano’s contract and recent performance would seem to be major stumbling blocks in potential trades. The Cubs owe him about $6 million for the rest of this season and $36 million the next two seasons. There also is a $19 million vesting option for 2013. Also, Zambrano has a no-trade clause.

His pitching hasn’t nearly been to that level: He has a 5.66 ERA in 55 2/3 innings this season, and he has spent a good portion of the year in Chicago’s bullpen.

Then there’s the issue of Zambrano’s volatility. He is completing a team suspension for a dugout tirade last month. On Monday, Zambrano apologized for his actions and said he was to blame for the blowup.