Fastball Fans

Here’s more bad news fore Yankees — Jorge Posada may be out for a while…

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada doesn’t need an operation on his right shoulder now. However, he will be sidelined for at least five weeks.

“I thought I was going to have to get surgery. We’re going to look at that option probably after the season,” Posada said before last night’s win over the Seattle Mariners.

Posada thinks he hurt the shoulder as a result of compensating during spring training for a sore muscle in his right side, an injury that caused him to be scratched from the starting lineup March 7.

Posada said he has inflammation of the rotator cuff but the condition of his labrum was unchanged from a scan taken in the offseason for an insurance policy.

“All the doctors agree,” he said. “It just needs rest.”

Not good news at all — especially after the contract he signed in the offseason…

Folks, it looks like Julio Franco may be done in the major leagues and it calling it quits after a historic career.

From the AP: Julio Franco finally called it quits.

The oldest player to hit a home run in the majors announced his retirement from baseball after a 23-year career in the major leagues and stints in his native Dominican Republic, Korea, Japan and Mexico.

“It was the hardest decision in my life,” Franco said in an interview published Saturday by Mexican sports daily Record. “I always said I would be the first one to know the exact moment. I think the numbers speak for themselves, the production speaks and this is the right moment.

“I understand that my time has passed and the great men and athletes know when to say enough.”

The 49-year-old infielder announced his retirement Wednesday night to his Mexican league team, the Quintana Roo Tigers. The league posted the news its Web site the next day.

Franco last played in the majors in 2007, when he played in 55 games with the New York Mets (40) and the Atlanta Braves (15). He batted .222 with one home run and 16 RBI in 90 at-bats.

Franco hit his last major league home run against Randy Johnson on May 4, 2007. At 48, he became the oldest player to homer in the majors.

The Dominican retired with a .298 average, 2,586 hits and 173 home runs in 23 seasons in the majors with eight teams.

Is he going to be a Hall of Famer - no; however, just for the fact he played until he was almost 50 (assuming it’s his age) at such a high level, he deserves all the respect in the world.

Juilo, my man, good luck in whatever you do in life.

Former All-Star closer Derrick Turnbow was cut. Turnbow was 0-1 with a 15.63 ERA in eight games this season. He had 39 saves in 2005 and 24 the next year, when he was picked for the National League All-Star team.

The big man has struggled since his career year, and lost his spot to Francisco Cordero in Milwaukee.

Also, another Brewer is hurt.

Pitcher Yovani Gallardo tore a ligament in his right knee trying to avoid a collision near first base Thursday and might need surgery. He was put on the 15-day disabled list, and there’s no timetable for his return. Gallardo was 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts this season and may be out the rest of the ‘07 season.

For a man seemingly small in stature, it goes without saying that Chase Utley is awesome.

And he’s being rewarded for his amazing April.

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley was named the National League Player of the Month for April. He hit .360 with 0 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 23 runs batted in to help the Phillies post a 15-13 record at the end of April. The two-time All-Star homered in five consecutive games from April 17-21, tying a team record.

His 11 homers, 85 total bases and .766 slugging percentage led all National League players.

Last month, Sony sent me a free copy of “MLB 08: The Show” to review. Due to commitments and work I did not have time to play until recently. I borrowed my little brother’s Playstation 3 for a few weeks, so I got the game especially for that platform.

Over the past few years, I have had a major attachment to MVP Baseball 2005, which I consider perhaps my favorite video baseball game of all time.

However, “MLB 08: The Show”, might have kicked MVP Baseball 2005 off the perch.

There are so many features in this game, I have no idea where to begin, but if you’re a serious baseball nerd like me, you could not do any better.

First off, everything is so life-like. You feel like you’re actually in the game and part of the action – well, as far as a video game could possibly let you. Granted, the features in the game will get someone like, who has not played video games in a while a bit of getting used to; however, for the veteran, they should be able to play with some ease after some time.

The various parks looks very close to reality, the colors are vivid, and the players are nothing short of real – some gritty, some with the characteristic features you know them by, for example, David Ortiz, and the action is nothing but superb. I love the commentary that comes with the action during the game – so much that I’d rather play this at times than watch a run-of-the-mill boring TV broadcast.

Heck, I had one of the announcers tell me when I threw a wild pitch or made an error.

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High gas prices, the cost of food, and the mortgage market affects everyone — including a former baseball superstar, best-selling author and reality TV star.

Welcome to Jose Canseco’s world.

ose Canseco, the former AL MVP who made millions during his baseball career, has had his home foreclosed.

Canseco told the syndicated TV show “Inside Edition” that he walked away from his
$2.5 million, 7,300-square foot home in suburban Encino because it didn’t make sense to continue making payments.

“I do have a judgment on my home and it to me is very strange because it didn’t make financial sense for me to keep paying a mortgage on a home that was basically owned by someone else,” he said in an interview that aired Thursday.

“You know my life, this financial thing, is a very complicated issue. Obviously, when you make all that money, people think, ‘OK, let’s assume it is $35 million.’ People have to understand that $35 million, you’re paying the government 41 percent. That leaves you with about $17 or $18 million, not even. Then you’re taking care of your whole family.”

He added that a couple of divorces cost him $7 million or $8 million.

Canseco said his top earnings year was $6 million and that his financial situation obviously is different than most people who are losing their homes.

“What about other families that we’re hearing on TV, that they’re saying, ‘We have nowhere else to go,’ ” he said. “I mean, that is amazing. I’ve got books [he’s put out two expose-type books on drug use in baseball], we’re now trying to produce the movie to both.

“Like I said, my situation was a little more different than most. I decided to just let it [the house] go, but in most cases and most families, they have nowhere else to go.”

Hmmm, I guess that’s what happens when book number two does not go as expected…

There’s some bad news if you’re a Colorado Rockies fan…

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki could reportedly be sidelined until the All-Star break with a torn left quadriceps.

The Denver Post reported Thursday that Tulowitzki told teammates he would miss four to eight weeks with the injury, which he sustained on Tuesday night in San Francisco. Tulowitzki left in the first inning after charging a ground ball.

The 23-year-old Tulowitzki is in the midst of a season-long slump, hitting just .152 with one home run and 11 runs batted in. He signed a six-year contract in the offseason after hitting .291 with 24 home runs and 99 RBI as a rookie for the National League-champion Rockies in 2007.

Too bad for the kid, but he’s got a long road ahead of him and I’m sure he’ll be on the road back in no time…

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Does anyone think the Yankees might be in a wee bit of trouble? The New York Yankees announced Thursday that a second examination of starting pitcher Phil Hughes — who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday — revealed a fractured rib. The young gun has struggled this season, and has put a derailment in the plans of Hank Steinbrenner and his quest for a championship.

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Atlanta Braves ace John Smoltz, currently on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis, said Wednesday he will fill a relief role when he returns.

According to a report on the team’s Web site, Braves manager Bobby Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell both said they would wait before coming to a decision.

But Smoltz said he was content with pitching out of the bullpen, and said he wouldn’t help Atlanta’s chance at winning by throwing limited innings as a
starter.

The end many be near, but I don’t see him leaving the game — at least not on his own terms.

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The Yankees officially placed star third baseman Alex Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a Grade 2 strained right quadriceps.

The reigning AL MVP first injured the muscle on April 20 against Baltimore, and missed the club’s next three games before returning April 25 against Cleveland.

Rodriguez aggravated the injury in Monday’s 5-2 win over the Indians while running out a grounder in the fourth inning. He was hit by a pitch on his left thigh in the sixth inning and was lifted in favor of pinch-hitter Johnny Damon in the eighth.

Seems like the Yankees are walking wounded these days, eh?

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The struggling Washington Nationals will miss their closer — big time

Washington Nationals reliever Chad Cordero will miss 4-to-6 weeks with a tear in his right shoulder muscle.

An MRI exam revealed the tear on Wednesday, a day after Cordero left Washington’s 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning.

Cordero has worked in six games this season, recording a 2.08 earned run average in just 4 1/3 innings.

The 26-year-old right-hander is expected to make his second trip to the disabled list this season, having spent the first three weeks of the campaign on the DL with right shoulder tendinitis.

Good luck, Chad…

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The Seattle Mariners designated outfielder Brad Wilkerson and infielder Greg Norton for assignment Wednesday, recalling catcher Jeff Clement and outfielder Wladimir Balentien from Triple-A Tacoma to fill their roster spots.

Wilkerson, who signed with Seattle on January 31 after two seasons with Texas and five with Montreal/Washington, was hitting .232 with four doubles and five RBI in 19 games with the Mariners this season. He went 3-for-3 with a walk in Tuesday night’s win over the Indians, and is a .249 hitter with 118 home runs and 376 RBI in eight major league seasons.

The 30-year-old Norton is a career .253 hitter with 82 homers and 300 RBI in 12 seasons, having spent time with the White Sox, Rockies, Tigers, Rays and Mariners. In six games with Seattle this season, he was hitting .438.

The Mariners will have 10 days to trade, release, option or assign Norton and Wilkerson outright to the minors.

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