Is Bum Knee Behind Soriano's Slide?
Carrie Muskat wrote yesterday that Alfonso Soriano has been playing with a sore knee since April 23rd, when he "banged his knee against the wall" while running after what turned out to be a Joey Votto home run.
"It hasn't been the same since," Soriano said. "It's getting better."
Lou Piniella said athletic trainer Mark O'Neal hasn't told him that Soriano can't play. He'll take it day by day.
"Soriano is a tough kid and wants to play," Piniella said. "If it persists, we might have to get him out of there for a few days."
In 31 games since April 23rd, Soriano, has hit .233/.266/.431/697 (AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS). He has hit 7 HR, though none in his last 10 games. His current line of .253/.313/.495/807 is a season low, across all categories.
Notes:
— Ryan Dempster (3-3, 4.99) is opposed by lefty Eric Stults (4-1, 4.29) in Saturday afternoon's 3:10 game.
— Cliff Floyd makes his National League return as the Padres activate the former Cub from the Disabled List. In addition to using him as a left-handed pinch-hitter, the Pads are hoping to employ Floyd as a DH in upcoming interleague play.
— Jason Marquis threw eight shutout innings last night on the way to his seventh victory of the season for Colorado, on a day when the Rox fired managed Clint Hurdle and replaced him with another guy with Cub ties, Jim Tracy. Marquis, now the owner of more than a third of Colorado's victories for the season, also earned himself mention on the late edition of ESPN's Baseball Tonight as a prime target of contenders looking for starting pitching as the season wears on.
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