It was only a matter of when. The oft-injured Eric Chavez was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with neck spasms, according to a team press release. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Chavez said an MRI revealed a bulging disc in his neck. The injury apparently stems from a…

UPDATE: It’s official. Rollins is headed back to the disabled list, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. 8:34 AM: Rollins told David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News that he is unsure whether Friday’s injury will require another stint on the disabled list. “An hour later, it feels a lot better than it…

Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports that Scott Olsen will miss his next start due to inflammation in his left shoulder. He was forced to leave Friday’s start against the Orioles after just three innings. According to the Associated Press, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said an MRI on the shoulder showed only inflammation, but no structural…

UPDATE: Penny was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left lat muscle, according to Matthew Leach of MLB.com. He received an anti-inflammatory shot in the area of the injury this morning and hopes to resume throwing in about a week. “Right now we think it’ll be a minimal stay on the 15-day,”…

UPDATE: Ladson spoke with Norris, who said he expects to miss five to seven days due to a concussion. 11:07 AM: According to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, Nationals prospect catcher Derek Norris was hospitalized after being hit in the head by a fastball during a game with Class A Potomac on Friday night. Norris was…

Turns out Kevin Millar won’t have much time to suit up for the St. Paul Saints. Fresh off accepting a gig as a studio analyst for NESN on Thursday, the Associated Press reported on Friday that Millar will join FOX as a baseball analyst. Millar will make his FOX debut during tonight’s coverage and will…

The Athletics celebrated “Dallas Braden Day” on Friday to commemorate the pitcher’s perfect game against the Rays on May 9, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. As part of the celebration, the team presented him with a diamond ring, complete with 51 diamonds on the front — for his uniform number — and…

After an absence of nearly six weeks, the Red Sox have activated Jacoby Ellsbury from the disabled list for Saturday’s game against the Phillies. He was 4-for-10 with a stolen base during a three-game minor league rehab stint between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. According to Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com, he is expected to play…

According to T.R. Sullivan and Chris Cox of MLB.com, the Rangers would be interested in trading for Rod Barajas if and when the Mets become sellers. The Rangers had interest in Barajas as a contingency plan before he signed an incentive-laden one-year, $500,000 contract with the Mets during spring training. It was a pretty easy…

Yeah, this kid could be pretty good. According to Matt Youmans of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, 17-year-old sensation Bryce Harper hit for the cycle on Friday. He went 6-for-7 with five RBI and three runs scored as the College of Southern Nevada smoked Lamar Community College 22-8 in the semifinals of the NJCAA Western District…

Javier Vazquez looked brilliant with the switch back to National League rules on Friday night, holding the Mets to just one hit — a fifth inning single by Angel Pagan — over six shutout innings, while striking out six and walking two. Mariano Rivera made things interesting in the ninth, but the Yankees held on…

John Maine still hadn’t seen a doctor as of Friday afternoon, but the Mets were concerned enough about the situation to place him on the disabled list with “right shoulder weakness,” according to Kevin Burkhardt of SNY.tv. He is scheduled to undergo tests at the Hospital for Special Surgery next week, reports Kieran Darcy of…

Same drill as the NL award. Let’s begin with VORP. 1. Justin Morneau – 28.8 2. Kevin Youkilis – 22.4 3. Robinson Cano – 21.8 4. Doug Fister – 21.7 5. Miguel Cabrera – 21.1 6. Evan Longoria – 20.7 7. Shaun Marcum – 20.3 8. Vernon Wells – 20.2 9. David Price – 19.7…

Roy Oswalt had another tough-luck loss last night. In the recaps this morning I said “Roy Oswalt (2-5 with a 2.66 ERA) is giving serious thought to stealing a convertible, grabbing Zack Greinke and going on a cross-country crime spree as a result of the run support injustices done unto him for so long.” Seems…

Through one-fifth of the season, I imagine everyone would have said Andre Ethier was the National League MVP. However, he is losing ground while on the DL because of a fractured finger. Let’s look at how a couple of systems rank the NL’s top 20 players. VORP 1. Ubaldo Jimenez – 32.3 2. Roy Halladay…

Dave O’Brien reports that three Braves minor leaguers — Albaro “Yoel” Campusano, Geraldo Rodriguez and Amadeo Zazueta — all infielders, all with Class-A Myrtle Beach — have been suspended for testing positive for amphetamines.  That’s 50 games in the pokey, kids. Campusano doesn’t show up anywhere on Braves’ prospects lists. Rodriguez is noted for his…

Relievers Chad Gaudin and Edwar Ramirez were both designated for assignment in recent days.  The assignment has now come: Edwar Ramirez down to AAA Sacramento and Gaudin out of town on a rail. Between this news and the Brian Bruney DFA from the other day, it’s safe to say that the “sign ex-Yankees and put…

For years the buildings just outside of Wrigley Field have charged admission to people to sit on the roof and peer into the ballpark during Cubs games. Five or six years ago the Cubs got all litigatey about it, and ended up settling with the building owners and accepting a cut of the rooftop gate. …

Remember several years ago when Major League Baseball was getting ready to move the Expos to Washington and Orioles’ owner Peter Angelos — a trial lawyer by trade — threatened to sue until Hell wouldn’t have if if his precious territory was invaded?  Yeah, he’s over that now, saying today just how wonderful it is…

Initially when the Twins placed J.J. Hardy on the disabled list they thought he’d return after the minimum 15 days and called up 28-year-old, light-hitting utility man Matt Tolbert rather than a legitimate prospect to replace him on the roster. However, now Hardy’s wrist injury is proving more serious than originally thought and he’s not…