Leave it to the Twins to find an internal replacement for right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who went on the disabled list in late June with a hand injury and recently suffered a broken left foot that likely will force him to miss the rest of the regular season.
Denard Span, the Twins' first-round pick in 2002, failed to beat out Carlos Gomez for the center-field job in spring training but finally appears to be settling in with the club.
"When we sent him out in spring training, one of the things Gardy and I told him is that when you walk out that door, you could be mad at the world, feeling sorry for yourself," recalled Smith, the Twins' GM. "But if you think we're making a mistake, show us.
"He spoke up right there. He said, 'I want to say some things, but when I walk out that door, I'll be all business. I want to show you I'm ready to play here.'"
Span did just that, spending most of April with the Twins after Cuddyer's first trip to the DL, then batting .340 in 39 games at Class AAA. His major-league batting/on-base/slugging line in 198 plate appearances this season: .308-.391-.444.
Around the horn
CC Sabathia's 7-0 record and 1.55 ERA in eight starts with the Brewers should only increase his appeal to National League clubs as a free agent. Sabathia has faced only two of the league's top six offenses, but even the best NL lineups are weaker than the most formidable in the AL. Imagine Sabathia in a pitcher's park such as Dodger Stadium — assuming, of course, that the Dodgers are willing to spend the money, and that they do not re-sign Manny Ramirez ...
Reality has set in for Cubs right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. Defense is his best skill; offensively, he profiles more as a center fielder than as a corner outfielder. The Cubs could move Fukudome to center next season and try to obtain an athletic, slugging right fielder. Or, they could simply attempt to land a full-time center fielder. Fukudome is better in right than he is in center, and right is difficult to play at Wrigley Field ...
One thing to keep in mind when considering the AL East race: The Rays face a more difficult schedule than the Red Sox, playing 17 of their final 24 games on the road. The Rays' only home games during that stretch are against two contenders, the Red Sox and Twins. The Red Sox, meanwhile, play only nine road games after Aug. 28. The Rays' 45-17 record at home is tied with the Cubs for the best in the majors. The Red Sox are next at 42-16.
Strange but true dept.: The Phillies' Ryan Howard leads all first basemen with 14 errors but ranks a respectable 12th among statistical qualifiers at the position, according to Bill James Online's plus-minus rating system. Howard, whose defense is a source of frustration for Phillies' officials, is actually showing improvement in the plus-minus rankings. He was 20th in 2007 and 25th in '06 ...
The sorry Reds acquired five players for Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr., but some rival executives are wondering why they haven't traded potential free-agent relievers, such as right-hander David Weathers and left-hander Jeremy Affeldt. The designation of catcher David Ross for assignment also qualified as a curious move, considering his .381 on-base percentage in 173 plate appearances. The Reds could have parted with another catcher or first baseman Andy Phillips instead.
