Sunday baseball

You haven't missed much in my absence. Just a near no-no by Twins pitcher Scott Baker, an actual no-no by Boston wonderchild Clay Bucholz, the Devil Rays looking like a world championship ballclub, and - oh yeah - the Orioles still stink.

Today's results:

- A ball lost in the sun was the difference in a match-up of former teammates Smoltz and Glavine. Mets def. Braves 3-2.

- Jason Hammel: Cy Young candidate. Devil Rays def. Yankees 8-2.

- Good, Orioles, you got an okay effort from your pitchers! When that happens, you're supposed to hit the ball. Doing that will give you what the baseball folks call a win. At least you weren't no-hit again. Red Sox def. Orioles 3-2.

- A walk-off hit from the bat of Ryan Zimmerman? Hohum. Welcome back, Matt Chico. Nationals def. Giants 2-1.

- The result isn't final, but the Dodgers are currently up 5-0 on the Padres in the bottom of the 9th. (Edit: It just went final. Dodgers def. Padres 5-0)

Other results of note: White Sox def. Indians (8-0), Marlins def. Phillies (7-6), Blue Jays def. Mariners (6-4), Brewers def. Pirates (7-4), Cubs def. Astros (6-5)

The Angels face the Rangers tonight on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

News: Pedro Martinez returns Monday night and takes the hill against the Reds ... Steve Trachsel was traded to the Cubs for relief pitcher Rocky Cherry (yes, that's his name) and infielder Scott Moore. Kurt Birkins, long man and reliever, will make his first major league start in Trachsel's place on Monday. ... Meanwhile, no update on when Bedard will next be available to pitch. ... Despite injury reports, it appears that Roger Clemens is still scheduled to make his Monday afternoon start against Seattle. ... Andy Phillips was removed from this afternoon's game against the Devil Rays after being hit on the wrist by a pitch. He is having x-rays performed. ... Cristian Guzman, injury plagued for nearly all of 2007, may have the opportunity to get a few at-bats before the end of the season. No word on how this would affect Felipe Lopez, who has struggled defensively at shortstop.

As for tomorrow...

Still locked in a dead-heat, the Padres hope for more of the same against the Diamondbacks as RHP Greg Maddux (10-9, 3.79 ERA) takes on RHP Micah Owings (6-7, 4.51 ERA). Maddux took a no decision in his last meeting against the Diamondbacks. He dominated, going seven innings and allowing one run on eight hits with no walks and five strikeouts. In two starts this season against Arizona, Maddux is 0-1.

Owings matched Maddux in his start against the Padres back on the 29th. He also went seven innings, allowing one run on three hits (1 HR) with one walk and six strikeouts. Owings has not picked up a decision in his two starts against San Diego this season.

RHP Roger Clemens (6-5, 4.15 ERA) and the Yankees begin a key series against Wild Card rivals RHP Felix Hernandez (10-7, 4.08 ERA) and the Mariners. Despite injury concerns, Clemens took the win against Boston on August 29th. He pitched a gem, going six innings and allowing one run on two hits (1 HR) with five walks and two strikeouts. This will be Clemens' first start against the Mariners this season.

Hernandez is coming off a loss against the Angels on August 29th. He went seven innings and allowed six runs on thirteen hits (2 HR) with no walks and three strikeouts. This will be Hernandez's first start against the Yankees this season.

RHP Pedro Martinez (0-0, -.-- ERA) makes his 2007 debut as the Mets travel to Cincinnati to take on RHP Aaron Harang (14-3, 3.51 ERA) and the Reds. Obviously, Martinez is a key piece of the Mets securing a NL East title.

Harang was dominating in his August 29th start against the Pirates. He pitched a complete game, two-hit shutout with just one walk and eight strikeouts. Harang's only start against the Mets this season, back on July 13th, was a win. He went six innings in that one and allowed three runs on seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

RHP Jason Bergmann (2-5, 4.56 ERA) and the Nationals begin a series against division rivals RHP Rick VandenHurk (4-4, 6.59 ERA) and the Marlins for the right to be the true #4 in the National League East. [Exciting, isn't it?? Really, there's a lot of pride involved in this series. And, maybe, some postseason awards for Nationals manager Manny Acta.] Bergmann took a no decision in his first game since returning from the DL. He went six innings on August 28th against the Dodgers, allowing three runs on six hits (1 HR) with one walk and one strikeout. Bergmann's only outing against the Marlins this season came on July 13th. He lasted just 4.1 innings and and allowed eight runs on seven hits (3 HR) with four walks and two strikeouts. Not one of his best outings this year. But, to be fair, Bergmann wasn't sharp at all after returning from his first DL stint at the end of June.

VandenHurk took a no decision in his August 28th start against the Braves. He lasted five innings and allowed one run on five hits (1 HR) with two walks and eight strikeouts. This will be his first start against the Nationals this season.

The Orioles are hoping to avoid another sweep at the hands of the Devil Rays. LHP Kurt Birkins (1-1, 8.00 ERA) will make the first start of his major league career against RHP James Shields (10-8, 4.10 ERA). Birkins is taking the spot vacated by Trachsel's trade last week.

Shields took a no decision against Baltimore in his August 29th start. He went eight innings and allowed four runs on ten hits (1 HR) with two walks and six strikeouts. Shields is 0-1 with four starts against the O's this season.

Other games of note:
Phillies @ Braves (Moyer vs. Cormier)
Astros @ Brewers (Oswalt vs. Sheets)
Indians @ Santana (Sabathia vs. Santana)
Dodgers @ Cubs (Loaiza vs. Zambrano)
Blue Jays @ Red Sox (Litsch vs. Matsuzaka)
A's @ Angels (Gaudin vs. Santana)

Sabathia and Santana are meeting for the second time in a week. Should be interesting. Santana hasn't won against the Indians this season. Obviously, some big series with playoff implications begin tomorrow as well. Maddux-Owings was a great match last week, and we'll hope for more of the same. I like the elder statesman Clemens against young phenom Hernandez too. And, of course, we're all interested in seeing what Pedro Martinez is going to bring to the table in his first major league start of the season.