Touch 'Em All: Rockies call up prized pitching prospect

On the eve of his major-league debut, Rockies' prized pitching prospect Eddie Butler hardly showed any traces of tension. The team is bringing Butler up from double-A Tulsa to pitch against the Dodgers on Friday and hoping he adds a spark to a scuffling starting rotation.

The 22-year-old is taking it all in stride.

"If I go out there and pitch six innings and have us in the ball game, that's going to be a great day," said Butler, who was 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA with the Drillers this season.

The Rockies made one thing abundantly clear - they're not counting on Butler to swoop in to rescue their season, only to keep them in games.

"He's unflappable," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Probably already pitched his major-league debut in his mind." Right on schedule - and in the nick of time, especially with the rotation banged up. The Rockies placed Jordan Lyles on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a fractured left hand. They're already missing starters Tyler Chatwood (strained elbow) and Brett Anderson (fractured left index finger).

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina drilled Royals leadoff hitter Nori Aoki in the helmet in the first inning Thursday night in Kansas City while trying to throw the ball back to his pitcher.

Aoki had just taken a pitch inside and was bent a bit over the plate when Molina wound up and fired the ball back to Cardinals starter Michael Wacha. The ball traveled about two feet before it ricocheted off Aoki's helmet and toward the third base dugout.

Aoki dropped to the dirt in a heap in the batter's box, and Molina immediately bent over to see whether he was OK.

He grounded out moments later.