Touch 'Em All: Rays' Maddon blasts Johnson
Wow. Don't invite Davey Johnson and Joe Maddon to the same Fourth of July picnic. The Nationals' Johnson called out the Rays' Joel Peralta on Tuesday night, asking umpires to inspect the pitcher's glove. When they found "a significant amount of pine tar," according to umpire Tim Tschida, Peralta was thumbed.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-pmn.s3.amazonaws.com/public/2GQUSXJQSVHA7GRW5MLSJ2BDAY.jpg)
Wow. Don't invite Davey Johnson and Joe Maddon to the same Fourth of July picnic.
The Nationals' Johnson called out the Rays' Joel Peralta on Tuesday night, asking umpires to inspect the pitcher's glove. When they found "a significant amount of pine tar," according to umpire Tim Tschida, Peralta was thumbed.
In most circumstances, that would be regarded as cagey managing by a veteran skipper.
But Peralta had played last season with Washington, and to Maddon using such insider info crossed the line. "What happens in the clubhouse, stays in the clubhouse" is one of sports' strongest unwritten rules.
Maddon called Johnson's action "cowardly, bush [league]" and "bogus."
Johnson made no bones about it.
"He pitched here," Johnson said. "I don't think it's a secret."
He also suggested Maddon should "read the rule book."
Peralta handled it well. simply tipping his cap to the Washington dugout as he left the field.
Nice play
Not only did the Braves and Yankees set a record for the new Yankee Stadium by bashing nine home runs Wednesday, Atlanta's Michael Bourn stole what might have been another from Jayson Nix with a leaping grab above the wall in the fifth.
He's back!
Former Phillie Roy Oswalt will return to a major-league mound Friday night in Texas against Colorado.
Oswalt's last major- league appearance was a Game 4 loss to St. Louis in the NL division series last fall with the Phillies.
"I think I'm ready as far as arm strength," said Oswalt, who was 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA in four minor- league starts.
In his major-league career with Houston (2001-10) and Philadelphia (2010-11), Oswalt has a 159-93 record with a 3.21 ERA in 339 career games.
He went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 23 starts for the Phillies last season, but was hampered by a back problem that limited him to 139 innings, his fewest since 2003.
But on Wednesday he said he felt as good as he did in 2010, when he went 7-1 with the Phillies after a midseason trade.
Around the bigs
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will have surgery on his left groin area on Thursday. Rockies manager Jim Tracy said a timetable for Tulowitzki's return won't be known until he has the surgery.
Arizona tied the franchise record with six homers, including an inside-the-parker by Ryan Roberts.