Mark Teixeira is back on the disabled list and it’s not known how long he’ll be out. (Image Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports)

Mark Teixeira has officially been placed back on the disabled list thanks to an injury to his right wrist, according to a report by WFAN’s Sweeny Murti (passed on by MLB.com’s Joey Nowak). Teixeira felt some discomfort in the wrist during Saturday’s game at Los Angeles, prompting him to come out of the game in the 4th inning before returning to New York for further evaluation. An MRI exam failed to reveal a new tear in the surgically repaired tendon, but a return trip to the DL had appeared inevitable.

Teixeira appeared in just 15 games with the Yankees after missing the first two months of the season, batting .151/.270/.340 in 63 PA.

Ken Davidoff of The New York Post suggests that the team may have rushed to activate Teixeira from the DL and such a decision will ultimately cost the team from a financial standpoint. Because Teixeira’s injury originated during practice and preparations for the World Baseball Classic, the WBC was actually covering his salary while on the DL. Davidoff does the math and it would seem as though the WBC paid roughly $7.37 Million during the stretch that he was on the sidelines. Had he missed the entire season the WBC would have paid his full $22.5 Million salary. Once the team activated him, however, that effectively ended any obligation that the WBC held.

Even though Teixeira is back on the disabled list due to the same injury – or so it’s being perceived, at least – the Yankees are fully on the hook for the remainder of his salary this season. A figure that works out to roughly $15.1 Million. Davidoff suggests that the team should have waited, just in case, but they grew impatient. And now if Teixeira is forced to miss the remainder of the season the team has only themselves to blame.

No time table has been offered for Teixeira’s return, so until we know otherwise we have to assume that missing the remainder of the season could be a viable opportunity.

It’s also worth noting that the Yankees will now have to factor in Teixeira’s remaining salary into the budget for the remainder of the season, a factor which could limit their willingness to make a big splash at the trade deadline to address a need. Brian Cashman has done a solid job not tipping his hand regarding what his summer plans are, but he’s not one to simply stand by if there’s a deal to be made that will improve the team.

The powers that be running the sport decided that the way to raise more money from fans was to schedule 14 additional games per team starting in 1947. Clubs would compete in 168 games instead of the then-standard 154-game schedule that had been in effect since 1904. During this current era of play, when 162 games are scheduled, there is often complaint that a season that begins around April 1 and does not conclude until after several playoff series late in October, is a schedule that is too long.

Current major leaguers typically have a travel day of Monday or Thursday, but a day off from play. Under the 1946 plan the 168 games would have been crammed into 167 days between April 15 and September 28–and then the World Series would begin. Players would be counted on to play every day, seven days a week.

I stumbled upon this little nugget of little-known baseball history (or trivia, perhaps) during a recent visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown. A clipping from the old New York World-Telegram dated August 29, 1946 (with no byline) reported this story after a meeting in Chicago. I was surrounded by baseball experts in the library, but none of the four that I consulted over a couple-of-day period had ever heard that a 168-game schedule was on the table.

This was the context. After World War II as the American economy began humming once more, baseball players felt underpaid. They did not have a union, but they did have an agenda. Surprisingly, since they never really had before and pretty much maintained a plantation overseer-serf relationship with the players, the owners (maybe goosed by league executives) took their employees seriously this time.

They agreed on a minimum salary for big leaguers of $5,500 a year, payments covering living costs during spring training, continuing Major League salary payments to a player sent to the minors, payment of $500 in moving expenses to a player traded if he had a family, agreement to make contributions to a players pension fund, and some additional clauses.

The owners’ lament was where was all of this money going to come from to fund these provisions–certainly not from their profits.

Players were hungry for the benefits, but they did not picture themselves working every single day without a break for six months, so they frowned on the seven-day work week. There was also a concern expressed over how to make up rain-outs. That was an era when the double-header was still common, but the idea of adding more doubleheaders was at odds with the professed goal of making more money. The alternative was to play an extra-large number of day-night doubleheaders in case of frequent rain days.

The plan for 168 games a year starting in 1947 looked as if it might take hold,  but additional meetings followed with the players’ voices against the deal growing louder, and the proposal went away. The Major League Baseball Players Association–the players’ union–was founded in 1953. Not until the players hired Marvin Miller as their representative in 1966, however, did the players make many inroads in gaining benefits. The minimum salary was still $6,000–this year it is $490,000.

As we all know, though, Major League Baseball never did turn to a 168-game regular season. In 1961, the American League adopted the 162-game schedule and in 1962, the National League did likewise, both making the change because of expansion. Of course, for the teams that qualify for the playoffs, which didn’t exist in 1946, it’s possible to play more than 170 games en route to a World Series title.

Bobby Parnell could be an attractive chip on the trade market this summer, but the Mets don’t seem interested in moving him. (Image Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports)

Mired in what can only be described as a disappointing season, the New York Mets appear set to embark on a somewhat-overdue rebuilding process that might not be as elongated as some would expect. The team has a significant amount of payroll coming off their books following this season, suggesting that the time is now for the organization to evaluate their young players in an effort to see just who might be a part of the team’s future. Players will be traded off in the coming weeks, once it’s determined that they aren’t part of that future, but it would seem as though current closer Bobby Parnell doesn’t need to worry. The team has no intention of making Parnell available on the trade market this summer, according to Andy Martino of The New York Daily News.

Parnell has made 29 appearances for the Mets on the year, going 5-3 with 9 saves and a 2.83 ERA across 28.2 IP. His 1.047 WHIP is the best he’s posted in his career. He’s shown some trouble with his command in the past and there’ve been a few questions about his confidence, but Parnell seems to have finally straightened things out for himself.

An argument could be made that Parnell is one of the team’s most valuable trade chips. He’s just 28 years old and went through arbitration for the first time this past winter, agreeing to a $1.7 Million deal with the team, so he’ll be under team control for two more seasons. Plenty of teams could have had some interest this summer (the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and others) in upgrading the backend of their bullpens in anticipation of a playoff run.

An argument could also be made that now would be the best time for the Mets to move him, yet that’s just what they don’t appear interested in doing. New York has the makings of a solid roster if they can fill out some holes (in their outfield, on the bench, and in the bullpen) and could viably be a contender next season if they are able to make smart moves in the coming months. For now, at least, it seems as though Parnell will be a part of that future.

Philadelphia Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon can still bring the heat when he gets the call, but the veteran All-Star hasn’t been seeing many save situations this season. Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Papelbon is the greatest closer in Boston Red Sox history and they still need him. Too bad he pitches for Philadelphia because the Phillies can’t find enough for him to do.

By finding themselves with so few save situations the Phillies are making their once-upon-a-time high-profile free agent signing irrelevant. Papelbon, who as of Sunday had 270 career saves and seemed likely to steadily keep moving past 300, the first-level of milestone for relievers, is becoming a forgotten man.

And it’s not because he’s playing poorly. Papelbon is pitching just as effectively as always. Effectiveness for Papelbon is defined as being very, very good. He is a five-time All-Star and the 6-foot-4, 225-pound thrower has had impeccable control and impressive heat as he has blown away hitters with regularity over his nine-year career.

This season the Phillies are just kind of muddling along. Not so very long ago they had a solid hot streak going and that included going into Boston and unleashing Papelbon on his old Red Sox teammates for the first time since he jumped to the National League for a four-year, $50 million contract. Papelbon, a prominent and popular member of Boston’s 2007 World Series championship team, was welcomed back with very respectable enthusiasm by Fenway Park fans.

Some of them probably still get on You Tube periodically to watch Papelbon celebrate on the field doing a jig to Michael Flatley music following one of the high points of the Sox’s second championship run of the 2000s.

Better he was still inhabiting the BoSox bullpen. Papelbon, 32, became a free agent after the 2011 season and the Phillies made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. At the time it seemed as if he was the missing piece needed for Philadelphia to pluck another World Series crown. Instead, the Phillies fell apart and became the biggest disappointment in the NL. Coincidentally, the Red Sox did, too.

Boston has been searching for a new closer from the moment Papelbon left. They picked up Mark Melancon and he was horrible for them. Then they traded him to the Pirates in a deal for Joel Hanrahan, an All-Star, who is out for the season. The Red Sox also picked up Andrew Bailey last year and he got injured. Right now Bailey is the Boston closer, but doesn’t appear to have the full faith of management. In-between Alfredo Aceves gathered 25 saves last season, but had a 5.36 ERA. This year he has appeared in eight games.

Last season, Papelbon’s first in Philadelphia, he collected 38 saves and finished with a fine 2.44 earned run average. This year, as the season approaches the halfway mark, he is o-0 with 13 saves in 24 games. Papelbon’s ERA is a superb 1.46. The problem is that the Phillies just aren’t finding themselves in very many save situations. Papelbon could probably write the great American novel in his free time sitting around the bullpen.

Papelbon can’t save games that are long lost or blowouts the other way. There is no place for him on the field unless circumstances invite him in. The Phillies do not look like contenders. Maybe they will finish over .500 and maybe they won’t get back over .500. The Red Sox may not win the American League East Division, but at the moment they are leading it, and seem to have the goods to qualify for the playoffs.

The irony is that if the Red Sox had Papelbon back anchoring the bullpen they would have a much better chance to capture the division and ensure a spot in the playoffs.

May 21, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) throws during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The question “Who is the best team in baseball?” is often one of the most talked about topics among fans across the country. Sure, they want to say that their favorite team is tops among the league, but this is frequently not the case.

This season there hasn’t been a team with more talent that has showed up than the St. Louis Cardinals. Mike Matheny’s team has been putting on a big show in the division and is providing a reason for everyone to talk about their impressive first two and a half months.

It has started with the team’s pitching, which has been better than ever. This year, St. Louis has been led by Adam Wainwright who has become the first 10-win pitcher on the staff. Wainwright, 31, is in a groove where he has truly had his best stuff. If his five consecutive wins aren’t enough to convince you that he is having a tremendous year, just take a look at his 2.18 ERA, 3^rd best in the NL. The 6’7” right-hander will look for his 11^th win against the Chicago Cubs in the upcoming series.

That series is going to be big as it has the potential to further distance the Cardinals from the Cincinnati Reds who are already 2.5 games back from the lead.

The Cubs have been very “Chicago-like” this season with their 29-39 record. St. Louis has to take advantage against a rough pitching staff. No MLB game is easy, but the lineup that the “red birds” have is very capable of turning any game into a blowout.

It has all started with Yadier Molina, who is having one of the best seasons he has ever had. Batting .352, he is on pace to break his single-season average record. He leads the NL in the category and has been helping the team lately with RBI’s as he has five in the past week.

There has been no power outage with Carlos Beltran’s bat either as he has launched 16home runs to go along with his .306 batting average. Expect him to tee off this week against Chicago as he is hitting .556 against the Cubs this year. The switch-hitting batter is hitting .320 when batting from the left side, so a steady dose of the right pitchers could lead to some late-inning heroics.

Led by these three stars, the Cardinals are in for another great finish to the season. They won it all in 2011, can they do it again this year?

Shortly after making a pitch like this Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb was felled by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer Saturday night. Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

This is the third time in the last several months of Major League baseball regular-season play that a pitcher’s head got in the way of a hardball struck by a bat.

Right-hander Alex Cobb had just delivered a pitch to Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer Saturday night in Tampa Bay in the fifth inning of his Rays’ contest against the visitors when it came whizzing back for a direct hit on his right ear. The line-drive smash was apparently measured on a radar gun normally used to measure a pitcher’s throwing velocity, traveling at 102 mph as it rocketed the 60 feet, 6 inches back at him.

As is common in such situations from the brutality of the impact Cobb fell to the ground as if shot with a rifle. Cobb rolled over and held his head.

Yet less than 24 hours later the 25-year-old, third-year pitcher, was being released from the hospital, with the only sign of damage a minor headache–we think. Cobb will be monitored for concussion symptoms for seven days as a cautionary measure.

Cobb has been one of the best pitchers on the Tampa Bay staff this season. He has a 6-2 record with a 3.01 earned average after pitching in the majors just long enough in 2011 to go 3-2 and following up with an 11-9 mark in 2012. Cobb is one of the team’s prized properties, but Sunday morning as he woke up he is lucky he is not being forced into retirement, long-term rehabilitation–or even worse.

Last September 5, Brandon McCarthy of the Oakland A’s was hit in the head by a struck ball and missed the rest of the season. In May, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ was also smashed in the head by a hard hit ball. Happ did suffer a fractured skull, but peculiarly he more severely injured his knee in the fall. He is rehabbing that, not his head. And now Cobb. When you are playing baseball, the rule that governs the sport of boxing is in effect,–protect yourself at all times.

However, pitchers can’t always do that. Usually, when they complete their motion, they are off-balance, their bodies slung to one side of the mound or another after finishing the unnatural act of throwing a baseball as hard as they can. Some pitchers have demonstrated lightning fast reactions when a batter has connected with a ball that comes zooming back at them. But as we have seen in these three instances, that does not always work.

It is truly amazing that since Major League baseball got started in 1876 that no pitcher has ever been killed by a line drive in a situation mirroring these that McCarthy, Happ and Cobb faced. It really is.

Having watched each of these plays on tape, sometimes in slow motion, I gasp and my stomach clenches each time the ball smacks against one of the pitchers’ skulls. All three of these players were incredibly lucky. An inch here, an inch there on the point of contact from the flying ball, and the outcome may have been far more distressing.

During this latest incident in the middle of a game that Kansas City won 5-3, Cobb never lost consciousness. Through the marvel of social media he began tweeting only hours later that he was OK. Indeed, after what seemed to be a relatively short period of observation he was shipped out of the hospital and told to go home.

Three times since September seems to be a lot of times for such scares. At the least the fortunate trio that was not hurt worse has focused the issue for other pitchers who may have been cocky in thinking it would never happen to them. It took the better part of a century of Major League play for batting helmets to become mandatory. Goalies used to play without a mask in hockey and hockey players competed without helmets and visors. Football players wore no facebars or mesh.

There are sporting goods manufacturers working feverishly to design some type of headgear that will both protect pitchers on the mound when the hardball comes hurtling at them and that they also will be comfortable wearing.

Let’s hope the invention reaches the mound before the next ball reaches a hurler’s head.

Kila Ka’aihue will head to Japan after signing a deal to join the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. (Image Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

Kila Ka’aihue has reportedly reached an agreement to sign with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan, according to JapanBall.com (via MLBTR). Ka’aihue never ranked among the game’s top prospects, but was often considered a strong contact hitter with a good eye at the plate. He was never projected to hit much for power (averaging under 20 HR a season throughout his career) but he figured to be a decent role player if he could stick in the big leagues. The 29 year old first baseman last played in the Major Leagues last year with the Oakland Athletics. He’d spent much of 2013 with the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He’d batted .313/.426/.620 in 235 PA with Reno, adding 16 HR in 53 games. Despite the strong production there was little room for the team to recall him, given what Paul Goldschmidt has been able to do at first for the D’backs. Ka’aihue doesn’t profile well at any other position on the diamond and has struggled at the plate in parts of four seasons with the Kansas City Royals and A’s to a career .221/.305/.382 line in 465 PA.

Mark Teixeira’s wrist could be a problem again for him and the Yankees. (Image Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

Mark Teixeira’s season just hit another speed bump, as the first baseman re-injured his right wrist during Saturday’s game at Los Angeles and left the game in the 4th inning. He’ll reportedly miss the rest of the team’s series with the Angels in order to fly back to New York in order to be evaluated by team physician Christopher Ahmad later today, according to William Boor at MLB.com.

Teixeira originally tore a tendon sheath in his wrist back in mid-March, forcing him out of action until late May when he finally began a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. He’s appeared in just 14 games for the Yankees since being activated from the disabled list, batting just .157/.279/.353 in 61 PA. Teixeira is a notoriously slow starter throughout his MLB career, so it’s tough to predict what another setback might do to his chances at having another solid offensive year at the plate. Manager Joe Girardi said during an on-air interview during the game that Teixeira “doesn’t feel like he has the snap in his swing”.

David Adams took over for Teixeira at first base in Saturday’s game, the first time he’s appeared at the position with the Yankees and just the third time in his entire professional career. Lyle Overbay is the only other true first baseman on the active roster, barring a move to call one up should Teixeira need to head back to the DL.

Adam Jones is just one of four Orioles who could potentially start for the AL in the All Star Game. (Image Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports)

Balloting for next month’s MLB All Star Game continues to plug along and the latest update for the American League was released on Saturday night, with four members of the Baltimore Orioles setting themselves up for a trip to New York for the game at Citi Field. First baseman Chris Davis, shortstop J.J. Hardy, and outfielders Adam Jones and Nick Markakis could wind up in the starting lineup for the AL if voting were to end today. Third baseman Miguel Cabrera is also on pace to set a new all time record for total votes.

The Baltimore foursome is the significant observation from the latest totals, as it’s been awhile since the team has potentially sent this many starters to the game. Davis is currently leading the Major Leagues with 22 HR and has a good hold on the starting job at first base. His 2,999,094 total votes are second among all vote getters in the American League. Hardy’s 1,871,010 votes sit roughly 500,000 ahead of Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers.

Jones and Mike Trout are running away with the outfield race by a solid margin and seem virtually certain to make their way into the starting lineup on July 16th. Jones (2,740,505) and Trout (2,710,115) have become too of the most popular players in the game, so the result is hardly a surprise. Markakis, however, just recently stepped into the third outfielder spot with a surge that moved him ahead of Torii Hunter. His 1,463,392 votes place him in the thick of the closest race with Hunter, Jose Bautista, Nelson Cruz, and Nate McLouth.

Cabrera, meanwhile, is far-and-away the leading vote getter across both leagues. To this point on the season he’s hitting .354/.447/.630 with 18 HR and 69 RBI – leading the league in batting average and RBI once again after winning the Triple Crown a year ago. His 3,277,890 votes put him on a good pace to challenge Josh Hamilton’s record. Hamilton had 3,833,504 on June 11th last year and finished with 11,073,744.

Robinson Cano, Joe Mauer, and David Ortiz round out the remaining leading vote getters at second base, catcher, and designated hitter, respectively.

Miguel Olivo’s unhappy about his playing time in Miami and now finds himself on the restricted list. He’s hoping the team chooses to release him instead. (Image Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

Miguel Olivo appears to be the latest member of the Miami Marlins to express his dissatisfaction with how the organization has been performing, but he’s not sitting by quietly about that frustration. Olivo was placed on the restricted list by the team late Saturday morning, according to Joe Cappozi of The Palm Beach Post. Olivo has since expressed his desire for the team to simply release him so that he can pursue an opportunity elsewhere.

Cappozi later added additional details of what has been transpiring between Olivo and the team. He’s previously expressed his unhappiness over playing time, even telling Manager Mike Redmond yesterday that he was quitting. Olivo was in the clubhouse and took batting practice with the team, but as the National Anthem began he was reportedly in the dugout changing into street clothes. A team official tried to get him to wait for a member of the front office to come in before leaving, but Olivo chose not to wait. As expected, none of Olivo’s teammates and coaches were pleased with the decision.

Through 80 PA on the year Olivo has batted just .203/.250/.392 with four home runs. He’d joined the Marlins towards the end of Spring Training after being released by the Cincinnati Reds. The limited playing time appears to be the main catalyst behind Olivo’s frustrations, as the Marlins are carrying two other catchers – Rob Brantly and Jeff Mathis – on their active roster. Olivo hasn’t started since May 12th and once Mathis rejoined the team from the disabled list on May 14th Olivo’s at bats became even less frequent.

Miami could look to trade Olivo rather than simple release him. They could also leave him on the restricted list, where he won’t collect any pay while remaining under the team’s control. Given the public nature of his actions and the minimal production that he’s provided in recent years, it’s tough to see another organization actually offering up anything of value in exchange for a disgruntled backup catcher.