Some notes on various pitchers around the circuit...
According to the Red Sox, Derek Lowe was lifted in the sixth yesterday because of a blister problem on the thumb of his right (pitching) hand. Which only goes to show that the Sox are so deathly afraid of their pen that they'll leave in a starter who gives up nine hits and four walks in 5 1/3, unless he's physically unable to continue.
Jim Parque in his two starts for the Devil Rays has a nifty 9-1 walk to strikeout ratio. Yes, that's walk to strikeout, not strikeout to walk. No one predicted that this was going to happen... I for one thought he would be much, much worse.
Jorge Julio blew a save and took the loss for the Orioles last night, but it wasn't his fault. Buddy Groom gave up the hit that allowed the winning run to score, but it wasn't his fault either. No, really, it wasn't. Mike Hargrove managed to get Julio inadvertently removed from the game when he came out onto the field with the bags full in the tenth inning, trying to call in an outfielder to create a five-man infield. Unfortunately, O's pitching coach Mark Wiley had already been out to visit Julio - who has shown a disturbing amount of wildness this year, though that wasn't a problem last night.
I usually think of Hargrove as sharp as a tack... it goes to show that no manager is perfect. The five-man infield is smart. Forgetting the mound visit is unfortunate.
Finally, we have another entry for the hallowed Hall of Hilarious Injuries. Mike Crudale broke a toe while trying to answer the phone. (Hopefully, it wasn't Cards GM Walt Jocketty on the other end of the line with "the call", or it also is an entry for the Hall of Ironic Injuries.) Loose carpet was deemed to be the proximate cause. And Mike Crudale.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20030409083438999