* Yesterday manager Eric Wedge and the Indians held a team meeting for the second time in a week … and then lost their 11th straight game. Cleveland is now 3-19 this month and the 11-game losing streak is the team’s longest since 1931.
At this point I’ll be very surprised if Wedge is back for an eighth season at the helm in 2010, if only because general manager Mark Shapiro probably needs to make someone the fall guy before all of the attention turns to him.
* Derrek Lee has the second-highest OPS in baseball during the past four months, but left yesterday’s game after aggravating the back injury that has lingered for much of the season. He’s considered day-to-day.
* In the process of winning his fourth straight game last night Brett Anderson set the A’s record for strikeouts by a rookie with 145. Oakland has had a ton of impressive young pitching in recent years, but because guys like Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, and Rich Harden didn’t play full seasons as rookies the record belonged to Rick Langford, who had 141 strikeouts while going 8-19 in 1977.
* Fernando Martinez is in the Dominican Republic recovering from July knee surgery and recently had his wallet “stolen while he was in a party with some relatives in an amusement center.” He’s out $2,000 and the Mets’ season gets just a little more absurd.
Stanton, Donaldson, Kahnle activated by Yankees ahead of Dodgers series
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson, and Tommy Kahnle were activated by the New York Yankees ahead of their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
New York cleared three roster spots after a 1-0 loss at Seattle, optioning infielder-outfielders Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre along with left-hander Matt Krook.
Stanton, Donaldson and Kahnle all played in a rehab game for Double-A Somerset. Stanton was hitless in three at-bats in his first appearance since injuring his left hamstring on April 15.
Donaldson went 1 for 4 in his fourth rehab game as he comes back from a strained right hamstring originally sustained on April 5.
Kahnle pitched one inning, giving up one run and one hit and walking two. He has been out since spring training with right biceps tendinitis.
Aaron Boone said he wasn’t concerned about Stanton returning after playing in just one rehab game. He did say that Stanton likely will be a designated hitter for a couple of weeks after rejoining the Yankees.
New York is missing centerfielder Harrison Bader, who strained his right hamstring against the Mariners and went on the injured list the next day.
Left-hander Carlos Rodón, sidelined since spring training by a sore left forearm and an ailing back, was transferred to the 60-day injured list.