A “well-known” retired ballplayer is the focus of an insider trading probe

A lot of ballplayers retire comfortably in sunny California. Some, the Securities and Exchange Commission believe, may be retiring too comfortably:

An ongoing insider trading investigation by U.S. prosecutors in Los Angeles is focusing on a retired, well-known baseball player and several other former athletes whose names have not yet been disclosed, said two people familiar with the situation.

The former athletes under scrutiny – mainly a group of professional baseball players – are allegedly part of what one U.S. investigatory government official described as “a loose federation of people” sharing important market-moving information about various companies before it becomes public.

Last year former Orioles third baseman Doug DeCinces got popped for $2.5 million for trading on an inside tip. I grew up with the guy, but I’m not sure that I’d call him a “well-known” baseball player, so it’s likely a bigger name than that.

Wouldn’t it blow your mind if it was Canseco? And he was playing crazy in order to hide the fact that he was masterminding a sophisticated insider trading ring? That would be pretty cool.

(thanks to Dennis T. for the heads up)

The Blue Jays placed right-hander Aaron Sanchez on the 10-day disabled list with a contusion in his right index finger, per a team announcement on Saturday. The assignment is retroactive to Friday. In a corresponding move, righty Marcus Stroman was activated from the DL (right shoulder fatigue) and will take the mound for the Blue Jays at 9:07 PM ET tonight.

Sanchez, 25, is in his fifth season with the club. He hasn’t looked his sharpest so far this year, going 3-5 in 15 starts with a career-worst 4.52 ERA, 5.1 BB/9 and 7.6 SO/9 through 79 2/3 innings. It’s not yet clear how long he’ll be sidelined, though he could miss as little as one turn in the rotation before returning to the roster in the next week or two.

Sanchez isn’t the only struggling starter in Toronto’s rotation, either. Per MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm, the team placed southpaw Jaime Garcia on the DL (right shoulder tenderness) as well, with lefty reliever Tim Mayza scheduled to take his spot on the roster. In 13 starts this season, Garcia carried a 2-6 record, 6.16 ERA, 4.5 BB/9 and 8.2 SO/9 over 61 1/3 innings. Any further decisions pertaining to the rotation — including Tuesday’s starter against the Astros — have yet to be publicly addressed.