Phillies interview Rafael Chaves for pitching coach

By Drew SilvaNov 19, 2013, 10:03 PM EDT
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The news from FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal …

The Phillies have offered their open pitching coach job this offseason to Pete Vuckovich, Roger McDowell and Jim Benedict, and they’ve been rejected by all three. So the search continues into late November.

Philly parted ways last month with longtime pitching coach Rich Dubee after his staff posted a 27th-ranked 4.32 ERA in 2013. Chaves, who just interviewed to take Dubee’s place, served as pitching coach for the Mariners in 2006 and 2007 and has been acting as the Dodgers’ minor league pitching coordinator since 2008. The 45-year-old native of Puerto Rico had an 11-year minor league career. He never pitched in the majors.

The Phillies also recently interviewed current Mariners pitching coach Carl Willis for their vacancy.

Marcell Ozuna scratched from Cardinals lineup because he overslept

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
By Bill BaerMay 23, 2018, 7:20 PM EDT
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Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Cardinals outfielder Marcell Ozuna was scratched from Wednesday afternoon’s starting lineup because he overslept and missed the scheduled report time to the ballpark. Ozuna appeared in the on-deck circle late in the game but didn’t get a chance to pinch-hit as the Cardinals lost 5-2 to the Royals in 10 innings. The lowly Royals took two of three in the series.

The Cardinals acquired Ozuna from the Marlins back in December. He hasn’t hit much for the Cardinals thus far, batting .253/.295/.331 with three home runs and 22 RBI in 190 plate appearances. He was an All-Star last year, finishing with a .312 average and a .924 OPS along with 37 homers and 124 RBI.

It’s amusing reading some of the replies to Goold’s tweet. More than a handful of Cardinals fans are upset with Ozuna for oversleeping. Who among us has not overslept for school or work? Of course, a lot of the antipathy has to do with Ozuna’s lack of hitting. If he had a .900 OPS, it would be a lot easier for fans to forgive him.