Small Sample Enough to Bench Royals 1B Ka'aihue

Royals first baseman Kila Ka'aihue was given only 13 at-bats against left-handed pitchers before being benched against them by manager Ned Yost; it was a small sample,  but evidence abounds that Ka'aihue  up until now has been greatly overmatched in such assignments at the major league level.

Having flailed helplessly against marginal Tigers lefty Phil Coke in three, recent successive plate appearances, it was clear Ka'aihue needed time off to gather himself and find a way to demonstrate that he has the potential to be anything more than a platoon player at best.

Yost sat Ka'aihue with the excuse of giving him "a break" against Twins lefties Brian Duensing and Francisco Liriano,  but with the Royals playing with surprising competiveness,  it's likely Yost wanted to avoid having a rally killer clogging the offense in the middle of the lineup.

 Though he has a walk-off homer,  Ka'aihue is hitting just .176 overall and .154 against lefties. Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer,  a master at the plate during his career,  has taken Ka'aihue under his wing.  In the meantime,  Royals top prospect first baseman Eric Hosmer awaits at Triple A Omaha.

Trial Continues for Punchless 1B Kila Ka'aihue

The Kansas City Royals trial by immersion continues for struggling prospect Kila Ka'haihue -- whose vulnerabilities have been laid bare by left-handed pitching as evidenced by his .154 average against them over the first eight games of the season.

Ka'aihue, a late bloomer at age 27, was made to look ridiculous in a recent confrontation with Tigers lefty Phil Coke, who fed him a dozen curve balls that held the so-called "Hawaiian Punch" punchless with three swinging strikeouts, all on pitches that cut the plate. Not a fastball in the bunch, and all from a hurler who is not exactly Sandy Koufax.

Now the six-foot-four, 235-pound first baseman's challenge intensifies as he must face three lefties this week, Brian Duensing and Francisco Liriano of the Twins, and Eric Bedard of the Mariners. By the time they get through with him, he might be happy to see a righty except for one thing: It will be Bedard's teammate Felix Hernandez, the fireballing ace. Though Ka'aihue has impressive minor league numbers, he put them up in the hit-happy Pacific Coast League, where today rival Eric Hosmer is off to a hot start, hitting 3-6 in the early going. The 50th state native must turn it up now if he wants to be considered anything more than a place-keeper until Hosmer arrives around June 1.

Expect Miguel Cabrera to Miss Time with Tigers

Tigers manager Jim Leyland, can you really be serious when you claim that troubled Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera will not be a distraction to the team despite his pending court appearance on charges of drunken driving???

Sure, Skipper, you're absolutely right, and the Lions will go 16-0 and win the Superbowl next year, Studebaker-Packard will resume making automobiles with points on the grill and Jimmy Hoffa will throw out the first ball when the season opens.

Skipper, you say Miguel Cabrera is going to have "the year of his life?" Doing what, sewing baskets at the Betty Ford Clinic?

Fans can fully expect that Miguel Cabrera will miss significant time this year, a minimum of a month from spring training, perhaps two, and perhaps part (or all?) of the regular season. How much downtime is pending is an open question, but if Cabrera is forced to check himself into rehab -- which is expected -- one is compelled to ask how long he will be gone and what kind of playing shape will he be in when he returns.

Rehabilitation, very likely to last a minimum of four weeks, will do Cabrera a lot of good in overcoming what has to be a serious alcohol abuse problem. But it will not help him ready himself for the baseball season. What are his handlers going to do, tell him to cut short his counseling session today so he have some time in the cage or take some grounders?

The last thing psychologists are going to allow Cabrera to be concerned with is baseball. He's got bigger problems.

From now forward, until Cabrera has his difficulties behind him and under control, the Tigers 2011 season is on hold, as far as he is concerned.

No courtroom in Florida -- or anywhere else in this country -- is going to allow Cabrera to jeopardize the public as he did last Wednesday, when he was caught swilling straight Scotch from a bottle as he staggered and weaved by the side of the road while abusing sheriff's deputies next to his smoking automobile.

Can Cabrera try to fight the charges, with the expectation of being found not guilty, being let off with probation or paying a fine? Not a chance. Prosecuting attorneys will lay out a tight script in which Cabrera will be virtually forced to undergo intense intervention and and probationary supervision. There is no way around it.

If he has any idea of getting off, he will be firmly threatened with the loss of his freedom, and his own counsel will warn him of dire consequences if he wants to play the cards any other way.

The court can be fully expected to exact its pound of flesh, with Cabrera's lawyer and both the legal counsel of the Tigers and Major League Baseball acquiescing, to assure that Cabrera resurrects his career only when he's ready to do so, and doesn't wind up driving off a cliff, smashing into a stationwagon being driven by a woman with three children and a dog, or God forbid, a school bus or worse. He is a menace. He will be stopped.

When that has been accomplished, Cabrera can count himself a very lucky man that no one was more hurt than himself, his family and his team.

Joel Zumaya Laying Claim to Tigers Closer Role

Manager Jim Leyland has probably all but pencilled in Brandon Lyon to replace retiring Tigers closer Todd Jones, but that's not stopping fireballer Joel Zumaya from laying claim to the job.

Zumaya -- coming back from a career threatening fracture -- has been cleared to resume play in a second opinion sought from sports surgeon James Andrews, and has announced he not only will be ready by opening day, but already is throwing at 100 percent and plans to vie against Lyon and Fernando Rodney to be the go-to guy out of the pen, according to a recent Detroit News report.

Zumaya -- who historically has thrown in triple digits -- told the News that he is developing a mid-80s splitter or changeup combination to keep hitters from sitting on his fastball.

Free Agent Francisco Rodriguez Lowers His Price

Though speculation earlier had projected free agent pitcher Francisco Rodriguez to seek an $80 million, five-year contract with the Mets, indications are that the world financial crisis may have lowered his expectations.

The former Los Angeles Angels closer has curtailed negotiations with the Mets and other teams until Major League baseball winter meetings commence Dec. 15, according to a recent report by KFI Radio 1070 in Los Angeles. Though K-Rod still desires a five-year deal, the radio report indicated his bottom line now appears closer to $50 million -- a $30 million discount compared with earlier expectations.

Though Rodriguez saved 62 games with 77 strikeouts in 68.3 innings last year for the Angels, the team is expected to replace him with rising hurler Jose Arredondo, who permitted only 65 baserunners in 61 innings.

In addition to the Mets, the Indians and Tigers are expected to compete for Rodriguez's services once the meetings begin.

Gary Sheffield Ponders Playing for Rays or Marlins

Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield -- hitting just .224 with 13 homers in the worst year of his career -- says he would consider playing for the Marlins or Rays instead of the Tigers because it would bring him closer to home.

"My thing is that you get tired of being away from home as much," the lifelong Tampa resident told The Detroit News in a recent question-answer session. "Being away for eight months is tough. At the end of the day, nobody knows if Tampa's going to win this year or win next year. But every player wants to play at home."

Sheffield -- who has clashed with close personal friend and manager Jim Leyland over being relegated to a designated hitter role instead of right field -- has been put on waivers but has found no takers with two more years left on his $14 million annual contract. Even if another team wants him, he is unsure he wants to play two more years, though he will come back for 2009, he said.

"...If I do play, if it ain't here, it could possibly be there (in Florida) -- or somewhere else," Sheffield said. "Who knows? I'm not ruling anything out. And I might not even want to play (two years from now). I might just want to stay home, because I have a lot of things going on outside of baseball that I have to pay attention to."

Sheffield has battled shoulder trouble all season, and has been held to just 340 at-bats. He predicted he would hit the seven home runs he needs to reach the 500-plateau this month. He will observe his 40th birthday in November.

Desperate Yankees Trade for Ivan Rodriguez

Days after losing catcher Jorge Posada to season ending surgery, the Yankees have acquired Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers for Kyle Farnsworth.

The Rays and Red Sox still seem better positioned to make the playoffs, but time will tell if this will help the Yankees squeak in. It's a low risk move for the Yankees. Farnsworth is an average relief pitcher and even if Pudge continues his low offensive production, his ability to handle young pitchers such as Joba Chamberlain will be very valuable. All that said, Brian Cashman may have to make another move for this team to contend.

This is a strange move for the Tigers, who are only 5.5 games behind the struggling White Sox, and are now stuck with Brandon Inge behind the plate.

Tigers Jim Leyland Denies Smoking Seven Packs

As his team weaved and bobbed throughout the early part of the season, an often agitated, surly and defensive Jim Leyland was observed lighting up one cigarette after another, furiously straining hot, toxic smoke through his yellowed teeth and generally disregarding any sort of reasonable outlook for his long-term health.

But six or seven packs a day? No, says the 67-year-old Tigers manager, not even close.

"It's only about a pack and a half, and I don't smoke all of those (completely), so it's only about a pack," Leyland said in an interview with WSER Radio .670 during a recent stopover in Chicago.

Leyland, whose team has been playing well lately, said the Tigers problems -- though mysterious to many -- are common in baseball and have more to do with blocks of personnel going through momentary sluggishness simultaneously than fundamental shortcomings of the whole. It's part of a normal process to rotate individuals -- either through attrition, need for development or injuries -- throughout the year to react to productivity declines, Leyland said.

"It's all just part of the process," Leyland said.

Having just demoted reliever Clay Rapada to Triple-A Toledo, Leyland must now find room for relievers Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney, who will considerably brighten the team's outlook as they come back from injuries. Reliever Freddy Dolsi likely will be ticketed to Toledo to make room for the two budding bullpen stars, one of whom will sooner or later replace veteran closer Todd Jones.

Prince Fielder And Miguel Cabrera Should Switch Diets

The Brewers Prince Fielder and the Tigers Miguel Cabrera both received National League MVP votes in 2007. It is questionable whether either will even make the All-Star game this year. A comparison of their 2007 and 2008 stats:

Fielder
2007: .288 AVG 50 HR 119 RBI
2008: .278 AVG and on pace for 27 HR 83 RBI

Cabrera
2007: .320 AVG 34 HR 119 RBI
2008: .276 AVG and on pace for 22 HR 95 RBI

What happened to these guys? The answer is simple: Fielder became a wimp and Cabrera turned into a blimp.

Before the season, Fielder announced that he had gone vegetarian after reading a book given to him by his wife, Chanel (wtf). "After reading that, [meat] just didn't sound good to me anymore," Fielder said. "It grossed me out a little bit." What a pansy. This is a guy who starred in a McDonalds commercial as a kid and now he's screwing up the circle of life by abstaining from meat.

A comparison of his home runs per at-bat in 2007 and 2008:
pre-hippy: 1 HR per 11.46 at-bats
as a hippy: 1 HR per 21.54 at-bats.

A significant decline. Perhaps this will spur some "must eat like a man" clauses in free agent contracts this winter.

On the other end of the spectrum sits Cabrera, who clearly eats anything put in front of him. His weight and fitness problems have been well documented in the past, but they just keep getting worse.

Cabrera came up as an outfielder, but the Marlins moved him to third base because of mobility problems. Several weeks into this season, the Tigers moved him to first base for the same reason. Now, there is talk of moving him to DH. The next step is presumably to ask for a courtesy runner every time he gets on base.

The solution is clear. Fielder needs to substitute some steaks for the tofu and Cabrera needs to mix in a few salads and some running in between games, or just stop eating altogether.

Tigers Mike Hessman Mired Like Hen in Mud

Toledo Mudhens corner infielder Mike Hessman has hit another homer to extend his International League lead to 19, but the 30-year-old Tigers prospect appears hopelessly typecast as a perennial Triple A minor leaguer.

When Tigers manager Jim Leyland experimented with Gary Sheffield in left field, MLB rumors surfaced that the move would open a slot for Hessman at designated hitter. But Sheffield's inability to throw effectively curtailed any such consideration, and Hessman's next best hope appears to be limited to an expanded roster callup in September unless injuries require his elevation from the status of deep, deep reserve.

Hessman not only leads the International League in home runs, he is one just one homer shy of becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 20 home runs in a season. The record is held by former Mud Hen Marcus Thames, a one-time top Yankee prospect who finds himself gaining more and more playing time with the Tigers while Hessman languishes in Toledo.

Mike Hessman Poised for Tigers Promotion

With Marcus Thames shown to be a useful if less than spectacular part-time, designated hitter, one wonders how long before Tigers manager Jim Leyland's next shakeup coughs up perennial Triple A farmhand Mike Hessman to take over the bulk of the at-bats at that position.

Leyland has shrugged off the possibility, but noises coming out of Detroit indicate the 6-foot-5, 235-pound, Hessman certainly is being noticed. How could he not be, with his batting average exceeding .300 and slugging approaching a Ruthian .750. The pivotal question appears to be whether Gary Sheffield can hold his own in left field, a coy experiment perhaps designed to make way for Hessman.

Though Hessman at 30 is a late bloomer -- and hit only hit .235 with four homers in 51 at-bats for Detroit last season -- the 2007 International League Player of the Year seems to have hit his stride at Toledo despite a preponderance of strikeouts. The lumbering corner infielder is on a pace to hit more than 25 homers by the All-Star break, as he is knocking them out a pace exceeding one every nine at-bats.

Look for Thames to resume his primary duties as an outfield fill-in, outfielder Matt Joyce to be sent down and for Hessman to be called up before the season's midpoint, if Sheffield remains in left, or fails to stay healthy.

Gary Sheffield: Return to DL or Retire?

The Detroit Tigers medical staff revealed that perennial quick-bat/quick-bat Gary Sheffield had two cortisone injections in both his shoulders earlier this week to help alleviate pain. He had a second injection in his right shoulder on Wednesday in an effort to help the healing process, according to baseball injury analyst Rick Wilton.

If the latest injection does not provide relief, perhaps he will get a third or face a trip to the disabled list. In any event, Sheffield's outlook does not appear good.

It's uncommon for a player to receive two injections in such short time period, intimating that Sheffield's shoulder discomfort and limited range of motion of the right shoulder is more serious initially assumed. There is some hearsay intimated in the Detroit area that he is considering retirement.

If one cortisone injection is good, and two are better, why not three, or four, or six? Like prunes for constipation, "two may not be enough, six may be too many" as the Hailey's MO commercial tagline used to go.

Cortisone is a popular word for a wide variety of injectable corticosteroids (e.g., triamcinolone, dexamethasone, betamethasone, methylprednisolone), anti-inflammatory medications that, when delivered by needle from a steady hand into the correct pinpoint area of the body, when clinically indicated, has the benefit of ostensibly producing maximum drug effect over a small concentrated area, avoiding adverse systemic effects.

To get the same effect systemically, taking the medication orally, one would have to ingest large doses of the same drugs, risking a wide variety of systemic effects.

Systemic corticosteroids cause weight gain. They elevate the blood sugar. They thin the bones, cause gastrointestinal bleeding, produced cataracts, atrophy the skin, and, in some people, result in florid psychosis. But injectable corticosteroids are not risk free and are no panacea for what ails you.

Because of the lack of well-controlled outcome studies, the multitude of target organs, and the complex interactions in the body, little is actually known about the exact mechanism of action of corticosteroids in each of the many disease states and conditions for which they are presently used. Even less is known for treatment of sports injuries because of the lack of accepted and reviewed studies. Corticosteroids have either a direct or an indirect effect on the metabolism of most tissues in the body. Their high lipid solubility allows their effect to occur systemically. This effect is mediated by the ability of corticosteroids to bind to appropriate receptors in cell nuclei and to initiate messenger ribonucleic acid translation.

During administration of a corticosteroid, it is found in all cells in the body, but effects are induced only in those cells that have its receptor. Corticosteroids usually reach a maximal effect at about 4 to 6 hours when administered orally and intravenously. Intra-articular administration, such as that applied to Sheffield's shoulder, yields an immediate maximal response with varying durations.

As illuminated by DeLee: DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Second Edition, one well-known mechanism is the role of cortico-steroids as anti-inflammatory agents. The inhibitory action of corticosteroids on inflammatory mediators is similar to that of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, e.g., ibuprofen). The site of action is one step before cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. Phospholipase A2 is responsible for the release of arachidonic acid from phospholipids. Corticosteroids inhibit this release by inhibiting phospholipase A2. The synthesis of prostaglandin, leukotriene, and thromboxane is inhibited by the administration of corticosteroids. Because of this blanket inhibition, corticosteroids are much more effective at decreasing inflammation than NSAIDs are. With this increased short-term efficacy, however, the corticosteroids cause more adverse effects.

Corticosteroids influence immunologically mediated disease states. Most notable is the ability to produce monocytopenia, lymphocytopenia, and neutrophilic leukocytosis. Two broad categories of effects on white blood cells are alterations in cell function and changes in their trafficking through the circulatory system. Transient cell movement occurs in lymphocytes and monocytes as the corticosteroids induce their redistribution out of the circulation and into their respective lymphoid compartments. 'T' lymphocytes are preferentially depleted over other lymphocytes. Cell function can be compromised in three ways: (1) depletion of a cell type can occur; (2) accessory cells are suppressed; and (3) direct suppression of the functional capacity of the cell occurs. Translation? The body's immune system is rendered incompetent resulting in an inability to respond to stress and disease.

Of the two means of delivery of corticosteroids—oral administration and local injection—sports injuries are mostly treated with local injections. Although they are excellent anti-inflammatory agents, oral corticosteroids do not have a proven efficacy for sports injuries because of the systemic effects and risks when they are used frequently. Two studies of intra-articular corticosteroid injections showed a decrease in the migration of labeled neutrophils (white blood cells) to inflamed joints. The exact mechanisms are unknown, but it is speculated that corticosteroids block the action of macrophage-inhibiting factor, which accounts for reduced vascular permeability, cell adhesion, and migration. Synovial membranes were also found to decrease secretion of interleukin-1 after the administration of corticosteroids. All this medical gobbly-gook and gibberish is not good (read: bad).

Orthopaedic surgeons frequently use intra-articular and extra-articular applications of injectable corticosteroids in an effort to treat both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions and pain related to sports injuries. Treatment foci have included cartilage, bursae, ligaments, and tendons. Additional targets are nerves and the joints in rheumatoid and osteo arthritis.
Intra-articular injections of corticosteroids are most commonly used in arthritis treatment, both inflammatory and noninflammatory (degenerative) types. The injections decrease both inflammation and concomitant swelling, which decreases pain and increases joint mobility. Specific results are based on the degree of weight-bearing that the joint withstands.

The larger weight-bearing joints, like the hip and the knee, do not react as well in the long term to corticosteroid injections because pain is usually derived from gravitational forces sustained by the joint in osteoarthritis. The injections do, however, provide some short-term relief in these conditions. The application sites for corticosteroid injections in ligaments are questionable but most commonly are the collateral ligaments of the elbow, the extra-articular ligaments of the knee, and the ligaments of the ankle. Actual injection is applied around the ligament and not directly into it.

Corticosteroid injections are used for their anti-inflammatory properties to reduce pain, to decrease recovery time, and to allow earlier mobilization. The inherent composition of ligaments poses a problem, considering that approximately 70 to 80 percent of their dry weight is composed of collagen, and corticosteroids are known to inhibit collagen synthesis.

Long-term studies have shown that there is no appreciable difference in treatment efficacy with or without injections. Short-term use decreases pain but does not sustain pain relief and in fact could cause weakening of the ligament and possible rupture. Again, there is no consensus on corticosteroid injection in ligaments, but it is usually not recommended.

Tendon injuries, including tenosynovitis and tendinitis, are common ailments that plague athletes and warrant corticosteroid treatment. The most common form is tendinitis, with inflammation usually occurring at the insertion site to bone. Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the fatty tissue or synovium between the tendon and the tendon sheath called the paratenon. Risk of tendon rupture after corticosteroid injections locally makes such use significantly less desirable.

The subacromial, greater trochanteric, olecranon, prepatellar, and retrocalcaneal bursae are common sites of corticosteroid treatment. Results depend on the site of application. Trochanteric and olecranon bursitis both respond well to injections. Injections into retrocalcaneal (Achilles tendon) and prepatellar (patellar tendon) bursae have had less promising efficacy and have been associated with tendon rupture. Nerve compression syndromes (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome) and stenosing tenosynovitis (e.g., de Quervain's disease and trigger fingers) are also treated with injectable corticosteroids, usually after a trial of NSAIDs has failed.

The efficacy and the application of each corticosteroid preparation have been differentiated only by the solubility of each preparation in water. The more soluble the preparation, the shorter half-life the drug maintains; thus, for more chronic conditions, water-insoluble corticosteroids are more applicable for treatment. In addition, because of proximity to another potential source of inflammation and pain, like the patellar tendon and the prepatellar bursa, it is sometimes difficult to know which tissue is being treated. This is a problem intrinsic to injection therapy. In contrast, when corticosteroids are injected directly and accurately into an anatomic structure and complete pain elimination results, the diagnostic usefulness of local injection of corticosteroid preparations is clear.

Although corticosteroid injections are widely used by physicians, a consensus on applications, techniques, and dosages has not been reached. Most physicians rely on past experience as a guide. Much more investigation is needed in this area. The primary contraindication to corticosteroid injections is local infection of the area of concern. In such an instance, it is necessary to avoid direct inoculation of the affected joint and to allow the innate immune response to initiate clearance of the bacteria.

Because corticosteroids have an inhibitory effect on leukocyte function and the normal healing response, their use can be a problem in the presence of early or established infection. Other contraindications include true hypersensitivity to corticosteroids, existence of a joint prosthesis, and hemorrhagic diathesis.

Direct injection into a tendon or a ligament should always be avoided owing to the risk of tendon rupture. Poorly compliant patients should not receive corticosteroids because they have an inherent propensity to fail to follow any portions of a treatment plan. In the case of corticosteroids, rest is just as important as rehabilitation. Joint instability, anticoagulation therapy, poorly controlled diabetes, and adjacent abraded skin are also reasons to avoid corticosteroid treatment.

Adverse effects include local and systemic manifestations. Initial findings supporting systemic absorption of locally administered corticosteroids included beneficial effects in distant joints, increased metabolites in the urine, and transient eosinopenia. The most serious of the potential side effects is that at higher doses, such as would occur during treatment of multiple joints at the same time, the corticosteroids can inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This suppression occurred anywhere from two to seven days after injection. The stress response to hypoglycemia was also suppressed for 48 hours.

Some of the local effects have been alluded to in the section on indications; namely, both ligament and tendon ruptures can occur despite peritenon placement of the medication. Arthropathy, another result of injection treatment, is related to the reduction or elimination of pain with subsequent increased activity at the joint. The clinical presentation improves subjectively, but the objective evaluation shows further progression of the disease. This is why compliance of the patient is important in the use of corticosteroid treatment.

Other effects are avascular necrosis at the site of injection and distant joints, infection, postinjection flare, hypersensitivity reactions, cutaneous atrophy at the site of injection, and calcification of the joint capsule. Rare cases of necrotizing fasciitis and visual hallucinations have also been documented.

One relatively new manifestation is osteoporosis, which has been found secondary to the use of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids have been found to increase osteoclastic activity and inhibit osteoblastic activity, thus decreasing bone mass. The only differences from normal osteoporosis that occurs with age are that it occurs faster and in all ages. Because injectable corticosteroids are not administered in a constant manner, as oral corticosteroids are, they have not yet been implicated as the cause of osteoporosis.

We project that the reach for potentent corticosteroid medications, and for additional medications, for Mr. Sheffield does not bode well for his longevity. In 2008, if he does return to duty, Sheffield will be reduced to pinch hitting and occasional DH roles. His remaining days in uniform are most definitely numbered.

Dontrelle Willis Will Benefit from Detroit Backdrop

As Yogi Berra said "90-percent of the game of baseball is half mental." Whether Dontrelle Willis' precipitous decline can be blamed on a psychic collapse is anybody's guess. But one thing is for certain: Escaping the Marlins' horrible defense can't do anything but help. Willis' ERA may never return to his 2.53 2005 mark but it can't do anything but improve from last year's 5.33 record with players such as Carlos Guillen playing first base, Edgar Renteria at shortstop, Curtis Granderson in centerfield and Placido Polanco at second base.

The Marlins last year had the worst defensive play in baseball, committing 137 errors, compared to the Tigers' 99.

The Tigers ranked 7th best defensively in the American League last year and loook to improve on that mark this season. Further, Willis should benefit from pitching out of the No. 5 spot, in which he will face only mostly the poorest competitors.

Royals Let Bygones Be Bygones for Roman Colon

First of all, understand that the Roman Colon altercation has nothing to do with hemorrhoid surgery -- and, no, it was not a gay toga party gone wrong.

Roman Colon is the former Detroit Tigers relief pitcher who -- while taking off his uniform after a minor league rehab appearance -- threw a tantrum because a teammate was supposed to play a recording of composer David Rose's "The Stripper," but mistakenly played the flipside: "Holiday for Strings."

The ensuing melee resulted in a number of cuts, scrapes, bumps and bruises among the players in the Triple A Toledo Mud Hens locker room, with one pitcher hospitalized with injuries so serious as to likely keep him out until at least September, maybe for his career.

Other than that, he's fine, as long as he doesn't mind going by his new nickname, "Marty Feldman," the result of nearly having his eye poked out and literally having had his face broken in four places and put back together with bailing twine, duck tape and Crazy Glue.

The Mud Hens have since banned music in the clubhouse (no, really).

Naturally the Tigers -- even though in need of middle relief help -- had to find someplace to get rid of Colon. And the Royals -- in need of anybody who can walk and chew gum at the same time -- were only too happy to oblige, taking Colon in exchange for a player to be named, a bag of practice balls and a Freddy Patek rookie card.

The bad news is that Kansas City is not the only place Colon is wanted. He remains under a felony assault indictment in Ohio (no, really).

Tigers Embattled Roman Colon Earns a Save

Tigers reliever Roman Colon -- under indictment on a charge of felony assault as the result of a recent clubhouse brawl at Triple A Toledo -- earned his first Eastern League save in Double A Erie's 5-3 victory over Akron.

Colon, 27, has completed a five-game team-imposed suspension, but has been has been demoted to Erie to finish a rehabilitation assignment. Colon earned the save despite giving up three hits and two runs in two innings, though he struck out three.

If there are any takers, the Tigers are likely to roll Colon into a deal to acquire additional bullpen help, perhaps a closer to replace struggling Todd Jones.

Farm Club Bans Music After Roman Colon Brawl

The Mud Hens -- the Tigers Triple A affiliate in nearby Toledo -- has banned the playing of music in the clubhouse before, during and after games due to an incident allegedly triggered by Tigers reliever Roman Colon.

Players wishing to listen to music must wear headphones or not listen to music at all. The ruling mirrors that already adopted in the Tigers clubhouse in Detroit, and was precipitated by a vicious clubhouse brawl between Mud Hens farmhands and Colon, who has since been indicted on a count of felony assault and faces imprisonment for up to five years if convicted.

The 27-year-old Dominican had been on a rehabilitation assignment with the Mud Hens when he incurred the enmity of his teammates by repeatedly playing Carmen Miranda's rendition of "Mi Mama Quiero" at high volume on June 12.

When a scuffle broke out, veteran minor league pitcher Jason Karnuth, 31, attempted to break up the fight only to have Colon turn on him, punching him in the face and breaking Karnuth's orbit and other facial bones, according to investigators. The injuries were so severe that Karnuth required surgery and may be out until September or longer.

Colon has served a team suspension and has been transferred to the Tigers Double A affiliate in Erie, Pa., and currently awaits a criminal arraignment before an Ohio magistrate, the date of which has not been set.

The incident has put additional pressure on the Tigers, whose bullpen is short of help. Relievers Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya are out indefinitely with injuries and closer Todd Jones has been pitching poorly, despite his 18 saves.

Meanwhile, Karnuth suffers from blurry vision and is awaiting for doctors to determine the full extent of his injuries so that he can consider a civil suit to recover his medical expenses and be compensated for his suffering and potential loss of income hence forth.

Tigers Mike Maroth Making Room for Kenny Rogers

With injured starter Kenny Rogers ready to return to action, look for the Tigers to trade Mike Maroth to open a spot in the rotation.

Maroth will be traded for bullpen help, effectively easing the loss sustained by injuries to young fireballer Joel Zumaya, who is out for the season, according to Detroit News baseball beat reporter Rob Parker.

Maroth likely will be gone by the end of the week, Parker said Monday during a broadcast interview with XM Radio's Charlie Steiner.

Rogers, 17-8 last year with a 3.84 ERA, has been out since the beginning of the season with nerve bypass surgery. Rogers has been reported by multiple sources to be at or near 100 percent, and eager to return to the mound.

Rookie starter Andrew Miller, at least for the time being, will continue to see work while rotation cog Nate Robertson recuperates from a tired arm.

Look for Gary Sheffield's Playing Time to Dwindle

Manager Joe Torre was more than aware that Gary Sheffield had been on the disabled list four times before being acquired by the Yankees in '03, but admired the veteran Atlanta Brave's ability to play through a multitude of nagging injuries while putting up big numbers.

Still, as Sheffield approached his 37th birthday last year, Torre openly acknowledged that he was going to have to frequently rest the hulking right fielder if Sheffield was to remain fresh through September. That was before Torre even dreamed that the Sheffield would go down for more than four months because of a wrist injury resulting from of a April 29 collision with Toronto's Shea Hildebrand.

Sheffield -- who returned over the weekend from taking a weekend off for personal reasons -- claims to have recovered. But he is another year older and even though he will be less taxed as designated hitter in Detroit, Tigers manager Jim Leyland has already recognized what Torre knew: Sheffield's advancing years will require that he be given time to rest.

Expect Leyland to split 30-year-old Marcus Thames' playing time with Sheffield from time to time in order to rest the elder and exploit the younger, who hit 26 homers in only 346 at-bats last year.

A PECOTA projection just released in the new edition of Baseball Prospectus -- published by Penguin Books "Plume" subsidiary -- shows Sheffield's plate appearances falling from 675 in his last fulltime season, 2005, to fewer than 400 this year. Edited by Christina Kahrl and Steven Goldman, the statistical computation formula has won high praise from Athletics General Manager Billy Beane and has been described by the publisher as "deadly accurate."

It foresees a 55 percent chance that Sheffield's game could collapse, and a 23 percent chance of decline through attrition. Sheffield is given a mere 12 percent chance of improving his annual statistical averages and virtually no chance of a breakout campaign.

Gary Sheffield, Numbers in Decline, Leaves Camp

Tigers designated hitter Gary Sheffield -- with his spring hitting totals dramatically poorer than any season since at least 2002 -- has been given an excused but unexplained absence from camp after sitting out since Monday, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Beat reporter Jon Paul Morosi reported in Thursday's editions that Sheffield had departed from the Tigers spring facility in Lakeland, Fla., to attend to what was described as "personal business" and that, according to his lawyer, he will be back by next week at the latest. No further explanation was offered.

Though the absence was not attributed to health or fatigue, manager Jim Leyland was quoted as saying that in any event Sheffield was due for rest after taking several road trips. "He's been on about five in a row. He's 40 years old. He's had more at-bats than just about anybody (in camp)," Leyland said.

Sheffield, who actually will turn 39 next November, is tied for ninth with 23 at-bats for the exhibition season and his hitting .174 with one homer, as compared to .271 last spring; .368 in '05; .344 in '04; .386 in '03; and .342 in '02, according to ESPN statistics quoted by the newspaper.

Sheffield injured his wrist in a field collision last year and missed 123 games, but has been described in various accounts as being at full strength and completely recovered.

The New York Times has reported that an arbitrator was scheduled this week to convene a hearing concerning Sheffield's grievance against his former agent, Scott Boras, but the Free Press said it was indeterminate whether Sheffield was required to attend.

No Ill Effects Evident in Gary Sheffield's Swing

The Tigers new designated hitter Gary Sheffield appears to be well past last year's wrist injury, showing no loss of power, bat speed or other lingering effects either on the field or in the batting cage, according to numerous news accounts.

"...To watch his swing up close on a practice field is a sight," notes www.MLB.com writer Jason Beck, who is covering the Tigers Grapefruit League camp. "...When he unleashes that swing on a ball and pulls it over the left-field fence, you know why he can send a ball that far."

Sheffield, 38, who sustained his wrist injury in an on-field collision last year, is coming to terms with the fact that he won't be asked to play right field for his new team, though that's what he would prefer. He'll settle to serve the Tigers as the prime, middle-of-the-order hitman, the team's so-called missing puzzle piece: "That's the only thing that really matters to me; that and the numbers I leave behind..." Sheffield told the Toledo Blade.

Even if Sheffield continued to experience discomfort, it's not likely the staff would hear about it. Sheffield has earned a reputation as a player willing to play with pain, and play through injuries while maintaining his near .300 career batting average and march toward the 500-homer plateau.

The Yankees, for whom Sheffield played last year, offered him a chance to play first base for New York after Bobby Abreu, 33, acquired from the Phillies, was chosen to take Sheffield's place in the outfield. But Sheffield declined, even though he had infield experience, having played shortstop and third base earlier in his career. He has signed with Detroit for $40 million over three years after being acquired in a trade.

Despite advancing age and last year's setback, Sheffield is commonly being projected to bat .280-.290 and put up another 30-40 homers, his usual output. Sheffield believes he has another two or three good years left, maybe more.