Right index finger has catcher Still sidelined

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
Friday, May 9, 2008.

By DAN GOLDBERG
Valley Press Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Jon Still, the California League's home run leader (nine), left Wednesday's game in the first inning after Chris Minaker's back-swing nicked Still's right index finger.

Still stretched with the team, but did not participate in batting practice and was not in Thursday's lineup. He expects to return within the next couple of days. His bat is an important one for the JetHawks as he is the only right-handed power-hitter they have. Josh Reddick hit in the cleanup spot on Thursday in Still's place.

Argenis Diaz, the JetHawks' slick-fielding shortstop (and Boston's top-ranked defensive player, according to Baseball America), was removed from the game because of injury as well. In his fifth-inning at-bat, he singled to right. On an ensuing pickoff attempt, Diaz jammed his right index and middle-finger while diving back to first. He finished the inning, but was taken out before the sixth.

Doctors diagnosed a bruised ligament.

Diaz said, for now, he cannot swing a bat. Like Still, he expects to return to the lineup within the week.

Pitchers' Best Friend

One of the beauties of baseball is that it affords a spectator the possibility to see something new every night. Wednesday's fifth-inning double play (8-7-6-4-3-3-5-2) was a first for just about everyone.

"Weirdest play of the year," first baseman Lars Anderson said. "It was one of the many turning points of the game."

Seven different fielders were involved in the double-play with Anderson being the only one who - because he ended the first run-down and started the second - was scored twice.

Great Answer

Jason Place turned 20 Thursday. Asked if he was doing anything special to celebrate, he replied, without hesitation, "playing baseball."

In and Out

Luis Segovia was activated from the disabled list before Thursday's game. In 22 games, Segovia is hitting .227 with one extra-base hit. For the moment, Segovia is in possession of one of baseball's most anomalous statistics. His on-base percentage (.217) is lower than his batting average. How can that happen? Well, it usually cannot because on-base percentage is walks, plus hits, plus hit by pitch divided by the number of plate appearances and batting average is hits divided by at-bats. The only way it can is when a player has more sacrifice fly outs than walks or hit by pitch.

Segovia takes Tony Bajoczky's roster spot. Bajoczky, after pitching five effective innings in Wednesday's game, was sent to Short Season-A Lowell.

dogoldberg@avpress.com