Inside Pitch

The Bisons, winners of three straight, face the Rochester Red Wings in the second game of a three-game series. The Herd is now 25-16 at Coca-Cola Field (.610) and following this series Buffalo travels to Syracuse for a four-game set with the rival Chiefs. Here is the starting lineup for tonight's game:

Justin Turner, 2b
Luis Hernandez, ss
Jorge Padilla, cf
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Fernando Martinez, rf
Mike Cervenak, 3b
Lucas Duda, lf
Russ Adams, dh
J.R. House, c
Pat Misch, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Jason Pridie's return to the Bisons lasted one at-bat. The outfielder was placed back on the DL on Thursday, two days after re-aggravating the same right hamstring that caused him to miss 39 games this season. Pridie was evaluated by doctors in New York on Thursday and placed on the DL by the afternoon. Pridie aggravated the injury while running out a ground ball during the first inning of Tuesday's game.

In other roster moves, infielder Luis Hernandez and right-hander Manuel Alvarez were promoted from Double-A Binghamton. Hernandez, who is in the starting lineup tonight, played two games with the Herd this season and hit .298 with 19 extra-base hits in 57 games in Binghamton. Alvarez is a combined 6-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 13 saves in 27 games between Single-A St. Lucie and the B-Mets. To make room, righty Dylan Owen was sent to Binghamton.

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's game:

Justin Turner, 2b
Luis Hernandez, ss
Jorge Padilla, cf
Mike Jacobs, dh
Valentino Pascucci, 1b
Fernando Martinez, rf
Mike Cervenak, 3b
Lucas Duda, lf
J.R. House, c
Raul Valdes, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Buffalo Bisons left-hander pitcher Pat Misch was named to the International League All-Star Team today. Misch, 28, has spent the entire season with the Bisons and is 7-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 15 starts. He leads all International League left-handed pitchers with seven wins (T-3rd overall) and is 4th in the IL with 96.1 innings pitched. Misch is also one of 10 International League pitchers with a complete-game shutout this season. He allowed four hits and no walks while striking out six in a 4-0 win over Norfolk on May 15.

Misch has worked six or more innings in 11 of his 15 starts this season and leads the Bisons’ staff with 10 starts. The Bisons are 11-4 when he's on the mound, the best record on the team. After starting the season with three no-decisions, Misch was 4-0 in a five-game stretch from April 25-May 20. Misch is 7-3 with a 2.78 ERA at home in Coca-Cola Field.

The Triple-A All-Star Game at 7 p.m. July 14 at Coca-Cola Park in Lehigh Valley, Pa. The game will be broadcast live on the MLB Network. WWKB 1520 AM, the flagship radio home for Bisons Baseball, will also carry the game live.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Catcher J.R House went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in Tuesday's win over rival Syracuse and now has 11 hits in his last 24 at-bats (.458) with three doubles, four RBI and four runs score in his last seven games. Here is the starting lineup for today's game:

Justin Turner, ss
Andy Green, 2b
Jorge Padilla, cf
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Valentino Pascucci, rf
Lucas Duda, lf
Mike Cervenak, 3b
J.R House, c
Tobi Stoner, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Jason Pridie's return to the Bisons didn't last long. The outfielder was activated off the disabled list on Tuesday but was taken out of the game after one inning and one at bat. Pridie was in the starting lineup in centerfield and led the game by grounding out to second base, but was taken out of the lineup and replaced by Lucas Duda. Pridie's right hamstring was sore and manager Ken Oberkfell took him out of the game for precautionary reasons.

Pridie missed 39 games with a right hamstring sprain suffered on May 18 against Charlotte. He played three games with Single-A St. Lucia from June 25-28 and hit .400 (4-for-10) with two runs, a double and a pair of walks.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Outfielder Jason Pridie was activated off the disabled list on Tuesday and immediately placed in the lineup at the lead off position in center field. Pridie missed 39 games with a right hamstring sprain suffered on May 18 against Charlotte. He played three games with Single-A St. Lucia from June 25-28 and hit .400 (4-for-10) with two runs, a double and a pair of walks. To make room on the roster, the Herd sent infielder Jonathon Malo to Double-A Binghamton.

Here's the starting lineup for tonight's game:

Jason Pridie, cf
Justin Turner, ss
Jorge Padilla, lf
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Fernando Martinez, rf
Mike Cervenak, 3b
Russ Adams, 2b
J.R. House, c
Dillon Gee, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Mets pitcher John Maine is expected to pitch for the Bisons on a rehab assignment vs. Indianapolis on Friday, the Bisons just announced. He began his minor league rehabilitation assignment today, throwing four scoreless innings for Double-A Binghamton in Trenton against the Yankees' affiliate.

Maine, 29, allowed one hit and struck out five, throwing 63 pitches (36 for strikes). The Mets placed Maine on the disabled list May 21 with weakness in his right shoulder, which they believe led to ineffectiveness. Maine is 1-3 this season, with a 6.13 ERA.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

The Bisons are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, its longest of the season, but the Herd has perhaps its best possible solution to end the skid: Pitcher Dillon Gee.

Gee is 3-1 with a 3.47 ERA in his six home starts this season. The team leader in strikeouts with 65, Gee has racked up 42 of those Ks in only 36.1 innings at home. Here is the starting lineup for this afternoon's game:

Russ Adams, 2b
Justin Turner, ss
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Valentino Pascucci, rf
Fernando Martinez, cf
Mike Cervenak, 3b
Josh Thole, c
Andy Green, lf
Dillion Gee, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Tonight is Star Wars Night at the park and the Bisons are wearing special Star Wars-themed jerseys.

But Star Wars Night brings back some not-so-pleasant memories for manager Ken Oberkfell. When he played for St. Louis, the Cardinals cranked out the symphonic Star Wars theme whenever Oberkfell, whose nickname is Obie, came to the plate.

“They played it because of Obi-Wan Kenobi but I never watched any of the movies, not one frame of it,” Oberkfell said. “I think it was because I got sick of hearing that theme song all the time.’’

At least Oberkfell won’t have to keep the uniforms which were auctioned off during the game with the proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association.

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's game:

Russ Adams, rf
Justin Turner, 2b
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Mike Cervenak, 3b
Fernando Martinez, cf
Josh Thole, c
Marshall Hubbard, lf
Andy Green, ss
Bobby Livingston, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic

Jim Negrych, an Orchard Park native who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006, has been promoted from the Double-A Altoona (Pa.) Curve to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, who happen to visit Coca-Cola Field next weekend (June 17-20).

Negrych is a 2003 St. Francis graduate who starred at the University of Pittsburgh before being drafted. He hit .267 in 49 games with Altoona.

We got an email from St. Francis baseball coach Paul Bartell about the call-up and Negrych is on the Indianapolis roster.

---Keith McShea

Going around the horn with the national media's reports on Stephen Strasburg's day in Buffalo:

---Washington Post reporter Dave Sheinin covered 10 of Strasburg's 11 minor-league starts and here's his article on Thursday's game at Coca-Cola Field, which features this juicy stat nugget: "Strasburg averaged 10.6 strikeouts and only 2.1 walks per nine innings. Granted, he was facing minor league hitters, but in the past 110 years only three big league pitchers have completed an entire season with both rates as good or better than those: Pedro Martínez (1999, 2000, 2002), Curt Schilling (1997, 2002) and Randy Johnson (2004)."

---Strasburg says he just wants to do his job but it won't be that easy anymore. Every facet of his life will be dissected along the Beltway and an example is an item in the gossip section of today's Post about him trying to be low-key as a newlywed with his wife and dog. You don't get this much info on the normal first-round pick.

---Here's the Post's photo gallery from Strasburg's day in Buffalo.

---Colorful Toronto Globe & Mail columnist Jeff Blair, a former Montreal-based writer, reminds us of this interesting connector: Strasburg's final minor-league game came in a park that once hoped it could house the Expos (Bob Rich was looking to buy and move the club in the 1990 range), and his next start will be for the team that replaced the Expos.

I've known Blair, who possesses quite the dry wit live and on his must-follow Twitter feed, for several years and sat next to Blair and Sheinin Thursday. It was quite an enjoyable tag team to spend a work day with.

---In the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Bob Cohn tells the Pirates Strasburg is ready for Tuesday's debut.

---In the Syracuse Post-Standard, Lindsay Kramer has this message: "It could be a long wait before anyone with his talent, mound presence and turnstile appeal passes through town again." Couple folks e-mailed me Thursday's column from Bud Poliquin in Syracuse as well. Another solid farewell to a player who put Chiefs baseball on the map like never before.

---Minorleaguebaseball.com has this video highlight package of Strasburg's outing.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Photo: Mark Mulville/Buffalo News

There was speculation that Mets rookie pitcher Jennry Mejia would be sent down to Buffalo and pitch on Wednesday against Charlotte, but the Bisons just announced that right-hander Dylan Owen will start tomorrow's game at Coca-Cola Field.

Owen was promoted to the Herd earlier on Tuesday from the Double-A Binghamton Mets. He has spent the entire season with the B-Mets, going 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA in seven games and six starts. Owen has worked five innings or more in all seven of his appearances. In his last start, Owen struck out eight and allowed just one hit in six innings in a no-decision in Trenton. Owen was selected by the Mets in the 20th round of the 2007 draft. In 2008, he was the Florida State League Most Valuable Pitcher after going 12-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 24 starts with Single-A St. Lucie.

Mets pitcher Ryota Igarashi is scheduled to make rehabilition appearances for the Bisons on Thursday and Friday.

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's game:

Jason Pridie, cf
Jesus Feliciano, rf
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Mike Hessman, 3b
Valentino Pascucci, dh
Russ Adams, ss
Andy Green, lf
Josh Thole, c
Ruben Tejada, 2b
Tobi Stoner, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Think the Red Sox are a little desperate when the Yankees come to town tonight to open a three-game series? The teams play two more games next week in the Bronx -- then don't meet again until August.  The Red Sox need to make some hay this weekend. The Celtics and Bruins are big news in Boston this weekend too but the Sox still garner their share of the ink.

Stephen Strasburg's debut tonight in Syracuse officially became a sellout early this afternoon. The Chiefs normally sell about 4,000 tickets a night in Alliance Bank Stadium and, like most Triple-A teams, don't have nearly that many in the park many early-season nights. Not so tonight. It figures to be SRO with more than 12,000 in the house. I've been to Alliance Bank Stadium many times. Wonder how the parking lots are going to hold up to that kind of crowd.

Tonight's Twins-Orioles game is the first rainout at new Target Field -- thus making it the Twins' first rainout in the great outdoors since Sept. 20, 1980.

Desperation comes early for the Cubs. They've called up 20-year-old shortstop Carlin Castro from Double-A Tennessee. Yes, Double-A. He was hitting .376 in the Southern League. Let's see how he does in the National League.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Greetings from Coca-Cola Field, where the Buffalo Bisons continue their eight-game homestand today against the Louisville Bats. The Bisons are aiming for their first four-game winning streak of the season, and first since July 8-11, 2009.

It's a warm, even muggy, early May Sunday. The anticipated thunderstorms have held off so far, but could become an issue about 3 p.m. Before then, Bisons righty Dillon Gee will aim for his fourth win of the season against Louisville lefty Travis Wood.

A couple quick lineup notes: Jesus Feliciano, who's fourth in the International League in batting with a .371 average is out, as is Fernando Martinez.

Here's the Herd's lineup:

Jason Pridie, CF

Andy Green, 2B

Mike Jacobs, 1B

Mike Hessman, 3B

Chris Carter, RF

Mike Cervenak, LF

Omir Santos, C

Ruben Tejada, SS

Gee, P

---Jay Skurski

The Buffalo Bisons today announced that right-hander Elmer Dessens has been activated off the team’s disabled list. Dessens was placed on the DL with a left hamstring strain on April 23 and missed eight games.

To make roster room, the Mets announced that left-hander Travis Blackley has been released. Dessens, 39, is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA and two saves in five relief appearances for the Bisons this year. He’s tied the team lead in both wins and saves. Dessens left the Bisons' game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on April 20 in the ninth inning after delivering a called strike three to Chad Huffman. Dessens saved a team-high 11 games for Buffalo in 2009 before pitching in 28 games with the New York Mets.

Blackley posted an 8.53 ERA in four appearances and 61/3 innings of work for the Herd.

Here is the starting lineup for today's game against the Louisville Bats:

Jason Pridie, cf
Jesus Feliciano, lf
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Mike Hessman, 3b
Fernando Martinez, rf
Russ Adams, 2b
Josh Thole, c
Ruben Tejada, ss
Bobby Livingston, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

This series will be Durham's only trip to Buffalo this season. Last year, the Bisons won three of four from the Bulls at Coca-Cola Field and split the season series at 4. The Herd hasn't lost a season series to the Bulls since 1999. In the last 10 seasons, the Herd has five season-series victories over Durham and five splits.

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's game:

Jason Pridie, cf
Jesus Feliciano, lf
Mike Jacobs, 1b
Mike Hessman, 3b
Chris Carter, rf
Mike Cervenak, dh
Omir Santos, c
Andy Green, 2b
Ruben Tejada, ss
Dillion Gee, p

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Attention Red Sox fans: Daisuke Matsuzaka has been scheduled to pitch here on an injury rehab assignment Thursday for the Pawtucket Red Sox against the Buffalo Bisons in a 4:05 p.m. game in Coca-Cola Field. Dice-K is working his way back from back and neck troubles that derailed him through most of spring training.

Matsuzaka threw five shutout innings in his first rehab start Saturday against Rochester.

Matsuzaka signed a six-year, $52 million contract with the Red Sox in the winter of 2006 and was the MVP of the World Baseball Classic for Japan in both 2006 and 2009.

 He became the first Japanese pitcher to start and win a World Series game when he got the victory in Game Three of the 2007 Fall Classic at Colorado, and joined Babe Ruth and Cy Young as the only Red Sox pitchers to win a Series game and collect two RBIs.

He was 33-15 over his first two seasons in Boston but struggled to a 4-6 record and 5.76 ERA in 12 starts last year as questions rose about a hip injury in the WBC and he bickered with the Sox over his conditioning regimen. Those questions remained through spring training this year.

Dice-K's rehab here will be Buffalo's second home game of the season. The Bisons and PawSox open the home schedule Wednesday at 3:05.

--Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Opening week of the baseball season brings this array of thoughts from the notebook:

Yankees update: Would Joe Girardi really have pulled CC Sabathia with a no-hitter after eight innings yesterday? Really. Sounds like it's true. This game has gotten soft.

Big surprise: The Blue Jays (4-1), only a ninth-inning collapse on Opening Day from being 5-0.  The Pirates also look better than advertised at 3-2.

As expected: Phillies, Cardinals, Giants all look good at 4-1.

Disappointments: Astros (only winless team at 0-5), Angels (2-4), Cliff Lee-less Mariners (2-4), White Sox (1-4). Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira both 3 for 20 with no home runs. Nick Johnson just 2 for 18.

By the numbers: The Phillies are hitting an MLB-best .337, averaging eight runs and 12 hits per game. They also account for a good chunk of the Nationals' MLB-worst 6.95 ERA.  The White Sox are batting an MLB-worst .186, averaging just 3.1 runs and six hits per game. The Astros are last in runs with 12.

Big debut: The Twins open Target Field Monday against the Red Sox. That means every AL park dates to 1989 except Boston, Oakland, Kansas City and Anaheim. And all four of those have have major renovations in the last 10 years.

Big debuts in the minors: Reds Aroldis Chapman throws today for Louisville and Nationals' Stephen Strasburg also opens today for Double-A Harrisburg. Live streams for free on both at MLB.com.

Bisons: They're 2-1 but have scored just nine runs in three games at Scranton. They didn't win game two last year until game 12. That's an improvement. Pitching good, bullpen solid, offense will pick up but has come through in the clutch the last two days. Lots to be optimistic about.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Pitchers and catchers report Thursday around major-league spring camps, including the Mets' complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Plenty of players who will likely be on the Bisons are scheduled to be there and the Herd today announced its spring training schedule of exhibition games.

All games will be at 1 p.m. and will either be at the Mets' complex or the joint Marlins/Cardinals complex in Jupiter against the New Orleans Zephyrs (Florida) or Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis). If you're thinking about the trip, both locations are on Florida's East Coast. The schedule:

March 19 New Orleans (Port St. Lucie)
March 20 at Memphis (Jupiter)
March 21 Camp Day (Port St. Lucie)
March 22 at Memphis (Jupiter)
March 23 at New Orleans (Jupiter)
March 24 Camp Day (Port St. Lucie)
March 25 at Memphis (Jupiter)
March 26 at New Orleans (Jupiter)
March 27 Camp Day (Port St. Lucie)
March 28 Memphis (Port St. Lucie)
March 29 Camp Day (Port St. Lucie)
March 30 Memphis (Port St. Lucie)
March 31 New Orleans (Port St. Lucie)
April 1 Camp Day (Port St. Lucie)
April 2 New Orleans (Port St. Lucie)

Thanks to Adam Rubin's fabulous Surfing the Mets blog at the New York Daily News, here's the full list of Mets campers. A large number of the players under non-roster invitees at the bottom are the six-year free agents who should be joining the Bisons. 

The Bisons, remember, open the season April 8 in Scranton and play their home opener April 14 against Pawtucket.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

   

Be sure to check out today's Monday Extra feature catching up with ex-Bisons great Jeff Manto, who is in the coaching world now for both youths and minor leaguers (with the Chicago White Sox). Wanted to give Web readers the chance to see some great Manto quotes from his recent hitting clinic in Coca-Cola Field that were in a graphic in our print edition. They make great sense. Check 'em out.

Look like the (MLB) logo when you hit.
Finish the swing.
Better footwork helps the head and hands.
You need a baseline to hit before you get a style.
Check your feet after every pitch. They matter.
Refuse to strike out.
Never relax. Concentrate more.
You're only responsible for giving yourself a chance to get a hit, not to get the hit.
We're all pitchable to.
How would you tell someone to hit? Hit the way you would teach.
Figure it out. Don't use a crutch. It's not the coach or the umpire.
Hit the inside part of the ball every chance you get.
How come we buy a $300 bat and a $50 glove? Because we want to hit.
You've got to be nuts about hitting, crazed about it. Hitting has got to matter.
Don't think. Stay with your strength or you'll think yourself right back to the dugout.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Photo: Harry Scull/Buffalo News

While the Bisons were greeting the return of one Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer last week in former manager and new Mets executive Terry Collins, another one was getting his official introduction in Pawtucket.

Former Bisons infielder and skipper Torey Lovullo, who managed last year in Columbus, was unveiled to the media at McCoy Stadium as the replacement for the popular Ron Johnson after the longtime skipper everyone calls "RJ" got promoted to Terry Francona's staff in Boston. Lovullo certainly has the seal of approval from Francona, his final big-league manager in 1999 in Philadelphia.

Check out this video of Lovullo getting his Red Sox jersey from Providence affiliate WNLE.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

 As I talked about earlier today, the Bisons are advertising a "major event announcement" as part of Friday's sold-out Winter Hot Stove Luncheon in the Adam's Mark. The last time something like that came down, it was for the 1987 exhibition game between the Blue Jays and Indians that was played through the freezing rain of War Memorial Stadium. The media was furious because then-GM Mike Billoni billed it as "a major announcement for the future of Buffalo baseball" and folks thought Bob Rich Jr. had purchased the Expos or some other team. Buffalo has never had another major-league April exhibition since and probably with good reason. You might ruin your field for a month or more trying to play one. 

I have no official confirmation of what's up but International League president Randy Mobley will be in town tomorrow so I'm fairly certain the word is this: Buffalo is going to be named the host of the 2012 Triple-A All-Star Game. It would make sense because 2012 will be the 25th anniversary season for Coca-Cola Field and for the Triple-A version of the Midsummer Classic. Then-Pilot Field, remember, staged the first game on July 13, 1988 before a sellout crowd of 19,500. The IL hosts this year (Lehigh Valley) and the Pacific Coast League has next year in Salt Lake City so 2012 comes back to an IL park.

The game is broadcast every year on ESPN and a national network of radio stations and is held the day after the big-league game. In this case, you're looking at July 11, 2012, the night after the big leaguers play in Kansas City. But unlike 1988, this event has grown into a huge spectacle thanks to great hosting jobs in recent years by cities such as Rochester, Indianapolis and Portland. There's a home run hitting contest on Monday and a gala luncheon on game day.

You'll see the top prospects from around Triple-A meeting in an IL vs. PCL format and it will be a great show. I'm betting pretty solid that's what the announcement will be. Keep it locked at buffalonews.com Friday afternoon when the official word comes down.

---Mike Harrington

Buffalo News file photo of Coca-Cola Field by Mark Mulville

Another good sign the Mets are being more active on behalf of the Bisons: They selected four players Thursday in the Triple-A portion of the Rule V draft that capped the Winter Meetings in Indianapolis. Each one costs $12,000; the Triple-A phase allows you to select players who were in Class A or Double-A last year.

Maybe they'll turn into something for Buffalo, maybe they'll turn into nothing. But it should be noted the Mets were the only big-league parent to make four choices in the Triple-A phase.

The rundown of the choices, with links to show you career stats:

John Lujan (RHP-Chicago White Sox): He's 6-1, 200 pounds, 24 years old. Was 3-5, 4.45 last year in 37 games at Double-A Birmingham, all in relief. Was 3-2, 3.43 in 50 relief outings at Birmingham in 2008. 

Marshall Hubbard (1B-Seattle): 6-2, 215, 26. He's played the last three years at Double-A West Tennessee, averaging 14 homers and 67 RBIs in those seasons. Numbers were .271-14-70 last season.

Rolando Valdez (RHP-San Diego): 6-1, 191, 23. Was 1-0, 5.01 in 17 relief outings at Double-A San Antonio. Struck out 28 and walked 12 in 32 1/3 innings.

Orlando Lara (LHP-San Diego): 5-10, 185, 24. Has pitched last two years for Mexico City Reds in both starting and relief roles. Went 5-3, 5.03 in 2009 in 18 outings (seven starts)

In the major-league phase, Chuck Lofgren was selected off the Cleveland roster by Milwaukee. Lofgren, a six-year Tribe farmhand who pitched one game for the Bisons in 2007, must be kept in the big leagues by the Brewers or offered back to the Tribe.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

   Former Buffalo Bisons' manager Torey Lovullo, who has managed for Cleveland's farm system, for the past eight seasons, has jumped to the Boston Red Sox organization. He will manage the team in Pawtucket next season.

   Lovullo once played for Red Sox manager Terry Francona when they were together with the Phillies in 1999, and has worked with Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell when they were both in the Cleveland chain.

--- Budd Bailey

----Give it up for former Canisius College pitcher John Axford, who's made four September relief appearances for the Brewers this month to cap the long road back from Tommy John surgery. Had a great phone interview with Axford Thursday as he's the subject of Sunday's Inside Baseball column. The 26-year-old Canadian, who pitched for the Griffs in 2006, started this season in Class A ball and made it all the way to the majors in five months!!

---Andy Pettitte and the Yankees go for the AL East clincher today at 1 against the Red Sox (it's on ESPN).

---The real intrigue starts Monday in Detroit, when the Twins and Tigers start a four-game series that's the only division race left. Meanwhile, the NL wildcard is still in play because the Braves have gotten red-hot. The Rockies are suddenly only 2 1/2 games in front and the Braves have a huge edge in the schedule.

The Braves play one more today at hapless Washington, host Florida for three and finish the year with four at home against the Nats, who are going to lose at least 105 games. The Rockies, meanwhile, might catch a break with the post-clinch hangover Cardinals today. They're off Monday, then open a three-gamer in Denver against the Brewers on Tuesday. They finish with a three-gamer at Dodger Stadium.

A reminder that my weekly power ratings are done through Thursday's games (on the theory that a new series starts on Friday). I give you that once-in-a-while reminder because I would have certainly put the Twins a little higher up this week if I was doing them at, say, midnight on Saturday.

Whereas it looked like every division race was basically over at the start of the week, we suddenly have a hot one in the AL Central as Minnesota is just two games behind the suddenly skidding Tigers after back-to-back victories over Detroit. A fly ball lost in the Metrodome roof (what else?) keyed a five-run fifth Saturday in the Twins' 6-2 win. And this is all happening wtih Justin Morneau and Joe Crede apparently gone for the year with injuries.

As for the rankings, it's certainly easy to put the Yankees at No. 1. But Nos. 2-6 remain quite a mess. This week, it went Dodgers, Angels, Red Sox, Phillies, Cardinals and only the Halos were in the same spot as last week. Pretty unusual for this time of year.

In other diamond doings:

---No Inside Baseball column just for this week due to a double dose of Bills chats and Sabres training camp. We'll be back starting next week and running all the way through the World Series.

---If you didn't stay up to see the Yankees' 10-1 victory in Seattle, they got a huge scare when CC Sabathia took a Franklin Gutierrez line drive to the chest. He was OK but it was a couple inches here or there from a potentially dramatic turn to the Yankees season and some serious damage to their big-money ace. Check out the video here.

---It's Durham (Tampa Bay) vs. Memphis (St. Louis) in Tuesday's Triple-A National Championship Game in Oklahoma City. Formerly known as the Bricktown Showdown, the game will be televised at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

---Cleveland's Double-A team, the Akron Aeros, won the Eastern League title in four games Saturday with a 10-6 win over Connecticut (San Francisco). Lots of nice prospects going up to Triple-A next season for the Tribe. Too bad they're still not coming to Buffalo.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

It took 12 innings and more than four hours but the Durham Bulls completed a three-game sweep of the International League's Governors' Cup finals with Thursday's 3-2, 12-inning win at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Tampa Bay Rays have consistently put good teams in Durham since the Bulls came into the IL with the Bisons in 1998. Durham has won three titles (2002, 2003, 2009) and lost in the finals four other times (1998 to the Bisons, 1999, 2007 and 2008). Pretty remarkable deep playoff runs. When the Rays finally broke through last year it was no surprise because of all the great players who have been in Durham over the years (topped by Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton). Eventually that winning feeling had to translate up top.

The Yankees scored only four runs in the series as IL MVP Shelley Duncan was called up to New York at the start of the playoffs. Seemed like a pretty unnecessary move given how the parent Yankees are in no trouble in the AL East and really don't need Duncan.

Durham plays the PCL winner in Tuesday's Triple-A National Championship Game in Oklahoma City(formerly the Bricktown Showdown). Memphis leads the PCL finals, 2-0, heading into Game Three tonight in Sacramento.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Former Canisius College pitcher John Axford made some school history Monday night when he was called up to the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen from Triple-A Nashville. Axford, who started his career at Notre Dame before transferring due to Tommy John surgery, is believed to be the first Canisius player on a major-league roster since the infamous Billy Goeckel played 37 games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1899 (yes, 1899).

Axford, 26, had a meteoric rise this year through three levels of the Brewers' chain, totaling a 9-1 record, 2.77 earned-run average and 89 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings. He was at Class A Brevard County (4-1, 1.63 in 19 games), Double-A (0-0, 3.52 in four games) and Nashville (5-0, 3.55 in 22 games).

The Simcoe, Ont., native was planning to play for Canada in the World Cup when the Brewers pulled back his permission to play in the tournament. Axford played for Canisius in 2006 and his numbers (3-8, 5.08) show that he was certainly on the road back from surgery, although he did have 75 strikeouts in 70 innings. He has reportedly pushed his fastball up to 97 mph in Triple-A this season.

---Mike Harrington

(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)