SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy Johnson, who has been out for the past two months with a torn rotator cuff, was activated by the Giants after Tuesday night's game. Johnson will join the Giants bullpen.
"It's a golden bullet for us," starter Barry Zito said. "We're excited."
The Giants had not planned to active Johnson until this weekend, at the earliest, but they changed course on Tuesday because right-hander Justin Miller was still bothered by a sore elbow. Miller was placed on the 60-day disabled list, ending his season.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy Johnson faced hitters in two simulated innings on Monday afternoon and then said he could be ready to be activated within a couple days.
"If I get up tomorrow and feel fine, hopefully I'll come off the DL," Johnson said. "What my role is, I don't know."
Johnson, 46, has been out for more than two months with a torn rotator cuff. He said it's still torn, but through rehab and strengthening exercises, he's built it back to the point that he could pitch out of the bullpen. Giants manager Bruce Bochy didn't say whether Johnson would be activated or how he'd be used.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy Johnson, who has been out for nearly two months with a torn rotator cuff, said Sunday that his goal is to be ready to pitch out of the Giants bullpen in about two weeks.
"I never envisioned myself being a reliever, because I always wanted to pitch seven or eight innings, but at this point in my career, my shoulder may not be able to tolerate that," Johnson said.
Johnson said he's is not going to have surgery in the offseason to repair the tear, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's ready to announce that this would be his final season.
"I haven't got that far yet," he said. "I'm taking it one day at a time."
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the Roto Rush is your double espresso shot of fantasy baseball advice every weekday.
Adam Kennedy: 5-for-7. Mark Ellis: 4-for-6. Orlando Cabrera, Kevin Youkilis, and J.D. Drew: 3-for-5 each. Six other players with two hits. Five more with a single hit. 35 in all, and nary a home run to be found. Boston's Clay Buchholz and Oakland's Vin Mazzaro each gave up nine hits in the game, and Boston was able to piece together five runs in the third to end up with a 6-2 lead after six innings. But as they say, that's when things got interesting.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy Johnson has a tear in his rotator cuff and won't even touch a baseball for at least three weeks, meaning the best-case scenario is now for him to return to the Giants rotation in early September. The Giants moved Johnson to the 60-day disabled list, to make room on the 40-man roster for Ryan Garko, so Johnson is not even eligible to return until Sept. 4.
The update came on Tuesday, a day after Johnson underwent an MRI and an exam by the Giants' doctor. The news is certainly not good for a team that is competing for the wild card based almost solely on the strength of its pitching staff.
General manager Brian Sabean said recently that the Giants are not likely to acquire any pitching help before the deadline because offense is a more pressing need. He reiterated that point on Monday, after announcing the Garko deal. Sabean said the Giants had a list of "six-to-eight" hitters still in focus before the deadline, none of them first basemen.
MLB Power Rankings:Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.
Well, I'll tell you one thing: baseball ain't boring, folks. At least if you're in the middle class anyway; the upper crust is (somewhat) starting to establish itself across MLB's ranks and the bottom portion of the league is certainly holding steady. But in the middle, well, goodness. We have a lot of would-be title contenders. How's your semi-crappy team faring in the all-important MLB FanHouse Power Rankings this week? Find out after the jump.
SAN FRANCISCO -- An MRI of Randy Johnson's left shoulder on Monday revealed only a strain, but that will be enough to put the Big Unit on the shelf for at least two or three weeks.
A day after Johnson strained his shoulder swinging a bat, he was placed on the disabled list. Jonathan Sanchez, who had lost his spot in the starting rotation, will take Johnson's next start on Friday.
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That the Phillies calmed a lot of nerves this weekend. The reigning world champs haven't looked quite like themselves for most of the season, but they had plenty of reason to be optimistic after completing a three-game sweep of the Mets Sunday.
Philadelphia entered the series with a 13-22 record at Citizens Bank Park, but won three straight at home against a hated rival. That wasn't the only positive sign. Jimmy Rollins, who has been slumping all season, belted a leadoff homer against New York ace Johan Santana in the 2-0 sweep-clinching win and Brad Lidge, who has blown six saves this year, struck out the side to lock up the victory.
NEW YORK – Thanks in part to the influence of a 300-game winner, and the brother of a 300-game winner, the Rangers no longer have to try to out-slug people.
In the most remarkable turnaround of the season, Texas' pitching staff is actually pretty good, with a 4.46 ERA after shutouts Thursday and Friday and allowing three runs Saturday. If the Rangers can keep it there all year, it would mark the first time since 1993 the franchise had an ERA better than 4.50.
Not coincidentally, Texas leads the AL West at 35-26, the second-best record in the league.
"This is my third year here," right-hander Brandon McCarthy said, "but in two years I got sick to death of hearing, 'Texas pitchers stink. Texas pitchers stink.'
"Now we can turn those tables a little bit, be the group that maybe changes that whole mindset. It would be an awesome accomplishment."
Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.
You Oughta Know ... That Florida's Sean West is now within 299 wins of Randy Johnson on the all-time career list.
West, 22, out-dueled Johnson on Monday in the latter's first start after reaching the 300-win milestone, taking a no-hitter into the seventh against San Francisco. It was the fourth career start for West, and his first victory.
A tall left-hander, he naturally idolized Johnson growing up.
Going up against Johnson was an even greater thrill.
"It was so surreal seeing him out there [Monday]," West said. "It was like a dream."
So far, West – who at 6-foot-8 gives up two inches to Johnson – has a 2.22 ERA with just 14 hits allowed in 24 1/3 innings.
SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy Johnson, who has been out for the past two months with a torn rotator cuff, was activated by the Giants after Tuesday night's game. Johnson will join the Giants bullpen.
SAN FRANCISCO -- 
SAN FRANCISCO -- 
Poppin' out the box scores and right into your cubicle, the 
SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy Johnson has a 
Starting Five
NEW YORK – Thanks in part to the influence of a 300-game winner, and the brother of a 300-game winner, the Rangers no longer have to try to out-slug people.
