PHILADELPHIA — While his teammates played baseball, Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt spent the past week riding an excavator and moving fallen trees off the property at his Mississippi home after tornadoes ravaged the community.
Oswalt was back with the team Thursday, eight days after he left to be with his family in Weir, Miss. He threw a bullpen session and could start against the Braves on Saturday.
But pitching is hardly first on his mind these days.
“I’ve always said this right here, baseball, is a gift that you’re given to play, but this comes third or fourth on my list,” Oswalt said. “I could walk away from the game today and be happy. As long as you have your family, they’re going to be there a lot longer than the game will be. A lot of people don’t look at it that way; a lot of people think this is who you are as a person. It’s not. It’s something that you’re blessed to do.”
Footnotes.
The Astros placed closer Brandon Lyon on the 15-day disabled list after an exam found tendinitis in his biceps and a partial tear in his rotator cuff. The Astros recalled right-hander Jose Valdez from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
• Brewers center fielder Nyjer Morgan will miss two to four weeks with a broken left middle finger suffered only two days after returning from the 15-day DL.
• The Red Sox put relievers Bobby Jenks (biceps) and Dan Wheeler (calf) on the 15-day DL and called up right-hander Scott Atchison and left-hander Rich Hill from Triple-A Pawtucket.
• Eric Hosmer, the top prospect in Kansas City’s minor-league system, will start at first base tonight in his major-league debut, replacing Kila Ka’aihue.
• Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz (quadriceps) won’t play tonight against the Yankees but could return to the lineup Saturday, manager Ron Washington said.
The Associated Press
