The Tigers and Orioles will be playing Thursday while every other AL team gets a four-day All-Star break. Detroit manager Jim Leyland calls that quirk “a joke,” and he’s right. … The Mariners put Erik Bedard on the disabled list with some tightness in his forearm but still hope to trade him before the July 31 deadline. He hasn’t gone more than six innings since May 28, so look for the Mariners to try to get seven-plus innings out of him his next couple of times out. … Frank Thomas, out since late May with a partial tear in his right quadriceps, has been cleared to start hitting and hopes to get back in Oakland’s lineup before the end of the month. … The Mets are crediting the more relaxed attitude created by new manager Jerry Manuel for their winning 9 of 11 entering Sunday. They had eight consecutive starts with their starters allowing three or fewer runs. … Reliever Ron Mahay (5-0, 1.88 ERA) just keeps increasing his value for Kansas City. … Bob Sheppard, the Yankees’ 97-year-old PA man, isn’t going to make it to Yankee Stadium for the All-Star Game. …
Geovany Soto made a Futures Game appearance last year before joining the Cubs late in the season. The White Sox could follow that scenario with infielder Chris Getz, who could wind up as Alexei Ramirez’s double-play partner in 2009. … Boston and Arizona did talk about signing Barry Bonds, but why not the Angels? Or the Dodgers? Or Minnesota? Somebody should gamble on Bonds, but nobody wants him around. … Rangers newcomer Chris Davis, 22, might be having the best season of anyone in baseball. The first baseman has 28 homers and 84 RBIs in 91 games. … Lefty Gio Gonzalez, who was sent to Oakland by the Sox in the Nick Swisher trade, is second in the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts. … Boston is moving Justin Masterson to the bullpen, which could be good news for Waubonsie Valley product Michael Bowden, who’s 9-4 with a 2.33 ERA for Double-A Portland.
