1B at Salem

[VirtualBob]

Billy Hart has gotten several starts lately and neither Mark Ori nor Ole Sheldon, both of whom were apparently doing well, have disappeared from the box scores.  Any news?

[MikeyBoy]

Sheldon is hurt, I'm not sure about Ori.

http://www.orangewhoopass.com/forums/index.php?topic=102656.0

[Duman]

Billy Hart has gotten several starts lately and neither Mark Ori nor Ole Sheldon, both of whom were apparently doing well, have disappeared from the box scores.  Any news?

First baseman and designated hitter Ole Sheldon has been placed on the disabled list and sent to Houston for a second opinion on his broken left hand. Sheldon has been out of action since hit was hit by a pitch on June 8.

X-rays revealed no broken bones in Mark Ori's sprained right ankle, Pankovits said. Ori had played 39 straight games at first with Sheldon out before the injury on Saturday.

Third baseman Billy Hart, displaced by the call-up of Chris Johnson from low-A Lexington, has been filling in at first, but he may be replaced there by another acquisition.

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/baseball/wb/wb/xp-123445

[VirtualBob]

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/baseball/wb/wb/xp-123445

Thanks!  I appreciate the digging!

[Duman]

The Astros trade a player to be named later for Patrick Osborn.  Osborn was a 2nd round sandwich pick in 2002 for the Indians.  He has played 1st for Salem since he arrived and has hit two homers in two games. 

In 2004, he won the Car. League hitting title and was known as an offense first, third baseman.  At the end of the season, he injured his shoulder and was replaced on the Az. Fall league by one Kevin Kouzmanoff.  The shoulder injury was called an "impingement" and didn't require surgery which he had on the same shoulder while at the U of Fla.  He started 05 in AA and has slowly declined in his hitting over the last 3 years .287 in 05, .250 in 06 and .230 so far this season at AA.  He has battled several other injuries over his career.  He is now 26 and is getting a fresh start with an organization in need of corner infielders. 

It will be interesting to see who the PTBNL will be.

[Duman]

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/baseball/wb/wb/xp-123926

This article highlights the competitiveness for playing time at the corner in Salem.  You have Johnson, Hart & Osborn who could play 3rd and Hart, Osborn, Ori & Sheldon who could play first.  Something has got to give.  Hart appears to be under the most pressure.