Roundup: Company apologizes for 'Natinals' gaffe

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Majestic Athletic spelled things out quite clearly Tuesday: It was the uniform company's fault that Washington Nationals Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman wore jerseys reading "Natinals" during a game last week.

Dunn and Zimmerman donned the shirts that were missing an "O" for the first three innings of Washington's 3-2 loss to the Florida Marlins on Friday night. They eventually changed into jerseys with the team nickname spelled correctly.

"All of us at Majestic Athletic want to apologize to both the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for accidentally omitting the 'O' in two Nationals jerseys," Majestic Athletic president Jim Pisani said in a statement distributed at Nationals Park on Tuesday.

"We take 100 percent responsibility for this event and we regret any embarrassment for the Nationals organization, players and fans," the statement continued.

Devine has season-ending surgery

NEW YORK -- Oakland Athletics reliever Joey Devine is out for the season following surgery on his right elbow.

The operation was performed Tuesday by Dr. James Andrews on Devine's ulnar collateral ligament. A's manager Bob Geren said he was waiting for more details.

Devine has been on the disabled list since the season started. Going into spring training, he was expected to share the closer's role with Brad Ziegler.

Devine went 6-1 with a 0.59 ERA and one save last season. He struck out 49 and walked 15 in 42 games covering 45 2/3 innings.

McCann believes vision problem solved

WASHINGTON -- Catcher Brian McCann returned to Atlanta's lineup Tuesday against Washington after visiting an eye doctor and getting a new contact lens to correct blurred vision in his left eye.

After batting fourth for the Braves and going 0-for-2 with two walks in a 4-3 loss Tuesday night, McCann said he probably would sit out Wednesday's game at Washington.

"It's going to be a process, and I hope it doesn't take more than a week to get under the lights and start seeing like I did last year," said McCann, who missed Atlanta's games on Sunday and Monday.

He is in a 1-for-22 slump.

"Everything went well" at the eye doctor, McCann said before Tuesday's game. "It turns out I'm more nearsighted in my left eye."

To address the problem, he was fitted with a contact lens. But McCann said offseason eye surgery is a possibility.

"He says he's good to go," Braves manager Bobby Cox said before the game. "We'll see."

Padres reacquire Burke from Mariners

SEATTLE -- Utility infielder Chris Burke was traded from the Mariners back to the Padres only a few weeks after Seattle acquired Burke from San Diego.

The trade was made official Tuesday, with Seattle receiving cash for returning Burke to the Padres. Burke was acquired by the Mariners on March 29 and was in Seattle's spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. He was sent to Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season.

"I'm glad to be back here," said Burke, prior to the start of San Diego's game at San Francisco. "These guys are off to a great start. This is the organization I signed with during the offseason and I thought I'd fit in well."

San Diego wanted Burke back after rookie shortstop Everth Cabrera was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a broken bone in his left hand.

Cabrera underwent surgery on his hand Tuesday and is expected to be out six to eight weeks. Dr. Lorenzo Pacelli and Dr. Jan Fronek performed the operation at Scripps Clinic at Carmel Valley.

According to a team spokesman, Cabrera will wear a splint for five days and begin therapy on Monday.

Mets to keep Gooden signature -- but move it

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets are keeping Dwight Gooden's signature -- but moving it to another location and putting it under plexiglass.

The star pitcher signed a wall in the Ebbets Club when he attended the April 13 opener at Citi Field, writing: "Doc Gooden/84 R.O.Y./85 Cy Young/86 W.S. champs," according to Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz.

Perturbed that a clean wall in a new ballpark had been marked up, the team at first said it planned to erase the writing. Following criticism, the team changed course.

"It's a new building We just didn't want anything written on the walls," Horwitz said Tuesday from St. Louis before the Mets' game against the Cardinals. "We had a lot of calls yesterday, a lot of fan stuff."

While the Mets honored a former Brooklyn Dodgers star with the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the main entrance to the $800 million ballpark, there was little to mark their own history. Owner Fred Wilpon said last week that the team intends to build a Hall of Fame, possibly in the area behind center field.

Willis begins minor league rehab assignment

LAKELAND, Fla. -- A little more than three weeks after being placed on the disabled list because of an anxiety disorder, Dontrelle Willis hopes he's on track to get back to the major leagues.

The Detroit left-hander began a minor league rehabilitation assignment with the Class A Lakeland Flying Tigers on Tuesday night, pitching seven effective innings in a 4-0 loss to the Clearwater Threshers.

Despite giving up four runs and eight hits, including a two-run homer, Willis accomplished what he set out to do: consistently get the ball over the plate. He threw 58 of his 75 pitches for strikes, including first-pitch strikes to 21 of 27 batters he faced.

"I got some good work in. They liked the pitch efficiency," said Willis, adding that his next start will be for Double-A Erie this weekend.

"If they continue to like what they see, I'll be back with the big club. I just told them I'm going to be honest with myself, and I'm going to be honest with them, and they're going to be honest with me. ... They were real impressed that I had strength going into the seventh. Not only just arm strength, but body strength."

Willis spent much of last season in the minors, rehabbing a right knee injury and trying to deal with control problems. He continued to have problems getting the ball over the plate during spring training, and the Tigers placed him on the DL on March 29.

The 27-year-old won 22 games for the Florida Marlins in 2005, the same number of victories he's earned over the past three seasons. He made eight appearances for Detroit in 2008, including seven starts, and went 0-2 with 35 walks and a 9.38 ERA in 24 innings.

White Sox designate MacDougal for assignment

BALTIMORE -- The Chicago White Sox designated right-hander Mike MacDougal for assignment Tuesday and recalled reliever Jack Egbert from Triple-A Charlotte.

The 32-year-old MacDougal had a 12.46 ERA with seven walks over 4 1-3 innings with Chicago.

Egbert, 25, will work out of the bullpen. He was 1-0 with a 6.43 ERA in five appearances with Charlotte. The right-hander is 40-36 with a 3.35 ERA and 595 strikeouts in 134 games (including 113 starts) over five minor-league seasons since being selected by the White Sox in the 13th round in 2004 draft.

Egbert has not yet pitched in the major leagues.

The moves, which were made before the White Sox faced the Baltimore Orioles, reduced Chicago's 40-man roster to 38.

Royals put Waechter on DL, recall Bannister

CLEVELAND -- The Kansas City Royals have placed pitcher Doug Waechter on the 15-day disabled list and recalled right-hander Brian Bannister from Triple-A Omaha.

The team said Tuesday that Waechter's placement on the DL is retroactive to April 18. The Royals said he has a lateral strain in his right elbow. The 28-year-old has a 4.50 ERA in three relief outings.

Bannister is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in three starts for Omaha. The 28-year-old is scheduled to make his first start with Kansas City on Wednesday night at Cleveland.

Bannister is 3-1 with a 1.91 ERA in five career appearances against the Indians. He started 27 games in 2007 and 32 games in 2008 for Kansas City, but didn't make the team in spring training.

"He was throwing well [at Omaha]," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "It was a better fit for us."

Bannister will take the rotation spot of left-hander Horacio Ramirez, who has been sent to the bullpen. Ramirez is 0-1 with an 11.12 ERA in three appearances, including one start.

He has allowed seven earned runs and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Opposing hitters are batting .429 against Ramirez.

"He wants to start," Hillman said. "I don't blame him. I understand."

Hillman said Ramirez will be used in middle relief and possibly to match up against left-handed hitters.

Orioles place Freel on DL, call up Montanez

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles have placed Ryan Freel on the 15-day disabled list, one day after he was struck in the head with a ball on a pickoff attempt.

Freel was on second base when the throw hit him in the right side of the head during the third inning of the 12-1 loss Monday to the Boston Red Sox. A backup outfielder, Freel was batting .133 batting in nine games.

The Orioles recalled outfielder Lou Montanez from Triple-A Norfolk to replace Freel. Montanez made his major league debut with Baltimore last season, batting .295 in 38 games.

Baltimore also recalled right-handed starter Brad Bergesen from Norfolk. Bergesen was to make his major league debut Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox.

Yankees are big draw in spring training

TALLAHASSEE, Fla -- Baseball fans keep turning out for spring training games in Florida.

Although there were two less teams playing baseball during the 2009 Grapefruit League this spring, the Florida Sports Foundation reported Tuesday that attendance surpassed the 1.5 million mark for a sixth consecutive year.

An average of just over 6,000 fans turned out for the 259 spring training games played between major league teams.

The New York Yankees enjoyed the most attention, averaging 10,558 fans for 16 games played at their Tampa spring training home.

The 2008 World Series participants, the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays enjoyed significant increases in their games in Clearwater and Port Charlotte.

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