Some links pertaining to baseball's two central divisions, as the White Sox and Tigers square off in the first game of a pivotal four-game series…
- Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told reporters, including B.J. Rains of FOXSportsMidwest.com and Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that Lance Berkman will have season-ending surgery on his knee tomorrow. As Strauss points out, the procedure puts Big Puma's career in serious jeopardy (Twitter links).
- Reds minor leaguers Ernest (Niko) Vasquez and Jamie Walczak both tested positive for amphetamines and received 50-game suspensions, according to this Associated Press report (hat tip: Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News). Vasquez, a third baseman, and Walczak, a right-handed pitcher, will begin their suspensions next season.
- The Twins' lineup should be able to produce in 2013 even if they bolster their pitching staff by trading Denard Span this coming offseason, Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com writes. Mackey notes that the move would give Chris Parmelee a spot in the lineup by letting him play right field. He also notes that the Twins have a surplus of outfielders with both Oswaldo Arcia and Aaron Hicks having turned in strong Double-A seasons.
