Injuries, moves, rumors and newsmakers...

Webb on a roll; Astros fire Garner and Purpura; Chavez to return; Soriano wants to play; Ortiz done for year; Lo Duca ready for action; Hamels eyes weekend start; Phelps getting it done; Young takes a break; Kielty playing well; Sheffield placed on DL; and more...

  CLEANING HOUSE

Upset by a disappointing season, Astros owner Drayton McLane has dumped both GM Tim Purpura and manager Phil Garner. The pair were on top of the world just two years ago when Houston made it to the 2005 World Series where they lost to the Chicago White Sox.

Unfortunately for the duo, baseball is about the here and now. The team carries a woeful 58-73 record into Tuesday night's game against St. Louis, leaving them nine games back of the Cubs in the National League Central.

Team president Tal Smith will take over as interim GM, while bench coach Cecil Cooper becomes interim manager.

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ATHLETICS 
Injured Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez should rejoin the A's on Monday. The hulking infielder has been on the disabled list since August 3 with a wonky back. Although he hit the 100 RBI mark four times between 2001 and 2005, the veteran appears to be on the downside of his career in 2007. Prior to the injury he was hitting .240 with 15 homers and 46 RBI.

CUBS 
Chicago could get their star leadoff man Alfonso Soriano back on Tuesday. The Cubs outfielder has been out of the lineup since injuring his quadriceps back on August 5. However, the club has publicly stated that they will be very careful with Soriano and will not rush him back if they do not think he has sufficiently healed. The Cubs face the Brewers on Tuesday.

GIANTS 
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Giants starter Russ Ortiz is finished for the year after deciding to undergo surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his pitching arm. It has been a miserable year for Ortiz who has been on the disabled list three times. Over the last couple of seasons, split between Arizona, Baltimore and San Francisco, the veteran has gone a combined 5-19. His 21-7 record with the Braves in 2003 sure seems like a long time ago right now.

INDIANS 
Cleveland catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez had another solid night at the plate on Monday, going 2-for-4 in the Tribe's 8-3 win over the Twins. With two RBI in the game the Venezuelan now has 92 on the season. With a strong finish the veteran could best his career-best mark of 108 RBI set back in 2004.
METS 
Sandy Alomar Jr.'s return to the big leagues was short and sweet. Called up by the Mets to provide some depth at catcher when Paul Lo Duca went down with a strained hamstring earlier this month, the former has been designated for assignment to make room for the latter's return. However, it's possible the former All-Star backstop could be back with the club when rosters are expanded in September.

PHILLIES 
Injured Philadelphia pitcher Cole Hamels was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Monday night. The 23-year-old All-Star has been out of action since straining his elbow on August 16. If he has no setbacks the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the flame-throwing right-hander could be back on the mound on Saturday or Sunday when the Phillies face the Marlins. Hamels is 14-5 with a 3.50 ERA and 156 strikeouts. In other Phillies injury news, pitcher Adam Eaton will likely be activated on Tuesday to start against the Mets. He has been sidelined since August 20 with a sore shoulder.

PIRATES 
He may be a bench player, but Josh Phelps is beginning to make a solid case for some more playing time in Pittsburgh. He has 10 hits in his last 13 at-bats (.769 AVG), including a pair of home runs and six RBI. The slugging first baseman was claimed off waivers in late June after beginning the year with the Yankees. On the year he is hitting .333 with seven round-trippers and 27 RBI in just 129 total at-bats.

RANGERS 
Texas shortstop Michael Young is getting a couple of days of rest as he tries to shake off the effects of a sore back. After sitting Sunday and relaxing on Monday's off-day, he should have some time to heal. Hoping to pass the 200-hit plateau fifth consecutive season, Young will need 44 hits in his last 33 games to hit the mark.

RED SOX 
When journeyman Bobby Kielty was picked up by Boston earlier this month, he was expected to provide a veteran bat off the bench. So far he has not disappointed. In fact, in his last few appearances he has been on fire, picking up five hits in his last nine at-bats (.556 AVG). With left fielder J.D. Drew continuing to struggle in his first year in Boston, Kielty could see more playing time in the season's final weeks.

TIGERS 
Detroit's Gary Sheffield was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday with a sore shoulder. The veteran has been bothered by the injury for some time as evidenced by his second half batting average of .220 with three homers and 13 RBI. Timo Perez was called up from Triple-A Toledo to take the available roster spot. Even with Sheffield on the sidelines on Monday, the Tigers managed to rout the Yankees 16-0.