Kinsler hits for the cycle

It apparently is the thing for second basemen to do.

Only two days after Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle, Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler did the same.

For Hudson, he became the first Dodger to hit for the cycle since 1970.

Gary Mathews Jr. was the last Ranger to hit for the cycle on September 13th (2006).

In the process, Kinsler recorded six hits and became only the second Rangers' player to do so.

Who's next?

Chase Utley? Dustin Pedroia? Brandon Phillips?

Evan Longoria to miss next two games

Per ESPN, Tampa Bay Rays slugger Evan Longoria will miss the Rays' next two games to head to California for a death in the family.

The most important thing is that he's there for his family.

But the second-year player isn't suffering a sophomore jinx. In fact, he has hit safely in all eight of his games while leading baseball in HRs (5) and batting (.441 average).

Willie Aybar will start in his place until Longoria returns Friday for the White Sox game.

Deja vu all over again for Chris Carpenter

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter was scratched from his last start of the spring due to a sore calf. But considering the ace's injury history, there was a feeling of deja vu all over again with Carpenter. Otherwise, he pitched extremely well this spring.

In the 10 innings Carpenter has pitched this season, he hasn't given up an earned run and has nine strikeouts.

But it's going to be a while before he pitches again.

Carpenter was placed on the 15-day disabled list today. He suffered a strained rib cage in his start yesterday at Arizona.

After feeling a pinch in the torso area after his last at bat in the game, it progressively got worse as he warmed up the next inning.

“I felt it just a little bit on that swing,” Carpenter said, “and then every warmup pitch it got worse and worse. There’s nothing I can do about it but come out.”

As Carpenter puts it, if you're a glass-half-guy kinda guy, it's a “fortunate thing” that the injury doesn't involve his elbow and/or shoulder.

Beckett appeals six-game suspension

Major League Baseball suspended Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett for six games after determining that Beckett, who is "shocked," intentionally threw at the head of Bobby Abreu last week.

Beckett has appealed the decision, which means he will likely make his next scheduled start on Saturday against the Orioles.

"We were pretty shocked," Beckett said before the Red Sox's game against the Athletics in Oakland, Calif. "I think the appeal speaks for everything that we feel. I respect the job they have to do, but I don't agree."

Whether the league upholds or reduces the suspension or not, it's always scary when someone who throws as hard as Beckett does comes close to someone's head.