Injuries Pile Up; So Do The W's

A rash of injuries as of late have left the Flash scrambling to assemble a 25-man team, but you wouldn't know it by looking at their recent stretch of games. Despite losing 3B Cozy Thomas to a tight groin and SP Benny Aybar to a strained shoulder, both essential pieces to the team, the Flash have streaked to a 10-2 record over their last 12 games. And, of course, CF Willie Campos remains on the DL with his torn knee ligament.

How have they done it? The Flash have gotten contributions from everyone available, despite the grind of the long season. SP Julio Reynoso, acquired earlier this season from Colorado Springs, will temporarily man Aybar's position on the squad after receiving a callup from AAA. The 25-year-old made his ML debut one to remember by spinning a complete-game victory in which he looked dominant until the later innings, when his slider flattened out a bit.

Used to being surrounded by talented hitters like Thomas and Campos, SS Richard Takada has put the offense on his back of late. He leads all players in the majors in both HRs and RBIs, and his steady production in the middle of the lineup amid an ever-growing cast of characters hitting around him has kept the team not only afloat, but prospering.

1B Davy Hausmann, who was the benefactor of a callup when Campos went down, personifies the total-team effort the Flash have gotten out of their roster en route to the NL's best record. Hausmann has announced his major league arrival with authority, hitting .327 with 1 HR per 11 ABs during his limited playing time. "This is something that's instilled in us at AAA all the time. Especially at that level, the call could come at any time, and you've got to be ready to contribute for your team. I'm just doing the best I can, hoping to build off the success of the guys already up here who have brought the team this far," said Hausmann.

Those interested in the return dates of the injured Flash should expect to see Thomas back in action first, in about a week. Following him will be the much anticipated return of Campos a few days later. Aybar, unfortunately, will likely miss his next 3 starts, all of which should fall into Reynoso's hands.

All-Star Reliever Added for Stretch Run

Reports indicate that the Philadelphia Flash and Detroit Great Lake St have agreed to a deal that would bring RP Earle Edmonds to the Flash in exchange for 2 minor league pitchers, pending league approval. With the Transaction Deadline fast approaching it seemed the Flash might remain idle, but their long search for an affordable reliever finally bore fruit in the eleventh hour.

Edmonds, most notably famous for the trademark sunglasses he wears while he's on the mound, has been the Closer in Detroit for 3+ seasons, and has enjoyed much success in that role. Edmonds has 125 career saves, and a 91% save success rate. He also is a 3-time former all-star. It is unclear if Edmonds will usurp RP Rafael Perez' closer role, either immediately or during the playoffs.

For their part, the Flash packaged High A SP Nick Beck and Low A RP Chris Graves. Those in the know might remember Beck as the 49th overall draft pick in Season 1. He has posted good numbers in the minor leagues, and could very well be an important cog in a big league rotation someday. Graves, already 24 and still in Low A ball, also posted servicable numbers during his work in the Philly farm, but management has said he was not a part of their long-term plans.

The rest of the NL East had been rather busy in recent weeks picking up pieces for the final portion of the schedule while the Flash had stood pat. But GM Sour Surfer said this deal made too much sense to pass up. "Detroit had a lot of high payroll guys that weren't producing, so they needed to get younger, and we needed to tool up for the playoffs. Our bullpen is a bit of a soft underbelly for us, but we think Edmonds really gives us a shot to do big things this year."

As for that "beleaguered" Flash bullpen, only 25-year-old RP Albert Rosado has an ERA over 4 at 5.40, though he has only worked 5.0 innings this season. It seems likely that Rosado will be optioned to AAA once Edmonds joins the club.