This time: July 12-18
Previous installment: July 5-11

Numbers in parentheses indicate draft rounds. Visit our Draft Database for school and signing information. Subscribers can view scouting reports for many top picks as well as search for players by last name or state. Check out the Transactions Glossary for the key to deciphering the various inactive lists presented here.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Released: 1B Dan Kauffman
Recalled: 1B Josh Whitesell
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Bryan Augenstein, C Sean Coughlin, OF Alfredo Marte
Reinstated from DL: RHP Sean Morgan, LHP Taylor Sinclair, C Ed Easley, 1B Dan Kauffman, SS Ed Rogers, OF Ryne White

Atlanta Braves
Draft pick signed: RHP David Hale (3)
Released: SS Tyler Barnett
Optioned to Triple-A: LHP Jo-Jo Reyes, OF Gregor Blanco
Reinstated from DL: RHP Ryne Reynoso, 1B Ernesto Mejia

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: C Freuny Parra
Draft picks signed: LHP Aaron Wirsch (7), LHP Tim Berry (50)
Released: SS Jedidiah Stephen
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Raul Rivero, RHP Tim Bascom, 3B Jolbert Cabrera, OF Brian Conley
Placed on 60-day DL: LHP Tim Berry
Reinstated from DL: RHP Brandon Erbe, RHP Jean Carlos Reyes, OF Kraig Binick
Reinstated from inactive list: OF L.J. Hoes

Parra appears to have taken a year off after being cut by the Yankees in February ’08. He originally signed with New York as a nondrafted free agent from Connors State (Okla.) JC in June ’07.

Boston Red Sox
Recalled: RHP Clay Buchholz, SS Jed Lowrie
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Clay Buchholz, 1B Aaron Bates
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Kyle Weiland, OF Roberto Feliz
Reinstated from DL: RHP Caleb Clay, RHP Chad Povich, RHP Dave McKae, LHP Michael Bugary, C Carlos Maldonado
Placed on temporarily inactive list: RHP Randor Bierd

Buchholz earned the first start of the second half, and he pitched well enough, giving up a run on four hits to the Blue Jays in 5 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old then promptly earned a demotion back to Pawtucket, where he has gone 7-2, 2.36 in 16 starts, with a fine 89-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 99 innings. Though it’s not reflected here, the Red Sox subsequently recalled Buchholz to fill in for the injured Tim Wakefiled.

Chicago Cubs
Released: SS Anderson Machado
Optioned to Triple-A: OF Sam Fuld
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Dylan Johnston, RHP Su-Min Jung
Reinstated from DL: LHP John Gaub

Chicago White Sox
Released: RHP Justin Kuehn
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Levi Maxwell, RHP Sergio Santos
Reinstated from DL: OF Jared Mitchell, OF Lee Cruz, OF Sergio Morales

Mitchell, the 23rd overall pick this June from Louisiana State, returned from his DL stint and went 4-for-9 with a pair of doubles in his first three games for low Class A Kannapolis. He signed a bit later, on July 7, because he was otherwise occupied during the Tigers’ run to a College World Series title.

Cincinnati Reds
Recalled: 2B Drew Sutton, 3B Adam Rosales
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Josh Roenicke
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Sam LeCure
Reinstated from inactive list: LHP Ben Jukich

Cleveland Indians
Released: RHP Masahide Kobayashi
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Eddie Burns, OF Jerad Head
Reinstated from DL: RHP Gregorio Rosario

An accomplished closer for Bobby Valentine’s Chiba Lottte Marines in the Pacific League, Kobayashi never did make an impact in this country as he had in Japan, where he, Kazuhiro Sasaki and Shingo Takatsu are the only relievers to ever accumulate 200 saves. In two seasons with the Indians, the 35-year-old Kobayashi compiled a 5.10 ERA and managed a pedestrian 39-to-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 65 innings. The Indians had outrighted him to Triple-A Columbus in May.

Colorado Rockies
Released: RHP Franklin Nunez
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Stephen Dodson, SS Warren Schaeffer
Placed on 60-day DL: C Bryce Massanari, C Chris Vasami
Reinstated from DL: RHP Chris Malone, LHP Christian Friedrich, OF Kevin Clark

Detroit Tigers
Signed: LHP Ryan Ketchner
Placed on suspended list: SS Gustavo Nunez
Placed on restricted list: OF Keith Stein
Recalled: RHP Ryan Perry
Reinstated from DL: OF Keith Stein

Recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, Ketchner, 27, signed on with the Tigers, where he’ll continue his quest to be the first deaf big league pitcher in more than a century. The last? Luther "Dummy" Taylor, who last pitched for the New York Giants in 1908. (Yes, nicknames bore a sharper edge back then.) Ketchner previously has been a member of the Dodgers’ and Padres’ 40-man rosters. A Mariners’ 10th-round pick back in ’00, he made his way back to that organization for the ’08 season, when he went 7-6, 4.75 in 25 games for Double-A West Tenn.

Florida Marlins
Draft pick signed: 1B Dustin Dickerson (6)
Released: RHP Derell McCall, RHP Scott Williamson
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Luis Ayala
Optioned to Double-A: LHP Sean West
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Adalberto Mendez, RHP Ketnold Noel, LHP Brandon Barrow, LHP Matt Vieira, 1B Ricky Orton
Reinstated from DL: RHP Brandon Todd, RHP Derell McCall, RHP Ketnold Noel, RHP Scott Williamson, 2B Michael Brady, OF Kyle Jensen
Placed on temporarily inactive list: SS Chase Austin
Reinstated from inactive list: RHP Rick VandenHurk, SS Chase Austin

Williamson, 33, appeared in 16 games for the Orioles in ’07, but since then he’s appeared exclusively in the minor leagues—but only 24 times as he’s recovered from injury. The Tigers brought him on to begin the ’09 season, but he was rocked for eight runs in 5 1/3 innings for Triple-A Toledo. Released, Williamson signed with the Marlins in late June, only to make one poor outing in the Gulf Coast League: one-third of an inning, two hits, three runs, two walks, one hit batter, one wild pitch. Williamson actually has spent each of the past four years on the split-organization plan. The A-sides: Cubs, Orioles, Braves and Tigers. The B’s: Padres, Yankees, Mariners and Marlins. He also spent about a month early in ’08 as a Giant, though he was cut early in spring training.

If it’s the end of the line for Williamson, the ’99 NL Rookie of the Year, he had a fine, if injury-plagued, big league career as a reliever, predominantly with the Reds. He made 344 appearances and compiled a 3.36 ERA to go with 510 strikeouts in 439 innings. Pitching for the Red Sox in ’03, Williamson struck out 14 batters in eight postseason innings, saving three games and winning two others.

Houston Astros
Released: OF Danny Meier, OF Eli Iorg
Recalled: LHP Wesley Wright
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Chad Paronto
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Felipe Paulino
Reinstated from DL: SS Ricardo Bonfante, OF Eli Iorg
Placed on temporarily inactive list: 3B Chad Spann

The 38th overall pick in ’05, Iorg signed out of Tennessee for $900,000 but never has developed into the player the Astros had envisioned. Off to a good start with high Class A Salem in ’07, Iorg batted .296/.350/.512 through 44 games, but then he had Tommy John surgery as the result of an awkward dive back into first base. He hasn’t found his stroke in either Double-A or Triple-A, and the 26-year-old batted .209/.227/.302 in 20 games for Round Rock this season.

Kansas City Royals
Draft pick signed: OF Lane Adams (13)
Released: RHP Oscar Villarreal, OF Tommy Murphy
Optioned to Triple-A: OF Mitch Maier
Outrighted to Triple-A and removed from 40-man: SS Luis Hernandez
Placed on restricted list: OF Joe Dickerson
Placed on 7-day DL: OF Brian Buchanan
Reinstated from DL: RHP Oscar Villarreal, OF Joe Dickerson

Los Angeles Angels
Signed: RHP Adam Clerici (NDFA—Newman (Kan.))
Draft pick signed: RHP Garrett Richards (1s)
Released: RHP Abraham Gonzalez, RHP Rudy Seanez
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Jordan Walden, LHP Will Smith, OF Branden Florence, OF Rian Kiniry
Reinstated from DL: RHP Rudy Seanez, RHP Vladimir Veras, SS Ryan Mount

Los Angeles Dodgers
Recalled: 2B Blake DeWitt
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Nick DeBarr, 3B Austin Gallagher, OF Jamie Hoffmann

Milwaukee Brewers
Released: RHP Marcus Salmon
Placed on restricted list: RHP Cody Adams
Option transferred: C Carlos Corporan (high Class A to Triple-A)
Outrighted to Triple-A and removed from 40-man: LHP Chris Narveson
Reinstated from DL: LHP Chase Wright, LHP Jose Romero

Adams garnered a 50-game suspension for testing positive for an amphetamine.

Minnesota Twins
Signed: OF Max Kepler
Released: 3B Daniel Berg
Recalled: 2B Alexi Casilla
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Kevin Mulvey
Optioned to Triple-A: C Jose Morales, 2B Matt Tolbert

Kepler, a 16-year-old German outfielder, signed for what might be the highest bonus ever for a prospect from Europe.

New York Mets
Signed: SS Angel Berroa
Released: OF Ruben Martinez
Placed on suspended list: RHP John Holdzkom
Added to 40-man roster: SS Angel Berroa
Optioned to Triple-A: 2B Argenis Reyes
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Nick Abbott
Placed on temporarily inactive list: LHP Arturo Lopez
Reinstated from inactive list: RHP John Holdzkom, OF Cesar Puello, OF Javier Rodriguez

New York Yankees
Draft pick signed: RHP Mariel Checo (41)
Option transferred: LHP Mike Dunn (Double-A to Triple-A)
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Zach McAllister, 1B Jorge Alberto Vazquez
Reinstated from DL: OF James Cooper

Oakland Athletics
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Jeff Gray
Placed on 7-day DL: OF Corey Brown
Reinstated from DL: RHP Dan Thomas, LHP Bob Cramer, 2B Corey Wimberly, 3B Jeff Baisley
Placed on temporarily inactive list: RHP Daniel Barone

Philadelphia Phillies
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Jason Knapp, RHP Julian Sampson, C Tuffy Gosewisch, 3B Orlando Guevara, SS Jesus Villegas Andino
Reinstated from DL: RHP Scott Mathieson, SS Freddy Galvis, OF Domonic Brown
Reinstated from inactive list: 3B Orlando Guevara

Pittsburgh Pirates
Released: RHP Brian Slocum, C Ronald Pena, OF Adam Boeve
Option transferred: OF Lastings Milledge (high Class A to Triple-A)
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Tyler Herron, C Kris Watts, 2B Ciro Rosero, 3B Brett Willemburg, 3B Jamie Romak
Reinstated from DL: RHP Derek Hankins, C Andrew Walker, C Joel Collins, 2B Ciro Rosero, 3B Neil Walker, SS Greg Picart, OF Adam Boeve

It only seems like Milledge has been around forever. An ’03 first-round pick out of high school, the 24-year-old joined the Pirates, his third organization in seven pro seasons, in June when the Nationals decided they had to have Nyjer Morgan. Because he was recovering from a broken finger, though, Milledge didn’t immediately suit up for Pittsburgh. Once healthy, he eased back into things with Lynchburg before being promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis, a level of play he’s quite familiar with. Milledge has spent part of the past four seasons in Triple-A.

St. Louis Cardinals
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Blake Hawksworth, 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Brett Zawacki, RHP Scott Bittle, 1B Mark Hamilton, OF Daryl Jones
Reinstated from DL: RHP Eddie Degerman, RHP Jared Bradford, LHP Jonny Bravo, LHP Kristhiam Linares

San Diego Padres
Recalled: OF Drew Macias
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Mat Latos
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Ryan Webb
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Nick Vincent, RHP Rolando Valdez, LHP Cory Luebke, 3B Justin Baum

The 21-year-old Latos has come further this season than just about any prospect. He signed for $1.2 million as an ’06 draft-and-follow, but coming into the year he had no meaningful experience in full-season ball. Perceptions of Latos as immature or an underachiever stuck with him about as long as it took him to reach Double-A, which he did, somewhat surprisingly, in late May. Nine starts later he was in San Diego, striking out four Rockies in four innings while surrendering two runs. Latos didn’t win that game, obviously, but if he continues his development on this track, his matriculation to the big leagues is a huge win for the Padres organization. He went 8-1, 1.37 in 11 minor league starts, racking up 73 strikeouts, 12 walks and only one home run allowed over 72 1/3 innings.

San Francisco Giants
Signed: RHP Devan Kline (NDFA—Central Michigan)
Option transferred: RHP Ryan Sadowski (high Class A to Triple-A)
Placed on 7-day DL: 2B Brad Boyer
Reinstated from DL: RHP Manuel Cabeza, OF Francisco Peguero
Reinstated from inactive list: LHP David Quinowski

Seattle Mariners
Draft picks signed: LHP James Gillheeney (8), 3B Shaver Hansen (6), OF James Jones (4), OF Matt Cerione (13)
Released: OF Gavin Dickey, OF Steve Moss
Placed on suspended list: RHP Taylor Lewis, RHP Victor Duarte, LHP Nick Czyz, C Guy Welsh
Placed on restricted list: RHP Taylor Lewis, RHP Victor Duarte, LHP Nick Czyz, C Guy Welsh
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Brodie Downs, RHP Luis Pena, C Fleming Baez
Reinstated from DL: RHP Brett Lorin, RHP Gaby Hernandez, 3B Matt Tuiasosopo, OF Maximo Mendez
Reinstated from inactive list: RHP Taylor Lewis, RHP Victor Duarte, LHP Nick Czyz, C Guy Welsh

Tampa Bay Rays
Released: RHP Chris Mason
Recalled: C John Jaso
Optioned to Triple-A: C John Jaso
Option transferred: LHP Jake McGee (Triple-A to high Class A)
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Jesse Darcy, RHP Shane Dyer, 3B Greg Sexton, SS Brandon Chaves
Reinstated from DL: RHP Richard de los Santos, LHP Jake McGee, OF Jason Corder

A second-round pick in ’05 and the Double-A Southern League’s pitcher of the year just two years ago, Mason struggled to find success in Triple-A, where he worked mostly as a reliever after bombing as a starter for Durham in ’08 (3-9, 6.38). He didn’t fare much better in relief, where the 24-year-old struck out 13 and walked 12 for Durham last year and posted a 6.24 ERA while back with Montgomery this season.

McGee returns from Tommy John surgery that knocked him out for most of ’08.

Texas Rangers
Signed: RHP Brock Piper (NDFA—Auburn-Montgomery)
Released: RHP Orlando Hernandez, 1B Nate Gold
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Tae Kyung Ahn, LHP Glenn Swanson, LHP Juan Grullon
Reinstated from DL: RHP Kennil Gomez

Toronto Blue Jays
Draft pick signed: SS Ryan Goins (4)
Released: 1B Brett Harper
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Celson Polanco, RHP Kyle Ginley, SS Bryan Kervin
Reinstated from DL: RHP Brian Wolfe, LHP Frank Gailey, C J.P. Arencibia

Washington Nationals
Released: C Javi Herrera
Recalled: RHP Garrett Mock
Optioned to Triple-A: LHP Ross Detwiler
Option transferred: SS Ian Desmond (Double-A to Triple-A)
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Brad Meyers, RHP Pat Lehman, SS Dan Lyons, SS Marcos Yepez
Reinstated from DL: LHP Ricardo Pecina, SS Freddie Bynum, SS Jemel Spearman
Placed on temporarily inactive list: SS Nick Arata