San Francisco placed Chad Zerbe on the disabled list yesterday. Zerbe started for the Giants on Thursday in place of Jason Schmidt, but this injury evidently isn't the result of the reliever overexerting himself on the mound. During his one at-bat in the game, Zerbe strained a rib-cage muscle. While he probably doesn't need a full 15 days to recover from the injury, he wasn't going to be available out of the pen for a few days and San Francisco wanted the roster space. Unless the Giants are reluctant to give up the roster spot, I expect him to rejoin the team within a few days of August 9th when he is first eligible to leave the DL.

Jason Schmidt left his July 19th start with tightness in his right forearm. Schmidt suffers from a mild recurring case of tendinitis in his right flexor tendon, which has flared up again. However, both San Francisco and Schmidt believe that skipping Thursday's start at least will clear up the problem and allow him to avoid missing significant time later in the season.

The Giants activated LHP Kirk Rueter from the DL to fill Zerbe's roster spot. Rueter left his July 8th start against St. Louis in the second inning due to what the team called a strained shoulder. He hit the disabled list two days later. However, an MRI revealed no structural damage to the shoulder, so after resting for a bit, he resumed throwing. Rejoining the team after little more than a minimum stay on the DL, Rueter pitched solidly in his start yesterday and appears fully recovered from his shoulder problem.

Brian Powell filled the roster spot opened when Rueter went on the DL earlier in the month. Powell spot started in place of Rueter, allowing 8 H, including three home runs in 4.2 IP with a 3:1 K:BB for a 13.50 ERA. He then spent a week on the bench before San Francisco sent him back to AAA Fresno in the Pacific Coast League. Yesterday, San Francisco dealt Powell to Philadelphia for player to be named later. Considering, Powell has compiled a 59:32 K:BB with 118 H and 10 HR allowed in 101 IP for a 4.19 ERA over 23 appearances at AAA, including 15 starts, I'm not sure why the Phillies were interested and hope they didn't give up anyone of much value. Powell has little chance of returning to the majors with Philadelphia this year, as Amaury Telemaco and Josh Hancock should both be ahead of him in line for spot starts.

When the Giants sent down Powell, they called up Kevin Correia to fill his roster spot. San Francisco drafted Correia out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fourth round of the 2002 draft. While he spent the remainder of last season at Salem-Keiser in the Short-Season Northwest League, the 22-year-old went straight to AA Norwich in the Eastern League. After compiling a 73:30 K:BB with 80 H and 3 HR allowed in 86.1 IP for a 3.65 ERA over 16 appearances, including 14 starts, Correia moved up to AAA Fresno. However, he only remained at Fresno for one day before the Giants called him up for his major league debut.

Correia made his debut in relief of Damian Moss in the 7th inning of the Giants' July 10th game in Colorado. Jay Payton, as the first major league batter ever to face Correia, lined out to center. Correia returned to pitch the eighth. During that inning, he gave up the first major league hit of his career to Juan Uribe, racked his first K by striking Greg Vaughn out looking, and issued his first walk to Mark Bellhorn. He didn't pitch again before the Giants demoted him on the 13th.