Anaheim placed Adam Kennedy on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring yesterday. Kennedy injured his leg in a collision with Tim Salmon in the outfield while chasing a fly ball a week earlier. After the collision, Kennedy developed a bad bruise on the back of his leg. He thought that he'd be able to return to the field after spending a couple days on the bench, but the team now feels that if he continues to play even part time he risks a bad strain turning into a tear.

He'll probably spend at least another week just resting before attempting to resume any baseball activities and I suspect that before he returns he'll spend a week on a rehab assignment. Consequently, late April is an optimistic target for his return and early May seems more probable.

While no other Angels seem headed for the DL at the moment, several have been bothered by minor problems, which have left them as day-to-day in the first two weeks of the season. Anaheim was able to keep their club quite healthy last season, which contributed to their ability to make the playoffs. Even if they avoid major injuries, if these constant day-to-day problems continue to take a guy or two out of the lineup on a regular basis, they will have difficulty pacing the tough competition in their division.

Anaheim promoted Chone Figgins from AAA to fill Kennedy's roster spot and help cover second base in his absence. Before he was promoted to the majors in late August, Figgins spent all of 2002 at AAA Salt Lake. At AAA, he demonstrated solid plate discipline marginal power skills and considerable speed skills. Despite a weak performance during his brief stint in the majors last year and in the Arizona Fall League after the World Series, if Anaheim had needed a starter at second base this season I would have recommended Figgins receive a shot at the job. However, since Adam Kennedy was secure as the starter and Benji Gil laid claim to any extra second base at-bats, returning Figgins to AAA this year made the most sense.

Colorado drafted Figgins out of high school with their fourth round pick of the 1997 draft, but the Rockies traded him to Anaheim for Kimera Bartee in July of 2001. After skipping A-ball, he spent two years at A+ Salem in the Carolina League. However, since then he's received a full year at AA and another at AAA, so his development has moved steadily forward. While Gil may continue to start against left-handed pitchers, the switch-hitting Figgins will likely receive the majority of the second base playing time. As long as the 25-year-old maintains the plate discipline he's displayed in the minors, the Angels shouldn't lose much production from second while Kennedy is out.

The Angels have not yet made any other changes to their 25-man roster this season, though early last week, Anaheim claimed Elio Serrano off waivers from Colorado, who had claimed him off waivers from Philadelphia during the off-season.

Serrano was a good pick up for the Angels and should provide them with a solid middle relief option in case of injury to a member of their pen. In order to clear room for Serrano on the 40-man, Anaheim sent Mark Lukasiewicz through waivers to remove him from the roster. I don't think the move would have been worth the cost if they had lost Lukasiewicz on waivers. He's a capable pitcher and the only three lefties remaining on the Angels' 40-man roster are Jarrod Washburn, Scott Schoeneweis, and Eric Cyr. Meanwhile, many free agent pitchers as good or better than Serrano signed minor league deals this off-season. However, Anaheim picked their bets wisely and their gamble paid off.

Philadelphia broke camp with Chase Utley on the bench, because they felt like they would only need eleven pitchers on the roster for the first couple of weeks of the season. However, the Phillies worked their bullpen hard during over the first few days of the new year, so by Saturday they were anxious to have another pitcher in the bullpen. The club then demoted Utley as planned for a 12th pitcher, Eric Junge.

I discussed Junge when he received his September cup-of-coffee last season. He should provide the Phillies with solid multi-inning relief outings and could even be used as a spot starter if needed. However, he may not be on the roster long, as Brandon Duckworth is scheduled to return from the disabled list next week. Philadelphia probably will move Joe Roa to the bullpen when Duckworth returns and send Junge back to AAA.

The Phillies drafted Utley out of UCLA with the 15th overall pick of the first round of the 2000 draft. After the draft, he headed to the Phillies Short-Season New York-Pennsylvania League team at Batavia. He advanced to A+ Clearwater in the Florida State League for the 2001 season and jumped straight to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year. Utley began his professional career as a second baseman, moved to third last year, and has returned to second base in 2003.

Despite skipping AA, the 24-year-old displayed solid plate discipline, moderate power, and marginal speed skills while learning a new position. However, spending another season in AAA working on his contact rate will allow him to make a stronger entrance into the league.

During his first trip to the majors, Utley appeared in only one game for only one at-bat. He made his major league debut as a pinch hitter for Joe Roa in the second inning of the Phillies' April 4th game against Pittsburgh. Utley will have to wait until his next promotion for his first major league hit, as he struck out swinging against Jeff Suppan.