Starting Five: Watch Out for That Tree!

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That talk about maple bats has died down since last year, but the problem is still there. For proof, look at what nearly happened to Red Sox shortstop Nick Green during Wednesday night's game. The Nationals' Elijah Dukes shattered his bat on a swing, with the pieces of the bat and the ball heading simultaneously toward Green.

Green managed to avoid both. The ball got into the outfield for a hit, but the threat to Green was apparent when the shattered barrel of Dukes bat stuck in the ground like a stake near Green.

"It's scary to see a bat go flying that far," pitcher Jon Lester said. "I thought they did some research this offseason to try to figure that stuff out, but obviously we've still got a long ways to go. You've got to take cover. It's a tough play to make when you've got a bat head flying at you looking to take your head off."

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From The Trainers' Room...
Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said he felt better after the game, even though he came out earlier because of a "twinge" in his previously-injured left hamstring. Longoria, who missed six games with that injury earlier this season, was hurt legging out a double in the sixth inning. He went to play defense in the seventh and didn't loosen up, so he came out of the game.

"I didn't feel the same shooting sharp pain that I did the last time, and that's a good thing," Longoria said.

By The Numbers...
Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo probably won't want to pitch on June 24 at Toronto for the rest of his career. Arroyo pitched at Toronto on that date two years in a row, and this year gave up seven runs in 3 2/3 innings, and that was by far the better of the two starts. Last year the Blue Jays thumped him to the tune of 10 runs in one inning.

In Their Own Words...
"It was an ugly game and I was unhappy with my performance. That's all I have to say." -- Cubs right-hander Rich Harden, who gave up four runs (two earned) and walked four in 5 1/3 innings at Detroit. Harden has a 4.95 ERA this season, which would be a career-worst.

Advance Scouting...
Red Sox right-hander John Smoltz will make his debut with his new team, starting against the Nationals in Washington (7:05 PM ET). It will be Smoltz's first apperance for a team other than the Braves. A likely Hall of Famer, Smoltz missed the first half of the season rehabbing from shoulder surgery. The Nationals will counter with Jordan Zimmermann, their touted young prospect. Smoltz, 42, was pitching in the Florida State League when Zimmermann, 23, was born.