Tuesday notes: Smoak to the bereavement list, Peguero up, Bradley just fine

Update…We have just been told that Justin’s father has passed away. Our condolences go out to Justin and his family.

When I walked into the clubhouse today I saw a face I did not expect I would see for at least a couple of months. Carlos Peguero had been called up. Peguero had made quite an impression in spring training both with his size and strength as well as what looked to be an improved approach at the plate. The outfielder in his first 12 games at AAA was hitting .311 with an .891 OPS and seven runs driven in.

It was exciting to see the kid whose feet hadn’t quite touched the ground yet, but that excitement was soon muted when a press release was put in my hand that informed me that the move was made because Justin Smoak had been put on the bereavement list.

“His dad is ill,” Eric Wedge told reporters. “He has returned home and we will leave it at that.”

Terrible news for a good kid. Justin has been dealing with this for some time and if you are one to give out prayers please say a few for him today. It’s the reality of baseball. You just don’t get much time to deal with life and life happens, even for these guys.

Justin can spend 3-7 days on the bereavement list but Wedge said he would give him all the time he needed.

As for Peguero, the skipper looks to get him into a game soon.

“He’s not in the lineup today but we will get him in there,” Wedge said.

Peguero has been primarily a center fielder but here he will play left and DH. Despite his 6-5, 247-pound size he moves well and can even steal a base here and there.

At first expect to see a Chris Gimenez/Adam Kennedy platoon.

One note: Several have asked me if Milton Bradley can hear in the outfield with the earplugs in. Since you couldn’t ask the skipper, I did. Here is what he had to say about the outfield communication.

“Yeah, Milton is fine,” he said with a chuckle. “It is more of a focus for him, it helps him to concentrate and allows him to stay in the zone a little bit better. It is just one of those things if it helps him, then so be it. It is my job ultimately to manage everybody and put them in the best position to succeed and whatever he has to do that then that’s what we are going to do. But in regards to communication, he’s fine.”