MLB notes: Brewers 2B Weeks out for season

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks will miss the rest of the season because of a tear in his left wrist, a severe setback for the NL Central leaders.

Weeks, who had a similar injury to his right wrist in 2006, hurt himself while striking out Sunday in St. Louis. He left Busch Stadium wearing a brace and underwent an MRI exam Monday in Arizona that revealed the extent of the damage.

"We're going to miss the guy," manager Ken Macha said before Monday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. "He was having a tremendous year, a great start. But nobody's going to feel sorry for you."

The Brewers had won 11 of 13 and led the division by 1½ games over the Cubs, recovering from a 4-9 start with Weeks as a catalyst.

"I was enjoying myself watching him play," Macha said. "This is one tough guy, a grinder, very intense. It's a shame."

The oft-injured Weeks was hitting .272 with 9 home runs and 24 RBIs. His homer total ranked second among NL second basemen behind Philadelphia's Chase Utley, who had 10.

Craig Counsell filled both of Weeks' roles, second base and leadoff, on Monday, and was hitting .339 with a homer and 7 RBI. Macha said the 38-year-old Counsell is not likely to be the everyday second baseman because of his versatility off the bench, plus noted he had some knee problems in spring training.

Earlier postseason start times: Following record-low ratings for last year's World Series between Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, Major League Baseball and Fox are moving up the start times this year.

Weeknight games in the World Series and AL championship series will begin at 6:57 p.m. CDT, more than a half-hour before last year's first-pitch times.

"Over the last few years, games have been ending a bit later than we'd like," Fox Sports president Ed Goren said in a statement. "This new schedule ... should help fans of all ages see weeknight games from start to finish."

Around the horn: New York Mets slugger Carlos Delgado (.298, 4 HRs, 23 RBI) will have surgery today on his right hip, and there's no immediate word on when he might return to the lineup. ... Braves left-hander Tom Glavine threw 3 simulated innings Monday, another step in the 300-game winner's plans for a rehab assignment this week. ... The Oakland Athletics put pitcher Dan Giese (0-3, 5.32 ERA) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled left-hander Gio Gonzalez from Triple-A Sacramento. Also, injured infielder Nomar Garciaparra may return Wednesday.