PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phillies placed first baseman Ryan Howard on the 15-day disabled list Saturday due to left knee inflammation. Howard originally was in Saturdays starting lineup but was a late scratch. The three-time All-Star has struggled while playing through the knee injury, batting .266 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs this season. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro said Howard would have an MRI on Sunday or Monday. "It got to the point where its time for him to get off of it, the discomfort is too great," Amaro said. "This is a big blow to us." The Phillies called up Darin Ruf from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Howards place. Ruf batted .266 with seven homers and 46 RBIs at Lehigh Valley. He had two homers and nine RBIs in 57 at-bats for the Phillies last season. Nike React Womens Canada . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Nike React Cheap . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. http://www.cheapnikereactcanada.com/ . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. Cheap Nike React Canada . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Nike React Canada . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. SAN DIEGO -- Archie Bradley could be safe Tuesday night.There doesnt seem to be any animosity between the Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks in their battle for last place in the National League West.That certainly wasnt the case for Bradley in his most recent start against the division-leading Dodgers last Thursday at Chase Field in Phoenix.Bradley came hard inside when pitching rival Rich Hill was trying to put down a sacrifice bunt and the Dodger claimed the pitch hit his left index finger as well as the bat.Words were exchanged and benches cleared in the latest dust-up between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks dating back to 2013.Its just two guys playing the game hard, nothing more than that, Bradley said after the Dodgers game. I was going in before he squared to bunt. Maybe the pitch was more in than it should have been. Its the game so, sorry.There should be no such problems Tuesday night at Petco Park as the right-handed Bradley (7-9, 5.07 earned run average) squares off against Padres right-hander Paul Clemens, who is 2-5 with a 4.84 ERA in 13 appearances (nine starts) as a Padre.Bradley, who was Arizonas first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 2011 draft, is 3-1 with three quality starts and a 5.19 ERA over his last five starts.Archie has had his best stuff the last couple times out, said Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale. Mechanically, he is much better. His fastball velocity has been up, his breaking ball has been good and his changeup has been workingg for him.ddddddddddddBradley will be making his fourth start against the Padres. He is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA (12 earned runs in 18 innings) against the Padres.Clemens, meanwhile, is coming off his best start as a Padre. On Sept. 12 in San Francisco, Clemens shut out the Giants on three hits and a walk over five innings while battling the flu.It was quite an effort, said Padres manager Andy Green. He didnt feel well at all.The performance still left some questions.Clemens has yet to go beyond 5 1/3 innings in any of his nine starts. And his velocity has fallen off in the fourth innings of most of his outings.We can judge anything off how he pitched in San Francisco, said Green. But to be a major league starter, you need to be able to pitch into the sixth and the seventh and carry your stuff and velocity.Because of the flu, Clemens was given an extra two days off before facing the Diamondbacks for the third time this season and the second time as a starter. On Aug. 18, Clemens gave up three runs to the Diamondbacks on eight hits and three walks in just five innings.I still dont think Ive shown what I can really do, said Clemens. Im getting closer, but Im not where I want to be yet.The Padres and Diamondbacks enter Tuesday nights game in a deadheat for fourth -- or last -- in the National League West. Both teams have 63-87 records. ' ' '