Low & Outside: AL Notes

Indians catcher and former Phillie Lou Marson was already leading the league in caught-stealing percentage.

Then the White Sox' Alexei Ramirez made a play for second Sunday, and Marson's rocket launcher of a right arm nailed him with a throw to Luis Valbuena, raising Marson's season record to 39 percent (16 caught of 41), according to Baseball-Reference.com.

Marson didn't have a long history here, from September 2008 to July 2009, but he was part of the trade that brought Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco from Cleveland. He had been a football quarterback in high school in Arizona before switching to baseball.

At 2009 spring training, pitcher Jamie Moyer praised Marson's skills. Assistant GM Chuck LaMar said then that his "strength has actually become his ability to run the game. . . . That is unique for a converted catcher. We think he's one of the finest catching prospects in baseball."

Jerry Stephenson, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the 1967 World Series, has passed away at age 66. Family spokesman Steve Brener said he died Sunday at his home in Anaheim, Calif., of cancer.

He was 8-19 with Boston, the Seattle Pilots, and the Los Angeles Dodgers over seven years. His high point was '67, when he went 3-1 with one save for the "Impossible Dream" Red Sox.

Stephenson scouted for the Dodgers for 25 years, then for the Red Sox for 14 years before retiring in October.

The funeral will be Friday in Anaheim. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation.

Wee Willie Keeler's diary from the 1896 Temple Cup Series - a precursor to the World Series - is for sale online by SCP Auctions. Keeler, known for saying, "Hit 'em where they ain't," helped the Baltimore Orioles sweep the Cleveland Spiders. His 45-game hitting streak is second only to Joe DiMaggio's 56.

The Red Sox put closer Jonathan Papelbon on the bereavement list for three days and activated righty Boof Bonser. . . . The Indians activated infielder Andy Marte from the 15-day DL and optioned outfielder Matt LaPorta to triple-A Columbus. . . . The Mariners put designated hitter Mike Sweeney on the 15-day DL and recalled infielder Mike Carp.