Voice of Valeri » 2010 » July

2010 MLB Trade Deadline Recap

Marc Valeri — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 01:56:48 +0000

What’s up peepulation? I’m away at my cottage this weekend, so I found a basic recap of the 2010 trade deadline via MLBTR via BlackBerry.

AL East

The defending World Champs made as many trades as anyone over the past two days. First they acquired Lance Berkman and cash from the Astros for minor leaguers Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes, then they pounced on Austin Kearns at the cost of a player to be named later or cash. Today they added Kerry Wood, sending Cleveland a player to be named later and cash considerations.

The Rays responded by strengthening their bullpen with the acquisition of Chad Qualls, who cost them a player to be named later.

Boston acquired Jarrod Saltalamacchia from the Rangers for minor leaguers Roman Mendez and Chris McGuiness, a player to be named later, and $350,000.

AL Central

The White Sox fortified their rotation by acquiring Edwin Jackson from Arizona in exchange for Daniel Hudson and David Holmberg.

Even with Jon Rauch doing a fine job in the interim, the Twins solidified the ninth inning by acquiring closer Matt Capps from the Nationals. They gave up Wilson Ramos and Joe Testa.

After suffering a string of injuries, the Tigers acquired Jhonny Peralta from the Indians for minor league lefty Giovanni Soto.

AL West

The first place Rangers continued to position themselves for a playoff run. With Lee and Bengie Molina already aboard, they went out and acquired Jorge Cantu from the Marlins in exchange for minor league arms Evan Reed and Omar Poveda.They also brought in Cristian Guzman, sending minor leaguers Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark to the Nationals. Texas also received $2MM in the deal.

NL East

The division-leading Braves added depth to their bullpen and outfield by acquiring Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel from the Royals for Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco, and Tim Collins. Atlanta also acquired Wilkin Ramirez from the Tigers in a minor deal.

A few days before the actual deadline, the Phillies made a huge splash and acquired Roy Oswalt and $11MM from the Astros in exchange for J.A. Happ and prospects Anthony Gose, and Jonathan Villar.

The Marlins bought instead of sold, receiving lefty reliever Will Ohman from the Orioles in exchange for Rick Vanden Hurk.

NL Central

The most complicated trade of the deadline involved three teams and four players. The Cardinals received starter Jake Westbrook and prospect Nick Greenwood, the Padres outfielder Ryan Ludwick, and the Indians prospect Corey Kluber.

The Pirates took advantage of the Diamondbacks’ sale, acquiring Chris Snyder, minor leaguer Pedro Ciriaco, and $3MM in exchange for Bobby Crosby, D.J. Carrasco, and Ryan Church.

After trading away Oswalt, the Astros turned around and flipped Gose to the Blue Jays for the suddenly well-traveled Brett Wallace.

NL West

The division-leading Padres added a veteran presence in Miguel Tejada, sending minor league pitcher Wynn Pelzer to Baltimore.

Despite perceived payroll constraints, the Dodgers were one of the deadline’s most active teams. Their first move was to acquire Scott Podsednik from Kansas City for minor leaguers Lucas May and Elisaul Pimentel. They then added Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot, sending Blake DeWitt and minor leaguers Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit back to the Cubs. The final move was to bring in Octavio Dotel, surrendering James McDonald and Andrew Lambo.

The Giants acquired a pair of arms for their bullpen. They picked up Javier Lopez from the Pirates for John Bowker and Joe Martinez, plus Ramon Ramirez from the Red Sox for minor leaguer Daniel Turpen.

Sharks Begin Extension Talk with Big Joe, Arbitrator in Kovalchuk Case, Rams Sign Bradford to Record Deal, Jets Extend Sexy Rexy

Marc Valeri — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:39:00 +0000

VoV

– Unfortunately, I’m out tonight and off to the cottage for Saturday & Sunday, so I won’t be able to do any more live coverage of the 2010 MLB trade deadline. Deal with it.

NHL

– Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson has begun to talk with F Joe Thornton about a contract extension. Thornton’s current deal will expire at the end of 2010-11. Thornton will make $7.2M next season and he should end up with a new deal that will pay him at least that much per season. A number of teams have inked their stars to long-term, frontloaded contracts in an effort to keep their cap hits down, but the Sharks aren’t likely to use a similar tactic with Thornton. “We don’t have any contracts longer than four years. We are a player payroll team. We operate the way we operate. Under the CBA, people have options and choices. We have our own structure.”

– The Flames have re-signed D Ian White to a 1-year/$2.99M deal. The deal was for exactly $2,999,995 for some reason, rather than $2,999,999 or $3M on the dot. White and the Flames had narrowly avoided the arbitration hearing that was scheduled for Friday morning. White scored 13 goals and 38 points in 83 games last season between Toronto and Calgary.

– The Senators have re-signed F Chris Campoli to a 1-year/$1.4M contract. Campoli scored just four goals and 18 points in 67 games last season, but he’s capable of much more. He reached the 30-point marker in 2008-09 and we wouldn’t be surprised if he does it again next season.

– The Sharks have signed D Jason Demers to a 2-year/$2.5M extension worth $1.25M annually. Demers scored four goals and 21 points in 51 games. He got sent down to the minors a few times in 2009-10 and the Sharks also asked the blueliner to occasionally play as a forward. He should have a more stable job next season and we wouldn’t be surprised if he surpasses the 30-point marker.

– The Bruins have re-signed D Blake Wheeler to a 1-year/$2.2M deal. An arbitrator awarded Wheeler the contract on Thursday, but it took some time for the Bruins to make it official. Boston had the option of walking away from the deal and letting Wheeler become a UFA, but they never seemed to be particularly interested in doing that. Wheeler scored 18 goals and 38 points last season, but he should do better in 2010-11.

F Michael Ryder might be forced to start the season in the minors for salary cap reasons. The B’s have about $60M committed to 20 players. not including F Tyler Seguin, whose deal will likely come with a $3.75M annual cap hit. If Seguin ends up making the team, the Bruins will most likely send down Ryder to make room for him. Sending Ryder to the minors will create $4M in cap space. The Bruins also have the option of buying Ryder out, but that would cost them $1.333M in cap space in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

MLB

– The Athletics have placed RHP Andrew Bailey (strained intercostal muscle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 21. Bailey could return in less than a week.

– The Mets are set to place OF Jason Bay (concussion) on the 15-day DL.

NFL

– The Jets have re-signed head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum to 2-year extensions through 2014. Ryan took the Jets to the AFC Championship game in his first season on the job.

– NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed Friday that Bengals’ RB Cedric Benson will not be suspended for his alleged role in a June bar brawl. The league looked into the situation and determined Benson was not at fault. We still think Benson is going way too early in fantasy drafts. While coach Marvin Lewis loves the power running game, the Bengals’ offseason moves indicate they’ll use more spread-type offensive sets, and Benson isn’t a spread back. His current ADP is 19, or the mid-to-late second round and the RB12. He’s our No. 19 back in non-PPR leagues and No. 23 in PPR.

– The Chiefs have signed the No. 5 overall pick S Eric Berry to a 5-year/$60M deal with $40M guaranteed. An immediate starter in KC, Berry is likely ticketed for strong safety. He’s a great playmaker and tackler with terrific ball skills.

– Ravens’ CB Domonique Foxworth (torn ACL) is out for the season after tearing his ACL in a non-contact walk-through drill during Wednesday’s practice. Devastating blow to an already severely-depleted Ravens’ secondary. The deteriorating secondary could lead to more pass attempts for QB Joe Flacco this season.

– The 49ers have signed their No. 11 overall pick OT Anthony Davis to a multi-year deal.

– The Texans have signed the No. 20 overall pick CB Kareem Jackson to a 5-year contract. Jackson, a three-year starter in Nick Saban’s pro-style offense at Alabama, has been the Texans’ starter at right corner “since the day he got off the plane in Houston.”

– The Packers have signed their No. 23 overall pick OT Bryan Bulaga to a 5-year/$14.75M contract with $8.76M guaranteed. The 2009 Big 10 Offensive Linemen of the Year is NFL ready, and the Packers plan to stick with him at tackle despite concerns about his relatively short arms.

– The Saints have signed their No. 32 overall pick CB Patrick Robinson to a 5-year deal. The ultra-athletic Florida State corner was impressive in OTAs and he’s slated to open training camp in a battle for nickel-back duties.

– The Redskins have signed the No. 4 overall pick LT Trent Williams to a 6-year/$60M deal with$36.75M guaranteed. The former Oklahoma standout is considered a great fit at left tackle in Mike Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme, primarily due to his quick feet and elite athleticism.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB TradeCentre ’10

Marc Valeri — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:52:01 +0000

VoV

– Unfortunately, I’m out tonight and off to the cottage for Saturday & Sunday, so I won’t be able to do any more live coverage of the 2010 MLB trade deadline. Deal with it.

TRADES

– The White Sox have acquired RHP Edwin Jackson from the D’Backs for RHP Daniel Hudson and LHP David Holmberg. Hudson, 23, has a 6.32 ERA over three starts with the White Sox this season, but posted a 3.47 ERA over 17 starts with Triple-A Charlotte and was regarded as the top pitching prospect in the organization. Holmberg, a 19-year-old left-hander, is 1-1 with 4.46 ERA over eight starts with Chicago’s rookie league team in Great Falls this season. He was ranked as the organization’s top left-handed pitching prospect coming into the year by Baseball America. The 3-way deal that would send 1B Adam Dunn to the White Sox, RHP Edwin Jackson to the Nationals, and RHP Dan Hudson and a prospect to the Diamondbacks is still in play, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

– The Twins have acquired RHP Matt Capps from the Nationals for C Wilson Ramos. The 22-year-old catcher hit .296/.321/.407 with three doubles in seven games for the Twins back in early May but he has a .625 OPS in 278 at-bats for Rochester. Ramos is a defensive rock and posted impressive numbers in a short stint with the Twins in May while Joe Mauer was nursing an injury. He’s struggled a bit at Triple-A Rochester this season, but the 22-year-old has plenty of room to grow and should do just that in the Nationals’ system. Minnesota has had interest in Capps for some time and is now more confident about acquiring a reliever than a starter. Twins assigned a scout to follow Toronto’s relievers. He earns a base salary of $3.5M this year ($1.3M remains) and can be retained as an arbitration-eligible player for 2011, though he’s expected to get a raise. Capps will become the closer, with RHP Joe Rauch moving to setup man. Nonetheless, I give the winning nod to the Nats.

– The Padres have acquired 3B Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for RHP Wynn Pelzer and cash considerations. The 24-year-old Pelzer is a power pitcher whose fastball sits in the mid-90s. As a starter, he has a 4.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in AA this year, but could become a future closer. Tejada is owed $2M for the remainder of the season.

– The Blue Jays have traded INF Brett Wallace to the Astros for OF Anthony Gose. Wallace, originally a utility infielder, appears to be stuck at first base for now. Gose, 19, is a potential Gold Glove-winning outfielder with tremendous speed and defensive skills. His career potential has been compared to that of Rays’ OF Carl Crawford. Gose stole 76 bases two seasons ago.

– The Rangers have acquired 3B Jorge Cantu and $600K from the Marlins for RHP Evan Reed and RHP Omar Poveda. Cantu, 28, has 10 homeruns and is batting .259/.308/.408 this season. He becomes a free agent at seaason’s end.The 28-year-old becomes a free agent after the season and has said he would like to sign with the Marlins. At this point, the club is considering multi-year deals Reed, 24, has posted a 1.76 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 41 innings this season between Double-A and Triple-A. Poveda, 27, is currently on the DL recovering from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. Cantu will give the Rangers a solid right-handed bat for the stretch run.

– The Phillies have acquired RHP Roy Oswalt and $11M from the Astros for LHP J.A. Happ, INF Jonathan Villar and OF Anthony Gose. The Astros will pay $11M of the approximately $23M left on Oswalt’s contract through 2011. Oswalt did not demand that his 2012 mutual option for $16M be picked up by the Phillies, but he would receive extra compensation if or when the Phillies decline. The 32-year-old ace leaves Houston with a 3.24 career ERA and a 143-82 career record, just one win shy of the franchise’s all-time leader Joe Niekro. The Phillies look dangerous with a Halladay-Oswalt-Hamels 1-2-3 punch.

– The Braves acquired 2B Michael Noboa from the D’Backs for a PTBNL.

– The Tigers have acquired 3B Jhonny Peralta and cash from the Indians for minor league LHP Gionvanni Soto. The Tigers have now addressed their vacancy at third base, though Peralta has hit just .246 this season with a .698 OPS, seven home runs and 43 RBI. Soto is a 19-year-old left-handed prospect who has had some success at the Single-A level.

– The Dodgers have acquired OF Scott Podsednik from the Royals for a minor leaguer C Lucas May and RHP Elisaul Pimentel. The Dodgers beat out the division-rival Giants to land Podsednik, who has hit .310/.353/.400 with five homers, 44 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 390 at-bats for the Royals. The speedster will be highly useful to the Dodgers. The acquisition crowd the LA outfield for the long run, but for right now, with Johnson and Ramirez on the DL, it works well.

– Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee has vetoed a trade to the Angels by invoking his 10-and-5 rights, a form of a no-trade clause given to players who have played for at least 10 years and the last five with their current team. Lee, who has a full NTC in his contract, is due just under $5M for the remainder of the season and indicated he wanted to finish the year with the Cubs. He will be a free agent at the end of the season. Lee entered Wednesday’s action hitting .248 with 11 home runs and 44 runs batted in.

RUMOURS

– Astros’ 1B Lance Berkman (NTC) (acquired Wallace to replace him). In: White Sox. According to the NY Post, the Astros have been given the go-ahead by a high-ranking executive that they can move Berkman and begin the rebuilding phase. The White Sox have expressed interest, but only as a backup plan if they fail to acquire Nats’ 1B Adam Dunn. Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse reports that there is buzz about the White Sox “going for” Lance Berkman. Berkman is batting .245/.372/.436 with 13 homers and 49 RBI in 298 at-bats this year. About $5.4M remains on Berkman’s $14.5M salary this season. The Astros hold a $15M option for next year, but they can buy it out for $2M.

– The 3-way deal that would send 1B Adam Dunn to the White Sox, RHP Edwin Jackson to the Nationals, and RHP Dan Hudson and a prospect to the Diamondbacks is still in play, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

– The Dodgers and Cubs are discussing a trade that could send LHP Ted Lilly and 2B Ryan Theriot to LA. It’s not known whether a deal is close. The Cubs would need to hand over some cash, as Lilly has $4.3M remaining and Theriot has $933K. Theriot received a $2.6M salary for 2010 after losing an arbitration case to the Cubs in February. He’s under team control through 2012; the FOX writers see him taking over at second base for the Dodgers. There aren’t a ton of great matches for Lilly at this point, as action with the Tigers, Twins, and Mets has cooled and the Phillies are out of the mix. I wonder if we’ll hear anything about the Cardinals and Padres looking at the lefty.

– Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. In: Rays, White Sox, Tigers. Out: Yankees, Giants. Three-way scenarios involving the Nationals, White Sox, Diamondbacks and RHP Edwin Jackson. Dunn is batting .275 this year with a .916 OPS and 23 homers. The Giants have minimal interest in Dunn at the current asking price. Believed to have asked the White Sox for either SS Gordan Beckha or both RHP Daniel Hudson and RHP Dayan Viciedo.

– Rockies’ OF Brad Hawpe. In: Padres, White Sox, Tigers. Chicago’s interest lies on Nats’ 1B Adam Dunn, while the Padres are believed to be less interested after acquiring 3B Miguel Tejada. Hawpe, 31, has about $2.8M remaining on his contract this year and will earn $10M in 2011 unless his team buys him out for $500K, as expected.

– Jon Heyman of SI.com writes that the Mets are reluctant to trade OF Jeff Francoeur for for the Royals’ OF Jose Guillen.

– Brewers: Pulled OF Corey Hart and 1B Prince Fielder off the block because they feel they are too close to contention to sell, despite being 48-55 and nine games out of first place in the NL Central.

– Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly. In: Phillies, Dodgers, Twins and Tigers. Out: Mets, Twins (no-trade list). Lilly has $4M+ remaining on his contract for the rest of the season. Lilly, 34, has posted a 3.69 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 18 starts this season.

– D’Backs’ C Chris Snyder. In: Nationals, White Sox, Red Sox. Trying to move both contracts without taking on any salary. Snyder makes $4.75M this year ($1.8M remains) plus $5.75M next year and either $6.75M or a $750K buyout in 2012. Snyder, 29, is hitting .231/.352/.426 with 10 homers this year.

– Cardinals inquire: LHP Jake Westbrook, LHP Aaron Cook. Cook’s return price is a reliever and a prospect. He’s owed $12M through the end of 2011.

– Cubs’ LHP Tom Gorzelanny. In: Mets.

– Red Sox’ SS Jed Lowrie. Out: Padres.

– Padres: searching for outfielders.

– Orioles’ 3B Ty Wigginton. In: Twins, Phillies and Giants.

– Jays’ LHP Scott Downs. In: Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Twins. Jays have asked the Yankees for either RHP Joba Chamberlain or C Jesus Montero in exchange for LHP Scott Downs. Have asked the Red Sox for prospect INF Casey Kelly or INF Jose Iglesias for Downs. Mets turned down a deal that would have sent prospect OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis plus another prospect. Downs is hitting .185 against lefties this season. Downs owed $4M this season, free agent in 2011.

– Jays’ OF Jose Bautista. In: Phillies, Tigers, Braves, White Sox, Giants.

– Astros’ RHP Brett Myers. In: White Sox. Out: Mets.

– Brewers’ OF Jim Edmonds: multiple teams.

– O’s LHP Will Ohman. In: Giants.

– Angels potentially shopping OF Bobby Abreu, LHP Brian Fuentes, OF Hideki Matsui, and 2B Maicer Izturis might interest contenders. Abreu, Fuentes, and Matsui could be moved via waiver wire in August. Abreu is signed at $9M for next year and may have another $9M salary vest for 2012 and is hitting just .253/.347/.416 with 12 homers and 56 RBI over 380 at-bats this season.. Fuentes has been homer-prone and has over $3M left on his contract. Matsui’s market is limited by his DH profile, though he has tallied 122 innings in left field this year. *UPDATE* The Angels will not be selling at the deadline, as they believe they have a shot at the playoffs despite being 8.5 games back in the AL West and 12.5 games back in the hunt for the Wild Card.

– Indians are NOT shopping RHP Fausto Carmona. He’s potentially under team control through 2014.

– Yankees NOT shopping for a catcher.

– The NY Post reports that the Rays, Twins and Phillies are the most motivated buyers, while the Cubs, D’Backs and Blue Jays are the most motivated sellers.

– Mets may shop OF Jeff Francoeur after the non-waiver trade deadline.

– Yankees inquire: Scott Downs, Ty Wigginton

– Red Sox inquire: Rafael Perez, Will Ohman, Mike Gonzalez, Matt Capps, Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, David Aardsma, and Kyle Farnsworth. Searching league-wide for a reliever.

– Rockies inquire: 2B Ryan Theriot.

VoV

Broncos Sign Tim Tebow, SuperBowl XLII Hero Tyree Retires, Merriman No-Showing Camp, Kinsler Out Until August, Moyer Retiring?

Marc Valeri — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:45:53 +0000

NFL

– The Broncos have signed the No. 25 overall pick QB Tim Tebow to a 5-year/$33M deal with $8.7M guaranteed. Tebow was believed to be holding out for more money than Cowboys’ No. 24 pick Dez Bryant, and it turns out that he did receive the “quarterback premium.” His guaranteed portion comes in at $400K above Bryant’s total. Tebow signed in plenty of time to get comfortable with Josh McDaniels’ offense throughout camp. Though he’ll spend his rookie season developing behind Kyle Orton, there’s a decent chance the offense will be his as soon as 2011.

– UFA DE Shawne Merriman does not plan to show for the beginning of training camp. Merriman, who wants assurances that he will not be traded, is in denial about the current state of his career. “I’m only coming back to be the guy on the defense. I’m not coming back to be a guy. I want to be on a team where someone is going to be building a defense around me.” Teams don’t build defenses around pass rushers with four sacks in two seasons. Merriman has no leverage right now.

– Super Bowl XLII hero WR David Tyree will retire after signing a one-day contract with the Giants. Tyree played five seasons with the Giants, mostly as a special teamer, but his career will always be defined by his “helmet catch” that led directly to one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets of all time. Along with the “Immaculate Reception,” Tyree’s catch will go down as perhaps the most memorable playoff moment in NFL history.

– The Eagles have signed the No. 13 overall pick DE Brandon Graham to a 5-year contract. The Eagles gave up the No. 24 pick and two 3rd-rounders to trade up for Graham, a former Michigan star who was named MVP of the Senior Bowl. Graham is a solid pass-rusher.

– Redskins’ DE Albert Haynesworth failed his conditioning test Thursday, according to FoxSports.com’s Jay Glazer. Haynesworth reportedly “killed” the first portion of the test before walking through the second portion. According to the Washington Post, Haynesworth “apparently” needed a bathroom break during the second portion of his conditioning test Thursday, explaining his failure to finish. The test consisted of two grueling 300-yard shuttle runs – he aced the first, but walked through the second, in apparent need of a bowel movement. Haynesworth will not be allowed to practice until he completes both runs. By all accounts, he’s in good shape, so he should be fine on Friday’s retake.

– The Texans have signed No. 58 overall pick RB Ben Tate to a multi-year deal. His stock flew with a stellar performance at the Combine in February. He also missed the majority of OTAs with a hamstring injury. While he’s the future in Houston’s backfield, he’ll enter training camp behind Arian Foster and Steve Slaton. He’s expected to fill the void on early-down and short-yardage situations.

NBA

– The death of Lorenzen Wright is being investigated as a homicide by police, and the Shelby County medical examiner’s office reported that he died of a gunshot wound. Details are hard to come by, but it is known that a 911 hangup call was made from his cell phone on July 19 near the place his body was found. Wright had a 13-year NBA career that included stints with the Grizzlies, Hawks, Kings, Cavs, and the Clippers, who made him the No. 7 overall pick in 1996.

MLB

– Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels said 2B Ian Kinsler (groin) will likely return in “mid-to-late-August.” He’s been limited to just 76 of the team’s 101 games this season and hasn’t lived up to expectations when he’s been on the field.

– Phillies’ LHP Jamie Moyer (left elbow) will not require surgery but is expected to miss the rest of the season. Moyer met with Dr. Lewis Yocum in LA on Wednesday after being diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strained tendon in his elbow. He has not announced if he will pitch next season.

VoV

Rangers Acquire Cantu, Padres Acquire Tejada, Jays Deal Wallace, Tons of MLB Trade Rumours, Thrashers Sign Ladd, Knicks Offer Brown, Steelers Sign Adams

Marc Valeri — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:50:54 +0000

MLB

– The Phillies have acquired RHP Roy Oswalt and $11M from the Astros for LHP J.A. Happ, INF Jonathan Villar and OF Anthony Gose. The Astros will pay $11M of the approximately $23M left on Oswalt’s contract through 2011. It turns out that Oswalt did not demand that his 2012 mutual option for $16M be picked up by the Phillies, but he would receive extra compensation if or when the Phillies decline. The 32-year-old righty leaves Houston behind with a 3.24 career ERA and a 143-82 lifetime record, just one win shy of the franchise’s all-time leader Joe Niekro. With Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Oswalt, the Phillies immediately have the best 1-2-3 punch in all of the NL, if not all of baseball. If the Phillies make the playoffs again, they’ll be positively scary.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Rangers have acquired 3B Jorge Cantu and $600K from the Marlins for RHP Evan Reed and RHP Omar Poveda. Reed, 24, has posted a 1.76 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 41 innings this season between Double-A and Triple-A. Poveda, 27, is currently on the DL recovering from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. Cantu will give the Rangers a solid right-handed bat for the stretch run.

– The Padres have acquired 3B Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for RHP Wynn Pelzer and cash considerations. The 24-year-old is a power pitcher whose fastball sits in the mid-90s. As a starter, he has a 4.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9 in AA this year, but could become a future closer. Tejada is owed $2M for the remainder of the season.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Astros are now fielding offers for 1B Lance Berkman. The Astros acquired a replacement for Berkman when they flipped OF Anthony Gose to Toronto on Thursday for 1B Brett Wallace. The 34-year-old Berkman is sure to draw interest from multiple contending teams. He’s batting .245/.372/.436 with 13 homers and 49 RBI in 298 at-bats this year. Berkman has a NTC and can veto any deal. About $5.4M remains on Berkman’s $14.5M salary this season. The Astros hold a $15M option for next year, but they can buy it out for $2M.

– Buster Olney of ESPN.com hears that the White Sox and Yankees are “out of the mix” for Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. The Nats’ demands are known to be sky-high and, though interest has been strong, no team yet has been able to find a match. Maybe GM Mike Rizzo is still hoping to sign Dunn to a contract extension, or perhaps he will be satisfied with draft picks if the the big man heads elsewhere this offseason. Dunn is batting .275 this year with a .916 OPS and 23 homers. The Rays are considered the frontrunners, while the Giants remain in the running.

– The Orioles have hired Buck Showalter to be their next manager. He’ll officially take over next Tuesday, when the Orioles kick off a seven-game homestand against the Angels. Showalter has been the favourite all along, so it was really just a matter of when. Showalter, 54, is 882-833 over 11 seasons as a manager in the big leagues. Showalter had been working as a baseball analyst for ESPN.

NHL

– The Thrashers have signed F Andrew Ladd to a 1-year/$2.35M deal. The 24-year-old native of Maple Ridge, B.C. had 17 goals and 21 assists for the Hawks last season, putting up three goals and three assists in the post-season en route to the championship. Ladd had filed for salary arbitration after earning $1.65M last season. Ladd scored 17 goals and 38 points in 82 games in 2009-10.

– The Sens have re-signed F Peter Regan to a 2-year deal. The 24-year-old played his first full NHL season with the Senators in 2009-10, tallying 13 goals and 29 points in 75 games.

NBA

– The Knicks have reportedly extended an offer to G Shannon Brown, who is still considering a return to the Lakers. The Lakers are well over the luxury tax, so moving Vujacic’s $5.4M salary would ease the tax hit associated with keeping Brown.

NFL

– The Steelers have signed OT Flozell Adams on a multi-year deal. Great news for the ground attack. The Steelers had no realistic option to step in for injured RT Willie Colon, so the 35-year-old Adams fills a major vacancy up front.

– The Falcons have signed No. 19 overall pick OLB Sean Weatherspoon to a 5-year/ $17.5M contract with $10.5M in guarantees. Last year’s 19th pick, Jeremy Maclin, signed for 5-years/$15.5M. The Falcons love the athletic Weatherspoon’s potential as a cover linebacker, but he’s expected to be eased in on special teams and nickel packages as a rookie.

– The Dolphins have signed 1st-round pick DL Jared Odrick to a 5-year contract with a maximum value of just over $13M with $7.133M guaranteed. Odrick is the reigning 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan was apparently the subject of false internet rumors today. TNA Wrestling president Dixie Carter issued the following statement this afternoon regarding “The Hulkster”:

“HULK HOGAN IS ALIVE AND WELL. He did not drown. Not sure how these rumors get started. Awful.”

VoV

Oswalt Set to Accept Trade to Phillies for Happ+, Kinsler Hits the DL, MLB Trade Rumours

Marc Valeri — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:34:49 +0000

VoV

– Barring unforseen circumstances, VoV.com will be holding a live MLB TradeCentre. Joel Sherman of the NY Post reports that this year’s trade deadline could be quiet, as prospects are being overvalued, many teams are up against their budget and teams are still uncertain on whether they’re buyers or sellers. In addition, the market for relievers is extremely expensive this season, so many names that are rumoured to be dealt may have to wait until August.

MLB

– A source tells Jayson Stark of ESPN.com that Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt has waived his no-trade clause to complete a trade to the Phillies in exchange for LHP J.A. Happ and two minor leaguers (possibly OF Anthony Gose and RHP Vance Worsley, not 1B Jonathan Singleton). The Phillies will also receive $11M. Oswalt’s $16M option for 2012 will not be exercised, but he will be compensated in another way. The deal isn’t official yet and will have to be approved by the commissioner’s office due to the money being exchanged. Oswalt’s contract has $5.46M left from his $15M salary this year, $16M in 2011, and a 2012 option for $16M with a $2M buyout. The Phillies have a ridiculous 1-2-3 punch in Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels.

– The Rangers have placed 2B Ian Kinsler (strained left groin) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 28. Kinsler has been limited to just 76 of the team’s 101 games this season and just hasn’t been the elite source of power and speed he was last year in large part due to his ankle injury.

– Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times speculates that the Angels may be selling OF Bobby Abreu, LHP Brian Fuentes, OF Hideki Matsui, and 2B Maicer Izturis might interest contenders. Abreu, Fuentes, and Matsui would be tough to move, and could be waiver wire trade candidates. Abreu is signed at $9M for next year and may have another $9M salary vest for 2012. The 36-year-old is hitting just .253/.347/.416. Fuentes’ strikeout rate is back up, but he’s been homer-prone and has over $3M left on his contract. Matsui’s market is limited by his DH profile, though he has tallied 122 innings in left field this year.

– Contrary to rumours, the Indians are not shopping RHP Fausto Carmona. The Indians are listening, they don’t expect to receive a suitable offer. Carmona could potentially be under Tribe control through 2014.

– The Yankees are not expected to pursue a catcher, though they remain interested in Nats’ 1B Adam Dunn. The White Sox and Giants are believed to be the frontrunners.

– The NY Post reports that the Rays, Twins and Phillies are the most motivated buyers, while the Cubs, D’Backs and Blue Jays are the most motivated sellers.

– The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that there is no substance to the trade rumours involving the Cardinals and 3B Miguel Tejada.

– ESPN reports that the Mets are expected to shop OF Jeff Francoeur after the non-waiver trade deadline.

– According to the NY Post, the Mets are very unlikely to acquire Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly as they do not want to take on most to all of the $4.37M left on his contract, in addition to losing a package of prospects. In addition, the Mets are “almost completely unwilling to engage in serious discussions” for Astros’ RHP Brett Myers. Joel Sherman suggets the Mets might wait until August to acquire a pitcher.

– According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox have inquired about Rafael Perez, Will Ohman, Mike Gonzalez, Matt Capps, Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, David Aardsma, and Kyle Farnsworth, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Cafardo says Jays’ LHP Scott Downs looks unlikely unless the Blue Jays back down from their top prospect requests.

– The Braves acquired 2B Michael Noboa from the D’Backs for a PTBNL.

NFL

– The Jets are expected to sign FA WR Laveranues Coles after a workout on Friday, according to ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini. The Jets need another receiver to compensate for Santonio Holmes’ suspension for the first month of the season. Coles showed last season that he has little left in the tank, but he’s familiar with Brian Schottenheimer’s offense and should be fine in the slot for four games.

VoV

Phillies Set to Acquire Oswalt, Tons of MLB Rumours & Trades, Strasburg Hits DL, Ducks Sign Fowler, Bolts Re-Sign Gates, CP3 Not Leaving Hornets

Marc Valeri — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:46:25 +0000

MLB

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Phillies have acquired RHP Roy Oswalt from the Astros pending Oswalt accepting the trade. Oswalt must waive his no-trade clause and is expected to make the Phillies pick up his $16M option for 2012. Fox 26 Sports in Houston reported late Wednesday night that the Phillies and Astros came to terms on a trade and the Astros have contacted Oswalt. The two sides have agreed on the amount of money that will be exchanged and the players that will head to Houston, according to the report. Oswalt is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 20 starts with 120 strikeouts in 129 innings this season for the fifth-place Astros.

– The Angels have placed RHP Joel Piniero (strained left hip) on the 15-day DL and will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks. Pineiro was hurt warming up in the bullpen for his start against the Red Sox on Wednesday. “I just threw a curveball, and a lot of pain came through the oblique. It’s weird. I have no idea how to explain it. It was just one of those weird things that happens. I’m really frustrated and angry that this happened right now, at this moment.” Pineiro was 10-7 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP through 20 starts this season and had won seven straight decisions before losing his most recent start in New York last week.

– The Nationals have placed RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder stiffness) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 22. There was some back-and-forth, but after manager Jim Riggleman announced that he would be shut down for ten days, this move made more and more sense. It’s the right move to protect a special arm in a down year for the Nationals.

– The Sun-Times has it that the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers, Twins and Tigers are in the running for Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly. The paper suggests that Lilly wants to re-sign long-term with the Cubs this winter. ”I think it’s evident I would prefer to stay here for the future. But you get to that point where you get the opportunity to become a free agent, those don’t come around too often.”

– The Mariners have placed LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (strained lower back) on the 15-day DL. He’s one day removed from tying a franchise record for runs allowed by a starting pitcher. Rowland-Smith allowed all 11 runs and 11 hits in five innings, dropping to 1-10 on the year. He has yielded at least five earned runs in each of his last three games.

– Padres’ OF Kyle Blanks (right elbow) will have reconstructive surgery which could sideline him into next season. Surgery is scheduled for Friday. Blanks was placed on the DL May 20, retroactive to May 18, with a strained elbow. He was hitting .157 before the injury.

NHL

– The Ducks have signed D Cam Fowler to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Ducks signed Fowler with the 12th overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft. Fowler was initially projected to go as early as third overall, so it was a big surprise when the Ducks managed to snatch him. He’s been favorably compared to D Scott Niedermayer, but could make the Ducks’ 2010-11 opening day roster.

– The Blues have acquired F Stephan Della Rovere from the Capitals for F D.J. King.

NFL

– The Chargers have re-signed TE Antonio Gates to a 5-year,/$36.175M extension with $20.4M guaranteed. Gates is now under control through the 2015 season (age 35). Gates is a 6-time Pro Bowler, 3-time first-team All Pro and likely Hall of Famer.

– Panthers’ RB Jonathan Stewart (heel) and WR Steve Smith (arm) will begin Panthers training camp on the active/PUP list. Smith’s fractured arm is the more long-term injury, but he’s not believed to be in any danger of missing Opening Day. Multiple reports have said Stewart is 100%, so the team is likely exercising extreme caution in his case. He’s plenty used to missing practice, then tearing it up when it counts.

– The Raiders have signed rookie MLB Rolando McClain, the No. 8 overall pick, to a5 -year/$40M contract with $23M guaranteed. The Raiders gave Darrius Heyward-Bey a 5-year/$38M deal as last year’s No. 7 overall pick, including $23.5M guaranteed. As SI.com’s Ross Tucker tweeted Thursday, every GM in the league was a “nervous wreck” waiting to see McClain’s contract numbers. His guarantees are half a million less than DHB’s. Last year’s Butkus Award winner at Alabama, McClain should rank amongst the NFL’s top-10 tacklers in his first season.

– Acknowledging that he’s not 100%, Vikings’ WR Sidney Rice (hip) indicated Wednesday night that he’ll need to have the injury checked again by the Vikings’ medical staff before returning to practice. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said he hoped that Rice would be ready for the regular season while the receiver predicted that he’s participate in training camp. The hip is still an issue 6 months after originally sustaining the injury. The Vikings open training camp Friday afternoon.

– The Nashville Tennessean reports that Titans’ QB Vince Young will not be suspended for punching a man in the face at a strip club in June. The Tennessean cites multiple “sources familiar with the situation” in its report. Young was never in real danger of being suspended, so this is just confirmation. The NFL is expected to make the announcement on Thursday.

NBA

– Hornets’ G Chris Paul, according to sources close to him, is on board with the Hornets’ direction and will not seek to force a trade, reports John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Maybe it’s because Paul realizes the team is not going to move him, or maybe it’s because he realized how the city of New Orleans would turn on him. I don’t believe that Paul is officially going to spend at least the next two years in New Orleans, but it’s beginning to look that way. The Hornets have made one roster move this offseason – Aaron Gray.

– Lakers’ F Andrew Bynum (torn meniscus in right knee) has undergone successful arthroscopic surgery. He’s expected to be limited at the start of training camp. Bynum postponed surgery during the Lakers’ run to their second straight NBA title, starting each of the Lakers’ 23 postseason games while averaging 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. His knee injury and a strained Achilles’ tendon limited his movement and stamina, but Bynum refused to miss out on the postseason experience after sitting out Los Angeles’ 2008 run with a dislocated left kneecap. Bynum’s knee was drained twice during the NBA finals, and again after the season. The fifth-year pro then made a trip to South Africa for the World Cup, and Bynum later delayed his surgery for a few weeks to fit his surgeon’s schedule.

– According to IndySportsNation, Grizzlies’ F Zach Randolph is working on a contract extension with the team for “a couple of more years.” Randolph tells the site, “Me and my agent, we’re working on a deal with Memphis. A lot of good things are going on in the league and it’s going to be exciting this year.” The 6’9″ nine-year vet averaged 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last season and is due to make $17.33M this coming season.

– According to the Springfield News Leader, F Anthony Tolliver is deciding to sign with either the Warriors, Blazers or Wolves. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but we’re getting there and I hope to have a decision soon. Once they have their final (financial) figure and years guaranteed, that’s when I plan on making my decision –unless somebody comes in late.” Tolliver averaged 11.7 points, 7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last year.

– The Indianapolis Star reports that the Pacers are currently shopping G T.J. Ford and F Mike Dunleavy. Ford averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game last year while Dunleavy averaged 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the same period of time. The Pacers haven’t made a trade in 2 years, but they’re reportedly not comfortable with the current look of the roster.

– A warrant has been issued again for the arrest of Eddy Curry, this time for failure to pay in a civil case involving him having sex with a minor in 2001. Curry failed to sign an agreement to pay the balance of a $660K legal settlement after he was sued for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old girl (he was 18 at the time). Police are going to work with Curry’s attorneys to get him to turn himself in, but if that plan fails, Curry will be arrested.

– Former NBA All-Star G Stephon Marbury has agreed to a 3-year deal with a Chinese basketball team, whose owners will set up a company to produce and sell his line of athletic apparel and shoes, the team said Thursday. Marbury played 15 games last season with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association. The point guard was a fan favorite in the rustbelt city of Taiyuan, showing none of the defiant personality that had alienated management, teammates and fans in the U.S.

WWE

– At Wednesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings (set to air next week, August 6th) – it was announced that the rumored Big Show vs. CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Joey Mercury handicap is confirmed for SummerSlam. With that match set, here’s the updated card for WWE SummerSlam on August 15th…

7-on-7 Elimination Tag Team Match
John Cena, Bret Hart, Edge, Chris Jericho, R-Truth, The Great Khali and John Morrison vs. Wade Barrett, Skip Sheffield, Michael Tarver, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Darren Young and David Otunga

WWE Championship Match
Sheamus (c) vs. Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Kane (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

3-on-1 Handicap Match
Big Show vs. CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Joey Mercury

– Syfy has begun promoting SmackDown’s move to the network, as a subsite has been launched on its official website. SmackDown premieres on Syfy on Friday, October 1 at 8p.m. ET.

VoV

Cubs’ Lee Blocks Trade to Angels, Lilly for Happ?, Former NBA’er Wright Found Dead, Update on Chris Jericho’s Contract

Marc Valeri — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:05:07 +0000

MLB

– Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee has vetoed a potential trade to the Angels by invoking his 10-and-5 rights, a form of a no-trade clause given to players who have played for at least 10 years and the last five with their current team. Lee, who has a full NTC in his contract, is due just under $5M for the remainder of the season and indicated he wanted to finish the year with the Cubs. He will be a free agent at the end of the season. Lee entered Wednesday’s action hitting .248 with 11 home runs and 44 runs batted in.

– Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse hears that a deal that would send Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly to the Phillies for LHP J.A. Happ may be in the works. Price notes that the rumour is “not confirmed,” but it is worth looking at anyway. Lilly, 34, has posted a 3.69 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 18 starts this season and would give the Phillies a solid middle-of-the-rotation option.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Cardinals are “showing interest” in Orioles’ 3B Miguel Tejada. The Cards also had a mild level of interest in Tejada this offseason, but never pulled the trigger. He’s batting just .271/.309/.364 with nine home runs this year in Baltimore, but the Cardinals are desperate for middle infield and third base help. Tejada is owed about $2M.

– Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Rays are in the mix to acquire Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. The White Sox and Tigers are also believed to have interest. Dunn is batting .278 with a .925 OPS and 23 home runs through 365 at-bats this season. The Nationals’ asking price remains high but could drop.

– Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has confirmed that A’s RHP Ben Sheets will require a second flexor tendon surgery. Some believe that the surgery will end Sheets’ career, but he’s only 32 and will likely attempt a comeback. The righty was signed to a 1-year/$10M contract this offseason and posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 20 starts for the A’s.

– The Phillies have placed OF Shane Victorino (left abdominal strain) on the 15-day DL. The Phillies made the decision after Victorino underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning. Victorino wasn’t doing much offensively this month, batting just .245/.260/.408 over 98 at-bats.

NBA

– Former F Lorenzen Wright has reportedly been found dead in a wooded area in southeast Memphis. The Memphis Commercial Appeal cites a “law enforcement source” who confirmed the identity of Wright, who had been missing since July 19. The police are still investigating a 911 hangup call from Wright’s cell phone on Monday, leading to some speculation that Wright may have the victim of foul play. Wright, who was 34 years old, last played for Cleveland during the 2008-09 season.

– The Wizards have re-signed G Josh Howard to a 1-year/$4M deal, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Howard (torn ACL) is out until at least September, but should be in line to play plenty of minutes for the Wiz when healthy.

– The Raptors have acquired F David Andersen from the Rockets for a 2nd-round pick. The 6’11″ Andersen averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 63 games last season.

NFL

– ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that Broncos’ No. 25 overall pick QB Tim Tebow wants a larger contract than Cowboys’ No. 24 overall pick WR Dez Bryant. QBs almost always get more money than non-quarterback rookies, and Werder reports a “high degree of confidence” in Denver that Tebow will sign and report by the weekend. If he does hold out, it shouldn’t be longer than a day or two.

– According to the NY Daily News, Giants’ RB Ahmad Bradshaw was “limping much of the spring and limited in minicamp” after undergoing three offseason surgeries — one to each foot and one to his ankle. Observes beat reporter Ralph Vacchiano, “that’s a lot of surgery for a running back, especially one that makes his living off violent cuts.” Bradshaw promises he feels better than ever, but the signs don’t point toward him being fully healthy. The Giants begin training camp two-a-day practices this Sunday.

WWE

– Rich Ward, the guitarist in Chris Jericho’s metal band Fozzy, was a guest on the Monday Night Mayhem radio show this week and spoke about Jericho’s future after his WWE contract expires later this year. There’s been speculation that Jericho is looking to move on from WWE and focus on his entertainment career (music & acting). Here’s the recap:

The Band Working Around Chris Jericho’s WWE Schedule: “In the early days it was more difficult, because we didn’t have chemistry worked out because Chris was so busy, not just with working in the WWE, but the travel days also, whenever there was a day off here and a day off there. Basically what we had to do was be super organized in how we structured things, and till the last couple of years, it started to fall into place to where when Chris is just sitting in a hotel room or something, he’s writing lyrics. I then take his lyrics and start building songs around it, and then I would send him the demos with me singing his lyrics, and then we start work back and forth through MP3’s. If it wasn’t for the modern age of the Internet, I doubt Fozzy could exist.”

Whether Chris Jericho Will Leave WWE When His Contract Expires This Year: “He has told me that he has no plans on retiring, so as far as Chris stepping away from the ring, I have no idea if he has any plans to do that beyond the contract. I know from talking to him, and Chris’s business is his business, and never would I try to step and make announcements for him, but I think he told me that he’s contract negotiations with the WWE. With that in mind, I have no indications that he’s gonna take time off. I know he got two weeks off to do the UK run, and I know anytime we could get ‘Uncle Vinnie’ to give us a couple of weeks to go and play some rock shows in the UK, I feel like I owe him a steak dinner.”

Fozzy’s Potential: “To answer that honestly, I don’t even think about tomorrow. I’m so focused in the now and what I’m doing instead of looking down the road. I feel like that has worked for me, and maybe other people it helps to plans things, but I find for my music career (in general) if I’m touring with Stuck Mojo, I focus 1,000 percent on that. If I’m with Chris, and we’re on tour with Fozzy, I don’t think about Stuck Mojo, and I don’t think about what I’m gonna have for dinner. I think Fozzy could go on until no one wants to hear another one of our songs, and we will continue to play to out four or five fan club members. We will just continue to rock on at a very high level of proficiency.”

– Monday’s episode of Raw drew a 3.5 cable rating and averaged 5,192,000 viewers. The show did hours of 3.49 and 3.52.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, Melina made her return to WWE programming during Monday’s television taping in San Antonio, Texas. She performed a run-in following a Six-Diva Tag Match pitting Alicia Fox, Jillian and Tamina against Eve, Gail Kim and Natalya, attacking the Divas Champion. Her return will be televised during next Monday’s episode of Raw. It was her first appearance inside a WWE ring since she underwent surgery for a torn ACL suffered last December. She spent the past few weeks at the company’s developmental facility in Tampa, Florida training for her return.

WWE creative brass initially planned on inserting Melina into the ongoing John Morrison vs. Ted DiBiase program as means to feature mixed tag matches, but said plans were nixed last week. Instead, she will going after Fox’s Divas Championship. A three-way feud between Melina, Fox and Eve is tentatively planned, though Maryse may be put in the mix. Meanwhile, Maryse and DiBiase’s “power couple” placement is an offshoot of plans initially tapped for the French beauty and The Miz last year. Plans were changed when Maryse took a hiatus to recover from knee surgery and Miz got over well enough with the audience that she was no longer needed by his side. Maryse was ultimately placed with DiBiase in an effort to get him over.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with some commentary on the following topics:

Monday’s RAW: “Enjoyed Raw Monday night by and large. I do know this….if John Cena’s team doesn’t put their own personal agendas behind them then the Raw 7 has NO chance against The Nexus at Summer Slam. That point was made abundantly clear over the two hour broadcast from San Antonio. No unity=no win for Raw. “No win for you” ala Seinfeld’s ‘Soup Nazi.’ Got it? Good. ”

Scouting Talent at FCW: “It’s back to Tampa for me this weekend to observe the FCW try out camp that likely will have over 50 individuals taking part in the process. Now seems to be a timely opportunity to get noticed and perhaps signing with WWE and assigned to FCW which needs more viable athletes and quality numbers in general.”

John Morrison The Next HBK? “I Tweeted @JRsBBQ that I liked John Morrison’s new beard and that I thought it made him look a little more rugged. Morrison is a gifted athlete who has ’something’ that physically reminds me of a young HBK. One can only hope that Morrison can begin to approach the success that Shawn Michaels earned but that’s some king sized expectations. Nonetheless I think that Morrison can be a major player within WWE once his complete game comes together which simply takes time.”

– According to The National Enquirer, Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife Linda, 50, is engaged to wed boyfriend Charlie Hill, 29 years her junior. She met Hill two years ago following her divorce from the wrestling superstar. It would appear that the former married couple have buried the hatchet as the wrestler added his well wishes regarding Linda’s engagement. “I’m ecstatic for her, I’m very happy for them,” Hogan said in an exclusive statement to RadarOnline.com. “I think they’re perfect for each other. I wish them the best.”

David Houston, Hogan’s attorney, echoed his sentiment, touching on the couple’s contentious split and how they’ve seemed to move on from that dark period: “Obviously, when you go through a divorce, there is a great deal of emotion and you go through your ups and downs. He was married to her for 23 years so there is a certain degree of affection and he does wish her the best.”

Meanwhile, daughter Brooke, who is one year older than Hill, bares a negative stance towards her mother’s beau. “He is a loser,” she was quoted last year as saying. “I don’t have a problem with age; it’s more about character. Her love is not real and not right.” The wedding is reportedly slated to take place next summer aboard Linda’s yacht named ‘Alimoney’. The article also notes that one of the places they’re registered at is Game Spot.

VoV

Jays Want Chamberlain for Downs or Package of Prospects, Tons of MLB Rumours, Welker Ready for Week 1, Fernandez on the Block, Jackets Re-Sign Stralman

Marc Valeri — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:58:13 +0000

MLB

– According to the NY Post, the Jays have asked the Yankees for RHP Joba Chamberlain in exchange for LHP Scott Downs. While the Yanks are currently down on Joba, the team still does not want to trade him. In addition, Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Jays asked the Yankees for top prospect C Jesus Montero in exchange for Downs. The Red Sox have been asked for prospect INF Casey Kelly or INF Jose Iglesias for Downs. Downs is hitting .185 against lefties this season. The Yanks have also asked the Orioles’ 3B Ty Wigginton.

– The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the talks between the Giants and Brewers regarding 1B Prince Fielder and OF Corey Hart are “dead in the water.” MLBTR reports that the Giants have also been linked to Royals’ OF Jose Guillen and OF Scott Podsednik as well as Nats’ OF Josh Willingham and 1B Adam Dunn.

– FOXSports is reporting that “multiple teams,” including the Nationals, are talking to the D’Backs’ front office about what it would take to acquire RHP Edwin Jackson. The Nats want to trade 1B Adam Dunn for pitching and then trade the pitching to Arizona for Jackson, according to the site. In Ken Rosenthal’s scenario, the White Sox would likely have to include RHP Daniel Hudson in order to acquire Dunn. In turn, the Nationals would then have the option to send Hudson, or one of their own prospects, in exchange for Dunn. This doesn’t make a ton of sense for the National. Jackson is set to make $8.35M next year and has about $1.5M left on his salary for this season.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Twins have inquired about Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly. The Twins are on Lilly’s “no-trade list,” so other teams may have an advantage. Lilly is owed $4M for the rest of this season and would require additional compensation if he was to accept a deal to Minnesota.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Giants “have stepped up” for Marlins’ 3B Jorge Cantu. The Rangers and Rockies have also been in the mix for Cantu, but it looks like the Giants may have the advantage now. According to Rosenthal, the Marlins are believed to be looking for a young lefty pitcher. It’s not clear who the Giants are willing to offer, but prospects Eric Surkamp and Clayton Tanner could be the return.

– The D’Backs are considering using RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) as a reliever. Webb hasn’t even faced live hitters yet, so there’s still quite a bit of ground to cover. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said, “We’re going to have to discuss that. I think he would be up for that, but I need to sit down with (interim General Manager Jerry Dipoto) and find out the direction we want to head with this.” The bullpen could be the quickest way to ensure his return this season, as he wouldn’t need to build up his workload over several weeks in the minors. That said, the clock continues to tick on what looks like a wasted season.

– The Denver Post is reporting that the Rockies are interested in trading for Cubs’ 2B Ryan Theriot, who is hitting .281 with one homer and 21 RBIs. Current 2B Clint Barmes is eligible for arbitration and his salary will likely jump to $5M annually, the paper reports. The Rockies are also asking about Marlins’3B Jorge Cantu and Jays’ RHP Kevin Gregg.

– Tigers’ RHP Jeremy Bonderman told the Detroit Free Press that he is considering retirement. Bonderman, 27, will be a free agent after the 2010 season. He would likely return if the Tigers offer him a contract, but would otherwise only be open to signing with a team out west in order to be closer to his family in Pasco, Washington.

“(Owner Mike Ilitch) and the Tigers’ organization have given me an opportunity to provide for my family really well, and I feel like I’ve saved a lot of money and I have the ability to be able to do what I want — whether it’s be with my kids every day or go on fishing trips with my dad or brothers. At times I love it. At times I’m like, ‘Man.’”

– Former OF Dave Roberts, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in March, has completed chemotherapy. Roberts said he had eight chemotherapy treatments over four months. He is now scheduled to undergo three weeks of radiation in mid-August. Roberts, who was hired as a special assistant for the Padres, continued to move around the team’s minor league affiliates during chemotherapy, working with players on baserunning and outfield play. “Watching these guys each night has been very therapeutic…it’s made me feel very good.”

NHL

– The Blue Jackets have re-signed D Anton Stralman to a 1-year/$1.95M deal. Stralman and the Blue Jackets reached an agreement minutes before Stralman’s arbitration hearing was scheduled to begin. Stralman was expected to be awarded a raise, but the Jackets would’ve likely walked away and allowed him to become a UFA. Stralman scored six goals and 34 points in 73 games last season.

– Time is running out for the Blackhawks to sign G Antti Niemi before his arbitration hearing on Thursday. The Blackhawks probably won’t be able to work something out before Niemi’s arbitration date. Niemi is expected to ask for $3-4M next season while Chicago will probably argue that he deserves about $2M. Chicago has been dealing with significant cap problems this summer and if Niemi is awarded that much in arbitration, they’ll likely send him packing. Chicago also has the option of allowing Niemi to become a UFA rather than accepting his arbitrator awarded 1-year contract.

NFL

– Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (knee, shoulder) is still expected to be ready to go come Week 1, according to the Boston Globe. Though Welker is on active/PUP, the Globe is says that he could play in a playoff game if there was one today, and adds that he’ll get some preseason action. The Patriots are holding him out of the start of camp “to protect Welker against himself.” At this point, no one expects him to begin the year on reserve/PUP. It’s looking more and more likely that Welker will be there when the Pats play the Bengals in Week 1.

– Panthers’ WR Steve Smith (broken left arm) arrived at Panthers’ camp without a cast on his broken left arm. Smith hasn’t been able to lift weights and it’s unknown when he’ll be cleared to practice. He should be ready by the end of the preseason and ready for Week 1.

– The Panthers have signed 2nd-round pick QB Jimmy Clausen to a 4-year/$6.3M deal with $2.533M guaranteed. Clausen looks to be the second-string quarterback to start the season.

– Bengals’ WR Antonio Bryant will open training camp on the practice field, according to PFT. The Bengals’ website also says that Bryant could be used in the slot, where the team “liked what they saw” from him during the offseason. Other reports regarding Bryant’s health haven’t been nearly as positive, but he’ll be ready to compete with WR Terrell Owens for snaps to open camp.

– Redskins’ DE Albert Haynesworth is back in D.C. and ready to practice, confirms Jason Reid of the Washington Post. Haynesworth is reportedly optimistic after having conversations with teammates, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be a distraction. The Skins will need to keep him financially motivated all season long.

NBA

– The Oregonian reports that the Blazers are talking to the Knicks, Celtics and Bulls about G Rudy Fernandez. The 25-year-old Spaniard who set a rookie record when he made 159 three-pointers two seasons ago. “Some of the teams interested in Fernandez have offered a future first round draft pick, while other offers would pair Fernandez with another Blazers player,” the paper reports.

– Sources tell the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the Lakers are trying to package the G Sasha Vujacic, 26, who averaged 2.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and .6 assists in the 8.6 minutes per game he played last season with a future 1st-round pick in order to unload his $5M salary for the year from the books.

TNA

– TNA star Kurt Angle posted the following message Twitter this morning, putting Hulk Hogan over in a big way:

“Hulk hogan could be one of the best human beings I ever knew. I have wrestled him. Now I work for him. I love you hulkster. Kurt.”

While this is just speculation, I reported earlier that Hulk Hogan is looking to become the next big Billy Mays in terms of infomercials, and is already making moves within the industry to reach that goal. Oddly enough, Kurt Angle runs Angle Foods – a company that sells “affordable gourmet and performance meals,” similar to NutraSystem program. Could they be partnered? Stay tuned.

VoV

The Peep Show!

Marc Valeri — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:10:56 +0000

It’s been a while, but The Peep Show is back! I’m still reeling from getting hacked, which you can read more about by clicking here. It’ll be interesting to see how this affects the traffic numbers. To kick it off, something I saw while watching the highlights for today’s games that just pissed me right off…

Bosh Chirps Toronto

Heat’ F Chris Bosh, formerly a Toronto Raptor, has finally told a Miami newspaper his true feelings about the city of Toronto. Bosh describes the city as a ‘different’ and unfamiliar destination.

“I didn’t want to go there. It was different. All I knew was Vince Carter was there and I never saw him play on TV. It was a whole different country, and it was just different. I’m 19 years old, I didn’t know anything about culture and being away from home. All I know is the States…Toronto’s a great place, a fantastic city. It’s a metropolitan area, but you could tell you’re somewhere different. You could feel it, you could look at it, you can smell it. Everything. All your senses tell you you’re somewhere different. You can smell it.”

You know, a lot of former Raptors have had issues with Canada. F Antonio Davis hated the metric system. G Doug Christie said his mother-in-law’s cooking in Toronto tasted different than back home. But to say that the city smells different proves just how much of a moron you really are.

Now, I could run through a bunch of things that makes Canada better than the US, but to avoid angering my peeps to the south, I’ll hold my tongue. I can’t say that I’ve been to too many cities in the US – I’ve heard great things of Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston – but Toronto is a classy, multi-cultural city. Eve the Huffington Post called Toronto North America’s “coolest city.” Understandably, since there are only one Canadian (Toronto) team in the NBA and MLB (which are primary sports in the US), it will never feel like home for a US-born basketball player.

That said, players generally love the city once they get here. There are tons of celebrities, athletes, teams, sights to see, nightlife, diversity, you name it. When in Toronto, you play as a star – everyone recognizes you. You become a celebrity in yourself.

If you look around the league, Toronto is always amongst the top cities that players vote as their favourite. In fact, many teams arrive a day early or stay a day longer in T.O. because of stuff like the nightlife, bars and clubs downtown, the ethnic diversity all across the city. Dot. That said, in many player’s eyes, Toronto is a ‘great place to visit, but not to live here.’

Toronto’s biggest problem is winning. The Jays haven’t won since the early 90′s. The Leafs are winless since 1967. The CFL and NLL are considered a minor league amongst Americans. And the Raptors? They haven’t won anything. The franchise itself has a poor track record for winning, which compounds the problem of playing in Toronto. The NBA is not run like a video game, where players can be signed or traded on a whim without issues. People like GM Bryan Colangelo often deal with players who have American families living in America who are unwilling to move to Canada. Family location, birthplace, friends, housing, etc. are all aspects factored into whether or not a player signs anywhere – the problem is, they’re magnified when Toronto is a potential suitor. You’re not just changing cities for some players, but countries.

The Raptors’ franchise has had to deal with this for years, and will have to deal with it forever it seems. The ‘winning’ issue can be solved by, well, simply winning. A winning franchise will attract players from all over the city. This ‘different place’ problem is what haunts the Blue Jays now too, but this issue was non-existent when they won back-to-back World Series rings in the early ’90′s. Players were dying to come to Toronto to finally win a ring that their career had been lacking. Now? Toronto teams are places people go to for bounce-back seasons, slighty higher pay, getting the opportunity to start on a regular basis, or if they have no other options and are forced to sign. If the Raptors ever become an elite NBA team, attracting great American players will be incredibly simpler. It’s all something that the fans and the franchise are going to have to get used to.

Kovalchuk/Devils
This was a stupid deal. 17-years/$102M? I’m glad that the NHL stopped it. It was so heavily frontloaded, it’s ridiculous. There’s no way Kovalchuk would’ve played until his 17th season (age 44), and would’ve easily retired in his late 30s to just reap the remaining dollars on the contract. I don’t think he has any intention of playing the duration of that contract out, but now that the NHLPA has filed a grievance, it may go through/get slighty tweaked.

Raps Snubbed
MJ pulled out of a late deal that would’ve seen the Raps get a 3-player package including Tyson Chandler and Boris Diaw. I was beside myself when I found out that Jordan pulled out. Chandler is exactly the kind of guy the Raps need, and Diaw’s versatility would’ve been key. That would’ve changed the starting lineup from Bargnani-Bosh-Turkoglu-DeRozan-Calderon from last season, to Chander-Bargnani-Diaw-Barbosa-Jack, which would’ve been solid. Moving Turk’s massive contract was key, especially for a guy with the calibre of talent that Barbosa has. I’m glad BC has decided to throw caution to the wind, since it’ll be his ass on the line if the Raps have another season without making the playoffs.

Raw vs. Nexus
This angle is turning out alright. There’s still a lot of question marks regarding whether these guys can hold their own in a match that’s longer than 10 minutes, how they can perform one-on-one when there aren’t 6 other guys there to bail them out, etc.. I think Triple H will be the leader of Nexus, rather than John Cena, but either one would be fine by me. I personally think HHH is far better as a heel than he is a face, so I welcome the change. Cena’s face promos and mannerisms are just so old, I think he needs to switch sides. Will it happen? I doubt it, since he’s the top merchandise seller for the WWE right now. Him and Rey Mysterio are probably the two unlikeliest to have heel turns. Speaking of turns, how about Randy Orton? A great transition from heel to face, the same mannerisms and behaviour, but the RKO is *so* incredibly over with the crowd right now, it’s insane. It’s almost like the Stone Cold Stunner circa 1997ish when Austin was doing it to everyone. Those were the days…

What’s Next?
I’ve got the same few projects under wraps right now. Whether or not they’re unveiled remains to be seen, but I’m trying to find more time to write columns and stuff, since I think that it’s what’s lacking most on the site.

I just got my Skype/video blogging/podcast stuff worked out on my new laptop, so both tools have become potential options for VoV. You’re more likely to see a podcast coming before you see me videoblogging/Skype-ing, but who knows – this Peep Show feature may become a podcast just in itself. I’d like to do one for WWE/MLB/NHL, but that’ll depend on a number of factors.

I think that’s it for now. As always, I’ll be taking questions off of VoV post comments, Twitter replies, Facebook questions, emails, SpringForm questions, the Facebook fanpage, you name it. The links are posted below where you can contact me. Again, if you’re sending via email, please use something to the effect of “VoV” in the subject line so it doesn’t get filtered by spam. I’ve been getting truckloads of spam as of late, so if you used a stupid subject line, it probably got caught with the rest.

VoV