MLB
– Updating a previous item, Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak said Monday that 3B David Freese (broken hand) will miss 9-12 weeks. Manager Tony La Russa said earlier in the afternoon that Freese would miss 6-8 weeks, but Mozeliak doesn’t expect him back until late-July.
– The Yankees announced Monday that RHP Phil Hughes (right shoulder) tested negative for all circulatory and vascular issues. Hughes does not have thoratic outlet syndrome, as was feared last week. The Yanks have eliminated one possibility here, but there’s still no explanation for his dead arm and diminished velocity. Stay tuned.
– Mariners’ OF Franklin Gutierrez (stomach) will begin a minor league rehab assignment Monday night with Triple-A Tacoma. He’s in the starting lineup as the designated hitter, but is not expected to play the full game. It’s still a huge first step in his recovery from irritable bowel syndrome. It will take him a little while to get back in playing shape, but he could be back before the end of the month.
– Rangers’ RHP Neftali Feliz (shoulder) will make a minor league rehab appearance Wednesday at Double-A Frisco. Feliz threw a successful 46-pitch bullpen session Monday and reported no problems with his once-inflamed shoulder. If everything goes well on Wednesday in the minors, he could be activated before Friday’s game.
– Athletics’ GM Billy Beane indicated that LHP Dallas Braden (shoulder) had a setback playing catch Monday. “So-so would be kind” was how the session was described by Beane. Braden, who was placed on the DL with stiffness in his left shoulder in mid-April, will revisit a doctor following Monday’s setback.
– Mets’ prospect RHP Jenrry Mejia (torn MCL in right elbow) has been diagnosed with a complete tear. Mejia will almost certainly require surgery to repair the torn muscle but will wait on a second opinion before going under the knife. The 21-year-old was rated as the 44th most promising prospect in the game this offseason by Baseball America and was working with a 2.86 ERA through five starts at Triple-A Buffalo.
NHL
– A group of investors, including former MLB All-Star Tom Glavine, could purchase the Thrashers for $110M. The club averaged just 13,403 fans per home game last season, but the club is debt-free and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks are picking up the bond payments for the arena they share. True North Entertainment and Sports, which is interested in buying a team and moving them to Winnipeg, might also be a contender for the Thrashers. It is believed that they will wait to see what happens with the Coyotes before turning their attention to the Thrashers. Stay tuned.
WWE
– WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin appeared on Busted Open. The highlights:
On being part of the first big event after 9/11 (Smackdown in Houston on Sept. 13, 2001…tied in with the news that Osama Bin Laden was killed): “Well, the first show back was an interesting day at the office just because that’s when Vince (McMahon) just said, ‘Hey, Steve, we need to go back to work. A lot of people are going to come down on us but we gotta get this thing moving again and go forward because that’s what you do.’ There was just a lot going on there. A big gray cloud over all of us. Why this happened and how it happened and everything that went on. It was a little strange obviously. It was a weird period, that’s all I can say about it. It was a long time ago and it was a weird period, but you have to do what you have to do.”
Edge’s sudden retirement and similarities to Austin’s neck problems: “Well, I don’t know all the particulars about Edge’s health, but I guess it’s a neck problem. Spinal Stenosis, it means you ain’t gotta lot of room for your spinal cord to move. So that puts him in harms way by taking too many bumps or taking the wrong bump, so it’s a good decision he made. Sad day at the office for millions and millions of Edge fans and WWE fans.
I remember a long time ago, when my good buddy Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff had to get out of the business and he looked at me…Me and Paul were always straight shooters with each other and really good friends…and he goes ‘Steve, let me tell you something. There is life after wrestling.’ And there is, you just gotta go out there and find it and Edge will. He’s a bright kid, always has been, he’s still young, has got youth on his side, good looking kid and smart, so he’ll be fine. That’s just the way it is. When its time to close a door and open up another one, you gotta do that.”
His Reaction to hearing the WrestleMania 28 main event announced a year in advance and making it work: “They’re gonna have to make it work. It’s a hard build to make work. Rock’s hot and heavy right now in the movie business, he’s doing great…..and Cena is the number 1 guy, I’m sure he would love to work with a guy like Rock. When you got that big a window of time, it’s gotta work, and if anybody can make it work, it’s Vince. He always wants to do something big at every single Wrestlemania there is and that’s the big thing that he made was…..this next Wrestlemania. He’s a lot smarter than I am, so more power to him and good luck. I wish both guys well.”
On wrestlers having personality or lack thereof and if the guys in the back were upset that he showed his with the Stone Cold character: “To this day, they (creative) might give you something because they don’t think you can come up with anything better or they feel their idea might be better than yours. Vince is a businessman. He don’t want to sit there and make every single decision that’s gotta be made. At the corporate level that’s his job because he’s the leader of that ship…he’s the captain…it’s his baby, but hell, he wants everyone to go out there.”
“If John Cena, the number 1 guy in the business, goes up to Vince and goes ‘Vince, I got a damn good idea, this is how to make me better and more hotter than I already am’….Vince is gonna listen to him. If Joe Blow who’s jerking the curtain in the first match says ‘Vince, I got a hell of an idea that’s gonna make me a main eventer, Vince is gonna say ‘Let me hear it’. It ain’t about them labeling you anything and making you stick to it. You gotta come up with something…it’s show business.”
– Jim Ross posted a blog entry today on his official website, www.jrsbarbq.com. Highlights are as follows:
His health following Extreme Rules: “Very sore today. Broken right hand is hurting. Iced it before going to bed to reduce swelling. Certainly not using the hand as an excuse for losing because I pretty much forgot about it once the ‘match’ started. Bowling shoe ugly bout w/o question. Did the best we could w/ 2 non wrestlers in a tag match.”
Michelle McCool’s departure from WWE: “Sorry to see Michelle McCool leave WWE. She’s an example of what intelligently approaching ones craft will do for you. Michelle evolved into a skilled performer via hard work. Perhaps I’ll see her when her alma mater, Florida State University, hosts Oklahoma in college football this September. Michelle is a gifted athlete and will be missed.”
Christian winning the World Heavyweight Championship: “Really happy for Christian’s success in winning World Heavyweight Title. Christian was ‘due’ and is one of the more underrated performers in WWE and has been for a good while.”
R-Truth’s performance at Extreme Rules: “R-Truth has begun to distinguish himself and had an impactful cameo at Extreme Rules. Again, the key issue here is for Truth to contiune to take advantage of the moment. The door is open, so to speak, and hopefully Truth will walk through it to the next level. An interesting story to follow.”
Kharma’s debut at Extreme Rules: “Enjoyed Kharma’s debut at Extreme Rules. She can potentially be a huge attraction for WWE. She’s different and special. Curious to see where she goes from here. I personally expect great things from her.”
– The ongoing Michael Cole vs. Jerry Lawler program is slated to continue through at least WWE Over the Limit, which takes place May 22, 2011 at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington. A singles match between both personalities is expected to occur.
– CM Punk suffered numerous scrapes on his back during his Last Standing Man Match against Randy Orton last night at Extreme Rules.
– Jim Ross (broken hand) said on Twitter following last night’s Extreme Rules PPV that a leather strap had to be attached to his wrist due to his broken hand; he couldn’t make a fist or grip the strap. The injury occurred last Monday on Raw when Cole’s tooth made contact with the bone of J.R.’s fist.
– WWE.com is now listing Alberto Del Rio’s personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez as a member of the Raw roster. While Del Rio was moved to Raw in last week’s Draft, Rodriguez, however, was not officially. Meanwhile, Ranjin Singh is still listed a member of the Raw roster despite being drafted to SmackDown along with The Great Khali last Tuesday.
TNA
– Former TNA X Division Champion Jay Lethal is returning to Ring of Honor for the first time since 2008. The organization issued a press release today to announce that he will appear on the Best in the World online pay-per-view on June 26.
– April Hunter, who has competed on the independent wrestling scene for numerous years, was offered a contract by TNA Wrestling in 2009. She explained why she declined their contract offer in an interview with www.f4wonline.com.
“First off, I do like the people there and enjoy the locker room and backstage. It’s a fun company. But there were a few issues,” she said.
“The money wasn’t more than I’m offered on the indies. However, the main issue was they asked me to sign a waiver clearing them of any future medical issues, and that I had to get cleared by my own doctor first. I knew of two other girls fighting with them to get their medical bills paid at that point and I wasn’t comfortable with the idea after all the injuries I’ve already been through. I know how easy it is to get hurt and I also know they like to suggest certain high risk moves at times. That is what royally screwed up a match I had with Desire years ago. TNA management put the match together using moves that neither one of us were comfortable or familiar with. So, I said no.
“I’d never rule them out if they change their policies, but for now, I don’t think it’s for me.”