MLB

– Former RHP Roger Clemens was offered a plea agreement, however it was declined, said his attorney Rusty Hardin. “The government made a recommendation [for a plea agreement] and we declined. I will tell you the recommendation they made was a very good one if he was guilty. And if he was guilty we would have jumped on it. Everybody has all this great solicitous advice, all the media and you guys — ESPN. Nobody is answering the question: What if he didn’t do it, what should he have done? And everybody wants him to confess.” The Rocket is telling the truth or has absolutely lost it. He is facing the prospect of real jail time right now. Stay tuned.

– Braves’ LHP Billy Wagner told David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Saturday that he has committed to retiring after this season. Wagner has a $6.5M option for 2011 and has been stellar in the ninth inning for Atlanta this season, but he’s done. “Me and my family have made plans for retirement. I don’t need it anymore. I’m tired of the expectations, tired of the criticism, tired of people who never played trying to tell me how to play.”

– Sources tell FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal that the Giants were the team awarded a claim on Marlins’ OF Cody Ross. The Giants already have Burrell, Rowand and Guillen as righty outfielders and switch-hitter Andres Torres plays against a lot of southpaws, so it’s unclear how he’ll fit. They may have just wanted to block him from going to another team. The Marlins, though, could just hand him over and save themselves about $1M.

– The Yankees have placed 3B Alex Rodriguez (right calf) on the 15-day DL. It makes complete sense for the Yankees to give A-Rod as much rest as possible right now, as he’s been playing hurt for a while and they need him fully healthy for late September and October. He sports a .265/.333/.485 line with 21 homers and 97 RBI.

– A’s 1B Conor Jackson (sports hernia) may require season-ending surgery. Jackson has felt discomfort in his lower abdomen and groin since March. He even saw three or four doctors in regards to the pain dating back to his time with the Diamondbacks, but it wasn’t diagnosed by A’s doctors until Friday. “It’s definitely a mental blow. It’s borderline embarrassing, just because I come over to a new organization and I’ve only played [18] games. I know that they had high regards for me coming over here and I felt like health has ridden my performance. It’s just frustrating, that’s not even the word I’m looking for.”

– The Red Sox have placed 2B Dustin Pedroia (soreness in left foot) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 19. Doctors have told Pedroia that he’s done no further damage to the foot he broke in June. However, it’s just not feeling good enough for him to play on at the moment.

– Marlins’ RHP Ricky Nolasco (knee) is likely to be scratched from his scheduled Sunday. The Marlins are examining Nolasco at the moment to see if he has a torn meniscus. The righty is 14-8 with a 1.23 WHIP and 147 strikeouts in 155 2/3 innings this season and was just about to begin negotiations toward a contract extension.

– The Yankees have placed 1B Lance Berkman (sprained right ankle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 16.

– The Red Sox have placed C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (infection in lower right leg) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 16.

– The Padres have placed OF Tony Gwynn Jr. (fractured hamate bone in right hand) on the 15-day DL.

– The Astros have placed RHP Matt Lindstrom (back) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 17.

– The Marlins have placed C Ronny Paulino on the restricted list and LHP Sean West (inflammation in right knee) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 15.

– The Astros have placed 2B Jeff Keppinger (fractured left big toe) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 17.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Vicente Padilla (bulging disc in neck) on the 15-day DL retroactive to August 16.

– The Cardinals have transferred C Jason LaRue to the 60-day DL.

NFL

– The Chargers have placed unsigned RFAs WR Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeill on the roster exempt list. The players currently withholding were sent letters informing them of the Chargers’ plans to invoke a 3-game suspension, applicable upon signing their tenders. That brings Jackson’s total to 6 games under suspension if he does sign. The Seahawks have recently spoken with Jackson’s agent, but demands to surpass WR Brandon Marshall’s 4-years/$46.5M have caused a stalemate. San Diego’s asking price of a 2nd-round pick is not believed to be an issue.

J-Vax’ suspension can be served concurrently with his 3-game NFL suspension as long as he signs by September 4. If Jackson doesn’t sign by September 4, the extra 3 games would begin to kick in at that point. He could end up serving anywhere from 3-to-6 weeks. There’s enough incentive here for Jackson and any teams interested in trading for him to iron out an agreement by early September. He’s reportedly asking for  a5 -year/$50M contract with $30M guaranteed.

– After testing his hip Friday, Vikings WR Sidney Rice said that his status for the season opener is now “up in the air.” Rice felt pain in his hip Friday when he pushed it to the limit in conditioning drills. The Vikings, unsure of Rice’s early-season status, are working out free agents WR Brandon Jones and WR Javon Walker.

– The NFL has suspended Bills TE Shawn Nelson 4 games for violating the league’s Substance Abuse Policy. As recently as early August, the Bills were said to have “big plans” for Nelson. Nelson should be starting again by the end of the season.

– Vikings’ WR Percy Harvin (migraines) was back on the sidelines Friday, watching practice and hanging out with the coaches. It’s good sign that Harvin is out of the hospital and back functioning normally. He appears to have no after-effects from Thursday’s migraine episode. There’s no current timetable for his return to practice.

Harvin is also scheduled to see a specialist about his migraines this weekend. Coach Brad Childress is “optimistic” that Harvin may practice next week, but the Vikings will take all necessary precautions. “This is a puzzle we have no idea when it will be solved. It’s a tough deal,” Chilly said. It’s bad that Harvin’s migraine episodes are occurring closer together, but the injury is tricky to gauge. He should still be ready for Opening Day.

– Patriots’ OL Nick Kaczur (bulging disc in back) has reportedly undergone surgery and is likely to miss the entire 2010 season. He went down on the second day of training camp and never returned to practice.

– Chargers’ OT William “Tra” Thomas has decided to retire rather than play out the 2010 season. The 12-year vet entered camp as the favourite to fill in for Marcus McNeill at left tackle, but he quickly fell down the ladder after developing knee problems.

– The Falcons have placed rookie WR Kerry Meier (knee) on the IR, ending his season. Meier went down in Atlanta’s second preseason game. The Kansas quarterback was having a big camp as a slot receiver, so the Falcons wouldn’t have ended his year if his injury was insignificant. Meier likely tore ligaments in the knee.

– Former Phoenix Cardinal Pro Bowl return man Johnny Bailey passed away Thursday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Bailey is the only 3-time winner of the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in Division II College Football. He had a6 -year career with the Bears, Cardinals, and Rams.

NHL

– Lightning’ F Vincent Lecavalier (left knee) will undergo minor arthroscopic surgery and is expected to miss 4 weeks. He should be ready for training camp on September 17.

– The Penguins have signed F Arron Asham to a one-year/$700K deal. The gritty winger spent the last two years with the Flyers, recording 24 points and 126 penalty minutes in 2009-10. Asham will be used on the Pens’ checking line.

– Brendan Shanahan is helping the NHL’s Research, Development, and Orientation camp take a “proactive approach” to new rules in the NHL. The league is set to test several modifications to the rules currently in place. Shanny has helped devise ways to improver the game of hockey. While the motions are in place to begin testing, the changes will not come for some time. Some of the rules being questioned are no-touch icing, wider blue lines, and relocated faceoff dots.

NBA

– The Nuggets are expected to have a frank discussion with F Carmelo Anthony about his future once they hire a new GM, which should happen next week. Former Suns executive David Griffin is still the favourite, but whoever lands the GM job will have a lot on their plate. Stay tuned.

– Contrary to rumours, the Magic and Hornets have no interest in signing G Allen Iverson, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein. Stein apparently spoke with a team sources who shot down the rumour. AI’s career may be over.

– G Delonte West has been suspended for 10 games due to last year’s arrest on weapons charges. It’s worth noting that if he signs with a team in January, his suspension would start at that time.

WWE

– Legendary wrestling manager General Skandor Akbar (James Wehbna), 75, best known for his work in World Class Championship Wrestling and Mid South/UWF, was found dead yesterday at his home in Texas. He remained active on the independent scene until his death and had just recently made an appearance at the NWA Legends Convention, which Jim Ross talked about in a recent blog. Ross even noted that Akbar greatly influenced a young Steve Austin during his time in Dallas.

Also, “Nightmare” Ted Allen, 54, a staple of the southeast wrestling scene for nearly 35 years, was found dead in his home earlier this week. The cause of death is believed to have been a massive heart attack. Allen is best known for having trained the likes of Arn Anderson, Scotty Riggs and the late Ray Traylor (Big Bossman).

TNA

– Rosie Lottalove, who was removed yesterday from the official TNA Wrestling website’s roster page along with six others, confirmed her departure from the organization this morning on her Twitter account.

“Ok guys. TNA days are done for now. Not a bad thing, so don’t speculate. Thank you 2 the guys and girls, & agents. It was a blast!”

A student of the Team 3D Academy, she worked a tryout match on April 20, during which she accidentally injured her opponent, Daffney. She received a contract a few weeks later. The portly performer was used once more on television following her June 3 debut on Impact, in a match against Taylor Wilde on the July 9 episode of Xplosion.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NBA

– F LeBron James isn’t expected to announce his decision until at least Wednesday evening, when a three-day Nike camp in Akron ends. Many feel LBJ is still leaning towards re-signing with the Cavs. The Knicks also met with James’ representatives for a second time in Cleveland on Saturday, according to the NY Daily News. This may not mean much in the long view, but it’s a noteworthy event as LeBron’s decision looms just days away — possibly Wednesday evening but more likely Thursday.

– According to G Joe Johnson’s agent, Arn Tellem, JJ is set to re-sign with the Hawks for a maximum contract of about 6-years/$120M. Tellem confirmed Sunday in an entry he wrote for the Huffington Post website, in which he said Johnson “announced his intention to re-sign with the Hawks for six more years.” Tellem wrote that Johnson chose to remain in Atlanta over Chicago and New York, where he would have been reunited with Mike D’Antoni, his former coach in Phoenix. The Knicks tried to convince Johnson that if he signed with them he could make up lost salary with contract incentives and endorsements, but obviously their pitch didn’t work. JJ will rejoin a playoff-ready core in Atlanta, with a contract that won’t expire until he’s 35 years old. For the Knicks, missing out on Johnson means they’ll probably start targeting F Mike Miller.

– F Amare Stoudemire met with Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni on Sunday morning, as the two worked out whatever differences existed between them. D’Antoni also called Amare late last week to tell him how much the Knicks want him. It would be shocking if he doesn’t sign with New York at this point — he’s attending team owner James Dolan’s Fourth of July party, and has apparently been recruiting Spurs’ G Tony Parker and Nuggets’ F Carmelo Anthony.

NHL

– F Ilya Kovalchuk will reportedly not be signing with the Kings. GM Dean Lombardi said on Sunday afternoon that the highly sought after UFA would not be coming despite their best efforts to bring him on board. The Devils and Islanders are believed to be the front-runners at this time for his services. Stay tuned.

– Leafs’ GM Brian Burke is still looking to add a veteran defenseman to his roster via free agency. Although there is no word on who Burke is targeting, Andy Sutton, Willie Mitchell and Jay McKee could be on the Buds’ radar. If the Maple Leafs are successful in signing a veteran blueliner, it will certainly accelerate the Tomas Kaberle trade talks. Stay tuned.

– F Mike Modano said he will be patient in his search for a new club. “I really have been through this before, so it’s not that new. There’s a lot more texting now, but you still just try to ask questions and answer what they want. It’s a lot of waiting around, that’s the tough part.” Modano has had discussions with the Red Wings, but it may be tough for them to fit him into their salary structure.

MLB

– Twins’ C Joe Mauer, the overall vote leader, heads the group of AL All-Star selections. Justin Morneau, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Evan Longoria, Josh Hamilton, Ichiro Suzuki, Carl Crawford and Vladimir Guerrero were also voted in as starters. The AL reserves include Miguel Cabrera, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, David Ortiz, Elvis Andrus, Vernon Wells, Jose Bautista, Torii Hunter, Ty Wigginton, Alex Rodriguez, Ian Kinsler and John Buck. Kinsler and Buck were injury replacements for Pedroia and Martinez, respectively. The AL pitching staff consists of David Price, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Phil Hughes, Cliff Lee, Fausto Carmona, Trevor Cahill, CC Sabathia, Neftali Feliz, Mariano Rivera, Jose Valverde, Matt Thornton and Joakim Soria. The Final Vote will come down to Paul Konerko, Nick Swisher, Kevin Youkilis, Delmon Young and Michael Young.

Cardinals’ 1B Albert Pujols was again the leading National League All-Star vote-getter. Others that were voted as starters include Chase Utley, Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, Ryan Braun, Andre Ethier, Jason Heyward and Yadier Molina. The NL reserves consist of Martin Prado, Ryan Howard, Brandon Phillips, Omar Infante, Michael Bourn, Chris Young, Brian McCann, Adrian Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, Scott Rolen, Corey Hart, Matt Holliday, Marlon Byrd and Jose Reyes. Phillips and Reyes were added as injury replacements for Utley and Tulowitzki, respectively, and Prado will start at second. Heyward might require an injury replacement, as well. Pitchers that were selected for the squad include Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Yovani Gallardo, Tim Hudson, Evan Meek, Arthur Rhodes, Matt Capps, Brian Wilson and Jonathan Broxton. For the Final Vote, it will be between Joey Votto, Ryan Zimmerman, Carlos Gonzalez, Billy Wagner and Heath Bell.

– The D’Backs have released LHP Dontrelle Willis. In six games with Arizona, five as a starter, Willis was 1-1 with a 6.85 ERA. He struck out 13 and walked 27 in 22 1-3 innings.

– The Indians have placed OF Shin-Soo Choo (sprained right thumb) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 3.

– The Astros have placed 1B Geoff Blum (loose bodies in right elbow) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 2.

– The Cardinals have placed OF Ryan Ludwick (left calf strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 26.

– The Padres have placed OF Will Venable (lower back strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 2.

– The Twins have placed 2B Matt Tolbert (contusion on right middle finger) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 1.

– The Red Sox have placed RHP Manny Delcarmen (strained right forearm) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 1.

UFC

–  UFC Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar defeated Shane Carwin on Saturday night at UFC 116 by submission in the second round of the fight. Carwin came out strong in the first round, dropping Lesnar with a vicious uppercut and almost putting the champion away with a fury of ground and pound. Lesnar survived the round and came back strong in the second round, making Carwin submit from an arm-triangle choke. After the fight, Lesnar thanked referee Josh Rosenthal for not stopping the fight when he appeared to be in trouble. Lesnar said:

“He hit me pretty good, and I don’t know, I ended up there on the ground. I just had to go into survival mode and stay busy. I really have to thank the referee for allowing that thing to go on. I wasn’t hurt. I thought if I just kept moving — I could feel Shane’s punches getting less and less — and I thought, well, if I can get out of here then I’m just going to exert a lot energy. I realized there was [not a lot of time left], so I just tried to stay busy. He’s a beast. He definitely won the first round [laughs].”

Former WWE personalities Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Steve Austin, Jim Ross and Bill Goldberg were shown in attendence. Lesnar’s longtime friend Paul Heyman was also with Lesnar throughout the weekend. At the post-show press conference, UFC President Dana White announced that Lesnar’s next title defense will be against undefeated heavyweight Cain Velasquez. No date has been announced, but the fight is expected to take place later this year.

WWE

– According to WWE Magazine’s “Best of WWE” Special Issue, which was released last Tuesday, WWE Studios’ upcoming comedy film starring Paul “Triple H” Levesque will be released in theaters next summer. Also note, the magazine refers to the film as Inside Out, but it has since been changed to The Chaperone. The film is currently being filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana.

– R-Truth revealed in an interview with WWE Magazine that he has another entrance theme in the works which would be specifically performed at pay-per-view events.

“The new song is called “Right Time. It’s hip-hop with some metal guitars in it. The lyrics will encourage crowd participation, too. The song just talks about going through life, doing the right things and keeping your head up.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NHL

– With the #1 overall selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Oilers have selected F Taylor Hall. The Bruins selected F Tyler Seguin with the #2 pick, and the Panthers took D Erik Gudbranson with the 3 pick, ??with the Blue Jackets taking F Ryan Johansen 4th. F Nino Niederreiter went to the Islanders at #5, F Brett Connolly went 6th to the Lightning, F Jeff Skinner 7th to the Hurricanes, F Alex Burmistrov wen 8th to the Thrashers, F Mikael Granlund 9th to the Wild, D Dylan McIlrath 10th to the Rangers, and G Jack Campbell 11th to the Stars. The Ducks picked D Cam Fowler at #12, with F Brandon Gormley going to the Coyotes at 13.

– Barring something unforeseen, it looks as if Senators’ F Jason Spezza will be with the Senators in 2010-11. GM Bryan Murray told reporters on Friday that he can’t find a trading partner for Spezza and that he expects the playmaking pivot to be at the Sens’ training camp in September. “There’s not going to be (a trade) at this point in time. We’ve talked enough about Jason. I’m very happy. We’ll talk to Jason as I get back to Ottawa and continue to get this back in place so that all the speculation goes away.” Spezza has a no movement clause that kicks in on July 1st, so it appears that unless there is a last-minute change, Spezza will once again be the Sens’ top center in 2010-11.

– The Penguins have acquired the rights to D Dan Hamhuis from the Flyers for a 3rd round pick in Saturday’s draft. The Flyers acquired Hamhuis from the Predators last weekend, but apparently couldn’t reach an agreement on a long-term contract. The physical six-year NHL veteran would be among the league’s top available defensemen next week. The Pens acquired Hamhuis because contract talks with D Sergei Gonchar are not going well, and he becomes a UFA on July 1.

In regards to Gonchar, negotiations are still ongoing between the agent for the All-Star defenseman and Pens’ GM Ray Shero. The real sticking point in the talks is the length of contract. The Penguins are only prepared to offer a 2-year deal, while the 36-year-old Gonchar wants a minimum of 3-years. Offering the extra year has both risk and cap ramifications for the Penguins and they don’t want to go there. Stay tuned.

– The Panthers have traded D Keith Ballard and F Victor Oreskovich to the Canucks for F Steve Bernier, F Michael Grabner and the 25th overall pick (F Quinton Howden) in Friday’s draft.The Canucks do get a solid defenceman possibly take over from the still concussed Willie Mitchell, plus he is signed for five more years. Gillis said,

“We made the decision this was something we really had to do. We know Keith Ballard can step into our lineup and play big minutes. When you have the Hart Trophy winner [Henrik Sedin] on our team and six 25-goal scorers, it really changed our viewpoint about where we are. We feel that we have a number of young development players. We’ve signed a number of college free agents. Our pick was at the end of the first round and we didn’t feel there was a player there who’d be able to help us for a number of years. We’re trying to get as close as we can to the Stanley Cup final today, and you can’t have enough top-quality defensemen, so that’s why we decided to make the deal.”

– The Bruins have re-signed RFA F Mark Recchi to a 1-year deal. The deal is expected to be for the same $1M price tag that Recchi played for last season, but it will have significant game’s played bonuses. Recchi, 42, is still a decent bet to score 15 goals and 40 points next season if healthy.

– The four NHL teams Pat Burns coached in his 15-year career joined with the league to donate $50,000 towards the construction of an arena in his name and to a scholastic fund, mayor Philippe Dutil announced Friday. The NHL as well as the Canadiens, Leafs, Bruins and Devils will contribute to the Pat Burns Arena in Stanstead, Que., near the Canada/U.S. border. A frail-looking Burns attended the announcement of the project on March 26 along with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Quebec government officials. Burns is suffering through a third bout of cancer. The federal and provincial governments together pledged two-thirds of the estimated $8.5M cost of the arena, which is slated to open in 2011. Burns is the only coach to win the Jack Adams award as NHL coach of the year three times.

– Senators’ newly-acquired D David Rundblad will play in Sweden one more year before coming to Ottawa. The 19-year-old defenceman will certainly be a part of the Senators’ blueline corps in 2011-12. Rundblad has elite offensive skills and is perfectly suited to quarterback an NHL power play.

MLB

– D’Backs’ RHP Edwin Jackson threw a no-hitter last night, the fourth this season. Jackson finished with 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 8 BB, 6 K, 149 pitches. The 149 pitches is the most in the majors over the past five years. Jackson walked seven of the first 13 batters. Jackson improves to 5-6 on the season with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that “two executives from clubs that have called the Mariners about LHP Cliff Lee say the team is indeed willing to trade the pitcher immediately for the right offer.” M’s GM Jack Zduriencik said Friday that he’s “not willing to throw in the towel just yet,” but presumably he’s more realistic behind the scenes. One executive said he expects Lee to be traded within the next 7-to-10 days, with Rosenthal calling the Twins “front-runners” while the Mets, Dodgers and Rangers are among the teams that “have inquired on Lee.”

– The Cubs have suspended RHP Carlos Zambrano indefinitely. They suspended the volatile pitcher indefinitely for his outburst and dugout altercation with teammate 1B Derrek Lee after the first inning of a 6-0 loss to the White Sox on Friday.

– Reds’ GM Walt Jocketty told reporters on Friday that LHP Aroldis Chapman would likely be called up from the minors in “about three weeks.” That would likely place his debut after the All-Star break. Jocketty has said that the team still considers Chapman to be a starter in the long-run, but that he’ll help the team as a reliever this season. The Cuban flamethrower has a 4.12 ERA over 14 games (13 starts) with Triple-A Louisville this season, averaging 10.5 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9. He tossed two innings in relief on Wednesday, so the Reds already making the transition.

– Braves’ LHP Billy Wagner has recorded save #400, putting him 5th on the career saves list and is second among left-handers behind John Franco’s 424.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports that the Eagles are confident that QB  Michael Vick was not at the scene when his cousin, Quanis Phillips, was shot by an unknown male after Vick’s birthday Friday morning. If the name Quanis Phillips rings a bell, it’s because he was a prominent part of Bad Newz Kennelz. Vick’s continued association with Phillips throws up a red flag, though no punishment looks likely. The Eagles are reportedly convinced Vick “was long gone before anything happened.” “The sense is Vick will be okay,” tweeted La Canfora late Friday. “We’ll see if more turns up.”

– WDSU New Orleans confirms that the injuries suffered by Giants rookie DB Chad Jones in a car accident Friday are career threatening. Jones’ leg is described as “severely damaged,” and amputation still hasn’t been ruled out depending on the healing process after Friday’s surgery. Jones’ life is not in danger, but his football future is. “We are praying for Chad and his family,” LSU coach Les Miles tweeted. “Keep him in your prayers.”

NBA

– F LeBron James is planning to invite six teams to meet him over the first three days of free agency, and rap mogul Jay-Z and Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov will be part of a Nets contingent that will make the first presentation on July 1 in the Akron, Ohio, area, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.  James and his advisors plan to have the Nets, Knicks, Bulls, Clippers, Heat and Cavaliers make presentations. Yahoo! Sports first reported on Thursday night that James would be taking appointments with teams on July 1 to begin his free-agency process. The Bulls have emerged as the favourites for James, and the Heat and Nets are making a strong push, too. The Knicks and Clippers appear to be longer shots to sign James. The Cavaliers remain a viable choice because of James’ seven seasons there and the opportunity for him to make as much as $30 million more re-signing with his hometown team. The Nets are hoping the global might of Jay-Z – an idol and mentor to James – and Prokhorov can appeal to James’ desire to be a billionaire athlete with an international platform and profile.

According to his business manager, James is not going on a free-agent tour. The NBA superstar’s business manager told ESPN.com on Friday that James has no plans to go on a recruiting trip when free agency opens on July 1. There had been speculation that the two-time MVP would hit the road like a college recruit next week to be courted by teams. “LeBron is not going on a tour. He never planned to go on a tour and has not been a part of any team’s plans for a recruiting trip.”

– Wizards’ F Andray Blatche (broken foot) is out for the next three months. Blatche had the operation Friday night to repair a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. He is expected to be sidelined for three months, which means he could return just in time for training camp. Details are fuzzy about how he suffered the injury. Blatche has denied he was playing basketball when it happened, blaming a morning workout instead. The big fear is that he’ll be out of shape when the season kicks off in late October.

– It appears that Jerry Colangelo is at least in the running to replace outgoing president Rod Thorn in New Jersey. Jerry West, Kevin Pritchard and others are probably also being considered, but it’s too early to say who is the favorite. Sources conflict about Thorn’s departure, as some state he’s leaving on perfectly good terms, while others tell of a very low offer for him to stay. Either way, he’s leaving and will be replaced around mid-July after the Nets make a sales pitch or two to LeBron James.

– Nets’ president Rod Thorn is giving some mixed signals about his future as president and general manager of the team. Thorn gave a cryptic “we’ll see” response and then laughed on Friday when asked when he would sign a new contract and how long he intended to stay on the job. “Thanks for asking,” Thorn said, ending the conversation.

New Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has made it clear that he wants the 69-year-old Thorn to stay with the organization and revive the team after a franchise-worst 12-70 season. Thorn, who has been calling the shots for the Nets since 2000, hired Avery Johnson as coach last week, ran the draft on Thursday and is now preparing for the long-awaited free agency period when the likes of LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) can test the market. New Jersey doesn’t have a great supporting cast, but Thorn has positioned the team to make a run at star players with $27M in salary cap space.

Quoting league sources, ESPN The Magazine reported on Friday that Thorn will step down as the Nets president on July 15. Thorn had no comment on the report in a telephone call with The Associated Press on Friday night. “I appreciate your inquiry,” Thorn said.

– Community leaders and public officials are pushing for an investigation into the business dealings of current Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov. Brooklyn pastor Clinton Miller and Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ) have called for an investigation into Prokhorov’s for possible illegal business contracts with the repressive Zimbabwe government. This situation could turn very sour for an already struggling New Jersey Nets franchise and certainly wouldn’t help the international image of the NBA.

– An Illinois judge has finalized the contentious divorce of G Dwyane Wade, though the messy fight isn’t over. Cook County Judge Marya Nega announced her widely expected decision during a brief hearing Friday. Wade says he’s relieved the proceedings from his wife, Siohvaughn, are over. Siohvaughn Wade’s attorney, however, says he’ll appeal on the grounds that the judge finalized the divorce before financial issues and custody issues involving the couple’s two sons have been resolved. The judge says her previous orders, including one granting Dwyane Wade temporary custody of the children, remain in place for now. Wade’s now ex-wife did not attend the hearing.

WWE

– While no television outlet has been announced, WWE plans on holding a third season of NXT. The current season ends in late August, and they have the Syfy slot at least until the end of September.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, as reported Wednesday, ring announcer Savannah (Angela Fong, 25) was released from her WWE contract. She was recently replaced by Jamie Keyes as the ring announcer for NXT and instead moved to a backstage announcer role on Raw. It’s said her flubbing lines on last week’s Raw while interviewing Wade Barrett was the reason for her dismissal from the company.

Prior to entering the wrestling industry, Fong was a cheerleader for the British Columbia Lions of the CFL, as well as a bikini model. She tried out for the 2007 Diva Search and although she didn’t make the final cut, WWE would sign her to a developmental contract a few months later. It had been long rumored that Fong would be called up to the main roster in a wrestler capacity, but she instead made her WWE debut as a backstage announcer on ECW. She assumed the role of ring announcer following Lauren Mayhew’s departure from the company last November.

Fong reportedly garnered heat with some in the company over a topless scene she filmed for a direct-to-DVD movie called Ratko: The Dictator’s Son, a National Lampoon production. She filmed the scene before being hired by WWE, but company officials were unaware she had until video stills of Fong appearing topless surfaced online earlier this year.

– On Twitter, Bill Goldberg was asked if it bothers him that so many wrestlers have added the “Spear” (also known as shoulder block takedown) to their in-ring repertoire, a wrestling maneuver he popularized in the late nineties while performing for World Championship Wrestling. The former wrestling champion said it does bother him, and deemed those who use the “Spear” as uncreative. “Gotta say all these yahoos using the Spear irks me……Just shows how over it was and how less-than-creative they are,” Goldberg wrote on Twitter.

– Lilian Garcia answered a number of fan questions this past week on Twitter, noting who she enjoyed working with most in WWE, her favorite wrestler names to announce, her favorite WWE storyline, and more. You can view her answers at www.LilianGarcia.com. When asked whether she has any plans to return to WWE, she said, “I never say never but for now I don’t have any plans to.”

TNA

– Lisa Marie Varon noted being added back to WWE.com’s Alumni page, saying it feels good to be recognized alongside some of professional wrestling’s all-time greats. Regarding a possible return to the organization, she says there are other things she’s trying to while she has the opportunity and that it is not likely. “I think we all feel that Victoria ran her course at WWE,” Varon wrote.

VoV

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NFL

– ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that QB Brett Favre (left ankle) will need surgery to play for the Vikings in 2010. Per Werder’s report, Favre is still conflicted about the decision. The 40-year-old is notorious for his desire to avoid surgery, though he did undergo a procedure on his biceps last year to continue playing. As of yet, the potential recovery time is not known. Favre believes he can win a Super Bowl with this Vikings team, so expect him to opt for surgery.

Favre later clarified the status of his ankle on his personal website Friday, insisting that the injury “is not debilitating.”

“I don’t believe major surgery on the ankle would be required for me to return in 2010. I’ve consulted with Dr. (James) Andrews on the phone, and a relatively minor procedure could be done to improve the dexterity of the ankle, and to relieve the pain.”

Favre didn’t offer any answers as to whether he’ll play this season, but the fact that he went public with this information should be an indication that he intends to play next season.

– WPXI in Pittsburgh reported that Jets’ WR Santonio Holmes had to be escorted off a plane Thursday night at Pittsburgh International Airport. Holmes was not arrested, but he had to be pulled off the plane for what investigators termed being a “disruptive passenger.” Earlier this month he issued an apology with a marijuana symbol still present on his official website.

Allegheny County Police have issued a statement clarifying a report that Santonio Holmes was removed from a plane for being “disruptive” at Pittsburgh International Airport Thursday night. “As previously reported, Santonio Holmes was NOT removed from any airplane (4/29/2010). He was asked to remove his Ipod (at one point), in which he complied. There’s no further information to report.” It sounds like WPXI completely botched the report. The already-suspended Holmes will not be subject to further discipline in any capacity.

– Coach Tom Cable revealed Friday that the Raiders are in discussions about a long-term contract with franchise player DE Richard Seymour. Seymour has yet to sign his “exclusive rights” franchise tender and is not participating in minicamp, so this explains his absence. At age 30 and coming off a nondescript season, Seymour shouldn’t be a serious candidate for a long-term commitment. The Raiders, though, appear to be having a hard time admitting the mistake of giving New England a first-round pick for him last summer.

– Seahawks’ WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (sports hernia) underwent surgery last week. He’s got less than three months to be ready for training camp. Sports hernia injuries are unpredictable and often reappear after they’re “fixed” through surgery. Stay tuned.

– Seahawks’ WR Deion Branch (knee) recently underwent arthroscopic surgery. Though the procedure is characterized as “minor” and Branch should be ready for the season, it’s yet another red flag for the 31-year-old. Branch had a similar surgery done last offseason, presumably to the same knee, and tore his ACL at the end of the 2007 season.

NBA

– Raptors’ F Chris Bosh’s Twitter account asked a couple questions on Friday about where he might play next year.

– Cavaliers’ F LeBron James will be named the NBA MVP on Sunday in Akron and receive the award prior to Game 2 against the Celtics on Monday. LeBron will become the 10th player in league history to win back-to-back MVP’s. James averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists this season. The 25-year-old star joins Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Steve Nash as players who have won the award in consecutive years. Russell, Chamberlain and Bird won it three times in a row.

– Mavericks’ F Dirk Nowitzki will soon begin deciding on his player option for next season. Nowitzki is due $21.5M in 2010-11. If he leaves, it wouldn’t be for more money, but for a better chance of winning a championship.

“I have to keep my options open at this point, see what’s going on; got to get over this disappointment for a while. I’ll probably drown my sorrows for a bit, then start thinking about stuff like that in a week or two. As of now, I just want to keep my options open and see what happens.”

Speaking of the Mavs, president Donnie Nelson informed media members on Friday that there’s “nothing coming out of the blue” with regard to coach Rick Carlisle’s job situation. It sounds like he will coach the team again next season. Nelson and owner Mark Cuban don’t think Carlisle’s coaching is the reason they lost, and are set to work on upgrading the roster.

– Pacers’ G T.J. Ford has exercised his $8.5M player option for next season.

– Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings are joined by Darren Collison and Taj Gibson on the All-Rookie Team. The second team is made up of DeJuan Blair, James Harden, Jonas Jerebko, Jonny Flynn and Marcus Thornton. No surprises really, although this is just another example of how ridiculous it was that Blair fell so far into Round 2 in the draft.

– Tactical Operations has sued Wizards’ G Gilbert Arenas last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. The firm claims it obtained five Beretta pistols with silencers for Arenas in 2006 and has more than $70K for storing guns he bought and never picked up.

NHL

– Red Wings’ GM Ken Holland confirmed Friday night that F Jiri Hudler has been granted his release from Dynamo Moscow. “Jiri’s agent (Petr Svoboda) called last month and asked if we would be interested in him if he could get released, and I said we would be. We’re excited about getting a player who we know that is coming into the prime of his career.”

The 26-year-old Czech forward was caught in the middle of one of the many disputes between the NHL and the KHL, Russia’s top hockey league. Hudler agreed to go through salary arbitration with the Red Wings after turning down their five-year/$15M last summer. He then signed a two-year/$10M contract with Dynamo. Hudler will play for the Red Wings on a two-year contract worth $5.75M, a deal awarded to him by an arbitrator. He had 99 points his last two seasons, helping Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2008 and reach Game 7 of the finals last year.

– The Predators have signed F Wade Belak to a one-year/$575K deal.

MLB

– Braves’ LHP Billy Wagner told Braves manager Bobby Cox that he plans to retire at the end of the season.

“I wanted a chance at 400, and that’s great. If it happens this year, great, if not, then so be it. Just try to make this one of those years to really enjoy and have a good time and maybe win a championship along the way. Plus Bobby, he’s always meant a lot to me, growing up. To play my final year and him being his final year – it was the right timing.”

Wagner, who turns 39 in July, has a 2.57 over his first seven appearances this season, notching one save in two chances. He has 386 career saves.

– OF Jermaine Dye told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he thinks he can help the scuffling White Sox offense. “I could. You have to play a certain type of baseball in [U.S. Cellular Field], and small ball is nice, but you need a balance.” The White Sox are currently 9-13 while they rank dead last in the league with a .222 team batting average. Dye, 36, said he would be willing to be a designated hitter, outfielder and first baseman for the club, but that the wouldn’t play for $1.5M.

– The Phillies have placed RHP Ryan Madson (broken toe) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 29. Madson kicked a metal chair after blowing a save Wednesday, breaking the toe.

– Dodgers’ OF Manny Ramirez (calf) is expected to go out on a minor league rehab assignment by the middle of next week. Assuming Ramirez obliges to a rehab assignment, he’ll most likely join Triple-A Albuquerque for a couple days. This would put him on pace to return from the DL as soon as he’s eligible on May 9.

– Rockies’ RHP Huston Street (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday or Saturday. Street already tossed a 20-pitch bullpen session earlier this week, so he’s finally beginning to make progress. The Rockies still hope he can return sometime in May.

– Indians’ RHP Kerry Wood (back) could go out on a minor league rehab assignment early as soon as Sunday. Wood’s recent 40-pitch bullpen session went well enough that he won’t need to throw a simulated game before returning to action. It’s fair to assume he could be back with the Indians by the end of next week.

– Brewers’  prospect C Angel Salome will take an extended leave of absence. Salmome originally left Triple-A Nashville to prepare for the birth of a child, but eventually informed the Brewers that he was “struggling mentally” and was not ready to return to action. Assistant GM Gord Ash said, “He will go to Phoenix on Tuesday to work on getting mentally and physically prepared to play baseball again. He said he’s not mentally prepared to play at this time.” Salome, 23, batted .286/.334/.413 with six homers and 44 RBI with Nashville last season.

– An MRI on D’Backs’ Kris Benson’s injured shoulder revealed no structural damage. The plan is for Benson to resume throwing next week, so he could have a chance of rejoining Arizona’s rotation before the end of May.

– The Athletics have placed C Kurt Suzuki (strained intercostal muscle) on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 24. Suzuki will be eligible to return on May 9 and could be ready then.

– The NY Daily News reports that country star Mindy McCready, RHP Roger Clemens’ former mistress, says that Clemens had trouble in bed. Porn giant Vivid Entertainment is apparently set to release a tape on Monday that has an interview with McCready discussing her affair with Clemens in-depth. She confirms that the two met in 1991 when she was 15 and he was a married pitcher for the Red Sox in his late 20s. McCready goes on to say that Clemens suffered some erectile dysfunction issue when they were together, according to the paper, but was good in bed “when he could get it up.”

TNA

– Effective immediately, TNA has terminated the contract of Todd Clem (a.k.a. Bubba the Love Sponge).

WWE

– WWE has released Tony Atlas.

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NHL

– Leafs G  Jonas Gustavsson (heart) will undergo surgery Friday and miss the next three weeks. Gustavsson underwent the procedure on his heart in September but the procedure needs to be done again in 50% of the cases. Should all go well, Gustavsson could return by Christmas.

– The Blackhawks have signed F Patrick Kane and F Jonathan Toews to five-year deals. Both agreed to identical five-year deals and will both make roughly $6.3M per season. Chicago now has locked up their core to long-term deals, but they were already up against the cap. The Blackhawks will probably have to trade a player or put one on waivers to free up ‘tagging’ cap space – they have 15 players locked up for next season, and they’ve already used $60M in cap room. The Maple Leafs are rumoured to be interested in D Brent Sopel and D Cam Barker, and Chicago may be close to announcing a trade as a follow-up to these contract extensions.

– The Blackhawks have officially signed D Duncan Keith to a 13-year/$72M contract extension. Keith will turn 27 in July, so this deal should make him a lifetime Blackhawk. Keith is quickly becoming one of the better offensive defenseman in the league, scoring eight goals and 44 points in 77 games last season. He’s on pace to top those numbers in 2009-10 with five goals and 23 points in 26 games. He’ll make an average of $5.5M over the life of his contract.

– The Leafs have shipped F Jiri Tlusty to the Hurricanes for F Philippe Paradis, their first round draft pick in 2009.

MLB

– The Phillies have signed 3B Placido Polanco to a three-year/$18M contract. The contract includes a mutual option for a fourth year. Polanco will make the switch back to third base, a position he hasn’t manned since the 2005 season. The decision will surely be second-guessed throughout the length of the contract, as the 34-year-old Polanco has seen his OPS drop from .846 in 2007 to .727 in 2009. For now, at least, Polanco is an upgrade over 3B Pedro Feliz, who posted a .699 OPS over two seasons in Philadelphia. Polanco figures to be used as the No. 2 hitter in Charlie Manuel’s lineup, allowing OF Shane Victorino to become a run-producer instead of a table-setter.

– LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune cites ‘a person of influence in the Twins C Joe Mauer contract talks’ as saying that no serious negotiations on a contract extension have begun and absolutely no deadlines have been set. Mauer has attempted to downplay previous reports of either, but so far, it hasn’t mattered. The AL MVP should expect more of the same as he enters the final year of his contract with the Twins.

– The Braves have signed free agent RHP Takashi Saito. Saito could make an additional $2.3M in incentives, the majority of them based on games finished. With LHP Billy Wagner and Saito in tow, the Braves have filled the void of LHP Mike Gonzalez and RHP Rafael Soriano in a little under 36 hours. Better yet for Atlanta, Saito did not qualify as a Type A or Type B free agent, meaning the Braves will not have to surrender an additional draft pick. Saito, who turns 40 in February, posted a 2.43 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and a 52/25 K/BB ratio in 55 2/3 innings with the Red Sox in 2009. He’s no longer the dominant pitcher he was upon his arrival in 2005 and 2006, seeing an increase in his walk rate over the past two seasons, but he is still one of the more reliable set-up men in the game. Saito posted a 2.43 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP and a 52/25 K/BB ratio in 55 2/3 innings with the Red Sox in 2009.

– According to Jerry Crasnick of MLB.com, free agent SS Marco Scutaro held a private workout for the Red Sox this week. Scutaro held a workout near his home in Miami on Tuesday for Allard Baird, special assistant to general manager Theo Epstein, according to two baseball sources. The goal was to alleviate concerns about the plantar fasciitis injury on his right heel that hampered him towards the end of the 2009 season. The Red Sox are currently weighing their options at shortstop, including possibly moving 2B Dustin Pedroia from second base, but the prospect of losing a selection in the draft became somewhat easier to swallow after LHP Billy Wagner signed with Atlanta.

– Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd and free agent RHP Jason Marquis denied an SI.com report that the 31-year-old right-hander will reject Colorado’s arbitration offer due to a “falling out over his reaction to his not getting a playoff start.” “There was no falling out. He was extremely professional about it. It wasn’t an issue at all.” Marquis echoed these sentiments, even saying he would have “zero problems” coming back to Colorado. The Rockies will receive a supplemental draft pick should Marquis, a Type B free agent, decline arbitration and sign with another team.

– Multiple sources told FOXSports.com that the Mariners are the clear frontrunners to sign free agent 3B Chone Figgins. That certainly wouldn’t help in the power department, an area in which the Mariners are clearly lacking. Figgins, though, would be an excellent No. 2 hitter behind OF Ichiro Suzuki and a fine defender at third base. He’s likely to get a four-year deal worth $10-12M per season. The M’s have been linked to nearly every high profile free agent this winter; it’ll be interesting to see if they actually pull the trigger. Figgins, 31, hit .298/.395/.393 in 2009 with five homers, 54 RBI, 42 stolen bases and 114 runs scored in 615 at-bats. The Angels and Mets are also interested.

– The Athletics have acquired INF/OF Jake Fox, 2B Aaron Miles and $1M from the Cubs for RHP Jeff Gray, RHP Ronny Morla and INF/OF Matt Spencer. Fox, 27, hit .259/.311/.468 with 11 homers, 12 doubles and 44 RBI in 216 at-bats this past season for the Cubs. He was buried on the depth chart in Chicago and should find more playing time in Oakland. He’s not much of an upgrade over DH’s Jack Cust or Eric Chavez at third base. Oakland GM Billy Beane must be banking on another Chavez injury. The $1M thrown in by the Cubs will help cover the remaining salary of the offensively- and defensively-inept Miles, who was basically a throw-in.

TNA

– Alex Marvez of ScrippsNews.com recently interviewed WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and asked him about whether he’d ever seriously consider going to TNA Wrestling now that Hulk Hogan is on board.

“I haven’t entertained the idea of working there because I’ve been so loyal to WWE, but you never know what’s going to go on. I don’t want to make any predictions, but I’ve certainly got a lot left to offer. I think I would be a good addition to (TNA’s) program.

“Everything is about money, timing, what they want me to do and the job description. There’s a lot up in the air. I haven’t talked to (TNA ownership) yet, but I’ve had conversations with people who work there. I’ve stood by WWE, but if they’re not going to use me anymore, I’m ready for any kind of action.”

WWE

– On recent episodes of WWE Raw, we’ve seen the likes of Jesse Ventura and Carlito talking about there being  some backstage resentment towards WWE Champion John Cena. While the storyline exaggerates the locker room’s feelings towards Cena, there is some truth to it, as a number of wrestlers do reportedly resent Cena’s standing with management. There is naturally some jealousy towards Cena’s comfortable spot at the top of the roster while others are turned off by his “company guy” attitude.  Sources say his public airing of grievances with The Rock, regardless of the fact that he was likely reading company-fed lines, did not help his standing with “the boys.”

– WWE may have had plans to continue something between Jerry Lawler and Sheamus before changing it. Lawler was scheduled for an independent wrestling show on November 21, five days after he was attacked by Sheamus on RAW. After the angle on Raw that week, Lawler’s people sent a text message to the indy promoter saying, “due to an ongoing storyline, Jerry Lawler can’t make his appearance.”

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PGA

– Tiger Woods published a statement addressing the tabloid allegations surrounding his private life this morning.

The 316-word statement began, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect.” Since getting slapped with a ticket and fine for his traffic incident on Tuesday afternoon, two more females allegedly have been linked to Woods off the course. The golfer has yet to speak publicly throughout this ordeal, instead using his web site as his conduit to the public. “Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn’t have to mean public confessions … I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.”

Florida Highway Patrol has charged Tiger Woods with careless driving and will issue him with one uniform traffic citation. The fine will be no greater than $164. Four points will get assessed against Woods’ driving record. With this citation, the FHP has completed its investigation. Spokeswomen of the FHP added that no evidence of domestic abuse or blood was or has been provided. No questions were taken.

MLB

– The Braves have officiallu signed LHP Billy Wagner to a one-year/$7M contract with a $6.5M vesting option for 2011. The deal became official once Wagner passed his physical on Wednesday morning. There will be a press conference to introduce him at 2:30pm ET. The 38-year-old southpaw projects as Atlanta’s closer for 2010 and should do a fairly decent job, barring injury. He had a 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 26/8 K/BB ratio in 15 appearances this past season for the Red Sox.

– According to FOXSports.com, the Blue Jays have “mild” interest in Pirates C Ryan Doumit. According to FOX’s sources, talks have not yet reached a serious stage. Doumit, 28, hit .250/.299/.414 this season with 10 homers and 38 RBI in 280 at-bats. He is set to earn an affordable $3.55M in 2010 and $5.1M in 2011. His ability to play both catcher and first base (and a little outfield) is also probably intriguing to Toronto management.

– SI.com’s Jon Heyman believes the Mets are the “heavy favorite” to sign free agent C Bengie Molina this offseason. The Giants declined an opportunity to offer Molina salary arbitration on Tuesday, which means the Mets won’t have to cough up a draft pick if they ink him. Molina, 35, hit just .265/.285/.442 this past season but reached the 20-homer plateau for the first time in his career.

– According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Rockies and RHP Huston Street are far apart in negotiations on a long-term contract extension. Street will hit the free agent market after the 2010 season. If the two sides can’t come to an agreement by July, Olney believes the Rox might try to trade their closer. He converted 35 saves this season while posting a 0.91 WHIP. It may take a three-year/$25M contract to lock him up.

– According to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick, the Phillies have made known their interest in free agent RHP J.J. Putz. The Phils, like any team, would like to add depth to their bullpen this winter and could use Putz as a backup to closer RHP Brad Lidge. The 32-year-old Putz had a disappointing 5.22 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 2009, but he’s only a year removed from his reputation as a shut-down bullpen arm. The Astros and Pirates have also expressed interest in the right-hander.

– According to FOXSports.com, the Cubs, Phillies and Giants had interest in RHP Rafael Betancourt before he was offered arbitration Tuesday. Betancourt is a Type A free agent, so the clubs stand to lose a top draft pick by signing him. He rejected a healthy two-year extension worth close to $7M in November, but his representatives may have lost a little ground in negotiating with the Rockies’ decision to offer him arbitration. The 34-year-old posted a 1.78 ERA in 25 1/3 innings with Colorado in ’09.

– White Sox GM Kenny Williams expects to hear trade interest in closer RHP Bobby Jenks during next week’s Winter Meetings. That said, the White Sox are not actively shopping Jenks. “He’s one of the game’s better closers and people need closers. But so do we.” The 28-year-old closer managed a 3.71 ERA and an 8.27 K/9 this season while picking up 29 saves. His conditioning has been called into question by White Sox management since the season ended.

– According to Dejan Kovaceivc of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates are in pursuit of free agent LHP Noah Lowry. Lowry, 29, went 14-8 with a 3.92 ERA in 2007, his last healthy season. He’s an ideal high-risk, high-reward signing and would fit into the Bucs’ financial plans. The Rockies have also expressed some preliminary interest.

NHL

– The Rangers have claimed F Erik Christensen and waived G Steve Valiquette.

– The Canadiens are still on the lookout for another offensive weapon that they feel they lack this season.

– The Leafs are looking for a solid backup goalie, and G Steve Valiquette is a possibility. The team is not expected to aggresively pursue Ducks G J.S. Giguere. Islanders G Dwayne Roloson and G Martin Biron are also possibilites.

– The Blue Jackets and Senators are working on a deal that would send a Senators defenceman to the Blue Jackets for a winger. No specifics yet, but D Chris Campoli was a healthy scratch for Ottawa. With that said, it sounds like Columbus is looking for more of a defensive defenceman. The Jackets are continuing to shop F Raffi Torres.

– Rumours are circulating that the Hurricanes are shopping G Cam Ward and F Matt Cullen. The team would love to call up some youth but cap restraints won’t allow much to happen. Expect Carolina to make a move before the holiday roster freeze.

NBA

– Lakers F Ron Artest admits he used to drink alcohol during games while he was on the Bulls. Artest, who played with the Bulls from 1999-2002, said, “I used to drink Hennessy … at halftime. I (kept it) in my locker. I’d just walk to the liquor store (near the stadium) and get it.” This is very shocking news and it will be interesting to see what David Stern has to say about this one. Owners should hope that Artest is not disciplined so long after the fact.

– The Sixers officially signed free agent G Allen Iverson on Wednesday. “In light of the recent injury to Lou Williams, which will sideline him for close to eight weeks, we felt that Allen was the best available free agent guard to help us at this time,” said team president Ed Stefanski.

WWE

– Former WWE superstar Jeff Hardy was set to appear in court this morning for a probable cause hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence stemming from his September 11th drug arrest to see if the case would proceed to a grand jury. The grand jury would then decide whether to prosecute Hardy for the various felonies she’s been charged with. The hearing has been rescheduled once again and the next court appearance for Hardy will be on January 27, 2010. The original probable cause hearing on November 4th was rescheduled to today because certain drug test results had not been completed in time. No word yet on why today’s hearing did not take place.

– This week’s edition of WWE Raw hosted by actor Verne Troyer drew a 3.2 cable rating, down from last week’s 3.4. The show did hours of 3.28 and 3.08, continuing the disturbing trend of viewers tuning out as the show progresses. Raw was up against stiff competition this week from MNF on ESPN, which drew a big 13.8 rating – the second highest rated MNF game on ESPN.

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NFL

– Yahoo’s Jason Cole reports that the Saints do not plan on bringing back RB Reggie Bush in 2010. Bush’s 2010 salary is $8M — an exorbitant amount for a change-of-pace back/special teamer. Citing a “Saints insider,” Cole reports that GM Mickey Loomis doesn’t want to pay Bush’s salary even if 2010 is an uncapped season. Battling chronic knee problems, Bush has missed the Saints’ last two games. He’s averaged just 9.3 touches in his nine 2009 appearances.

MLB

– According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Braves have signed LHP Billy Wagner to a one-year/$7M contract. The deal also includes a vesting option for 2011. Atlanta is faced with losing both LHP Mike Gonzalez and RHP Rafael Soriano to free agency this winter, but the signing of Wagner should ease some of the pain. The 38-year-old southpaw managed an impressive 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 26/8 K/BB ratio this past season and limited opponents to a .174 batting average in 15 appearances. As of now, it appears he’ll serve as the Braves’ closer in 2010.

– According to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, the Twins, Brewers, Rangers and Mariners have interest in free agent LHP Jarrod Washburn. Washburn is an interesting free agent case. He’s a lefty, which is always a plus, and posted an 8-6 record with a 2.64 ERA in 2009 before the trade deadline. Of course, his season went awry after he was dealt to the Mariners in late July. A short-term deal to prove his worth might be for the best. But with so many teams interested, he’s likely to land a multi-year contract.

– The Mets would like to bring 1B Carlos Delgado back on a one-year contract, according to Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post. Delgado was not offered arbitration at Tuesday’s deadline, but the Mets like his bat and need someone to bridge the gap to top prospect Ike Davis. Delgado was limited to 26 games in 2009, though he did hit .298/.393/.521 with four home runs and 23 RBI when healthy. It’s not clear if any other clubs have interest in the 37-year-old slugger at this time.

– According to MLB.com, the Blue Jays offered SS Marco Scutaro a two-year deal this week but the sides couldn’t complete an agreement. GM Alex Anthopoulos said, “We talked to Marco about a deal. There was a time when we offered a two-year deal. Unfortunately, we couldn’t come to terms.” Scutaro may be banking on a three- or four-year contract and has already drawn interest from the Red Sox, Dodgers and Mariners. He hit .282/.379/.409 with 12 homers, 60 RBI and 100 runs scored in 2009.

– According to Mike Silverman of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox have expressed interest in free agent SS Bobby Crosby. It appears the Sox are doing everything they can to avoid having 2B Dustin Pedroia slide to second base. They’ve already expressed preliminary interest in defensive-minded SS Marco Scutaro, SS Adam Kennedy and SS Adam Everett so far this offseason. Crosby, 29, hit a disappointing .223/.295/.357 in ’09 but is typically a strong defender.

– According to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick, free agent RHP Brett Myers is drawing interest from the Rangers and Astros. Myers can either start or work out of the bullpen. The Rangers would probably use him in relief while the Astros could stick him in their starting rotation. Both clubs have limited cash to spend this offseason and Myers should come cheap. He had a 4.84 ERA and a 6.37 K/9 this past season while dealing with a hip issue.

– Several teams are eyeing Mets OF Angel Pagan, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. The Royals and Brewers are among the clubs who may have expressed interest. Pagan, 28, hit .306/.350/.487 this season with six homers, 32 RBI and 14 stolen bases over 343 at-bats. The Mets are expected to bid on a few top free agent outfielders this winter and could probably afford to lose Pagan. That said, he’s relatively cheap and serves as a reliable utility outfielder.

– According to the NY Post’s Joel Sherman, the Rays and Cubs are still discussing a swap of OF Milton Bradley and OF Pat Burrell. Both players are set to earn $9M in 2009, but Bradley has another $12M left on his contract for 2011. The Cubs may have to eat close to half of that to get a deal done. They’re desperate to get the disgruntled outfielder out of Chicago but any deal is going to be tricky and Burrell isn’t exactly a perfect fit for the Cubs’ current outfield.

NBA

– G Allen Iverson has accepted a one-year contract offer and will re-join the 76ers. Iverson will start at least until G Lou Williams returns from his broken jaw in two months.

– Warriors F Anthony Randolph (ankle) is out one-to-two weeks.

NHL

– Bruins F Marc Savard has officially signed a seven-year/$28.05M extension. The deal will kick in at the start of the 2010-11 season. The contract is heavily frontloaded with Savard expected to earn $7M in each of the first two seasons, $6.5M for 2012-13, $5M in 2013-14, $1.5M in 2014-15, and then just $525K for each of the final two seasons. The deal comes with a $4.007M cap hit, which is roughly $1M less than his current contract. This is an absolute steal for the Bruins, since Savard is a point-per-game player. However, the league might investigate this contract because it’s another long-term deal given to a veteran player with some ridiculously cheap seasons tacked onto the end to lower the cap hit. The league investigated similar extensions to the Blackhawks for F Marian Hossa and the Flyers for D Chris Pronger.

– Rumours continue to circulate regarding Blackhawks F Patrick Sharp. The Hawks are right up against the cap and could use some breathing room. The team desperately wants to make the long talked about extensions for D Duncan Keith, F Jonathan Toews and F Patrick Kane official and Patrick Sharp and his $3.9M cap hit has been mentioned as a possible way to alleviate some salary room. Sharp said that whatever happens will happen, but that he would like to stay in Chicago and try to help the team win a Stanley Cup. He has collected eight goals and 14 assists in 26 games this campaign. Stay tuned to see if he remains with the Hawks or ends up elsewhere.

– The Ducks have acquired F Kyle Chipchura from the Canadiens for a fourth-round pick.

TNA

– In an interview with the Chicago Sun Times, Angelina Love says “The Beautiful People” will soon reunite in TNA. Here is a passage regarding this from the following article:

“Oh, absolutely. Don’t believe everything you hear, and don’t believe everything you read…It’ll be soon. That’s all I can say – soon.”

“I’ve got a little bit more time, but I definitely, whenever you make a comeback or whatever – for people who haven’t seen you in a long time – you don’t want to come back looking worse. You definitely want to come back looking bangin’ so …”

VoV

-– You can keep up with VoV through Twitter by clicking here.

MLB

– FOXSports.com quotes one of Jays RHP Roy Halladay’s agents as saying the pitcher is open to “every situation.” “Every situation will be looked at on its own merits,” says Greg Landry, one of Halladay’s agents. While that may be true, Halladay has made no secrets about wanting to play for a contender. Additionally, any team that acquires Halladay will do so with the knowledge that he will require a contract extension. Many teams will be priced out of the running.

– The Cardinals have offered arbitration to OF Matt Holliday, RHP Joel Pineiro and 3B Mark DeRosa, but declined on 3B Troy Glaus. The offer to Holliday comes as no surprise. He’s a Type A free agent and the Cardinals could net two high draft picks if he signs with another club this winter. The offers to DeRosa and Pineiro, on the other hand, are somewhat shocking. They’re both drawing a healthy amount of interest on the open market but may be inclined to accept the slight pay raise and remain in St. Lou. Then again, they could both be seeking multi-year contracts.

– The Red Sox will offer arbitration to free agents OF Jason Bay and LHP Billy Wagner. Bay and Wagner are both Type A free agents and could net the Red Sox up to four draft picks if they sign with other clubs. Boston management is scouring outfield options this winter, including free agent OF Matt Holliday, through it wouldn’t be surprising if Bay eventually returned. He hit .267/.384/.537 in 2009 with 36 home runs, 119 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 531 at-bats.

– The Cubs will not offer arbitration to RHP Rich Harden and RHP Kevin Gregg. OF Reed Johnson and RHP Chad Fox are also free agents, however they did not qualify for a free agent ranking. Ultimately, neither decision comes as a surprise, although you have to wonder what Chicago would have been risking had they offered Harden (Type B) arbitration. Among their free agents, Johnson has expressed a desire to remain in Chicago, so it’s possible that he will return at a lesser cost.

Speaking of Harden, the Red Sox are serious about signing free-agent RHP Rich Harden, according to FOXSports.com. The Red Sox have been linked to Harden for years now, so this news is unsurprising. The 28-year old tossed 141 innings with a 4.06 ERA this season while whiffing 10.9 batters, down from 2008′s 2.07 ERA and 11.01 K/9. The level of interest in the right-hander thus far may net him a multi-year deal, and it boosts his value that no draft picks will be lost from the signing club. Boston is seeking an impact pitcher that might allow the club to dangle RHP Clay Buchholz in trade talks.

– The Mariners offered arbitration to 3B Adrian Beltre, but declined to do so on LHP Erik Bedard. Both are Type B free agents. Beltre is drawing a decent amount of interest around the league and is likely to reject. As for Bedard, the M’s couldn’t risk him accepting the offer of arbitration. He made $8M in 2009 and probably would have been awarded a slight raise through the process. The left-hander is gaining some interest as a high-risk, high-reward arm.

– The Rockies are interested in free agent SS Bobby Crosby, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Crosby hasn’t been a viable starter for years now, but offers a decent level of defensive versatility off the bench. The Rockies especially like his bat — to use the term loosely — as protection for the left-handed Ian Stewart. Crosby would essentially replace 3B Garrett Atkins off the bench with higher defensive value. Colorado has also expressed interest in free agent LHP Noah Lowry, the former Giant who hasn’t pitched since 2007.

– The Rays have acquired C Kelly Shoppach from the Indians for a PTBNL. The Indians must choose a player on or before December 20. Shoppach, 29, hit 21 home runs with an .865 OPS in 2008, but struggled to a .214/.335/.399 slash-line in 2009. He’s hit righties to a .224/.308/.396 line in his career, so while the upside is high, he still has a lot to prove before he is an everyday backstop. The Indians did well to pick up at least something for Shoppach, who was likely to be non-tendered by the Indians next month. Look for the Rays to attempt to trade C Dioner Navarro before possibly non-tendering him next month.

NBA

– The 76ers have offered G Allen Iverson a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, according to CSNPhilly.com. Iverson and his agent met Monday with team president Ed Stefanski and coach Eddie Jordan; the contract offer came Tuesday. Iverson appears very close to signing with his former team, so stay tuned.

– Bulls G Kirk Hinrich (finger) is out one-to-two weeks.

WWE

– In an interview to promote his new book, Rey Mysterio tells U.K.’s Daily Star that he checked himself into rehab last year after becoming dependent on prescription pain pills.

“I’ve been wrestling for 20 years now, and after several operations, five on my left knee and three on my right arm, the medication caught up to me. I realized it, my wife realized it, and I knew it was time to make a change for myself, my family, and for the business I’m in.”

Mysterio says he was tired of living the lifestyle of an addict and implied that he did not want to let addiction lead him down the same path as his dear friend, the late Eddie Guererro.

“When you realize you’re in the right moment – that you haven’t lost your family, or lost your job it’s a good thing, and with the support and help of my wife and kids, I’ve moved on to something better.”

– During a recent appearance on The Ministry of Slam, a U.K. radio show, Bret Hart expressed high praise for multi-time women’s champion Melina.

“I think Melina is really creative and imaginative. She’s an innovator and she comes up with some great matches. I love watching her wrestle. In a lot of ways, I think she’s the best wrestler in the world right now.”

When giving his take on John Cena, praised Cena by comparing WWE’s star attraction to himself.

“John Cena is like the 2010 version of Bret Hart. Fans see him as a real decent, upstanding human being.”

The WWE Hall of Famer would conclude the interview by dismissing Vince Russo, the head of the TNA’s creative team.

“I think they should take Vince Russo and hang him by the neck somewhere in the back of the parking lot. Vince Russo knows about as much about wrestling as Eric Bischoff does. Neither one of them knows s- about anything. I find it really bizarre that Vince McMahon or the lady in TNA [Dixie Carter] would hire such imbeciles to call all the shots.

“I don’t have any personal grudge against Vince Russo, but I just know watching the shows that all his shows look the same. TNA has turned into sort of another version of WCW when I was with Russo there. I think the best wrestling always needs to pretend to be real, and Vince Russo’s wrestling is so pathetically far-fetched and phony that I think he does a disservice to his wrestlers and the business.”

– In an interview with the Holiday 2009 issue of WWE Magazine (available on newsstands as of today), Dolph Ziggler predicts when he will become a World Champion in WWE:

“Well, my first goal is winning the Intercontinental Championship. I’ve given myself six months to do it, and right now I’m nearing the five-month mark. After that, I plan to establish myself as the greatest Intercontinental Champion ever. A year and a half after that, I will become a World Champion.”

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in it entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Some highlights:

Monday’s WWE Raw: “I felt the show needed more bell to bell wrestling. Only two bouts in the two hours stayed with me….Kofi vs. Orton and HHH vs. Jericho. Good to see that Kofi is remaining relevant. Kingston’s growth continues. I don’t get too wrapped up in wins and losses.”

Sheamus’ Push: “Sheamus did not lose any of his ‘steam.’ That was a positive. Too much negative is being made of Sheamus vs. Cena at the TLC PPV. WWE has to try and elevate new talents and Sheamus is getting a shot. He’s a tough guy who works hard. Why shouldn’t Sheamus be given a shot before he’s condemned? Let’s see how his match goes with Cena on PPV before all the ‘internet experts’ anoint this pairing as a failure.

“The theory is to get new bodies in the main event mix. It seems like it is damned if one does and damned if one doesn’t these days with who gets the nudge to the upper regions of the cards. That just too much negativity. That’s exactly why I delete so many emails as they are either overtly negative from start to finish thus depressing to read or they are way too long.

– Titan Publishing has announced its partnership with WWE in the launch of WWE Comics. Over the course of the agreement, 20 issues will be produced and distributed to comic retailers and specialty stores in the US and Canada. The comic’s flagship title will be WWE Heroes featuring WWE Superstars and Divas, with the first issue debuting on March 23, 2010.

-– As reported last week, Lauren Mayhew, the ECW ring announcer, has left World Wrestling Entertainment. She parted ways with the company after both sides were unable to come to terms on a new long-term contract. Vince McMahon is looking for someone to replace Lilian Garcia both as a ring announcer and someone who can sing the national anthem. One person said Mayhew’s heart was never into wrestling and that she’s leaving to pursue acting.

NFL

– The Falcons have released K Jason Elam and signed K Matt Bryant. Elam missed four field goals from 39 yards out or closer this season, including two in the last three weeks. He turns 40 in March and is no longer a reasonable option on kickoffs.

VoV

-– You can keep up with VoV through Twitter by clicking here.

MLB

– A source told the NY Daily News that the Red Sox are “putting on a full-court press” in an attempt to deal for Jays RHP Roy Halladay. The only other quote from the source says the Red Sox “would love to get it wrapped up before the winter meetings.” No information at all on the source was supplied, and no details on the talks were provided, though the Daily News speculates that the Red Sox would have to give up both RHP Clay Buchholz and No. 1 prospect RHP/SS Casey Kelly in a deal. The Yankees and Angels are also engaged in talks for the Toronto ace.

– According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Braves are expected to pursue free agent closer LHP Billy Wagner this offseason. The 38-year-old left-hander posted a 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 26/8 K/BB ratio and limited opponents to a .174 batting average in 15 appearances this past season. If the Braves let both RHP Rafael Soriano and LHP Mike Gonzalez walk this winter, Wagner would be a fine fill-in at the closer position for 2010.

– Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes that D’Backs RHP Brandon Webb (shoulder) has completed his rehab throwing program. Webb has been cleared to begin a normal throwing program, like most pitchers, headed into spring training. Webb is working his way back from August surgery on his right shoulder, but looks to be on track for the start of the season. The Diamondbacks picked up Webb’s $8.5M option for 2010 earlier this month.

– The Red Sox have reportedly asked for the medical records of RHP Kelvim Escobar, along with RHP Rafael Soriano. Over the previous two years, Escobar has pitched exactly once in the majors: June 6, 2009. Bringing him in on a major league deal would be quite a risk for the Red Sox. It’s likely the team is interested in bringing him on a minor league pact with a high-incentive package.

– According to the Globe and Mail’s Jeff Blair, Jays 1BLyle Overbay is “90%” sure to be traded at the Winter Meetings. Overbay was previously linked to Seattle. It’s become increasingly clear over the past couple seasons that Toronto has soured on the first baseman. Earning $7M next season, the soon-to-be 33-year-old hit .265/.372/.466 in 2009 and is thought to be an above-average defender. OF Adam Lind is expected to move to first.

– According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox have shown preliminary interest in free agent SS Marco Scutaro. The Red Sox are maintaining contact with free agent SS Alex Gonzalez, but Scutaro represents an offensive upgrade. He hit .282/.379/.409 with 12 homers, 60 RBI and 100 runs scored in 2009. According to the Herald, the Red Sox attempted to trade for Scutaro this past July.

– The Blue Jays are reportedly interested in C Yorvit Torrealba, according to MLB.com. The Rockies and Giants are also interested, so expect a bidding war. The Jays currently have no options behind the plate as C Rod Barajas is a free agent. It’s becoming more and more clear it will take a multiyear pact to sign Torrealba, who wants to start. That said, the Jays look like the frontrunners.

– According to Diario Libre, a newspaper in the Dominican Republic, OF Jose Guillen would approve of a trade to the Mets and does not feel he will be a Royal in 2010. It seems as if both Guillen and the newspaper are taking a previous rumor a bit too seriously. It was reported the Royals felt they could deal Guillen to the Mets, but the odds of that happening are unlikely. Guillen said “If trading me would help the Royals, New York would be one of the clubs I would approve. … My mind is focused on having a great season next year and until now I believed that would be with the Royals.”

– According to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, the Blue Jays are set to re-sign INF John McDonald for $1.5M. McDonald has spent the last five seasons with the Blue Jays, who clearly values his glove. The 34-year-old could be in line for a lot of at-bats backing up 3B Edwin Encarnacion and could end up starting at short if the club can’t import a better option.

WWE

– According to the PWInsider, Lauren Mayhew, who appeared on ECW as the brand’s ring announcer, has parted ways with WWE. Both parties were working together on a short term deal, but could not come to terms on a full term contract.

The word going around at today’s television taping in Bridgeport, Connecticut was that the aspiring actress and WWE parted on amicable terms and the door was open for her to return to the company in the future. Mayhew’s profile has already been removed from the company website. Tony Chimel handled the ring announcing duties during tonight’s episode of ECW.

VoV

-– You can keep up with VoV through Twitter by clicking here.

MLB

– Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that the Twins have begun extension talks with C Joe Mauer’s agent Ron Shapiro. No word on any parameters of a deal, but team president Jerry Bell is confident about the negotiations. “Everything in time … it’ll work out — I hope, and I’m pretty sure. I feel good about it because I think he wants to stay here, and we sure want him to be here and all of his teammates want him to be here.” Mauer, who is likely to be named the American League MVP later this month, will earn $12.5M in 2010, the last year of his contract.

– Joel Sherman of the New York Post cites a National League executive who says that the Tigers have let other teams know that OF Curtis Granderson is available “for the right package.” Granderson would have many suitors, with the Yankees near the top of the list, according to Sherman. The 28-year-old outfielder batted .249/.327/.453 with 30 home runs, 71 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 2009, but struggles against left-handed pitching. He is very solid in the field and would give the Yankees an alternative to OF Johnny Damon. Granderson is owed $25.75M over the next three seasons, with a $13M club option for 2013.

– Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that Mariners OF Ken Griffey Jr.’s new one-year deal is similar to his 2009 incentive-laden contract. Griffey was paid a base salary of $2M and earned another $1.5M worth of incentives for batting .214/.324/.411 with 19 dingers and 57 RBI in 2009. Junior turns 40 on November 21.

– According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, both the Mets and Phillies have shown interest in free agent 3B Chone Figgins. The Angels are also making attempts to re-sign him. Figgins, who turns 32 this winter, hit .298/.395/.393 during the regular season with five homers, 54 RBI, 42 stolen bases and 114 runs scored in 615 at-bats.

– RHP Justin Duchscherer’s agent, Damon Lapa, said Tuesday that the free agent right-hander has made excellent progress with his clinical depression. Lapa called Duchscherer “a happier and healthier person,” and said he’s working hard toward readying himself for the 2010 season. Duke didn’t throw a pitch for the A’s in 2009, but went 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 2008. He’s reportedly drawing a good deal of interest around the league.

– Red Sox C Jason Varitek has until midnight Wednesday to decide whether he wants to exercise his $3M player option for 2010. It’s not clear what the hold-up is. Varitek may be searching for a starting job, but he isn’t likely to find one and definitely won’t be able to obtain the kind of salary the Red Sox must pay him in 2010. The 37-year-old hit just .209/313/.390 this season and .157/.250/.239 after the All-Star break.

– Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright told 1380 KSLG in St. Louis Wednesday that he believes Matt Holliday will return to St. Louis for the 2010 season and beyond. “I think he’ll be back. I know Matt, know his family, and know he wants to back. It’s going to take a perfect situation to get him to leave.” The comments won’t sit well with Holliday’s agent, Scott Boras, who rightfully seeks top dollar for his clients. If Holliday is looking for the most lucrative deal, he won’t stay in St. Lou. But if he’s truly happy in the environment and hopes to stay, he can always call off the dogs and sign for a contract that will, either way, be fairly handsome.

– LHP Billy Wagner’s agent, Bean Stringfellow, said Tuesday that his client hasn’t ruled out accepting an offer of arbitration from the Red Sox. “I just visited with Billy and his family the other day, and I can tell you this much: Billy thoroughly enjoyed his time in Boston. It was one of the best experiences he has ever had in baseball.” The 38-year-old lefty was thought to have interest in a full-time closing gig. And with teams desperate for that kind of help, it’s doubtful he lands back in Boston.

– The National League Gold Glove winners were announced on Wednesday. The winners were: Cardinals C Yadier Molina, Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright, Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers 2B Orlando Hudson, Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins, Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman, Phillies OF Shane Victorino, Astros OF Michael Bourn and Dodgers OF Matt Kemp. The award is Zimmerman’s first and Molina’s second consecutive. Wainwright is the first player not named Greg Maddux to win the award since Mike Hampton in 2003.

WWE

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. The highlights:

Survivor Series Hype: RAW from Sheffield was an interesting show. I honestly expected more hype for Survivor Series but what I heard was not offensive or overkill and seemed to work. I kept waiting on some issues to pop up between Cena, HHH, and HBK as they prepare for their Triple Threat Match for the WWE Title at Survivor Series. By it not happening, it leads me to believe that something could be up someone’s sleeve come this Monday from Madison Square Garden. Or not. The question is, when will the proverbial shoe drop? Or will it?

Too Many PPV Events? “Monthly PPV’s in wrestling are dependent on one key element, long term creative planning. I like the fact that themed events are being utilized, also. However, too many specialty bouts can start to run together and lose their identity. Great PPV revenue is generated by “stars” being engaged in personal issues. Two guys or four guys inside a cage doesn’t guarantee success simply because it’s a cage match. If one sees only a handful of cage matches a year that’s one thing but if they become a regular diet then the novelty of the cage looses its effectiveness. Adding new talents into the mix is also marketable as fans are curious as to how the younger guys will do in an elevated environment. PPV’s are essential to the overall success of the business and will be constantly re-evaluated and strategized as time goes on.

– Stacy Keibler recently spoke to Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun and was asked whether she’d be the special guest host of WWE Raw when the show comes to her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland on 11/30.

The former WWE Diva said she reached out to WWE about hosting, but never heard back. “No one has contacted me. I actually had my management contact them, and nobody ever got back to us [laughs]. So I guess they’re not interested,” she said.

Keibler recently won a contest to determine Baltimore, Maryland’s biggest celebrity – beating out baseball great Cal Ripken, Jr. and Olympic hero Michael Phelps.

Keibler was also asked about whether she’s heard anything from TNA Wrestling about working for them. “[TNA] hasn’t [contacted me], but Mick and I talk regularly. They haven’t contacted me to do anything, plus I still have my deal with ABC, so I wouldn’t be able to do anything like that.”

– Ric Flair is getting married to Jackie Beems today in Charlotte, North Carolina.

NHL

– Blackhawks F Dave Bolland (back) underwent successful surgery and is out four months. The surgery was performed to repair a herniated disc.

TNA

– As seen last week on iMPACT!, President Dixie Carter essentially said during her speech at the top of the hour that anyone who wasn’t on board with her recent changes to the organization should find work elsewhere. As it turns out, five wrestlers had asked for their releases from the company in recent weeks, including Frankie Kazarian (a.k.a. Suicide) and Homicide — the names of the three other wrestlers have not been released. All five were turned down.

– It was reported last week that Sojournor Bolt’s future with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling appeared to be in doubt. According to PWInsider.com, she was released by the organization yesterday. Her profile was removed from the company website’s roster section this afternoon, thus confirming her departure.

It should be noted that there is a chance she be may used again in the future, but the company had nothing creatively for her at the moment and opted to release her from her contract. The veteran women’s wrestler had been sparingly used since Dutch Mantel’s departure from TNA this past summer and the feeling was her days in the company were numbered.