NBA

– Tom Izzo has officially declined the five-year/$30M contract offer from the Cavaliers to remain with the Michigan Spartans. Izzo acknowledged that being unable to speak with James played a part in his life- and career-altering decision. The Cavs’ search for a head coach will likely focus on Byron Scott (who may wait for the Lakers and Clippers to settle their benches before deciding), as well as Mike Woodson and Brian Shaw.

– Steve Kerr will not return as president and GM of the Suns next season and will likely return to a job as a TV analyst. The Suns went 52-28 this season and reached the Western Conference finals, but team owner Robert Sarver reportedly wanted Kerr to take a pay cut. “I wouldn’t say it’s a big surprise. It boiled down to a number of things, including lifestyle and the opportunity. I was hoping to have him back.” Kerr is only 44 years old, so he may very well return to an NBA front office someday.

Kerr’s resignation “could have dramatically negative impact on [the Suns'] ability to re-sign Amare,” according to Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Kerr just met with Amare’s agent last week, and Amare had a “strong belief” in his abilities to build a championship team. The Suns apparently wanted Kerr to take a pay cut, but their stinginess may end up costing them in the long run.

– The Toronto Star reports that the Raptors are looking for potential suitors for F Hedo Turkoglu, and could make a package deal involving G Jose Calderon, G Jarrett Jack and their #13 overall pick in the draft. On top of those options, the Raptors can still work a sign-and-trade deal to get some value if F Chris Bosh skips town. We may not have to wait long for GM Bryan Colangelo’s first move, as beat writer Doug Smith feels that “all signs point to some kind of transaction coming down the pike before the draft.”

– ESPN reports that a Game 7 win by the Lakers will give coach Phil Jackson an extra $2M in addition to his $12M salary. Jackson’s contract runs out July 1 and he has said he will take a few weeks to see his doctor and decide whether he is returning to the Lakers next season for a likely lower salary or retiring.

– A Celtics team source said Tuesday night that Celtics’ F Kendrick Perkins (knee), who suffered a right knee injury in the first quarter, was “done.” Officially, Perkins and the Celtics are awaiting results of an MRI, and while there’s still a chance he could play in Thursday’s Game 7, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that he suffered a serious injury and is out. At this point, good news would probably mean he didn’t tear his ACL or MCL, but either way, he doesn’t sound at all likely to play in Game 7.

– Raptors’ G Jarrett Jack has expressed interest in remaining with the Raptors. “Obviously there’s a level of frustration with it, being that you want to put some core pieces around you and know that you have those pieces in place and try to build around that. And when one of those pieces kind of goes awry after that, it’s tough, especially after just one year. But I have confidence in coach and the front office that they’ll put out the best product possible.”"

MLB

– According to the AP, Braves’ 3B Chipper Jones hinted that he’d retire at season’s end. “It’s obvious that it’s something I’ve been thinking about. I need to go through the proper channels. Once those have all been taken care of, everybody’s questions will be answered.” Chipper is owed $28M in guaranteed money he’s owed for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. After chatting retirement options with Braves management Tuesday, though, Jones Jones has canceled a tentatively scheduled meeting with the media. In other words, he’s not going to discuss his future plans at the moment. Chipper is struggling this season, both at the plate and with his own health, but the Braves are sitting atop the NL East standings and don’t need any distractions. November, not June, is the time for retirement talk.

– The Chicago Tribune reports that the Cubs haven’t talked to any teams about making trades yet but will begin the process if the losing goes on for the next two or three weeks. On the list for potential trades are 1B Derrek Lee, LHP Ted Lilly, OF Kosuke Fukudome, LHP Tom Gorzelanny and OF Xavier Nady. Lee and Fukudome have no-trade clauses; the team has not asked them to waive the clauses yet.

– A source tells Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports that the Rangers are “getting closer” to acquiring Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt. The major hurdle, of course, is that the financially-strapped Rangers are trying to convince the MLB to allow them to take on Oswalt’s salary. The players “are more or less agreed to,” according to Calcaterra. Oswalt is still a major financial commitment — nearly $27M, including the prorated portion of his $15M salary for this season, $16M for 2011 and at least a $2M buyout on his $16M option for 2012 — so it shouldn’t be assumed that Major League Baseball will see it their way.

The Fort Worth Stat-Telegram, however, says a Rangers official has told the paper that there is no truth to this rumour, but the team is trying to add some offense and has spoken to the Orioles about 3B Ty Wigginton and the Marlins about 1B Wes Helms.

– The Athletics have acquired 1B Conor Jackson from the D’Backs for RHP Sam Demel. Jackson has been a fairly consistent hitter throughout his career with the Diamondbacks, at least when he’s not battling Valley Fever. He will step into a rotation in the Oakland outfield and will probably hold just about the same amount of fantasy value as he did in Arizona.

– Orioles’ 2B Brian Roberts (back) will be out for an additional four-to-six weeks. Roberts has been sidelined since the first week of the season and there’s been nothing but setbacks since then.

– The Dodgers have placed RHP Chad Billingsley (groin) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 13.

– The Yankees have placed RHP Sergio Mitre (oblique) on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 5.

– The Yankees have placed OF Marcus Thames (strained right hamstring) on the 15-day DL.

– Cardinals’ RHP Brad Penny (back) will be out until at least the end of June, and it could be much longer, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. An examination on Monday showed that Penny’s upper back strain has yet to completely heal. A few weeks ago it looked like this injury wasn’t going to be a big deal, but it’s already been lingering for a month, and is showing no signs of going away.

NHL

– The Leafs have officially named D Dion Phaneuf their captain. The Leafs have been without a captain since F Mats Sundin in 2008. Phaneuf is the 18th captain of the Maple Leafs and the 22nd in Toronto franchise history.

– Hockey Hall of Famer Cam Neely will be named the president of the Bruins. The Bruins have scheduled a “major announcement” for Wednesday. The Bruins have not had a president since Harry Sinden stepped down in 2006 after 17 years in the position. Neely played the last 10 years of his career in Boston and twice helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup finals. They have not been back since 1990.

– The Boston Globe reports that the odds of the Bruins acquiring Senators’ F Jason Spezza for the #2 overall pick in the 2010 entry draft are slim to none. The Globe points out that the Bruins already have a strong core of centers in Marc Savard, David Krejci, and Patrice Bergeron. More importantly, the Bruins have cap concerns as it is and they’d be hard pressed to find a way to acquire Spezza and stay under the cap. The Blue Jackets were also initially mentioned as a possible trading partner for Spezza, but it seems equally unlikely that Columbus would hand Ottawa the #4 overall pick.

– D Rob Blake is expected to officially announce his retirement on Friday. Blake, 40, was one of the league’s best defensemen over his career with the Kings, Avalanche and Sharks, making seven All-Star teams and winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman for Los Angeles in 1998. He is 10th on the career list with 240 goals as a defenseman, went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1993 with Los Angeles, won the Cup in 2001 with Colorado, won a gold medal for Canada the following year and helped the Sharks post the best regular-season record in the Western Conference in each of his two seasons in San Jose.

– The Edmonton Journal reports that the Oilers may buyout captain F Ethan Moreau, F Patrick O’Sullivan and F Robert Nilsson. O’Sullivan is due to make $2.95M next season while the other two each have $2M left on their deals. The Senators are also considering a buyout for F Jonathan Cheechoo ($3.5M). If a player is 26 or older, the team has to fork over two thirds of the money left on the deal. If the player is younger than that and gets bought out, though, he only gets one third of the money left on the deal.

– Canucks’ F Alex Burrows (torn labrum in shoulder) underwent surgery last week and he may miss some time at the start of next season. “He may not be ready to play until sometime in October or November,” said his agent Paul Corbeil. The shoulder of Burrows had reportedly been bothering him since the second half of the regular season, but he wanted to play through it. The injury is thought to be the same as the one that F Pavol Demitra had this past campaign. The Canucks will have their fingers crossed that the recovery of Burrows goes smoother, as Demitra had to miss the first 47 games after a second surgery was required. Burrows will be evaluated again sometime in the next two weeks to see where he is at in his rehabilitation. Stay tuned.

– The Canadiens have bought out the final season of F George Laraque’s three-year/$4.5M contract. He was banished from the team that day because Laraque had become a distraction. He remained on the roster for the rest of the season, but was not seen at games or practices. Laraque, who was in and out of the lineup in recent seasons because of back problems, had one goal and two assists in 28 games this season. In two seasons with the Canadiens, he had one goal and four assists in 61 games.

– The Canucks have re-signed D Aaron Rome to a two-year/$1.5M deal. Rome will make $700K next season and $800K the following year.

– The Stars have signed G Brent Krahn to a two-way contract. Krahn played 22 games for the Texas Stars of the AHL this season, winning 17 games with five shutouts and a 1.83 GAA.

– The Blue Jackets have fired former interim head coach Claude Noel, assistants Gary Agnew and Gord Murphy and strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reports that the Seahawks are “quite interested” in Bills’ RB Marshawn Lynch, should they decide to trade him. This disputes an ESPN report from late last week that Lynch “has zero trade value.” Seattle is an excellent fit on paper following the release of LenDale White. The Seahawks also use a zone-blocking system similar to what Lynch played in at Cal. Still, they might not offer more than a late-round pick. Lynch joined his Bills teammates on the practice field for the start of this week’s OTAs on Tuesday. Smart move – if he wants to escape his current third-string role in Buffalo, he’s going to have to clean up his act and show some dedication.

– Redskins’ DE Albert Hayneswoth is still pushing for a trade and will not attend the Redskins’ upcoming minicamp after all. “The Redskins are trying to establish a new regime with new schemes at Redskins Park, and it is not an organization that Albert would have ever been attracted to just a short year ago – regardless of the money,” said Haynesworth’s agent. Haynesworth believes his talents are wasted in a 3-4 scheme. Coach Mike Shanahan’s attempt to take a hard-line stance on his best defender’s absence from voluntary offseason activities has exacerbated the situation. The Redskins will have to consider fining Haynesworth for missing mandatory work.

– The Saints have re-signed RFA RB Pierre Thomas to a one-year/$1.684M contract. The Saints threatened to reduce Thomas’ salary by $1.1M if he didn’t sign the tender, which would’ve been significant for a player who’s never made more than the NFL minimum. Instead, Thomas is showing good faith that the team will work with him on a long-term deal up to his expectations. While Thomas won’t get Steven Jackson money, a Michael Turner-like deal in the $5-6M range annually over 4-5 seasons could be realistic for the 25-year-old.

– A day after assuring that he’s not “mad” at the Titans organization, RB Chris Johnson took to his Twitter account to express frustration with his contract situation. “Just got off the phone with my agent, and it’s not good news. I’m feeling like Darrelle Revis right now. At least they’re offering him something. [The Titans are] not offering me nothing.” The primary issue here is that CJ2K has three years left on his contract, and the Titans are leery of setting a precedent that other players will use against them. There’s no telling how this will play out until training camp starts.

– Chargers unsigned RFAs Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill have reportedly made “financial preparations” in advance of executing lengthy holdouts that could last through Week 10 of the regular season. Updating a previous item, the players’ one-year tenders have not yet been formally reduced, leaving a “slight chance” that Jackson and McNeill could still sign at some point Tuesday. Should V-Jax fail to report until after Week 10, he’d stand to lose a whopping $3.062M. The same course of action by McNeill would cost the four-year starting left tackle $2.956M.

– The Broncos have re-signed RFA OLB Elvis Dumervil to a one-year/$3.168M contract. The sides will continue to work on a long-term deal. Dumervil, 26, set or tied career highs in tackles (48), sacks (17), and forced fumbles (4) last season.

WWE

– Monday’s episode of WWE RAW with actor Mark Feuerstein as guest host did a 3.42 cable rating, up from last week’s 3.09. The show averaged 4,883,000 viewers and did hours of 3.36 and 3.5.

– NBA legend Michael Jordan was backstage at Monday’s WWE RAW from Charlotte. It’s been rumoured for some time that WWE wants Jordan to host an upcoming episode of RAW, so you can bet the idea was pitched this week.

– With next year’s WrestleMania 27 still 9 months away,WWE officials are already working with city officials from Atlanta, Georgia, the host city.

– Actress Florence Henderson, who played “Carol Brady” on the classic Brady Bunch television show, will be guest hosting the July 12 Raw from Lexington, Kentucky. No guest host has been announced for next week’s RAW, the night after no Fatal 4 Way.

TNA

– Scott Hall has reportedly been fired by TNA Wrestling. He was written off of storylines at last night’s television taping for Thursday night’s episode. TNA stripped The Band — Hall, Kevin Nash, and Eric Young — of the TNA Tag Team Championship and set up a mini-tournament. The winning team will face The Motor City Machineguns for the vacant titles at next month’s Victory Road PPV. Last month, Hall was arrested outside of Orlando, Florida two days before Sacrifice. He worked the event and reportedly did not inform management of his arrest. He was charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest after being arrested at the Hitching Post Bar. Hall has since pled not guilty to the charges. His next scheduled court date is July 1 in Seminole County court.

– At Monday night’s TNA iMPACT! tapings (set to air Thursday night on Spike), Ric Flair announced that he was reforming the Four Horsemen in TNA, except the new group would be known as “Fortune.” The group consists of AJ Styles, Desmond Wolfe, Kazarian and Beer Money. During the show, Flair has a confrontation with Jay Lethal, who came out dressed like Flair and acting like Flair. After Lethal wrestles Desmond Wolfe later in the show, Ric Flair comes out and helps Wolfe attack Lethal. Hulk Hogan comes out and asks Ric Flair to reveal his big announcement. Flair says he’s coming out of retirement once again – and will be wrestling Jay Lethal at TNA Victory Road on July 11.

– Updating a previous item, sources indicate that TNA’s “major changes” will be that the company will be dropping the monthly PPV format and instead would be running live specials on Spike TV. It’s still possible that TNA would keep 2-3 PPV events a year on their calendar, but the monthly PPV format has proven to not be profitable for TNA and the company could actually make more money from Spike TV paying them for these live television specials. Again, this is still a rumour, but it does jive with Dixie Carter’s comments about Spike TV President Kevin Kay being “all in” and on board with TNA’s major changes. Stay tuned for the latest on this developing story.

– As seen last night at Slammiversary, Roxxi agreed to put her TNA career on the line against Madison Rayne and her Women’s Knockout Championship. Rayne retained her title, after hitting Roxxi with the championship belt, ending her TNA career in the process. Sources within TNA indicate she is indeed through with the company. Roxxi was not informed of her release from the company until yesterday, according to f4wonline.com. She was visibly upset prior to and after her Slammiversary bout. The decision garnered much heat backstage as many feel TNA could have handled the situation better. Considering Angelina Love and Daffney have been cleared to wrestle, it appears as if TNA no longer needs or has any creative plans for Roxxi, hence her abrupt departure from the organization.

– ODB posted the following on Twitter on Monday afternoon:

“thanks tna fans for all the support but tna and odb have parted ways.it was a decision I made.bamm bitches”

– Tommy Dreamer, who made his TNA debut at Sunday’s Slammiversary pay-per-view, wrote the following on Twitter following his appearance:

“TNA THANKS SO MUCH I AM ON A MISSION HOPE WE ALL ENJOY THE RIDE”

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB

– A source told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that the Diamondbacks are “leaning toward” releasing OF Eric Byrnes. A spot on the D’Backs’ 40-man roster needs to be cleared for 1B Adam LaRoche, who signed a one-year deal Thursday afternoon. Byrnes hit just .226 with a .270 on-base percentage last season and is entering the final season of a three-year/$30M contract. Most of his struggles can be related to fluke injuries but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s no longer an adequate everyday outfielder.

– The Dodgers have re-signed OF Matt Kempt to a two-year deal and RHP Chad Billingsley to a one-year deal.

– The Padres have re-signed RHP Heath Bell to a one-year/$4M deal.

– The Braves have re-signed OF Melky Cabrera to a one-year/$3.1M deal.

– The Rockies have re-signed RHP Jorge De La Rosa to a one-year/$5.6M deal (with another $300K in performance bonuses), 2B Clint Barmes to a one-year/$3.23M deal and RHP Taylor Buchholz to a one-year/$1.05M deal.

– The Indians have signed C Mike Redmond to a one-year/$850K deal.

WWE

– The following is from the Wrestling Observer;

Bret Hart first contacted WWE in February of 2009 to let them know that he was open to returning for a storyline. Hart’s girlfriend was going to school in Calgary and he would be based out of Calgary for a few years instead of Hawaii, where he had been. Bret was getting bored with retirement and thought of getting back into wrestling.

Bret notes that there were times when WWE seemed interested and other times when they really didn’t seem interested in his return at all. He told them a few times that if they weren’t that interested, he was fine with that and then he would always hear immediately back from them with interest. Talks for this year’s WrestleMania angle got serious last September.

There is a storyline in place through WrestleMania between Hart and Vince McMahon with hope for some sort of street fight or at least a showdown between the two at WrestleMania. Due to concussions from the past and his stroke in 2002, Hart is very limited to what he can do in the ring. He can’t take a traditional flat back bump. Obviously challenges like these could affect what happens between Bret and Vince. The original script for the RAW angle a few weeks back was for Vince to slap Bret in the face. Because of the concussion issue, they changed it to a kick in the stomach. It actually ended up being a kick to the groin from Vince, a miscue that Bret felt made the segment better.

Both Bret and WWE have laid out the basic details of the storyline and agreed on them. Each side has veto power regarding minor details. Hart is scheduled to return at next week’s RAW and is scheduled to be a regular on RAW through February. Bret’s contract with WWE is for through April and is only for this storyline. Bret is said to be open to ideas if WWE is interested in using him past that point and is open to signing a longer contract. If no contract would be offered, he is still open to appearing on the occasional show for the next few years while he’s mostly based out of Calgary.

Other sources report that revealing Bret’s stroke from 2002 in the storyline has been talked about. Apparently it will be a significant part of the angle at some point. Bret’s concussion issue is less likely to be brought up because it’s such a sensitive issue right now.

On the plane trip from Hawaii to RAW, Bret’s sciatic nerve in his lower back was acting up badly, causing concern that he would be limping to the ring. Bret rested after the trip and was pain free by the time RAW came on Monday night.

– The word going around WWE is that John Cena is suffering from a back injury. Reports indicate that Cena is suffering from a few bulging discs, which can be very painful and might require surgery. Not much more is known about the injury at this time and the severity is hard to assess. Nonetheless, it does appear that Cena’s condition is the reason Cena will not be wrestling WWE Champion Sheamus at the Royal Rumble.

NFL

– The Saints have re-signed RB Deuce McAllister. The move may have something to do with either RB Pierre Thomas’ cracked ribs or RB Mike Bell’s severe decline in production down the stretch. McAllister, 31, was out of the league all year after serving a four-game suspension to open the season for taking a diuretic (StarCaps) banned by the NFL. He’ll be a mere insurance policy, and is very unlikely to see any touches in the playoffs.

– Beat writer Jim Thomas expects the Rams’ brass to discuss the possibility of signing or trading for Eagles QB Michael Vick in next week’s organizational meetings. GM Billy Devaney worked with Vick in Atlanta and even visited him in prison. Coach Steve Spagnuolo and OC Pat Shurmur are closewith Eagles coach Andy Reid, who has spoken in glowing terms about the “changes” Vick has made in his life. Stay tuned.

– The FBI has reportedly joined the Philadelphia police department’s investigation into Marvin Harrison’s role in the shooting death of a convicted drug dealer last summer. Before he lapsed into a coma, the victim told police on the scene that he believed the shooting was related to an April, 2008 assault by Harrison in the same neighborhood. Tests show that Harrison’s gun was used in the homicide, though Harrison denies pulling the trigger. Esquire.com released a lengthy, eye-opening article Thursday detailing Harrison’s role in the events.

NBA

– Wizards G Gilbert Arenas Gilbert Arenas will reportedly plead guilty to felony gun charges on Friday as part of a plea agreement, and then D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin will decide on Arenas’s sentence. The plea will likely keep him out of jail, but it’s unlikely David Stern will allow him to play again in the NBA this season. And given the fact he feels like the Wizards have turned their back on him, there’s not much of a chance he’ll ever play for the Wiz again, either. Additionally, sources don’t believe the Wizards will be able to terminate his contract, so their only real option of losing him is to trade him.

NHL

– The Penguins and D Sergei Gonchar have opened up discussions on a new contract. The defenceman’s agent JP Barry met Penguins general manager Ray Shero Tuesday in Calgary.  The two sides began preliminary discussions that focused mainly on term. The 35-year old Gonchar, who signed a five-year deal with the Penguins coming out of the lockout, is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. In 31 games played this season, Gonchar has recorded seven goals and 19 assists.

TNA

– Following reports that Spike TV was very happy with TNA’s ratings performance against WWE Raw on January 4, another live Monday iMPACT is being planned for March. March 1 and March 8 are the two dates Spike is considering. Regarding going live permanently, everyone expects it to happen this year.

– Spike TV played a big part in TNA bringing Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff in. Spike reportedly earmarked money and helped out with the contracts as they have done in the past with other major TNA signings such Kurt Angle, Sting and Mick Foley. Spike executives Kevin Kay and Brian Diamond are firmly behind Hulk Hogan and his importance to TNA when they ultimately look to challenge RAW on Monday nights week after week.

VoV

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VoV

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MLB

– Giants GM Brian Sabean said Thursday that he has not contacted the agents representing OF Matt Holliday or OF Jason Bay. Sabean doesn’t believe Holliday or Bay realistically want to come to the Giants and said he won’t be a “stalking horse” this winter for the players’ agents. The Giants are looking at “second-tier” free agents this offseason with a desire to bolster their batting order and bullpen.

– According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Braves are having trouble shopping RHP Derek Lowe to other clubs. The Braves have some of the strongest pitching depth in the majors and are hoping to deal an arm for a hitter this winter. But, as Rosenthal points out, Lowe turns 37 early next season, is guaranteed $15M in each of the next three seasons, and he had a 6.65 ERA in his final nine starts of ’09. It’s going to be a hard sell despite his 15 wins. He allowed 232 hits this past season, the most of any NL pitcher.

– According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers will not pursue RHP John Lackey. Team president Dennis Mannion said, “You can’t ignore the fact the economy will be level at best for next year. We’re not going to make any outlandish-type decisions in a rough economy.” Speaking specifically about Lackey, Mannion said he would rule out signing him “unless there is an effective way to make that kind of deal.” Despite the financial uncertainty surrounding the team, GM Ned Colletti has not been ordered to trade one of the team’s eight arbitration-eligible players (RHP Chad Billingsley, OF Matt Kemp, 1B James Loney, OF Andre Ethier, C Russell Martin, RHP Jonathan Broxton, LHP George Sherrill and LHP Hong-Chih Kuo) to reduce payroll.

Speaking of Lackey and the Halos, owner Arte Moreno said the Angels can’t afford to bring back both Lackey and 3B Chone Figgins.”We’re at $101M now. We were at $113M last year. If you look at what they’re asking, you can’t bring both of them back.” Figgins’ contract demands figure to be a bit more reasonable, as Lackey is the top starter available on the free agent market. The Angels also need to re-sign OF Vladimir Guerrero or find a replacement at DH, so the team could realistically begin shopping OF Gary Matthews Jr. to free up some cash.

– The Diamondbacks have acquired RHP Aaron Heilman from the Cubs for LHP Scott Maine and 1B Ryne White. Some speculated that Heilman was a non-tender candidate after posting a 4.11 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 70 relief appearances in 2009, so at least the Cubs got something in return. The D’backs might give the 31-year-old right-hander a shot in their rotation, however GM Josh Byrnes has already referred to him as a “durable reliever.” Poor control has led to Heilman’s downfall over the past two seasons, however this is a risk worth taking for Arizona, especially considering the little talent they gave up.

– According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, the Rockies have begun initial discussions on a multi-year deal with 2B Clint Barmes. Barmes hit just .245/.294/.440 in 550 at-bats last season with the Rockies, but blasted 23 home runs and collected 76 RBI. Renck believes the Rox are trying to sign him to a two-year deal with a third year option.

– Marlins C Ronny Paulino has garnered a good deal of trade interest this offseason, according to the Miami Herald. Paulino, a righty, batted .272/.340/.423 with eight homers and 27 RBI this season in 239 at-bats while serving in a catching platoon with C John Baker, a left-handed hitter. Paulino hit just .171/.310/.314 against southpaws in 2009.

– According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, the Marlins have extended an offer to free agent UTIL Ross Gload. The offer is thought to be similar to the two-year/$1.9M contract 1B Wes Helms signed last year. Gload, who turns 34 in April, hit .318 as a pinch-hitter this season and .261/.329/.400 overall. The Marlins declined to pick up his $2.6M option for 2010 about two weeks ago.

– Angels OF Torii Hunter (sports hernia) will undergo surgery Monday. Hunter suffered the injury in late May when he crashed into the wall at Dodger Stadium and eventually spent five weeks on the disabled list. He still had a fantastic season, finishing with a .299/.366/.508 batting line and 22 home runs, and is expected to be fine by the start of spring training.

NBA

– TNT’s David Aldridge reported Thursday that a source of his close to the Knicks’ negotiations with G Allen Iverson said that him signing was a “near certainty.” Aldridge, however, says that a decision is not close. While there are conflicting reports, there is enough smoke here to make this the likely destination for A.I. One source has said that a signing will not occur before Saturday’s game. Stay tuned.

NFL

– The Vikings have signed head coach Brad Childress on a contract extension that will lock him up through the 2013 season. The contract Childress originally signed back in 2006 was scheduled to expire after the 2010. The new deal is believed to be between $4-5M per year.

– Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown (foot) has reportedly decided to undergo surgery to repair the Lisfranc fracture in his right foot. Brown had already been leaning toward electing for the surgery, and his visit with foot specialist Dr. Bob Anderson confirmed that it was the right decision. Brown will undergo surgery Friday and will likely miss all of OTAs next season. He expects to be recovered “well before” the start of the 2010 season, but he’s likely to be eased in during training camp.

WWE

– Hollywood star Dwayne “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson says he’s working with WWE on a special television project that would be in addition to guest-hosting a future episode of WWE Raw.

During a Thursday morning radio appearance on syndicated (Jack Diamond Morning Show), Johnson was vague on the details but hinted that the project will be significant.

“I love that world and being able to entertain, especially if I could go back whether it’s on Smackdown and do a promo or guest-host or we could create this cool show, whatever that may be. Especially now, I’m at the point where I can go back and give back to the fans and help out the guys in any way I can.”

Johnson said he and Vince McMahon have a great relationship and he’s looking forward to working with WWE again in the future.

“Right now we’re trying to put together – there is always something cool and interesting for me to do. I would like to do something more than just host the show. I’m in the process of creating something really cool for the fans – something very special and unique. It will be something like one big entertaining show.”

NBA

– Bucks F Andrew Bogut’s (leg) MRI revealed Thursday that he has a left leg strain and contusion, an injury that will force him to miss the next two-to-four weeks.

– Spurs G Manu Ginobili (left groin) has been diagnosed with a strained left groin and will be out for one week.

NHL

– Oilers F Mike Comrie (mononucleosis) is out indefinitely. Coach Pat Quinn said, “They think this has been going on for a couple of weeks, it’s maybe one of the reasons his (decreased) energy and production becomes more explained. It has has to run its course. It’s one of those viruses you don’t play with. It’ll run its course and they’ll continue to test him until the virus is pushed out.”

VoV

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MLB

– The Dodgers have focused on acquiring Jays RHP Roy Halladay, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The Dodgers lacked an ace all year long, but their need became abundantly clear when they had to turn to RHP Vicente Padilla in an elimination game against the Phillies. Nightengale writes that the Dodgers would have to give up RHP Chad Billingsley and others to acquire Halladay, which would be a mighty impressive haul if new GM Alex Anthopoulos is able to pull it off.

– Giants ace RHP Tim Lincecum has won the NL Cy Young Award on Thursday for the second consecutive season. He repeats for the first time since LHP Randy Johnson did from 1999-2002. “The Freak” went 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA, led the NL with 261 strikeouts, and tied for the league lead with four complete games and two shutouts. Lincecum barely edged out Cardinals RHP Chris Carpenter, who earned nine first-place votes and teammate RHP Adam Wainwright, who actually had 12 first-place votes. Lincecum is just the second pitcher to win the award without the most first place votes – LHP Tom Glavine was the other in 1998. There’s an argument to be made that Lincecum was actually better this season than he was in 2008, posting a lower ERA (2.48 compared to 2.62), a lower WHIP (1.05 compared to 1.17) and a lower batting average against (.206 compared to .221).

– Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that OF Jason Bay rejected a four-year contract offer from the Red Sox. Boston’s offer was believed to be around $60M. “It’s not a surprise that a player that’s gone this far wants to see what’s out there,” said general manager Theo Epstein. Bay, 31, will hit the free agent market for the first time in his career on Friday. He is one of the top three free agents available and will take his chances of earning more on the open market.

– Angels owner Arte Moreno has ruled out signing OF Matt Holliday, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com. Moreno reportedly made the declaration at the annual owners’ meetings on Thursday. While Holliday’s asking price may be too high, Moreno would consider signing OF Jason Bay if the club is unable to retain RHP John Lackey, 3B Chone Figgins and OF Vladimir Guerrero. Moreno acknowledged that the club can’t likely to afford to keep all three.

– Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that trade talks for Marlins 2B Dan Uggla got “pretty hot and heavy” at the GM meetings, with the Giants and Rangers being mentioned as potential landing spots. Uggla has been linked to the G-Men for some time now, but the Rangers’ interest is new. According to the report, if the Marlins don’t get what they want in exchange for the 29-year-old Uggla, they are open to dealing one of their other arbitration-eligible players – a group that includes 1B Jorge Cantu, OF Cody Ross, SS Alfredo Amezaga and RHP Ricky Nolasco. Still, Uggla is the most likely among them to be dealt.

– The Rays have become the “clear-cut favorite” to acquire OF Milton Bradley from the Cubs, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. The two parties have been linked for a while, with OF Pat Burrell-for-Bradley as the rumoured swap. Bradley is owed $21M over the next two seasons while Burrell will make $9M in 2010. The difference in contracts has reportedly been the biggest stumbling block on a deal.

– According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, a developing three-way deal is being discussed involving Mariners RHP Brandon Morrow  and Tigers LHP Edwin Jackson. It’s hard to know what to make of this until the third team and player is revealed, however the Tigers are reportedly listening to offers for the 26-year-old Jackson. Morrow, 25, bounced back and forth between the bullpen, the starting rotation and Triple-A Tacoma in 2009, but his potential is unquestioned.

– The Cubs have re-signed LHP John Grabow to a two-year deal.

WWE

– WWE announcer Jerry Lawler tells the UK Sun that even if Jim Ross is healthy and able to return to work in the coming months, WWE will probably hold off on bringing him back to the announcer’s table until WrestleMania 26 next year.

“There’s a strong possibility that WrestleMania could be when he makes a return. Even if it’s a situation where he could return a little bit before that, it might be best to just wait and let him come back at Mania – as the comeback of JR would be a big draw.”

Lawler repeated what JR said in a recent blog, that it will two or three months to become “facially ready” for TV again. Lawler says Ross’s voice sounds fine over the phone and someone on the other end wouldn’t know he’s only able to talk out of one side of his mouth.

“I texted him last night, and spoke with him this past week, and he’s doing better but says it will probably be a few months before he’s facially ready to be back on television. But when you talk to him, when you just hear his voice, you can’t tell. He doesn’t have slurred speech any more.”

– The November 16 edition of Raw drew a 3.5 cable rating, way up from last week’s disappointing 3.1. The good news continues for WWE, as they’ve snapped the troubling trend of the show losing viewers in the second hour. The hourly numbers for this week’s show were 3.37 for the first hour and 3.56 for the second.

NHL

– The Hurricanes have placed F Eric Staal (UBI) on the IR and G Cam Ward (leg) on the long-term IR. Staal is out a minimum of 10 days, while Ward will sit out 24 days or 10 games. The team is targeting Ward’s possible return for December 5 against Vancouver.

– Senators F Alexei Kovalev (funeral) will miss several games. Kovalev is attending the funeral of his mother-in-law in Russia.

NBA

– News that signing G Allen Iverson may force the Knicks to move another player simultaneously could make this deal take several days to get done. Iverson clears waivers at 6 p.m. Thursday, but signing him may involve moving another player, possibly G Chris Duhon, which will slow the process considerably. After indicating Wednesday that the Knicks would likely make Iverson an offer, on Thursday GM Donnie Walsh said that no decision had been reached, and one might not come soon. Stay tuned for updates.

VoV

– Due to circumstances beyond my control, expect updates for the remainder July and August to be thinner than usual. Deal with it. Either way, once the deadline passes, everything will quiet down a fair bit, so you won’t be missing much other than the expected returns of Shawn Michaels (keep reading) and the Undertaker (a few posts down).

MLB

– The return price for Jays RHP Roy Halladay from the Red Sox would be a package including RHP Clay Buchholz, while RHP Casey Kelly and RHP Daniel Bard are off limits. OF Ryan Westmoreland is also not involved.

The Blue Jays have been given the choice of RHP Justin Masterson, RHP Michael Bowden, or 1B Lars Anderson as the second player in the deal, with lesser prospects from the Red Sox system filling out the Boston offer. The Red Sox, from the beginning, have included Buchholz because the Blue Jays had made it clear he would have to be the starting point of any deal. Rumours indicated that the Red Sox were vying for a third team to be involved in order to give Toronto a prospect shortstop, but that no longer appears to be the case.

The Red Sox remain skeptical of closing a deal for Halladay, which is one reason they continue to pursue other avenues, including a potential trade for Indians C Victor Martinez. Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi has told the Red Sox and Yankees that they will have to pay a premium for the Blue Jays to trade Halladay within the division. Ricciardi also had set a soft deadline of Tuesday for trading Halladay, but he will remain available until the non-waiver deadline on July 31.

GM J.P. Ricciardi has reiterated that he has a ”gut” feeling Halladay will not be traded. The Jays are still not prepared to lower their asking price. If that remains their philosophy through the July 31 deadline, it’s doubtful Halladay is dealt. “It doesn’t matter if it’s today or tomorrow or Friday or next week. Nothing is close. Nothing is happening.”

Doc has also notified the Jays that he won’t waive his no-trade clause to go to the Twins. Sorry, Minny. From the Rangers, the Jays asked for The Blue Jays reportedly asked for a Derek Holland, Justin Smoak and Julio Borbon. AS for the Phillies, talks have hit a standstill, and the Dodgers and Twins are officially out.

– The Red Sox remain interested in Indians C Victor Martinez, but the asking price is still very high. The Sox are still searching for a big bat at corner infield or behind the plate.

– According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Phillies and Indians are exploring a trade involving Indians LHP Cliff Lee. “The Phillies are intent on getting a frontline starting pitcher, whether they get Roy Halladay or not, and with the Indians’ Cliff Lee seemingly lined up as the clear No. 2 choice for Philadelphia, officials with both teams are doing extensive background work on some minor leaguers.” The Indians are seeking a major league-ready arm, and RHP Kyle Drabek fits the description.

– The NY Post reports that the Rays called the Mets and Rangers about LHP Scott Kazmir. According to the report, the Rays are currently trying to free up money, even dangling 1B Carlos Pena and OF Carl Crawford in an effort to complete a blockbuster deal. 

– According to FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, there is a 25-50 percent chance the Indians trade ace LHP Cliff Lee. The Phillies, Dodgers, Angels, Rays and Rangers are among the teams pursuing the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner. Lee is sporting a 3.14 ERA through 22 starts this season and is owed just $8M for 2010.

– The Yankees and Brewers are looking into Mariners LHP Jarrod Washburn.

– The Angels are looking into Indians LHP Cliff Lee. The Angels still want Halladay, but the return price includes SS Erick Aybar, a young player the Angels are unwilling to part with. A deal is unlikely, though, as the Indians want pitching prospects, something the Angels are thin on.

– After recently rescinding their contract offers to 2B Freddy Sanchez and SS Jack Wilson, the Pirates will offer the double-play combo another deal if they are not traded before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The current offers, however, would apparently need to drastically changed in order for either of the two to remain in Pittsburgh. The agents for the pair supposedly let the Pirates front office that the deals fell significantly short on both the dollar and year fronts.

The Giants were on the verge of closing a deal for Sanchez on Monday, and are still committed to pulling it off, but want to satisfy lingering health concerns. Sanchez was scratched from Monday’s starting lineup with a sore left knee, the second time in four games he’d sat out with soreness. Pirates manager John Russell said the hard playing surface in Arizona may have caused the discomfort. If the Giants are satisfied he’s OK within the next day or two, Sanchez will need only walk down the hallway to join his new club – the Pirates are in San Francisco.

– The Dodgers and Phillies are among the most motivated of the four or five teams interested in Orioles LHP George Sherrill. The Orioles would like a pitcher and third baseman to replace 3B Melvin Mora next season, which would appear to make them a possible match for the Dodgers, who could package 3B Blake DeWitt and LHP Scott Elbert. The Orioles remain a bit wary of Elbert because of past shoulder issues; DeWitt was just optioned to Triple-A for the fifth time this season. The Dodgers will not include LHP Clayton Kershaw in any proposal, but have talked internally about possibly parting with RHP Chad Billingsley.

– The Angels are not looking into Mariners LHP Jarrod Washburn or Rays LHP Scott Kazmir. The Dodgers are also out of the running for Washburn.

– The Padres are still open to dealing RHP Heath Bell, but the price tag will be very high.

– The Cardinals are shopping for relievers.

– The Tigers are not interested in Nationals OF Adam Dunn.

– The Red Sox have traded OF Mark Kotsay and cash to the White Sox for OF Brian Anderson.

– The Giants have acquired 1B Ryan Garko from the Indians for LHP Scott Barnes.

– The Angels are shopping for relievers.

NHL

– The Leafs have acquired F Wayne Primeau and a second-round draft pick in 2011 from the Flames for D Anton Stralman, F Colin Stuart and a 2012 seventh-round pick.

– The Hurricanes have bought out the contract of D Frank Kaberle. Kabs would have made $2.2M, but will now make almost $1.5M over the next two seasons.

– The Red Wings have signed D Andy Delmore to a one-year deal.

– Former NHL stars F Tony Amonte, G Tom Barrasso, F John LeClair and the 1998 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey team will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2009 Hall of Fame class announced Tuesday by USA Hockey also includes the late Frank Zamboni, inventor of the storied ice resurfacing machine.

– F Brendan Shanahan will be playing in his 22nd NHL season in 2009-10. Where he ends up, however, is currently anyone’s guess. When asked if Shanahan and the Devils were getting close on a new deal, his agent, Rick Curran, replied, “I have nothing to report at this time. I’m encouraged to the extent that I know Brendan will be playing this year. That’s all I’m prepared to say.” New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello said he is interested in bringing back the veteran winger at the right price. Stay tuned.

– Thrashers G Kari Lehtonen’s back surgery is not expected to keep him on the sidelines for very long. The Atlanta netminder sustained the injury back on October 30 in a game against the New York Rangers and was sidelined for nearly two months. He underwent the procedure last week to repair the damage. GM Don Waddell said, “An injury like that can often be treated and that’s the end of it,” GM Don Waddell said. “. He started working out [this off-season] and complained of soreness. We got together and talked to him and decided to have surgery.” Lehtonen is projected to take the next couple of weeks off to rest and then begin rehabilitation. He could be all systems go in four weeks time.

NBA

– In a swapping of 26-year-old centres, the Bobcats have dealt F Emeka Okafor to the Hornets for F Tyson Chandler.

– F Lamar Odom will reportedly make a decision between the Heat and Lakers in the next few days.

– The Mavericks have signed F Tim Thomas.

NFL

– NFL Network’s Scott Hanson reports that free agent QB Brett Favre “will continue to throw and work out” despite telling Vikings coach Brad Childress Tuesday that he wanted to stay retired. Hanson reports that Favre said he’s still not totally sure about whether he’ll stay retired or try to play, even after “confirming” he’d re-re-retire to Childress and in an interview with ESPN. It wouldn’t shock anyone one bit if Favre “gets the itch” again and tries to come back late in training camp or even after the regular season kicks off.

– The LA Times reports that free agent QB Michael Vick signing with the Jaguars “is looking more and more real.” Another report had Vick specifically eying the 49ers and Redskins, but both of those teams have denied interest. Jacksonville has made sense all along. At the least, Vick could be an upgrade over QB David Garrard’s current backup, 37-year-old journeyman Todd Bouman.

– WR Drew Bennett has retired from football three days after he signed with the Ravens. An old knee injury was the culprit. Bennett is just 31, but didn’t play in 2008 after breaking his foot for the Rams in Week 1. In 2004, Bennett recorded an 80-catch, 1247-yard, 11-TD season, but faded slowly thereafter. The former UCLA QB and undrafted free agent finishes with 4,412 career yards.

WWE

– After months of bitter accusations and media hoopla, the divorce of Hulk Hogan and Linda Bollea has been finalized. The terms of the divorce settlement have not made public. While the divorce proceedings did get nasty at times, things were much more civil today in the Clearwater, Florida courtroom. After the brief hearing, each said they wanted to move on with their lives.

Linda said, “The war is over. I still love him. He’s the father of my children.” She acknowledged that the very public divorce was embarrassing, admitting, “It just got out of control.” Hogan echoed her sentiments, saying it was time for him, Bollea and their children to start acting like a family again. “When you’re married to someone for 23 years … you hope for the best …. We just got torn apart.”

Hulk added, “I’m a free man.”

– According to PWInsider.com, former WWE Divas champion Maryse is in Birmingham, Alabama right now and will be examined by Dr. James Andrews tomorrow. Maryse is set to undergo knee surgery to repair some ongoing issues. In December of 2008, Maryse suffered a dislocated kneecap in a house show match where she was dropped badly by one of the Bella Twins. She was able to avoid surgery and return to the ring several weeks later, but has had nagging issues with the knee ever since. Stay tuned for updates.

– Shawn Michaels is listed on the SummerSlam page on WWE.com.

– RAW drew a 4.0 cable rating, up from 3.5. It drew hours of 3.89 and 4.0. Shaquille O’Neal posted the following on Twitter after RAW: “wasn’t lookin, but randy orton has da sexiest white man butt ive seen next 2 steve nash”

MLB

Here’s some quick info:

What: The 80th annual mid-season exhibition, the 2009 MLB All-Star Game

When: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Where: St. Louis, Missouri (St. Louis Cardinals, first game held since 1966) at Busch Stadium

First Pitch: United States President Barack Obama (becomes the first sitting president since Gerald Ford threw out the first pitch in 1976)

What’s at stake: Winning conference gets home field advantage for the 2009 World Series (2-2-1-1-1 format)

History: This will be the seventh year in which the all-star Game determines home field advantage, with the American League being 6-1 under this format. Currently, the National League leads, 40-37-2, but has not won since 1996

How to Watch: FOX (USA), Rogers Sportsnet (Canada), ESPN America (Europe) @ 7pm EST

Voting: On April 22, 2009, All-Star balloting began on MLB.com with 8 position players (excluding pitchers and designated hitters) from each of the 30 teams being nominated for fans to vote. As with last year, only 25 email ballots could be cast and voting officially ended at 11:59 ET on July 2. Final Rosters, with the exception of the final vote, were announced on July 5. Also, fans can now vote for up to three players per league to participate in the State Farm Home Run Derby. Also, for the first time, the batting practice sessions will be telecast on the self-owned MLB Network. After the rosters were revealed, a second ballot of five players per league was created for the All-Star Final Vote to determine the 33rd and final player of each roster.

– The 80th edition of the All-Star Game have their lineups announced. The American League looks like this;

AL Elected Starters

C – Joe Mauer (Twins) (3)
1B – Mark Teixeira (Yankees) (2)
2B – Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox) (2)
3B – Evan Longoria (Rays) (1)
SS – Derek Jeter (Yankees) (10)
OF – Jason Bay (Red Sox) (3)
OF – Ichiro Suzuki (Mariners) (9)
OF – Josh Hamilton (Rangers) (2)

AL Pitchers

RHP Andrew Bailey (Athletics) (1)
RHP Josh Beckett (Red Sox) (2)
LHP Mark Buerhle (White Sox) (4)
LHP Brian Fuentes (Angels) (3)
RHP Zach Greinke (Royals) (1)
RHP Roy Halladay (Jays) (6)
RHP Felix Hernandez (Mariners) (1)
RHP Edwin Jackson (Tigers) (1)
RHP Joe Nathan (Twins) (4)
RHP Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox) (4)
RHP Mariano Rivera (Yankees) (10)
RHP Justin Verlander (Tigers) (2)
RHP Tim Wakefield (Red Sox) (1)

AL Reserves

C – Victor Martinez (Indians) (3)
1B – Justin Morneau (Twins) (3)
1B – Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox) (2)
2B – Aaron Hill (Blue Jays) (1)
3B – Michael Young (Rangers) (6)
SS – Jason Barlett (Rays) (1)
OF – Carl Crawford (Rays) (3)
OF – Curtis Granderson (Tigers) (1)
OF – Torii Hunter (Angels) (3)
OF – Adam Jones (Orioles) (1)
OF – Ben Zobrist (Rays) (1)

AL Final Roster Spot

3B – Chone Figgins (Angels) (0)
3B – Brandon Inge (Tigers) (0)
2B – Ian Kinsler (Rangers) (1)
DH – Adam Lind (Blue Jays) (0)
1B – Carlos Pena (Rays) (0)

NL Elected Starters

C – Yadier Molina (Cardinals) (1)
1B – Albert Pujols (Cardinals) (8)
2B – Chase Utley (Phillies) (4)
3B – David Wright (Mets) (4)
SS – Hanley Ramirez (Marlins) (2)
OF – Carlos Beltran (Mets) (5)
OF – Ryan Braun (Brewers) (2)
OF – Raul Ibanez (Phillies) (1)

NL Pitchers

RHP Heath Bell (Padres) (1)
RHP Chad Billingsley (Dodgers) (1)
RHP Jonathan Broxton (Dodgers) (1)
RHP Matt Cain (Giants) (1)
RHP Francisco Cordero (Reds) (3)
RHP Ryan Franklin (Cardinals) (1)
RHP Dan Haren (Diamondbacks) (3)
RHP Josh Johnson (Marlins) (1)
LHP Ted Lilly (Cubs) (2)
RHP Tim Lincecum (Giants) (2)
RHP Jason Marquis (Rockies) (1)
RHP Francisco Rodriguez (Mets) (4)
LHP Johan Santana (Mets) (3)

NL Reserves

C – Brian McCann (Braves) (4)
1B – Prince Fielder (Brewers) (2)
1B – Adrian Gonzalez (Padres) (2)
1B – Ryan Howard (Phillies) (2)
2B – Orlando Hudson (Dodgers) (2)
2B – Freddy Sanchez (Pirates) (3)
3B – Ryan Zimmerman (Nationals) (1)
SS – Miguel Tejada (Astros) (6)
OF – Hunter Pence (Astros) (1)
OF – Brad Hawpe (Rockies) (1)
OF – Justin Upton (Diamondbacks) (1)

NL Final Roster Spot

SS – Christian Guzman (Nationals) (2)
OF – Matt Kemp (Dodgers) (0)
3B – Mark Reynolds (Diamondbacks) (0)
3B – Pablo Sandoval (Giants) (0)
OF – Shane Victorino (Phillies) (0)

AL Managers

Joe Maddon (Rays) (1)
Don Wakamatsu (Mariners) (1)
Trey Hillman (Royals) (1)

NL Managers

Charlie Manuel (Phillies) (2)
Tony La Russa (Cardinals) (5)
Joe Torre (Dodgers) (7)

Notes:

July 10-14: The All-Star Fan Fest, an amusement park and a quasi-museum, at America’s Center Convention Center
July 12: The All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game at Busch Stadium
July 13: The Gatorade Workout Day and State Farm Home Run Derby (8pm EST – participants TBA) at Busch Stadium
July 14: The Chevrolet Red Carpet All-Star Parade (venue TBA) and carried on MLB Network via tape delay.

VoV Thoughts:

– Aaron Hill deserves to be a starter. Unbelieveable.
– Morneau and Teixeira should be switched.
– I can’t believe this is Wakefield’s first ASG.
– Final roster spot for AL means either Lind, Pena or Kinsler get snubbed. Absolutely criminal.
– A lot of first-timers in the NL.
– Can they IBB Pujols the whole game?
– Final roster spot for NL means either Kemp, Victorino or Reynolds are snubbed. Reynolds isn’t an all-star (poor batting average, K’s, defense) but his numbers earned him in. Kemp and Victorino should both be in, no questions asked.
– Until MLB opens their eyes and eliminates this one-player-per-team nonsense, guys like Kinsler, Lind and Kemp are going to get snubbed.
– MLB needs to do a fielding/running skills competition like the NFL, NBA and NHL. What the hell’s taking so long?

MLB

– According to ESPN.com‘s Jerry Crasnick, the Dodgers are looking into RHP Pedro Martinez. The Dodgers already boast Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Randy Wolf and Clayton Kershaw in the front end of their rotation, but are still seeking a fifth starter. Possible candidates Jason Schmidt, Eric Milton and Claudio Vargas have not impressed team officials this spring. Stay tuned.

– The Mariners have signed RHP Chad Cordero to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Low risk, high reward for Seattle. Cordero is a long shot to be an above average reliever this season, but if he does make it back from shoulder surgery, he should have a chance to contend for the closer’s role in Seattle.

NHL

– According to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune, the Wild are looking to re-sign F Marian Gaborik to a short-term deal. Gaborik is headed into free agency on July 1, and has turned down a long-term deal with the Wild, believed to be for eight years. Gaborik has been hurt through much of the year and it is unlikely any team will want to take a chance and sign him long-term. When you take into account that the salary cap with likely go down significantly over the next two years, however, Gaborik could take a short term deal with Minnesota and re-visit free agency in the next year or two. On a side note, Gaborik practiced with the Wild on Thursday and he could return to game action shortly.

WWE

– Despite being asked, former WWE Diva Lita has no plans to participate in the 25-Diva battle royal at WMXXV. Geeze, I wonder why…

– Speaking of the Diva battle royal, Terri Runnels and Molly Holly will also sit WMXXV out.

– At last word, Mae Young has not been contacted to appear at WMXXV. Young wasn’t even aware of such a match until a friend of hers called and asked her if she was going to be in it. It’s been speculated that after her fall during her last wrestling appearance in November (she threw a few forearms, got dizzy, and fell down), officials are now realizing she’s far too old to perform in the ring. Young is 86-years-old for those keeping score. Nonetheless, Young will likely be brought in during WrestleMania weekend because she always is, but just won’t be competing.

– The Big Show is being advertised to compete in some RAW house shows – this could be an indication as to whether or not he is drafted.

NBA

– CNN/SI is reporting that Grizzlies’ back up G Marko Jaric, who married supermodel Adriana Lima on Valentine’s Day, has been accused of sexual assault by a Philadelphia woman. According to the report, the incident took place in March when the Grizzlies were in town to play the Sixers. However, the schedule shows the last time Memphis was there was on February 11 – three days before his wedding. In any case, Jaric has made a lot more headlines for dating and marrying Lima than he has for playing basketball, and these allegations are probably going to spoil his post-honeymoon plans.

NFL

– According to the Baltimore Sun, the Ravens have informed CB Samari Rolle of his impending release.
Rolle asked to be cut so that he could catch on with another team after the Ravens signed Domonique Foxworth. The move is expected to bring $4.6M in cap relief for the Ravens.

– Cardinals GM Rod Graves is denying ProFootballTalk.com‘s report that the team is “actively shopping” WR Anquan Boldin. Graves insists that the team’s position on Boldin has not changed. Ever since the rumours started flying last summer, Graves has consistently maintained that he is not interested in trading Boldin. The GM has, however, left open the possibility that his stance could change in the future.