VoV

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

TRADES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RUMOURS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Cubs’ LHP Tom Gorzelanny. In: Mets.

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

– Padres: searching for outfielders.

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

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

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

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

– Brewers’ OF Jim Edmonds: multiple teams.

– O’s LHP Will Ohman. In: Giants.

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

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

– Yankees NOT shopping for a catcher.

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

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

– Yankees inquire: Scott Downs, Ty Wigginton

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

– Rockies inquire: 2B Ryan Theriot.

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Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NHL

– The NHLPA might come to the defense of UFA F Ilya Kovalchuk after the NHL rejected his 17-year/$102M contract. The NHL rejected the contract on the grounds that it was an attempt at circumventing the salary cap. Kovalchuk was due to make $98.5M over the first 11 years of the deal, but the cap hit was just $6M per season because of how little he would earn over the remaining six years of the contract. The NHL’s belief is that Kovalchuk planned to retire before the end of the deal, which would rid the Devils of his cap hit when he’s in his 40s. The NHLPA now has the option of stepping in and demand that an arbitrator rules on Kovalchuk’s contract. This is the first time under the current CBA that the NHL has rejected a deal and this could also end up being the first time that an arbitrator has had to rule on the validity of a contract. Stay tuned.

– The Senators have re-signed F Nick Foligno to a 2-year deal. He had 26 points and 53 penalty minutes in 61 games last season

– The Blues have re-signed F David Perron to a 2-year deal. Perron had 20 goals and 27 assists in 82 games last season. He’s projected to play on the Blues’ first or second line next season.

– The Sabres have re-signed F Patrick Kaleta to a 2-year deal. He set career highs last season with 10 goals and 15 points in 55 games.

NBA

– Hornets’ G Chris Paul has reportedly demanded a trade out of New Orleans. His teams of choice are said to be the Knicks, Lakers and Magic, and people close to him believe he has played his last game for the Hornets. Paul recently signed with LeBron James’ marketing company, LRMR, which also fuels speculation that he will fight his way out of New Orleans, despite having two years left on his contract. Stay tuned.

– Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports that Warriors’ F David Lee (finger) won’t need surgery, but will be sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks, but is expected to be out for the full 6-week timeframe, meaning he won’t play for the U.S. at the World Championships, but should have plenty of time to get ready for the regular season.

– According to ESPN, the Raptors, Lakers, Cavs, Heat and Celtics are interested in F Matt Barnes. Barnes averaged 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Magic last season.

– The Blazers have officially signed G Wesley Matthews to a 5-year/$34M deal. In 82 games, he averaged 9.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 24.7 minutes for the Jazz last season as a rookie.

– The Sixers have signed F Tony Battie.

– The Hornets have hired 40-year-old Dell Demps are their new GM. “Beginning with the hiring of head coach Monty Williams, we’ve begun a path of building our basketball operations with people we feel are going to be the best in the business, and Dell Demps certainly fits into that category,” Hornets president Hugh Weber said on Wednesday, when the Hornets formally named Demps as the seventh general manager in franchise history. Demps takes over for Jeff Bower.

MLB

– Buster Olney and Jayson Stark of ESPN.com hear that the Rays are involved in discussions for Phillies’ OF Jayson Werth. The Phillies are working “very, very aggressively” to move Werth. Freeing themselves of his contract would allow the Phillies to add more payroll, rumoured to be Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt. The FOXSports reports that the Phillies are not interested in D’Backs RHP Dan Haren, Brewers’ RHP Ben Sheets or any of the Rays’ pitchers.

Speaking of Oswalt, Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports heard from a source that the Cardinals are the “front runners” for Oswalt. Calcaterra’s source says the Astros have been talking with Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak for several days now and that Oswalt would love to pitch in St. Louis.The Cards’ farm system wiped, so if the Cards are really interested, they’ll need to move top pitching prospect Shelby Miller. Oswalt has a 3.12 ERA and 1.07 WHIP this season. His current contract runs through 2011 and includes a $16M option for 2012.

– FOXSports reports that D’Backs RHP Dan Haren is preparing for a trade within the next 10 days. Haren has a partial NTC in which he can veto trades to 12 teams this season and 8 next year, but would like to end up out West. “I was born and raised on the West Coast. Obviously staying on the West Coast would be nice. If I went to the East, if a trade came with a team on my no-trade [list], I would have to consider it.” Haren will make $12.75M for the next two years. The team has an option of paying him $15.5M in 2013 or buying him out for $3.5M. He’s 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA this year.

– Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Tigers, Braves, Giants and White Sox have also expressed interest in Jays’ OF/3B Jose Bautista. The MLB home run leader has also drawn interest from the Giants and other teams could join in as the July 31 trade deadline looms. Bautista has 26 homers and 64 RBI this season, but his .238 batting average and .354 OBP are rather lackluster.

– Dodgers’ LHP Clayton Kershaw has been suspended 5 games for throwing behind Giants’ OF Aaron Rowand on Tuesday. Manager Joe Torre was also suspended for 1 game and will serve it tonight. Kershaw has appealed and will be allowed to play until a resolution is made. The lefty is 9-5 this year with a 3.15 ERA and 1.24 WHIP.

– Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports that free agent RHP Pedro Martinez will not pitch this season. As of last week, Pedro had yet to throw off a mound and wasn’t drawing a whole lot of interest from contending teams. He turns 39 years of age in October and could retire soon.

Speaking of not pitching this season, Mariners’ LHP Erik Bedard said “probably not” when asked by reporters if he would pitch again this season. Bedard is currently consulting with two doctors about his latest MRI results, but told reporters that the news wasn’t good. He hasn’t appeared in a major league game since last July 25.

– Rays’ OF Carl Crawford (testicular contusion) is day-to-day. Crawford was forced to leave Tuesday’s game against the O’s in the first inning after getting hit in the groin by a pickoff throw and wasn’t wearing a cup. He reportedly doesn’t plan to wear one even after Tuesday’s game.

– Phillies’ LHP Jamie Moyer (elbow) is expected to be placed on the DL after returning to Philly to be examined by team medical personnel, one day after his elbow forced him to miss his start.

– The Yankees have placed LHP Andy Pettitte (left groin strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 19.

– The Dodgers have placed OF Manny Ramirez (right calf strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 17.

– The Tigers have placed 3B Brandon Inge (fractured left hand) on the 15-day DL.

– The Rangers have placed RHP Dustin Nippert (head) on the 15-day DL.

– The Twins have transferred RHP Clay Condrey to the 60-day DL.

– The A’s have placed OF Ryan Sweeney (right patella tendinitis) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 12.

– The Padres have placed 2B David Eckstein (right calf strain) on the 15-day DL.

– Ralph Houk, who managed the powerhouse Yankees teams of the early 1960s to two World Series championships, died Wednesday. He was 90. Slaboden, who lives in the Boston area, told the team in an e-mail that Houk “died peacefully of natural causes after having a brief illness” at his home in Winter Haven, Florida. Houk spent parts of eight seasons as a backup catcher for the New York Yankees, appearing in just 91 games.

NFL

– Eagles’ WR DeSean Jackson is unlikely to get his contract restructured as Titans’ RB Chris Johnson did, according to beat writer Jeff McLane. Both players were drafted in 2008 and have become offensive stars, but Jackson’s case is different because he was a 2nd-round pick and, therefore, signed a 4-year deal – Johnson’s 5-year deal as a 1st-rounder allowed the Titans to move some money up front. Jackson will not hold out this year, but will likely be asking for a new deal next offseason.

– Cardinals’ ILB Gerald Hayes (back) underwent surgery “several weeks ago” and will miss at least the start of camp. Coach Ken Whisenhunt didn’t give the date of the procedure, but says Hayes will be re-examined when the club reports to flagstaff on July 30. The team is hurting after losing Karlos Dansby to free agency, so if Hayes misses regular season time, the team’s run defense is going to take a hit.

– The Steelers have placed RT Willie Colon (torn Achilles tendon) on the IR, ending his season. Colon was easily the club’s best blocker during the 2009 season.

– The Oakland Tribune’s Jerry McDonald confirms that Raiders’ WR Chaz Schilens’ (foot) recovery from his second surgery in as many offseasons is “ahead of schedule.” Schilens practiced during the Raiders’ final round of OTAs.

WWE

– The injury for which Triple H underwent surgery was a torn biceps that is expected to keep him out anywhere from late-October to December. He is still being considered for a heel turn and alignment with Nexus, although if it were to happen, they would need to drag the angle out for at least a few more months.

– Ricky Steamboat remains in the hospital and continues to experience a great deal of head pain. This, coupled with the fact that he has been there for so many weeks now, has people very concerned.

– After 13 years, WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart is returning to Madison Square Garden. In what is being billed as Bret “The Hitman” Hart Appreciation Night, the official MSG website has announced that Hart will team up with The Hart Dynasty to wrestle three members of Nexus in a 6-Man Tag Team Match at the September 25 SmackDown live event. The match will mark as Hart’s first appearance at MSG since a September 1997 Raw taping, which saw him work a dark match against Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker.

TNA

– TNA officials have discussed using former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Justin Credible at next month’s Hard Justice PPV, reports the PWTorch. However, it has not been confirmed that he will be working the show, or if he has even been contacted to appear. Credible briefly appeared with TNA in 2003, forming a stable with several other ECW alumni and reviving his feud with Jerry Lynn.

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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NBA

– F Chris Bosh and G Dwyane Wade are planning to visit with two teams that have plenty of salary-cap space, the Knicks and Nets (Wade will also visit the Bulls and Mavs), and may make the visits together, Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears reports. Agent Henry Thomas, who reps both of the players, told Spears that it could happen that way. “Their friendship is good,” Thomas said. “As a result of going through this experience, their relationship will be a lot stronger.” Thomas also noted that plenty of information will be shared between the two about what teams are offering what to who since they are both represented by the same company. Thomas also said that while no “free-agent summit” with the pair and F LeBron James happened this past weekend, the trio do talk to one another as well as a few other soon-to-be free agents often about possible scenarios.

Meanwhile, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo is saying that he doesn’t want to lose Bosh for nothing and is happy to set up a sign-and-trade scenario so his team can get some compensation. If Bosh decides to go to join Wade with the Heat, the Raptors will likely ask for young F Michael Beasley, G Mario Chalmers and F Joel Anthony, Spears notes.

– ESPN reports that G Paul Pierce has opted out of the final year of his contract and will test the free agent market. Pierce’s agent, Jeff Schwartz, told ESPN.com in a text message late Tuesday the NBA All-Star forward will forfeit next season’s $21.5M salary for a chance to sign a new four-year deal worth more than $90M. Pierce surely wants to sign a long-term contract before he gets injured or loses money because of the new CBA. The move makes him eligible to sign a new deal with the C’s for 4-years/$96M, or he can accept $3M less from other teams. As if this year’s FA pool weren’t deep enough.

– A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday that F Dirk Nowitzki has notified the Mavericks that he is opting out of the final year and $21.5M on his existing contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team wasn’t planning to announce Nowitzki’s decision.

– Rockets’ F Yao Ming has picked up his player option for next season ($17.69M) and will return to the team. He’s in the final year of a 5-year contract. Yao sat out last season following reconstructive foot surgery and said he wanted to see how the injury healed before making his decision.

– F Amare Stoudemire and his agent met for several hours with Suns’ owner Robert Sarver on Tuesday night and gathered momentum on a possible contract extension, team sources told Yahoo! Sports. Sarver and Suns coach Alvin Gentry met with Stoudemire and his agent Happy Walters in Los Angeles, and made a case for the All-Star forward to stay with the Suns. Sources say the two sides are expected to resume talks on Wednesday, and Stoudemire is holding off opting out of the final $17.6M season of his deal to make him a free agent. Free agency begins at midnight ET, and sources say it’s still possible Stoudemire will opt out of his contract and continue negotiations with the Suns while also meeting with other teams.

– Nuggets’ F  Carmelo Anthony has one more year left on his contract with the Denver Nuggets before he can opt out of it and become an unrestricted free agent. The Nuggets are feeling like he may do just that and the team “is prepared to trade Melo rather than let him walk” next summer, according to a source for the Denver Post. Anthony will make $17M this season and the Nuggets have been trying to get him to sign on for a $65M extension that would have him in Denver through 2015, the Post reports. If Anthony says no to that offer, which is on the table right now, the Post reports that the team could consider talking trade. Anthony averaged 28.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game last season.

– The Nets have traded F Yi Jianlian to the Wizards in exchange for G Quinton Ross. It’s a straight salary cap dump for the Nets, who probably have no interest in playing  Ross. The Nets now have exactly $30M under the cap, enough to sign a max player for $16.5M and another player for $13.5M. A change of scenery should work well for Jianlian, who averaged a career-high 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds a year ago. He has a chance to start if F Mike Miller walks in free agency and F Josh Howard (ACL surgery) doesn’t return to Washington.

– Celtics’ F Kendrick Perkins (torn ACL) said Tuesday night that surgery  could sideline him at least 5-to-6 months. Terrible news for Boston, as it means Perkins won’t be active until well into the season — at least December or January. He has been strengthening his knee for the past few weeks, hoping to shorten the recovery time after next week’s surgery. With F Rasheed Wallace retiring and Perk injured, the Celtics are suddenly desperately thin up front.

– Former Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro dined with Clippers owner Donald Sterling and front-office executives on Tuesday night to discuss the team’s coaching vacancy, sources with knowledge of the meeting told Yahoo! Sports. Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey, who interviewed with the Clippers on Monday, and Del Negro appear to be the top two candidates for the job. Sources said a decision could be made soon.

– The Cavaliers have completed interviewing head coach candidates Brian Shaw and Byron Scott, but they have not finalized their decision or offered any contracts. It seems likely that Shaw will become Cleveland’s next coach once the details of the contract are worked out, especially since Byron Scott’s agent basically offered a concession speech. The Cavs want a coach in place when free agency begins on Thursday, so we won’t have to wait long.

– Former Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry will meet with Portland Trail Blazers officials to discuss the franchise’s GM vacancy on Wednesday, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Since Yahoo! Sports reported on June 5 that the Blazers had hired a search firm to identify and feel out potential candidates, Ferry has steadily stayed near the top of Portland’s wish list. The Blazers reached out to several GM candidates, but Ferry and the organization have strong shared interest, sources said. There is mutual interest and no other names are surfacing to rival Ferry, so the writing is on the wall. It seems Portland would like to have a new GM installed soon with free agency beginning on Thursday.

NHL

– Penguins’ GM Ray Shero said there’s “nothing’s really new” when it comes to Pittsburgh’s negotiations with D Sergei Gonchar. It is believed that Shero won’t give Gonchar more than two years, but the veteran blueliner is asking for a three-year contract. Gonchar is scheduled to become a UFA on Thursday, so he might test the free agent waters before deciding if he wants to return to Pittsburgh.

– The Stars have officially announced that F Mike Modano will not be offered a new contract. If the 20-year face of the franchise wants to return to the NHL, it will have to be with a new team. “I’m leaning toward playing. It certainly depends where and what teams are interested…I’m disappointed and upset about it. I always wanted to believe there was a chance of something happening here.” Now the NHL’s highest-scoring U.S.-born player must decide whether to put on something other than a Stars sweater for the first time. Modano captained the only Stars’ Cup-winning team 11 years ago. Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said,

“This decision doesn’t come easy, but it’s something I’ve been talking to Mike about for quite some timeIt’s a difficult deicison for fans and our entire organization. I fell it’s necessary for us to move foward under these trying times. We have young players that I believe have to be put in a postion where they can be successful and unfortunately (for the situation with Modano) the depth of our team is at the center positon.”

Nieuwendyk said that because the Stars are currently for sale, that Modano will not be offered a different job within the organization.

– The Canadiens have acquired G Dan Ellis, F Dustin Boyd and future considerations from the Predators for F Sergei Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn, who had seven goals and 11 assists in 47 regular-season games last season, refused to accept a demotion to Hamilton of the AHL at the start of the season, requested a trade, and eventually joined the Bulldogs. He later walked out on them. Kostitsyn was recalled in November but never really found his stride, eventually being told by coach Jacques Martin to sit out a practice during the playoffs. He played in only five games during Montreal’s run to the Eastern Conference finals, and just one after the first round. Ellis gives the Habs a solid backup behind G Carey Price, while Boyd adds some depth up front.

Ellis is scheduled to become a UFA on Thursday, so the Canadiens must act quickly to re-sign him. Ellis had a 2.69 GAA and .909 SV% in 31 games last season and he’s just two years removed from his fantastic rookie season. If Price struggles early on next season, Ellis is more than capable of stealing the number one gig from him. Both Boyd and Kostitsyn are RFAs.

– The Sens have bought out the final year of F Jonathan Cheechoo’s contract, one day after waiving him. Cheechoo was set to earn $3.5M next season. After he cleared waivers, the Senators were allowed to buy him out. Cheechoo scored 56 goals in 2005-06, but just 17 goals in his last two seasons.

– Leafs’ D Mike Van Ryn (knee) will not play in the 2010-11 season.

– Former NHL All-Star Adam Oates is filling the final assistant spot on John MacLean’s coaching staff with the Devils. Oates was hired on Tuesday and is joining fellow assistant Larry Robinson and goaltending coach Chris Terreri under MacLean, who was named head coach by the Devils on June 17. The 47-year-old Oates was an assistant coach with the Lightning last season.

WWE

– Monday’s Raw featuring Rob Zombie scored a 3.28 rating, down from last week’s 3.52. It did hours of 3.28 and 3.27. This week’s 3.28 ends a 5-week trend of increasing ratings. Since May 24, the RAW rating had increased week after week.

– According to the PWInsider, CM Punk (arm) had undergone surgery last week and is expected out 4-to-8 weeks. It’s been known that he’s been working hurt for at least a few weeks. Punk will appear on Friday’s SmackDown with a sling on his arm. No word on whether he’ll be off television during his recovery time.

– The Undertaker and longtime girlfriend Michelle McCool were married on Saturday at a private ceremony in Houston, Texas. The two have been romantically linked since 2007. The weekend wedding marks the third time around the block for the Undertaker and the second for McCool. Among the wrestling personalities who attended were Torrie Wilson, Lisa Marie Varon and Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman (wife of Booker T), who is pregnant with twins.

– WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt tells Courant.com that the lawsuit filed by the late Owen Hart’s widow, Martha, against WWE, Vince and Linda McMahon is without merit. Martha Hart is suing the WWE for continuing to profit off the likeness of her late husband, especially as it pertains to the new Hart Family DVD set. Martha Harat issued a statement this week saying the WWE filed a lawsuit against her because she “had the nerve” to pursue a wrongful death claim following her husband’s death.

McDevitt now says Martha’s statement is false. this afternoon. According to him, WWE didn’t sue her because she brought the wrongful death claim. However, it did petition a court in Connecticut to hear the claim, instead of the Missouri court where Hart had filed her lawsuit, which was settled before going to trial. McDevitt calls Hart’s statement “pejorative nonsense” and said her current lawsuit is nothing more than “a personal attack” on the McMahon family. He denies the insinuation that WWE is trying to deny Hart and her children compensation from the Hart Family DVD and says WWE handled the aftermath of Owen Hart’s death in a “humanitarian” way.

– According to the Wrestling Observer, to follow up on our earlier report regarding the work visa issues with Wade Barrett and Drew McIntyre -  we’re told at this point that WWE does not know when McIntyre will be back. Barrett might be able to return as soon as next week, but nobody knows for sure. According to a source, WWE creative was told at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings to presume assume neither man would be back until SummerSlam in August. Up until now Wade Barrett had been the centerpiece of the new Nexus group on RAW. It is possible Barrett or McIntyre could both be back soon, but that was the initial word as of today. It should be noted that current WWE Champion Sheamus was signed by WWE around the same time as Barrett and McIntyre. The belief as of right now is that he is okay in regards to his work visa, but given the fact how things were handled with Barrett and McIntyre he could possibly be next. This is definitely causing major issues for WWE creative.

– Goldust wrote a post Tuesday evening on Twitter saying he has retired. “i am retired. byeeeeeeeee.” Though it should be noted that in a previous tweet, he said he was very tired coming off the road and heading to the beach, so it’s likely he was joking. The multi-time Intercontinental Champion has been largely relegated to Superstars since being drafted to Raw in April, having only competed once on WWE’s flagship program. He once again appeared on Superstars at Monday’s taping in Philadelphia, teaming up with Yoshi Tatsu to take on Zack Ryder and Primo.

MLB

– FOXSports reports that the Braves have inquired about Nationals’ OF Josh Willingham, Brewers’ OF Corey Hart and Jays’ OF Jose Bautista. Willingham has hit 14 homers and scored 42 runs, Hart has 18 homers and 60 RBIs and Bautista has 20 homers and 50 RBIs. All three become free agents at season’s end.

– The Phillies have placed 2B Chase Utley (sprained right thumb) and 3B Placido Polanco (sore elbow) on the 15-day DL.

– The Red Sox had inquired about Cubs’ 2B Mike Fontenot. He’s hitting .286 in 133 at-bats with a homer and 16 RBIs and may still be on the trading block – the Angels and Phillies are expected to show interest. The 30-year-old backup infielder is making $1M this season and won’t be a free agent till 2013.

– Marlins’ interim manager Edwin Rodriguez will remain the manager for the remainder of the season. This story has certainly taken a wild turn over the past few days. If anything, it suggests that the organization was not in complete agreement that Bobby Valentine should be the next manager of the team. It doesn’t mean he won’t be considered during the offseason, though.

– Reds’ 2B Brandon Phillips will not face any legal consequences stemming from a reckless driving charge, the Reds’ official site reports. He was clocked going 72 mph in a 35 mph zone on Friday. He pleaded guilty to the charge, and he will only have to pay court expenses and take a three-hour course.

NFL

– The Redskins, Seahawks and Bears have debated “making a run” at WR Vincent Jackson, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter cautions that a trade is still a long shot. Anyone that tries to acquire the talented Jackson will have to meet his contract demands and give up plenty of value (a 1st-round pick or two 2nd-rounders?) to the Chargers.

– According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Bengals’ RB Cedric Benson claims he did reach out to the NFL office and Bengals to inform them of events in an Austin (TX) bar that led up to Tuesday’s assault charge. A league source familiar with the situation told Schefter that Benson’s case is “very minor.” Benson reportedly had no idea he’d be charged with the Class A misdemeanor, so he might not have taken the situation seriously. Via attorney David Cornwell, Benson has publicly contended that he was the victim, not the person(s) he allegedly assaulted. Schefter noted that Benson has a history of off-field problems, but didn’t predict what will come of this.

– The Steelers hosted free agent OT Flozell Adams on Tuesday, putting him through a workout and giving him a physical. Pittsburgh is in dire need of offensive tackle help after losing Willie Colon for the season and promising rookie Chris Scott indefinitely due to foot surgery. Adams is 35 and in clear decline, but fits the Steelers’ mold as a power-blocking lineman. He’s also still a plenty effective run blocker.

VoV

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MLB

– The Blue Jays have acquired OF Fred Lewis from the Giants for a PTBNL or cash considerations. Lewis, 29, should cut into OF Jose Bautista’s outfield playing time, which should come as an early Christmas present for Jays’ fans. The speedster hit .258/.348/.390 in 295 at-bats last year and is a great defensive outfielder. To make room for Lewis, the Jays have sent OF Jeremy Reed to Triple-A Las Vegas, and have transferred RHP Dustin McGowan (shoulder) from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL to make room on their 40-man roster.

– According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, Orioles’ LHP Mike Gonzalez (shoulder) will be out “at least” three weeks. Gonzalez underwent an MRI Thursday on his left shoulder that revealed a muscle strain. He’s going to head to the Orioles’ spring training complex once he is ready to begin rehabbing.

NBA

– Blazers’ F Brandon Roy (knee) will have surgery on Friday to repair the meniscus tear in his right knee and is likely done for the playoffs. The team only said that he’ll miss the first-round series against Phoenix, but a source close to Roy said “there’s no way” he’ll return even if they advance. He said recently that the recovery time is approximately four-to-six weeks.

NHL

– Senators’ F Milan Michalek (torn ACL in left knee) will undergo surgery and is done for the remainder of the season. Michalek sustained the injury in a March 18 game against the Atlanta Thrashers and after missing nine games, he returned to the team with two games remaining in the regular season in an attempt to rehab the injury and prepare for the playoffs. He played in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Wednesday night, but aggravated the knee in the second period of the game. F Alexei Kovalev (ACL) is also going to undergo surgery soon.

NFL

– Raiders’ QB Bruce Gradkowski (torn pectoral) will undergo surgery Friday after tearing a pectoral muscle while lifting weights on Wednesday. That explains the Kyle Boller signing. Gradkowski could be throwing in as soon as four weeks, and he’s expected to be healthy for training camp. Boller will push QB JaMarcus Russell during OTAs.

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MLB

– ESPN reports that the Jays have signed C John Buck to a one-year/$2M deal. Buck, 29, hit .247/.299/.484 in 2009 with eight homers and 36 RBI in 186 at-bats. The Jays have also re-signed RHP Dustin McGowan to a one-year/$500K deal and 3B Jose Bautista to a one-year/$2.4M deal. The Jays also re-signed C Raul Chavez and signed OF Joey Gathright.

– The Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox and Padres are again discussing a deal involving 1B Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez has told the Padres that the BoSox are his preferred destination, but the return price is expected to include RHP Clay Buchholz along with top prospect RHP/SS Casey Kelly or OF Ryan Westmoreland. Don’t expect this to go down anytime soon.

– According to the Boston Globe, the reported deal involving Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell and Rangers C Max Ramirez is agreed to in principle, with the obstacle right now being his surgically repaired right hip. Lowell will take over as DH and is expected to be officially moved later this week.

– The NY Daily News reports that the Yankees have yet to offer OF Johnny Damon a contract. Scott Boras, Damon’s agent, told the Yankees not to bother unless the offer started at a base of three years/$13M annually. The Yankes were eyeing a two-year/$16M deal. No team will commit a three-year/$39M to Damon, but expect him to land elsewhere.

– The Braves have signed OF Matt Diaz to a one-year/$2.1M deal. Diaz hit .313 with 13 homers and 58 RBIs last season, when he made $1.24M.

– The Rays have re-signed RHP Grant Balfour to a one-year/$2.05M deal, C Dioner Navarro to a one-year/$2.01M deal, RHP Lance Cormier to a one-year/$1.2M deal and LHP Randy Choate to a one-year/$700K deal. They have released OF Gabe Gross and C Shawn Riggans. Navarro opted to settle for the exact same salary he received last season in order to avoid being non-tendered. Even though it was an extremely disappointing 2009 campaign, he might have been able to do better elsewhere and face less competition for playing time.

– The Padres have signed RHP Kevin Correia to a one-year/$3.6M deal. The 29-year-old was 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA in his first season with the Padres.

– The Royals have re-signed RHP Bruce Bannister and RHP Kyle Davies to one-year deals.

– The Marlins have signed C Ronny Paulino to a one-year/$1.1M deal.

– The A’s have released DH Jack Cust. Cust hit .240 with 25 homers and 70 RBIs last season but struck out 195 times, becoming the first player to lead in the AL in three straight seasons since Minnesota’s Bobby Darwin from 1972-74. Cust whiffed 164 times in 2007 and 197 times in 2008.

– The Royals have cut RHP Mike MacDougal and LHP Scott Olsen. MacDougal, an All-Star for Kansas City in 2003, had 20 saves in 21 chances last season and went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA. Olsen was 2-4 with a 6.03 in 11 starts this year, his first after Washington acquired him from Florida. He did not pitch after July 10 and had surgery to repair a small tear in his left shoulder.

– The Giants have released 1B Ryan Garko.

– The White Sox have released RHP D.J. Carrasco.

– The Pirates have signed INF Ronny Cedeno and released RHP Matt Capps and LHP Phil Dumatrait

– The Rockies have released 3B Garrett Atkins.

– The Indians have signed RHP Anthony Reyes and RHP Adam Miller.

– The Red Sox have signed RHP Boof Bonser to a one-year/650K deal and have cut OF Brian Anderson.

– The Orioles have signed RHP Cla Meredith and RHP Matt Albers to one-year deals.

– The D’Backs have signed INF Augie Ojeda to a one-year/$825K deal and RHP Blaine Boyer to a one-year/$725K deal.

– The Reds have released OF Johnny Gomes. He hit .267 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs for the Reds this year.

– The Cubs have released LHP Neal Cotts. Cotts went 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in 19 appearances.

– The Mets have released RHP Tim Redding, OF Jeremy Reed, OF Cory Sullivan and RHP Lance Broadway.

– The Brewers have cut RHP Mike DiFelice, RHP Seth McClung and C Mike Rivera.

NHL

– According to the Toronto Star, Quebec City could be the home of an NHL team once again. Quebec Premier Jean Charest spoke with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about it last Friday at the Canadiens’ 100th anniversary game. Bettman supposedly mentioned two factors that make the possibility real: that the economy of Quebec is supposedly strong and that investors for a team could be found.

Charest said, “I find it encouraging that the National Hockey League sees viable market conditions there. The real question for a hockey team is whether it’s economically feasible and, in a market like Quebec, I believe the answer is yes.”

WWE

– According to the PWInsider, Bobby Heenan has been hospitalized at the Tampa based H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center after a scheduled examination of his surgically rebuilt jaw found an infection which needed to be immediately treated. As a result, he missed his scheduled appearance at the K&S Wrestlefest event in New Jersey yesterday afternoon. The WWE Hall of Famer will remain hospitalized until the infection is eradicated.

NHL

– The Bruins may sign RFA F Phil Kessel, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, to a contract and then trade him to ensure they are under the salary cap prior to the start of the 2009-10 season. Boston has about $10M to play with and F David Krejci, Kessel, D Matt Hunwick and F Byron Bitz need to be re-signed. The Bruins can exceed the salary cap by 10% until the season begins, and may choose to sign Kessel to avoid losing him in an “offer sheet” situation and then trade him if neccessary. Stay tuned.

Speaking of Hunwick, though, had the Bruins still been alive in the playoffs, Hunwick would have been able to play. He has fully recovered from surgery to remove his spleen, and would have been able to lace them up this weekend.

NBA

– According to multiple sources within the Cavaliers, franchise majority owner Dan Gilbert has a tentative agreement in place to allow a group of Chinese investors to purchase a significant stake in the Cavs Operating Company, the entity that owns the Cavs and operates Quicken Loans Arena. The group is led by JianHua (Kenny) Huang, a Chinese businessman who has become successful by linking American and Chinese companies.

The direct impact of the move is securing the future of the franchise, which has been in a minority ownership flux for the past couple years as it loses millions in attempting to build a championship-quality team around James. It will not only mean an injection of capital, but will open the Cavs to business in China.

The other effect is how vital this new link could be for F LeBron James and his bond with the team going forward, now that it could have a huge tie-in with an economy James is eager to tap.

Huang, who has been working with the Cavs for the past two years in securing Chinese sponsorship through one of his companies, would represent a direct link between hundreds of millions of Chinese basketball fans and James. If the deal comes off, Chinese fans could start to feel a connection to James, and it could expand his business interests by remaining with the Cavs past next season when his contract with the team expires.

Stay tuned.

MLB

– RHP Robert Ray’s demotion in favor of LHP Ricky Romero was because Romero was activated from the DL and sent to Triple-A. Ray did have a strong outing against the White Sox afterwards, but it was his only quality start in four appearances. The Jays believe that Ray is an unproven #5, while Romero has the potential to be a #3.

Dropping LHP Brett Cecil was a more controversial move, though. He was 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA through three starts before getting hit hard in Boston. The Jays getting pounded by the BoSox is nothing new though. The 18/6 K/BB ratio in 24 2/3 innings further backed his case for more starts, but the call was made to bring RHP Casey Janssen up. There were financial incentives for sending him down, and Janssen was worthy of the opportunity.

Of course, the financial reasons for demoting Cecil paled in comparison to those present with OF Travis Snider. With so much potential for savings down the road, it was a surprise that the Jays were as adamant as they were about Snider going into the spring. Sending him down for several weeks now will guarantee that he won’t be eligible for free agency after 2014. They could also potentially prevent him from being a super-two player after 2011, but since he was a September callup last year, he’d have to stay down for nearly three months for that to happen.

The demotion of Snider was the right move. As a left fielder/DH batting .242/.292/.394 in 99 at-bats, Snider hadn’t been an asset through 6 1/2 weeks. Bottom line, he was slumping hard. With 25 K’s in 32 games, Snider actually had his lowest strikeout rate since Rookie ball in 2006. His .152 SLG% was something the Jays needed to improve on.  He also had an OPS over 1000 as late as April 25.

My guess is that Snider will return in early July or right after the All-Star break, and that he’ll probably platoon with OF Jose Bautista. Nothing that’s happened this year has made him look like any less of a future star.

– The Brewers have added their name to the list of teams bidding for Padres’ RHP Jake Peavy.

– The Indians are looking for major-league arms that are currently on one-year deals. The Tribe’s payroll in 2010 will be $80-85M without making any additions, meaning that bringing in an experienced veteran with a two or three-year contract is out of the question. In order to do so, the team will need to deal UTIL Mark DeRosa.

– Both the Cardinals and Mariners have contacted the Pirates in regards to SS Jack Wilson. The Mariners had a deal in place that would see them acquire Wilson for INF Yuniesky Betancourt, but the deal fell through.

– The Giants are shopping for some extra bats.