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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MLB

– According to ESPN, the Mariners have signed ace RHP Felix Hernandez to a contract extension worth five-years/$78M. There are some incentives involved, but nothing that will drive the price up. He made $3.8M last year, and that number should skyrocket now. Hernandez, 23, went 19-5 with a 2.19 ERA and finished second in American League Cy Young voting behind Royals ace RHP Zack Greinke. What a steal for the M’s.

– Peter Gammons of ESPN reports that the Sox had actually had a four-year/$60M contract extension ready to go with OF Jason Bay way back in July. Bay, however, had to take his physical before finalizing the deal, and an MRI came back with doctors questioning his knees and whether they could take the long-term beating that playing pro baseball everyday provides. The Red Sox then reduced the deal to two years, and Bay walked to go to the Mets on a five-year/$80M pact. Stay tuned.

– MLB.com reports that the Rays, Tigers and White Sox have interest in DH Jim Thome, 39.

– The Giants and RHP Jonathan Sanchez avoided arbitration Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year/$2.1M contract. Sanchez will also be eligible for a few performance-based bonuses in 2010. He went 8-12 with a 4.24 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 163 1/3 innings last season and will serve as the Giants’ third or fourth starter this year. He was 6-4 with a 3.46 ERA in 16 starts after his July 10 no-hitter.

– ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that free agent C Bengie Molina has turned down the Mets’ most recent offer. Olney adds that the club is “beginning to focus on Joel Pineiro.” Molina, 35, hit 20 homers last year but he has not been willing to lower his asking price and the Mets are not going to bid against themselves. The two sides may work something out eventually, but negotiations are going to run slowly.

– The Tigers have officially signed RHP Jose Valverde to a two-year/$14M contract with a $9M option for 2012. Valverde, 31, posted a 2.33 ERA and 1.13 WHIP last season while converting 25 of 29 save opportunities and should do well in the ninth inning this year for Detroit. He can be selected with confidence in drafts this spring.

– The Rockies have re-signed OF Ryan Spilborghs to a two-year/$3.25M deal. The new contract will cover Spilborghs’ next two arbitration-eligible seasons, paying him $1.3M this season and $1.95M in 2011. He can also earn additional cash bonuses through incentives based on plate appearances. The 30-year-old hit .241/.310/.395 with eight home runs and 48 RBI in 352 at-bats last season as a utility outfielder.

WWE

– Mike Johnson at PWInsider Elite is saying Edge is scheduled to participate in the Royal Rumble match. I’ve been told over and over that he won’t be ready by then, but now, he appears to be ready. Edge is currently doing physical rehabilitation following foot surgery last year and WWE officials expect him to be healthy in time to appear at the Royal Rumble in 2 weeks. The plan is for Edge to wrestle his former tag team partner Chris Jericho and WrestleMania 26, and there is talk of Edge showing up as a surprise entrant in the Rumble to eliminate Jericho. However it goes down, Edge will be back soon to start his program with Jericho. Stay tuned.

– It was recently reported that John Cena is suffering from back problems, but he is also having issues with his neck, both of which stem from his surgery a few years back. With Cena one of the guys who legitimately travels on the road about 300 days a year, it definitely lessens the time has to recover from any ring injuries.

– The UK’s Sun has a new interview up with Big Show to promote the WWE Royal Rumble PPV. Regarding Shane McMahon leaving WWE, Big Show had the following to say:

“Shane is a lot like his dad. Vince struck away from his dad and ended up buying him out. Shane is the type that wants to follow his own path and he is going to do fine. I don’t see Shane starting up a rival wrestling company, but he wanted to do some Mixed Martial Arts thing then maybe. If Shane wanted to work on a production company for movies then that can happen too. Shane is a very charismatic, intelligent man, a very driven person, so whatever avenue he chooses to go into he is going to be very successful at it. He cant ask for anymore than that.”

Despite the fact that Shane has been groomed his entire life to have an executive role in WWE, Show understands that Shane has to be his own man and do what’s right for him.

“We all work together and there are a lot of guys that really love him and he loves them too. But we are business men and grown men too. There comes a time where every man has to make a decision for himself and his family and everyone respects that.”

NHL

– The Toronto Sun reports that the Rangers have inquired about Lightning F Vincent Lecavalier. Rangers GM Glen Sather supposedly made the call to Lightning GM Brian Lawton to check his availability. Lecavalier has a no-trade clause, but the word is that the Lightning would like him waive, firstly for the cap room that they will get, and secondly, because there appears to be a package deal involved, which includes the likes of D Matt Gilroy, D Wade Redden and either F Brandon Dubinsky or F Ryan Callahan. The Rangers do not want Redden at the moment.

– ESPN reports that the Stars are looking at potential offers for G Marty Turco. Turco becomes a UFA this summer, but right now, the team is spending $6.5M to have him and G Alex Auld on the same roster this year, something that isn’t likely to be repeated. The team would reportedly like to trade Turco for a young goaltender who is stuck behind a starter somewhere else. One name that has been mentioned is Wild G Josh Harding, 25.

NBA

– The Wizards will continue to try and void G Gilbert Arenas’ massive contract as he remains suspended indefinitely. He’s in the second year of a six-year/$111M contract that still owes him $80.2M.

– The NY Post reports that Knicks G Larry Hughes is unhappy with his playing time and wants a buyout. “I don’t want it to look like I’m complaining. He’s the coach of the team. It’s his decision to put guys in the game and to take guys out. If my time comes again I’ll be happy. But if not I’ll just continue to do what I’ve been doing. But at the same time I’ll still be frustrated because I want to play basketball.”

TNA

– Prior to Monday’s TNA iMPACT! TV taping, members of TNA’s production team addressed the iMPACT!  Zone fans with instructions about “how act like cast members” in the filming of a TV series and not distract talent from “telling a story” to viewers at home.

“You are cast members here. It’s active, it’s TV-14, please, I know it’s fun to try to distract the talent up here, but they have to tell a story to two million people. You’re part of us. You’re helping us tell the story. Please don’t try and distract the story.”

The pre-show announcement comes the night after Genesis, when the iMPACT! zone totally crapped on Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff’s opening segment, the Band, Sean Morey, Mr. Anderson and many of the other “new faces” in TNA.

The director also told TNA fans not to “throw up gang signs” and not to chant “bullshit” during the show, as it just creates work for the production team – who have to edit the bad language out.

“Every time you come here, I want you to be excited. What I cannot have from the audience are curses, flipped bird, and gang signs that I may not understand. Please, watch your language. Please, watch what you do. If I ask you to remove a sign, I’m not even sure the reason. Somebody in the truck saw something. We’re going to be watching you. When we see this violation, we’re going to ask you to move.”

Perhaps TNA should give more television time to people like Samoa Joe, Jay Lethal, the Motor City Machine Guns & the Knockouts instead of Val Venis, X-Pac and Mr. Kennedy .. Maybe?

– It’s said that Ken Anderson is currently working in TNA on a per-night deal and has not signed a contract yet but others are under the impression that he has signed some sort of deal.

NFL

– The Chargers have extended the contract of head coach Norv Turner. San Diego’s one-and-done postseason didn’t convince GM A.J. Smith that Turner isn’t the answer after a 13-3 regular season finish, including 11 straight wins to close out 2009. Turner, 58 in May, is 32-16 in three years as Chargers head coach, making the playoffs in each season. The offensive-minded coach has overseen the development of QB Philip Rivers while leading San Diego to top-11 finishes in total offense in both of the last two years.

– According to WIP Radio in Philadelphia’s Howard Eskin, young Eagles players sought advice on the sidelines from QB Kevin Kolb rather than QB Donovan McNabb during regular season games. This may indicate that the in-house feeling is Kolb will be the team’s QB of the future, though it’s unclear when that will be come official. It also may hint that the players envision Kolb as the better leader. The Eagles will likely be open-eared about McNabb when the trading period opens on March 5.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

NBA

– Wizards G Gilbert Arenas was charged Thursday with felony gun possession in connection with a December 21 locker room confrontation with a teammate. Prosecutors charged Arenas with one count of carrying a pistol without a license, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges were filed in D.C. Superior Court in an “information,” a document that generally signals a plea deal. Arenas is scheduled to appear Friday afternoon before a judge. Arenas’ lawyer had no immediate comment. The NBA declined to comment.

WWE

– The following is from the Wrestling Observer:

- Bret apparently didn’t even talk to Triple H prior to his return to Raw two weeks ago. He talked to Shawn Michaels before their segment aired. Hart is scheduled to be on Raw this Monday (1/17). Bret’s also open to working with WWE past April.

- Raw guest hosts are ending around WrestleMania 26, with both The Rock & “Stone Cold” Steve Austin expected in March (Austin is confirmed for 3/15.)

- Booker T will not be returning to the WWE, with conflicts in scheduling being the major roadblock. He’s currently taking indy bookings. Booker has expressed interest in being a commentator when he retires.

MLB

– Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Tigers have signed RHP Jose Valverde to a two-year/$14M contract with an option for a third year at $9M. The Tigers considered going with some combination of Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth in the closer role. Because Valverde was a Type A free agent, the Tigers will surrender their first-round pick (No. 19 overall).

– The Red Sox have re-signed LHP Hideki Okajima to a one-year/$2.75M contract. Okajima is getting a $1M raise in base salary from the $1.75M he earned in 2009. He has a 2.72 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over his first three seasons in the majors and has established himself as one of baseball’s most reliable setup men. The 34-year-old is under team control until 2012.

– Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that the Pirates are nearing a deal with RHP Octavio Dotel. The Tigers, Blue Jays, Marlins and Athletics all expressed varied degrees of interest in the 36-year-old right-hander, but the Pirates have surfaced as the most likely destination. Dotel posted a 3.55 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 in 134 appearances over the last two seasons with the White Sox.

– According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the Marlins have signed RHP Josh Johnson to a four-year/$39M contract extension with the Marlins. Considering that Johnson’s agent Matt Sosnick originally used Zack Greinke’s four-year/$38M contract as a framework, this is a pretty good deal. The new contract buys out his final two years of arbitration and his first two years of free agency. Johnson, who turns 26 later this month, emerged as Florida’s ace last season, winning 15 games while posting a 3.23 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 191 strikeouts in 209 innings. He has a 3.34 ERA in 47 starts since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2008.

– During an appearance on the “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000 in Chicago, Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano said he wants to remain on the Cubs. “I want to finish my career here, and I want to be a Cub forever,” Zambrano said. Big Z is owed $53.75M over the next three years, with a full-no trade clause, but that hasn’t stopped his name from coming up in trade rumours all winter long. Zambrano admitted that poor conditioning was to blame for making only 28 starts last season, the lowest since his rookie season in 2001, but declares himself in the best “shape of his life” leading into Spring Training.

TNA

– Eric Bischoff spoke to Alez Marvez of ScrippsNews.com about his new business partnership and on-air and Here are some highlights:

Why He Joined TNA: “It was the combination of a lot of things. Most of all, I like Dixie. She has a lot of integrity and I like to be in business with people like that. Secondly, I saw an opportunity. The way we have our deal structured is great for Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment. And this provided me with a chance to get back into a business I love. I believe a creative person who has a certain feel for this business can change the fortunes of this company in a good way.”

His Strategy To Make TNA #1: “No matter what people have said or written about me, I know what I accomplished changed the business and had a positive impact. I also made a lot of mistakes and have the scar tissue to prove it. I’m going to try and repeat the good stuff and avoid the bad stuff.”

His Relationship With Vince McMahon: “I have a tremendous respect for Vince and, in a perverse way, I like him. But at the end of the day, I think I’m better than him. I’m more creative than him and have a better feel for the business. It’s just that he happens to be a lot more successful than I am.”

– TNA writer Vince Russo has posted a message on his Facebook page calling out “dirt sheet” writers for over analyzing his every move.

“I want to thank those dirt sheet writers for analyzing my every syllable … As far as watching our competition, before Russo and Ferrara came to WWF, VINCE McMAHON thought ECW was a protein supplement. Let me translate that for the analyzers-Vince McMahon NEVER WATCHED ECW, WCW, or any of his competition. I imagine he watches ECW now, only because he has no choice-he owns it.

Now, in order for you guys to have fodder for your afternoon columns, blogs and tweets, the Creative Team is going out to eat Gyros for lunch.

Analyze that for the next three days.”

UFC

– After fears that Brock Lesnar’s health was so bad that he’d never fight again, the UFC Heavyweight champ’s trainer Greg Nelson says that Brock is “definitely come back to fight” again for UFC. Nelson told ESPN that Lesnar is “slowly getting his body ready and being smart with his recovery” after suffering an intestines infection that UFC president Dana White originally feared could end Lesnar’s fight career. Nelson added that he believes Lesnar will be “back faster than people expect.” An interim heavyweight title fight is scheduled for March between Frank Mir and Shane Carwin.

NFL

– The Boston Globe expects the Patriots to make a run at WR Deion Branch if the Seahawks release him this offseason. The new Seahawks won’t bring Branch back at his $5.47M salary. The Pats desperately need a No. 2 receiver opposite WR Randy Moss, but Branch is in heavy decline while battling chronic knee issues.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

NBA

– Clippers F Blake Griffin (left patella) will undergo additional surgery, which will force him to miss the next four-to-six months, ending his season. What a disappointment. A specialist who met with Griffin on Tuesday determined that his knee, originally injured in October, was not healing satisfactorily and required additional surgery. Now, after hearing for weeks that Griffin was increasing his workload and remained on track to debut in late January, we won’t be able to see what Griffin was capable of in his rookie campaign.

– The Washington radio statio WTOP is reporting that Wizards G Gilbert Arenas “has – at times – owned several hundred guns.” All indications are that the guns were legally registered, but this news certainly doesn’t help Arenas as David Stern continues to mull the possibilities of a potential suspension. All signs so far have pointed to him being done for the season, with the looming possibility that his suspension could last even beyond the 2009-10 campaign.

MLB

– According to FOXSports.com, the Padres are showing interest in free agent OF Jermaine Dye. Dye has drawn very little interest this offseason despite hitting 27 home runs and tallying 81 RBI for the White Sox last season. Dye has been one of the worst outfielders in baseball over the past few years, and clubs are starting to take a defense-first approach.

– Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Cardinals have made an offer for free agent RHP Jose Valverde. It’s not clear how this would affect RHP Ryan Franklin, but Valverde is the best reliever remaining on the free agent. Valverde, 31, posted a 2.33 ERA and 1.13 WHIP last season while converting 25 of 29 save opportunities. Because Valverde is a Type A free agent, it would cost the Cardinals their first-round pick.

WWE

– A 15-year-old male is accusing Randal Orton of assault for allegedly spitting gum in his face and swearing at him outside the Kowloon Restaurant in Boston, Masschusetts after asking the WWE Superstar to pose with him for a photo.

After Orton allegedly spit gum in the 15-year-old’s face and called him a “derogatory name,” the juvenile’s mother confronted him, who allegedly told her, “so sue me” when she voiced her protest. A report was filed with local police, who say a hearing has been requested for Orton to face charges of simple assault and battery. A clerk magistrate will determine if the incident warrants a criminal complaint.

While the article states that the incident took place yesterday, it should be noted that WWE was actually in the Boston area last Friday for a live Raw event. Kowloon is a frequent stop for wrestlers and other athletes who perform in the Boston area.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

MLB

– Jose Canseco says Mark McGwire is still lying about his use of steroids and his former manager Tony La Russa isn’t telling the truth either. McGwire admitted Monday that he used steroids for a decade, including when he hit 70 homers in 1998, but denied Canseco’s claims that he injected himself and McGwire with steroids in bathroom stalls.

“I’ve defended Mark, I know a lot of good things about him. I can’t believe he just called me a a liar. Umm, there’s something very strange going on here. I even polygraphed that I injected him, and I passed it completely. So I want to challenge him on national TV to a polygraph examination. I want to see him call me a liar under a polygraph examination.”

In Canseco’s 2005 book, “Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big,” Canseco claimed he introduced McGwire and other stars to steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. He wrote about injecting himself and McGwire in bathroom stalls, and how the effects of the drugs were the reason he hit 462 career home runs.

– Free agent C Bengie Molina has apparently lowered his asking price from three years to two years, which has kickstarted interest with the Mets once again, although the Mets are still trying to sign him to a one-year deal. The market for Molina doesn’t seem busy, so he might have to bite the bullet.

– MLB.com reports that the Nationals are talking with 2B Orlando Hudson for a one-year/$9M deal. Washington reportedly wants to give Hudson a similar contract to what Giants 2B Juan Uribe signed for: one-year/$3.25M.The 32-year-old hit nine homers, stole eight bases, and had 62 RBIs last year. If the team can’t get Hudson, the rumor is that it will turn to 2B Adam Kennedy.

– Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that 1B Adam LaRoche rejected a two-year/$17.5M offer from the Giants. It is probably the most lucrative offer he has seen all offseason and it’s doubtful he can do much better. LaRoche, 30, hit an impressive .325/.401/.557 with 12 home runs and a .957 OPS in 212 at-bats for the Braves last season (.277/.355/.488 overall) but he has to realize what kind of market he’s swimming in. He’s reportedly seeking a three-year contract.

– The Astros have officially signed RHP Brett Myers to a one-year/$3.1M contract with an $8M mutual option for 2011. He’ll get a $2M buyout if the Astros decline the option, so he’s guaranteed at least $5.1M. It’s probably not the ideal landing spot for Myers to get his career back on track, but it’s not like he’s leaving Petco Park behind. Myers, 29, missed three months last season after undergoing right hip surgery to repair a torn labrum, but was 4-3 with a 4.84 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 50/23 K/BB ratio in 18 appearances (10 starts). He has a 4.40 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 7.5 K/9 during his eight-year career.

– According to the NY Post, the Yankees “only have $2M” to spend on their open left field spot, which isn’t nearly enough to sign OF Johnny Damon. Damon came into the offseason looking for a three or four-year worth $13M annually. The Post speculates that the Yankees will look at OF Xavier Nady, OF Reed Johnson, OF Rocco Baldelli, OF Jerry Hairston Jr. and OF Marcus Thames.

– The Detroit News reports that the Tigers will offer RHP Jose Valverde to a two-year deal. Valverde recorded 25 of 29 save chances, with 56 strikeouts in 54 innings. He’s a Type A free agent, meaning the Tigers would lose a first-rounder by signing him.

– The Marlins have reached an agreement with the players’ union to increase spending in the wake of complaints the team payroll has been so small as to violate baseball’s revenue sharing provisions. The deal was announced Tuesday in a joint statement by the Marlins, the union and Major League Baseball. The parties did not comment beyond the statement, and it was unclear how much the Marlins’ payroll might increase. The agreement runs through 2012, when the Marlins’ new ballpark is scheduled to open.

– The Indians have signed 2B Mark Grudzielanek to a minor league deal.

NBA

– The Mavericks made an offer to the Jazz last week that would have saved Utah a boatload of money and sent F Carlos Boozer to Dallas, according to ESPN. The Mavericks supposedly offered F Drew Gooden’s partially guaranteed contract, which the team waived last Wednesday, as well as the expiring contracts of F Kris Humphries and F Shawne Williams, who the team eventually traded to the Nets, in the hopes of landing Boozer and saving the Jazz millions of dollars. Boozer will likely be moved before the trade deadline.

– The Detroit News speculates that the Pistons could move F Tayshaun Prince. F Rip Hamilton, G Ben Gordon and F Charlie Villanueva are also available at the right price.

– The Nets continue to shop F Josh Boone. He has $2M remaining on his contract.

NHL

– The Hockey News reports that Oilers D Sheldon Souray has asked the team for a trade and has let them know that he will waive his no-trade clause. Souray signed a five-year/$27M contract in 2007, and has a cap hit of $5.4M, which will make it hard for the Oil to move him. Early rumours indicate that he will remain with the team for the season, but will be moved in the summer.

– The NHL has fined Canucks F Alex Burrows $2500 for his remarks about referee Stephane Auger.

NFL

– The AP has named Titans RB Chris Johnson the Offensive Player of the Year. Johnson received 38 1/2 out of the 50 votes, with Drew Brees’ nine votes coming a distant second. Johnson became just the sixth player in NFL history to run for more than 2,000 yards and set the record for most total yards from scrimmage with 2,509. He ran for 100 or more yards in a ridiculous 11 straight games and totaled 16 touchdowns for a team that started 0-6.

– The AP has named Packers CB Charles Woodson the Defensive Player of the Year. His 28 votes doubled the number received by Jets CB Darrelle Revis. Woodson, still dominant at age 33, tied for the NFL lead with nine interceptions, forced four fumbles, broke up 18 passes, and returned three of his picks for touchdowns. The Pack finished No. 5 overall in pass defense under first-year coordinator Dom Capers.

– Jets WR Braylon Edwards is likely to be suspended for at least one game during the 2010 season, according to PFT. Edwards pleaded “no contest” Tuesday to aggravated disorderly conduct charges that stemmed from an incident outside a Cleveland nightclub last October. It’s likely equivalent to a guilty plea in the NFL’s eyes, though he won’t face punishment in the playoffs. Edwards, 27 next month, is an impending restricted free agent. He’ll likely stay with the Jets next season.

WWE

– Expect CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 26, pending Mysterio’s knee holding up. The idea is it would be a mask vs. hair match, which is why Punk is shaving heads. It’s almost certain that Rey will win, as WWE is reluctant to remove his mask.

– While Vince McMahon was no-selling Jeff Hardy appearing on TNA’s three-hour iMPACT! broadcast last week backstage, it’s been said that he was “privately seething” over the former WWE Champion’s decision to jump ship to the competition. As noted earlier, WWE promptly removed Hardy from its opening video montage. WWE officials were hoping his legal issues would be settled in time for a match with CM Punk at WrestleMania, but with those plans now out the window, they’ll likely go with Punk vs. Rey Mysterio in a Hair vs. Mask Match.

– ECW champion Christian will defend the ECW Title against Ezekiel Jackson at the Royal Rumble PPV after Jackson “ECW Homecoming” challenge. Jackson won the #1 contender eight-man battle royal in the main event of Tuesday’s ECW. Here’s the latest card:

Royal Rumble Match. Announced participants include:
- Cody Rhodes
- Ted DiBiase
- Evan Bourne
- Mark Henry

WWE Title Match:
Sheamus defends against Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Title Match:
The Undertaker defends against Rey Mysterio or Batista (will be decided on SmackDown)

ECW Title Match:
Christian defends against Ezekiel Jackson

– In an interview with Canada’s SLAM! Sports, former WWE superstar The Brian Kendrick Kendrick speaks out against the “backstabbers, power hungry people, suck ups, weak people” in WWE. Kendrick told SLAM! that his time on the Raw brand, his final run with the company, was miserable.

“I am a good wrestler, I did a good job. I also know that certain behavior was encouraged, some actions were frowned upon, and I didn’t care. TV sucked because you saw a circus, backstabbers, power hungry people, suck ups, weak people. Also lots of really great, nice, funny people. But I felt like a tool sitting in the bleachers waiting in case they need my skills for something.”

Kendrick admits that his rebellious attitude and marijuana use were part of the reason he was underutilized and released from WWE. He thinks WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis acted “cowardly” by firing him over the phone.

“Is it the pot fines?’ I had a script for it, I had heated discussions with Dr. Black, I had to refuse a test to get him to call me at one point. He wouldn’t admit to that. I wanted honesty, maybe I got it, but I think more likely I am dealing with a coward. He did fire me over the phone after all.”

– Monday’s Raw featuring Mike Tyson as the special guest host drew a 3.7 cable rating, up from last week’s 3.6 number. The show scored hours of 3.72 and 3.73.

– WWE has signed luchador Super Nova to a developmental contract. He is headed to FCW. Super Nova worked in an ECW match a few weeks back against Trent Baretta and Caylen Croft. Reports suggest that WWE see Nova’s potential to be the “new Rey Mysterio.” It is expected that WWE will continue to allow Super Nova to use his mask.

TNA

– Earlier, FWOnline reports that Spike TV had given the green light to another live Monday night TNA show. While the exact date that is has yet to be revealed, the deal had been finalized. This report stemmed from Brooke Hogan telling radio host & TNA interviewer Bubba the Love Sponge that she would be in Orlando next Monday night for a live TNA taping. Sponge responded by saying Brooke had inadvertently slipped up and “let the cat out of the bag” that TNA is planning another live show on Monday.

New reports, however, have come out that there is are no plans for a live show next Monday or on any Monday for the next few weeks. After Sunday’s TNA Genesis Pay-Per-View, TNA will be taping four weeks of iMPACT! over the following three days. The months worth of advanced television tapings are being produced for when TNA goes overseas for a tour of the United Kingdom later this month. While Spike TV was very pleased with the rating for the Janaury 4 special and have given the green light to future live Monday night shows, they won’t be taking place in the near future.

– Scott Hall is working on a short-term deal as company officials want him to prove himself before they invest. While he’s not in the shape he was in during his peak, many feel he’s in better shape than in years past.

– The former X-Pac, Sean Waltman, is also on a short-term deal and there was some heat on him for being late to last Tuesday’s television taping.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

MLB

– Former Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire has admitted to steroid use during his record-breaking 1998 season.

“The toughest thing is my wife, my parents, close friends have had no idea that I hid it from them all this time. I knew this day was going to come. I didn’t know when…I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.”

“I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any, and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.”

McGwire retired after the 2001 season with 583 career home runs over a 16-year career.  He went on to take a page from Andy Pettitte’s book by saying he used performance enhancers to recover from injury and to get back on the field. McGwire, now 46 years old, was hired as the Cardinals’ hitting coach earlier this offseason.

– The Reds have signed LHP Aroldis Chapman to a six-year contract worth about 30M. It was long assumed that the Cuban defector would sign with a big market team, but while the Yankees and Red Sox have focused on acquiring proven talent this winter, the small market Reds will bank on potential. Chapman, who turns 22 in February, is still very raw, which is why he’s no lock to pitch in the majors this season, however he possesses one of the game’s best fastballs – clocked at over 100 mph – and a plus-slider, to boot. The lanky lefty will reportedly make around $1M in 2010, so it could be a hefty total should he not match expectations later on, but this is ultimately a small price to pay with a player of Chapman’s considerable potential.

– OF Johnny Damon told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that there is “nothing there” in negotiations with the Yankees. Damon wants a $10M-a-year deal from the Yankees, but the club isn’t willing to match that. His demands could still come down, but for now, he’s holding out. The possibility of Atlanta was broached, and Damon said he would love to play in Atlanta. He has his eye on a few teams with the criteria that they have a chance to win the World Series.

– The Giants have reportedly signed 1B/3B Aubrey Huff to a one-year/$3M deal. The 33-year-old Huff hit .241 last year with 15 homers for the Orioles and Tigers, but hit .304 with 32 homers, 108 RBIs and a .360 on-base percentage with 2008.

– The Cubs have expressed interested in Padres RHP Heath Bell, and trade negotiations have restarted.

– The Bleacher Report reports that OF Johnny Damon is expected to re-sign with the Yankees on a one-year/$6-7M deal.

– According to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, the Mets are talking to RHP Joel Pineiro about a contract worth two-years/$15M deal. Pineiro reportedly received a similar offer from the Nationals earlier this winter but he may be more inclined to sign with a contender like the Mets. The 31-year-old was 15-12 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 32 starts in ’09. His 60.2% groundball rate led the MLB.

– The Rangers have officially signed DH Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year/$5M contract with a 2011 mutual option. Guerrero, 34, batted just .295/.334/.460 in 2009 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI in 383 at-bats with the Angels last season and is a serious injury risk. That said, the price was right and the risk is low for the Rangers. Guerrero will take over DH in Arlington, where he boasts a .394/.471/.705 batting line in 50 career games. The move relegates OF David Murphy to a fourth outfielder role.

– Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the Diamondbacks’ interest in free agent RHP Jose Valverde has “cooled.” Valverde was pushing for $8M per season as recently as last week, so he may ultimately be more expensive than the Diamondbacks are wiling to absorb. Morosi believes that if the Tigers have any cash to spend, they should be the clear front-runners to land him.

– Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Indians are not actively shopping INF Jhonny Peralta. The Twins and Cardinals are among teams still seeking a third baseman, but the Indians aren’t pushing to move him at this time. With one-year/$4.6M left on his current contract, the Indians are probably hoping he can get off to a good start before they consider a trade. Peralta, 27, batted a disappointing .254/.316/.375 with 11 home runs and 83 RBI in ’09.

– The Marlins plan to discuss a contract extension for RHP Josh Johnson with his agent this week. In November, contract negotiations fell apart over agent Matt Sosnick’s demands for a four-year deal with the Marlins only willing to guarantee three years. Johnson took a major step towards being an ace in 2009, tossing 209 innings of 3.23 ERA ball. If Florida is willing to guarantee four years, an accord will likely be reached.

– The Pirates have signed OF Ryan Church. Church hit .273/.338/.384 with four home runs and 40 RBI last year. The 31-year-old is a .272/.345/.441 career hitter and hit 15 home runs back in 2007 with the Nats.

– The Rangers have signed SS Khalil Greene to a one-year/$750K contract. Greene sure has fallen a long way. Not only did he settle for a minimal deal, but he couldn’t even find a team willing to give him a real chance of winning a starting job. The Rangers’ infielders figure to get very few days off when healthy, so Greene really should have kept looking and hoping that something better opened up.

– Free agent RHP Colby Lewis has multiyear offers from six major league clubs. Lewis was last seen in the majors in 2007 and sports a career 6.71 ERA in 217 innings. He hurt his shoulder, went to Japan and reinvented himself, posting sub-3.00 ERAs in the last two seasons as a starter. The right-hander isn’t a bad person to take a flier on, but six major league teams offering multiyear deals is startling. The Rangers have been linked to the 30 year old.

– Former MLB RHP Greg Maddux has joined the Cubs as an assistant to GM Jim Hendry.

NHL

– The National Post has confirmed that the Kings, Bruins, Blackhawks, Red Wings and Canucks are interested in Thrashers F Ilya Kovalchuk. The Bruins are in need of some offensive firepower after losing F Phil Kessel to the Leafs, and F Marc Savard to injuries. Boston has nine picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts at its disposal to trade. The return price for the Kings is expected to be along the likes of D Jack Johnson or G Jonathan Bernier. The Hawks would be interested in order to allow themselves some cap room, while the Red Wings would be looking at F Darren Helm, F Justin Abdelkader or D Jonathan Ericsson.

– The Kings have placed D Drew Drewiske (UBI) on the IR.

NBA

– Bucks G Michael Redd (ACL, MCL) is out for the rest of the season. He was injured on Sunday night in L.A. and suffered the same injury nearly one year ago to the day (January 24).

– Warriors F Anthony Randolph (ankle) is out three-to-six weeks.

– Celtics F Kevin Garnett (knee) will be out another one-to-two weeks. KG has already been out for 15 days and hasn’t played since December 28. He hasn’t done any work, either, which includes running and jumping.

– The Wolves and Pacers had talks about swapping F Al Jefferson and F Danny Granger, but the Pacers weren’t interested. Wolves GM David Kahn has apparently soured on the 25-year-old Jefferson being a bedrock to build his team around. Jefferson has three-years/$42M left on his deal after this season is over.

– The Cavaliers have inquired Pacers F Troy Murphy and Wizards F Antawn Jamison.

– ESPN reports that the Nuggets have inquired about Pacers F Jeff Foster.

– The Wizards have suspended F Andray Blatche for one game, citing “conduct detrimental to the team.” Blatche was punished for actions during Sunday’s game vs. the Hornets, but apparently this was the “culmination of events,” and therefore not an isolated incident. In other Wizards news, three more players (F Brendan Haywood, F Caron Butler and G DeShawn Stevenson) met with police as part of their investigation into the Arenas gun case, missing practice in order to do so.

– Former NBA G Jayson Williams pleaded guilty Monday to assault and agreeing to serve at least 18 months in prison. Williams accidentally shooting his limousine driver to death eight years.

– The Hornets have traded F Hilton Armstrong and cash to the Kings for a future conditional second-round pick. The deal removes Hilton’s $2.8M salary from the Hornets’ payroll, leaving them only a little more than $500K over the luxury-tax threshold.

WWE

– According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE has been running ads in the Texas area for a May live event in Lubbock advertising Triple H vs. John Cena vs. Edge with the WWE Championship on the line — a rematch of the main event at Backlash four years ago.

Considering that WWE changes plans on a monthly basis — if not weekly basis — it’s not a clue as to who will hold the title then, but it does apparently indicate that the current plan is for Edge to return to Raw.

Regarding the latest on multi-time champion’s health, Jim Ross said in a recent blog post that Edge is “questionable” to be fully-healed in time for WrestleMania 26 after suffering a torn Achilles tendon this past summer. Ross wrote;

“It is my understanding that Edge is still questionable as it relates to him being physically ready to compete at WM26. I do understand that Edge is healing well from Achilles tendon surgery but it has always been a photo finish as to whether or not Edge will be able to wrestle at the end of March.”

– According to sources, Booker T was close to returning to WWE, but negotiations fell through after the former World Heavyweight Champion asked for a deal that included a very limited number of house show dates. A well-placed source notes that he asked for “an HBK-style deal,” which led to negotiations between both sides falling apart.

– FWOnline reports that WWE has given thought to having a Mask vs. Hair Match between Rey Mysterio and CM Punk at WrestleMania 26.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his JRsBarBQ.com blog with some commentary on Raw guest host Mike Tyson, Ludvig Borga’s death and more. Some highlights:

Mike Tyson Hosting RAW: “Mike Tyson, as we have mentioned here before grew up as a HUGE WWWF fan as a kid in Brooklyn, was a big Chief Jay Strongbow fan as best as I remember from my conversations with the one time “Baddest Man on the Planet.” Mike even told me of making his own toy wrestling ring so he could re-enact what he saw on WWWF TV. Tyson likely missed a big payday or two by not venturing into a pro wrestling ring on PPV back in the day.”

Stacey “The Kat” Carter: “Talked recently to Stacey Carter, former bride of Jerry Lawler better known as Stacey “The Kat” Carter back in the day in WWE who is now in the real estate business in the Ft. Myers, Florida area. The Mrs and I are planning on heading to that area when it warms up there and Stacey is lending us a hand with finding us a place to stay. She said that she has a reality TV show in the works with CMT that it has a chance of being picked up. It will center around Stacey, her former career in wrestling and her new career in real estate and will feature cameos from recognizable, veteran wrestling stars. I hope that she has a hit on her hands and more importantly that the show gets a chance.”

Ludvig Borga’s Death: “Too bad to hear about the untimely death of Tony Halme aka Ludvig Borga who had a brief stint in WWE many years ago. Ludvig had a great look and was a fair hand in the ring. I do remember that we had to make sure and cover up a [Nazi] “SS” tattoo that he had on his calf which was not a flattering choice of ink and was extremely politically incorrect for any generation.”

– Tony Halme, who wrestled under his real name with New Japan Pro Wrestling in the early nineties, and as Ludvig Borga for the WWF from 1993 to 1994, passed away last night in his native country of Finland. No details are available regarding his cause of death. He was 47 years old.

– When WWE Raw was visiting her home town of Baltimore, MD several weeks ago, former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler contacted the organization about coming back for the night as guest host.

“It’s funny because I actually went to them when they were in my hometown of Baltimore a little while ago and they completely ignored me. Then, probably a month later, my publicist called them again and they said ‘Oh, we would love to have her and they gave us some dates, but it didn’t’ work around my schedule. So maybe in the future if the timing is right, but right now there no plans to do it.

WWE went with actor Verne Troyer (“Mini Mi” from the Austin Powers movies) instead. He wasn’t one of the better guest hosts.

Despite the first attempt not working out, Keibler says she’s still open to hosting Raw.

“But it would be so much fun to walk out and feel that energy again and be around my fans. I would absolutely love to do it.”

TNA

– Ric Flair says his main reason for joining TNA and making his debut this past Monday night on iMPACT! was because unlike WWE, he felt wanted by the organization. In an interview with Mike Mooneyham (Charleston Post and Courier), he said he didn’t want to sit at home watching two wrestling shows on Monday nights when he feels he can still contribute to the industry.

“I think I certainly can add something to the show. And the nice thing is … they want me.”

Flair says he waited for WWE to call him back after he worked a brief angle with Randy Orton this past June, but they never called him back to do a follow-up.

Flair says he was feeling great following his recent wrestling tour of Australia, both mentally and physically, and felt he shouldn’t have to sit on the sidelines when he can strongly contribute to TNA. Thus far, he’s been impressed with TNA’s professionalism.

“It’s been great. It couldn’t be better. I’m loving it here ..I never heard that it wasn’t [professional], but until you see it, you don’t know what to expect. I couldn’t be more impressed.”

Mooneyham noted: “Flair says he loves WWE and always will, but that he needed this opportunity for himself. … It’s a matter of pride, of belonging, of feeling that old familiar adrenaline rush. Flair says he is excited and energized by the positive vibes coming reverberating throughout the company (TNA).”

– According to FWOnline, there has been a lot of talk within TNA lately about the six-sided ring. Various angles have been pitched as ways to get rid of the ring and bring in a traditional four-sided ring, including literally destroying the 6-sided ring during an episode of iMPACT! to explain the change.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

TNA

– According to the Bleacher Report, Joey Mercury was set to sign with TNA, but has failed his physical with the early conception that his knees were unable to hold up. While this isn’t big news in itself, it was believed that if Mercury did sign in TNA, WWE superstar John Morrison would be the next to jump ship. Morrison has given his notice to the WWE that he will give them up to four weeks before his WWE contract ends to give him a World Title – failure to do so will see him walk away from the company.

Early rumours indicate that WWE is planning on having Morrison either win the Royal Rumble on January 31, or to win the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 26, and then cash it in on the same night to win one of the world titles. If the MITB route is taken, Morrison is expected to cash in on WWE Champion Sheamus, who will hold the title into ‘Mania. If WWE chooses the Royal Rumble route for Morrison, he is expected to choose Batista and his (eventual) World Heavyweight Championship, as plans suggest that he will have the title by the time WrestleMania 26 rolls around. Which, obviously, means that The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak match will be a non-title bout.

While Mercury will not be joining TNA, Morrison could still potentially jump to TNA, especially if his World Title ultimatum is not met. WWE can’t afford to lose him, as Morrison is probably the brightest star they have, and is undoubtedly the future of the WWE. He’s yet to get in a main event storyline on SmackDown, so his frustration is valid. Stay tuned.

– Spike TV senior VP Brian Diamond commented to TheSteelCage.net on the possibility of TNA Impact moving to Monday nights.

“It’s a consideration. Obviously the results of Monday were extremely encouraging for us to take that under advisement. It’s something that we’ll look at. At what point we do it or in what manner we do it remains to be seen, but it’s definitely something we’re taking more seriously than we did, say a year ago.

Diamond says that TNA has been improving the production values of iMPACT! in recent months and now has many of the key pieces in place to make some moves.

“I think all the right ingredients are there right now. The right players, the right talent, the right production personnel. From a production standpoint, going to HD in October really boosted the look and the feel of TNA Wrestling. Now, between production, talent and the people behind the scenes, it’s a great recipe for a great TV meal. But (moving to Monday’s) is something we’re looking at very closely. We haven’t made any big decisions yet but it’s something we’re considering.”

MLB

– MLB.com reports that the Cardinals are looking to lock up 1B Albert Pujols to another long-term deal before the off-season ends. Pujols isn’t a free agent for another two seasons, but the team wants it to be extra clear that it wants Pujols to remain in the lineup for a long, long time. The team certainly doesn’t want to push at Pujols to sign. “I think the pace will be dictated somewhat by how he feels about it, how he sees things shaping up, and his representatives,” said the team’s principal owner, Bill DeWitt Jr. The Cards may add a third baseman, a fifth starter, or some bullpen help before the season gets underway.

– MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports that free agent OF Vladimir Guerrero “wasn’t particularly happy” with the Rangers’ recent offer to him, which has been rumoured as between $5-7M. Vlad has 407 career home runs and an impressive .954 career OPS, but he turns 35 in February and hit just .295/.334/.460 last season. In this market, and with his recent injury history, Guerrero may want to take the Rangers’ offer and run with it. Angels DH Hideki Matsui had much better numbers in 2009 and landed just a one-year/$6.5M deal last month.

– Free agent RHP Jose Valverde is asking clubs for $8M annually, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. And with four teams interested, he may actually get it. Valverde, 31, posted a 2.33 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and converted 25 saves in 29 opportunities for Houston last season. The Diamondbacks and Tigers are thought to have interest in adding him and would immediately hand him closing duties.

– Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has told his Japanese counterpart that he is open to games between the World Series and Japan Series champions, but no steps have been taken for such a matchup. Selig met this week with Japanese commissioner Ryozo Kato in Milwaukee. Officials of MLB and the players’ association said Thursday there had been no discussion of such a plan. An agreement between management and the union would be necessary. “I was surprised, Mr. Selig said he wants to realize the plan before his tenure ends,” Kato was quoted as saying by Nikkansports. Selig is scheduled to retire in 2012 and says he won’t extend his term, but many baseball officials think he will stay on longer.

– Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that the Royals have reached a preliminary agreement with OF Scott Podsednik. As Crasnick notes, Podsednik had been discussing one and even two-year deals with clubs this winter. Let’s hope, for KC fans, that his contract with the Royals is only for one year and worth just around $1M. The 33-year-old outfielder had a nice comeback season in 2009 but he’s not the answer. The Royals also officially announced the signing of LHP Noel Arguelles to a five-year deal.

NHL

– Flames GM Calgary GM Darryl Sutter has denied that he is trying to trade D Dion Phaneuf. The rumours started when Phaneuf and Calgary coach Brent Sutter had a behind-the-door argument last month. “Everything is false. Whoever makes up that stuff is not doing anything. We’ve worked really hard at building a top young defense in the league and our intention is to keep them, so that’s (rumours) just from somebody who didn’t have anything to do on that day.” Rumours suggested a swap to the Thrashers for F Ilya Kovalchuk or to the Lightning for F Vincent Lecavalier. Phaneuf did, however, recently have a loud disagreement with the Brent Sutter that was overheard by a few people, which is how this all supposedly got started. The Flames continue to look for a winger for F Jarome Iginla.

– According to Damien Cristodero of the Times in Tampa, Lightning D Lukas Krajicek’s time in Tampa is over. According to the report, Krajicek was sent down with no intentions of him being placed on re-entry waivers. There has been interest in Krajicek and there have been offers made, but all of them involved another player, which the Bolts are apparently not interested in. GM Brian Lawton is confident a deal can be completed soon after the trade freeze expires.

WWE

– As previously reported, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson turned down an offer from WWE to host the January 11 edition of RAW due to a scheduling conflict. Johnson will be in Mexico next week promoting his new movie, “The Tooth Fairy.” There are still hopes within WWE that he’ll come in to host some time before WrestleMania 26.

While he has been using The Rock name in advertising for the movie, he said it’s not because he’s going back to the name but because there is a line in the movie trailers that says, “Get ready to be rocked” and they are using The Rock name as a pun. Johnson says it doesn’t matter to him one way or the other if The Rock name is used. He will be appearing on several shows over the next few weeks to promote Tooth Fairy including Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, Good Morning America, Today, Regis & Kelly, ESPN, BET and the NFL Network.

– Bryan Danielson has finally reported to FCW. Danielson wrestled a dark match before Monday’s RAW from Dayton, Ohio, reportedly felt some ring rust and wants to sharpen up his timing before moving onto RAW, SmackDown or ECW.

NBA

– The Newark Star-Ledger reports that the Nets will be looking for a new head coach this offseason, with current head coach Kiki Vandeweghe not being among those candidates. The team is also exepcted to have a major facelift this offseason. President Rod Thorn said, “We’re still going to have a large number of young guys next year no matter what happens in free agency. So undoubtedly the next coach has to be good at working with young people, because he’s going to have to bring out the best in those people.”

– The Boston Globe reports that the Celtics are looking to sign a veteran guard. The team waived G Lester Hudson after failed attempts to trade him.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/thecanadianrage

UFC

– News about UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar’s health was expected this week, but there’s been nothing – leaving many to wonder about champ’s future as an MMA fighter.

UFC President Dana White,told MMAFanhouse that he comment on anything regarding Lesnar’s health.

“Brock asked me not to talk about it. I have to respect that.”

When pressed again about the subject, White was uncharacteristically quiet.

“No comment. First time in nine years I have ever said that.”

White recently announced that #1 heavyweight contender Shane Carwin will battle former champion Frank Mir at UFC 111 in March for an interim title. With no return date in sight for Brock Lesnar, his championship could be vacated soon.

MLB

– The Mariners have officially acquired 1B Casey Kotchman from the Red Sox for 3B Bill Hall and a PTBNL. Kotchman was never a good fit in Boston, batting just .218/.284/.287 in 87 at-bats after coming over from the Braves last July. He’ll only be 27 years old this season, but he hasn’t posted an OPS north of 800 since 2007 and continues to hit groundballs at an alarming rate (51.4 percent). On the plus side, he’s a strong contributor with the glove and offers fine plate discipline.

– Orioles 3B Melvin Mora has been contacted by the Rockies, Cardinals and Angels this winter. Mora had a lengthy conversation with Rockies manager Jim Tracy last month and believes he’ll land somewhere soon. “I know I don’t have a job, but it’s because I like to take my time and do what’s best for my family.” The 37-year-old hit .260/.321/.358 last season in 484 plate appearances.

– The Red Sox have officially signed 3B Adrian Beltre to a one-year/$9M contract with a $5M player option for 2011. The 2011 option will increase to $10M if Beltre makes 640 plate appearances this year, a moderate  goal. The 30-year-old is a superb defender and will man third base for the Red Sox in 2010. He finished with a lousy .265/.304/.379 batting line last season and hit just eight home runs, but the tight confines of Fenway Park should boost those numbers.

– Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports reports that free agent RHP Jose Valverde currently has four offers on the table. Two of the offers are for more than one year and all four are for him to be a closer. According to Brown, both the Diamondbacks and Tigers are involved. ‘Zona doesn’t have much wiggle room in their payroll, so Valverde would have to take a sizable paycut to head back to the desert.

TNA

– TNA creative team member Vince Russo a new blog on his Facebook.com page discussing Monday’s iMPACT!, working with Hogan & Bischoff and more. Here’s what Russo said about the Monday Night War:

“We learned a lot, on Monday night as a company-a lot We hit some home runs, but also struck out once, or twice-but that’s OK. What really mattered is that we took risks. We gave you everything we had-and didn’t play it safe.

“That’s what Eric Bischoff and Russo/Ferrara both did back in the mid-to late 90′s. Nothing was safe-NOTHING. The programming, whether it was WWF, or WCW was DANGEROUS. Never one time, no matter how hot we got-did Eric or I EVER rest on our laurels-NEVER. I can’t tell you how long Vince has been resting on his . . . I honestly can’t.

“I sat in the production truck and I wanted our show, side-by-side to Vince Monday night. It was great to see Bret -I love the guy-always have. But as our show went on, and as I watched his, I just kept asking myself-’where’s the effort?’”

“Does Vince think that little of TNA that he felt that he could just produce ‘another show’ on Monday night? I mean, you take away that first segment and that last segment, and you had a wrestling show that wasn’t even mediocre at best. Again-going back to the 90′s-that NEVER, would have happened if Eric, or I were in Vince’s shoes-NEVER. Resting on your laurels is the worst mistake that anyone can ever make-no matter what type of business you are in.”

– Booker T recently conducted an interview with . The highlights:

Why he left TNA: “For me during my two years in TNA, I wrestled probably like three guys, and I think I got a little frustrated. I wanted to be a bigger part of TNA, I wanted to wrestle the Kurt Angles, Scott Steiners, Stings…I’m a professional wrestler. I go out and entertain, and I entertain best in the middle of the ring one on one. I just had a lot of matches that I wasn’t happy with, and I think I got frustrated with the writing more than anything. I think that was maybe my own demise wanting to go out there and do one-on-one matches whe n there was a lot of six man’s, or eight man’s, or ten man’s. I just didn’t feel happy with the way my career was going in that direction.”

On joining either TNA or WWE: “I had no plans of being on either show. Right now, I’m taking a little time off and seeing exactly which way I want to go. Wrestling has been very good to me on both the WWE side and the TNA side, so right now, I’m just taking some time off.”

A potential return to WWE at the Royal Rumble: “There’s no numbers for Booker T. Going back to the WWE, I know I would have to work a full schedule pretty much 180 days a year. I don’t think that’s something I want to do at this point. A lot of people speculate, but if I was to go back to the WWE, it would probably be from a wrestling announcer standpoint, that’s something I always wanted to do. So I look forward if I ever go back to WWE, it would probably be from a wrestling announcer standpoint. TNA is better for me as far as scheduling goes, but I don’t think I’ll working that hectic schedule anymore.”

NHL

– Red Wings F Tomas Holmstrom (broken foot) will be out of action for the next three-to-four weeks. Holmstrom suffered the injury during practice on Wednesday. GM Ken Holland said, “He was out after practice like he always is, working on redirecting shots from the blue line. One of the shots hit him on the foot. We had quick X-rays taken and sent to our doctors in Detroit and they confirmed the non-displaced fracture. It’s obviously very disappointing to have a freak injury like that after practice when a guy is just putting in extra work.”

NFL

– According to PFT, Jags coach Jack Del Rio will be “interviewing for his job” when he meets with owner Wayne Weaver next week. Del Rio is owed $15M over the next three seasons thanks to Weaver picking up the coach’s option earlier in the season.

NBA

– The Heat have officially signed G Rafer Alston for the remainder of the season. Alston was essentially swapped from the Nets for G Chris Quinn.

VoV

– Email – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
– Twitter – @VoiceofValeri
– Facebook – facebook.com/voiceofvaleri
- The Hero List! has been updated.
- The Peep Show has been updated.

VoV

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

MLB

– Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the Red Sox will not give up RHP Clay Buchholz or 1B Casey Kelly for Jays ace RHP Roy Halladay. Heyman notes a potential “market crash” and he’s potentially right. It’s difficult to dismiss the Yankees as a potential suitor for Halladay, but GM Brian Cashman may be more inclined to keep top prospects now that they’ve dealt RHP Ian Kennedy and OF Austin Jackson. There’s certainly no reason for the Red Sox to deal Buchholz or Kelly if the Yankees won’t participate in the bidding. Stay tuned.

– According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, the Marlins are expected to re-open long-term contract negotiations with RHP Josh Johnson at some point. Johnson, 25, went 15-5 in 2009 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. He’s under team control through 2011 so the Marlins don’t have to budge just yet, but they clearly want him to be a part of their organization for a long time to come. The stud right-hander turns 26 in January.

– According to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, the Cubs and Mariners are discussing a swap of OF Milton Bradley for RHP Carlos Silva. Silva, 30, posted an 8.60 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 30 innings this past season and a 6.46 ERA in 153 1/3 innings the year before. Quite a feat if the M’s can do it.

– Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News reports that the White Sox have emerged as a “serious contender” for free agent DH Hideki Matsui. The Angels have also confirmed their interest. The White Sox covet a left-handed bat, so Matsui certainly fits the bill. According to Feinsand, Chicago only has $5-6M budgeted for the spot, but Matsui might not have many offers to choose from. After the trade for OF Curtis Granderson, the Yankees could choose to cut bait on Matsui, OF Johnny Damon, or both.

– Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Tuesday that he believes the Cardinals “have a legitimate shot” at re-signing OF Matt Holliday. Holliday is drawing interest from all of baseball’s biggest spenders this offseason, but he seemed to enjoy his time in St. Lou and would probably be comfortable with a return. After all, the 29-year-old hit .353/.419/.604 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI once he joined the Birds.

– Ken Rosenthal reports that RHP John Smoltz may still end up back in St. Louis. The FOXSports.com reporter says that the Cardinals are not sold on a fifth starter, and may look to Smoltz to fill that role. And if Jaime Garcia claims the role, the team could simply shift Smoltz to the bullpen. Seven other teams, five in the NL, have shown interest in the future Hall of Famer.

– The Nationals are expected to discuss a long-term contract extension this season with LHP John Lannan. Lannan, who doesn’t turn 26 until next September, clearly established himself as the Nationals’ ace this past season, finishing with a 9-13 record, 3.88 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 89 strikeouts in 33 starts (206 1/3 innings). He should be a major part of Washington’s rebuilding efforts.

– The Cardinals have officially signed RHP Brad Penny to a one-year/$7.5M contract. Penny, 31, can earn close to $9M through performance-based incentives on the one-year contract. He posted a 4-1 record and 2.59 ERA in 2009 after returning to the NL and should only bolster a St. Louis rotation that already boasts RHP Chris Carpenter and RHP Adam Wainwright.

– According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa acknowledged Tuesday that his club has interest in free agent SS Miguel Tejada. Speaking with a group of reporters, La Russa said he’s hoping the Cardinals will find a No. 4 or No. 5 hitter on the market this winter.

“I still think we have a better chance to have legitimate guys (who are already on the team) to hit in front of (Pujols). We could use the guy to hit behind him.”

Miguel Tejada, though climbing up in age, certainly comes close to fitting that bill. He batted .313/.340/.455 with 14 home runs and 86 RBI in 2009 and could slide into the Cardinals’ opening at third base.

– The Giants are interested in 2B Orlando Hudson, major league sources told Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. If the Giants signed O-Dog, the team would move 2B Freddy Sanchez to third base. While it wouldn’t address the Giant’s lack of power, it would still upgrade their offense – and defense too, with Pablo Sandoval shifting to first-base. The team has a lot of different directions it can go in. Another suitor for Hudson that has popped up in recent days are the Rockies.

– Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that LHP Randy Wolf’s agent Arn Tellem is shopping the Brewers’ three-year contract offer around, while the Mets appear to be out of the running now. According to Haudricourt, the Brewers offered Wolf a three-year/$27M deal. If true, the offer would be pretty hard to top, but that hasn’t stopped Tellem from talking to the Mets and even the Yankees, albeit briefly. Wolf, 33, was 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 160 strikeouts in 2009. His value was enhanced after the Dodgers failed to offer him arbitration last week.

– Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports the Red Sox are unlikely to have interest in trading for Braves RHP Rafael Soriano. GM Frank Wren said reliever Rafael Soriano has granted clearance to be traded. Soriano accepted the Braves’ offer of arbitration on Monday, but after giving permission, he can now be dealt to any team. The Red Sox liked him as a free agent, but don’t want to give up prospects and certainly aren’t attracted to his $8M arbitration-influenced price tag. The right-hander posted a 2.97 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and a 102/27 K/BB ratio in 75 2/3 innings this year and recently accepted salary arbitration from Atlanta. The Yankees, Astros and Orioles may still have interest.

– According to Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com, the Rockies are interested in signing 3B Melvin Mora as a backup infielder. Mora had his $8M option for 2010 declined by the Orioles in October and was denied an offer of arbitration in November. The 37-year-old hit .260/.321/.358 this season with just 28 extra-base hits in 484 plate appearances, but the Rox obviously feel he will come cheap.

– Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports that while the Dodgers have talked to the agents for free-agent pitchers LHP Randy Wolf, RHP Vicente Padilla and RHP Joel Pineiro, they will not talk about multi-year contracts. According to Gurnick, the Dodgers believe that one-year bargains will be available late in the offseason, similar to the one they handed out to Randy Wolf in February. While the Dodgers were fortunate with Wolf, they could be left at the alter this time.

– Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports that Phillies RHP Joe Blanton could be traded. Once source told Zolecki that Blanton “is on the market,” while adding that the Phillies would like to acquire “a big bullpen piece.” They’re more likely to find a bullpen piece in free agency, but the Phillies will listen to offers on the 28-year-old during a weak market for starting pitchers. Blanton was 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in ’09.

– MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports the Brewers are close to re-signing RHP Claudio Vargas and will have him serve as a reliever. Vargas posted an impressive 1.74 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 30/15 K/BB ratio in 40-plus innings this past season. A new deal is in place, according to McCalvy, and is just awaiting approval from Vargas and his agent.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the market for free agent RHP Jose Valverde is “very limited.” Valverde denied himself a chance to earn up to $10M Monday evening when he declined the Astros’ offer of salary arbitration. Now he’s drawing little interest because the teams who need a closer the most aren’t willing to break the bank. The 31-year-old posted a 2.33 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 25 saves in 29 opportunities for Houston this past season.

– Free agent UTIL Robb Quinlan has drawn interest recently from the Twins, among other teams, reports MLB.com’s Lyle Spencer. The Rockies are scheduled to meet with Quinlan’s representatives at this week’s Winter Meetings. It’s quite surprising that he’s drawing so much interest. The 32-year-old hit just .243/.275/.339 with two homers and 14 RBI in 2009 while playing shoddy defense at a variety of positions.

WWE

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

HBK Retiring at WrestleMania: “We get emails all the time with fans assuming that WM26 will be HBK’s last Wrestlemania. I have not heard that confirmed whatsoever and if it is true wouldn’t one think that WWE would be preparing to make it a HUGE deal? In my mind’s eye, Wrestlemania season officially launches at the Royal Rumble. I am excited about the March 2010 release of the next HBK DVD which is a countdown of Shawn’s Best Matches. Good luck in narrowing that list down to a three disc set.”

Ross on his own health: “It’s back to the doctor’s today for me as I will be seeing a Rheumatologist today which is a first. I had to go on line to find out what a Rheumatologist does in their world of specialty medicine. However, I’m feeling better every day and remain upbeat and optimistic that I have not called my last match and that my next one might be sooner than some expect.”

Mark Cuban: “Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban likely got cheered in the only major arena in America as the controversial, young billionaire is essentially one of the most vilified individuals in pro sports. Cuban is defiant, has been fined by NBA Commissioner David Stern many times and basically has been caught on TV court side acting like a tool. Nonetheless Cuban did a solid job on Raw and one could tell that the Mavs owner keeps up with the product or was tremendously prep.”

NFL

– Redskins RB Clinton Portis (concussion) has been placed on the IR and is done for the season. Portis will make a complete recovery for 2010, but he, however, was less optimistic.

“If it’s my time, I think I had a great career. The doctor feared that if I took another hit like that, [the vision problems] would get worse … He said it rattled the vision and that was his main concern.”

Portis believes he can get back to normal with rehab, but his future is cloudy at this point.

NBA

– Blazers G Rudy Fernandez (back) will undergo a microdisectomy Tuesday to relieve pressure from a nerve root in his lower back that is causing pain in his right leg. He is expected out four-to-six weeks.

NHL

– Flyers G Ray Emery (abdominal tear) has been placed on the IR and is expected out four-to-six weeks.

VoV

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

MLB

– The Nationals have signed C Ivan Rodriguez to a two-year/$6M deal. Pudge will receive $3M each in 2010 and 2011.

– The Cardinals have signed RHP Brad Penny to a one-year/$7M deal.

– The Tigers have re-signed SS Adam Everett to a one-year/$1.55M deal.

– OF Jason Bay is already being heavily pursued by the Mariners, Angels, Giants and Cardinals.

– FOXSports is reporting that a potential three-team trade is in the works between the Yankees, Tigers and D’Backs. The Yankees would receive OF Curtis Granderson and two prospects from Arizona. The Tigers would receive RHP Max Scherzer from Arizona, as well as prospect OF Austin Jackson, LHP Phil Coke and LHP Michael Dunn from the Yankees. The D’Backs would receive RHP Edwin Jackson and RHP Ian Kennedy. Stay tuned.

– According to the NY Post, the Mets are going to try and land either RHP John Lackey or Rangers RHP Kevin Millwood. They are also looking into LHP Doug Davis, RHP Jason Marquis and RHP Jon Garland. The team has looked into RHP Joel Piniero and had internal discussions about trading for Royals RHP Gil Meche.

– The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pirates RHP Matt Capps and C Ryan Doumit are indeed on the block. The Rangers and Mariners reportedly have interest.

– ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark has heard that the representatives for free agent Randy Wolf are still discussing deals with multiple teams. Several news outlets reported Monday night that a three-year deal was agreed to by both Wolf and the Brewers, but the left-hander’s representatives are apparently still fielding offers. Stark says a “half-dozen” clubs may be involved in ongoing negotiations for the 33-year-old southpaw.

– Yankees GM Brian Cashman confirmed Monday that he’s spoken with the representatives for free agent RHP Jason Marquis. Marquis went 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA during the first half of the 2009 season but 4-7 with a 4.56 ERA after the break. Cashman called the 31-year-old “tough,” but added “there are definitely pitchers that are on the market that are worth having conversations with.” The Yankees will explore all options on the open market this winter.

– According to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Indians may be shopping RHP Kerry Wood at this week’s Winter Meetings. It makes no sense for a baseball team to pay a closer $10.5M when they can’t hold leads. Wood posted a 1.38 WHIP and 63/28 K/BB ratio in 55 innings this past season while earning 20 saves. The Indians could turn to RHP Chris Perez next year if they’re able to get rid of the 32-year-old Wood.

– According to Joel Sherman, the Mets and Brewers have discussed a trade involving RHP John Maine and OF Corey Hart. It’d seem to be easier for the Mets to buy a Hart-type outfielder in free agency than to replace Maine’s upside in the rotation, but they likely have some concerns about how Maine’s shoulder will respond going forward. If the Brewers made the deal, they’d enter the market for a right fielder.

– According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, Dodgers OF Juan Pierre has “drawn interest from the Pirates, White Sox and an third unidentified team.” Pierre, 32, hit .308/.365/.392 this past season with 16 doubles, eight triples, 30 steals and 31 RBI in 380 at-bats. The Dodgers are reportedly interested in dealing him for a pitcher with a similarly bad contract.

– The Mets have increased efforts to land C/OF Josh Willingham or Angels OF Juan Rivera to fill their left field void, according to the NY Post. The Mets are concerned that the markets for OF Matt Holliday and OF Jason Bay will push them out of contention for either big-ticket free agent. Rivera has two years at $9.5M left on his deal, while Willingham’s 2009 salary of $2.95M should at least double through the arbitration process. Holliday’s signing, whenever that may be, should set off a large domino effect of corner-outfield transactions.

– LHP Mike Gonzalez has declined an offer of arbitration from the Braves. The Braves weren’t so fortunate with RHP Rafael Soriano, who accepted arbitration and could earn up to $8M through the process. Gonzalez is interested in landing a mutli-year contract with another club and is likely to do so. The 31-year-old had a 2.42 ERA this past season.

– RHP Jose Valverde has declined an offer of arbitration from the Astros. The Astros would have been forced to pay the Type A free agent close to $10M through arbitration, but will now receive two draft picks when he signs elsewhere. The 31-year-old posted a 2.33 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 25 saves in 29 opportunities for Houston this past season.

– RHP Brandon Lyon has declined the Tigers’ offer of arbitration. Lyon stood to make close to $6M through the arbitration process, but will instead seek out a multi-year deal on the open market. The 30-year-old posted a 2.86 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 65 appearances while serving as Detroit’s primary setup man in 2009 and has drawn a fair amount of interest.

– Braves RHP Rafael Soriano, Rockies RHP Rafael Betancourt and Twins RHP Carl Pavano have all accepted arbitration.

– The Pirates have signed RHP Vinnie Chulk.

PGA

– In another twist related to Tiger Woods, a woman was taken to the hospital from the golfer’s home in Windermere, Florida this morning. Some resources describe the woman as white, blonde and middle-aged. Reports have also cited that a black Escalade with a license plate one digit different than Woods’ infamous ride on Black Friday was following the ambulance, with a younger, attractive female driving. (Elin Woods’ mother, Barbro Holmberg, was said to be at the house on Black Friday.) Meanwhile, Elin has reportedly purchased a home with her sister, Josefine, on a remote island in her native Sweden. Tiger’s alleged mistress count has reached double digits, and rumours swirl over who will land the first one-on-one interview with the world’s best golfer.

NHL

– F Darren McCarty has officially retired from the NHL. McCarty played in 758 NHL games over the course of 15 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames. McCarty had 127 goals, 288 points, and 1477 penalty minutes. He also played in 174 playoff games and scored the game-winning goal in the fourth and final game of the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs. McCarty marks the first of Detroit’s “Grind Line” to retire.

– Devils G Martin Brodeur has tied G Terry Sawchuk’s all-time regular season shutouts with 103.

NBA

– Rumours are circulating that Blazers G Jerryd Bayless has requested a trade. Can’t confirm yet, so stay tuned.

WWE

– In an interview with political website TheHill.com, former WWE CEO and United States Senate hopeful Linda McMahon spoke about a number of topics pertaining to pro wrestling. McMahon acknowledged that steroids were a “significant problem” in WWE back in 2006 before the company relaunched its drug testing program. She says WWE’s Wellness policy is “as good as it can be for today. But as technology advances and more is known and developed, we’ll continue to develop our policy, as we have done over the years.”

“Unlike football or baseball or basketball, where steroids can actually enhance performance, they do nothing to enhance performance in WWE,” McMahon said. She added that its mostly about a wrestler’s “charisma, the ability to connect with the audience, and how successfully they can act and perform within the storyline.” No mention about the long standing culture of freakishly muscular wrestlers getting pushed or the increasing pressure for wrestlers to stay in shape and maintain an HDTV-friendly physiques.

WWE legends Superstar Billy Graham and Bruno Sammartino have been very outspoken towards Linda McMahon since she began her Senate campaign. Graham recently told the Hartford Courant, “She may look like a Sunday school teacher, [but her] hands are as bloody as her husband’s, because she is aware of every move in the ring.” Linda called Graham a “self-confessed liar” and dismissed Sammartino as someone who has “still got sour grapes because he didn’t make as much money as the guys today are making.”  She said, “You’re going to always have the old-timers who are going to come out and say [things],” she said. “It’s just not like that.”

– Charlie Haas reportedly asked WWE for his release within the last few months. Apparently officials were going to grant him the release at first but changed their minds and gave him a raise instead. There was a rumour going around that Kurt Angle had a spot for Haas in TNA so WWE kept Haas around instead of having him jump to TNA.

– Regarding the discussed Undertaker origin film, it looks to be a long way off. There has bee been no movement of late on the proposed Western film or the planned WWE Studios re-launch of the Chuck Norris Missing in Action series.

– WWE officials are looking to shoot a documentary on the weeks leading into Wrestlemania XXVI, titled The Road to Wrestlemania. However, it should be noted that WWE is very early in its process.