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.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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MLB

– 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. It turns out that 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 righty leaves Houston behind with a 3.24 career ERA and a 143-82 lifetime record, just one win shy of the franchise’s all-time leader Joe Niekro. With Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Oswalt, the Phillies immediately have the best 1-2-3 punch in all of the NL, if not all of baseball. If the Phillies make the playoffs again, they’ll be positively scary.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Rangers have acquired 3B Jorge Cantu and $600K from the Marlins for RHP Evan Reed and RHP Omar Poveda. 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 Padres have acquired 3B Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for RHP Wynn Pelzer and cash considerations. The 24-year-old 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.

– Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Astros are now fielding offers for 1B Lance Berkman. The Astros acquired a replacement for Berkman when they flipped OF Anthony Gose to Toronto on Thursday for 1B Brett Wallace. The 34-year-old Berkman is sure to draw interest from multiple contending teams. He’s batting .245/.372/.436 with 13 homers and 49 RBI in 298 at-bats this year. Berkman has a NTC and can veto any deal. 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.

– Buster Olney of ESPN.com hears that the White Sox and Yankees are “out of the mix” for Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. The Nats’ demands are known to be sky-high and, though interest has been strong, no team yet has been able to find a match. Maybe GM Mike Rizzo is still hoping to sign Dunn to a contract extension, or perhaps he will be satisfied with draft picks if the the big man heads elsewhere this offseason. Dunn is batting .275 this year with a .916 OPS and 23 homers. The Rays are considered the frontrunners, while the Giants remain in the running.

– The Orioles have hired Buck Showalter to be their next manager. He’ll officially take over next Tuesday, when the Orioles kick off a seven-game homestand against the Angels. Showalter has been the favourite all along, so it was really just a matter of when. Showalter, 54, is 882-833 over 11 seasons as a manager in the big leagues. Showalter had been working as a baseball analyst for ESPN.

NHL

– The Thrashers have signed F Andrew Ladd to a 1-year/$2.35M deal. The 24-year-old native of Maple Ridge, B.C. had 17 goals and 21 assists for the Hawks last season, putting up three goals and three assists in the post-season en route to the championship. Ladd had filed for salary arbitration after earning $1.65M last season. Ladd scored 17 goals and 38 points in 82 games in 2009-10.

– The Sens have re-signed F Peter Regan to a 2-year deal. The 24-year-old played his first full NHL season with the Senators in 2009-10, tallying 13 goals and 29 points in 75 games.

NBA

– The Knicks have reportedly extended an offer to G Shannon Brown, who is still considering a return to the Lakers. The Lakers are well over the luxury tax, so moving Vujacic’s $5.4M salary would ease the tax hit associated with keeping Brown.

NFL

– The Steelers have signed OT Flozell Adams on a multi-year deal. Great news for the ground attack. The Steelers had no realistic option to step in for injured RT Willie Colon, so the 35-year-old Adams fills a major vacancy up front.

– The Falcons have signed No. 19 overall pick OLB Sean Weatherspoon to a 5-year/ $17.5M contract with $10.5M in guarantees. Last year’s 19th pick, Jeremy Maclin, signed for 5-years/$15.5M. The Falcons love the athletic Weatherspoon’s potential as a cover linebacker, but he’s expected to be eased in on special teams and nickel packages as a rookie.

– The Dolphins have signed 1st-round pick DL Jared Odrick to a 5-year contract with a maximum value of just over $13M with $7.133M guaranteed. Odrick is the reigning 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

TNA

– Hulk Hogan was apparently the subject of false internet rumors today. TNA Wrestling president Dixie Carter issued the following statement this afternoon regarding “The Hulkster”:

“HULK HOGAN IS ALIVE AND WELL. He did not drown. Not sure how these rumors get started. Awful.”

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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VoV

– Barring unforseen circumstances, VoV.com will be holding a live MLB TradeCentre. Joel Sherman of the NY Post reports that this year’s trade deadline could be quiet, as prospects are being overvalued, many teams are up against their budget and teams are still uncertain on whether they’re buyers or sellers. In addition, the market for relievers is extremely expensive this season, so many names that are rumoured to be dealt may have to wait until August.

MLB

– A source tells Jayson Stark of ESPN.com that Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt has waived his no-trade clause to complete a trade to the Phillies in exchange for LHP J.A. Happ and two minor leaguers (possibly OF Anthony Gose and RHP Vance Worsley, not 1B Jonathan Singleton). The Phillies will also receive $11M. Oswalt’s $16M option for 2012 will not be exercised, but he will be compensated in another way. The deal isn’t official yet and will have to be approved by the commissioner’s office due to the money being exchanged. Oswalt’s contract has $5.46M left from his $15M salary this year, $16M in 2011, and a 2012 option for $16M with a $2M buyout. The Phillies have a ridiculous 1-2-3 punch in Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels.

– The Rangers have placed 2B Ian Kinsler (strained left groin) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 28. Kinsler has been limited to just 76 of the team’s 101 games this season and just hasn’t been the elite source of power and speed he was last year in large part due to his ankle injury.

– Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times speculates that the Angels may be selling OF Bobby Abreu, LHP Brian Fuentes, OF Hideki Matsui, and 2B Maicer Izturis might interest contenders. Abreu, Fuentes, and Matsui would be tough to move, and could be waiver wire trade candidates. Abreu is signed at $9M for next year and may have another $9M salary vest for 2012. The 36-year-old is hitting just .253/.347/.416. Fuentes’ strikeout rate is back up, but he’s 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.

– Contrary to rumours, the Indians are not shopping RHP Fausto Carmona. The Indians are listening, they don’t expect to receive a suitable offer. Carmona could potentially be under Tribe control through 2014.

– The Yankees are not expected to pursue a catcher, though they remain interested in Nats’ 1B Adam Dunn. The White Sox and Giants are believed to be the frontrunners.

– 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.

– The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that there is no substance to the trade rumours involving the Cardinals and 3B Miguel Tejada.

– ESPN reports that the Mets are expected to shop OF Jeff Francoeur after the non-waiver trade deadline.

– According to the NY Post, the Mets are very unlikely to acquire Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly as they do not want to take on most to all of the $4.37M left on his contract, in addition to losing a package of prospects. In addition, the Mets are “almost completely unwilling to engage in serious discussions” for Astros’ RHP Brett Myers. Joel Sherman suggets the Mets might wait until August to acquire a pitcher.

– According to the Boston Globe, the Red Sox have inquired about Rafael Perez, Will Ohman, Mike Gonzalez, Matt Capps, Michael Wuertz, Craig Breslow, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, David Aardsma, and Kyle Farnsworth, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Cafardo says Jays’ LHP Scott Downs looks unlikely unless the Blue Jays back down from their top prospect requests.

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

NFL

– The Jets are expected to sign FA WR Laveranues Coles after a workout on Friday, according to ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini. The Jets need another receiver to compensate for Santonio Holmes’ suspension for the first month of the season. Coles showed last season that he has little left in the tank, but he’s familiar with Brian Schottenheimer’s offense and should be fine in the slot for four games.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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MLB

– Yahoo! Sports reports that the Phillies have acquired RHP Roy Oswalt from the Astros pending Oswalt accepting the trade. Oswalt must waive his no-trade clause and is expected to make the Phillies pick up his $16M option for 2012. Fox 26 Sports in Houston reported late Wednesday night that the Phillies and Astros came to terms on a trade and the Astros have contacted Oswalt. The two sides have agreed on the amount of money that will be exchanged and the players that will head to Houston, according to the report. Oswalt is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 20 starts with 120 strikeouts in 129 innings this season for the fifth-place Astros.

– 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 Angels have placed RHP Joel Piniero (strained left hip) on the 15-day DL and will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks. Pineiro was hurt warming up in the bullpen for his start against the Red Sox on Wednesday. “I just threw a curveball, and a lot of pain came through the oblique. It’s weird. I have no idea how to explain it. It was just one of those weird things that happens. I’m really frustrated and angry that this happened right now, at this moment.” Pineiro was 10-7 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP through 20 starts this season and had won seven straight decisions before losing his most recent start in New York last week.

– 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.

– The Nationals have placed RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder stiffness) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 22. There was some back-and-forth, but after manager Jim Riggleman announced that he would be shut down for ten days, this move made more and more sense. It’s the right move to protect a special arm in a down year for the Nationals.

– The Sun-Times has it that the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers, Twins and Tigers are in the running for Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly. The paper suggests that Lilly wants to re-sign long-term with the Cubs this winter. ”I think it’s evident I would prefer to stay here for the future. But you get to that point where you get the opportunity to become a free agent, those don’t come around too often.”

– The Mariners have placed LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (strained lower back) on the 15-day DL. He’s one day removed from tying a franchise record for runs allowed by a starting pitcher. Rowland-Smith allowed all 11 runs and 11 hits in five innings, dropping to 1-10 on the year. He has yielded at least five earned runs in each of his last three games.

– Padres’ OF Kyle Blanks (right elbow) will have reconstructive surgery which could sideline him into next season. Surgery is scheduled for Friday. Blanks was placed on the DL May 20, retroactive to May 18, with a strained elbow. He was hitting .157 before the injury.

NHL

– The Ducks have signed D Cam Fowler to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Ducks signed Fowler with the 12th overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft. Fowler was initially projected to go as early as third overall, so it was a big surprise when the Ducks managed to snatch him. He’s been favorably compared to D Scott Niedermayer, but could make the Ducks’ 2010-11 opening day roster.

– The Blues have acquired F Stephan Della Rovere from the Capitals for F D.J. King.

NFL

– The Chargers have re-signed TE Antonio Gates to a 5-year,/$36.175M extension with $20.4M guaranteed. Gates is now under control through the 2015 season (age 35). Gates is a 6-time Pro Bowler, 3-time first-team All Pro and likely Hall of Famer.

– Panthers’ RB Jonathan Stewart (heel) and WR Steve Smith (arm) will begin Panthers training camp on the active/PUP list. Smith’s fractured arm is the more long-term injury, but he’s not believed to be in any danger of missing Opening Day. Multiple reports have said Stewart is 100%, so the team is likely exercising extreme caution in his case. He’s plenty used to missing practice, then tearing it up when it counts.

– The Raiders have signed rookie MLB Rolando McClain, the No. 8 overall pick, to a5 -year/$40M contract with $23M guaranteed. The Raiders gave Darrius Heyward-Bey a 5-year/$38M deal as last year’s No. 7 overall pick, including $23.5M guaranteed. As SI.com’s Ross Tucker tweeted Thursday, every GM in the league was a “nervous wreck” waiting to see McClain’s contract numbers. His guarantees are half a million less than DHB’s. Last year’s Butkus Award winner at Alabama, McClain should rank amongst the NFL’s top-10 tacklers in his first season.

– Acknowledging that he’s not 100%, Vikings’ WR Sidney Rice (hip) indicated Wednesday night that he’ll need to have the injury checked again by the Vikings’ medical staff before returning to practice. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said he hoped that Rice would be ready for the regular season while the receiver predicted that he’s participate in training camp. The hip is still an issue 6 months after originally sustaining the injury. The Vikings open training camp Friday afternoon.

– The Nashville Tennessean reports that Titans’ QB Vince Young will not be suspended for punching a man in the face at a strip club in June. The Tennessean cites multiple “sources familiar with the situation” in its report. Young was never in real danger of being suspended, so this is just confirmation. The NFL is expected to make the announcement on Thursday.

NBA

– Hornets’ G Chris Paul, according to sources close to him, is on board with the Hornets’ direction and will not seek to force a trade, reports John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Maybe it’s because Paul realizes the team is not going to move him, or maybe it’s because he realized how the city of New Orleans would turn on him. I don’t believe that Paul is officially going to spend at least the next two years in New Orleans, but it’s beginning to look that way. The Hornets have made one roster move this offseason – Aaron Gray.

– Lakers’ F Andrew Bynum (torn meniscus in right knee) has undergone successful arthroscopic surgery. He’s expected to be limited at the start of training camp. Bynum postponed surgery during the Lakers’ run to their second straight NBA title, starting each of the Lakers’ 23 postseason games while averaging 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. His knee injury and a strained Achilles’ tendon limited his movement and stamina, but Bynum refused to miss out on the postseason experience after sitting out Los Angeles’ 2008 run with a dislocated left kneecap. Bynum’s knee was drained twice during the NBA finals, and again after the season. The fifth-year pro then made a trip to South Africa for the World Cup, and Bynum later delayed his surgery for a few weeks to fit his surgeon’s schedule.

– According to IndySportsNation, Grizzlies’ F Zach Randolph is working on a contract extension with the team for “a couple of more years.” Randolph tells the site, “Me and my agent, we’re working on a deal with Memphis. A lot of good things are going on in the league and it’s going to be exciting this year.” The 6’9″ nine-year vet averaged 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last season and is due to make $17.33M this coming season.

– According to the Springfield News Leader, F Anthony Tolliver is deciding to sign with either the Warriors, Blazers or Wolves. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but we’re getting there and I hope to have a decision soon. Once they have their final (financial) figure and years guaranteed, that’s when I plan on making my decision –unless somebody comes in late.” Tolliver averaged 11.7 points, 7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last year.

– The Indianapolis Star reports that the Pacers are currently shopping G T.J. Ford and F Mike Dunleavy. Ford averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game last year while Dunleavy averaged 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the same period of time. The Pacers haven’t made a trade in 2 years, but they’re reportedly not comfortable with the current look of the roster.

– A warrant has been issued again for the arrest of Eddy Curry, this time for failure to pay in a civil case involving him having sex with a minor in 2001. Curry failed to sign an agreement to pay the balance of a $660K legal settlement after he was sued for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old girl (he was 18 at the time). Police are going to work with Curry’s attorneys to get him to turn himself in, but if that plan fails, Curry will be arrested.

– Former NBA All-Star G Stephon Marbury has agreed to a 3-year deal with a Chinese basketball team, whose owners will set up a company to produce and sell his line of athletic apparel and shoes, the team said Thursday. Marbury played 15 games last season with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association. The point guard was a fan favorite in the rustbelt city of Taiyuan, showing none of the defiant personality that had alienated management, teammates and fans in the U.S.

WWE

– At Wednesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings (set to air next week, August 6th) – it was announced that the rumored Big Show vs. CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Joey Mercury handicap is confirmed for SummerSlam. With that match set, here’s the updated card for WWE SummerSlam on August 15th…

7-on-7 Elimination Tag Team Match
John Cena, Bret Hart, Edge, Chris Jericho, R-Truth, The Great Khali and John Morrison vs. Wade Barrett, Skip Sheffield, Michael Tarver, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Darren Young and David Otunga

WWE Championship Match
Sheamus (c) vs. Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Kane (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

3-on-1 Handicap Match
Big Show vs. CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Joey Mercury

– Syfy has begun promoting SmackDown’s move to the network, as a subsite has been launched on its official website. SmackDown premieres on Syfy on Friday, October 1 at 8p.m. ET.

VoV

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NBA

– Rockets’ F Yao Ming (foot) said Monday he may quit basketball after next season if his foot injury doesn’t heal. Yao made the comments to the Chinese state media, so we don’t have many details or context yet, but he sounded pessimistic about his future and frustrated with the lack of progress in his recovery. Stay tuned.

– According to ESPN, Hornets’ G Chris Paul did not request a trade in his Monday meeting with the Hornets’ brass, according to new GM Dell Demps. Trading Paul would be a crazy move for the Hornets. They’d never get anything close to equal value and making trade demands would only make things worse. Paul has two years left on his deal before he can opt out and it’s very possible he’s still looking for a trade. Stay tuned.

– The Bulls are now “unlikely” to sign free agent G Tracy McGrady, a source tells ESPN.com. McGrady’s workout went fine physically, but the Bulls reportedly are not convinced that the former superstar is willing to accept a secondary role. In the Bulls’ crowded and talented rotation, McGrady couldn’t be guaranteed much more than 10-15 minutes a night.

NHL

– F Alexander Frolov could sign with the Rangers as soon as Tuesday. His agent said, “Alexander Frolov will soon put his signature on a contract with the New York Rangers. He made a decision that he will play one more year in the NHL. And then it will be clearer where he will continue his career.” Frolov has surpassed the 30-goal milestone twice in the last four seasons, but he’s coming off a disappointing 19-goal and 51-point campaign. Look for him to bounce back if he signs with the Rangers, especially if he ends up playing with F Marian Gaborik.

– The Islanders have signed F Matt Moulson to a 1-year/$2.45M deal. Moulson had an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday morning, but the two sides managed to come to a last minute compromise. Moulson was a surprise last season, scoring 30 goals and 48 points in 82 contests.

MLB

– The Phillies have been trying to get Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt, along with the Cardinals, Yankees and others, but the Philadelphia Daily News is reporting that the Phils are going to have to start looking somewhere else for pitching help. FOXSports reported yesterday that Oswalt, who has a no-trade clause, doesn’t want to play in Philadelphia, meanwhile, MLB.com had Oswalt tell them that “location doesn’t matter” yesterday. According to the Houston Chronicle, Oswalt won’t be waiving that no-trade clause unless the team that is getting him agrees to pick up his 2012 $16M option.

“The money part I can work out with anybody, that’s no big deal,” Oswalt told the paper. “We can work on doing different things as far as restructuring; whatever they want to do. I’m going to find a way to get it done if it works for both of us. I’m not going to go somewhere that’s going to be bad for me.”

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that the Cardinals aren’t feeling good about its chances to snag Oswalt. GM John Mozeliak tells the paper: “I can’t say I’m encouraged” about making a major pitching move.

As for the Phillies, other starting pitchers on the team’s radar, according to the Daily News, include the Pirates’ LHP Paul Maholm, Brewers’ RHP Dave Bush, and Orioles’ RHP Jeremy Guthrie.

– Tracy Ringolsby of FOXSports.com reports that the Rockies “continue to talk” with the Marlins about 3B Jorge Cantu. Like the Rangers, who also have interest in Cantu, the Rockies are looking for a right-handed RBI producer. Cantu has hit .260/.308/.410 this season with 10 home runs and 54 RBI in 366 at-bats. Moving him would allow the Marlins to free up playing time for recently-recalled prospect Logan Morrison.

– The Marlins have placed OF Chris Coghlan (torn left meniscus) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 26. Coghlan suffered the injury while hitting Wes Helms’ with a pie to celebrate his walkoff home run on Sunday. He’ll visit a few doctors before deciding whether to have surgery, but either way, he’s likely to miss at least six weeks. Coghlan has a .268/.335/.383 batting line.

– WEEI reports that the Red Sox are looking to add another catcher prior to Saturday’s non-waiver trade deadline. One name mentioned is Mets’ C Rod Barajas. The Sox were offering RHP Ramon Ramirez, but that now appears to be off the table since Barajas went on the DL. Ramirez, who has a 4.69 ERA, is making $1.55M this year and will have salary increases for the next two seasons.

– The D’Backs are reportedly looking at offers for C Chris Snyder, RHP Chad Qualls, 1B Adam LaRoche and RHP Edwin Jackson. The Nats have interest in snagging Jackson, according to MLB.com, but the team has not been involved in talks with the Diamondbacks that would include a third team on such a deal. The White Soz had been rumored to be involved in such a deal.

– The Yankees have reportedly placed RHP Chan Ho Park on the trade block. Park has a 5.57 ERA, allowing seven homers in the 32.1 innings this season, but only allowed five in the 83.1 innings he threw for the Phils last year when he had a 4.43 ERA. The 37-year-old will be a free agent at year’s end after earning $1.2M this year.

NFL

– The Patriots have placed WR Wes Welker (knee, shoulder) on the active/PUP list to open camp. 98.5 the Sports Hub’s report that Welker would be medically cleared by now has been proven wrong. Still, Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston describes the move as “procedural,” and Welker is eligible to come off active/PUP at any time. His progress remains worth monitoring daily. He’ll be a candidate for reserve/PUP to begin the year if he can’t practice in camp.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Jets are the latest team to touch base with Drew Rosenhaus regarding WR Terrell Owens. The Jets are replacing the Rams in Rosenhaus’ latest attempt to get more money out of the Bengals. Schefter calls a Jets-T.O. marriage “a long shot,” citing one person who called the likelihood “20%.” The Jets also made overtures about QB JaMarcus Russell, but never signed him. Schefter confirms that the Bengals remain the favourites to sign Owens.

– In an interview for USA Today, QB Brett Favre told the newspaper that he might play football until age 50. “Hell, you gotta quit sometime. Then again, maybe I will be doing this when I’m 50 years old, who knows?” Favre admitted that he felt “done” after last year’s NFC title game loss to New Orleans, but “the itch” has clearly returned.

– Doctors have informed Giants DE Osi Umenyiora (hip) that the lingering pain will not subside without surgery. Noted hip specialist Dr. Marc Philippon, who performed Alex Rodriguez and Kurt Warner’s operations, gave the prognosis. Umenyiora has opted to pass on surgery, and the Giants’ medical staff intends to help him “manage” the pain.

WWE

– It was announced during tonight’s Raw that the 7-on-7 Tag Team Match between Team Cena and Team Nexus at SummerSlam has been changed to an Elimination Tag Team Match. In an Elimination Tag Team Match, the contest must continue until all members of one team are taken out of the match, either by pinfall or submission. No new matches were announced for SummerSlam during Raw. The updated line-up after tonight’s show is as follows:

7-on-7 Elimination Tag Team Match
John Cena, Bret Hart, Edge, Chris Jericho, R-Truth, The Great Khali and John Morrison vs. Wade Barrett, Skip Sheffield, Michael Tarver, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Darren Young and David Otunga

WWE Championship Match
Sheamus (c) vs. Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Kane (c) vs. Rey Mysterio

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB

– Rays’ RHP Matt Garza tossed the 1st no-hitter in Rays history and the 5th no-hitter of the 2010 season against the Tigers on Monday night. “The Year of the Pitcher,” as they say. Garza allowed only one baserunner, a walk in the second inning, but escaped thanks to a double-play, allowing him to face the minimum batters. Garza threw 80 out of 120 pitches for strikes and struck out six, including three over the final two innings. Of those 120 pitches, 100 were fastballs. He improves to 11-5 with a 4.06 ERA on the year. This is the first time there has been 5 no-hitters in a season since seven were thrown in 1991.

– Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt will not approve a trade unless his $16M option for 2012 is picked up by his new team. According to Crasnick’s understanding, Oswalt might be willing to defer some of the funds, nothing more.

NBA

– Hornets’ G Chris Paul has refuted reports of a trade demand, saying that Monday’s meeting with Hornets’ officials “went well … I expressed my desire to win and I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team.” Stay tuned.

– The Cavaliers have acquired G Ramon Sessions, G Ryan Hollins and a draft pick from the Wolves for G Delonte West and G Sebastian Telfair. The trade gives Cleveland two promising pieces to start the post-LeBron era for next to nothing. Sessions could get significant minutes as a backup guard, and his averages in 39 starts during the 2008-09 season can’t be solid – 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 34 minutes per game.

– Wolves’ G Jonny Flynn (hip) will require surgery that will keep him out for 3-to-4 months. That means he’s out for at least the start of the season, and maybe closer to Christmas depending on how his rehab goes. G Luke Ridnour takes over the helm, but will likely have it for quite some time even after Flynn returns.

NHL

– Russian newspaper SovSports is reporting that UFA F Alexander Frolov is set to sign a 1-year/$800K deal with the Rangers. There are reports that while the two-sides are in discussion, no deal has been finalized. Frolov, 28, scored only 19 goals, the lowest total since his rookie season and adding 32 assists. There has been plenty of speculation that Frolov could return to Russia to play in the KHL, but his agent, Sergei Isakov, stated that his Frolov will play at least one more season in the NHL before deciding his future.

NFL

– FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez reports that the Rams are closing in on signing No. 1 overall pick QB Sam Bradford. A source tells Marvez that there’s a “really good chance” Bradford will be under contract by the start of Rams training camp on Thursday. Getting into camp on time would only serve to increase Bradford’s chances of beating out QB A.J. Feeley for the starting job. Bradford’s deal is expected to span six years and guarantee him in the range of $45-50M.

– Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Bengals expect a resolution to their pursuit of free agent WR Terrell Owens “sometime in the next 48 hours.” Reedy also confirms that the Bengals have a contract offer in place, though Owens’ price tag wasn’t helped when the Rams dropped out of the running on Monday. In order to get anything near the $6.5M Owens collected in Buffalo last year, agent Drew Rosenhaus will need to get mighty creative.

WWE

– Dawn Marie Damatta, who performed for WWE from 2002-2005, admitted to the Connecticut Post that she used steroids during the course of her tenure in the organization.

“I chose to take that shortcut. Did Vince (McMahon) tell me to take that shortcut? No. Did WWE? No. Why did I do it? Because I thought that’s what I needed to do in order to keep up … There was no testing policy.”

Damatta feels one only needs to take a look at the physiques of present day WWE talent to know that steroid use is not as prevalent as it was in the past. She also believes the company’s drug testing policy has reduced the abuse of drugs such as painkillers, therefore saving lives. However, she feels Linda and Vince McMahon could do more to assist former talent.

“Wrestlers are taken as children, thrown into this industry and then we’re dumped back out as adults. There’s no learning in the world. We’re on the road, traveling, hustling, getting beat up. Where do I go? What do I put on a resume?”

– During last Friday’s SmackDown broadcast on The Score in Canada, a SummerSlam commercial was shown featuring The Undertaker. Triple H, who is also out nursing an injury, was not. Undertaker was originally scheduled to return at the event, but it now appears as though he will not return in a wrestling capacity until Night of Champions in September.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB

– Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals “look unlikely” to acquire Astros’ RHP Roy Oswalt. Cards’ GM John Mozeliak hinted Sunday that the Astros’ demands are high, which backs up earlier reports. “At this point, it’s entirely possible that there may not be a deal out there. We’re continuing to explore avenues, but as we speak I can’t say I’m encouraged.” Even if Oswalt’s primary destination is St. Louis, the Cards appear unwilling to part with major pieces of their future.

– Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Rangers are taking a “close look” at Cubs’ 1B Derrek Lee. Lee is a free agent after this season and no progress has been made in negotiations toward a contract extension. While the Cubs might be willing to unload the first baseman by the end of the week, nothing suggests that they’ll be sellers at the deadline. He’s batting .251/.338/.391 with 11 homers and 44 RBI.

NFL

– The NFL has completed its investigation into the shooting at Eagles’ QB Michael Vick’s birthday party and has cleared Vick to play. Vick was never a suspect in the case, but his mere presence at the scene could have put him in hot water with the league and the law. This is great news for Vick and co. as he heads into training camp. It should also scuttle rumors that Vick was going to be cut.

– Bengals’ owner Mike Brown confirmed that the team is talking to free agent WR Terrell Owens, and adds that “it is up to him.” It sounds like the Bengals have an offer on the table. T.O. would surely want more money to play for the non-contending Rams, who are meeting Monday to decide if pursing him is a good idea. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ serious interest in Owens shines a bad light on WR Antonio Bryant’s troublesome knee.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Patriots and QB Tom Brady are making enough progress in contract talks that Brady could have an extension in place by the end of the summer. The biggest obstacle thus far has been the uncertainty of the CBA. Schefter reports that no deal is imminent, but says negotiations are “positive.” The Patriots are said to be nearer to extending Brady’s contract than the Colts are to QB Peyton Manning or the Saints for QB Drew Brees (all 3 are in contract years). FOX Sports’ Adam Caplan reports that Brady reported to Patriots camp on Sunday, which should put to rest rumours that Brady would hold out.

– Packers’ OC Joe Philbin acknowledged that WR Donald Driver’s (knees) surgically repaired knees remain a concern. “Obviously, we have to see what happens with Driver’s knee when he comes back…I haven’t seen him do anything since January 10.” Philbin also said he expects more playing time for WR James Jones and WR Jordy Nelson. Driver averaged nearly 60 snaps per game last season, but with his health diminishing at 35, that’ll likely be cut to around 45-50.

NBA

– Pacers’ G Tyler Hansbrough (concussion) has been working out full speed on the court sans contact. Hansbrough had a “little vertigo” as recently as two weeks ago, and the Pacers are being understandably cautious about his return. It sounds like there’s a good chance he’ll be ready to play in training camp and the preseason.

WWE

– An organization called the “Mothers Opposing McMahon” (MOM), which opposes Linda McMahon’s campaign to become a United States Senator this November, is now attacking the former WWE CEO over the “Eugene” character that the company featured from 2007-2009.

The MOM organization has posted a video on Youtube, which you can view here, that quotes Linda McMahon talking about the unique brand of entertainment that WWE delivers – followed by WWE television footage of Vince and Shane McMahon sliming and then beating down the mentally challenged wrestler.

The video caption slams the McMahons for featuring “a character with developmental disabilities [who is] is violently beaten, humiliated, and verbally abused by Vince and Shane McMahon. The MOM organization claims to be “a grassroots group of Connecticut women working to build opposition to Linda McMahon’s Senate candidacy based on McMahon’s record as CEO of the WWE, where she marketed to kids graphic sex, brutal violence, and the degrading, abusive treatment of women to make herself millions of dollars in profits.”

While the MOM organization has their hands full trashing Linda McMahon, another organization – the Fans United against Mothers Opposing McMahon (FU-MOM), is firing back at defending McMahon.

– WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was married over the weekend to his fiance Stephanie Washington. This is the third time down the aisle for Bret. Stephanie Washington is a 27 year old woman from San Francisco, California who is now going to school up in Calgary. They began dating earlier this year. The couple is expected to spend their honeymoon in Hawaii. Since WWE will be taping the next 2 weeks of RAW shows tonight (due to the upcoming international tour), it’s likely that Bret and Stephanie will not leave for Hawaii until later this week at the earliest.

– Since opening an account on Twitter last week, Randy Orton has made numerous comments of note. For starters, he was asked to give his thoughts on Bryan Danielson as a performer as well as his sudden firing from World Wrestling Entertainment.

“I understand why it happened. But he def deserves to be there, I’m sure he’ll b back. Very talented in my opinion.”

Orton also continues to bring up former WWE performer Ken Anderson’s name, whom he recently ranted about on a message board post in regards to claims concerning his dismissal from the company last year. He laughed at a fan noting he already had more Twitter followers than Anderson and threatened to send the former WWE star after an Orton poser if he didn’t shut down his account. However, it would appear that Orton has since had a change of heart in regards to the current TNA star as he now feels that last year’s incident was a misunderstanding.

In response to a question this morning asking if he would ever make peace with Anderson, he wrote, “I think what happened is a misunderstanding and at this point there is peace. Hell……we used to ride together.”

Finally, Orton revealed that he will have a new shirt out within thirty days.

– WWE will be taking two episodes of RAW tonight from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, because of the RAW crew will be overseas next week for the company’s latest international tour. No matches have been announced for the show, but John Cena and Randy Orton vs. Sheamus and Nexus is being advertised locally as the dark match main event.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with some commentary on the following topics:

TNA’s Hard Justice PPV: “We’re getting lots of questions on the revisited, ECW TV storyline being used by TNA. For the record, I hope that all wrestling organizations do well as the individuals who comprise the various company’s rosters are largely passionate fans living out their dreams. I’m not a ‘dream squasher.’ Do I think that this matter will be successful? I don’t know. It might be o.k. for a one off sort of deal for a company that needs a ‘hit.’ Time will answer the ‘will it be successful question’ which is somewhere subjective in itself as what is the true definition of ’success’ in wrestling? It varies by company, that’s for sure.”

Paul Heyman: “Paul Heyman will not be a part of this presentation which does it no favors. Heyman was the strategic mastermind behind the original ECW that grew to have a passionate, cult following and lasted much longer than many ‘experts’ predicted when ECW started up primarily due to Heyman’s leadership and creative vision along with a locker room full of passionate athletes who were in their prime and loved kicking ass.”

Joey Styles: “No, Joey Styles has no interest in broadcasting again in WWE on a full time basis, or so he has said to many, and has expressed his happiness in working to build WWE.com to an even bigger brand. Joey and I hope to broadcast one match together some day in the future for WWEClassics.com or WWE 24/7 On Demand.”

TNA

– TNA star Jeff Hardy was injured at Friday night’s TNA Live Event from Bloomington, Illinois. Hardy suffered a hand injury during a Monster’s Ball match with Abyss, but was able to finish the match. He wrestled the next night, but was said to be noticeably protecting the injured hand during his match. Hardy is not expected to miss any ring time.

– Former ECW star Michael Depoli (a/k/a Amish Roadkill) has declined TNA Wrestling’s offer to appear at next month’s Hard Justice pay-per-view event, reports the Pro Wrestling Torch. His reason for declining their invite is that he considers himself retired from professional wrestling and simply has no interest in returning.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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MLB

– The Angels have acquired RHP Dan Haren from the D’Backs for LHP Joe Saunders, LHP Patrick Corbin, RHP Rafael Rodriguez and prospect LHP Tyler Skaggs from the Angels for RHP Dan Haren. Wow – the D’Backs just traded an ace under team control through 2013 at decent money for a package for next to nothing. Haren has fanned an NL-leading 141 batters this season but posted just a 4.60 ERA in 141 innings. A change of scenery should do him some good, as Arizona’s organizational acrimony and bullpen woes may have gotten into his head. Haren was 73-52 with a 3.48 ERA from 2005-2009. He’s owed $33M on a contract which runs through 2012 and includes a club option for 2013.

While Saunders was solid in 2008, going 17-7 with a 3.41 ERA, his career stats are more or less in line with his current 2010 stats, posting a 4.62 ERA in 20 starts. He’ll be improperly placed at the front of the Arizona rotation. The Angels were reportedly reluctant to include him, but the Halos won the deal pretty badly, so it’s the least they could do, I guess. Skaggs was Los Angeles’ 8th-best prospect heading into the season, according to Baseball America. The 40th overall pick of the 2009 draft is tall and projectable and looks at this point like a future mid-rotation pitcher. The 18-year-old is 8-4 with a 3.61 ERA in 82.1 innings for Single-A Cedar Rapids this year.

Rodriguez has posted a 4.50 ERA in 32 2/3 career innings pitched, striking out only 11. He’s pitched only one game for the Angels this year and was in the minors at the time of the trade. Rodriguez was once signed to the biggest bonus paid by the organization to a Dominican prospect, but wasn’t even ranked amongst the club’s top-10 prospects by Baseball America in the off-season. His potential appears to be no more than middle-relief.

According to SI’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees are unwilling to trade pitching prospects RHP Hector Noesi or RHP Dellin Betances in a deal for Haren. The Yankees have also been reluctant to engaged in trade talks regarding RHP Joba Chamberlain, but have said they’re willing to move RHP Ivan Nova and RHP Zach McAllister.

– The Astros have asked the Dodgers for either OF Matt Kemp or 1B James Loney in a deal for RHP Roy Oswalt, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Understandably, the Dodgers are unwilling to part with either play, and rightfully so, as both return prices are fairly high, although Loney is more reasonable. Meanwhile, the Astros are not high on the Cardinals’ farm system and the Cards remain skeptical that the Astros would deal Oswalt within the division, regardless of the offer. The Phillies are the darkhorse in the sweepstakes, although it’s unclear of Oswalt would waive his NTC to go there. Stay tuned.

– The Tigers have placed 2B Carlos Guillen (right calf strain) and OF Magglio Ordonez (fractured right ankle) on the 15-day DL. Guillen re-aggravated the calf injury Saturday night in the loss to the Blue Jays. It’s not clear at this point how much time he is expected to miss. Maggs will miss 6-to-8 weeks with the injury, which means we won’t see him again until September.

Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports that the Tigers have “great interest” in Nationals’ 1B Adam Dunn. With Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen sidelined, this makes all sorts of sense. Detroit desperately needs the offense Dunn provides if they hope to stay in a three-team race for the AL Central. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski, however, told MLB.com that he won’t trade top prospects for rentals. The Nats reportedly are asking for the moon in Dunn talks, so that would seem to rule out the Tigers for now.

– The price tag for Jays’ LHP Scott Downs is high, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. The Jays feel that they should be given extra in any deal for Downs since he’s likely to become a Type A free agent at the end of the season, meaning they could receive a pair of draftStay tuned.

– The Phillies could wind up trading OF Jayson Werth for a “No. 4-type starter,” according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. The Phils have reportedly been discussing a three-team trade involving Werth, but if that doesn’t work out and they’re unable to land either RHP  Roy Oswalt, they could trade the outfielder directly for a lesser pitcher. Stay tuned.

– ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that rival executives believe the Nationals will trade RHP Matt Capps. Capps, who signed a one-year/$3.5M deal with the Nats in January after being non-tendered by the Pirates, has been one of the best off-season bargains in baseball. He’s eligible for arbitration in the winter, but whether the Nats are willing to pay $6-7M next season for him will determine whether or not he’s moved. And it’s doubtful, since RHP Drew Storen and LHP Tyler Clippard appear capable of taking on the closer role. Capps has 24 saves and a 2.93 ERA in 44 appearances.

– The Rangers are “coming hard” for Marlins’ 3B Jorge Cantu, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. The Rangers would love to add a righty bat, but the Marlins aren’t convinced they should be sellers at the deadline just yet. But even if they aren’t going to be all-out sellers, Cantu still could be moved, as the team thinks 1B Logan Morrison could replace Cantu’s production. Rosenthal’s source says RHP Leo Nunez and RHP Ricky Nolasco will not be dealt, while 2B Dan Uggla and OF Cody Ross are unlikely to be traded.

– The Twins have placed 2B Orlando Hudson (right oblique strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 24. Hudson missed nearly three weeks earlier this season with a wrist injury and now heads back to the DL after straining his oblique on Friday against the Orioles.

– The Giants have placed LHP Jeremy Affeldt (left oblique strain) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 21.

– The A’s have placed RHP Ben Sheets (elbow) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 20. Sheets missed the end of the 2008 season and all of 2009 with an elbow injury. The righty said his elbow has been swollen the last two or there starts. He’s not sure how much time he’ll miss, saying that it could range from “it’s nothing,” and he just misses a bit of time on the DL, to he could be done for the season. GMs that had been eyeing Sheets can feel free to cross him off their wish list.

– Yankees’ LHP Andy Pettitte (strained groin) says he’s not having any problems and that he expects to return to the Yankees much sooner than anticipated, according to the AP. Pettitte had to be removed from last Sunday’s start with the groin ailment. He played catch Saturday from 60 feet for about 5 minutes and will fly to Florida on Monday to continue his rehab. The Yankees have pegged mid-August for Pettitte’s return, but it sounds like he thinks he can be back earlier than that.

– The Pirates have designated RHP Brendan Donnelly for assignment. The Pirates signed Donnelly to a ludicrous one-year/$1.35M contract with performance-based incentives over the winter using money they saved by non-tendering RHP Matt Capps. And it totally bit them in the ass. Donnelly, 38, had one stint on the DL and posted a 5.58 ERA in 38 games while healthy.

– The Indians have placed LHP Aaron Laffey (left shoulder fatigue) on the 15-day DL etroactive to July 20.

– The Pirates have placed C Ryan Doumit (concussion) on the 15-day DL.

– The Nationals have placed RHP Luis Atilano (bone chips in right elbow) on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 21.

– The Rangers have placed C Matt Treanor (sprained right knee) on the 15-day DL.

– The Rockies have transferred OF Eric Young to the 60-day DL.

NBA

– The Bulls are reportedly prepared to sign G Tracy McGrady if he seems healthy during his workout in Chicago on Monday and can convince the team he is willing to accept a bench role. G Derrick Rose has expressed his support for signing T-Mac. He appeared in 30 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 9.4 points and 3.9 assists in 26 minutes per game.

– The Clippers have re-signed G Rasual Butler. He set a Clippers’ single-season record for 3-pointers made in a season (149), but minutes may be scarce this season.

WWE

– 7 wrestlers released by WWE on April 22, 2010 are now free to join TNA Wrestling (or any wrestling promotion for that matter) as their respective 90-day no-compete clauses have expired. Among those let go that fateful day were Mickie James, Shelton Benjamin, Katie Lea Burchill, Jimmy Wang Yang, Slam Master J, Kung Fu Naki and Mike Knox. The contractual clause was put in place to prohibit wrestlers from immediately competing with nationally televised promotions following their release.

– Jim Ross announced on his official website that Ricky Steamboat has been released from the hospital. The WWE Hall of Famer is convalescing at a relative’s home in Florida and slated to return to FCW to continue training developmental talent in a month or so.

– Former WWE Women’s Champion Sable gave birth to a 9 pound boy this past Wednesday. This would be her third child, and second with husband Brock Lesnar. Lesnar said at the post-UFC 116 press conference that she was due to give birth in two weeks.

– While squashing the unidentified member of The Straight Edge Society on last night’s episode of SmackDown, Big Show unmasked him, revealing former Tag Team Champion Joey Mercury. Mercury re-signed with WWE earlier this year and had been working as the masked man of CM Punk’s group since April.

NFL

– According to ESPN, a high-ranking Rams official says that a formal offer for WR Terrell Owens could come on Monday. The Rams asked agent Drew Rosenhaus if Owens would consider playing for a non-contender, and Rosenhaus of course said his client would consider it. A formal offer from the Rams would mean the Bengals would need to step it up if they really want him.

– Despite speculation of wanting a new deal, Vikings’ RB Adrian Peterson said Sunday that he will report to training camp on time. Peterson “seemed somewhat annoyed” about the rumours he’s disgruntled or in search of a raise.Peterson will make roughly $6.5M this season, which is almost three times as much as Titans’ RB Chris Johnson’s recent salary bump will pay the 2,000-yard rusher. Peterson did say that his agent has at least preliminarily discussed a new contract with the Vikings.

– Ravens’ rookie LB Sergio Kindle (head) is expected to make a full recovery, a source tells beat writer Aaron Wilson. Kindle remains under observation in an Austin, Texas hospital after falling down two flights of stairs on Saturday. He has gotten much better over the last day or two, although the exact injury is unknown at this point. He’s still expected to sign his rookie deal at some point this week, although Wilson points out that there’s no rush now.

– The Giants have signed LB Keith Bulluck to a 1-year deal. Bulluck, who is 33 and coming off an ACL tear, can earn up to $2.5M this season. Just seven months removed from his surgery, Bulluck is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery.

NHL

– The Blackhawks have signed F Jack Skille to a 1-year/$600K deal.

TNA

– Lance Storm, who has been highly critical of TNA Wrestling’s creative process in recent years, posted a blog on his official website saying he declined their offer to appear at next month’s Hardcore Justice pay-per-view event.

“I was asked if I would be interested in taking part in the TNA: One Last Stand PPV. I think it was big of them to extend me the offer, considering my general opinion of the TNA product, and want to I thank them for that, but I will not be taking part.”

“I feel it would be hypocritical of me to work the show, considering my out outspoken views of the TNA product. I have a great deal of respect for the boys who will be working the show as well as the great workers on the TNA roster, but I have no desire to be a part of the TNA creative process. As for ECW, One Night Stand in 2005 was my farewell and am content in letting sleeping dogs lie.”

– Those within TNA suggest Desmond Wolfe is currently in the doghouse. The British wrestling star has developed a reputation for being difficult to work with, which has affected his push in the organization. Company officials are also down on Matt Morgan, who has been discussed as being part of Ric Flair’s Fortune group. Hernandez’ two botched Border toss attempts during their Steel Cage bout at Victory Road were blamed on “The Blueprint” since Hernandez is a favorite among management. On the contrary, officials are said to be high on MCM following their Victory Road performance.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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NBA

– The Magic have replaced the Knicks as Hornets’ G Chris Paul’s first choice if he can get himself traded. Paul wants to play with F Dwight Howard, according to sources, while it also doesn’t hurt that the Magic have more to offer New Orleans in a trade, making a deal more realistic. Paul is under contract for two more seasons, meaning the Hornets don’t have to move him. But Paul, since joining forces with LeBron James’ marketing company, seems determined to try to get out before the start of the season. The Knicks, Blazers and Mavericks remain on CP3′s short list of preferred teams.

– Lakers’ G Kobe Bryant (right knee) recently underwent arthroscopic surgery. This was the third time he’s had the knee scoped, and this one was kept pretty quiet by everyone. Bryant is rehabbing and is expected to be fully recovered prior to the start of the training camp on September 25.

MLB

– After the NY Post’s George King reported Friday that the Royals were willing to listen to inquiries about RHP Zack Greinke, Bright House’s Tom Krasniqi tweeted that he’s heard the Rays are “kicking the tires.” While the Rays do have pieces to offer in either Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson, elite outfield prospect Desmond Jennings or infielder Reid Brignac, it’s likely that nothing will materialize from this. With OF Carl Crawford’s future very much up in the air this winter, the Rays would be foolish to rid themselves of their top prospects at the moment.

– The Athletics have re-signed C Kurt Suzuki to a 4-year/$16.25M contract with a club option for 2014. Rather than an extension, essentially, his 2010 contract was replaced.Reportedly, the vesting option, which takes the place of his first year of free agency, kicks in if he plays somewhere around 110-120 games in 2013. The deal could be worth as much as $25-26M if the option is exercised.

– A source tells Jayson Stark of ESPN.com that the Yankees were “never close” to a deal for RHP Dan Haren on Friday. The two parties did swap names Friday, according to the source, however the Yankees rejected a proposal that included RHP Joba Chamberlain, 23-year-old RHP Ivan Nova, Zach McAllister and two other prospects. On the other side, ‘Zona reportedly rejected a counteroffer from New York consisting entirely of prospects. The D’Backs are reportedly trying to unload both RHP Chad Qualls and OF Chris Snyder in any deal involving Haren, which the Yankees did not want. Another sticking point between the two teams, according to the source, is how much of the $33M remaining on Haren’s contract the Diamondbacks are willing to assume. If the report is true, it doesn’t appear the Yankees have a leg up on anyone at the moment.

– Astors’ RHP Roy Oswalt still wants his 2012 club option guaranteed as part of any trade, but would be willing to restructure his contract should he be traded to the Cardinals, a source confirms to ESPN’s Amy Nelson. It’s becoming pretty clear that St. Louis has been Oswalt’s preferred destination all along. That doesn’t mean a trade will actually happen, of course, as the two clubs are working to find a common ground in negotiations. Stay tuned.

– The Royals OF David DeJesus (torn ligament in right thumb) will undergo season-ending surgery Monday for a torn ligament in his right thumb. A major disappointment for a quality veteran having his best season to date. DeJesus was hitting .318/.384/.443 on the year.

– Cubs’ LHP Ted Lilly could be traded as early as this weekend, sources have told the Chicago Sun-Times. The lefty’s value has risen after his last two starts, allowing four runs over 14 1/3 innings while striking out 16 and walking just two. The Mets, Tigers, Twins and Dodgers are believed to be the most interested. The Cubs would like to trade Lilly before his next scheduled start on Tuesday.

– Former OF Barry Bonds has pleaded not guilty to lying to a federal grand jury in 2003 when he denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs.– It appears Barry Bonds’ long-running criminal case may not go to trial until next year. The legal team for MLB’s home run king, the government lawyers prosecuting him and the judge overseeing the 3-year-old case were unable to set a definitive trial date Friday. They agreed to reconvene on August 6 to try again. On Friday, US District Judge Susan Illston told the lawyers her courtroom only was available for trial in September this year. But Bonds’ lawyers ruled out September, making an early 2011 trial likely instead.

NHL

– Canucks’ D Sami Salo (torn Achilles) is out indefinitely after suffering the injury during his off-season training. Salo will have to be evaluated further before a more detailed timeline for his return can be made. Salo has scored 25 to 28 points in each of his last three seasons, but hasn’t played in more than 68 games since 2003-04. Stay tuned.

NFL

– Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones told FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez on Friday that the team will not be trading DE Marcus Spears. A Miami Herald report Thursday speculated that the Dolphins might have interest in Spears, but those rumours have been put to rest.

– 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston reports that Patriots’ WR Wes Welker (shoulder, knee) will be fully cleared for all training camp activities. It’s been clear since May that Welker’s recovery is way ahead of schedule. Welker is not yet been medically cleared, but it’s expected to happen before the Pats begin two-a-days. Should Welker practice in team drills, he will not be eligible to begin the regular season on reserve/PUP.

– According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Bengals’ WR Antonio Bryant’s surgically repaired was still a “problem” this offseason. Mort says the health of Bryant’s knee is “one factor to watch” in the Bengals’ reported interest in WR Terrell Owens. Bryant underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee last August, and it continued to bother him off and on throughout the 2009 season. It was already a slight concern that he was “resting” the knee during offseason work, and now there’s reason to believe Bryant’s knee could be worse than initially thought.

NBA

– Wolves’ GM David Kahn and the team have each been fined $50K for comments Kahn made Thursday regarding F Michael Beasley smoking marijuana in the past. There are confidentiality rules regarding the league’s drug policy, which Kahn was in violation of when he said Beasley “smoked too much marijuana” back in the day.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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NHL

– F Jeremy Roenick, and brothers D Derian and Kevin Hatcher were selected Thursday for induction into the US Hockey Hall of Fame. The three former NHL All-Stars were chosen by USA Hockey, along with administrator Art Berglund and longtime University of Minnesota physician Dr. V. George Nagobads. They will be inducted on October 21 in Buffalo, New York. Roenick, who retired after the 2008-09 season, scored 1,216 points— including 513 goals—in 1,363 NHL games during a 20-year career with Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Jose. The nine-time All-Star is the third-highest American-born goal scorer in the NHL and the only player in league history to lead his team in goals, assists, and penalty minutes in two seasons. In 154 playoff games, Roenick had 53 goals and 69 assists. He reached the Stanley Cup finals in 1992 with Chicago.

Derian Hatcher played 16 NHL seasons after being chosen with the eighth pick in the 1990 draft. He recorded 80 goals and 251 assists in 1,045 games with the Stars, Red Wings and Flyers, and was a member of the U.S. team that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

His older brother, Kevin, spent 17 seasons in the NHL with the Capitals, Stars, Penguins, Rangers and Hurricanes.. The five-time All-Star finished with 677 points, including 227 goals. Kevin Hatcher scored 34 goals and 79 points during the 1992-93 season, becoming just the seventh NHL defenseman to net at least 30 goals. He represented the US at the 1984 world juniors, the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cup, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, and the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

– The Stars have re-signed F Fabian Brunnstrom to a 1-year/$675K contract. Brunnstrom had just two goals and 11 points in 44 games last season.

– The Flyers have re-signed F Darroll Powe to a 1-year deal. The 25-year-old Powe had nine goals, six assists and 54 penalty minutes in 63 games for Philadelphia last season. He also had one assist and six penalty minutes in 23 playoff games as the Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to Chicago in six games.

– The Canucks have re-signed F Jannik Hansen to a 1-year/$825K in arbitration. Hansen, 24, had nine goals and 15 points in 47 games last season while making $550K on a deal that included a minor-league clause for a much lower salary. He received a raise and a one-way contract after an arbitration hearing on Tuesday. The contract puts the Canucks more than $1M over the NHL’s $59.4M salary cap. Another arbitration hearing Monday for F Mason Raymond, who had 25 goals and 53 points last season, is expected to put the Canucks well over the cap. Teams have until the day before the season to get down to the limit.

– The Blackhawks have acquired F Jeff Taffe from the Panthers for F Marty Reasoner. The 29-year-old Jaffe had a goal and an assist in 21 games with the Panthers last season. Reasoner was slated to earn $1.2M in 2010-11.

– The Blue Jackets have re-signed D Grant Clitsome to a 1-year contract. The 25-year-old Clitsome made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets last season, recording one goal and two assists in 11 games.

NBA

– The Lakers have signed F Matt Barnes to a 2-year/$3.6M deal and F Theo Ratliff. The deal will pay him $1.7M next season and give him a player option for $1.9M in 2011-12. The Cavs had given a 2-year/$7M deal with a team option for a third season, but Barnes wanted more guaranteed money to sign with a non-championship contender. Cleveland refused to improve its offer and ultimately was willing to let Barnes go to a lower bidder.

– According to the NY Post, the Knicks have no untouchables in a potential deal with Hornets’ G Chris Paul. CP3 will meet with Hornets’ execs, but has demanded a trade to either the Knicks, Magic, Mavericks or Blazers.

– NBA.com reports that the Clippers have asked about Sixers’ G Andre Iguodala. Iggy averaged 17.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists for the Sixers last year.

– The Detroit News reports that the Pistons and G Will Bynum are working on a contract extension, but talks remain slow. Bynum averaged 10 points, 4.5 assists and 26.4 minutes per game while making $825K and is looking to make somewhere in the ballpark of $4M.

– The Heat have re-signed G Carlos Arroyo. Arroyo appeared in 72 games and made 35 starts at point guard for Miami last season, then decided to return to the club after a brief stint as a free agent. He averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 assists, plus had a stellar 4.17 assist-to-turnover ratio.

– The Bulls have signed F Kurt Thomas to a 1-year deal.

– The Thunder have re-signed GM Sam Presti to a multi-year extension. Presti finished second in the voting for the NBA’s executive of the year award last season after the Thunder had a league-best 27-win improvement. The team made the playoffs for the first time since the franchise relocated from Seattle.

MLB

– Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports that the Cardinals have offered two current major league players to the Astros’ ace RHP Roy Oswalt. The Cards are trying to pull off this deal without including top pitching prospect Shelby Miller. Cardinals youngsters Jon Jay, Allen Craig and Fernando Salas may be involved.

– The Angels have acquired INF Alberto Callaspo from the Royals for RHP Sean O’Sullivan and LHP Will Smith. O’Sullivan has enjoyed success in the majors at an early age and Smith has risen quickly through the minor leagues, but this is a move that makes sense for the Angels. Third basemen have hit just .214 in Anaheim this season and Callaspo will bring immediate stability to the position. He was batting .275/.308/.410 with eight homers and 43 RBI in 349 at-bats for the Royals.

– The Boston Herald reports that the Braves, Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox and Dodgers have inquired about Marlins’ OF Cody Ross. Ross has hit .275 this year with eight home runs and 47 RBIs.

– Phillies’ OF Jayson Werth is ignoring all trade rumours involving him.

“What trade talk? I have other things going on, you know. My focus isn’t to go home, go on mindless blog sites, watch TV. I watch TV, but I haven’t heard. Whatever I’m watching isn’t talking about that, that’s for sure.”

Although GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has never mentioned Werth by name to the press, the second-year general manager said recently. “If players were playing better, I wouldn’t be considering trading them.” Werth hasn’t hit a home run in 24 games and didn’t have a hit with runners in scoring position since June 24 before collecting an RBI double in the 11th inning of the Phillies 2-1 win at St. Louis on Thursday. Despite the presence of top prospect Domonic Brown at Class AAA and at least three scouts from other teams in attendance to watch him play Thursday, Werth said he is not distracted.

“It’s not like you’re sitting there in the game thinking about other things. There’s too much going on. I’m focused on that pitch. How many pitches are thrown during a game? Quite a bit. There’s a lot to pay attention to.”

Werth is hitting .279 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs in 92 games this season, but is hitting just .239 with no home runs and four RBIs in his last 24 games. Werth, who is in the final year of a 2-year/$10M contract, is batting .159 with runners in scoring position, lower than Phillies’ RHP Joe Blanton (.250) and LHP Cole Hamels (.222).

– Major League Baseball implemented random blood testing for human growth hormone in the minor leagues on Thursday, the first professional sports league in the United States to take the aggressive step against doping. The blood testing becomes part of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, which commissioner Bud Selig introduced in 2001 to test for performance-enhancing drugs. Testing will be limited to players with minor-league contracts because they are not members of the players’ association, which means blood testing is not subject to collective bargaining.

NFL

– The Cowboys have signed the No. 24 overall pick, WR Dez Bryant, to a 5-year/$11.8M contract, including $8.3M guaranteed. Last year’s 24th pick, Peria Jerry, received $7.55M guaranteed. The former Oklahoma State star becomes the first of the 1st-round picks to sign, just in time for the Cowboys to begin training camp this weekend. Bryant made a strong first impression in OTAs, and his early signing will only help to ensure that he’ll be pushed into a big role as a rookie. Roy Williams is on notice this summer.

– The Broncos have signed OLB Elvis Dumervil to an extension. ESPN’s John Clayton reports that it’s a 5-year extension, bringing the total package to 6-years/$61.5M with $43.156M guaranteed. Locking up Dumervil is an important signing for the franchise. QB Jay Cutler and WR Brandon Marshall were rewarded for their petulance with lucrative new deals in other cities while Dumervil spoke softly and carried a big stick on the field. The 2009 NFL sack leader is the cornerstone of the Broncos’ defence.

– The Miami Herald confirms that Dolphins’ DE Phillip Merling (torn Achilles tendon_ will miss the 2010 season. Merling reportedly sustained the injury during a football workout, putting the finishing touches on a nightmare offseason. The last pick of the 2008 1st-round had taken the majority of the first-team reps at right defensive end in spring practices.

VoV

Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
VoV – www.voiceofvaleri.com
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