VoV

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

TRADES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RUMOURS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Cubs’ LHP Tom Gorzelanny. In: Mets.

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

– Padres: searching for outfielders.

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

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

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

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

– Brewers’ OF Jim Edmonds: multiple teams.

– O’s LHP Will Ohman. In: Giants.

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

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

– Yankees NOT shopping for a catcher.

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

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

– Yankees inquire: Scott Downs, Ty Wigginton

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

– Rockies inquire: 2B Ryan Theriot.

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Marc Valeri – captaincharisma@hotmail.com
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NBA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MLB

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NFL

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE

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

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

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

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

TNA

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

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

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

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

– ODB posted the following on Twitter on Monday afternoon:

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

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

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

VoV

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

– The Blazers have signed F Brandon Roy to a five-year/$78-82M extension. Roy got the five years he was asking for. Now that Roy is locked in, the Blazers can get to work on extending F LaMarcus Aldridge.

– It’s believed that the Knicks are playing G Ramon Sessions and G Jason Williams off of each other in terms of contract negotiations. Some think that if Williams signs, Sessions won’t, as there will be a split in minutes. But others seem to think that Knicks president Donnie Walsh is using the threat of signing Williams to get Sessions to come down from his request to be paid less than $5.8M per season in a long-term deal. The Knicks apparently have made Sessions a long-term offer that pays him less than that, and are supposedly hoping the potential presence of Williams will get Sessions to sign it. If that’s true, the Knicks only have till Thursday to play that game when their rights to negotiate with Williams end.

– According to Yahoo! Sports, no proposals were apparently exchanged between the Players Association and the NBA when the two sides met for more than three hours on Tuesday to discuss the collective-bargaining agreement. They’ll meet again before the season starts to try and hold off any kind of potential lockout or strike when the current deal runs out in two years.

– Wolves G Ricky Rubio is continuing to look for ways to get out of his deal with DKV Joventut that his reps have apparently been seeking endorsement deals in Minnesota to help pay for the $6.6M buyout for his current contract. The Wolves can pay a maximum of $500K, but the rest is his responsibility. Stay tuned.

– The Celtics have signed F Sheldon Williams to a one-year deal.

WWE

– Internally, the feeling at last night’s SmackDown/ECW taping is that Jeff Hardy will work through SummerSlam and then leave WWE.

– It would appear that WWE has parted ways with Hall of Famer Tony Atlas as his profile was removed from the ECW roster section either today or yesterday. At the very least, he is no longer a member of the active roster.

NHL

– The Canucks are closer to signing G Roberto Luongo to a contract extension. GM Mike Gillis told Vancouver’s Team 1040 radio, “I think philosophically we’re very close and I think to get top players signed it usually does take a longer period of time. We’ve had a lot of stuff happen in the meantime. We were moving really well and then we had the draft and free-agency and some other distractions occurred. But we feel really confident that we’re all on the same page and it’s only a matter of everyone getting focussed on the final part of it to get it done. We intend to (get it done before the season). We hope to. I know Laurence (Gilman) has had some discussions with Roberto’s agent as early as yesterday. We’re getting there and we’re confident that we’ll get something done.” Luongo, 30 is entering the final year of a four-year/$27M contract. He is coming off a 2008-09 campaign where he posted a 33-13-7 record with nine shutouts and a 2.34 GAA. Reports earlier this summer speculated that Luongo and his agent, Gilles Lupien, are asking for a long-term deal that would be at least five years in length worth a minimum of $8M per season. Luongo will earn $7.5M next season, with the Canucks taking a cap hit of $6.75M in the final year of his current deal.

– A bankruptcy judge has ordered Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes to a show-cause hearing on Wednesday. Moyes’ attorneys posted confidential documents about the Coyotes ongoing bankruptcy case, although a Moyes spokesman said the leak was “completely inadvertent and accidental.” The city of Glendale is furious with Moyes and wants him found in contempt for violating a confidentiality order. The city said, “Significant damage to the integrity of the sale process had been done and the whole sale process was compromised. This is not an overstatement or hysterical reaction. It is the very harm that was not supposed to happen.”

– The Devils have re-signed 40-year-old F Brendan Shanahan to a one-year deal. Shany will be entering his 22nd NHL season, after rejoining the Devils in January and recording six goals and eight assists in 34 regular-season games. The two-time Olympian and eight-time All-Star has 656 goals and 698 assists in 1,524 games with the Devils, Blues, Whalers, Red Wings and Rangers. He also has 60 goals and 74 assists in 184 playoff games.

– D Teppo Numminen, who played 20 years in the NHL with the Jets, Coyotes, Stars and Sabres, has announced his retirement from the game. A three-time NHL All-Star (1999, 2000, 2001) appeared in a total of 1,372 NHL games and recorded 117 goals and 520 assists for 637 points in his career. “I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play with and against the best players in the world for so many years. Playing hockey in the NHL and also for my country, Finland, was very enjoyable. I want to thank my teammates, coaches, fans, and the media for all the great years.”

– The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired Tony Granato as an assistant coach.

– The Canucks have re-signed F Jannik Hansen. Hansen, 23, recorded 21 points in 55 games played with the Canucks last season.

NFL

– The Giants have signed QB Eli Manning to a six-year/$97M extension, an average of $15.3M per season. Manning is guaranteed $35M under the deal that will keep him with the Giants through the 2015 season. He now earns more than his brother, Colts QB Peyton Manning, who earns $14.97M annually.

– Mike Lombardi of the National Football Post reports that free agent QB Michael Vick will likely sign with a team “east of the Mississippi.” While a dozen-someodd teams are still in play, the Raiders and 49ers appear to be off the list, while the Redskins and Jaguars appear to be the best options for both sides. Lombardi also says that Vick will definitely play in the NFL this year. Vick, like QB Brett Favre, has been working out with high schoolers near his hometown.

– ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Ravens WR Mark Clayton’s hamstring injury will cost him the next 4-6 weeks of training camp. The optimistic end of Clayton’s injury timetable would have him back just over a week before the Ravens’ season opener against the Chiefs.

– WR Donte’ Stallworth, currently under indefinite suspension, will reportedly meet with commissioner Roger Goodell Wednesday afternoon. Details of what is to be discussed during the meeting have not been disclosed. Similar to the Michael Vick meeting, it’s likely that Goodell will hand down guidelines on Stallworth’s future behavior and possibly determine a more finite suspension.

– The Redskins have signed WR D.J. Hackett. He’s is coming off a 13/181/0 season with the Panthers.

MLB

– Red Sox DH David Ortiz is still waiting for additional information regarding a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. Before Wednesday night’s game at Tampa Bay, Ortiz again said he will share the information, including what was in his system, with the Red Sox and the public. Stay tuned.

– The Red Sox have signed RHP Paul Byrd to a minor league contract. Byrd is expected to join the Red Sox around September 1and will pitch in the minor leagues until then. Byrd was 8-2 with a 3.46 ERA down the stretch last season following a rough start. Overall, Byrd went 11-12 with a 4.60 ERA in 30 starts between the Tribe and BoSox.

– Major League Baseball is investigating Tuesday night’s confrontation in which Brewers 1B Prince Fielder tried to get into the Dodger clubhouse to confront RHP Guillermo Mota. Fielder could be fined or suspended over the incident. Mota hit Fielder in the ninth inning of a blowout. After the game, Fielder had to be restrained by teammates and security guards as he tried to get into the Dodger clubhouse. Major League Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney said Watson could announce disciplinary action by the end of the week.

– According to the NY Daily News, Mets SS Jose Reyes (hamstring) has “significant scar tissue.” Reyes returned to New York on Tuesday to have his right leg injury examined by a team doctor. “The MRI showed significant scar tissue and inflammation behind the right knee, related to the hamstring tendon injury, which has caused continued pain. Reyes will remain in New York for manual physical therapy in an effort to break up the scar tissue and reduce the inflammation.”

– The Cubs have released LHP B.J. Ryan. Ryan’s road to the majors with the Cubs was halted when the club acquired LHP John Grabow and LHP Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates. Ryan wasn’t scored upon in 5 2/3 innings at Triple-A Iowa, but he had a 5/4 K/BB ratio. He was working in the 86-88 mph range. The former elite closer will likely be forced to find another minor league deal.

– Mets LHP Jon Niese (hamstring) will miss the remainder of the season. The Mets’ statement reads: “Jonathon Niese has been admitted to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. An MRI this afternoon revealed a complete tear of the right upper hamstring tendon from the bone. He will undergo surgery for its repair. Niese is out for the remainder of the season and is expected to be ready for Spring Training.”

VoV

– I’m out of town/away from a computer until sometime Sunday, so this is potentially the last post until Sunday afternoon. Deal with it.

MLB

– Red Sox DH David Ortiz and Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez, the sluggers who led Boston to a pair of World Series championships, were among the more than 100 MLB players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. Ortiz declined comment to the paper before the Red Sox played Oakland. The popular-but-slumping Big Papi had not been previously linked to positive tests. Ramirez recently served a 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy. Major League Baseball declined to comment on the report, telling the AP it didn’t have the list of the 104 players who tested positive six years ago. The players’ union also declined comment.

– The O’s have traded LHP George Sherrill to the Dodgers for Josh Bell and Steve Johnson. The White Sox were also in, having a package involving 3B Josh Fields. Sherrill will work as a setup man in front of closer RHP Jonathan Broxton. Sherrill is enjoying a stellar campaign, producing a 2.40 ERA with 20 saves and a 39/13 K/BB ratio in 41 1/3 innings. Jim Johnson is the big winner in this trade, as he is assumed to be the next closer in Baltimore, although the team could always go with a committee.

– The Pirates have traded LHP John Grabow and LHP Tom Gorzelanny to the Cubs for RHP Kevin Hart, RHP Jose Ascanio and 3B Josh Harrison. Hart has posted a 2.60 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in eight apperances (four starts) with the Cubs this season. He’s 26 and has logged just 60 major league innings, but could slid into Pittsburgh’s rotation. Ascanio has done well as a starter in the minors and could crack the big league roster as a reliever in 2010. Harrison, a third baseman, has hit a solid .337/.377/.479 with 16 stolen bases in 303 at-bats for Single-A Daytona, but is a long way from cracking a big league roster. Not a terrible deal for the Bucs, as they’re really beefing up their farm system.

– D’Backs RHP Brandon Webb has had another setback with his ailing right shoulder, which could finally lead to a shoulder surgery that has appeared inevitable. Webb will visit with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas to determine the best course of action. The Diamonbacks ace has not pitched since opening day.

– Tigers RHP Joel Zumaya (shoulder) will have surgery in August and is done for the season. Zumaya has all the talent in the world but just can’t stay healthy. Zumaya received two cortisone shots last week, but he was still complaining of soreness in his right shoulder, which led to an examination by Dr. James Andrews. The right-hander was placed on the DL July 18 after feeling a “pop” in his right shoulder.

– The Brewers have placed RHP Jeff Suppan (oblique) on the 15-day DL. Suppan was injured on Monday while swinging a bat in his last start against the Nationals.

NBA

– The Lakers have re-signed F Lamar Odom to a four-year/$33M deal, with the fourth year being a team option. Odom, 29, averaged 11.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists for Los Angeles last season. He had also been considering rejoining the Heat, for whom he played during the 2003-04 season before joining the Lakers.

– Wolves G RIcky Rubio is close to getting a five-year deal from Regal FC Barcelona worth $1.4M annually, but has an opt out clause after two seasons. It’s in 2011 when he’s expected to join the Wolves.

– The Bobcats and RFA G Raymond Felton are at a stalemate in terms of contract talks. The team is believed to be shopping his name around.

– Pacers F Mike Dunleavy is slightly ahead of schedule in his return from a knee injury, and could be back before January.

– The Pacers have signed F Solomon Jones to a multi-year deal.

NHL

– The NHL Board of Governors approved a bid Wednesday by Jerry Reinsdorf to assume ownership of the financially troubled Phoenix Coyotes, and unanimously rejected an application by Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie to buy the team. The group heading by Reinsdorf, the owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, was the only one of three applicants to gain the board’s approval on Wednesday. That vote was unanimous.

– The NHL has registered F Jiri Hudler’s two-year/$10M contract with the KHL.

– F Rob Niedermayer is not expected to be back with the Ducks next season. The 34-year-old veteran is an UFA. It is unclear at this time where he may end up as team’s seem reluctant right now to sign players. Niedermayer recorded 21 points in 79 games with Anaheim last season.

– The sale of the Florida Panthers is about to go through. Unlike the Coyotes, though, the Panthers are staying in Florida for the forseeable future.

NFL

– FA QB Michael Vick told the AP Thursday that he is “getting close” to deciding on a team to sign with. This was the only detail Vick gave as he exited a meeting with his bankruptcy lawyers. Vick’s ideas since being released to home confinement have seemed delusional, from his expectation of future pay to his proposal to get out of debt. No team has yet expressed public interest.

– Patriots QB Tom Brady (ACL, MCL surgery) was on the field as the Patriots opened training camp practice on Thursday. No active/PUP for Tom Terrific. Brady had a brace on his left knee, which he’ll likely don the rest of his career. He went through passing drills with the Pats’ other three quarterbacks and didn’t seem hindered in the least. If Brady can recapture his 2007 form immediately, this may go down as one of the most impressive recoveries from reconstructive knee surgery in NFL history.

– Chargers Vincent Jackson is expected to avoid NFL discipline this season after recently appealing a judge’s ruling in his DUI case, delaying any trial. Jackson is arguing that he was illegally forced to give a blood test after his January 6, 2009 arrest. When police’s breathalyzer wouldn’t work, officers allegedly tied Jackson to a chair and drew blood from his arms against his will. Following the appeal, the contract-year wideout’s legal case will likely be delayed until after the 2009 season.

WWE

– WWE has released The Brian Kendrick. Kendrick had been with WWE since 2005. He held the WWE Tag Team championship with Paul London back in 2006. His most recent angle was wrestling as “THE Brian Kendrick,” a heel with Ezekiel Jackson as his bodyguard. The duo was broken up in April at the WWE Draft. Kendrick wrestled on this week’s Raw.

– Jim Ross has posted a new blog over at JRsBarBQ.com. He talks about Jeremy Piven hosting next week’s Raw, WWE’s partnership with 7-Eleven to promote SummerSlam, the new DX book and more. Here’s what JR said about:

Shaq Hosting Raw: It was good seeing Shaq Monday while in D.C. taping the lone, SD bout for WWE Superstars, that was excellent BTW. Shaq was his regular, friendly self who had a legit fun time at Raw and enjoyed being around the talent. I was pleasantly surprised at how lean Big Shaq was which must mean that he is eagerly anticipating his season coming up with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Big Fellow really looked in excellent, physical condition. Shaq is a natural born performer and a true fan of WWE which all seemed to come through clearly to me on the Monday evening telecast.

Jeremy Piven Hosting Raw: “Entourage’s Jeremy Piven will have his hands full following Shaq’s act this Monday when Piven Guest Hosts Raw from the Mohegan Sun Casino which is one of my favorite spots to visit when on the road. I don’t plan on being there this Monday but that always could change I have grown to know. However, I will be in Long Island for SD on Tuesday night and the Nassau Coliseum is a big time arena that is “in the shadow of New York City” or so I’ve been told and prompted to say on air many times.”

Fedor Negotiating with UFC: “The UFC and Fedor Emelianenko are still apparently negotiating for the much hyped, superman/heavyweight MMA fighter to sign with UFC. It’s obviously a negotiation that UFC must undergo but signing Fedor definitely isn’t a “must sign.” The deal must be good for the UFC. This deal should be for a minimum of three fights and without destroying UFC’s business model that so many have worked tirelessly to build. Fedor is not bigger than MMA and when, not if, Emelianenko is defeated he ceases to be bullet proof. Yes, I’ve been around a few monstrous, ticket and PPV selling attractions in my career and I realize that a potential Fedor-Brock fight is huge money but so is their return. What if Emelianenko-Lesnar was an Ali-Frazier thing, don’t say that’s impossible, and it took three battles to settle the score? That’s sort of hard to accomplish with only a “one fight deal … UFC has all the leverage, as I see it, in these negotiations and crafting of a fair and mutually rewarding deal for both entities should be UFC’s only goal.”

– Hulk Hogan’s daughter Brooke recently spoke to The Sun in the UK about her family and her VH1 reality show. Here are some highlights:

On her current relationship with Hulk: “Our relationship is a lot stronger. Dad’s definitely changed as a person too. He was always a good dad, but he’s been really getting into the spiritual side of stuff now. He’s been reading a lot of books and he’s also started praying to God, so he’s just been really calm and his kids are his top priority.”

On kissing a girl in a recent episode of Brooke Knows Best: “Everyone’s been talking about that scene, especially men because they just love that girl-on-girl stuff. It’s so funny when guys are like: ‘Hey, I liked it when you kissed that chick, did you like it?’ And I say: ‘Not really!’ I mean it was my first time ever kissing a girl and it just wasn’t sexy. There’s a thing about men that turn me on but a women’s soft lips and soft body and all that stuff – I just can’t do it!”

If her relationship with her mother can be fixed: “I hope we do but she’ll have to go through a lot of changes – spiritually, mentally and physically. She’s going to really need to find a good spot to be in. I’ve tried to help but it’s too awkward and weird. We are two different people now.”

TNA

– According to sources, TNA president Dixie Carter did not reveal her immediate plans at the TV tapings last week, but backstage rumors are swirling of her possibly buying out Jeff Jarrett and making creative changes.

The office was apparently in disarray last week, as some office workers weren’t sure who to speak with regarding things they would normally have gone to Jarrett about. Carter has apparently spoken to some of the top wrestlers personally regarding the situation, but aside from them, the only people in the know are her inner-circle. There likely won’t be any official announcement on her decision for a while.

“Dixie has seized complete control of the company and she will be going over the Jarrett allies (closely),” said one TNA source. “If anyone in her inner circle has something bad to say about those people, they could be gone.”

While Carter has technically been in control of the company since she purchased a majority share, she hasn’t really asserted her power and allowed Jarrett to run the wrestling end of the operation. She has a reputation of avoiding confrontation, but the feeling is that she’s stepping up at a crucial time that will define the company going forward.