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Lester Pitches First Game Since Cancer Diagnosis
2007-03-07 12:44:02
Jon Lester returned to the mound for the first time since being diagnosed with lymphoma last August and undergoing chemotherapy. Lester pitched the first inning of Boston’s “B” game and needed just eight pitches to retire the side. “It’s great. Just to get back and be normal again is awesome, just to get back on the mound and throw the baseball and not worry about other things,” the 23-year-old said. “So it’s good, and I enjoyed it and, hopefully, we just build from here.” It’s may just be a “B” game, but this is an enormous accomplishment given the uncertainty of his future just six months ago. He has been working hard to improve his stamina but you can bet the Red Sox will bring him along slowly. ?I don?t think the treatments are a factor right now. I?m still building it back up from the offseason, but I think I?m right about at 85 or 90 percent, getting close and starting to feel a little more comfortable wi...
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Alyssa Milano Wants You to Wear Her Clothes
2007-03-06 00:43:01
Okay, I’m not really into that sort of thing but I could make an exception for Ms. Milan o. According to a story posted at The Biz of Baseball: Looking to boost its share in women’s apparel in the sport’s clothing category, MLB Properties will help market Alyssa Milano ’s line of licensed casual wear. Milano?s venture reflects ?a part of the market we haven?t touched yet, putting a high-end product on the casual and younger fans who are more fashion conscious,? said Greg Sim, MLB Properties? director of licensing, apparel and headwear. Women?s apparel now accounts for about 18 percent of baseball?s licensed clothing sales. That’s right, Milano has introduced a new line of MLB-themed clothing named “TOUCH” that will be aimed at women and girls, and with the help of MLB’s marketing department, the clothes will be available in 11 ballparks as well as outside retailers. The clothing line will feature everything from logo-emblazoned jeans...
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Cardinals Show Interest in Clemens
2007-03-01 00:38:02
Apparently GM Walt Jocketty and the St. Louis Card inals are interested in bringing Roger Clemens to town. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: General manager Walt Jocketty, assistant general manager John Mozeliak and vice president of player personnel Jerry Walker met at length Monday morning at a nearby coffee shop with one of Clemens’ lead agents, Alan Hendricks, and two associates. Much of their two-hour meeting focused on Hendricks clients Braden Looper and Kip Wells, but Clemens was discussed. “I guess you would always have interest in a guy like that,” Jocketty said. “He’s someone we’ve expressed interest in before. I’m not sure it would be mutual, though. There are so many factors involved it would be pretty tough to do any deal with them. You never know.” One club official played down the Cardinals’ chances of landing Clemens to “1 million to 1.” Is anyone else tired of this whole Roger Clemens Sweepstakes? A...
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Fantasy Baseball 2007 Breakout Picks
2007-02-27 12:36:01
One of the keys to a successful fantasy team is finding a few hidden gems so I thought that I would give you a few players that I expect to have breakout years. Catcher: Miguel Montero, Arizona Diamondbacks Montero appears to be favorite to win the starting C job in Arizona this season. He has shown good power and a good eye throughout his minor league career. Last year in AAA he had a .321 BA, .396 OBP and 7 HR in 134 AB. First base: Adam LaRoche, Pittsburgh Pirates Laroche contributes in every category except stolen bases. You can expect 30+ HR, 90+ RBI’s and a .285 BA. Last season he improved against LHP and set career highs in OB%, SLG% and OPS. Look for more of the same in 2007. Second base: Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim If you haven’t heard of him yet, you will. The 23-year-old hit .361 with a .405 OBP in the minor leagues. He will be a full time starter at 2B and 10-15 HRs, 15 SB, and a .290 BA is certainly obtainable for Kendrick. Will also...
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Cincinnati Reds: 2007 MLB Preview
2007-02-26 00:34:02
The Cincinnati Reds surprised a lot of people by staying in contention for most of last year. They were actually in the National League wild card driver?s seat for much of the season before fading down the stretch and finishing just three games out in the NL Central. I look for much of the same from the Reds this season: plenty of offense, a little pitching, contends for a while, and ultimately, another losing season. Offensive production shouldn?t be a problem. 37-year-old Ken Griffey, Jr. is coming off a season where he hit .252 with 27 homers and 19 doubles in 428 at bats. It was nice to see him relatively healthy for a change and he should be ready for opening day after an off-season wrist injury. Speedy RF Ryan Freel will join Griffey in the outfield, and they still have 27-year-old LF Adam Dunn providing plenty of power in the middle of the order. Dunn has developed a bit more patience at the plate and that has resulted in three consecutive years of at least 40 home runs. ...
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Broncos RB Nash Collapses and Dies
2007-02-25 18:34:01
More terrible news for the Denver Bron cos family this evening. According to ESPN, running back Damien Nash collapsed and died after a charity basketball game in suburban St. Louis. Nash collapsed shortly after participating in the game benefiting a foundation named for older brother Darris Nash. The foundation raises money for heart transplant research. It was established last month, after Darris Nash received a heart transplant. His death comes less than two months after Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was murdered on New Year’s Eve. “The Broncos family has suffered a great loss with the passing of Damien Nash,” coach Mike Shanahan said from Indianapolis, where he was attending the NFL’s scouting combine along with general manager Ted Sundquist. “I am stunned and deeply saddened by this tragedy, and send my deepest condolences to Damien’s family.” Nash played three games with the Titans as a rookie, and then signed with Denver as a free...
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Tiger Woods Streak Ends at Seven
2007-02-25 00:32:02
Tiger Wood s streak of seven consecutive PGA tour victories ended at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship being played outside of Tucson, Arizona. Australia?s Nick O?Hern sank a 12-foot par putt on the second extra hole to beat the world?s best golfer. One hole earlier, Woods failed to notice a ball mark in the line of his 4-foot birdie putt that would have won his match against O’Hern. Only after Woods struck his putt did he notice the ball mark he neglected to repair, which he said caused the ball to bump slightly off line to the right and slide by the cup. “I was so enthralled with the line, I didn’t see the ball mark,” he said. “I knew if I hit it left-center, the match would be over. It’s my fault for not paying attention to detail.”… The streak was always subject to debate. Some thought it should carry an asterisk because Woods actually lost in the first round of the World Match Play Championship on the European tour last Se...
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Craig Biggio Chases a Milestone
2007-02-24 12:31:04
Craig Biggio has been one of my favorites players for a long time. He gives you 110% every time he steps on the field and he always plays the game the “right way.” At age 41, Biggio sits 70 hits short of 3000 for his career and as we all know, that elusive number almost guarantees a player a spot in baseball’s Hall of Fame. If Biggio does get his 3,000th hit this year, he’ll be the 27th player to do so in Major League history. While that is pretty exclusive company and a major career milestone, I believe he has his sights set on a different target. If Biggio gets hit by six pitches this year, he’ll have been hit more than any other player in baseball history. It’s almost a given that he will set the record this year. The last time Biggio was hit by less than six pitches in a season was 1991 when he only took three for the team. Last year he was hit nine times and that was his lowest single season total since 1994. Surely he can manage six mo...
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Dog In Jonathan Babineaux?s Care Dies of Head Injury
2007-02-23 00:30:04
This story is quite disturbing. Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux was arrested on charges of animal cruelty after his girlfriend returned home to find her dog injured. The dog, a pit bull mix named Kilo, later died of a massive head injury, and accounts suggest that Babineaux killed the animal after a fight with his girlfriend. Gwinnett County Police said officers were dispatched Sunday evening to the Animal Emergency Center, where the staff told them that 24-year-old Blair Anderson had arrived with a pit bull mix that was dead upon arrival. Police said Anderson told them she and Babineaux, 25, had argued at their home. She said she went to the movies, and upon returning found Kilo, her year-and-a-half old dog, in “severe physical distress.” Police say Babineaux gave them a story that was inconsistent with the injuries Kilo suffered. Babineaux was released on a $2,300 bond. Source: KFMB
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Is Pacman Jones Done in Tennessee?
2007-02-23 00:30:04
By now, I’m sure everyone is aware of the nightclub shooting in Las Vegas and Adam “Pacman ” Jones ’ possible involvement. One thing that I haven’t heard discussed is whether or not Pacman Jones has played his last game for the Tennessee Titans. If you think back to Pacman’s last run-in with the law you will remember that head coach Jeff Fisher and the Titan’s organization was less than pleased with their young star. Here are Fisher’s comments after suspending Jones in November: “This is the defining moment in his career,” Fisher said…. Fisher also told Jones what the team would do if he has another off-field problem that involves police. Fisher would not discuss what that might be. “He was very, very concerned about his immediate future,” Fisher said. “I think he has legitimate reason to be concerned about his long-term future here.” ?From a discipline standpoint, we?re doing every single thin...
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Ron Rivera Joins Turner in San Diego
2007-02-21 12:29:02
In what has to be the most interesting coaching move of the offseason, the Chicago Bears Monday announced that defensive coordinator Ron River a will not remain with the team for the 2007 season. Just hours later, the San Diego Chargers, who earlier in the day had hired Norv Turner as their new head coach and Ted Cottrell as their defensive coordinator, hired Rivera to be their new linebackers coach. The move came as a surprise to many, considering that Rivera had been up for numerous NFL head coaching jobs. In the past two seasons, he had talked to eight different NFL teams about their head coaching spot. Rivera deflected comments about a possible ?personality conflict? with Bears coach Lovie Smith. ?No, no, no, no, please. I don?t think there is, I really don?t,? Rivera stated about that possibility. ?I believe this is just a football decision and it was made. I?m disappointed in not getting the opportunity to come back in ?07 because as I said at the end of the year after the los...
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Milwaukee Brewers: 2007 MLB Preview
2007-02-20 00:28:01
Manager Ned Yost had the Milwaukee Brewers on the verge of becoming a playoff team before taking a step back last season. This year, they look for the pitching staff to rebound from a disappointing year and hope some key players can stay away from injuries. If those two things happen, the Brewers will be much improved and a trip to the post-season may not be out of the question. As always, the success of the Brewers will depend on the health of Ben Sheets. Each of his last two seasons has been cut short with injuries, the most recent due to shoulder problems that limited him to just 17 starts. But Milwaukee still believes Sheets is capable of being a bona fide ace and if he can stay healthy, he is a major presence at the top of the rotation. Left-hander Chris Capuano would be the ace on many pitching staffs. After winning 18 games in 2005, Capuano won only 11 games in 2006 but might have been a better pitcher than the year before. The Brewers also signed veteran free agent Jef...
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MLB Rule Changes for 2007
2007-02-18 12:26:02
Major League Baseball has enacted a number of rules changes for the first time since 1996 when the interpretation of the strike zone was modified. Among the changes: Time Between Pitches: The allotted time for delivering the ball with no one on base has been reduced, from 20 seconds to 12. The penalty for each violation is a ball. Batter’s Box: An automatic strike will be assessed each time a batter violates the rule requiring them to keep one foot in the batter’s box throughout his at-bat, except for certain game-play conditions — during which he is still not allowed to leave the dirt area surrounding the plate. Sacrifice Bunt: The guidewords for deciding whether to credit a batter with a sacrifice bunt have changed from him being possibly retired on a “perfect play” to “ordinary effort” by the defense. Doctoring the Ball: “Soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sandpaper, emery paper or other foreign substance” are specifically prohi...
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Chicago Cubs: 2007 MLB Preview
2007-02-16 18:25:01
On paper, the Chicago Cubs look like a much better team when compared to the 2006 version. They have added Lou Pinella at manager, revamped the outfield, overhauled the rotation, and added the most sought after free-agent on the market. That’s all well and good… but can they win? Carlos Zambrano is one of the best in the game, winning at least ten games and finishing in the top 10 in ERA every season of his career. He’ll be a free agent after the year, and recently told the Cubs if he didn’t receive an extension before Opening Day, he’d leave for greener pastures. If the Cubs are unable or unwilling to get a deal done, the Zambrano situation could prove to be a huge distraction. After Zambrano, the rotation is filled with mediocre veterans, injury question marks, and an unproven youngster. Ted Lilly somehow convinced the Cubs that he was worth $40 million but his lifetime 4.60 ERA is no cause for celebration. He has always been a flyball pitcher (...
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Tim Hardaway Hates Gay People
2007-02-16 06:24:01
Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hard away said Wednesday that he hates gay people. He was a guest on the Dan LeBatard radio show and when asked about John Amaechi, Hardaway had the following to say: “First of all, I wouldn’t want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don’t think that’s right. And you know I don’t think he should be in the locker room while we’re in the locker room. I wouldn’t even be a part of that.” “You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States.” And if your wondering what Amaechi has to say about Hardaway’s anti-gay comments, he tells The Miami Herald: “I’m actually tempted to laugh. Finally, someone who is honest. It is ridicu...
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An Easy Way to Approximate Odds in Hold?em
2007-02-16 06:24:01
Unless you are a mathematics genius, it is very difficult to calculate the exact odds of hitting a drawing hand when you’re sitting at the poker table. Not many people fall into the genius category so they need to find another way. Here is a simple trick that I have learned that allows me to quickly estimate the odds of making a hand. The first thing you need to do is to figure out how many “outs” you have. Remember, in poker an “out” is any card that gives you a made hand. So, you simply count the number of cards that will give you the hand you are drawing to. For example: suppose you hold Ah 10h and the flop comes Qd 9h 4h which gives you a flush draw. There are thirteen hearts in the deck and you are looking at four of them (the two in your hand, and the two on the board) so that leaves nine hearts in the deck, and two chances to hit one. The trick to figuring out the approximate percentage chance of hitting the flush is to multiply your outs tim...
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Florida Marlins: 2007 MLB Preview
2007-02-16 06:24:01
The Florida Marlins new manager, Fredi Gonzalez, inherits a team that has no stadium, very little revenue, and a bad habit of letting talented free agent players leave town. Still the Marlins managed to finish with a respectable 78-84 record last year despite an Opening Day payroll of $15 million. Over the last two years Carlos Delgado, Josh Beckett, Alex Gonzalez, Luis Castillo, Paul LoDuca, Mike Lowell, A.J. Burnett, Juan Pierre, Todd Jones, A.J. Burnett and Guillermo Mota have moved on to other teams. One star that they did not let get away is Dontrelle Willis. At 25, he is Florida’s all-time leader with 58 victories, ranks second on the team’s career innings pitched list, and would be considered a grizzled veteran when compared to most of his teammates. Last season Willis went 12-12 with a 3.87 ERA while pitching 223 1/3 innings. The rest of the starting staff may not be household names but they are a talented bunch. Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen, Ricky Nolasco and ...
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The Chargers Suck, Really
2007-02-16 06:24:01
The San Diego Charge rs are one of those teams in the NFL that people think has a lot of class and is a top notch organization when in reality THEY SUCK when it comes to relationships with people. When the Charger s traded for Philip Rivers in 2004 and he went to mini-camp, he befriended LaDainian Tomlinson. It was reported that when the mini-camp ended LT told Rivers he would see him in September implying that the Chargers had no intention of signing him in time to be in training camp when it opened. This mentality is well known around the NFL and is the reason that Eli and the Mannings, in general, didn?t want anything to do with the Chargers. This brings me to the firing of Marty Schottenheimer who was 14-2 this past season and is 200-126-1 in his career as a head coach. The reason for the firing, allegedly, is a ?dysfunctional situation? when, in fact, it appears that G.M. A.J. Smith has an ego the size of a small town in Texas. THEY WERE 14-2, but “we need a new coach beca...
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2007 Nascar Points System
2007-02-16 06:24:01
Changes to NASCAR Point s System in 2007 Move Emphasis to Race Victories A shake-up of the points system used in NASCAR races will award an extra five points to race winners, beginning with the 2007 season events at Daytona 500. The changes, announced by NASCAR in January ‘07, were devised to shift emphasis onto drivers winning races rather than merely getting by through consistently finishing within the top ten, a habit that was threatening to dull enthusiasm for the sport. Referring to the point system changes in a statement, NASCAR CEO, Brian France, said “Winning is what this sport is all about. Nobody likes to see drivers content to finish in the top 10. We want our sport, especially during the Chase, to be more about winning.” Each race victory will now result in 185 points, an additional five points over victories achieved under the previous point system. To gain an understanding of how an extra five points can increase the competitiveness of NASCAR racers, j...
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Kris Benson Out for the Season
2007-02-16 06:24:01
ESPN is reporting that Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kris Benson will likely miss all of 2007 with a torn rotator cuff in his his pitching shoulder. Benson’s agent says that a recent MRI revealed that there was a tear and the injury will require surgery. Benson is in the final year of a three-year $22.5 million contract but the Orioles do have $7.5 million option for 2008. Source: ESPN
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Winds of Change Are Blowing in NASCAR 2007
2007-02-16 06:24:01
It’s Time for the Daytona 500! The wait is over, Daytona is here, and this year’s Daytona 500 brings with it a whirlwind of change. During the off-season, NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series got a huge overhaul! Starting with the points and championship system all the way down to the cars themselves, fans will be hard-pressed to find something that didn’t change. With many 2007 NASCAR drivers changing teams, old sponsors like GM Goodwrench leaving, and rumors of Jeff Gordon nearing retirement age, there is too much to talk about! Therefore, I want to narrow your focus to what I predict will be the top 5 stories of 2007 in NASCAR. But before I give you the top headlines of 2007, let me first tune you in to this week’s schedule. Next Week’s Schedule: Nextel Cup: @ Daytona International Speedway 02/11/07 - 02:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Bud Pole Qualifying (determines top 2 positions) 02/15/07 - 02:00pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Gatorade Duel At Daytona (qualifying races ...
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Washington Nationals: 2007 MLB Preview
2007-02-16 06:24:01
If you are looking for the worst team in the majors for 2007 you should probably start with the Washington Nation al s. The Nationals do not have a lot of talent in the majors and with a farm system that is virtually nonexistent there is not much hope for the future either. The team does have Ryan Zimmerman, a 22-year-old stud that established himself as one of the best third basemen in the National League. That means that the offense will feature Zimmerman, Nick Johnson, and Austin Kearns. Johnson is a solid player but has a history of injuries and doesn’t provide a ton of power for a first baseman while Kearns failure to live up to his early promise frustrated the Reds to the point that they shipped him to the Nationals for next to nothing. Felipe Lopez probably gets the nod at second with Cristian Guzman handling duties at shortstop. Guzman has not played since 2005 and even then the numbers (.219/.260/.314) were less than spectacular. Chris Snelling, who the Mariners tr...
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Mosley Wins Unanimous Decision Against Collazo
2007-02-16 06:24:01
?Sugar? Shane Mosley outboxed a frustrated Luis Collazo en route to an easy unanimous decision victory in his return to the welterweight division. After the fight, Mosley set his sights on Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who has a fight with Oscar de la Hoya looming on the horizon. The only problem is, Floyd says that isn’t going to happen. In a post fight interview with Jim Lampley, Mayweather stated that Mosley has ducked him since 1998, and now that he’s 35 years old, he’s trying to get into the ring with him for a payday. Mayweather also reiterated that his fight against de la Hoya on May 5 will be his last. That remains to be seen, but for now, Mosley/Mayweather is not going to happen anytime soon. Mosley plans to fight again in the summer to stay sharp and set the table for a possible showdown against Mayweather. And with fighters like Antonio Margarito, Paul Williams, and Miguel Cotto all at 147 pounds, there is certainly no shortage of quality opponents for Shane...
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Pete Carroll Not In Chargers? Plans
2007-02-16 06:24:01
It looks like USC Trojan fans can breathe a little easier today. Sources are reporting that the San Diego Charge rs plan to have a replacement for the fired Marty Schottenheimer in place as early as next week. The accelerated time table and the fact Carr oll would have limited control in San Diego pretty much eliminates him from the job. The Chargers would “have to move too quickly to make the kind of commitment they’d need to get Pete,” the source said. “A different timetable would enable them to develop a higher level of mutual comfort.” Carroll has declined to comment on the San Diego coaching search and maintains that he is not leaving USC. Now if they could just get those pesky NCAA investigators to go away… Source: Ben Maller?s Sports Rumors & Notes
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