Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for November 28, 2006

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Maybe the Bulls do decide to make Ben Gordon a shoot-first point guard like Jason Terry in Dallas and deal Kirk Hinrich, though Hinrich is difficult to deal because of salary-cap rules with his extension. Maybe they clear up the Luol Deng-Andres Nocioni logjam at small forward. Given the expectations and the issues, it's likely no one is safe and the only certainty is the Bulls have to act while they still can get the best out of Ben Wallace.

While many have suggested Kevin Garnett should similarly force his way out of Minnesota, Tracy McGrady said Garnett never will. "Me knowing KG, I know how loyal he is," McGrady said. "He's been there so long, he's stuck through everything that's been going on there. Everybody is talking about how he should demand things and get out, but he's a loyal guy."

Rewarding the coach who led them to their best season, the Clippers have reached agreement with Mike Dunleavy on a four-year contract extension for more than $21 million, The Times has learned. Andy Roeser, Clippers executive vice president, and Dunleavy's agent, Warren LeGarie, late last week finalized the framework of a package that will pay Dunleavy more than $5.3 million a season, multiple team sources said Monday. The Clippers have not announced the agreement because Roeser and LeGarie were still negotiating bonuses for Dunleavy tied to the team's future playoff performances. Dunleavy, 52, was in Sacramento with the Clippers on Monday preparing for the final game of a trip Tuesday against the Kings. Asked about his new contract, Dunleavy said he had hoped "something could be worked out because this is where I want to be, which is what I've said all along."

The Charlotte Bobcats plan to sign a veteran, possibly by game time tonight, and don't be surprised if that veteran is a third point guard. An Eastern Conference player-personnel source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Bobcats have made inquiries lately about various point guards. The Bobcats are down to two point guards, after cutting Kevin Burleson late in the preseason. That's a nervous situation, because one of those points -- Brevin Knight -- has missed 12 or more games in each of the past six seasons. Bickerstaff played Raymond Felton the maximum 48 minutes against the Boston Celtics recently, when Knight was injured, and acknowledged before that game that adding a third point guard was a possibility. Milt Palacio and Penny Hardaway appear to be possibilities. Palacio was cut in the preseason by the Seattle Supersonics. Hardaway was last with the Orlando Magic. Palacio's agent, Andy Miller, confirmed that the Bobcats contacted him last week about his client's availability. Miller was waiting for the Bobcats to get back to him today. Kevin Bradbury, the agent for former Duke point guard Jay Williams, said he was not contacted by the Bobcats about the opening.

With Ben Wallace's frustration a public matter, Bulls general manager John Paxson reacted Monday with one goal in mind. "I can't allow it to fracture our team," Paxson said. "And I don't think it will." Paxson spoke at length with Wallace before and after the center had an MRI performed at Rush University Medical Center. According to athletic trainer Fred Tedeschi, it revealed Wallace has a sprained right index finger and a mild contusion on his right wrist. Wallace didn't practice Monday, didn't speak to reporters and, with a Tuesday home game looming against the Knicks, is day-to-day. So are the fortunes of the Bulls' team chemistry. Paxson declined to comment on whether Wallace would be further disciplined for breaking a team rule by wearing a headband in the Bulls' victory over the Knicks on Saturday, which caused coach Scott Skiles to bench Wallace. But team sources indicated Wallace would be fined.

Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony, the NBA's leading scorer, was named Western Conference player of the week Monday. Teammate Marcus Camby said that's not good enough, suggesting that Anthony should be considered the league's best player, period, through the first month. "In my eyes he's the MVP of the league," Camby said. "I see no one who is playing better." Through 12 games, Anthony leads the NBA with a 31.1-point average on 51 percent shooting. He's averaging 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals. He is on pace for 62 30-point games, which would shatter the franchise record of 43 shared by Kiki Vandeweghe (1983-84) and Alex English (1985-86). Anthony also is on pace to become Denver's first NBA scoring champion since English in 1983 (28.4 average).

If Josh Boone isn't a contributor, their need for size will become an issue again. There could be bigs available -- Anderson Varejao has lost his job in Cleveland, Melvin Ely is a third-stringer in Charlotte, or maybe Adonal Foyle will be bought out by Golden State one of these days. But without Robinson in the mix, the Nets' bigs have yet to prove they can play big at the defensive end.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers believes there is a growing gap between coaches, players and their public. “We’re not as close as we used to be to our fans,” he said after yesterday’s practice. “We used to be out and about with them more. I thought that was good. I think it really helped our profession. But now we leave after games, and the guys have security (details). I think something’s been disconnected in all sports. I think money has made a big change. A guy makes $10 million, and he’s expected to be worth that much money. “But I don’t know how a guy can be a $10 million or even a $2 million player. I don’t know how someone can live up to that. “I remember when they booed Jon Koncak in Atlanta,” Rivers said of his old teammate, who was renowned for signing a multi-million dollar contract that was considered excessive. “People loved him. Then he signed that contract, and had exactly the same numbers the season after the contract, and they booed him.”

The season is not even a month old, but already there have been three complaints from opposing coaches and players about the amount of foul calls Dwyane Wade received in the course of a game. The latest was Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace, who claimed, ``He gets all the calls, that's what makes him special.'' Wade said he doesn't really hear about such claims, which started this season when Sonics coach Bob Hill said of Wade, ``It's unbelievable what he gets away with.'' ''It doesn't bug me as long as [the calls] don't stop,'' said Wade, who averages a league-high 11.5 free-throw attempts a game. ``[It's] because I'm getting to the basket. I'm not settling for jumpers. It's not like I'm getting foul calls off the ball or getting foul calls on my jump shot, I'm getting them attacking.'' Heat coach Pat Riley said all the chatter from the opposition is posturing mixed with a bit of sour grapes.

Phil Jackson's stance toward first-year players has apparently softened over time, so much so that he criticized past reports that painted him as a coach who turned a cold shoulder to all rookies. "It's just all lies," Jackson said Monday. "It's not [even] overblown. It's just total lies. When you have teams that have finished first as many times as we had in Chicago and finished first in L.A. here since the very initial year, you end up with draft picks that are basically one pick above the second round. "I always look at that as limited information that people have. [There are] guys that I've had that I've felt really happy about since I've been a Laker, with kind of a father's pride."

Injured forward Darius Songaila went through his first day of rehabilitation exercise yesterday while the Washington Wizards practiced. Songaila, who underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back on Nov. 2, said he will be limited to work on a stationary bike and treadmill as well as other low-impact conditioning until his back gains strength. The Wizards originally said he might return 10 to 12 weeks after surgery, but neither the team nor Songaila has established a firm timetable.

Oklahoma City's Marc Jackson said he is still not comfortable on the court after missing the entire preseason and first nine regular season games due to multiple hamstring injures. In five games, Jackson is averaging 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.2 minutes per game. He's shooting just 31.8 percent. "I'm struggling," Jackson said. "My game is showing it. We haven't had much practice time, and I've been trying to get my conditioning and my rhythm back through the games. So it's taken a little longer than I expected. But I'm a basketball player, so I've got to get myself in better conditioning to have better performances."

The Sixers announced after the game that they are sending second-year guard Louis Williams and rookie forward Bobby Jones to their Fort Worth affiliate in the National Basketball Developmental League. Williams, who got on the court for the final 28 seconds of last night's loss to the Heat, scored two points in five games and was inactive for seven contests. He was a second-round pick (No. 45 overall) of the Sixers in 2005.

Nets forward Cliff Robinson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee yesterday to remove torn cartilage and while the team is putting no timetable on a return, Robinson is likely to be out for 6-8 weeks. And that deals the Nets' already struggling frontline defense another nasty hit. The Nets are hoping guard Eddie House (knee) returns by Saturday, while Josh Boone is expected back next week with his 6-10 size and athleticism, though he is a rookie who hasn't played since July. As far as any potential moves, team president Rod Thorn noted, "There's nobody out there."

Pistons assistant Terry Porter ran a short practice Monday because Flip Saunders spent the past two days in Minnesota with his family -- sort of a belated Thanksgiving Day celebration. Saunders will be back today.

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Speculation about possible destinations for Manny Ramírez intensified. The Padres were identified as "an interested party" by a team source, there was further confirmation that the Giants had spoken with the Red Sox about Ramírez, and the Dodgers were among the teams that have "kicked the tires" about the left fielder. Meanwhile, the usual suspects, Texas and Anaheim, appeared improbable destinations for Ramírez, who as a 10-5 player (10 years in the majors, 5 years with the same team) can veto any deal. Other teams mentioned as potential trading partners include the Phillies, who were shut out in their pursuit of Alfonso Soriano; the Orioles, who were among the also-rans for Carlos Lee; and the Mets, who even after signing a left fielder, Moises Alou, could conceivably offer their other corner outfielder, Shawn Green, as well as top outfield prospect Lastings Milledge, should general manager Omar Minaya's enthusiasm for Ramírez be rekindled.

The Angels and Chicago White Sox have discussed a trade that would send infielder-outfielder Chone Figgins and pitcher Ervin Santana to Chicago for third baseman Joe Crede and pitcher Freddy Garcia, baseball sources said Monday. The sources said no trade was imminent and other players probably would be included in any deal should negotiations progress.

The A's began talks with Padres catcher Mike Piazza last week about becoming the team's DH. While negotiations are continuing, according to a source, Oakland is unlikely to sign Piazza, a Type-A free agent, until after the Dec. 1 arbitration deadline so that the team does not lose a draft pick. Piazza, who also was an A's target last offseason, probably is looking for a two-year deal.

All has been quiet on Jason Schmidt's potential return to San Francisco, and this might be why: According to one source, the Cubs have offered Schmidt a three-year deal worth $44 million.

For White Sox fans having visions of Joe Crede at third base forever and for those dreaming of Barry Bonds as the new left fielder, the reality is neither will happen. And for those believing a free-agent signing will help, the news is not encouraging. "Everyone says we need more power, more speed, in the outfield, but no one has any names," White Sox general manager Ken Williams said Monday. "Give me someone who's not asking for a billion dollars." While Bonds will not ask for a billion, he may come relatively cheap to some team wanting him to surpass Hank Aaron's all-time home run record in its uniform. It will not be the black pinstripes of the Sox. "I grew up with Barry [in the Bay Area]," Williams said. "I played against him in high school and we maintain a friendly relationship. He is very nice to my kids. "And I would just as soon keep it that way."

Adam Kennedy could be reunited with former double-play partner David Eckstein in St. Louis if the free-agent second baseman, who in October completed his seventh season with the Angels, accepts a three-year offer, believed to be in the $15-million range, from the Cardinals. Eckstein, the most valuable player of the Cardinals' World Series victory over Detroit in October, was the shortstop on the Angels' 2002 championship team. Though St. Louis appears to be the favorite to land Kennedy, the Toronto Blue Jays and a third team, which neither Kennedy nor agent Paul Cohen would reveal, are also in the hunt.

The Orioles have been in touch with the representatives of free-agent outfielders Jay Payton, Cliff Floyd, Trot Nixon, Aubrey Huff and Jose Guillen among others, but at this point, the Orioles haven't made a concrete offer to any of them, according to industry sources. "We have an interest in Baltimore, but it's not too far along," said Craig Landis, the agent for the Oakland Athletics' Payton. "We would consider Baltimore, but all we've done so far is [that] they have said they might be interested in Jay and we said we are willing to listen."

The Pirates are among a dozen teams pursuing free agent Jeff Suppan, the St. Louis Cardinals' best pitcher during their run to the World Series. "There are a lot of teams reaching out, a tremendous amount of interest in Jeff," Suppan's agent, Scott Leventhal, said yesterday. "And Pittsburgh is one of those teams." That might surprise some, given that Suppan should command an annual salary in the range of $8 million-$9 million over a span of three or four years. But the Pirates have roughly $14 million to spend this offseason, a figure that would rise to $17 million if they sever ties with Shawn Chacon, another right-handed starter.

On the free-agent market, the Yankees prefer two lefties: Andy Pettitte, who may retire, and Ted Lilly, whom the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to re-sign. Jason Schmidt is highly regarded but apparently intent on staying on the West Coast, so Gil Meche is probably next in the Yankees' pecking order.

Before the winter meetings begin Monday in Orlando, the Mets expect to learn if Tom Glavine will continue his pursuit of 300 victories in New York or in Atlanta, where his brilliant career began 20 years ago. He spent last week on vacation with his family, who will have the final say in the decision, and a formal announcement could come as soon as today.

The Chicago Cubs have talked to the Cleveland Indians about a deal for pitcher Jake Westbrook, according to baseball moles. The Tribe would get pitcher Ryan Dempster among others in return for Westbrook (15-10 4.17era).

The Diamondbacks have expressed interest in left-hander Mark Mulder and are planning to sit down with the representative for free-agent right-hander Tomo Ohka at the winter meetings next week in Orlando.

Baltimore also hopes to add another hitter. Two of the names that have been linked with the Orioles are Cliff Floyd and Shannon Stewart.

A third could be coming shortly as the Orioles are in the process of finalizing a three-year deal with New York Mets right-handed reliever Chad Bradford. If the Orioles were to finalize a deal with Bradford, that would allow the front office to concentrate on filling vacancies at first base and left field. The Orioles have a one-year deal on the table to first baseman Kevin Millar , who is seeking a two-year contract. It's possible the two sides could bridge the gap with a one-year deal plus an option year.

It doesn't appear the Cubs will be signing Jason Schmidt or Barry Zito, the big two in the free-agent market, before next week's meetings. Agents for those players seem to be waiting to see who the Yankees want and what the current market price is, which the Yanks normally set. While the Yankees are re-signing Mike Mussina, they still have two or three openings to be filled by Zito, Schmidt, Ted Lilly, Jeff Suppan and some combination of Houston free agents (and former Yankees) Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.

Do you think the Brewers will make a strong run at a free agent like Kenny Lofton or Steve Finley to provide a true leadoff hitter and proven center fielder? GM Doug Melvin mentioned both names over the weekend, so they are at least on the Brewers' radar. It is going to come down to whether the organization believes Tony Gwynn Jr. needs another year in Triple-A, whether Brady Clark or Gabe Gross are best suited to play off the bench and whether Laynce Nix can stay healthy. There are still a lot of options out there, but it sounds like the club, internally, has discussed both Lofton and Finley.

If the Giants are serious about prying left fielder Manny Ramirez from Boston, they apparently will have to engage a third team to engineer a trade. According to a source familiar with the Red Sox's thinking, the Giants do not have the players Boston wants in return for Ramirez, even though young pitching is on the list and the Giants have some to deal. Boston also is looking for a closer, presumably more of a sure bet than Armando Benitez, and a bat.

The Phillies would need to make a trade at this point to find a bat. They have been interested in Vernon Wells and Rocco Baldelli in the past, but it doesn't sound as if Gillick has warmed at all to Manny Ramirez.

The Dodgers are expected to pursue another veteran starter during the upcoming winter meetings, with Greg Maddux and Jason Schmidt at the top of the list.

The White Sox have Mark Buehrle or Freddy Garcia—in the last years of their contracts—available, but there seems to be no match in players returning.

The Milwaukee Brewers are working on a one-year deal with free agent outfielder Shannon Stewart, according to baseball moles. Stewart hit .293 with 2 HR's and 21 RBI's in only 44 games for the Twins in 2006.

The Dodgers have had discussions with the Boston Red Sox regarding left fielder Manny Ramirez, but the asking price has been too high. According to a source, the Red Sox want three players, including budding slugger Matt Kemp, the top outfield prospect in the organization.

That could make Joe Crede one of the White Sox players available for trade, along with young center fielder Brian Anderson and veteran pitchers Mark Buehrle and Freddy Garcia, who are on the final years of contracts. One rumored deal of Crede for Angels outfielder/infielder Chone Figgins was scoffed at by GM Ken Williams. The Angels would obviously have to add more players to the deal, perhaps starter Ervin Santana. Figgins became expendable after the Angels signed Gary Matthews Jr.

Julio Lugo may take longer, though the Red Sox have clearly signaled their desire for the former Devil Rays shortstop, who had a .373 on-base percentage before being dealt to the Dodgers in midseason. The Giants and Cubs, along with the Orioles, are teams with interest, in addition to the Sox, and the Dodgers are expected to offer Lugo arbitration.

Considering baseball's dramatically increasing free-agent market, had the Twins not picked up their $12 million option on Torii Hunter after the season, the Gold Glove center fielder probably could have signed a deal in the $50 million, four-year range with any of several teams, a top industry insider said.

Gregg Zaun, who switch-hitting catcher who hit .272 with 12 homers and a .363 on-base percentage last season for Toronto, said the Yankees have spoken to him about being a part-time catcher and first baseman. Zaun said the Yankees appeal to him "for obvious reasons. If I can get enough time out there on the field, and it's pretty much almost a guarantee they're going to the playoffs every year. It's an attractive situation. "But I would call it very preliminary right now. I believe my agents are planning (today) to go meet with Mr. Cashman, so we'll see."

The Oakland Athletics are talking to free agent Jerry Hairston Jr. (Rangers) about a minor league deal, according to a baseball mole.

Giants executive Bobby Evans spent some time on the phone Monday with Ray Durham's agent, Ed Setlik, who has described the Giants' interest in their incumbent second baseman as tepid. "We've had a number of conversations, but nothing is imminent," Setlik said. "I don't know if that's because they're trying do something else and they've put us on hold, which is fine, or if they have something else in mind. It's hard to know that."

Mike Flanagan said the Orioles aren't done tinkering with their bullpen, though he does not expect any more signings before the start of Monday's winter meetings in Orlando. Baltimore hopes to sign at least another reliever. Former Florida Marlins reliever Joe Borowski has been one of the names mentioned.

The Pirates and Shawn Chacon have had "a couple discussions" related to a new contract, agent Dan Horwits said. It is believed that the team wants Chacon to take a pay cut as large as $1 million off his previous salary of $3.6 million, but it is highly unlikely Chacon will accept any cut.

Gary Sheffield indicated he felt team president Randy Levine was the "middleman" who was blocking the slugger from dealing directly with George Steinbrenner. Sheffield, traded to Detroit earlier this month, felt he would have remained a Yankee if he could have negotiated with The Boss and railed about it at a recent charity appearance. Asked last night if he meant Cashman, Sheffield said, "Absolutely not" and added that Cashman was "steady talking to me. He said let's just get this done ... I respect him so much more now than ever because he didn't have to let me talk to Detroit."

Toronto would like to re-sign Ted Lilly, but there are a number of teams who are interested in the left-hander. The Jays have also shown interest in Vicente Padilla, Gil Meche, Randy Wolf (reportedly close to signing with the Dodgers), and Mark Mulder, among others. In a perfect world, Toronto would be able to re-sign Lilly and pick up another starter, too. With the way the free agents' asking prices keep rising, though, it seems more likely that the Jays will add one starter via free agency.

The Yankees other top needs are a first baseman who bats right-handed and a backup catcher. First-base target Rich Aurilia is expected to sign with San Francisco, and while the Yankees like Shea Hillenbrand, they are willing to wait and consider sticking with Andy Phillips.

The longer contract also could serve to enhance Damaso Marte's value in a trade. The Pirates' bullpen is one of their few deep areas, and dealing a reliever or two could help address other needs.

Less than a day after the Jays had Barajas signed in principle to a 2-year deal that would have made the former Texas Ranger the club's new catcher, the agreement fell apart. That put the Jays into a state of chaos last night, and they scrambled to re-open talks with Zaun. Barajas, whose 2-year deal was reportedly worth up to $6 million (U.S.), balked at reporting to Toronto for a physical, which had been all that was left to validate the deal. Barajas, though, was not in any jeopardy of failing the physical. It's believed the money he settled for became an issue for both the player, and indirectly, the major league baseball players' association. Barajas, in his free agent year, earned $3.2 million with Texas in 2006. The deal he apparently accepted Sunday represented a pay cut. Sources in Texas said that while Barajas was pleased to be joining the Jays as their No. 1 catcher, the money made him balk at the physical, and thereby nullify the deal.

The San Francisco Giants are interested in signing free agent 1B Carlos Pena (Red Sox) to a minor league deal, according to a baseball mole.

Damian Miller expressed some doubt that the Brewers would keep him as a back-up at his salary but said he wanted to stay, even in that role. "I'd really like to stay there," Miller said. "It's a perfect situation for me. "I'm trying to look at the positive aspects of it. I still feel I can play. But I'm a Brewers fan, too, and if it's good for the team, I'm all for it. I think Estrada is a solid catcher."

The Yankees were expected to be among the teams that made sealed posting bids on Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa yesterday. The Hanshin Tigers have until 5 p.m. Friday to accept or reject the highest bid on the 27-year-old lefty who some believe could be a back-of-the-rotation starter for a team that scores runs and catches the ball. Others believe he would be better in the NL than AL. According to several sources, the Hanshin Tigers aren't going to wait until Friday and their decision could come as quickly as today. The Mets also are interested in Igawa, who was 14-9 with a 2.97 ERA this past season and has a career ledger of 86-60.

On Monday, the team put in a bid for the rights to Japanese lefty Kei Igawa, according to a major-league source. As many as 10 other teams also were expected to put in a bid with Igawa's Hanshin Tigers, including large payroll clubs such as the Yankees and Mets, so it's a long-shot that Oakland would acquire the 27-year-old, who went 13-9 in the Central League last season.

The Rockies have discussed multiyear contracts with closer Brian Fuentes, infielders Jamey Carroll and Garrett Atkins and pitcher Jason Jennings. The most progress has been made with Carroll, whose agent is willing to consider a two- or three-year deal. Atkins, Fuentes and Jennings are more complicated based on their status and mounting dollars in the free-agent market. All will command a huge commitment - talks with Atkins are in the infancy stages - and a lack of a movement on a Jennings deal could influence his future with the club at next week's winter meetings.

Pat Gillick said the Phillies were never in talks with Arizona for catcher Johnny Estrada, who was traded to Milwaukee, and they have no interest in free agent Mike Piazza.

Given the fact the Rays are interested in improving their bullpen, I'm sure they would be interested in having either Eric Gagne or Brad Lidge.

GM Jim Hendry said he "would wait to talk to Soriano in person" before making a public comment about whether his new star should play in the Dominican winter league. It is believed the Cubs would rather not have him participate, for fear of injury.

Dodgers prospect Andy LaRoche might platoon at third base with Wilson Betemit, but he also might not make the club out of Spring Training. LaRoche has a few things going against him. First, he's only 23 with only one-half season at Triple-A. Colletti has shown he will always err on the side of experience and LaRoche doesn't have any on the big-league level. Also, LaRoche is coming off shoulder surgery, so he'll need to show he's healthy. And third, he was really awful last Spring Training, so he needs to overcome the negative first impression he made on Colletti and the staff. If the Dodgers must trade young players for an established hitter, LaRoche would seem to be a likely candidate.

Trades also are a possibility, although the Cubs have little to give in return, especially if outfield prospect Felix Pie is untouchable.

A source close to the negotiations said the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals made offers to sign Randy Wolf for three years, with the deals ranging from $21 million to $24 million. The Arizona Diamondbacks had a similar offer on the table before they acquired left-hander Doug Davis from the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Phillies chased Wolf until signing Adam Eaton to a three-year deal Monday. But Wolf took a shorter deal to join the Dodgers, the team he rooted for while growing up.

Yanks GM Brian Cashman didn't slap the untouchable label on Melky Cabrera, but it's clear the GM isn't looking to deal the switch-hitting outfielder. "There is no one untouchable on this roster, but as I have said in the past, some guys are more touchable than others," Cashman said. Unless Cashman moves Cabrera for pitching, the return of Bernie Williams is in doubt.

Danys Baez has been a closer in the past, but he will not supplant Chris Ray, nor are the Orioles looking to trade Ray, Flanagan said. "We haven't had any other scenario than Ray as the closer and Baez as the setup man," Flanagan said.

The A's have three openings on their coaching staff. Former Giants outfielder Chili Davis has been approached about becoming the team's hitting coach, but nothing has been finalized.

You would have a hard time finding a player who is less suited to play in Boston than J.D. Drew, who also is known as Nancy Drew and D.L. Drew. While Sox fans are starved for someone, anyone, who represents an upgrade from last season’s roster, it is not easy to find a fan who is excited about the prospect of seeing Drew in a Sox uniform. For some reason, the paying customers seem to understand better than the Sox front office wonks that it ain’t all about OPS. Sometimes you’ve got to look at the character and the personality of a player before you walk down the aisle with him.

An announcement is expected soon that the Phillies' broadcast crew will change and that Scott Graham, part of the crew since 1991, will not return.

Adam Eaton will join Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jon Lieber and Jamie Moyer in the Philly rotation. The Phillies preferred Eaton over the other pitchers on the market - Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt expressed no interest in Philadelphia, so they were never options - for a few reasons. The most important: They simply think he has better stuff. But then there is the familiarity factor. They also consider him to be a better athlete who can field his position, and even hit a little.

Yanks pitcher Mike Mussina said he hasn't thought about whether this will be his final contract. "I just want to play out these two years and see how things are," he said. "We'll have to see how I feel and what the situation is."

What are the chances of the Devil Rays moving to Oklahoma City? I've got to tell you that's the first time I've heard any rumors about the Rays moving to Oklahoma City. So I've got to say such chances are remote.

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Broncos QB Jake Plummer will certainly want to get a new lease on his career. He can still play, and there will be teams - Oakland or Green Bay perhaps - that may give him a shot.

Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs did not rule out the possibility of conducting a tryout this afternoon to find a replacement for struggling place kicker Nick Novak. ... Novak's struggles come just as the most accurate kicker in league history, Mike Vanderjagt, has gone on the market. The agent for Vanderjagt, the longtime Indianapolis kicker who was released yesterday by Dallas after hitting just 13 of 18 field goal attempts with the Cowboys.

The question now is how the Patriots will fill Junior Seau's roster spot. They could try to find an inside linebacker to allow Mike Vrabel to move back outside, where he’s most comfortable, but the pickings are slim. Players with experience in the system, like Monty Beisel and Chad Brown, have signed with the Cardinals and Steelers, respectively. Free agents with inside experience include former Ravens standout Jamie Sharper, ex-Steelers veteran Earl Holmes and longtime Cardinals mainstay Ronald McKinnon. Sharper’s agent, Tony Agnone, did not return calls. Ditto for the office of Tom Condon on Holmes. McKinnon’s representative, Jordan Feagan, said he hadn’t heard from the Pats. As for those curious about old friend Roman Phifer, his strength is coverage and he probably wouldn’t hold up inside, not to mention that he’s 38 years old and hasn’t played in two years.

The Bucs apparently have stepped up their efforts to re-sign Chris Simms by offering him a contract. He is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the season. Simms, 26, ruptured his spleen in a loss to Carolina on Sept. 24. He was placed on injured reserve Nov. 3, ending his season. This was expected to be a big year for Simms, who opted to sign a one-year, $2.1-million contract as a restricted free agent. But he struggled from the outset, throwing just one touchdown and seven interceptions while compiling an 0-3 record before suffering the season-ending injury. All the while, Simms has expressed an interest in remaining with the Bucs, and that feeling is mutual.

Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel helped the Patriots get a win Sunday while helping himself to a richer contract. Samuel is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season and his three interceptions against the Bears boosted his value. The three picks likely put Samuel on track to be named to the Pro Bowl this season. And should he be named to the Pro Bowl -- or even if he isn't -- then his value as a free agent will be that much higher. Teams always are looking for quality cornerbacks, and Samuel the gambler is one. He and Buffalo's Nate Clements are expected to be the top two free-agent cornerbacks available later this winter.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin has five games to save his locker room, his season and his job. If the Giants stumble down the stretch the way they did in Tennessee, ownership will lose even more faith in Coughlin than it already has. But the Giants coach has five games to rally support of his players and his organization, which now is on the wane. One high-ranking Giants source said Monday that Coughlin now faces a potential "mutiny."

A day after sitting out most of the second half against the Minnesota Vikings, Cardinals running back Edgerrin James didn't participate in a scheduled walk-through session at the team's facility in Tempe. A team spokesman said James was visiting a sick relative in south Florida. He's expected to return for Wednesday's practice, five days before the 2-9 Cardinals visit the St. Louis Rams. James, the team's prized off-season acquisition, rushed only four times for 15 yards in Sunday's loss. He caught two passes for 10 yards but spent most of Arizona's late comeback watching from the sideline.

Some media have reported -- or have reported rumors -- that Matt Millen will resign or be fired as early as this week or after the season. The Lions have gone 23-68 since Millen took over as team president in 2001. Joey Harrington, the quarterback they drafted third overall in 2002 and traded in the off-season, just came back to Detroit and led Miami to a 27-10 Thanksgiving Day victory. But owner William Clay Ford gave Millen a five-year contract extension before last season when Millen's record was 16-48. Ford didn't fire Millen last season when fans were marching and chanting for him to do so. Ford didn't fire Millen after last season when he could have made a clean sweep with a coaching search coming up. And Millen was on the sidelines at practice Monday, chatting with offensive lineman Rex Tucker and athletic trainer Al Bellamy, as usual. Is Millen considering quitting? Is Ford considering firing Millen -- though firing Millen might mean firing first-year coach Rod Marinelli, too, because a new general manager might want to bring in his own coach? The Lions denied requests to interview Millen, Ford and vice chairman Bill Ford Jr.

The question at quarterback before the season started was whether Rex Grossman could survive a 16-game season. Now the question is whether the Bears can survive Grossman. The young quarterback is at a crossroads because he gives the ball away too much. He's responsible for 15 turnovers in the last six games -- 11 interceptions and four fumbles -- after turning the ball over only three times in the first five. There already are plenty of voices calling for Grossman to be benched in favor of Brian Griese.

Panthers coach John Fox emphatically defended quarterback Jake Delhomme on Monday, saying he has no plans to make a change. "I think he's proven he's the right guy," Fox said. "Until he proves otherwise, we'll stay the same. I can't sit here and predict the future, but I don't want to give any inclinations that we're thinking about changing the quarterback. "We evaluate as we go with everybody, but I think it's not all Jake's fault that we lost the five games or all because of him that we won the six. It's been a team effort."

If the Broncos trade Jake Plummer, they will have to count $8.56 million against their salary cap next season. If the team uses its June 1 cut designation on him and releases him anytime it wants, the Broncos would have to count about $2.8 million against next season's salary cap and then another approximate $5.7 million in 2008. Either way, Plummer is expected to be gone, but not forgotten. And it should be another intriguing offseason for quarterbacks, with Plummer expected to have company amongst other signal callers looking for jobs. The Cowboys are expected to part ways with Drew Bledsoe and the Jaguars are expected to look to trade Byron Leftwich.

Dolphins coach Nick Saban bluntly denied ever being contacted by the University of Alabama, where coach Mike Shula was fired Monday. ''I don't care to be,'' Saban said. ``I don't want to be. . . . This is the challenge that I wanted. I had a good college job, so why would I have left that if I would be interested in another college job?''

The Vikings are expected to be nearly $35 million under next year's NFL salary cap of $109 million. And if they release several higher-paid veterans, as expected, their salary cap room could increase to more than $45 million next spring. That would allow the Vikings to buy or trade for a top pass rusher, at least one top offensive lineman and an impact receiver. A chunk of the Vikings' salary cap space, though, is expected to be used to re-sign defensive tackle Kevin Williams, whose contract is up after the 2007 season.

Pats coach Bill Belichick said Rodney Harrison continues to make progress from his broken scapula, and the coach sounded upbeat about the veteran safety's prospects for getting on the field before the end of the season. "It's getting better every day," said Belichick. "He's doing more today than he did yesterday. Hopefully he'll continue to head in the right direction."

Denver's George Foster won't be able to be traded until the offseason when the trade market opens. I do believe that if Erik Pears continues to play well at left tackle and Matt Lepsis fully recovers as expected, Pears could be moved to right tackle. That would likely mean Foster would be traded or released.

Much of the Giants' concern centers around their franchise quarterback, Eli Manning. "There is an uprising here, lot of heat now," the Giants official said. "There is a lot involved with the regression of Eli. When he lost (Luke) Petitgout, he has been skittish back there ever since. … I believe he is regressing. He has a coordinator (John Hufnagel) who just calls plays but does not have a feel for the game. He does not set things up with his play-calling. He has no scheme in his play-calling. Tom is supposed to be an offensive coach. Tom has to be the head coach in some of these situations and take over the calls. He is not doing that. "Sure, there is pressure that goes with Eli being the first pick. It's warranted. But, geez, help him out. That goes back to the coaching staff. So does starting a game 21-0, being on a mission and then being relaxed. We definitely relaxed. That is coaching."

The Indianapolis Colts likely will be without tight end Dallas Clark for a while, but quarterback Peyton Manning will have at least one additional option Sunday, and maybe two. While awaiting word on the severity of the right knee injury Clark suffered in Sunday's win over Philadelphia, the team signed veteran wide receiver Ricky Proehl for the remainder of the season. Coach Tony Dungy also is optimistic wide receiver Brandon Stokley will return to practice and perhaps be available Sunday at Tennessee. Clark's injury was originally called a sprain. He was scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday, but the team didn't release results. Asked about indications from some players that Clark tore his anterior cruciate ligament, which would end his season, Dungy said: "I'm sure that's the speculation, but nothing has been confirmed."

Dolphins quarterback Joey Harrington wasn't insulted by the Detroit Lions' decision to introduce him before Thursday's game as the song Piano Man piped through the speakers at Ford Field. Instead, he has called the poke at his piano-playing hobby ''clever'' and ''funny.'' Apparently, the Lions' management, which never approved the decision made by a production staff, didn't find it funny at all. ''I got three phone calls this weekend from people at Ford Field and the front office apologizing,'' Harrington said about his former team. ``I honestly thought it was funny.'' In addition, Harrington said he received a ''very respectful and complimentary'' note from Lions coach Rod Marinelli. Harrington, while not divulging details of the note, indicated he regards Marinelli as a ''classy'' person.

As added security, the Dolphins are expected to promote running back Patrick Cobbs to the 53-man roster as soon as today, a move that would be made to prevent the team from entering Sunday's game against Jacksonville with just two running backs.

Edgerrin James hasn’t been part of Arizona’s passing packages all season, despite a resumé that makes him by far the best receiving running back on the Cardinals’ roster. Green said it is to give “everyone a role,” which Sunday meant James — who still had two catches for 10 yards — was on the sideline practically the entire fourth quarter while Marcel Shipp, J.J. Arrington or Obafemi Ayanbadejo played in the backfield. ... The day after James had just four carries for 15 yards, he was absent from practice, although it was nothing sinister. James was excused to return to Florida to attend to a sick relative and will return for Wednesday’s workout (players are off today). But his feelings about being underutilized are well known, even if he isn’t talking about it much these days — his oft-repeated phrase “There’s not much to say” was again his answer after the 31-26 loss to the Vikings.

Steelers WR Hines Ward revealed that he had surgery on his injured knee yesterday. Ward canceled his weekly appearance on KDKA-TV yesterday and told the station he had arthroscopic surgery earlier in the day to remove a bone fragment from his knee. The Super Bowl MVP said he will miss Sunday's game against Tampa Bay in Heinz Field but hopes to return to play the following Thursday night against Cleveland at home. It will be only the second game that Ward will miss in his career; he also missed a game last season because of a hamstring injury.

RB Joseph Addai has rotated with Dominic Rhodes, the starter, through the Colts' first 11 games, and that will not change Sunday at Tennessee (4-7), Tony Dungy said. The coach likes how both backs are running and that both have fresh legs so late in the season.

Giants DE Michael Strahan (foot) is once again a long shot to play this weekend. Coughlin was hopeful Strahan would "advance," which only means light work and individual drills.

Paul Ernster has had his poor moments, but he actually kicked pretty well the past two games. Don't confuse Denver's special-teams problems as Ernster's problems. The biggest issue is the coverage units. As for Todd Sauerbrun, if Ernster does struggle, Sauerbrun could come back. But right now, it's Ernster's job, and he is doing a decent job.

The long road back to the field for Donovan McNabb could begin as quickly as today. The Eagles quarterback flew yesterday to Alabama to meet with renowned surgeon James Andrews and could be operated on immediately. "What we've got to do is just see how the swelling and flexibility work through the plane flight down there," Reid said.

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