Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for September 27, 2006

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

As camp nears, speculation abounds about Vince Carter's future. Rumors persist that he might opt out of his Nets contract after this season and sign with Orlando, where he already owns a massive home. ... The reasons for moving to Orlando are numerous, beginning with the fact that Carter really wouldn't be moving. He already has family there. Orlando also has the allure of blossoming big man Dwight Howard and cap space. Then again, the Magic can't match the $16.3 million Carter already is due in 2007-08. "Orlando will have about $9.5million of cap room if they stay the way they are and they keep their big kid, Darko Milicic," Thorn said. "They'll have $9.5 million in cap room."

Pat Riley said the Heat remains interested in acquiring free agent small forward Bonzi Wells, who visited Miami late last week. ''It's been a discussion,'' Riley said of Wells, who is also considering the Nuggets, Rockets and Bobcats. ``I think that's what's sort of holding up the rest of everything. Probably this week, by the end of this week, we'll know for sure.'' Riley said the team is still considering re-signing Shandon Anderson, but added that the team will likely only keep 14 players under contract to avoid surpassing the luxury-tax threshold.

Danny Fortson has a year left on his contract, which makes him an attractive commodity for midseason trades. But it's unclear whether he will last that long with the Sonics if he becomes a disruptive presence. "So far, everything with Danny has been great," Sund said. "He's been here for the past two weeks working out. I don't think that's the question. The real question is how will his knee hold up?"

Dirk Nowitzki's extension means the Mavericks have only one nagging contract issue in front of them. Josh Howard is entering the final season of his rookie contract and has until late October to get an extension in place. If there is no deal by then, he would become a restricted free agent next summer. The Mavericks would have the right to match any offer he is given by another team. Even if the Mavericks don't re-sign Howard, they have said repeatedly they intend to lock him up long term next summer at the latest.

Larry Brown has moved his family to the Philadelphia area to enroll his kids in their old school. Sixer President Billy King, a close friend of Brown, said through a spokesman he has not spoken to Brown about bringing him aboard.

Veteran power forward Maurice Taylor will fly from his home in Houston to New York today but realizes his stay may be very brief. Taylor said he and his reps have discussed a buyout the past two weeks and it could be done before Monday's training camp. "I'm hoping to get something done quick," Taylor told The Post. "[The Knicks] don't have any plans for me. They thought a buyout would be good for me too. It's 50-50." Taylor's expiring contract has $9 million left and is expiring, meaning he's a definite trade pawn at the deadline.

The Heat inquired about point guard Jeff McInnis -- whom the Nets told not to report to camp -- but would consider it only if he's released.

It's not as if Mark Attanasio has a lot of free time on his hands, given his partnership with a Los Angeles-based investment firm and his interest in the Milwaukee Brewers. But would ownership of the Milwaukee Bucks be in the cards some day? Attanasio said Tuesday that the subject has never come up, but that hasn't stopped some from speculating that he would be an ideal candidate to buy the Bucks from U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) because of his commitment to Milwaukee. "I'm very involved in running my business and the Brewers. All of my energies are devoted to that," he said. "I've met the senator a few times, but never talked to him about selling his team. He seems to love owning the Bucks. "That's kind of where it's at. I'm not someone who does a lot of what ifs. I haven't really thought about it."

When Larry Brown tacked on an extra $12.5 million in damages he's seeking from the Knicks in this coming Friday's hearing, he listed "attorney fees" as part of the reason. And you can see why. Clearly out for blood, Brown hired one of the country's most powerful law firms, Washington-D.C.-based Williams and Connolly, which represented former President Clinton in his impeachment proceedings. The firm's top contract litigator, Nick Boyle, has been in Manhattan the past few days preparing for the hearing, to be presided by NBA Commissioner David Stern. It also could be a sign the sides are trying to reach a contract settlement before Friday.

With training camp less than a week away, Net President Rod Thorn sounded confident yesterday that no mad rush is necessary to keep Vince Carter in the fold beyond this season. "Vince has been very consistent with what he has said," Thorn offered. "He doesn't think about it. He's not worried about it. He likes it here and he'll address it when the time comes. That's the way he wants to do it. That's the way it will be done." Carter will make $15.1 million this season, then can opt out for free agency. But he would risk $16.36 million for 2007-08. Carter is a superstar, but will he get a better deal than that? There has been speculation he'll land in Orlando or maybe Charlotte which has the money, but does Carter have interest in Charlotte? "At the end of the year, Orlando will have about $9.5 million of cap room," said Thorn, who admitted he has not had any meaningful discussions with Carter's agent, Kurt Schoeppler, this summer.

Jeff McInnis remains as roster spot only. Nets have failed at trade or buy out. "But he won't be with us," Thorn said. ... Jay Williams will continue comeback try with Nets' training camp roster. There is no current roster spot, though.

Heat coach Pat Riley said Tuesday that Jason Williams not only won't be ready for the Oct. 3 open of camp, but that his starting point guard also could miss the Oct. 31 start of the regular season as he recovers from July 21 arthroscopic knee surgery.

Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld confirmed that rookie first-round pick Oleksiy Pecherov will play in his native Ukraine this season. Pecherov, who turns 21 in December, will play with BC Kyiv of the Ukrainian Superleague after playing in Paris last season. The Wizards will retain Pecherov's NBA rights. "We felt that at this time it's more important for him to play, to get significant playing time," Grunfeld said.

Amare Stoudemire's optimism and bounce returned this week. He worked out Sunday and Monday, went to a star-studded Nike shoot Monday in Ontario, Calif., and played (wearing a sleeve on his right knee) in the Suns' pickup games Tuesday. "That's it?" Stoudemire said after the final game. Stoudemire complimented the Suns athletic trainers' work with him and said he would come off the bench if that were the staff's wish. ... His Nike experience Monday helped Stoudemire's mind-set. He was part of an elite collection of players for Nike's campaign to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Air Force 1s with a new version. Stoudemire's signature shoe, the Stat 1, is also on the way. Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Rasheed Wallace and Jermaine O'Neal participated in the shoot.

Today NBA superstar Tracy McGrady of the Houston Rockets and Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, who is featured on NBA LIVE 07 packaging in France, will help launch NBA LIVE 07 at the world’s only NBA Store on 5th Avenue in New York City. Beginning at 1:00 pm Eastern Time, the first 150 fans who have registered to pre-purchase the game from the NBA Store will receive an autographed copy of the game from McGrady and Parker and have the opportunity to meet the players. Outside North America, NBA LIVE 07 will be available to stores worldwide on Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 with Parker and Boris Diaw of the Phoenix Suns on the cover in France, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks on the cover in Germany and Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies on the cover in Spain. McGrady is featured on the cover in North America and all other territories.

The Raptors have 14 guys under contract and if they sign a 15th it'll be Darrick Martin; there is no room at the end of the bench for a project, and that's about all the guys who'll get invited to camp will be.

With NBA training camps set to begin next week, Kobe Bryant spent one of his final days of vacation in New Orleans, taking part in the Best Damn Sports Clinic held at the park and hosted by Fox Sports Network. Bryant said he did not hesitate when the network offered an invitation to work the camp and help children most affected by Hurricane Katrina last year. "It's important for them to realize that they are not along in this fight," Bryant said. "Whenever I have an opportunity to help out, I'm here." One hundred and fifty kids, ages 6 to 16, participated. While Bryant showed some of the campers the proper technique to defend a shooter, New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister was putting another group though some football drills that involved pass catching. Although Bryant signed the most autographs, McAllister still got the loudest cheers

Did You Know? This is the NBA in the 21st century: The Los Angeles Clippers will train in Moscow, the Phoenix Suns in Treviso, Italy, the 76ers in Barcelona, Spain and the San Antonio Spurs in Lyon, France.

Heat coach Pat Riley said Monday his decision to return to the sideline this season was less agonizing than it might have looked. ''It was a no-brainer,'' said Riley, who announced in late August that he was returning to the bench after an offseason of uncertainty. ``After we won the title, the more I thought about it, I probably just should have made the announcement. And it has to do with this team and this time, what I think they need and what they expect from me and from this organization.'' Not only is Riley back, but he's still not putting an expiration date on his coaching life. ''Just let it roll,'' Riley said. ``I don't put a number on it any more, how long.'' Riley then joked about his tendency to leave a coaching position at a moment's notice, which he has done twice. ''I've been known to stop abruptly,'' he said. ``Everybody around here is on their toes.''

Shaquille O'Neal, to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith about Rick Barry's offer to teach him underhanded free throws: ``Rick Barry's résumé is not good enough to even come into my office to be qualified for a job. I will shoot negative-30 percent before I shoot underhanded.''

Along with the 12 players on the payroll, Seattle has extended nonguaranteed contracts to guards Mike Wilks, rookie Denham Brown, Milt Palacio, Kareem Rush and Desmond Farmer, and forwards Noel Felix, Ron Mercer and Kenny Adeleke. Wilks, acquired in a February trade that sent Ronald Murray to Cleveland, and Felix are holdovers from last season. Palacio, a seven-year veteran who played with Utah last season as a reserve, was unable to secure a guaranteed deal, and a league source said he's still being pursued by a couple of teams. Rush, a four-year veteran, spent the past season in Charlotte, while Mercer and Farmer were out of the NBA last season. Adeleke was not selected in this year's draft after spending a year at Hartford and three seasons at Hofstra.

Pat Riley also said he spoke with former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy and decided his role with the organization will be very similar to what it was last year after he resigned as coach. ''I think it'll probably be along the lines of games reports, his ideas, what he sees,'' Riley said.

Jay-Z figures in another one of the Nets ticket-selling tactics. Fans buying a package of tickets costing $85 and up for the Nets’ first three home games (Nov. 1 against the Raptors, Nov. 8 against the Jazz and Nov. 10 against the Heat) will receive a free copy of his new album, “Kingdom Come.”

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Barry Bonds is planning on playing another season according to his agent. "Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council said Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders." Another season with the Giants or another team — the Mariners, Tigers, Yankees, Angels and Dodgers are believed to be attractive to Bonds, who lives in Beverly Hills

This is Tom Glavine's last trip to Atlanta this season, but the door still is open for him to rejoin the Braves next year. The Mets and the southpaw have a mutual option for next season, but the parties have an understanding that any decision to keep Glavine in Queens must be welcomed by both sides. "There's really not a whole lot to think about until the season is over and I sit down and talk to (chief operating officer) Jeff (Wilpon) and he tells me what they think," said Glavine, whose family lives in Atlanta. He has hinted he would only pitch for the Mets or Braves next season. "Beyond that, I really haven't given it a whole lot of thought."

Alfonso Soriano has made a successful switch from the infield to the outfield and now projects as an above-average left fielder. ">With him and Ichiro Suzuki at the plate and on the basepaths, the Mariners would be a nightmare for opposing pitchers. The Nationals will try everything in their power to keep Soriano, and the suitors will be many. It's estimated he'll seek $75 million for five years.

Curt Schilling on his future with the Red Sox : "If I come back, I don't want to [just] pitch; I want to come back and be the best. It will be the hardest offseason of my life," said Schilling. Schilling, who is due in the neighborhood of $14 million next year, which he has proclaimed will be his last, was asked about his use of the word "if." "Going into next season," said a cryptic Schilling, who then got up and abruptly put an end of the media session.

Another aged yet productive left fielder who's eligible for free agency didn't rule out the Giants as a possible future employer if Barry Bonds doesn't return. "I leave all opportunities open," said Arizona's Luis Gonzalez, who entered Tuesday ranked 20th all-time with 547 doubles. The Giants' presence in the NL West would please Gonzalez, 39, who wants to haunt his soon-to-be former team as often as possible. "I'd get to play these guys a lot of times," said Gonzalez, who was batting .273 with 15 homers, 73 RBI and 52 doubles in 148 games. "You want to try to show the team that doesn't want you anymore that you still belong."

Several baseball executives have said they expect the Devil Rays to dangle outfielder Carl Crawford in attempt to land a front-line pitcher. The Rockies, Dodgers and Angels were among the most interested teams over the summer before being told he was not available. Colorado GM Dan O'Dowd said Tuesday that he would not trade one of his top three starters - Jason Jennings, Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook - for a position player.

Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent, who signed a one-year, $11.5 million contract extension during spring training that guarantees him a job in Los Angeles through next year if he wants it, said Tuesday he is almost certain he won't retire after this season. Kent also said that could change - but not that it necessarily would change - if the Dodgers win the World Series.

Carlos Lee says he likes playing in Texas but admits he's not a tough sell. "I consider myself a very easygoing guy," Lee said. "I can be happy wherever I am. One thing I will say is wherever I end up, I would like to stay there -- three, four, five years." He could see that being with the Rangers, though he does not know if it will happen. Lee is from Panama, but has a large cattle ranch outside Houston, which makes Arlington an attractive location. He also likes his Rangers teammates and hitting in an offensively gifted lineup. "This team is a first-class team," Lee said. "I definitely -- you want to win. I can see myself here in the future. Anybody would want to be on a team that hits like this. We have one of the best lineups. If we just do OK in pitching, we're going to win. The way we score runs, the pitching doesn't really have to dominate." Lee said he will meet with agent Adam Katz in the off-season about what he wants in a team. After that, he will return to Panama and let Katz do the negotiating.

David Ortiz hasn’t been turned off by this year’s version of “Manny being Manny” to the point of wanting him gone. He worries about who is going to put up those kind of slugging numbers, who is going to protect him in the order, if Ramirez is dealt. And as usual, he makes a good point. “If you trade a guy like Manny, you better have something coming in. That’s all I have to say,” Ortiz said. “I don’t have the answers for that. But you have the GM, you have the manager. You have (John Henry and Larry Lucchino). Ask them. They know. If anyone knows, they know what they’re going to do with him. “But if I don’t have Manny, I won’t see a pitch,” Ortiz went on, his voice rising. “If you trade Manny, you might want to have Barry Bonds here, or something good. But I have no control of that. Hopefully, they don’t (trade him). That’s something I don’t want to have anything to do with. There’s a lot of things in this game you can go off on. I don’t want to have nothing to do with it. I don’t want to talk about it.”

It figures to be the end of the road for catcher Johnny Estrada, too. At least in an Arizona uniform. Estrada finally said as much on Tuesday and General Manager Josh Byrnes, in his strong public comments to date, acknowledged the Diamondbacks will probably try to trade Estrada after this season. Estrada, who has had personality clashes with manager Bob Melvin and pitching coach Bryan Price, said he is counting down the days and will be happy to move on, noting his decreased playing time.

Bengie Molina's option isn't the only option. When the Blue Jays signed Molina in February, part of the catcher's contract included a $7.5 million mutual option for 2007. It's unlikely that both sides would agree to pick it up for next year. That doesn't mean Molina isn't willing to negotiate a different deal in order to rejoin the Blue Jays next season. If Toronto wants to exercise the $500,000 buyout on Molina's deal, he doesn't mind discussing an alternative. "It's the only option right now because that's what's on the table," said Molina, referring to the mutual option. "But it's not only that. I've always been open."

Asked if his future has been addressed -- something he says he wants to have happen -- Nats manager Frank Robinson replied simply, "No." General Manager Jim Bowden said he had no comment. The Nationals have said they will make evaluations after the season. Still, there is growing sense that Robinson won't be asked back.

Glendon Rusch's life might have been saved two weeks ago because of the immediate medical attention the Cubs pitcher got. But his baseball life is in jeopardy now. Before the Cubs' 14-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, Rusch was reunited with his teammates Tuesday at Wrigley Field for the first time since Sept. 12, when he experienced chest pains during his pregame workout, prompting the Cubs' medical team to send him to an emergency room. The decision probably saved the 31-year-old left-hander's life when a blood clot was discovered in his right lung. But doctors have told Rusch he must be on blood-thinning medication for at least six months and possibly 12 months or longer. ''Those [thinners], you can't play on,'' he said. ''I can do everything as far as exercises and practice and keeping my arm in shape, but you can't play. You can't risk being hit. If I was to get hit by a line drive, it could be fatal.''

Joe Girardi all but conceded Tuesday that his days as manager of the Marlins might be numbered. But he also showed he's not going to go quietly, saying the job he was hired to do isn't finished, and he doesn't intend to walk away from that challenge. ''Every manager is evaluated at the end of the year. And I'm sure I'll be evaluated too,'' said Girardi, whose public feud with owner Jeffrey Loria has team sources saying he will be fired at season's end. ``I came here to do a job. I love what these kids have accomplished, and I'd like to see it through. ``But I don't make that decision so I will not worry about that decision now.''

While Indians rookie infielder Joe Inglett has been a pleasant surprise since his midseason promotion, the Indians would be foolish to simply hand him the starting second-base job in 2007. (Fortunately, Indians management seems to realize that, too.) One guy we'd like to see the Indians pursue to compete with Inglett: veteran second baseman Craig Counsell, who will leave the Arizona Diamondbacks after the season and become a free agent.

Devil Rays pitching coach Mike Butcher said he does not deserve to be suspended for his actions after he was ejected from Monday's game and suggested veteran umpire Larry Young was the one who did something wrong. As Butcher charged onto the field after being ejected by home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez in the first inning, Young, the crew chief, ran in from third base to intercept him and there clearly was contact between the two. Butcher appeared to push past Young, but Butcher, who had scratch marks on his right forearm, said: "Larry Young made contact with me." What appeared to bother Butcher more was something he claimed Young said that apparently was derogatory about the Rays. "What he said was damaging to the game - I'll leave it at that," Butcher said.

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez, a free agent after this season, has not heard from the Red Sox about whether or not they want to bring him back. When they do call, Gonzalez intends to let them know he is looking to sign a three- or four-year deal. “It’s really hard when you play year by year,” Gonzalez, who as a free agent signed a one-year, $3 million contract last offseason, said before last night’s 5-1 win over the Devil Rays. “You always have to think about ‘next year.’ When you have three or four years, maybe you can play better, so that’s what I’m looking for, to do that.” It is difficult to believe the Sox, who are reluctant to wrap up players not considered to be key members of the club’s future, would agree to Gonzalez’ desire unless it were at a very economical rate.

Although Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell has the responsibility of overseeing Danys Baez's bullpen session, it could have easily been a waste of time. With the realization that Bob Wickman will return, Baez has decided he'll look to find another employer who will give him the opportunity to be a closer. "I like this city and I like this team," Baez said. "But I want to be a closer again."

Even if Gary Sheffield plays every game at first base until the end of the season, he'd still have only 10 games' experience there going into the playoffs. The one thing Torre and Don Mattingly are watching with Sheffield is his footwork around the bag. Torre said Sheffield sometimes "drapes his foot" over the bag instead of just having his heel on it, which causes the Yanks to "hold our breath," Torre said.

Bud Selig on his future: He once again said he will retire at the end of his contract in 2009 and then write a book and teach.

The Pirates' season definitely is coming to a close. But is Kevin McClatchy's tenure as the team's chief executive officer and managing general partner also coming to a close? McClatchy has said since the All-Star break that he'll talk about his situation when the season ends. "I'm not changing my mind on that," McClatchy said. "That won't happen. Since the All-Star break, all I've cared about -- and all this organization has cared about -- is the team playing better in the second half." The second half is all but over. "I'll be happy to talk at the end of the season," McClatchy said.

Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman doesn't comment on specific trade rumors, but he has said in the past that the Rays are open to any deal that would significantly strengthen the team. Any trade for Carl Crawford likely would have to bring back an established major-league ace and two or more top-tier prospects.

If the opinion of the pitcher who will be a rotation cornerstone for years to come carries any weight, the Angels should think long and hard before allowing two respected veterans, second baseman Adam Kennedy and first baseman Darin Erstad, to leave as free agents this winter. "The organization is going to have to be real careful," right-hander John Lackey, who is signed through 2008 with an option for 2009, said Tuesday. "We've lost the things that made us good, piece by piece; you can't let them all go. Some things are more important than numbers — intangibles, guys who know how to win, who are gamers, who have done it before."

A meeting of representatives of the Marlins, Miami-Dade County, the city of Hialeah and Major League Baseball to discuss financing for a stadium in Hialeah that was scheduled for Thursday has been postponed, a Marlins spokesman said.

Mike Stanton, 39, one of 11 free agents, said he's open to returning to the Giants but isn't counting on being the closer. "I will not be going into the free-agent market marketing myself as a closer. That's not to say I couldn't do it if it was offered. Obviously, they still owe Armando (Benitez) a lot of money. If he comes back healthy, I have no doubt he'll be effective."

The White Sox are expected to trade one of their starting pitchers this winter to make room for Brandon McCarthy, 23, who was 1-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his final three starts with the Sox in 2005. McCarthy prefers the routine of starting to the uncertainty of relieving. He has a 4.88 ERA in 52 games, and he's 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in his last eight relief appearances. "I'm looking forward to this off-season because there's a lot to be learned from this season and a lot to be gained from this off-season," he said.

Manager Ozzie Guillen was careful not to comment on any interest the White Sox might have in Cubs center fielder Juan Pierre, a potential free agent. "Juan is a hard-nosed player," Guillen said. "He goes out and plays hard every day. He goes about his business the right way. To me, he's one of the best in the business. I've seen it. "When you have a player like that, the rest of the 25 guys, they get addicted because this kid is a workaholic. That's why he's one of the best in the game. "That's why when he started real slow, I told people don't worry about him, he'll be fine—and he was fine. This kid likes to win. The organization he plays for, he will make them a better ballclub, better players, and I think [the Cubs] will try to get him back."

Justin Verlander is done -- for the regular season, that is. Saying Verlander is tired, Tigers manager Jim Leyland won't start his rookie right-hander again before the postseason. That means Verlander has ended the season with a 17-9 record and 3.63 ERA in 30 starts. "We're going to skip him," Leyland said before Tuesday's night 4-3 victory over Toronto. "I think he's fine. It's more of a mental thing than anything else. He responded well to rest before, so we're going to do it again." Explaining the mental end of Verlander's fatigue, Leyland said: "I think everybody's been telling him this is the most innings he's pitched, and all of a sudden that stuff gets in your head. Then you say, 'I'm tired.' "

Competition for Daisuke Matsuzaka's services will be fierce. The posting price could top $25 million -- and that's before negotiating a contract that should run about $10 million to $12 million a year for at least four years. It would be an extraordinary commitment, but by all accounts Matsuzaka is an extraordinary talent. If he pans out and Hernandez lives up to his potential, it could give the Mariners a phenomenal 1-2 punch for years to come.

All that remains for shortstop Khalil Greene is to knock off some rust before the Padres return him to the lineup, playoff roster included. Manager Bruce Bochy said that if Greene's batting practice goes well today, he could bat in tonight's game. Greene hasn't batted since going 0-for-15 against the Giants from Aug. 14-17. “It looks like he's turned the corner,” Bochy said. Should the Padres qualify for the playoffs, it appears Greene will be on the roster, which could force the club to choose between infielders Manny Alexander and Mark Bellhorn for the final spot.

Bud Selig on Barry Bonds' chase of Henry Aaron's home run record - a somewhat sore subject with Selig, who counts Aaron among his closest friends: "We will be very appropriate if and when Barry Bonds breaks the record. We celebrate every record."

Takashi Saito established himself as one of the best closers in the major leagues this season, but he would be willing to return to a setup role next season. "I have the ability to adjust to whatever role the team and the manager ask," Saito said through an interpreter. "I wouldn't say it necessarily has to be the closer." That flexibility could allow the Dodgers to sign Eric Gagne to an incentive-based contract, then restore Saito as closer if Gagne cannot return to form after two injury-plagued seasons. The Dodgers also are grooming Jonathan Broxton as a closer.

Looking ahead to 2007, Rangers utility guy Eric Young hopes to find a team that believes he can contribute. He is aiming to lose 10 to 15 pounds this off-season, to help him regain some speed.

Barry Bonds had an MRI exam on his left elbow Tuesday morning in advance of an operation he plans to have as soon as next week to remove bone chips that have bothered him all season. Bonds, who wasn't in Tuesday night's lineup, had said he would retire before having another operation but changed his mind after being convinced of how simple the procedure would be. Bonds plans to have Dr. Art Ting perform the surgery.

David Weathers would like to come back. "But I've always said: You can't sign yourself," Weathers said. The right-hander, who turned 37 Monday, is a free agent after the season. The Reds have a long list of potential free agents: right-handers Weathers, Ryan Franklin and Jason Johnson; outfielder Todd Hollandsworth; shortstop Royce Clayton; and left-handers Scott Schoeneweis and Kent Mercker.

Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano said he's willing to remain in Minnesota in the cold this winter rather than return home to the Dominican Republic if that's what is required for him to rehabilitate his injured left elbow.

When Robin Yount made a one-year commitment to be the Brewers' bench coach in 2006, it was a family decision. And it will be a family decision again as to whether he returns next year. Yount said Tuesday he would discuss the situation with wife Michele before making his decision. "I haven't even been asked back for next year, anyway," Yount said. That is a mere formality, however. While some coaching changes might be made, Yount has an open invitation to return.

As he nears the completion of his second year as principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, Mark Attanasio was direct in assessing his own performance in Milwaukee. "This year, I will give myself a 'B,' not an 'A,' " he said Tuesday in a telephone interview from his Los Angeles office. "Our performance starts at the top, but we had a disappointing year. I should get marked down."

The Indians confirm the lease contracts on "approximately 50 percent" of their 89 suites at Jacobs Field will expire once the 2006 season ends this weekend. That means Indians management may be spending major time this off-season persuading 40-plus sponsors, companies and others to re-sign contracts to keep their suites - or hunting for new suite-holders to replace those who won't stay (and the money that goes with them). That may not be an easy trick for the Indians to pull off after a disappointing, underachieving 2006 season - one guaranteed to see the team finish with a below-.500 record.

While the future remains uncertain for starters Byung-Hyun Kim and Josh Fogg, the Rockies' organizational meetings provided clarity on Jeremy Affeldt's role. Regardless of whether Kim and Fogg return, Colorado plans to use Affeldt exclusively as a reliever next season. "That's something that came out clearly during our discussions. We want him to stay in the bullpen," general manager Dan O'Dowd said Tuesday. ... Affeldt has grown comfortable in the bullpen and said repeatedly that he wanted to start only if the organization was committed to giving him a prolonged opportunity, not spot assignments.

Mets manager Willie Randolph also said he didn't envision a scenario where Pedro Martinez wouldn't pitch in the playoffs so long as he is healthy. And the manager said he believes Martinez is healthy. "I'm confident that he's going to pitch in the playoffs for us," he said. "Why wouldn't he pitch? He's one of my best pitchers."

Manager Ozzie Guillen mapped out his spring-training plan for the White Sox to return to the playoffs in 2007. "We're going to work on manufacturing runs, hit-and-runs, we're going to bunt every day," Guillen said. "The guys who are supposed to, we're going to get them to work the count. Guillen repeatedly questioned the Sox's lack of execution but not their effort. He was particularly annoyed this season by the high strikeout totals at the top and bottom of the order, which killed rallies. ... Guillen insisted that players must adapt to these changes if they want to stay with the Sox, and his meeting was received well by several players.

Did You Know? Braves closer Bob Wickman is the first reliever since Jeff Shaw in 1998 with Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Dodgers to save at least 15 games with two teams in the same season.

Former Tigers manager Alan Trammell called the Tigers' clubhouse on Sunday, even before the clinching game was over, to convey his congratulations through clubhouse manager Jim Schmakel. Leyland's gift to owner Mike Ilitch was the lineup card from Sunday's game. Among those who've called Leyland with congratulations are Dick Vitale and Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

Mets utility guy Chris Woodward plans to have surgery after the playoffs to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The infielder expects he'll need three months to fully recover. The injury has bothered him for much of the season, with team officials aware of the trouble, though Woodward had withheld making the issue public.

The Braves manager wrote Jeff Francoeur's name in the lineup that day, just like he has all season. With five games remaining, the 22-year-old is on the verge of becoming the fourth Braves player to play every game in a season since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. Dale Murphy did it four consecutive seasons (1982-85). The others are Felix Millan in 1969 and Andruw Jones in 1999. "It means a lot to me," Francoeur, in his first full major league season, said. "I sure don't want to sit out now. Not with just a few games left."

Who Knew? Andruw Jones is the first player since the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966 to have at least 40 home runs in consecutive seasons. The last player to do it in franchise history was Hank Aaron with Milwaukee in 1962-63. Eddie Mathews had three consecutive 40-homer seasons (1953-55).

If the unthinkable happens and the Cardinals somehow blow their nearly season-long National League Central Division lead, let the debate begin about whether it would be the worst collapse in baseball history. But it almost certainly would be the biggest collapse by the worst team. There have been legendary instances in which teams squandered huge leads in the last couple of months or less, but, almost without fail, those teams were very good teams.

Jason Giambi might return as early as tonight . . . in which case you might see the Yankees' most formidable lineup to date. "It'll be exciting," Giambi said after last night's 5-4 victory over Baltimore. "It's going to be a lot of fun. Joe [Torre] is going to have a nice problem - who's going to play where." Much of that centers on Giambi, who had his sore left wrist taped but took 30-40 swings off a tee and 20 live batting practice swings. He'll be a game-time decision tonight after taking BP. "It went great in the cage," he said.

Miami Herald sightings: Cleveland guard Larry Hughes, deemed underdressed in a baggy shirt, steamed after being turned away from Mansion on Friday and Prive on Saturday.

Does general manager Larry Beinfest want more control over his manager than most GMs? One recent former Marlins coach said that's not the case, and that Beinfest never tried to dictate things such as batting order. ''He listens to his manager, but he wants his voice to be heard,'' the ex-coach said. ''They want someone who will respect their view and communicate. They're comfortable with [Braves third-base coach] Fredi Gonzalez'' as a potential replacement for Girardi.

Could the Phillies bring back starters Brett Myers and rookie Cole Hamels on three days rest? Myers is scheduled to pitch Sunday and Hamels on Monday, if a one-game playoff is necessary. "I'm sure we'll do some talking about that," Manuel said. "I don't know what we'll do, but we'll definitely discuss a lot of things." The Phillies said they have no concerns about pitching Hamels, who has thrown more innings this season than in any year in the minor leagues, on three days rest.

Did You Know? Ichiro scored three runs Monday night, leaving the team 24-1 this season when he scores two or more. Since his first season in 2001, the Mariners are 123-29 when he scores multiple runs, including 22-5 — 5-0 this year — when he notches three or more.

The A's and Angels did a lot of scoreboard watching this week, but so has Henry Genzale. Depending on how things went, the longtime visiting clubhouse manager at Safeco Field had a real mess on his hands. There were 120 bottles of champagne and 16 cases of beer on ice, waiting to see whether the A's could clinch the American League West title during their time in Seattle. They did, and Tuesday night the contents of those bottles and cans ended up on the floor of his meticulously cared for domain. "They'll shampoo the carpet many times over," Genzale said Tuesday afternoon. "If it does happen, it'll be interesting to see how this carpet handles that much alcohol and whatever else gets spilled on it."

Ichiro Suzuki didn't play. Roughed up Monday when he was hit in the shoulder by a throw, Ichiro was out of the starting lineup for just the second time in 246 games. The center fielder is not badly hurt, and might have been available to pinch hit late, but he never took the field in a 12-3 blowout loss. That ended Ichiro's franchise record playing streak at 396 games, which dated to July 10, 2004. It had been the fourth-longest active streak in the major leagues, behind Miguel Tejada (1,075), Juan Pierre (655) and Mark Teixeira (442). The old Mariners mark was 293 by Edgar Martinez between 1994 and 1996.

Who Knew? Ronny Paulino entered the game last night with a .312 batting average and 120 appearances as a catcher this season. The last rookie to play in at least 100 games as a catcher and hit at least .310 in a season was Mike Piazza (.318) of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993.

One day after the Milwaukee Brewers' home finale at Miller Park, a key part of the stadium roof mechanism shattered while the roof was being opened, shutting the operation down and leaving the structure stuck partially open.

Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez, out with left elbow tendinitis since Aug. 25, is scheduled to throw another bullpen session today as the days dwindle for the left-hander pitching in a game again this season. Gonzalez said he has thrown breaking pitches with no problem but that the Pirates "want to see a little more zip" on his fastball. ... Gonzalez wants to pitch again so he can feel secure about his elbow entering the offseason. "One outing or one hitter," he said. "I just want to be pain-free and have that peace of mind."

Bud Selig on steroids and performance enhancing drugs: "I know we are going to have to stay ahead of the chemists. ... I've said to many players, 'It's up to us now.' "

Those were some wrinkles that Royals interim manager Billy Doran threw at the lineup card on the wall, and they stuck. And, basically, it was because of a rash suffered by first baseman Ryan Shealy. "He's at the dermatologist now," Doran reported late Tuesday afternoon. "He's had it for a few days and really hasn't slept at all." When Shealy reported to the clubhouse later, athletic trainer Nick Swartz said the dermatologist's diagnosis was a case of the hives.

Dodgers manager Grady Little made the easy decision official, naming lefty Hong-Chih Kuo to start Friday night's series opener in San Francisco and sending fellow rookie Chad Billingsley to the bullpen. Greg Maddux and Lowe will start Saturday and Sunday's games, respectively, if they have a bearing on the postseason. Kuo allowed one unearned run with eight strikouts in seven innings of a no-decision in Sunday's miracle win over Arizona. Finally allowed to start, Kuo has a 2.59 ERA in four assignments, compared to a 5.34 ERA as a reliever.

Rockies prospect Ian Stewart, who lives in Garden Grove, Calif., said he'll do some of his offseason work at home and some in Denver. Exactly what he'll work on defensively is a question mark. He has been a third baseman since the Rockies drafted him out of LaQuinta High School in Westminister, Calif., but Garrett Atkins' breakout season might lead to a change for the prospect. Stewart said that no club official has approached him about a move. "I'd like to stay at third, that's my position," Stewart said. "But if it means getting to the big leagues quicker to switch positions, I can go that route."

Did You Know Nats 3B Ryan Zimmerman hit his 47th double, which tied him with Albert Pujols, Fred Lynn and Vada Pinson for the most by a rookie since Johnny Frederick's 52 for the Brooklyn Robins in 1929. His 107 RBI surpassed Hideki Matsui's 106 total as a first-year player three years ago and put him on pace to overtake Carlos Beltran (108) and perhaps Mike Piazza (112) before the season concludes this weekend against the New York Mets.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Bruce Chen, winless in 39 games with a 6.50 ERA entering Tuesday, said he will play winter ball in Puerto Rico this offseason in hopes of reclaiming the form that helped him get 13 wins last season. Chen, a free agent at the end of the season, will also spend extra time with pitching coach Leo Mazzone before the season ends. Manager Sam Perlozzo said he couldn't explain why Chen has struggled so much.

Ron Fairly, who is leaving the Seattle broadcast booth after 14 seasons, will do the color commentary one last time on FSN for tonight's game. Fairly has been relegated to working almost exclusively on the radio side this season.

If Bud Selig were not the commissioner of Major League Baseball and preparing himself to celebrate another record-setting regular season in attendance, he'd likely choose to be at the Hillel Foundation on the University of Wisconsin campus. It was there, Tuesday night, that Selig was the history professor he had planned to be 50 years ago when he walked the UW campus with a transistor radio to his ear picking up that night's call of a Milwaukee Braves game. In this makeshift classroom, an eager audience of about 300 students of baseball politely hung on every word of Selig's 36-minute lecture and his 41 minutes of fielding questions as deftly as a Gold Glove shortstop backhands a ball, plants and makes the long throw to first. "Let me tell you a story," Selig said countless times, and then he would launch into another entertaining tale of his more than 40 years in the game, shamelessly dropping names from all eras, some of which even this mostly younger than Generation X crowd might even remember.

After clinching a post-season berth with Sunday's 11-4 win at Kansas City, the Detroit Tigers announced that the team will host a "Rally Monday" event at Comerica Park on Monday, October 2, 2006 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The event is free to the general public. "Rally Monday" in Detroit, sponsored by AT&T, will feature a variety of activities designed for fans to show their support for the 2006 Tigers -- who kick off the American League Division Series on Tuesday, October 3.

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver has said he is not interested in moving the team. Even if he were, there wouldn't be many places to go. There aren't many bigger cities than Jacksonville that lack teams. And outside of Los Angeles, where stadium and moving costs would cost more than $1 billion, none of those would provide any better a possibility of success. The biggest fear here is that Weaver might sell the team. Forbes values the team at $744 million, which would give him and his ownership partners about a $600 million profit over the fees they paid to get into the league. The assumption is that the new owner will want to relocate to a place that can generate more revenue, most likely Los Angeles.

The Pats have now worked out three veteran quarterbacks over the past two weeks - Vinny Testaverde, Tommy Maddox and Todd Bouman. The Pats routinely work out free agent players throughout the year so they have a file on them in case of emergency. Perhaps that’s what they did with Testaverde. It’s also possible the Pats could be interested in having an older, more experience presence to throw into the mix with Brady, even if that player never sees the field.