Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for February 27, 2007

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

No way of knowing how serious it is yet, but Reggie Miller could be a candidate for the Mavericks' vacant roster spot. Owner Mark Cuban brought up Miller's name before Monday's game against the Hawks. The former Indiana Pacers star is the No. 1 3-point shooter in NBA history. He retired after the 2004-05 season, but remains in excellent physical shape. And joining the Mavericks would give him the chance to do about the only thing he never did in his illustrious career – win a championship.

Don't expect the Spurs to sign Scottie Pippen — or anyone else for that matter. While Pippen said he would consider signing with the Spurs if he makes good on his claim to come out of retirement — and Spurs officials maintained they would do their "due diligence" in considering him — Popovich said the team doesn't plan to make any changes to its roster. "We're set," Popovich said.

Rashard Lewis said he is likely to pass on the Sonics' two-year, $25 million offer, believing the summer could bring a more lucrative extension. "Everything's pretty much on the right pace (with the Sonics)," he said Monday. "I don't really want too much negotiating throughout the rest of the season. They obviously gave us an offer but it would be not smart to sign up for the extension when you can wait until the end of the year and get a three-year extension." Lewis hired Houston-based agents Tony Dutt and Colin Bryant earlier this month, hoping the two could work out the best deal.

Clips point guard Shaun Livingston suffered a season-ending knee injury. Livingston dislocated his left knee while landing awkwardly after going for a layup on a fastbreak early in the first quarter. He was sidelined 52 games in his rookie season because of a dislocated right kneecap, and the injury he suffered Monday is considered more severe, a team physician said. The Clippers braced for playing their final 26 games without Livingston. "The second I saw it I knew he was done," said Cuttino Mobley, who dropped to one knee and prayed while Livingston was wheeled off the court on a stretcher. "When I saw his knee … I was just messed up." Team physician Steven Shimoyama, trainer Jasen Powell and paramedics quickly attended to Livingston, and play was suspended at the 8:10 mark of the quarter. With the third-year player in obvious pain, Shimoyama popped Livingston's knee back into place in a process known as reduction. "It popped into place on the first try," said Shimoyama, an orthopedic surgeon who has worked with the Clippers for seven years. "It alleviated nearly all of the pain. When he dislocated it, he was in a lot of pain." Shimoyama said that further tests were needed to determine whether Livingston had torn arteries in his leg.

Heat coach Pat Riley said he had not spoken to Dwyane Wade in about two days. But he added that he thought Wade would meet with a doctor in Miami tomorrow to receive a second opinion on his shoulder. Wade is considering season-ending surgery or about six weeks of rest and rehabilitation and a possible return for the final 10 games or so of the regular season.

Coach Scott Skiles said the Bulls need to prepare as if Andres Nocioni will be lost for the rest of the regular season with his foot problems. "It's possible 21/2 weeks turns into 41/2 weeks," Skiles said. "What if four [weeks] turns into six? Now you're pushing right to the end of the [regular] season. We've got to prepare for him not being around. "The guys have played well since the All-Star break with him not around. We always miss him and hope he comes back, but until then we have to come up with some combination to have success without him."

Celts GM Danny Ainge also noted the draft day deal for Sebastian Telfair was done largely for financial reasons so the Celts would have money to re-sign their key young people. “But we liked Sebastian, too,” Ainge said. “We still like Sebastian. If we had known we could get Rajon Rondo (in a trade with Phoenix for the 21st pick), we may not have done the trade for Sebastian, but I think having two good, young point guards is an asset. And we still needed the flexibility down the road to keep our up-and-coming players. That would have been a real problem for us if we hadn’t done that trade.”

Like many, John Salmons knew it time for the Sixers to change with Allen Iverson. "They weren't winning, ticket sales weren't great, and that's the business," he said. "From that aspect, I guess you have to say yes. You have to be a unique player to be able to play with A.I.; I think he'll tell you that himself. When they were winning and things were going well, they had those unique players like E. Snow [Eric Snow], Aaron McKie, George Lynch. They were unique to the way A.I. played; they all made it work. Once those players left, they tried to rebuild in the same mode, but I think the personalities weren't right."

The Knicks could still buy out the final $35 million of Steve Francis pact, especially since owner James Dolan has become more fiscally responsible. The Post's Peter Vecsey first reported a buyout came up between Francis and the Knicks, but club sources say actual negotiations haven't taken place. It sounds like the Knicks want Francis to be around as insurance in case Stephon Marbury is unable to perform because of his turf toe and knee soreness.

Knicks guard Steve Francis said it was time “to think about the next step” in dealing with the chronic tendinitis in his right knee. But he could not say what that step might be after meeting with the team doctor before last night’s game. “We really didn’t get into too much detail,” Francis said. “But we have more time to talk when it’s not a game day.” Francis missed his second consecutive game yesterday, and his 27th this season because of the knee. It is not clear whether he will return this season, and Francis provided no reason for optimism. He again ruled out surgery and said it was too soon, at age 30, to ponder retirement.

Washington Wizards forward Antawn Jamison on Monday participated in his first full practice since spraining his left knee against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 30 and didn't appear to show any effects from missing the past month. Jamison worked up a sweat fighting for rebounds and hitting jump shots. "He made every shot, seemed like," Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan said. Jamison was coy about a possible earlier-than-expected return, but he didn't rule out a return against the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.

It seemed about the right time for an Andrew Bynum update, and Coach Phil Jackson went along willingly. The Lakers center had been moving along quietly for a while, nothing extraordinary and nothing embarrassing. Jackson had admonished him twice this season for a below-average work ethic, but he didn't go that far Monday, instead pointing out the need for more consistency against the league's lesser centers. "I noticed when he plays against a [Tim] Duncan or a Shaquille O'Neal or a front-line center, a top-rated center [like] ... [Dwight] Howard from Orlando, that his activity level is much higher," Jackson said. "We were talking about that: How can you capture that to play with more intensity? That's what we're demanding of him. He seems to have one gear and not get to the next. We're trying to get him to that position where he can play."

Most NBA observers are touting Utah's Jerry Sloan for Coach of the Year, but Houston's Jeff Van Gundy also merits consideration. The Rockets were 16-11 when all-star center Yao Ming (25.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game) suffered a broken leg in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 23. Entering Monday night, Houston was 19-9 since then. Van Gundy had hoped to have Yao back in the lineup by mid-March, but the latest prognosis isn't as optimistic.

Who Knew? According to Elias Sports Bureau, Sunday's 86-81 Heat victory over visiting Cleveland marked the first time since the shot clock was instituted in 1954 that both teams took at least 20 foul shots and neither made more than half. The Heat shot 15 of 30 from the line; the Cavaliers, 10 of 21.

With Emeka Okafor out, rookie Adam Morrison became the only Bobcats player to play in every game. Last season a rookie did the same thing; Raymond Felton went the longest without skipping a game because of injury.

The Bobcats made the deal primarily to acquire a second-round pick; Eric Williams is here to balance off Melvin Ely's salary. But he saw this as a fresh start, and that meant turning in the No. 55 he wore with the Spurs for No. 88 he wears for the Bobcats. "I have 88 Holdings (his investment company), an 88 recording label and No. 88 was (ex-Dallas Cowboy) Michael Irvin, my favorite football player," Williams said. "In Asian culture, 88 looks like double infinity -- I see this (trade) as a new beginning -- a chance to erase everything in the past."

When asked how playoff-ready the Cavaliers are on a scale of 10, LeBron James said 8 to 10. Coach Mike Brown got the same question and said the team wasn't even close to being ready.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson recently spoke at an event for the Positive Coaching Alliance, which calls for a ratio of five positive remarks for every one negative comment to a player. "I haven't listened to that lately," Jackson said, smiling.

Is it time for the Bulls to expand Luol Deng's game, go to him more in the post and make him a last-shot option? The question comes up with Ben Gordon, despite being the Bulls' best pressure scorer, missing several last-shot opportunities lately and the Bulls having no true post-up threats to vary their attack. "In the summer, my main thing is going to work on my post-up game," said Deng, who splits the summer between Chicago and his family home in London. "Being 6-9 and as long as I am, I have to use that to my advantage."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers chartered a plane and went to Austin, Texas, for Dennis Johnson’s memorial service Sunday. “It was absolutely sensational,” the coach said. “It was awesome. Nothing you want to go to, but it was really a nice ceremony.” Two Toros players spoke of their late coach. “They talked about Dennis getting on them, and he was overloading them at times with information,” Rivers said. “And as it went on they started realizing maybe he knows what he’s talking about.” It was also revealed at the service that DJ’s last words were “Catch me.” “The pastor did a great little thing about that,” said Rivers, “telling the kids, ‘Did you catch the things he’s trying to teach you?’ ”

Las Vegas was the site of the first "Brand Wade Summit." An informal gathering at the Bellagio was attended by reps from every marketer with which Dwyane Wade has an alliance; members of Team Wade from sports management firm CSMG, Chicago; Miami Heat owner Micky Arison; NBA execs Mark Tatum and Heidi Ueberroth; and Wade's family. Team Wade "leader" Henry Thomas said it was the first time all of Wade's partners were in one room, including T-Mobile, Lincoln, Gatorade, Converse, Staples, Marquis Jet, Topps and Google.

How About That? Only seven times since the 1976 ABA-NBA merger has the league's leading scorer led his team to an NBA title. Michael Jordan did it in all six seasons that he led the Chicago Bulls to the championship, and Shaquille O'Neal accomplished the feat in 1999-00 with the Los Angeles Lakers.

NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports, a series of preseason exhibition games, will hit several new venues this fall following a successful debut in 2006 (36 million viewers, 18 marketing partners, per the NBA), including London's new 02 Arena (which will host basketball during the 2012 Summer Olympics). Stern said the inaugural tour "exceeded expectations . . . We will see even more participation from adidas, Coca-Cola and other [partners]."

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Asked yesterday if he would have voted for steroid-era poster child Mark McGwire, who didn't come close to enough votes as a first-ballot candidate, Mike Schmidt didn't hesitate. "I would have said yes, Mark deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, if I was a writer," Schmidt said. The Baseball Writers' Association of America annually votes on eligible candidates. While McGwire is not a slam-dunk choice even without the steroid smear, his stature in the game thanks to his home-run feats from 1996 to '99 would have garnered him Schmidt's support. The same is true of Sammy Sosa, McGwire's chief longball competition during that time. For Schmidt, excluding them based on their alleged use of performance enhancers - never proved, and then not against baseball's rules - now smacks of hypocrisy. "I think Mark McGwire, along with Sammy, sort of saved the game back in the late '90s," Schmidt said. "I don't see how we all could ride on the shoulders of Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa for 4 or 5 years and not write much or say much about the steroids element in the game." Smaller ballparks, livelier baseballs, a diluted pitching pool, harder bats and a natural increase in players' size accounted more for the power surge, said Schmidt, than did chemical supplements.

Asked what had changed since Manny Ramírez's latest trade demand, agent Greg Genske said, "I'm not going to comment on anything about trades or speculation or anything else. He's here right now and he's excited to be here. He's just focused on the season.

Shortstop Michael Young and the Rangers continued to negotiate Monday on a possible contract extension -- the team's offer is believed to be a five-year deal worth about $75 million that would keep Young through 2013. But their window to get a deal done is shrinking. Young said Monday that he would not want to continue negotiations once spring-training games begin; the first game is Friday. "I absolutely will not let this thing drag on," Young said. "I have a responsibility to my teammates to be ready for the 2007 season."

Jeremy Reed and Ben Broussard want to stay in Seattle. But there is a good chance one or even both will be traded during the spring. Center fielders with range and designated hitters with power are valuable commodities. Both will get plenty of playing time when Cactus League play opens this weekend. If they perform well, their trade value will go up. ... Of the two, Reed is more likely to survive the spring. He doesn't figure to get much playing time, but Ichiro's uncertain future with the team could work in Reed's favor. If Ichiro can't be signed to a contract extension in the next few months, there is a chance he could leave by trade or as a free agent, and the Mariners will need a center fielder.

Mets officials confirmed what they've intimated all winter: They don't intend to consider a new contract with Paul Lo Duca until after the season, when his current contract expires. Lo Duca will earn $6.25 million this season.

GM Brian Cashman all but sealed the end of Bernie Williams’s career as a Yankee by saying that the club was well stocked with outfielders and would not pursue him now. “It’s not an option,” Cashman said of Williams’s return. “There is no option. We know Bobby’s coming back. It’s just a question of when. “This is why this winter, when people came after us for Melky, we didn’t move him. And we always have Kevin Thompson and Kevin Reese, among others.” Neither Williams nor his agent, Scott Boras, responded to phone messages Monday. Williams is believed to be working out near his home in Westchester County, N.Y.

Willie Mays said Monday that if asked he might go on the road with the Giants to lend his godson moral support as he approaches Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. "I don't know if I'll be involved," Mays said as he began his annual visit to camp, "but if the club feels they want me to go on the road and Barry needs some kind of companionship, I will. He might start feeling a little pressure when he starts getting close to that number."

Although a visa has been approved, Twins righthander Sidney Ponson might be unable to pitch in a spring training game for nearly two weeks. Barry Praver, Ponson's agent, confirmed Monday that Ponson's meeting to obtain his visa is scheduled for March 9 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. That's the day of the Twins' 10th spring training game. Another game or two could be lost while Ponson, a native of Aruba, returns to camp. Praver said an immigration lawyer advised Ponson to get the wrong type of visa.

Rangers manager Ron Washington said he expects Sammy Sosa to make the team. "I have no doubt," Washington said. "I'm not saying anyone else has no doubt, but Ron Washington's got no doubt."

Player agents and major league executives said that if the Padres release utility man Todd Walker, they wouldn't be surprised to see the players' union file a grievance. The Padres would owe the utility man $658,000 of his $3.95 million arbitration-set salary if they release him by March 15.

The Rangers still maintain some interest in free agent RHP Ryan Drese, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Drese, who pitched for the Rangers from 2003-05, is not expected to be ready until the second half of the season. He won 14 games with the Rangers in 2004.

On what could be called a spring internship, former MVP Larry Walker has come to Cardinals camp to test pilot a potential coaching career. He's throwing batting practice, cracking fungoes and schooling young outfielders. Watching Walker, who retired after the 2005 season with the Cardinals, move around the field, Tony La Russa has kidded he should rethink retirement. "I keep telling him he ought to take some swings," the Cardinals' manager said. "About Aug. 1 we'd be looking to sign him." For the second consecutive spring, Walker is in camp as a visiting former Cardinal, but this year he's more purposeful in his participation. ... Walker's thinking about getting back in the game, no swings needed and maybe sooner than Aug. 1. He wants to see how the label "coach" fits.

The Angels parlayed a series of erroneous court rulings into an opportunity to "misdirect the jury" toward a verdict in their favor last year, the city of Anaheim argued in formally renewing its fight over the team's name. An Orange County jury decided last February that the Angels had not broken their stadium lease by adding Los Angeles to their name. On Monday, nine months after the Anaheim City Council voted to appeal, city attorneys asked a state appellate court to reverse the verdict or throw it out and order a new trial. The Angels are expected to file their response in June. A decision is not expected before the end of this season, the Angels' third under their new name.

Roger Clemens is not merely the dominant pitcher of his era. He's the best pitcher of the past 80 years, second only to old fireballer Walter "Big Train" Johnson on the list of all-time greats. Johnson, who won 417 games for the Washington Senators between 1907 and 1927, still stands as the greatest based on his dominance and longevity.

Brandon Claussen is the veteran left-hander the Washington Nationals signed in January despite the fact he was coming off surgery on his left shoulder. He went 3-8 with a 6.19 ERA for Cincinnati last season before the August surgery to repair a small tear in his rotator cuff. The Nationals' projection was for Claussen to be ready sometime around midseason. His idea is a bit different. "I'm shooting for May," Claussen, 27, said. "They've kind of held me back a little bit, which I completely agree with. That's their job. My job is to throw strikes. But I think that's a pretty realistic goal."

Former Royals first-round pick Michael Tucker is 35 now but has no plans of retiring. Tucker played last year with the Mets, hitting .196 in 35 games. “The cell phone stays on,” Tucker said recently. “I know I can still play. It’s a matter of getting a chance and if somebody wants to give me an opportunity.”

After putting up with occasional back pain for nearly four years, Mark Kotsay knows how to handle the problem, and it rarely costs him more than a few days. The fact that this year Kotsay's back flared up just a few days into the spring might be of concern, however.
Kotsay's back tightened up on him during the day Sunday and he cut short his hitting. Monday, he was held out of action and came in only for treatment. "Obviously, it's never happened this early in spring training before,'' Kotsay said. "Maybe I came out of the gate and did too much.''

Joe Torre declined to name his starting pitcher for Opening Day, but based on the rotation the manager unveiled for the exhibition season, there's a good chance that Chien-Ming Wang will get the call on April 2 against the Devil Rays at the Stadium. Wang will start Thursday's exhibition opener against the Twins, while Andy Pettitte will make his spring debut Friday in St. Petersburg against the Devil Rays. Mike Mussina starts Saturday, followed by Carl Pavano and Kei Igawa.

Adam Kennedy skipped his at-bats during Monday's game, resting what he called an ache near his ribcage. Kennedy said it was nothing serious, but he felt a slight pull while taking swings Sunday. The Cardinals' starting second baseman planned to skip Monday's hitting and possibly today's as a precaution. "It's not too bad," Kennedy said. "The best thing at this point was to rest it and not blow it out."

Angels OF Juan Rivera, who underwent surgery in Miami on Dec. 27 to have a rod and several screws inserted into the tibia, hopes to be back by June, but conservative estimates have him returning after the All-Star break. Rivera, who hit .310 with 23 home runs and 85 runs batted in last season, began physical therapy Monday. He will spend about five weeks rehabilitating in Arizona before returning to Miami for X-rays, which will gauge how quickly he is healing.

Though Tribe officials don't talk about it much, should AndyMarte stumble in his first major-league season, Eric Wedge and Mark Shapiro can breathe a lot easier, because Casey Blake gives the team solid insurance at third.

Phils legend Mike Schmidt arrived yesterday at Bright House Networks Field as a special instructor for the next 10 days. He met reporters with a piece of a paper in hand, a statement he had prepared to hopefully defuse the situation. "My use of the term 'mediocre' was in poor taste, and I'm sorry if it offended," Schmidt read from the statement, "but it was not intended to label Pat Burrell or Adam Dunn or their accomplishments, but to point out that at some point, as a result of reducing strikeouts, their future accomplishments will make their past seem 'mediocre.' "

Players' union boss Donald Fehr started his annual tour of spring training camps Monday by meeting behind closed doors with the Diamondbacks and said afterward he and his staff would continue to let the players decide whether to cooperate with the steroids investigation being conducted by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. Commissioner Bud Selig hired Mitchell just before the 2006 season, but the investigation has moved at a glacial pace. Mitchell told baseball's owners in Phoenix this winter that some clubs were refusing to cooperate and their reluctance would "significantly increase" the likelihood of government intervention. "We haven't made any comment about the Mitchell investigation specifically," Fehr said outside the Diamondbacks clubhouse. "What you should expect, however, is that any time any player has an issue with that or something arises, then we will give them whatever our best advice is under the circumstances, and then players make their individual decisions."

Jay Franklin and Jeff Frye, two of second baseman Ian Kinsler's agents, will be in Surprise today to meet with Rangers officials. Kinsler and the team have been trying to reach a long-term extension.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Rich Aurilia is the front-runner to bat third ahead of Barry Bonds, although the manager wants to experiment with different lineups during the Cactus League.

That the Braves plan to start John Smoltz in the April 2 season opener at Philadelphia should come as no surprise. Nor should the fact Smoltz doesn't want to make a big deal out of it. The former Cy Young Award winner is 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in three opening-day starts, including eight innings of two-run ball in 1997 at Houston. "What means the most to me is that I get in a better groove earlier than I have recently," said Smoltz, who went 2-5 with a 3.88 ERA in 10 April starts over the past two seasons; he was 28-11 with a 3.18 ERA in his other 58 starts. "I need to find a way to take it from the last start [of spring] to opening day and enjoy the start of the season, because sometimes too much is made of it."

One player certain to get an abundance of playing time once the Reds begin their Grapefruit League schedule is Josh Hamilton. Reds manager Jerry Narron wants to see Hamilton, who is attempting a comeback after almost four full seasons out of baseball, in center and right field. "He's got great instincts out there," Narron said. "I'm looking forward to seeing him play. He's going to play a lot. "We're going to try and speed this thing up as quickly as we can for him, and see if he's up for that challenge."

Sammy Sosa might have lost much of his baseball talent, but he hasn't lost any confidence. After hitting .221 with 14 home runs and 84 strikeouts in 102 games and 380 official at-bats for the 2005 Baltimore Orioles and sitting out all of 2006, he thinks he can hit "30 or 40 home runs" for the Texas Rangers this season at age 38. In a best-case scenario, he'd be designated hitter and bat between Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock. More likely scenario: Sosa doesn't make the team and Jason Botts is the DH.

Hideki Okajima, 31, signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract two weeks before the Red Sox secured Daisuke Matsuzaka. ... Okajima’s fastball does not exceed 88 miles an hour. If he sputters in Boston, it will hardly be as notable. Still, the bullpen he will join was a fragile one last season. The Red Sox will be delighted if he can frustrate left-handed hitters the way he did last year in Japan, when he held them to a .186 average with no home runs in 70 at-bats while pitching for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

Chan Ho Park sets a goal every season to have a few conversations with Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, so it was no surprise that Park sought some advice when the Dodgers legend made an appearance in Mets camp yesterday. Park credited Koufax, 71, for fixing some issues with his delivery, and the two were seen going through repeated windup motions in the Mets clubhouse. Most of those conversations come via phone calls, so Park made sure to take full advantage of his limited time with Koufax. "It's been four years since I've seen him," Park said. "We were just working with some mechanical things. He helped me adjust a few things."

Did You Know? Bobby Abreu, a left-handed hitter who turns 33 on March 11, has not been on the disabled list since 1997, his rookie season with Houston. Over the past nine seasons, he has played in 1,411 games -- an average of 157 per year and third-most in the majors behind Andruw Jones and Shawn Green.

Attempting to rebound from a disastrous 2006 season in which he went 3-11 for Atlanta and St. Louis, Jorge Sosa is among nine pitchers here contending for a rotation spot. Unlike most of the others, however, the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Sosa can pitch out of the bullpen, making him a strong candidate to be the Mets’ long reliever and spot starter.

The Pirates are projected to have an opening day payroll roughly the same as the $43.4 million they spent last season, a figure that ranked 28th among Major League Baseball's 30 teams. Ownership has budgeted for roughly $50 million, but general manager Dave Littlefield has yet to spend to that limit. "I know there has been a lot written and said about that topic, and I understand that I was in the background for a while, so the players were getting their information from other places," Nutting said. "But I'm here now, and I've been trying since the ownership transfer to reach out to the players, to let them know in plain talk how important winning is to me and to our fans."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he won't be overly analytical when watching his pitchers during his team's first intrasquad game today, but Jason Hammel knows the opportunity that exists in the one inning he will pitch. Hammel, 0-6 with a 7.77 ERA last season, walked at least three batters in five of his nine starts. So as the 24-year-old competes for the fifth spot in the Rays rotation, he is focused on having better location.

Manager Ron Gardenhire said he has noticed two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana has embraced the fact that he is a role model for the stable of pitching prospects in the Twins' organization. "We talked about that on the field the other day," Gardenhire said. "He said, 'They watch everything I do.' I said, 'Absolutely.' He's got it figured out. It's more than just making sure he's prepared. It's setting a tone for a lot of other people. (Brad) Radke always understood that people were watching him. It's probably where (Santana) has grown the most."

Did You Know? Garret Anderson, John Lackey, Francisco Rodriguez, Scot Shields and Jose Molina are the only players remaining from that Angels 2002 World Series team.

What is perfection? Everyone's answer is different. For Seattle first baseman Richie Sexson, a perfect statistical season would be all about triple digits. "If I got 100 runs, 100 RBIs and 100 walks, that would be a perfect season," Sexson said Monday. Sexson, 32, said he's at the point in his career where he's more willing to walk.

The physical problem Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin had on Sunday was nothing more than a oblique muscle spasm, according to manager Terry Francona. Timlin, who will turn 41 next month, is not expected to miss much time. “He was a little stiff, but he loosened up well,” Francona said. When it comes to aches and pains, Timlin wasn’t alone at this early juncture of spring training. Reliever Craig Hansen remains sidelined with a sore back, which is the result of doing squats during a workout last week.

Royals manager Buddy Bell stops short — but just short — of characterizing Jorge De La Rosa as a lock for the rotation’s fourth slot behind Gil Meche, Odalis Perez and Luke Hudson. “I like De La Rosa a lot,” Bell said. “I like his toughness, and I like his stuff. He would have to be pretty bad not to make the rotation.” If so, that would position Bannister, Greinke and perhaps Wellemeyer in a battle for the final opening.

Maybe it's time for that to change. Maybe it's time for baseball to take the Hall of Fame vote away from the writers and instead give it to Hall of Fame members. In the big picture, Mike Schmidt and other Hall of Famers probably do have a better perspective on how McGwire, whose career is shadowed by a popular belief that he used performance-enhancing drugs, fits into the baseball pantheon.

Angels owner Arte Moreno is particularly bullish about this year's team.
With the additions of center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. and designated hitter Shea Hillenbrand, the Angels payroll has nestled in at about $113 million this season, he said. "The team is doing well financially," Moreno told MLB.com as his club was going through the strains of another spring workout under a cloudless blue sky on Monday. "We're going to draw more than 3 million people again. And we're going to be intensely competitive. That's what the fans want."

Billy Butler is in camp as a non-roster invite, but the Royals are as interested as anyone to gauge his long-term defensive potential. “He’ll probably get as many at-bats as anybody,” Royals manager Buddy Bell said. “We’ll play Reggie (Sanders) a lot, but some will be as a DH because I’m not going to play Mike (Sweeney) a lot until the end. “So Billy will get quite a few at-bats, at least early on.”

Ron Santo expected to have a long, restless night on Monday as he awaited Tuesday's call telling him whether he has made the Hall of Fame. "I'm not going to sleep tonight," Santo said Monday morning at Fitch Park. Santo admitted he was nervous about the vote of the Veterans Committee, which hasn't elected anyone to the Hall since the rules were changed to give current Hall of Famers more say in who joins their club. Santo fell eight votes shy of election in 2005 but is hoping to pick up some votes this time. The next time he'll become eligible is in 2009.

Dodgers manager Grady Little has been dropping hints about catcher Russell Martin's offensive potential and on Monday he laid it out a little clearer, saying Martin would likely move up to No. 6 in the batting order. "He has a chance to drive in a lot of runs," Little said of Martin, who drove in 65 runs in 415 at-bats after getting called up May 5. "He's a very productive player and he can drive in a lot of runs. We feel we want him to bat more often. He moves the ball and with a lot of authority. He could also hit second, but right now the plan is to hit sixth, the way the club is made up." That means Rafael Furcal leading off, followed by Juan Pierre, Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Luis Gonzalez and Martin. Spots seven and eight figure to be taken by Wilson Betemit and Andre Ethier.

Did You Know? In the last 90 regular-season and playoff games between the teams, the Yankees have 46 wins and the Red Sox 44.

Hayden Penn, one of the Baltimore Orioles' prized pitching prospects, sprained his left ankle Sunday night at the team hotel and could be out several days, according to Manager Sam Perlozzo. X-rays on the ankle were negative, but Penn also had a precautionary MRI exam. Results of the exam showed a Grade 1 sprain, which is considered minor. Penn arrived at the team's training complex on crutches, but later discarded them. "Yesterday or last night, carrying some boxes, from what I understand, he twisted it on a step or something," Perlozzo said.

The Nats' Shawn Hill was impressive early last year before a sore elbow ended his season. "I think I have what it takes to pitch long-term up here," he said. As a strong candidate for one of the four open spots in the Nationals' rotation, staying healthy is more imperative than at any other time in his young career. "You got to do it over a long period of time," Hill said

Gavin Floyd survived a close call Monday in his White Sox debut. Floyd, a candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation, rolled his right ankle while delivering a pitch to Joe Crede in the first inning and had to leave the intrasquad game. Fortunately for Floyd and the Sox, he suffered only a minor sprain and could return in time to make his next appearance on Friday against Arizona.

Nomar Garciaparra and Brad Penny, Dodgers All-Stars last year, participated Monday in the taping of a Major League Baseball commercial for this year's All-Star Game. Because the game is in San Francisco, a cable car was brought in as a prop for the taping.

The Cubs worked on their cutoffs and relays Monday, which led to questions about Jacque Jones' arm and whether manager Lou Piniella should be concerned about his outfield defense. Piniella said Jones "basically just got the ball to the cutoff man" and wasn't asked to do anything out of the ordinary. "We're making sure people are positioned the right way, more than anything else," Piniella said. "It went well." As for the outfield defense, Piniella paused for 13 seconds before answering. "It's going to start with our center-field play, obviously, and what happens there," he said. "Once we make that determination ... am I concerned about our defensive play? The answer is really no, but with one reservation—let's see how we line 'em up."

Alan Roach, whose booming bass voice introduced Rockies players for 14 seasons, is quitting as the public address announcer at Coors Field. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my 14 years behind the microphone first at Mile High Stadium and then at Coors Field," Roach said in a statement. "However, my commitment to my children is the primary reason for this decision. I look forward to having more time at home this summer." The Rockies will hold auditions for a new PA announcer.

The Pirates tag team of Brian Giles and Jason Bay has averaged 33 home runs, 101 RBIs and 98 runs while batting .302 from 1999 through 2006. Had that been one guy, Brian G. Bay might be on the way to immortality. The only outfielders to begin their careers with more than 261 home runs through eight seasons are Ralph Kiner (329), Ted Williams (265) and Frank Robinson (262). As we're not talking about one player, or the start of careers, neither Giles nor Bay will have the longevity for the Hall of Fame.

As part of the half-hour session between owner Bob Nutting and the players yesterday morning, video was shown of some of the commercials the team will televise this year. The anchor slogan will remain "We Will," and the focus will remain on the players, including specialized spots for Jason Bay, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Salomon Torres, Ian Snell and a handful of others. The Snell ad drew the best early reviews. It was described as having "attitude" by chief marketing and sales officer Tim Schuldt, and it came with the raucous, fast-paced musical background of Linkin Park's "Faint." Nutting expressed pride in the campaign. "It's all about baseball," he said. "That's something we weren't doing a couple years ago that we should have been doing all along."

Don't overlook Russell Branyan as a potential key contributor in 2007, said Padres General Manager Kevin Towers, who finds compelling the projection from Red Sox analyst Bill James that Branyan will hit 23 home runs in 364 at-bats this season. Branyan will share time at third with Kouzmanoff and also could appear at three other corner spots

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Word within NFL circles is that the Vikings haven't backed off in their pursuit of Atlanta quarterback Matt Schaub and will offer their second-round pick in April's draft and an offensive player — perhaps quarterback Brad Johnson. And don't be surprised if the Vikings target free-agent defensive end Dewayne White of Tampa Bay.

The Giants still have some of their own matters to address with veteran defensive end Michael Strahan. Strahan is scheduled to sit down in the coming days with the Giants' new general manager Jerry Reese in a meeting that will dictate where the franchise's all-time sack leader will finish his career. Both sides fully expect it to be in New York, but financial issues can sometimes get in the way of intentions. ... A source close to Strahan said the defensive end wants to discuss his future, and where the Giants intend to take their team in the future. If Strahan doesn't like what he hears, he always has the option of walking away to a TV job that is out there waiting for him, whenever he decides to retire. And, if talks unexpectedly break down, then there would be another option Giants fans would have a hard time stomaching -- Strahan finishing his career in Washington. The Redskins have had a long history of signing big-name players such as Strahan.

The Broncos are talking to Detroit about cornerback Dre' Bly. The Broncos are among about a half-dozen teams discussing a deal with the Lions. The trading period opens Friday. The Lions are likely looking for a third-round pick and a player or players. Among the players Denver would be open to trading are quarterback Jake Plummer, right tackle George Foster and running back Tatum Bell. Bly is represented by Kenard McGuire and Fletcher Smith, who are also agents for Javon Walker and with whom Denver worked to facilitate a trade last spring.

The Redskins are expected to make a push to sign free agent cornerback Nate Clements (Buffalo) and many in the organization would be open to bringing back former Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot if he is released by Minnesota this week as expected.

Latest rumor is that ex-Vikings wideout Randy Moss will be reunited with ex-coach Mike Tice in Jacksonville.

Middle linebacker London Fletcher (Buffalo) is Washington's primary free agent target, team sources said, and a deal with him could be completed by the weekend.

Colts free agent LB Cato June may have the best opportunity to remain in Indianapolis, but that eventuality will all depend on what kind of interest he receives from other teams and how much money is being discussed. At least one team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, reportedly has a need for a playmaking outside linebacker. The Steelers may also have interest in both Dominic Rhodes and Nick Harper, although a recent arrest for speeding and drunk driving is expected to drive some teams away from the Colts’ veteran running back.

There's a strong chance the Broncos will take a look at quarterback Jeff Garcia now that he's likely bound for the free-agent market. His former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, signed A.J. Feeley to a four-year contract, which almost certainly spells the end of Garcia's tenure there. The Broncos would like a veteran hand to help guide new franchise quarterback Jay Cutler. The Broncos pushed hard for Garcia two years ago before he signed with the Lions.

If the Patriots are to retain free agent tight end Daniel Graham, they’ll have to battle some outside suitors to do it. Colorado-based agent Jack Mills said yesterday that Graham does not plan to re-sign with the Patriots before Friday, the beginning of the NFL’s free agent period. Graham, who was made a captain in midseason, is likely to be the most sought after free agent tight end on a market that will also include San Francisco’s Eric Johnson and Seattle’s Jerramy Stevens. The Bengals are said to be very interested in Graham’s services.

DT Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is scheduled to make $5 million next season and there has been speculation he would be cut or have to take a pay cut, but the Packers intend on keeping him around next season.

The agent for Titans running back Travis Henry and new general manager Mike Reinfeldt spoke over the weekend at the NFL Combine, and talks for a new extension are expected to continue leading up to free agency, which opens Friday. Hadley Englehard acknowledged that he and Reinfeldt had spoken, but said no new deal is imminent. “We met with each other over the weekend, and we will probably continue to talk this week,” Englehard said. Henry is due an $8 million roster bonus, which it appears the Titans have no interest in paying. Therefore, Tennessee’s options are to work out some sort of new deal with Henry or turn him loose into unrestricted free agency by declining the roster bonus.

The Giants have room to add a running back with the recent retirement of Tiki Barber. New York officials have discussed the possibility of trading for a a runner — such as Buffalo’s Willis McGahee, Chicago’s Thomas Jones, Green Bay’s Ahman Green or Denver's Tatum Bell. But barring a trade or the decision to go ahead and try to pick someone up in the draft, adding a free agent like Dominic Rhodes, Philadelphia’s Correll Buckhalter and San Diego's Michael Turner may also be in the cards at some point down the road.

Adam "Pacman" Jones was at the scene of a triple shooting at a Las Vegas Strip Club a week ago and although police said he is only a witness there are allegations he knows the shooter and may have started the mle. Exclusive conversations from a drug investigation revealed more into Jones' association with trouble. In March, 2006 Metro Police announced some major drug arrests. A lot of the evidence for the arrests was from conversations police had taped with different dealers. Although Jones faced no charges in connection with the investigation, his name was mentioned in the taped recordings. In one of Metro's largest busts to date, the drug trafficking investigation netting nearly 2,000 pounds of drugs, nine major arrests and more than 20 vehicles; the most noticeable was a Cadillac linked to Jones. Jones faced no charges in the drug investigation. The car wasn't registered to him and was apparently borrowed for a rap video. Jones' buddy convicted drug dealer Darryl Moore was the center of the investigation and now his conversations may be very telling of Jones' own problems. "We gotta slow down, man. We gotta get him focused on football, man. He's focused on too much other s****," Moore said. NewsChannel 5 obtained wiretapped phone conversations between Moore and his friends. In one conversation he talked about Jones throwing his money into gambling, putting thousands of dollars on college games to make a quick buck.

The Vikings are expected to be one of a handful of teams that make a run at New England tight end Daniel Graham and Atlanta receiver Ashley Lelie.

The Broncos are among the teams that have expressed interest in veteran Dré Bly. Bly, 29, is among several Detroit Lions players who have been given permission to shop themselves to other NFL teams. The Broncos meet the eight-year pro's yardstick as a playoff-caliber franchise. And from the Broncos' perspective, they would be receiving a two-time Pro Bowl selection they could pair with Champ Bailey to form one of the league's strongest tandems.

The Redskins are still trying to rework cornerback Shawn Springs's contract, but there has been no progress in that matter this month and Springs could be released in June to alleviate the salary cap hit.

That leaves Patrick Kerney of Atlanta, DeWayne White of Tampa Bay and David Bowens of Miami as remaining Rams possibilities once the free agency period starts Friday. Baltimore's Adalius Thomas is another possibility, but he's more a 3-4 linebacker than 4-3 defensive end. As each veteran end goes off the market, it becomes more likely that the Rams will turn to the draft to address one of their most pressing needs.