Ben Maller’s Sports Rumors & Notes

Rumors Archive for June 04, 2007

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NBA Rumors & Notes

Monday, June 4, 2007

With his final meltdown and ejection, Rasheed Wallace has probably received his last technical in a Pistons uniform. With only two years left on his contract, though at an average of about $13.5 million, Wallace has some appeal. The consensus is Knicks GM Isiah Thomas will be thwarted by the Lakers in trying to get Jermaine O'Neal and by the Sonics in some form of sign and trade or straight free agency for Rashard Lewis. Wallace talked about going to the Knicks before he re-signed with the Pistons in 2004.

Former Miami Heat Coach Stan Van Gundy was the only other coaching candidate the Magic talked to while they were courting Billy Donovan, who, incredibly is doing an about-face on Orlando after taking the job. Magic President Bob Vander Weide said that he was impressed with Van Gundy. Van Gundy told me last week before Donovan accepted the Magic job that he would "love to coach" the club, praising Dwight Howard and the city.
He might get his chance now. Once the Donovan mess is sorted out --- there's virtually no chance the Magic can change his mind --- look for the club to announce his hiring this week.

What is perhaps more plausible would be taking a run a Phoenix's Shawn Marion. Marion, who would give the Pistons' front court the quickness and athleticism it lacks, has two years and $33.5 million left. The Pistons would have to offer Rasheed Wallace and another player (Johnson?) to pique the Suns' interest.

The Pacers do have several contracts as unpalatable as Antoine Walker's deal, which pays $8.5 million next season. The difference is Mike Dunleavy Jr. ($8.2 million next season) and Troy Murphy ($9.2 million next season) each have three additional seasons remaining. By contrast, after next season, Walker has only one additional guaranteed year on his Heat contract. And one thing the Heat has done especially well over the years is not chase bad money with even worse money. It is just one of the aspects that has separated the Heat from the Knicks. Still, when the Pacers get busy, keep in mind they will be working with a coach whose career flourished with Walker at his side.

The Orlando Magic today will allow Billy Donovan out of his 5-year, $27.5 million contract that he signed on Friday. "It's over," said a source close to the situation. Donovan had reservations about leaving the Florida Gators for the NBA on Friday and spent all weekend trying to find a way to get out of his contract. On Saturday, Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith went to Gainesville to try to convince Donovan to honor the deal. Smith talked with Donovan again on Sunday, and so did Magic President Bob Vander Weide. Unless Donovan wakes up today and changes his mind, the Magic will let him go, the source said.

Re-signing Chauncey Billups remains Joe Dumars' top priority this summer. Losing to the Cavaliers, even with Billups' admittedly sub-par performance, won't change that. Billups said all the right things -- he wanted to re-sign, he loved it here and wanted to retire as a Piston. But he also said the NBA is a cold business at times and what he wants might not be what he gets. "All I know is, I love the guys I play with," he said. "We've had some great, great years, and I think if we can keep it all together, we still can have some more great years. Nobody is too old. We still got a good group. But that's not really up to me." It's hard to envision Dumars breaking up his all-star backcourt -- Billups and Richard Hamilton -- or moving Tayshaun Prince.

Even if Laker ownership simply can't get past Kobe Bryant's onslaught, the truth is they probably can't trade him even if they wanted to. Bryant owns both a no-trade clause and a 15% trade kicker. There is no deal the Lakers can execute without his stamp of approval. Technically, Bryant would gain a $9,568,125 trade bonus if LA did decide to move him (he doesn't get kicker money on option years). The incoming team would be on hook for that chunk of change immediately.

Ex-Bucks and current Portland center Jamaal Magloire, who becomes a free agent on July 1, could be heading home to Toronto.

Nazr Mohammed has probably played his last game for the Pistons. Despite getting a $30 million free-agent contract in the off-season to replace Ben Wallace, Mohammed had played just four minutes in the playoffs when he came into Game 6 of the conference finals and fouled surprising hero Daniel Gibson on a three-pointer. It seemed a fitting end to a disappointing season.

Chris Wallace had an important second interview with a Grizzlies representative yesterday in Orlando, Fla., for that team’s soon-to-be-vacated general manager position. Though Memphis owner Michael Heisley and outgoing GM Jerry West were in Scotland playing golf yesterday, the team reportedly plans to make a decision this week. Mark Jackson, the former NBA player and current ABC/ESPN commentator, has been mentioned as another possibility, though Wallace reportedly is high on West’s list. West has been given significant input in naming his replacement.

The Pistons overhaul, if there is to be one, will come in the front court. Chris Webber, pondering retirement, will most likely not be re-signed. Dale Davis is also expected to retire. Nazr Mohammed, even though he has four years and some $25 million left on his contract, might be traded. That leaves Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess (who could get an extension this summer), Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson (a restricted free agent) in what is now a pretty bare frontcourt depth chart.

Despite the common knocks in the media that the Lakers have nothing to offer, they do have some very movable parts to make the 2007 Plan work. Lamar Odom, Ronny Turiaf, Luke Walton, Brian Cook, Sasha Vujacic, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, the 19th pick and the expiring deal of Kwame Brown hold various levels of attraction to teams around the league.

There are some NBA observers who believe the Hawks, with the No. 3 pick, could trade down to the No. 5 spot, which is currently held by Boston. The Hawks would then draft Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr.

Luke Walton is likely to explore the free agent market, looking for the best deal. If that coincides with a workable trade for the Lakers then so be it . . . but there's a solid shot he re-signs. The soonest a sign and trade can be executed is July 11.

Aaron Brooks has no idea where he will be selected in the NBA draft this month, but the former University of Oregon guard left last week's predraft camp in Orlando feeling as if he had made his case to scouts that he is more than just a scorer. For one, he impressed his coach at the camp, Mark Aguirre, a former NBA standout and current New York Knicks assistant coach. "His speed is something I have never seen before," Aguirre said. "I was very impressed with him, just his all-around game. He has poise, an understanding of the game, and he can be both a distributor and scorer. He had a very good showing in this camp. Very good showing."

Just in case, Danny Ainge and his staff are staying in Orlando through tomorrow to get extra looks at players who could come into play with their second-round pick, the 32nd overall, in the June 28 draft. Candidates for the fifth pick won’t start auditioning until Thursday, when Florida swingman Corey Brewer and Florida State’s Al Thornton work out for the Celtics at their Waltham practice facility. The Celtics, Rockets, Wizards and Bulls initially had planned to share expenses for today’s additional Orlando workouts, until the league reportedly stepped in and threatened to cancel the arrangement unless it was opened to the other 26 teams. Under the NBA’s new rules regarding predraft workouts, private sessions aren’t allowed to start until the Orlando camp officially ends tomorrow morning. As a result, a large number of other teams also are expected to be present when approximately 20 players take the floor today, including Boston College’s Jared Dudley and Florida point guard Taurean Green.

The Pistons could be losing their lead assistant coach, though. Terry Porter will interview soon for the head coaching vacancy in Sacramento.

Former NBA center Jack Sikma has been linked to assistant coach’s job in Toronto.'

With rumors of their interest continuing, the Bulls are one of the teams scheduled to go to Los Angeles to watch Chinese prospect Yi Jian-lian work out

North Carolina forward Brandan Wright said he would welcome the chance to play for the Bucks and be reunited with former Tar Heels teammate David Noel. “I think it would be good for me to know someone who could help me adjust to the pro game.’’

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MLB Rumors & Notes

Monday, June 4, 2007

A rumor that surfaced less than two weeks ago, which had the White Sox exploring a deal that would send Jermaine Dye to the Yankees for struggling outfielder Bobby Abreu, has started to take on some life, according to one Sox source close to the situation. Not only because Abreu is a good friend of Guillen's -- which worked out well when right-hander Freddy Garcia came over -- but also because the Sox believe Abreu is a slow starter and his best baseball this season is ahead of him. The organization also reportedly isn't too thrilled with comments from Dye in which he came off as uncaring about where he plays. ''I've been around long enough to know that it's just a business,'' Dye told the Sun-Times this week. ''You're paid to work for a team for whatever period of time, give 100 percent to that club, and if you get dealt away, give 100 percent to the next club.''

Alex Rodriguez needs to be traded for the only reason that matters — the Yankees have a chance to be a better team without him. Not only is it their best chance to improve now, it may be their only chance to avoid several more years like this one. ... Should the Yankees go much longer without making up ground in the wild card race (the division title has flown), and perhaps even if they do, they can attempt to shuffle Rodriguez off to one of the competitive clubs that need a third baseman, among them the Angels, Dodgers, and the Indians. The Dodgers represent an especially tempting target. They have a ready third base prospect in Andy LaRoche, a potentially useful, Lyle Overbay style first baseman in James Loney, the power-hitting outfielder Matt Kemp, and one of the best pitching prospects in the minors in Low-A lefty Clayton Kershaw. The Yankees wouldn't be able to snag all of these players in an ARod deal, but getting any two would brighten the outlook for next year, and possibly the remainder of this year.

The Yankees appear to have no interest in the massive contract of Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies. They are more interested in exploring the idea of a trade for Mark Teixeira of the Texas Rangers, but the Rangers want premium pitching prospects and the asking price would seem likely to drop as the July 31 trading deadline approaches.

The Cubs may not be shopping their emotional ace Carlos Zambrano, as general manager Jim Hendry reiterated on Sunday, but that won't stop general managers of selected high-revenue teams from letting Hendry know they're only a speed-dial away. "If the Cubs want to trade me, it's a business, what can I do?" Zambrano told reporters on Saturday. "I've got to go somewhere else and pitch my game and do my job. Plus, I don't have to see your faces anymore." Zambrano will have seven more starts before the All-Star break, at which point he'll probably have a good idea as to whether he'll be the prime attraction at the July 31 trading deadline. If the Cubs fall out of contention, he'll be the most talked-about name out there. Even if they do get back in, any unsigned free agent-to-be is bound to be discussed in trade talks.

If the White Sox decide to sell, the Giants might be interested. Two of general manager Brian Sabean's top talent evaluators, Paul Turco and Ted Uhlaender, scouted the Sox in Chicago and Toronto last week. Outfielder Jermaine Dye is a free agent after the season and could be on the block.

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said he gave OF Elijah Dukes, the center of recent controversy, the day off, using B.J. Upton in center and Josh Wilson at second. But it seemed an odd time for rest because Dukes hits right-handed, Kansas City started left-hander Odalis Perez, and Dukes hits much better, .261 to .198, against lefties. There have been reports the Rays are seeking to trade Dukes.

The Yankees might get a shot at Adam Dunn for one of the outfield corners, but only if the Reds decline his option.

The Braves got a possible glimpse at their first-base future when catching prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia moved to first in the seventh inning Sunday. Manager Bobby Cox wouldn't say how much Saltalamacchia, 22, would be used at first base, but this could end up being far more significant than a double-switch. The Braves already have a 23-year-old All-Star catcher, Brian McCann, who signed a six-year contract extension during spring training. So they will seemingly have to move Saltalamacchia to another position or trade him. The Braves have been reluctant to include Saltalamacchia in trade talks, because they believe the 235-pound switch-hitter could develop into a star. But they've also been hesitant to change his position because his trade value could be higher as a strong-armed, slugging catcher than as a first baseman.

Dmitri Young is absolutely on fire right now. Since we know Nick Johnson will be back eventually and Dmitri will be traded to a contender in need of another bat, shouldn't the Nationals just deal him right now while his value is sky-high? ... Yes, Young's value has got to be as high at this point as it's ever going to be. So it would seem to behoove the Nationals to listen to every offer they can get right now rather than wait until the trade market heats up next month. Sure, they would have to find a fill-in at first base until Johnson is ready -- anyone for a Robert Fick/Ronnie Belliard platoon? -- but that's a small price to pay for whatever return the club could get for a red-hot Young.

The worst-case scenario applies as well to Michael Barrett, also eligible for free agency after this season. The Cubs have yet to begin talking about re-signing Barrett, considered a lower priority than Zambrano because he won't break the bank. The Cubs are not looking to trade Barrett, but if they did, they probably couldn't deal him without getting a starting catcher in return. His trade value is considerably less than Zambrano's, especially after his slow start offensively, and the developments of the last week.

Phils starter Freddy Garcia has pitched more than six innings just once in 10 starts this season. He is 1-4 with a 5.11 ERA. "It bothers me," Garcia said. "But I'm a professional. I can't think about how I pitched today. . . . That's not professional. I'm going to think about what's going to happen next." Garcia, the team's marquee off-season acquisition, is making $10 million this year. He will be a free agent after the season. "I'm trying my best," Garcia said. "After the season, we'll see what happens. I'm not concerned about it. . . . Whatever happens, happens. If I don't come back here, I'll be playing somewhere. . . . I'm not thinking about being a free agent. Right now, I'm trying to pitch better. If they don't want me here, somebody will want me. "Any pitcher can have a bad year. If you see last year, a lot of people didn't have a really good year and went to free agency."

Unless the Cubs go the trade route, the top free-agent catchers in November are Jason Kendall, Jorge Posada and Paul LoDuca, all of whom are in their mid-30s, and possibly 36-year-old Ivan Rodriguez, if the Tigers don't pick up his $13 million option.

Pat Gillick's immediate reaction? He smiled. Then he chuckled. "Do I look that foolish?" the Phillies' general manager said yesterday at Citizens Bank Park. Yesterday, the Boston Globe mentioned the possibility that the Seattle Mariners might be for sale. And if the Mariners are for sale, there are rumblings that Gillick could be head of an ownership group. Gillick, whose three-year contract with the Phillies runs through 2008, sold his Toronto home in the off-season and bought a home in Seattle, although he spends the majority of the year living in Philadelphia.

A lot of Reds fans want to trade Adam Dunn. A lot also want to trade Ken Griffey Jr. Some want to trade everyone except equipment man Rick Stowe. The most popular player sought in return in Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Atlanta's 22-year-old catcher. Jonathan Broxton, the reliever for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was another popular choice.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who began serving what sources said would be a five-game suspension for his run-in with umpires the day before. Piniella's status is pending an appeal by telephone Monday to John McHale Jr., executive vice president of Major League Baseball. But rarely does MLB reduce a manager's penalty, especially after its discipline of Piniella included a fine for "aggressive and inappropriate actions," including making contact with umpire Mark Wegner "on multiple occasions." Piniella denied making contact with Wegner except to kick dirt onto his shoes. A subdued Piniella did not meet formally with reporters Sunday, though he did say he "wasn't expecting anything until the early part of the week."

Lefthander Mark Mulder will rejoin the club this week to begin bullpen sessions, a significant step in his recovery from rotator cuff surgery in September. Mulder has remained at the Cardinals' spring training headquarters in Jupiter, Fla., for much of the past two months and has gradually increased his throwing distances from flat ground. He has not reached a point roughly equivalent to the start of spring training, meaning he is about seven weeks shy of a return, barring setbacks.

If the Phillies are willing to try to get Mike MacDougal straightened out, the reliever could be a centerpiece in a White Sox deal for Aaron Rowand. The Phillies desperately need bullpen help and are letting teams know Rowand could be available in the right deal. The speedy Michael Bourn seems ready to move into a regular role in Philadelphia's outfield.

According to several Yankees sources, a published report yesterday that said Hal Steinbrenner is the new leader of the franchise and will determine the fates of Joe Torre and Brian Cashman is false. "That was all fantasy," the source said. "George is still in charge. Hal (on the business side) and Hank (on the baseball side) are working together with their father." As for Torre and Cashman, The Boss is taking a wait-and-see attitude with his manager and GM, both of whom are being held accountable for the Yankees' putrid first two months. "Nothing is being considered at the time," the source said.

I'm conflicted on the demotion of Anthony Reyes. No. 1, Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan has a proven philosophy (pitch down in the zone, get ground balls) and Reyes stubbornly resists it. On the other hand, not all pitchers are alike. Not all can fit into a particular mold. Reyes makes a lot of hitters swing and miss and appear overmatched when he throws that four-seam fastball up in the zone. Either way, it looks like the Cardinals have a trading chip.

People who know say it could take a five-year contract worth at least $75 million for the Twins to re-sign Torii Hunter, who can become a free agent at season's end. Best bet is that Hunter, 31, will end up with the Rangers in Texas, where he resides.

Jay Witasick wasn't sweating it after being designated for assignment Sunday. After all, he'd asked to be let go. Witasick wouldn't come right out and say that, but a source confirmed that Witasick's agent, Jeff Borris, called the A's to request the reliever's release. "I want to go somewhere and play,'' said Witasick, whose innings were erratic. "I want to have a legitimate chance to pitch every day. I feel like I have a lot left. My arm feels great, my body is healthy. I'm not finished yet." Witasick, 34, holds no hard feelings whatsoever toward the A's; in fact, it's quite the opposite. "I can't say anything bad,'' he said. "This team has been great, they've been good to me and the hardest part will be leaving the guys in the clubhouse.'' The A's have 10 days in which to try to trade Witasick, but it's likely they would have done so had they been able. It's also unlikely anyone would claim Witasick on waivers, because that team would then be responsible for the remainder of Witasick's $1.5 million salary. If he signs with another team after clearing waivers, the A's are on the hook for the bulk of the salary, with the new club paying only a prorated portion of the major-league minimum.

At 86, Jimmy Farrell is the only Cubs employee who comes close to clubhouse emeritus manager Yosh Kawano's decades-long tenure. But Farrell, who has spent the last 25 summers as the club's umpire's room attendant, will retire after this season. ''I want to spend a little more time at home with my wife now,'' he said. ''A lot of things have changed, but the [umpires] have always been great. The old guys used to have their beers, the new guys drink water. But you become kind of a father figure to them. I guess I have enough stories to write a book, but it's been a really great career.''

Author Buzz Bissinger, who wrote "3 Nights in August" about Tony La Russa, told Frank Cusumano and Brian McKenna on KFNS that he thinks La Russa will leave the Cardinals after the season. "What did the owners give him in form of talent this year? Kip Wells? I think Tony has had it," Bissinger said.

Tigers OF Gary Sheffield ripped major league baseball for giving African-American players fewer opportunities than Latins, saying that Latins are easier to control. "I called it years ago," Sheffield said in an interview with GQ magazine. "What I called is that you're going to see more black faces, but there ain't no English going to be coming out. ... It's about being able to tell Latin players what to do - being able to control them. "Where I'm from, you can't control us. You might get a guy to do it that way for awhile because he wants to benefit, but in the end, he is going to go back to being who he is. And that's a person that you're going to talk to with respect, you're going to talk to like a man. "These are the things my race demands. So, if you're equally good as this Latin player, guess who's going to get sent home? I know a lot of players that are home now can outplay a lot of these guys." Only 8.5% of major leaguers are African-American, according to a 2005 report by the University of Central Florida Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. It's the lowest percentage of black players since the report was initiated in the mid-1980s. According to the report, whites comprised 59.5% of the majors' player pool, Latinos 28.7% and Asians 2.5.%.

Red Sox fan Renee Comeau was hoping to hook up with a date when she tried out for NESN’s new romantic reality series “Sox Appeal,” but she wasn’t planning on hiring a dating service to the tune of $2,200 to find one! Renee said she answered a casting call for the new show that sets up Sox fans with fellow members of Red Sox Nation during games at Fenway and was very excited when she got a call back for a “second interview.” “They told me to go to an address in Newton and when I got there I was met by a woman who took me into her office to chat,” said Renee. “Then she pulls out a pricing plan! I said to her, ‘You gotta be kidding. I’m not gonna pay you $2,200 to find me a guy!’ ” Renee, 27, a patient safety specialist at the North Shore Medical Center, said she had been summoned to the offices of Great Expectations dating service - not “Sox Appeal” - and she was none too happy about it! “Apparently I’m not the only person it happened to,” she said. “Because when I told the woman I thought I was at a callback for ‘Sox Appeal’ she told me I was the third person that happened to that day!” “Sox Appeal,” in case you haven’t heard, is a new reality show, a joint effort between NESN and Boston’s Scout Productions.

The Pirates signed free-agent right-hander Dewon Brazelton and assigned him to Double-A Altoona. Brazelton has a career mark of 8-25 with a 6.38 ERA. He appeared in nine games last season for the San Diego Padres.

M's starter Jeff Weaver could start as soon as Saturday in San Diego. He would take the roster spot of Sunday's winning pitcher, Ryan Feierabend.

Mets ace Pedro Martínez will pitch off a mound tomorrow in Port St. Lucie, Fla., for the first time since having off-season surgery on his right shoulder

The Mets clubhouse received a visit from Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto, who also threw out the game's first pitch. Cotto's presence -- which included two personal photographers, along with a lot of pomp -- excited many of the Mets' Puerto Rican and Dominican players, who took pictures with the boxer and autographed posters for him. Cotto (29-0, 24 knockouts) will fight Zab Judah on June 9 in a welterweight title bout at Madison Square Garden.

Considering the needs of most bullpens, Jose Mesa has thrown his last pitch for the Tigers, but possibly not his last pitch in the majors. "We'll see," Mesa said Sunday, soon after he was released following the Tigers' 9-2 victory over the Indians. "For now, I'll go home and see what happens. "I didn't do my job. This happens when you don't do your job. I see good things ahead for this team, though. That's why I signed here. But nothing happened. I didn't pitch well." Mesa is no youngster, of course. He turned 41 last month, and when combined with the record he had for the Tigers (1-1, 12.34 ERA), it's likely his major league career, which dates to 1987 and includes 320 saves, is facing its biggest challenge.

Kei Igawa had been a candidate to replace Roger Clemens, but the Yankees decided Igawa needed more time in the minors refining his delivery. So Igawa yesterday made his scheduled start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In seven innings, Igawa allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out nine. Igawa told reporters after the game he needs at least one more minor-league start, but Torre said it is "very possible" Igawa could be back in the majors after that.

Johnny Damon remains the Yanks regular designated hitter with Jason Giambi on the disabled list and Melky Cabrera now playing center, but he is taking grounders at first base and has begun learning the position from the bench coach Don Mattingly. “There will be a lot of stuff we can do,” Mattingly said. “You can’t build it in a day. He’s not going to eat steak right away; we’re going to give him some baby formula first.” Damon’s weak arm will not be such a liability at first base, and as a left-hander he will have a natural throw to second base, because he will not have to turn his body. He played first base in Little League and once last season. He said his athleticism would help him.

The Cardinals completed a five-day search of the minor leagues for experienced catching help by acquiring veteran Kelly Stinnett on Sunday from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash. At the same time, they lifted him out of a brief retirement. Stinnett, 37, joins the defending World Series champions after spending the past two months with the Las Vegas 51s, the Dodgers' Class AAA affiliate. Blocked in Los Angeles by potential All-Star Russell Martin and veteran Mike Lieberthal, Stinnett decided last week his opportunity was too slim with the defending NL West champions.

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts has been playing despite a hurt right hamstring for "maybe two weeks" he said, an ailment that affects his ability to steal bases. Although he leads the American League with 19 steals, he has not stolen a base in the past six games. "I haven't been running all that much lately," he said. "Just trying to protect it a little bit. Just don't want it to get worse. I just really haven't pushed it, I guess."

Because Levale Speigner was taken in December's Rule 5 draft, the Nationals can't send him to the minors without first offering him back to his original team, Minnesota, and then putting him through waivers, meaning all 29 teams would have a shot at claiming him. So the decision, Manny Acta said, has little to do with Speigner's current numbers -- 1-2 with a 9.10 ERA, including a 3.77 ERA in 12 appearances out of the bullpen. "What we'll look is the future, how we envision him and if we do have enough guys that could do that," Acta said, "or what do we get in the draft, how are the guys developing behind him, stuff like that." Acta said he believed Speigner's long-term future is as a middle reliever.

Brewers 2B Rickie Weeks had a 19-hour day on Friday when he flew to Phoenix to see Don Sheridan, the surgeon who operated on his right wrist last August. Weeks got up at 5 a.m. for his flight to Phoenix, saw Sheridan and then flew back to Milwaukee that night, getting home around midnight. "It was a rough one," Weeks said. "It was probably the worst day I've had flying ever in my life between flying and then waiting in the airport for four hours after the doctor's office. It was rough."

Twins batting champ Joe Mauer, appearing on Fox Sports Radio with Ben Maller and Denny Hocking, asked if his its true that his roommate Justin Morneau moved out on his own: "Yeah, but he’s not too far away. He moved into a townhome across the river from me, so he’s still pretty close. He gets dropped off at my house because, according to him, we need to ride to the park together." Was it a superstitious thing? "Yeah, it’s more him than anything. I just entertain it because if he’s feeling good, it’s good for our team. So, as long as he keeps swinging the bat like he does and plays great defense, I’ll do anything."

Lyle Overbay became the 11th Blue Jay to join the disabled list this season after breaking his right hand during yesterday's game against the Chicago White Sox. "It's almost comical," an unsmiling Overbay said. "When you start thinking about all the guys that have gone down ... I've never seen anything like this." X-rays revealed a fracture just above the ring finger on Overbay's right hand. Later, the hand was swathed in a tensor bandage. "They told me four to six weeks," Overbay said of the time he will be forced to sit on the sidelines.

John McLaren enjoyed his weekend in the manager's seat, and still holds hope he'll one day have his own team. "I think everyone knows I want to manage, but I don't want to use this time for anyone to think I'm trying to promote myself," the Mariners bench coach said Sunday before completing his temporary stint as manager in relief of Mike Hargrove, who was attending his daughter's high school graduation. Hargrove will return Monday. McLaren, 55, has interviewed for managerial positions four times -- twice to replace Lou Piniella after serving as his bench coach in Seattle and Tampa Bay, plus interviews with the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers. But the Texas native hasn't cracked the 30-man fraternity of big league skippers. Only a few jobs come open every year, and most of them go to retreads.

The Mets released the veteran right-hander Chan Ho Park. Park was 4-4 with a 5.57 earned run average for Class AAA New Orleans. He made one start for the Mets, allowing seven runs in four innings against Florida on April 30.

The Diamondbacks announced that they have banned alcohol from the home and visiting clubhouses, a change that comes after St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock died last month in an alcohol-related car crash. Before the season, the club banned alcohol on the team's charter flights back to Phoenix. Team President Derrick Hall and General Manager Josh Byrnes consulted with the players via veteran Tony Clark before making the change. "Anything that you determine perhaps to place yourself and the players in harm's way, you're forced to look at it," Clark said. "It just seemed like the right thing to do."

Giants manager Bruce Bochy hopes Dave Roberts can rejoin the lineup for this weekend's home series against Oakland, which the center fielder had targeted. Bochy said if all goes well in Roberts' rehab games, he might appear even in the series finale in Arizona on Thursday.

Brian Giles will not be returning to the Padres lineup tomorrow to face the Dodgers. Giles will be eligible to come off the disabled list, but the bone bruise just above the right knee that has sidelined the right fielder since May 19 is healing slower than expected. “Tuesday is not an option,” said Giles.

So why did the Marlins acquire Armando Benitez? Although the team likes closer Kevin Gregg, the belief internally was that the bullpen needed more experience. And though a Marlins person noted Benitez doesn't throw as hard as when he was here in '04, his past success here convinced them to make the deal. The Marlins considered free agent Troy Percival, who's coming out of retirement, but don't believe he's ready.

The back of the Rockies' rotation is facing realignment. Hurdle said he'll choose among Josh Fogg, Taylor Buchholz and struggling rookie Jason Hirsh to fill out the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation. Previously, it appeared that the final starting spot would be between Buchholz and Fogg when Fogg returned from the disabled list. "We are still in the process of evaluating some things," Hurdle said. "The numbers, I think in some cases, tell a story, and I think sometimes they don't paint the proper picture. We've got to look within the numbers. We are going to pick two of those three."

Royals starter Scott Elarton continues to hold the distinction of owning the worst earned-run average in history against the Devil Rays for any pitcher who has worked at least 20 innings. His career mark now stands at 8.68 — down from 9.13 — after allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings. “That was probably my best outing ever against them,” he noted wryly after Sunday’s 5-1 loss at Tropicana Field. “They’ve always given me trouble. Why? I wish I knew.” Elarton is 0-6 in his six career starts against the Devil Rays, and his other numbers are no less brutal: 27 earned runs in 28 innings; 41 hits, including nine homers, and 15 walks.

Did You Know? The Rangers are 1-8-1 in their 10 road series. The one series win came at Houston last month.

Yanks 1B Doug Mientkiewicz is not expected to return until the second half of the season. He was diagnosed with a fractured scaphoid bone in his right (throwing) wrist, a cervical (neck) sprain and a mild concussion. "Six to eight weeks is the minimum," Cashman said. "The wrist is the issue."

The big reason the Twins are sending catcher Joe Mauer to Fort Myers, Fla., for rehab is they want to get him behind the plate and find out if that quadriceps problem will linger.

Julian Tavarez and Daisuke Matsuzaka, who will start the first two games against the Athletics, traveled west ahead of the team last night. With the game going four hours, the Red Sox weren’t expected to reach their hotel in downtown San Francisco until after 6 a.m. local time.

Marlins management has been thrilled with Fredi Gonzalez, who, unlike Joe Girardi, has worked well with the front office. ''Fredi's great [and] the atmosphere is great,'' owner Jeffrey Loria said, adamant about not mentioning Girardi's name. ``He's very patient. He has a wonderful demeanor.''

How About That? Curtis Granderson continues to have a huge season for the Tigers. He entered the weekend hitting .280 with 33 extra-base hits, including eight triples and eight homers. Since 1988, Andy Van Slyke, Carl Crawford and Jose Reyes are the only big-leaguers to have 15 triples and 15 homers in the same season.

Jeers to the National League managers and pitchers who continue to treat Bonds like he's Babe Ruth in his prime. They're giving him way too much respect and hurting their teams by walking him so often. Bonds hit .194 with 4 HRs, 8 RBI and a puny .388 slugging percentage in May but was walked 31 times. Pitch to the man until he starts hitting again

Phils righthander Tom Gordon said he is not concerned about his role in the bullpen once he returns from the disabled list. It is believed that once that happens - and there is no timetable for his return - he will be the setup man for Brett Myers. Gordon has not pitched since May 1 because of inflammation in his right shoulder and an upper respiratory infection that put him in the hospital last month.

Who Knew? Braves first basemen ranked last in the majors in average (.207) and on-base percentage (.269) before Sunday, and 14th in the National League in RBIs (23).

Did You Know? 9-20: Nationals' record this season against non-NL East opponents. They're 14-14 against their own division.

The Twins' Torii Hunter said he talked to Rondell White the other day, and his outfield teammate was nearly ready to rejoin the club.

Cleveland closer Joe Borowski could be an interesting All-Star call. He entered the weekend leading the AL with 17 saves but had a 6.75 ERA.

Ex-Twin Al Newman has left his scouting job with the Arizona Diamondbacks to work in a youth program for Aflac.

The Nationals announced the signing of a 17-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic yesterday, another step toward increasing their presence in Latin America. According to scouting director Dana Brown, Luis Castillo "has a chance to really hit." A switch hitter, he worked out at the Nationals' Dominican complex outside San Cristobal in front the club's top officials -- including Brown, vice president of player development Bob Boone and special assistant Chuck LaMar.

Most of the Pirates' brass, including general manager Dave Littlefield, watched an hourlong workout for several prospects after the game. The one getting the most attention was catcher Luis Bautista, younger brother of Jose Bautista, who was tried in the outfield and behind the plate. Luis Bautista, 22, led Florida International University as a senior with a .357 average and .477 on-base percentage. He also had three home runs and 35 RBIs. Major League Baseball's draft begins Thursday.

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NFL Rumors & Notes

Monday, June 4, 2007

According to an NFL source close to the situation, the Broncos are expected to sign veteran defensive tackle Sam Adams to a one-year contract. The deal, barring an unexpected breakdown, could be announced as soon as today. Adams is the biggest name remaining in a slim free-agent market. The 6-foot-4, 340-pound Adams, who turns 34 on June 13, would give Denver a massive player in the middle of its defensive front. Adams would fit perfectly into Jim Bates' system. Bates, the Broncos' new assistant head coach in charge of defense, loves big defensive tackles. Denver tried to fill the need when trading for Miami's Dan Wilkinson (6-4, 353) on March 3. But the trade was voided March 31 because Wilkinson never reported to the Broncos.

Although there is significant time before Vikings players have to report to training camp on July 25, CB Antoine Winfield said his issues will not get resolved. "I don’t think it’ll be any change, or anything like that," he said. "The team is not going to change," he later said. "Nothing is going to change. As for training camp, Winfield said he will be there.

The reality is Kris Jenkins isn’t here because he’s trying to force the Panthers’ hand. He either wants a new contract or wants to be traded, where he can then sign a new deal with more up-front money for doing nothing. My guess is if Jenkins doesn’t get a new contract he will hold out of training camp and the Panthers will eventually trade him. Either way, I think Jenkins has played his last down for the Panthers. I don’t see any way Panthers general manager Marty Hurney gives Jenkins a new contract and I don’t see anyway Jenkins returns under his current contract, which will pay him just under $10 million over the next three seasons.

Where does Eugene Wilson play? This one is tied directly to Asante Samuel’s potential holdout. If Wilson takes all of his reps at safety, then that hints the Pats believe there’s a chance of retaining Samuel. But if Wilson lines up at cornerback -- as he did last training camp -- then it’s possible the Pats are looking at him as their fallback opposite Ellis Hobbs. Wilson played corner at Illinois and only moved to safety following the release of Lawyer Milloy on the eve of the 2003 season opener. His reps over the next three days should provide, at worst, a road marker as for where negotiations with Samuel stand.

In three seasons as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, Ken Whisenhunt earned a reputation as a creative, successful play-caller. It is a role he will continue now that he is head coach of the Cardinals, even though his responsibilities are much broader than the call sheet in front of him. Whisenhunt enjoys the challenge of calling plays. He loves the preparation in the week leading up to the game and the excitement of making calls on game days. "I get an adrenaline rush from calling it," he said. The job will be more difficult now. In addition to play calls, Whisenhunt has to be concerned with all areas of the game, from time management to his defense's performance to the kicking game. ... Whisenhunt plans to rely heavily on assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Whisenhunt's long-range plan is to eventually hand over the play calling to Haley. Whisenhunt said he is indebted to former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who promoted Whisenhunt to offensive coordinator and allowed him to call plays. He would like to do the same for someone on his staff. When that will happen, Whisenhunt is not sure. "I feel like I was given an opportunity to do that and I feel an obligation to give other coaches a chance to do that," he said. "That's why you want to hire good young coaches who are coming up."

The injury news apparently got worse for Saints first-round draft choice Robert Meachem. Meachem did not participate in Sunday's afternoon practice. He wore a sleeve-type wrap on his right knee that extended from above his kneecap to below his ankle, after working apparently without injury during the morning session. He limped noticeably. Saints officials would not allow Meachem to speak with reporters after practice, saying the injury would be addressed after today's open-to-the-media organized team activity session. Coach Sean Payton left the practice field without speaking to reporters, who also were told Payton would speak today on what kept Meachem out of practice.

Perhaps Herman Edwards used his trademark line on HBO boss Ross Greenburg and NFL Films prez Steve Sabol, to convince them to make his Chiefs the focus of "Hard Knocks," HBO's reality training camp series. This August, HBO, along with NFL Films, will follow Edwards and his crew through the summer rigors. Since the Chiefs train in Wisconsin, "Hard Knocks" should have an old-time feel to it.

More than 100 motorcycle fans rode from Hogs & Heifers Saloon in lower Manhattan to Lighthouse yesterday to raise money for Tommy Urbanski, who was shot Feb. 19 shortly after he arrived for his shift as the morning manager/bouncer at Minxx Gentleman's Club in Las Vegas. The shooting occurred at an NBA All-Star Game weekend party after a brawl Las Vegas police say was started by Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam (Pacman) Jones. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Jones for the 2007 season for his role in the Minxx brawl and numerous other off-field infractions. Jones has denied any involvement in the shooting. In late March, Las Vegas police recommended prosecutors charge Jones with felony coercion, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor threats to life. But in April, the Clark County District Attorney's office told police to further investigate the shooting.

The Bengals are banking on Ahmad Brooks to contribute in the middle as the likely starter. He was picked in the third round of the supplemental draft in July. "He is a lot further ahead than where he finished the season," Lewis said. "Even his comfort in handling the huddle is a big difference." Brooks came to the Bengals with some character questions after his dismissal from the University of Virginia football team. Lewis was asked if Brooks understands the process of becoming a professional. "I think with Ahmad it will be a continual one, but we're willing to work with him on that because the upside potential is so great," Lewis said.

With running back Ricky Williams' return to the team still lingering with continued doubt, Lorenzo Booker likely will get an even greater opportunity to quickly show what he's capable of. ''I think he can [make an immediate impact],'' Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown said. ``He's doing a great job, learning everything on the move. He catching the ball well, and he isn't making a lot of mental mistakes.''

Despite his limited on-field participation, Patrick Kerney has made an immediate impact on his new team and teammates. The day after he agreed to sign, Kerney was in the weight room at the team's facility rehabbing his shoulder. He has been not only a regular in the ongoing offseason program, but one of the metronomes who sets the pace. None of this has come as a surprise. Kerney's leadership abilities and uncompromising approach to the game were part of what attracted the Seahawks, and prompted them to offer the former Atlanta Falcon a six-year, $39.5 million contract. Jim Mora knows all about Kerney's intangibles. He spent three seasons as the Falcons head coach before being hired in January to coach the Seahawks secondary.

Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton is talking more than ever. Funny, because the new season is still three months away. Hampton is taking his role as one of the team's new leaders more seriously than a double-team block. In taking more ownership of the defense with the departure of fiery linebacker Joey Porter, he also accepts more responsibility. "I have been a leader. I have been a vocal guy in the locker room. People didn't know it because Joey was our vocal leader. That was who you always saw out front talking," Hampton said. "Now that he's gone, I'll probably step up and talk more. I know the guys look at me as a leader."

Fred Gibson, the one-time promising collegiate star turned NFL footnote, has morphed from a Falcons roster hopeful to a player "very much in the mix." The speedy 6-foot-4 wide receiver has created a buzz during the Falcons' offseason drills by making plays — albeit in non-contact drills — at a position that needs playmakers. ... The recent injury to veteran Brian Finneran opened up opportunity for Gibson and the others. Though the extent of the injury Finneran suffered in mid-May, to the surgically repaired knee that sidelined him for the 2006 season, has yet to be disclosed, Bobby Petrino said Finneran likely would have surgery in the near future. No timetable was put on Finneran's return, if at all.