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Baseball Rumors & Notes

Mark Grace says he doesn't think Sammy Sosa will make good on his threat to consider leaving the Cubs after 2003 if the team isn't significantly improved next season. But Grace says he understands why Sosa would feel that he is locked into a losing situation that never seems to change. "In the late '90s, it was me, Sammy and the Iowa Cubs,'' Grace said of the team put on the field in Chicago. "I had guys hitting behind me like Willie Greene, Ross Gload and Chad Meyers. That was a bad feeling, going out there every single day, knowing that if you played well you could still lose. People always talk about me leading the '90s in hits and doubles, but I also lost more games in the '90s than anybody else.''

Barry Bonds has told reporters that the Giants have no chance to catch the red hot Diamondbacks in the NL West, and that if it weren't for the wild card, he'd be on the bench mending his injured right hamstring.

Barring a strike, the White Sox will use the final six weeks of the season to decide whether they will invoke the controversial "diminished skills" clause in Frank Thomas' contract. The clause allows chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to defer all but $250,000 of Thomas' $10.25 million contract. If the clause is invoked, Thomas, whose batting average has dropped to .231, has the option of becoming a free agent, and as such he likely will get less than half of his $10.25 million salary.

A perturbed John Boles took exception to the way Marlins outfielder Kevin Millar portrayed his circumstances during baseball's 1994-95 work stoppage. Boles, the former Marlins director of player personnel, termed the account as "slanderous." Asked to recount his position during the last strike, Millar on Friday said had he not joined the replacement team the Marlins would have released him. "This is a character assassination, and I'm not standing for it," said Boles

One more defeat and the Tigers will be 32 under for the first time since the end of the 1998 season. But even with his future uncertain, Manager Luis Pujols isn't saying whether he feels any personal pressure to have a better record. Pujols doesn't have a contract for next season, and although General Manager Dave Dombrowski has consistently said he's been pleased with the job Pujols has done, it remains uncertain whether he'll be brought back next season.

Detroit could well be one of the clubs in the offseason that has interest in A's bench coach Ken Macha for its manager's job. It is widely believed that Luis Pujols, the interim manager, will not be back, and Macha worked with Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski in the Montreal organization.

In considering which five pitchers with at least 25 decisions over the past two seasons have the best winning percentage, it's not hard coming up with the first four of Curt Schilling (43-10, .8113), Roger Clemens (30-7, .8108), Randy Johnson (39-10, .796) and Pedro Martinez (23-6, .793). But if you knew that the fifth member of that quintet is Houston Astros right-hander Roy Oswalt, give yourself a hearty pat on the back. Oswalt is 30-9 (.769) since making his rookie debut last season.

The American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins are trolling the waiver wires for right-handed hitters who can help bolster a lineup that is 17-22 this season against left-handed starters.

Word is, the Detroit Tigers finally are going to move in the fences next season at Comerica Park, the most spacious and pitcher-friendly stadium in the majors. The Tigers are worried no free agent position players will want to sign with them because of the park's large dimensions.

Toronto manager Carlos Tosca considers the Blue Jays' Dave Berg among the elite utility players in the game today. He puts him right up there with the Twins' Denny Hocking, Arizona's Craig Counsell and Oakland's Randy Velarde.

A Houston Texans practice Tuesday drew 38,000 while the Astros home game against the Cubs drew 32,663.

Dave Dombrowski knows what a championship team is supposed to look like, having built the 1997 Marlins into a World Series winner. So when Dombrowski says we should take the Minnesota Twins seriously come October -- if there is an October for the troubled sport -- the praise carries significant weight. "They play the game the way you want to see it played," said Dombrowski, in his first year as president and general manager of the rebuilding Detroit Tigers. "They have a very good club, they play very well and they have a lot of good players.

It doesn't seem to matter these days that Jason Grimsley is again the Royals' most effective reliever. That he's allowed just two earned runs in his last 25 outings and now owns a 3.16 ERA. Instead, it is Grimsley's role as the club's player representative that makes him the focus of public attention. Many fans see him as a logical target for their irritation over baseball's ongoing labor dispute.

Braves third baseman Vinny Castilla is really struggling. He hasn't homered since June 11 -- the longest drought of his career -- and has just 10 RBIs in that stretch. "He's still making all the plays," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He's so valuable." Castilla has company on an Atlanta machine that has some flaws as the postseason approaches. Both Javy Lopez and Andruw Jones have also stopped hitting as well.

San Diego's John Moores came out last week and said he'd be willing to shut his team down next season if necessary to reach a deal to help smaller markets compete. Moores' outburst, angered many players, particularly those on the Padres. "It's hard for me because our owner is one of the hard-liners," said Padres third baseman Phil Nevin, a member of the union's executive board. "I love John to death. They knew what they got into when they came here. I hate to say it, but if you can't handle it, get out."

Did you know? Reds OF Adam Dunn tied a record by striking out in five consecutive at-bats. Only 39 other players have accomplished that feat. To add to his embarrassment, Dunn fouled a pitch that bounced up and cut his left ear lobe. So he was literally bleeding when he struck out the fifth time.

Baseball wants a salary cap but the NBA and NFL systems are not perfect.

If you think the Red Sox are nothing but a two-headed monster with the tandem of Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe, be sure to consider that there could be worse things. While Sox starters other than Pedro and Lowe were 27-27 with a 4.47 ERA entering Tim Wakefield's start against Anaheim yesterday, Chicago White Sox starters other than Mark Buehrle (16-9, 3.47) were a combined 27-45 with a 5.84 ERA entering the weekend

There's not much angst in Chicago about a possible strike. "They'll probably celebrate here," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. The Sox headed into the weekend with a 17-22 record since the All-Star break and it appears neither Chicago team will finish above .500. Both were expected to have winning seasons, and the White Sox entered the year as consensus favorites in the AL Central.

Did you know? Colorado rookie pitchers Jason Jennings and Denny Stark entered Friday with a combined 23 wins. High-priced veterans Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle had 14.

Padres outfielder Mark Kotsay told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the South Florida heat has a taxing effect on Marlins players, which might explain the team's second-half slide. The Marlins are 16-24 since the All-Star break.

San Diego Padres owner John Moores, after hearing one of his players express the union position on the labor dispute: "They do what Donald Fehr tells them to do. They'd be running the bases backward from now on if Donald Fehr asked them to."

Former Boston radio sports reporter Tom Shaer, who now works in Chicago, sent along this reminiscence of Dick O'Connell, the former Red Sox general manager who died last Sunday: ''Dick really wanted to hire Billy Martin as manager, but the timing was never right.

An idea to resolve this payroll/luxury tax issue in the labor negotiations - a sufficient deterrent that, in no way, could be construed as a salary cap. Clubs would still be able to spend freely but with this caveat: For every bad contract, they have to pay an amount equal to the player's annual salary into a pool to be shared by the low-revenue clubs. Call it the incompetence tax.

Joe Carter is out as the Cubs' WGN broadcaster. Carter had a colorful grasp of the language, once saying about Jose Canseco, "It's been feast or fathom for Jose." He also asked former Bears quarterback Jim McMahon if he was staying in touch with Pete Rozelle. The greatest commissioner sports has ever known passed away several years ago.

NFL Rumors & Notes

Teams such as the Saints looking for backup running backs might want to check out Green Bay. The Packers will probably have to release former camp sensation Herbert Goodman and veterans Jason Brookins and Ki-Jana Carter, because none have cracked the top three of Ahman Green, Rondell Mealey and Tony Fisher.

Jags coach Tom Coughlin said he remains optimistic about Tony Brackens' left knee, even though Brackens said last week he might soon require further surgery to stem swelling.

Jeff Blake of the Ravens has the experience and arm to lead the team's offense, but he was signed to back up Chris Redman and isn't planning to rock the boat in a bid to change his status.

The official word won't come until Monday, but Gus Frerotte might have edged out Jon Kitna for the Bengals' quarterback job Saturday night in a 31-23 preseason loss to the New Orleans Saints. Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said he will announce his decision early in the week.

When Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin picked up their third Super Bowl rings in 1995, who'd have guessed then Cowboys strength coach Mike Woicik would beat the Triplets to a fourth ring? Woicik served as the strength and conditioning coach of the 2001 New England Patriots, who shocked the St. Louis Rams to win their first Super Bowl last February. Woicik spent seven seasons in Dallas but left in 1996 after a fallout with Barry Switzer. He also worked for Mike Ditka at New Orleans before joining the Patriots in 2000.

According to Mel Kiper Jr., the top 10-rated seniors eligible for next April's 2003 NFL draft are Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich, Louisville QB Dave Ragone, Miami defensive tackle William Joseph, Oklahoma cornerback Andre Woolfolk, Wisconsin wide receiver Lee Evans, Maryland linebacker E.J. Henderson, Alabama defensive end Jarret Johnson, Virginia Tech running back Lee Suggs, Kansas State cornerback Terence Newman, and Florida State offensive tackle Brett Williams.

Quarterback Tony Banks says he'll be a more supportive backup for the Houston Texans' David Carr than he was two years ago for Trent Dilfer in Baltimore. "I'm 29 years old and I think I'm pretty good," he said. "Of course I want to play, but I accept my role. When I was [benched] in Baltimore, I wasn't ready for that. I wasn't as good a backup for Trent as he was for me. Right now, I'm better prepared for that."

Rams starting fullback James Hodgins is disappointed, to be sure, that the broken foot he suffered Thursday night will sideline him at least six weeks. After signing a new five-year, $5.5 million contract in April he was looking forward to another productive season, not surgery and crutches. But he is also somewhat optimistic. "The saving grace is it will only keep me out until Game 5," Hodgins said.

Quote of the week "Heard a cash register ringing the whole damn way, too. Coach was mad, but how mad can your coach really be when you score a touchdown for him?'' Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James on running for a touchdown two years ago to get an incentive bonus when coach Jim Mora wanted him to run out the clock.

The Chiefs played last season without a wide receiver as right for their offense as Johnnie Morton. They started it with nobody as fast as Eddie Kennison. Nobody as quick as Dante Hall caught a pass for them. The Chiefs may not be exactly where they want to be at wide receiver, as their offseason pursuit of free agent Keenan McCardell indicated. But they are convinced -- with the elements supplied by Morton, Kennison and Hall -- that they are now good enough to show the flash in their passing game that the crowds love.

Just two weeks before the Rams' regular-season opener in Denver, Mike Martz wants to see improvement - and improvement now - from backup running backs Trung Canidate and Lamar Gordon.

Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said there was no difference between the play of Drew Brees and Doug Flutie when he named Brees the starter for the regular season. Apparently that was the case among the players as well. Reports from San Diego indicate that the locker room was divided over who should start.

Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil turned Rams quarterback Kurt Warner into a superstar after discovering him in the Arena League. Now he may do the same with Chiefs defensive end R-Kal Truluck. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Truluck led the Arena League in sacks this season and has been dazzling at times in preseason. Against the Texans, he had two sacks, two quarterback pressures and a forced fumble.

After much whining from the players, the Chicago Bears have decided to ditch their plans to stay 48 miles away in Decatur, Ill., the night before their "home games" at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Instead, the team will stay at a hotel two blocks from Memorial Stadium.

Another season, another attempt to bring the NFL back to greater Los Angeles. This time it's John Moag making the push. Moag, chairman of a Maryland-based sports investment firm, helped to broker the deal with Art Modell to move the Browns to Baltimore. Rose Bowl officials have hired him to assemble a realistic financing plan and promote their stadium as a potential NFL site.

Wide receiver Antonio Freeman's flirtations with the Philadelphia Eagles became a full-fledged union Saturday when he signed a one-year deal with the team. Freeman will become the Eagles' No. 3 receiver but will get a chance to compete with veteran James Thrash for a starting spot. Todd Pinkston has emerged as the No. 1 receiver and will be a starter barring injury.

With 20 of 22 starters back, and coming off their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons, the Rams are approaching the preseason in similar fashion. "This is the best team in football," said injured fullback James Hodgins.

Did you know? If the Rams lose Friday's exhibition finale to Kansas City, the team will finish 0-4 for the first time since 1994 - the franchise's last season in Southern California.

Lambeau Field is in the middle of a $295 million redevelopment project.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder had this to say about his former coach, Marty Schottenheimer , who was fired after an 8-8 season and walked away with $10 million: "I made a mistake. ... I listened to the media when they told me I needed a traditional football guy, an NFL guy, so I did that, and I got a 1960s football team. And 1960s football teams don't really do well these days.

The New York Giants have gone Hollywood. Reserve defensive lineman Frank Ferrara's father is a stuntman who works as a double for James Gandolfini on the HBO show The Sopranos, and Ferrara has done some stunt work and acting himself.

A chartered flight carrying the Titans from Minneapolis to Nashville following Friday's game against the Vikings was forced to make an emergency landing in Chicago because wing flaps became stuck. Players, coaches and team officials boarded another plane after about a 90-minute delay and didn't arrive in Nashville until after 5 a.m. yesterday.

NBA Rumors & Notes

Pistons guard Jerry Stackhouse to Portland for Bonzi Wells -- rumors of that trade simply refuse to go away. Which is a bit amusing to Pistons President Joe Dumars. "I have not talked to Bob Whitsitt," Dumars said. "Not once."

Kobe Bryant visited Orlando recently and worked out at Disney's Wide World of Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers star guard stayed at Shaquille O'Neal's home, conceivably to continue building onto their mended relationship and encourage O'Neal as he contemplated toe surgery.

Hakeem Olajuwon has attracted some interest on the trade market but the Toronto Raptors aren't entirely sure the aged centre will even play this season. General manager Glen Grunwald said the situation regarding Olajuwon is "unclear" with training camp less than six weeks away.

Celtics Antoine Walker on losing Rodney Rogers to the rival Nets: ''Rodney made a gutsy move [to New Jersey]. He's trying to stick it to us a little bit.''

New Orleans Hornets forward George Lynch said he is unhappy that management hasn't entertained his requests for a contract extension, and has asked to be traded to the Washington Wizards.

Rock Newman, the agent for free-agent Heat point guard Rod Strickland , said Saturday his client would consider accepting a one-year contract but he remains uncertain whether Strickland will re-sign with Miami.

Best news of the week, hands down: The Nuggets have brought back Doug Moe as a consultant.

The Celtics aren't giving up on Erick Strickland, despite the fact the free agent said it will take more than a minimum offer to keep him in green. Ultimately it may not be about what the Celtics are willing to pay ($762,435, based on his six years of NBA experience). The kindness of others will play into this.

Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal holds no grudge against Blazers. Forward left Portland as little-used reserve and returns as All-Star, member of Team USA.

College Rumors & Notes

Tyrone Willingham -- the first African-American head coach of any sport in Notre Dame history -- is trying to restore the Fighting Irish football program to its former glory.

Did you know? Kent State's average attendance last season was 6,595, the lowest among the 114 schools playing major college football. The school, which has an enrollment of 33,000, needs to average more than 15,000 for the MAC to retain its Division I-A standing.

With six days remaining until Maryland opens its season against Notre Dame in the Kickoff Classic, Terrapins Coach Ralph Friedgen says he has yet to decide on a starting quarterback. However, West Virginia transfer Scott McBrien, who came to College Park without a scholarship, appears to be the likely starter against the Fighting Irish.

New York Daily News College Football Top 25

Knute Rockne III, the grandson of the famed Notre Dame football coach, is a history teacher and assistant coach at Brighton High School in suburban Salt Lake City. He said there were days when he dreamed of coaching the Fighting Irish.

QB Zack Mills hopes to lead Penn State back to glory

Odd Notes & Stuff

How did the oft-injured Martin Straka tear a back ligament this summer? While training in the Czech Republic, he was trapped under a collapsed weight machine, pinned to the floor by 300 pounds.

Keith Olbermann noted the success of "SportsCenter" has spawned bad imitations by ill-equipped imitators. "There is probably a purgatory reserved for a group of us who had purely good intentions, and no clue that everybody would imitate what we'd done without really understanding it," Olbermann said.

'SportsCenter' remains inventive as it reaches 25,000

As ESPN-1050 approaches its first anniversary on the New York airwaves, station management finally has its programming lineup in place. The final piece of the puzzle was solved late last week when station brass signed Tom Keegan, who left his baseball columnist gig at the Post to join his former colleague Wally Matthews. Matthews left the paper in May.

Mike Breen has turned down ESPN's invite to become a play-by-play man on its Friday night NBA telecasts. The ESPN gig would cause too many conflicts with his MSG/Knick schedule.

For the last few weeks, Jim Ross has made it a point to mention Bill Goldberg in his weekly "Ross Report,'' stating that the WWE would be happy to meet with the former WCW champion at any time to discuss a contract. Goldberg said he was doing some matches in Japan, and when the time was right, he would contact the WWE and talk terms. One would have to assume money would not be an object in the talks between the two sides.

Blacks & whites grieve differently, celebrate differently, pray differently and get arrested differently, so it makes sense that we play differently, too, and that our view of games wouldn't be colorblind, either. And so when the little team from Harlem, of all places, recently showboated all over that alleged portrait of Americana (the World Series as run by Little League Baseball Incorporated), the very same thing that made critical white folks uneasy might have made celebrating black folks dance. In sports, one fan's hot dog can be another fan's relish.

Tiger Woods hasn't put the ad in the trade magazines, but he should get around to it any day now. ''Wanted: A coach, a swing guru, a great golf mind. Applicant must be willing to stand on the practice range for hours and say, `Good shot. Looks good. That's it. Nice tempo. Good shot. Great turn.' Long hours, extensive traveling. Hawaii. Scotland. England. Germany. Dubai. Augusta. Pebble Beach. Orlando. Dallas. San Diego. College degree is required, unless it was from the David Leadbetter Academy. Competitive salary and benefits include some TV appearances and lots of sound bites. Bring your own sunglasses, but you must be willing to stay as far from the spotlight as possible. Contact Eldrick Woods, at PGA Tour headquarters, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.''
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