According to a report by SI.com, Manny Ramirez exercised his $20 million contract option for 2010 and will return to the Dodgers.
The team said Friday that the slugger exercised his $20 million contract option for 2010. His agent Scott Boras informed Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti of the decision.
Ramirez hit .290 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 104 regular season games. He missed 50 games while suspended for violating baseball’s drug policy.
In the NL division series against St. Louis, Ramirez batted .308 with no homers and two RBI. Against Philadelphia in the NL championship series, he hit .263 with one homer and two RBI.
Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers from Boston in July 2008.
Thank God. I don’t know if I could have gone another offseason talking about Man-Ram and his ongoing contract negotiations. Just thinking about it gives me a migraine.
Maybe this year he won’t get busted for using women’s fertility drugs in spring training. Hi-yo!
- What the hell has happened to Sammy Sosa? This photo terrifies me.
- Pro Football Talk.com is claiming that ESPN.com plagiarized them on the Joey Porter/Tom Brady story. And they say bloggers are the ones stealing stories, geesh.
- Get a sneak peak at what Ohio State’s throwback uniforms will look like this Saturday against Penn State, thanks to SPORTSbyBROOKS.com.
- Here are five MMA Fighters who went out on top, courtesy of CagePotato.com.
- MoonDog Sports says that NFL players need to shut up and play already.
- YARDBARKER hands out their NFL Midseason Awards.
- DEADSPIN has some updates on the Sean Sailsbury lawsuit.
The Indianapolis Star reports that the Colts have placed strong safety Bob Sanders on injured reserve with a torn left biceps. His season is now over.
Highly regarded as one of the premier safeties in the NFL, Sanders played in just two games this season while recording three tackles and one interception. This proceeds his 25-tackle, one-interception 2008 season in which he also battled injuries and started just six games.
Sanders is due to make $620,00 (plus a $2.17 million signing bonus and a $2.83 roster bonus) in 2010, $5.5 million in 2011 and $7 million in 2012. He turns 29 next February and beat writer Philip B. Wilson speculates that the Colts will cut their losses in the offseason to free up salary.
When healthy, Sanders is a game-changer from his safety position. He’s as versatile as Troy Polomalu and Ed Reed, and the best tackler of the trio. But injuries have ransacked his promising career and while he helped Indy win a Super Bowl a few years ago, maybe it is time to move on. He would certainly drum up a lot of interest on the free agent market because NFL teams are always in need of safeties.
His injury issues not withstanding, Sanders would definitely be worth the risk if the Colts do decide to part ways with him in the offseason.
Apparently New Mexico women’s soccer player Elizabeth Lambert is trying to audition for MMA, because she went bananas during a semifinials game vs. BYU on Thursday night.
Gained valuable playing experience last season and will be a fixture on the back line this season … is fearless when making a challenge … has size and speed to match … will be the Lobos’ featured centerback this season.
2008 – SOPHOMORE SEASON
Saw action in 10 matches last season and started six … made her first career start against Denver on Aug. 22 … used her size and aggressiveness to stop the opposing attack … named to the 2008 Fall Academic All-Conference team.
I happened to get a preview of her 2009 bio and it reads:
2009 – JUNIOR SEASON
Saw action in one game last year in which she attacked opponents like an unstoppable rebel force…Used her size and aggressiveness to punch an opponent in the back…made her first career takedown of an opponent by grabbing their pony tail and whipping them to the ground in an apparent attempt to see if their head would rip off…Was quoted as saying, “B*tches should know by now I play for keeps.”
No word yet on if New Mexico asked Lambert to play defensive back for the football team after she was suspended from the soccer team.
In a recent interview with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen, Dolphins’ linebacker Jerry Porter said that Tom Brady has an extra advantage every week because he has his own set of rules.
“No question,” said Porter, the Miami Dolphins’ quotable linebacker, who meets Brady’s New England Patriots on Sunday. “When a guy can tell a ref when to throw a flag, and he gets it, he’s got his own rules. They made the rule that you don’t go at the legs for Tom, so when he feels that someone is going at his legs, he just points to the ref and he gets a flag. So I can honestly say that he gets his own rules.”
Earlier this week, Porter said he has a “natural hate” for the Patriots, even bringing up the infamous spying charges leveled against New England from the 2007 season. The Patriots were fined $250,000 plus a No. 1 draft pick, and head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 for videotaping signals from New York Jets coaches from the sidelines.
“I still don’t care for New England,” Porter said. “The hate’s been there for a while, especially after all the cheating they did back in the day.
… They can sweep it under the rug if they want to, but just like anybody else that’s cheating that gets caught, you put an asterisk by it. But nobody puts an asterisk by those championships.”
Porter has opened his mouth so many times about opposing teams and players that there is no shock value in what he said above. And actually, I agree with him that Brady is protected like a China doll – as our most quarterbacks in the NFL.
Some of the penalties levied on defenders this year from hits on quarterbacks have been ridiculous, both in the pros and on the college level. It’s getting to the point now where quarterbacks should just wear flags. It’s one thing if the defender clearly took a shot at a quarterback after the ball was released. But it’s quite another when a defender is going all out and the refs expect him to stop in midair to avoid hitting the quarterback.
Here are my top 5 picks for Week 9 against the spread. As usual, fade at will…
Steelers (5-2) at Broncos (6-1), 8:30PM ET, Monday
This game set up nicely for the Steelers, who have won four in a row, are coming off a bye and are playing a Denver team that was thumped last Sunday by the Ravens. But I fully expect Josh McDaniels and the Broncos to learn from their loss last week to Baltimore and rebound on Monday night. Denver is always a tough place to play – just ask the Cowboys and Patriots, whom the Broncos beat earlier this year at Invesco Field. I don’t expect Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and Knowshon Moreno to have a lot of success against Pittsburgh’s excellent defense, but I do think Denver’s defense will force a couple turnovers to set the offense up in good field position. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been a beast this season and Ben Roethlisberger has always had trouble holding onto the ball. While some will start to doubt the Broncos after last week, I’m holding strong that this is a good football team and will prove it with a small upset Monday night. Odds: Steelers –3. Prediction: Broncos 20, Steelers 17.
Texans (5-3) at Colts (7-0), 1:00PM ET
This game has trap written all over it. The Texans have won three straight and four of their last five, while the Colts finally looked beatable last week in their 18-14 win over the 49ers. Your head and gut tell you that Houston will be able to hang with Indy this weekend and at the very least cover the 9-point spread, if not win outright. But don’t be fooled – the Colts are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Colts and have covered in six of those 10 games. While the ATS trends aren’t impressive, Peyton Manning should have his way with an improving, but suspect Houston defense at home. With Bob Sanders sidelined again, the Texans should score, but it’s not like Indy isn’t used to not having Sanders on the field. This one will be a little bit of a shoot out, but I see the Colts winning by a decent margin in the end. Odds: Colts –9. Prediction: Colts 35, Texans 24.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Ochocinco sent gift baskets containing deodorant to the Ravens’ secondary and to linebackers Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis.
Chad Ochocinco, the Bengals’ flamboyant wide receiver, said today on 105.7 FM that he sent gift baskets containing deodorant to the Ravens’ secondary and to linebackers Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis.
“I not only sent them gift baskets, but I sent them something they could use so they don’t sweat,” Ochocinco said.
The Ravens and Bengals meet at 1 p.m. Sunday in Cincinnati.
Ray had this to say in response:
Not to take the fun out of this post, but I don’t think it was wise for Ocho to poke an angry dog with a stick. Considering the source, I’m sure Baltimore won’t get too riled up over the gift baskets, but the Ravens already have revenge on their minds after the Bengals beat them a couple weeks ago at their home turf and will desperately be seeking a win this weekend.
I think this is the week the Bengals start missing what Antwan Odom brought to the field. They didn’t need him in their Week 7 trouncing of the Bears, but the Ravens’ offense has been firing on all cylinders and just routed a good Denver defense last Sunday. Even for how good Cincinnati’s defense is, they still need the front four to generate some pressure or else Joe Flacco will pick them apart.
After his final appeal for reinstatement back into college football was denied, Oklahoma State wideout Dez Bryant has decided to enter the 2010 NFL Draft.
Bryant was declared ineligible by Oklahoma State after misleading NCAA investigators about his relationship with Deion Sanders.
“This year didn’t go the way I wanted it to,” Bryant said. “It was so hard. And to be honest I had my head down at times. But the NCAA has made their decision. And I respect that. And now I’ve made mine.”
Bryant said he hopes to live up to the NFL production of receivers such as Randy Moss and Anquan Boldin. He is projected as a first-round pick.
“When I talk to the NFL I’m going to be truthful with them about what happened,” Bryant said. “It will be what I’m supposed to tell them, which is the truth.”
Bryant has to be diplomatic about the NCAA suspending him, but I don’t.
For the NCAA to suspend a young man for the rest of his junior season for having dinner with Deion Sanders is absurd. I understand that Bryant “misled” them, but considering what goes on behind closed doors on recruiting trips and how most colleges will do anything to keep players eligible for game day, what Bryant did seems minuscule.
That said, he’s going to face some tough questioning from NFL teams and he needs to be honest. Teams are going to know the situation, but they’ll test Bryant’s character and whether or not he makes excuses for what happen or if he owns up to the mistake. Either way, he has tremendous talent and here’s hoping he develops into a solid prospect.
The 2008 Cy Young Award winner also was cited for driving his 2006 Mercedes 74 mph along a 60 mph stretch of Interstate 5 near Hazel Dell, Wash., police said.
After an officer detected the smell of marijuana, the two-time All-Star complied with a request to turn over 3.3 grams of the substance and a pipe from the car’s center console. Because the officer did not judge Lincecum to be impaired, he cited him and allowed him to continue.
Lincecum, 25, entered a plea of not guilty through his attorney Monday, according to court records obtained by The Associated Press. He is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 22 and faces fines of $622 for the misdemeanor charges, police said.
I’m not going to blow this story up and make it bigger deal out of it than what it really is, but there’s one thing I don’t get: He knows he’s driving around with the pot, so why go 74 mph in a 60 mph zone? If you’re going to speed around in a Mercedes with pot in his car, why not just hold a sign out the window with a big marijuana leaf drawn on it too?
This will all blow over in due time and it’s highly unlikely the Giants will punish Lincecum because of this. But hopefully he’s a little humbled by the sitaution and realizes that he’s a celebrity and has to be a little smarter than to speed around in his car with pot in the center console.
On his way home from winning the World Series with a 7-3 win over the Phillies on Wednesday night, Girardi stopped to help a woman who had lost control of her car on the Cross County Parkway in Eastchester, N.Y., and crashed into a wall, according to The Journal News (Westchester County, N.Y.).
The driver was stunned by the accident, but otherwise uninjured, police told the publication.
“The guy wins the World Series, what does he do? He stops to help,” Westchester County police officer Kathleen Cristiano, who was among the first to arrive at the accident scene, told The Journal News. “It was totally surreal.”
It’s not like Girardi pulled the woman out of a burning vehicle or anything, but we don’t hear enough good stories like this that surround sports figures. This is a nice story and it shines light on the fact that there are many sports figures out there that do some good for society.
