Month: July 2009 (Page 12 of 59)

      Dodgers, Indians in discussions about Lee and Martinez?

      July 26, 2009 /

      Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com is reporting that the Indians and Dodgers are in serious discussions about a possible trade that would send Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez to the Dodgers for a package that would include either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley.

      Top club officials from both teams strongly denied a FOXSports.com report saying that the teams were in serious discussions about a blockbuster that would send left-hander Cliff Lee and catcher Victor Martinez to Los Angeles for first baseman James Loney, one of the Dodgers’ young rotation members and prospects.

      Those names have at least surfaced in internal discussions on both sides, but a deal involving those specific players is not under consideration, the club officials said.

      The Dodgers have had steady interest in Lee. They have not discussed Martinez with the Indians, one source said, but some club officials evidently view Martinez as another potential upgrade.
      One thing is clear: The Dodgers are exploring ways to improve a team that has built a wide lead in the NL West and the best record in the National League.

      Wow. L.A. would be giving up a ton of young talent, but one of the unwritten rules in baseball is that if you have a chance to win now, you take it. And the Dodgers definitely have a chance to win now.

      Personally, I think losing Kershaw would be a bigger blow to the Dodgers than losing Billingsley, who has electric stuff but seems streaky. At the ripe age of 21, Kershaw has been outstanding this season and has the highest ceiling of any pitcher in L.A.’s organization, which is why it’s understandable that the Tribe would want him in return for a deal that included Lee.

      But still, the Dodgers would be getting Lee, who I’ll stop shy of saying is a guarantee in terms of production. Martinez (who’s hitting .287 with 14 home runs and 64 RBI this season) would also be an excellent addition to the Dodgers’ already solid lineup. This is a deal that could essentially put L.A. over the top and considering Lee and Martinez’s salaries can be controlled next season, a move that could make the Dodgers World Series contenders not just for this year, but next year as well.

      Even though this is just a rumor I’m a big believer in, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And there’s a ton of smoke coming out of L.A. and Cleveland at the moment.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Joe Montana’s son leaving Notre Dame

      July 26, 2009 /

      Nate Montana, son of former NFL legend Joe Montana and walk on quarterback at Notre Dame, has decided to transfer from his old man’s alma mater to transfer to Pasadena City College.

      It is nothing nefarious or worthy of hand-wringing, but Notre Dame football once again will be without a Montana at quarterback this fall.

      Nate Montana, son of Irish and NFL legend Joe, has elected to spend the fall semester at Pasadena City College in order to get playing experience at the quarterback position.

      Team spokesman Brian Hardin said the departure has nothing to do with grades or discipline issues — it is simply a matter of Montana, a walk-on, knowing he’d be buried on the depth chart and in practices this fall. Montana is expected to return to Notre Dame for the spring semester.

      Not that the Irish are hurting for talent under center. Jimmy Clausen returns as a third-year starter, ballyhooed sophomore Dayne Crist is the backup and Evan Sharpley, a former starter fresh off a summer of minor league baseball, is expected to return for a fifth season as insurance at the position.

      I don’t know the entire situation, but this sounds like a smart move by Nate. If he’s going to be stuck behind Clausen, Crist and Sharpley, he might as well transfer and get some much-needed playing time. I hope it works out for the young man.

      College Football

      Should 49ers be worried about Crabtree holding out?

      July 26, 2009 /

      According to 49ers beat writer Matt Maiocco, the 49ers could have trouble signing first round pick Michael Crabtree in time for the start of training camp.

      If history tells us anything it’s that Crabtree’s agent, Eugene Parker, does not mind engaging in holdout tactics. (Technically, an unsigned rookie is not a “holdout” because no contract has been agreed upon. I’ll try my best to refrain from calling it a holdout. Rather, it’s a contract stalemate.)

      At least four of Parker’s clients had contract issues last season. Bills tackle Jason Peters skipped 43 days and missed the season opener. Rams running back Steven Jackson held out for 27 days before signing a new contract. Bears return man Devin Hester did not report for the first two days of camp before signing a new deal. And Cardinals rookie cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie missed two practices before signing his contract.

      Yes, the 49ers have been successful in getting their draft picks signed on time in recent years. But the agents deserve some credit, too.

      The 49ers – and every team in the NFL – believe that a player’s rookie contract is essentially predetermined by where he was selected in the draft. As the No. 10 overall pick, Crabtree should receive less than the No. 9 pick and a little more than No. 11.

      I don’t believe the 49ers would buy the suggestion that Crabtree deserves more money because a lot of outsiders thought he should have been selected sooner in the draft and he was generally regarded as a better prospect than receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, whom the Raiders selected with the seventh pick.

      As Maiocco indicates in the article, there’s still a ton of time and more importantly, only four first round picks have signed (Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Alex Mack and “Ziggy” Hood) up to this point, which indicates that it isn’t out of the norm that the Niners haven’t signed Crabtree yet. It might take the Packers signing B.J. Raji (who was selected a pick ahead of Crabtree) or the Bills signing Aaron Maybin (who was selected a pick behind Crabtree) before the 49ers are able to work out a deal with Crabtree.

      Either way, panic shouldn’t be setting in San Fran just yet.

      NFL

      Odom leaning Miami?

      July 25, 2009 /

      Yes, at least according to a Yahoo! Sports source.

      Odom has not reached a final decision, the sources said, but there is growing belief he will ultimately return to the Heat unless the Lakers improve their current offer.

      “It’s close, but it’s not done,” said one source.

      Lakers officials and Odom’s representatives resumed talking after a weeklong standoff that began when Jerry Buss, the team’s owner, withdrew a four-year, $36 million offer that guaranteed $30 million. Sources close to Odom said that while the two sides have since talked, Buss is now offering less than the Lakers’ previous proposal.

      I still don’t know how the Heat’s offer of five years and $34 million is better than the Lakers’ offer of four years and $36 million (which works out to around $32 million after state taxes). Surely, Odom would be able to make more than $2 million in the year after the Laker deal expired. But hey, I’m not an accountant.

      Or maybe he’s ticked off that Buss is offering less and wants to go to an organization that has demonstrated that it really wants him. If Miami can get Odom at the mid-level, it will be a coup, though it will create something of a logjam at power forward since that’s the position the Heat want Michael Beasley to play.

      If the Lakers let Odom slip away, they will be going backwards this summer. The Ron Artest signing is nice, but Artest does not offset the loss of Odom and Trevor Ariza. With the Spurs, Blazers and Mavericks nipping at their heels, things could get very interesting in the West.

      Note: John Ireland of 710 Los Angeles has reported that the fourth year of the Laker deal is only partially guaranteed (for $3 million), so the best deal that the Lakers offered was for $27 million over three years plus a guaranteed $3 million in the fourth year. So, after state taxes, that’s worth about $27 million over three years. It now makes sense that Odom would consider taking the five-year deal from the Heat since that deal offers as much as $7 million more in guaranteed money, maybe more if the Lakers’ latest offer has been reduced.

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Body language expert suggests Big Ben is telling the truth

      July 25, 2009 /

      As Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger gave his first public appearance since being accused of sexually assaulting a Las Vegas hotel worker, a TV station in Pittsburgh asked a body language expert to break down Big Ben’s demeanor to see if he was telling the truth.

      Well breathe easy Ben, because you’re innocent…at least in the eyes of this so-called expert.

      On Thursday night, Channel 11 News invited a body language expert to review the statement made by Ben Roethlisberger about the civil lawsuit filed against him.

      Sally Chopping said she believes Roethlisberger is telling the truth about the allegations against him.

      “You can really tell he’s finding this thing heavy going,” she said after watching the statement.

      In a part of the statement where Roethlisberger shook his head a split second before the word ‘never’, Chopping said, “He’s not thinking it, he’s not faking it, he’s feeling it.”

      Chopping also believes Roethlisberger is feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, evidenced by his shoulder shrugs. But she believes the shrugs also show his sincerity.

      Well, that settles that then – who’s up for some chimi chungas?

      I think Big Ben is innocent too, but I find it funny that a TV station (in Pittsburgh, mind you) brought in a body language expert to try and determine whether or not he was telling the truth based on a speech he gave. What if this woman came in and said he was lying based on his body language? How much do you want to bet that that segment would have never seen the light of day?

      NFL

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