Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 128 of 1503)

      Five things we learned about opening weekend in MLB

      April 4, 2011 /
      The Baltimore Orioles’ Brian Roberts (1), Mark Reynolds (12) and Derrek Lee (25) celebrate with teammates and third base coach John Russell (77) following their 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays during their MLB American League baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida, April 1, 2011. REUTERS/Brian Blanco (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      There’s a good chance that this post will be irrelevant in the next couple of weeks but I’m going to write it anyway. You can’t tell me what to do.

      Here are five things we learned about opening weekend in MLB.

      1. The Orioles are for real.
      I’m kidding – relax. The Orioles are for real after just three games? That’s an over exaggeration on my part, although who can blame the Baltimore faithful for being excited about the start of the season? Their team just swept the Rays on the road and did so in rather convincing fashion, limiting Tampa to just three runs in three games. Considering how brash Buck Showalter was this offseason in his comments about Theo Epstein and Derek Jeter, it has to be refreshing for fans that the O’s came out of the gates hot. It’s also nice to see Brian Roberts (4-for-13, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 runs) get off to a good start after injuries limited his production last year, and guys like Nick Markakis make plays both offensive and defensively (what a catch he had over the weekend when he crashed into the wall). Given the young talent that this club has, it’s not a stretch to think that they could surprise this year in the AL. But if nothing else, at least there’s a little excitement in Baltimore again.

      2. The Red Sox’ pitching is still a concern.
      Again, again, again: It’s early. Just because the Rangers swept the Red Sox over the weekend doesn’t mean that the BoSox won’t make the playoffs or that they’re overrated. That said, this was about as bad of a start for the Red Sox as Yankee fans could ask for. They dropped three consecutive games to open a season for the first time since 1996, they were outscored 26-11 and their pitchers surrendered a whopping 11 home runs in just three games. Jon Lester gave up a career-high three home runs, while John Lackey served up two and Clay Buchholz gave up four solo shots. Granted, pitchers know that when they travel to Texas their chances of serving up a long ball are great. But 11 home runs in three days? Yikes. This was an ass kicking to say the least and one that brings Boston’s pitching concerns back into focus.

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      External Sports, MLB

      Report: Players wanted to return to the negotiating table but owners declined

      April 4, 2011 /
      The NFL logo is seen on a trailer parked near the New Meadowlands Stadium where the New York Jets and New York Giants NFL football teams play home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey, March 14, 2011. The NFL has officially announced a lockout of players by team owners following the move by the players’ union to dissolve themselves and pursue court action against the league. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL BUSINESS)

      According to ESPN’s John Clayton in his latest Q&A, the players wanted to return to the negotiating table on March 28, but the owners declined. Apparently the owners refuse to negotiate unless the players recertifiy as a union.

      Q: I am a corporate attorney, and I have seen (and been part of) settlement negotiations while litigation is taking its course. Why can’t one or more attorneys for players (if not for the NFLPA, then for some of the named litigants) negotiate with the attorneys for the owners right now? At least in California, settlement negotiations cannot be used in trial, so I see no reason why negotiations could not be going on right now. In any event, isn’t the real problem the refusal of the owners to provide full financial information?

      Ed in Aladena, Calif.

      A: You are 100 percent correct. Lawyers for the owners refuse to meet with the settlement attorneys for the players unless the trade association identifies itself as a union, which the players won’t do at this time. The players, according to multiple sources, planned to meet with the owners March 28 and spend the week settling this mess. All that had to be done was have a short document go to federal judge Susan Nelson’s court saying that the NFLPA’s executive board would serve as advisors. The NFL’s answer was no. This will be the only way a deal can be reached. Like you, we all wish both sides would go to the bargaining table instead of the courts.

      As a fan, it’s frustrating to hear that one side was ready to head back to the bargaining table and the other refused. The quickest way to a resolution is at the negotiating table – not in the courts.

      But the owners must believe they have the leg up now that union-friendly Judge David S. Doty is not overseeing the players’ injunction hearing on April 6. As Rotoworld.com points out, if Judge Susan Nelson fails to grant the injunction, then the leverage swings heavily in the owners’ favor. So why would they return to the bargaining tables now? So that they can put an end to this charade and the fans can have a season next year? That’s not what the owners want. They want more money (and in the process, the players to have less of it), which is one of the many reasons why the NFL is currently in this mess.

      The momentum has shifted several times over the past couple of months and it appears as though each side is waiting for the other to eventual crumble. Meanwhile, the fans continue to wait.

      External Sports, NFL

      Raiders’ Louis Murphy arrested for Viagra possession

      April 3, 2011 /

      Here’s one you don’t read everyday.

      Raiders’ wideout Louis Murphy was reportedly pulled over for a loud stereo on Sunday morning. First he ignored the officer, then he refused to show his ID or put his hands behind his back. When he finally consented to a vehicle search, officers found 11 Viagra pills in a bottle with the label torn off because he apparently didn’t want his girlfriend to know that he needed the little blue pills to, uh, perform. (Cat is out of the bag now, Louis.)

      According to the Gainesville Sun, it took three officers to place Murphy into custody. This is the former Gator’s second arrest in Gainesville, with the first coming in 2006 when he was taken into custody for possession of marijuana.

      According to a Sports Illustrated article, Murphy vowed to turn his life around when his mother was diagnosed with cancer a second time in 2007. She died in on Valentine’s Day 2008. He grieved in the butterfly garden at UF’s Museum of Natural History when he worked there as an intern for part of his sports event management degree. He was also captain of UF’s football team that year, scoring a touchdown from a Tim Tebow pass in the BCS championship game.

      Murphy volunteers in his off hours. Last year, he spoke with inmates at the Pinellas County Jail annex in Clearwater, telling them that everyone deserves a second chance.

      Being arrested for possession of Viagra without a valid prescription is more embarrassing than an indication that Murphy is a bad egg. But there’s a lesson to be learned here: When a police officer pulls you over for cranking your tunes too loudly, just comply and apologize. Even if “It’ll never happen again, officer” is a flat out lie, tell them what they want to hear and get on with the rest of your day.

      Maybe then you won’t make the papers for being arrested for something as stupid as not having a prescription for Viagra, and your girlfriend won’t find out that the wood you’ve been sporting is performance-enhanced.

      External Sports, NFL

      Rays’ Longoria to miss at least three weeks with strained oblique

      April 3, 2011 /
      Tampa Bay Rays’ Evan Longoria (L) reacts in front of Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters as he strikes out swinging during the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida, April 1, 2011. REUTERS/Brian Blanco (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      It has not been a great start to 2011 for the Tampa Bay Rays, who were just swept by the Orioles in their first series of the season. Adding injury to insult, the club also had to place star Evan Longoria on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique.

      The early diagnosis on Longoria is that he’ll be out at least three weeks so best-case, he won’t be back before late April. Sean Rodriguez will replace him in the lineup, while Ben Zobrist will play second base and Matt Joyce will start in right. Felipe Lopez was also called up from Triple-A and will likely see some at bats over these next three weeks as well.

      Rodriguez replaced Longoria at third base on Saturday before the start of the sixth inning. He was then evaluated on Sunday and it was determined that he would have to be placed on the DL. While he doesn’t believe that he’ll be out for the full three weeks, players are generally overoptimistic when it comes to injuries.

      The Rays scored a total of just three runs at home against the Orioles, dropping 4-1, 3-1 and 5-1 decisions from Friday through Sunday. Longoria has started off the year 0-for-5 at the dish with one walk and one strikeout.

      External Sports, MLB, News

      Joe Flacco upset Ravens haven’t begun long-term contract talks

      April 3, 2011 /
      Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) tries to avoid Cleveland Browns Joe Haden (26) during in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game in Cleveland, Ohio December 26, 2010. REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Joe Flacco expressed some disappointed on Saturday that the Ravens aren’t planning to begin long-term contract talks with him until after the 2011 season. He told the Baltimore Sun that he would like talks to start this year.

      “I think I’ve established myself,” Flacco said at Haruki Nakamura’s Japan relief charity event at Ripken Stadium Saturday. “If you’re not confident with who I am, I’m not sure what a year is going to make.”

      Flacco added, “Ideally for me, I would like to start talks this year. Next year, I feel like they would have to throw something in front of me that’s going to be pretty legit in order for me to not play out my fifth year. If you don’t sign me this year, you’re making me play a whole year of my contract with no security. If you want to sign me after next year, what’s playing six more months.”

      “Ideally for me, I would like to do something as soon as possible because I feel like I deserve it,” Flacco said. “If you don’t feel like I’m going to be your quarterback for the next 10 years, what’s one year going to make. I don’t know what the deal is. We’ll have to let this play out and see.”

      “Personally and for what I’ve done, you would think they would feel comfortable with me,” he said. “Not that signing something next year wouldn’t say we feel comfortable with you. But the problem with that is you’ve just made me play another year.”

      “I would feel that after three years, you can make a decision on whether you want me to be your future quarterback or whether you don’t. It’s your decision,” Flacco said. “I wish and hope they would do what they want me to do, which is stay here. Obviously, I want to stay here no matter what. I would want them to do something as early as possible.”

      Flacco does raise some good points although in the Ravens’ defense, there are many teams that wait until a player is heading into the final year of his contract before approaching extension talks. It’s in teams’ best interest to wait as long as possible before heading to the negotiating table, just in case an injury occurs.

      Of course, that doesn’t give Flacco peace of mind. He deserves a new deal and although he needs to show some patience because of the CBA mess, it would behoove the Ravens to make their young quarterback happy. As Flacco noted, if he’s the guy that Baltimore wants under center for the next 7-10 years, then lock him up and show him you’re committed to him financially.

      External Sports, NFL

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