Author: Christopher Glotfelty (Page 25 of 67)

      Yankees update: A-Rod avoids surgery, Nick Johnson returns to club

      December 19, 2009 /

      Turns out, Alex Rodriguez won’t need that hip surgery after all. Shortly after admitting to steroid use in February, team doctors told Rodriguez to expect reconstructive surgery at the end of 2009 to repair his torn labrum. In a stroke of luck for both Rodriguez and the Yankees, he’s now escaped missing a potential ten weeks from the new season.

      Rodriguez had surgery last March for torn cartilage and missed the first month of the season. At the time, Dr. Marc Philippon, who performed the operation, thought Rodriguez would need a more extensive procedure in the offseason.

      But Philippon recently examined Rodriguez, and an MRI test helped show the three-time MVP had properly healed. The doctor told A-Rod that he was A-OK on Monday.

      Otherwise, Rodriguez probably would’ve been “having surgery today,” he said at a Yankee Stadium news conference to formally introduce Curtis Granderson.

      The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if he was every really hurt. I’ve never heard of an athlete avoiding surgery on a torn labrum. Remember, Mike Lowell had the same problem. He desperately needed the surgery.

      In other news, slugger Nick Johnson is returning to the Yankees after agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million contract. Johnson began his career with the team in 2001.

      Johnson must pass a physical for the agreement to be finalized. He can earn about $1 million more in performance bonuses next year, and the deal includes a 2011 mutual option for at least $5.5 million with possible escalators.

      Johnson, a first baseman, will become replace Matsui as the Yankees’ DH and Melky Cabrera appears likely to take over from Damon in left. Johnson hit a combined .291 for Washington and Florida last season with eight homers, 62 RBIs, 99 walks, a .426 on-base percentage and a .405 slugging percentage. He figures to bat second for the Yankees behind Derek Jeter.

      Nick Johnson, really? The guy has been hurt most of his career. The Yankees should have stuck with Hideki Matsui, a sure bet who signed with the Angels for only half a million more than what Johnson will receive.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      What’s it like to be an MLB general manger? Ask Alex Anthopoulos.

      December 19, 2009 /

      Blue Jays GM

      MLB.com has a cool interview up right now with Toronto Blue Jays General Manger Alex Anthopoulos. He fields questions from site users detailing the Roy Halladay deal and future prospects. I’ve posted some of the highlights below. Check out the full interview here.

      Alex Anthopoulos: Glad to be communicating one on one with the fans. Excited to hear your questions. Looking forward to answering some of your questions.

      budski23: Alex, you are in your early 30’s, and you are a GM of an MLB team. Be honest with me, was there a time this week where you said to yourself, “Oh my gosh, I just traded Roy Halladay!!!” Is part of this a little unreal to you right now? Sounds like an amazing ride!

      whit201: Now that it has been confirmed that Cito [Gaston] is only back for one year, have you started to think about who the next skipper would be? Would you think about someone that is already on the staff or in the organization or would you look outside?

      Anthopoulos: It’s something that we’re going to start to examine when we get to Spring Training. My first order of business with respect to this is to talk to the other 29 GMs and a few other select former GM to get their feedback on their process of hiring managers. In doing so, I’m going to ask for the recommendations from each organization and start to compile a list. I plan on using every method to gather information on every candidate whether it is front office, clubhouse guys, players, other coaches in the process. We’re fortunate enough to have a season where we can do the homework on all the candidates.

      youtubber: I noticed at the press conference that you said [Kyle] Drabek would start at Double-A New Hampshire. Don’t you think he is at least ready for Triple-A [Las] Vegas? Curious on why you thought that right away.

      Anthopoulos: You know right now without having Drabek in camp our thought is that he starts in Double-A because he finished there. That being said, if he will have the opportunity to compete in Spring Training whether it is for the Major League team or for the Triple-A rotation. We are certainly not putting any restrictions on where he starts — that will be up to him.

      Anthopoulos is just a 33-year-old with an economics degree. Don’t give up hope, kids. I suggest reading the whole interview. He gives great insight into what it’s like being a young GM making huge decisions.

      MLB

      Tag Heurer watches distancing itself from Woods

      December 19, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Mindy should have been here ten minutes ago. I know because of my trusty watch. My Tag Heurer watch.

      Tag Heurer — if she’s not on time, at least we are.

      Tag Heurer, the pricey Swiss watch brand, is the latest of Tiger’s sponsors to distance themselves from the philandering superstar.

      “His personal obsession with results and perfection, his ability to withstand pressure, to meet expectations and exceed them, but also his love of discipline — all this makes him a natural partner for the brand.”

      Not anymore.

      “The partnership with Tiger Woods will continue but we will downscale the use of his image in certain markets for a period of time, depending on his decision about returning to professional golf,” Tag Heuer said in a statement released Friday. “We will continue to actively support the Tiger Woods Foundation.”

      Read: What we’re trying to say is, if people seem to forget about this whole mess, we’re back on board.

      The company, which had initially supported Woods, was paying him $2 million annually, according to the Wall Street Journal. Friday’s announcement comes one week after Gillette announced a retrenching of its advertising with the 33-year-old Woods and Accenture, the global consulting firm, ended its six-year relationship with him.

      Also Friday, Woods’ image on a website banner promoting the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA Tour event was removed. The tournament is played in Woods’ home of Orlando, Fla., and pictures of Woods holding a tournament trophy and another of Woods exuberantly yelling were replaced with images of Palmer.

      Hey Tiger, you better start saving, buddy. Oh, right, you’ll be fine — you’re a billionaire. I forgot.

      Golf

      Tiger loses first major sponsor

      December 13, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Accenture, supposedly the world’s largest consulting firm, has decided to drop Tiger Woods as a company representative. It’s taken longer than expected, but this is the first major sponsor to end their relationship with the troubled golfer.

      The move ends a six-year relationship during which the firm credited its “Go on, be a Tiger” campaign with boosting its image significantly. Accenture has used Woods to personify its claimed attributes of integrity and high performance.

      “After careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising,” Accenture said, adding that “it wishes only the best for Tiger Woods and his family.”

      Accenture’s advertising campaign was almost entirely built around Woods and his success, portraying his ability to sink a key putt or hit out of the rough. If Woods had acknowledged mistakes and said he would be back in a month, Accenture might be able to ride it out, said Rick Burton, a professor of sports management at Syracuse University, in an interview.

      Tiger’s other big-name sponsors include Nike, Gillette, EA Sports, AT&T, Tag Heuer. The worst of the situation seems to be over — I haven’t read about any new women coming forward in the last couple days. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see which of his sponsors back out because they think the situation is irreparable.

      Golf

      Wang rejects minor-league deal

      December 13, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      After the Yankees opted not to enter arbitration with Chien-Ming Wang, the team offered the 29-year-old a contract to pitch in the minors. The skimpy deal included a promise to recall Wang to the majors once his shoulder had fully healed. Of course, Wang wouldn’t have have any of that. He says he’ll be ready by May 1.

      The pitcher’s agent, Alan Nero, told the organization that they wanted guaranteed money. The Yankees will be title defenders in 2010 and are reportedly interested in Roy Halladay. They can’t take their chances on a pitcher coming off reconstructive surgery. Thus, both parties decided to move on.

      They’re also showing confidence in Chad Gaudin, the young pitcher they acquired from the Padres last season. He’ll receive a decent contract soon enough and might even start in 2010 if the team can’t acquire a pitcher like Halladay.

      MLB

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