Category: External Sports (Page 305 of 821)

      Was Jose Bautista nearly a Red Sox?

      January 26, 2011 /

      The most active team this offseason nearly got its hands on the 2010 home run king according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

      Rosenthal writes that before the Red Sox signed Carl Crawford, they explored a trade for Jose Bautista. Boston made “multiple” offers for the Blue Jay’s slugger, but in the end Toronto wasn’t willing to pull the trigger.

      Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista waits to bat against the Los Angeles Angels in the 2nd inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on August 15, 2010. UPI/Lori Shepler.

      Other clubs pursued Bautista as well. The Jays, however, preferred to keep the slugger, who has one year left of arbitration before becoming a free agent.

      The Jays are not exploring multiyear deals with Bautista, according to his agent, Bean Stringfellow, who spoke to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.

      All of the preliminary trade talk involving Bautista eventually could lead to a move — not with the Red Sox, but another interested club if the Jays fall out of contention by July.

      If they do decide to deal him, it won’t be hard for the Jays to find a trade partner for a guy who hit 54 home runs and drove in 124 RBI last season. Perhaps the most interesting part about Bautista’s 2010 season was that he was bothered by a sports hernia which required offseason surgery) since May. Obviously Toronto is leery that it was a fluke year for their outfielder.

      Bautista requested $10.5 million and was offered $7.6 million from the Blue Jays in arbitration, so one would think that the two sides would reach an agreement and avoid a hearing. But it’s almost February and no deal has been worked out yet so maybe the two sides are headed for arbitration.

      External Sports, MLB

      Could Carson Palmer bring back a first rounder in a trade?

      January 26, 2011 /
      Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Carson Palmer fumbles the ball as he scrambles against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on January 2, 2011. UPI/Kevin Dietsch

      According to Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson, at least one NFL GM believes that quarterback Carson Palmer could fetch a first-round pick from a “playoff ready” team if Cincinnati owner Mike Brown makes him available.

      One NFL general manager said Tuesday the Bengals can’t be a hurry to trade Palmer if they don’t have an experienced quarterback “in the pipeline,” which they don’t. He also said he thought Palmer could net a first-round pick from a team that is “playoff ready.”

      “I don’t think his skills have declined. I think he’s got everything you want,” The GM said. “But for whatever reason, I don’t think he’s ever put it all together and from what I can tell, they’ve tried to surround him with good players.”

      Either this GM was drunk when Hobson spoke with him or he’s someone within the Bengals organization that is trying to create a market for Palmer this offseason. Because anyone with functioning vision can see that Palmer isn’t worth a first rounder. He may have finished the 2010 season on a high note, but two weeks of good play isn’t enough to entice a team to part with a first-rounder in exchange for a fading quarterback that’s owed $50 million over the next four years.

      But for a moment, let’s at least entertain the idea that Palmer would bring back a first rounder. These are the teams that could be in the market for a quarterback next season: Redskins, Bills, Dolphins, Cardinals, 49ers, Raiders, Vikings, Browns, Panthers, Jaguars and Titans.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Zack Follett blames Satan for Stafford “china doll” fallout

      January 26, 2011 /

      In a radio interview earlier this week, Lions’ linebacker Zack Follett referred to Matthew Stafford as a “china doll” due to the amount of injuries that the quarterback has suffered throughout his brief career.

      Quickly after word spread about his comments, Follett issued an apology to Stafford and said that his comments were taken out of context. But instead of leaving it at that, he made a video blaming Satan for the fallout that he’s received.

      You can watch his sermon below. (Hat tip to Raw Sports for the video.)

      Zack Follett – Response to my comments made from zack follett on Vimeo.

      I think it’s great that Follett follows his religious beliefs but he seems to be making a bigger deal out of this situation than he needs to. He apologized to Stafford and explained to him that what he said was taken out of context. That should have been the end of it. But now he goes on this rant about how Satan created this backlash, when it was Follett who started all of this by opening his mouth. Was what Follett said about Stafford the work of Satan, too? I’m confused.

      I think Follett needs to see the bigger picture here. He says he was taken out of context and that he spent the majority of the radio interview praising Stafford for being a “baller.” But just because you say 10 positive things about someone doesn’t mean the one negative gets erased. He referred to Stafford as a “china doll” (i.e. fragile, easy to break, etc.), which was a mistake on his part. He’s a seventh round pick who hasn’t done anything thus far in his career. He hasn’t earned the right to say anything negative about one of his teammate (and the comment was negative, I don’t care if he does believe he was taken out of context), nevertheless the face of the franchise.

      Next time Zack, just keep your comments positive and move on. That way you don’t have to break out your Jesus armor.

      External Sports, NFL, Video

      Pouncey on crutches, in a hard cast – is he doubtful for the Super Bowl?

      January 26, 2011 /

      The injury news on Steelers’ Maurkice Pouncey has gone from bad to worse.

      Three days after suffering a high ankle sprain in a win over the Jets, Steelers’ insider Jim Wexell tweeted that Pouncey was on crutches and sporting a hard cast on Wednesday morning. Following Sunday night’s AFC title game, the rookie was optimistic that he would play in the Super Bowl, but his hopes just got bleaker.

      If Pouncey can’t go, Doug Legursky will once again take his place. The backup played extremely well against the Jets, but he’ll have his hands full against mammoth Green Bay defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who is having an outstanding postseason. The nose tackle has recorded five tackles and one sack, and also returned an interception for a touchdown against the Bears last Sunday.

      Pouncey’s injury situation reminds me of Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney’s ankle problem last year. Freeney didn’t practice in the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIV in hopes that he could rest the injury and start against the Saints. And while he played very well in the first half (his second quarter sack of Drew Brees halted one of the Saints’ drives and held them to a field goal), he admitted that the long layoff at halftime hampered his ability to play in the second half. His ankle stiffened up and despite his best efforts to loosen it on the sidelines, he just wasn’t the same player as he was in the first half.

      Which brings us back to Pouncey. Even if the rookie center is able to start, how long can he play on a bum wheel? The question is not whether he can play, but whether or not he can be effective. It sounds like this injury is going to cost Pouncey an opportunity to help his teammates in two weeks, which is unfortunate because the former first rounder is having an exceptional rookie campaign.

      External Sports, NFL

      Wes Welker’s comments about his contract refreshing

      January 26, 2011 /
      f of the New England Patriots 23-20 overtime win at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA, 17 October 2010. EPA/CJ GUNTHER fotoglif761453

      I think I can count on zero fingers how many times athletes that are heading into the final year of their contract say that they’re not deserving of a new deal based on their performance from the previous season.

      Wes Welker couldn’t have made his agent too happy with his latest comments regarding his contract situation (he becomes a free agent in 2012), but they’re refreshing to say the least.

      From the Boston Herald:

      “I think everybody wants a new deal, but I wouldn’t say anything I did this past year would warrant one or anything like that,” Welker told the Herald Monday.

      If this is some reverse psychology ploy by Welker, then it’s genius. But something tells me he truly means what he says in that he didn’t do anything last year to warrant a new deal.

      But this is a player who shredded his ACL and MCL last season, only to bounce back and catch 86 passes for 848 yards and seven touchdowns. His reception and yard totals are the lowest since he arrived in New England, but the touchdown number is the second highest since 2008 and he also made the Pro Bowl.

      Keep in mind that some people believed he would never be the same player he was before he suffered the knee injury in ’09. So for him to produce the numbers he did was rather remarkable given the circumstances. Usually it takes players at least one season to fully recover from the type of knee injury that Welker suffered and yet he was productive right away.

      The Patriots make a habit of allowing a player’s contract to run out before they decide whether or not to renegotiate with them. That’s why Randy Moss wound up in Minnesota. He wouldn’t stop complaining that the team hadn’t offered him a new deal when he was in a contract year. Thus, it stands to reason that Welker will have to play out the final year of his current deal before he has the opportunity to negotiate another one.

      But if he can get back to another 100-catch, 1,000-yard season, then I don’t see why the Patriots wouldn’t offer him a new contract. He may have pissed off Bill Belichick with his foot comments about Rex Ryan before the Divisional Round game against the Jets, but there’s no denying that Welker fits the Patriot mold.

      External Sports, NFL

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