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      Cubs could land Jake Peavy in 4-team deal

      December 9, 2008 /

      NBC Sports is reporting that Jake Peavy could be heading to the Chicago Cubs as part of a four-team trade.

      Jake PeavyThe Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the world champion Phillies are one of the additional teams. Philadelphia reportedly would receive utilityman Mark DeRosa from the Cubs for a pair of prospects, one of them possibly being lefthander J.A. Happ. The Cubs would then flip those prospects to the Padres as part of the package for Peavy. The Union-Tribune reported that the Padres would get DeRosa first, then flip him to the Phillies for the prospects. Either way, DeRosa would wind up in Philly as insurance for injured second baseman Chase Utley, and the Padres would get the prospects.

      The Union-Tribune reported that the Baltimore Orioles also are involved in what Towers called the most complicated trade negotiation of his 14-year tenure as Padres GM. San Diego likely would obtain Orioles lefthander Garrett Olson for Cubs outfielder Felix Pie, after Pie is sent to the Orioles in the package for Peavy. Olson-for-Pie has long been rumored.

      Cubs reliever Kevin Hart, another name frequently tied to the Peavy talks, might also be headed to San Diego. Righthanded starter Jason Marquis, whom the Cubs reportedly are shopping, is unlikely to be part of the deal.

      Interesting enough, ESPN cites a source close to the situation that says the Cubs are nowhere close to dealing for Peavy:

      First, the source said, the Cubs’ “No. 1 priority” is adding a left-handed-hitting outfielder, not a starting pitcher. And the team isn’t close to acquiring that bat. The Cubs have interest in a half-dozen outfielders who meet that description, with free agents Raul Ibanez and Bobby Abreu seemingly at the top of that list.

      Second, the Cubs’ muddled ownership situation leaves Hendry and his baseball people unsure about whether they would be permitted to take on a contract as large as Peavy’s. The 27-year-old right-hander will make $11 million next season and has as much as $81 million remaining over the next five years if his team picks up his 2013 option.

      Hmm. Are the Cubs just trying to protect themselves by not making the news public or are the Peavy-to-Chicago reports a fabrication?

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Bucs finally find their playmaker

      December 9, 2008 /

      Antonio Bryant has always been a tough guy to get a read on. He showed good progress in his second, third and fourth seasons by increasing the number of catches and receiving yards in each season. He took a step back in 2006 with the 49ers, who signed him to be their go-to receiver.

      From Wikipedia:

      Following a victory over the Seattle Seahawks on November 19, 2006, Bryant was arrested for driving his orange Lamborghini faster than 100 mph on Highway 101. He was charged with suspicion of misdemeanor reckless driving, driving under the influence, and resisting arrest. As a result, Bryant was suspended for four games by the NFL. He sat out the final two games of the 2006 season, and was scheduled to sit out the first two games of the 2007 season.

      On September 17, 2007, Bryant was reinstated by the league, but was not able to sign with a team, partly because of a failed drug test over the summer. In October 2007, he filed a lawsuit against the NFL to try to get them to stop drug testing him since he is not currently a player, and to drop the failed drug test. In December 2007, the case was resolved without the details being released.

      Thus far, it’s clear that the Bucs were smart to roll the dice on Bryant. Joey Galloway has been fighting injuries all season, and that leaves Bryant as the sole playmaker in the passing game (and some would argue — in the entire Tampa Bay offense). He is on pace to finish with 81 catches for 1,152 yards and six TD, which would be the best statistical season of his career. Moreover, he’s just 27 and *seems* to have turned his life and football career around.

      Bryant will be a free agent this summer, and it’s going to be interesting to see where he lands. I would be most optimistic about his chances to continue this upward career swing if the Bucs were to re-sign him. It would show a desire on their part to keep him and it would show maturity on his part to show some loyalty to the team that took a chance on him when very few other teams would.

      Bryant’s nine-catch, 200-yard, two-TD performance (and in particular, this amazing catch) against Carolina on Monday night surely increased his profile around the league. If you look hard enough you can see Jerry Maguire jumping for joy on the sidelines.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      NFL finally suspends Matt Jones

      December 9, 2008 /

      A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Matt Jones was suspended for three games for an arrest involving cocaine. The NFL has finally upheld that suspension.

      The NFL suspended Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones on Tuesday for the final three regular-season games of the 2008 season for violating the NFL Substance Abuse Policy.

      Jones’ suspension, which is without pay, begins immediately.

      Jones, who was arrested in July on cocaine possession charges, met with league officials last week to appeal a three-game suspension that was handed down earlier in the season. He entered a drug treatment program in November with the hope of erasing a felony cocaine charge in Arkansas.

      There are just so many things wrong with the phrase — “a felony cocaine charge in Arkansas.”

      Jones has proven this season that he has the ability to be a very solid possession receiver in the NFL. He finishes the year with 65 catches for 761 yards and two TD. Had he played a full 16-game schedule at that pace, he would have finished with 87 catches for 1015 yards and three TD, making him an interesting prospect in PPR leagues heading into next season. Assuming he keeps his nose clean, of course. (Pun intended.)

      With Jones out, it would seem like Reggie Williams would get a bump, but with Green Bay, Indianapolis and Baltimore from here on out, he’s not a very good play. Mike Walker should also see more targets with Jones sidelined.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Vegas puts halt to insider trading at MLB’s winter meetings

      December 9, 2008 /

      If you were hoping to put a little cash on your favorite MLB team this winter in the wake of them signing a big name free agent, you’re out of luck. The largest oddsmaker in the world – Las Vegas Sports Consultants (LVSC) – is halting/suspending/limiting all action on futures (i.e. the team’s odds to win a pennant or World Series) until after baseball’s winter meetings.

      After an inquiry from the Herald, Las Vegas Sports Consultants (LVSC) decided to issue an alert at 4:05 p.m. EST to sportsbooks at casinos in Nevada and around the world that the potential for insider information arising from the meetings posed too much of a threat for gaining an unfair advantage.

      “Major League Baseball’s annual meetings are under way here in Las Vegas through Thursday afternoon,” the alert stated. “LVSC is recommending to lower limits on futures or take them completely off boards during the meetings. News of trades or free agent signings will be known prior to being made public.”

      Shortly after the alert was issued, the sportsbook at the Bellagio, where the meetings are being held, took action. Currently, the sportsbook is taking bets on the odds of a team winning the World Series and either the AL or NL pennant. This morning, a bet of up to $500 could be made. After the alert, any bet of $100 or more needed to be investigated before it was allowed.

      This is a pretty smart move. Vegas doesn’t want anyone to have an unfair advantage with information coming out of the meetings and onto the strip, and they also don’t want any bad press with a major sport hosting a major event right in their backyard. Some gamblers might not like it because the ones staying on the strip in hopes of getting inside information (or what they believe to be inside information) are looking for every advantage they can get against the sports books. But Vegas is smart for playing this one safe.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Antonio Bryant has pretty good hands

      December 9, 2008 /

      Check out the catch Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ wide receiver Antonio Bryant made Monday night against the Carolina Panthers:

      Bryant has never been short on talent. It’s his mental capacity that he’s always been short on. (Can you be short on mental capacity? Ah, the hell with it – I’m going with the line anyway.)

      NFL, Video

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