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      Rays in talks with free agent Johnny Damon

      January 21, 2011 /

      ESPN.com has confirmed reports that the Rays are talking with free agent Johnny Damon about a contract, although no deal has been signed yet. The Rays are looking to fill their vacant DH spot and Damon could also play part time in left field as well.

      Damon, Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero are among several prominent veteran designated hitters still on the market. The Rays have been open-minded in their search, according to sources, but have only a limited amount of money to sign another bat.

      The source said that while a Damon-Rays union “certainly could happen,” the two sides are not yet close to an agreement.

      The 37-year-old Damon hit .271 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs with the Detroit Tigers last season. He has 2,571 career hits in 16 seasons with Kansas City, Oakland, Boston, New York and Detroit.

      Speaking of Man-Ram, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com writes that the Rangers are pursuing the former Indian/Red Sox/Dodger/woman’s fertility drug user/White Sox to potentially DH for them. The plan is to use Michael Young as their primary DH, but he could also play first base and move Mitch Moreland into a part-time role. Of course, Moreland proved to be the only Ranger that could hit Giant pitching in the World Series, so maybe it would be best if Texas leave Moreland right where he’s at.

      Getting back to Damon, I can’t see the Rays signing him unless he comes cheap. He can’t play the outfield on a regular basis because he has the arm strength of a tyrannosaur and he’s not worth more than a couple of million at this stage in his career. He’s a good clubhouse guy and he would certainly be nice to have in the playoffs but the Rays need to be frugal here.

      External Sports, MLB

      NFL Conference Championship Game Predictions

      January 21, 2011 /
      Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (L) dives for a touchdown on a 3-yard run as Chicago Bears linebackers Pisa Tinoisamoa (C) and Brian Urlacher try and make a stop during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 27, 2010. The Bears won 20-17. UPI/Brian Kersey

      Thus far, I’m 6-2 in the playoffs so you know my motto: There’s no better time to fade me than right now. I batted .500 in the regular season so the other shoe might be ready to drop.

      NFC Championship: Packers (-3.5) @ Bears, 3:00PM ET
      While everyone focuses on Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler, I think the defenses will decide this game. Statistically, this is a game the Packers should probably win and win rather easily. But this is their third straight road trip and they’ve been playing playoff-type games for over a month now. (At least when you consider they needed to win their final two home games just to qualify for the postseason.) Factor in the weather, the Bears’ home field advantage and the potentially sloppy field conditions and you might as well throw stats out the window. There are, however, two stats that I’d like to focus on when it comes to these two teams and that’s opponent red zone scoring percentage. The Bears are allowing their opponents to score just 50% of the time in the red zone, while the Packers are even more impressive when it comes to that stat, allowing teams to score just 48.65% of the time. This game has low scoring written all over it.
      THE PICK: UNDER 43.5

      AFC Championship: Jets @ Steelers (-3.5), 6:30PM ET
      I’ll fully admit that I wouldn’t mind seeing another Jets upset. I like Rex Ryan and I would love to hear the trash that comes out of his mouth for two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. But the Jets have to be worn out after playing two emotionally draining games on the road. Their defense can hang with anyone but the Steelers don’t lose in Pittsburgh at this time of year. After the Patriots failed to lay a hand on him last week, Pittsburgh will bring the noise against Mark Sanchez this week and force him to make some poor decisions. I think the Jets ran out of steam at this time last year and they sure acted like their Super Bowl was won last Sunday. I’m picking the Steelers, but they have a habit of bending bettors when it comes to the spread so I wouldn’t be surprised if they only won by a field goal.
      THE PICK: STEELERS –3.5

      External Sports, NFL

      To Packer fans, this is the game that matters

      January 21, 2011 /
      Chicago Bears fans cheer their team as they play the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter of the NFC divisional playoff at Soldier Field in Chicago on January 16, 2011. The Bears won 35-24. UPI/Brian Kersey

      As this week has progressed and it has finally hit me that my beloved Packers are really playing for a Super Bowl berth on Sunday, I’ve realized something — beating the Bears on Sunday is more important than a potential matchup with the Steelers or Jets in two weeks.

      In other words, if someone guaranteed me that Green Bay would win on Sunday, but it would mean a guaranteed loss in the Super Bowl, I’d be all right with that. I’d take that guaranteed win over our arch-rival instead of letting this four-team tournament play itself out.

      Why? Because if the Packers lose, Bears fans will be insufferable. Chicago will probably go on to lose to whichever AFC team wins on Sunday, but it won’t matter. Bears fans will gloat about how they knocked the Packers out, and how nobody gave them any respect, and how Jay Cutler is headed to the Hall of Fame, and how Mike Martz is a genius, and how a dynasty is forming, etc.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, Fantasy Football, NFL

      Will Ryan error in putting Cromartie on Wallace again?

      January 21, 2011 /
      Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Wallace pulls in a pass and runs away from Carolina Panthers Nic Harris for 43 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 23, 2010. UPI/Archie Carpenter

      Far be it for anyone to question one of Rex Ryan’s defensive game plans. As much as fans and members of the media think they know about the game, we actually know very little about the X’s and O’s and what it takes to run a defense in the NFL.

      That said, I found something that Rotowold.com wrote very interesting about Ryan’s potential game plan this Sunday when it comes to covering Steelers’ receivers Hines Ward and Mike Wallace.

      Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News predicts that the Jets will use Darrelle Revis to cover Hines Ward in the AFC Championship Game.

      Mehta anticipates Antonio Cromartie covering Mike Wallace. It’s the same way the Jets played Pittsburgh in Week 15, and Wallace went off for 110 yards while Revis held Ward to 34 on two catches. It’d be a mistake, as far as we’re concerned. Using Revis on the declining, 34-year-old Ward would be a waste when the shutdown corner has the ability to eliminate Pittsburgh’s true No. 1 receiver. Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders will remain potential difference makers as they prepare for Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman.

      I think the idea is that since Cromartie has more speed, he can match up better with Wallace. But as Pierre Garcon proved two weeks ago, if Cromartie isn’t allowed to get his hands on receivers at the line of scrimmage and be physical with them out of their stance, he’s liable to get burned deep. And considering Wallace averages over 20 yards per reception, that’s a concern that Ryan should have if he wants Cromartie to shadow the young wideout.

      But as Rotoworld points out, this is just a “prediction” by Mehta. Who knows what coverage Ryan will unveil this Sunday in Pittsburgh. He’s well aware of the speed that the Steelers’ wideouts posses and he’s not going to put his defenders in a position to fail. Nobody was more irate at Cromartie on that Garcon touchdown than Ryan was, so he’s well aware of what could happen this weekend if he puts him on Wallace.

      Or if he isn’t, then things could get real interesting on Sunday when Pittsburgh drops back to pass.

      External Sports, NFL

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