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Snyder shows disappointment in Haynesworth

Redskins’ owner Daniel Snyder told the Washington Post on Saturday that he’s disappointed in defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who has yet to show up to any workouts this offseason.

“I’m disappointed he’s not here. Absolutely,” Snyder said. “We’re expecting our players to lead by example, and we’re expecting our players to understand that they’re Redskins and they need to be here.”

If I paid someone $100 million to do a job and the person didn’t bother to show up to work, I’d be disappointed too. The workouts that Haynesworth has missed are voluntary, but Snyder and the Redskins feel as though they’re moving in the right direction and it would be nice if the team’s best defender would embrace a leadership role. Haynesworth’s situation puts a damper on what should be an encouraging time in D.C., especially after the team acquired Donovan McNabb in the offseason.

Chapman struggling in minors

MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports that Cincinnati Reds signee Aroldis Chapman was recently torched for eight runs in his seventh start for Triple-A Louisville.

Chapman was roughed up for eight runs on nine hits and three walks over only 3 1/3 innings while striking out five. His undoing was six runs allowed during an eight-run Rochester top of the fourth inning.

Following Trevor Plouffe’s three-run home run with one out in the fourth, Chapman left the game with the Bats trailing, 8-2. Of the 75 pitches he threw, 42 were strikes.

The outing sent Chapman’s ERA from 2.84 to 4.63. Overall, he has allowed 18 earned runs, 36 hits and 21 walks while notching 41 strikeouts over 35 1/3 innings. In three May starts, the 22-year-old Cuban lefty has a 9.42 ERA.

It’s unfortunate, considering he was impressive in April. Meanwhile, Nationals golden boy Stephen Strasburg has yet to have a disastrous outing in the minors.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

2010 Preakness Stakes Predictions

All right, so I was a tad off in my Kentucky Derby predictions two weeks ago. Sidney’s Candy (the colt I predicted to win) ran out of gas down the stretch and I’m pretty sure Line of David (my prediction to show) still hasn’t come out of the posts yet.

That said, my choice of Paddy O’prado to place was partly correct as he finished in the money, but third instead of my prediction of second. Had he not tired down the stretch, he would have held off Ice Box for second place, but I was happy that at least one of my predictions finished in the money. I also noted that Conveyance would probably jump out to a big lead at the front – which he did – but tire down the stretch (which he also did). But that prediction doesn’t really count for anything; I’m just trying to make myself feel a little better considering the picks didn’t pan out.

I’ll try to do better today with the Preakness, as the second leg of the Triple Crown takes place at 6:15PM ET.

Win: Lookin at Lucky (3/1)
Lookin at Lucky was the favorite heading into the Kentucky Derby, but he fought traffic out at the start and finished a disappointing sixth. That said, he spotted the field over 20 lengths, battled through traffic and still managed to finish sixth. The last horse to pull off a similar feat was Curlin in 2007, who lost to Street Sense at the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby and then won the Preakness two weeks later. Had Lucky not drawn the awful rail position for the Derby, we might have seen a different outcome. But now that he is coming out of the No. 7 post, he shouldn’t have to battle as much traffic at the start and he can run his race throughout. If he does that, he beats the field.

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Rays send down Burrell. Could Dye be their answer?

After hitting just .202 in 24 games and 84 at-bats this season, the Rays have designated the trifling Pat Burrell for assignment. Of course, “Pat the Bat’s” streak of ineptitude began much earlier, from his Rays debut in 2009 until now. At $18 million for two years, the Rays certainly didn’t get what they paid for in Burrell, but the signing didn’t show any promise in the first place. True, Burrell did hit 33 homers and help the Phillies win a championship in 2008, but he also posted a worrisome .250 average and continued to be an eyesore in the outfield. Is that worth $9 million a year, Tampa? Hell no. As it stands, the Burrell acquisition is the worst move of young GM Andrew Friedman’s career.

Logically, the team is calling up Hank Blalock, who has been tearing it up in the minors, to fill the DH role. Blalock, 29, is younger than Burrell and also offers more upside given his ability to play both third and first base. This gives the Rays opportunity to spell both Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena when needed. The Rays are only on the hook for $925,000 (plus $325,000 in performance-based incentives) with Blalock, so the risk-reward ratio is less frightful than Burrell’s.

Nevertheless, if Blalock doesn’t pan out (which is likely), why not give Jermaine Dye a shot? All signs point to the White Sox leaving him astray, as Andruw Jones decided he wants to play baseball again instead of spending his days as the Rasheed Wallace of his sport. If Dye can get real and realize he’s not worth more than $3 million a year, he might find a fit with the Rays.


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Cavs/Celtics draws near record viewers

Per Multichannel News…

ESPN’s exclusive telecast of the Eastern Conference semifinal Game 6 on May 13 averaged a 6.6 household rating and 8.93 million viewers, according to Nielsen data, the second most ever for the network with a basketball game. Celts-Cavs trailed only the 6.9 rating and 9.88 million watchers ESPN averaged with its Game 4 coverage of the 2009 Western Conference finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.

The Cleveland/Boston telecast is now ESPN’s highest-rated and most-viewed conference semifinal to date, surpassing last year’s Game 6 between the Lakers and Houston Rockets, which posted a 5.4 rating and 7.35 million viewers.

ESPN officials said the May 13 telecast is the worldwide leader’s third most-viewed program of 2010 and the fifth most-watched NBA playoff game in cable history among households and viewers.

Now that LeBron has been eliminated from the postseason, it will be interesting to see if his pending free agency overshadows what is shaping up to be a pretty competitive NBA final four.

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