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      Is the end near for sleepy Griffey?

      May 11, 2010 /

      It appears as though Ken Griffey Jr.’s days in baseball are numbered. Not only is he hitting .208 with a dismal .234 slugging percentage with no home runs and just two doubles through the first month of the season, but reports have also surfaced on that he missed an opportunity to pinch hit in a recent game because he fell asleep in the clubhouse.

      The clubhouse nap incident is certainly troubling, but not necessarily the main issue when it comes to Junior. (Especially considering that most of us would fall asleep watching the Mariners play these days.) The bigger problem is that he’s 40-years-old, he can’t play the outfield any more and is a DH that can’t hit. For a team that has struggled as much as the Mariners have offensively this year, there’s simply no reason to keep Griffey on the roster.

      That’s why Tacoma News Tribune columnist Larry LaRue’s report about Griffey’s eventual release in Seattle holds a lot of water. LaRue writes that Junior could be released sometime this month, although maybe he’ll save the club some trouble and just retire.

      Either way, the writing is on the wall for the beloved player. While the report of him falling asleep in the clubhouse is embarrassing, it won’t be what he’s remembered for. He’ll be remembered for playing the game the way it was supposed to be played, treating fans and teammates with respect, and the fact that his name has never been connected with steroids. The anti-Barry Bonds if you will.

      If this is the end, Junior has amassed one hell of a career.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      Where do the Jazz go from here?

      May 11, 2010 /

      First of all, after watching the first few episodes of “Treme,” I find it even more ridiculous that the Utah Jazz took the “Jazz” nickname with them to Salt Lake City. The franchise should apologize to the city of New Orleans and give the name back to the Hornets, who took their name from Charlotte, whose team is now named “Bobcats” after the franchise’s former owner, Bob Johnson.

      Sigh.

      But back to the Jazz. They were swept out of the playoffs last night by the Lakers, which marks the third straight year that L.A. has eliminated Utah in the playoffs. Over the past three decades, the team has been the model of consistency, with just one losing season in the last 27 years. That has a lot to do with the guy at the top, Jerry Sloan, who has coached the Jazz for 21 straight seasons. One of the biggest travesties in the history of the league is that he’s never won the Coach of the Year award.

      Looking ahead to this summer, one big name free agent comes to mind — Carlos Boozer. The 28-year-old forward averaged 20-11-3 this season and shot 56% from the field. Of course the Jazz want him back, right? Not so fast. This was one of Boozer’s “healthy” years. He appeared in 78 games, which marks just the fifth time in eight years that Boozer has played in 52-plus games. In short, he’s an injury risk, but when he’s healthy, he’s an All-Star. Throw in the fact that he’s getting older and it’s obvious why the Jazz are a little leery about handing him a big contract.

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      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Westbrook to re-unite with McNabb in D.C.?

      May 11, 2010 /

      ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports via his Twitter page that Brian Westbrook has a scheduled visit with the Redskins on Wednesday. As Mort notes, the Skins already have Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, Willie Parker, Christian Okoye, Bam Morris, Jamal Anderson and the ghost of Red Grange on their roster.

      The Packers and Rams are the only two teams besides the Redskins to have shown serious interest in Westbrook. Green Bay wants to upgrade the running back position behind Ryan Grant, but has yet to bring Westbrook in for a physical. St. Louis, meanwhile, did bring the veteran running back in for a physical (which he passed), but has yet to draw up a contract.

      It is believed that Westbrook’s concussion problems are a thing of the past, but his left knee and arthritic ankle still provide roadblocks for him landing a new deal. The Packers and Rams’ hesitation to sign him may be an indication that teams will pass on the 30-year-old in light of his durability concerns.

      Outside of re-uniting with McNabb, Westbrook makes very little sense for the Redskins. They already have a crowded backfield and who’s to say that he’d be an upgrade over Portis, Johnson or Parker anyway? We all know Mike Shanahan loves the running back-by-committee approach, but I don’t see how adding Westy to the mix helps Washington.

      Even if he does land with a new team, chances are that Westbrook isn’t long for the league. He almost pursued a career in broadcasting after the Eagles parted ways with him earlier this offseason, and that still might be the best option for him in the end.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Tiger Woods’ swing coach resigns

      May 11, 2010 /

      According to a report by Golf.com, Tiger Woods’ swing coach Hank Haney has decided to resign.

      Haney, who has coached Woods since 2004, has come under criticism during Woods’s recent struggles on the course. NBC commentator Johnny Miller said last week that Woods “should forget the Hank Haney stuff. It’s not working.” His former coach Butch Harmon also weighed in, telling the PGA Tour Network that Woods’s “game is in disarray.”

      Haney has defended his record with Woods. In a statement to The Golf Channel after Miller criticized his teaching, Haney said, “In the last two years, Tiger has won 44 percent of his tournaments and finished top three in 61 percent. In the two years before I started working with him, he won 24 percent and finished top three in 43 percent.”

      I don’t follow golf closely enough to chime in about whether or not Tiger’s game has fallen apart since Haney started coaching him. But I do know that Tiger has been through a ton of turmoil recently and who knows how that could have affected his game. No matter what the sport, coaches always have to deal with the mental aspect when working with players – not just the physical and fundamental.

      If Haney wasn’t doing a good job, I assume Woods would have fired him by now. Thus, his resignation probably had to deal with a lot of factors – not just Tiger’s performance on the links.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, Golf

      Are the Cowboys making a mistake by trading Carpenter for Barron?

      May 11, 2010 /

      In wake of the Cowboys’ decision to trade linebacker Bobby Carpenter to the Rams for offensive tackle Alex Barron, Gil Lebreton of the Dallas Star-Telegram writes that the ‘Boys are making a big mistake.

      Lebreton (via St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz) points out that Barron has committed 43 false start and 13 holding penalties in 74 NFL starts. He’s also allowed 16 sacks over the last two seasons, prompting Lebreton to write that Tony Romo will be scrambling an awful lot next season. Lebreton also makes the argument that the Cowboys could have gotten more for Carpenter, who could flourish playing in Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3 defense.

      But what Lebreton fails to mention is that Barron isn’t a replacement for Doug Free at left tackle. For better or worse, Free is being counted on as the starter and Barron is viewed more as insurance in case Free (who is inexperienced as a starter) struggles in the early going. Barron also has experience playing right tackle, which is key considering Marc Colombo suffered a fractured fibula during the regular season last year.

      Lebreton has a point that the Cowboys probably could have gotten more in return for Carpenter than a lineman that they view as an insurance policy. But general managers aren’t stupid – they know when other teams have given up on a player and they’re not going to overpay. Teams knew that Carpenter wasn’t a great fit for Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense and was likely to be dealt at some point during the offseason. Dallas had a need for an offensive tackle, so it pounced on the Barron trade. Is Barron a good player? He certainly hasn’t shown it so far. But maybe the trade will serve as a wake up call and he’ll elevate his game knowing that he’s now playing for a contender.

      Considering this is the same offseason in which Donovan McNabb was acquired for a second round pick, Jason Campbell a fourth and Santonio Holmes a fifth, this trade isn’t as bad as Lebreton makes it out to be. Even if Carpenter turns out to be a Pro Bowler down the road, it doesn’t mean that he would have had the same success in Dallas. Some players just aren’t a fit for certain schemes.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

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