NL playoff picture as murky as ever

The San Diego Padres took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning against the hapless Milwaukee Brewers yesterday afternoon. Milwaukee had nothing to play for, as they had already been eliminated from playoff contention after a miserable September, and with Trevor Hoffman, owner of 42 saves and a 2.53 ERA, coming into to close out the game, you'd figure the Padres had it all wrapped up right? Wrong. With two outs and Corey Hart on second, Tony Gwynn Jr. ripped a triple into right field to bring in Hart. Ironic that Tony Gwynn's son would do this to San Diego, huh? The Brewers would then proceed to win it in the 11th inning, setting the National League playoff race into a frenzy.

The Philadelphia Phillies also made things much more difficult for the final day of the season, as they dropped the second game of a three-game set to the Washington Nationals, 4-2, allowing the New York Mets, who defeated the Florida Marlins 13-0 behind a spectacular performance from John Maine, to pull even with the Phils in the NL East. However, things would not have been complete if the Colorado Rockies didn't do their part. Unfortunately for baseball analysts everywhere, they did, trumping the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-1 to bring themselves back within a game of the NL Wild Card-leading Padres.

So, what does all that mean? It means that we're in for a very confusing Sunday afternoon of baseball, that's what. Let's examine the most confusing scenario:

If the Mets and Phillies both win, the Padres lose and the Rockies win, the Mets and Phillies will play a one-game playoff tomorrow to decide the NL East division title. The loser of that game will be tossed into a three-game playoff with Colorado and San Diego. If that is the case, the Rockies, thanks to winning the season series' with each of the remaining squads, get to decide if they want to play two games at home or play the winner of the Padres/Phillies or Mets game on the road.

Is your head spinning yet? And the worst part is that this is only one of a possible 1,548 scenarios to determine which teams fill out the final two playoff spots in the National League. That's where the Diamondbacks come into play. They have already clinched the NL West title and home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs, making life much easier on the Rockies today. Doug Davis was scheduled to pitch for Arizona, but he was scratched from his start and will be replaced by Yusmeiro Petit, owner of a 3-4 record and a 5.02 ERA in 13 appearances (nine starts) this season. Manager Bob Melvin also said that he will sit catcher Chris Snyder, second baseman Augie Ojeda, and center-fielder Chris Young. I'm sure that's not all of the Diamondbacks who will be benched today, and I'm also sure that there will be a few that see one at-bat and are replaced after a few innings.

In the case of the Padres, their fans have reason to take valumes before the game's 2:05 ET start against Milwaukee. Why? Because Brett Tomko (4-11, 5.39 ERA) will be taking the mound for their team, and he will be opposed by Jeff Suppan, a pitcher who thrives in late September and October. You can be sure that he will bring his best stuff today and that the young Brewers will fight until the finish. Even more scary for San Diego fans is the success that some of the Milwaukee players have experienced against Tomko. Geoff Jenkins is 10-for-28 (.357) with two homers versus the right-hander, Johnny Estrada is 4-for-10 with a long ball, and Prince Fielder has homered one against him in three at-bats. Bill Hall has also gone deep against Tomko and is 3-for-9 when facing him lifetime. Also take into account that the Brewers are 81-80, meaning that today's game will determine whether they finish with a winning season or end at .500, so this contest does mean something to Milwaukee.

I'm sure plenty of Met fans also have doubts, as they are facing their arch-nemesis in Florida's Dontrelle Willis today. Willis sports an 11-3 record and a 2.49 ERA in his career against the Mets. He also hit all three of his home runs against the Mets last year, two in one game in September and a grand slam in July. On the mound for New York is Tom Glavine, a pitcher whom these same Marlins rocked for 11 hits and four runs in five innings just a week-and-a-half ago down in Miami. The Phillies will send out 44-year old Jamie Moyer to try and take care of business versus Jason Bergmann and the Nationals, who have made life very tough on several contenders as of late, most notably the Mets.

So, what are my predictions for today?

1. The Marlins will take out the Mets behind an outstanding performance from Willis in what may be his final game as a Marlin.
2. The Phillies will beat the Nationals handily.
3. The Brewers will down the Padres thanks to a great effort from Suppan.
4. Colorado will blow out Arizona.

This will make things a lot less complicated, as Philadelphia will have won the NL East to avoid a one-game playoff with New York, meaning the only extra contest that would have to be played is an NL Wild Card-deciding game between the Rockies and San Diego, in which I think Colorado will win. The National League would then look like this heading into the postseason:

1. Diamondbacks
2. Phillies
3. Cubs
4. Rockies

Phew.

Mets continue tailspin, fall to Marlins

Things just keep getting worse for the defending National League East champion New York Mets. After getting swept by the lowly Washington Nationals and then getting shut-out by the St. Louis Cardinals in a make-up game yesterday, the Mets dropped the first game of a three-game set to the Florida Marlins tonight, 7-4. They have now fallen behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East standings and are in second place in the division for the first time since May 15th. New York is on the verge of the biggest September collapse in MLB history. Never before has a team had a seven-game lead with 17 games left to play and lost it.

The Marlins busted out of the gates early as Jeremy Hermida blasted a two-run home run off the scoreboard in right field off Oliver Perez in the first inning. Perez then singled in a run in the bottom half of the frame to bring the Mets to within one run, but Florida added two runs in the third, both off hit-batsmen with the bases loaded. Perez loaded the bases with nobody out. Hermida then grounded out sharply to third baseman David Wright, who threw home to get the force out. Catcher Paul Lo Duca then threw back to Wright in an attempt to get the out at third, but Wright failed to remember to step on third base, leaving the bases juiced with one out. Perez then struck out Miguel Cabrera and emphatically pumped his fist into his glove, only to hit Cody Ross and Mike Jacobs in succession and give the Marlins a 4-1 advantage. He also hit Dan Uggla earlier in the inning.

Carlos Beltran made it a 4-3 game in the bottom of the third with a long two-run blast off of Byung-Hyun Kim. However, Florida answered right back in the top of the fourth. With two outs, the Marlins loaded the bases to set the stage for a two-run single by Cabrera, putting the Fish up 6-3. Matt Treanor then added to the lead with a solo homer in the top of the fifth. An RBI ground-out by Wright made it 7-4 in the bottom half of the inning, but neither team would score after that.

Kevin Gregg pitched the ninth to pick up his 32nd save for the Marlins, whose bullpen came up with another phenomenal collective effort after Kim left the game in the sixth with a blister on his throwing hand. Taylor Tankersley, Matt Lindstrom, Lee Gardner, and Gregg combined to throw four scoreless innings. Lindstrom pitched out of a first-and-third, one out jam in the seventh, striking out Beltran and Moises Alou to end the inning. Florida's bullpen has not allowed a run in the past four games.

Week 3 NFL scores

Dolphins 28 Jets 31
MIA: Green: 23/36, 318 yds, TD, INT Brown: 23 car, 112 yds, 2 TD, 6 rec, 99 yds, TD Chambers: 6 rec, 101 yds
NYJ: Pennington: 15/22, 124 yds, 2 TD Jones: 25 car, 110 yds Cotchery: 5 rec, 54 yds

Bills 7 Patriots 38
BUF: Edwards: 10/17, 97 yds, INT Losman: left game in 1st (knee) Lynch: 20 car, 74 yds, TD
NE: Brady: 23/29, 311 yds, 4 TD Maroney: 19 car, 103 yds Morris: 12 car, 46 yds, TD Moss: 5 car, 115 yds, 2 TD Welker: 6 rec, 69 yds

Vikings 10 Chiefs 13
MIN: Holcomb: 14/28, 165 yds Peterson: 25 car, 102 yds, TD, 3 rec, 48 yds Shiancoe: 3 rec, 51 yds
KC: Huard: 20/29, 206 yds, TD Johnson: 24 car, 42 yds Gonzalez: 7 rec, 96 yds Bowe: 5 rec, 71 yds, TD

Colts 30 Texans 24
IND: Manning: 20/29, 273 yds, TD Addai: 22 car, 72 yds, 2 TD Wayne: 4 rec, 84 yds Clark: 4 rec, 58 yds, TD
HOU: Schaub: 27/33, 236 yds, TD, 2 INT Davis: 4 rec, 70 yds

Chargers 24 Packers 31
SD: Rivers: 27/36, 306 yds, 3 TD, INT Tomlinson: 22 car, 62 yds, 3 rec, 33 ysd, TD Gates: 11 rec, 113 yds Jackson: 6 rec, 98 yds, TD
GB: Favre: 28/45, 369 yds, 3 TD (ties Dan Marino- 1st all-time) Driver: 6 rec, 126 yds, TD Jennings: 4 rec, 82 yds, TD Jones: 6 rec, 79 yds

Cardinals 23 Ravens 26
ARI: Warner: 15/20, 258 yds, 2 TD James: 10 car, 57 yds Boldin: 14 rec, 181 yds, 2 TD Fitzgerald: 5 rec, 85 yds
BAL: McNair: 20/27, 198 yds, TD McGahee: 21 car, 98 yds Mason: 8 rec, 79 yds, TD Heap: 4 rec, 60 yds

Rams 3 Buccaneers 24
STL: Bulger: 17/26, 116 yds, 3 INT Jackson: 30 car, 115 yds Holt: 5 rec, 63 yds
TB: Garcia: 14/22, 151 yds Graham: 8 car, 75 yds, 2 TD Williams: 12 car, 46 yds, TD

49ers 16 Steelers 37
SF: Smith: 17/35, 209 yds, TD, INT Gore: 14 car, 39 yds Jackson: 4 rec, 69 yds Davis; 4 rec, 56 yds
PIT: Roethlisberger: 13/20, 160 yds, TD Parker: 24 car, 133 yds Davenport: 5 rec, 47 yds, TD Miller: 4 rec, 82 yds

Lions 21 Eagles 56
DET: Kitna: 29/46, 446 yds, 2 TD, INT Williams: 9 rec, 204 yds, TD McDonald: 5 rec, 76 yds, TD
PHI: McNabb: 21/26, 381 yds, 4 TD Westbrook: 14 car, 110 yds, 2 TD, 5 rec, 111 yds, TD Curtis: 11 rec, 221 yds, 3 TD

Bengals 21 Seahawks 24
CIN: Palmer: 27/43, 342 yds, TD, 2 INT Watson: 9 car, 60 yds, TD Houshmandzadeh: 12 rec, 141 yds, TD Johnson: 9 rec, 138 yds
SEA: Hasselbeck: 24/37, 248 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT Alexander: 21 car, 100 yds Branch: 6 rec, 77 yds, TD Burleson: 6 rec, 76 yds, TD Engram: 5 rec, 62 yds, TD

Jaguars 23 Broncos 14
JAC: Garrard: 14/20, 154 yds, TD, 12 car, 52 yds Taylor: 17 car, 84 yds
DEN: Cutler: 16/23, 222 yds, TD, INT Henry: 11 car, 35 yds, TD Marshall: 7 rec, 133 yds

Browns 24 Raiders 26
CLE: Anderson: 18/37, 248 yds, TD, 2 INT Lewis: 15 car, 56 yds Winslow: 6 rec, 88 yds Edwards: 4 rec, 83 yds, TD
OAK: McCown: 6/12, 108 yds, TD Culpepper: 8/14, 118 yds Jordan: 29 car, 121 yds, TD Curry: 3 rec, 62 yds, TD

Giants 24 Redskins 17
NYG: Manning: 21/36, 236 yds, TD, 2 INT Ward: 26 car, 94 yds, 6 rec, 26 yds Droughns: 2 rush TD Burress: 5 rec, 86 yds, TD Shockey: 5 rec, 79 yds
WAS: Campbell: 16/34, 190 yds, TD Portis: 14 car, 60 yds, TD Moss: 3 rec, 82 yds

Panthers 27 Falcons 20
CAR: Delhomme: 10/18, 109 yds, 2 TD Foster: 20 car, 122 yds, TD King: 4 rec, 56 yds, TD
ATL: Harrington: 31/44, 361 yds, 2 TD Dunn: 11 car, 55 yds White: 7 rec, 127 yds, TD Jenkins: 6 rec, 76 yds Crumpler: 6 rec, 63 yds, TD

Bonds will not play for Giants in 2008

San Francisco Giants' outfielder Barry Bonds will not be in a Giants' uniform next season. Owner Peter Magowan broke the news to Bonds this past week.

The 43-year old Bonds has spent 15 of his 22 professional seasons in San Francisco, in which span he led the Giants to four postseason appearances and one World Series appearance in 2002. Bonds is batting .279 with 28 home runs and 66 RBI this year and broke Hank Aaron's all-time home run record by slamming his 756th career long ball against the Washington Nationals in August. He has hit six homers since, making his total 762.

However, the Home Run King will not retire. "There is more baseball in me and I plan on continuing my career," said Bonds. "My quest for a World Series ring continues." Bonds was also not too thrilled with San Francisco's decision to inform him on such short notice. "Although I am disappointed, I've always said baseball is a business, and I respect their decision. However, I am saddened and upset that I was not given an earlier opportunity to properly say goodbye to you, my fans, and celebrate with the city throughout the season as I truly believe this was not a last-minute decision by the Giants, but one that was made some time ago."

New York Giants: season preview

Projected record: 12-4, 1st in NFC East

Offensive MVP: Eli Manning. Manning showed a lot in the pre-season, but he is known for getting off to great starts and then tailing of late in the year. Still, I think this is one year Eli will really stand out, as he has no choice but to take charge of the offense now that Tiki Barber is gone. Also, Amani Toomer is healthy, which helps Manning a lot. His stats with and without Toomer last season were eye-poppingly different.

Defensive MVP: Michael Strahan. Seeing that this could be Strahan's last season, he is going to be as hungry as ever to get that elusive Super Bowl title. He is still the most dominant defensive end in the league when healthy and can easily record double-digits in sacks once again. Look for a big 15+ sack campaign out of the captain.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Steve Smith. Smith turned heads in camp and even gave Toomer a run for his money as the number two receiver. He is explosive and runs great routes and, most importantly, has sure hands. He will have the impact on the Giants that most people expected Sinorice Moss to have on the team last season.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Aaron Ross. Not really much of a surprise here, as Ross will be the only defensive rookie on New York that will see considerable playing time. He has struggled so far, but the extremely talented cornerback needs an adjustment period and needs to fully adapt to the style of play in the NFL. Once he does that, he will be something special.

Surprise rookie: Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw, a seventh-round pick, was a very pleasant surprise for Tom Coughlin and company in training camp and the pre-season. He is a very intelligent back who knows how to hit the holes and get to the outside. He's blessed with good speed and great field awareness and will definitely see ample playing time this year.

Comeback Player of the Year: Osi Umenyiora. He missed a good portion of last season with a pesky hip injury, but Umenyiora is now 100% and should return to his 2005-06 form when he led the Giants with 14.5 sacks.

Best offensive lineman: Kareem McKenzie. One of the most under-appreciated tackles in the game, McKenzie is one of the best run-blockers in the league and did a superb job in pass protection last year as well. He is a wall.

Best receiver: Plaxico Burress. Expect Burress to have a much more productive year than last season now that Toomer is back at full strength to take some pressure off him. Not to say that Plax didn't have a good year last year (10 touchdowns), but Burress failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving and wasn't the same dominant wide-out that he was in his first season with the Giants when he accumulated over 1,200 yards.

Best defensive lineman: Strahan. See "Defensive MVP."

Best linebacker: Mathias Kiwanuka. Kiwanuka impressed the coaching staff so much last season as the team's second-string defensive end that they figured they had to start him this year no matter what position they put him at. Either way, linebacker might be Kiwanuka's best position after all. He will be a LaVar Arrington/Julian Peterson type of linebacker who will rack up sacks and force opposing quarterbacks into bad throws.

Best defensive back: Gibril Wilson. Wilson has quietly developed into one of the best safeties in the NFL. He is a tackling machine who was arguably the defense's MVP in the second half of last season. Look for a big year from the fourth-year star out of Tennessee.

Five predictions:
1. Strahan and Umenyiora will combine for the most sacks by a defensive end tandem in the NFL.
2. Brandon Jacobs will rush for over 1,200 yards and score 15 touchdowns.
3. Jeremy Shockey will have the best year of his career and will reach 900 yards receiving.
4. New free safety James Butler will record four interceptions this season.
5. The Giants will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

2007-08 NFL predictions

DIVISION WINNERS:

AFC East
1. Patriots (14-2)
2. Jets (11-5)
3. Dolphins (5-11)
4. Bills (5-11)

AFC North
1. Steelers (12-4)
2. Ravens (11-5)
3. Bengals (10-6)
4. Browns (5-11)

AFC South
1. Jaguars (12-4)
2. Colts (9-7)
3. Titans (6-10)
4. Texans (5-11)

AFC West
1. Chargers (11-5)
2. Broncos (10-6)
3. Chiefs (7-9)
4. Raiders (2-14)

NFC East
1. Giants (12-4)
2. Cowboys (7-9)
3. Eagles (6-10)
4. Redskins (6-10)

NFC North
1. Packers (10-6)
2. Bears (9-7)
3. Vikings (6-10)
4. Lions (5-11)

NFC South
1. Panthers (12-4)
2. Saints (10-6)
3. Falcons (5-11)
4. Buccaneers (4-12)

NFC West
1. Seahawks (10-6)
2. Rams (8-8)
3. 49ers (8-8)
4. Cardinals (5-11)

PLAYOFF TEAMS:

AFC
Patriots
Steelers
Jaguars
Chargers
Ravens
Jets

NFC
Giants
Packers
Panthers
Seahawks
Saints
Bears

AWARDS:

Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady, Patriots
Offensive Player of the Year: Steven Jackson, Rams
Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Strahan, Giants
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Marshawn Lynch, Bills
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Willis, 49ers
Comeback Player of the Year: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Step-back player: Tony Romo, Cowboys
Step-back team: Chicago Bears
Team on the rise: New York Giants
Best off-season pickup: Randy Moss, Patriots
Coach of the year: Bill Belichick, Patriots
Super Bowl: Patriots over Giants

Jaguars name Garrard starting QB; Leftwich out

The Jacksonville Jaguars have named David Garrard the team's starting quarterback and have decided to part ways with four-year starter Byron Leftwich, whom the Jaguars drafted out of Marshall in 2003. The 27-year old Leftwich has yet to play a full season in the NFL due to nagging leg injuries. He missed 10 games last year because of a broken ankle. In the six games that he played, Leftwich tallied 1,159 passing yards, seven touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 79 quarterback rating. Leftwich also missed the final five games of the 2005-06 season and the team's first-round playoff game against the New England Patriots due to the same injury. He is expected to be traded or released.

Garrard, 29, has been with Jacksonville since 2002. In that time span, he has started 18 games, 10 last year, and has a career quarterback rating of 78.9. Last season, Garrard threw for 1,735 yards and 10 touchdowns while being picked off nine times. His quarterback rating was 80.5. The Jaguars went 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs.

Eddie Griffin dies in car accident

NBA player Eddie Griffin died in a car accident last week when his sport utility vehicle collided with a freight train. He was 25. His body was identified today.

Griffin's last stint with an NBA team was with the Minnesota Timberwolves in March before he was waived for under-performance and off the court issues. The 6'10" forward also spent time with the Houston Rockets and the New Jersey Nets. He was drafted seventh overall out of Seton Hall University by New Jersey in the 2001 NBA Draft but was traded to Houston for the draft rights to Richard Jefferson. He then signed back with the Nets in the 2003-04 season only to be released and then signed by Minnesota a year later.

Griffin posted career averages of 7.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He was widely considered one of the best shot-blockers in the league but never maximized his potential. His best season probably came in the 2002-03 campaign where he averaged 8.6 points, six rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He tallied more points and blocks per game in his rookie year but shot only 36.6% from the floor and did not compile as many rebounds.

Saturday's MLB scores

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Red Sox 6 Orioles 2
BOS: W: Beckett (15-5); 8.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 8 K Drew: 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI Lugo: 2-3, 2 RBI
BAL: L: Olson (1-1)

Mariners 7 White Sox 6
SEA: W: Batista (12-8) Ibanez: 3-5, HR (11), 3 RBI Betancourt: 1-4, GS HR (8), 4 RBI
CHW: L: Floyd (1-2); 4 IP, 7 H, 7 ER Fields: 2-5, GS HR (12), 5 RBI Owens: 2-4, HR (7)

Yankees 11 Indians 2
NYY: W: Mussina (8-7); 7.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 6 K Rodriguez: 2-5, 2 HR (39), 4 RBI Abreu: 2-5, 2 RBI Damon: 2-6, 2 RBI
CLE: L: Byrd (10-5); 2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER Martinez: 1-3, 2 RBI

Athletics 2 Tigers 5
OAK: L: Haren (13-4) Stewart: 2-4, RBI
DET: W: Verlander (12-4) Ordonez: 3-4, HR (19), 2 RBI Thames: 2-4, HR (12)

Blue Jays 1 Royals 4
TOR: L: McGowan (8-6) Zaun: 1-3, HR (6)
KC: W: Nunez (2-0); 6 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB Gordon: 3-3, HR (9), 2 RBI Gathright: 2-3, RBI

Devil Rays 3 Rangers 0
TB: W: Jackson (3-11); CG, 4 H, 8 K Young: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI
TEX: L: Rheinecker (1-1)

Twins 3 Angels 4
MIN: L: Neshek (6-2) Silva: 7 IP, 2 H Mauer: 3-4, RBI
LAA: W: Lackey (15-6); 8 IP, 10 H, 2 ER Izturis: 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pirates 13 Giants 3
PIT: W: Armas (2-3) Sanchez: 4-5, HR (7), 5 RBI LaRoche: 2-5, HR (17), 3 RBI Castillo: 2-5, 2 RBI
SF: L: Lincecum (6-3); 6 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 8 K Winn: 2-4, HR (7)

Dodgers 1 Cardinals 6
LAD: L: Lowe (8-11)
STL: W: Looper (10-9); 6 IP, 4 H, ER Ankiel: 3-4, 2 HR (3), 3 RBI, 3 R Edmonds: 2-4, 2 RBI

Padres 3 Reds 8
SD: L: Hampson (2-3) B. Giles: 2-4, 2 HR (5), 3 RBI
CIN: W: Livingston (3-2); 8.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER Keppinger: 2-4, 3 RBI Gonzalez: 1-3, 2 RBI

Braves 7 Phillies 5
ATL: W: Mahay (3-0) Johnson: 2-3, HR (13), 3 RBI Francoeur: 2-4, HR (14)
PHI: L: Eaton (9-8); 3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER Iguchi: 1-5, 2 RBI

Brewers 7 Astros 4
MIL: W: Linebrink (4-3) Braun: 2-5, HR (22), 4 RBI Fielder: 3-5, HR (36)
HOU: L: Lidge (3-2) Rodriguez: 7 IP, 6 H, ER Lee: 2-5, 2 RBI

Marlins 7 Mets 5
FLA: W: Miller (4-0) Willingham: 3-5, GS HR (18), 5 RBI Cabrera: 2-3, 2 BB, 2 RBI
NYM: L: Heilman (7-4) Wright: 3-4, 2 HR (22), 3 RBI

Nationals 0 Diamondbacks 1
WAS: L: Lannan (1-1); 7 IP, 4 H, ER
ARI: W: Webb (12-8); CG, 5 H, 10 K Upton: 1-3, RBI

Cubs 2 Rockies 15
CHC: L: Hill (6-7); 5.2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1-2, RBI
COL: W: Fogg (7-7) Tulowitzki: 4-5, 3 RBI Hawpe: 2-5, HR (21), 3 RBI Carroll: 1-2, GS HR (2), 5 RBI Torrealba: 2-3, RBI, 4 R

Friday's MLB round-up

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Red Sox 5 Orioles 6
BOS: L: Okajima (3-1) Matsuzaka: 7 IP, 4 H, ER, 4 BB, 7 K Ortiz: 1-4, 2 RBI
BAL: W: Hoey (1-0) Bedard: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 7 K Huff: 1-3, 2 RBI Markakis: 1-4, 2 RBI

Yankees 6 Indians 1
NYY: W: Hughes (2-1); 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 6 K Jeter: 3-4, RBI Abreu: 1-4, 2 RBI
CLE: L: Carmona (13-7) Barfield: 1-3, HR (3)

Athletics 16 Tigers 10
OAK: W: Lugo (3-0) Blanton: 4 IP, 7 H, 9 ER Cust: 2-5, GS HR (18), 7 RBI Buck: 4-5, 3 RBI Murphy: 2-5, HR (3), 3 RBI
DET: L: McBride (1-1) Tata: 2 IP, 5 H, 7 ER Thames: 1-3, GS HR (12), 4 RBI Ordonez: 3-5, 2 RBI Sheffield: 2-5, HR (24), 2 RBI

Blue Jays 2 Royals 1
TOR: W: Marcum (9-4); 6.2 IP, H, took no-hitter into 7th Wells: 2-4, 2 RBI
KC: L: Meche (7-10)

Mariners 3 White Sox 5
SEA: L: Washburn (8-9) Ibanez: 3-4, HR (10) Johjima: 2-4, HR (13)
CHW: W: Vazquez (10-6); 7 IP, 9 H, 3 ER Fields: 2-4, 2 HR (11) Dye: 2-3, HR (24)

Devil Rays 4 Rangers 7
TB: L: Sonnanstine (1-8) Navarro: 3-4
TEX: W: Wood (2-1) Catalanotto: 3-4, HR (8), 5 RBI Young: 1-4, 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Padres 12 Reds 7 (11 innings)
SD: W: K. Cameron (1-0) Gonzalez: 3-4, HR (19), 3 RBI Greene: 3-5, HR (19), 3 RBI Kouzmanoff: 2-5, HR (12), 2 RBI
CIN: L: Weathers (2-4) Hopper: 2-6, 2 RBI Griffey: 2-4, HR (27)

Marlins 4 Mets 3
FLA: W: Lindstrom (2-3) Ramirez: 2-4, 2 RBI, 3 SB, GW 2-R 2B Hermida: 2-3, RBI
NYM: L: Wagner (1-1); first blown save since June 7th (PHI) Beltran: 1-4, HR (20), 3 RBI

Braves 4 Phillies 5
ATL: L: James (9-9) McCann: 1-3, 2 RBI
PHI: W: Hamels (13-5) Helms: 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBI

Brewers 5 Astros 4
MIL: W: Spurling (2-1) Hall: 1-5, 2 RBI Fielder: 1-3, HR (35)
HOU: L: Moehler (1-4) Scott: 2-4, HR (14), 3 RBI

Dodgers 2 Cardinals 1
LAD: W: Beimel (3-1) Penny: 7 IP, 5 H, 6 K Loney: 1-4, GW 2-R HR (5), 2 RBI
STL: L: Wainwright (10-9); 9 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 K Molina: 3-4, RBI

Tuesday's MLB news and notes

Diamondbacks re-sign Byrnes
The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed outfielder Eric Byrnes to a three-year contract extension worth $30 million. The 31-year old Byrnes is batting .303 with 17 home runs, 64 RBI, and 28 stolen bases this season.

Red Sox land Kielty
The Boston Red Sox have signed outfielder Bobby Kielty to a minor-league contract. Kielty, 31, was batting .200 this season with the Oakland Athletics before he was released on August 1st. He has spent a good portion of the year on the disabled list with a torn meniscus. Kielty is a career .255 hitter and is known for hitting very well against lefties (batted .325 against left-handers last season).

Padres to release Wells?
The San Diego Padres are reportedly considering releasing David Wells. The 44-year old left-hander is 5-8 with a 5.54 ERA this season and is coming off his worst outing of the year, giving up seven runs to the St. Louis Cardinals in a 10-5 loss on Monday.

J.O. to Lakers? Not so fast

Indiana Pacers' forward Jermaine O'Neal was quoted on Sports Illustrated's website on Monday as saying he would "welcome a trade to the Lakers." O'Neal, who has spent seven seasons with Indiana, does not want to be part of a rebuilding process and has expressed some interest in being dealt. However, O'Neal's agent, Arn Tellem, said in an e-mail to the Associated Press that the 28-year old "hasn't requested a trade to the Lakers." The 6'11" O'Neal averaged 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game last year.

Bonds stuck at 755; Cardinals score 10 in 5th

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 5 Blue Jays 4
NYY: W: Pettitte (8-7) Cabrera: 3-4, RBI Damon: 2-5, RBI Cano: 1-4, 2 RBI
TOR: L: Downs (1-2) Thomas: 2-5, 2 RBI

Devil Rays 4 Tigers 6
TB: L: Glover (5-4) Upton: 1-3, HR (16), 3 RBI
DET: W: Miner (2-3) Guillen: 3-4, 2 RBI Raburn: 1-4, 2 RBI

Indians 4 Twins 0
CLE: W: Byrd (10-4); CG, 4 H Peralta: 3-4, RBI Blake: 1-4, 2 RBI
MIN: L: Silva (9-12); 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 6 K

Athletics 9 Rangers 7 (13 innings)
OAK: W: Brown (2-0) Scutaro: 1-4, GS HR (5), 4 RBI Ellis: 2-6, 2 RBI Piazza: 3-7, RBI
TEX: L: Eyre (3-5) Young: 3-4, HR (5) Botts: 2-6, HR (1), 2 RBI Sosa: 2-6, 2 RBI

Red Sox 2 Angels 4
BOS: L: Schilling (6-5); 6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 5 K Youkilis: 2-4, HR (12), 2 RBI
LAA: W: Speier (1-2) Kotchman: 1-4, 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Padres 5 Cardinals 10
SD: L: Wells (5-8); 4 IP, 11 H, 7 ER Blum: 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI Gonzalez: 2-4, HR (18) Greene: 2-4, HR (18)
STL: W: Looper (9-9) Rolen: 1-4, HR (7), 3 RBI Eckstein: 1-4, 2 RBI Ludwick: 2-4, HR (9)

Cubs 1 Astros 2 (10 innings)
CHC: L: Wuertz (2-3) Hill: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 6 K
HOU: W: Lidge (3-1) Rodriguez: 8 IP, 4 H, ER, 9 K Lee: 2-3, HR (24)

Brewers 2 Rockies 6
MIL: L: Vargas (9-4); 7 IP, 12 H, 6 ER
COL: W: Fogg (6-7); 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER Holliday: 3-4, HR (21), 2 RBI Hawpe: 2-3, HR (19), 3 RBI

Nationals 2 Giants 3 (11 innings)
WAS: L: King (1-1) Lannan: 7 IP, 8 H, ER, 5 BB Young: 1-4, HR (10), 2 RBI
SF: W: Hennessey (2-3) Lincecum: 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 8 K, 5 BB Winn: 4-5, RBI

Glavine joins 300-club

New York Mets' pitcher Tom Glavine won his 300th game Sunday night in the Mets' 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Glavine went 6.1 innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs. The 41-year old left-hander is now 10-6 with a 4.31 ERA this season and has a 3.49 career ERA. He became only the 23rd pitcher in major-league history to win 300 games and only the fifth lefty to accomplish such a feat.

Glavine wins 300th; Tigers fall again

AMERICAN LEAGUE

White Sox 3 Tigers 1
CHW: W: Floyd (1-1); 6 IP, 7 H, 6 K
DET: L: Tata (1-1) Ordonez: 1-4, HR (17)

Royals 5 Yankees 8
KC: L: Meche (7-9); 4 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 5 BB Gload: 2-4, HR (4), 2 RBI Gathright: 4-4, RBI
NYY: W: Mussina (7-7); 6 IP, 9 H, 2 ER Cabrera: 2-5, HR (7), 2 RBI Matsui: 1-3, HR (22), 2 RBI Abreu: 3-4, 2 RBI

Rangers 1 Blue Jays 4
TEX: L: McCarthy (7-8) Catalanotto: 2-5, HR (7)
TOR: W: McGowan (8-5); 8 IP, 8 H, ER, 6 K Stairs: 3-3, 2 RBI

Orioles 11 Devil Rays 3
BAL: W: Bedard (12-4); 6.2 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 11 K Huff: 3-5, HR (8) Patterson: 2-5, 3 RBI Gibbons: 4-5
TB: L: Sonnanstine (1-7); 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 ER Crawford: 4-5, HR (9) Upton: 2-5, HR (15), 2 RBI

Indians 0 Twins 1
CLE: L: Carmona (13-6); 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 5 K, 5 BB
MIN: W: Baker (6-4); 8 IP, 4 H

Red Sox 9 Mariners 2
BOS: W: Beckett (14-5); 6.2 IP, 8 H, ER, 9 K Ramirez: 2-4, HR (19), 2 RBI
SEA: L: Bautista (11-8)

Angels 4 Athletics 3
LAA: W: Lackey (14-6) Anderson: 2-4, 3 RBI Kotchman: 3-4, RBI
OAK: L: Calero (1-5) Johnson: 1-3, HR (11), 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Astros 5 Marlins 6
HOU: L: Albers (2-5) Lee: 2-4, HR (23), 4 RBI
FLA: W: Olsen (9-9); 7.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 8 K Ross: 2-2, 2 RBI Ramirez: 1-4, HR (19) Amezaga: 1-4, 2 RBI

Rockies 5 Braves 6
COL: L: Bucholz (5-4) Spilborghs: 2-3, 2 HR (9) Helton: 2-4, 2 RBI
ATL: W: Villarreal (2-1) C. Jones: 3-4, HR (19), 2 RBI Escobar: 2-4, 2 RBI

Phillies 8 Brewers 6
PHI: W: Myers (2-3) Werth: 2-5, HR (4), 2 RBI Rowand: 3-6, 3 RBI
MIL: L: Parra (0-1) Jenkins: 4-6, 3 RBI Braun: 2-6, HR (20) Mench: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI

Giants 4 Padres 5
SF: L: Chulk (4-3) Molina: 1-1, PH HR (11), 2 RBI
SD: W: Brocail (4-1) M. Giles: 1-3, 2 RBI

Diamondbacks 3 Dodgers 0
ARZ: W: Webb: (11-8); CG, 7 H Upton/Reynolds: 2-4, RBI
LAD: L: Penny (13-3); 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 5 K

Mets 8 Cubs 3
NYM: W: Glavine (10-6); 300th career win Delgado: 2-4, 4 RBI Castillo: 4-5, 2 SB Reyes: 3-6, RBI
CHC: L: Marquis (8-7)

Yankees to call up Chamberlain

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the New York Yankees will be calling up minor-league right-hander Joba Chamberlain within the next 48 hours. The 21-year old is 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA in the minors this season. He has also struck out 135 in 88.1 innings. Chamberlain will most likely assume a relief role with the Yankees. There is no word yet on who New York will be sending down. A potential candidate is right-hander Jeff Karstens.

Garnett to BOS; Jefferson, others to MIN

The Kevin Garnett era has officially come to an end in Minnesota. On Monday night, the Timberwolves agreed to trade the 31-year old Garnett to the Boston Celtics for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and two future first-round draft picks. The deal was finalized on Tuesday afternoon.

Garnett spent 12 years in Minnesota, the longest-tenured player with one team in the NBA. He averaged 22.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game last season. Garnett led the Timberwolves to eight playoff appearances and helped them reach the Western Conference Finals in the 2003-04 campaign, the same year he won the MVP award. That year, Garnett averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game.

Boston has now made two big splashes this off-season, first acquiring Ray Allen from the Seattle Supersonics on draft day for the #5 pick overall, Delonte West, and Wally Szczerbiak and then making the trade for Garnett. Both Allen and Garnett will team up with Paul Pierce in hopes of bringing at least one more championship to the storied franchise that is the Celtics.

For Minnesota, they get four young players in return and one expiring contract in Ratliff. The 22-year old Jefferson averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game last year, while Green put up 10.4 points per contest. The versatile Gomes tallied 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Telfair could not stay out of trouble in Boston and was simply a throw-in in this blockbuster trade.

Warriors look to close out Mavericks

Many expected the Golden State Warriors to give the Dallas Mavericks a good run in their first round playoff matchup. However, nobody expected eighth-seeded Golden State to have first-seeded Dallas on the brink of elimination going into game five, but that is exactly what the Warriors have done.

Golden State currently holds a 3-1 lead over the Mavericks in this best-of-seven series, and it has led to flustered Dallas players and some dissension. Head coach Avery Johnson recently criticized Dirk Nowitzki for telling the media that he is having trouble against the Warriors' swarming defense and that he will take what shots they give him. Nowitzki, widely considered the frontrunner for the Most Valuable Player award, is shooting only 40.9% from the floor in this series and has not scored over 23 points in any of the first four games.

Baron Davis has looked like the real MVP in this series, averaging 25.8 points per game and shooting 55.2% from the field. Davis took over in Golden State's game four win, racking up 33 points and hitting a shot from halfcourt to conclude the first half. Stephen Jackson has also been phenomenal, averaging 22 points per game.

Al Harrington is yet to find his groove for the Warriors, averaging only five points per game in the series and shooting only 18.5% (5-for-27) from the floor. Head coach Don Nelson remedied the situation, starting Andris Biedrins in games three and four. Biedrins has provided a nice spark for Golden State in this series, particularly in game three when he posted a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds).

The Mavericks, a team that won 67 games during the regular season, have lost six of their seven meetings with the Warriors this season.

Bulls finish off Heat, complete sweep

Ben Gordon scored 24 points and Luol Deng added 22 and 12 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls completed a four-game sweep of the defending champion Miami Heat on Sunday, winning 92-79.

Miami started strong, taking a 48-44 lead into halftime. However, the Bulls, who out-scored the Heat 59-44 in the second half of game three, out-scored Miami 48-31 in the second half of game four. The Heat once again struggled at the line, shooting 13-of-27 (48.1%). Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning shot a combined 2-of-14 at the charity stripe, O'Neal going 0-of-7. Miami shot 16-of-35 (45.7%) in game three.

Despite shooting only 38.1% from the floor and being out-rebounded 49-42, Chicago forced the Heat into 17 turnovers and capitalized on the good majority of them. The Bulls took great care of the basketball, turning it over only five times. Chicago also got clutch free throw shooting from Ben Wallace, who shot 7-of-8 from the line and hit several big ones in the fourth quarter when he was fouled intentionally. Wallace finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Bulls also poor shooting nights from Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni, who went only 2-of-12 and 4-of-14 from the floor, respectively. Gordon remedied that, going 10-of-18.

Chicago will face the Detroit Pistons in the next round of the playoffs. The Bulls won the season series 3-1.

Warriors stun Mavericks, take 2-1 lead

The Golden State Warriors made the most of their first home playoff game in 13 years, embarrassing the number one-seeded Dallas Mavericks 109-91 to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The largest crowd in Warriors' history (20,629) watched their team dismantle the heavily favored Mavericks for 48 minutes on Friday night. Dallas looked completely helpless for the entire game, shooting only 38.8% from the floor. Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points, but eight of those came in the first four minutes.

Golden State, who lost their composure in game two of the series, had five players score in double-figures, with Jason Richardson leading the charge with 30 off 12-of-19 shooting. He also pulled down eight rebounds. Baron Davis, who was ejected from game two, finished with 24, and Andris Biedrins provided a spark in his first start of the series, tallying 10 points and 10 boards.

When things began to completely unravel in the third quarter, the Mavericks began to look like Davis and the Warriors did in game two, where both he and Stephen Jackson were ejected from the game. To the crowd's delight, Josh Howard, Devin Harris, and Jerry Stackhouse each drew technical fouls for Dallas in the period.

Golden State used their athleticism and quickness to disorient the team that reached the NBA Finals last year won 67 games during the regular season. The Warriors led by double-digits the entire second half. The Mavericks, on the other hand, looked bewildered during the final 24 minutes and simply could not get anything going.

A number eight seed has only beaten a number one twice in NBA history, but it has never happened since the NBA extended the first round from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven series in the 2002-03 season. The Denver Nuggets defeated the Seattle Supersonics in five games in 1994-95, and the New York Knicks shocked the Miami Heat in five back in the 1998-99 season. The Knicks would actually advance all the way to the Finals.

Game three will be held in Golden State on Sunday.

Kidd posts triple-double, Nets take 2-1 lead

Jason Kidd missed his last practice with a sore knee. That knee seemed fine tonight, as the 34-year old Kidd recorded a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 19 assists, and 16 rebounds to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 102-89 victory and a 2-1 series lead over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

New Jersey controlled this game from the get-go, taking an early 31-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. They led 58-39 at the half. Toronto got the lead down to single digits in the third quarter, but the Nets rebounded, as Vince Carter scored 37 points off 15-of-23 shooting. Richard Jefferson tallied 18.

T.J. Ford was the only consistent player offensively for the Raptors, scoring 27 points off 11-of-22 shooting. He also dished out eight assists. Chris Bosh, who rebounded from a mediocre game one with 25 points and 13 rebounds in game two, was sub-par, finishing with 11 points off 3-of-10 shooting.

The win by New Jersey gave them a 2-1 lead in this best-of-seven series. The two teams will next square off on Sunday.

Bulls put Heat against ropes, go up 3-0

The defending champions are in trouble. Big trouble. The Chicago Bulls out-scored the Miami Heat 32-20 in the fourth quarter and captured a 3-0 series lead with a 104-96 victory.

The Heat, who took a 52-45 lead going into halftime, led by as much as 12 at one point during the third quarter before the Bulls made their run. Miami certainly essentially lost the game at the free throw line where they shot only 16-of-35 (45.7%) as a team. Shaquille O'Neal went 3-of-12 from the charity stripe while Dwyane Wade shot only 4-of-10.

Chicago, on the other hand, was very efficient from the line. They shot 29-of-37 (78.4%) as a team, led by Ben Gordon who went 11-of-14. Gordon paced the Bulls with 27 points, one of three Bulls' that scored over 20. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich were the others, tallying 24 and 22, respectively. Deng also pulled down 11 rebounds.

Both Wade and O'Neal did everything they could offensively to keep the Heat in the game, but their woes at the foul line were very costly. Wade scored 28 off 12-of-27 shooting while O'Neal finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, six offensive.

Chicago, who also out-rebounded Miami 44-33, will go for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon in Miami. No team has ever blown a 3-0 lead in the NBA Playoffs.

Barbosa propels Suns to 1-0 lead

Leandro Barbosa poured in 26 points off the bench and Amare Stoudemire scored 23 and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of their first-round playoff matchup, 95-87.

The Suns came out of the gates a bit sluggish in this one, with the Lakers building their lead to as much as 12 in the first half. Kobe Bryant racked up 28 first-half points and rattled in a three-pointer with one second remaining in the half, and Los Angeles went into halftime with a 48-39 advantage.

Both squads came out firing on all cylinders to start the third quarter. That's when Barbosa took over. He continuously drove the lane and put in lay-up after lay-up as Jordan Farmar and Smush Parker helplessly tried to guard the "Brazilian Blur." Barbosa then buried a three at the buzzer to end the third quarter, bringing Phoenix to within three, 77-74. He tallied 19 points in the second half.

Bryant, who shot 11-for-17 in the first half, went only 4-of-16 in the final 24 minutes, including a spell where he missed nine in a row and 10 of 11 overall. He shot only 1-of-10 in the fourth quarter, where the Lakers scored only 10 points as a team. Bryant finished with 39.

The Suns out-scored the Lakers 56-39 in the second half and got double-doubles from three different players: Stoudemire, Steve Nash, and Shawn Marion. Nash had 20 points and 10 assists and Marion racked up 16 points and 16 boards.

Phoenix beat Los Angeles in game one of their first-round series last year and would eventually win the series in seven games.

Guide to the NCAA Tournament

MIDWEST
Winner: #1 Florida. The Gators return the same starting five from last season's title run in Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Lee Humphrey, and Taurean Green. That's already a recipe for success. Florida runs their offense like an NBA squad. They are extremely efficient on both ends of the floor and can spread the ball around offensively. When one player is cold, another will step up. They may have one of the best starting lineups we've seen in a while.

Biggest Cinderella: #11 Winthrop. Many feel that the 11th-seeded Eagles will be this year's George Mason. Last year, as a 15-seed in the tournament, Winthrop was a bad call away from topping the number two seeded Tennessee Volunteers. They are even better this season, going 14-0 in their conference. The Eagles shoot the three-ball pretty well, Michael Jenkins and Taj McCullough leading the pack in three-point percentage. I have them advancing all the way to the Elite Eight where they will lose to Florida.

Biggest bust: #3 Oregon. Everybody is buzzing about the Ducks because of their outstanding performance in the Pac-10 title game against USC. But in all seriousness, it's not very likely that Bryce Taylor goes 7-for-7 from behind the arc again, and it's also not likely that Oregon knocks down 14-of-29 as a team. Aaron Brooks is a fun player to watch and Oregon is a nice team, but I have them falling in the first round to Miami, Ohio.

Biggest sleeper: #10 Georgia Tech. Many have the Yellow Jackets upsetting # 7 UNLV in the first round. I feel the same way. I actually have Georgia Tech advancing to the Sweet 16, but losing to Winthrop. The Jackets have a very athletic and versatile team led by Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenton, both NBA prospects. Although their ACC tournament loss to Wake Forest concerns me, I think they will be more than ready to take the challenge in the Big Dance.

Best first round match-up: #9 Purdue vs. #8 Arizona. The 8-9 games are usually always the best, as the two teams are generally evenly the matched. This is the case here, although the Wildcats have an obvious advantage in pure talent. They really were a bit of a disappointment this year, but having four double-digit scorers in Marcus Williams, Chase Budinger, Ivan Radenovic, and Mustafa Shakur make them a very dangerous squad. Purdue has two, but they're pretty darn good (Carl Landry and David Teague). I like Arizona here.

Player to watch: Horford, Florida. Although most feel that Noah is Florida's best player, I think Horford is the one that makes everything go. He is the focal point on offense and is one of the best low-post scorers in the nation. He also has a solid jump shot from 16 feet out and is a very good defender. Yes, Noah may be Florida's emotional leader and defensive stopper, but the offense runs through Horford.

Picks:
Round of 64:
1 Florida over 16 Jackson State, 8 Arizona over 9 Purdue, 5 Butler over 12 Old Dominion, 4 Maryland over 13 Davidson, 11 Winthrop over 6 Notre Dame, 14 Miami (OH) over 3 Oregon, 10 Georgia Tech over 7 UNLV, 2 Wisconsin over 15 Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Round of 32:
1 Florida over 8 Arizona, 5 Butler over 4 Maryland, 11 Winthrop over 14 Miami (OH), 10 Georgia Tech over 2 Wisconsin
Sweet 16:
1 Florida over 5 Butler, 11 Winthrop over 10 Georgia Tech
Elite Eight:
1 Florida over 11 Winthrop

WEST
Winner: #2 UCLA. UCLA's season and bid for a number one seed soured over the last two games of the season, losing first to Washington during the regular season and then to California during the Pac-10 tournament. Does this mean they are a bad team? Of course not. Overrated? Nope. The Bruins are still the best team in this region and have great depth. Both Aaron Afflalo and Darren Collison are capable of taking over games, and Josh Shipp stepped up in a big way this year. Look for UCLA to come out of the West.

Biggest Cinderella: #13 Holy Cross. I don't have any "Cinderellas" advancing past the round of 32, but the Crusaders represent the biggest upset in this bracket either way. They are playing a vulnerable team in Southern Illinois in the first round, a squad that hasn't really played anybody of great stature this season. Keith Simmons, a guard who shot over 50% for the season, is the key here. If he can have one of his big performances, Holy Cross will always hang around in games.

Biggest bust: #1 Kansas. The Jayhawks have been a popular Final Four pick by many from opening night until today. Yes, there is talent here, but, although the past doesn't matter, Kansas has been known to come up small in the NCAA Tournament. Julian Wright, Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, and Sherron Collins make for a great foursome, but experience is an issue. I have them losing to Virginia Tech in the Sweet 16.

Biggest sleeper: #5 Virginia Tech. The Hokies weren't expected to be much of a factor this year, but they gave the entire ACC fits. Zabian Dowdell is one of the most prolific scorers in the conference, and Deron Washington is an athletic freak who can change a game. Take three-point bomber A.D. Vassallo into account, and you've got yourself one of the more versatile teams in the tournament. Still, the lack of a true inside scorer will hurt them.

Best first round match-up: #9 Villanova vs. #8 Kentucky. Yet another 8-9 match-up. These two teams are very even and should make for a great game. Kentucky probably has the best all-around player in Randolph Morris, although Curtis Sumpter and Scottie Reynolds of Villanova can make their cases, as well. In the end, depth will kill 'Nova, and the Wildcats from the midwest will take this one.

Player to watch: Dowdell, Virginia Tech. Like I said; the kid can score. He also does it efficiently, shooting 46.8% from the floor, 38.7% from three, and 81.3% from the charity stripe.

Picks:
Round of 64:
1 Kansas over 16 Play-in winner, 8 Kentucky over 9 Villanova, 5 Virginia Tech over 12 Illinois, 13 Holy Cross over 4 Southern Illinois, 11 Virginia Commonwealth over 6 Duke, 3 Pittsburgh over 14 Wright State, 7 Indiana over 10 Gonzaga, 2 UCLA over 15 Weber State
Round of 32:
1 Kansas over 8 Kentucky, 5 Virginia Tech over 13 Holy Cross, 3 Pittsburgh over 11 Virginia Commonwealth, 2 UCLA over 7 Indiana
Sweet 16:
5 Virginia Tech over 1 Kansas, 2 UCLA over 3 Pittsburgh
Elite Eight:
2 UCLA over 5 Virginia Tech

EAST
Winner: #2 Georgetown. They could have easily been worthy of a one seed, and I think they are better than 75% of the one seeds out there. The Hoyas are the second best team the country, Florida being the only squad that is better. Roy Hibbert, not Greg Oden, is the best big man in the tournament, and Jeff Green and Jonathan Wallace form a fantastic trio with the 7'2" Hibbert that is extremely tough to beat. Oh, and John Thompson III is the coach and Patrick Ewing Jr. is on the team. A good omen, maybe?

Biggest Cinderella: #14 Oral Roberts. Much like the East region, I don't have any "Cinderellas" making it past the second round, but if there is one with the potential to do so, it's Oral Roberts. They beat Kansas back on November 15th and have a few other nice wins on their resume. Caleb Green may very well be one of the best players in the tournament, a versatile 6'8" big man who averaged 21 and nine for the season. The Golden Eagles are playing a very beatable Washington State team in the first round, one of the weaker three-seeds in recent memory. They won't go any further than the Sweet 16, though, as they'll have to meet Georgetown. I have them losing to Vanderbilt in the second round.

Biggest bust: #1 North Carolina. They may very well be the most talented team in the tournament top-to-bottom, but the savvy isn't there. The Tar Heels will most likely face a dangerous Marquette team in the round of 32. North Carolina has a mediocre defense; the Golden Eagles have a potent offense. Not exactly a nice combination to roll with if you're the Heels.

Biggest sleeper: #8 Marquette. Marquette is a team that can either lose in the first round or make it all the way to the Elite Eight, which is where I finally have them bowing out. The Golden Eagles have a bunch of snipers in Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, Dan Fitzgerald, and David Cubillan, and although James shot only 26.4% from beyond the arc this season, he can hit several in a row when he's on. Ousmane Barro is a player to watch down low.

Best first round match-up: #11 George Washington vs. #6 Vanderbilt. Most would go with the Marquette/Michigan State match-up, but I like G.W. and Vandy. The Commodores are a very versatile squad led by Derrick Byars, one of the better all-around players in the field. They also have two sure-things from the free throw line in Shan Foster (84.7%) and Dan Cage (87.1%). The Colonials are a team with some potential to make some noise in the tournament as well. They have a very good perimeter shooting team, led by 43.8% three-point shooter and leading scorer Maureece Rice. I like Vanderbilt in this game, though.

Player to watch: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina. Hansbrough has obviously been bothered by the mask he is forced to wear after Gerald Henderson of Duke broke his nose about two weeks ago. He only scored in double-figures once in the ACC tournament, tallying 15 against North Carolina State. However, 11 of those 15 points came from the free throw line. Hansbrough will need to be more effective in order for UNC to live up their number one seed.

SOUTH
Winner: #16 Central Connecticut State. This is the biggest Cinderella, the biggest upset, the biggest out-on-the-limb pick in NCAA history. Either way, I love this team. The Blue Devils had three players average double-digits in points per game this season, those three being Tristan Blackwood, Javier Mojica, and Obie Nwadike. Mojica is the best of the three, averaging 16.8 points and 7.1 rebounds as a 6'3" guard. Their lack of size might be the one thing that may hold them back, as their center, Jemino Sombers, stands 6'7".

Biggest Cinderella: #16 Central Connecticut State. Hey, George Mason did it. Why can't C-Conn?

Biggest bust: #1 Ohio State. Everyone raves about the talent on this team, but they fail to point out that their three best players, Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., and Daequan Cook, are all freshmen. When was the last time a team that young won a title? I can't see the Buckeyes advancing very far in this tournament, and if there's one number-one seed that can lose in the first round, it's them. There is just something missing here, and I can't quite put my finger on it. And it's not their lack of experience.

Biggest sleeper: #10 Creighton. The Blue Jays have really been overlooked in many brackets. Most people are calling seventh-seeded Nevada, the team Creighton plays in the first round, the sleeper of the South region. I think it's 10th-seeded Creighton, a team with four double-digit scorers on its roster. They were fantastic in the Missouri Valley Tournament and may very well carry that momentum over into the big tournament. I also have the Blue Jays taking out number two Memphis in the second round, but losing to Texas A&M in the Sweet 16.

Best first round match-up: #11 Stanford vs. #6 Louisville. A lot of people are talking about this game and the possibility of an upset. Stanford has one of the better big men in the country in Brook Lopez, and guard Anthony Goods has also gotten healthy. Although the Cardinal have the advantage in the frontcourt, the Louisville Cardinals have a solid advantage in the backcourt with Terrence Williams and Edgar Sosa. I like Louisville to win this game. Oh, and another reason why this match-up is interesting? The names of the teams.

Player to watch: Mojica, Central Connecticut State. This kid is fun to watch. He can stroke the outside jumper, penetrate and drive the lane, rebound, anything. You name it, and he does it. You can be sure that Mojica will be instrumental if the Blue Devils do in fact make any sort of run.

Picks:
Round of 64:
16 Central Connecticut State over 1 Ohio State, 9 Xavier over 8 BYU, 12 Long Beach State over 5 Tennessee, 4 Virginia over 13 Albany, 6 Louisville over 11 Stanford, 3 Texas A&M over 14 Pennsylvania, 10 Creighton over 7 Nevada, 2 Memphis over 15 North Texas
Round of 32:
16 Central Connecticut State over 9 Xavier, 4 Virginia over 12 Long Beach State, 3 Texas A&M over 6 Louisville, 10 Creighton over 2 Memphis
Sweet 16:
16 Central Connecticut State over 4 Virginia, 3 Texas A&M over 10 Creighton
Elite Eight:
16 Central Connecticut State over 3 Texas A&M

Lewis to division rival; Horn to Atlanta?

DEFINITE/ALMOST DEFINITE HAPPENINGS

Lewis to Cleveland
The Cleveland Browns have signed halfback Jamal Lewis to a one-year contract. The 27-year old Lewis rushed for 1,132 yards and nine touchdowns last season with the Baltimore Ravens. He is four years removed from his 2,000+ yard season (2,066).

Falcons close to landing Horn
The Atlanta Falcons look to be on the verge of bolstering their problematic wide receiving corps, as they are working on a deal with 11-year veteran Joe Horn. Nothing is finalized yet, but all signs point to Horn becoming a Falcon soon. Horn missed the last six games of the 2006-07 campaign due to a nagging groin injury. He hauled in 37 catches for 679 yards and four scores. Horn totaled 1,399 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2004-05. He has played all 11 of his NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

Graham signs with Broncos
The Denver Broncos have signed tight end Daniel Graham to a five-year, $30 million contract. The 28-year old Graham caught 21 balls for 235 yards last year. His best season came during the 2003-04 campaign, when he recorded 38 receptions for 409 yards and four touchdowns.

Giants reach preliminary agreement with Scott
The New York Giants have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement with defensive tackle Ian Scott. The 25-year old Scott had 22 tackles for the Bears last season.

RUMORS

Bly wants out of Denver
Just six days after the Broncos traded for cornerback Dre' Bly, the 29-year old already wants out. Potential suitors include the Washington Redskins and the Giants. Bly had 54 tackles, three interceptions, and forced four fumbles last season.

Briggs on the trade block; Giants interested?
After linebacker Lance Briggs expressed his frustration with the Chicago Bears' organization, the Bears have reportedly put him on the trade block. The Giants, a team that was prepared to pursue the 26-year old Briggs had the Bears not applied the franchise tag to him before he could test free agency, appear to be interested. Chicago is reportedly looking for multiple draft picks, preferably three, in return.

Giants also interested in Edwards, Rhodes, Curtis
The Giants have been quiet throughout the first week of free agency, but it seems like they may make a move soon. They are looking at linebacker Donnie Edwards, halfback Dominic Rhodes, and wide receiver Kevin Curtis. Some sources say that it is only a matter of time before New York signs Rhodes. They are also very open to signing Edwards as long as the price is right. Curtis met with the Giants today.

McGahee appears to be headed to Baltimore
A league source is stating that Buffalo Bills' halfback Willis McGahee may be on the verge of being traded to the Ravens. There are a couple of teams that still have a shot at acquiring the 26-year old McGahee, but Baltimore is currently the clear frontrunner. The deal may be McGahee to the Ravens in exchange for a second and fifth-round draft pick.

NBA Power Rankings, 2/18/07

1. Dallas Mavericks (44-9)- To make things even better for Dallas, no team has ever gotten off to as good of a start as they have and not won the NBA title.
2. Phoenix Suns (39-13)- They have gone in a bit of a tailspin since their 17-game winning streak, losing five of eight, but they're by no means frauds.
3. Detroit Pistons (32-19)- They closed out before the All-Star break in style, winning eight of 10. They are the clear-cut favorites in the Eastern Conference.
4. San Antonio Spurs (35-18)- You can't discount a second-half run by the Spurs, a team that has sort of flown under the radar as they have been overshadowed by Dallas and Phoenix.
5. Utah Jazz (35-17)- It looks like they are for real. They have been winning even without Carlos Boozer, and it appears that they already have the Northwest locked up.
6. Houston Rockets (33-19)- Tracy McGrady has stepped up in Yao Ming's absence, leading his team to a 17-8 record during that span. He's a sleeper MVP candidate.
7. Washington Wizards (29-21)- Gilbert Arenas has become a loudmouth over the past month, and the Wizards have slumped lately. Either way, they are a contender in the weak East.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (31-22)- LeBron James is not having near the kind of season he had last year, but he still has his team as the two-seed in the East. However, there is something missing here.
9. Miami Heat (26-26)- You knew they were going to make a run sooner or later. Now that Shaquille O'Neal is healthy, expect them to edge out Washington for the division crown.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-27)- With Kevin Garnett, you can never count Minnesota. Despite some recent struggles, they hold the eighth spot in the West. Expect them to ship out a guard for a big man by the deadline.
11. Toronto Raptors (29-24)- What a surprise this team has been. It had potential right from the start, but no one expected this. Chris Bosh may be a poor man's Garnett.
12. Los Angeles Lakers (30-24)- Losers of five straight, some say the Phil Jackson-Kobe Bryant relationship is ready to explode. If the Lakers don't right themselves soon, that may very well happen.
13. Indiana Pacers (28-24)- Somehow, this team has managed to maintain a playoff spot and remain several games over .500. Still, Jamaal Tinsley is on the trading block.
14. Denver Nuggets (26-25)- The Allen Iverson experience hasn't worked out as well as Denver hoped, as he has missed eight games due to a sprained ankle. Still, a healthy A.I. makes this team dangerous.
15. Chicago Bulls (29-25)- Arguably one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA this season, the Bulls have been a model of inconsistency. Nevertheless, they are still a threat in the watered down East.
16. New Orleans Hornets (25-28)- The return of Chris Paul has sparked this squad, as expected. With David West now healthy as well, expect a late-season surge from New Orleans.
17. Orlando Magic (27-26)- They have slipped tremendously since their hot start, and Dwight Howard's production has dwindled a bit. But I'll keep reiterating it: anything can happen in the East.
18. Los Angeles Clippers (25-28)- They have been the NBA's biggest flop this year, bar none. And what in the world has happened to Elton Brand? 24.7 and 10.3 last year, 20.7 and 9.2 this year.
19. New York Knicks (23-30)- The Knicks can easily turn around and win the Atlantic. They are the most talented team in the division, and if they can add Rashard Lewis as rumored, they'll be a major factor come playoff time.
20. Golden State Warriors (25-29)- Here's another of the NBA's list of disappointments, due much in part to injuries. Jason Richardson hasn't played since December, and it wasn't like he was playing that great anyway.
21. New Jersey Nets (25-29)- Yet another flop. The Nets have gone from a team predicted to reach the NBA Finals by some to a team looking to trade Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. The future doesn't look too promising.
22. Sacramento Kings (22-29)- Kevin Martin is the only bright spot on this team. Ron Artest has been a bust as a King, not to mention he and Mike Bibby can't get along. This team is in need of an extreme makeover.
23. Portland Trail Blazers (22-32)- They are very talented, but Portland is simply not ready to contend for a playoff spot yet. Either way, Brandon Roy is the clear favorite to take Rookie of the Year honors.
24. Seattle Supersonics (20-32)- It is becoming more and more evident that their magical 2004-2005 was just that; a fluke. Now Lewis appears to be on his way out, and Ray Allen and Luke Ridnour may be as well.
25. Atlanta Hawks (21-31)- Their 4-1 start was obviously a mirage. But hey; they finally had an All-Star in Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith, Josh Childress, and Marvin Williams make for a pretty bright future.
26. Milwaukee Bucks (19-34)- They had the looks of a sure-fire playoff team at the beginning of the season, but the Bucks have been flat-out awful. Andrew Bogut is starting to solidify his status as a bust.
27. Charlotte Bobcats (19-33)- Charlotte definitely has shown signs of life this season. Although Adam Morrison has been a disappointment, there are plenty of players on this team whom can make it a playoff contender soon.
28. Philadelphia 76ers (17-36)- Not only did they trade Iverson away, but now it doesn't even look like they will be bad enough to snag Kevin Durant or Greg Oden in the draft.
29. Boston Celtics (13-38)- With all of the talent on this team, it's hard to fathom that they lost 18 games in a row. Al Jefferson is developing into a star, and Ryan Gomes and company are coming along as well.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (14-40)- I don't know if I've ever seen a team take such a big step back in one year. Last season, they went 45-37 and made the playoffs. This year, well...yeah.

A Giant collapse? Not uh

I'll admit it. When the news first broke that the New York Giants had released LaVar Arrington and Luke Petitgout yesterday, I was shocked, stunned, and, quite frankly, appalled. How can the Giants seriously cut Arrington, a 28-year old linebacker whom New York gave a seven-year, $49 million incentive-laden contract last April, and Petitgout, a 30-year old tackle who has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Giants? Bad moves? They would seem to be at first glance, but when one looks at the big picture, their opinion instantly changes.

The Giants not only released Arrington and Petigout, but also Carlos Emmons and Chad Morton. Emmons, a 33-year old linebacker, was as sturdy as a piece of paper and, although he had his moments with New York, is no longer capable of playing a full-time role. Morton, a 29-year old halfback used as a kick returner, used to be a great return man with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins, but his production dipped tremendously since becoming a member of Big Blue. What is the point here? These cuts gave the Giants around $25 million in cap space when combined with the retirement of Tiki Barber.

So what does New York do next? Simple. They go after the biggest names on the free agent market, such as Lance Briggs, Adalius Thomas, Nate Clements, and Asante Samuel. When the Giants signed Plaxico Burress, Antonio Pierce, Kareem McKenzie, and Jay Feely during the 2005 off-season, they had only $9 million of cap room to work with. Imagine what they can do with in between $25-30 million? I can see the G-Men picking up at least two of these commodities. Briggs will most likely be their primary target at linebacker, and Clements at cornerback. However, Thomas and Samuel aren't slouches themselves.

New general manager Jerry Reese knows exactly what he is doing. With the recent news that Arrington is contemplating retirement due to a slew of injuries over the past several years, any other GM would have done the same thing. Petitgout's injury was also more severe than originally anticipated, as even when his leg was fully healed late in the season, he still could not take the field. All Reese did was get rid of two injury-plagued players (who are most likely past their prime) to free up millions of dollars in cap space to sign younger, more talented names.

There are also rumors coming out of New York that Reese and head coach Tom Coughlin are considering starting Mathias Kiwanuka at linebacker next season. The 23-year old Kiwanuka, New York's first-round draft pick last year, tallied 53 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles as a defensive end in the 2006-2007 campaign. "Kiwi," as he is called, did not even start the entire season, as he began the year behind Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora on the depth chart. Then, when both Strahan and Umenyiora went down, Kiwanuka got his chance to showcase his skills, and he did so in a very big way. He certainly has the speed and the talent to play linebacker, and his close-to-6'7" frame will allow him to bat down many passes.

To cover the vacancy at left tackle, the Giants will either sign a free agent or go with second-year man Guy Whimper, who, although he didn't make a single appearance on the offensive line last year, is extremely talented. The big-name free agent that New York may look at to fill the void left by Petigout is massive Leonard Davis, a 6'6", 370-pound behemoth who has spent all six of his NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Davis would team up with McKenzie to form the biggest, and one of the best, tackle combos in the National Football League.

So, here is a breakdown of Big Blue's potential free agent targets, listed in order of importance to the Giants:

1. Lance Briggs, OLB- The 26-year old Briggs has already developed into one of the best linebackers in the league. Last season, he posted 130 tackles, two interceptions and forced four fumbles en route to his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. He will be New York's primary target in free agency this off-season, and although he will command a hefty price tag, Reese will be willing to dish out the cash. Still, there remains the possibility that he will be franchise-tagged by the Chicago Bears.

2. Adalius Thomas, OLB- Thomas, 29, is one of the most versatile defensive players in the NFL. He can play linebacker, defensive end, and even safety on occasion. The 270-pounder recorded 83 tackles and 11 sacks last season. He is one of the best pass-rushing linebackers in the business and would form a formidable attack with Strahan, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka, and Fred Robbins in terms of attacking the quarterback. If the Giants aren't able to get their hands on Briggs, expect them to turn their attention to Thomas, although he may be franchise-tagged by the Baltimore Ravens.

3. Nate Clements, CB- Clements is a game-changing cornerback. At the ripe age of 27, he has already stamped his name among the best corners in the National Football League. Clements racked up 70 tackles and three picks last season and also forced and recovered two fumbles to boot. He once forced five fumbles in a season, and in that same year, logged six interceptions and 73 tackles. His career high in stops is 99, and he has amassed five defensive touchdowns in his six-year career. Clements is the best cornerback on the market and will not be franchised by the Buffalo Bills.

4. Asante Samuel, CB- Some reports stated that Samuel would definitely be franchised by the New England Patriots, but those reports are now being conflicted by others that say New England will use their franchise tag on tight end Daniel Graham. If that's the case, then expect the 26-year old Samuel to be one of the most sought after free agents in recent memory. He intercepted 10 passes during the regular season last year and two in the post-season, both for touchdowns. He also totaled 64 tackles and defended 14 passes. Samuel really showcased his talent in the playoffs this season, deflecting virtually any ball that came his way.

5. Leonard Davis, T- As I said before, the guy is huge. Although Davis hasn't lived up to expectations, due much in part to his laziness and lack of work ethic, he will still be a highly targeted free agent in the off-season. His sheer size provides a wall for the quarterback to throw behind, and he is probably the strongest player in the NFL. The 28-year old Davis is a top five tackle in the league when he is at the top of his game, and I can't see him being lazy under Coughlin. Expect the Giants to make a run at him, although the four players above will probably command more attention.

Giant cuts: Arrington, Petitgout, Emmons

The New York Giants made three cuts on Monday, deciding to part ways with linebackers LaVar Arrington and Carlos Emmons and tackle Luke Petitgout.

Arrington was signed by the Giants to a seven-year, $49 million incentive-laden contract in April of last year. His 2006-2007 season was cut short after six games due to a torn Achilles suffered against the Dallas Cowboys on October 23rd. The 29-year old tallied 16 tackles and a sack.

Emmons spent three seasons with New York after signing with the team in 2004. He missed four games this season because of multiple injuries and played in only nine games during the 2005-2006 season. The 33-year old Emmons recorded 207 tackles in 36 games with the Giants.

Petitgout has played all eight of his NFL seasons with the Giants, helping the team advance to the Super Bowl in the 2000-2001 campaign. A broken leg stopped the 30-year old's season after nine games this year, and he was never able to return to the field.

New York is also expected to cut halfback and kick returner Chad Morton and wide receiver Tim Carter.

Potential targets for the Giants in free agency are linebackers Lance Briggs and Adalius Thomas, cornerbacks Nate Clements and Asante Samuel, and tackle Leonard Davis.

Other notes:
Tackle Bob Whitfield announced his retirement today.

Bonds not a Giant yet; May for Clemens? No

Bonds finally a Giant? Not so fast
A day after a report came out that Barry Bonds had signed a one-year, $15.8 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, the MLB rejected the transaction because Bonds' personal appearance clause was "not in concert with the basic agreement." According to Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, Bonds had not signed the deal and will not sign any documents at this time.

Rockies tried to send Helton to Baltimore
The Colorado Rockies not only attempted to trade Todd Helton to the Boston Red Sox, but they also contacted the Baltimore Orioles about his services. The Orioles backed out of a potential deal because they would be forced to pay a significant amount of Helton's contract.

Clemens will not return in May; wants to win
Roger Clemens has been tossing batting practice to Houston Astros' minor-leaguers, but does not foresee a return to the mound by May. He did indicate that he will pitch in 2007, however, as he stated that he is not dealing with retirement well. Clemens said that he wants a chance to win a ring, and made hints that he is leaning toward the New York Yankees as his team of choice. The Boston Red Sox and the Astros remain potential suitors, as well.

Rowand for Linebrink?
ESPN's Buster Olney has reported that the Philadelphia Phillies have been talking with the San Diego Padres about trading center-fielder Aaron Rowand for relief pitcher Scott Linebrink. However, Olney said that this deal is likely on hold until springtime.

Cardinals will most likely attempt to trade for starter
After losing Jeff Weaver via free agency to the Seattle Mariners, the St. Louis Cardinals now have a gaping hole in their starting rotation. Potential suitors include Brad Penny of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jon Lieber of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Carl Pavano of the New York Yankees.

Tony Armas Jr. to Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a one-year deal with starter Tony Armas Jr. The 28-year old Armas went 9-12 with a 5.03 ERA with the Washington Nationals last season.

Helton talks dead; Bonds re-signs with Giants

Rockies, Red Sox break off Helton talks
What looked to be an inevitable deal between the Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox fell apart on Monday night. The Rockies had been trying to move Todd Helton to Boston, but the Red Sox were not offering anybody of Colorado's interest. The Rockies wanted Craig Hansen and/or Manny Delcarmen involved in the deal, but Boston was not willing to give up either of them. The Red Sox were reportedly offering Mike Lowell and Julian Tavarez, two players that the Rockies expressed virtually zero interest in. It is not known whether or not Colorado will continue to shop the 33-year old Helton.

Giants, Bonds come to terms
The San Fransisco Giants have re-signed Barry Bonds to a one-year, $15.8 million deal. The 42-year old Bonds can earn another $4.2 million through playing time incentives. The single-season home run champion batted .270 with 26 home runs and 77 RBI last season.

Marlins observe Stewart at private workout
The Florida Marlins, still in search of a center-fielder, have once again expressed interest in outfielder Shannon Stewart. The Marlins watched him along with several other teams in a private workout last Friday. The 32-year old Stewart has been hampered by injuries in two of the past three seasons, playing in only 44 games last year because of a foot ailment. He batted .293. He is a lifetime .299 hitter. The Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox were the other six teams who observed Stewart on Friday, although Florida appears to be the frontrunner. Stewart has stated that he would be interested in playing for the Marlins.

Rockies, Red Sox talk Helton; Weaver to M's

Rockies, Red Sox discuss Helton trade
The Colorado Rockies have reportedly put first baseman Todd Helton, the face of the franchise, on the trading block, and the Boston Red Sox were the first team to come calling. Boston and Colorado are already in discussions for the 33-year old who batted .302 with 15 home runs and 81 RBI last season. The Red Sox would almost definitely have to send Kevin Youkilis Colorado's way in any trade for Helton, and the Rockies also like Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen. There is a possibility that Mike Lowell would be a part of the deal, although Colorado already has their third baseman of the future in Garrett Atkins. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Hansen would be included in the deal and Lowell would not. He also says that the Rockies would like to receive outfielding prospect Jacob Ellsbury in return as well. Buster Olney of ESPN says that Matt Clement may be included. Colorado and Boston reportedly also talked about a deal for Helton last autumn.

Weaver signs with Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have signed Jeff Weaver to a one-year, $8.3 million deal. The 30-year old right-hander went 8-14 with a 5.76 ERA in 2006, but posted a 2.43 ERA in the post-season.

Utley gets extension; nothing yet for Bonds

Phillies give Utley extension
The Philadelphia Philles have given second baseman Chase Utley a seven-year, $85 million contract extension. The 28-year old Utley batted .309 with 32 home runs and 102 RBI in 2006. He also had an MLB-best 35-game hit streak at one point last season.

Bonds, Giants still can't find deal
The San Francisco Giants are reportedly still in discussions with left-fielder Barry Bonds about a new contract. The Giants re-signed Bonds to a one-year, $16 million deal earlier in the off-season, but the recent news about the 42- year old Bonds testing positive for steroids last season has San Francisco worried. Some say that the Giants are carefully trying to back out of the deal. There are some teams that would take on the single-season home run king for about $10 million.

Ohka to make decision soon
30-year old right-hander Tomo Ohka is expected to decide whether he will pitch for the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, or Toronto Blue Jays within the next couple of days. The New York Mets seem to be out of the running.

Cubs, Floyd closing in on deal
The Chicago Cubs are reportedly close to a deal with left-fielder Cliff Floyd. There is no word yet on any potential financial terms.

Kevin Garnett suspended one game

Minnesota Timberwolves' forward Kevin Garnett has been suspended for tonight's game against the Phoenix Suns for his actions during an altercation with Antonio McDyess of the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

Jermaine O'Neal close to being dealt?

Rumors have it that Indiana Pacers' forward Jermaine O'Neal may be closer to being dealt than originally expected. However, if the 28-year old O'Neal is traded, it most likely will not be until this summer. A source said that the Denver Nuggets and the Sacramento Kings could make an attempt to acquire him.

The 6'11" O'Neal is averaging 19.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game this season.

Pats' Harrison to miss AFC Championship Game

Despite speculation that New England Patriots' safety Rodney Harrison might play in the AFC Champioship Game against the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday, the 34-year old veteran will not be available.

Harrison was injured in the final game of the season against the Tennessee Titans when he was blocked low by Titans' receiver Bobby Wade. Wade's helmet collided with Harrison's right knee, causing a severe MCL sprain. One report said that the MCL was torn, but recent reports clarified that it was only a sprain.

Considered by many to be the heart-and-soul of the Patriots' defense, Harrison missed all but three games of last season with a torn ACL in his left knee and was absent for six games this year due to a broken shoulder blade.

23-year old James Sanders will once again start in place of Harrison.

Minor MLB happenings

Samardzija gives up football, signs with Cubs
Former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has decided to give up football and commit to baseball, his "first love." He signed a five-year, $10 million contract with the Chicago Cubs on Friday. The 21-year old right-hander was Chicago's fifth-round pick in last year's amateur draft.

Twins sign Ramon Ortiz
The Minnesota Twins have signed Ramon Ortiz to a one-year, $3.1 million deal. The 33-year old right-hander went 11-16 with a 5.57 ERA in 190.2 innings and once took a no-hitter into the ninth inning last season while playing for the Washington Nationals.

Trot Nixon to Cleveland
Outfielder Trot Nixon signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Nixon will join a plethora of Cleveland outfielders, including Casey Blake, Shin-Soo Choo, Ryan Garko, David Dellucci, Jason Michaels, and Franklin Gutierrez. The 32-year old Nixon will most likely come off the bench.

Schottenheimer to remain with Chargers

Marty Schottenheimer will return to coach the San Diego Chargers in 2007-2008, but he turned down a one-year extension worth $4.5 million.

Despite 205 career wins, Schottenheimer has not exactly been successful in the playoffs, demonstrated by his 5-13 record in post-season play.

Schottenheimer led the Chargers to an NFL-best 14-2 and a first-round bye in the playoffs this past season, only to fall to the New England Patriots, 24-21, in the Divisional Round. The loss further raised questions about Schottenheimer's job security, as his head coaching duties were said to be on the line last weekend.

"Martyball" also led San Diego to a 12-4 record and an AFC West title in the 2004-2005 season, but lost to the New York Jets in the Wild Card Round. He has gone 35-13 in his past three seasons as Chargers' coach, taking the team to the playoffs twice in that span.

Braves send LaRoche to Pittsburgh

The Atlanta Braves sent first baseman Adam LaRoche to the Pittsburgh Pirates for closer Mike Gonzalez on Wednesday. It is also believed that one prospect will be heading Atlanta's way.

The 28-year old Gonzalez has been the most sought-after reliever of the 2006-2007 off-season, with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox also making serious pushes at the right-hander. Gonzalez posted a 2.17 ERA in 54 innings of work last season. He has a career ERA of 2.37.

LaRoche, 27, hit .285 with 32 home runs and 90 RBI in 2006. Most notable about the young slugger was his impressive second half of the season, as he batted .323 and belted 19 of his long balls after the All-Star break. LaRoche is a career .274 hitter.