Sports Chips

A Daily Look At The Hot Sports Topics From Across The Country..

MLB-

The Giants are looking at players such as Pittsburgh second baseman Freddy Sanchez, but the real prize would be a power-hitting cleanup hitter, preferably right-handed, who would allow them to move Bengie Molina down in the order. "If the Giants add just one good hitter, they're the best team in the division -- including the Dodgers," one N.L. West talent evaluator said. The A's are attempting to move Matt Holliday, but if the Chicago White Sox put outfielder Jermaine Dye on the trade market, he'd be an ideal fit. Toronto third baseman Scott Rolen is the kind of player General Manager Brian Sabean loves, but he's owed $11 million next year. -- San Jose Mercury News

I still can't believe the Giants have gotten so good so fast, but with their starting rotation I guess it is no surprise. Rolen would be a nice player, but he is due to get injured again at some point so I'd take a pass. Dye or Holliday would be ideal, I can't see the Sox Trading Dye, he is their most consistent player. Why do the A's even sign or trade for players with big contracts, they all get dealt. It would be a real easy transition from Oakland to San Fran, seems like the most probable of all the deals.
SF 58


On Monday, Brian Fuentes said he was told he would pitch the sixth inning of the All-Star game. On Tuesday, he was told he would not, which Fuentes blamed on the commissioner's office. "That bumped me from my inning," Fuentes said. "It's kind of crazy they would have their hand in making up the lineup." Fuentes, the Angels' closer, did not pitch in the game. He said he was told in an American League team meeting Monday that he would pitch the sixth inning, and he shared that news with family, friends and Angels officials in St. Louis. On Tuesday, two hours before game time, Fuentes said AL pitching coach Jim Hickey told him that there had been a "misunderstanding" and that AL Manager Joe Maddon had not been aware that the commissioner's office wanted the starting pitchers to work two innings. That left one fewer inning for the relievers and that left Fuentes out. "That soured me a little bit," Fuentes said. "To think that someone in MLB would dictate who pitches when and where, that is not the way the game is supposed to be played." -- LA Times


This is a complete joke if Bud Selig and his boys had a say on who would pitch. The game counts, let Madden manage the team. I know Madden was thinking about starting Wakefield, which would have been nice for him. I wouldn't be surprised If Bud has a say on him not pitching as well. Maybe Bud should make up the line up card for both teams, and his grand kids can pinch hit as well, Come on Bud! Clean It Up!
SF 58

NBA-

What was made clear in Riley's private session was that the Heat's interest in re-acquiring forward Lamar Odom from the Los Angeles Lakers is legitimate, with numbers being discussed that would approach the current Lakers' free-agent offer that Odom has rejected, when accounting from Florida's lack of state income tax and other options regarding payments. Beyond that, the Heat has not entered talks about possibly acquiring forward Carlos Boozer from the Utah Jazz, but is monitoring that situation, with no expectation of a quick resolution by the Jazz. In his Thursday speech to season-ticket holders, Riley said the team could acquire Odom, Boozer or both and still put itself in position to be a major player in 2010 free agency. The Heat made it clear to those present that Riley's comments to season-ticket holders were in an "off the record" setting. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel

I take back what I said the other day about Odom going to a team that can't make a title run, but only if they get Boozer. It seems the Bulls have more players to offer in Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas, and it seems the Heat have not fully gotten involved, but it could happen. If they get Boozer and Odom, they have a chance to get to the finals. - SF 58


New Orleans star point guard Chris Paul insisted he was serious when he said there's a chance he soon could be traded. Paul was interviewed Thursday by Pro Basketball News, and asked about his team's financial situation. The Hornets are staring at being well over the luxury tax, and might have to dump some big contracts. "In this league, anything can happen," said Paul, at the summer league to watch his Hornets. "I can be dealt." Paul then was asked that surely he can't be serious he could be traded. "It's possible," he said. "It's possible." -- Pro Basketball News

Wasn't New Orleans really good a couple years ago? Now they are falling apart financially like several other teams in the NBA. However, if they trade Paul they are doomed to sink even further into the abyss of mediocrity. Don't do it.
SF 58

NCAA Football

Florida football coach Urban Meyer weighed in on the national discussion Thursday about the Bowl Championship Series. When asked about Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch's problem with Utah being left out of the national title game despite a perfect regular season record, Meyer said Utah couldn't survive in the SEC. "That Utah team this year and the Utah team we had in '04 -- I don't think they can survive the grind of the SEC, but there are other conferences out there who can't survive the grind either," Meyer said. "? I will certainly listen to (Hatch) because I know him and I know their coach Kyle Whittingham. To tell them he isn't a BCS coach and they aren't BCS players, it's not true." -- Ledger-Enquirer

Maybe that is true and maybe it isn't, but you can't penalize Utah for not being in the SEC. Utah's dominance over Bama in BCS bowl game was enough to show me that they can hang in the SEC. Not too many offense like Utahs around, and their defense punished Bama. If you want to even out the playing field then the NCAA should make sure the major conferences play several games against the top mid majors, obviously those change from year to year but something has to be done. Of course the sensible thing would be to have a playoff, but the greedy presidents don't want to lose that money that come sin every year. I wonder if any of them have ever played in a competitive sport? Very painful, I will be happy with Obama's run as president if he can fix this BCS garbage.
SF 58