Archive for 6. August 2008
Season on the Brink
6. August 2008 by JJK.
The news on Joba doesn’t look good. Anytime a player is sent down to see orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews it’s not a good thing. (Jorge Posada) The Yankees don’t look like they have any fight left in them. There are too many teammates that are being taken away from this them. They lost their best pitcher in Chien-Ming Wang in June. They lost Hughes and Kennedy. They lost Jorge Posada for the season, and God knows when Matsui will return. The possibility of losing Joba looks like it may be the last straw that will break the Yankees back. It’s like soldiers on a battlefield. They will always have the drive to go out and fight, but when they see their comrades fall off there is nothing you can do to raise their spirits. And the Yankees spirits seem to be down. They are 7 games out in the loss column against the Rays, and they are 3.5 games back of the Wild Card. They have lost 7 of their last 10. The Texas Rangers were supposed to be the easy part of their road trip. The Yankees have started their road trip 0-2. They will face Texas’ Tommy Hunter. Hunter went 5 innings and gave up 6 runs against Toronto during his first career start. Sidney Ponson will try to right the ship for the Yankees tonight. He pitched brilliantly for the Yankees last week by going 7 innings and only surrendering 2 hits against the Angels.
Source: LeBron Might Go To Europe For $50M Per Year
6. August 2008 by Glendo.
A European Vacation? Several NBA players have left for Europe and more lucractive contracts, but no big stars……yet. It is a possiblity ESPN reports.
A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers’ superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of “around $50 million a year.”
James’ current contract expires after the 2010-2011 season, but he can opt out after the 2009-2010 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year. The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place.
While $50 million a year seems outlandish, it is within the realm of possibility, considering the reported $250 million contract David Beckham received two years ago to join Major League Soccer, the $33 million Michael Jordanwas paid by the Chicago Bullsfor the 1997-98 season, the strength of the euro in comparison to the dollar, and the fact that European clubs are not bound by a salary cap. While several NBA players have left the league this summer for more lucrative contracts in Europe, no stars have done so or even considered it. But losing a player of James’ magnitude would be nothing short of a nightmare for the NBA. The source close to James said LeBron would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas. He added that James would not consider himself to be playing in the “minor leagues.”
The entire scenario falls in line with James’ stated goals of becoming a billionaire and “global icon.” But the representative from the players’ association will have to see James in a European uniform before he believes it.
“First of all, we don’t know that there’s going to be a $50 million offer,” the official said. “And secondly, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish over there the things that he wants to do over here, which are to win NBA championships, MVP awards, etc.”
This could be a major concern with the NBA having to compete with the European leagues for players. Although the Knicks might be able to compete with the rest of the league.
List of players that have already signed with overseas teams:
- Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Childress set things off by taking a $20 million, three-year deal offered by Euroleague basketball team Olympiacos.
- Boykins Signs $3.5 Million Deal In Europe
- Carlos Arroyo has reportedly signed a three-year deal worth $7.5 million with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
- Kobe has said he would play in Europe for 40 mil a year.
- Juan Carlos Navarro rejoined FC Barcelona after a one-season stint with the Memphis Grizzlies.
- Nenad Krstic left the Nets to sign with a Russian team.
- Carlos Delfino and Jorge Garbajosa left the Toronto Raptors to sign with a Russian team as well.
Big Murph
6. August 2008 by Glendo.
It didn’t take long for Daniel Murphy to make his presence known at Shea Stadium.The left fielder made his first appearance in front of the New York home crowd on Tuesday night, and he wasted no time showing off his glove skills on the first play of the game.
When San Diego’s Jody Gerut connected on a deep fly ball, Murphy took off for the left-field wall and crashed against it to make the catch and rob Gerut of a hit. Murphy said he didn’t think the ball would have gotten out of the ballpark anyway, but the play still helped him.
“It kind of served two purposes,” he said. “I got to get the first one out of the way at Shea and realize that wall’s got some give to it, so that was pretty exciting.”
Murphy was called up from Triple-A New Orleans on Sunday and made his Major League debut that night with a 1-for-4 performance against the Astros. Mets manager Jerry Manuel said Murphy will serve as the team’s left fielder, and fellow rookie Nick Evans will share the responsibilities.
Murphy picked up his first RBI in the big leagues when he sent a fly ball to center field for a double that brought Argenis Reyes across the plate. The rookie went 1-for-2 and waited out two walks to get on base.
“He has shown some tremendous patience at the plate,” Manuel said. “He’s putting together some excellent at-bats, seeing a lot of pitches. He’s going to be another guy that’s going to add to us. With him, I don’t see us going backward. I see this as a great addition to our lineup.”
Favre Update Again…
6. August 2008 by rich.
According to ESPN News a deal to Tampa is in the works. Multiple outlets have reported that both the Bucs and Jets are still in the hunt for the Hall of Fame QB’s services. The ties with GB have been severed. Favre will either be traded or have to stay home.
The latest rumors have the Bucs and Jets both offering unknown packages. The Jets apparently have the better offer on the table, but the Bucs are a more preferential location for Favre, especially due to 3 things: the offense, Jon Gruden, and the fact that Tampa Bay plays Green Bay Week 4. Also because apparently Favre does not want to play in NY. Although him speaking to both the Bucs and Jets now is a different tune than what was playing last week.
On the flip side, the Jets are the preferred location for GB to send Favre as they won’t have to deal with him, unless both teams make the SuperBowl.
This story has taken so many twists, who knows what to expect next. Personally I have never heard so many reporters from the big networks being asked their prediction of the outcome, and so many saying they honestly have no idea.
Stay tuned.
Joba to Visit Dr. Andrews
6. August 2008 by rich.
The Yankees young right hander had an MRI on his shoulder this afternoon. Results were not immediately made available to the media or public. The Yankees will not release the results until Joba visits the infamous Dr. Andrews. This does not sound good.
