The Phillies sent closer Brad Lidge back to Philadelphia today to have his surgically repaired pitching elbow examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lidge was unavailable to close Monday because he experienced stiffness in the elbow, and he wasn’t pleased with how it felt after a throwing session Tuesday.
"We just thought, after thinking about it last night, the best thing to do would be to send him back and let the doctor look at it," Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock told the newspaper.
Lidge told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he isn’t worried about the situation. "It’s really nothing that is alarming unless for some reason it doesn’t get better for a couple of days," said Lidge, who believes the condition is a normal aftereffect of the surgery.
Sporting News staff reports
The Phillies sent closer Brad Lidge back to Philadelphia today to have his surgically repaired pitching elbow examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lidge was unavailable to close Monday because he experienced stiffness in the elbow, and he wasn’t pleased with how it felt after a throwing session Tuesday.
"We just thought, after thinking about it last night, the best thing to do would be to send him back and let the doctor look at it," Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock told the newspaper.
Lidge told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he isn’t worried about the situation. "It’s really nothing that is alarming unless for some reason it doesn’t get better for a couple of days," said Lidge, who believes the condition is a normal aftereffect of the surgery.
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Sporting News baseball writer Ryan Fagan discusses the players who have been most disappointing in the early going.
Sporting News
Sporting News Audio is a weekly series of conversations with Sporting News experts during the MLB season. In this installment, Sporting News baseball writer Ryan Fagan discusses the players who have been most disappointing in the early going.
After news broke that Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing had tested positive for a banned substance and would be suspended for four games, the the Associated Press announced it would hold a new vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year and All-Pro Outside Linebacker, both honors that Cushing received for the 2009 season. AP Sports Editor Terry Taylor joined Joe and Evan on WFAN in New York to discuss the decision.
Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing was suspended four games by the NFL after he tested positive for a banned substance.
Why did the AP decide to hold another vote for those awards?
Taylor: Here’s what we did. As you know, this broke on Friday, where he said that he did take a banned-non-steroid substance. Whatever it was and it wasn’t named, it’s still considered a performance enhancing drug by the NFL. He lost his appeal. He’s got a four-game suspension.
This was very deliberate. We’ve never done this at the AP. This was unprecedented. It took a long time. It took an entire shift. It was about eight hours by the time we talked it out with senior editors.
I have to tell you, in case there are any questions, there was no single voter who called and said, "Hey, you’d better do this." There was no demand from any voter – and there are 50 of them.
But the whole basis of a vote, whether it’s college basketball, college football, or the NFL awards that we do, is an informed vote. It’s on-field performance. In this case – we can talk about Julius Peppers and Shawne Merriman – but in this case, they didn’t know. They didn’t know until long after they cast their ballot that there was a suspension, there was what was considered an infraction, and then the penalty was handed down and he said yes, he took something…
We thought the best thing to do was to put it out there again and leave his name on there.
When has enough time passed that it’s too late to re-vote?
Taylor: This is something we’re going to have to sit down and figure out. There is no retroactive vote. This is a fresh vote. This is from the season in which we last gave our awards. This is a fresh set of votes. The NFL awards, they came out in January. We had nothing in place. We’ve never encountered this before.
Does Taylor foresee this happening again?
Taylor: I can tell you, from what went into the decision yesterday, I surely hope not. If I may say this, I don’t think so and I hope not…
I really do think there is less tolerance from everybody out there – the leagues, the public, and that includes the media – for steroids, PEDs, everything. We have all lived through the headlines. This is me speaking, I am not speaking for any of the voters here, but I think there is much more of an awareness out there of these things and I think there is much more of a reaction to it.
Can Taylor shed light on the process that led to this decision?
Taylor: It’s very deliberate. I am the sports editor. I have a number of senior managers at the AP. They were all informed yesterday. And this is the decision of AP senior editors. We were all in agreement on this. It’s not something you just want to rush out and do. It took all of the day yesterday to talk about this and the significance of this and to just go out and do it. We thought it was the fair thing to do. It’s the accountable thing to do.
What will happen if Cushing does not win the re-vote?
Taylor: It’s a title. There was no monetary award with this. He just relinquishes his title as the rookie defensive award winner.
Sports Radio Interviews
After news broke that Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing had tested positive for a banned substance and would be suspended for four games, the the Associated Press announced it would hold a new vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year and All-Pro Outside Linebacker, both honors that Cushing received for the 2009 season. AP Sports Editor Terry Taylor joined Joe and Evan on WFAN in New York to discuss the decision.
Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing was suspended four games by the NFL after he tested positive for a banned substance.
Why did the AP decide to hold another vote for those awards?
Taylor: Here’s what we did. As you know, this broke on Friday, where he said that he did take a banned-non-steroid substance. Whatever it was and it wasn’t named, it’s still considered a performance enhancing drug by the NFL. He lost his appeal. He’s got a four-game suspension.
This was very deliberate. We’ve never done this at the AP. This was unprecedented. It took a long time. It took an entire shift. It was about eight hours by the time we talked it out with senior editors.
I have to tell you, in case there are any questions, there was no single voter who called and said, "Hey, you’d better do this." There was no demand from any voter – and there are 50 of them.
But the whole basis of a vote, whether it’s college basketball, college football, or the NFL awards that we do, is an informed vote. It’s on-field performance. In this case – we can talk about Julius Peppers and Shawne Merriman – but in this case, they didn’t know. They didn’t know until long after they cast their ballot that there was a suspension, there was what was considered an infraction, and then the penalty was handed down and he said yes, he took something…
We thought the best thing to do was to put it out there again and leave his name on there.
When has enough time passed that it’s too late to re-vote?
Taylor: This is something we’re going to have to sit down and figure out. There is no retroactive vote. This is a fresh vote. This is from the season in which we last gave our awards. This is a fresh set of votes. The NFL awards, they came out in January. We had nothing in place. We’ve never encountered this before.
Does Taylor foresee this happening again?
Taylor: I can tell you, from what went into the decision yesterday, I surely hope not. If I may say this, I don’t think so and I hope not…
I really do think there is less tolerance from everybody out there – the leagues, the public, and that includes the media – for steroids, PEDs, everything. We have all lived through the headlines. This is me speaking, I am not speaking for any of the voters here, but I think there is much more of an awareness out there of these things and I think there is much more of a reaction to it.
Can Taylor shed light on the process that led to this decision?
Taylor: It’s very deliberate. I am the sports editor. I have a number of senior managers at the AP. They were all informed yesterday. And this is the decision of AP senior editors. We were all in agreement on this. It’s not something you just want to rush out and do. It took all of the day yesterday to talk about this and the significance of this and to just go out and do it. We thought it was the fair thing to do. It’s the accountable thing to do.
What will happen if Cushing does not win the re-vote?
Taylor: It’s a title. There was no monetary award with this. He just relinquishes his title as the rookie defensive award winner.
Rays left field Carl Crawford landed a verbal slap on ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine on Tuesday, a day after Valentine tweaked Crawford for diving to catch a line drive.
"Tell Bobby Valentine to take that. He said I could have caught that ball standing up. And I want to tell him, first inning, just getting warmed up, I definitely couldn’t have caught it standing. Everybody knows if I can catch a ball standing, I’m going to do it because I don’t want to get hurt," Crawford told reporters before Tampa Bay’s game in Anaheim. "I can’t believe he said that."
Then came this haymaker:
"Obviously he don’t know what it’s like to have this kind of ability."
In fact, Valentine was was a football and baseball star — like Crawford — more than 40 years ago in Connecticut. Valentine, like Crawford was recruited by major programs, including Southern California.
Sporting News staff reports
Rays left field Carl Crawford landed a verbal slap on ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine on Tuesday, a day after Valentine tweaked Crawford for diving to catch a line drive.
"Tell Bobby Valentine to take that. He said I could have caught that ball standing up. And I want to tell him, first inning, just getting warmed up, I definitely couldn’t have caught it standing. Everybody knows if I can catch a ball standing, I’m going to do it because I don’t want to get hurt," Crawford told reporters before Tampa Bay’s game in Anaheim. "I can’t believe he said that."
Then came this haymaker:
"Obviously he don’t know what it’s like to have this kind of ability."
In fact, Valentine was was a football and baseball star — like Crawford — more than 40 years ago in Connecticut. Valentine, like Crawford was recruited by major programs, including Southern California.
Under the category of Now It Can Be Told: Giants left-hander Barry Zito has finally explained why he sported a radical new windup on his first day with San Francisco in 2008.
Zito tells the San Jose Mercury News’ Andrew Baggarly he decided to apply new principles being taught by Dick Mills, who had been instructing Zito for years. The changes included an exaggerated leg kick and stride; Zito used a tape measure to determine the latter.
The alterations took Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti by surprise and, Zito says, created friction between the two.
"It was definitely a little rocky because we were at odds," Zito tells the Mercury News. "But I understand in retrospect. I’m trying to do new stuff, and I was not conscious that I probably shouldn’t come to spring training with a completely new delivery after using the same one for six or seven years."
Zito went back to his old windup days later, but two bad seasons followed. In the meantime, he made amends with Righetti and tweaked his approach — more long toss, a change in release point, an improved slider. Now, Zito is once again a solid starter. He’s 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts this season.
These days, Zito is singing Righetti’s praises and thanking him for his patience. In the process, he also may be inadvertently taking shots at his old pitching coach with the A’s, Rick Peterson.
"In my opinion, when you talk about pitching coaches, there are two guys," Zito says in the Mercury News story. "There’s feel guys and there’s the guy who has, like, a lot of intellectual knowledge of stats and numbers and biomechanics and all that stuff (i.e., Peterson).
"(Righetti) is a feel guy. He knows exactly what it takes to succeed. And I think the people who haven’t succeeded at the big league level try to make up for a lack of feel, of pure pitching at the best level, with that intellectual knowledge. Rags doesn’t need that."
Righetti pitched 16 seasons in the majors and was a Rookie of the Year and an All-Star with the Yankees; Peterson, now the Brewers’ pitching coach, never got beyond Single-A as a minor league pitcher.
Sporting News staff reports
Under the category of Now It Can Be Told: Giants left-hander Barry Zito has finally explained why he sported a radical new windup on his first day with San Francisco in 2008.
Zito tells the San Jose Mercury News’ Andrew Baggarly he decided to apply new principles being taught by Dick Mills, who had been instructing Zito for years. The changes included an exaggerated leg kick and stride; Zito used a tape measure to determine the latter.
The alterations took Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti by surprise and, Zito says, created friction between the two.
"It was definitely a little rocky because we were at odds," Zito tells the Mercury News. "But I understand in retrospect. I’m trying to do new stuff, and I was not conscious that I probably shouldn’t come to spring training with a completely new delivery after using the same one for six or seven years."
Zito went back to his old windup days later, but two bad seasons followed. In the meantime, he made amends with Righetti and tweaked his approach — more long toss, a change in release point, an improved slider. Now, Zito is once again a solid starter. He’s 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts this season.
These days, Zito is singing Righetti’s praises and thanking him for his patience. In the process, he also may be inadvertently taking shots at his old pitching coach with the A’s, Rick Peterson.
"In my opinion, when you talk about pitching coaches, there are two guys," Zito says in the Mercury News story. "There’s feel guys and there’s the guy who has, like, a lot of intellectual knowledge of stats and numbers and biomechanics and all that stuff (i.e., Peterson).
"(Righetti) is a feel guy. He knows exactly what it takes to succeed. And I think the people who haven’t succeeded at the big league level try to make up for a lack of feel, of pure pitching at the best level, with that intellectual knowledge. Rags doesn’t need that."
Righetti pitched 16 seasons in the majors and was a Rookie of the Year and an All-Star with the Yankees; Peterson, now the Brewers’ pitching coach, never got beyond Single-A as a minor league pitcher.
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones says he has no intention of retiring after this season, even though he is on pace for a subpar season.
"I’m good (mentally)," Jones tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien. "I feel like I’m doing my job. There hasn’t been a point where I got in bed and couldn’t sleep because I’m worried about what’s going on. Those days come when you go 0-for-20 without barreling a ball."
Jones, 38, said last season that he’d walk away from his three-year, $42 million contract if he felt he was no longer productive. He entered Tuesday’s play batting .230/.402/.368, with two home runs and seven RBIs in 112 plate appearances. He is tied for the National League lead with with 25 walks.
"When I’m drawing walks you know I’m seeing the ball good," Jones tells O’Brien. "Everybody points to the RBI, but when there’s not a lot of opportunities you can’t help that."
Jones has made 27 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, going 5-for-18 (.278) with nine walks, the AJC reports.
The 38-year-old Jones has been slowed recently by a groin injury. He left Monday night’s game in Milwaukee after aggravating it, was in the original starting lineup tonight, then was a late scratch.
Sporting News staff reports
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones says he has no intention of retiring after this season, even though he is on pace for a subpar season.
"I’m good (mentally)," Jones tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien. "I feel like I’m doing my job. There hasn’t been a point where I got in bed and couldn’t sleep because I’m worried about what’s going on. Those days come when you go 0-for-20 without barreling a ball."
Jones, 38, said last season that he’d walk away from his three-year, $42 million contract if he felt he was no longer productive. He entered Tuesday’s play batting .230/.402/.368, with two home runs and seven RBIs in 112 plate appearances. He is tied for the National League lead with with 25 walks.
"When I’m drawing walks you know I’m seeing the ball good," Jones tells O’Brien. "Everybody points to the RBI, but when there’s not a lot of opportunities you can’t help that."
Jones has made 27 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, going 5-for-18 (.278) with nine walks, the AJC reports.
The 38-year-old Jones has been slowed recently by a groin injury. He left Monday night’s game in Milwaukee after aggravating it, was in the original starting lineup tonight, then was a late scratch.
Joe Torre disuptes a report by FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that says the Dodgers’ manager won’t return in 2011 unless ownership ends what Rosenthal calls its "penny-pinching circus."
Rosenthal bases his report on unnamed "friends" of Torre who believe Torre "wouldn’t tolerate" another year under the current setup.
"Obviously they’re not friends of mine," Torre tells MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. "I don’t really allow those conversations out of my home. I haven’t made up my mind and won’t until closer to the end of the season."
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and former CEO Jamie McCourt are going through a nasty divorce, and Frank McCourt has insisted on not adding payroll when acquiring players.
Torre also denies Rosenthal’s claim that Torre might be interested in managing the Mets, Cubs or Braves next year.
"Must be the same friends," Torre tells Gurnick. "I refuse to say absolutely, but I have to say it’s very, very remote that ever happens. I certainly don’t anticipate, at age 70, searching around for another managing job." Torre will turn 70 in July.
Torre is in the final year of a three-year, $13 million contract. He initially said that he would retire at the end of the pact, but has since been negotiating on a one-year extension and a future front-office role with the club.
Sporting News staff reports
Joe Torre disuptes a report by FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that says the Dodgers’ manager won’t return in 2011 unless ownership ends what Rosenthal calls its "penny-pinching circus."
Rosenthal bases his report on unnamed "friends" of Torre who believe Torre "wouldn’t tolerate" another year under the current setup.
"Obviously they’re not friends of mine," Torre tells MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. "I don’t really allow those conversations out of my home. I haven’t made up my mind and won’t until closer to the end of the season."
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and former CEO Jamie McCourt are going through a nasty divorce, and Frank McCourt has insisted on not adding payroll when acquiring players.
Torre also denies Rosenthal’s claim that Torre might be interested in managing the Mets, Cubs or Braves next year.
"Must be the same friends," Torre tells Gurnick. "I refuse to say absolutely, but I have to say it’s very, very remote that ever happens. I certainly don’t anticipate, at age 70, searching around for another managing job." Torre will turn 70 in July.
Torre is in the final year of a three-year, $13 million contract. He initially said that he would retire at the end of the pact, but has since been negotiating on a one-year extension and a future front-office role with the club.
Online wagering site Bodog.com lists the Colts and the Saints as co-favorites to win next season’s Super Bowl, with both teams currently at 9-1. Super Bowl 45 will be played February 6, 2011, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Arizona Cardinals 40/1
Atlanta Falcons 28/1
Baltimore Ravens 16/1
Buffalo Bills 100/1
Carolina Panthers 35/1
Chicago Bears 35/1
Cincinnati Bengals 30/1
Cleveland Browns 80/1
Dallas Cowboys 12/1
Denver Broncos 50/1
Detroit Lions 90/1
Green Bay Packers 14/1
Houston Texans 25/1
Indianapolis Colts 9/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 70/1
Kansas City Chiefs 90/1
Miami Dolphins 30/1
Minnesota Vikings 14/1
New England Patriots 12/1
New Orleans Saints 9/1
New York Giants 25/1
New York Jets 10/1
Oakland Raiders 80/1
Philadelphia Eagles 18/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 20/1
San Diego Chargers 11/1
San Francisco 49ers 30/1
Seattle Seahawks 40/1
St.Louis Rams 100/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 100/1
Tennessee Titans 28/1
Washington Redskins 25/1
Online wagering site Bodog.com lists the Colts and the Saints as co-favorites to win next season’s Super Bowl, with both teams currently at 9-1. Super Bowl 45 will be played February 6, 2011, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Arizona Cardinals 40/1
Atlanta Falcons 28/1
Baltimore Ravens 16/1
Buffalo Bills 100/1
Carolina Panthers 35/1
Chicago Bears 35/1
Cincinnati Bengals 30/1
Cleveland Browns 80/1
Dallas Cowboys 12/1
Denver Broncos 50/1
Detroit Lions 90/1
Green Bay Packers 14/1
Houston Texans 25/1
Indianapolis Colts 9/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 70/1
Kansas City Chiefs 90/1
Miami Dolphins 30/1
Minnesota Vikings 14/1
New England Patriots 12/1
New Orleans Saints 9/1
New York Giants 25/1
New York Jets 10/1
Oakland Raiders 80/1
Philadelphia Eagles 18/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 20/1
San Diego Chargers 11/1
San Francisco 49ers 30/1
Seattle Seahawks 40/1
St.Louis Rams 100/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 100/1
Tennessee Titans 28/1
Washington Redskins 25/1
Free-agent pitcher John Smoltz will test his ability on the links Monday as he tries to qualify for next month’s U.S. Open.
MLB.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution report Smoltz, who’ll turn 43 on Saturday, will be among 144 players competing at an 18-hole local event in Marietta, Ga. The top nine finishers and two alternates will move to a 36-hole sectional qualifying tournament, with a spot in the Open on the line.
"I’m pretty realistic," Smoltz said. "Even if I set forth a month’s worth of practice, my realistic chance of qualifying isn’t great. I just want to do it for the experience."
The Journal-Constitution reports Smoltz, who is an analyst for Turner Sports and MLB Network, has a 2 handicap. He has expressed interest in playing on the PGA’s Champions Tour when he turns 50.
Sporting News staff reports
Free-agent pitcher John Smoltz will test his ability on the links Monday as he tries to qualify for next month’s U.S. Open.
MLB.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution report Smoltz, who’ll turn 43 on Saturday, will be among 144 players competing at an 18-hole local event in Marietta, Ga. The top nine finishers and two alternates will move to a 36-hole sectional qualifying tournament, with a spot in the Open on the line.
"I’m pretty realistic," Smoltz said. "Even if I set forth a month’s worth of practice, my realistic chance of qualifying isn’t great. I just want to do it for the experience."
The Journal-Constitution reports Smoltz, who is an analyst for Turner Sports and MLB Network, has a 2 handicap. He has expressed interest in playing on the PGA’s Champions Tour when he turns 50.
Still upset about the incident last month when Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez walked across the mound when going back to the dugout, A’s left-hander Dallas Braden told CSNBayArea.com that there could be repercussions when the teams play again in July.
Braden hinted that those repercussions could include a fight, and he admitted he isn’t a fan of A-Rod.
"(A-Rod has a) lack of respect for the game or those playing it. … He’s just an individualistic player," Braden said.
Rodriguez tried to take the high road Friday night when asked to respond to Braden’s latest comments.
"I think Major League Baseball reads the same articles as we do," Rodriguez told reporters. "Now, look, I really don’t want to extend his extra 15 minutes of fame.
"Look, it is tempting to sit back here and go back and forth with the media for the next three months, but I’m not going to do that."
Sporting News staff reports
Still upset about the incident last month when Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez walked across the mound when going back to the dugout, A’s left-hander Dallas Braden told CSNBayArea.com that there could be repercussions when the teams play again in July.
Braden hinted that those repercussions could include a fight, and he admitted he isn’t a fan of A-Rod.
"(A-Rod has a) lack of respect for the game or those playing it. … He’s just an individualistic player," Braden said.
Rodriguez tried to take the high road Friday night when asked to respond to Braden’s latest comments.
"I think Major League Baseball reads the same articles as we do," Rodriguez told reporters. "Now, look, I really don’t want to extend his extra 15 minutes of fame.
"Look, it is tempting to sit back here and go back and forth with the media for the next three months, but I’m not going to do that."
