Seattle Seahawks starting CB Kelly Jennings is expected to be challenged by CB Kevin Hobbs in training camp, according to PFW. Originally signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2006, only to be released after training camp, Hobbs was re-signed last May and ended up splitting time between the active roster and the practice squad. In this year's minicamps and OTAs, however, he was singled out as the team's most improved defender. Said one longtime team insider: "He really looked good and made a lot of plays. I don't see him beating out Jennings, but I definitely see him possibly grabbing the 'dime' role from CB Josh Wilson, whose best plays have come from having to use his athleticism to recover from all the plays he keeps missing."

(ffmastermind.com)

Wednesday’s final OTA practice had a last-day-of-school feeling with players swapping jerseys with each another before participating in a spirited workout. One of the most noteworthy trades involved Grossman and Devin Hester, who even ran one play out of the quarterback position.

“That was just for you guys,” offensive coordinator Ron Turner said to reporters. “I said, ‘Hey, he’s in an 8 jersey, we might as well put him back there.’ I’m sure [Hester] will be lobbying [to play quarterback in the future].”

Asked if Grossman looked faster in his No. 23 jersey, Hester said: “Yeah, he did. I actually saw him run a quarterback sneak, and he showed a little burst out there.”

With the next five weeks off, Bears players are being encouraged by their coach to go on vacation and spend time with their family, all while getting away from football.

“We have a little bit of time right now,” Smith said. “We’re not playing the Colts tomorrow or anything like that. We’re going to take a little time off … but still you can start dreaming about good things happening.”

(chicagobears.com)

Geathers (6-4, 225, Miami) accounted for four touchdowns (2 – receiving, 1 – rushing, 1 interception) and became the first player in AFL postseason history to register rushing and receiving touchdowns, and return an interception for a touchdown in a single game as the San Jose SaberCats (13-5) defeated the Grand Rapids Rampage (8-11), 81-55, on Saturday. Geathers recorded receiving touchdowns of 14 and nine yards along with a 14-yard touchdown run on offense. On defense, Geathers intercepted a pass by Rampage QB JAMES MACPHERSON on the final play of the game, and returned the interception 29 yards for the only defensive touchdown of the game to seal the victory.  

(afl.com)

Under Armour has added National Football League kick return specialist Devin Hester to its endorsement roster and will air a new television spot Sunday night on ESPN featuring the Chicago Bears star and other players.

Hester, who set an NFL record with six kicks returned for touchdowns last season, will appear in a commercial aired during the "ESPYs" awards show with Seattle Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney and Patrick Willis, a San Francisco 49ers linebacker.

While much of Under Armour's (NYSE: UA) recent burst of marketing around its first non-cleated athletic shoes have been in cooperation with Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), this ad is the Baltimore company's first co-op effort with a rival large sporting goods chain: The Sports Authority.

The sporting goods chain will get exclusive colors on some Under Armour footwear as part of the campaign. Also appearing in the ad is trainer Todd Durkin, whose most famous client is San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

As usual, the spot is produced in-house by Under Armour.

"At this point, I can say our footwear sales have been good and at what we expected," said Under Armour Senior Vice President/Brand Steve Battista.

As for the signing of Hester, a player who dominates NFL highlights packages during the season, Battista said, "He says everything we want to about speed and performance."

(ck0712digit.blogspot.com)

3. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts. Wayne could make an argument for being the top receiver on this list. He adjusts well to coverage and can beat you deep or with strong route running underneath. Even with coverage rolled to him last season (with Marvin Harrison out with a knee injury), he still dominated.

4. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans. He is defined by size, speed, and a great set of hands. He needs to stay healthy, but based on pure talent and his physical tools, he deserves to be ranked this high.

(sportingews.com)

PSX reports Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (knee injury in 2007, arthroscopic surgery in 2008) isn't expected to miss any time in training camp. Johnson is key to the success of the offense. Despite missing seven starts last season, he still led all of the receivers with a team-high eight touchdowns.

(ffmastermind.com)

The Philadelphia Eagles' official website reports Eagles DE Jerome McDougle is battling back from a tricep injury.

A source close to the situation has said the Eagles also are talking to Rosenhaus about restructuring the contract of one of his other clients, star-crossed 2003 first-round draft pick Jerome McDougle. Apparently, the team wants McDougle - a longshot to make the team this year - to take a pay cut, just to continue his bid to make the roster. McDougle is scheduled to make $950,000 in the final year of his rookie pact.

(ffmastermind.com)

New York Mets closer/Philadelphia villain Billy Wagner was zigzagging his way through a National League clubhouse overflowed with media yesterday afternoon when stopped by Phillies catching instructor Mick Billmeyer.

“Remember the time I threw cheese in the bullpen?” Billmeyer asked with a smirk before Yankee Stadium played host to the 79th All-Star Game.

Once called a rat by Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell while they were teammates in Philadelphia, Wagner let out a laugh.

Billmeyer, a longtime prankster who is part of the All-Star festivities because he threw to Chase Utley during Monday's Home Run Derby, turned to a group of Philadelphia reporters and retold a favorite story.

“It was great,” he said. “I had these big triangles of cheese and tossed them (from the Phillies bullpen) into the Mets bullpen. Billy's like, "I knew it had to be you to think of something like that.' ''

Wagner laughed some more.

Wagner was called a rat during 2005 spring training, the morning after being spotted by Burrell dining with Phillies beat writers.

Over the years, there's been a belief that the Burrell-Wagner feud has grown now that they're on rival teams.

Not true, Wagner insists.

“We're not enemies at all,” he said. “We talk.”

Talk?

“Not on the phone, but on the field,” Wagner said. “I'm thinking about selling my '68 Chevy and he's like, "Now isn't a good time.' Pat says, "We can't let too many people seeing us talk or shake hands or else people might think we like each other.”

Wagner, who is sixth all-time with 380 career saves, says he's loves Burrell the player and respects Burrell the person. They're not friends, but friendly with a mutual respect.

“Without a doubt,” Wagner said. “Everything was all blown out of proportion. Me and Pat laugh about it all the time.”

But in 2005, the last of Wagner's two seasons with the Phillies, there definitely was friction.

The spring “rat” insult clearly showed Burrell felt Wagner was too friendly to the Philadelphia media.

And in July, things got worse when Wagner said the Phillies “ain't got a chance” at making the playoffs during a slump. The Phils called a team meeting, Burrell and others spoke up against Wagner, and the outspoken reliever responded by telling reporters that he felt like it was “24 against one.”

Wagner became a free agent after the 2005 season and moved on, passing on an offer to return to the Phillies to sign for bigger money with the Mets. Since, many of his in-game confrontations with Burrell have been well-documented even though he says they've let bygones be bygones.

Getting serious, Wagner said it's a shame that Burrell, who has 23 homers, 57 RBIs and a .404 on-base average at the break, didn't get picked for his first All-Star Game.

“His whole approach (to hitting) is different,” Wagner said. “He was always a guy who would hit some home runs, but now he's dangerous every time he's in there.”

Wagner is an All-Star for the sixth time in a season he has saved 22 and blown five, three in a row at one point.

“Do I feel I deserve to be here? No,” Wagner said. “Pat should be here.”

(phillyburbs.com)

NEW YORK - Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun found his locker located in a corner of the visitors' clubhouse at Yankee Stadium, surrounded by a group of Cubs.

"Yeah, it turns out the Cubs are nice guys," Braun said. "That's unfortunate."

While he's more than ready to fight the Cubs for the Central Division lead in a big showdown at Miller Park in a couple of weeks, Braun is glad he got a chance to get to know some of them.

"To hate 'em, it'd be real easy," he said. "But they're a bunch of great guys, great players and we really enjoy the rivalry and the atmosphere."

After coming back to beat the Cubs on May 1 at Wrigley Field, Braun and his fellow Brewer outfielders Mike Cameron and Corey Hart got together in the outfield and jumped into each other in midair. It was seen by some as a shot at the Cubs' outfielders, who have been doing the same thing since early 2007.

But Braun insists the Brewers didn't steal the idea from the Cubs, who never patented the "jump" anyway.

"Nah, that was just kind of our thing," Braun said. "Our newest thing is we all untuck our jerseys when we get the third out [in a victory]. We still do that, and do the jump/high-five. But it's based on whether we're winning or losing games. If something works, we stick with it. It had nothing to do with the Cubs."

(chicagotribune.com)

If you were hoping that the Brad Lidge signing was only the beginning and that Pat Burrell was next, you may not want to get your hopes up too high. According to ESPN.com, and remember they are not always a credible source, Phillies' extension conversations with Burrell's agent, Greg Genske, were short and not real sweet. The Phillies are believed to be offering no more than two years and around $20 million to Burrell. And that's not even close to what Burrell and Genske have in mind.

(espn.com)

The Washington Times expects Clinton Portis to "carry the offense" in Redskins coach Jim Zorn's first season.
The paper expects Portis to be used "a lot," pointing out that Zorn's mentor Mike Holmgren ran Shaun Alexander 331 times a season from 2001-2005. That wouldn't be great for Portis' long-term outlook (he's already got 1,710 career carries), but makes him one of this year's safest late first-round fantasy bets.

(rotoworld.com)

MIAMI -- A Miami-Dade County judge ruled statements made by one of the defendants in the murder trial of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor could be released to the media.

An attorney for Timothy Brown, 16, requested a protective order Tuesday, saying the pretrial publicity could affect his client's ability to receive a fair trial.

Brown, who was arrested in May, is the fifth suspect in connection with Taylor's shooting death last year.

Karen Kammer represented Local 10 during the hearing. She said the law allows the court to withhold the substance of a confession admitting to the actual crime, but other statements made to authorities or anyone else can legally be released.

"The judge thought that what the defendant was asking for was too much," Kammer said.

Judge Dennis Murphy ruled the statements can be released Aug. 12, after attorneys from both sides review them and redact them where needed.

Murphy said he is concerned about pretrial publicity affecting the case. In January, he issued a gag order, preventing anyone involved in the case from talking to the media.

Brown is charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary of an occupied dwelling. Eric Rivera Jr., 18, Venjah Hunte, 20, Charles Wardlow, 19, and Jason Mitchell, 20, are also charged with first-degree murder.

Taylor died the morning of Nov. 27, one day after he was shot in his Palmetto Bay home during a break-in.

In a statement about the killing, Hunte claims Rivera and Mitchell used a crowbar to break into Taylor's home, believing there was as much as $200,000 in cash in a bag hidden somewhere inside.

After Taylor was shot, Hunte claims, the group drove back to Fort Myers across Alligator Alley and dumped the gun, wrapped in a white sock, into the Everglades, about two miles west of the exit for the Miccosukee gaming facility.

Brown and Rivera were also ordered to submit DNA samples to be compared with evidence collected at the crime scene.

The trial for the original four suspects is scheduled to begin Aug. 25. It was unclear if Brown will be tried separately.

(click10.com)

PORT ARTHUR - Kevin Everett walked toward the football field at Memorial High School and paused for yet another photograph Monday.
Sheri Richmond, a Port Arthur resident who attended Lincoln High School with Everett's mother, Pat, held up a cell phone and snapped a shot.

"I hadn't seen him since right after he finished high school," said the 46-year-old Richmond, who introduced herself as his mother's old classmate. "I wanted to come here and see him for myself."

Moments later, Everett turned and had another photo taken, this time with 10-year-old Trey Pitre of Port Arthur.

"Kevin has been a role model for all these kids," said Trey's mother, Ramona, a 48-year-old teacher at a Port Arthur alternative school.
Everett, a former National Football League player whose recovery from a spinal cord injury suffered last season is considered miraculous by many, held his second annual football camp for children between ages 4 and 18 years old Monday at Memorial.

Everett, 26, did not participate in any drills during the three-hour camp but spent much of that time filling a new role. His tasks included posing for photos, signing autographs and shaking hands with many who continue to draw inspiration from his courageous recovery.

Now, during a time when he normally would be preparing for another NFL season, Everett makes public appearances on behalf of the Kevin Everett Foundation, mostly giving speeches to help raise money for spinal cord injury research.

Wednesday, he'll be in Los Angeles to be presented the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance in a ceremony that will be aired Sunday on ESPN.
The award is named for former college basketball coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in 1993.

As for Monday, Everett deflected attention to children in his hometown on a clear, sunny day in which the temperature topped 95 degrees.

"It feels great that I can come back and show these kids that just because you have tough times, don't let it hold you down," said Everett, whose six-inch scar on the back of his neck is evidence of his obstacle. "Be true to yourself. That's what I'm trying to pass along to these kids."

In doing so, Everett has learned to embrace the kind of fame he never thought would come his way before he suffered a spinal cord injury Sept. 9 while with the Buffalo Bills.
 
'From the heart'
Seldom does Everett go anywhere without being told he's an inspiration. He gives away more handshakes and smiles than a grocery store sample tray. He said the attention can be unsettling, but he's used to it.

"I don't really need all the pats on the back," Everett said. "I'm doing this from the heart. I love what I'm doing here. I'm excited and happy that I am doing it."

Through the afternoon, Everett conducted about a half-dozen interviews and posed for several photos. After the camp, he spent almost an hour signing autographs as many of the more than 300 campers ate pizza and hot dogs and collected athletic footwear given away by a shoe company.

"Kevin has always been a very quiet, shy, behind-the-scenes guy, even when he was playing football," said Everett's Houston-based agent, Eric Armstead. "He's really, really quiet - laid back - but you can't tell kids no. They may find inspiration in him."

Anthony Thomas, a former Bills teammate to Everett, also characterized Everett as "a quiet guy."

"You pretty much have got to poke him to say much to you," said Thomas, who played two seasons with Thomas in Buffalo. "If he don't know you, he's kind of quiet and 'Aw, shucks.'"

Thomas, who will attend the award ceremony in Los Angeles, said Everett "never wanted the attention in this way, but he's glad he's getting it in this way."
 
Lessons learned
 As for the campers, many were thrilled to learn lessons from players with NFL experience. Helping at the camp were Thomas, Port Arthur natives James Johnson (Cincinnati Bengals) and brothers Jordan (Seattle Seahawks) and Jonathan Babineaux (Atlanta Falcons).

Other players with NFL ties at the camp were Cedric Griffin (Minnesota Vikings) and Rex Hadnot (Cleveland Browns).

Campers ranged in age from 4-year-old Marcus Hill of Port Arthur to 16-year-old Dionte Forney of Nederland.

Beaumont resident Terran Vaughn, 14, said he learned a new way to catch a football: "Instead of turning around to catch the ball, I look over my shoulder."

West Brook student Michael Jolivet, 15, said he admired Everett's enthusiasm.

"Just to see him and know what he overcame gives me energy," Jolivet said.

In the end, Everett said the turnout - large enough for organizers to run out of T-shirts before everyone got one - made him feel good.

"I knew it would be a much larger turnout than it was last year based on all the attention I've been getting," Everett said. "Just coming home and seeing all the kids, them wanting to meet me, I knew it would be a much larger turnout, and it has been."

(beaumontenterprise.com)

NEW YORK — Ryan Braun climbed up the steps of the National League dugout, walked onto the grass, stopped, and looked around at one of the most beautiful sights he has witnessed.

So, this was Yankee Stadium, the historic ballpark Braun has always known, but until Monday had never seen.

"This is unbelievable," says Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder and National League All-Star starter. "This is so cool. There's just a vibe about this place. There's so much energy.

"There's very few places that have this type of atmosphere."

Braun, 24, who learned this spring the All-Star Game would be played in the final season at Yankee Stadium, soon made it his mission to be an All-Star. He did his part, hitting .290 with a team-leading 23 homers and 66 RBI. He then let his family and fans do the rest, voting him to the game.

"I can't tell you how many thousands of times I voted," says his mother, Diane Braun, "but I never stopped. When I wasn't working, I was voting."

Diane, who actually works as a brewer at Anheuser-Busch in the Los Angeles area, made sure everyone joined in the effort. There was company-wide e-mail encouraging everyone to vote for her son. Relatives voted across the country.

"I had everyone but my poor dead mom voting," says Diane, who personally built a batting cage for her son in high school. "It paid off."

When Braun heard the news he made the All-Star team, he sent a simple three-word text message to Diane informing her of the news:

"We did it."

The effort paved Braun's road to the Bronx and this week's proceedings, three days he won't soon forget.

Long delay
Braun and fellow All-Stars Ben Sheets and Corey Hart sat on the runway for about three hours Sunday in Milwaukee waiting for clearance to leave. Their private plane finally took off, but once it reached the Philadelphia area, they were caught in a holding pattern before finally landing after about a six-hour journey.

They reached their Manhattan hotel at about 11:30 p.m. ET. Diane, part of the 15-member family contingent in town to watch Braun, kissed her son hello when he walked into the door. Braun handed her his All-Star tickets, and said she was in charge.

"Mom, this might be the last time I even get to see you," says Braun, who plans to stay in New York an extra day just to relax. "It's going to be so hectic."

Braun dropped his bags off. He then took his girlfriend, Andreena Clark, and brother, Steve, 23, to Tao restaurant. They got back to the hotel about 3 a.m. and slept. Braun didn't wake up until seven hours later; room service began his day.

Braun went downstairs to the hotel lobby at noon for the home-run derby press conference. He laughed at questions asking if he really wanted to participate. You kidding? This is what he dreamed of since high school.

"I remember Ryan was watching the Home Run Derby one summer," Diane Braun says, "and said, 'I want to be in there. One day, I'm going to be in that Home Run Derby. You'll see, Mom.' "

That's Braun. Always confident. He not only believed he would be in the big leagues one day, but become a star.

"I've always been extremely confident in my abilities," says Braun, who was in the minor leagues just 14 months ago, "and always believed I would get to this level. And now that I'm here, nothing could be better.

"There's no bigger accomplishment for a baseball player than to be an All-Star in the Major Leagues."

Embraces faith
Braun turned out to be quite popular at the National League press conference session, particularly after Jewish All-Stars Kevin Youkilis and Ian Kinsler said they wanted to meet Braun. Braun, however, said he actually is half-Jewish. His father was born in Tel Aviv, but his mother is Catholic.

"I didn't grow up celebrating the holidays or anything," Braun says, "but it's something I certainly embrace."

Braun, who had his agent, Nez Balelo, pitch to him during the Home Run Derby, knows that tonight will be the most magical night of his baseball career. He hopes to pick the brain of NL teammates Albert Pujols and Chipper Jones in the clubhouse. He wants to talk to as many Hall of Famers as possible. And he is not about to leave town until he visits Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.

"I want to do it all," says Braun, who plans to stay in New York an extra day for sightseeing. "And at the same time, I don't want it to ever end.

"Believe me, this is something I'll remember forever."

(usatoday.com)

New York - Milwaukee's Ryan Braun has a whole new appreciation for All-Star Home Run Derby after finishing fourth in the competition tonight at Yankee Stadium.

Here are some things he had to say:

"That was a phenomenal display by Josh Hamilton," said Braun, referring to the Texas outfielder who hit 28 first-round homers yet finished second to Minnesota's Justin Morneau.

"Home Run Derby is about putting on a show for the fans. Josh definitely won that competition."

Boosted by his record total of 28 homers in the first round (Bobby Abreu hit 24 in 2005), Hamilton intentionally shortened his second round and still finished with a total of 35 home runs. Morneau, on the other hand, tallied 22 homers.

But, under rules of the Derby, the two finalists start over from scratch in the final round. At that point, Hamilton had 32 homers and Morneau 17.

"We were going by the rules," said Morneau, the last player added to the Derby. "(Hamilton) is the story of this year. I was kind of cheering for him. At the same time, I've dreamed since I was a kid about winning Home Run Derby."

Hamilton was obviously weary in the final round, using up four of his 10 "outs" among his first five swings, then making five "outs" in succession to end it. Any ball that didn't go over the fence was an "out."

"You don't think you're tired, then you realize you are," said Hamilton. "I guess I used it all up in the first round."

Braun was pleased it into the second round, finishing among the top four of the eight contestants. He bowed out with 14 home runs, slugging seven in each round.

"I was a little nervous at first," said Braun, who made six "outs" in Round 1 before hitting his first homer. "People don't realize how difficult it is, standing out there by yourself with no (batting) cage.

"I was exhausted and I only hit 14 homers. Josh hit about 70. I can only imagine how tired he was. But it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

(blogs.jsonline.com)

Our sources in the desert tell us that starting RB Edgerrin James couldn’t have looked in better shape for what figures to be another 20- to 25-carries-per-game workload this coming season.




(pfw.com)

Martin Bibla knew early in Saturday’s AFL National Conference title game that he and his teammates would be making their first trip to the ArenaBowl.

The Philadelphia Soul’s 35-point victory only served to hammer the point home.

Bibla, the starting left guard for the Soul, hopes to be the part of the first Philadelphia professional sports team since the 1983 76ers to win a championship when the Soul face the San Jose SaberCats in ArenaBowl XXII in New Orleans on July 27. Philadelphia is already favored to win the game, having defeated Cleveland in the conference championship game, 70-35.

“It felt amazing,” said Bibla, who switched roles back to family man, traveling back to Mountain Top on Sunday to take his daughter to a pediatrician’s appointment on Monday. “We were all super-excited. Everybody was just on cloud nine.

“There was no doubt in my mind we were going to win that game (on Saturday).”

The Soul – which is owned by rock star Jon Bon Jovi and former Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Ron Jaworski – experienced a fairly large turnaround this season, posting a 15-3 record after going 9-9 and losing in the second round of the playoffs last season.

Something seemed to be missing from the Philadelphia’s offense and the Soul found it in AFL Offensive Player of the Year Chris Jackson.
“It’s funny,” said Bibla. “Someone came up to me last season and said we would definitely be ArenaBowl contenders this season if we had some ‘killers.’ This season, it all came together.

“Everyone was on the same page. We had two quarterbacks who could have started for any team in the league, a great receiving core and offensive and defensive lines that were just playing great.”

Bibla is playing with the Soul for his second straight season. He graduated from Crestwood in 1998 and went to the University of Miami where he was majored in criminology. At Miami, he started 40 of 46 games in his career and was an All-Big East Conference first-team selection his senior season. The Miami offense averaged 454.8 yards per game and 43.2 points per game during that season. He finished his career with 102 knockdown blocks and was graded 84.2 percent for blocking consistency.

Bibla was signed by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played 10 games – mainly on special teams – and appeared in two playoff games. He continued to play special teams for the Falcons through the 2005 season when he was released and signed by the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos cut him in late August that year, and he didn’t play again until he was signed by the Soul in 2007.

“I was a salary cap guy in Denver and Atlanta,” said Bibla. “In the NFL, the salary was great, but you can sort of get lost in the crowd. Here, you don’t make as much but take the salary out of the equation and you’ve got a close group of family and friends.”

Bibla has established himself as a valuable part of the Soul’s offense, guarding starting quarterback Matt D’Orazio from oncoming tacklers and catching an occasional pass.

“I like to think that I’m in the top three if not the best offensive lineman in the league,” said Bibla, who’s caught nine passes for 86 yards this season. “I’m ready to take on most of what gets thrown at me.”

Bibla said that confidence has played a key role in both his and the Soul’s success this season. It’s what has gotten the team this far and, in his words, it’s what has ArenaBowl XXII “locked up” for the Soul.

“We’re going to win this game,” he said. “It’s the five-year anniversary of the Soul becoming a team in the AFL. It’s the perfect time. I don’t have a doubt about it.”

(timesleader.com)

New York - I'm at the press conference at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan for the All-Star Home Run Derby tonight at Yankee Stadium. Brewers leftfielder Ryan Braun will be one of the participants for the NL.

Many players, including New York's Alex Rodriguez, declined to participate because they think it messes up their swing. Braun said he wasn't concerned about that.

"For me, personally, that's not a concern," said Braun. "I don't feel like I have to change my swing drastically (to hit in the Derby). So, I'm not concerned about that."

In an usual twist, Braun will have his agent, Nez Balelo, pitching to him during the Derby competition. Balelo is a former minor league infielder and often throws to Braun during off-season workouts.

Part of the Derby is a fund-raiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and youngsters from area clubs are paired with the players. Should that player win the Derby, that youngster's club gets $50,000 for his or her chapter.

Braun was paired with Kareem Guthrie of the Newark chapter of the Boys & Girls Club.

Each contestant was asked which player he likes to watch take batting practice. Braun chose teammate Prince Fielder.

"Plus, there are some interesting sound bytes that go with it," said Braun.

(blogs.jsonline.com)

PHILADELPHIA -- This should make Pat Burrell feel better about not making the National League All-Star team.

Big home runs, like the left fielder's three-run poke in Philadelphia's stay-in-first-place 6-3 win over Arizona on Sunday, have a way of soothing disappointment. Judging by Burrell's smile and curtain call, he's over it.

"It's one of those things where I'd like to go," Burrell said. "But the focus is on winning games."

Emboldened after tying the game off D-backs starter Brandon Webb, the Phillies began the eighth inning with singles by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard off reliever Chad Qualls. Burrell worked the count to 2-2 before depositing a slider into the left-field seats.

The 31st sellout crowd of 45,277 wanted a curtain call from Burrell on an 87-degree afternoon. The win guaranteed the Phillies of a first-place finish at the All-Star break for the first time since 2004, when they led the Braves by a game.

Ryan Madson worked the eighth for the win, on a day when Cole Hamels matched Webb for seven innings. Hamels was helped by bad Arizona baserunning in the seventh to escape a jam.

With runners on first and second and one out, Orlando Hudson drove the ball to right, and Stephen Drew started back to second, thinking Geoff Jenkins would make the catch. When Jenkins couldn't make the play, Drew could only reach third, halting Conor Jackson at second. Hudson was halfway to second and fell down, making him an eventual easy second out after running out of the baseline.

After a brief meeting on the mound with manager Charlie Manuel, Hamels went after Mark Reynolds and struck him out on his 98th and final pitch of the afternoon.

Then came Burrell, the non-All-Star.

"He's been hitting home runs, game-winning stuff like that all year long," said closer Brad Lidge, who drove to New York after the game for his second All-Star appearance. "I think they both should be there."

Both, meaning Burrell and Hamels, who received a no-decision and finished the first half at 9-6. Though a trip to the Midsummer Classic would be nice, Hamels has other items ranked higher on his baseball to-do list.

"Making the playoffs and being in the World Series is the only true goal, besides the small goal of making the All-Star Game every year," Hamels said.

(mlb.com)

Jason Geathers caught two TD passes, ran for another and returned an interception for a score on the game's final play to help the San Jose Sabercats advance to Arena Bowl XXII with an 81-55 win over the Rampage on Saturday.


(sanjosesabrecats.com)

DAVIE - Life has changed quite a bit for Vernon Carey since the end of last season.

He watched as the Miami Dolphins said goodbye to three starters on the offensive line. And he paid close attention as the team made University of Michigan left tackle Jake Long the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

Long's arrival means that Carey is playing right tackle again.

The departures of L.J. Shelton, Chris Liwienski and Rex Hadnot mean that he is also now one of the crusty old veterans of the Dolphins offensive line.

"Yeah, it's a little strange, but ... I feel a little old," the 26-year-old Carey said. "I've been through a lot, a lot of rough times. Hopefully, we can have some good times. That's the part I'm trying to focus on now.

"We weren't winning with what we had, so it was time for a change. And that's what we did. We made the change."

Carey didn't put up much of a fuss after being told that he was moving back to right tackle.

After all, that's the position he played his first three NFL seasons after the Dolphins made him the 19th overall pick of the 2004 draft. It's the position where he feels most comfortable.

When Miami decided to move him to left tackle last season, he expressed an initial reluctance before ultimately embracing the switch and taking it as the ultimate challenge.

Now that's Long's problem.

Carey has something else to prove.

"I always told myself if I get a chance to go back to right tackle, I was going to play my best," said Carey, who is in the final year of his contract.

"That's what I want to do. I want to make it known I can play right tackle. That's my best position."

The transition wasn't completely smooth in the offseason. Carey admitted that there were a few technique issues he needed to brush up on as the team went through its workouts, but he was confident that he would get them worked out in plenty of time before the season starts.

Dolphins rookie coach Tony Sparano, a former offensive line coach with Dallas, didn't seem overly concerned either.

"I think that if you can play left tackle in our league I think that you can play right tackle in our league," Sparano said. "The other transition is the hardest. If you took a right tackle and moved him to left, now you have a little bit of a problem. You have to really see whether or not he can make that transition.

"With Vernon, he's a big, strong guy, and the right tackle is a more powerful position. I think that's a little easier transition, certainly, for him to go from the left side to the right side."

Carey, who showed signs of emerging as a leader on the offensive line last season, has also become somewhat of a mentor for Long, along with another fifth-year pro, guard Justin Smiley.

That's another transition that he's happy to make.

"I know when I first came in, I didn't have guys come and tell me, help me out and stuff like that," Carey said. "That's why ... when I see a young guy coming in, I'm going to try to help them, because I didn't have that when I came in as a rookie. I had to catch it on my own."

(news-press.com)

PITTSBURGH -- On the 11th anniversary of Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon's combined no-hitter against the Astros at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates pulled off another miracle.

Click here to watch video!

This time, instead of Mark Smith (who hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in the 10th to win the no-hitter), Jason Michaels hit the game-winner in the 10th inning, propelling the Pirates to an unlikely 12-11 come-from-behind win over the Cardinals at PNC Park on Saturday night.
"I've never had a walk-off home run, professionally," Michaels said. "That was awesome."

The home run capped off a six-run comeback which started in the seventh. The Pirates came into the bottom of the inning down 9-3, and managed to make it a 10-6 heading into the ninth.

That's when things started to get crazy.

Michaels and Jack Wilson reached base to begin the ninth, and Nate McLouth brought them home with a deep blast to right-center field to make it 10-9.

Then, with runners on the corners with one out, Jason Bay sent a dribbler to short. But middle infielders Cesar Izturis and Aaron Miles were unable to complete the double play and Luis Rivas scored to tie the game at 10.

Troy Glaus appeared to have ended the Pirates' hopes in the top of the 10th with a solo home run to left field, but Michaels answered the Cardinals third baseman with a two-run shot to win the game.

"That was one of the more amazing games I've ever been involved in," Bay said. "That was something I'll never forget."

"They kept after it," manager John Russell said. "It looked like we were well out of reach. We kept pecking away. I think the biggest thing is these guys never quit. They always battle. They pull for each other. It's been phenomenal."

The comeback overshadowed Yoslan Herrera's rough Major League debut. The Pittsburgh right-hander's unorthodox, toe-tapping delivery seemed to be too confusing for the Cardinals at first, as he struck out Cardinals sluggers Albert Pujols and Rick Ankiel in succession to end the first inning.

Herrera's Houdini act in the second was even more impressive. After loading the bases with no one out, Herrera got a pop out before inducing second baseman Adam Kennedy into an inning-ending double play.

But that's when Herrera's luck finally ran out. The Cardinals ended up scoring six runs off Herrera over the next three innings. In total, the rookie gave up 11 hits, four walks but struck out four in 4 1/3 innings.

"I thought he was OK," Russell said. "He throws a lot of offspeed stuff, so he's got to use his fastball to really set that up. I thought occasionally he went too soft, too often and they made the adjustment on him. I think he's got good stuff. I was very intrigued by what I saw."

The barrage was part of a 22-hit attack -- the most hits in a game by the Cardinals this season.

Jason Bay gave the Pirates an early 2-0 lead in the first on a home run to right-center field. Bay's blast, his 18th of the season, tied him with Al Oliver for 10th place on the Pirates' all-time home run list. Bay then passed Oliver with another two-run homer in the eighth to pull the Pirates within four.

The Pirates left fielder now has 51 RBIs this season to go along with 19 home runs. He is now one home run short of tying Kevin Young (136) for ninth place on the all-time list.

Doug Mientkiewicz was thrown out of the game in the fourth after a play he helped create. Pujols hit a line drive that caromed of Mientkiewicz's glove toward the tarp along the baseline. Pujols took a hard turn around first and appeared to be tagged out by Luis Rivas at second, but umpire Eric Cooper called the Cardinals first baseman safe.

Television replays showed that Rivas applied the tag to Pujols' right shoulder before he touched the base. Mientkiewicz was ejected moments later for arguing the call.

McLouth kept the Cardinals from scoring more than two runs in the sixth with a pretty diving catch in right-center field. McLouth then got up and threw a dart to LaRoche at first to double up Troy Glaus.

(mlb.com)

It wasn’t the lineup card Alex Cora [stats] was hoping to see. But one thing the Red Sox [team stats] utility infielder has become good at during his four seasons with the team is bracing for any circumstance.

Cora left Fenway Park [map] on Friday night knowing that just because of Julio Lugo [stats]’s injured left quadriceps, sliding into the starting spot at shortstop was anything but a certainty. It was a reality he was forced to face sooner than anticipated, with rookie Jed Lowrie getting the starting nod for the first game of what figures to be 4-6 weeks of the Sox being without Lugo.

“There is always that itch,” Cora said of his desire to play on an everyday basis. “I love what we do here and the way Tito (Francona) treats me. But sometimes we don’t hear what we have to hear, and you have to respect that.”

Francona explained right now there won’t be any firm plan of attack when it comes to utilizing the switch-hitting Lowrie and Cora.

The 32-year-old Cora figures to be in the starting lineup today, considering he owns a .407 career batting average against Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera. But without the starting nod last night, Cora’s only chance at back-to-back starts came in the Sox series in Minnesota and Baltimore when he was inserted in the starting lineup four straight games, from May 11-14.

“Every time you send A.C. out there, you know what you’re getting,” Francona said. “You hit the ball to him, he catches it, he knows where to go and it’s reassuring. Part of our responsibility is to play him enough where he can be sharp, and we struggle through that sometimes, but this won’t be a time when it’s hard for him because he’ll play enough.”

Cora’s primary responsibility since returning from an early-season elbow injury has been to serve as a defensive replacement for Lugo. Including a late-innings appearance last night, he has now played in 35 games, 15 as the starter.

As he heads into what could be his best opportunity at carving out more playing time, Cora admitted that between his injury, and sporadic appearances in what is the final year of a two-year deal, this has been nothing like he has experienced in the past.

“It’s been more of a challenge,” Cora said. “First of all it was physically, going on the DL for the first time. Second of all, the two guys in front of me (Lugo and second baseman Dustin Pedroia [stats]) have been doing a great job, and it’s been kind of hard getting at-bats. The role is hard anyway, but it’s been tougher this year.”

With Lowrie having similar success from both sides of the plate during his time with Triple-A Pawtucket, hitting .277 from the left and .250 from the right, the immediate future might not lend itself to a straight platoon between the rookie and the left-handed-hitting Cora.

But with the memory of his two straight seasons as a starter with the Dodgers (2003-04) still fresh, Cora is angling to start walking down that same sort of path once again.

“This is what you prepare yourself for,” he said. “You’re not hoping for injuries, but if it happens you can’t let something like this deviate the team from what you want to accomplish. That is why you come and work early, for situations like this. We’ll see how it plays out.”

(bostonherald.com)

Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle made the finishing touches on the National League All-Star roster when he replaced injured Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano with Mets third baseman David Wright.

Burrell, who lost out in the Internet voting competition a day earlier, and fellow Phillies slugger Ryan Howard were thought to be strong candidates to fill the spot.


"Yeah, it's disappointing," said Burrell, who finished third on the five-man Final Vote ballot. "Obviously, you have a chance to go, you want to go. It's that simple. But the reality is David Wright is an excellent player, and he deserves a chance to go as well."

Wright, who finished second to Corey Hart in the Final Vote competition, is hitting .288 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs.

Burrell entered Friday hitting .279 with 22 home runs and 54 RBIs. He also leads the majors with 69 walks and is ranked fifth in OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) at .993.

"Ever since the last half of last season, he's been a consistent hitter," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "In his career, he's been a run producer... I think it would have been great for him to (to go)."

Howard made a late surge in the last week. He hit his major-league leading 28th home run Friday.

Although he was hitting .234 before the game, Howard also led the National League with 83 RBIs.

"How can you possibly overlook that?" Manuel said of Howard's home run and RBI totals. "Yeah he's got 125 strikeouts or something. But at the same time, those are hard numbers to pass up."

If nothing else, Burrell was appreciative of the effort this week at Citizens Bank Park during the four days of the Final Vote process. The "Go to Bat for Pat" campaign included a trio of fans who spent the better part of three straight days constantly voting for the Phillies left fielder.

"The fan response, and the effort that the Phillies gave, I want to thank everybody for what they've done," Burrell said. "They made a huge impact on things, and I'm thankful for that."

While most players make vacation plans - some go home, some go fishing - Burrell kept his calendar clear.

Although he never went out of his way to campaign for his All-Star candidacy, the slugger, who has never been to an All-Star Game, wanted to be part of the midsummer classic.

"I can't lie," Burrell said in front of his locker stall Friday afternoon. "I'd love to have gone."

(delcotimes.com)