Giants S Kenny Phillips, who played at University of Miami, is close with former college teammate Frank Gore, the 49ers' running back. “I spoke to Frank (and) wished him good luck,” Phillips said. Phillips said he’s been fielding calls from players around the league who are wishing him good luck. “It’s a great feeling,” he added.


(cbssports.com)

MIAMI -- A judge in Miami has set an April 16 trial date for the alleged shooter in the 2007 killing of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor.

Four men accused in the slaying will be tried separately. The judge said Friday that the first to stand trial will be 21-year-old Eric Rivera Jr.
Trial dates for the others have not been set.

The men from the Fort Myers area are accused of fatally shooting Taylor during an attempted robbery at his home. All have pleaded not guilty and face potential life prison sentences if convicted.

A fifth man previously pleaded guilty to murder and burglary charges and is likely to testify against the others.

Taylor was an All-Pro with the Redskins who also starred at the University of Miami.


(miamiherald.com)

The Patriots worked out five defensive backs on Thursday, the team announced.

Among the workouts were two Baylor cornerbacks from the 2011 draft class. Mikail Baker (6-0, 200) was selected by the Rams in the seventh round, while Antareis Bryan (6-2, 190) signed as an undrafted free agent and spent training camp with the Bears.

In addition, the team worked out rookie cornerback Ryan Hill (5-11, 207), an undrafted product of Miami who spent training camp in Minnesota.

Safeties Dominque Harris (6-2, 213) and Ricky Price (6-1, 195) were also worked out, and both have NFL experience. Harris, from Temple, went undrafted in 2010, signing with the Bills and later playing in the regular season finale for the Buccaneers. Price played in nine games for the Chiefs in 2009-2010, after going undrafted from Oklahoma State.

All of the workouts were likely made with the 2012 season in mind, as teams may sign players to future contracts for next season at this time. Last week, the Patriots signed quarterback Mike Hartline, who will join the team for the offseason.

Likewise, any of the defensive backs who worked out, if signed to a future contracts, would add depth heading into the offseason. Cornerbacks Nate Jones and Antwaun Molden, as well as safety James Ihedigbo are all set to become unrestricted free agents in March.


(espn.com)

Jeremy Shockey, the former Tight end of the NY Giants has sold his West New York town house located in the Hudson River waterfront community of Jacobs Ferry. Shockey sold the 3 bedroom/3.5 bath, 4,000 sq.ft corner town home overlooking the Manhattan skyline for $1,800,000 in August of 2011. He paid $2,550,000 for the property in July 2004.






(livingonthehudson.com)

When he steps on the field for the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, January 21 in St. Petersburg, Florida, Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Micanor Regis will be playing to impress NFL scouts, as well as show them that he's more than the ugly incident they probably know him for.

Back in October, Regis was suspended for one game after he punched a North Carolina player in the groin. The incident was caught on video and spread like wildfire on the Internet, branding Regis with the dreaded thug label.

It's a label that is front and center for Regis now.

"It's the first thing that comes up," the Pahokee native said Wednesday after practicing with the East team in preparation for Saturday's East-West Shrine Game. "I didn't have an interception or a touchdown or anything (this season), so that's the only thing that comes up. It's on the third and fourth page too."

Regis can do a lot to shake loose the label by performing well in the Shrine game and NFL Combine. At the end of the day, there are players with reputations at lot worse than him currently in the NFL.


(sbnation.com)

Texans C Chris Myers and DE Antonio Smith have been added to the AFC's Pro Bowl roster as injury replacements.

Myers replaced Maurkice Pouncey, and Smith replaces Patriots DE Andre Carter. It's just as well. Myers outplayed Pouncey all season, finishing as Pro Football Focus' top-rated center as the pivot for one of the league's most dominant ground attacks. Smith was outstanding against the run in Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme.

Myers joins proCanes Frank Gore, Vince Wilfork, Ray Lewis, Jimmy Graham and Ed Reed. This is Graham’s first Pro Bowl selection of his career. This will be Gore’s 4th Pro Bowl (2nd consecutive), Wilfork’s 5th Pro Bowl (4th consecutive), Ray Lewis’ 14 Pro Bowl (7th consecutive) and Ed Reed’s 9th Pro Bowl (7th consecutive).


(rotoworld.com)

Six Miami underclassmen were included on the official list of draft-eligible underclassmen released by the NFL on Thursday. DL Marcus Forston, RB Lamar Miller, WR Tommy Streeter, DL Olivier Vernon and OL Brandon Washington were all deemed eligible for April's draft. The league also ruled former Miami WR Aldarius Johnson was also eligible for the draft. Johnson was suspended indefinitely in August for his role in the Nevin Shapiro scandal.


(cbssports.com)

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have spent 11 seasons together with the Baltimore Ravens, making one big play after another for a defense that is always among the best in the NFL.

Although it's difficult to imagine the Ravens without Lewis in the middle of the field and Reed as the last line of defense, the unit has plenty of young players eager to make an imprint after these two perennial Pro Bowl stars retire.

Baltimore's defense, which ranked third in the NFL this season, is the main reason why the Ravens (13-4) are in the AFC championship game and stand a decent chance of beating high-powered New England (14-3) to advance to the Super Bowl.

Linebacker Jarret Johnson says, "We've got veteran experience ... and young, raw talent."


(sfgate.com)

Before the 49ers selected Alex Smith with the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005, they hosted four players for pre-draft visits: Smith, Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Braylon Edwards (remember him?) and cornerback Antrel Rolle.

Rolle, selected eighth overall by the Arizona Cardinals, joined the Giants in March after the Cardinals released him. Even though Smith and Rodgers were the 49ers’ true finalists for that No. 1 pick, Rolle thought there was a chance he might start his career with San Francisco. It resumes there, at least, Sunday when the Giants visit the 49ers for the NFC Championship.

“There was talk of it. I went up and had a nice visit with the San Francisco 49ers,” Rolle recalled today on a conference call. “I was optimistic. It’s the NFL draft. You never know what to expect.”

And what does he expect out of Alex Smith on Sunday?

“Alex is a good quarterback in my eyes,” Rolle said. “Anytime you can go 13-3 with you being the starting QB, you might be doing something right. He’s definitely taking his game up another level.”

If history is any indication, we should expect another riveting playoff game between the 49ers and Giants. But Rolle discounted that angle: “That has nothing to do with Sunday. Every game presents its own challenge. We’re aware of the history between these two teams. But it has nothing to do with Sunday.”

Rolle also downplayed any back-and-forth talk or Tweets between the Giants and 49ers. After saying Monday that the Giants “can’t be beaten,” Rolle followed that up by warning the 49ers that they should be careful what they wished for in terms of this matchup. That comment stemmed from an innocent quote Vernon Davis said on Monday how he was praying for the Giants to win, more so because Davis wanted to play at home rather than Green Bay.

When told that the 49ers have followed orders and not responded to the Giants’ verbal boasts, Rolle said:

“Doesn’t matter to me. They were the ones that made the comment, they wish the giants win. They wish the Giants win. All I said was that their wish was granted and be careful what you wish for. I don’t need them to speak back and we don’t need to speak to them. The game’s going to be played Sunday. May the best man win.”

Rolle admitted he is friends with a couple 49ers, that he hangs out in the offseason with Davis and Frank Gore in Miami.

“We’re extremely close. We hang out in the offseason when hang out inMiami or take random trips,” Rolle said. “I trained with Frank. We went to Miami together. We’re all good friends. But that won’t have anything to do what happens Sunday. You do your hugs and handshakes after the game.”


(mercurynews.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. -- Linebacker Ray Lewis probably didn't come close to being a member of the Patriots, but he was definitely on their radar heading into the 1996 NFL draft.

New England head coach Bill Belichick, an assistant on Bill Parcells' staff in 1996, has alluded several times to Lewis' tremendous pre-draft interview process. In passing, Belichick has mentioned linebacker Jerod Mayo and cornerback Devin McCourty as players who had similarly impressive pre-draft interviews to Lewis, particularly in terms of film study.

Belichick recollected his time with Lewis on Thursday, as his Patriots prepared to take on Lewis' Ravens in Sunday's AFC Championship.

"Real impressive," Belichick said of Lewis in 1996. "I spent all day down there with him in Miami. It was before the '96 season when I was first coming to New England. Yeah, really impressive guy -- fast, made a lot of plays in college in their 4-3 scheme. He was a middle linebacker. He had a ton of production. Really instinctive guy that had great intensity and knowledge of the game, even back then, and certainly we can all see that now, but I saw it when he was at Miami."

The Patriots used the seventh overall pick on wide receiver Terry Glenn, much to Parcells' public dismay, as it yielded his famous line that revealed his passion for grocery shopping. Parcells reportedly wanted to draft defensive lineman Tony Brackens, who was taken by the Jaguars at No. 33, instead of Glenn. At the very least, there appeared to be no doubt that Parcells wanted a defensive player with that pick.

Lewis, meanwhile, slipped to the Ravens at No. 26 -- 10 picks ahead of where the Patriots took safety Lawyer Milloy with their second selection -- and he's remained in Baltimore ever since.

In hindsight, Lewis should have been one of the top two or three picks in the draft (the Ravens also hit a home run with tackle Jonathan Ogden at No. 4). And he was certainly there for the taking at No. 7.


(nesn.com)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ray Lewis is the only player left from the 2000 Baltimore Ravens squad that won the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl.

More than a decade later and 16 years into his career, the linebacker has continued to play at a high level despite the fact that rookies and second-year Ravens players were in middle school when that defensively dominant bunch Lewis led defeated the New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV.

Before Baltimore’s divisional-round victory over Houston last Sunday, Lewis broke out his 2000 ring as part of his game day attire to remind teammates that he’s the only one in that locker room to win a Super Bowl title with the Ravens.

“I think it’s bigger than just reminding them, it’s also there to remind me about what it’s really all about,” Lewis said. “Sometimes when I do my cheap little push-ups and sit-ups, I think about those things.”

Lewis arguably is the greatest middle linebacker to play the game and began lecturing teammates on what it takes to be a champion the day after the NFL lockout ended. Lewis, 36, in what could be the final season of his career, has shared Super Bowl memories with his teammates throughout the season.

“We know you don’t get this opportunity [often],” cornerback Lardarius Webb said. “We’re not trying to take it for granted.”

Lewis and the Ravens last had a chance at an AFC title and a second Super Bowl appearance in the 2008 playoffs, when quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice were rookies. The Ravens fell to archrival Pittsburgh 23-14. This time, it’s different, Lewis said. The players around him are more experienced and have been in this same situation before.

“We have the right chemistry right now,” Lewis said. “We have the guys that have been in the playoffs, who have had the disappointments and things like that. We have a certain sense of things that we want to do personally and as a team. I think everything we went through we definitely learned from.”

Losses to Tennessee, Jacksonville, Seattle and San Diego dampened outside expectations for what Baltimore could accomplish this season. But Lewis stayed the course with his teammates, letting them know what it takes and how hard it is to reach the NFL’s biggest stage.

In that 2000 campaign, Lewis felt the Ravens were doubted quite a bit, possibly because they endured a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season. But Baltimore rebounded, with Lewis leading them, to 11 consecutive wins and the franchise’s lone Vince Lombardi Trophy.

“Ray, from time to time, will remind guys as a whole and individually what it takes to achieve what he achieved in 2000, and share his wisdom and knowledge about that,” defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said. “We’ve been talking about that since day one.”

During training camp, Lewis said he’d consider retiring if the Ravens won the Super Bowl. Now that Baltimore’s one game away from reaching the NFL season’s finale, he’s reversed his preseason statement by saying he’s having too much fun to think about retirement.

“The only reason you play this game is for the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl,” Lewis said. “We have that opportunity right now. Whatever anybody wants to say about us, we are in position. There are two teams left in the AFC, just us and the Patriots.”

One player Lewis has taken under his wing and mentored since his NFL arrival is Rice. The two usually arrive to practice together and have demonstrated a bond on and off the field.

Rice said Lewis is vocal with his message for Baltimore to seize the opportunity it has. His message lends credibility, based on Lewis‘ 16 playoff games.

“It’s like he preaches these moments don’t come by too often, and you have to embrace every moment that you have with this team,” Rice said. “Every team that I’ve been on has been different. Guys come and go, but this opportunity is different. It’s been a great ride, and it just feels like the story has to continue.”

Safety Bernard Pollard said Lewis told him that it wasn’t until late in that 2000 season that those outside the locker room began to believe Baltimore could win a Super Bowl.

“They were underdogs every single game,” Pollard said. “I think fighting, knowing and understanding what’s at stake, and after winning a Super Bowl and feeling the confetti dropping down on you, you can’t explain it. That’s a feeling you want to take and share with your grandkids, share it with people. There are guys that play in this league for many years and never get a chance to sniff a Super Bowl.”

It was a surprise for the Ravens to reach the AFC Championship in 2008 on the heels of a 5-11 season that saw coach Brian Billick ousted. This time, it’s different, as the Ravens have wrestled with sizeable expectations throughout the season.

“I truly believe that an experienced team will outweigh a talented team any day,” Lewis said. “That’s what we have now. We have total experience on what it’s supposed to feel like, what you’re supposed to do to prepare and what the mentality is going into it. I think our confidence is definitely very high just because we have been through those bumps and bruises.”


(washingtonpost.com)

If I need a head coach in the NFL right now, I call McCoy or Chud before anyone else. Who are they? The wave of the future.

Mike McCoy. Isn't that Colt McCoy's youngest brother who's a high school phenom? No. And it's not the husband from "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" either (that's Matt McCoy, for movie nerds like me). Mike McCoy is the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator and reportedly the front-runner in the Miami Dolphins' head-coaching search.

If you didn't know his name, you need to. Because McCoy, along with the Carolina Panthers' Rob Chudzinski, have laid the groundwork for the new era of offensive coordinators in the league. McCoy helped spark Tim Tebow's magical season in Denver while Chudzinski turned Cam Newton into a killer robot who is ready to take over the planet. (This after he previously made Derek Anderson into a Pro Bowl QB in Cleveland, which is only slightly less difficult than building a killer robot.)

Why are McCoy and Chudzinski the future? It used to be that a great offensive mind was someone who perfected a specific system and then either found the right players to execute it, or if that wasn't possible, took whatever players they could and tried to mold them into ones who fit. Why was Mike Martz so successful in St. Louis? Because Kurt Warner's time in the Arena Football League, where he had to make tremendously fast reads, was perfect for it. While Marc Bulger wasn't the fit that Warner was, he was forced into The Greatest Show On Turf and still had a modicum of success. That was what being an offensive coordinator in the NFL used to be. The system was more valuable over the players. Now, it's changed.

Teams realize that trying to put a square peg (a franchise quarterback completely unfamiliar with the system you want to run) into a round hole (your system) isn't going to yield great results. The new editions of great coordinators are ones who accept they have to tailor their philosophy to what their quarterback does well. Tebow was a curiosity who flashed until the Broncos decided to custom-build their offense around him. And what happened? A six-game winning streak and a spot in the NFL's final eight.

McCoy played to Tebow's strengths. Chudzinski did it from the jump in Carolina with Newton, and that's why these two will be head coaches sooner rather than later. They look smarter than everyone else. They look like innovators. Their ego is comfortable enough where they're not unbending to other thoughts. Every CEO in the world wants people like that working for them. What sealed Martz's ultimate "philosophical differences" fate in Chicago? He was forever resistant to changing what he does to keep more pass protection in for Jay Cutler. When he finally threw his arms up in the air and said, "Fine, I'll do it," what happened? The Bears won five straight and were rolling until Cutler fractured his thumb and missed the rest of the season. The lesson here is always be open to new ideas, and make sure those ideas are what your QB can execute best.

Now let's just say you're a team with a player at that position whose skills are a little different than your standard passer? (Like Robert Griffin III, when he gets selected in April.) Who are you going to want to be your head coach? Someone who you're confident can develop them so you're not throwing money away for three seasons as your team tries to find a happy medium between their talent and your system. How many times do you have to watch the ups and downs of Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne, Sam Bradford, Tarvaris Jackson, Colt McCoy, or Kevin Kolb to realize how valuable that is?


(nfl.com)

Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez will participate in Jon Jay’s Celebrity Bowling Challenge on Jan. 28 at Lucky Strike Lanes in Miami Beach.
Jay, an outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, is good friends with Sanchez. Both are from Miami and both attended the University of Miami.

“Me and Gaby have a little competitive streak in us,” Jay said. “We’re always going at it, so I’m going to try to out-bowl him, for sure.”

Also helping Jay will be Padres 1B Yonder Alonso, Blue Jays C J.P. Arencibia, Nationals P Gio Gonzalez, Cardinals IF Tyler Greene, Royals 1B Eric Hosmer, Nationals 1B Michael Morse, Indians P Chris Perez and Twins 3B Danny Valencia.

Tickets are $100 for a person and $450 for a team. Proceeds will go to the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust.

Sanchez did some charity work on Wednesday when he appeared at the Ronald McDonald House of Miami.


(palmbeachpost.com)

After spending most of 2010 at Triple-A, Yonder Alonso returned to Louisville to begin the 2011 season. The former first-round Draft pick caught fire after a slow start and never posted an OPS lower than .871 over the final four months.

Called up to Cincinnati at the end of July, Alonso flashed some of the talent that made him a top-50 prospect entering the 2011 campaign. The University of Miami product batted .330 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 47 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter.

A first baseman by trade, Alonso had his path to the Majors blocked by 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto, so he spent a lot of time in left field. He'll get a chance to return to his natural position in 2012, thanks to the offseason trade that sent him, catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitchers Brad Boxberger and Edinson Volquez to San Diego for right-hander Mat Latos. Alonso talked about the trade and the door it figures to open for him.

MiLB.com: How did you find out about the trade?
Yonder Alonso: Well, I was on vacation with my friends and family and I was getting ready to go to a soccer game and I got a call from [Reds general manager] Walt Jocketty, basically telling me that I had been traded to San Diego.

MiLB.com: What was your reaction?
Alonso: It was a couple of reactions. At first, I was a little surprised and I didn't know much about San Diego. And as I started talking to the general manager and some buddies who played for San Diego, it was nothing but good things and I was grateful for the opportunity. I got a couple of friends, one is Eddy Rodriguez, Blake Tekotte, and the other one is Jason Hagerty.

MiLB.com: Do you feel like the trade will be good for you, given that you were blocked at your natural position in Cincinnati?
Alonso: Definitely, I think it's a great trade. I think everyone knows that I was blocked by an MVP. Everyone knows it was tough on my part playing a different position, but I was happy with the outcome. I had to change my ways in the offseason, and now I have a chance to play my natural position and it's something I'm looking forward to.

MiLB.com: Are you concerned that you're moving to a stadium with a reputation as a pitcher's park in Petco Park.
Alonso: No, I think that it will be a good learning experience. I'm a line-drive hitter; I don't consider myself a power hitter. I think it will be a good experience -- I think you become a better hitter. If I can become more polished, that will be good for my career.

MiLB.com: What have you done during the offseason to get ready for the 2012 season?
Alonso: Working a lot and doing everything that I have to do to get better. Training, training, training. That is pretty much how my days go. I catch ground balls, I do a little bit of rehab to get a little strong. People think that [in] the offseason you don't do much, but I feel like I do more in the offseason than during the season.

MiLB.com: You got off to a slow start last season. What happened and how did you turn things around?
Alonso: I think that the slow start was just something that I don't really ... it happens a lot. All my years playing the game, I have started off a little slow. I think it has to do with a little bit of timing and not playing games. After that, it picks up for me and I calm down and not try to do too much. I learned a lot from it. When I got to the bigs [last] year, I let things come to me.

MiLB.com: What was your favorite Minor League park to play in as a visitor?
Alonso: That's [Huntington Park] in Columbus, Ohio. That was definitely one of my favorites. It's a great hitters' park, and the fans are great there.

MiLB.com: How exciting was it to play in two All-Star Futures Games?
Alonso: That was awesome. It felt pretty cool the first time I was there. The second time, it was very unique. I knew what to expect. It was a great experience. I feel like every prospect should go through that experience, just enjoy it and take it all in.

MiLB.com: You saw some time in the big leagues in 2011 and played well. What's the biggest thing you can take away from that?
Alonso: Just letting the game come to me and work hard every day. It's just the same game with better players, and it's a littler faster. Obviously, you have to stay even-keeled. This game is so hard that you can not do well, but you can't feel bad. I learned a lot from [last] year -- definitely just letting the game come to you and not force things.

MiLB.com: What are some of the things you like to do on a day off?
Alonso: Definitely go to the movies. I'm a big movie guy. I usually try to spend as much time as I can hanging out at my house or at the movies. I just saw War Horse, and that was a pretty interesting movie. That was a good movie, it was a touching movie.

MiLB.com: What are some of your favorite movies?
I'd have to go with Scarface. I like Troy and, obviously, Major League is by far the best baseball movie.

MiLB.com: What are some of the songs on your iPod?
Alonso: I have a little of everything, I'm a big Jay-Z fan. I like all the old-school stuff from the '80s. I like a little bit of Latin music as well; it depends on the mood I'm in. In the morning, I listen to Jay-Z. It gets me going. I like that new song -- it's called "Glory" -- and "Ham".

MiLB.com: If you weren't playing baseball, what would you be doing?
Alonso: I'd probably be in school still, definitely getting my degree. My major was sociology and my minor was psychology. I'd probably do something in the field like a firefighter or a teacher. But definitely something with sports on top of that.


(milb.com)

The start of the National League MVP's appeal, first reported by the New York Daily News, was confirmed by a person familiar with the session who spoke on condition of anonymity because the proceeding was not to be made public.

Calls to Braun's agent, Nez Balelo, and Major League Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney were not returned.

When the positive drug test was first reported by ESPN.com last month, Braun had a spokesman issue a statement saying there were circumstances supporting "Ryan's complete innocence."

Under the joint drug agreement between baseball teams and the players' association, Braun will have to prove "the presence of a prohibited substance in his urine was not due to his fault or negligence."

As Braun tries to avoid a 50-game suspension, the burden is a heavy one to overcome. A baseball arbitrator has never ordered a suspension overturned following a grievance hearing.

The person did not know whether the hearing had concluded or whether it would extend into at least one more session. Typically in grievances, after the hearing the sides may submit written final arguments before the arbitrator rules.

MLB has not confirmed the positive test. Baseball's drug agreement says first positive tests are not made public until after the appeals process has been completed.

Technically, the arbitration is before a three-person panel that also includes a representative of management and the union. The independent member, Das, is the decisive vote in nearly all cases.

Braun is to receive his MVP Award on Saturday at the annual dinner of the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. While he is expected to speak to the crowd from the dais in a hotel ballroom, he is not expected to take questions from reporters.

Braun has known about since the positive test since late October, people familiar with the appeals process said last month. If suspended, Braun wouldn't be eligible to play for the NL Central champions until May 31 at Dodger Stadium, barring any postponements. He would miss the first 57 days of the major league season, losing about $1.87 million of his $6 million salary.

The 28-year-old the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year, hit .312 with 33 homers and 111 RBIs last season and led Milwaukee to the NL championship series, where the Brewers lost to the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.


(usatoday.com)

Jon Jay spoke out in defense of fellow UM alum Ryan Braun, who plans to accept his National League Most Valuable Player award on Saturday despite a 50-game suspension he received after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.

“It’s definitely a tough situation,” Jay said. “I’m a huge Ryan Braun supporter. He’s a guy who helped me out so much in my career. Since I stepped foot at UM we have had a special bond and we’re really good friends.

“It’s unfortunate, the situation, but hopefully he gets it cleared up. I know how hard he works and how much he loves the game. He’s really a big role model for everyone. He’s going to have his appeal process Hopefully, everything works out.”

A spokesman for Braun, a Milwaukee Brewers All Star, reportedly confirmed the positive test at the time, but said “there are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation” of baseball’s drug-testing program…


(palmbeachpost.com)

After the news broke in December that Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun had tested positive for synthetic testosterone, his first public defense was, "It's b-------."

Braun also told a reporter that he "can't wait" to explain himself and that he's "completely innocent," but so far his actual defense remains private. The reigning National League MVP is expected to appear before an arbitrator this week, with union and legal representation and what is sure to be a more nuanced argument.

But whatever his explanation, history and MLB's drug policy suggest there is little he can argue to escape a 50-game suspension. No major league player has successfully appealed a positive test, and very few athletes around the world have ever done so.

Braun's case also has become both a test for MLB itself and a reflection of the dilemma faced by the sport. If Braun is suspended, it would show that MLB is committed to punishing even its most popular and successful players -- while at the same time undercutting commissioner Bud Selig's oft-declared pronouncement that the "steroid era" is over.

If Braun successfully argues that there was a flaw in either the testing or the policy, however, then his case could provide a precedent for players who test positive in the future.

"In this business, you frequently find yourself between a rock and hard place, and we've certainly found ourselves in that position frequently," says Travis Tygart, the senior managing director of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, who says he does not know details of Braun's case. "When we had to take back five medals from Marion Jones, it wasn't an easy thing, but you do the right thing for the integrity of sport."

It will all come down to the hearing, which has the hallmarks of a criminal trial.

Braun has been charged with the "crime" of doping. MLB will present its case before the arbitrator, citing the evidence of positive test results that reflect synthetic testosterone in the outfielder's system. The defense will present its own case. Braun's representatives have told reporters there are extenuating circumstances; for example, that his testosterone was so elevated that he couldn't have been intentionally doping.

Both sides can call witnesses and conduct cross-examination. The major difference, however, is the burden of proof: It's up to Braun to prove that he's innocent, not for MLB to prove that he's guilty.

A result could be announced within a week of the hearing, and a full report is usually issued after 30 days.

MLB officials would not comment or even confirm that Braun tested positive but in the past have said they were committed to punishing any player who runs afoul of the drug policy.

"I think one's heart gets involved because Braun is such an attractive guy, and we really don't see him having the need to have done what he did, which is why I could see that he took something that he didn't really understand, that contained the bad juice," says former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent, who also says he does not know the specifics of Braun's case. "But the fact is, it very well may have been steroids, testing was followed and he got caught. It's pretty hard to prove the negative; how can he prove that he didn't take the stuff?"

The standard is high: In order to reverse a positive test, Braun will have to argue that either the results were flawed or that there was no way he could have known that he ingested something that contained testosterone. Going after the test itself won't be easy. MLB uses a doping control lab in Montreal, which is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and has an international reputation for professionalism.

Proving he wasn't negligent in taking a substance won't be easy, either. Baseball's policy, like any standard anti-doping policy, does not excuse someone for lack of intent. If Braun says he bought a diet supplement that was tainted, he'll get no mercy from the arbitrator. MLB and the union have warned players for years about supplements and have a hotline players can call if they have questions about a product.

If Braun drank organic milk or something equally wholesome, however, and can prove that somehow it was tainted, then he might have a case that he wasn't negligent.

Braun's attorney, David Cornwell, declined comment.

MLB's policy does not call for the sort of career-killing penalties Olympic athletes can incur with a positive test, but it also offers no flexibility: He's guilty or he's innocent. WADA, which oversees Olympic testing, has some leeway in imposing penalties. Zach Lund, an American skeleton racer, missed the 2006 Winter Olympics because he tested positive for finasteride, a drug banned as a masking agent. He argued that he took the anti-baldness drug Propecia and offered his retreating hairline as exhibit A.

The Court for Arbitration in Sport, the final arbiter for Olympic sports, agreed that Lund's positive test was accidental and reduced his suspension to one year, rather than the standard two. MLB doesn't offer that sort of flexibility, but a 50-game suspension for a first offense is far less damaging to a player's career (and the team that pays him) than a two-year ban.

WADA director general David Howman says athletes of Braun's stature present more than a public relations problem for their sports (although he, too, says he has no idea whether Braun is guilty of doping).

"Any sport that has a positive case from a prominent athlete worries about it. You have to," Howman says. "There's got to be some reason for that particular athlete succumbing to the temptation to use something that might be enhancing his performance."

MLB has said previously when players were caught doping that it proved the system was working. But Vincent says his successor shouldn't have been so quick to say the "steroid era" was a thing of the past.

"I think that was a very bad mistake. It's one thing to say the steroid era is over, but by that you mean people are very unlikely to be taking the same drugs they were taking over 10 years ago," Vincent says. "But to say that chemically enhanced performance drugs are not going to be a permanent part of the sports world, including baseball, that's just not sensible. Performance-enhancing drugs are here to stay, they will not go away in any sport, really, for the rest of time, and you have to deal with it being a race against the chemistry."

Positive tests have dropped significantly since baseball began testing in 2003, and most positives come from minor league players in the Dominican Republic, where many performance-enhancing drugs are readily available without a prescription.

Major leaguers have greater resources and access to sophisticated drug regimens that could evade detection, substances like human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor and other drugs, so it is unusual that a player of Braun's means -- last year he signed a five-year, $105 million contract extension through 2020 -- would be caught through current testing.

His saga began with a random computer selection that produced his name. Following the Brewers' Oct. 2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, in which Braun went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double, he was met by a doping control agent after his press conference. He was taken to a private room where, according to MLB policy, he would have been asked to lift his shirt above his abdomen, drop his pants below his knees and produce a urine sample as the agent watched.

That sample was sealed and logged, and later split into two samples -- an "A," which was then tested, and a "B," which was saved as a backup.

When Braun was informed that he had tested positive for elevated testosterone, he requested that MLB test the "B" sample, standard procedure to see if somehow the "A" sample had been tainted. The results matched. A subsequent, more comprehensive test, called an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) test, determined that some of the testosterone in his system had been produced by an "exogenous," or outside, source.

For years there was one drug, DHEA, a legal precursor to testosterone, that provided a potential loophole. MLB did not ban the drug at the insistence of the players' association because DHEA is available without a prescription, though it is banned within the Olympic movement. It's a weak drug that serious dopers would not use, but it can cause the body to increase its testosterone production.

Sources familiar with MLB's testing history said there had been at least one case in which a player tested positive and said he had taken DHEA, and that MLB dropped the case because officials did not believe they could prove otherwise despite their doubts. But in recent years, the doping labs have gotten proficient enough at distinguishing DHEA from other substances that officials are confident a player couldn't evade a suspension by making such an argument.

When Manny Ramirez, like Braun, tested positive for elevated and synthetic testosterone in 2009, sources familiar with his case said he was prepared to fight it by saying he had taken DHEA. MLB was ready to fight back, but before the case came to a hearing, officials discovered Ramirez had received a prescription for another banned drug, human chorionic gonadotropin, which sealed his fate.

Anti-doping experts believe the hardest part of Braun's case will be explaining the IRMS test and the accusation that his body contained testosterone it didn't create. If he is unable to convince an arbitrator and is in fact suspended for 50 games, he will still have to make a case with the public that his accomplishments on the field did not come from a pharmacy.

"What he said when he was first confronted had a certain ring to it," Vincent says. "I'm just an old federal lawyer, and he made a pretty good case. It had the ring of his really being stunned, surprised. I have no evidence, don't know anything more than what I've followed. He's just a guy you root for. It kind of breaks your heart."


(espn.com)

WR Aldarius Johnson, Miami (Fla.) -- Though Johnson was one of the players practicing without a helmet, the lack of headgear didn't stop him from leaping high and taking tumbles to secure the football. A lean, lanky athlete with deceptive speed, he lulled cornerbacks to sleep before exploding upfield for multiple big plays.


(cbssports.com)

Eye-opening moment: Micanor Regis (6-3, 324), DT, Miami (Fla.)

Regis jolted Mississippi center Quentin Saulsberry backward, drove into the backfield and hit Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis as the pass was thrown, which led to an interception by linebacker Josh Linam.


(sportingnews.com)

Based on a practice in which players performed without shoulder pads, grading a player as the elite talent might be a reach. But Miami (Fla.) junior offensive lineman Brandon Washington stood out with his versatility and thick build. Washington, who earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2011 at left tackle, saw time at both tackle positions.


(cbssports.com)

Biggest surprise: Laron Byrd (6-5, 225), WR, Miami (Fla.)

After struggling the first two days, Byrd looked excellent Wednesday. He ran sharp routes, used his hands to create some separation and made a number of outstanding catches. His 40 time is 4.55.


(sportingnews.com)

TE Chase Ford, Miami (Fla.): He had only 16 catches in his two seasons with the Hurricanes, but he worked very well Tuesday. While he struggled in blocking drills, especially with his angles and body positioning, Ford looked natural catching the ball with body fluidity, above-average focus and soft hands. After practice, a scout confirmed my beliefs Ford is "one-dimensional" at this point, but the upside is there and he has definitely improved his chances at getting drafted.


(cbssports.com)

Former UM LB and graduate assistant Glenn Cook has been among the NFL scouts at Battle of Florida All-Star Game practices. Cook joined the Indianapolis Colts in June.



(sun-sentinel.com)

Third-round choice DE Allen Bailey was among the most visible rookies during the 2011 season, coming onto the field as a pass rusher in the nickel defense. He was not very effective, picking up one sack and six QB pressures. Whether he’s good enough to be a pass rushing specialist, or can be a starting DE in the 3-4 base defense, is conjecture right now.


(cbssports.com)

CORAL GABLES— It's been a mini-Miami reunion at Florida Atlantic University this week, where eight former Hurricanes players have practiced in preparation for Saturday's Battle of Florida All-Star Game.

Six of them — cornerback/safety JoJo Nicolas, defensive ends Adewale Ojomo and Andrew Smith, offensive lineman Joel Figueroa, cornerback Lee Chambers and snapper Chris Ivory — are on the South roster while offensive lineman Harland Gunn and cornerback Mike Williams are on the North squad.

"It's a great experience, a big opportunity. You have to take advantage of each opportunity you get because that window into the league is only so big," Chambers said.

Of practicing in front of NFL scouts analyzing every snap, he added, "I've got to admit, the first day I was a little nervous. But then you tend to block it out."

Nicolas said the week leading up to the game is "a way to showcase your talents." Since UM self-imposed a bowl ban for this season, "for us to have one more game to play is great."

Ojomo said after the game, he plans to head to Dallas and train at former sprinter Michael Johnson's Performance Training Center as former UM CB Brandon Harris did before the draft last year.


(sun-sentinel.com)

On his man-love for Reed : “I don’t know where to start. The play Ed Reed makes at the end of the game against Houston last week, I think that says it all, really. He’s playing one side of the field trying to stay over the top of (Andre) Johnson, who they single up on the backside. I’m sure that they were looking for him. If he had single coverage, they’d want to throw it up to him, but Reed is over the top of him but they throw the Hail Mary to the other side and he comes all the way across the field and makes the play — really kind of a game-saving play. I’m not sure that if he hadn’t made it, I don’t know what would have happened there. Those are the kinds of plays he makes. He probably covers more field back there as a single safety than most teams can cover with two. He’s got great instincts, he’s a tremendous player.”

On Ravens LB Ray Lewis: “Ray Lewis, everything he brings to the game, his playmaking ability, his leadership, his experience, his ability to get people around him to play better both by his communication and anticipation and leadership and football savvy on the field. Those two guys, it would be really hard, I think, to put anybody even in their class, let alone above them. They’re tremendous players with tremendous careers. Can’t say I’ve ever coached against anybody better than Ed Reed in the secondary.


(bostonherald.com)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ray Lewis knows what kind of game the AFC championship is going to be Sunday. It’s the kind that really will be settled before the first ball is kicked off.

“It’s a film study game with him,’’ Lewis said of Patriots [team stats] quarterback Tom Brady [stats]. “He wants to ID everything that’s coming out and know what you’re in. Your job is to disguise and not show him all of that. It’s a chess match, almost.

“When you speak about Tom you’re talking about arguably one of the best quarterbacks of all time. You’ve got your hands full from day one, before you even step on the field with him.’’

What makes the Patriots offense so difficult to prepare for is not only the presence of Brady but the design of so many of their pass routes, which leave defenses’ heads spinning.

“They do a lot of clever things,’’ Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “The more you study it, the more respect you have for what they’re doing. (Brady’s) got total control of what they’re doing.’’


(boston.com)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Ed Reed voiced his critical opinion of Joe Flacco's performance last Sunday against the Texans, and Ravens leader Ray Lewis today voiced the general opinion of the locker room, which was that Reed's comments were a non-issue.

With the Ravens set to face the Patriots for the AFC Championship in four days, Lewis did everything to ensure that comments Reed made on a Sirius satellite radio show that Flacco looked rattled in the Ravens' 20-13 win wouldn't take on a life of their own.

"It’s not an issue," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "I haven’t heard what he said, but it’s not an issue. The only issue we have as a team is going up and trying to get a win in Foxborough. Anything else that anyone else wants to bring up is irrelevant at this time and every single person in our locker room is thinking the same way."

Flacco threw two touchdown passes in the win, capitalizing on two early turnovers, but after the first quarter the Ravens offense largely stalled. That said, this is the fourth time Flacco's been to the playoffs in his four-year career and this will be the second time he's gone to the AFC Championship. He's the first quarterback since the 1970 merger to take his team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons. He is the Ravens' franchise leader in completions (1,190), attempts (1,958), yards (13,816), touchdowns (80), and passer rating (86.0).

"I'm more shocked just of how people can speak about someone who's just a flat out winner," Lewis said. "There's no one side to anything. There's no one player that makes no team great. It takes a team effort. And for what Joe's came in here and done for us, I told people from Day 1, when I first saw that kid throw the football, I said that kid is special. And you watch all of these guys who went in the top picks, No. 1 picks that's not even in football anymore. But you're talking about a guy that's been in this league and has been in the playoffs all four years and has given his team an opportunity to win games.

Flacco threw 20 touchdowns and 12 picks this season in an up and down season.

"Joe doesn't play defense. So when we gave up touchdowns on defense, that wasn't Joe's fault. When people beat us on defense or schemed up something against us, that wasn't Joe's fault. The time that Pittsburgh scrambled and made a big play against us, that wasn't Joe's fault. So a lot of things that people try to put on the quarterback, I understand that, but it ain't about our quarterback. It's about the Baltimore Ravens and we're a complete team. We go into games, we win as a team, we lose as a team."


(boston.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Three trips to the Pro Bowl apparently were not enough. Anchoring the defense only on certain occasions would not do, either.

No. New England Coach Bill Belichick wanted more from Vince Wilfork this season, despite Wilfork’s exceptional play in his first seven years with the Patriots, which included helping the team make two Super Bowls and win one.

It is safe to say that Wilfork probably exceeded Belichick’s expectations. He is headed to his fourth Pro Bowl, but, more important to him and his coach, the Patriots are in Sunday’s A.F.C. championship game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Wilfork was an almost ubiquitous presence on defense for the Patriots this season, one of only two defensive players to start all 16 games. (Linebacker Rob Ninkovich was the other.) And he was on the field most of the time. In front of a crowd of news media members that included TV crews, linebacker Jerod Mayo said Wednesday: “You rarely see a defensive lineman playing 90 percent of the snaps. He’s one of those guys, I don’t want to say his weight on camera, but he’s a big guy, you can all see that. That’s very impressive in its own right.”

Wilfork, who is listed at 325 pounds, bounced from position to position, playing tackle, nose tackle, when the Patriots went to a 3-4 defense, and even defensive end for one game. He led the defensive line in tackles with 74, although he noted Wednesday that his wife thought he was not making enough of them. For the first time in his career, he scored a touchdown, recovering a fumble in the end zone during the Patriots’ 34-27 victory at Washington on Dec. 11.

“I thought he had an outstanding year last year, but this year he has even gone a step higher,” Belichick said. “He has played a lot of plays. He has become an every-down player, not just a situational player. He has performed whatever role we asked of him, done a lot of different things for us and done them well. He has shown a lot of versatility.”

Even more memorable were Wilfork’s two pass interceptions — “legendary,” Belichick called them. One came against San Diego, the other against Oakland, and Wilfork rumbled a total of 47 yards after the picks.

“A lineman’s dream,” Wilfork said. “I think having the ball in your hands as a lineman, that’s a dream come true. Too bad it wasn’t a touchdown.”
While Wilfork has had another notable season, he is also part of a defense that has been consistently porous, starting with the surrendering of 488 yards in total offense to Miami in the season opener. The Patriots were ranked last in the A.F.C. in total defense for 15 of the regular season’s 17 weeks. They were ranked next to last the other two weeks.

The main weakness, however, was not along the defensive line, where Wilfork does his dirty work. It was the secondary. New England’s pass defense was ranked last in the A.F.C. for all but one of the 17 weeks (and next to last in the other week.) In only four of the Patriots’ 16 games did an opposing team pass for fewer than 300 yards. The rushing defense, however, was never lower than eighth over all in the conference.

Asked if he thought the Patriots’ overpowering offense made the defense less critical, Wilfork said, “I don’t believe that.”

He added, “If you can’t stop anyone, you can’t win.”

Wilfork is the sole defensive holdover from the Patriots’ last Super Bowl championship, when they defeated Philadelphia, 24-21, in Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005. That Patriots team had defensive players like Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest, Rosevelt Colvin and Rodney Harrison. This one? Not quite so intimidating.

But where naysayers see bad defensive statistics, Wilfork sees a unit good enough to help the Patriots to a 13-3 regular-season record and the No. 1 seeding in the conference. Where doubters point to a porous secondary, Wilfork counters with the team’s conference-leading plus-17 turnover margin, which included 23 interceptions, the most in the A.F.C.

And the Patriots’ defense is coming off perhaps its best game of the season, having shut down Tim Tebow and the Broncos last weekend. Denver managed just 252 total yards, and the clearly flustered Tebow was 9 of 26 passing while being sacked five times.

“All year we had confidence,” Wilfork said. “The main thing is guys believe. There is not a week that we come in here and guys don’t believe what we are capable of doing as a defense. It can take us a long way.

“We don’t want to be good; we want to be great, especially at this time. You want to be able to make the game-changing plays and great situational plays. All that comes in, but this team won’t go away.”

No, it has not. This will be the sixth appearance in an A.F.C. title game for the Patriots under Belichick. They have only lost once, at Indianapolis in January 2007. They have not lost any at home, and Wilfork wants to make sure it stays that way Sunday.


(nytimes.com)

The wind blows, fish swim and New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle talks. Rolle is a very good football player, but talking is the activity for which he is best known. At a time when pro athletes are looking for ways not to talk the media -- specifying only one day per week on which they'll do interviews, for example -- Rolle is a nonstop talking machine.

He talks on Mondays, when players are still weary from the game and the flight home. He talks on Wednesdays and Thursday and Fridays, when the locker room fills with reporters looking for colorful quotes and insight. He talks after games, win or lose, happy or angry. Heck, he even talks on Tuesdays, which is the players' day off. He does a weekly radio appearance on Tuesdays that's appointment listening for everyone who covers the team because it almost always generates news.

"Trel likes to talk, but he's a guy you listen to," Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said Sunday, after Rolle turned in his best game as a Giant in the playoff victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field. "When he says something, he usually has a reason why he said it."

Of this season's Giant developments, the emergence of Rolle as a voice of locker-room reason had to be among the least likely. This is his second year in New York; he signed as a free agent from Arizona before the 2010 season. A year ago, he was complaining about Tom Coughlin and saying the playoff-bound Jets had better team chemistry. A month ago, after the loss to the Redskins that dropped the Giants to 7-7, Rolle stood at his locker and talked about how guys needed to stop sitting out practice with minor injuries.

This is stuff you're not supposed to say to the media -- stuff that stirs controversy and can injure that aforementioned team chemistry. And with the Giants' secondary playing as poorly as it was at the time, the immediate reaction was to proclaim Rolle a malcontent. Columns were written in New York suggesting that all Rolle did was talk -- first guy to the microphone, last guy to the ball, stuff like that. Outside the Giants' locker room, the first reaction to Rolle's words was concern that the team could be on the verge of a meltdown.

But inside the locker room, the reaction was much different. Rolle's words in the wake of the Redskins loss hit home with defensive end Justin Tuck, who had been sitting out practices with nagging injuries but playing on Sundays. Never mind that Rolle went out of his way, that day and in his radio spot two days later, to say specifically that he wasn't calling out Tuck. Tuck, a tenured Giant with a Super Bowl ring who could either have easily brushed off Rolle's perceived swipe or angrily fired back, took the words to heart. In Tuck's own words, what Rolle said "struck a chord." After that, and a conversation with Coughlin, Tuck was back on the practice field that week along with Ahmad Bradshaw and several other teammates whose nicks and bruises had been keeping them on the exercise bikes.

"I can't take credit for that," Rolle said Tuesday on that weekly radio appearance on WFAN in New York City. "Guys have turned things around on their own and for the betterment of this team. We have one goal in mind, and that's to compete and win a championship."

In that same interview, Rolle was asked about 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, who'd said a few days earlier that he'd "prayed" for the Giants to beat the Packers. Rolle's answer was this:

"If he said that, I can only hope that he was saying it just because they wanted to get a home game. You know, they'd better be careful what they ask for, because their wish has been granted and we will see those boys come Sunday."

The second part of the quote is the one being played up, because that's the way things work in this league and this business these days. But the fact is, Davis was clearly, and as he himself explained, only saying what he said because the 49ers preferred to play the NFC Championship Game at home. By now, Rolle surely knows that, and although it's possible this "Rolle vs. Davis" storyline will be kept alive this week, you can be certain Rolle won't be the one responsible for doing so. He talks, yes, but he doesn't appear to suffer nonsense. Rolle's talking has a purpose.

He may come off as a blustery yapper, but what Rolle has done over the past few weeks defies the modern sports establishments' attempts at easy categorization. This is a guy who talks -- all the time, yes -- but also backs it up. His individual performance against the Packers, which included occasional one-on-one coverage of Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley in addition to his usual safety role, was one of the main reasons the Giants' secondary held up against Green Bay's aerial attack. Earlier this year, while they were waiting for top draft pick Prince Amukamara to return from injury, Rolle served as the nickel cornerback. For all of his talk, he has been an obvious and willing team player since arriving in New York. And upon further examination, all of Rolle's talk seems to have real, team-oriented purpose behind it.

Rolle's not out there bellowing about how great he is. He's not getting in the opposing coach's face and yelling, "Time to shut up, fat boy!" as a teammate of his did. He's not planting deleterious information about teammates in off-the-record interviews. Rolle is out there, playing hard, and the talking he does is intended for the good of the team. Although his personality might not appear to fit the traditional Big Blue profile, Rolle has emerged late this season as one of the leaders in the Giants' locker room.

He's doing it his own way, sure, and it's doubtful anyone saw Rolle-as-leader coming. But when he talks, even the veterans in that room listen. And leaders are judged, in the end, on results.


(espn.com)

For those of you who are also suckers for a good baseball story involving fathers and sons, Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez has one that will warm your winter bones.

In a recent interview with Jim McCarthy Jr. of Bleacher Report, the 26-year-old right-hander related the tale of how much he enjoyed his first-trip to the All-Star game — and how he made sure to thank his father for being there for him during every step of his career.

"The morning of the All-Star game there was a family brunch for the players and their families," Chris Perez said. "Before entering the brunch, they handed out All-Star rings. When I picked mine up, they asked me to try it on. (I already had planned to give the ring to my Dad, so I had told them to make the ring 5 sizes too big for me.) My Dad was right next to me and noticed how big it was on me. I tried to play it off, but he kept making a deal about it. So finally I just walked away.

"Flash forward to after the game, my family and I are relaxing back in the hotel, and I pulled out the ring and gave it to him. He was shocked/surprised/happy/speechless. I couldn't think of anyone else that deserved the ring more than him; he's the reason I love the game, and the reason I became an All-Star."

That's great stuff right there. Though Perez never saw the field during the Midsummer Classic, the expanded rosters still gave he and his father the chance to share a special moment like Heath Bell did with his dad the year before. There are a lot of arguments to be made against the expanded rosters, but this is definitely one for them.

If you're wondering what Perez's dad thought of the gesture, you're also in luck. Tim Perez told his side of the story to the Bradenton Herald last July.

"I wasn't expecting it. We were in the room, and Chris just said 'I want to give you something,'" [Tim Perez] recalled. "My first reaction was, 'Son this is your ring. And he says 'No, dad, I wouldn't here without you.' I wasn't expecting anything. I was just a dad supporting his son."
Just a dad supporting his son. And a son paying thanks to his dad. Maybe some of you roll your eyes at the saccharine sweetness of it all, but I don't think it gets much better.

Chris Perez finished the 2011 season with 36 saves and a 3.32 ERA, but like his Indians, stumbled a bit in the second half. It'll probably take another stellar first half from both sides for Perez to make another All-Star game, but it sounds like it'll be tough to top the moment that he and his pops had during his first trip.


(sports.yahoo.com)

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who faces a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, is expected to speak at a banquet where he will accept his National League MVP award.

Braun will appear at the annual awards dinner of the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Saturday in New York, a spokesman for the player told The New York Times.

"He will be there and he will accept his award," Matthew Hiltzik told The Times.

In December, ESPN's "Outside The Lines" reported, citing sources, that the positive test showed elevated levels of testosterone in Braun's system.
A spokesman for Braun confirmed the positive test at the time, but said "there are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan's complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation" of baseball's drug-testing program.

Braun faces a 50-game suspension if the initial finding is upheld. He is appealing the ruling. Last month, he told USA Today that the test result was "B.S."

He has not made a public appearance since news of the positive test broke Dec. 10. Hiltzik told The Times that Braun does not intend to do interviews Saturday. Braun was named MVP on Nov. 22.

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp finished second in MVP balloting. The BBWAA said it has no intention of taking the award from Braun.
In April, Braun signed a five-year contract extension with the Brewers worth $105 million. He went out and had the best season of his career, carrying the Brewers to their first division title in nearly three decades.

He led the league in slugging percentage at .597, with a .332 batting average, 33 home runs, 111 RBIs, 109 runs scored and 33 stolen bases.


(espn.com)

The Broncos will have offensive players in the Pro Bowl.

The team announced Tuesday that left tackle Ryan Clady and running back Willis McGahee have been added to the Pro Bowl roster. Both players had been first alternates.

McGahee and Clady will join defensive teammates Champ Bailey, Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil in Honolulu.

McGahee was the Broncos’ best free agent addition in 2011 — racking up seven 100-yard games this year, and helping the Broncos lead the league in rushing. McGahee also made the Pro Bowl in 2007 when he played for Baltimore.


(denverpost.com)

Antrel Rolle has been on a roll the past couple of days.

The Giants' safety, who would later address 49ers tight end Vernon Davis' comments, started out by telling reporters that New York "can't be beat" in the NFC Championship Game in San Francisco on Sunday.

Or, in the Super Bowl, for that matter.

"We wouldn't say we're unstoppable, but our mind-set is extreme at this point. We're not going to be denied. ... I might be a little biased, but in our minds, we can't be beat," Rolle said Monday.

"It don't matter who we play," Rolle said. "You can put an All-Star team in front of us, and we're going to go out there and compete. We don't fold. No matter what happens, if there's a bad call, or things aren't going our way, we're not going to break."

Then Tuesday, Rolle was asked on New York radio station WFAN what he thought about Davis saying that he "prayed and prayed" that the Giants would beat the Packers so that the 49ers could face New York at home.

"If he said that, I can only hope he's saying it just because they want to get a home game," Rolle said. "They better be careful what they ask for, because their wish is being granted and we'll see them come Sunday."

Then, probably grabbing the microphone like he was a professional wrestler, Rolle made sure all the listeners knew he was ready for Sunday's game.

"I don't give a damn who we're playing, man," Rolle said. "That's my take. I'll take any opponent, any given day. That's my attitude. If someone has a problem with it, oh well. But that's how I am. That's how I was raised. I don't shy away from any opponent.

"My heart doesn't pump any Kool-Aid, only blood. I'm ready for whenever, however, whatever, however it gets to me. I'm ready for it."

There was a little bit of Kool-Aid in there as Rolle did have a couple of sweet things to say, praising quarterback Alex Smith for leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game.

"The No. 1 challenge is going to be the mental aspect," Rolle said. "They are a mentally tough team. They are extremely hungry. I used to play against those guys twice a year when I was in Arizona. This is a totally, totally different team. I mean the mind-set, they are very hungry and very determined and they want to win just as bad as we do. I think it will come down to a defensive battle."

And that's where Rolle comes in. The Giants have won four games in a row, and Rolle said he and his teammates are "not going to be denied" the next two games.

"I wouldn't take the field if I felt otherwise," Rolle said. "More than us gelling as a team, we are believing as a team. We understand where we are, we understand where we are trying to get to and what it takes for us to get there. We will do everything in our power. We won't be denied at this point. We are all in."


(sfgate.com)

On re-signing defensive end Calais Campbell -- Talks are ongoing. That's as detailed as either side wants to get. Campbell's leverage is that he's due to become an unrestricted free agent in March. The Cardinals' leverage is that they can use the franchise or transition tag on Campbell. It makes sense for both sides to want to get a deal done. My guess is Campbell signs a long-term deal, and the money involved will be eye-popping. But, remember, the salary cap increases substantially in two years. By then, Campbell's deal will look more reasonable.

This fits into my simiplistic belief when it comes to compensation: Someone has to get paid.

Taken individually, a team can make a strong case against paying a player. But put those cases together and a lot of talent is allowed to leave the building. Karlos Dansby is an example. The Cardinals balked at paying Dansby so much money when they opened negotiations in, oh, 2006, or so. But two years later, that deal would have looked pretty good.

Campbell is just too good to allow him to hit free agency. He plays hard. He's improving. He's 25. He's a good guy in the locker room and in the community. If I'm an owner writing a big check, I'd feel pretty good about making it payable to Calais Campbell.


(azcentral.com)

FS Ed Reed has called out the Ravens' offensive line and quarterback Joe Flacco for their play in Sunday's Divisional Round win over the Texans.

Speaking in a Tuesday radio interview, Reed said Flacco was "rattled" by the Texans' defense, and "just didn't look like he had a hold on the offense." He continued, "(the) offensive line gotta block better ... they gotta communicate better, gotta pick up blocks (and) Joe's gotta get the ball out of his hand." Reed is on the short list of NFL players who can say whatever they want, but a team leader publicly calling out his play likely isn't what Flacco needed heading into the biggest game of his life Sunday.


(rotoworld.com)

Matt Birk (Ravens center, 6-4, 310 lbs, 14 years experience) vs. Vince Wilfork [stats] (Patriots [team stats] nose tackle, 6-2, 325, 8 years)

Advantage Birk:
There’s not much, if anything, the 35-year-old Harvard graduate hasn’t seen on the football field. Birk has the edge with intelligence and experience. He was named the sixth smartest athlete by the Sporting News. The six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection surely won’t get caught up in the moment of the AFC Championship Game.

Advantage Wilfork:
The 30-year-old Wilfork is in the prime of his career compared to Birk, who will retire at the end of the season. And he has momentum. The four-time Pro-Bowl and four-time All-Pro selection totaled 1.5 sacks last Saturday against the Broncos and despite being doubled nearly every play, he’s put up some of the best numbers in his career this season. And by doubling him, it opens up other defensive linemen like Kyle Love.

What’s at stake:
It’s essential that the Patriots get pressure on the quarterback and that starts with Wilfork. During their 33-14 playoff loss to the Ravens in 2010, the Patriots had zero sacks or hits on Joe Flacco. The defensive line also needs to stop the run. In 2010, Ray Rice torched them for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The battle of the trenches very well could determine this game.

Skinny:
Wilfork routinely abuses centers with a quick burst and solid leverage, overwhelming them with power and a rare motor for a big guy. While Birk has seen it all and can still get it done, his endurance probably will be a factor. Initially, he may be able to stay with Wilfork, and rangy for a center, Birk could keep Wilfork off him initially. But considering the shape Wilfork is in, Birk won’t be able to hold him off for long. Expect plenty of help from each guard.


(bostonherald.com)

Heat swingman James Jones plays one of the most interesting roles in the NBA.

One game he doesn’t even step on the court and watches everything from the bench. The next game he’s a starter and contributes significantly. Jones did not play in the Heat’s final two games of its five-game road trip, but on Tuesday he was a starter, filling in once again for injured star Dwyane Wade.

“Whenever I get an opportunity to play, my teammates and coaches expect me to come in and perform and that’s mind-set going into it,” Jones said during Tuesday’s morning shootaround. “This is a big game against San Antonio. Our team desperately needs some energy and life after a tough road trip.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra calls Jones a relief pitcher but, keeping with the baseball metaphor, Jones really is more like a utility player who can just as effectively fill in as a pinch hitter, second baseman or left fielder. Entering Tuesday, the Heat was 3-0 with Jones as a starter.

Jones was shooting 48.4 percent from three-point range before Tuesday, which represents a significant jump above his career average (40.2). More impressive than his shooting percentage, Jones’ level of professionalism has remained steady despite his difficult role. He said it’s something he wouldn’t have been able to do earlier in his career.

“It has been a three-year process,” Jones said. “Since the day I first got here, I’ve had to adjust the way I prepare; the way I play. And now I’m at a comfort level where regardless of where I’m playing that night — if I’m playing 30 minutes or I’m playing one minute — my mentality is the same.”


(miamiherald.com)

Jon Jay and World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals visited the White House and President Obama on Tuesday. Jay is pictured below in the first row third from the left.


Jon Jay on WhoSay

CLEVELAND — All-Star closer Chris Perez and the Cleveland Indians have locked up a one-year contract to avoid arbitration.

Perez, who had 36 saves last season, will make $4.5 million in 2012. He earned $2.25 million last season, when he developed into one of the AL’s premier finishers.

The 26-year-old had 36 saves in 40 tries, ending the year with a save in his final nine chances.


(washingtonpost.com)

At some point Saturday evening, hundreds of baseball fans, players, officials and members of the news media will sit in rapt attention as Ryan Braun approaches the podium to make a short speech at the Hilton in Manhattan.

It has been a little over a month since news broke that Braun had tested positive for an abnormally high level of testosterone and was facing the possibility of a 50-game suspension. That came just weeks after Braun was named the National League most valuable player by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers’ left fielder, has not made a public appearance since then, but on Saturday at its annual awards dinner, the writers association will present the award to Braun. Despite the controversy, he plans to attend.

“He will be there and he will accept his award,” said Matthew Hiltzik, a spokesman for Braun.

Braun does not intend to do interviews Saturday, but perhaps his speech will reflect his sentiments from the day he was named M.V.P. When the award was announced on Nov. 22, Braun had already been informed of the positive results of the drug test, which was administered in October.

In interviews that day, he praised the runner-up, Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and said the reason he won the award was because he played for a winning team and Kemp did not. “He had one of the greatest seasons in Dodgers history,” Braun said. “If he had won, I couldn’t have argued with it.”

Braun was said to have had an abnormally high level of testosterone. Braun, through his representatives, has insisted he is innocent and is appealing the ruling, but he has given no clear indication what his defense will be, and he is unlikely to do so Saturday.

Braun will face a three-member panel to hear his appeal, most likely this month, and the usual process provides for an announcement if the initial ruling is upheld and he is suspended. Any suspension would probably begin opening day, meaning Braun could attend spring training.

There is no provision in the process for an announcement if he is exonerated. But because the case has become public, Major League Baseball and the players union could agree to reveal the decision if Braun is cleared.

Braun, who was the rookie of the year in 2007, won the M.V.P. with an outstanding season in which he batted .332 with 33 home runs and 111 runs batted in with a .994 on-base plus slugging percentage. Kemp batted .324 with 39 home runs and 126 R.B.I. with a .986 O.P.S.

But the Dodgers won only 82 games, while the Brewers won 96 and went to the playoffs as the N.L. Central champions.


(nytimes.com)

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick called the Baltimore Ravens "a good solid team in all three phases of the game" when asked on WEEI on Monday about his team's opponent in the AFC championship game. He then became a bit more animated when the name Ed Reed was brought up.

Reed, the Ravens' formidable safety who had a key fourth-quarter interception in the Ravens' victory over the Houston Texans, could cause trouble for the Pats on Sunday.

"He's got great instincts... he's a magnet to the ball," Belichick said during his weekly radio appearance.

"He's got great vision and anticipation, he's very fast, he's got good quickness. But I'd say the big thing with him is his instincts. He has a great understanding of what's happening on the play, where the ball's going, who's threatening. He's almost always in great position -- and usually getting there before the play has totally unfolded."

So, how do you deal with an opposing safety like that?

"You gotta be careful with him," said Belichick. "You gotta know where he's at, because he's going to be by the ball. ... If you're throwing it, you better make sure that you can get the ball there before he does. And he's a good blitzer. Sometimes he's close to the line of scrimmage ... and he can fake the blitz and get back into coverage and be a factor back there, too. He's very good at disguising, very deceptive, but his anticipation and his instincts are, I'd say, second to none at that position and very comparable to Ray Lewis as a middle linebacker, who also has great awareness and instinctiveness."

Guess we know one point of emphasis for the Patriots this week.


(espn.com)

Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, punter Matt Bosher and linebacker Akeem Dent were all named to Pro Football Weekly’s all-rookie team, as voted on by Pro Football Weekly and the Professional Writers of America.

Bosher, a sixth-round pick, averaged 42.7 yards per punt, with four touchbacks and he placed 27 punts inside the 20-yard line.


(ajc.com)

OWINGS MILLS -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh reiterated that Pro Bowl free safety Ed Reed's left ankle isn't a major concern.

Reed had a rough landing when he knocked down a pass in the end zone toward the end of the Ravens' 20-13 AFC divisional playoff win over the Houston Texans.

"Ed looks like he's all right with the ankle," Harbaugh said Monday. "Everything's come up OK as far as the X-rays."


(carrollcountytimes.com)

Broncos coach John Fox "no longer wants Willis McGahee to have 20 to 28 carries," according to the Denver Post.

McGahee had at least 20 carries six times this season, and averaged 4.8 yards per attempt. He'll enter next season as the clear starter, but the Broncos may add talent to the position. Knowshon Moreno is recovering from an ACL tear.


(rotoworld.com)

Howard Schnellenberger and Bobby Bowden won't be stealing the spotlight when it comes to coaches for the Battle of Florida.

Check out this list of former college and NFL players ---

Devin Bush, Leon Searcy, Kerwin Bell, Ernie Mills, Jesse Hester, Oronde Gadsen.

And that is just he North side...

Mike Rumph, Mike Kruczek, Donnell Bennett and Don Soldinger are among those on the South.

Now some names may pop out, some not, but google the ones you don't know.

That is a lot of firepower. Rumph was a Delray kid who played at Atlantic, starred at Miami, and went on to solid NFL career.

Searcy was another Miami to NFL guy. Hester went to FSU then to the NFL, etc, etc.

I'm sure the players will like having former NFL players helping them this week.


(sun-sentinel.com)

Did Ray Lewis play his final home game at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday?

When Lewis was asked that exact question by ESPN's Sal Paolantonio after the game, the 16-year middle linebacker smiled.

"Football is too fun for me, man," Lewis said. "I love it too much to ever even put that thought in my head and disrespect not just me and my craft, but disrespect my team. I just never thought of it. Whenever God says time is enough, then it's enough. But when you're having the fun that I'm having, and you're playing at the level I'm playing at, do it until you can't do it no more."

Lewis had his best game since returning from a toe injury. In Sunday's divisional playoff game against Houston, he recorded a team-best eight tackles, including one for a loss, and nearly picked off a pass.

The Ravens, who play at New England in the AFC Championship Game, finished perfect at home this season after a 20-13 win over the Texans. There has been speculation that Lewis would retire if the Ravens won the Super Bowl this season.

Meanwhile, Baltimore center Matt Birk disputed a CBS report by former NFL general manager Charley Casserly that he has made up his mind to retire at the end of the season. Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl center, is in the final year of his contract with the Ravens after playing for them for three seasons.

"No, I haven't made that decision yet, and I don't know Charley Casserly," said Birk, who turns 36 before the start of next season. "I don't even know who he is. I don't know him, he didn't talk to me and that's all I can say."


(espn.com)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants wanted a rematch against the San Francisco 49ers the second they walked off the field at Candlestick Park with a 27-20 loss in November.

But the Giants say it really doesn't matter who is in front of them at the moment. With their confidence and swagger growing by the minute, the Giants would take on a Pro Bowl team right now and believe they would come out victorious.

"We're not going to be denied," safety Antrel Rolle said of the Giants' "swagged out" mental state of mind at the moment. "We understand what we have as a team. It's not all about talent, it's all about chemistry. We're jelling at this point."

"We wouldn't say we're unstoppable but our mindset is extreme at this point and we're not going to be denied," Rolle continued. "That's our mindset. In our minds, we can't be beat."

The Giants face the 49ers on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game riding a four-game winning streak and a tidal wave of confidence. Fresh off dismissing the defending Super Bowl champion Packers, 37-20, the Giants like their chances of going back to their first Super Bowl since the 2007 season.

"We are riding a lot of momentum, a lot of confidence," wide receiver Victor Cruz said. "We're a scary team right now because of the confidence and amount of passion we are playing with right now. At every position, not just Eli (Manning) or myself or the defense. Everyone is playing with that same confidence and intensity."

The Giants probably would have expressed the same type of confidence if they had to face the Saints. But they suffered their worst loss of the season to Drew Brees in New Orleans, 49-24, in November.

The Giants got the match up they wanted. They don't have to go through the Superdome to get to the Super Bowl and get to face a 49ers team that they feel they should have beaten the first time around. They fell 10 yards shy of scoring a late touchdown that would have sent their last meeting to overtime.

"Just how we played against New Orleans and how we played against San Fran, definitely, it works out in our favor a little bit," Cruz said when asked about facing the Niners as opposed to the Saints. "That we are able to get San Fran as opposed to New Orleans just because of how we feel about (the 49ers) and we understand that we have a good chance of winning that game. We felt like we had a chance to win. We understood that if we saw them again, it could potentially be a different outcome and we wanted that opportunity."

The Giants were a much different team when they last saw the 49ers. They were coming off the high of winning in New England and were 6-2 at the time but they lost linebacker Michael Boley in the first half to a hamstring injury and the defense fell apart without their valuable linebacker in the fourth quarter. With Boley watching on the sideline, the Giants suffered breakdowns that led to two 49ers' touchdowns in 61 seconds.

Defensive end Justin Tuck wasn't healthy at that point in the season, and the Giants secondary is much more in sync and the pass rush is considerably more formidable this time around.

The Giants forced four turnovers and held Green Bay's explosive offense in check as Aaron Rodgers' longest pass was for 21 yards. In their four consecutive wins, the Giants have collected 17 sacks and have allowed an average of just 12 points per game. They also shut down Green Bay's talented tight end Jermichael Finley, who had just four catches for 37 yards. One of the Giants' main focus points on Sunday will be containing San Francisco's tight end Vernon Davis.

"Has to be," Boley said. "He is one of the two things that keeps their team going."

That other thing is running back Frank Gore. Of course, the Giants don't want to underestimate quarterback Alex Smith either.

But they are oozing confidence because of the play of their own quarterback. Manning has engineered an offense loaded with dynamite big-play ability and connected with wide receiver Hakeem Nicks for a 66-yard touchdown and a 37-yard Hail Mary at the end of the first half against Green Bay. He also has touchdowns of 72, 74 and 99 yards in the last four games.

And it doesn't matter where the Giants play as they have embraced coach Tom Coughlin's call to be Road Warriors again like that 2007 Super Bowl team that won as the road team in the postseason.

The Giants welcome the idea of playing at an amped up Candlestick again.

"I could care less about how hostile it is," Rolle said. "When you're at home, you want to bring 'em to their feet. When you're away, you want to bring 'em to their knees."

"It doesn't matter who we play," he added. "At this point, the way we are playing ball, if we go out there and take care of things during the week, it doesn't matter who you put in front of us. You put an all-star team in front of us, we are going to go out there and be the best that we can be on that Sunday."


(espn.com)

Kellen Winslow finished the 2011 season with a team-high 75 receptions on 121 targets for 763 yards and two touchdowns.




(fantasysp.com)

Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, in his weekly appearance on The Big Show, said that New England's defense played good football for the entire game the first time this season in their playoff victory against the Broncos Saturday night. The Patriots defeated Denver, 45-10, advancing to the AFC Championship game this Sunday in Foxboro. Wilfork said the team's bye week helped shore up a defensive unit that struggled with inconsistency all season.

“The week we had off with the bye really helped us in different aspects of the game,” said Wilfork. “Everyone used their time well. We're looking for better football in the postseason. Now that we've seen it, guys can understand how it feels to play 60 minutes of good football. It felt real good. We want to keep this feeling and everyone knows it starts in practice.”

New England's next opponent is the Ravens, who defeated the Texans on Sunday in the divisional round, 20-13. Wilfork went to college with one of the anchors of Baltimore's defense, Ed Reed. He praised Reed's ability to make plays on the field, but knows Reed's intangibles and work ethic set him apart.

“[Reed] is the type of player that works so hard in the film room and practice,” said Wilfork. “He wants to know what you're doing. He is very smart when it comes to playing football. That's something you can't teach. He's a special, special player.”

Although, Wilfork called the defensive performance the most complete game New England has had all season, the four-time Pro-Bowler said the Patriots need to take their play to a whole new level in order to advance to the Super Bowl.

“Good won't get the job done right now,” he said. “You have to chase greatness. Trust me there's a bunch of guys out there who are taking there game to a whole new level out there on the field...We're looking to take a step forward. We can't take a step backward or stay the same. We have to get better.”


(weei.com)

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reports the Bucs will interview Panthers OC Rob Chudzinski for their head-coaching vacancy on Tuesday.

They're interviewing Bengals DC Mike Zimmer today and Chud tomorrow. The Bucs have been deliberate in their coaching search, as promised by owner Joel Glazer. Tampa Bay is expected to end up meeting with at least six candidates.


(rotoworld.com)

As the twitterverse exploded with Vernon Davis’ touchdown to seal the deal in San Francisco, the tears flowed and apparently the images of players storming the field were strong enough to invoke deep feelings in one former Redskin. Clinton Portis had this to say just moments after the 49ers defeated the Saints:

“I just got chills think I’m ready to play again!!!!”


(riggosrag.com)

Q: Got a stat for you: Miami is 8-0 when James Jones takes a least one shot, 0-4 when he doesn't. Don't you think it shows how much better LeBron James and the team play when there's a shooter on the floor? -- Adrian.

A: Hmm, I looked it up and you're right. That's not to say that they won because James was shooting or even operating as a decoy. And James almost always gets his shots because of others, be it off dribble penetration or out of double-teams. What it says is that the Heat need a shooter on the floor, but that shooter might soon instead be Mike Miller.

Read more of Ira Winderman’s Q&A here.


(sun-sentinel.com)

ST. LOUIS -- As Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun continues to appeal a suspension under Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, he does so with the support of at least one college teammate.

Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay, who played with Braun at the University of Miami, said on Sunday that he has been in touch with his former teammate since word leaked last month that Braun tested positive for a banned substance during the 2011 season. Braun has since said through a spokesperson that the positive test was "highly unusual" and that he intends to have his name cleared and not serve a 50-game suspension.

"It's been a difficult situation for him because none of this stuff was supposed to come out," Jay said. "He is due his appeal process. He hasn't really had the chance to comment on everything because he has to let everything take its place. But I'm a big Ryan Braun supporter. He's one of those guys who has helped me out tremendously in my career, and we're great friends.

"It's an unfortunate situation right now, and hopefully everything can get cleared up."

A recent report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated that Braun's case would be heard by a panel of arbiters before the start of Spring Training.
Jay was taken in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, one year after the Brewers made Braun their first-round pick.


(mlb.com)