Tight end Jeremy Shockey, who has been the subject of trade talk all offseason, was one of four players not to attend. Shockey broke his left leg before the Giants playoff run and subsequently did not play in their Super Bowl win. He stayed away from the media frenzy during Super Bowl Week and watched the game from a Sky Box. Would you have gone to the ring ceremony if you were Shockey?

Check out Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett on Rocawear’s new “I Will Not Lose” campaign which celebrates those who overcome adversity daily to continue to thrive and make the world a better place. These individuals have omitted the word “can’t” from their vocabularies and have gone on to achieve in various ways. The campaign is the brainchild of Shawn Carter, aka Jay-Z.

A few days after the shooting death of NFL player Sean Taylor last year, one Fort Myers mother was unsatisfied with the answers her 16-year-old son was giving her.

Valerie Harris, the mother of Timmy Lee Brown, had heard about Taylor’s shooting on the news Nov. 26.

She hadn’t seen her son at all since Nov. 20, and she had also heard from Brown’s grandmother that police had come by asking about him.
When she next saw her son, on Nov. 30, Brown wouldn’t give her a specific answer about where he had been that weekend, other than to say he was with a friend. He didn’t say who the friend was.

“I asked him what was going on,” Harris said during an interview with investigators the following month. “His grandmother said the police was over her house looking for him. I said, ‘We need to go and turn you in and see what is going on. Why they keep bringing your name up?’ He said, ‘I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t there.’ So I said, ‘Well, for my mind’s sake we need to do this.’ ”

A transcript of that conversation between Harris and investigators was released this week by the State Attorney’s Office in Miami-Dade County, now that Brown has become the fifth suspect from Lee County to be arrested in the case. Brown will turn 17 years old in about a week.

The other suspects — Eric Rivera, 18, Charles Wardlow, 18, Jason Mitchell, 20, and Venjah Hunte, 20 — were arrested late last year. They all had been scheduled for August trials after being charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary, but Hunte took a plea deal earlier this month.

Brown, who is Wardlow’s cousin, was arrested May 14 in Lee County — a few days after the plea deal was agreed to — also on charges of first-degree murder and armed burglary. He transferred to a pre-trial detention center in Miami late last week.

Wardlow, Hunte, Rivera, Mitchell and Brown are all connected to each other by a mix of friendships, school, sports and family ties. There were also loosely linked to Taylor through the romance one of Wardlow’s relatives had with Taylor’s half-sister, and Mitchell had been to Taylor’s Palmetto Bay home before for a party where he saw Taylor’s wealth firsthand.

Investigators believe the men drove from Lee County the night of Nov. 25 in a rented SUV and attempted the burglary and shooting early Nov. 26.

Taylor, a 24-year-old player for the Washington Redskins, died from his injuries Nov. 27.

In Florida, suspects committing a felony that results in a death can be charged with murder, whether or not they were the ones to pull a trigger.

The death penalty has been waived for Mitchell, Rivera and Wardlow, and with Hunte’s plea deal, he is expected to serve 29 years in prison for second-degree murder and will cooperate with prosecutors.

(naplesnews.com)

HEMPSTEAD - When practice was over at the Jets' facility on the Hofstra University campus, Bubba Franks and Kellen Clemens walked over to the far side of the football field.

After missing on a pass earlier, the two started informally running a few patterns to get the rhythm down. When they finished, Franks jogged to the ball machine to catch a few more passes, and on the way passed by defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

"I studied that defense last week," Franks called out, and the two talked strategy for a few minutes as most other players headed for the locker.

Franks has been a tight end in the NFL for eight seasons but, in his first year with the Jets, he has a lot of learning to do. The former Packer is in the process of learning to read the 3-4 defense he will often encounter in the AFC, and gaining inspiration from everything from the playbook to the Lakers game he watched Wednesday night.

"You see a basketball player make a move and you say, 'Maybe I can use this move on that play,' and then you're studying again," the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Franks said.

The idea, he said, is to do so much reading and thinking that when he is on the field watching the plays unfold, instinct takes over.

"That's one big thing that separates just guys from great guys," Franks said. "If you can recognize it as well as the quarterback does then you're way ahead of the game."

Franks played for the University of Miami - his two children still live in Florida - and was the 14th overall pick in the 2000 draft. He has 32 career receiving touchdowns and has 2,300 yards on 256 catches.

The Jets signed the 30-year-old Franks to a one-year contract. Since two of his last three years at Green Bay were marred by injuries, the three-time Pro Bowl selection has to pull all the pieces together and make a play for a starting spot.

"Bubba's doing a nice job," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "He was in one system for his whole career and now he's learning another system, and I think he's doing a good job with the information. He's doing a good job with the different spots we've asked him to play. He's got a lot of reps, which is positive ... I think he'll be in a much better position when we go to training camp to be in the best spot possible to continue to compete."

Franks is one of several veterans acquired during the offseason, and last year's roster players are giving them the benefit of the doubt, at least publicly.

"Just seeing them out here on the field, their work ethic, the way they go about practice, meetings," running back Thomas Jones said. "If they haven't played in the Super Bowl, they played in the playoffs, so they know what it takes to win."

That's certainly the kind of stardust the Jets would like to see settle over the entire team.

(lohud.com)

Player, position, injury: Kellen Winslow Jr., TE, arthroscopic right knee surgery.

Rehab status: Winslow had a cleanout procedure this offseason and is rehabbing in his hometown of San Diego. His absence from organized team activities has caused a bigger stir than necessary in Cleveland because Winslow expressed displeasure with his contract at the Pro Bowl. But agent Drew Rosenhaus cleared the air last week, saying Winslow will be in mandatory minicamp beginning June 10.

Next step: When Winslow arrives, he probably will watch from the sideline until training camp. Cleveland has suffered enough injuries as it is this spring (cornerback Daven Holly, receiver Braylon Edwards, tight end Steve Heiden and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker. All were injured during "voluntary" workouts.

Fantasy spin: There's no question Winslow's knee issues figure into his fantasy value, making him a high-risk, high-reward guy for '08. He has 100-catch upside as basically another wide receiver down the middle of the field, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him top last season's five touchdowns. But if Winslow misses significant time, it's hard to say that any other tight end in Cleveland will have much fantasy impact, since Heiden is recovering from disk surgery. In fact, the biggest beneficiaries would probably be Donte' Stallworth and Joe Jurevicius, who would surely see more targets.

Player, Position, Injury: Andre Johnson, WR, injured left knee.

Rehab status: A knee problem forced Johnson to miss seven games last season, but team doctors didn't see a need to perform surgery at first. The injury knee flared up during a recent minicamp and Johnson had arthroscopic surgery to "clean up" the joint in mid-May. The rehab process is just beginning.

Next step: Johnson is missing an entire month of organized team activities, but the team and Johnson remain optimistic he'll be ready for the start of training camp.

Fantasy Spin: The fact that Johnson went ahead and had arthroscopic knee surgery may be a good thing for his '08 value. Maybe it means he'll stay healthy this season. He showed good chemistry with Matt Schaub in the brief period when both men were healthy in '07, and upped his yards per reception by more than three, a great indication that the Texans hope to use him downfield more. Johnson is still a top-five fantasy receiver, but considering his left knee has bugged him for nine months, he's definitely an injury risk. If he gets hurt again, Andre' Davis and Jacoby Jones would be the beneficiaries.

(espn.com)

The Ravens have reportedly been a little concerned with Willis McGahee’s conditioning this offseason after missing several practices.

The veteran RB has now reported and begun practicing, however, so this should be a non-issue as training camp nears. We expect big things from McGahee in Cam Cameron’s offense this year.

(no-offseason.com)

5. Ken Dorsey: No player better typified the Miami dynasty of the early part of the decade than Dorsey, the heady quarterback who led them to the national championship in 2001 and posted a record of 38-2 as the Hurricanes' starting quarterback.

Dorsey was a two-time Heisman finalist who rewrote Miami's record book, setting marks for passing touchdowns, completions, attempts, total offense and passing yards. His leadership also marked Miami's dominance, keeping his team in the national title hunt during most of his college career as the Hurricanes ran off a 34-game winning streak.

His big efforts enabled him to be a three-time All-Big East selection and two-time conference offensive player of the year. He was the co-MVP of the 2001 Rose Bowl, leading the Hurricanes to the national championship with a victory over Nebraska. He also directed Miami to a victory over Florida in the 2000 Sugar Bowl, earning MVP honors after passing for three touchdowns.

9. Ed Reed: A two-time consensus All-American, Reed was the unquestioned defensive leader of the Miami dynasty that claimed a national championship in his final college game. He was a catalyst for a talented Miami secondary that featured three pro-draft picks, helping to turn around the Hurricanes' program.

After an All-American season as a junior in 2000, Reed was a devastating force for the Hurricanes during his senior season. He led the nation with nine interceptions for a school-record 209 yards and three TDs. His biggest was a play that sealed a season-saving victory over Boston College, when he snatched a ball out of teammate Matt Walters' hands and raced 80 yards for a game-saving touchdown.

He capped his career with a dominating performance against Nebraska in the Rose Bowl, finishing as Miami's career leader in career interceptions, career interception return yards and interceptions return for touchdowns. His athletic versatility was highlighted with four career blocked punts as a special-teams standout and a javelin championship in the Big East conference track meet.

(espn.com)

The Philadelphia Daily News reports Eagles CB Tanard Davis got some punt-return reps yesterday. Davis is probably not a threat to unseat rookie WR DeSean Jackson. During the return work, Davis looked like he'd been spun around blindfolded before being asked to track the ball.

(ffmastermind.com)

When the Cleveland Gladiators take on in-state rival Columbus Destroyers fans of Cleveland's other football team, NFL's Cleveland Browns, will have a reason to attend the Arena Football League game. The Gladiators will honor team President Bernie Kosar, who famously adorned number 19 with his years with the Browns, by giving out bobblehead dolls of the former quarterback.

If you feel that you must get a doll get to the game against Columbus early. Only the first 10,000 fans will be receiving the bobbleheads. The Gladiators take on the Destroyers on June 21st at the Quicken Loans Arena.

(clevelandleader.com)

The Carolina Panthers first day of organized team activities commenced on Wednesday, and linebacker Jon Beason was back on the field participating fully, according to the Rock Hill Herald.

Our View: Beason had missed an earlier mini-camp after undergoing wrist surgery a few weeks ago. It was considered a minor procedure, and his participation in organized team activities is obviously a positive development in his recovery.

(rototimes.com)

The Broncos will wait before attempting to sign WLB D.J. Williams and C Tom Nalen to contract extensions.
Both are entering contract seasons. Nalen could re-up for another year next spring, but Denver has no reason to be aggressive with him as he comes off an injury and turned 37 in mid-May. Signing Williams will not be cheap.

(rotoworld.com)

Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell probably was the kid who told his teacher that his dog ate his homework.

His excuse for sitting out Tuesday's game with a stiff neck: His 120-pound pet Irish Bulldog, Elvis.

“I blame the dog,” Burrell said. “He had the pillow.”

Burrell woke up stiff on Tuesday morning and by early evening still couldn't turn his neck to his left.

“I couldn't turn to see the pitcher,” Burrell said.

Burrell was fine by yesterday and back in the Phils' lineup.

(phillyburbs.com)

ST. LOUIS -- Unwittingly, a St. Louis police officer tossed St. Louis Cardinals rookie Brian Barton's first career home run into the stands Tuesday night.

Barton's homer against right-hander Shawn Chacon in the fifth inning, one of the few highlights in the Cardinals' dismal 8-2 loss to Houston, landed in the Astros' bullpen. The policeman retrieved the souvenir and flipped it to a fan sitting in the left-field bleachers.

"I didn't even know it was in the crowd," said Barton, who was fortunate enough to get the ball after a member of the Cardinals' media relations team made a telephone call. "It's good that I got it back. It means a lot to me.

"One of the security guards or ushers got it for me. I signed a few hats for a couple of kids. I'm thankful they gave it back. I want to say thank you to them. I don't know who they are. It's a good feeling, but at the same time, it would have been better if we would have had a win."

Barton was appearing as a pinch-hitter for Braden Looper when he connected on Chacon's first pitch with one out in the fifth. The 390-foot drive made it 8-2.

"I feel like it's been a long time coming," said Barton, whose homer came in his 78th at-bat. "I happened to get a good pitch to hit. He left a slider up and I put a good swing on it. That was that.

"It was kind of like I was on a cloud. I'm quite sure my family back home in Arkansas is pretty happy and fired up, too."

(bnd.com)

Kellen Winslow missing voluntary workouts isn’t a big deal except that the Browns keep saying they don’t know why the tight end isn’t in Berea, as if they haven’t even been in touch with him.

Also, you would think Winslow, even though he’s still rehabbing from his latest knee surgery and unable to practice, would want to be with his teammates. You know, the whole espirit de corps thing, especially with such an important season ahead.

Then again, where would you want to spend time, San Diego or Cleveland?

Anyway, at least we got to see more of celebrity agent Drew Rosenhaus, who released another of his infamous YouTube videos this week rather than return phone calls from reporters wondering whether this is the prelude to a Winslow contract holdout.

Here’s the text of Rosenhaus’ statement:

“A lot of members of the Cleveland media have been calling me wanting to know why Kellen has not been in the OTAs, meaning organized team activities.

“I always say these are voluntary activities. They are not mandatory. And a player has the right to train on his own. Kellen is coming off offseason knee surgery and he’s doing his rehab and his training with a very fine trainer in his hometown of San Diego.

“He will be at the Browns’ mandatory minicamp (June 10-12) and he will be at the mandatory training camp. So, what’s the big to do?”

Well, if there’s any “to do” whatsoever, it concerns the fact that Winslow, when interviewed on satellite radio at the Pro Bowl, made it clear in no uncertain terms that he wants his contract redone even though it has three years remaining and the Browns have been generous to a fault with him.

Will Winslow and Rosenhaus seek to use all their leverage to get this done before the start of the season? The Browns allowed for the possibility of a holdout by drafting a tight end, Missouri’s Martin Rucker, in the fourth round last month.

Rosenhaus’ smarmy smile on that YouTube video can’t put anyone at ease, although he does not raise the contract issue.

“Guys have the opportunity to choose whether or not they want to go to these voluntary functions, and there shouldn’t be so much scrutiny on players who choose to work out on their own,” Rosenhaus said. “Kellen’s going to be ready to go and everything is going to be fine with him.”

We’ll see.

(daytondailynews.com)

METAIRIE --Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma compared playing in Eric Mangini's 3-4 defensive scheme with the New York Jets to riding a unicycle.

And Vilma doesn't do unicycles very well.

Vilma's most productive seasons in the NFL came when he played the middle in a 4-3 defense. They also came before Mangini.

So Vilma more than welcomed the late-February trade that sent him to New Orleans to play for the Saints and, more important, to line up in a 4-3 scheme that better suits his skill set.

"It wasn't that I didn't fit into the system," Vilma said. "It was one of those adjustment-type things where it's you are right-handed and someone is telling you to write left-handed. It was a really big adjustment, not just learning the defense but when you go out there and play and you have to consciously think about fitting and your assignment and footwork.

"That takes time just like anything. Two years and it was still a learning process. Now that I'm back to something that I'm used to playing with through most of my career, the learning process isn't there. It's just learning Xs and Os."

Picking up on the Saints' system hasn't been an issue for Vilma. Overcoming a knee injury that ended his 2007 season is more where his focus lies.

Through the first week of the Saints' organized team activities, head coach Sean Payton has pulled on Vilma's reins to slow the former Pro Bowl linebacker down.

"He's participating in half a practice," Payton said. "He's not taking part in any of the team reps, but he's working in the individual and seven-on-seven sessions. I have been encouraged with his progress. There have not been any setbacks. It's been real positive."

But Vilma doesn't do half-speed very well, either.

"It's one of those where there's no need to be out there and forcing the issue, especially when we have a couple of months ahead of us," Vilma said. "Right now it's more of a time where you just take it in stride and just gradually go... . For me it's really just about taking it easy. Unfortunately, I have to hold back, which is something that I don't like to do."

There were no signs of a limp during the first week of OTAs and Vilma didn't wear any sort of knee brace or protective sleeve. Vilma said he hasn't felt the need for a brace but isn't ready to declare himself 100 percent healthy yet.

"I'd say I'm pretty close," Vilma said. "I don't want to actually give a number just in case something happens. But right now I'm pretty close, barring any setbacks. I should be ready to go by training camp... . I feel good about where I'm at right now, but I'm not going to be satisfied until I get out there and we're playing full pads."

If Vilma fully recovers and plays anywhere near his first two seasons in New York, the two mid-round picks the Saints gave the Jets in exchange for Vilma may look like a small price to pay for an immediate difference maker.

Vilma didn't want to proclaim that the Saints got a steal.

"I don't even look at it that way," Vilma said. "I look at it as a new start, a new beginning. I look at it as something positive. It's a situation for me where I think it's an ideal situation.

"You come in and they obviously want me to play a leadership role and a starting role and being in a defense that I'm comfortable with and just being able to go. You're not worrying about some of the little things. You just really focus on getting better with the knee and going out there and playing."

Vilma feels his arrival, along with the numerous other offseason moves the Saints orchestrated, has brought added vigor to a Saints locker room still stinging from a disappointing '07 campaign.

"The vibe that I get is a hungry vibe," Vilma said. "It seems like regardless of the record last year, a lot of guys have an agenda. The agenda is not to just make the playoffs but to win it all. You can feel that. You can sense that in the demeanor and the approach of these guys. Especially veterans like Drew Brees where you can see how he's leading the group. It's exciting to see."

(sunherald.com)

LOS ANGELES --The questions isn't if, just when. On the day the Cardinals selected Chris Perez with a supplemental pick in the 2006 draft, vice president of player procurement Jeff Luhnow called him a "ready-made closer."

Perez threw 96 miles per hour and for most of two seasons he had held the role at Miami.

Less than two years later, Perez, a month shy of turning 23, is at the threshold of what those who scouted and signed him believe to be his career birthright. Promoted to St. Louis on the day the club put veteran closer Jason Isringhausen on the disabled list with a hand laceration, Perez has underscored the belief in five appearances containing 14 efficient outs.

It has taken five games for Perez to advance from major-league curiosity to late-innings factor, earning a win in his second outing, striking out the side in his fifth. He has allowed two baserunners and no runs.

"In his mind, Chris is where he was supposed to be," says Perez's father, Tim. "He may be surprising some people. But I don't think it's a surprise to him."

"I just want to keep doing what I've been doing to get here," Perez says. "I haven't changed anything. I'm the same as I was in (Class AAA) Memphis. If I do what I've been doing, I'll have success. It's about making pitches. There's no reason to make it more complicated than that."

To get here, Perez modified his delivery, improved his slider and began working on a change-up. He is staking no claim to the closer role, only offering evidence that he is prepared if the job comes his way.

Perez recently received the endorsement of Dodgers hard-thrower Brad Penny as well as positive reviews from manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan.

"He throws hard, he throws strikes with more than one pitch and he keeps the ball down," said Duncan, more often given to understatement than hyperbole.

With Perez entering only his fourth series as a major-league pitcher tonight against the Houston Astros, the buzz surrounding him is at such a level that La Russa suggests a sizable dose of restraint for any runaway bandwagon.

"Chris Perez is not ready to close on a daily basis," La Russa said Sunday before his team's series finale against Los Angeles. "That would not be good for him and it would not be good for us. He needs to grow into his responsibilities here. I don't even worry about how that sounds, because clearly from the way he's being used there's a confidence factor there."

With Ryan Franklin unavailable because of an extended appearance Friday, La Russa summoned Perez to get the final three outs in Saturday's 4-0 win. Perez did not qualify for a save because of the margin but his consecutive strikeouts of James Loney, Matt Kemp and Blake DeWitt screamed closer material.

Franklin, meanwhile, is unblemished as keeper of a role that La Russa insists awaits Isringhausen when he heals his hand and the inconsistencies that dogged him for three weeks.

"Just to be in the big leagues is huge," Perez says. "I'd be happy to be a long guy or whatever they need from me. I'm here to pitch."

The only thing more exciting to the Cardinals than the way Perez throws is what he represents. Perez, the seventh player overall from the 2006 amateur draft class to reach the major leagues, is believed to be only first in a line of power arms to move through the system onto the parent club's roster. Talents such as Jason Motte, Clayton Mortensen, Mark McCormick, Jaime Garcia and Jess Todd are among the fast-risers within what long was regarded as a dysfunctional pipeline.

Perez expected to begin 2007 at Class A Palm Beach but instead started at Double-A Springfield when their projected closer, Mike Sillman, was bumped up to Memphis. Perez saved 27 games for Springfield with 62 strikeouts against 17 hits allowed in 40 2/3 innings and advanced to Triple-A July 31. He converted 35 of 37 save chances between the two stops and was named to Team USA in last fall's World Cup.

Perez became the third rookie in the Cardinals bullpen when Luhnow personally escorted him into the Busch Stadium clubhouse. Kyle McClellan and Mike Parisi were already there.

"I see a dramatic change," says Cardinals minor-league pitching coordinator Dyar Miller, in his 14th consecutive season within the system. "It used to be you would check the daily report and there might be two or three guys touching 90 on the (radar) gun. They were the exceptions. Now you see the arms all over. That doesn't say everything. But it says a lot about what we're working with."

Perez is an unfinished product but is markedly more refined than a year ago, when spotty command allowed him only marginal success in 15 appearances at Memphis. There, he allowed six hits but walked 13.

"Chris knew that's what was holding him back," said Tim Perez. "He understood to take the next step he would have to improve that aspect."

Embracing Duncan's suggestion in February to throw only from the stretch has simplified what was an inconsistent delivery.

Miller said, "His arm was lower than it should have been, which flattened his breaking ball. He had a hard time repeating his delivery and maintaining command. He made big strides with that, and it shows in his performance up there."

Miller is among those less restrained about Perez's readiness to work the ninth inning. "He's pretty close," Miller says. "He just doesn't have the experience. But I don't think he's scared."

La Russa admittedly is more reluctant to expose younger players to certain roles: the Nos. 3-4 spots in the batting order, shortstop, catcher -- and closer.

Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina represent exceptions, but La Russa admits that Perez's age and inexperience are factors in the manager's slower approach.

In 30 seasons as major-league manager, La Russa has only twice entrusted the closer role to pitchers younger than 27. Salome Barojas (25) served as the 1982 Chicago White Sox's primary closer. The next season Bob James (26) replaced Barojas. La Russa successfully rode Dennis Eckersley with the Oakland A's and in his early seasons in St. Louis. Isringhausen has held the responsibility since 2002.

Perez entered the season with only 79 professional appearances covering 84 innings. A catcher in high school until his junior year, he possesses what scouts term a "young arm." It is a compliment.

Originally a starter, Perez approached Miami coach Jim Morris about moving to the ninth inning midway through his sophomore year. The role suited him perfectly.

"Chris has always liked the gun. He likes to throw as hard as he can. He wants to go in and blow you away," said Tim Perez. "But he also learned at Miami he can't do that all the time. As he matures and gets better coaching, he's started to become a pitcher."

The Cardinals eagerly anticipate the finished product.

(lakeexpo.com)

Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss will host a Football Camp in Alexandria, Va., on Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The purpose of the Santana Moss Football Camp is to provide fundamental football skills to every camper in an exciting and productive environment. Boys and girls ages 7-16 are welcome.

The camp will be geared towards the current abilities and ages of the campers. In an effort to mold well-rounded student-athletes, there will be conversations with current NFL players.

Registration will open at 9 a.m. on the first day of camp.

If you have not pre-registered, please arrive early since space is limited and the camp will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

For more information, contact Lily Stefano at 305-926-8210 or Carmen Wilson at 301-841-5989.

(redskins.com)

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Chicago Bears returner Devin Hester will join |NFL superstars Randy Moss, Shawne Merriman, Fred Taylor, Bob Sanders, T.J. Houshmanzedah and Julius Peppers and other NFL players as instructors for the Offense-Defense Football Camps held nationwide this summer.

O-D Football Camps, the Official Football Camp of the NFL Coaches Association, will work with football players between the ages of 7-18 all across the country, including a camp in Chicago.

Now in its 40th season of conducting the only full-contact camps in the country, O-D Football Camps will be held in 35 cities.

This summer's pro lineup reads like a hard-core fan's fantasy team, with seven Pro Bowl and 34 total NFL players taking part in the No. 1 Summer Sports Camp, as named by Sports Illustrated for Kids.

In keeping with the Offense-Defense philosophy, O-D Football Camps have selected the best on both sides of the ball. Moss, who set an NFL record by catching 23 touchdown passes in 2007, will team up with Patriots' wide receiving mate Wesley Welker at the New England held camp in July.

Sanders, the reigning NFL defensive MVP for the Colts, will instruct at the Indianapolis camp in June, while Merriman, the Chargers' Pro Bowl linebacker, will be featured at the San Diego camp in June.

On special teams, the Bears' Hester, who holds the NFL record for kick returns for touchdowns, will be at the Chicago camp in June.

O-D Football Camps are deep at wide receiver, with the Cardinals' Anquan Boldin in Flagstaff in July and the Cowboys' Patrick Crayton in Houston and the 49ers' Ashley Lelie in San Francisco in June.

So who's going to throw the ball to the all-star cast of wide receivers? O-D Football Camps has them covered, with Rams quarterback Marc Bulger making an appearance at the St. Louis camp in June.

The registration deadline is May 31. To find and register for a camp near you, visit www.o-d.com.

Pat Burrell was scratched from tonight’s game against the Rockies because of a stiff neck. Harry Kalas reported Burrell is day-to-day.

Greg Dobbs has taken Burrell's place in left field. He will hit fifth.

(rotoworld.com)

LOS ANGELES -- In a six-month season, a single base hit is barely a drop in a large bucket. But Brian Barton hopes that his knock on Wednesday night is the start to filling up his bucket once again.

Barton got off to a hot start in his first Major League season, batting .333 with a .409 on-base percentage and a .462 slugging percentage in April. He's just 5-for-33 in May, though, as limited playing time has taken its toll on his approach. It's the first time in Barton's career that he's been a part-time player.

"Gradually, it was coming," Barton said. "I felt it. But it's one of those things where you've got to get it before it gets you. At the beginning of the season, it was easier, coming from Spring Training, playing every day. I was still kind of in a groove. Not being used to it, I never had to really adjust to it."

One area where Barton's slump really showed was in pinch-hitting. He rapped base hits in four of his first nine pinch-hit at-bats, then went into a 1-for-8 slide. Barton picked up a pinch-hit in Wednesday's series finale against the Padres, though.

"My last at-bat to get that base hit, it took a little pressure off me mentally," Barton said. "The game before, that was probably the first game all year when I went home feeling [terrible]. I normally don't really get down on myself. ... But I felt overall that I had no plan, and that was the first time that I felt lost."

Barton is caught in a tough situation. He's the fifth outfielder in a five-man rotation, and each of the other four players has been at least fairly productive.

So while he would like to get at-bats in order to get back on track, he must get back on track in order to earn those at-bats.

"He's a little in between at times," manager Tony La Russa said. "He's taking pitches. Most of the time, when he was taking pitches, they were balls. And usually when he swung, he swung at strikes. Now he's swinging at balls that aren't strikes. So he's a little bit in between."

(mlb.com)

I apologize for the brief hiatus. This weekend was very enjoyable and, hopefully, was the same for you. It was so enjoyable, in fact, that I couldn't find time to write anything new since Wednesday. The Cardinals have been winning games, mainly due to a resurgence of the starting pitching staff, which, by the way, had an impressive 1.89 ERA in the Dodgers series. They've won 6 of their last 8, but are only 12-11 for the month of May. The Cards have managed to stay a half-game back of the Cubs despite their mini-slump in the middle of the month, losing 8 of 10 games against the Rockies, Brewers, Pirates, and Rays. The Astros and Pirates linger ahead, giving us a legitimate chance to catapult back into first place by the month's end. One foot in front of the other...

A lot of attention has turned to Chris Perez, who has been lights-out so far with the Cards. Although Ryan Franklin is going to be closing the majority of the games, Perez is going to be a major league closer soon enough. His stuff is certainly there - FanGraphs has him averaging 95 mph on his fastball, a fastball that has been thrown a whopping 83.1% of the time in 4 appearances. And there's evidence that his stuff will improve as the years go by, according to Josh Kalk. In "Preliminary aging curve for fastball speed," Josh dives into his preliminary PITCHf/x data - data that measures pitch speed, location, and movement - to show that pitchers typically gain speed as they age, to a point:
It appears that until pitchers reach 28 or 29, they increase the speed on their fastball by about 1.5 mph. After 29, there is a rather sharp decline in fastball speed.

Take a look at the article and see the graph for yourself, as it's very interesting stuff. What it could mean is that Chris Perez will be averaging 97 mph on his pitches as he progresses towards his late 20's. Tony seems to need to be persuaded that Perez can do the job at the moment, however:

"Chris Perez is not ready to close on a daily basis," La Russa said Sunday before his team’s series finale against Los Angeles. "That would not be good for him and it would not be good for us. He needs to grow into his responsibilities here. I don’t even worry about how that sounds, because clearly from the way he’s being used there’s a confidence factor there."

With Jason Motte averaging a mid-90's fastball in Memphis, the Cards could have two flame-throwing arms coming out of the bullpen in the next couple of years. I can't remember the last time we had that luxury.

(rockinred.blogspot.com)