FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Pacers Continue to Purge Past Problemshttp://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/pacers-continues-to-purge-past-problems/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/pacers-continues-to-purge-past-problems/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/pacers-continues-to-purge-past-problems/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Shawne WilliamsLarry Bird has been frank with his concern about the Pacers' image problem, telling the Indy Star last month, "All the off-the-court problems have been a disaster for us. ... It's something we said we were going to clean up and we're doing that."

He started a couple of years ago by dealing Stephen Jackson (guns!) and Al Harrington for a couple of overpriced stiffs and continued this summer by letting David Harrison (weed!) walk and exploring ways to move Jamaal Tinsley (target! Wait, how is that his fault? Okay, how about: bar fight! Better than nothing).

Today, Bird took one more step toward making his roster squeaky clean: Mike Wells of the Indy Star reports the Pacers have traded Shawne Williams (who has a tendency to be pulled over by police in cars containing weed and loaning cars to friends wanted for murder) to the Mavericks in exchange for Eddie Jones, two second-round picks and $1.8 million in cash.

Jones is about as professional as they come and would be a great influence on Indy's roster, but HoopsHype cites a source claiming Jones will be waived immediately, which would explain why cash was included. Williams will be reunited in Dallas with Rick Carlisle, who coached Williams his rookie year. I'm not entirely sure how he fits in with the Mavs or whether his prospects for playing time will be increased, but a fresh start will probably do him as much good as it will the Pacers.

 

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]]>Eddie JonesEddieJonesLarry BirdLarryBirdRick CarlisleRickCarlisleShawne WilliamsShawneWilliamsMatt Watson2008-10-10T18:18:00 00:00Manuel Manages Despite Mother's Deathhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/manuel-manages-despite-mothers-death/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/manuel-manages-despite-mothers-death/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/manuel-manages-despite-mothers-death/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Charlie ManuelThis is just heartbreaking. This morning, just hours before his team took the field for Game 2 of the NLCS, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel lost his mother:
The Phillies said that June Manuel died Friday morning at Roanoke (Va.) Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She was 87. The Phillies had no information about the cause of death.

Manuel found out Friday morning after a meeting with his staff before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Despite the loss, Manuel is in the dugout for this afternoon's game. How can you focus on baseball at a time like this? If I had to guess, you don't. You put on a brave face and you do what you've done for most of your adult life for a few more hours, but I don't think anyone can truly postpone the grieving process.

And that's okay. His coaching staff is extremely experienced and his players have been to the playoffs before. I wish him my condolences, and for at least the next few hours, I'll be rooting for the Phillies.

 

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]]>Charlie ManuelCharlieManuelNLCSMatt Watson2008-10-10T17:07:00 00:00Report: Canseco Caught Smuggling Steroidshttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/report-canseco-caught-smuggling-steroids/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/report-canseco-caught-smuggling-steroids/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/report-canseco-caught-smuggling-steroids/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Jose CansecoApparently Jose Canseco is taking his training for his next fight seriously, even if the opponent and date have yet to be determined. How serious? Details are still sketchy, but SPORTSbyBROOKS passed along the absolutely shocking news that Canseco is still juicing.

Apparently David Vassegh of KLAC-AM in Los Angeles reported that Canseco "was recently detained at the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego by Federal authorities for alleged possession of steroids." Here's the embarrassing part: the specific steroid Canseco was caught with was HCG, or human choronic gonadotropin. For all of you non-bodybuilders out there, HCG is frequently used "during and after steroid cycles to maintain and restore testicular size." Zing!

For a guy who's been so cavalier about his steroid use in the past, I'm a little shocked that Canseco thought he could get away with making a quick jaunt down to a Mexican pharmacy without drawing the attention from a customs agent. I mean, that's what drug mules are for. (Unless ... maybe Canseco is so hard up for cash he was the drug mule? Hmmm ...)

 

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]]>Jose CansecoJoseCansecoMatt Watson2008-10-10T16:40:00 00:00Debunking Myths About Mark Teixeira Perpetrated by New York's Mediahttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/debunking-myths-about-mark-teixeira-perpetrated-by-unnamed-sourc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/debunking-myths-about-mark-teixeira-perpetrated-by-unnamed-sourc/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/debunking-myths-about-mark-teixeira-perpetrated-by-unnamed-sourc/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Mark TeixeiraShould the Yankees throw mega-dollars at Mark Teixeira? It's a perfectly valid question, and one I'm not surprised to see Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via the OC) explore.

The argument not to pay the man is compelling: namely, the Yankees have several players (Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez) who may need to move to a less defensively challenging position sometime soon, so it doesn't make the most sense to block their transition with a $100+ million slugger who can't play anywhere else.

But does Sherman mention that? Not at all. His arguments rests on the fact that Tex is a Scott Boras client. While that's never scared the Yankees in the past, Sherman thinks Brian Cashman will tighten the purse strings going forth. I don't see it, not with all the extra cash from the new stadium, but at least it's somewhat believable.

The second argument, though, is just plain ridiculous:
Teixeira has a mixed reputation. He has much in common with A-Rod. He is diligent about staying in shape year-round, is durable and works hard on all facets of his game. But his detractors - and there are more than a few - say that, like A-Rod, Teixeira is an accumulator who feasts on bad pitching, does his best work when his team is way ahead or behind, and is a corporation unto himself who does not mesh seamlessly with the clubhouse culture. Essentially the overall numbers are better than the total package.

 

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]]>Brian CashmanBrianCashmanMark TeixeiraMarkTeixeiraMatt Watson2008-10-10T16:05:00 00:00Cubs Fans Probably Won't Want to See Thishttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/cubs-fans-probably-wont-want-to-see-this/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/cubs-fans-probably-wont-want-to-see-this/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/cubs-fans-probably-wont-want-to-see-this/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Even though the Cubs lost, everybody still wants to talk about them. We're definitely guilty of it at FanHouse (let me present exhibits A, B, C, D, E, and, um, F-U), though I've tried to put the brakes on it by banning all references to The Team No Longer Playing during our live blogs.

But before we completely move on, we had to share these last two videos. Above (via Deadspin) is a commercial from Walter E. Smithe, a Chicago furniture store, who obviously shelled out big bucks for a 30-second commercial featuring all sorts of Cubbie greats ... only to have the Cubs lose in the first round, before the commercial ever had a chance to air. This summer's gonna last forever? More like "this summer's gonna go three and out."

 

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]]>NLDSMatt Watson2008-10-10T15:12:00 00:00This NBA Comeback Story Is a Little Differenthttp://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/this-nba-comeback-story-is-a-little-different/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/this-nba-comeback-story-is-a-little-different/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/10/this-nba-comeback-story-is-a-little-different/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Haywoode WorkmanI always had a soft spot for Haywoode Workman, and I think it's because of his name. He was an NBA journeyman by every definition of the word (former second-round pick out of Oral Roberts, played for three different teams in his first three years) but like his last name suggests, he worked hard and carved out a pretty decent career for himself.

He was an occasional starter for some pretty good Pacers teams in the early 90's (ie, the "Reggie Miller stomping on Spike Lee's heart" era) but spent the second half of his career warming the benches of some pretty awful teams. I forgot about him long ago but was happy to see his name this morning when I saw that he was staging a comeback ... as a ref. From Kyle Hightower of the Orlando Sentinel:
Now 42, Workman has been coming up through the ref ranks the past five years and was on NBA referee roster in '06-'07 and '07-'08 as preseason ref, while working both of those seasons as a NBA Development League official.

Workman is one of three NBA ref hires this season.

He was on the court working Orlando's 118-80 preseason win over Atlanta Wednesday.
Once Workman works his first regular season game, he'll become just the third former player in league history to successfully make the jump as a ref. He's been working toward this goal for awhile now -- I just did some digging and found this old article David Aldridge wrote in 2003 about Workman's transition from player to ref, which at that point was already two years old -- so it's nice to see that he finally made it to the top.

 

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]]>Haywoode WorkmanHaywoodeWorkmanMatt Watson2008-10-10T04:50:00 00:00NLCS Live Chat: Phillies/Dodgers Game 1http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/nlcs-live-chat-phillies-dodgers-game-1/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/nlcs-live-chat-phillies-dodgers-game-1/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/nlcs-live-chat-phillies-dodgers-game-1/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Cole Hamels and Derek Lowe

We've talked about it and made our predictions, but now it's time to play the games! It's the East Coast vs. the West Coast as Cole Hamels and the Phillies host Derek Lowe and the Dodgers tonight in Game 1 of the NLCS.

These two teams split their eight regular season matchups. The Dodgers won each of the last four meetings, but Hamels has been nearly unhittable so far in the playoffs. What's going to happen? Join us below the jump at 8:15 PM ET to find out!

 

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]]>Matt Watson2008-10-09T20:05:00 00:00Jim Hendry Doesn't Care About Broken Pipeshttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/jim-hendry-doesnt-care-about-broken-pipes/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/jim-hendry-doesnt-care-about-broken-pipes/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/jim-hendry-doesnt-care-about-broken-pipes/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Jim HendryThe NLCS will kick-off in less than an hour, and last I checked, the Cubs aren't playing. But before we completely forget about the lovable losers until spring, here's Jim Hendry's final word on who broke the pipe that flooded Dodger Stadium's visitor's clubhouse. From Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune:
"I have no idea," Hendry said. "And I don't have any interest in finding out. To me, it's not even an issue. Believe me, if I had been in a uniform, it might've been me."

[...] "The [Dodgers] clubhouse people told me it was about the fourth or fifth time it's happened this year," Hendry said. "I guess the nozzle was knocked off the piping on the wall, and it's probably in a convenient spot when you're leaving the dugout to smack it.
As Hendry went on to explain, he would've been more upset had his players not been angry. Can't say I blame him, either. If teams in the regular season were frustrated enough to break the pipe four or five times, the Dodgers should be relieved that a team who just choked away everything they worked for in the regular season didn't burn the whole place down.

 

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]]>Jim HendryJimHendryNLDSMatt Watson2008-10-09T19:49:00 00:00Yankee Stadium Is Officially Closedhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/yankee-stadium-is-officially-closed/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/yankee-stadium-is-officially-closed/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/yankee-stadium-is-officially-closed/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Yankee StadiumThe Yankees played their final game at Yankee Stadium last month, but the House that Ruth Built wasn't expected to be officially closed for business until a charity concert scheduled for November. In hindsight, the Yanks decided nothing could top their on-field ceremony and Derek Jeter's speech to the crowd. From the New York Daily News:
"The Yankees were considering having a charitable event at Yankee Stadium," Jason Zillo, the team's media relations director, said in a statement Tuesday. "However, the Yankees realize that the final event at Yankee Stadium should be a baseball game, which in fact took place on Sept. 21, 2008."

[...] Among the rumored performers at the November event were Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Jay-Z and Billy Joel, although the entertainers had not given solid commitments and might not have been available.
If the Yankees hadn't missed the playoffs, I'm guessing the event would still be on -- a concert with Springsteen, McCartney, Jay-Z and Billy Joel would have made for a hell of a World Series celebration, no? Obviously, it wasn't meant to be. Rest assured that while the Yanks decided to pull the plug they're not jilting the Baseball Assistance Team, the charity originally expected to benefit from the event -- in lieu of ticket sales, the team will make a $500,000 donation.

 

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]]>Yankee StadiumYankeeStadiumMatt Watson2008-10-09T17:30:00 00:00Ambiorix Burgos Turns Himself In, Faces Three Months of Jail Before Trialhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/ambiorix-burgos-turns-himself-in-faces-three-months-of-jail-bef/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/ambiorix-burgos-turns-himself-in-faces-three-months-of-jail-bef/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/ambiorix-burgos-turns-himself-in-faces-three-months-of-jail-bef/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Ambiorix BurgosAmbiorix Burgos, the Mets reliever accused in a hit-and-run that killed two women in his native Dominican Republic, turned himself in on Wednesday. He better get used to the idea of wearing stripes -- whether he's eventually found guilty or not, a judge has confined him to jail for three months while awaiting trial.

Oddly enough, Burgos has deluded himself into thinking this ordeal won't derail his big league career, which was already interrupted by missing all of the 2008 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. From the AP:
"I am going to come out of this fine because my conscience is clear, and I'm not worried this will affect my career because I haven't done anything," he said in the jailhouse interview.
Burgos apparently doesn't believe he'll be confined the entire three months. For one, he's already banking on being back in New York by Oct. 23 when he's scheduled to be in a courtroom to defend himself against charges that he punched, slapped and bit his girlfriend last month. We'll have to wait and see.

 

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]]>Ambiorix BurgosAmbiorixBurgosMatt Watson2008-10-09T16:33:00 00:00Curt Schilling's Surgeon Reminds Red Sox It's Their Fault Schilling Isn't Pitching Nowhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/curt-schillings-surgeon-reminds-red-sox-its-their-fault-schill/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/curt-schillings-surgeon-reminds-red-sox-its-their-fault-schill/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/09/curt-schillings-surgeon-reminds-red-sox-its-their-fault-schill/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Curt SchillingWhen Curt Schilling realized just how badly his shoulder was injured last winter, his surgeon, Dr. Craig Morgan, suggested he undergo surgery immediately. After having their medical staff look at him, the Red Sox disagreed, declaring that mere rehab would get him back on the field sooner.

In the end, Schilling was contractually bound to follow his team's orders, even though he disagreed with them. Ultimately, it was a bad call; rehab didn't work, and Schilling went under the knife in June. And on Wedneday, on the eve of Boston's appearance in the ALCS, Morgan had no problem reminding the Red Sox what they missed out on:
"If the (team) would have let me do the surgery in January, he'd probably be pitching in the playoffs now," Morgan said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
To be fair, I'm guessing the real reason Morgan was talking to reporters was to give an update on Schilling's recovery -- his shoulder is said to be in "phenomenal" condition just three and a months after the operation -- but the timing of his comments just seems petty.

 

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]]>ALCSCurt SchillingCurtSchillingMatt Watson2008-10-09T15:48:00 00:00J.J. Redick Gets Paid, but Will He Finally Play? http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/j-j-redick-gets-paid-but-will-he-finally-play/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/j-j-redick-gets-paid-but-will-he-finally-play/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/j-j-redick-gets-paid-but-will-he-finally-play/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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JJ RedickFor most former lottery picks, it's just a formality when a team picks up their fourth-year option. For J.J. Redick, it was a bit of a surprise. Despite playing for a team that attempted the second-most three-pointers in the league last year, the sharp-shooting guard out of Duke has been unable to crack the rotation each of his first two years in Orlando.

Then again, even that may change this year, as Stan Van Gundy told reporters today that if the regular season started today Redick would be in his rotation. Redick is happy to hear that, but he's not taking anything for granted. From Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel:
Said Redick, "I hope he says that on Oct. 29th. He told me that last year in China that I was going to play, but things can change quick in this league. I don't feel like he lied to me on that. I missed the San Antonio game because I hurt my hand and then things changed. I want to be in position on Oct. 29th to play. That's the goal."
Like he said, he was supposedly in line for playing time last year but fell completely by the wayside, playing in fewer games and fewer minutes per game than he did as a rookie under Brian Hill. But despite it all, he obviously has a fan in GM Otis Smith, who not only refused to part with Redick after the guard requested a trade last December but obviously still thinks enough of him to guarantee his $2.8 million salary for 2009-10.

 

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]]>J.J. RedickJ.j.RedickJJ RedickJjRedickMatt Watson2008-10-07T20:30:00 00:00Constructing the Yankees' 2009 Rotationhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/yankees-mull-their-2009-rotation/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/yankees-mull-their-2009-rotation/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/yankees-mull-their-2009-rotation/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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AJ BurnettNow that Brian Cashman has signed on for three more years, it's time for the Yankees to get back to doing what they do best -- namely, throwing ungodly sums of money at players. The starting rotation needs the most attention, especially considering Chien-Ming Wang, who made all of 15 starts in 2008, is the only sure thing.

Feel free to pencil Joba Chamberlain in for a spot, though given his injury history, anything more than 20 starts should be considered gravy. Theoretically Philip Hughes and/or Ian Kennedy will contend for a spot, but only if they make huge strides over the offseason.

Andy Pettitte? As of last month he still hadn't decided if he wanted to play another year. Same goes for Mike Mussina, who told the New York Daily News yesterday he hasn't "put a timetable" on making up his mind.

So what other options are the Yankees considering? George King III of the New York Post is convinced CC Sabathia, the jewel of free agency, is headed for California, which could make A.J. Burnett the new top option.

 

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]]>Matt Watson2008-10-07T16:30:00 00:00Rookie Hazing Never Had So Much Rhythmhttp://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/rookie-hazing-never-had-so-much-rhythm/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/rookie-hazing-never-had-so-much-rhythm/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/rookie-hazing-never-had-so-much-rhythm/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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When it comes to rookie hazing, I like the NBA's approach (dancing in front of thousands of people) more so than MLB's (bending gender roles), though I think we can all agree it's better than what some high school football teams do.

The regular season can't come soon enough for Houston's second-year players. As Shane Battier explains, Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry and the like will be subject to the same humiliation that Joey Dorsey is up until the moment they play their first regular season game of their second season. Of course, if you watch around the 2:45 mark, you'll see that Scola seems to be handling himself better than most.

(hat-tip: Dime and TSB)

 

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]]>Aaron BrooksAaronBrooksCarl LandryCarlLandryJoey DorseyJoeyDorseyLuis ScolaLuisScolaShane BattierShaneBattierMatt Watson2008-10-07T14:30:00 00:00There's More Buzz for the Bull Durham Sequelhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/theres-more-buzz-for-bull-durham-sequel/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/theres-more-buzz-for-bull-durham-sequel/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/theres-more-buzz-for-bull-durham-sequel/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Kevin CostnerLast month Tim Robbins and writer/director Ron Shelton openly discussed the possibility of a Bull Durham sequel with the media during a 20th anniversary ceremony for the film at Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Well, it seems like the project is gaining steam, at least if you believe the New York Post's gossip page (via SbB):
THE long-awaited sequel to "Bull Durham" is finally getting off the ground. A spy tells us Kevin Costner recently met with director Ron Shelton at Trader Vic's in LA to discuss reprising the role of carousing catcher Crash Davis from the 1988 baseball flick. Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon are also expected to return as pitcher Nuke LaLoosh and baseball groupie Annie Savoy, who are now married and owners of a Major League team that Costner manages.
Wait, Nuke and Annie get married? And they somehow own a major league team? Last month Shelton and Robbins suggested that Crash and Annie would be married, and that Nuke would be a washed-up drunk. What gives?

My guess is that nobody is right. Shelton admitted that he only recently warmed up to the idea of a sequel, so I'd wager that an actual script has yet to be written (and once it does, it probably won't be leaked before the project even starts filming). But for better or worse, it looks like this is really going to happen.

 

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]]>Kevin CostnerKevinCostnerRon SheltonRonSheltonTim RobbinsTimRobbinsMatt Watson2008-10-07T11:50:00 00:00Stephon Marbury Warms Up to the Benchhttp://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/stephon-marbury-warms-up-to-the-bench/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/stephon-marbury-warms-up-to-the-bench/http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/stephon-marbury-warms-up-to-the-bench/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Stephon MarburyWhen the Knicks opened training camp, Stephen Marbury wasn't shy about his demands expectations -- the money quote was, "I'm not coming off the bench here in New York." Less than two weeks later, though, he's already changed his tune. From Marc Berman of the New York Post:
"I don't want to go through any more distractions," Marbury told The Post. "I want all of us to concentrate on winning and not if I'm going to start or not. I want us to be able to go forward. If the Knicks want me to come off the bench, that's what I'm going to do. I just want to win a championship in New York because we as New Yorkers deserve a chip."
Of course, it's one thing to say all right things now, before the first tip-off of the first preseason game, and it's another to still mean it come December or January when the Knicks are riding a 10-game losing streak. To his credit, though, Marbury finally seems genuinely concerned about his status as a locker room pariah. Why didn't he seem to care last season? Perhaps because Isiah Thomas was equally responsible for all of the drama and controversy.

This year, with a new coach that's still universally revered by the fans, players and media, even Marbury has to realize that he's solely responsible for whatever fate awaits him. If he embraces his role as a sixth-man behind Chris Duhon and handles the switch from point guard to shooting guard, he still has a chance to re-write his legacy. If he pouts and makes life uncomfortable, he'll cement his status as one of the franchise's biggest mistakes.

 

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]]>Chris DuhonChrisDuhonIsiah ThomasIsiahThomasStephon MarburyStephonMarburyMatt Watson2008-10-07T11:25:00 00:00Rays/White Sox Live Chat Game 4http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/06/rays-white-sox-live-chat-game-4/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/06/rays-white-sox-live-chat-game-4/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/06/rays-white-sox-live-chat-game-4/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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The White Sox rode the left arm of John Danks to stay alive in their ALDS series with the Rays. Today, we see a matchup of two talented pitchers making their playoff debuts: Andy Sonnanstine for the Rays, Gavin Floyd for Chicago.

Who cracks? Who shines? Is this series going back to the Trop, or do the Rays start scouting that Angels/Red Sox game tonight? Find out along with us in a very special "FanHouse Live Chat"!

 

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]]>Matt Watson2008-10-06T16:45:00 00:00Carlos Pena Expect(ed) to Play in Game 2 (Update: He's Out)http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/carlos-pena-expects-to-play-in-game-2/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/carlos-pena-expects-to-play-in-game-2/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/carlos-pena-expects-to-play-in-game-2/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Carlos PenaThe Rays hit a speed bump last night when Carlos Pena was pulled from Game 1 after just two innings with blurred vision, but he has his sights on playing tonight. (Get it? "His sights?" Okay, moving on ... ) As Marc Topkin explains in the St. Petersburg Times, Pena suffered the ailment on Wednesday:
Pena was relaxing at home early Wednesday night when he felt something in his left eye and rubbed it. The result, he found out after some extreme pain and an emergency visit to team eye doctor Mark Sibley, was a scratched cornea and some significantly blurred vision.
He initially tried to play through the injury but was worried about making throws. Fortunately, with the help of eye drops, antibiotics and a clear contact, his vision should be back to normal tonight.

In hindsight, it's somewhat amusing how little press Pena's absence received. Evan Longoria provided more than enough firepower to get the job done, but Pena led the team this year with 31 home runs and 102 RBI. Can you imagine the uproar had this happened to Aramis Ramirez or Derrek Lee? There would've been thousands of words in Chicago's newspapers today about how the Cubs are cursed and how even particles of dusts are part of the cosmic conspiracy.

Update: According to the St. Pete Times, Pena was in the original lineup but was scratched at the last second after having trouble fielding grounders. So that's that.

 

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]]>Carlos PenaCarlosPenaMatt Watson2008-10-03T18:17:00 00:00Brewers Won't Let CC Leave Without a Fighthttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/brewers-wont-let-cc-leave-without-a-fight/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/brewers-wont-let-cc-leave-without-a-fight/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/brewers-wont-let-cc-leave-without-a-fight/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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CC SabathiaMost of us have taken for granted that CC Sabathia isn't long for Milwaukee, and given how the Brewers rode him like a rented car in the stretch run, it seemed like the coaching staff wasn't planning on having him back, either. But before he packs his bags and heads for some rich team on the coast (he should have his pick -- the Yankees, Angels and Dodgers have all been mentioned in rumors), it turns out the Brewers might make a pitch for him to stay after all. From ESPN's Buster Olney:
Others in the Brewers' organization say Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio will try to make it very difficult for Sabathia to leave -- maybe to the point of risking a colossal mistake. Attanasio has seen how Sabathia has made an enormous difference for Milwaukee in attendance -- which climbed dramatically for every game the left-hander started -- and in the standings; the Brewers were 14-3 in the 17 regular-season starts that Sabathia made for the team. And he was a model of competitive integrity; if you wanted to invest big dollars in any player, you'd feel great about signing Sabathia, who demonstrated repeatedly that he will put his team above his own personal interests. You couldn't blame Attanasio if he were to get aggressive with his offer to the lefty.
It's a risky move -- CC has thrown a lot of pitches over the last four years -- but if the Brewers are intent on getting an ace, I'd prefer to see them gamble on a free agent than pulling the trigger on the "Matt Cain for Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy" proposal floated by Peter Gammons recently.

Sabathia has been a horse his entire career, making at least 30 starts a year every season but one (when he made 28 in 2006), so it's not out of the question that he mainstains his current level of production. On the other hand, he could just as easily follow the up-and-down career-arc of Bartolo Colon, another pudgy workhorse who got his start with the Indians, though I think staying in the more pitcher-friendly National League helps mitigate that risk.

 

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]]>CC SabathiaCcSabathiaJ.J. HardyJ.j.HardyJJ HardyJjHardyMark AttanasioMarkAttanasioPrince FielderPrinceFielderMatt Watson2008-10-03T17:33:00 00:00The MLB Network Is Taking Shapehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/the-mlb-network-is-taking-shape/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/the-mlb-network-is-taking-shape/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2008/10/03/the-mlb-network-is-taking-shape/#commentsMatt Watsonby Matt Watson

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Joe TorreWe've known for a while that Major League Baseball was following in the footsteps of the NBA, NFL and NHL by taking the plunge into buying their own cable channel. The channel is expected to be available by next season, and unlike all the hoops you may have to jump through to get the offerings put forth by some of the other leagues, MLB has gone through great lengths to ensure the average fan will have easy access.

Consider this: the New York Times reports that the MLB Network will have 50 million subscribers from Day 1. The NFL Network, on the other hand, debuted with just 12 million subscribers in 2003 and took three whole years to build their base to 41 million subscribers.

Baseball fans who are excited about the network will probably want to read that entire NY Times article, which details the progress MLB is making in building its $54 million studio and offers some details about the programming, which will include a flagship "MLB Tonight" show that airs nightly from 7pm to 1am offering live updates and highlights.

If done correctly, "MLB Tonight" could easily top ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" in terms of being the must-watch show for fans, especially considering it'll have control of two robotic cameras installed in each stadium, theoretically giving viewers a different angle for highlights not found anywhere else. But what will the network show the other 18 hours a day?

 

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]]>MLB NetworkMlbNetworkMatt Watson2008-10-03T16:45:00 00:00