NASCAR News & Notes - 7/13

-- After struggling throughout the first half of the season, Earnhardt fans finally had cause to celebrate when Dale Jr. edged out Matt Kenseth in sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. "We obviously didn't have the best car today," Earnhardt said. "Matt Kenseth had the best car, hands down."

-- Ford Motor Co. unveiled a prototype Thursday of the model that will replace its Taurus on the NASCAR circuit. The Fusion, a model debuting for Ford in 2006, will make its first start in next season's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Ford plans to phase out production of the Taurus over the next few years.

-- Want to host a Nextel Cup race? Get their attention by suing them. Kentucky Speedway filed suit Wednesday against NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., alleging the companies have violated federal antitrust laws by illegally restricting the awarding of Nextel Cup races. It's one of several tracks that have unsuccessfully sought a race in the elite Cup series.

-- Tires played a key role in the Chicagoland race. Carl Edwards, Dave Blaney, Elliott Sadler and Michael Waltrip blew out right-front tires Sunday during the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick pitted, anticipating they were about to lose tires. Harvick, the 14th-place finisher, dropped from fifth to 30th when he pitted late.

MLB News & Notes 7/11

-- Underrated Phillies outfielder Bobby Abreau broke records today as he ran away with the Home Run Derby title. Abreau hit 24 dingers in the first round breaking Miguel Tejada's record for a round (15) that was set last year and also broke Tejada's overall record (27) with an amazing 41 home runs.

-- MLB announced that for the first time ever, MLB players will be eligible to play in international competition when the inaugural World Baseball Classic opens its 18-day run next March 3. The landmark field of countries invited includes Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Taiwan, the United States and Venezuela.

-- The 2005 MLB All Star Game takes place Tuesday in Detroit's Comerica Park. Fox broadcast starts at 8pm ET. Starting for the National League is St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter and for the American League Chicago Whitesox pitcher Mark Buehrle.

tsj mailbag #03

tsj takes the time to answer questions from the people. To get your sports questions answered go ahead and email tsj.

Rafael Palmeiro a hall of famer? -- Danny, Portland

Yes. It's hard to believe just how phenomenal a career Palmeiro has had, because of his less than boisterous personality (besides viagra). The fact is he's going to be 41 this September yet he's a big contributor on a contending team and may end up with 30 HR and 100 RBI by the end of the season. He's on the cusp of having 3,000 hits for his career (which he should get not long after the all star break) and should he stay healthy he could hit the 600 HR mark sometime next season. 3,000 hits & 600 HR have only been done by Aaron & Mays. To be in that exclusive category would guarantee a hall of fame bid.

Thoughts on Michelle Wie's constant participation in PGA events? -- Vince, Detroit

Well it hasn't been a constant but certainly she's particpated in more Men golfing events than any other female. Do I think it's a good thing? Not necessarily, I believe that the best thing for any golfer is to learn to win and I think the Wies should have followed the path of what Tiger did, dominating the amatuer ranks before making the leap. She should focus on winning over her peers, and then trying her hand at the LPGA and challenging Annika. I think a rivalry like that would help that sport out even more, and once she's established herself and won, then she should try to make the cut of mens events if she wants to. Untill that point I really don't see the point.

Is Hockey coming back? -- Ryan, New Jersey

I certainly hope so. Rumors seem to be flying off the handle that the NHLPA and owners are nearing a deal and it would make sense for both parties to get a deal done. Losing last season was a terrible blow for the sport and the players seemed to have been misinformed on how reselient the owners were going to be (some rumors that owners lost less money not playing hockey) and now when they do agree to a deal it will be for much less than they wanted.

MLB Mid-season review

We're entering the mid-season break this week for the 2005 season of Major League Baseball. While the heralded All Stars head to Detroit, the timing is perfect for some thoughts on the season so far and my award picks and division winners, not to mention the world series.

The Surprising player of the first half is Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee. Lee, who turns 30 in September was part of the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins team but was considered expendable and was traded to the Cubs for essentially Hee-seop Choi who is now a Dodger. A career .275 hitter, Lee is hitting .378 with 27 HR and 72 RBI at the break, when it took a whole season last year to get 32 HR and 98 RBI. To say this guy is on a tear might just be an understatement, and if he keeps it up, Lee will be a threat to obtain the Triple Crown. Honorable mention goes to Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. While not voted to the All Star game this year, Griffey has had perhaps his healthiest season in quite a few year (perhaps 4-5). He's stayed off the DL and is hitting .287 with 17 HR and 58 RBI. If he stays healthy he could hit 40 HR and drive in over 100 RBI something he hasn't done since 2000.

The Disappointing player of the first half is Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Jim Thome. Thome, who turns 35 in August had been averaging a .280 average with 47 HR and 115 RBI the last 3 years before hitting a wall this season. Struggling with the injury bug, Thome has only played in 59 games with a .207 average and 7 HR & 30 RBI. For a team expected to contend with their manager gone during the offseason, the Phillies have struggled and one reason has been the poor showing from Thome. Honorable mention goes to Baltimore Orioles outfielder Sammy Sosa. While it's common opinion that Sosa is on the downside of his career, the soon to be 37-year old outfielder has fallen on hard times. Hitting only .225 with 9 HR and 27 RBI for the contending Orioles is not cutting it and there are rumors that the Orioles may let Sosa go in September.

Predictions:

AL Cy Young: Mark Buerhle (Chicago) - With Halladay out for the next 2 months, Buerhle's main competition may come from fellow teammate Jon Garland. While I may prefer Garland, Buerhle has the better shot to come out on top.
NL Cy Young: Chris Carpenter (St. Louis) - The announced starter for the NL is my choice to finish on top because of the advantage of having a team that's one of the best. Pedro Martinez of the Mets, Roger Clemens of the Astros and Dontrelle Willis of the Marlins will all be in contention, but they need to be on their game 24/7 while Carpenter can lean on his offense at times to help guide him to a win.
AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero (Angels) - The defending American League MVP is my favorite to win it again. His biggest competitor may be Boston's David Ortiz, I just can't see a DH winning it. Especially when there's someone as talented as Guerrero giving it his all on both sides of baseball.
NL MVP: Andruw Jones (Atlanta) - While Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee may be getting all the attention with his triple crown chase, Andruw Jones has quietly hit 27 HR while leading the Braves back into contention for their fourteenth consecutive division title. Expectations have been high for Jones since his major league debut, and he may be finally coming into form.

AL Playoffs:
Boston (East) - They're the most consistent team in the AL East, I just don't see them having a set back.
Chicago (Central) - The most surprising team in the AL, they'll have to keep their momentum going as the Twins and Indians have impressive records at the break, and I think Chicago can keep it up.
Angels (West) - While the A's are making a run back into contention, the Angels are clearly the best team in the AL West and should win the division.
Baltimore (Wildcard) - Finally having the players to create a contender the Orioles got off to a great start but have come back to the pack in the last month due to injuries. When they get Bedard and Lopez back, the O's should be back to winning consistently.

NL Playoffs:
Atlanta (East) - While the Nationals got off to a riveting start, the Braves have quietly made their way to near the top of the NL East. With some players due to come off the DL, the Braves should make their push soon.
St. Louis (Central) - By far the most consistent team in the NL, they've had the offense for years, and finally they have a pitching staff that is comparable. With the healthy return of All Star Chris Carpenter and the addition of Mark Mulder this past offseason, the Cards are set to make another run to the World Series.
San Diego (West) - In the least impressive division of the National League, the young Padres are taking advantage of injuries to the Giants & Dodgers and should be able to maintain their lead in the West.
Houston (Wildcard) - Beltran who? Morgan Ensberg has helped ignite the Astros, who are making another run comparable to last year. With Clemens, Oswalt & Pettite the Astros have an intimidating top 3 starters and should they reach the playoffs they could do damage.

World Series: Angels over Atlanta - I see Atlanta and the Angels doing the best of all the teams in the second half of the season. I just see Atlanta coming up short to the better team, like they did in the 90's.

NBA News & Notes - 7/8

-- The world finally is moving on, as Kobe Bryant is starting to get his own feature ads once again thanks to Nike. The ads appear in Sports Illustrated. His name appeared in an ad earlier this year.

-- Milwaukee is suddenly becoming the most active team in free agency so far in this offseason, agreeing to terms with Guard Bobby Simmons on a 5-year deal. Just 48 hours after re-signing Michael Redd, the Bucks bolster their team with Simmons.

-- Having been blown off by stars Ray Allen & Michael Redd, Cleveland went to their third option, signing Larry Hughes to a 5-year deal worth somewhere between $65 and $70 million. Hughes is not a good 3-point shooter (a big need for the Cavs), has a history of injuries and has been inconsistent throughout his career.

-- Dallas Mavericks free agent forward Alan Henderson was arrested for carrying a gun in his luggage while trying to board a flight over the weekend. Henderson had a loaded 9 mm pistol stored in a metal lock box inside his suitcase, he was stopped by airport officials when he acknowledged he didn't have a valid New York permit or a license for the weapon.

-- Darko Milicic is finally seeing the playing time he needs... even if it's in Summer League. A protracted contract wrangle made Milicic unavailable to the Pistons in the months before his rookie season. A stint on the 2004 summer squad was aborted when a Brian Cook swipe left Milicic with a broken hand in the final ticks of a Finals-clinching victory over the Lakers. Only now, after two seasons of Darko's virtual inactivity, are the perennial title contenders getting a chance to focus their off-season program on the development of their 7-foot gamble.

NBA needs limits on contracts

Overpayment has become a way too frequent method of dealing in professional sports, and it has now clearly spread to the NBA. It started last season with power forward Carlos Boozer jumping ship from Cleveland to Utah for a 6-year $68 million deal, luring him away with nearly double the salary of what he was going to get offered by Cleveland. Utah also signed Mehmet Okur to a 6-year $50 million deal after finishing the season averaging 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds.

It has continued this offseason with Michael Redd accepting a MAX deal from the Milwaukee Bucks, a 6-year deal worth $80-90 million when he's not an elite player. He's more of a $8-9 millon dollar a year player, I would've offered him a 6-year 50 million dollar contract, but of course Milwaukee had to offer him everything with Cleveland trying to pry him off their hands for a deal in the $70 million range.

The outlandish deals continued with Milwaukee agreeing to terms with Bobby Simmons to a 5-year deal around $47 million. That comes out to about $9 million a year for a guard who has 1 good season on his resume (contract year). While he's a good player I think a more fair/reasonable contract would've been in the $7 million range. I would've offered him a 5-year $35 million contract and that's what he should've gotten.

The Cavs followed suit, giving Larry Hughes a 6-year deal around $70 million, greatly overpaying the guard to make sure he couldn't reject the team like other players had before. Hughes is an overrated player in my book, as Wade took apart the first team defense guard. Giving him around $11 million is way high and he probablyy should've been more in the $7-8 million a year range. I think a 6-year $45 million contract would've been a fair offer, although I hear the Wizards offered him something like that and he was angry at the thought. Sigh.

And the overpayment doesn't stop at players, it's even spread itself into the coaching ranks. Nate McMillan a good coach that hasn't done much in the league in respect to winning titles or going deep into the playoffs was signed by Portland to a deal around $7 million a year. That's way too much for a coach, and I'm disappointed he went for the money (and supposedly a better off the court situation) instead of taking the 4-year $18 million contract that was on the table by the Sonics (and I think is the right price for Nate). Not to mention the rumors that Flip Saunders, another good coach that has nothing on his belt in the big coaching categories is expecting an $8-9 million a year payday from whoever ends up with his services. It's ludicrous that the prices have gone up so high.

The worst thing that can happen to a league is buying more than you can afford, and right now the NBA is successful enough that they don't have to worry about it. They already put limiters to an extant when they negotiated the labor agreement in '99, but I do think they'll need to fix things at the next agreement the way things are going. My solution would be to have an arbirtration council look at the performance of the players the last season(s) and provide a ceiling to the MAX he can be offered, and have it adjusted so that his present team is the only team that can offer him the highest amount. I want to see the league continue to thrive, so if things get worse with contracts I'd hope my idea would be thought up by someone with the power to do something.

NFL News & Notes - 7/6

-- During the 4th of July holiday, Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram died at age 82. Stram most known for his inventive game plans and taking the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowls.

-- Want to catch players who might never play for your team during the regular season? Well you're in luck, the NFL Network will televise 55 games during the NFL's four-week preseason (25 days) -- all but the 11 televised nationally by the NFL's four network partners (ABC, CBS, ESPN and FOX).

-- Prepping for the season, Miami running back Ricky Williams has upped his body to 215 lbs, increasing from his previous weight that had dipped under 200 according to his agent Leigh Steinberg. Steinberg said he would ask the league to reinstate Williams before the Dolphins begin practice July 25.

-- Riding off into the sunset, Tim Brown does it the way he came in, as a Raider. The 17 season veteran will sign a 1-day contract and retire in the silver & black. The former Heisman Trophy winner is the longest-tenured player in Raiders history.

-- Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander is standing firm with his stance of not signing the 1-year tender contract in hopes of recieving a long term deal from the franchise. The running back is frustrated with the franchise refusing to negotiate a long term deal despite the fact that he loves the city and has been willing to negotiate for years.

-- A rabid Pittsburgh Steelers fan gets a unique sendoff at his funeral, being propped up in a recliner with beers and remote in tow, in front of a tv playing highlights of his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith, 55, of Pittsburgh, died of prostate cancer Thursday. Because his death wasn't unexpected, his family was able to plan for an unusual viewing Tuesday night.

MLB News & Notes 7/4

-- Letting his anger get to him, Kenny Rogers got into an altercation with cameramen before a game and MLB made sure to make a point that he did something wrong, suspending him for 20 games. Rogers, who is having an All Star like season will most likely appeal and would still be eligible for the mid-season classic if chosen.

-- Sunday morning, the Seattle Mariners designated Bret Boone for assignment, effectively cutting ties with the most productive second baseman in franchise history. Boone at 36, has struggled this season batting just .231 with 7 homeruns and 34 RBI in 74 games for the Mariners.

-- The Chicago Cubs have decided to rest outfielder Corey Patterson after going 5-for-34 since volunteering to bat leadoff for the Cubs. Patterson did take extra hitting before Sunday's game. He has had success as a leadoff batter, hitting .336 in the No. 1 spot in August 2004. Then he faltered.

-- It might finally be the end of a long road for 44 year old John Franco. The Houston Astros designated him for assignment Saturday, removing him from the 40 man roster. The Astros have 10 days to decide the fate of the NL's Career leader in saves.

-- Phillies outfielder Jason Michaels was arrested early Sunday after allegedly punching a uniformed police officer outside a night club. The 29 year old Michaels spent nine hours in custody before he was released on his own recognizance at about noon. He is due to appear in court on Thursday.

tsj mailbag #02

tsj takes the time to answer questions from the people. To get your sports questions answered go ahead and email tsj.

Any problems with how the MLB All Star Game rosters shaped up? -- Rob, Idaho

Eckstein starting? Both Izturis and Lopez are having better seasons and are better players than Eck. I like Eckstein but no way should he be the starter for the National League. Rolen as the starting 3B? Normally I'd agree but he's been hurt most of the year, and if they were going to include injured guys how about Chipper Jones who has had a better season despite being out currently with his heel problem. Those are more voting problems (St. Louis) than anything else. My only other problem is the lack of Griffey not being in the All Star Game and it came down to the fact that you needed 1 guy from each team and with Lopez's great season already guaranteeing him a roster spot Griffey was sacrificed so the likes of Luis Gonzalez & Moises Alou can make the team despite not playing as well as Junior.

Was 20 games enough of a suspension against Kenny Rogers? -- Danny, Houston

Yes I think it was adequate punishment for the unusual behavior Rogers pulled on the cameramen. I don't really have much sympathy for the cameraman after he had to get carted out of the stadium, I think that was a bit much. I'm sure though that through the suspension and the money Rogers will lose on the lawsuit everyone knows is going to come, he'll have learned that it's wise just to walk away.

What golfer is playing the best right now? -- Brian, Salt Lake City

Tiger Woods. He might not have racked up his second major of the year but the tourney right before the US Open he finished 3rd, at the US Open he finished 2nd and this past weekend finished 2nd at the Western Open. It's encouraging to see him finish so high almost everytime he goes out, but what might be even more impressive (or scary) is that he's still not playing his best golf. Missed putts here and there and he might've run away with a few of these tourneys like he did back in his groove years. He's just a touch away from being back to those dominating times in these eyes at least.

Will Lebron get the help he wants? -- Jerry, Cleveland

I doubt it. The big fishes he keeps naming might be too big or too valuable to be snatched up by the Cavs. I think Ray Allen wants to be the man, and he has every right to be after leading the Sonics like he did into the playoffs. I could very well see him get resigned with Seattle or go to a team like the Clippers who have a lot of young parts that could probably contend faster than the Cavs. Michael Redd is more of the shooter that would fit perfectly with the Cavs, he's not dominating enough to be the man so he'd acclimate himself to Lebron, but I don't see how he can pass up the money Milwaukee is putting his way, and with the #1 pick Bogut on the squad I can't help but think the Bucks are on the way up if Redd resigns and they can get a quality coach to fill the vacancy. Lebron might have to settle for the Big Z... and that's not that bad when you look at things.

NBA News & Notes - 7/1

-- Milwaukee wastes no time on the first day that teams are allowed to talk to free agents, offering Michael Redd a max deal. The Bucks can offer about $20 million more than any other team being the originating team. The Cavs have sent a video message from Lebron, trying to persuade Redd to the Cavs.

-- The Celtics will be playing in a Garden once again when next season starts up. The Fleetcenter officially had it's name change to TD Banknorth Garden, four months after a Maine Bank recieved a 20 year naming rights deal

-- Curry cleared to play? Sources close to the young Chicago center say that Eddy has passed word that his examination went well and that he's looking forward to starting his workouts as soon as possible. GM Paxson will wait for official word from the doctor.

-- Guard Raja Bell has made it clear where his next destination will be, The Phoenix Suns. The terms are still being negotiated and nothing can be finalized till July 22, but Bell has made it clear he wants to play with Steve Nash.

-- The Eagles prevented Terrell Owens from being a part of the Sacramento Kings Summer League team, not consenting to his participation. The Kings wouldn't play him without permission and the Eagles wouldn't allow it if asked. The disgruntled star will have to find other ways to pass the time of his contract dispute.