Me, too!!!

Me 3. I'm pulling for the Mets and Cubs

Such a teeny, tiny target?? I might miss! Oh, wait, that would be the other side....

Score 1 for the Sicilian Babe!!

The Maple Leafs are gonna be dreadful this season and the Raptors are most likely gonna get bounced out of the playoffs in the first round. Oh well, pitchers and catchers report in Februrary and we all know the Blue Jays are gonna win the Series in 2009 so yeah, that's good.

When are the baseball awards announced? I'm most interested in who will win the NL Cy Young award... Anyone know where to find out when it will be announced? I can't find it online.

It'll still be a little bit longer. The AL and NL comeback player of the year awards were just handed out. Cliff Lee won for the AL and Brad Lidge won for the NL

Report: Minor league teams had advance notice of drug tests

NEW YORK (AP) -- Minor league baseball teams received advance notice of drug tests this season, eight people who work in the minor leagues told The New York Times.

In a story on the newspaper's Web site on Tuesday, four minor league managers, two team trainers, one general manager and one clubhouse attendant said a club official was called by a tester the day before drug testing was to be done at the ballpark.

None of them told the paper that they knew of any instances when players were told about the tests ahead of time, which would have given them time to rid their system of drugs.

The news comes less than a year after the Mitchell Report noted allegations of tipoffs received by Major League Baseball teams. Commissioner Bud Selig eliminated the advance notice.

"Under the minor league policy, collections are performed by the Center for Drug Free Sport, which is a wholly independent entity," Richard Levin, a spokesman for MLB, said in an e-mail dated on Sept. 15. "The center was directed to give only nominal notice, no more than 45 minutes, to a club prior to a collection."

When asked in an e-mail the next day as to how MLB planned to address the issue, Levin responded in an e-mail: "Once we learned that there were occasions on which the Center for Drug Free Sport gave overnight notice to clubs, we took prompt corrective action to prevent such notice from being given in the future."

Levin did not respond to two subsequent e-mails and a phone message asking for details about the nature and timing of the corrective action.

Source: SI

Agent: K-Rod seeking record deal

CHICAGO -- Record-breaking Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez is seeking at least $75 million over five years, agent Paul Kinzer said Wednesday. K-Rod wants "at least" five years at "Mariano money," according to Kinzer, who called that price the "baseline" to get into the ballgame for the All-Star closer who set the single-season saves record this season. Kinzer made clear, however, that his client was hoping for even more. The agent declined to name a top target price.

Kinzer also declined to react to rumors that K-Rod will look for as much as $20 million a year. And why should he? Why set a maximum after the year K-Rod produced?

The Angels are expected to be joined in the derby by the Mets, who presumably have lost closer Billy Wagner for 2009 with an elbow injury that necessitated Tommy John surgery. Several other teams have been mentioned as being interested, including the Cardinals and Indians. But the steep price may limit the serious suitors to big-market teams. Some baseball people believe K-Rod more easily envisions himself in a big city, anyway.

The Angels are believed to have offered Rodriguez $33 million over three years back in spring training. They will surely try to keep star first baseman Mark Teixeira and may try to sign ace CC Sabathia, as well, so it's seems quite possible K-Rod's best deal may be found elsewhere.

The Mets are in great need of a closer but thus far are indicating a hesitance to give out such a long contract for a reliever. While a dip in velocity has raised some concern about K-Rod, he still pitched brilliantly this year in breaking Bobby Thigpen's save record. Overall, Rodriguez was 2-3 with a 2.24 ERA with 62 saves in 69 opportunities. The Mets gave Wagner a four-year deal when he was 33, but while it was worthwhile for most of the first three seasons, he didn't last the entire contract.

Source: SI

If Manuel falls through, Valentine not opposed to talking with Mets

If the New York Mets are unable to sign Jerry Manuel to be their manager, Bobby Valentine sounds interested in returning to Queens.

Valentine is currently managing Chiba Lotte in Japan's professional league. He says he is happy there, but Valentine is not opposed to talking with the Mets. In an e-mail message, Valentine was asked: How much interest would you have in returning to manage the Mets?

"I am working for a team that needs me and wants me as their man," Valentine replied. "I love it here, but I am an American and love great challenges. I was in a Met uniform in the '70s, '80s, '90s, 2000, and would love to be there in the next decade."

Mets general manager Omar Minaya is currently negotiating with Manuel to become the full-time manager. The talks, though, have stalled a bit. The Mets are reportedly offering Manuel only a two-year contract, but Manuel reportedly wants a lengthier commitment.

Manuel took over for Willie Randolph in June and led the Mets to a 55-38 finish, but the Mets failed to make the playoffs after having a 3½-game lead in the NL East with 17 games remaining.

As for Valentine, he could be too expensive for the Mets; he reportedly makes $4 million annually managing in Japan, a salary that makes him the second highest-paid manager in professional baseball, behind the Dodgers' Joe Torre. The Mets still have to pay Randolph $2.5 million in 2009, the final season of his contract.

Minaya did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the possibility of talking to Valentine.

Valentine, 58, led the Mets to the World Series in 2000, where they lost to the Yankees in five games. He was fired by the Mets after the 2002 season. After a year working as an analyst for ESPN, he left for Chiba Lotte, which he had managed previously.

In 2005, Valentine led the team to its first Japan Series title in more than three decades.

Source: ESPN

Another hockey season is upon us my friends and I would wager a guess that the Maple Leafs will stay in last place for the entire season without rising one notch. If we finish any higher than that I will be satisfied. If we win the Stanley Cup any time during my lifetime I will be more satisfied. If the Raptors win the NBA Championship any time during my lifetime I will be even more satisfied. If the Blue Jays win the World Series ever again I will die a happy man.

I got this for my Dad for his birthday. He'll be 79 next month. He grew up in East Harlem a HUGE New York Giants baseball fan. He never really forgave the move out west because he adored Wilie Mays, so he became a Mets fan in '62. Naturally, he's the reason I'm such a big Mets fan.

There is a group of old NY Giants fans (I believe they are called the New York Giants Historical Society, but I might be wrong) who still get together a couple of times a year and talk about the old days in baseball and all that. Have you or your father ever heard about them? I know some of the ownership in the current Giants organization have spoken at their meetings and have tried to bridge the gap between the NY and SF fans. Apparently they are similar to your father and never forgave the Giants for moving. I don't blame him.

Yeah, Blib, we've seen some of those groups, but 79 year old New Yorkers tend to be kinda jaded.

Same goes for the old Dodger fans; very few of them rooted for them once Robert Moses (The Devil Incarnate) forced the move. They, too, for the most part, became Mets and even Yankees fans. Oh, and one of them became a Red Sox fan.

My dad became a Mets fan, which is why my brother is such rabid one. My other brother and I are Yankee fans, which the rest of the family is ashamed of.

J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS!! JETS!!!

NHL on thin economic ice

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/546765

I like the Yankees even though I am a Pirates fan. However, Ithoroughly enjoyed Bill Mazeroski's 9th inning homer in the 60's World Series to beat them.

That is still one of the greatest moments in baseball history. I was born four years later, but would have loved to have seen it live.

In that series the Yankees scored more than twice as many runs than the Bucs, but Pittsburgh won the series.

I won free tickets on the radio yesterday to the 49ers/Redskins game on the 28th. My Dad is a 49er fan so I'm taking him. Neither of us have been to an NFL game before so we are both looking forward to it! With times being tough and money tight, this was a very nice surprise!

AWESOME

I'm happy for ya, Blibster.

Congrats Blib!

I'm sure you will enjoy it

The darts world Championship is on once again.
Thank the Lord for these true athletes and their levels of fitness

Seriously though, i love the darts.

www.planetdarts.tv

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. I'll be rooting for the 49ers for yopu and your dad. Have fun.

I've been to more high school and college football games than I can count, but never a Pro. That should be a VERY cool experience indeed, blib. One thing I've always heard is that the Pro players actually don't look much different than a high school or college team on the field, despite the obvious size difference.

You're so lucky to see one in CA! My husband had tickets and he went with my daughter. It had snowed a few days before, and they froze their butts off!! The stadium was still covered in snow.

Hope you and your dad have a great time!

I hate the Ravens with a passion but hate the Cowboys even more. I'm SO glad they lost their last home game at Texas Stadium. If they miss the playoffs, that'd really top it off

Channel 5,the UK channel which shows US sports during the night and keeps me alive on night shift is shelving its US coverage from April next year,due to cost cutting measures

I'm devastated to be honest. They showed 2 games a week,whether it be NFL,NBA,MLB & NHL.

I was getting particularly fond of the baseball as well.....

Fiddlesticks!!!

Holy Crap, the Knicks beat the Celtics..and by a pretty decent margin (12 points, 100-88)