Talking Horses: The best bets and latest news in our daily horse racing blog

The best bets and latest news in our daily horse racing blog

Fingal Bay moves a rung up the ladder having won all three of his Grade Two novice hurdles, but there is no reason to expect his unbeaten run to come to an end in Grade One company in Saturday's Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

Richard Johnson's mount kept finding more when put under pressure by the smart Simonsig in the closing stages at Sandown last time and we simply do not know how much more power there could be under the bonnet. With his jumping improving and soft ground also seemingly no problem, it is hard to see how the rivals of Fingal Bay (3.05) can get the better of him even if they may also have more to offer.

Newbury 2.05 With just one victory from his last six starts, Cue Card has undoubtedly been expensive to follow but he also has a touch of class and could go off at a bigger price than he should in this interesting contest. Joe Tizzard will have a point to prove after being caught on the line by the fast-finishing Bobs Worth at this track last time out, the result obscuring what was a smart performance by Cue Card, who jumped with fluency. For Non Stop appeared to improve for the drop down to two miles at Sandown last time and his jumping has also improved, while Walkon must also rate a danger after impressing on his chasing debut.

Warwick 2.20 Timmy Murphy is riding as well as ever this season and his booking on Glens Boy takes the eye. The Henrietta Knight-trained seven-year-old did not show much over hurdles but looked a different prospect on his first start over fences and this dual winning point-to-pointer has a fair-looking handicap mark. This stiffer test of stamina should suit.

Newbury 2.35 Still open to improvement for the switch to professional handling, Quotica De Poyans clearly failed to get home on his first start for Alan King but he is expected to have come on for the outing and this multiple hunter chase winner could yet be anything if he brushes up his jumping.

Warwick 2.50 A different stable and a change of obstacles has seen North Stack turn a corner this season but he is still searching for a first victory having been mugged in the final stages after a slight mistake at the final fence last time. This contest looks winnable.

Newbury 3.40 A smart performer on the Flat, Secret World has looked tricky in all starts over hurdles so far, but this first run in handicap company presents a different challenge and Nicky Henderson's runner undoubtedly has the talent and turn of foot to sweep past these rivals close home if he fancies it.

Horse sense

After a disappointing year on the Flat, fortunes have picked up dramatically in the last couple of months for the father-and-son team Tim and Robert Walford, and the yard have high hopes of another good success for Ubi Ace (3.40) at Newbury on Saturday afternoon.

A useful performer on the Flat in the spring, he has translated that good form back to hurdles, winning at Wetherby and Sandown, most recently knuckling down admirably to hold reluctant hero Via Galilei in a tight finish on Tingle Creek Chase day.

Upped 6lb in the weights for that success, more will be needed here, but the Walfords are convinced that there should still be further improvement to come from Ubi Ace, who has had just five starts as a jumper.

Lifestyle is the danger under a penalty incurred for a cosy win at Kempton earlier this week. Barry Geraghty is banned but substitute Felix De Giles rides with a long rein, a style that seemed to suit Lifestyle at Kempton, and Geraghty advised Nicky Henderson to get her out under a penalty and win again.

Alan King is another trainer ending the year on a high and his Walkon (2.05) and Quotica De Poyans (2.35) both ought to go close in the colours of owner Max McNeill.

Since winning at Exeter at the start of the month, Walkon has delighted connections with his work and schooling. He meets smart rivals at Newbury, but could yet reach the very top of the tree as a chaser. Quotica De Poyans blew up on his reappearance but would still have won but for meeting the final fence wrong. He has come on plenty for that outing.

Gotoyourplay (12.20) took the eye on his reappearance at Towcester earlier this month and is held in high esteem by Andy Turnell. Back over fences and with the run under his belt, he could go well at a decent price.

Seen and heard

Sheikh Mohammed's main bloodstock advisor John Ferguson remains a jumps trainer to follow, largely through racing some of the sheikh's Flat-bred performers with success. But Ferguson, who trains at Cowlinge near Newmarket, had an expensive purchase from another source running on Thursday. The four-year-old Red Devil Boys ran a promising second in a Doncaster bumper having been sold for �72,000 at a Cheltenham sale in May. Intriguingly the buyer also has a link to the Maktoum family, being Anthony Stroud, formerly Sheikh Mohammed's longstanding racing manager.

Having been sent to Nicky Henderson in the hope that a new career could be carved out for him as a hurdler, that high-class Flat performer Dandino failed to prove a natural over jumps and will now be kept back for the 2012 Flat season. But it seems odd that he has not returned to James Given, for whom he won a Group Two earlier this year. Instead, Dandino has switched yards again to join James Fanshawe in Newmarket.

• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing

Will Hayler

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/dec/31/talking-horses

Ryan Roberts Álex Rodríguez Sean Rodriguez Ryan Rohlinger

Is Yu Darvish coaxing the Jays back to big-time paydays?

After years of speculation and intense coveting, it appears that Yu Darvish may not be coming to America after all.

Rather, if a report from the New York Post is correct, the Japanese pitcher could be bound for Canada. Reporter George A. King III says that the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be the high bidder for Darvish's negotiating rights when the Nippon Ham Fighters finally get around to accepting their bid before Tuesday's deadline. The Blue Jays could pay between $40 million and $50 million for just the ability to speak with Darvish, King reports.

Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, meanwhile, is reporting that Rogers Communications ? owner of the Blue Jays ? issued an order to sign Darvish at any cost.

"I was told Rogers Communications said: 'Whatever it costs, sign him,' " said one executive. "Only (president) Paul Beeston and (general manager) Alex Anthopoulos know the number on the bid in baseball operations."

I don't quite understand why Nippon would need another three days to process the giant pile of cash sitting in front of them. But it might take us that long to process such a giant offer from the Jays. Breaking the bank on a bid for Darvish is way out of character for the franchise. Indeed, you'd have to go all the way back to the B.J. Ryan and A.J. Burnett signings in 2005 or Frank Thomas in 2006 to find the last time the Jays spent such big bucks on someone outside of their organization.

Given the return that Jays received from Ryan ? as well as being previously hamstrung from the Alex Rios and Vernon Wells contracts ? you can almost understand why the Jays haven't been that spendy. But with the CBA changing the landscape and the team's traditional struggle to lure free agents north of the border, it also makes sense that they'd go after a big fish like Darvish. He'd fit perfectly atop a young rotation and team that's only bound to get better.

At the same time, Darvish will face a lot of pressure, considering I've already seen people angrily suggesting that a $50 million posting would have paid for two years of Prince Fielder, a proven and everyday commodity.

But first things first. These Blue Jays rumors have to prove true.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Is-Yu-Darvish-coaxing-the-Jays-back-to-big-time-?urn=mlb-wp28670

Daniel Descalso Ian Desmond Blake DeWitt Argenis Diaz

NL MVP Ryan Braun tests positive for PEDs, faces 50-game suspension

Say it ain't so, Ryan!

Baseball was hit with some bombshell news Saturday night, as ESPN is reporting that National League MVP Ryan Braun has tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and faces a 50-game suspension.

According to steroid investigative hounds Mark Fainaru-Wada and T.J. Quinn, the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder had to submit a urine sample to be tested during the playoffs. Braun was informed of the positive result in late October.

As could be expected, Braun is maintaining his innocence and disputing the test results through arbitration. Because of this, MLB has not officially announced the positive test.

"There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan's complete innocence and demonstrate there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program," said a spokesman for Braun in a statement.

"While Ryan has impeccable character and no previous history, unfortunately, because of the process we have to maintain confidentiality and are not able to discuss it any further, but we are confident he will ultimately be exonerated."

Braun told USA Today's Bob Nightengale that the test result was "B.S."

The "Outside the Lines" report goes on to clarify that elevated levels of testosterone in Braun's sample are what triggered the positive test. Further tests showed that the testosterone was synthetic. In other words, Braun's body did not produce it naturally.

MLB went on to consult the World Anti-Doping Agency lab for a second opinion to confirm the results. The WADA conducted a secondary test to see whether the increase in testosterone could have been produced by Braun himself or if it came from a secondary source.

The test confirmed MLB's original results. The extra testosterone came from outside Braun's body.

Braun has told others that he didn't knowingly take any banned substances, according to ESPN. But no suspended major league player has ever appealed a positive test successfully. Claiming no knowledge of a performance enhancing substance in a dietary supplement would not be a sufficient defense.

This past season, Braun hit .332/.397/597 with 33 home runs and 111 RBI to lead the Brewers to an NL Central division title. He received 20 out of 32 first-place votes in NL MVP balloting to win the award over Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Back in April, the Brewers signed Braun to a five-year, $105 million contract extension that retains him through the 2020 season.

Previous MVPs have either tested positive for performance enhancers or were strongly suspected of steroid use. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi each have that stain on their record. But neither of them were flagged while they won the award. Obviously, Braun is hoping to clean such marks off his record.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/NL-MVP-Ryan-Braun-tests-positive-for-PEDs-faces?urn=mlb-wp28430

Garrett Atkins Mike Aviles Erick Aybar Willy Aybar

Aramis Ramirez signs three-year deal with Milwaukee

While Prince Fielder entertains offers from much richer teams and Ryan Braun tries to talk his way out of a 50-game suspension, the Milwaukee Brewers have wasted no time with signing an alternative source of power.

As first reported by Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago, the club has come to terms on a three-year deal with Aramis Ramirez. The two sides have been flirting for quite some time ? Ramirez reportedly had the Crew listed as his top destination ? but Braun's breaking news over the weekend undoubtedly upped the urgency on the Brewers' side.

Milwaukee, of course, is getting a familiar face in Ramirez. The 33-year-old just turned down a player option to remain with the Chicago Cubs and now he'll move 90 miles north to remain in the only division he's ever known. Ramirez has hit .270/.325/.503 with 15 homers and 62 RBIs in 78 games at Miller Park. One of the most memorable moments of his Cubs career came in June 29, 2007 when he launched a two-out, two-run homer off Francisco Cordero to defeat the then-first place Brewers en route to a NL Central division title for Chicago.

Is this a good deal for the Brewers? Until we see the dollar numbers surface, it's tough to say for certain. But Milwaukee also didn't have many options, so an overpay for an aging third baseman who couldn't stay healthy in 2009 and '10 and isn't the best defender almost has to be assumed.

At the same time, while slotting Ramirez in the heart of the order won't replace the numbers that Fielder is taking with him (possibly the other way down I-94 to Wrigley Field) the Brewers will undoubtedly accept the totals (.306/.361/.510) he posted for the Cubs in his bounceback 2011. With the situation they're facing, the risk of Ramirez staying productive for all three seasons is one that Milwaukee had to take.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Aramis-Ramirez-signs-three-year-deal-with-Milwau?urn=mlb-wp28518

Geoff Blum Brian Bocock Russell Branyan Reid Brignac

Floyd Mayweather's failings turn runaway success into a train wreck | Kevin Mitchell

The boxer's 90-day jail sentence has hurt his family and short-changed the sport that made him rich

Floyd Mayweather Jr should be the saviour of boxing and not, as he would like us to see it, the sacrificial lamb. Only Sugar Ray Leonard of the modern era has rivalled the unbeaten, five-division world champion for pure talent; nobody in the fight game today is more controversial, charismatic, outrageous or gets bigger pay-per-view hits than the man who calls himself "Money May"; few are more obnoxious; no fighter is less dispensable.

And, as he heads for 90 days in the county jail ? an American clich� ready-made for his rapper friend 50 Cent to immortalise the way Bob Dylan did for Hurricane Carter ? boxing needs its childish genius more than ever.

This is no doubt some consolation to him as he packs his designer luggage in preparation for a trip in the new year to the Clark County Detention Center from 6 January after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges this week.

At the end of a depressingly familiar year of discord Mayweather has let down his sport again, not to mention those much closer to him. His sense of grievance is unconvincing. He stood in court in Las Vegas on Wednesday like the entitled and consistently indulged star he is, fiddling with his shiny watch and cufflinks, the accoutrements of his considerable wealth, as justice of the peace Melissa Saragosa gently dressed him down.

He was relieved after plea bargaining to avoid related charges of coercion, robbery and grand larceny that could have put him away for 34 years.

Saragosa was particularly concerned that he had committed the admitted offences in front of children. Mayweather could only shake his head, a petulant child himself.

The listed charges against him said that on 9 September last year he argued with his former girlfriend Josie Harris, grabbed her hair and threw her to the floor. He also allegedly threatened to kill Harris and her boyfriend. He would make her boyfriend "disappear", the complaint said. A protection order claimed Mayweather punched Harris in the head and twisted her arm while she screamed for their children, aged seven to almost 11, to call the police.

Harris and Mayweather separated in May 2010 after an on-and-off relationship of 15 years.

Those troubles ought to be between Mayweather, his estranged partner and their children but he lives in the public glare willingly. He goes to nightclubs and throws money at his fans in celebration of his wealth. He brings his children to press conferences. He is a regular on social media outlets and has figured in HBO's 24/7 documentaries to promote his fights, letting the cameras roam his gym, where, before his most recent fight, he engaged in a volatile exchange of expletives with his father, Floyd Sr. There is not a lot we do not already know about Mayweather and his family.

Floyd came to this court hearing in between nightclub engagements and left in his beautifully cut brown suit lumbered with half of a six-month jail sentence to serve, along with a $2,500 (�1,500) fine, commitment to 12 months' counselling and 100 hours of community service. It was hard to feel sorry for him. Those who have suffered for his ego are the ones who deserve sympathy.

What does his imminent incarceration mean for boxing? Uncertainty. His fight with Manny Pacquiao, the most ballyhooed and aborted in the industry since Muhammad Ali was rebuilding his career after his own three-and-a-half-year exile, is in jeopardy again and might not now happen.

For nearly three years Mayweather and the promoter Bob Arum have let their greed and intransigence get in the way of the fight. It matters not who was right or wrong now; the damage has been done.

If the fight ever happens, it will be so devalued as to be a major anticlimax. Mayweather will be 35 when his jail term ends in April. Pacquiao, whose ring strength is fading in proportion to the distraction of his new office as politician in the Philippines, will remain a draw only for a little longer, given his recent struggles.

Others will queue up to fill the vacuum left by Mayweather ? Tim Bradley, Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan ? but they were always going to be following rather than leading in the dance. Only Mayweather and Pacquiao were equals, in the ring or at the box office.

Mayweather, through his weaknesses, has inadvertently hurt the sport he professes to respect. What might have been a glorious career has descended into a train wreck that nearly everyone saw coming but the man himself.

• Floyd Mayweather
• Manny Pacquiao
• Boxing

Kevin Mitchell

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/dec/22/floyd-mayweather-boxing-jail

Ike Davis Adam Dunn Brad Eldred Nick Evans

In memoriam: The baseball men we lost in 2011

From aging Hall of Famers to a pair of troubled ex-pitchers to a young man murdered just as he was approaching his prime, we lost a lot of good baseball men in 2011.

And though writing obituaries is never a fun or happy task, we at Big League Stew tried our best to place the achievements of the departed in an appropriate and final place. We've listed excerpts from a few of our memorials below, while Baseball Almanac has the whole list of baseball-related deaths from the year past.

May they rest in peace.

Harmon Killebrew, Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer (May 17): "The greatest thing about Hammerin' Harmon, though, is that you don't have to recite a litany of statistics to make people fully appreciate his greatness. Indeed, a simple obituary could have been written just by displaying the photo at the top of this post ? those forearms, that swing, that power ? and allowing it to say everything for which we struggled to find the right words." ?'Duk

Duke Snider, Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer (Feb. 27): "In Snider's time, a debate raged in New York City: Who was the best center fielder in the majors? Snider, Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle? Terry Cashman's 1981 baseball ballad "(Talkin' Baseball) Willie, Mickey & 'The Duke'" immortalized the trio in song: "If Cooperstown is calling, it's no fluke. They'll be with Willie, Mickey, and the Duke." ? David Brown

Chuck Tanner, manager (Feb. 11): "For the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have finished with a losing mark in a record 18 straight seasons, the possibility of being World Series champions probably seems like an unreachable goal these days. Not that anyone would ever catch Chuck Tanner saying something like that. He might have been the most optimistic man in baseball history." ? DB

Dick Williams, Hall of Fame manager (July 7): "Location and situation never mattered much to Dick Williams. If Tony Stewart is the driver you want no matter what the ride, then Williams may have been the manager you wanted no matter what the team ... He managed six teams over 21 seasons, compiling a 1,571-1,451 career record and leading enough champagne celebrations to drown an entire resume. He won four pennants with three different teams and was the first to win more than 90 games in a season with four. That pretty much ensures his obituary will be written in a number of different ways across the continent." ? 'Duk

Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher (Aug 24): "As a pitcher, Flanagan might have personified the term "crafty left-hander." His style was Jamie Moyer-esque. He changed speeds. Changed locations. Changed swing planes. Probably as frustrating as heck to bat against. He struck out 4.8 batters per nine innings ? an amazingly low rate for someone who made 404 career starts. But he managed to miss enough bats. How the O's thrived with Flanagan and Scott McGregor at the same time ? now there's a guy who never struck anyone out ? I'll never know." ? DB

Hideki Irabu, New York Yankees pitcher (July 27): "The initial anticipation for Irabu's arrival is almost impossible to overstate: He was the first Japanese player on the Yankees, he was supposed to be the next Nolan Ryan, and at the time, Tom Verducci wrote that his first start 'may have been the most anticipated debut by a Yankees rookie since Mickey Mantle.' But the disappointment set in almost immediately." ? Alex Remington

Charlie Lea, Montreal Expos pitcher (Nov. 11): "Lea pitched for some of the very good Expos teams that were stacked on offense with names like Dawson, Carter, Tim Raines, Al Oliver and Tim Wallach. The pitching was good too, with names such as Lea, Bill Rogers, Scott Sanderson and Bill Gullickson. In Lea's first couple of seasons, they also had Bill Lee at the end of his career. Lea and Lee on the same staff, which was funny." ? DB

Paul Splittorff, Kansas City Royals pitcher (May 25): "Splittorff may not have had the highest Q rating when it came to a national profile. In the households of Kansas City, though, Splittorff's name was synonymous with baseball. A tall and lanky lefty who sported both trademark glasses and a giant leg kick, "Splitt" was one of the franchise's first draft picks, its first 20-game winner and the first Royals pitcher to record a playoff victory." ? 'Duk

Matty Alou, outfielder and Dominican pioneer (Nov. 3): "Even if Matty were an only child, he still would have made his mark on baseball. A lifetime .307 hitter who collected 1,777 hits over 15 seasons, he won the 1966 National League batting title with a .342 mark as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates ... He was a member of the Dominican baseball royalty, having been among the first wave of big-league players from the country after Ozzie Virgil and Felipe Alou opened the door in the late 1950s." ?�'Duk

Bob Forsch, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher (Nov. 3): "A tall right-hander, Forsch pitched in St. Louis for all but one of his 16 seasons. He was a member of the 1982 World Series title team and made two other trips with the 1985 and 1987 squads. He won 20 games in 1977, threw two no-hitters ? one in 1978 and one in 1983 ? and finished with 168 wins and a 3.76 career ERA. He's the only Cardinals pitcher who threw multiple no-hitters with the team and ranks third on the franchise's all-time wins list behind Bob Gibson and Jesse Haines. Not bad for someone who didn't rack up many strikeouts (1,133 Ks in 2,794 innings)." ? 'Duk

Greg Halman, Seattle Mariners outfielder (Nov. 21): "Halman was far from a household name here in the United States, but he had as interesting a career path as anyone. Signed by the Mariners in 2004 when he was just 17, Halman spent several years in the team's minor-league organization before finally getting his chance. He was called up in September 2010, playing in nine games near the end of the season. He also played in 35 games for the M's in 2011, hitting .230/.256/.345 with two homers and six RBIs after being called up in early June." ? 'Duk

Other notable deaths: Ryne Duren, Gino Cimoli, Marty Marion, Bob Rush, Eddie Joost, Jim Northrup, Wes Covington, Ernie Johnson, Roy Smalley.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/In-memoriam-The-baseball-men-we-lost-in-2011?urn=mlb-wp28904

Eric Chávez Pedro Ciriaco Jeff Clement Brooks Conrad

Fists Fly Again In College Basketball As Arizona State And Southern Miss Players Rumble

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2011/12/20/2648613/college-basketball-fight-brawl-arizona-state-southern-miss-pelham-pateev

Ryan Zimmerman Ben Zobrist Brandon Allen Yonder Alonso

Cardinals? Allen Craig out 4-6 months after knee surgery

If it turns out that the St. Louis Cardinals lose Albert Pujols to the Miami Marlins, the Redbirds could also begin next season without one of the bats that would have helped replace him.

As reported Tuesday by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, outfielder Allen Craig had surgery to repair a fractured right kneecap just before Thanksgiving. Recovery from the procedure is expected to take four to six months, which puts Craig's availability for opening day in doubt.

The injury in question dates back to early June, when Craig crashed into a wall at Houston's Minute Maid Park. The fractured kneecap kept him out for nearly two months.

Craig struggled upon his return to the lineup, likely adjusting to playing with such an injury. In August, he hit .244/.238/.463 with two home runs and five RBIs in 42 plate appearances.

But Craig clearly got used to playing with his bad knee and figured something out in September. As the Cardinals were making their surge to overtake the Atlanta Braves for the NL wild card, he compiled an OPS of 1.056 with five homers and 12 RBIs in 55 plate appearances.

Craig was a standout in the postseason, as well, despite part-time playing status. He came through with several big hits during the team's championship run. In the first two games of the World Series versus the Texas Rangers, Craig knocked two pinch-hit RBI singles to put the Cards ahead. In fact, four of his RBI gave St. Louis the lead in the series. He also hit three home runs, giving him a pretty strong case for World Series MVP.

(Rangers fans may also be wondering how a guy with a broken kneecap managed to rob Nelson Cruz of a home run with a leaping catch at the wall in Game 7.)

It was the kind of breakout performance that most role players ride into a starting job the following season. (Mitch Moreland, for example.) But the Cardinals still had to find a regular spot for him in their lineup. If Pujols were to take Miami's megabucks, that would leave first base open. Lance Berkman could then move to first from right field and Craig could take that position.

The Cardinals already faced a difficult situation with the possibility of Pujols missing from their lineup. But without Craig to help fill the void until at least May, the task of filling that potential hole looks even more formidable.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Cardinals-Allen-Craig-out-4-6-months-after-knee?urn=mlb-wp28119

Jhonny Peralta Brandon Phillips Trevor Plouffe Plácido Polanco

Create-a-Caption: These Marlins are the men of the moment

Not to go all Dennis Miller and drop a Les Miserabl�s reference on you here, but is it just me or do Jeffrey Loria and David Samson look like perfect understudies for the roles of the Th�rnadiers in this picture? For those of you who have any idea what I'm talking about, there's no doubt that an impromptu rendition of "Master of the House" from the Miami Marlins head honchos would have spiced up their walk through the lobby at the winter meetings in Dallas on Tuesday.

Anyway, have at it, amateur Internet copy editors of the world. How should this caption read?

Click below for a list of winners from our last Create-a-Caption featuring Junior Soprano:

Junior Soprano sings to Jorge Posada

1st ? Dan "Ah..hey...Uncle Junior, no need to sing about my goomah."

2nd ? Shawn. "When you are trying to survive but bat .235 that's a Posada!"

3rd ? Al. "Jorge tells himself that this will be the last public appearance he makes at the Green Grove nursing home."

HM ? Brett J. "Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Jorgeee, Goodbye!"

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Create-a-Caption-These-Marlins-are-the-men-of-t?urn=mlb-wp28147

Dan Uggla Juan Uribe Chase Utley Chris Valaika

Albert Pujols jerseys: Burned, defaced and given away in St. Louis

Los Angeles Angels fans seem pleased that their team has signed slugger Albert Pujols, to the point that Pujols jerseys (and Angels season tickets) reportedly are flying off the shelves in the Greater Anaheim Area.

Meanwhile, back in Old Pujols Country, many in St. Louis feel upset and betrayed that El Hombre has taken his Phat Albert Machine to Orange County. There have been reports of jersey burnings ? and YouTube proof still remains uploaded other places... and here, too ? though at least one fan got creative by defacing a Pujols No. 5 by cleverly turning the digit into a dollar sign (h/t Larry Brown Sports).

Some retailers have given up, too. The Pro Image Store at a mall in Chesterfield, Mo., was giving away Pujols stuff. For free. Gratis. No charge. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:

Paul Russo, who owns the St. Louis area franchises, said at about 1:30 p.m. that the Chesterfield Mall store had just about given away its entire stock of about 150 shirts and jerseys that would usually sell for between $14.99 and $129.99. Other area locations gave away a similar amount of Pujols apparel, he said.

Russo said he made a spur-of-the-moment decision to give away the merchandise. Russo explained, "It's not about the money, just like Albert said. Except he lied, and we didn't."

Interesting paradox.

They gave the jerseys away, yet someone still wanted them. How is Pujols (not that he will admit to caring) supposed to take that? You can't say his jersey is worthless in St. Louis if someone wants it. And it's not like all of these purchases are going into a bonfire.

The only real loser in this equation is the business owner who got stuck with too many Pujols jerseys. At least Russo got some foot traffic and notoriety out of the deal. But the overall message is mixed. Plenty of people in St. Louis still love Albert.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Albert-Pujols-jerseys-Burned-defaced-and-given?urn=mlb-wp28350

Jerry Hairston Jr. Bill Hall Mark Hamilton Jack Hannahan

Landon Donovan To Join Everton On Two-Month Loan

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/15/2639414/landon-donovan-everton-loan-la-galaxy-usmnt

Mike McCoy John McDonald Casey McGehee Aaron Miles

Trey Griffey makes a name for himself as a football recruit

It's funny how life works. In the late 1980s, Ken Griffey Jr. was the prodigiously talented baseball prospect with the famous father that was always mentioned in the next breath.

Some 20 or so years later, The Kid is the one greasing the wheels for a fame that his offspring might have achieved on his own accord anyway. High school senior Trey Griffey was named to the Under Armour All-American Game on Wednesday, moving one step closer to making it big as a wide receiver. Though his father and grandfather made their names in baseball, the family legacy is drawing Trey plenty of attention as he sets to graduate from Dr. Phillips High in Orlando and move on to the college ranks.

What's interesting is that Ken Griffey Jr. has tried to stay in the background as much as possible during his son's career, which has attracted scholarship offers from Michigan State, Iowa State and Washington State and interest from Oregon, Tennessee and UCLA. Is it because Junior experienced this same sort of thing being Ken Griffey Sr.'s son in Cincinnati and knows the type of shadow that Trey is currently living in? That would be a good guess and perhaps it was the reason why dear old dad was hesitant to be interviewed after Wednesday's announcement.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

"I tried to sit back there with y'all, they told me to go up front," said Junior. "I didn't catch one pass, I didn't� run one route, I didn't do anything. As a dad I'm very proud of him. He's the one who put in all the hard work."

If you're a regular reader of Cam Smith's excellent Prep Rally blog here on Rivals/Yahoo! Sports, you know that Trey has made plenty of headlines. In early November, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound receiver set a school record with 13 catches for 188 yards in a win that clinched a district title for his school. He finished the year with 72 catches for 970 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Trey prefers to stay as quiet as his dad did in his early playing days. He's yet to make a college choice and as a mid-level recruit ? Rivals has him pegged as a three-star (out of five) prospect ? his performance in the Jan. 5 Under Armour game at Tropicana Field could certainly help expand his choices. We'll have to wait and see where he ends up.

A few people have noted that Trey's success has made them feel old and I certainly agree for a couple of reasons. The first is that "The Kid" of my baseball generation has a kid who's about to become a successful adult. The second is that it seems like Trey has always been around. Junior was always very proud of his children ? he has a younger daughter and son, too ? and they were never far away in the clubhouse or stands. (A search of the Associated Press photo archive produces a full page of Ken and Trey photos.) Heck, even Trey's birth in 1994 was big news as then-Seattle Mariners GM Woody Woodward reportedly�sent the newborn a contract that was dated for 2012.

For the first time, I know what it must have felt like to see one of the tykes who tagged along with the Big Red Machine team become a star in his own right.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Trey-Griffey-makes-a-name-for-himself-as-a-footb?urn=mlb-wp27897

Ian Stewart Drew Sutton Mike Sweeney Fernando Tatís

Five teams with an interest in signing Aramis Ramirez

For teams looking to upgrade at third base this offseason, there's really only one free agent who would move the needle.

Aramis Ramirez hit .306/.361/.510 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs this past season and none of the other available third baseman even come close to those numbers.�That makes Ramirez one of the top targets at this week's Winter Meetings in Dallas.

Several teams would surely love to add Ramirez's bat to their lineup, but after turning down a $16 million option with the Cubs, it's clear he's looking for a far bigger payday. A reported desire for a three-year contract might also scare off potential suitors wary of giving a big contract to a 33-year-old probably on the downside of his career.

But a handful of clubs could meet Ramirez's demands or find the right numbers to sign him. Here are five teams, in order from most likely to least, that might have Ramirez by the end of the week.

Philadelphia Phillies: As the meetings began on Monday, the scuttlebutt centered on the Phillies making a run at Ramirez. Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post tweeted late Monday morning that the NL East champs were "strong players" for the third baseman.

But wait. Don't they already have Placido Polanco? Well, yes, they do. For now. Ken Rosenthal reports that the Phillies are "actively trying" to move Polanco, having become dismayed with his frequent injuries and lack of power at third base. Power is surely an important consideration for the Phillies with Ryan Howard out until at least May recovering from a ruptured left Achilles tendon.

Los Angeles Angels: The Halos are another team looking for a power boost at third, having juggled Alberto Callaspo and Maicer Izturis (combined 11 home runs) in 2011.�Giving Mark Trumbo a try at third base has been discussed, as he'll move off first base if and when Kendry Morales returns. But a stress fracture in his right foot has prevented Trumbo from practicing at the hot corner this offseason. Signing Ramirez would keep Trumbo where he's comfortable and provide insurance if Morales can't return.

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers are currently looking at a platoon of Brandon Inge (.197 average in 2011) and Don Kelly (.245) at third base. Is it any wonder why they're looking at other options? Detroit wants more speed and contact for the top of its lineup. But if that's not available, Ramirez is someone who could get on base in front of Miguel Cabrera or give the Tigers a much deeper batting order.

Milwaukee Brewers: Milwaukee apparently would prefer that Casey McGehee or Mat Gamel play at first base to replace Prince Fielder, rather than play at third base next season. As it is, Jerry Hairston Jr. was the choice there during the Brewers' stretch run and postseason. But Milwaukee has been rumored to be Ramirez's preferred destination, which puts Doug Melvin in the position of trying to make this work.

Boston Red Sox: Every free-agent chase needs a darkhorse candidate, right? It's a long shot, but could the Red Sox be that team? If David Ortiz ends up leaving, the team would have a considerable hole in its lineup. Kevin Youkilis is the incumbent third baseman, but might not be ready to play the position full-time after undergoing sports hernia surgery in early October. He could take Ortiz's DH role, opening up a spot on the infield for Ramirez.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Five-teams-with-an-interest-in-signing-Aramis-Ra?urn=mlb-wp27997

Nick Punto Alexei Ramírez Hanley Ramírez Édgar Rentería

Chelsea show belief of old on night of relief for Andr� Villas-Boas | Dominic Fifield

Andr� Villas-Boas has been charged with revitalising an anxious side, but this was a flashback to a Chelsea of the recent past

Normal service has been resumed. In the end Chelsea surveyed this group from its pinnacle, pointing to a perfect home record without a goal shipped en route as evidence that this had all been a breeze after all. The tension that had built up over a fortnight, since Bayer Leverkusen dispatched Andr� Villas-Boas's side in stoppage time at the BayArena, merely melted away, the anxiety that gripped prior to kick-off a deception. There was even a prickly reaction from the manager in his post-match assessment of which Jos� Mourinho would have been proud. This all felt like old times.

This team has been undergoing a metamorphosis since Villas-Boas was appointed in the summer, and that transformation can now be maintained within rather than without the Champions League. Valencia had represented a considerable challenge but while they pinged possession around neatly enough, they were blunted and buried. Villas-Boas has been charged with revitalising his side, and shaping a bright future, but this was a flashback to a Chelsea of the recent past; resilient at the back with Petr Cech outstanding; dynamic through the centre where Ramires was irrepressible; ruthless in attack with Didier Drogba a battering ram to shatter the opposition's resistance.

There was reassurance to be had in it all. Villas-Boas spoke in the aftermath of tweaking his "strategy", if not his "philosophy" which continues to revolve around "human values", by sitting deeper and springing through the Spanish on the break. That is what Chelsea used to do best, all strength and pace, even if the willingness to surrender the ball to their visitors was at odds with the Portuguese's mantra of being "proactive" and imposing themselves on opponents. One Spanish journalist asked whether that was a "treason" to his underlying beliefs, a question Villas-Boas greeted with incredulity.

Regardless, his ability to remind stalwarts of their qualities when it really mattered was worthy of praise. Drogba was a man possessed, back to the barnstorming best that had propelled this team to the Double under Carlo Ancelotti, with his the performance of a man seeking new terms as his contract runs down towards expiry. Cech, denying David Albelda early on and whatever Valencia flung at him thereafter, had forgotten the uncharacteristically shaky displays in defeat to Arsenal and Liverpool. Chelsea needed his assuredness. They had never previously failed to qualify from the group stage of this competition and the fears that this might be the year they would suffer that ignominy had been very real. The pre-match anxiety had proved as much though, by the end, the locals were chorusing "Carefree" as if mocking their earlier apprehension. This team can move on with confidence pepped.

The repercussions of progress into the knockout stage are more than merely financial. The television monies that will flood, as usual, into the coffers as the Londoners venture further into the latter stages are significant but not critical at a club overseen by a billionaire oligarch. This was about prestige ? it would have damaged reputations to have slipped meekly into the Europa League ? but, more significantly, it offers the management proper breathing space. Reaching the last 16 despite the stuttering form of late, which had seen three of the previous four home games lost, has contrived to offer Villas-Boas's regime legitimacy.

His approach had been bold but undeniably risky over recent weeks. Fernando Torres, a British record �50m signing, has been relegated to squad-player status where most assumed the manager's brief was to encourage the Spaniard to improve. The decision to accept transfer requests from Nicolas Anelka and Alex, ageing but experienced players, ahead of a cluttered December fixture list and then cast them to the fringes at Cobham ? they are training at the academy ? ahead of anticipated moves next month could be interpreted as the manager delivering a message. The pair's professionalism may have been publicly praised, but dissenting voices will not be tolerated.

The willingness to gamble was maintained here with Frank Lampard, a player with 20 Champions League goals in 81 appearances and the kind of talisman upon which this club has so often relied, omitted from the start. Had that strategy not come off then the backlash might have been vicious, offering those who doubt the manager's credentials evidence of his folly. In victory, the selection felt more like a stroke of genius. Ramires's energy granted Chelsea ferocious bite on the break, with Oriol Romeu so comfortable in possession and Raul Meireles tidy and efficient in a side seeking to sit deep. Lampard, at 33, was still described as "one of the best midfielders in the world" by Villas-Boas, but might have to get used to sitting out future significant games.

There can be no protesting while results are positive, and this was a third 3-0 success in four matches. Villas-Boas had already received the private backing of Roman Abramovich during the recent traumatic spell, but now he can contemplate the work to come from a true position of power. Elimination would have been humiliating. As it is, Manchester City visit here on Monday in a fixture which had appeared daunting at kick-off but, now, feels more like an opportunity to eat into the leaders' advantage at the top. Crisis allayed.

• Chelsea
• Champions League 2011-12
• Champions League
• Andr� Villas-Boas

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/dec/06/chelsea-valencia-champions-league-villas-boas

Nick Punto Robb Quinlan Ryan Raburn Alexei Ramírez

What a haul: Justin Verlander adds AL MVP to Cy Young

On next week's edition of Hoarders .... Justin Verlander?

Hey, why not? The big Detroit Tigers right-hander may not make for the type of wacky television favored by A&E, but he's laying down his own monopoly on the AL's award hardware. Verlander made another big addition to his personal trophy case on Monday afternoon, nailing down the 2011 AL MVP award to display alongside the Cy Young prize he won last week and the AL Rookie of the Year award he won in 2006. He's the first pitcher to win both the Cy Young and MVP since Dennis Eckersley in 1992 and the first MVP from the Tigers since fellow pitcher Willie Hernandez won both awards in 1984.

A few items on Verlander's victory and the vote totals below:

? With a number of good candidates but no clear-cut winner, there will definitely be some deserved appeals for the men who finished behind Verlander's final total of 13 first-place votes and 280 total points. Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury finished second with 242 total points (four first-place votes) while Toronto's Jose Bautista was third with 231 and five first-place votes. Curtis Granderson and Miguel Cabrera rounded out the top five. (BBWAA has the full voting breakdown.)

? I'm actually surprised that such a large number of writers were open to placing a pitcher atop their ballot ? those 13 votes are more than I expected ? but it definitely destroyed the theory that Bautista was going to ride a wave of second-place votes to a win in a year with multiple candidates.

? The vote I don't own would have gone to Ellsbury, a center fielder who posted a .321/.376/.552 line and led baseball with 364 total bases in an unbelievable comeback season. Not that I'm against pitchers being named MVP if they're clearly the most deserving candidate. Rather, it's because I believe an everyday player should hold the tiebreaker in a crowded and competitive field like the one we had this year. I suspect that Ellsbury would have received more first-place votes had the Red Sox not collapsed in September (a month in which he posted a .358/.400/.667 line with eight homers and 21 RBIs) and that's a shame. Bautista had a great case as well while playing for a team that didn't make the playoffs, but I see Ellsbury's season as rating a tick or two better when you consider positional value and Ellsbury's 39 stolen bases.

? Your headscratching tally from the BBWAA breakdown: Michael Young getting a first-place homer vote from Dallas Morning News writer Evan Grant, Yankees reliever David Robertson getting a token 10th-place vote and Verlander being left off one ballot entirely (guessing that one was from the true hardliners among the "no MVPs to pitchers" faction).

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? David Beckham, Galaxy win MLS Cup behind star trio
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? Morning Rush: NFL Thanksgiving games are finally appealing

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/What-a-haul-Justin-Verlander-adds-AL-MVP-to-Cy-?urn=mlb-wp27384

Mike Lamb Matt LaPorta Jeff Larish Adam LaRoche

The Secret Footballer: players with depression do get help

Football is not turning a blind eye to players with mental health problems

There are some things that happen in football that, for a moment at least, do not seem as if they're really happening at all. The sudden and tragic death of Gary Speed last Sunday was one of those moments. Here was a man whom everybody respected, a top professional in his playing days and manager of a revitalised Wales squad. It didn't seem to make any sense.

In the week leading up to Speed's death I had been reading A Life Too Short, the book about Robert Enke, the former Germany goalkeeper who killed himself, written by his friend, Ronald Reng. It was to be research for a column I was writing on depression that weekend. Twenty-four hours later Speed was found hanged at his house. On Monday Reng's biography won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award. It is, of course, all a horrible coincidence and Reng, quite wisely, refused to be drawn on any comparisons between Speed and Enke.

Since last Sunday, frustratingly for me, a fair amount has been made of the lack of help available to footballers and managers should the stresses of the game ever become too much. Susannah Strong, the author of a booklet that the Professional Footballers' Association has sent out to ex-players, containing advice, helpline numbers and case studies on depression, said: "It's an extraordinary sport where you get people to the absolute physical perfection ? and yet there's no attention paid whatsoever to the mental health of footballers." Strong also said she found it "really, really difficult to get any footballer to talk about mental health" and added: "There's a huge amount of stigma and taboo around [the subject]."

What did Strong expect? I would have been amazed if any players had been willing to bare their soul on a very private condition so that their testimony could be sent out to 50,000 retired footballers and end up in national newspapers. Just because mental illness in football remains a tough concept for some, it should not mean that it is bereft of the doctor/patient privilege afforded to any other illnesses.

Strong may well have been right when she uses words such as "stigma" and "taboo" but she was wide of the mark when she came close to suggesting clubs are negligent when it comes to players with mental health problems. It made me angry to read those remarks, when I have first-hand evidence that is not the case, and I was even more frustrated when I came across Alan Hansen's thoughts on the subject in another national newspaper.

Hansen wrote: "Football is a tough sport and there really is no support network for those who are troubled or in need of help." He went on: "Players know that any admission of a problem or a call for help would see them annihilated by their team-mates once they started to feel good again, so as a result there would be a real air of silence when it came to telling people that you needed help."

Hansen was a great footballer and has far more medals in his cabinet than I'll ever have but he is, to put it bluntly, completely out of touch. I wonder what Tony Adams, who set up the excellent Sporting Chance Clinic that is run by Peter Kay and his team, thinks when he reads Hansen talk about "no support network". Kay, for those who are not aware, confirmed that within 72 hours of Speed's death 10 players had been in touch with him. Hundreds of others have benefited since the charity was formed 11 years ago.

Furthermore, while changing rooms can certainly be tough places, much of what goes on is bravado and nobody is going to "annihilate" you for revealing you suffer from depression. In my experience there is a team-mate in every dressing room whom you can confide in if you have problems and we're also talking about a time when clubs employ sports psychologists who sit down for the sort of one?to?one chats that would have been unthinkable years ago. I'm not saying we're doing everything we possibly can to help those in need but I do think it's important to make the point that football's not turning a blind eye to those with problems.

Whether those who experience difficulties can make the leap of faith to use what is on offer is another matter. In my case I knew that something wasn't quite right mentally but I didn't want anything to change and risk upsetting what I was doing on the pitch, because at the time I was playing well. Today I see how dangerous that thought process is because, had my football begun to suffer, there is every chance the illness could have tightened its grip.

My situation was not helped by two misdiagnoses of manic depression (now bipolar) that came about from my tendency to do strange things at breakneck speed that might be considered by others as, well, crazy. Highlights include booking out the top floor of a hotel in Paris because I had heard that somebody I didn't like was thinking of staying there. This sort of episode was never followed by a sustained lull and therefore could not be construed as anything other than a quirk of my character that was there in one form or another even as a child.

At the end of last year I was eventually diagnosed with depression after my club doctor called me to his surgery and asked after my mental wellbeing. I am lucky that he is well versed in the manifestations of mental health; he had been monitoring me day to day through what I thought was nothing more than passing conversation. Others may not be so fortunate.

It has been a tough week for football and, as it draws to a close and the weekend's matches approach, I already know that we will see the tributes to Speed observed impeccably for, if there is one thing that football knows how to do, it is the mourning of one of its own. I only hope that the respect shown to a special player is afforded in some way to the players on the pitch later that day, because we never know what could be going through a fragile mind.

Follow the Secret Footballer on Twitter @TSFGuardian

• Mental health
• Health

The Secret Footballer

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/dec/02/the-secret-footballer-players-depression

Jeff Baker Brian Barden Clint Barmes Darwin Barney

FanHouse 15: No. 3 Cliff Lee

by FanHouse TV

Filed under: Phillies, MLB Video

It may seem like just weeks ago that the baseball season ended, but, believe it or not, Spring Training is here.

If you're like the rest of us at FanHouse, you can't wait for the season to begin -- but we've got you covered until opening day arrives.

It's the FanHouse 15, a countdown of the 15 most talked about, blogged about, tweeted about, sensational stars of America's pastime.

Who will be number one?

The list continues with No. 3, the Phillies Cliff Lee.

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/02/27/fhtv-fanhouse-15-no-3-cliff-lee/

Jonathan Herrera Mike Hessman Brandon Hicks Aaron Hill

Why Bobby Valentine is the right man for the Boston Red Sox | David Lengel

Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine succeeds Terry Francona at the Boston Red Sox and will bring a unique style to Fenway
Bobby Valentine 'honored, humbled and pretty damn excited' to be Red Sox manager

Bobby Valentine is the new manager of the Boston Red Sox, something you could have gotten some pretty healthy odds on back in early September. That was before the earth moved under Fenway Park, before the spectacular month-long collapse of the Old Towne Team led to their esteemed manager and General Manager moving on, and of course, before the barrage of sensational stories pertaining to the Sox player personnel flooded Beantown's relentless press. When you are coasting towards a playoff berth and a realistic shot of a third World Series title in seven seasons, and then, less than a 30 days later you are playing golf, there are repercussions, especially in baseball-obsessed Boston.

Now the Red Sox are trying to clean up the mess and have invested heavily in Valentine, a controversial, polarizing manager with 20 years experience leading the Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines. Was it the right move? That is the easiest question I will ever answer, even if it's rigged because I wrote it myself. Let's just say this?I love Bobby Valentine, I love everything about him, and I am insanely jealous that he is back in baseball up in Boston rather than in Queens.

Most fans grow up with a favorite player, and I had that as well. The Mets phenom pitcher Dwight Gooden was my guy, that is until "Dr. K" got hooked on drugs, became a Yankee, threw a no-hitter and won a World Series in the Bronx. That was too much to take, and so I don't have a favorite player anymore. However, I do have an all-time favorite, and somewhat bizarrely, it's a manager, not a player?Bobby Valentine. He joined the Mets in 1996 during a time when the team hadn't had a winning season in five years. In 1997 they won 88 games. In 1999 and 2000 they went to the playoffs with so-so teams Valentine squeezed the very last ounce of talent out of. They lost to the Yankees in the 2000 World Series four games to one, but played them tougher than any of their previous opponents during their run of championships.

But forget the winning, the fact that he's probably one of the most intelligent and prepared baseball people around, and all that, blah, blah, blah. What makes Bobby great is that in a baseball world that is extremely traditional, that is full of conformists falling in line, Valentine is an extremely bright, entertaining renaissance man, who is part of a minuscule counter-culture inside a game that does not particularly take to individualism. We're talking about a baseball manager who can ballroom dance, decided against playing college football at USC and replacing OJ Simpson at running back, took a job overseeing his hometown's police, fire, and health departments, invented the sandwich wrap, and famously came back into the dugout wearing a disguise after being ejected from a game in 1999. Most impressive were his two stints managing in Japan, where he built much more than a cult following with his comprehensive embracing of the culture and language, not to mention bringing a title to Chiba in 2005, while helping to create his own "Bobby Magic" burger.

These are not the kind of activities that your average baseball manager gets into, and that may be one reason why there are a lot of baseball people out there who don't like Bobby V, never-mind the shit-eating half-grin he wears in the dugout. You hear a lot of "He thinks he's the smartest guy in the room" kind of talk, that Valentine is regularly plotting, forming agendas, carrying out schemes with those he considers "his guys" in the clubhouse, the board room and in the press, burning bridges in the process. Some of that is true, and there is definitely a part of Bobby Valentine that is a huge pain in the ass, and yes, it can get ugly. �Like the time he had to deny trying to get fired during a 12-game losing streak in 2002, and his amusing, but questionable way of dealing with the rumors of rampant marijuana use around the team later that season, his final one with the Mets. All of this was fine with me of course, and as a friend pointed out, "He thrills you and on the other hand has actually punched you, and likely thinks you're a idiot.� He is a paradox."�That's true, Valentine did punch me, playfully, but very hard after I asked him for an interview in Japan back in 2000. "Come back tomorrow" Pow! Yes, it was a unique show during a golden era for Mets fans.

What does all of that mean for Boston? Well, they are getting a manager capable of changing a culture immediately, someone who is extremely positive during a time the franchise is recovering from one of its most negative seasons. They are also getting a manager who will take the attention away from their skeptical players, who is always ready to present his version of events to a populace thirsty for interaction with their team. Can Valentine handle the Boston fans and the local press? Well, considering his performance in Japan, a sink or swim environment for gaijin, I don't have any doubts on that front. Come April, Boston's fans will learn first hand that Valentine is a fearless, can-do manager who will entertain without stepping into the batters box while restoring the Red Sox to prominence. �

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• Boston Red Sox
• MLB
• US sport

David Lengel

guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/dec/01/bobby-valentine-boston-red-sox-mets

Mike Sweeney Fernando Tatís Mark Teahen Mark Teixeira