THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8. 2007
SPORTS
7B
MLB
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez, center, and Johnny Damon, right, leave the dugout after a baseball game on Sept. 25 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rodriguez opted out his $252 million, 10-year contract with the Yankees on Oct. 28, 2017, in what appears to be the end of his career with New York.
Teams compete to sign A-Rod
BY RONALD BLUM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ORLANDO. Fla. — The Los Angeles Angels are baseball's exception: They openly admit they'd love to sign Alex Rodriguez.
The Angels had a meet-and-greet with A-Rod's agent, Scott Boras, at the general managers' meetings. The New York Mets also spoke with Boras but won't say whether they're in or out of the competition.
Tony Reagins, who just took over as the Angels' GM, had glowing words for A-Rod.
"He probably makes any team that he's a part of better," he said Wednesday.
Reagins said if talks progressed, the Angels would welcome a chance to speak with Rodriguez.
While the Mets have the cash to sign Rodriguez, they haven't committed to making an offer. Likely to win his third AL MVP award, Rodriguez is expected to sign a deal topping the record $252 million, 10-year contract the Texas Rangers gave him before the 2001 season. Before A-Rod opted out of that agreement, Boras told the New York Yankees they had to offer $350 million just to get a meeting with the third baseman.
Other possible destinations are thought to include the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers. All the teams say that they're not interested at this point.
Other big names in the news on the next-to-last day of the four-day gathering included Miguel Cabrera, Roger Clemens, Tom Glavine and Kenny Rogers.
The final day of the annual meetings, GMs were to discuss whether first- and third-base coaches should wear helmets. Mike Coolbaugh, a first-base coach for the Colorado Rockies' minor league team in Tulsa, was killed in July when he was struck on the head by a line drive during a game.
On Tuesday, each general manager stood up during their meeting and stated what their offseason goals
were. Many mentioned specific players they were making available. The idea was suggested by Boston's Theo Epstein and Floridia Larry Beinfest, co-chairs of this year's meeting.
"Usually it takes a while to be able to reach all 29 other teams and hear what they're trying to do. This increased our efficiency tremendously. It saves us all a lot of time," Epstein said. "Some teams were specific. Some were more guarded."
Cabrera is the first big name being dangled. He'll make more than $10 million next season, too expensive for the Marlins to retain. Having lost A-Rod, the Yankees need a third baseman and team executive Hank Steinbrenner was clear on what New York won't do.
"It's pretty obvious which players we're not going to trade," he said, before rattling off the team's most-prized young pitchers. "Chamberlain, Hughes and even Kennedy. Not for a position player."
For now, when other teams inquire, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy aren't available.
Hughes, just 21, showed poise and overpowering pitches, even while slowed by hamstring and ankle injuries that sidelined him for much of the season. Chamberlain, 22, was instant electricity and on many nights unhittable as Mariano Rivera's setup man down the stretch. Kennedy, who turns 23 next month, was polished and resembled a young
Mike Mussina in three September starts.
"I know that all three of those guys, the 29 other clubs would have no problems pitching at least one of them if not all of them in their rotations," general manager Brian Cashman said.
Atlanta said it would like to bring back Tom Glavine after a five-year absence.
Glavine, a left-hander who turns 42 in March, spent his first 16 major league seasons with Atlanta, then pitched for the New York Mets for five years. He lives in suburban Atlanta and was hoping to get an offer from the Braves after the 2006 season. Atlanta never made an offer, and he agreed Dec. 1 to re-sign with the Mets.
"Kenny will pitch in 2008, and we are currently in negotiations with the Tigers," Boras said.
Rogers, a left-hander who turns 43 on Saturday, wants to return to Detroit for a third season.
Clemens, who is 45, is ready to join the Houston Astros — as a consultant. In a sign Clemens' pitching career could be over, his agent sent an e-mail to Drayton McLane owner the owner the seven-time Cy Young Award winner is set to start his personal-services contract with the team on Jan. 1.
"He's moving toward retirement and leaving open the possibility of playing," agent Randy Hendricks said.
Johnson out indefinitely from Sunday's foot injury
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATE PRESS
Asked directly if he had been told that Johnson's foot was broken, Edwards said:
NFL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs coach Herm Edwards insisted Wednesday that he has not been told that running back Larry Johnson has a broken foot and is out for the year.
"What I just told you is what I've been told. And that's all I care to know about, to be quite honest. What you have to understand is when you're a football coach, here's
A report on My Fox Colorado out of Denver quoted an unnamed source within the Chiefs organization as saying the two-time Pro Bowl running back broke his right foot in the loss on Sunday to Green Bay and would not play again this year.
"They're still trying to look at it to find out exactly where he's at. I do know this — it's very doubtful in my mind that he's going to play this week. That's what I know. Don't shoot the messenger."
"All I know is this is what I've been told. What I've been told not by that reporter but from our doctors is that his foot is still swollen," a feisty, defensive Edwards told reporters after practice.
The Chiefs, who play the Denver Broncos this Sunday, have said only that it's a mid-foot sprain and he will not play this week.
what you want to know on Monday, or on Sunday — is a player going to be available to play on Sunday? Doctor says maybe, questionable, doubtful. Once they tell me they don't think he's going to be able to play, fine. I move on. That's all I've got to do. I don't have to worry about next week. I can't control next week. I've got to concentrate on this week."
The Chiefs (4-4) will use 34-year-old Priest Holmes and untested rookie Kolby Smith to replace Johnson, who signed a six year, $45 million contract after holding out the entire training camp. Johnson rushed for more than 1,750 yards each of the past two seasons and has scored Kansas City's last 36 touchdowns on the ground. But he was off to a slow start and had only 559 yards on 158 carries when he was injured late in the fourth quarter against the Packers.
Ironically, he got his chance to come off the bench and start when Holmes, a three-time Pro Bowler, went down in October 2005 with a spinal injury. Now Holmes will have an opportunity to resurrect his career while Johnson nurses an injury that could keep him out much longer than one week.
Or will it? Edwards insisted he does not know.
"If they tell me something, when I get the message this is what it is, I'll be the first to tell you," he said. "I have nothing to hide."
In his heyday, Holmes was one
NFL
Brees was referring to the fact that he kept his own drinking to a minimum at the wine tasting, given his responsibilities on the football field these days.
METAIRE, La. — Is it any coincidence that the Saints would thrive on a vintage Drew Brees performance only days before the launch of his new wine?
Yet he could have been talking about his form on the field, coming off a game in which he
NFL Brees returning to form in time for wine release
"I'm in season," Brees said with a grin, when asked about the launch of "Vintage Brees Chardonnay" this week at one of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse's restaurants in New Orleans.
of the finest backs in the league. He still holds the Chiefs' career rushing record.
"I'm prepared, Holmes said. "Most of all, I'm having fun. I think the two years off gave me a chance to grow personally. I've learned a lot, experienced a lot. I'm just excited. I think the element I bring to the team is one that's going to keep you guessing."
Edwards has said he will not be the featured back, but Holmes said he's ready for 25 to 30 carries if that is what is needed.
"We try to look at each game and plan the best way we feel like is going to give us a chance to score points and move the ball," Payton said. "Each week, the plan can vary some based on the opponent."
So confident was head coach Sean Payton in Brees' ability to deliver an assortment of throws around the field, he called 49 passing plays and 25 running plays against the Jaquars.
Associated Press
That was the kind of performance Brees turned in repeatedly in 2006, when he led the NFL in passing with 4,418 yards.
completed 35 passes to nine players for 455 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-24 triumph over Jacksonville.
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