Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/aroldis_chapman_back_in_closers_role/13214326
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Chapman back to closer's role
Entering this season, the Reds planned to get more innings out of their young flame-throwing closer, Aroldis Chapman, by moving him to the starting rotation. They re-signed Jonathan Broxton to a large $21 million contract to close and began the process of stretching Chapman out for a rotation slot this Spring. Last weekend, Chapman expressed his preference to close games rather than start, and just one week later, the Cincinnati Reds have�announced�that he will return to the role he dominated in 2012. He was pleased to hear the news, saying�?I feel really, really happy to be the closer of the team.? Mike Leake will fill-in the vacated rotation, and is surely celebrating the news. When signing his new contract, Jonathan�Broxton said�?I will be happy to go to the eighth. It doesn?t matter to me,? so all parties seem pleased. Chapman immediately becomes �a top 5 fantasy closer, while Jonathan Broxton is reduced to waiver-wire fodder. Photo Credit: MLB.com Ryan Kantor is an author at Reading Betw
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Report: Bruins Among Four Teams Having ?Ongoing Discussions? About Jarome Iginla With Calgary Flames
Everybody seems to want Jarome Iginla at this year?s NHL trade deadline, and that competition will only heat up as the April 3 trade deadline nears. While no�front runner�for the forward?s services has emerged, it appears that a quartet of teams is staying involved with the Calgary Flames.
The Bruins are one of those four teams, according to TSN?s Darren Dreger. As Dreger sees it, Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Chicago are four teams having ?ongoing conversations? with Calgary.
Iginla, 35, is having another strong season for the struggling Flames. Through�29 games, he has eight goals and 13 assists, with those 21 point totals the third most on the squad.
Over the course of a 15-year NHL career, the right winger has compiled�524 goals and�570 assists.
The Bruins are one of those four teams, according to TSN?s Darren Dreger. As Dreger sees it, Boston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Chicago are four teams having ?ongoing conversations? with Calgary.
Iginla, 35, is having another strong season for the struggling Flames. Through�29 games, he has eight goals and 13 assists, with those 21 point totals the third most on the squad.
Over the course of a 15-year NHL career, the right winger has compiled�524 goals and�570 assists.
Justin Upton hits homer over the scoreboard
In Thursday night's Nationals-Braves game, new Atlanta left fielder Justin Upton unloaded on an 86 mph Dan Haren cutter, sending the first pitch he saw in his sixth inning at bat out of the park for a homer. But the fact that Upton homered is only half oft he story. Upton's monstrous homer not only left the yard, but also cleared the scoreboard in left center field at Champion Stadium. It was his fifth homer of the spring, giving the Braves three players with five homers this spring (with Freddie Freeman and Juan Francisco joining Upton). No other team has three players with five, but three have two: the Phillies (Ryan Howard, Domonic Brown), Mariners (Michael Morse, Kendrys Morales), and Astros (Brandon Laird, Jason Castro). Oddly, three of those four teams play their spring games in Florida, when Arizona is typically the offensive hotbed. [follow]
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/justin_upton_homers_over_the_scoreboard/13206394
Rio Ferdinand defends trip to Qatar
Rio Ferdinand has defended his decision to fly to Doha and appear as a television analyst for England's World Cup qualifier, days after ruling himself out of the match because of fitness issues.
The Manchester United defender cited the need to follow a ''detailed and pre-planned program'' of fitness for missing Friday's game at San Marino and Tuesday's qualifier against Montenegro. It would have marked his international return after a two-year absence.
Instead, he'll be in Qatar to visit the Aspire training academy before working for Al-Jazeera.
Ferdinand says in a Twitter post that it's ''no different from what I done on the last 10day international break,'' and says it was ''punditry thrown in for a game I would have watched anyway.''
The Manchester United defender cited the need to follow a ''detailed and pre-planned program'' of fitness for missing Friday's game at San Marino and Tuesday's qualifier against Montenegro. It would have marked his international return after a two-year absence.
Instead, he'll be in Qatar to visit the Aspire training academy before working for Al-Jazeera.
Ferdinand says in a Twitter post that it's ''no different from what I done on the last 10day international break,'' and says it was ''punditry thrown in for a game I would have watched anyway.''
Source: http://network.yardbarker.com/soccer/article_external/rio_ferdinand_defends_trip_to_qatar/13200352
Phantom: LeBron James' Triple-Double Leads the Heat
 | Check out LeBron James' epic performance leading the Miami Heat to the 24th straight win after being behind by 27 points. Visit nba.com/video for more highli... | From: NBA Views: 301  125 ratings |
| Time: 01:07 | More in Sports |
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWVVzUp8W-o&feature=youtube_gdata
Trumbo gives Angels the edge at DH in West
The American League West is loaded with designated hitters with solid resumes.
Mark Trumbo was an All-Star last year. Lance Berkman was a most valuable player candidate two seasons ago and Kendrys Morales was on his way to a big career before an ankle injury.
How will it shake out at the DH position this year?
Here's a look at the DH rankings in the West.
1. Los Angeles The Angels certainly boast of the most versatile designated hitters in baseball in Mark Trumbo. He may also be one of the best. Trumbo played left field, right field, first base and third base for the Angels last year as the team tried to find a way to keep his All-Star bat in the lineup despite Trumbo having defensive deficiencies. With all those spots occupied as of now, it looks like the majority of his ABs this year will come from the DH spot. He certainly gives the Angels a potent one as Trumbo, who finished second in the rookie of the year voting in 2011, hit 32 home runs last season. Many of them were of the majestic variety to
Mark Trumbo was an All-Star last year. Lance Berkman was a most valuable player candidate two seasons ago and Kendrys Morales was on his way to a big career before an ankle injury.
How will it shake out at the DH position this year?
Here's a look at the DH rankings in the West.
1. Los Angeles The Angels certainly boast of the most versatile designated hitters in baseball in Mark Trumbo. He may also be one of the best. Trumbo played left field, right field, first base and third base for the Angels last year as the team tried to find a way to keep his All-Star bat in the lineup despite Trumbo having defensive deficiencies. With all those spots occupied as of now, it looks like the majority of his ABs this year will come from the DH spot. He certainly gives the Angels a potent one as Trumbo, who finished second in the rookie of the year voting in 2011, hit 32 home runs last season. Many of them were of the majestic variety to
Friday, March 22, 2013
Vancouver Canucks: Was NHL Justice Is Served with Alexander Edler's Suspension?
Alex Edler was suspended two games by Brendan Shanahan for running into Mike Smith in a game between the Canucks and Coyotes on Thursday, March 21.
It was a violation of Rule 42 of the NHL rulebook, specifically regarding charging and the protection it affords goalies from physical contact.
And so the NHL is suspending him for two games. Edler will miss games on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 against the L.A. Kings and Colorado Avalanche, respectively.
I’m sure there are quite a few fans that feel this is a travesty of justice. That happens in every market when one of their stars is suspended. At least in markets that actually have fans.
And there are bound to be Coyotes fans thinking Edler got off lightly.
But I’m ok with the two-game suspension.
First, it was a violation of the rules. This wasn’t a grey area or subject to interpretation.
Shanahan breaks it down quite succinctly in the suspension video, but the key points are that Edler was in violation of Rule 42, he doesn’t have a suspension history and Smith was injured.
While I think the rule itself is stupid (in my opinion, goalies who are in the crease should be protected, goalies outside the crease playing the puck like a skater to get their team an advantage should be fair game), the rule is on the books.
Edler nailed him. That isn’t under dispute.
Second, the suspension isn’t a huge deal for the Canucks.
In a reversal of years past, the Canucks are hurting at forward while healthy on defence, so they can cope without Edler for a few games. Not ideal to lose an All-Star, but it is manageable.
Third, I’m ok with the idea of running Mike Smith at that point in the game.
Earlier in the period, Smith punched a falling and defenceless Daniel Sedin with a trapper to the nose, leaving him with some nice stitches.
While Smith wasn’t wholly responsible, as his defender did push Sedin awkwardly as they were about to crash the net, if anyone injures one of your star players, it is ok to look for a chance to retaliate.
In this case, Smith put himself in the crosshairs by deciding he wanted to go out and literally play in traffic, coming out to not only play the puck, but attempting to stickhandle it as well to make a play to clear the zone on the penalty kill.
He did this behind the net, with no room to dodge the oncoming 6’3”, 215 pound Edler, who was already charging hard for the puck before Smith left his crease.
Edler is supposed to take all reasonable efforts to avoid leveling the goalie, and he clearly didn’t, instead appearing to take advantage of the opportunity to get some retribution for Daniel Sedin and maybe shake up the goalie.
Smith is now listed as day to day with an upper body injury and left the game, and Edler gets a slap on the wrist from Shanahan and is grounded this weekend.
It happens rarely, but I actually feel the NHL reached a reasonable verdict based upon the rulebook and video evidence, unlike in the Jannik Hansen suspension earlier this year.
Now if someone can just explain to me how Rich Nash didn’t even get a hearing for this elbow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)