The fine folks @ Deadspin with a Merril Hoge contradiction! Good times…

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Looks like the right move by Phillies general manager Pat Gillick…

by Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com

The Philadelphia Phillies backed away from a multiyear agreement with free-agent reliever Joe Borowski because of concerns over Borowski’s shoulder after the pitcher took a physical, several baseball sources told ESPN.com.

According to the sources, the Phillies were prepared to sign Borowski when a team doctor examined the results of the physical and advised against giving the pitcher a multiyear contract.

Borowski’s agents, Ron Shapiro and Michael Maas, continue to field one-year offers from several clubs. It’s believed they haven’t ruled out resuming negotiations with Philadelphia.�

Track stars-to-NFL-wide-receiver have had some success, like NFL Hall of Famer (and former Dallas Cowboy) Bob Hayes…

By John Clayton
ESPN.com

The Houston Texans worked out the world’s fastest man, Justin Gatlin, on Tuesday but that doesn’t mean he’s making a fast entrance into the NFL.

The Texans didn’t make a big deal out of the Tuesday visit. They looked at Gatlin like they did with two other receivers — Kevin McMahan of Maine and Jovan Witherspoon of Central Michigan. NFL teams usually bring in players for Tuesday workouts while the 53 players on the regular roster take a day off.

The only difference in this workout was the name recognition of Gatlin, the 100-meter gold medal winner in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Gatlin holds the world record for running the 100 meters in 9.76 seconds.

In April, he tested positive for the banned substance testosterone and accepted an eight-year ban from track and field.

Another day, another arrest for rapper Snoop Dogg:

Snoop was arrested for a third time in three months Tuesday after cops busted him on the aforementioned charges as he left a taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was arrested on counts of illegally possessing a handgun, possessing cocaine, transporting marijuana and for having a false compartment in his car.

According to police spokesman Sergeant Kevin Grandalski, Snoop’s entourage was pulled over just after 6 p.m., as soon as the rapper had left NBC’s studios in Burbank, where he was taping a performance for last night’s Tonight Show.

from the fine folks @ E! Television

As a fan of Carlos Tevez, the Lead finds this quite humorous….

The 22-year-old Tevez was handed both punishments by his West Ham United team mates for storming out of Upton Park on Saturday after his substitution in the team’s 1-0 home win over Sheffield United, British media reported on Wednesday.

The Sun tabloid even had former Corinthians striker Tevez in the colors of Argentina’s arch-rivals Brazil in a photomontage on its back page.

Two-year deal with a club option in 2009…

per Rotowire

***UPDATED***

Associated Press

11/29/2006 12:51:00 PM

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Craig Counsell returned to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, agreeing to a two-year contract.

Counsell played for Milwaukee in 2004. The 36-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

”The Brewers are glad to have Craig back,” said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, a native of Chatham, Ont. ”He has always exemplified the true professional in how he prepares and plays the game. His ability to play all infield positions will be extremely valuable. Craig also brings a contact approach to hitting and has always been a fundamentally sound player.”

Our friends at InsideSTL conducted an interview with former New York Met, New York Yankee and San Francisco Giant OFer Darryl Strawberry on the morning radio show, The Morning Grind.

Below is an excerpt of that interview form the two hosts, Tim McKernan and Jim Hayes –

Jim Hayes � What a fascinating life you�ve lead? Obviously lots of good�and plenty not so good that�s been chronicled in the media. Our questions to you�for Darryl Strawberry�is…what are you doing in St. Charles?

Strawberry � It�s a blessing to be here. Me and my wife came here, to visit her family over the Holidays about a year ago and we just to happened to pop into a beautiful church, and we loved it. We decided this was a place where God wanted us�Church on the Rock. A wonderful pastor, wonderful teacher. That�s what brought us here. I love the ministry. Love the outreach, helping those who need it. We came, and saw that, and our hearts were for that and wanted to be a part of that.

Click here to read the rest of the interview

Short little blurb on ESPN tells us that SP Pedro Martinez of the New York Mets is feeling good.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Pedro Martinez said he is making strides in his rehab, but doesn’t expect to return the New York Mets’ rotation until midseason.

“The rehabilitation process is better than expected,” Martinez said.

Some good stuff (as always) from Buster Olney of ESPN INsider. Other notes that appear in the column are: Tony La Russa’s continued defense of Mark Gwire; the Dodgers have interest in former Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal and Brad Hawpe has been told he’s staying put in the Mile High City…

� Tom Glavine wants to go back to the Braves, writes David O’Brien, but there’s just one holdup — the Braves haven’t made an offer to Glavine.

� The Dodgers are not interested in Barry Zito, writes Steve Henson. That could leave only the Mets and Cubs as possible big-market suitors for the left-hander.

� The Indians are interested in Keith Foulke, writes Paul Hoynes.

� The Mariners are looking to reacquire Freddy Garcia, writes John Hickey. Within this piece, Hickey also writes that the Mariners remain the front-runners to sign Jason Schmidt.

� The Rays are trying to move a regular-season series in May to Orlando, writes Marc Topkin. Within this same piece, there is word that Tampa Bay has signed Hee-Seop Choi.

More after the jump »

Some more hot stove tidbits from one the game’s insiders…

Another reason why the Dodgers could be a logical fit for Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez: Dodgers manager Grady Little, who managed Ramirez in 2002 and ‘03 with the Sox and coached him with the Indians in 2000. Little had to endure his own “Manny being Manny” moments in Boston, but one of his greatest strengths is his ability to relate to players.

The Braves appear unlikely to sign free-agent left-hander Tom Glavine unless they can trade right-hander Tim Hudson, whose salary will rise from $6 million next season to $13 million in both ‘08 and ‘09. Braves second baseman Marcus Giles also remains a candidate to be moved; he continue to generate significant trade interest despite the glut of second basemen on the free-agent market.

The Diamondbacks, Padres, Giants, Rangers and Indians are believed to be among the teams interested in free-agent left-hander Mark Mulder, who had season-ending shoulder surgery in August and isn’t expected to be ready by the start of the season. The Diamondbacks would benefit from adding Mulder to a rotation that already includes Brandon Webb, Livan Hernandez and Doug Davis. Ditto for the Padres, who could add Mulder to Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Clay Hensley � and maybe Greg Maddux.

There’s more including: Rocco Baldelli drawing interest from the Boston Red Sox; the Baltimore Orioles sinking $42MM in relief help and why the Yankees are out of the Ted Lilly bidding for now…

Baltimore is doing a heckuva job re-building that bullpen…

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press Writer
November 28, 2006

BALTIMORE (AP) — Adding another pair of relievers, the Baltimore Orioles reached preliminary agreements with Chad Bradford and Scott Williamson on Tuesday and also neared a deal to re-sign first baseman Kevin Millar and add backup catcher Paul Bako.

Bradford will get a $10.5 million, three-year contract and Williamson will get $900,000 for one year. The agreements were confirmed by a person familiar with the deals who spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been finalized.�

Tony LaRussa, Mark McGwire’s former manager in both stops (Oakland and St. Louis), still backs his former player –

“It would be two in five then. I’d make it two in five,” La Russa said. “I can’t answer for anybody else, what priorities they give and how they weigh stuff. I know what my personal opinion is, and that’s the way it stays.”

“I’ve watched him for years and years and years work out and take care of himself, and if any of us do that, we get bigger and stronger,” La Russa said.

“I know people are struggling with how to put it in perspective,” he said. “I don’t know where it goes. I don’t know how people weigh. I don’t know how the public feels. To me, the issue is the player that I saw for years and years. I believe in him. And that’s where I leave it.”

For the rest (and to put some context to those quotes), jump on over to the Associated Press piece hosted on ESPN�

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and 1380 ESPN Radio reports that the Cardinals have signed four players, including 2b Adam Kennedy…

Adam Kennedy in as 2B; can’t verify money… (reportedly 3-15).
Kip Wells in the back end of the rotation…
Gary Bennett re-signed as backup catcher…
Eli Marrero signed to a minor-league deal.

All are in St. Louis, taking physicals as this is typed.

–B

***UPDATE***
KMOX reports the Kennedy deal is three-years, $10MM…

***UPDATE II***
CNNSI reports that P Kip Wells’ deal is for one-year and $4MM

***UPDATE III***
Kennedy’s contract calls for salaries of $2.5 million next year, $3.5 million in 2008 and $4 million in 2009. He made $3.38 million this year in the final season of a three-year contract.

And the hits keep on coming from the Northsiders…

By Jon Heyman, SI.com

The Cubs, anxious to steal the winter and maybe the summer, too, are now pursuing star free-agent pitcher Jason Schmidt, SI.com has learned. The Cubs already have spent $239 million on free agents (including the $10 million they used for new manager Lou Piniella), and two high-ranking baseball people said they are bidding about $45 million over three years for Schmidt in attempt to lure him away from the West Coast.�

The Kyodo News chimes in with this update regarding pitcher Kei Igawa of the Hanshin Tigers…

Baseball: Hanshin accepts bid for Igawa
OSAKA, Nov. 28 KYODO

The Hanshin Tigers have accepted an offer from a major league team for the right to negotiate with left-hander Kei Igawa, the Central League club said Tuesday.

Hanshin made the announcement hours after the Major League Baseball commissioner’s office notified the Osaka club of the amount of the highest bid without giving the name of the successful bidder. Hanshin did not disclose the bid amount.

***UPDATE***
CNNSI reports that the winning bid was $25MM…

***UPDATE***
ESPN reports that the New York Yankees won the bidding rights…

From FoxSports’ Jay Glazer…

Jay Glazer / FOXSports.com

Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck finally returned from one injury and now may have to recover from another.

FOXSports.com has learned that the Seahawks QB is scheduled to undergo an MRI today for an injury in his left hand during Monday night’s game. Hasselbeck slammed the hand against a helmet and is experiencing swelling.

It’s not known exactly what the injury is or how serious it is, but the team does not believe he’ll miss any time due to the fact the injury is on his non-throwing hand. Hasselbeck is a right-handed passer.