Rockies negotiate with Tim Redding

According to a Major League source, the Rockies are negotiating with one of their past targets, right-handed pitcher Tim Redding. Last winter, the Rockies intended to acquire Redding from the Nationals before he was non-tendered. Redding signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Mets as a free agent and went 3-6 with a 5.10 ERA in 30 games, including 17 starts in his mets jersey.

The Rockies were not a finalist in the chase for former Pirates reliever Matt Capps, who is deciding between the Nationals and the Cubs. Redding could be asked to add the energy and experience to the bullpen.

Reliever Baez may join in Phillies

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. of Phillies said last week that the club probably would sign a reliever in a couple weeks. It is unlikely to be right-handers John Smoltz, Chan Ho Park and Mike MacDougal. The Phillies have some concerns about Smoltz's durability, which might not be an issue except closer Brad Lidge and setup man J.C. Romero are recovering from elbow surgeries. The Phillies have expressed interest in MacDougal, but talks are not believed to be serious.

CSNPhilly.com reported that the Phillies have reached an agreement with a reliever. A good bet is right-hander Danys Baez, who has closing experience. That is something the Phils might need if Lidge and Romero are not ready to start the season. Baez went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 59 appearances last season in the orioles jersey.

Yankkees add catcher Rivera

FOXSports.com reported that the Yankees have agreed on a Minor League contract with backstop Mike Rivera. The web site added that Rivera will be invited to Spring Training for the Yankees, who have catchers Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli on the 40-man roster.

Rivera batted .228 with two home runs and 14 RBIs while appearing in 41 games in 2009 in his brewers jersey.Considered an offense-minded catcher, Rivera missed 14 games with an ankle injury in his fourth season in Milwaukee.He originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Tigers in 1997, and is a career .244 hitter with 69 home runs in seven seasons in the big leagues.

Pirates term with Taschner to Minors deal

According to ESPN.com, the Pirates signed reliever Jack Taschner to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training on Wednesday. If he makes the Pirates' Opening Day roster, Taschner will earn $835,000, plus $465,000 in incentives based on appearances.

Taschner made 24 relief appearances for the Phillies this past season, posting a 4.91 ERA while striking out 19 batters and walking 20 in 29 1/3 innings in the phillies jersey. The left-hander also pitched in 20 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and posted a 2.08 ERA in 21 2/3 frames. Originally a second-round Draft pick by the Giants in 1999, Taschner spent his first four seasons in San Francisco.

Brodeur has become new shutout leader

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur has a shutout through two periods on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena and he passed Terry Sawchuk and become the NHL's new all-time shutout leader. Devils then erupted for three more tallies in the second period, as Patrik Elias and Mark Fraser all beat Andre Fleury and ended the Penguins' goalie's night.

Brodeur, who broke Patrick Roy's all-time wins record last season against Chicago Blackhawks and Roy's minutes played record last month in Boston, has 103 career shutouts. But Sawchuk recorded his 103 shutouts in 971 career games for the Red Wings, Bruins, Maple Leafs, Kings and Rangers. Well more and more fans will put on new jersey devils jerseys and support Brodeur.

Mariners sign Pedro Okuda to a Minor deal

It is announced that the Mariners signed 19-year-old amateur Pedro Okuda to a Minor League contract on Wednesday.
Okuda is expected to join the Mariners' Venezuela Academy after he graduates from high school this spring and will play during the 2010 season in the mariners jersey. Okuda was born and raised in Brazil but attended high school in Japan. Yasushi Yamamoto and Pat Kelly, the Mariners scouts first found Okuda in a youth tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in May 2006.

"Pedro is a player that we have been scouting for several years, beginning when he participated in the Brazilian Baseball Confederation Academy in Brazil and most recently in Japan, where he is concluding his high school education," Mariners vice president of international operations Bob Engle said. "Thanks to the efforts of Yasushi Yamamoto and Pat Kelly, we have added a player who has proven to be an action player with a line-drive swing and plus speed. Pedro is a player who has a lot of spirit and enthusiasm, and we look forward to watching him develop in the Seattle Mariners' organization."

D-backs sign Rodrigo Lopez

The D-backs signed right-hander Rodrigo Lopez to a Minor League contract last Wednesday and invited the veteran to Spring Training. Lopez has spent parts of eight seasons in the big leagues with the Padres, Orioles, Rockies and Phillies and has a career record of 68-66 in 194 games, including 166 starts.

Last season, Lopez appeared in seven games for the NL champion Phillies. Lopez's best seasons came in 2004-05 when he was 14-9 and then 15-12 for the Orioles. Lopez joins right-hander T.J. Beam, outfielder Drew Macias and catcher Carlos Corporan in Spring Training. Now he is going to wear the diamondbacks jersey and play for the team.

Harper will manage Giants' affiliate

It is reported that Harper will lead the Giants' Class A California League affiliate in San Jose named its 2010 field staff.
Harpe spent the previous two seasons as the Giants' roving Minor League catching instructor. Before that, he managed for seven seasons in the Angels' Minor League system, including two seasons at Triple-A Salt Lake in 2006-07. Harper has played 16 Major League seasons and was the No. 1 catcher for the 1991 world champion Minnesota Twins in the twins jersey.

Gary Davenport will return to San Jose as hitting coach while Jerry Cram will serve as pitching coach. Andy Skeels, who managed San Jose to a 93-47 regular-season record and the California League title last season, is expected to receive a promotion quite possibly to Double-A Richmond.

Capitals assigned Nylander to AHL

Caps General Manager George McPhee announced last weekend that the Washington Capitals have sent center Michael Nylander to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League.

Nylander has played 920 career NHL games for the Capitals, New York Rangers, Boston, Chicago, Tampa Bay, Calgary and Hartford. He has not played an NHL game in the nhl jersey this season.

Flames and Avalanche highlights Sunday schedule

First place in the Northwest Division will be on the line in the NHL as part of its two-game schedule. At 8 p.m. ET, the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche, who are tied for first in the Northwest, will battle with each other at the Pepsi Center. The Flames have picked up points in eight of their last 10 games, while Colorado is coming off a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.

The Lightning are also in action on Sunday, they willl visit the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center at 7 p.m. ET. Chicago is at the top of the Central Division with 41 points, while the Lightning are two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Now put on your own nhl jerseys and support your favorite teams!

Martin Brodeur ties another record

It is reported that Martin Brodeur tied Patrick Roy's record for regular-season appearances by a goalie on Wednesday night when he started for the New Jersey Devils against the Montreal Canadiens. Roy, who played for Montreal and Colorado, appeared in 1,029 games in his 18-year career. Brodeur is in his 16th season, all with the team in his new jersey devils jersey.

It's the second time in two seasons that Brodeur has equaled Roy's records in a game against Montreal Canadiens. Brodeur tied Roy for career wins last March, getting No. 551 in the Bell Centre.

Phillies add veteran Gload

It is announced at the Winter Meetings that the Phillies had signed free-agent outfielder Ross Gload to a two-year contract. Gload hit .261 with six home runs and 30 RBIs in 230 at-bats last season with the Marlins. He has also hit .283 with a .328 on-base percentage in an eight-year career with the Cubs, Rockies, White Sox, Royals and Marlins.

Gload joins a Philadelphia bench that includes outfielder Ben Francisco, catcher Brian Schneider and infielders Greg Dobbs and Juan Castro. It is cool for him to put on the phillies jersey.

Reliever is a free agent now along with Moseley and Brown

Jose Arredondo was not offered a contract by the Angels by Saturday's deadline, casting the right-handed reliever into free agency after the club confirmed he will undergo ligament-replacement surgery and miss the entire 2010 season.
Arredondo was one of three players to not receive contract offers from Los Angeles, along with pitcher Dustin Moseley and infielder Matt Brown.

None of the three was arbitration-eligible, and the Angels had to announce decisions on the other seven who are eligible: infielders Erick Aybar, Maicer Izturis and Howie Kendrick; catchers Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli; outfielder Reggie Willits; and left-handed starter Joe Saunders.

Arredondo was a key member of the Angels' 2008 bullpen, posting a 10-2 record and a 1.62 ERA. But he played badly last season with a 6.00 ERA in 68 appearances and 76 innings. He spent part of the season on the disabled list due to a painful right elbow.

Pirates sign Cedeno

The Associated Press reported that The Pirates have avoided arbitration with Ronny Cedeno by coming to terms on a one-year deal worth $1.125 million. Cedeno earned $822,500 last season, when he batted .208 with 10 homers and 38 RBIs in 105 games combined with the Pirates and Mariners in his pirates jersey.

The Pirates signed Bobby Crosby to a one-year contract Thursday, and the former American League Rookie of the Year Award winner is expected to vie with Cedeno for the starting shortstop job in Spring Training. "I think anybody needs to be pushed a little bit here and there," manager John Russell said. "Cedeno showed people in Pittsburgh he can play short. He makes great plays. He can drive a ball and can do some very fun things. Then sometimes, you'll go, 'What was that?'

"I think even though he's played a while, I still don't think he's a veteran player. So, I think he falls into that mental lapse, concentration lapse on the field, and we just need to get him more concentrated and focused." Cedeno spent the 2005-08 seasons with the Cubs.

Milan Lucic will appear on NHL Live

It is reported that Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic will be among the guests on NHL Live! scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. on NHL Network and NHL.com and broadcast on XM Radio.

Lucic will appear in-studio at the NHL Store Powered By Reebok in Manhattan to speak with hosts Deb Placey and E.J. Hradek. Lucic is 2-3-5 in 10 games for the Bruins this season in his boston bruins jersey and enjoyed a 17-goal campaign in 2008-09. Monday's show also includes New York Islanders coach Scott Gordon and TSN analyst Bob McKenzie.

Upshall and Downie will appear on NHL Live!

Phoenix Coyotes forward Scottie Upshall will be among the guests on NHL Live!, scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. on NHL Network and NHL.com. Upshall has 7 goals, 5 assists and 30 penalty minutes in 27 games in coyotes jersey this season. He has 118 points in 257 NHL games.

Also speaking with hosts Rob Simpson and Stan Fischler are Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Downie, as well as Kevin Allen of USA Today and Washington Capitals/Versus announcer Joe Beninati. NHL Live! is broadcast from the NHL Store Powered By Reebok in Manhattan.

Coyotes' Jovanovski is suspended two games

The National Hockey League announced that Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Jovanovski has been suspended for two games without pay, due to an incident in NHL game against the Minnesota Wild on December 7. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on his average annual salary, Jovanovski will forfeit $67,357.52. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Jovanovski delivered a blow to Minnesota's Andrew Ebbett and penalty was assessed on the play. Jovanovski will miss Thursday's game at Los Angeles and Dec. 12 against San Jose Sharks. He will be eligible to return on Dec. 14 at Detroit in his coyotes jersey.

Rockies haven't decided on acquiring Betancourt

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd said the club and free-agent Rafael Betancourt have not made much progress in negotiations yet. If he accepts by Monday, he'll be treated as an arbitration-eligible player. If he doesn't accept and signs elsewhere, the Rockies will be entitled to two early picks in 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

O'Dowd refused to say what the Rockies will do with Betancourt, because the decision was pending. The Denver Post reported that Betancourt will be the only free agent the Rockies will offer arbitration. It suggested that Betancourt could end up with about $5 million through arbitration. The Rockies declined a $5 million option for 2010 in the hope of negotiating a different deal. The Rockies will continue to negotiate with three other free agents, starting pitcher Jose Contreras, reliever Joe Beimel and catcher Yorvit Torrealba. Hope all of them can put on the rockies jerseys and play for the team.

Dodgers has termed with Miller and Redman

The Dodgers agreed to terms with pitcher Justin Miller and outfielder Prentice Redman recently. The right-handed Miller, was 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 44 games with the Giants this year. He made his Major League debut in 2002 with Toronto and has been exclusively a reliever since 2005. He has also pitched for Florida and Chiba Lotte in Japan. According to the Los Angeles Times, Miller signed a contract that pays him $850,000 if he makes the Major League roster.

Being a brother of former Major Leaguer Tike Redman, Miller last played in the Major Leagues in 2003 with the Mets. He had been in Seattle's farm system for the past three years. Now he is going to put on dodgers jersey and pitch for the dodgers.

Ovechkin is suspended for two games

The NHL announced that Washington Capitals' superstar Alexander Ovechkin has been suspended for two games due to a collision with Tim Gleason from the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night. Ovechkin said he was just trying to make a normal hit on Gleason, but the defenseman turned quickly and he didn't react immediately.

This was his second game misconduct in the last three games. He was also called for a five-minute boarding major and game misconduct in last week's game against Buffalo Sabres. His fans will not see him playing in his capitals jersey for a while.

2010 Entry Draft will be host in L.A.

The National Hockey League officially announce on Friday that the Los Angeles Kings will host the 2010 NHL Draft at Staples Center on June 25-26 in 2010. The report can be seen on Kings web site.

It will be the first time that the NHL's selection process has been held in Southern California. Vancouver was the host for the entry draft in 1990 and 2006. Montreal hosted the Entry Draft last June with the New York Islanders John Tavares in
islanders jersey.

Forward Briere is suspended for two games

The National Hockey League announced that Philadelphia Flyers forward Daniel Briere has been suspended for two games without pay due to a hit on Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan in Colorado on Monday night. The incident happened at the second period after Hannan's goal.

Briere will forfeit $67,357 under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and based on his average salary. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Thus Briere will miss games on Nov. 25 against the New York Islanders and Nov. 27 at Buffalo. He will be eligible to come back to the game in his flyers jersey on Nov. 28 at Atlanta.

Rockies will visit Albuquerque next spring

It is reported that the Rockies will play several exhibition games in Albuquerque next year. Both of the games will be against the Seattle Mariners on April 4 at 5:05 p.m. MST and the April 3 contest at 12:05 p.m. Tickets can only be purchased by season-ticket and mini-plan holders in Albuquerque.

The general public will have its first opportunity to purchase tickets on Feb. 20. The price will be $25 for one game or $45 for both games. Club Level seats will be $35 for one game or $65 for both. The rest of the Rockies' Spring Training schedule will be released soon. Colorado will open the 2010 regular season on April 5 against the Brewers at Miller Park. So put on your favourite mlb jersey and cheer for your favourite team!

Cardinals make movements in their roster

On Wednesday, the cardinals add eight players to their 40-man roster in advance of next month's Rule 5 Draft. Now the 5 pitchers are Tyler Norrick, Adam Ottavino and Francisco Samuel, catcher Bryan Anderson, first baseman Mark Hamilton and outfielders Allen Craig, John Jay and Darryl Jones.

Among the more notable additions were Craig and Ottavino. Craig was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year at Triple-A Memphis. He is likely to compete for a spot on the Major League active roster in the spring. Ottavino was the Cardinals' first-round pick in the 2006 Draft. Now the Cardinals now have 34 players on their 40-man roster.
Hope to see them wearing cardinals jerseys to playing on the field.

Ryan Smyth left game with upper body injury

It is said that Kings forward Ryan Smyth suffered an upper body injury during the Los Angeles Kings and Florida Panthers game on Monday night and he did not return to the game. Smyth ranks second in the team in points, goals and assists in 22 games in his first season in Los Angeles Kings.

The veteran forward was acquired from Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Kyle Quincey, Tom Preissing. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft on July 3. And when will he come back to the ice in his los angeles kings jersey again?

Hurricanes seek to end slide on Sunday

The Carolina Hurricanes has gone without a win in 14 straight games, which ties a franchise record dating back to 1992. The team will try to avoid loss No. 15 when they face the Minnesota Wild at the RBC Center.

Kovalchuk has been extremely outstanding on the ice in the hurricanes jersey after returning from broken right foot. On Friday night, he had 2 goals and 2 assists in the game against the Los Angeles Kings. He has 12 goals in 10 games this season. In the final game of the day, the Chicago Blackhawks host the San Jose Sharks at the United Center.

Ilya Kovalchuk could return a few days later

According to Atlanta General Manager Don Waddell, Thrashers star Ilya Kovalchuk will not play on Thursday night against the New York Rangers. "He's not going to play tomorrow, but hopefully for Friday," Waddell said at the NHL General Manager Meetings.

After Thursday's game against the Rangers, Thrashers hosts the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Kovalchuk has been practicing for the past few days, but left Wednesday's practice early. He was expected to miss several weeks after suffering a broken foot on Oct. 24, but has recovered faster than ever expected. Kovalchuk had 9 goals in eight games before the injury and he still leads the Thrashers in goals except for missing the past six games. It is good to hear that he will come back to the ice in his thrashers jersey soon.

Giguere did not satisfied with his role

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere told the Los Angeles Daily News he would rather retire than be a backup goalie. Jonas Hiller has started the last six games for the Ducks after Giguere suffered a groin injury on Oct. 24. If Giguere did not be able to unseat Hiller as the top goalie for the Ducks, he said he would like to move on.

"I'd rather retire than be a backup goalie," Giguere said to the L.A. Daily News. "Something needs to happen. You get a guy like that's going to be a free agent at the end of the year and myself, making the money I'm making, either I'm leaving or he's leaving.I want to play; that's when I have fun. Right now, this is not fun." Well hope he will be a goaltender on the ice again in the anaheim ducks jersey.

Goaltender Cam Ward will remain in hospital

President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes -- Jim Rutherford, announced today that Hurricanes Cam Ward will remain at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus on Sunday night. Cam Ward is expected to return on Monday, where he will be checked further by Hurricanes Head Orthopedic Physician Dr. Marty Isbell. And the goaltender will miss at least three or four weeks.

Cam Ward suffered the pain of the left upper leg from the skate of Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash, as Nash passed through the crease in the columbus blue jackets jersey during the first period of the game on Saturday night. He was originally expected to return on Sunday, but will remain in Columbus through tonight.

Belisle and Flores rejoin the Rockies

Rockies' right-hander Matt Belisle and left-hander Randy Flores sing one-year contracts. Belisle signed a non-roster contract last winter, and went 3-1 with a 5.52 ERA in 24 appearances in three Major League stints. Belisle had two scoreless appearances totaling two innings in the National League Division Series, where the Rockies lost to the Phillies.
Flores underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the 2008 season with the Cardinals, and began 2009 at Colorado Springs to regain his form. He rejoined the team when rosters expanded in September and pitched scoreless ball in nine of his final 11 outings.

The club has outrighted infielder Omar Quintanilla -- who is a member of the Triple-A Colorado Springs roster -- and right-handed pitcher Joel Peralta, who has become a free agent. The Rockies are attempting to sign Peralta to a Minor League contract.

Defenseman Wisniewski is suspended for two games

The National Hockey League announced on Monday.that Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski has been suspended for two games without pay, for giving a blow to the head of Phoenix Coyotes forward Shane Doan on Oct. 31.
The incident occurred at the first period of that game.

According to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and his average annual salary, Wisniewski will forfeit $28,497.40, whice goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. He will miss games on Tuesday against Pittsburgh and Thurday's against Nashville Predators. He will be eligible to return on Saturday against Phoenix Coyotes. Hope he will show up in Saturday's game in his anaheim ducks jersey.

Eric Staal is injured in last Sunday's game

It is reported by the Raleigh News and Observer that Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal will miss several games due to an upper-body injury that he suffered on Sunday against the San Jose Sharks. Hurricanes General Manager Jim Rutherford announced that Staal will likely see his 349 consecutive regular-season games ending because of the injury.

Staal left after the second period of that game as the Canes dropped their ninth-straight game. "When things go wrong, they go wrong," Rutherford said. "All teams have to deal with injuries. We have enough players to step up but we'll have to do it with confidence at an all-time low."

Nationals add two men to their front office

Nationals' Kasey McKeon was named director of player procurement and Jay Robertson was named special assistant to the general manager, according to the reports. McKeon spent the previous seven seasons with the Rockies, serving as an assistant to executive vice president and General Manager Dan O'Dowd. During that time, Colorado reached the World Series in 2007.

McKeon, who is an ex-catcher and the son of former big league manager Jack McKeon, also worked for the Reds, Indians and Padres in various scouting capacities. Robertson spent the previous eight seasons as special assistant with the Rangers, working under John Hart and Jon Daniels. Before that, the former pitcher spent 11 seasons with the Indians.

Since the end of the regular season, the Nationals have added a special assistant to the General Manager, Minor League field coordinator, vice president of player personnel, director of Latin American operations, director of player development, director of scouting and assistant GM.

Sidney Crosby surprised hockey fans again on Oct.28

According to reports, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has scored three times for defending Stanley Cup Champions in a 6-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. "I was in the right place at the right time," Crosby said. "I was standing all by myself a couple of times. (My linemates) did all the work, and I just tried to finish it off."

On October 28, 2006, Crosby scored his first career regular season in his shining pittsburgh penguins jersey, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to an 8-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored one goal in the first period and two in the second. On November 29, 2008, Crosby scored his second career regular season hat trick to lead the Penguins to a 4-1 victory against the New Jersey Devils.

Ott is suspended two games because of hitting on Colaiacovo

The NHL has suspended Dallas Stars center Steve Ott for two games without pay for his hit on St. Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo on Saturday night. At the second period, Colaiacovo had just passed his end when Ott low-bridged him, flipping the Blues defenseman into the air. He left the game with what the Blues called an upper-body injury.

Ott, who previously was suspended for one game on Feb. 28, now is considered a repeat offender under terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Besides, Ott forfeits $34,756.10 in salary, which is going to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Ott will miss the Stars' two home games this week, against Toronto and Florida. He will be eligible to return for Saturday's game in Nashville. Hope he will come back to the ice in the dallas stars jersey soon.

Bill Daly's statement on Oct.28

The deputy commissioner of the National Hockey League Bill Daly, state in that following words: "In Phoenix today, a tentative agreement was reached among the parties to amend the NHL's offer to purchase the Coyotes franchise out of bankruptcy, and a proposed order, mutually agreed to by the parties, will be filed with the Court seeking approval of the NHL's amended bid.

"If there is no objection from the parties involved, and subject to any potential objections and a hearing if necessary, the parties hope to close the sale of the Club to the NHL by Monday, Nov. 2. It remains the NHL's intention upon taking control of the Club to stabilize the Club's operations and, as quickly as possible, to re-sell the Club to a new owner who is committed to operating the Club in the Glendale/Phoenix market." But where can fans buy Coyotes jerseys?

Dodgers executive will be a first female general manager

Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng interviewed for the vacant general manger position with the Padres, a San Diego club official has confirmed that. Ng, who previously has interviewed for GM openings with the Dodgers and Mariners, was spotted having lunch with new Padres owner Jeff Moorad, and she was interviewed on Saturday. The Padres are looking for a replacement for Kevin Towers, who was dismissed after 14 seasons with the National League West franchise.

Ng was an assistant general manager with the Yankees before going to the Dodgers, and she worked as an executive with the White Sox. She has been regarded as the leading candidate to become the Major Leagues' first female General Manager. Moorad said on Oct. 6 that there was one minority candidate that the team would interview for the vacant GM job. Kim Ng is Asian-American.

Frank McCourt dismissed dodgers CEO after the couple separates

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt dismissed CEO Jamie McCourt this week, according to two published reports. Jamie McCourt's attorney, Dennis Wasser, confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that his client had been terminated, and it would be addressed in court along with other issues. It previously has been reported by local media that the team could be considered community property under California law, with each spouse entitled to 50 percent of all possessions acquired during a marriage.

The couple, married in 1979 and now with four sons, announced last week that they had separated. The Los Angeles Times said Jamie McCourt is gathering investors to persuade her husband and gain control of the club. As the chairman of the club, Frank McCourt holds the highest office in the organization, and he was followed by Jamie as chief executive officer. Frank McCourt was present in Philadelphia when the Dodgers lost the NLCS on Wednesday night. "This group is all very solid, very tight," he said. "We're well aligned, and we'll do what we've done every year. We'll start tomorrow on next season and figure out how to get better and get over the top. Our organization is on a mission to win, and we're going to do it. We're really getting the culture established where our expectation is to win. Everybody is learning what it takes. It takes a huge commitment."

Three NHL games will show on TV tonight

These games all begin at 7 p.m., when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Blues at Mellon Arena. The game can be seen on Versus both in America and Canada. The Montreal Canadiens will try to play at 7:30, as they'll host the Atlanta Thrashers at the Bell Centre. In Canada, the Habs-Thrashers game can be seen on TSN and RDS.

In the final game of the night, the Columbus Blue Jackets will continue their winning ways against the Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome. The Blue Jackets can seize control of the Central Division with a victory. The Flames are going to play against Vancouver Canucks on Friday night.

Sabres send Paille to Bruins

The Buffalo Sabres traded forward Daniel Paille (in sabres jersey) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the third-round selection in the 2010 Entry Draft. Paille has one assist in two games with the Sabres this season. He was Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2002 Entry Draft and has 35 goals and 77 points in 182 NHL games with the Sabres. His best season was 2007-08, when he scored 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points in 77 games.

If Paille scores 16 or more goals during the 2009-10 regular season, Boston will transfer its own fourth-round selection in the 2010 draft. Boston will have to determine which selection it is transferring at the beginning of the second round.

Blue Jackets' Hejda will be out for several weeks

According to a report Aaron Portzline in the Columbus Dispatch, Blue Jackets( blue jackets jerseys )defenseman Jan Hejda has a sprained left knee and will miss 4 to 6 weeks. Hejda was injured in the game aganist Calgary Flames( flames jerseys )when collided with Flames winger Curtis Glencross. Hejda was limping badly on his way to the dressing room after the game.

The Blue Jackets are already without defenseman Mike Commodore because of a groin injury. Hejda and Commodore has formed the Blue Jackets No. 1 defensive pair last season. Hejda has a plus-8 rating in five games this season, tied with Dallas Nicklas Grossman at the top in the NHL.

Wilson wins Pittsburgh's Tanner Award

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced that Jack Wilson has won the chapter's Chuck Tanner Award, given annually to the Pirates( priates jerseys )player who is the most cooperative in helping writers carry out their daily work. It is the second time in the past that Wilson has won the honor.

Wilson finished the season with the Mariners( mariners jerseys )after being part of a seven-player trade on July 29 in which the Pirates acquired five players. Thirteen Pirates players received at least a third-place vote in the balloting, though left fielder Nyjer Morgan and left-hander Zach Duke finished closest to Wilson in the voting. Jason Bay, who was dealt to Boston on July 31, 2008, was the award's recipient last year.

Red Wings' Franzen undergoes surgery successfully

Johan Franzen had successful ligament surgery to repair a tear in his left knee in Birmingham, the surgery was performed by orthopaedic surgeon Dr. William G. Clancy, who is one of the foremost authorities on knee ligament injuries and surgery.

Franzen was injured in the Red Wings( red wings jerseys )home-opening game on Oct. 8. He scored the game-winning goal during the second period, after he had already suffered the injuring in the same period. He had been matched on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom. It's believed that Franzen will be out for at least four months, which means he will also miss the Olympic Game( team cananda jerseys )which will be held in Vancouver in February with his native country, Sweden. Regrettablely Franzen's absence creates a huge hole in the Red Wings' line-up.

Service worker dies at Dodger Stadium

John Foster, an employee of a food company servicing at Dodger Stadium, suffered an fatal heart attack Tuesday afternoon in the press box of the ballpark. Foster was stricken while helping Dodger Stadium for Wednesday's opening game of the National League Division Series between the Dodgers and the Cardinals. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office set the time of death at 2:23 p.m. It was told that Foster appeared to have died "of natural causes," which would include a heart attack.
Foster was an employee of Farmer Brothers Coffee.

In a joint statement, the Dodgers and Levy Restaurants said, "We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Foster, as our thoughts and prayers are with them at this very difficult time."

Blackhawks reassign Skille to AHL's Rockford

The Chicago Blackhawks have reassigned right wing Jack Skille to the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs. Skille was held scoreless on Saturday in the Blackhawks’ win over the Colorado Avalanche during his debut with the club. Skille was the seventh overall pick in the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft, and he registered one goal in three North American preseason games with Chicago before being held scoreless in the team’s two contests in Zurich, Switzerland. He has appeared in 25 games with the Blackhawks over the last three seasons, collecting six points.

The Blackhawks host the Calgary Flames at the United Center on Monday at 7:00 P.M. The game can be seen locally on VERSUS and heard on Chicago’s WGN Radio.

Moyer is sent hospital with blood infection

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer has been in the hospital since Wednesday with a blood infection. "We don't think it's anything serious," Amaro said. "We think he's fine. He's on antibiotics right now."

Moyer could stay at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia one more night, Amaro said. Moyer had surgery last Friday to repair torn tendons in his left groin and lower abdomen.

Thrashers claim Schubert off re-entry waivers

The Atlanta Thrashers have claimed defenseman Christoph Schubert off re-entry waivers from the Ottawa Senators. Schubert has appeared in 268 NHL games over four seasons with the Senators, scoring 23 goals, 42 assists and 194 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 31 playoff games for Ottawa Senators, including an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final during the 2006-07 postseason.
Last season, Schubert appeared in 50 games for the Senators, scoring 3 goals, 3 assists and 26 penalty minutes.

Carrasco suffers left quadriceps injury

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco left Thursday night's game against the Red Sox in the fourth inning with a left quadriceps bruise after a Jacoby Ellsbury single struck him. Then Carrasco came off the mound and was taken care of by the training staff.

Carrasco, who was one of the Indians' key acquisitions in the trade that sent Cliff Lee to the Phillies, made his fifth and final start since the Indians called him up on Sept. 1.

A new record is made by VERSUS

The exclusive cable television home of the NHL -- VERSUS -- built the most-watched NHL opening night record in network history with a total of 832,781 viewers tuning in for the Bruins&Capitals and Avalanche&Sharks games.

"Despite DirecTV shutting out millions of hockey fans from seeing last night's games, VERSUS still garnered its best NHL regular season opening night ever," said Jamie Davis, President of VERSUS. "The momentum of this network has not slowed down at all and we're doing everything we can to reach an agreement with DirecTV to ensure that hockey fans won't continue to miss the terrific match-ups we have on our schedule all season long."

An arrest warrant out for Chacon

The Las Vegas Sun reported late Friday night that An arrest warrant is out for right-hander Shawn Chacon after he failed to pay $150,000 in gambling markers to the Las Vegas hotel CaesarsPalace. He pitched eight seasons in the Major Leagues, with his first several years coming with the Rockies. The right-hander has played for four different teams and was an All-Star player in 2003.

Chacon last pitched in the big leagues for the Astros in 2008, before being released last June 26. He spent the whole 2009 season pitching for the Athletics' affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats.

Thrashers add McCarthy from Ducks

According to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell, the Atlanta Thrashers have acquired defenseman Steve McCarthy from the Anaheim Ducks. McCarthy has appeared in 302 career NHL games with Chicago, Vancouver and Atlanta, recording 55 points and 168 penalty minutes.

Before his professional career, McCarthy played four seasons of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League from 1996 to 1999, recording 128 points in 154 games with Edmonton and Kootenay. McCarthy was originally selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.

David Wright made a new record Friday night

Wright's victory over the Marlins was the 836th of his career at third base, the most starts at the position in franchise history. "Johnson has a World Series ring, he will still have that over me," Wright told the New York Daily News. "He was all about winning, and that's what I am about, too, so he still has me beat." "That's pretty rewarding," said Johnson, the Mets' hitting coach. "I am happy for the kid. To see someone we've worked with move up here and do what we hoped he'd do, that's really nice."

Wright told the media that Johnson has been more than just a hitting coach. "He made sure I played the game right. He worked on my mind, too," Wright said. "That's why I worked so hard on the whole game. He not only talked to me about hitting, but about stealing bases, making sure I was playing defense hard, too."

Forward Lessard is suspended for the rest of seasons

It is reported by the NHL that the forward Francis Lessard of Phoenix Coyotes has been suspended for the rest of three regular season games, because of a game misconduct penalty in a pre-season game against the Anaheim Ducks on September 18.

The incident happened at 6:38 of the third period and Lessard was evaluated a game misconduct for a hit on Anaheim forward Ryan Donally. Lessard will miss the Coyotes remaining two pre-season games as well as three regular season games.

Rangers Avery injures his knee

New York Rangers Sean Avery was out of the game against the Detroit Red Wings because of a knee injury during the morning skate. The injury of the forward's right knee is serious at first, but he still has to be examined by team physician and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Andrew Feldman - at Madison Square Garden, where Monday night's game was being played.

After he collided with fellow Rangers forward Ryan Callahan on Monday morning, he was seen by Dr. Anthony Maddalo, a team assistant physician. "He banged up his knee but it's not serious," Rangers coach John Tortorella said.

Major League Baseball announced that two Minor Leaguers from the Rockies' organization -- first baseman Brent Bowman and outfielder Shane Lowe -- were suspended for 50 games each on Tuesday after testing positive for the use of amphetamines.

The suspensions came under the sponsion of Minor League Drug and Treatment Program and will be served from the 2010 season.

President Obama is deeply impressed by Cardinals and Yankees

It is konwn to the Americans that President Barack Obama is the world's most famous White Sox fan. However recently, it seems as if he is advancing toward a Yankees-Cardinals side.

During an interview called "Meet the Press" last Sunday, Obama said that the Cardinals, who led in the National League Central standings, are "a team on the rise". He said that the first baseman Albert Pujols, who leads the Major Leagues with 47 home runs, is unbelievable. Obama also gave a statement about the Yankees, who is keeping the best record in the big leagues, and he referred to yankees' captain Derek Jeter as "a classic." It must be fantastic for Obama wearing a Yankees jersey in the Yankees Stadium.

Ryan was scratched with injured finger

Brendan Ryan was scratched with an injured left pinky finger on Tuesday night and he may not return to the Cardinals' lineup until Friday. "I was kind of in between steps and I landed on my pinky," Ryan said. "Batting wouldn't be the most comfortable thing." The right-handed-hitting player had his pinky finger taped to his ring on Tuesday and said while he was available to play defense or pinch-run, hitting wasn't a choice. He may not be available to hit again in the series finale.

If Ryan had been forced to bat, he wouldn't have taken the bat off of his shoulders. "That was the plan, I was going to take. I knew it was going to be bad.It's going to be uncomfortable batting. I can play, but I'm not going to be 100 percent."Ryan said.

Hedican retires from National Hockey League

Bret Hedican, who has won the 2006 Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes and played 17 seasons in the NHL, announced his retirement on Wednesday. He had 6 points in 51 games for the Anaheim Ducks last season, and totally 1,000 NHL games.

In 1,039 games with the Blues, Canucks, Panthers, Hurricanes and Ducks, Hedican had 55 goals and 294 points. Hedican also played for the U.S. at the 1992 Winter Olympics. He was a 10th-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 Entry Draft, getting 26 points in 108 Stanley Cup Playoff games. His last playoff show came with the Hurricanes, when he had 2 goals 11 points and a plus-6 rating.

Foote has been named captain of Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced that defenseman Adam Foote has been named team captain for the 2009-10 season sevearal days ago. "I’m honored to be named Avalanche captain," said Foote. "I’ve been with this franchise for the majority of my career and I know what the standards are here. I look forward to the challenge of leading this team, starting with training camp and heading into the regular season."

Foote will become only the second captain in Avalanche history. Overall, Foote is just the ninth different captain in the franchise’s 30-year history in the National Hockey League.

The USA team march into World Cup

Phillies prospect Terry Tiffee hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Team USA added six more runs in the eighth to beat China in 2009 IBAF Baseball World Cup action last week. Team USA lost to Venezuela in extra innings in its first game, now advances to the second round of the tournament Sunday against Canada.

They didn't have another hit after the first inning until Rays prospect Jon Weber hit a triple off China pitcher Shuai Li in the eighth frame. White Sox prospect Josh Kroeger hit a three-run homer off Li's replacement, 15-year-old Feng Chen, later in the eighth inning.

Boucher announced his retirement

Veteran defenseman Philippe Boucher has announced his retirement, which has brought an end to a 17-year NHL career. Boucher has collected one goal and three assists in nine postseason games. His final NHL game was the opener of the Stanley Cup Final against Detroit Red Wings. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank my teammates, my coaches and the organizations I played with over the years. I am going to miss being with the boys."said Boucher.

After the 1992-93 season, Boucher went on playing 748 regular-season games for the Sabres, Kings, Stars and Penguins, collecting 94 goals and 300 points.

Bruce may not come back to Reds

Although Jay Bruce had three hits for Triple-A Louisville last week, Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker is not definitely sure that Bruce is going to join the Reds' lineup again. After breaking his right wrist in New York, Bruce missed two months playing. The outfielder will rejoin the team in Colorado during a four-game series.

Before Bruce was injured, he had suffered a difficult season. He had 18 homers and 41 Run Batted Ins in 83 games, but his batting was just 207. The catcher Ryan Hanigan had three hits and scored twice that day and was 5-for-12 with a double in his first three games. Now Hanigan is eligible to come off the disabled list several days ago, so is Burce. Fans are looking forward to seeing him playing on the field again in his Reds jersey.

Ducks term with veteran defenseman Eminger

It is reported that veteran defenseman Steve Eminger has agreed to a two-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks. He was selected in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. He spent five seasons with the Capitals collecting five goals and 26 points in 71 games. "Being only 25 years old, we expect him to continue improving as a player and make a solid contribution this season."said Ducks Executive Vice President and General Manager Bob Murray.

Totally Eminger has 11 goals and 69 points in 283 regular-season games. He also scored a goal for the Capitals during the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. "He's a guy everyone likes and a good player. Any time you have a chance to get a defenseman that's 25 and has played 300 games, you try to get them," said Ducks Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations David McNab.

Center fielder Nyjer Morgan was injured when stealing third base

It is reported that the Nationals' center fielder Nyjer Morgan has lost for the season because of his broken left hand. During the game aganist Cubs, Morgan got his hand hurt when sliding into third base. He will fly to Baltimore on Friday to see a specialist to check his situation carefully.

"I'm happy for the opportunity to play, but not happy to see my teammate get hurt," Harris said. "Nyjer was having one hell of a season. He was our sparkplug. He came over here and we started to play better. You hate to see anyone get hurt." Morgan, being acquired from the Pirates on June 30, was a major force in the leadoff spot. In fact, Morgan was the one who cheered the team up in the first inning against the Cubs. The Nationals have not decided who will replace Morgan on the roster.

National Hockey League

The league was founded in 1917 in Montreal, Quebec, and its predecessor organization is the National Hockey Association which was founded in 1909. It started with four teams and now composed of 30 teams, 24 of which are located in the United States and 6 in Canada. The NHL attracts many highly skilled players from all over the world. Nowadays the league has a larger number of players from about 20 different countries. Canadians constitut over half of the players because both the sport and the league originated from Canada. Many American and European players have increased in the past 25 years, because the NHL continue to expand into the United States.

The coming of 2010 Winter Classic

The National Hockey League announced a piece of important information which is about the 2010 NHL Winter Classic on Aug. 17. The NHL's annual outdoor game will begin on New Year's Day with the Boston Bruins.

Last season's 2009 Bridgestone/NHL Winter Classic attracted 5.6 million North American TV audience and more than 750,000 visitors gathered on NHL.com. In 2008 the Eastern Conference rivals also received the SportsBusiness Journal "Sports Event of the Year" award for its inaugural edition. In 2008, the NHL Winter Classic between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins sold out the 74,000 tickets in just 20 minutes. Last year's Winter Classic received more than 240,000 ticket requests between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

Stephane Yelle is acquired by Hurricanes

President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes Jim Rutherford announced that the team has agreed to add center Stephane Yelle on a one-year contract.

In 2008-09, Yelle scored seven goals and 11 assists in 77 regular-season games with Boston Bruins. He has scored 92 goals and 165 assists,collecting 458 penalty minutes in 921 career NHL regular-season games with Colorado, Calgary and Boston. Yelle was originally drafted by New Jersey in the eighth round in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. On behalf on the Avalanche he won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001.

Red Wings acquire Williams

Detroit Red Wings announced that the team has signed forward Jason Williams to a one-year contract. Williams played in 80 games last season with Atlanta Thrashers and Columbus Blue Jackets. In 376 career NHL games, Williams has 205 points in all. He also played 128 games for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of American Hockey League.

Williams was originally selected by Detroit on September 18, 2000. In 233 games with the Red Wings, he got 49 goals and 67 assists.

Boyd remains in Flames

General Manager Darryl Sutter of Calgary Flames announced that the team have agreed to re-signed forward Dustin Boyd. He can continue to play on the ice in his Flames jersey.

Boyd is a native of Winnipeg, in the game he scored 11 goals and 11 assists in 71 games. Now he is in his third season with the Flames, getting 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 132 career NHL games.

Peeters becomes goaltending consultant in Ducks

Pete Peeters was made goaltending consultant last month by Ducks. He joins the Ducks after serving as the Edmonton Oilers' goaltending coach for the last eight seasons.

In his first full NHL season in 1979-1980 Peeters helped the Philadelphia Flyers build a undefeated record, which is the longest in NHL history. In his 13-year career, Peeters appeared in 489 career games with Philadelphia, Boston and Washington. He was also chosen All-Star for four times, appearing in the mid-season classic in 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984.We are looking forward to seeing him wearing Ducks jersey.

Lauer was made assistant coach

Lauer joins the group of people in Senators including assistant coach Greg Carvel, goaltending coach Eli Wilson and video coach Tim Pattyson. The Senators also add Chris Schwarz as the team's conditioning coach and Dom Nicoletta as assistant athletic therapist.

Lauer played 30 games with the Senators in 1993, and served as Clouston's assistant for five seasons with the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League(WHL). During his seasons with the Ice from 2002 to 2006, the team won 40 games three times.

Nichol was sent to Sharks

Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson of San Jose Sharks announced that the club has signed Scott Nichol who is originally from Predators.The contract lasts for one year."He utilizes his speed and compete-factor to be involved every time he steps on the ice. We’re very familiar with his game and we're happy to have him on our team as opposed to playing against him."said Wilson.

Nichol has spent the last four seasons with the Nashville Predators. In 43 games during the 2008-09 season, Nichol collected 10 points with 41 penalty minutes. He has played in 417 NHL games for Nashville, Chicago, Calgary and Buffalo, collecting 92 points in all.

Chipchura joins in Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced on July 11 that they have signed forward Kyle Chipchura to a one-year contract. In 2007-08, Chipchura led the Hamilton Bulldogs to the first Calder Cup Championship, scoring 13 points and 20 penalty minutes in 22 AHL contests.

Last season Chipchura registered 3 points and 5 penalty minutes in 13 regular games with the Canadiens. He also got 35 points with 65 penalty minutes in 51 AHL games. Besides, Chipchura acted as a captain of Canada’s gold-medal squad at the 2006 World Junior Championship and led the team with four goals in six games.

Kovalev was back to Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens reported that the club have re-signed forward Alexei Kovalev to a two-year contract. Kovalev helped the Canadiens in scoring with 65 points in 78 games though he was sent home for a few days during the season.This season he had 34 goals and 84 points, and led the Canadiens to the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Kovalev never played with captain Saku Koivu who is an unrestricted free agent, obviously it showed that he wasn't ready for a top-line character.

Begin joined Dallas Stars

The Montreal Canadiens forward Steve Begin left his original team and joined Dallas Stars in exchange for Stars' defenseman Doug Janik in March.This season he joined 42 games for the Canadiens,getting 6 goals and 4 assists.It is said that he is an energetic player who plays a significant role in the team.

This season Janik has played in 13 games with the Stars ,getting only a single assist with 2 penalty minutes.And in 159 NHL games,he has got 3 goal and 13 assists with 121 penalty minutes for the Sabres,Lightning and Stars.

Multiyear extension between NHL and NBC

A new joint announcement was made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and President of NBC Sports Ken Schanzer through the 2010-11 season. The goal of this extension is sharing partnership,programming and production innovations,awards and critical acclaim.

"The NHL/NBC partnership has been terrific. Our association has led to such technical innovations as the 'Inside the Glass' reporting and to such programming advancements as the extremely popular Winter Classic," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final was broadcast television's most-watched hockey game in 36 years, which makes clear the NHL and NBC are building an audience, are building momentum and are perfectly positioned to continue growing the game."

Schanzer said: "We're thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with the NHL and build on all the positive momentum on and off the ice. Together, we have attained viewership milestones not seen in more than three decades. And the Winter Classic, in just two years, has become one of the highlights of the sports calendar. We strongly believe this is a league that is poised for continued growth."

This multiyear extension will play a significant role in improving the partnership.