Family: Memphis police find Lorenzen Wright’s body

July 29th, 2010 by admin

Relatives and friends of Lorenzen Wright gathered Wednesday and grieved for the former NBA player who has been missing for 10 days, as police investigated the discovery of a mans body outside of Memphis.

Wrights uncle, Curtis Wright, told the Associated Press that police called the players father, Herb Wright, Wednesday afternoon with the news he had died.

Sgt. Alyssa Macon-Moore of the Memphis Police Department wrote in an e-mail to the AP that police were investigating the death of an unidentified man beside a wooded area about 15 miles south of downtown Memphis. Asked if the man was Wright, she wrote they could not confirm the victims identity Wednesday night.

The family issued a statement through a cousin of Lorenzen Wright, Camella Logan: “Lorenzens family has come together to mourn his loss and honor his legacy. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and condolences as they are comforting at this very difficult time. Additionally, we ask that you please respect our privacy as we try to cope with his sudden loss.”

Wrights mother, Deborah Marion, arrived at the scene Wednesday night with a handful of family members. She crossed the crime scene tape and tried to talk to police when she was told to move back. She sat in a TV van before returning to the tape. Two officers then let her through.

The distraught Marion then started running down the road toward the crime scene before being stopped by an officer. She spoke with officers, then walked back past reporters without speaking straight to a van.

The 34-year-old Wright was last seen July 18 when he was expected to fly out of town. His family filed a missing person report July 22.

Wright played 13 years in the NBA with five different teams: the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and most recently the Cleveland Cavaliers with 17 games in the 2008-09 season. Wright left the University of Memphis early for the NBA, and the Clippers made him a lottery pick with the No. 7 selection overall.

He averaged 8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 778 career games.

By nightfall, nearly 200 people had visited the road blocked off by police while TV news helicopters showed investigators scouring the grounds for evidence. Police brought in a mobile command center that further blocked off the scene.

Former NBA star Penny Hardaway, who played at Memphis two years before Wright, said he heard the news from a friend and went to the scene near where the body was found.

“I cried. The emotions hit me immediately. Its just sad because we lost a good person and a brother,” Hardaway said.

Elliot Perry, another friend and former Memphis player, also was at the scene. Wendy Wilson, who once worked as Wrights personal assistant, also was there and said Wright often used the road police had cordoned off as a shortcut to his mothers house.

“He was a good person. He did not deserve to die this way. God is not pleased with this,” Wilson said.

Memphis Grizzlies Majority Owner Michael Heisley issued a statement late Wednesday saying, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Lorenzen Wright. We lost a member of the Grizzlies family. Lorenzen delighted fans on the court with his passion and off the court with his generosity in a Memphis community that watched him grow throughout his playing career …”

Eager avoids arbitration, agrees to new deal with Atlanta

July 29th, 2010 by admin

The Thrashers and recently acquired forward Ben Eager have agreed to terms on new deal, avoiding arbitration.

Terms of the contract werent announced Wednesday night.

The 26-year-old restricted free agent played in 60 games last season with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. He had seven goals, nine assists and a team-leading 120 penalty minutes, and then added a goal and two assists in 18 playoff games.

Eager was dealt to Atlanta on June 24 with forward Dustin Byfuglien and defenseman Brent Sopel by the Blackhawks for a package of draft picks and players.

In 255 NHL regular-season games with Philadelphia and Chicago, Eager has 27 goals and 25 assists.

Red Sox get bad news on Pedroia as injuries persist

July 29th, 2010 by admin

Trade deadline, three days away.

And this is roughly when the Boston Red Sox were supposed to pluck slugger Adrian Gonzalez from the carcass of the dead-and-buried San Diego Padres.

A foot injury has reduced Boston captain Jason Varitek to a boot and crutches. (AP) Except … the earth apparently has reversed its axis since last winter. You cant even find a deal this ludicrous on mlbtraderumors.com these days.

Here the Red Sox are in Southern California, and first place is two hours south.

It is Gonzalez who is pushing his teammates toward the best record in the National League.

It is the Red Sox who are threatening to fade.

Sparkplug Dustin Pedroia got depressing news from the doctor this week and will have another bone scan on his fractured left foot when the Sox get home Friday. Captain Jason Varitek gimps around in a boot and on crutches. Slugger Mike Lowell is rehabbing with Triple-A Pawtucket in Toledo, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is rehabbing in Florida with the Gulf Coast League Sox and J.D. Drew was scratched from the latest Boston lineup with hamstring tightness.

That the Red Sox have been able to hang this close for this long through a tidal wave of injuries in 2010 has been more impressive than the autumn trees lining the Charles River in the fall.

But as the trade d they need a set-up reliever to pair with Daniel they cannot fill their biggest needs.

They cannot make Pedroias foot whole again with one phone call. They cannot heal Ellsburys ribs with a player to be named later. There is no deal to be had that will remove Lowells hip problems.

“The season is not even close to being over,” Pedroia says.

True. But what a 162-game schedule does is, it exposes weaknesses and rewards depth.

“Still a long way to go,” Pedroia protests. “Weve still got 60-some games left, right?”

Right. But the Red Soxs outlook for playing catch-up over those 60-some games would not be nearly as dire if they were not in the same situation now as they were in late June … and late May … and seemingly every day since the season started: Stuck in neutral waiting for guys to get healthy.

The dog days of August are around the corner, and theyre threatening to take the Red Sox with them.

It isnt just that the Sox trail the Yankees by eight games in the AL East.

Its that theyve fallen five games behind Tampa Bay in the AL wild-card chase.

Theyve lost seven of 13 since the All-Star break, 12 of their past 20 and 6 ½ games in the standings since June 21.

“Other than past week or 10 days. … We lost to a good team in Texas that was really hot. We didnt win like we should have against Oakland,” first baseman Kevin Youkilis says.

“Victor [Martinez] is back now, and if get a couple of other guys back well be in good shape because we have enough starting pitching to go a good way. We get a couple of guys back here and there I think it will give us a good stretch run and, hopefully, put us in the playoffs some how, some way.”

All credit in the world to the Darnell McDonalds and Daniel Navas for not only acting as human Band-Aids, but for doing far more than expected in keeping Boston in contention for so long.

But the hope was to get Pedroia back in late July or the first of August, and unless Fridays CT scan reveals a miracle at work, the 2008 AL MVP almost certainly will not see the field until mid-August at the earliest.

Pedroia returned dejected from a visit to the Angels well-known orthopedist, Dr. Lewis Yocum, late Tuesday afternoon. Essentially, Pedroia, who was h which would have been around Aug. 1. But Yocums news was jarring.

“I thought I could play,” Pedroia says. “That if I feel hurt, you can just play through it. You really cant do that with this injury. Thats hard to deal with. That bone will break off, then they would have to put pins in it. It would be a disaster. It could go into the offseason and then maybe next year.”

Josh Beckett returned from the disabled list a week ago, made just his 10th start of the season in Wednesdays series finale in Anaheim and has won just one game this summer.

The hope is that Ellsbury can return in about two weeks.

“They really miss Ellsbury,” one American League scout says. “His speed, and what he does in the outfield. Theyve been playing too much with fourth outfielders.”

Though general manager Theo Epstein at recent July deadlines has pulled out of his hat impact players Victor Martinez, Billy Wagner, Jason Bay, Orlando Cabrera and Dave Roberts, the agenda this July is different.

“Weve had our fair share of injuries and those teams havent,” Pedroia says of the two teams the Sox are chasing in the AL East, the Yankees and Rays. “Thats really a credit to them, but weve had some freak accidents, man. All year.

“We havent had our opening day lineup out there since game nine or whenever the heck it was. Weve dealt with it and hopefully we can hang on and get in [the playoffs].”

Pedroia cites a 35-game stretch from late May through early July in which Red Sox made up eight games in the standings. Point is, he says, it can be done.

But how many holes can an injury-racked team be expected to climb out of before the fuel gauge registers “E”?

Here we are, the trade deadline ticking closer, and the Red Sox and Adrian Gonzalez this week were separated by just two hours of Interstate 5 asphalt.

But who would have believed the direction each is traveling?

Rangers bag Frolov, expect to team wing with Gaborik

July 28th, 2010 by admin

The Rangers added offensive punch by agreeing to terms Tuesday with longtime Los Angeles Kings forward Alexander Frolov, who should provide a potent complement to Marian Gaborik on New Yorks top line.

The 28-year-old winger, who spent his first seven NHL seasons with Los Angeles, has scored over 20 goals five times - including two 30-goal seasons - but is coming off a disappointing one in which he had only 19 goals and 32 assists in 81 games.

Terms werent immediately available. Frolov earned $4 million last season when he scored his fewest goals since posting 14 in his rookie season of 2002-03.

Frolov has 24 career multigoal games, including three NHL ha has 168 goals and 381 points. He is expected to play alongside Gaborik, the Rangers top offensive threat, who had 42 goals and 86 points in his first season with New York.

“Alex is a highly skilled player who we feel will play a key role in improving our offense and play in all situations,” Rangers general manager Glen Sather said in a statement. “He is strong competitor and has the ability to play either wing position.”

The Rangers are banking on Frolov returning to the form he showed two seasons ago when he led the Kings with 32 goals - 12 on the power play - and was second on the club with 59 points. It was the third time he topped Los Angeles in goals.

Frolov established career highs of 35 goals and 71 points during the 2006-07 season.

He has proven to be durable throughout his career as he has played at least 71 of 82 regular-season games in all but one season. Frolov played a low of 69 games during the 2005-06 season, but still managed 21 goals and 54 points.

Power Rankings: Rumors fly through Deadline Central Now!

July 28th, 2010 by admin

Heard this: In the days leading up to Saturdays trade deadline, a person who plays professional baseball for a living is attracting interest from several baseball teams, all of which wish to acquire that person-players services as part of an exchange or transfer of goods, services or funds (a “trade”).

Power Rankings Deadline Central Now!™ has learned that three teams are “in on” the person-player and another two are “definitely” “in the mix,” but the team that currently employs the person-player wont deal him unless somebody “knocks them over.” While there were indications last night that “the” team was working on a “major” deal, a team source dismissed the rumor as “premature.”

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“Nothing [is] imminent,” the source added.

While talks remain fluid, there is a growing belief that the person-players employer was “never close” to a trade late last week, despite numerous reports that the team that has more money than everybody else had separated itself from the other bidders. That moneybags jerkhead team believes it has the necessary pieces to obtain the person-player, but is balking at the cost, even though it has enough cash in its pocket at this very moment to buy Mauritania. Jerks.

Complicating the negotiations is the person-player himself, who is rumored to maybe possibly not want to waive his no-trade clause because his daughter, Cindi, loves her first-grade teacher, Miss Apple. The source, however, suggests that person-player would consent to a deal if the team picks up his $12 million contract option for 2012, if he perceived hed have a chance to compete for an elusive World Series ring, or if his new home ballpark were located within 35 miles of his hometown, where he owns a chain of faltering drive-thru laundromats.

“Its very fluid,” the source said. “Maybe its not. Maybe its syrupy and viscous. Im an anonymous source. I can say whatever I want. Donkey boysenberry raincoat.”

Stay tuned to Power Rankings Deadline Central Now!™ for further updates.

Hornets GM: Paul did not request trade in meeting

July 27th, 2010 by admin

Chris at least for now.

The Hornets star guard did not request a trade Monday in his meeting with new coach Monty Williams and top team officials, general manager Dell Demps said.

Demps, essentially in his first day on the job since his hiring last week, added that he was confident Paul would still be with New Orleans when the coming season opens.

The meeting took place at an undisclosed downtown location before Demps made his way back to the Hornets corporate offices to meet with reporters.

Although Paul did not speak with the media, the team released statement from him that indicated the three-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist was encouraged by the Hornets recent coaching and front-office overhaul.

“The meeting went well. It was great to get an opportunity to sit down with coach Williams, president Weber and our new general manager, Dell Demps,” Pauls statement said. “I expressed my desire to win and I like what they said about the direction that they want to take the team. I have been a Hornet my entire career and I hope to represent the city of New Orleans and state of Louisiana for many years to come.”

Paul has two years remaining before he can opt out of his current contract with the Hornets. However, he said at his charity golf outing earlier this month that he would welcome a trade if the Hornets did not demonstrate a willingness to give him a supporting cast that would make the club good enough to compete with any team in the NBA.

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Only days after making that statement, Paul fired his agent and hired Leon Rose, who also represents LeBron James. Paul also agreed to work with James LRMR marketing agency.

Pauls representatives then told the Hornets that Paul was interested in being traded, but the Hornets countered by scheduling a meeting in New Orleans that included Demps, Williams, team president Hugh Weber, Rose and Pauls brother, C.J. Paul.

“It was a very productive meeting. I was encouraged,” Demps said. “It was the first time I met Chris. It was a good opportunity for us to open the lines of communication. Chris had some very good points. … He was energetic. He was open. He was honest. He showed that he wants to win, and thats what we want to do as well.”

Williams and Weber stood nearby but did not comment as Demps discussed the meeting with Paul, which Demps said lasted about 90 minutes.

While Paul cannot force a trade, the Hornets opted to trade disgruntled guard Baron Davis during the 2004-05 season. New Orleans then began a rebuilding process that picked up speed with the drafting of Paul out of Wake Forest in the summer of 2005. Paul went on to become Rookie of the Year and quickly became the face of the franchise. A poster-size photo of Pauls smiling visage is the first thing that greets those who walk into the Hornets corporate offices on the 19th floor of a downtown high rise near the New Orleans Arena.

Demps said he hoped Paul would not become disruptive as long as he remains in New Orleans.

“I dont anticipate that,” Demps said.

If Paul were traded, it would be only the latest change, but perhaps highest-profile one, for a franchise in flux.

Nearly three months ago, the Hornets founding owner, George Shinn, reached a verbal agreement to sell his majority share of the club to partner and Louisiana businessman Gary Chouest. A final sale is still pending, however, and both Shinn and Chouest have declined to discuss the holdup.

In the meantime, former general manager Jeff Bower, who also served as head coach after Byron Scott was fired last season, has stepped down. When the Hornets hired the 38-year-old Williams in June, he became a first-time coach and the youngest one in the NBA. Then Demps, 40, replaced Bower in the front office. Demps, a former San Antonio Spurs executive, is a first-time general manager.

So far, the only two new players on the Hornets roster are the rookies they drafted last month: Craig Brackins and Quincy Pondexter. Their only free agent move has been the re-signing of reserve center Aaron Gray, meaning Demps could have a lot of work to do to keep Paul happy.

Demps did not go into detail about the Hornets presentation to Paul. He said for competitive reasons he needed to keep much of what they discussed private.

The Hornets payroll is close to the NBAs luxury tax threshold, and team officials have said they do not want to pay the tax or take on new debt while the sale of the club is pending.

Still, Demps asserted, “Theres always ways to be creative.”

“Im an optimist. I think that well sit down and evaluate the roster and look at all our pieces and move forward and do whats in the best interests of the organization.”

Wings legend Yzerman strikes quickly as Lightning GM

July 27th, 2010 by admin

When he was introduced recently as the new Calgary Flames assistant general manager, Jay Feaster was asked about the last job he held in Tampa Bay and the guy now doing it.

“Hes coming up aces,” Feaster remarked about Lighting GM Steve Yzerman. “In my mind, hes a strong candidate for executive of the year right now.”

Maybe Yzerman should even get some votes for rookie of the year.

Steve Yzerman became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame last Novermber. (Getty Images) He doesnt qualify for the freshman award of course, although Yzerman was the runner-up in 1984 when he launched a 22-season career that was spent entirely in Detroit and included winning three Stanley Cups. Still two months into his debut as a general manager, the first-ballot Hall of Famer already has made a major impact on his new team, performing with the savvy of a veteran and, well, putting a charge into a franchise that desperately needs one.

“Its a different vibe, the way things are being run and the structure, everything is done the right way,” Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier told the “Youve got a guy like Steve Yzerman, who is a leader in this league. The players, the people from the outside, everybody sees it.”

Pretty clearly it seems. The sad truth for Tampa Bay is that it has been a punch line around the NHL for many of its 17 seasons, despite having once won a Stanley Cup. But that was before the lockout, a lifetime ago for an organization that has been in a constant state of regression since play resumed.

But since arriving in late May, Yzerman has done much to change the dynamic on Floridas Gulf Coast by bringing instant credibility to an organization purchased at a steep discount a few months earlier. New owner Jeffrey Vinik can insist that Yzermans reputation was less a factor in his hiring than his vision for team building, but theres little doubt the presence of a late-model icon from Detroit means something as veteran newcomers like Simon Gagne and Pavel Kubina noted when they decided to join the team.

“I talked to Steve and I was very impressed with the direction hes going in with the team,” Kubina said after signing as a free agent.

Yzerman hasnt wasted any time putting his stamp on things after spending the years following his 2006 retirement being groomed in Detroits model front office and then assembling Canadas gold medalists at the Vancouver Olympics.

He took over a Lightning team that finished eight points out of the playoffs after ending last in the conference the season before, and in a series of moves that would earn kudos in fantasy leagues, already has revamped its defense, added scoring power up front and economically settled the goaltending situation. Along the way, Yzerman won the bidding for a highly-touted new coach, putting together a team that looks like a playoff contender at the very least and has a better immediate payroll and longer-term salary cap situation.

“Were improving the club, not only in the short term but by creating some long-term flexibility, which has been one of our priorities all along,” Yzerman said.

Yzerman began shuffling at the draft less than a month after being hired when he traded defenseman Andrej Meszaros to Philadelphia for a second-round pick, a move that chopped more than $4 million annually off the next four payrolls. Part of the savings were used to lock up Martin St. Louis for the next four seasons and to add defensemen Kubina and Brett Clark and potential starting goalie Dan Ellis as free agents.

The new GM made what many considered a daring move at the draft by using the sixth overall pick on Brett Connolly. Then Yzerman managed to stun the hockey world even more when he acquired Gagne from Philadelphia for Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick only hours after Ilya Kovalchuk apparently signed with New Jersey.

The trade for a 30-40 goal scorer immediately upgraded an offense that already had 50-goal scorer Steven Stamkos, St. Louis, Lecavalier and Ryan Malone, although Gagnes injury history made it a bit of a risk. But the 30-year-old Gagne has only one season remaining on his contract at $5.25 million, while Tampa Bay still is about $10 million under the cap.

More important, the Lightning will save nearly $4 million by getting out of Walkers contract early, money it will need when Stamkos needs a new deal after next season and sophomore Viktor Hedman needs one the year after. Yzerman said he factored that in making the Gagne deal because his priority is still to grow with drafted and developed young players like Stamkos and Hedman, but felt the risk was justified.

“Im fully aware of every injury in detail that he has had over the past few years, I just think it was worth doing that to acquire a player of his skill level,” Yzerman said. “I was looking to add a forward who would play among our top two lines and be an offensive-minded player. To add one of those and to (re-sign Stamkos and Hedman) the only way is to move some of the commitments with term on them.”

In Gagnes case, it involved getting a veteran to waive his no-trade clause heading into his contract season. Gagne didnt hesitate.

“Im not stupid, I need a big year,” Gagne said. “With the Lightning, I see a team willing to make some moves to get back into the playoffs. I like the way Steve Yzerman is thinking.”

So do a lot of people.

Cubs’ Zambrano apologizes for dugoput tirade last month

July 27th, 2010 by admin

Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano apologized for his dugout tirade last month.

Zambrano went off after allowing four runs in the first inning against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on June 25 and had to be separated from teammate Derrek Lee. He was suspended for three games and placed on the restricted list on June 29 with a mandate that he seek anger management counseling.

Zambrano said Monday on ESPN he apologizes “from the bottom of my heart” and that the confrontation “was my fault.”

“Its hard to think right when youre mad,” he said. “Thank God the Cubs sent me to this doctor. Ive been seeing this doctor for anger management, and hopefully, good things will come out of the treatment.”

Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he believes Zambrano is “contrite” and “looking forward to coming back,” but reiterated he needs to address his teammates when he returns this weekend at Colorado. He had no comment “one way or another” on Zambrano apologizing first on national TV.

The Cubs former ace has been on an assignment with Triple-A Iowa and is expected to pitch out of the bullpen when he rejoins the major league club.

Zambrano, who has a history of outbursts, called his latest “a moment of frustration” in which he was “trying to do something for my team.”

Piniella said at the time that his pitcher was upset that Lee and third baseman Aramis Ramirez didnt dive for doubles by Juan Pierre and Alex Rios, a notion that Zambrano seemed to dispute. Either way, things really escalated as Zambrano stormed through the dugout.

“(Lee) told me to shut up and to keep playing,” Zambrano said. “That was when I got more excited.”

As for being mad at the first baseman for not diving, Zambrano said, “The last person that I would be mad at is D-Lee.”

Zambrano said he sent Lee a text message two days after the confrontation saying he wanted to talk and that they spoke later in the day, after the game.

“He called me,” Zambrano said. “We talked, we chatted. We cleared everything up.”

The blowup was the low point of a season in which Zambrano got banished to the bullpen after a slow start and continued to struggle when he returned to the rotation. Hes 3-6 with a 5.66 ERA and is in the middle of a five-year $91.5 million extension that includes a full no-trade clause.

Angels acquire three-time All-Star Haren from Diamondbacks

July 26th, 2010 by admin

The Los Angeles Angels were looking to make a counter move after rival Texas landed Cliff Lee.

Dan Haren fits that bill nicely.

The Angels acquired the three-time All-Star in a trade with the Diamondbacks on Sunday, sending left-hander Joe Saunders and three other players to Arizona.

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One of the most prized pitchers available as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches, Haren joins a Los Angeles rotation thats solid up front but is missing injured left-hander Scott Kazmir.

“At this point, being on the West Coast has a lot of value to me, being near my family and going to a ballclub that is dedicated to winning,” Haren said after Arizonas 10-inning loss to San Francisco. “I am really excited about going there and having a chance to win.”

The last-place Diamondbacks also get right-hander Rafael Rodriguez, left-hander Patrick Corbin and a player to be named in the deal for Haren.

“A top-of-the-rotation guy thats going to help us not just this year but years down the road,” Angels general manager Tony Reagins said in Texas before his team played the Rangers. “The addition of Dan gives us five guys that are really talented.”

The AL West-leading Rangers made the first big move, obtaining Lee from Seattle. The ace left-hander arrived in a July 9 deal for rookie first baseman Justin Smoak and a package of prospects.

Los Angeles, trailing Texas by six games heading into Sunday night, boosted its lineup last week by adding infielder Alberto Callaspo in a trade with Kansas City and has now refined its rotation.

“There are still opportunities out there. Were not done trying to improve our club,” Reagins said.

The 29-year-old Haren has averaged 15 wins over the past five seasons and is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA in 21 starts this year. In his sixth season, the right-hander was tied for the NL lead with 141 strikeouts through Saturdays games.

“Hes a guy that weve tracked the last month or so and seen him pitch and his stuff is good,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “This is a huge opportunity for us to upgrade not only now but for the next several years. Hes definitely a guy who has pitched in big games. He has terrific stuff and hes a young veteran. This guy still has his stuff and it gives us a deeper front end of our rotation and thats what every championship-caliber team is really striving to do.”

The trade ends a long ordeal for Haren, in the second season of a four-year, $44.75 million contract with a club option for a fifth year. He had been rumored to be going to three or four different teams. Now he can relax, headed to a winning club and back to Southern California, where he grew up and still has family.

Haren might not make his Angels debut right away, though. Scioscia was still deciding where to slip him into the rotation. After playing Texas, Los Angeles heads home to face the Red Sox.

“I believe his turn would be tomorrow, but were going to evaluate a couple of things and get a chance to talk to him and see where he is,” the manager said. “Weve got guys who are on regular turn now, so we do have the luxury of folding him in somewhere or putting him out there to pitch tomorrow.”

Saunders was an All-Star in 2008 and had a 54-32 record and 4.29 ERA in 115 games over six seasons with the Angels. He was 6-10 with a 4.62 ERA in 20 starts for Los Angeles this year, his eighth in the organization.

“Ive been in trade talks in the offseason and stuff like that but you never really think its going to happen,” said Saunders, who lives in Arizona. “They obviously think highly of me, so it will be a new challenge.”

Rodriguez appeared in one game this season, allowing a run and a hit in two innings, and was 0-1 with a 5.58 ERA in 18 relief appearances over five stints with the big league club last year.

Corbin, a 21-year-old left-hander, has spent the season in the lower levels of Los Angeles system.

With a starter and two solid prospects, the Diamondbacks found the right match for dealing Haren.

“[Saunders] brings an element to our club that I think we need,” Arizona interim GM Jerry Dipoto said. “The prospects in the deal bring us talent that we need to build with. Therefore, I felt that this deal checked a lot of boxes for the Arizona Diamondbacks.”

Despite having an off year by his standards, Haren was pursued by several teams, including the New York Yankees. The Diamondbacks were looking to build for the future and possibly dump a significant portion of their payroll, though team officials have insisted thats not the goal.

Haren is due to make $12.75 million each of the next two seasons with a club option for $15.5 million in 2013. The deal includes a $3.5 million buyout if the option isnt picked up and a list of teams to whom Haren could veto any trade.

The Diamondbacks acquired him from the Athletics after Arizona finished with the NLs best record in 2007 and made a surprise run to the NL championship series.

Haren has been among the games most durable pitchers with at least 33 starts and 216 innings each of the past five seasons. He was fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting last season and is 86-70 with a 3.71 ERA for St. Louis, Oakland and Arizona.

Durant drops 28 points to star in Team USA scrimmage

July 25th, 2010 by admin

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 28 points to lead the White squad past the Blue 114-96 at the USA Basketball Showcase on Saturday night.

Durant had six rebounds and was 10 for 17 from the field and 6 for 6 from the free-throw line in 29 minutes.

Andre Iguoldala had 17 points for the winners, going 5 of 6 from the field including making all three 3-point attempts.

Rudy Gay led the Blue with 23 points going 7 of 11 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

Eric Gordon added 16 points and Derrick Rose had 15 for the White, which shot 55 percent from the field.

Stephen Curry had 14 points and Tyson Chandler added 13 and nine rebounds for the White.

Tyreke Evans sat out with a sprained ankle.

The roster of 19 players will be cut to 14 or 15 by Monday and training camp begins for the world championships in New York Aug. 10.