Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
APFrandsen has the best chance to put together a full season of at-bats. He is 26, and has a string of .300-plus batting averages on his minor-league resume. But he doesn't possess power or speed, and even some within the organization see his ceiling as a utility player.
The outfield regulars will be Roberts, Rowand and Randy Winn — a trio that will block the ways of Rajai Davis, 27, Fred Lewis, 27, and Nate Schierholtz, 24, with the latter most likely to start the season in the minors.
“They all have shown they can play up here,'' Bochy said of his younger trio of outfielders. “I don't think any of them deserve to go back to Fresno. We'll try to get the young guys out there as much as we can. We might have some difficult decisions here later on this spring.''
One thing is certain: The outfield defense will be dramatically upgraded with Rowand taking over in center, and the combination of Roberts and Davis replacing the statuesque Bonds in left. In fact, the Giants have five outfielders who have played center field. That could be helpful, considering they played 90 games last season that were decided by two runs or less.
Yes, if you haven't figured it out by now, the Giants' chance for respectability rests with a talented rotation — and hopefully, a better bullpen.
“No question we're geared more toward pitching and defense,'' Bochy said.
They feel Zito will be more relaxed and less worried about living up to his huge contract, as he was last season, when his ERA ballooned to 4.53.
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Matt Cain should take another step to elite-starter status, and Tim Lincecum will be around on Opening Day. But there is a chance Noah Lowry could be dealt for another bat, possibly Crede.
But no matter who is on his roster, Bochy knows there is much work to be done.
“This will be a spring when we do a lot of teaching,'' he said.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
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Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
