Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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.
AP
NEW YORK - Oliver Perez plays baseball like a kid in a school yard — hitting, pitching, stealing bases, experimenting with different arm angles.
All were on display in the New York Mets’ 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday in which the left-hander earned his first win since April 19.
“He might drive you nuts every once in a while,” New York manager Willie Randolph said, “but he competes, man.”
The day’s oddest moment came not from Perez but the Reds, who batted out of order in the ninth inning after an earlier double switch. Sorting it all out resulted in a 10-minute delay.
Outfielder Corey Patterson was charged with an out when backup catcher David Ross came to the plate instead of him in the No. 8 spot and lined out. Ross had to hit again, and this time he singled.
The Mets, who hadn’t hit back-to-back home runs all season before Saturday, did it for the second straight day. Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church went deep in the fifth inning as their offense continues to show hints of finding the consistency that’s been lacking much of this year.
The Mets have at least 11 hits in four of their last five games. The one exception was a 7-1 loss in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, in which they managed just four. They had that many in a three-run first inning Sunday.
Jose Reyes led off with a single, stole second and scored on Luis Castillo’s triple.
Castillo ripped a line drive to right-center between Ken Griffey Jr. and Ryan Freel. Griffey pulled up at the last second, while Freel dived unsuccessfully for the ball, which rolled all the way to the wall.
“We had a little communication problem,” Freel said, “but it was also tough to read the wind out there.”
Castillo felt discomfort in his left quadriceps on the triple and later left the game.
Doubles by Beltran and Moises Alou off rookie Johnny Cueto (2-4) drove in two more runs.
Beltran has nine hits in his last 22 at-bats, including his two-run homer in the fifth. Church followed with his drive to put the Mets up 6-0. Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider went back-to-back in the first game of the doubleheader.
Beltran’s homer was his first since April 24 and just his third of the season after hitting 33 last year.
“I don’t want to say that I’m perfect, but it’s getting close,” said Beltran, who explained that his left leg has been weaker than his right, which has affected his hitting.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.