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.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had 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.
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.
APThus, that ensures Chicago, 3.5 games ahead of St. Louis and four ahead of Milwaukee before Tuesday’s action, keeps the best record in the NL and gets the home-field advantage at the much Friendlier Confines, where fans have replaced their edginess over not winning in a century with giddiness over a team that, for once, appears to be really, really good, with none of the stupidity and bad luck that ruined other chances for a title. (At least, not so far.)
However, the success of the deal, which sent starting pitcher Sean Gallagher, out-of-favor outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson and a minor-leaguer to Oakland, doesn’t hinge completely on Harden.
Gaudin gives the Cubs’ pitching core even more depth than it already had. Gaudin was a starter for Oakland last season and has started six games this season, meaning he can step in if Harden gets hurt. That’s a very possible scenario, given how Harden complained of a dead arm after a July 3 start against the Angels, and tied his season high with four walks, and set a season low with four strikeouts, in a five-inning stint in his last start, a July 6 loss to the White Sox.
Gaudin also could step in if Jason Marquis collapses, again, and gets left off a postseason roster for the third straight year despite being in the rotation all season.
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Gaudin, a right-hander, more immediately provides the Cubs more strength in middle relief. He could step in at home for Bobby Howry, whose ERA is much higher at Wrigley (5.82) than on the road (2.91). Or Gaudin could fill in for Carlos Marmol if he struggles again as Kerry Wood’s setup man, though he appears to be getting back into form after a recent rough stretch.
If nothing else, even if Harden doesn’t fulfill the potential he’s shown in the rare, non-injured points in his career, Hendry’s move sends another message — on top of the $300 million in contracts lavished on the likes of Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano over the last year or so — that the Cubs are serious about breaking their 100-year title drought. That’s especially necessary as Milwaukee, with its deal for Sabathia, tries to send a message to its fans and players that the Brewers are serious about breaking their franchise-long drought.
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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Piniella happy with Harden trade July 9: Cubs manager Lou Piniella believes acquiring Rich Harden improves Chicago's playoff chances. |
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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.
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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