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.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Drew Pomeranz "has lost weight and impressed the staff with his conditioning."
Pomeranz, who was the biggest piece acquired by the Rockies in last year's Ubaldo Jimenez trade, posted a 5.40 ERA and 13/5 K/BB ratio over his first four major league starts last season. He'll be in competition for a rotation spot this spring and should earn one barring a really poor showing. The lefty has plenty of long-term upside but probably can't be relied on as a fantasy asset in 2012.
According to the Denver Post's Troy Renck, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd is upset with Jhoulys Chacin's offseason conditioning and thinks the righty needs to lose weight.
Chacin decided to spend his offseason in his native Venezuela rather than Tucson, Arizona and apparently put on some pounds. The 24-year-old right-hander has about two weeks to get into the best shape possible. Pitchers and catchers are due to report on February 18.
Rockies signed C Steve Holm to a minor league contract.
Holm, 32, batted .118/.167/.176 in a cup of coffee (18 plate appearances) with the Twins last season. He'll function as organizational catching depth for the Rox.
Rockies acquired RHP Jeremy Guthrie from the Orioles for RHP Jason Hammel and RHP Matt Lindstrom.
The deal was completed just before Guthrie was scheduled to enter an arbitration hearing with the Orioles. He has instead reached a one-year, $8.2 million deal with Colorado. The 32-year-old right-hander posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 130/66 K/BB ratio in 208 innings last season for Baltimore. Guthrie is durable, but he's also a flyball pitcher and is doubtful to suddenly stumble upon dominance out in Colorado.
The Rockies are expected to use Chris Nelson in a utility role this season.
Nelson, who was used briefly as a starter last season prior to being demoted, could put himself in line for semi-regular starts at second base behind the 36-year-old Marco Scutaro. Out of minor league options, the Rockies would have to expose him to other teams through waivers if he's unable to make the final roster.
Rockies signed RHP Matt Belisle to a one-year contract extension.
The deal also includes a mutual option for 2014, and CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler says the righty will receive a minimum of $4.35 million in the new deal. Belisle's numbers fell back a bit in 2011 from the previous season, but he still had a nice year, posting a 3.25 ERA and 1.26 WHIP while leading all MLB relievers with 10 wins. He'll help set up for Rafael Betancourt this season.
Jorge De La Rosa told Thomas Harding of MLB.com that he hid his elbow injury from the Rockies last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery.
"It was real cold that day in Pittsburgh, and I felt something in my arm," said De La Rosa. "I said it was a blister and they took me out of the game. I told them I would be OK. But I was not. It was weakness. The next day, I felt pain when I woke up." De La Rosa actually made eight more starts with the injury before undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. The Rockies don't believe that he did any permanent damage by pitching through the pain, but one wonders what the outcome might have been if he was honest about his condition from the outset. De La Rosa is owed $10 million this season and currently aims to return to the Rockies in May or June.
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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