Mayfest, Bristol

Few festivals sizzle quite so deliciously as Mayfest, which always succeeds in feeling both very local and completely universal. Sylvia Rimat's I Guess If The Stage Exploded and Deborah Pearson's Like You Were Before offer two very different mediations on memory in a double bill over the weekend, while Stand + Stare Collective invites you to become a member of the Guild Of Cheesemakers at a secret location (Sat). Guy Dartnell drops by with Something Or Nothing, about mistaken identity, while comedy thriller The Summer House and Darren Johnston's reworked immersive dance experience Ousia are other highlights in a festival that always delivers.

Various venues, Sat to 15 May

Lyn Gardner

The Acid Test, London

The Royal Court has recently shown a knack for nurturing young and talented writers. Polly Stenham emerged from there with That Face at the age of just 19. Then, last year, teenager Anya Reiss became the youngest playwright ever to have work staged in London and picked up two Most Promising Playwrights awards for Spur Of The Moment. She returns to the Court's upstairs space with The Acid Test, in which dysfunctional family life once again plays a part. Three girls much given to resorting to the bottle find themselves joined one night by one of their fathers (played by Denis Lawson, pictured), who's been ejected from the home. As the evening degenerates in a welter of booze, Reiss's unsettling comedy asks if age equals maturity. Simon Godwin directs.

Royal Court, SE1, Fri to 11 Jun

Mark Cook

5x5 (Loud And Clear), Brighton

Brighton International Festival and festival fringe begin this week. The latter has plenty of tantalising shows including one – Billy Budd Sailor that takes place in someone's bathroom (22 Port Hall Place, to 29 May). The official festival has a less inspiring theatre programme but sees the return of Hydrocracker's site-responsive Pinter shorts, The New World Order, a hit two years ago (Town Hall, to 29 May); touring shows including David Greig's Midsummer (Theatre Royal, 17 to 21 May) and Told By An Idiot's And The Horse You Rode In On (Pavilion Theatre, 17 to 21 May); plus an excellent programme at the Basement of five short shows for audiences of five at a time. 5x5 features work created by Brian Lobel, Jenny Edbrooke, Ana Borralho and Joao Galante, Verity Standen and Kindle Theatre; expect an intimate experience.

Basement, Tue to 14 May

LG

I Am The Wind, London

Entente cordiale has broken out at the Young Vic where theatrical hands have reached across the Channel in a creative collaboration involving top opera theatre and film director Patrice Chéreau, who has godlike status in such circles. I Am The Wind is by Norwegian Jon Fosse, the most widely performed playwright in Europe (though clearly not in this country) who has been described as "the Beckett of the 20th century". Olivier Award-winning Simon Stephens (Pornography, Punk Rock) has adapted Fosse's modern fable in which Tom Brooke and Jack Laskey play The One and The Other, two mysterious men in a boat at sea. Chéreau, who has directed such films as La Reine Margot and the controversial Intimacy, is tackling his first English language work here and says the two-hander is about depression. It's clearly about a lot more, too.

Young Vic, SE1, to 21 May

MC

'Tis Pity She's A Whore, Leeds

Jonathan Munby's revival of John Ford's tragedy about the incestuous love between a brother and sister has run into controversy before it's even opened. West Yorkshire Playhouse bowed to pressure from the bishop of Leeds and pulled posters depicting the Virgin Mary and Jesus. A pity, because once again it's an example of a theatre caving in to pressure from religious groups, and the image was not gratuitous by any means. Ford's play, a kind of warped Romeo & Juliet, is updated by Munby to the 1960s, when social attitudes were beginning to shift but men still ruled at both home and work.

West Yorkshire Playhouse, Sat to 28 May

LG

The League Of Youth, Nottingham

There are plenty of early Ibsen plays, many of them written in verse, that remain largely unperformed in this country, and with titles such as The Vikings at Helgeland and The Feast At Solhaug it's probably no surprise. Yet The League Of Youth, written in 1868 and Ibsen's first attempt to write in a contemporary idiom, was one his most widely performed plays during his lifetime. The story of a young, double-dealing, allegiance-swapping politician who uses spin in his attempt to rise to power, the play is full of topical references, with more sub-plots than a French farce. This new version by Andy Barrett aims to turn those to its advantage by suggesting that Ibsen's 150-year-old work, never previously performed in the UK, can offer some satirical food for thought in our own volatile political climate.

Nottingham Playhouse, Fri to 1 Jun

LG

Bully Boy, Southampton

Anthony Andrews and Joshua Miles star in this new play from Sandi Toksvig. Toksvig is mistress of the acerbic one-liner, but this two-hander, set within a British army unit overseas, doesn't sound like a load of laughs. Andrews plays Major Oscar Hadley, sent to the frontline to investigate allegations of misconduct by British army soldiers. But when he interrogates young squaddie Eddie, it's apparent that the rules of engagement can shift and definitions of what makes a hero can be fluid in situations where soldiers are put under enormous physical and mental pressure.

Nuffield, Tue to 28 May

LG

Hamlet! The Musical, Northampton

To see or not to see, that is the question. But if the 2010 Edinburgh reviews of this spoof musical are anything to go by, then this is sure to be lots of fun. The show has been a long time in development and has popped up in various forms, but now it gets a full scale production and UK tour. With its Elvis-style ghost, a Gertrude straight from Essex and a Hamlet who's a bit of a nerd, this is unlikely to be the show for Shakespeare purists but could well be the 21st-century musical theatre's answer to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).

Royal Theatre, Sat to 21 May

LG

From Bristol to Brighton the festival season is in full swing

With the fabulously eclectic Mayfest kicking off in Bristol yesterday, Norfolk and Norwich starting today and the Brighton festival and Brighton fringe beginning tomorrow, the festival season is in full swing. The month will round off with Pulse in Ipswich. I'm particularly looking forward to Hilary Westlake's Dining With Alice and Graeae's The Iron Man at N&N; and will be heading to the Basement in Brighton for 5x5. There's also another chance to see Hydrocracker's The New World Order, five short Pinter plays played out in Brighton Town Hall that were a hit at the 2007 festival. I'm going to dip a toe in the Brighton fringe, too, with Billy Bud Sailor, a story of obsession and revenge performed in a bathroom.

There's plenty else happening down south. This year's Chichester festival begins with a rare revival of the lusciously scored musical She Loves Me and there is much to look forward to, including Trevor Nunn's revival of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Max Stafford-Clark revisiting Caryl Churchill's Top Girls and Jonathan Kent directing Sweeney Todd. At the Nuffield in Southampton, Sandi Toksvig considers the pressures on soldiers involved in military occupation in Bully Boy, which stars Anthony Andrews. The Globe's As You Like It heads out on a nationwide tour from the City Museum Gardens in Portsmouth. You've still got time to catch the superb Comedy of Errors at the Northcott in Exeter. Pants on Fire's irreverent Ovid's Metamorphoses is at the Drum in Plymouth until Saturday and then heads to Salisbury Arts Centre on Wednesday as part of an ongoing tour. The lives of those serving in Afghanistan is considered in Josh's Monsters which is out on tour and then heading to Pulse later in the month.

Let's head straight to Scotland where Mike Bartlett's viciously funny Love, Love, Love is at the Citizens in Glasgow. Good to hear that Headlong are reviving Bartlett's Earthquakes in London which will go out on tour in the autumn. The Mayfesto season of political work is underway at Glasgow's Tron and this week the main draw should be David Harrower's Slow Air about an estranged brother and sister. David Greig's Dunsinane, first seen at Hampstead theatre, is revived by National Theatre Scotland at Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum from next Friday. This week's A Play, a Pie and a Pint lunchtime theatre at Oran Mor is Andrew Dallmeyer's Thank God for John Muir about the aftermath of an industrial accident. There is some fantastic work for children in the Imaginate festival which takes over the Traverse and other Edinburgh venues from Monday.

In the north of England, John Ford's extraordinary tragedy of obsession and incest 'Tis Pity She's a Whore is revived at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds. At York Theatre Royal there's a revival of Arthur Miller's witch-hunt play, The Crucible. A Walk-On Part – The Fall of New Labour at Live in Newcastle is a dramatisation of Chris Mullins's diaries. Terry Hands directs Taming of the Shrew at Theatr Clwyd in Mold, and the popular 60s drama Spring and Port Wine is at the New Vic, Newcastle under Lyme. David Morrissey is in Macbeth in Liverpool. The Price plays Hull Truck, while David Lodge's Secret Thoughts opens at the Octagon in Bolton. An early Ibsen play, previously unperformed in this country, The League of Youth, opens at Nottingham Playhouse, while in Stratford-upon-Avon at the RSC Dominic Hill directs 1632 satire, The City Madam, and Patrick Stewart and Rupert Goold are previewing The Merchant of Venice. For something rather more contemporary, try Reckless Sleepers who are reviving one of their most celebrated shows, Schrodinger, at the Curve in Leicester. At the Royal and Derngate in Northampton, Hamlet the Musical should raise a smile. In Corby at the new Cube, Thickskin's Blackout is an adrenaline-fuelled examination of a young life gone wrong.

Heading into London, the excellent revival of Journey's End is at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. The big opening this week is Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance at the Almeida. I'm looking forward to Naomi Wallace's And I and Silence, a tale of segregation in the US southern states that premieres at the Finborough and the Simon Stephens-translated Jon Fosse play I Am the Wind at the Young Vic. At the same venue this week, you can also see Talawa's Flipping the Script project that features Walking to Obama about the pre-civil rights era in the US, and book your Michael Sheen Hamlet seats. The Edinburgh 2010 hit, Reykjavik, a multi-sensory exploration of memory, heads out on a UK tour from the Albany on Tuesday. The plays in Convictions at Soho have been written by ex-offenders, and Soho also plays host to Theatre Uncut this Sunday, which provides another opportunity to see the plays that premiered at Southwark Playhouse last month. The London Bubble's Blackbirds in Southwark Park from Monday tells the stories of Londoners who lived through the blitz and sounds pretty special.

Everyone loves a good rivalry, and one of the most classic rivalries in international sport is without question the USA versus Russia. It's a rivalry that has been around for decades dating back to the middle of the Cold War and just yesterday when I flicked on to Fox News to amuse myself with their take on the Osama Bin Laden story one reporter compared public reaction to that of when the USA took gold over the Soviets in Hockey in the 1980 Olympic Games. A typically inappropriate comparison but one that shows just how ingrained in the American consciousness this rivalry is.

This Thursday the competition moves from the Ice to the Canvas and from Lake Placid to Times Square as the USA meets Russia in a Freestyle Olympic Style meet in support of the "Beat The Streets" Gala that aims to help bring Wrestling to New York City students. From the official press release:

New York, April 20, 2011 - "Beat The Streets," the New York City-based not-for-profit organization that has brought wrestling to thousands of middle and high school students in New York City, along with USA Wrestling and the New York City Department of Education, today announced their most unique event ever, a freestyle wrestling match featuring some of the world's greatest Olympic-class wrestlers, to be held in Duffy Square in New York's Times Square on Thursday, May 5.

The freestyle wrestling dual meet between defending team world champion Russia and the United States, will be the featured competition for the 2011 Beat the Streets Gala and Benefit, which will be held following the dual meet at the Hard Rock Café. It is being billed as The Battle on Broadway, with "New York Is Wrestling" as the theme of this year's event, which traditionally raises several hundred thousand dollars for programs in five boroughs of New York City. The event is free to the public, and will also be streamed live on TheMat.com by USA Wrestling and be shown on the single largest face LED screen in Times Square.

"There is no grander setting than Times Square to feature some of the world's greatest athletes and to raise awareness for our program, which has given thousands of boys and girls the ability to be more physically fit and learn the life lessons that are essential for success in today's ever-changing world," said Mike Novogratz, Beat The Streets Chairman of the Board. "This event, outdoors in Duffy Square, will provide us with a very unique way to expose our program to thousands who may not be aware of our work, so we are very appreciative of all involved from the City and the Times Square Alliance, as well as USA Wrestling, for helping make this happen." 

"We are very proud to be able to help present this very unique event as a way to grow awareness for the sport and all the good work ‘Beat The Streets' does for kids in New York City," said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. "It will be a great setting for some of the world's greatest athletes to showcase their skills." 

Also according to the official website of USA Wrestling, TheMat reports a number of celebrities from Wrestling, MMA and Entertainment will also be in attendance:

Some of the biggest names in the history of wrestling and mixed martial arts will join with other supporters from the NFL, television and movies in New York’s Duffy Square this Thursday night when the USA meets Russia in a one-of-a-kind dual meet at "The Crossroads of The World." Some of the most legendary names from Olympic and NCAA competition, including Olympic champions Dan Gable, Rulon Gardner, Jeff Blatnick, Kurt Angle, Tom Brands and Kendall Cross, as well as NCAA champions Anthony Robles, Bubba Jenkins and Darrion Caldwell will be on hand for the matchup, which will feature some of the world’s most promising and accomplished wrestlers.
...

Joining those elite champions will be former Michigan State wrestler and current UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (sic), as well as current NFL stars Justin Tuck, Antonio Garay, Marcus Colston and Willie Colon. Celebrities expected to be in attendance are Beat The Streets supporters Billy Baldwin, Matthew Modine and Nate Parker among others.

Schedule and matches after the jump.

2011 BEAT THE STREETS GALA
New York Is Wrestling
Battle on Broadway
Duffy Square – Times Square at 46th Street in New York, N.Y., May 5

3:00 p.m. – Exhibition Matches – Beat the Streets and PSAL wrestlers

6:00 p.m. – USA vs. Russia freestyle wrestling dual meet

7:30 p.m. – Reception and Awards Ceremony at the Hard Rock Café, 1501 Broadway in New York City, with special musical guest John Rich

The US team  line up will include 2008 Olympic Champion Henry Cejudo, 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert, 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev as well as 2010 U.S. World Team  member, 2 time NCAA Champion and Dan Hodge trophy winner Brent Metcalf.

Also competing will be this year's 2011 NCAA Division 1 Champion and Hodge trophy winner Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska University, and a New Jersey Native who wowed in this year's tournament with lightning quick double leg take-downs.

Full brackets:

USA vs. Russia Freestyle Dual Meet matches
55 kg/121 lbs. – Henry Cejudo (USA) vs. Nariman Israpilov (Russia)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Shawn Bunch (USA) vs. Rasul Murtazaliev (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Brent Metcalf (USA) vs. Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Aniuar Geduev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jake Herbert (USA) vs. Andrey Valiev (Russia)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. –Jake Varner (USA) vs. Shamil Akhmedov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev (USA) vs. Barsag Kesaev (Russia)

For those unable to be there live and in person, there will be two live webcasts at Flowrestling and TheMat, and a tape delayed broadcast on Fox College Sports starting on Saturday, May 21 at 6:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time and Sunday, May 22 at 12:00 noon and 8:00 p.m. Eastern, with Jason Bryant of USA Wrestling handling play-by-play and Olympic champion Rulon Gardner doing the color commentary. Several replays of the event are expected on Fox College Sports so check your cable or satellite provider's listings.

NEW YORK, May 2, 2011- Some of the biggest names in the history of wrestling and mixed martial arts will join with other supporters from the NFL, television and movies in New York's Duffy Square this Thursday night when the USA meets Russia in a one-of-a-kind dual meet at "The Crossroads of The World."

Some of the most legendary names from Olympic and NCAA competition, including Olympic champions Dan Gable, Rulon Gardner, Jeff Blatnick, Kurt Angle, Tom Brands and Kendall Cross, as well as NCAA champions Anthony Robles, Bubba Jenkins and Darrion Caldwell will be on hand for the matchup, which will feature some of the world's most promising and accomplished wrestlers.

Among the stars competing are Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo, two-time NCAA champion and New Jersey native Jordan Burroughs, two-time NCAA champions Jake Varner, Jake Herbert, Brent Metcalf and others meeting the defending world champion Russians.

Joining those elite champions will be former Michigan State wrestler and current UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, as well as current NFL stars Justin Tuck, Antonio Garay, Marcus Colston and Willie Colon. Celebrities expected to be in attendance are Beat The Streets supporters Billy Baldwin, Matthew Modine and Nate Parker among others.

The event will be held in Duffy Square in New York City, located in the historic Times Square setting at 46th Street. The event is free to the public and will also be streamed live on TheMat.com by USA Wrestling and be shown on the single largest facing LED screen in Times Square.

The USA vs. Russia freestyle wrestling dual meet will begin at 6 p.m., following a card of exhibition matches featuring young athletes who wrestle in the Beat the Streets youth program, as well as high school wrestlers from the Public School Athletic League and the Catholic High School Athletic Association, which will begin at 3 p.m.

THE OFFICIAL PRESS CONFERENCE FOR THE EVENT WILL BE HELD WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, AT 2 P.M. IN THE OLYMPIC ROOM OF THE NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB.

Each year, the Beat the Streets Gala is held to celebrate wrestling and raise funds for Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc., the successful program which has provided wrestling opportunities for thousands of middle school and high school students in New York City.

This is the second straight year in which a major Olympic-style competition has been featured as part of the Beat the Streets Gala. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan.

The Beat the Streets Reception and Awards Ceremony is set for the Hard Rock Café, 1501 Broadway in New York City, starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be a live musical performance by country music legend John Rich at the function.

2011 BEAT THE STREETS GALA
New York Is Wrestling
Battle on Broadway
Duffy Square - Times Square at 46th Street in New York, N.Y., May 5

USA vs. Russia Freestyle Dual Meet matches
55 kg/121 lbs. - Henry Cejudo (USA) vs. Rasul Mashezov (Russia)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Shawn Bunch (USA) vs. Rasul Murtazaliev (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Brent Metcalf (USA) vs. Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Aniuar Geduev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Jake Herbert (USA) vs. Andrey Valiev (Russia)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. -Jake Varner (USA) vs. Shamil Akhmedov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tervel Dlagnev (USA) vs. Barsag Kesaev (Russia)

Today is a very sad day in television history as ABC has canceled two of its daytime soap operas - All My Children and One Life to Live - leaving General Hospital as the network's only serial. ABC will be replacing the beloved residents of Pine Valley and Llanview with two new shows, The Chew, featuring a rotating cast of hosts who will report on food news and trends, and The Revolution, a health and lifestyle program starring fashion guru Tim Gunn, celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak and American Idol alum Kimberley Locke. They sound great, don't they? The Chew is already conjuring up vivid images of someone spitting tobacco.

But I'm not going to bitch and moan and cry and scream about the death of daytime television, which I will always fondly remember as being a marvelous mixture of daytime dramas and celebrity game shows. It's just difficult to see two shows that have entertained me so much over the years come to an end. All My Children will air its final episode this September after 41 years, and One Life to Live will leave us next January after 43. Of course, I will honor them both later this year with a retrospective list of their most memorable moments. And no fan of AMC will ever forget so many fabulous characters, including:

Adam and Stuart Chandler (David Canary)

Liza Colby (Marcy Walker, Jamie Luner)

Jesse and Angie Hubbard (Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan)

Greg and Jenny Nelson (Laurence Lau and Kim Delaney)

Tad and Dixie Martin (Michael E. Knight and Cady McClain)

Opal Gardner Cortlandt (Dorothy Lyman, Jill Larson)

Cliff and Nina Warner (Peter Bergman and Taylor Miller)

Palmer Cortlandt (James Mitchell)

Myrtle Fargate (Eileen Herlie)

Billy Clyde Tuggle (Matthew Cowles)

Brooke English (Julia Barr)

Phoebe Tyler Wallingford (Ruth Warrick)

And Erica Kane (Susan Lucci)




One Life to Live has also let us share the lives of so many great characters, including:

Asa Buchanan (Philip Carey)

Tina Lord (Andrea Evans)

Marco Dane (Gerald Anthony)

Karen Wolek (Judith Light)

Billy Douglas (Ryan Phillippe)

Carlo Hesser (Thom Christopher)

Marty Saybrooke (Susan Haskell)

"Kish" aka Kyle Lewis and Oliver Fish (Brett Claywell and Scott Evans)

David Vickers (Tuc Watkins)

Todd Manning (Roger Howarth, Trevor St. John)

Dorian Lord (Robin Strasser)

And Viki Lord, Niki Smith, etc. (Erika Slezak)




I could easily list a hundred more characters for each show - and the talented actors who played them - but for now I will simply say "thank you" to the creator of both soaps, Agnes Nixon, for giving me and so many others a chance to tune in tomorrow to her wonderfully addictive stories.

Alex Ross posted a playlist last week that made me feel lazy for not blogging more; I mean, come on, just write down what you're listening to, how hard is that? Now, I think I've said it here before, but I am a pretty obsessive listener; items are listened to constantly and repetitively for a few days/weeks, only to then drop completely off my radar. So it might be fun to see what's in heavy rotation right now:

• "All Cried Out" (Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam) (see above). You know how some pop songs have isolated moments that you listen to the song over and over again just to sample? (For example, I once spent a month playing Blur's "Country House" to death solely for the transition into the second chorus.) "All Cried Out" is like two dozen of those moments strung together—and yet feels weirdly ephemeral when considered as an actual song. As if you can only measure it in parallax or something.
  
  
• Strauss/Godowsky: Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes from "Die Fledermaus" (Katherine Chi, piano). An excellent live performance I downloaded from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's website. Is there any composer who ever brought more technique, polish, and sheer elbow grease to self-indulgence than Godowsky? The wildly-overpriced-yet-insanely-good gourmet burger of Romantic pianism.
  
  
• Andy Williams' Greatest Hits (Andy Williams). Andy Williams: a man whose cool is predicated on how much he simply doesn't care whether you think he's cool or not. An inspiration for us all. (Seriously, I had totally forgotten just how smooth Andy Williams is; if there's even a dull edge on this record, I haven't found it.)
  
  
• George Antheil: Sonatas for Violin and Piano (Mark Fewer, violin; John Novacek, piano). This has been the go-to driving music for about five weeks now. Antheil's Second Sonata might be the most sardonically literate cartoon music ever; the First manages to both cheerfully plunder Stravinsky and Bartók while sassing them at the same time. The performance is some of the most committedly stylish 1920s provocation you're likely to hear. High-minded snotty punk music. I love it.
  
  
• 9 (Public Image Ltd). Speaking of high-minded snotty punk music—or post-punk, anyway.... I was cleaning the den a couple months ago when I found a cassette of this that poet and cultured, sophisticated man about town Jack Miller had dubbed off for me back in high school. Upon said finding, played it straight through and then played it straight through again, and have been going back to that well every couple of days ever since. 9 has the reputation of being too clean and polished for a PiL album, but something about John Lydon sneering over all those shiny, happy grooves at least partially redeems the late 80s for me.
  
  
• Charles Wuorinen: The Haroun Songbook. Here's what happened: I was throwing together a CD mix for a longish car ride, wanted a nice blast of atonal cheer to shift gears after Billy Joel's "Summer, Highland Falls," and somewhat impulsively settled on "It's a Princess Rescue Story," and then started to remember just how oddly catchy a lot of these songs are, and now they're all stuck in my craw. Especially "It's a Princess Rescue Story."
  
  
• "Summer, Highland Falls" (Billy Joel). Haters gonna hate, but, deep down, they wish they could come up with a melody this good.
  
  
• Bach: BWV 911, 826, 807 (Martha Argerich, piano). This one has been drifting in and out of the obsessive playlist for a few months. It's a great clear-out-the-muck aural reset album: it's like one of those really good understated 1970s thrillers where everything's in sharp focus and it's smart enough to assume you'll think for yourself and it's tricky enough to keep you on your toes, and when it's over, everything around you seems to have just a touch more clarity. I actually bought this album for a dollar at a library sale; I would have shed a tear for the declining cultural standards of civic institutions, but, on the other hand, that's a dollar well-spent.

ProPaintball.com

PR: KEE Purchase of Smart Parts IP will not affect GOG ProPaintball.com Last weeks news that KEE Action Sports had purchased the Smart Parts patent portfolio prompted rumors across the paintball industry that GOG Paintball, founded by Adam and Billy Gardner of Smart Parts fame, might be affected. ...

Mountain Hardwear is thrilled to announce the addition of seven new athletes to the Global Athlete Team for 2011. The new signings demonstrate Mountain Hardwear's dedication to working with the top talent in outdoor and mountain sports while infusing the athletes and their talents into all aspects of the business, including product development, marketing and sales. With the goal of creating a Freeride Ski Team and aligning the brand with young athletes at the top of their sport, Mountain Hardwear has signed five skiers, Vivian Bruchez, Mike Gardner, Caroline Gleich, James Heim and Drew Stoecklein, and two climbers, Sasha Digiulian and Angie Payne.

New athletes for 2011 are:

Vivian Bruchez, a big mountain skier from France now living in Chamonix, is a professional guide and ski instructor with a background in alpine racing. Having spent his entire life on skis, steep skiing is a lifestyle to which he brings passion, patience, engagement, precision and concentration. Some of Vivian's recent highlights include a ski descent of 7134-meter Tilicho Peak in the Himalaya and a 4-descent day on the Aiguille du Midi's North Face.

Sasha Digiulian is quite possibly the best American sport climber/boulderer under the age of 20 and she has the score card to prove it. She's currently the sport climbing US Adult National Champion and Pan-American Champion. Last summer, Sasha became the youngest American female (at age 17) to ever climb 5.14b (8c) with her redpoint of Welcome to Tijuana in Spain. This year, she's taking a year off to climb before starting college at Columbia. She plans to compete in Europe at the World Cup competitions and attempt a few 5.14c sport routes – and already finding success on Southern Smoke (5.14c) at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. When not climbing, Sasha is an ambassador with Right to Play and the Outdoor Foundation, two organizations that seek to increase youth involvement in physical and outdoor activities.

Mike Gardner was born and raised skiing and climbing in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and the Teton Range in Wyoming. His father George Gardner was a mountain guide and instilled in Mike an unstoppable passion for the mountains. Mike skied competitively for a few years as a member of the Telluride Freestyle Team. He began to spend more time skiing in the backcountry and scoping lines in and around Telluride and Silverton, leading him to compete on the Junior Freeskiing World Tour. In his first year, Mike racked up two first and one second place finish at the North American Championship to earn him 2nd overall. Named among the top 20 skiers in the world (18 and under) by Powder Magazine, you can expect to hear his name often in the years to come.Protect Our Winters. Big Sky Youth Empowerment Program and the Billy Poole Memorial Fund.

Caroline Gleich spent her childhood in Minnesota, but it wasn't until she moved to Salt Lake City at age 15 that she could pursue her childhood dream: making a living as a skier. Caroline seeks to live a low impact and action-packed lifestyle, but remains one of the hardest working young athletes in the business. She spends the bulk of the winter skiing powder and steep lines at Alta and Snowbird while and working in design with top outdoor and snowsports brands. Passionate about the snow and mountain lifestyle, Caroline also finds time to volunteer time with

James Heim is a big mountain freeride skier living in Whistler, BC. Working as a carpenter in the summer, James has the opportunity to ski all winter filming with industry-leading Matchstick Productions (MSP). In 2011, James will again star in the MSP feature film and will take trips throughout British Columbia, and possibly Asia. James will help lead Mountain Hardwear into the freeride segment playing a role in the development of new freeride-inspired skiwear.

Angie Payne, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, started climbing indoors at age eleven. Now residing in Boulder, Colorado and after years of training and competition, Angie has won ABS Nationals three times, establishing herself as a top female bouldering athlete, indoors and out. Angie has climbed first female ascents of 17 boulder problems, including two V12s. In August 2010, Angie completed The Automator and became the first woman in the world to climb a confirmed V13.

Drew Stoecklein, also a big mountain freeride skier, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and makes his living in the Wasatch as a professional skier and photographer. Competition in the Freeskiing World Tour over the past few years has earned Drew a win at the Chilean Freeskiing Championships in 2010 and a 2nd place finish at the US Freeskiing Championships in 2008 and 2009. Drew has filmed with Warren Miller and Sweetgrass Productions and has appeared in numerous ski publications.

"Mountain Hardwear is honored to be working with such talented athletes and exceptional human beings who are passionate about the outdoors. Serving as leaders within their tribes and communities, these athletes will help Mountain Hardwear to develop technical outdoor apparel and equipment that will enable them, and all of our customers, to push the limits of their potential in the mountains," said Athlete and Promotions Manager Chris Strasser.

To learn more about the Mountain Hardwear Athlete Team, please visit: www.mountainhardwear.com/athletes

Source: www.outdoorindustry.org

Last night I participated in my first real auction draft of the season for the Blog Wars league hosted by MDS over at milliondollarsleeper.com. The league has some pretty stiff competition and last year I got smoked, finishing in second to last place, so this year I hope to make a better showing.

Going into the draft I had a plan to spend my pitching dollars mostly on good closers, as the best closers often go for $10-15 less than elite starters even though elite closers have a decent chance to approach the value of elite starters. Don't believe me? Of the top thirty pitchers in value at the end of the 2010 season twenty-two were starters and eight were closers. Elite starters are more likely to be more productive than elite closers but when elite starters are going for $30 and up the elite closers are the bargains. Another reason to focus on elite closers is that they are more reliable. Those eight closers mentioned above were Billy Wagner, Rafael Soriano, Heath Bell, Brian Wilson, Neftali Feliz, Carlos Marmol, Joakim Soria, and Mariano Rivera. In other words, you know what you're getting from a top closer and, just as important, you know who the top closers are, at least more reliably than you know who the top starters will be. That combination of value and certainty had me focusing on the guys listed above as well as Matt Thornton and John Axford.

For hitters I wanted to target Adrian Gonzalez and lock up two solid catchers. I achieved both goals but I didn't get as many values at other positions as I had hoped.

Here's the team:
C - Brian McCann $29
C - Mike Napoli $14
1B - Adrian Gonzalez $44
2B - Ryan Theriolt $1
SS - Yunel Escobar $9
3B - Michael Young $15
MI - Alex Gonzalez $1
CI - Derrek Lee $6
OF - Josh Hamilton $33
OF - Brett Gardner $14
OF - Juan Pierre $9
OF - Nate McLouth $5
OF - Domonic Brown $3
UTIL - Kila Ka'aihue $4
Bench - Josh Willingham $2
P - Brian Wilson $16
P - Francisco Rodriguez $13
P - Mat Latos $15
P - Josh Beckett $10
P - Joel Hanrahan $9
P - Brandon Beachy $3
P - Brett Myers $3
P - C.J. Wilson $3
P - Joel Pineiro $2
P - Travis Wood $2

Overall I'm pretty happy with my team. Josh Hamilton was a bit of a mistake as I was just trying to get the bidding going and for some reason thought he would go a lot higher than $33. Still, he could pay off if healthy. The rest of my offense is pretty polarized, a lot of two and three category guys but as a unit I'm optimistic about the production.

I was thrilled to get Latos and Beckett cheaply and I definitely hope that at least a couple of my cheap starters works out. My most frustrating moment was buying C.J. Wilson for $3 and then seeing James Shields go two picks later for the same price. Wilson is probably an immediate drop and I've been targeting Shields in all my drafts but couldn't pull the trigger here as I was almost out of money. Happily, this error fixed itself almost immediately as I was able to trade Kila for Shields this morning. I certainly like Kila's upside but I'm not sure about the batting average and Shields has shown excellent underlying stats.

My "elite closer" strategy was only somewhat successful as Wilson's injury appears to be minor but Francisco Rodriguez is a bit of a question mark, wish I'd gotten Axford for the same price. Hanrahan has the tools to be very good but we'll see whether he can put it together in Pittsburgh.

All in all I think my team could be sneaky good. I'm certainly worried about all the pieces fitting together properly on the offensive side but I think my pitching has a chance to surprise those who think that a staff led by Latos, Beckett, and Shields will be mired in the middle of the pack.

Fun times and sets me up well for my next and final draft of the season, tomorrow at 8:30 for the TradeBashers.com Bloggers Bash experts league.

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01. HARRY CONNICK JR. Sleigh Ride
02. DIANA KRALL Winter Wonderland
03. DIANNE REEVES Let It Snow
04. VINCE GUARALDI TRIO Christmas is Coming
05. CYRUS CHESTNUT Linus and Lucy
06. SKAFISH What Child Is This?
07. JOSE MILLARES A Child Is Born
08. BILLY ECKSTINE Christmas Eve
09. ELLA FITZGERALD Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
10. LOUIS ARMSTRONG Crhistmas in New Orleans
11. AL GREY Christmas Stockin' Suffer
12. THE KENNY BURRELL TRIO White Christmas
13. JIMMY SMITH Jingle Bells
14. BOBBY HELMS Jingle Bell Rock
15. CHARLES BROWN Merry Christmas, Baby
16. THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER Merry Christmas, Baby
17. TAKE 6 We Wish You a Merry Christmas/Carol of the Bells
18. THE RITZ A Child Is Born
19. NANCY WILSON and NEW YORK VOICES Sweet Little Jesus Boy
20. THE SINGERS UNLIMITED Deck the Halls
21. HILARY GARDNER I've Got my Love to Keep Me Warm
22. SPYRO GYRA Baby It's Cold Outside [vocal duet: Janis Siegel and Bonny B]
23. SWING MASTERS Ring Dem Bells
24. TONY BENNETT Haver Yourserlf A Merry Little Christmas
25. NAT KING COLE The Christmas Song
[bonus track]
26. THE GLENN MILLER BIG BAND Christmas Medley

• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "The issues with Terrence Williams have been well documented. Bad attitude. Huge ego. Poor shot selection. Avery Johnson had enough, banished Williams to the D-League where he tore it up for three games and then was happy to tell him to stay home from Tuesday's game. This is why the Rockets got him, or more precisely why they could get him. If not for those issues, there is no way they get Williams, as they will when they officially complete the trade, sending a lottery-protected first-round pick to New Jersey for Williams, the 11th player taken in the 2009 Draft. The pick is lottery protected through 2017 when if the Rockets are still in the lottery, it would become a second rounder. If not for the attitude problems -- and yes, red flags -- Williams is all over the Nets' plans. He was habitually late. His shot selection can be so bad that in China, we were betting on how many seconds it would take him to launch shots. His talent, however, is obvious. The Rockets are very willing to gamble on talent, wagering they will cash in a payoff far greater than a pick they at least hope will be in the last third of the 2012 first round."
• Dave Krieger of The Denver Post: "Picture a poker table. Carmelo Anthony is sitting there. So is Masai Ujiri, the Nuggets' general manager. So are Billy King, the Nets' GM, and Donnie Walsh, his counterpart with the Knicks. In the fifth seat are Denver's basketball fans, expressing decidedly mixed feelings. Some chant 'Me-lo' while the cards are dealt. Dissidents chant 'Dude from New York' with requisite rhythmic clapping. King, the Nets' GM, upped the ante Tuesday, even as the Nuggets were beating Orlando for their 11th win in 12 home games, maybe their most impressive yet. There was a certain reserve in the home crowd, which did not come close to filling the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets have been very good at home, but everyone knows their leading scorer could be gone any day. By acquiring two more first-round draft picks and Sasha Vujacic's expiring contract in a three-way trade that cannot be announced until today, King put the Nets in a position to make the Nuggets a more generous offer for Melo. In addition to their own picks for 2011 and 2012, only one of which can be dealt under NBA rules, sometime today they will have control of three other future first-rounders, even if one of them, the Lakers' 2011 pick, isn't worth much. Deal the cards."
• Dave McMenamin of the ESPNLosAngeles.com: "It was almost six months to the day since Andrew Bynum dragged his right leg up and down the court in Game 7 of the NBA Finals back in June. That day, pushing his steadily declining knee for a month after injuring it in the first round of the playoff, Bynum played 19 minutes and went 1-of-5 from the field to finish with two points, six rebounds and his second championship ring. In Tuesday's 103-89 win over the Washington Wizards, Bynum had an eerily similar line -- 17 minutes, 1-of-5 from the field, seven points, four rebounds and two blocks. He didn't finish with a ring, of course. The only thing the Los Angeles Lakers earned on a freezing December night in the nation's capitol was the momentum of a two-game win streak that they'll take into Indiana on Wednesday. But Bynum finished with some promise that he can be a contributor as the Lakers go for a third. 'I feel light years better than back then,' he said."
• Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com: "As the hype surrounding Wednesday's showdown against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden starts to ramp up, the Boston Celtics playfully chided their Atlantic Division brethren by decrying the use of 'rivalry' too soon. 'It's a rivalry?' Celtics captain Paul Pierce asked with a big grin. 'Man, y'all are letting me in on all the new stuff, all the talk. I didn't know we had a rivalry going.' With the Knicks, winners of eight straight, playing inspired ball and sitting a mere four games back in the division -- about as close an opponent has managed to stay in the Big Three era -- the 'r' word is being tossed around freely after years of lying dormant. 'Hey, if that's what y'all want it to be, if it'll sell more tickets and get more viewers, then I guess so,' Pierce said. '[The media makes] up the rivalries, we don't. To be honest, New York is playing well, they're in our division, and both teams are streaking, so it's going to be an exciting game.' But the Celtics cringe a bit at the suggestion of a rivalry considering it hasn't been much of one in recent years. 'I don't know what it is, this rivalry thing, it hasn't been one,' said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who played for the Knicks from 1993 to '95. 'We both were bad for a while. Now we've been good for a while. The two teams haven't exactly matched up for a long time. You know when they do, it will be great.' "
• Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post: "It is different now. You don't need to look at the marquee tonight, or on Friday night, because the opponents are incidental. They are also terrific, make no mistake: the Celtics and their 10-game winning streak (and conference-best 19-4 record) tonight, the Heat and what will almost surely be their own 10-game winning streak Friday. But the true drawing card, for once, for the first time in nearly a decade, is the team on the other side of the hyphen in these games. That would be the Knicks. Owners of their own eight-game winning streak. Winners of 13 out of 14, including a feel-good victory Sunday over a Nuggets team that has won more games than it's lost, allowing the Knicks to enjoy the win without swallowing the asterisks they've been asked to digest while piling on against patsies. The Knicks enter the game 16-9 and humble, mostly because the man most responsible for all of it demands humility. 'We've got to make our mark first before we start any rivalries,' Amar'e Stoudemire said. 'We're really just getting started, starting to regain some respect here as a team. We've got no room to start rivalries right now.' "
• Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer: "In the midst of an eight-game losing streak, teams learn to find improvement in the little things. In the Cavaliers' case, Tuesday brought a spirited practice. They were having fun, coach Byron Scott said. No one was hanging their heads at the consecutive losses that have come by an average of 20 points. They studied film. They dissected what they are doing wrong in surrendering 47.9-percent shooting to opponents, fourth-worst in the NBA. And they prepared for a rematch against a Miami Heat team Wednesday that was the turning point in magnifying all that has gone wrong with Cleveland this season. Since that game two weeks ago, the Cavaliers have lost seven straight, a grand total of eight. The Heat have won eight in a row, for a total of nine."
• Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "There are 47 steps that lead to the front entrance of the glistening American-Airlines Arena, which also sits nestled along Biscayne Bay. It's dark inside as Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight begins to hum through the half-empty arena. The king is the first player introduced before Monday's victory over the New Orleans Hornets and the fans politely cheer their new star. Chris Bosh, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Carlos Arroyo also receive ovations before Dwyane Wade emerges. The crowd roars. This is LeBron James' new home. As the Cavaliers meet their former star tonight on his turf, James seems ready to do it again. He demolished the Cavs two weeks ago, hammering them for 38 points when he could've scored 50, but sat the entire fourth quarter because the Heat were well on their way to a 28-point victory. James' point total -- and his mouth -- rarely stopped moving in his return to Cleveland. He doesn't expect Wednesday's rematch to be any different, although he has made it clear he wasn't joking around with them then and won't be now, either. No joking matter. ''I joke sometimes during the game, but there wasn't no joking,' James said Tuesday. 'The allegations of me and Daniel [Gibson] joking, it wasn't joking. If it was, then I was doing a good job getting them out of their game because I was in full focus. But there wasn't any joking and I'll probably be talking to them [tonight] -- again.' "
• Matt Calkins of The Columbian: "His knees serving as the executioner, Brandon Roy's future as a top-tier NBA star is dead. So in typical human fashion, he's traverses the stages of grief. The only problem is, he doesn't seem to understand the order. It started with acceptance -- Roy admitting a little more than a month ago that his most athletic days were behind him, that his body requires fewer minutes and that 'it's time to adjust.' He followed that statement with depression -- a reporter murmuring 'depressing stuff' after said confession, to which Roy replied 'tell me about it.' A couple days later, however, he veered toward bargaining -- confidently expressing that if he gives his knees proper rest, he can return to the Brandon Roy of old, citing other players (though not by name) who have adjusted under similar circumstances. But yesterday he made sure to give blame and denial ample time in the spotlight, which to me suggests he's just as unsure about his role with the Blazers as anyone. Let's start with blame: 'I don't know how people want us to play, because this is the personnel we have,' Roy told Jason Quick of the Oregonian. "I wasn't that slow until you put a guy who is kind of slow next to me. I've always been kind of slow.' If that wasn't a shot at Andre Miller, Paul Allen spends his mornings cutting coupons. Miller's value to the Blazers has always stemmed more from his head than his legs, and Roy has taken passive-aggressive blows at the point guard before, once expressing his desire for things to return to how they were 'before 'Dre got here.' But Roy had also successfully stuffed any antagonism toward Miller in the vault since mid-October. To bust it out again just comes across as petty."
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "Didn't the Shock leave town? You wouldn't have known it based on the crowd at the Palace on Tuesday night. I'm not joking. There might have been 5,000 in the seats at halftime -- and that's a charitable assumption. Please don't insult my intelligence with the bad-weather cop-out. That explanation doesn't work a day after thousands of souls braved worse weather to stand in line at Ford Field for 30,000 free tickets to an NFL game that didn't involve their downtrodden Lions. If the Pistons offered free tickets for a game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Chicago Bulls at the Palace on Tuesday night, they might have attracted three times as many people as the Pistons vs. the Hawks did, regardless of the traffic concerns. The general public now has something in common with Pistons ownership: Neither cares about the team. The Pistons did snap a four-game losing streak against the Hawks, 103-80, in what might be remembered as their most complete effort this season. But the rarity of such a performance only magnifies the overall disappointment of the season and the disconnect with the public."
• Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "There weren't many smiles at practice, and that was a good sign to those eager to see how the end of the Mavericks' 12-game winning streak impacts this team. Are they really different from the past? Is their defense the real deal, despite having it been exposed by Milwaukee during a dismal six-minute finish to Monday's game that halted the long run of victories? Those are questions only the Mavericks will answer over the coming weeks and months. And fans aren't the only ones interested in seeing how the Mavericks handle themselves after proving they can put together a monster winning streak but still look completely ordinary for a night. 'Right now, I'm curious with how we respond,' coach Rick Carlisle said. 'With better teams coming in, I want to see. This is a key stretch for us. Homestands are important. With two [games] left, the competition is getting better, and we've got to be prepared.' Asked if it was possible that a little boredom had crept in after the wins mounted into double digits and the Mavericks went up by 20 points on Milwaukee in the first half, Carlisle said: 'You hope not. Is it possible? Yes. Is that what's happening? I hope not. But again, every team in this league is a threat. We left too much to chance and Milwaukee took advantage.' "
• Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald: "Long before his nasty fall to the court captured the concern of Bulls fans, Derrick Rose set a personal milestone Monday against Indiana. He received the first technical foul of his NBA career from Jason Phillips at the 4:53 mark of the second quarter. 'That was my first one ever,' Rose said with a laugh. 'High school, grammar school, college ever. It hurt.' Ever since he joined the Bulls, it has been a mystery how Rose can drive to the basket as often as he does and be rewarded with so few free-throw attempts. He shot just 3 against the Pacers, but maybe standing up for himself can pay off. The first time he drove to the basket after the technical, he got a whistle and 3-point play. 'I said it was some b.s,' Rose said. 'It took them awhile to give me the tech. I thought it was over with. I guess it got to him. I'm running back down the court and he called it.' "
• Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: "Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis says it isn't so, but Jonny Flynn recognizes how the team's offense has evolved from the more regimented one that he led in April. Flynn struggled often in his rookie season with a complex passing system unlike any he had played in before. On Tuesday, he made his season debut after July hip surgery caused him to miss the season's first seven weeks. While he watched from the sidelines, Flynn says, he saw how Rambis has adjusted to a team clearly more talented than last season's 15-victory team. ... Flynn sees more freedom for players to be themselves. The Wolves appear to have added the traditional pick-and-roll play more to their early offense and have created more isolation opportunities for a player like Beasley to create. 'There's nothing along those lines that we weren't doing last year,' Rambis said. 'Some little adjustments have been made since he has been out, but the foundation of it is the same.' Still, Flynn says he sees the changes. 'There's more pick-and-rolls, more situations coming off screens and just playing,' he said. 'I think the offense has definitely evolved, and as we stay and grow together you're going to see him to put in a lot more wrinkles.' "
• Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: "Scott Skiles sent backup center Jon Brockman after Dallas big man Brendan Haywood in the fourth quarter Monday, and Brockman's mission was clear. Catch Haywood in the backcourt and foul him. Brockman was successful twice, and Haywood did a dance to elude the Bucks player on one other attempt at taking an intentional foul. But the strategy worked nicely as Haywood, a 26% foul shooter entering the game, went 0 of 4 as Milwaukee began a game-changing 14-0 run. This time it was the Bucks executing the strategy instead of sweating it out as they did when Andrew Bogut was fouled five consecutive times in a recent game against Orlando (he went 3 for 10). 'We were starting to teeter a little bit,' Skiles said of his rationale in fouling Haywood. 'We got a couple extra possessions. 'We wanted to take a swing at it in the first half when he was in the game, but they weren't in the bonus yet and we didn't want to put them in the bonus.' And Brockman chasing Haywood in the backcourt did provide a few humorous moments. 'That's the problem,' Skiles said. 'It almost gets silly if the guy starts running away from it.' "
• Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "The Thunder is just 2-7 all-time against Houston, which makes its second and final visit to the Oklahoma City Arena Wednesday night. The Thunder's only wins against the Rockets have come at home, where OKC won by 18 last season and 17 earlier this year. On the road, the Thunder has lost four straight against the Rockets and have dropped 11 straight dating back to 2005 when the franchise was located in Seattle."
• Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Doug Collins got on an elevator once with Jack Nicholson. It was crowded, so Collins and Nicholson had to face all the people already stuffed inside. When the elevator stopped, Nicholson got off, saw a dime on the ground, reached down and picked it up. 'Dougie, my boy,' the legendary actor said, 'the rich get richer.' The 76ers coach brought that story up last night before his team's 82-77 win over the New Jersey Nets, relating it to the Phillies' acquiring free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee. The rich get richer. 'How about those four starters? Cole Hamels as a fourth starter, are you kidding me?' Collins said. 'Cole Hamels as a fourth starter is going to be a 20-game winner. Awesome.' Though there was a game to be played, the buzz was about Lee surprising the baseball world by deciding to become a Phillie. Again. Sixers swingman Jason Kapono has been a baseball fan all his life, following his home teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Angels. 'It's huge, it's unreal,' Kapono said."
• Chris Iott of Booth Newspapers "Magic Johnson spoke about the Pistons during a taping for the 'Homecoming with Rick Reilly' show, which was aired Tuesday night on ESPN. Johnson did not have kind things to say about the team. 'Too many individuals,' he said. 'You have to get back to what made them great, and that’s defense and rebounding. ... What we see now is a team that’s soft. People from Detroit and Michigan can accept losing, but not the way they’re losing.' "

Just the Pacers' luck.

On a night when their play was fit for the scrap heap but they continued to scrap and try to sneak home with a W, they run into a guy with a soccer pedigree and all of the confidence in the world that he can throw an overhead pass right on the money.

Luc Mbah a Moute caused the Pacers enough trouble when he did his part to force the ball out of Danny Granger's hands forcing the potential game winner to Roy Hibbert. But then to further impact the win for the Bucks, his sideline pass for the tap in winner would've made Messi, Ronaldo and Kaka blush had they tried to match it.

Sailing within inches of the rim, Mbah a Moute put the pass on a platter for Andrew Bogut to finish off and then admitted it was no big deal thanks to his experience playing soccer as a youth.

Throw in, man. Playing soccer, man... When I was younger... I used to just put it right on their head so they could head-butt it in. But I hadn't practice it in a while. But that helped me out a lot.

That's just great.

Seems like something has to give with the Pacers, doesn't it? They can't keep straddling the .500 mark all season, alternating through these ups and downs, consistently inconsistent, right?

With seven of their remaining eleven games in December at home, the time is now to shake of the shaky play and put together a string of solid games. It won't be easy with some tough teams among those 11, but this is the NBA. You should have to play well to win and when the Pacers play well they've shown they can win against any team. First chance to move things back in the right direction is on Friday night when the Charlotte Bobcats visit the Fieldhouse.

After the jump, a few links of interest with stories on the "Tip heard 'round...the Midwest corridor between Indy and Milwaukee."

Box score

PACERS: GAME REWIND: BUCKS 97, PACERS 95
Game Rewind has complete coverage of the Pacers' game in Milwaukee Wednesday, including video highlights, analysis, notes, quotes and stats.

Buzzer tip-in dooms Pacers in loss to Bucks | IndyStar.com
Jeff Rabjohns reports on Jeff Foster's 700th game ending with nothing to celebrate.

Bucks win on Bogut's buzzer-beating tip - JSOnline
Charles F. Gardner reports on the Bucks tip for the win.

Hoopdata Advanced Box Score - Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks 12/8/2010

AP: Bogut tips in winner as Bucks beat Pacers 97-95

NBA: Pacers Lose Heartbreaker To Bucks On Bogut Tip-In - SB Nation Indiana

Bucks 97, Pacers 95: Bogut tips well in Milwaukee - Brew Hoop
Alex Boeder offers up the Milwaukee side of the story.

Wednesday game report: Pacers at Bucks - JSOnline
Just the facts, with Mbah a Moute named the Player of the Game for his defense and passing.

Andrew Bogut Tip-In Gives Pacers Gut-Wrenching Defeat
Jared Wade reacts to the ugliness in the Ill Mil.

Delfino's loss a big one, O'Brien says - JSOnline
JOB talks about injuries impacting the Bucks like they did the Pacers last season.

Hibbert's play noted | IndyStar.com
Jeff Rabjohns reports on Roy Hibbert's game and name popping up in MIP conversations.

Foster joins Pacers 700 club with Reggie, Rik, Vern

Hibbert has been looking forward since summer to facing Bogut
Hibbert wasn't embarrassed last night and certainly had his moments against, Bogut, but in the end the Aussie still got the better of 55.

Hansbrough, George biding their time
Bruno's latest Caught in the Web focuses on the end of the bench and two recent lottery picks working and waiting for their opportunity.

About Last Night: At The Buzzer
Pacers' were only one of four teams to suffere a buzzer beat down.

Billy Hunter, NBA players union won't budge on hard cap stance
The NBA players association does a round of media to push their side of the story in advance of further CBA negotiations with the owners.

I can just hear the Josh Hamilton story now -- again. So I won't bring it up. Anyway, SB Nation voters named him the AL MVP. BCB, as a NL blog, did not have ballots in this voting. If I did have a ballot, I probably would have voted the ten names on my ballot pretty much the way this one came out. The BBWAA voters had it pretty close to the same, except for voting Robinson Cano higher and Evan Longoria lower.

There's some Yankee bias here that I don't understand. A fourth-place vote for A-Rod after he put up the lowest OPS he ever had as a Yankee? And what's Brett Gardner doing on this list? Despite the stolen bases, he had an OPS+ of 106, pretty average.

American League

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Pts
1	Josh Hamilton	Texas Rangers	22	5	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	277
2	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers	4	4	7	3	3	2	3	1	-	1	197
3	Evan Longoria	Tampa Bay Rays	3	3	6	9	2	-	1	1	2	-	191
4	Robinson Cano	New York Yankees	6	4	5	4	3	4	1	1	1	-	182
4	Jose Bautista	Toronto Blue Jays	-	7	4	3	4	4	4	2	-	-	182
6	Adrian Beltre	Boston Red Sox	-	4	4	7	2	5	3	1	-	1	170
7	Carl Crawford	Tampa Bay Rays	-	-	2	-	5	3	5	1	2	4	92
8	Joe Mauer	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	1	3	1	2	8	4	5	75
9	Paul Konerko	Chicago White Sox	-	-	-	-	2	4	2	1	7	3	60
10	Shin-Soo Choo	Cleveland Indians	-	-	1	-	2	2	-	5	2	5	54
11	Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners	-	-	-	-	1	4	1	2	1	-	38
12	Cliff Lee	Mariners/Rangers	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	2	1	1	17
13	Alex Rodriguez	New York Yankees	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	7
14	Jim Thome	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	6
14	Vladimir Guerrero	Texas Rangers	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	6
14	Mark Teixeira	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	6
17	Brett Gardner	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	5
18	Justin Verlander	Detroit Tigers	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
19	Vernon Wells	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3
19	CC Sabathia	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	3
21	Daric Barton	Oakland Athletics	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
21	Delmon Young	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
21	Elvis Andrus	Texas Rangers	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
21	Luke Scott	Baltimore Orioles	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
21	Billy Butler	Kansas City Royals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	2
21	Ichiro Suzuki	Seattle Mariners	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	2
27	David Price	Tampa Bay Rays	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1

At 1:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, we'll learn who the Baseball Writer's Association of America has chosen as its 2010 American League MVP. Josh Hamilton appears to be front-runner, as the outfielder posted an OPS of 1.044 through 133 games while leading the Rangers to their first-ever World Series.

Other names have caught the attention of SB Nation's stable of baseball bloggers, however, such as the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, the Rays' Evan Longoria, the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista, and the Yankees' Robinson Cano. We polled our MLB blogs and asked them to name their top ten choices. Here are the results:

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Points
Josh Hamilton	22	5	1			1					278
Miguel Cabrera	4	4	7	3	3	2	3	1		1	197
Evan Longoria	3	3	6	9	2		1	1	2		191
Jose Bautista		7	4	3	4	4	4	2			182
Robinson Cano		6	4	5	4	3	4	1	1	1	182
Adrian Beltre		4	4	7	2	5	3	1		1	170
Carl Crawford			2		5	3	5	1	2	4	92
Joe Mauer				1	3	1	2	8	4	5	75
Paul Konerko					2	4	2	1	7	3	60
Shin-soo Choo			1		2	2		5	2	5	54
Felix Hernandez					1	4	1	2	1		38
Cliff Lee							2	2	1	1	17
Alex Rodriguez				1							7
Jim Thome					1						6
Vladimir Guerrero							1		1		6
Mark Teixeira								2			6
Brett Gardner									2	1	5
Justin Verlander							1				4
Vernon Wells								1			3
CC Sabathia									1	1	3
Daric Barton									1		2
Delmon Young									1		2
Elvis Andrus									1		2
Luke Scott									1		2
Billy Butler										2	2
Ichiro Suzuki										2	2
David Price										1	1

As you can see, the first-place votes were limited to Hamilton, Cabrera, and Longoria. It's nice to see a tip of the cap to players whose years, while not quite MVP-caliber, were worthy of attention, such as Daric Barton, Luke Scott, and Shin-Soo Choo.

Check back with this StoryStream at 1:30 p.m., when the 2010 A.L. Most Valuable Player will be announced.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

CINCINNATI - Roster additions: OT Kirk Chambers (released by Bills 9/4); PK Aaron Pettrey (released by Lions 8/17). Practice-squad addition: OT Andrew Gardner.

CLEVELAND - Reserve/injured: OG Billy Yates (arm). Roster additions: CB Eric King (released by Lions 9/4); RB Clifton Smith (released by Lions 9/21). Placed on waivers: QB Brett Ratliff.

INDIANAPOLIS - Roster addition: S Chip Vaughn (released by Colts 11/13). Practice-squad deletion: WR Jeff Moturi.

MIAMI - Reserve/injured: QB Chad Pennington (shoulder). Roster addition: QB Patrick Ramsey (released by Jaguars 10/29). Practice-squad addition: QB Tom Brandstater. Practice-squad deletion: LB Eric Bakhtiari.

NEW ENGLAND - Placed on waivers: LB Shawn Crable.

OAKLAND - Practice-squad addition: WR Damola Adeniji.

PITTSBURGH - Roster addition: PK Shaun Suisham (released by Rams 8/16). Placed on waivers: PK Jeff Reed.

SAN DIEGO - Practice-squad deletion: WR Kole Heckendorf.

TENNESSEE - Practice-squad addition: TE Riar Geer. Practice-squad deletion: RB Joel Gamble.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

ARIZONA - Practice-squad deletion: WR Ed Gant.

CAROLINA - Roster addition: QB Brian St. Pierre (from Panthers practice squad). Practice-squad addition: LB Sean Ware. Placed on waivers: RB Andre Brown.

DETROIT - Practice-squad addition: RB Ian Johnson. Practice squad; injured: WR Michael Moore.

N.Y. GIANTS - Reserve/injured: WR Ramses Barden (ankle). Roster addition: WR Derek Hagan (released by Giants 9/4). Practice-squad addition: DT Dwayne Hendricks.

ST. LOUIS - Reserve/injured: TE Fendi Onobun (back).

SAN FRANCISCO - Placed on waivers: WR Jason Hill.

SEATTLE - Practice-squad addition: OT Breno Giacomini.

TAMPA BAY - Practice-squad deletion: OG John Malecki.

 

Alan Gardner at Daily Cartoonist has hold of a letter indicating that Lucy Caswell, the founder and curator of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, will be retiring at the end of this year. She then plans a return in the position of Curator for Special Projects. Jenny Robb, the current Associate Curator, will take over Caswell's position running the massive library holdings and the attendant museum. Caswell has overseen the growth of OSU's comics holdings from boxes of material sent to the school by 1930 graduate Milton Caniff to a massive, multiple-holding collection of world-class variety. Since coming on board with a temporary assignment in the 1970s when the material was housed by the school's journalism department, Caswell has processed massive donations into the collection through the judicious application of time and money, made the collection available to scholars and fans of such material through its museum interface, constantly kept the library's holding up to date in terms of library databases, and generally support both the art form (through events such as every-other-year Festival Of Cartoon Art) and the industry (filling in blanks on publishing projects). It's fitting that Caswell's move into a new position and Robb's ascension into her old role would come smoothly, as institutional continuity has always been a stated goal of Caswell's, the hope that access to and use of the holdings would continue past her own primary role in making those things possible.

Royal Opera House, London; Barbican, London; Holywell Music Room, Oxford

By the final act of Roméo et Juliette, revived at the Royal Opera House for only the second time in 16 years, I felt quite apologetic towards Gounod. His particular Gallic blend of erotic religiosity – all his life he was rent asunder by art, women and God; most men only struggle with two of those at a time – seemed to shed no light at all on Shakespeare's youthful lovers, if anything casting their turbulent passions into a sort of dull, well-fitting plaster cast.

Acts I and II, with their odd fugal skirmishes, chorale-like counterpoint and, in the case of Juliette's popular "Je veux vivre", smiling set pieces, trundled away melodically and obediently, encouraging dreadful and disdainful thoughts which I won't go into here. Nicolas Joël's production, which must have looked ripe for the Theatre Museum even when new in 1994, appeared to have tracked down the most boring set designs ever: an Italian gothic window and some painted marble-effect panels. Since this was a two-interval, five-act evening, nothing boded well. Even the stellar cast had not yet shown their mettle.

Then, as so often in the theatre when you think you've reached that point of numb acceptance, a transformation took place. In Act III, notably Tybalt's death scene, the music breaks free and gutters, flickers, then flares into life. Daniel Oren, conducting, and the ROH orchestra suddenly woke up, or perhaps it was me. Throbbing strings, ominous low brass and heavenly harp arpeggios remind us why Gounod, himself a great Anglophile whose pious "Ave Maria" was a Victorian favourite, still has such appeal in the opera house.

From then on, the drama takes off, largely because Gounod liberates himself from Shakespeare, inventing an entire new bridal scene in which the drugged Juliette, surrounded by angelic bridesmaids, nearly says "I do" to Paris, before in the nick of time passing out. At the end, Gounod introduces a prolonged farewell between the lovers and an agonisingly played out double death, full of high-tensile music. Almost as if charting this step-by-step development, Carlo Tommasi's sets grow ever more beautiful and ornate, ending in a handsomely realised crypt to house Juliette's tomb.

Despite its dated feel, Joël's staging is clear and well-shaped (revived by Stephen Barlow). The shallow stage cramps the action but helps the voices, with some first-class chorus work especially from the men, who also show off their five-star legs in fine tights. There was, too, good support in cameo roles from Stéphane Degout as Mercutio (the only native French-speaker, and it showed), Alfie Boe's Tybalt, Darren Jeffery's Capulet and Diana Montague's Gertrude.

As Juliette, the 27-year-old Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze, who shot to fame in this role in Salzburg in 2008, still has work to do technically. Her tone is strong and secure, with radiance in the middle but a vibrato-heavy shrillness at the top and some clotted notes at the bottom. Dramatically she is good at being gleeful, or conversely tragic, but there's something of a gap in between. Her fans, roaring and brava-ing, were out in force.

Machaidze could learn much from Piotr Beczala, the megastar Polish tenor who plays Roméo (and who sang with her in Salzburg). His pianissimo top notes are spun with impressive control, and he soars upwards to every more urgent climax with zest and only an occasional missed note, or hint of tiredness. He moves like a dancer, and exudes a stillness and grace which elevates his performance to a different level. Occasionally, in his floppy white shirt, he looks like Roberto Alagna who has recorded this role (with Angela Gheorghiu in those long-off days when they were prepared to share the same stage). Beczala is better. There were still seats left on the first night.

We should all cheer, at length, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which celebrated its 80th birthday at the Barbican last week, with principal guest conductor David Robertson. Without this orchestra, the BBC Proms could not survive. They are a formidable ensemble, with a chameleon ability to devour the adventurous new alongside familiar core repertoire. Their excellent new Lutoslawski CD on Chandos, conducted by Edward Gardner, shows them off in style.

It's less easy to enthuse about the concert: a confusion of chat, snippets of fascinating footage which left you hungry and, dare one say it, an excess of music. Rite of Spring, the finale, felt like one party piece too many. A rousing account of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman overture, which launched the orchestra at the Queen's Hall in 1930, set things off well enough. Then came Stephen McNeff's new, listener-friendly "ConcertO Duo – for duo percussion and orchestra", a jolly piece far removed from those rigorous, exploratory days at the Roundhouse when Pierre Boulez was chief conductor. Mercifully, some would say.

McNeff, according to a programme note, wants his music "to talk to people, to move them… Composers sometimes forget that they are part of the entertainment business." How would Beethoven have responded to that? No doubt too grumpy to bother. This is a burning issue, especially now that contemporary music has lost its boundaries. It used to be, broadly speaking, that the nastier and grittier a piece was, the better it was rated, critically. A few still keep that faith. The debate rumbles on. But was this the right piece, exuberantly played by the soloists, the athletic O Duo, to celebrate an orchestra which glories in radical innovation?

Kaija Saariaho's exquisite D'Om le Vrai Sens (2009-10) for clarinet and orchestra, inspired by the medieval Lady with the Unicorn tapestries, redressed the balance. The orchestral writing was sensuous and minutely detailed, unfolding with arresting precision, offsetting the solo clarinet – the unicorn – in its variously languid, pan-like or frantic journey. Finnish clarinettist Kari Kriikku was the outstanding soloist.

A real coup, grander and more ambitious than anticipated, was achieved at the Oxford Lieder festival, now in its ninth year and featuring, among the concerts I heard, a Schumann recital by Wolfgang Holzmair and Julius Drake, and a moving, estimable account of Schubert's Winterreise, performed at short notice by tenor Daniel Norman with OLF founder Sholto Kynoch. But it was a substantial new song cycle which grabbed attention.

Stephen Hough is celebrated as an international pianist, a wearer of fine hats, a bit of a "nose" olfactorily-speaking, a tweeter and blogger extraordinaire. In between, he has a parallel if less prominent existence as a gay Catholic theologian (on which he has just been commissioned to write a book, having twice come close to entering the priesthood). He was in Oxford, however, as a composer, in a stimulating concert by the Prince Consort.

His settings of five Rilke poems for baritone and piano, gathered under the title Herbstlieder (Autumn Songs), has bold musical reach, wit and expressive variety. He has described himself, self-deprecatingly, as writing "tonal music with a twist". Most music composed today comes into that category (see above). Hough downplays his own considerable powers of invention. Jacques Imbrailo, an acclaimed Billy Budd at Glyndebourne this year, conveyed the mood shifts from melancholic and autumnal, tempestuous, to overpowering (especially in "Bestürz mich, Musik" – "Overwhelm me, music").

Singing in German, his performance, and that of pianist Alisdair Hogarth, had vitality and conviction, and won enthusiastic applause. Rilke's charmed language puts a high hurdle between himself and English. An elegant, singable translation was provided by, yes, of course, Stephen Hough.

Sea And Land And Sky, Glasgow

The first world war changed British society forever. Not only was a generation of young men swept away, but so were attitudes that tied the UK to the Victorian era. That was particularly true when it came to women, who could no longer simply be confined to the home after they worked as nurses on the front line. It is the story of three such Scottish women that is told in Abigail Docherty's historical play which is based on the diaries of young women who nursed during the Great war. Winner of the Tron's Open.Stage playwriting competition this year, the play tells of three women from very different backgrounds and with very different agendas who are thrown together to face the horrors of war. Andy Arnold directs, and he joins Docherty in a post-show discussion after Wednesday evening's performance.

Tron Theatre, Tue to 23 Oct

Lyn Gardner

Tribes, London

A deaf boy is at the centre of a new Royal Court play, Tribes, about belonging, family and the limitations of communication. Billy's family are intellectual and unconventional: they have their own language and rules, they argue, and sometimes walk around in the nude. As he can only lip-read, Billy has trouble keeping up, until he meets Sylvia, a young woman who has been brought up as the only hearing member of a deaf family, and learns sign language, opening up a whole new world. Author Nina Raine started her career at the Royal Court as a trainee director and her first play, Rabbit, transferred from the Old Red Lion to the Trafalgar Studios, earning her two most promising playwright awards. Director Roger Michell returns to these premises for the first time since My Night With Reg in 1995.

Royal Court, SE1, Thu to 13 Nov

Mark Cook

Songs From A Hotel Bedroom, On tour

Frances Ruffelle, the original Eponine in Les Misérables, had a big hit in Edinburgh this year with her one-woman show Beneath The Dress. Now she joins forces with Nigel Richards for this new piece of musical theatre which features the songs of Kurt Weill to tell of the doomed love affair between cabaret singer Angelique, and songwriter Dan. This isn't a traditional musical but something rather different that directors Kate Flatt and Peter Rowe are describing as "choreographic music theatre". Famous Weill numbers such as September Song and You're Far Too Near To Me, and a seven-piece band, provide the musical soundtrack to the unhappy affair, while a pair of tango dancers articulate other aspects of the relationship.

Watford Palace Theatre, Thu to 16 Oct

LG

The Colour Of Nonsense, On tour

Forkbeard Fantasy is a company that really deserves to be called a national treasure and this brilliant little show, which showcases its infinite capacity for reinvention, demonstrates why. It takes place in the arts studios of Splash, Line and Scuro, cutting-edge conceptualists who once had the entire world at their feet. But times have changed and now there's a whole new raft of young Turks eager to make their mark. The future looks bleak, but then suddenly they unexpectedly land a mysterious multi-million pound commission. It's a sly and ticklish satire on the constant quest for the new that takes its inspiration from The Emperor's New Clothes and Edward Lear's Dong With A Luminous Nose. The production is touring prior to a much-deserved run at London's Riverside Studios in November.

The Lighthouse, Poole's Centre For The Arts, Sat; Halliwell Theatre, Carmarthen, Wed

LG

The Lady From The Sea, Manchester

David Eldridge already has acclaimed versions of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck and John Gabriel Borkman under his belt, and now he turns his attention to one of the Norwegian playwright's strangest and most compelling stories. It's a play that has a wild, passionate heart as it tells of Ellida, a lighthouse keeper's daughter now married to the kindly widower, Dr Wangel. She's trying hard to put her past behind her and be a dutiful wife, but the call of the sea haunts her dreams and increasingly her waking life too. Can Ellida survive on dry land? Or will the lure of the sea and a lost love prove too strong to resist?

Royal Exchange Theatre, Wed to 6 Nov

LG

What I Heard About The World, Sheffield

There are a number of companies who have been around for a decade or so that have created an impressive body of work but remain unknown in the mainstream. Slung Low, the team behind Anthology at Liverpool's Everyman, is one; and Unlimited, making its first children's show – the ambitious Mission To Mars at Wimbledon's Polka – is another. A further example is Third Angel, a company which has won a real following for work including Words And Pictures and The Class Of '76 but one which has seldom had the door held open for it in regional theatres. So it's good to see the company getting a decent run in Sheffield for this new piece created with Lisboa's Mala Voadora which attempts to map a speherical planet on to a very big flat sheet of paper and share the stories of places they've collected from around the world.

Studio Theatre, Wed to 30 Oct

LG

Love On The Dole, Bolton

Voted one of the National Theatre's 100 best plays of the 20th century, but seldom performed, Ronald Gow and Walter Greenwood's tale of working-class survival during the Great Depression has suddenly found new resonance and a rash of new productions. It's been on the radio, London's Finborough theatre recently staged a much-admired revival, and now David Thacker produces it in Bolton where Sally Hardcastle's struggle in the Salford slum Hanky Park should talk very directly to the local community.

Octagon, Thu to 6 Nov

LG

The Thrill Of It, On tour

A new show from Forced Entertainment, a company now showing signs of being as loved and cherished in this country as much as it is abroad, is always a big event. The territory – grubby tuxedos, Japanese lounge music, shabby comperes, sentimental stories and deranged dancing girls – may sound familiar, but the spin will be brand new from a company that even after 25 years of constant work has still got plenty to say.

Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster, Tue & Wed; Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, Fri to 16 Oct

LG

Here are all the pro football transactions involving former Miami Dolphins from September 2010. It's going to be a lot this week, since Sept. 4 was the date NFL teams had to cut from 75 to 53!

I'm also not going to give details on each player's time in Miami as I usually do, because the amount of transactions here would make that article enormous!

• Sept. 3 — The Arizona Cardinals waived/injured linebacker Mark Washington.
• Sept. 3 — The Denver Broncos placed tight end Kory Sperry on waivers.
• Sept. 3 — The Hartford Colonials (UFL) released offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers.
• Sept. 3 — The Philadelphia Eagles placed cornerback Geoffrey Pope on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Baltimore Ravens placed tight end Davon Drew on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Chicago Bears placed linebacker Kelvin Smith on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Cincinnati Bengals terminated the contract of placekicker Dave Rayner.
• Sept. 4 — The Cleveland Browns placed nose tackle Travis Ivey on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Green Bay Packers placed nose tackle Anthony Toribio on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Jacksonville Jaguars terminated the contract of tight end Ernest Wilford.
• Sept. 4 — The Kansas City Chiefs terminated the contract of offensive tackle Ikechuku Ndukwe.
• Sept. 4 — The Minnesota Vikings traded quarterback Sage Rosenfels to the New York Giants.
• Sept. 4 — The New York Giants terminated the contract of wide receiver Derek Hagan.
• Sept. 4 — The Oakland Raiders terminated the contract of tight end John Owens and waived/injured cornerback Joey Thomas.
• Sept. 4 — The Pittsburgh Steelers placed return specialist Stefan Logan and wide receiver Brandon London on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The San Diego Chargers placed defensive end Derrick Jones on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Seattle Seahawks placed offensive lineman Joe Toledo on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Tennessee Titans terminated the contracts of running back Samkon Gado and tight end Sean Ryan, and placed offensive lineman Nevin McCaskill on waivers.
• Sept. 4 — The Washington Redskins terminated the contracts of fullback Carey Davis and nose tackle Howard Green.
• Sept. 4 — The Toronto Argonauts (CFL) re-signed wide receiver James Robinson to a contract.
• Sept. 5 —The Arizona Cardinals placed linebacker Mark Washington on injured reserve and fullback Reagan Maui'a on waivers.
• Sept. 5 — The Buffalo Bills signed tight end David Martin to a contract.
• Sept. 5 — The Detroit Lions claimed return specialist Stefan Logan off waivers.
• Sept. 5 — The Kansas City Chiefs claimed nose tackle Anthony Toribio off waivers.
• Sept. 5 — The New York Jets claimed wide receiver Patrick Turner off waivers.
• Sept. 5 — The Oakland Raiders placed cornerback Joey Thomas on injured reserve.
• Sept. 5 — The Seattle Seahawks claimed cornerback Nate Ness off waivers.
• Sept. 5 — The Hartford Colonials (UFL) released wide receiver Chris Hannon.
• Sept. 6 — The Arizona Cardinals released linebacker Mark Washington with an injury settlement.
• Sept. 6 — The Baltimore Ravens re-signed tight end Davon Drew to the practice squad.
• Sept. 6 — The Carolina Panthers re-signed guard Shawn Murphy to the practice squad.
• Sept. 6 — The Chicago Bears signed linebacker J. D. Folsom to the practice squad.
• Sept. 6 — The Cleveland Browns re-signed nose tackle Travis Ivey to the practice squad and terminated the contract of offensive lineman Billy Yates.
• Sept. 6 — The Denver Broncos signed defensive end Lionel Dotson to the practice squad.
• Sept. 6 — The Seattle Seahawks signed cornerback Ross Weaver to the practice squad and terminated the contract of defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson.
• Sept. 7 — The Denver Broncos signed defensive end Kevin Vickerson.
• Sept. 7 — The Calgary Stampeders (CFL) transferred defensive end Tearrius George to the reserve list.
• Sept. 8 — The Indianapolis Colts claimed offensive tackle Joe Reitz off waivers.
• Sept. 8 — The San Diego Chargers signed tight end Kory Sperry to the practice squad.
• Sept. 8 — The Florida Tuskers (UFL) released tight end Keith Heinrich.
• Sept. 8  — The Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL) released offensive tackle Marion Dukes and safety Siddeeq Shabazz.
• Sept. 8 — The Hartford Colonials (UFL) released wide receiver Chris Williams and signed wide receiver Taurus Johnson.
• Sept. 9 — The Baltimore Ravens signed offensive tackle Andrew Gardner to the practice squad.
• Sept. 9 — The Cleveland Browns placed linebacker Titus Brown on waivers and re-signed offensive lineman Billy Yates.
• Sept. 10 — The Buffalo Bills signed linebacker Akin Ayodele to a contract.
• Sept. 10 — The New York Jets signed wide receiver Patrick Turner to the practice squad.
• Sept. 10 — The BC Lions (CFL) activated fullback Rolly Lumbala from the deferred list.
• Sept. 14 — The Arizona Cardinals re-signed fullback Reagan Maui'a to a contract.
• Sept. 14 — The Baltimore Ravens released offensive tackle Andrew Gardner from the practice squad.
• Sept. 14 — The Denver Broncos signed linebacker Titus Brown to the practice squad.
• Sept. 14 — The Indianapolis Colts placed offensive tackle Joe Reitz on waivers.
• Sept. 15 — The Houston Texans signed defensive end Adewale Ogunleye to a contract.
• Sept. 15 — The Kansas City Chiefs signed linebacker Charlie Anderson to a contract.
• Sept. 15 — The Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL) signed wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen to the practice roster.
• Sept. 16 — The Indianapolis Colts re-signed offense tackle Joe Reitz to the practice squad.
• Sept. 16 — The Jacksonville Jaguars re-signed tight end Ernest Wilford to a contract.
• Sept. 21 — The Sacramento Mountain Lions (UFL) released tight end Teyo Johnson and signed offensive lineman Matt Spanos. 
• Sept. 22 — The Chicago Bears released linebacker J. D. Folsom from the practice squad.
• Sept. 22 — The Cleveland Browns re-signed linebacker Titus Brown to a contract from the Denver Broncos' practice squad.
• Sept. 23 — The Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL) promoted wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen from the practice roster to the active roster.
• Sept. 24 — The Calgary Stampeders (CFL) transferred linebacker Robert McCune to the injured list.
• Sept. 25 — The New York Jets promoted wide receiver Patrick Turner from the practice squad to the active roster.
• Sept. 25 — The Edmonton Eskimos transferred wide receiver Kelly Campbell to the injured list.
• Sept. 26 — The Calgary Stampeders (CFL) activated defensive end Tearrius George from the reserve list and transferred defensive end Mike Labinjo to the reserve list.
• Sept. 27 — The Jacksonville Jaguars terminated the contract of tight end Ernest Wilford.
• Sept. 28 — The Minnesota Vikings signed tight end John Nalbone to the practice squad.
• Sept. 28 — The New Orleans Saints signed offensive tackle Jeremy Parnell to the practice squad.
• Sept. 28 — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed linebacker J. D. Folsom to the practice squad.
• Sept. 30 — The New York Jets terminated the contract of defensive tackle Howard Green.
• Sept. 30 — The Calgary Stampeders (CFL) activated linebacker Robert McCune from the injured list.

Discuss this article on the forum here!

 

 

---

Chris J. Nelson majored in journalism at Georgia State University and is currently a programming coordinator for Turner Sports in Atlanta. He operates his own Miami Dolphins website, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and he can be followed on Twitter here.

Recent death of Tyler Clementi has celebrities and mental-health experts focused on preventing teen suicide.
By Gil Kaufman

Photo: Getty Images

"You are not alone." "Things will get better." Those are some of the messages experts are sending to despondent teens in the wake of last week's suicide by Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi, as well as other recent suicides by younger teens who took their lives after enduring taunts about their sexuality.

"This case is a little atypical because the thing that happened, the trigger of having your personal life exposed this way, is so much more dramatic than what we typically see," said Courtney Knowles, Executive Director of the Jed Foundation, a national organization that works to reduce the suicide rate and incidences of emotional distress among college and university students.

Knowles was referring to the fact that Clementi's suicide came after his roommate allegedly posted a video online of Clementi engaging in sexual activity with another man.

"Usually, we find people being suicidal after they're feeling really stressed, or a big breakup or a big loss," he said. "But two of the biggest things that precursors to suicide are feelings of being isolated, disconnected and hopeless. 'I don't have anyone to talk to, and it's not going to get any better.' "

Knowles — whose organization has teamed with MTVu for the ongoing Half of Us campaign, aimed at raising awareness on campuses about mental health issues — said the key for anyone feeling isolated or hopeless is to reach out and tell someone about it.

"The pure act of saying, 'I'm in this really bad place, and I've thought about not being here anymore,' ... it can be hugely powerful to let it out," he said.

Whether it's someone at a counseling center, a doctor, friend or family member, Knowles said you'll probably be surprised that people don't react the way you think they will. You might also learn that you're not the only one who has gone through this and has thought about death or dying. The Half of Us site contains moving video testimonials from people who've struggled with dark thoughts and depression, including former Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, Mary J. Blige, Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan and actresses Brittany Snow and Heather Matarazzo.

"Whether it's negative thoughts or secrets about your sexuality, the one thing is hope," Knowles said, noting that a big part of the Half of Us campaign is telling the stories of people who have been there and are managing and moving on. "What's universal to all the cases is connecting, telling someone how you're feeling even if your feelings are negative ... and finding hope."

Dr. Howard Gardner, a developmental psychologist and professor at Harvard University, is one of the leading forces behind the GoodPlay Project, which has investigated how young people use digital media and what ethics guide their online activities. While he said his research hasn't given him particular insight into the Clementi case, it has brought to light some other pertinent issues.

"Perhaps the most relevant finding from our research is that adolescents tend to downplay the importance of the time that they spend, and the things that they do 'online,' " Gardner wrote in an e-mail to MTV News. "Perhaps one could say that it seems less real to them than things that are done 'face-to-face.' The analogy would be to video/computer games — where it is so easy to slay people/monsters/enemies, even when you would not, in person, hurt a fly or slap a stranger."

In other words, we do things online and with digital media that we would never do offline if we gave it some thought.

In the Clementi case, his roommate Dharan Ravi and Ravi's childhood friend, Molly Wei, allegedly posted a live feed on Skype of Clementi with another man. Ravi boasted about it on Twitter.

"Roommate asked for the room till midnight," Ravi, 18, tweeted on September 19. "I went into Molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay."

Ravi is also alleged to have tried to broadcast a second encounter a few days later.

Whether the source of despondency is cyberbullying or depression, there are plenty of suicide-prevention resources for teens, both gay and straight, out there. Among the leading efforts is The Trevor Project, a national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention among LGBT youth and those who are questioning their sexuality.

If you need help and aren't sure where to turn, The Trevor Project provides the 24/7 Trevor Lifeline (1-866-488-7386), as well as an e-mail service called Dear Trevor for less-urgent questions. There are also live chats with trained volunteers who advocate acceptance and attempt to prevent teen suicide by promoting mental health and a positive self-image. The organization was inspired by the 1994 Academy Award-winning short film "Trevor," a dramedy about a gay 13-year-old boy who attempts to take his life after being rejected by his peers because of his sexuality.

The Half of Us site also has other resources, including a help line (1-800-273-TALK) and links to other relevant organizations for non-emergency information about depression, suicide and mental illness, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Suicide Prevention Action Network.

Related Videos

• Reactions To Tyler Clementi's Death

Despite the Indians experiencing a last bit of success as 2010 comes to a welcome finish, the overwhelming bad taste in the mouth from a season gone horribly wrong remains as there are nights when the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting smaller, instead of things coming into focus throughout the course of the season.

Back when the season started, lo those many days ago, the thought was that the young offensive players for the Tribe would make their way in Cleveland while the pitching would remain a work in progress. The youth of the team was unmistakable, as was the sense that 2010 represented a year that would be looked upon as providing some building blocks for the future.

Since the Indians had just undergone a massive tear-down and build-up earlier in the decade, the question emerged as to where this 2010 season would fit in that developmental curve that lasted from 2002 (the bottom) through 2005 and 2007 (the peak) and into 2009 (the bottom once more) and while some (ahem...me) floated the idea that the 2010 Tribe would line up favorably to the 2004 Indians, comparing the 2010 season prior to the season with the 2004 team was presumptive and more than a little optimistic, given that the 2004 Tribe finished with an 80-82 record and chased the division lead into August.

Knowing what we know now, and with the season nearly complete, little doubt remains that the 2003 Indians (68-94) remain a much more apt comparison to the 2010 Indians (68-91) and it brings up something that needs to be done in terms of putting the proper context around this trainwreck of a season.

That context is that it needs to be asked where the Indians (as they are currently constructed) truly are in this developmental life-cycle in terms of how it relates to the build-up of the previous incarnation. Since some schools of thought existed that the Indians' offense would be able to mature and develop into a productive unit (it didn't) and that the rotation would be completely devoid of bright spots (it wasn't, with Fausto, Carrasco, and to a lesser degree, Masterson), the 2010 season is pretty much finished and the question of where this team sits, in comparison to past incarnations, is worth a look.

The review, which could be seen as an exercise in futility by attempting to tie two separate teams together, becomes necessary because the 2002 to 2005 build-up is a body of work that exists from this Front Office and it undoubtedly is being used as a blueprint to get this team back into contention in short order. Additionally, outgoing GM Mark Shapiro had this to say to the Akron Beacon Journal in terms of where he thinks the team is in the life-cycle of a small-market team:
“I try to get back to '02 and '03 and what it felt like and look at us now and think we're in a better position now than we were in '03 and probably even '04. If you go around the diamond, we've got more talent and our system is in a better position than it was then.”

Rather than reading this and simply sitting around, exchanging “harrumphs” - hey, I didn't get a “harrumph” out of that guy – how about taking a look at this from a rational standpoint and try to determine whether the Tribe is really are better off than they were in 2003 and “probably even 2004”?

The 2004 team went 80-82 and probably represents a best-case scenario for 2011 so, again, let's dismiss this as wishful thinking (and I'll show you why in a minute here) and go back to that idea that the team is “in a better position now” than they were in 2003.

To that end, here are the numbers put up by the offense and the pitching staff, in terms of runs scored and runs allowed, for each incarnation of the Tribe, with 3 games left to play in 2010:
2003 Runs Scored – 699
2010 Runs Scored (to date) – 632

2003 Runs Allowed – 778
2010 Runs Scored (to date) – 737
“Year of the Pitcher” and all...I know, but the PITCHING in 2010 is the aspect of the team that surpassed where the 2003 team was at this stage of development and lest you think that we're comparing two unrelated groups of players in terms of age, check this out:
2003 Average Age of Hitters – 27.0
2010 Average Age of Hitters – 27.3

2003 Average Age of Pitchers – 26.3
2010 Average Age of Pitchers – 26.3

Going further on this, check out the number of players used each season:
2003 – 54 Hitters, 29 Pitchers
2010 – 38 Hitters, 22 Pitchers

Why is this so interesting?
One would think that when development is the main thrust of the organization, that the number of players that cycle through the lineup and the pitching staff is going to be long and varied. Despite the fact that the Indians did battle injuries and moved a number of veterans at the Trading Deadline, the turnover and number of players used in 2010 is significantly lower than what we saw in 2003. Just to bring in the 2004 team that the Indians will aspire to next year, here are the 2004 numbers:
2004 – 52 Hitters, 30 Pitchers

What's amazing as the 2010 season draws to a close is that they didn't just continue to throw guys out there (while it certainly seemed like they were) and stuck with the players (for the most part) that they figured on when the season began. Interestingly, the number of players used in 2010 is actually closer to what the 2005 team looked like, as they used 38 hitters and 17 pitchers. Though that's the last time that you see the 2010 team and the 2005 team used in the same sentence, or even in comparable terms, let's get back to the idea that we're attempting to compare the 2010 team with the 2003 team to see if the current team really is “in a better position” than they were in 2003, when they were still two years away from winning 93 games.

Since we've already looked at the overall numbers and ages, how about taking it by hitters and pitchers, grouped into smaller designations to see how the two teams stack up. Starting off, here are the hitters listed by plate appearances (more than 150 PA), age, and OPS+ for that year, taking it position-by-position grouping for the sake of simply not listing these guys:
Catchers – 2003 Indians
Josh Bard (Age 25) – 329 PA, 78 OPS+
Tim Laker (Age 33) – 176 PA, 72 OPS+
Victor Martinez (Age 24) – 174 PA, 84 OPS+

Catchers – 2010 Indians
Lou Marson (Age 23) – 287 PA, 59 OPS+
Carlos Santana (Age 24) – 192 PA, 143 OPS+
Santana and Victor certainly represent the duo worthy of comparison and I say this while wearing my tear-stained Victor jersey, I would certainly prefer Santana v.2010 over Vic v.2003 in terms of prospect pedigree, power, and overall upside. While the injury that The Axe Man sustained tempers the enthusiasm, it is not enough to say that I would say that the Indians are better off now at catcher than they were in 2003...and I say that with an El Capitan-sized hole in my heart.

Corner Infielders – 2003 Indians
Casey Blake (Age 29) – 621 PA, 93 OPS+
Ben Broussard (Age 26) – 429 PA, 100 OPS+

Corner Infielders – 2010 Indians
Matt LaPorta (Age 25) – 413 PA, 88 OPS+
Jhonny Peralta (Age 28) – 373 PA, 95 OPS+
Jayson Nix (Age 27) – 291 PA, 99 OPS+
Russell Branyan (Age 34) – 190 PA, 127 OPS+
Andy Marte (Age 26) – 180 PA, 95 OPS+
This grouping is absolutely fascinating as the Indians find themselves in the same place they were in 2003 in terms of 3B, in the middle of cycling through a litany of marginal retreads (one of whom turned out to be Casey Blake) in the hopes that those “stop-gaps” could provide some time before a more compelling prospect came along. While that “more compelling” prospect didn't exist for the 2003 Tribe until Andy Marte was acquired (and is anyone else shocked that Marte has an OPS+ of 95, which is admittedly still low for a corner infielder), the Indians do have an internal stop-gap in Cord Phelps and perhaps another one in Nix (if his glove improves SUBSTANTIALLY, though his numbers compared to Blake are intriguing), who would eventually give way to the “compelling prospect” in The Chiz.

As for 1B, the inclusion of Broussard on this list and the fact that he out-performed LaPorta in these respective years points again to the disappointment in the 2010 season for LaPorta. When you figure that that Broussard was generally seen as more of a placeholder (although the team did eventually turn him into Choo) or a platoon player as MaTola has been unquestionably painted as a potential member of the next “core” group of players. While giving up on LaPorta (or taking PA away from him in 2011) is irresponsible, next year represents the year that LaPorta needs to separate himself from the Broussard/Garko mold and into what was envisioned when he was acquired back in 2008.

Middle Infielders – 2003 Indians
Brandon Phillips (Age 22) – 393 PA, 48 OPS+
Omar Vizquel (Age 36) – 250 PA, 78 OPS+
Jhonny Peralta (Age 21) – 270 PA, 67 OPS+
John McDonald (Age 28) – 233 PA, 45 OPS+

Middle Infielders – 2010 Indians
Asdrubal Cabrera (Age 24) – 412 PA, 86 OPS+
Jason Donald (Age 25) – 325 PA, 93 OPS+
Luis Valbuena (Age 24) – 294 PA, 53 OPS+
Whereas the 2003 team gave both Phillips and Peralta their first taste of MLB, both players were extremely young and showed it at the plate as each was given a pretty long leash (in Peralta's case because of an injury to Vizquel), something that was afforded in 2010 to both Donald and Valbuena. While Valbuena hung himself with the length of the rope, Donald contributed to the team, even if it was not at a level that will guarantee him anything in terms of a position for the entirety of the 2011 season. Regardless, both Donald and Cabrera outperformed their 2003 counterparts, and while the disappointment is unquestioned in terms of Cabrera's offensive output, the Indians' middle infield seems to be further along the developmental stage in 2010 (with Kipnis waiting in the wings) than they were in 2003, when promise was certainly there in Phillips and Peralta, if not results.

Outfielders – 2003 Indians
Jody Gerut (Age 25) – 525 PA, 120 OPS+
Milton Bradley (Age 25) – 471 PA, 147 OPS+
Coco Crisp (Age 23) – 447 PA, 76 OPS+
Matt Lawton (Age 31) – 429 PA, 104 OPS+
Shane Spencer (Age 31) – 232 PA, 103 OPS+

Outfielders – 2010 Indians
The BLC (Age 27) – 630 PA, 145 OPS+
Trevor Crowe (Age 26) – 460 PA, 82 OPS+
Austin Kearns (Age 30) – 342 PA, 116 OPS+
Mike Brantley (Age 23) – 304 PA, 68 OPS+
Everyone remembers when Jody Gerut and Milton Bradley were two of the “building blocks” of this organization in 2003, right? This grouping, to me, shows how quickly perceptions and realities can change as the idea that Gerut, Bradley, and Crisp represented the future quickly gave way to Bradley taking a cab home from a Spring Training game, Gerut bottoming out, and Crisp being seen as an easily-replaceable piece, dealt after the 2005 season.

What that means for the 2010 Tribe, I can't really say as Choo operates on a different plane than anyone that was on the 2003 team, in terms of realized production AND potential and Crowe and Kearns won't (or at least shouldn't) be a part of this team past this year. As for the youngsters, Brantley and Crisp are an interesting little pair here as Brantley is often touted as a future “core” player while Crisp was often dismissed as a useful, if not necessary, piece and their performance as 23-year-olds with more than 300 PA make the comparison an intriguing one as Brantley will likely do what Crisp never did next year – move Sizemore (not on this list because he only had 140 PA this year and who was the one real addition to the mix in 2004) to LF.

Designated Hitters – 2003 Indians
Travis Hafner (Age 26) – 324 PA, 115 OPS+
Ellis Burks (Age 38) – 228 PA, 109 OPS+

Designated Hitters – 2010 Indians
Travis Hafner (Age 33) – 449 PA, 129 OPS+
Shelley Duncan (Age 30) – 248 PA, 105 OPS+
If you think of Hafner's career on a bell curve, 2003 represented his path up the curve and 2010 represented another year coming down from the top…it just so happens that we have no idea where the bottom of the curve lies for Hafner. While Acta's recent comments that, “we're going into Spring Training with the hope that he has no limitations” is a song that I can't seem to get out of my head, Hafner showed in 2010 that he is, at the least, a productive part-time player. Not the level of “productive” that you'd want from the salary number going his way, but it would seem that hope springs eternal from the Indians (even if that HAS to be their public face) when Acta had this to say on Hafner:
Last year he was unable to play more than three games in a row, and this year he started the season without restriction. We were just managing him to 5-6 games a week. He hurt his shoulder and went on the DL [in August], but after that he's been able to play 4-5 games a week, which is better than what he did last year.
He was obviously expecting more production this year, but he's hit 29 doubles and 12 home runs. We've talked to Travis, and the hope for next year is he'll have had one more offseason under his belt on that shoulder.

“One more offseason under his belt on that shoulder” eventually gives way to the fact that he's going on 34 years old and that the issue doesn't seem to be simply going away. That being said, there are other positions at which the Indians seem to be better off in 2010 going forward than they were in 2003...it's just that DH isn't one of them.

All told, if you had to judge the offense of the 2010 Tribe versus the 2003 Tribe in terms of future expectations (and it's here that I'll drop in that the player with the most PA from that 2003 Tribe was a 29-year-old 3B in Lacey Cake and the OPS+ leader among players with more than 150 PA was a 25-year-old player who would be traded PRIOR to the 2004 season in Milt Bradley), I'd break it down that the Indians are better off behind the plate, in the middle infield, and in RF right now with the positions of 1B, 3B, CF, and LF largely dependent upon the maturation of LaPorta, Brantley, and eventually Chisenhall as well as what type of player Sizemore (who, again, was the only real “prospect” not included in these 2003 groupings who arrived the next year and, even then, Grady had only 159 PA in 2004) returns as determining whether the Indians are truly “in a better position now than they were in 2003”

The question has been asked ad nauseum, but it comes down to whether the young players that cut their teeth in MLB this year (Santana, LaPorta, Brantley, and Donald most notably) can make the same leap that Martinez, Hafner, Peralta, and even Crisp did between the 2003 and 2004 season as the Indians went from scoring 699 runs in 2003 to scoring a whopping 858 runs in 2004, largely because of the steps taken by Hafner (OPS+ of 162 in 2004), Martinez (OPS+ of 125), and even Coco Crisp (OPS+ of 110) towards becoming known quantities. Back in 2004, even Ben Broussard (OPS+ of 127) and Casey Blake (OPS+ of 122) posted the best offensive years of their career while neither was seen at the time as much more than placeholders until something better came along.

In Choo, the Indians of 2010 have a player that didn't exist in their lineup in 2003 and when Shapiro says that the Indians “are in a better position now than” they were “in 2003 or even 2004”, the truth is that they're probably somewhere between those two and whether they continue to develop offensively relies on a number of factors, none of which would seem to be sure things.

Interestingly, the entire Shapiro quote that served as the impetus for this is that “we're in a better position now than we were in '03 and probably even '04”, which continues with “if you go around the diamond, we've got more talent and our system is in a better position than it was then” and that notion of “around the diamond” is interesting because while the 2010 offense may compare favorably to the 2003 team with the hope that some of the 2004 break-outs await particular players in 2004, the pitching remains another story.

With that little intro laid out there, here are the pitchers for both the 2003 Tribe and this season's club, listed by innings pitched (more than 35 IP), age, and ERA+ for that year
Rotation – 2003 Indians
CC Sabathia (Age 22) – 197 2/3 IP, 122 ERA+
Jason Davis (Age 23) – 165 1/3 IP, 94 ERA+
Brian Anderson (Age 31) – 148 IP, 119 ERA+
Jake Westbrook (Age 25) – 133 IP, 102 ERA+
Billy Traber (Age 23) – 111 2/3 IP, 84 ERA+
Ricardo Rodriguez (Age 25) – 81 2/3 IP, 77 ERA+
Cliff Lee (Age 24) – 52 1/3 IP, 122 ERA+
Jason Stanford (Age 26) – 50 IP, 123 ERA+

Rotation – 2010 Indians
Fausto Carmona (Age 26) – 204 1/3 IP, 103 ERA+
Justin Masterson (Age 25) – 178 IP, 82 ERA+
Mitch Talbot (Age 26) – 152 1/3 IP, 85 ERA+
Jake Westbrook (Age 32) – 127 2/3 IP, 84 ERA+
Dave Huff (Age 25) – 79 2/3 IP, 63 ERA+
Josh Tomlin (Age 25) – 68 IP, 87 ERA+
Jeanmar Gomez (Age 22) – 57 2/3 IP, 84 ERA+
Carlos Carrasco (Age 23) – 38 2/3 IP, 121 ERA+
What initially jumps out from that 2003 Rotation (other than the 2 future Cy Young Award winners) is the youth and how many innings those young pitchers threw that year as 526 2/3 innings were pitched by starters that were 24 or younger (Sabathia, Davis, Traber, and Lee) and even the pitchers that were over 24 years old weren't that much older as only Brian Anderson and Jason Stanford were starters over 25.

Additionally, 5 of the 8 starters from 2003 posted ERA+ over 100 with a 22-year-old CC posting an ERA+ of 122 in nearly 200 IP. Compare that to the 2010 version, where 2 of the 8 starters listed posted ERA+ of 100 or better and even those that were sub-100 performed at a level lower than what Jason Davis put forth in 2003. Some of this speaks to the volatile nature of pitching and trying to project success for any arm, but the fact that CC put together a nearly 200 inning season posting an ERA+ of 122 speaks to the potential that certainly seemed to exist in that young staff.

If 2010 showed the Indians anything, it was that they are currently full of back-end-of-the-rotation guys like Talbot, Tomlin, and Gomez and have a few arms that project as solid middle-of-the-rotation guys in Carmona and perhaps Masterson (assuming September shows that he realized the adjustments he needed to make), but short of Carrasco, who put up an ERA+ that was close to what CC did in 2003, albeit with nearly 160 IP and one year older, the Tribe lacks that pitching rotation that was the linchpin of those 2005 and 2007 teams. That is not meant to be overly dismissive of the current group (as I think that I have been overtly optimistic, particularly in the cases of Carmona, Carrasco, and even Masterson) as the potential has shown. Instead, it reflects on what was in place in terms of rotational arms in 2003.

This is all “old” news, I know, but if we're putting this 2010 team in the proper context in terms of development, that 2003 staff far outpaces what the 2010 staff did...and at a generally younger age. The argument could be made that the Indians currently have players in the Minors (White, Gardner, and even Pomeranz) who project to join this mix going forward, but Adam Miller and Jeremy Sowers were two names that were thought to represent re-enforcements for this 2003 group from within that either never arrived or never panned out. Whether a similar fate (knocking on any wood I can find) awaits any of the Indians' prospects (and Rondon has already undergone Tommy John) remains to be seen.

Essentially, the lack of a “CC”-type player is what separates these two groups. Certainly, it could be argued that Sabathia is the type of 22-year-old player who would separate just about group of pitchers from having an obvious “ace” from having a collection of arms who can be cobbled together to create an effective staff, but seeing as how the 2005 and 2007 teams were built on starting pitching around CC's left arm, the differences between 2003 and 2010 begin to emerge.

That being said, if the team is further ahead in terms of position players, although how far ahead will reveal itself in 2011, and behind in rotation options, where the 2010 team comes out in much better shape is in the bullpen:
Bullpen – 2003 Indians
Terry Mulholland (Age 40) – 99 IP, 90 ERA+
Danys Baez (Age 25) – 75 2/3 IP, 116 ERA+
David Riske (Age 26) – 74 2/3 IP, 193 ERA+
Jason Boyd (Age 30) – 52 1/3 IP, 103 ERA+
Jack Cressend (Age 28) – 43 IP, 176 ERA+

Bullpen – 2010 Indians
Tony Sipp (Age 26) – 62 IP, 93 ERA+
Chris Perez (Age 24) – 61 2/3 IP, 225 ERA+
Rafael Perez (Age 28) – 60 IP, 119 ERA+
Aaron Laffey (Age 25) – 54 2/3 IP, 85 ERA+
Hector Ambriz (Age 26) – 48 1/3 IP, 71 ERA+
Frank Herrmann (Age 26) – 43 2/3 IP, 96 ERA+
Joe Smith (Age 26) – 38 1/3 IP, 99 ERA+
If nothing else can be taken from 2010, at the very least, it represents the first time that the Indians can count on a young closer that became a bona-fide closer for the Indians since, well...I guess Jose Mesa, although even he was more of a failed starter (Joe Table started 33 games for the 1993 Tribe, but you knew that) than a lockdown reliever from the start. In Chris F. Perez, the Indians have the (young) player who brings the attitude AND the filth to the mound in the 9th inning that this team could have used...well, about three years ago.

Regardless of his arrival date, Perez brings some stability to the 9th inning and some pieces and parts are starting to emerge around him, albeit slowly. To simply compare the MLB 2003 relievers – of whom Riske and Baez, operating on an ill-concieved contract, are the only arms under 28 who logged more than 35 innings – to the 2010 mix with the likes Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp (interestingly both LH) establishing themselves (or re-establishing themselves) as viable relievers going forward doesn't quite do justice to the difference between the two situations. While the 2010 Indians had older relievers who may not figure into the team's future for too long, namely Jensen Lewis (ERA+ of 126) and Justin Germano (ERA+ of 178), who are not included on this list because of too few innings pitched, the bulk of innings went to young arms and while those results were...um, mixed, in terms of guys like Heck Ambriz and Joe Smith and Frank Herrmann struggling to find consistency, much less success, the difference between 2003 and 2010 lies beneath for the bullpens.

The 2003 team had Fernando Cabrera a year away, but little else on the horizon in terms of bullpen prospects as most of the relievers that waded through the bullpen from 2003 to 2009 represented either non-prospects, lottery tickets (although Rafael Betancourt would eventually emerge as a winning lottery ticket), retreads, and lost causes as the bullpen would eventually deep-six the 2006 and 2008 seasons, or at least play a major role in the team's struggles.

If anything, the 2010 team looks to be better positioned with the likes of Perez, Sipp, and Perez already topside with the mix of Smith, Herrmann, Pestano, and even Lewis and Germano among the ranks to sift through that are already in Cleveland. Below them, arms like Bryce Stowell, Josh Judy, Zach Putnam, Jess Todd, Rob Bryson, and Bryan Price all looking like the swing-and-miss relievers that the organization failed at producing for far too many years. Attrition and injury will remove a number of those names from consideration as the years pass, but the Indians have built up a small stable of high-powered arms and designated them specifically for the bullpen, which puts the club unquestionably in a much better place going forward than where they were in 2003.

All told, if you really want to surmise where this 2010 team is on this developmental curve, they probably are somewhere between 2003 and 2004, although much of that is based on the promise and pedigree of the young hitters. The starting rotation has much larger question marks that means that it takes an awful lot of squinting through that half-full glass to see 2011 shaping up like 2004, given that so many of the young players (Carrasco, LaPorta, Brantley, and Masterson) need to take a major step towards consistency while other older players are fighting their way back from injury or ineffectiveness (Sizemore, Hafner, and Cabrera).

Beyond that, the Indians need to hope to avoid the regressions and injuries that are unforeseen in Spring Training and that have become a part of the seasons' narratives since 2008. Whether they can mature and develop while avoiding pitfalls elsewhere and plugging in more talent remains to be seen, but it has been done before as that 2003 team evolved into a contender in 2005 and again in 2007. The transformation wasn't done overnight and didn't have its surprise contributors (like Blake) and casualties (like Bradley and Gerut), but the Indians are attempting to pour the concrete again on the road that is sure to crest and dip and take many turns.

Whether that road leads anywhere better than where we've been...well, that's a question that will reveal itself as we go along for another ride.

THE FIRST object was small, a brick maybe. Dale Gardner walked up behind Billy and smashed it into the back of his head.

Despite the Indians experiencing a last bit of success as 2010 comes to a welcome finish, the overwhelming bad taste in the mouth from a season gone horribly wrong remains as there are nights when the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting smaller, instead of things coming into focus throughout the course of the season.

Back when the season started, lo those many days ago, the thought was that the young offensive players for the Tribe would make their way in Cleveland while the pitching would remain a work in progress. The youth of the team was unmistakable, as was the sense that 2010 represented a year that would be looked upon as providing some building blocks for the future.

Since the Indians had just undergone a massive tear-down and build-up earlier in the decade, the question emerged as to where this 2010 season would fit in that developmental curve that lasted from 2002 (the bottom) through 2005 and 2007 (the peak) and into 2009 (the bottom once more) and while some (ahem...me) floated the idea that the 2010 Tribe would line up favorably to the 2004 Indians, comparing the 2010 season prior to the season with the 2004 team was presumptive and more than a little optimistic, given that the 2004 Tribe finished with an 80-82 record and chased the division lead into August.

Knowing what we know now, and with the season nearly complete, little doubt remains that the 2003 Indians (68-94) remain a much more apt comparison to the 2010 Indians (68-91) and it brings up something that needs to be done in terms of putting the proper context around this trainwreck of a season.

That context is that it needs to be asked where the Indians (as they are currently constructed) truly are in this developmental life-cycle in terms of how it relates to the build-up of the previous incarnation. Since some schools of thought existed that the Indians' offense would be able to mature and develop into a productive unit (it didn't) and that the rotation would be completely devoid of bright spots (it wasn't, with Fausto, Carrasco, and to a lesser degree, Masterson), the 2010 season is pretty much finished and the question of where this team sits, in comparison to past incarnations, is worth a look.

The review, which could be seen as an exercise in futility by attempting to tie two separate teams together, becomes necessary because the 2002 to 2005 build-up is a body of work that exists from this Front Office and it undoubtedly is being used as a blueprint to get this team back into contention in short order. Additionally, outgoing GM Mark Shapiro had this to say to the Akron Beacon Journal in terms of where he thinks the team is in the life-cycle of a small-market team:
“I try to get back to '02 and '03 and what it felt like and look at us now and think we're in a better position now than we were in '03 and probably even '04. If you go around the diamond, we've got more talent and our system is in a better position than it was then.”

Rather than reading this and simply sitting around, exchanging “harrumphs” - hey, I didn't get a “harrumph” out of that guy – how about taking a look at this from a rational standpoint and try to determine whether the Tribe is really are better off than they were in 2003 and “probably even 2004”?

The 2004 team went 80-82 and probably represents a best-case scenario for 2011 so, again, let's dismiss this as wishful thinking (and I'll show you why in a minute here) and go back to that idea that the team is “in a better position now” than they were in 2003.

To that end, here are the numbers put up by the offense and the pitching staff, in terms of runs scored and runs allowed, for each incarnation of the Tribe, with 3 games left to play in 2010:
2003 Runs Scored – 699
2010 Runs Scored (to date) – 632

2003 Runs Allowed – 778
2010 Runs Scored (to date) – 737
“Year of the Pitcher” and all...I know, but the PITCHING in 2010 is the aspect of the team that surpassed where the 2003 team was at this stage of development and lest you think that we're comparing two unrelated groups of players in terms of age, check this out:
2003 Average Age of Hitters – 27.0
2010 Average Age of Hitters – 27.3

2003 Average Age of Pitchers – 26.3
2010 Average Age of Pitchers – 26.3

Going further on this, check out the number of players used each season:
2003 – 54 Hitters, 29 Pitchers
2010 – 38 Hitters, 22 Pitchers

Why is this so interesting?
One would think that when development is the main thrust of the organization, that the number of players that cycle through the lineup and the pitching staff is going to be long and varied. Despite the fact that the Indians did battle injuries and moved a number of veterans at the Trading Deadline, the turnover and number of players used in 2010 is significantly lower than what we saw in 2003. Just to bring in the 2004 team that the Indians will aspire to next year, here are the 2004 numbers:
2004 – 52 Hitters, 30 Pitchers

What's amazing as the 2010 season draws to a close is that they didn't just continue to throw guys out there (while it certainly seemed like they were) and stuck with the players (for the most part) that they figured on when the season began. Interestingly, the number of players used in 2010 is actually closer to what the 2005 team looked like, as they used 38 hitters and 17 pitchers. Though that's the last time that you see the 2010 team and the 2005 team used in the same sentence, or even in comparable terms, let's get back to the idea that we're attempting to compare the 2010 team with the 2003 team to see if the current team really is “in a better position” than they were in 2003, when they were still two years away from winning 93 games.

Since we've already looked at the overall numbers and ages, how about taking it by hitters and pitchers, grouped into smaller designations to see how the two teams stack up. Starting off, here are the hitters listed by plate appearances (more than 150 PA), age, and OPS+ for that year, taking it position-by-position grouping for the sake of simply not listing these guys:
Catchers – 2003 Indians
Josh Bard (Age 25) – 329 PA, 78 OPS+
Tim Laker (Age 33) – 176 PA, 72 OPS+
Victor Martinez (Age 24) – 174 PA, 84 OPS+

Catchers – 2010 Indians
Lou Marson (Age 23) – 287 PA, 59 OPS+
Carlos Santana (Age 24) – 192 PA, 143 OPS+
Santana and Victor certainly represent the duo worthy of comparison and I say this while wearing my tear-stained Victor jersey, I would certainly prefer Santana v.2010 over Vic v.2003 in terms of prospect pedigree, power, and overall upside. While the injury that The Axe Man sustained tempers the enthusiasm, it is not enough to say that I would say that the Indians are better off now at catcher than they were in 2003...and I say that with an El Capitan-sized hole in my heart.

Corner Infielders – 2003 Indians
Casey Blake (Age 29) – 621 PA, 93 OPS+
Ben Broussard (Age 26) – 429 PA, 100 OPS+

Corner Infielders – 2010 Indians
Matt LaPorta (Age 25) – 413 PA, 88 OPS+
Jhonny Peralta (Age 28) – 373 PA, 95 OPS+
Jayson Nix (Age 27) – 291 PA, 99 OPS+
Russell Branyan (Age 34) – 190 PA, 127 OPS+
Andy Marte (Age 26) – 180 PA, 95 OPS+
This grouping is absolutely fascinating as the Indians find themselves in the same place they were in 2003 in terms of 3B, in the middle of cycling through a litany of marginal retreads (one of whom turned out to be Casey Blake) in the hopes that those “stop-gaps” could provide some time before a more compelling prospect came along. While that “more compelling” prospect didn't exist for the 2003 Tribe until Andy Marte was acquired (and is anyone else shocked that Marte has an OPS+ of 95, which is admittedly still low for a corner infielder), the Indians do have an internal stop-gap in Cord Phelps and perhaps another one in Nix (if his glove improves SUBSTANTIALLY, though his numbers compared to Blake are intriguing), who would eventually give way to the “compelling prospect” in The Chiz.

As for 1B, the inclusion of Broussard on this list and the fact that he out-performed LaPorta in these respective years points again to the disappointment in the 2010 season for LaPorta. When you figure that that Broussard was generally seen as more of a placeholder (although the team did eventually turn him into Choo) or a platoon player as MaTola has been unquestionably painted as a potential member of the next “core” group of players. While giving up on LaPorta (or taking PA away from him in 2011) is irresponsible, next year represents the year that LaPorta needs to separate himself from the Broussard/Garko mold and into what was envisioned when he was acquired back in 2008.

Middle Infielders – 2003 Indians
Brandon Phillips (Age 22) – 393 PA, 48 OPS+
Omar Vizquel (Age 36) – 250 PA, 78 OPS+
Jhonny Peralta (Age 21) – 270 PA, 67 OPS+
John McDonald (Age 28) – 233 PA, 45 OPS+

Middle Infielders – 2010 Indians
Asdrubal Cabrera (Age 24) – 412 PA, 86 OPS+
Jason Donald (Age 25) – 325 PA, 93 OPS+
Luis Valbuena (Age 24) – 294 PA, 53 OPS+
Whereas the 2003 team gave both Phillips and Peralta their first taste of MLB, both players were extremely young and showed it at the plate as each was given a pretty long leash (in Peralta's case because of an injury to Vizquel), something that was afforded in 2010 to both Donald and Valbuena. While Valbuena hung himself with the length of the rope, Donald contributed to the team, even if it was not at a level that will guarantee him anything in terms of a position for the entirety of the 2011 season. Regardless, both Donald and Cabrera outperformed their 2003 counterparts, and while the disappointment is unquestioned in terms of Cabrera's offensive output, the Indians' middle infield seems to be further along the developmental stage in 2010 (with Kipnis waiting in the wings) than they were in 2003, when promise was certainly there in Phillips and Peralta, if not results.

Outfielders – 2003 Indians
Jody Gerut (Age 25) – 525 PA, 120 OPS+
Milton Bradley (Age 25) – 471 PA, 147 OPS+
Coco Crisp (Age 23) – 447 PA, 76 OPS+
Matt Lawton (Age 31) – 429 PA, 104 OPS+
Shane Spencer (Age 31) – 232 PA, 103 OPS+

Outfielders – 2010 Indians
The BLC (Age 27) – 630 PA, 145 OPS+
Trevor Crowe (Age 26) – 460 PA, 82 OPS+
Austin Kearns (Age 30) – 342 PA, 116 OPS+
Mike Brantley (Age 23) – 304 PA, 68 OPS+
Everyone remembers when Jody Gerut and Milton Bradley were two of the “building blocks” of this organization in 2003, right? This grouping, to me, shows how quickly perceptions and realities can change as the idea that Gerut, Bradley, and Crisp represented the future quickly gave way to Bradley taking a cab home from a Spring Training game, Gerut bottoming out, and Crisp being seen as an easily-replaceable piece, dealt after the 2005 season.

What that means for the 2010 Tribe, I can't really say as Choo operates on a different plane than anyone that was on the 2003 team, in terms of realized production AND potential and Crowe and Kearns won't (or at least shouldn't) be a part of this team past this year. As for the youngsters, Brantley and Crisp are an interesting little pair here as Brantley is often touted as a future “core” player while Crisp was often dismissed as a useful, if not necessary, piece and their performance as 23-year-olds with more than 300 PA make the comparison an intriguing one as Brantley will likely do what Crisp never did next year – move Sizemore (not on this list because he only had 140 PA this year and who was the one real addition to the mix in 2004) to LF.

Designated Hitters – 2003 Indians
Travis Hafner (Age 26) – 324 PA, 115 OPS+
Ellis Burks (Age 38) – 228 PA, 109 OPS+

Designated Hitters – 2010 Indians
Travis Hafner (Age 33) – 449 PA, 129 OPS+
Shelley Duncan (Age 30) – 248 PA, 105 OPS+
If you think of Hafner's career on a bell curve, 2003 represented his path up the curve and 2010 represented another year coming down from the top…it just so happens that we have no idea where the bottom of the curve lies for Hafner. While Acta's recent comments that, “we're going into Spring Training with the hope that he has no limitations” is a song that I can't seem to get out of my head, Hafner showed in 2010 that he is, at the least, a productive part-time player. Not the level of “productive” that you'd want from the salary number going his way, but it would seem that hope springs eternal from the Indians (even if that HAS to be their public face) when Acta had this to say on Hafner:
Last year he was unable to play more than three games in a row, and this year he started the season without restriction. We were just managing him to 5-6 games a week. He hurt his shoulder and went on the DL [in August], but after that he's been able to play 4-5 games a week, which is better than what he did last year.
He was obviously expecting more production this year, but he's hit 29 doubles and 12 home runs. We've talked to Travis, and the hope for next year is he'll have had one more offseason under his belt on that shoulder.

“One more offseason under his belt on that shoulder” eventually gives way to the fact that he's going on 34 years old and that the issue doesn't seem to be simply going away. That being said, there are other positions at which the Indians seem to be better off in 2010 going forward than they were in 2003...it's just that DH isn't one of them.

All told, if you had to judge the offense of the 2010 Tribe versus the 2003 Tribe in terms of future expectations (and it's here that I'll drop in that the player with the most PA from that 2003 Tribe was a 29-year-old 3B in Lacey Cake and the OPS+ leader among players with more than 150 PA was a 25-year-old player who would be traded PRIOR to the 2004 season in Milt Bradley), I'd break it down that the Indians are better off behind the plate, in the middle infield, and in RF right now with the positions of 1B, 3B, CF, and LF largely dependent upon the maturation of LaPorta, Brantley, and eventually Chisenhall as well as what type of player Sizemore (who, again, was the only real “prospect” not included in these 2003 groupings who arrived the next year and, even then, Grady had only 159 PA in 2004) returns as determining whether the Indians are truly “in a better position now than they were in 2003”

The question has been asked ad nauseum, but it comes down to whether the young players that cut their teeth in MLB this year (Santana, LaPorta, Brantley, and Donald most notably) can make the same leap that Martinez, Hafner, Peralta, and even Crisp did between the 2003 and 2004 season as the Indians went from scoring 699 runs in 2003 to scoring a whopping 858 runs in 2004, largely because of the steps taken by Hafner (OPS+ of 162 in 2004), Martinez (OPS+ of 125), and even Coco Crisp (OPS+ of 110) towards becoming known quantities. Back in 2004, even Ben Broussard (OPS+ of 127) and Casey Blake (OPS+ of 122) posted the best offensive years of their career while neither was seen at the time as much more than placeholders until something better came along.

In Choo, the Indians of 2010 have a player that didn't exist in their lineup in 2003 and when Shapiro says that the Indians “are in a better position now than” they were “in 2003 or even 2004”, the truth is that they're probably somewhere between those two and whether they continue to develop offensively relies on a number of factors, none of which would seem to be sure things.

Interestingly, the entire Shapiro quote that served as the impetus for this is that “we're in a better position now than we were in '03 and probably even '04”, which continues with “if you go around the diamond, we've got more talent and our system is in a better position than it was then” and that notion of “around the diamond” is interesting because while the 2010 offense may compare favorably to the 2003 team with the hope that some of the 2004 break-outs await particular players in 2004, the pitching remains another story.

With that little intro laid out there, here are the pitchers for both the 2003 Tribe and this season's club, listed by innings pitched (more than 35 IP), age, and ERA+ for that year
Rotation – 2003 Indians
CC Sabathia (Age 22) – 197 2/3 IP, 122 ERA+
Jason Davis (Age 23) – 165 1/3 IP, 94 ERA+
Brian Anderson (Age 31) – 148 IP, 119 ERA+
Jake Westbrook (Age 25) – 133 IP, 102 ERA+
Billy Traber (Age 23) – 111 2/3 IP, 84 ERA+
Ricardo Rodriguez (Age 25) – 81 2/3 IP, 77 ERA+
Cliff Lee (Age 24) – 52 1/3 IP, 122 ERA+
Jason Stanford (Age 26) – 50 IP, 123 ERA+

Rotation – 2010 Indians
Fausto Carmona (Age 26) – 204 1/3 IP, 103 ERA+
Justin Masterson (Age 25) – 178 IP, 82 ERA+
Mitch Talbot (Age 26) – 152 1/3 IP, 85 ERA+
Jake Westbrook (Age 32) – 127 2/3 IP, 84 ERA+
Dave Huff (Age 25) – 79 2/3 IP, 63 ERA+
Josh Tomlin (Age 25) – 68 IP, 87 ERA+
Jeanmar Gomez (Age 22) – 57 2/3 IP, 84 ERA+
Carlos Carrasco (Age 23) – 38 2/3 IP, 121 ERA+
What initially jumps out from that 2003 Rotation (other than the 2 future Cy Young Award winners) is the youth and how many innings those young pitchers threw that year as 526 2/3 innings were pitched by starters that were 24 or younger (Sabathia, Davis, Traber, and Lee) and even the pitchers that were over 24 years old weren't that much older as only Brian Anderson and Jason Stanford were starters over 25.

Additionally, 5 of the 8 starters from 2003 posted ERA+ over 100 with a 22-year-old CC posting an ERA+ of 122 in nearly 200 IP. Compare that to the 2010 version, where 2 of the 8 starters listed posted ERA+ of 100 or better and even those that were sub-100 performed at a level lower than what Jason Davis put forth in 2003. Some of this speaks to the volatile nature of pitching and trying to project success for any arm, but the fact that CC put together a nearly 200 inning season posting an ERA+ of 122 speaks to the potential that certainly seemed to exist in that young staff.

If 2010 showed the Indians anything, it was that they are currently full of back-end-of-the-rotation guys like Talbot, Tomlin, and Gomez and have a few arms that project as solid middle-of-the-rotation guys in Carmona and perhaps Masterson (assuming September shows that he realized the adjustments he needed to make), but short of Carrasco, who put up an ERA+ that was close to what CC did in 2003, albeit with nearly 160 IP and one year older, the Tribe lacks that pitching rotation that was the linchpin of those 2005 and 2007 teams. That is not meant to be overly dismissive of the current group (as I think that I have been overtly optimistic, particularly in the cases of Carmona, Carrasco, and even Masterson) as the potential has shown. Instead, it reflects on what was in place in terms of rotational arms in 2003.

This is all “old” news, I know, but if we're putting this 2010 team in the proper context in terms of development, that 2003 staff far outpaces what the 2010 staff did...and at a generally younger age. The argument could be made that the Indians currently have players in the Minors (White, Gardner, and even Pomeranz) who project to join this mix going forward, but Adam Miller and Jeremy Sowers were two names that were thought to represent re-enforcements for this 2003 group from within that either never arrived or never panned out. Whether a similar fate (knocking on any wood I can find) awaits any of the Indians' prospects (and Rondon has already undergone Tommy John) remains to be seen.

Essentially, the lack of a “CC”-type player is what separates these two groups. Certainly, it could be argued that Sabathia is the type of 22-year-old player who would separate just about group of pitchers from having an obvious “ace” from having a collection of arms who can be cobbled together to create an effective staff, but seeing as how the 2005 and 2007 teams were built on starting pitching around CC's left arm, the differences between 2003 and 2010 begin to emerge.

That being said, if the team is further ahead in terms of position players, although how far ahead will reveal itself in 2011, and behind in rotation options, where the 2010 team comes out in much better shape is in the bullpen:
Bullpen – 2003 Indians
Terry Mulholland (Age 40) – 99 IP, 90 ERA+
Danys Baez (Age 25) – 75 2/3 IP, 116 ERA+
David Riske (Age 26) – 74 2/3 IP, 193 ERA+
Jason Boyd (Age 30) – 52 1/3 IP, 103 ERA+
Jack Cressend (Age 28) – 43 IP, 176 ERA+

Bullpen – 2010 Indians
Tony Sipp (Age 26) – 62 IP, 93 ERA+
Chris Perez (Age 24) – 61 2/3 IP, 225 ERA+
Rafael Perez (Age 28) – 60 IP, 119 ERA+
Aaron Laffey (Age 25) – 54 2/3 IP, 85 ERA+
Hector Ambriz (Age 26) – 48 1/3 IP, 71 ERA+
Frank Herrmann (Age 26) – 43 2/3 IP, 96 ERA+
Joe Smith (Age 26) – 38 1/3 IP, 99 ERA+
If nothing else can be taken from 2010, at the very least, it represents the first time that the Indians can count on a young closer that became a bona-fide closer for the Indians since, well...I guess Jose Mesa, although even he was more of a failed starter (Joe Table started 33 games for the 1993 Tribe, but you knew that) than a lockdown reliever from the start. In Chris F. Perez, the Indians have the (young) player who brings the attitude AND the filth to the mound in the 9th inning that this team could have used...well, about three years ago.

Regardless of his arrival date, Perez brings some stability to the 9th inning and some pieces and parts are starting to emerge around him, albeit slowly. To simply compare the MLB 2003 relievers – of whom Riske and Baez, operating on an ill-concieved contract, are the only arms under 28 who logged more than 35 innings – to the 2010 mix with the likes Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp (interestingly both LH) establishing themselves (or re-establishing themselves) as viable relievers going forward doesn't quite do justice to the difference between the two situations. While the 2010 Indians had older relievers who may not figure into the team's future for too long, namely Jensen Lewis (ERA+ of 126) and Justin Germano (ERA+ of 178), who are not included on this list because of too few innings pitched, the bulk of innings went to young arms and while those results were...um, mixed, in terms of guys like Heck Ambriz and Joe Smith and Frank Herrmann struggling to find consistency, much less success, the difference between 2003 and 2010 lies beneath for the bullpens.

The 2003 team had Fernando Cabrera a year away, but little else on the horizon in terms of bullpen prospects as most of the relievers that waded through the bullpen from 2003 to 2009 represented either non-prospects, lottery tickets (although Rafael Betancourt would eventually emerge as a winning lottery ticket), retreads, and lost causes as the bullpen would eventually deep-six the 2006 and 2008 seasons, or at least play a major role in the team's struggles.

If anything, the 2010 team looks to be better positioned with the likes of Perez, Sipp, and Perez already topside with the mix of Smith, Herrmann, Pestano, and even Lewis and Germano among the ranks to sift through that are already in Cleveland. Below them, arms like Bryce Stowell, Josh Judy, Zach Putnam, Jess Todd, Rob Bryson, and Bryan Price all looking like the swing-and-miss relievers that the organization failed at producing for far too many years. Attrition and injury will remove a number of those names from consideration as the years pass, but the Indians have built up a small stable of high-powered arms and designated them specifically for the bullpen, which puts the club unquestionably in a much better place going forward than where they were in 2003.

All told, if you really want to surmise where this 2010 team is on this developmental curve, they probably are somewhere between 2003 and 2004, although much of that is based on the promise and pedigree of the young hitters. The starting rotation has much larger question marks that means that it takes an awful lot of squinting through that half-full glass to see 2011 shaping up like 2004, given that so many of the young players (Carrasco, LaPorta, Brantley, and Masterson) need to take a major step towards consistency while other older players are fighting their way back from injury or ineffectiveness (Sizemore, Hafner, and Cabrera).

Beyond that, the Indians need to hope to avoid the regressions and injuries that are unforeseen in Spring Training and that have become a part of the seasons' narratives since 2008. Whether they can mature and develop while avoiding pitfalls elsewhere and plugging in more talent remains to be seen, but it has been done before as that 2003 team evolved into a contender in 2005 and again in 2007. The transformation wasn't done overnight and didn't have its surprise contributors (like Blake) and casualties (like Bradley and Gerut), but the Indians are attempting to pour the concrete again on the road that is sure to crest and dip and take many turns.

Whether that road leads anywhere better than where we've been...well, that's a question that will reveal itself as we go along for another ride.

Graham Alexander missing from 12 yards was the day's big surprise, as Southampton got back on the scoresheet and Torquay's slump continued

• Click here for all of Saturday's scores and scorers

• One of the day's most notable happenings came at Turf Moor, where the (usually) metronomically reliable Graham Alexander missed his first penalty in 19 attempts for Burnley as Brian Laws's side drew 0-0 for the second game in succession. Elsewhere in the Championship, Derby crashed five without reply past Crystal Palace to record their first win since the opening day of the season and move them away from the bottom three, while Preston – who had lost seven out of eight games in the league before today – collected a precious three points at Coventry thanks to goals from Billy Jones and Iain Hume.

• Table-topping QPR continued their cruise with victory over Doncaster, extending their lead to six points thanks to Ipswich's failure to beat Scunthorpe. Cardiff moved above Ipswich to second with victory in the day's early kick-off, Andy Keogh's late header securing all three points against 10-man Millwall, and Watford continued their recent goalscoring form by netting after 23 seconds against Boro. The Hornets, who are now third, were 3-0 up after 20 minutes before taking their foot off the gas.

• Brighton took advantage of Huddersfield losing to rise to the top of League One – but they needed a 96th-minute winner from substitute Francisco Jose Sandaza to overcome Oldham. Huddersfield were beaten by Sean Morrison's late header at Swindon, meaning they drop to fourth, a place above Colchester, the Us breaking into the top six courtesy of a first home win under manager John Ward.

• Southampton scored their first goal since Alan Pardew's departure to give them a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday that takes them out of the bottom four. There was drama, meanwhile, at The Valley, where Dagenham claimed a point with a 93rd-minute equaliser, having fallen behind for the second time in the match only two minutes earlier. That point for the Daggers leaves Tranmere propping up the table.

• In League Two, another pair of unbeaten records went the way of Chelsea and Arsenal's as Chesterfield and Accrington were defeated by Rotherham and the leaders, Port Vale, respectively. Adam Le Fondre, naturally, scored the only goal of the game to send Rotherham above Torquay, who conceded for the first time at Plainmoor this season on their way to a 3-1 defeat to Macclesfield – a result that means the Gulls have now gone four games without a win, after beginning the season with four wins from four.

• Northampton, fresh from their Anfield giant-killing, turned cup momentum into precious league points by bouncing Bradford, while Barnet were denied only their second win of the season at Morecambe by Paul Mullin's 83rd-minute goal.

Here are some of the concerts and music events happening this weekend and next week in the Sacramento area. For more detailed information on these events and many more go to www.eMusiConnect.com

Concerts, Music Events, and The Sacramento Music Scene This Week:

Friday, September 24th: Montgomery Gentry at Thunder Valley Resort. Tickets are $29-$79. Concert starts at 8:00PM.

Saturday, September 25th: Tony Bennett at Thunder Valley Resort. Tickets are $29-$79. Concert starts at 8:00PM.

Sunday, September 26th: Chis Isaak at Thunder Valley Resort. Tickets are $29-$79. Concert starts at 8:00PM.

Friday, September 24th - Sunday September 26th: Runaway Stage Productions presents RENT at 24th Street Theatre on 2791 24th Street in Sacramento. FRI-SAT 8PM. SUN 2PM. Tickets are $15-$20.

Friday September 24th - Saturday, September 25th: Folsom Live will take place in Historic Folsom beginning Friday with an American Idol Block Party and live bands at 6PM. Saturday 12 bands are scheduled to appear on various outdoor and indoor stages that include Elvin Bishop - Bump City - Pink Froyd - Because Beatles Tribute - Wonderbread 5 - Twanna Turner and Superlicious - Dave Russell and many more. Gates Open at 5PM tickets are $30ADV/$35Door. Parking in very limited. For ticket holders Lite Rail is free and will run until 11PM and there is shuttle sevice to larger parking lots for those driving to the event.  

Saturday, September 25th: African Cultural Festival will take place at CAL Expo with live music, arts & crafts, food, and children's activities. Admission is $5/Free under 10. Events begins at 8AM (Prayer Breakfast $10 & Dinner $50 ).

Sunday, September 26th: Blues on The Green 2 will take place at Capital Public Radio on 7022 Folsom BLVD in Sacramento. The event will feature music from The Blues Broads - The Nick Gravenites Blues Band and host Mick Martin. Tickest are $25ADV/$30Door. Gates Open at 1PM. Concerts at 2PM.

Sunday, September 26th: Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society presents Jazz in the Park with the Nagual at Woodbine Park on 2430 52nd Avenue in Sacramento at 6PM. Free admission.

Monday, September 27th: Benise at Crest Theatre. Tickets are $29-$49. Concert starts at 7:00PM.

Tuesday, September 28th: Muse with Passion Pit at Arco Arena. Tickets are $42.50 - $52.50. Concert starts at 7:30PM.

Tuesday, September 28th: 4 Troops at Crest Theatre. Tickets are $25-$40. Concerts starts at 7:30PM.

Wednesday, September 29th - Sunday, October 10th: Broadway Sacramento presents Burn The Floor at Sacramento Community Center Theatre. Tickets are $15-$52. Shows at various times.

New Concert Tickets On Sale This Week:

Radio City Rocketts Christmas Spectacular at Arco Arena on WED December 15th. 2 Shows. Tickets are $47-$89. On Sale SAT.

Lady Gaga at Arco Arena on WED March 23rd. Tickets are $49-$175. On Sale SAT.

The Local Music Scene:

Friday, September 24th:

Jerry Perry presents Universal Steve - San Kazagaskar - David Houston and the Strings at Old Ironsides 9:30PM/$7

Sacramento Jazz Orchestra at Marilyns 7PM/$15

Pop Fiction at Harlows $10/10PM

The Hucklebucks CD Release Party at Torch Club 9PM/$7

Dennis Johnson and The Mississippi Ramblers at Fox & Goose 9PM/$5

F*ck Fridays with Shaun Slaughter – Jon Droll – Roger Carpio at Townhouse 9PM/$3-$5

Grey Atlas - DJ Gabe Xavier at Dream Ultra Lounge 8PM

CrookOne TGIF at Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

DJ Homicide and DJ Billy Lane at Park Ultra Lounge 10PM

Get Down To The Champion Sound with DJ Esef at Capitol Garage 10PM/$5

The Polymers - Norfolk Jacket - George Papailias at Naked Lounge Downtown 8:30PM/$5

Reggae at The Red until 9PM at JB's Lounge-Red Lion

FLO at Swabbies On The River 6PM/$5

Joe Buck Yourself - West Nile Ramblers at Blue Lamp 9PM

Saturday, September 25th:

SAMMIES Showcase with Ricky Berger - Siml3Jack - Kepi Ghoulie at Luigis Fungarden All Ages/8PM/$5

Brass Bed - Sex Rat at Old Ironsides 9PM/$7

Western Lights Blue Grass at 7PM/$10 Thaw Jack Frost - Island of Black & White at Marilyns 9PM/$7

Rodeo Planet - Acoustic Eclectic Jam Band at Fox & Goose 9PM/$5

Brian Rogers - Freddie & Francine - Rick Driver at Naked Lounge Downtown 8:30PM/$5

David Houston and the Strings at Lunas Cafe 9PM/$6

Pre-Rocky Horror Warm Up Show - As You Like It at Blue Lamp 9PM

The Memorials Hottub at Harlows 9:30PM/$12

Lavay Smith & The Red Hot Skillet Lickers at The Torch Club 8PM/$7

DJ Whores at The Golden Bear 10PM/No Cover

Mix Saturdays with DJ Michael Moss at Mix Downtown 9PM

DJ Peeti-V at Park Ultra Lounge 9PM

Mick Martin & Blues Rockers Blues Fest at Swabbies on the River 1- 9PM/$10

Jazz After Dark at JB's Lounge-Red Lion 7PM/$12

Sunday, September 26th:

DJ Wokstar's 10PM/$5 at Blue Lamp

Brunch Beats with DJ Katz at Aura 11AM

Blues Jam at 4PM & Mind X at Torch Club 8PM/$6

Alex Jenkins Trio at Shady Lady Saloon 9PM

Chris Gardner & Courtney Lynn at Swabbies on the River 3PM/$10

(Pictures: 1. Chris Isaak 2. Benise 3.Muse 4.Burn The Floor) 

Royal and Derngate, Northampton

Imagine Macbeth crossed with Billy Liar relocated to the land of opportunity and dreams, and you might end up with Patricia Highsmith's antihero Tom Ripley, a man who is both fascinating and repellent in equal measure. He is entirely self-made. Dazzled by Ripley's surface shine, oblivious to the conflicting lies that drop from his silver tongue, and seeing only what they want to see, patrician American millionaires the Greenleafs send Ripley to Europe in search of their errant water-colourist son, Richard. This is like inviting Cruella de Vil to dog-sit. Ripley proves fatal to almost everyone he meets, but, like Macbeth, he is primarily interesting for the way that he murders the self.

It should all make for a rich evening of theatre, but it often feels as if there is a tension in Phyllis Nagy's hugely intelligent adaptation between the mechanics of murder and the metaphysics. In a long evening, things buck up enormously after the bloody deed itself, as if both writer and director are relieved to have it out of the way and can get down to the real business of exploring the idea of murder as an act of love, and Ripley's metamorphoses. There are some terrific moments where the homoerotic subtext is made delicately apparent, such as when the dead Richard reappears at the feast, slightly puzzled to discover that he can't join in.

But just as Ripley's internal life and struggle are always far more interesting than his glib lies and painted-on charm, so director Raz Shaw's staging is least appealing in its surface shine, of which there's quite a lot. The production certainly has a stylish swagger (although, on occasion, it's technically clunky). It's atmospheric, too, and always slightly smoggy – as if the fires of hell are permanently smouldering somewhere near by. But it often feels as if Shaw himself has been seduced by slickness. The show actually needs to be far less flash and a great deal more fluid to do justice to such a complex story about acquiring material possessions, but also the act of possession itself.

The struggle between Michelle Ryan's Marge and Kyle Soller's fine Tom Ripley is for ownership of not just Richard's heart, but also his mind and body; Ripley's assumption of Richard's identity is like a two-way haunting. Shaw's production often comes close to excavating this territory, but, like the Greenleafs who fail to see the truth of Ripley, seems ultimately misled by its surface dazzle.

Rating: 3/5

There's a double helping of the Dane, Wall Street returns, Wallace and Gromit take up presenting – and Robyn goes for broke. Our critics pick this autumn's hottest shows

Theatre

Hamlet

Prepare for the latest battle of the princes. John Simm is first in the field at the Sheffield Crucible; then Rory Kinnear enters the running in a Nicholas Hytner production for the National Theatre. It's not, of course, a contest – but comparisons will be inevitable. Crucible, Sheffield (0114-249 6000), from 22 September; and Olivier, London SE1 (020-7452 3000), from 7 October.

The Thrill of it All

Forced Entertainment continues the British experimental tradition with an evening of vaudevillian capers, Japanese lounge music and tarnished sequins. Nuffield, Lancaster (01524 594151), 12-13 October. Then touring.

Tribes

Nina Raine follows her impressive debut play, Rabbits, with a drama about an unconventional family that has its own private language and rules. At its centre is Billy, who is deaf and desperately wants to get a word in edgeways. There will be both captioned and sign-language performances. Royal Court, London SW1 (020-7565 5000), from 20 October.

Love Steals Us from Loneliness

Playwright Gary Owen grew up depressed and suicidal in Bridgend. Now he returns to the town that's seen more than 20 suicides in recent years, to explore what's gone wrong and what's going right. Hobo's Rock Club, Bridgend (029-2064 6900), 7-16 October.

The Lady from the Sea

David Eldridge unveils a new version of Ibsen's tale of watery passion. Sarah Frankcom directs a production the Royal Exchange calls "Anna Karenina meets The Piano". Royal Exchange, Manchester (0161-833 9833), 13 October to 6 November.

The Picture

Jacobean dramatist Philip Massinger's play revolves around a Bohemian knight who sets off to war with an enchanted image of his wife that changes colour according to her fidelity, or lack thereof. Philip Wilson transposes the action to the mid-19th century, at the time of the birth of photo-graphy. Playhouse, Salisbury (01722 320333), from 4 November.

King Lear

Derek Jacobi teams up again with director Michael Grandage for a King Lear that will both tour nationally and be broadcast to more than 20 countries. Donmar Warehouse, London WC2 (0844 871 7624), from 7 December.

Beasts and Beauties

This blissful take on fairytales, drawn from Carol Ann Duffy's poetry, was first seen at the Bristol Old Vic in 2004 and is now being remounted in Hampstead. Hampstead theatre, London NW3 (020-7722 9301), 10-31 December.

Film

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Just as the financial world goes into meltdown, Michael Douglas's Gordon Gekko is back with a sinister new plan to make more money and to destroy more lives. He's desperate to be reconciled to his environmentalist daughter, played by Carey Mulligan; she's engaged to a idealistic young Wall Street trader, Shia LaBeouf, who falls under Gekko's awful spell. Released on 6 October.

Eat, Pray, Love

Julia Roberts stars in this showy journey of personal growth, based on the bestselling memoir about a newly single woman finding herself. Reportedly, Roberts converted to Hinduism as a result of this film. Released on 24 September.

Made in Dagenham

Sally Hawkins stars in this real-life drama, based on the 1968 strike by women workers at the Ford Dagenham plant, who object to getting paid less than their male counterparts. A star-studded British cast includes Bob Hoskins, Rosamund Pike and Miranda Richardson as Barbara Castle. Released on 1 October.

The Kids Are All Right

This easy-going comedy has won hearts and minds across America. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening are a gay couple who have had children through artificial insemination – one each, from the same father. Now teenagers, these kids wish to contact their father; the parents have no choice but to agree. Released on 29 October.

Countdown to Zero

This terrifying documentary by British film-maker Lucy Walker assembles an impressive array of talking heads, including Gorbachev and Tony Blair, to talk about the real danger of a nuclear explosion by accident, or from committed terrorists. A cautionary tale for anyone who thinks that a nuclear catastrophe is something we don't need to worry about. Released on 12 November.

Architecture

RIBA Stirling prize 2010

The 15th instalment of British architecture's answer to Big Brother. A coterie of architects attends a gala dinner at London's Roundhouse (shown live on BBC2) to select the best building from a shortlist of six. The winner gets £20,000. Bookies' favourites are Zaha Hadid's Maxxi gallery in Rome and David Chipperfield's revamp of the Neues Museum in Berlin. 2 October. Details: architecture.com

World Architecture festival 2010

More than 1,000 architects from around the world will converge on Barcelona for this festival, at which an expert panel will name the world's best new building. Last year, the award went to the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, by Peter Rich Architects, which was built in South Africa on a confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers. Barcelona, Spain, 3-5 November. Details: worldarchitecturefestival.com

Comedy

Tommy Tiernan

This is the first UK tour for the 1998 Perrier award winner since he got into hot water last year for Holocaust material in his native Ireland. (His Canadian tour was cancelled as a result.) A comic, said Tiernan in reply, has to be "reckless and irresponsible". Expect more saying of the unsayable, in a lyrical Donegal lilt. Sheffield Memorial Hall (0114-2789 789), 6 October. Then touring.

Tim Minchin

Having written his musical of Roald Dahl's Matilda for the RSC, which premieres in November, the shock-haired Australian troubadour Minchin returns to live comedy. His UK tour promises new songs, old favourites – and a 55-piece orchestra. Birmingham NIA (0121-780 4141), 8 December. Then touring.

Josie Long

Before this year's Edinburgh festival fringe, Josie Long's standup was big on crayons and kookiness but low on bite. Her fringe set retained the idealism but added sass, sharp teeth and a rousing call to political arms. Now she takes her message to the nation. The Stand, Edinburgh (0131-558 7272), tomorrow. Then touring.

Armstrong and Miller

Perrier nominees in 1996, Armstrong and Miller's TV fortunes were flatlining until they found mid-career success with their BBC1 sketch show. Now they take those popular primetime characters – including their toff-but-common RAF pilots – on the road. Bristol Hippodrome (0844 847 2325), 23 September. Then touring.

Dance

Nearly Ninety

Merce Cunningham created this, his final work, just months before his death last summer. For all the poignancy surrounding its UK premiere by his dance company, it's also a piece alive with invention, fusing dance, music, video and a futurist set. Barbican, London EC2 (020-7638 8891), 26-30 October.

Cinderella

A new staging of Prokofiev's fairytale score from Birmingham Royal Ballet mixes darker themes of loneliness and loss in among the tinsel. Hippodrome, Birmingham (0844 338 5000), 24 November to 12 December.

Iphigenie auf Tauris

In the months following Pina Bausch's death, her work has enjoyed a rich showing in the UK, culminating with this London premiere of Iphigenie auf Tauris, her 1973 staging of Gluck's opera. Sadler's Wells, London EC1 (0844 412 4300), 27–31 October.

The Nutcracker

English National Ballet celebrate their 60th anniversary with a fresh take on the Tchaikovsky classic. Where the last version had a cartoon-coloured tone, this will be Victorian picture-book pretty. Coliseum, London WC2 (0871 911 0200), 10-30 December. Then touring.

Classical/Opera

Promised End

English Touring Opera premieres what composer Alexander Goehr says will be his last opera: a Noh-style treatment of King Lear. Linbury, London WC2 (020-7304 4000), 9-16 October. Then touring.

Nine Rivers

Scotland's greatest living composer, James Dillon, finally gets proper recognition in his homeland with the first complete performance of his magnum opus. Rolf Gupta conducts the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. City Halls, Glasgow (0141-353 8000), 14 November.

Rebecca Saunders

The expat British composer is in residence at the Huddersfield Contemporary music festival, bringing with her a whole sheaf of UK premieres as part of the festival's rich spread of new music. Various venues, Huddersfield (01484 430 528), 19-28 November.

Tannhäuser

The Royal Opera's final new show of 2010 brings Wagner's "grand romantic opera" back to Covent Garden after more than 20 years, in a production by Tim Albery. Semyon Bychkov conducts. Royal Opera House, London WC2 (020-7304 4000), 11 December to 2 January 2011.

Visual arts

Brighton photo biennial 2010

This city-wide survey puts photo-graphers such as Robert Mapplethorpe alongside counterparts from across the globe.Venues around Brighton, 2 October to 14 November. Details: bpb.org.uk

Paul Gauguin

France's quintessential bohemian painter hasn't had a UK show this large in 50 years. This one leads us from Brittany to Polynesia, where Gauguin died in 1903. Tate Modern, London SE1 (020-7887 8888), 30 September to 16 January 2011.

British Art Show 7: In the Days of the Comet

The five-yearly whip through what's hip in art will be inspiring and annoying in equal measure. Venues around Nottingham, 23 October to 9 January 2011, then touring. Details: britishartshow.co.uk

Ai Weiwei in the Turbine Hall

The first non-western artist to take on the space, Weiwei is an outspoken critic of the Chinese government. How far will he go here? Tate Modern, London SE1 (020-7887 8888), from 12 October.

Move: Choreographing You

Explores 50 years of interaction between art and dance. Could be fascinating. Hayward Gallery, London SE1 (0844 875 0073), 13 October to 9 January 2011.

Pop

Robyn

Swedish starlet Robyn is as fiercely individual as it's probably possible for an unabashed pop star to be. Her latest venture involves releasing three albums in one year (a reaction to touring her last record for five years). Expect the highlights, from foul-mouthed hip-hop to sparkling electropop. O2 ABC, Glasgow (0844 477 2000), 18 October. Then touring.

LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip

Spectacularly good value: James Murphy's outfit on (apparently) their final lap, with Hot Chip, touring their career-best album One Life Stand. Cardiff International Arena, 12 November. Then touring. Details: livenation.co.uk

Vampire Weekend/Janelle Monáe

Vampire Weekend, whose bookish, Afro-influenced indie really comes to life on stage, make an intriguing choice of support for their final tour date: the year's breakout soul star. Alexandra Palace, London N22 (0844 277 4321), 3 December.

Suede

Briefly the Indie Band Most Likely To (before they were swept away by the less complex pleasures of Oasis), Suede parlay the momentum from their reunion concert for Teenage Cancer Trust earlier this year into a huge London show. O2 Arena, London (0844 811 0051), 7 December.

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire's burgeoning success suits their music: what can sound a bit overinflated on record makes perfect sense booming around stadiums with crowds singing along en masse. LG Arena, Birmingham (0844 338 8000), 8 December. Then touring.

Television

The Special Relationship

Michael Sheen steps back into Tony Blair's shoes for the third time in a new feature-length drama from screenwriter Peter Morgan. These are Blair: The Action Buddy years, as he enters centre-left on the world stage to find Bill Clinton – his husky sincerity nailed by Dennis Quaid – waiting with open arms. BBC2, this Saturday.

Community

Joel McHale (host of E!'s sarky entertainment news show The Soup) plays a dodgy lawyer sent back to college to get the degree he's been pretending he's had for years. Viva, October.

Any Human Heart

This adaptation of William Boyd's novel promises to be one of the season's classiest offerings. Jim Broadbent, Matthew Macfadyen and Sam Claflin take turns to play writer Logan Mountstuart, who tumbles through the 20th century while crossing paths with Jackson Pollock, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce and a succession of lovers. Channel 4, November.

The Walking Dead

Andrew Lincoln (Egg from This Life) plays a police officer who wakes up after an accident to find himself in the middle of an undead apocalypse. Based on the cult graphic-novel series, The Walking Dead could be the moment zombies get a True Blood-style makeover. FX, November.

Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention

Well-loved duo try out TV presenting for this six-part series, celebrating the mothers and fathers of scientific invention – as well as quirkier projects that never got beyond the drawing board. BBC1, November.

World music and jazz

AfroCubism

The original idea for Buena Vista Social Club is revived, uniting Malian stars including Toumani Diabaté with Cuba's finest. Barbican, London EC2 (020-7638 8891), 21 November; Usher Hall, Edinburgh (0131-228 1155), 2 December.

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares

This all-female Bulgarian choir return to the UK for the first time in more than a decade. Queen Elizabeth Hall, London SE1 (0844 875 0073), 2 November. Then touring.

Vandermark 5/Atomic

Chicago saxophonist Ken Vandermark references everything from Sun Ra to rock; the Norwegian/Swedish Atomic ensemble splices old and new with ferocious vivacity. Vortex, London N16 (020-7254 4097), 16 September. Then touring.

London jazz festival

Includes Herbie Hancock's Imagine Project and shows by Sonny Rollins and Brad Mehldau. Various venues, London, 12-21 November. Details: londonjazzfestival.org.uk

Books

Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen

Franzen's first novel since 2001's The Corrections is getting rave reviews. 23 September.

Jump! by Jilly Cooper

The bonkbuster queen returns to what she does best: sex among the horsy set. 16 September.

Conversations With Myself, by Nelson Mandela

Mandela's collection of private letters, diaries, doodles and conversations has a foreword by Barack Obama. 12 October.

Map of a Nation, by Rachel Hewitt

The story of the Ordnance Survey map, from the 18th-century adventurers who slogged up hill and down dale, right up to today's digital database. 7 October.

• Chosen by Michael Billington, Peter Bradshaw, Andrew Clements, Robin Denselow, Alison Flood, John Fordham, Lyn Gardner, Jonathan Glancey, Brian Logan, Judith Mackrell, Alexis Petridis, Adrian Searle and Richard Vine.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

BALTIMORE - Practice-squad addition: OT Andrew Gardner. Placed on waivers: FB Mike McLaughlin (injury settlement). Practice-squad deletion: QB Hunter Cantwell.

CLEVELAND - Roster addition: OG Billy Yates (released by Browns 9/6). Placed on waivers: LB Titus Brown.

HOUSTON - Contract terminated: PK Kris Brown (injury settlement).

INDIANAPOLIS - Reserve/injured: OT Tony Ugoh (foot). Placed on waivers: WR Taj Smith (injury settlement).

MIAMI - Roster addition: OG Cory Procter (released by Dolphins 9/5). Contract terminated: C Jake Grove.

PITTSBURGH - Placed on waivers: LB Renauld Williams (injury settlement).

SAN DIEGO - Practice-squad addition: CB Traye Simmons. Placed on waivers: TE Richie Brockel (injury settlement). Practice-squad deletion: TE Dedrick Epps.

 

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

N.Y. GIANTS - Practice-squad additions: CB Brandon Hughes; S Brian Jackson. Practice-squad deletions: S Sha'reff Rashad; CB Seth Williams.

SAN FRANCISCO - Practice-squad addition: QB Nate Davis. Contract terminated: LB Matt Wilhelm (injury settlement).

 

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

BALTIMORE - Reserve/injured: C David Hale (back); OT Ramon Harewood (knee); OT Stefan Rodgers (ankle); NT Kelly Talavou (knee). Reserve/physically unable to perform: S Ed Reed (neck). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: CB Cary Williams (two games, personal conduct policy). Traded: LB Antwan Barnes to Eagles for a seventh-round pick in the 2011 draft. Contracts terminated: CB Travis Fisher; PK Shayne Graham; WR Demetrius Williams. Placed on waivers: TE Davon Drew; CB K.J. Gerard; WR Justin Harper; CB Chris Hawkins; S Brad Jones; DE Bryan Mattison; DE Albert McClellan; TE Joe Reitz; WR Eron Riley; QB Troy Smith; RB Curtis Steele; OT Devin Tyler.

BUFFALO - Reserve/suspended by commissioner: TE Shawn Nelson (four games, substance abuse policy). Contract terminated: OT Kirk Chambers. Placed on waivers: C Sean Allen; RB Andre' Anderson; RB Joique Bell; QB Levi Brown; DT Rashaad Duncan; RB Rodney Ferguson; OG Christian Gaddis; TE Andrew George; WR James Hardy; OT Nick Hennessey; WR Chad Jackson; CB Ellis Lankster; OT Andre Ramsey; WR Naaman Roosevelt; CB Lydell Sargeant; TE Derek Schouman (injured/knee); RB Chad Simpson; OT Jason Watkins; LB Donovan Woods.

CINCINNATI - Contracts terminated: DT Orien Harris; LB Abdul Hodge; WR Matt Jones; PK Dave Rayner. Placed on waivers: WR Dezmon Briscoe; TE Chase Coffman; RB Cordera Eason (injury settlement); S Kyries Hebert; TE Darius Hill; OG Otis Hudson; RB James Johnson; OT Gabriel Manns; DE Clinton McDonald; S Jeromy Miles; CB Rico Murray; WR Maurice Purify (injury settlement); LB Vincent Rey; OT Chris Rodgers; CB Johnny Sears; OT Isaac Sowells; FB Joe Tronzo; FB Fui Vakapuna (injured/shoulder); S Marvin White.

CLEVELAND - Passed physical: NT Shaun Rogers. Contracts terminated: WR Bobby Engram; OT Scott Kooistra; DE C.J. Mosley (failed physical). Placed on waivers: S Larry Asante; CB Chris Chancellor; OG Paul Fanaika; DE Clifton Geathers; NT Travis Ivey; RB Chris Jennings; CB Brandon McDonald; DT Swanson Miller; OG Pat Murray; QB Brett Ratliff; DE Brian Sanford; S DeAngelo Smith.

DENVER - Reserve/injured: LB Elvis Dumervil (chest); WR Brandon Stokley (groin). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: RB LenDale White (four games, substance abuse policy). Reserve/military: DE Ben Garland. Traded: CB Alphonso Smith and an undisclosed draft pick to Lions for TE Dan Gronkowski and an undisclosed draft pick. Contracts terminated: DE Jarvis Green; LB Darrell Reid (failed physical). Placed on waivers: LB Kevin Alexander; TE Marquez Branson; WR Britt Davis; TE Riar Geer; S Kyle McCarthy; OG Seth Olsen; DE Jeff Stehle; LB Worrell Williams.

HOUSTON - Reserve/injured: PK Kris Brown (foot); WR Andrew Davis (hip); TE Anthony Hill (knee). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: LB Brian Cushing (four games, performance-enhancing drugs policy). Roster addition: RB Derrick Ward (released by Buccaneers 8/31). Contracts terminated: CB Jacques Reeves; C Chris White. Placed on waivers: QB John David Booty; FB Jack Corcoran; TE Derek Fine (injured/ knee); LB Isaiah Greenhouse; C Brett Helms; RB Chris Henry; RB Jeremiah Johnson (injured/toe); OT Steve Maneri; CB Mark Parson; LB Will Patterson (injury settlement); OT Cole Pemberton; S Nick Polk; DT Deljuan Robinson; DT Malcolm Sheppard; OT Adam Stenavich; WR Derrick Townsel; DE Mitch Unrein; WR Bobby Williams; CB Torri Williams.

INDIANAPOLIS - Traded: undisclosed draft pick to Redskins for CB Justin Tryon. Contract terminated: OT Adam Terry. Placed on waivers: DE Ervin Baldwin; QB Tom Brandstater; DE John Chick; TE Colin Cloherty (injured); DT Marlon Favorite; CB Ray Fisher; WR Samuel Giguere; CB Danny Gorrer; S Ashton Hall; KR Brandon James; RB Javarris James; CB Terrail Lambert; OT Chris Marinelli; C Adrian Martinez; S Mike Newton; RB Allen Patrick; CB Glenn Sharpe (injured); S Terrell Skinner; WR Taj Smith (injured/hamstring)); LB Vuna Tuihalakama; WR Blair White; OT James Williams (injured).

JACKSONVILLE - Reserve/injured: LB Kyle Bosworth (hamstring). Contracts terminated: DT Atiyyah Ellison; OG Kynan Forney; LB Tony Gilbert; LB Teddy Lehman; CB Scott Starks; WR Ernest Wilford; WR Troy Williamson; LB Rod Wilson. Placed on waivers: S Gerald Alexander; OT Daniel Baldridge; LB Alvin Bowen; TE Mike Caussin; DT Walter Curry; WR Clarence Denmark; QB Trevor Harris; FB Chad Kackert; WR John Matthews; DE Jeremy Navarre; DT Ko Quaye; RB Kolby Smith; C Bradley Vierling.

KANSAS CITY - Reserve/injured: CB Maurice Leggett (head/neck); WR Jerheme Urban. Traded: S Jarrad Page to Patriots for an undisclosed draft pick. Contract terminated: OT Ikechuku Ndukwe. Placed on waivers: TE Leroy Banks; OT Colin Brown; NT Garrett Brown; DT Dion Gales; DT Bobby Greenwood; WR Rich Gunnell; OG Darryl Harris; LB David Herron; C Lemuel Jeanpierre; DT Derek Lokey; S DaJuan Morgan; QB Tyler Palko; CB Ricky Price; CB Mike Richardson; LB John Russell; C Dan Santucci; WR Verran Tucker; LB Pierre Walters; RB Javarris Williams.

MIAMI - Traded: sixth-round pick in 2011 draft to Cowboys for OT Pat McQuistan and an undisclosed draft pick. Contracts terminated: TE David Martin; DT Montavious Stanley. Placed on waivers: S Jonathan Amaya; DE Ryan Baker; DE Lionel Dotson; OG Ray Feinga; LB J.D. Folsom; OT Andrew Gardner; OG Andrew Hartline; CB Kevin Hobbs; FB Rolly Lumbala; LB Chris McCoy; S Nate Ness; WR Julius Pruitt; LB Austin Spitler; OG Donald Thomas; WR Patrick Turner; LB Erik Walden; CB Ross Weaver; QB Pat White.

NEW ENGLAND - Reserve/injured: S Brandon McGowan (chest). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: OG Quinn Ojinnaka (one game, personal conduct policy). Traded: undisclosed 2012 draft pick to Eagles for LB Tracy White; undisclosed draft pick to Chiefs for S Jarrad Page. Contracts terminated: WR Sam Aiken; LB Eric Alexander; LB Derrick Burgess; RB Chris Taylor; LB Pierre Woods. Placed on waivers: S Sergio Brown; OT George Bussey (injured/knee); TE Carson Butler; RB Thomas Clayton; WR Buddy Farnham; WR Darnell Jenkins; C Ted Larsen; TE Rob Myers; OG Rich Ohrnberger; WR Rod Owens; QB Zac Robinson; S Ross Ventrone; OT Thomas Welch; LB Thomas Williams; CB DeAngelo Williams.

N.Y. JETS - Reserve/suspended by commissioner: WR Santonio Holmes (four games, substance abuse policy). Placed on waivers: S Emanuel Cook; FB Jason Davis; OG Marlon Davis (from reserve/injured/quad); C Robby Felix; S Keith Fitzhugh; LB Ricky Foley; WR Brooks Foster (injury settlement); OT Dan Gay; LB Tim Knicky; DE Jason Lamb; LB Boris Lee; LB Joshua Mauga; LB Cory Reamer; LB Brashton Satele; CB Bo Smith; DT Ty Steinkuhler; OG Charlie Tanner (injury settlement); WR Larry Taylor; OG Chet Teofilo; NT Martin Tevaseu; OT Michael Turkovich; CB Donovan Warren.

OAKLAND - Reserve/suspended by commissioner: FB Luke Lawton (four games, performance-enhancing drugs policy). Contracts terminated: WR Shaun Bodiford; DT Chris Cooper; NT William Joseph; C Chris Morris; TE John Owens. Placed on waivers: S Jerome Boyd; QB Colt Brennan; S Stevie Brown; DE Alex Daniels (injured); DE Greyson Gunheim; DT Kellen Heard; LB David Nixon; LB Slade Norris; OG Alex Parsons; CB Joe Porter; DE Jay Richardson (injured/knee); OG Brandon Rodd; CB Joey Thomas (injured); FB Manase Tonga; PK Swayze Waters; WR Todd Watkins.

PITTSBURGH - Reserve/suspended by commissioner: QB Ben Roethlisberger (four games, personal conduct policy). Contracts terminated: C Justin Hartwig; TE Sean McHugh; LB Matt Stewart. Placed on waivers: LB Patrick Bailey; TE Eugene Bright; OG Dorian Brooks; CB Joe Burnett; S Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith; WR Tyler Grisham; DT Ra'Shon Harris; OT Kyle Jolly; WR Stefan Logan; WR Brandon London; DT Steve McClendon; DT Scott Paxson; RB Frank Summers; S Justin Thornton; OG Kraig Urbik; RB Justin Vincent; LB Renauld Williams (injured/knee); DE Doug Worthington.

SAN DIEGO - Reserve/suspended by commissioner (from reserve/veteran FA asked to re-sign): WR Vincent Jackson (three games, personal conduct policy). Traded: conditional pick in 2011 draft to Cowboys for WR Patrick Crayton. Contracts terminated: WR Josh Reed; CB Nathan Vasher. Placed on waivers: WR Seyi Ajirotutu; OT Brady Bond; RB Curtis Brinkley; TE Richie Brockel (injured/shoulder); QB Jonathan Crompton; TE Dedric Epps; WR Richard Goodman; OG Jeff Hansen; DT Derrick Jones; FB Billy Latsko; C Ryan McDonald; RB Shawnbrey McNeal; LB Mike Nixon (injury settlement); PK Nick Novak; P Glenn Pakulak; OT Nic Richmond; CB Traye Simmons; OG Cameron Stephenson; S Quinton Teal; WR Jeremy Williams; LB Kion Wilson.

TENNESSEE - Reserve/physically unable to perform: LB David Thornton (shoulder). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: LB Gerald Mcrath (four games, performance-enhancing drugs policy). Contracts terminated: DE Raheem Brock; RB Sam Gado; CB Tye Hill; RB Alvin Pearman; TE Sean Ryan; QB Chris Simms. Placed on waivers: LB Eric Bakhtiari; FB Jed Collins; WR Dominique Edison; LB Chris Harrington; DT David Howard; OT Nick Howell; DT Joe Joseph; C Kevin Matthews; OT Nevin McCaskill; TE Steve Pfahler; S Myron Rolle; OT Michael Toudouze; LB Patrick Trahan; WR Paul Williams.

 

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

ARIZONA - Contract terminated: QB Matt Leinart. Placed on waivers: LB Cody Brown; LB Chris Johnson (injured); DE Dean Muhtadi (from reserve/injured/calf); RB Alfonso Smith (injured).

ATLANTA - Reserve/suspended: DT Jonathan Babineaux (one game, personal conduct policy); LB Robert James (four games, substance abuse policy). Contracts terminated: T Dan Klecko; C Brett Romberg. Placed on waivers: TE Robbie Agnone; WR Troy Bergeron; S Eric Brock; WR Tim Buckley; S Rafael Bush; CB Dominique Daniels; WR Brandyn Harvey (injured); CB Chevis Jackson; LB Weston Johnson; DE Maurice Lucas; RB Dimitri Nance; C Blake Schlueter; DE Emmanuel Stephens; WR Andy Strickland; OT Jose Valdez; WR Ryan Wolfe; LB Bear Woods; TE Keith Zinger.

CAROLINA - Reserve/injured: OG C.J. Davis (head); S Aaron Francisco (hamstring); OG Duke Robinson (knee). Contracts terminated: DE Eric Moore; OT Rob Petitti. Placed on waivers: QB Hunter Cantwell; OG Andrew Crummey; LB Quinton Culberson; WR Trent Guy; OG Ray Hisatake; DT Corvey Irvin; LB Mortty Ivy; FB Rashawn Jackson; WR Kenneth Moore; TE Jamie Petrowski (injured/head); RB Dantrell Savage; CB R.J. Stanford; NT Tank Tyler; RB Josh Vaughan; LB Sean Ware; CB C.J. Wilson; CB Brian Witherspoon.

CHICAGO - Contract terminated: TE Richard Angulo. Placed on waivers: S Al Afalava; WR Freddie Barnes; OG Josh Beekman; CB Cornelius Brown; DT Jarron Gilbert; OT Levi Horn; WR Juaquin Iglesias; QB Dan LeFevour; LB Kevin Malast; OT James Marten; WR Greg Mathews; S Quentin Scott; LB Tim Shaw; LB Kelvin Smith; CB Woodny Turenne (injured/ribs); DE Barry Turner; C Tim Walter; S Aaron Webster; FB Eddie Williams; OG Edwin Williams; DT Mick Williams.

DALLAS - Traded: OT Pat McQuistan, undisclosed draft pick to Dolphins for a sixth-round pick in the 2011 draft; WR Patrick Crayton to Chargers for a conditional pick in the 2011 draft. Contracts terminated: CB Cletis Gordon; NT Junior Siavii. Placed on waivers: OT Will Barker; OG Travis Bright; DE Marcus Dixon; RB Herb Donaldson; TE DajLeon Farr; WR Jesse Holley; LB Curtis Johnson; WR Manuel Johnson; CB Bryan McCann; RB Lonyae Miller; LB Steve Octavien; TE Jason Pociask; TE Martin Rucker; DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen; DE Brandon Sharpe; OT Mike Tepper; CB Jamar Wall; CB Teddy Williams.

DETROIT - Reserve/injured: CB T.J. Rushing. Traded: TE Dan Gronkowski and an undisclosed draft pick to the Broncos for CB Alphonso Smith and an undisclosed draft pick. Contracts terminated: CB Dre' Bly; DE Bryan Copeland (from reserve/injured/knee); LB Vinny Ciurciu; WR Brian Clark OT Jon Jansen; CB Eric King; S Ko Simpson; CB Dante Wesley. Placed on waivers: LB Korey Bosworth (injured/leg); DT Rob Callaway; LB Caleb Campbell; DT Landon Cohen; RB De De Dorsey; OG Noah Frankliin; C Dan Gerberry; PK Steven Hauschka; S Jonathan Hefney; OT Cliff Louis; WR Michael Moore; CB Paul Pratt; WR Tim Toone; CB Jahi Word-Daniels (injury settlement).

GREEN BAY - Reserve/injured: CB Will Blackmon (knee). Placed on waivers: OT Allen Barbre (injured/back); P Chris Bryan; OT Chris Campbell; WR Jason Chery; S D.J. Clark; OG Evan Dietrich-Smith; WR Charles Dillon; LB Rob Francois; OT Breno Giacomini; QB Graham Harrell; LB Spencer Havner; LB Alex Joseph; S Anthony Levine; RB Kregg Lumpkin; LB Cyril Obiozor; FB Quinn Porter (injury settlement); LB Maurice Simpkins; DE Ronald Talley; DT Anthony Toribio; WR Chastin West; WR Patrick Williams; DE Jarius Wynn.

MINNESOTA - Traded: WR Darius Reynaud and QB Sage Rosenfels to Giants for a fifth-round pick in the 2011 draft. Passed physical: CB Cedric Griffin. Contracts terminated: TE Garrett Mills; DE Mike Montgomery; WR Javon Walker. Placed on waivers: S Colt Anderson; OG Thomas Austin; OG Adrian Battles; WR Taye Biddle; WR Freddie Brown; OT Patrick Brown; OT Chris Clark; FB Ryan D'Imperio; WR Marquis Hamilton; RB Ian Johnson; DT Tremaine Johnson; PK Rhys Lloyd; WR Logan Payne; OT Drew Radovich; S Marcus Sherels; LB Nate Triplett; CB DeAndre Wright.

NEW ORLEANS - Reserve/injured: LB Jonathan Casillas (foot). Reserve/physically unable to perform: LB Clint Ingram (knee); S Darren Sharper (knee). Contracts terminated: RB Ladell Betts; NT Kendrick Clancy; FB Zak Keasey; C Nick Leckey; DE Bobby McCray; FB Jason McKie; OG Terrence Metcalf; QB Patrick Ramsey. Placed on waivers: WR Montez Billings; OG Brandon Carter; LB Harry Coleman; OT Na'Shan Goddard; CB Reggie Jones; TE Tyler Lorenzen; DT Jermey Parnell; DT DeMario Pressley; DT Jay Ross; S Chip Vaughn; DT Al Woods.

N.Y. GIANTS - Traded: fifth-round pick in 2011 draft to Vikings for WR Darius Reynaud and QB Sage Rosenfels. Contracts terminated: S John Busing; WR Derek Hagan; OT Guy Whimper. Placed on waivers: DT Jay Alford; OG Jacob Bender; QB Rhett Bomar; RB Andrew Brown; CB Courtney Brown (injured/ankle); WR Tim Brown; TE Scott Chandler; DT Nate Collins; C Jim Cordle; LB Alex Hall (injured); DT Dwayne Hendricks; DE Tommie Hill; RB Gartrell Johnson; LB Jerome Johnson; OG Dennis Landolt; S Matt O'Hanlon; TE Bear Pascoe; QB Dominic Randolph; S Sha'reff Rashad; OT Herb Taylor; S Seth Williams.

PHILADELPHIA - Traded: LB Tracy White and an undisclosed draft pick to Patriots for an undisclosed 2012 draft pick; seventh-round pick in 2011 draft to Ravens for LB Antwan Barnes. Contracts terminated: OG Max Jean-Gilles; WR Kelley Washington. Placed on waivers: S Quintin Demps; WR Chad Hall; S Victor Harris; TE Cornelius Ingram; DE Eric Moncur; WR Jordan Norwood; DT Jeff Owens; C Dallas Reynolds; C A.Q. Shipley; OT Fenuki Tupou.

ST. LOUIS - Reserve/injured: S Kevin Payne (knee); OT Eric Young (knee). Contracts terminated: DE Victor Adeyanju; CB Quincy Butler; LB Bobby Carpenter; TE Darcy Johnson. Placed on waivers: WR Danario Alexander; OG Roger Allen; LB Devin Bishop; LB Cardia Jackson; S Brett Johnson; CB Marquis Johnson; WR Jordan Kent; C Tim Mattran; OT Ryan McKee; WR Brandon McRae; C Drew Miller; TE Dennis Morris; QB Keith Null; RB Chris Ogbonnaya; DT E.J. Reid; CB Antonie Thompson.

SAN FRANCISCO - Reserve/injured: LB Matt Wilhelm. Contracts terminated: TE Tony Curtis; CB Karl Paymah; RB Michael Robinson. Placed on waivers: PK Shane Andrus; LB Mike Balogun; QB Jarrett Brown; FB Jehuu Caulcrick; LB Bruce Davis; OG Brian De La Puente; TE Joe Jon Finley; WR Bobby Guillory; WR Jason Hill; WR Kevin Jurovich; OT Matt Kopa; LB Keaton Kristick; S Chris Maragos; FB Brit Miller; DT Khalif Mitchell; DE Will Tukuafu; DE Derek Walker; C Cody Wallace.

SEATTLE - Reserve/injured: OT Ray Willis (knee). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: LB LeRoy Hill (one game, substance abuse policy). Contracts terminated: DT Amon Gordon; LB Tyjuan Hagler; WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh; WR Brandon Jones; DT Jonathan Lewis (injury settlement); QB J.P. Losman; WR Ruvell Martin; DE James Wyche. Placed on waivers: S Jamar Adams; CB Marcus Brown; C Jeff Byers; OG Mitch Erickson; CB Cord Parks; LB Joe Pawelek; OT Jacob Phillips; DT Quinn Pitcock; RB Louis Rankin; DE Nick Reed (injury settlement); DE Robert Rose; OT Joe Toledo; TE Nick Tow-Arnett.

TAMPA BAY - Reserve/injured: OT Demar Dotson (knee). Reserve/suspended by commissioner: CB Aqib Talib (one game, personal conduct policy). Contract terminated: WR Michael Clayton. Placed on waivers: CB Brandon Anderson; CB Vince Anderson; RB Carlos Brown; C Jonathan Compas (injured); OG Marc Dile; OT Xavier Fulton; DE George Johnson; TE Jeron Mastrud; LB Rico McCoy; DT Dre Moore; NT Carlton Powell; TE Ryan Purvis; C Donovan Raiola; CB Derrick Roberson; LB Lee Robinson; DE James Ruffin; QB Jevan Snead; FB Rendrick Taylor; CB Trae Williams.

WASHINGTON - Traded: CB Justin Tryon to Colts for an undisclosed draft pick. Contracts terminated: S Tyronne Carter; FB Carey Davis; NT Howard Green; RB Willie Parker; DE Darrion Scott; WR Bobby Wade. Placed on waivers: WR Terrence Austin; QB Richard Bartel; OT Selvish Capers; C Erik Cook; LB Curtis Gatewood; LB Robert Henson (injured/knee); WR Shay Hodge; DE Rob Jackson; OT Clint Oldenburg (injured/ankle); OG Chad Rinehart; CB Ramzee Robinson; OT William Robinson; S Russell Anderson; RB Ryan Torain; TE Lee Vickers.

 

It's back to school this week and we're set for a wonderful world in theatreland with the likes of Hugh Hughes at the Barbican and blasts from the past, Snoo Wilson and NF Simpson

The coming week is theatre's equivalent of going back to school: clean exercise books all round, and the entire world seems full of promise. There's even Complicite in the West End with A Disappearing Number at the Novello, a new Nick Payne play Wanderlust at the Royal Court Upstairs (I just loved his Bush play If It Is I Haven't Found It Yet), the return of Simon Stephens's Punk Rock, at the Lyric for a couple of weeks before a long regional tour, and a 50th-anniversary revival of Billy Liar at West Yorkshire Playhouse. All is well with the world, and it looks set to get better.

Hugh Hughes – Hoipolloi's clever creation – is somebody who makes the world seem a better place, and the Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes at the Barbican offers a chance to enter his gentle world over the next month with Floating, Story of a Rabbit and a new piece, 360. As I tweeted earlier in the week, Hughes is not so much theatrical Viagra as theatrical St John's Wort. You may feel the same about 6.0: How Heap and Pebble Took on the World and Won at BAC from next Thursday, a delicate little piece combining ice skating and environmental disaster.

Things really get hectic out of town next week but you can catch Patrick O'Kane in preview in Dr Faustus at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, The Rivals at Bath and the Master Builder at Chichester. I'm popping down to Salisbury tonight for John Mortimer's A Voyage Round My Father, and to Northampton tomorrow for the start of the Tell Me On a Sunday tour. Northampton's Royal and Derngate also plays host to Richard Bean's latest, The Big Fellah, which tours before hitting the Lyric Hammersmith later this month. A reworked version of Ockham Razor's clever circus-based piece, The Mill, goes on tour tonight at Farnham Maltings (also home to my favourite company of the moment, Little Bulb) before heading to the New Wolsey in Ipswich and all over the UK. Alex Jones plays a 14-year-old girl and 33 other characters in I'm a Minger, which sets off on tour from the Belgrade Coventry next week. If you're near Newbury tonight or tomorrow, it's well worth catching Periplum's outdoor piece Arquiem, which begins in the market place at dusk.

A rare revival of Alan Bennett's The Madness of George III sets off on tour from Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, Little Shop of Horrors is at Birmingham Rep, She Stoops to Conquer opens at Nottingham Playhouse, and some Edinburgh hits are on the move: Beautiful Burnout is at Tramway in Glasgow, Apples is at Northern Stage in Newcastle and that city also boasts Craig Higginson's The Girl in the Yellow Dress at Live before it moves to Glasgow Citizens. Five Guys Named Moe comes into the Theatre Royal Stratford East. Our Day Out is clearly worth catching at the Royal Court in Liverpool.

I can recommend both The Maddening Rain at the Old Red Lion and How to be an Other Woman at the Gate, but it is clearly Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park at the Court that is attracting rave reviews. Tiny Kushner opens tonight at the Tricycle. Things look promising at the Arcola too, where there are new plays –Pieces of Vincent by David Watson (Flight Path at the Bush) and Snoo Wilson's Reclining Nude With Black Stockings. Wilson hasn't had a new play premiered since 1999, but his baroque imagination outstrips all his former Portable Theatre colleagues. Another blast from the past, NF Simpson, has a new play If So, Then Yes at Jermyn Street (he's 91, so who said playwrighting is only a young person's craft). Neil LaBute's This Is How It Goes is at the King's Head, and Nell Leyshon's Bedlam (which sounds fascinating) is at the Globe. Love On the Dole is revived at the Finborough.

That's quite enough from me, but please let me know what you're seeing and post links to your blogs or review sites. Have a good weekend.

For Goodness Shakes XTFestival 2010 Race dates: 25-26 September 2010 Full details: www.xtfestival.co.uk Events: Big Triathlon XTT 1500m swim 26k MTB 10k run Small Triathlon XTT 750m swim 12k MTB 5k run Duathlon XTD 5k run 12k MTB 2.5k run Swim only XTS 1500m swim     X-C running XT10 5k, 10k or 21k run     MTB Enduro XTM 4hr Enduro (individual or pair)     Final preparations are being made for the almighty ‘For Goodness Shakes' 2010 XTFestival. The event, now in its sixth year, has grown to a two-day six-event spectacular, with an expected field of 850 athletes descending on the military Gibraltar barracks, home to the Royal Engineers Training Corps. We've introduced new events for 2010, including the XTM 4-hour MTB Enduro and XTS Swim-only events for the uni-sport athlete. Whether you're planning on going solo or in a pair for the XTM or 750-metre swim, the events are on different days so you can recover in time to take on both. Also new for 2010 is the Gore bike-wear try-before-you-buy experience. Gore will be on hand to supervise any athlete who wants to try their clothing during the event, with no obligation to buy. Visit the Gore stand on the day to find out more. Our events are designed to cater for all ability levels, whether you're a complete novice or the next Alistair Brownlee. We've got the green light from Sam Gardner and Billy Whenman so we can guarantee a tough and technical ride that's achievable by even the most inexperienced bike rider. With For Goodness Shakes goodies for all finishers and over £3000 in prize vouchers for the winners, the 2010 XTFestival should be rewarding for everyone. The British Triathlon Federation has sanctioned this event and will ensure that the day itself runs smoothly and efficiently (with chip timing for accuracy). Sign up here at www.xtfestival.co.uk

An old Arizona hotel has a long history of unexplained events.

comments: gonzo@ourstrangeworld.net

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your tapas.

Chris Sheridan, ESPN: "I mentioned this in my report yesterday on the feud/pending divorce between Rudy Fernandez and the Portland Trail Blazers, but it belongs in the lead paragraph for this site: The Knicks are among the teams trying to acquire the Spanish shooting guard, and they have offered Wilson Chandler. Other offers on the table include the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls each offering a No. 1 draft pick in 2011, a league source told ESPN.com. But after the Blazers turned down several offers of first-round picks in the teens on draft night when the team was still being run by former general manager Kevin Pritchard, they are looking to see if they can get a similar offer from a team they believe will finish in the middle of the pack next season."

Joe Freeman, The Oregonian: "With roughly six weeks left before the Trail Blazers start training camp, the playing status of Greg Oden remains as unclear as ever. Oden continues to rehabilitate his surgically repaired left knee and the Blazers insist things are progressing according to schedule. But at the same time, the organization is so intent on keeping once sky-high expectations low for the injury-prone center, officials refuse to say that Oden will be ready to play by Oct. 26, when the team opens the season against the Phoenix Suns. 'I don't really want to put any time frame on it,' Blazers general manager Rich Cho said, regarding Oden's return. 'I don't want any expectations out there. And I don't want to put any pressure on Greg. The last thing I want him to do is come back earlier (than he should) because people are expecting it.' It's been 8½ months since Oden was wheeled off the Rose Garden floor on a gurney after fracturing the patella in his left knee in a game against the Houston Rockets. Since, Oden and the Blazers have maintained that the 7-foot center's rehab was on schedule and he was poised to return for October training camp -- a significant fact considering a healthy and productive Oden is perhaps the biggest key to how much success the team will have this season."

Connor Orr, New Jersey Star-Ledger: "With a power forward officially secured for the upcoming season, Nets general manager Billy King thought it might be a good opportunity to take some time off. It won't be all leisure, though. 'I'm planning on going on vacation Monday, but I do have a cell phone,' King said, leaving the possibility of another roster move open. 'So I think this will be our roster but you never know.' King spoke with reporters Thursday after Troy Murphy was formally introduced at the team's practice facility in East Rutherford. But with rumors that Denver Nuggets forward and perennial All-Star Carmelo Anthony is considering other teams, including the Nets, it's difficult to consider any roster as set in stone. Anthony has yet to sign a three-year $65 million extension offered by the Nuggets, which could prompt Denver to deal Anthony in hopes of getting some return. The Knicks and Rockets have also been listed as potential suitors. King, though, wouldn't hint at a pursuit of any other players, just stating that the Nets' current situation gives them that opportunity. 'We have flexibility,' King said. 'And having flexibility allows you to do different things, whether it be this year, next year or down the road. I feel fortunate ... there are not a lot of long-term contracts, there's cap space to allow (Murphy) to happen, there's flexibility for next year. So it's a great situation to be in, so now as we make decisions going forward you look at that cap space.'"

Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: "The Rockets on Thursday announced they are close to adding three players to their training camp roster, expecting to complete contracts with guard Ishmael Smith, center Jordan Eglseder and guard/forward Antonio Anderson, a person with knowledge of the deals said."

Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "'Little Earl' is just the man to complete the Milwaukee Bucks' point guard trio. Veteran Earl Boykins, ready to begin his 12th NBA season, has reached agreement on a one-year deal to join the Bucks, according to agent Mark Termini. 'Earl had interest from other situations,' Termini said Thursday. 'But his familiarity with Bucks management and several players was important, and at this stage of his career he would like to take part in the playoffs. Now it's about picking places where he can have a role.' Boykins will have a fully guaranteed deal for the veteran's minimum of $1.35 million, Termini said. The 34-year-old guard is expected to be in Milwaukee on Friday to take a physical."

Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal: "The Grizzlies have fielded several trade offers from teams looking to acquire the rights to unsigned rookie Xavier Henry - interest mostly derived from a contract stalemate between the team and the NBA's 12th overall draft pick. But Griz owner Michael Heisley insisted Wednesday that the team is only interested in signing Henry to a deal that will have him play in FedExForum this season. 'I'm not looking to trade him just to trade him,' Heisley said. 'I'm not angry with him. I expect him to play. He's going to have an opportunity to play a lot, and we need him. So my reaction to this is I'm expecting we'll get something done and he'll play for us this season.' Teams can pay players between 80 and 120 percent of an amount set by the league's rookie scale. The Griz have offered Henry 100 percent of that salary with the extra 20 percent tied to performance-based bonuses."

Corey Williams, AP: "Ex-NBA player and Michigan State star Jay Vincent has been indicted for an Internet employment scam that bilked about 20,000 jobseekers out of about $2 million, the U.S. Attorney's office said Thursday. The 51-year-old Vincent and 53-year-old Anthony Portee face charges of mail fraud, and Vincent is charged with an income tax violation, authorities said. Both men live in Lansing."

Vincent Goodwill, Detroit News: "Flint native Tom Gores has emerged as the "front-runner" to become the Pistons' new owner, according to sources close to the situation. The sources requested anonymity due to a confidentiality agreement signed by all prospective buyers. The Pistons have been valued at $479 million by Forbes. Gores, 46, and his group have made two visits to The Palace the past two weeks, the only interested group to do so. Gores made another visit Wednesday, but has not yet made a bid. Gores, who owns Platinum Equity, went to Michigan State and sold computer software before moving to California to go into business with his older brother, Alec. He owns a home in Grosse Ile. According to Forbes, Gores is worth $2.2 billion, making him the 147th-richest American."

Rachelle Gardner: Library Journal calls @BillyCoffey a "talented author" and his debut novel Snow Day a "sure bet." Congrats Billy!

(By @RachelleGardner - editor - Entertainment, Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent)

YANKEES (72-44) Derek Jeter SS Nick Swisher RF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez 3B Robinson Cano 2B Lance Berkman DH Curtis Granderson CF Brett Gardner LF Francisco Cervelli C RHP A.J. Burnett (9-9, 4.87) Burnett vs. Royals ROYALS (48-69) Gregor Blanco CF Willie Bloomquist 3B Billy Butler 1B Wilson Betemit DH Alex Gordon LF Mike Aviles 2B Mitch Maier RF Bryan Pena C Yuniesky Betancourt SS RHP Bryan Bullington (0-2, 4.85) Bullington vs. Yankees TIME/TV: 2:10 [...]

YANKEES (71-44) Derek Jeter SS Nick Swisher RF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez DH Robinson Cano 2B Jorge Posada C Curtis Granderson CF Brett Gardner LF Ramiro Pena 3B RHP Phil Hughes (13-5, 3.92) Hughes vs. Royals ROYALS (48-68) Gregor Blanco CF Jason Kendall C Billy Butler 1B Wilson Betemit 3B Kila Ka’aihue DH Alex Gordon LF Yuniesky Betancourt SS Mitch Maier RF Chris Getz 2B RHP Sean...

Source : The LoHud Yankees Blog

YANKEES (71-44) Derek Jeter SS Nick Swisher RF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez DH Robinson Cano 2B Jorge Posada C Curtis Granderson CF Brett Gardner LF Ramiro Pena 3B RHP Phil Hughes (13-5, 3.92) Hughes vs. Royals ROYALS (48-68) Gregor Blanco CF Jason Kendall C Billy Butler 1B Wilson Betemit 3B Kila Ka’aihue DH Alex Gordon LF Yuniesky Betancourt SS Mitch Maier RF Chris Getz 2B RHP Sean O’Sullivan (1-3, 5.05) O’Sullivan vs. Yankees TIME/TV: 7:10 p.m. [...]

Western historian Mark Lee Gardner book, "To Hell on a Fast Horse," presents a biography of criminal and fugitive Billy the Kid and his pursuer Lincoln County (New Mexico) Sheriff Pat Garrett. He also examines the American public’s fascination with the "Wild West."
Length: 56 min.

Published: Today at 10am (ET)

YANKEES (71-43) Derek Jeter SS Curtis Granderson CF Mark Teixeira 1B Alex Rodriguez 3B Robinson Cano 2B Jorge Posada C Lance Berkman DH Austin Kearns RF Brett Gardner LF RHP Dustin Moseley (2-1, 3.86) Moseley vs. Royals ROYALS (47-68) Gregor Blanco CF Jason Kendall C Billy Butler 1B Wilson Betemit 3B Kila Ka’aihue DH Alex Gordon LF Mike Aviles 2B Mitch Maier RF Yuniesky Betancourt SS RHP Kyle Davies (5-7, 5.21) Davies vs. Yankees TIME/TV: 8:10 p.m. [...]

The cast includes Aaron Watson (12 years old from Kings Lynn, Norfolk), Dean-Charles Chapman (12 years old from Essex), Oliver Gardner (13 years old from Bath), Rhys Yeomans (12 years old from Oldham, Lancashire), who alternate the title role of Billy alongside principal cast members, Joe Caffrey (Dad), Craig Gallivan (Tony), Ann Emery (Grandma), David Nellist (George), Sean Kingsley (Mr Braithwaite), Genevieve Lemon (Mrs Wilkinson) Samantha Seager (Dead Mum) and Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy).

Hawke & Hunter, Edinburgh

When Twitch (Gwendolen Chatfield) was six she so loved the little boy she sat next to at school that she super-glued their hands together; when 16-year-old Peter abandoned her, something nasty happened to him at the school disco. Twitch is a girl who always leaves her mark. She wants to be indelible. Now back on her island home to celebrate her 25th birthday she's reunited with her twin, Polo (Michael Whitham), and his best friend, the raucous, let-it-all-hang-out Jax (Kerri Hall). Whereas Twitch is all heart, Polo has a hole where his should be. He observes the world with a cold eye, and when he meets Twitch's new lover, Billy (Solomon Mousley), he knows that there is trouble on the way as emotions and the tide rise.

Ella Hickson has her finger firmly on the pulse of twentysomething experience and this hugely enjoyable 90 minutes investigates the confusions of a generation of young women caught between Twitch's emotional clinginess and Jax's love 'em, leave 'em and don't-give-'em-your-phone-number attitude. It's nicely acted by a young cast and smartly directed by Hickson, in a club setting that fits the play like a glove and lends real atmosphere.

But for all its considerable pleasures and the fact that Hickson finds a voice less slick and more layered and poetic than in previous shows, this feels like two different plays super-glued together. You never quite know exactly where the focus is, and there is something off-kilter about the thriller-like structure: for quite a long time I thought the cold-hearted Polo might be an unreliable narrator. But in the end, it's not really even his story – although it is one that, cracked and flawed though it might be, grips from start to finish.

Rating: 3/5

• Bob Kravitz of The Indianapolis Star: "Larry Bird might have just saved his job. More important, though, the Indiana Pacers president, along with general manager David Morway, just made their long-irrelevant team about a thousand times more interesting and competitive. Hello, Darren Collison, point guard of the future, short and long term, and a guy who is still playing on his modest rookie contract. Hello, James Posey, a veteran defensive presence with 3-point shooting capabilities, a championship pedigree and a reasonable $13 million left in the final two years of his deal. And goodbye, Troy Murphy, who performed solidly during his time here but carried an albatross of a contract ($11,968,253, the Pacers' highest for this season) that now lands in New Jersey's lap. The Pacers immediately dropped $4 million from payroll. Two words: Great. Deal. What's not to love? ... As for Bird and Morway, this one might have been a job-saver. As the weeks wore on without any Pacers news, and news of Donnie Walsh's imminent departure from New York, it struck me that Walsh might land back here in Indy to replace Bird. But give Bird and Morway credit: They stuck to their guns, refused to take on big contracts for short-term gain, and kept their eyes on the ball. Finally, we're seeing the dividends. Not just a good deal. A great one."
• Dave D'Alessandro of The Star-Ledger: "The Nets have landed their starting power forward, and in an ancillary benefit, he happens to be a Jersey Guy. Troy Murphy, the Sparta native who is one of those rare NBA commodities -- a double-double machine -- was acquired from the Indiana Pacers today in a four-team, five-player trade that cost the Nets starting two-guard Courtney Lee. The deal is low-risk and high-reward for Nets GM Billy King, because it’s rare to land a productive power forward in the prime of his career with an expiring contract, one who is willing to hold a job until rookie Derrick Favors is ready to snatch it from him. 'When I looked at the team, and talking with Avery (Johnson) about where we are, I think Derrick Favors is going to be an All-Star down the road,' King said. 'But I felt we were a little thin at the power forward spot, and looking at Brook Lopez -- and looking at how I think Avery wanted to coach -- one of the players who stood out to me right away was Troy Murphy.' "
• Les East of NewOrleans.com: "When Dell Demps met Chris Paul for the first time in an air-clearing meeting a couple of weeks ago, I think the GM told the All-Star point guard to give him a chance to show the Hornets can and will build a championship contender sooner rather than later. He convinced Paul to give rookie coach Monty Williams a chance to prove he’s someone Paul will want to play for long term. On Wednesday, Demps backed up the words of two weeks ago with actions. No, the arrival of Trevor Ariza and Marco Belinelli won’t cause Paul to call Demps and say, 'I’m sold. We’re on our way. Where do I re-up?' But the trades -- Darren Collison and James Posey to Indiana for Trevor Ariza in a four-team deal and Julian Wright to Toronto for Belinelli -- should give Demps some credibility. First, by trading away the player who would replace Paul if Paul were dealt (Collison), Demps is telling the world that Paul isn’t going anywhere any time soon. By acquiring Ariza and dealing Posey, Demps is saying 'we’re getting younger because we plan to have the pieces in place to compete for a championship throughout Chris’ prime.' "
• Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun: "The Raptors have shuffled the deck, but they basically replaced one low card with another. Adding Julian Wright, formerly of New Orleans Hornets, for Marco Belinelli likely won’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Belinelli showed flashes, but his erratic shot selection and spotty commitment to defence led him to head coach Jay Triano’s doghouse too often and his role was bound to be small this season. In Wright, the Raptors add a 6-foot-8, multi-skilled combo forward who was highly touted as a third team all-American coming out of Kansas for his ability to do a little bit of everything on the court. The Raptors take a significant step back in the shooting category: Wright’s lack of a jumper is the biggest hole in his game, but add another athletic, defensively capable player to a roster which increasingly seems to be heading in that direction."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Still, as with the deal for Kyle Lowry, the Rockets traded a starter (Trevor Ariza) in a multi-team deal for a player expected to be a backup. As with that deal, they went after a player they had tried to get for years, having spent nearly two years in pursuit of Lowry and more than two years chasing Courtney Lee. And as with that deal, they did it in part because they were not sure how the player they were trading would react to a cut in playing time. ... Gersson Rosas described him with the Rockets' form of high praise. He said Lee was 'cut in the same cloth as Shane Battier.' He will use information, follow a game plan and stay entirely disciplined to do the job as directed. Daryl Morey and Rosas also said again and again that this was not a cost-cutting move. Morey insisted the Rockets would have done it even if they did not save a dime, as opposed to the nearly $10 million they would save in salary and luxury tax. He added that Leslie Alexander has already given the go-ahead to use the $6.3 million trade exception the Rockets picked up in the trade, a deal that if he pulls it off would end up costing the Rockets $2.6 million in tax and salary compared to if they just stood still on Wednesday. They made the move, he said, to get the guy they wanted and had wanted since 2008. The argument sounded very familiar, he had to admit. He can only hope it works out as well."
• George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel: "Just last week, an elderly gentleman approached Doc Rivers after a round of golf at Interlachen Country Club. 'Hey I'm only two years older than Shaq,' he said. 'Can you sign me too?' I think Doc is going to get a lot of that this season. He's ready with a few zingers of his own. 'We're the only team with players eligible for the All-Star and the Legends Game,' Rivers said. He laughs at all the swipes and the slights, and the suggestions that the Heat are ruining the game. What's the problem? Doc embraces the Axis of Evil (my words, not his) as astute businessmen. 'If you were a businessman who could buy two other companies to form what would be a dominant company, what businessman wouldn't do that?' he said. 'That's what LeBron did. I have no problem with that. It just makes it more challenging for us, the Magic and everybody else. It's puts a bull's eye on them. Well, everybody wants to beat the Celtics, too. You want the pressure, You don't want to run from it.' Good for Doc. No whining, no complaints, no whispers of collusion. It would be good for everybody else to follow his lead."
• Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Andre Iguodala was impressive in workouts in Las Vegas last month and in the few days the team has spent in New York this week. The burden of having to be the man, as often happens when he is donning a 76ers uniform, is obsolete. 'I basically try to do the same things [as during the regular season], but I have a little more energy,' Iguodala said. 'Everybody does. K.D. [Durant] has more energy to score, same with Rudy Gay. Our shooters have a lot of energy to shoot and our defenders spend a lot of time defending. I think everybody is playing to their strength. I really have to play defense. We're small, so I have to rebound. I really have to focus on that area and just knock down open shots and take care of the ball. Everyone's game is really simple.' If Iguodala continues to play to his strengths, which he has been doing throughout the workouts, according to Mike Krzyzewski he will be more than just a good piece to a puzzle that has a lot of really good pieces. 'For us, Andre's been one of our best players,' Krzyzewski said. 'He's in great shape, he's in midseason shape. He's doing the things that come naturally to him that are easier for him most of the time. Like, he's playing defense. He's filling a lane, he's driving the ball, he's not forcing shots. He's really been an easy guy to play with. Athletically, he's as good an athlete we have.' "
• Dan Duggan of the Boston Herald: "In his four years with the Celtics, Rajon Rondo has transformed from a question mark into one of the NBA’s elite point guards. Though Rondo has made major progress, the 24-year-old still has room to grow. Celtics coach Doc Rivers believes Rondo will make strides this summer, as he is currently going through training camp with Team USA in preparation for the world championships in Turkey Aug. 28-Sept. 12. 'I like that he’s playing with them,' Rivers said on Tuesday. 'I think the whole team part of that is good for Rondo. I think every day he’s in that team atmosphere is another day for him to learn.' ... Rivers’ top priority is for Rondo to improve as a free throw shooter. Rondo, a 63 percent shooter from the line for his career, shot an abysmal 26.3 percent in the Finals. 'I think when he becomes a better free throw shooter it’ll make him a better driver,' Rivers said. 'I think, unfortunately it happened in the Finals, when he started missing free throws he stopped driving. That’s what all guys do.' "
• Janis Carr of The Orange County Register: "Playing for the Lakers. Living in L.A. Competing alongside Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and the others. They were all good reasons why Shannon Brown should re-sign with the Lakers. But it was the chance at winning a third consecutive NBA title that led Brown to spurn other teams and return to the two-time defending champion Lakers. On Wednesday, the athletic guard officially signed a two-year, $4.6 million contract with the Lakers at the team’s training facility in El Segundo. 'It (possibility of winning a three-peat) is pretty special,' said Brown, who has won two NBA titles since being acquired by the Lakers in February 2009 as part of a trade with Charlotte. 'There are a lot of guys who came through this NBA, some lasted, some didn’t. Some played 15 years and can’t say they even made it to the Finals. The possibility of winning three NBA championships is something that will go down in history.' "
• Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Larry Drew said his emphasis is on exploiting Atlanta’s strengths rather than covering for its weaknesses. It’s an aggressive approach. There certainly will be more turnovers. Theoretically there should be fewer isolations and long jump shots. I figure Drew will have to use his bench liberally, too, if he wants the Hawks to run a lot of motion offense and while also becoming a bona fide defensive team. He’ll have to make lineup adjustments on the fly. The Hawks are going to have to be in good shape to run this stuff; Drew said conditioning would a 'top priority' early in training camp. The Hawks also are going to have to be precise, unselfish and persistent. Drew has some work to do with that Woody had a lot of stuff he wanted to run too but he never could coax guys to do it consistently. Things got tough and the Hawks freelanced. Drew is going to have to break the Hawks out of their iso offense, sometime-y defense mold. It will be interesting to see how he manages it and how the players take to it once it’s time to do the work."
• Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald: "Veteran guard Keith Bogans, who officially signed with the Bulls on Wednesday, is heading to his new team with some personal history on his side. During his high school years, Bogans played with Carlos Boozer at a basketball tournament in Germany. 'I've known Boozer since we were 13, 14 years old,' Bogans said in a phone interview. 'I know his mom, dad, his whole family. He's going to be great here. He's a great guy, on and off the court. He works extremely hard and wants to win. I think he's going to put that into all the young guys' heads. All of us will be able to feed off that.' ... Bogans said he had some options with other teams, such as New Orleans, but he and his agent targeted the Bulls as his preferred destination when the summer began. He spent last season with San Antonio, averaging 4.4 points per game. The Bulls turned down a chance to sign seven-time all-star Tracy McGrady, who is coming off microfracture knee surgery, to go with Bogans. ... 'I'm an older guy now, so to come in here and play with a group of young guys like they have here, it's going to be real exciting,' he said. 'It's going to be fun to be a part of and fun to watch.' "
• Jody Genessy of the Deseret News: "Karl Malone thought the Hall of Fame should have bent the rules for him last year. As it turned out, The Mailman did not receive a special invitation to be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a year early to allow him to enter with Utah Jazz inductees John Stockton and Jerry Sloan in 2009. 'In my little crazy world,' Malone said, 'I thought maybe they would make an exception.' Even though he had to wait the full five years after retirement to become eligible to be nominated like all other players, Malone will at least get a chance to enter the Hall of Fame with his favorite passer in 2010. The Jazz legends will both be immortalized in the hoops haven together Friday night along with the rest of their teammates from the original Dream Team. The U.S. men's basketball team, which clobbered all foes en route to the 1992 Olympic gold medal in Barcelona, Spain, is one of two teams that will be enshrined. Malone still believes the Hall of Fame missed out on a marketing opportunity to have three guys from the same NBA organization enter together. In his mind, organizers could've easily rationalized the exception by saying, 'We thought it would only be the right thing to do if Karl and John went in together.' "
• Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: "Former Milwaukee Bucks guard Junior Bridgeman is being honored for his community service Friday, when he will receive the 2010 Fellowship Open Legends Award. U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, owner of the Bucks, will present the award at Silver Spring Country Club as part of the annual charity golf event. Bridgeman, 56, has made a successful transition from a career on the basketball court to the business world. He is the owner and president of Bridgeman Foods, and oversees 121 Chili's Grill & Bar restaurants and 161 Wendy's restaurants throughout the country. ... Last year, former Milwaukee Braves and Milwaukee Brewers slugger and baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron was honored with the Fellowship Open award. Since the golf tournament was started in 2001, it has raised more than $500,000 for more than 50 youth organizations."

The 24th annual Area Code Games were held at Blair Field during the past week. The summer showcase has been one of the premier national events for high school baseball prospects since it was moved to Long Beach in 1994. The wood bat tournament consists of eight teams and over 200 players invited from around the country, the vast majority of which will be offered major college scholarships and/or drafted in June 2011 or 2012 as the case may be for about 10 percent of the participants.

Unlike many showcase events, the players don't pay to play. Instead, several hundred professional scouts, scores of college coaches, and dozens of agents are charged a fee for attending these games. One of the scouts in attendance (Scott Boras) is also the father of a prospect (Trent Boras, who preps at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, CA). There was an even more famous father-son combo with Wayne and Trevor Gretzky (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village, CA) prominent in the stands and on the field, respectively.

In addition, there were six sons of former MLB players and a brother of an active big-league pitcher: Alec Bankhead (Greensboro, NC), son of Scott; Brandon Bonilla (IMG Academy, Bradenton, FL), son of Bobby; Shawon Dunston Jr. (Valley Christian, San Jose, CA), son of the father by the same name; Brett Geren (San Ramon Valley, Danville, CA), son of current A’s manager Bob; C.J. McElroy (Clear Creek, League City, TX), son of Chuck; Drew Stankiewicz (Gilbert, AZ), son of Andy; and Joe Ross (Bishop O'Dowd, Oakland, CA), brother of A's pitcher Tyson.

The tournament featured eight teams: Milwaukee Brewers (California) sported Blue and White entries, Texas Rangers (Texas and Louisiana), Chicago White Sox (Midwest), Washington Nationals (Pacific Northwest), Oakland Athletics (Southeast), New York Yankees (Northeast), and the Cincinnati Reds (Southwest and Rocky Mountains). As noted, the geography of the big-league clubs and their Area Code teams don't necessarily match. Nonetheless, the players wore the colors of their MLB teams with "Area Code" in script across the front of all jerseys.

Each team played five games over six days (Thursday, August 5-Tuesday, August 10) with most contests scheduled for seven innings and a few for nine.

Day One (August 5)

In the opening game on Thursday, Henry Owens (Edison, Huntington Beach, CA) of the Milwaukee Brewers (Blue) pitched the first two innings and struck out six of the seven batters faced. He walked the other one. The lefthander threw 31 pitches, 21 for strikes. He was throwing 87-89 mph. At 6-foot-7 and 195 pounds (with size 17 shoes), his fastball plays up a bit due to the fact that he throws on a downhill plane. Moreover, his body offers lots of projection although a scout I spoke to noted that Owens' velocity is down a couple of ticks from his sophomore season in 2009. Nonetheless, he may be the most highly regarded prep pitcher in the country and could be drafted in the top half of the first round next June.

A member of the USA Baseball 18U National Team, Owens has had a busy summer. He was 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in five appearances and four starts, whiffing 31 batters and walking nine in 19.1 innings. He was also named to the Aflac All American Baseball Classic, which will be held on Sunday, August 15 at 5 p.m. PDT in PETCO Park. The game will feature the nation’s top 38 high school players heading into their senior year.

Baseball America offered the following report in its Aflac Classic player capsules:

Scouts love Owens' frame, which has plenty of room to fill out, and he adds to the package by showing a good arsenal—and all from the left side. His fastball sits 88-91 mph from the left side, and he also works with a sharp, two-plane curveball and mixes in a changeup.

Area Code and Aflac teammates Travis Harrison (Tustin, CA) and Christian Lopes (Edison, Huntington Beach, CA) each went 2-for-4. Harrison is a 6-2, 220-pound outfielder with big-time power, as evidenced by the 504-foot home run he jacked at the Power Showcase in January, breaking Bryce Harper's record from the previous year by two feet. Lopes, a 6-0, 185-pound shortstop, has been well known in prospect circles for several years. He and his younger brother Timmy Lopes (class of 2012) transferred from Valencia to Edison last January, joining Owens and Eric Snyder, who has committed to UCLA. All four players are on the same team in the Area Code Games, too. Their high school club promises to be one of the best in the nation next year.

In the second game, Owens' 18U teammate Derek “Bubba” Starling (Edgerton, Gardner, KN) led the Chicago White Sox to a victory, pitching two innings (2-1-1-1-1-2) and knocking in the first run with a ground-rule double that the left fielder lost in the sun and bounced near the warning track and over the outfield wall that measures 348 feet down the lines, 387 to the power alleys, and 400 to center. His fastball sat in the high 80s and touched 90. The righthander has reportedly thrown in the low 90s but hasn't pitched much this summer. He hit .339/.474/.532 with three HR and 16 BB and 12 SO in 78 PA and tossed 4.1 scoreless innings with 7 SO and only 1 BB for Team USA last month. The tall and lanky Starling (6-5, 195) is an outstanding two-sport athlete who has verbally committed to play baseball and quarterback at Nebraska. The five-tool player ran a 6.56 in the 60-yard dash, tied for the fifth-fastest time in the SPARQ testing on the first day of the Area Code Games. I like the Matt Holliday comp that New York Yankees Director of Scouting Damon Oppenheimer made to ESPN Rise, a part owner and sponsor of the event.

White Sox center fielder Charles Tilson (New Trier, Winnetka, IL) showed off his athleticism on Thursday by running the fourth-fastest 60 (6.54) and stealing three bases that evening. On Saturday, a scout sitting in my row clocked the lefthanded-hitting center fielder at 3.98 while an area supervisor in front of me had him at 4.0 exactly on an infield single that didn't even draw a throw. So as not to be labeled a one-trick pony, Tilson opened Sunday's game by slugging the first home run of the tournament. It was an impressive blast to right field into a slight breeze coming off the ocean. He singled and stole two more bases later in the game and threw out a runner at third to top it all off.

Teammate Johnny Eierman (Warsaw, MO) is another speedster who had the second-fastest time in the 60 at 6.41. The 6-foot-1 shortstop and quarterback is coming off a junior year in which he was an all-state selection in baseball and football. The LSU commit slugged three home runs during batting practice on Thursday but has struck out in five of his last six plate appearances after going 2-for-3 with a triple in the first game. While Eierman doesn't lack for load or bat speed, he may need to alter his swing plane in order to make more contact at the next level.

Nicholas Burdi (Downers Grove, IL) threw three innings in relief, striking out five without allowing a walk. The 6-5, 215-pound righthander was dialing his fastball up to 90-91 while flashing a hard slider at 84-85 and a changeup with good arm action at 81-82.

Lefty Cody Kukuk (Lawrence, KS) and righty Michael Fulmer (Deer Creek, Edmond, OK) both touched 90 on the radar guns in the later innings.

The opposing starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals, Dylan Davis (Redmond, WA), threw 92-94 in his only inning of work. His heater was the fastest of the evening. It appeared as if he only threw one other pitch, a short slider that Baseball America tabs at 83-84. The smallish righthander, generously listed at 6-0, 200 pounds, gave up two runs (one earned) on Thursday but bounced back to toss two scoreless innings on Sunday. An Aflac selection, Davis has committed to Oregon State.

Cole Wiper (Newport, Bellevue, WA) topped out at 91 with his fastball, 83-85 with what a scout told me was a cutter, and a 78 mph curve he left up in the zone that was pulled for a triple down the right-field line. He has thrown three innings overall, struggling with his control on Sunday when he walked three of the seven batters faced.

Porter Clayton (Bonneville, Idaho Falls, ID), a southpaw with a pronounced leg kick, struck out three batters around a hit and walk in his only inning of work. He was 88-89 with a good breaking ball. Kevin Moriarty (Shorewood, WA) K'd five out of six batters, showing excellent command of an 84-87 mph fastball and a slow curve.

Spencer O'Neil (Southridge, Kennewick, WA) stood out in the pre-game infield, displaying a strong, accurate arm in right field with all four throws to third base and home arriving on a clothes line with no hops. However, O'Neil, one of three returning players from the 2009 Area Code Games, has taken the collar at the plate, going 0-for-10 in the tournament.

Day Two (Friday, August 6)

Jordan Ramsey (North Davidson, Lexington, NC), Chris McCue (Ardrey Kell, Charlotte, NC), and John Hayman (Ware County, Waycross, GA) of the Oakland Athletics threw a combined, seven-inning shutout over Washington, which was forced to play the last game the previous evening and the first contest the following morning. McCue, an undersized righthander who has committed to North Carolina, had the most impressive arsenal of the trio, with an 89-92 mph fastball and a solid-average curveball and changeup.

Alex Blandino (St. Francis, Mountain View, CA) went 3-for-3 in the opener but competed for playing time throughout the tournament with several middle infielders on Oakland despite a solid swing that produced six hits in 10 trips to the plate.

Washington's Tyler Gonzales (Madison, San Antonio, TX), class of 2012, struck out the side in his lone inning of work. Teammate Dylan LaVelle (Lake Stevens, WA), another junior-to-be, hammered a triple that one-hopped the wall in center field to lead off the game for the Nats. Although LaVelle made a couple of errors at shortstop during the tournament, he was involved in three double plays and appears to have the glove, footwork, and arm to handle the position. His keystone partner, Erik Forgione (W.F. West, Chehalis, WA), was equally adept defensively, making at least one highlight reel play at second. He also doubled to right center on Saturday, one of the few hard hit balls that day.

Michael Conforto (Redmond, WA), who is playing in his second Area Code Games, stroked two hits. A lefthanded-hitting right fielder, Conforto has a powerful swing and a strong arm. Before knowing that TrackMan had measured his max exit speed at a tournament-best 105, I had written down "plus bat speed" next to his name on my roster. Keep an eye on this 6-0, 200-pounder with good bloodlines. His mother won two gold medals in synchronized swimming in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and added a silver in the 1988 Games in Seoul, while his father played linebacker at Penn State for Coach Paterno in the 1970s.

In the game between the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, Bryan Brickhouse (Woodlands, TX), a 6-2, 190-pound righthander, was throwing 92-94 mph gas in the first inning, striking out the side around one walk. He allowed another free pass in the second as well as a single and triple off the bat of Rio Ruiz (Bishop Amat, La Puente, CA), a third baseman and pitcher from the class of 2012, who knocked in two runs and closed out the final inning for the Yankees, lighting up the radar guns with a low-90s fastball.

Fernelys Sanchez (Washington, Bronx, NY), another junior-to-be, ran the best 60 (6.35) on Thursday and stole two bases. Matt Dean (The Colony, TX), an Aflac selection, had a tough time at the plate, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He was 3-for-17 with no XBH or BB and five SO for the tournament. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound third baseman is a two-sport athlete who has committed to Texas to play baseball but is expected to be a high draft pick next June. Teammate Daniel Mengden (Westside, Houston, TX) will also be at the Aflac game next week.

In the final game of the day, Robert Stephenson (Alhambra, Martinez, CA) led the Brewers White to a 6-1 victory over the Reds. The 6-2, 185-pound righthander struck out six batters without allowing a walk or run in three innings. The Aflac All-American was popping his fastball in the low 90s in one of the more impressive outings of the day. Teammate Billy Flamion (Central Catholic, Modesto, CA) was the offensive star of the game, banging out two hits (including a double) and stealing a base. The 6-1, 195-pound, high-energy outfielder went 5-for-17 for the tournament and his big, hard swing will be on display next Sunday in the Aflac game.

On the other side of the diamond, Blake Swihart (Cleveland, Rio Rancho, NM), a 6-1, 175-pound switch-hitting catcher, had two hits and drew rave reviews from many talent evaluators for his offensive and defensive prowess. He is another Aflac selection who hit a team-leading .448 AVG (26-for-58) and .845 SLG (6 2B, 1 3B, and 5 HR) for the USA 18U club. He has also committed to play for the Texas Longhorns. Swihart caught Bonilla, a lefthanded pitcher whose line (2-3-3-3-3-4) left a lot to be desired. However, the University of Southern California commit, who works out of the stretch, flashed good stuff with a fastball that sat in the upper 80s and reached 90 as well as a curve that showed some promise. Interestingly, he walked Dunston, a lefthanded-hitting, fleet-footed outfielder, on four pitches. The latter drew four free passes in 19 plate appearances while stealing two bases and scoring five runs, including a jaw dropper from second base on a dropped third strike and throw to first.

Day Three (Saturday, August 7)

With all of the teams having played at least once heading into the weekend, the biggest names were generally covered in the recap of the first two days. Nonetheless, there were new pitchers who stood out and a few hitters who jumped to the forefront such as Aaron Brown (Chatsworth, CA), who went 4-for-4 in the morning game on his way to a tourney-leading eight hits in 15 at-bats. The L/L outfielder-pitcher has excellent bat and foot speed and flashed a strong arm on Monday when he struck out five batters over just two innings. Milwaukee White teammate Tyler Goeddel (St. Francis, Mountain View, CA), a 6-4, 170-pound third baseman, jacked a stand-up triple into the gap in right center, showing both power and speed on the same play. He has also displayed a great approach at the plate, drawing seven walks while striking out just once. Desmond Henry (Centennial, Compton, CA) sparkled in the 60-yard dash on Thursday with the third-fastest time of 6.47 before transferring his athleticism to the baseball field on Saturday with two doubles. He went 5-for-13 with two BB and two SO overall.

Lots of radar guns went up in the second game when Jerrick Suiter (Valparaiso, IN), a 6-3, 210-pound righthander with a smooth delivery, entered the contest in the fifth. He worked two innings on Saturday and came back and tossed two more on Monday. The three-sport star allowed only one hit, one walk, and no runs while punching out seven of the 14 batters faced in his two outings. Suiter coupled an 88-92 mph fastball with a 73-74 plus curveball. Patrick Hope (Broken Arrow, OK), a 6-3, 185-pound righthander, was 90-91 with a 72-73 hammer curve that was without question the best breaking ball I saw all week. Fellow righty teammate Clayton Blackburn (Santa Fe, Edmond, OK) was 89-90 with a sweeping breaking ball.

In the third game, Lucas Giolito (Harvard-Westlake, North Hollywood, CA), class of 2012, just turned 16 in July, yet matched the best fastball of the tournament by consistently hitting 91-93 and touching 94 on at least one occasion according to the scoreboard display facing the press box. (Note: TrackMan registered his average fastball velocity at 95.8, or 3-4 mph faster than the consensus of the dozens of handheld Stalker Sport radar guns employed by scouts. TrackMan may measure the velocity at the pitcher's release point whereas radar guns and PITCHf/x estimate velocity at about 50 feet from home plate. There may be an additional explanation as well, which I would enjoy receiving from any expert in this area. In the meantime, the TrackMan leaders can be viewed here.) Giolito was wild with his entire repetoire of pitches (which included a 76-80 mph slurve and what appeared to be either a hard change or a two-seamer with more than decent arm-side run. With additional experience, the 6-5, 215-pound righthander may be able to improve upon his command, which was lacking on Saturday as evidenced by the 24 balls against 23 strikes and four free passes in only two innings. If so, he projects to go early in the 2012 draft.

Teammate Adam McCreary (Bonita, La Verne, CA) entered the game in the sixth inning and was announced as Henry Owens due to the lefty's handedness, similar number (38 vs. 36) and size (6-8 vs. 6-7). The PA announcer corrected his mistake, noting the "even taller" McCreary, who pitched a scoreless inning by exhibiting a mid-80s fastball, a 78 mph slider, a 72 mph curve, a 75 mph change, and a good pickoff move to first base. The combination of his polish and projection makes him an intriguing prospect.

Three Yankees pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts in the nightcap with Aflac All-Star Tyler Beede (Lawrence Academy, Groton, MA) and Karl Keglovitz (Nazareth, PA) leading the way with six each. John Magliozzi (Dexter, Brookline, MA), another Aflac selection, chipped in with five Ks. The Florida commit worked in the low 90s. Keith Law, whom I chatted with in between games on Saturday, noted that Magliozzi might be more suited for a relief role due to his arm slot. I agree and believe his lack of height (5'11") may also work against him at the professional level although I overheard one scout liken him to Tim Hudson. Beede (3-2-0-0-0-6) exhibited outstanding command of a low-90s fastball and solid secondary pitches. The 6-4, 200-pound righthander has committed to Vanderbilt.

Day Four (Sunday, August 8)

The two early games were low-scoring affairs with Phillip Evans (La Costa Canyon, Carlsbad, CA) the only player to produce two hits in the opener. He plays hard but is not the best-bodied or most toolsy athlete in the tournament. However, he did make an over-the-shoulder catch that turned heads earlier in the week.

Although he gave up two runs, righthander Mathew Troupe (Chaminade, West Hills, CA) fanned seven batters without allowing a walk in three innings. The Oregon State commit, who is now up to 6-1, 185 pounds, consistently pounded the strike zone (41 strikes and 14 balls) and may turn out to be an effective, if unspectacular pitcher.

In the third game, the White Sox's Mason Snyder (Marquette, Ottawa, IL) followed Tilson's aforementioned dinger with a double high off the 348-foot mark on the left-field wall. Dylan Delso (Broken Arrow, OK) went 2-for-2 en route to a 6-for-9 tourney with three BB and no SO. He topped all hitters in the Triple Crown of rate stats, putting up a line of .667/.750/1.000. Kyle Shaw and Ty Hensley (both from Santa Fe, Edmond, OK) touched 90 but generally worked in the mid- to high-80s. Kevin Comer (Seneca, Tabernacle, NJ) of the Yankees was the most impressive pitcher of the game as he whiffed nine in four innings while allowing only one hit, one walk, and one run. The righty's fastball sat at 87-89 and peaked at 90 but it was his secondary pitches that caught my eye, including a 76-78 mph slider with good tilt, a changeup with fade, and a two-seamer with tailing action that he used primarily against LHB.

In the finale, Elliot Richoux (The Woodlands, TX), a lefthanded-hitting first baseman, bombed a double off the top of the wall in right field (although it should be noted that the pitch was an 80-mph "fastball" from someone who will most likely stick at his more natural first base position). McElroy picked up a couple hits en route to a 4-for-7 tourney with two stolen bases. The righthanded lead-off hitter and a bunt single and ran a 4.39 to first base on a broken bat groundout to the second baseman. Nick Williams (Ball, Galveston, TX), a 6-2, 185-pound outfielder, deserves mention for recording the best SPARQ test results on Thursday despite being a member of the 2012 class. Only 16, his baseball skills are still a bit raw but his athleticism coupled with his tall, projectable body suggest he could be one of the top players in the Area Code Games next summer.

Zac Freeman (Lowndes, Valdosta, GA) was, for me, the most impressive player on Oakland's squad. He went 3-for-10 with a double and a triple plus three walks and made an outstanding diving catch going to his left in shallow center field. Disregarding his poor pitching performance on Monday, the only criticism is perhaps an overly aggressive swing that led to six whiffs in 13 plate appearances.

Parker French (Dripping Springs, TX), a big righthander, started for Texas and pitched two shutout innings with four Ks. He was popping the catcher's glove with a 90-93 mph fastball and threw several 76-78 slurves, as well as at least one plus changeup. Hayman was 90-91 but lacked consistent command in his second appearance and Darren Whatley (Bibb County, Centerville, AL) was 88-90 with his four-seamer and generally 85 with his two-seamer.

Day Five (Monday, August 9)

I didn't make it out to Blair Field on Monday in what was the final full-day schedule of the six-day tournament. The primary attraction was the all-California matchup between the Milwaukee Brewers Blue and White teams. Of note, all of the players on the Blue side are from Southern California while the majority of the players on the White are from Northern California. As it turns out, the Blue beat the White, 5-1.

Owens made his second start of the Area Code Games, hurling two hitless, scoreless innings while striking out and walking two. With four innings of no-hit, no-run ball and eight Ks, Owens was probably the star of the showcase event. Assuming good health, the sky is the limit for this special talent.

Aflac All-American Daniel Camarena (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego, CA) knocked in the first run for the Blue with a long double to straightaway center. The 6-2, 200-pound L/L is a two-way threat who has committed to University of San Diego. Baseball America sees him as a "high average, low strikeout, gap-to-gap, line drive hitter." Teammate Austin Hedges (JSerra, San Juan Capistrano, CA), also an Aflac selection, had two hits and was 4-for-10 overall. He is an outstanding defensive catcher with a strong arm that was obvious to anyone paying attention before and during the games. Flamion just missed jacking a home run down the RF line for the White, a blast that TrackMan recorded at 385 feet or what would have been the longest hit of the tournament had it gone fair.

The Brewers White team played back-to-back games, coming off a 10-1 win over the A's before facing their Blue rivals. Dante Flores (St. John Bosco, Bellflower, CA), Blake Grant-Parks (Yuba City, CA), and Kevin Kramer (Turlock, CA) each contributed two hits in the victory. The 5-10, 160-pound Flores (5-for-10 with three 2B, two BB, and only one SO) is a highly skilled SS/2B, a local favorite who is likely to honor his commitment to USC.

Cincinnati's Kavin Keyes (Alta, Sandy, UT), a switch-hitting infielder, led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and finishing the tourney with a .500 AVG (7-for-14). Stankiewicz, meanwhile, sparked the defense with two web gems at second base. The switch hitter has committed to Cal State Fullerton. The Nats' Clint Coulter (Union, Camas, WA) and Austin Diemer (Rocklin, CA), a late add to Washington's roster, produced all five of their team's hits in 2-0 victory over the Yankees. Seven pitchers threw one inning each with only Blake Snell (Shorewood, Shoreline, MA) striking out two.

Day Six (Tuesday, August 10)

On the final day of the Area Code Games, the manager of the A's let McCue stretch out his arm by throwing 69 pitches over the first four innings (4-4-1-1-1-4). He led all pitchers with six innings of work.

Cameron Gallagher (Manheim Township, Lancaster, PA), an Aflac All-American catcher, went 2-for-3 with a double, raising his overall average to .273 with three hits in 11 AB. The 6-3, 215-pounder has committed to East Carolina.

Although hope and change has been a popular phrase the past two years, it's really Hope and his curveball. The Chicago righthander threw two scoreless innings, once again using his put-away breaking ball to strike out five batters to give him a total of eight in just four frames. Kukuk, Fulmer, lefty Brett Lilek (Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, IL), and Shaw followed Hope to the mound, combining to pitch six innings while allowing just one hit two walks, and one run. Lilek struck out the side in the seventh. It was a bit of redemption for the junior-to-be as he allowed three runs (two earned) in his only other outing of the tourney. Eierman was the offensive star, going 3-for-4 and lifting him into the top ten for H, AVG, SLG, and RBI.

In the final game of the tournament, McCreary started for the Milwaukee Blue club and threw two innings but failed to punch out anyone in his two appearances. Giolito gave up five hits, two walks, and seven runs in 1.2 IP, showing once again that he is far from a finished product. Camarena tripled and scored two runs. At the other end of the spectrum, Max Homick (Rancho Bernando, San Diego, CA), projected by Baseball America to go in the first round in 2011 in a mock draft back in March, had a forgettable tournament, failing to get a hit in 11 AB while striking out four times. His highlight was throwing out a runner at home from left field. Keyes and Brett Harrison (Green Valley, Henderson, NV) had two hits each for the victorious Reds. The latter went 5-for-11 with four BB, one HBP, and three SO in 16 PA overall.

The following players were the most notable in my judgment:

Top 5 Hitters

• Travis Harrison, OF, Tustin HS, Tustin, CA.

• Michael Conforto, OF, Redmond HS, Redmond, WA.

• Billy Flamion, OF, Central Catholic HS, Modesto, CA.

• Derek Starling, OF, Edgerton HS, Gardner, KN.

• (tied) Johnny Eierman, SS, Warsaw HS, Warsaw, MO and Daniel Camarena, 1B/OF, Cathedral Catholic HS, San Diego, CA.

Top 5 Pitchers

• Most advanced: Henry Owens, LHP, Edison HS, Huntington Beach, CA.

• Most polished: Tyler Beede, RHP, Lawrence Academy, Auburn, MA.

• Best fastball: (tied) Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard Westlake HS, Los Angeles, CA and Dylan Davis, RHP, Redmond HS, Redmond, WA.

• Best breaking ball: Patrick Hope, RHP, Broken Arrow HS, Broken Arrow, OK.

• Most upside: Owens and Giolito.

For those of you who are interested in following high school prospects, be sure to tune in to the 2010 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic on Sunday, August 15 at 5 p.m. PDT. The game will be broadcast live nationally by Fox Sports Net.

Kila Ka’aihue has been on fantasy radars for quite some time, despite not being given a fair shake in the Major Leagues. At least, until now… Hopefully…

In 2008 Ka’aihue spent time at Double & Triple-A, hitting .314 with 37 HR and 100 RBI as a 24-year old. Yet, the Royals gave him just 21 at bats with the big league club.

In 2009, again Ka’aihue was banished to Triple-A. Maybe it was the disappointment of not being given a true opportunity, but he struggled in the Pacific Coast League, hitting .252 with 17 HR and 57 RBI.

This season he has come storming back. At Triple-A he hit .319 with 24 HR and 78 RBI in just 323 AB, warranting a return to the Majors. Despite having Billy Butler at first base and Jose Guillen at DH, you have to think that the Royals are not bringing him up to simply sit on the bench. He’s going to get a chance to play, one way or another, so it’s up to Ka’aihue to prove that he deserves it.

He has a tremendous eye at the plate, something he has displayed even during his struggles in 2009. This season he has posted a strikeout-to-walk rate of 69-to-88. Last season he was at 85-to-102. For his minor league career he is at 689-to-673.

That’s not a typo. Over 3,360 AB he was walked almost as many times as he has struck out. That’s something that very few can say, especially with the type of power he has displayed. It’s a huge upside and makes him an attractive piece to a lineup.

His average this season is based on an above average BABIP of .343, so you would expect a falloff of some sort. He doesn’t have the speed to justify that type of number, but with his eye he could be above average. While he may not hit .300, he certainly could hit at least .280 or .290 this season. As he actually gets an opportunity and settles in, he could be a long-term .300 hitter.

Ka’aihue puts enough balls in the air to justify the power and think that he could be at least a 25 HR hitter in the Majors. This season he has posted a fly ball rate of 40.3 percent and since 2005 he’s at 45.3 percent.

You can argue that he’s old for the level, or that he’s playing in the Pacific Coast League. In 2008, 26 of his home runs came prior to his recall, however, so that argument is not fully justified. He’s proven before that he has power outside of the PCL and I would expect it to translate. 

Granted, he has no speed but he’s a first baseman. Just how many of them are running all over the field?

The Royals need to finally find out exactly what they have in Ka’aihue. At 26-years old he’s entering his prime, yet hasn’t been given an opportunity to actually help the team.  It makes no sense, but it would appear that finally, they have come to their senses.

In shallower formats he’s not likely to be worth grabbing, but in deeper formats and keeper leagues, he’s certainly worth stashing. While his position eligibility does limit his value (he’s only eligible at DH right now), his bat could potentially be a difference maker.

What are your thoughts on Ka’aihue? Will he produce? How good could he be?

Make sure to check out our recent Scouting Reports:

• Brett Cecil
• Wade Davis
• David DeJesus
• Jason Donald
• John Ely
• Brett Gardner
• Tom Gorzelanny
• John Jaso
• Mat Latos
• Brad Lincoln
• Jonathan Lucroy
• James McDonald
• Kris Medlen
• Brett Myers
• Jonathan Niese
• Andrew Oliver
• Manny Parra
• Jake Peavy
• Sean Rodriguez
• Mike Stanton
• Andres Torres
• Travis Wood

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For Goodness Shakes XTFestival 2010 Two of the UK's top cycling professionals have thrown their weight behind a new course built on Army training land in Surrey. The country's top off-road triathlete Sam Gardner and GB second-ranked mountain biker Billy Jo Whenman, who rides under the Whyte UK colours, took to the Gibraltar Barracks course to test the track out for the upcoming XT Festival in September. And their verdict? "It was a blast! It's tough enough to give any serious rider the burn and more fun than a wicker basket full of monkeys." Festival organiser Toby Jenkins is thrilled that the two pros have given the 6km track their blessing. He even rode with them and is now paying the price! He said: "I knew that agreeing to ride the FGS XTFestival bike route with Billy and Sam was going to be tough but I seriously under estimated by how much. "Only moments after starting I knew that keeping up was going to be wildly impossible as I saw the pro's ride up an incline that most mortals would imagine was very steep indeed. From this point on I assumed the 'cameraman role' and hid in the trees!" said Toby. The route? It's off road, though woodland trails and forest tracks with sharp inclines and enough overtaking tracks to make this race perfect for all types. Sam and Billy agreed that the hills are going to burn, especially after 3hrs, but with spectators able to cheer from most parts of the course and recovery drinks supplied by For Goodness Shakes, everyone will have a great day of racing. Race dates: 25-26 September 2010 Full details: www.xtfestival.co.uk Events: XTT - 1500 swim - 26k MTB - 10k run XTD - 5k run – 12k MTB – 2.5k run XTS - 1500m swim XT5k - 5k run XT10k - 10k run XT21k - 21k run XTM - 4hr Enduro

By: E.R. Shipp

Once upon a time, the ultimate concentration of black political power in Brooklyn lay in Weeksville, a strategically planned village of free black property holders that began in 1838 in what is now Bedford-Stuyvesant.

"Weeksville was created to be a political base," says Jennifer Scott, director of research at the Weeksville Heritage Center. The settlement (sometimes referred to as a colony) played a critical role in the abolitionist movement, including stops along the Underground Railroad; and it became a haven for blacks fleeing racial violence in Manhattan in the 1860s during the Civil War. Businesses, churches and a school thrived there. Eventually as the new Brooklyn Bridge made this part of Brooklyn accessible to Manhattanites and others, and as blacks spread throughout greater Brooklyn--a city separate from New York until 1898--Weeksville ceased being a separate community and, ultimately, was forgotten.

But in the late 1960s, amid an unprecedented period of activism spurred in part by anti-poverty programs and urban-renewal plans, Weeksville was rediscovered, becoming in its own way a spur to activism.

Nearly half a century later, Charles Barron--a self-described radical, onetime Black Panther Party member and now an outspoken representative of eastern Brooklyn on the New York City Council--pronounces the state of black politics in Brooklyn as dire. "We are in a state of powerlessness. We have power within our hands; we just won't collectively use it." Rep. Edolphus "Ed" Towns, the dean of the Brooklyn congressional delegation, echoes that sentiment, noting that from city council to state legislature to Congress, black Brooklyn is present, but not necessarily potent. "We have a tremendous amount of potential, and in many instances we are not utilizing it. But it's there," he said, adding: "We do not talk to each other enough to come up with an agenda we all can rally around."

Kevin Powell, a writer and activist who is challenging Towns in the Sept. 14 Democratic primary, says blacks in Brooklyn are ridiculously disempowered when compared to their ranks of elected officials. There is, indeed, potential, he says, but too many office-holders have formed "little ghetto monarchies" where "they think they own a political seat and think they own a piece of Brooklyn." Their main interest, he says, is in keeping themselves, their relatives and their friends in power.  Powell and others say they have turned off younger middle-class entrepreneurs, professionals and homeowners who have found alternative means of addressing black Brooklyn's socioeconomic needs and perhaps of ultimately displacing entrenched political power.

From the sidelines, Al Sharpton, a Brooklyn scion whose sights have long spread beyond local black politics but whose Godfather-like seal of approval is coveted by prospective candidates, says that even with the evolving spheres of influence, "the bad news is none of it is coordinated."

Welcome to Brooklyn 2010, home to about 954,960 blacks, more than any other county in the United States. Whites of the non-Hispanic variety number about 944,690; Hispanics about 492,880. Harlem in Manhattan has the name and the cultural icons, but Brooklyn has the numbers, and its politics is nothing if not drama-filled. A member of the city council was assassinated--yes assassinated--in the council chamber by a rival in 2003.  There's a reason why Brooklyn has been immortalized in rap lyrics, a Mike Tyson tattoo and with the "Bed-Stuy Do or Die" antics of Spike Lee's film, Do The Right Thing.  In Brooklyn, known for its political pageantry, the streets speak to the suites.

In the early 1960s, once blacks were able to spread out across more of central Brooklyn--especially as the borough's black middle class of doctors, lawyers, teachers and the like left--leaders found it more difficult to carry out the kind of voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives sponsored by such organizations as the Unity Democratic Club.  (The UDC, don't forget, produced, among others, Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman in Congress and the first woman to run for president in a major party.) The poorer folks left behind were much more vulnerable to the kind of tamp-down-the-vote shenanigans of white political bosses that would have made their Southern counterparts proud.

As a founder of the UDC, Thomas R. Jones helped launch a base of political enlightenment and activism among the poor in 1966. Accompanying New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on a more-or-less routine walkabout through black slums, he told the senator that the one thing Bedford-Stuyvesant did not need was to be studied yet again. As the New York Times recounted in Jones' 2006 obituary: "'I'm weary of study, senator, very weary,'" Justice Jones said. "‘The Negro people are angry, senator, and judge that I am, I'm angry too.'"  Soon Kennedy set into motion what became the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, intended to be a model for the nation, and Jones, a longtime fighter for social justice who was then a trial court judge, was its first chair. Among those who emerged from that was Al Vann, now a member of the city council and, according to Towns, the person black Brooklynites of all persuasions tend to turn to for guidance.

For many decades, even before elected officials and activists emerged from the anti-poverty programs of the 1960s and 1970s, there were powerful ministers like Gardner Taylor and Milton A. Galamison and William Augustus Jones--close allies of Martin Luther King Jr.--who harnessed the power of their constituents and acted upon economic, education and civil rights issues during what was still very much an "Up South" era of Brooklyn history. In 1962, for instance, when the Brooklyn chapter of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) was the most active in the North, these ministers and others joined Brooklyn CORE in a dramatic protest, demanding jobs for blacks during construction of a major medical center. Together they fought to break the barriers that prevented blacks from moving into certain neighborhoods and into new housing developments. But that was then.

Barron says that many younger participants in the political system don't have "the fire in their bellies" that propelled an earlier generation. But maybe that is because they don't want to become inside players more interested in knocking others off ballots, securing their own positions and promoting the candidacies of family members than in addressing most broadly--and sometimes not so politely--the needs of the people of their districts.  The ghetto monarchs, Powell says, "may have had good intentions in the very beginning, but somewhere along the line they lost their way." He adds: "We need 21st-century solutions to the many challenges facing our people. You can't just get up there and think that you can take people to casinos, give them turkeys at Thanksgiving and maybe send them a Christmas card."

In Brooklyn, competition and compromise have resembled Chicago more than Atlanta. They have long revolved around deal-making involving blacks against blacks (often, for lack of a better distinction, African Americans versus Caribbean Americans), blacks against Jews (especially the Hasidic sects) and blacks against Italians.  The outcome of these battles has usually been much more personal power than people power. And that's where human loud speakers like Charles Barron, the late Sonny Carson and Sharpton have come in.  Since the late-1960s, three major protest movements--none of them led by traditional political leadership--have shaped Brooklyn politics and had an impact on who is heard from, whether by formally standing for office or wielding influence from the streets. These were the 1960s and '70s battles for community control of public schools (still a subject of interest), the 1989 murder of a black teenager in Italian Bensonhurst and a violent clash in 1991 between blacks and Hasidic Jews in Crown Heights that left a black child and a Jewish scholar dead.

Of course, political power or influence is not solely exerted from the club houses or the streets. Barbershops and beauty parlors still hold sway. But no politician or wannabe would pass up an opportunity to address church associations or organizations like the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which draws from the entrepreneurial class.  According to Roy Hastick Sr., president of the chamber, his organization has  provided "advice and counsel" to elected officials  throughout its 25-year history. Another non-politics "political" organization is the West Indian Day Carnival Association, whose parade each Labor Day draws about 2 million people--including political figures seeking to curry favors, especially among the professional associations whose members march, sponsor floats and, when election days roll around, vote. Jones sees the organization as having "an enormous latent political power."

Even if Barron's observation is true that many of the younger crop of politicians don't have the fire in the belly of the older generations, a lot of them do come with name recognition.  In the state legislature, for instance, there is Towns' son, Darryl, and Barron's wife Inez. In the U.S. House of Representatives, there is Yvette Clarke, daughter of former city council member, Una. And challenging the Brooklyn political machine by seeking a position as a district leader is Rep. Major Owens' son, Chris.

One of the most recognized names among the cognoscenti these days is Bill Thompson, who crafted a political career first, from being the son of a prominent party official, legislator and appellate judge, and then from being an aide to the Brooklyn borough president (sort of like a mini-mayor). He parlayed those connections into election as the city's comptroller in 2001; then he launched a campaign for mayor that hardly anyone gave much hope.  With only about $8 million, he came close to unseating Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who spent more than $100 million of his own money for re-election to a third term last year. Having announced that he is running again in 2013, Thompson is now biding his time at an investment bank.

Thompson faces many obstacles, not the least of which is Bloomberg, who just may seek a fourth term and again spend from his own pockets like a drunken sailor. But between now and 2013, other candidates may also emerge with the blessings of Bloomberg and other high rollers. Those who did not support him in 2009, including black elected officials, labor leaders and big-name ministers like Floyd Flake, Calvin Butts and Brooklyn-based A.R. Bernard, might come around if the tea leaves line up right. But observers of the scene say that most of all, while making his money as an investment banker, he has to come up with a compelling message, focusing on issues that prospective voters care about and that make him relevant.  And he has to be visible. "You have to be vocal. You have to take leadership," says Barron.  "If he does, Billy Thompson will be the second black mayor of New York City."

And, Barron, in the meantime, hopes to become the second black governor of the state of New York. He has formed the Freedom Party, channeling the spirit of Fannie Lou Hamer who was "sick and tired of being sick and tired" when she formed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in Mississippi in 1964.

As he looks ahead, David R. Jones, a lifelong Brooklynite, sees two things about which to be optimistic. First, there is a newer breed of people entering politics, many of them women.

Second, there is a resurgence of a black middle class interested in improving their lives and thus those of their neighbors. "This includes a reversal of out-migration and expansion of the entrepreneurial class," Jones said. These newcomers have the ability not only to raise money for candidates and causes but also to re-invigorate community institutions and to hold accountable officials who they summon to appear before them. After all, they vote.

As all this goes on, Sharpton, who no longer lives in Brooklyn, sees a natural system of checks and balances. I see that, and chaos, too. But I also see a potential return to the spirit of Weeksville, led by independent people with political, social and entrepreneurial vision that transcends the tribalism--or ghetto monarchies--that prevail now.

E.R. Shipp won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1996.

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Part of having success in fantasy baseball is having the right guys on your team at the right time. Some guys like Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera hit anytime, so there is no peak point for them. Then there are guys who are just better for one reason or another at a certain point of the season. Here are six guys who have proven throughout their careers to be better hitters once the second half rolls around. Some of them are guys you can get off waivers and some are guys you may have to trade for, but if they can produce the same second half’s as they have in the past, they could be the kind of guys to help carry you to the top of your league in the second half.

Adam LaRoche: He is one of the most dramatic first to second half split guys you’ll find out there. From 2007 – 2009 LaRoche’s first half batting average is .246, his second half average is .309. LaRoche’s power also takes a jump with a HR per every 25.6 ABs in the first half and 19.5 in the second half of the last three seasons. Add to it that he is still available in 20% of ESPN leagues and could be traded to a better lineup and he’s a welcome addition who should come quite cheaply.

Nick Markakis: The splits for Markakis between first and second half aren’t as dramatic as some, but what the trends show is that he does find a bit more power as the season goes on. Last year he went from a homer every 43.9 ABs to one every 29.1 ABs. Not a tremendous number, but it’s an increase. We’re already seeing Markakis getting hot with 3 HRs in just half this month so far. He’s never going to be an elite power guy, but he does tend to find the fences a bit more as the weather warms up.

Magglio Ordonez: His second half batting averages the last three years are as follows: .358 in ‘07, .330 in ‘08 and .375 in ‘09. In those three years he has just as many homeruns and almost as many RBI in the second half despite 135 less ABs than the first. He’s aging and at some point in his career you’d think this trend would start going the other way as his body can’t handle the stress of the season, but until you see that happening he’s a good guy to own. He should push once again for 20 HRs and 100 runs and RBI. I think you can get him for less than he’s worth in a trade in many leagues.

Billy Butler: The guy with all the promise in the world has had two big second halves the last two years and if he does it again this year he could compete for the batting title by the end of the year. Last year Butler hit .314 with 13 HRs and 55 RBI. That is a homerun every 22 ABs, a considerable amount better than his 36.6 he has so far this year which is close to the 40.1 he had in the first half last year. Expect the batting average to stay up there, but hopefully we’ll once again see some of the power we’ve all been longing for from Butler.

Mark Ellis: This one is a bit of a stretch perhaps since he’s owned in less than 2% of ESPN leagues, but Mark Ellis is a second half sleeper. I touted him as a preseason sleeper as well and so far it hasn’t worked out that great. He has a tendency to get it done in the second half. Last year he hit .279 with 7 HRs, 43 RBI, 38 Rs and 7 SBs. Those kind of numbers over two months are bordering on top ten 2B territory. He battled a lot of injuries in 2008s second half, but if you go back to 2007 he had even better numbers then 2009 hitting .286 with 11 HRs, 35 RBI and 48 Rs. There are a lot of middle infielders on the shelf right now and if Ellis puts up the kind of second half numbers he has put up throughout his career he could be usable in many leagues.

Nyjer Morgan: He’s still pretty young into his career to peg him as a second half hitter, but early signs point to him making the most noise in the later stages of the season. In 2008 Morgan batted .347 in the second half and scored 20 runs despite not getting regular playing time until September. Than in 2009, before losing the whole month of September to injury, Morgan hit .365 with 29 runs scored and 18 stolen bases. He hasn’t gotten on base as much as you’d like this year, but hopefully that can change in the second half and with it will undoubtedly come with load of steals as well.

So here are the hitters I have found to be potential second half breakouts. Obviously this isn’t everyone, so who are you banking on for a big second half for your teams? Someone on this list or someone else, let’s hear your thoughts for the second half of fantasy baseball.

 

Make sure to check out our recent Scouting Reports:

• Brett Cecil
• Wade Davis
• David DeJesus
• Jason Donald
• John Ely
• Brett Gardner
• Tom Gorzelanny
• John Jaso
• Mat Latos
• Brad Lincoln
• Jonathan Lucroy
• Kris Medlen
• Jonathan Niese
• Andrew Oliver
• Manny Parra
• Jake Peavy
• Sean Rodriguez
• Mike Stanton
• Andres Torres

And look out tomorrow for the 6 pitchers to grab as well.

Make no mistake: Billy the Kid was a "cattle rustler and a stone-cold killer" who single-handedly murdered four men and played a role in the deaths of scores of others, writes Mark Lee Gardner in the Los Angeles Times . But New Mexico owes him a pardon over a long-ago deal...