Truth & Rumors: Oct. 6, 2004

MLB

Santana's the Cy Young fave, but it won't net him any bonus money. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images • Pete McEntegart: The 10 Spot -- Wed., Oct. 6 • Truth & Rumors: Rangers, Royals after Sosa? • Mark Bechtel: Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s dirty words • John Rolfe: Is there really a Red Sox curse? • More Blogs: Chen | Scheft | Ballard | Whitaker Click here for Today's Sign of the Apocalypse, Game to Watch, Leading Off gallery and much more!

The Rangers and Royals are two of the leading options for possible Sammy Sosa deals. The Texas scenario contains Chan Ho Park and Alfonso Soriano, and increases the chance the Cubs could sign Carlos Beltran. Any talks between the Cubs and Mets would involve either outfielder Cliff Floyd or Mike Piazza. With Larry Walker gone, Colorado could get into the bidding.
 -- Chicago Tribune

Sosa would welcome a trade to the Yankees.
 -- Chicago Sun-Times

The Rangers will exhaust all options to try and deal Park. The financial commitment to him is so high and the returns have been so low, it's going to be hard to find somebody to take him.
 -- The Dallas Morning News

About the only contract in baseball more untradeable than Sosa's is Jason Giambi's. So as much as Mets GM Omar Minaya may have a soft spot in his heart for Sosa, all the autonomy in the world couldn't get owner Fred Wilpon to fund that reunion.
 -- New York Daily News

Because his current $1.6 million contract was determined through salary arbitration rather than being negotiated with the Twins, Johan Santana won't receive a performance bonus if he wins the Cy Young Award, as expected. Neither would he receive bonuses for postseason play, such as being selected MVP in the ALCS or World Series. Normally, a Cy Young Award is worth a $50,000 bonus.
 -- St. Paul Pioneer Press

The Red Sox are expected to make strong pushes to re-sign Jason Varitek and their other top potential free agent, Pedro Martinez, during their 15 days of exclusive negotiating rights after the World Series.
 -- Boston Globe

The Mets are planning to interview Yankees bench coach Willie Randolph for the vacant managerial job.
 -- Newark Star-Ledger

Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta hopes to have manager Jim Tracy and the coaching staff re-signed for 2005 before their current contracts expire on Oct. 31.
 -- Los Angeles Daily News

Owner Drayton McLane plans to speak with commissioner Bud Selig to see if the Astros can lift the interim tag off manager Phil Garner without going through the process of interviewing minority candidates.
 -- Houston Chronicle

Phillies GM Ed Wade declined to name any managerial candidate except Charlie Manuel. Triple A managing savant Marc Bombard might also be interviewed. Expect the likes of Grady Little, Don Baylor (already campaigning), John Russell, Jim Leyland, Cito Gaston, Juan Samuel and Willie Randolph as likely A-list candidates.
 -- Philadelphia Daily News

Larry Bowa said he believes the Phillies had made up their minds to fire him before the season started if they failed to make the postseason.
  -- Philadelphia Inquirer

Fired Mariners hitting coach Paul Molitor isn't sure where he'll be working next season. But he's expected to check in with the Twins.
 -- St. Paul Pioneer Press

Orioles bench coach Sam Perlozzo could be a managerial candidate if Pat Gillick ends up running the Washington franchise.
 -- Baltimore Sun

Pirates GM David Littlefield is on the record saying that the team is always looking to upgrade. He should start with the field manager position. Lloyd McClendon is not taking this team any farther.
 -- Pittsburgh Tribune Review

If the Dodgers can't re-sign free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, look for them to pursue the Twins' Corey Koskie.
 -- St. Paul Pioneer Press

Even though White Sox outfielder Magglio Ordonez had knee surgery in Europe two weeks ago, he should be at full speed by Christmas, an orthopedic radiologist said. GM Ken Williams remains optimistic that the Sox can sign Ordonez, but with negotiations having broken off numerous times, it seems the sides will part ways.
 -- Chicago Sun-Times

The Indians have targeted between 12 and 15 free-agent starting pitchers. Russ Ortiz, Odalis Perez, Matt Clement, Derek Lowe, Cory Lidle, Paul Wilson, Brad Radke, Eric Milton, Jon Leiber, Orlando Hernandez, Kris Benson, Ismael Valdez, Brett Tomko and Matt Morris could be among them.
 -- Cleveland Plain Dealer

New owner Mark Attanasio will increase the Brewers' payroll from $27.5 million, the lowest in the National League. He wouldn't say how high he'll go, but a good guess would be between $40 million and $45 million.
 -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

NFL

Packers QB Brett Favre is expected to play Monday, keeping alive his streak of 193 straight starts. "We'll watch him very closely," said coach Mike Sherman. The NFL is conducting eight different studies on concussions to better diagnose, treat and ultimately prevent them.
 -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Apparently infused with a new passion for football or new need for income, Ricky Williams has petitioned the NFL for a hearing to determine his status as a first step toward returning to the game. Despite a public stance in which the Dolphins asked Williams to report to the team to avoid the arbitration hearing, Miami likely would seek to trade Williams.
  -- Miami Herald

With the NFL expected to discipline Ravens tailback Jamal Lewis, his representatives will maintain that the league lacks jurisdiction over conduct that occurred before a player has signed his first NFL contract.
 -- Washington Post

The Bucs will announce their starting quarterback today. Brad Johnson appears to be out and Chris Simms appears to be in.
 -- Tampa Tribune

The Jets have to decide whether to re-sign defensive end John Abraham before he becomes a free agent after the season or possibly slap the franchise tag on him if they can't reach a deal.
 -- Newark Star-Ledger

Kicker Damon Duval worked out at Giants on Monday and the team is also considering Todd France, David Kimball and Jeff Chandler.
 -- Newark Star Ledger

The Patriots signed Matt Light to a six-year contract extension worth $27 million, released second-year safety Shawn Mayer, and worked out three receivers -- Chris Cole, Kevin Kasper and Ahmad Merritt, all veterans who are better known for their special teams work.
 -- Boston Herald

For the second time this season, the Chiefs released punter Jason Baker.
 -- Kansas City Star

NBA

Scottie Pippen, who retired yesterday, said he is undecided about his next career but will be at the Bulls' training camp indefinitely to "help teach the young players and to pretty much do whatever the coaches ask me to do. As for coaching, it's something that's instilled within me. But I don't plan to at this time.''
 -- Chicago Sun-Times

As Karl Malone vacillates between returning and retiring, and Vlade Divac's back fluctuates between hurting a lot and hurting a lot more, Brian Grant's role with the Lakers grows considerably.
 -- Los Angeles Times

Alonzo Mourning, attempting a comeback after undergoing a life-saving kidney transplant, admits the summer dismantling of the Nets by the club's new ownership has given him second thoughts about signing with New Jersey in the first place.
 -- New York Post

The Nets are holding talks about a contract extension for center Jason Collins.
 -- New York Post

Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy are wondering if this will be their last year in Golden State.
 -- Oakland Tribune

Suns GM Bryan Colangelo has held "informal talks" about a contract extension over the past two months with Joe Johnson's agent, Arn Tellem.
 -- Arizona Republic

The Clippers said they would attempt to sign Kerry Kittles to an extension, but the veteran guard apparently wanted to first test the waters with his new team.
 -- Los Angeles Times

It's become increasingly clear that knee-rehabbing Allan Houston has no intention of playing in the Knicks' season opener.
 -- New York Post

Sam Cassell's absence from the Timberwolves should be over today.
 -- St. Paul Pioneer Press

NHL

NHL vice president Bill Daly said, "There's been no contact (with the NHLPA), formal or informal, back channel or front channel or whatever channel." With no talks, and with more and more players every day finding work, the sense that the season is already lost is building momentum.
 -- Toronto Star

The fate of the mothballed World Hockey Association could be known today as a mystery businessman attempts to complete purchase of the paper league as a single entity. Ricky Smith, who described himself as "a lumber magnate," said last night lawyers were studying documentation for the purchase of the WHA trademark from co-founders Allan Howell and Dr. Nick Vaccaro.
 -- Toronto Sun

Referee Mark Faucette and linesman Darren Gibbs, who were fired by former NHL director of officiating Andy van Hellemond, will be reinstated and/or be compensated after an arbitrator ruled they were unjustly terminated.
 -- National Post

Soccer

Malcolm Glazer is to launch a charm offensive to persuade fellow major Manchester United shareholders to back his proposed takeover bid. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner, who has a 19.2 percent stake in United, is aware he needs other shareholders behind him if his £700m takeover is to be successful.
  -- Manchester Evening News

Manchester United supporters around the world were rallying yesterday to fight a possible takeover by Glazer. Representatives of influential fans group Shareholders United (SU) staged a demonstration against Glazer before Sunday's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough and have been inundated with inquiries over the last 48 hours.
 -- Manchester Evening News

A militant wing of Manchester United supporters is ready to mobilize on both sides of the Atlantic to deter Glazer. The house and two cars owned by 61-year-old United director Maurice Watkins were daubed with red paint on Monday night. The attack is believed to be the first act of a sustained campaign to destabilize any attempted takeover of the stock-market-listed club. Acts of violence have not been ruled out.
 -- The Guardian (UK)

Fulham's Andy Cole has been banned for six games and handed a heavy fine after being found guilty of violent conduct and abusing a match official in the 1-1 draw at West Brom last month.
 -- The Guardian (UK)