But those AAA playoffs can be pressure-packed
From Mariner to Ranger to Yankee to … Mud Hen?
The Tigers’ top minor-league team in Toledo, Ohio, just jumped into the Alex Rodriguez free-agent sweepstakes, the Detroit Free Press reported. Seems Hank Steinbrenner - son of the Yankees’ owner - threw down the gauntlet when A-Rod opted out of his contract, saying, “Does he want to go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee, or a Toledo Mud Hen?”
So the Class AAA Mud Hens fired off an offer to agent Scott Boras promising incentives for such things as hitting 75 home runs or leading the Mud Hens to 10 consecutive International League titles.
One other caveat: Mud Hens third baseman Mike Hessman is the reigning league MVP.
Quoting the letter: “Would your client be willing to play a different position?”
Watch your toes
A woman bid nearly $1,000 at a charity auction to win front-row tickets to a Minnesota Timberwolves game and restaurant reservations with forward Mark Madsen, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.
Signing an injury waiver is mandatory, we assume, if this dinner date includes dancing.
Goliath, giving 38 ½
Why all the angst about touchdown celebrations and lopsided scores? Such things have their roots in history, noted David Kendrick of the San Antonio Express-News.
“David famously cut off Goliath’s head after his most shocking upset,” Kendrick argued, “and no one accused him of being classless [presumably, that is, until the postgame call-in show].
“Abraham Lincoln espoused a more compassionate philosophy, saying, ‘Mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.’ But then again, he didn’t pull his starters until his triumph was well in hand, either.”
All That Jazz Dept.
Snippet from a Utah Jazz Q&A, courtesy of the Deseret News’ Brad Rock:
Q: “Is Deron Williams the best point guard in America?
A: “Thanks to Steve Nash, he’s not even the best in Canada.
Q: “Is [Andrei] Kirilenko going to cry again this year?
A: “Sure he is. You’d cry too if you made $13 million a year and still couldn’t get a good haircut.”
Yankee stripper
“It was such a nice day here in New York City,” noted CBS’ David Letterman, “Alex Rodriguez opted out of his pants.”
Improper Senderoff
Assistant coach Rob Senderoff, a central figure in a telephone recruiting scandal that has besmirched the Indiana basketball program, resigned this week, and veteran Hoosiers watchers expressed shock.
No, not that Senderoff quit - that head coach Kelvin Sampson didn’t announce the news with a conference call.
Write on
• Reggie Hayes of the Fort Wayne (Ind.) News-Sentinel, on Cowboys QB Tony Romo being spotted out on the town in Britney Spears’ entourage after landing a $67.5 million contract extension: “This is starting to sound like a vintage beer commercial: More money! Less taste!”
• Tony Augusty of the Detroit News, with the latest injury report for the 0-8 Rams: “Quarterback Marc Bulger sprained his thumb - no, not from trying to hitch a ride out of St. Louis.”
• Headline at SportsPickle.com: “Chad Johnson jumps route, picks off pass intended for T.J. Houshmandzadeh.”
Line fault
Martina Hingis rocked the tennis world Thursday when she announced she was quitting the sport after testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon last summer.
Centre Court groundskeepers suspected something was up when the end lines kept disappearing.
Dwight Perry: 206-464-8250 or dperry@seattletimes.com