Baseball investigator George Mitchell, also a director for the AL champion Boston Red Sox, denied Monday providing information for a story that Cleveland Indians pitcher Paul Byrd used human growth hormone. Before Game 7 on Sunday, Byrd acknowledged using HGH after the San Francisco Chronicle reported he spent nearly $25,000 on the drug and syringes from 2002-05 — before HGH was banned by Major…
Major League Baseball and Fox Sports executives don’t have to wonder about the ratings a World Series between small-market teams from Cleveland and Colorado would have drawn. Instead, they can bask in strong viewership numbers for the American League championship series won by the Red Sox, a club from a big market with a large national following.
Fenway Park was quiet, the Red Sox clubhouse was dry and Jonathan Papelbon was done with his Irish step dance. The jubilation of Boston’s pennant-clinching comeback was over. There was still one more opponent to face, one that fashioned an incredible streak to reach the World Series for the first time.
Sometime in the future, once the biting sting of defeat eases, the Cleveland Indians will look back on a 2007 season that began in falling snow and ended with a stunning collapse. They’ll savor all the good moments. Not just yet. “Maybe in a week or so I’ll be able to reflect back and be like, ‘Wow, we had a pretty good season for a team that’s come a long way,”‘ Indians pitcher C.C.
Now that they know their opponent, the Rox are ready to take on the Sox. “We’re under the radar. It’s being billed as a David and Goliath situation. But that’s OK,” Colorado Rockies reliever Matt Herges said Monday. “We’re as confident as anybody, we’re as hot as anybody. We think we’re as good as anybody.” Colorado’s eight-day wait is almost over.
Tony La Russa tended to his many pets on the West Coast for a week or so, and made up his mind: He wanted to keep managing. Now, he’s hoping the St. Louis Cardinals can make an equally quick decision on hiring a general manager. La Russa agreed Monday to a two-year contract to stay in St. Louis, confident that the Cardinals can still be contenders.
The Boston Red Sox are 2-1 favorites to win the World Series and end the magical run of the Colorado Rockies. “Colorado is a real Cinderella story,” said Jay Kornegay, director of the sports book at the Las Vegas Hilton. “We’re just not sure when it’s going to strike midnight.” Las Vegas oddsmakers put the Red Sox at minus-$2, meaning every $2 bet will win $1 if Boston wins.
In a game for early control of the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts showed they’re still in charge by dominating every facet of the game to build a 19-7 lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars through three quarters. Peyton Manning had plenty of time to pick apart the secondary, Joseph Addai came up with a big fourth-down run and the defense overwhelmed a surprisingly pass-happy Jaguars offense.
His one-year suspension over, wide receiver Koren Robinson rejoined the Green Bay Packers as they returned from their bye week Monday. “It’s a great feeling. To get out there for the first time with them, it’s overwhelming, really,” said Robinson, who was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell last week after serving the yearlong suspension for his third violation of the league’s substance…
Mike Holmgren hears Seahawks fans repeatedly booing Shaun Alexander. Even Holmgren’s family is asking the coach, “What’s wrong with Shaun?” His response: Back off. Holmgren hears the criticism that Alexander has faded in the weeks since his 30th birthday. He hears the opinions that Alexander runs too tentatively, is suddenly too slow to beat defenses on cutback runs that had worked for years –…
