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08/03/2010 -
NEW YORK (AP) -The numbers on the specially marked balls for Alex Rodriguez's at-bats must be getting up there - perhaps, uhm, close to say 600.
The Yankees slugger's quest - and by now it is one - for membership in the exclusive 600-homer club extended into its 11th game Monday with an 0-for-5 night against the Toronto Blue Jays.
``I thought I swung the bat better today. I had some pretty good pitches to hit,'' Rodriguez said after the Yankees' 8-6 loss. ``The difference between 0 for 5 and 2 for 5 is small.''
A-Rod's drive to become the youngest player and seventh overall to reach the milestone began after he homered off Kansas City reliever Robinson Tejeda on July 22 and has gone on for 48 plate appearances against four teams in three cities.
He's hitless in his last 14 at-bats and is 9 for 43 overall with eight RBIs during the drought. The closest he has come to the homer is a couple of long fly balls that were caught in front of the warning track.
Most of the 47,034 fans remained in their seats Monday for one more chance to see him bat in the ninth, and they got it. But Rodriguez grounded to shortstop against Kevin Gregg to end the game.
``The way I'm swinging, it's probably going to take a while. Everybody get comfortable,'' Rodriguez said, smiling on Sunday.
Rodriguez began the search for 600 by saying that he isn't going to feel the pressure the same way he did when he was going for No. 500 in 2007, a wait of 10 days and 28 at-bats. He even playfully checked out the marked balls that are switched in before he steps to the plate in one of his first at-bats, way back on July 23.
His manager says Rodriguez can't possibly ignore the significance of the pending homer.
``With the flashbulbs going off all the time and changing the ball, I don't know how you don't think about it,'' Joe Girardi said.
Nearly a week past his 35th birthday, the three-time MVP appeared loose before Monday's game, hitting many balls over the wall in batting practice, including a rare shot that banged off the black glass of a sports bar in center field - way beyond the 408-foot sign and above monument park.
While Rodriguez needed 41 at-bats to hit his first homer this season and has just 16 home runs this year, a stretch like this while approaching 600 is unusual. Babe Ruth separated 599 and 600 with one at-bat, Hank Aaron two. Barry Bonds' spell was eight, Sammy Sosa's was 13 and Ken Griffey Jr.'s 17, according to STATS LLC. Willie Mays went 21 homerless at-bats before his milestone shot.
Girardi said he hasn't seen the frustration growing, but he did keep his clean-up hitter out of the starting lineup against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Rodriguez struck out looking as a pinch-hitter in his lone at-bat.
``Nothing told me that he didn't have good at-bats or wasn't being patient,'' Girardi said Monday. ``He just didn't get any hits.''
In his first game back at Yankee Stadium after a fruitless seven-game road trip to Tampa Bay and Cleveland, Rodriguez was greeted with loud cheers. But fans only in seats beyond the walls in right and left field are standing now with every pitch.
Thousands of camera flashes still burst in a brilliant sparkle with each pitch - think of all the wasted photos - and fans roared when the count turned to Rodriguez's favor in the third. The groans were just as loud when he struck out on a 96 mph pitch from Brandon Morrow.
Rodriguez joked that he doesn't notice the flashes, saying, ``I'm used to it; it's been about a month.''
Morrow said he noticed the flashes once, but it would be a lot easier to forget that being part of history was one pitch away if it wasn't stamped on the baseballs.
``It's a lot easier to put it out of your mind if they didn't give you a new ball everytime he was up,'' he said.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Report: Modano to join Red Wings
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Modano is reportedly set to sign with the
Detroit Red Wings later this week.
The Livonia, Michigan native said in a text message to the Detroit Free Press
that he will make a "Big announcement" on Thu
<< Padres dig reeling Dodgers deeper hole in NL West
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chase Headley and Will Venable each hit a
three-run homer, as the San Diego Padres took a 10-5 win over the Los Angeles
Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series.
Headley finished 4-for-5 for the NL We
<< Indycar
Fined Helio Castroneves $60,000 and placed him on probation for the remainder of the year for his actions during the July 25 race at Edmonton.
<< Safina moves on in California
Carlsbad, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Russian Dinara Safina was a straight-set
winner in first-round play Monday at the $700,000 Mercury Insurance Open.
Safina cruised in the first set before prevailing in a tough second set,
beating
James thanks hometown fans in Ohio in newspaper ad >>
AKRON, Ohio (AP) -LeBron James is showing appreciation to his Ohio hometown fans with a full-page newspaper ad as he leaves to play basketball in Miami.James thanks Akron residents for their love and support in the ad in Tuesday's Akron Beacon Journ
Charlotte gets final OK to start football program >>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -Charlotte has cleared its final hurdle to start a football program in 2013.North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue has signed a capital projects bill this week that includes funding for the 49ers' stadium construction. It was the la
Haynesworth skips conditioning test again >>
Ashburn, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert
Haynesworth did not take the team's conditioning test on Tuesday.
Haynesworth has yet to practice since training camp began last week because he
has been unable
Former Miss. player pleads guilty in assault case >>
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) -Former Mississippi football signee Jamar Hornsby and two others have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault in a 2009 attack on a man at a McDonald's restaurant in Starkville.The three - Hornsby, Darrell Cartez Simmons
Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds and the betting line and figure out where they’ve been and where they are going to go.
MySportsbook.com put up the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds late on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 points and a total betting line at 47.5 points.
Since then, however, the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds have seen a good deal of movement and you’ll want to be on top of where they are likely to move to make sure you get the best line value for the big game.
Since opening, the Super Bowl 2009 betting lines went to Steelers -7 in the span of roughly 3 hours but were quickly bought back down just minutes later to 6.5 again.
After that is took about 5-6 more hours before the betting line went back to -7 where it has sat for a while now and is likely to remain. The opening betting total of 47.5 was bet down right after the line became available and went to 47 within minutes.
Roughly a day later it has been bet even further down to the 46.5 tally it currently is set at.
Roughly 60% of gamblers seem to be on the Cardinals here so the point spread will be bet down and a 7.5 would not last very long at all with many taking the early 6.5 in hopes of finding a potential middle in the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds.
If you like Arizona and see a 7.5, I’d take it as soon as possible because it’s unlikely to last. For Pittsburgh backers, the -7 might be the best you’ll be able to find but a 6.5 is definitely possible close to game time.
Regarding the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds for the total, most tracked gamblers are already on the over and with those who took the under 47.5 already securing a middle on the over 46.5, the only way I see it moving is back up to 47 so if you like the over, I’d recommend betting now.
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Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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