- Publish date:
For the Record
Admitted
That he was named in an affidavit released in connection with a June 6 federalraid on the home of Diamondbacks reliever Jason Grimsley, former first basemanDavid Segui (above). The document alleges that Grimsley received a shipment ofhuman growth hormone at home in April and that Grimsley identified at leasthalf a dozen major leaguers--the names were redacted--as users of bannedperformance enhancers (SI, June 19). Last Saturday, Segui, 39, who played forseven teams between 1990 and 2004, told ESPN that he was one of those players:He said he used HGH obtained with a doctor's prescription while playing."It was perfectly legal," said Segui.
Signed
By Notre Dame receiver Jeff Samardzija, a five-year contract with the Cubsworth up to $7.25 million. Samardzija, who caught a school-record 15 touchdownpasses as a junior last season, was chosen by Chicago in the fifth round of themajor league draft earlier this month. (He went 8--2 with a 4.33 ERA for theNotre Dame baseball team this spring.) He will play for the rookie league BoiseHawks this summer--then return to South Bend to play football this fall. Apotential NFL first-round pick next year, Samardzija says he wants to go pro inboth football and baseball.
Ended
The season of pitcher turned outfielder Rick Ankiel, who underwent knee surgeryon May 26. The Cardinals minor leaguer, 26, was a mound star as a rookie in2000, but he gave up pitching last season after trying for four years tocontrol his chronic wildness. He was on track to make St. Louis's roster--hehit 21 home runs in 85 minor league games last year--but injured his knee inspring training and never played a game this season. "You feelterrible," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "I just don't know howmuch resilience he's got and if he feels it's worth it."
Died
At age 88, Bill Moffitt, a former scout for the Brewers and the father oftennis trailblazer Billie Jean King and former major league reliever RandyMoffitt. A basketball player at Long Beach City College and a longtimefirefighter in Long Beach, Calif., Bill was a far cry from the manipulativestage fathers that are common in women's tennis. But he and his wife, Betty,were always supportive of their children's athletic ambitions. "They didn'tpush us; Randy and I pushed them," King told the Chicago Tribune in1990.
Undergone
By prized Ohio State recruit Greg Oden, 18, surgery to repair a torn wristligament. The 7-foot center (above), the national high school player of theyear last season, was injured in an Indiana state playoff game on Feb. 28. Heplayed six more postseason games, but when the wrist failed to heal he decidedto go under the knife. Oden started summer school at Ohio State on Monday, butit was too soon to tell if he would be ready when practice starts in October.Said coach Thad Matta, "We look forward to getting ... him back as quicklyas possible."
Pleaded
Not guilty to providing alcohol to three underage women, Bengals receiver ChrisHenry, 23. Henry turned himself in to authorities in Kenton County, Ky., lastThursday after an investigation into a claim by an 18-year-old woman that hesexually assaulted her at a hotel. She recanted her story, but the probe led tocharges that could land Henry in jail for three years. The case caps a troubledoff-season for Henry, who has been arrested four times in seven months. InMarch he pleaded guilty to marijuana possession (he avoided prison time bycompleting drug rehab), and in August he will stand trial on a concealed weaponcharge stemming from a January arrest in Orlando. He was also cited for drunkendriving in Clermont County, Ohio, on June 4 and faces a court date for thatcharge later this month.
Requested
By Lance Armstrong, that Dick Pound be removed or suspended as head of theWorld Anti-Doping Agency, in a letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge. Lastmonth an independent Dutch investigator cleared Armstrong (right) ofallegations printed in a French newspaper that he used the banned substance EPOwhen he won his first Tour in 1999. Pound was dismissive of the Dutchinvestigator's efforts, however, and a WADA statement labeled them"farcical." In his letter Armstrong said Pound's conduct was"reprehensible" and urged that Rogge remove him from office. An IOCspokeswoman said the committee would probably discuss the matter at itsmeetings in Lausanne, Switzerland, this week.
Bought
With debit cards that the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued to GulfCoast residents displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year, Saintsseason tickets. FEMA issued debit cards to help storm victims pay for housingand other necessities last September. Last week a congressional audit showedthat up to $1.4 billion was instead spent for such things as a sex-changeoperation, a Caribbean vacation and five season tickets for the Saints, whowill return to the Superdome in September. Said Representative Michael McCaul,chair of the House Homeland Security investigations subcommittee, "This isan insult to the victims of Katrina."
Go Figure
.700
The Marlins' batting average this season in at bats immediately followingintentional walks to Miguel Cabrera; Florida is 7 for 10 when its third basemanhas been given a free pass.
6
Major leaguers who have hit 300 home runs and stolen 300 bases: Barry Bonds,Willie Mays, Andre Dawson, Bobby Bonds, Reggie Sanders and Giants outfielderSteve Finley, who joined the club last week.
51
Unearned runs allowed by the Angels this season, six more than they allowed alllast year.
.173
Differential between Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez's home (.370) and road(.197) batting averages this season, the largest in the majors.
Switching Sides
In a surprise move, a young sportswriter trades his laptop for a job as an NHLexec
AFTER CHRIS SNOW was named the Wild's director ofhockey operations on June 14, he got an e-mail from Red Sox G.M. Theo Epstein."He told me I had landed a pretty sweet gig," says Snow, 24, who got toknow Epstein over the last 18 months as the Red Sox beat writer for The BostonGlobe. If only Epstein, who, at 28, became baseball's youngest G.M. in 2002,knew how much he had helped Snow. "Without Theo, I probably wouldn't havegotten this," says Snow. "People like him opened minds to hiringyounger guys."
Snow's jump to the front office is startling. Aftergraduating from Syracuse in 2003, he covered the Wild for the Minneapolis StarTribune for a year before joining the Globe. In Minnesota he befriended WildG.M. Doug Risebrough, and earlier this year the G.M. asked Snow about changingcareers. "I believe you get talented people and put them in the rightenvironment and don't constrict it," said Risebrough. "Where he camefrom is academic."
Snow, who grew up in a Boston suburb as a Bruins fanbut never played organized hockey, will help research player contracts, beef upthe Wild's statistical analysis and coordinate travel for a roster thatincludes rising star Marian Gaborik (left). He'll also have to soothe hisfather, Bob, who adored the Bruins of the 1970s, who were tormented by theCanadiens. Risebrough and Wild coach Jacques Lemaire starred for Montreal. SaysSnow, "He absolutely hated those guys."
Frost Heaves Watch
SI senior writer Alexander Wolff will file periodic updates on the expansionABA team that he owns, the Vermont Frost Heaves.
TO JUDGE by e-mail addresses alone, we've got themakings of a pretty good team. We've been in touch with the likes ofsilkyslimm21, hoopsoul23, igetbuckets, bigfella52, flyingohsohigh, swoosh1223,hoopdream31 and ballaboveall, as well as one Marcus Birdsong, who assures us,"I take after my Uncle Otis." Who will ball for the Frost Heaves in thefall? We'll begin to find out at our inaugural tryout camp, scheduled for theweekend of June 30 and July 1 and 2 at Rice Memorial High in South Burlington,Vt., where coach Will Voigt will put prospective Heaves through their paces.The only restrictions are that you sign the forms, pay the tryout fee ($125 forVermont residents, $150 for non-Vermonters if you register in advance) and beat least 18 when camp opens. If you want to show us what you've got, go tovermontfrostheaves.com/camps/tryout.
Back in Brown
A year after shredding his knee in a motorcycle wreck, Kellen Winslowreturns
BY LAST Thursday, Steelers quarterback BenRoethlisberger was out of the hospital and, apart from a concussion, a brokenjaw and a citation for not wearing a helmet and driving without a properlicense, none the worse for wear after his June 12 motorcycle accident (SI,June 19). If Big Ben needed a reminder of how lucky he was, he had only to looktoward Cleveland, where Browns tight end Kellen Winslow (left) returned to thefield after a 21-month absence.
Winslow, 22, who tore his right ACL while stunt ridingin May 2005 and missed all of last season, took part in a minicamp last Friday.Wearing a rubber sleeve on his surgically repaired knee, he made several toughcatches during drills and declared himself "90 percent" recovered. Heexpects to be at full strength when training camp begins next month. "Godput me in this place for a reason," said Winslow, who missed the final 14games in 2004 with a broken leg. "It wasn't my time yet, but now it is mytime."
The Browns withheld his $305,000 salary last season andnearly half the $4.4 million bonus he received after being picked sixth in the2004 draft, though his deal was restructured so he can earn back most of whathe lost. "Emotionally, it's just been a lot of long nights," Winslowsaid, adding that he won't ride a motorcycle again. --Mark Beech
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HARRY HOW/GETY IMAGES (SEGUI)
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RON LEBLANC/WIREIMAGE.COM (GABORIK)
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COURTESY CHRISTIAN TOMAS (SNOW)
FIELD OF DREAMS He never played, butSnow (at Fenway) grew up a hockey fan.JU
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MICHAEL HICKEY/WIREIMAGE.COM (ODEN)
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CHRISTOPHER HERCIK (FROST HEAVES LOGO)
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MICHAEL HEALEY (MASCOT)
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MARY ALTAFFER/AP (ARMSTRONG)
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MARK DUNCAN/AP (WINSLOW)
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RON SCHWANE/AP (WINSLOW IN ACTION)
BRACING HIMSELF Winslow has played only two games as a pro.
