D2
S THE SIDELINE
Nationals Journal
6washingtonpost.com/nationals Trading Capps might
be the right decision With their dispiriting, 3-7 trip
to start the second half, the Nationals have drifted further into irrelevancy. Even a significant cosmetic
accomplishment seems out of the question; they would have to finish 39-23 for a .500 record, 33-29 to win 75 games or 28-34 to win 70. Not even that last one seems like a given. What does General Manager
Mike Rizzo want to accomplish the rest of this season? That’ll be a vital question in terms of what he’ll do at the trade deadline, especially when it comes to closer Matt Capps. With Drew Storen in the mix, Capps would seem expendable in the future.
Capps is making $3.5 million this season, and he will be due a big raise in arbitration after an all-star season. It would be logical to bail on Capps now, sell high and avoid paying him upward of $7 million next year when Storen can close for a fraction of that. It sounds easy. But if Rizzo
believes the end of this season is important for the Nationals to establish some success and momentum for next year, then it’s not so cut-and-dried. Few things can crush a team’s spirit or sink it’s win-loss record like an implosive bullpen. See last April as an example. Losing Capps would thin this
year’s bullpen considerably, even if Storen fills in capably right away, and potentially lead to an utterly depressing stretch of playing out the string. The Nationals could decide Capps is valuable enough to the Nationals next season that the price tag is worth it. They are guaranteed to have control of him, and they may not want to risk plugging a bullpen hole. The haul Capps would bring could prove too tempting. The market for relievers is slim
pickings this year, and Capps could help some contender. It would be the best move for the Nats’ future. But their present would start to look even more bleak.
— Adam Kilgore
Nats rise from bottom of majors’ TV ratings
From the D.C. Sports Bog: It’s been a season of mild progress for the Nats. Their record is bad but no longer terrible, their attendance is middling but not embarrassing, and they finally have more than one genuine actual star. And for Internet jokesters like me, here’s even more mildly awesome progress: the Nats no longer have the worst regional television ratings in MLB. SportsBusiness Journal’s John
Ourand reported Monday morning that the Nats have emerged from the baseball ratings basement for the first time since arriving in D.C., and that their 1.34 average household rating on MASN and MASN2 through the all-star break was better than both the Angels and the A’s. In real numbers, the team’s broadcasts are averaging 31,000 households in the Washington market, better than the Royals local audience (27,000) and tied with the A’s. That’s more than three times the number of households from the dark, dark days of 2008, when the Nats’ 9,000 households became a reliable punch line. Even last season, when the
Nats on MASN were proportionally the biggest gainers in MLB local TV ratings, the final number was a paltry 0.60, again according to SBJ. That means things are up well more than 100 percent since then. Ourand also reported on
Monday that the Nats games on MASN and MASN2 average a 4.4 when Stephen Strasburg pitches.
Quick Fix 6From
washingtonpost.com/sports
ALL-MET SPORTS Cilento leaves post as Sherwood football coach, takes Bullis job Pat Cilento has resigned as football coach at Sherwood after just one season to take the same job at Bullis, according to a Sherwood team source with knowledge of the situation. Less than three weeks before
the start of preseason practice, assistant Marc Thomas has been promoted to head coach, according to the source, who asked not to be identified because the news was going to be released at a team parents’ meeting at the school Tuesday. Thomas will take over the
program that his father, Al Thomas, led to the 2008 Maryland 4A championship
before retiring. Neither Cilento nor Marc
Thomas immediately returned phone messages. After serving as Sherwood’s
offensive coordinator for two seasons, Cilento, a 1995 All-Met quarterback, took over the program in 2009 and led it to a 10-3 mark and a spot in the 4A semifinals for the fourth time in five years, where the Warriors lost to eventual champion Old Mill. The hiring of Cilento,
meantime, could be a big shot in the arm for Bullis, which has gone a combined 4-26 the past three seasons — a far fall from when the Bulldogs went 27-9 from 2001 to ’04.
— Alan Goldenbach PRO FOOTBALL PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL Mystics vs. Sun
When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn. Records:Washington (13-8), Connecticut (12-10) The grind: With the matchup against the Sun, the Mystics begin a grueling stretch of four games in six days. Connecticut is fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with New York (11-11) and Chicago (12-12). Washington, currently third in the East, has lost three of its four contests since the all-star break, and the Mystics must rediscover their swagger as they head into the busiest portion of the regular season — 10 games in 22 days in August. Youth movement: Connecticut is the second-best rebounding team in the WNBA (37.3), led by rookies Tina Charles, with her league-high 11.9 rebounds per game, and Kelsey Griffin, who is third on the Sun with 4.8. Charles, the front-runner for rookie of the year, has recorded 262 rebounds this season and with 12 games left she is on pace to eclipse the league record of 363 set by Cheryl Ford in 2006.
Titans sue Kiffin for luring away assistant SOCCER
The Tennessee Titans are su- ing Southern California and Coach Lane Kiffin for “mali- ciously” luring away assistant running backs coach Kennedy Pola a week before training camp opens. Tennessee Football Inc., the company that owns the Titans, filed the lawsuit Monday in Da- vidson County Chancery Court against both the university and Kiffin. The lawsuit accuses Southern California and Kiffin of violating Pola’s contract that required him to have written permission to discuss a job with anyone other than the Titans. Tennessee signed Pola on Feb.
TELEVISION AND RADIO
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
8 p.m.
WNBA 7:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m.
Atlanta at Washington » MASN, WXTR (730 AM), WFED (820 AM, 1500 AM)
Baltimore at Toronto » MASN2, WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), WTEM (980 AM)
Chicago Cubs at Houston » WGN
1. Kiffin hired Pola on Saturday as his offensive coordinator and running backs coach at South- ern California. . . . Bengals owner Mike Brown is
trying to bring wide receiver Ter- rell Owens, 36, aboard. Brown said Monday that the team is discussing a contract with Owens’s agent, Drew Ro- senhaus.
San Antonio at New York » ESPN2 Phoenix at Seattle » ESPN2
only from Comcast.
Owens worked out for the Bengals in March, but they de- cided instead to sign wide re- ceiver Antonio Bryant to a four- year deal. . . . An NFL spokesman says there has been no change in Michael Vick’s playing status, so the Ea- gles quarterback is expected to report to training camp.
Diego Maradona says he’ll
stay on as coach of Argentina if he’s able to keep his entire staff. Hours before a meeting with
Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona, Ma- radona laid out his conditions, saying, “If they touch the mas- sage therapist, I’m out.” Marado- na spoke with America TV on Monday upon arrival from Cara- cas, where he visited Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. ... New Brazil Coach Mano Me-
nezes chose a young roster for the Selecao’s first match after the World Cup, picking AC Milan forward Alexandre Pato, Santos scoring sensation Neymar and Santos midfielder Paulo Hen- rique Ganso for the Aug. 10 ex- hibition against the United States. Manchester United defender Rafael da Silva, Liverpool mid- fielder Lucas Leiva and Real Madrid defender Marcelo also are on the 24-man roster for the match at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Only four of the players
picked were on Brazil’s 23-man World Cup roster.
PRO BASKETBALL The Cleveland Cavaliers com-
pleted their first post-LeBron James personnel move, trading troubled guard Delonte West and point guard Sebastian Tel-
DAVID DUPREY/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Coach Lane Kiffin and Southern California are being sued for “maliciously” luring away a Titans assistant.
fair to the Minnesota Timber- wolves for point guard Ramon Sessions, 7-footer Ryan Hollins and a future second-round pick. ...
Seven-time all-star Tracy McGrady has worked out for the Chicago Bulls with hopes of landing with the team he turned down a decade earlier. McGrady could be a low-risk addition for a reconfigured team coming off back-to-back first- round playoff exits. The Bulls wouldn’t have to pay him much and could refuse to fully guaran- tee the deal if they make an offer, but there are big questions sur- rounding his health. . . .
KLMNO
WASHINGTONPOST.COM/SPORTS First Things First: Join columnist Tracee Hamilton weekday mornings at 9:30 to discuss the hottest topics from the world of sports.
TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2010
WASHINGTON POST LIVE WITH IVAN CARTER 5 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Doc Walker, Mark Ein and the Redskins cheerleaders join The Post’s Jason Reid.
Hot Topic Redskins Insider Blog excerpt from
washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider
JOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POST Coach Mike Shanahan doesn’t expect wide receiver Santana Moss to be suspended for his involvement with Anthony Galea. What to watch for this summer
of many story lines expected to dominate training camp
by Jason Reid and Rick Maese
No. 10: Santana Moss Will Santana Moss be punished for his involvement with a Canadian doctor accused of administering human growth hormone to athletes? The biggest performance-enhancing controversy of the offseason focused on Anthony Galea, a doctor who has treated Moss, the Redskins’ top receiver. While Moss has acknowledged receiving treatments from Galea, he also has said he never knowingly received HGH. If the league feels the government case against Galea provides sufficient evidence that Moss did use HGH, he could be facing a four-game suspension. As the Redskins’ only proven wide receiver, his presence on the active roster is critical. Prediction: The commissioner’s office either doesn’t feel it has heard enough to punish Moss or is waiting for the federal case against Galea to progress. After speaking with Moss, Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said he didn’t believe a suspension is coming.
Here are the first three
If one is around the corner, it likely would come down before the team’s first preseason game. But don’t be surprised if the NFL’s patience on the matter stretches into the season. If Galea or someone associated with him doesn’t volunteer exactly what Moss received from Galea, a suspension may not be imminent.
No. 9: Outside linebacker Who will start opposite Brian Orakpo at the other outside linebacker spot in the Redskins’ new 3-4 alignment? Orakpo has nailed down one spot on the strength of his strong rookie season and enormous potential. Veteran defensive end Andre Carter and versatile lineman Lorenzo Alexander are competing for the other spot, and their battle figures to be among the most interesting of training camp. Although they are good friends (both attended the University of California), there is only one spot available. Prediction: Alexander has defied the odds throughout his surprising run with the Redskins and will win the job. Initially an undersized defensive lineman, he played a key role on defense, offense and special teams as the Redskins reached the 2007 playoffs. Alexander was a major contributor as a three-technique defensive tackle last season and also helped at end. He has
impressed defensive coordinator Jim Haslett with his athleticism for someone so big (he weighs about 275 pounds), prompting the conversion. Carter is coming off the best season of his career, when he was the Redskins’ most productive defensive lineman, but he struggled in coverage during his only season standing up with San Francisco. Regardless of who starts, Alexander and Carter are both expected to play a lot.
No. 8: Safety Will Reed Doughty, Chris Horton or
Kareem Moore start at safety? Horton struggled in coverage early last season after a surprising rookie year in 2008. He was benched and placed on season-ending injured reserve in November because of a toe injury. Doughty was effective despite playing with a broken bone in his hand and Moore had mixed results in limited opportunities to prove himself. Prediction: Doughty is among the
smartest guys on the team and typically has been steady while adjusting to the 3-4. He will team with LaRon Landry at safety in the starting lineup. Moore is expected to push for more playing time and could move ahead of Horton on the depth chart.
maeser@washpost.com reidj@washpost.com
DIGEST
The Boston Celtics have re- signed seven-year veteran Mar- quis Daniels.
HOCKEY The NHL Players Association,
as expected, has filed a grievance over the league’s rejection of Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17-year, $102 mil- lion contract with the Devils. The union had until 5 p.m.
Monday to file. Per the NHLPA’s release: “The NHLPA has filed a griev- ance disputing the NHL’s rejec- tion of the Standard Player Con- tract between the New Jersey Devils and Ilya Kovalchuk. Un- der the terms of the CBA, the NHLPA and Mr. Kovalchuk are entitled to an expedited resolu- tion of this matter.” — Tarik El-Bashir
MISC. With his ranking on the de-
cline, Roger Federer is working with coach Paul Annacone on a trial basis.
Annacone, an American, is the former coach of Pete Sampras. He also coached Marat Safin and Tim Henman, and is now the head coach of men’s tennis for Britain’s Lawn Tennis Associa- tion. . . .
Jennie Finch threw a three- hit shutout in the final interna- tional start of her career and Jessica Mendoza hit a two-run home run as the U.S. national softball team beat the USA Fu- tures squad, 3-0, at the World Cup of Softball. — From news services
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