Memo to Royals: Trade Greinke

One of my best friends lives in Kansas City. He's an aspiring sportswriter who bleeds Royal blue, so he might consider what I'm about to say as blasphemous. Yet what I have to say needs to be said: The Royals should trade Zack Greinke.

Now, that's a hard idea to throw at somebody who calls Greinke the best pitcher in baseball, but the game's best pitcher can fetch a fistful of great prospects for the game's worst. And, let's face it, the Royals need talent.

I sat at Progressive Field last Friday night and watched Greinke pitch against the Indians, and as he's done all season, he crafted a masterpiece. Greinke went seven innings and allowed one run, lowering his league-best ERA to 2.19.

(Continue to Justice Is Served)

Posada Puts Teammates in Jeopardy

The Yankees have shown a fighting spirit this season, winning 47 games in come-from-behind fashion on their way to the best record in the Major Leagues.

But last night’s brawl against the Toronto Blue Jays was a lose-lose proposition for the Yankees, and it never should have occurred. It was a virtual Fight Night in the Bronx.

After two Blue Jays were plunked earlier in the game, Toronto reliever Jesse Carlson threw a pitch behind Jorge Posada while the Yankees catcher was batting in the eighth inning of Toronto’s 10-4 victory. Posada eventually got on base and came around to score. Upon crossing home plate, he threw a forearm to Carlson, who was backing up on the play. That touched the bench-clearing melee.

(Continue to New York Minute)

Toasting N.Y.; Texas Just Toast

Hopefully we built some trust around the Grill Room as Week 1 went pretty much the way we thought it would.

Sure, a couple of our 90-proofers had to go to the wire to knock down divisional foes, but weren't your meanest fights always against your best buddies?

Otherwise, free drinks for Jets fans. Your team made quite an impression on our bartenders. Strictly water for the wobbly Texans, who proved they can't handle the strong stuff.

Prost!

THE STRONG STUFF

* 1 (1) Pittsburgh (98 proof, 1-0) Survived a slugfest with the rough-house Titans, but this is not the same defense without Polamalu.

(Continue to The Grill Room)

Cardinals Want to Seal Leaks

If they weren't worried then, the Arizona Cardinals are concerned now. After struggling through the preseason offensively, the Cardinals' attack sputtered again in a 20-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers Sept. 13 at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Cardinals are taking this week to improve and make sure this week's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sept. 20 on the road is different.

"You're dang right we're upset," safety Adrian Wilson told The Arizona Republic. "and that's why there's going to be a lot of yelling around here in the next 48 hours."

(Continue to Arizona Sportspage)

Bruins' Visit Sparks Trade Talk

The Phil Kessel rumor mill will be in full swing tonight when the Bruins travel up to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs in pre-season action.

Kessel, of course, is the Bruins coveted RFA who is priced out of cap-stressed Boston, and who is awaiting either an offer sheet from, or more likely a trade to, another team.

That other team---whether it be through offer sheet or trade---has long rumored to be the Toronto Maple Leafs. That, of course, is based largely on the comments from Leafs GM Brian Burke, who has openly expressed his desire to acquire Kessel, the 21 year-old who potted 36 goals a year ago.

(Continue to Jim Cerny's Rink Rap)

Preseason Hockey ... Zzzzzzz

The official start of fall is fast approaching, which can only mean the following:

• Baseball pennant races are in full swing.
• The NFL and college football seasons have started.
• Here comes NHL exhibition hockey.

Yawn.

Don't get me wrong. I love hockey, have played the game (though not particularly well) and have been covering it for parts of three decades, on both the NHL and collegiate levels.

I just wish it was somehow possible to skip training camp and preseason games, and get right to the good stuff.

(Continue to Through the 5 Hole)

Honour to Del Potro

The Goat (or what many considers as the Goat) lost to the best of his generation, beaten in the previous 6 meetings (also including when he went two sets up at the 2009 Roland Garros with 2 hours and a half of incredible tennis).


Federer-Del potro was not the most thrilling of the Grand Slam final, the game quality was a bit more than decent; but surely it has been the best U.S. Open final since 1999 when Andre Agassi surprised Todd Martin by coming back from 2 sets to 1 down (the last five setter before the yesterday's clash). This was anyway the most surprising final since 2000, when another first-timer, Marat Safin, stunned Pete Sampras. So Del Potro, 20 years and 355 days old, has become the fifth youngest player to win this tournament.

(Continue to ATP Tennis 360)

Kansas vs. Duke ... Not Basketball

Coach K. versus Bill Self would be fun to watch. Two ring-wearing, veteran coaches battling it out on the court for 40 minutes would be enjoyed by an college basketball fan.

However, there aren't many KU fans that care about Coach K vs. Coach Self this weekend. Instead, they are worried about Coach Mangino vs. Coach Cutcliffe - or more importantly KU vs. Duke football.

(Continue to Inside Jayhawk Nation)

Tough Cards: Carpenter and Gibson

When I think about Chris Carpenter's success with the Cardinals, I compare him to Hall of Fame Cardinal pitcher Bob Gibson.

Back in the day, Gibson was the kind of pitcher the manager threw out there and expected to win. With some pitchers, managers cross their fingers but Gibson wasn't one of those. The guy was flat out intimidating and he could pitch. He had a great fastball and wasn't afraid to pitch inside.

(Continue to Paul's Redbird Report)

The Dilemma That Is Roger Huerta

UFC lightweight fighter Roger Huerta makes his return to the Octagon on Wednesday night as he takes on Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 19.

Huerta, 26, was last seen dropping a decision to Kenny Florian at UFC 87: Seek and Destroy last August. Since then Huerta (22-2-1) has reportedly been working on an acting career while healing a beat-up, worn down body. He also recently turned down a five fight contract extension in January from the UFC.

On Wednesday, September 16th, Huerta makes his return to fulfill the last fight on his UFC contract but the question that man analysts and fans alike have on their minds is where is his head at entering a such a big fight?

(Continue to Fighter's Corner)

Enough Serena Bashing ... Let It Go

You saw and heard what Serena Williams did at the U.S. Open last week, and you’re shocked and angry. Fair enough. But it’s not just that.

You think she’s a disgrace to her sport. You think she’s tarnished her reputation and her legacy. You think that she really did “threaten’’ the line judge, came at her with the intention of taking her life in front of a packed stadium and a national television audience. You think that if she’s said and done that “on the street,’’ she’d surely be arrested and thrown in jail.

You demand an apology, then another one, then another one, then berate her for offering it too late, or for the first being too weak. You think her fine should have been a whole lot bigger, like her entire winnings from the Open. You think she should be suspended, too.

(Continue The Steele Drum)

Please Fix the FedEx Cup Already!

Because we believe in straight talk and candor in the Grill Room, the management feels compelled to warn you that this column is mostly about golf's FedEx Cup.
Who says we don't look after you around here, eh?

To those of you brave enough to stick this one out, let's move on...

Yes, golf's version of the 'playoffs' has improved. The gods of Ponte Vedra Beach actually managed to make the confounding format a little more compelling and comprehensible this year.

And, yes again, the result of any championship system (sorry, Commissioner Finchem, this is a points race, not a playoff), no matter how wacky, should be to determine the best player or team when it is all over.

Well, right now Tiger Woods is leading the FedEx race, and even if he took an 0-for-4 in this year's majors, is still undeniable the game's best player by about the length of a solidly struck 3-wood.

(Continue to The Grill Room)

Around the NFL: Week 1

CHECKING IN WITH CHAD: You are not forgotten, Chad Pennington. Pennington had a typical Pennington day passing, at least in the positive stats category, in the Dolphins' 19-7 loss to the Falcons. Pennington was 21-29 for 176 yards (that's vintage Pennington) with a touchdown and interception each. But he also fumbled, making him responsible for 2 of the Dolphins' four costly turnovers. The numbers look OK, but it wasn't a great day for Chad.

WISHY-WASHINGTON: I swear the only time I've seen the Redskins move the ball well the past couple of years is when they're trailing in the final five minutes of a ballgame. That was when they looked the best against the Giants on Sunday, when Jason Campbell brought them to within six points (big back-door cover!) on a 17-yard TD pass to Chris Cooley. Otherwise the Redskins looked terrible against a Giants team that kind of dominated the game...but it's hard to judge because of how badly the Redskins played. I'm still not buying into the Giants a ton - but I think I may have miscalculated the Redskins. I thought they were better than they looked in Week 1.

(Continue to 200 Miles From the Citi)

Waiting to See Quinn? Not Worth It

So, Brown fans waited for this?

For two years, they have clamored for Brady Quinn to take the reins of the team’s offense. Quinn, a first-round refugee of the Phil Savage regime, had the pedigree: an Ohioan, a Notre Dame alum with the golden boy’s persona.

Derek Anderson, Quinn’s rival for the job, was the rifle-armed gunslinger from Oregon – the outsider who never caught the fancy of Browns fans. For no matter what he did -- and Anderson did plenty during his Pro Bowl season of 2007 – he couldn’t get out from under Quinn’s shadow.

(Continue to Justice Is Served)

Bucs Must Handle Two Big Losses

Raheem Morris called it a "huge loss," and he wasn't talking about the Sunday afternoon defensive fiasco that cost his team immensely in that 35-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Losing to the Cowboys was bad enough, losing his best offensive lineman made it all the worse.

Morris confirmed Monday that center Jeff Faine is lost for what could be four-to-six weeks with a torn bicep tendon. "It depends on the pain and when he can go," Morris said of Faine's projected return.

(Continue to Buccaneer Bow Shots)