West makes All-Star team again

Former Xavier star David West will make his second consecutive NBA All-Star Game appearance. Nola.com has a nice story about it. West will be be one of seven reserves for the Western Conference squad.

Marvin: 'Odell is Odell, unfortunately'

The Lot D's C. Trent talked to Marvin Lewis about the 2008 draft and drafts past, and Marvin didn't disappoint with some of his answers. Nor did he hide his true feelings about Odell Thurman. If you wasted time trying to decipher Marvin's vague answers from the weekly press conferences or pulled your hair out because you felt like he never really said anything good, this one helps make up for that.

Xavier, Charlotte will play

From Xavier:

The Xavier vs. Charlotte men's basketball game tonight at 7:30 p.m. will be played as scheduled. Xavier University advises the fans to please use caution and allow extra travel time if they decide venture out for the game. For those without a ticket or who decide not to go out tonight, the game will be seen locally on Fox Sports Ohio.

Charlotte had been stuck but they were able to fly into Dayton last night and will take a bus to Cincinnati, which should be interesting depending on what time they make/made that trip. Hopefully they're not on the road right now.

Coach pleads not guilty in player's death

Louisville's courier-journal.com has a newsy update about the high school football coach charged with reckless homicide in the death of a player.

David Jason Stinson's attorney says the head football coach at Pleasure Ridge Park High School did not deny water to his players on the day 15-year-old Max Gilpin collapsed from heat stroke at practice and later died.

A criminal charge has never before been filed in a heat-related death involving a high school or college coach in the United States.

Thurman trial continued

Suspended former Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman was set to go on trial Tuesday, but the Sandusky Register reports that the case has been continued.

Police said Thurman slugged a man and broke his jaw at Kalahari Resort - an indoor water park in northern Ohio - last spring.

Thurman's attorney says it's a case of mistaken identity. The trial was delayed because Thurman's attorney told a judge Thurman was in his hometown of Monticello, Ga., when the fight happened.

Prosecutors say Kalahari security video shows Thurman at the resort the day of the incident. Thurman's lawyer says the video shows a man who "fits the description" of Thurman, but is not Thurman.

The continuance gives prosecutors time to investigate Thurman's alibi.

Tigers to sign ex-Red Williamson

CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler reports that former Red Scott Williamson is close to signing a minor-league deal with Detroit.

Williamson turns 33 next month. Knobler says he has impressed scouts in recent workouts. The Brewers apparently expressed interest as well.

Williamson hasn't pitched in the big leagues since the middle of the 2007 season. He spent the 2008 season in Richmond (Braves) and Tacoma (Mariners).

Williamson was the 1999 National League Rookie of the Year; he was the last Red to win the award. He was an All-Star that year too. He went 12-7 with a 2.41 ERA and 19 saves, a 1.039 WHIP, 107 strikeouts and 43 walks in 93 1/3 innings.

Aside from that, he's looked sharp at times but arm injuries since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2001 have prevented him from pitching a lot of innings. He posted a 1.26 ERA for the Red Sox in 2004, but that was only 28 2/3 innings. He only threw 14 1/3 innings the following season for the Cubs.

The Giants invited him to Spring Training in 2008 but released him pretty early (March 5).

He's bounced around and gotten released enough that some might say it's time for him to call it quits. The way I see it, there are too many guys, especially recently (Mike Lincoln, for instance) who have come from out of nowhere to revive their careers. If he thinks he can recapture it or he's had it all along but is finally healthy, more power to him.

Where is Ray Lewis headed?

The New York Daily News' Rich Cimini says Rex Ryan could bring Ray Lewis to the Jets. But he points out that the Jets probably can't afford both Lewis and Brett Favre because of salary-cap considerations, so we may have to wait for Favre's decision on whether he'll return.

Ryan coached Lewis for 10 years with the Ravens. Ryan was a defensive coordinator at UC in 1996 and 1997.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Sun's Ravens Insider reports that the Cowboys are very interested in Lewis if he becomes a free agent. And it sounds like they'd be more than willing to give him the money he wants, especially if the Ravens figure out they can't afford Lewis and Terrell Suggs. I didn't realize Bart Scott is in the last year of his contract too.

Should be interesting. It'd be pretty wild to see Lewis in a uniform other than the Ravens'. I'm sure the Bengals wouldn't mind.

Ex-Red Casey may retire

It's sounding more and more like Sean Casey is going to retire.

The (Massachusetts) Eagle-Tribune's Bill Burt talked to Casey late last week, who said "unless there is an offer that blows me away, I will be retiring."

Apparently it's not about money as much as it's about Casey's desire to play every day or not at all. He doesn't want to be a part-time player.

Casey is a free agent. The Red Sox did not offer salary arbitration.

Casey hit .322 with 17 RBI with no home runs in 199 at-bats last season, his first with the Red Sox.

Casey's best two seasons were with the Reds. In 1999, he hit .332 with 197 hits (including 42 doubles), 25 home runs and 99 RBI. In 2004, he hit .324 with 185 hits (including 44 doubles), 24 home runs and 99 RBI.

Youk gets long-term deal

The pride of Sycamore High School and the University of Cincinnati, Kevin Youkilis, who grew up in Montgomery, avoided arbitration by agreeing with the Red Sox to a four-year contract worth more than $40 million, according to ESPN's Peter Gammons.

Gammons says the deal includes an option for a fifth year.

Youk finished third in American League Most Valuable Player voting after an outstanding season in which he hit .312 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs. Teammate Dustin Pedroia, who won the award, also recently signed a long-term deal.

The deal buys out Youkilis' last two years of arbitration eligibility and delays his chance to become a free agent by at least two years. Youkilis filed for arbitration earlier Thursday, a formality that would be negated if he passes a physical and the long-term deal is completed.

Praise from the MLB.com story about Youk's deal:

In 2006, Youkilis, who came up through the Minor Leagues as a third baseman, made a seamless transition to the other side of the diamond to become Boston's first baseman.

In fact, Youkilis has become of the best defensive players in the league at that position, as evidenced by the Gold Glove he won in 2007.

Part of the beauty of Youkilis is that he can still play a very solid third base, and never balks at doing so when Mike Lowell is either injured or given a breather. Youkilis started all seven games at third base in last October's American League Championship Series.

Manager Terry Francona has also come to embrace the adaptability of Youkilis to hit in any part of the batting order.

After superstar slugger Manny Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers on July 31, Youkilis moved to the cleanup spot and put up strong numbers.

The past two Octobers, Youkilis has proved that he is a clutch player, hitting .333 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 99 postseason at-bats.

Paula Faris gets some love

Former WCPO-TV sports anchor/reporter Paula Faris, who has worked at NBC5 in Chicago since leaving Cincinnati in November 2005, makes an appearance in the Pop Culture Grid in Sports Illustrated and on SI.com.

The category: Person I'd love to have interview me. Pittsburgh basketball forward Sam Young said Seth Davis. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Ben Wallace said Oprah. MMA fighter Matt Lindland said Dateline's Chris Hansen. And Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews said Chicago sports anchor Paula Faris.

They misspelled it "Farris," though, at least online (didn't see it in print). That doesn't happen to Oprah.

Gilyard won't enter draft

Press release from UC:

University of Cincinnati wide receiver/kick returner Mardy Gilyard (Bunnell, Fla./Flagler Palm Coast) announced Wednesday that he will return for his senior season.

"I'm better served by staying in school for my senior year," Gilyard said. "I still have a lot to learn as a player. We accomplished some great things in 2008 and I look forward to continuing that in 2009."

Cincinnati had a record-setting 11-3 season that saw the Bearcats win their first BIG EAST Championship and earn a spot in the FedEx Orange Bowl which marked the program's first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game.

Gilyard was named the 2008 BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year, a first-team all-America selection by Rivals.com, and a first-team all-BIG EAST pick at both wide receiver and kick returner. He was also a fourth-team all-America honoree by Phil Steele.

He made 81 catches for a school-record 1,276 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns. He also set a school record with 994 kickoff return yards along with a pair of touchdowns. Gilyard had a team-high seven 100-plus yard receiving games, including four straight to close out the season.

In the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl, Gilyard had seven catches for a school-record 158 yards and a touchdown.

Report: USC receiver to transfer to UC

ESPN.com's Joe Schad is reporting that USC wide receiver Vidal Hazelton is expected to transfer to Cincinnati contingent upon passing an upcoming physical examination.

Hazelton had only six catches for 38 yards this past season due to injuries. He had 50 catches for 540 yards in 2007.

Dye could land in Anaheim

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Angels are the latest team to express interest in Jermaine Dye. And Joe Cowley's story points out that "unlike the talks with the Reds that stalled during the Winter Meetings, the Sox and Angels actually have a fit."

The versatile Chone Figgins would be sent to the White Sox.

One other factor: The Angels are not one of the teams listed on Dye's no-trade list.

Gonzalez is no Abreu

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Reds could pursue free-agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez as a less expensive left-handed hitting option.

Gonzalez spoke for 15 minutes on Saturday with Reds manager Dusty Baker, though both sides acknowledge that Gonzalez's agents are pushing harder than the Reds for a deal.

The way I see it, if you're going to pursue a left-handed hitting option (which I'm fine with, by the way ... I don't really get the argument that the Reds MUST add a big right-handed bat to the lineup), I'd much rather have Bobby Abreu (who hits righties and lefties about the same anyway), who is mentioned in Mark Sheldon's article as the subject of recent speculation (although Jocketty says he hasn't talked to Abreu's agent recently).

Sure, Gonzalez may be less expensive, but he's also 41. Abreu is 34. Abreu was .296-20-100-22 SBs last season, which he does just about every year he's healthy. Gonzalez was .261-8-47-1 SB in 341 at-bats for the Marlins. Sure, the Reds could use the Luis Gonzalez of 2001 (.325-57-142) but I don't think the Gonzo of '09 will fill their void.

Sheldon also mentions Garret Anderson and Cliff Floyd as left-handed corner outfielders on the market, as well as Jonny Gomes and Craig Monroe as right-handed options.

I've always liked Anderson ... so consistently solid ... he's no spring chicken (36) but he still put up .293-15-84 last year. He hit .335 after the break! Is he the answer? Hard to say. But he appears to have more left in the tank than, say, Junior, that's for sure.

Cliff Floyd is the same age as Anderson but has only played less than half of the past three seasons, so I'm not quite as high on him anymore.

Gomes is younger and clearly has pop but still very much unproven. He's really only had one impressive year (2005); throw that one out and he's never hit better than .244. He still strikes out way too much.

Monroe is a lot like Gomes. He has pop but has really struggled the past couple of seasons and I'd just as soon have some other team hoping he can regain his form.

Henderson, Rice get Hall passes

From MLB.com:

Rickey Henderson, widely considered the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of baseball, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Monday on his first ballot with 94.8 percent of the votes cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

The all-time steals leader will be joined in Cooperstown by Jim Rice, who was in his final year of eligibility.

Rice (76.4 percent), who fell 16 votes short in 2008, cleared the 75 percent threshhold required for election to the HOF by earning 412 votes, seven over the 405 (of 539) needed.

Rice is one of those polarizing figures for those who argue endlessly about who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and who doesn't. So there will be plenty of people bitching and moaning this week about how his numbers weren't good enough, regardless of whether he was a "feared" hitter. I say why not for Rice but what do I know ... I think Andre Dawson definitely deserves to be elected as well. The Hawk finished third in voting, by the way, with 67 percent (75 percent is required). And I think Lee Smith should probably be in there, too, for his 478 career saves.

By the way, former Reds Ron Gant and Greg Vaughn failed to receive a vote, so they're both off the ballot (along with Mark Grace ... another ouch for a former Cub). And Dave Parker got 81 votes - 15 percent - which means he'll be back on the ballot and up for consideration next year.

Dungy steps down

UPDATE: Tony Dungy retired. He said he doesn't expect to come back but you never know.

Indystar.com has a nice special section.

Dungy walked around the team's complex Monday saying goodbye to players and team employees and informing them that the transition should be a smooth one for new head coach Jim Caldwell.

The Colts were 92-33 in seven seasons under Dungy. And they went to the playoffs every year.

Woman finds rare Reds card

In a story that first appeared in the Fresno Bee last week, 72-year-old Bernice Gallego found a rare 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings card, put it on eBay, got plenty of inquiries but no bids and canceled the auction when she found out it was probably worth a lot more than the $10 she initially was asking for it.

The Enquirer's John Erardi says in his story about Gallego and the card that local collector Steve Wolter says the card isn't worth the $100,000 that was speculated upon in news outlets, but it could be worth as much as $20,000. Wolter's quote:

Those cards (of that 1869 team) are considered the first baseball cards, and although they aren't extremely rare - there might be only 15-20 of them in existence - they're still pretty hard to find," Wolter said. Depending on the condition of the Fresno card, it could be worth from $4,000-$5,000 to $15,000-$20,000.

Wow. I first read about it on Yahoo! Sports yesterday and figured it's the time of story that would interest even non-baseball fans and non-card collectors.

And for those who do or did collect baseball cards, this story from Yahoo! Sports may interest you as well.

No Baldelli for Reds

ESPN.com (who gets the page view for breaking it last night), FOXSports.com and others are reporting that the Red Sox are close to signing Rocco Baldelli. Walt Jocketty had expressed interest in Baldelli, especially after an offseason visit to the Cleveland Clinic revealed that his condition was channelopathy, a non-progressive, more treatable problem than the mitochondrial fatigue syndrome with which he had been previously diagnosed. Jocketty had said he talked with Baldelli's agent, Casey Close, about Rocco very recently, as the Reds were preparing to bring back Jerry Hairston Jr. - another of Close's clients - who signed a one-year deal yesterday.

It's looking less and less like the acquisition of another run-producing outfielder is going to happen.

Breaking up the Pick 6

We're going back to posting throughout the day as opposed to waiting until late afternoon to post "This and That." There will still be a "This and That" from time to time, but it will be used for maybe a smaller collection of random links of interest. Thanks!

This and that

• Hairston update: The Reds have reached an agreement with free-agent infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $2 million.

More surprising was that MLB.com initially reported Hairston is expected to become the Reds' new everyday shortstop with the Reds still concerned about Alex Gonzalez's health.

Wednesday evening's story on MLB.com included the following: Despite a source telling MLB.com on Tuesday that Hairston would become the everyday shortstop in 2009 because Alex Gonzalez wouldn't be ready, Jocketty said that Gonzalez is still be counted on as the regular shortstop.

So Mark Sheldon is sticking with his story that a source told him essentially that Gonzalez won't be ready for the start of the season and Hairston will fill that void. But Jocketty is saying he's under the impression that Gonzalez is still on track.

Guess we'll find out for sure in a few weeks.

• Also, Jocketty told MLB.com that Pat Burrell got half of what he was looking for when he signed his two-year, $16 million deal with the Rays. Story also mentions that interest in Rocco Baldelli remains.

• Mick Cronin and the Bearcats are pretty excited about adding Ibrahima Thomas, a transfer from Oklahoma State. Story on gobearcats.com has some details, good quotes from Cronin. As a freshman, he scored 17 in the first half against Texas. Clearly there's some talent there.

Apparently he considered returning to Senegal after he decided to leave Oklahoma State.

• Yes, Dayton and Miami University were really tied at 17 at the half in the Flyers' 45-40 win at UD Arena last night. You've got to love it when you can shoot 32 percent from the field and get a win. And yet again, Dayton is 14-1 with very few people outside the Gem City even realizing it. And keep in mind they went to the Chicago Invitational Challenge and beat Auburn before handing Marquette (yes, the same Marquette team that just drilled UC) a 14-point loss.

• Another day, another NBA item in the Pick 6! You bet I will after David West dropped a 40-spot (matching his career high) in the Hornets' win against the Lakers. Dimemag.com offers a quick tribute to West.

• And former Ohio State star Greg Oden has been written and talked about quite a bit lately, but SI.com's Ian Thomsen has a piece that's worth reading about how he admires the way Oden is handling himself. He says Oden is a No. 1 pick who doesn't feel entitled, quite a contrast to the recent piece from The Oregonian's John Canzano about the Oden Rules (referred to in the Pick 6 post from Dec. 30).

No non-local link today ... I looked but not seeing anything.

This and that

• Have you been following the Robert Marve story (background here), at least on the ESPN ticker? Well the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson says UC is one of several schools who have offered the quarterback a scholarship. Marve is leaving the "U," which won't allow him to transfer to Florida, Tennessee or LSU (before Friday, they said they wouldn't allow him to go to any ACC or SEC school or any school in Florida) because of alleged tampering before he was given his release.

Eugene Marve has said one of the reasons he wants his son to go to school in the Southeast is because he has prostate cancer and prefers that Robert be close to his family members in Tampa. So that would pretty much rule out the Bearcats but I guess you never know.

And right now it doesn't look like the Bearcats will be getting this guy either: The Kansas City Star reports that three-star wide receiver Erick McGriff - the son of former MLB star Fred McGriff - has committed to Kansas. UC was one of McGriff's four finalists.

• Fiesta Bowl coverage in the Columbus Dispatch includes a Rob Oller piece that points out the following:

Since beating No. 2 Michigan in November 2006, the Buckeyes are 0-5 against top-10 teams and have lost their past three BCS games, two of which cost them the national championship. The Buckeyes have now lost three straight bowl games for the first time since 1990-92. The Big Ten, meanwhile, finishes its bowl season at 1-6.

• From ProFootballTalk.com, former Bengals quarterback Gus Frerotte thinks he would've given the Vikings their best chance to win this past weekend against Philadelphia. Sounds like he's angry/confused enough to find somewhere else to play.

• Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto suggests that it may be time for the Cavs to unload former Miami University star Wally Szczerbiak, whose numbers are way down across the board since he joined the Cavs during the 2007-08 season (sure, he's no spring chicken). Which could leave Wally playing for his fifth team in four years (Pluto says some teams have inquired about Wally). And who says I never have anything NBA-related.

• The Enquirer's Tom Groeschen reports that Aiken and Dunbar will resume the game that was interrupted by a halftime brawl.

• Apparently I'm not the only one who's not sure Willy Taveras' on-base percentage is what the Reds needed in their lineup. Baseball Prospectus' Joe Sheehan questions Walt Jocketty's logic.

• Non-local link of interest: I've gone back and forth over who to pick in tonight's GMAC Bowl showdown between Ball State and Tulsa. I really do expect it to be a fun game to watch.

This and that

• Xavier moves up to No. 16 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 18 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Last week the Muskies were 22nd in both polls.

• Technically non-local but great BCS title game preview stuff from SI.com's Stewart Mandel (Sycamore HS).

• Stewart also writes about (he's been writing a lot lately, duh) how poor Orange Bowl ratings were and how that might impact the future of the BCS.

• Pat Burrell appears to be headed to the Rays, according to our old friend Marc Lancaster. Which is fine, according to what I said last month, because he's a lot like Adam Dunn. Although that was before it started to look like Willy Taveras is going to end up being the big RBI outfielder that we need.

• Rough 24 hours for UK basketball fans: After a heartbreaking loss to archrival Louisville on a 25-footer (great coverage on the Courier Journal's web site, by the way), former Wildcat Antoine Walker gets arrested.

• The Enquirer's Tom Groeschen appears to have the most information about the Aiken-Dayton Dunbar fight that stopped the game at halftime Saturday. Sounds like it was pretty crazy. Wouldn't be surprised if they don't resume it.

• Groeschen also has this about Dante Love, which is very cool.