MLB
MLB starts the bidding for Japanese ace Tanaka
NEW YORK – The bidding for Japanese star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has begun.
All 30 major league teams were notified that the 30-day period to sign the star 25-year-old right-hander began at 6 a.m. Thursday, according to MLB spokesman Michael Teevan. Clubs will have until 3 p.m. Jan. 24 to attempt to reach an agreement with the ace.
If Tanaka and a major league team come to terms, that franchise is required to pay his Japanese club, the Rakuten Eagles, a posting fee, now capped at $20 million under a deal reached two weeks ago between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball. Under the old, no-limit system, the Texas Rangers paid more than $50 million for the right to negotiate with Yu Darvish before the 2012 season.
Tanaka was 24-0 in the regular season with a 1.27 earned-run average.
NFL
Punt strategy puts Seahawks on the verge of NFL record
RENTON, Wash. – For most of his career, Jon Ryan’s task was to change field position with booming punts.
And then the Seattle Seahawks decided they wanted to change their punting approach. They wanted Ryan to pull back and use hang time and directional punting to take away the danger of giving up long returns.
The Seahawks have been exceptional with achieving their goal this season. Entering the season finale against St. Louis, the Seahawks have allowed only 25 punt return yards on 16 returns this season. They’re on pace to set an NFL record for fewest return yards allowed in a 16-game season.
Bears beware: Packers’ QB is cleared to play Sunday
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Aaron Rodgers was cleared to return from a left collarbone injury, just in time to start Sunday for the Packers against the Chicago Bears in a game to decide the NFC North title.
With no advance warning and little fanfare, the franchise quarterback received the long-awaited good news at the same time as the rest of his teammates Thursday.
Green Bay (7-7-1) is 2-5-1 since Rodgers went down during the first series of a 27-20 loss Nov. 4 to Chicago. The Packers have managed to hang on, with a shot to win a third consecutive division title with a victory Sunday at Soldier Field.
Win, and Green Bay will return to Lambeau Field the next weekend to host a wild-card team in the first round of the playoffs.
Kitna will donate his salary to a Seattle-area high school
IRVING, Texas – Jon Kitna will earn $53,000 to serve as the Cowboys’ third-string quarterback for one week, and he plans to donate that money to the Seattle-area high school where he’s now a coach.
Kitna retired after the 2011 season, his 15th in the league, and was coaching football at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash., this season when he heard about Tony Romo’s back injury.
Kitna will suit up Sunday as the backup to Kyle Orton if Romo can’t play against the Philadelphia Eagles, in a game that will decide a playoff berth.
College Football
For the 2nd time in 3 weeks, Clowney gets a bad ticket
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was pulled over again for going at least 25 mph over the speed limit.
Clowney was stopped around 10:30 a.m. Thursday going 84 mph in a 55-mph zone on Interstate 26 near Interstate 126, about 5 miles from the Gamecocks’ campus, Columbia Police said.
The traffic stop happened about an hour before the Gamecocks flew to Florida for the Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl against Wisconsin. The game will be the junior’s last for the Gamecocks as he leaves school early for the NFL draft.
It’s Clowney’s second ticket in three weeks. On Dec. 7, state troopers said Clowney was going 110 mph in a 70-mph zone.
Associated Press
