Teri Hatcher hooks up with young basketball player? (Cele|bitchy)

According to the blog Cele|bitchy, Teri Hatcher may be squiring around a younger lad — Golden State Warriors guard Baron Davis.

The pair appear to have been introduced at the Tony Parker-Eva Longoria attention whore fest wedding.

Tony [Parker]… introduced the brunette star to a fellow NBA guard, the Golden State Warriors’ Baron Davis, 28, at the newlyweds’ reception on July 7. And after that, Stephen Kay back home seemed to be miles from the actress’ mind!

“Baron and Teri really hit it off,” said a friend of the TV beauty. “They talked and danced all night and had a great time. They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other!”…

As for Teri’s relationship with Stephen, another friend of the star says, “I think she hasn’t had her heart in it for a while. She definitely seemed open to meeting someone new…”

On July 24 [Teri and Baron] were spotted together again at the Hollywood eatery Pace, where they sat on the same side of a four-person table, “looking like a couple of love-struck teenagers!”

We don’t typically care about this sort of thing, but we thought we leave you with that until manana.

Tip o’the cap to ESPN’s PTI for the informational tip.

Source: Padres claim Igawa off waivers (FOX Sports)

The San Diego Padres have made an attempt to shore up their starting rotation, claiming New York Yankees starter Kei Igawa off waivers.

The two clubs have until the end of the weekend to consummate a deal after San Diego was awarded the claim.

Angels catchers Napoli, Mathis safe at home (LA Daily News)

Los Angeles Angels catcher Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli do what young ballplayers do, live it up in a bachelor pad and enjoy life as big leaguers.

But the two have some quirky behavior.  More specifically, these two claim they spend 23 hours a day in one another’s company (the lone hour away? bathroom time!).

The two share so much time together that Napoli recently estimated they are with each other 23 hours a day. So what about that other hour? The bathroom. Napoli thankfully confirmed that at least they don’t go to the restroom together.

Two young, Florida-born, twenty-something teammates certainly needed an understanding landlord, and fortunately they found one. They are paying their rent to former Angel Adam Kennedy, who still has his old place just a few miles from the ocean.

Gotta wonder: do these guys spoon, too?

Tip o’the cap to The FanHouse for the roommate fun.

According to a broadcast report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, embattled Tennessee Titans cornerback Pacman Jones has been served with a restraining order that prevents him from participating in the Total Non-stop (TNA) Wrestling event that is scheduled for Sunday.

In one day, Jones goes from happiness — the three traffic tickets being dismissed — and now this restraining order.

More information as it becomes available…

***UPDATED at 3:56 PM ET***

As promised, ESPN.com has the full, detailed story on the restraining order against Pacman Jones’ attempt to wrestle Sunday.

Barry Bonds official website offers fans chance to leave him voicemail (SPORTSbyBROOKS)

We fully expect this to be a rousing success: a company has teamed up with Barry Bonds’ official website to offer up a chance to leave a voicemail for baseball’s home run leader. All you need to do is head to his site, imthefaceofthesteroidera.com BarryBonds.com, and follow the instructions.

Once a message is left, the messagee (we don’t think that’s a word, but we’re going with it) receives a text from Bonds.

Tip o’the cap to Network World and SPORTSbyBROOKS for this find.

News and notes while Cubs fans hold their breath about Aramis Ramirez’s wrist…

Pacman has some good news: Traffic tickets dismissed (AP/FOX Sports) Since Pacman has math problems, though he’ll remain at six arrests — for now.

Peca to the Rangers? (Sportsnet.ca) Via the New York Daily News, the Broadway Blueshirts may be signing Michael Peca.

American baseball player gets steroids ban in Japanese league (AP/SI) Some guy named Rick Guttormson tested positive for a banned substance and has been suspended for 20 days.

St. Louis ups ante in bid for MLS team (St. Louis Soccer United) Investor group announces that a $100 million stadium project could be built in St. Louis-metro area should the plan be ratified by city government.

2007-2008 NFL season announcing preview: NFL on Fox (AwfulAnnouncing) Will Matt V. broadcast games in STL? And kudos to Kenny Albert for his bump up to the number two slot.

12 questions with Bernie Miklasz (InsideSTL)

When he doesn’t have his finger on the sports pulse of St. Louis, Post-Dispatch sports columnist Bernie Miklasz has it on the wheel of his iPod.

Miklasz is a self-desribed music aficionado, with a wide-range of tastes that apparently keep finding its way back to Bruce Springsteen, his musical idol.

Columnist Michael D. Berns of InsideSTL.com sat down with the multimedia sports guru to discuss what bands he’s been influenced by, what kind of music gets him through the day and of course, what song would he karaoke if given the chance.

11. Do you karaoke?  If so, what’s your song?
I don’t karaoke, but if I did, my song would be “Summer Wind” by Sinatra or “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin.

Something different on a rather slow day around here.

Armstrong’s Discovery Channel team shutting down (USA Today)

Sal Ruibal of USA Today reports that Tailwind Sports, owner of the Discovery Channel Professional Cycling Team, announced Friday that the team will cease operations at the end of this season.  The team’s predecessor, the U.S. Postal Service Team, won eight of the last nine Tour de France championships: seven consecutive from 1999-2005 with Armstrong and in 2007 with Alberto Contador of Spain.

By the way, we rather think it was creative genius to come up with the double-entendre “cycling” as it relates to blood doping and the sport.

Ankiel: Blast from the past (STL Today)

Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch chronicles the improbably journey of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher outfielder Rick Ankiel, who returned to the bigs after a stellar season at Triple-AAA Memphis in which he clubbed league-leading totals in home runs (32) and knocked RBI (89).

On Thursday, Ankiel placed an exclamation point on his return as a position player with a line drive, three-run home run to right field.

Bringing Ankiel to the major leagues before they had initially planned is more than a promotion for the Pacific Coast League’s leading slugger. It’s a commitment to him. Ankiel, 28, is out of options and will not be returned to the minor leagues this season, meaning the Cardinals plan to play the outfielder.

La Russa said Thursday that Ankiel will play all three outfield positions and start many of the next week’s games, even if it means less playing time for some of the established outfielders.

La Russa had to fight back tears during a post-game press conference, telling the gathered media with an underlying quiver:

“Short of winning the World Series, I think this is the happiest I’ve seen our club. It’s so emotional…it’s emotional right now. I’m fighting my butt off to keep it together. He’s such a special young man. This game is filled with no justice. Rarely do ya get what you deserve…for him to that in the a close game when we really needed those runs…what a moment.”

We’ll be seeing more of Ankiel the rest of the way.

Correction: We, in our haste and excitement, failed to note that he hit the ball to right field, not left.  We regret the error.

Costas: HR record is ‘inauthentic’ (FOX Sports)

In an interview with FOX Sports Radio, HBO/NBC sports personality Bob Costas showed his enthusiasm for Barry Bonds setting the home run record with a single word: “inauthentic.”

Before his sudden surge in 2000 to the present, Costas noted that Bonds was in a league of five or six players,  Now, not so much.

“I would say that Barry Bonds was, on his natural merits, one of the five or six greatest all-around players in baseball history,” Costas said Wednesday on FOX GameTime Live. “Then something highly questionable and inauthentic happened in the late 90s and at the turn of the century, which took him from a first-rate, tremendous, Hall of Fame player to a nearly superhuman player. Therefore his late career performances and the records, not just the HR record, but some of the single season records, including slugging, on-base percentage, and others, cannot be viewed as authentic.”

Costas did offer some praise for Bonds:  he told the show that Bonds handled himself very well, saying he had “just the right tone” in all the revelry.

The morning after the return of “The Rick”…

Tony Clark makes one swing count in the late innings in Arizona; Jeremy Bonderman continues to struggle in early innings for Detroit; the Cubs pound their way to within a 1/2 game of first place in the NL Central and Kyle Davies showed the hometown crowd in KC what he’s made of, tossing a three-hitter in seven innings of work.

D’Rays 8, Tigers 1 — Scott Kazmir pitched six scoreless innings, Carl Crawford homered and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 8-1. Jeremy Bonderman shat the bed again, giving up seven runs and 10 hits in six innings. He has allowed 23 runs in his last three outings.

Twins 0, Royals 1 — Kyle Davies pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning in his home debut for Kansas City and combined with three relievers to help the Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 1-0.

M’s 13, O’’s 8 — Seattle blew a four-run lead when Baltimore scored five times in the third to take a 5-4 lead, but the Mariners tied it in the fourth and then put together a five-run rally in the sixth.

Indians 7, White Sox 5 — Rookie Aaron Laffey outpitched Mark Buehrle for his first major league win, and Kelly Shoppach’s three-run homer capped a five-run fourth Thursday night as the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 7-5.

More after the jump »

News and notes while Penny Hardaway rejoins Shaq in Florida…

Chipper is angry, won’t talk to NY media (ESPN)  Perhaps you shouldn’t open your trap, Lawrence.

Giants deal Sweeney to rival (AP/San Francisco Chronicle)  The Giants make first deal in ten years with long-time rivals, moving pinch-hitter deluxe Mark Sweeney to LA Dodgers.

Mourners pay tribute to former Niners’ legend Walsh (AP/SF Chronicle)  Hundreds of people crowded into the private service to hear Edwards, former quarterbacks Steve Young and Joe Montana, Dianne Feinstein, Eddie DeBartolo and others reflect on Walsh’s career and how he had influenced them.

Beckham makes long-awaited MLS debut (AP/SI.com) David Beckham checked into the game at the 72nd minute mark in the Galaxy’s 1-0 victory of the D.C. United.

New ‘MNF’ recipe goes for spice (USA Today) Michael Hiestand writes that this year’s plan for MNF aims to bring edginess to the table.