Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY WEDNESDAY:
NHL Playoffs: Bruins at Canucks, 8 p.m. (NBC)
MLB: Red Sox at Rays, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
AROUND THE WEB:
A dejected LeBron James talks to the media Tuesday in Miami. (AP)
♦ Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who, like LeBron James, went from an admired young player to a reviled superstar, encouraged people to lighten up on the NBA standout. “Winning a championship is not an easy thing to do regardless of talent,” Rodriguez said Tuesday night. “LeBron is a once-in-a-lifetime player, especially the last year. … We need to remember this kid is 26 years old and admire his talent.”
♦ The Peoria Chiefs, a Single-A affiliate of the Cubs, are having a tribute to the 1990s Bulls’ NBA dynasty Thursday. The team also decided to add a LeBron James 2011 NBA championship replica ring giveaway. The commemorative rings, like LeBron’s, are non-existent. All fans entering the park will be “handed” the non-existent rings. The team also said it is looking into skipping the fourth inning of the game, to commemorate James’ disappointing fourth-quarter performances in the Heat’s NBA finals loss to the Mavericks.
♦ Greg Anderson, the trainer who sat in prison for three weeks this year while refusing to testify against Barry Bonds, was told he is not welcome to continue coaching in his son’s youth baseball league outside of San Francisco. The Burlingame Youth Baseball Association said Anderson, who has coached for years, is not registered with the league and thus is prohibited from being on the field. Anderson can register next season but will have to undergo a background check like all volunteers.
♦ The FBI has talked to the owner of a restaurant in Aspen, Colo., and inquired about getting surveillance tapes from an incident in which Lance Armstrong allegedly confronted former cycling teammate Tyler Hamilton. Hamilton accused Armstrong of using performance-enhancing drugs, and Hamilton’s lawyer said Armstrong made threats when the two crossed paths Saturday night.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On June 15, 1992, which Red Sox reliever set a major league record with his 342nd career save in a 1-0 victory over the Yankees?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Basically I was saying at the end of the day this season is over and — with all hatred — everyone else has to move on with their lives, good or bad. I do too. It wasn’t saying I’m superior or better than anyone else, any man or woman on this planet, I’m not. I would never ever look at myself bigger than anyone who watched our game. It may have come off wrong but that wasn’t my intent.” — LeBron James, backtracking on his comments from Sunday night
STAT OF THE DAY: 4 — Complete games this season for Rays pitcher James Shields, including Tuesday night’s 4-0 victory over the Red Sox
‘NET RESULTS: Former Red Sox manager Gary Allenson, now manager of the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, gets tossed for arguing a changed home run call as he climbs over the center field fence in a failed effort to prove the ball went out of the park.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Jeff Reardon, who saved the game for John Dopson
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Kansas lead singer Steve Walsh is 60 Wednesday.
