Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Red Sox, Giants, Mets, Padres, Dodgers named as top teams in Yamamoto sweepstakes; Reid and Mahomes fined for criticizing NFL officials; plus more news

Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto seen here throwing in the World Baseball Classic in Mexico Mar 20, 2023 is being sought by five MLB teams which are said to be the two top teams bidding for Yamamoto’s services (AP file photo)

On Headlines Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, a pretty good source former Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers general manager Jim Bowden said that both the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox seemed to be the two finalists in their bid to get Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Bowden said both clubs are down for the $300 million to get Yamamoto it’s just a matter of who will outbid who for Yamamoto.

#2 The NFL fined Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid $100,000 and quarterback Patrick Mahomes $50,000 for public criticism of the officiating. Mahomes was yelling at the on field officials. Mahomes picked up an unsportsmanship like conduct last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Mahomes said the penalty was “elementary school (stuff)” and Reid said that he and Mahomes normally would get a warning prior to getting penalized and said of Kadarius Toney’s penalty was “a bit embarrassing in the National Football League.”

#3 Former Los Angeles Laker center star Kareem Abdul Jabbar broke his hip when he fell at a concert on Friday. Jabbar 76, said that he was deeply appreciative of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Jabbar’s representative Deborah Morales said they were an  “amazing medical team and doctors at UCLA Hospital who are taking great care of (him).”

#4 Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said this will be his last year in pro football. Bridgewater came into the NFL in 2014 with the Minnesota Vikings he missed 2015 and 2016 with a dislocated ACL and dislocated knee, he played for the Saints, Panthers, Broncos, and Dolphins. Bridgewater said that for three hours he realized he’s just a football player outside of that the injuries put everything in prospective.

#5 Turning to Major League Baseball the Los Angeles Dodgers introduced two way player Shohei Ohtani at a press conference on Friday at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani was fitted with a a Dodger cap and jersey while meeting the press and will be the designated hitter for the 2024 season. Ohtani didn’t answer questions about having Tommy John surgery he will not pitch this season.

#6 The San Francisco Giants big signing came when Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee signed a six year $113 million deal. Lee is expected to add if not be the biggest name in the line up for the 2024 season. Lee hit .318 with six home runs in 86 games last season. Lee’s season ended in July when he needed left ankle surgery in spite of it all MLB clubs came calling and it was the Giants that Lee signed with.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Carr left off PFWA’s All-Rookie team

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — I guess Derek Carr still has a lot to prove in the NFL, according to the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).

The PFWA released its All-Rookie team on Tuesday and the Raiders had two players receive honors: linebacker Khalil Mack and defensive tackle Justin “Jelly” Ellis.

Clearly there is no debate on why the PFWA selected Mack, Oakland’s fifth overall pick in last April’s NFL draft. Mack finished with 75 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 forced fumble while starting all 16 games.

Ellis, who was a bit of a surprise to me, finished with 21 tackles, but didn’t record a sack in 16 games played (14 starts).

The bigger surprise was the fact that Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr was snubbed from the team in favor of Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater.

In 16 starts, Carr led all rookies by passing for 3,270 yards, with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, with a 76.6 passer rating. His 599 passing attempts ranks second in NFL history among rookies (Andrew Luck had 629 in 2012).

One of Carr’s signature games has got to be the 24-13 victory in Week 14 over the Raiders’ Bay Area rival, the San Francisco 49ers where he tossed 3 touchdowns on 22-for-28 passes for 254 yards. That victory pretty much spelled the end of the Jim Harbaugh era in San Francisco.

Bridgewater had a strong season himself, throwing for 2,919 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, with a passer rating of 85.2 while playing in 13 games (12 starts).

Sure Bridgewater had a higher completion rating than Carr (64.4 to 58.1), and Minnesota (7-9) finished with a better record than Oakland (3-13), but Carr should’ve gotten the nod over Bridgewater.

Take nothing away from Bridgewater, who benefits from having one of the better offensive play-callers in offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who will return to Minnesota next season, but Carr will enter the 2015 season having to learn a new offense and adjust to his third head coach in a matter of a year.

Oakland introduced former Broncos’ defensive coordinator as the team’s new head coach on Friday at a press conference at the team’s Alameda headquarters.

Carr and Bridgewater will forever be linked to each other for the rest of their careers. Both quarterbacks are going to be compared to the other on how each team wins an loses, but in the long run, I think Carr will have the better career than Bridgewater.

Only time will tell, but I’m sorry, the PFWA got the choice at quarterback for its 2014 All-Rookie team wrong.

Below is the complete list of the 2014 PFWA All-Rookie team and rookie year-end awards.

2014 PFWA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
2014 PFWA OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
2014 PFWA DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: DT Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams

2014 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Offense
QB – Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
RB – Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals; Tre Mason, St. Louis Rams
WR – Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants; Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TE – Jace Amaro, New York Jets
C – Corey Linsley, Green Bay Packers
G – Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns; Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
T – Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans; Ja’Wuan James, Miami Dolphins
Defense
DL – Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams; Timmy Jernigan, Baltimore Ravens; Kony Ealy, Carolina Panthers; Justin Ellis, Oakland Raiders
LB – Chris Borland, San Francisco 49ers; Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders; C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens
CB – Kyle Fuller, Chicago Bears; E.J. Gaines, St. Louis Rams
S – Deone Bucannon, Arizona Cardinals; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers
Special Teams
PK – Cody Parkey, Philadelphia Eagles
P – Pat O’Donnell, Chicago Bears
KR – Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins
PR – De’Anthony Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs
ST – Trey Burton, Philadelphia Eagles