Canseco still gets swings in
Jose Canseco hasn’t played in a Major League Baseball game in more than a decade. He’s not a manager or a coach, or an employee of any kind in baseball.
But still, the former slugger manages to stay in the public eye.
Recently, Canseco, 48, has gone on Twitter to challenge Shaquille O’Neal to a boxing match. Last week, he began suiting up for the Fort Worth Cats, an independent team, amid a rape allegation.
Canseco homered in the third inning of the second game against the Edinburgh (Texas) Roadrunners on Saturday night, managed by his brother Ozzie, and the two took part in a home run derby between games.
Also, on Saturday, Canseco told a small gathering of reporters that he had paid for a polygraph to prove his innocence in the rape allegations made by a woman in Las Vegas. He said Saturday that because of the allegations he has “lost job opportunities already.”
But he told the reporters he passed the polygraph, a claim that was upheld by Skip Ensley, of Dallas Polygraph Services.
“There was no deception indicated,” said Ensley, according to a Dallas television station. “It’s a pleasure to clear someone of false allegations.”
So, Canseco has that going for him. He also won the home run derby, clubbing three home runs to his brother’s two, so the weekend wasn’t a total loss for the former slugger.
Help please
From the goofy injuries department comes this from Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy, a 28-year-old right hander.
Kennedy was scratched from a scheduled start today in a doubleheader against the Texas Rangers because he cut the index finger on his throwing hand while doing the dishes. Arizona Manager Kirk Gibson said he suffered the injury last week, and threw a bullpen session Saturday with a Band-Aid over the opening.
“There are some things you can do probably. You can superglue it,” Gibson said. “But that interrupts the healing process.”
Gibson said he hopes Kennedy, who is 2-3 with a 4.70 ERA, will only have to miss one start and won’t have to be sent to the disabled list.
The manager might also suggest Kennedy invest in a housekeeper.
Can’t sit here
Evidently those in Memphis aren’t that welcoming to those who play against the hometown Grizzlies. Not during the Western Conference finals, at least.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker was denied service at swanky Restaurant Iris in midtown Memphis while the Spurs were in town. Parker and the Spurs beat the Grizzlies 104-93 on Saturday night to take a 3-0 series lead.
Parker tried to swing by Restaurant Iris for dinner at some point over the weekend, but was told that was a no go.
Chef Kelly English explained on twitter that Parker was denied because he didn’t have a reservation.
“We have a thirteen-table restaurant. There have been times I couldn’t get my wife or parents in,” English tweeted. “I can’t create a table, Tony Parker or not.”
Wonder if English could have found a spot for Zach Randolph or Mike Conley.
Quote of the day
“I think the good thing about this team is we’ve got a bunch of guys that have been there at this time of the year.” Arkansas baseball Coach Dave Van Horn
Sports, Pages 20 on 05/27/2013