Brian Billick Given The Axe In Baltimore

Brian Billick never came close to duplicating the success he enjoyed early in his career as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, and it finally cost him his job.

Billick was fired Monday, less than 24 hours after his team concluded a season of high expectations with a disappointing 5-11 record. His entire staff, including defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, also was dismissed.

The firing was first reported by FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer.

"I believed that it was time for a change, I believed that we have the nucleus of a team that can get back to the Super Bowl, and we felt that in the next five years we had a better chance with a new coach than leaving Brian in that position," said owner Steve Bisciotti, who made the decision after consulting with team president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome.

Billick won the 2001 Super Bowl in his second season with the Ravens, but since Bisciotti took over full ownership in 2004, Baltimore was 33-33. That included two losing seasons and only one playoff appearance, a one-and-out performance in 2006.

Billick led the Ravens to a franchise-best 13-3 record in 2006. But Baltimore lost a team-record nine consecutive games this season before ending the skid Sunday with a 27-21 win over Pittsburgh.

Bisciotti said he made the decision to fire Billick hours before kickoff, and carried out the move Monday morning in a meeting at the team's practice facility.

While Brian Billick was fired, at the same time, general manager A.J. Smith received a five-year contract extension Tuesday that will keep him with the team through 2014.

Details weren't announced, but various reports said the extension was worth $11 million.
Smith didn't return phone calls seeking comment.

Team president Dean Spanos was traveling and unavailable for comment, his secretary said.

Smith's previous contract was due to expire following the 2009 season. He was promoted in April 2003 after John Butler died of cancer.

The Chargers have won the AFC West for the third time in four seasons under Smith. They'll try to break a four-game postseason losing streak dating to January 1995 when they host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in the wild-card round. Two of those playoff losses have come on Smith's watch.

Although it was Butler who drafted star running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Smith has proven to be a strong talent evaluator by drafting star players such as outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, quarterback Philip Rivers and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

He's also signed undrafted players who developed into Pro Bowlers, most notably tight end Antonio Gates, a three-time All-Pro. Two other free agent pickups, guard Kris Dielman and special teams player Kassim Osgood, have developed into Pro Bowlers.

Smith is probably best known for holding his ground when Eli Manning's representatives told the Chargers just before the 2004 draft that the quarterback wouldn't play for San Diego if it took him with the first overall pick.

Smith drafted Manning anyway, then swapped his rights to the New York Giants for the rights to Rivers, as well as picks he used to take kicker Nate Kaeding later in that draft and Merriman the following year.
Smith also obtained wide receiver Chris Chambers from Miami at this year's trade deadline. The acquisition of Chambers has helped open up the running game.

The Chargers are 50-30 under Smith, but 0-2 in the postseason.

Smith became involved in a front-office soap opera when his relationship with coach Marty Schottenheimer soured to the point that the two men didn't talk to each other.
Schottenheimer was fired by Spanos in February, a month after the top-seeded Chargers fell apart in their playoff opener, a shocking 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots.

The Chargers also lost to the New York Jets in overtime in the 2004 wild-card round, also under Schottenheimer.

Smith hired Norv Turner to replace Schottenheimer. After a stunning 1-3 start, the Chargers head into the playoffs having won six straight and 10 of 12.

Miguel Tejada Has Found A New Home

Miguel Tejada was traded to the Houston Astros.


Miguel Tejada shows that patience pays off.

Two years after first requesting a trade, Tejada was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Houston Astros for five players on Wednesday, giving the former AL MVP a fresh start on a team looking to boost its lineup.

The Orioles got outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Michael Costanzo for the four-time All-Star shortstop.

Two winters ago, Tejada caused a stir in Baltimore when he said was unhappy with the Orioles' direction and wanted to be traded. He later backed off that stance.

At 31, the Orioles were worried about his range at shortstop. He had resisted their efforts to move him over to third base.

Wade said while Tejada may not cover quite as much ground as he once did, the Astros are confident he'll be solid in that spot. Adam Everett, Houston's shortstop this season, will become an unrestricted free agent by Thursday, Wade said.

In 2005, Tejada came under scrutiny after teammate Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for steroids. Palmeiro said Tejada gave him vitamin B-12 that might have been tainted with performance-enhancing drugs.

Tejada denied any steroid use and his name has not been linked to any wrongdoing.

The National League Central will not be the weakest division in Baseball next season. The Brewers have shored up their bullpen with David Riske, Eric Gagne, and Solomon Torres. The Astros have improved their offense with Miguel Tejada. The Cubs have improved their outfield, as it was announced today they signed Free Agent Japanese Outfielder Koskue Fukudome to a four year, $48 Million dollar contract.

The Three Horse Race for the National League Central has begun.

Cubs Bring Back Steve Trachsel in Trade With Orioles

Steve Trachsel helped the Cubs in the middle of a division chase in 1998 when the Cubs won the National League Wild Card. Here in 2007, Trachsel is in position to do the same thing again, only this time, the Cubs are in First Place.


Trachsel was acquired by the Cubs today for reliever Rocky Cherry and Minor League Third Baseman Scott Moore. Trachsel will give the Cubs the much needed extra arm in the stretch run of the season, Late August, Early September.

Hey Cubs fans, if the Name Steve Trachsel sounds familiar to you, consider this: Trachsel was on the mound in 1998 when "Big Mac", the now disgraced Mark McGwire hit his (at the time) record breaking 62nd homerun. The record has been broken since then, but Steve will always be known as the guy who gave up Number 62 to Mark McGwire.

Pitching used to be the Cubs weak point. Now they have plenty of it, but will it be enough to hold off the Cardinals and the Brewers for the Division? I think so.

Rangers Beat Down Orioles In 30-3 Slugfest

Five runs in the fourth inning.

Nine runs in the sixth.
Ten in the eighth.

Six more in the ninth.

The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace and became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.

Trailing 3-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, Texas couldn't be stopped. Finally, the last-place Rangers did something right.

Texas kept right on hitting in the second game, too, although at a decidedly tamer pace. Travis Metcalf drove in four runs and the Rangers used a three-run eighth for a 9-7 victory and a sweep.

Texas set an AL record for runs in a doubleheader, surpassing the 36 scored by Detroit in 1937.

The Rangers had 11 hits in the second game, including three by Michael Young. The nightcap, however, will forever be regarded as a postscript to the incredible opener.

It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since the Chicago Colts set the major league mark in a 36-7 rout of Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Hours after announcing manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season, the Orioles absorbed the most lopsided loss in franchise history and set a team record for hits allowed in a game, with 29.

The Rangers had totaled 28 runs in their previous nine games, including two runs on seven hits in their last two.

The Rangers set a team record for runs scored in a doubleheader - before the second game even started.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, the bottom two batters in Texas' lineup, each homered twice and finished with seven RBIs. The last time two teammates had as many as seven RBIs in a game was 1962, when Elston Howard had eight and Mickey Mantle added seven for the New York Yankees against the Kansas City Athletics.

David Murphy had five of the Rangers' 29 hits, the most by a major league team since Milwaukee had 31 in a 22-2 victory over Toronto on Aug. 28, 1992, according to Elias.
Texas' 30 RBIs set a major league record. The Rangers had 57 at-bats, tying the AL mark for a nine-inning game set by Milwaukee in its 1992 rout of Toronto.

The Rangers added five points to their team batting average, raising it to .258. They finished with more runs than outs made (27).

Baltimore's ERA went from 4.39 to 4.60.

Kason Gabbard (6-1) allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. He is 2-1 in six starts since Texas acquired him from Boston on July 31.

Even with the one-sided score, there was a save. Wes Littleton earned his second career save and first this season by pitching three scoreless innings.

Texas erased a 3-0 deficit by batting around in a five-run fourth. Saltalamacchia hit a two-run single and, after a visit from pitching coach Leo Mazzone, Daniel Cabrera (9-13) gave up a three-run homer to Vazquez.

Texas got 10 hits - matching a club record for one inning - in the sixth and went up 14-3.

Cabrera left after serving up a home run to Saltalamacchia. Brian Burres yielded two singles and a walk before Byrd hit his third career slam. Saltalamacchia, Vazquez, Frank Catalanotto and Ian Kinsler added RBI singles.

Texas got seven hits in the eighth. Metcalf hit his first career slam and Saltalamacchia added a three-run shot.

Vazquez's second homer highlighted a six-run ninth.

It is Simply Unbelievable how hot one team can get for one single game! I remember watching the game when it was 15-3, I didn't watch because the game was over. I turn the television back on a little later and the Score is 30-3! Wow! And when you consdider that Texas actually trailed 3-0 in the ballgame, it becomes even more unbelievable. My head is spinning thinking about all of the statistics about this game! Simply Unbelievable!