Giants release Ahmad Bradshaw

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The New York Giants continued their roster purge after missing the playoffs, cutting leading rusher Ahmad Bradshaw and defensive tackle Chris Canty.

The salary cap-saving moves on Wednesday came one day after New York let starting weakside linebacker Michael Boley go after four seasons. The Giants also waived defensive tackle Martin Parker, who spent this past season on injured reserve with a back injury.

Bradshaw, Canty and Boley were all veterans who contributed to the Giants' Super Bowl win over the Patriots a year ago, but they all had big contracts and battled injuries.

Bradshaw, who has had knee and ankle injuries, was to earn $4.25 million. He became expendable with the play of rookie David Wilson. Canty, who had knee issues with the Giants after never missing a game with Dallas, was to earn $6.5 million next season. Boley, who had shoulder and hamstring injuries last season, was to make $4 million this season.

The biggest surprise might have been the release of Bradshaw, who was one of the emotional leaders of the team.

The 26-year-old, who played on two Super Bowl championship teams with the Giants, led the team in rushing each of the past three seasons, gaining 1,015 this past season.

''Pound for pound, Bradshaw is one of the toughest football players that I've been around,'' said general manager Jerry Reese, who took Bradshaw with the 250th pick in the 2007 draft. ''Ahmad played football like Giants football should be played.''

One of the moments fans will remember is Bradshaw yelling at coach Tom Coughlin during a game this past season, saying he wanted the ball more. Coughlin had no problems with his fire.

''He is not only an exceptional football player, but he is the epitome of line up and play,'' Coughlin said. "Regardless of the circumstances, he's going to give you everything he's got. If you give the ball to him, he's going to get every inch of what is there - and sometimes when it's not blocked, he still gets it.''

Bradshaw is sixth on the franchise's career rushing list with 4,232 yards and seventh with 921 rushing attempts. He rushed for 32 touchdowns, the ninth-highest total in team history.

In his six seasons, he played in 84 regular-season games with 33 starts. He also caught 132 passes for 1,087 yards and three touchdowns.

The Giants' first-round draft choice in 2012, Wilson rushed for 358 yards and four scores and also set a franchise record with 1,533 kickoff return yards. He will be backed up by Andre Brown, who rushed for 385 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns before breaking his leg in late November.

Canty was signed in 2009 and played in 49 regular-season games with 45 starts, including all 20 games in the 2011 Super Bowl run. He had 155 tackles and nine sacks.

''Chris is a pro's pro, a true team player and competitor,'' Reese said. ''He helped us get to the top in 2011 and it was a pleasure having him here during his time with the New York Giants.''

Canty missed the first six games of last season after having offseason knee surgery. He had 31 tackles and three sacks this past season, missing the finale because of a knee injury.

Linval Joseph started at the other tackle for New York, which also has youngsters Marvin Austin and Markus Kuhn returning along with veteran Rocky Bernard.

Chris Carpenter's career in jeopardy

ST. LOUIS -- Chris Carpenter, one of the best clutch pitchers in the storied history of the St. Louis Cardinals, may have thrown his final pitch.

General manager John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny announced Tuesday that Carpenter almost certainly won't pitch in 2013 and that his star-crossed career is probably over after a recurrence of a nerve injury that cost him most of last season. Carpenter did not attend, and Mozeliak said the emotions for the 37-year-old were still too raw.

Retirement isn't official yet. Carpenter plans to seek further medical evaluation. But Mozeliak seemed resigned to losing him.

"He's leaving the door slightly open, but it's unlikely," Mozeliak said of Carpenter's return.

Carpenter's career numbers don't reflect his value to the team. He is 144-94 with a 3.76 ERA in a career that began in Toronto in 1997. He spent six seasons with the Blue Jays and nine in St. Louis. He won the 2005 NL Cy Young Award, going 21-5 with a 2.83 ERA, and was second in 2009 after going 17-4 with a 2.24 ERA.

More telling are his postseason results, including a 10-4 record and 3.00 ERA in 18 starts. There were the eight innings of three-hit shutout baseball in a Game 3 World Series win over Detroit in 2006, a series the Cardinals won in five games; a 1-0 shutout to beat Roy Halladay in Philadelphia in the deciding game of the 2011 NL Division Series; and the gutty Game 7 World Series-clinching win over Texas on three days' rest in 2011.

His career is all the more remarkable considering the amount of time he spent on the disabled list due to various shoulder, elbow and nerve injuries. He missed most of 2002, all of 2003, most of 2007 and 2008, and then last year's season that was limited to three regular-season starts.

Carpenter phoned Mozeliak on Friday and told him that after trying to throw off a mound, the nerve injury was back, this time including numbness in his right arm, even bruising on his shoulder and hand.

"After speaking with him on the phone you certainly get a sense that he's more concerned about life after baseball," Mozeliak said.

The stunning news spread quickly. Third baseman David Freese tweeted: "Carp. 1 of the best teammates around. Heck of a competitor, impeccable leader. Passion for the game & to win, cant top. #ace."

Former Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols tweeted, "Sad to hear the news of #ChrisCarpenter and hoping for a quick recovery. Sending prayers to one of the toughest men in baseball."

Carpenter

Carpenter was a clubhouse force, a no-nonsense presence who set an example of grit and toughness. Consider 2012: He was written off as lost for the season after the nerve injury first emerged during spring training.

But in July, Carpenter had radical surgery that included removal of a rib, and it worked -- he pitched three games down the stretch to help St. Louis earn the final NL wild card spot. He beat Washington in the division series but was 0-2 in the NL Championship Series against eventual World Series winner San Francisco, the velocity and command not up to his normal standard.

"I don't know if I've ever witnessed a better competitor than Chris, and also leader," said Matheny, a former catcher and teammate of Carpenter's before his current role as manager.

Mozeliak agreed.

"When he was healthy he was one of the best," Mozeliak said. "He was blessed with talent but he also worked extremely hard. When I think back over the last 10 to 15 years here in St. Louis he was one of those guys who just helped create the model of success. He left nothing to chance."

Carpenter's contract calls for a $12.5 million salary this year, of which $2 million is deferred without interest and is to be paid in $200,000 installments each July 1 from 2017-26.

As recently as the Cardinals' annual fan gathering in mid-January, Carpenter was saying he was healthy and eager to pitch in 2013. Mozeliak said Carpenter tried throwing from a mound perhaps three times before calling him, emotionally saying he didn't think he could pitch.

"He felt to some degree he was letting us down," Mozeliak said. "I assured him nothing was further from the truth."

Still, Matheny called the news "a kick in the gut" and the Cardinals have been through this before, too. Adam Wainwright had Tommy John surgery after hurting his elbow in 2011 and missed the entire season.

"There are a lot of young arms ready to contribute and now they're going to get that opportunity," Mozeliak said.

He declined to speculate on whether the team would consider re-signing Kyle Lohse, who was 16-3 with a 2.86 in 211 innings for St. Louis last season but remains unsigned as a free agent.

The Cardinals also have uncertainty about left-hander Jaime Garcia, who was 7-7 with a 3.92 ERA last season but was limited to just 20 starts due to shoulder fatigue. He was lost for the rest of the postseason after injuring his left shoulder in Game 2 against the Nationals.

Wainwright, Jake Westbrook and Lance Lynn are expected to be in the rotation. Younger pitchers Joe Kelly, Trevor Rosenthal and Shelby Miller will compete for a spot.

"As we head into spring now there's certainly a void there, but there's also an opportunity," Matheny said. "We have to have some other guys step up."

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White Sox claim 1B Anderson

The Chicago White Sox announced Friday that they filled their 40-man roster by claiming first baseman Lars Anderson off waivers.

Anderson was let go by the Arizona Diamondbacks in January.

Anderson, 25, played six games for the Boston Red Sox last year, going 1 for 8 at the plate. He also batted .250 with nine home runs and 59 RBI in 111 games for Class AAA Pawtucket and Columbus.

Anderson was traded to the Cleveland Indians at the end of July, who sent him to the Diamondbacks in the Trevor Bauer trade. He was designated for assignment by Arizona on Jan. 24.

Cardinals, Rzepczynski settle on deal; Freese unsigned

The St. Louis Cardinals and left-handed reliever Marc Rzepczynski avoided arbitration by settling on a one-year, $1.1 million contract on Friday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Rzepczynski, 27, requested $1.3 million and the Cardinals offered $900,000 in exchanging arbitration figures before deciding on a deal.

Rzepczynski can earn another $25,000 if he makes 70 appearances and an additional $25,000 if he appears in 75 or more games. He pitched in 70 games last year. He had a 4.24 ERA in 46 2/3 innings in 2012. He made $504,000.

Also, third baseman David Freese remains the only Cardinal eligible for arbitration who is unsigned. He is seeking $3.75 million while the Cardinals have offered $2.4 million.

Freese hit .293 with 20 home runs last year and made $508,000.

Arbitration hearings start Monday and last through Feb. 20. Freese is one of 15 arbitration-eligible players in the major leagues who has not signed.

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At least 10 restaurants in New Orleans aren’t willing to serve Roger Goodell this week

Sometimes in life you simply get what you deserve....




Hanging a man in effigy is one thing, but denying him access to the full spread of your city's famous culinary offerings? Well, that's just downright cold, New Orleans.

No matter whether it damages the upstanding rep of Southern hospitality, there are at least 10 establishments in New Orleans that refuse to serve NFL commissioner Roger Goodell any food or drink this week.

Eater.com has been compiling a running list of restaurants and bars that are closed to the commish. They include noted sports bar Finn McCool's and fried chicken favorite Coop's Place.

Here's a slideshow of some of the more creative "keep out!" signs.



The local eateries, of course, are still steamed over Goodell's actions during the New Orleans Saints' "Bountygate" scandal and blame the commissioner for the team's playoff-less season.

For his part, Goodell responded to his less-than-ideal reception with good humor during his big press conference on Friday afternoon.

"I couldn't feel more welcomed here," Goodell said. "I had a float in the Mardi Gras parade. We have a voodoo doll."

He then got serious, acknowledging the Saints' big role in the return of the city post-Katrina and giving a big nod to the team's dedicated fans.

"The last couple of nights, I've been out with a lot of the people I worked with after the Katrina tragedy and we all reflected on how well we worked together ... I understand the fans' loyalty is to the team. They had no part in this (bounty scandal). They were completely innocent. I support their passion."

If not their reservation policies.