Van Riemsdyk responds to criticism and trade rumors
Jame Van Riemsdyk responds to the criticism that suggested he was not playing to his full potential amid trade rumors.
Trade
Devils’ Kurtis Foster, Matt Taormina try to avoid trade distraction
Devils defenseman Kurtis Foster is well aware of the teams pursuit of veteran blue liner Marek Zidlicky.
But as general manager Lou Lamoriello waits to see whether the Minnesota Wild will trade Zidlicky to the Devils, Foster will try not to allow it to be a distraction.
I think if anybody told you they didnt think about (the trade deadline), theyd be lying, Foster said. When it becomes game time it isnt a distraction. Guys are smart enough to know there are things you cant control.
The acquisition of Zidlicky, if it happens, could impact players like Foster and Matt Taormina.
Its one of those things, where it to happen, hes one of those players I think can help our team, Foster said. Hes a good guy. I played with him.
Zidlicky is apparently being shopped around before the Wild decide if he will be dealt to the Devils.
I cant really look at it like that, Taormina said of the possible impact on his job. The team is looking to go really far in the playoffs. Whoever they can bring in will help.
We have seven good defensemen here. Unfortunately, two (Adam Larsson and Henrik Tallinder) are out right now.
The NHL trade deadline is Feb. 27.
NBA Trade Rumors: Memphis Grizzlies and 5 Possible Destinations for O.J. Mayo
Few names have been touted on the trading block more often than OJ Mayo.
While Dwight Howard and Chris Paul dominated the offseason trade speculation, Mayo was often a hot topic of conversation as well.
Mayo was a highly coveted draft prospect coming out of college and was ultimately picked No. 3 overall in the 2008 draft.
Mayo came to the Grizzlies in a draft day swap which sent Kevin Love to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The trading deadline this season draws closer and closer. Here are five teams that Mayo could find himself on.
Poles keep up protests against copyright treaty
Protesters shout slogans as they demonstrate against ACTA, or the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement , in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. The Polish government signed the agreement Thursday amid attacks on Polish government websites and street protests accross the country.
Photo: ALIK KEPLICZ
/ AP
All-Star experience something Brian Elliott ‘wouldn’t trade for the world’
Brian Elliott – CP Images
OTTAWA — St. Louis Blues goaltender Brian Elliott joked that he would have loved for his first All-Star Game to happen in a warmer climate.
Other than wishing he was away from the snow in Ottawa and somewhere with sunny skies and warm temperatures, Elliott has been soaking in the experience of All-Star Weekend, enjoying a well-deserved honor for his superb first half.
Jaroslav Halak started the season as the Blues No. 1 netminder, but when he struggled, Elliott, who signed a two-way deal over the summer, took advantage of his opportunity to start and reeled off 13 wins in his first 15 starts and. Along with Ken Hitchcocks arrival on Nov. 7, Elliott has helped propel St. Louis into the mix atop the Western Conference.
So whats been the difference for the Blues post-Davis Paynes firing? Elliott credits Hitchcocks presence with keeping a young team from falling apart.
#34;Having Hitch and his experience is a little bit of a calming effect for all the guys, including myself,#34; said Elliott. #34;To know that when he comes in the locker room, hes not going to yell and scream, hes going to give it to you straight and tell you what you need to do to win. If you go out there and do what he thinks needs done, youll probably get the win. Weve had good success this year. When you have good success early with a coach, you kind of just get on a roll and guys are believing in what were doing and thats half the battle.#34;
Elliotts early success was the catalyst for his new, two-year, $3.6 million deal, announced last week. Hes struggled in his past seven starts, winning just twice, but Halak bounced back, posting a seven-game winning streak to keep the Blues from falling down the standings.
The typical case in 1a and 1b goaltending tandems is that the competition between the two creates success for both. In Elliotts case, he credits Halaks presence for helping him this season.
#34;We kind of go back and forth,#34; said Elliott. #34;Even in practice, its a healthy competition. Youre trying to stop pucks, hes trying to stop pucks. Its good to have something like that. You always have to be on your toes. You have to want to get back in net and help the guys win.#34;
The Blues are 20th in NHL in scoring, averaging 2.51 goals per game, so — as the Los Angeles Kings have also learned — strong goaltending is needed. But the lack of dominant scoring also creates an environment requiring production from more guys, not just the stars on the team.
#34;We dont score a lot of goals compared to a lot of teams, but we dont let in a lot either,#34; said Elliott. #34;Our scoring is spread out so much throughout all the guys, everybody contributes on any night. It doesnt add up to individual stats for the guys, but when you have everybody doing well and everybody pulling for each other were going to have a different hero every night. Its not going to be one or two guys. Thats what makes our team good and thats what were stressing right now, that everybody can step up and take that role.#34;
Last year wasnt too kind to Elliott. He struggled in Ottawa before being dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in February, where he finished the season 2-8-1 in his final 12 starts. Almost a year after being traded away from the Senators, Elliott returns to Ottawa an All-Star, an honor he credits to perseverance.
#34;You just have to trust in yourself, trust in your abilities,#34; said Elliott. #34;You can go through some struggles, but you gotta keep that level head. You have something like this where you get picked in an All-Star Game and you have to keep your feet on the ground and not get too high on yourself.#34;
#34;This is pretty special for me. I wouldnt trade it for the world.#34;
Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy
With Oswalt Heading to the Cardinals, Should the Red Sox Trade for Jake Westbrook?
Roy Oswalt appears headed for St. Louis in 2012, joining the defending World Series champion Cardinals. The Red Sox, still in need of help for their starting rotation, were hoping to land Oswalt and had even traded Marco Scutaro away to make room under the luxury tax to sign the right hander.
In the end. Oswalt appears headed back to the NL Central where he spent most of his career. The Cardinals dont currently have room in their rotation for Oswalt and will likely have to move either Kyle Lohse of Jake Westbrook, unless one of them is willing to move to the bullpen (although thats a bit crowded at the moment).
Lohse is set to make a little over $12M this year and will be a free agent in 2013. Westbrook is under contract for $8.5M next year and his contract has an $8.5M mutual option for 2013 ($1M buyout if team declines the option). Over the past few seasons, Lohse has been the more valuable pitcher, racking up more fWAR per start compared to Westbrook. And even with a shortened season, Oswalt put up 1.4 more fWAR than Westbrook in 2011.
Given the modest buyout, my guess is that Westbrook becomes the more likely trade candidate here. Hes a ground all pitcher that, while a tad overpriced for a 1 win starter (assuming 2012 is similar to 2011), will get you around 180+ innings each year.
So who might be interested? How about the Red Sox?
While the market has slimmed down for his services, Edwin Jackson is still likely to cost the same or more than Roy Oswalt given his age and the fact that hell want more than a one-year deal. The Red Sox have approached Jacksons agent about the possibility of a one-year deal, but that agents name is Scott Boras. And while the market may have slimmed for Jackson, you can bet Boras will use the Sox need for a starter to squeeze whatever he can from the front office.
Westbrook is a ground ball pitcher (2.35 GB/FB) who, when you look at various ERA estimators, hasnt performed that different from Jackson. His tERA over the past three years (well, two for Westbrook) is better than Jacksons (4.43 v. 4.36) and his SIERA was higher, but only by .08. Given the hitter-friendly confines of Fenway, a back of the rotation ground ball starter could be a good fit, especially since the financial investment would be low and the $1M buy out next year allows the Red Sox the financial and roster flexibility they were seeking with Oswalt.
Of course, the logic of such a deal would depend on what the Cardinals would ask for in return. The Red Sox have talked to the White Sox about a deal for Gavin Floyd. Trading higher-ceiling prospects for an established, 29 year-old starter makes sense, but obviously wouldnt for a guy like Westbrook. Given that the Cardinals have to either trade or release Westbrook to make room for Oswalt, the Red Sox might have enough leverage to get an acceptable deal for the right hander.
Whether Westbrook would be that much better than one of the reliever-converts or veteran pitchers who are currently competing for a spot is unclear. But with Westbrook you pretty much know what you are getting–a ground-ball innings eater with a low price tag and even lower buy out for 2013.
Just a thought.
Trade deficit could be long-term
Japans annual trade deficit in 2011, its first in 31 years, poses the risk of serious damage to the economy if the nations current account balance falls into the red.
The Finance Ministry released the trade balance data, which indicates the balance of trade in goods, on Wednesday. The current account balance includes the exchange of money and services.
If other countries interpret the data as indicating that Japan has become economically stagnant and unable to repay its debts, government bond prices could plummet, and other adverse effects could follow.
The trade deficit was the first since 1980, a year after the second oil crisis. After news of the deficit was reported, massive yen-selling orders flooded the Tokyo foreign exchange markets.
At one point on Wednesday, the yen-dollar exchange rate hit its lowest mark in about a month at 77.98 yen against the dollar.
Economists assumed this was because foreign speculators sold the yen due to their belief that if the trade deficit continues, Japan will be unable to sell large amounts of government bonds within the nation and prices of the bonds will plummet.
Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), said at a press conference: To keep the current account balance in the black, the trade deficit should be offset with dividends [from companies overseas subsidiaries] and licensing fees. Otherwise, Japan will not be able to survive.
Eiji Hayashida, chairman of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation and president of JFE Steel Corp., said at a press conference, Trade surpluses are the source of Japans national power. If [trade deficits] continue for a long time, it will be a serious problem.
The 2011 trade deficit was caused by combination of several factors: a decline in exports as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquakes impact on production; the yens sharp appreciation; the massive flooding in Thailand; and the European fiscal crisis.
The rise in imports on a value basis was mainly a result of rising crude prices and increased imports of liquefied natural gas as fuel for thermal power plants to replace idled nuclear power generation.
Some observers fear many of the negative factors could continue into the future.
The national average price of regular gasoline as of Monday, which the Oil Information Center announced Wednesday, was 143.2 yen per liter, up 0.1 yen from Jan. 16.
As tensions continue to mount over nuclear development of Iran, a major oil producing country, crude prices are expected to remain high.
Due to the impact of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, it is possible that all nuclear reactors in the nation will be idled in spring. If Japan continues to rely on thermal power plants over the long term, LNG imports will likely continue increasing.
What makes the problems serious is not only such external factors but also the sense that the earning potential of Japanese companies may have deteriorated.
In the electronics industry, there has been a pattern of Japanese companies taking the lead in terms of technological development, but later being surpassed by South Korean firms that implement large-scale investments.
Examples of technology that has followed this trend include liquid-crystal display panels, TV sets with organic electroluminescence (EL) display, and semiconductors.
At the Consumer Electronics Show held from Jan. 10 to 13 in Las Vegas, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. of South Korea surprised visitors to the international exhibition.
The companies displayed 55-inch organic EL TV sets with extremely high-resolution images.
Sony Corp. was the worlds first company to sell 11-inch organic EL TV sets, but currently South Korean makers have taken the lead in enlarging the products. The South Korean companies will release the 55-inch TVs this year.
Toyota Motor Corp.s worldwide sales in 2011, announced Wednesday, fell 6 percent from the previous year to about 7.95 million units. The company lost its No. 1 status after fours years on top.
The drop in sales was a direct result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the flood in Thailand, which obstructed production there.
The 2012 North American Car of the Year was Elantra, a model of Hyundai Motor Co.
In terms of competitiveness in quality and other factors, though Japanese manufacturers have traditionally been strong, South Korean companies are gradually catching up.
Ryutaro Kono, an economist of BNP Paribas Securities (Japan) Ltd., said, If the shift in production bases to overseas continues, I predict trade deficits will take root, and the nations current account balance will fall into the red in the early 2020s.
More trade could lead to liberalized Cuba, Durbin says
PEORIA Fresh off his first trip to Cuba, US Sen. Dick Durbin is calling for more constructive engagement with the nation that has been under an American trade embargo for more than half a century – something that could bring big benefits to Illinois agriculture and manufacturing.
New diplomacy with Cuba is long overdue, the Illinois Democrat said in a phone interview Wednesday from Capitol Hill. We felt with our old foreign policy that we could oust Fidel Castro. It turned out that old age ousted Fidel Castro, not our foreign policy.
Rejecting the totalitarian government of Cuba, Durbin said increased engagement in communications and trade would give ordinary Cubans a chance to see what life in the West and life in America is all about.
That, in turn, means an economic benefit here as we increase trade to Cuba, from grain to machines produced by companies like Peoria-based Caterpillar Inc.
Durbins impressions match up with the interests of the Illinois Farm Bureau, which has long seen the potential of increased trade with Cuba and supports the resumption of normal trading with Cuba.
Just because of its proximity to the United States, it offers a lot of opportunity, said Chris Magnuson, the groups executive director for operations, news and communications.
For soybean oil alone, because even with the embargo in place some trade is permitted, Cuba is one of the top 10 overseas recipients of soybean oil from Illinois farmers.
With the possibility of increased trade in the future, some of the organizations farmers are planning a trip to Cuba in March to explore those opportunities further, Magnuson said.
Because Cuba is expanding its offshore oil drilling efforts, it stands to become a major player in the Western Hemisphere as well, Durbin said, with access potentially to between 5 billion and 20 billion barrels of oil, in some cases within 45 miles of the coast of Florida.
Durbin worked in Cuba to press the Cuban government to release Alan Gross, an American development worker who was arrested there two years ago and sentenced to 15 years in prison for bringing Internet equipment to the islands small Jewish community.
This was an unjust conviction, and this man has become a political hostage between our nations, Durbin said.
The Cuban government, he said, is trying to reduce or control the already limited access to the Internet on the island.
I said to the foreign minister, when I met with him, that this is a futile effort, Durbin said.
Chris Kaergard can be reached at (309) 686-3135.