Black-book listing strikes Avery as funny
New York Rangers star Sean Avery joked with teammates Saturday about being named in a notorious Manhattan madam’s little black book — and blamed his “enemies” for planting his private cell phone number.
At practice Saturday, Avery denied that he ever used the services of madam Kristin Davis but said he was tickled by the idea.
“We’ve been laughing hysterically about this all morning,” Avery told the New York Daily News.
Avery’s name and his personal cell phone number were in a client database for Davis’ operation that was obtained by the newspaper.
Avery, 27, speculated that an adversary used his name and number to book a $500 date through the Maison de L’Amour brothel.
“If I ever was to venture into one of these establishments, I definitely wouldn’t use my own name,” he said.
City’s best manager? Let’s crunch numbers
Who’s the top manager in town: Ozzie Guillen or Lou Piniella?
Tough call, right? Each has won a World Series. Piniella has won two AL manager of the year awards, and Guillen has won one.
But according to a grading system devised by the Wall Street Journal, Guillen wins easily. The Journal places the White Sox manager in a tie for sixth among major-league managers, while the Cubs’ skipper is 12th.
The methodology takes into account results of close games, wins above expectation and player performance.
The Twins’ Ron Gardenhire tops the list, while Piniella trails three other NL Central managers — the Brewers’ Ned Yost, the Cardinals’ Tony La Russa and, yes, the Reds’ Dusty Baker.
Caught red-handed but claiming innocence
Michael Waltrip acknowledged Saturday that his team had the sway bar that team owner Jack Roush accused a team of stealing last season.
But Waltrip insisted that it wasn’t a theft, that the bar accidentally wound up at his shop after the September race at Dover and that nobody realized it belonged to Roush Fenway Racing until that organization called to inquire about it in January.
“Accidents happen, mistakes happen,” Waltrip told ESPN.com. “I could see why he would be upset. He feels like he was wronged and he’s mad about it.”
Roush said the sway bar was specially designed by Roush Fenway for his cars. . Roush said a member of a Toyota team — which turned out to be David Reutimann’s No. 00 car — parked next to him at Dover, then walked over and took the piece.
“I don’t know what makes him tick,” Waltrip said of Roush. “But I do know that no one went to his toolbox and swiped his bar.”
