Friday night almost had a bit of extra magic for Minnesota Twins starter Scott Baker. In his game versus the Kansas City Royals, Baker pitched the Twins to a 5-0 win. Their 68th win of the season (bringing them 1 game over .500) was just a footnote though, as Baker’s performance has generated all the buzz.

Baker, a 6’-4” right-hander pitched 9 scoreless innings on 111 pitches. As nice as the shutout was though, he carried a perfect game into the 9th (which he lost on a walk to Royals catcher John Buck).

Royals left fielder, Esteban German, then reached on a fielder’s choice. Shortstop Tony Pena was pinch-hit for by Mike Sweeney, who then singled Baker’s second pitch to center, ruining the no-hitter.

In a case of so close being so far away, congratulations still go out to Scott Baker on a job well done.

ESPN’s Chris Mortenson is reporting that Patriots safety Rodney Harrison is set to be suspended by the NFL for 4 games for admitting to ‘obtaining’ HGH. Strangely there is no report yet of actually taking HGH - just receiving:

New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison will be suspended by the NFL for four games because he admitted to federal investigators that he obtained Human Growth Hormone, sources told ESPN.com on Friday.

Harrison had a hearing with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday, the sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. The Patriots could announce the suspension as early as Saturday.

A league spokesman said the NFL had “no comment” about Harrison, who also could not be reached. Efforts to reach the Patriots were unsuccessful. More at ESPN.

New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison will be suspended by the NFL for four games because he admitted to federal investigators that he obtained Human Growth Hormone, sources have told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

Harrison had a hearing with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday, the sources said. The Patriots could announce the suspension as early as Saturday.

Just about every ESPN analyst and football expert gave their 2007-2008 NFL prediction:
Tom Jackson, Michael Smith, John Clayton

Scott Symmes, Len Pasquarelli, Jeffri Chadiha
Mike Sando, Matt Mosley, Joe Theismann
Mark Schlereth, Merril Hoge, Eric Allen
Sal Palantonio, Mike McAllister, Scouts, Inc, Michele Tafoya

The results are pretty interesting:

The AFC East unanimous winner was the Patriots.

In the AFC North, the Bengals had 4 selections, the Steelers gota a vote, and the Ravens took the vast majority.

The Chargers and Colts were nearly unanimous selects to win their divisions (Sal Palonantonio selected the Jaguars!).

In the NFC, the Bears and Saints are clear selections - both unanimous. The Cowboys and Eagles split the AFC East and there is no clear leader in the 49ers, Seahawks, Rams three-headed monster.

The really interesting part comes in the Super Bowl prediction as the NFC is clearly wide open and the Ravens are really well liked as champions. Meanwhile, there is not a single Indianapolis Colts pick.

Tom Jackson
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Dallas
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Tom Brady

Michael Smith
AFC Champion Baltimore
NFC Champion Philadelphia
Super Bowl Champion Baltimore
MVP Steven Jackson

John Clayton
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Chicago
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Peyton Manning

Scott Symmes
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Philadelphia
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Steven Jackson

Len Pasquarelli
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Seattle
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Tom Brady

Jeffri Chadiha
AFC Champion Baltimore
NFC Champion Chicago
Super Bowl Champion Baltimore
MVP L.Tomlinson

Mike Sando
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Philadelphia
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP L. Tomlinson

Matt Mosley
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion New Orleans
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Tom Brady

Joe Theismann
AFC Champion Baltimore
NFC Champion New Orleans
Super Bowl Champion Baltimore
MVP Peyton Manning

Mark Schlereth
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Seattle
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Steven Jackson

Merril Hoge
AFC Champion San Diego
NFC Champion New Orleans
Super Bowl Champion San Diego
MVP Tom Brady

Eric Allen
AFC Champion San Diego
NFC Champion New Orleans
Super Bowl Champion San Diego
MVP Tom Brady

Sal Palantonio
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion New Orleans
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP Tom Brady

Mike McAllister
AFC Champion San Diego
NFC Champion New Orleans
Super Bowl Champion New Orleans
MVP L. Tomlinson

Scouts, Inc.
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Chicago
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP L. Tomlinson

Michele Tafoya
AFC Champion New England
NFC Champion Dallas
Super Bowl Champion New England
MVP L. Tomlinson

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m sure it’s a fine school, but I’m guessing the University of Utah Utes didn’t have high expectations going into the season. Regardless of their hopes though, after their opener versus Oregon State, their season is over right after it started.

Where to begin? Should we mention their 24-7 loss? How about giving up 165 yards to Oregon State’s running back Yvenson Bernard. Sure, the Utes looked good the first quarter and even cracked the eggs first, but in the end it was all for nothing.

As bad as the game was for Utah, the aftermath was worse. Utah quarterback Brian Johnson will be out at least three weeks with a separated right shoulder, an injury suffered in his first game since a blown out knee cost him the entire 2006 season. His replacement, Tommy Grady struggled terribly, connecting on just 9-of-24 passes for 59 yards.

The Utes also lost their top running back, Matt Asiata, for the season and two other players in a 24-7 loss to Oregon State on Thursday night. Asiata broke his lower left leg and was scheduled to undergo surgery Friday. The junior college transfer could redshirt this season and be eligible for two more full seasons.

Tight end Colt Sampson will miss for four weeks with a sprained left knee and linebacker Matt Martinez is out for the season with a torn knee ligament.

Don’t fret too much though for the Utes, there is always woman’s volleyball…

“Its not possible for Kanye to beat me, I don’t know why I said that. Its like the teddy bear vs. the gorilla. Def Jam [West’s label] is going to buy about 200,000 of Kanye’s records. Kanye sucks, I’m going to be honest, he sounds like a robot, he has a robot record.”

- 50 Cent on AJ’s Playhouse on San Diego’s 93.3 FM (8/30/2007)

Hockey is dying, so it’s not surprising they’re going a little controversial to spice things up.

Here’s a some of their new ads:

I think these are really funny, and quirky, but I do think the NBA one may be too controversial considering the case is still pending and more refs are likely to be outed eventually.

College football officially starts the weekend tomorrow morning - and that means the SportsWrap pick off is in full motion. Here are my official picks for the big weekend:

California -6½ Sat@8:00p
Tennessee

Auburn -14 (-105) Sat@7:45p
Kansas State

Georgia -6 Sat@6:45p
Oklahoma State

BYU -4 (-105) Sat@5:30p
Arizona

Georgia Tech +1 Sat@3:30p
Notre Dame

Fantasy Football Alert! If you drafted Byron Leftwich to be your Jaguars QB - hurry to the waiver line and pick up David Garrard… because he is your new starter and Byron is soon to be released. Leftwich has a history of injuries and bad relationships with his coaching staffs… ESPN reports:

The Jacksonville Jaguars will name David Garrard their starting quarterback for the 2007 season on Friday, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported.

Team and league sources said that former starter Byron Leftwich will likely be traded or released.

Leftwich missed 15 games the last two seasons because of an injured left ankle. He had surgery last November, more than a month after coach Jack Del Rio benched him in favor of Garrard.

The Jaguars have been actively calling teams around the league to gauge interest in Leftwich, who is in the last year of his contract. He had been designated as the starter in the offseason by Del Rio.

Team sources said Garrard’s continued development in training camp and preseason convinced Del Rio that Garrard was the right quarterback for the team.

The Jaguars are also trying to acquire a veteran quarterback to serve as a backup and may turn to former Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell.

Picture from filmfodder.

Remember the Titans will still be the only football highlight reel Denzel Washington and his family will be watching after his son J.D. Washington was cut by the St. Louis Rams Friday NFL.com reports.
Running back J.D. Washington was signed as a free agent out of Morehouse College in 2006 by the St. Louis Rams and spent the 2006 season on the Rams’ practice squad.

Picture from Globoesporte