Chargers cut David Binn

In most NFL teams, the snapper is simply a part of the special teams. You know of his name when he made a major mistake, but for the San Diego Chargers, David Binn was a well known part of the San Diego organization. For nearly two decades, Binn personified San Diego's special teams.

That’s why there are many sad fans in San Diego after the Chargers cut him. He is, by far, the biggest name in the AFC West to be cut this week. He played in San Diego for a team-record 17 seasons and a team-record 179 consecutive games, 256 games overall. He is the only player remaining from the 1994 AFC Champions that went the Super Bowl, the only time San Diego played in the Super Bowl.

He will come down as one of the most remembered San Diego players of all time.

The Chargers have decided to go with Mike Windt at long snapper. In the end, youth and the fact that Windt has two more years on his contract swayed the Chargers. Binn, 39, was entering his contract's final year.

We will all miss you David Binn. Good luck and thanks for the memories....

Adams, Ludwick...traded

The Padres sent Mike Adams to Texas for a couple of minor-league starting pitchers, 20-year-old left-hander Robbie Erlin and 21-year-old right-hander Joe Wieland, both of whom were at Double-A Frisco.
Erlin was considered a B prospect and Wieland a C-plus prospect before the season. Some people in baseball says of the deal that “the Padres just added two major league quality pitchers to the mix.”

Both prospects have seen their stock rise in the eyes of some evaluators. This may or may not mean anything, but it’s worth noting that people who are paid to pay attention to such things like what they see.

As for Adams, it’s really tough to see him go. The Padres got him for almost nothing and helped turn him into one of baseball’s elite relievers. But I can see why the Padres traded him, as dominant as Mike Adams has been over the past few years, I can't really see how critical it is to protect an eighth-inning lead when the team is over 14 games back. It is clear that the Padres have given up on the season and thing of the future.

In the day’s other trade, San Diego sent outfielder Ryan Ludwick to the Pirates for a player to be named later or cash considerations. This, I think, was a good move. Trading Ludwick clears a spot for some of the young players to get at-bats.

It also clears salary. Between the two players, the Padres save a little more than $3 million, which could prove useful over the next couple of weeks as they try to sign all of their draft picks by the August 15 deadline.

The Padres didn’t give up much to get Ludwick from St. Louis at this time last year, he didn’t do much while he was here (659 PA, .228/.301/.358, 87 OPS+) and he didn’t fetch much on his way out of town.

Ludwick’s departure, whatever or whomever else it might bring, paves the way for any number of young outfielders to get a shot at left field. Kyle Blanks, Aaron Cunningham, James Darnell, and Blake Tekotte all appear to be worthy candidates. Cunningham is expected to replace Ludwick on the roster, with 24-year-old right-hander Robert Hamren being recalled from Double-A San Antonio to take Adams’ spot.

Eric Weddle will stay a Charger

Safety Eric Weddle signed a record deal to stay with the San Diego Chargers. Weddle was San Diego's top free-agent priority and he will receive $40 million over the next five years. Weddle will receive $19 million in guaranteed money. It’s the highest contract ever given to a safety.

It's great to know that Eric Weddle will be back with the Chargers because he is a very good player, but I think they may have overpaid for him. That's just me....what do you think?

Chargers makes some cuts....

The San Diego Union Tribune reported the Chargers cut linebacker Jyles Tucker and receiver Buster Davis and that linebacker Antwan Applewhite will soon join Tucker on the outside. Tucker was given a contract extension three years ago and the Chargers thought he would become a premier pass rusher. But he couldn’t stay healthy. That’s also been the case with Davis, a former first-round pick. It’s been expected that he will be cut. The moves will be made official Thursday.

Busy first day for the Chargers

Source: AP

The Chargers agreed to terms with former San Francisco inside linebacker Takeo Spikes on Tuesday. He reunites with former San Francisco defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, who is now San Diego’s defensive coordinator.

Spikes highlights a busy first day for the Chargers, who clearly are bent on returning to the playoffs after they saw their four-year AFC West championship run end in 2010. In addition to agreeing to terms with Spikes, the Chargers agreed to bring back right tackle Jeromey Clary (four years, $20 million) and tight end Randy McMichael (for one year). They also agreed to terms with free-agent safety Bob Sanders prior to the lockout. 

Spikes, 34, gives San Diego some clarity at inside linebacker. He is a 14-year veteran with 109 tackles for the 49ers last season. Spikes, known for his strikingly large neck, will give the Chargers a needed nasty demeanor. The Chargers were pushed around some on defense the past couple of seasons. Spikes and healthy Sanders should change that. 

Next, the Chargers need to lock up safety Eric Weddle and the free agency will be a strong one. Weddle will get plenty of interest elsewhere, though, but the Chargers need to make him a priority.

There Will Be Football.....

Source: AP

Finally, the NFL and its players association agreed to a settlement to end its 4½-month lockout. The NFLPA executive committee and 32 team reps voted unanimously to approve and signed the terms of the deal. "It's been a long time coming. Football is back and that's great news for everybody," commissioner Roger Goodell said outside the NFLPA's headquarters. And, Smith stepped outside of the group's headquarters earlier to announce that players approved the pact.

As he spoke, Smith was flanked by NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Colts center Jeff Saturday and Ravens defensive back Domonique Foxworth, key members of the players' negotiating team. Brees is one of 10 plaintiffs in the antitrust lawsuit that players filed against the league.

Moments later, Goodell walked into the building, joined by owners Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, John Mara of the New York Giants and Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, one of the 10 named plaintiffs in the players' antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, said in a statement, "I want to get back to work."

According to the timeline for league business to begin, trades can be made beginning Tuesday and free-agent signings can be filed with the league office Friday at 6 p.m. ET.

Teams may begin negotiating with unrestricted free agents beginning Tuesday or even as early as Monday afternoon.

Former Padres' Manager Dick Williams dead at age 82....

Former San Diego Padres manager from 1982-85, Dick Williams died in Henderson, Nevada on Thursday afternoon, due to a ruptured aortic aneurysm. He was 82.

San Diego was one of six managerial stops for Williams, who led the Padres to the first of their two National League pennants in 1984. The Padres lost to Detroit in five games in the World Series.

Williams won two World Series titles with Oakland (1972, 1973), as well as pennants with the Padres and Boston (1967) and also led Montreal to its only playoff experience in the strike-shortened 1981 season.

Williams had an overall record of 1,571-1,451 in 21 seasons as a major league manager, also spending time with the Angels and Seattle Mariners. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008 after being elected by the Veterans Committee.

His record with the Padres was 337-311 over four seasons. He is the only manager in the history of the Padres not to experience a losing season.

Williams was a tough manager. “They don’t make him like Dick anymore,” said former teammate and former Padres manager Don Zimmer.

Current Giants third base coach and former Padre Tim Flannery remembers being called into Williams’ office in 1982.

“He said, ‘You’re the worst player I ever had,’ ” Flannery said. “ ‘You can’t hit. You can’t run. You can’t throw. Oh, you hustle, but you can’t do nothin’ else. You’re in there tonight, but I’m looking for another second basemen, so don’t screw up.’ ”

But two seasons later, Williams told Flannery he’d be a Padre as long as Williams was managing the club.

Which wasn’t that long. Williams chafed at what he considered outside interference from then-Padres President Ballard Smith and GM Jack McKeon. The breaking point came during the 1985-86 offseason when Williams fought off suggestions he should make changes to his hand-picked coaching staff.

The club that went 175-149 for Williams in 1984-85 went 74-88 for Steve Boros in 1986 after Williams’ left the team.

Williams joined Hall of Famer Bill McKechnie as the only managers ever to take three franchises to the World Series.

The 1972-73 A’s were the first team since the 1961-62 Yankees to repeat as world champions. Williams resigned after the 1973 season because he was upset with the meddling of A’s owner Charlie Finley.

Before coming to Oakland, Williams was part of Boston’s memorable “Impossible Dream” team in 1967 that won the pennant for the first time since 1946 before losing the World Series in seven games to St. Louis.

A former infielder, Williams played 13 years in the majors for the Dodgers, Orioles, Indians, A’s and Red Sox. He had a .260 career average with 70 homers and 331 RBI as mostly a part-time player. He retired after the 1964 season and soon began his career as a manager.

Rest in peace Dick and thank you for the great memories of the '84 season....

Some Details on Labor Talks

Source: ESPN.com

Among the details NFL commissioner Roger Goodell revealed to owners Tuesday at the league's meeting in Rosemont, Ill., is that in the next proposed agreement players will receive a 48 percent share of "all revenue," without the $1-billion-plus credit off the top that had been a point of contention in earlier negotiations, according to sources familiar with the presentation.

Under the new formula being negotiated, players will receive 48 percent of all revenue and will never dip below a 46.5 percent take of the money, sources said.

In the previous collective bargaining agreement, players received approximately 60 percent of "total revenue" but that did not include $1 billion that was designated as an expense credit off the top of the $9 billion revenue model. Owners initially were seeking another $1 billion in credit only to reduce that amount substantially before exercising the lockout on March 13.

Chargers LB Antwan Applewhite arrested

It's reported that Chargers linebacker Antwan Applewhite was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Friday morning in Pacific Beach.

Applewhite, 25, is a key role player for San Diego. He started 13 games and he had three sacks for the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL.

There is a gray area regarding the NFL personal conduct policy because of the lockout, but Applewhite could face league discipline for this arrest once play resumes. He may have just written his ticket out of San Diego...

Heath Bell ties Trevor with 41 straight saves

Heath Bell's save tied him with all-time leader Trevor Hoffman for the franchise record. It also tied Bell with Hoffman and Rod Beck for fourth place on the all-time consecutive saves list.

"It's a huge honor that my name is in the same sentence with Trevor Hoffman," Bell said. "I know my answer is really boring, but for right now, it's just another save."

Congratulations, Heath....

Chargers take DT Corey Liuget in the first-round...

In a draft that's full in talent on the defensive front seven, they sat back until they executed the No. 18 pick on a player they will plug in right away in an attempt to improve a defense that was ranked No. 1 in the NFL but was not nearly good enough.

“The whole goal here is to win a world championship,” team President Dean Spanos said recently. “We’ve fallen short. When I look back at the teams who have gone to the Super Bowl … they have dominant defenses. That’s where we’ve fallen short.”

While observers predicted and fans seemed to desire a player with flashier stats and a higher profile, the defensive lineman out of Illinois certainly fits the A.J. Smith profile. And Liuget appears to have the strength and initial quickness that could return the Chargers defensive line to being a group that actually pushes the line of scrimmage regularly.

“We just think he’s going to bring physical play to it,” Smith said. “A nasty mean streak; we always like to add that into it. … He’s got an attacking style to him. So we’re going add him, put him in Greg Manusky’s wagon and turn him loose.”

Liuget (pronounced LEE-jit) did not have eye-popping numbers at Illinois and won’t be asked to produce them in San Diego, where in the 3-4 scheme the Chargers are more concerned with him winning battles against the run.

Many, Liuget included, expected him to land on a team that ran a 4-3 defense, where he would play tackle. But he worked occasionally at Illinois in a spot similar to what he will do with the Chargers.

Liuget left school after his junior year, in which he had 63 tackles, 12½ tackles for loss and deflected three passes. While Liuget said he “never” talked to the Chargers in the pre-draft process, the Chargers’ homework yielded a portrait they liked. He worked hard to shed approximately 20 pounds before last season, transforming his body and getting quicker. The Chargers also cited a leadership role he took in 2010.

The Chargers sat and watched quarterback after quarterback come off the board, and Smith said the Chargers got “a ton” of calls during the first round regarding possible trades.

“We were locked and loaded,” Smith said. “Nothing intriguing. I really wasn’t interested in it. We had a nice group of players (to choose from) because of the depth on defense.”

That the Chargers did not move out of their slot coupled with what was described as an ecstatic defensive staff after the pick was made lent credence to the idea the Chargers coveted Liuget.

While they allowed just 93.8 rushing yards per game, fourth-lowest in the league, the Chargers also played six of the eight worst rushing teams in the league and were run over for 251 yards by the Oakland Raiders in December.

The Raiders finished 2010 as the league’s No. 2 rushing team, behind only the Kansas City Chiefs. Both are in the AFC West with the Chargers, meaning they comprise four of the Chargers’ games each season.

The Chargers are also looking to get back to being a team that takes the ball away and makes game-altering plays in crucial situations. The Chargers had just 23 takeaways in 2010, tied for 23rd in the NFL, and just one of those came in the fourth quarter of a close game and just four came in games they lost.

“I do believe Corey is a guy who will make big plays on defense,” Turner said. “With all the good things we’ve done on defense … we need to create more negative plays. He’s that type of athlete.”

Padres win their home opener...

Patience at the plate combine with good pitching of native Aaron Harang, turned out to be the difference Tuesday afternoon as the Padres scored a 3-1 win over the reigning world champion San Francisco Giants before 43,146 atPetco Park.

"Walks done right can be just as important as run-scoring hits," Padres hitting coach Randy Ready said this spring while preaching the gospel of "selectivity" in Arizona.

With the score tied 1-1 and runners on first and second with two out in the third, Ludwick came back out of an 0-and-2 hole Madison Bumgarner to draw a 10-pitch, bases-loading walk.

Headley then worked through eight pitches to draw the walk that forced home the decisive run.

Even Bumgarner was impressed by the Padres' "selectivity."

"I made some good pitches," said the left-hander who pitched the Giants' World Series-clinching win last November. "They put together some good at-bats.

"Their hitters did a fantastic job. They spoiled all the good pitches."

"Friar Ball," is how Ludwick described the three-run third off Bumgarner, who retired the Padres in his first two innings on a total of 29 pitches.

The Padres' three-run third consumed 41 Bumgarner pitches.

The frustration by Bumgarner might have resulted in the Padres' final run.

After Headley's walk forced in the second run, Chris Denorfia topped a ball in front of the plate. Bumgarner fielded the ball with plenty of time to make a play at first. But the ball flew out of his hand as he turned toward first -- the play was ruled a hit.

Nick Hundley opened the inning with the first of his three hits and was sacrificed to second by Harang. Jason Bartlett then drew an eight-pitch walk from Bumgarner before Orlando Hudson singled to load the bases.

Jorge Cantu tied the score with a wicked liner of a sacrifice fly to left.

That brought up Ludwick, who was down to his last strike after two pitches. He fouled off four of the next eight pitches en route to his fourth walk in as many games -- including a bases-loaded walk against the Cardinals.

That walk brought Headley to the plate. PaBumgarner fell behind with a pair of balls before firing three straight strikes, two of which Headley fouled off. Bumgarner just missed with the next two pitches, Bartlett trotting home from third.

Meantime, Harang held the Giants to one run on six hits over six innings while the bullpen troika of Luke Gregerson, Mike Adams and Heath Bell closed out the Padres' third win in four games.

Trevor Hoffman threw the ceremonial first pitch...

The Padres brought back some former Padres onto the Petco Park infield during yesterday's home opener pregame festivities.

They started out with 93-year-old George McDonald, of the Padres’ Pacific Coast League days, rolled out in a wheelchair. Then came “Downtown” Ollie Brown, Randy Jones, Garry Templeton and Mark Loretta.

Then AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” started playing, the center field bullpen gate opened and out came Trevor Hoffman. The place went nuts, including Padres relief pitchers, who stopped on their way to the bullpen and applauded Trevor.

Trevor’s brother and Padres third-base coach Glenn Hoffman caught Trevor’s ceremonial first pitch. “I considered burying it in the dirt,” joked Trevor Hoffman, “but I threw a low strike.”

Padres win behind a great performance by Clayton Richard

The Padres win again and have a chance for their first season-opening sweep since 1984.

Pitcher Clayton Richard had two RBIs to match his career high without getting the ball out of the infield and pitched six solid innings in an 11-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. The Padres broke it open with a six-run fifth that included four hits, four walks and a sacrifice fly.

Padres wins season opener in 11th...

Playing small ball paid off for the San Diego Padres.

Cameron Maybin tied it with a two-out homer in the ninth inning, then grounded a single that led to the go-ahead run in the 11th  in a 5-3 opening win over the Cardinals.

The Padres managed just two hits the first seven innings but scored two runs, and then capitalized on the Cards fielding error.

Cardinals star Albert Pujols an awful start to the season. He grounded into a career-worst three double plays while going 0 for 5 while five men on base.

"Definitely we had our chances," Pujols said. "A couple times we had men in scoring position and I didn't do my job."

Matt Holliday homered in the eighth and had three hits for St. Louis. The Cardinals played extra innings on Opening Day for the first time since a 4-2, 10-inning home loss to the Mets in 1992. The last Padres' opener that went extras was in 1996 during a 5-4 loss at Chicago.

It was tied up at 3 when Chase Headley singled off Bryan Augenstein with two outs in the 11th. Maybin followed with a single through the right side and Theriot bobbled right fielder Jon Jay's bounced relay back to the infield.

Headley kept running and made a headfirst slide to beat the throw home. Nick Hundley added an RBI single for the Padres.

Pat Neshek (1-0) worked around two walks in the 10th and Heath Bell needed only 10 pitches for the save.

Maybin's solo home run came off a curveball from Ryan Franklin, who went 27 for 29 in save situations last season.

The Cardinals outhit San Diego 10-2 the first six innings but hit into three double plays, two by Pujols, and were 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Three times they put the first two men on, but totaled one run.

The Padres erased their second one-run deficit on Hundley's two-out, RBI double in the fifth. The Cardinals almost made it out of the inning the previous at-bat when Maybin struck out with Ryan Ludwick running on a full count.

Ludwick looked like an easy out at second, but he rattled the ball out of second baseman Skip Schumaker's glove, what Schumaker called a "perfect knockdown," for a stolen base.

Chargers tendered nine players....

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

Although this could mean nothing at all, the Chargers tendered every possible restricted free agent on Wednesday, a day ahead of the expiration of the current league year.

Those tenders included seven players who are widely expected to be unrestricted free agents whenever a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached between the owners and players' union.

The only RFA tenders that likely will ultimately mean anything are the second-round tenders given to running back Mike Tolbert and linebacker Antwan Applewhite, both of whom have three years of experience.

Another member of the 1994 Chargers die

Former San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Shawn Lee has died at the age of 44. The cause of death has not been determined.

Lee is the sixth member of the 1994 San Diego Super Bowl team to die.

Linebacker David Griggs was killed in an automobile crash. Running back Rodney Culver was killed was in a commercial plane crash. Linebacker Doug Miller was struck by lightning. Offensive lineman Curtis Whitley died of a drug overdose. Defensive lineman Chris Mims died of heart failure.

Lee played 87 games for the Chargers from 1992-97. He was half of the Chargers’ “Two Tons of Fun” defensive tackle combo along with Reuben Davis.

Should the Chargers pick this Matthews?

Could the brother of Packers star linebacker, Clay Matthews end up a Charger?

The Chargers are in the market to draft at least one inside linebacker. In need of a pass rusher, the Chargers were one of several teams that passed on USC outside linebacker Clay Matthews in 2009, instead selecting Larry English with the 16th overall pick.

The Green Bay Packers took Matthews at No. 28, and he has 23½ sacks in two seasons. He was runner-up as Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and earlier this month won a Super Bowl ring.

Chargers signed a running back

The Chargers signed running back Frank Summers to a Reserve/Future contract Tuesday.

At 5-foot-10, 240 pounds, Summers is built like Mike Tolbert (5-foot-9, 243 pounds). Selected out of UNLV by thePittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, Summers started at fullback the first two games of his rookie season before being placed on Injured Reserve.

Summers practiced at running back and fullback for the Steelers during the 2010 preseason and was released during final cuts. He spent the rest of the season on Pittsburgh’s practice squad.

Chargers put franchise tag on Vincent Jackson

Source: Associated Press

The San Diego Chargers placed the non-exclusive franchise tag Tuesday on wide receiver Vincent Jackson, after missing the first 10 games last season in a nasty contract dispute.

VJ can still negotiate with other teams, if he receives an offer, the Chargers can either match the other club's offer or receive two first-round draft choices as compensation. Jackson's original five-year contract expired after the 2009 season. But because 2010 was an uncapped year, he would have needed six seasons to become an unrestricted free agent.

"There's some thought process that there might not be a franchise tag, but we'll wait and see," general manager A.J. Smith said, referring to speculation that the franchise tag might disappear whenever the NFL and the players' union agree to a new collective bargaining agreement. "It is our intention for him to return in '11."

VJ will receive a one-year tender at the average of the top five salaries among receivers last year, expected to be between $10 million and $11 million. The Chargers and Jackson also could negotiate a long-term contract, although the sides would have to get past last year's bad feelings.