ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Hot Button is a 'round-the-clock feature that covers anything across the scope of sports. We're here to bring you everything hot: News items, highlights, takes — everything but hot meals — whether local, national or international. Better yet, it’s interactive. Share your thoughts in comments, and even post your own links to interesting, safe-for-work sports stories.
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LESTER WILL HAVE
THYROID GLAND REMOVED
Wednesday, March 3: Nationals starter Jon Lester has left the team to have his thyroid gland surgically removed. The team hopes to have him back pitching next week and ready to start the regular season on time.
Lester, 37, signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Nationals in the offseason to bolster a rotation that features Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer. However, manager Dave Martinez said Lester's been struggling with whole-body fatigue throughout spring training. Tests were run and the surgery was recommended. Lester will have the procedure done in New York City.
My take: That's no minor thing and hopefully it's not anything more serious, considering Lester had lymphoma his rookie season. Best of luck to him on a full recovery. — Bob
FORMER ORIOLES CHAMPIONSHIP
MANGER ALTOBELLI DIES
Wednesday, March 3: Joe Altobelli, who managed the Baltimore Orioles to their last World Series title in 1983, died Wednesday morning of natural causes in Rochester, N.Y. He was 88.
Altobelli had a brief major-league career with the Indians and Twins as a first baseman and outfielder, playing 166 games in parts of three seasons from 1955-1961. Altobelli went to the Orioles organization in 1963 with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings and had many roles with the organization in two separate stints until 2003. In 1983, Altobelli was elevated to manager after Hall of fame manager Earl Weaver retired after the 1982 season and led the Orioles to a 98-64 record with Cal Ripken Jr. playing his first full season at shortstop. They went on to defeat the Phillies, four games to one, to win the World Series. Altobelli went 85-77 in 1984 and was replaced in 1985 after a 29-26 start.
After five seasons coaching at the major league level with the Yankees and Cubs, Altobelli returned to the Orioles organization as general manager of the Red Wings, later serving as team president and then a radio broadcaster for the franchise until 2009 — the franchise became the Twins' Triple-A affiliate in 2003 (now the Nationals').
Altobelli is affectionatley known in Rochester as "Mr. Baseball," after making the city his permanent home when he arrived to play in 1963. He has a statue inside the left feld concourse at the team's stadium, Frontier Field, with a plaque commemorating him being the only person to be a player, coach, manager and general manager in the franchise's history.
My take: This one hurts on a personal level. I've met Altobelli on a few occasions, talking baseball and Red Wings baseball each time. He is legendary in this city and was very approachable — he loved the city and its people. We were lucky to have him and I was blessed to have those conversations with him. Rest in Peace, Alto. — Bob
MLB PUSHES OUT TRIPLE-A
SEASON AT LEAST 30 DAYS
Tuesday, March 2: Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that it is delaying the start of the Tripe-A season a minimum of 30 days. Its season was schedule to begin on April 6, but now will be postponed until early May — the scheduled start time for the other minor league levels. The move was made for coronavirus safety reasons.
In lieu of the minor-league season starting in April, the league will have alternate-site development camps, similar to what was used in 2020. The Pirates camp was at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, home of their Double-A affiliate Altoona Curve. As in 2020, the camps will be used for players likely to be called up to the major leagues or on the 40-man roster. The ineligible players will be staying in their various team's spring training facilities for development until their minor league seasons begin.
My take: This was inevitable. Many Triple-A stadiums are in locations that are not yet allowing play or large gatherings. By delaying and allowing more time for preparations, vaccinations and loosening local restrictions, MLB ensures a seamless start to the 2021 minor-league seasons. — Bob
MANZIEL TAKES AIM
FOR PROFESSIONAL GOLF
Tuesday, March 2: "Johnny Football" is aiming to be "Johnny Golfball," as Johnny Manziel told Chris Long on the "Green Light" podcast that he is giving himself 12 years to become a pro golfer.
Manziel, 28, is currently the quarterback for the Zappers of Fan Controlled Football, but reconfirmed to Long that he is just doing it for fun and has no desire to return to the National Football League. Manziel, drafted by the Browns in the first round of 2014, washed out of the NFL after 14 games and eight starts over two seasons.
As for the links, Manziel said it's a "very uphill battle" to be able to qualify for a the PGA Tour or a PGA Tour event, but claims to be around a scratch to 1-handicap golfer at present. He seems to have a decent swing:
"I'm giving myself 12 years to play professional golf."
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 2, 2021
Do you think Johnny Manziel has what it takes to make it on Tour? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/aBpdponq0K
My take: Why not? There's no denying he's a very good athlete and he's never going to play pro football, so he might as well try to make something of his god-given talents. Twelve years is an odd target — he'd be 40 years old — especially if he's already a scratch golfer, but at least he has some understanding that there's a big gap between where he's at and being able to compete professionally. At his handicap, he should play in a U.S. Open qualifier — that experience should show him just how far he has to go. — Bob
RUDOLPH RELEASED IN
CAP MOVE BY VIKINGS
Tuesday, March 2: The Vikings released tight end Kyle Rudolph Tuesday in a salary cap move, saving $5.1 million.
Rudolph, 31, has spent his entire career in Minnesota, being drafted inthesecond round of the 2011 draft. He has twice been voted to the Pro Bowl and in 10 seasons has 453 receptions for 4,488 yards and 48 touchdowns in 140 games.
My take: One of the most sure-handed receiving tight ends in the league, he won't be on the market for long. — Bob
DOLPHINS MOVING ON FROM
VAN NOY AFTER ONE SEASON
Tuesday, March 2: The Dolphins have notified linebacker Kyle Van Noy that he will be released in the coming days if the team cannot orchestrate a trade for him.
Van Noy, 29, was a key free-agent signing for the Dolphins in 2020, inking the two-time Super Bowl champion to a four-year, $51-million deal last March. He fought through a hip injury to play in 14 games, recording six sacks, six pass defenses, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries while playing both inside and outside edge, helping Miami to the No. 6-ranked defense in the National Football League last season.
My take: Cap space move. Andrew Van Ginkel flashed a bit in splitting snaps with Van Noy, registering 5.5. sacks, so maybe they probably feel he's ready for full-time duty on the outside at a much lower price tag. Van Noy's a good player, if healthy. I wouldn't expect him to be on the market too long, though he may have to take a one-year deal to reestablish his value. The $15-million guaranteed he got from the Dolphins last season should help ease that transition. — Bob
TORTORELLA FEELS PRESSURE
AS JACKETS FREEFALL
Tuesday, March 2: Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen gave a vote of confidence through the media to head coach John Tortorella as the Blue Jackets have just one win in their last eight games (1-5-2) and are 8-10-5 overall, in fifth place in the Central division and seven points out of fourth place for the last playoff spot.
Kekalainen told reporters that Tortorella and his staff had gotten the team out of slumps before and he is confident they will again. There has been drama surrounding the team, with last year's leading scorer Pierre-Luc Dubois demanding a trade, getting sent to the Jets for equally disgruntled Patrik Laine. Tortorella benched Laine in his second game with the team to send a message about his expected effort. Laine initially responded with better play, but now has no points in four of the last five games.
My take: Torts is in his sixth season in Columbus, making the playoffs the last four seasons but only advancing to the second round once. Has he finally lost the clubhouse with his abrasive style? Stay tuned. — Bob
INDIANS, METS KNEW MORE OF
CALLAWAY'S LEWD BEHAVIOR
Tuesday, March 2: The Indians and Mets each knew of Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway's lewd sexual behavior while he was with those clubs but did nothing about it, beyond speaking to Callaway, according to a report Tuesday on The Athletic by Brittany Ghiroli and Katie Strang. Callaway was pitching coach for the Indians and was manager of the Mets for two seasons. He is entering his second season as pitching coach of the Angels. Each team previously acknowledged knowing little about Callaway's behavior during his tenure with those clubs.
According to the report, Callaway was widely known as "D_k Pic Mick" on the Mets, for Callaway's propensity to send explicit selfies to female reporters and other women he came in contact with, in addition to his lewd sexual behavior and inappropriate talk.
The Indians, who claimed they had never heard of any accusations against Callaway when he was their pitching coach for five seasons (2013-18), were exposed to have had specific conversations with Callaway after a husband reported several incidents to the team's fan services department that Callaway had sent "pornographic material" to his wife, with whom Callaway had once had a consensual affair which had ended. Following those specific incidences, it is known that team president Chris Antonetti, general manager Mike Chernoff and manager Terry Francona all sat down to talk to Callaway about it. The Indians legal department then got involved to issue a formal apology to the husband and wife, expressing Callaway's apologies and regrets, then called the wife to express "the organization was 'frickin' pissed as hell'" at Callaway. His lechery in Cleveland was not limited to this one example. One Indians source said Callaway's inappropriate sexual behavior toward women around the team was "the worst-kept secret."
Major League Baseball security also got involved and contacted the couple. Callaway's behavior toward this woman allegedly continued when he went to the Mets, but complaints to MLB were ignored, according to the husband.
After Tuesday's reporting, the Angels have suspended Callaway while they conduct an investigation.
My take: Why is this man still employed? What, exactly, do the Angels need to discover. None of Callaway's lewd behavior has ever been disputed. And the Indians and Mets are shameful for just passing this guy along without disclosing what they knew about his behaviors. Sickening, really. — Bob
WATT CHOOSES ARIZONA
IN FREE AGENCY
Monday, March 1: Free agent defensive end J.J. Watt has decided to head to the desert, agreeing to terms with the Cardinals on a two-years, $31-million contract. ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the news, noting the source was Watt himself.
Watt was released by the Texans in February after reaching a mutual agreement with management that his time in Houston had come to an end after ten seasons, where he was five times first-team All-Pro. Injuries have limited him to 48 total games over the last fives seasons, but Watt is coming off a 16-game campaign in 2020 and claimed to be looking to join a championship-ready team, though one could argue the Cardinals are not quite there yet, particularly in a division with the Seahawks and Rams.
Watt would form a pass-rushing juggernaut with outside linebacker Chandler Jones, who missed most of last season with a torn biceps injury but has 97 career sacks, 106 tackles for a loss and 27 forced fumbles in 127 games.
This post will be updated as needed.
My take: Watt was never headed to Pittsburgh, but his decision to go to a marginal playoff team in Arizona is a bit surprising, though the Cardinals are a team on the rise.
WASHINGTON WILL PART WAYS WITH
SMITH AFTER COMEBACK SEASON
Monday, March 1: Washington Football Team is expected to release quarterback and reigning National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith in the coming days, according to multiple reports. Smith has said he would like to continue playing.
Smith, 36, returned to football in 2020 after a severe leg injury in a 2018 game nearly cost him his leg due to complications from post-operative infection and forced multiple surgeries and restructuring of his lower leg bones and tissue. He was 5-1 as a starter for Washington, which turned to Smith after former quarterback Dwayne Haskins struggled. A late season calf injury forced Haskins back into starting duty but he was ineffective. Smith played injured in Washington's final regular-season game, needing a win to secure the division and make the playoffs, and did win to lead Washington to its first postseason since 2015.
Smith was unable to play in the postseason due to the injury, opening the door for third-string quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who played well in the Wild Card Round, a 31-23 loss to the eventual champion Buccaneers. Washington signed Heinicke to a multi-year deal in February. He is the presumptive starter at the moment, with the likely release of Smith and the cutting of former first-round pick Haskins, now with the Steelers, after Week 16 for repeatedly violating COVID-19 protocols.
Smith has recently been critical of head coach Ron Rivera and his staff, which just completed its first season in Washington. Smith alleges they never really believed Smith would be able to play again and were discouraging and dismissive at every turn.
My take: I get it. Rivera wants to start over at quarterback, and it won't be with Heinicke who has never won an NFL game in three NFL starts, including playoffs, and appearing in only eight games over three seasons. But I'm just baffled at the misfortune in Smith's career — revived the 49ers after being drafted, then traded to the Chiefs in favor of Colin Kaepernick; revived the Chiefs, taking them to the playoffs in four of his five seasons, then traded to Washington in favor of Patrick Mahomes, now being cast off after being the sole reason Washington made the playoffs. He's no mega-star, but he's 99-67-1 in his career with a two-to-one touchdown to interception ratio and has been selected to three Pro Bowls. Be interesting to see where he ends up, but the Patriots would seem to be a great fit. — Bob
METS TO WEAR SEAVER PATCH
FOR ALL GAMES IN 2021
Monday, March 1: The Mets unveiled a uniform sleeve patch Monday that honors Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, who died August 31, 2020, from complications due to dementia. The circular patch will be worn on the right sleeve of all home and away uniforms. It is white with blue pinstripes and sports Seaver's No. 41 in blue with orange trim.
Seaver debuted for the Mets in 1967 and helped the club to a World Series championship in 1969 and another World Series appearance in 1973 against the Athletics. He played parts of 11 seasons in New York before being traded to the Reds in 1977, winning all three of his Cy Young Awards with the Mets.
My take: A fitting tribute to one of the best pitchers ever. Would have been neat to see a right knee patch, as Seaver often famously dragged that knee on the ground in his follow through, though I doubt the league would ever go for something like that. — Bob
