Dishes 200 M $ to sell its stake in the franchise to Einhorn

NEW YORK -- The cash-strapped owners of the New York Mets have agreed to sell a minority share of the team to hedge fund manager David Einhorn for $200 million.

The move, announced Thursday, would allow owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz to retain control of the team. The influx of money would help pay debts and cover operating expenses.

A definitive agreement is expected by late June, according to the team.

Media conference call by incoming minority partner David Einhorn speaks about his purchase of a portion of the Mets.

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The sale will be for less than 49 percent of the team and will not include a stake in SNY, the television network owned by the Mets, sources close to the deal tell ESPN's Karl Ravech.

Fred Wilpon told Sports Illustrated this week the team is "bleeding cash" and could lose up to $70 million this year. He also told the magazine the club might slash payroll next year. The Mets received a loan from Major League Baseball in November to help cover expenses.

In addition, Wilpon, who became ensnared in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, is facing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by a court trustee seeking to recover money for Madoff's other victims.

Enter Einhorn, the 42-year-old president of private investment firm Greenlight Capital, Inc., who spent the first seven years of his childhood in New Jersey and as a young boy once dressed in a homemade Mets jersey for Halloween.

"It's been a very smooth process for the last several months," Einhorn said of the state of negotiations during a news conference Thursday. "We're very far along as understanding the business operations and prospects."

Asked if he anticipated buying a larger stake in the team down the road, Einhorn said: "What I'm interested right now is the opportunity in front of me right now. We don't even have a completed transaction yet."

Once that transaction is completed, Einhorn said, he plans to retain his share of the Mets for years to come.

"I have no real plans to sell this investment. I expect to hold it for a long, long time," he said. "The financial rewards, they'll take care of themselves over time."

The Mets said Einhorn will be a "preferred partner" and have a "nonoperating investment" in the team. The club said the deal is subject to the "negotiation of a mutually acceptable definitive agreement. Major League Baseball must give its approval.

"(Einhorn's) investment immediately improves the franchise's financial position," Wilpon said in a statement released by the Mets. "Equally important, David's intelligence, integrity and success in both business and civic affairs provides us with another perspective in evaluating what is best for this organization and our fans, and we welcome his input."

Recently, Forbes magazine estimated the value of the Mets had dropped 13 percent in one year to $747 million -- and that was before the team's projected losses this season.

A Cornell graduate, Einhorn is the author of "Fooling Some Of The People All Of The Time," a book about his battle with private investing firm Allied Capital. He serves on the boards of Hillel, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and the Robin Hood Foundation. He finished 18th at the World Series of Poker in 2006 and donated his winnings of $659,730 to the Fox foundation.

Einhorn made financial news Wednesday when he told an investment conference audience that Microsoft Corp.'s board of directors should replace CEO Steve Ballmer. According to SEC filings, Greenlight owns nearly 9.1 million shares of the software giant.

But when it comes to the Mets, Einhorn said he would let the Wilpons handle the team's day-to-day management.

"The Wilpons remain in control of the team," he said. "I'm just looking forward to the overall experience this investment will lead to."

Custody of the State of the ex - NC that Harrow led Kentucky

RALEIGH, N.C. - former North Carolina State point guard Ryan Harrow, said he transferred to Kentucky.

Harrow has announced its decision on Twitter, saying: "I am a Kentucky Wildcat!"

His departure from NC State last month has been described as a mutual decision by the guard and the new coach Mark Gottfried, who was hired in April after Sidney Lowe resigned.

Harrow averaged 9.3 points in 29 games as a first year, seventh ranking in the ACC with a 1.9 assist-turnover ratio. He will sit this season and will have three years of eligibility from 2012-2013.

He joined a program of Kentucky who recently lost a fact freshmen John Wall and Brandon Knight in the NBA and brings to the Marquis Teague, one of the guards of point for the higher school of the country.

Tiki Barber creates a stir with analogy Anne Frank

Tiki Barber did not take the football field again upon his return, but it is already in hits to an analogy to the victim of the Holocaust Anne Frank.

The former New York Giants running back has been criticized in the local media to make the analogy in an interview in Sports Illustrated this week. At one point in the article, Barber described go into hiding with his girlfriend after its failure very publicized with his wife pregnant at the time. Barber and his girlfriend were finished in the attic of the House of the officer of the player, Mark Lepselter.

"Sara of the Jew", Barber told Sports Illustrated. "And it was like a thing of Anne Frank reverse."

LEPSELTER came to the defence of his client Thursday.

"In a world where nothing would surprise me, where things get completely soufflés out of proportion, this does that add to the list" Lepselter told ESPNNewYork.com. "" "". [Tiki] was light on dating at the time where it was literally trapped, so to speak, in my attic for a week. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Let me remind all those who want to make it more that it is: Tiki was invited [President] Shimon Peres in Israel five years.".

Abraham h. Foxman, national Director of the Anti - Defamation League, described the commentary of Barber "scandalous and perverse."

"Trivialization of the Holocaust continues to spread and found ways news and expressions that shock the conscience", Foxman said in a press release. "Personal behaviour tiki Barber is his business." But our history and experiences are ours and deserve the greatest respect to be abused or perverted by Tiki Barber.

"The analogy with Anne Frank is not funny, it is scandalous and perverse." Anne Frank was not deliberately hiding. Before she died at the age of 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, she hid from Nazis during more than two years, fearing for his life every day. Experiences of the family Frank, recorded in the dairy products of Anne, are a unique testimony to the horrors of the Holocaust, and his life should never gradient or degraded by insensitive and offensive analogies.

In March, Barber, 36, announced that he is back after his retirement at the end of the 2006 season. The Giants still own the rights to Barber, the team with 10,449 yards record first Rusher. However, the team said it will publish is also well established NFL job.

Barber retired to become a correspondent for NBC "today Show" and "Sunday Night Football network" broadcast and criticized quarterback Giants Eli Manning and coach Tom Coughlin.

NBC did not renew the contract of Barber last year. Recently, he did video work for Yahoo! Sports.

Report: Posey missed at least 6 to 8 weeks on DL

SAN FRANCISCO - Buster Posey was map through a tunnel at AT & T Park on Thursday, a makeshift cast covering his left ankle and no emotion on his face.

Not exactly the exit the cornerstone of the World Series champion Giants wanted this season.

A night after Florida's Scott Cousins crashed into him at home plate, San Francisco's star catcher was put on the disabled list with a fractured bone in his lower left leg.

Posey has a broken fibula and severely strained ligaments in his left ankle and will miss at least six to eight weeks, Giants head trainer Dave Groeschner told the San Francisco Chronicle. Posey will need surgery on his ankle, Groeschner said, and it is possible a screw could be inserted.

"the fracture will be fine," said Groeschner. "the ankle injury is most concerning to us."

The Giants will try to get Posey into surgery within a week, and recovery time is usually about two months, the Chronicle reported.

"You just don't replace a guy like Buster Posey," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, has train catcher who was so stricken by the news he called on Major League Baseball to review rule changes for collision at the plate.

As word spread throughout the Giants clubhouse, players began to come to grips with what Posey's injury meant.

The normally blaring speakers near bearded closer Brian Wilson's locker were uncharacteristically silent. Television were turned off. No one was playing dominoes or card games.

Hard to imagine a more important position player than Posey to replace.

Posey has been San Francisco's cleanup hitter, a team leader in the clubhouse and key cog behind the plate for one of baseball's best rotation. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year was batting.284 with four home runs and 21 RBIs, just finding his groove in the midst of a 13-game hitting streak to move the Giants into first place in the NL West.

"It's part of baseball, I understand that, guys running into catchers." Being a catcher, I've been in a few of them. "You're in harm's way there," Bochy said. "I think we do need to consider changing the rules here a little bit because the catcher is so vulnerable and there's so many who have gotten hurt." And not just a little bit, had their careers ended or shortened. And here's a guy who's very popular in baseball. Fans want to see him play.

"Now he's out for a while."

ESPN MLB analyst John Kruk says Giants catcher Buster Posey's injury could cost the Giants the playoffs. More, Kruk says Mets owner Fred Wilpon alienated his players with his recent comments.

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The loss of Posey will be an enormous hurdle for the Giants to overcome if they want to repeat as the World Series champion.

Backup Eli Whiteside will be Posey's immediate replacement. The team also put Lancer Mike Fontenot (left groin strain) and utility man Darren Ford (left ankle sprain) on the 15 - day disabled list.

Slugger Brandon Belt and catcher Chris Stewart were recalled from Triple-A Fresno, and Lancer Brandon Crawford was called up from Class A San Jose.

"I m not going to try and be Buster Posey," Whiteside said. "That's our cleanup hitter and one of the best hitters in baseball." "I'll do my best and play my game, but I'm not going to try to be Buster Posey."

All of this follows San Francisco's spirited four-run rally in the ninth to force extra innings a night earlier.

The play started when Emilio Bonifacio hit a shallow fly ball to right-center off Guillermo Mota for the second out in the 12th inning. Cousins tagged from third base on the sacrifice fly, beating the throw from Nate Schierholtz and lowering his shoulder to slam into Posey for a clean hit on the catcher. Cousins was safe as Posey never could quite corral the ball, giving Florida a 7-6 victory.

Cousins, who went to the University of San Francisco, lives in the Bay Area and had almost a dozen friends and family in attendance, apologized repeatedly for injuring Posey. But he said he believes - as most Giants also reiterated - that he made a clean baseball play.

“

The last thing I wanted to do was break a guy's leg.

"-Marlins OF Scott Cousins"

Cousins was even more remorseful when he heard the severity of the injury before the series final, saying he had to look away from the replay that was shown repeatedly at the team's hotel. He said he tried calling Posey twice overnight and sent his condolences to the Giants clubhouse.

"the last thing I wanted to do was break a guy's leg," he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

The moment was as stunning as any San Francisco has seen this season.

Ugly Posey in the dirt around home plate, dazed, writhing in pain and curling up in a ball. After several minutes of stunned silence at AT & T Park, fans began chanting "posey!" "posey!" as he was helped off the field by two team trainers holding his left leg.

Posey had already taken several hard foul tips off his mask and legacy this season, even leaving one game for precautionary reasons to make sure he didn't have a concussion. Some observers have argued a slugger of his caliber shouldn't 't be behind the plate, where hits can be routine, and this injury surely won' t do much to quiet that feeling.

Posey himself has always shaken off those remarks, saying he was born to play catcher and loves his position.

Bochy shook off questions that Posey should switch to another position - he played some first base last year - in the future, saying it's too early to be talking about such plans.

"right now," Bochy said, "we're just trying to get over the shock of this a little."

Posey's agent, Jeff Berry, said Thursday morning he reached out to Joe Torre, leader of on-field operations for Major League Baseball, and raised the idea of changing the rules regarding plays at the plate. He also said he spoke with the players' union about the play.

"you leave players way too vulnerable," Berry said. "I can tell you Major League Baseball is less than it was before [Posey's injury]." It's stupid. I don't know if this ends up leading to a rule change, but it should. The guy [at the flat] is too exposed.

"If you go helmet to helmet in the NFL, it's a $100,000 fine, but in baseball, you have a situation in which runners are [slamming into] fielders." It's brutal. It's shocking borderline. "It just stinks for baseball."

Ex-Ohio St. player: I sold the Big Ten rings for cash

COLUMBUS, Ohio - former Ohio State wide receiver that Small Ray said a student of the school newspaper that he sold the Big Ten rings champion and other memories of money and that he obtained a particular car is an athlete throughout his career.

The Lantern, small, who played for the Buckeyes from 2006 to 2009, said "everyone was" team.

Five Buckeyes players are suspended for the first five games of the season of 2011 for the sale of souvenirs for the owner of a local tattoo salon. Who is considered an illegitimate advantage under NCAA rules. Coach Jim Tressel also is suspended for five games and is under investigation by the NCAA to know the participation of its players and not telling his superiors for more than nine months.

"We had four rings Big Ten". It was enough for everyone, "small said."

"He added that, despite great and proactive NCAA compliance department the State of Ohio, most of the students-athletes" do not think even (NCAA) rules. ?

Ohio State has not rejected the charges of the small but also did not sound as if he would try to learn more on their subject.

"At this point, University has not enough information on the issues reported concerning a former student-athlete who has been probing in the program of football for two years," the Athletics Department spokesman Dan Wallenberg said in a statement by email.

Petit, who was suspended for the Rose Bowl 2010 in what would have been his last game, said he used the money that was to cover its costs of typical life.

"We have apartments, car notes," he said. "So you got things like that and you look around and you are like, ' well I (four) of them, I can sell one or two and get a sum of money to pay the rent.". "

He said that the greatest benefits came from car dealerships.

"It was certainly the agreements on the cars." "I do not see why this is a big problem," said small.

“

They explain the rules, but as a child, that you are not really listen... people show you so much love, you don't think even the rules. You're like "Oh man, it's cool." You take, and next thing you know the NCAA is on your back.

Ex-Ohio State WR Ray small. "

Ohio State investigates more than 50 transactions between athletes from the State of Ohio and their families and two Columbus auto dealers.

"They have many (dirt) on everyone," small said, "" cause everyone did so.""

Small had 61 catches for 659 yards and three touchdowns in his Ohio State career, which has been marked by a frequent suspensions and discipline. He spent time on the squadrons of the practice of the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and the Washington Redskins and now is back in the State of Ohio to earn his degree in sociology.

Small players said went to see Edward Rife at the Fine line ink tattoo show because Rife was a fan of Ohio State and blamed big discounts. He was investigative counsel for the U.S. of Rife on charges of drug trafficking that led to officials of the State of Ohio discover on the benefits of the poor.

Small said that players would have been stupid to lower reduced tattoos.

"If you go and try to get a tattoo, and someone is like, ' you want 50 percent off the coast of this tattoo?". You will say, 'Heck yeah,' "small said."

Tressel continuously suspended or suspends small his career at Ohio State. One of the fastest team players, he was considered the heir to Ted Ginn Jr. after the receiver and kick returner went to the NFL. But the small career was marked by his stay in the niche of the Tressel.

"They explain the rules, but as a child, you really listen to all the rules," small said. "You go out and you just, people show so much love, you don't think even the rules.". You're like "Oh man, it's cool." You take, and next thing you know the NCAA is on your back. ?

Another former player for the Ohio State, interviewed by lantern-light, rear defensive Malcolm Jenkins, said Ohio State said players on NCAA rules, and if the rules were broken, it was because the players.

Ohio State Dan Wallenberg spokesman replied: "educate us better we can and expect us the staff to follow our messaging and policies and student-athletes."

Former basketball player Buckeyes Mark Titus wrote Tuesday on his blog that the benefits of the football program are far from being a secret.

"Any student OSU over the past five years could tell you that many football players drive nice cars," wrote Titus. "It would have to be blind not to notice it.".

Small said no there was no shortage of people trying to help the athletes of the State of Ohio.

"Everywhere you go, while you're playing in the State of Ohio," small said, "you will get an agreement all senses".

Lee goes 8 strong as Ibanez, Phils dump Reds

Philadelphia - Hours after a paste Phillies won a game as a pitcher, tort of Cliff Lee lifted Philadelphia to another victory.

It is a strange two days and 28 sleeves. Lee drove in three runs with a double charge of bases and a single and worked eight effective sleeves, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-4 on the Cincinnati Reds win Thursday afternoon. "He has a strong swing," said Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel. "When you can swing the bat, this means a lot." You can really help you. "Lee helped himself in the final of the series after marathon 19-channel Wednesday that ended at 1: 19 pm, after 6 hours, 11 minutes and 600 total lands, as the two teams played with little rest. Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer for the Phillies, who took three of the four of the Reds. Each Phillie had at least one hit, including Chase Utley, who is 2-14 since his return from the list of persons disabled earlier this week. Offence of the Phillies Donna Lee a advance 1 - 0 in the first inning when Ryan Howard doubled Michael Martinez both outputs. Howard was intentionally walked in the fourth round with two outs and a runner on the second floor, but Ibanez hit an 0-2 pitch for a home run. Ibanez is batting de.361 (30 to 83) since the alignment of a skid to 0-for-35. The Reds of cut to 4-2 in the fourth of Paul Janish's two-run single that marked the Cairo Miguel and Jay Bruce. Bruce tied the game with a two-run homer to right in the sixth round. The shot was his National League leader 14th of the season. Bruce has jette.486 six Homer with 14 points within a sequence of eight consecutive hitting. Starter Reds Homer Bailey allowed four runs and five hits and a walk in four rounds, and left the game with spasms in his right shoulder suffered during a y of the fourth round. "He had some discomfort swinging the bat shot," said Reds Manager Dusty Baker. "His speed was a little after that." We are going to him verified, but I do not think that it is serious. "Lee (4-4) threw 114 land in eight rounds. But his greatest contribution to the plate. With the game tied at 4, the Phillies loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth round against Daryl Thompson (0-1), who made his major league debut a round earlier. After a walk to catcher Dane Sardinha, Lee huddled briefly with Manuel to discuss a strategy which has something like "obtain a success". Lee hit a double first-pitch at the head of the fielder Drew Stubbs. It bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double. Lee said "land of first fastball,". "I was looking for something out on the plate I could put a good swing on." What is - this. Obtain a success here or there can usually make a huge difference. Today, I could help the team win. "A round later, Lee s unique to the middle of mark John Mayberry Jr. He became the first Launcher Phillies to drive in three runs since Cory Lidle on September 4, 2004, against the Mets. "This game is crazy," said the first goal player Ryan Howard. "You never know what you'll see." You will have these games hard and crazy, and you will get things that you has never met him. Howard joked saying that the Phillies season is really 163 games now, with the extra 10 innings played on Wednesday evening. This included game player Wilson Valdez, becoming the first player to start a game on the ground and later win the victory as a pitcher since Babe Ruth, October 1, 1921. He received a standing ovation when it flows into the second round. With little sleep, Manuel juggled with his line-up, Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco rest, but from Ibanez, Howard, and Valdez. Were tired Phillies? "Simply ignore you," said Ibanez, adding that he was about four hours of sleep. A requested if he could feel it later this evening, Ibanez smiled. "I will probably just ignore then, too." game notes
Phillies is Jose Contreras, enabled from the list of persons with disabilities 15 days before the match, worked a score ninth channel zero. ... Shane Victorino (right thigh) is scheduled for an assignment of rehabilitation Saturday with class A Lakewood. It is also expected to play this Sunday. ... Reds cleaning utility player RBI Miguel Cairo for the first time this season. ... RHP David Herndon was an option for 2007 Lehigh Valley to make way for Contreras. The Reds placed Matt Maloney on the list of persons with disabilities 15 days, retroactive to Tuesday, with an oblique muscle left tense. Copyright by STATS LLC and associated press

Clijsters upset, Sharapova survives in French

PARIS - after match in the second set of wasting two points and feeling his confidence fainting, Kim Clijsters left the match away Thursday at the France Open.

Finalist Garros, seeded second in the tournament this year, lost the 114th largest Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands times 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 to two.

"I started to doubt a little", said Clijsters, playing his second game as a right ankle injury knocked her out of combat. "When you start doubting yourself on any surface, but for me certainly on clay, it is the wrong attitude to have."

Maria Sharapova also struggled, but the Russia seeded seventh won 11 games after that ended 4-1 in the second set and beat the 17 years Caroline Garcia de France 3-6, 6-4, 6-0.

Clijsters, who had won past 15 Grand Slam matches after taking titles at the US Open last year courses and Open of Australia this year, did not convert either point game in the second set.

Playing with his right ankle registered, the Belgian committed errors not forced 65 and lost 11 of 12 games final. RUS finished with 22 errors not enforced and had eight winners in the entire game.

"My ankle feels fine, which has absolutely nothing to do with him", said Clijsters. "If I felt like I was not ready as much as I wanted to be, I wouldn't come here.". If I wasn't printing that I was able to play the difficult matches, then I would not have taken this decision to come here. ?

Clijsters had his first chance to close the match against the Dutch when leading 5-2 in the second set, but saved Rus point of the match and held the make 5-3 before breaking Clijsters back on serve.

"When I was 5-2 down in the second set, I thought, ' just go and play more aggressive," Rus a. "and, Yes, that really helped."

"At 6-5 I had a very good serve game, and then I won the game.". Then I thought, "Yeah, I can win this match," "she."

Clijsters had another match point in the 10th game, but Rus recorded again and finally pushed the score to 5-5.

With changing dynamics, Clijsters double-defective for the seventh time, one of its 28 errors not enforced on the whole, to permit the Rus to break and make the second set.

"It obviously began to build more confidence, began playing much better and really nice to me on my back foot all the time.". I could not really play my tennis aggressive anymore in this third series, "said Clijsters.

Clijsters injured his right ankle in dancing at the marriage of his cousin in April, its marginalization to Garros. She played at Roland Garros in 2006, when she reached the semi-finals.

But, since his return to the tour in 2009 following the birth of her daughter, Clijsters has won three of her four Grand Slam titles.

RUS, junior champion Open of Australia in 2008, reached the third round of a tournament Grand Slam for the first time.

Garcia, who was playing in only his second tournament, led 4-1 in the second set. But Sharapova then took control and won every game after that.

"I think that never the game is over until it is really," said Sharapova. "I think that any situation you are put in, any good or bad you feel, you do not have to complete the game.".

"More than anything I just tried to be more consistent," she said.

Sharapova has won the Italian open on May 15, the largest career clay-court title. She won the French Open, the only Grand Slam title not on his curriculum vitae.

"It could easily have the other way today, but I think that I knew I had to make an adjustment," Sharapova said. "More than anything, I felt like I really intensified." (And which was necessary if I wanted to win this game.) ?

Garcia is a rising star on the stage of French tennis. She reached the second round at the Australia Open in January in his debut at the level of the tower.

Garros is only his second tournament, and she is again through the first round.

Against Sharapova, she played a large part of the game with its confidence high, find four corners of the Court and placing his shots just out of reach of his opponent.

"I was giving no points for it, and I was very specific," Garcia said. "And I was hitting high areas that she does not like because she is tall, so it is difficult for her.".

Stellar play of Garcia early in the game has already drawn praise from one of its players, the Open of Australia Andy Murray finalist.

"Girl sharapova plays will be No.1 in world one day Carolina garcia, what player u heard here 1," the Murray seeded fourth tweeted.

Sharapova did not really disagree.

"It's a long road and a long journey," said the 24 year old Russian. "There will be many WINS and losses." It is difficult for me to say, but it is on its way, no doubt. ?

In other results, Vania King of the United States back on board Elena Baltacha of Britain 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The King ranked 115th is in the third round of a tournament Grand Slam for the second time only in 20 tests.

She Bethanie Mattek-sands, who won Wednesday, are the first women other than Venus and Serena Williams to make it this far at Roland Garros since 2006.

No. 4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, no. 6 Li Na, no. 9 Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, no. 12 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, no. 15 Andrea Petkovic, Germany, no. 21 Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, no. 25 Maria Kirilenko, Russia and no. 30 Roberta Vinci Italy also advanced to the third roundwhereas no. 27 Alexandra Dulgheru of the Romania lost.

Li Beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa, of the Spain, 6 - 4, 7-5 and Kvitova defeated twice Grand Slam semifinalist Zheng Jie of China 6 - 4, 6-1.