Yesterday we looked at Draft Express's pre-lottery mock draft, in which they had the Sixers selecting Terrence Jones from Kentucky. They still have Jones going to the Sixers in the post-lottery Mock, via Yahoo!, with this to say:

While almost certainly a top-10 talent, Jones (or one of his power forward counterparts) could pay the price for how deep this draft is at his position, as six power forwards have already come off the board at this point in this particular mock draft. The Sixers have other needs, but could have a very difficult time passing on a player like Jones, who can do a little bit of everything on the floor and looks ready to play from day one.

Chad Ford of ESPN also updated his mock draft following the lottery, and new name pops up in the Sixers spot: Arnett Moultrie.

Analysis: The Sixers need big athletes and Moultrie might be a great fit. He's long and athletic, he rebounds and he can stretch the floor with his jumper. Moultrie could be one of the real sleepers in the draft.

Ford has the Sixers passing on a trio of talented guys in Terrence Jones, Austin Rivers and Kendall Marshall, in favor of the big man from Mississippi State.

Continue reading this post »

The 2012 NBA Draft is less than a month away, as hard as that is to believe. I'm not used to starting the off-season this late, as a Sixers fan.

We've talked about draft prospects a bit throughout the season – all the posts can be found here – but everything reminas up in the air until the draft lottery (tonight) and combine are completed. That said, it's never too early to look at a mock draft.

Draft Express updated their mock yesterday, with the Sixers selecting Terrence Jones from Kentucky.

Jones is supremely talented, and has elite physical tools, but his production has never matched his potential. He was incredibly inconsistent at Kentucky and has issues with effort and mental breakdowns at times. Another problem with Jones is that he lacks a true position in the NBA – he's neither a prototypical three nor four.

Selecting Jones would undoubtably provide the Sixers with some much-needed talent, but pairing him with Thaddeus Young is redundant. Notable players behind Jones in DX's mock include: Terrence Ross, Quincy Miller, Dion Waiters, Meyers Leonard, Tony Wroten, Arnett Moultrie, Royce White and Andrew Nicholson.

We'll dive more into the individual prospects in the coming weeks, but the takeaway from the early mocks is – as I've been saying for a while – the Sixers are going to have a talented crop of players to select from with the 15th pick. They need to make a decision on Andre Iguodala before then.

The off-season is in full effect, and the news and notes just keep on coming. The latest, via Steve Kyler from Hoops World, is that both Louis Williams and Elton Brand are seeking long-term contracts from the Sixers.

Williams has one more year left on his deal worth $5.3 million, which he'll opt-out of in the coming weeks. According to those with knowledge of his thinking, Williams is seeking a new deal similar in size to teammate Thaddeus Young who signed a 5-year, $42 million deal this season.

[snip]

Sources close to Brand say he would be open to exercising his Early Termination Option on that final year in order to stay in Philadelphia, if a new multi-year deal were offered.

On Lou: the idea of locking up 17 million dollars per, on two one-dimensional bench players is a sure-fire way to ruin your franchise. It's a shame, because I think Lou is worth 7-8 million a year, but you simply can't pay two bench players that amount of money, especially when you're team isn't a championship contender. If they could find a way to trade Thad (won't happen), I'd be more inclined to give Lou a long-term deal.

On Brand: I love the Old School Chevy, but this one's tricky. It's hard to make a judgement on whether signing him to a long-term deal would be a mistake, because the terms are unknown. Either way, it's probably best for the Sixers to A) let him play out the final year of his deal or B) amnesty him if the right free agent opportunity presents itself.

Make the jump for two more minor tidbits, on Andre Iguodala and Jodie Meeks.

Continue reading this post »

Monday, I wrote on the topic of re-building, and how it was not an option under the current regime.

For the record, I still believe in full re-build mode, until you find a legitimate franchise player or two - however long it takes - because that's the model of how to win an NBA championship. But that's not going to happen in Philadelphia - not now. They're going to try and build around Jrue and Turner, using Iguodala as a trade chip. It's not ideal, but that's where we're at.

To get everyone in the spirit of trying to improve the team – rather than "blowing it up" – I present an exercise for the readers. Post in the comments, five (only five) moves you would like to see the Sixers make this off-season. The moves can be trades, amnesties, free agency (internal or external), etc.

I'll save my ammunition, since I'm going to be writing all summer, but this could be a great exercise to help the re-builders cope with the anti-re-building philosophy of the front office. Like I wrote yesterday, there are shrewd, savvy moves to be made under these circumstances, believe it or not.

Suggest away!

It's only been two days since the Sixers were eliminated from the Playoffs, but we've already discussed an Andre Iguodala trade and a potential free agent signing. Before we go any further, there's something that needs to be addressed.

As many of you know, I am a huge advocate of re-building, and have been since 2007. Most of the readers and writers on this site feel the same way. The Sixers aren't one piece away, and they're simply not talented enough to seriously contend for a title, as constructed. Even if Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner fulfill their potential – surpass it, even – it's probably not going to be enough. Yet, it seems like the Sixers front office feels differently.

Continue reading this post »

The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to experience many changes this off-season. Louis Williams could opt out of the final year of his contract. Spencer Hawes is a free agent. Andre Iguodala is likely to be traded. And Elton Brand could be amnestied.

With numerous free agents and the possibility of wiping Brand's contract off the books, the Sixers could have a decent amount of money to spend on external free agents. Who might they be targeting? Gordie Jones, via Nets Daily, speculates that Kris Humphries and Gerald Green could be potential targets.

"While Thorn is not permitted under the league's tampering rules to mention specific players, two unrestricted free agents who might help the Sixers are now with the Nets - guard/forward Gerald Green and power forward Kris Humphries," writes Jones, seeming to imply he was given the names by someone in the Sixers' front office.

Let's briefly look at both players after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

The top of the New York Yankees farm system isn't in great shape right now – Manny Banuelos hit the disabled list once again last week, and Dellin Betances continued his struggles. However; there is good news. A few lower-tier prospects have performed well this season, emerging as prospects to "keep an eye on". One of those prospects – Bryan Mitchell – continues to be an intriguing pitcher, and he had another great week in Low A. It may be time for him to move up a level soon.

Continue reading for more on Mitchell and a Yankees hitting prospect, who finally appears to be breaking out of a slump, in this week's Minor League Update.

Pitcher Of The Week: Bryan Mitchell (11 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 6 BBs, 13 Ks)

This marks the second consecutive week Mitchell has earned 'pitcher of the week' honors. He's been absolutely lights out in May, going 3-0 in five starts. He's pitched 29 innings, walked 11, and fanned 34, with an ERA of 1.55 and a GO/AO ratio of 2.33.

Here's what I had to say about Mitchell's upside last week:

Command issues, injury issues, and a bout of homesickness have held Mitchell back from reaching his full potential. Based on his stuff alone, he could be a very good number three pitcher, or a low-end number two. It appears he's finally realizing some of his potential this season.

At 21 years old, he's not considered young for his league – Class A, South Atlantic, so given his early-season success and age, it's plausible that Mitchell could get the promotion to High A Tampa fairly soon.

Hitter Of The Week: J.R. Murphy (.385 average, 2 Doubles, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 3 BBs, 3 Ks, 1 SB)

Murphy is beginning to show signs of life after a horrendous start to the 2012 season. In his last 10 games, he's batting .317, with a BB:K ratio of 5:4, with an OPS of .855 – more than 200 points above his season average.

Here's what I had to say about Murphy's potential earlier in the season:

He probably won't stick at catcher because of his defense, but has a decent enough hitting tool - although he hasn't shown sings of it this season - to at least make it as a major league bench player.

It's encouraging to see Murphy break out of his hitting slump a bit. He has the ceiling of a slightly above average regular on a good team, but he's more likely to become an average player, or even a hitter off the bench.

-- For more Yankees coverage, check out Pinstripe Alley. For in-depth analysis of all the Major League farm systems, as well as the MLB Draft, check out Minor League Ball.

It wasn't a great week for the prospects of the New York Mets. Prized pitcher, Zack Wheeler, threw well – as usual – but the rest of the Mets farm system failed to stand out.

Pitcher Of The Week: Zack Wheeler (8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 Ks, Win)

Zack Wheeler continues to shut down teams in the Double-A Eastern League. He's 4-2 on the season, with an ERA under 2.00, and a batting average against of .175.

This week, he dominated the New Britain Rock Cats. Although it has to be noted that the Rock Cats are the second-worst hitting team in the Eastern League.

Hitter Of The Week: Wilmer Flores (.280, 1 Double, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs, 2 BBs 3 Ks, 1 SB)

Matt Den Dekker and Cory Vaughn were also candidates in this weeks incredibly weak selection for 'hitter of the week'. Flores got the nod for two reasons. One, he's usually considered the better prospect of the three, and two, we haven't discussed his upside yet.

The 20-year-old Venezuelan was signed back in 2007. He's listed as a short stop, but he'll probably end up at at one of the corners – either in the infield or outfield. His career OPS of .715 is decent for a shortstop, but because he's very unlikely to remain at short, his power potential would have to begin to manifest itself for him to be considered anything other than a fringe player.

Luckily, his power has been present in 2012. He already has eight home runs in only 187 plate appearances. Last season he only hit nine homers, in 559 plate appearances. Although he doesn't walk much, he doesn't strike out much either, and hits for a high average.

At 20 years old, he's still relatively young for the Florida State League, and if his power potential finally comes to fruition, he could top out as 25-homer guy. His ceiling is a slightly above average starter.

-- For more Mets coverage, check out Amazin' Avenue. For in-depth analysis of all the Major League farm systems, as well as the MLB Draft, check out Minor League Ball.

The Philadelphia 76ers played 13 Playoff games in 2012, and they made it further than 25 of the 30 NBA teams. What any of that means, is anyone's guess, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Many Sixers fans found themselves in a dilemma at the end of the regular season: "Do I root for my favorite team to collapse, if only to open ownership's eyes to the lack of talent? Or do I root for my team to make the Playoffs, where an absolute massacre awaits, at the hands of the Bulls or Heat?"

I, for one, was indifferent. I honestly couldn't care either way, and the mere thought of the Sixers perpetual mediocrity made me want throw up in my mouth, swallow, and repeat. All I cared about was the upcoming off-season, and the inevitable disappointment that would certainly follow.

As the regular season neared its conclusion, the Sixers were being eviscerated by teams like the Wizards and the Raptors and the Nets – at home, on the road, you name it. However; they eventually clinched a Playoff spot, almost by default. They didn't just "limp in" – they straight got their asses handed to them from the ASG on, followed by Doug Collins dragging his despondent bunch into the Playoffs, one creepy text message at a time.

The first game of the Playoffs went as planned. The Sixers were destroyed by the one-seed Bulls and the fanbase had collectively reached rock bottom. Then, Derrick Rose got hurt, cautious optimism ensued, and the "Sixers Be Crazy" run was officially underway.

Continue reading this post »

The 2012 NBA Playoffs justified Evan Turner's bust status for many. His PER was 9.3. His true shooting percentage was .414. He shot 36 percent from the floor. His offensive output was downright offensive, across the board. However; I came away from the Playoffs feeling differently, for reasons I described last week:

The Sixers may not play in enough Playoff games for Turner's percentages to improve, but I will say, if the new-found approach from Turner - and Jrue Holdiay - carry over to next year's regular season, it may indicate future success.

Without re-hashing all the details – despite Evan Turner's lack of efficiency – he played a much more aggressive game in the post-season, which in theory, should result in future success. Part of the reason he's been so inefficient during his career is lack of rim-attacking, which results in efficient points, like dunks, layups and free throws. That changed in the Playoffs:

Turner's previously anemic free throw rate (0.18) has sky-rocketed to 0.34, and his rim shot/long two ratio has more-than-doubled, to 1.42. He's been significantly more aggressive attacking the basket.

I went on to compare Turner's low shooting percentages to the baseball stat, BABIP, blah, blah, blah. Not much has changed since last week, but I want to hammer home a couple of points before I put this one to bed.

Continue reading this post »

Let the off-season officially begin.

Alex Kennedy of Hoops World briefly explored the possibility of the Lakers targeting Iguodala this week.

The general consensus around the league is that they'll try to trade Iguodala this summer. Even with Philadelphia's recent success, league sources insist that Iguodala is a player who could be moved this offseason if the right offer comes along.

[snip]

Los Angeles will have competition for the small forward. Many teams are expected to express interest if Iguodala becomes available.

Iguodala was rumored to be headed to LA last season, in exchange for Lamar Odom. While I believe that trade had zero chance of happening, I strongly believe Iguodala will be traded this off-season – finally. The question is: for whom?

Continue reading this post »

The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be completed today, with Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves entering the day as the favorites to win. Find out where Briscoe and Helio sit in Sunday's starting lineup.

1. Ryan Briscoe, 4 Lap Average: 226.484

2. James Hinchcliffe, 4 Lap Average: 226.481

3. Ryan Hunter-Reay, 4 Lap Average: 226.240

4. Marco Andretti, 4 Lap Average: 225.456

5. Will Power, 4 Lap Average: 225.422

6. Helio Castroneves, 4 Lap Average: 225.172

7. Josef Newgarden, 4 Lap Average: 224.037

8. Tony Kanaan, 4 Lap Average: 224.751

9. EJ Viso, 4 Lap Average: 224.422

10. Rubens Barrichello, 4 Lap Average: 224.264

11. Alex Tagliani, 4 Lap Average: 224.000

12. Graham Rahal, 4 Lap Average: 223.959

13. Ana Beatriz, 4 Lap Average: 223.920

14. Charlie Kimball, 4 Lap Average: 223.868

15. Scott Dixon, 4 Lap Average: 223.684

16. Dario Franchitti, 4 Lap Average: 223.582

17. James Jakes, 4 Lap Average: 223.482

18. JR Hildebrand, 4 Lap Average: 223.422

19. Takuma Sato, 4 Lap Average: 223.392

20. Townsend Bell, 4 Lap Average: 223.134

21. Justin Wilson, 4 Lap Average: 222.929

22. Michel Jourdain, 4 Lap Average: 222.893

23. Simon Pagenaud, 4 Lap Average: 222.891

24. Sebastian Saavedra, 4 Lap Average: 222.811

25. Sebastien Bourdais, 4 Lap Average: 223.760

26. Wade Cunningham, 4 Lap Average: 223.258

27. Oriol Servia, 4 Lap Average: 222.393

28. Ed Carpenter, 4 Lap Average: 222.324

29. Mike Conway, 4 Lap Average: 222.319

30. Katherine Legge, 4 Lap Average: 221.624

31. Bryan Clauson, 4 Lap Average: 214.455

32. Simona de Silvestro, 4 Lap Average: 214.393

33. Jean Alesi, 4 Lap Average: 210.094

For more on the Indy 500, please be sure to check out our blog, Pop Off Valve. Also take a look at our StoryStream and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 will begin Sunday, May 27, at noon. Coverage will begin at 9 AM EST on ABC and continue until the race's completion. For the folks attending the race, gates will open precisely 5:33 AM. The, the rest of the day's events are as follows:

7 am - Snake Pit Opens - Turn 3 Infield

8:30 am - Parade of Bands - Track

8:45 am - Krewella - Turn 3 Infield

9:30 am - Bikini/Hot Bod Contest - Turn 3 Infield

9:45 am - 500 Festival Princesses Lap - Track

9:55 am - All Cars To Pit Lane - Track

10:15 am - Cars Begin To Grid On Track - Track

10:40 am - All Cars In Place On Grid - Track

10:50 am - Engine Warm-Up - Track

10 am - Benny Benassi - Turn 3 Infield

11 am - Indianapolis 500 Pre-Race Begins - Track

11 am - Vintage Car Laps - Track

11:10 am - Military Tribute Lap - Track

11:30 am - Driver Introductions - Yard of Bricks

12 pm - Start of the 96th Indianapolis 500 (200 Laps) - Yard of Bricks

1 pm - Krewella - Turn 3 Infield

--

Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves are among the favorites to win the race.

For more on the Indy 500, please be sure to check out our blog, Pop Off Valve. Also take a look at our StoryStream and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Maryland defeated Duke in the 2012 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament on Saturday, in one of the tournament's larger upsets. Duke came in as the third seed, while Maryland was un-seeded.

Despite losing a low-scoring (6-5) affair to Duke earlier this season, the Terrapins beat the Blue Devils in convincing fashion, 16-8, in the 2012 Tourney. The victory earns them a spot in the National Championship game, against the number one-seeded Loyola Greyhounds.

Drew Snider led the Terrapins with four goals, but also got multi-goal performances from Owen Blye, Billy Gribbin and Kevin Forester. Kevin Cooper led the way with four assists.

The championship game is scheduled for Monday, May 28, at 1:00 PM EST, and will be televised on ESPN.

For more on the Lacrosse Final Four, please be sure to check back often to this StoryStream. For more on college lacrosse, check out College Crosse. For info on Maryland, check out Testudo Times.

The New York Yankees extended their current winning streak to four games on Saturday, which includes back-to-back wins over the Oakland A's. Saturday's final was 9-2.

C.C. Sabathia started the game for the Yankees; he went seven solid innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, while fanning four. The big star of the game was first baseman, Mark Teixeira, who went deep twice and drove in five of the Yankees nine runs.

Saturday marks the second straight game Teixeria has homered, as he did so in the first game of the series with the A's, on Friday.

The Yanks will look to complete the sweep of the A's on Sunday, when Hiroki Kuroda is scheduled to face Tommy Milone

Stick with this Storystream for previews, recaps and more from the Yankees vs. Athletics series. Pinstripe Alley has you covered for all your Yankees news and analysis needs, and if Oakland is your team, check out Athletics Nation.

Continue reading this post »

Loyola Maryland defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday, cementing their spot in the championship game of the 2012 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament.

Loyola – the tournament's one seed – defeated Notre Dame by a final score of 7-5. Eric Lusby turned in a great performance, scoring five of his team's seven goals, on six shots on goal. Loyola's remaining two goals were scored by Davis Butts and Josh Hawkins.

With the win, Loyola now awaits the winner of Maryland/Duke, who are scheduled to play on Saturday night. Duke is the favorite, and they entered the tournament as the three seed.

The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, May 28, at 1 pm EST.

For more on the Lacrosse Final Four, please be sure to check back often to this StoryStream. For more on college lacrosse, check out College Crosse. For info on Notre Dame sports, check out One Foot Down.

The Dayton Flyers are your 2012 Atlantic 10 Baseball champions, after defeating the Richmond Spiders on Saturday. The Flyers won by a final score of 3-0, led by 6.1 innings of shutout ball from Parker Schrage, followed by 2.2 shutout innings from Burney Mitchem.

Flyers third baseman, Robby Sunderman had a nice game at the plate, going two for three with a double, run scored and stolen base. Brian Blasik and Bobby Glover recorded the game's only runs batted in.

For the Spiders, Alex Maffett was the losing pitcher. He went 6.2 innings, faced 27 batters – three of which he put on base via a hit by pitch – and allowed a total of nine baserunners. Jacob Mayers led the Spiders in hits with two.

For more on the Atlantic 10 Baseball Tourney, please be sure to check out our StoryStream and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

The New York Mets won their second consecutive game against the San Diego Padres on Saturday – and did so in dominating fashion – by a final score of 9-0.

Mets ace Johan Santana (2-2, 2.75 ERA) cruised to a complete game shutout, where he allowed only four baserunners and struck out seven. He needed only 96 total pitches to complete the game, and faced only 30 batters – three short of the minimum.

The Mets scored all of their nine runs in the first and eighth innings. Vinny Rottino and Scott Hairston hit a pair of home runs in the first inning (a solo shot for the former, a three-run blast for the latter), to give Santana a four-run cushion against Clayton Richard (2-6, 4.76 ERA) and his Padres. Then, a five-run explosion in the bottom of the eighth – highlighted by a Mike Nickeas grand slam off Dale Thayer – slammed the door on the Padres day.

The two teams will play the fourth and final game of their weekend series on Sunday.

For more on the Mets, be sure to check out Amazin' Avenue and stay tuned to SB Nation New York.

It's been an interesting week for New York Giants wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks. He broke a bone is his foot on Thursday and was expected to miss 12 weeks. Then, it was reported that his injury wasn't as severe as first thought and recovery time would only be 4-6 weeks.

On Friday, Nicks underwent successful surgery, according to the New York Post.

Hakeem Nicks yesterday underwent successful surgery on his right foot, as a screw was inserted to hasten the healing process in the fifth metatarsal bone he fractured while running a route on Thursday during an OTA drill.

Nicks has put up back-to-back 70-plus-catch, 1,000-plus-yard seasons for the Giants, and he was a big reason why the team went on their recent Super Bowl run.

For more on the Giants, please be sure to check out our blog Big Blue View along with SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

The Boston Celtics are a banged up team, to say the least, as they head into Saturday night's game seven against the Philadelphia 76ers. Everyone from Paul Pierce, to back-up center, Greg Stiemsma, is feeling the effects of the long season.

According to Doc Rivers, Stiemsma asked out of game six because he was in pain. During Saturday's shootaround he was feeling much better.

In another positive sign, Greg Stiemsma took part on Saturday, a day after Doc Rivers said the backup center's feet were "feeling better."

[snip]

"He couldn't play in the second half the other night," Doc Rivers said on Friday. "Funny, I put him and he walks up and says, ‘I can't go.' I thought he was walking up to go in. But he feels better and that's good."

Tip is scheduled for 8 PM on Saturday.

For more on the Celtics, please check out our site Celtics Blog and SB Nation Boston for all the latest news and updates. For all news and information regarding the Philadelphia 76ers, please visit Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philadelphia.

The New England Patriots signed veteran, Joseph Addai, in the off-season, which gives them a plethora of running backs going into training camp. With the Patriots appearing to go with the 'running back by committee approach', who will get the majority of the carries. Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston answered that very question in a chat this week:

If everyone's healthy, I think we'll see Ridley and Shane Vereen get the bulk of the work. I see Addai as a nice "insurance" type of addition if Ridley and Vereen don't emerge, as well as a backup option for Danny Woodhead in the "passing back" type of role. While I'd lean toward Ridley/Vereen getting more work, it's also safe to say we can expect the Patriots to mix it up from week to week, depending on the game-plan.

For more on the Patriots please be sure to check out our blog, Pats Pulpit and SB Nation Boston for all the latest news and updates.

The New York Rangers fell two games short of reaching the NHL Finals, after finishing the regular season as the Eastern Conference's number one seed. Despite the disappointing loss to the six-seeded New Jersey Devils, Rangers fans still have plenty to be grateful for.

Believe in what this team accomplished, against all odds (and serious injuries), all season long. Believe in the direction this team is moving in. Believe in the young talent that's only going to get better and how much more complete this team will be next season. Most importantly, believe that this team is going to be great in the future, because they will be. This season, for all it was, was a massive accomplishment, and something every single fan should be proud of.

Stick with this StoryStream for more updates from the 2012 NHL Playoffs. Blue Shirt Banter is your home for Rangers news and analysis, and if the Devils are your team, check out In Lou We Trust.

Within the next 48 hours, a champion will be crowned in the MAAC baseball tournament. Only three teams remain: Manhattan, Rider and Canisius. Saturday's schedule is as follows: Manhattan and Rider will square off at 2 pm EST, with the winner moving on to face Canisius later that day. If necessary, an additional game will be played on Sunday to determine the champion.

Manhattan is the defending champion, but will have some work to do if they're going to repeat. Rider is the tournament's fourth seed, with Canisius – who awaits the winner between Rider and Manhattan – came into the tourney as the number two seed. Canisius will be playing in their first finals in school history.

All three games will be played in Troy, N.Y., and can be followed live at the official site for MAAC sports.

Stick with this storystream for updates, results and more from the 2012 MAAC Baseball Championship Tournament.

The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 is one day away. Ryan Briscoe at 4/1, Ryan Hunter-Reay at 8/1, and Helio Castroneves at 5/1 are among the early favorites to win the race.

Below is the entire starting grid:

1. Ryan Briscoe, 4 Lap Average: 226.484

2. James Hinchcliffe, 4 Lap Average: 226.481

3. Ryan Hunter-Reay, 4 Lap Average: 226.240

4. Marco Andretti, 4 Lap Average: 225.456

5. Will Power, 4 Lap Average: 225.422

6. Helio Castroneves, 4 Lap Average: 225.172

7. Josef Newgarden, 4 Lap Average: 224.037

8. Tony Kanaan, 4 Lap Average: 224.751

9. EJ Viso, 4 Lap Average: 224.422

10. Rubens Barrichello, 4 Lap Average: 224.264

11. Alex Tagliani, 4 Lap Average: 224.000

12. Graham Rahal, 4 Lap Average: 223.959

13. Ana Beatriz, 4 Lap Average: 223.920

14. Charlie Kimball, 4 Lap Average: 223.868

15. Scott Dixon, 4 Lap Average: 223.684

16. Dario Franchitti, 4 Lap Average: 223.582

17. James Jakes, 4 Lap Average: 223.482

18. JR Hildebrand, 4 Lap Average: 223.422

19. Takuma Sato, 4 Lap Average: 223.392

20. Townsend Bell, 4 Lap Average: 223.134

21. Justin Wilson, 4 Lap Average: 222.929

22. Michel Jourdain, 4 Lap Average: 222.893

23. Simon Pagenaud, 4 Lap Average: 222.891

24. Sebastian Saavedra, 4 Lap Average: 222.811

25. Sebastien Bourdais, 4 Lap Average: 223.760

26. Wade Cunningham, 4 Lap Average: 223.258

27. Oriol Servia, 4 Lap Average: 222.393

28. Ed Carpenter, 4 Lap Average: 222.324

29. Mike Conway, 4 Lap Average: 222.319

30. Katherine Legge, 4 Lap Average: 221.624

31. Bryan Clauson, 4 Lap Average: 214.455

32. Simona de Silvestro, 4 Lap Average: 214.393

33. Jean Alesi, 4 Lap Average: 210.094

The race is set to begin at noon Eastern – televised on ABC.

For more on the Indy 500, please be sure to check out our blog, Pop Off Valve. Also take a look at our StoryStream and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 is only a day away, and the early weather forecast looks a bit hot, but very clear. According to Weather.com, Sunday's forecast is mostly sunny, with a high of 96 degrees and a low of 73. There is zero chance of rain and light winds from the south west, no more than 10 miles per hour. The humidity will be 50 percent and the UV Index is "very high", so bring your sunscreen.

Gates open to the public at 5:33 AM, but the race isn't until noon. Notable events leading up the race itself include: Snake Pits, Bikini/Hot Bod Contest, Engine warm-up, Vintage Cars Laps, Military Tribute Lap and Driver Introductions.

For more on the Indy 500, please be sure to check out our blog, Pop Off Valve. Also take a look at our StoryStream and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

The Philadelphia Eagles signed former Buffalo Bills quarterback in the off-season, Trent Edwards, to compete with Mike Kafka in the role as Michael Vick's backup. But the early returns of the Eagles' first organized team activities indicate there is no competition – Kafka is running away with the job.

The persistent struggles of Edwards to find receivers with crisp passes, even in offense-only drills with no defense to obstruct him, coupled with an apparently stronger and more accurate arm from Kafka, sent a clear message about which horse is leading the backup race.

Kafka – the Eagles fourth round pick in 2010 – appeared in four games last season, completing 11 of his 16 passes, but he threw two picks and zero touchdowns. However; he showed some promise, filling in for an injured Vick in the second week of the season – he threw for 72 yards and completed seven of nine attempts.

For more Eagles coverage, visit our blog Bleeding Green Nation.

According to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe, the New England Patriots have signed offensive lineman, Jamey Richard.

#Patriots have signed OL Jamey Richard, via sources. 6-5, 295, 08 7th round pick of Colts

— shalise manza young (@shalisemyoung) May 25, 2012

The 27-year-old seventh round pick has played for the Indianapolis Colts for the last four seasons. He started seven games in 2008 – four at center and three at left guard – and played at all three interior line positions. He started four more games in 2010, but only appeared in two games in 2011 – neither as a starter.

Pro Football Focus has graded Richard pretty poorly. He has career numbers of 27 pressures and three quarterback hits and no sacks allowed, in limited time.

For more on the Patriots please be sure to check out our blog, Pats Pulpit and SB Nation Boston for all the latest news and updates.

The New York Yankees have signed pitcher, John Maine, to a minor league contract, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York,

Yanks sign ex-Met John Maine to minor league deal. He will be starting insurance. @EvanDrellich mentioned they were close

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) May 25, 2012

Maine – most-notably of the New York Mets – most recently pitched in the Colorado Rockies farm system. In 2011, Maine threw 46 innings for the Rockies Triple A affiliate, sporting an inflated ERA of 7.43.

Maine has a career 41 wins, with an ERA of 4.35. His fastball has fluctuated greatly throughout his time in the bigs. During his prime his fastball sat in the 91-92 range, but dropped to 88.7 in 2010 – when he last pitched in the Major League.

Maine pitched for the Mets from 2006-2010. His best season was 2007, when he went 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA.

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