Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Grizzlies at Clippers, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Angels at Rangers 8:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Cubs at Brewers, 8 pm. (WGN)

SATURDAY:
NBA playoffs: 76ers at Celtics, 8 p.m. (TNT; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Nuggets at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Capitals at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WRKO)
MLB: Angels at Rangers, 1 p.m. (Fox)
MLB: Royals at White Sox, 7 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Braves at Cardinals, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLS: Whitecaps at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE)

SUNDAY:
NBA playoffs (if necessary): Clippers at Grizzlies, 1 p.m. (ABC)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Heat, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Coyotes, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Cubs at Brewers, 2 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Braves at Cardinals, 2:15 p.m. (TBS)
MLB: Angels at Rangers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

New 49ers receiver Randy Moss catches a pass during Thursday's practice in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP)

♦ Randy Moss began his NFL comeback with his first formal practice for the 49ers Thursday in Santa Clara, Calif., and Niners quarterback Alex Smith said the former Patriot looked smooth.

“It’s tough to tell that he missed a year of football. I certainly don’t see any rust,” Smith said of the 35-year-old. “He’s running well, catching well. No surprise, he’s a pro and already has a good understanding of the playbook.”

Added safety Donte Whitner: “He still looks the same. He never, ever since he’s been playing football has looked like he’s been running fast. But he’s a long strider, and when you actually run against him, he’s really running really fast. He’s running the same as he’s always run. His body looks like a younger Randy Moss, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do on the football field.”

Moss also showed he was in midseason form in terms of his dealings with the media, as he has little to say following the hour-long workout.

“Work is over, baby, we’re out of here,” he said as he drove away.

♦ Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, while saying reports of his rift with receiver Santonio Holmes were “ridiculous,” “out of control” and “way overblown,” said he worked out with Holmes last month after two earlier offseason visits to Holmes’ Florida residence, and the pair agreed to put the issue behind them.

“It was good to just kind of talk, away from the building, away from football, and talk about how things didn’t go so well last year, how we can move on and get better,” Sanchez said Thursday. “As soon as we came back [for offseason workouts in New Jersey last month, we said] that we’d never talk about it again and let’s just move forward. That’s exactly what he’s done. That’s what I expect him to do. He expected the same from me. It was important that we had that time, and now we’re back and you would never [think] it happened.”

Added Sanchez: “It gave us something to laugh about and move on. And we’re good.”

♦ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman testified Thursday that Roger Clemens asked for the team to hire Brian McNamee after Clemens was shelled at Fenway Park in a 1999 ALCS loss to the Red Sox. Two year later, the Yankees parted ways with McNamee, after the trainer ruffled feathers in the clubhouse.

“This particular individual, Mr. McNamee, did not get along with people,” Cashman said.

Cashman also acknowledged the Clemens continued to use McNamee — who has claimed he injected the pitcher with steroids and HGH — as his personal trainer at late as 2007.

♦ Nuggets center Chris “Birdman” Andersen missed Thursday night’s playoff win over the Lakers after police searched his home as part of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

A team-issued statement said Andersen was “excused from all team-related activities indefinitely as he deals with the reported investigation.”

Andersen is in his his seventh season in Denver and 10th in the NBA. In 2006 he was banned for violating the league’s drug policy, and he returned two years later.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 11, 1978, in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals, the Bruins beat the Flyers, 6-3. Which Bruin recorded a goal and four assists to fuel the series-clinching win?

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Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

MONDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Celtics at Mavericks, 8 p.m. (TNT: WEEI)
NBA: Hawks at Bulls, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Trail Blazers at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
College basketball: UConn at Villanova, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Baylor at Texas, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: DePaul at St. John’s, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
NHL: Capitals at Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Following a racially insensitive Jeremy Lin headline that briefly appeared on ESPN’s mobile website early Saturday morning, the media giant announced Sunday that it had fired the individual responsible. The network also suspended ESPNews anchor Max Bretos 30 days for using the phrase on air.

Following an off game by Lin, the site used the headline: “Chink in the Armor: Jeremy Lin’s 9 Turnovers Cost Knicks in Streak-stopping Loss to Hornets.”

Bretos apologized on Twitter, writing: My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community.

The phrase also apparently was used by Knicks play-by-play commentator Spero Dedes. A Madison Square Garden spokesman said the company was “evaluating” the situation.

Asked about the situation after leading the Knicks to a 104-97 victory over the Mavericks Sunday afternoon, Lin did not appear upset.

“ESPN had apologized,” he said. “I don’t think it was on purpose or whatever. At the same time, they’ve apologized, and so from my end I don’t care anymore. Have to learn to forgive. And I don’t even think that was intentional, or hopefully not.”

Lin, a Harvard graduate who born and raised in the San Francisco area, also had a request for media in Taiwan to stop hounding his relatives there.

“Obviously I love my family, I love my relatives,” Lin said. “One special request I have is for the media back in Taiwan to kind of give them their space. Because they can’t even go to work without being bombarded and people following them. I just want people to respect the privacy of my relatives in Taiwan. Hopefully this will get back to everybody, because they need to live their lives as well.”

“Saturday Night Live,” meanwhile, took a jab at the media for its reaction to Linsanity and overall racial insensitivity and inconsistency.

♦ Pau Gasol, whom the Lakers attempted to trade before the season, continues to be mentioned in trade rumors, and teammate Kobe Bryant doesn’t like it.

Without being prompted, Bryant said after Sunday night’s loss to the Suns that he wants Gasol to stay, but if the center is going to be traded it should be done quickly.

“It’s hard for Pau because of all this trade talk and stuff,” Bryant said. “It’s hard for him to kind of invest himself completely or immerse himself completely into games when he’s hearing trade talk every other day. I wish management would either come out and either trade him or not trade him.”

Added Bryant: “Listen, he’s been the consummate professional. He’s going out and he’s trying to do what he can. But let’s be real. If you didn’t know you were going to be here tomorrow, if your head’s on the chopping block and you feel like you’re just waiting, it’s tough to put all yourself in the game.”

♦ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, embroiled in a messy affair that led to the arrest of a woman for allegedly harassing and threatening him, acknowledged that it’s been a “difficult” few weeks but insisted that his job would not be affected.

“I have a professional and personal life,” Cashman said Sunday as Yankees spring training opened in Tampa. “I will continue to do my job to the best of my abilities.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Feb. 20, 1997, which Bruin extended his point-scoring streak to 20 games with an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago?

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Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Knicks at Celtics, 8 p.m. (ESPN; WEEI)
NBA: Lakers at Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Rider at Loyola (Md.), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: Cleveland State at Loyola (Ill.), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

SATURDAY:
NHL: Penguins at Bruins, 1 p.m. (NESN)
NBA: Magic at Pacers, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)
NBA: Nuggets at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Syracuse at St. John’s, noon (ESPN)
College basketball: Boston College at Georgia Tech, 1 p.m. (ESPNU; WRKO)
College basketball: Temple at Rhode Island, 2 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Ohio State at Wisconsin, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: North Carolina at Maryland, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Kansas at Missouri, 9 p.m. (ESPN)

SUNDAY:
NFL: Super Bowl, Patriots vs. Giants, 6:29 p.m. (NBC; WEEI)
NHL: Bruins at Capitals, 12:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA: Grizzlies at Celtics, noon (CSNNE; WEEI)
College basketball: Michigan at Michigan State, 1 p.m. (CBS)
College basketball: Villanova at Pittsburgh, 2 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Miami at Duke, 3 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

Peyton Manning has clearance from his doctor to return to football. (AP)

♦ According to multiple reports, two doctors cleared Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to return to football, and a spokesman for one of the doctors confirmed this fact.

“Peyton Manning underwent a thorough medical re-evaluation as part of a postoperative visit with his surgeon,” read a Thursday statement from Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed neck surgery on Manning. “As a result of this examination, Manning is medically cleared to play professional football.”

However, Colts owner Jim Irsay took to Twitter in an attempt to deny that Manning has the OK to return. Wrote Irsay: Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for The Indianapolis Colts. Irsay said a team statement would be released later Friday.

Manning and Irsay have said they will sit down after the Super Bowl to determine the player’s future with the team.

♦ A 36-year-old woman was charged with stalking and extorting Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Louise Neathway, who has a history of arrests on similar charges, was arraigned Thursday for grand larceny, stalking and harassment.

According to the court complaint, Neathway asked Cashman to pay for a $15,000-plus medical procedure and threatened to contact the press and harm someone he knew. Cashman gave Neathway $6,000 but balked when she demanded more money.

Her lawyer said Neathway had a relationship with Cashman that ended badly, and that prosecutors “bought his account of how this happened, hook, line and sinker.”

♦ According to The Dallas Morning News, Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton had a relapse and drank alcohol at a Dallas bar this week, and the team acknowledged being “aware of a situation.”

Hamilton, the 2010 American League MVP, has had issues with drug and alcohol abuse most of his professional career. He was suspended for more than three years while in the Rays organization. Hamilton, who is tested three times a week for drugs, last had a well-publicized relapse in January 2009. He said he previously hadn’t taken a drink of alcohol since Oct. 6, 2005.

The Rangers had assigned hitting coach Jerry Narron to be an “accountability partner” for Hamilton, but Narron took a job with the Brewers in November.

♦ Ailing Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, coach of the baseball team at Palm Beach Atlantic University, attended the team’s season-opener Thursday despite his battle with brain cancer. Carter, 57, gave the team a pregame pep talk and then watched the first few innings from a private booth in the press box, leaving before his team’s 3-2 victory was decided in the bottom of the ninth inning.

“It’s very rough to see him in the shape he is,” outfielder Ethan Perla told the Palm Beach Post. “But at the same time you have to be happy because he’s going to end up in a better place.”

♦ The NHL acknowledged a game-winning goal by the Kings against the Blue Jackets Wednesday night with four-tenths of a second remaining should not have counted, as the clock stopped for about a second just before the tally. The league has contacted the clock’s manufacturer to determine if the problem was a malfunction or operator error.

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson posted a blog on the team’s website in which he was critical of the decision to allow the goal, but the post was later removed.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Feb. 3, 2002, the Patriots beat the Rams for their first Super Bowl title. Who scored the Patriots’ first touchdown?

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Derek Jeter took a major step Saturday evening towards returning to the major leagues and his pursuit of 3,000 career hits. In his first rehab start for Double-A Trenton, Jeter went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run. He did not make an error in five innings at shortstop.

“I feel good,” Jeter said after the game. “There are no problems whatsoever. It’s just getting at-bats and playing, but I feel good. We play this game every day for a reason. You have to get into a rhythm.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman attended the game and agreed.

“Today looked great,” Cashman told Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.. “He looked really good. . . . He looked better at the plate than we expected, and I thought defensively there was a pretty tough play to make.”

Jeter is scheduled for just one more rehab outing before returning to the Yankees on Monday.

Sidelined with a strained right calf, Derek Jeter was due to come off the disabled list on Wednesday, but he might not be ready until early next week.

General manager Brian Cashman told reporters that Jeter might begin a minor league rehab assignment Saturday with Double-A Trenton, and it is possible that he could return to the big league club in Cleveland for the Yankees’ three-game series on Monday.

Jeter is only six hits shy of 3,000 hits for his career, and could reach the milestone at home during a four-game series with the Rays July 7-10. The Yankees have an 11-3 record in the games that Jeter has missed due to the injury.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees are looking to trade for left-handed pitching to counter the Red Sox’ lefty-heavy lineup. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman doesn’t think the market for lefties is good enough to make a move.

“I don’t think I can trade for any starter that is better than Bartolo Colon or Phil Hughes, or a reliever better than Rafael Soriano,” Cashman said. “One of our areas of weakness is the left side, but I can’t force it. I can’t make it happen if it is not there.”

There aren’t many left-handed pitchers on the trade block, but Sherman offered two righties, Matt Garza and Anibal Sanchez, as possible trade deadline targets for New York. While the Yankees held the best record in the American League entering Tuesday, they’ve won just one out of nine games against Boston this season.

Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez told the Daily News’ Kristie Ackert Thursday that he would give up the closer’s role if traded to a contending team.

“If I am going to be traded, obviously I want the opportunity to close out games, but if it’s going to be good teams like the Yankees or the Rays, and it’s going to be for two months, I can go out there and help them out,” Rodriguez said.

Ackert wrote that Rodriguez would make a good fit for the Yankees, who have lacked a setup man all season. If Rodriguez accepted that role, his $17.5 million vesting option for 2012 would not kick in, because it is based on finishing games.

Rodriguez said that his no-trade clause would not be an issue.

“Honestly I don’t even know what (teams) are on the no-trade clause, I haven’t even been asked about that yet,” Rodriguez said. “I mean I would definitely love to stay here, but I have to be open to every possibility out there right now.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he would not be opposed to trading with the Mets, who Ackert wrote may become sellers at the trade deadline in the face of a .500 season and mountain debt.

“I’ve done three deals with them and they were all pretty big,” Cashman had told The News. “[Armando] Benitez was a big name. [Robin] Ventura for David Justice was kind of big deal, our need for their need.

“But it’s complicated because … no one wants to make a mistake in their own backyard. … No one’s going to make that type of mistake too easily. The only way you would typically line up to do something is if the opposing side is so motivated to move whatever they’ve got.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has told teams that he is open to making major moves to improve New York’s roster before July’s trade deadline. “I’ve told everybody out there that I’m up for the incremental upgrades or the significant upgrades,” Cashman said Friday.

Bartolo Colon‘s strained hamstring has raised doubts about an already shaky starting rotation, and Derek Jeter‘s stint on the disabled list has left a void in the infield.

“We’re wounded in some aspects of it right now,” said Cashman. “It’s up to me and our staff to make it better, plug the holes and improve even when everybody is healthy.”

Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY FRIDAY:
MLB: A’s at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

SATURDAY:
NHL Playoffs: Bruins at Canucks, 8 p.m. (NBC)
MLB: A’s at Red Sox, 1:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLS: Revolution at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. (CSNNE)

SUNDAY:
MLB: A’s at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ On the heels of the Dodgers’ and Mets’ financial problems, The Los Angeles Times reports that nine of 30 major league teams are carrying debt 10 times more than annual earnings, in violation of MLB rules. The other seven are the Orioles, Cubs, Tigers, Marlins, Phillies, Rangers and Nationals.

♦ Giants general manager Brian Sabean lashed out at Marlins rookie Scott Cousins for running into catcher Buster Posey and knocking him out for the season. “If I never hear from Cousins again or he never plays another game in the big leagues, I think we’ll all be happy,” Sabean said in a radio interview on San Francisco’s KNBR. “He chose to be a hero in my mind, and if that’s his flash of fame, that’s as good as it’s going to get, pal. We’ll have a long memory.” In the Sporting News, Anthony Witrado writes that Sabean is “out of line, tacky and unbelievably immature.”

♦ The Cubs have had a disappointing start to the season. In the Chicago Tribune, Steve Rosenbloom criticizes owner Tom Ricketts as being “clueless” for saying there’s nothing wrong with the team other than injuries.

♦ Major League Baseball is satisfied that Alex Rodriguez‘ cousin, Yuri Sucart, is within his rights to visit the Yankees slugger at the team’s road hotels and has not been violating any restrictions imposed two years ago when he was accused of buying steroids for A-Rod. “There is nothing to investigate,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

♦ Rock star Bono received a lift Tuesday when Oilers center Gilbert Brule saw him hitchhiking in Vancouver. As thanks for the ride, Bono gave Brule and his girlfriend backstage passes to Wednesday’s U2 concert in Edmonton and told the crowd how grateful he was.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On June 3, 1952, the Red Sox acquired Hoot Evers, George Kell, Johnny Lipon and Dizzy Trout from the Tigers in a trade that sent which two well-know Sox (along with three other players) to Detroit?

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Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY FRIDAY:
MLB: Blue Jays at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

SATURDAY:
NHL Playoffs: Canadiens at Bruins, 7 p.m. (NESN)
MLB: Blue Jays at Red Sox, 1:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)

SUNDAY:
MLB: Blue Jays at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
NBA Playoffs: Knicks at Celtics, 7 p.m. (CSNNE, TNT; WEEI)
MLS: Revolution at Dynamo, 7 p.m. (CSNNE)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ With Yankees reliever Pedro Feliciano likely done for the season with a tear in his shoulder, general manager Brian Cashman defended the team’s handling of the bullpen by talking about how he used to try to protect relievers from being overused by former manager Joe Torre.

♦ Six Major League Baseball teams have had the worst crowds in their current stadiums’ histories this year, and five others have had near-record-low turnouts. USA Today examines the situation.

♦ Last month, a University of Georgia baseball player was paralyzed for the second time in three years. This time, outfielder Jonathan Taylor broke his neck after colliding with a teammate going for a ball. Mark Schlabach at ESPN has the story.

♦ The New York Times has an interesting profile of Marquis Barnett, a basketball recruit who lives in a homeless shelter on New York City’s Lower East Side.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On April 15, 1993, which Red Sox player hit his 400th career home run?

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