Tigers trying to work out a deal with Brian Wilson

The Detroit Tigers came into the offseason with the goal of acquiring a closer. After finally settling on Joaquin Benoit, the Tigers knew they had to revamp the bullpen.

After being mentioned as a possible suitor for Joe Nathan, the Tigers reportedly are in negotiations with free agent closer Brian Wilson.

 Wilson met Sunday with Tigers manager Brad Ausmus and with Wilson’s agent, Dan Lozano, in Los Angeles.

Wilson, 31, is coming off a partial 2013 season in which he posted an ERA of 0.66 in 13 2/3 innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wilson didn't make his season debut until Aug. 22 because he was working his way back from Tommy John surgery performed in April of 2012.

Wilson was a three time All Star with the San Francisco Giants, where he had his greatest success. If the Tigers can  sign Wilson it would address the glaring hole in the bullpen they've been trying to ever since Jose Valverde was forced to relinquish the closer's role.

Along with the Tigers, Wilson has also reportedly drawn interest from the Rockies, Rangers, Angels, Mariners and the Indians. He's reportedly looking for a multi-year deal.

Ottawa Senators accuse Detroit Red Wings of diving

The Ottawa Senators got the best of a reeling Detroit Red Wings team Saturday night,4-2, but the win didn't stop Senators players from being critical of the Red Wings.

Senators goaltender Robin Lehner accused the Red Wings of diving, that contributed to the Red Wings having 5 on 3 advantages on four separate occasions.

“After the first 10 minutes, when we didn’t play very well, I thought the guys really picked it up,” said Lehner. “We have to be a little bit more disciplined. We had a few too many penalties, some of them were soft.

“It’s tough on the (officials). I don't think it's their fault. It’s like there was water out there with how much they were diving. I think we’ve just got to take the positives and go to the next game.”

“We don’t want to give up three or four 5-on-3s. I don’t know if their skate sharpener was broken over there or what? There was a couple where they went down pretty easy,” Ottawas's Clarke MacArthur said, according to the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch.

Both teams had a high number of power plays so it's almost pointless to accuse a team of diving. The Senators should take the win and stop complaining.

Brandon Jennings says he has no confidence in his shot

As a NBA player you have to exhibit confidence. If you don't the game will eat you up.

Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings has always been a confident player but has struggled with the game recently. It's to the point where Jennings says he has no confidence in his shot.

“I’m just going to tell it like it is,” Jennings said. “I think that’s why my shot isn’t where it is right now,” he said. “I don’t have any confidence in my shot right now. That’s the reason I’m missing, because there’s just no confidence there.”

Jennings went 4-16 in Friday night's loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He missed four three pointers and committed four turnovers in the fourth quarter.

“I feel like I’m just shooting when people are telling me it’s time for me to shoot,” he said. “I gotta want to shoot. I’m so into passing that I kind of forget I can score sometimes.

“My confidence level isn’t high.”

Here's a solution for Jennings. Help the team in other areas of the game, like on defense. The Pistons could definitely use an improved effort.

It's still early in the season and at some point Jennings will get his groove back. He never was the best shooter in the game so it doesn't surprise me when he has moments of being an inefficient chucker.

He needs to get his head back in the game because the Pistons really need him to put forth his best effort.

Report: Jhonny Peralta to sign with Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are keeping busy in the offseason. After trading third baseman David Freese to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Peter Bourjos, the Cardinals are reportedly making a slight splash in free agency.

According to reports the Cardinals are closing in on a deal with former Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

The team is looking to upgrade from the tandem of Peter Kozma and Daniel Descalso. Peralta will do just that, but if he's signing in the neighborhood of the reported $50 million or more that he had on the table the Cards would be better served taking a pass.

Peralta ,31, served a 50 game susupension for his involvement Major League Baseball's Biogenesis scandal. He's a two time All-Star and .268 career hitter with 156 home runs in 11 seasons with the Cleveland Indians and Detroit. He came back from the suspension to help the Tigers reach the American League championship series and had a very solid playoff performance.

Due to the suspension I figured Peralta might come a little cheaper. Terms of the deal have not been announced.

Can Will Muschamp survive after loss to Georgia Southern?

No lower-division team had ever beaten the Florida Gators, who won their previous seven games against Football Championship Subdivision teams by an average of 45 points.

That was until today when Georgia Southern marched into the swamp and shocked the Gators 26-20 for arguably the school's worse loss in team history. Florida, which paid Georgia Southern $550,000 for this game to be a punching bag was the team left on the canvas.

Even though Florida was depleted by injury and came into the game with a losing record this still goes down as an upset. The Eagles, which won their third consecutive game despite playing without 19 of 65 scholarship athletes, so this loss doesn't make any sense for Florida fans.

The question after this loss is can Gators coach Will Muschamp survive after what's sure to be a 4-8 season after the finale against in state rival Florida State. The Gators have already lost to a revived Miami team and look in danger to falling to the third best program in the state. If Central Florida can keep heir momentum the Gators could fall to number four.

Athletic director Jeremy Foley and school president Bernie Machen said last week Muschamp was safe, but that was before the worst loss in school history and before there were thousands of no-shows in The Swamp.

Muschamp did lead the Gators to the Sugar Bowl last season but the offense has been fairly dismal during his tenure. In all fairness, despite the injuries Muschamp has kept the Gators competitive. That might not be enough in today's landscape.

Muschamp has gone 7-6, 11-2, and currently sports a 4-7 record that will end the nation's longest bowl streak. Not exactly the win totals of Steve Spurrier, Urban Meyer, or even the ghost of Charley Pell This is a program that is used to winning big. There might not be enough support for Muschamp to weather this storm.

Jeremy Foley has a tough decision on his hands because this is the same coach that led the Gators to an 11-2 season a year ago. A lot of things have gone wrong this season, some totally out of Muschamp’s control. Had Muschamp won this game, Foley probably could have given Muschamp a pass even with a bad loss to Florida State. But now, with this embarrassment, there might be nothing left to do but cut ties.

Manny Ramirez Jr. to play college baseball

Manny Ramirez is still hoping to get one last shot in the majors, but it might be time for him to pass the torch. It might not be long before it happens.

The University of San Francisco baseball team made a big splash by announcing the signing of the son of former big-league slugger, Manny Ramirez Jr., to a letter of intent as part of eight players committing during the early signing period.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound first baseman Ramirez Jr. will be transferring from Central Arizona College. Ramirez Jr. attended IMG Academy for high school in Braderton, Fla., where he hit .331 with three home runs and 36 RBIs.

"He is a very talented hitter, has a chance to hit in the middle of our line-up, and provide us with a great approach as a hitter and defensive first baseman. The best part of Manny is how he handles himself as a person–he is very humble, driven, and competitive ," USF coach Nino Giarratano said.

We won't see a Griffey type reunion between the Ramirez's but if Junior is anything like his father he'll have a long career.

Panthers' Mike Mitchell tells Drew Brees to 'stop being soft'

Carolina Panthers safety Mike Mitchell has found himself lighter in his wallet because he feels the league is targeting him. Based on what he had to say about New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Mitchell might find himself with a big bullseye on his back when the Saints and Panthers square off.

Mitchell went on Fox Sports L.A.’s FnA podcast and explained why he thought Brees was soft and accused Brees of flopping after being hit by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks.

“The thing that I hated about the play, the whole thing, and this is what these offensive guys are doing, they’re kind of running with it,” Mitchell said.  “Drew Brees is throwing a fit in the post-game interview saying how he got hit in the chin and he was dazed, and all this other stuff.  And it’s like, dude, the replay clearly shows he did not even touch you in the chin.

“Stop being soft, get up off the ground,” Mitchell said.  “You fumbled the football, that’s why the only reason you were acting like you were hurt, is so you could draw a flag.”

How are you gonna tell another player how he feels after being hit? Was the hit clean? In my opinion yes it was, by the rules no,but Brees did get his bell rang on the play. Did you see how his neck snapped? Someone is gonna feel a some pain after a hit like that. So I don't see how Mitchell accuse Brees of flopping.

Mitchell had more to say.

“He did not get hit in the chin.  He got hit hard, which he should have got hit hard because we are playing full speed tackle football.  And he fumbled the football.  And I think that’s really was the reason he was down so long.  He was really trying to sell that and trying to get a flag.  And obviously it worked, and their team was able to steal a win because of that play.”

The Panthers are chasing the Saints in the NFC South. The teams will face off twice in the next four weeks. Mitchell’s comments make an already interesting pair of games between the Panthers and Saints even more compelling.

I'm sure Brees will be eager to show how "soft" he is.