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A report in the Sunday Express suggests that soccer stud, David Beckham, may be leaving his American dream behind him and heading back to England.

“He is seeking crisis talks with bosses of LA Galaxy to discuss a possible return to England on loan in January,” the paper reported.

Bosses at Galaxy, who are struggling at the foot of their league, will consider cutting their losses when their season ends on October 21 and allow Beckham to return home temporarily in the hope that if he achieves his England dream he will return refreshed to help them fulfil their own aspirations.

Galaxy general manager Alexei Lalas said: “We would never stand in the way of a player representing his country. David’s love of England and the honour it is for him to represent his country is evident from the first time you talk to him.

“We need to sit down with him and do what’s best for our organisation and him.”

During the SuperLiga final match against Pachuca on 29 August, Beckham seriously injured his right knee in a challenge with Fernando Salazar in the 30th minute. The Galaxy went on to lose the match in penalties. An MRI scan the following day revealed that Beckham had sprained his medial collateral ligament (MCL) and that he would be out for six weeks.

A Galaxy spokesman refuted an earlier report that Beckham had also undergone arthroscopic surgery. The news comes as a massive blow to the struggling Galaxy, England, and Beckham, as he will now miss several key matches for the Galaxy and England. However, some believe that there may be a silver lining, as it will force Beckham to rest until his problematic left ankle is fully healed before returning to the pitch.

San Jose Costa Rica - Betting Odds - Graffiti Wall has been officially moved to it’s new home domain at: www.betting77.com

Here we will be able to better serve our Graffiti Wall Odds readers and expand the site into NEW directions that will greatly enhance your betting information and abilities.

BETTING ODDS - GRAFFITI - PODCAST will remain here at this URL strictly for our week to week podcasts.

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President CEO

Tommy Mac

RIVER FALLS, Wis. (AP) — Kansas City running back Priest Holmes has a message for holdout Pro Bowler Larry Johnson: If you don’t want the job, I’ll take it.

Holmes, a three-time Pro Bowler himself, has been out of football since 2005 after suffering what many figured was a career-ending injury.

He created a stir in July with his surprise return to the Chiefs, and said this week his comeback attempt is going well as he works himself back into game shape.

Tuesday, he was on the practice field in pads, taking handoffs and absorbing hits from assistant coaches using blocking pads.

Afterward, Holmes said he’s ready to fill the 27-year-old Johnson’s shoes — at least financially.

“Somebody has to get the money,” he said. “Hey, if L.J. wants to leave the money out there, guess I’m going to take it. If he wants to come get it, it’s rightfully his to take. He’s earned it. But if he chooses not to come back, well, somebody has to take it. Why won’t it be me?”

Johnson has been a no-show at camp as he seeks an extension to the seven-year deal he inked in 2003, which he can void down to a five-year deal after the final game of the 2007 season because of playing time incentives.

Johnson is demanding compensation in the range of $28 million guaranteed, insisting he be paid as much as San Diego Pro Bowler LaDainian Tomlinson. Johnson is scheduled to earn $1.7 million this season, and Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson has said Johnson would be fined more than $14,000 for every day he misses.

One of the NFL’s greatest runners until his injury, Holmes rushed for a team-record 5,933 yards after signing as an unrestricted free agent in 2001. He scored 27 touchdowns in 2003 to set what was then an NFL record.

The 33-year-old running back had been on the physically unable-to-perform list since a devastating tackle by San Diego’s Shawne Merriman on Oct. 30, 2005, left him with head and neck trauma. After extensive tests, doctors warned of a possibility of further injury, perhaps even paralysis — a danger that may still lurk.

“This is about perseverance and having a great story to tell,” Holmes said. “I think that all the valuable years I’ve put into my tank, there’s a lot in me still.”

Some NFL observers were dubious about Holmes’ motives for returning, especially in light of Johnson’s holdout.

“‘Dubious’ is a great word,” Holmes said. “But dedication is a little bit more defined in concrete. I mean, we have what’s called ‘making it rain.’ We have the dog fighting. We have so many things that have cast a negative light on the NFL. This is just a great story to show guys that regardless of what situation you’re in, you can persevere.”

Holmes, who received a clean bill of health from Kansas City’s doctors before reporting to camp, last played a full season in 2003. He played in eight games before missing the remainder of 2004 with a hip injury, then played in seven games in 2005 before the helmet-to-helmet hit from Merriman.

Holmes said seeing highlights of himself this summer during a football camp made him start thinking about returning to the Chiefs.

“Once I saw myself, the first thing I looked at it was as if I was a fan,” he said. “I said, ‘Man, I did that? Oh, that’s a nice run. Oh, I love that touchdown move right there. I got to do that again.”‘

He continues to go through individual workouts on a side practice field.

“I haven’t had any setbacks so far,” Holmes said. “The biggest thing with football is taking all the contact and then continuing to run.”

Chiefs offensive lineman Brian Waters, an eight-year veteran and a good friend of Holmes, said players are keeping an eye on the running back’s progress.

“We know just by watching him run, he’s still got a lot of his abilities,” Waters said. “His quickness is strong. It’s going to be a mental thing, for sure, but we’ll see. I’ve seen him come back from serious injuries before and have a great season, so nothing would surprise me coming from that man.”

San Jose Costa Rica - As of this afternoon - Betting Odds - Graffiti Wall has been officially moved to it’s new home domain at: www.betting77.com

Here we will be able to better serve our Graffiti Wall Odds readers and expand the site into directions that will greatly enhance your betting information and abilities.

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President CEO

Tommy Mac

New York, NY - Detroit Tigers infielder Neifi Perez has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned stimulant.

The suspension was announced Friday by the office of the commissioner under the terms of Major League Baseball’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension will begin on Saturday, August 4.

Perez, 34, has now failed three drug tests administered by Major League Baseball during his career. Earlier this season, the infielder was suspended 25 games for testing positive for amphetamines.

In 33 games this season with Detroit, Perez is hitting just .172 with a home run and six RBI.

By Mike Castiglione

With the way the Detroit Tigers have been playing lately, one would think they would be in a free fall down the standings.

But despite losing 10 of their last 14 games, the Tigers still have a half- game lead in the American League Central Division. That fact is largely because the second-place Indians have endured similar hardships in the last few weeks, and have lost seven of their last 10.

On Sunday, just before the Tigers were swept by the Los Angeles of Anaheim Angels, manager Jim Leyland surmised, “We’ve got some real good challenges for our team and our character and our stomach.”

In all three games of that series against the Angels, Detroit surrendered double-digit runs, a trend the Tigers’ pitching staff has certainly not come to expect. Nate Robertson allowed eight runs in two innings last Friday. Reliever Tim Byrdak was tagged for five runs in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 10-3 loss. And on Sunday, Jeremy Bonderman was roughed up for 11 runs in just 2 1/3 innings of work.

With the team having just wrapped up an 11-game road trip, it’s tough to say whether Detroit’s skid is a case of a tired baseball team, or if there really is reason for Tigers fans to hold their breath. In either case, the fact remains that the Tigers, once owners of the top record in the majors this season, are being pushed up against the wall.

After being swept by the Angels on Sunday, Detroit came up with a much needed 5-2 victory over Oakland the following day. Ironically, it was Jordan Tata who stopped the bleeding while making his very first Major League start. Tata gave his team a chance to win by holding the A’s to two runs over seven innings.

But Detroit could not keep the momentum going, as the A’s were able to take the series by winning the next two. On Tuesday, the Tigers got to Oakland starter Dan Haren for three runs in the first two innings, but the A’s fought back and scored a total of six runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Robertson took the hill again on Wednesday, only to walk away with another loss after yielding three runs in six innings. After finishing up the road trip with a 3-8 record, the Tigers are no doubt ready to take the field tonight at Comerica Park to kick off a 10-game homestand.

INJURY WOES

If the Tigers are to get back to the business of winning ballgames, they must do so without a few of their stars.

Shortstop Carlos Guillen left Tuesday’s game after he felt a pinching sensation in his left knee. Though he is expected to be in the lineup tonight, that knee will surely have the attention of the training staff.

The team is once again without Kenny Rogers, whose performance has dropped off dramatically in his last three starts. The veteran southpaw is back on the disabled list with inflammation in his left elbow. The injury is not related to the shoulder injury which kept him on the DL for the first three months of the season, and the team is hopeful Rogers will not miss an extended period of time.

But the biggest injury news involves slugger Gary Sheffield, who yesterday went and saw a specialist about the pain in his right shoulder, which has not subsided even after cortisone shots. Sheffield also reported numbness in his right hand, leading him to believe there is some nerve damage.

FRONT OFFICE SAYS NO DICE AT DEADLINE TIME

The Tigers’ big late-season acquisitions appear to be Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya. Of course, those two are already earning paychecks for the Tigers despite being on the DL.

But general manager Dave Dombrowski said the asking price was simply too high for some of the players being dangled as trade bait.

“The one difference we have compared to everybody else is that we have a chance to get quite a few reinforcements, and relatively soon,” Dombrowski told the team’s official web site.

Zumaya is the furthest away from returning, though he has been throwing side sessions and may be ready to begin a rehab assignment. The team hoped to have Rodney activated this weekend.

WHO’S HOT

Placido Polanco has 13-hits in his last 25 at-bats.

WHO’S NOT

Sheffield, who Leyland said has been cheating on his swing to compensate for his shoulder, is hitting just .174 over the last six games.

A LOOK AHEAD

The White Sox are in town this weekend, as Andrew Miller (5-3, 3.76) opposes Mark Buehrle (8-6, 3.06) this evening. Bonderman (10-3 4.33) gets a shot at redemption tomorrow against Javier Vazquez (8-6, 3.63). And on Sunday, Tata (1-0, 2.57) is back on the hill against Gavin Floyd (0-1, 10.05).

On Monday, the Tigers kick off another home series against the Devil Rays.

By Scott Garbarini

They say if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it.

That’s the mantra Jim Hendry adhered to at this season’s non-waiver trade deadline. The Chicago Cubs general manager resisted the urge to tinker with a club that’s recorded a major league-best 35-19 record since June 3 and has caught the fading Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central standings.

It’s hard to argue with that philosophy, considering how well the Cubs have played over the last two months and the fact that the team resides in baseball’s weakest division. There really aren’t any glaring holes to fill on the roster, as the ones that existed during Chicago’s rough start to the season have been plugged from within.

Shortstop’s no longer a problem since manager Lou Piniella inserted sparkplug Ryan Theriot into the lineup on an everyday basis. Jacque Jones has proven he can play center field and has started to hit again after a brutal first half. A lack of power that was evident early on has been corrected now that Derrek Lee’s regained his home run stroke. The bullpen’s been terrific since the Cubs promoted flame-throwing Carlos Marmol in mid-May to team with reliable veterans Ryan Dempster and Bob Howry.

And as long as youngsters like Angel Pagan and Mike Fontenot can remain productive role players and Daryle Ward is able to come back from his calf injury, the bench will be a strength as well.

“We’ve used our farm system very well,” Piniella recently told the team’s official site. “For the most part, (the young players) have come up here and done a nice job. Our farm system has really helped us. It helped us in the bullpen, it helped us in the rotation, it helped us on the field.”

Like just about every other team, the Cubs could use a little more rotation depth behind aces Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly, since Jason Marquis has been erratic and twenty-somethings Rich Hill and Sean Marshall have yet to be tested in a playoff race. But its unlikely Hendry would have been able to provide an upgrade over any member of that trio in a market that was virtually devoid of difference-making starting pitchers.

A SHOT IN THE ARM

Another reason Hendry decided to stand pat was due to the impending return of Kerry Wood, who should add further depth to an already-formidable bullpen. The former Rookie of the Year appears to be finally healthy after lingering shoulder problems that have shelved him for this entire season and limited the right-hander to a mere 19 2/3 innings in 2006.

Wood cleared the final hurdle to his comeback by pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings for Double-A West Tennessee on Tuesday. The 30-year-old also got through back-to-back one-inning stints with Class A Peoria last week without any problems and is expected to be activated prior to Friday’s opener of a three-game series with the New York Mets.

The former All-Star allowed just two runs — one earned — and five hits in 8 2/3 total innings over eight minor-league appearances during his rehab assignment and was able to get his fastball up to 94 miles per hour.

“We get him on the roster and keep him healthy, it’s like trading for a good reliever,” Piniella remarked.

SIMPLY THE BEST

Zambrano was named the National League’s Pitcher of the Month for July after compiling a 5-1 record and a brilliant 1.38 earned run average over six starts. The excitable right-hander yielded only six runs in 39 innings and limited opposing hitters to a .143 batting average during that awesome stretch.

The 26-year-old Venezuelan also became the first 14-game winner in the majors this season with 7 1/3 dominating innings against Cincinnati on Sunday. Zambrano surrendered only two hits and walked three to lead the Cubs to a 6-0 triumph.

Zambrano has now won four straight starts and has posted a microscopic 0.71 ERA during that span, having allowed a mere two runs over 25 1/3 innings of work.

WHO’S HOT

Left fielder Alfonso Soriano is batting .429 (12-for-28) with seven runs scored and five stolen bases over his last six games.

Although Lilly had a string of seven consecutive winning decisions snapped with Monday’s 4-1 setback to the Phillies, the left-hander challenged Zambrano for Pitcher of the Month honors by going 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA in July.

WHO’S NOT

Catcher Jason Kendall has struggled at the plate since being acquired by the Cubs from Oakland on July 16. The veteran backstop has hit just .229 (8-for-35) with three RBI in 11 games following the trade.

MEET THE METS

The NL East-leading New York Mets make their only regular-season appearances at Wrigley Field this weekend. Zambrano (14-7, 3.47) will face Orlando Hernandez (7-4, 2.92) in Friday’s opener of the three-game series, with Lilly (11-5, 3.60) squaring off with John Maine (12-5, 2.92) in a marquee pitching matchup on Saturday.

In the finale, New York’s Tom Glavine (9-6, 4.38) will attempt to earn his 300th career victory and will be opposed by Marquis (8-6, 4.22).

By Chris Rahill

The St. Louis Cardinals are doing whatever they can to stay in the race for the National League Central crown. Every time it seems as though St. Louis is out of it, the Cardinals go on a extended win streak.

St. Louis made a strong push at the end of July, winning five of its last six games, with three of those wins coming against division foe Milwaukee. The series win over Milwaukee breathed new life into the Cardinals, cutting their deficit to six games.

However, St. Louis failed to turn the momentum into victories, as the Cardinals followed up the Milwaukee series by dropping two out of three games to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. The setback against the Pirates dropped the Cardinals to 50-55, while giving the Chicago Cubs a six game lead in the division.

St. Louis began the series strong, taking a 6-4 win in Monday night’s opener. Right-hander Adam Wainwright was commanding in the victory, holding the Pirates to two runs on eight hits through six innings. The bullpen took it from there, as closer Jason Isringhausen captured his 21st save of the season. The Cardinals gave their pitching staff plenty of support, collecting 10 hits on the night.Third baseman Scott Rolen led the way, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Cardinals fell apart over the final two games, dropping Wednesday night’s contest 15-1, before losing Thursday’s finale 5-4 in extra innings. While Wednesday night’s game was a blowout, the Cardinals let a three-run lead slip away in Thursday’s finale. Starter Anthony Reyes was stellar in the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over five innings. Reliever Brad Thompson was eventually tagged with the loss, after surrendering the game-winning run in the 12th. St. Louis tallied nine hits on the day, but left 11 runners on base.

CARDINALS GRAB PINEIRO AFTER DEADLINE

The Cardinals bolstered their starting rotation on Tuesday by acquiring right-hander Joel Pineiro from the Boston Red Sox. The move is a sign that the Cardinals are very serious about making a run in both the division and NL wild card race. St. Louis also received cash consideration in the deal, which will be used to pay a portion of Pineiro’s salary. In return, the Cardinals agreed to send a future minor league player to Boston.

The Cardinals sought the Red Sox reliever in hopes of adding a proven arm for the final stretch of the season. The Cardinals were in desperate need of a pitcher after it was concluded that Chris Carpenter would be forced to miss the rest of the season.

Pineiro spent most of the season as a reliever in Boston. However, his 5.03 ERA in 31 appearances was not good enough for the Red Sox, as they sent the right-hander to the minors with the intention of making a deal at the deadline. Pineiro is a projected starter in St. Louis and has served in that role before, making 148 career starts as a member of the Seattle Mariners. The Cardinals hope that Pineiro can find success as a starter, however, if he does struggle they will not hesitate to move him back into the bullpen. The right- hander’s versatility is what inspired general manager Walt Jocketty to make the deal.

“We’ve been trying to build our rotation,” Jocketty said. “Our pitching in general, but our rotation in particular. And we did this, also knowing that if we were able to acquire another starter, Joel would have the versatility to go both ways.”

CARDINALS ROTATION TO UNDERGO CHANGES

The acquisition of Pineiro will force the Cardinals to make some changes in their starting rotation. At this point either Thompson or Mike Maroth will head back to the bullpen in order to make room for Pineiro. Pineiro will get his first start on Saturday against the Washington Nationals.

Another factor in manager Tony LaRussa’s decision to shuffle the rotation has been the resurgence of Reyes. Reyes, who began the year 0-10, was sent to the minors a few weeks ago in an attempt to fix his throwing mechanics. However, after a few quality starts for Triple-A Memphis, the Cardinals decided to recall the right-hander for a spot start against the Brewers last Saturday night. Reyes took advantage of the opportunity, earning his first win of the season behind a two-hit, six-inning performance. Reyes’ outing against the Brewers convinced LaRussa to give him a second chance as a starter.

“I’m glad to be a part of it,” Reyes said. “It’s something you work for all offseason to try and make the club. I’m excited to have the opportunity.”

INJURY NEWS

Reliever Tyler Johnson is one step closer to returning to the Cardinals bullpen. Johnson was solid in an appearance for Triple-A Memphis on Monday night, pitching a scoreless eighth inning while striking out one in the process. The left-hander has been out of the mix since hurting his arm against the Kansas City Royals on June 18th.

Johnson is scheduled to make his next appearance for Double-A Springfield later this week. If things go well the Cardinals could activate him before next weekend’s series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

WHO’S HOT

Second baseman Aaron Miles has been on fire, going 12-for-34 at the plate over his last 10 games. Miles has been a tough out all season, striking out just 23 time in 268 at bats. On the season Miles is batting .284 with 11 doubles and 19 RBI.

WHO’S NOT

Outfielder Jim Edmonds is in a slump, batting just .223 with 26 RBI this season. Edmonds has been non-existent over the past two weeks, going just 2- for-23 at the plate over his last 10 games. St Louis needs Edmonds to pick it up down the stretch if they intend on making a run at the playoffs.

ON DECK

The Cardinals will head to Washington D.C. this weekend for a three-game set against the Washington Nationals. Friday night’s opener will be a showdown between Kip Wells (4-13, 5.72) and Tim Redding (1-2, 2.64). Pineiro (1-1, 5.03) will get his first start as a Cardinal on Saturday night when he takes on right-hander Joel Hanrahan (0-0). Sundays finale will feature Adam Wainwright (10-8, 4.38) and southpaw Matt Chico (5-6, 4.73).

By Mike Castiglione

In the past week, the Kansas City Royals have seen their closer leave town and their manager announce his impending departure.

Buried behind those headlines, however, is the news that the team has managed to string together some wins. Although the Royals remain at the bottom of the American League Central division standings, they have notched wins in five of their last seven games heading into this weekend’s road series with the Yankees.

Still, much of the talk in the last few days has revolved around manager Buddy Bell and his decision on Wednesday to step down at the end of the season. Bell, who took over the position in May of 2005, plans to finish out the remainder of the season and then become an adviser to general manager Dayton Moore.

Since recovering from a bout with cancer last year, Bell said his focus has now shifted away from baseball.

“A lot of things have happened to me personally since I’ve been manager of the Royals that have affected me,” Bell said. “When I did get sick, things did change the way I prioritized my life. I have grandchildren, I have a daughter that’s handicapped and needs a lot of attention and I want to spend more time with. And, quite frankly, I need to be at home.”

He added that he’s been in the game for 40 years now, so the choice to pay more attention to his family was a no-brainer.

Though the Royals are in last place, where they’ve finished each of the last two seasons, Bell said he wanted to stick around at least until he saw the team headed in the right direction. It appears he picked a good time, as Kansas City just wrapped up its second straight month with a winning record.

“It’s hard to walk away from my job because of that,” he said. “I see a lot of improvement, I see the progression, I see guys getting better on a daily basis, I see the chemistry in the clubhouse, I see the respect the organization is starting to get back,” he said. “It’s good to see that happening.”

The Royals players were supportive of the decision from their soon-to-be former manager, as was Moore, who now finds himself in the process of finding Bell’s replacement. Though he is not sure of who the next skipper will be, he is quite sure that he doesn’t want to go through the job screening process in the public eye.

“It’ll be something that remains very private about who we interview and who we hire,” Moore told the team’s web site on Thursday. “This is going to be a very much sought-after job. Many of the candidates may not be available until the end of the season and possibly even the postseason.”

Around Kansas City, a few names are already being thrown around as possible replacements. One is bench coach Billy Doran. Others include former Royals players such as George Brett and Frank White.

ROYALS GET YOUNGER WITH DEADLINE DEAL

Kansas City’s bullpen has been one of the few bright spots for the team this season. Perhaps that is what the front office was thinking when it traded away closer Octavio Dotel to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for starting pitcher Kyle Davies.

The 23-year-old Davies had made his two most recent starts in Triple-A after struggling with a 4-8 record and a 5.76 ERA with Atlanta this season. He has 45 big-league starts under his belt.

“(Davies is) a young pitcher who’s trying to establish himself,” Moore said. “I don’t pay much attention to young pitchers’ statistics. If you did, John Smoltz and Tommy Glavine never would have gotten off the ground.”

Dotel departs after converting 11 saves in 14 opportunities with Kansas City, and he posted a 2-1 record and a 3.91 ERA in 24 games. In his place, Joakim Soria will get another crack at the closer’s role while Zack Greinke is expected to be utilized as the setup man.

WHO’S HOT

After hitting .341 in July, designated hitter Billy Butler was named the AL Rookie of the Month. The 21-year-old added 24 runs batted in.

“I get a pitch, I am not missing it right now.” said Butler.

It’s that simple logic that has transformed Butler into one of the most promising young players in the majors.

Center fielder David DeJesus is also swinging a hot bat, having amassed 11 hits in his last 25 at-bats.

WHO’S NOT

Not many players are struggling right now, although right fielder Mark Teahen has never quite found his power stroke this season and was recently moved down in the lineup.

A LOOK AHEAD

Getting things started on Friday against the Yankees will be Odalis Perez (6-9, 5.73), who squares off against Chien-Ming Wang (12-5, 3.61). Davies makes his Royals debut on Saturday, and he will do so opposite Phil Hughes (1-1, 3.38). On Sunday, it will be Royals ace Gil Meche (7-8, 3.70) versus Mike Mussina (6-7, 4.75).