Daily Archives: June 29, 2022

Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder is apparently ducking the U.S. Congress.

Snyder refused to accept the service of a subpoena to appear before the House Oversight and Reform Committee, a spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. Snyder had previously declined to appear before the committee, which prompted it to issue a subpoena to try and compel him to do so.

Snyders attorney declined to accept the subpoena on Friday on behalf of Snyder, according to The Athletic.

Mr. Snyder has so far refused to accept service of the committee's subpoena, the statement said. While the committee has been and remains willing to consider reasonable accommodations requested by the witnesses, we will not tolerate attempts to evade service of a duly authorized subpoena or seek special treatment not afforded to other witnesses who testified in this matter. The committee will not be deterred from obtaining Mr. Snyder's testimony, and we remain committed to ensuring transparency about the toxic workplace culture at the Washington Commanders and the NFLs inadequate response."

Its unclear what the committee will do next.

Snyder released a statement on Monday afternoon, though he didn't deny refusing a subpoena.

"Mr. Snyder has not refused to appear for a deposition," Snyder said, via The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala. "The Committee offered only one date June 30 and Mr. Snyder's attorney is out of the country and unavailable on that date. Mr. Snyder's lawyer has provided alternative dates to the Committee and looks forward to finding a path forward for Mr. Snyder's further cooperation and to address remaining due process concerns."

The committee is currently investigating claims of workplace misconduct and sexual harassment within the Commanders organization, and has been doing so for months. The NFL already fined the team $10 million after it conducted an investigation into the Commanders. A report from The Washington Post last week revealed new details of a sexual assault allegation against Snyder from back in 2009, and that the team allegedly paid the woman accusing him $1.6 million in a settlement.

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The committee tried to get Snyder to testify on Wednesday, which is when commissioner Roger Goodell did so remotely. Snyder declined, and his attorney cited a longstanding Commanders-related business conflict as the reason why, as hes currently in France.

"If Mr. Snyder was truly committed to cooperating with the Committee's investigation, he would have accepted the Committee's invitation to testify about the Commanders' toxic workplace culture, a committee spokesperson said in a statement last week before the subpoena was issued. As the Chairwoman's letter made clear, the Committee has been more than accommodating even allowing Mr. Snyder to testify remotely from France.

His refusal to testify sends an unmistakable signal that Mr. Snyder has something to hide and is afraid of coming clean to the American public and addressing major worker protection concerns facing the NFL. The Committee will not be deterred in its investigation to uncover the truth of workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders.

Daniel Snyder apparently declined to accept a subpoena from Congress last week. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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Commanders owner Daniel Snyder refused to accept subpoena from Congress amid investigation - Yahoo Sports

Amid reports of "an impasse" between the Brooklyn Nets and Kyrie Irving, the seven-time NBA All-Star will exercise the $36.9 million option on his contract for the 2022-23 season, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Irving can now sign an extension with the Nets or if the two sides cannot agree on the long-term deal Irving was seeking, he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Nets could still trade him this season.

Irving, an otherworldly talent and enigmatic personality, signed a four-year, $136.5 million contract with the Nets in 2019, seemingly linking the prime of his career to friend and fellow All-NBA performer Kevin Durant.

Following his return from a career-threatening Achilles' tendon injury, Durant signed a four-year, $198 million extension last August, when Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said the franchise was "very confident" extensions for Irving and James Harden would also be "signed, sealed, delivered" before this past season.

Neither Irving nor Harden committed last summer, and both of their relationships with the team fractured in the months that followed. Irving refused to meet New York City's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and missed 53 games during the regular season as a result. Uncertain of the team's direction, as Durant rested another leg injury and Irving was absent on principle, Harden forced a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in February.

The Nets allowed Irving to begin playing road games in January, and the city gave him clearance to play in Brooklyn prior to the playoffs. He scored 39 points in a brilliant performance during a buzzer-beating loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first-round series, and then combined to score just 46 points on 37% shooting over the remainder of a sweep. The Nets entered the season as title favorites and left in shambles.

Irving said afterward, "I dont really plan on going anywhere," reassurance that might have carried more weight had he not abruptly left contending teams in Cleveland and Boston over the previous five seasons.

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Seven-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving played just 29 games for the Brooklyn Nets this past season. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The vaccine mandate has been lifted, but injury and availability concerns still surround Irving, who has played in 116 of Brooklyn's 246 regular season and playoff games over the last three seasons. Shoulder, hamstring, knee, finger, back, groin, ankle and facial injuries have cost him games since he signed in 2019. Shoulder surgery ended his 2019-20 season in February, and an ankle injury cost him the final three games of a seven-game 2020 Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.

Irving has also taken multiple personal leaves of absence from the Nets.

Irving said in March, "Theres no way I could leave my man [Durant] anywhere," before clarifying in April, "I think that it really entails us managing this franchise together alongside" Marks and Nets owner Joe Tsai. That raised eyebrows around a team that has self-combusted and faces decisions this summer about Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Patty Mills, Nic Claxton, Bruce Brown and Blake Griffin, among others.

Marks appeared to counter Irving's comments during his exit interview in May, when he told reporters, "We're looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, play selfless, play team basketball, and be available. That goes not only for Kyrie but for everybody here."

In theory, a roster constructed around Durant, Irving and Simmons should contend, and oddsmakers agree. In practice, Irving and Durant have played 44 games together in three years, and Simmons has not played since struggling in the 2021 playoffs and subsequently sitting out last season for multiple reasons, including a trade request and holdout, a back injury that required surgery and self-described mental health struggles.

Irving's unreliability has led to questions about what the 30-year-old's next contract might look like. Since he was eligible for a variety of contract options that could net him well north of $200 million from the Nets through 2027 or close to that figure elsewhere over the next four years, the recent report from The Athletic's Shams Charania that Irving and the Nets were not all that close to a long-term deal came as little surprise.

In fact, the New York Daily News' Kristian Winfield reported in late May that Brooklyn is "outright unwilling to give him a long-term extension." And since Irving tweeted this month, "I thought Mother Earth belonged to the people. Why am I paying to live here?" nobody should pretend to know what becomes of his deal.

Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach

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Report: Kyrie Irving exercises player option to remain with Nets next season - Yahoo Sports

It's one thing for an NBA rookie to have confidence in his ability. It's a whole other thing to immediately call out one of the greatest NBA players of all time before you've played a single game.

That didn't stop Indiana Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin from calling out Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. In an interview with the Washington Post, Mathurin said James is going to have to prove he's a better player than Mathurin.

Before slipping off to his hotel room to make his final preparations for the draft, Mathurin said that there was one test, maybe the biggest of all, that he was particularly looking forward as a rookie: His first game against Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

A lot of people say hes great, Mathurin said. I want to see how great he is. I dont think anybody is better than me. Hes going to have to show me hes better than me.

That statement is most likely going to end poorly for Mathurin. Despite his age, James proved capable of still performing at an elite level last year. He averaged 30.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. It was only the third time in his career James averaged over 30 points per game.

As for Mathurin, he'll have to focus on proving himself in the NBA after being selected by the Pacers with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Our own Krysten Peek liked the pick, saying Mathurin should pair well with Tyrese Haliburton and Malcolm Brogdon.

The 2022-23 NBA schedule has yet to be released, so it's unclear when Mathurin and James will play against each other. There's a good chance Mathurin's quote will resurface shortly after that contest, and it probably won't be a good thing for the rookie.

Bennedict Mathurin called out LeBron James for some reason. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

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Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin calls out LeBron James: 'Hes going to have to show me hes better than me' - Yahoo Sports

In a recent interview, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO, Elon Musk said about the UAW: They have so much power over the whitehouse, they can exclude Tesla from an EV (Electric Vehicle) summit. The referenced EV summit was held in August of 2021, where President Joe Biden discussed the promising future of Electric Vehicles.

While President Biden has now referenced Tesla when discussing the future of EVs, that wasnt always the case. President Biden lauded the likes of Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) for being American made and the future of the county.

Related: Elon Musk Recommends Investing In 'Physical Things' - Here Are 3 Physical Assets That Perform Well During High Inflation

Knowing what we know now, the praise feels especially tone def and exclusive, given the recent reports from cars.com, citing Tesla, as the most American made manufacturer, who landed more cars in the top ten of American Made Models than any other manufacturer.

Musk has also said in an interview that In case that wasnt enough, then you have President Biden with Mary Barra at a subsequent event, congratulating Mary for having led the EV revolution. Musk continued I believe it was in the same quarter that GM delivered 26 Electric Vehicles, and Tesla delivered 300,000.

Musk confronted some of the perceived slights in a reply to a tweet from President Biden, in January of this year.

Musk is part billionaire, part twitter troll, but 100% competitive. He understands business, and is looking for respect. Love him or hate him, he and his companies have significantly altered our present, and will heavily imprint our future.

Build back better is still a moniker that President Biden belives in and is actively attempting to push forward. Seemingly, all EV manufacturers stand to benefit from any future bills, laws, etc., with Tesla, once again, leading the pack.

Read Next: Jeff Bezos Says Inflation 'Most Hurts The Least Affluent' Which May Be Why These Assets Are Performing Better Than Ever

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Photo: Courtesy of Tesla Owners Club Belgium on Flickr

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'They Have So Much Power Over The White House' - Elon Musk Explains About One Particular Group - Yahoo Finance

Celtics assistant Will Hardy will reportedly be the next Jazz coach. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Utah Jazz have reportedly found a replacement for Quin Snyder after he surprisingly left the team in June. Boston Celtics assistant Will Hardy is reportedly finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the Utah Jazz, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Hardy, 34, will join the Jazz after spending one season with the Celtics. Prior to joining Ime Udoka's staff, Hardy spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. Hardy also served as a member of Team USA's coaching staff at the 2020 Olympic games.

Hardy played college basketball at Williams, and joined the Spurs after leaving the school. Hardy initially started in the video room before working his way to assistant coach with the Spurs. He also coached the team's Summer League squad.

Prior to joining the Celtics, Hardy received head coaching interviews with the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder. After those teams passed, Hardy joined Udoka's staff in Boston.

Hardy's one season in Boston may have influenced the Jazz's decision to give him a shot. Former Boston Celtics executive Danny Ainge helped lead the Jazz's coaching search. Ainge and Hardy did not overlap with the Celtics. Ainge stepped down as a Celtics executive last June. Hardy joined the team a few weeks later. Ainge then decided to join the Jazz last December, and was entrusted with running the team's coaching search after Snyder stepped down.

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Celtics assistant Will Hardy reportedly expected to be next Jazz coach - Yahoo Sports

With inflation at a 40-year high, Americans are feeling the pinch in their wallets ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. The cost of a family cookout for 10 has gone up 11%, according to a new report from Wells Fargo Food and Agribusiness Industry Advisory Group.

Inflation is a "real pain point" for Americans, Karol Aure-Flynn, Wells Fargo sector analyst and co-author of the report, told Yahoo Finance (video above).

Protein prices are the leading "pain points" for consumers, Aure-Flynn said. Ground beef prices are up 11.8% year over year. Prices for chicken wings and chicken breasts are up 38% and 24%, respectively, while drumstick prices are up 12%. Poultry-based hotdogs are up 15.3%, and beef franks are up 6.3%.

"Price inflation has two components," explained Aure-Flynn. "One is the cost inflation part, where the producers, processors, and manufacturers have to pass on some of just really rough waters that they've had to navigate. And the other part is demand."

For example, she said, "Chicken producers have been dealing with some disease issues. So the supply is down. And with demand up, then you're going to still see prices high." For beef, it's a herd issue. "Herd size (think beef cattle) cannot increase on a dime, and therefore, with a constrained supply and without a decrease in feed cost, consumers are likely to see elevated protein prices for some time," the report states.

Courtesy: Getty Images

There are some ways to rein in costs though. "So we're looking for shrimp on the barbie, pork tacos, my favorite, shrimp tacos," Aure-Flynn said.

"Shrimp and pork are relatively good buys, along with tomatoes, and all serve well in tacos. Average prices for pork are up 3.1% from last year, versus 12-15% for other proteins, making it a relative bargain. Shrimp is in the same boat. Current prices are still below the 5-year average of $4.21. Tomatoes will make great taco-toppers, up only about 1% this year. BBQ pork ribs are a traditional favorite and great alternative or addition to tacos," the authors found

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Aure-Flynn recommends being on the lookout for "deals," with retailers looking to keep products moving off shelves. "A slowdown in demand, despite higher prices overall, may create specials that offer bargains for consumers. Plan ahead to seek longer shelf-life items (frozen patties, for example) that can relieve some of the sticker shock. Reserve last-minute shopping trips for perishable fruits and vegetables."

Another tip: Shop the frozen section. "Although prices for fresh ground beef are up by 11.8%, demand for pre-formed beef patties has fallen off a little this year versus previous years, so look in the frozen section for advantageous pricing," the report notes.

But skip the ice cream aisle. Ice cream prices have bounced 6% since this time last year. Instead, opt for nondairy desserts, such as sherbet, gelato, and popsicles, which have declined in price by 4.5%.

Avocado prices to moderate

Courtesy: Getty Images

There is some good news coming for avocado lovers, however.

From 2018 to 2021, retail sales for avocados have nearly doubled, while prices increases in 2022 have contributed to a 24% year-to-date increase in sales volume by dollar, however, overall unit volume increases continue, according to the report.

Aure-Flynn told Yahoo Finance consumers will likely "see some moderation price wise" as California producers get into their "very heavy season" which occurs from mid-April to mid-July. This means there will be better supplies to improve offerings.

The report also encouraged shoppers to look in the frozen food aisle for "innovative new avocado offerings" like frozen guacamole and avocado dips and cubed fresh frozen avocados for salads and smoothies.

"Consumers really need to be looking and be mindful of seasonality" which could lead to better deals overall, Aure-Flynn said.

Another way to cut costsmake it from scratch! "One thing we really had fun with was ... homemade alternatives are. Fourth of July, who doesn't have that wonderful memory of making ice cream with their grandparents? You know, this may be the time for us to start going back to some old-fashioned options on that front."

Brooke DiPalma is a producer and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com.

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Inflation is 'a pain point' for Americans this Fourth of July, analyst says - Yahoo Finance

Pat Perez had a very straightforward, honest answer when asked why he joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series on Tuesday.

After months of controversy and players ducking or avoiding questions about the Saudi Arabian-backed league, it was refreshing.

Perez was among the latest wave of golfers to join the LIV Golf series, and hell make his debut this week outside of Portland at Pumpkin Ridge. Its unclear how much Perez was paid to make the jump from the PGA Tour to the LIV series, but its reportedly around the $10 million mark.

While he said plainly that he didnt have any concerns regarding Saudi Arabias alleged crimes and poor human rights records, he was very honest about why he joined the league in the first place.

Last season, while fighting for a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs on Tour, Perez missed the birth of his son.

August 18, I get a call my wifes going into labor, Perez said, via CBS' Kyle Porter. Im in Jersey. Im getting ready to start the FedEx Playoffs. Im No. 116 on the list, I cant leave. I cant miss it. I cant get back. I cant get [to my wife] and back without spending $150,000 on a private flight. Im not doing that.

So I had to suck on it and I had to miss my sons birth. And, you know, fortunately I made the cut and I moved up my status by playing all right, but it still sucked. I have to tell him one day why I wasnt there.

Perez finished T16 at The Northern Trust last year, which marked his final event of the season. He finished No. 80 in the FedExCup standings that season, which earned him exempt status through the end of this season though, now that hes with LIV Golf, he wont be allowed to compete on Tour.

Perez, 46, has won three times on the PGA Tour, most recently at the CIMB Classic in 2017. He had just three top-10 finishes on Tour so far this season, and most recently finished T26 at the Memorial Tournament earlier this month. Hes currently ranked No. 170 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

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As far as reasons to leave the PGA Tour for a lighter schedule and more money, its hard to blame Perez considering what he went through last fall.

Im a 30-33 week guy. Every year Ive done it, and now I dont have to, Perez said. And I get to be with them. I get to be with my family. At my age, this is an absolute golden opportunity for me Its a no-brainer for a guy my age thats been on the road.

Pat Perez will join the LIV Golf Invitational Series this week in Oregon. (Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images)

Perez, along with Brooks Koepka and other first-time LIV members, was asked directly how he can square accepting money from Saudi Arabia after the country's horrific record on human rights.

Perez, and Koepka, didn't care about any of that.

"I don't have any concerns," Perez said. "I'm playing golf ... I understand the topics you're trying to bring up, and they're horrible events, but I'm here to play golf."

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Pat Perez missed his son's birth playing on the PGA Tour, which pushed him to join LIV Golf - Yahoo Sports

Minty Bets is already placing her bets for the upcoming season and she has a few in the NFC West that shes categorizing as free money. Listen to find out where the smart bets are (for the Rams, against the Seahawks).

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MINTY BETS: Welcome to Yahoo Sportsbook Daily. It's Tuesday June 28th and I'm your betting guide Minty Bets. NFL training camps are right around the corner, which means it's time to talk some NFL future bets. So let's get right into it.

- [INAUDIBLE]

[WHISTLE]

MINTY BETS: The first bet I have is going to be the Rams to win the NFC West at +140. On Yahoo Sportsbook, I came out with my first NFL features video of the year just two weeks ago, and I picked the Rams over 10 and 1/2 wins. I still like that bet, and I'm going to raise it and bet the Rams to win the NFC West. Actually, I already bet this a month ago.

You're getting plus money for the Super Bowl champs in a division where the 49ers will start Trey Lance, which is kind of an unknown how he'll do in the starting role. Also, in this division, you've got the Arizona Cardinals, where the wide receiver core is impressive, but Kyler Murray is a mess. And then you've got the Seattle Seahawks, who are probably going to be one of the worst teams in the league. I'll touch more on that later.

Back to the Rams. I know the Super Bowl hangover is real, and they lost key players like Von Miller, Robert Woods, OBJ and more, but they made Aaron Donald the highest-paid defensive player in league history. So that's an upside. Plus, they added a few more pieces that should gel well for the team this season. Matt Stafford still dominates under center along with that potent offense, and the Rams have recorded 11 or more regular-season wins in 3 of five seasons under Sean McVay.

So I'm liking the Rams to win the division and going over with this total. Don't forget about the extra regular-season game we have that was added on last season too. That should help the total go over. But my official bet for this pod is the Rams to win the NFC West.

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Next up, I have the Seattle Seahawks under 5 and 1/2 wins at plus 115. I am so high on this bet for two main reasons. Number one, Drew Lock, is their starter, supposedly. He really hasn't shown us enough for us to be able to confidently conclude if he is a good or bad quarterback in the NFL. When he entered the league in 2019, he didn't start for the Broncos until week 12, when things didn't matter.

Then in 2020, they pushed him right into the deep end of the pool made him play, and it was a season where the Broncos had a really tough schedule. They played the Titans, Steelers, Patriots, Bills, and of course, all of their AFC West opponents that year. So that was a really rough year for him.

And then, this last season of 2021, he was just a filler for Teddy Bridgewater when Teddy was hurt. And then Drew finished off the season again starting in week 15, when it didn't matter anymore. So, for now, we can say the numbers tell us that Drew Lock is a below-average player.

Now for a reason number two. The Seahawks have the absolute toughest schedule this year, and I don't mean in terms of opponents. They are the team that will be traveling the farthest with a total travel mileage of 29,446 miles. And they cross time zones 34 times.

The Steelers don't even leave their Eastern time zone this year, and they'll only travel a total of 6,442 miles. How insane is that? So, needless to say, the Seahawks are going to struggle a ton, especially without Russell Wilson. The books are making their under-plus money, so I am absolutely betting this immediately.

And for one last bet, I want to highlight going off of that Seattle win total, this is right off of bet MGM site. The Seahawks just start 0 in 4 is plus 600, guys. I may just be handing out free money here. I'm just putting a little bit of money on this, and I'll tell you why. They start the season off by traveling to Pittsburgh. How ironic given what I mentioned earlier about the travel. And I know the Steelers are probably going to be a bust this season, but they're still under the coaching of Mike Tomlin, and that man is good at his job.

Then they play at home against the Bears, who we really don't quite know how they'll do this season. Then the Seahawks head to Dallas, and for their fourth game, they're back at home against the Broncos. Against their former starter. That's really good chance Seattle starts 0 in 4 at plus 600.

Now to recap my picks. I've got the Rams to win the NFC West. The Seahawks under 5 and 1/2 wins, and the Seahawks to start 0 in 4. You can follow me on Twitter over at Minty Bets and follow all of our content over at Yahoo Sportsbook.

Bet $10 on any game at BetMGM and get $200 in free bets added to your account. You don't need to win your bet to receive the promotion. Just go to betmgm.com/yahoovip to get started. New BetMGM customers only must be 21 and older in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wyoming only. Terms apply. Please gamble responsibly. I will be back tomorrow on Yahoo Sportsbook Daily. Until then, goodbye and good luck.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

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NFL futures: Fade the Seahawks & Super Bowl hangovers - Yahoo Sports

Another one of Jimmy Garoppolos former teammates is slamming the quarterback for how he handled injuries with the New England Patriots.

Former Patriots star wide receiver Julian Edelman said on the latest episode of the I Am Athlete podcast this week that he and several teammates were mad at Garoppolo during the 2016 season specifically when Garoppolo, who was filling in for a suspended Tom Brady, was ruled out of their game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 of the season. Jacoby Brissett, who was dealing with an injury of his own, took Garoppolos place.

"I don't know, we're all football players here, Edelman said. But Jacoby [Brissett], he tore ligaments in his thumb in the win against [the Texans in Week 3]. So we go into Week 4, and I guess Jimmy was practicing and then decided not to play. Jacoby played with no ligaments in his thumb, which you can't do that as a quarterback. You can't grip [the football].

"A lot of guys got mad at it. I'm not going to lie, I got mad about it. I sacrificed my body all day long. All day long. I was taking shots for this, numbing up that, ribs, broken ribs, shoulders, Grade 3, hanging on by limbs just to play.

That conversation started with Edelman reading comments that former Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett made last year.

Bennett called Garoppolo a bitch who quit on his team right before the game.

Thats why you cant win with a bitch as a quarterback, Bennett said at the time.

Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers after that season.

Martellus Bennett also called Jimmy Garoppolo a derogatory word who quit on his team over the 2016 incident. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe/Getty Images)

Though he was widely expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the league upon his arrival in the Bay Area, Garoppolo dealt with several high-profile injuries. He tore his ACL in 2018, and missed the rest of that season. He sprained his ankle in 2020, and had that season cut short, too.

Garoppolo has played just two full seasons, first in 2019 and again last year, though he split time with rookie Trey Lance.

Garoppolo is widely expected to be traded away before the season starts, though hes currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. The 30-year-old has one year left on his five-year, $137.5 million deal.

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While he was admittedly mad about the situation back in 2016, Edelman said he has a better understanding of Garoppolos motives now that some time has passed.

You also gotta look, he just got paid, Edelman said. He got paid [nearly] $30 million [a season]. So maybe Im the dumb guy who cant make as much money sacrificing for that team. I guess I played for the memories, not the money.

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Julian Edelman rips Jimmy Garoppolo for not playing through injury with Patriots in 2016 - Yahoo Sports

Let's get the obvious out of the way. No one on the fantasy baseball waiver wire is going to be a 1-for-1 replacement for Bryce Harper. The All-Star outfielder had been hitting an excellent .318/.385/.599 with a .985 OPS and 15 home runs. He was playing like a clear NL MVP candidate.

But now he's set to be out indefinitely after fracturing his thumb as a result of getting hit by a Blake Snell pitch.

So yeah, no one player will replace the production of a Bryce Harper, which is no consolation to fantasy managers who used a top-10 draft pick to select the Phillies superstar.

What fantasy managers can do, however, is seek out a productive, maybe even underrated outfield-eligible player or more than one to fill the position slot while their star is on the mend.

You could try to swing a fantasy trade to help make up for Harper's loss, but here are five low-rostered players to consider on the waiver wire today, if you prefer to go the traditional route.

Cooper has been delivering in June, going 29-for-80 and bringing his season line up to .307/.372/.452 with an .824 OPS. Statcast supports that sublime line, with his expected average and slugging to this point coming in at .298 and .499, respectively.

Cooper might not deliver Harper's dynamic numbers, but he'll help solidify your batting average and provide some over-the-fence pop. There's also room for underrated run and RBI potential with Cooper, who usually bats in the middle of the order for a surprising Marlins offense that may just be playing in a park that seemingly no longer suppresses scoring. He also qualifies at first base as well, which is always a plus.

Let's see: A catcher who qualifies in the outfield, batting high in the batting order of a solid offense who's finally getting the consistent playing time he deserves. What's not to like?

Alfaro's bat has always held serious potential even going back to his Miami days, and he could be reaching that potential now with increased opportunities. Alfaro's expected numbers are now .271 (average) and .571 (slugging); those are drool-worthy marks for any fantasy hitter in today's MLB, much less a CATCHER. His current BABIP is only 5 points higher than his career mark, so it doesn't look like this is just some blip on the radar.

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San Diego will need Alfaro's offense with Manny Machado still sidelined. Ride the wave.

Speaking of riding the wave, yet another Pirates rookie hitter is making an impact. Suwinski has gotten off on a hot note in the power department to start his MLB career. Pittsburgh's No. 28-ranked prospect is up to 12 home runs in 171 at-bats; hard to have seen this coming.

Jack Suwinski's power has been making a fantasy impact. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Of course, Suwinski comes with a major warning label: He could single-handedly debilitate your batting average category. With that, a current .242 BABIP might signify that the youngster has been mired in a bit of bad luck (his 112.4 average exit velocity does inspire some confidence that his fortunes could change), but he'll have to cut back on his ugly 31.6 K-percentage mark for that to get going. For what it's worth, he never struck out more than 28 percent of the time in the minors; of course, the Majors are a different beast.

Suwinski is not the first unheralded prospect to make an early mark in MLB this year. If you can stomach Suwinski's batting average woes say, if you have guys like Luis Arraez and Michael Brantley on your team he could be worth a look for potentially dynamic power and underrated speed for as long as the good times last.

This pick is solely for deep-league fantasy managers who are not only looking for a replacement outfielder but someone who can provide a stolen-base boost as well.

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Peterson is now up to nine stolen bases on the year in limited playing time for the Brewers. He also has six home runs, so a 10-15 season might be in the cards, especially with Peterson getting more playing time as a multi-position defender.

Full disclosure: Max Kepler might be my favorite pick out of this bunch, solely because of what he could be for the rest of the season.

If you open up Kepler's Statcast page, you will witness a glorious sea of red. Kepler is currently slashing an unassuming .244/.348/.401, but Statcast says he should be up to a .305 average and a .523 slugging (not to mention, a .393 xwOBA).

Of course, Kepler's issue has been the same one it's always been: He's struggled against lefties (he has a disappointing .642 lifetime OPS against them for his career), but there could be signs of hope this season. The 29-year-old outfielder has put together a .747 OPS against left-handed pitchers this year (not to mention a .360 OBP mark helpful for his run-scoring potential as part of a potent Twins lineup).

You'll want Kepler in your lineup if (and when) his Statcast expected numbers start taking shape on the field of play.

Read more:

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