You can add Jason Kidd to the list with Charles Barkley and Karl Malone as the best NBA players who never won a title.  Kidd is expected to sign a 3-year-deal with Dallas on Wednesday, meaning the future Hall of Fame point guard should end his career with the Mavericks.  With young stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade likely to dominate the league for the next 10 years, the Mavs have almost no shot of winning an NBA championship in the next few seasons.  Since the Lakers have a question mark at point guard, Kidd should have taken anything L.A. would offer and try to end his career with a title.

            With Rasheed Wallace headed to Boston, I would call the Celtics the favorites in the Eastern Conference.  Cleveland and Orlando have great teams, but Boston’s defensive mentality will probably win come playoff time.  Doc Rivers has a terrific front line with Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins and the addition of Wallace.  This probably means free agents Leon Powe and Glen Davis won’t be re-signed.  Both young forwards would be very valuable to at least half the teams in the league.

            Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton deserves to be on the American League All-Star team.  His ball club is in first place and Texas would have only had one All-Star had the fans not voted Josh in.  Hamilton stole the show last year during the home run derby and that performance alone deserves him a spot in this year’s Mid-Summer Classic.  Even though he’s battled injuries all season, he is still one of the biggest stars in baseball.

            Speaking of the Rangers, I will be closely following their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Redhawks, now that 1^st baseman Chirs Davis will be playing on the same team as 1^st baseman Justin Smoak.  Davis has been awful in the majors this year and fans have been calling for the 22-year-old Smoak to get called up for about 6 weeks.  Now that both guys are on the same roster, the Rangers organization will have the chance to evaluate them side by side.  Which guy is likely to be called up first?  My money is on Davis.

            I saw this stat on ESPN and it’s just amazing.  Here are Albert Pujols’ numbers this year with the bases loaded.  Does anyone doubt that he’s the best player in the league?

8 AB                6 Hits               4 HRs              20 RBIs           .750 Avg          2.250 Slug

            After having an ERA over 7 in April, Red Sox’s pitcher Josh Beckett has been lights out the last two months.  His ERA was 1.94 in May and June and listen to this.  He started 5 games in June and allowed 6 earned runs the entire month. (All 6 were given up in one game against the Phillies on June 14^th.)