The Chicago Cubs are a long way from being a championship contender, but one position they appear to be set at is shortstop. Starlin Castro looks like a surefire star that the team could build around. But in the interest of building for the future, the Cubs’ front office might actually consider putting the 22-year-old on the block this summer.

Castro carries a career .306 batting average, but as Buster Olney points out, he is still incredibly raw at the plate. One-quarter of the way through the 2012 season, Castro is hitting .316, but has a .326 on-base percentage and just four walks. Yes, Castro could turn into a perennial All-Star, but his approach at the plate could end up turning him into a fringe starter if he doesn’t develop.

Those raw skills that make him intriguing to the Cubs could also make him a very attractive trade piece. Theoretically, the Chicago could net at least two high-level prospects in return for him, not only for his ability and youth, but also because he plays a premium position up the middle of the diamond.

The problem with Castro is that some don’t believe he can stay at shortstop much longer. He has 64 errors in his first 325 big league games. If he is moved to another position, his offense won’t be a bonus. If he were a corner outfielder or was playing third base (for example) he would actually be an offensive liability because of his lack of power.

If Castro went on the market virtually every franchise that sees him sticking at short would show some level of interest in him. Teams like the Oakland A’s, Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks could offer the most in terms of young talent, particularly when it comes to pitching.

But if Castro becomes available expect the big boys to come calling as well. The Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox would all certainly be on the phone to Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer and president Theo Epstein.

At this point in their rebuilding process it would be idiotic for the Cubs to decide anyone is untouchable. The team needs to get better from top to bottom and if one guy can net you several solid pieces in return, then you have to at least explore such a deal.

Expect guys like Brian LaHair, Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster to all be offered as trade bait as this season progresses. LaHair has been excellent this year so far, but he is blocking the younger Anthony Rizzo, who is raking in the minors.

At some point the Cubs need to dump the dead weight on their roster and hopefully by doing that they will be able to accelerate the rebuilding process. If moving Castro helps speed that along then it is something Chicago should certainly consider.

The Boston Red Sox are struggling this season and if things continue on this path, they may be in a situation where they have to shed salary as the season goes on. One of those trade chips could be long-time third baseman Kevin Youkilis.

Will Youkilis injured, prospected Will Middlebrooks came up and has torn it up. In five games, Middlebrooks has hit .409 with three home runs, four doubles and nine RBI.

The 23-year-old Texas native seems to be the team’s future at third. With Adrian Gonzalez firmly entrenched at first base, it would appear that Youkilis, and his gimpy back, is a man without a roster spot.

The idea of moving Middlebrooks to the outfield so that he and Youkilis could play at the same time has been brought up. But Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington quickly shot that idea down, since the team really likes the rookie at third base.

There are several teams that could be in the market for a third baseman this season. The Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies could all use his services.

The Tigers would love to add a real third baseman, so they could rotate Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder at first base and designated hitter.

The Red Sox are a mess and they have a gigantic $173 million payroll that they need to start reducing.

Youkilis is 33 years old and is making $12 million this season. His contract has a $13 million team option for 2013, with a $1 million buyout. It is almost certain that the Red Sox won’t pick up that option. Therefore, there isn’t much of a reason to keep Youkilis around.

National League teams will likely not have to “fear the beard” for 12 to 18 months. San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson is likely headed for Tommy John Surgery, which would mark the second time he has undergone the procedure.

Wilson reportedly has structural damage in his throwing elbow and is almost certain to miss the 2012 season and possibly more. The closer plans to seek out several opinions on his condition and is likely to make a decision on whether or not to have surgery by next weekend.

But it sounds like the decision has already been made.

Wilson pitched in just two games this season, allowing four hits and two runs, with two walks and two strikeouts. His ERA currently sits at 9.00 and he owns a WHIP of 3.00. Clearly something wasn’t right when he was in there.

The bearded closer also missed a chunk of the 2011 season with elbow inflammation, and spent two stints on the disabled list because of the problem. Clearly whatever he does with his delivery isn’t easy on his arm.

Wilson already had Tommy John surgery back in 2003 during his college career at LSU. The list of guys who have had the procedure twice is not long, so if he decides to go down that road it will be a tough road back.

The 30-year-old closer is a three-time All-Star who led the National League in saves during San Francisco’s World Series championship run in 2010. He is a huge part of what the Giants do and will be difficult to replace.

To the other 21 players on the pitch, and those watching from the sidelines, it was just another Saturday afternoon game on an overcast autumn day. But for one poor lad and a stern referee with a sense of humor (or perhaps lack thereof), the chain of events that unraveled on that fateful day will forever live on in infamy.

So goes the sad tale of Aaron Eccleston, a striker for the Old Hill Wanderers, an amateur football club based out of Melbourne, Australia. The turn of events went something like this:

During the run of play, Eccleston took a shot to the groin area and went down in excruciating pain. He exited the pitch briefly to tend to the injury; meanwhile, the referee apparently noticed his teammates excessively laughing and snickering, and overheard them talking about how Eccleston had his genitals pierced so the pain must be unbearable.

Shortly thereafter, Eccleston infuriated the referee by returning to the pitch without the referee’s permission, and thus was issued his first yellow card. You can start to see where this is going…

After issuing Eccleston his first yellow, the referee halted play and demanded visual proof that the piercing had been removed. As you can see in the video below, this was about the time when things got a little creepy, awkward and hilarious, simultaneously.

Next, the referee escorted Eccleston to the locker room, much to his displeasure. At first it seemed as though Eccleston was open to the idea if it meant being able to continue playing; however, he must have quickly changed his mind and vehemently refused because both he and the referee exited the locker room just seconds later. With a perfectly straight face and an old school ”rules are rules” attitude, the referee immediately booked Eccleston for his second yellow and he was sent off the pitch with a red card while his friends in the crowd chuckled in utter disbelief.

Eccleston’s Twitter response to the incident? “I don’t think my mum’s going to be particularly happy!”

And they say pimpin’ ain’t easy… try having a cock ring.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded away franchise mainstays Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom in the span of less than four months this season. While feelings were certainly hurt by those moves, there is a chance both guys could be back with the team next season.

A source has told NBA.com that Kobe Bryant is planning to recruit both Fisher and Odom to return to the Lakers next year. It’s uncertain whether either of them would be receptive to such a move, but given that they both loved their time in Los Angeles, it isn’t hard to imagine them coming back.

Bryant will reportedly use his close friendship with each guy to convince them to return to the Lakers.

Fisher is currently logging bench minutes for the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Odom has been a huge disappointment since being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in December.

The 37-year-old Fisher will be a free agent this summer. Odom’s deal is not fully-guaranteed for next season and it has become increasingly clear that the Mavs will waive him, making the 32-year-old a free agent.

Given how both guys have played this season, it’s likely the Lakers could sign each of them for the veteran’s minimum. The Lakers have been looking to cut salary, so getting two solid veteran bench players for essentially nothing would certainly appeal to the franchise.

I really think this could actually happen if Bryant goes into full recruiting mode.

Buzz Williams has a great thing going at Marquette. The 39-year-old head coach has a 96-44 record during his four season in Milwaukee, but would he be willing to leave to head back to his home state of Texas to coach? The SMU Mustangs certainly hope so.

SMU is trying to replace recently-fired head coach Matt Doherty, who had a record of 80-109 in in six season. With the school’s basketball team headed to the meat-grinder that is the Big East in 2013, the Mustangs need to up their game or they will get buried.

Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg has taken himself out of the running for the SMU’s opening, and that leaves Williams as the school’s overwhelming favorite.

So would Williams actually leave Marquette to head back to his home state and run a program centered in Dallas? Given what he has built in Milwaukee, I don’t think so. The Golden Eagles were one of the nation’s most consistent teams this season and were firmly inside the top 15 for much of the year.

That said, SMU is committed to rebuilding its basketball program to compete in the Big East, and the school seems willing to put a lot of money on the table to bring in a big name head coach.

The hometown ties will pull Williams towards SMU, but at this point I think the only opportunity he would leave Marquette for would be the Texas job.

While SMU will likely push hard to land Williams, I think he’ll turn the job down in the end.

Other likely candidates for the position are Scott Cross of Texas-Arlington, Brooks Thompson of Texas-San Antonio, Pat Knight of Lamar, Indiana State head coach Greg Lansing, former Nebraska head coach Doc Sadler and former Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel.

This is probably not the kind of distraction that the Kentucky Wildcats were hoping for the night before their big Sweet 16 rematch with the Indiana Hoosiers. On Thursday multiple sources claimed that freshman forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will enter the 2012 NBA Draft after the Wildcats’ season ends.

I’m assuming Kentucky’s fans all just did a collective face-palm. Especially when you consider that earlier this season head coach John Calipari claimed he disliked the “one-and-done” rule and wished more players stayed in school.

Uh, John? Simple solution: If you want your players to stay longer, recruit kids more likely to stay in school.

One source said the following about Kidd-Gilchrist:

“He hopes he’ll be able to announce right after they win the NCAA championship. But even if they don’t win it all, he’s coming. He knows he’s going to be a top-five pick. He can’t pass that up.”

The player later responded on Twitter by saying he had no idea where the report was coming from and that he was completely focused on winning games.

Earlier this month, Kidd-Gilchrist told reporters he loved Kentucky and planned on staying at and graduating from the school. Anyone who believed that was foolish.

This season the 6’7″ freshman is averaging 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per game.

While fellow freshman Anthony Davis is getting most of the national attention and could win National Player of the Year, Kidd-Gilchrist is definitely Kentucky’s Most Valuable Player. He is the kind of glue guy that every team needs and without him the Wildcats wouldn’t be a national title threat.

Kidd-Gilchrist will almost certainly be a top-10 pick in this year’s draft so it makes sense that he would turn pro. This is just a horrible time for that kind of news to come out. I’m not sure who leaked this to the press but it’s a pretty safe bet they are in the kid’s doghouse right now.

The Derek Fisher rumor mill has started churning and it appears the soon-to-be free agent guard isn’t wasting any time finding a new home.

Fisher has agreed to a buyout with the Houston Rockets, which means he will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday. Per league rules, he is then free to sign with any team in the NBA, other than the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers sent Fisher to Houston at the trade deadline and are therefore not allowed to re-sign him.

Reports are now suggesting that Fisher is close to a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder and that the two sides are in “advanced negotiations.” While a huge swath of the Lakers’ fanbase probably just went all face-palm, this was to be expected. I thought Fisher would either land in Miami or Oklahoma City, since both teams are likely the top contenders for an NBA championship.

The Thunder are currently the top team in the Western Conference with a 34-11, and have a four-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs. Obviously Russell Westbrook is the starting point guard for Oklahoma City, but with Eric Maynor out for the year with a torn ACL, Fisher will likely battle rookie Reggie Jackson for minutes off the bench.

But the 37-year-old veteran’s impact won’t come through playing time, it will come in the locker room and with his ability to hit big shots. The Thunder had to pursue him. With the respect he carries around the league there is no doubt he will be brought in to mentor Westbrook for the remainder of the season.

If anyone can teach the young point guard how to be a better teammate and the consummate professional it’s Fisher.

In a move widely expected ever since they acquired Derek Fisher last week, the Houston Rockets have agreed to a buyout with the 37-year-old guard.

The Los Angeles Lakers shipped Fisher to Houston just before the NBA’s trade deadline last week along with a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, in exchange for forward Jordan Hill. While the Rockets are thin at point guard with starter Kyle Lowry recovering from a bacterial infection, the two parties had no intention of establishing a relationship.

Houston traded Jonny Flynn to the Portland Trail Blazers in a separate deal last week, which leaves them with only Goran Dragic on the roster to run the point. Still, Fisher’s contract contained a $3.4 million player option for next season that the Rockets wanted to get off their books.

Now that the buyout has been agreed to, the Rockets are set to officially waive Fisher. If no one claims him by Wednesday he would become an unrestricted free agent and could sign with any team except the Lakers. The Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are all rumored to have interest in Fisher as a veteran presence who happens to have five championship rings and a knack for nailing big shots.

We think Fisher will sign with a contender. While he’s not what he used to be and is too slow to be an effective defender, his presence will elevate any locker room he walks into and he has always been able to hit big shots. I guarantee the Lakers would re-sign him for the remainder of the season if they were allowed to. He might never play, but his personality would be welcome in the team’s locker room.

The Tennessee Titans improved the interior of their offensive line on Thursday by signing seven-time All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, but was there more motive to the move than upgrading the team’s line?

Well it just so happens that Hutchinson is friends with free agent quarterback Peyton Manning and the two men share an agent, Tom Condon. The Titans have come on strong in the chase for the four-time MVP and the fact that they are basically offering him a blank check and a post-retirement position within the franchise may actually be shifting things in their favor.

By most accounts Manning was leaning heavily towards heading to Denver after his meeting with the Broncos last week. But now Tennessee owner Bud Adams has been on the warpath trying to get Manning in the fold.

Hutchinson’s three-year, $16 million contract is a bit of a hefty hit for a  guy who has been declining over the past few seasons, but if it helps get Manning to pick Tennessee, it may well be worth it.

The 34-year-old guard instantly becomes Tennessee’s best interior lineman even with his age and drop-off, and he certainly represents an improvement over Jake Scott and Leroy Harris at guard. With three-time All-Pro Michael Roos already in place at left tackle, the Titans now have the makings of a solid, veteran offensive line to protect whoever their quarterback is next season (wink, wink).

Manning’s visit to the Titans on Wednesday has certainly sent momentum in their favor, but he still could land in Denver. Tennessee needs to keep up the pressure, because while his timeline for a decision has been continually pushed back, a resolution is expected within the next 72 hours.