Dolphins Fire Special Teams Coordinator Bonamego

By Justin Worsley

After an embarrassing performance in a 41-20 Monday night loss to division rival New England, the Miami Dolphins have fired special teams coach John Bonamego.

A week after the New York Jets blocked a punt against Miami, the special teams unit simply fell apart against the Patriots. Brandon Tate returned the opening kickoff of the second half 103 yards for a touchdown and New England took control of the game from there. On the next series, safety Pat Chung blocked a punt which set up a 12-yard rushing touchdown by BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Early in the fourth quarter, Kyle Arrington returned a blocked field goal 35 yards for another touchdown.

The performance of the special team in Miami is especially shocking due to the fact that team consultant Bill Parcells gives a lot of focus on that unit. Head coach Tony Sporano left the Dallas Cowboys with Parcells in 2008 to join Miami.

Bonamego has been with Miami since 2008 and has spent 12 seasons in the NFL. Along with Miami, Bonamego has also been a coordinator for New Orleans, Jacksonville, and Green Bay.

Special teams assistant coach Darren Rizzi will replace Bonamego.

Bills Trade Lynch to Seattle

By Justin Worsley

The Buffalo Bills have traded running back Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks for two draft picks, helping pave the way for rookie C.J. Spiller to become the feature back in Buffalo's offense.

In exchange for Lynch, 24, Buffalo will receive a 2011 fourth-round draft pick and a conditional pick in the 2012 draft.

To clear a spot for Lynch, Seattle has released Julius Jones, the team's leading rusher for the last two seasons.

Talks of trading Lynch have been circulating since the offseason after the emergence of running back Fred Jackson last season. When Spiller was drafted, Buffalo suddenly had a crowded backfield and it was clear Lynch's days were numbered, it is just surprising to see him last this long.

Lynch was the second running back taken in the 2007 Draft, going 12th overall to Buffalo. The 5-foot-11, 217-pound back made the Pro Bowl in 2008 after rushing for 1,036 yards and eight touchdowns.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Lynch for the first three games of the 2009 season, however, after Lynch plead guilty to misdemeanor gun charges during the offseason. His suspension helped open the way for Jackson to take over as the team's feature back.

Seattle is looking for a spark in their rushing game which currently ranks 27th in the league with 318 rushing yards.

The release of Jones is just another casualty in the Pete Carroll era of the Seahawks. Nearly half of the players on the team during last season's 5-11 campaign are gone.

Lynch has rushed for 164 yards this season on 37 carries but is yet to find the end zone.

Morneau Out for Postseason

By Justin Worsley

If the Minnesota Twins are going to spoil the New York Yankees run for another World Series championship, they will have to do it without their star player.

The Twins announced on Monday that first baseman Justin Morneau will be out for the postseason due to post-concussion syndromes. Morneau has not played since July 7.

The Twins face New York in the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Last season, New York swept the Twins in the ALDS.

Morneau, the 2006 American League MVP, has been elected to the last four All-Star teams. In 81 games, Morneau was hitting .345 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs.

Morneau also missed last season's playoff series after suffering a stress fracture in his back. Teammate Joe Mauer won the league MVP award, making the Twins one of only two teams in the MLB to have two league MVP's on their roster with the Philadelphia Phillies being the other.

Pirates, Mets and Brewers Clean House

By Justin Worsley

A day after the regular season ended, three teams are already starting their offseason by looking for a new manager.

The New York Mets confirmed a report on Friday that the team would dismiss both general manager Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel on Monday by releasing them following a 79-83 season. New York finished fourth in the NL East this season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates also parted ways with manager John Russell after the team went 57-105. Pittsburgh has finished in last place all three years under Russell. The Pirates have not had a winning season in 18 years, the longest drought of any professional sport in North America.

Milwaukee Brewers skipper Ken Macha was also let go after two years. The Brewers went 157-167 under Macha's leadership failing to improve upon the team's 90-win season under Ned Yost and Dale Sveum.

Several options are already available for these teams. Two managers are already rumored to be in the running for New York, Joe Torre, who stepped down as the Los Angeles Dodgers manager at the season's end, and former manager Bobby Valentino.

Don Wakamatsu and Fredi Gonzalez are also considered one of the best avaialble managers.

Pittsburgh has finished in last place of the NL Central in five of the last six seasons.

Along with these firings, two other managers have found themselves with contract extensions. Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker has been given an extension through the 2012 season after leading the Reds to their first playoff berth since 1995.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have also removed the interim label off of manager Kirk Gibson, granting him a two-year contract extension as well.

Cincinnati will travel to Philadelphia to play the Phillies on Wednesday night.

Jose Theodore Joins the Wild

By Justin Worsley

With backup goaltender Josh Harding out with a serious knee injury, the Minnesota Wild have signed a veteran goaltender to serve as starting goalie Niklas Backstrom's backup.

Jose Theodore, 34, has agreed to a one-year $1.1 million contract according to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.

Theordore won the Hart and Vezina trophies in 2002 while with Montreal. Last season, while playing for Washington, Theordore went 30-7-7 with a .908 save percentage and a 2.81 goals against average.

Backstrom was 26-23-8 last year with a 2.72 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. Minnesota missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year after winning the Northwest Division in the 2007-08 season.

Steelers Place Dixon on Injured Reserve

By Justin Worsley

The Pittsburgh Steelers are placing opening-day starting quarterback Dennis Dixon on injured reserve, ending his season and helping secure a roster spot for Charlie Batch.

Dixon injured his knee in the second game of the season, a 19-11 win against the Tennessee Titans. Batch took his place and helped gear Pittsburgh to a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following week.

The Steelers are 3-0 despite the fact that starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has not been there for the team. Roethlisberger was suspended for the first four games of the year by the NFL following a sexual assault allegation this offseason.

Pittsburgh will also be able to secure a roster spot for Byron Leftwich. Leftwich was battling Dixon for the starting quarterback position but was injured in preseason. The Steelers were forced to cut Leftwich during the second week of the regular season in order to sign a defensive tackle.

The Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens in the final game of Roethlisberger's suspension in what is expected to be the team's toughest game so far into the season. Only the Chicago Bears and the Kansas City Chiefs are also undefeated.

Minaya, Manuel to be Ousted from New York

By Justin Worsley

After six seasons and only one playoff appearance, the New York Mets have decided to move on without general manager Omar Minaya according to sources on ESPN.com.

Minaya, however, will not join the unemployment line alone. Mets manager Jerry Manuel will also be let go as early as this weekend after the regular season ends.

New York is currently 78-82 and tied with the Florida Marlins for third place in the NL East. After winning the division title in 2006, the Mets went back-to-back seasons in which they were eliminated from the playoffs on the last day of the regular season.

Minaya joined the team in 2005 and immediately signed two impact players, ace pitcher Pedro Martinez and slugger Carlos Beltran. In recent seasons, however, Minaya's teams have entered the season expecting to be in the playoffs and have continuously let down fans with either bad play of injuries.

Mets fans also publicly criticized Minaya for firing former manager Willie Randolph after a 9-6 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2008.

Manuel became the Mets interim manager after Randolph's firing. Not once during Manuel's two-plus years as the Mets skipper did they make it into the postseason.

The Met's have gone 203-212 since Manuel took over the team.

Though Minaya had several bright spots as far as trading for players or signing free agents, not all have worked for New York. After signing closer Francisco Rodriguez to a three-year deal in December 2008, the Mets released the player after allegedly assaulting his girlfriends father.

The loss to Milwaukee on Thursday officially made it the second consecutive losing season for the Mets.