Hit & Run: Not So Fast Edition

Devil for Life? Maybe not.

A couple of days ago it looked like Ilya Kolvalchuk was going to be a New Jersey Devil for more or less the rest of his pro career, as he signed a $102 million dollar, 17-year deal that was pretty much unprecedented in professional sports.  (Unless you count the Islanders’ DePietro deal, which I don’t — that would be like saying the Raiders personnel decisions are in any way comparable to the rest of the NFL.)  Yesterday, however, the NHL nixed the deal (and it appears the Devils may have known this was coming even before the press conference).

Also getting jerked around in contract talks this week … the Phillies, and any other team that’s interested in Astros ace Roy Oswalt.  Oswalt’s insisting that his 2012 option be guaranteed by any new team, which is apparently causing the Phillies to balk.  Not that this is the first time Phillies (or at least their fans) have considered Oswalt but met their needs elsewhere — I found the above mock-up here, in a discussion of last year’s trade deadline options.

Don Mattingly is not currently having contract issues (that we know of), but he did, like Ilya, commit an action in good faith that was declared illegal by league officials.  Unfortunately, this mistake ended up costing the Dodgers their game with the Giants.  On the plus side, at least Mattingly got to have his blunder beautifully narrated by Vin Scully.

And lastly, think the bitchy Indians owner in Major League was always supposed to be a one-note villain?  Please reference above post subtitle.  Oh, and see here.