US PresswireNew York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz broke the team's record for receiving yards with 1,536 last season and scored nine touchdowns along the way for his $450,000 salary. He even threw in some salsa-dancing end-zone celebrations for free.

He pulled in four catches for 25 yards and a touchdown in the team's Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. Now the 25-year-old who went undrafted out of Massachusetts in 2010 would like to be paid some bigger bucks.

"I think I was paid, you know, relative to where I came in this year and, you know, I came in as a free agent so that's the salary I was on, so I don't feel like I was underpaid," Cruz said, according to the New York Post. "I mean, I feel like after my performance this year, you know, I feel like I deserve to be paid more money at this point. But that's something I'll let my agents and those people take care of and I'll just go out there and play the game."

Next season, Cruz, the winner of this past season's Vizio Top Value

US PresswireThe New Jersey Nets brought shooting guard Keith Bogans in only slightly more than a week ago because the team's roster was so depleted by injuries. So what does Bogans do? Gets seriously hurt.

The New York Daily News reports that the 31-year-old vet of seven teams "was diagnosed with a complete tear of his deltoid ligament and a fractured ankle" on Thursday and will miss the rest of the season after having surgery.

The 8-19 Nets, who have lost six of their last seven games, are still only four games out of playoff contention at this point, and are again playing short-handed.

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US PresswireThe New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates have been discussing the possibility of sending pitcher A.J. Burnett to western Pennsylvania. ESPN reports that the player that the Yankees would like to get back as part of the deal is outfielder/first baseman Garrett Jones.

However, Pittsburgh is "not interested in moving Jones" and there is "no traction so far," according to the site.

The 30-year-old lefty Jones debuted in the bigs with the Minnesota Twins in 2007 and moved over to the Pirates in 2009. In his career, he's hit .254 and banged out 60 homers. Last season, he hit .243 with 16 homers, 30 doubles and six stolen bases.

Meanwhile, Burnett, a man many Yankee fans have loved to hate since his arrival in the Bronx in 2009, went 11-11 last season with a 5.15 ERA.

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US PresswireThe Toronto Raptors have taken to the floor without forward Andrea Bargnani 14 times so far this season and it's looking like he's going to miss a few more games with his strained right calf, according to the National Post.

The 26-year-old suffered the injury in January and returned after six games, but re-injured it this month and the site notes that "it would not be a surprise if he sat out until the all-star break, two weeks from now," though it could be longer.

"His timeframe is extended, whether it is two weeks or three weeks, whatever it is," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said Thursday, the National Post reports. "We're not putting a day on it. Extended is beyond day to day, I think."

In the 13 games he's played, Bargnani is averaging 23.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, both career highs.

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US PresswireThe rumor has been that the Eastern Conference's worst team, the Carolina Hurricanes, would be looking to deal soon-to-be-free-agent forward Tuomo Ruutu before the Feb. 27 trade deadline is apparently not quite right.

TSN reports that the tem is trying to sign Ruutu to a long-term deal before then and if he isn't interested in signing on by the end of next week, then he'll be sent packing. Discussions have already taken place between the two sides about the potential deal, the site notes.

"So our priority now is to try and re-sign him," said Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford, according to TSN. The 28-year-old left wing has 17 goals and 11 assists so far this season.

TSN points out that Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason, who was scheduled to become a free agent this summer also, signed a four-year deal.

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US PresswireThe Pittsburgh Pirates made offers to pitchers Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson this winter, but both of them spurned the idea of moving to western Pennsylvania. Now the Pirates may have found their man.

Fox Sports reports that the team has had discussions with the New York Yankees about A.J. Burnett, who led the American League in strikeouts back in 2008 when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays. Since then, though, he's been a bit of a disappointment to many Yankee fans. Last season, he went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA.

Fox notes, though, that the discussions "failed to progress and perhaps qualified only as due diligence." However, the Yanks may have more incentive to ditch the 35-year-old Burnett as spring training gets closer; the team could use a little financial wiggle room to add Eric Chavez and whatever left-handed bat (Raul Ibanez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui) they choose to sign, Fox notes. Burnett has two years and $33 million left on his deal. The Pirates, no doubt, would expect the

US PresswireIn the past three seasons, Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz has pounded out 84 homers and the American League champs would like to keep that bat in the lineup for a bit longer.

Cruz is scheduled to have an arbitration hearing with the Rangers, but the word from the Dallas Morning News is that the two sides won't have to show up. The paper reports that they have agreed on a two-year contract. This comes on the heels of news Wednesday that the team had avoided arbitration with shortstop Elvis Andrus by giving him a two-year deal.

Cruz, who batted .263 with 29 dingers last season, asked for $7.5 million from the team this season while the Rangers said they'd like to pay him $5.5 million.

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US PresswireFree-agent point guard Gilbert Arenas has had a hard few years. From 2006 to December 2009, when he brought guns into the locker room of the Washington Wizards, he appeared in only 47 games due to a variety of injuries. Then he received a 50-game ban for his gun incident and was eventually sent packing to the Orlando Magic. He played 49 games there last season and was then waived via the amnesty clause before this season got underway.

Now he's looking for work and, luckily for him, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking for a point guard. CBSSports.com reports that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak "is open-minded about attending" the workout that Arenas is planning to have in Los Angeles later this week.

The 30-year-old Arenas, a three-time All-Star, averaged 10.8 points a game last season in the 70 games he played for the Wizards and Magic.

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