AFTERNOON UPDATE

By Matt Lynch

updated 2:18 p.m. ET July 9, 2009

MLB

Toronto looking to package Wells in Halladay trade
Rumor has it the Blue Jays will be asking the team that acquires Roy Halladay to also take on Vernon Wells, who has $107 million remaining on his contract beginning next year. Between that and the hefty extension Halladay will be expecting, that's going to be a tough pill to swallow even for the most deep-pocketed teams in the league. (New York Post)

Soriano miffed at latest benching
Alfonso Soriano was benched for the third time in the last eight games Wednesday and was not happy about it, especially given that the struggling outfielder actually collected a pair of hits for once in Tuesday's contest. Soriano is hitting .182 over his last 40 games. (Chicago Tribune)

NBA

Jackson still favorite for Wolves job
Mark Jackson is rumored to still be on the inside track to land the Wolves coaching gig, which is expected to pay in the neighborhood of $8 million over four years. Larry Brown and Donnie Walsh have both reportedly vouched for Jackson as a possible head coaching candidate, but they work for other teams so could it just be a devious plan to sabotage the Wolves? (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

Lakers not budging on Odom
The Lakers are said to be holding firm on their contract offer to Lamar Odom, thought to be within a million or two of the $5.85 million average NBA salary. Odom was rumored to be seeking something in the neighborhood of $10 million per year, but maybe shouldn't have tipped his hand about how much he likes living near the beach. (Los Angeles Times)

NFL

Edwards bought Stallworth $1,500 Champagne night of crash
Browns teammates Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth racked up some hefty bar tabs the night of Stallworth's fatal car accident, including a $1,500 bottle of Champagne and $695 worth of vodka purchased by Edwards. Stallworth, meanwhile, purchased Edwards' table a $375 bottle of tequila. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

McNair filmed suicide prevention ad before death
In the weeks before dying in what authorities now report was a murder-suicide involving his girlfriend, sources have confirmed that Steve McNair actually filmed a suicide prevention public service announcement for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health. Needless to say, the PSA isn't expected to see any airtime. (Nashville City Paper)

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