NEW ‘SCHILLING RULE’ KEEPS AWARDEES FROM CASHING IN Not to be outdone by his manager, Red Sox hurler Curt Schilling has caused the creation of another restrictive rule:

The BOSTON GLOBE’S EXTRA BASES lays down the law that players given financial incentives to win certain awards will no longer be eligible for said awards.The Baseball Writers’ Association of America, approving the resolution on Wednesday, based the new rule on Schilling’s contract, which states that the Sox would pay their pitcher $1 million if he gets at least one Cy Young vote.

Luckily for Curt, the new rule doesn’t take affect until 2013. Meanwhile, the ‘Francona Rule‘ - limiting what managers can wear during game play - goes into action next season.

The new ‘Schilling Rule’ will replace the previous one, which banned Baconators in the bullpen up until the 6th inning.

HUNTER’S $90M ANGELS DEAL CONSUMATED AT DEL TACO: The RIVERSIDE PRESS-ENTERPRISE reports that the $90M deal struck between Torii Hunter and the Angels was negotiated and consumated at a Del Taco in Corona, CA.

This after “Hunter dined at Texas owner Tom Hicks’ ranch a few days earlier and Chicago White Sox representatives flew to Texas with a video featuring Jim Thome and Bulls center Ben Wallace urging him to join the South Siders.“Following an impromptu discussion about Hunter over the phone, Hunter’s agent Larry Reynolds, who is based in Riverside, CA., and Angels GM Tony Reagins needed a meeting place to continue the convo.

Reagins: “I drive the 91 pretty often. Del Taco is one of my favorite fast food chains. I knew that one halfway between Riverside and Anaheim.”

To be clear, Hunter wasn’t at the Del Taco when Reagins and Reynolds wrapped up the contract, but he didn’t seem to mind (from USA TODAY): “I always imagined my deal would get done inside a board room or a Capital Grille. Turns out it was done at a Del Taco. Can you believe it? The deal gets done over some tacos.“Tacos? We’re hoping it was at least chili cheese fries.

LOWELL DOESN’T GET FOUR MORE YEARS; SIGNS WITH SOX: With A-Rod having cornered the Yankees, the BOSTON GLOBE reports today that Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell “has agreed in principle to the framework of a three-year deal to return to the Red Sox.“

More: “Lowell, 33, tested the free-agent waters, and may have received at least one four-year offer from another undisclosed team, but in the end the Sox third baseman elected to stay where he was most comfortable. Sources indicate that the three year deal is worth in the $36-$38 million range.“Translation: A-Rod went back to the Yanks, so Lowell didn’t have leverage to get a fourth year with a contender, so he settled for three years with the Sox. Lowell was obviously the Yankees’ first choice for third base if Rodriguez hadn’t re-upped.

Now onto the next Boston-New York battle for a four-year deal.

QB GETS $90,000 APPEARANCE FEE FOR 3-DAY VIKES VISIT: Kevin Seifert of the MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE reminds us today why we love and cherish the NFL so much.

Seifert reports that scrap heap quarterback Koy Detmer “will receive more than $90,000 for practicing three days with the team” last week.After 72 hours of fake football, Detmer was sent away when the Vikes decided that their current QBs Tarvaris Jackson and Kelly Holcomb were healthy enough to back up starter Brooks Bollinger.

How was Detmer able to get such a large paystub for just a 3-day visit? Well, the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement requires the Vikings to pay him a game check since he was on the roster for practice.As a 10-year veteran, Detmer qualified for a minimum base salary of $720,000 over a full season. So, three days work at the full-season rate equaled $42,352.94.

The CBA also calls for termination pay based on seniority and experience level. In Detmer’s case, that meant another $48,000 in funds, bringing his total compensation above $90,000.

Not bad for a fortnight’s work.

SCHILLING WILL GET $1M FOR ONE 2008 CY YOUNG VOTE: Peter Abraham of the WESTCHESTER JOURNAL-NEWS is a voter for the American League Cy Young award, and he is “troubled” by an incentive in Curt Schilling’s new, one-year deal with the Red Sox:

As part of the contract’s incentives, Schilling will receive 750,000 Baconators $1M if he receives one vote for the Cy Young award. One.Abraham: “Your one vote gets him $1 million. What is keeping some writer from saying, ‘Hey, Curt, I’ll vote for you. I want $500,000.’

“It’s wholly unethical. But every business has unethical people. $500,000 is serious coin for a reporter. People have gambling problems, drug problems, etc. What’s keeping Schilling from agreeing to the deal? He’s gets $500,000 he wasn’t counting on.

There are also two baseball writers in Boston who have a Cy Young vote. Wikipedia lists Steve Buckley of the BOSTON HERALD and Gordon Edes of the BOSTON GLOBE as BBWAA members. And we’re assuming Boston’s Peter Gammons has a vote as well. What’s the odds Schilling already that Trio in his Treo?

UK SPORTS MINISTER INCENSED AT HIGH SOCCER SALARIES: England’s sports minister isn’t happy with the high salaries of the country’s soccer stars:

REUTERS reports that minister Gerry Sutcliffe has called some of the players’ wages “obscene”, and has concerns with high-profile clubs like Manchester United & Chelsea spending such large amounts of money.Don’t tell him about the New York Yankees.

Sutcliffe is fearful that the increased pay and, as a result, increased ticket prices, will keep the average fan away from the game. He notes Man U’s 13% season-ticket sales increase:

“That’s taking the game away from the ordinary grass-roots fans. We don’t want to be in a position where people are alienated.”

So, higher prices would halt appearances of die-hard hooligans at the stadium, the types of fans that would beat you senseless if you happen to wear the wrong color scarf? And the problem is…?

Besides, if you try regulating spending and capping team profits, you know what that’s called?

ROMO’S ROLLING IN THE BIG BUCKS W/NEW DALLAS DEAL: Tony Romo has struck it rich in Texas, as the Cowboys QB has agreed to a new contract extension:

ESPN reports that the Dallas slinger and Hollywood swinger will sign a new six-year contract worth $67.5 million, with 30 million of those greenbacks guaranteed. Romo has been playing in the last year of a contract, which could have sent him to the free agent market at the end of the season.The official announcement is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. Better get those TiVo’s fired up!

With the new deal, the Romo-mantic now has plenty of dough to buy some friendship bracelets for Jessica, Carrie, Sophia, and Britney. And he can even toss in a few bucks for Ms. Spears’ next round of rehab.

THREE WORDS FOR YANKEES FANS - HELLO MIKE LOWELL!: Joe Heyman of SI.com reports Alex Rodriguez told the Yankees on Sunday that “he’s opting out of his record $252 million contract.“

A-Rod’s agent Scott Boras tells Heyman: “Alex made the decision today. I thought we should notify the club.“Amazing that neophyte Yankees front officers Hank Steinbrenner (who will probably soon have us aching to have George back) and Randy Levine were the only people in the 212 that didn’t realize that when they fired Torre, they were also firing A-Rod (who loved his BIG-faced manager).

Of course Hank and Levine wanted to keep A-Rod (and had been preparing an extension before Boras blew them off the past week) because the Rangers still had to pay part of his salary. A-Rod’s decision will save the Rangers a staggering $21M over three years (we’d like to be Tom Hicks’ server at Dakota’s Steakhouse tonight!).

Sunday night Rodriguez didn’t show for a ceremony at the World Series in Denver to commemorate the first annual Henry Aaron award, which signifies the AL and NL’s best hitters. While it looked like a bush league move at the time, now it appears that it was the right thing to do, since A-Rod’s appearance (and Heyman’s subsequent reportage) would’ve overshadowed the award and to an extent distracted some from the Series (Ken Rosenthal reported the news Sunday on the Fox broadcast in the eighth inning).A-Rod likely will now land with the Red Sox (those of you who think Frank McCourt has the huevos to make a financial commit like that haven’t checked his questionable real estate acumen). With A-Rod with the Sox, Mike Lowell should get a nice, fat deal from the Yanks, which is the club he came up with.