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MLB
Short Sheet
Tuesday, April 23
National League
St. Louis at Washington, 7:05 ET MLB
Wainwright: 7-1 Over vs. NL East opponents
Detwiler: 12-3 TSR pitching off a team loss
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Locke: Pittsburgh 29-11 Under in April
Hamels: 4-10 TSR at home pitchng off a team win
Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, 7:10 ET WGN
Villaneuva: Cubs 5-26 SU away off 3+ losses
Cingrani: Cincinnati 9-0 SU at home off 7+ home games
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, 7:10 ET
Kershaw: 42-16 TSR with a total of 7 runs or less
Niese: Mets 8-21 SU at home after scoring 2 runs or less
Atlanta at Colorado, 8:40 ET Game Two
Teheran: Colorado 6-2 SU away with a total of 10+ runs
Garland: 4-1 Over in April
Milwaukee at San Diego, 10:10 ET
Gallardo: Milwaukee 5-14 SU away off 4+ games allowing 4 runs or less
Richard: San Diego 15-6 SU at home vs. NL Central opponents
Arizona at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
Corbin: Arizona 5-1 SU off an Over
Cain: 18-5 Under after allowing 0 walks last start
American League
Oakland at Boston, 6:30 ET
Colon: Oakland 10-1 SU off BB Overs
Aceves: Boston 9-24 SU vs. AL West opponents
Kansas City at Detroit, 7:05 ET
Davis: Kansas City 18-9 SU on Tuesdays
Scherzer: Detroit 11-20 SU off 7+ road games
Toronto at Baltimore, 7:05 ET
Dickey: 15-5 TSR in the first half of the season
Gonzalez: Baltimore 26-9 Under after scoring and allowing 3 runs or less
NY Yankees at Tampa Bay, 7:10 ET MLB
Hughes: Yankees 32-12 SU off 4+ road games
Price: 9-15 TSR with a total of 7 runs or less
Seattle at Houston, 8:10 ET
McAllister: Cleveland 13-6 SU away in April
Quintana: White Sox 8-16 SU at home after losing 4 of their last 5 games
Seattle at Houston, 8:10 ET
Iwakuma: 9-3 TSR in night games
Norris: Houston 13-43 SU after losing 4 of their last 5 games
Texas at LA Angels, 10:05 ET
Ogando: Texas 30-11 SU in April
Vargas: Angels 2-9 SU in night games
Interleague
Miami at Minnesota, 2:10 ET Game One
Fernandez: Miami 0-7 SU in day games
Correia: 16-5 TSR as a home favorite of -125 to -175
Write-In Games:
Miami at Minnesota, 8:10 ET Game Two
Nolasco: Miami 2-8 SU as a road underdog
Pelfrey: 11-4 TSR at home with a total of 7 to 7.5 runs
Atlanta at Colorado, 3:10 ET Game One
Minor: 8-1 Under off BB stars allowing 2 ER's or less
Francis: 2-14 TSR in day games
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04-23-13 09:15 PM |
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Preview: Blue Jays (8-13) at Orioles (12-8)
Game: 3
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: April 24, 2013 12:35 PM EDT
After another big game from Manny Machado and their reliable bullpen, the Baltimore Orioles are on the verge of their first three-game sweep this season.
But with an inexperienced pitcher making his Orioles debut Wednesday, Baltimore may need to rely on that bullpen again as it hosts the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Orioles (12-8) have won five of six and nine of 13 after Tuesday's 4-3 victory, with all four runs coming in the second inning, including two on a two-out single from Machado. Miguel Gonzalez turned in the third quality start by a Baltimore pitcher over the last four games and three relievers behind him combined for three shutout innings. Closer Jim Johnson remained perfect in save opportunities, converting his eighth.
The bullpen has held opponents to two runs over its last 13 1-3 innings with 15 strikeouts, and Tuesday's victory was the Orioles' 100th straight in games they've held a lead after seven innings, going back to August 2011.
"Our bullpen hasn't failed us yet, knock on wood," said Machado, hitting .333 over his last six games with three doubles and seven RBIs. "They do a good job in holding the lead. Once the ninth inning comes, Jimmy comes out, and you know it's lights out because you know he's going to shut the door for us."
Another good relief performance could be necessary Wednesday as Josh Stinson makes his second career start. Claimed off waivers from Oakland on April 4, Stinson is 0-2 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 major league appearances. He'll be activated Wednesday after making two starts for Triple-A Norfolk.
While with the Brewers last October, Stinson yielded one run and three hits while walking two over four innings against San Diego in his first start.
"I'm very excited," the right-hander told the Orioles' official website. "Any time you get claimed, obviously the team sees something in you. And to be in the big leagues this fast, it is a great opportunity for me and I'm just going to try to take it and run with it."
The Blue Jays (8-13), meanwhile, have lost six of eight, with Edwin Encarnacion's three-run homer providing their scoring Tuesday. They hope Brandon Morrow (0-2, 5.57 ERA) can shake off his inconsistent start to the season as he gets the ball.
Morrow has alternated between good starts and subpar efforts, including his last outing as he gave up seven runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 9-4 loss to the Yankees on Friday. New York jumped on him for five of those runs in the first three innings.
"I fell behind early in the count the first few batters and wasn't locating my fastball well," said Morrow, who allowed two home runs.
Strikeouts have proven elusive for Morrow, who averages 9.5 per nine innings for his career but is at a personal-worst rate of 6.4 this year.
Morrow is 3-3 with a 4.58 ERA in nine starts against Baltimore, with outfielder Adam Jones going 11 for 28 (.393) with three home runs in their matchups.
Emilio Bonifacio is the only Blue Jay to face Stinson, singling in one at-bat. Bonifacio is 0 for 8 with four strikeouts over his last six games.
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04-24-13 03:37 PM |
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Preview: Cubs (6-13) at Reds (12-9)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: April 24, 2013 12:35 PM EDT
After losing for just the second time in nine games, the Cincinnati Reds are looking for Mat Latos to continue his recent positive performances against the Chicago Cubs.
Latos is also hoping that another strong start versus Chicago will help him earn his first win of the season in Wednesday's series finale.
Cody Ransom's stellar debut for Chicago (6-13) and Darwin Barney's solo homer in the 10th inning helped spoil Cincinnati's attempt at a fourth consecutive win Tuesday. Before Carlos Marmol recorded the Cubs' sixth blown save of the season, Ransom hit a solo shot of his own and made a couple of steady plays in the field in a 4-2 victory.
That snapped a four-game skid and a seven-game road losing streak.
"Our team needed that win," Barney said.
The Reds (12-9) will try to bounce back with help from Latos (0-0, 2.73 ERA), who is 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA in his last four matchups against Chicago.
The right-hander had his best performance of the season Friday, allowing one run over seven innings to Miami and striking out 10 in a 2-1 defeat.
"It's just frustrating that we got a loss," Latos said. "I did the best I could. ... I gave us a chance to win. It's one of those things."
Latos has traditionally labored in April, going 2-8 with a 4.92 ERA in 17 career starts. That's more than a run-and-a-half worse than his career 3.38 ERA.
Cincinnati's relievers have cost him chances to win two games this month and he was charged with three unearned runs in another start.
"I'm just glad he's throwing the ball well," manager Dusty Baker told the team's official website.
Latos will pitch opposite Jeff Samardzija, who has dropped three straight since winning on opening day. The right-hander gave up four runs in the first inning of Friday's 5-4 loss in Milwaukee before settling down to allow one over his final six frames.
"You have to get him early," the Brewers' Ryan Braun said of Samardzija. "You saw it tonight - once he settles in, he's as tough as anybody in baseball."
Samardzija (1-3, 3.38) has experienced different results in his two starts against Cincinnati, both at Great American Ball Park. He gave up four runs on three homers over five innings in a 5-3 loss Aug. 18 after yielding one run and three hits over 7 2-3 in a 3-1 victory May 2.
Chris Heisey, who hit a solo homer in Tuesday's loss, is 3 for 7 against Samardzija while Joey Votto, who had a tying single in the ninth, is 1 for 11 with three strikeouts.
David DeJesus is 3 for 4 with a double against Latos while Barney is 0 for 7 with four strikeouts.
The Cubs are trying to win back-to-back games for the first time since Sept. 12-14 and earn consecutive victories over the Reds for the first time since Sept. 7-12, 2011. Cincinnati has won 16 of 21 matchups.
Believe in the 3 G's
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04-24-13 03:40 PM |
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Preview: Cardinals (12-8) at Nationals (10-10)
Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: April 24, 2013 1:05 PM EDT
A controversial decision kept Stephen Strasburg from facing the St. Louis Cardinals in last year's playoffs.
The Washington Nationals' staff ace is now trying to avoid the longest slide of his career, but he's not entirely to blame.
Hindered by a lack of run support and sloppy defense, Strasburg tries to avoid a fourth straight loss and salvage a victory for the Nationals in Wednesday's series finale with the visiting Cardinals.
Washington (10-10) had an innings limit on Strasburg last year since it was his first full season returning from Tommy John surgery. That decision fueled national debate, with the Nationals unexpectedly leading the majors with 98 wins and claiming the NL East to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1981 as the Montreal Expos.
With the ace out, Washington exited the NL division series in five games at the hands of the Cardinals (12-8).
Strasburg (1-3, 2.96 ERA) got this year off to a strong start, allowing three hits in seven innings of a 2-0 win over Miami on April 1. Since then, however, the right-hander has matched a career high by losing three straight starts.
Over the last two games, Strasburg has done his part, with only two of the six runs allowed in 12 innings counting as earned. He's been backed by one run in each contest.
He pitched well enough to win his only meeting with St. Louis on Sept. 2, yielding two hits with nine strikeouts in six scoreless innings before the bullpen wasted his effort in a 4-3 home win.
The offense continues to be a problem for the Nationals, who try to avoid a six-game home losing streak for the first time since Sept. 7-20, 2010. They're batting .163 and have plated seven runs over that stretch, and rank toward the bottom of the NL with a .236 average on the season.
The Nationals were shut down by Adam Wainwright on Tuesday, managing five hits in a 2-0 loss to fall for the eighth time in 11 games.
"I'm usually pretty patient, but I'm getting at my rope's end," manager Davey Johnson said. "The effort's there, but we're just not getting it done. We've got the players to get it done. We're just not getting it done. It's time to get a little mad."
Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche, Ian Desmond, Anthony Rendon and Danny Espinosa - Washington's 2-4-5-6-7 hitters - are a combined 4 for 38 in this series.
Bryce Harper continues to be a bright spot, hitting .385 at home after getting two hits Tuesday. His only hit in three at_bats versus Jaime Garcia - the Cardinals' scheduled starter Wednesday - was a solo homer, but he fanned in both postseason matchups.
Garcia (1-1, 3.22) will try to help St. Louis complete the series sweep by rebounding from perhaps the worst start of his four-plus years in the majors.
The left-hander was tagged for a career-high eight runs - four earned - and nine hits in three innings of a rain-shortened 8-2 loss at Philadelphia on Friday. He had a 1.86 ERA over his first three starts.
"Next time, we expect to see the Jaime we have been seeing," manager Mike Matheny told the team's official website.
That certainly wasn't the case in Garcia's last start at Washington on Aug. 30, when he surrendered six runs and two homers in 5 1-3 innings of an 8-1 loss.
He faced the Nationals again in Game 2 of the NLDS, but a shoulder injury forced him to exit after two innings, allowing one run and three walks.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 03:41 PM |
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Preview: Indians (8-10) at White Sox (7-12)
Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: April 24, 2013 2:10 PM EDT
The Cleveland Indians are looking to match their longest winning streak from last season, and facing the slumping Chicago White Sox may be enough.
The Indians look to capitalize on another meeting with the White Sox as they try for a fourth straight victory Wednesday in the finale of a rain-shortened two-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.
Cleveland (8-10) went 68-94 last year, finishing ahead of only 66-96 Minnesota in the AL. A four-game winning streak was all the Indians could manage as a season high, and they reached that mark three times, most recently June 18-22.
They have a chance to equal that streak following a five-game slide.
Before Tuesday's matchup was postponed nearly four hours before the scheduled first pitch because of rain, Asdrubal Cabrera came through in the clutch in Monday's opener. He hit a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning to provide the difference in a 3-2 win, the Indians' third in four meetings with Chicago this season.
"I love those situations," said Cabrera, who sat out Sunday's 5-4 win over Houston after hurting his left wrist falling down the stairs of the dugout Saturday.
The shortstop is batting .156 - 120 points lower than his career average.
"Maybe this is the start hopefully of him getting hot," manager Terry Francona said, "because he's going to get really hot at some point."
Cabrera is 8 for 22 with three doubles and six RBIs over his past seven games at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox (7-12), losers of 10 of 13, have scored seven runs while batting .161 - including 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position - during a four-game slide.
They've also committed four errors in that stretch. Reliever Matt Thornton accounted for one Monday, when he wildly threw to second in an attempt to pick off Drew Stubbs, only to have him move to third before Cabrera's timely hit.
"You just keep shooting yourself in the foot," manager Robin Ventura said. "And until we clean it up, we're going to lose games. It's just that simple. It's not hard to figure out."
Chicago may not need much production at the plate with Ventura scheduled to turn to Jose Quintana (1-0, 2.55 ERA), who is trying to continue an impressive stretch with another dominant outing against the Indians.
The left-hander has tossed 13 2-3 scoreless innings over his last two starts, including last Wednesday's 7-0 win at Toronto. He scattered five hits with seven strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings, five days after being let down by the offense in a 1-0 loss at Cleveland.
Quintana held the Indians to one hit while striking out seven in seven innings, but he was on the opposite end of Justin Masterson's five-hitter.
Another meeting with the Indians may keep Quintana rolling since he's 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA in four matchups - two starts.
The Indians will counter with Zach McAllister (1-2, 3.12) as he tries to continue his success against the White Sox.
The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in four starts against them, winning 9-4 at home April 13. He yielded three runs - one earned - and five hits before leaving with one out in the seventh.
McAllister then gave up three runs and three walks while throwing 112 pitches in five innings of a 6-3 loss to Boston on Thursday.
He has held Paul Konerko to two singles in 12 at_bats and Adam Dunn has one hit - a homer - in 10 at_bats.
Dunn was hitless in four at_bats Monday, and is 1 for 36 with a solo homer and 16 strikeouts in his last 10 games.
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04-24-13 03:43 PM |
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Preview: Mariners (8-14) at Astros (6-14)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: April 24, 2013 2:10 PM EDT
Even a rare victory for the Houston Astros didn't come without bad news.
After losing an everyday player to injury in Tuesday's win over the Seattle Mariners, they'll turn to Lucas Harrell on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park as they seek only their second series win of the season.
Center fielder Justin Maxwell is out indefinitely for Houston (6-14) as he was placed on the disabled list following Tuesday's 3-2 win after being hit by a pitch in the third inning.
"I have to see the hand specialist tomorrow," said Maxwell, one of four Astros to start every game thus far. "But at least we got the win out of it.
Maxwell was hit with the bases loaded, so he can at least say he got credit for bringing home what turned out to be the winning run.
Bud Norris gave up a run in five innings, but it's been eight games since Houston has had a starter make it through six. The rotation has a 12.77 ERA in that stretch.
Harrell (1-2, 4.98 ERA), who didn't face the Mariners when Houston took two of three in Seattle earlier this month, has made it through 5 2-3 in his last two outings. He walked five and allowed five hits Friday against Cleveland, but gave up only two runs in a 3-2 victory.
The right-hander is walking 5.40 batters per nine innings, one of the majors' 10 worst rates.
"I was struggling to throw strikes again, it's just kind of been a trend right now,' Harrell said. "It's something I need to work on between starts and definitely focus on that."
Harrell may not exactly have his work cut out for him as he takes on a Seattle offense that has been anemic. Tuesday marked the sixth time in eight games the Mariners (8-14) were limited to two runs or fewer, and the team is batting .226 on the season.
Seattle is 6 for 37 (.162) with runners in scoring position as it's dropped four of five on this road trip.
"I do think we have guys heading in the right direction," manager Eric Wedge said. "That is obvious by the quality of the at_bats. Having said that, it's all about winning and losing, and we have to do a better job of finding a way to win ballgames."
Before returning home, the Mariners give the ball to Joe Saunders (1-2, 4.50), who has already stifled Houston once. He threw 6 1-3 shutout innings against the Astros on April 8, limiting them to one hit, but was shelled by the Rangers on Friday for seven runs on nine hits in 4 2-3 innings.
Walks also have been a serious issue for Saunders, who's 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA in three starts against the Astros. He's yielded 10 in 22 innings - including two in a six-run fifth against Texas.
Both offenses continue to see individual bright spots with Seattle's Kyle Seager and Houston's Marwin Gonzalez. Seager has hit safely in a career-best 12 games, going 17 for 45 (.378) in that span with seven doubles, two homers, and eight RBIs. Before that, he was 5 for 34 (.147) in nine games.
Gonzalez connected for a solo homer on Tuesday, his third this year in 45 at_bats. He totaled two all of last year in 205 ABs.
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04-24-13 03:45 PM |
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Preview: Braves (15-5) at Rockies (13-7)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: April 24, 2013 3:10 PM EDT
The Atlanta Braves seem to enjoy visiting Coors Field.
The same can't be said for Tim Hudson.
The Braves will try to continue pounding Colorado Rockies pitching and win a seven straight in Denver by completing a sweep of this three-game set Wednesday.
Atlanta (15-5) is batting .326 with 16 homers and 52 runs while winning six games in a row at Colorado.
The Braves continued to batter the Rockies (13-7) on Tuesday, connecting for three homers in a 4-3 win before hitting three more in a 10-2 victory to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Their 35 homers are seven more than any other team, with Colorado and the Yankees the closest competition at 28 apiece.
"This Atlanta team, you have to try to keep them in the yard. We had a tough time doing that (Tuesday)," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Six homers in two games. That is what they do if it's for a strike and they are locked in."
While the offense seems to enjoy the Mile High City, Hudson (2-1, 4.50 ERA) surely doesn't.
The right-hander is 0-2 with an 8.04 ERA in five starts there compared to winning all five of his home starts against Colorado behind a 1.49 ERA.
Getting his first win at Coors Field would also give him No. 200 for his career. He failed in his first attempt at the milestone Friday, getting tagged for a season-high six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings of a 6-0 loss at Pittsburgh.
Hudson had won his previous two outings with a 1.32 ERA.
He may get some help at the plate from Justin and B.J. Upton, who became the second set of brothers to homer in consecutive at_bats. Lloyd and Paul Waner of the Pirates did it on Sept. 15, 1938.
"It makes your lineup a lot better when you've got B.J. going and you've got Justin, too," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "For me, Justin is your No. 3 hitter and it doesn't matter who is on the mound that night."
Justin Upton leads the majors with 11 homers while batting .307 with 16 RBIs. The left fielder had a double and two homers in Tuesday's doubleheader.
He's also thrived at Coors, hitting .329 in 20 visits since 2011.
Perhaps B.J.'s nightcap homer will get him going. It was the elder Upton's only hit in nine at_bats Tuesday, and he's hitting .160 with 26 strikeouts in 75 at_bats.
The Rockies' three-game skid matches their longest of the season, and their rotation has a 7.53 ERA during this slide.
Tyler Chatwood will try to improve on that as he's expected to be recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs to replace Jhoulys Chacin, who is on the disabled list with a back strain.
Chatwood went 1-0 with a 1.84 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 14 2-3 innings over three starts in the minors. The right-hander was 5-6 with a 5.43 ERA and one save in 19 games - 12 starts - with Colorado last year.
"He's had some good outings here lately," Weiss told the team's official website. "He's a power arm. He's got good stuff. He's been throwing strikes down there. We look for him to give us a chance to win."
Chatwood is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts versus the Braves. He was pulled after three innings of the most recent outing Sept. 3, surrendering six runs with five walks in a 6-1 road loss.
Todd Helton may be back in the lineup after a forearm injury sidelined him for four games. The first baseman is 12 for 18 with five doubles and a homer versus Hudson.
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04-24-13 03:47 PM |
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Preview: Diamondbacks (11-9) at Giants (13-8)
Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: April 24, 2013 3:45 PM EDT
Although inconsistent this season, facing the San Francisco Giants typically brings out the best in Arizona's Ian Kennedy.
The Giants' Madison Bumgarner is off to a strong start but routinely struggles against the Diamondbacks.
While Kennedy will try for a sixth straight win over San Francisco, Bumgarner will seek to stay unbeaten and end his recent woes against visiting Arizona in Wednesday's series finale.
Since winning in the Diamondbacks' season opener, Kennedy (1-2, 5.47 ERA) has gone 0-2 with a 6.62 ERA in three starts. He put together a decent outing Friday in Colorado, allowing three runs and three hits over six innings, but didn't get much help in a 3-1 defeat.
"He was fine," manager Kirk Gibson said. "We didn't give him any run support."
The right-hander would appear to have a good chance to get back in the win column considering he's 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA in eight starts against the Giants (13-8) since 2011. It's his best ERA against any team he has faced more than three times in that span.
Bumgarner (3-0, 2.05) had a 6.61 ERA in losing his three starts to Arizona last season, and his 5.59 ERA versus the Diamondbacks since 2011 is his worst against any team he has faced more than once.
The left-hander, though, hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of four outings this season. He struck out a season-high 10 in Friday's 3-2 walkoff win over San Diego.
"He left a couple of pitches up in the first inning but he pitched great," manager Bruce Bochy said. "You can't say enough about the job he did. Bum did a terrific job. He had great stuff."
The Giants are hoping Bumgarner can help them bounce back after they blew a chance to complete another comeback win. Buster Posey and Brandon Belt drove in a combined three runs in the final two innings in Monday's series opener, a 5-4 victory, and Belt hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth on Tuesday.
Arizona, though, took advantage of an error and a wild pitch in the 11th en route to a 6-4 victory that snapped the Giants' seven-game home win streak and a string of four straight overall victories.
Paul Goldschmidt helped the Diamondbacks (11-9) end those runs with a homer and a season-high three RBIs. He was 2 for 12 with one RBI in his previous four games.
"We made some good plays when we had to and they made a couple mistakes and we capitalized on that," Gibson said. "We played a clean game, made good plays. We've been good at that all year."
Gerardo Parra, who had an RBI double in the 11th on Tuesday, is 0 for 10 with five strikeouts all-time against Bumgarner.
Belt is 2 for 13 (.154) with eight strikeouts against Kennedy while Marco Scutaro (4 for 10) and Posey (8 for 23) have been a little more successful.
Believe in the 3 G's
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04-24-13 03:48 PM |
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Preview: Athletics (13-8) at Red Sox (13-7)
Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: April 24, 2013 4:05 PM EDT
After finally recording a win on their road trip, the Oakland Athletics hope Brett Anderson is healthy enough to help them take the series from Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox.
While Anderson looks to avoid a third straight rough start, Lester tries to remain undefeated in Wednesday's series finale.
After Oakland (13-8) scored four runs while being swept in a three-game set at Tampa Bay and lost 9-6 at Boston on Monday, Seth Smith homered and Bartolo Colon pitched seven solid innings during a rain-shortened, 13-0, seven-inning rout Tuesday.
The A's took advantage of eight walks, two balks and two errors by the Red Sox (13-7) to post a much-needed victory. John Jaso and Brandon Moss each had three hits with two RBIs for Oakland, which has scored a major league-leading 119 runs.
Boston, meanwhile, has dropped three of four after it won seven in a row.
"The weather conditions weren't ideal, but to say that it was a major distraction, I don't know that we can go that far. We see what Bartolo did against us," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
Former Boston outfielder Coco Crisp added two hits with two RBIs after going 1 for 10 in three contests following a 12-game hitting streak.
Looking for a 10th win in 11 games versus Boston, the A's will try to get the best of Lester (3-0, 1.73 ERA).
The left-hander has not allowed a homer and struck out 23 in 26 innings in four starts. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings of a 6-3 win at Cleveland on Thursday.
"Lester has a lot of ways to attack hitters," his former manager and current Cleveland skipper Terry Francona told the Red Sox's official website. "Whether it's depth on his two-seamer or life on the fastball, and then he's got that cutter. And he threw an occasional breaking ball. He has a lot of ways of opening up the plate."
Lester is 3-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 10 starts versus Oakland, which hopes Anderson (1-3, 5.95) can get back on track after two straight rough outings and improve on his 5-2 mark and 2.70 ERA in eight starts against the Red Sox.
The left-hander yielded two runs in each of his first two starts but allowed 11 and walked five while striking out three in 6 2-3 innings to lose his last two. He gave up four runs in the first inning of an 8-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Friday before leaving with a sprained ankle.
Anderson, however, appears healthy to return to the mound Wednesday.
"I can obviously feel it a little bit when running," Anderson told the Athletics' official website. "Other than that, it feels good."
Batting .308 (4 for 13) with a double against Anderson, David Ortiz had one of Boston's three hits off Colon. Ortiz is 6 for 12 in three games since starting the season on the disabled list with an Achilles injury.
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04-24-13 03:50 PM |
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Preview: Royals (10-7) at Tigers (9-9)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: April 24, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
The Kansas City Royals are in an unfamiliar position atop the AL Central and hope to make a big statement against the two-time defending division champions.
That may be difficult in a place that has given them fits lately, though the Detroit Tigers are hardly playing well.
Wade Davis will try to help the Royals end their seven-game skid in Detroit in the opener of this rain-shortened series Wednesday night when he opposes Max Scherzer, whose Tigers look to avoid a fifth straight loss.
Kansas City (10-7), which hasn't won a division title since 1985, had dropped four of six before coming through with a doubleheader sweep in Boston on Sunday. Following a 4-2 victory in the opener, Billy Butler hit a game-tying homer in the eighth inning and Lorenzo Cain walked with the bases loaded in the 10th of a 5-4 win in the second game.
That was the last time the Royals played. With three scheduled days off and rain Tuesday providing a second postponement since Friday, Kansas City has been off five of the past nine days.
"It feels almost like getting at_bats for the first time in spring again," Butler said. "Except these ones count. I'm sure in their own respect it's affecting the pitchers, too."
Butler's team didn't have many good at_bats in losing its final seven games at Comerica Park last season, hitting .216 with seven walks and 67 strikeouts. Kansas City has lost 12 of 15 in Detroit and now looks to avoid its longest losing streak there since dropping 14 straight between 1987 and 1990.
The Tigers went 13-5 against the Royals last season but enter this three-game set having lost four straight. They've scored six runs in 54 innings over their last five games while batting .191, having suffered a three-game sweep to the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend.
"We have no excuses," said right fielder Torii Hunter, who was hitting .418 before going 1 for 7 in the last two games.
Hunter is 3 for 7 with two doubles against Davis (2-0, 2.25), but the right-hander enters this matchup having thrown 12 scoreless innings over his last two outings while striking out 13.
Scherzer (1-0, 2.84) also is coming off a pair of impressive starts, with 23 strikeouts over 14 innings as he limited Oakland and Seattle to two earned runs.
Scherzer is 12-2 with a 2.58 ERA in his last 23 starts - including the 2012 playoffs - and went 2-0 in three starts against the Royals last season as he gave up four runs over 17 innings.
Should the Tigers (9-9) wind up in a situation where they need a save Wednesday, they'll turn to a familiar face. Detroit on Tuesday agreed to a one-year contract with Jose Valverde, who saved 84 games for the Tigers over the past two seasons.
Detroit was ready to let Valverde leave as a free agent after his poor postseason, but he never signed elsewhere and the Tigers brought him back on a minor league deal. Valverde pitched three scoreless innings at Class-A Lakeland.
Detroit may not need Valverde, whom manager Jim Leyland said would start closing immediately, if Davis pitches like he did in his first career start at Comerica. Davis surrendered home runs to Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila and gave up five runs over six innings while not receiving a decision in a 7-6 loss for Tampa Bay in 2011.
Cabrera and Avila are a combined 4 for 17 against Davis, but each hit was a homer.
Victor Martinez has gone 1 for 9 against him while Austin Jackson is 1 for 8, and that duo is a combined 1 for 33 during Detroit's four-game skid.
Catcher Salvador Perez is 5 for 7 with a double and two homers versus Scherzer while Alex Gordon has gone 7 for 18.
Believe in the 3 G's
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04-24-13 03:52 PM |
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Preview: Pirates (11-9) at Phillies (9-12)
Game: 3
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: April 24, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
Following a rough start to the year, Roy Halladay appears to have recaptured his Cy Young form.
That shouldn't come as much of a surprise to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Halladay takes the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies looking to continue his dominance of the Pirates as these clubs play the third of four Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
After compiling an uncharacteristic 14.73 ERA in losing his first two starts, Halladay (2-2, 6.04 ERA) has posted a 1.80 ERA and limited opponents to a .143 average in recording back-to-back wins. The two-time Cy Young award winner gave up two hits - both solo homers - and went the distance in Friday's rain-shortened 8-2, seven-inning victory over St. Louis.
"Today was as close as I've felt to where I want to be. When I stay within myself and execute the mechanics the way they should be done, I feel good where I'm at," he said.
"I always felt I was going in the right direction. Once I got a chance to pitch deeper in games, do more bullpens, I felt I was able to take some of that over into the game."
Halladay has to like his chances of keeping things going versus Pittsburgh (11-9). The right-hander, who's won three consecutive starts in the series, has gone 4-1 over six career matchups against the Pirates while compiling a 0.98 ERA - his lowest mark against any opponent.
He's made things difficult on several of their hitters, including Andrew McCutchen (1 for 10), Neil Walker (1 for 9), Clint Barmes (0 for 8) and Pedro Alvarez (0 for 5).
Halladay, though, could find himself in a pitchers' duel with Wandy Rodriguez (2-0, 0.56). Scratched from his previous start due to a strained hamstring, Rodriguez faced the minimum while throwing seven innings of one-hit ball Friday in a 6-0 win over Atlanta.
"When you see a guy twirling like he did today, there's not any team that's going to put up much against him," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It wasn't just the strikes but the location of the strikes. It was like he was throwing darts.
"I don't know if we can afford to throw him every 11th day, but that was pretty special."
The left-hander is 2-2 with a 4.70 ERA against the Phillies (9-12).
After dropping Monday's series opener 3-2, Pittsburgh bounced back with a 2-0 win the following night. Jeff Locke threw six strong innings and Gaby Sanchez hit his second homer.
The Pirates opened 1-5 but have since won 10 of 14, including four of their last five while allowing six total runs.
Pittsburgh catcher Russell Martin extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single Tuesday. He's batting .444 with two homers and six runs scored over that stretch.
McCutchen, though, hasn't been very locked in of late. He's hitless in eight at_bats in the series and is batting .120 in his last seven road games. McCutchen is a career .193 hitter in Philadelphia.
The Phillies, who went 26 for 62 (.419) with runners in scoring position over their first eight home games, have since gone 5 for 34 (.147), including Tuesday's 0-for-5 effort.
"I think they're trying, maybe a little bit too hard," manager Charlie Manuel said. "But you have to get it done. ... We have to improve our game."
Cleanup hitter Ryan Howard left two runners on base Tuesday, and has one RBI in his last 11 games. He is 4 for 12 with a homer lifetime against Rodriguez.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 03:53 PM |
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Preview: Dodgers (9-10) at Mets (9-9)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: April 24, 2013 7:10 PM EDT
At just 24 years old, the New York Mets' Matt Harvey has taken the game by storm in his first full season in the majors.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, are counting on veteran Ted Lilly to give their injury-plagued rotation a much-needed lift.
Looking to become the first Met to win his first five starts in seven years, Harvey takes the mound opposite Lilly, who's set to make his season debut Wednesday night when these clubs continue a three-game series at Citi Field.
Harvey (4-0, 0.93 ERA) has been lights out thus far, striking out 32 over 29 innings while limiting opponents to a .108 average. He is the first pitcher in baseball's modern era to win his first four starts while yielding a combined 10 hits or fewer.
The right-hander gave up one run, four hits and struck out seven in as many innings Friday in a 7-1 win over Washington.
"There's going to be a lot of years you're going to talk about this guy," manager Terry Collins said. "He pitched great, but that's the mark of a true ace. Games like that can spread to great seasons."
Harvey, who walked off to a standing ovation after outpitching Stephen Strasburg, improved to 2-2 with a 1.42 ERA over six career home starts.
"He functions on such a high octane already," catcher John Buck told MLB's official website. "To be honest, I really don't think he cares who he's facing."
Harvey has a chance to become the first Met to win his first five starts since Pedro Martinez in 2006. He'll try to get the best of Lilly, who's eager to get back on the hill for the first time since May 23 after recovering from shoulder surgery.
The left-hander, entering his 15th season, will help fill in for the injured Zack Greinke and Chris Capuano.
"I spent plenty of time on the DL last year and I can't wait to get off it," he said. "Unfortunately, to be completely frank, the last thing we needed was something like what happened to Greinke and Cappy going down. I hope they get back as soon as possible."
Lilly's contributions will prove all the more crucial with Chad Billingsley now out, too. Billingsley is set to undergo Tommy John surgery Wednesday.
"We're still in good order," manager Don Mattingly said. "We'll end up with five guys that are accomplished starters (Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Josh Beckett, Lilly and Capuano) and Greinke on top of that. Nobody wants to hear our complaints. A lot of teams would like to have five accomplished major league starters."
Lilly is 2-2 with a 3.72 ERA over six starts versus New York (9-9). He can't be looking forward to facing Marlon Byrd, who's gone 8 for 17 with a homer in their matchups.
After managing 13 runs over a six-game losing streak, Los Angeles (9-10) has scored seven in each of its last two contests, winning both. Mark Ellis did most of the damage in Tuesday's 7-2 series-opening victory, going 4 for 5 with a pair of homers and four RBIs.
"We've been lacking some big hits lately," he said. "We haven't done a great job early on this season."
Matt Kemp, who went 2 for 5 with a double, is a career .370 hitter (20 for 54) at Citi Field.
The Dodgers have outscored the Mets 38-19 during a five-game winning streak. Los Angeles has also won five straight in New York.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 03:55 PM |
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Preview: Yankees (11-8) at Rays (9-11)
Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: April 24, 2013 7:10 PM EDT
After feeling fine following his most recent outing, Andy Pettitte will try to win his first four starts for the first time during a successful and lengthy major league career.
The New York Yankees left-hander hopes to achieve that feat while continuing his success against the Tampa Bay Rays in Wednesday night's decisive series finale.
Pettitte (3-0, 2.01 ERA) has started 4-0 twice in his previous 17 seasons (1997, 2010), but never through the first four starts. He's in position to do so after allowing three runs in 7 1-3 innings of a 9-4 win at Toronto on Friday.
"Andy is remarkable,' teammate Vernon Wells said of Pettitte, who turns 41 in June. "I've had a chance to see him for a long time and he's the same guy he was 10, 12 years ago. It's fun to watch and it's a pleasure to watch an individual that's been around this long and still continues to have success.'
Pettitte had missed his previous turn in the rotation due to back spasms, but manager Joe Girardi said Pettitte felt fine after beating the Blue Jays.
"Normal soreness, so everything is OK," Girardi told the Yankees' official website Saturday. "You want to see how the back responds after the workload, and it came out OK, so I'm pleased."
Pettitte dominated the Rays (9-11) in his lone chance last season, allowing two hits and striking out 10 over 7 1-3 innings in a 7-0 home win June 5.
He'll look to help the Yankees (11-8) win this series after a 4-3 victory on Tuesday. Ichiro Suzuki had two hits, including a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth as New York improved to 3-2 on a six-game trip.
"I haven't been able to do much, but hopefully things like this will help me get past it,' said the 39-year-old Suzuki, who is hitting .220 with a homer and five RBIs.
Robinson Cano added two hits, and is batting .423 (11 for 26) in the last six games. He's batted .387 (12 for 31) in his last eight at Tropicana Field.
Both hits in nine at_bats against scheduled Rays starter Alex Cobb (2-1, 2.53) have been home runs.
The right-hander allowed three runs and overcame 10 hits to last 7 1-3 innings for an 8-3 win over Oakland on Friday.
"He was more workmanlike (Friday), and that's a great thing," manager Joe Maddon told the Rays' official website.
He is 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts against the Yankees.
Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak ended Tuesday, but Maddon again plans to keep things lose in the clubhouse Wednesday as he did through the first five games of the homestand. He had a DJ play music, a magician do card tricks and Tuesday a cockatoo made an appearance.
"Snakes are out,' Maddon said. "I will not be in the clubhouse with a snake. Regardless of what people say, I'm not on board with that.'
Teammate Evan Longoria has reached base in all 20 games after homering Tuesday. Half of his 10 hits in 39 at_bats during a 10-game hitting streak have left the park.
He is 2 for 18 with a double and a home run versus Pettitte.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 03:57 PM |
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Preview: Rangers (13-7) at Angels (8-11)
Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: April 24, 2013 10:05 PM EDT
After the Los Angeles Angels were the victims of late-inning heroics Monday, they appeared to be set for a similar ending Tuesday.
Instead, they'll have a chance to win this three-game series - though the pitching matchup hardly seems to be in their favor.
Yu Darvish looks to continue his impressive start for visiting Texas on Wednesday night while the Angels turn to fill-in rookie starter Michael Roth in what looks to be a tough spot.
A day after Ernesto Frieri surrendered the go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth to A.J. Pierzynski in a 7-6 Rangers win, Texas (13-7) tied the score at 4-all Tuesday with an unearned run in the eighth. Frieri almost suffered a similar fate as Mike Trout - with a Texas runner on third in the ninth - took what would have been extra bases away from Adrian Beltre as he laid out for a diving catch on the warning track.
Howie Kendrick delivered the deciding blow with his second home run of the night in the bottom of the 11th to give the Angels a 5-4 win.
"It's a great feeling to know that you can leave the other team on the field," Kendrick said two days after Mark Trumbo hit a walk-off homer to beat Detroit in 13 innings. "But to get the victory is the most important thing."
Kendrick and the rest of the order now will have to contend with Darvish (3-1, 2.03 ERA), who has struck out 38 in 26 2-3 innings over his four starts. He surrendered season highs of six hits and four walks - resulting in three runs - over five innings against the Angels (8-11) on April 7 in a 7-3 win.
Darvish is coming off his 10th career 10-strikeout game as he threw seven shutout innings against the Mariners on Friday.
While he still could stand to be more efficient - Darvish needed 111 pitches against Seattle - manager Ron Washington won't complain if the wins continue to pile up.
"He's been asserting himself for quite a while now - even when he felt that maybe he wasn't performing the way he should, the results were still being gotten," Washington told the team's official website. "That's what good pitchers do."
The Angels counter with Roth (1-0, 3.60), who will make his first career start. The left-hander is filling in for Tommy Hanson, who was placed on the bereavement list Monday following a death in his family.
Roth is just two days removed from being charged with a run without recording an out in Monday's series opener. The 23-year-old gave up a single to Lance Berkman, the only batter he faced in his fourth relief appearance this season.
"My arm feels good," Roth told the Angels' official website. "I haven't thrown out of the 'pen on back-to-back days yet. I think I'll be all right."
Darvish was just fine in Anaheim last season, going 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA and fanning 27 in 21 1-3 innings.
Mike Trout is one of the few Angels to have had some success against Darvish, going 6 for 19 with two homers and five walks.
Kendrick is 0 for 12 with five strikeouts.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 03:58 PM |
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Preview: Brewers (11-8) at Padres (5-15)
Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: April 24, 2013 10:10 PM EDT
The Milwaukee Brewers continue to roll and aren't showing any signs of slowing down.
The slumping San Diego Padres are surely glad to see them leaving town.
Seeking a 10th consecutive win, the Brewers try to sweep the Padres for the first time in 10 seasons Wednesday night.
After winning 7-1 in Monday's series opener, Milwaukee (11-8) jumped all over San Diego starter Clayton Richard, tagging him for six runs over the first two innings of Tuesday's 6-3 victory.
"The Brewers had good at_bats against Clayton," Padres manager Bud Black said. "They had a lot of opposite field hits and they were taking what he was giving them."
Jean Segura had a career high-tying three hits while Jonathan Lucroy and Yuniesky Betancourt both drove in a pair of runs. Ryan Braun, who had homered four times over the previous five days, went 0 for 4 but plated his 14th RBI during the winning streak.
The Brewers, who haven't won 10 in a row since Aug. 19-28, 2003, haven't swept the Padres since taking three straight matchups earlier that same year - May 19-21. Their last sweep in San Diego came May 31-June 2, 2002.
The Padres (5-15), meanwhile, find themselves on the verge of dropping eight straight home games for the first time since a nine-game slide June 21-July 7, 2008.
San Diego has also been handed five consecutive losses overall by a 23-6 margin. The Padres are batting .201 over that stretch, including a 4-for-26 effort with runners in scoring position.
Yonder Alonso has just two hits in his last 21 at_bats. Chase Headley has also struggled, going 4 for 21 over six games since debuting last Wednesday.
The Padres will try to get back on track against Marco Estrada (2-0, 4.50 ERA), who allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings Friday in a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
"It felt like my mechanics were just a little off," he told MLB's official website. "By the fifth or the sixth, they were back and I felt much better. It was a grind. Mentally, physically, it was a grind."
While he's yet to lose this season, Estrada continues to be plagued by the long ball. The right-hander, who's been taken deep six times over four outings spanning 24 innings, has given up 1.4 homers per nine innings over 27 starts since the beginning of last year.
Estrada is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA over three relief appearances versus San Diego.
The Padres counter with Edinson Volquez (0-3, 8.84), who had dropped his first three starts before coming around in Friday's 3-2 walkoff loss at San Francisco. The right-hander allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings.
"I think I've got a better tempo now, a better rhythm between pitches," he said. "I'm trying to keep the ball down and throw more strikes."
Volquez is 0-2 with a 5.84 ERA over his last four matchups against the Brewers. Rickie Weeks has taken him deep twice, going 6 for 14 in their matchups. Braun has also fared well, going 9 for 25 with a homer. Lucroy, though, is just 1 for 10.
Volquez will need to keep a close eye on Segura, who's stolen a base in five straight games. The speedy shortstop is batting .377 on the season.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 04:00 PM |
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Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack
-- In two losses to the Knicks this week, Celtics have a total of 48 second half points. 48 points in 48:00, not good.
-- Tampa Bay Rays are 0-5 in David Price's starts, 9-6 in all other games, which makes very little sense.
-- Former Boise State/Colorado coach Dan Hawkins is the new coach of the Montreal Alouettes, replacing Marc Trestman, new coach of the Bears.
-- Mark Ellis homered twice, the 100th/101st of his career, as Dodgers beat the Mets 7-2.
-- Charlotte Bobcats are owned and managed by incompetents; next year will be their sixth coach in seven years. Fellas, its not the coach. A college team would be wise to hire Mike Dunlap.
-- Good late night action Tuesday, as games in San Francisco/Anaheim got to extra innings. Howie Kendrick's walk-off homer beat Texas. Arizona got its win at SF when Giants' defense fell apart in 11th inning.
*****
Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud..........
13) New Jersey Jets have the 9th/13th picks in Thursday’s draft, first NFL team since 2000 to have two picks in the top 13; lot of negativity surrounding Gang Green right now, curious to see how they draft this week.
12) Speaking of the Jets, former Jet/new Buccaneer CB Darrelle Revis threw out the first ball at the Rays-Bronx game Monday night; his presence didn’t help attendance. Only 15,331 at The Trop for a quality Sabathia-Moore pitching matchup, 17,544 for Tuesday's game.
11) NFL Network had an interesting piece with USC QB Matt Barkley showing off the USC football facility; amazing how nice it is, especially the lobby area. Obviously designed to impress recruits, one word came to mind; excess. But Trojans recruit well, they know how to play that game well, so the lobby must be an effective tool.
10) Speaking of Barkley, betting over/under on where he gets drafted is 33.5. QB-needy Jacksonville has the 33rd pick.
9) Good news for Central Florida’s football team, which had its NCAA violations overturned by whatever committee does such things.
I’ve lost track, but I think UCF is headed to the new AAC, which is really the old Conference USA, plus Cincinnati/UConn/Temple.
8) Interesting article in USA Today about what it takes to fire a coach; Southern Mississippi went 0-12 with a first-year head coach LY after 16 straight winning seasons, and they wound up selling a home game to Nebraska for $2.1M to raise money to buy his contract out.
Wish someone would give me a couple million to go away.
7) Speaking of going away, big blow to Kansas State’s basketball team, with PG Angel Rodriguez leaving the program, supposedly to be closer to his family. He says it has nothing to do with the coaches, the team or the school, but if he winds up at South Carolina with former K-State coach Frank Martin, you’ll know that was a bunch of bunk.
Bruce Weber is now going to have to pull a point guard out of a rabbit’s hat, or else. Bad time to lose a solid PG with two years left to play, but obviously, there is no good time for that.
6) Stanford is beefing up its basketball schedule; they’ve got home/home with UConn coming up, and are coming to Brooklyn to play Michigan next year. Johnny Dawkins has a veteran team next year, and this aggressive scheduling shows that he thinks he has a very good team.
5) Its painful watching Albert Pujols run; he has plantar fasciitis, same thing Joakim Noah has, and its painful as hell. Not sure how his feet get better, other than rest.
4) I’m in a 16-team, 25-man team keeper league in fantasy baseball; Ichiro Suzuki got released this week and hasn’t been picked up, which could indicate his career is just about shot. I mean, there are kids in Class A ball on rosters in our league. Very few starting OFs are free agents. Ichiro has had a great career, for sure, but it might be over soon.
3) If Montreal-Toronto square off in the NHL playoffs, it would be the first time since 1979, and it would be a very big deal in Canada.
2) I just got an e-mail asking if I wanted tickets for a Denver-Clipper NBA preseason game next October at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. I have no clue what I’m doing after work today, much less six months from now.
It is something to think about, though.
1) Three most expensive tickets so far for the ’13 season at NFL Ticket Exchange: Broncos @ Colts, Giants @ Dallas, Giants @ Bears.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-24-13 04:03 PM |
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