Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Reds 5, Braves 1
ATLANTA — Mike Leake returned from the minors to give Cincinnati its first win by a starter since May 16. The right-hander allowed one run, seven hits and three walks in six innings. The Braves loaded the bases with two out in the eighth, but Nick Massett got Alex Gonzalez to ground out.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
James Murphy, ESPN.com Boston:
"In his first Stanley Cup playoffs, Nathan Horton has become the equivalent of Mr. October in baseball. After Friday night, he is officially Mr. Clutch. Horton scored the series-winner in overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens, and in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, Horton delivered again."
Scott Cullen, TSN:
"With home ice in Game 7, the Bruins had last change and did a terrific job getting (defensemen) Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg out against Vinny Lecavalier virtually for every shift… limiting Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos to a total of four shots on goal."
Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe:
"Steven Stamkos went to the dressing room after taking a Johnny Boychuk slap shot in the face. It was the type of injury that would sideline your average baseball player for a season and a half. Stamkos was back on the ice five minutes later, wearing a full cage. Another reason why we love hockey."
Sean Gordon, Toronto Globe and Mail:
"The line of (Milan) Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton needed a while to take flight in the postseason. But with their dominant Game 7 and Horton's winning goal in a thrilling, hotly contested game that would end 1-0, they are soaring now."
James O'Brien, Pro Hockey Talk:
"The Bruins dominated most — if not all — of this contest, but there was almost a sense that Dwayne Roloson's amazing goaltending would allow the Lightning to pull off a "rope a dope." That didn't happen, but Roloson made huge saves, including a breakaway stop against Milan Lucic and a nice two-on-one stop against Brad Marchand. Something tells me Roloson will get the chance to continue his NHL career in 2011-12 … if he chooses."
Shane O'Brien, Predators (and former Lightning) defenseman, via Twitter:
"Congrats to the boys in Tampa. What a run. Tons of character in that room. They will be back."
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Royals 12, Rangers 7
14 innings
ARLINGTON, Texas — Melky Cabrera, Eric Hosmer and Brayan Pena homered in the 14th for the Royals.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Dodgers 3, Marlins 2
LOS ANGELES — Pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro singled against a five-man infield with the bases loaded in the ninth to lift the Dodgers. Casey Blake started the rally with a single. Andre Ethier followed with a single, and Blake went to third when Mike Stanton mishandled the ball for an error. Matt Kemp was intentionally walked, setting the stage for the former Rays catcher.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Mariners 4, Yankees 3
SEATTLE — Ichiro Suzuki and Brendan Ryan hit run-scoring grounders during the sixth for the Mariners. Seattle, which scored all of its runs on groundouts, rallied from a three-run deficit to win for the ninth time in 11 games and get back to .500 for the first time since April 4. Yankees starter A.J. Burnett labored through five innings but gave up just two runs and seemed poised to break a five-game road losing streak.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Athletics 6, Orioles 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Ryan Sweeney hit a tiebreaking single as part of a three-run sixth for Oakland. Sweeney also doubled and scored twice while Oakland matched its season high by turning four double plays. Josh Willingham added a homer and drove in two runs. Vladimir Guerrero singled to extend his hitting streak to 12 games for Baltimore, which saw its five-game win streak end.
Times staff
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Outside the Lines: 9 a.m. on ESPN. An in-depth look at the pros and cons of 7-on-7 football.
Baseball Tonight: 7 p.m. on ESPN. Coming live from Atlanta, site of the Reds-Braves game, which airs at 8 on ESPN.
Plays of the Week: 9 p.m. on MLB Network. A look back at the best plays in the majors over the past seven days.
By Dave Mistretta, Times Correspondent
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Busy days offshore: We have had success fishing offshore lately. A variety of fish has been available at different times. We started to produce some keeper red grouper in depths of 90-plus feet. Lots of undersized fish are ready to eat immediately after baits hit the bottom. After a few minutes of nonstop action from juveniles, the bigger fish move in. We were able to snag one or two keepers from each of our stops on our last trip. A few kingfish were caught while bottom fishing, so don't hesitate to toss a free-line bait off the back. Blackfin tuna, bonito, sharks and cobia have added to our grouper collection, making for some interesting days of fishing.
Spinner sharks: Large spinner sharks seem to be present wherever bonito show up. Filleting the bonito and tossing them off the back is sure to get a spinner's attention. They're quite active once hooked, leaping from the water and spinning like a top. This wild aerial display can be exciting. As far as table-fare goes, I recommend letting them go. Their fillets are not that good to eat. Plus most of the female sharks are pregnant with six to eight pups. We've hooked probably 50 spinner sharks this week for clients desiring a big fish. The anglers weren't disappointed by the tussle these brawny sharks deliver.
Unusual baitfish: Flying fish seem to be everywhere, from 100 feet and deeper. These interesting fish lure many pelagic game fish to us, so don't be surprised if a big wahoo or tuna shows up in their vicinity.
Dave Mistretta captains the Jaws Too out of Indian Rocks Beach and can be reached at jawstoo@msn.com, jawstoo.com or (727) 439-2628
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The poll
How do you feel about interleague play in baseball?
181 votes
Another poll
If Sam Fuld is Superman, what superhero should Matt Joyce be?
346 votes The Punisher Batman
Thor
Mr. Fantastic
Get rid of it
Keep it the way it is
Reduce it
Expand it
53%
22%
13%
12%
30%
20%
15%
15%
Juggernaut Wonder Man Power Man Havok
9%
5%
4%
2%
This week's question
Who will win the Stanley Cup final? Vote at sports.tampabay.com.
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Seems as if the Heat already believes it has won the NBA title. With the big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh blasting their way through the 76ers, Celtics and Bulls, the Heat and its faithful act as if beating the Mavericks in the Finals, which begin Tuesday in Miami, is a foregone conclusion. But not so fast. Sure, the Heat is the heavy favorite to knock off Dallas, but the Mavs should not be counted out until games are actually played. Here are five reasons why the Mavs could give the Heat fits and pull off the upset.
The Mavs played the Heat twice during the regular season and won both times.
The Mavs beat the Heat 106-95 in Dallas on Nov. 27, then won 98-96 in Miami on Dec. 20. While many would argue the Heat is a much better team now than it was early in the season, it should be noted that the Heat did not lose a game between its two against the Mavs. After losing at Dallas, the Heat reeled off 12 victories in a row until that streak was snapped with the loss to the Mavs on Dec. 20. After that loss, Miami won nine in a row.
So adding it all up, the Heat went 22-2 from Nov. 26 to Jan. 9 and both losses were to Dallas. Plus, this is a Mavs team that swept the defending champion Lakers in four games in the West semifinals, proving it isn't intimidated by the other team's jerseys.
Two words: Dirk Nowitzki.
The 13-year veteran has been dominant this postseason, averaging 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Only once in these playoffs has he been held to fewer than 20 points, and he has scored 30 or more five times. He's shooting 51 percent from the field, including nearly 56 percent in the West final against the Thunder. And he's 130-of-140 from the free-throw line. All remarkable numbers made even more impressive by the fact he can fill it up from the outside and he's 7 feet tall.
Because of his height, toughness driving to the hoop and ability to create his own shot, he creates serious matchup problems for the Heat. Chris Bosh likely will be assigned to guard him, but Nowitzki averaged 24 points in the two victories against Bosh and the Heat. Plus, Nowitzki causes foul problems for whoever is guarding him. He has averaged nearly 27 points in his past 11 games against the Heat.
"The main thing, first and foremost, when talking about defending the Dallas Mavericks, (Heat coach) Erik Spoelstra has got to decide who his initial defender is going to be on Dirk Nowitzki,'' ABC analyst Mark Jackson said. "Who is the secondary and the third option going to be defending him, how you're going to defend him, whether you're going to double, and if and when you do double, forcing the ball out of his hands, how you're going to rotate to their shooters? So it's going to be crucial to contain Dirk Nowitzki and make life tough for him.''
Dallas is deeper than Miami and extremely poised.
The Heat has been running an eight-man rotation in the playoffs and isn't really getting much from its bench. Of course, when you have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, you don't need much of a bench. But consider this: When these teams last met, James, Wade and Bosh had at least 22 points, but no one else was in double digits as the Mavs won. And during the grind of the playoffs, it's never a bad thing to have more options coming off the bench than the other team. Led by J.J. Barea and Jason Terry, left, the Mavs have one of the deepest teams in the league.
"I think the most impressive thing is how they have incredible poise,'' ABC analyst Mark Jackson said. "They've stayed calm in the face of tough runs. They totally believe in their system and in each other, and they find ways to win ball games. I think, ultimately, when you're talking about great basketball teams, you're talking about teams that in spite of not playing their best, taking their game to another level and finding a way to win, and that's been the most impressive thing for me about this Mavericks team."
Jason Kidd is better than any point guard the Heat has faced in these playoffs.
Chicago's Derrick Rose looked like a deer in the headlights against LeBron James and the Heat. Rajon Rando was far from 100 percent physically when the Celtics played the Heat. Kidd, however, is a veteran who isn't going to get rattled. He's averaging nearly 10 points a game, 7.7 assists and only 2.3 turnovers. Unlike Rose, Kidd doesn't need to look for his own shots or score a bunch for his team to be successful. He's averaging only 8.3 shots. Rose, for instance, averaged 24 against Miami and committed nearly four turnovers per game. And Kidd is a much better defender than any point guard the Heat has played.
"Jason Kidd has been incredible,'' ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay said. "This guy, 38 years old, still runs the show on offense and is a surprisingly good defender. He did a great job against Kobe Bryant in the L.A. series in significant spots of games. He doesn't have the quick feet any longer, but he has great hands and great anticipation.''
D stands for Dallas … and defense.
The Mavs are allowing just more than 92 points per game in the playoffs , and their opponents are shooting only 44 percent. The Heat is averaging 92 points in the playoffs. Dallas also runs an effective zone defense, and zone defenses have caused problems for the Heat this season. If Dallas can keep the Heat somewhere around 90 points, it has a shot. And to go along with the strong defensive team, the Mavs, with players such as Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion, left, might be tougher physically than Miami.
"I've never seen a team that is so dedicated to winning a championship,'' ESPN analyst Jack Ramsay said. "Everybody talks the talk. These guys had focus on winning from Day 1. And it's surprising to me because I didn't think during the course of the regular season, especially at the beginning, that they were that good a team. But they have become a great team. They have become a very resilient team, extremely poised, physically tough.''
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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The upcoming June draft is obviously a huge deal for the Rays, given the unprecedented opportunity of 12 of the first 89 picks, with the chance to secure the future of the franchise for a generation.
But once the Rays get past the June 6-8 festival, they will take inventory of their needs for the rest of this season. Except in very rare cases, there is not going to be help from the draft, especially as much as the Rays stress development.
By mid June, the focus shifts to finding help elsewhere, whether from their minor-league system or via trades. And the Rays will have a lot to think about in terms of potential upgrades:
Catcher: Neither John Jaso nor Kelly Shoppach has been impressive, and together they rank as the second-worst offensive tandem in the majors with a .195 average and .572 OPS (through Friday). And they're only in the middle of the pack defensively, throwing out fewer than 24 percent of potential base-stealers. Significant outside help is typically hard to find; prospect Robinson Chirinos (hitting .242) and Jose Lobaton (.323) are at Triple A.
Shortstop: Sean Rodriguez is the third of the season as replacing Jason Bartlett has proven to be more difficult than the Rays expected. Most of that is on Reid Brignac, given his disappointing .170 average and .390 OPS. Elliot Johnson showed some promise before hurting his knee. Unless the Rays reached down to Double A for Tim Beckham (.302) or Class A for Hak-Ju Lee (.377), they'll have to look outside. Help will be available, but it may be expensive.
Leftfield: Sam Fuld's defense will keep him in the lineup as long as his offense is sustainable, and Justin Ruggiano will take some of his at-bats. Matt Joyce could play there when Ben Zobrist is in rightfield. At some point, and, yes, perhaps not until after the potential Super Two arbitration eligibility threshold passes in July, the Rays may deem prospect Desmond Jennings ready, but only if it's for everyday duty.
Also, there's potential need for a "Four-A" veteran starter if Andy Sonnanstine isn't the answer and neither of the Triple-A Alexes, Cobb or Torres, is ready; depth at first base in the event Casey Kotchman cools; relief help; and another bat, though adding a DH would force Johnny Damon back into the field.
By Steve Slowinski, Special to the Times
Saturday, May 28, 2011
It's widely said that hitting a 95 mph fastball is one of the most difficult things to do in professional sports. But even tougher is evaluating the player throwing that fastball and correctly predicting how he will perform in the future.
Pitchers are fickle. They can oscillate from a great start to the roof collapsing, and their career arcs are impossible to predict. Some pitchers peak in their early 20s and flame out (Scott Kazmir), and others don't put things together until they are in their 30s (Randy Johnson).
Also, it has been estimated that even the most durable pitchers have a 30 percent chance of going on the disabled list during a season. And pitchers can have their earned-run average bounce seemingly at random from season to season (look at James Shields' ERA over the past four years).
For a general manager, this uncertainty can lead to many sleepless nights.
But forecasting pitchers' careers becomes easier when a simple concept is followed: look only at things a pitcher can control.
A pitcher can't control many things. Bad defenders and home-run-prone ballparks can destroy a pitcher's ERA, and good defenders and large ballparks can do the opposite. And once a ball is in play, a pitcher has minimal impact on whether it falls for a hit or becomes an out.
Typically, 29 to 30 percent of balls in play fall for hits, whether a pitcher is an ace or a mid-rotation starter. Some dominant pitchers can cause hitters to make weak contact more often than others, but even then the difference is slight. For example, Greg Maddux had 28 percent of balls in play against him fall for hits over his career, representing only seven fewer hits per season than the average starter.
So when forecasting a pitcher's future, it's more useful to look at results a pitcher can control: strikeouts, walks and home runs allowed. In particular, it can be useful to look at a player's Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP), a statistic presented on the same scale as ERA but calculated using a pitcher's strikeouts, walks and home runs allowed in order to better predict performance.
Let's look at the Rays' Wade Davis as an example. By traditional metrics, Davis has pitched well this year. He has four wins and a 3.71 ERA, lower than he posted last season. You may have heard that Davis has intentionally decreased his fastball velocity in order to gain more control, and based on early returns, this approach must be good, right?
Not so much. Decreasing his velocity has made it tougher for Davis to fool batters. His strikeout rate has dropped significantly, from 6.0 strikeouts per nine innings pitched to 4.3. As a flyball pitcher, he has still been giving up his fair share of home runs (eight), and his walk rate has gotten worse from last season, from around 3.3 per nine innings to 4.0. As a result, he currently has a 5.03 FIP, second-worst on the Rays to Andy Sonnanstine.
With these changes, Davis has essentially become a duplicate of Sonnanstine: a low-strikeout pitcher who succeeds only when his command is spot on. If he's off with his location, players will rope multiple hits and home runs off him. For a pitcher who once averaged around 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings in Triple A, is this the sort of career path the Rays want him taking?
There were some positive signs from Davis' start against the Tigers on Tuesday. Pitching coach Jim Hickey and manager Joe Maddon have encouraged Davis to be more aggressive on the mound, and Davis' fastball velocity was up slightly. Davis still reverted to his cautious, lower-velocity self at times, but overall the start was a step in the right direction. He allowed four runs, but he struck out four, walked two and generated more whiffs with his pitches than he had in many of his previous starts.
The Rays have a lot of faith in Davis; they signed him to a four-year contract extension two months ago. His strikeout numbers will likely come back up again over time, but in the meantime, Rays fans should keep their fingers crossed that he has good command when on the mound.
Steve Slowinski is the editor-in-chief of DRaysBay.com, a blog on the Tampa Bay Rays that specializes in analysis and statistics.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
CONCORD, N.C. — Matt Kenseth, starting in unfamiliar territory, passed Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards with two laps to go to win the Nationwide Top Gear 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday.
Kyle Busch was third and Roush Fenway's Ricky Stenhouse fourth to move within a point of series leader Elliott Sadler.
Kenseth filled in for Trevor Bayne, out with an inflammatory condition, in the No. 16 Ford. The Sprint Cup regular entered with 25 Nationwide wins but none since the series shifted to a new car. He said he felt comfortable after a few laps.
"You have to drive them a little different because of the horsepower difference," Kenseth said. "But they're really a lot like the Cup car."
Kenseth was more comfortable than former Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen, who finished four laps down in 27th. A week after finishing 15th in his NASCAR debut in the truck series, he found trouble throughout.
Raikkonen started 22nd and complained early of his No. 87 Toyota being tight. He didn't wear heat shields on his shoes and said his feet were burning. He scraped a wall, and his first green-flag pit stop in NASCAR competition ended with a speeding violation.
Raikkonen's next step is uncertain. "I have to go back to Europe and do some rallies," said Raikkonen, who is not scheduled for another NASCAR race. "And then we'll see what happens."
F1: Sergio Perez will miss today's Monaco Grand Prix after sustaining a concussion and a thigh injury in a qualifying crash. Tied for 13th in points, he lost control of his car, the front slamming into a tunnel barrier and the car spinning into a tire wall. Points leader Sebastian Vettel earned the pole. His lap of 1 minute, 13.556 seconds, edged Jenson Button (1:13.997).
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
RHP James Shields was happy to start and be part of the history the Rays are making with their young rotation. But he'd be even happier to end their record streak next season. Shields' first pitch made Saturday's game the 653rd straight in which they used a starting pitcher under age 30, a streak, dating back to May 2007, that is the second longest in MLB history, surpassing the 1974-77 Giants, who went 651 games.
Only the Washington Senators, with a 704-game run until Walter "Big Train" Johnson turned 30, have gone longer, and the Rays — barring an unexpected acquisition — will surpass that in late July.
"I'd like to help get it," Shields said. "And then I would definitely like to stop the streak."
That's because Shields turns 30 in December. And since he is in the last guaranteed year of his contract, and would jump to a $7 million salary next season if the Rays pick up his option, there is at least a question if he'll be back. (Or, if he continues pitching well and the Rays drop out of the race, if he'd even finish the season here.)
"I definitely would like being here at age 30," he said. "That's for sure.
A then-25-year-old Shields started the streak when he started May 25, 2007, at Chicago, the day after RHP Jae Seo pitched on his 30th birthday. (If not for Seo's festivities, the Rays would already have the all-time mark, at 784 games, because the previous 30-plus pitcher was Mark Hendrickson on June 25, 2006.)
As impressive as the 653-game run is that the Rays have used only 14 starters during that span. The next closest team, the Twins, have used 18. The Rangers, at the other end, have used 33 and the Nationals 31.
The reason the Rays have a young staff is they're putting a philosophy into practice with good scouting and decision-making. But the reason they're able to keep running them out there is the program the Rays have in place — including those darned pitch counts — and implemented by pitching coach Jim Hickey; the extensive amount of preventative and reactive work by Ron Porterfield's training staff; and the tremendous work ethic by the starters themselves, led by Shields.
Pitching in
Rays starters during the under-30 run:
James Shields 132
Matt Garza 94
Andy Sonnanstine 79
Scott Kazmir 71
Jeff Niemann 67
David Price 66
Edwin Jackson 54
Wade Davis 45
Jason Hammel 19
Jeremy Hellickson 13
J.P. Howell 10
Casey Fossum 1
Mitch Talbot 1
Alex Cobb 1
For the defense
The Rays last week set a major-league record by going 49 games into the season (now up to 51) without making multiple errors in a game. At the time they surpassed the 2010 Twins, which was Tuesday night, consider:
• There were 184 multi-error games by the other 29 teams.
• 32 players had made two errors in a game.
• There were 60 multi-error innings by teams.
• 11 players made two errors in an inning.
• 3 teams, the Cards, Padres and Astros, had 9 multi-error games each.
Rays rumblings
Baseball America's latest mock draft has the Rays taking Alonso High RHP Jose Fernandez at No. 24, then Hawaii 2B Kolten Wong at 31 and New Mexico prep C Blake Swihart at 32. … Manager Joe Maddon bought skinny jeans last week, trying to sell the group on making it a future dress-up theme. … Joining INF Willy Aybar with Edmonton in the independent North American League are ex-Rays RHP Bartolome Fortunato and RHP Albie Lopez, now 39 and eight years removed from the majors. … A study for SportsBusiness Journal found the Rays had the fourth best season-ticket sales staff in MLB, based obviously not on total sales but on proficiency in dealing with inquiring customers. … RHP Chris Bootcheck is pitching again for Triple-A Durham after one of the season's oddest injuries: a concussion after hitting his head on a pipe in the tunnel leading to the field at the Charlotte Knights stadium. … In ranking Stuart Sternberg the fifth-best owner in MLB, ESPN's Jim Caple added: Imagine what he could do with an actual fan base.
Got a minute? | Justin Ruggiano
Must-see TV? Modern Family, that's the only show I really watch.
Big-night-out meal? A huge steak, onion rings and Blue Bell ice cream afterward. It's got to be Blue Bell. People from Texas will appreciate that.
Band you'd most like to be on stage with? The Black Keys.
Worst job? I had a bunch — dishwasher at The County Line BBQ in Austin (Texas) and then busser after that, and I did construction in Kerrville, Texas, for a hot summer.
With your wife Shelly's permission, dream date? Jessica Biel's good. Or Alessandra Ambrosio, the Victoria's Secret model. Or Sofia Vergara from Modern Family.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
IRVING, Texas — Ryan Palmer fought through a breezy day for 3-over 73 at the Byron Nelson Championship, and that was good enough to top the leaderboard Saturday at 5-under 205 after three rounds.
Even with two bogeys the last three holes, Palmer finished a stroke ahead of playing partner Sergio Garcia after the two started the day tied for the lead. Garcia shot 74 in the PGA Tour event, bogeying the 16th and 18th holes, where he missed makable putts.
"It was the kind of day, if you let yourself go, it could go very wrong," said Garcia, the 2004 Byron Nelson champion who hasn't won since 2008. "We grinded it out the best we could."
The last three holes at TPC Four Seasons played into the wind, sustained all day at 25 mph, with gusts near 40. Only eight of 74 players shot under par. The best was 67 by Arjun Atwal, which tied him with Tampa resident Ryuji Imada (70) for third at 3 under.
"Obviously, the scores show how hard it was," Palmer said.
Teen four shots back: On the day he graduated from high school, amateur Jordan Spieth, 17, shot 2-over 72 to sit 1-under 209 at the Byron Nelson. The former U.S. Junior Amateur champ's round ended about 4 p.m. local time, the time the other 245 boys in the senior class of Dallas Jesuit Prep were beginning their graduation ceremony on the SMU campus, about 20 miles away.
Because of expected traffic, Spieth's mother, Chris, said they wouldn't try to get to the ceremony, which was also near where Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was getting married.
Spieth (pronounced SPEE-th), who made the cut in the tournament for the second straight year, birdied his first two holes.
"I was like all right, who knows what can happen, who says you can't shoot 5, 6 under (Saturday). And then reality kind of kicked in," he said. "I caught a couple of bad breaks. But also within those bad breaks I made a couple of amateur decisions, which definitely hurt."
Champions: Hale Irwin shot 2-under 70 to tie Kiyoshi Murota for the lead through three rounds of the Senior PGA Championship at Louisville, Ky. A win would make him the oldest winner of the oldest senior major. Irwin turns 66 Friday. Irwin and Murota, who battled back pain to shoot 74, were at 9-under 207. Tom Watson, the 2007 champion, shot 68 and was one back.
European: Luke Donald birdied two of his last three holes for 1-over 72 and a share of the lead at the BMW PGA Championship with 17-year-old Matteo Manassero (72) in the third round at 5-under 208 at Virginia Water, England. Top-ranked Lee Westwood and Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay shot 69s and were two strokes back. Donald, ranked second, needs to finish in front of Westwood to capture the No. 1 ranking.
LPGA: Heather Bowie Young shot 6-under 66 in chilly, rainy conditions to take a two-stroke lead over Suzann Pettersen and Lindsey Wright in the 36-hole Brazil Cup at Rio de Janeiro. Young had eight birdies and two bogeys in the 30-player exhibition event. Catriona Matthew was three strokes back at 69 with Azahara Munoz and Mariajo Uribe.
By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
BOSTON — In the midst of a locker room swirling with players, reporters and emotions, Lightning center Nate Thompson found a quiet corner.
It was there he contemplated a painful end but also what he believes is a promising beginning.
"This is one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with," Thompson said after Friday's 1-0 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden in the seventh and deciding game of the Eastern Conference final.
"But I hope guys who are in their contract years (return) because we have a good nucleus of a team here with a mix of younger and older guys. I think we have something really special that we can build on."
Perhaps that is what made the loss so difficult to process.
Players talk all the time about how they bond over a season, but the Lightning seemed tighter than most teams. Players genuinely enjoyed each other's company, even away from the rink.
There did not seem to be cliques, a credit to the team's core leadership. And when, before the playoffs, assistant coach Wayne Fleming was stricken with a malignant brain tumor (he is in a California hospital recovering from the surgery), the postseason was dedicated to him.
"We knew every win that we got put a smile on his face. That was really important to us," coach Guy Boucher said. "We certainly recognize everything he's done for this team and how close we felt as a family."
"This group of guys," center Steven Stamkos said, "is the best I have ever played with in my career."
And they accomplished more than most on the outside predicted.
After three straight years out of the playoffs, Tampa Bay got in by tying team marks with 46 victories and 25 on the road. It became the 24th NHL team to overcome a three-games-to-one deficit in a seven-game series when it beat the Penguins in the East quarterfinals.
It swept the top-seeded Capitals in the semifinals and pushed Boston to the limit despite playing the series without injured defenseman Pavel Kubina and the last eight periods without injured wing Sean Bergenheim, whose nine goals are second in the postseason.
All that with new owner Jeff Vinik, new CEO Tod Leiweke, new general manager Steve Yzerman, 10 new players and Boucher, who never before had coached in the NHL and was the league's youngest bench boss.
"We had a year that was so full of adversity, so many new people coming together," Boucher said. "I just think it's outstanding that the players and everyone else involved in the organization was able to get this team to be a team so fast. That's really difficult."
But not surprising, goaltender Dwayne Roloson said: "We were willing to battle for one another. Every guy was a leader in this locker room, from the youngest guys who haven't played a lot of games to the guys that are veterans and leaders on this team. Everybody chipped in and played their part. This team is so close it is unbelievable."
"Everyone cared about each other," wing Ryan Malone said. "You knew every guy was laying it on the line. That's what builds a team, and you become a family."
So, after Nathan Horton's goal with 7:33 left in the third period Friday, off a perfect feed from David Krejci, and Tim Thomas' 24-save shutout sent the Bruins to the Stanley Cup final against the Canucks and the Lightning home, Thompson said, "It hurts."
But as he looked around the locker room one last time before heading for the shower, he added, "I'm proud to be part of it."
By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
It would have been easy for Lightning GM Steve Yzerman to label this season a success. Falling one game short of the Stanley Cup final is especially notable given the team missed the playoffs the previous three seasons.
But Yzerman said when he was hired that building the organization was a long-term project, and he is sticking to it.
"I'm going to look back three, four, five years from now and assess whether I think we, as an organization, have done a real good job," he said. "Obviously, we're thrilled in Year 1 to be where we are, but again, I want to look back in a few years and say, 'You know what? We've done a real good job. Our team is where we want it to be.'
"We're enjoying this, but we recognize we still have a lot of work to do."
That gets under way almost immediately. Yzerman has several personnel decisions to make, such as whether to sign potential unrestricted free agents including goaltenders Dwayne Roloson and Mike Smith; forwards Simon Gagne, Sean Bergenheim and Adam Hall; and defensemen Eric Brewer, Marc-Andre Bergeron and Randy Jones.
Just as important, though, is the June draft.
"If we're going to be a playoff team, you're not going to be drafting first or second, so the challenge is to draft well," Yzerman said. "We'll do our best to be very selective and be very careful in the free agents we pursue and hope we can sign free agents to contracts that will help us improve the team but keep players here. Our challenge is to build on this year."
OUTSIDE VIEW: Bruins RW Mark Recchi commended the Lightning for how far it has come and said he saw the team's potential while playing with Tampa Bay in 2008-09 before he was traded to Boston for D Matt Lashoff and F Martins Karsums.
The key to improvement, he said, was Jeff Vinik's purchase of the team and the hiring of Yzerman.
"Ownership really settled things down," said Recchi, who played under former owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie. "And when you get a guy like Steve Yzerman coming, he's been really the whole key to the cog. He settled things down and made some tremendous moves in the offseason to make this team where it's at and get them into this position."
Recchi also praised coach Guy Boucher, though he said he believed the coach he played for in Tampa, Rick Tocchet, "did a great job under the circumstances when he was there."
5 ON 5: Not only did neither the Lightning nor the Bruins have a power play in Friday's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, referees Stephen Walkom and Dan O'Halloran did not call a penalty.
Considering the Lightning's power play ran at 25.4 percent efficiency in the postseason and the Bruins were at 8.2 percent, the no-calls would seem to have benefited Boston.
Even so, Boucher said, "You know what? I can't think of any moment I felt there should have been a power play on either side. That's credit to both teams' discipline and attention to details."
BEST FANS: C Steven Stamkos posted on his Twitter account a thank-you to Tampa Bay's fans for their support "throughout the season and especially in the playoffs."
And especially during Game 6 against the Bruins at the St. Pete Times Forum.
"It was unbelievable," he said Friday about the howling sellout crowd of 21,426. "Our fans have been amazing. I've never experienced anything like that in my career."
Times staff writer Joe Smith contributed to this report.
By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Rays vs. Indians
When/where: 1:40; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Starting pitchers
Rays:
RH Jeremy Hellickson (5-3, 3.14)
Indians:
RH Justin Masterson (5-2, 2.50)
Watch for …
Hellickson in control: Hellickson snapped a four-game winning streak despite giving up only two runs in 61/3 innings in a 6-3 loss to the Tigers on Monday. Over his past five starts, the rookie, 24, is 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA and an opponents' batting average of .198.
May Day for Masterson: The right-hander will be happy to flip the calender. Despite a 2.80 ERA in May, Masterson is 0-2 in five starts. The Rays are Masterson's kryptonite: He's 1-5 with a 6.28 ERA in his career vs. Tampa Bay.
Key matchups
Indians vs. Hellickson
Travis Buck 0-for-3
Rays vs. Masterson
Johnny Damon 1-for-8
Evan Longoria 5-for-19, HR
B.J. Upton 5-for-11, HR
On deck
Monday: vs. Rangers, 6:40, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (4-4, 3.71); Rangers — Derek Holland (3-1, 4.68)
Rick Stroud, Times staff writer
Clubhouse web gem of the day
Rays LF Sam Fuld was awarded a miniature Gold Glove for his diving catch in a 5-0 win against the Indians on Friday night. 2B Ben Zobrist presented him with a small Rawlings glove mounted on a small wooden trophy base. Apparently, a player will be voted the trophy after each game. "It's real plastic. It may be dipped," Fuld said of the trophy. "I guess my job is to give it to the next winner."
Maddon tribute
Manager Joe Maddon praised the Lightning, which lost the Eastern Conference final to the Bruins. "I hope everybody understands how great of a season they did have," he said. "They've got to be proud of what they did, and it's just a great building block to the future."
Giveaway of the day
The first 10,000 kids 14 and under today receive a Super Sam Fuld Cape presented by @RaysRepublic.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
David Einhorn, the hedge fund titan who is in negotiations to buy a $200 million stake in the Mets, could own a majority of the team in three years, the New York Times reported Saturday.
Einhorn is expected to receive a one-third share of the Mets in return for his investment but could gain much more. He will have the option in three years of raising his stake to 60 percent, effectively ending more than three decades of control of the team by the Wilpon family.
Fred Wilpon, the principal owner, could block a move to take over his team by repaying Einhorn the $200 million he had invested. But Einhorn would then retain his one-third share of the team, essentially at no net cost, the Times said.
Steve Greenberg, the investment banker hired by the Wilpons to sell a minority stake in the Mets, declined to comment. Rob Manfred, executive vice president of Major League Baseball, also declined to discuss the deal. A spokesman for Einhorn said he had no comment. In a statement, the Mets said their exclusive negotiating agreement with Einhorn was "strictly confidential" and declined to discuss it further.
It is unclear what Einhorn would have to pay to increase his stake in the team to 60 percent in three years. Customarily, an auditor would be hired to revalue the franchise to determine the basis for negotiations over a price.
The deal being discussed between Einhorn and the Mets does not include a stake in SNY, the team's profitable cable television network. Einhorn said Thursday he was not interested in the television business, unlike many other bidders for the team.
The outline of the proposed deal was first reported by ESPNNewYork.com.
Though the deal is not final and is subject to the approval of Major League Baseball, its terms underscore the vulnerability of the Wilpons, whose team is swimming in debt, bleeding cash and losing fans. Wilpon said the team could lose about $70 million this year, $20 million more than last year.
UMP HURT: Home plate umpire Mark Wegner was helped off the field after tearing the calf muscle in his right leg with two outs in the bottom of the eighth of the game between the Giants and Brewers in Milwaukee.
DODGERS SAGA: Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has secured the funds necessary to make the monthly payroll due Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported. If McCourt fails to make the next payroll, due June 15, commissioner Bud Selig could take over the team and put it up for sale, according to the newspaper.
ASTROS: LHP Wandy Rodriguez went on the 15-day disabled list with fluid in his left elbow joint. RHP Jordan Lyles, one of the team's top prospects, was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City and scheduled to make his major-league debut Tuesday. … C Humberto Quintero went on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right ankle a day after a collision at home plate.
BREWERS: RF Corey Hart was pulled from the starting lineup against the Giants because of an illness.
NATIONALS: RHP Collin Balester was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to take the roster of spot of LHP Tom Gorzelanny, who went on the 15-day disabled list Friday with an inflamed left elbow.
PIRATES: LH reliever Joe Beimel went on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation. LHP Daniel Moskos was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. … 3B Steve Pearce left the game against the Cubs with soreness in his right calf.
REDS: LHP Jeremy Horst was called up from Triple-A Louisville. RHP Homer Bailey went on the disabled list with a sprained right shoulder, retroactive to Friday.
TWINS: RH reliever Joe Nathan went on the 15-day disabled list with tenderness in his surgically repaired right elbow. Nathan had ligament replacement surgery in March 2010.
Times wires
Saturday, May 28, 2011
DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd are at the point where they only care about winning a championship.
Luckily for them, their teammates feel the same way.
From Shawn Marion to Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler to Brendan Haywood, Peja Stojakovic to DeShawn Stevenson, the Mavericks are a collection of guys who have played at least 10 seasons without winning a title. Their willingness to accept whatever playing time and stats they pile up is a big reason Dallas is in the Finals.
"This is a bunch of veterans who want to play and are unselfish," Nowitzki said. " … Everybody sacrificing for each other."
The Finals are an interesting clash in team-building formulas.
The Heat has stars Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh plus the best role players it could afford with the remaining room under the salary cap.
Dallas was built to be deep and versatile. The Mavs knew Nowitzki would be the main option every night, with Kidd guiding the offense, but the No. 2 scorer and other roles would depend on matchups or who had the hot hand.
A team that struggled to make it work at times last season has bought into the concept.
Haywood signed last summer to be the starter, lost his job to Chandler and was so uncomfortable as a backup that he was suspended for a game in November. But in the playoffs, he has done everything a backup big man should.
Stevenson also has been in and out of the lineup.
Marion is a four-time All-Star who became a backup for the first time when he joined Dallas last season. He became a starter for good in March. "There's a point in everybody's career where you've got to make certain sacrifices if you really want to get to that ultimate goal," he said.
LeBron: MJ's better
MIAMI — Scottie Pippen said LeBron James may be basketball's greatest player ever.
Among those who disagree: LeBron James.
The Heat forward provided his reaction to Pippen's comparison between James and Michael Jordan on Saturday, saying he was flattered by the sentiment but doesn't believe he's done enough to merit mention among the game's elite.
"I'm not better than Jordan," James said.
Pippen — who won six championships alongside Jordan in Chicago with the Bulls in the 1990s — said Friday that while Jordan is "probably the greatest scorer to play the game," James "may be the greatest player to ever play the game."
"Michael's an unbelievable player," James said Saturday. "I've got a long way — long way — to be mentioned as far as one of the all-time greats. Not even just Jordan. There's a lot of great players. … Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, all these guys who are floating around with multiple rings. Bill Russell, all these guys who have pioneered this game.
NBA Finals
Heat vs. Mavericks
Tuesday: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28
Thursday: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28
June 5: at Dallas, 8, Ch. 28
June 7: at Dallas, 9, Ch. 28
June 9: at Dallas, 9, Ch. 28 *
June 12: at Miami, 8, Ch. 28 *
June 14: at Miami, 9, Ch. 28 *
* If necessary
