Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Twins 6, Royals 0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brian Duensing pitched eight sharp innings and Jason Repko snapped an 0-for-14 skid and drove in three runs, helping the Twins to a four-game sweep. Duensing gave up six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in his longest outing of the season and avoided becoming the first Twins starter in four years to lose six straight decisions. Jeff Francis was charged with four runs, one earned, while pitching seven innings for the Royals, who are 3-12 in their past 15 games.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Tigers 7, White Sox 3

CHICAGO — Ryan Raburn hit a grand slam and Miguel Cabrera homered for the second straight day to lead the Tigers, who moved within 2½ games of the AL Central-leading Indians. The Tigers have won 11 of their past 12 against the White Sox. Brad Penny rebounded from a shaky first inning to pick up the win, allowing three runs and eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

BOSTON — The Red Sox preserved this big lead.

Carl Crawford hit a three-run homer and Adrian Gonzalez added a two-run shot, powering John Lackey and the Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Athletics on Sunday.

After blowing a four-run lead in the ninth the day before and needing 14 innings to win, the Red Sox welcomed the wire-to-wire victory that completed a three-game sweep.

"When you score first and you score more than one, that's a good formula for winning," manager Terry Francona said.

Crawford's drive in the second and Gonzalez's shot in the fourth keyed the win.

It was Crawford's first homer at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox: "I was starting to wonder for a while, you know."

Lackey, coming off a stint on the DL with a strained elbow, gave up three runs and three hits, walked two and hit three batters in 52/3 innings.

Kevin Kouzmanoff homered for the Athletics, who have lost six straight.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

SEATTLE — The numbers are staggering and unprecedented, and that's just the miles flown, reports filed, videos watched and words spoken over the past year in preparation for the largest top-round haul in the 37-year history of baseball's draft.

Tonight, the Rays actually get down to selecting the players who could shape their franchise for a generation, with 10 of the 60 first- and compensation-round picks that will be made today and, with two more in the second round Tuesday, 12 of the first 89.

The Rays say their preparation, which essentially began with the decision to hang on to their potential free agents going into the 2010 season in exchange for the extra picks, hasn't been much different than previous years.

"The difference is we're just going to get more guys," executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.

The Rays will wait anxiously through the first 23 selections then get incredibly busy in a hurry, with 10 of the remaining 37 picks, including three back-to-back selections.

To prep for such a haul, they eliminated a dozen or so players they are certain will be gone well before their first pick, then locked in 75-100 who were possibilities, scouting them extensively and since whittling and ranking them accordingly.

"There's a lot of guys that fit for us this year," scouting director R.J. Harrison said. "I think we've done a really good job of getting a lot of looks at those."

Harrison and their supervising scouts (called cross-checkers) spent more time traveling so they could see more players more often. They used their usual variety of resources, including personality profiling, on-the-scene eye exams and iPad videos, and additional expertise, adding former big-leaguers Rocco Baldelli and Dave Eiland (who most recently was the Yankees' pitching coach) as extra cross-checkers.

The Rays say they won't stray from their usual philosophy of taking the best player available at each pick. That means not drafting by position to fill specific needs because they are likely to change in the 3-5 years it takes most picks to make the majors and seeking the players who can make the biggest impact, not get there the soonest. And they say they have the money, estimated at $12 million to $15 million, to get them all signed.

But with the extra selections, and what is considered one of the deepest and pitching-rich draft pools in recent years, the Rays could gamble on some higher-risk picks or take some players who might be tougher to sign (especially because they would get a corresponding additional pick in 2012 for any that aren't signed).

"They're all risks," Harrison said. "Every one of these amateur kids is a risk, so you don't want to get wild with it, but you do have the opportunity."

By the time they left Tropicana Field on Sunday, Rays officials had the names lined up on their draft board the way they wanted them. Of course, they're not saying, but some names that have come up repeatedly in media projections include Alonso High School right-hander Jose Fernandez, Hawaii second baseman Kolten Wong and California high school pitcher Henry Owens.

"It's a great opportunity for us," Friedman said.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Soccer

U.S. WOMEN SHOW DEPTH IN WIN OVER MEXICO

HARRISON, N.J. — The U.S. women's national team beat Mexico 1-0 Sunday in its final World Cup tuneup.

Lauren Cheney scored her third international goal of the year on a 25-yard shot past goalkeeper Ceci Santiage in the first minute of stoppage time. The forward entered the game in the 61st minute in place of Amy Rodriguez.

Coach Pia Sundhage said the depth that the United States showed will be crucial in the World Cup opener June 28 against North Korea in Dresden, Germany.

"We're going to play many games in the World Cup, and we need the players coming off the bench," Sundhage said.

The team honored retired forward Kristine Lilly, the national record holder with 352 international caps.

The United States will take a three-game winning streak into an eight-day break before heading to its Austrian camp. The United States will train until five days before the North Korea match. The last time they met was a 2-2 draw in the 2007 World Cup.

u.s. men: Landon Donovan practiced a day after sitting out a 4-0 exhibition loss to Spain with an undisclosed illness. He's expected to be ready for a Gold Cup opener Tuesday against Canada. The champion of the Gold Cup, the premier event for CONCACAF, will earn a spot in the 2013 Confederations Cup, an important World Cup tuneup.

Gold Cup: Marco Urena scored two goals to help Costa Rica rout Cuba 5-0 in Arlington, Texas, in the opening match of the tournament.

FIFA scandal: Suspended FIFA executive Jack Warner reneged on a pledge to reveal details of an e-mail exchange with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, which he previously said would shed light on an ongoing bribery probe. Warner said "the best legal advice received at home and abroad has suggested that I do not do so at this time." Warner said he is innocent of allegations of arranging bribes.

More soccer: Poland beat Argentina team 2-1 in an international friendly in Warsaw. Defender Pablo Zabaleta was the only Argentina starter who has also made the 26-man preliminary roster for next month's Copa America. … South Africa moved closer to a spot in the African Cup of Nations by holding Egypt to a 0-0 draw in a qualifier in Cairo, which all but ended Egypt's chances of reaching the tournament it has won a record seven times. … Flamengo drew 1-1 with Corinthians in the Brazilian league, a match that marked the farewell of Serbian playmaker Dejan Petkovic, 38.

wnba

Liberty ties it late, beats Dream in OT

ATLANTA — Sidney Spencer made her lone shot of the game, tying it with 0.2 seconds left in regulation, and the New York Liberty beat the Dream 94-88 in overtime. Leilani Mitchell made a clinching 3 in overtime.

Minnesota 86, L.A. 69: Maya Moore scored 16 in her home debut for Minnesota, overcoming a first half when she picked up two fouls, played seven minutes and was 1-of-5.

et cetera

horses: Ramon Dominguez rode six winners at Belmont Park, equaling the New York Racing Association one-day record. Dominguez was 6-for-8 on the card, also finishing second and third. It was the 16th time a rider scored that many wins on single day at Belmont, Saratoga or Aqueduct. Dominguez and Jorge Velasquez are the only jockeys to win six at Belmont. Steve Cauthen is the all-time leader, having done it three times.

Times wires

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

VANCOUVER — The Bruins couldn't have enjoyed the scenery late Saturday night while their team bus crawled through the raucous street party that consumed downtown Vancouver after the Canucks moved halfway to their first NHL title.

Maybe the Stanley Cup final's move east will finally give the Bruins something to celebrate.

Game 3 is tonight at Boston's TD Garden after a quick cross-continent trip Sunday.

Only four teams have rallied from a 2-0 final deficit in 46 tries. Boston must win four of the next five to beat the Canucks, the league's best regular-season team and the winner of seven of their past eight playoff games.

"We'll be disappointed, and we're allowed to be," said Mark Recchi, 43, who ended an 11-game goal drought with a power-play score in Game 2. "But we'll take a lot of positives out of these games. … We'll worry about (today) and doing our job at home."

Boston has rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win a series just once in 27 tries — but it was just weeks ago, in the first round of this postseason against Montreal.

"Now is not the time to squeeze your stick and to panic," Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron said Sunday afternoon after the team arrived in Boston.

In Game 2, the Bruins lost for just the third time in 41 games this season when leading after two periods. Vancouver dominated the third period for the second straight game, with Daniel Sedin tying it midway through before Alex Burrows won it with his thrilling wraparound goal 11 seconds into overtime.

"We have four lines that go out there and play the same way," said Sedin, the league scoring champion. "We get pucks deep. We forecheck really hard. It wears teams down. It's been like this the whole season."

Still, Boston's defense held the Canucks' top line scoreless for the first five periods of the series, bullying Daniel and Henrik Sedin into ineffectiveness.

"The positive is we basically lost both games by one goal," Boston forward David Krejci said. "That hurts, but we know we're in the game, and we know we can do it."

Vancouver is trying to wear out 6-foot-9 star defenseman Zdeno Chara with constant collisions, even if the Canucks take the worst of them. The Canucks believe they can wear Chara down — and it showed in his numerous misplays and turnovers.

"I guess all of a sudden you lose a game, and now we're going to start wondering about certain players," Bruins coach Claude Julien said in Chara's defense. "I think it's really about our whole team. It's not about Zdeno."

The Bruins need goals from players who didn't grow up in the Vancouver area. British Columbia natives Milan Lucic and Recchi scored in Game 3, but Boston has just three goals in its past three games going back to the East final against the Lightning.

DUDLEY OUT: ESPN.com reported that True North Entertainment, which bought the Thrashers and relocated the team to Winnipeg last week, will not retain general manager Rick Dudley, the former Lightning GM. ESPN said Winnipeg would offer the job to Blackhawks assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Nationals 9, Diamondbacks 4

11 innings

PHOENIX — Rick Ankiel drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out walk in the 11th and Mike Morse followed with a grand slam for the Nationals. Both managers were among four ejected (notebook, 3C).

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Best analyst

Someone at NBC needs to give hockey analyst Mike Milbury a new contract with a significant raise. Then tear up that contract and give him another one with a raise on top of that.

Milbury has become the mouth that roars, America's version of Don Cherry. No other analyst on television has viewers saying, "Did you hear what he just said?'' as much as Milbury. His commentary is emotional, occasionally absurd and not always even logical. Half the time, viewers are probably rolling their eyes. But it's interesting. Even if you disagree with him, Milbury is worth listening to, especially because you can tell Milbury actually believes what he is saying. He's not like, say, ESPN's Skip Bayless. You get the feeling Bayless doesn't even buy what he's trying to sell and is only spewing out junk just to be outrageous.

The best part of Milbury is he doesn't care who he tweaks. He'll rip players, coaches and on Saturday night, he even blasted the NHL, something that surely didn't go over well in the league office as it is celebrating its signature event.

Talking about Vancouver's Alex Burrows, who appeared to bite Boston's Patrice Bergeron in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, Milbury jumped on the league just seconds into Saturday's Game 2 coverage for not suspending Burrows.

"If I had known in the late '70s that it was okay to pig out on human flesh, I would have eaten Guy Lafleur,'' Milbury said. "This is a disgraceful call by the league. This guy should have been suspended. They're impacting this series by a noncall. It was not very courageous."

Then, as only the hockey gods could arrange, Burrows had an assist and two goals, including the winner 11 seconds into overtime in Vancouver's 3-2 victory. That only gave Milbury more ammunition after the game to attack the league.

Vancouver fans probably laughed. Boston fans were seething. And for the rest of us, we sat back and watched awfully good television.

Most crowded booth

Let me start by saying I like NBC announcer Ted Robinson. Unlike so many broadcasters out there, Robinson, below, doesn't feel the need to be the star of the show. He doesn't try to be bigger than the event he is calling. And he's a solid tennis announcer. He knows the sport, and you can tell he likes calling it.

Still, his presence made the NBC three-person booth too crowded during Sunday's men's final of the French Open. As reader Mike Wilkinson so astutely wrote in an e-mail: "Why have three people in the booth for a game being played by two people?''

If one sport out there doesn't need a true play-by-play announcer, it's tennis. Viewers can see the action. The announcers don't speak during the points anyway. The scoreboard is on the screen. All the play-by-play guy can do then is set up the analysts and that's where the problem lies. NBC's John McEnroe and Mary Carillo are so good that they don't need setting up. They are both exceptional analysts who always have something interesting or informative or fun to say.

In tennis, there's precious little time for the broadcasters to speak and anytime Robinson is talking, that means McEnroe and Carillo are not. It just seems that letting McEnroe and Carillo handle the broadcast themselves would best serve the viewers.

Best point

In the wake of Giants catcher Buster Posey getting bowled over at home plate and suffering a broken leg, Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane announced he has told his catchers not to block the plate. Beane's reasoning is that it's smarter to give up a run here and there than to potentially lose a valuable catcher for months at a time.

The subject came up during a Rays broadcast on Sun Sports last week and analyst Brian Anderson, above, made a good point: Why announce something like that?

"Whether you agree with the practice of blocking the plate or not, why would you tell other teams your strategy?'' Anderson said. "It's like saying, 'We're not going to steal bases with two outs.' It doesn't make sense.''

It's especially unusual considering teams go to great lengths to keep secrets from one another. So much so that pitchers actually cover their mouths with their gloves during meetings on the mound so no one can read their lips, as if MLB teams hire professional lip-readers just to uncover a catcher telling a pitcher to be extra careful pitching to Albert Pujols.

That has to be the silliest thing ever, doesn't it? And it's even sillier when you go to a youth game and see the same thing. There might not be anything more ridiculous than a 12-year-old covering his mouth with his glove while discussing "strategy'' with his 11-year-old catcher.

Line of the day

Leave it to Phil Mushnick, acerbic sports media columnist at the New York Post, to come up with this beauty:

"I'm not sure how much ESPN pays Magic Johnson to say that teams 'have to execute on offense and play good defense,' but I'm guessing that such info doesn't come cheap.''

Most interesting player

Former NFL receiver Plaxico Burress is scheduled to be released from prison today after serving 21 months for attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Burress carried an unlicensed gun into a Manhattan nightclub and accidently shot himself in the leg. During ESPN's SportsCenter on Sunday, NFL analyst Cris Carter, left, suggested three teams might be interested in signing Burress, who turns 34 in August. Carter's three teams: 49ers, Rams and the Bucs.

Carter pointed out that coach Raheem Morris might be a good fit for Burress and the Bucs could use a veteran receiver to go with its young core. But, when you think about it, Tampa Bay really doesn't make sense. With all their recent arrests, the Bucs probably would be best served to avoid bringing in someone with that kind of baggage. Plus, the way the Bucs receivers were playing at the end of last season, they don't need a guy who hasn't caught an NFL pass since Nov. 16, 2008.

Three things that popped into my head

1 Brian Sabean, the former Eckerd College player and University of Tampa coach, is out of line for his disparaging comments about the Marlins' Scott Cousins, who ran over Giants catcher Buster Posey and broke Posey's leg. Think Sabean would have such comments if one of his players had bowled over another team's catcher? In fact, several internet sites last week dialed up replays of Giants players running over opposing catchers and, funny, Sabean didn't say anything about those.

2 Rafael Nadal is only 25 and on Sunday won his 10th grand slam, only six fewer than Roger Federer. Might we be watching the best tennis player ever?

3 Have you ever seen another team so disliked by seemingly everyone other than its hometown fans than the Miami Heat?

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Brittany Lincicome of Seminole made a 4-foot birdie on the final hole Sunday to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her fourth title and first in two years.

Lincicome's birdie capped a bogey-free 5-under 66 that gave her a one-shot victory over third-ranked Jiyai Shin (65) and No. 4 Cristie Kerr (69), the second-round leader.

It was the long-hitting Lincicome's first win since the 2009 Kraft Nabisco, her lone major.

"Everything kind of fell my way," Lincicome said. "It was clearly my week."

Lincicome, 25, finished the 54-hole tournament on the Bay Course at Seaview at 11-under 202, and the difference was the par 5s. She played nine par 5s in the tournament and had seven birdies, an eagle and a par, with the last birdie coming on the 501-yard 18th.

After a perfect drive, Lincicome choked down on a 3-wood but hit it long, into some fescue about hole-high.

But she deftly hit a lob wedge close and made the putt, after nearly backing off it because her hands were "shaking so much."

"I could have hit a bucket of balls and not gotten it that close," Lincicome said of the chip.

Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse (68) tied for 11th at 208.

Memorial: Stricker hangs on for victory

DUBLIN, Ohio — Steve Stricker finally found the winning formula at the Memorial.

Stricker, never in the top 10 in 11 previous trips to Muirfield Village, built a big lead on the front nine, then relied on his silky putting for two clutch pars to hang on for a one-shot victory.

He closed with 4-under 68, lagging from 20 feet for a two-putt bogey on No. 18. He twice saved par from bunkers on the 16th and 17th holes, making putts of 15 feet and 7 feet.

"It wasn't pretty," Stricker said to tournament host Jack Nicklaus walking off the 18th green.

Stricker, 44, who finished at 16-under 272, moves to No. 4 in the world and becomes the top-ranked American for the first time today. Matt Kuchar and Brandt Jobe each closed with 65 to tie for second at 273.

CHAMPIONS: Bob Gilder, 60, earned his first 50-and-over tour victory since 2006, sinking a 30-foot birdie on No. 18 at the Principal Charity Classic and winning by a shot when Mark Brooks bogeyed the hole in West Des Moines, Iowa. Gilder closed with 6-under 65 for a three-round total of 199. Part-time Dunedin resident Rod Spittle (65) tied for third at 201.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

BOSTON — Red Sox RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka is preparing for surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow.

Matsuzaka spoke Sunday for the first time since the Red Sox placed him on the 60-day disabled list so he can have Tommy John surgery, likely this week.

"It's my first time to get an operation, and all I can say is I'm very shocked when it comes to this result," Matsuzaka said through an interpreter. "I was told the ligament is torn and to fix it perfectly I need to have surgery."

Matsuzaka is in the fifth year of a six-year deal he signed when Boston brought him over from Japan. With a recovery time of 12 to 14 months, his future with the Red Sox is uncertain.

"I don't think of it that way," he said. "I hope I come back to the game again in a Red Sox uniform."

Dodgers draw interest of Garvey, Hershiser

Former Dodger greats Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser are forming an exploratory ownership group in case the financial-struggling team is sold.

Garvey, a Tampa native, approached Hershiser, and they launched the Garvey-Hershiser Group, the Los Angeles Daily News reported. Hershiser met with Garvey and other possible investors Friday in Los Angeles.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt was able to meet the team's payroll last week with cash advances drawn on the team's corporate sponsorship deals, but McCourt was still searching for funding to make the team's next payroll June 15, ESPN reported.

Should the beleaguered owner fail to make payroll, Major League Baseball would cover it for him and likely seize the team.

The league appointed a trustee to oversee the Dodgers' finances in April amid McCourt's ongoing divorce proceedings.

Four tossed during Nats-D'backs game: Nationals manager Jim Riggleman and Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson were among four ejections in the Nationals' 9-4 win in 11 innings. Nationals RF Jayson Werth was drilled in the arm in the fifth inning by Diamondbacks RHP Ian Kennedy, who received a warning. Kennedy hit LF Michael Morse two batters later but remained in the game. Nationals RHP Jason Marquis hit RF Justin Upton in the lower back with a pitch in the sixth, and Marquis and Riggleman were tossed. Diamondbacks RH reliever Esmerling Vasquez was ejected after he plunked 2B Danny Espinosa in the eighth, then Gibson was tossed.

Braves: CF Jordan Schafer faced the Mets two days after sustaining a small sinus fracture fouling a bunt off his face.

Cardinals: RF Lance Berkman sat against the Cubs after receiving a cortisone injection in his left wrist, and CF Colby Rasmus was out because of fatigue.

Indians: RF Shin-Soo Choo says his arrest on a drunken-driving charge has affected his play. "I know what the problem is: I try too hard; I think too much. I need to slow down my mind," said Choo, who is not worried about the legal problems stemming from his arrest May 2 but is concerned with how he is regarded in America and his native South Korea.

Mets: RF Carlos Beltran left the game against the Braves after fouling a ball off his right shin in the second inning. Meanwhile, LF Jason Bay, now hitting .219, was held out of the game for what manager Terry Collins said was a chance to take a "deep breath."

Tigers: LH reliever David Purcey went on the paternity leave list, and LHP Adam Wilk was recalled from Triple A.

White Sox: RHP Jake Peavy left with a strained right groin in the fourth inning against the Tigers and will be re-evaluated today. The 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner rejoined the team May 11 after recovering from shoulder surgery. … 3B Mark Teahen was activated from the 15-day DL after being out with a strained right oblique, and RH reliever Jeff Marquez was designated for assignment.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — NASCAR cleared Kyle Busch on Sunday for his role in an altercation with 65-year-old car owner Richard Childress the day before in a trucks race at Kansas Speedway.

Childress might not be so lucky.

NASCAR president Mike Helton said Sunday that Busch didn't violate his probation in the incident.

Busch "did nothing that would have warranted the actions of Richard Childress," said Helton, who declined to discuss details of what occurred.

Busch finished behind Richard Childress Racing driver Joey Coulter in the trucks race after the two fought for position. Busch drove up beside Coulter's truck after the race, but Helton said Busch did nothing to jeopardize his status.

Busch confirmed Sunday in a brief interview with Speed TV that the altercation with Childress occurred as he was leaving his hauler.

"I wasn't the aggressor or the instigator here," Busch said. "I think the best thing to do is just try to put it behind you as best you can."

Childress was allowed to stay for Sunday's Sprint Cup race but was forced to watch from atop his team transporter. NASCAR said in a separate statement that it will address the owner's actions today.

In a statement, NASCAR called Saturday's incident "unacceptable," adding that Childress' actions fall "far short of the standard we expect of owners."

Busch's NASCAR probation stems from a postrace incident last month with RCR driver Kevin Harvick last month in a Cup race at Darlington, S.C.

NHRA: Spencer Massey earned his second consecutive Top Fuel victory, beating points leader Del Worsham in the SuperNationals final at Englishtown, N.J., with a run of 3.821 seconds at 319.07 mph. Mike Neff (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their classes.

EAST BAY RACEWAY: Buzzie Reutimann, father of Sprint Cup veteran David, took the Open Wheel Modified main and Josh Peacock won in Late Models on Saturday in Gibsonton.

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, June 5, 2011

It is the possibilities that entice. Just the thought of the record number of picks the Rays have in the early rounds of tonight's draft.

Ten selections among the first 60! Twelve in the first 89! The numbers are unprecedented, and the potential is mind-bending.

But the reality is the Rays would be better off with Arizona's draft.

The Diamondbacks might have only four of the first 63 selections, but among them are the Nos. 3 and 7 picks. Tampa Bay's first selection isn't until No. 24.

And when it comes to the baseball draft, more isn't always better. Sometimes, it's just more.

This isn't like the NFL draft where first-round picks are practically guarantees, and second- and third-round selections are typically counted on for production.

In baseball, almost half of the second-round picks fail to make it to the majors, and usually only three or four have any kind of impact.

Even first-round picks are iffy in baseball, but your odds increase substantially if you're selecting one of the first five players in the draft.

Look at it this way:

From 1996 to 2007, the Rays had 19 picks from Nos. 24 to 89. More than half failed to reach the big leagues or made just brief appearances. There was one star in the bunch (Carl Crawford) and two (Wade Davis and Reid Brignac) with some potential.

During that same time, the Rays had six picks from Nos. 1 to 5. Half are All-Stars (Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria and David Price), and two others (B.J. Upton and Delmon Young) should have long big-league careers.

So even with three times as many picks in the second- and third-round range, the Rays got far more production out of their handful of early picks.

That doesn't mean the Rays aren't in good shape tonight. It just suggests they were in better shape in 2006-08 when they drafted in the top three every season.

"What we have right now is opportunities," Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison said. "That's all this is, is opportunity."

Basically, it is an opportunity to take horrible odds and make them a little more palatable.

If there is roughly a 1-in-10 chance of finding a quality big-leaguer in the second round, the Rays will increase their chances with every extra pick.

So instead of being lucky to get one productive player out of the first few rounds, the Rays might have a chance to get three. And if they draft exceptionally well, perhaps four.

"That would be phenomenal based on historical precedence," executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "As we sort of looked at that, it was pretty sobering, so we stopped (looking).

"For us, it's been more about how can we improve our process, how can we potentially shift the odds a little bit more."

Perhaps that means taking more risks. Such as a prep player who is leaning toward college. Or an athlete supposedly more interested in football. Or a problem child.

The Rays have done that in the past with a lot of misses (Doug Johnson, Kenny Kelly, Elijah Dukes, Kenneth Diekroeger) and one tremendous success (Crawford).

It's not like there aren't jewels to be found in the second or third rounds.

Barry Bonds was the 39th pick in the draft. Tony Gwynn was No. 58, Barry Larkin was No. 51, and Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine went in the same draft at Nos. 31 and 47.

But those are the anomalies. The more typical names are Paul Wilder, Doug Johnson, Chris Flinn and Chris Mason. Those are all Tampa Bay picks in the first three rounds that never made it to the majors.

"We're prospectors, when you get right down to it," Harrison said. "What we're really trying to do is find the best prospects. The guys with the best tools, equipment, body types that, if everything goes right, will have the best chance to get to the big leagues.

"But all they are right now is prospects. And the more prospects you have, the better chance you have of getting big-leaguers."

And that explains why the baseball draft lasts 50 rounds. Franchises need to fill their minor-league systems, but they also need that many picks just to find a handful of quality prospects. That, for instance, is how the Rays ended up with Jeremy Hellickson (fourth round), John Jaso (12th round) and James Shields (16th round).

"As we go through this, when we postmortem the draft, if we feel really good about how we approached it, and wouldn't change anything on that front, it's a success. It's a good draft," Friedman said. "So hopefully with that process, a good outcome will result.

"And we won't know that for years to come, but when you look at the draft historically starting at No. 24, it's not great."

No, but by stockpiling picks, the Rays have better odds than any defending division champ in big-league history.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Padres 7, Astros 2

SAN DIEGO — Chase Headley extended his career-high hitting streak to 15 games with an RBI double for the Padres, who won three consecutive home games for the first time this season. The Padres have the NL's worst home record at 12-21 but won for the eighth time in 11 games.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. was charging again, hoping this time he'd come out on top in a frantic late fuel-mileage battle.

But leader Brad Keselowski stretched his tank perfectly Sunday to win the Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway — and extend Earnhardt's winless streak to 106 races.

Keselowski led the final nine laps of the STP 400 for his second Sprint Cup victory in 66 races, and his first since a stunner for owner James Finch in 2009 at Talladega.

"There are some secrets to it, and I just maximized them all. I had plenty (of fuel) left," Keselowski said.

Earnhardt appeared set to make a late charge on Keselowski. That push never came — though Earnhardt moved up to third in the standings, just one point behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, who finished seventh.

For the second week in a row in a fuel-mileage race, Earnhardt came up just short. He ran out of gas near the finish in Charlotte and wound up seventh.

"Anytime you win a fuel-mileage race you've done something as a driver," Earnhardt said. "We don't know what we're doing really trying to save gas or how much we're saving. But (Keselowski) had a hand in it."

Denny Hamlin was third, followed by Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards, who holds a 40-point lead over Johnson.

David Reutimann of Zephyrhills was 22nd, one lap down.

Pole-sitter Busch led 152 laps and finished ninth. He had to stop for gas as the leader with 10 laps left.

"I was all smiles. I felt the groove again, to lead the race. It was great. It was solid," Busch said. "There was always something in the back of my mind that we weren't going to win, but I am proud Brad Keselowski did."

Keselowski earned the pole last week at Charlotte and has been on a monthlong upswing for Penske.

He seemed to come to life just as teammate Busch reached a boiling point, with his displeasure culminating in an expletive-laden rant on team management.

That led to behind-the-scenes personnel changes at Penske, including the announcement that technical director Tom German was leaving to attend a graduate program at MIT.

But Keselowski also took exception to a comment Busch made that it had been several years since he'd had a teammate capable of running the same pace as him.

Since then, Keselowski logged a third-place finish, raced into the All-Star Race main event and, on Sunday, earned a win that could help him nab a wild-card spot in the Chase to the Championship. The top 10 in points plus the two drivers in spots 11-20 with the most wins make the Chase; Keselow­ski moved up to 21st in points.

Because several drivers in front of him stopped late for fuel, and he wasn't updated on his team radio, Keselowski didn't know he was leading until he spotted a scoring pylon with two laps to go.

"I was instantly mad at my guys for not telling me, but you get over that pretty quick when you cross the finish line first," he said.

ONE OF THOSE NAMIN' DEALS: Sprint chief executive officer Dan Hesse said his company is in talks with NASCAR to extend its title sponsorship of the Sprint Cup series. "Our intention is to continue the sponsorship with NASCAR," Hesse told the Kansas City Star before Sunday's race. Sprint is in the eighth year of a 10-year, $750 million sponsorship that goes through the 2013 season.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Rays at Angels

When/where: 10:05 tonight; Angel Stadium, Anaheim

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers

Rays

LH David Price (6-5, 3.52)

Angels

RH Tyler Chatwood (3-2, 3.64)

Watch for …

Price check: Price is coming off a solid, but unsuccessful, outing against Texas. He hasn't pitched well against the Angels (1-2, 5.14 in five games, including a rough April 29 start at the Trop) or in Anaheim (1-1, 5.11).

Chat time: Chatwood has been pitching well, allowing one earned run or less in four of his past five starts, and is better at home (2.87 ERA) than away (4.71). He has left eight of his 10 starts tied or ahead. He had a May 1 no-decision in his only start vs. Rays.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Chatwood

Johnny Damon0-for-3

Matt Joyce2-for-2

B.J. Upton2-for-2

Angels vs. Price

Alberto Callaspo4-for-9

Torii Hunter3-for-9

Howie Kendrick5-for-13, HR

On deck

Tuesday: at Angels, 10:05. Sun Sports. Rays — Alex Cobb (0-0, 5.91); Angels — Dan Haren (5-3, 2.29)

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Beach boys, not Beach Boys

What started as a dress-up theme keyed to the Beach Boys evolved into players wearing board shorts, flip-flops and T-shirts and tank tops for the flight to Southern California. "I just heard 'Beach,' " DH Johnny Damon said. LHP David Price, right, took it the furthest, with blue swim goggles and an orange float ring.

Lending a hand

Rays manager Joe Maddon will play a small part tonight in the Angels' celebration of their 50th anniversary season. Former players are throwing out first pitches at all 81 home games. When OF Rick Reichardt does, Maddon, who spent 31 years with the club, will catch it.

Quote of the day

"You're in kind of a fantasyland out there."

1B Casey Kotchman, on the pleasures of playing and living in Southern California with the Angels

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

SEATTLE — Back in the far corner of the visiting clubhouse, past where Wade Davis was pulling on his board shorts and across from where David Price was adjusting his blue goggles and orange float ring for the beachwear travel theme, J.P. Howell sat in his underwear, hunched into his locker, head in his hands.

The lefty reliever had just failed the Rays again, his poor eighth inning a primary reason what looked to be an inspiring comeback win instead turned into a discouraging 9-6 loss Sunday, and Howell was in no mood for such fun and games, so distraught that manager Joe Maddon took the unusual step to come over to ask if he was okay.

"It breaks your heart, man," Howell said a few moments later. "To see your boys, I just watched the whole game, I seen them do what they did. Beautiful. Then to go in there and get ugly on it and mess it up, it doesn't feel that good."

Howell, whose return from shoulder surgery has been rocky, wasn't the only one feeling bad. A few lockers away, Joel Peralta was nearly as down. After Howell gave up the tying run by allowing a one-out walk to Justin Smoak then singles to Jack Cust (a grounder beating the Rays shift) and Adam Kennedy, Peralta gave away the game, giving up a three-run homer to catcher Miguel Olivo, who had hit a two-run shot off him in the eighth Saturday.

"It's really tough," Peralta said. "I let the team down. It's on me, you know. I go in and do the job, we got a chance to win. But I didn't, so it's on me."

So after an improved, though still flawed, outing by Davis, and after a three-run eighth-inning rally capped by a clutch two-out pinch-hit single by Evan Longoria, the Rays were let down by their bullpen.

"We played well," Maddon said. "We hit the ball well (Sunday). We've been doing things we wanted to do. On this particular day, we just didn't get the pitching we're accustomed to, and thus we lose."

"Kind of a heartbreaker," Longoria said. "It was an opportunity to split a series against a team who's playing pretty good baseball right now. And to battle the whole game the way we did and get ahead there and then see it go back the other way is pretty tough."

The loss was the Rays' 12th in their past 18th games, and in those three weeks, they have gone from holding a three-game lead in the AL East to dropping four games back at 30-29, tied with the Blue Jays for third.

After going 1-3 in Seattle, they now head to Anaheim for the next stop on their 11-game, four-city road trip.

Maddon said he didn't second-guess any of his moves. "Everything was right; we did everything I think was appropriate," he said. "It's just that J.P. had a tough day and then Joel, even (Saturday) and (Sunday), I felt good in that moment. And Olivo got him twice.

"Sometimes things don't work out. It doesn't mean it was the wrong thing to do."

He feels Howell, who has an 18.90 ERA in five appearances since coming back May 20 (allowing eight hits and two walks in 31/3 innings), is just rusty and needs more work, and he plans to continue to use him in key situations.

"For us to be successful, he's got to be able to do that," Maddon said. "That's how we're built. So if that is the particular player's role, then you've got to keep putting him out there because you believe it's gonna work. And I do. I felt good about him going out there."

Howell said his shoulder feels great and his velocity is better than it had been, so it's just a matter of pitching better.

"I guess I'm just not as sharp as I normally am," he said. "I don't want to make any excuses, but this is my April a little bit, and these guys are starting to hit stride. I need to just maybe get out there a little more frequently."

He remains confident, of course, that he can do the job. And that he won't have many more days of feeling as bad as he did Sunday.

"It's really frustrating at this point," Howell said. "The boys played great. It hurts a little bit."

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@spitmes.com.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

GAINESVILLE — There's something about Miami that really gets Florida pitcher and Alonso High alum Alex Panteliodis going. He can't quite explain it, and the Gators aren't questioning. They are just enjoying the spoils of his work.

Panteliodis pitched his longest outing of the season— 62/3 innings, allowing one run — and former Plant standout Preston Tucker went 2-of-4 with five RBIs to help lead Florida to an 11-4 victory over Miami in the Gainesville Region.

Florida (47-16) advanced to its school-record third consecutive NCAA super region, where it will host Mississippi State. The days of games have not been determined. The Bulldogs (37-23) beat Georgia Tech 7-3 to take the Atlanta Region. C.T. Bradford drove in four runs and Nick Routt pitched a six-hitter for Mississippi State

"I don't know, something sparks me against them," said Panteliodis, whose ERA is 0.75 with one earned run in 12 innings in his past two starts. "There's just something about them. They're a great ball team, but they just spark me."

Tucker, who was named the region's most outstanding player, hit a three-run homer in the first inning — the seventh of his postseason career, tying the UF record set by Mario Linares from 1988-91. His 26th RBI broke Linares' career record in NCAA postseason play.

"I didn't know that, but right now it's all about winning games," said Tucker, who finished the region batting .500 (7-for-14) with 11 RBIs, six runs, three home runs and three doubles. "Florida has had a great program for 100 years, so I know it's going to mean something someday, but right now I'm just trying to get guys in. …When­ever I see an opportunity, I'm just trying to drive in the runs."

Miami used to dominate Florida in the postseason.

"Well, I hope it flip-flops again very soon," Miami coach Jim Morris said. "They've done a great job lately really getting some good players in here and playing well. We did eliminate Florida a lot of times, and they're getting even right now.''

For more on the game, go to tampabay.com/blogs/gators.

FSU game suspended: The Florida State-Alabama region game in Tallahassee will resume at noon today with the Seminoles leading 8-1 in the top of the sixth. Bad weather interrupted play. Sun Sports will televise the rest of the game. Alabama must win to force a deciding game, which would begin 50 minutes after the suspended game. Sun Sports would broadcast the second game.

Other region highlights: In Charlottesville, host Virginia beat East Carolina 13-1 and will host a super region for the second consecutive year. The Cavaliers (52-9), the No. 1 national seed, set a school mark for victories. … In Chapel Hill, host North Carolina beat James Madison 9-3 to clinch the region, winning three games by a combined 27-3. … In Columbia, host South Carolina leads Stetson 4-1 in the top of the fifth with the game scheduled to resume at 1 today. A storm suspended play. Stetson must win to force a deciding game at 7.

Softball: Florida wins twice, reaches final

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kelsey Bruder and Brittany Schutte hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, sending Florida to a 9-2 victory against Alabama and a spot in the Women's College World Series final against top-seeded Arizona State.

The Gators beat the second-seeded Crimson Tide (53-11) twice to reach the championship round, immediately jumping on Kelsi Dunne to take control in both games. Alabama had a shutout streak of 301/3 innings coming into the day.

Florida (56-11) scored a World Series record 11 runs in the first inning of the first game and sent Alabama to a program-worst 16-2 loss, matching World Series records for runs scored and margin of victory in a game. The game was called after five innings. In the second game, Bruder and Schutte provided a quick 3-0 lead and Aja Paculba added a three-run homer in the seventh, before Alabama scored its only runs.

Arizona State advanced with a 4-0 victory over Baylor. Freshman Dallas Escobedo threw a five-hit shutout, and Mandy Urfer hit a two-run homer.

big ten: The conference football championship game will be in Indianapolis through at least 2015, with weather cited as a factor in not rotating with an outdoor venue. Chicago will rotate conference basketball tournaments with Indianapolis beginning next season.

Football: Junior linebacker Herman Lathers, Tennessee's leading returning tackler, has a broken ankle that will require surgery and will likely miss at least part of the season.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Mets 6, Braves 4

NEW YORK — R.A. Dickey pitched eight baffling innings and Jose Reyes hit an RBI double and scored twice for the Mets, who have won two straight. Carlos Beltran had a run-scoring double off Braves starter Tim Hudson before fouling a ball off his shin and leaving the game in pain. Justin Turner added an RBI single, and the banged-up Mets finished 5-5 on their homestand.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 5, 2011

SEATTLE — 3B Evan Longoria didn't have lingering soreness in his left side Sunday, and the Rays could breathe easier.

Longoria left Saturday's game with tightness in his left side — an area of concern since he had missed a month with a strained oblique — and didn't start Sunday as a precaution.

But he said before the game that he felt better, and he showed it, delivering a key pinch-hit single in the eighth inning, then later snagging a hard-hit grounder and spinning around and throwing out the runner.

"Physically I felt good," Longoria said.

Longoria said he is "100 percent" sure he will be back in the lineup tonight when the Rays open a series against the Angels in his native Southern California.

He'll have plenty of family and friends coming out to see him, and he has a .413 career average and 1.340 OPS in 12 games at Angel Stadium, with four homers and 13 RBIs in 12 games.

"I don't want to miss those games," he said.

Wading in: Most of the 108 pitches starter RHP Wade Davis threw were good, an encouraging sign given inconsistency in his previous outings.

But there were a couple of mistakes: an 0-and-2 single that set up a rally and a 1-and-2 triple that scored two runs by just-called-up rookie Greg Halman, and a two-run triple by Ichiro Suzuki, who had been 0-for-16.

"Davis had really good stuff — way too good of stuff to give up that many runs," manager Joe Maddon said. "He made some pitches I know he'd like to have back, especially to Halman."

Davis had pretty much the same take. "I felt great. I made two mistakes to Halman that really hurt me, but that's something I've got to get better at, executing pitches with two strikes both times. … Execution was better overall, getting quicker outs, making better pitches."

King David: Twelve starts into last season, LHP David Price was 9-2 with a 2.23 ERA on his way to a 19-win season and a second place finish in the Cy Young voting.

He makes his 13th start of this season tonight with a 6-5 record and 3.52 ERA and a strong feeling that he is pitching better.

"I feel like I'm hands-down a better pitcher than I was last year even though my numbers probably don't say that," he said.

Actually, some do, as strikeouts are up (from 57 in 802/3 IP last year to 76 in 841/3) and walks are down (from 32 to 17). Just not the bottom line numbers such as wins, losses and ERA.

Price said the difference is out of his control: "Last year I was pretty lucky, and this year I haven't been so lucky."

Miscellany: DH Johnny Damon extended his streak of reaching base to 31 games, matching his career high set in 2000 and matching the third longest in team history. … The Rays finished a 19-game stretch against plus-.500 teams 7-12. … C Kelly Shoppach went 2-for-3, his first multi-hit game, and first double, of the season. … 2B Ben Zobrist had his third straight multi-hit game. … With seven wins, RHP Jeremy Hellickson shares the AL lead, the first rookie to do so this late since Detroit's Justin Verlander in 2006.