Times wires
Monday, June 13, 2011

Cubs 1, Brewers 0

CHICAGO — Darwin Barney scored on a fielder's choice in the eighth inning, lifting the Cubs. Aramis Ramirez grounded to Brewers shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt with one out, but the throw to catcher Jonathan Lucroy was late as Barney dived over home plate for the score. Chicago starter Ryan Dempster had a no-decision in his 500th career game. He pitched seven scoreless innings. Jeff Samardzija worked one inning for the win.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 13, 2011

Rays vs. Red Sox

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

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

Starting pitchers

RAYS: RH James Shields (5-4, 2.85)

RED SOX: RH Tim Wakefield (3-1, 4.84)

Tickets: From $17-275, available at Tropicana Field box office, raybaseball.com and all Ticketmaster outlets

Watch for …

Big-game James: Shields returned to his strong form his last time out, allowing three runs over seven innings in a no-decision in Anaheim. He's 5-9 with a 5.17 ERA in 16 career starts against the Red Sox.

In the Wake: Wakefield has been pitching well, having won three of his past four starts. Though over his career the 44-year-old knuckleballer has had success against the Rays (21-5, 3.78), they've had his number the past two years, scoring 16 runs in the past 14 innings (three starts).

Key matchups

Rays vs. Wakefield

Johnny Damon 20-for-64, 4 HRs

Ben Zobrist 1-for-10

Evan Longoria 6-for-13, HR

Red Sox vs. Shields

David Ortiz 12-for-33, 3 HRs

Dustin Pedroia 13-for-30, 2 HRs

Kevin Youkilis 3-for-31

On deck

Wednesday: vs. Red Sox, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (7-4, 3.03); Red Sox — Josh Beckett (5-2, 2.06)

Thursday: vs. Red Sox, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (7-5, 3.51); Red Sox — Clay Buchholz (5-3, 3.59)

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Proud Price

LHP David Price, a former Vanderbilt star, was "pumped" that his Commodores reached their first-ever College World Series. Price pitched three seasons for Vanderbilt before becoming the top overall pick of the 2007 draft. "That's awesome," he said. "I hope they're going to win it."

Number of the day

7,208 Miles in the air for the Rays on their 11-game, four-city trip, which included two cross- country flights

Quote of the day

"There's not an 'E' in that win-loss column for excuses, so we're not ready to make any."

LHP David Price, on the rigors of an 11-game cross-country road trip

Times wires
Monday, June 13, 2011

D'backs 12, Marlins 9

MIAMI — Miguel Montero hit three doubles and drove in four runs, and pitcher Zach Duke hit a two-run homer for the Diamondbacks. Juan Miranda had three RBIs and Justin Upton two for Arizona, which has won four of five. The Marlins have lost 11 of 12, finishing 1-10 on a homestand.

Times wires
Monday, June 13, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — Michael Wacha continued his brilliant postseason for Texas A&M, allowing two runs on three hits in 71/3 innings as the Aggies defeated Florida State 11-2 on Monday night to advance to the College World Series.

In four postseason outings, Wacha (9-3) has allowed just three earned runs in 281/3 innings.

Texas A&M (47-20), which won two of three games in the Tallahassee Super Region, reached the CWS for the first time since 1999.

Adam Smith had a two-run homer and Kevin Gonzalez had a two-run double that was part of a six-run first inning for Texas A&M.

Stuart Tapley had a solo home run and catcher Rafael Lopez had an RBI double for Florida State (46-19). Hunter Scantling lasted just four batters for the Seminoles, who couldn't get their offense going a day after winning 23-9 to force Game 3 in the Super Region.

Virginia advances

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Chris Taylor was feeling like he'd let his team down for his part in a play that set Virginia up for another devastating failure in a Super Region.

Instead, given a chance to redeem himself, Taylor came through with perhaps the biggest hit in Cavaliers baseball history, a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth that lifted them to a dramatic 3-2 victory against UC Irvine and back into the College World Series.

"I'm speechless right now," the sophomore shortstop said.

"This is a dream come true. A player can only dream of a moment like this," he said.

Virginia (54-10) was down to its last strike against Anteaters ace Matt Summers, making his first relief appearance of the season, when David Coleman singled to center on a 1-and-2 pitch, Jared King singled off Summers' leg and pinch-hitter Reed Gragnani walked on four pitches.

That loaded the bases, and Taylor watched as Summers' first pitch went by, looking very hittable.

"I was a little upset I didn't swing at it," he said. "But I'm glad I didn't swing now."

That's because he hit the next pitch up the middle, just out of the reach of diving second baseman Tommy Reyes, as pinch runners Mitchell Shifflett and Corey Hunt raced home, causing a sellout crowd at Davenport Field to erupt in celebration as the players rejoiced on the field.

TWO HONORED: Two starting pitchers from state teams, Karsten Whitson of Florida and Scott Gardner of Bethune-Cookman, were named to the freshman All-America first-team. Gardner was 9-2 with a 2.07 ERA. Whitson was 8-0, 2.45.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 13, 2011

DETROIT — As bad as the Rays wanted to finally go home after an 11-game, cross-country road trip, they didn't mind fighting late into the night on their final stop.

They just wanted the fight to be a fair one.

After all Tampa Bay had already tackled on the four-city trek — a spreading stomach virus, sleep deprivation and several deficits — it left Monday's 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Tigers a little frustrated after another controversial call went against it.

"It just seems like we've been on the wrong side of some tough calls lately," veteran Johnny Damon said. "And we just have to keep going out there and creating all our own luck."

The play in question was leftfielder Justin Ruggiano getting called out at the plate by home-plate umpire John Tumpane, negating the tying run and sparking arguments from (and ejections of) manager Joe Maddon and left-hander David Price.

"I never felt a tag," Ruggiano said. "Never."

The Rays would eventually tie in the eighth on a Ruggiano sacrifice fly, but they lost in the 10th on Ramon Santiago's walkoff triple, hitting a Kyle Farnsworth sinker that "didn't sink."

Tampa Bay (35-31) finished the trip 6-5 and fell to 41/2 games behind the first-place Red Sox, whom it hosts in a three-game series starting tonight. It was a character-building and successful trip, including two extra-inning wins, but Damon felt there were a couple games, like Monday's, that the Rays let "slip away."

Rookie right-hander Alex Cobb had another solid start, battling out of jams in a 52/3-inning outing, allowing one run while striking out seven. "Cobb was really good," Maddon said.

But the Rays couldn't score on previously struggling lefty Phil Coke, who showed improved velocity and allowed four hits in 61/3. Tampa Bay felt it got even in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Ruggiano slid home on a Casey Kotchman flyout.

Tigers catcher Alex Avila, who was blocking the plate, accepted the throw from Magglio Ordonez. Ruggiano hit his left leg on Avila's during a feet-first slide, and Avila appeared to whiff on two tag attempts.

"The moment my foot was actually on the plate when I was called out," Ruggiano said. "Maybe he didn't have a good angle. That happens. Whether or not I got in on the first attempt or not, I'm pretty sure I did. But if I didn't, I know I got in on the second attempt."

Tumpane wasn't available for comment. Crew chief Mike Everitt said Tumpane did a "great job" and he was "very proud of him."

"In his judgment, he believed (Ruggiano) was tagged out before he touched the plate," Everitt said.

Maddon said the replay "speaks for itself."

"Calls like that happen quite often," Maddon said. "I'm just a little annoyed that sometimes it seems to go against us on the heavy side."

Avila said he might have tagged Ruggiano's foot, but wasn't sure: "He didn't touch the plate until the end."

The Rays had chances, going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. All in all, Maddon was proud of the way his team battled Monday, and the entire trip.

"It's all about the fight," he said.

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.

Times wires


Monday, June 13, 2011

BOSTON — The Bruins put Roberto Luongo and the Stanley Cup back on the shelf.

After another home scoring spree against Vancouver's wildly inconsistent goalie Monday night, the Bruins will make one last trip west for the big finish to this dramatic Stanley Cup final.

Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic and Andrew Ference scored in the first 8:35 to chase Luongo from his second straight game in Boston, and the Bruins emphatically evened the final with a 5-2 victory in Game 6.

The decisive Game 7 is Wednesday night in Vancouver.

The home team hasn't lost, with Vancouver winning three one-goal games and Boston posting three blowout victories.

"I'm proud of the guys," said Bruins wing Mark Recchi, who had three assists. "We had our backs to the wall, we've been resilient all year, and we came out and had a great first period and did what we had to do tonight, and it comes down to Game 7. It's one game now."

Last season's league MVP, Henrik Sedin, scored his first point of the series with a late power-play goal for the Canucks, who flopped in their first attempt to win their first championship. Maxim Lapierre also scored in the third for the Canucks, who will get one last try at a Rogers Arena filled with worried Vancouverites hoping their maddening team can come through.

Tim Thomas made 36 saves for the Bruins, giving up two third-period goals while burnishing his credentials for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

"He's been in his zone through the whole playoffs," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "You can barely count on one hand the bad goals he's given up in the whole playoffs. We all know that teams that have won the Stanley Cup have had unbelievable goaltending. We feel like we've got that."

Thomas has given up just eight goals in six games in a virtuoso performance in the series — but the spotlight in Game 6 was trained squarely on the other net.

Boston set a Cup final record with four goals in 4:14 while chasing Luongo and welcoming his backup, Cory Schneider, with a quick goal from Michael Ryder.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault wasted no time confirming Luongo will start Game 7 in Vancouver.

"I don't have to say anything to him," Vigneault said. "He's a professional. His preparation is beyond reproach, and he's going to be ready for Game 7."

The Bruins are one win from the Original Six franchise's first championship since 1972. Boston has lost its past five trips to the final since, never even forcing a Game 7.

But these Bruins have ample experience in Game 7. They've won two this spring, beating Montreal in the first round and the Lightning in the Eastern Conference final — both at home.

Vancouver probably could tell Game 6 was trouble from the opening shift: Second-line forward Mason Raymond was taken to a hospital with an undisclosed injury after he ran into the boards backward and bent at the waist in a collision with Boston defenseman Johnny Boychuk. The Canucks gave no immediate details on his injury or condition.

Luongo immediately appeared shaky when Marchand whistled a shot over his left shoulder just 5½ minutes in. Lucic scored 35 seconds later when his innocent shot trickled through Luongo, and Ference finished the goalie with a power-play score 2:29 after that.

After Sedin finally scored in the opening minute of the third, playoffs scoring leader David Krejci got his 12th goal during a two-man advantage for Boston, with Recchi, 43, picking up his third assist.

Boston forward Nathan Horton, knocked out of the series after getting a concussion in Game 3, attended Game 6 and got a standing ovation when he appeared on the scoreboard in the first period.

First Period—1, Boston, Marchand 9 (Recchi, Seidenberg), 5:31. 2, Boston, Lucic 5 (Peverley, Boychuk), 6:06. 3, Boston, Ference 4 (Ryder, Recchi), 8:35 (pp). 4, Boston, Ryder 8 (Kaberle), 9:45. Penalties—H.Sedin, Van (unsportsmanlike conduct), :56; Chara, Bos (interference), :56; Edler, Van (boarding), 7:55; Kesler, Van (holding), 10:31; Vancouver bench, served by Torres (too many men), 17:09.

Second Period—None. Penalties—Bergeron, Bos (goaltender interference), :28; Bergeron, Bos (interference), 12:15; Bergeron, Bos (elbowing), 19:08.

Third Period—5, Vancouver, H.Sedin 3 (D.Sedin, Ehrhoff), :22 (pp). 6, Boston, Krejci 12 (Recchi, Kaberle), 6:59 (pp). 7, Vancouver, Lapierre 3 (D.Sedin, Hansen), 17:34. Penalties—Torres, Van (tripping), 5:23; Alberts, Van (cross-checking), 6:11; Burrows, Van (slashing), 6:59; Bergeron, Bos (cross-checking), 6:59; Recchi, Bos (tripping), 11:32; D.Sedin, Van, misconduct, 18:29; Lapierre, Van, misconduct, 18:29; Thornton, Bos, misconduct, 18:29; Marchand, Bos, minor-misconduct (roughing), 18:29; Seidenberg, Bos (cross-checking), 19:03. Shots on Goal—Vancouver 11-11-16—38. Boston 19-8-13—40. Power-play opportunities—Vancouver 1 of 6; Boston 2 of 5. Goalies—Vancouver, Luongo 15-9-0 (8 shots-5 saves), C.Schneider (8:35 first, 32-30). Boston, Thomas 15-9-0 (38-36). A—17,565 (17,565). T—2:47. Referees—Dan O'Halloran, Kelly Sutherland. Linesmen—Jay Sharrers, Jean Morin.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

St. Petersburg resident Brittany Hicks had the best finish of any Pinellas County runner at the Spring Engineering RAP River Run in New Port Richey on Saturday. The race had 934 finishers.

Hicks, 20, was sixth overall in the women's 5K race. She crossed the finish line in 21:44, about 31/2 minutes behind women's champion Kari Grippo (18:06). Hicks was also the top runner in the women's 20- to 24-year-old age group.

Carol Bancroft, 51 of Safety Harbor, came across the line right behind Hicks in seventh place. Bancroft's time was 22:08. She was the women's grandmaster's champion.

Christina Simpson, 49 of St. Petersburg, slipped into the top 10 with her time of 22:27. She was ninth in the women's race.

Among local men's runners competing in the Spring Engineering RAP River Run 5K Zack Startimore was first across the finish line. Startimore, 30 of Oldsmar, completed the 5K race in 19:32 and was 20th overall.

The overall race championship went to Wesley Chapel's Ryan Pulsifer, who finished in 16:51 for the win.

James Hummel, 50 of Tarpon Springs, ran 19:58 to take the men's 50-54 group first-place prize.

Duncan Cameron, 68 of Palm Harbor, won the men's 65-69 group by more than two minutes after crossing the finish line in 21:24.

In the 1-mile competition, Gabrielle Jenkins was the top local finisher on the women's side. Jenkins, 10 of St. Petersburg, had a time of 9:11 to come in fourth place.

Allyson Schmeiser, 8 of Palm Harbor, was right behind Jenkins in 9:12 to take fifth in the mile run, which was won by Justin Lawrence (men's, 6:51) and Keanu Gerald (women's, 7:41).

OLDSMAR TAPHOUSE 5K: The husband and wife team of Lee and Christa Stephens won titles at Friday's Oldsmar Taphouse 5K.

Lee Stephens was the overall champion in Oldsmar, breaking the tape in 16:28. Stephens finished 15 seconds ahead of the pack.

Christa Stephens was the women's champion after crossing the finish line in 18:57, 18 seconds in front of her nearest competitor.

Andrew Chandler, 37 of St. Petersburg, cracked the top five in the men's race. Chandler was third in a time of 16:46.

Leslie Beauchamp, 32 of St. Petersburg, claimed fifth place in the women's race after running 20:27.

Also finishing in the top 10 were: (men's eighth place) Shane Deeley, Clearwater, 17:29; (men's ninth place) Zach Hoge, St. Pete Beach, 17:42; (women's sixth place) Jennifer Sullivan, Safety Harbor, 20:39; (women's seventh place) Kathy Frailing, Largo, 20:52; (women's tenth place) Christine Kiernan-Ortiz, St. Petersburg, 21:16.

GIRLS ON THE RUN: The Girls on the Run of Southern Tampa Bay will offer the Girls on the Run program to Pinellas and Pasco counties starting in the fall.

The Girls on the Run 12-week after-school program is designed for girls in third through eighth grade to learn self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. The program focuses on building self-esteem and encourages a positive physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Participants train to take part in a noncompetitive 5K race that culminates the workouts and training sessions. For more information visit girlsontherun.org.

FIRST-TIMERS CLINIC: For anybody interested in completing a triathlon but unsure of the strategy and training involved, the Morton Plant Mease Triathlon is offering a First-Timers Clinic taught by Matt Hess, Jennifer Hutchison, Doug Kugley and Lee Stephens, experienced triathletes, on Tuesday at Sand Key Park.

The quartet will take first-timers and athletes through bike and run course strategy, transition and give triathlon tips.

The clinic will meet at the first bathhouse on Sand Key Park's North Beach. Check-in starts at 5:30 p.m., and the clinic begins at 6.

To sign up in advance, call (727) 825-1521 or e-mail mimi.chavin@baycare.org. The sixth annual Morton Plant Mease Triathlon in Clearwater is scheduled for June 26.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Angels 6, Mariners 3

SEATTLE — Vernon Wells hit the Angels' first homer in 62 innings with a solo shot in the third, then hit a two-run homer in the seventh after Jeff Mathis' slide knocked the ball free from Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo to tie the score at 3. The Angels, having dropped seven of eight, started their longest trip of the season with a comeback win. It was Wells' 22nd career multihomer game and first since September against Texas.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Padres 3, Rockies 1

DENVER — Anthony Bass pitched five efficient innings to win his major-league debut, Ryan Ludwick had two RBIs and the Padres snapped a three-game skid in a game delayed 83 minutes by a thunderstorm. Bass was called up from Double A with Dustin Moseley bothered by a slightly dislocated left shoulder and Aaron Harang going on the DL due to a bruised right foot.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Reds 6, Dodgers 4

LOS ANGELES — Bronson Arroyo outpitched Hiroki Kuroda for the second time in 11 days and singled home the go-ahead run for the Reds, who got homers from Joey Votto and Chris Heisey. Arroyo is 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last four starts against the Dodgers, after going 1-4 with a 4.67 ERA in his other nine starts against them. Dee Gordon had a run-scoring triple for the Dodgers, his first RBI in the majors.

Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A date and start time for FC Tampa Bay's international friendly against the English Premier League's Bolton has been finalized.

The Wanderers will visit St. Petersburg's Al Lang Field on July 14 at 7:30 p.m.

"It is a fantastic opportunity for our players to see a very progressive organization such as Bolton with top quality people from the players all the way through to the staff," FC Tampa Bay coach Ricky Hill said in a news release. "I know it will be the preseason for them, but we are hoping that we can put on a good performance for the supporters. It will be great for the area to see a Premier League side here in person, and we look forward to them coming."

Bolton finished 14th during the recently completed 2010-11 season in the EPL with 12 wins, 10 draws and 16 losses. Bolton made the semifinals of the 2010-11 FA Cup, an all-division tournament that features 759 English teams.

The Wanderers are led by Swedish international Johan Elmander, who scored 12 goals (10 in Premier League play, two in cup competitions) this season. Kevin Davies and Daniel Sturridge each scored eight EPL goals this season for Bolton.

Bolton's best-known player to American soccer fans is Stuart Holden, who made 26 appearances for the Wanderers and was becoming one of the league's better players in central midfield before a knee injury against Manchester United in March ended his season. Holden, who had surgery on the knee, will not be available to play against Tampa Bay.

"I have told the guys all about FC Tampa Bay and how their fans love their soccer and their team," Holden, a member of the U.S. men's national team, said in a release. "We know that it will be a demanding game and that we are set for a tough match, but I am sure that the lads will receive a really warm welcome from the Tampa Bay fans."

The international friendly, a first for FC Tampa Bay, is the beginning of a three-game preseason trip in the United States for Bolton.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., is one of those pristine plots of land reserved for well-heeled members and their privileged guests. Presidents, CEOs and A-list actors have all walked the 400 acres just minutes from Washington.

This week, Congressional will host the 111th U.S. Open. Its immaculate fairways and lightning fast greens will test the best golfers in the world. It is the place to be for golf's elite.

St. Petersburg's Caesar Civitella will have a different perspective. He remembers a time when nobody wanted to go to Congressional. In 1943, with World War II raging, the course was a training ground for special members of the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS, a predecessor to the CIA.

Congressional Country Club was no paradise.

"We could only call it Area F,'' said Civitella, 87. "If anybody asked us where we were training, we would say 'Area F.' Everything was very secretive back then.''

'We did some damage'

Back then, Civitella was a 20-year-old airborne engineer who was selected to be in special operations because of his training and his ability to speak Italian. He was sent to jump school before joining the OSS, which only happened because of a lapse in judgment.

While with the Army's Amphibious Engineers in Cape Cod, Civitella was a crew member on the commanding officer's yacht. He and his fellow crew members decided one Sunday to take the yacht out for an unauthorized sail. The crew faced court martial or transfer after that stunt. Civitella chose the latter and went to Camp MacKall in North Carolina to learn how to parachute.

"Hey, we were teenagers,'' Civitella said. "Or at least we acted like teenagers.''

Just a week into his Camp MacKall stay he was screened for Italian fluency and asked to join the OSS. That would mean training at Congressional Country Club. It was October of 1943.

"I was from a West Philadelphia Italian neighborhood,'' Civitella said. "To me, this was going uptown.''

But it was not country club living. Civitella stayed in a tent on the tennis courts with five other soldiers and a pot belly stove in the middle. They were rarely in the tent because their days and nights were spent training. And it wasn't normal training.

The goal was to train spies and commandos who could drop behind enemy lines and take out the bad guys. They practiced ambushes, hand-to-hand combat, general mayhem.

"The training was not the regular military stuff,'' Civitella said. "It was guerilla warfare, unconventional warfare. Blowing up rail lines and so forth.

"We had to get through their obstacle course one night. They had booby traps all over the course. So we did it. When you made it to the end you were at Glen Echo Park. It was mostly crawling on your belly.''

That's what Civitella will think of when he turns on the U.S. Open this week, crawling on his belly trying to avoid traps in the grass and the bullets officers were firing above his head.

"It'll bring back a hell of a lot of memories,'' Civitella said. "Living in the tent, ambushes, running. We did some damage to the club, but they got paid for it.''

'Malice in Wonderland'

Congressional Country Club was built in 1921 and opened in 1924. It was a place to be seen for the country's elite. But after the Great Depression and the election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, membership started to wane. There were 680 members in 1931, but by 1943 it dwindled to 216.

William Donovan, a decorated World War I officer, proposed the creation of an American intelligence service. In 1942 the OSS was created, and the group needed space to train.

With Congressional struggling to pay the bills, Donovan offered to lease the course for $4,000 per month and promised to repair any damages once the training was over. The Congressional board jumped at the offer.

For the next two-plus years, Congressional looked nothing like a golf course. It was dug up, blown up and beat up. One trainee famously called it "Malice in Wonderland.''

By early 1946, OSS training was terminated. The course was returned to the 156 loyal members who hung on, dues free, through the war. The government spent $200,000 cleaning up its mess. It was playable by May of 1946.

'Too stuffy'

Since World War II, Congressional has hosted two U.S. Opens before this year, 1964 and '97. It also hosted the 1976 PGA Championship.

After his training at the course, Civitella went to North Africa for more training and then into Southern France and Italy. When the war ended, Civitella had a short stint at the University of Pennsylvania, then reenlisted in 1947 and ended up in the 82nd Airborne.

He went into officer training and started working at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. In 1964 he went to work for the CIA and in 1981 was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

He retired in 1983 and moved to St. Petersburg, where he has been ever since.

Civitella says he is not a golfer. He has tried the game a few times, but his slice got the best of him. He has returned to Congressional several times for reunions with OSS members. He hasn't gone back in more than two years, mostly because it's not really his kind of place.

"They make you wear a suit and tie and jacket when you come back,'' Civitella said. "Isn't that something? It's too stuffy.''

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

For fans who fret at driving across a bridge for a baseball game, consider Darren O'Donnell's commute to attend tonight's Rays-Red Sox game: about 4,500 miles.

On a bike.

The 24-year-old from Bellingham, Wash., is not even a Rays fan, but he's in the midst of cycling about 10,500 miles across the country to visit all 30 major-league ballparks in 170 days.

"It's all been pretty memorable," O'Donnell said by phone Tuesday during a rare off-day from biking. "Memorable in good ways and bad ways for certain stretches."

For 68 days, he has toted 82 pounds of gear plus water and food on a custom-made steel-frame bike, hitting 10 ballparks already since his start in Seattle on April 8. The idea came last year, as he and two former roommates made a 1,000-mile trek from Washington state to Chico, Calif., and he told his friends how cool it would be to see all 30 stadiums in one season. Their response: What's holding you back?

So he took 30 schedules and "connected the dots," mapping out a course that would take him on a winding, counterclockwise trek around the country, starting in Seattle and finishing in St. Louis, nearly six months later. He conservatively estimated 65 miles per day, but has found he can average 100 miles without much trouble. All this from a guy who hadn't ever biked more than 40 miles in a day until his trip last year.

The trip has its share of logistical challenges — he lost 15 pounds from his 175-pound frame by the time he got to Los Angeles before conceding that a largely fast-food diet would allow him to consume enough calories to match what he burns in eight hours of biking.

"It's good to eat healthy, but you're out there every day. You have to get the calories," he said. "You've gotta stop at McDonald's and Burger King and cram, cram those calories. You're just going to burn them up anyway. I do try to mix it up, but McDonald's is the most common one out there, and they have the cheapest drink at $1."

He shipped his cold-weather gear home while in Colorado, and he's endured rude motorists and "more flat tires than I care to count."

With the help of social media and the kindness of friends and their families, he's budgeting just $10,000 for the six-month trip, allowing for $20 a day for food. He has found friends in cities along his path — one of his Tampa homes is the apartment of Peter and Katy Privon, two relocated friends from grade school that he reached out to through Facebook. He has camped out in tents and stayed in cheap hotels, experiencing a little of everything along the way.

His path started down the West Coast, going a full 11 days between his first Mariners game and his next stop in Oakland. He has had stretches with four ballparks in nine days in southern California and Arizona, but tonight's game will be his first major-league action in 17 days, a long trek around the Gulf of Mexico from Houston. By coincidence, he was able to catch some NCAA Region baseball in Gainesville on his way down. After catching the Marlins on Monday, he'll go another 11 days before he gets to the Braves in Atlanta.

O'Donnell hasn't been received with much fanfare at his major-league destinations. The Diamondbacks gave him a hat, T-shirt and autographed ball, but most teams haven't responded to e-mails. Through Twitter, he has made contact with two of the biggest Rays stars, Evan Longoria and David Price, and said the chance to meet them today would be a highlight of his trip.

His favorite team is the Reds — he gets to Cincinnati on July 15, just after the All-Star break — but all he's asking for are good ballgames. In Arizona, the Diamondbacks hit two solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth, then beat the Rockies in the 11th. Like Forrest Gump's fictional run across America, he's found the joys of nature, like an "absolutely incredible" 7-mile downhill in Santa Barbara with a great view of the Pacific Ocean at more than 40 mph.

O'Donnell hopes his trip will encourage more public interest in volunteering and donating to public food banks — he worked as a meat department manager at a community food cooperative before starting his trip. If there's one thing that's struck him on his trip, it's the empty seats around him and the overall lack of interest from fans who surely have easier transportation to the stadium than he does.

"I wish more people would come out to the ballpark and support their teams," he said.

It's hard to find people as passionate about baseball and bicycles as he is, but he hopes to at the end of his journey. He has talked to two people who made similar trips and hopes they'll be able to meet him in Kansas City in late September and ride the final leg with him to St. Louis.

Follow O'Donnell's journey at Twitter.com/Baseball_Biking or search for "Baseball Biking Tour" at Facebook.com.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

For fans who fret at driving across a bridge for a baseball game, consider Darren O'Donnell's commute to attend tonight's Rays-Red Sox game: about 4,500 miles.

On a bike.

The 24-year-old from Bellingham, Wash., is not a Rays fan, but he's in the midst of cycling about 10,500 miles across the country to visit all 30 major-league ballparks in 170 days.

"It's all been pretty memorable," O'Donnell said by phone Tuesday during a rare off day from biking. "Memorable in good ways and bad ways for certain stretches."

For 68 days, he has toted 82 pounds of gear plus water and food on a custom-made steel-frame bike, hitting 10 ballparks since his start in Seattle on April 8. The idea came last year, as he and two former roommates made a 1,000-mile trek from Washington state to Chico, Calif., and he told his friends how cool it would be to see all 30 stadiums in one season. Their response: What's holding you back?

So he took 30 schedules and "connected the dots," mapping out a course that would take him on a winding, counterclockwise trek around the country, starting in Seattle and finishing in St. Louis, nearly six months later. He conservatively estimated 65 miles per day but has found he can average 100 miles without much trouble. All this from a guy who hadn't ever biked more than 40 miles in a day until his trip last year.

The trip has its share of logistical challenges. He lost 15 pounds from his 175-pound frame by the time he got to Los Angeles before conceding that a largely fast-food diet would allow him to consume enough calories to match what he burns in eight hours of biking.

"It's good to eat healthy, but you're out there every day. You have to get the calories," he said. "You've got to stop at McDonald's and Burger King and cram, cram those calories. You're just going to burn them up anyway. I do try to mix it up, but McDonald's is the most common one out there, and they have the cheapest drink at $1."

He shipped his cold-weather gear home while in Colorado, and he has endured rude motorists and "more flat tires than I care to count."

With the help of social media and the kindness of friends and their families, he's budgeting just $10,000 for the six-month trip, allowing for $20 a day for food. He has found friends in cities along his path; one of his Tampa homes is the apartment of Peter and Katy Privon, two relocated friends from grade school whom he reached out to through Facebook. He has camped out in tents and stayed in cheap hotels, experiencing a little of everything along the way.

"I think it's awesome, anybody that can take on a challenge," said Peter, who hadn't seen O'Donnell in five years until this week. "What I enjoy myself is setting a goal and making it happen, whether it be easy or hard, whether other people say it's crazy or not."

His path started down the West Coast, going a full 11 days between his first Mariners game and his next stop in Oakland. He has had stretches with four ballparks in nine days in southern California and Arizona, but tonight's game will be his first major-league action in 17 days, a long trek around the Gulf of Mexico from Houston. By coincidence, he was able to catch some NCAA Region baseball in Gainesville on his way down. After catching the Marlins on Monday, he'll go another 11 days before he gets to the Braves in Atlanta.

O'Donnell hasn't been received with much fanfare at his major-league destinations. The Diamondbacks gave him a hat, T-shirt and autographed ball, but most teams haven't responded to e-mails. Through Twitter, he has made contact with Rays stars Evan Longoria and David Price, and he said the chance to meet them today would be a highlight of his trip.

His favorite team is the Reds — he gets to Cincinnati on July 15 — but all he's asking for are good ballgames. In Arizona, the Diamondbacks hit two solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth, then beat the Rockies in the 11th. He has found the joys of nature, like an "absolutely incredible" 7-mile downhill in Santa Barbara with a great view of the Pacific Ocean at more than 40 mph.

O'Donnell hopes his trip will encourage public interest in volunteering and donating to public food banks. He worked as a meat department manager at a community food cooperative before starting his trip.

If one thing has struck him on his trip, it's empty seats and overall lack of interest from fans who surely have easier transportation to the stadium than he does.

"I wish more people would come out to the ballpark and support their teams," he said.

He hopes to find people as passionate about baseball and bicycles as he is. He has talked to two people who made similar trips and hopes they can meet him in Kansas City in late September and ride the final leg with him to St. Louis.

Follow O'Donnell's journey at Twitter.com/Baseball_Biking or search for "Baseball Biking Tour" at Facebook.com.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

U.S. Open marathon: Starting at 7 a.m. on ESPN Classic. Get ready for the year's second golf major with 27 hours of official U.S. Open highlight films from the past 50 years.

Live from the U.S. Open: 7 p.m. on Golf Channel. Even without Tiger Woods, there's plenty to talk about leading up to Thursday's start.

Bruins at Canucks: 8 p.m. on Ch. 8. Game 7 for all the marbles. Oh, and the Stanley Cup, too.

By Dave Mistretta, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Wahoo: We caught one of the most sought-after pelagic fish last weekend. A giant wahoo ate a free-lined sardine that was tossed from our transom. We were working depths of 130 feet of water in search of red snapper. I am sure the commotion of six anglers reeling in lots of bottom fish lured the giant fish to us.

The special bait: A Spanish sardine is probably the best all-around live bait for this situation. Because kingfish are also prevalent at times in 130-foot depths, too, we employed a stinger rig with 40-pound wire. As soon as the line began to scream off the reel, we screamed "Wahoo." Very few fish can match the speed of this one when it took off.

The battle: One mile away from our anchor ball, we gaffed the fish. It was 6 feet long and about 75 pounds. It took 1 hour and 40 minutes to subdue this fish. Lighter tackle required finesse and patience.

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.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

SUGAR LAND, Texas — The potential casualties of the NFL's work stoppage include players, owners and, eventually, parking-lot attendants and many others whose work is tied to the sport. The lockout's first victim, however, could be a former merchant seaman from Brooklyn who once worked on the Apollo lunar module and today lies inert in Room 12 at the Silverado dementia-care facility.

Bruce Schwager, 78 (good friends still call him Ben, short for his Hebrew name, Binyomin), spends most waking hours staring at the NFL Network, silently comforted by the images of players running and blocking and tackling the way he did as a lineman for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. He does not notice his wife, Bette, quietly packing his clothes and pictures into moving boxes, and does not understand when she blames the players union to which her husband still belongs.

Since July 2009, the charitable arm of the NFL players union had voluntarily paid Schwager's medical bills, which topped $250,000. Schwager never played in a regular-season game — he joined the union by attending two training camps — and the players association treated him as one of its own.

But on March 14, the first day of business after the NFL lockout began, a union official called Schwager's son and said the aid would cease immediately.

Schwager is scheduled to be evicted July 2. Bette Schwager has yet to find a facility to care for her large, strong and combative-when-agitated husband. Forcing him from his familiar surroundings could bring on a fatal heart attack, his doctor said.

The Schwager situation comes as football's players association faces tumbling revenues during negotiations for a labor contract — in which it seeks increased benefits for retired players — and while all of football wrestles with how to compensate veterans whose neurological disease is increasingly attributed to football.

Players association officials did not respond to messages requesting comment.

Schwager's son, Joshua, and Bette acknowledged that the union was under no legal obligation to help through the Players Assistance Trust. The aid appeared to derive in part from how the union's director of retired players, Andre Collins, played briefly with Joshua Schwager at Penn State in the late 1980s and knew the family.

A relative technicality kept Schwager from qualifying for the NFL's retirement program, perhaps the reason Collins arranged the assistance.

Bette said the family relied on Collins' promises.

"We based everything in our lives on what they told us — that they'd take care of him," she said. "I sold my home and signed a rental lease right around the corner from here so I could be near him. Now my whole world is falling apart."

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

OTTAWA — The Senators have a new coach and a new philosophy.

Paul MacLean, a Red Wings assistant coach for the past five years, was hired Tuesday by a team that failed to make the playoffs two of the past three seasons.

"I think it's important in the NHL today that the coach and players communicate," MacLean said at a news conference. "Communication with the players is important in empowering them and having them invest in what you're trying to do and what you're trying to accomplish. It's not me against them. It's us — the Ottawa Senators — against the rest of the league."

Cory Clouston, criticized for being too hard on his players and too rigid with his strategy, was fired as coach, along with two assistants, in April after a season in which the club finished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

"After a poor season, the need for change was obvious," general manager Bryan Murray said. "I felt Paul fit the profile. … I think he brings energy, experience, expertise and people skills, most importantly."

MacLean helped Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2008. He and Red Wings coach Mike Babcock also worked together for two years in Anaheim, taking the Ducks to the Cup final in 2003 when Murray was the team's GM.

MacLean spent 11 seasons in the league, playing for Winnipeg, Detroit and St. Louis from 1980-91.

Stars: Glen Gulutzan, coach of the team's AHL Texas affiliate, is expected to be named the new coach by the end of the week, according to media reports. Gulutzan has never coached in the NHL.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki was talking about the NBA championship capping his career wish list and how much it meant after all the heartbreaks along the way.

He wondered aloud about trying to find something else to push him so hard. Then he stopped, laughed and said: "I'm not going to retire or anything if that's what you think."

While the Mavericks know they'll have the Finals MVP back next season, the supporting cast is up in the air. Starting center Tyson Chandler, guard J.J. Barea, injured scorer Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are all free agents.

The NBA's uncertain labor status complicates things.

So, for now, the Mavs are focused on savoring the title.

The big celebration comes Thursday, with a parade downtown. Team owner Mark Cuban has offered to pick up the tab, so it should be a doozy — especially after the way he celebrated Sunday night in Miami. According to reports, the billionaire bought a $90,000 bottle of champagne and left a $20,000 tip.

A crowd of 250,000 is expected at the parade.

Cuban also has raised the idea of doing something other than championship rings. Carlisle said he'd be okay with Cuban giving everyone a piece of jewelry in addition to a ring, but when "you win an NBA championship, you've got to have a ring."

"I don't know what he's thinking," Carlisle said, laughing.

Nowitzki spoke for the locker room: "We've got to talk to him about that. I don't think the last word has been spoken yet. … I'd rather go with a ring."

HOWARD WAITING: Dwight Howard says he would prefer to stay with the Magic but the Orlando Sentinel, citing an interview with NBA.com, reported that the center said he won't sign the two-year contract extension the team has offered. Appearing in Treviso, Italy, on a promotional tour, Howard told NBA.com that he has told Magic owner Rich DeVos and CEO Bob Vander Weide that Orlando's roster needs to improve. Howard's deal runs through 2012-13, but he can terminate it and become a free agent in July 2012.

BOBCATS HIRE GM: Rich Cho was named Charlotte's general manager. Cho, 45, the former Portland GM, takes over after Rod Higgins became director of basketball operations.

HORRY'S DAUGHTER DIES: The 17-year-old daughter of former NBA star Robert Horry died Tuesday in a Houston children's hospital after battling a rare genetic condition. Ashlyn Horry was diagnosed with a chromosome disease called 1p36 Deletion Syndrome. "My little girl was the light of my life and my family's," Horry said. "We were blessed to have her for the time we did."

CLIPPERS: The team picked up its fourth-year option on league rookie of the year Blake Griffin and extended a qualifying offer to free-agent center DeAndre Jordan.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 14, 2011

NEW YORK — Derek Jeter's final push for 3,000 hits is on hold.

The Yankees put their star shortstop on the 15-day disabled list for the first time since 2003 because of a strained right calf, making the move before Tuesday night's game against the AL champion Rangers.

Jeter limped off the field Monday night against the Indians, four innings after he got his 2,994th hit.

"I guess the timing wasn't very good," Jeter said Tuesday. "It's a little bit frustrating. But even if I wasn't at this point, I'd still be frustrated. I don't like not to play. Whether it's going for 3,000 hits or 100 hits, I'd rather be out there playing."

Nearing his 37th birthday, Jeter is known for playing through injuries and is reluctant to take time off. In his 17th season, this is his fifth trip to the DL. The 11-time All-Star was still trying to persuade the team not to make the move hours before the decision was made.

With three games left on this homestand, Jeter and his teammates hoped he would get the historic hit at Yankee Stadium before heading out on a six-game trip to play the Cubs and Reds.

Jeter still could get No. 3,000 at home. He's eligible to come off the DL on June 29, the middle of a three-game series in the Bronx against the Brewers. More likely he'll reach the milestone on the road against the crosstown rival Mets or in Cleveland.

INFIELDER RETIRES: Veteran INF Ronnie Belliard retired after playing one final game for the Phillies' Triple-A Lehigh Valley club. Belliard, 36, batted .273 with a .338 on-base percentage and a .415 slugging percentage in 13 seasons and was an All-Star for the Indians in 2004.

DODGERS IN DEBT: Beleaguered Dodgers owner Frank McCourt appears to have "no chance" to meet the June 30 payroll without a cash infusion from a new television contract with Fox, the Los Angeles Times reported. If McCourt misses payroll, commissioner Bud Selig could make the payments for him, seize the team and put it up for sale.

ANGELS: RH reliever Fernando Rodney went on the 15-day disabled list with a nagging upper back injury.

ASTROS: Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg was fired and replaced on an interim basis by former reliever Doug Brocail. The team cited philosophical differences.

BLUE JAYS: Rookie RHP Kyle Drabek was demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas. Drabek, 23, had a 5.70 ERA in 14 starts. RHP Zach Stewart was called up from Double-A New Hampshire.

BRAVES: 1B Freddie Freeman was scratched with a mild right oblique strain.

CUBS: OF Reed Johnson was activated from the 15-day disabled list, and RHP Chris Carpenter was promoted from Double-A Tennessee. OF Tyler Colvin and RHP Casey Coleman were sent to Triple-A Iowa.

INDIANS: RHP Jason Knapp, 20, one of the key prospects acquired in the trade for LHP Cliff Lee, had a second shoulder operation. … DH Travis Hafner began a rehab assignment at Double-A Akron and hopes to return this weekend from an injured side muscle.

METS: Slumping LF Jason Bay was out of the starting lineup. The team also was without 3B Justin Turner, who is expected to miss a couple of days with swelling in his right hand.

NATIONALS: All-Star 3B Ryan Zimmerman was activated from the disabled list after he missed 58 games because of an injured abdominal muscle.

ORIOLES: Pitching coach Mark Connor, who was in his first season with the team, resigned for personal reasons. Bullpen coach Rick Adair took over.

PADRES: LHP Wade LeBlanc was called up from Triple-A Tucson to aid a banged-up rotation.

TWINS: A cortisone shot in 1B Justin Morneau's left wrist Sunday has yet to take, and he could land on the disabled list.