Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. — Night or day, it didn't matter to Florida's Steven Rodriguez.

The pitcher did not give up a hit in 41/3 innings of relief over two days, and Florida finished off a 3-1 victory over Vanderbilt in Tuesday's completion of a College World Series game suspended by inclement weather.

The left-hander retired three batters Monday night before high winds and heavy rain disrupted the game in the bottom of the sixth. He struck out six of the 11 batters he faced Tuesday. The sophomore finished with seven strikeouts and a walk.

"(Monday), when the sirens went off, I was kind of upset because I was dealing and I felt really good," Rodriguez said. "…It was super perfect (Tuesday) and things came out in my favor."

Florida (52-17) beat its SEC rival for the fourth time in five meetings this season and needs a win Friday over Vandy (53-11) or North Carolina to reach the best-of-three final. The Commodores and Tar Heels meet today; the winner would have to beat the Gators twice to advance.

"We've got a long way to go in this thing," Florida coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "We'll probably face a No. 1 pitcher for whoever we see Friday. This thing is a long way from over."

Former Plant High star Preston Tucker's three-run homer off starter Grayson Garvin (13-2) gave UF a 3-0 lead in the fourth.

Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said the difference was "one swing" — Tucker's.

"That is the way the game's played, particularly when you've got two very even teams," Corbin said. "And I know that they've had their way in terms of the outcome, but that doesn't change my opinion in terms of the evenness between Florida and Vanderbilt."

Anthony Gomez had an RBI single in the fifth for the Commodores. Rodriguez then took over for starter Karsten Whitson.

Because Rodriguez threw just 11 pitches Monday, O'Sullivan sent him back out. "He's well-rested, he's strong and he's durable," O'Sullivan said.

It took only 44 minutes to play the last 31/3 innings.

Cal survives again; South Carolina rolls on

No. 9 batter Derek Campbell drove in two runs, closer Matt Flemer pitched three scoreless innings and California extended its most improbable season, beating Texas A&M 7-3.

The Bears (38-22) play Virginia in another elimination game Thursday. The Aggies (47-22) went two and out and are 2-10 in five all-time CWS appearances.

California would need three more wins to reach the championship round. Then again, Bears coaches and players believe anything is possible now.

Last fall, the administration announced plans to cut the program in 2012 for budgetary reasons, but boosters and alumni raised $9 million to save the Bears.

Also, Colby Holmes, John Taylor and Matt Price combined on a five-hitter and defending national champion South Carolina tied the record for consecutive NCAA tournament wins, beating Virginia 7-1. The Gamecocks (52-14) won their 13th straight national tournament game, tying Southern California (1972-74) and LSU (1997-98).

No. 1 seed Virginia (55-11) was hitless into the fourth.

Football

NORTH CAROLINA: The NCAA is investigating possible violations, including unethical conduct by a former assistant as well as failure to adequately monitor former and current players. The NCAA says former associate head coach John Blake provided "false and misleading information" to both its investigators and the school regarding his relationship with late NFL agent Gary Wichard.

OHIO STATE: The school dropped its review of car purchases by players and family members after two investigations found dealerships made money on almost all of the sales. The review was dropped after a report by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and a separate review by the Ohio Independent Automobile Dealers Association.

EAST CAROLINA: Cornerback Emanuel Davis and receiver Michael Bowman will miss the opener, Sept. 3 against South Carolina, after both were arrested Saturday in Greenville, N.C. Davis' charges included intoxication and resisting a public officer. Bowman was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a public officer.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Athletics 7, Mets 3

NEW YORK — Josh Outman had his fifth quality start in six outings this season, Jemile Weeks scored three times and Oakland handed New York rookie Dillon Gee his first loss of the season. The A's won their sixth straight game after losing 13 of 14, their best streak since a seven-game run in September 2009.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

MIAMI — Jack McKeon earned his first victory since coming out of retirement as the Marlins broke an 11-game losing streak by beating the Angels 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Javier Vazquez and five relievers gave up 13 hits and Los Angeles had at least one hit in every inning but went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Gaby Sanchez homered and Hanley Ramirez had his first multi-hit game since May 21 for the Marlins, who are 2-19 in June. They are 1-1 since McKeon took over Monday as interim manager for the rest of the season.

For a change, the breaks went the Marlins' way. They had three infield hits while the Angels hit into two double plays, including one when reliever Edward Mujica snared Torii Hunter's liner then doubled a runner off second.

Ramirez, inserted into the cleanup spot for the first time in his career by McKeon, went 2-for-4 to hike his average to .206 and scored twice.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

D'backs 7, Royals 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wily Mo Pena hit his first major-league home run in nearly three years and Joe Saunders pitched seven strong innings for Arizona. Pena, just promoted from Triple-A Reno where he led the Pacific Coast League with 21 homers, hit a towering shot to right-center with two out in the fifth to tie it at 1. Pena's previous homer was June 24, 2008, with the Nationals. Saunders won for the fourth time in six starts.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Padres 5, Red Sox 4

BOSTON — Former Boston prospect Anthony Rizzo drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, and San Diego snapped a season-long six-game skid. Rizzo grounded out with the bases loaded to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, traded to the Red Sox in the offseason for Rizzo and two other top prospects. Chase Headley scored on the roller that Gonzalez bobbled before getting the out at first.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Eighty-year-old Jack McKeon is back to manage the Marlins for the rest of the season, striking a blow for the octogenarians of the world. Here are 10 other 80-somethings we would love to see coaching again.

Buddy Ryan, 80

His son, Jets coach Rex Ryan, is a couple of cans shy of a six pack, and he's a chip off the ol' crazy block. Buddy is such a whack job, he once attacked another coach during a game and it was one of his team's coaches!

Bobby Bowden, 81

Daggumit, it still seems shabby how Bowden was pushed out the door by FSU. Sure, the 'Noles might be better for it, but college football isn't. His old school, West Virginia, is a mess. Maybe he could go to Morgantown and get the sendoff he deserves.

Jerry Tarkanian, 80

Give him a towel to chew on and a basketball team to run-and-gun, and we bet Tark the Shark could get to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Plus, the beauty of Tarkanian returning would be watching all the stuffed shirts at the NCAA work themselves into a lather, because the NCAA hates Tarkanian. The way we see it, any enemy of the NCAA is a friend of ours.

Earl Weaver, 80

Major-league baseball umpires are so arrogant, incompetent and out of control that we need a manager to come in and give them all the "what for.'' Who better than Weaver, the former Orioles manager who was ejected 97 times in his 17-season, chain-smoking career. Legend has it that an umpire once handed Weaver his rule book and Weaver responded, "That's no good. I can't read braille.''

Bum Phillips, 87

Most of today's NFL coaches are football nerds who look the same and sound the same and have zero personality (uh, Bill Belichick?). Bum has more personality in his 10-gallon cowboy hat than any NFL coach has in his entire body. Plus, he speaks his own language. Example: He once said of Alabama icon Bear Bryant, "He can take his'n and beat your'n and take your'n and beat his'n."

Don Zimmer, 80

If Joe Maddon needs a couple of days off, the Rays should bring back Popeye. He publicly feuded with late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and tried to deck former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez. Any guy who gets in fights with the Yankees and Red Sox is all right in our book.

Tommy Lasorda, 83

That warm, fuzzy, funny guy you see in all the interviews isn't the true Lasorda, who could be ornery and rude when the cameras were turned off. But you have to admit the guy could manage, and the times haven't passed him by. He tweets constantly on Twitter.com, where he has nearly 28,000 followers.

Bud Grant, 84

Here's how to fix the Vikings: Tear down that awful dome, build an outdoor stadium and rehire Grant, who coached the team for 18 years. When he was honored in December at a frigid outdoor game, he showed up in short sleeves. Who wouldn't run through a wall for a guy like that?

Yogi Berra, 86

I really didn't say everything I said. The future ain't what it used to be. If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be. Hey, who knows if Yogi could manage, but his postgame interviews would be a blast.

Earl Bruce, 80

Ohio State's football job is open again. Bruce was 5-4 against Michigan from 1979-87. And at least his players paid for their tattoos.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Eighty-year-old Jack McKeon is back to manage the Marlins for the rest of the season, striking a blow for the octogenarians of the world. Here are 10 other 80-somethings we would love to see coaching again.

Buddy Ryan, 80

His son, Jets coach Rex Ryan, is a couple of cans shy of a six pack, and he's a chip off the ol' crazy block. Buddy is such a whack job, he once attacked another coach during a game and it was one of his team's coaches!

Bobby Bowden, 81

Daggumit, it still seems shabby how Bowden was pushed out the door by FSU. Sure, the 'Noles might be better for it, but college football isn't. His old school, West Virginia, is a mess. Maybe he could go to Morgantown and get the sendoff he deserves.

Jerry Tarkanian, 80

Give him a towel to chew on and a basketball team to run-and-gun, and we bet Tark the Shark could get to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Plus, the beauty of Tarkanian returning would be watching all the stuffed shirts at the NCAA work themselves into a lather, because the NCAA hates Tarkanian. The way we see it, any enemy of the NCAA is a friend of ours.

Earl Weaver, 80

Major-league baseball umpires are so arrogant, incompetent and out of control that we need a manager to come in and give them all the "what for.'' Who better than Weaver, the former Orioles manager who was ejected 97 times in his 17-season, chain-smoking career. Legend has it that an umpire once handed Weaver his rule book and Weaver responded, "That's no good. I can't read braille.''

Bum Phillips, 87

Most of today's NFL coaches are football nerds who look the same and sound the same and have zero personality (uh, Bill Belichick?). Bum has more personality in his 10-gallon cowboy hat than any NFL coach has in his entire body. Plus, he speaks his own language. Example: He once said of Alabama icon Bear Bryant, "He can take his'n and beat your'n and take your'n and beat his'n."

Don Zimmer, 80

If Joe Maddon needs a couple of days off, the Rays should bring back Popeye. He publicly feuded with late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and tried to deck former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez. Any guy who gets in fights with the Yankees and Red Sox is all right in our book.

Tommy Lasorda, 83

That warm, fuzzy, funny guy you see in all the interviews isn't the true Lasorda, who could be ornery and rude when the cameras were turned off. But you have to admit the guy could manage, and the times haven't passed him by. He tweets constantly on Twitter.com, where he has nearly 28,000 followers.

Bud Grant, 84

Here's how to fix the Vikings: Tear down that awful dome, build an outdoor stadium and rehire Grant, who coached the team for 18 years. When he was honored in December at a frigid outdoor game, he showed up in short sleeves. Who wouldn't run through a wall for a guy like that?

Yogi Berra, 86

I really didn't say everything I said. The future ain't what it used to be. If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be. Hey, who knows if Yogi could manage, but his postgame interviews would be a blast.

Earle Bruce, 80

Ohio State's football job is open again. Bruce was 5-4 against Michigan from 1979-87. And at least his players paid for their tattoos.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Rays at Brewers

When/where: 2:10 today; Miller Park, Milwaukee

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

Starting pitchers

RAYS: LH David Price (7-6, 3.61)

BREWERS: RHP Shaun Marcum (7-2, 2.85)

Watch for …

Price check: Price is in a bit of a funk (by his own hight standards), winless in his past two starts and lasting only five innings vs. Boston last time out. He remains tough on left-handers, allowing a .163 average. He is 2-3, 6.07 in five starts in NL parks.

Hip to the task: Marcum left his last start after one inning with a left hip flexor strain but plans to take the mound. The former Blue Jay is holding batters to a .215 average, though he is not as tough on lefties as he used to be. He is 2-2, 3.17 in eight games vs. the Rays.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Marcum

Evan Longoria 5-for-14

Sean Rodriguez 7-for-13, HR

Ben Zobrist 5-for-10

Brewers vs. Price

Yuniesky Betancourt 0-for-1

Carlos Gomez 0-for-2

On deck

Thursday: Off

Friday: at Astros, 8:05, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (7-4, 2.40); Astros — Wandy Rodriguez (5-3, 2.88)

Saturday: at Astros, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (6-5, 4.57); Astros — Bud Norris (4-5, 3.26)

Sunday: at Astros, 2:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (2-4, 4.82); Astros — TBA

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Big-league visit

After 26 years in the game, Stan Boroski, right, the assistant to the pitching coach, made it into a big-league game Monday. Sort of. Boroski, filling in for Jim Hickey, made two mound visits, the first time he'd been on the field during a game. He had filled in previously for bullpen coach Bobby Ramos, and once before for Hickey but didn't get to the mound.

The Rays, Milwaukee and a World Series

This is the Rays' first trip to Milwaukee, but there is a tie, at least statistically. By averaging 5.05 runs a game on the road and 3.17 at home for a difference of 1.88, the Rays, according to Stats, LLC, are threatening the "record" of 1.97 set by the 1957 Milwaukee Braves team that won the Series.

Stat of the day

.177 Rays major league-low batting average with the bases loaded.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

MILWAUKEE — Tuesday, Rays manager Joe Maddon might have been better off putting Sam Fuld on the mound and letting him pitch.

That's because the "real" relievers Maddon did use didn't do very well, turning what had been a tense pitcher's duel between Jeremy Hellickson and Brewers ace Zack Greinke into a mess.

The result was a 5-1 interleague loss that stopped the Rays winning streak at four and cost them a rare chance to gain on Boston, remaining 4½ games back at 40-34.

"We have to do better," Maddon said. "We walked too many guys tonight."

Hellickson overcome his own shaky start, walking the bases loaded in the first, to work six innings while allowing only two runs. "I was really impressed," Maddon said. "A great job." And Greinke, the former Royals ace who has tormented the Rays before, was even better, shutting them out through the first six innings then allowing a single run in the seventh.

But right after the Rays pulled to within 2-1, the day after Maddon caused some controversy by having Fuld warm up to stall as another reliever warmed, the bullpen gave it back. And then some, before a Miller Park crowd of 40,079, some of which had to dodge raindrops as there was a leak in the roof and it was storming mightily outside.

Walks were the consistent theme — the Rays gave up seven — leaving J.P. Howell to reference the dark days of seasons past.

"You never want to bring up the Devil Rays, but that's how they did it," Howell said. "That's how every loser does it. Anyone who loses a lot, that's what they do. It's so simple the equation. We followed the negative one (Tuesday night)."

After an infield single to start the seventh, Adam Russell gave one up, putting on pinch-hitter Craig Counsell. After getting out leadoff man Rickie Weeks, he gave way to Howell, with the tough task of righty Ryan Braun and lefty Prince Fielder looming.

Howell, pitching on back-to-back days for the third time since his return from the disabled list, wasn't up to it. "I was terrible," he said in the clubhouse, downcast but much calmer than during his tirade in the dugout.

He started poorly, walking light-hitting pinch-hitter Josh Wilson on four pitches to load the bases. "Terrible tone," Howell said. "Negative. Pretty much asking for it."

He got it, in a hurry, Braun smacking the first pitch to left for a two-run single and Fielder following with another single to left — both taking advantage of weak-armed Johnny Damon, who was still in leftfield,

Maddon was concerned about Braun but likes the left-handed Howell enough on right-handers that he had no second thoughts: "On Braun, it doesn't matter if you're right- or left-handed or if you're ambidextrous. You have to make a good pitch."

Hellickson, with three dozen friends and relatives making the seven-hour drive from his native Des Moines, Iowa, had all kinds of trouble at the start, unable to find his changeup and not having much luck with the fastball as he walked three of the first four.

He got out of the first allowing only one run on a sac fly, then gave up another in the second as Yusiensky Betancourt, the only member of the Brewers who had faced him, homered on his second pitch, an emerging concern as nine of the past 10 runs he has allowed have come on home runs.

"I didn't know what was going on really," he said. "I was trying to throw strikes, I swear."

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

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

MILWAUKEE — Tuesday, Rays manager Joe Maddon might have been better off putting Sam Fuld on the mound and letting him pitch.

That's because the "real" relievers Maddon did use didn't do very well, turning what had been a tense pitcher's duel between Jeremy Hellickson and Brewers ace Zack Greinke into a mess.

The result was a 5-1 interleague loss that stopped the Rays winning streak at four and cost them a rare chance to gain on Boston, remaining 4½ games back at 40-34.

"We have to do better," Maddon said. "We walked too many guys tonight."

Hellickson overcome his own shaky start, walking the bases loaded in the first, to work six innings while allowing only two runs. "I was really impressed," Maddon said. "A great job." And Greinke, the former Royals ace who has tormented the Rays before, was even better, shutting them out through the first six innings then allowing a single run in the seventh.

But right after the Rays pulled to within 2-1, the day after Maddon caused some controversy by having Fuld warm up to stall as another reliever warmed, the bullpen gave it back. And then some, before a Miller Park crowd of 40,079, some of which had to dodge raindrops as there was a leak in the roof and it was storming mightily outside.

Walks were the consistent theme — the Rays gave up seven — leaving J.P. Howell to reference the dark days of seasons past.

"You never want to bring up the Devil Rays, but that's how they did it," Howell said. "That's how every loser does it. Anyone who loses a lot, that's what they do. It's so simple the equation. We followed the negative one (Tuesday night)."

After an infield single to start the seventh, Adam Russell gave one up, putting on pinch-hitter Craig Counsell. After getting out leadoff man Rickie Weeks, he gave way to Howell, with the tough task of righty Ryan Braun and lefty Prince Fielder looming.

Howell, pitching on back-to-back days for the third time since his return from the disabled list, wasn't up to it. "I was terrible," he said in the clubhouse, downcast but much calmer than during his tirade in the dugout.

He started poorly, walking light-hitting pinch-hitter Josh Wilson on four pitches to load the bases. "Terrible tone," Howell said. "Negative. Pretty much asking for it."

He got it, in a hurry, Braun smacking the first pitch to left for a two-run single and Fielder following with another single to left — both taking advantage of weak-armed Johnny Damon, who was still in leftfield,

Maddon was concerned about Braun but likes the left-handed Howell enough on right-handers that he had no second thoughts: "On Braun, it doesn't matter if you're right- or left-handed or if you're ambidextrous. You have to make a good pitch."

Hellickson, with three dozen friends and relatives making the seven-hour drive from his native Des Moines, Iowa, had all kinds of trouble at the start, unable to find his changeup and not having much luck with the fastball as he walked three of the first four.

He got out of the first allowing only one run on a sac fly, then gave up another in the second as Yusiensky Betancourt, the only member of the Brewers who had faced him, homered on his second pitch, an emerging concern as nine of the past 10 runs he has allowed have come on home runs.

"I didn't know what was going on really," he said. "I was trying to throw strikes, I swear."

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

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Rangers 5, Astros 4

11 innings

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mitch Moreland blasted the first pitch he saw in the 11th inning into the upper deck in rightfield, lifting Texas. Moreland's second long homer in as many games came minutes before heavy winds from a nearby storm sent debris swirling across the field.

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Phillies 10, Cardinals 2

ST. LOUIS — Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley hit two-run singles during Philadelphia's season-best nine-run eighth inning. Carlos Ruiz had one of two bases-loaded walks in the eighth for NL East-leading Phillies, who have won Roy Halladay's past seven starts.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

LAS VEGAS — Here is why Lightning center Steve Stamkos said he is not worried about his contract situation:

"I think it's close," he said of a new deal. "I don't think it's far off. As close as we are, it's not something I'm really worried about."

They are the most declarative statements yet during a months-long negotiation that has produced angst among Tampa Bay fans worried about losing a franchise player, and a news blackout as both sides have kept negotiations out of the media.

"The less said the better," general manager Steve Yzerman said. "The more you comment, the more likely one of us can say something that can be misconstrued."

And no one wants that with negotiations at crunch time.

Stamkos, 21, with a league-best 96 goals the past two seasons, and whom NBC analyst Pierre McGuire called "one of the true marvels of the league," can be a restricted free agent July 1. If that happens, another team could sign him to an offer sheet, though the Lightning could match the offer.

It is a messy process and potentially just nine days away. But talks seem ready to heat up.

Stamkos said he had an "informational" meeting last weekend in Toronto with his agents, Don Meehan and Mark Guy. He said he believes the agents will meet Yzerman at this weekend's draft.

Speculation is the deal will be worth about $7 million a season.

"I'm thinking things are going to get done," said Stamkos, who at tonight's NHL awards show at the Palms Hotel is up for the Ted Lindsay Award as the league's most outstanding player.

"Tampa is a great organization. With the success we had this year, there are only going to be bigger and better things. You want to be part of that. Whatever happens happens, but I have confidence things are going to get done well before (July 1)."

What is the chance the Lightning loses Stamkos? First, consider Yzerman, when asked about perhaps facing an offer sheet, said, "We're prepared to deal with anything."

Then, consider that acquiring Stamkos through an offer sheet would cost a team four first-round draft picks as compensation. That's a hefty mortgage on a team's future.

But beyond all that, former Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean said, "You just don't lose franchise players. Trust me, with a franchise trying to recover from what they're trying to recover from, you don't lose those players. Not a snowball's chance in hell. Not going to happen."

Still, rumors persist negotiations have hit a dead patch — a question Stamkos blipped over — and Toronto, Stamkos' hometown team, is preparing an offer sheet as high as $9 million a season. A Twitter debate wondered if Stamkos is worth $12 million.

"I think there's a lot of overreaction right now because it's kind of a dead time," McGuire said of the speculation. "The Stanley Cup has been awarded, the draft is later this week. … You have a lot of people with agendas trying to drive the marketplace and leaking a lot of stuff. At the end of the day I would be shocked if Steve Stamkos wasn't playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning."

"You obviously want to get it done as quickly as possible," Stamkos said, "and with all the questions being asked, it does creep into your head. But for the most part, I have the mentality that it's going to get done and it will be great for both sides and I'll be playing for Tampa Bay next year, where I want to be."

Times wires
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

White Sox 3, Cubs 2

CHICAGO — Brent Morel hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for the White Sox. The game was delayed for 1 hour, 44 minutes after a thunderstorm hit U.S. Cellular Field in the top of the sixth with one out and the Cubs having runners on the corners. Paul Konerko homered for a fifth straight game for the White Sox, and Carlos Peña hit his second in as many nights for the Cubs.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Twins 9, Giants 2

SAN FRANCISCO — Ben Revere had two hits and two RBIs to highlight an eight-run first inning, and the Twins tied a major-league record by opening with eight consecutive hits against Madison Bumgarner. Six players in all had an RBI in the first to chase Bumgarner. The only out he recorded was a strikeout of pitcher Carl Pavano.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Dodgers 6, Tigers 1

LOS ANGELES — Chad Billingsley bounced back from two bad outings, Andre Ethier hit a two-run homer and the Dodgers prevented Max Scherzer from becoming the first 10-game winner in the majors. Billingsley allowed a run and six hits over 51/3 innings, the first time in four starts that he made it past the fifth inning.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays LHP J.P. Howell left the team to return to St. Petersburg due to "left foot soreness" and will be seen by Dr. Koco Eaton.

Howell, who had a rough outing Tuesday, would not have been used today, having worked back to back games.

Manager Joe Maddon said the Rays athletic trainers are "pretty confident" Howell won't need to go on the DL, that the soreness of more of a "nuisance" than an actual injury. Maddon expects Howell to rejoin the team on Friday in Houston.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

USF is close to completing its football schedules through the 2013 season, which the Bulls will open against I-AA McNeese State.

USF, responding to a public records request from the Times, has a signed contract to open the 2013 season at Raymond James Stadium against the Cowboys, who came to Tampa for the 2006 opener, losing 41-10. With the addition of TCU as an eighth Big East opponent starting in 2012, the Bulls have filled their next three schedules in terms of I-A opponents.

The only remaining opening in the next three years is the 2012 opener, and USF has sent a contract to I-AA Tennessee-Chattanooga for that game and is awaiting a signature from the Moccasins. In exchange for McNeese State coming to Raymond James Stadium in 2013, USF will pay a "guarantee" of $400,000 to the Cowboys, a relatively low figure in today's college football economy. (USF is paying this year's I-AA opponent, Florida A&M, $400,000 as well; Florida State is paying Louisiana-Monroe $1.3 million to play in Tallahassee this fall.)

Here is a link to all of USF's future football schedules from the Bulls' official site. USF opens this upcoming season at Notre Dame, with September home games against Ball State, FAMU and UTEP, as well as a Nov. 19 home game against Miami. The Bulls have kept a pattern of playing two nonconference games against BCS conference opponents -- Notre Dame and Miami this fall, Florida State and Miami in 2012 and Michigan State and Miami in 2013. The next opening for a BCS opponent would be in 2014, when N.C. State is scheduled to play in Tampa.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Olivia Harris loves lacrosse.

Harris, who will be a freshman this fall at Bloomingdale High School, picked up the sport a few years ago and instantly fell in love.

"It's a lot of fun," said Harris, 14. "I've played other sports, but lacrosse is the one I like best."

Harris estimates she spends between 15 to 20 hours a week body checking opponents, cutting toward the crease and flinging the ball from the pocket of her crosse. For the past three years, Harris has traveled from her Valrico home to Wesley Chapel and, most recently, South Tampa to play lacrosse.

"It's a long way," she said. "I think it's worth it though."

But as of the upcoming school year, Harris will be a player without a team.

In Hillsborough County, lacrosse is a club sport. The teams often have names that allude to their geographic locations such as the Freedom Lacrosse Club, a nod to its proximity to Freedom High School. But lacrosse teams are not officially affiliated with public schools. Until last year, the sport's governing body allowed lacrosse players to join teams in other areas if there was no club team near their home or school. But a new rule, designed to prepare for the day when Hillsborough County sanctions lacrosse as a varsity sport, changed that. Now, lacrosse players must play with the team near their school. If there is no team in their area — as is the case for Harris — then, the players will sit the season out.

And with no Bloomingdale team, Harris will be unable to play.

Confused? Not nearly as much as Harris and her family.

"We keep trying to find out why this is happening, and we keep running into brick walls," Jolie Harris, Olivia's mother, said. "We feel like all the time and money we have spent over the last three years is going down the drain because of this new rule."

• • •

Lacrosse's popularity has skyrocketed over the past decade, and Hillsborough County is no exception. According to a study by US Lacrosse, the sport's national governing body, youth participation has blossomed from 125,000 in 2001 to more than 350,000 today.

The Florida High School Athletic Association adopted lacrosse as a varsity sport in 2007 and since then, a number of counties throughout the state have joined, rising up from the club level.

"It's growing across the state," said Ginger Bean, a member of the girl's varsity lacrosse committee leadership group for the Florida Gulf Coast chapter of US Lacrosse. "It's big down in the southern part of the state."

However Hillsborough County, where an estimated 2,500 students in middle and high schools play the sport, has yet to join. Representatives of the sport request each year that lacrosse be added in the county, but officials won't budge.

Adding a sport in the current economic conditions is highly unlikely anytime soon, county officials said.

"I don't care if there are a million teams (playing), the interest level is not an indicator of our decisions," Hillsborough County Athletics Director Lanness Robinson said. "No outside influences will affect us. We do what we feel is best for all the student-athletes in the county."

Here's where the situation gets a little sticky. Because Hillsborough doesn't recognize lacrosse as a varsity sport, schools have no affiliation with the teams. The teams, however, often have names that link them to schools, even though those schools don't provide any financial support or allow those teams to practice on campus.

"The parents and league provide all financing for uniforms and things like that as of right now," Bean said. "But the goal is to eventually have it sanctioned by the county."

Before West Florida and Sunshine State Lacrosse merged to form Florida Gulf Coast Lacrosse in 2010, club teams that went by school names could have up to five players from other schools on their teams.

But all that changed when the newly formed Florida Gulf Coast Lacrosse decided players must attend the school where their club team is affiliated — even though the schools have no official connection to these teams.

"(The rule) came about to prepare ourselves and the teams for a possible inclusion (into the FHSAA) through the county recognizing lacrosse as a varsity sport," Bean said.

And in turn, some players entering high school this year — like Harris — have no team to play for.

"It's sad because (Harris) is very talented and really loves to play the game," said Tim McGoff, who coaches Harris this summer with a Tampa Catholic team. "And some girls are going to get caught in the middle."

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In years past, Harris would have been a free agent of sorts, but because no club team is called the Bloomingdale Bulls, she has nowhere to play as a freshman. Harris had been playing with a team called the South Tampa Sticks and planned to join the Robinson club next year, but recently learned that would be against the new rule.

"I was surprised and yeah, I think it's unfair," said Harris, who is now too old to play with the Sticks middle school club. "It's not my fault we don't have a Bloomingdale team, so I should be able to play somewhere."

Kids who are currently enrolled at one school and play for another club team outside of their area will be "grandfathered" in and allowed to stay with their current team. Bean is aware some incoming freshmen will have nowhere to play next year because of the new rule, but said it is something that must be done.

"In order to move toward being recognized as a (varsity) sport, we have to emulate the FHSAA rules as much as possible," she said.

Ed Whitson, who coaches the South Tampa Sticks, said the new rule "is shutting the door in the faces of players."

"This is not the way to grow the sport because you're just ostracizing kids who want to play," he said. "All this is doing is freezing them out."

Harris' only options are to attend another school or start a club team that goes by the name Bloomingdale. But Harris said she knows few girls around her area who play. Besides, starting a club from scratch is a massive undertaking, especially for an eighth grader.

"They are telling 14-year-old kids to start their own program," Whitson said. "You're going to put that on a 14-year-old? If that's the case, then at least give them some support."

Bean is aware of the difficulty in starting a program, but said it has been done before.

"It is a big undertaking that requires a lot of commitment from parents and volunteers," said Bean, who also coaches the Freedom lacrosse team. "But it's what we all did seven years ago when we got started."

Bean acknowledges that situations like Harris' case are "unfortunate" and that Florida Gulf Coast has "been grappling with the issue."

"We're trying to figure out a way to rectify this, but we feel (the rule change) is the only way to grow the sport in the area," Bean said. "Maybe there can be some type of override but it's something we will have to review at the next meeting."

Whitson said the new rule "puts the cart before the horse."

"Ultimately the focus should be on how this affects the kids, not letting adults' goals get in the way," Whitson said. "There's got to be a better answer than this."

A Florida Gulf Coast committee is scheduled to meet some time this summer and discuss the topic. Until then, all Harris can do is keep playing what might be her final season with the Tampa Catholic team this summer.

She hopes something can be worked out before next year's season begins.

"I've played other sports like flag football and softball so if I can't play (lacrosse), I guess I'll just play one of those," Harris said. "But I really love lacrosse."

Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@sptimes.com.

Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The string of off-season arrests for the Bucs apparently has no end in sight.

Brian Weiss, a luxury suite sales manager for the Bucs, was one of 32 men arrested in an NBC Dateline-style sex sting operation, the Leesburg Daily Commercial reports.The men, ranging in ages 19 to 63, arrived at a Clermont vacation home with the intent of having sex with girls ranging in age from nine to 14. Instead, they were met by Lake County Sheriff's deputies in a predator sex-sting operation that began June 14 and ended Sunday.

Weiss was charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex, obscene communication using a computer, and lewd and lascivious behavior. If convicted, he could 25 years in prison.

Bucs spokesman Jonathan Grella declined comment but said Weiss no longer works for the team.

"These suspects came with the intention of having sex with a child, instead they went to jail," Sheriff Gary Borders said in a press conference Tuesday.

To lure Weiss and others, undercover detectives pretended to be children in chat rooms looking for grown men interested in having sex. When the men showed up at the vacation home, they were arrested.

Three members of the coaching staff or front office already had been arrested in the last 11 months. Jay Kaiser, 37, the assistant to head coach Raheem Morris, was arrested for driving under the influence. Pro scouting coordinator Shelton Quarles, 39, was arrested in March, and former defensive line assistant coach Chris Mosley, 32, was arrested last September, both on DUI charges. Defensive back Aqib Talib was indicted last month of charges of aggravated assault with deadly weapon.