By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2011

HOUSTON — 3B Evan Longoria decided to take matters into his own hands.

In an effort to break out of his latest slump, Longoria hit on Friday without batting gloves. And he hit well with a two-run homer and RBI single.

It's a technique Longoria has used before, although sparingly; most recently, he thought, in 2008.

"It's just one thing that I've done here and there," he said. "It hurts my hands really, so it makes your pitch selection a little better.

"You don't want to swing at too many balls that you can't really handle."

Longoria, who has yet to have an extended hot streak this season, is hoping Friday is the start of something. And you can expect him to try it again the same way tonight.

"It's just coincidental that what happened happened (Friday)," he said. "But I guess I'll just keep doing it until either it starts hurting too much or it stops working."

HOWELL RELIEVED: LHP J.P. Howell feared the worst given how much his left foot hurt walking off the field Tuesday.

"I thought it was 4-6 weeks in a boot," Howell said. "I was kind of concerned."

As the pain for the most part went away on Wednesday, as he was flying home to see team orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton, Howell was confused.

And when Eaton told him the issue wasn't structural but medical, a diagnosis of gout — a form of arthritis that can be affected by food and drink — Howell was relieved and a bit surprised.

"I didn't think I could have a diet problem weighing 185 pounds," he said.

Gout is more common in older people, which also caught Howell, 28, a bit off guard.

"Everyone says, 'My grandpa has that,' or 'My grandma.' It's never been anyone's brother or anyone in their 20s."

The pain is occasional and can be severe, but it can be managed with medication. Plus, Howell plans to make changes to his diet, cutting back on red meat.

Manager Joe Maddon acknowledged it's an unusual condition but said the key develo­pment is Howell no longer has to wonder or worry about what's wrong.

"The biggest thing is that he knows what it is," Maddon said. "And if you know what it is and if it's painful, what are you going to do about it? You've got to just medicate it and maybe change your diet.

"Not knowing what it is just plays on your mind. So now that we have definition, he feels a lot better about it."

DRAFT BREEZE: The Rays signed another compensation-round pick, SS Brandon Martin, No. 38 overall, and were close with second-rounder RHP Lenny Linsky (No. 89). Scouting director R.J. Harrison had his first meeting with top pick RHP Taylor Guerrieri, and talks will continue.

TO THE MATT: Maddon said he believes OF Matt Joyce's slump — 12-for-72 (.167) since May 28 to drop from .377 to .309 — is primarily the result of expanding his strike zone. But also getting Friday and Sunday off, as the Astros start left-handers, will be good for him as the Rays will face a lot of right-handers next week.

NBA WAY: Executive vice president Andrew Friedman has become friends with Rockets GM Daryl Morey and spent Thursday night in their draft room, where the action was even wilder than the MLB draft because they can, and do, make trades.

HE will TAKE ONE TO GO: Maddon raves about Minute Maid Park, which features a retractable roof and glass-paneled wall to allow for city views and is built compactly in downtown Houston.

"They didn't do anything wrong here," he said. "I think it's awesome. We love coming here. The footprint, the number of seats, the way it lays out, I'm a big fan."

MISCELLANY: DH Johnny Damon is expected to play leftfield tonight against RHP Bud Norris and possibly Sunday against LHP J.A. Happ. … The Rays filled out their All-Star ballots before Friday's game.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Blue Jays 5, Cardinals 4

ST. LOUIS — Jose Bautista's majors-high 23rd homer broke a tie in the ninth and helped end the Jays' skid at four. The one-out drive barely cleared the wall in rightfield, out of the reach of a leaping Jon Jay. Bautista has homered in his past two games after hitting only one over his previous 22. The Cardinals have lost 10 of 13 and are 1-3 without injured star Albert Pujols.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Cubs 6, Royals 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A disputed bunt single during the ninth started the Cubs' winning rally. Tied at 4, third baseman Mike Moustakas appeared to catch Tony Campana's one-out bunt at his shoetops. But the plate umpire ruled it hit the ground. Campana went to third on a single and scored on an error. Starlin Castro added a run-scoring single.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Orioles 5, Reds 4

12 innings

BALTIMORE — Derrek Lee's homer, his first since May 8, to lead off the 12th inning lifted the Orioles. It came a half-inning after Joey Votto was thrown out at home trying to score from first on a two-out double by Jay Bruce. Baltimore won despite going 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Rangers 8, Mets 1

ARLINGTON, Texas — Adrian Beltre hit a run-scoring double and snapped a 13-game homerless drought for the Rangers. The homer, his first since June 8, capped a three-run first off Mike Pelfrey, who is 1-6 with a 6.65 ERA in nine road starts this season. Meanwhile, Texas' Matt Harrison has allowed one earned run or fewer in five of his past six starts. He is 3-2 with a 1.43 ERA during that span.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Giants 4, Indians 3

SAN FRANCISCO — Andres Torres homered, singled twice and scored the winning run from third in the sixth on a long foulout by Aubrey Huff for the Giants. Torres' home run was only the 14th at home by the Giants this season, tied with the Angels for fewest in the majors. San Francisco has won three straight since a season-high five-game skid and won 16 one-run games at home, most in the majors.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Padres 11, Braves 2

SAN DIEGO — Tim Stauffer struck out a career-high nine for the Padres. Stauffer entered getting the worst run support in the majors, an average of 2.15 runs while he was in the game, and the Padres were shut out in his previous two starts. Jesus Guzman hit his first career homer when he batted for Stauffer during a six-run seventh, a 395-foot two-run shot off the facade of the second deck in leftfield.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Mariners 5, Marlins 1

SEATTLE — Felix Hernandez struck out 10 and Franklin Gutierrez hit a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh for the Mariners. Seattle starters have allowed two earned runs over their past 29 innings. Despite the game being played at Safeco Field, it was technically a road win for the Mariners. The Marlins were forced out of Sun Life Stadium for the series because of a U2 concert. It was the first time since the inception of the designated hitter in 1973 that National League rules were used in an American League ballpark.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Nationals 9, White Sox 5

14 innings

CHICAGO — Alexei Ramirez's throwing error with two outs in the 14th brought home the Nationals' winning run. Roger Bernadina added an RBI single and Ryan Zimmerman a two-run double.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 25, 2011

The poll

Which AL pitcher should start the All-Star Game?

336 votes

James Shields

Justin Verlander

Josh Beckett

Felix Hernandez

53%

27%

13%

4%

This week's question

Which Ray is most deserving of a spot on the AL All-Star team? Vote at rays.tampabay.com.

Jered Weaver

CC Sabathia

Other

1%

1%

1%

Another poll

What area does the Lightning most need to address during free agency?

298 votes

Defensemen

Goalie

Enforcer

43%

29%

11%

Top 2-line forward

Plugger/grinder

Other

9%

4%

4%

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Outside the Lines: 9 a.m. on ESPN. A look at Brigham Young University's honor code and how it affected the basketball team last spring.

High school football: 2 p.m. on BHSN (Ch. 47). A 7-on-7 tournament final.

Top 50 Countdown: 10 p.m. on MLB Network. A look at the top 50 most infamous arguments.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Yankees 8, Rockies 3

NEW YORK — CC Sabathia pitched eight stingy innings for New York to become the first big-leaguer to reach 10 wins this season. "I wish I could say it meant something, but it don't," he said with a shrug and a smile. "We're here to win championships. That's what we're trying to do." The former Cy Young Award winner improved to 19-7 all time in interleague play.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 25, 2011

HOUSTON — With the halfway point of the season coming Wednesday, executive vice president Andrew Friedman is for the most part pleased with what the Rays have done.

He considers the starters "real solid," says the bullpen has pitched "extremely well" and calls the defense "as good as it's ever been, if not better."

He feels they're "a better offensive team than what we've shown" and figures that since several players "haven't performed up to their watermarks," there will be "organic improvement." (And he has only praise for the work the coaches and players are doing.)

But with five weeks until the trading deadline — and their standard stance of not being classified buyers or sellers — he is also looking to make the team better.

"We're going to explore the market," Friedman said. "If we can add to the core that we have, we'll be aggressive to do so."

One need is for another high-leverage reliever to take some of the workload off right-handers Kyle Farnsworth and Joel Peralta.

"We'll be fairly aggressive in combing the relief pitcher market," Friedman said. "Ideally it's a long-term fit, but if it's a short-term fit, we'll factor it in accordingly." (Mets right-hander Francisco Rodriguez, who says he'd waive his no-trade clause for a setup role with "good teams like the Yankees or the Rays," is unlikely given his $11.5 million salary and potentially vesting $17.5 million option/$3.5 million buyout.)

The other is for a bat, either a DH (that sounds familiar) or an outfielder. That's more likely, given the limited options and extensive cost, than significant upgrades at catcher (where they continue to rave about the job Kelly Shoppach is doing with the pitchers) and shortstop (where they need Reid Brignac to produce more).

If the Rays get a DH, he'd have to be a big enough bat for them to be comfortable with Johnny Damon in leftfield. If they get a corner outfielder, he has to be enough of a two-way player to not diminish their defense. Promoting Desmond Jennings or Brandon Guyer is an option, but realistically neither is likely to immediately have a major impact.

By Steve Slowinski, DRaysBay.com
Saturday, June 25, 2011

With June winding to a close, baseball's rumor mill is heating up. While the trade deadline is still just more than a month away, many teams are starting to seriously consider if they should be selling or buying — or, as many people view it, cashing in their chips for the future or stocking up for a playoff run.

But this is a false dichotomy. Why can't a team trade away players and improve in the short and long term? This might seem like an impossible project to most, but not to Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman; for him, it's standard operating procedure.

Since stepping into the role of the Rays' VP of baseball operations in 2006, Friedman has not been afraid of cutting a deal. In his 51/2 years at the helm, he has made well over 20 trades — an average of more than four a season. This reliance on trades is common among small-market ballclubs, which have to do so to bring talent into the organization instead of delving into the expensive free agent market.

But what's not common is how successful Friedman has been with his trades.

Using the statistic Wins Above Replacement, or WAR, it's now possible to summarize a player's total offensive, defensive and pitching contributions to a ballclub in one simple stat.

In short, WAR attempts to answer the question, "If this player got injured and his team had to replace him with a minor-leaguer, how many wins would the team lose?" The results are normally rather intuitive; for example, the Rays' leaders in WAR this season are Ben Zobrist (3.5), David Price (2.8) and Matt Joyce (2.4).

So using WAR, it's possible to compare how many wins Friedman has brought into the franchise to how many he has traded away. I recently went through Friedman's trade history, marking down how many wins each player has been worth since being traded (up until he became a free agent), and the results are impressive: Friedman has netted the Rays 59 wins through his trades while giving up only 39 in return.

But that's not all: While netting the Rays 20 extra wins, Friedman has managed to save $40 million in budget space while acquiring players that will be under team control for years. These numbers are all still changing — Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel are still out there — but players such as Joyce, Zobrist, Sean Rodriguez, Brandon Guyer and Chris Archer look to tip the balance even further in the Rays' favor.

Using a similar methodology, a blogger recently compiled these same numbers for Neal Huntington, general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and found that his trades have saved the Pirates $93 million but resulted in a net loss of 29 wins. Those trades might work out more in favor of the Pirates, as players such as Jose Tabata develop, but I still think this does a good job of framing how impressive Friedman has been.

When the Rays traded Scott Kazmir in early August 2009, there was widespread outrage that Friedman was "giving up" on the season. People were underestimating how good top prospect Wade Davis could be, and in fact, Davis and Kazmir were equally valuable down the stretch: 1.2 WAR for Kazmir and 1.1 WAR for Davis. Friedman eschews your "win now or win later" paradigm, using the Rays' farm system to do both at the same time.

Along those lines, don't be surprised to see the Rays trade B.J. Upton at the deadline this year, regardless of whether they are in the race or not. Upton is looking like he might be the top outfielder on the market, and the Washington Nationals have already stated they're willing to "overpay" to acquire him. With top prospect Desmond Jennings sitting in Triple A and Upton set to become a free agent after the 2012 season, trading Upton this season would be a classic "win now and later" move.

So as trade rumors start flying everywhere, sit back and relax — the Rays are in good hands.

In fact, they might just be in the best hands in baseball.

Steve Slowinski is the editor-in-chief of DRaysBay.com, a blog on the Tampa Bay Rays that specializes in analysis and statistics.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Jonny Gomes never wanted to leave the Rays, so he's a little curious how it will feel returning to the Trop with the Reds this week as a visitor. "I never thought I'd come back on the other side," he said. "Guys who earn their stripes, you think you're going to stay forever. It's like a brotherhood." The fans should cheer, and there's no question how he'll be received by the Rays he played with, who still rave about how tremendous a teammate he was and how big a role he played in their stunning 2008 success. Here's a look at what made Gomes so special:

What a guy

Gomes had his moments on the field, including a three-homer game and a walkoff blast, but is the kind of player whose contributions far exceeded his numbers, from the assorted and creative ways he'd keep the clubhouse loose to the confidence and support he provided.

"Great teammate," CF B.J. Upton said.

"Unbelievable teammate," RHP James Shields said. "One of the best."

"I can't imagine having a better teammate," RHP Andy Sonnanstine said. "He brings so much to a club that doesn't show up on a stat sheet. Having that guy on your team makes you feel invincible."

Side show

Gomes was also quite entertaining: unpredictable and unbridled in what he'd say and what he'd do at any moment, from strolling through the clubhouse in his Rays robe to leading the celebration for each 2008 clinching by pouring shots of Patron tequila into a chalice for manager Joe Maddon.

But his highlight moment came in 2007, when he got to live a dream — and perhaps sample a future career — by joining The Nasty Boys in the ring for a postgame wrestling exhibition.

"You haven't lived," Gomes said, "until you're able to smash someone over the head with a garbage pail and not go to jail for it."

Pat hand

The Rays let Gomes go after the '08 season, wary of his ability to catch up to a fastball, as he was in line to make about $1.5 million through arbitration. They ended up signing Pat Burrell for $16 million to fill the DH spot and that, as you might have heard, didn't work out too well. In retrospect, keeping Gomes would have been a much better deal:

Gomes (2009-10 for Reds)

.266, 38 HRs, 137 RBIs in 246 games, made $1.4 million

Burrell (2009-10 for Rays)

.218, 16 HRs, 77 RBIs in 146 games, made $16 million

Rays rumblings

"About the surest bet in the universe" is that the new Astros owners approach Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman about coming home, writes the Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice, and "maybe the second-surest bet" is that Friedman declines. … Rays senior VP Gerry Hunsicker, who used to be the Astros GM, is a more realistic possibility for a top-level job. … Seven years later, an unnamed former Mets employee claims to ESPN that the Rays misled them in the 2004 Scott Kazmir trade by omitting pages from the trainers' log on the condition of Victor Zambrano's elbow and said there was talk of seeking an annulment. … Derek Jeter's delay in rejoining the Yankees increases the chances he gets his 3,000th hit vs. the Rays, either July 7-10 in New York or July 18-21 at the Trop. … Attendance for three midweek Red Sox-Rays games at the Trop: 63,855. Attendance for three midweek Rays-Brewers game in Milwaukee, which is half the market: 115,206. … That didn't include commissioner Bud Selig, who was too busy with other issues to drive 10 minutes from his downtown office to drop in.

Got a minute? Jeff Niemann

Must-see TV? I can't stand all that reality stuff; let's say any hunting show that's on.

Big night-out meal? Fuddrucker's Pound Burger.

Worst job? Putting up signs and door hangers for a city councilman.

Favorite place when you're home in Houston? The restaurants are great. Something I get here I can't get anywhere else is 100% Taquito — it's real authentic Mexican food.

With your girlfriend Annie's permission, dream date? Jennifer Aniston.

Brawl game

Gomes hit only .182 with eight homers in 2008, but he was actually one of Rays' most valuable players, specifically for the contributions he made in what Maddon calls "two seminal moments" in their development. In the spring training dustup with the Yankees, Gomes memorably beelined from rightfield for Shelley Duncan, who had just blatantly taken out 2B Akinori Iwamura in retribution for Elliot Johnson bowling over C Francisco Cervelli a few days earlier, and admonished teammates who didn't want to tangle. (Gomes jokes now that it was a good thing the baseball gods made sure he tripped over second base because he might have delivered a "Ray Lewis hit" on Duncan.) And in a June brawl with the Red Sox, above, Gomes sprinted off the bench after Coco Crisp charged Shields and led the defense by delivering a beatdown on the mound. ("The fastest I'd ever seen him run," Shields said.)

"Huge moments," Maddon said.

"He was an integral part of what went on in '08 in terms of the attitude, in terms of the identity of the club; we were scrappers, we were fighters," pitching coach Jim Hickey said. "I miss him, that's for sure."

By Doug Hemmer, Times Correspondent
Saturday, June 25, 2011

What's hot: Pompano are schooling in the passes of lower Tampa Bay. Most are small. The larger ones are offshore spawning. There are still enough legal ones (more than 24 inches measured to the fork) if you have the time to work through the smaller fish. The best areas to try have good water movement. The Skyway piers have good action at the beginning of the pier. Small white or yellow hair jigs and the Doc's jig worked along the bottom will draw strikes. In the next few weeks, the pompano should increase in size.

The flats: The water temperature on the flats is 94 degrees during the hottest parts of the day. The best action is at sunup and sundown. Work the mullet schools with a topwater plug, weedless jerkbait or a corked pinfish to get the redfish, trout and snook to strike.

Tarpon: The schools off St. Petersburg have thinned. The best numbers of fish can be found off Longboat Key. This area south of Egmont Key has clear water, which makes spotting the tarpon easy. You'll want to use light tackle to keep from spooking the tarpon. Heavy tackle in clear water makes the tarpon shy to bite. The best baits have been small crabs, pinfish and threadfins. Rig some free-lined and the others on a cork. The corked rigs should be 4 to 6 feet long. If you can't find tarpon on the beach, try fishing the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Fish the pilings where you see the tarpon rolling. There are fewer than last month, but there are still enough tarpon to target.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 347-1389.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 25, 2011

"The big money for all teams is spent by re-signing your own guys. You draft somebody, then you re-sign them and those are the big contracts. … It doesn't take very long to spend $30 or $40 million in the National Football League. That's (through) re-signing guys."

— Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer, March 24, 2010

Whether you remain skeptical or buy every word of it, the moment of truth has arrived for the Bucs' stated intent to lock up their up-and-coming players.

For a team that has consistently, though not wrongly, eschewed free agency and maintained that its wish is to invest in homegrown talent, the opportunity has arrived to make good on those promises.

If, as anticipated, the collective bargaining agreement being negotiated includes provisions for players with four or more years of experience to earn unrestricted free agent status, the Bucs will have many such players to make decisions on, including MLB Barrett Ruud, G Davin Joseph, LB Quincy Black, RB Cadillac Williams and OT Jeremy Trueblood.

The Bucs will make earnest attempts to re-sign them or watch them walk. The latter route would mean the Bucs would be taking a path different from the one promised since the Jon Gruden-Bruce Allen regime was still in place.

GM Mark Dominik and coach Raheem Morris take great pride in the quality of players they've drafted the past two years. Gruden and Allen did not have remarkable draft success, but some of their early-round selections — Ruud, Joseph and others — are now reaching free agency. Many look as if they're worth keeping around, but we'll soon find out how the Bucs really feel.

The Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, has consistently maintained that free agency is often a money pit. The Bucs have shown you can win by choosing the right players rather than the most expensive.

But at some point, if you believe in them, you have to keep those players on your team. That time has come for the Bucs.

GOING CAMPING: Bucs players have organized the closest thing to a minicamp during this NFL lockout.

Though they can't communicate with coaches during the work stoppage, they've taken the initiative to take their offseason workouts to another level with a three-day camp at IMG Academies in Bradenton this week. Players have been practicing off and on at USF, but that consists mostly of quarterbacks, receivers and running backs.

This week, defenders will be added to the mix, giving players the opportunity to run 7-on-7 drills. Those involve quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, linebackers and defensive backs. There will be optional morning weightlifting sessions.

QB Josh Freeman will be responsible for the onfield instruction, while much of the credit for logistics goes to LB Tyrone McKenzie.

FRANCHISE TAG?: Use of the franchise tag reportedly will survive in a new collective bargaining agreement, but something that's less clear is whether teams will be able to use it when the league reopens for business.

In February, before the lockout, the usual deadline to tag franchise players came and went. Some teams used it (the Colts tagged QB Peyton Manning), but some didn't because of the uncertainty ahead.

Now, reports are that some owners want the opportunity to use the tag when the long-awaited free agency period opens. Discussions are ongoing.

Why does this matter to the Bucs? If use of the tag is permitted before this season, don't totally dismiss the Bucs using it on Ruud if they feel they're not yet prepared to replace the team's four-time leading tackler.

There's precedent. The Bucs used the franchise tag two years ago on WR Antonio Bryant, who earned $9.88 million in 2009 after the sides couldn't agree on a long-term deal.

The price tag for Ruud could approach $10 million, but word is the new CBA will include a much higher salary floor. If that mandate makes it into the final version of the CBA, the Bucs will have to spend well over $100 million in salary after spending roughly $80 million in uncapped 2010.

The franchise tag pretty much takes a player off the market. The compensation for signing a franchise player has historically been two first-round draft picks. Such deals almost never happen.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Giants 1, Indians 0

SAN FRANCISCO — Cleveland reliever Tony Sipp balked home the go-ahead run with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, helping San Francisco to its fourth straight victory. Sipp slightly flinched his left arm before pitching to Emmanuel Burriss, allowing Miguel Tejada to score from third. Indians second baseman Cord Phelps made two errors in the inning. Matt Cain pitched seven strong innings for the Giants, retiring 14 straight after allowing two singles to start the game.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Nothing humanizes a person like time.

Even the most distant of athletes, even the most intimidating, softens with age. A few wrinkles in twilight and the greater the affection can grow as others look on.

Nothing provides more empathy than tears.

Even the most ruthless of players, even the most coldly efficient, becomes more empathetic as she weeps. Show a little passion, let the tears flow in the joy of being able to compete, and the world will pull you close.

With those things in mind, here is a question:

Are you prepared to pull for the Williams sisters yet?

These days, they limp. Venus is 31, and Serena is nearing 30, and together their mortality is showing. Steffi Graf never won a Grand Slam singles title after 30. Chris Evert won two. The ageless Martina Navratilova won three. Women's tennis is no longer the teenage sock hop it used to be, but even for the Williams sisters, the number of Slams left to win no longer seems infinite.

Frankly, that might be the best reason of all to root for them.

It is an odd thing, vulnerability. It allows perceptions to change. What was once feared becomes admired. For instance, it was easier to root for Andre Agassi after he had a few years on him. John McEnroe eventually grew up, too. With Serena and Venus, the same might happen.

For much of their careers, the Williams sisters and the rest of tennis have kept each other at a distance. Their critics have called them aloof, or arrogant. There have been times both sisters have seemed to treat tennis as if it were a stopover on their way to celebrity. It has been as if they were dabbling in tennis on their way to television and fashion.

Has it been racism? There are enough dunderheads in the world that you can never completely dismiss it. (For instance, the sisters haven't played the tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., since 2001 because of taunts they heard.)

Has it been their father, who can say the silliest things at the most inopportune moments? (For instance, Richard Williams once suggested his daughters faced the same discrimination as Althea Gibson had 50 years earlier.)

More than that, however, I think it has been the way Venus and Serena simply have ground the rest of the tour under their heels. They have been Genghis Khan and Atilla the Hun, and everyone else has been a villager fleeing in terror. Together, they have won nine of the past 11 Wimbledons.

In the past, when the Williams sisters were well, and when they were focused, no one else had a chance. The late Wilt Chamberlain once suggested that "nobody pulls for Goliath." You might as well add " … or her sister."

With other champions, greatness is celebrated more openly. Though you get the idea the Williamses are respected, they have never seemed to be quite as beloved as they should.

It's a shame, because they have been such a force. Yes, Graf won more majors, and Navratilova won as many Wimbledons (nine) as Venus and Serena combined. But ask yourself this: In a tournament of all-time great players, with Graf and Navratilova and Evert and Margaret Court and Billie Jean King and Monica Seles, how do you think the Williams sisters would fare? If they were focused, and if they were healthy, I say both would reach the semis. Maybe the final. That's how powerful they've been.

Still, when it has come to the Williamses, the silliest theories seem to crop up. They have been accused of embellishing their injuries. They have been accused of orchestrating their results. (That one has always struck me as particularly absurd, because a player doesn't get to the final without being ultracompetitive. Once there, do you really suspect a player of throwing a match? Even to her sister?)

Over the years, however, this is the one that has gotten to me: That somehow, Venus and Serena in the same final is bad for tennis. Really? Tennis would be better off with an inferior player in the final? Someone other than Venus would challenge Serena, and vice versa? Who?

Where were all of these protests the five times Navratilova played Evert in the Wimbledon final (all won by Navratilova, by the way)? Does anyone hate the notion of another Federer-Nadal men's final this year? Of course not. No one will moan if the Manning brothers play against each other in the Super Bowl.

And if Venus gets to play Serena this year, I'm all for it.

This time, I don't think it would bother nearly as many tennis fans to see another all-Williams final. This year they are the underdogs. Venus has her rickety knees, and Serena missed much of the past year after foot surgery and blood clots in her lungs. Serena is seeded seventh and already feels like she has been banished to Court 2. Venus is seeded 23rd.

Perhaps that is why the image of Serena weeping at courtside over getting back to Wimbledon was endearing. The Williams sisters no longer look unbeatable. After the sweat and the blood and the pain and the tears, they look like just another set of champions fighting against the calendar.

This time, Venus and Serena finally look mortal. It looks good on them. It looks embraceable.

Saturday morning in the women's final, it would look better than ever.

Times wires
Saturday, June 25, 2011

Previous World Cups: None

Coach: Ricardo Rozo

Top players: Nathalie Arias, Paula Forero, Yorely Rincon (above left)

Analysis: An uncomfortable moment of truth awaits. Colombia has never played at this level and has never faced the type of teams it will face during the group stage. It hopes to avoid Argentina's fate in 2003. Making its debut, the fellow South American team went 0-3 while being outscored 15-1. What confidence exists likely will be gone after the opener against Sweden.

North Korea

Previous World Cups: Three

Best finish: Quarterfinals (2007)

Coach: Kim Kwang Min

Top players: Kim Kyong Hwa, Jo Yun-Mi (above)

Analysis: As far as technical skill, commitment and a tireless work ethic go, no one can fault the North Koreans. But given the nation's secrecy, it's hard to predict what kind of team has been put together. Perennial contenders in the Asian championship, North Korea narrowly lost the final of the 2008 Under-20 World Cup to the United States.

Sweden

Previous World Cups: Five

Best finish: Second (2003)

Coach: Thomas Dennerby

Top players: Rut Hedvig Lindahl, Charlotte Rohlin, Lotta Schelin (above)

Analysis: The Swedes have come close to winning it all, finishing third in 1991 and second in 2003. They reached the quarterfinals in 1995 and 1999, and only goal differential prevented them from reaching the quarterfinals in 2007. This time, they are a legitimate contender, their talent trailing only the big three of Germany, Brazil and the United States.

Quarterfinals

TV: ESPN

1. Noon July 9: Group B winner vs. Group A runnerup

2. 2:45 p.m. July 9: Group A winner vs. Group B runnerup

3. 7 a.m. July 10: Group C winner vs. Group D runnerup

4. 11:30 a.m. July 10: Group D winner vs. Group C runnerup

Semifinals

TV: ESPN

Noon July 13: Quarterfinal 2 winner vs. quarterfinal 3 winner

2:45 p.m. July 13: Quarterfinal 1 winner vs. quarterfinal 4 winner

Third-place game

11:30 a.m. July 16: Semifinal losers, ESPN2

Championship

2:45 p.m. July 17: Semifinal winners, ESPN

Other groups

Group A

Canada: Talented team won the 2010 Gold Cup but is stuck in the Group of Death.

France: Emerging power went 11-0 (outscoring opponents 50-2) during qualifying.

Germany: Winners of the past two World Cups and favored to win again behind Birgit Prinz, who has scored 128 goals in 212 international games since debuting as a 16-year-old in 1994.

Nigeria: A wild card? Many players were on the team that reached the 2010 Under-20 World Cup final, which it lost to Germany.

Group B

England: Domestic league debuted only this year, slowing the program's growth.

Japan: The 2010 Asian champ could benefit from playing in a weak group.

Mexico: Which team shows up? Lost five of six entering the 2010 Gold Cup then shocked the United States in the semis.

New Zealand: One of the two big fish in a small pond (Oceania) is 0-6 and has been outscored 20-1 in two appearances.

Group D

Australia: One of the two big fish in a small pond (Oceania) has won just two games in four appearances.

Brazil: Talented team led by Marta (five-time world player of the year) is one of the few that can match up with Germany and the United States.

Equatorial Guinea: World Cup debut could get ugly.

Norway: The 1995 champ has reached at least the quarter­s in all five World Cups and likely will do so again.

Compiled from Times wires

United States

Previous World Cups: Five

Best finish: Champion (1991 and 1999)

Coach: Pia Sundhage

Top players: Shannon Boxx, Christie Pierce, Abby Wambach

Analysis: The Americans stumbled in qualifying (having to beat Italy just to get in). Group play shouldn't be an issue. But to face Germany (the only other two-time champ), they likely will have to beat Brazil (the best nation to have never won it all) or Norway (the only other nation to have won it all) in the quarters.

Roster

Goalkeepers

1 Hope Solo *

18 Nicole Barnhart

21 Jill Loyden

Defenders

2 Heather Mitts

3Christie Rampone *

4Becky Sauerbrunn

6 Amy Le Peilbet *

11 Ali Krieger *

14 Stephanie Cox

19 Rachel Buehler *

Midfielders

5 Kelley O'Hara

7 Shannon Boxx *

9 Heather O'Reilly *

10 Carli Lloyd *

15 Megan Rapinoe *

16 Lori Lindsey

17 Tobin Heath

Forwards

8 Amy Rodriguez *

12 Lauren Cheney

13 Alex Morgan

20Abby Wambach *

* Likely starter