Times wires
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Diamondbacks 12, Rockies 3
PHOENIX — Justin Upton and Miguel Montero combined to drive in 11 runs for the Diamondbacks. Josh Collmenter pitched seven strong innings, had two hits and added his first career RBI for Arizona, which has won two of its past three. Upton hit his second career grand slam and had six RBIs. Montero had three hits and drove in five.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Giants 4, Brewers 2
SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Vogelsong labored through five innings to regain the NL's best ERA, and five relievers finished with four scoreless innings for San Francisco. Vogelsong, a journeyman All-Star, notched enough innings for his 2.10 ERA to qualify for the lowest in the league again.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Yankees 7, A's 5
NEW YORK — Bartolo Colon pitched seven effective innings to end a three-start skid, and Curtis Granderson hit a two-run homer for the Yankees. Mariano Rivera staved off a rally in the ninth. After Josh Willingham's RBI single made it 7-5, David DeJesus hit a liner to first baseman Mark Teixeira. Pinch-runner Ryan Sweeney was easily trapped off the bag for a game-ending double play.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
BOSTON — A new look. A different pregame attitude. Same result.
Mariners manager Eric Wedge tried to keep things relaxed about an hour before the game, walking around and joking with players and coaches.
He even went as far as shaving off his mustache after Saturday night's loss.
It didn't help. Seattle set a franchise record with its 15th straight loss, falling 12-8 to the Red Sox on Sunday.
"This is definitely frustrating," said Mariners shortstop Brendan Ryan, who hit a grand slam and drove in five runs. "There aren't too many laughs now. There shouldn't be. We battled. We just couldn't make up enough ground.
"Once again I don't know what to say. It seems like once again it's Groundhog Day; a lot of things have been going right and wrong. Pretty unbelievable."
The Mariners went up 2-0 in the first on Miguel Olivo's two-run homer, but Boston answered with five runs against Michael Pineda in the bottom half.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Pirates 4, Cardinals 3
10 innings
PITTSBURGH — Xavier Paul scored on Chase d'Arnaud's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak. D'Arnaud lined to center and the speedy Paul, who had reached on an infield hit, easily beat the throw from centerfielder Colby Rasmus.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Phillies 5, Padres 3
PHILADELPHIA — Roy Halladay bounced back from an abbreviated stint to pitch eight strong innings for the Phillies. Halladay had trouble with the heat in his previous start at Chicago and left after four-plus innings. It was 94 degrees for the first pitch Sunday, but he finished strong after a slow start. "I haven't had a problem with that in the past," he said. "It just snuck up and got me. I wasn't worried about it happening again."
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Angels 9, Orioles 3
BALTIMORE — Even if Mike Trout hits hundreds of home runs, he will never forget the first, a three-run drive in the eighth inning that helped the Angels secure a victory. With family and friends in attendance, Trout hit Mark Worrell's 3-and-1 pitch into the leftfield seats to turn a 3-2 lead into a four-run cushion. "It was just awesome out there," said Trout, at 19 the youngest player in the majors. "It's definitely special."
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Marlins 5, Mets 4
MIAMI — John Buck doubled for his first career pinch-hit RBI to drive in the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Marlins rallied. "Big pinch-hit by Buck," said teammate Logan Morrison, who hit a tying home run. "That was amazing. Thank you, J.B. It was hot out there."
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
White Sox 4, Indians 2
CLEVELAND — Edwin Jackson beat the Indians for the ninth straight time after rookie Ezequiel Carrera dropped an easy fly in center to give the White Sox two runs in the sixth. Chicago is 38-29 since May 7. "The ball is bouncing our way now," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Every time somebody makes a mistake, we take advantage of it." Jackson is 9-0 with a 2.61 ERA against the Indians since losing to them Aug. 17, 2007, with the Rays.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Cubs 5, Astros 4
10 innings
CHICAGO — Pinch-hitter Jeff Baker's winning single in the 10th inning helped the Cubs complete their first three-game sweep at Wrigley Field in nearly two years. Chicago has won three in a row for the first time this season.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
2012 Hall of Fame ballot
First-time candidates
Edgardo Alfonzo, INF
Jeromy Burnitz, OF
Vinny Castilla, 3B
Scott Erickson, RHP
Carl Everett, OF
Jeff Fassero, LHP
Danny Graves, RHP
Rick Helling, RHP
Brian Jordan, OF
Matt Lawton, OF
Jose Lima, RHP
Javy Lopez, C
Mike Matheny, C
Bill Mueller, 3B
Terry Mulholland, LHP
Jeff Nelson, RHP
Phil Nevin, INF/OF
Brad Radke, RHP
Joe Randa, 3B
Mike Remlinger, LHP
Felix Rodriguez, RHP
Tim Salmon, OF
Ruben Sierra, OF
Bernie Williams, OF
Tony Womack, 2B
Tim Worrell, RHP
Eric Young, 2B
Holdovers (by percent of their 2011 vote)
Barry Larkin, SS (62.1)
Jack Morris, RHP (53.5)
Lee Smith, RHP (45.3)
Jeff Bagwell, 1B (41.7)
Tim Raines, OF (37.5)
Edgar Martinez, DH (32.9)
Alan Trammell, SS (24.3)
Larry Walker, OF (20.3)
Mark McGwire, 1B (19.8)
Fred McGriff, 1B (17.9)
Don Mattingly, 1B (13.6)
Dale Murphy, OF (12.6)
Rafael Palmeiro, 1B (11.0)
Juan Gonzalez, OF (5.2)
Times wires
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 24, 2011
. UP NEXT
at A's
Tonight-Thursday
What's new: The A's pitch well, with an AL-best 3.33 team ERA, but that's about it. They are a worse offensive team than the Rays, with the fewest homers (56) in the AL; they don't run much; and they have made the most errors and allowed the most unearned runs in the league. Also, they are an AL-worst 14-20 in one-run games. After a solid first six weeks, they've gone 22-37 since, and while the June 9 change of managers from Bob Geren to Bob Melvin has improved their attitude, it hasn't made much difference in the standings. Rookie 2B Jemile Weeks, younger brother of Milwaukee's Rickie, has been a spark. DH Hideki Matsui, who just hit his 500th career homer (between MLB and Japan), is a veteran influence. OFs David DeJesus and Josh Willingham have been of previous trade interest to the Rays.
Key stat: The A's have not had a three-home run game since May 2.
Connections: Rays DH Johnny Damon is a former A's player, as is 1B coach George Hendrick, who was on the 1972 championship team. … A's RHP Grant Balfour spent the past 3½ years with the Rays; trainer Nick Paparesta is a former Rays assistant.
Series history: A's lead 76-46, including 43-18 in Oakland.
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
D'backs 7, Rockies 0
PHOENIX — Justin Upton went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs, Micah Owings was effective in a spot start and the Diamondbacks took two of three from the Rockies. Upton, who reached base five times, has nine RBIs in his past two games. Arizona, finishing a 6-4 homestand, outscored Colorado 19-3 in the last two games of the series but remained four games behind first-place San Francisco in the NL West.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Dodgers 3, Nationals 1
LOS ANGELES — Chad Billingsley overcame a shaky first to pitch seven two-hit innings, Aaron Miles drove in two runs and the Dodgers won the rubber game of the three-game series. Both of the Nationals' hits came in the first, singles by Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, who drove in the team's lone run. Billingsley allowed only one baserunner after that, a leadoff walk to Jayson Werth in the fourth. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.28 ERA against Washington at Dodger Stadium.
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Roberto Alomar stared at the adoring crowd and was nearly rendered speechless, the tawdry episode of his stellar career long since forgotten. Bert Blyleven was more composed but moved nonetheless as he stared at his 85-year-old mother and reminisced about his late father.
Both men were inducted Sunday into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with front-office guru Pat Gillick.
Speaking first in his native Spanish, Alomar, the third Puerto Rican player to be enshrined along with Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente, said he felt proud of his nationality.
"I always played for my island," Alomar said, dozens of Puerto Rican flags blowing in a gentle breeze on a sunny afternoon. "It is a true blessing to be able to share this moment with all of you. I have you in my heart. I am standing here today because of the fan support.
"To my family, to my fans, to all the Puerto Rican people … and the game of baseball, you are and will always be my life and my love."
The switch-hitting Alomar won a record 10 Gold Gloves at second base, was a 12-time All-Star and hit .300 for his career. He's also linked with one of the game's most forgettable moments, when he spit on umpire John Hirschbeck during an argument in 1996.
The two have long since moved past that, and Hirschbeck was invited to come Sunday. He had to decline because he was working a game in St. Louis.
Blyleven, the first Dutch-born player to be enshrined, thanked his parents for the drive and determination he needed to succeed.
His amazing curveball frustrated batters in his 22-year career, and he finished with 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts, 60 shutouts and World Series rings in 1979 with the Pirates and 1987 in his second stint with Minnesota.
Still, his path toward the Hall was a slow one. On his 14th try he became the first pure starting pitcher to be selected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America since Nolan Ryan in 1999.
Blyleven's father, Joe, who died of Parkinson's in 2004, fell in love with baseball and the Dodgers after the family moved to Southern California in the late 1950s and built a mound in the backyard, the genesis of his son's Hall of Fame career.
"I wish he was here," said Blyleven, who in the past had regretted not being selected for the Hall while his father was still alive. "But you know, Mom, I know he's up there looking down right now. Mommy, I love you."
Times wires
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Giants 2, Brewers 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner pitched into the eighth inning for the Giants, who improved to 27-13 in one-run games and recorded their majors-high 29th comeback victory. Mike Fontenot and Jeff Keppinger drove in runs for San Francisco, which has won seven of 10 games since the All-Star break. Ryan Braun hit his fourth homer in the past five games to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead with two outs in the first. It was the first homer Bumgarner had allowed in his past eight starts.
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Anniversary of the day
It was 21 years ago today — July 25, 1990 — that comedy star Roseanne Barr sang, perhaps, the worst rendition ever of the Star Spangled Banner before a Reds-Padres game in San Diego. She sang off-key, then grabbed her crotch and spit at the end. But it was more entertaining than Carl Lewis' version.
Thought of the day
Steve Williams, the caddie fired by Tiger Woods, says he plans to write a book that will include a chapter on Woods. I understand he's miffed about being fired, but it's still hard to feel too much sympathy for a guy who made more money than most folks for carrying around a golf bag and raking sand traps.
Announcer of the day
ESPN released its announcer pairings for the upcoming college football season and former UF coach Urban Meyer will be teamed with announcer Dave Pasch and analyst Chris Spielman for Saturday games at noon on ESPN. Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit return for their sixth season as ABC/ESPN's top crew.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 24, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After his previous start Monday at home against the Yankees, Alex Cobb lingered around his locker in case pitching coach Jim Hickey was looking for him with news he was headed back to Triple-A Durham.
Sunday, Cobb had no such concerns.
Not after working seven strong innings — stopped only by a small blister on his right index finger — to lead the Rays to a sweep-avoiding 5-0 win over the Royals.
"I feel a lot better right now," Cobb said.
That seemed to be the feeling throughout the clubhouse as the Rays headed off to the West Coast, their postseason possibilities and trade-deadline availabilities in the balance, reaching the 100-game mark at 53-47, still 6½ games behind the wild card-leading Yankees and 9½ from first place in the AL East.
"We have a good run left in us," ever-hopeful manager Joe Maddon said.
The biggest issue in doing so is becoming more productive offensively. And while Sunday's scorecard was marked with their usual wasted opportunities, they found ways — some creative — to score as many as five for the first time in more than a week.
Evan Longoria — who struck out a career high-matching four times — singled with two on in the third to deliver the first run, and Casey Kotchman the second with a sac fly. They were more resourceful after loading the bases (on a single and two hit batters) in the sixth — having failed to score even once in their past six such opportunities — with Johnny Damon drawing a walk from reliever Blake Wood to force in one, then Ben Zobrist getting hit by a pitch for another.
"We finally figured out to accept our walks, and get in the way," Maddon said. "It's got to start somewhere. These things normally are cyclical."
Cobb (3-0, 2.57) was in a position to work into the eighth, and had his sights on a complete game, until the blister surfaced as he warmed up for the seventh. "A big disappointment," he said.
Cobb, 23, has had similar problems a few times before in humid weather and missed a couple of starts, but with his next start not until Saturday in Seattle he expects to be fine.
The Rays are hoping so — several infielders told Maddon Cobb should come out so he'd be ready for his next start — as well as he's pitching. Sunday, he allowed only six singles and got out of the only trouble he had, working quickly and confidently. "No panic," Maddon said. "The composure was fabulous. That really stood out to me."
Said Longoria: "He's kind of the new Jeremy Hellickson."
Cobb, who hadn't pitched above Double A before this season, has now made seven starts — over three stints with the Rays — without taking a loss, the first AL pitcher (with no relief outings in between) to do so since Minnesota's Kevin Slowey in 2007.
Cobb's uncertainty over his status, despite his solid outing against the Yankees, was due to Wade Davis' pending return from the disabled list. But the Rays were willing to adjust, making the unconventional decision to go to a six-man rotation, allowing them to better limit the innings worked by Hellickson and others, and to let Cobb keep starting.
"This is why we went six-man," Maddon said. "You saw it today. This is the exact reason. … You can't do it unless you have a pitcher that is that effective and big-league ready like Alex is.
"So there's no tapping on the shoulder."
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.
By Rick Frazier, Times Correspondent
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tarpon tourney: The 10-weekend, 77th annual all-release Suncoast Tarpon Roundup ended Saturday. Mike Clark bested the field by releasing a whopping 22 silver kings during the tourney. The junior division winner was Logan Clark, who released six. Mike and Logan also took home the adult/child trophy. In the women's division, Mary Quinette took the top spot with 11 released tarpon.
In no doubt the hardest category, the landlubber division, James Roehm won by releasing seven tarpon. These savvy anglers who fish from bridges and piers use methods unknown to common tarpon anglers. Catching a tarpon is no easy task, let alone doing it from a stationary structure. Sunday was the finale for junior division anglers who recorded at least one release during the tournament. These anglers competed head to head in a one-day shootout. Logan Clark, Kenny Balseca II and Gavin McLay were the three who qualified for the one-day tournament. Balseca, fishing with David Rhea, was the only junior who released a tarpon during the event. Balseca caught his winner in an area known by regulars as the old Westinghouse area. He also won last year's junior finale day. The regular finale day is 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; it's the climax of the tournament.
Rick Frazier runs Lucky Dawg Charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at captainrick@luckydawg.com or (727) 510-4376.
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Best moment
There were some uncomfortable moments during Saturday night's Rays-Royals broadcast on Sun Sports as announcers Dewayne Staats and Brian Anderson got into a rather contentious debate. It was unusual for the two who normally get along swimmingly, a bit awkward for the viewers and yet completely entertaining.
Here's what happened: In the fifth inning, Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton argued after a called strike three. Anderson insisted the pitch was so far outside that Upton had no chance to spoil the pitch. Staats countered that home-plate umpire Ted Barrett had called that pitch all night and it was Upton's responsibility to find a way to foul off the pitch.
Neither would back down, even talking over and interrupting one another. The crew was on top of it, showing several replays while Staats and Anderson continued to argue. For a few seconds, the two seemed genuinely peeved at one another, although both remained professional and neither tried to embarrass his partner.
Because it was more testy that normal, it was not the kind of exchange viewers want to hear every game. But every now and then, it's not bad to have two solid baseball men with loads of experience and expertise taking black-and-white stances on a gray issue.
It was one of the finest moments of the season for Staats and Anderson and yet another reason why Rays fans should feel fortunate to have these two calling Rays games.
More good stuff
Brian Anderson had more good moments over the weekend than his on-air disagreement with partner Dewayne Staats. Often, analysts will back the team he covers no matter what, but Anderson showed the guts to tell it like is when he ripped into the Rays' Sam Fuld for what Anderson felt was an improper slide.
On Friday night, Fuld spiked the leg of Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, and the Royals retaliated by hitting Fuld with a pitch on his next at-bat. When replays of the slide were shown Saturday night, Anderson took Fuld to task and even said he didn't blame the Royals for being upset.
"There is nothing okay about that slide,'' Anderson said. "If that is the way he continues to slide, he's going to get hit a lot. You just can't do that.''
Good for Anderson. Calling it the way he sees it gives him credibility, and the next time he says something in support of a Rays' player, viewers can believe that is how he actually feels, as opposed to assuming he is simply taking the side of the team that pays him.
Best promise
During Fox's brief pregame show for its baseball Game of the Week, reporter Ken Rosenthal said. "(Rays centerfielder B.J.) Upton will be traded. Trust me on that.''
Radio days
As you probably noticed by now, former Bucs receiver Mark Carrier is no longer on ESPN 1040-AM's Prime Time afternoon drive show. The other two hosts — Ronnie "Night Train'' Lane and Tom Krasniqi — remain and the show already sounds improved, especially because Lane and Krasniqi usually seem to be on the opposite sides on just about every issue. Having three people on a sports talk show is one too many, particularly when you're constantly adding a fourth voice by taking calls.
Carrier is a good guy, which might have been part of the problem. He was never strong enough with his opinions. He also seemed to be interested in mainly two topics: the NFL, which you can understand, and the NBA, which was harder to understand because, honestly, the NBA is not a hot local topic. In fact, it's one of the topics that get local listeners switching stations.
Show of the day
Derek Jeter's chase for 3,000 hits will be featured in an HBO special, Derek Jeter 3K, which makes its debut at 9 p.m. Thursday on HBO. Don't expect much controversy. The Yankees shortstop had editorial control of the film. However, Jeter did wear a microphone for two games as part of the filming.
Three TV things worth mentioning
1. Thumbs-up to CBS's coverage of the RBC Canadian Open. Hosts Bill Macatee and Ian Baker-Finch might have been better, dare I say, than normal CBS golf hosts Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo.
2. Hard to believe that the Pittsburgh Pirates — yes, the same Pirates who haven't had a winning team since 1992 — will be featured on a national ESPN game tonight, and it's a game with meaning.
3. The best part about the NFL lockout coming to an end is now we don't have to sit through ESPN lockout stories.
Three things that popped into my head
1. For everyone whining that penalty kicks were a lousy way for the U.S. women to lose the World Cup final: Let's not forget that the greatest team in U.S. women's history, the 1999 team with Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and so forth, won the greatest match in this country's history — the 1999 World Cup final against China — on penalty kicks.
2. What does it say about golf that the sport's biggest story this year has been Tiger Woods firing his caddie?
3. Not that ESPN has lied or even taken anything out of context, but how come it constantly reminds viewers about the Rays' attendance woes and yet we never hear about the Marlins, A's, Indians and Blue Jays — all of whom draw about the same numbers as Tampa Bay?
St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.
Biggest controversy
T he debates continues to smolder about the media's treatment of the U.S. women's soccer team following its loss to Japan in the World Cup finale. Some believe the criticism has been light because it was a women's team even though the United States was a heavy favorite and lost to a team it had never lost to in 25 matches after blowing two one-goal leads and making a mess of penalty kicks. During his closing commentary on HBO's Real Sports, host Bryant Gumbel said, "Are we now so fearful of being labeled sexist that we can't objectively assess the efforts of females athletes? … Had a men's team turned in a similar performance, papers and pundits nationwide would have had a field day assailing the players, criticizing the coach and demanding widespread changes to a men's national team that flat out choked." On the other hand, maybe the women deserve the pats on the backs they have received. After all, the team really did dominate the World Cup final and was more unlucky than anything. Plus, the Americans showed grit and talent just surviving Brazil in the quarterfinals on its way to the final. In the end, even the criticism of the team is a good thing for women sports because that means the women were judged simply as a soccer team, not a women's or girls' soccer team.
