Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

Blue Jays 3, Rangers 2

TORONTO — J.P. Arencibia hit a three-run homer and Brett Cecil beat All-Star Alexi Ogando to win consecutive starts for the first time this season. Cecil, demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas in late April after a rough start to the season, is 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA in six starts since rejoining the Blue Jays' rotation June 30. Nelson Cruz, who homered for the Rangers, left in the fifth with tightness in his left quadriceps. He has three homers and 12 RBIs in eight games against Toronto this season.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — Chase Utley fell a double shy of the cycle, Roy Halladay tossed one-hit ball over seven shutout innings and the Phillies beat the Pirates 10-3 Friday night.

The Phillies reportedly were in the process of acquiring Houston All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence, who would become the right-handed bat they need. The Phillies were set to give up a pair of prospects in first baseman Jonathan Singleton and right-hander Jarrod Cosart.

The Phillies didn't need another hitter Friday.

Utley had a run-scoring triple in his first at-bat, a three-run homer in the second inning to make it 7-0, and he singled in the third. Utley struck out swinging in the fifth and eighth innings.

Jimmy Rollins added a two-run homer, his 12th, in the seventh for a 10-0 lead.

Ryan Howard's RBI double and Raul Ibanez's RBI single gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead in the first to back Halladay, who struck out five.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — Charlie Morton gave up eight runs and kind of got off easy.

At least he didn't have to face Hunter Pence, whom the Phillies acquired late Friday from the Astros for prospects (notebook, 4C).

Chase Utley fell a double shy of the cycle, Roy Halladay tossed one-hit ball over seven shutout innings and Philadelphia beat the Pirates 10-3 on Friday night.

Morton did everything but balk — four walks, allowed a homer, threw a wild pitch and hit a batter.

"The first two innings he couldn't get the ball down consistently," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's still growing and trying to figure it out."

Utley had a run-scoring triple in his first at-bat, a three-run homer in the second inning to make it 7-0, and he singled in the third. Utley struck out swinging in the fifth and eighth innings.

Jimmy Rollins added a two-run homer, his 12th, in the seventh for a 10-0 lead.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

Brewers 4, Astros 0

MILWAUKEE — Randy Wolf pitched seven scoreless innings for his first win since June 24, helping the Brewers to their fourth consecutive victory. Houston starter Jordan Lyles (0-6) had breezed through the first four innings, giving up only one hit and facing the minimum 12 batters. He is winless in 11 starts. Milwaukee limited Houston to four hits, all singles. The Astros have lost six of their past eight.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

LOS ANGELES — Former major-league pitcher Hideki Irabu died by hanging himself, Los Angeles County coroner's officials said Friday.

Assistant Coroner Chief Ed Winter wrote that Irabu, 42, did not leave a note, and that a friend found Irabu dead in his home in the suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes on Wednesday afternoon.

An autopsy was performed Friday, but Winter said it will take 6-8 weeks for the toxicology tests results, which could shed further light on the circumstances.

The right-hander spurned the Padres and pitched for the Yankees amid international hype in 1997, but he faltered after an impressive debut, drawing the ire of then-owner George Steinbrenner. Irabu later pitched for Montreal, then Texas.

Irabu may have been despondent over a split with his wife, who took their two daughters.

Clemens argues against new trial

WASHINGTON — With his trial cut short, former pitcher Roger Clemens argued that prosecutors goaded him into asking for a mistrial and asked a judge to throw out his indictment on charges of lying to Congress about performance-enhancing drug use.

Clemens said a new trial would violate his constitutional right against the double jeopardy of facing the same charge twice. His lawyers said the prosecutors chose to ignore a judge's order against using a teammate's wife's testimony so they could provoke a mistrial because their case was going badly by the second day.

Most legal experts who reviewed copies of the Clemens transcripts say he probably will face a second trial. They said when a mistrial is requested by the accused, the general rule is the guarantee against double jeopardy does not prevent another trial unless the judge finds prosecutors provoked a mistrial.

Pence to Phillies

All-Star RF Hunter Pence was pulled from the Astros' game at Milwaukee after learning he was traded to the Phillies for three minor-leaguers and a player to be named later.

Houston nabbed two of Philadelphia's top prospects in 1B Jonathan Singleton and RHP Jarred Cosart. The Astros also got RHP Josh Zeid.

McCourt Divorce: Owner Frank McCourt has more than $70 million at his disposal and he's using some of his money to fund an "ongoing jihad" with MLB, his ex-wife's attorneys said in court documents filed in their divorce case. Former team CEO Jamie McCourt filed a motion in opposition of a request by Frank McCourt to reduce more than $600,000 a month in spousal support that she receives from him. Attorney Dennis Wasser argued Jamie McCourt shouldn't have to give up any money so that her ex-husband can "fund his futile and wasteful personal vendetta against both MLB and Jamie."

Cardinals: Manager Tony La Russa declined comment when asked about statements made by Colby Rasmus' father since the outfielder's trade to the Blue Jays. Tony Rasmus told a Toronto radio station his son was "miserable" in St. Louis. He accused La Russa of driving his son out of town.

Dodgers: Reliever Kenley Jansen, 23, will be out at least three weeks after the team put him on the DL and he went on blood thinners less than 72 hours after being checked into a hospital for an irregular heartbeat.

Padres: LHP Clayton Richard will miss the rest of the season after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Richard had not responded to treatment since July 5 for a shoulder strain.

Red Sox: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who leads the majors in average (.352) and RBIs (87) was scratched with a stiff neck.

Yankees: Reliever Rafael Soriano (inflammation in right elbow) is back in the bullpen after 2½ months on the DL. Manager Joe Girardi said he will ease the former Ray into action slowly rather than thrust him back into the pressure of an eighth-inning role.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

PHILADELPHIA — Hunter Pence is adding his big bat to a pennant race.

Philadelphia is counting on its latest All-Star acquisition from Houston to do what Brad Lidge and Roy Oswalt did before him — help take the team with the best record in baseball deep into the postseason.

The Phillies made another deadline splash Friday, acquiring Pence, 28, from the Astros for a package of highly rated prospects.

"He's a guy that I think our fans will take to very well," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

The NL East-leading Phillies got the rightfielder and cash from Houston for three minor-leaguers and a player to be named. Pence began the day with a .309 batting average, 11 homers and 62 RBIs.

Houston nabbed two of Philadelphia's top prospects in Class A 1B Jonathan Singleton, 19, and Class A RHP Jarred Cosart, 21. But the Phillies managed to hold onto talented OF Domonic Brown. Rebuilding Houston also got Double-A RHP Josh Zeid, 25.

Irabu hanged himself

LOS ANGELES — Former major-league pitcher Hideki Irabu died by hanging himself, Los Angeles County coroner's officials said.

Assistant Coroner Chief Ed Winter wrote that Irabu, 42, did not leave a note, and that a friend found Irabu dead in his home in the suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes on Wednesday afternoon.

An autopsy was performed Friday, but Winter said it will take 6-8 weeks for the toxicology tests results, which could shed further light on the circumstances.

The right-hander spurned the Padres and pitched for the Yankees amid international hype in 1997, but he faltered after an impressive debut, drawing the ire of then-owner George Steinbrenner. Irabu later pitched for Montreal, then Texas.

Irabu may have been despondent over a split with his wife, who took their two daughters.

Clemens argues against new trial

WASHINGTON — With his trial cut short, former pitcher Roger Clemens argued that prosecutors goaded him into asking for a mistrial and asked a judge to throw out his indictment on charges of lying to Congress about performance-enhancing drug use.

Clemens said a new trial would violate his constitutional right against the double jeopardy of facing the same charge twice. His lawyers said the prosecutors chose to ignore a judge's order against using a teammate's wife's testimony so they could provoke a mistrial because their case was going badly by the second day.

Most legal experts who reviewed copies of the Clemens transcripts say he probably will face a second trial. They said when a mistrial is requested by the accused, the general rule is the guarantee against double jeopardy does not prevent another trial unless the judge finds prosecutors provoked a mistrial.

McCourt Divorce: Owner Frank McCourt has more than $70 million at his disposal and he's using some of his money to fund an "ongoing jihad" with MLB, his ex-wife's attorneys said in court documents filed in their divorce case. Former team CEO Jamie McCourt filed a motion in opposition of a request by Frank McCourt to reduce more than $600,000 a month in spousal support that she receives from him. Attorney Dennis Wasser argued Jamie McCourt shouldn't have to give up any money so that her ex-husband can "fund his futile and wasteful personal vendetta against both MLB and Jamie."

Dodgers: Reliever Kenley Jansen, 23, will be out at least three weeks after the team put him on the DL and he went on blood thinners less than 72 hours after being checked into a hospital for an irregular heartbeat.

Padres: LHP Clayton Richard is out for the season after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Yankees: Reliever Rafael Soriano (inflammation in right elbow) is back in the bullpen after 2½ months on the DL.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

Cardinals 9, Cubs 2

ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols got his 2,000th career hit and Edwin Jackson pitched seven innings in his debut with St. Louis after coming over in a three-team trade. In his 10th season, Pujols became the fifth Cardinal to get 2,000 hits with a double in the eighth inning. David Freese added a three-run homer.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

Injury delays Pastrana's debut

Travis Pastrana's busy weekend ended before it could even begin. A broken right foot and ankle suffered Thursday at the X Games has forced the action sports star to pull out of his Nationwide series debut Saturday in Clermont, Ind.

He was scheduled for surgery Friday, and it's unclear when he will be able to climb back into a race car.

"When I think of Travis Pastrana, I think of Superman," car owner Michael Waltrip said. "I just assumed it would all be okay."

Pastrana's schedule was for him to compete Thursday and Friday in the Moto X Best Trick competition, then fly from Los Angeles to Indianapolis for Saturday night's race. The next day he was scheduled to fly back to L.A. for RallyCross.

After four years of trying to perfect a trick called the 720, Pastrana, 27, missed on his first attempt, got up and tried it again.

"When he fell over the first time and got back up, I'm like 'Perfect, that's Travis. He'll get there,' " said Waltrip, who was watching on television. "Then on the second attempt, obviously, we weren't so fortunate."

Waltrip said the team is now looking at Pastrana making his Nationwide debut at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway on Sept. 9, and "he's going to work with his doctors and find out if that's realistic."

Edwards mum

Sprint Cup series points leader Carl Edwards again refused to discuss his contract negotiations. He's in the final year of his contract with Roush Fenway Racing, but it's believed that he's being courted by Joe Gibbs Racing and that organization hoped for a decision from Edwards this weekend in Indianapolis.

Edwards' decision impacts other drivers. Clint Bowyer is unsigned at Richard Childress Racing and could be a candidate to replace Edwards at Roush. Joey Logano presumably sits in limbo as JGR waits for Edwards' answer. Edwards could replace Logano, who would then have to be placed somewhere by JGR. Among the scenarios is Logano going to a fourth car at JGR, or being loaned to another Toyota team.

Hamilton maintains roll in Hungarian GP practice

Cool weather gave way to warmer conditions in Budapest, and Lewis Hamilton led Friday's practices for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Hamilton shaved more than two seconds off his morning lap after completing the circuit in 1 minute, 21.018 seconds in the second stint. The McLaren driver, coming off a win in Germany and a two-time winner in Budapest, was more than two-tenths of a second quicker than Ferrari's Fernando Alonso. "It's a great feeling to already start on a high; it wasn't really expected. The climate is working for us; it's not quite as hot as it usually is here," Hamilton said. Jenson Button of McLaren was third. Red Bull pair Mark Webber and F1 leader Sebastian Vettel were next. Vettel leads the title chase with 216 points. Webber is second (139), followed by Hamilton (134) and Alonso (130).

Peters' late pass earns Trucks win

Timothy Peters hopes he didn't make history. He passed James Buescher on Lap 194 Friday night, then pulled away to win the AAA Insurance 200 in what could be the last NASCAR trucks race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Clermont, Ind. NASCAR has said it will not hold a trucks race next season after 30 years at the track. Buescher finished second after leading 97 laps, his ninth straight top-10 finish.

Times wires
Friday, July 29, 2011

Reds 4, Giants 3

13 innings

CINCINNATI — Edgar Renteria singled in Jay Bruce in the bottom of the 13th to give the Reds the victory.

Times wires
Saturday, July 30, 2011

Orioles 4, Yankees 2

NEW YORK — Jeremy Guthrie shut down the Yankees for seven innings, perhaps driving up his price in a trade, and the Orioles got home runs from Mark Reynolds and Derrek Lee. Kevin Gregg held on in a shaky ninth, striking out Brett Gardner with runners at the corners to end it. Gardner slammed his bat twice to the ground, smashing it into pieces. Guthrie earned his first win in four career starts at Yankee Stadium. Reynolds and Lee each drove in two runs.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 30, 2011

Desmond Jennings is good. That much we know from his first week in the big leagues. Also, he is fast. Strong. Smooth. And quiet. Here are some things you may not know about the Rays outfielder of the future, who looks to be ready for the present:

The decision

Jennings starred in baseball (centerfielder), basketball (guard) and football (receiver, QB, defensive back) at Pinson Valley High in Birmingham, Ala., and was a Division I prospect in all three sports. He figured his future wasn't on the court and planned to play baseball and football until he had to decide. Georgia reportedly offered to let him play both, Auburn and Ole Miss were interested. But his heart was with Alabama, with plans to be the next great receiver.

But it wasn't that simple. The Indians drafted him out of high school, in the 18th round, so now pro baseball — his first love — was a legit option. Then he didn't qualify academically at Alabama (an issue with his core classes, he said). So he ended up at Itawamba (Miss.) Community College, was a Juco All-American with a nation-high 54 catches (848 yard, 6 TDs) in eight games, and starred on the diamond (.378, 29 steals). He still thought of going to Alabama, but when the Rays took him in the 10th round in 2006, he decided to sign (for $150,000), figuring if it didn't work out, he could go back to football.

"It was just the opportunity," Jennings said. "I didn't sign out of high school, so when the opportunity came around again, I thought it must happen for a reason. I didn't want to turn it down."

Paging Raheem

At 6 feet 2 and 200 pounds and with blazing speed, Jennings looks like he could make it in pro football. And he knows that Bucs coach Raheem Morris and Rays manager Joe Maddon are buddies. "Do I think I could play in the NFL? Why not," Jennings said. "It'd be tough. But it's possible."

Family affair

Jennings is the middle one of three boys in what he said is a close and extended family. He was extremely close with his grand­mother until she died in 2007 and helped care for an aunt who lived next door. He has four tattoos that are tributes to his family. He is a cousin of Andre Smith, an offensive tackle out of Alabama who was a first-round pick of the Bengals in 2009.

Draft breeze

Jennings' success is making the Rays' 2006 draft look pretty good. RHP Ryan Reid (7th round) is at Triple A; C Nevin Ashley (6th) is, too, and likely will play in the majors; RHP Alex Cobb (4th) is already here doing well; and there is that Evan Longoria dude (1st). RHP Josh Butler (2nd) was traded in 2008 for Gabe Gross. RHP Nick Fuller (3rd) didn't sign; neither did LHP Mike Minor (13th), now a top Braves prospect.

The quiet type

Jennings provides an interesting package: power and speed, instinctive and athletic, laid-back and explosive. "He's definitely got a slow heartbeat," manager Joe Maddon said. "He's a flatliner a little bit, and I kinda like that. But this guy is a former football player, and he's been in some aggressive moments."

Roll Tide

Growing up in the East Lake area of Birmingham, Ala., Jennings formed two simple opinions: the Alabama Crimson Tide was good, and the Auburn Tigers were bad. So what did he think of Auburn winning the national title in football last year? "I try not to think about it," he said. "It won't happen again."

In the lane

Jennings keeps it pretty low-key in the offseason besides his workouts, but he did pick up something fun — bowling. "I like bowling," he said. "I'm usually around 200."

Got a minute? Desmond Jennings

Must-see TV? I like the Fresh Prince (of Bel-Air).

Big night-out meal? I'm simple, so I'll go get pasta, like pasta alfredo.

Singer or band you'd like to be stage with? It's got to be a female singer — I'd pick Ciara.

Worst job? I worked for UPS 3-4 years ago, running boxes from the truck to the porch, back and forth.

Dream date? (Singer) Keri Hilson.

All atwitter

The Rays on Thursday are hosting their first Tweet-Up. By definition, that's a gathering of people who use the Twitter social media service. It sounds kind of nerdy, having a group of people come to the game so they can spend the whole time using their phones to post and read Twitter messages, but it has become a popular event around the country. And they were savvy enough to invite CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell to host, guaranteeing some national TV attention. If you're on Twitter, or thinking about it (free, at twitter.com), here are some Rays-related accounts to follow:

Team: @RaysBaseball, @RaysRepublic

Manager: @RaysJoeMaddon

Players: @DAVIDprice14, @Evan3Longoria, @BJUPTON2, @SamFuld5, @ShopHouse10 (Kelly Shoppach), @TheZobrists, @d_jennings15, @ACobb53, @CheckwitECK (Mike Ekstrom)

Minor-leaguers: @AdamRussell36, @ceez_27 (Cesar Ramos), @reidbrignac, @jaybuente, @robdelaney55, @daner13 (Dane De La Rosa), @BrandonGuyer

Media: @SPTimesRays (Marc Topkin), @SPTimesRays2 (Joe Smith)

Rays rumblings

Talks with top draft pick RHP Taylor Guerreri have been limited thus far but should pick up closer to the Aug. 15 signing deadline; the Rays remain hopeful. … Expect the Andrew Friedman-to-Houston rumors to amplify after Jim Crane's $680 million purchase of the Astros is approved at the mid August owners meeting. … Manny Ramirez — remember him? — would have been eligible to return today, as noted by raysindex.com, had he served a 100-game suspension rather than "retire." … With all 3B Evan Longoria has had go wrong this year, someone opened a fake Facebook account in his name. … 1B coach Tom Foley, who retired in 1995, figures that with OF Matt Stairs designated for assignment by Washington, the only one of his former teammates still active is Boston RHP Tim Wakefield. … RHP Mike Ekstrom on seeing top prospect, LHP Matt Moore, pitch in Durham: "He's something else."

By Steve Slowinski, Times Correspondent
Saturday, July 30, 2011

True or false: David Price has pitched well this season.

I'd bet most Rays fans would say "False." On the surface, Price hasn't lived up to preseason expectations. After posting a 2.72 ERA and winning 19 games last season, making a bid for the AL Cy Young Award, Price has had mixed results in 2011.

His ERA is a full point higher (3.76), and he has won only nine games. He has allowed four earned runs or more in nine games (after doing that twice last year). And over the past month — the sink-or-swim moment of the season for the Rays — he has a disappointing 5.04 ERA.

So what's wrong with Price?

As it turns out, not much.

When you dig beyond ERA and wins, it becomes evident that Price has pitched much better than it appears. He has increased his strikeout rate to a career high (8.6 per nine innings) and has dramatically lowered his walk rate (2.0), giving him the ninth-best strikeout-to-walk ratio in baseball. When you consider that ahead of Price are names such as Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, Cliff Lee and Clayton Kershaw, he's in some very good company.

Erik Hahmann from DRaysBay recently put Price's season in historical perspective. There have been 1,374 pitchers who have pitched 180 innings or more in back-to-back seasons. Of those, only 31 have lowered their walk rate as much as Price has, and only 31 have improved their K/BB ratios as much.

But walks aren't the only way a pitcher can allow baserunners. What about hits? Price has a .234 batting average against, slightly higher than last season's .219, but it's not a large enough increase to negate his improved walk rate. He has allowed fewer overall baserunners than last season, averaging 1.1 per inning to last season's 1.2.

So if Price is striking out more batters and allowing fewer baserunners, then why is his ERA so much higher this season?

Once a batter reaches base, Price is having a tough time preventing him from scoring. When the bases are empty, teams are hitting .219/.262/.366 (batting average/on-base/slugging) against him. Once a batter reaches scoring position, those numbers jump to .300/.374/.464. In other words, it's as though Miguel Olivo is hitting when the bases are empty, then once a runner gets in scoring position, Carlos Gonzalez steps to the plate.

These high-leverage struggles are an ironic twist, considering Price was one of the 20 most clutch pitchers of 2010. When runners reached scoring position against him last year, he slammed the door, limiting hitters to a .187/.262/.283 line. Clutch performance is like that; it varies widely from year to year, and it's impossible to predict which players will be "clutch" going forward.

Just because Price has struggled in high-leverage situations doesn't mean he'll continue to do so. The question is will he improve by the end of the season or will it take until next year?

Also, Price's struggles over the past month appear to be location-related, as he's walking more batters than earlier in the year and leaving a surprising number of hittable pitches over the plate. It may be that he's being too cautious of walking batters and, as a result, giving hitters juicy pitches in favorable counts instead of risking the walk by trying to hit his spots.

But as James Shields has shown through his success this season, this is far from an insurmountable problem.

It has not always looked that way, but Price has given Rays fans a big reason to be excited. He has taken steps forward this year toward being an even better pitcher than he was last season, even if that progress hasn't shown up in his ERA yet.

Once Price gets everything to click into place, the rest of the American League should take note. He's already one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he just keeps getting better and better.

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

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 30, 2011

NFL

> Looking up

One of the debates during the 130-day lockout was whether fans would give the NFL the cold shoulder when the lockout ended. Fans get turned off listening to millionaires fight with billionaires over how to split billions of dollars. But unlike the 1994 baseball strike, the NFL likely won't be hurt at all by its contentious labor dispute. Because, in the end, fans will not miss any games.

Each year, the NFL grows more popular, with 111 million people in this country alone watching last season's Super Bowl. The NFL, by far, is the most popular sport in the country and, by far, more popular now than any league has ever been in the United States.

MLB

> Looking down

For much of this season, attendance was down compared to last season. Lousy weather plagued the Northeast for much of the spring, forcing more postponements in the first six weeks than all of last season. Slowly, attendance has rebounded and, as of last week, the average attendance for a game was 29,893, slightly ahead of last year's attendance on the same date (29,853). So, by season's end, expect attendance to be up again.

But, interestingly, television numbers for this year's All-Star Game were the lowest since ratings for the game started being kept in 1967. It was the third year in a row that All-Star Game TV numbers decreased from the previous season.

In general, baseball is thriving in the big markets and struggling in smaller markets.

The good news? Fans seem convinced that widespread steroid use has been driven from the game. The bad? Fans continue to be turned off by the unfair gap between big-market and small-market teams.

NBA

> Looking way down

For starters, its most recognizable and, perhaps, best player is the most despised athlete on the planet. Whether he is a good guy or bad, misunderstood or treated unfairly, the perception is LeBron James is the epitome of the modern athlete: spoiled, arrogant and a self-promoter.

Outside of Miami, the Heat star is loathed because of his national television special to announce his leaving his hometown Cavaliers for glitzy South Beach. The Dallas Mavericks never had so many fans as they did when they played the Heat in the NBA Finals.

Meantime, the NBA appears headed for a lengthy lockout. One would think the country's reaction to such a labor dispute would be more like the NHL's lockout in 2004-05 than the NFL's lockout of the past few months. In other words, will anyone care?

NHL

> Looking up … slightly

It has been a while since anyone could say this, but the NHL appears to be on the upswing. Losing the 2004-05 season was a devastating blow to a league that was already struggling to be a part of the sports landscape. The decision to give the U.S. television contract to Versus instead of ESPN seemed like a bad idea at the time, but it now seems like a lucky break since Versus is now partners with NBC, which has given the league more exposure than any major network ever has. TV numbers are up.

Other post-lockout moves, such as the salary cap, the outdoor game and rules to open up the game, have worked out well, and the league's only headache now (quite literally) is the issue of concussions. But, overall, the league appears healthier than it has in years.

Soccer

> Looking up

Soccer is never going to be as popular in the United States as it is in the rest of the world. This country's soccer audience always will be sliced into thirds: those who think it's the greatest sport on earth, those who pay attention for big events, and those who wouldn't watch a World Cup match if it was in their back yard and their kid was in it.

Every so often, a team or tournament comes along that is supposed to finally put soccer on par with, say, the NBA in this country — like the 1999 women's World Cup team or the 1994 men's World Cup that was hosted by the United States. But as soon as the buzz reaches its zenith, the matches end and soccer fades into being a minor sport.

Having said all that, there really is a reason for soccer fans to be optimistic about the future. The U.S. women garnered plenty of attention for their run to the World Cup final, and it should continue being a dominant team on the world pitch. Meantime, there is cautious optimism for the men after Friday's announcement that longtime coach Bob Bradley was fired and replaced by Juergen Klinsmann.

NASCAR

> Looking up … slightly

For the past three years, NASCAR's TV ratings decreased and everyone wondered why NASCAR, at the height of its popularity, suddenly started losing its momentum. Was it Jimmie Johnson's dominance? Was it the format of the Chase for the Championship? Did NASCAR take the personality out of the drivers?

Then something strange happened. NASCAR made a comeback. No, it hasn't reached the level of the popularity it had a few years ago, but television numbers are up this year. Fox averaged 8.6 million viewers for the first third of the season, up from the 7.8 million it averaged last year.

College football

> Holding steady

Scandal has rocked the college football world, especially the shenanigans at Ohio State, the mess at Southern Cal a couple of years back and constant questions (though no proven allegations) surrounding last year's Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton of Auburn. Television ratings for last season's Bowl Championship Series games were down dramatically. It could have been, in part, because the games were exclusively on cable (ESPN) instead of network TV for the first time. It could have been because of undesirable matchups. It could have been just an odd year. We'll find out this year. College football seems more popular than ever. The question now is whether it can get any more popular.

Meantime, college basketball continues to be hurt by players leaving early for the NBA, yet the NCAA Tournament did well by making sure every game could be seen from tipoff to final buzzer by splitting the coverage among CBS and Turner Sports.

Golf

> Up and down

It all comes down to Tiger Woods. When he plays, TV ratings are strong and there's major interest. When he doesn't, TV ratings plummet. Woods comes back this week. If he can stay healthy and competitive, the sports is in good shape. If he is sidelined again or can't rediscover his game, golf will struggle. And for those who love tennis, has the sport ever been less popular in the United States? Aside from the oft-injured Williams sisters, Americans barely make a blip in the major events.

What is the current state of each of the major sports? Each sport has endured its series of challenges, from steroids to personal scandals, from labor disputes to rampant cheating. Here is our take on each of the big sports and whether things are looking up or down:

Tom Brady

Albert Pujols

LeBron James

Sidney Crosby

Hope Solo

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Jim Tressel

Tiger Woods

Times staff
Saturday, July 30, 2011

The poll

How many games will the Bucs win this season? 889 votes

This week's question

Which Florida school will win more games this season: USF, UF, FSU, UM or UCF? Vote at sports.tampabay.com

76%

15%

8%

1%

9-12

5-8

13-16

0-4

Another poll

Which of these Rays players would you consider trading before the July 31 nonwaiver deadline? 866 votes

70%

17%

7%

3%

3%

BJ Upton

None

James Shields

Kyle Farnsworth

Johnny Damon

By Rick Frazier, Times Correspondent
Saturday, July 30, 2011

Tarpon tournament: The all-release Suncoast Tarpon Roundup concluded Saturday with its regular-division Finale Day.

It's a one-day fish-off for all the anglers who released at least one tarpon during the 10-weekend tournament. Finale Day isn't about catching the heaviest silver king. It's about catching the most tarpon and being able to get a DNA swipe from each fish.

Pinellas Park's David Rhea, the Week 5 winner and the guide who put last week's Junior Finale Day winner Kenny Balseca on his fish, was confident he would win the Finale Day title and had said so.

Rhea was as good as his word.

"Hey, Rick, I won it," he said when he called in. "I caught three."

Fishing with Joe Lowery in his boat off Longboat Key, Rhea pulled in his first tarpon, estimated at about 90 pounds, soon after the event started, at 6:56 a.m.

Around noon, he hooked another, estimated at 125 pounds. Just 41 minutes later, Rhea took his biggest fish of the day, estimated at 160 to 170 pounds. He had one more bite before the 3 p.m. cutoff, but the tarpon came off. All his tarpon were caught with fresh dead shad fished on the bottom.

John McLay of St. Petersburg took second with two releases, and Mike Clark was third with one.

Rick Frazier runs Lucky Dawg Charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at captainrick@luckydawg.com or (727) 510-4376.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 30, 2011

SEATTLE — Saturday was hitting coach Derek Shelton's 41st birthday, but he was thinking of buying Ben Zobrist a gift in return for the sixth-inning single that kept the Rays from being no-hit in what ended up a 3-2 loss to the Mariners.

"Whatever he wants," Shelton said.

What the Rays (55-51) needed, once again, was more offense, as they wasted another solid pitching performance, six-plus solid innings by rookie Alex Cobb, and gave up the momentum and ground they gained with wins the previous two days, falling back to 81/2 games behind the wild card-leading Yankees and 101/2 behind the first-place Red Sox in the AL East.

Impressive and intimidating Mariners rookie starter Michael Pineda was part of their problem, but manager Joe Maddon considered it more self-inflicted because they'd been scoring, with a seven-run inning Thursday and an eight-spot on Friday.

"He's really good, he's a young talent, but with the goals that we have in mind, we've got to figure out a way to get by that today," Maddon said. "It's just an offensive thing. We've got to do better offensively. I mean, the work's being done. Everybody's trying — you can almost try too hard.

"But we just came off two games where all of a sudden you're seeing a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, but then to fall back off the cliff, that's the difficult part. We just have to become more consistent. You've seen that it's there. We know that it's there. We've got to bring it to bear on a more consistent basis."

With three no-hitters on their record in 2009-10, there was certainly that potential on Saturday. Instead, they were held to one hit for the second time this season. And it's the seventh time in 268 games since the start of last season they had one or none. (No other team has done that more than three times in that span.)

They also had 13 strikeouts, the 20th time in 106 games they've been in double digits.

"We just have to do better than that," Maddon said, as he has again and again.

The Rays, down 2-0 after the first, actually had a run before they had a hit, Johnny Damon walking to open the fourth, stealing second, going to third on an errant throw and scoring on Zobrist's groundout. They got their hit, and tied the score, in the sixth, when Zobrist lined a single just over second baseman Jack Wilson to score Sean Rodriguez.

"It was nice to tie it up right there," Zobrist said. "But once we got to 2-2, you're going to have to hit the ball a little more to win that game, we knew that. We just didn't do that."

Worse, Cobb, who struck out a career-high nine while losing for the first time in eight big-league starts, gave it right back. Dustin Ackley, the Mariners rookie who bedeviled Cobb in the minors and in the Arizona Fall League, got him again, following up his first-inning two-run homer with a one-out double in the sixth, then scoring on Mike Carp's single.

"I've always had a little trouble with him," Cobb said.

The Rays did nothing about it, showing little fight for a team supposedly still in the postseason race. Pineda walked Evan Longoria (dropped to fifth in the order) and Matt Joyce, ending his day, with one out in the seventh, but B.J. Upton (flyout) and Robinson Chirinos (groundout) each swung at the first pitch from reliever Jeff Gray, and that was pretty much it.

"That's kinda tough right there," Maddon said.

That's a polite way to put it.

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

By Joe Smith and Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writers
Saturday, July 30, 2011

TAMPA — Bucs rookie TE Luke Stocker was on crutches during Saturday's practice, saying he's week-to-week with a right hip injury sustained Friday.

The Bucs traded up 12 spots in the fourth round to select Stocker, a 6-foot-5, 270-pounder from Tennessee.

"It's a raw deal," he said of his injury.

Stocker said he jammed the hip at Friday's practice when he got caught in an awkward position and got twisted up.

"Just get some weight off of it and take it a week at a time and see if we can get it back feeling right," he said.

CADDY TALK: The Bucs still have interest in re-signing free agent running back Cadillac Williams, coach Raheem Morris indicated.

Williams, 29, the Bucs' first-round draft pick in 2005, has been a sentimental favorite and inspirational leader after overcoming surgeries to repair a torn patellar tendon in each knee.

His production fell off last season, when he averaged 2.5 yards per carry in nine starts. But after losing his starting tailback job to LeGarette Blount, who led all rookies with 1,007 yards rushing, Williams settled in as the third-down back. He also was integral in protecting QB Josh Freeman in blitz pick-up.

"You're talking about Cadillac, one of our leaders, a guy who brought a lot to us last year," Morris said. "I know his quarterback really likes him. I know we like him in our building. He gave us a bunch of great years of service. Hopefully we can get some more out of him. We'll just have to see. I don't want to put Mark (Dominik, general manager) into a corner."

SIDELINED: Signed free agents aren't permitted to practice until the 2011 NFL calendar begins Thursday. That requirement in the collective bargaining agreement has left the likes of G Davin Joseph, T Jeremy Trueblood and LB Quincy Black permitted to do only classroom work, such as attend meetings, with the team and working out off the premises.

"It's very different," Trueblood said. "You kind of feel like you're an injured guy or something. … You want to be on the field putting in the work with your friends."

About 10 affected Bucs went offsite Saturday to work out at a park.

WELCOME BACK: Considering Joseph wanted to stay in Tampa for the rest of his career, he was very happy to sign a seven-year, $52.5 million deal last week. And he was very pleased that good friend Trueblood (two years) and T James Lee (a restricted free agent) were brought back.

"I can't be happier," he said.

"(Free agency is) a tricky process, because you have to do what's best for your family and situation. It's not always what's best for what you want, where you want to be. I'm glad it worked out for me."

DRAFT BREEZE: The Bucs completed signing their eight-player draft class by signing sixth-round pick RB Allen Bradford. DE Michael Bennett, T Demar Dotson, DT Frank Okam also signed their tender offers.

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 30, 2011

TAMPA — On the first day of training camp, Gerald McCoy grabbed a microphone from a television reporter and started interviewing quarterback Josh Freeman. No big surprise. The Bucs defensive tackle also has the ability to mimic almost any teammate or coach with astounding similarity.

But sitting on a row of empty bleachers after the second practice of training camp on a sweltering Saturday, McCoy said he is done doing impersonations.

"I can only be me," he said. "I can't try and be somebody else. I can learn to play my position, but I can only do it the way I play. I can try to mimic people, but I can't be somebody else. I can't be (Warren) Sapp. I tried to be Sapp last year. … Just like I tried to be (Pro Bowler) Tommie Harris at Oklahoma, but I couldn't be. I had to be Gerald."

After struggling through his first nine games as a rookie without a sack, the pressure mounted on McCoy, the third overall pick in the 2010 draft from Oklahoma. He had three sacks in his next two games, but two games later, against the Redskins, he sustained a season-ending torn biceps.

This year McCoy doesn't have to worry about being a carbon copy of some of the league's best under tackles. But he has a chance to learn from an original.

The Bucs hired former Vikings All-Pro Keith Millard as a defensive line coach, specializing in the pass rush, an area where the Bucs need improvement after finishing next to last in the NFL with 26 sacks last year.

At 6 feet 5, an inch taller than McCoy, Millard played nine seasons, all but two in Minnesota. In 1989, his fifth season, he was third in the league with 18 sacks, still the most by a defensive tackle, and was named the defensive player of the year.

Millard was the gold standard for players such as John Randle and Sapp, interior defensive linemen who racked up sacks like edge rushers. For McCoy to work with him, it's like Colonel Sanders giving you the secret herbs and spices for his fried chicken, or Lance Armstrong teaching you how to ride a bike.

"You get coached by the originator," McCoy, 23, said. "It doesn't get better than that. "

Millard and fellow defensive line coach Grady Stretz have adjusted the Bucs' approach, especially for McCoy. They simply want him to beat the snap count, penetrate and be disruptive.

"You think about the other guys: John Randle, Warren Sapp," Millard, 49, said. "What do the three of us have in common? A lot of energy. High octane. And that's what I was telling Gerald. You've got to be ready to play this way for six quarters. … It's the Walter Payton rule: You can't let them know you're tired; you can't let them know you're hurt. You've got to keep coming."

McCoy believed the Bucs didn't play to his strength last year. He believed they moved him around too much, having him play both defensive end positions in some 3-4 alignments. He was so concerned about controlling his gap, he waited for ballcarriers to reach him rather than force plays. Meanwhile, McCoy's lack of production was made more glaring by the inevitable comparisons to the Lions' Ndamukong Suh, the defensive rookie of the year.

Under Millard, McCoy's results should be different.

"It doesn't mean we're running straight up the field," said Millard, who had success igniting the pass rush as a coach with the Broncos and Raiders. "We're reading our keys. But we're getting off. The ball is snapped, we're gone. … That position is a playmaking position, and we've got the right guy playing it."

Millard's intensity might also rub off on McCoy. As a player, Millard would manufacture hatred for his opponent and was demanding of teammates and coaches during practice, working himself into frenzy by Sunday.

But Millard said he's starting with the basics.

"What (McCoy) was struggling with was his fundamentals and his technique, just starting with his alignment," Millard said. "He's quick, explosive with violent rush moves. We've already made the corrections … and it's making a huge difference.

"We're not where we're going to be. But if he keeps going the way he's going right now, he's going to be a good player."

Just like the real McCoy.

Times wires
Saturday, July 30, 2011

Colleges

Duke investigating report that Krzyzewski violated ncaa rule

DURHAM, N.C. — Duke is investigating a report that basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski offered a scholarship to a recruit during a summer tournament, a violation of NCAA rules.

Alex Poythress, a 6-foot-7 forward from Clarksville, Tenn., told CBSSports.com that Krzyzewski spoke to him last week while he was in Orlando for a tournament with his AAU team, the Georgia Stars, and offered him a scholarship. NCAA rules prevent coaches from contacting recruits before they are finished playing in a tournament.

Duke spokesman Jon Jackson said the school was aware of the report and was gathering facts.

Rivals.com high school sports blog said Krzyzewski has never officially been cited for an NCAA recruiting violation, or any other notable infraction, in his 37-year coaching career.

The Durham Herald-Sun said that if the violation occurred, it likely would be considered minor and result in the scholarship offer being rescinded or Duke's coaches losing a day or two of off-campus recruiting.

Poythress is considered one of the nation's top high school seniors. Florida is among the schools that have offered him a scholarship, the Herald-Sun said.

Football: Alabama sophomore receiver Keiwone Malone, suspended indefinitely in June for a violation of team rules, is transferring to Memphis, the Memphis Commercial Appeal says. … Nebraska freshman quarterback Bubba Starling is working out on campus while negotiating a contract with the Kansas City Royals, who drafted him fifth overall in June. … Illinois coach Ron Zook suspended junior linebacker Ashante Williams indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

Swimming

Phelps gets gold again on good day for U.S.

Michael Phelps easily won the 100-meter butterfly at the world championships in Shanghai on Saturday, and 16-year-old American Missy Franklin won the 200 backstroke and anchored the winning 400 medley relay team.

Phelps has three golds, two silvers and a bronze with one event to go, the 400 medley relay today.

Franklin set two U.S. records, winning the 200 back in 2 minutes, 5.10 seconds — the third-fastest ever — and the relay in 3:52.36, with Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni and Dana Vollmer. She leaves worlds with five medals: three gold, a silver and a bronze. "I've never been this happy in my entire life," she said.

Olympic champion Cesar Cielo of Brazil kept his title in the 50 freestyle for his second gold medal. He was cleared of doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week.

Et cetera

Soccer: The United States was drawn with Jamaica in a qualifying group from North and Central America and the Caribbean for the 2014 World Cup.

Little league: The Ugandan government will punish those responsible and apologize to the United States if it finds players on a team that qualified for next month's World Series were denied visas for lying about their ages, a sports official said. The team was trying to become the first from Africa to play in the World Series. U.S. consular services in Uganda denied visas because of age and birth-date discrepancies.

Tennis: Tampa resident Mardy Fish advanced to his second straight final, beating Ryan Harrison 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) at the Farmers Classic in Los Angeles. Alex Bogomolov and Ernests Gulbis played in a late semifinal. … Dominika Cibul­kova withdrew from her semifinal against Marion Bartoli at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif., because of a strained abdominal muscle. Bartoli faces Serena Williams or Sabine Lisicki in today's championship match.

Times wires

Times wires
Saturday, July 30, 2011

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Caroline Masson of Germany shot 4-under 68 to double her lead to two strokes after the third round at the Women's British Open on Saturday.

Masson, 22, made three birdies on the front nine and three on the back to hold off a late charge from Yani Tseng. The top-ranked Taiwanese player closed within a shot at one stage after picking up five strokes in as many holes, including an eagle.

"I was quite nervous at the start," said Masson, who has totaled 15-under 201. "I hit a poor tee shot at the first and then three-putted from 40 feet, but I settled down with a birdie at the next when I hit my 5-iron to 7 feet and holed it.

"I hit some really good shots out there and really enjoyed it. The wind was a bit stronger, and there were some tough pin positions."

Masson birdied No. 5 with a layup to 10 feet and the long No. 6 with an approach to 30 feet and two putts. At No. 11, she holed from 7 feet then got up and down from a greenside bunker at the long 14th for another birdie.

Her last was at No. 17, but she dropped a shot at the next after hitting into another greenside bunker.

Masson plays today's final round with Tseng, who already has won four majors.

"It should be really enjoyable. Yani seems very nice, and I'm sure I'll learn a lot playing alongside her," Masson said.

For Tseng it also will be a new experience. "I have never seen her play," she said.

Seminole's Brittany Lincicome shot 76 to fall into a tie for 28th at 2-under.

PGA: Golf is fun again for Anthony Kim. The Greenbrier Classic is helping solidify that.

Kim shot 8-under-par 62 for a one-stroke edge over rookie Scott Stallings after the third round on the Old White TPC course in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.

Kim's low round of the year left him at 10-under 200 with a chance to advance to next week's Bridgestone Invitational with a win. He hasn't missed Firestone since his rookie year in 2007.

A third-place-or-better finish would put him in position to earn a spot in the PGA Championship in two weeks in Atlanta heading into the FedEx Cup playoffs.

"I haven't had this much fun playing golf in a long time," Kim said.

Stallings shot 66 to move into second place at 9 under. Gary Woodland (67) and second round co-leader Webb Simpson (69) were two strokes back.

Kim's last victory came a year ago at the Shell Houston Open before he had thumb surgery and took three months off. He has had an up-and-down year, with eight missed cuts and two top 10s in 21 events.

CHAMPIONS: Olin Browne fought off the heat to shoot 65 and forge a two-shot lead over Mark O'Meara through the third round of the U.S. Senior Open in Toledo, Ohio. Browne, never a winner in his three years of competition since turning 50, set the tournament record for lowest score through 54 holes and is at 15-under 198.