Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The NCAA is investigating Central Florida's football and men's basketball programs.

In March, the New York Times and ESPN.com reported Ken Caldwell, a Chicago resident who mentors youths, and Brandon Bender, a Louisville resident, might have committed violations by helping steer athletes to UCF.

Quarterback DaMarcus Smith (from Louisville) and basketball players Kevin Ware (Atlanta), Michael Chandler (Indianapolis) and A.J. Rompza (Chicago) are identified in the reports. All but Rompza failed to qualify academically.

Caldwell refused to speak to the NCAA.

"They talked to everyone else involved and were finally getting around to me near the end of their investigation," he said. "Why would you want to talk to someone who's obviously already formed an opinion about you?"

Bender did talk to the NCAA.

"I would be shocked if the NCAA said UCF broke any rules," he told the Orlando Sentinel.

UCF president John Hitt said the school will cooperate. The NCAA said it intends to complete the investigation by Sept. 30.

N. Carolina: Three current players and one who has transferred were involved in a crash in May but not cited for speeding by the officer, who had worked on-field game security. Ex-linebacker Herman Davidson was cited for driving without a license after swerving to miss a car and flipping his. UNC police Sgt. S.R. Smith's report said the car was going 45 mph in a 25 mph zone. He resigned in July but police didn't disclose details. Linebackers Dion Guy and Ebele Okakpu and offensive lineman Carl Gaskins were in the car. None sustained serious injuries.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Times wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Rockies 12, Marlins 5

DENVER — Aaron Cook pitched effectively into the eighth inning and Carlos Gonzalez hit a three-run homer for Colorado. The Rockies, who had struggled to give Cook run support, batted around twice in beating Ricky Nolasco for the first time in six tries.

Times wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Blue Jays 5, Mariners 1

SEATTLE — Brandon Morrow struck out a season-high 12 in six innings, and Toronto hit three home runs. Morrow, who didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the fourth, struck out 10 or more for the fourth time this season. It marked the first time he had faced his former team, which took him in the first round of the 2006 draft and traded him before the 2010 season.

Times wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Rangers 4, Angels 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ian Kinsler hit a tiebreaking two-run single with two outs in the eighth inning, and Texas rallied for its third straight victory over Los Angeles. Mitch Moreland homered and Josh Hamilton hit an RBI single for the Rangers, who took a seven-game lead over the Angels in the AL West with their sixth consecutive win to open a 10-game road trip. Texas (72-52) is 20 games above .500 for the first time since 1999.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Tampa Bay Lightning in 2011-12 will have 11 games televised on Versus, according to the schedule released by the NHL. Ten other games will be picked up by the NHL Network. No Lightning games are scheduled to be played on NBC.

Tampa Bay's Versus games are:

Oct 10 at Washington

Oct. 25 at Buffalo

Nov. 9 vs. Flyers

Nov. 28 at Minnesota

Nov. 30 at Detroit

Dec. 12 vs. Devils

Jan. 31 vs. Capitals

Feb. 7 vs. Kings

March 26 at Philadelphia

March 27 at Boston

April 2 vs. Capitals

NHL Network games are:

Oct. 8 at Boston

Nov. 4 vs. Blackhawks

Nov. 17 vs. Penguins

Dec. 10 at Philadelphia

Jan. 13 at Washington

Feb. 18 vs. Capitals

Feb. 25 at Pittsburgh

March 2 vs. Rangers

March 8 at Washington

March 17 vs. Blues

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Tampa Bay Rays optioned C Robinson Chirinos to Triple-A Durham and will bring C John Jaso back from his rehab assignment Friday, earlier than expected. Jaso has been out since the All-Star break with a strained oblique.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Florida Gators OL Matt Patchan and WR Andre Debose will not be ineligible to play for the Gators this season despite allegations by a former Miami booster who claims he had improper contact with the two during their recruiting visits to Miami.

Florida athletic officials released a statement today saying there are no eligibility issues with either player.

"We have been in communication with the NCAA and there are no eligibility issues with Andre Debose and Matt Patchan as it relates to recent reports,'' the statement read. "Andre, Matt nor the University of Florida will have any additional comments regarding this matter.''

Former Miami rogue booster Nevin Shapiro, who is currently serving prison time for a $930 million Ponzi scheme, has told Yahoo! Sports of rampant recruiting violiations he's alleged to have participated in at Miami from 2002-2010.

Shapiro alleges that Patchan, an Armwood alum, and Debose were both among dozens of players brought to Shapiro so he could recruit them to Miami. Patchan and Debose were in high school at the time and on recruiting visits at Miami.

By Terry Tomalin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

CLEARWATER

Dan Grauer has seen his share of odd things on the water. "Once, we were releasing a little tunny off the side of the boat when a spinner shark came up and grabbed it right out of my friend's hands," said the 58-year-old angler from Seminole. "There was blood all over the place. Luckily it wasn't his." But nothing Grauer has experienced his decades of fishing the Gulf of Mexico could prepare him for what happened last month in Clearwater Pass.

"It was early afternoon and we had several baits out fishing for sharks," Grauer recalled. "We usually do pretty good...catch a lot of big blacktips."

But the pass that links the Intracoastal Waterway with the open waters of the gulf is notorious for its big sharks, including bulls, hammerheads and the occasional tiger.

Grauer and his friend Gerald Finley, a 59-year-old oral surgeon from Tampa, are regular fishing buddies. "We spend a lot of time on the water together," Finley said. "We have seen a lot."

July 31st was a typical Sunday afternoon. The pass was crowded with boats and personal watercraft. The anglers could hear the music and see the throngs gathered at nearby Shephard's Resort on Clearwater Beach.

"I was fishing on the bow when I heard a large splash as something jumped about 100 feet away," Finley said.

That's when Finley snagged something. "I could tell it was big," he said. "I just couldn't tell what it was."

He though it might be a big blacktip, after all, the area was Shark Central.

"Then, out of nowhere, I just saw this blur of white coming at me," Finley said. "I just dive out of the way."

Finley, 59, cleared the bow just in time to see a large spotted eagle ray land in the exact spot where he had been standing.

"It was thrashing around, really tearing up the boat, smashing rods and reels," Grauer said. "We were both just standing there. We didn't know what to do."

The creature, Aetobatus narinari, is one of more than 500 species of rays in the world, descendants of creatures that swam the Earth's oceans during the time of the dinosaurs. The Tampa Bay area has numerous species of skates and rays, including that several most laymen would commonly refer to as stingrays.

The most notable, the species responsible for the most "stings" or "hits" is the Atlantic stingray, one of the smaller species in local waters. The spotted eagle ray, at the larger end of the spectrum, can measure 8-feet across and weigh up to 500 pounds. And like the Atlantic stingray, it has a barb at the end of its tail.

"The thing looked like a spear," Grauer said. "We had to wrap it in a towel to keep it from sticking somebody."

Eventually, the ray, which the anglers estimated to weigh several hundred pounds, stopped thrashing around. Grauer and Finley were able to flag down some Clearwater police officers, a U.S. Customs agent and bystander from the beach, to help return the animal to the water.

"It took six of us to lift it," Grauer said.

Nobody knows why rays jump.

"Some people think that it may be to escape predators," said Brent Winner, a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg. "Others think that it may be to dislodge parasites."

Finley, who has been fishing local waters for nearly 30 years, think that there might have been a large hammerhead shark in the vicinity.

"When I snagged the ray, I probably restricted its mobility," he said. "It probably felt a little nervous and that is why it jumped.

Over the years, there have been numerous newspaper accounts of rays, including mantas, landing in boats. The last time this reporter remembers a spotted eagle ray involved in such an incident was April 2000, when a 5-foot specimen smashed up a boat in the same area.

Lucky for Grauer and Finley the beast in question was not a manta which can weigh as much as 2 tons and do some real damage.

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor


Thursday, August 18, 2011

CLEARWATER

Dan Grauer has seen his share of odd things on the water. "Once, we were releasing a little tunny off the side of the boat when a spinner shark came up and grabbed it right out of my friend's hands," said the 58-year-old angler from Seminole. "There was blood all over the place. Luckily it wasn't his." But nothing Grauer has experienced in his decades of fishing the Gulf of Mexico could prepare him for what happened last month in Clearwater Pass.

"It was early afternoon and we had several baits out fishing for sharks," Grauer said. "We usually do pretty good … catch a lot of big blacktips."

But the pass that links the Intracoastal Waterway with the open waters of the gulf is notorious for its big sharks, including bulls, hammerheads and the occasional tiger.

Grauer and his friend Gerald Finley, a 59-year-old oral surgeon from Tampa, are regular fishing buddies. "We spend a lot of time on the water together," Finley said. "We have seen a lot."

July 31 was a typical Sunday afternoon. The pass was crowded with boats and personal watercraft. The anglers could hear the music and see the throngs gathered at nearby Shephard's Resort on Clearwater Beach.

"I was fishing on the bow when I heard a large splash as something jumped about 100 feet away," Finley said.

That's when Finley snagged something. "I could tell it was big," he said. "I just couldn't tell what it was."

He thought it might be a big blacktip, after all, the area is Shark Central.

"Then, out of nowhere, I just saw this blur of white coming at me," Finley said. "I just dived out of the way."

Finley cleared the bow just in time to see a large spotted eagle ray land in the exact spot where he had been standing.

"It was thrashing around, really tearing up the boat, smashing rods and reels," Grauer said. "We were both just standing there. We didn't know what to do."

The creature, Aetobatus narinari, is one of more than 500 species of rays in the world, descendants of creatures that swam the Earth's oceans during the time of the dinosaurs. The Tampa Bay area has numerous species of skates and rays, including several that most laymen would commonly refer to as stingrays.

The most notable, the species responsible for the most "stings" or "hits" is the Atlantic stingray, one of the smaller species in local waters. The spotted eagle ray, at the larger end of the spectrum, can measure 8 feet across and weigh up to 500 pounds. And like the Atlantic stingray, it has a barb at the end of its tail.

"The thing looked like a spear," Grauer said. "We had to wrap it in a towel to keep it from sticking somebody."

Eventually, the ray, which the anglers estimated to weigh several hundred pounds, stopped thrashing around. Grauer and Finley were able to flag down some Clearwater police officers, a U.S. Customs agent and a bystander from the beach to help return the animal to the water.

"It took six of us to lift it," Grauer said.

Nobody quite knows why rays jump.

"Some people think that it may be to escape predators," said Brent Winner, a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg. "Others think that it may be to dislodge parasites."

Finley, who has been fishing local waters for nearly 30 years, believes that there might have been a large hammerhead shark in the vicinity.

"When I snagged the ray, I probably restricted its mobility," he said. "It probably felt a little nervous and that is why it jumped."

Over the years, there have been numerous newspaper accounts of rays, including mantas, landing in boats. The last time this reporter remembers a spotted eagle ray involved in such an incident was April 2000, when a 5-foot specimen smashed up a boat in the same area.

Lucky for Grauer and Finley, the beast in question was not a manta, which can weigh as much as 2 tons and do some real damage.

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor
Thursday, August 18, 2011

CLEARWATER

Dan Grauer has seen his share of odd things on the water. "Once, we were releasing a little tunny off the side of the boat when a spinner shark came up and grabbed it right out of my friend's hands," said the 58-year-old angler from Seminole. "There was blood all over the place. Luckily it wasn't his." But nothing Grauer has experienced in his decades of fishing the Gulf of Mexico could prepare him for what happened last month in Clearwater Pass.

"It was early afternoon and we had several baits out fishing for sharks," Grauer said. "We usually do pretty good … catch a lot of big blacktips."

But the pass that links the Intracoastal Waterway with the open waters of the gulf is notorious for its big sharks, including bulls, hammerheads and the occasional tiger.

Grauer and his friend Gerald Finley, a 59-year-old oral surgeon from Tampa, are regular fishing buddies. "We spend a lot of time on the water together," Finley said. "We have seen a lot."

July 31 was a typical Sunday afternoon. The pass was crowded with boats and personal watercraft. The anglers could hear the music and see the throngs gathered at nearby Shephard's Resort on Clearwater Beach.

"I was fishing on the bow when I heard a large splash as something jumped about 100 feet away," Finley said.

That's when Finley snagged something. "I could tell it was big," he said. "I just couldn't tell what it was."

He thought it might be a big blacktip, after all, the area is Shark Central.

"Then, out of nowhere, I just saw this blur of white coming at me," Finley said. "I just dived out of the way."

Finley cleared the bow just in time to see a large spotted eagle ray land in the exact spot where he had been standing.

"It was thrashing around, really tearing up the boat, smashing rods and reels," Grauer said. "We were both just standing there. We didn't know what to do."

The creature, Aetobatus narinari, is one of more than 500 species of rays in the world, descendants of creatures that swam the Earth's oceans during the time of the dinosaurs. The Tampa Bay area has numerous species of skates and rays, including several that most laymen would commonly refer to as stingrays.

The most notable, the species responsible for the most "stings" or "hits" is the Atlantic stingray, one of the smaller species in local waters. The spotted eagle ray, at the larger end of the spectrum, can measure 8 feet across and weigh up to 500 pounds. And like the Atlantic stingray, it has a barb at the end of its tail.

"The thing looked like a spear," Grauer said. "We had to wrap it in a towel to keep it from sticking somebody."

Eventually, the ray, which the anglers estimated to weigh several hundred pounds, stopped thrashing around. Grauer and Finley were able to flag down some Clearwater police officers, a U.S. Customs agent and a bystander from the beach to help return the animal to the water.

"It took six of us to lift it," Grauer said.

Nobody quite knows why rays jump.

"Some people think that it may be to escape predators," said Brent Winner, a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg. "Others think that it may be to dislodge parasites."

Finley, who has been fishing local waters for nearly 30 years, believes that there might have been a large hammerhead shark in the vicinity.

"When I snagged the ray, I probably restricted its mobility," he said. "It probably felt a little nervous and that is why it jumped."

Over the years, there have been numerous newspaper accounts of rays, including mantas, landing in boats. The last time this reporter remembers a spotted eagle ray involved in such an incident was April 2000, when a 5-foot specimen smashed up a boat in the same area.

Lucky for Grauer and Finley, the beast in question was not a manta, which can weigh as much as 2 tons and do some real damage.

By Brent Gaskill, Times Correspondent
Thursday, August 18, 2011

What's hot: Extreme high tides have been bringing redfish up to many spoil islands and mangrove shorelines. Most popular spots are holding good numbers of fish but their cooperation level is low due to heavy boat pressure. Search for quiet, secluded spots.

Summer bait: The summer spawn of tiny baitfish is here. Most of these baits are too small to be practical on a hook. Go with cut bait. Fresh, hand-sized threadfin or pinfish are preferred by redfish when cut into chunks. Let the cut offering sit so redfish can hone in on the scent.

What else: Those tiny baits are attracting schools of Spanish mackerel. Go to the mouth of the bay or outside any pass and watch for concentrated bird activity. The mackerel are corralling bait near the surface. Cast a small jig or spoon and retrieve it quickly.

Brent Gaskill runs Summer Vacation Charters out of the St. Petersburg area and can be reached at capt brent@summervacationcharters.com or (727) 510-1009.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Making news

Expect short red Snapper season in 2012

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council held a meeting Tuesday in Austin, Texas, and it ended with bad news for the recreational red snapper fishermen. Federal scientists believe recreational fishermen may have exceeded their annual quota by 1 million pounds despite a short, 48-day season. That means next year's red snapper season could be fewer than 48 days. Just last Friday, an emergency rule was published that added 345,000 pounds to the quota due to fish not caught during the Gulf oil spill. There was a possibility that a fall season would be added, but that will not happen with this announcement. The reason for the exceeded quota is because federal data showed the average weight of red snapper caught this year was 6.22 pounds, up from 5.34 pounds last year.

Conservation

Popular scallop count draws near

The Great Bay Scallop search, led by the nonprofit environmental conservation group Tampa Bay Watch, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 27 starting at the Fort De Soto Park boat ramp. This resource-monitoring event has been conducted nearly annually since 1993 to help scientists determine the health of the bay's waters. Because scallops are sensitive to pollution, they serve as good indicators of changes in water quality. The search will include 45 volunteer boaters and approximately 200 volunteer divers who will count the scallops, which are protected in Tampa Bay. For information, call (727) 867-8166.

Recent counts

The scallop totals from the past six searches:

2005 1

2006 17.5

2007 555

2008 624

2009 674*

2010 32

* Highest total in count's history

Things to do

Thursday: Kayak fishing seminar with guide Neil Taylor, who will discuss techniques for artificial baits. 6:30-7:45 p.m. at Bill Jackson Shop for Adventure in Pinellas Park. Information: (727) 692-6345.

Sept. 17-18: Bruce Watters Green Fleet Regatta hosted by St. Petersburg Sailing Center just off the Pier downtown. The regatta is for young and new sailors, ages 7 to 12 years old. Registration is at 9 a.m., racing starts at approximately 11:45 a.m. Information: (727) 896-8101 or SPYC.org.

Rodney Page, Times staff writer

Solunar table

AM PM major minor major minor

8/19 10:15 4:05 10:40 4:25

8/20 11:00 4:50 11:30 5:15

8/21 11:50 5:40 0 6:05

8/22 12:20 6:25 12:35 6:50

8/23 1:05 7:15 1:30 7:40

8/24 1:55 8:05 2:15 8:30

8/25 2:45 8:55 3:05 9:20

Times wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Sprint Cup

What: Pure Michigan 400

When/where: Today, practice (Speed, noon), qualifying (Speed, 3:30 p.m.); Saturday, practice (Speed, 10 a.m.); Sunday, race (ESPN, 1 p.m.); Brooklyn, Mich.

Fast facts: Four races are left in the regular season. The top 10 in the standings and the top two victory leaders between Nos. 11 and 20 earn spots in the Chase for the Championship. … In June at Michigan, Denny Hamlin raced to his lone victory of the year, holding off Matt Kenseth. Hamlin also won the 2010 June race at the track.

Standings: 1 (tie). Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, 752; 3. Jimmie Johnson, 746; 4. Kevin Harvick, 738; 5. Kenseth, 724; 6. Kurt Busch, 712; 7. Jeff Gordon, 700; 8. Ryan Newman, 686; 9. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 670; 10. Tony Stewart, 659

Nationwide

What: Napa Auto Parts 200

When/where: Today, practice, qualifying; Saturday, race, (ESPN, 2:30 p.m.); Montreal

Fast facts: This is the third and final road-course event of the year. … Danica Patrick makes her first series start since July at Daytona.

Standings: 1. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 816; 2. Reed Sorenson, 806; 3. Elliott Sadler, 792; 4. Aric Almirola, 746; 5. Justin Allgaier, 736

Trucks

What: VFW 200

When/where: Today, practice (Speed, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m.); Saturday, qualifying (Speed, 9 a.m.), race (Speed, 12:30 p.m.); Brooklyn, Mich.

Fast facts: Kyle Busch, a five-time winner in nine series starts this year, and Kevin Harvick are racing, along with fellow Sprint Cup star Mark Martin.

Standings: 1. Austin Dillon, 488; 2. Johnny Sauter, 487; 3. James Buescher, 474; 4. Timothy Peters, 465; 5. Cole Whitt, 453.

NHRA

What: Lucas Oil Nationals

When/where: Today, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying (ESPN2, 11 p.m.); Sunday, eliminations (ESPN2, 10 p.m.); Brainerd, Minn.

Fast facts: Last year Larry Dixon raced to the ninth of his record 12 Top Fuel victories, beating Cory McClenathan in the final. … Tim Wilkerson won the Northwest Nationals for the third straight year, beating Jack Beckman in the Funny Car final Aug. 7 in Kent, Wash.

Standings: Top Fuel — 1. Del Worsham, 1,256; 2. Spencer Massey, 1,130; 3. Antron Brown, 1,086. Funny Car — 1. Mike Neff, 1,132; 2. Robert Hight, 1,007; 3. Beckman, 994. Pro Stock — 1. Jason Line, 1,110; 2. Greg Anderson, 1,083; 3. Mike Edwards, 1,059. Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Karen Stoffer, 653; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 648; 3. LE Tonglet, 567.

IndyCar

Next: Grand Prix of Sonoma, Aug. 28, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

Fast facts: Newman/Haas Racing and Target Chip Ganassi have a hearing next week on their protests of a decision by series VP Brian Barnhart in Sunday's race at New Hampshire. Newman/Haas' Oriol Servia passed Ryan Hunter-Reay on a restart near the end. But when Danica Patrick slid sideways, causing a big pileup behind the leaders, the race was red-flagged. Barnhart decided to revert to the previous starting order. That gave Hunter-Reay the win and left Servia second. Ganassi is involved because Penske driver Will Power was knocked out in the accident but restored to fifth place. Power is second to Ganassi's Dario Franchitti in the standings.

Standings: 1. Franchitti, 443; 2. Power, 396; 3. Scott Dixon, 370; 4. Servia, 308; 5. Tony Kanaan, 295

Formula One

Next: Belgian Grand Prix, Aug. 28, Spa-Francorchamps

Standings: 1. Sebastian Vettel, 234; 2. Mark Webber, 149; 3. Lewis Hamilton, 146; 4. Fernando Alonso, 145; 5. Jenson Button, 134

Times wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Dodgers 5, Brewers 1

MILWAUKEE — Clayton Kershaw allowed five hits over eight scoreless innings to stop the Brewers. "He's a young kid, but he definitely doesn't pitch like that or act that way," said his catcher, Rod Barajas, who homered. Kershaw retired 13 of his final 14 batters and drove in a run with a bunt single. "They weren't really letting me get to two strikes," Kershaw said. "They were putting the ball in play early in the count."

Times staff, wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Check it out

ESPN's Outside the Lines at 9 a.m. Sunday will be devoted to fixing college football. Rece Davis will host, and guests will include analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Urban Meyer and Mark May; coaches Nick Saban of Alabama and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma, and Tennessee athletic director Joan Cronan.

He said it

"I had two problems. I had a partner that went bananas (Len Barrie), and the second problem is that the economy kicked us in the (expletive).''

— Former Lightning co-owner Oren Koules to Yahoo Sports, on why he failed in Tampa Bay; Koules also said he wants to return to the NHL

Happy birthday

Richard Raskind was born 77 years ago today, on Aug. 19, 1934. Raskind is better-known as Renee Richards, the former pro tennis player who had a sex change operation in 1975, joined the women's tour and rose as high in the rankings as No. 20 in 1979. Look for an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on Richards this year.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Upset to be bumped from his last start, RHP Wade Davis is so eager to get back on the mound he has no pause about being matched up tonight against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.

He welcomes it, actually.

"Is he pitching? Good. It's nice. I like that," Davis said. "You have to go out there with your best stuff. As soon as you give up a run or two, you many not win. You may not even keep your team in the game. So that's how you've got to treat it. I like when you're facing guys like him."

Davis should have dual sources of motivation.

He was unhappy, to put it politely, when the Rays decided after Sunday's rainout with the Yankees to push him back from pitching in Boston — though using James Shields, Jeff Niemann and David Price certainly worked out — and use him tonight on eight days' rest.

Manager Joe Maddon said Davis can make his case on the mound.

"I think Wade will be up to that challenge," Maddon said. "I know Wade did not like not pitching in (the Red Sox) series, so let's get out there against Seattle and let's show something there. I want to believe our guys feel that way."

Similarly, either Shields or Niemann on Monday will be matched up with Detroit's Justin Verlander, the favorite to succeed Hernandez as the AL Cy Young Award winner.

"I love it, absolutely love it," Maddon said. "I love facing good pitchers. It's gratifying when you win those kind of games, and you really get a good bounce out of it. You've got to beat the best guys; that's how you become the best. And I think our guys are pretty good, too. That's the point. If Verlander is going to face either Shields or Niemann, I think Detroit is saying the same thing about us."

WELL-RESTED: The tremendous starting pitching during the Boston series not only was impressive, but combined with Sunday's rainout and days off Monday and Thursday, it also was extremely beneficial.

Since Saturday, the bullpen has worked only one inning, Wednesday's ninth by Kyle Farnsworth, meaning all the other relievers have had at least five days' rest. RHP Joel Peralta, who leads the AL with 57 appearances, has had six.

"In the past I've always been concerned about this time of the year beating up a bullpen," Maddon said. "In 2009, I thought that was part of our demise, that the bullpen pretty much ran out of gas right around this time. So this little respite right now is absolutely necessary in a lot of ways and is just well-timed.

"The bullpen pretty much has a chance to recharge itself right now, and that's a good thing."

HIT MAN: INF Sean Rodriguez has been hit by pitches 12 times, two off Jonny Gomes' 2005 team record. Rodriguez said it's not a coincidence that he leads the Rays, with Kelly Shoppach next at six, because he literally takes them for the team.

"I don't like to move," Rodriguez said. "On-base percentage, you've got to find a way to contribute."

MISCELLANY: RHP Alex Cobb had what the Rays termed successful surgery Thursday in Dallas to remove a blockage in the subclavian vein (near his top right rib) and is due to return to St. Petersburg next week. … The Sept. 3 Miranda Cosgrove postgame concert was cancelled due to injuries she sustained in a recent bus accident. (Story, 2B) … The Rays made the Red Sox the 14th team in modern history to get three or fewer hits in three consecutive games at home, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — There were certain things the Rays expected to see when they finally promoted top outfield prospect Desmond Jennings to the big leagues in late July.

Speed. Smothering defense. Gap-to-gap hitting. Instincts on the bases. An occasional bunt hit. Overall athleticism. And, perhaps most important, quality at-bats as a product of his command of the strike zone.

What they didn't expect to see: balls soaring out of stadiums off his bat.

Jennings' five home runs in 24 games are impressive enough, second among the Rays to only Evan Longoria's six since the July 23 callup, and more than all but nine other American Leaguers.

But it's how far they are going, and how quickly they are getting out, that has been most stunning.

"I didn't know he could do that," manager Joe Maddon said.

There was a laser to left in Oakland in his sixth game, estimated at 406 feet. An opposite-field shot at the Trop of 375 feet. And Tuesday's blast over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park, at 415 feet.

"I knew he could hit a home run, but the home runs he's hit have been really far," Maddon said. "So there's more raw power than I had known about."

Jennings is quiet and humble by nature, and he didn't offer much in the way of an explanation. He has been pretty much healthy all season, and at 24, after nearly 1,000 plate appearances at Triple A, is more mature as a hitter.

"I don't know what to say," he said. "I guess I'm getting stronger. I'm stronger than I was last year. But I don't know."

Hitting coach Derek Shelton said the key has been the tremendous bat speed Jennings generates with his hands and wrists, specifically in the final 6 inches before contact.

"He's really getting through the zone," Shelton said. "He's shown a ton of bat speed, he's showing the ability to stay behind the ball and he's showing strength off the bat. The way he's swinging the bat, the ball's coming off hot."

Also, often.

Jennings' high for any of his first five pro seasons is 11 homers in 2009, eight in 100 games at Double-A Montgomery and three in 32 at Triple-A Durham.

But he had 12 in 89 games for the Bulls this year, and with five so far for the Rays, he has put on a power show.

The 30-plus he projects to for a full big-league season is probably a little heavy, but the Rays are certainly intrigued by the possibilities, especially with the discipline he has shown at the plate, swinging at the right pitches and just as important not swinging at the wrong ones.

"So you've got raw power and then it's the frequency of the power," Maddon said. "It comes down to contact, making adjustments to the pitches, etc. So far I'm seeing the adjustments being made, and he's got a history of having an organized strike zone, which I think benefits him too.

"He may have 20 in his future."

Jennings laughs off the question, saying he's still getting used to the whole power trip. "I haven't hit that many homers," he said. "When I hit them, I don't know."

Watching in awe from the dugout, the Rays coaches know. And they like what they've seen so far.

"He's a game-changer," Shelton said. "He can change the game with his glove, he can change the game on the bases and he can change the game with his bat. When you get guys like that, you've got someone special."

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

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Rant of the day

Time for my annual rant about the Little League World Series being on national television. Here's hoping the kids enjoy it and a good time is had by all, but don't expect me to watch it. I refuse. If it were up to me, it would be banned from television.

For every little hero, there's a goat who gives up that winning homer or makes the error that costs his team the game. The worst and most embarrassing moment in the life of a 12-year-old boy — and let's remind ourselves again that these are children — is on national television simply for our amusement. No one can convince me this isn't exploitative and disgusting.

I've heard all the rationalizations about how the children enjoy being on TV and adversity teaching life lessons and so forth. But I've also seen stories about how kids — even those who have had success — have been negatively affected by putting these games on TV. If just one kid is affected negatively, that's one too many.

Shame on ABC and ESPN for showing it. Shame on Little League for allowing it.

And shame on you if you watch it.

Advice of the day

CBS's coverage of last weekend's PGA Championship might have been the worst of a major golf tournament in recent memory.

Who knows what CBS — those in charge of CBS Sports and those directly involved in the broadcast — thought, but you would hope everyone involved sat down in the days following the tournament and watched and critiqued themselves. The guess is that didn't happen. The guess also is it never occurred to anyone involved with the broadcast that it might have been subpar.

The production was fine, but the broadcasters were on autopilot, rarely offering anything the viewer couldn't see for himself. It was too much looking back and not enough looking forward.

That brings us specifically to Gary McCord, top left, and David Feherty.

Let's get something straight first: They are good announcers. Having said that, both have reputations for being highly opinionated, extremely funny and outrageously irreverent, reputations I'm not sure are entirely deserved.

Lately you get the feeling McCord and Feherty have bought into what people say about them and spend too much time on the air trying to be nutty or glib. What you end up finding is way more insight from analysts such as CBS's Nick Faldo or, the best of them all, NBC's Johnny Miller, while McCord and Feherty are trying out one-liners.

I want to like McCord and Feherty because, after all, they are willing to stick their necks out more often than most sports analysts. They don't mind ruffling feathers. They put the viewer ahead of everyone else, and that's the key to being a good broadcaster. But you can't help but wonder if they've gotten a tad lazy in their approach because they believe they have this broadcasting thing licked.

Here's hoping both take a moment to look back at last weekend's work and rededicate themselves starting with this weekend's tournament. Both have too much talent to let it go to waste because of hubris.

Best recall

The University of Miami scandal has many wondering if the NCAA will institute the "death penalty'' and shut down the football program for a year. Football's only death penalty has been Southern Methodist being shut down in 1987 and 1988. The SMU case was the subject of last year's ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Pony Excess, and it's worth remembering something said in that film in the wake of the Miami allegations. It took about 30 years for SMU to become competitive again, which led CBS broadcaster Verne Lund­quist to say, "My belief is the NCAA realizes what it had done to the SMU athletic program and will never administer the death penalty ever again."

Three things that popped into my head

1 Have you noticed that every major college sports scandal seems to be broken by Yahoo Sports? If I was a major college football program and a Yahoo guy showed up on my campus, I think I might start popping Tums.

2 The Rays aren't going to make the postseason. But with their pitching, they are one team no one, especially the Red Sox, would want to face in a seven-game series.

3 I'm not saying the Brewers are pulling any funny business at home. But it is kind of odd they are 47-16 at home and 26-36 on the road.

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones offers up his Two Cents on the world of sports.



Sport of the day

M ixed martial arts remains an enigma on the sports landscape. Younger generations, particularly men, embrace it as the best sport ever, the ultimate contest of strength and individual competition. Older generations see it as a brutal sport too violent for public consumption, nothing more than human cockfighting. Mainstream newspapers and magazines for the most part have not covered it but also haven't ignored it, either. And mainstream television still doesn't know what to do with it.

That's why Thursday's news of a contract between Fox and Ultimate Fighting Championship is so interesting.

The seven-year deal includes four live events to be broadcast in prime time on Fox as well as four to six live events on Fox's cable network FX. FX also will carry extensive UFC programming, including live cards and highlight shows.

While other networks have tried MMA on for size, such as CBS's experiment with Strikeforce, this Fox-UFC deal should determine whether MMA can make it on network television (and be considered a major sport) or if it will be relegated to pay-per-view or deep-numbered cabled stations (and be considered a niche or cult sport).

That's because Fox appears committed to giving MMA an honest chance, and UFC is the biggest and best of the MMA associations.

In the past, Fox has shown innovation and commitment when carrying sports for the first time. Think the NHL. Think NASCAR. Think baseball. Expect the same with MMA. The question now is if mainstream sports fans are ready to accept MMA as they do, say, the NBA.

"I've always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world,'' UFC president Dana White said. "And with this relationship, it will become a reality.''

By the way, just to put their money where their mouths are, Fox and UFC are coming out throwing a haymaker. The first card on Fox will be Nov. 12, the same night as the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manueal Marquez boxing match on pay-per-view.

Times wires
Thursday, August 18, 2011

GREENSBORO, N.C. — If Jeff Quinney keeps this up, he might soon have a new PGA Tour card — and a spot in the playoffs.

Quinney and Tommy Gainey shot 7-under 63s Thursday to share the lead after one round in the Wyndham Championship.

Quinney had eight birdies, including five in a row early in his round, to start strong in his last chance to qualify for golf's postseason.

Gainey had five birdies and an eagle in matching his career-best round. Both players are chasing their first PGA Tour victory.

Stuart Appleby had 64. Ten players — Paul Casey, Carl Pettersson, Ernie Els, Jason Bohn, Jimmy Walker, Tim Herron, Lee Janzen, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh and George McNeill — shot 65s during another low-scoring day at Sedgefield Country Club.

Quinney arrived in 215th place in the FedEx Cup standings. A win — and the 500 points that accompany it — would put him in the playoffs, take the top 125 in the standings.

"The only chance I get in the playoffs is probably winning this week and coming with the attitude of 'all-in,' " Quinney said. "Basically, just push all your chips in, and this is what I got."

Starting on the back nine, Quinney birdied Nos. 12-16 to move to 5 under. After bogey on No. 18, he added three birdies on his final nine holes and closed by sticking his 140-yard approach shot within 3 feet and sinking that putt for his eighth birdie.

Quinney, who has conditional status on the tour, is playing his 11th tournament of the year.

Gainey caught him during the afternoon, with four birdies and the eagle coming during the South Carolina native's front nine. He moved to 7 under with birdie on the par-4 13th, but ran into trouble on No. 15 when he sent his tee shot into a creek and closed his round with five pars.

Els, who arrived at No. 126 in the playoff standings, was part of a morning threesome of bubble players that also included No. 124 Cameron Beckman and No. 125 Camilo Villegas, a former Gators standout.

"I said to the guys, 'My playoffs started this week. If I don't play well this week, I'm not advancing,' " Els said. "Most of the other guys have four playoff events. I have five. I feel like I need to do well (to go to) the Barclays (the first playoff event, next week) and keep going. It's hard not to think about it. There's quite a bit of pressure on us guys lower down the field. We need to perform well."

Furyk had two eagles in a span of four holes, his second multi-eagle round this year.

Champions: Jeff Sluman shot 6-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Senior Players Championship in Harrison, N.Y., the final major of the season.

Sluman, the winner last month at Pebble Beach, had seven birdies and a bogey on Westchester Country Club's tree-lined West Course. Gary Hallberg and Peter Senior opened with 66s.

Jay Haas, the 2009 winner, Corey Pavin and Michael Allen were two strokes back at 67, and Fred Couples, defending champion Mark O'Meara and Tommy Armour III had 68s.