Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Cubs 3, Cardinals 0
CHICAGO — Former Ray Matt Garza pitched seven sharp innings to outduel his onetime Tampa Bay teammate Edwin Jackson, and Aramis Ramirez homered for Chicago. Garza earned his first win at Wrigley Field since June 27 despite a 1.75 ERA in his previous five starts there. The Cubs had scored a total of seven runs in those games, leaving him with an 0-2 record. Ramirez's two-run homer highlighted a three-run burst in the fourth off Jackson.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Denny Hamlin won Michigan's Sprint Cup race in June. If he can repeat the feat today, he might have a few more fans than usual.
Hamlin is 12th in points and is in line to earn one of two wild-card spots for NASCAR's 10-race, season-ending Chase for the Championship. But if he can move into the top 10, it could open a chance for someone else.
That's one of several subplots as drivers scramble to qualify with four races remaining in the regular season, starting with today's Pure Michigan 400.
"One extra win, by myself or someone else, completely changes the game," Hamlin said.
The top 10 in points and the two drivers with the most victories in 11th to 20th place earn Chase spots. Brad Keselowski has the inside track to one wild card — he's 14th in the standings but with two wins. Hamlin has just that one win, but that might be enough because nobody else chasing a spot has more.
Paul Menard (15th place) has a victory as well, so he can give his chances a major boost by winning again.
"Our focus, even more so than before, shifts to getting the second win and doing all we can to try and get that second win," Menard said. "Throwing the dice on the table and seeing what we've got."
The wild-card race could set the stage for some aggressive racing among drivers who realize finishing first — and only first — will be good enough.
"That's what the points system and movement was made to do — is give guys an opportunity that don't quite have the consistency but still have the opportunity to race for the Chase," said Kurt Busch, who is in good shape in sixth place. "That element of the wild card has definitely made it exciting for everybody to watch."
Marcos Ambrose, who won his first race in NASCAR's top series Monday at Watkins Glen, is in 22nd place. David Ragan, one spot behind Ambrose, also has a victory, as does Regan Smith, who is 25th.
Hamlin could be in a precarious position if someone behind him earns a second victory — or he could change the equation himself by moving into the top 10. He's 33 points behind 10th-place Tony Stewart.
"If Menard got a win, he's in, right?" asked Carl Edwards, who was trying to work out hypothetical scenarios Friday. "But if Denny runs well and Tony falls out, then there's another two guys — if Tony doesn't get a win, or something like that. Right? I don't know."
Edwards doesn't really need to know because he's safely in second place. Hamlin is dealing with a different type of stress. He drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, which has had at least 11 engine failures this season in practices or races. He's using a Toyota Racing Development engine this weekend. JGR is merging its engine program with TRD.
"We have to do what we have to do to make sure we finish races at this point," Hamlin said. "Being on the bubble, we cannot afford any DNFs."
If Hamlin can reach the top 10, Menard would figure to be the biggest beneficiary. Of course, that's also true if Hamlin drops in the standings.
"They want me to get in the top 10," Hamlin said. "But if we have problems, then he could pass me in points. It's such a weird thing."
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Denny Hamlin won Michigan's Sprint Cup race in June. If he can repeat the feat today, he might have a few more fans than usual.
Hamlin is 12th in points and is in line to earn one of two wild-card spots for NASCAR's 10-race, season-ending Chase for the Championship. But if he can move into the top 10, it could open a chance for someone else.
That's one of several subplots as drivers scramble to qualify with four races remaining in the regular season, starting with today's Pure Michigan 400.
"One extra win, by myself or someone else, completely changes the game," Hamlin said.
The top 10 in points and the two drivers with the most victories in 11th to 20th place earn Chase spots. Brad Keselowski has the inside track to one wild card — he's 14th in the standings but with two wins. Hamlin has just that one win, but that might be enough because nobody else chasing a spot has more.
Paul Menard (15th place) has a victory as well, so he can give his chances a major boost by winning again.
"Our focus, even more so than before, shifts to getting the second win and doing all we can to try and get that second win," Menard said. "Throwing the dice on the table and seeing what we've got."
The wild-card race could set the stage for some aggressive racing among drivers who realize finishing first — and only first — will be good enough.
"That's what the points system and movement was made to do — is give guys an opportunity that don't quite have the consistency but still have the opportunity to race for the Chase," said Kurt Busch, who is in good shape in sixth place. "That element of the wild card has definitely made it exciting for everybody to watch."
Marcos Ambrose, who won his first race in NASCAR's top series Monday at Watkins Glen, is in 22nd place. David Ragan, one spot behind Ambrose, also has a victory, as does Regan Smith, who is 25th.
Hamlin could be in a precarious position if someone behind him earns a second victory — or he could change the equation himself by moving into the top 10. He's 33 points behind 10th-place Tony Stewart.
"If Menard got a win, he's in, right?" asked Carl Edwards, who was trying to work out hypothetical scenarios Friday. "But if Denny runs well and Tony falls out, then there's another two guys — if Tony doesn't get a win, or something like that. Right? I don't know."
Edwards doesn't really need to know because he's safely in second place. Hamlin is dealing with a different type of stress. He drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, which has had at least 11 engine failures this season in practices or races. He's using a Toyota Racing Development engine this weekend. JGR is merging its engine program with TRD.
"We have to do what we have to do to make sure we finish races at this point," Hamlin said. "Being on the bubble, we cannot afford any DNFs."
If Hamlin can reach the top 10, Menard would figure to be the biggest beneficiary. Of course, that's also true if Hamlin drops in the standings.
"They want me to get in the top 10," Hamlin said. "But if we have problems, then he could pass me in points. It's such a weird thing."
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Pirates 5, Reds 3
PITTSBURGH — Neil Walker had two RBI singles, the second driving in Andrew McCutchen with the go-ahead run in the seventh inning for Pittsburgh. The hit, off Aroldis Chapman, was Walker's third of the game. Brandon Wood followed with an RBI double. The Pirates improved to 8-3 against Cincinnati this season.
By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, August 20, 2011
TAMPA
The first year, there were doubts.
The second year, there were critics.
This year, there are expectations.
Say this much for Raheem Morris. At least the pressures around him are improving.
The Bucs are his team now. No one questions that anymore. Morris is where their fire starts to burn, where their confidence starts to take root, where their ambition begins to grow. This is Raheem, age 34, and by golly, no one else is going to set limits on his team.
He stands in a hallway, talking about football and the season to come, and he does not blink. His team is still young, and his division is still difficult, and the outside expectations are not much. His team had been walloped the night before by the Patriots, and still, Morris dared to talk about shiny trophies and a bright future.
"What I want," Morris said, "is multiple (bleeping) championships."
Three weeks before his third season, and this is the best thing about Morris. He believes, and he has an ability to make his team believe along with him. Last year, when some picked the Bucs to win as few as two games, he talked about 10.
This year, when many expect this team to backslide, he talks about winning the NFC South. Mention having time to grow, having time to build, and Morris shakes his head.
"There isn't any such thing," Morris said. "Did the 1990 Cowboys (7-9) feel they were ready? They were young and hungry, and most people felt they were two, three years away. (Dallas won the Super Bowl two seasons later.) I'm not going to let anyone tell us we're two, three years away.
"Wait two, three years, and people can get hurt, or they can leave. The window is short in this league, man. You have to jump in while you can."
So there it is, a little bold, a little audacious. On the other hand, perhaps that is why Morris seems to have such a complete grip on his team's locker room. Last year, many of us scoffed while Morris believed, and the Bucs improved from three wins to 10.
Impressive. And, Morris says, depressing.
"Last year, you guys were all happy about 10-6," Morris said. "I was disappointed. I wanted to go to the playoffs and really shove it to you guys. I wasn't able to. I wanted to go beat the Packers and go on to win the Super Bowl. I wanted to hold the trophy up, and let you hold it and act like you liked me the whole time."
Morris grins. He is kidding. Sort of. He laughs as he sprinkles in tiny digs at the doubters, but yeah, he remembers which writer picked the Bucs to win two and which picked them to win three last year.
Morris has come so far, perhaps as far as, say, Josh Freeman. Like Freeman, Morris' first season was a lot to ask of him. Like Freeman, his second season was a breakout success. Like Freeman, he needs more success in order to establish himself as one of the league's elite at his job.
"In my mind, I have to prove things every day," Morris said.
That said, Morris is a much, much better coach than he was three seasons ago. He is calmer, and he knows the job better, and he knows which buttons to push on his team. He is no longer a beginner, and he is no longer a surprise. He is a coach.
"The growth he has made has been remarkable," said television analyst John Lynch, who played for Morris when Morris was the Bucs' secondary coach. "That first year, he wasn't ready, and how could he have been?"
Go back three training camps and Morris was a 31-year-old coach who had been an NFL coordinator. The Bucs had just blown up their roster to start over, and the coordinators were all wrong, and the Byron Leftwiches were on this side of the room and the Sabby Piscitellis on that side.
"It doesn't matter how old you are, and it doesn't matter where you are in your career," Morris said. "You have no idea what this job is until you do it. No one is ready."
He won three games that first season, and some fans were calling for another coach. Along the way, Morris seemed to find himself. He took over the defense himself, and the play improved. Never mind that it was not what most head coaches did. It was what made Morris feel involved. He didn't want to be a general on the hill; he wanted to be a staff sergeant.
"I'm a fire guy," Morris said. "I was never ready to be just a manager. I just don't think I'm built not to be in it. When the defense plays bad, I want it to be my fault. When it plays good, it's to their credit. But to me, just managing felt like a reason to sit back and blame other people, and I don't want to do that. I want to jump out of the chopper and be in it."
For Morris, it works. Let other coaches be CEOs. Morris prefers to be hands-on.
"He's not 'the norm,' " defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said. "He doesn't coach 'the norm.' He doesn't care what the media says, how other coaches do it, how it's been done before. He's going to coach the way he thinks he should coach.
"He's going to win a trophy, okay? But he won't be remembered for how many trophies he wins. He's going to be remembered for changing this team. He turned things around."
Still, winning the South? Against Drew Brees and New Orleans? Against Matt Ryan and Atlanta? "That's the only way to assure we make the playoffs," Morris said. "In our heads, we have to win the division."
He has never been a shy man, Morris. Last year, at 4-2, he declared his team was the best in the NFC. Looking back, Morris said, that was a planned speech to help his team believe. "I kept hearing how my team hadn't beaten anyone," he said. "Everyone knew who I was talking to. I was talking to my team."
It seemed to work. "When he said that," McCoy said, "I said, 'I love my coach.' "
A little later, Morris said "stats are for losers."
Prod him and Morris admits he likes some stats. Wins and losses, of course. Defensive touchdowns. Turnover ratio. Third-down conversion percentages. In short, the stats that contribute to winning and losing.
"All those things are relevant," he said. "I wasn't trying to devalue the importance of statistics. I was trying to develop a mind-set."
In the coaching profession, that's a lot of it. Think of it like this: Morris has won 13 games in his first two seasons. Bill Belichick won 13 in his first two, too. Bill Walsh won eight. Chuck Noll won six. Mike Shanahan won eight. Marv Levy won 11.
Still to come? Morris said he wants to win Super Bowls. He compares Freeman to Magic Johnson. He thinks this team is ready to compete with the Saints and Falcons for a division title.
Who wants to tell him he can't?
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Brewers 11, Mets 9
NEW YORK — Prince Fielder hit a long home run early and a single that keyed a four-run ninth inning for Milwaukee, which rallied after New York took a lead against former closer Francisco Rodriguez.
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Shock waves reverberated out of Coral Gables last week as the University of Miami's football program was rocked by allegations of a major scandal. This comes on the heels of scandals at Ohio State and North Carolina that cost coaches Jim Tressel and Butch Davis, respectively, their jobs. But as big as these scandals have been, they don't have quite the impact of what we consider the 10 biggest ones in sports history. Take a look:
Baseball's steroid era
Y ou can't really point to a seminal moment that defined baseball's steroid era. But we do have snapshots. The parade of sluggers in front of Congress in 2005. Alex Rodriguez's 2009 admission of a failed test six years earlier. Jose Canseco's allegations in 2005. The shadow of suspicion over the great home run chase of 1998. Barry Bonds' pursuit of the season and career home run records in 2001. Roger Clemens. Who knows how far back the steroid era goes, how deep the problem became and when (or if) it ended? But it left a scar over a sizable chunk of baseball history. Steroid use appeared so rampant, there are few, if any, players from the late 1980s to the early 2000s who would surprise us to learn juiced. Even if you believe the worst has passed, ramifications of steroid use will linger for many years as Hall of Fame voters decide what to do with Clemens, Bonds, Mark McGwire and dozens of other players. That makes this our pick for the biggest sports scandal ever.
Tour de France doping
As bad as the steroid era damaged baseball, no sport has suffered more from doping allegations than cycling. Doping is so widespread that even though American hero Lance Armstrong has never failed a test, most find it hard to believe he hasn't done something illegal … just because it seems everyone is dirty. Essentially, cycling has lost all credibility. Unless you're a die-hard cycling fan, the Tour de France has gone from one of the special events on the sports calendar to an event most people barely acknowledge. Quick: Name who won this year. See what we mean?
The Black Sox
Over the years, the fix of the 1919 World Series has become nostalgically quaint — chiefly because of the novel and film Eight Men Out and the sympathetic and likeable characters such as Shoeless Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver. But let's just take a second to look at the cold, hard fact: Members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox agreed to throw the World Series (which the Reds won five games to three). The World Series! Sure, the White Sox were shortchanged by cheapskate owner Charles Comiskey, and there's some evidence to suggest several players accused in the fix never actually did anything wrong. (Jackson, for example, hit a series-leading .375 with no errors.) While the eight players accused to have taken money to throw the Series were cleared in a legal trial, MLB commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned them for life — a ban that remains in effect to this day. The fact that the Black Sox story remains so strong some 92 years after the fact is a testament to just how potent this scandal was.
Danny Almonte
Even Little League — the most innocent, pure and simple league in our sports world — wasn't immune from scandal. In 2001, a pitching sensation named Danny Almonte of New York threw the first perfect game at the World Series since 1957. One problem: He wasn't 12. He was 14, two years older than permitted. It felt like a punch to the gut. Even Little League has cheaters.
Nancy vs. Tonya
Quite possibly the most bizarre and sensational sports drama we have ever witnessed. In a plot straight out of some bad TV movie of the week, figure skating princess Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed on the leg so the girl from the wrong side of the tracks (Tonya Harding) could make the Olympic team. Turns out the attacker was hired by the ex-husband of Harding, who lied about the attack during the subsequent investigation. Both made the Olympics with Kerrigan winning the silver and Harding finishing eighth. Harding has gone on to be a D-level celebrity, appearing on reality shows and even trying her hand as a boxer.
Tiger Woods
We're not talking about some semipopular athlete being caught up in a slightly juicy scandal that ends up on page 21 of the National Enquirer. We're talking about, arguably, the best and most well-known athlete on the planet getting caught up in a sex scandal that included strippers and porn stars and came to light possibly because he was attacked by his jilted wife with a 2-iron after Thanksgiving turkey in 2009. Really, this scandal was so incredibly shocking given Woods' previously pristine reputation that it continues to be a major sports, gossip and news story nearly two years later.
O.J. Simpson
Most people can still recall where they were when O.J. Simpson — NFL Hall of Famer, Heisman Trophy winner and actor — became a fugitive of the law after the death of his estranged wife and her friend. Most people can still recall watching, arguably, the most sensational legal trial of all time. Most people can still recall where they were when Simpson was found not guilty of murder. Yet isn't it hard to believe how that whole thing played out back in 1994 and 1995?
SMU's death penalty
Talk all you want about how out of control things appear to be with Miami's football program, that is nothing compared to the shenanigans that went on at Southern Methodist in the early 1980s. A slush fund paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars to players in the most infamous pay-for-play scandal in college sports history. Even the governor of Texas found himself answering questions. For the first time, the NCAA handed out the "death penalty," shutting down the 1987 season. The 1988 season ended up being canceled as well, and it took 21 years before the Mustangs played in a bowl game. While we've seen countless scandals across all sports and programs at the collegiate level, the SMU death penalty remains the most infamous.
CCNY point-shaving
Younger generations have no idea of a scandal that rocked the sports world and nearly tore down college basketball. The point-shaving scandal involved more than 30 players from seven schools as well as figures from organized crime. At the center of the scandal were some of the best players in the country, including those from the 1950 NCAA and NIT champion City College of New York and Adolph Rupp's Kentucky Wildcats. As a result, Kentucky's program was shut down for the 1952-53 season, and the Final Four would not return to the New York area for 46 years. Several schools, including Long Island University and CCNY, essentially fell off the national college basketball map.
Pete Rose bets on baseball
If there is one person in the history of the world who epitomizes baseball, it might be Pete Rose. He was a rookie of the year and league MVP. He appeared in 17 All-Star Games and won two Gold Gloves. He could play any position, and he won three World Series. But he's really known for two things: his dogged effort and collecting more hits than anyone who ever lived. Yet in 1989, he was banned from baseball for life because he bet on games while managing the Reds. For 15 years, he denied it. But finally, in his 2004 autobiography, he admitted that, yes, he wagered on games. Now there's a split among fans: those who believe he has served his time and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and those who believe his actions should never be forgiven. Regardless of where you stand, you have to admit this might be the most tragic scandal in sports history.
By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tickets
Prices for single-game tickets range from $40 to $115 (some youth tickets are $25) and are available at the Raymond James Stadium ticket window (starting three hours before kickoff) or through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or toll-free at 1-800-745-3000. For information, call (813) 870-2700.
Preseason
Saturday: vs. Dolphins, 7:30 *
Sept. 1: at Redskins, 7:30
All games on Ch. 10
* subject to NFL blackout rules
TAMPA — Quarterbacks get too much of the credit and too much of the blame.
That is, unless you were Josh Freeman in the Bucs offensive meeting room this weekend, where his credit rating dropped to single digits.
When the smelling salts brought coaches back to consciousness after Thursday's 31-14 loss to the Patriots, they pointed out to Freeman that both sacks were his fault for making the wrong protection calls. He also failed to recognize hot receivers in blitz situations.
"There were a couple plays I might have messed up an O-line call, didn't get the ball out of my hand soon enough," he said. "I mean, that ends up costing you."
You get the feeling Freeman was prepared to take the fall for the long lines at the concession stands that night at Raymond James Stadium.
"It was really one in particular," he said. "It was a play where we were trying to take a shot and were in a six-man protection and I mean, I based it up and had the protection going to the (middle linebacker) and they ran the one pressure that that call doesn't pick up. They got some penetration and got a sack.
"They brought a corner cat on one of our naked (bootlegs), and if you watched it on film 100 times, you would've never known it was coming."
Freeman completed 5 of 10 passes for 33 yards and produced only one first down. He spent so much time on the grass, the back of his jersey needed to be mowed.
LT Donald Penn had his worst game in a while and was beaten so severely on one play he tried to "butt block" Andre Carter.
Remember, Freeman is only 23. This is where the lockout will be a disadvantage to young teams. No offseason means not enough time to work on blitz looks and protections.
"No question, we expect to see more blitzing early in the season across the league," offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. "We just need to refresh Freeman on the rules. … We just didn't come out ready to go. Lesson learned."
NFL REVIEWING TALIB CASE: The NFL is reviewing whether CB Aqib Talib violated the personal conduct policy and what, if any, discipline he might face as a result. Talib is scheduled to stand trial in March on charges of assault with a deadly weapon stemming from his involvement in a shooting last spring in Garland, Texas.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who retained his power to discipline players who ran afoul of the policy during the lockout, suspended Talib for the first game last season for assaulting a cab driver in 2009. The Bucs hope Goodell will wait for the outcome of the case before rendering a decision.
"Any case of this nature is under review," said Greg Aiello, the NFL's senior vice president of communications. "We do not comment on timetables or speculate on outcomes."
DISCOUNT FOR CONCESSIONS AFTER GAFFES: No kidding, the Bucs will discount all food and nonalcoholic drinks 50 percent for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener at RJS.
Consider it their apology for the concessionaire Levy Restaurants being unprepared and running out of food during Thursday's home preseason opener. Fans faced long lines, some areas ran out of items by halftime, and workers weren't able to process credit cards.
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers take our fans' stadium experience very seriously," director of communications Jonathan Grella said. "We would like to apologize to all fans who attended Thursday's game for the concession service issues throughout the stadium. It is our commitment to ensure that our fans receive a first-class experience at all Buccaneer games."
Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@sptimes.com.
By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 20, 2011
TAMPA — The Bucs, after their latest loss at defensive tackle, have agreed to terms with free agent John McCargo, a former first-round draft pick of the Bills who is attempting to revive his undistinguished career.
With E.J. Wilson waived Saturday and expected to be placed on injured reserve after an ankle injury sustained Thursday against the Patriots, the Bucs were down three tackles. Brian Price (pelvis) and Roy Miller (knee) are the others.
McCargo, 28, went to North Carolina State and was drafted 26th overall by Buffalo in 2006. He has played 40 games with one start. In 2008, McCargo was traded to the Colts, but the deal was voided when he failed a physical.
McCargo is one of several first-round disappointments for the Bills. Quarterback J.P. Losman and defensive end Aaron Maybin have also flamed out in recent years. Maybin was released last week.
Manning may not be ready to start season
INDIANAPOLIS — Peyton Manning thinks he can be ready for the Colts' season opener.
The rest of the preseason appears to be out.
Manning said he will use the next two weeks to get healthy from offseason neck surgery. The recovery could jeopardize his streak of 227 consecutive starts.
"I certainly want to be out there, and it's hard to keep track of the hours I've spent in rehab," he said. "I was short-changed a little bit by the lockout, and I'm going to need every bit of the next two weeks."
The only four-time MVP in league history spoke Saturday during a day of high school football at Lucas Oil Stadium. The annual tripleheader is hosted by the PeyBack Foundation, Manning's charity.
He had neck surgery in May on a nerve and has been on the physically-unable-to-perform list throughout training camp.
About six hours before Manning spoke, team owner Jim Irsay used his Twitter account to acknowledge there is a possibility the Colts will start the season without their star.
Also, former USF defensive end David Bedford, a rookie free agent, is expected to miss at least four weeks with a high ankle sprain.
FITZGERALD DEAL: The Cardinals and perennial All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald have agreed to an eight-year, $120 million contract with $50 million guaranteed, ESPN.com reported. If the deal is completed on those terms, Fitzgerald would be the highest-paid receiver in league history. Also, rookie running back Ryan Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury Friday against Green Bay and will have surgery this week on a ruptured right patella tendon.
PRYOR WORKS OUT, WON'T APPEAL AFTER ALL: Terrelle Pryor worked out for 17 teams — including the Bucs, ESPN reported — in Greensburg, Pa., and said he wouldn't appeal his five-game suspension that goes into affect after he signs. With the former Ohio State quarterback trying to prove he should be taken in Monday's supplemental draft, spectators also included Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and director of football operations Kevin Colbert and Colts owner Jim Irsay. Pryor's former coach, Jim Tressel, who resigned amid an NCAA investigation that Pryor and others improperly sold memorabilia at OSU, also attended.
TEBOW NO. 3 FOR A GAME: Brady Quinn leapfrogged Tim Tebow, at least for one night. Broncos football chief John Elway posted on Twitter before Denver's game against the Bills that Quinn would follow starter Kyle Orton at quarterback in late Saturday's game.
EAGLES: Veteran offensive lineman Reggie Wells, who played eight games for Philadelphia in 2010, re-signed.
OBITUARY: Norm Willey, a former Pro Bowl defensive end with the Eagles, died Thursday night in Newark, Del. He was 83. Nicknamed "Wild Man," Mr. Willey played 92 games for the Eagles from 1950-57 and earned All-Pro selections three times (1953, '54, '55). According to accounts, on Oct. 26, 1952, against the Giants, Mr. Willey tackled quarterback Charley Conerly 17 times behind the line of scrimmage. The Philadelphia Bulletin reported at the time that, "Willey awed inhabitants of the Polo Grounds." But sacks were not recorded as official statistics back then (and the boxscore on pro-football-reference.com has 14 total sacks of Conerly in the game), so the late Derrick Thomas of the Chiefs holds the official record of seven sacks in one game.
Information from Times wires was used in this report.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
DETROIT — Brandon Inge homered in his return to the Tigers lineup and Detroit went on to rout the Indians 10-1 on Saturday night.
Inge was designated for assignment in July, a move that many expected to end his 11-year career. He accepted a demotion to Triple-A Toledo, though, and hit well enough there to earn a surprising recall.
Inge homered in his first at-bat and hit a 400-foot RBI double in his second as the Tigers increased their AL Central lead to 3½ games. He hadn't had two extra-base hits in a game since Aug. 20, 2010, exactly a year earlier.
Alex Avila, catching his 14th straight game, went 2-for-2 with three walks. He's hitting .442 with a .567 on-base percentage in August.
Doug Fister, who had the league's worst run support while pitching for Seattle, took advantage of the outburst to improve to 5-13.
Inge, who had been booed loudly before his demotion, was cheered when he came to the plate in the second, and the fans got louder when he homered to left.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 20, 2011
ST. PETERSBURG — Unafraid to be unconventional, manager Joe Maddon on Saturday implemented radical changes to the Rays' pregame routine for at least the remainder of this homestand, cancelling batting practice and barring the players from showing up too early for night games.
Maddon said the strategy is multipronged. The main ideas behind it are to better simulate the routine on the road, where the Rays have had more success, specifically offensively; to reduce the overall workload in hopes of having the players fresher and less susceptible to injuries; and to eliminate the unproductive, "lazy" extra time they spend at the stadium. Rather than noon, the home clubhouse now won't open until 3 p.m.
"I want them to come later," Maddon said. "Have a life, take their wives or their girlfriends out to lunch, mess with the kids, and then come here at a more decent hour and then play a game of baseball."
Players will still have time for extra work and to hit in the batting cages, Maddon said, and the Rays used the additional time Saturday to take a full infield practice, which is rare anymore, and they will do so again Wednesday.
"This time of year I want freshness mentally and physically, and this is my attempt to gain that moving forward," Maddon said. "I want them fresh and ready to go at 7:10, not 3:10."
On the road, players typically show up later in the afternoon, some on the team bus that leaves the hotel at 4 for a 7 p.m. game, and have shorter pregame workouts. And with the Rays hitting .254 and averaging 4.95 runs a game on the road and, going into Saturday, hitting .231 and averaging 3.5 at home, Maddon wanted to get closer to that schedule.
"Look at what we've done at home offensively to this point, so let's see if this doesn't shake things up a bit and get us over the offensive hump at home," he said.
The change could be disruptive to some of the Rays' more routine-oriented players. 3B Evan Longoria, for example, typically arrives around 1 p.m.
Maddon has long railed against the importance of on-field batting practice and said it remains "the most overrated component" of the game.
SCORING UPDATE: Official scorer Bill Mathews said he gave no further thought to changing B.J. Upton's fifth-inning hit Friday to an error on 3B Adam Kennedy and wouldn't have even had it had remained the Rays' only hit off Seattle's Felix Hernandez. (They got five more in the eighth.)
"Yeah, it was a tough call," Mathews said. "Somebody's got to make the call, and that's why I sit here. It's no fun sitting there and waiting for that hit to come. I thought about it; I relived that play. I'm a college coach (at Eckerd). I relived that play over and over and over. I feel good with the decision."
Maddon reiterated Saturday he believed it definitely was an error and acknowledged he was wondering what would happen if the Rays were blanked the rest of the way. "That would have been controversial," he said. "Until we got the second hit, I was thinking, 'Man, this could get weird.' "
Mathews did change a call from the seventh inning Friday, awarding Rays 1B Casey Kotchman a single and taking away Kennedy's error.
MEDICAL MATTERS: OF Sam Fuld had a 9 a.m. appointment Saturday with dentist Dr. Jeff Scott to have a new temporary crown put in and will get the permanent one Wednesday. … OF Justin Ruggiano (left knee bursitis) joined Triple-A Durham to work out but is not ready to start a rehab assignment, Maddon said. … C Jose Lobaton (left knee sprain) said he is finally feeling better and could resume playing in about a week.
MISCELLANY: RHP James Shields said the chance to pitch today on a regular five-day schedule was more important to him than whether he faced the Mariners or Detroit ace Justin Verlander on Monday. … Todd Kalas is in the TV booth this weekend, with regular analyst Brian Anderson scheduled off. … Class A Bowling Green SS Derek Dietrich had a five-game home run streak end Saturday. He has 21 homers in 112 games for the Hot Rods.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Rockies 7, Dodgers 6
13 innings
DENVER — Dexter Fowler atoned for a crucial defensive mistake by hitting an RBI single with two outs in the 13th inning to lift Colorado.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
White Sox 3, Rangers 2
CHICAGO — Alex Rios, who replaced an injured Carlos Quentin in the first inning, hit a go-ahead double in the eighth to help Chicago snap a three-game skid. Brent Lillibridge pinch-ran after Paul Konerko's one-out single before Rios ripped Koji Uehara's full-count pitch down the leftfield line to score Lillibridge. Jesse Crain put two runners on in the eighth but got Nelson Cruz to fly out to rightfield to end the threat.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Astros 7, Giants 5
HOUSTON — Jose Altuve hit a leadoff inside-the-park home run for Houston, his first major-league homer. Fellow rookie J.D. Martinez homered and drove in four runs as the Astros matched a season high with their fourth straight win. San Francisco has lost three in a row and 16 of 22.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
MINNEAPOLIS — Alex Rodriguez is almost there.
The Yankees weren't ready to take their star third baseman off the disabled list for Saturday night's game at Minnesota, but manager Joe Girardi said he plans to play Rodriguez today against the Twins if the three-time AL MVP feels all right in the morning.
"My mouth's getting watery here," Rodriguez said. "I'm ready to play, and I've watched enough baseball."
Rodriguez went through another pregame workout Saturday afternoon. He hasn't played for the Yankees since July 7 because of a torn meniscus in his right knee that required surgery.
"Another good day for us," Rodriguez said. "Hopefully (Saturday) was the last day of workouts.
"The last three days have progressively gotten better. I'm not as winded after going first to third or first to home, and I'm pretty much ready to go."
Girardi said he was pleased with what he saw on the field.
"I thought he was moving well, I thought he swung the bat well, and I thought he moved in the field well," Girardi said. "He answered all the questions. Let's just see how he bounces back when he comes in (today)."
Rodriguez said he hopes to play third base, and Girardi didn't rule that out, but the manager was noncommittal about where he'd put him.
The Yankees don't play Monday. They return home to host Oakland on Tuesday.
Rodriguez had surgery in July so he'd be at full strength for the stretch run in September, and so far his plan has played out. He has said his power was diminished by the injury that made it difficult for him to push off during his swing.
"Hopefully (today) is the day we get it going," Rodriguez said.
DODGERS: LHP Ted Lilly left the game against the Rockies with two outs in the sixth inning with right neck stiffness.
GIANTS: LHP Jonathan Sanchez, who sprained his left ankle in Tuesday's start, was scratched from today's scheduled outing. LHP Dan Runzler is set to make his first major-league start in his place. … RF Carlos Beltran, on the disabled list since Aug. 8 with a strained right hand, hit in a batting cage without pain and could be activated this week.
INDIANS: OF/DH Shelley Duncan left the team for undisclosed reasons and was placed on the family medical emergency list.
MARLINS: 2B Omar Infante, out since Aug. 4 with a broken right middle finger, was activated from the disabled list. INF Ozzie Martinez was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans.
METS: SS Jose Reyes, on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, ran the bases at close to full capacity. He's eligible to come off the DL on Tuesday but expects to need a minor-league rehab assignment first.
PHILLIES: LHP Cole Hamels, scratched from his previous start because of left shoulder inflammation, threw 25 pitches in a light bullpen session and is on track to return to the rotation Friday.
PIRATES: LHP Paul Maholm went on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career, sidelined by a shoulder strain. LH reliever Tony Watson was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.
RED SOX: CF Jacoby Ellsbury, one of the AL's leading MVP candidates, sat out with a contusion a day after being hit in the back by a pitch. An MRI exam revealed no structural damage.
ROCKIES: RHP Alex White, one of the prospects acquired in the trade that sent RHP Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians, is expected to be activated from the disabled list and start Tuesday. Former Rays RHP Jason Hammel, who has an 8.41 ERA since the All-Star break, will be sent to the bullpen.
TWINS: SS Tsuyoshi Nishioka was taken out of the lineup because of back spasms.
WHITE SOX: RF Carlos Quentin left the game against the Rangers after making a diving catch in the first inning and coming up gripping his left shoulder.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Braves 8, D'backs 1
ATLANTA — Dan Uggla homered twice and drove in three runs and Brandon Beachy pitched six strong innings for Atlanta, which beat NL West-leading Arizona for the second straight game after taking three of four from San Francisco. Uggla's two-run homer in the first gave the Braves the lead. Uggla and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back homers in the seventh.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Phillies 5, Nationals 0
WASHINGTON — Roy Oswalt scattered eight hits over eight innings, Wilson Valdez and Jimmy Rollins drove in two runs each and Hunter Pence homered for Philadelphia. Oswalt was supposed to start Friday but was scratched after torrential rain delayed the game by 2 hours, 22 minutes. He struck out nine, his most since joining the Phillies in July. He had runners on in every inning but the second and third. Michael Stutes completed Philadelphia's 15th shutout of the season.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Royals 9, Red Sox 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer had two RBIs each in an eight-run sixth inning, and Kansas City denied Tim Wakefield his 200th victory. Wakefield, 0-2 with three no-decisions since a July 24 win over Seattle, took a 4-1 lead into the sixth but failed to get out of the inning. He left after giving up three straight hits with one out and Boston up 4-3.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
MONTREAL — Marcos Ambrose took the lead on a restart with nine laps left and held off Quebec native Alex Tagliani to win the NAPA Auto Parts 200 on Saturday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Ambrose started at the back because he missed the prerace drivers meeting — he was arriving from Michigan, where he's racing in the Sprint Cup series today — then survived a collision with hometown favorite Jacques Villeneuve that knocked him back to 28th.
"I kept my head down, stayed calm, ticked off some good laps and made some aggressive passes," Ambrose said. "It's been a great day. I feel like I passed 400 cars out there."
Ambrose earned his fourth road course victory in Nationwide, tying Terry Labonte and Ron Fellows for the most in NASCAR's second-tier series.
NASCAR confiscated the right rear spring from Ambrose's Ford for evaluation.
Coming in, the Australian had led more laps than any other driver in the first four editions of the event.
Tagliani was second, 1.112 seconds back. Fellow IndyCar regular Danica Patrick was 24th in her NASCAR road debut.
TRUCKS: Kevin Harvick outran Timothy Peters in a green-white-checkered finish at Michigan International Speedway to win the VFW 200 as a wreck broke out behind them. Harvick became the first driver to win at Michigan in all three of NASCAR's top touring series.
NHRA: Del Worsham earned the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also topped their categories.
GRAND-AM: Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty co-drove to their second victory of the season, taking the Montreal 200.
Times wires
Saturday, August 20, 2011
MONTREAL — Marcos Ambrose took the lead on a restart with nine laps left and held off Quebec native Alex Tagliani to win the NAPA Auto Parts 200 on Saturday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Ambrose earned his fourth road course victory in Nationwide, tying Terry Labonte and Ron Fellows for the most in NASCAR's second-tier series.
Ambrose started at the back because he missed the prerace drivers meeting — he was arriving from Michigan, where he's racing in the Sprint Cup series today — then survived a collision with hometown favorite Jacques Villeneuve that knocked him back to 28th.
"I kept my head down, stayed calm, ticked off some good laps and made some aggressive passes," Ambrose said. "It's been a great day. I feel like I passed 400 cars out there."
NASCAR confiscated the right rear spring from Ambrose's Ford for evaluation.
Coming in, the Australian had led more laps than any other driver in the first four editions of the event.
Villeneuve, the pole-sitter, led 29 of the first 44 laps on the track named after his father. But on a restart, the former Formula One champion locked up his rear wheels and went off course. He finished 27th.
"Jacques and I both dove into Turn 1, but he ran out of track, got on the grass and was unable to stop," Ambrose said. "Unluckily for him, it ended his day, but luckily for us, we were able to keep going. So in the end, it didn't matter."
Tagliani was second, 1.112 seconds back. Fellow IndyCar regular Danica Patrick was 24th in her NASCAR road debut.
TRUCKS: Kevin Harvick outran Timothy Peters in a green-white-checkered finish at Michigan International Speedway to win the VFW 200 as a wreck broke out behind them. Harvick became the first driver to win at Michigan in all three of NASCAR's top touring series.
NHRA: Del Worsham earned the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) topped their categories.
GRAND-AM: Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty co-drove to their second victory of the season, taking the Montreal 200.
