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NCAA Tournament East region analysis

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, March 13, 2011

Upset special

Keep an eye on this likely second-round shocker: Xavier over Syracuse. If the Musketeers get by Marquette in the first round, they'll likely draw the Orange. Xavier is in the Big Dance for the 10th time in 11 years and one of only two teams to reach the Round of 16 each of the past three tournaments.

The East is a beast

No scandal for the Buckeyes' basketball program. Coach Thad Matta's team went 32-2, losing to a couple hot shooting performances by Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor (37 points) and Purdue's E'Twaun Moore (38). But Ohio State is the most complete team in the nation as Big Ten champs and deserving of the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The last time the Buckeyes went all the way to the title game was 2007, when Greg Oden and Michael Conley fell 84-75 to defending national champ UF.

But bracketology wasn't kind to the Buckeyes. Kentucky, Syracuse and North Carolina also are in the East Region.

Best seventh man

How deep is Ohio State? Center Dallas Lauderdale was fifth in the Big Ten in blocked shots after leading the league as a sophomore and junior. He shoots 73.5 percent. And he is the Buckeyes' seventh-best player.

By the numbers

7-2 Odds that favorite Ohio State will win the NCAA Tournament, set by Las Vegas oddsmakers, despite a very tough bracket that includes North Carolina, Syracuse and Kentucky.

28 NCAA appearances in 35 years for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

Rick Stroud, Times staff writer

They're hot

Remember when the Syracuse Orange won 18 games in a row to start the season? Coach Jim Boeheim's crew took a breath by losing four in a row but finished strong with seven wins in its final nine games. The zone defense is suffocating again with Big East defensive player of the year Rick Jackson.

They're not

Villanova is living off its reputation. Jay Wright's team choked away a 16-point lead to (gulp) South Florida in the Big East Tournament, have lost five straight and seven of their last nine. Love the way Wright dresses, but this seed doesn't suit the Mildcats.

Best games

The don't-miss-this-game in the first round is George Mason (8) vs. Villanova (9). Look, the winner of this game will get Ohio State. Everybody remembers GMU's run to the Final Four a few years ago and the Patriots are on fire, winners in 16 of their last 17 games.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats are a dime store squad (5-10 in their last 15). If you want a contrast in styles, check out Kentucky vs. Princeton in Tampa.

Several freshmen for the Wildcats might leave after this season for the NBA, a few at Princeton may stay for their MBA. In the second round, Washington and North Carolina appear on a collision course. A good second-round matchup is Xavier vs. Syracuse if both survive.

Players to watch

Hard to find a better freshman than Jared Sullinger, right, the Buckeyes' 6-9 center who plays with brute strength and powers underneath the basket as well as any big man in the nation. That is, unless it's Kentucky's showy guard Brandon Knight, the 6-3 freshman from Fort Lauderdale who averages 17.5 points and 4.2 assists per game. Now one you've never heard of: Long Island's Julian Boyd missed last season with an enlarged heart but returned this year to lead the Blackbirds with 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds.


NCAA Tournament West Region analysis

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, March 13, 2011

Upset special

The chic pick to become bracket busters are the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, who are given a good chance to upset the Texas Longhorns. The Summit League champions from Rochester, Mich., won't be intimidated by the surroundings because they play anybody, anywhere. The Grizzlies went on the road to beat Tennessee and lost to Michigan State by a point at the Palace of Auburn Hills. They have an NBA prospect in 6-11 Keith Benson, who averages 18 points and runs the floor. G Reggie Hamilton is lightning quick and averages 17.4. The Longhorns started a sizzling 11-0 in the Big 12, a school record, but they've not played well down the stretch. Texas has lost four of its past eight games and was blown out vs. Kansas in the conference title game. 'Horns coach Rick Barnes is 19-18 in the NCAA tourney, and it has been eight years since that lone trip to the Final Four.

Remember him?

Steve Fisher is no longer the guy who rolled the basketball on the court for the Fab Five. The former Michigan coach has been at San Diego State for 12 years and has posted seven 20-win seasons. Fisher might be best known for taking over the Wolverines after Bill Frieder announced he was leaving for Arizona State on the eve of the 1989 NCAA Tournament. Bo Schembechler appointed Fisher, who took Michigan to a national title.

By the numbers

60 Shooting percentage from the 3-point arc by Arizona's Derrick Williams, who is 6-8, 241. The sophomore is 35-of-58 on 3s and made 6 of 10 3s in the Pac-10 tournament.

.077 Winning percentage in the NCAA Tournament by Temple coach Fran Dunphy (1-12).

12 Number of times Duke has been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Rick Stroud, Times staff writer

They're hot

UConn, you can! Some good memories for coach Jim Calhoun in Tampa Bay. His Huskies won the national title at Tropicana Field in '99. Back to the present, UConn entered the Big East tournament reeling but won five games in five days. Whew.

they're not

The Missouri Tigers lost their bite. By dropping four of their final five games, they plummeted to a No. 11 seed and will open against Cincinnati. Their reward, if they get by the Bearcats, will likely be UConn. Free throw shooting, rebounding … it has been pretty inconsistent down the stretch.

This year's Butler

San Diego State went 32-2 and was nearly a No. 1 seed, if not for BYU and Cougars hot shot G Jimmer Fredette, who handed the Aztecs their only losses during the regular season.

San Diego State got revenge by pounding BYU by nearly 20 points in the Mountain West final. The Aztecs don't have a team of superstars, but they're experienced and play well together. Kawhi Leonard is 6 feet 7 but has a 7-2 wingspan and averaged 10.8 rebounds. Remember Butler's run to the title game? Hey, the Aztecs start in Anaheim, driving distance from San Diego.

Players to watch Duke's Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler

Both deserve the first mention after the seniors won another ACC title and have an NCAA crown on their resume. But the most entertaining player in the region, pound for pound, is UConn G Kemba Walker. That is, if he has any gas left. Walker played 190 minutes in the Big East tournament, scored a record 130 points, grabbed 32 rebounds and dished out 21 assists.

NCAA Tournament brings many storylines to Tampa

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, March 13, 2011

So, we may meet again

If the Gators get past UC-Santa Barbara, Florida will get an NCAA rematch in the third round. The Gators beat UCLA in the 2006 championship game for Florida's first national title, but there's a history with Michigan State as well. Florida was a No. 2 seed in Tampa in 2003 when it met Michigan State in the second round of the St. Pete Times Forum. The Gators lost 68-46, and a freshman in that game, Adrian Moss, went on to be the only senior on the 2006 championship team.

Familiar forum

Three West Virginia seniors — Joe Mazzullo, John Flowers and Jonnie West — played in the Times Forum as freshmen, beating USF 69-52 in 2008. It may give the Mountaineers an edge in familiarity Thursday against either Alabama-Birmingham or Clemson. Mazzullo played well in the USF game, with 11 points off the bench and stout defensive play.

Finishing strong

Michigan State (19-14) wasn't a lock for the NCAA field entering this week, but the Spartans helped themselves by knocking off No. 9 Purdue in the Big Ten quarterfinals to solidify a return to the tournament. Michigan State's 14 losses match the most of any at-large team that made the NCAA cut, matching Marquette, Tennessee, Penn State and Southern Cal.

Waiting game

West Virginia won't know its opponent in Tampa until Tuesday night, when Clemson and Alabama-Birmingham meet in a "First Four" first-round game in Dayton, Ohio. "This is all new to me because these play-in games have always been for the 16th seed," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins told his school's official website. "I don't know if it was expanding the field a little bit or upsets in conference tournaments, but the so-called play-in game, the seed has risen dramatically." West Virginia last played Clemson in the 2007 National Invitation Tournament title game, which the Mountaineers won; they last played UAB in 1991.

Back again

Michigan State is making its fourth NCAA appearance in the Tampa area in the past 17 years, and the good news for the Spartans is that Duke isn't here. Michigan State played in the Thunderdome in 1994 — current coach Tom Izzo was the top assistant for Jud Heathcote, right — and was eliminated by Duke. Five years later, the Spartans returned to what had become Tropicana Field but again, Michigan State was eliminated by Duke. In 2003, Michigan State played in the St. Pete Times Forum, winning its two games and advancing to the Elite Eight. UCLA and Kentucky know this area as well; they played at Tropicana Field in 1998's regional, with the Wildcats eliminating the Bruins, then beating Duke in the region final to advance to the Final Four.

One and done?

Just as Kentucky coach John Calipari saw the key components from last season's team bolt for the NBA draft, the Wildcats could see the same thing after this season. Two freshman standouts, forward Terrence Jones and guard Brandon Knight, are listed among the top 25 NBA prospects, according to ESPN's Chad Ford, who also has Florida freshman forward Patric Young in his draft database. Another potential lottery pick would have been at Kentucky this year. but forward Enes Kanter of Turkey was ruled ineligible.

Remember him?

Should Clemson beat Alabama-Birmingham, one of the Tigers' reserve guards should be memorable for USF fans. DeAndre Hopkins, a talented freshman receiver who had nine catches for 105 yards in the Bulls' win in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, joined the basketball team after football season. Hopkins, a 6-foot-2 guard, has played sparingly, logging just 10 minutes in seven games this season, with one rebound and one assist.

Lil' logo

West Virginia guard Jonnie West is the son of former Mountaineers and NBA great Jerry West. The 6-foot-3 senior has played in 21 games this season, averaging 3.0 points off the bench. He's not the only notable son on West Virginia's roster. Sophomore guard Craig Carey is the son of Mike Carey, who is the Mountaineers' women's basketball head coach.

What is truTV?

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Times staff
Monday, March 14, 2011

In case you're wondering: Yes, truTV is real

All NCAA Tournament first-round games and several throughout the tournament will be televised on truTV.

TruTV is a cable channel formerly known as Court TV. It is part of Turner Broadcasting System, which partnered with CBS to buy rights to the NCAA Tournament.

The combination, which includes CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, will televise all the tournament games for the first time.

In the Tampa Bay area, truTV can be found on most cable systems and satellite providers: Bright House Ch. 55; Knology Ch. 73; Verizon Ch. 183; DirecTV Ch. 246; Dish Ch. 204.

Times staff

Free public practices Wednesday for NCAA Tournament teams

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Times staff
Monday, March 14, 2011

Practice schedule

Each team playing in the NCAA Tournament in Tampa will hold an open practice free to the public Wednesday. The schedule:

Noon-12:40 p.m.: Princeton

12:45-1:25 p.m.: UC Santa Barbara

1:30-2:10 p.m.: Kentucky

2:15-2:55 p.m.: Florida

4:25-5:05 p.m.: UCLA

5:10-5:50 p.m.: West Virginia

5:55-6:35 p.m.: Michigan State

6:40-7:20 p.m.: UAB/Clemson

Study: USF Bulls men's basketball ninth in Big East in profit

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

There's an interesting read at Forbes.com on the economics of Big East basketball, and it's curious to see how the USF Bulls fit in.

Using financial data from the 2009-10 season, USF ranked ninth out of 16 schools in net profit from men's basketball, thanks largely to having the lowest expenses in the league at $3.2-million. That's about $540,000 less than the next-closest school, Cincinnati, but it allowed USF to generate a profit of $1.37-million, which is more than Connecticut generated in the same season.

There can be misleading figures when a study is based on publicly reported financial data -- three Big East schools reported a zero balance to the exact dollar, which isn't likely to be the case, one way or another. It's hard to imagine Notre Dame generating less revenue from men's basketball than USF, but according to the study, that was the case in 2009-10.

The study also compares each school's revenues from football vs. basketball -- to no surprise, USF has the third-largest ratio of football to basketball, with only Notre Dame and Rutgers leaning more heavily on football between the two sports. An interesting starting point for conversation, if nothing else ...

Florida Gators' Billy Donovan defends former Arkansas coach John Pelphrey

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan staunchly defended his friend and former UF assistant coach John Pelphrey on Monday after Pelphrey was fired this past weekend as head coach at Alabama.

Donovan, who worked with Pelphrey from 1994-2002, said he felt bad for him, and said he was surprised he wasn't given at least one more year because of the stellar recruiting class he has coming in next season.

"You know, John's situation, I feel bad for,'' Donovan said. "It's an unfortunate situation because I'm not really sure, I mean (former coach) Stan Heath I think took two teams to the NCAA Tournament. And they make a change. Then John goes in there and goes to the NCAA

Tournament with all of Stan's players and does a good job coaching them. He's in his third year with his entire team, returning with a top five recruiting class, that doesn't make sense to me.

"I think at Arkansas they're going to have to make a decision,'' Donovan added. Because every time you make that kind of decision, first of all you don't know if any of the recruits are going to stay. You don't know if any of the older players are going to stay. So if you have mass exodus there, they're starting off worse than when John took over. The unfortunate part is they're going to get a good coach, and it's a good program, and it's a good situation. But at some point they're going to have to let whoever is in there be able to do the job. I think in John's case, I know it was four years, but it really was three years. That's to me somewhat remarkable that they wouldn't give him (time) with what he's got coming in, what he's got coming back to see, okay, maybe we're on the process of turning the corner a little bit. The guy's got 18 wins, improved from last year. I think he's done a good job with the hand he was dealt. But I understand that the athletic director and the president of the institution has to do what they feel is best. It's their right to do that. John's a good coach, and he will definitely be somewhere.''

Palm Harbor's John Huston will replace Alvaro Quiros in Transitions Championship field

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By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

PALM HARBOR - Palm Harbor's John Huston, the 2000 tournament champion, has been added to the Transitions Championship field. Huston earned a sponsor's exemption spot when Alvaro Quiros withdrew after an injury during Sunday's final round of the WGC Cadillac Championship in Miami. With the addition of Huston, every past champion of the Transitions Championship is in the field. Huston, 49, played in last week's Puerto Rico Open, where he failed to make the cut. This is only his third event this season and he has not made a cut in two previous tries. Huston turns 50 on June 1 and plans to join the Champions Tour.

— Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer


Was 2009 or 2010 the real aberration for Tampa Bay Rays' Ben Zobrist?

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John Romano, Times Columnist
Monday, March 14, 2011

DUNEDIN — You can believe in the glory, or you can put your faith in the fall.

You can trust that the season with an MVP gloss was the reality, and the season with dead ball numbers was the fluke.

Really, the choice is yours.

You can buy into the theory that Ben Zobrist is a bona fide star, or just a nice, little player whose greatest asset is his superb glove and versatility in the field.

The problem is he's given you a year's worth of evidence for either choice.

In 2009, Zobrist looked like a revelation. A guy who could play seven positions and hit like Kevin Youkilis. He had power, patience and panache. He finished eighth in the MVP voting that year, and probably should have been in the top three.

In 2010, Zobrist looked more like regression. A terrific baserunner and one of the game's best defensive weapons, but a below-average player with a bat in his hands.

So what happened?

If you listen to critics, you will believe opposing pitchers adjusted to Zobrist after his breakout season and his numbers will never again approach '09 levels.

If you listen to Zobrist, you will trust that a nagging neck injury forced him to adjust his hitting stroke and led to bad habits that were finally corrected in the off-season.

"There's definitely frustration that goes on when you feel like you've taken a step back," Zobrist said. "When you know where you should be, and you just can't get back there."

If his resume had a little more heft, it would be easier to write off last season as an aberration. But Zobrist, 29, came to stardom both quickly and late. He went from a guy on the far end of the bench to the All-Star Game in a matter of months.

That doesn't mean he didn't earn it, and it doesn't mean he isn't a gifted ballplayer. It just makes it harder to believe a season with lots of extra-base hits should be his norm.

The greatest difference between '09 and '10 is Zobrist was no longer hitting the ball with authority. He had a ton more pop-ups, and less line drives.

He was also swinging at more bad pitches than the year before, even though he was among the league leaders in walks. That suggests teams were pitching him differently in terms of location, even though he was still seeing the same number of fastballs.

The overall drop was pretty dramatic. You could almost go as far as stunning. Zobrist went from a .543 slugging percentage in 2009 to a .353 in 2010. No fulltime player in the majors had a bigger falloff. No one was even really close.

The Rays were not necessarily expecting another season with 27 home runs, but they did not anticipate so many weak at-bats either.

"If I had to wager, I would say he is somewhere between both years," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Home run-wise probably won't be as many as he hit a couple of years ago, but more than he hit last year. Overall batting average was just way low and his on-base percentage suffered a bit because of that."

Zobrist traces all of the problems back to a sore neck that kept him from being able to face the pitcher with his head turned sharply at a 90-degree angle. That led to moving his hands and feet to compensate, and that resulted in his swing getting out of its slot.

"You need to be able to have both eyes on the ball with your hands back in the ready position, and I couldn't do that," Zobrist said. "I was struggling with that all year. I was turning my head, and it was keeping me from having timing and having that visual I needed where I could see the ball and just let everything fly."

Once he started tinkering, Zobrist got stuck in bad habits. He took a month off after the season, but still didn't feel quite right during winter workouts.

Hitting coach Derek Shelton suggested an old drill where a hitter stands a bat's length away from a net and practices swinging without hitting the net. The idea is to make the hitting stroke more fluid and compact.

Zobrist embraced the idea and, weeks before spring training, said he began to feel like his old self in the box.

"The neck injury affected him a lot more than even we realized at the time," Shelton said. "He was trying to put himself in different positions to hit. He moved his hands, he moved his head, he moved his feet. In doing so he kind of lost what the groove of his swing was. Now that that's behind us, we've gone back to what made him successful."

The early results have been encouraging. Zobrist is hitting .278 this spring but, more importantly, has three doubles and a homer in 18 at-bats.

His versatility in the field, his baserunning and his ability to draw walks will make Zobrist a valuable player no matter how many home runs he hits.

On the other hand, if he gets his slugging percentage near .500 again there will be few players in the American League more valuable.

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com.

Kentucky Wildcats jell into strong team entering NCAA Tournament

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

At the beginning of the season, they were a collection of prized recruits bonded only by high expectations, yet all special in their own way.

They started strong, but eventually Kentucky's heralded young basketball team ran into struggles and disappointment — particularly by its storied standards.

But when Kentucky celebrated its 28th SEC tournament title on Sunday afternoon, the feeling among Wildcats' fans — and more important the players — is that Kentucky is back at just the right time. And that, they believe, could mean another deep NCAA tourney run.

"I feel a lot of guys are stepping up, really taking ahold of their roles and just really buying into the team effort as far as defense and rebounding and stuff like that — the things teams need to do," freshman guard Brandon Knight said. "If you've been together for a while already it kind of happens (jelling). But with a new team, a lot of new guys, it kind of takes a while to get that jelling."

The individuals have become one unit. And it's an impressive one. The Wildcats boast the SEC Freshman of the Year in Terrance Jones and two others — Knight and Doron Lamb were named to the SEC All-Freshman team, and Jones and Knight were also first team All-SEC selections.

Knight, the highly-recruited phenom from Fort Lauderdale, is the only player in the SEC to rank in the top five in scoring (third) and assists (second). Four of its five starters are averaging double figures, and Kentucky has won eight of its last nine games.

"We feel like we have a lot of weapons on this team really," junior guard Darius Miller said. "So if one or two guys aren't playing too well at a time we all feel like we can step up to score the ball. So that's how we look at our team anyway. We don't know how anybody else looks at it but we feel we have a lot of offensive weapons where if somebody's not playing too well it doesn't bother us."

When John Calipari lost four freshmen at the end of last season, the consensus was that the Wildcats likely would quickly rebound. With another stellar recruiting class, Kentucky wouldn't rebuild, just reload.

But when Kentucky lost five out of 10 games midway through the season, Calipari had to find a way to mesh his newcomers and veterans in a more productive way. It has worked.

"I mean, everybody on this team has gotten better," Calipari said. "Darius Miller's not even the same guy. … I'm happy with Brandon, where he was at the beginning of the year. And it's just like Derrick Rose and Tyreke (Evans), and John Wall — they all over the year got better. So has Brandon."

As the Wildcats begin play in the NCAA Tournament in Tampa on Thursday, their biggest concern may be depth. Calipari acknowledged last week that he would "probably be pressing more and doing some different things" if he had more players and that it has affected the way he has called games this season. But he thinks Kentucky's stellar defense helps compensate.

"We're guarding like my old teams," he said. "We're just guarding you on that NBA 3-point line, making that hard."

Most of all, they are playing as one unit.

"We are trying to win together," Jones said. "Everybody is trusting all five players on the floor. A lot of times it used to be just three guys trusting three guys, or maybe just one guy who was (the missing) link. But now guys have really got it going. Everybody is really focused and expecting everybody's game. Everybody is going as hard as they can."

Antonya English can be reached at english@sptimes.com.

Florida Gators' Billy Donovan, Chandler Parsons honored by Associated Press

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan and senior forward Chandler Parsons were named SEC Coach and Player of the Year by the Associated Press on Monday.

Earlier this month, the two earned the same honors from the SEC coaches.

Florida junior guard Erving Walker was a Second Team All-SEC selection, but teammate Kenny Boynton was not selected.

As part of his contract, Donovan will earn an additional $25,000 for being named coach of the year.

Tampa Bay Rays claim pitcher Cesar Cabral off waivers from Toronto Blue Jays

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

After a two days in limbo, LHP Cesar Cabral is back with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays claimed Cabral off waivers Monday from the Toronto Blue Jays, who had claimed him from Tampa Bay on Saturday.

The Rays had been intrigued with Cabral, 22, who made a nice impression since getting acquired in this past offseason's Rule 5 Draft from Boston. But they knew it'd be tough to fulfill the requirements of Rule 5 draft acquisitions, that the player would have to be on their roster all year, which is why they exposed him to waivers over the weekend.

Tampa schedule, ticket information for NCAA Tournament

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Times Staff
Monday, March 14, 2011

Thursday's games at the St. Pete Times Forum

12:15 p.m.: No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 UAB/Clemson

2:45 p.m.: No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Princeton*

6:50 p.m.: No. 2 Florida vs. No. 15 Cal-Santa Barbara

9:20 p.m.: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Michigan State*

* Times are approximate. Tipoff is 30 minutes after the first game

Tampa tickets

What: NCAA men's basketball second- and third-round games

Where: St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa

When: Thursday and Saturday

Tickets: $216 for six games, which include the two sessions on Thursday and one session on Saturday. Available through sptimesforum.com, NCAA.com/tickets or ticketmaster.com.

Tight finish at Armadillo Run 5K in Oldsmar

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Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

tight finish at armadillo run 5k

A trio of Pinellas County youngsters battled for the finish line at the 29th annual Armadillo Run 5K in Oldsmar on Saturday.

Andrew Chandler and Cameron Wheeler, both of St. Petersburg, and Clearwater's Sean Gallagher were within striking distance of one another near the conclusion of the race, but Chandler pulled away.

Chandler, 37, completed the 5K in 16 minutes, 19 seconds to win by eight seconds.

Wheeler, 17, was right behind to claim second. Gallagher ran 16:36 for a third-place finish.

Local age group winners from Saturday's Armadillo Run include: (F grandmaster) Karen Alexeev, Gulfport, 25:42; (M9 and under) Ryan Kempsey, Oldsmar, 29:22; (M15-19) Austin Lewis, Oldsmar, 18:51; (F15-19) Amelia Wong, Safety Harbor, 22:52; (M25-29) Jeffery Martin, St. Petersburg, 20:19; (F35-39) Jodi Dobson, Tarpon Springs, 23:07; (F40-44) Teresa Bodolay, Clearwater, 25:45; (M45-49) Marty Slade, St. Pete Beach, 19:48; (F45-49) Tina Rosato, Palm Harbor, 23:42; (M50-54) Doug Peltz, Palm Harbor, 24:20; (F55-59) Barb Harrison, Palm Harbor, 26:06; (F60-64) Stephanie Bessette, Dunedin, 28:48; (M65-69) Gar Flisek, Dunedin, 23:28; (F65-69) Brenda Hatala, Clearwater, 31:25; (M70-74) Jim Callan, Palm Harbor, 28:55; (F75-79) Betty Nevitt, Clearwater, 34:15; (M80 and over) Pat Fitzgerald, St. Petersburg, 33:16.

In the 10K competition, Carol Bancroft of Safety Harbor had the highest finish. Bancroft, 51, placed second in the women's race after running 44:18.

Richie Taffet of St. Petersburg was third in the men's race in a time of 37:36.

Local age group winners in the 10K were: (M grandmaster) Bruce Mann, Clearwater, 39:59; (M15-19) Paul McKenna, Clearwater, 42:58; (M20-24) Jonathan Desantis, Gulfport, 46:13; (F20-24) Kelly McClenathan, St. Pete Beach, 48:24; (F35-39) Heather Ellison, Clearwater, 46:24; (M40-44) Bret Jardine, Palm Harbor, 39:13; (M45-49) Dallas Rose, Oldsmar, 41:47; (F45-49) Cheryl Forgang, Safety Harbor, 54:37; (F50-54) Mary Stewart-Wong, Safety Harbor, 49:27; (F60-64) Ellen Kohn, Palm Harbor, 51:07; (M65-69) Duncan Cameron, Palm Harbor, 43:33; (M70-74) Herb Townsend, Treasure Island, 48:23.

SHAMROCK CLASSIC

Vince Tenaglia of Clearwater came within a minute of winning the 32nd annual Shamrock Classic 10K in Brandon on Sunday.

Tenaglia, 27, crossed the finish line in 37 minutes, 23 seconds to grab second place at the Shamrock Classic. Tenaglia, who placed first in the 25- to 29-year-old age group, was 48 seconds behind race champion Scott Lafferty (36:35) of Valrico.

Also winning his age group was James Hummel of Tarpon Springs. Hummel, 50, claimed first in the men's 50-54 division by more than two minutes after clocking in at 41:35.

In the 5K competition, Hunter McCann, 14 of Treasure Island, was the fastest local runner. McCann was fifth across the finish line after running 18:12, and he placed first in the men's 14 and under age division by more than four minutes.

The 5K, which saw 221 runners compete, was won by Tyler Moriarty of Lithia in a time of 16:56. Kristine Claffie, also of Lithia, was the women's champion in 20:28.

PASCO CHALLENGE

Treasure Island speed demon Hunter McCann picked up a race win at the Pasco Challenge 10K on Saturday.

McCann, 14, covered the New Port Richey course in 37 minutes, 58 seconds to cruise to victory by nearly three minutes.

Palm Harbor residents Bonnie Duren and Mary Twiss were age group winners in the 10K competition.

Duren, 50, claimed top honors in the women's 50-54 group in a time of 1:12:55.

Twiss was the winner of the women's 65-69 group after completing the race in 1:03:48.

A pair of locals were age group champions at Saturday's Pasco Challenge half-marathon.

Randall Hergert, 23 of Largo, was the top runner in the men's 20-24 group after completing the race in two hours, one minutes and 58 seconds.

Dena Schaeffer, 22 of Palm Harbor, took top honors in the women's 20-24 bracket with a time of 2:09:01.

Tim Pemberton of New Port Richey was the overall half-marathon winner after breaking the tape in 1:23:57. Kerri Kitchen of Crystal River was the women's champion in 1:44:27.

Chuck McCann was the only local athlete to claim a victory in the 5K competition at the Pasco Challenge, which featured 207 runners.

McCann, 59 of Treasure Island, ran 25:56 to place first in the men's 55-59 group.

COUNTRYSIDE CLOVER CLASSIC

Hunter McCann of Treasure Island won the Countryside Clover Classic by 37 seconds on March 5.

McCann, 14 of Treasure Island, ran 18:13 to claim victory.

Loretta Simeon of St. Petersburg was the women's champion by 19 seconds. Simeon, 44, clocked in at 21:03 for the win.

Age group winners from Pinellas County were: (M10 and under) Takuma Walter, St. Petersburg, 21:20; (M11-14) Tyler Condon, Clearwater, 27:56; (F11-14) Amanda Elsey, Clearwater, 23:15; (M15-19) Andrew Elsey, Clearwater, 20:13; (M20-29) Jerry Bell, St. Petersburg, 29:21; (F20-29) Sara Gill, Clearwater, 23:45; (F25-29) Amanda Stoutjesdyk, Clearwater, 35:41; (M30-39) Ken Huff, Clearwater, 23:45; (F30-39) Becky Baas, Safety Harbor, 29:43; (F40-49) Yvonne Bryant, Clearwater, 21:22; (M50-59) Victor Yeager, Dunedin, 18:50; (F50-59) Cynthia Conboy, Dunedin, 31:42; (M60-69) Duncan Cameron, Palm Harbor, 21:12; (F60-69) Ellen Kohn, Palm Harbor, 24:41; (M70 and over) Don Kohler, St. Petersburg, 29:49.

Dr. Remote

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

30 Clubs in 30 Days: 8 p.m. on MLB Network. The network's spring training preview tour stops for a look at the 2011 Houston Astros.

Who's No. 1?: 10 p.m. on ESPN Classic. The show looks back at the best college basketball players of all time.

Frozen in Time: 10:30 p.m. on Versus. A look back at the 70-goal scorers in NHL history.


Captain's Corner: Tactical alerts

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By Steve Papen, Times Correspondent
Monday, March 14, 2011

Primary targets: With all shallow-water grouper closed along with red snapper, we have had to switch gears to find targets offshore. Changing the spot will not do; changing tactics is key. The first step is using lighter tackle. With advances in braided lines coupled with changes in spinning reels, it is possible to target large fish on what seems to be freshwater tackle.

Wreck fishing: Amberjack are abundant on most offshore wrecks and springs in all depths. Many are smaller, running 10 to 20 pounds, which is typical. Artificial baits and some subsurface swimming baits will have these fish in a frenzy. Amberjack love to chase prey. Working these fish on light tackle requires a reel with a good drag system, as they will try to run back into the structure.

More species: Wrecks hold various types of snapper, depending on depth. Use a knocker rig, a small slip lead on the main line with a hook on the end, because it lets bait fall naturally through the water column. Snapper typically stage themselves off the bottom, so this technique works well.

Other targets: Keep an eye out for cobia, which migrate through the area along with king mackerel. Keep an extra rod rigged with 50-pound leader and a 5/0 hook.

Steve Papen charters out of Indian Shores and can be reached at fintasticinc.com or (727) 642-3411.

Two pitchers dinged up for Yankees

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Times wires
Monday, March 14, 2011

TAMPA — Yankees RHPs Joba Chamberlain and Sergio Mitre will be sidelined for a few days because of muscle soreness on the left side of their upper bodies.

Manager Joe Girardi on Monday said both could pitch again this week.

Mitre was scratched from his scheduled start Monday night against the Red Sox. He first felt the soreness Sunday. It is in a different spot than a strained left oblique that sidelined Mitre for 32 games last season.

"A little bit sore and tight" Sunday, Mitre said. "Woke up (Monday) and I feel good. They don't want to chance it. I pulled an oblique on the same side last year, so we're trying to figure out if it's related."

Mitre is competing with RHPs Freddy Garcia, Ivan Nova and Bartolo Colon for two open rotation spots behind LHP CC Sabathia and RHPs Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett.

Mitre hopes to pitch Thursday.

Promising LHP Manuel Banuelos was selected to replace Mitre for Monday night's game. Banuelos, 20, is expected to start the season at Double-A Trenton.

Phils: Closer resting

KISSIMMEE — Phillies closer Brad Lidge has a sore arm that will keep him off the mound for a few days.

The right-hander was supposed to pitch against the Astros but did not make the trip because of tendinitis in his right biceps. Pitching coach Rich Dubee said that though Lidge typically has soreness during the spring, management would err on the side of caution.

General manager Ruben Amaro said Lidge had "muscle soreness" and would be pushed back a couple of days.

Lidge has made five one-inning spring appearances, giving up five runs for a 9.00 ERA.

BAD BLOOD: Phillies LHP Cole Hamels got into a shouting match with Astros INF Bill Hall after an apparent brushback pitch.

In the second inning of Philadelphia's 7-6 win, Hall stepped out of the box to prevent a quick pitch. Hamels responded with an inside fastball, and Hall had to be restrained by home plate umpire Laz Diaz. Nobody left the benches.

"He's definitely a marked man for me now," Hall said. "So when I do some damage off him, I'm going to let him know I did some damage off him. I can guarantee that."

Hamels shrugged it off. "It's nothing," he said. "He's a good guy. Just trying to get the game going. So … no hard feelings."

Jays: Aiming for pen

DUNEDIN — Dustin McGowan's comeback will happen in the bullpen, if it happens at all.

The Blue Jays right-hander, who has had two major shoulder surgeries since he last threw a pitch in a game in July 2008, will compete for a relief job and not the starting rotation, manager John Farrell said.

"When we get into the season, we're going to groom him as a reliever," Farrell told MLB.com. "At some point in the future, we want to answer all of the questions that a reliever's going to go through."

McGowan, 28, said this spring that he was not prepared to go through another major procedure and would retire if he sustained another severe injury. He has been coming back slowly, limiting bullpen sessions to 25 pitches at 80 percent intensity.

Tampa Bay Rays: The King's neighbor, Thoughtful Tweeter

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By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

The King's neighbor

INF Joe Inglett, who lives in Akron, Ohio, in the offseason, said his house is down the street from one owned by LeBron James, left. "If I walk there, it's probably 10 minutes," he said. So what's the difference between the two homes? "There's security in front of his," Inglett said. "Every time I go by, there's someone out front trying to check out his place. Of course, he's never there."

Heads-up

RHP Jeremy Hellickson, the expected fifth starter in the rotation, is scheduled to make his second spring appearance, getting the start and throwing 2-3 innings.

Thoughtful Tweeter

RHP Chris Archer, the key prospect acquired in the Matt Garza trade this offseason, is very thoughtful and engaging — and that includes on his Twitter account. Archer, or ChrisArcher42, says he'll get up each morning and try to tweet something that will make followers "think a little differently, even if it's for just two minutes." Some are his own thoughts, others things he has read or seen. Like his tweet Monday: "Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as a reality in your own mind" — Bruce Lee

Rays vs. Marlins

When/where: 1:05 today; Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte

TV/internet radio: Sun Sports; raysbaseball.com audio

Tickets: Reserved seats $19-$27, berm/boardwalk $10. raysbaseball.com, Ticket­master, Tropicana Field and Charlotte box offices, Tampa team store.

Gates open: 11 a.m.

Directions: Driving time from bay area is 1½-2 hours. Suggested route: I-75 south to Exit 179 (Toledo Blade Road), west 6½ miles (crossing U.S. 41) to El Jobean Road (SR 776), right 2 miles, complex on the left.

Parking: $10; lots open at 10.

Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297 (FAN-RAYS)

Pitchers: Rays —Jeremy Hellickson, Kyle Farnsworth, Juan Cruz, Joel Peralta, Adam Russell, Andy Sonnanstine; Marlins — Anibal Sanchez, Ryan Webb, Mike Dunn, Randy Choate

Who is this Ray?

He led AL rookies in wins last year with 12 and tied for the AL rookie lead in ERA (4.07, with the Mariners' David Pauley). The avid hunter and fisherman shot and bagged a 300-pound black bear with a crossbow in September on an off day in Toronto.

On deck

Wednesday: at Marlins, 1:05. Rays — Wade Davis; Marlins — Chris Volstad

Thursday: at Yankees, 7:05. Rays — Chris Bootcheck; Yankees — TBA

Friday: Red Sox, 7:05, Rays — Andy Sonnanstine; Red Sox — TBA

Saturday: at Twins (Fort Myers), 1:05. Rays — TBA, Twins — TBA

Who is this Ray answer: RHP Wade Davis

Schedule

20: Orioles

21: Yankees, 7:05

22: at Red Sox, 7:05

23: Phillies

24: at Astros

25: Pirates

26: Orioles

27: at Pirates

28: at Yankees, 7:05

29: at Red Sox

30: vs. Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, 4:10

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Rangers' Feliz now targeting rotation

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Times wires
Monday, March 14, 2011

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Neftali Feliz wants to start for the Rangers after all, and he took a step in that direction Monday with four strong innings in a 5-4 win over the Dodgers.

A week ago, Feliz said he was more comfortable closing — a role in which he earned AL rookie of the year honors last season — than starting.

After scattering three runs and a hit with five strikeouts, though, Feliz said though he's comfortable as a closer, he never has stopped working to become part of the starting rotation.

"It was only the pitches, not myself," Feliz said. "I want to start."

Feliz's comments about closing came a couple of days after pitching two two-hit innings against the Indians, a game in which he said he was comfortable with only two pitches, his fastball and curve.

"You (the media) asked me if I felt more comfortable about being a closer," Feliz said, "and I do feel comfortable. I had trouble with my changeup, so I was working with my pitching coach (Mike Maddux) on the cutter so I could work to be a starter."

After holding Oakland to one hit in three innings of relief in his last appearance, he said he started to become more comfortable with his cut fastball.

"When I was making it three pitches, I talked to my pitching coach and said I would try to win a spot in the rotation," Feliz said. "That's what I like more, to be a starter."

Manager Ron Washington said Feliz's eventual role remains undecided, depending on how things develop through the rest of spring.

"He'll make up his mind sooner or later," Washington said. "It's open."

A'S: Closer Andrew Bailey left a spring game against the Indians with elbow discomfort. The right-hander was shut down at the end of last season with an elbow injury.

BRAVES: Rightfielder Jason Heyward was held out because of back stiffness.

DODGERS: Third baseman Casey Blake is scheduled to have a "precautionary" MRI exam on his injured back. He's still considered day to day.

INDIANS: Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, one of the team's top prospects who was batting .478 this spring, was one of seven players sent to the minor-league camp.

MARINERS: Left-hander Nate Robertson will have arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow and is expected to resume throwing in four weeks. … Centerfielder Franklin Gutierrez, who left camp to determine the cause of stomach problems that have plagued him for a year, was diagnosed with a "slow digestive tract." "There's nothing wrong with him … he's not sick," team trainer Mitch Storey said.

ORIOLES: Right-hander Justin Duchscherer visited a chiropractor because of discomfort in his surgically repaired left hip and was scheduled for an MRA, which is similar to an MRI except it also includes an arthrogram, where dye will be injected in the hip.

REDS: Catcher Ryan Hanigan, 30, agreed to a $4 million, three-year contract.

TIGERS: Second baseman Carlos Guillen had a setback in his recovery from knee surgery, making it unlikely he will be ready for opening day.

TWINS: Catcher Joe Mauer could make his spring debut Wednesday as DH. Mauer said he's close to full strength after offseason surgery on his left knee. … Right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson, a first-round pick in 2009, was one of seven players reassigned to minor-league camp.

Jeff Niemann gets in regular work as rest of Tampa Bay Rays get day off

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By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Monday, March 14, 2011

PORT CHARLOTTE — With Monday serving as the Rays' lone off day of the spring, RHP Jeff Niemann got the short end of the stick.

Niemann made a start in a minor-league intrasquad game on the back fields at Charlotte Sports Park to make sure he got his work in and stayed on schedule.

"It happens to one guy every year," he said, smiling. "And this is my turn."

But Niemann was encouraged with how it went, throwing five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six and walking one in the 62-pitch outing. He was able to throw his offspeed pitches for strikes, including striking out a batter with a curveball on a 3-and-2 count.

"Throwing that 3-2 curveball is something you're going to do during the season, so you might as well do it now," Niemann said. "The first few times out, I kind of held the curveball back a little bit. But now we're getting to the point where we kind of need to be game-ready and get everything honed and sharp. That's what we were doing (Monday), throwing some stuff that those guys probably weren't used to seeing."

WELCOME BACK: The Rays claimed LHP Cesar Cabral off waivers from the Blue Jays on Monday, two days after the Jays claimed him from Tampa Bay.

The Rays had been intrigued with Cabral, 22, in camp after acquiring him in the Rule 5 draft from the Red Sox. But per Rule 5 requirements, they'll still have to keep him on the roster all year or return him to Boston.

LEANING LEFT: Manager Joe Maddon said LHP Jake McGee is making good progress with one of his main objectives in camp: improving his slider.

With McGee vying for one of the bullpen spots, developing that pitch is important, giving him another weapon to go with an overpowering fastball. McGee said he can now throw his slider just like his fastball, making it more difficult for hitters to pick up, and has confidence using it behind in the count.

"All of a sudden it's got better break, better depth, better form," Maddon said. "That could make him very good. … It can work against right-handers, also. If Jake continues to develop that slider, that makes him very, very interesting."

WEEKEND AT ZIGGY'S: Maddon said the day off came at just the right time. Not only because it was at just about the midpoint of the exhibition schedule, but because it followed what was essentially a weekend at home, playing in Clearwater on Saturday and Dunedin on Sunday, and he gave credit to team travel director Jeff Ziegler for altering the schedule to make it work. "I really like the way it was set up," Maddon said. "That permitted us to have this pretty good weekend. … It had a nice relaxing tone to it, and then it was followed by the off day. That was good planning on Ziggy's part."

KIDS PLAY: The Rays aren't thinking about using rotation prospects such as Chris Archer or Alex Cobb in relief, Maddon said, because their futures are too bright as starters. "It's just like David Price a couple years ago when we sent him back out (to the minors) and everyone wanted to make him the closer at that time, but we felt it was really important to keep him as a starter," Maddon said. "Those kids there can be like outstanding."

MISCELLANY: 3B Evan Longoria is expected back in the lineup today after leaving Saturday's game early and missing Sunday's due to dehydration and cramping.

Times staff writer Marc Topkin contributed to this report. Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.

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