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Captain's Corner: Pressure on reds, trout decreases

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By Doug Hemmer, Times Correspondent
Saturday, March 31, 2012

What's hot: The best part about fishing at this time of year is the multiple species available. It takes the pressure off the reds and trout, which have been the main action over the past few months. When anglers have less pressure, the fish become less spooked and easier to catch.

Areas to target: Tarpon are around the bridges inside Tampa Bay and the shallows of the Gulf of Mexico. In the gulf, most travel in 8-11 feet. At the bridges, look for them rolling close to the pilings. Kingfish and mackerel can be found over the hard bottom close to the beach, artificial reefs and most areas holding large schools of bait. The reds are still hanging in the mullet schools. Larger trout are schooling with the mullet. Most of the slot trout are in 3-4 feet. Look for them in areas with a mixture of grass and sand.

Bait: Whitebait, scaled sardines and threadfins can be found around the Skyway. Threadfins also are just off Blind Pass. Over the hard bottom in 30 feet, anglers can jig up Spanish sardines and blue runners. The sardines are hot baits for kingfish. And when used as cut bait, most reds won't turn them down.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 347-1389.


Tampa Bay Rays: Joe Maddon's pants get trim from James Shields; Jeff Salazar lets hair go wild

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

He wears short shorts

When manager Joe Maddon didn't follow along with the plan to wear shorts for Saturday's pregame workout, RHP James Shields took matters into his own hands with an on-field tailoring. Maddon's one-word sartorial self-review: "Awful."

He lets his hair down

OF Jeff Salazar usually keeps his long, curly hair under control with product. But Saturday, on a bit of a dare from 3B coach Tom Foley, he let it go. "Instead of wetting it down and putting gel in it to keep it in place I let my natural curl and frizz take over," he said. "And I manipulated it a little bit to enhance the 'fro."

Special guests of the day

A year after an explosion in which he lost four fingers on his left hand, soon-to-be 12-year-old T.J. Andrews is a weekend guest of SS Reid Brignac, right. They met, through a mutual family friend, when Andrews was hospitalized in Tampa after the accident and Brignac remained in touch. Andrews, whose father was killed in a car accident in February, still plays Little League, having learned to pitch and throw right-handed. Joined by his mom, Toka, and other relatives, he welcomed the chance to spend the anniversary at the ballpark. "I like that," he said. "It's a pleasure that they let me come out here."

Rays at Orioles

When/where: 1:05 today; Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St., Sarasota

Tickets: $10-45, available through orioles.com and at stadium

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

Pitchers: Rays — James Shields, J.P. Howell, TBA; Orioles — Wei-Yin Chen, relievers TBA

Heads-up

Shields likely will work only a couple of innings as he tunes up for Friday's season opener.

Ticket deal of the day

Tickets for Wednesday's 1:40 exhibition at the Trop against the Future Rays (primarily the Class A Charlotte team) are $10 with all seating general admission. Parking in team lots also is $10.

On deck

Monday: Twins *, 1:05 p.m. Rays — David Price; Twins — Francisco Liriano

* Value game, $2 off

Tuesday: at Twins, 1:05 p.m. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson; Twins — TBA

Wednesday: vs. Future Rays, 1:40 p.m., at Tropicana Field. Pitchers — TBA

Thursday: Off

Friday: Season opener, vs. Yankees, 3:10 p.m., Tropicana Field

Who is this Ray?

He majored in sociology at Vanderbilt. He taped a commercial this offseason with supermodel Kate Upton, right. He hangs out often with his dog Astro.

Who is this answer: LHP David Price

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

A new combination for ESPN's Sunday night baseball

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

tom jones' two cents

ESPN's Sunday night baseball games will have a new crew this season thanks, in sorts, to an offseason trade. Last season, it was play-by-play man Dan Shulman with analysts Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine. Then in the offseason, Terry Francona was fired as manager by the Red Sox and replaced by Valentine. ESPN quickly scooped up Francona to take Valentine's seat in the booth. Earlier this spring, the three were in Clearwater, where each spent a few minutes with Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tom Jones.

Dan Shulman

What are your thoughts on Terry Francona joining the broadcast?

I think he's going to be fantastic. I think he's really going to be terrific at it. He's just such a regular guy. Obviously, he has spent a lifetime in baseball, and he has great stories and experiences. He's just natural. He says what he sees. There's no pretense about him. He's extremely likeable and extremely knowledgeable.

And Orel Hershiser?

From a pitcher's perspective, who knows more about it? Who can break it down better than Orel Hershiser? I've got a guy who accomplished everything you can as a pitcher and a guy who accomplished everything you can accomplish as a manager.

What advice have you given Terry about becoming a broadcaster?

I told him, "Just be yourself.'' It's a big company, and we have lots of meetings and conference calls and emails. But I said, "It's okay. Once we start the game, it's just a baseball game. Just pretend it's three guys sitting in somebody's basement watching on a big-screen TV.''

Orel Hershiser

Your thoughts on Terry Francona joining the broadcast?

He has a great baseball mind. He has very current experiences, which the audience is going to love. I've got to make sure that when I'm talking about something, I've got to find a way to draw him into the conversation.

He seemed like a natural when he filled in for two games on Fox during last year's American League Championship Series, didn't he?

That's no surprise. He was very comfortable in his interviews as a manager. He was comfortable as a player. He's a great people person. He has great connections throughout the game, so it's going to be very fresh. And that's what I love about it. I have to continue every year to stay current because I retired in 2000 as a player. And then I was a pitching coach, and then I did some other things. But you still have to work at being on the edge. He's not going to have to because he was in the game last season.

How long does it take for a three-man booth to find that camaraderie?

Well, last year, it didn't take very long with Dan, Bobby and I because I played for Bobby (with the Mets) and we're friends. And it's going to be the same with Terry. I coached with Terry in Texas. I was the pitching coach, and he was the bench coach. I think it's going to be natural. When you get along in normal life, you're going to get along on the air.

You've done different things in baseball since retiring pitching coach, front office. What is it you love about broadcasting?

It keeps you a part of your fraternity without having the pressure of wins and losses. Our win and loss is a lot more tied to how are the ratings. Don't make a lot of people mad on the air. Be entertaining. And the win and a loss for a ballplayer is every single day. They carry more pressure. But we still get to experience the lifestyle, and we get to be a part of it.

Terry Francona

You filled in for Tim McCarver for two games in the American League Championship Series on Fox in the fall. How was that?

I thought (Fox announcer) Joe Buck was crazy when he called me and said, "Hey, I want you to come and do these two games." And I said, "Are you nuts?'' He talked me into it, and it was probably the luckiest thing I've ever done. I mean, it opened up this.

How weird is it not managing this spring?

This is the first time I haven't been in a uniform in 32 years. It's different. But it's amazing. Sometimes, I just feel like I'm always lucky. I run into good people. And this is no different. It's going to be a great experience. I don't know where it's going to lead, but it's going to be a great experience.

You know, when Jon Gruden took a job with ESPN as an NFL announcer, everyone assumed he would be there for a year and then return to coaching. Four years later, he's still in the booth.

Funny you mention Jon because I spoke to him before I took this job.

What did he say?

He just told me how much he liked it and how much I was going to enjoy it. We're kind of in the same situation where we were a little beat up at the end. And he said it was good for him. He spent about 20 minutes talking to me, which I appreciated.

How much confidence did you gain from doing those two games last fall?

A lot because if I told you I was confident going into those two games, I'd be lying to you. I was scared to death. And Joe babysat me as Dan will, too. They convinced me that I don't have to be a broadcaster. I just have to talk baseball. That's what I like doing. That's all I ever do anyway.

Do you think you'll be able to be critical?

I think there's a way to do it without taking shots at people. I don't particularly enjoy making fun of people. I just think I'll say what I see. Look, if someone doesn't catch the ball, they didn't catch the ball. It doesn't mean they're a bad person. My job is to try to articulate what I see. That's all.

Are you more nervous or excited?

I'm looking forward to it. These guys have been great. I've gotten a lot of help. I'm okay. Again, what it boils down to is I have to talk about baseball. It's all I know. I've probably been accused of not knowing that. (Laughs) But if I can talk about baseball, I'll be okay.

Tampa Bay Lightning players planting seeds for next season

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

Tim Wallace is coming off a pretty good week for the Lightning.

He had the winning goal in the March 24 game with the Islanders. Monday against the Flyers, his perfect pass sparked Marty St. Louis' breakaway goal, and he separated Jaromir Jagr from the puck by decking the future Hall of Famer with a clean, hard check.

Those were fertile seeds planted by a player who needs a new contract. "Definitely," Wallace said. "For everybody, every game is an opportunity to showcase what you can do."

That is especially true with Tampa Bay, which figures to have jobs up for grabs next season, especially on its bottom two lines, and whose injury woes and trades opened roster spots for players who otherwise might not have gotten much of a look.

Those players include Wallace; center Trevor Smith, who gets power-play and penalty-kill time; right wing J.T. Wyman, a penalty-kill regular; and left wing Pierre Cedric-Labrie, who added a physical element the team needed and who coach Guy Boucher said also "plays smart."

Wallace was on his way to the minors when Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers from the Islanders. The others were called up from AHL Norfolk.

"When you look at the players, maybe there's that one guy who was called up who never would have been called up if it wasn't for our situation and will make it next year because of what we're learning right now," Boucher said. "He might score a Stanley Cup goal two years from now. You never know."

That the Lightning is even having such a conversation is a good step for a franchise that because of bad drafting from 1999-2007 was so bereft of organizational depth that general manager Steve Yzerman made it a priority to rebuild the minor-league system.

That Norfolk this season established an AHL record with a still-going 22-game winning streak indicates progress.

There still is a long way to go. More high-end talent is needed to create a feeder system to the big club that is self-sustaining. But the process has started, and trying to fill a depleted roster gave the Lightning an unexpected and encouraging glimpse of the earliest results.

It also gave some players hope.

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano feels urgency to win

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

TAMPA — When the Bucs hired Raheem Morris as coach, they hoped he would become the next Mike Tomlin. In replacing him with Greg Schiano, they have to wish for the next Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh, the 49ers coach who made the transition from college where he led San Diego and Stanford, took a once-proud franchise that had suffered eight straight losing seasons to within one game — heck, one play — of the Super Bowl.

Going from worst to first is well documented in the NFC South. Schiano doesn't have to make wine from water. The Bucs went 10-6 in 2010. But he's aware of the increased urgency to win.

"I … know it's a win-now league. Believe me, I got that memo," Schiano said. "I think it trickled down to college as well. You had a head coach get fired in college after two years. That's unheard of. But we also know what coaches are getting paid, too. That's changed, too. With everything, as the stakes rise, I got that part, too.

"There's such a fine line in this league between winning and losing. Now it is in college, too, but it's much finer here. I think the talent level is much closer, too. So we added some talent. We'll add some more in the draft, try to coach them the best we can. We talked about implementing some new systems, and obviously, we won't be as far along as the teams that we play. Try to win every game, more important, try to go out and play the best we can.

"I think when you start worrying about, 'Got to win this. Got to win that. This is a must-win,' I won't get into that because every step of the way, all you can control is how your team does; what I do as a coach Monday through Saturday to get ready for Sunday. The old adage, wars are won before they're fought."

Schiano was in high demand at the NFC coaches breakfast last week in Palm Beach. The most common topic was steps he has taken to avoid becoming another statistic among coaches who failed to make the transition from college to pro.

"I think a lot is made about college coaches that haven't done well," Schiano said. "But if you look at it, there are a lot of coaches (overall) who haven't done well. It's a pretty high turnover rate in this business. Throw the college coaches in there as well. I understand the reasons people say it is different. I think the thing I'm glad about is that I was a head coach for 11 years before I took on this challenge."

Schiano also took measures to decrease the learning curve by hiring veteran assistants, including Butch Davis (defensive assistant), Jimmy Raye (offensive assistant), Mike Sullivan (offensive coordinator) and Bill Sheridan (defensive coordinator). The hardest part for Schiano so far?

"I think figuring out all these rules," he said. "This is Phase 1. You can lift, and you can meet, but you can't go on the field. We had a lot of rules in college, too, so they are just different. But I've got to sift through it."

BATTLE OVER RICHARDSON? Talking to Schiano, it's clear he would welcome the addition of a running back such as Alabama's Trent Richardson. When a coach openly pines for a player prior to the draft, cynics suspect a smokescreen. But when you're talking about the No. 5 pick, there's not much intrigue.

But more and more, it looks like the Browns, at No. 4, will take Richardson before the Bucs have a shot. Cleveland GM Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur attended his workout at Alabama. Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill is possible if the Browns decide to give up on Colt McCoy. The Browns also have to consider Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon.

Richardson will visit and work out for the Browns and Bucs. More and more, it looks as if Tampa Bay will pick among Richardson, Blackmon, LSU CB Morris Claiborne and, if he gets past the Vikings at No. 3, USC tackle Matt Kalil.

BARBER DEAL: CB Ronde Barber signed a one-year, $3 million deal, down $1 million in base salary from 2011. It's likely Barber can make that up with playing-time incentives. So it backs up the team's promise that Barber will compete for the starting right spot, most likely with the recently signed Eric Wright.

Johnson seeks return to once-dominant form

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Jimmie Johnson has gone from dominating NASCAR to watching others do it.

Johnson won the last of his unprecedented five consecutive Sprint Cup championships in 2010. But he hasn't won in his past 11 races and has visited Victory Lane just once in his past 33 starts. That from a guy who has a win for every 6.7 career starts.

Johnson even went winless last year at Martinsville Speedway, site of today's Goody's 500, where he won six times from 2004-09. But the drought isn't really what bothers him.

"What messes with my head is when I miss a chance to win," he said, noting five or six missed opportunities. "When you run 15th all day long and finish second, you leave the track knowing you got more than you should have. The days that you lead the most laps, and dominate a race and come home second, those sting. I think back to Dover last year (when he was beaten by Kurt Busch on the final two restarts). That one stings."

Truth be told, Johnson said, his career has taught him to weather a dry spell.

"Growing up in racing, I didn't have this kind of success until I got to the Cup level," Johnson, 36, said. "It's not that I was ever happy with not winning, but you just learn how to deal with your emotions, and you learn how to learn from experiences and get better and stronger at it. … Right now I'm very optimistic about our season."

Carl Edwards burst into laughter when he heard Johnson's one victory in 33 races had become a hot topic.

"He hasn't won in 11 races? The poor guy," Edwards said before getting serious. "That shows you how successful he is and the expectation they have for success, and I think that when Jimmie is upset about not winning in 11 races, he's truly upset."

Edwards, winless in his past 38 starts, said Johnson and his team at Hendrick Motorsports remain the standard.

"We look at them every week," Edwards said. "No matter where they're at in the standings, how fast they are in practice, I think everyone in the garage watches them because, like it or not, which I don't like it, they are the model team right now in this era of the sport."

Tampa Bay Lightning Nuts & Bolts

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

5 questions C Steven Stamkos

Did you have a pet growing up? I think I had a hamster one year, but I don't think that counts.

You didn't have a dog? I didn't have a dog or a cat.

When your life settles down, would you like a pet? One hundred percent, I'll have a dog.

What kind? I'm a big fan of the golden retriever, a Lab or a German shepherd, even.

Would you teach him to shake hands? I'd want him to be obedient. He wouldn't have to do a lot of tricks.

Brick in the wall

Seeing the plot of land in Philadelphia where the Spectrum used to sit reminded Lightning TV analyst Bobby "The Chief" Taylor, who from 1971-76 played 44 games in goal for the Flyers, that he has a brick from the team's demolished home.

"I got this big, heavy package from UPS," Taylor said. "I said, 'What is this?' "

Though Taylor said he appreciates the memento, presented nicely in a clear, plastic box provided by the team, he really would have liked something else.

"It would have been great," he said, "if they would have given us our lockers."

Vote to note

EA Sports is allowing fans to vote for the player who goes on the cover of its NHL13 video game.

Each team has two nominees, and candidates will be whittled down over three rounds of voting, the first of which runs through April 11. For the Lightning, NHL12 cover boy Steven Stamkos is in the running with D Victor Hedman.

Go to NHL.com/covervote to vote as many times as you want.

"I just told him if he is going to do it, he's got to be quicker."

Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin, right, joking about Lightning F J.T. Brown, who as a UMD player pleaded guilty to fleeing police, a misdemeanor, after being caught with a fake ID

Number of the day

4 Months this season with 10 or more goals for C Steven Stamkos, tied with Mario Lemieux and Alex Ovechkin for most in the league since 1993-94, according to Stats Inc.

Outfielder Jeff Salazar appears to have made Tampa Bay Rays roster

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

PORT CHARLOTTE — Manager Joe Maddon wasn't ready to say OF Jeff Salazar had made the team. He can't yet, not with executive VP Andrew Friedman exploring trade and waiver wire pickups in advance of Wednesday's 5 p.m. roster deadline.

But what Maddon could say Saturday was that Salazar was the top candidate left in camp for the final roster spot as the Rays sent OF Jesus Feliciano and INF Will Rhymes back to the minors and were unlikely to promote prospect Brandon Guyer.

"He's obviously the last man standing," Maddon said, "but it's not been decided yet."

Salazar, 31, separated himself recently with his overall play, Maddon said, including the quality of his at-bats (.258 average, 10 walks to six strikeouts), power potential, defense and arm strength. Also, he has the most major-league experience, having played in parts of four seasons.

Salazar said he wasn't assuming anything and would keep doing what he's been doing: "My mind-set won't change."

Without getting specific on alternatives, Maddon said "there's still other things in play." The Rays will open the season without OFs Sam Fuld and B.J. Upton.

Late Saturday, the Rays acquired OF Kyle Hudson from Texas (for future considerations) to provide depth at Triple A. Hudson, 25, played briefly for Baltimore last season.

BLISTERED: RHP Jeff Niemann said the bloodied blister on the tip of his right middle finger is "a small annoyance" but should not cause him to miss his first regular-season start on April 11 or 12.

The blister surfaced after his Monday start in Fort Myers and by Tuesday was swollen and "kind of infected" to where Niemann said "I couldn't really even move my finger."

It has since calmed down, and Niemann said he could get back on the mound for a bullpen session as soon as today, but there is still concern of a recurrence. Though Niemann had to skip Saturday's start, he said his prep for the season shouldn't be impacted since he was already built up to 95 pitches.

PERALTA PUMPED: RHP Joel Peralta didn't hide his emotions after a confidence-building 1-2-3 second inning, pumping his fist as he came off the mound. Peralta had been struggling mechanically and questioning whether skipping winter ball, at the Rays' request, had left him unprepared. But he made some adjustments since his last outing:

"I think I fixed some stuff I was doing wrong, so let's see how it goes from here. … My arm strength is still not there."

GAME DETAILS: The Rays got homers from Carlos Peña (his first of the spring), Evan Longoria (third) and Luke Scott (third) but played to a 7-7 tie with a squad of Boston reserves and minor-leaguers. … At 8-16-5, the Rays have their most spring ties and fifth most losses. … The four errors were the most by the Rays in any game since June 6, 2009, at Yankee Stadium. 3B Longoria made his fifth. … RHP Wade Davis, in his first outing since being moved to the bullpen, allowed five hits and a walk and threw a wild pitch in three innings (with some shaky defense behind him), though Maddon said "he threw the ball pretty darn good."

MISCELLANY: MLB Network's 30 Clubs in 30 Days package, hosted by Sean Casey, runs tonight at 9.


Baseball: hed here

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Laura Keeley, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

TAMPA — Amid the intermittent rain, Jesuit's offense never fell out of rhythm on Saturday as the Tigers routed Tampa Catholic 13-5 in a rivalry game that lasted more than three hours. The victory gave the Tigers a sweep in the annual two-game series with the Crusaders for the second consecutive year.

"Whatever the run differential is, the bigger it is for us, the happier we are," said junior Spencer Trayner, a North Carolina commit who limited Tampa Catholic to one run in five innings of work.

Trayner also helped himself offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Jesuit (15-1). Fellow Tar Heel commit Adrian Chacon, who has risen from seventh to fifth in the batting order, opened the scoring with a first-pitch-swinging home run over the centerfield fence to lead off the second inning. He added another homer, again on the first pitch of his at-bat, in the seventh.

"First at-bat, tie game, so I was just trying to drive something the other way," said Chacon, who entered the game hitting .333. "Some of my teammates were telling me how the ball was moving, they way it was coming in, so they were just telling me to sit back and just look to drive it."

The Tigers batted around twice and sent 18 different players to the plate a total of 46 times. Tampa Catholic (8-5) added four runs after Trayner excited in the sixth, with three coming off of a Paulie Russo home run. Russo finished 4-for-4 with a double, that homer, a run scored and four RBIs.

But the Jesuit bats stole the show, as they were out in full force after a relatively light hitting week to compliment the always stellar pitching and defense.

"If we can continue to have a quality approach at the plate like we did today," Tigers coach Richie Warren said, "with our pitching and defense, we're going to be tough to beat down the stretch."

Laura Keeley can be reached at lkeeley@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3112.

'You earned it': 49-year-old Moyer wins rotation spot

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jamie Moyer, at 49 years old, has made it back in the big leagues.

Moyer earned a spot in the Rockies' starting rotation and will start the team's second game of the season. He's the oldest starting pitcher to make an opening day roster.

"It is still Jamie Moyer. It's the Jamie Moyer that was pitching prior to the arm injury that cost him the entire 2011 season. It's the same guy," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said Friday.

"It's the same worker. It's the same professional. It's the same stuff, same velocity, same pitches. When he's right, same type of effectiveness. You're going to venture into this."

Moyer, entering his 25th season, posted a 2.77 ERA this spring and beat out Tyler Chatwood, 22, and Guillermo Moscoso, 28, for a rotation spot.

"I was excited. I'm happy. I'm honored," Moyer said of the decision, which came on the 20th anniversary of him being released by the Cubs. "But in the end, like Jim said, 'You earned it.' That was my goal coming here."

Moyer will start April 7 against the Astros. He can become the oldest pitcher in major-league history to earn a victory.

The last player to play in the majors at 49 years old was infielder Julio Franco, who finished out the 2007 season with the Braves after turning 49 in August. Moyer will be 50 in November.

The left-hander will follow right-hander Jeremy Guthrie in the rotation.

CAREFUL WITH CRAWFORD: Former Rays All-Star Carl Crawford might not return to the Red Sox until May, sportsline.com reported. Crawford, who had a setback early in camp to his surgically repaired left wrist, isn't hitting yet, and manager Bobby Valentine said he'd like the leftfielder to get about 50 minor-league at-bats before joining the team.

ASTROS: Shortstop Jed Lowrie, sidelined since spraining his right thumb Wednesday, still feels some tenderness and might start the season on the disabled list.

BRAVES: Manager Fredi Gonzalez named right-hander Tommy Hanson his opening-day starter.

CARDINALS: Right-hander Jordan Swagerty, one of the team's top prospects, is scheduled for season-ending surgery this week to removed bone spurs in his right elbow and repair a damaged ligament.

DODGERS: Left-hander Ted Lilly, out since March 16 with neck stiffness, will begin the season on the disabled list.

INDIANS: Right-hander Jeanmar Gomez is in the rotation, and veteran right-hander Kevin Slowey is on his way to the minors. Gomez, 24, has a 1.97 ERA in six spring outings. Slowey, 27, optioned to Triple-A Columbus, went 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA.

METS: Left-hander Johan Santana, coming back from shoulder surgery threw 71 pitches in a simulated game and said he felt no fatigue.

NATIONALS: Right-hander Stephen Strasburg pitched four innings in his final tuneup for his opening day start during a 6-2 loss to the Cardinals. He allowed three runs, two earned, all in the second inning.

ORIOLES: Right-hander Chris Tillman was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

RANGERS: Outfielder Josh Hamilton is day to day after leaving Friday night's game with left groin tightness.

TWINS: Right-hander Scott Baker will start the season on the 15-day DL with right elbow inflammation. He'll be eligible to return April 12. … Drew Butera was optioned to Triple A, ensuring the team will carry two catchers to start the season, Joe Mauer and backup Ryan Doumit.

WHITE SOX: First baseman Conor Jackson agreed to a minor-league contract less than a week after being released by the Rangers.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon tasks veterans with leading team in right direction

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

PORT CHARLOTTE

Manager Joe Maddon can find inspiration in the oddest of places, and Saturday he added to the eclectic list the 1974 James Michener novel Centennial.

Maddon, for just the second time in his Rays tenure, gathered 10-11 veteran players before the morning workout for what he called "my lead bull meeting."

The premise, in short, is to have the veterans lead the others in doing things the right way.

Or, as Maddon explained:

"In that book the Indians had to kill buffalo and had to do it without modern-day instruments. So they used to get the lead bull running toward a cliff, and as he would the whole group would follow. And as they would follow the lead bull would say I've got to stop, but it was too late and he'd get pushed over the side and the bulls would land down below and they could come up and kill them and they'd have their food and their clothing, etc.

"So my point is to get the lead bulls running in the right direction. To have our guys all on the same page. With us, we have so much good leadership within our clubhouse to not listen to our guys and not really come together — I'm talking about me as a manager and us as a coaching staff together with the players, because it is about all of us. I don't dictate. A lot of things I believe really should be open for discussion, so I wanted to discuss it and our guys were great, they were fabulous. So I feel even better when you do address the group about how you want to do things, to have everybody on the same page always makes it better."

Maddon said he tried the same approach in 2006, but it didn't work out as well. And it wasn't until this season, when the Rays added several veterans (Jeff Keppinger, Jose Molina, Fernando Rodney, Luke Scott) to holdovers such as Evan Longoria, James Shields and B.J. Upton, that he felt they had the proper mix.

"The veterans we have, some of the new veterans we have in the clubhouse, it's really important to get them on board and understand what we do here quickly, and that I understand them better, too," Maddon said. "For me, it's a great exercise."

RAYS RUMBLINGS: ESPN The Magazine picks the Rays to beat the Phillies in the World Series. … Having debuted the letterman sweaters last year, Maddon is talking about a letterman's jacket for this fall. He also plans to solicit ideas on his @RaysJoeMaddon Twitter account for the themed road trips. … Sun Sports has a one-hour Inside The Rays show on Game 162 planned for April 14. … Per the Bovada.com betting site, the over/under for homers by Evan Longoria is 30½, Carlos Peña 271/2 and Matt Joyce 18½, and wins by James Shields 13½ and David Price 14½. … Nice gesture by former Rays owner Vince Naimoli to donate to the University of Tampa for more athletic fields, though some wish he had spent more on outfielders. … The book on the fans' perspective of Game 162, Baseball's Starry Night, is now available on amazon.com.

Pineda to open first season with Yanks on DL

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

KISSIMMEE — Yankees RHP Michael Pineda will begin the season on the disabled list after tests showed inflammation in a shoulder tendon, but no structural damage.

The injury to Pineda helped the Yankees settle their rotation, at least to begin the season. LHP CC Sabathia and RHPs Hiroki Kuroda, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will begin as New York's starters.

Pineda had treatment, including icing, at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa after an MRI exam on Saturday. He said he doesn't know when he'll resume playing catch.

"I'm feeling a little better," Pineda said. "A little sore. I'm a little sad. I'll be okay."

Pineda said the back of his right shoulder felt sore during the Yankees' 13-9 win over the Phillies on Friday night. He allowed six runs and seven hits in 22/3 innings and struggled with his fastball velocity again, averaging around 91 mph.

"I'm pitching this year," Pineda said. "I'm coming back strong."

Manager Joe Girardi said he was "very relieved because the rest of the MRI came out good."

MORE PROGRESS: LHP Andy Pettitte took another step forward in his comeback by throwing in his second simulated game. Pettitte, who ended a one-season retirement by agreeing to a minor-league contract on March 16, threw 25 of 33 pitches for strikes in a game broken into two segments. He struck out five of the nine batters he faced.

Phils: Getting his work

CLEARWATER — RHP Roy Halladay was just glad to make it to the mound at all.

The Phillies ace pitched two innings against the Blue Jays in a rain-shortened final spring start. He allowed two runs and three hits, struck out three and walked none before a 37-minute rain delay interrupted the exhibition game, won 8-5 by Toronto.

Halladay finished his work inside the batting cage and is set to face the Pirates in Pittsburgh on opening day.

"I got to face some hitters which for there a little while we weren't sure if I was going to be in the cage from the get-go; I'll take it," said Halladay, who warmed up before the game with ominous clouds closing in on Clearwater. "If it's every going to rain it might as well be today on a short (start) as opposed to one where you're supposed to throw six or seven innings."

INJURIES: RHP Mike Stutes (shoulder soreness) played catch. He could throw in a minor-league game Tuesday or Wednesday. The team has not ruled him out for opening day. … RHP Jose Contreras "probably" will start the season on the disabled list, GM Ruben Amaro said. Contreras had elbow surgery in September.

Jays: Feeling strong

CLEARWATER — Blue Jays LHP Ricky Romero prepped for his opening day start by retiring all six Phillies batters he faced, striking out two.

"I think that's the best I've felt all spring," Romero said. "I was sharp with all of my pitches. It's where I wanted to finish."

As the Blue Jays prepared to break camp, Romero spoke optimistically about the team's chances this season. Toronto is 23-5 and has a team record for spring victories.

"I've said it all along, I lead by example, I'm not a rah-rah guy; I just come in and do my work," Romero said. "I feel like everyone is a leader in their own way. We're arrogant in a good way and know we can win. I think those are good qualities to have."

BEING CAUTIOUS: RHP Dustin McGowan (right foot plantar fasciitis) will begin the season on the disabled list. "The foot continues to feel better but we want to be sure every symptom is out of there," manager John Farrell said.

Numbers show that Tampa Bay Rays' radical defensive shifts equal wins

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

PORT CHARLOTTE — Tom Foley remembers back when he was playing in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the extent to which infielders positioned themselves for specific hitters.

"It wasn't as much of a shift," he said, "as it was, hey, this guy's a pull hitter so you take two steps to your right or two steps to your left."

By the time Ben Zobrist was getting to the big leagues in the mid 2000s, the concept had evolved to the point where there was a third degree of distinction for hitters — straight up, slight pull and straight pull — and maybe even a third step in either direction.

"That to me was thinking a lot about your positioning," he said. "Now it's a totally different story."

And no bigger part of the story line than with the Rays, who combine their love for the glove with a sophisticated system of positioning and shifting that has made them the best defensive team in the majors.

"Defense has been our backbone," said Evan Longoria, their two-time Gold Glove-winning third baseman. "It's our staple. It's the way that we play the game."

Their game plan is to have above-average defensive players and make them even better by putting them in the right spots — even when that includes having the second baseman in short rightfield, or the shortstop on the right side of second, or the third baseman closer to second base than the foul line.

"It's a combination of us being a little bit more progressive with our defensive alignments as well as the abilities of those that we're moving around," manager Joe Maddon said. "Because I think we have really high-end defenders in regard to feet, hands, ranges, arms, those kind of things. And if you put them closer to the right spot, that should benefit you even more."

Quantifying defensive efficiency is already an inexact science, and determining the impact of positioning is even harder. But the statheads, computer programmers and writers of The Fielding Bible, Volume III, have tried, and they are certain it has factored heavily in the Rays' success.

By their math, termed Defensive Runs Saved, the Rays were the top team in the majors last season at plus-85 (for a benefit of eight-nine wins, at 10 runs saved per) and project to be the best again this season at plus-42.

And the fact that the Rays shifted more than any other team — by almost 2-1 over the past two years, by their count — was not merely a coincidence.

"It helps to have good players," book author John Dewan said, "but you can do things to make these players better, and all the shifting and all the positioning they do I believe really makes a difference."

Maddon first started experimenting with shifts when he was a bench coach for the Angels in the late 1990s (Ken Griffey was the first subject), and he quickly became a fan. Combining his advocacy with the Rays front office's extensive statistical research and openness to innovation, and the only question seems to be how far they'll go.

The Rays shift regularly against pull-hitting lefties, such as the Red Sox's David Ortiz, the White Sox's Adam Dunn and the Yankees' Mark Teixeira, using the second baseman as essentially a short-rightfielder and at times vacating the left side of the infield.

They've shifted at times against some right-handed sluggers, such as Toronto's Jose Bautista, putting three infielders on the left side of second base. They've used a four-man outfield and a five-man infield.

They have different formations based on game situations, and even specific pitch counts. There is a chart taped to the dugout wall each game listing the preferred alignment for each batter against right- and left-handed pitchers, and more detailed data close at hand.

But as complicated as it may seem at times, the concept is very simple:

See what the numbers and spray charts show, and put your defenders where the ball is most likely to be hit.

"You're playing the percentages," said Foley, the Rays' infield coach. "And usually the percentages are pretty big."

For example, half the balls Ortiz puts in play go to the right side (compared to 30 percent to left and 20 percent to center), so why not have an extra defender there?

"It just ends up being a byproduct of what the tendencies of a hitter are coupled with who's pitching for us and what the likely outcome is," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "There are very few things we can answer in this game that are 100 percent. It's just playing the odds and shifting things ever so slightly and hope that over the course of time it helps us some."

Usually, it's obvious whether it works — such as Zobrist spearing an Ortiz line drive or throwing him out at first — or not. But sometimes the Rays consider it a success just by the hitter's reaction, the confounded look on their face or, even better, if they try to "beat" the shift with a bunt or a ground ball to an open spot rather than take their usual full cut.

Every once in a while, even the players will wonder what Maddon is up to.

"You see our team do a lot of things defensively that no other team would do," Longoria said. "And then you go back and look at the numbers and you're like, wow, that makes sense."

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

Division I hockey … in Alabama? Yes, but for how long?

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By Laura Keeley, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

Of the nation's 58 men's Division I hockey programs, just one is in the South: Alabama-Huntsville.

The origins of the Chargers program date to the space race between the United States and Soviet Union during the 1960s. The future of the host school for this week's Frozen Four at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, though, is in jeopardy. The primary cause is an all-too-familiar topic for college sports fans: conference realignment.

When the College Hockey America Conference dissolved after the 2009-10 season, four teams were left without a home: Robert Morris (located near Pittsburgh), Niagara (N.Y.), Bemidji (Minn.) State and Alabama-Huntsville. Only the Chargers could not find a new conference, their application to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association denied even though the league had an odd number of teams (11).

The conference did not give a reason, saying only in a news release, "At this time, we have chosen to maintain our membership at its current level."

Alabama-Huntsville is the only independent in Division I, an untenable scheduling and financial situation.

"It is absolutely crucial that we find a conference home in order to keep this thing rolling," athletic director E.J. Brophy said. "The only people that can be independents are people like Notre Dame football and Texas if they wanted to pull it off. Those people have monster budgets."

In 1950, Dr. Wernher von Braun brought his team of rocket scientists and engineers from Texas to Huntsville, and they built the rockets the United States used to send astronauts to the moon. Many of the engineers were originally from the North and had children who played hockey.

In 1979, Alabama-Huntsville launched its club team. Its classification has fluctuated throughout the years — the Chargers won two Division II national championships before the NCAA disbanded Division II hockey in 1998 — and has been Division I since 1999.

The program is guaranteed to play in Division I through the 2012-13 season. That in itself is a victory for supporters. Malcolm Portera, the then-interim president and chancellor of the entire University of Alabama system, announced on Oct. 24 that hockey would become a club sport after this season.

The school says hockey's travel budget is more than that of its other six men's programs combined and hockey comprises 40 percent of the total student aid budget for men's sports. The annual hockey budget is currently close to $1 million and expected to increase to $1.5 million with the school providing only about 43 percent of the funds.

The program received a temporary stay on Dec. 6 from new president Robert Altenkirch.

Geof Morris, a 2002 graduate and co-founder of SaveUAHHockey.com has helped lead the effort to save the Chargers. Also active in the campaign are former players Nathan Bowen (2000) and Jared Ross ('05), who played 13 games in the NHL over two seasons.

"We joke that you don't get the H in UAH without hockey," Morris said. "It's the one event that you can get thousands of people to at UAH on a regular basis."

Brophy sees this week as an opportunity to secure the program's future.

"We'll be trying to wine and dine some people from conferences," he said. "That is the No. 1 goal. We're hoping to be behind the big bank of microphones this summer in Huntsville announcing that we'll be going into a conference because we need it."

Sports in brief

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

Horses

Take charge indy gets derby shot

HALLANDALE BEACH — Take Charge Indy earned a chance in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, winning the $1 million Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and knocking off consensus Triple Crown favorite Union Rags to get there.

Jockey Calvin Borel and Take Charge Indy, sent off at nearly 8-1 odds, led nearly every step and held off long shot Reveron to win the Kentucky Derby prep race. Take Charge Indy finished the 11/8 miles in 1:48.79, returning $17.40, $9 and $3.60. "I think he can go a lot faster than this," said Borel, who has been aboard three of the past five Kentucky Derby winners.

Reveron paid $18.40 and $4. Union Rags — the 2-5 favorite, who was down to 1-9 not long before post time — paid $2.10.

dubai world cup: Monterosso won the $10 million race, the world's richest, in United Arab Emirates. The 5-year-old beat Capponi by three lengths. Game on Dude — trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, recovering after a heart attack in Dubai on Monday — was 12th. "Tough day but so happy to be outdoors again enjoying the sport I love," Baffert said on Twitter.

Tennis

Sharapova falls to Radwanska in final

Maria Sharapova lost her serve in the final game of each set, falling to Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5, 6-4 in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne.

Ranked second, Sharapova was runnerup at the Australian Open and Indian Wells to Victoria Azarenka, which makes her 0-for-3 in 2012 finals. "It's always tough, because you do a really good job to get there," she said.

Radwanska, ranked a career-best No. 4, earned her ninth career title and fourth since last summer. "I think I was just better for couple of points each set," she said.

Et cetera

COLLEGEs: USF's Sara Nevins (Pinellas Park High) threw her third no-hitter of the season, striking out a career-high 16 in a 5-0 win at Pittsburgh in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The Bulls (32-5, 5-0 Big East), ranked No. 21 in the coaches poll, won Game 2 4-0 as freshman Sam Greiner tossed 6⅔ innings of two-hit ball. … Florida's Jeff Demps won the 100 meters at the Texas Relays in Austin in a wind-aided 10.01 seconds, .14 ahead of LSU's Aaron Ernest. … Georgia sophomore safety Marc Deas is transferring, joining defensive end Derrick Lott as the second Bulldogs defensive player to leave in as many days. Coach Mark Richt said both are seeking more playing time.

swimming: Michael Phelps won the 200-meter individual medley at the Indianapolis Grand Prix in the world's fastest time this year by almost two seconds, 1:56.32. Ex-Gator Ryan Lochte was third (1:59.37).

figure skating: Patrick Chan of Canada won the men's world title for the second straight year and Carolina Kostner of Italy won her first title at Nice, France. U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott was eighth. On the U.S. women's side, Ashley Wagner was fourth and Alissa Czisny, who fell five times in the four-minute free skate, 22nd, the lowest finish ever for an American who made it out of the qualifying rounds. This was the sixth straight year with no U.S. women's medal.

alpine skiing: World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn said her knees ached all season and she would have MRI exams on them Monday.

soccer: Clint Dempsey scored his 13th English Premier League goal, the most for an American in one season, to help Fulham beat Norwich 2-1. His total is one more than he had in 2010-11. … Thierry Henry scored his first MLS hat trick and set up a goal to lead New York to a 5-2 victory over Montreal at Harrison, N.J.

greyhounds: Kentucky Fire and Tiger Boy won third-round qualifiers in the $80,000 Distance Classic at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg. Qualifying concludes Wednesday night.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires


Harvick mauls trucks field

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Pole-sitter Kevin Harvick led all but two laps Saturday and won the spring NASCAR truck race at Martinsville Speedway for the third time in four years.

The former truck team owner yielded the top spot to teammate Ty Dillon for Laps 4 and 5 in the Kroger 250 but left no doubt which truck was best in leading a series-record 248 laps.

It was Harvick's first truck victory for owner Richard Childress. Until this season, Harvick owned his own truck teams.

"I said to Richard when he leaned in the window, 'Why did I ever start a race team? Can you imagine how many wins we would have if we'd never done that?' " Harvick said.

This felt precariously easy, Harvick said.

"Nine times out of 10, when you have trucks like this, or cars, and you have a day like that where you think you're by far the fastest, usually they never work out," he said, "so today was a special day to win the pole, lead the most laps and win the race."

Dillon held off James Buescher to finish second. Buescher held on for third.

SPRINT CUP: Kasey Kahne became the first two-time pole-sitter this year, turning a lap of 97.128 mph at Martinsville to edge Harvick for the top spot in today's race.

INDYCAR: Helio Castroneves, coming off of a victory last week in St. Petersburg, earned the pole for today's Grand Prix of Alabama in Birmingham at 117.485 mph.

NHRA: Morgan Lucas set the fastest time in Top Fuel at the Summit Racing Nationals in Las Vegas with a run of 3.817 seconds at 321.96 mph. Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also led their classes for today's eliminations.

GRAND-AM: Richard Westbrook and Antonio Garcia won the Porsche 250 in Birmingham, Ala., for Corvette's first Daytona Prototype victory.

Tampa Bay Lightning's Ryan Malone says GM Steve Yzerman inspired his goal against the Jets

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 31, 2012

TAMPA — Lightning LW Ryan Malone once saw a video clip of GM Steve Yzerman, then with the Red Wings, flip a puck over a defenseman to score into an empty net. That, Malone said, was the inspiration for the imaginative goal he scored against the Jets on Saturday.

Said Yzerman, "He took it to a whole other level."

Malone not only flipped the puck high over the head of Winnipeg's Grant Clitsome, he zoomed around the defenseman, who fell to give Malone a breakaway on which he scored with a terrific deke on G Ondrej Pavelec.

"I just figured I'd try to flip it over him," Malone said of Clitsome. "In the new NHL, you really can't really interfere, so then it becomes a race for the puck and he has to turn around. Lucky, I was able to get it before he did."

It was another good game for Malone, who also scored 7:25 into the third period to send the game to overtime at 2-2 and has five goals in his past two games. He also has 10 goals, 20 points in his past 22 games.

"He's been great," Yzerman said. "Every part of the game he's been playing well."

Part of that is he is finally healthy, and it is no coincidence his streak began after he missed eight games with an upper-body injury. "I feel pretty good," he said. "I feel healthy. I'm more involved in the game, and you create more chances that way."

Creatively, too.

"It was a great play," C Steven Stamkos said of Malone's maneuver. "He outsmarted everyone on the ice — the old dump and chase but took it to a new level. I don't know if he's been practicing his golf game lately, but that looked like a good 60-degree wedge. He was our best player."

DEBUT: RW J.T. Brown, the college free agent who made his NHL debut against the Jets, got some pointers from Lecavalier at the morning skate.

"Definitely surreal talking to the guys who have established themselves," Brown said.

What advice was given? "I tried not to give him too much," Lecavalier said, "just some simple things we do in the offensive zone. I know he's a fast player, so just use his speed. He's got so many things to think about, so just keep it simple."

Coach Guy Boucher said he wasn't going to baby Brown, 21, and after the game said he did not have to as Brown had two shots in 13:33 of ice time.

"He's a competitor who can do plays at a high pace," Boucher said. "To throw him in there with top-end guys to get that much ice time and make plays at that speed, it takes a special player."

"Just go out and play," Brown said. "You can't think about it too much. It's still playing hockey. You're still playing the game you know how to play."

ONE IS DONE: Brown's two-year contract includes this season and ends after 2012-13. Why not have the deal kick in next season, when Tampa Bay would get true value for a contract year? Because the five games Brown plays this season — not to mention the service time toward becoming a free agent — were a lure in contract negotiations.

MEDICAL MATTERS: C Nate Thompson (upper body) played after missing seven games.

ODDS AND ENDS: Bucs coach Greg Schiano was on the ice before the game in a Lightning jersey. … C Trevor Smith and defensemen Bruno Gervais and Mike Commodore were healthy scratches.

Two strangers meet; two rivals meet again

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

DENVER — An hour after losing in last season's region finals, Brittney Griner sent Baylor coach Kim Mulkey a text.

The message was simple: The 6-foot-8 junior phenom took responsibility for the loss and said it wouldn't happen again.

So far Griner has fulfilled her promise, helping Baylor to an undefeated season, two victories away from the first 40-win season in NCAA history.

"She was the only kid that texted me within an hour of the loss," Mulkey said. "She said she was sorry that she didn't deliver. When you have a kid as talented as she is, you knew she was going to come back an even better player. She's stronger, she's forceful. She's dominant."

Standing in the way of a second national title for Baylor (38-0) are Stanford and the Ogwumike sisters. The Cardinal (35-1) is making its fifth straight Final Four trip and is trying for its first title in 20 years.

While Stanford and Baylor haven't played each other in four seasons, the other semifinal features teams who know each other inside and out. Notre Dame and Connecticut are facing each other for the eighth time in the past 14 months.

"I'd much rather play teams you don't know so much about," said Mulkey, who Saturday was named Associated Press coach of the year, with Griner being named player of the year. "I don't think we played Stanford since Nneka is a freshman. Have to make sure I'm not overmedicated and forgotten something. We are familiar with Stanford."

The Huskies and Irish are very familiar with each other. Coaches Geno Auriemma of UConn and Muffet McGraw of Notre Dame say this grudge match will come down to execution and effort, with a dollop of desire mixed in.

"There's no mystery left," Notre Dame guard Brittany Mallory said. "There's not going to be any surprises. It's all about heart, who is going to play the hardest, who is going to execute and play well."

A triumphant finish

STILLWATER, Okla. — Toni Young scored 25, Tiffany Bias had 17 points and 11 assists and Oklahoma State (22-12) ended a season marked by tragedy by beating James Madison (29-8) 75-68 to win its first WNIT championship. Oklahoma State lost head coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna in a Nov. 17 plane crash. "I have never been more proud of a group of young ladies than I have this group," said Jim Littell, Budke's former top assistant who took over after the crash. "They set the goal in November to pay honor, and I promise you they paid honor (Saturday) and in this tournament."

Surprising Swede catches Tseng

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Sweden's Karin Sjodin shot a steady 4-under 68 through heavy wind while chasing down top-ranked Yani Tseng on Saturday, pulling even with Tseng in the lead at 9-under 207 heading into the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

The dominant Tseng showed visible frustration while posting a 71 as inconsistent as the wind that buffeted Mission Hills throughout her round in the LPGA Tour's first major of the year.

Tseng is a five-time major champion; the long-hitting Sjodin has never won in seven seasons on the tour.

Sjodin made one bogey in an impressive round, briefly taking the outright lead down the stretch.

"The day was just kind of smooth," said Sjodin, who kept playing despite apparently dislocating a rib Friday. "I never felt like I was ever in trouble. … It feels great to be there. I don't know if I've really had time to think about it much. It's going to be fun (today), definitely."

Haeji Kang, who also has never won on the tour, was two strokes back after struggling to 72. She joins Tseng and Sjodin in the final group today. World No. 2 Na Yeon Choi was among five players at 6 under.

Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse shot 70 and was tied for 24th at 2 under.

Tseng has won the past two tournaments and three of five this season, leading 10 of the past 11 rounds on the tour. At 23, she is shooting to become the youngest six-time major winner in history. She is three years younger than Tiger Woods was when he won his sixth.

Tseng knew she might be in trouble when serious wind hit the Dinah Shore tournament course right about when Tseng and Kang teed off in the final twosome of the day.

"For the front nine, I played very solid, especially in this wind," said Tseng, who had plenty of experience in bad-weather golf growing up in Taiwan.

"I don't think it was as tough as I thought, so maybe I was prepared for this. But on the back nine, I got kind of emotional, maybe thinking too much, trying too hard to play better."

PGA: Louis Oosthuizen shot his second straight 6-under 66 to reach 17-under 199 and take a two-shot lead over Hunter Mahan after the third round of the Houston Open in Humble, Texas. He shook off two early bogeys on a sunny, windy afternoon at Redstone. He reeled off four birdies in a row on the back nine to surge ahead. Mahan had 65, rebounding from a bogey on No. 9 with four birdies on the back nine. Carl Pettersson (67) and Brian Davis (69) were three strokes back at 14 under. James Driscoll (71) was alone at 12 under.

EUROPEAN: Thorbjorn Olesen made four birdies and an eagle for 5-under 67 to lead the Sicilian Open by three strokes at 12-under 204 heading to the final round in Sciacca, Sicily. John Daly (72) was six shots back.

Pitino says he's in 'Cats corner

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Times wires
Saturday, March 31, 2012

NEW ORLEANS — Louisville coach Rick Pitino is taking a stance that will probably make some Cardinals fans cringe: He's backing Kentucky in the NCAA national final.

Shortly after Louisville fell 69-61 to the Wildcats in the Final Four on Saturday night, Pitino said he hopes the Wildcats "bring it home for the state."

Pitino said he's well aware of the animosity fans of both teams have for one another and even made reference to a story about kidney dialysis patients who got into a fistfight.

"I just said to John (Calipari), 'I'll be pulling for you. Bring the trophy back home to Kentucky,' " Pitino said. "Sometimes, there's a lot of talk about these guys fighting, dialysis, there's also really a lot of people that get along. … For those that have brains, they root for each other. We like their basketball team."

The Louisville coach also coached at Kentucky in the 1990s and won a national title in 1998.

Rowdy celebration: Thousands of Kentucky fans swarmed streets on and off the campus in Lexington after the victory, setting couches ablaze and overturning cars.

Many streets had already been blocked off to make way for the crowds. But sirens blared and police began shutting down more streets as the blazes broke out.

Lexington city spokeswoman Susan Straub said police made fewer than 10 arrests, only a few injuries were reported and by 11 p.m., three hours after the game ended, crowds were dispersing.

"Things have not gotten out of control," she said.

NICE SEATS, COACH(ES): Michigan State coach Tom Izzo had no idea why he was sitting in the front row of a section of Louisville fans — especially since the Cardinals ended his season last weekend — other than he was supposed to have a bunch of well-known coaches along with him.

Every coach who has won a national title was given seats in the first row behind the media, Izzo said. It was a new gesture by the NCAA this season. Joining Izzo were North Carolina coach Roy Williams and Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

"It's fun to be here," Izzo said, "but it's always more fun the way we've been here in the past."

JUDD JAZZED: Actor Ashley Judd has been one of the most visible supporters of Kentucky basketball over the years, showing up to games in Lexington and around the country. No way was she going to miss seeing the Wildcats face fierce rival Louisville in the Final Four.

Sitting in the front row behind Kentucky's bench inside the Superdome, Judd was decked out in blue and white as she awaited the most anticipated game in the heated in-state rivalry.

"It's just wonderful for the state," she said. "This is like the good ol' days. This is about history, it's about family."

KENTUCKY ROYALTY: Joining Judd courtside were hip-hop giant Jay-Z and Nike chairman Phil Knight.

WOODEN AWARD: Kentucky's Anthony Davis won the Wooden Award. He's the second freshman to win it after former University of Texas forward and current Oklahoma Thunder standout Kevin Durant accomplished the feat in 2007.

K-State hires Weber

Bruce Weber, fired as coach by Illinois last month, was hired by Kansas State. He replaces Frank Martin, who resigned to take over at South Carolina. Weber agreed to a five-year, $8.5 million contract that will pay him $1.5 million next season and an additional $100,000 each remaining year.

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