By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays senior adviser Don Zimmer has been hospitalized for the past week due to kidney problems and has to start dialysis treatment immediately.

"His kidneys are bad," son Tom Zimmer said Wednesday. "But dialysis is something you can get for a long time. He's going to be fine."

Zimmer, 81, has been hospitalized three times over the past five weeks for varied reasons, including a "diabetic-type episode." He is expected to be released today.

"It's been one thing after another," Tom Zimmer said. "He's looking better right now."

Zimmer has not been at Tropicana Field since the opening weekend. Tom Zimmer said once his father gets comfortable with the dialysis schedule and routine, he should be back with the Rays.

"I imagine he's going to want to come down there as soon as he can," Tom Zimmer said. "We'll see how it goes."

UPTON OUT: CF B.J. Upton left the game after five innings due to tightness in his right quad, but manager Joe Maddon said it was not a major concern.

"It's nothing serious, it really is not,'' he said. "He just cramped up a little bit.''

Upton seemed to be walking fine and said it was "no big deal" on his way to the trainers' room after getting dressed. With a matinee today, though, he is unlikely to be in the lineup.

SOCK IT TO HIM: RHP Kyle Farnsworth felt good the day after testing his strained right elbow for the first time by throwing — albeit with the ball in a sock to minimize movement. "Everything went well," he said. "It's a step forward."

Farnsworth's earliest return date was pushed back to June 5 when the club moved him to the 60-day disabled list Tuesday, but he said that was in line with his original timetable anyway so it shouldn't be seen as a delay.

SOME RHYMES REASON: Will Rhymes, promoted Tuesday from Triple A, made his first big-league start, and appearance, at third base, part of what Maddon said is likely to be a "revolving door" of replacements for injured Evan Longoria.

Maddon also said he is most comfortable with Sean Rodriguez at third and might shift him there and put Elliot Johnson at shortstop when he plays.

Rhymes handled himself at third but moved to second, his natural position, in a six-player shuffle after Upton left.

MATSUI MANIA: Hideki Matsui took the field as a Ray for the first time Wednesday morning with the extended spring training squad in Port Charlotte, with nearly 40 of his friends from the Japanese media watching.

Matsui made a solid impression by taking part in the full workout. "I can't remember the last time we had a major-leaguer participate in a baserunning drill in extended spring training," field coordinator Bill Evers said.

Matsui will play a few games for the extended spring team, then report to Durham. "It feels different once you actually join a team and then get after it," he said through his interpreter. "I just want to slide in and join in with whatever the team is doing."

LEGAL MATTER: A Charlotte County judge is expected to decide today whether to reduce the $1.015 million bail for minor-league RHP Matt Bush, jailed on charges stemming from his March 22 DUI hit-and-run case.

MISCELLANY: RHP James Shields' 11 strikeouts were three off David Price's team record. … Shields and his wife, Ryane, will cut the ribbon at tonight's Heart Gallery "Celebrate Me Home" event. … The bullpen is 2-0, 1.45 with five saves in the past 10 games. … Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki's 10 putouts were one shy of the MLB record for rightfielders (Oakland's Tony Armas, 1982).

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Rays vs. Mariners

When/where: 1:10 today; Tropicana Field

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Tickets: $9-210, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within 5 hours of game time.

Probable pitchers

Rays: RH Jeff Niemann (1-3, 3.86)

Mariners: RH Kevin Millwood (0-2, 5.24)

On Niemann: The tall Texan has pitched well against the Mariners, going 4-0, 2.87 in six starts, with 34 strikeouts in 37⅔ innings, and 3-0, 1.39 in his past three. Day games have been an issue at times.

On Millwood: The 37-year-old 16-year veteran finished last season strong with Colorado but hasn't been as sharp with Seattle, losing his past two. He is 3-3, 5.83 in eight starts vs. the Rays.

Rays going to the dogs, for charity

A calendar featuring photos of David Price, Evan Longoria (right), B.J. Upton, manager Joe Maddon and other Rays with their dogs will be available starting Friday, with proceeds to the Pet Pal Animal Shelter, a no-kill organization. The "Players & Pooches" calendars are $15 and will be available at Tropicana Field, the Tampa team store and two Pet Pals in St. Petersburg: the shelter at 405 22nd St. S and the clinic at 1900 34th St. N. Ryane Shields, wife of James, took most of the photos.

Number of the day

29,267

Total attendance for the three games vs. Seattle after drawing 9,837 on Wednesday, 9,972 on Tuesday, 9,458 on Monday.

Stat of the day

Rays pitchers have struck out 12 in a team-record three straight games, and 10 or more in four straight, most since June 2007 and one off the team mark.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

WASHINGTON — Marian Gaborik scored with 5:19 left in the third overtime Wednesday to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Capitals and 2-1 series lead in the East semifinal.

It was this season's first triple-overtime game and fifth-longest game in Capitals history. They have lost all five.

Ryan Callahan scored a power-play goal 6:41 into the second to put New York ahead 1-0. Michael Del Zotto's shot from the left circle deflected off a Capital to Callahan who was alone in front and had an open net.

Washington tied it 4:29 when defenseman John Carlson skated down the ice and sent a shot off a Rangers defender. The puck came right back to Carson, who put a shot past Henrik Lundqvist.

First Period—None. Penalties—Staal, NYR (slashing), 16:32.

Second Period—1, N.Y. Rangers, Callahan 3 (Del Zotto, Gaborik), 6:41 (pp). 2, Washington, Carlson 1 (Semin, Alzner), 11:10. Penalties—Laich, Was (hooking), 5:43; Callahan, NYR (slashing), 11:50.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Knuble, Was (goaltender interference), 14:25; Richards, NYR (tripping), 16:12. First Overtime—None. Penalties—Semin, Was (tripping), 17:32. Second Overtime—None. Penalties—None. Third Overtime—3, N.Y. Rangers, Gaborik 2 (Richards, Girardi), 14:41. Penalties—Green, Was (high-sticking), 2:35. Shots on Goal—N.Y. Rangers 10-12-5-10-6-6—49. Washington 13-8-8-8-7-2—46. Power-play opportunities—N.Y. Rangers 1 of 4; Washington 0 of 3. Goalies—N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 6-4-0 (46 shots-45 saves). Washington, Holtby 5-5-0 (49-47). A—18,506 (18,398).

Rinne's shutout halves Predators' deficit

NASHVILLE — Pekka Rinne made 32 saves as he returned to his dominating form and the Predators beat the Coyotes 2-0 on Wednesday. Phoenix still leads the West semifinal 2-1.

After giving up nine goals in the first two games, Rinne, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, was rarely challenged.

David Legwand and Fisher capitalized on mistakes to score scored 76 seconds apart midway through the first.

First Period—1, Nashville, Legwand 3 (Bourque), 8:10. 2, Nashville, Fisher 1 (S.Kostitsyn, Erat), 9:16. Penalties—Pouliot, Pho (holding stick), 5:04; Fisher, Nas (interference), 11:04; Legwand, Nas (hooking), 15:39; Morris, Pho (hooking), 17:29.

Second Period—None. Penalties—Aucoin, Pho (interference), 5:58; Morris, Pho (cross-checking), 15:18.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Morris, Pho (cross-checking), 9:38; S.Kostitsyn, Nas (hooking), 12:59; Erat, Nas (tripping), 14:18. Shots on Goal—Phoenix 10-12-10—32. Nashville 8-8-10—26. Power-play opportunities—Phoenix 0 of 4; Nashville 0 of 5. Goalies—Phoenix, M.Smith 6-3-0 (26 shots-24 saves). Nashville, Rinne 5-3-0 (32-32). A—17,113 (17,113).

Kovalchuk status: Ilya Kovalchuk, the Devils' top scorer who missed Game 2 with a lower body injury, said he feels better. But coach Peter DeBoer said the wing likely will miss tonight's Game 3.

Stamkos nominated: Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay award, given to the league MVP as voted by the players. The other finalists: Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The three also are the finalists for the Hart Trophy, the MVP as voted on by the media.

Canadiens: Marc Bergevin, the Blackhawks' assistant general manager, was hired as general manager. He also was a defenseman for 20 seasons, including the Lightning's first three starting in 1992-93. In his first act, Bergevin, who replaced the fired Pierre Gauthier, announced interim coach Randy Cunneyworth will go back to being an assistant. He did not say if Cunneyworth would be a candidate for the job and did not give a timetable for a hire.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

ORLANDO — In the first two games against the Magic, the Pacers struggled to make the most of their size and matchup advantages.

After repeated tongue lashings from coach Frank Vogel, the Pacers got the message and capitalized on both, running past the Magic 97-74 Wednesday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series.

Danny Granger had 26 points and nine rebounds, Roy Hibbert added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Indiana held Orlando to fewer than 80 points for the second straight game.

The Pacers regained homecourt advantage after building a 29-point lead in the fourth quarter.

"They made their run at the end of the first quarter. We adjusted, then we tried to lay it on them as much as possible," Hibbert said.

Indiana dominated scoring underneath thanks to a 46-33 rebounding edge. It has outscored the Magic 81-43 in the third quarter in the series.

Vogel said the goal was to limit Orlando's 3-point attempts and thought that "holding that team to 15 3-point field goal (attempts) when they average 28 is a strong defensive effort."

Glen Davis led the Magic with 22 points, though Orlando struggled to get any scoring in the paint and made a series-low five 3-pointers.

Ryan Anderson was held to seven points has 23 total in the three games. "I'm not going to lie, it's frustrating as a group (and) in general to lose a game like this," he said.

Indiana had its way inside and out, shooting 47 percent (37-for-79) and holding a 42-22 edge on points in the paint.

Meanwhile, the Magic connected on only 30 of 71 shots from the field.

"That's three first quarters and three third quarters where it's been the same story," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "So we'll take a look at that and see if we want to make some changes or something. We can't be playing out of a hole all the time."

INDIANA (97): Granger 9-16 3-3 26, West 2-9 0-0 4, Hibbert 8-10 2-3 18, Hill 5-9 4-4 15, George 3-8 6-7 12, Amundson 0-0 0-0 0, Barbosa 2-7 0-0 5, Collison 5-10 0-0 10, Hansbrough 1-2 0-3 2, Stephenson 2-4 0-0 5, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Pendergraph 0-2 0-0 0, Price 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 37-79 15-20 97.

ORLANDO (74): Turkoglu 2-4 0-0 5, Anderson 2-6 2-3 7, Davis 10-18 2-4 22, Nelson 3-10 2-4 10, J.Richardson 2-8 1-3 5, Q.Richardson 1-5 0-0 2, Redick 6-12 0-0 13, Clark 1-2 0-0 2, Duhon 0-0 0-2 0, Wafer 3-5 0-0 6, Harper 0-1 0-0 0, Orton 0-0 2-2 2, Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-71 9-18 74.

Indiana 23 21 32 21— 97

Orlando 14 24 17 19— 74

3-Point Goals—Indiana 8-20 (Granger 5-9, Stephenson 1-2, Barbosa 1-2, Hill 1-2, Collison 0-2, George 0-3), Orlando 5-15 (Nelson 2-6, Turkoglu 1-1, Anderson 1-3, Redick 1-3, J.Richardson 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Indiana 50 (Hibbert 10), Orlando 47 (Q.Richardson 10). Assists—Indiana 16 (George 4), Orlando 14 (Nelson 5). Total Fouls—Indiana 17, Orlando 18. A—18,846.

Spurs squelch Jazz again

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Tony Parker scored 18 and the Spurs had a 20-0 run to hand the Jazz its second-worst playoff loss in franchise history, 114-83 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.

The Jazz never quite greeted Parker with the hard fouls the All-Star was supposed to have coming. The only bigger embarrassment for the Jazz in the playoffs was a 42-point loss to the Bulls in the 1998 NBA Finals.

"We were aggressive, and we wanted to make sure we matched their energy," Parker said.

UTAH (83): Howard 3-9 4-5 10, Millsap 4-11 1-2 9, Jefferson 5-15 0-0 10, Harris 2-7 1-1 5, Hayward 3-10 2-2 8, Favors 3-9 3-3 9, Tinsley 1-6 2-2 4, Kanter 4-8 0-1 8, Burks 2-8 5-5 9, Carroll 2-3 0-0 4, Ahearn 2-3 0-0 5, Evans 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 31-90 20-23 83.

SAN ANTONIO (114): Leonard 6-7 2-2 17, Duncan 5-10 2-2 12, Diaw 5-6 0-0 11, Parker 6-10 6-6 18, Green 5-8 0-0 13, Ginobili 2-6 0-0 4, Bonner 0-1 0-0 0, Blair 5-8 0-0 10, Jackson 2-8 0-0 5, Neal 5-8 0-0 11, Mills 4-5 0-0 9, Anderson 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 47-82 10-10 114.

Utah 17 11 25 30— 83

San Antonio 28 25 34 27— 114

3-Point Goals—Utah 1-6 (Ahearn 1-1, Tinsley 0-1, Hayward 0-2, Harris 0-2), San Antonio 10-22 (Leonard 3-4, Green 3-5, Mills 1-1, Neal 1-2, Jackson 1-2, Diaw 1-2, Anderson 0-1, Bonner 0-1, Ginobili 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Utah 50 (Kanter 10), San Antonio 47 (Duncan 13). Assists—Utah 16 (Hayward 4), San Antonio 28 (Parker 9). Total Fouls—Utah 16, San Antonio 18. Technicals—San Antonio defensive three second. A—18,581.

Late Tuesday: Lakers up

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 38, Andrew Bynum followed up his triple double with a career playoff-high 27 points and nine rebounds, and the Lakers weathered a Nuggets rally for a 104-100 victory late Tuesday, taking a 2-0 series lead.

Pau Gasol had 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Lakers, who haven't trailed in the series.

"It's tough to play against us, because there's legitimately three guys you have to double-team," said Bryant, who had his 83rd career 30-point playoff game, topped only by Michael Jordan (109).

DENVER (100): Gallinari 5-18 2-2 13, Faried 5-7 4-4 14, Koufos 1-2 0-0 2, Lawson 11-17 3-3 25, Afflalo 4-12 3-4 11, McGee 2-6 1-2 5, Harrington 4-13 0-0 11, Miller 0-4 0-0 0, Brewer 5-7 3-5 13, Mozgov 3-5 0-2 6. Totals 40-91 16-22 100.

L.A. LAKERS (104): Ebanks 2-7 0-2 4, Gasol 5-10 3-4 13, Bynum 12-20 3-4 27, Sessions 6-16 2-2 14, Bryant 15-29 6-7 38, Barnes 1-5 0-0 2, Blake 0-4 0-0 0, Hill 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 43-96 16-21 104.

Denver 25 23 26 26— 100

L.A. Lakers 32 23 26 23— 104

3-Point Goals—Denver 4-19 (Harrington 3-7, Gallinari 1-4, Lawson 0-3, Afflalo 0-5), L.A. Lakers 2-15 (Bryant 2-6, Barnes 0-3, Sessions 0-3, Blake 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Denver 59 (Faried 10), L.A. Lakers 56 (Gasol, Hill 10). Assists—Denver 21 (Miller 8), L.A. Lakers 20 (Gasol 5). Total Fouls—Denver 23, L.A. Lakers 20. Technicals—Gallinari. A—18,997.

Stoudemire eyes Game 4: Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire believes there's a "great chance" he can play in Game 4 against Miami on Sunday despite cutting his left hand on a fire extinguisher case. Stoudemire will not play in Game 3 tonight after a surgeon repaired a muscle in the hand Tuesday. The Knicks are listing him as doubtful.

Stoudemire said fans may have the wrong perception about how the injury occurred. "I was more frustrated by the fact that we were down 0-2," he said, denying he was upset about his diminished role in the offense. "I wanted to make some noise and let out some frustration. Unfortunately I cut my hand by accident. I'll be back soon."

Defensive Honor: Center Tyson Chandler became the first Knicks player to be voted defensive player of the year (311 points, 45 first-place votes) by a panel of sports media, beating out the Thunder's Serge Ibaka (294 points, 41) and three-time defending champ Dwight Howard of Orlando (186, 18).

Times wires
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Indians 6, White Sox 3

CHICAGO — Carlos Santana and Travis Hafner homered, and the Indians won in Johnny Damon's debut. Santana hit a three-run shot in the fifth inning, and Hafner had a two-run shot in the ninth. Damon, the former Rays DH, started in leftfield and went 0-for-3 with a walk, then left in the sixth inning because of cramping.

Times wires
Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Cardinals 12, Pirates 3

ST. LOUIS — Carlos Beltran had a career-best seven RBIs and hit two homers for the Cardinals. Rookie Lance Lynn joined the Rays' James Shields as the majors' only five-game winners. A.J. Burnett allowed a career-worst 12 runs.

Times wires
Thursday, May 3, 2012

ATLANTA — Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer in the 11th and the Braves overcame Carlos Ruiz's seven RBIs to beat the Phillies 15-13 Wednesday night.

Atlanta rallied from a 6-0 deficit against Roy Halladay then came back from four down in the eighth.

"It was just a weird game," said Atlanta catcher Brian McCann, who hit a grand slam off Halladay. "Stuff you've never seen happen."

Dan Uggla led off the Atlanta 11th with a single. Jones just missed a homer on a ball that landed foul to right, then connected against Brian Sanches. It ended the Braves' eight-game losing streak to the Phillies.

It was the highest-scoring extra-inning game since Cleveland beat Kansas City 15-13 in 10 innings in 2006, STATS LLC said.

"When you have games like this, your teammates are out there grinding and getting it done, and I didn't," Halladay said. "And that was the difference."

Times wires
Thursday, May 3, 2012

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jered Weaver pitched the second no-hitter in the majors in less than two weeks, leading the Angels to a 9-0 win over the Twins on Wednesday night.

"I never believed this could happen," Weaver said. "What a feeling.

"I'm at a loss for words right now. It hasn't kicked in yet. Thank you for all your support. Couldn't have done it without the defense. The guys were picking me up left and right."

Phil Humber of the White Sox threw a perfect game against Seattle on April 21.

Weaver, a California native who played at Long Beach State, struck out nine and walked one. The Twins didn't come close to getting a hit against the All-Star right-hander. Only two reached base. Chris Parmalee struck out in the second but reached on a passed ball. Peter Bourjos walked in the fifth.

It was Weaver's first no-hitter and 10th in Angels history. Four were thrown by Nolan Ryan. And it was the Angels' first at home since Ryan's in 1975. Their most recent was Ervin Santana's last season at Cleveland.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 3, 2012

PUNTA GORDA — A Charlotte County judge on Thursday lowered the bail of Rays minor league pitcher Matt Bush to $440,000 in his DUI hit-and-run case.

Even so, Bush's attorney Russell Kirshy said, "I don't think there's a chance" he could make that bail.

Judge John Duryea called the original bail of $1.015 million "excessive," but labeled Bush's behavior as "egregious" and said the state had a "strong" case against him with a conviction "probable."

Bush is in Charlotte County Jail facing seven charges stemming from a March 22 arrest when police said he hit the motorcycle of 72-year-old Tony Tufano and fled the scene. Bush had a blood alcohol level of .180, more than double the level at which Florida considers a driver impaired.

Shannon Moore, Tufano's daughter in law, said while the family wants Bush to remain in jail, she believes the reduced bail is "reasonable" and "fair" given the facts.

Kirshy argued that with Bush being "indigent," with $1,000 in the bank and no significant assets, the original bail was unconstitutional, that excessive bail was essentially no bail. Kirshy cited 10 previous similar cases in Charlotte County where bail was as much as 10 times less. Kirshy requested bail be around $30,000.

Kirshy said while he doesn't agree with Duryea's decision, he won't criticize it because the judge thoroughly went through all the facts.

Duryea added conditions in case Bush made bail, which would include GPS monitoring and daily alcohol monitoring through a bracelet, he'd have to stay in Charlotte County.

Kirshy said even if Bush could make bail, he couldn't afford the $600 a month it'd cost to comply with the court's post-bail requests.

Moore said Tufano, who spent a few weeks in intensive care with serious injuries, is recovering at home but still using a walker and in pain, needing a lot of medication.

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors-Fitness Editor
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Those who knew him said Jeffrey Comer was as it good as they get.

"He was a very strong paddler," said Darry Jackson, who sells stand-up paddleboards out of his shop, Bill Jackson Shop for Adventure in Pinellas Park. "He was in great shape."

But when Comer, a 50-year-old from Tampa did not return from a stand-up paddleboard trip near Egmont Key last weekend, his friends could only guess what happened.

This much is certain: The avid waterman had gone out for a paddle near Egmont Key on Saturday. His paddleboard, along with his wallet and car keys, was found near the north entrance of the Manatee River late that evening.

"The weather was pretty nice, but later that afternoon a storm came blowing through," Jackson said. "It was probably pretty rough out there."

The U.S. Coast Guard scoured local waters for two days, covering an area roughly the size of Pinellas County, before abandoning its search Monday evening. Comer's body has still not been found.

An inexpensive lifesaver

Even experienced paddlers can fall off their board when the seas get rough.

"And when you do fall, you tend to push the board away from you," Jackson said. "And when the waves are big, it can be hard to find the board again."

Stand-up paddleboarding is one of the nation's fastest growing water sports. Bill Jackson's sold three times as many boards last month as it did the same time period one year ago.

Unfortunately, many of those who are new to the sport don't think much about safety.

A board leash, which keeps a paddler attached to the board at the ankle, is relatively inexpensive, but it can be a true lifesaver, especially in open water.

"We don't know if Jeff had a leash or not," Jackson said. "But I do know that if I planned to paddle across the mouth of Tampa Bay, I would definitely be using one."

Board leashes cost between $12 and $35. If the water is flat calm, the leash can be coiled up on the deck of the board, where it is out of the way. "But if you are going to paddle open water, you need a leash," Jackson cautioned.

PFDs for SUPs

Many paddlers don't know if and/or when the laws regarding life jackets, or personal flotation devices, apply to paddleboards.

Should a stand-up paddleboard be treated like a surfboard, no PFD required? Or are the oversized paddleboards more like kayaks and canoes, a mode of transportation, and therefore subject to applicable U.S. Coast Guard regulations?

After much discussion, Michael Schenker, a local paddling instructor, put the question to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"Stand-up paddleboards are classified by the U.S. Coast Guard as a vessel," wrote Brian Rehwinkel, the FWC's boating and safety awareness coordinator. "The only exception would be if these paddleboards were used in a swimming, surfing or bathing area."

As a result, basic boating safety equipment requirements apply, which means one U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket "onboard" for each passenger on the paddleboard. In Florida waters, any child under 6 years of age would have to wear a life jacket while the vessel is under way.

Lisa Novak, a public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard in Washington, concurred: "The Coast Guard has determined that beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing or bathing area, a paddleboard is a vessel, and therefore subject to applicable regulations."

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors-Fitness Editor
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Those who knew him said was as good as they get.

"He was a very strong paddler," said Darry Jackson, who sells stand-up paddleboards out of his shop, Bill Jackson Shop for Adventure in Pinellas Park. "He was in great shape."

But when Comer, a 50-year-old from Tampa did not return from a stand-up paddleboard trip near Egmont Key last weekend, his friends were left to only guess what happened.

This much is certain: The avid waterman had gone out for a paddle near Egmont Key on Saturday. His paddleboard, along with his wallet and car keys, was found near the north entrance of the Manatee River late that evening. His vehicle was found at Fort De Soto County Park, and Tampa police checked his residence.

"The weather was pretty nice, but later that afternoon a storm came blowing through," Jackson said. "It was probably pretty rough out there."

The U.S. Coast Guard scoured local waters for two days, covering an area roughly the size of Pinellas County, before abandoning its search Monday evening. Comer's body has still not been found.

Inexpensive lifesaver

Even experienced paddlers can fall off their board when the seas get rough. And once you are in the water up to your chin, it is often difficult to see above the waves.

"And when you do fall, you tend to push the board away from you," Jackson said. "And when the waves are big, it can be hard to find the board again."

Stand-up paddleboarding is one of the nation's fastest growing water sports. Paddlers stand atop a board that is similar to a surfboard and propel themselves across the surface with a long paddle. Bill Jackson's sold three times as many paddleboards last month as it did the same time period one year ago.

Unfortunately, many of those who are new to the sport don't think much about safety.

A board leash, which keeps the board attached to the paddler at the ankle, is relatively inexpensive, but it can be a true lifesaver, especially in open water.

"We don't know if Jeff had a leash or not," Jackson said. "But I do know that if I planned to paddle across the mouth of Tampa Bay, I would definitely be using one."

Board leashes cost between $12 and $35. If the water is flat calm, the leash can be coiled up on the deck of the board, where it is out of the way. "But if you are going to paddle open water, you need a leash," Jackson cautioned.

PFDs for SUPs

Many paddlers don't know whether the regulations regarding personal flotation devices apply to paddleboards.

Should a stand-up paddleboard be treated like a surfboard, no PFD required? Or are the oversized paddleboards more like kayaks and canoes, a mode of transportation, and therefore subject to applicable U.S. Coast Guard regulations?

After much discussion, Michael Schenker, a local paddling instructor, put the question to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"Stand-up paddleboards are classified by the U.S. Coast Guard as a vessel," wrote Brian Rehwinkel, the FWC's boating and safety awareness coordinator. "The only exception would be if these paddleboards were used in a swimming, surfing or bathing area."

As a result, basic boating safety equipment requirements apply, which means one U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket "onboard" for each passenger on the paddleboard. In Florida waters, any child under 6 years of age would have to wear a life jacket while the vessel is under way.

Lisa Novak, a public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard in Washington, concurred: "The Coast Guard has determined that beyond the narrow limits of a swimming, surfing or bathing area, a paddleboard is a vessel, and therefore subject to applicable regulations."

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Some arguments are eternal. They can be recognized by their volume, by their fierceness and by the coincidence that no one ever convinces anyone of anything. They are generational debates, and they will continue as long as there is religion, as long as there are politics, as long as there are opinions.

Once, college football used to be like that.

After all, why should a sport actually bother to decide a champion when it could argue about it?

For a long time, it seemed as if that was never going to change. College football seemed quite happy to turn its scoreboard over to computer jockeys and make-believe and a weak compromise called the BCS. It defended a flawed system with such vigor that you half expected the rest of college athletics to turn their sports over to football's way of deciding a champion.

And now ... peace is at hand.

Finally ... playoffs.

The shift has happened suddenly and silently. Suddenly, the arguing has stopped. For the first time, the odds of the NCAA adopting a college football playoffs are greater than the odds against it. We are down to the details now: How many teams, and where will the games be played, and how will the teams be chosen, and how many bowl games will be affected, and when will at all start, and who will meet in the first game?

All of those are window tinting. The important thing is that a playoff is coming, finally and thankfully. Yes, the conferences and the university presidents still have to approve it, but anything else means a lot of powerful people wasted their time last week in Hollywood, Fla. Anything else would be failure.

This is huge. A college football Final Four would immediately be on the short list of great sporting events. Maybe not quite the Super Bowl, but it might be larger than anything else.

"If this were to happen, it would be remarkable,'' said Bill Hancock, spokesman for the BCS. "It would be the biggest change in the history of college football.''

Administrators such as Hancock have defended the BCS for 14 years. But even he acknowledges that it is time for a playoff.

"If you count the bowl coalition (the precursor to the BCS), we've been doing this for 22 years,'' Hancock said. "Over a generation, things change. Perspectives change. This was evolutionary instead of revolutionary.''

So how will it work?

It starts with four teams. Period. Yes, you and everyone else seems to have a marvelous way to draw up a 32-team bracket. But that won't work. For one thing, the larger the proposed playoff, the harder it will be for presidents to agree.

The biggest advantage of a four-team playoff, Hancock says, is that it doesn't lessen the importance of the regular season. If only four teams make it, then winning every game will still be vital.

"The commissioners do not want to take away from the regular season,'' Hancock said. "They've seen what the power of March is doing to basketball in January and February. They don't want to see that repeat itself in football.

"There is a sense that a four-team playoff would not affect the regular season. The regular season for football is the most important thing in college athletics. It drives the fan bases, it drives revenues and it's the focal point of campus during the fall. If you had eight teams, 16, 24, it would put the regular season at risk.''

Already, there is a concern that some might rush to a quick expansion from the four-team playoff. Don't be surprised if the NCAA announces a long contract, perhaps more than a decade, with a four-team format.

Yeah, but where do the teams play? There is talk of incorporating the existing bowls, for instance. There is talk of allowing neutral site bids. Then there is this delicious idea: Play the games on the campus of the higher seeded teams.

That idea makes a lot of sense. Why not reward the teams that have had the best season?

Granted, there are concerns. Weather, for one. Small stadiums, for another. Small towns with limited hotel space for another. But wouldn't you love to see a Southern Cal-FSU playoff game in Tallahassee? Or an Ohio State-Florida in Gainesville? Or TCU-Boise on Smurf Turf? Frankly, home sites sound like a lot more fun than each team playing 1,000 miles from home.

So who gets to play? Are the four teams picked by the BCS standings? Do you pare college football down to four super conferences and pick the champion of each? Do you pick the best two SEC teams and let the rest of the country fight it out for the next two spots? (Kidding, mostly.)

Just a hunch, but some sort of poll still seems to be necessary to separate one 11-1 team from another. Just a guess, but only the super conferences would be interested in a playoff for only the super conferences.

When is kickoff? Right now, most of the guesswork is it would come after the 2014 season.

Does this hurt the regular season? Of course not. Auburn will still want to beat Alabama and Michigan will want to beat Ohio State.

Will it affect the bowls? Also, of course not. Most bowl games don't have anything to do with the national championship; they're studio shows for ESPN. The Papa John's Bowl would still be a place where 6-6 teams gather to compare disappointment.

Does it end controversy? No, because someone is still going to howl after being left out. If you like arguing, there will be ammunition.

That said, isn't it preferable to step on the toes of the fifth-best team in the country rather than the third-best? This kind of system would have kept Miami from getting robbed in 2000, not to mention Oregon in 2001 and Auburn in 2004 and TCU in 2009 and Oklahoma State last year.

Give me the top four teams in the BCS standings. Give me home games in the semis, a neutral site for the championship. Give me as soon as possible. Give me something in writing, before the presidents put things off again.

It sounds like a playoff, and isn't it time college football seems interested in having one.

Not only that, but it just might happen in your lifetime, after all.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are doing some post-draft roster shuffling, releasing defensive tackle John McCargo and receiver Raymond Webber. Neither transaction is official yet, but we've confirmed both moves.

McCargo was a stopgap option after the defensive tackle position was decimated by injuries late last season. He was initially signed immediately after Gerald McCoy's season-ending biceps tear in November, only to be released a day later when the Bucs claimed Albert Haynesworth off waivers from the Patriots.

McCargo, a former first-round pick of the Bills, was signed again a few weeks later and worked his way into the rotation when the unit was further depleted. McCargo himself ended the season on injured reserve after a triceps injury.

Webber, according to his agent, has been informed of his release. As an undrafted rookie out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff last season, Webber had a tough break when he suffered a season-ending hamstring injury early in the preseason. That set him back and put him at the end of the line in a large group of young receivers.

We're told Webber is healthy and ready to make a run at another roster should another team give him a shot.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 3, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — The stars of Thursday's game — Will Rhymes, Jeff Keppinger and Jake McGee among them — were not names necessarily associated with the best team in the majors. But a month into the season, after completing a four-game sweep of the Mariners with a 4-3 matinee victory, the Rays are exactly that, atop the standings with an 18-8 record.

And while they can't honestly say they wouldn't have it any other way — because obviously they'd rather have standouts such as third baseman Evan Longoria and reliever Kyle Farns­worth playing — they are certainly proud to be able to do it their way, with an all-out effort from just about everyone on the roster.

"That's what this team is built on," starter Jeff Niemann said. "That's just how it is. And that's the way we like it to be."

Already missing Longoria for up to two months, the Rays fielded a lineup also without centerfielder B.J. Upton (quad tightness) and second baseman Ben Zobrist (day off), and with journeyman callup Chris Gimenez behind the plate.

And when they got behind 2-0 early, there was a vibe at mostly empty Tropicana Field — an announced crowd of 11,575 making it a four-game total of 40,842 — that their winning streak was about to end.

But, quickly, the unfamiliar names at the bottom of the order put them back on top, and they went on to win their fifth straight, and 11th of their last 12. "A great feeling," Niemann said.

Rhymes, called up Tuesday, got them revved with two outs and nobody on in the second inning, hustling to beat out a grounder to third for a single. "Just excited to contribute," he said. "I don't really care what I do."

Three pitches later, Keppinger, signed to face left-handers but starting against a right-hander, and at third base for the first time since 2009, clubbed a homer to left to tie it. He put to use advice he solicited from outfielder Desmond Jennings on hitting fastballs.

"Big, obviously," manager Joe Maddon said.

Gimenez, continuing to handle his first extended big-league opportunity well, restarted the rally with a single. Sean Rodriguez, the starting shortstop who will also lend a hand at third, followed with another hit. With the lineup flipped, leadoff man Jennings took it from there, with a triple that made it 4-2.

There was the usual amount of credit-sharing afterward, about whether Rhymes or Keppinger or Jennings got the biggest hit, but the consensus was clear:

"It seems like someone else almost steps up every day," said McGee, who emerged from a shorthanded bullpen to record seven outs, with Fernando Rodney finishing for his ninth save. "(It's) everyone playing together and everyone pulling together."

No matter who they are.

"We're not missing a beat when guys go down," Niemann said. "That's just kind of what this organization is built on and what we've been able to do."

And a prime reason for the big smile in the manager's office.

"I love this," Maddon said. "I love to have everybody involved. Everybody has a piece of the ownership and because of that you get that kind of clubhouse where people don't sit around and start talking and thinking the wrong things. Everybody participates here and because of that I think that's a big part of our team chemistry and the concept.

"And furthermore, they're all good."

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

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 3, 2012

TAMPA — The transactions coming and going pile up across the country, not unlike free agency in pro sports. NCAA basketball could have more than 500 players transferring from one program to another before the offseason is finished.

For all the instability and uncertainty a fluid roster can create, count USF's Stan Heath as one coach who says he understands the fickle nature of young players and, to some extent, has built his success both with the help of such transfers and despite them.

"It's not a negative. I look at it as a positive situation where somebody can get better," Heath said. "I have a chance to improve my team with a transfer if it's the right fit. And normally, when a kid is on his second chance, I think he looks at the next opportunity as, 'I have to make this work.' So the attitude is different."

This past season, Heath's Bulls won two games in the NCAA Tournament with three starters who began their careers at other major programs then sat out the NCAA-required two semesters: Ron Anderson at Kansas State, Augustus Gilchrist at Maryland and Victor Rudd at Arizona State. Conversely, Heath has lost 15 scholarship players during his five-year tenure.

Heath said he doesn't take it personally when a player asks to leave after only a season or two — usually seeking more minutes — accepting it's hardly an attitude limited to college basketball.

"They are extremely impatient. It's the fast-food model. Everybody wants it now. Nobody wants to wait," he said. "That's unfortunate, but that's not a basketball thing. It's the way our youth are being developed. It's a society thing that we have to look into."

Most of Heath's transfers left after a single season of limited minutes, and all left for programs in less-challenging leagues. Players who totaled a few dozen points at USF might be double-digit scorers elsewhere, and Heath said he is glad to see that.

"A high percentage of the kids that left here, I've looked at their career and said, 'Man, they made a good decision. They've had success,' " Heath said. "You know you can't play 13 guys. Somebody's not going to be happy, and you have to understand that. I don't take it personally at all. I've never held a kid back."

There can be ramifications for a school with regard to APR scores, which measure a program's ability to keep players academically eligible and retained in school. A player leaving with a grade point average of 2.6 or lower can hurt a team's APR, which can affect a program's scholarship allotment and postseason eligibility.

Heath said he has never prevented players from transferring until they reach that GPA, as other coaches have acknowledged doing.

Other state programs have benefited from transfers. Florida's Mike Rosario came from Rutgers, and Florida State's Jeff Peterson had stints at Iowa and Arkansas.

Jeff Goodman, who covers NCAA basketball for CBSSports.com, compiles a national list of transfers each year. With more than 400 players already doing so, he expects the number to reach 500 before summer's end.

The trend continues at USF as well. The emergence of freshman point guard Anthony Collins this past season prompted two other point guards to request their release to transfer. Heath has another transfer who could start next season in Martino Brock, a forward from South Alabama. And he picked up a commitment this week from Kore White, a graduate transfer from Florida Atlantic who will play one season for the Bulls.

"Everybody looks at it differently," Heath said. "There have been a couple of kids I wish had stayed. I tried to talk them into staying. But if they really want to go, I would never hold anyone here that didn't want to be here."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Tampa Bay Rays senior adviser Don Zimmer was released from the hospital on Thursday after a week-long stay due to kidney problems, his son Tom said, and "happy to be home."

Zimmer was visited this afternoon by Joe Torre, his longtime friend.

Zimmer, 81, is expected to soon begin dialysis treatment.

By Times staff
Thursday, May 3, 2012

swim to benefit Cancer center

Join Olympic gold medalist Brooke Bennett for a swim along Clearwater Beach on Saturday when Swim across America stops in the area. Participants pledge to raise money for Tampa's Moffitt Cancer Center and then swim either a ½- or 1-mile course at a beach. The first race starts at 8:35 a.m. at Pier 60. Go to swimacross america.org/tampabay to register or learn more.

Solunar Chart

AM PM

minor major minor major

5/4 4:15 10:30 4:40 10:55

5/5 5:10 11:20 5:30 11:50

5/6 6:05 0 6:25 12:15

5/7 7:00 12:45 7:35 1:25

5/8 8:10 2:00 8:45 2:30

5/9 9:20 3:10 9:55 3:40

5/10 10:25 4:15 11:00 4:45

By Seth Leto, Times Correspondent


Thursday, May 3, 2012

What's hot: Clear water off north Pinellas and Pasco counties has provided great sightfishing opportunities for cobia, snook and trout. The cobia have been riding the backs of big rays, from the Anclote River to the Cotee. To find snook and trout head to the beaches.

Tactics: For cobia, simply drift a grass flat in 3 to 6 feet of water. Look for the cobia swimming on the backs of rays or grouped up in sand patches along the flat. Make an accurate cast that leads the fish by only a few feet. Snook and trout can be found around the passes and along the barrier island beaches from Honeymoon Island to Anclote Key. As the tide rises, the fish move up onto the shallow bars. Use scaled sardines, pinfish or shrimp.

Tackle: A 7-foot medium-action rod and a 3000 series reel lined with 10- to 12-pound-test braided line will allow for long casts.

Seth Leto charters out of Tarpon Springs and can be reached at capt.seth@yahoo.com and (727) 385-0382.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Rays vs. A's

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Tickets: $12-$255, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within 5 hours of game time.

Promotion: Carlos Peña T-shirt to first 10,000 women

Probable pitchers

Rays: LH David Price (4-1, 2.67)

A's: RH Tyson Ross (1-1. 6.48)

On Price: He has won his past three, beating Texas in last outing and throwing complete-game shutout vs. Angels the start before that. He's 1-1 with 4.44 ERA against A's, though with trouble last year.

On Ross: A 2008 second-round pick, the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder has pitched parts of three seasons for A's, without much success, allowing 133 baserunners in 92 innings. He faced Rays once in 2010.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Ross

Luke Scott 0-for-1

B.J. Upton 1-for-1

A's vs. Price

Coco Crisp 1-for-7

Jonny Gomes 1-for-3

Cliff Pennington 4-for-5

Kurt Suzuki 0-for-5

On deck

Saturday: A's, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (3-0. 2.51); A's — Bartolo Colon (3-2, 2.53)

Sunday: A's, 1:40, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (1-1, 4.20); A's — Tommy Milone (3-2, 3.69)

Monday: Off

Tuesday: at Yankees, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (5-0, 3.70); Yankees — TBA

Rays disabled list

C Robinson Chirinos, concussion, 60-day

RHP Kyle Farnsworth, right elbow strain, 60-day

OF Sam Fuld, right wrist surgery, 60-day

C Jose Lobaton, right, shoulder soreness, 15-day

3B Evan Longoria, left hamstring tear, 15-day

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

New 'uniform' of the day

Told by manager Joe Maddon he absolutely, positively wasn't pitching Thursday, RHP Joel Peralta showed up at the Trop, after an early morning shopping trip by his agent, dressed for his day off, sporting flip-flops, board shorts, T-shirt, towel and straw hat. "He told me, you're off tomorrow so if you want to go to the beach, go to the beach," Peralta said. "I'm planning to go."

Number of the day

40,842

Total attendance for the four-game series.

Quote of the day

"Turf's not real; it's artificial. And anything that's artificial normally isn't good."

B.J. Upton, Rays CF, getting a little philosophical about the field at the Trop

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer


Thursday, May 3, 2012

. UP NEXT

vs. A's

Tonight-Sunday

What's new: The A's are rebuilding again, accumulating prospects for a potential future run while adding a few veterans, such as outfielders Coco Crisp and Seth Smith, and picking up 3B Brandon Inge. Cuban defector OF Yoenis Cespedes has been exciting, though cooling from a hot start. The pitching can still be impressive, though perfect-game pitcher Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson are on the DL. C Kurt Suzuki could be a potential Rays trade target.

Key stat: The A's have already used 34 players, including 11 rookies, both major-league highs. They have seven rookies on the roster (and could have another with OF Michael Taylor set to join them).

Connections: A's RHP Grant Balfour and OF/DH Jonny Gomes are former Rays, as is trainer Nick Paparesta. … Rays OF Brandon Allen, 1B Carlos Peña, RHP Joel Peralta were with Oakland.

Series history: A's lead 81-48, including 35-29 at the Trop. Rays are 23-22 in last five seasons.

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer