Times wires
Times wires
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Red Sox 4, Cubs 3
CHICAGO — Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered to back a strong start by Jon Lester and give last-place Boston a boost. The Red Sox had lost eight of their previous 11. Boston had a 4-0 lead when Chicago made its push. Luis Valbuena belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning for his first hit with the Cubs, but the rally stalled.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Four top U.S. cyclists, all former teammates of Lance Armstrong, removed their names from consideration for spots on the Olympic team before its announcement.
Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie asked that they be taken out of the running for places on the road cycling team for the London Games, USA Cycling said Saturday. "USA Cycling will not speculate on the reasoning behind their requests and will not have further comment," the statement said.
The national governing body for cycling announced the five riders who will compete in London on Friday: Taylor Phinney, Tejay van Garderen, Chris Horner, Timmy Duggan and Tyler Farrar.
The four withdrawn riders were either unavailable or did not respond to requests for comment. All four spent time on the U.S. Postal team with Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France champion who is facing doping allegations by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
USADA also has accused Armstrong's former team manager, Johan Bruyneel, and other associates of being involved in a doping conspiracy that supplied those teams.
Armstrong and Bruyneel have denied the allegations.
According to USADA's letter announcing the charges, "numerous riders" from Bruyneel's teams will testify he gave them performance-enhancers or told them to use them.
IOC to investigate black market tickets
LONDON — The International Olympic Committee launched an investigation into allegations that Olympic officials and agents have been offering tickets to the London Games on the black market.
The IOC called an emergency meeting Saturday of its executive board after the Sunday Times in the United Kingdom presented evidence on 27 officials controlling the tickets for 54 countries. Reporters, posing as envoys of a Middle Eastern ticket dealer, found 27 agents willing to sell several thousand tickets for up to $9,430.
BMX: Connor Fields won the U.S. men's trials in Chula Vista, Calif., and qualified for London, holding off a field that included Treasure Island native Josh Meyers. Fields will be joined by David Herman, who earned a spot by leading USA Cycling's power rankings.
Beach volleyball: Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal clinched enough points for a trip to London when they beat Latvia in the quarterfinals of an FIVB event in Rome. Defending gold medalists Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser had already clinched, as had Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the No. 1 U.S. women's team.
Diving: Chris Colwill, a 2008 Olympian who went to Tampa Prep, will compete in men's springboard events at the U.S. trials that begin today at Federal Way, Wash. Colwill won the winter nationals and USA Diving Grand Prix and does one of the toughest dives in the world, the forward 4½ somersault tuck. Colwill and Drew Livingston were runnersup at the last two nationals in the men's synchronized event. The top two finishers in each of the four individual events, and the top team in three synchronized events, qualify for London.
Steeplechase: Florida's Genevieve LaCaze, the SEC runner of the year, was cleared to join Australia's Olympic team.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Rays vs. Marlins
When/where: 1:40 today; Tropicana Field
TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)
Promotions: David Price jersey wallet to first 10,000 kids 14 and under.
Probable pitchers
Rays: RH Alex Cobb (2-3, 4.70)
MARLINS: RH Josh Johnson (4-4, 4.27)
On Cobb: He has lost his past three starts and allowed six runs in 6⅔ innings to the Mets on Tuesday. He's 1-2 with a 5.30 ERA in three home starts this season.
On Johnson: He has won two of his past three starts, giving up one run over seven innings against the Red Sox last week. He is 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA in five career starts against Tampa Bay.
Key matchups
Rays VS. JOHNSON
Ben Zobrist 1-for-9
B.J. Upton 2-for-9
Carlos Peña 2-for-7
MARLINS VS. COBB
Hanley Ramirez 1-for-2
Gaby Sanchez 1-for-3
Omar Infante 0-for-2
On deck
Monday: off
Tuesday: at Nationals, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (8-4, 3.01); Nationals — Chien-Ming Wang (2-2, 4.67)
Wednesday: at Nationals, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.45); Nationals — Stephen Strasburg (8-1, 2.45)
Thursday: at Nationals, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (4-5, 4.16); Nationals — Gio Gonzalez (8-3, 2.52)
Joe Smith, Times staff writer
Show of the day
There will be a Father's Day special concert after today's game, with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top, country star Gretchen Wilson and alternative rock group Three Doors Down playing.
Did you know?
In the past 25 seasons, only three American League teams have shut out an opponent on one hit or fewer while scoring at least 11 runs, and two of them have been the Rays. Tampa Bay did so in Friday night's 11-0 win and on April 30, 2009, in a 13-0 victory over Boston.
Number of the day
12
Unearned runs allowed by RHP James Shields, most in the majors.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 16, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG — Rays right-hander James Shields entered Saturday's second straight start against the Marlins joking he hoped he hadn't shown them all his "tricks" already.
Turns out Shields had plenty left up his sleeve, delivering one of his best performances of the season.
Shields earned a no-decision Saturday but allowed just three unearned runs in 72/3 innings, his longest outing since April 21. He threw a season-high 124 pitches, scattering eight hits while striking out five and walking one.
Shields had a chance to help himself in the first inning but failed to turn a Hanley Ramirez grounder into a double play, instead just getting him at first. The next hitter, Giancarlo Stanton, ripped a hard grounder down the third-base line. Sean Rodriguez made a fine diving stop but threw wide of Carlos Peña at first, which allowed Jose Reyes to score.
After the second inning, Shields didn't allow a runner to advance past second base.
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, June 16, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG — Before the Rays played into Father's Day early Sunday morning, third baseman Sean Rodriguez could just tell they were in for a long one.
"A lot of guys hit a lot of balls really well — obviously to the wrong parts," he said. "You can't say that we didn't have enough chances."
But the Rays couldn't capitalize in a frustrating 4-3, 15-inning loss to the Marlins in front of 22,332 at Tropicana Field.
With the loss, their first to the Marlins in their past nine meetings, the Rays dropped to 31/2 games behind the first-place Yankees in the American League East.
"It was definitely a tough (one)," Rodriguez said.
It certainly wasn't pretty, as the Rays (36-27) committed three errors and allowed three unearned runs. But right-hander James Shields pitched well, and their relievers were gritty, stranding a runner in scoring position in four of the last seven innings, including Burke Badenhop striking out Hanley Ramirez with Jose Reyes on third in the top of the 13th.
But ex-Ray Justin Ruggiano hit a one-out double and scored on Scott Cousins' triple to give Miami the win in a game that was tied for the third-longest in Rays history by innings. It lasted 5 hours, 7 minutes, the Rays' fourth-longest game by time.
Reliever Brandon Gomes, who picked up the loss, said Cousins hit a splitter he hung in the zone.
"One pitch I left up a little bit," Gomes said. "Six inches here and there, and that's the ballgame."
Shields picked up a no-decision but came through with a fine performance, allowing three unearned runs through 72/3 innings, his longest outing since April 21. Shields, who threw a season-high 124 pitches, once again found himself on the other end of some hard luck and now leads the majors with 12 unearned runs allowed.
"I thought James was fantastic," manager Joe Maddon said. "James just kept getting better."
In the second inning, Matt Joyce made a rare error, racing to right-center but letting the ball bounce out of his glove. Cousins came up next and hit a ground-rule double, putting runners on second and third. Reyes came through with a two-run single up the middle to make it 3-0.
"Obviously the errors cost us tonight," Shields said.
The Rays bounced back in the third, as Elliot Johnson led off with a triple and Jose Molina knocked him in with an infield single. Molina brought Tampa Bay within a run with his solo homer in the fifth.
In the seventh, Rodriguez sliced a triple down the rightfield line to score Carlos Peña from first, tying it at 3.
Molina looked as if he had a chance for a walkoff homer in the ninth, but Ruggiano made a leaping catch against the wall in leftfield to end the inning.
The Rays had another golden opportunity in the 10th when Desmond Jennings reached on a one-out throwing error by shortstop Reyes and Joyce hit a bloop single to center. But B.J. Upton hit into an inning-ending double play, with Ramirez making a nice play, tagging third and throwing to first.
"I thought we were very unfortunate," Maddon said. "We hit the ball well in moments that were just outs. It didn't want to work out for us."
Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@tampabay.com.
Times wires
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Leaderboard
Graeme McDowell 69 72 68 209 -1
Jim Furyk 70 69 70 209 -1
Fredrik Jacobson 72 71 68 211 +1
Lee Westwood 73 72 67 212 +2
Ernie Els 75 69 68 212 +2
Blake Adams 72 70 70 212 +2
Nicholas Colsaerts 72 69 71 212 +2
Notables
a-Beau Hossler 70 73 70 213 +3
Retief Goosen 75 70 69 214 +4
Tiger Woods 69 70 75 214 +4
David Toms 69 70 76 215 +5
TV/radio: 4 p.m., Ch. 8; 1040-AM
Weather: High of 70, no rain, wind southwest at 13 mph
Westwood on a charge
Lee Westwood ties for the best round of the day at 67 to contend for his long-awaited major. 3C
SAN FRANCISCO — It was difficult to tell Saturday what was more help in bringing the best out of Jim Furyk in the third round of the U.S. Open at the diabolical Lake Course of the Olympic Club.
It could have been the presence of Tiger Woods, considered to have the best chance to win of the three men tied for the lead at the start of the round. Or maybe it was the significance of the national championship and the chance to win his second, nine years after capturing his first.
Whatever the case, Furyk hit a good share of fairways and greens, saved par four times after hitting his approach shot in bunkers, and finished 54 holes in a tie for the lead with Graeme McDowell, meaning two former Open champions will go off in today's final pair.
Furyk, 42, shot par 70, beating Woods by a whopping five strokes. He concluded three rounds at 1-under 209 along with McDowell, who fired 68.
Woods' 5-over 75 shocked a golf-crazed public that expected him to seize control and get a leg up on his 15th major. But Furyk exhibited better play, carding three birdies and three bogeys, recovering after going 2 over through five holes.
Woods bogeyed two of his last three holes and fell to a tie for 14th at 214.
"It was just a tough day all day," Woods said.
Fredrik Jacobson was alone in third at 1-over 211 after shooting 68. Then came a group of four at 2 over: Lee Westwood (67), two-time Open champ Ernie Els (68), Blake Adams (70) and Nicholas Colsaerts (71).
Beau Hossler, the 17-year-old amateur who briefly led Friday, remained steady by shooting 70 and was at 3-over 213 along with five others.
Furyk was 4-of-5 on sand saves, missing only at the par-5 16th where he bogeyed to fall behind McDowell, who birdied No. 18 from 4 feet. Furyk came back with a 15-foot birdie at the par-5 17th and two-putted the treacherous 18th green from 20 feet above the hole.
The winner of the 2003 Open at Olympia Fields near Chicago, Furyk got back to par for the day by sinking birdies of 10 feet at No. 7 and 15 feet at No. 11. The birdie on the seventh came after he hit his tee ball on the drivable par-4 into a greenside bunker.
McDowell, who played the first two rounds with Furyk, said after the second round that the way you win the national championship at the tough Olympic Club is to "play Jim Furyk golf."
McDowell, the 2010 Open champion down the coast at Pebble Beach, didn't have Furyk in his group Saturday, but he took his own advice to heart with three birdies and a bogey.
As for what he likes about Furyk, the 32-year-old McDowell said, "He doesn't take chances he doesn't have to take on. He gets it back in the fairway. He putts well, holes out well. He takes his chances when it comes. And that's my type of golf as well."
Woods stumbled with three bogeys on the first six holes, and he three-putted No. 8 for another bogey. He appeared to right the ship with a 15-footer at No. 9, but it was his last birdie.
"I'm still in the ballgame," said Woods, who wound up five shots off the pace at 4-over 214. "It's not like you have to shoot 62 or 63. It's the U.S. Open."
Jacobson has improved each day, from 72 to 71 to 68. Westwood, the world's third-ranked player who is 0-for-56 in majors, tied for the best round of the day. David Toms, who with Furyk and Woods started the day at 1 under, shot 76 and was tied for 18th at 215.
Times staff
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Baseball
Braves at Yankees, 7 p.m., ESPN; 820-AM
College baseball, World Series
Florida vs. Kent State, elimination game, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Arkansas vs. South Carolina, 9 p.m., ESPN2
Soccer
Brazil: Flamengo at Santos (taped), 11 a.m., ESPND
UEFA Euro 2012: Croatia vs. Spain, 2:30 p.m., ESPN, ESPND
UEFA Euro 2012: Italy vs. Ireland, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2
By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 17, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG — As horrible as right-hander Alex Cobb said he felt in his pregame bullpen session, he thought he was in for a short start Sunday.
"I wasn't locating any fastballs, my changeup was up, and didn't even come close to my curveball," he said. "Thankfully, it made me zero in more than anything else, and it turned out to be a good thing."
It turned into one of the best outings of Cobb's career as he threw seven two-hit innings to lift the Rays to a 3-0 win over the Marlins in front of a Father's Day crowd of 33,810 at Tropicana Field.
Cobb struck out a career-high 10 in the series-clinching victory, keeping the Rays (37-29) within 3½ games of the red-hot Yankees in the American League East.
"He was outstanding," first baseman Carlos Peña said.
"Spectacular," manager Joe Maddon said.
What made Cobb's outing more special was that his dad, Rick, came from Vero Beach to be in the stands, and he joined him for a celebratory dinner.
"It brings up a lot of good memories, and you look at his perspective, it's probably something pretty cool for him to be able to watch on that stage and on that day," Cobb said. "It was really rewarding."
Cobb had watched most of the Rays' frustrating 4-3, 15-inning loss the night before from his bed, saying he saw the bullpen battle and "figured the least I could do was … save their arms a little bit."
Maddon said Cobb did just that with an "uncanny ability" to throw a first-pitch curveball for a strike, combining it with a changeup that B.J. Upton said was the best he has seen from the right-hander all year.
"He has very good stuff — very good," Marlins DH Greg Dobbs said. "He's a good pitcher."
Maddon said Upton "set the tone" with his leadoff home run off Marlins ace Josh Johnson.
"I just took advantage of his mistake," Upton said.
The Rays had a makeshift lineup after Matt Joyce was a late scratch due to flu-like symptoms. But Elliot Johnson, who wasn't originally scheduled to play, helped spark a rally in the sixth with a two-out walk before stealing second and scoring on Drew Sutton's single. Ben Zobrist added an RBI single later, scoring a recently resurgent Peña, and that was more than enough for Cobb.
Cobb (3-3) said it was a "big step in the right direction" in learning how to pitch when he doesn't have his best stuff. He improved his focus and execution with two outs, walking just one and allowing only a leadoff single in the third and a two-out single in the seventh.
Cobb capped a strong weekend of pitching by the Rays, who held the Marlins to one earned run in the three games. And Miami struck out 14 times Sunday, sparking the free pizza promotion for the third straight day.
"The way we played out there, they're going to run out of dough and cheese," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said.
Cobb was pulled after seven innings and 100 pitches, with Joel Peralta and Fernando Rodney continuing their impressive seasons with two combined shutout innings.
Cobb said it was the "right move" considering he has struggled late in starts recently. He still got to light up the Captain Morgan sign in the team's postgame celebration, done by the star of the win.
Said Maddon: "He was really, really good."
Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@tampabay.com.
By Jim Huddleston, Times Correspondent
Sunday, June 17, 2012
What's hot: The summer snook bite is on, and many anglers are catching good numbers on the outgoing tides near the major passes. The dropping tide allows these predators to sit on points and drop-offs, and feed on the baitfish that get flushed out of the mangroves and flats. Note where the current runs strongest, and this area will have the concentration of snook waiting to ambush a meal. While sardines are working on the incoming tides, the best bait for the falling tide is the biggest pinfish that can be caught. Pinfish are hearty and will survive the swift-moving current, and they also will hold down in the water column where the snook like to stage. The pinfish will let an angler know when a snook is nearby, as it becomes nervous and indicates this by moving erratically. Snook are currently off-limits to harvest, so anglers should handle these hard-fighting fish with care.
What else: The redfish bite has been good in north Pinellas waters on the stronger moon tides. These higher tides bring in schools to feed along the mangroves, where there are small crabs and pinfish to fill up on. The key areas to target are the shallowest flats that these fish can't normally hunt on the lower quarter-moon tides. Pinfish under a cork or cut ladyfish have been the best baits.
Beach tarpon: As July nears, many fish migrate from the south and travel the beaches at first light. These milling fish will not be in large schools, rather in groups of five to 10 fish looking for easy meals. Sightcasting to tarpon is a treat for anglers who enjoy throwing artificials. Swim baits and diving plugs are the best ways to hook into these game fish.
Jim Huddleston charters out of Tampa, Palm Harbor and Clearwater and can be reached at (727) 439-9017 and at jim@captainhud.com.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
LE MANS, France — Defending champions Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer overcame driving mistakes Sunday to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Audi has 11 titles, second-most in the French endurance classic and five behind German rival Porsche.
Toyota took the lead in the fifth hour but fell out of contention after its two cars retired.
The winning Audi No. 1 completed 378 laps, one lap more than the Audi No. 2 of Rinaldo Capello and Tom Kristensen.
"We were even better prepared than last year," Treluyer said. "We knew we were capable of winning. But to do it again is just magical."
The two top Audis swapped the lead in the 14th hour when Fassler spun at the Porsche curves and the car clipped the wall. It only sustained light damage. Fassler later skidded into the gravel and the car needed new rear bodywork.
McNish led in the 22nd hour when he crashed into a wall at the Porsche curves, damaging the nose.
In the fifth hour, Anthony Davidson's Toyota got airborne after contact and hit a tire barrier. He fractured two vertebrae but was in stable condition.
Giancarlo Fisichella, Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander won the GTE class in a Ferrari.
NHRA: Seven-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher ended a 32-race winless streak at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. Ron Capps topped the Funny Car field, and Mike Edwards won Pro Stock. Schumacher beat Doug Kalitta in the final with a 3.819-second pass at 342.28 mph.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Angels 2, D'backs 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Garrett Richards pitched four-hit ball into the ninth inning of his sixth career start, Albert Pujols homered and made two stellar defensive plays and the Angels won for the 18th time in 24 games. Rookie Mike Trout ended a 1-for-20 slump with an RBI double in the seventh for Los Angeles, which posted its major league-best ninth shutout victory and its second in a row after Ervin Santana's one-hitter. Richards repeatedly escaped trouble in the longest outing of his short career.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Padres 2, Athletics 1
OAKLAND, Calif. — Clayton Richard pitched into the eighth inning for his second straight win as the Padres avoided a three-game sweep. Everth Cabrera scored on a groundout in the second, and last-place San Diego tacked on an insurance run in the ninth to salvage the finale of its nine-game road trip. Former Ray Jonny Gomes had three hits for Oakland, which had won a season-high five straight.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Blue Jays 6, Phillies 2
TORONTO — Frustration inside the Philadelphia clubhouse is mounting as the losses pile up. Colby Rasmus hit a two-run homer, Brett Cecil won for the first time in almost a year and the Jays swept the Phillies for the second time in team history. Last-place Philadelphia lost for the 12th time in 15 games. "It's not a good mood," outfielder Hunter Pence said of the clubhouse. "When you don't win, it's not a good mood. It's horrible."
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Orioles 2, Braves 0
ATLANTA — Wei-Yin Chen combined with four relievers on a seven-hitter as the Orioles improved to 9-3 in interleague play. Chen dominated the Braves a day after Jason Hammel pitched a one-hitter. Centerfielder Adam Jones said the key for both was getting ahead. "The important part of it is they always started with strike one," Jones said. "They've been able to do what they want because they've been ahead in counts."
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Royals 5, Cardinals 3
15 innings
ST. LOUIS — Yuniesky Betancourt hit a two-out, two-run homer in the 15th for the Royals.
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Most awkward pairing
Marlins TV play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz and Rays TV analyst Brian Anderson, left, teamed up to call Saturday's Rays-Marlins game on Fox's Baseball Night in America game of the week.
And, man, it was an awkward broadcast. The two had no chemistry. It seemed as if Waltz talked way too much, while Anderson didn't talk nearly enough. In fact, there were moments when this viewer wondered if Anderson had left the booth for some reason. There were other moments when this viewer wondered if Waltz was being paid by the word.
What made it especially noticeable was the game went 15 innings and took more than five hours.
Now, it's possible that Anderson didn't talk because Waltz was talking too much. Or maybe Waltz talked so much because Anderson wasn't jumping in enough. Maybe it was just a chemistry thing. Let's just put it this way: Anderson sounds just fine when he works with regular partner Dewayne Staats and sounded just fine when he worked with Fox's Dick Stockton a couple of times earlier this season.
Best reporting
Every time NBC covers a golf event, it brings in Golf World senior writer Tim Rosaforte maybe two times a broadcast. That's like seven times too few. Seriously, he is one of the most interesting golf voices on television and NBC totally underutilizes him. He uses his reporting skills to tell us behind-the-scenes stories and interesting tidbits about the golfers we're watching. It's the type of stuff that no other golf commentator gives us.
Take Sunday. Talking about 17-year-old Beau Hossler, Rosaforte relayed stories from Hossler's father and grandmother, including how Hossler's family always knew he had great hand-eye coordination because of how hit a wiffle ball when he was 18 months old.
Then Rosaforte told a story about how Jason Dufner's parents were divorced when he was younger and then how his father passed away from cancer, a story all the more poignant on Father's Day.
See, that's the stuff you're not getting anywhere else on TV. Why NBC doesn't bring in Rosaforte more is a complete mystery.
Longest delay
This column, for the most part, is dedicated to writing about the things we all watched on television over the weekend. One of those things this particular weekend should have been the NBA Finals on ABC.
In the past I have written about how much I liked analyst Jeff Van Gundy and how I wished studio analyst Magic Johnson would show more personality and how I wanted studio analyst Jon Barry to talk even more.
I've written about ABC's great camera work and how reporter Doris Burke does a solid job from the sidelines.
But, honestly, I lost interest in these NBA Finals because of the long delay between Games 2 and 3. Game 2 was played Thursday night and Game 3 was Sunday night.
That's no game Friday, a full day of sports Saturday and Saturday night, and a long day of sports Sunday, which included golf's U.S. Open, a NASCAR race, Major League Baseball games, the College World Series and soccer's Euro 2012.
By the time Sunday night rolled around, I was "sported out" and had to remind myself what had happened in the first two games of the Heat-Thunder. What's more, if this series goes seven games, it wouldn't end until June 26. Cripes, that's another week and a day.
Best interviews
In the past, I've railed against in-game interviews with coaches and players because they rarely reveal anything other than cliches or scratch-the-surface stuff. But there were two little gems in the Rays-Marlins game Saturday on Fox.
First, Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle, when asked by analyst Brian Anderson about working quickly while pitching, ripped into both Fox and ESPN for having extra commercials between innings and, thus, slowing the game. Buehrle even added sarcastically how baseball says it wants to speed up the game but allows nationally televised games to go so slowly.
Meantime, Rays pitcher David Price was asked by announcer Rich Waltz about being a possible starter in the All-Star Game, and Price revealed that he would vote for Chris Sale of the White Sox.
Fox should take note of this, meaning it should scrap talking to managers during the game and talk to a player instead. The players are always more open, honest and relaxed.
Worst camera work
Ugh! Don't you just hate it when a batter hits a fly ball and the camera tracks the ball instead of the outfielders? Following the track of the ball gives the viewer absolutely no perspective on how far the ball has been hit. It happened Saturday during the Rays-Marlins game. Tampa Bay's Jose Molina hit a ball that sounded and looked, at first, as if the ball was going to go a mile. The camera tried to track the ball, although if you're like me, you couldn't even see the ball anyway in the midst of Trop's catwalks and roof. The camera gave the viewer the impression that the ball was going to land 20 rows into the stands. Instead, it turned into an out when Miami's Justin Ruggiano caught the ball at the wall. Maddening!
Worst host
Picking on ESPN's Chris Berman is like holding a magnifying glass over ants. It's so easy and, ultimately, just cruel. And anyone can do it.
Actually, is there anyone who doesn't criticize Berman? ESPN must know this, yet it hauls him out for U.S. Open coverage, where he seems just so out of place with his goofy analogies and out-of-date references.
As New York Post sports media critic Phil Mushnick wrote, "Allowing ESPN's Chris Berman to work golf's U.S. Open — or anywhere near it — is like handing a vandal a variety pack of spray paint."
Three things that popped into my head
1. Hey, Major League Baseball, can the Rays swap out a few games against the Yankees this season for a few more games against the Marlins?
2. I have no way to prove or disprove any doping allegations against former cyclist Lance Armstrong, above. But it seems suspicious that he was so much better than so many who did get busted for doping.
3. Sports are awesome, but give me a really good golf tournament, a really nice big-screen television, a comfortable recliner and that's about the most relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
tom jones' two cents
Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.
Best coverage
NBC could not have been more excited heading into its weekend coverage of the U.S. Open with Tiger Woods in contention heading into Saturday's third round. Let's face it, golf's popularity on TV still relies heavily on Woods. • But then things couldn't have gone worse for Woods and, thus, NBC. • Woods shot 75 Saturday to fall five shots behind the leaders and opened Sunday by going 5-over-par in the first five holes to take himself out of contention just as NBC's broadcast was heading into prime time. • NBC's coverage, highlighted by analysts Johnny Miller and Gary Koch, is always superb television, but the network deserves major praise for how it handled itself Sunday night. • Instead of pounding us with Woods coverage, NBC treated Woods like any other golfer out of contention, showing him only occasionally. Sunday night was spent focusing on those who could win the tournament. That was the right call.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Dodgers 2, White Sox 1
10 innings
LOS ANGELES — Juan Rivera tied it in the ninth with a sacrifice fly and Dee Gordon singled in the winner in the 10th. The Dodgers' Tony Gwynn lined a one-out triple under the glove of a diving Jordan Danks in left. Matt Treanor hit a hard grounder to second baseman Gordon Beckham with the infield in, forcing Gwynn to stay. After an intentional walk, Gordon lined a single to left.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Pirates 9, Indians 5
CLEVELAND — Pedro Alvarez drove in a career-high six runs with his second two-homer game in two days, powering the Pirates. "I'm just glad to help us win the series," Alvarez said as music blared in the clubhouse following the Pirates' second victory in three games, giving them a sixth series win in their past seven matchups.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Mariners 2, Giants 1
SEATTLE — Justin Smoak's one-out single in the ninth scored pinch-runner Munenori Kawasaki from second when the throw hit Kawasaki in the back, lifting Seattle. Sergio Romo allowed singles to Kyle Seager and Jesus Montero to open the ninth before being replaced. After Michael Saunders failed to bunt the runners over, Smoak singled to left off Javier Lopez. Mariners reliever Tom Wilhelmsen stranded the bases loaded in the top half.
Times wires
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Reds 3, Mets 1
NEW YORK — Second baseman Brandon Phillips made a between-the-legs flip to start a flashy double play in the sixth inning and also hit a tiebreaking single, leading the Reds to their sixth straight win. "It just happened," the three-time Gold Glove winner said. "It just came naturally." Naturally, Reds manager Dusty Baker said: "Anything you see him do out there, he's practiced." The NL Central leaders earned their first three-game sweep in New York since 2001.
