Times wires
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

MIAMI — One more victory. One more victory for validation.

Perhaps on Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena in Game 5 of these NBA Finals, when the celebration would be at its most robust, 20,000 believers along for the ride.

Or perhaps in one of this best-of-seven series' final two games, at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Heat is on the verge of turning those July 2010 promises of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh into reality.

With Tuesday night's 104-98 victory over the Thunder, the Heat moved to a 3-1 series lead, on a night James overcame a late left leg injury and fell one rebound shy of his eighth career triple double, with 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.

Every one of those numbers were needed, as were the 25 points from Wade and a 25-point reemergence from point guard Mario Chalmers, which tied his career playoff high.

"Whatever it takes. No excuses," Wade said. "You don't want to leave this arena saying you missed opportunities."

On this night, the Thunder had the singular scoring sensation.

It wasn't 2011-12 scoring champion Kevin Durant, who did his part with 28 points, but rather all-or-nothing point guard Russell Westbrook, who scored 43.

"I thought Russell was terrific," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "The guy played relentless. He was aggressive. He kept us in this game and he gave us a chance to win."

Oklahoma City is the 14th team since the 2-3-2 Finals format started in 1985 to trail a series 3-1. None of the previous 13 has even forced a Game 7.

"I can guarantee this," Brooks said. "We have fight in us."

James stumbled and fell on a drive midway through the fourth quarter, staying on the offensive end of the floor as the Heat regained possession on a blocked shot, and he made a short jumper for a 92-90 lead. After Westbrook missed a jumper, the Heat called timeout as James gingerly went to the court. Unable to walk off, he was carried to the sideline by two teammates.

He returned to a huge roar with a little more than 4 minutes left and the Heat down two. After Bosh tied it, James slowly walked into a pull-up 3-pointer.

That made it 97-94, and when Wade followed with a layup with 2:19 left, the Heat finally enough room to withstand Westbrook, who kept coming all night.

A Westbrook layup drew the Thunder within 101-98, with a jump ball then called with 17.3 seconds to play. The Heat controlled the tip after a hustling effort from Shane Battier and held on from there, completing the largest comeback in franchise playoff history, from 17 down early.

OKLAHOMA CITY (98): Durant 9-19 9-9 28, Ibaka 2-4 0-0 4, Perkins 2-5 0-0 4, Westbrook 20-32 3-3 43, Sefolosha 2-7 0-0 5, Collison 3-4 0-0 6, Harden 2-10 3-4 8, Fisher 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 40-82 15-16 98.

MIAMI (104): James 10-20 5-8 26, Battier 1-4 1-2 4, Bosh 6-12 1-1 13, Chalmers 9-15 4-5 25, Wade 8-19 7-9 25, Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Cole 3-6 0-0 8, Haslem 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 38-79 18-25 104.

Oklahoma City 33 16 26 23— 98

Miami 19 27 33 25— 104

3-Point Goals—Oklahoma City 3-16 (Sefolosha 1-3, Harden 1-5, Durant 1-5, Westbrook 0-3), Miami 10-26 (Chalmers 3-9, Wade 2-3, Cole 2-3, Jones 1-2, James 1-4, Battier 1-4, Miller 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Oklahoma City 43 (Harden 10), Miami 48 (Bosh, James 9). Assists—Oklahoma City 13 (Westbrook 5), Miami 19 (James 12). Total Fouls—Oklahoma City 20, Miami 18. A—20,003 (19,600).

RILEY EARNS DALY HONOR: Pat Riley was walking out of Chuck Daly's hospital room in 2009, got to the doorway and turned around for another word from his longtime colleague, rival and friend.

Riley remembers it vividly.

"He looked at me, I looked back at him for a pause and he just sort of said, 'I'll see you later,' " said Riley, the Hall of Fame coach and president of the Heat. "I'll never forget it. That was the last time I saw him."

The two became linked again Tuesday, when the National Basketball Coaches Association selected Riley as this year's recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, which commemorates the former Detroit coach's life in basketball and his "standard of integrity, competitive excellence and tireless promotion" of the game.

Riley is the fifth person to receive the award, joining Tommy Heinsohn in 2009, Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter in 2010 and Lenny Wilkens in 2011. Daly died in 2009.

"This is not an award," Riley said. "This is something somebody bestows on you. I'm very honored that the coaches association would do this."

WADE CUSTODY FIGHT: Dwyane Wade asked a Chicago judge to suspend his ex-wife's right to visitation with their two children after a weekend incident that delayed the boys' return to his custody and led to her arrest. Wade's attorney, James Pritikin, filed an emergency motion and appeared in court to have it heard, hours before Game 4. A hearing was set for June 26, date of Game 7 if the NBA Finals go that far.

LAKERS: Ramon Sessions is declining his player option for next season to test free agency. General manager Mitch Kupchak said he wished Sessions had picked up the $4.55 million option, but the club will still try to sign the point guard.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Blue Jays 10, Brewers 9

MILWAUKEE — Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista hit back-to-back homers off John Axford in the ninth, and Toronto rallied to stay ahead of the Red Sox in the AL East.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Athletics 3, Dodgers 0

OAKLAND, Calif. — Brandon McCarthy showed no signs of an ailing shoulder in seven impressive innings, winning his third straight start and sixth consecutive decision. Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes each hit RBI singles, and Coco Crisp reached four times and stole three bases as the A's beat the NL West leaders. McCarthy outpitched former A's starter Aaron Harang, who couldn't overcome a career-high eight walks and his 40-pitch first inning.

Associated Press
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Star receiver Percy Harvin wants out of Minnesota.

One day after expressing frustration over several unspecified issues with the Vikings, the Associated Press reported Wednesday that Harvin has requested a trade.

Harvin voiced frustration with the Vikings on Tuesday at the first day of mandatory minicamp. He did not say what his specific issues were with the team, only saying that he was unhappy with several things and wanted them addressed before training camp begins at the end of July.

"I just put it this way, there's a lot of different things that have to be sorted out," Harvin said Tuesday. "Just haven't been really happy lately. We've got a couple of things to work on. I'm here in the classroom. We'll go from there."

Given Harvin's status as a 24-year-old rising star and one of the team's top players, the request is unlikely to be granted. Coach Leslie Frazier said Tuesday that he was confident any issues Harvin had could be resolved well before training camp.

"I really feel like when he and I sit down and talk in depth," Frazier said, "whatever is in his heart or on his mind, we'll get through it."

Harvin, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, worked out with the team during an afternoon practice Tuesday and said later in the day that he did not want to be a distraction and would only wanted to talk about football issues.

He has two years left on his rookie contract, but it was not immediately clear how much that had to do with his displeasure, if at all. The Vikings are coming off of consecutive last-place finishes in the NFC North and have entered a rebuilding phase centered on Harvin, Peterson, who is recovering from a torn ACL, and second-year quarterback Christian Ponder.

Harvin was the team's first-round draft pick in 2009 and has quickly emerged as perhaps the team's most versatile and dynamic player. He is the team's only proven commodity at receiver heading into his fourth season and is coming off a year in which he posted career highs in receptions (87), yards (967) and total touchdowns with nine.

Harvin has shown the ability to play in the slot as an inside receiver, on the perimeter as a deep threat and has become one of the most dangerous kick returners in the league. He also rushed for 345 yards last season, helping to spell Adrian Peterson in the run game.

Migraine headaches and a few other bumps and bruises from Harvin's physical and punishing style of play led to some concerns about his durability, especially in his first two seasons. But Harvin played in all 16 games last year while fighting a painful rib injury and became a respected veteran in the locker room.

Requesting a trade now would be a curious move if he does want a new contract, with the normal protocol for similar situations being to holdout from training camp to spur negotiations.

Earlier this offseason, Harvin pledged to be a team leader and showed up at several voluntary practices despite still recovering from having bone chips removed from his shoulder. With a receiver corps that includes rookie fourth-rounders Greg Childs and Jarius Wright and unproven veteran Jerome Simpson, who will be suspended for the first three games, Harvin is the only proven game-breaker at the position for the Vikings.

"I'm going to be honest with you guys. I've been watching tape, but it's just working on things from last year," Harvin said when asked about the offense. "I'm into it, but like I said, I'm not happy with things, so I haven't really been in tune to (personnel) and stuff right now.

"Overall, just watching game film and breaking down quarterbacks, breaking down myself, defenses I may face that I faced last year, things like that."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Lightning coach Guy Boucher said he really is not looking forward to seeing his face on the new scoreboard at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

"If I can avoid it, perfect," he said, laughing.

Boucher's mock anxiety is understandable. The high-definition Daktronics scoreboard will be the largest single-hung board in the United States and Canada, so any flaw in the skin, any hair out of place will be impossible to miss.

"He's going to need some makeup," joked Steve Griggs, chief operating officer for the Lightning and Times Forum.

The scoreboard, expected to be installed by Sept. 23, is yet another part of the transformation of the 16-year-old building. It began last summer with a renovation that, with the final accounting done, cost $42 million, the team said — $2 million more than previously announced.

The scoreboard is another $5 million, all paid for by Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.

"With the scoreboard and everything we've done, it makes it almost like a new building," Griggs said.

Replacing the scoreboard became a necessity after the company that in 2007 constructed and installed the current $4 million board went out of business. That made repairs difficult, Griggs said.

Lightning-game regulars no doubt noticed the small but annoying black rectangles that almost every game marred the scoreboard's video display.

But there was an even greater purpose, said Brent Stevens, Daktronics' national sales manager for professional sports.

"In the sports industry worldwide, one of the big things that teams and facilities are coming up against is how do you compete in arenas, in stadiums, with the entertainment that you can get at home?" Stevens said. "You can buy your own beer, you can make your own food, you've got a $2,000 HD TV sitting on the wall, so how does the team get you to come experience it live?

"You have to have people be able to watch high definition in the arena, and that's what the Lightning is doing. They're going to give you that in-home experience, but 50-feet across."

• The lengthwise LED video boards will be 50 feet wide, 28 feet high. Those facing the arena ends will be 20 feet wide, 28 feet high. The current video board is 28 feet wide, 16 feet high on each side, meaning the new scoreboard will have 3,920 square feet of video display capability compared to 1,792 square feet with the current boards.

• The lengthwise video boards will have 1,296 horizontal lines of resolution, or pixels, and 2,304 vertical. A standard HD TV is 1,080 x 1,920, Stevens said.

• The video boards will be able to present 144 quadrillion shades of color, the team said.

• The scoreboard weighs 68,000 pounds — the old board, 40,000. Though the Times Forum roof did not need reinforcement, Griggs said a new hoist system (price included in the $5 million) was necessary to lift and hold the scoreboard in place.

• The video boards will be integrated with the existing LED ribbons circling the arena bowl, creating "a seamless presentation fans will really enjoy," Griggs said.

The bottom line, though, will be the picture quality, Stevens said:

"You will not be able to tell the difference if you were sitting 5 feet away from your TV at home or 50 feet away from the (scoreboard) hanging from the ceiling."

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@tampabay.com.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Major League Baseball is not expected to issue a ruling today on discipline for Tampa Bay Rays reliever Joel Peralta, who faces suspension after being ejected from Tuesday's game after umpires found pine tar in his glove.

The glove has to be sent to New York and evaluated by MLB officials.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

WASHINGTON — The eye black and gladiators T-shirt Joel Peralta wore around the Rays clubhouse Wednesday may have been a statement, along with the impressive eighth-inning performance. But otherwise the veteran reliever awaited his pending suspension in media silence, declining to say any more about being ejected from Tuesday's game when umpires found pine tar in his glove after the Nationals asked for a check.

But Rays manager Joe Maddon and Nationals counterpart Davey Johnson filled the void, and the notebooks, exchanging a series of shots in separate media sessions before the teams met again on the field.

A sampling:

Johnson called Maddon "a weird wuss," referred to him as "the guru over there," poked fun by pointing out he also had a doctorate degree and said Maddon needs to "read the rule book."

Maddon termed Johnson's Tuesday tactics "underhanded" and possibly "a form of cheating," said free-agent players may "think twice" about coming to Washington given how the staff was willing to "rat on" a former teammate and continued to strongly suggest (though without proof) that current Nationals were unhappy with what happened.

Peralta, using teammate Jeremy Hellickson's glove, pitched Wednesday without incident, fans booing and a few chanting "Cheat-er.''

The next official action could occur today, as Major League Baseball officials will complete their evaluation of Peralta's glove, which was confiscated during the game and shipped to New York on Wednesday, and announce discipline.

The rules mandate a suspension, and while 10 games is an established precedent as well as the minor-league standard, Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said there can be some flexibility. "I don't think it's that cut and dry," he said. "Personally, I think it will be less than that, but I don't really know. It's in their hands."

Johnson said he thought an ejection was enough of a punishment and that a 10-game suspension was "way too severe."

Whatever the term, the Rays will be shorthanded, forced to play with a 24-man roster. To adjust for Peralta's absence, they are planning to send down a position player (likely outfielder Rich Thompson) and bring up another reliever.

Furthering their woes, they are prohibited by rule from bringing back their best candidate, Brandon Gomes, who (barring an injury situation) is required to spend 10 days in the minors since last being sent down, on Monday. The leading candidates are right-handers Dane De La Rosa and Josh Lueke.

"It's going to have a great impact on us," Maddon said. "But even beyond that, I'm more concerned about (Peralta) personally, and the impact it may have on him."

Several Rays said they were concerned that Peralta would be — unfairly — labeled. "He looks like a cheater," reliever J.P. Howell said. "He looks like a jerk. And he's not. He's not at all. And that's just too bad."

They also echoed Maddon's comments, as did some others around baseball, that use of pine tar by pitchers was widespread, and not to much advantage as it primarily served to help them hold the ball, not throw it with more movement.

"Using pine tar is an accepted practice for a long time in baseball, not just recently," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said in Anaheim. "I don't think any hitter objects to it when it's a little cold or hot when you have excessive sweating. It's just used to get a grip on the ball. It doesn't change the flight of the ball.

"But it's in the rules and you have to abide by the rules. It's like getting pulled over for doing 66 mph in a 65-mph zone. Technically, it's against the law. That's the reality of it."

Maddon, who said he would like to see use of pine tar by pitchers legalized, insisted the matter fell properly under the category of the players policing themselves. He made it clear his primary issue was with Johnson acting on information gathered when Peralta played in Washington in 2010.

He said he would have no problem if the umpires noticed something and checked out the player and would be okay with a team complaining if it saw something, but cautioned "just make sure your own house is clean." In the 2008 World Series, Maddon pointed out discoloration on Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton's cap and asked the umpires to keep an eye on the balls but nothing was found, which Maddon said was the proper way to handle it.

By Captain Matt Santiago, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Cobia. Over the past week we have seen almost every weather condition possible. We have seen flat calm days with bluebird skies, windy days with gusts over 20 knots and thunderstorms. One fish that seems to not be very influenced by these changing conditions are the cobia, and our region of the bay has arguably some of the best cobia fishing in west-central Florida. Ideal fishing conditions for sight fishing cobia in the East Bay area would be clear sunny skies, calm seas and slack or little tide. That is not to say they can't be caught in almost any conditions as I saw and caught one while running around an afternoon storm last week in 15 knot winds and a ripping tide. We had a good start to our cobia season about two months ago and then the action seemed to taper off, but we have had a really good influx of fish over the last seven days and the cobia fishing is red hot.

Keep your eyes peeled. Your eyes are your best and most important tool when pursuing cobia in this manner. This is where having a tower on your boat really comes in handy. Stand at the highest point on the boat that is safely possible, be it a tower, poling platform or securely mounted cooler. These brown bombers can be found on area flats, cruising behind rays, turtles, and manatees or ambushing baits on fixed structures. Focus your efforts on any open water structures like range markers and buoys. Be sure to not only look around the structure, but look down any pilings, rope, or chain that might be attached to the bottom as cobia are often found suspending on these structures.

Bring them a sampler platter. Cobia are usually not picky eaters and readily eat most well-presented offerings, but sometimes you need to present them with a few different options to get them on the hook. My cobia arsenal consists of at least six rods rigged with 15- 30-pound test braid and 25- 50-pound test fluorocarbon leader. Because it is often necessary to stay a bit farther away from cruising fish, make sure that you have a few setups capable of making long accurate casts. I like to have a mix of live baits, as well as artificials that can cover all levels of the water column. As far as artificials go, the traditional double-hooked eel or Hogy is a must have. It is also wise to have a bucktail jig rigged up that can quickly work all levels of the water column for more vertical presentations. Cobia fishing will often test your patience, but the rewards are a great battle and some of the tastiest fish our area has to offer.

Matt Santiago can be reached at (813) 205-2337 or CaptainMattSantiago@gmail.com or online at FishingGuideTampa.com.

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

PLANT CITY

The world first got a glimpse of Plant City's Chelsea Baker two years ago when the then-13-year-old appeared on ESPN's E:60, spotlighting her pitching prowess against boys.

This weekend, she'll get an encore.

E:60, which premieres at 1 p.m. Saturday, will air a segment about women's sports and the effects of the 40th anniversary of Title 9, the landmark 1972 decision that opened more doors for women in sports. Rod Mason, Baker's stepfather, said the opening segment of the piece will feature Baker.

"The producer of the first time she was on ESPN called and asked us to meet him in Orlando in March," Mason said. "They talked to Chelsea about how things were going now. The interview happened in the Atlanta dugout right before the Braves and Yankees were playing a spring training game."

Baker first caught the public's eye when she began mowing down Plant City batters with a knuckleball taught to her by former major leaguer Joe Niekro.

Baker tossed a pair of perfect games in Little League, including one during an all-star game. The feat led to her jersey being enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Mason said the family has had discussions with Universal Studios about a possible movie.

"Of course she gets attention because she is a girl out there playing with boys," Mason said. "But if you take gender out, she can play just like any of the boys."

Many thought as she got older — and made the move from the smaller fields of Little League to regulation-sized diamonds — Baker wouldn't be able to keep up. Not so, said Mason.

"She can run, catch, throw and hit with the boys," he said. "She's actually felt more comfortable pitching from 60 feet, 6 inches."

Baker said that because of the increased distance from pitching rubber to home — Little League distance is 45 feet — her knuckleball dances even more.

"It's actually a little easier," she said. "I think (my knuckleball) gets better movement."

Now 15, Baker is still playing with the boys. She's on the Plant City Juniors (13-14) All-Stars and plays with the Dover Bullets, a travel team.

But Baker is also playing with the girls. She was recruited for a national girls all-star team called the Sparks two years ago by Justine Siegal, the first woman to coach a men's professional baseball team. The Sparks finished 39th out of 104 boys teams at a tournament in Cooperstown.

"No girls team had even come close to finishing that well at that tournament," Mason said.

The Sparks' parents realized the rare opportunity they had, being able to field a competitive team composed solely of girls who could hang with the boys.

"Us parents knew there was something pretty special there," Mason said.

So they got together and formed the "Dream Team" and compete in tournaments around the country. The team has girls from California, Idaho, Texas, Massachusetts, New York and Florida.

"It's so much fun to get together with those girls and all play on the same field," Baker said.

The Dream Team, in search of a sponsor to help cover travel expenses, has struggled to raise funds lately, but looks to a November tournament in Sarasota. By that time, Baker will be in her sophomore year at Durant High, where she plans on trying out for the baseball team.

"A lot of people told me I would never be able to make the switch to the big fields and I should just stop playing baseball and switch to softball," Baker said. "But all that does is make me want to try harder and prove them wrong."

Baker, who throws in the low 70s, but possesses that tricky knuckler, thinks she has a pretty good shot at making the Cougars.

"Hopefully I'll keep getting better, and with hard work, I can do it."

Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

Times staff
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Pine tar is a thick, sticky liquid substance made from burning pinewood. Hitters are allowed to use on bats to get a better grip. Rules prohibit pitchers from using it, but according to a slate.com report, people in baseball consider pitchers using pine tar a minor offense. In a 2005 column in the Sporting News pitcher Todd Jones said he used pine tar every time he pitched a home game with the Colorado Rockies, "Pine tar is no big deal to players," Jones wrote. "Everybody uses pine tar. … It's almost a basic part of the game. Sandpaper and Vaseline, however, are looked at as cheating."

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Royals 2, Astros 1

HOUSTON — Bruce Chen pitched into the sixth inning on three days' rest and Alex Gordon tripled and scored for Kansas City, which won the final two of the three-game set. Thirteen of the Royals' past 14 games have been decided by two or fewer runs. Houston had eight hits to the Royals' four but went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Brewers 8, Blue Jays 3

MILWAUKEE — Yovani Gallardo pitched into the seventh, Ryan Braun hit one of Milwaukee's four homers and the Brewers bounced back from a ninth-inning loss Tuesday to take two of three. Milwaukee hit three homers in the second inning off Toronto emergency starter Joel Carreno.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Braves 10, Yankees 5

NEW YORK — Jason Heyward hit two of a record nine homers at the new Yankee Stadium, and Atlanta outslugged New York. The Yankees lost their second straight game after a 10-game winning streak.

By Chuck Hernandez as told to Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Chuck Hernandez was a pitching coach in pro ball for more than 25 years, including 10 seasons — two with the Rays — as a major-league pitching coach. Now an assistant coach at USF, the former Tampa Catholic standout shared his thoughts with Tampa Bay Times staff writer Greg Auman concerning Tuesday's ejection of Joel Peralta for having pine tar on his glove and why it's in baseball's interest to let pitchers use the substance.

It's all about the grip on the ball. There's never been any study that showed pine tar affects the flight of the ball or any movement, the way substances like Vaseline or saliva back in the day, when spitball guys were throwing pitches that were moving funny kinds of ways and everybody was wondering what was going on. Pine tar has never been known to do any of that. More than anything, it's for them to feel the ball, to feel like they have a good grip of the baseball. …

It's in every bag in the big leagues. We have it everywhere. If you get rid of it, there are going to be hitters getting plunked left and right. When you have adverse weather games, extremely hot, cold, windy, humidity's crazy, sometimes as a pitcher you can't feel the ball. When you can't feel the ball, that's no good for the guy (at bat).

This has been going on throughout the history of the game. If you open up a bag of bullpen balls … there's a lot of stuff there for grip. I don't see Vaseline in there, I don't see spitters in there, stuff like that, because that would be frowned upon. But anything — guys will use sunscreen lotion, shampoo, shaving cream, anything on their hands to get a better feel on the ball.

I lived through one (similar incident). In the World Series in '06 (when he was the Tigers' pitching coach) Kenny (Rogers) had it on his hands. You have to remember, Kenny was 40 years old. He had beaten up that arm. Veteran pitchers, when you pitch a lot, your fingers don't have the same feel as when you're 18 years old in your fingertips. Kenny was a sinkerball pitcher. He never used it to move or doctor the ball. He did it so he could have a grip on it and felt like he wasn't going to hit somebody in the back of the neck with the ball. …

Kenny's from Plant City, I'm from Tampa. It's like 30 degrees and 20 mph wind. We're both freezing out there. I didn't even notice it while he was warming up, didn't see it. First inning, our clubhouse manager came down, said, "Chuck, they're all over it on TV (because of additional cameras for the World Series)." … Tony (La Russa, the opposing manager) handled it very classy. He sent a message through the grapevine: Tell Kenny to clean it up, clean it off. It was never made a big issue. Of course, they beat us. If we beat them, it probably would have turned out to be a bigger issue.

(Tuesday night) I was kind of laughing. I was like, "C'mon, man." I was at a place where it had no volume, so I didn't know what was going on. They looked at his glove, threw him out. I said, "They must have found some Vaseline or jelly or something." When I heard it was pine tar, I was like, "What?" … Everybody uses something. To me, it's about the safety of the ball. You read the rule, it says no foreign substance on the ball. Well, why is that rosin bag sitting there? A lot of times, the rosin doesn't work.

In my opinion, it's for safety of hitters, which is a good thing. The ball doesn't slip . … The umpires know it's used. Every once in a while, they'll throw a ball over to the side, and they'll wink over at the coach, like, "Hey, a little bit less. We can't leave spots all over the ball." …

I would never think twice if the other pitcher on the other team has pine tar. It just wouldn't bother me. … I don't see anything in pine tar that creates an unfair advantage for a pitcher. You make a big deal of it, and all the sudden guys are going to start, as we call it in the business, pitching naked. You'll have another problem because you'll have guys getting hit in the back of the neck. We have so many unwritten rules as it is. Hit by pitches, you don't always know. More balls would get away from pitchers, and now you're going to be fighting. We're going to have more beanball brawls than ever. It's going to have different kinds of repercussions later.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

D'backs 14, Mariners 10

PHOENIX — Ryan Roberts hit an inside-the-park home run, Justin Upton ended a long drought with a three-run shot and Arizona tied a franchise record with six homers.

By Steve Papen, Times correspondent
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

What's hot: Red snapper fishing couldn't get easier than it is now. We are concentrating in the 120- to 150-foot depths. These fish have ferocious appetites and usually devour any live or frozen bait that is presented to them in the right way. Start fishing with sardines until the bite is in full swing, then as things start to slow, switch to a live bait. During the course of a feed, the larger, more dominant snapper will move up in the water column. To target these fish, try a knocker rig, which consists of a smaller egg lead usually about 1/4 to 1/2 ounce placed on the main line right above the hook. The smaller lead will present the bait so it looks like a stunned baitfish sinking to the bottom and therefore is an easy target.

Other options: Red grouper fishing is excellent. Concentrate in depths of 110 feet or more. Look for them to be under bait stacks that are scattered on the edges of the hard bottom areas. Also look at the ledges and rolloffs in hard bottom areas for mangrove snapper. These fish will not venture far from their homes for a meal, so anchor right over the structure. Smaller baits are usually key for them this time of year.

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

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

SAN DIEGO — Roy Oswalt will return to a major-league mound Friday night in Texas, familiar ground for the right-hander who started his career in Houston 11 years ago.

Oswalt, 34, will make his debut for the Rangers at home against the Rockies after starting four minor-league games since signing with Texas on May 29.

Oswalt's last major-league appearance was with the Phillies in a Game 4 loss to St. Louis in the NL Division Series. He pitched six shutout innings against the Braves in his last regular-season appearance Sept. 27.

Oswalt said Wednesday he didn't have as much soreness as he expected after his last minor-league start, when he threw 100 pitches and allowed six hits and two runs in six innings Sunday for Triple-A Round Rock. He said he was regaining command of his curveball.

In other Rangers news, 1B Mitch Moreland, who left Tuesday night's game with a left hamstring injury, was scheduled for an MRI exam and is expected to go on the disabled list.

SURGERY FOR BEACHY: Braves RHP Brandon Beachy is set to have reconstructive surgery on his right elbow today and is out for the season. Beachy, 25, has a 2.00 ERA in 13 starts.

ICHIRO MILESTONE: Mariners RF Ichiro Suzuki got his 2,500th major-league hit Tuesday night. Ichiro, 38, had 1,278 hits in nine seasons in Japan.

PROSPECT ROBBED: Reds OF prospect Billy Hamilton, the minor-league leader with 80 stolen bases, was robbed at gunpoint early Tuesday in Winston-Salem, N.C., police said.

GIRLFRIEND CHARGED: A Maryland woman who told police that a man bound and robbed her in a Pittsburgh hotel room while she was accompanying Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman on a road trip was charged with one count of filing false reports. Claudia Manrique, 26, said a man stole more than $6,000 worth of belongings on May 29.

ANGELS: RHP Jerome Williams went on the 15-day disabled list two days after suffering an asthma attack.

ATHLETICS: RHP Bartolo Colon has shown little progress since leaving Sunday's start with a strained oblique muscle and is likely to go on the disabled list.

BREWERS: RHP Shaun Marcum, who was scratched from Tuesday night's start because of elbow stiffness, said there's no structural damage and he expects to avoid the disabled list.

NATIONALS: RHP Chien-Ming Wang, who has a 6.62 ERA in four starts, was sent back to the bullpen. LHP Ross Detwiler will take his spot in the rotation.

ROCKIES: SS Troy Tulowitzki will have surgery to repair a tear in his left groin and is out indefinitely.

TIGERS: Closer Jose Valverde has a sprained right wrist, but the team is hopeful the right-hander won't be out too long.

YANKEES: LHP Omar Luis Rodriguez, 19, who defected from Cuba and was declared a free agent this month, agreed to a minor-league contract.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

MIAMI — LeBron James has been in nearly every imaginable situation over his nine seasons marked by three MVP awards, three trips to the NBA Finals with two teams and one decision that changed everything.

And now this: For the first time, he's one win from a championship.

"I have a job to do," James said Wednesday. "And my job is not done."

The job may get done tonight, when the Heat, up 3-1 in this title series, hosts the Thunder in Game 5. Even after leaving Game 4 late with a leg cramp, James is on the cusp of becoming a champ. James and the Cavs were swept in the 2007 Finals, then he and the Heat fell in six games in the 2011 title series.

After so many ups and downs, the 804th game of his career may end his title quest.

"I have no idea what I'll say before we go out there," said James, who got treatment again Wednesday but said soreness that followed the cramps in his left leg was easing. "It kind of just comes to me when I'm getting ready to go out there and stand on the floor. But hopefully whatever I say will inspire our guys to go out and give a good show."

James could not finish Game 4, though he returned after the first wave of cramps and delivered a key 3-pointer. With James watching the final minute, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers helped close out the Thunder 104-98. The Heat could become the third team since the Finals went to the 2-3-2 format in 1985 to sweep the three games at home (2004 Pistons, 2006 Heat).

The outlook isn't as bright for the Thunder. No team in Finals history has successfully rallied from a 3-1 deficit under the 2-3-2 format. Still, Oklahoma City's losses have come by four, six and six points.

"We didn't get here just to make it here and say we did," Thunder star Kevin Durant said. "… We want to come in here, and we want to try to get a title. It's all about keep competing until that last buzzer sounds, and that's what we're going to do."

Schooled Thunder: Next time, the Thunder will know the rule. With Miami leading by three in Game 4, Oklahoma City's James Harden and Miami's Udonis Haslem grabbed a rebound simultaneously with 17.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, after Wade shot an airball.

Miami had 0.8 seconds on the shot clock, but because of the jump-ball situation, it was reset to 5 seconds.

Thunder players were apparently, were unaware of that rule, and several players thought the shot clock was turned off. That explains why Russell Westbrook fouled Chalmers after Heat forward Shane Battier sent Haslem's tip to Chalmers, looking stunned when the whistle blew. The Thunder could have forced the Heat into a quick shot with time to rebound a miss. Instead, Chalmers made two free throws for a five-point lead.

"For some odd reason …I was just thinking like it was 13 seconds left, so if they won the tip, then we were going to have to foul," Westbrook said. "But I forgot that you get 5 seconds once the jump ball occurred again."

Harden bruised but ready: Harden has a bruised left hand but is expected to play tonight. The league's sixth man of the year has shot 2-for-10 in both games in Miami, falling to 13-for-37 in the series. He is averaging 10.8 points, six points below his season average. "It's definitely frustrating when those shots get open and don't go in, but you've got to continue to play," he said.

Around the league

Hornets-Wizards trade: New Orleans traded forward Trevor Ariza and center Emeka Okafor to Washington for forward Rashard Lewis and a second-round draft pick (46th overall). Lewis is entering the last season of a six-year, $118 million deal and could be a candidate for the amnesty clause, meaning the Hornets may choose to cut him to clear cap space.

Obituary: Former NBA (Lakers, Hawks) and ABA (Pittsburgh, Kentucky) player Dennis Hamilton died Monday, according to Arizona State, his alma mater. He was 68.

Magic hires Thunder executive, 30, as GM

ORLANDO — The Magic and Rob Hennigan reached an agreement in principle Wednesday that will make the Thunder executive the youngest general manager in the league.

Hennigan, 30, spent the past four seasons in Oklahoma City, including the past two as the assistant GM/player personnel overseeing the scouting departments. Before the Thunder, he spent four seasons with the Spurs.

"He's got experience working for championship organizations beyond his years, and from my perspective, this is his time," Magic CEO Alex Martins, who chose Hennigan over former Hornets GM Jeff Bower and Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey, told the Orlando Sentinel. Martins expects the deal to be finalized and Hennigan introduced by this afternoon.

He replaces Otis Smith and will lead a search for a coach to replace the fired Stan Van Gundy. Hennigan also will try to sell star center Dwight Howard, who is said to want a trade, on the future of the franchise.

The draft is June 28, and the Magic owns the 19th and 49th overall picks.

Orlando Sentinel, Times wires

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Cardinals 3, Tigers 1

DETROIT — Jake Westbrook pitched his first complete game in more than two years, giving up only an unearned run for St. Louis. Westbrook pitched his 14th career complete game but first since May 16, 2010, when he was pitching for the Indians at Baltimore. The Cardinals took the lead in the sixth when Yadier Molina hit into a bases-loaded double play, breaking a tie at 1. St. Louis added an eighth-inning run on an error by Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

Times wires
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Rangers 4, Padres 2

SAN DIEGO — Yu Darvish settled down after a rocky second inning and got his first major-league hit to lead Texas to its sixth straight win. Darvish leads all big-league rookies with nine victories. Yorvit Torrealba, who was with San Diego in 2010, drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the sixth to bring in Josh Hamilton with the go-ahead run.