Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Cardinals 11, Royals 8
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carlos Beltran had three RBIs, and Matt Holliday and Allen Craig had two each, powering St. Louis to its first three-game sweep in Kansas City since 2009. Mike Moustakas had two home runs for the Royals, who gave up 41 hits and 30 runs to their state rivals in the three games. The previous weekend in St. Louis, the Royals won two out of three.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Orioles 2, Nationals 1
BALTIMORE — Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to rescue Baltimore. The Orioles appeared headed for their third shutout loss in six games before Adam Jones led off the eighth with a single off Sean Burnett and Wieters drove an 0-and-1 pitch over the centerfield wall. "It felt great," Wieters said. "Everyone was battling up there, trying to grind through at-bats to get a run, and to finally get one was great."
By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 24, 2012
PITTSBURGH — Many eyebrows were raised Friday, when the Lightning chose defenseman Slater Koekkoek with the 10th overall pick in the draft.
One who wasn't surprised was Dan Marr.
The director of NHL Central Scouting said Koekkoek, whose name never came up in speculation regarding Tampa Bay's first selection, would have been a top-10 prospect had he not missed five months last season because of a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
In other words, Koekkoek's No. 23 ranking among North American skaters was a matter of circumstance rather than a straight-up evaluation of his talent.
"He would have been a top-10 candidate," Marr, at the Consol Energy Center, told the Tampa Bay Times. "We knew that his game had taken off in the right direction."
The evaluation should provide solace for those who cringed when the Lightning — saying Koekkoek was its highest-rated player available at the time it chose — passed over forwards Filip Forsberg and Teuvo Teravainen (the top-ranked European skaters) and scorer Mikhail Grigorenko, No. 3 in North America.
"His core strength, he may be one of the better players in the draft," Marr said of Koekkoek, 18. "He's very strong, but he's one of those effortless, fluid skaters. He's got a game. He can lead a rush, but the best part of his game is getting the puck out of the (defensive) zone. He'll make that good first pass."
Not that the shoulder wasn't a concern.
Ira Guttentag, the Lightning's medical director, checked out Koekkoek at the prospects combine in Toronto. General manager Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Al Murray watched Koekkoek's workouts.
"He tested extremely well," Yzerman said. "He's a gifted athlete. He's in good shape."
"I used the combine to show that my shoulder was really good, and from there just wanted to put it in the back of my memory," said Koekkoek, 6 feet 2, 184 pounds. "It was a good learning experience."
"I learned to deal with a pretty substantial injury," he added. "I learned how to work hard to get what I want. It was obviously a big adversity thing. To get back to where I was was huge.
None of that surprised Koekkoek's dad, Brian.
"Slater, when he was young, his work ethic was, 'I'm just going to do something,' and he'd do it," he said. "When he was younger, he always said to us, 'I'm going to make the NHL someday.' So, he always had a mission when he went out to play hockey. He'll work hard. He wants to be the best at everything he does."
Koekkoek, who plays for Peterborough of the junior Ontario league and played for Canada at the 2011 under-18 world championship, also seems okay with what he called the "fun-and-games chirping" he hears about his Dutch last name, pronounced "cuckoo."
"I always laugh at it," he said. "I love my name."
"He didn't have any choice in selecting it," Yzerman said, "so he's got to make use of it."
So far, so good.
Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com.
By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 24, 2012
PITTSBURGH — Many eyebrows were raised Friday when the Lightning chose defenseman Slater Koekkoek with the 10th overall pick in the draft.
One who wasn't surprised was Dan Marr.
The director of NHL Central Scouting said Koekkoek, whose name never came up in speculation regarding Tampa Bay's first selection, would have been a top-10 prospect had he not missed five months last season because of a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
In other words, Koekkoek's No. 23 ranking among North American skaters was a matter of circumstance rather than a straight-up evaluation of his talent.
"He would have been a top-10 candidate," Marr said at the Consol Energy Center. "We knew that his game had taken off in the right direction."
The evaluation should provide solace for those who cringed when the Lightning — saying Koekkoek was its highest-rated player available at the time it chose — passed over forwards Filip Forsberg and Teuvo Teravainen (the top-ranked European skaters) and scorer Mikhail Grigorenko, No. 3 in North America.
"His core strength, he may be one of the better players in the draft," Marr said of Koekkoek, 18. "He's very strong, but he's one of those effortless, fluid skaters. He's got a game.
"He can lead a rush, but the best part of his game is getting the puck out of the (defensive) zone. He'll make that good first pass."
Not that the shoulder wasn't a concern.
Ira Guttentag, the Lightning's medical director, checked out Koekkoek at the prospects combine in Toronto. General manager Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Al Murray watched Koekkoek's workouts.
"He tested extremely well," Yzerman said. "He's a gifted athlete. He's in good shape."
"I used the combine to show that my shoulder was really good, and from there (I) just wanted to put it in the back of my memory," said Koekkoek, 6 feet 2, 184 pounds. "It was a good learning experience."
"I learned to deal with a pretty substantial injury," he added. "I learned how to work hard to get what I want. It was obviously a big adversity thing. To get back to where I was was huge.
None of that surprised Koekkoek's dad, Brian.
"Slater, when he was young, his work ethic was, 'I'm just going to do something,' and he'd do it," he said. "When he was younger, he always said to us, 'I'm going to make the NHL someday.' So, he always had a mission when he went out to play hockey. He'll work hard. He wants to be the best at everything he does."
Koekkoek, who plays for Peterborough of the junior Ontario league and played for Canada at the 2011 under-18 world championship, also seems okay with what he called the "fun-and-games chirping" he hears about his Dutch last name, pronounced "cuckoo."
"I always laugh at it," he said. "I love my name."
"He didn't have any choice in selecting it," Yzerman said, "so he's got to make use of it."
So far, so good.
Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@tampabay.com
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Tigers 3, Pirates 2
PITTSBURGH — Justin Verlander said he "didn't feel particularly great." So what did he do on a ho-hum day? He pitched a five-hitter that helped Detroit avoid a three-game sweep. "We had the horse going," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said, "and he pitched like the horse is supposed to pitch." Quintin Berry hit a two-run shot for his first major-league home run. He also scored the go-ahead run on former Ray Delmon Young's single in the eighth, an inning after Garrett Jones tied it with a two-run homer.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
White Sox 1, Brewers 0
10 innings
CHICAGO — Pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar lined an RBI single in the 10th inning for Chicago, which passed Cleveland for the American League Central lead. Alejandro De Aza led off the White Sox's 10th with a double off Manny Parra. Adam Dunn walked with one out to set the stage for Escobar. Milwaukee starter Michael Fiers pitched 71/3 strong innings, and Chicago's Jose Quintana went eight.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
VALENCIA, Spain — Fernando Alonso won an incident-filled European Grand Prix on Sunday in his home country and Michael Schumacher earned a first podium finish since his comeback by coming third.
Ferrari's Alonso jousted his way up from 11th on the grid to claim an emotional win after pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull stalled at the midway point.
"This race is probably the best victory I have ever felt," said Alonso, who cried on the podium as the Spanish national anthem played. "In terms of emotions, nothing compares to this."
Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen was second followed by Schumacher, the seven-time world champion who wound up on the podium after Lewis Hamilton and Pastor Maldonado collided on the penultimate lap as they fought for third place. It was the 43-year-old's first podium since 2006, the year before his three-year retirement.
Alonso's 29th career win lifted him to first in points, 10 ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber.
HUNTER-REAY TAKES IOWA: Ryan Hunter-Reay kept his car clean, made a late move and not so quietly forced himself into the championship discussion late Saturday night at Iowa Speedway in Newton.
Hunter-Reay passed Scott Dixon with 12 laps left and won for the second straight week.
Hunter-Reay moved to second in the standings with his seventh series victory, tops among active American drivers.
Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti was second in a race with major title implications. Pole-sitter Dario Franchitti exited before the green flag even dropped thanks to a blown engine, and two other championship contenders, leader Will Power and James Hinchcliffe, crashed out.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Athletics 4, Giants 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Derek Norris hit a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth inning for his first major-league home run, and the A's walked off with a stunning victory. Norris hammered Santiago Casilla's full-count pitch over the leftfield wall to help Oakland avoid its first three-game sweep at home to San Francisco. Casilla's second blown save in 22 chances ended Giants starter Matt Cain's bid for a ninth straight win.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
D'backs 5, Cubs 1
PHOENIX — Wade Miley outpitched former Ray Matt Garza in eight strong innings, Justin Upton had three RBIs and the Diamondbacks completed a three-game sweep. Miley retired 20 of the first 21 he faced before giving up a homer to Alfonso Soriano in the seventh. He worked out of a jam in the eighth with runners on second and third and no out. Jason Kubel hit a solo homer off Garza, and Upton broke it open with a two-run single in the eighth.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Padres 2, Mariners 0
SAN DIEGO — Edinson Volquez pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and Alexi Amarista hit a two-run double for the Padres. Volquez allowed just four singles in 6⅔ innings and was not hurt by the control issues that have hampered him this season. Volquez, who leads the majors with 55 walks, walked three but was rarely stressed by Seattle. He won for just the second time in his past eight starts and had been 1-5 with a 5.72 ERA in his past seven.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Angels 5, Dodgers 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mark Trumbo drove in Albert Pujols with the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning, and the Angels won their season series with the Dodgers for the third straight year. Peter Bourjos hit a two-run homer in the second and Howie Kendrick added an RBI single in the seventh for the Angels, who won four of six in the series.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
BOSTON — Kevin Youkilis took off his batting helmet, waved to the crowd and blew a kiss to his adoring fans.
A favorite at Fenway Park for so long, he wanted a final chance to say goodbye.
The Red Sox traded away the hard-nosed Youkilis on Sunday, sending the three-time All-Star infielder and cash to the White Sox for utilityman Brent Lillibridge and RHP Zach Stewart.
"(Manager) Bobby (Valentine) wanted him to have that moment of walking off the field," Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said.
A member of Boston teams that won the World Series in 2004 and 2007, Youkilis, 33, had seen his playing time drastically cut lately. He now joins AL Central-leading Chicago, which wanted a regular third baseman.
"I just got off the phone with him, he's very excited to join our club and he's got a little edge to him that I like," White Sox GM Kenny Williams said. "I can't tell you exactly what he said, but he wants to come in and prove some people wrong."
Youkilis had a rousing end to his days with the Red Sox.
After hitting an RBI triple in the seventh inning of a 9-4 win over the Braves, he was lifted for a pinch-runner. Longtime pal Nick Punto came out to replace him and the pair hugged.
Youkilis saluted the crowd and received a standing ovation. His teammates, coaches and Valentine were on the top step of the dugout cheering, and they urged Youkilis to take a curtain call.
Youkilis' time in Boston became limited because of injuries and poor play. Back problems forced him onto the disabled list in late April, and in 42 games he's batting .233 with a .315 on-base percentage and a .377 slugging percentage, which would be career worsts.
His replacement in the lineup, rookie Will Middlebrooks, is hitting .326 with a .365 on-base percentage and a .583 slugging percentage in 41 games.
Youkilis, who can play both corner infield spots, is a career .286 hitter with 133 homers and 563 RBIs. Known as the "Greek God of Walks," he also has a .388 on-base percentage.
In other Red Sox news, RHP Clay Buchholz went on the 15-day disabled list after being hospitalized with what Valentine called a "gastrointestinal issue."
WHDH-TV in Boston indicated that Buchholz is dealing with intestinal bleeding, possibly caused by taking too much anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen.
Cherington said the issue is not serious and Buchholz should be fine.
CANCER CLAIMS COACH: Padres bullpen coach Darryl Akerfelds, who pitched for five seasons in the majors, died from pancreatic cancer. He was 50.
UTLEY TO RETURN: Phillies All-Star 2B Chase Utley, on the disabled list all season because of a degenerative issue in his left kneecap, appears likely to be activated Wednesday. Utley played a second straight game at second base for Class A Clearwater on Saturday and is expected to play a rehab game Tuesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
ATHLETICS: RHP Brandon McCarthy went on the 15-day DL with a recurring shoulder strain retroactive to Wednesday.
D'BACKS: RHP Trevor Bauer, the third overall pick in the 2011 draft and one of the team's top prospects, is expected to be called up from Triple-A Reno to make his major-league debut Thursday against the Braves.
METS: Closer Frank Francisco went on the 15-day DL with a strained muscle on his left side, and SS Ruben Tejada returned to the lineup after missing seven weeks with a leg injury.
PADRES: RHP Anthony Bass went on the 15-day DL with shoulder inflammation.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 24, 2012
PHILADELPHIA — Joe Maddon has intentionally walked Texas' Josh Hamilton with the bases loaded and Detroit's Miguel Cabrera in three straight games with first base occupied to load the bases.
In the eighth inning of Sunday's matinee, the Rays manager was at it again.
Maddon put on Phillies pinch-hitter Jim Thome, not only loading the bases but moving the go-ahead run from first to second, as the Rays had RHP Burke Badenhop trying to protect a 3-2 lead. And it worked out perfectly, as LHP Jake McGee came on and retired Michael Martinez for the final out.
Maddon said it was an obvious — and not particularly risky — move, especially since Thome had beaten them the day before with his MLB record 13th walkoff homer: "He's been hot, you saw what he did (Saturday); he's got this flair for the dramatic, and I didn't want to see it again."
As accustomed as the Rays are to Maddon's unorthodox strategies, 1B Carlos Peña said there was still some surprise on the field.
"I was like, 'Oh my God,' " Peña said. "We have a sinkerball pitcher on the mound and we're gonna put the go-ahead run at second base. The first impression is, 'Does this make sense?' And then you're like, 'It makes sense because it doesn't.' It's awesome. And that's the way we do things here. We're not afraid to try different things."
PAIR OF ALEXS: LHP Alex Torres got a day of major-league pay, service time and meal money, plus two nights in a hotel, after being called up as an "extra man" under a new MLB rule for doubleheaders, then was returned to Triple-A Durham.
RHP Alex Cobb flew ahead to Kansas City to be rested for tonight's start, two days later than originally scheduled as the Rays adjusted their rotation after Friday's rainout.
Cobb, coming off a dazzling June 17 start in which he threw seven shutout innings, said the delay won't cause much disruption. He threw his usual post-start bullpen session Tuesday and did a light 15-pitch session Saturday, as, with the June 18 off day, he now will pitch on seven days' rest.
SPEED RACER: Rookie RHP Chris Archer was used as a pinch-runner again Sunday afternoon and would have had his first steal had he not overslid second and gotten tagged when he came off the base.
The Rays had a little fun with him for doing that, Maddon joking, "the speed causes him to slide right by the base." But they weren't amused by Archer — who admitted his form was rusty in his first slide since high school play in 2006 — going in head first, and he was apparently counseled heavily afterward. "Everybody pretty much suggested that," he said.
MEDICAL MATTERS: DH Luke Scott headed to Triple-A Durham for a brief rehab assignment today and Tuesday, then will be re-evaluated. Scott, out since June 8, said his back feels better but his swing wasn't ready and he wanted to face live pitching before returning. … RHP Kyle Farnsworth (right elbow) was rained out of his rehab appearance for Class A Charlotte and is scheduled to make back-to-back appearances tonight and Tuesday, with the target of being activated for his season debut during the homestand that starts Thursday. … RHP Jeremy Hellickson (shoulder fatigue) will throw a bullpen session in Kansas City and if all goes well, is set to be activated and start on Saturday.
MISCELLANY: The Rays tied a team record for walks in an inning by drawing five in the eighth of the nightcap. … Slumping LF Desmond Jennings was out of the lineup for the first game as Maddon felt he had been expanding his strike zone and looked "just a little bit confused" at the plate. … INF Drew Sutton, designated for assignment Friday, was claimed off waivers by the Pirates, from whom the Rays got him last month for undisclosed cash considerations.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
CROMWELL, Conn. — Marc Leishman shot 8-under 62 on Sunday in the Travelers Championship, then went back to the clubhouse to eat, watch some soccer and wait to see where he would finish.
More than two hours later, after Charley Hoffman blew a two-stroke lead on the final two holes, Leishman was hoisting his first championship trophy on the PGA Tour.
"I think Charley was on the 15th when I turned the golf on," Leishman said. "I watched that, then just went over and hit some balls and putted for a bit, and it turned out well."
The Australian, 28, began the day six strokes behind the leaders but made eight birdies in a bogey-free round. He finished at 14-under 266. "I didn't think it was going to be enough," he said. "Golf is a funny game, a really funny game."
Hoffman was 16 under heading to the 17th but pushed his tee shot right and into the water. He made double bogey and bogeyed the 18th after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.
"When it's said and done, obviously a bad finish and a bad taste in my mouth, but you learn from it," he said. "Any time you put yourself in contention, you learn from that."
Hoffman closed with 66 to tie for second with Masters champion Bubba Watson (65).
Leishman became the fifth player in seven years to break through with their first tour win at River Highlands, joining Fredrik Jacobson last year, Watson in 2010, Hunter Mahan in 2007 and J.J. Henry in 2006.
LPGA: Brittany Lang won the Manulife Financial Classic in Waterloo, Ontario, for her first tour title, birdieing the par-5 18th three straight times in a playoff. Lang missed a birdie try on the hole in regulation, leaving her tied with Hee Kyung Seo, Inbee Park and Chella Choi at 16-under 286. Choi was eliminated on the first extra hole, and Park dropped out on the second. Tampa resident Kristy McPherson shot her second straight 68 and finished tied for 31st at 6-under 278.
CHAMPIONS: Mark Calcavecchia won the Montreal Championship in Sainte-Julie, Quebec, for his second tour title, matching the course record with 8-under 64 for a two-stroke victory. The 52-year-old former Florida standout finished at 16-under 200.
FLORIDA AMATEUR: Panama City's Chase Seiffert shot 1-over 73 to defeat Lutz's Joe Alfieri by four and win the 95th Florida State Amateur Championship at the Bear's Club in Jupiter. Seiffert, who finished at 1-under 287, was a co-leader with Alfieri heading into the final round. Alfieri shot 5-over 77.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Soccer
England again feels sting of Penalty Kicks
KIEV, Ukraine — Alessandro Diamanti scored the decisive penalty kick to send Italy to the European Championship semifinals with a 4-2 edge in kicks after a 0-0 tie with England, which now has six losses in its past seven tournament shootouts.
Ashley Young hit the crossbar with England's third kick, and Ashley Cole's attempt was saved by Gianluigi Buffon.
"We deserved this victory," said Diamanti, whose team plays Germany on Thursday. "The penalties rewarded our dominance during the match."
For England, it was yet another exit from a major tournament in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout. England lost to Portugal in the same manner in Euro 2004 and in the 2006 World Cup.
"We have done the country proud but again we go home with heartbreak, and it's difficult to take," captain Steven Gerrard said.
"It's obviously a hard way to go out," striker Wayne Rooney said. "And it's maybe happened too many times now."
Boxing
Fill-in Lopez breaks Ortiz's jaw in upset
Josesito Lopez was trailing on all three scorecards when he tagged the heavier, stronger Victor Ortiz in his open mouth in the ninth round late Saturday in Los Angeles.
The blow broke Ortiz's jaw and he agreed with his corner to quit, an upset that will cost Ortiz a shot at superwelterweight champ Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
"I have a big heart; Victor has no heart," said Lopez (30-4, 18 knockouts), who was called in last month after Andre Berto tested positive for a steroid.
"Josesito busted my jaw. … I couldn't close my mouth," said Ortiz (29-4-2), who was taken to a hospital because of excessive bleeding in the mouth.
"Ortiz is out," Golden Boy promotions chief Richard Schaefer told the Los Angeles Times about the Alvarez fight.
NBA
Thunder not after Jackson, Gundy
GM Sam Presti dismissed reports that 11-time NBA champion Phil Jackson or former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy could be the next coach of the Thunder, saying an extension with Scott Brooks is a top priority. "To me, it's rubbish," Presti said of the ESPN report. Brooks' deal runs out at the end of the month.
Free agency: Point guard Deron Williams, 28 and considered a top free agent, has narrowed his list of teams to his current one, the Nets, or the Mavericks, ESPN.com reported. Free agency begins July 1.
Et cetera
NFL: Former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, a union leader with a record of criticizing the NFL's player-safety record, sees elements of a "smear campaign" in a bounty investigation that has sullied his reputation. Commissioner Roger Goodell could rule on the appeals of Fujita and the three players suspended in the bounty program as early as today. … Santa Clara County stunned the 49ers and Santa Clara city leaders by pulling $30 million in tax funds from the new stadium. County officials said they would rather spend the money on teachers.
Obituary: Ralph Wenzel, a lineman with the Steelers and Chargers whose early onset dementia helped draw attention to NFL player safety, died last Monday in Annapolis, Md., from complications of his dementia. He was 69.
WNBA: Atlanta beat host New York 74-64. Seattle beat visiting Washington 72-55. San Antonio, Texas, beat host Los Angeles 91-71.
Times wires
By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 24, 2012
tom jones' two cents
Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.
Coolest graphic
Don't you just love technology? In the 1970s, we were lucky if the scoreboard on the television screen wasn't crooked. These days, it seems like there's a new cool graphic every time you watch a sporting event. We have graphics that show whether a pitch is a ball or a strike, technology that tracks the flight of a golf ball and a yellow line that shows where the first down marker is in football. The latest is something called the "splash-o-meter.'' In diving, we are always hearing about how the smaller the splash is, the better the dive is. So, finally, NBC came up with a graphic that shows just how big the splashes are. NBC unveiled the technology for this past weekend's Olympic trials coverage, and you can be sure you will to see a lot more of it during the London Olympics.
Best decision
I received several emails on Sunday afternoon from television viewers upset that golf and Olympic trials coverage was interrupted because Channels 10 and 8 broke away for weather coverage because of the massive rains and flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debby.
To those viewers who were upset, I say, "Are you people nuts?"
Hey, I'd rather watch golf, too, but when a major weather story develops, that must take precedence over sports. Whoever wins the Travelers Championship, or whatever the heck it was called, isn't nearly as important as tornados, flooding and other potentially life-threatening events. It just isn't.
Now, some might say that there are other channels to watch for those interested in tracking the weather. My take always has been that the more channels that are showing dangerous weather, the better.
Ultimately, the local news channels' top priority is the welfare of their viewers. In addition, the backbone of any local television news is weather coverage, especially here in Florida.
Interestingly, at one point, Ch. 8 meteorologist Steve Jerve even addressed that he understood viewers might be annoyed that they were missing regular programming because of weather coverage. But he explained why it was important.
"It's really not that hard," Jerve said of the decision to stay with the weather.
He's absolutely right.
Ch. 8 broke away from NBC's Olympic trials coverage sometime after 3 p.m. and stayed with weather for a while before going back to the trials. But as the weather continued to grow worse, Ch. 8 returned to storm coverage and did not go back to sports until the track trials started at 7.
Ch. 10 broke away from CBS's golf coverage sometime after 3 p.m. and never went back to the golf.
Just to note: Ch. 28 (ABC) and Ch. 13 (Fox) did not have sports coverage late Sunday afternoon. Ch. 28 stuck with weather, while Ch. 13 stayed mostly with its regularly scheduled programming with a radar box in the corner.
Since this column usually critiques what's on TV on Sunday afternoons, let's go ahead and critique the weather coverage. Give me Ch. 28 and Denis Phillips. He's a straight-shooter who talks like a regular guy. And he tells us what is going to happen instead of what just happened.
Looking ahead instead of back? That's what makes a good sports analyst.
Oh, one other thing: Kudos to Nicole Darin of Ch. 10. She's normally a sports reporter, but she put on her poncho and boots and then waded through flood waters Sunday evening to put out a solid news report.
Worst comment
I've written time and time again about how much I like Sun Sports Rays analyst Brian Anderson, but I wasn't a fan Saturday evening when he slammed his own crew, even though he might not have realized how badly he was doing so.
During the Rays-Phillies broadcast, a graphic appeared on the screen showing that Rays first baseman Carlos Peña led all interleague batters in walks. Anderson's point was such a stat — the fact that Peña has walked a lot against a small sample of pitchers — really doesn't tell you anything. He did have a point, but then he went too far.
"That's just a waste of my time and everybody else's," Anderson said.
Someone in the Sun Sports production truck looked up that statistic. Someone in that truck decided to put it on the screen. And Anderson shot a hole in all of it and undermined the credibility of the broadcast in general and a few individuals in particular.
Again, Anderson sort of had a point, but it wasn't such a great point that it needed to be addressed. Ignoring it would have been the best tact instead of making your own team look bad.
Most interesting real estate item
Cool nugget from the website TheBigLead.com. It uncovered that former USF men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg, fired recently by Virginia Tech, has purchased a home in Avon, Conn. What makes that interesting? Avon is 14 miles from Bristol, home of ESPN.
So we've added two plus two and came up with Greenberg, above, joining ESPN. There's a buzz that if Greenberg doesn't return to coaching, he would be a perfect replacement some day for Digger Phelps on the basketball version of College GameDay. Phelps turns 71 in July.
Meantime, College GameDay already has an opening now that Hubert Davis has left to become an assistant coach at North Carolina. The rumor is ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose, a member of the old Michigan Fab Five, is in line to replace Davis. Personally, I'd rather see Doug Gottlieb in that role, partly because Rose is just fine on the NBA, but mostly because Gottlieb deserves the higher profile.
Best line
LeBron James and the Heat absolutely deserved to win the NBA championship. And it's true that injuries are a part of the game. But Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan made an interesting point on ESPN's Sports Reporters on Sunday.
"If (Bulls guard) Derrick Rose (at left) hadn't gotten hurt,'' Ryan said, "we might be having a very different conversation this morning."
Biggest distraction
Former major-leaguer Orestes Destrade is the analyst on the Sun Sports pregame road games and, while on camera at the desk, he holds a baseball. Maybe he wants this to be his "thing" or whatever, but it's annoying. And distracting. You can't help but look at the baseball when he's talking, and you end up not hearing what he is saying.
The only time a TV sports analyst should be holding a piece of equipment — a baseball, a football, a baseball bat, a golf club, whatever — is when he is demonstrating something. Otherwise, put the toys away so we can listen to what you're saying.
Three things that popped into my head
1. For those who dislike the Red Sox, isn't it going to be weird to see Kevin Youkilis, above, with the White Sox? He always seems like the one Red Sox player who got under the skin of rival team fans.
2. I hope Dwight Howard does not get traded to Brooklyn. Why? Because that's where he wants to be traded. The Magic should trade him to Charlotte or some other lousy team just so he can see how good he had it in Orlando and how badly he treated Magic fans.
3. Did anyone think that on June 25, the Phillies and Tigers would have losing records, while the Indians, Pirates and Orioles would have winning records?
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
SONOMA, Calif. — Clint Bowyer says he knew he could get to Victory Lane this season, his first with Michael Waltrip Racing.
He just didn't think it would be on a road course.
Bowyer picked up his first win with his new team Sunday by holding off Kurt Busch on the winding 1.99-mile road course at Sonoma. Though Bowyer had finished fourth three times on this course, his background is on dirt tracks and this style of racing isn't his strong suit.
So the irony of winning Sunday wasn't lost on Bowyer.
"To have this dirt boy from Kansas at Victory Lane on a road course is big, trust me," he said. "I saw Jeff Gordon, he's sitting there on the wall, he's won this race many times, he's a champion of this sport and I just beat him. I passed Jeff Gordon, and you have no idea, a young racer from Kansas, you don't forget stuff like that."
Bowyer dominated, leading 71 of the 112 laps in the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Defending winner Busch, in an unsponsored car, was all over the bumper of Bowyer's Toyota late and got a final shot at taking the win when caution flew with four laps left.
But Busch had damaged his car a few laps earlier and, during the yellow flag, he worried whether his Chevrolet was ruined for the two-lap overtime sprint to the end.
The two raced side-by-side on the restart, then Bowyer cleared Busch and pulled away.
"Kurt raced me clean, he bumped me and roughed me up, but never did anything to jeopardize either one of us," Bowyer said.
Bowyer, who left Richard Childress Racing at the end of last season to join MWR, had to walk to Victory Lane to celebrate with his new crew after his car ran out of gas.
"I'm super excited for everybody involved," Bowyer said. "To switch teams like I did was a huge risk and a chance for me, and it was a chance to showcase my talents.
"I've had good teammates and good stuff before, but never like this. This is a young group, Michael stuck it out and I'm telling you, he's fixing to reap the benefits. He's worked hard."
It was a strong day all-around for MWR, which got a fourth-place finish from Brian Vickers, who only has a handful of Sprint Cup races lined up and spent last weekend racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Martin Truex led 15 laps and ran in the top 10 until a late-race incident dropped him to 22nd.
Tony Stewart passed Busch on the final lap to claim second, but said it was because Busch's car was struggling.
"Every time he would go in the corner, the rear end would shift, and it was running him to the outside of the track on entry and it was screwing his corner up," Stewart said. "Kind of got it by default there to a certain degree. Once we got by there, we just were not close enough in that last lap to get to Clint."
Busch wound up third. He was emotional — having missed Pocono this month because he was suspended by NASCAR for verbally abusing a media member — and said he was thrilled to compete for the win in an underfunded, unsponsored Phoenix Racing car.
"It's an amazing day, when you can do what we did," Busch said. "I'm a little choked up because A: We were in position. B: I was very considerate to Bowyer, who was going for his first win with the new team. And then C: which is most important, I made a mistake, I got into those tires in Turn 11."
Busch, who has struggled with his temper on and off the track, saw a silver lining.
"If I can get my head on straight here, and after the race, then I could be able to race every weekend and go for victories," Busch said.
Pole-sitter Marcos Ambrose and Gordon, who owns a record nine road-course wins in Sprint Cup, were the favorites. But neither really contended.
Ambrose led the first 11 laps but fell back, and said the setup on his Ford was off. He finished eighth. Gordon led once for 13 laps before running out of gas as he was headed for a pit stop. He wound up sixth.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
OMAHA, Neb. — Forty-somethings and teen phenoms.
Records and rivalries.
Comebacks and farewells.
Though Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are getting much of the attention, there's no shortage of attention-getting stories heading into the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, which begin today.
• There's 11-time medalist Natalie Coughlin, who is two medals away from becoming this country's most decorated female Olympic swimmer. She will be matched against 17-year-old Missy Franklin, who emerged as the sport's next big star with a dazzling performance at last year's world championships.
• Janet Evans, 40, is attempting to qualify for the London Games after retiring for 15 years. Dara Torres, 45, is trying to make her sixth Olympic team. She insists this will be her last attempt.
• Brendan Hansen, one of America's greatest breaststrokers, called it a career after disappointing at the past two Olympics. But the tug of the water was too strong, so the 30-year-old is back to try again for a more fitting capper to his career.
• Jessica Hardy qualified for the Olympic team four years ago but had to drop out after she failed a doping test. She faced a two-year suspension and possible banishment from the London Games, but an arbitration panel ruled the positive result wasn't her fault. Her suspension was cut in half, and she was cleared to swim in the Olympics if she makes the team.
• Anthony Ervin, 31, won a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle at the 2000 Olympics, then mysteriously walked away from the sport before the next Games. He generally just roamed around the country, working odd jobs, finishing college and searching for a deeper meaning to life. Then, out of nowhere, he returned to the sport last year. "However the dice fall, it's been great," he said.
early showdown? Phelps and Lochte could have their first head-to-head matchup tonight. Phelps passed on the deadline to scratch from the 400-meter individual medley, meaning he will at least swim the preliminary round this morning, as will Lochte, a former Gator, who won last year's world championship.
Phelps won the 400 IM at the past two Olympics but vowed after 2008 to give up the event that requires all four strokes. But he put the race back in his program at several meets leading up to the trials.
familiar face: Tampa resident Sam Stosur, winner of tennis' U.S. Open last year, was the fourth-most recognized Australian Olympian in her native country in a poll done for a newspaper. She was recognized by 73 percent of the 500 people surveyed for the Sunday Age, behind three triple-gold-medal-winning swimmers: Stephanie Rice, Libby Trickett and Leisel Jones.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
EUGENE, Ore. — The last time Justin Gatlin was at the Olympics trials — eight years ago — he was a youngster ready to become the next big thing in sprinting. He won 100-meter gold in Athens and a world title the following year. Then he fell from grace.
Gatlin tested positive for excessive testosterone in 2006, leading to a four-year ban. Now 30, back at the trials and attempting to repair his image, Gatlin won the 100 final Sunday for another Olympic trip. "Usually, I have a lot of words. I'm almost speechless," Gatlin said. "Everything just feels so surreal."
Gatlin crossed the line in 9.80 seconds, 0.06 ahead of Tyson Gay, the U.S. record holder with the surgically repaired right hip that hadn't been tested at top-end speed in more than a year.
The third Olympic spot went to Ryan Bailey. Florida's Jeff Demps was seventh. Eighth and last was former Seminole and 2008 bronze medalist Walter Dix, who pulled up in the semis with a left hamstring injury. Dix hopes to be ready for the 200 this week. "Things like this happen. I really can't say much about it," he said.
Florida State's Maurice Mitchell didn't advance out of the semis.
Defending gold medalist LaShawn Merritt won the 400 in a world-leading 44.12 seconds. Joining him on the squad are Florida three-time NCAA champion and 2011 national champion Tony McQuay, and USC's Bryshon Nellum, who in 2008 was shot in the legs three times as he left a restaurant near campus after a Halloween party.
In other finals:
• Sanya Richards-Ross tied a 28-year-old meet record in winning the 400 in 49.28.
• 2008 silver medalist and U.S. record holder Jenn Suhr won the pole vault.
• Defending discus champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton easily earned a spot.
•Texas receiver Marquise Goodwin won the long jump.
•Reese Hoffa won the shot put; 2008 silver medalist Christian Cantwell was third to get a spot.
After 24 hours of discussions, USA Track and Field came up with a way to break the tie in the women's 100 for the third spot. Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh finished in a dead heat in Saturday's final. The governing body had no rule to cover the situation.
Unless Felix or Tarmoh declines the spot, there will be a runoff or a coin flip. If they can't agree on a method, they'll have a runoff. If they won't name a preference, it's a coin toss.
Bobby Kersee, who coaches both, said they won't decide until after they complete in the 200. The final is Saturday. USA Track and Field wants a decision by the trials' end the next day.
Times wires
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Rangers 4, Rockies 2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Matt Harrison pitched five scoreless innings to tie the Rays' David Price for the AL lead with his 10th victory, and Leonys Martin had two extra-base hits for his first three RBIs in the majors for the Rangers. Martin, the Cuban defector who signed with Texas last year, had an RBI double in the second and a two-run triple an inning later.
