By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

TAMPA — Though TE Dallas Clark was one of the Bucs' key free agent acquisitions in the offseason, fans haven't gotten to see very much of him.

Clark, 33, held out of the first preseason game at Miami, played only a few series Friday against the Titans. Part of it is Tampa Bay being judicious with how it uses the veteran, who has battled injuries while playing just 17 games over the past two seasons.

But Clark said he, along with the first-team offense, expects to see more action Friday against the Patriots. He hopes to build on how good he already feels about his grasp of the offense and the chemistry with QB Josh Freeman.

"That's going to keep growing; just getting on the same page and get a feel for each play and the certain coverages and how we're reading it, how he reads it, where he needs me to be," Clark said.

"Just getting all that stuff comes with time. You can sit in a meeting room and do it and talk about it. But once you go on the field and actually run that play, that's when the most learning takes place."

Clark is replacing Kellen Wins­low, who caught 218 passes over his three seasons in Tampa Bay. Though it remains to be seen how the tight end position is used in coach Greg Schiano's offense, Freeman expects Clark to be a significant addition.

"This preseason, you want to get him some looks. But at the same time, we've got a number of guys I feel they want to get reps," Freeman said. "Me and Dallas, our chemistry has been great. He's been making a lot of plays in practice, and I'm really excited to move forward into the season with him."

MESSAGE SENT: Schiano had a large, digital clock installed in the locker room counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until kickoff of the regular-season opener against Carolina. A Panthers logo is on the clock.

Backup QB Dan Orlovsky, who has played for three other teams, said he has never been in a locker room with that kind of clock.

"I think it's a visual tool," Orlovsky said.

Schiano has made other not-so-subtle changes to the locker room.

In the past, players' lockers have been grouped by position. But this year, Schiano has mixed and matched positions and personalities. WR Mike Williams is next to G Davin Joseph. Freeman's locker neighbor is G Ted Larsen. CB Aqib Talib and LB Quincy Black are together. So are WR Vincent Jackson and CB Myron Lewis.

TOUGH TIQUAN: WR Tiquan Under­wood is grateful and thankful for his experience with the Patriots last season, even if it ended in one of the most heartbreaking ways possible: getting cut the day before the Super Bowl.

New England wanted to get another defensive lineman on the roster and added Alex Silvestro, another Rutgers product. It marked the third time Underwood was released that season.

Underwood said there were no hard feelings, pointing out coach Bill Belichick typically handles his depth chart decisions on Saturdays and always puts the team first.

"I just happened to be one of the latter guys on the depth chart," Underwood said.

"It's part of the business. I understand that. Now I'm trying to put myself in a better position so that when those decisions are made, I'm not going to be one of the guys that can be released."

GATOR BAIT: Former Gators RB Jeff Demps went through his first NFL practice Wednesday at One Buc Place.

Though Tampa Bay hoped Demps, who won a silver medal in the London Olympics as part of the U.S. 400-meter relay team, would be wearing its jersey, he signed with New England on Friday. Demps said it wasn't a tough decision.

"Once I talked to the Patriots, I kind of got the feeling that's where I wanted to be," Demps said. "Everything was family based. (I felt) like I was already part of the team."

MISCELLANY: The starting time of the Aug. 29 preseason game at Washington has been changed from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. … Schiano said CB Eric Wright is fine after sustaining an undisclosed injury Tuesday. … RB LeGarrette Blount, who left Friday's game with a groin injury, expects to play against the Patriots.

Times staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report. Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@tampabay.com.

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Hernando Sportsman's Club, 16121 Commercial Way, north of Weeki Wachee, hosts weekly sport shooting events.

September will feature 15 different competitions, starting with three events Sept. 1. The steel target pistol match, junior .22-gauge rifle match (age 10 to 18 only) and Cowboy Action pistol match will all begin at 9 a.m. that day. A bowling pin pistol match will take place at 9 a.m. Sept. 2.

The following weekend, the club will host an Action Rifle match at 9 a.m. Sept. 8. On Sept. 9, there will be a 200-yard Hi-Power rifle match at 8 a.m. and a U.S. Practical Shooting Association pistol match at 9 a.m.

The third week of club competitions begins Sept. 15 with Garand Rifle match at 8 a.m. and the International Defensive Pistol Association pistol match at 9 a.m. On Sept. 16, the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association Pistol and .22-gauge Rifle Silhouette match will be at 9 a.m. and the Classic Fast Draw single-action Western revolver match at 9:30 a.m.

The next week will include the Two-Gun (pistol/shotgun) match at 9 a.m. and the International Pistol match at 9 a.m. Sept. 22. The Bull's-eye Pistol match will take place at 9 a.m. Sept. 23.

The final competition of the month, the Three-Gun (pistol/rifle/shotgun) match, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 30.

Practice times are available during the week. The competition schedule is subject to change. Visit hernando sportsmansclub.com for updated times.

For information, call the club office at (352) 597-9931.

SPRING HILL DIXIE SOFTBALL: Spring Hill Dixie Softball will have registration for the fall season at Anderson Snow Park over the next couple of weeks.

League officials will accept sign-ups in the pavilion at the park. Volunteers will be there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sept. 1 and from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The cost is $100 per child. A copy of the child's birth certificate is necessary for registration. The fees cover games, insurance and trophies.

For information, visit shdixiesoftball.com.

SPRING HILL DIXIE BASEBALL: Spring Hill Dixie Baseball will have registration for the fall season at Anderson Snow Park this week.

League officials will accept sign-ups in the office at the park. Volunteers will be there from 6 to 8 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

All potential players must turn 5 years old by April 30, 2013. Participants cannot turn 15 years old before Nov. 23.

The cost is $70 for the first child from a family and $65 for other children. A copy of the child's birth certificate is necessary for registration. The fees cover games, insurance and trophies.

A $30 late fee will be charged after the registration dates. There will also be a $30 concession deposit required during sign-ups, but the fee will be refunded after three hours of volunteer work in the concession stand.

For information, call Joe Abbadessa at (352) 263-4488.

CANCER GOLF BENEFIT: The Ridge Golf Club, 34450 Whispering Oaks Blvd., Ridge Manor, is playing host to the inaugural Cancer Golf Tournament on Sept. 8 to raise money for two Centennial Middle School students in Dade City who recently were diagnosed with cancer.

Hailey Limoges, 12, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was transferred to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg to start radiation treatments. Shane Salyer, 12, was diagnosed with Stage 2-3 lymphoma in 2009. He went into remission after a year of intense radiation treatment, but the cancer has returned. All proceeds will be split between the two families.

The event format is a four-person scramble. Entrants may bring their own team, or the club can match groups. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. The shotgun start is at 8 a.m.

The cost is $45 per golfer, which includes greens fees, cart and lunch. There will be prizes for closest-to-the-pin, longest drive (men and women) and a hole-in-one — $10,000, sponsored by Jarrett Ford in Dade City. There will also be prizes for the first-, second- and third-place teams, plus door prizes. Lunch will be served at 1 p.m.

For information, call Betty O'Brien at (352) 608-4800 or (248) 420-7620 or Eugenia Parlow at (352) 583-7896.

HERNANDO COUNTY RAYS DAY: The Sept. 23 Tampa Bay Rays game against the Toronto Blue Jays will benefit the Hernando County Education Foundation when tickets are purchased through the local organization.

First pitch for the Sunday contest will be at 1:40 p.m., with gates opening at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at 11:40 a.m. The first 10,000 kids will receive a Matt Joyce bobblehead, and kids will be allowed to run the bases after the game.

Tickets in the lower box seats are available for $20 each, with a deadline of Sept. 11 for purchase.

For information, contact Frank Zito at (407) 697-0868 or fzito80@yahoo.com.

KIWANIS GOLF TOURNAMENT: Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville will play host to the seventh annual Kiwanis of Spring Hill Children Charity Golf Invitational on Sept. 20.

Proceeds will be distributed by Kiwanis Club to various local charities and organizations that benefit children.

Registration is scheduled for 8 a.m., when breakfast will be served. The shotgun start is set for 10 a.m., with a buffet lunch, awards ceremony and silent auction at the conclusion of play.

Participants may register by visiting springhillkiwanis.org. The registration fee is $110 per player or $400 per foursome. The deadline is Sept. 10.

For information, contact Richard Sanvenero at (352) 263-7829, ext. 25, or nero280@aol.com.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS FEST: Special Olympics of Hernando County will have its Olympics Fest 2012 on Sept. 15 at Springstead High School on Mariner Boulevard in Spring Hill.

Open to all ages, from 3 to 40-plus, the event will raise money for Special Olympics. Seven different age groups will compete in short sprints. The entry fee is $5 for kids age 3 to 13, $8 for age 14 to 18 and $10 for adults over 18.

There will be vendors, live music, raffles and other games. Activities begin at 11 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m.

For information, email Andrea Lee Purvis at andreacancreate@yahoo.com.

BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT: The local chapter of the Florida Council on Delinquency and Crime is organizing a golf tournament at Brooksville County Club at Majestic Oaks on Sept. 30.

The four-person scramble will benefit facilities that assist victims, including the Dawn Center for domestic violence victims in Hernando County and the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. The registration fee is $240 per foursome or $60 per golfer for those who do not have a group.

The fee includes golf, cart and lunch. The shotgun start will be at 8:30 a.m., with prizes awarded for first, second and third place, longest drive, and closest-to-the-pin.

The registration deadline is Sept. 10, limited to the first 100 golfers.

For information, call Tonya Griffin at (352) 797-3410.

BADDEST MUDDER: The Baddest Mudder 5K is coming to Brooksville on Nov. 3 and 4.

Baddest Mudder is a group that runs obstacle races around the Suncoast. It will be holding its first event at the Hernando County Fairgrounds on U.S. 41 in Brooksville.

The race is open to all ages, teams and skill levels. Sign-up prizes will be offered to all participants. The event includes a well-marked and defined course, food, drinks, music and field games.

The two-day event starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 4:30 p.m. each day.

Participants may sign up at baddestmudder.com. There are discounts for groups, and early-bird registration is open for $49.95 per runner.

Kids are welcome; organizers are offering a kids-only "Mini Mudder" pit for free.

Contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

TAMPA — With 13 offseason workouts spread over three months, nearly three weeks of training camp and hours on end of daily meetings, preparation in the NFL can be a tiring and tedious process.

But that was hardly evident at One Buc Place on Wednesday.

When Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn got into his pass-rushing stance and glanced into the backfield, he saw three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

When guard Davin Joseph looked across the line of scrimmage and saw All-Pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, it was immediately clear this was no ordinary practice.

The AFC champion Patriots arrived Wednesday for two days of joint practices with the Bucs — the teams meet in a preseason game Friday night — and the players said the stimulation was just what they needed.

"When you're practicing against your teammates, you know each other well and your moves stop working on them after a while," Clayborn said.

"But this was fun. I think we should do it more often to give guys a reason to go out and practice hard. Ultimately, you always want to practice hard, but this was different."

The arrangement came about as a result of the relationship between Bucs coach Greg Schiano and Patriots coach Bill Belichick, whose son Steve played for a year under Schiano at Rutgers.

But mostly, the teams decided to do it because both believe these kinds of workouts are particularly productive, more so than practices against teammates.

"Our guys go against each other every day," Schiano said. "So if they're smart football players, after a while, they can call out the blitzes for you or call out the run plays for you. That can sometimes skew the end result. Some plays (in practice) can come as a result of anticipation. Here, that's not the case."

Said Belichick: "We don't have much of a scouting report on Tampa. We haven't watched any film on Tampa. We just know some of the basics, and we're going to have to figure it out as we go. But that's good because that's a realistic situation in games."

Schiano even said he would glean more from watching film of Wednesday's workout because the unfamiliarity meant there were more variables with which the players to cope. The setup also brought out the best in both team's players.

"It felt game-like," Bucs and former Patriots receiver Tiquan Underwood said. "It's just scheme against scheme. You're just playing football."

But the Bucs were doing so against a team that was in the Super Bowl in February, one that has, arguably, had more sustained recent success than any other club. For the young Bucs, the Patriots and Belichick have a bit of an aura.

"I don't get nervous around a lot of people. But (Belichick) was walking through the hall earlier, and I was walking to the locker room, and I dang near turned the other way," defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said, joking. "(I thought) 'Dang, I don't want to look this man in his eyes.'

"There's something about him. He has a presence about him."

Other Bucs took note of Brady and his command of the huddle and tempo with which he practices. Actually, even Schiano was a bit in awe.

"The way he handled himself in the huddle … when you play them, you don't get to see that," Schiano said of the seven-time Pro Bowl quarterback. "When you stand out on the field and hear the way he handles things, that's good stuff."

The results of head-to-head drills were mixed, according to players. (Media members were permitted to watch only 30 minutes of individual work.) No one kept score, so there were no winners and losers.

The day was competitive, but the teams remained respectful of each other.

Except for the time Bucs linebacker Adam Hayward unintentionally decked receiver Julian Edelman, things did not get testy. It was a result, players said, of the Patriots' professionalism and the Bucs' effort to implement more of the same.

In the end, the two-day affair might be different, but the goals are no different than in practices.

"I don't think it's a vacation or a nice trip to Florida," Brady said. "This is for us to come down here and be a better football team when we leave."

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@tampabay.com. View his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/bucs. Follow him on Twitter at @HolderStephen.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

TAMPA

See. Greg Schiano said he was going to bring a sensational team to Tampa Bay.

And there they were, on a sunny summer morning, spread across the fields of One Buc Place.

There was the star quarterback, a guy who has accomplished so much he could take up bank robbery as a hobby and still make it to the Hall of Fame. There was the elusive wide receiver who seems to know a shortcut to the first down marker. There was the wild and crazy tight end who drives a lot of coaches crazy, occasionally his own.

Alas, those are the Patriots.

As for the Bucs, you just hope they were paying attention.

How could they not be?

Here the Bucs were, trying to learn the careful steps of a team walking in the right direction again, and over there was the Belichick Bunch, a team that has become the standard of excellence in the NFL.

It's like being in a garage band and trying to master the C chord on your guitar and all of a sudden Jimi Hendrix walks into the room.

For the Bucs, this is the real advantage of the invasion of the Flying Elvises this week. Yeah, yeah, the Bucs get to work against a new team with a new scheme, and they get to break away from the monotony of August and all of that.

Mostly, though, the Bucs get to pay attention to the franchise that a lot of others wish they could be.

This one, especially.

Other teams rise, other teams fall, but the Patriots keep churning out winning seasons. That's 11 in a row, if you're counting, and in the NFL, everyone is counting. Granted, the grumpier Pats fans will point out it has been, literally, weeks since the team won a Super Bowl (actually, since February 2005) and the team has lost in its past two tries. Still, for a franchise such as the Bucs, which hasn't won a playoff game in a decade, that's still fairly impressive.

Remember back when the Bucs fired Tony Dungy? The Patriots won the Super Bowl that season.

Remember back when the Bucs gave Jon Gruden his last contract extension? The Patriots played in the Super Bowl that season, too.

Remember earlier this year when the Bucs fired Raheem Morris? The Patriots were in the Super Bowl again.

In other words, maybe the Bucs players should take a few notes.

Maybe the front office should, too.

If I was Schiano, this would be my advice to my players: Do what they do. Remember that stuff about playing Buccaneer football? Put that off until next week. For now, play Patriot football. After all, what's wrong with being Patriotic?

Yo, Josh Freeman. Why don't you follow Tom Brady around for a few days. If he studies film, you study film. If he shaves his head, you shave your head. If he juggles swords, you juggle swords.

Same with Mike Williams. If Wes Welker catches 100 balls after practice, you catch 100. If he lifts weights, you lift weights. If he puts ketchup on his Jell-O, well, sacrifices have to be made.

Gerald McCoy should pay attention to Vince Wilfork and Luke Stocker to Rob Gronkowski.

And Schiano? Like coach Bill Belichick, Schiano has a spring that seems to be wound extremely tight. Neither guy is exactly the type you sidle up to and say, "Hey, heard any good jokes lately?''

No wonder they get along. Belichick praised Schiano repeatedly Wednesday. He called him smart. He called him tough. He said he had "a good personality.''

Right. Schiano is the fun one of the two. Good to know. Beli­chick will have to settle for being the one with 175 wins and three Super Bowl rings. I suspect he will manage.

Odd because Belichick has won so many games, but there was a time when he was in a similar situation to Schiano.

Back in 2000, Belichick lost his first game with the Patriots to Tampa Bay, and New England finished his first season 5-11. It is safe to suggest no one called the jewelers and told them to stand by.

Since then, there has been a lot of winning. It never seems to matter who leaves the team — Randy Moss or Richard Seymour or Tedy Bruschi or Rodney Harrison — the Patriots always seem to win.

More than anything, that's why this week's practices are a great idea for the Bucs. There are things you can learn while playing against excellence. In some ways, these team-on-team sessions are more valuable than a preseason game because teams get to work in live, controllable situations. There is a little more of the unknown in working against another team.

For Schiano, it will also be a nice gauge to determine where his team is. If Freeman can handle the duress he will feel against the Patriots, it means good things. If the Bucs can run successfully, it means good things.

Oh, and Greg? If Belichick wants to listen to Bon Jovi, I'd suggest you go out and buy a CD or two yourself.

Who knows? Maybe you can wear your new hoodie as you listen.

Listen to Gary Shelton from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on 98.7-FM The Fan.

By Doug Hemmer, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

What's hot: The redfish in lower Tampa Bay are starting to school in large numbers. The past month had schools of 20-50. Some days, we can find schools of 200-300 reds. They don't always show on the flats, but when they do, the bite is on. Most redfish are 26-32 inches. The smaller reds are hanging in the mullet schools. If you can move close to the school without spooking them, they will stay and feed. When the school is spooked, they will keep swimming. And a redfish school on the move will seldom feed.

Tips: Redfish are feeding best on live and cut pinfish. Free-line the cut bait and rig the live ones under a cork. Work the edge of the school. A bait cast into the middle can spook the fish. The spawn of baitfish in the area has grown large enough to snag in a quarter-inch net. Throw the net as soon as you see pinfish. If you chum too long, the spawn will show and snag in the mesh. This is why they call the small spawn "net wreckers." Most larger threadfins have been hanging in 20 feet off St. Pete Beach. A Sabiki rig worked through the school will catch all the threadfins you need. If you want pinfish, work the bottom under the threadfin school.

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

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

This week on the pro golf tours

PGA: Barclays, Bethpage State Park, Black Course, Farmingdale, N.Y. TV: Today-Friday, 3 p.m., Golf Channel; Saturday, 1 p.m., Golf, 3 p.m., Ch. 10; Sunday, noon, Golf, 2 p.m., Ch. 10

LPGA: Canadian Women's Open, Vancouver Club, Coquitlam, British Columbia. TV: Today, 6:30 p.m., Golf Channel; Friday, 1:30 a.m., Golf; Saturday, 3 p.m., Golf; Sunday, 2 p.m., Golf

Champions: Boeing Classic, TPC Snoqualmie (Wash.) Ridge. TV: Friday-Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Golf Channel; Sunday, 7 p.m., Golf

PGA Europe: Johnnie Walker Championship, PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles, Scotland. TV: Today-Friday, 9:30 a.m., Golf Channel; Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m., Golf

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Brewers 3, Cubs 2

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun hit his NL-leading 34th home run of the season, Yovani Gallardo pitched seven strong innings and the Brewers completed a three-game sweep. John Axford pitched a scoreless ninth to convert his second straight save, returning to his role as closer after he was demoted earlier in the season. Braun hit a solo shot deep to right-centerfield in the sixth to surpass his total from his 2011 NL MVP season.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

. Up next

Athletics

Tonight-Saturday

What's new: There has been a lot changing for the A's: RHP Bartolo Colon suspended 50 games, SS Stephen Drew acquired from Arizona, 2B Jemile Weeks demoted to Triple A, pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson reinstated, 3B Brandon Inge hurt, C Kurt Suzuki traded. But, at least thus far, they've hung in the postseason race, thanks primarily to tremendous pitching, though it has been slipping a bit, and Colon's suspension is a further loss. Still, the A's are last in hitting in the AL, 13th in runs and tied for 12th in on-base percentage.

Key stat: The A's are 20-11 in games decided in the last at-bat, including an MLB-best 13 walkoff wins.

Connections: Oakland OF/DH Jonny Gomes and RHP Grant Balfour are ex-Rays. Tampa Bay 1B Carlos Peña played for the A's, RHP Joel Peralta started his career with them as an infielder.

Series history: 3-3 this season; A's lead 84-51 overall, 37-30 at Trop.

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Rays vs. A's

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field

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

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

Probable pitchers

Rays: RH Alex Cobb (7-8, 4.74)

A's: RH Tyson Ross (2-8, 6.35)

On Cobb: Coming off a brutal outing in Anaheim, where he allowed 12 hits and eight runs without getting out of the third. Won in Oakland Aug. 1, allowing 1 run in 7 innings.

On Ross: Tabbed Wednesday as a replacement for suspended Bartolo Colon. Is 3-1, 2.85 over nine starts since going back to Triple A. Roughed up May 4 by Rays, allowing 7 runs in 3⅓ IP.

Key matchups

Rays VS. ROSS

Desmond Jennings 2-for-3

Luke Scott 1-for-3

B.J. Upton 3-for-4

A's VS. COBB

Coco Crisp 3-for-3

Yeonis Cespedes 1-for-3

Josh Reddick 0-for-3

On deck

Friday: vs. A's, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (10-7, 3.57); A's — Jarrod Parker (8-7, 3.48)

Saturday: vs. A's, 1:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (8-8, 3.28); A's — Brandon McCarthy (7-4, 4.62)

Sunday: Off

Monday: at Rangers, 8:05, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (16-4, 2.28); Rangers — TBA

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Banner day for Rays

To properly acknowledge "American Legion" week — with the players essentially just showing up to play, as when they were kids — Rays manager Joe Maddon sought a banner for the clubhouse. PR man Rick Vaughn stopped in to borrow one from Post 238 in Safety Harbor, then Maddon returned the favor, announcing postgame that all beers, pickled eggs and sausages for Post members were on the Rays Wednesday night.

AL race for wild cards

Team W L Pct. GB

Tampa Bay 69 55 .556—

Oakland 67 56 .545—

Baltimore 67 57 .5401/2

Detroit 66 57 .537 1

Los Angeles 64 60 .516 31/2

Stat of the day

1

Strikeout by Rays hitters, matching their fewest in a game, for just the second time, over the past three seasons.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Athletics 5, Twins 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Coco Crisp homered, hit an RBI double and scored three runs as the A's clinched their second straight winning series. Yoenis Cespedes hit a go-ahead two-run single in the third inning that held up for Tommy Milone, and Crisp also singled and stole his 28th base to give Oakland a much-needed boost hours after Bartolo Colon's drug suspension.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

D'backs 3, Marlins 2

Game 1

PHOENIX — Tyler Skaggs pitched 6⅔ strong innings in his major-league debut as the Diamondbacks won the opener of the first home doubleheader in club history. The 21-year-old gave up a two-run homer to former Ray Justin Ruggiano in the second, then shut down Miami on one hit the rest of his outing. He left to a standing ovation from the crowd of 17,239, Arizona's smallest at home this season.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Mariners 3, Indians 1

SEATTLE — Eric Thames hit a tiebreaking two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Mariners won their eighth straight game. Seattle, which completed a three-game sweep, is on its longest winning streak since taking eight in a row from June 23 to July 1, 2007. The Indians have lost eight straight.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Padres 4, Pirates 2

SAN DIEGO — Andrew Werner pitched six-plus solid innings in his major-league debut and Carlos Quentin drove in three for the Padres, who swept the three-game series to beat the Pirates for the 18th time in their past 21 meetings. Quentin had three RBIs for the second straight game, on a two-run double in the first inning and an RBI single in the fifth.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Evan Longoria is ready to go back to playing third base on a permanent basis.

Manager Joe Maddon said the Rays, at least for the rest of this week, will limit Longoria, who missed three months with a left hamstring injury, to every-other-day duty, with his second start tonight.

Longoria said he felt good after playing third Tuesday, leaving as planned after seven innings despite angling to stay in (as the game was 0-0) and even apologizing to starter David Price.

"My legs have felt good, that's the most important thing," Longoria said. "Whatever they want me to do, I'll do at this point, but at some point in the near future I'm going to want to go out and play third base every day.

"It's much easier to get into the rhythm of the game, it's much easier to stay focused. My legs actually felt better (Tuesday) playing than they did (Wednesday) just kind of DH-ing and sitting around between innings."

Though Longoria, who was 1-for-3 Wednesday, has hit only .235 (12-for-51) with nine RBIs in his 14 games since returning Aug. 7, his impact has been dramatic as the Rays are 13-3 and have outscored opponents 90-39.

PITCHING IN: RHP Jeff Niemann will make the last of four scheduled rehab starts on Saturday for Triple-A Durham, though his return to active duty might be pushed back to Sept. 1, when the roster expands. With Sunday's day off — due to the Republican National Convention party at the Trop — the club might shuffle its rotation after LHP David Price and RHP James Shields face the Rangers on Monday and Tuesday, possibly moving LHP Matt Moore up and RHP Alex Cobb back.

IT'S ACADEMIC: OF Sam Fuld, a Stanford economics grad, is considered one of the smartest guys in the clubhouse, but Maddon, Lafayette College attendee, said his headfirst slide into home, albeit successful, after a dash from first on Ben Zobrist's double was "not very intelligent." Said Fuld: "He has every right to call me unintelligent. I agree with him. It probably wasn't that intelligent to go in the first place, with no outs. I probably shouldn't have done it, but it was an instinct play."

OUT OF LINE: After watching replays of the key play in Tuesday's game, 1B Carlos Peña felt the Royals' Jeff Francoeur was definitely in the wrong in the 10th inning by running out of the baseline on his way to first, preventing Peña from being able to corral SS Zobrist's errant throw and leading to the only run.

"That's illegal," Peña said. "But no one called it, no one saw it."

Peña felt it was improper, and perhaps intentional, because with Francoeur running in the grass, Peña was unable to move enough to his left to get to the ball. Francoeur ended up at second.

But actually it wasn't illegal, nor a cause for interference, according to umpiring supervisor Charlie Reliford. The runner is not required to run inside the line (though he runs the risk of other interference issues by not), and there can only be interference if the runner hinders the ball being fielded at the base.

DO-OVER: Cobb said that as soon as he walked off the mound in the third inning of his brutally bad start Saturday in Anaheim, having allowed eight runs on 12 hits, he was trying to forget it and look ahead to his next one tonight. "This game couldn't come quick enough," he said.

MISCELLANY: The Rays will be featured at 9 tonight in the new episode of the NBC Sports Network show Caught Looking, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the Angels series. … Rays pitchers allowed the Royals 18 hits, 16 singles. … The three-game series drew a total of 32,682. … Royals manager Ned Yost was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. … Fuld and C Jose Lobaton will visit All Children's Hospital today; C Jose Molina on Friday will take a fan grocery shopping at the Northdale Sweetbay.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

OAKLAND, Calif. — Make it two 50-game suspensions in exactly one week — both starters for contending teams from the San Francisco Bay area, both for testosterone.

Athletics RHP Bartolo Colon, a former Cy Young Award winner, was suspended for 50 games Wednesday after testing positive for testosterone, joining Giants OF Melky Cabrera on the suspended list for the rest of the regular season.

Cabrera, the All-Star Game MVP, received his suspension a week earlier after a positive test for the same substance.

"All it tells me is that the system in place is working," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "That's what I get from it. It should strongly act as a deterrent moving forward to those that may want to circumvent it."

Colon will miss the final 40 games of the regular season and the first 10 games of the postseason if Oakland advances that far. The rest of the suspension would be served in a future season.

"I apologize to the fans, to my teammates and to the Oakland A's," Colon said in a statement. "I accept responsibility for my actions, and I will serve my suspension as required by the joint drug program."

Colon was scheduled to pitch tonight at Tropicana Field in the opener of a big three-game series against the Rays. RHP Tyson Ross will be called up from Triple A to replace him.

"It's a shock," A's reliever and former Ray Grant Balfour said. "He's a guy that we're definitely relying on right now."

Oakland, which hasn't made the playoffs since 2006, began Wednesday a half-game behind the Orioles for the second AL wild-card spot. "It's tough for them, they're right in the middle of the thing right now," Maddon said. "It's kind of like a little jab at them that connects."

STRASBURG LIMIT: Nationals manager Davey Johnson said RHP Stephen Strasburg could miss his final two or three turns in the rotation during the regular season. Strasburg, in his first full season after elbow ligament replacement surgery, had pitched 145⅓ innings, and the team is thought to have given him a limit of 160-180.

SANTANA OUT: Mets LHP Johan Santana is headed to the disabled list and not expected to pitch again this season. GM Sandy Alderson said Santana has lower-back inflammation.

HIT REVERSED: MLB overruled a controversial call in Sunday's game between the White Sox and Royals that broke up a no-hitter by Kansas City RHP Jeremy Guthrie. Paul Konerko's ground ball in the seventh that was ruled in infield single was declared a throwing error on SS Alcides Escobar. Guthrie allowed two singles in the eighth.

BREWERS: LHP Randy Wolf, 3-10 with a 5.69 ERA in 24 starts, was released on his 36th birthday. RHP Shaun Marcum, on the disabled list since June 23 with a right elbow injury, is expected to return soon from a rehabilitation assignment.

CARDINALS: RHP Jake Westbrook's new contract is for $9.75 million for 2013 with a mutual option for 2014.

DODGERS: Jerry Hairston, on the disabled list since Aug. 13 with an inflamed left hip, has not improved after getting an anti-inflammatory injection and may have season-ending surgery.

RANGERS: RHP Yu Darvish will miss his start tonight because of tightness in his right quadriceps muscle. RHP Roy Oswalt will pitch in his place.

ROCKIES: SS Troy Tulowitzki, who hasn't played since May 30 and had groin surgery June 21, was cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.

YANKEES: RHP Ivan Nova has tightness in his pitching shoulder and will fly back to New York today for tests.

Times staff writer Marc Topkin contributed to this report.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Reds 3, Phillies 2

PHILADELPHIA — Former Hernando High standout Bronson Arroyo allowed three hits in eight-plus innings and Jay Bruce homered for the Reds. Arroyo retired the first 14 batters before Pasco High product Domonic Brown hit a two-out homer in the fifth. Arroyo improved to 6-1 with a 3.50 ERA in his past seven starts.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Tigers 3, Blue Jays 2

DETROIT — Anibal Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh inning in one of his best starts for the Tigers. Sanchez, acquired last month from the Marlins, had posted a 7.97 ERA in four starts for Detroit. Omar Vizquel, who had reached on a pinch-hit single with two outs in the ninth, was thrown out trying to steal second to end the game.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

BEREA, Ohio — Browns cornerback Joe Haden was kicked off the practice field Wednesday by coach Pat Shurmur, who believed the former Gator was being too physical with rookie receiver Travis Benjamin during a passing drill.

Shurmur declined to give details of the incident.

"That's between me and the player," he said. "I have a great deal of respect for Joe. If you want details, you're going to have to find it on Twitter. My only apology is that I used bad language and the fans were here to see it."

Shurmur didn't let a reporter finish a follow-up question. "Don't ask!" he said. "Don't ask. You have to go somewhere else to find out."

The Browns denied interview requests for Haden, who returned to the field for the afternoon walkthrough. After that session, Shurmur said he and the third-year player had cleared the air.

"Joe and I talked, and everything's fine," Shurmur said. "It's a dead issue."

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said end-of-camp emotions might have contributed to the incident.

"Both guys, I think they both realize after they settled down it was a little bit overboard," the Seminole High graduate said.

"It's Day 21, and guys have not gotten a lot of sleep. It's the dog days of camp."

More Browns: The team said it expects running back Trent Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in April who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Aug. 9, to return to practice next week. His status for the regular season hasn't been determined.

Offensive line coach to lead Saints

METAIRIE, La. — Offensive line coach Aaron Kromer will coach the Saints for the first six games. Sean Payton is suspended for the season for the team's bounty scandal. Assistant head coach and linebackers coach Joe Vitt has been leading the team but is suspended six games for the bounties. Kromer, 45, is in his fifth season with New Orleans.

Ex-Buc Ruud to get more reps with Saints: Linebacker Ramon Humbler will miss 7-10 days with a pulled hamstring, so former Bucs linebacker Barrett Ruud, acquired in a trade by New Orleans from Seattle this week, likely will see increased reps. "Usually, when somebody trades for you, they at least want you, so I'm excited," Ruud said after his first practice. "To go to a team like New Orleans is just a bonus. … A lot of familiar faces. I played against these guys, I think it was 14 times, so I know a lot of these guys, a lot of respect for them."

Bills: Backup quarterback Vince Young is seeking a court order to stop a company from collecting nearly $1.7 million on a loan he says he has no knowledge of taking out.

Chiefs: Receiver Dwayne Bowe, who signed his franchise tender last week, is scheduled to make his preseason debut Friday against Seattle

Cowboys: Tight end Jason Witten, who sustained a lacerated spleen against the Raiders, will not need surgery, ESPN.com reported. However, his status for the regular season remains undetermined.

Dolphins: Guard Eric Steinbach, 32, who signed in July after missing last season with a back injury, retired. He missed only three games over his first eight seasons with Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Eagles: Coach Andy Reid and Michael Vick said there is no doubt the quarterback will be ready for the regular season. Vick didn't practice Wednesday after bruising his ribs Monday against the Pat­riots and probably won't play for the rest of the preseason. Also, two days after their sideline confrontation aired on national TV, Reid and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said all is fine. "It was just a lot of emotion going on at the time," Jenkins said. Said Reid: "That's all part of this game."

Giants: Former USF defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul will miss Friday's game with back spasms but is expected to be ready for the regular season.

Panthers: Receiver Steve Smith has a left foot infection. He might sit out the rest of the preseason but should be ready for the regular season.

Raiders: Backup quarterback Matt Leinart remained out of practice and likely won't play Saturday as a precaution for what the team called only an injury to the index finger on his nonthrowing hand. He was hurt last week against the Cardinals.

Rams: Defensive end Vernon Gholston, the sixth overall pick in 2008, signed. He had no sacks in three seasons with the Jets and didn't play last season after being released by the Bears during camp.

Seahawks: Receiver Sidney Rice, who missed the final five games of last season because of concussions and had offseason surgery on both shoulders, will see his first action Friday against the Chiefs.

Titans: Defensive tackle Shaun Smith, an eight-year veteran, was released.

Hall of Fame: Defensive tackle Curley Culp and linebacker Dave Robinson were named finalists for next year by the seniors committee. Culp, a six-time Pro Bowl pick, helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl IV. Robinson, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, helped the Packers win three straight titles, including the first two Super Bowls.

Times wires
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The shoe that Danica Patrick ran over while leading the Nationwide Series race at Montreal on Saturday did not cause the mechanical problems that knocked her out of the race, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. told espnW.com.

"The shoe didn't have anything to do with it," Eury told the website. "It was funny listening to everybody talk about the shoe. I've never done that before.

"It could have done something to the splitter or went through the radiator just as easy and took the radiator out. But as far as the problems we had with the car, it was no relation."

Patrick led a career-high 20 laps at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and was out front when she ran over a shoe that had been thrown on the track on Lap 38 of 81.

NASCAR officials confirmed to espnW.com that the fan who hurled the shoe over a safety fence was escorted from the track. NASCAR officials still have the shoe.

Eury said Patrick had been complaining about the hand­ling of her car before running over the shoe. The team thought she broke the track bar from bouncing over curbs on the road course.

"I honestly thought the track bar mount was coming off the frame on the left side to start with," Eury said. "Basically what happened was the car was wheel-hopping so much — she wheel-hopped it a couple times getting deep into a brake zone — it basically stretched the U bolts and the pinion shims came out, so that loosened the truck arms up."

Her JR Motorsports team fixed the problem, and Patrick was still in contention when the axle on her car broke, leading to her 27th-place finish.

CREW CHIEF PENALIZED: NASCAR fined Paul Menard's crew chief $100,000 for illegal modifications found on the Chevrolet last weekend at Michi­gan. Slugger Labbe was also suspended until Oct. 3.

TRUCKS: Timothy Peters led every lap to win the UNOH 200 at Tennessee's recently reconfigured Bristol Motor Speedway.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — A judge has ordered former North Carolina football coach Butch Davis to hand over records of calls made on his personal cellphone related to his job duties.

Superior Court Judge Howard E. Manning Jr. signed an order Wednesday for Davis to provide his phone bills, which had been requested as public records by media organizations. Those requests had been rejected for more than a year by the university, which has faced NCAA sanctions related to violations while Davis was coach.

Manning's order gives Davis 30 days to hand over phone bills that include records of calls made as part of his official job duties. The judge will allow the university to black out Davis' personal calls from the records.

In his order, Manning expressed concern about government employees using their personal cellphones to make work-related related calls in an attempt to avoid public scrutiny.

"University officials and coaches may not use their personal cellphones to 'dodge' or evade the North Carolina public records law and may not avoid public scrutiny of their cellphone records by using their personal cellphones to conduct public business," Manning said.

Davis said he respects the judge's decision. Hired at UNC in late 2006, Davis was not accused of wrongdoing by the NCAA. Still, he has faced questions about what he might have known about the wrongdoing that occurred under his watch, which ended with his firing in July 2011.

He was hired by the Bucs in February as a special assistant to coach Greg Schiano, who was on Davis' staff at the University in Miami in the '90s.

Penn State report Rebuke: Ousted university president Graham Spanier and his lawyers attacked the report on the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse scandal, calling it a "blundering and indefensible indictment" as they wait to hear if he will be charged in the case. Lawyer Timothy Lewis called Louis Freeh, the former FBI director and federal judge behind the report, a "biased investigator" who piled speculation on top of innuendo to accuse Spanier in a coverup of early abuse complaints.

"The Freeh report, as it pertains to Dr. Spanier, is a myth. And that myth … ends today," Lewis said.

Spanier told media outlets he never understood the early complaints about Sandusky — convicted in June of molesting 10 boys and awaits sentencing — to be sexual.

"I'm very stunned by Freeh's conclusion that — I don't think he used the word 'coverup'; but he uses the word 'concealed,' " Spanier told New Yorker magazine. "Why on earth would anybody cover up for a known child predator? Adverse publicity? For heaven's sake! Every day I had to make some decision that got adverse publicity."

Coach charged: Minnesota State-Mankato coach Todd Hoffner, 46, was charged with two counts related to child pornography. He faces one count of using minors in a sexual performance or pornographic work and one count of possessing child pornography after authorities said they found nude images of children on his cellphone. Hoffner's attorney said his client will be pleading not guilty. Hoffner is on leave and a university investigation is pending.

Alabama: Athletic director Mal Moore, 72, remained hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat. He was admitted Tuesday evening as a precaution and test results were normal.

Ohio State: Dismissed from the team after begin charged with domestic violence, linebacker Storm Klein pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and has asked for reinstatement to the team. Coach Urban Meyer is pondering his request. Klein was charged two months ago with hitting the mother of their child during an argument.

NCAA looking further at Kentucky hoops recruit

The NCAA sent two enforcement officials to the New Hampshire prep school of Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel, one of the country's top recruits in 2012, SI.com reported.

The NCAA appears to be focusing on those involved in the recruitment of the 6-foot-10 center and how he paid for his unofficial visits, the report said.

SI.com also said a UK chief compliance officer accompanied the NCAA investigators to the early August meeting at the prep school.

Several scouting services have projected that Noel could go No. 1 in the 2013 NBA draft.

AMHERST: Whitney Mollica Goldstein, granddaughter of Rays senior adviser Don Zimmer, was promoted to interim head softball coach, replacing Sue Everden, who is stepping down after 14 seasons to concentrate on her position as volleyball coach. Mollica Goldstein played third base for Massachusetts, where she was player and rookie of the year in the Atlantic 10 in 2006.

FSU: The defending ACC basketball champs host Duke and North Carolina among the nine conference schools visiting Tallahassee this season. UNC visits Jan. 12, Duke on Feb. 2.