Friday, September 30, 2011
Report: Kobe close to Italy deal; takes Shaq feud international
The president of Italian club Virtus Bologna said the team has a verbal agreement with Kobe Bryant.
"We have reached an economic deal," Claudio Sabatini said in a radio interview. "There's still some things to arrange but at this point I'm very optimistic. I would say it's 95% done."
The Associated Press reports the deal to be $3 million for the first 40 days of the season.
UPDATE: AP reports the deal is threatened by scheduling issues. Apparently the Bologna team wants to change the schedule to have more early-season games played at its home arena, but other teams are balking at the switch.
Bryant, who grew up in Italy, would have a clause allowing him to return to the Lakers if the lockout ends.
Bryant, speaking on a radio station in Italy talked about the upcoming Olympics and explained his problems with "enemy" Shaquille O'Neal.
The two have been taking shots at each other since they won a third NBA title.
"I like players who workout. I use to do that 6-7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes," Bryant was quoted via sportando.com. "I need to say something to them."
Kobe also confirmed he'll play in the 2012 Olympics and expects to see a familiar face challenging him.
"My friend Pau Gasol and his Spain will be the toughest opponents there," he said. "Playing Olympics is a great experience because you are playing for your country. There are big differences between winning the gold medal at Olympic Games and winning a ring with Lakers. London? I will surely be there."
"We have reached an economic deal," Claudio Sabatini said in a radio interview. "There's still some things to arrange but at this point I'm very optimistic. I would say it's 95% done."
The Associated Press reports the deal to be $3 million for the first 40 days of the season.
UPDATE: AP reports the deal is threatened by scheduling issues. Apparently the Bologna team wants to change the schedule to have more early-season games played at its home arena, but other teams are balking at the switch.
Bryant, who grew up in Italy, would have a clause allowing him to return to the Lakers if the lockout ends.
Bryant, speaking on a radio station in Italy talked about the upcoming Olympics and explained his problems with "enemy" Shaquille O'Neal.
The two have been taking shots at each other since they won a third NBA title.
"I like players who workout. I use to do that 6-7 hours per day. I cannot stand players who practice for 30 minutes," Bryant was quoted via sportando.com. "I need to say something to them."
Kobe also confirmed he'll play in the 2012 Olympics and expects to see a familiar face challenging him.
"My friend Pau Gasol and his Spain will be the toughest opponents there," he said. "Playing Olympics is a great experience because you are playing for your country. There are big differences between winning the gold medal at Olympic Games and winning a ring with Lakers. London? I will surely be there."
Terry Francona, Red Sox split
Terry Francona said it's going to hurt to leave his job as manager of the Red Sox, but it was the right time to walk away.
So after eight years and two World Series titles, Francona's tenure is officially over.
Francona met with owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, team president Larry Lucchino, general manager Theo Epstein and assistant GM Ben Cherington on Friday at Fenway Park. He left and then returned.
"I think it's time for a new voice here," Francona said. "I was frustrated with some of my inabilities to get some things done here and after talking to ownership and Theo -- at length, multiple times -- I think it's the right thing to do for the organization and myself."
Epstein initially put out a statement saying all sides wanted to think about the first meeting and no announcement was forthcoming, but then a statement came out in the evening in which Francona indicated it was his decision to move on.
In a news conference Friday evening, Francona reiterated that it was his decision to leave, but added that ownership never told him they wanted him back. Instead they asked him for his thoughts, and his thought was to leave. He does want to stay in the game in some capacity but hasn't decided what he would like to do.
He did say he felt like the organization wasn't fully on board with what was happening this season.
"To be honest with you, I didn't know, or I'm not sure, how much support there was from ownership," he said. "I don't know if I felt real comfortable. You have to be all-in with this job and I voiced that today. There were some things that maybe -- going through things here and to make it work -- it has to be everybody together and I was questioning some of that a little bit."
The team portion of the news release said that Red Sox brass agreed with Francona.
"During the meeting, Tito, Theo and Ben agreed that the Red Sox would benefit from an improved clubhouse culture and higher standards in several areas," the statement said. "Tito said that after eight years here he was frustrated by his difficulty making an impact with the players, that a different voice was needed, and that it was time for him to move on. After taking time to reflect on Tito's sentiments, we agreed that it was best for the Red Sox not to exercise the option years on his contract."
Francona had told staff members on Thursday that he would not be returning as manager, a club source told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes on Friday.
Several other media outlets reported Friday that Francona would not return for a ninth season. He led the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 -- their first since 1918 -- and 2007.
The Red Sox suffered a historic collapse in the final month of the season as the Tampa Bay Rays made up a nine-game deficit and seized the wild card on Wednesday, but there were issues Francona had been dealing with all season.
"When things go bad your true colors show and I was bothered by what was showing," he said. "It's my responsibility to fix it."
But he doesn't have many regrets and is proud of the job he was able to do in this market, in this region, for these fans.
"What we accomplished was incredible and some of the tougher moments are really tough," he said. "I wouldn't change it and I feel like I'm a better person because I was here. I met some unbelievable friends and I have a lot of respect for that. But it is a tough place to be a manager."
Francona time and again over the last few days has talked about his inability to reach the players when the season was slipping away from the team. He takes responsibility for it, but the blame isn't solely on him.
The chemistry in the clubhouse was not the same this season, especially in the last month, as it had been in previous seasons.
"Don't forget, a month ago this team was on pace to win 100 games," Francona said. "When things started to go I wanted desperately for our guys to care about each other on the field. I wasn't seeing that as much as I wanted to. I tried to help make that better, the coaches also, it just wasn't ever comfortable. You've heard me talk all the time about going in one direction and getting through challenges and meeting them together, but I just didn't think we were doing that. That's my responsibility to get them to do that and it wasn't happening to my satisfaction."
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said earlier Friday he was "fine with Tito" but he did hint that the clubhouse had issues.
"I worry about playing baseball more than anything else," Ortiz said. "I know we have some players that (the organization thought were) worried about some other s--- and sometimes there were certain things that no one in the clubhouse can control. I was trying and I have no issues. My only problem was when I started being benched (in 2010) and that was my only issue with Tito. Other than that we're cool."
Ortiz wasn't expecting Francona to leave. "I am surprised," he said. "I'm surprised because I'm hearing things right now (in the news) that I didn't know were going on."
On Thursday, Francona said that this Red Sox team had issues that he thought affected its play. He spoke Thursday about a team meeting he called in Toronto in the aftermath of a 14-0 win on Sept. 6.
"I'm not sure if anybody knew, because there were some things I was worried about," he said. "I think we were spending too much energy on things that weren't putting our best foot forward toward winning. We spent a few minutes in the clubhouse that day, talking about that. There were some things that did concern me."
The Boston Herald reported one divisive issue, citing sources as saying that pitchers were allowed to drink beer in the clubhouse on their off days. A Red Sox source not only confirmed to ESPNBoston.com that was the case, but also said that it "has been going on for two years."
Ortiz is a free agent and was asked if the manager leaving would affect him re-signing with Boston.
"Not at all," he said. "That's one thing I can't really control, who the manager's going to be. That's not on me."
Meanwhile, Epstein expressed gratitude for Francona's service and friendship through the years. Saying he had a "personal friendship" with Francona and praising him for being "an unflappable leader," Epstein granted that the Red Sox might need a new voice. But he said that Francona's "next team will benefit more than it knows from hearing Tito's voice. I will miss seeing Tito every day in the manager's office, and I wish him and his family nothing but the best in their next chapter."
It didn't take long for Francona to suggest who should replace him. He would love to see bench coach DeMarlo Hale get an opportunity.
"Yes," Francona said. "I hope he gets serious consideration, if not here then somewhere else. I think he is a tremendous manager-in-waiting. He's a tremendous friend. He'll manage somewhere and he'll be very good."
How we rate the postseason field of 8
Baseball's playoffs Friday, and anything can happen. The final few hours of the regular season proved as much. Still, some teams enter October in better shape than others, and USA TODAY's Paul White ranks the eight contenders vying for a World Series title:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
Their best asset: Pitching, pitching and more pitching — that's exactly what it feels like to opponents. The stacked rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt has been everything the Phillies hoped it would be, leading the majors in ERA, complete games, shutouts and more. The X-factor is rookie Vance Worley, who won't crack the postseason rotation despite an 11-3 record. He provides more depth in the unlikely event of a starter being knocked out early.
Their biggest liability: The starters don't finish every game, and the Phillies must be wary of the bullpen if they are in tight games. The team's worst ERA for any inning this season is 3.82 in the eighth, and the Philadelphia relievers have a strikeout-walk ratio of less than 2-1, compared with better than 4-1 for the starters. Of particular concern is Antonio Bastardo, the one left-hander in the bullpen, who had a 0.79 ERA on July 17 but a 5.16 ERA since.
Don't forget about:Shane Victorino doesn't get as much attention as former MVPs Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard or fan favorite Chase Utley, but he has been the Phillies' best offensive player , leading the team in OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage). And Victorino is an above-average defender in an outfield that has struggled with its range at times .
Path to victory: The starting pitching continues to dominate, and the offense isn't a worry, thanks to the improved balance since right-handed Hunter Pence joined the lefty-heavy lineup.
Division Series outlook: Upbeat, thanks to the three-game season-ending sweep of Atlanta that came on the heels of their worst stretch of the season. Otherwise, it could have been tense facing a Cardinals team that beat the Phillies six of nine times . Now, it's a rested team with its pitching lined up against a team that's just the opposite.
We say: The Phillies are clear favorites to win the World Series but must be wary of pitching duels like they had with the Giants in last year's National League Championship Series.
***
2. Milwaukee Brewers
Their best asset:Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are the only NL teammates both over .950 in OPS . Braun, a right-hander, bats third, while Fielder, a lefty, cleans up. And of the 146 games they had both played in this season, only 10 times had neither gotten a hit.
Their biggest liability: The rules require road games. The Brewers are the only playoff team with a losing record on the road , and while 39-42 might not seem horrible, it took an 18-6 run through August and September to get there. Only six of those games were against teams with winning records. Starters Zack Greinke and Yovani Gallardo are a combined 12-14 with a 4.32 ERA on the road but 21-2, 3.06 at home.
Don't forget about … : Second baseman Rickie Weeks was second in the NL in runs, fifth in total bases and sixth in extra-base hits when he went on the disabled list July 27 with an ankle sprain. He's been back since mid-September, and if he can return to form in his fifth spot in the batting order, the offense becomes much more formidable.
Path to victory: Even if they can count on Braun and Fielder, solid starting pitching and closer John Axford, the Brewers will need more help. Start with third baseman Casey McGehee— down 37 RBI and 166 OPS points from last season.
Division Series outlook: Comfortable, because they wrapped up home advantage on the final day of the season, a key element for the best home team (57-24) in the majors. But to clinch home advantage, they used Greinke (11-0 at Miller Park) in the final game. So, he'll pitch Game 3 on the road with Shaun Marcum, their best road starter, going in Game 2 at home.
We say: The Brewers are a tempting pick as sleepers in a wide-open postseason. A little early momentum could go a long way, but they're not quite at the Phillies' level.
***
3. Texas Rangers
Their best asset: The offense is relentless. The only sub-.260 hitter among regulars is second baseman Ian Kinsler, and he leads the team with 32 homers. The Rangers are the only team in the majors to have five players with at least 25 homers. And they're headed for the postseason on a hot streak, leading the American League in homers, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage during September.
Their biggest liability: Only the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins— two last-place teams — had worse bullpen ERAs than Texas. General manager Jon Daniels was aggressive in addressing the issue by adding Mike Adams, Koji Uehara and Mike Gonzalez at the trade deadline, but concerns remain. Closer Neftali Feliz has 1.80 strikeouts per walk compared with 3.94 as rookie of the year in 2010. Darren Oliver, the primary bullpen lefty, has a 2.29 ERA, but his third consecutive 60-appearance season could be a factor at 40. Last year, his ERA jumped from 2.48 during the season to 4.82 in the postseason.
Don't forget about …: C.J. Wilson stepped into the role of staff ace with a 2.94 ERA, a full run lower than what Cliff Lee posted after joining the Rangers during last season. Now, the big challenge. Wilson had a 3.35 regular-season ERA in 2010 but took a back seat to Lee, who became the man in October with three wins while Wilson faded, allowing 15 hits and eight walks in 18 innings in the three starts after his 61/3 shutout innings in the Division Series.
Path to victory: All of the AL playoff teams have plenty of pitching questions. That's in the wheelhouse of the Rangers, who are just getting third baseman Adrian Beltre and outfielder Nelson Cruz back to full speed after injuries. They'll need offense, especially if they use three left-handed starting pitchers. The other AL playoff teams all hit better against lefties.
Division Series outlook: Uneasy, now that it's the Tampa Bay pitching staff they must face. The Rangers averaged 5.27 runs a game this season, but only 2.88 against the Rays. But Texas also scored seven, eight and 11 in winning five of nine games against Tampa Bay, reminding that this is an epic matchup of pitching vs. offense. Texas won in five games last year but the departed Lee was the difference.
We say: Last year's midseason addition of Lee created just enough pitching depth to get the Rangers to the World Series. This year, they don't have quite enough.
***
4. Tampa Bay Rays
Their best asset: Suddenly, the AL has a playoff team that could go head-to-head with the Phillies rotation. This year's Rays rotation has allowed fewer runs per game (3.79) than the 2008 team (4.14) that got to the World Series. The biggest question will be how to line up among the starters.
Their biggest liability: The Rays were shut out 15 times this season, two shutouts more than their AL-best pitching staff could muster. Despite the final-night magic, this still is an offense that can disappear at inopportune times.
Don't forget about: Manager Joe Maddon isn't afraid to roll the dice, especially where he has cashed in before. September call-up Matt Moore is reminiscent of David Price's impactful debut in 2008, except lefty Moore just might be even more polished than Price was at a similar stage. Keep an eye out for this year's secret weapon.
Path to victory: The Rays have proved proven they can shut down any other team in the AL. So a little Desmond Jennings-Johnny Damon-Evan Longoria run-manufacturing magic could make Tampa Bay reminiscent of the 2008 pennant winners.
Division Series outlook: Rolling, into the playoffs with more momentum than any other team. A performance like the one Texas' Cliff Lee threw at them in last year's first round can stifle the enthusiasm, but we'll see if C.J. Wilson, who hasn't faced the Rays this year, is up to that task.
We say: The Rays are the ultimate wild card . If you believe in magic, jump on the bandwagon. If reality is your thing, this ride just can't last long enough.
***
5. New York Yankees
Their best asset: Trying to outhit your opponents is a dangerous postseason formula. But the Yankees might be able to pull it off. They might have to. This team scored nine or more runs in 27 games this season, . Eight of those came against playoff teams or contenders. And of the 27 times the Yankees were held to two runs or fewer? Nine of those came against Detroit, Boston, Texas and Tampa Bay.
Their biggest liability: Who you gonna start, Joe? Manager Joe Girardi has been answering that question since A.J. Burnett's first spring meltdown and Phil Hughes' first mysterious radar gun reading. Starters have allowed a .264 batting average and .741 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS), both of which rank ninth in the league and last among AL playoff teams. After CC Sabathia, little is certain; for now, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will follow him.
Don't forget about:Derek Jeter has hit .338, since July 9, the day he got his 3,000th hit, and that certainly adds to the RBI opportunities for the middle of the order. But the real difference-maker in tight games can be left fielder Brett Gardner, who leads the team with 46 stolen bases and is the runaway leader among all major league outfielders with a 23.6 Ultimate Zone Rating for defensive efficiency.
Path to victory: In a season without an obvious AL favorite , the Yankees' experience takes on increased importance. Mark Teixeira hasn't had a hot streak yet — though he's over 30 homers and 100 RBI for the eighth year in a row, his batting average has been between .240 and .260 since May 12. Jeter is hot, and Mariano Rivera is the one weapon no other team can match.
Division Series outlook: Trepidation, something that isn't going to go away unless and until they at the very least reach the World Series. They've proven that they're the best team in the AL, but all it takes is a Justin Verlander victory over CC Sabathia in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium to set off the alarms about the rest of the New York rotation — or a Doug Fister win in Game 2 for that matter.
We say: Jeter got 3,000 hits, Rivera broke the saves record — mystique and aura are back. This is a flawed Yankees team, but it's still headed to the World Series.
***
6. St. Louis Cardinals
Their best asset: The only bigger surprise than the Cardinals remaining in contention was that the they had the top offense in the NL, further buoyed by the recent return from injury of Matt Holliday. The emergence of players such as Allen Craig and John Jay has given manager Tony La Russa the kind of bench depth he loves .
Their biggest liability: La Russa is on version 6.0 or thereabouts of his bullpen alignment, and the current principals are bordering on overuse. Should Jason Motte remain closer over Fernando Salas? Has Mark Rzepczynski passed Arthur Rhodes as the primary lefty? Who does the manager really trust? Does La Russa himself know?
Don't forget about: St. Louis needs a solid second starter behind Chris Carpenter, especially because their proven ace had to pitch the season finale. Kyle Lohse's 14-8 season fills the bill. He's the only Cardinals starter who allowed fewer than one hit per inning pitched. But he's also never won a postseason game (six appearances, one start).
Path to victory: Albert Pujols can carry a team like few other players in baseball. He needs to do it here, especially to quickly deflate any sense of invincibility about the Philadelphia pitching staff. If Albert and his friends could steal the Division Series, the path is wide open.
Division Series outlook: Thought-provoking, especially because La Russa likes to think he can out-manage just about anyone. He'll need to steal at least one game from Charlie Manuel in Philadelphia, if for no other reason than to get into the heads of the Phillies and increase the weight of their expectations.
We say: The Cardinals are dangerous but their flaws showed up often enough, even during their September push, that this team will have a difficult time avoiding them through one, let alone three, series.
***
7. Detroit Tigers
Their best asset: It's no secret the Tigers are especially feared in the best-of-five Division Series, where Cy Young Award favorite Justin Verlander could pitch twice. But the emergence of Doug Fister (8-1, 1.79 ERA since his July trade from the Seattle Mariners) increases the chances they also can shut down an opponent in a best-of-seven series.
Their biggest liability: Jose Valverde has converted all 47 of his save attempts, and Verlander averages 7.3 innings a start. It's what happens in between that could quickly end the Tigers' October. The 19 relievers Detroit used other than Valverde combined for a 4.25 ERA, a statistic that becomes especially pertinent because Tigers starters not named Verlander average 5.8 innings. Joaquin Benoit improved in the second half — no runs in 22 appearances since Aug. 2. And rookie Al Alburquerque — with a 1.87 ERA — could be an answer. But he has pitched just seven times since Aug.9 and had three stints on the disabled list.
Don't forget about:Alex Avila, who led the American League in innings behind the plate and didn't catch in only two games from Aug. 5 to Sept. 16. Still, he has held up with an .897 OPS , best among catchers by a wide margin and second on the Detroit roster to Miguel Cabrera.
Path to victory: The Verlander-Fister combination of the final two months is the best one-two punch in a pitching-challenged AL field. Fister has gone at least seven innings in six of his last seven starts, exactly what the Tigers need to match up with anyone.
Division Series outlook: Lurking, as the team most likely to disrupt the order of things. But neither Verlander nor Fister has beaten that Yankees this year (combined 4.26 ERA in three starts) .
We say: Manager Jim Leyland has done wonders mixing and matching his lineups, but the offense will be hard-pressed to muster enough to get Detroit through a first-round series.
***
8. Arizona Diamondbacks
Their best asset: How many teams really mirror their manager? These last-to-first Diamondbacks are reminiscent of Kirk Gibson the player — the 1988 unlikely-MVP, storybook-home run player. They have no better asset than right fielder Justin Upton, who led the way in taming the club's runaway strikeout rate. Upton's rate dropped from 26.6% in 2010 to 18.4% this year, and the team ranked fourth in the NL after back-to-back years as whiff kings. But they've also turned a bullpen that had an ERA in 2010 more than a run worse than any other in the National League into one that ranks second in save-conversion percentage. They've developed Gibson-esque momentum and the division title has turned this team into one that believes it belongs with the elite.
Their biggest liability: Gibson has to tread the fine line between his mostly young team's aggressiveness and the chance of damaging mistakes. The flailing at the plate has been reduced, but the manager worries about pushing the envelope. "It's unreal how many outs we've made," Gibson said of his team's baserunning. "You just have to bite your tongue sometimes . It's who we are. I encourage energy. I encourage pressure." And what might that mean under the added pressure of the playoff spotlight for a team that will need every break ?
Don't forget about:Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson are a solid one-two pitching tandem, but this is the NL, and two top arms aren't nearly enough. Lefties are important as long as the road goes through the Philadelphia Phillies, and Joe Saunders is Arizona's only left-handed starter. The Diamondbacks need to see Saunders pitch like he did in July (2.16 ERA) or September (3.15) and not August (5.04).
Path to victory: The Diamondbacks need early playoff success to keep alive the conviction that they belong. A couple of good starts from Kennedy and Hudson would reduce the chances that the key hitters expand their strike zones while pressing to produce against just the kinds of pitchers who could take advantage of them. If the Diamondbacks steal a quick win or two, look out.
Division Series outlook: Defiant, in the image of Gibson, who will refuse to allow his team to be the lovable underdogs. They are the underdogs, especially against a Milwaukee team that's dominant at home. But count on Gibson not letting his team be one of those "happy to be here" squads.
We say: If they play well at home, the Diamondbacks have a shot at surviving the first round.
Delonte West working at furniture store during NBA Lockout
The example of Delonte West may prove that point.
The Washington Post reports West has taken a warehouse job with the Regency Furniture store in Brandywine, Md. During his seven-year NBA career West has been paid about $14 million, and last season he made a little more than $1 million with the Boston Celtics.
West had tweeted this week that he needed a second job "to stay afloat during the lockout." During the summer, a judge rejected West's request to be allowed to work abroad, because he's on probation stemming from a weapons case.
After that decision came down West tweeted that it was time to put his pride aside, and that he had applied for work at Home Depot.
West, 28, is a free agent as he waits for the league to resume play.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Tigers will beat the Yankees, no kidding!
The Detroit Tigers are set to tangle with the New York Yankees starting Friday night in New York. The game 1 pitching matchup is off the chain as Justin Verlander (24-5) will oppose CC Sabathia (19-8).
Initial market research indicates that Yankee fans think their team will win the series simply because they’re the Yankees. Tiger fans have the luxury of falling back on a team that is not only playing better, but stacks up favorably in every aspect.
I will take some choice comments from my initial ALDS preview posted last night (click here) and use them as my paragraph headers:
From Guest – 10 hours ago “Dear Joe White, GO HOME.”
First of all, very creative, and second of all, I was already home when I wrote it so sorry but I can’t help you out there.
Speaking of home, the Tigers are heading to New York with unwavering confidence. Not only can the Tigers fall back on their ALDS success from 2006, when they started off in New York, split games 1 and 2, and then returned home and closed it out, but Detroit has also been dynamite on the road in 2011.
The one thing above all else that kept Detroit from contending in 2010 was their paltry 29-52 road record. In ’11, the Tigers are tied for 2nd with 3 other teams (including the Yankees) with a 45-36 road record. The environment of an entitled Yankee Stadium audience will do little to intimidate the Tigers.
So, to Guest, I say it will ultimately be your Yankees who are going home empty-handed, once more, at the collective hands of the Detroit Tigers.
From Bertch – 10 hours ago “Wow. hahaha you must be kidding Joe White.”
Again, very creative, and with a sound backing for why his Yankees might be victorious…The good news is that night classes are still open if you are looking to grab up that GED.
And no, I’m actually not kidding. Oddly enough, I believe that the team with the 2 hottest pitchers in all of baseball has a legitimate chance to come into your house and not only win 1 game, but possibly both. I know, craziness right?
In case you missed the news flash, Justin Verlander just won the pitcher’s version of the Triple Crown. He was tops in the AL in ERA (2.40), strikeouts (250), and wins (25). JV also set the pace in WHIP with a 0.92 mark. He has won 12 of his last 13 starts and is the exact kind of horse that can take his team straight through to the World Series.
Oh, and then there’s that unknown commodity, Doug Fister. You know, the guy who has gone 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA since escaping purgatory in Seattle. The liberated Fister gives the Tigers the deadliest 1-2 punch this side of Philadelphia.
Sorry Bertch, you wish I was kidding.
From Mabm113 – 10 hours ago “are you kidding me with this?”
I thought we’ve been over this? But seriously, thank you for backing up your stance with concrete data and reason. I’m beginning to notice a trend in these Yankee fans.
But if you must know, I do take some comfort in knowing that the Tigers have the 2 best clutch hitters in all of baseball. On the off chance that you’ve been sleeping for the past 162 games, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez have formed an untouchable dynamic duo in the middle of Jim Leyland’s lineup.
Not only is Cabrera a top 5 MVP candidate and the American League batting champion (.344), but he hit .393 with runners in scoring position this year. And if that doesn’t provide you with enough evidence that I’m not kidding, then maybe the fact that he hit .390 in August and .425 in September will do the trick.
VMart was 4th in the AL with his .330 average but, like Cabrera, does his best work when the pressure is on. Martinez hit .394 with runners in scoring position, driving in 87 of his 103 RBI’s in such situations.
So in the playoffs, when the lights shine brightest, and the collar grips tightest, the Tigers have the best this game has to offer.
Mabm113 will have to join the ranks of the disappointed. I’m just not in a kidding mood right now.
From Jmralph1 – 10 hours ago “Does this guy actually believe what he writes lol 27 time
World champions, biggest hitting machine on the planet and he’s making them sound like they are the orioles. What happens of verlander loses game 1??? Lol”
At least this guy had something to say, the only problem is it was the same blabber that every Yankee fan spews without equivocation.
History is something that happened in the past and will remain there. Did the Marlins and Diamondbacks fall back on history when they won championships shortly after coming into the league as expansion teams? 27 World Series titles is utterly awesome, and it means absolutely nothing in the 2011 playoffs.
Proclaiming the Yankees as the “biggest hitting machine on the planet” is equally irrelevant and uninformed. The Yankees finished 2nd in the AL in runs scored, the Tigers 4th. Since August 1st, when the Tigers were close to becoming the team they are now after the trade deadline and prior to their waiver-wire acquisition of Delmon Young, New York has outscored Detroit 303 runs to 301.
If Verlander loses game 1 to CC, which is entirely possible, then I guess Detroit will end up winning 3 of the final 4. Fister goes in game 2 against the rookie Ivan Nova and Verlander again in a potential game 5, also against Nova. I like the Tigers’ chances in both of these matchups.
Game 3 is a toss-up with Max Scherzer and Freddy Garcia scheduled to face off. Both are as likely to pitch a 1-run gem as they are to cough up 5 or 6. On paper, game 4 is a clear advantage for New York as Sabathia will go against Rick Porcello. Don’t sleep on Porcello though. In game 163 back in 2009, he pitched arguably his best game ever. I’m anxious to see what he does this time around.
I hate to say it Jmralph1, but overall, the starting pitching, if that’s what we’re quarreling over, favors the Tigers.
From donnybaseball03 – 3 hours ago “Verlander and Fister are both unproven in post season play. I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’m a Yankees fan and fear this match up but to count out Nova because he has no post season experience in favor of two studs that have little to no post season experience is a bit premature. I hope for a 5 game series either way… Go Yanks!”
Finally! A Yankee fan who can string a sentence together. The problem with this argument is that it assumes Sabathia’s dominance against the Tigers.
In 7 starts against Detroit over the past 4 years (a fairly substantial sampling that encompasses all 3 of his years as a pinstriper), CC is just 2-4 with an ERA right around 5.00. Dating back to his days with Cleveland, the Tigers have never had much trouble with the powerful lefty. In fact, ask any Tiger fan worth their weight in Old English D’s and they’ll tell you it’s Garcia who we fear the most, not Sabathia.
In fact, the aforementioned Cabrera and Martinez fare quite well against Sabathia. Cabrera is 9 for 16 with 2 homers and VMart is 6 for 25 with 2 bombs. That’s a .366 combined average with 4 homers in just 41 at-bats.
I’ll tell you this donnybaseball03, Detroit hits power pitching with the best of them.
All of this banter is good for the moments leading up to game 1’s first pitch at 8:37 on Friday night. As I’ve said recently, the playoffs are a crapshoot, anything can happen. It’s easy to say one thing or another will happen, but until it unfolds, we are all just innocent bystanders (unless you’re Jonathan Papelbon, who isn’t so innocent).
Let it be clear that Tiger fans have every reason to believe that their team can not only hang with the Yankees, but can and should beat them. And we’re not kidding!
Theo Epstein Admits Some Members of Red Sox Didn't Meet Team's 'High Standards' in Regards to Conditioning
Plenty of things went wrong for the Red Sox in September, and there were also plenty of distractions to go along with that as well.
One of those distractions came when reports started surfacing that there were whispers around baseball about the physical conditioning of the Red Sox.
In his end-of-the-year news conference on Thursday, Theo Epstein was asked about that. His response was rather blunt and honest.
"We have high standards in that area and other areas, and I can't sit here and say those standards have been met across the board," Epstein said. "I'm not gonna lump everyone in together, but I'll say there are certain instances where we can and have to get better. It will be addressed."
Chinese Food Delivery Guy Stole Matt Bryant’s Golf Clubs
For the most part, everyone loves the food delivery guy. There’s nothing quite like hearing the doorbell ring and knowing your food has arrived when you’re starving. The delivery guy is a bearer of gifts — someone who provides you with a service when you need to eat but are too lazy to separate yourself from the TV. That is, of course, unless he runs you for your golf clubs.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Falcons kicker Matt Bryant had his golf clubs stolen out of his garage by the Chinese food delivery guy a couple weeks ago. Police say 22-year-old Kristian Vail walked into Bryant’s open garage, stole his $3,000 bag of clubs, delivered his food, and went on his way.
Investigators were able to track down the clubs on the Internet by using their serial numbers and found that Vail had traded the clubs to a man named Michael Gibson in exchange for 80 Ecstasy pills. Dude was just looking to party, I guess.
Most of the clubs have been tracked down and returned to Bryant but, according to Braselton Police Assistant Chief Lou Solis, Bryant’s putter remains missing and he is pretty unhappy about it. If you can’t trust the delivery guy these days, who can you trust?
The Best Video Ever of | Real Madrid (RM) 3 - 0 Ajax Amsterdam (AJAX) | 27 - 09 - 2011
Real Madrid vs Ajax Amsterdam 27/09/2011
Urlacher on Payton book: 'I don't put too much stock in that'
Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs have had their personal lives dissected on more than one occasion. So naturally, the Chicago Bears linebackers had an opinion on the recent expose of Walter Payton’s personal experiences in Jeff Pearlman’s new book.
In "Sweetness," Pearlman reports that Payton was involved in several extra-marital affairs, fathered an illegitimate son and had suicidal thoughts.
"People trying to get attention, that’s what I think it is," Urlacher said of the book. "It’s not going to change my view on what Walter Payton was or is. I have the utmost respect for him.
"I never got a chance to meet him but from everything I’ve heard about the way he treated people, the way he was with people, I have nothing but respect for him. So whatever some jackass says in some book or whatever … I just want to know, are there any quotes from Walter in there? What about his wife? Well, I don’t put too much stock in that."
Briggs has been scrutinized for fathering children out of wedlock. Urlacher has had a messy court battle with the mother of his son.
"To think that people are without flaws is wrong," Briggs said. "(Payton) was human. He was human. You’ve got to look at yourself before you make a judgment call on somebody else.
"What Walter Payton stood for and what he will always stand for, he really is the face of the NFL. You know the type of effect that he had if you just go around this city. Almost every day, you can run into somebody who has a story about running into Walter Payton and how kind he was. He’s somebody that, as a kid and as a young football player, you want to aspire to be."
In "Sweetness," Pearlman reports that Payton was involved in several extra-marital affairs, fathered an illegitimate son and had suicidal thoughts.
"People trying to get attention, that’s what I think it is," Urlacher said of the book. "It’s not going to change my view on what Walter Payton was or is. I have the utmost respect for him.
"I never got a chance to meet him but from everything I’ve heard about the way he treated people, the way he was with people, I have nothing but respect for him. So whatever some jackass says in some book or whatever … I just want to know, are there any quotes from Walter in there? What about his wife? Well, I don’t put too much stock in that."
Briggs has been scrutinized for fathering children out of wedlock. Urlacher has had a messy court battle with the mother of his son.
"To think that people are without flaws is wrong," Briggs said. "(Payton) was human. He was human. You’ve got to look at yourself before you make a judgment call on somebody else.
"What Walter Payton stood for and what he will always stand for, he really is the face of the NFL. You know the type of effect that he had if you just go around this city. Almost every day, you can run into somebody who has a story about running into Walter Payton and how kind he was. He’s somebody that, as a kid and as a young football player, you want to aspire to be."
Red Sox miss out on postseason after loss to O's and Rays' win
The Boston Red Sox completed their September collapse in horrific and historic fashion, falling out of the playoff chase by allowing two ninth-inning runs in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
The Red Sox held a nine-game lead in the AL wild-card race after Sept. 3, but a 7-19 swoon left them tied with Tampa Bay entering the final day of the regular season.
Only minutes after this game ended, the Rays completed their comeback from a 7-0 deficit with an 8-7 win over the New York Yankees in 12 innings.
Even if Tampa Bay lost, the Red Sox faced the prospect of a quick turnaround following a long night at Camden Yards that included a rain delay of 1 hour, 26 minutes in the middle of the seventh inning.
When the rain came, Tampa Bay trailed 7-0. By the time play resumed, the Rays and Yankees were tied at 7 heading into the 10th inning.
The Orioles won the game in the ninth against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon (4-1), who struck out the first two batters before giving up a double to Chris Davis. Nolan Reimold followed with a double to score pinch-runner Kyle Hudson, and Robert Andino completed the comeback with a single to left that Carl Crawford couldn't glove.
Boston became the first team to miss the postseason after leading by as many as nine games for a playoff spot entering September, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Jim Johnson (6-5) worked the ninth for Baltimore.
Dustin Pedroia homered for the Red Sox, who went through the entire month of September without winning consecutive games.
Pitching on three days' rest, Jon Lester limited the last-place Orioles to two runs and four hits over six gritty innings. But it wasn't enough to prevent the Red Sox from absorbing one final blow.
Boston had several chances to pad a 3-2 lead it took in the fifth inning but was never able to complete the task.
After Pedroia hit a solo homer off Alfredo Simon in the fifth, the Orioles got the potential tying run to third base in the bottom half and in the sixth before Lester worked out of trouble.
In the seventh, Boston's David Ortiz was thrown out trying to stretch a single, and with two outs rookie catcher Ryan Lavanway bounced into a fielder's choice. Lavanway, who homered twice in an 8-7 win Tuesday, went 0 for 5 and stranded nine runners.
The Red Sox blew another chance to increase the lead in the eighth when Marco Scutaro took off from first base on a double by Crawford. But Scutaro stutter-stepped before getting to third and was out at the plate.
In the ninth, Lavanway grounded into a double play with one out and the bases loaded. It was the third time he came to the plate following an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez.
The Red Sox went up 1-0 in the third when Mike Aviles walked, took second on a single by Jacoby Ellsbury and scored on a single by Pedroia. Ellsbury's single extended his hitting streak against Baltimore to 36 games, dating to April 2009.
J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer in the bottom half, only minutes after the scoreboard showed the Yankees increasing their lead over Tampa Bay to 5-0. Hardy's 30th homer followed a leadoff walk to Davis.
Boston pulled even in the fourth when Scutaro doubled, advanced on a groundout and scored on a balk.
Game notes
Boston activated RHP Clay Buchholz (back strain) from the 60-day DL and placed 3B Kevin Youkilis (back strain) on the 60-day DL. ... Hardy's homer gave Baltimore two players with 30 (Mark Reynolds 37) for the first time since 1996, when Brady Anderson had 50 and Rafael Palmeiro hit 39. ... Lester's performance lowered the ERA of Boston's starters this month to 7.08. ... Baltimore RF Nick Markakis left after eight innings with a bruised pelvis.
The Red Sox held a nine-game lead in the AL wild-card race after Sept. 3, but a 7-19 swoon left them tied with Tampa Bay entering the final day of the regular season.
Only minutes after this game ended, the Rays completed their comeback from a 7-0 deficit with an 8-7 win over the New York Yankees in 12 innings.
Even if Tampa Bay lost, the Red Sox faced the prospect of a quick turnaround following a long night at Camden Yards that included a rain delay of 1 hour, 26 minutes in the middle of the seventh inning.
When the rain came, Tampa Bay trailed 7-0. By the time play resumed, the Rays and Yankees were tied at 7 heading into the 10th inning.
The Orioles won the game in the ninth against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon (4-1), who struck out the first two batters before giving up a double to Chris Davis. Nolan Reimold followed with a double to score pinch-runner Kyle Hudson, and Robert Andino completed the comeback with a single to left that Carl Crawford couldn't glove.
Boston became the first team to miss the postseason after leading by as many as nine games for a playoff spot entering September, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Jim Johnson (6-5) worked the ninth for Baltimore.
Dustin Pedroia homered for the Red Sox, who went through the entire month of September without winning consecutive games.
Pitching on three days' rest, Jon Lester limited the last-place Orioles to two runs and four hits over six gritty innings. But it wasn't enough to prevent the Red Sox from absorbing one final blow.
Boston had several chances to pad a 3-2 lead it took in the fifth inning but was never able to complete the task.
After Pedroia hit a solo homer off Alfredo Simon in the fifth, the Orioles got the potential tying run to third base in the bottom half and in the sixth before Lester worked out of trouble.
In the seventh, Boston's David Ortiz was thrown out trying to stretch a single, and with two outs rookie catcher Ryan Lavanway bounced into a fielder's choice. Lavanway, who homered twice in an 8-7 win Tuesday, went 0 for 5 and stranded nine runners.
The Red Sox blew another chance to increase the lead in the eighth when Marco Scutaro took off from first base on a double by Crawford. But Scutaro stutter-stepped before getting to third and was out at the plate.
In the ninth, Lavanway grounded into a double play with one out and the bases loaded. It was the third time he came to the plate following an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez.
The Red Sox went up 1-0 in the third when Mike Aviles walked, took second on a single by Jacoby Ellsbury and scored on a single by Pedroia. Ellsbury's single extended his hitting streak against Baltimore to 36 games, dating to April 2009.
J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer in the bottom half, only minutes after the scoreboard showed the Yankees increasing their lead over Tampa Bay to 5-0. Hardy's 30th homer followed a leadoff walk to Davis.
Boston pulled even in the fourth when Scutaro doubled, advanced on a groundout and scored on a balk.
Game notes
Boston activated RHP Clay Buchholz (back strain) from the 60-day DL and placed 3B Kevin Youkilis (back strain) on the 60-day DL. ... Hardy's homer gave Baltimore two players with 30 (Mark Reynolds 37) for the first time since 1996, when Brady Anderson had 50 and Rafael Palmeiro hit 39. ... Lester's performance lowered the ERA of Boston's starters this month to 7.08. ... Baltimore RF Nick Markakis left after eight innings with a bruised pelvis.
Braves loss caps Cards' incredible run to playoffs
-- Chris Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals completed one of baseball's greatest comebacks, clinching the NL wild card Wednesday night with an 8-0 win over Houston and a later loss by Atlanta.
The Cardinals got their playoff spot when the Braves fell to Philadelphia 4-3 in 13 innings.
St. Louis trailed Atlanta by 10 1/2 games on Aug. 25. The Cardinals won 23 of their last 31 games.
The Cardinals will open the postseason on Saturday at NL East champion Philadelphia. In the other NL playoff matchup, Arizona visits Milwaukee.
Carpenter (11-9) struck out 11 and allowed two hits in his 15th career complete-game shutout as St. Louis kept up its improbable September charge.
"We had nothing to lose. We were already out of it," Carpenter said. "People were telling us we were done. We decided to go out and play and not embarrass ourselves and do what we can. We played ourselves back into it."
The Cardinals poured onto the field after Carpenter fielded J.D. Martinez's weak grounder for the final out. The celebration was brief and muted, as the team raced into the clubhouse to watch the end of the game in Atlanta.
"It was exciting, there's no doubt about it," Carpenter said. "The way these guys have played the past month and a half has been amazing, every single night grinding, playing their butts off, not giving up.
"We continued to give ourselves an opportunity and now we are here."
The teams entered Wednesday's regular-season finales with 89-72 records.
Atlanta's game started an hour earlier, but the Cardinals virtually took away any hope for a Houston victory in the first inning of their contest, jumping to a 5-0 lead against Brett Myers (7-14).
Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman drove in runs with singles, and David Freese doubled to left-center before Myers even recorded an out. Berkman scored when Skip Schumaker's hard grounder ricocheted off Myers' glove for an infield hit, and Freese came home on Nick Punto's single to right.
Carpenter handled the rest.
He had struggled at Minute Maid Park lately, going 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA in his last five starts here, but he was in total command from the start on Wednesday, striking out five of the first nine hitters he faced. He also had an RBI single in the third to drive in Freese, who reached base when right fielder Brian Bogusevic dropped his fly ball for an error.
Freese led off the fifth with a double to right center, the Cardinals' 10th hit of the game. Myers, 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA in his last five starts, hadn't allowed more than nine hits in a start since Aug. 6.
Freese later scored on Schumaker's groundout to shortstop Clint Barmes for a 7-0 lead, equaling the most runs given up by Myers in 33 starts this season. Wilton Lopez replaced Myers for the start of the sixth.
As the Astros batted in the seventh, the left-field scoreboard posted a 3-3 tie in the Phillies-Braves game, prompting a roar from the large contingent of Cardinals' fans in the stands behind the St. Louis dugout.
Carpenter then struck out Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes to wrap up another easy inning. Allen Craig hit a solo homer in the ninth off Lance Pendleton.
The Cardinals huddled around a television in the clubhouse cafeteria after their victory.
Only three weeks ago, the Cardinals had virtually lost all hope.
"There was absolute doubt from us," Punto said. "I remember early on in September, we were like, 'Let's just finish up strong for the fans. Let's give them something to come out and watch.'
"When you're 10 1/2 games out, that's a hole you can't climb out of," he said, "unless you get a lot of help."
The Cardinals were loose and relaxed -- and confident -- before the game.
Champagne was ordered for a potential postgame celebration and someone wrote, "Happy Flight! After Game" on a marker board in the clubhouse.
Game notes
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said LF Matt Holliday (right hand injury) and SS Rafael Furcal (left hamstring) were unavailable on Wednesday night. ... Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan rejoined the team after missing more than a month to tend to his ailing wife. Jeanine Duncan is recovering from surgery on Aug. 21 to remove a brain tumor. Dave Duncan, La Russa's trusted assistant since the early 1980s, did not know how long he would be able to stay with the club because his wife has more medical appointments scheduled. ... The sparse crowd offered a standing ovation to Astros owner Drayton McLane after a video tribute was shown on the giant scoreboard between the second and third innings. McLane is still waiting for Major League Baseball to approve his sale of the team to Houston businessman Jim Crane for $680 million. General manager Ed Wade said before Wednesday's game that McLane still has the final say on all baseball decisions.
The Cardinals got their playoff spot when the Braves fell to Philadelphia 4-3 in 13 innings.
St. Louis trailed Atlanta by 10 1/2 games on Aug. 25. The Cardinals won 23 of their last 31 games.
The Cardinals will open the postseason on Saturday at NL East champion Philadelphia. In the other NL playoff matchup, Arizona visits Milwaukee.
Carpenter (11-9) struck out 11 and allowed two hits in his 15th career complete-game shutout as St. Louis kept up its improbable September charge.
"We had nothing to lose. We were already out of it," Carpenter said. "People were telling us we were done. We decided to go out and play and not embarrass ourselves and do what we can. We played ourselves back into it."
The Cardinals poured onto the field after Carpenter fielded J.D. Martinez's weak grounder for the final out. The celebration was brief and muted, as the team raced into the clubhouse to watch the end of the game in Atlanta.
"It was exciting, there's no doubt about it," Carpenter said. "The way these guys have played the past month and a half has been amazing, every single night grinding, playing their butts off, not giving up.
"We continued to give ourselves an opportunity and now we are here."
The teams entered Wednesday's regular-season finales with 89-72 records.
Atlanta's game started an hour earlier, but the Cardinals virtually took away any hope for a Houston victory in the first inning of their contest, jumping to a 5-0 lead against Brett Myers (7-14).
Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman drove in runs with singles, and David Freese doubled to left-center before Myers even recorded an out. Berkman scored when Skip Schumaker's hard grounder ricocheted off Myers' glove for an infield hit, and Freese came home on Nick Punto's single to right.
Carpenter handled the rest.
He had struggled at Minute Maid Park lately, going 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA in his last five starts here, but he was in total command from the start on Wednesday, striking out five of the first nine hitters he faced. He also had an RBI single in the third to drive in Freese, who reached base when right fielder Brian Bogusevic dropped his fly ball for an error.
Freese led off the fifth with a double to right center, the Cardinals' 10th hit of the game. Myers, 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA in his last five starts, hadn't allowed more than nine hits in a start since Aug. 6.
Freese later scored on Schumaker's groundout to shortstop Clint Barmes for a 7-0 lead, equaling the most runs given up by Myers in 33 starts this season. Wilton Lopez replaced Myers for the start of the sixth.
As the Astros batted in the seventh, the left-field scoreboard posted a 3-3 tie in the Phillies-Braves game, prompting a roar from the large contingent of Cardinals' fans in the stands behind the St. Louis dugout.
Carpenter then struck out Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes to wrap up another easy inning. Allen Craig hit a solo homer in the ninth off Lance Pendleton.
The Cardinals huddled around a television in the clubhouse cafeteria after their victory.
Only three weeks ago, the Cardinals had virtually lost all hope.
"There was absolute doubt from us," Punto said. "I remember early on in September, we were like, 'Let's just finish up strong for the fans. Let's give them something to come out and watch.'
"When you're 10 1/2 games out, that's a hole you can't climb out of," he said, "unless you get a lot of help."
The Cardinals were loose and relaxed -- and confident -- before the game.
Champagne was ordered for a potential postgame celebration and someone wrote, "Happy Flight! After Game" on a marker board in the clubhouse.
Game notes
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said LF Matt Holliday (right hand injury) and SS Rafael Furcal (left hamstring) were unavailable on Wednesday night. ... Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan rejoined the team after missing more than a month to tend to his ailing wife. Jeanine Duncan is recovering from surgery on Aug. 21 to remove a brain tumor. Dave Duncan, La Russa's trusted assistant since the early 1980s, did not know how long he would be able to stay with the club because his wife has more medical appointments scheduled. ... The sparse crowd offered a standing ovation to Astros owner Drayton McLane after a video tribute was shown on the giant scoreboard between the second and third innings. McLane is still waiting for Major League Baseball to approve his sale of the team to Houston businessman Jim Crane for $680 million. General manager Ed Wade said before Wednesday's game that McLane still has the final say on all baseball decisions.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
How Has Steve Bartman Avoided Showing Up On The Internet After All These Years?
It seems strange—miraculous, even—that sites like ours or other media outlets have yet to catch even a glimpse of Steve Bartman post-hibernation. No candid cellphone pic popping up on a Chicagoan's Facebook page. No first-hand account of a Bartman sighting at the laundromat or the gym or an Applebee's in Schaumburg. Finding a photo of him without the Cubs hat and dopey headphones, wearing some expression other than one of frozen sadness, would be like finding a photo of a Yeti in a national park. Except that this Yeti still works a desk job outside of Chicago, if Catching Hell's information is still up to date.
The photo seen above is from a personal blog called Osler's Razor, whose author was a friend of Bartman's roommate at Notre Dame. The roommate passed along the pic for Osler's Razor to publish. Weird, right? Your eyes go straight to Lou Holtz in the middle. Unless someone pointed him out, you'd never notice the kid crouched on the left, who is now just as famous a personage as the football coach he's posing with. Once you realize it's Bartman, though, Holtz fades away, and the photo feels more substantial and spooky, like seeingOswald in Minsk.
Catching Hell director Alex Gibney did reach out to Bartman for the film, but Bartman, as he's done with all requests (interviews, six-figure endorsements) over the past eight years, politely declined. It's a remarkable feat, almost monastic in its self-discipline, one that makes Bartman's story even more intriguing and heroic in its own way. The cynic in you wants to say he's staying quiet merely to drive up the price of an interview or a TV appearance, but that's not right. I don't imagine that he's tortured by all this anymore. He's controlling his story's ending. He's grabbing it clean out of the night sky and pulling it into his chest. Good for him.
Remembering The Time “Steve Bartman” Prank Called SportsCenter
During last night’s 30 for 30 documentary on reviled Cubs fan Steve Bartman, filmmaker Alex Gibney highlighted a funny moment on SportsCenter when a Howard Stern fan prank-called then-anchor Dan Patrick.
After scoring what they thought was a monumentally huge get in the reclusive Bartman, who up to that point had refused to talk to the media, ESPN’s producers put Patrick on the phone with him. Or so they thought.
There was some back-and-forth about the Game 6 incident, then the person on the other end of the line (it turned out to be a Stern fan by the name of “Capt. Janks”) asked Patrick if he “liked Howard Stern’s butt cheese.” Patrick handled the moment well, and actually seemed slightly amused by it.
Although he handled it well on air, Patrick would go on Stern’s show a few weeks later and tell the host that he wanted to “crawl under the desk” after this call. The prank occurs at the 1:35 mark.
You Have Never Seen a MLB Ump Do This Before
Blue Jays vs. White Sox: Home-plate umpire Gary Cederstrom lost track of the count during an Adam Dunn at bat last night. So he phoned a friend and fell down the stairs.
Yes, of course Cederstrom is one of 6 umpires that the MLB chose to serve as instructors at the 2011 MLB Umpire Camp.
Mets' Reyes asks to be removed from game
What might have been Jose Reyes' final game in a New York Mets uniform turned into a cameo Wednesday afternoon.
After bunting for a single in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds, the All-Star shortstop, at his request, was removed for a pinch runner, eliciting a round of boos from the small crowd at Citi Field.
The hit raised Reyes' average to .337 in his bid to become the first Mets player to win the batting title.
Milwaukee's Ryan Braun will enter Wednesday night's game against Pittsburgh at .335. Braun can still win the title with a 3-for-4 performance.
Manager Terry Collins said after the game that Reyes asked to be taken out of the game after his first at-bat in the event he got a hit.
Collins had already hinted before the game that he might have a quick hook with Reyes in an effort to best position him for the batting title, and he honored Reyes' request.
The Mets won 3-0 with veteran Miguel Batista pitching a two-hit shutout. The Mets finish the season, their first under Collins, at 77-85, and in fourth place in the NL East.
The 28-year-old Reyes, who has spent all nine of his seasons with the Mets, will be a free agent this winter.
After bunting for a single in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds, the All-Star shortstop, at his request, was removed for a pinch runner, eliciting a round of boos from the small crowd at Citi Field.
The hit raised Reyes' average to .337 in his bid to become the first Mets player to win the batting title.
Milwaukee's Ryan Braun will enter Wednesday night's game against Pittsburgh at .335. Braun can still win the title with a 3-for-4 performance.
Manager Terry Collins said after the game that Reyes asked to be taken out of the game after his first at-bat in the event he got a hit.
Collins had already hinted before the game that he might have a quick hook with Reyes in an effort to best position him for the batting title, and he honored Reyes' request.
The Mets won 3-0 with veteran Miguel Batista pitching a two-hit shutout. The Mets finish the season, their first under Collins, at 77-85, and in fourth place in the NL East.
The 28-year-old Reyes, who has spent all nine of his seasons with the Mets, will be a free agent this winter.
LeBron James & Tyreke Evans Steal The Show In Philly Vs Melo League Game; Top 10 Plays
Check out the top 10 plays from the highly anticipated Philly league vs Melo League game. LeBron and Tyreke Evans stole the show with highlight after highlight. The game also featured Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Josh Selby, Kyle Lowry, Jason Thompson, Jeff Green, Hakim Warrick
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Bill Haas Water Shot Tour Championship 2011 2nd Playoff Hole
Bill Haas plays an amazing shot in the Tour Championship / Fedex Playoff on the seventeenth hole. After hitting the ball in the water, he took a chance by playing the ball. It gave him a par, which kept him in the playoff against Hunter Mahan, and which he eventually won one hole later. Absolutely amazing shot. Remember, there's about ten million dollar on the line here!
Source: Marlins to hire Ozzie Guillen
Ozzie Guillen walked away from the Chicago White Sox on Monday after being unable to secure a contract extension, and he apparently is walking into a new job managing the Florida Marlins.
Guillen's quest for a new deal from the White Sox was denied, so the talkative, sometimes outrageous and always colorful manager asked to be released from his current contract.
That request was granted.
Guillen's website later had a post describing how thrilled he was to join the Marlins and how he couldn't wait to get started. The post was later taken down. Jack McKeon announced earlier Monday that he would retire as Florida manager after the season.
Guillen's website post might have been premature but according to a source, it was correct. Guillen will accept a managerial job with the Marlins for four years, a source close to the situation told ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine.
On Tuesday afternoon Guillen tweeted: "Weird to be in miami in this time but very happy ready to go".
After Guillen met with owner Jerry Reinsdorf, the team agreed to release him from his current deal and his eight-year managerial run that included a World Series title in 2005 was over. He managed his final game Monday night as the White Sox beat the Blue Jays 4-3.
Guillen said he had a great talk with Reinsdorf, who respected his decision.
"It was my call and I appreciated the White Sox organization letting me do what I like to do and what is best. ... Maybe not the best, maybe it's the worst," Guillen said. "You don't know what is out there. Maybe I'm dreaming. I might not appreciate what I got here. You don't know. You have to close the page and move on. That's life. Hopefully the next book treats me the way this book treated me."
Pitching coach Don Cooper will manage the White Sox for the final two games. Joey Cora no longer is with the White Sox, according to a team official.
Should Guillen, who had a 678-617 record with the White Sox and will not be in uniform for the remaining two games this year, take a managerial job with a different organization in 2012, the White Sox said in a release they retain the right to be compensated. In order to fulfill that right, the Marlins will send two minor leaguers, including right-handed reliever Jhan Marinez, to Chicago, the source said. MLB.com reported earlier that infielder Osvaldo Martinez is the other player.
Guillen, whose contract option for 2012 was picked up at the team's winter convention in January, began talking late last month about an extension, even with the team going through a disappointing season.
"We certainly cannot thank Ozzie enough for all he has done during his eight seasons as manager of the Chicago White Sox, highlighted by an unforgettable 2005 World Series championship," Reinsdorf said in a release issued by the team.
"I personally appreciate everything he has done for this organization, our fans and the city of Chicago. We shared the greatest moments together and wish him nothing but future success in baseball and in life."
General manager Kenny Williams said because of "warnings," the White Sox had narrowed down possible replacements.
The Marlins talked to Chicago last year about acquiring Guillen, but the deal never materialized. They could bring him in now to lead the club into a new ballpark next season.
"It could be anybody. They sound like they are interested," Guillen said. "They just let me go to talk to whoever I want, anyone I want. Right now, a lot of people are talking about Florida ... a lot of rumors are out there."
The Chicago Sun-Times reported earlier Monday that Guillen was close to a managerial deal with the Marlins.
"I like Ozzie," McKeon said Monday night. "I think he's a very, very intelligent manager. He was a smart player. He's a good man. I like him."
With a smile, McKeon added, "I'm going to have to like him, right?"
Guillen worked for owner Jeffrey Loria as the Marlins' third base coach in 2002-03. After they won the World Series, Guillen became the White Sox manager that November.
Guillen is the only manager in franchise history to lead the White Sox to more than one division or league title. Chicago also made the playoffs under Guillen in 2008. But they floundered this season.
"No regrets, no regrets," Guillen said. "Very disappointed in this year, yes."
White Sox veteran Paul Konerko said Guillen's departure "probably needed to be done on both sides of it."
"For Ozzie, I think he's been kind of just burned out on this whole thing and probably likewise on the other side and that's how it goes," Konerko said. "It doesn't always have to be that someone's right, someone's wrong, this person hates that person. Sometimes in sports -- any business but especially sports -- a coaching staff or a manager or a head coach whoever it might be, that kind of regime runs its course and that's what we have here."
Guillen's son, Ozzie Guillen Jr., sent a tweet from his account Monday night: "(...) thank you to all the great white sox fans who always showed support. Chicago the best city in the world will always be home."
In the 2005 championship year, the White Sox nearly let a 15-game lead evaporate before rebounding in the final week of the regular season. Then they went 11-1 in the postseason, clinching all three of their series against the Red Sox, the Angels and the Astros on the road. It was their first title since 1917.
But after teaming with Williams to end the 88-tear drought, their relationship has become strained over the last two years.
"Never did I imagine, particularly when the season started, never did I imagine I would be sitting in this room talking to you guys about failure to accomplish the goal No. 1, but certainly, that Ozzie would no longer be here," Williams said.
"That would have been the furthest thought from my mind. It's disappointing. It's upon reflection, I think I'm going to choose instead of remembering some of the things that have kind of gotten off track here recently, I think I'm going to remember a lot more of the good times than anything."
Acknowledging the two didn't have a great relationship the last two years, Guillen said: "I don't have anything against Kenny. That has nothing do with it."
The White Sox (78-82) were built to win this year but middle-of-the-order players like Adam Dunn and Alex Rios slumped all season and bogged down the offense.
Chicago had early losing streaks of seven and five games and by May 1, Guillen's club was 10 games out of first. It pulled within 3½ games of the lead on Aug. 17 but that was as close as it would get the rest of the way.
Guillen was a managerial trend setter with a Twitter account and a website. And social media, like his opinions expressed in other forums, got him in trouble at times.
After he was ejected this season at Yankee Stadium by umpire Todd Tichenoran, the manager went on Twitter and called his ejection pathetic. That got him a two-game suspension and fine, and it was the first time baseball has penalized a player, coach or manager for using the social networking site during a game.
Social media played a role in creating tension between Williams and Guillen in 2010. Guillen's son, Oney, left the team's scouting department after posting some comments on Twitter that were critical of the team's front office.
Guillen said he spoke Monday with Reinsdorf to get an idea about his future. He leaves on a vacation in Spain later this week.
He and Reinsdorf have been close since Guillen's playing days as a slick-fielding shortstop when he was the 1985 AL Rookie of the Year with the White Sox. He played 13 of his 16 big league seasons with the White Sox.
"Was it time for a change? I don't think so," Williams said. "I guess things were accelerated. We had no intention of firing him. This was kind of acquiescing to some of his desires more than anything. It is what it is. I don't wish to expound on any of the peripherals to the degree that they become more of a story than they really are.
"This is a case of a man making a business decision for himself and his family. And we respected it, we respected it enough to allow this to happen. Obviously we didn't agree to the request for an extension."
Since he took over in 2004, there has been a long list of Ozzie blowups and tirades and opinionated rants.
In 2006, Guillen was fined and ordered by commissioner Bud Selig to undergo sensitivity training after he described then Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti with a derogatory term.
In 2008 he went on a rant, saying Williams needed to make some changes. His comments also miffed batting coach Greg Walker before everything was patched up. He once lambasted former White Sox star and countryman Magglio Ordonez with a four-letter verbal surge after Ordonez joined the Tigers and said Guillen was now the enemy.
As he was riding to Wrigley Field for a game against the Cubs, Guillen called into a radio station and went on another profanity-filled tirade after a host questioned why he wasn't starting A.J. Pierzynski that day.
There were many more incidents, some of them raising eyebrows. Guillen once told reporters that "no comment" was not part of his vocabulary.
"Just his enthusiasm, the way he treated people, especially my kids," Pierzynski said about what he'll miss most about Guillen. "Every day he was happy to see them, put a smile on their face and you have to respect someone like that. He never let the job get to him, it didn't change him and he had a good run."
Adrian Peterson 'tired of losing'
Adrian Peterson on Tuesday said the Vikings have to take it "personal" in order to rebound from an 0-3 start in which the team has blown three straight second-half leads. The star running back also can't explain why he hasn't been getting the ball as much as many would expect.
"We have to take it personal," Peterson said in an interview with ESPNRadio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning." "I'm tired of losing, especially going to halftime with these leads. I'm sure my comrades, they feel the same way."
The Vikings have been outscored 67-6 after halftime after building a cumulative 54-7 advantage over the first two quarters of their first three games.
Peterson said Tuesday that the Vikings "know what we need to do" to turn their second-half troubles around, specifically citing the need to clean up penalties that "offensively hurt us from doing our jobs" and executing the plays that are called better.
As far as those calls involving him having the ball in his hands, Peterson didn't have an answer for why he doesn't have more touches.
"I really can't explain it," he said, going on again to say that the Vikings need to execute the plays that are called.
Peterson took the high road Tuesday, but his father, Nelson, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he can see his son is upset.
"I see the agony on his face," Nelson Peterson told the newspaper. "He was frustrated that they weren't going to him. He wanted to help them win the game. Five carries in the second half? That's 2½ carries per quarter. He thought that, with a 20-0 lead, he was ready to lead them to a victory. He's being a good sport about it, but he's upset."
Nelson Peterson went on to tell the newspaper that his son, who signed a $100 million contract extension before the season, has become the "league's highest-paid decoy."
Adrian Peterson has just one 100-yard rushing game this season -- Week 2's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the only game this season in which he has had more than 20 carries (25). He had just 16 carries in a Week 1 defeat against the San Diego Chargers and 17 in Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions.
Against the Lions, he had 12 carries for 73 yards in the first half but had only five carries (excluding a 14-yard gain negated by penalty) in the second half. And on a key fourth-and-1 run in the fourth quarter, Toby Gerhart got the ball instead of Peterson and failed to convert. The Lions, who trailed 20-0 at halftime, went the other way after stopping Gerhart and tied the game before winning by three points in overtime.
Coach Leslie Frazier vowed Monday to focus this week on ensuring that Peterson remains an integral part of the offense in second halves.
"I have to remind myself of this: Even if Adrian gets stopped for negative gain or two yards because they've got so many people at the line of scrimmage, he's such a great player that even against eight-man fronts he can still make something happen," Frazier said. "You can't ever forget that."
The Vikings visit the also-winless Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4.
NBA Star-studded game planned
Miami Heat fans won't have to wait until the NBA's owners and players settle their differences to get their next glimpse of the Big Three.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will come together next week to host and play in "The South Florida All-Star Classic," according to sources close to the project.
The game will be held on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida International University, where Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas is coach. All proceeds will go toward a charity supporting the educational community of South Florida.
A number of NBA players are slated to join the Miami trio on the court, including fellow Heat teammate Mario Chalmers, the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, the New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul, the Washington Wizards' John Wall, the Atlanta Hawks' Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson, the Houston Rockets' Jonny Flynn, the Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Bledsoe, the Dallas Mavericks' Caron Butler, the Memphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay, the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo, the Philadelphia 76ers' Lou Williams, the Golden State Warriors' Dorell Wright, and the Portland Trail Blazers' Wesley Matthews and free agent Eddy Curry.
Cleveland Cavaliers first-round picks Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson also are possible participants in the game.
Irving and Thompson are waiting to see if a spot opens up, a source told ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst. Other rookies, the source said, were interested but there's no room in the game for other first-year players. There's no interest in 15-player rosters because players want to be able to play in the game and not sit on the bench.
The source told ESPN.com's Windhorst that there could have been two games played because there was so much interest from NBA players.
The squads will be headlined by Brand Jordan players (Wade, Anthony, Paul) vs. Nike (James, Bosh, Durant). Comedian Kevin Hart, who has appeared in Brand Jordan commercials with Wade, is expected to coach the Jordan team, while Miami-based rap star Rick Ross is expected to coach the Nike club.
FIU's U.S. Century Bank Arena can hold 5,000 fans.
James has played in several "barnstorming" games over the past month of the NBA lockout, but this is the first time he's been a part of hosting one.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will come together next week to host and play in "The South Florida All-Star Classic," according to sources close to the project.
The game will be held on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. ET at Florida International University, where Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas is coach. All proceeds will go toward a charity supporting the educational community of South Florida.
A number of NBA players are slated to join the Miami trio on the court, including fellow Heat teammate Mario Chalmers, the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, the New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul, the Washington Wizards' John Wall, the Atlanta Hawks' Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson, the Houston Rockets' Jonny Flynn, the Los Angeles Clippers' Eric Bledsoe, the Dallas Mavericks' Caron Butler, the Memphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay, the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo, the Philadelphia 76ers' Lou Williams, the Golden State Warriors' Dorell Wright, and the Portland Trail Blazers' Wesley Matthews and free agent Eddy Curry.
Cleveland Cavaliers first-round picks Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson also are possible participants in the game.
Irving and Thompson are waiting to see if a spot opens up, a source told ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst. Other rookies, the source said, were interested but there's no room in the game for other first-year players. There's no interest in 15-player rosters because players want to be able to play in the game and not sit on the bench.
The source told ESPN.com's Windhorst that there could have been two games played because there was so much interest from NBA players.
The squads will be headlined by Brand Jordan players (Wade, Anthony, Paul) vs. Nike (James, Bosh, Durant). Comedian Kevin Hart, who has appeared in Brand Jordan commercials with Wade, is expected to coach the Jordan team, while Miami-based rap star Rick Ross is expected to coach the Nike club.
FIU's U.S. Century Bank Arena can hold 5,000 fans.
James has played in several "barnstorming" games over the past month of the NBA lockout, but this is the first time he's been a part of hosting one.
Is Joe Namath helping the Jets?
Former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath is at it again. Namath, the team's only Super Bowl-winning quarterback, was critical of Jets head coach Rex Ryan after New York's 34-24 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Namath believes that Ryan may have a preparation issue and that Jets players could be overlooking opponents.
"It starts at the top," Namath told "The Michael Kay Show" this week. "Coach Rex Ryan I think has been doing a great job getting the team to two [AFC] championship games. But if there's one thing about the athlete, if you keep telling him how good he is, he's going to start believing it, to the point that he may not be preparing not quite the way he should. He may be losing some respect for the other team."
For starters, I disagree with Namath's knee-jerk reaction. The Jets cannot get to back-to-back AFC title games by overlooking teams and not being prepared. New York was 2-0 just last week.
But here's the rub: Namath's comments may actually help the Jets (2-1).
Remember Jason Hill? He was the "no-name" Jacksonville receiver who said two weeks ago that Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis was overrated. It caught New York's attention, and the Jets pounded the Jaguars 32-3.
New York is in desperate need of another wake-up call after Sunday's embarrassing loss to Oakland. "Broadway Joe" criticizing his former team and creating a national story should do the trick.
The Jets play with more of an edge when there are detractors. They're going to need all the edge they can muster to survive a brutal, two-game road slate against the Baltimore Ravens (2-1) and New England Patriots (2-1).
Monday, September 26, 2011
Vick's Hand Not Broken; Could Play Sunday
Michael Vick does not have a broken hand after all, said Andy Reid this morning at his weekly Monday morning press conference.
Reid said that a blood vessel appeared on the X-Ray, which made it look like Vick had a fracture on his hand.The injury diagnosis is now a hand contusion.
With his hand not broken, the only obstacle in the way of Vick playing on Sunday is getting the swelling in his hand to go down. If they can make that happen, Reid did not rule out the possibility of Vick taking the field vs. the San Francisco 49ers in 6 days.
Should the swelling not go down and Vick is unable to go, Reid would not commit to either Mike Kafka or Vince Young. However, Reid did say that Young has a good feel for the offense and that would not stand in the way of Young getting the start.
In other injury news, Reid said that Jeremy Maclin's MRI on his hamstring showed that it is not as bad as they originally thought, and he is day-to-day. Riley Cooper, who suffered a concussion, is doing well Reid said. Cooper missed two games last season with a concussion.
The Worst Holding Call in NFL History....Packers vs Bears 9/25/11
the worst holding call ever in the history of the nfl on a punt return....
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Texans WR Kevin Walter’s Crazy Touchdown Catch Against Saints
During Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans wide receiver Kevin Walter pulled off an unbelievable catch that should have been intercepted and ended up scoring a 20-yard touchdown that at the time gave his team a 33-32 lead. While the Texans went on to lose the game, Walter deserves all of the credit in the world for keeping this play alive and catching the Saints’ defense off guard.
As you can see in the video, Saints linebacker Jonathan Casillas appeared to have the interception and watched the ball bounce around before Walter came through with the reception. Thanks to our friends at Cosby Sweaters for the video above.
Mike Vick Breaks his Hand
Coming out of the game Sunday against the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was holding his hand. Many people thought it could be a finger injury, since not many serious injuries happen to Vick. Well this one is serious.
Michael Vick has a broken right hand. After a hit from Chris Canty, Vick went to the locker room, supposedly for x-rays on his hand, which was dinged up earlier. He was pulled for Mike Kafka by Andy Reid in the fourth quarter. His return is doubtful today, and probably next week.
Luckily for the Eagles, Mike Vick is a lefty and will probably try to play in the coming weeks with an extra padded protective glove. Although it will still be hard for Vick to take the total of hits by defenses that he keeps getting due to the chance of him having to use his right hand to brace his fall.
Get well soon, Mike. Also, get a better offensive line scheme Eagles.
Update: Vick says he feels like officials are looking the other way at late hits, saysthe officials need to do their jobs, too.
Europe finishes strong to win Solheim Cup
Europe won the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2003 on Sunday, finishing powerfully to beat the United States 15-13 at Killeen Castle.
Norway's Suzann Pettersen turned the momentum Europe's way when she recovered from 1 down with birdies at the last three holes to beat Michelle Wie by one hole.
MORE: USA rallies to tie on Day 2
Her win left Europe needing just one point from the last two singles to win the trophy but the side captained by Alison Nicholas did even better.
Caroline Hedwall of the Netherlands — 2 down with two holes to play — earned a crucial halved match to give Europe a 14-13 lead when rookie Ryann O'Toole bogeyed the 17th and 18th.
Spain's Azahara Munoz birdied the 17th in the final singles to go 1 up on Angela Stanford and guarantee Europe's victory before closing out a one hole win at the last.
"I've been in agony all day," European captain Alison Nicholas said. "The players have had such heart and passion and purpose. I hand it all to them. They've been unbelievable."
Nicholas said Europe's win was the greatest achievement of her career.
"They were so up for it and they believed in themselves," she said. "They just fought to the end. The rookies have done fantastic. The experienced players have done really well as well. It's just been a real team effort."
American captain Rosie Jones also praised her players.
"They fought so hard and really came together in the last couple of days to do so well, and it's just really hard," Jones said.
Jones declined to blame O'Toole for the defeat.
"You know what, she played awesome," Jones said. "She's undefeated in her first Solheim Cup. That is just unbelievable … She feels bad because she was 2 up coming in.
"But I tell you what, she got three points this week, and I don't know if anybody else did that. So that's pretty awesome."
Play was suspended three times during the day due to adverse weather conditions but the 28,000 strong crowd saw an exciting finish.
The sides were tied 8-8 entering Sunday's 12 singles matches but Europe won the session 7-5 with American Cristie Kerr forced to forfeit her match with Karen Stupples.
Kerr, who was set to play in the 12th singles match, was unable to start due to a wrist injury.
"I'm devastated that I couldn't play today to help represent my team," Kerr said. "I tried my best but I couldn't hold the golf club."
The home side raced 11-8 ahead when Catriona Matthew soundly defeated Paula Creamer 6 and 5 and Sophie Gustafason beat Stacy Lewis by two holes.
The Americans hit back when Morgan Pressel beat Anna Nordqvist 2 and 1 and Brittany Lang defeated Sandra Gall 6 and 5.
Veteran Juli Inkster gave the U.S. hope when she won the 18th with a par four to snatch a halved match with Laura Davies before Christina Kim beat Swede Maria Hjorth 4 and 2 to level the scores.
Two hole wins for Europe's Christel Boeljon over Brittany Lincicome and American Vicky Hurst over Melissa Reid left the match riding on the last three singles.
With Stanford and Munoz all square in the final singles, the game between Pettersen and Wie became crucial.
Pettersen birdied the par-three 16th from 18 feet to square the match but Wie birdied the 17th from 20 feet to remain all square after the Norwegian had hit her approach to three feet to set up an easy birdie.
Pettersen fired a brilliant approach to eight feet at the last but while the American came out to four feet from greenside side, Europe's top ranked player holed the birdie putt.
"We knew it was going to come down to the last couple (of matches) if we had a chance and this is just fantastic," Pettersen said. "Absolutely brilliant team and what a way to finish on home soil."
Munoz turned the tide Europe's way with a birdie from three feet at the 17th and when O'Toole overshot the 18th against Hedwall and then failed to save par, Europe was guaranteed victory.
Sunday results
Europe 15 United States 13
Singles
Europe 7, United States 5
Catriona Matthew, Europe, def. Paula Creamer, United States, 6 and 5
Sophie Gustafson, Europe, def. Stacy Lewis, United States, 2 up
Morgan Pressel, United States, def. Anna Nordqvist, Europe, 2 and 1
Juli Inkster, United States, halved with Laura Davies, Europe
Vicky Hurst, United States, def. Mel Reid, Europe, 2 up
Christel Boeljon, Europe, def. Brittany Lincicome, United States, 2 up
Brittany Lang, United States, def. Sandra Gal, Europe, 6 and 5
Christina Kim, United States, def. Maria Hjorth, Europe, 4 and 2
Suzann Pettersen, Europe, def. Michelle Wie, United States, 1 up
Ryann O'Toole, United States, halved with Caroline Hedwall, Europe
Azahara Munoz, Europe, def. Angela Stanford, United States, 1 up
Karen Stupples, Europe, def. Cristie Kerr, United States, walkover
Saturday results
Foursomes
Europe 2½, United States 1½
Caroline Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson, Europe def. Angela Stanford and Stacy Lewis, United States 6 and 5
Morgan Pressel and Ryann O'Toole, United States def. Karen Stupples and Christel Boeljon, Europe 3 and 2
Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist, Europe def. Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster, United States 3 and 2
Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer, United States halved with Catriona Matthew and Azahara Munoz, Europe
Fourball
United States 3, Europe 1
Laura Davies and Melissa Reid, Europe, def. Brittany Lang and Michelle Wie, United States, 4 and 3
Morgan Pressel and Cristie Kerr, United States, def. Suzann Pettersen and Caroline Hedwall, Europe, 1 up
Stacy Lewis and Ryann O'Toole, United States, def. Sandra Gal and Christel Boeljon, Europe, 2 and 1
Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome, United States, def. Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz, Europe, 3 and 1
Friday results
Foursomes
Europe 2, United States 2
Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr, United States, def. Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, 2 and 1
Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome, United States, def. Karen Stupples and Melissa Reid, Europe, 1 up
Catriona Matthew and Azahara Munoz, Europe, def. Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford, United States, 3 and 2
Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson, Europe, def. Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster, United States, 1 up
Fourball
Europe 2½, United States 1½
Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer, United States, def. Laura Davies and Melissa Reid, Europe, 1 up
Catriona Matthew and Sandra Gal, Europe, halved with Christina Kim and Ryann O'Toole, United States
Sophie Gustafsson and Caroline Hedwall, Europe, def. Vicky Hurst and Brittany Lincicome, United States, 5 and 4
Suzann Pettersen and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, def. Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie, United States, 2 up
Norway's Suzann Pettersen turned the momentum Europe's way when she recovered from 1 down with birdies at the last three holes to beat Michelle Wie by one hole.
MORE: USA rallies to tie on Day 2
Her win left Europe needing just one point from the last two singles to win the trophy but the side captained by Alison Nicholas did even better.
Caroline Hedwall of the Netherlands — 2 down with two holes to play — earned a crucial halved match to give Europe a 14-13 lead when rookie Ryann O'Toole bogeyed the 17th and 18th.
Spain's Azahara Munoz birdied the 17th in the final singles to go 1 up on Angela Stanford and guarantee Europe's victory before closing out a one hole win at the last.
"I've been in agony all day," European captain Alison Nicholas said. "The players have had such heart and passion and purpose. I hand it all to them. They've been unbelievable."
Nicholas said Europe's win was the greatest achievement of her career.
"They were so up for it and they believed in themselves," she said. "They just fought to the end. The rookies have done fantastic. The experienced players have done really well as well. It's just been a real team effort."
American captain Rosie Jones also praised her players.
"They fought so hard and really came together in the last couple of days to do so well, and it's just really hard," Jones said.
Jones declined to blame O'Toole for the defeat.
"You know what, she played awesome," Jones said. "She's undefeated in her first Solheim Cup. That is just unbelievable … She feels bad because she was 2 up coming in.
"But I tell you what, she got three points this week, and I don't know if anybody else did that. So that's pretty awesome."
Play was suspended three times during the day due to adverse weather conditions but the 28,000 strong crowd saw an exciting finish.
The sides were tied 8-8 entering Sunday's 12 singles matches but Europe won the session 7-5 with American Cristie Kerr forced to forfeit her match with Karen Stupples.
Kerr, who was set to play in the 12th singles match, was unable to start due to a wrist injury.
"I'm devastated that I couldn't play today to help represent my team," Kerr said. "I tried my best but I couldn't hold the golf club."
The home side raced 11-8 ahead when Catriona Matthew soundly defeated Paula Creamer 6 and 5 and Sophie Gustafason beat Stacy Lewis by two holes.
The Americans hit back when Morgan Pressel beat Anna Nordqvist 2 and 1 and Brittany Lang defeated Sandra Gall 6 and 5.
Veteran Juli Inkster gave the U.S. hope when she won the 18th with a par four to snatch a halved match with Laura Davies before Christina Kim beat Swede Maria Hjorth 4 and 2 to level the scores.
Two hole wins for Europe's Christel Boeljon over Brittany Lincicome and American Vicky Hurst over Melissa Reid left the match riding on the last three singles.
With Stanford and Munoz all square in the final singles, the game between Pettersen and Wie became crucial.
Pettersen birdied the par-three 16th from 18 feet to square the match but Wie birdied the 17th from 20 feet to remain all square after the Norwegian had hit her approach to three feet to set up an easy birdie.
Pettersen fired a brilliant approach to eight feet at the last but while the American came out to four feet from greenside side, Europe's top ranked player holed the birdie putt.
"We knew it was going to come down to the last couple (of matches) if we had a chance and this is just fantastic," Pettersen said. "Absolutely brilliant team and what a way to finish on home soil."
Munoz turned the tide Europe's way with a birdie from three feet at the 17th and when O'Toole overshot the 18th against Hedwall and then failed to save par, Europe was guaranteed victory.
Sunday results
Europe 15 United States 13
Singles
Europe 7, United States 5
Catriona Matthew, Europe, def. Paula Creamer, United States, 6 and 5
Sophie Gustafson, Europe, def. Stacy Lewis, United States, 2 up
Morgan Pressel, United States, def. Anna Nordqvist, Europe, 2 and 1
Juli Inkster, United States, halved with Laura Davies, Europe
Vicky Hurst, United States, def. Mel Reid, Europe, 2 up
Christel Boeljon, Europe, def. Brittany Lincicome, United States, 2 up
Brittany Lang, United States, def. Sandra Gal, Europe, 6 and 5
Christina Kim, United States, def. Maria Hjorth, Europe, 4 and 2
Suzann Pettersen, Europe, def. Michelle Wie, United States, 1 up
Ryann O'Toole, United States, halved with Caroline Hedwall, Europe
Azahara Munoz, Europe, def. Angela Stanford, United States, 1 up
Karen Stupples, Europe, def. Cristie Kerr, United States, walkover
Saturday results
Foursomes
Europe 2½, United States 1½
Caroline Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson, Europe def. Angela Stanford and Stacy Lewis, United States 6 and 5
Morgan Pressel and Ryann O'Toole, United States def. Karen Stupples and Christel Boeljon, Europe 3 and 2
Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist, Europe def. Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster, United States 3 and 2
Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer, United States halved with Catriona Matthew and Azahara Munoz, Europe
Fourball
United States 3, Europe 1
Laura Davies and Melissa Reid, Europe, def. Brittany Lang and Michelle Wie, United States, 4 and 3
Morgan Pressel and Cristie Kerr, United States, def. Suzann Pettersen and Caroline Hedwall, Europe, 1 up
Stacy Lewis and Ryann O'Toole, United States, def. Sandra Gal and Christel Boeljon, Europe, 2 and 1
Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome, United States, def. Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz, Europe, 3 and 1
Friday results
Foursomes
Europe 2, United States 2
Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr, United States, def. Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, 2 and 1
Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome, United States, def. Karen Stupples and Melissa Reid, Europe, 1 up
Catriona Matthew and Azahara Munoz, Europe, def. Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford, United States, 3 and 2
Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson, Europe, def. Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster, United States, 1 up
Fourball
Europe 2½, United States 1½
Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer, United States, def. Laura Davies and Melissa Reid, Europe, 1 up
Catriona Matthew and Sandra Gal, Europe, halved with Christina Kim and Ryann O'Toole, United States
Sophie Gustafsson and Caroline Hedwall, Europe, def. Vicky Hurst and Brittany Lincicome, United States, 5 and 4
Suzann Pettersen and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, def. Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie, United States, 2 up
Diana Nyad quits swim from Cuba to Florida
Endurance athlete Diana Nyad ended her swimming ultramarathon from Cuba to Florida on Sunday after medics warned another painful sting from a Portuguese Man o' War could be life threatening, Nyad team members said.
Nyad was very swollen from multiple stings to her face and body, said Vanessa Linsley, who worked on Nyad's team.
Linsley said Nyad was mad that she had to quit.
" Nobody blames her. There isn't anything that can change this … there's nothing that has to do with your swimming capabilities. You can't control mother nature," Linsley said.
The 62-year-old swimmer had completed at least 49 miles (79 kilometers) of the 103-mile (166-kilometer) passage of the treacherous Florida Straits. She soldiered through the stings, at one point cutting eye and mouth holes through a swim cap she wore over her face to prevent future stings.
But by late morning, medics warned toxins from the stings were building up and another sting could be serious.
In a Facebook posting, Nyad's team said she called out to her team from the water, saying medical experts told her not to go another two nights in the water.
According to the post, Nyad told her team: "But for each of us, isn't life about determining your own finish line? This journey has always been about reaching your own other shore no matter what it is, and that dream continues."
Linsley said Nyad was about to get out of the water and was surrounded by her support team.
Nyad was making her second attempt in as many months at the Cuba-Florida crossing, a lifelong dream that she first tried as a 28-year-old back in 1978, when she swam inside a steel shark cage for about 42 hours before ending the attempt. A cageless attempt this past August fell short 29 hours in when, gasping for breath, Nyad threw in the towel after an 11-hour asthma attack she blamed on a bad reaction to a new medicine.
Australian swimmer Susie Maroney successfully swam the shark-filled waters from Cuba through the Straits and to the Keys in 1997, though she used a cage. Nyad was trying to become the first to finish it without a cage.
Earlier in her latest swim, Nyad received oxygen and a steroid shot from her doctors and was treading water while she recovered from the stings.
After that, her team said in a website update that a so-called "staged swim record" would still be valid as long as she was on the boat only for treatment and not to rest — rather than a nonstop record.
Nyad's website said she spent the night trying to recall favorite songs and thinking upbeat thoughts while slipping through the waters under a nighttime sky bristling with stars and a sliver of a crescent moon.
The swimmer faced other obstacles aside from the man o' war stings. On Saturday, handlers spotted barracudas in the area, and she got a visit from a curious Oceanic white tipped shark that was shooed off by a support diver.
Without a cage to protect her, Nyad relied on equipment surrounding her with an electrical field that is harmless but deters most sharks. Her divers are there to gently discourage any who make it through. But not all encounters with marine life were unpleasant. Earlier in her journey, 10 pilot whales emerged in the distance ahead of the swimmer, according to one team tweet.
The Los Angeles woman regularly paused to rest and refuel on food that her assistants passed to her in the water, but without getting on the boat. To maintain her strength she ate pasta, bananas, bite-size pieces of peanut butter sandwiches, and high-calorie and high-carbohydrate drinks.
Nyad was very swollen from multiple stings to her face and body, said Vanessa Linsley, who worked on Nyad's team.
Linsley said Nyad was mad that she had to quit.
" Nobody blames her. There isn't anything that can change this … there's nothing that has to do with your swimming capabilities. You can't control mother nature," Linsley said.
The 62-year-old swimmer had completed at least 49 miles (79 kilometers) of the 103-mile (166-kilometer) passage of the treacherous Florida Straits. She soldiered through the stings, at one point cutting eye and mouth holes through a swim cap she wore over her face to prevent future stings.
But by late morning, medics warned toxins from the stings were building up and another sting could be serious.
In a Facebook posting, Nyad's team said she called out to her team from the water, saying medical experts told her not to go another two nights in the water.
According to the post, Nyad told her team: "But for each of us, isn't life about determining your own finish line? This journey has always been about reaching your own other shore no matter what it is, and that dream continues."
Linsley said Nyad was about to get out of the water and was surrounded by her support team.
Nyad was making her second attempt in as many months at the Cuba-Florida crossing, a lifelong dream that she first tried as a 28-year-old back in 1978, when she swam inside a steel shark cage for about 42 hours before ending the attempt. A cageless attempt this past August fell short 29 hours in when, gasping for breath, Nyad threw in the towel after an 11-hour asthma attack she blamed on a bad reaction to a new medicine.
Australian swimmer Susie Maroney successfully swam the shark-filled waters from Cuba through the Straits and to the Keys in 1997, though she used a cage. Nyad was trying to become the first to finish it without a cage.
Earlier in her latest swim, Nyad received oxygen and a steroid shot from her doctors and was treading water while she recovered from the stings.
After that, her team said in a website update that a so-called "staged swim record" would still be valid as long as she was on the boat only for treatment and not to rest — rather than a nonstop record.
Nyad's website said she spent the night trying to recall favorite songs and thinking upbeat thoughts while slipping through the waters under a nighttime sky bristling with stars and a sliver of a crescent moon.
The swimmer faced other obstacles aside from the man o' war stings. On Saturday, handlers spotted barracudas in the area, and she got a visit from a curious Oceanic white tipped shark that was shooed off by a support diver.
Without a cage to protect her, Nyad relied on equipment surrounding her with an electrical field that is harmless but deters most sharks. Her divers are there to gently discourage any who make it through. But not all encounters with marine life were unpleasant. Earlier in her journey, 10 pilot whales emerged in the distance ahead of the swimmer, according to one team tweet.
The Los Angeles woman regularly paused to rest and refuel on food that her assistants passed to her in the water, but without getting on the boat. To maintain her strength she ate pasta, bananas, bite-size pieces of peanut butter sandwiches, and high-calorie and high-carbohydrate drinks.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
USA rallies to tie Europe 8-8 in Solheim Cup
The United States staged a dramatic rally to win the afternoon fourball session 3-1 Saturday and tie Europe 8-all at the Solheim Cup.
The Americans rallied to win the last three matches, leaving the sides tied heading into the 12 singles matches on Sunday. The U.S. is trying to win its fourth consecutive Solheim Cup.
MORE: Europe grabs Day 1 lead
Europe won the morning foursomes to extend its lead to 7-5 over the Americans in the biennial match play competition.
Veteran Laura Davies became the all-time Solheim Cup points scorer at 24½ when she teamed up with Melissa Reid to beat Americans Brittany Lang and Michelle Wie 4 and 3 and put Europe ahead 8-5 at Killeen Castle.
In 2005 and 2009 when the matches were tied going into the final day, the U.S. won the singles to lift the trophy. The U.S. needs 14 points to retain the Solheim Cup, while Europe needs 14 1/2 points to win for the first time since 2003.
"I thought we played with a lot of heart yesterday, but coming back and tying up the matches today was just really huge," U.S. captain Rosie Jones said.
U.S. rookie Stacy Lewis earned her first point when she teamed up with the fellow first-timer Ryann O'Toole to beat Sandra Gal and Christel Boeljon 2 and 1. O'Toole was regarded as a wildcard but proved herself by registering two and a half points.
"I feel very calm and confident," O'Toole said.
Morgan Pressel and Cristie Kerr reduced the lead to 8-7 when they beat Europe's top player Suzann Pettersen and impressive rookie Caroline Hedwall by one hole.
Pettersen holed a 40-foot birdie putt at the 16th to square the match, but Pressel sank a winning birdie at the next and the held on for the win at the last hole.
Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome completed the U.S. comeback when they rallied from one down at the turn to defeat Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz 3 and 1.
"Those last three points were huge for us," said Creamer, who has won three and a half points out of four this week. "Just the momentum, the team room will have a great vibe. We're all very pumped up. We want to do really well. Especially going into singles, we feel like everybody is where we want to be."
A four-time major winner, Davies overtook Annika Sorenstam to become the all-time Solheim Cup points scorer. Davies has won 24½ points in 45 matches in 12 Solheim Cups, while Sorenstam won 24 points in 37 matches in eight appearances.
"It's nice to finally get past Annika, who obviously has a spectacular record," Davies said.
The 47-year-old Davies will face 51-year-old Juli Inkster in singles on Sunday.
"We've messed up the singles so many times," Davies said. "This time we need to go out there and not worry."
European captain Alison Nicholas agreed with those sentiments.
"I'm very confident in my players," she said. "I knew it was going to be all about (Sunday) anyway. I know they're pretty up for it, and they're feeling good."
Saturday results
Score after Day 2: USA 8, Europe 8
Foursomes
Europe 2½, United States 1½
Caroline Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson, Europe, def. Angela Stanford and Stacy Lewis, USA, 6 and 5
Morgan Pressel and Ryann O'Toole, USA, def. Karen Stupples and Christel Boeljon, Europe, 3 and 2
Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist, Europe, def. Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster, USA, 3 and 2
Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer, USA, halved with Catriona Matthew and Azahara Munoz, Europe
Fourballs
United States 3, Europe 1
Laura Davies and Melissa Reid, Europe, def. Brittany Lang and Michelle Wie, USA, 4 and 3
Morgan Pressel and Cristie Kerr, USA, def. Suzann Pettersen and Caroline Hedwall, Europe, 1 up
Stacy Lewis and Ryann O'Toole, USA, def. Sandra Gal and Christel Boeljon, Europe, 2 and 1
Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome, USA, def. Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz, Europe, 3 and 1
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