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No laughing matter

STANLEY CUP FINALS S

Kobe has no time for jokes, just for victories Page 7

GAME 5: PITTSBURGH AT DETROIT Tonight 8 ET, NBC (Series tied 2-2)

CHARLES KRUPA / AP

Mets SS Jose Reyes

Mets mash unit

SATURDAY JUNE 6, 2009

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME VOLUME 1 ISSUE 319

With Carlos Delgado out until August and two more starters sidelined, the Mets are hurting.

JOSE REYES

Line up behind Peyton

Diagnosis: Latest MRI exam reveals hamstring tear likely to sideline him until July. What it means: Alex Cora must be offensive spark in leadoff spot.

J.J. PUTZ

RealScouts, Sporting News Today’s team of former NFL scouts, projects the 25 players it expects to be most dominant in 2009:

Diagnosis: Will have elbow surgery, likely to miss 10-12 weeks. What it means: Bridge to Francisco Rodriguez is less stable.

OLB, Chargers

12. Nnamdi Asomugha

<<1.

— Stan McNeal

Scoreboard

Peyton Manning, QB, Colts. His football IQ is unmatched. He’s remarkably accurate, the ultimate competitor and indispensable. Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings. He already is the NFL’s best runner, and coaches say they’ll finally throw him the ball this year. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots. Brady and the Patriots feel like the ’08 season was taken from them. He’s healthy, and it’s payback time. DeMarcus Ware, OLB, Cowboys. He is a game-changer—an elite pass rusher with a stunning combination of size, speed, strength and agility. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals. His postseason run is the stuff little boys and grown men dream about. James Harrison, OLB, Steelers. His biggest plays come as a pass rusher, but he does everything well. A complete and dominant player, Har-

2.

Baseball American League L.A. Angels 2, Detroit 1 Tampa Bay at New York, ppd., rain Toronto 9, Kansas City 3 Texas 5, Boston 1 Cleveland 6, Chicago White Sox 0 Oakland 9, Baltimore 1 Minnesota 2, Seattle 1, 10 innings

3.

4.

DENIS POROY / AP

National League N.Y. Mets 3, Washington 1, 10 innings Chicago Cubs 2, Cincinnati 1 Milwaukee 4, Atlanta 0 Houston 9, Pittsburgh 1 San Francisco 2, Florida 1 Colorado 11, St. Louis 4 Arizona 8, San Diego 0 L.A. Dodgers 4, Philadelphia 3

11. Shawne Merriman

5. 6.

rison wants to prove ’08 was no fluke.

7.

Ed Reed, S, Ravens. An instinctive ballhawk, Reed is a future Hall of Famer and will continue to flourish in a system that won’t change with the departure of Rex Ryan. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans. He was unstoppable when the Texans had no one else to stop. With improved depth at wideout and emergence of RB Steve Slaton and TE Owen Daniels, Johnson could move up the list. Troy Polamalu, S, Steelers. The catalyst for the Steelers’ Super bowl runs, he is tough, smart, instinctive and versatile. Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts. He has been the Colts’ go-to guy for a couple of years, a guy who can make something special happen on every touch. Marvin Harrison’s departure won’t have an impact.

8. 9.

10.

CB, Raiders

13. Drew Brees QB, Saints

14. Jared Allen DE, Vikings

15. Albert Haynesworth DT, Redskins

16. Ryan Clady OT, Broncos

17. Julius Peppers DE, Panthers

18. Jason Witten TE, Cowboys

19. Anquan Boldin WR, Cardinals

20. Randy Moss WR, Patriots

21. Brian Urlacher MLB, Bears

22. Steve Hutchinson G, Vikings

23. Dwight Freeney DE, Colts

24. Kevin Williams DT, Vikings

25. Steven Jackson

PAUL SANCYA / AP

Red Wings F Pavel Datsyuk

Datsyuk return gives Wings lift DETROIT—The wait is over. Detroit coach Mike Babcock said forward Pavel Datsyuk will play in Game 5 tonight. Datsyuk has been out since May 19 because of a foot injury. Here’s where his return will help the most: Easing Zetterberg’s burden: Henrik Zetterberg has been shadowing Sidney Crosby all series and the Penguins said they noticed last game that Zetterberg was exhausted. A healthy Datsyuk gives the Red Wings another defensive center to slow Crosby. Helping Hossa: Marian Hossa is still looking for his first goal of the finals and Babcock thinks Datsyuk’s return will help. “(Datsyuk’s injury) affects lots of people,” Babcock said. “And it’s been harder on (Hossa).” Special teams: The Penguins are back in this series because they’re outplaying the Red Wings on special teams. If Datsyuk proves healthy enough, look for him to play a big role on Detroit’s penalty kill and power play.

— Craig Custance

RB, Rams More on Nos. 11-25, Page 22

Ericsson stepping up, Page 10

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GUIDE AUTO RACING

A quick look at the best sports on TV — all times Eastern

HORSE RACING

Belmont Stakes 6:30 p.m. ABC All eyes will be on favorite Mine That Bird and his jockey Calvin Borel. Borel won the Kentucky Derby aboard Mine That Bird and is trying to become the first jockey to capture a Triple Crown with two different horses. After the Derby win, Borel defected to Rachel Alexandra, guiding the filly to a one-length victory over Mine That Bird in the Preakness. When Rachel Alexandra was withdrawn from Belmont consideration, Borel was reunited with the gelding who pulled off the Derby shocker at 50-1. “I think he’ll be the best horse in the race,” Borel said.

SOCCER

Honduras at U.S. 8 p.m. ESPN After a lackluster performance—”below average,” as goalkeeper Tim Howard put it—against Costa Rica on Wednesday, the Americans are back on U.S. soil, where they haven’t lost in World Cup qualifying since 2001. Of course, that loss was against Honduras, which is tonight’s opponent. If the Americans don’t rebound from the Costa Rica loss, they’ll have dropped from first place into a secondplace tie in their qualifying group within a few short days. — Benson Taylor

HOCKEY

Penguins at Red Wings 8 p.m., NBC The defending champion Red Wings, licking their wounds after consecutive losses to the Penguins in Pittsburgh, return to Joe Louis Arena tonight with the Stanley Cup finals tied 2-2. The Wings looked tired and frustrated in Pittsburgh. But the surging Penguins know they’ll still have to win at least once at Detroit for their championship dream to come true. Fans should get their first look at Detroit star Pavel Datsyuk—and another big dose of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

— Ron Smith

7 a.m. SPEED—Formula One, qualifying for Turkish Grand Prix, at Kadikoy, Turkey 10 a.m. SPEED—NASCAR, Sprint Cup, practice for Pocono 500, at Long Pond, Pa. 11 a.m. SPEED—NASCAR, Sprint Cup, “Happy Hour Series,” final practice for Pocono 500, at Long Pond, Pa. 2 p.m. SPEED—Rolex Sports Car Series, Six Hours of The Glen, start of race, at Watkins Glen, N.Y. 3 p.m. ESPN2—NASCAR, Nationwide Series, pole qualifying for Federated Auto Parts 300, at Lebanon, Tenn. (same-day tape) 4 p.m. SPEED—ARCA, Pocono 200, at Long Pond, Pa. (same-day tape) 6 p.m. SPEED—Rolex Sports Car Series, Six Hours of The Glen, finish of race, at Watkins Glen, N.Y. 7:30 p.m. ESPN2—NASCAR, Nationwide Series, Federated Auto Parts 300, at Lebanon, Tenn. 9 p.m. VERSUS—IRL, Bombardier Learjet 550, at Fort Worth, Texas 10:30 p.m. ESPN2—NHRA, qualifying for Route 66 Nationals, at Joliet, Ill. (same-day tape)

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Noon ESPN2—Regional coverage, NCAA Division I, Super Regionals, Game 2 Arkansas at Florida St. or Virginia at Mississippi 5 p.m. ESPN — Regional coverage, NCAA Division I, Super Regionals, Game 2 Louisville at Cal St. Fullerton or Rice at LSU

5:30 p.m. ABC—NTRA, Belmont Stakes, at Elmont, N.Y. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

4 p.m. FOX—Regional coverage, Philadelphia at L.A. Dodgers, Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, or Minnesota at Seattle 7 p.m. WGN—Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati MOTORSPORTS

GOLF

9 a.m. TGC—European PGA Tour, Wales Open, third round, at Newport, Wales 12:30 p.m. TGC—PGA Tour, The Memorial Tournament, third round, at Dublin, Ohio 2:30 p.m. TGC—Nationwide Tour, Prince George’s County Open, third round, at Mitchellville, Md. 3 p.m. CBS—PGA Tour, The Memorial Tournament, third round, at Dublin, Ohio NBC—LPGA, State Farm Classic, third round, at Springfield, Ill. 5 p.m. ESPN2—LPGA, State Farm Classic, third round, at Springfield, Ill. 6:30 p.m. TGC—Champions Tour, Triton Financial Classic, second round, at Austin, Texas (same-day tape) HORSE RACING

Noon ESPN—NTRA, Belmont Stakes undercard, at Elmont, N.Y.

9 p.m. SPEED—AMA Pro Motocross 450, at Wortham, Texas (same-day tape) NHL

8 p.m. NBC—Playoffs, Stanley Cup finals, Game 5, Pittsburgh at Detroit RUGBY

2 p.m. ESPN CLASSIC— Men’s national teams, U.S. vs. Wales, at Bridgeview, Ill. (sameday tape) SOCCER

8 p.m. ESPN—Men’s national teams, World Cup qualifier, U.S. vs. Honduras, at Chicago TENNIS

9 a.m. NBC—French Open, women’s championship match and men’s doubles championship match, at Paris WNBA

2:30 p.m. ABC—Detroit at Los Angeles

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

2

OFF THE FIELD

Obama, Giants’ Rowand, on first-name basis President Obama wasn’t home this week when San Francisco Giants players, coaches and staff get a VIP tour of the White House. The San Jose Mercury News, however, noted that outfielder Aaron Rowand might be able to schedule a personal visit whenever he wishes. Obama is a huge White Sox fan. While he was an Illinois senator, he dropped by U.S. Cellular Field. He was around in 2005, when Rowand helped the Sox win the World Series. Rowand said Obama was very relaxed, very friendly and warm to everyone. He just came across like a regular guy. A few years later, Rowand was playing a series in D.C. when he was invited by Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter to tour the Senate building and the U.S. Capitol. “They have this underground train that goes between the office building and the Capitol,” Rowand recounted to the Mercury News. “We were heading over there to have lunch in the cafeteria when the train pulls up and Obama steps out. He saw me before I saw him, walked up and said, Hey, Aaron, how’s it going?’ “Now that guy’s our president. Pretty awesome, huh?”

Former player arrested Former Arkansas defensive tackle Keith Jackson Jr. was arrested Friday on suspicion of felony drug charges after being found in an apartment with marijuana, cocaine and Ecstasy, according to The Associated Press. Three other people were also arrested, and police said two minor children were at the

CARLOS OSORIO / AP

Crews began demolishing what’s left of Tiger Stadium in Detroit until a judge issued a restraining order barring ‘engaging in any demolition activity’ until a Monday hearing. apartment when they executed a search warrant. Jackson is the son of Keith Jackson, who played for the Eagles, Dolphins and Packers in the 1980s and ’90s.

Quick hits Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino, unable to find a buyer for his house in Weston, Fla., according to The Wall Street Journal, is offering $1.5 million worth of designer furniture—and a signed football, too—to prospective buyers. Marino, the newspaper reported, is asking $13.5 million for the 15,000-square-foot home. St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and Twitter have

reached a settlement in his lawsuit against the social networking site. La Russa said Friday that Twitter has agreed to pay legal fees and make a donation to his Animal Rescue Foundation. The University of Florida confirmed that it has cut its ties to sportswear maker Russell Athletic, the St. Petersburg Times reported. University officials would not discuss the reason for the move, but workers’ rights groups contend that in the fall Russell retaliated against workers in Honduras who joined a union by closing their factory. Florida is the No. 2 best-selling brand in college sports. — Compiled by Ken Bradley, with wire reports

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QUICK HITS

Bowl droughts THE WORLD’S FIRST DIGITAL DAILY SPORTS NEWSPAPER

James Hall Rams defensive end (What you won’t find on Facebook … even if you are approved as a friend) TONY GUTIERREZ / AP

Dynamic sophomore QB Robert Griffin could bring the Baylor Bears back to a bowl. With Vanderbilt snapping its quarter-century bowl drought last season, there is a new list of punchlines when the topic turns to bowl futility. Here are the longest bowl droughts among BCS schools: SCHOOL Baylor Duke Stanford Washington Washington State

LAST BOWL 1994 Alamo 1994 Hall of Fame 2001 Seattle 2002 Sun 2003 Holiday

— Derek Samson

YOUR TURN Got something you’d like to ask Kansas Jayhawks center Cole Aldrich? E-mail your question, along with your name and hometown, to yourturn@ sportingnews.com. We’ll pick our five favorites and bounce Cole Aldrich them off Aldrich, who averaged 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds as a sophomore. Readers’ questions and Aldrich’s answers will run as part of our “5 Questions” feature in an upcoming issue of Sporting News Magazine.

Born: Feb. 4, 1977, in New Orleans Status: Married Alma mater: Michigan What’s on TV: House, Family Guy What’s in my iPod: Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Outkast, Bob Marley, T.I., Miles Davis, Clipse What I drive: Grey ’04 Range Rover—70,000 miles and counting! Favorite flicks: Pulp Fiction, King of New York, City of God and The Usual Suspects Magazines subscriptions: Cigar Aficionado and Complex Worst habit: Not reading enough On my office walls: Pictures of my family and friends Love to trade places for a day with … Nelson Mandela. Would want to know what it felt like to be a true hero. First job: A janitor at a retirement home in New Orleans. I did it when I was 15 and 16 years old. A lot of messy days! Talent I’d most like to have: To draw/paint Favorite athlete to watch in another sport: Dwight Howard Favorite city to visit: Chicago Favorite team as a kid: New Orleans Saints Favorite physical attribute about myself: My smile Favorite value in others: Honesty My greatest love: Mrs. Hall My hero: My mother My bucket list: Travel the world My motto: Life is not fair. — Jeff D’Alessio

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A Division I head basketball coach at 31? If anyone can do it, it’s Memphis’ Josh Pastner, Sporting News college hoops expert Mike DeCourcy explains in the new magazine.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

BASEBALL / NATIONAL LEAGUE

BASEBALL / AMERICAN LEAGUE

Arizona 8, San Diego 0

L.A. Dodgers 4, Philadelphia 3

Davis back in win column

Dodgers rally ends Phils’ streak Ichiro’s hit streak ends at 27

SAN DIEGO—Doug Davis pitched three-hit ball over six innings to win for the first time in more than five weeks, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 8-0 on Friday. Davis (3-6) struck out five and walked four in his first win since April 29. Daniel Schlereth, Esmerling Vasquez and Chad Qualls finished the four-hitter for Arizona’s fifth shutout. Chris Snyder drove in three runs, including two during the Diamondbacks’ four-run fifth inning that gave Davis a 5-0 lead. Chris Young added a solo home run and scored twice for Arizona, which won for just the second time in five games. Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton threw out a runner at home in the sixth inning during the Padres’ only serious scoring threat. Davis, who was 0-3 in six starts during his winless streak, raised his career mark to 8-3 against San Diego, including a 6-1 record with 2.14 ERA in his last seven starts. San Diego, which is near the bottom in the majors in runs scored, was shut out for the fifth time this season. The Padres lost their fourth straight and for the sixth time in seven games. After Young hit his fourth homer to give Arizona a 1-0 lead in the second, the Diamondbacks scored four times in the fifth off Chad Gaudin (2-4). — The Associated Press

Diamondbacks 8, Padres 0 Arizona AB R H BI F.Lopez 2b 5 1 1 0 G.Parra lf 4 1 1 1 J.Upton rf 5 0 1 0 S.Drew ss 4 2 1 0 Reynolds 1b 5 2 3 1 Snyder c 5 0 2 3 C.Young cf 3 2 2 1 Ojeda 3b 4 0 0 0 D.Davis p 3 0 1 0 Schlereth p 0 0 0 0 b-Whitesell ph 1 0 1 1 Vasquez p 0 0 0 0 c-Byrnes ph 1 0 0 1 Qualls p 0 0 0 0 Totals 40 8 13 8

Minnesota 2, Seattle 1, 10 innings

SO 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 10

Avg. .304 .296 .319 .231 .268 .241 .181 .248 .208 --.147 --.212 .000

Dodgers 4, Phillies 3 Philadelphia AB R Rollins ss 5 0 Utley 2b 5 0 Werth cf 3 1 Howard 1b 5 0 Ibanez lf 5 0 Feliz 3b 4 0 Bruntlett rf 3 1 Coste c 3 1 b-Dobbs ph 1 0 J.Romero p 0 0 Lidge p 0 0 Moyer p 2 0 c-Stairs ph 0 0 Ruiz c 0 0 Totals 36 3

SO 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 8

Avg. .219 .302 .263 .267 .332 .302 .159 .235 .196 ----.067 .303 .303

San Diego AB R H BI BB SO Venable cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 Eckstein 2b 4 0 2 0 0 0 Ad.Gonzalez 1b 2 0 0 0 2 0 Kouzmanoff 3b 4 0 0 0 0 1 Headley lf 4 0 2 0 0 0 Giles rf 3 0 0 0 0 2 Meredith p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Perdomo p 0 0 0 0 0 0 d-C.Floyd ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 Hundley c 2 0 0 0 2 1 Jo.Wilson ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 Gaudin p 1 0 0 0 0 0 a-E.Gonzalez ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 Thatcher p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gwynn rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 30 0 4 0 4 8

Avg. .000 .247 .286 .220 .244 .193 --.000 .000 .240 .173 .071 .212 --.289

Los Angeles AB R H BI BB SO Pierre lf 3 1 1 0 0 1 Furcal ss 4 1 1 0 0 1 Hudson 2b 4 0 0 1 0 0 Blake 3b 4 1 1 0 0 0 Loney 1b 3 1 1 1 1 1 Martin c 4 0 0 0 0 0 Ethier rf 4 0 1 2 0 1 Kemp cf 2 0 1 0 1 1 Milton p 1 0 0 0 0 0 Mota p 0 0 0 0 0 0 a-Hoffmann ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 Leach p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Troncoso p 0 0 0 0 0 0 d-Loretta ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 Broxton p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 4 6 4 2 5

Avg. .367 .239 .318 .289 .286 .257 .263 .313 .000 .000 .150 --.000 .279 ---

Arizona San Diego

BB 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

010 040 012 — 000 000 000 —

MARK J. TERRILL / AP

8 13 0 0 4 0

a-struck out for Gaudin in the 5th. b-doubled for Schlereth in the 8th. c-grounded out for Vasquez in the 9th. d-grounded into a fielder’s choice for Perdomo in the 9th. LOB: Arizona 11, San Diego 7. 2B: G.Parra (4), S.Drew (8), Whitesell (3). HR: C.Young (4), off Gaudin. RBIs: G.Parra (17), Reynolds (33), Snyder 3 (20), C.Young (13), Whitesell (3), Byrnes (19). SB: Reynolds (12), C.Young 2 (7). Runners left in scoring position: Arizona 5 (F.Lopez 3, Snyder, J.Upton); San Diego 2 (Headley, Giles). Arizona D.Davis W, 3-6 Schlereth Vasquez Qualls San Diego Gaudin L, 2-4 Thatcher Meredith Perdomo

IP 6 1 1 1 IP 5 1 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 1

H 3 0 0 1 H 6 2 2 3

R ER BB SO NP ERA 0 0 4 5 109 3.36 0 0 0 3 11 2.70 0 0 0 0 10 5.79 0 0 0 0 18 3.27 R ER BB SO NP ERA 5 5 4 6 98 5.24 0 0 0 4 31 2.57 1 1 1 0 20 2.91 2 2 1 0 23 5.31

Inherited runners-scored: Meredith 2-0. WP: Gaudin. Umpires: Home, Paul Nauert; First, Paul Schrieber; Second, Chad Fairchild; Third, Joe West. T: 3:02. A: 22,426 (42,691).

Philadelphia’s Chris Coste, left, had to knock down Dodgers C Russell Martin to score a run in the fourth inning. LOS ANGELES—Andre Ethier hit a two-run double with the bases loaded in the ninth inning after third baseman Pedro Feliz made a fielding error with two outs, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-3 victory Friday night and snapping the Philadelphia Phillies’ seven-game winning streak. Brad Lidge (0-3) got his fifth blown save of the season in 18 attempts, after going 41-for-41 last

season and 7-for-7 in the postseason to help the Phillies win their second World Series title. Casey Blake started the rally with a two-out single, James Loney walked and Russell Martin reached when Feliz botched his routing grounder. Ethier then lined Lidge’s next pitch into the right-field corner. Jonathan Broxton (6-0) got the win, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth. — The Associated Press

H 0 2 2 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11

BI 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

BB 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3

Philadelphia 001 200 000 — 3 11 1 Los Angeles 000 100 102 — 4 6 1 Two outs when winning run scored. a-grounded into a double play for Mota in the 6th. b-flied out for Coste in the 8th. c-was intentionally walked for Moyer in the 8th. d-flied out for Troncoso in the 8th. E: Feliz (3), Hudson (3). LOB: Philadelphia 11, Los Angeles 4. 2B: Utley (10), Howard (15), Furcal (9), Ethier (14). RBIs: Utley 2 (38), Ibanez (54), Hudson (33), Loney (42), Ethier 2 (33). SB: Pierre 2 (13), Kemp (13). CS: Werth (2). S: Bruntlett, Moyer. Runners left in scoring position: Philadelphia 7 (Ibanez, Rollins 4, Werth, Bruntlett); Los Angeles 1 (Pierre). DP: Philadelphia 2 (Utley, Utley, Feliz), (Rollins, Utley, Howard). Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Moyer 7 4 2 2 0 3 98 6.27 J.Romero H, 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 17 0.00 Lidge L, 0-3 BS, 5-18 2⁄3 2 2 0 1 1 26 7.20 Los Angeles IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Milton 4 1⁄3 8 3 1 1 3 69 2.89 Mota 1 2⁄3 0 0 0 0 2 28 5.63 Leach 1 1 0 0 1 0 23 4.66 Troncoso 1 1 0 0 1 0 21 1.78 Broxton W, 6-0 1 1 0 0 0 3 20 1.29 Leach pitched to 1 batter in the 8th. Inherited runners-scored: Mota 1-0, Troncoso 1-0. IBB: off Troncoso (Stairs). HBP: by Moyer (Pierre). Umpires: Home, Todd Tichenor; First, Mike Winters; Second, Tony Randazzo; Third, Chris Guccione. T: 3:16. A: 52,538 (56,000).

SEATTLE—The Minnesota Twins ended Ichiro Suzuki’s hitting streak at 27 games, and took advantage of Seattle left fielder Wladimir Balentien’s two 10th-inning misplays to beat the Mariners 2-1 on Friday. Pinch-hitter Ken Griffey Jr. fouled out against Twins closer Joe Nathan before Suzuki— with the crowd of 35,808 of chanting, pleading “Eee-cheero!”—struck out for the final out, ending his team-record hitting streak. Francisco Liriano pitched six strong innings to perhaps save his place in the rotation and help the Twins win for the fourth time in five games. Matt Gurrier (2-0) allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings, and Nathan finished for his 11th save in 13 chances. Felix Hernandez allowed one run in seven innings, and Mike Sweeney homered for the Mariners, who lost for the third time in eight games and had just four hits. Liriano, the formerly rising star who at 2-7 was in danger of falling out of the Twins’ rotation after lasting only four innings in three consecutive starts, seemingly earned a reprieve. Using sinking fastballs the Mariners kept swinging over, Liriano tamed the A.L.’s lowest scoring team as if it was his wondrous, 12-3 season of 2006 again. — The Associated Press

Twins 2, Mariners 1, 10 innings Minnesota AB R H BI BB Span lf 3 0 0 0 1 Mauer c 4 0 1 0 1 Morneau 1b 2 1 0 1 2 Kubel rf 5 0 0 0 0 Crede 3b 3 0 0 0 1 1-Tolbert pr-3b 1 0 0 0 0 B.Harris ss 5 0 2 0 0 Buscher dh 3 0 2 0 1 Gomez cf 4 1 1 0 0 A.Casilla 2b 4 0 2 0 0 Totals 34 2 8 1 6

SO 2 0 0 1 2 0 2 1 1 1 10

Avg. .303 .430 .344 .313 .228 .177 .284 .197 .219 .176

Seattle I.Suzuki rf Branyan 1b Beltre 3b M.Sweeney dh Jo.Lopez 2b Balentien lf Ro.Johnson c Cedeno ss F.Gutierrez cf a-Griffey Jr. ph Totals

SO 1 1 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 8

Avg. .346 .320 .245 .231 .227 .235 .188 .155 .267 .221

AB 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 32

R 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

H 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4

BI 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

BB 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4

Minnesota 001 000 000 1 —2 8 0 Seattle 010 000 000 0 —1 4 1 a-fouled out for F.Gutierrez in the 10th. 1-ran for Crede in the 8th. E: Balentien (1). LOB: Minnesota 10, Seattle 6. 2B: Mauer (8), Balentien (10). HR: M.Sweeney (3), off Liriano. RBIs: Morneau (51), M.Sweeney (11). SB: Tolbert (3). CS: Span (4), Mauer (1). S: Span, F.Gutierrez. SF: Morneau. Runners left in scoring position: Minnesota 4 (Kubel 2, A.Casilla, B.Harris); Seattle 4 (M.Sweeney 2, Beltre, Ro.Johnson). DP: Minnesota 1 (Tolbert, A.Casilla, Morneau). Minnesota Liriano Crain Mijares Guerrier W, 2-0 Nathan S, 11-13 Seattle F.Hernandez White Aardsma M.Lowe L, 0-3

IP 6 2⁄3 2⁄3 1 2⁄3 1 IP 7 1 1 1

H 3 0 0 1 0 H 6 1 0 1

R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 4 5 100 6.12 0 0 0 1 6 7.56 0 0 0 0 5 2.50 0 0 0 0 15 3.33 0 0 0 2 19 2.08 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 3 7 111 3.22 0 0 1 1 18 1.59 0 0 1 2 19 1.98 1 0 1 0 22 4.33

IBB: off M.Lowe (Morneau). Umpires: Home, Gerry Davis; First, Brian Gorman; Second, C.B. Bucknor; Third, Angel Campos. T: 3:06. A: 35,808 (47,878).

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

Q&A with ... Jiovanni Mier, SS, Bonita HS (Calif.)

‘Everything (Jeter)’s about is how I try to go about my game’ It’s a good chance Jiovanni Mier will be the first high school shortstop taken in the MLB Draft on Tuesday. His long frame— he’s 6-2, around 175 pounds—reminds scouts of a young Nomar Garciaparra. Recently, Mier spoke to Sporting News Today’s Ken Bradley about his commitment to USC, the Nomar comparison and the upcoming draft.

being looked at,” because at our first game there were probably 15-20 scouts. I think that after that game, they got the big picture about what could potentially happen for me. Ever since then, they’ve known what’s going on, it was pretty cool.

Q:

What’s a typical game for you like around there? How many scouts line up along the fences? It varies. At the beginning of the year, a little more than 10. Then, certain games a handful. Some, there were a lot—30 to 40. But it kind of varies, like toward the end of the season— there have been a handful, but not that many.

Q:

What are your strengths as a player? What will you bring to the table for a MLB team? Defense and my speed are probably my two biggest things that are my strengths right now. Another strength coming up is my bat. It’s becoming another big part of my game.

A:

A:

Q: A:

Q: A:

Have you gotten used to the attention? Yeah. At the beginning it was kind of hard. There was a lot of pressure—not so much pressure, but nervewracking because you’ve never seen this many scouts before just for you. As the year goes on, you kind of get used to it. You see them and it’s just more people watching the games.

Q: A:

And they’re watching everything you do, aren’t they? Definitely. They certainly watch everything. When I’m stretching they’re standing right behind me just watching me stretch, watching me throw. If I go in the dugout there’d be a couple who would follow me and watch me drink water, which is

What areas do you feel you can improve on the

most? My hitting, definitely. I know I’ve come a long way in my hitting. It’s really picked up.

COURTESY BONITA HIGH SCHOOL

Jiovanni Mier committed to USC, but is projected to go near the bottom of the first round of the MLB draft. kind of funny.

Q:

You’ve been compared to Nomar Garciaparra. Do you remember Nomar as a shortstop? When I was younger I used to watch him play with Boston. I never really—I’m not going to say I was a big fan of his—but I never really watched him at short. I kind of watched other people, but kept an eye out

A:

for him because I liked the way he played.

Q:

Are your teammates and classmates fully aware that after Tuesday you could be negotiating a sevenfigure contract? At first, a lot of my teammates were thinking, “Oh, he’s getting pro attention,” and after our first game they really were like, “You’re really actually

A:

Q: A:

What are your expectations entering the draft? Right now, is just to see what happens. If it’s right for me to go, then it is. USC is a great option for me, so if that’s a path that I’m going to go down, then I’m going to take that one. Right now, I’m just letting everything play out and continue my high school career. You know how that works.

Q: A:

Did you have a favorite team growing up? Not really. When I was younger I kind of followed it, but never was a fan of teams.

We lived out in Anaheim, so I’d go out to Angels games and the Angels were probably my favorite team. But then all my family is Dodgers fans and my brother (Jessie Mier) was drafted by the Dodgers a couple years ago so I’m kind of a mix Angels and Dodgers fan, if that’s possible.

Q: A:

A favorite player?

My favorite player would be A-Rod, but if I’m going to model myself after a player I want to be like it would be Derek Jeter. It would be Derek Jeter for sure. Everything he’s about is how I try to go about my game.

Q:

You’re committed to USC and they have a pretty good shortstop in Grant Green, who is a likely top-10 pick in the draft. Have you guys gotten to know each other? When I took my official visit back in November, he was there and he introduced himself and we got to talking a little bit. He gave me a quick rundown what USC was about, about how much he like it. We just talked about stuff like that, about college baseball. He gave me a lot of great information on how to go about everything because out of high school he was getting the same kind of attention as I was. He took the college route and was giving me a little insight on that. His brother (Garett Green) actually plays with my brother out at San Bernardino, the (Inland Empire) 66ers.

A:

Draft order First round 1. Washington Nationals 2. Seattle Mariners 3. San Diego Padres 4. Pittsburgh Pirates 5. Baltimore Orioles 6. San Francisco Giants 7. Atlanta Braves 8. Cincinnati Reds 9. Detroit Tigers 10. Washington Nationals (9B, for unsigned 2008 No. 9 overall pick Aaron Crow) 11. Colorado Rockies 12. Kansas City Royals 13. Oakland A’s 14. Texas Rangers 15. Cleveland Indians 16. Arizona Diamondbacks 17. Arizona Diamondbacks (from Dodgers—Orlando Hudson) 18. Florida Marlins 19. St. Louis Cardinals 20. Toronto Blue Jays 21. Houston Astros 22. Minnesota Twins 23. Chicago White Sox 24. Los Angeles Angels (from Mets— Francisco Rodriguez) 25. Los Angeles Angels (from Yankees— Mark Teixeira) 26. Milwaukee Brewers 27. Seattle Mariners (from Phillies—Raul Ibanez) 28. Boston Red Sox 29. New York Yankees (28B, for unsigned 2008 No. 28 overall pick Gerrit Cole) 30. Tampa Bay Rays 31. Chicago Cubs 32. Colorado Rockies (from Angels— Brian Fuentes)

Compensation round A 33. Seattle Mariners (Raul Ibanez) 34. Colorado Rockies (Brian Fuentes) 35. Arizona Diamondbacks (Orlando Hudson) 36. Los Angeles Dodgers (Derek Lowe) 37. Toronto Blue Jays (A.J Burnett) 38. Chicago White Sox (Orlando Cabrera) 39. Milwaukee Brewers (CC Sabathia) 40. Los Angeles Angels (Mark Teixeira) 41. Arizona Diamondbacks (Juan Cruz) 42. Los Angeles Angels (Francisco Rodriguez)

5

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NBA DRAFT

RECRUITING DISH

Seastrunk apologizes to Alabama’s Saban Temple (Texas) RB Lache Seastrunk is considered a heavy lean to Auburn, and this past weekend, he took some playful jabs at Alabama coach Nick Saban during an unofficial visit to Auburn. “What’s up Nick Saban? Wait until we get here,” Seastrunk was heard saying on a videotape taken at the Tigers’ famous Toomer’s Corner. Seastrunk, who is one of Sporting News’ Top 100 players for the class of 2010, called Saban on Thursday and apologized for the much-publicized comments. “That’s not what I stand for. I got caught up in the atmosphere and the environment, and did something I truly regret. I wanted (Saban) to know I was sorry,” Seastrunk told Rivals.com. And how did Saban respond? “He was very receptive and very understanding ... an awesome man,” Seastrunk told Rivals.com. “Coach Saban said he didn’t have any hard feelings towards me. He understood that I’m young and got caught up in the moment. Coach Saban said he respected me for calling him to address it.” Seastrunk has rushed for 3,073 yards and 33 touchdowns the past two seasons at Temple. Springville (Ala.) WR Jeremy Richardson has chosen Auburn, Rivals. com reported. The 6-4, 220-pounder also reported scholarship offers from LSU, Tennessee and Alabama,

6

Q&A with … G/F Danny Green

‘I think I can fit into any system’ Danny Green is the fourth most popular ex-North Carolina Tar Heel in this NBA draft. Some scouts say he’s the most versatile, and maybe the most talented of the group. Green spoke with Sporting News Today’s Dave Curtis about some of those other Heels, his progress, and an old friend from New York:

Q:

Lot of questions about your old teammate, Tyler Hansbrough. How’s he going to do in the pros? He’s going to do a lot better than most people expect. Tyler has great work ethic, and he can hit a jump shot, which he doesn’t get enough credit for. It seems like he’s never been more dedicated, if that’s even possible, to really work on his game. I was watching him down in Chapel Hill (a few weeks) ago, and his moves looked really good.

A:

BETH HALL / AP

COURTESY OF LACHE SEASTRUNK

According to Lache Seastrunk, Nick Saban, left, said he respected Seastrunk for calling him to apologize for some shots he took at the Alabama coach. among others. He is listed as a fourstar prospect by Rivals.com, and caught 61 passes for 1,228 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior. “It was an easy decision after I went down there and got to know all the coaches,” Richardson told Rivals.com. “The coaches always talk about family, and I went ahead and joined the team.” Parkway West (Ballwin, Mo.) QB Tyler Gabbert will suit up for Nebraska in 2010, Rivals.com reported. The 6-foot, 190-pounder had recently narrowed his list of schools to the Cornhuskers, Wake Forest, Missouri, Kansas and Oregon. As a junior, he threw for 1,850 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Gabbert, the younger brother of Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert, is rated a fourstar QB by Rivals.com. He said he called Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and assistant coach Shawn Watson with the news. “Coach (Bo) Pelini and Coach (Tom) Osborne (now athletic director) are bringing back the tradition,” Gabbert told SN Today. “Nebraska’s back and I want to be a part of it.” He said his brother was supportive when he informed him that he’d be a future adversary inside of a future teammate at Missouri. “It is going to be exciting to play against him,” Gabbert told SN Today. “It’s a good rivalry and I can’t wait. I don’t know (who is better), I guess we’ll see.” — Brian McLaughlin

JEFF SINER / AP

Q: A:

How do you think you fit into this draft? I’ve been trying to tell teams and show that I think I can fit into any system. I had a great college experience because I matured as a player, and I also got to play in a system that’s a lot like what you see in the NBA. ... So I think I’ll be able to pick things up fast and find a role, wherever I go.

Q: A:

You think you’ll go in the first round? I don’t know. It’s pretty early to start talking about that stuff. You never know what’s going to happen with trades and stuff like

Danny Green has worked out for the Bobcats, among other NBA teams. that. But that’s a goal. I’d love to see all of us go in the first round.

Q:

Another one of your friends, Joakim Noah, went in the first round and has had a nice run. Are you surprised how things have turned out for him? It’s a little surprising. I’m really happy for him. I played with him some in AAU and a little in high school, in the summertime. You knew he had potential, but it was so raw. I think playing at places like Rucker Park really helped make

A:

him tougher and gave him some confidence. And then, what he did at Florida, he really lived up to all that potential.

Q: A:

What do think enabled him to live up to that potential? He just became a tough guy. The stronger he got, the better he got. He was tall, long and could run a little. And he had a nice touch around the basket. But he got more aggressive, became a different player and got some great teammates. The strength, though, I think, is the big thing.

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GAME 2:

7

ORLANDO AT L.A. LAKERS Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC

Bryant in no mood for jokes, just wins LOS ANGELES—So everyone’s talking about Kobe Bryant, and with good reason. The guy scored 40 points in the opening game of the NBA Finals on Thursday, a career Finals high for him. On the day after, Orlando center Dwight Howard recalled a point in his rookie year when Bryant dunked on him. “Don’t remind me,” Howard said. “He baptized me, brought me into the NBA and back to reality with one play.” Magic shooting guard Mickael Pietrus was joking about a picture from Sean Deveney Game 1 in which he was PRO BASKETBALL shooting a 3-pointer as Bryant was stretched out to contest the shot. “That is one I will be able to show my son someday,” Pietrus said. “Kobe jumping at my shot. I can say to my son, ‘Look, your dad was not bad back in the day.’ ” Lakers point guard Derek Fisher was asked to compare Bryant’s bared-tooth facial expressions to Jack Nicholson in, The Shining, drawing laughter from Fisher. “I don’t know if anything can compare to that one,” Fisher said. Yes, there was much discussion of all things Bryant following the blowout win in Game 1, but the one guy who wasn’t saying much was Bryant himself. Again. For the past week, interviewing Bryant has been akin to a parent trying to get a teenager to talk about how school is going. You consider yourself lucky to get a three-sentence response. Bryant was asked whether he was motivated to win these Finals by LeBron James, or by Shaquille O’Neal. His answer: “Not at all.” Was it part of the strategy for him not to shoot 3s? His answer: “I was just taking

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NOTEBOOK

Glance

(Best-of-7) All times, ET (L.A. Lakers lead series 1-0) June 4: L.A. Lakers 100, Orlando 75 Sunday: Orlando at L.A. Lakers, 8 p.m., ABC Tuesday: L.A. Lakers at Orlando, 9 p.m., ABC Thursday: L.A. Lakers at Orlando, 9 p.m., ABC Sunday, June 14: L.A. Lakers at Orlando 8 p.m., if necessary, ABC Tuesday, June 16: Orlando at L.A. Lakers, 9 p.m., if necessary, ABC Thursday, June 18: Orlando at L.A. Lakers, 9

JAE C. HONG / AP

p.m., if necessary, ABC

Nelson’s return throws off Alston’s rhythm

Betting line

In a game in which pretty much nothing went right for the Magic, it’s hard to say that Orlando lost Game 1 because of the decision to put point guard Jameer Nelson into the rotation. But, starting point guard Rafer Alston did say that the insertion of Nelson for such a long stretch—he played the entire second quarter—threw off his rhythm. “It’s different,” he said. “We love to have him, and it’s nice because he’s been such a big part of the turnaround of this team and organization. But this is The Finals. We don’t have much wiggle room, we don’t have much room for trial and error at this point.” Coach Stan Van Gundy wasn’t much interested in hearing about Alston’s lack of rhythm. “As far as Rafer having that affect his play in the second half, that’s up to him,” Van Gundy said. “If I’m looking from the outside, that sounds like an excuse to me.” Hmm, tension? “Not from me,” Alston said. “There’s no pouting here. There aren’t going to be any coach-Alston meetings going on.”

FAVORITE ..................LINE ................ UNDERDOG at L.A. Lakers............6½....(202½)..................... Orlando

Kobe Bryant says he wants a fourth NBA title ‘so bad.’

what they gave me, just taking what they gave me,” Bryant said. “If there’s lanes, I’m going to take them. If I’ve got a 3-point shot, I’m going to take it.” Does he remember the lighthearted spirit the Lakers carried into last year’s Finals? His answer: “No.” Well, how do you remember it? His answer: “I don’t.” All right, so none of us are going to win Pulitzers for Kobe stories during these Finals. Personally, I’m OK with that. These NBA Finals interview sessions all too often devolve into something between jokey and goofy. We run out of meaningful questions quickly, and delve into nonsense. (Take the media’s odd fascination with Lamar Odom and his candy fix, for example, or consider that on Friday, someone actually asked Magic guard Courtney Lee if he enjoyed

GARY W. GREEN / AP

Lakers C Andrew Bynum, left, said he expects Dwight Howard to try and set up down low quicker in Game 2.

watching Bryant’s performance in Game 1. Lee looked at the questioner as if he’d grown a second head.) It’s not a bad thing for a player, especially a star player and a team leader like Bryant, to shrug that off. Bryant is essentially telling all of us that he’s not much in the mood for goofing off at the moment. He wants no questions about candy, and he wasn’t very responsive when asked about a video game in which he is depicted wearing a Knicks jersey. Bryant’s message has been consistent, before Game 1, on the night of Game 1 and now, before Game 2. “I’m just focused right now,” he said. “I just want it so bad.” If that means he’s not going to say much between now and the end of the series, well, then, everyone else will simply have to do the talking for him. [email protected]

Bynum ready for adjustments Lakers center Andrew Bynum did a nice

job of keeping the lane closed to Orlando center Dwight Howard. But Bynum said he is expecting adjustments from Howard. “He is going to come out and try to be faster, I think, and get set up down low quicker,” Bynum said. “He is going to use his body more, he is going to try to get set up on me in the low post and they’re going to be looking to dump the ball into him earlier than they did last game.”

Lewis’ daughter back to health Rashard Lewis has gone through a lot in the last two years, signing a $110 million contract with Orlando, adjusting to playing power forward and dealing with the illness of his 1-year-old daughter, Gianna, who was in an out of the hospital with a mysterious virus for about a month during the season. She has since received treatment and is back to health. “During the time she was sick, it was a difficult time for me,” Lewis said. “During the season, because of the fact that family is most important … I didn’t care if we won games, if we lost games.” — Sean Deveney

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GAME 2:

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

8

ORLANDO AT L.A. LAKERS Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC

Nelson’s return puts Magic’s Alston in tricky spot LOS ANGELES—Back in his Clark Kent days, when he was an 18-year-old rookie, Dwight Howard was welcomed to the league by Kobe Bryant. It wasn’t with a fist bump or handshake. It wasn’t friendly at all. In his first game against Howard, Bryant drove the lane and delivered a ferocious dunk that still haunts Orlando’s center five years later. “Don’t remind me,” Howard said, playfully covering his eyes. “He baptized me, brought me into the NBA and back to reality with one play.” On Thursday night, Bryant initiated Howard again—this time into the NBA Finals. Looking much more like The Man of Steel than Howard, Bryant scored 40 points—his most in a Finals game—and the Lakers steamrolled to a 100-75 win in Game 1 over the Magic, who watched tape of the rout at their hotel before heading to Staples Center on Friday for practice. Orlando, back in the finals for the first time since 1995, was way out of its league. Bryant scored almost at will, punctuating each bucket by extending his lower jaw to show his lower teeth—a menacing look underscoring the self-proclaimed Black Mamba’s intensity. The Magic hurt themselves by shooting 30 percent and missing open shots, and Howard was a non-factor on offense with 12 points and only one field goal, a 7-foot hook shot in the game’s first two minutes. Howard understands he and his teammates have to do much more in Game 2 on Sunday night. “We just didn’t have any energy or effort,” Howard said. “We didn’t box out, all the little things. We can’t control Kobe scoring 40 points, but we can control boxing out, getting loose balls, stuff like that, and we didn’t do

that. We have to come out with a better effort.” The Magic are no strangers to adversity. They made it to the Finals despite losing All-Star guard Jameer Nelson for 42 games because of a shoulder injury, and they came from behind against Philadelphia and Boston to win previous series this postseason. Against Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals, the Magic shot their way back from impossible deficits. They’re in another hole. It’s not deep. Not yet. “It’s just one game,” said forward Hedo Turkoglu, who went just 3-of-11 from the floor. “It’s a long series. We’ve got a couple days to work on some things. We know how good we are, and we know what we need to do to win.” A good place to start would be getting Howard more involved on offense. Nothing came easy for him in Game 1. Like paparazzi swarming outside a nightclub for a magazine cover photo, the Lakers’ forwards and centers were everywhere he turned. Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom pushed him, prodded him, poked him. Superman’s cape got torn to shreds. The league’s dunk leader couldn’t get close to the rim. And when Howard got the ball deep in the lane, one of Los Angeles’ guards would dive down on a double team and force him to pick it up. By the time he passed out from inside to an open teammate on the perimeter, the lengthy Lakers were able to recover and contest. “They’re going to make it tough to get Dwight rolling,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We got him the ball a lot, but they’re always coming with another guy. I thought he forced a couple plays and he made

CHRIS CARLSON / AP

Rafer Alston, left, said it was difficult to sit the entire second quarter while Jameer Nelson played all 12 minutes. some good passes out, where we couldn’t make shots. And when you’re not making shots, then obviously the team is coming more and more and more. “If you make some shots, you force teams to

adjust and give you a little more room.” The ever critical Van Gundy’s biggest beef was with his team’s inability to rebound. The Lakers dominated the boards 55-41, a differential Orlando’s coach chalked up to lack of effort.

“I’ll blame myself for a lot of things,” Van Gundy said. “But I don’t really have an adjustment for when the ball goes up on the rim and everybody is going after it. I can’t really X and O that. You’re either going to put a body on somebody and go get the ball or you’re not. And last night, not.” The Lakers aren’t taking anything for granted. They may have won Game 1 without breaking a sweat, but their demeanor remained very businesslike during Friday’s workout. Bryant, whose kids have been calling him “Grumpy” because of his sour mood of late, remained stoic during media availability. He answered questions with short, measured responses and only cracked a smile once. Bryant didn’t remember many details about his nasty dunk of yore on Howard, and he expects Orlando to regroup in two days. “They just had an off game,” he said. “They didn’t shoot the ball particularly well and they’ll shoot better in Game 2. We’ll face a different Magic team.” As for that dunking moment back in 2004, Howard says he can still feel it. “Ever since then, I’ve had the flash of him dunking and hearing the crowd,” he said. “It was like ‘Boom,’ that’s all I heard. I’ll make sure that won’t happen again.” Meanwhile, Rafer Alston acknowledged the difficulty of sitting the entire second quarter while Nelson played all 12 minutes—a decision Stan Van Gundy admitted was a mistake—in his return from a shoulder injury. “It was odd. I mean, I think everyone can see that. That’s unusual to start the game and then you don’t even touch the court in the second quarter,” Alston said. “But there’s no pouting, there’s no getting mad, there’s going to be no coach and Alston meeting about it.” — The Associated Press

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

9

ORLANDO AT L.A. LAKERS Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, ABC

INSIDE DISH

Brown likes Iverson, but not sure he’s best fit G Allen Iverson is set to become unrestricted free agent, and Bobcats coach Larry Brown needs a scorer. However, despite the speculation that the two could be paired again after Iverson was recently spotted in Charlotte, Brown isn’t sure it’d be a good fit. For one, Iverson would have to play for a lot less than the nearly $22 million he made last season, and the Bobcats would have to clear salary-cap space to sign him. Iverson, who turns 34 Sunday, would also have to adjust to a lesser role— something he struggled to accept with the Pistons. And would Iverson want to join a team that hasn’t won more than 35 games in a season? “I want him go to where he knows he can win,” Brown said. Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, said his client would be willing to play for Brown again. “AI has the utmost respect for coach Brown as both a person and coach,” Rose said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. “… I’m sure at the appropriate time these things will be discussed.”

Randy Smith, a blindingly fast AllStar with the Buffalo Braves in the 1970s who once held the NBA record for consecutive games, died while working out on a treadmill. He was 60. He had a massive heart attack Thursday while exercising at the Connecticut casino where he worked, son-in-law Lekan Bashua told The Associated Press on Friday. Smith was drafted by the Braves in the seventh round in 1971 and averaged more than 13 points in his rookie season. He went on to play 13 years in the NBA and appeared in 906 consecutive games from 197283. His mark was broken by A.C. Green in 1997. He averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists for his career.

Brown said he’d be “nervous” if an ownership change stripped Michael Jordan of his role running the team’s basketball operations. Brown said Friday that he hasn’t spoken to majority owner Bob Johnson, who is looking to sell after losing tens of millions of dollars. Jordan owns a minority stake, but Johnson has granted him the final say on basketball per-

There has been plenty of trade speculation and rumors involving PF Amare Stoudemire lately—including scenarios of him going to Boston or Washington—but none of the talk apparently has involved the Suns. “There’s a lot of stuff flying around out there that has no basis,” Suns general manager Steve Kerr told The Arizona Republic. “… I haven’t even

sonnel decisions. Jordan said in February that he’d like to someday become majority owner, but he has declined to address Johnson’s desire to sell since, and there are questions if Jordan would agree to pay what Johnson wants.

about it? Don’t be afraid about it.” Bucks scouting director Billy McKinney said Heytvelt’s desire to discuss and accept his past makes him a good draft candidate. “It shows a great deal of maturity,” McKinney said. “Sometimes it’s so hard and embarrassing when you make a mistake like that and you’re a high profile person. Whether you’re in sports or business, a lot of people want to cover it up.” ABC earned an 8.9 overnight Nielsen rating for Thursday’s Magic-Lakers NBA Finals Game 1. According to SportsBusiness Daily, that’s down 14.4 percent from last year’s Celtics-Lakers Game 1 and up 11.3 percent from the SpursCavaliers Game 1 in ”07. The 8.9 is the lowest Game 1 overnight rating for the six Finals series featuring the Lakers since ’00, and the only one not to top double digits. ERIC GAY / AP

Allen Iverson has the ‘utmost respect’ for Bobcats coach Larry Brown, according to his agent. Iverson played for Brown in Philadelphia. had a conversation with the opposing team. I read this stuff and laugh.” PF Blake Griffin will work out today for what many expect to be his future NBA team, the Clippers, the Los Angeles Times reported. Although the Clippers could always trade the pick, the night they learned they had the No. 1 selection, coach Mike Dunleavy told the Times, “Clearly, we’re taking Blake Griffin.”

The Raptors hired former Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni as an assistant to Jay Triano and are parting ways with assistants Mike Evans and Gord Herbert. The Raptors also announced that Alex English will return for his sixth season with Toronto, his eighth as an NBA assistant. Iavaroni was an assistant in Phoenix, Miami and Cleveland before taking over Memphis on May 30, 2007. He was fired on Jan.

22, 2009, following a 13-26 start. F Josh Heytvelt says he’s being open about his past when he meets NBA personnel at each stop along his pre-draft workout tour. Heytvelt was arrested with a Gonzaga teammate for a drug offense on Feb. 9, 2007. “I bring it up,” Heytvelt said Friday after a workout with the Bucks. “Every team already knows about it, so why not talk

Robert Horry, known for his tendency to hit big shots in key situations, says he’s not looking to play anymore. He’d rather coach or continue working as a broadcaster. “I’m more interested in those gigs. I just started putting my name out there,” Horry told The Associated Press. So where would he like to end up? “I think I have a respect around the league where guys will respect the knowledge I have. I’m a crossroads guy and I have knowledge from both big time eras.”

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STANLEY CUP FINALS S

GAME 5:

PITTSBURGH AT DETROIT

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

Tonight, 8 ET, NBC

10

Stanley Cup finals (Best-of-7), All times ET

Q&A with … Red Wings D Jonathan Ericsson

(Series tied 2-2)

‘Letting me play my game and develop in my own way’

May 30: Detroit 3,Pittsburgh 1 May 31: Detroit 3, Pittsburgh 1 June 2: Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 2 June 4: Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 2

Detroit’s rookie defenseman Jonathan Ericsson has been a revelation for coach Mike Babcock and the Red Wings during the playoffs. Ericsson played crucial minutes when Nicklas Lidstrom missed time against the Blackhawks, and he was strong filling in for an injured Brian Rafalski earlier in the playoffs. He has quickly earned the trust of Babcock during a crucial time of year. Ericsson chats with Sporting News Today’s Craig Custance about his first NHL playoff run.

Q:

How valuable has this experience been to your development as an NHL player? It’s easier to say after you go through it. Maybe you look back in time after awhile, after the summer and start of training camp and maybe evaluate that a little bit better. But, of course, this is going to be a key factor for me in the future, to know what it’s all about. I was lucky enough to watch the playoffs last year, every game. I think I got some experience even from that. Now, playing in it, it gives you even more information.

A:

Q:

FRANK GUNN / AP

Jonathan Ericsson, above, filled in well for Nicklas Lidstrom while the veteran defenseman was out during the Blackhawks series.

Mike Babcock talks a lot about young players earning his trust. What does it mean to you to earn it so quickly? I can play comfortable out there. I don’t have to think about too much. If I make a mistake out there, he’s not going

A:

to put me away for the rest of the game. That means a lot. You don’t feel that pressure to perform every night and don’t make any mistakes. He’s letting me play my game and develop in my own way. That’s really big for me.

Q: A:

Q:

Q: A:

In the last two rounds you’ve played against Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Can you compare the games of those great young players? Yeah, you can. They’re really skilled players. They’re different players, of course, but they have good skill out there. They’re really fast players, move the puck really well and can handle the puck really well. There are some things that make them alike out there.

A:

Q: A: Q:

Who is hardest to defend? No comment.

Have you noticed a change in the officiating during the Stanley Cup finals? Yeah, I have. They’re letting go a little bit more, but I still think they need to be a little bit more consistent. They’re trying to do their job the best way they can, of course.

A:

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from Nicklas Lidstrom? His positioning in the game. I try to watch where he is on the ice all the time in different situations. That’s the biggest thing.

Have you picked up any training habits from Chris Chelios? I wish. He’s taking really good care of his body. I think the older you get, the more you have to think about taking care of it. Otherwise it’s going to go downhill pretty quick. I see him every day now; it’s just amazing to see him work out every day and take care of himself.

Q:

How have you handled the grind of the long season. Have you hit a rookie wall? This year I’ve been injured a little bit, so I had my rest. … I felt pretty good this season, my first year I remember I hit a wall, wasn’t used to playing this many games.

A:

Q: A:

Are you pain-free from the appendectomy yet? No, I think it’s going to take awhile. But it feels good enough to play without any problems out there. It feels good on the ice.

Today: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m., NBC Tuesday: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., NBC Friday, June 12: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m., if necessary, NBC

Q:

Is it true you couldn’t watch Game 5 of the Western Conference finals in the hospital after the surgery? In the hospital, they didn’t really know where I was going to be able to watch it. They found the best way was to drive me down to the rink and watch it there.

A:

Q:

Do you remember anything about that game or were you all drugged up? I was pretty drugged up. Actually, I just remember walking in the locker room, didn’t really feel well and had to lay down and try to sleep for a few minutes before the game started. I was pretty drugged up and couldn’t really move much. A little bit dizzy.

A:

Q: A:

That’s dedication.

Well, you don’t want to miss an important game like that.

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STANLEY CUP FINALS S

GAME 5:

PITTSBURGH AT DETROIT

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

11

Tonight, 8 ET, NBC

NOTEBOOK

In Motown, it’s Pens with momentum Wings plan on Datsyuk

PITTSBURGH—As Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin burst into their zone on a 2-on-1 rush that resulted in a Crosby goal, the Detroit Red Wings must have been thinking, “What did we get ourselves into?” How about this predicament: A tied-up Stanley Cup finals with three games to go and Pittsburgh’s showy young stars starting to take over as the series shifts back to Detroit for Game 5 tonight. The Red Wings, suddenly looking tired and vulnerable, have lost every advantage except home ice since winning the first two games in Detroit last weekend. They couldn’t match the Penguins’ speed and scoring surges during a pair of 4-2 losses in Pittsburgh, and now it’s the defending champs who face a must-win game. Advantage, Penguins? “You don’t want to think about the Cup right now,” Penguins defenseman Kris Letang said Friday. “You want to think about playing the right way. Just try to carry the momentum over there and play the same way we did in Games 4 and 3.” What must concern the Red Wings is they’re beginning to see how difficult it can be to control Crosby and Malkin during a lengthy series, something that wasn’t a problem when they beat Pittsburgh in six games last year. Detroit matched shutdown specialist Henrik Zetterberg

GENE J. PUSKAR / AP

Evgeni Malkin, left, is a ‘lot more comfortable’ in this year’s finals than last, teammate Sidney Crosby says. repeatedly against Crosby in the first three games, limiting him to an assist, but Malkin scored a goal and set up four others—three in Game 3. When Zetterberg shifted his attention to Malkin in Game 4, Crosby had a goal and an assist, but Malkin did, too, giving him seven points in four games. “Oh yeah, I think he’s a lot more comfortable,” Crosby said of Malkin, who didn’t have a point at this stage of last year’s finals. “He looks pretty energized, he’s physical. I think he’s

back on. He’s flying out there. He looks great.” Malkin has 35 points in the playoffs, the most since Wayne Gretzky had 40 in 1993. Crosby (31 points) and Malkin are the first teammates to produce 30 or more points each since 1994. “You can’t have turnovers against them in the neutral zone because they’re a quick transition team and with those two players, they’re going full blast the other way,” Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma

can only imagine how Detroit’s Jonathan Ericsson felt as he tried to defend against the Crosby and Malkin break on Thursday, which came during a 5½-minute burst in which the Penguins scored three times in the second period. Bylsma, a former NHL player, once felt the same way when he saw Gretzky or Mario Lemieux headed his way. “It’s going through your mind, it was going through my mind, ‘That’s Mario Lemieux.’ ” — The Associated Press

Well, maybe Pavel Datsyuk is finally ready to make his debut in the 2009 Stanley Cup finals. Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said “he’ll play,” when asked Friday if he expected Datsyuk to be in Game 5 tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The MVP finalist hasn’t played since May 19, when he blocked a shot with his foot against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals. Datsyuk was on the Mellon Arena ice a lot on Thursday, just not when the Red Wings needed him. He went through the morning skate, extended his workout for a while on his own and looked as if he was getting ready to play during pregame warmups. Then, he was a slightly surprising scratch before Pittsburgh’s seriesevening 4-2 victory against the defending champions. “We were hoping Pav was going to be in, but we weren’t planning,” Babcock said. “Now we’re hoping Pav’s going to be in and we’re planning that he’s going to be in. “But he’s still got to be in.”

Coming up short(handed) Jordan Staal first made his mark in the NHL as a shorthanded goal specialist. But until Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals, he was coming up short for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Or, in his case, not coming up with short-handed goals. He surprisingly made the Penguins’ roster as an 18-year-old rookie in 2006, then the first-round pick did something even more unexpected: Staal began scoring short-handed goals in bunches. Staal became the youngest player in NHL history to score two short-handed goals in a game, against Columbus on Oct.

21, 2006, and the first player since 1982 to score his first three NHL goals shorthanded. He finished the season with an NHL rookie record seven short-handed scores among his 29 goals. Staal had only one short-handed goal in two seasons, on Jan. 10 at Colorado, until his goal in the second period Thursday gave the Penguins a 2-all tie and began their comeback during a 4-2 victory over Detroit. “You can’t beat one of those, I guess,” Staal said Friday of only his third goal in 21 playoff games. “It’s definitely something special. They all count, but it’s definitely nice to get one.” The spectacular play, beating defenseman Brian Rafalski to the front of the net and getting the puck past Chris Osgood, might prove to be pivotal if Pittsburgh ends up hoisting the Cup.

They got it first The first media outlet to foresee the Penguins’ comeback against the Red Wings was the Pittsburgh City Paper, a weekly tabloid entertainment-feature newspaper that is distributed for free. The entire front page of this week’s edition, printed before the Penguins won Games 3 and 4 on home ice, is the headline: “Pens Defeat Red Wings.” There’s also an asterisk that denotes: “Well, Not Necessarily, But You Can’t Blame Us for Trying.”

One-timers Detroit D Brad Stuart scored for the third time in the playoffs on Thursday, surpassing the two goals he had in 67 games during the regular season. He has three goals in 10 playoff games against Pittsburgh. — The Associated Press

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

12

INSIDE DISH

Are you a fan with

something Toronto group wants to create its own Legacy to say? The quest to add a third NHL team in Ontario got a little more crowded Friday. A new group has come forward with a proposal to launch a second NHL franchise in Toronto, and it even has a name for the team—the Toronto Legacy—as well as a sweater and logo. What the group doesn’t have, apparently, is official support from the league, which said it knew nothing about the group and declined to respond to its proposal. The NHL, which currently has its hands full with Jim Balsillie’s bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move the team to Hamilton, has said it has no current plans to move a franchise or expand. That didn’t stop Andrew Lopez, a communications specialist who has worked as a motivational speaker for Miss Universe Canada, from laying out a vision for a second Toronto team, suggesting that $1 billion of private financing is already in place if the league chooses to expand. The team would be known as the Toronto Legacy and play out of a proposed 30,000-seat arena that would be built at Downsview Park, located in north Toronto. Lopez said the site would include a community athletic center, 50-meter swimming pool, four outdoor rinks and public park space among other amenities. “We’re not sure how (the NHL) or the Toronto Maple Leafs will take this,” said Lopez. “So we said, ‘Let’s just share with our city, share with our country, and once they’ve had a chance to look over what we’re proposing . . . by all means, if they consider us worthy, we would be privileged.’

To start with, any bidder will need a $20 million deposit and proof of riches that would support that bid. Anyone interested will have until 5 p.m. Phoenix time on June 17 to submit the bid in writing. The auction would begin five days later. According to the Star, the bids will be submitted to the attorneys of owner Jerry Moyes, who will then share the information with lawyers representing the team’s unsecured creditors. “The competing bid should be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the competing bidder has the financial ability to close the transaction contemplated in the competing bid,” the procedure reads. The catch, of course, is that any interested party will have to bid against Balsillie’s $212.5 million offer.

DARREN CALABRESE / AP

Andrew Lopez has a jersey set for a second Toronto franchise, but—apparently—no league support. “We’re not here to force our will on anyone. A simple no from the National Hockey League would be OK. We realize it’s a very special club.”

The Toronto Star reported that Judge Redfield T. Baum has laid out procedures for the potential auction of the Phoenix Coyotes in a conditional order filed by his Arizona bankruptcy court.

As the Stanley Cup finals enter a fifth game, NBC and the NHL are set to announce an extension to their partnership for two more years, according to Toronto’s The Globe and Mail. The deal, which is slated to run past the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Stanley Cup playoffs, will likely be a continuation of the “no-moneyd ow n /s p l it-r e ve nu e s-a f t e r- c o s t s arrangement that has existed since the two sides fell into each other’s arms after the NHL lockout in 2004-05,” the newspaper reported. NBC’s broadcast of the first two games of the 2009 Stanley Cup finals series averaged a 3.0 overnight rating over the weekend, up 11 percent from the 2.7 for NBC’s first two Stanley Cup telecasts last year (Games 3 and 4 of Detroit Red Wings-Pittsburgh Penguins).

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INSIDE DISH

Brad Penny for Jeff Francoeur? ESPN reported that the Braves had talked with the Red Sox about Penny. Last week, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Red Sox were scouting Francouer. The ESPN report does not claim the two sides are looking to swap player for player. After Friday’s loss to Texas, Penny is 5-2 this season with a 5.85 ERA. Tom Glavine said he returned to the Atlanta Braves last season because he believed pitching for the Braves while living at home with his family was “the best of both worlds.” Glavine, still seething after being released by the Braves on Wednesday, said Friday he’s not sure if he’ll attempt to prolong his career with another club. “I’ve had a couple of phone calls in regards to pitching, I’ve had a couple of phone calls ... in terms of consulting or pitching coach type of

13

THE LAUNCHING PAD

Surgery could keep Mets’ Putz out 10-12 weeks J.J. Putz, struggling as the setup man for the New York Mets, will get a break. But not the kind he wants. Putz, who said his elbow hurt after Thursday’s outing when he gave up two runs in the seventh inning against Pittsburgh, will have surgery Tuesday and miss 10-12 weeks, The New York Times reported. Putz will have a bone spur removed from his right elbow, according to The Times. This season, the former Mariners closer acquired in the offseason to help turnaround a bullpen that blew 29 saves last season, is 1-4 with a 5.22 ERA with two saves. The Mets acquired Putz and Francisco Rodriguez in the offseason. Rodriguez is the team’s closer, while Putz was brought in to be the team’s set-up reliever. He is making $5.5 million this season. New York purchased the contract of righthander Fernando Nieve from Triple-A Buffalo. Nieve was 3-0 with a 3.70 ERA in four starts with Buffalo. Mets manager Jerry Manuel said Nieve would be used in the bullpen.

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

his last three starts, spanning 7 1-3 innings. The Rookie League season hasn’t started yet, but Indians general manager Mark Shapiro doesn’t want Carmona pitching in competitive situations right now. Hafner had been on the disabled list since April 29 with soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder. He is hitting .270 with four home runs and eight RBIs in 17 games.

GENE J. PUSKAR / AP

After compiling an ERA of 3.63 in May, J.J. Putz gave up five earned runs in one inning in June—an ERA of 45.00. situations,” he said, talking in depth for the first time about his release. “I’m not worried about getting an opportunity to do something. I know I’ll be able to do something. That’s obviously something I’m going to have to take time to figure out.” He said it won’t be easy to mend his relationship with the Braves, who said the decision was based on the 43-year-old Glavine’s performance in his minor league rehab appearances. But Glavine said, “It usually is about the money.” The Cleveland Indians activated designated hitter Travis Hafner from the 15-day disabled list Friday and optioned struggling starter Fausto Carmona to the Arizona Rookie League. Carmona, who won 19 games for the Indians in 2007, is 2-6 with a 7.42 ERA this year. He will report to the Indians’ minor league complex in Goodyear, Ariz., to work on his mechanics and mental approach after he allowed 16 earned runs in

The St. Louis Cardinals placed righthander Kyle Lohse on the 15-day disabled list with a forearm injury after he had to leave his latest start early. Also Friday, infielder Tyler Greene was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Lohse aggravated an injury sustained when hit by a pitch last month on a diving stop of Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto’s bunt single in the third inning Wednesday night. He was taken out with a 3-1 count on Jerry Hairston Jr., the next hitter. Lohse was squaring around to bunt when he was hit by a pitch May 23 by the Royals’ Ron Mahay. Lohse threw eight scoreless innings in that game but then missed his next start due to numbness and a burning sensation in the forearm.

What to expect in the major leagues today

The phenom arrives It has been a busy week for the Braves, who released future Hall of Fame lefthander Tom Glavine and boosted their outfield with the trade for Nate McLouth. This afternoon will mark the major league debut of touted righthander Tommy Hanson. In 11 starts for Class AAA Gwinnett this season, Hanson went 3-3 with a 1.49 ERA. Even more impressive were his 90 strikeouts in just 66 1/3 innings. His first major league assignment will be at Turner Field against the Brewers, who rank among the major league leaders in strikeouts.

A long awaited return It has been a long road back for righthander Kelvim Escobar, but he finally will stand atop a major league mound again tonight. Because of major shoulder surgery, Escobar hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since posting a career year (18-7, 3.40 ERA in 30 starts) in 2007. During his minor league rehab assignment, Escobar had a 2.30 ERA in three starts and flashed good velocity. Tonight should provide quite a test. Escobar will face the A.L. Central-leading Tigers, whose hitters should be hungry after spending a good chunk of the week being frustrated by Red Sox pitching.

Scouting mission? With third baseman Troy Glaus out indefinitely following offseason shoulder surgery, the Cardinals admittedly are in the market for a third baseman and/or big bat to help protect reigning N.L. MVP Albert Pujols in the lineup. This weekend, they’ll get a close-up look at one possible trade target. Though Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins has struggled this season, he has averaged 25 homers and 110 RBIs over the past three seasons (2006-08). Unlike many Rockies sluggers, Atkins’ power numbers on the road are comparable to his power numbers at Coors Field. Entering this weekend, half of his 94 career homers came away from Colorado.

— Chris Bahr

Derek Jeter will give an exclusive interview with SIRIUS XM Radio’s Ripken Baseball show hosted by brothers Cal Ripken Jr. and Billy Ripken on Monday. The interview will start at noon from the Midtown Manhattan studios. Richard E. Jacobs stepped up along with his brother in the 1980s to rescue Cleveland’s baseball franchise, which was struggling under weak financial backing and poor fan attendance at an outdated, mammoth stadium. Under his leadership, the Cleveland Indians twice reached the World Series and sold out 455 consecutive games at a new ballpark. Jacobs, who had been in ill health, died peacefully at the age of 83 on Friday, his real estate company confirmed.

RICHARD DREW / AP

Tommy Hanson fanned 90 batters in just 66 1/3 innings at Class AAA Gwinnett.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

14

Q&A with ... Astros 1B Lance Berkman

‘We’re a better second-half team than the first half’ A career .302 hitter coming into this season, Berkman struggled to keep his average above .200 for the first six weeks of this season. The five-time All-Star recently appeared on Sporting News Radio to discuss his inclusion in Sporting News’ top 50 players list, his and his team’s slow starts and the N.L. Central race.

Q: A:

How have you remained positive despite the team’s struggles in recent years? Well, it’s a blessing to play at home. This is the only organization I’ve ever known. I’ve been here when we’ve been pretty good, having had a couple good playoff runs not too long ago. ... Although now it’s creeping up on five, six years ago. I think you just remember the success that you’ve had in the past, that this organization is one that has been well-respected around the league, and we’ve always been competitive and we’ve always had a good clubhouse here. So, those things make it a little easier to stay positive.

Q:

You’re No. 21 on the list of the 50 best players in Major League Baseball, according to Sporting News magazine. You have to feel pretty good about that, right? Anytime you’re included in the top 50 in the game, you have to be pleased with that.

A:

Q: A:

Your teammate, Roy Oswalt, is also on this list. He is such a gamer, isn’t he? He absolutely is, and he’s a winner. I think since he’s come into the league, no one’s won more games than Roy. I feel great every time he takes the ball. He’s our ace; he has been for a long time. He’s truly a great competitor and somebody that I’m proud to spend as much time as I have with.

Q:

You’ve got another solid pitcher in Wandy Rodriguez. You’ve got some real positives on this team, don’t you? I think we’ve got a couple guys at the top that are as good as anybody in the league. When you have a couple good pitchers like that, and then we’ve got some guys that can fill in behind, our starting

A:

Q: A: AL BEHRMAN / AP

In eight of his nine full seasons in the majors entering 2009, Lance Berkman has had an OPS—on-base percentage plus slugging—above .900. pitching has been good enough to win. Offensively, we were just a little slow to get going. I think now we’ve found a little more of a groove from that standpoint. The teams that I’ve played on have never gotten off to a great start, which is something we seem like we talk about every year. I wish it weren’t the case, but for whatever reason it seems like it takes us a little bit to get going. But when we do, we end up being pretty good. We have a

WEEKDAYS 1–4PM ET

lot of positives that point to the fact that we may be able to make a run. If history is any indicator, we’re a better second-half team than the first half. We just need to try to get to .500 before the All-Star break.

Q: A:

Why have you been struggling early on this season? It’s hard to say. I think this is about the fourth time I’ve gone through it in

Listen on Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 127, online at SportingNews.com or check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

my career. It’s always frustrating and you always scratch your head and think, What’s the deal here? It’s a mystery. I get as frustrated as everybody else. Baseball’s such a mental sport. There’s so much confidence involved in hitting, when you don’t get off to a great start, you have to just keep running out there and have faith your swing will come back to you. I’ve started to feel a little better lately, but it’s never easy, it’s never fun.

Which team in the N.L. Central is the strongest? I think when the Cubs are healthy, they probably have the edge on paper. But the game’s played on the field. There’s injuries. What’s scary is the Pirates might not be quite there yet, although they’re an improving team. They’ve got a lot of good, young players, and they’ve got some good, young pitchers that can give you a lot of problems. But you look at all of the other teams in the division, I’m like, man, everyone is the same. We all have some bright spots; we all have some warts. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens going forward because I just feel like the teams are so evenly matched this year—to a degree that I haven’t seen in 10 years in the division.

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Fantasy Focus

LEAGUE LEADERS Batting Average

Hitter rankings Here’s a glance at a few movers and shakers in the latest hitter rankings at Fantasy Source:

UP ▲ 2B/OF Adam Kennedy, A’s. Kennedy has settled in nicely as Oakland’s second baseman and No. 2 hitter. Fantasy owners suffering from injuries at MI should take advantage while he’s hot. ▲ C Jorge Posada, Yankees. Despite missing all but six games in May, Posada ranks in the top five among catchers in homers and RBIs.

▲ 3B Adrian Beltre, Mariners. Just when you think it’s safe to forget about Beltre (right) in AP mixed leagues, he produces an impressive cluster of multi-hit games and moves back to the No. 3 spot. DOWN ▼ C Geovany Soto, Cubs. Manager Lou Piniella has finally decided to bench the struggling Soto, giving him a “mental break” for a few games. ▼ OF Alfonso Soriano, Cubs. Soriano admitted to battling knee pain for most of May, which could explain his .216 average last month and the continued struggles so far in June.

▼ 1B/3B Garrett Atkins, Rockies. Despite his recent two-homer game, Atkins could still be moving down—as in down to Triple-A. — Brad Pinkerton

MORE COVERAGE Get everything you need to dominate your fantasy league at sportingnews.com/fantasy/baseball

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

A.L.

Player Bartlett MiCabrera Youkilis ISuzuki VMartinez Morneau AdJones

Player Beltran Tejada Hawpe Pence Pujols DWright HaRamirez

.373 .354 .352 .346 .344 .344 .340

A.L.

Team New York Houston Colorado Houston St. Louis New York Florida

.353 .350 .346 .344 .344 .338 .335

Player CPena Bay NCruz Teixeira Kinsler Morneau Dye

N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Boston Texas New York Texas Minnesota Chicago

Player Scutaro Morneau Crawford Damon Pedroia BRoberts Three tied

Player Ibanez Pujols Zimmerman AdGonzalez Hudson Utley Victorino

45 44 43 43 43 43 42

A.L.

Team Philadelphia St. Louis Washington San Diego Los Angeles Philadelphia Philadelphia

44 44 40 39 39 39 38

Player Crawford Ellsbury Figgins BUpton Abreu Bartlett Span

Player Longoria Bay Morneau Teixeira Kinsler TorHunter CPena

Player Ibanez Fielder Pujols Howard AdGonzalez Dunn Loney

55 53 51 47 44 43 42

A.L.

Team Philadelphia Milwaukee St. Louis Philadelphia San Diego Washington Los Angeles

54 52 49 46 43 42 42

Player Feldman Palmer Halladay Slowey Greinke Baez Beckett

Player AHill VMartinez Crawford Morneau ISuzuki Ellsbury MYoung

77 75 73 72 72 71 70

5-0 5-0 9-1 8-1 8-2 4-1 6-2

Player Lind Longoria MYoung Byrd Scutaro Three tied

Player Tejada Hudson Ibanez Zimmerman Pence HaRamirez FSanchez

A.L.

Team Houston Los Angeles Philadelphia Washington Houston Florida Pittsburgh

76 71 70 70 67 67 67

21 20 20 19 18 17

Team Los Angeles San Francisco Washington Florida San Francisco New York Milwaukee

6-0 7-1 5-1 5-1 4-1 4-1 6-2

1.000 .875 .833 .833 .800 .800 .750

Player Verlander Greinke Halladay FHernandez Lester Beckett Garza

Team Detroit Kansas City Toronto Seattle Boston Boston Tampa Bay

Player Tejada FSanchez AdLaRoche Beltran Hudson HaRamirez Rowand

Player Lincecum JSantana JVazquez Billingsley Peavy Haren JoJohnson

97 91 82 79 74 68 66

A.L.

Team Houston Pittsburgh Pittsburgh New York Los Angeles Florida San Francisco

20 19 18 17 17 17 17

Player Fuentes Papelbon Jenks FFrancisco MaRivera Sherrill Nathan

Team San Francisco New York Atlanta Los Angeles San Diego Arizona Florida

15 14 12 12 12 11 11.

Player Bell FrRodriguez Cordero BWilson Hoffman Three tied

W 32 32 31 28 24

L 22 23 26 28 31

Pct .593 .582 .544 .500 .436

GB WCGB L10 — — 7-3 ½ — 5-5 2½ 2 4-6 5 4½ 5-5 8½ 8 5-5

Str W-1 L-1 W-1 W-3 L-3

Home 16-10 17-7 20-9 16-11 16-13

Away 16-12 15-16 11-17 12-17 8-18

Central Detroit Minnesota Chicago Kansas City Cleveland

W 28 28 25 23 24

L 25 28 29 31 33

Pct .528 .500 .463 .426 .421

GB WCGB L10 — — 3-7 1½ 4½ 6-4 3½ 6½ 5-5 5½ 8½ 1-9 6 9 5-5

Str L-4 W-2 L-4 L-8 W-1

Home 15-11 21-12 13-14 15-15 12-14

Away 13-14 7-16 12-15 8-16 12-19

West Texas Los Angeles Seattle Oakland

W 32 28 26 23

L 22 25 29 30

Pct .593 .528 .473 .434

GB WCGB L10 — — 6-4 3½ 3 5-5 6½ 6 5-5 8½ 8 5-5

Str W-1 W-3 L-1 W-4

Home 18-9 14-12 14-14 12-13

Away 14-13 14-13 12-15 11-17

National League Standings East Philadelphia New York Atlanta Florida Washington

W 32 29 26 26 14

L 21 24 27 30 39

Pct .604 .547 .491 .464 .264

GB WCGB L10 — — 8-2 3 1 6-4 6 4 3-7 7½ 5½ 5-5 18 16 1-9

Str L-1 W-1 L-2 L-1 L-3

Home 12-14 17-9 12-14 12-16 8-19

Away 20-7 12-15 14-13 14-14 6-20

Central Milwaukee St. Louis Cincinnati Chicago Pittsburgh Houston

W 32 31 28 27 25 24

L 23 24 26 25 29 29

Pct .582 .564 .519 .519 .463 .453

GB WCGB L10 — — 5-5 1 — 5-5 3½ 2½ 4-6 3½ 2½ 6-4 6½ 5½ 5-5 7 6 6-4

Str W-1 L-1 L-2 W-2 L-1 W-1

Home 16-9 19-12 13-13 16-10 15-11 13-16

Away 16-14 12-12 15-13 11-15 10-18 11-13

West W Los Angeles 38 San Francisco 28 San Diego 25 Arizona 24 Colorado 22 z-first game was a win

L 19 25 29 31 32

Pct GB WCGB L10 .667 — — 6-4 .528 8 2 8-2 .463 11½ 5½ 3-7 .436 13 7 5-5 .407 14½ 8½ 4-6

Str W-1 W-3 L-4 W-1 W-2

Home 21-7 18-9 17-10 12-19 9-14

Away 17-12 10-16 8-19 12-12 13-18

91 89 86 85 84 78 72

American League Tampa Bay (Price 1-0) at N.Y. Yankees (Sabathia 5-3), 1:05 p.m. Kansas City (Hochevar 0-2) at Toronto (Richmond 4-2), 1:07 p.m. Cleveland (Sowers 1-2) at Chicago White Sox (G.Floyd 3-5), 4:05 p.m. Minnesota (Blackburn 5-2) at Seattle (Washburn 3-4), 4:10 p.m. L.A. Angels (Escobar 0-0) at Detroit (E.Jackson 5-3), 7:05 p.m. Texas (Holland 1-2) at Boston (Lester 4-5), 7:10 p.m. Baltimore (Berken 1-1) at Oakland (Cahill 2-5), 9:05 p.m.

The Line at NYY -155 TB +145 at Tor -155 KC +145 at ChW -140 Cle +130 at Sea -115 Min +105 at Det -135 LAA +125 at Bos -190 Tex +180 at Oak -130 Bal +120

15 15 14 14 14 13

National League Philadelphia (Blanton 4-3) at L.A. Dodgers (Kuroda 1-1), 4:10 p.m. San Francisco (J.Sanchez 2-4) at Florida (A.Miller 1-2), 6:10 p.m. Pittsburgh (Maholm 3-2) at Houston (Oswalt 2-2), 7:05 p.m. N.Y. Mets (Maine 5-3) at Washington (Lannan 2-5), 7:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs (Dempster 4-3) at Cincinnati (Maloney 0-0), 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee (Suppan 3-4) at Atlanta (J.Vazquez 4-4), 7:10 p.m. Colorado (Cook 3-3) at St. Louis (Wellemeyer 5-5), 7:15 p.m. Arizona (Scherzer 2-4) at San Diego (Correia 1-4), 10:05 p.m.

The Line at LAD -130 Phi +120 at Fla -135 SF +125 at Hou -165 Pit +155 NYM -120 at Was +110 ChC -130 at Cin +120 at Atl -145 Mil +135 at StL -125 Col +115 Ari -120 at SD +110

N.L.

Team Los Angeles Boston Chicago Texas New York Baltimore Minnesota

East New York Boston Toronto Tampa Bay Baltimore

Pitching Matchups Today’s Games (All times Eastern)

N.L.

Saves

N.L.

Team Toronto Tampa Bay Texas Texas Toronto

Player Broxton Cain Martis JoJohnson Lincecum LiHernandez Gallardo

1.000 1.000 .900 .889 .800 .800 .750

Doubles A.L.

19 13 13 13 12 12 11

Strikeouts N.L.

Team Toronto Cleveland Tampa Bay Minnesota Seattle Boston Texas

Team Houston Los Angeles Los Angeles New York Arizona Cincinnati

N.L.

Team Texas Los Angeles Toronto Minnesota Kansas City Baltimore Boston

HIts A.L.

Player Bourn Kemp Pierre DWright Reynolds Taveras Four tied

34 22 21 17 15 14 12

Pitching (x decisions) N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Boston Minnesota New York Texas Los Angeles Tampa Bay

22 19 18 16 16 14 13

N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Boston Los Angeles Tampa Bay Los Angeles Tampa Bay Minnesota

RBIs A.L.

Team San Diego Philadelphia St. Louis Washington Philadelphia Cincinnati

Stolen Bases N.L.

Team Toronto Minnesota Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore

Player AdGonzalez Ibanez Pujols Dunn Howard Bruce Three tied

17 16 16 16 15 15 14

Runs A.L.

American League Standings

Home Runs

N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Detroit Boston Seattle Cleveland Minnesota Baltimore

15

Team San Diego New York Cincinnati San Francisco Milwaukee

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Baseball

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

16

AMERICAN LEAGUE Texas 5, Boston 1

Team-by-team disabled list

Rangers show they can win at Fenway, too

(Provided by Major League Baseball) (x-60-day; all others are 15-day) Through June 5 AMERICAN LEAGUE Baltimore OF Luis Montanez, May 23 RHP Dennis Sarfate, May 2 RHP Alfredo Simon, April 15 RHP Koji Uehara, May 24 Boston RHP Miguel Gonzalez-x, March 27 SS Jed Lowrie, April 12 RHP John Smoltz, March 27 Chicago OF Carlos Quentin, May 26 Cleveland RHP Rafael Betancourt, June 1 INF Asdrubal Cabrera, June 3 LHP Aaron Laffey, May 23 LHP Scott Lewis-x, April 11 RHP Anthony Reyes-x, May 23 OF Grady Sizemore, May 31 RHP Joe Smith, April 29 RHP Jake Westbrook-x, March 26 Detroit RHP Jeremy Bonderman, March 30 SS Carlos Guillen, May 5 OF Marcus Thames, April 19 C Matt Treanor-x, April 24 Kansas City SS Mike Aviles, May 24 C John Buck, May 31 3B Alex Gordon, April 16 RHP Sidney Ponson, May 30 RHP Robinson Tejeda, May 21 RHP Doug Waechter, April 18 Los Angeles RHP Kelvim Escobar-x, April 4 RHP Shane Loux, May 17 RHP Dustin Moseley, April 18 C Robert Shields, May 27 Minnesota RHP Boof Bonser, March 27 RHP Pat Neshek-x, Feb. 21 LHP Glen Perkins, May 19 INF Nick Punto, May 28 New York RHP Brian Bruney, May 20 LHP Damaso Marte, April 26 C Jose Molina, May 8 OF Xavier Nady, April 15 SS Bryan Ransom-x, April 25 Oakland OF Travis Buck, May 30 3B Eric Chavez-x, April 25 RHP Joey Devine-x, April 4 RHP Justin Duchscherer-x, March 27 2B Mark Ellis-x, April 29 SS Nomar Garciaparra, May 24 RHP Dan Giese-x, May 16 Seattle RHP Roy Corcoran, April 29 LHP Ryan Feierabend-x, March

BOSTON—Kevin Millwood and Ian Kinsler teamed to give the Texas Rangers a rare victory in Fenway Park. Millwood held Boston scoreless for seven innings, Kinsler hit a three-run homer and the Rangers ended an eightgame losing streak in Fenway Park with a 5-1 victory over the Red Sox on Friday. “It’s a different year,” Kinsler said. “It’s just another win. We’re just trying to keep winning.” The A.L. West-leading Rangers have been in sole possession of first place for the past 31 days, their most since 1999. “Well it’s nice to get a win, yes it is,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We certainly weren’t thinking about what happened last year. We’re just out there trying to win a ballgame.” The Rangers, who dropped two of three games against the Yankees this week, lost all seven in Fenway last year and went 1-9 overall. “I thought tonight was a big game for us,” Millwood said. “To be able to go out and pitch well gives us a big boost. I’ve always liked pitching here. I know they’re not cheering for me, but there’s always a lot of energy in this ballpark.” The loss snapped Boston’s four-game winning streak and dropped its home mark to 17-7, second in the majors behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox stranded 13 runners, nine on second or third. Millwood (5-4), winless in four of his last five starts, shut out the Red Sox until David Ortiz’s RBI single in the eighth. Eddie Guardado relieved and retired the next three hitters easily with two runners on before Darren O’Day got the final three outs despite walking a pair. — The Associated Press

Rangers 5, Red Sox 1 Texas AB R Kinsler 2b 4 1 M.Young 3b 4 0 Blalock dh 2 1 N.Cruz rf 4 0 Dav.Murphy lf 4 0 Byrd cf 4 1 C.Davis 1b 4 1 Saltalamacchia c 4 0 Andrus ss 3 1 Totals 33 5

H 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 1 8

BI 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 5

BB 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

SO 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 2 0 8

Avg. .281 .332 .259 .289 .231 .301 .210 .248 .278

Boston Pedroia 2b J.Drew rf Youkilis 1b Bay lf Lowell 3b D.Ortiz dh Varitek c Ellsbury cf Lugo ss a-Baldelli ph N.Green ss Totals

H 0 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 7

BI 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

BB 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

SO 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 7

Avg. .321 .261 .352 .281 .301 .188 .248 .311 .256 .260 .288

Texas Boston

AB 3 3 4 5 4 4 4 4 3 1 0 35

R 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

000 041 000 — 000 000 010 —

5 8 1 1 7 0

a-grounded into a fielder’s choice for Lugo in the 8th. E: C.Davis (1). LOB: Texas 3, Boston 13. 2B: C.Davis (7), Bay (15), Varitek (12), Ellsbury (11). HR: Kinsler (15), off Penny. RBIs: Kinsler 3 (44), C.Davis (27), Andrus (12), D.Ortiz (21). SB: J.Drew (1). Runners left in scoring position: Boston 9 (Lowell 5, Lugo, Ellsbury 2, Baldelli). DP: Boston 1 (Lowell, Pedroia, Youkilis). Texas Millwood W, 5-4 Guardado H, 4 O’Day Boston Penny L, 5-2 D.Bard Delcarmen Saito

IP 7 1 1 IP 5 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 1 1

H 7 0 0 H 7 0 0 1

R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 0 4 5 117 2.96 0 0 0 1 15 3.77 0 0 2 1 26 1.06 R ER BB SO NP ERA 5 5 2 5 103 5.85 0 0 0 2 17 0.90 0 0 0 0 10 1.13 0 0 0 1 14 2.70

Millwood pitched to 3 batters in the 8th. Inherited runners-scored: Guardado 2-0, D.Bard 2-0. Umpires: Home, Jeff Kellogg; First, Ron Kulpa; Second, Tim Timmons; Third, Rob Drake. T: 3:01. A: 37,519 (37,373).

CHARLES KRUPA / AP

Ian Kinsler’s three-run homer in the fifth inning for Texas broke up a scoreless game.

Rays at Yankees was postponed due to rain.

15 LHP Cesar Jimenez-x, March 29 C Kenji Johjima, May 26 RHP Shawn Kelley, May 6 LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith, April 11 RHP Carlos Silva, May 7 Tampa Bay SS Jason Bartlett, May 25 RHP Chad Bradford, March 27 OF Pat Burrell, May 11 INF Akinori Iwamura-x, May 25 LHP Scott Kazmir, May 21 RHP Troy Percival, May 22 CF Fernando Perez-x, March 27 C Shawn Riggans, April 10 LHP Brian Shouse, May 25 Texas RHP Joaquin Benoit-x, April 5 RHP William Eyre-x, April 23 OF Josh Hamilton, June 1 LHP Matt Harrison, May 26 RHP Eric Hurley-x, April 5 RHP Dustin Nippert-x, March 27 Toronto C Michael Barrett, April 18 RHP Jesse Litsch, April 14 RHP Shaun Marcum, March 27 RHP Dustin McGowan, March 27 RHP Robert Ray, May 22 NATIONAL LEAGUE Arizona 1B Tony Clark, May 5 RHP Tom Gordon, May 4 1B Conor Jackson, May 12 RHP Yusmeiro Petit, May 9 1B Chad Tracy, May 30 RHP Brandon Webb, April 7 Atlanta RHP Jorge Campillo, June 3 RHP Buddy Carlyle, May 26 RHP Tim Hudson-x, Feb. 24 SS Omar Infante, May 21 LHP Jo-Jo Reyes, May 21 Chicago RHP Chad Fox, May 10 INF-OF Ryan Freel, May 28 RHP Rich Harden, May 18 2B Aaron Miles, May 26 3B Aramis Ramirez, May 9 Cincinnati 3B Edwin Encarnacion, April 28 RHP Edinson Volquez, June 2 1B Joey Votto, May 29 Colorado INF Jeff Baker-x, April 27 RHP Taylor Buchholz-x, March 27 RHP Matt Daley, May 18 LHP Jeffrey Francis-x, March 27 C Chris Iannetta, May 24 LHP Franklin Morales, April 22 RHP Ryan Speier, April 19 Florida

SS Alfredo Amezaga, May 17 LHP Renyel Pinto, May 23 RHP Scott Proctor-x March 27 Houston 3B Aaron Boone-x March 27 RHP Doug Brocail, May 4 RHP Geoff Geary, May 14 2B Kazuo Matsui, May 30 RHP Jose Valverde, April 27 Los Angeles LHP Hong-Chih Kuo, April 30 1B Doug Mienkiewicz-x, April 17 LHP Will Ohman, May 28 OF Xanvier Paul, May 21 RHP Jason Schmidt, March 30 LHP Eric Stults, May 31 RHP Claudio Vargas-x, April 6 Milwaukee RHP David Riske, April 10 2B Rickie Weeks, May 18 New York OF Ryan Church, May 23 INF Alex Cora, May 18 1B Carlos Delgado, May 11 INF Ramon Martinez, June 3 OF Angel Pagan, June 1 LHP Oliver Perez, May 3 RHP J.J. Putz-x, June 5 SS Jose Reyes, May 21 LHP Billy Wagner, March 27 Philadelphia RHP Brett Myers, May 28. Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit, April 20 LHP Phil Dumatrait-x, March 27 RHP Craig Hansen, April 20 LHP Donnie Veal, May 30 RHP Tyler Yates, May 16 St. Louis LHP Jaime Garcia, March 27 3B Troy Glaus, March 27 SS Khalil Greene, May 28 San Diego RHP Mike Adams-x, April 1 RHP Cha Seung Baek-x, March 30 SS Everth Cabrera-x, April 20 OF Scott Hairston, June 3 RHP Shawn Hill, April 26 2B Luis Rodriguez, May 14 RHP Mark Worrell-x, April 1 San Francisco LHP Noah Lowry-x, March 26 RHP Joseph Martinez-x, April 10 Washington CF Roger Bernadina-x, April 19 LHP Matt Chico-x, March 27 C Jesus Flores, May 10 LHP Scott Olsen, May 17 RHP Kip Wells, June 2 1B Dmitri Young, April 1 RHP Terrell Young, March 27

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Baseball

17

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

AMERICAN LEAGUE Toronto 9, Kansas City 3

Cleveland 6, Chicago White Sox 0

Not even Greinke can stop Royals’ slump

First shutout for Pavano since ’05

Blue Jays 9, Royals 3 Kansas City AB R Crisp cf 3 0 Bloomquist lf 4 0 Butler 1b 4 1 J.Guillen rf 4 1 Jacobs dh 4 1 Callaspo 2b 3 0 Teahen 3b 4 0 Olivo c 3 0 Pena Jr. ss 2 0 Totals 31 3

H 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 5

BI 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3

BB 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3

SO 1 0 0 2 1 0 2 1 0 7

Avg. .224 .284 .282 .255 .233 .293 .271 .242 .053

Toronto Scutaro ss A.Hill 2b Rios rf V.Wells cf Lind lf Rolen 3b Overbay 1b Millar dh Barajas c Totals

H 3 0 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 10

BI 0 0 1 2 1 0 3 0 2 9

BB 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3

SO 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 6

Avg. .302 .309 .266 .257 .316 .294 .291 .260 .288

AB 4 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 35

R 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 9

Kansas City 000 000 300 — Toronto 114 010 02x —

3 5 3 9 10 0

E: J.Guillen (2), Pena Jr. (2), Teahen (4). LOB: Kansas City 4, Toronto 5. 2B: Scutaro 3 (18), Rios (15), Overbay (15). HR: J.Guillen (6), off R.Romero; Jacobs (10), off R.Romero; Overbay (6), off Greinke; Lind (9), off Greinke; Barajas (4), off J.Cruz. RBIs: J.Guillen 2 (25), Jacobs (26), Rios (27), V.Wells 2 (27), Lind (39), Overbay 3 (30), Barajas 2 (29). Runners left in scoring position: Kansas City 1 (Bloomquist); Toronto 4 (Lind, Millar, Rios 2). DP: Kansas City 1 (Pena Jr., Callaspo, Butler); Toronto 2 (Scutaro, A.Hill, Overbay), (Scutaro, A.Hill, Overbay).

DARREN CALABRESE / AP

Toronto SS Marco Scutaro, left, watches as teammate Aaron Hill turns a double play while jumping over a sliding Willie Bloomquist of Kansas City. TORONTO—Zack Greinke felt weird after taking his worst pounding of the season. Adam Lind and Lyle Overbay hit solo home runs and the Toronto Blue Jays roughed up the Kansas City ace, handing the Royals their eighth straight loss, 9-3 on Friday night. “They hit me real hard today,” Greinke said. “Whatever I threw was hit. Even the outs were hit hard.”

Rod Barajas added a two-run shot for the Blue Jays, who boosted Greinke’s ERA from 1.10 to 1.55. “No matter what I threw, it was just hammered,” Greinke said. “I’m not used to that. I don’t remember seeing anyone get hit that hard in a long time.” Seeking to join Toronto’s Roy Halladay as the only nine-game winners in baseball, Greinke (8-2) was instead tagged for a season high seven

runs—five earned—and nine hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out three. The righthander dropped to 1-4 with a 7.07 ERA in his career at Rogers Centre. “It was kind of weird out there,” Greinke said. “It’s one thing to get hit, but everything was a line drive. “Today, I just got crushed,” he added. — The Associated Press

Kansas City Greinke L, 8-2 Ho.Ramirez J.Cruz Toronto R.Romero W, 3-2 Frasor Downs

IP 5 2 1 IP 7 1 1

H 9 0 1 H 5 0 0

R ER BB SO NP ERA 7 5 1 3 101 1.55 0 0 1 1 23 5.96 2 2 1 2 26 4.56 R ER BB SO NP ERA 3 3 2 5 90 4.10 0 0 0 0 9 2.29 0 0 1 2 13 2.25

WP: Greinke, R.Romero. PB: Barajas. Umpires: Home, Mark Carlson; First, Tim Tschida; Second, Bob Davidson; Third, Jeff Nelson. T: 2:27. A: 15,435 (49,539).

CHICAGO—Carl Pavano is closing in on the form that earned him a big contract from the Yankees—and eluded him for four years in New York. Pavano pitched a three-hitter for his fifth career shutout and Mark DeRosa hit a three-run homer, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 6-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. Pavano (6-4) handled the White Sox lineup with relative ease in his first shutout since May 17, 2005, for the Yankees. He faced four batters over the minimum. Pavano signed a four-year $39.95 million deal with the Yankees after going 18-8 with 3.00 ERA with the Marlins in 2004, but won just 14 games with them. Now away from New York, Pavano is showing signs of the brilliance he displayed with Florida. “I think every year is a new year. Obviously I had a good year in ’04 but this is a new year for me,” said Pavano. “I just want to build off of what I’ve been doing. I’ve learned from the success that I’ve had in the past but not dwell too much on it.” After giving up a leadoff double in the first inning to Scott Podsednik, he retired the next three hitters and stranded Podsednik at third. Pavano is 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA after going 0-3 with a 9.50 ERA in April. — The Associated Press

Indians 6, White Sox 0 Cleveland AB R B.Francisco cf-rf 4 1 DeRosa 3b 5 1 V.Martinez 1b 4 0 Choo lf 3 0 Jh.Peralta ss 4 0 Hafner dh 4 1 Garko rf 2 2 Crowe cf 1 1 Shoppach c 4 0 Barfield 2b 4 0 Totals 35 6

SO 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 6

Avg. .257 .263 .344 .303 .258 .269 .254 .200 .202 .625

Chicago AB R H BI BB SO Podsednik lf 4 0 1 0 0 1 Al.Ramirez ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 Thome dh 3 0 0 0 1 1 Konerko 1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 Pierzynski c 3 0 2 0 0 0 Bri.Anderson cf 3 0 0 0 0 1 Wise rf 3 0 0 0 0 1 Beckham 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 Getz 2b 2 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 29 0 3 0 2 6

Avg. .292 .249 .247 .295 .304 .255 .167 .000 .245

Cleveland Chicago

H 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 2 9

BI 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 6

BB 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

003 002 001 — 000 000 000 —

6 9 0 0 3 1

E: Getz (3). LOB: Cleveland 5, Chicago 4. 2B: Crowe (3), Podsednik (6), Pierzynski (7). HR: DeRosa (9), off Danks; Hafner (5), off Danks; Garko (6), off Danks. RBIs: DeRosa 3 (37), Hafner (9), Garko (24), Barfield (2). Runners left in scoring position: Cleveland 2 (Shoppach, Hafner); Chicago 2 (Konerko, Bri.Anderson). DP: Cleveland 1 (Barfield, Jh.Peralta, V.Martinez); Chicago 2 (Beckham, Getz, Konerko), (Al.Ramirez, Getz, Konerko). Cleveland Pavano W, 6-4 Chicago Danks L, 4-4 Carrasco Linebrink Jenks

IP 9 IP 5 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 1 1

H 3 H 6 0 1 2

R ER BB SO NP ERA 0 0 2 6 101 4.63 R ER BB SO NP ERA 5 5 2 4 100 5.10 0 0 0 1 13 2.25 0 0 1 0 16 1.83 1 1 0 1 24 3.32

Umpires: Home, Dana DeMuth; First, Doug Eddings; Second, Hunter Wendelstedt; Third, Brian Knight. T: 2:24. A: 29,825 (40,615).

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18

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

AMERICAN LEAGUE L.A. Angels 2, Detroit 1

Oakland 9, Baltimore 1

Santana gets first win since Sept. 22

A’s win streak reaches four

DETROIT—Ervin Santana knew he had to be patient as he recovered from an elbow injury that cost him the first six weeks of the season. Friday, that patience paid off. Santana didn’t allow a run until the ninth inning and posted his first win of the season as the Los Angeles Angels beat the slumping Detroit Tigers 2-1. “Ervin answered a lot of questions with a resounding ‘yes’ tonight,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. “He’s been through a lot this year, so this was big for him.” Santana (1-2) picked up his first win since Sept. 22, after allowing 15 runs in his previous two outings. He improved to 4-0 against Detroit since the start of 2008 by allowing six hits and two walks in 8 2-3 innings, striking out seven. “I wasn’t worried, because I knew things weren’t going to be perfect coming back from injury,” he said. “I’m always happy to be out there, but today was even better than usual.” Torii Hunter and Kendry Morales started the ninth with singles off Fernando Rodney (0-1). Juan Rivera fouled off six pitches before poking a single to right through the drawn-in infield for the game’s first run. “I just wanted to get the ball up in the air and over the infield,” Rivera said through an interpreter. “He was throwing me changeups and high fastballs, and I just kept fouling them off until I got one I could hit.” After Erick Aybar’s sacrifice bunt, Howie Kendrick’s groundout made it 2-0. Magglio Ordonez hit an RBI single in the ninth, but Angels closer Brian Fuentes replaced Santana and eventually got his 15th save. — The Associated Press

Angels 2, Tigers 1 Los Angeles AB Figgins 3b 3 Abreu rf 1 Guerrero dh 4 Tor.Hunter cf 4 K.Morales 1b 4 J.Rivera lf 4 E.Aybar ss 3 Mathis c 2 a-M.Izturis ph 0 Napoli c 0 Kendrick 2b 4 Totals 29

R 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

H 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 7

BI 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2

BB 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5

SO 1 1 0 1 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 8

Avg. .302 .295 .270 .316 .277 .299 .277 .221 .269 .270 .229

Detroit AB R H BI BB SO J.Anderson lf 4 1 2 0 0 0 Polanco 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 Thomas rf 3 0 0 0 0 1 b-Mi.Cabrera ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 1-Raburn pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ordonez dh 4 0 2 1 0 1 Granderson cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 Inge 3b 2 0 0 0 1 1 Larish 1b 3 0 0 0 0 1 Laird c 3 0 1 0 0 1 Everett ss 2 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 29 1 6 1 2 7

Avg. .269 .245 .240 .354 .265 .280 .271 .277 .214 .226 .263

Los Angeles 000 000 002 — Detroit 000 000 001 —

2 7 0 1 6 1

a-was intentionally walked for Mathis in the 9th. b-walked for Thomas in the 9th. 1-ran for Mi.Cabrera in the 9th. E: Inge (5). LOB: Los Angeles 8, Detroit 4. 2B: Ordonez (8), Laird (6). 3B: J.Anderson (3). RBIs: J.Rivera (22), Kendrick (21), Ordonez (20). SB: Figgins (21). CS: Kendrick (2), J.Anderson (2). S: Figgins, E.Aybar, Everett. Runners left in scoring position: Los Angeles 5 (Guerrero 2, K.Morales, Figgins 2); Detroit 3 (Larish, Polanco, Granderson). DP: Los Angeles 2 (Figgins, Kendrick, K.Morales), (Kendrick, E.Aybar, K.Morales); Detroit 1 (Inge, Polanco, Larish). Los Angeles IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA E.Santana W, 1-2 8 2⁄3 6 1 1 2 7 109 6.75 Fuentes S, 15-18 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 3 4.95 Detroit IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Verlander 8 4 0 0 4 7 119 3.26 Rodney L, 0-1 1 3 2 2 1 1 32 3.52 Inherited runners-scored: Fuentes 2-0. IBB: off Rodney (M.Izturis), off Verlander (Abreu). HBP: by Verlander (Mathis). Umpires: Home, Phil Cuzzi; First, Tom Hallion; Second, Jerry Crawford; Third, Dan Bellino. T: 2:35. A: 31,187 (41,255).

DUANE BURLESON / AP

Juan Rivera’s RBI single in the ninth inning broke a scoreless tie.

OAKLAND—Jack Cust and Matt Holiday each hit three-run homers, Dallas Braden matched his career high of seven strikeouts and the Oakland Athletics beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-1 on Friday night. Aaron Cunningham drove in two runs while Adam Kennedy had a pair of hits and scored twice for the A’s, who extended their winning streak to a seasonhigh four games. Braden (5-5) scattered five hits and allowed one run over five innings while improving to 4-1 against Baltimore. He had seven strikeouts for the fifth time in his career and didn’t walk anyone for the second time this season. The four-game streak is Oakland’s longest since winning four straight from Sept. 19-22, 2008. Pitching has been a big reason. The A’s staff combined for a pair of shutouts in the weekend series with the White Sox, then got another solid outing from Braden. The lefty baffled the Orioles most of the evening and allowed only one runner to reach second base through the first six innings. He also started a 1-6-3 double play in the fifth to shut down a potential scoring threat. Braden’s lone mistake came with two outs in the seventh when he gave up a home run to Luke Scott, ending a 20-inning scoreless streak by A’s pitchers. — The Associated Press

Athletics 9, Orioles 1 Baltimore AB R B.Roberts 2b 4 0 Ad.Jones cf 3 0 Pie cf 1 0 Markakis rf 3 0 Reimold rf 1 0 A.Huff dh 4 0 Mora 3b 3 0 Scott lf 3 1 Wigginton 1b 3 0 Wieters c 3 0 Andino ss 3 0 Totals 31 1

SO 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 9

Avg. .287 .340 .202 .289 .275 .263 .270 .323 .224 .167 .239

Oakland AB R H BI BB SO O.Cabrera ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 Kennedy 2b 4 2 2 0 0 1 Cust dh 3 2 1 3 1 1 Holliday lf 3 1 2 3 0 0 Giambi 1b 2 1 0 0 1 0 Crosby 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 K.Suzuki c 4 1 1 0 0 1 Cunningham rf 4 1 1 2 0 0 Hannahan 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 R.Davis cf 4 0 1 1 0 0 Totals 33 9 10 9 2 3

Avg. .226 .340 .249 .286 .217 .205 .283 .154 .183 .192

Baltimore Oakland

H 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 5

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

BB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

000 000 100 — 600 030 00x —

1 5 1 9 10 1

E: Andino (3), Cunningham (1). LOB: Baltimore 3, Oakland 3. 2B: K.Suzuki (16). HR: Scott (13), off Braden; Cust (9), off Guthrie; Holliday (8), off Hendrickson. RBIs: Scott (33), Cust 3 (31), Holliday 3 (36), Cunningham 2 (6), R.Davis (1). Runners left in scoring position: Baltimore 1 (Wieters); Oakland 1 (R.Davis). DP: Baltimore 2 (Andino, B.Roberts, Wigginton), (Andino, B.Roberts, Wigginton); Oakland 1 (Braden, O.Cabrera, Giambi). Baltimore Guthrie L, 4-5 Hendrickson Albers A.Castillo Bass Oakland Braden W, 5-5 E.Gonzalez Springer

IP 2⁄3 3 1⁄3 2 1 1 IP 7 1 1

H 7 2 1 0 0 H 5 0 0

R ER BB SO NP ERA 6 6 0 0 29 5.61 3 3 2 1 56 5.72 0 0 0 1 18 5.30 0 0 0 1 10 0.00 0 0 0 0 13 3.93 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 0 7 101 3.41 0 0 0 1 18 4.91 0 0 0 1 10 6.64

Hendrickson pitched to 4 batters in the 5th. Inherited runners-scored: Hendrickson 1-0, Albers 1-0. HBP: by A.Castillo (Holliday). WP: Bass. Umpires: Home, Gary Darling; First, Bill Hohn; Second, Bruce Dreckman; Third, Paul Emmel. T: 2:14. A: 12,608 (35,067).

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19

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NATIONAL LEAGUE Colorado 11, St. Louis 4

Patience pays off for De La Rosa ST. LOUIS—Jorge De La Rosa’s first victory after an 0-6 start was no breeze. He was nursing a one-run lead before the Colorado Rockies scored nine runs in the seventh inning, a franchise record for a road game. Manager Jim Tracy was impressed with the lefthander’s composure after giving up a home run to Albert Pujols that cut the deficit to 2-1 in the sixth. De La Rosa finished the inning with two easy outs before the Rockies erupted in an 11-4 victory Friday night. “It’s the first time all year I really believe he turned the page, went right to the next hitter and put the inning down right there,” Tracy said. “I was very encouraged by the way he threw his shoulders back and let it go.” De La Rosa also got his first RBI on a bases-loaded walk off Dennys Reyes in the breakaway seventh, which eclipsed the previous franchise mark of eight. It also was the first walk of his career in 74 at-bats with the take sign still on at 3-1. “The coach told me to wait for one (strike), then he said one more,” De La Rosa said. Dexter Fowler homered for a 2-0 lead in the sixth and drew a bases-loaded walk one at-bat after the .056-hitting De La Rosa’s free pass in the Rockies’ biggest inning of the year. Todd Helton added a three-run double, and Ian Stewart had a three-run homer for Colorado, which scored 10 runs Thursday to beat Houston. “The one inning makes it really a bad game,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “But even when the game was closer they were hitting and pitching better than we were.”

Rockies 11, Cardinals 4 Colorado AB R Fowler cf 3 2 C.Gonzalez cf 1 0 Barmes ss 5 1 Helton 1b 4 1 1-Quintanilla pr-2b 0 0 Atkins 3b-1b 4 1 Hawpe rf 4 1 Stewart 2b-3b 4 2 S.Smith lf 3 1 Fogg p 1 0 P.Phillips c 4 1 De La Rosa p 2 1 Spilborghs lf 1 0 Totals 36 11

H BI 1 2 0 0 2 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 9 11

BB 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 8

SO 1 0 1 2 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 2 1 11

Avg. .256 .000 .270 .314 .217 .196 .346 .214 .265 .000 .235 .056 .262

St. Louis Br.Ryan 2b Ankiel cf T.Miller p a-Thurston ph Pujols 1b LaRue c Ludwick rf Stavinoha lf Todd p Rasmus cf Y.Molina c-1b Barden 3b Wainwright p D.Reyes p Motte p Duncan lf T.Greene ss Totals

H 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 10

BB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3

SO 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 8

Avg. .287 .227 --.259 .344 .250 .241 .245 --.253 .265 .235 .152 ----.253 .300

Colorado St. Louis

TOM GANNAM / AP

Colorado’s Clint Barmes, right, scored from first on a RBI double by Todd Helton in the seventh inning. Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Ryan Ludwick homered for the Cardinals, who wasted a strong outing by Adam Wainwright (5-4). Molina hit his first homer since May 5 in the seventh, four innings after Helton him on the side of the head on a backswing. Pujols was 1-for-4 to end a streak of 15 straight games in which he reached base at least twice, tying Keith Hernandez (1980) for the Cardinals’ longest run in 50 years. Pete Rose’s 20-game streak in 1979 is the longest in the majors over that span. Tracy put De La Rosa (1-6) on notice before the game, noting that it was a “performance business.” De La Rosa’s losing streak had been tied with the

Tigers’ Armando Galarraga for the longest in the major leagues and he’d lost his previous three starts while allowing 18 runs in 12 innings. Before Friday, the Rockies averaged only 2.3 runs in his outings—thirdlowest in the N.L. The Cardinals were 0 for 7 with five strikeouts with runners in scoring position the first six innings while falling behind, and De La Rosa ended up allowing three runs in 6 2-3 innings for his first victory in 11 starts since Sept. 25 at San Francisco. “It’s nice to get the first one,” De La Rosa said. “It took a long time. I hope I keep pitching like I pitched today.” — The Associated Press

AB 5 4 0 1 4 0 4 3 0 1 4 3 2 0 0 1 2 34

R 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4

BI 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

010 001 900 — 11 9 0 000 001 210 — 4 10 1

a-struck out for T.Miller in the 9th. 1-ran for Helton in the 8th. E: Barden (4). LOB: Colorado 6, St. Louis 7. 2B: Helton (13), Stewart (6), Ankiel (10). HR: Fowler (3), off Wainwright; Stewart (9), off Todd; Pujols (18), off De La Rosa; Y.Molina (4), off De La Rosa; Ludwick (9), off Fogg. RBIs: Fowler 2 (12), Barmes (21), Helton 3 (39), Stewart 4 (27), De La Rosa (1), Ankiel (12), Pujols (49), Ludwick (28), Y.Molina (18). SB: T.Greene (3). S: Barden. Runners left in scoring position: Colorado 3 (De La Rosa, Hawpe 2); St. Louis 6 (Ludwick, Ankiel, Br.Ryan, Pujols 2, Thurston). DP: Colorado 2 (Stewart, Quintanilla, Atkins), (Quintanilla, Barmes, Atkins); St. Louis 1 (Pujols, Y.Molina). Colorado De La Rosa W, 1-6 Fogg St. Louis Wainwright L, 5-4 D.Reyes Motte Todd T.Miller

IP 6 2⁄3 2 1⁄3 IP 6 0 0 1 2⁄3 1 1⁄3

H 7 3 H 3 1 2 3 0

R ER 3 3 1 1 R ER 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 0 0

BB SO NP ERA 2 7 101 5.28 1 1 29 2.00 BB SO NP ERA 3 8 112 3.35 2 0 11 5.52 1 0 17 3.97 2 2 45 10.80 0 1 13 3.60

Wainwright pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. D.Reyes pitched to 3 batters in the 7th. Motte pitched to 3 batters in the 7th. Inherited runners-scored: Fogg 2-0, D.Reyes 1-1, Motte 3-3, Todd 1-1, T.Miller 3-0. WP: De La Rosa 2. Umpires: Home, Tim Welke; First, Jim Reynolds; Second, Angel Hernandez; Third, Bill Welke. T: 3:13. A: 41,115 (43,975).

Chicago Cubs 2, Cincinnati 1

Big Z gets 100th win CINCINNATI—Carlos Zambrano was prepared to do everything he could to earn his 100th career victory. Zambrano pitched into the seventh inning, hit a key home run and added a couple of headsup defensive plays for good measure to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. “I felt good,” said Zambrano, who didn’t allow a hit until Adam Rosales lined a single to left with one out in the fifth inning. “Thank God we won the game. I’m happy about the 100th win. It makes me proud, but the most important thing is we won. After my last start, I felt bad about what happened.” Zambrano gave up two hits and a season-high five walks in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven while reaching the milestone in his third try since beating Florida on May 3 for win No. 99. Since then, he spent 19 days on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, lost at San Diego and was suspended six games for an altercation with plate umpire Mark Carlson on May 27 in Chicago. His return was delayed one more day by rain that washed out his scheduled start Thursday in Atlanta. “Zambrano pitched really, really well—really well,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. “He got a little tired at the end.” — The Associated Press

Cubs 2, Reds 1 Chicago A.Soriano lf Theriot ss Fukudome cf-rf D.Lee 1b Hoffpauir rf Marmol p Gregg p Fontenot 3b K.Hill c A.Blanco 2b Zambrano p A.Guzman p Re.Johnson cf Totals

SO 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 10

Avg. .243 .286 .302 .263 .275 ----.232 .269 .150 .269 .000 .287

Cincinnati AB R H BI BB SO Hairston Jr. 3b 4 1 0 0 1 2 Dickerson cf 4 0 0 0 1 1 B.Phillips 2b 4 0 1 1 0 2 L.Nix lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 R.Hernandez c 3 0 0 0 1 1 Bruce rf 2 0 1 0 2 0 Ale.Gonzalez ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 A.Rosales 1b 3 0 1 0 1 1 Owings p 1 0 0 0 1 1 Masset p 0 0 0 0 0 0 a-Gomes ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 Rhodes p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cordero p 0 0 0 0 0 0 b-Hanigan ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 1-W.Castillo pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 1 4 1 7 8

Avg. .253 .241 .284 .278 .272 .215 .209 .232 .290 --.300 ----.325 .500

Chicago Cincinnati

AB 4 5 3 3 4 0 0 3 4 3 3 0 1 33

R 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

H 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 7

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2

BB 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4

100 010 000 — 000 000 010 —

2 7 1 1 4 0

a-grounded into a fielder’s choice for Masset in the 7th. b-singled for Cordero in the 9th. 1-ran for Hanigan in the 9th. E: Theriot (5). LOB: Chicago 9, Cincinnati 10. 2B: A.Soriano (12). 3B: B.Phillips (3). HR: Zambrano (2), off Owings. RBIs: Fontenot (24), Zambrano (3), B.Phillips (41). SB: A.Soriano (6), Theriot (8). S: A.Blanco. Runners left in scoring position: Chicago 7 (K.Hill 2, Hoffpauir, A.Blanco, Fukudome, Theriot 2); Cincinnati 4 (Hairston Jr., Gomes, Bruce, Dickerson). DP: Chicago 1 (D.Lee, Zambrano). Chicago IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Zambrano W, 4-2 6 2⁄3 2 0 0 5 7 109 3.72 A.Guzman H, 6 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 4 2.45 Marmol H, 13 1 1 1 1 2 0 23 3.46 Gregg S, 10-12 1 1 0 0 0 1 23 4.81 Cincinnati IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Owings L, 3-7 6 5 2 2 3 6 98 4.90 Masset 1 1 0 0 0 2 14 0.95 Rhodes 1 0 0 0 0 2 11 0.47 Cordero 1 1 0 0 1 0 16 1.57 Inherited runners-scored: A.Guzman 2-0. WP: Gregg. Umpires: Home, Mike DiMuro; First, Dale Scott; Second, Jerry Meals; Third, Damien Beal. T: 2:55. A: 32,374 (42,319).

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20

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NATIONAL LEAGUE N.Y. Mets 3, Washington 1, 10 innings

No power, no problem for Wright

Mets 3, Nationals 1, 10 innings New York AB R H BI BB Cora ss 4 0 0 0 1 L.Castillo 2b 5 1 1 0 0 Beltran cf 4 1 1 0 1 D.Wright 3b 5 1 4 2 0 Dan.Murphy 1b 4 0 0 0 1 Tatis lf 3 0 1 1 1 F.Martinez rf 3 0 0 0 2 Schneider c 2 0 1 0 0 b-Brown ph 0 0 0 0 1 Santos c 1 0 0 0 0 Redding p 2 0 0 0 0 c-Sheffield ph 1 0 0 0 0 Stokes p 0 0 0 0 0 Parnell p 0 0 0 0 0 e-Reed ph 1 0 0 0 0 S.Green p 0 0 0 0 0 Fr.Rodriguez p 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 35 3 8 3 7

SO 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4

Avg. .300 .281 .353 .338 .242 .271 .200 .207 .000 .258 .200 .266 ----.317 -----

Washington AB C.Guzman ss 5 N.Johnson 1b 4 Zimmerman 3b 4 Dunn lf 2 Dukes cf 4 Kearns rf 4 J.Bard c 4 A.Hernandez 2b 4 Martis p 1 a-Alb.Gonzalez ph 1 Bergmann p 0 Villone p 0 MacDougal p 0 d-Belliard ph 1 Beimel p 0 Hanrahan p 0 f-W.Harris ph 1 Totals 35

SO 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5

Avg. .333 .323 .320 .258 .262 .220 .214 .278 .238 .283 .000 ----.176 ----.269

R 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

H 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

BB 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

New York 010 000 000 2 —3 8 0 Washington 000 010 000 0 —1 7 2

HARAZ N. GHANBARI / AP

Luis Castillo, left, and Carlos Beltran, right, head back to the dugout after scoring on David Wright’s double in the 10th inning that gave the Mets the lead. WASHINGTON—While David Wright continues to search for his power stroke, he’s still finding ways to contribute offensively. Wright’s two-run double, his fourth hit of the night, broke a 10th-inning tie and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 3-1 on Friday night to snap a three-game losing streak. “I’m concentrating on trying to get hits,” said Wright, who has homered three times after hitting a career-high 33 a year ago. “I don’t consider myself necessarily a home run hitter, so if I go gapto-gap, if I get my doubles, if I drive my runs in, I’m satisfied with that.” Luis Castillo led off the 10th with a

single off Joel Hanrahan (0-3), rolling an 0-2 slider into right field before Carlos Beltran walked. Wright then lined a 2-2 fastball into the gap in right-center to score both runners and match his singlegame high for hits. Wright leads the Mets with 20 multihit games and has 27 RBIs in 34 games. Nationals manager Manny Acta wasn’t pleased with Hanrahan’s pitch selection and wondered why the righthander didn’t place more trust in his fastball. “(Hanrahan) continued to have so much more confidence in that slider than that 95 mph fastball,” Acta said. “Perhaps he doesn’t have as much confidence as we have in it.”

Hanrahan responded by insisting that he threw enough fastballs to keep the Mets honest. “I was trying to get a strikeout (against Castillo) and that’s kind of been my strikeout pitch,” Hanrahan said. “It was a situation where I probably could have thrown him a fastball and he could have put the ball in play, because he doesn’t strike out a lot. I just tried to throw one in the dirt there, and it didn’t get quite to where it needed to be.” Sean Green (1-2) worked a perfect ninth for the victory and Francisco Rodriguez improved to 15 for 15 in save opportunities with a scoreless 10th. — The Associated Press

a-singled for Martis in the 5th. b-walked for Schneider in the 7th. c-struck out for Redding in the 7th. d-struck out for MacDougal in the 7th. e-grounded out for Parnell in the 9th. f-grounded out for Hanrahan in the 10th. E: C.Guzman (8), Bergmann (1). LOB: New York 10, Washington 7. 2B: Beltran (17), D.Wright 2 (15), Tatis (5), Schneider (2), C.Guzman (12), J.Bard (5). RBIs: D.Wright 2 (33), Tatis (12), Alb.Gonzalez (8). CS: D.Wright (8). Runners left in scoring position: New York 6 (L.Castillo 2, Cora, F.Martinez 3); Washington 3 (Zimmerman 2, Dukes). DP: New York 2 (Cora, L.Castillo, Dan.Murphy), (Cora, L.Castillo, Dan.Murphy); Washington 1 (A.Hernandez, C.Guzman, N.Johnson). New York IP Redding 6 Stokes 1 Parnell 1 S.Green W, 1-2 1 Fr.Rodriguez S, 15-15 1 Washington IP Martis 5 Bergmann 1 Villone 1⁄3 MacDougal 2⁄3 Beimel 1 Hanrahan L, 0-3 2

H 6 0 1 0 0 H 3 1 0 0 1 3

R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 2 2 88 6.97 0 0 0 1 12 2.49 0 0 1 0 13 1.99 0 0 0 1 9 5.70 0 0 0 1 13 0.70 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 4 1 110 5.31 0 0 0 0 14 3.65 0 0 1 0 10 0.00 0 0 0 1 6 7.71 0 0 1 1 20 4.43 2 2 1 1 38 6.84

Bergmann pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. Inherited runners-scored: Villone 1-0, MacDougal 2-0. IBB: off Redding (N.Johnson), off Parnell (Dunn). HBP: by Bergmann (Tatis). WP: Parnell, Hanrahan. Umpires: Home, Jim Joyce; First, Brian Runge; Second, Derryl Cousins; Third, D.J. Reyburn. T: 3:18. A: 20,353 (41,888).

San Francisco 2, Florida 1

’Pen holds on for Zito’s 2nd MIAMI—Barry Zito couldn’t do anything but watch as the bullpen tried to preserve his first win in five starts. Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer, Zito ended a four-start losing streak and the San Francisco Giants beat the Florida Marlins 2-1 on Friday night. Zito (2-6) went five-plus innings, allowing one run on four hits to get his first win since May 8 at Los Angeles. Brandon Medders and Sergio Romo combined for three scoreless innings of relief. Brian Wilson loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but got Jorge Cantu to ground out for his 14th save in 17 opportunities. Zito stayed in the dugout until the final out. “It’s a little nerve-racking. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a coach,” Zito said. “The first thing people mention is your record. It’s the last thing we can control so it’s definitely rewarding.” The Giants have won eight of 10. Sandoval homered off Chris Volstad in the fourth for a 2-0 lead. Bengie Molina led off the inning with a single and Sandoval followed with a drive over the right-field wall, his fourth of the season. “I got the right pitch to hit, a fastball in,” Sandoval said. “I’m usually a line-drive hitter and I was just trying to put the ball in play.” — The Associated Press

Giants 2, Marlins 1 San Francisco AB Rowand cf 5 B.Wilson p 0 F.Lewis lf 4 Romo p 0 d-Torres ph-cf 1 Winn rf-lf 4 B.Molina c 4 Sandoval 1b 4 Uribe ss 4 Aurilia 3b 2 Burriss 2b 4 Zito p 2 Medders p 0 c-Schierholtz ph-rf 2 Totals 36

R 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

H 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 11

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

BB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2

SO 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 9

Avg. .302 .000 .269 --.235 .287 .253 .306 .297 .214 .267 .111 .000 .250

Florida Bonifacio 3b f-Helms ph Hermida lf Ha.Ramirez ss Cantu 1b Uggla 2b C.Ross cf-rf R.Paulino c B.Carroll rf a-De Aza ph-cf Volstad p b-Gload ph Calero p Sanches p Meyer p Nunez p e-Coghlan ph Totals

R 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

H 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

BB 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6

SO 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7

Avg. .246 .235 .260 .335 .276 .223 .255 .250 .200 .308 .083 .273 --.000 .000 --.205

AB 4 1 4 4 3 3 3 4 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 31

San Francisco 000 200 000 — Florida 000 001 000 —

2 11 1 1 6 0

a-hit a sacrifice fly for B.Carroll in the 6th. b-flied out for Volstad in the 6th. c-singled for Medders in the 7th. d-struck out for Romo in the 9th. e-sacrificed for Nunez in the 9th. f-struck out for Bonifacio in the 9th. E: Uribe (4). LOB: San Francisco 9, Florida 12. 2B: Rowand (17), Uribe (6). HR: Sandoval (4), off Volstad. RBIs: Sandoval 2 (24), De Aza (3). SB: Rowand (4). S: Coghlan. SF: De Aza. Runners left in scoring position: San Francisco 4 (Burriss 3, B.Molina); Florida 8 (R.Paulino, Ha.Ramirez, Volstad 2, Gload 2, Cantu 2). GIDP: F.Lewis, R.Paulino. DP: San Francisco 1 (Aurilia, Burriss, Sandoval); Florida 1 (Bonifacio, Uggla, Cantu). San Francisco Zito W, 2-6 Medders H, 4 Romo H, 1 B.Wilson S, 14-17 Florida Volstad L, 4-5 Calero Sanches Meyer Nunez

IP 5 1 2 1 IP 6 1 2⁄3 2⁄3 2⁄3

H 4 1 1 0 H 8 1 2 0 0

R ER BB SO 1 1 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 1 R ER BB SO 2 2 1 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

NP ERA 95 3.86 11 2.55 25 6.75 29 3.71 NP ERA 89 3.65 14 1.93 16 0.00 4 2.55 8 3.25

Zito pitched to 2 batters in the 6th. Inherited runnersscored: Medders 2-1, Meyer 3-0. IBB: off Sanches (Aurilia). HBP: by Zito (Cantu). Umpires: Home, Gary Cederstrom; First, Jim Wolf; Second, Brian O’Nora; Third, Fieldin Culbreth. T: 3:06. A: 12,841 (38,560).

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21

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NATIONAL LEAGUE Milwaukee 4, Atlanta 0

Houston 9, Pittsburgh 1

Gallardo has no problem sharing shutout

Hampton tops Pirates again

ATLANTA—Yovani Gallardo doesn’t mind waiting a bit longer for his first career shutout. Sharing a combined shutout with Carlos Villanueva was fine with him, as long as it meant another win for firstplace Milwaukee. Gallardo gave up only two hits in eight scoreless innings, rookie Mat Gamel drove in three runs and the N.L. Central-leading Brewers shut out the Atlanta Braves 4-0 on Friday night. Gallardo (6-2) walked four with six strikeouts and gave up no singles in eight innings. He allowed no baserunner past second base and threw 110 pitches. The pitch count was too high to start the ninth. “I have no problem with it,” Gallardo said of Milwaukee manager Ken Macha’s decision to bring in Villanueva for the ninth. “I’m just happy we got the win. ... I keep going until they tell me not to.” Macha said he resisted the thought of leaving the 23-year-old Gallardo in the game. “We’ve been trying to watch his pitch count,” Macha said. “I’m sure he would have liked to have gotten the complete-game shutout.” The Braves’ only hits off Gallardo were doubles—in the third inning by Martin Prado and in the seventh by Brian McCann. “He’s got unbelievable breaking stuff, knows where the fastball is going,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said. “He really is a dominant-type pitcher. I can’t complain.” Villanueva completed the shutout with a perfect ninth inning. Gamel hit a two-run double in the fourth to drive in Prince Fielder and

Brewers 4, Braves 0 Milwaukee AB R Counsell 2b 5 0 Hardy ss 5 1 Braun lf 5 1 Fielder 1b 2 1 M.Cameron cf 3 1 Gamel 3b 4 0 Hall 3b 0 0 Hart rf 4 0 Kendall c 4 0 Gallardo p 4 0 Villanueva p 0 0 Totals 36 4

H 2 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 10

BI 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 4

BB 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

SO 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 9

Avg. .309 .237 .313 .293 .278 .256 .211 .246 .214 .154 .333

Atlanta K.Johnson 2b Escobar ss McLouth cf C.Jones 3b McCann c G.Anderson lf Francoeur rf Prado 1b Jurrjens p O’Flaherty p a-Norton ph Acosta p Totals

H 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BB 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

SO 1 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 7

Avg. .250 .288 .250 .315 .303 .256 .248 .247 .130 --.125 ---

AB 3 4 4 3 3 2 3 3 2 0 1 0 28

R 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Milwaukee 000 220 000 — Atlanta 000 000 000 —

JOHN BAZEMORE / AP

Yovani Gallardo kept the Braves’ bats in check, giving up only two hits over eight innings. Mike Cameron. Gamel added a runscoring single in the Brewers’ two-run fifth, raising his batting average from .229 to .256 in his seventh start at third base. “I’m finally getting comfortable with my stats,” Gamel said. “I’m ready for whatever they want me to do—spot start, pinch-hit or whatever.” Gamel started ahead of Bill Hall, who’s hitting only .211 and entered as a defensive replacement.

Gallardo, who pitched eight scoreless innings but received no decision in the Brewers’ 1-0 win over St. Louis in 10 innings on May 25, has allowed one earned run in his last three starts. “I felt good,” he said. “The first three innings, my command was a little bit off. As the game went on, I was able to get that under control.” The Brewers began the night tied with St. Louis for first place in the N.L. Central. — The Associated Press

4 10 0 0 2 2

a-flied out for O’Flaherty in the 8th. E: C.Jones (8), Escobar (6). LOB: Milwaukee 8, Atlanta 5. 2B: Fielder (10), Gamel (3), McCann (7), Prado (9). RBIs: M.Cameron (28), Gamel 3 (9). Runners left in scoring position: Milwaukee 2 (Gallardo, Hart); Atlanta 3 (Escobar, Francoeur, Prado). GIDP: M.Cameron, Gallardo, G.Anderson. DP: Milwaukee 1 (Counsell, Hardy, Fielder); Atlanta 2 (Jurrjens, Escobar, K.Johnson), (Escobar, K.Johnson, Prado). Milwaukee Gallardo W, 6-2 Villanueva Atlanta Jurrjens L, 5-3 O’Flaherty Acosta

IP 8 1 IP 7 1 1

H 2 0 H 9 1 0

R ER BB SO NP ERA 0 0 4 6 110 2.84 0 0 0 1 11 3.46 R ER BB SO NP ERA 4 4 3 8 109 2.84 0 0 0 0 12 2.75 0 0 0 1 12 2.70

IBB: off Jurrjens (Fielder). Umpires: Home, Randy Marsh; First, Marvin Hudson; Second, James Hoye; Third, Lance Barksdale. T: 2:23. A: 23,327 (49,743).

HOUSTON—The Houston Astros are playing better and manager Cecil Cooper says it’s due to improved starting pitching. The Astros also showed some offense Friday night, complementing Mike Hampton’s strong outing in a 9-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Carlos Lee hit a grand slam, and Hampton struck out five to beat Pittsburgh for the ninth straight time. Houston has won six of its last eight games and the victory margin in this one was the largest of the season. “It feels like every game we play out there is a battle,” Lee said. “It felt good to just relax out there. It’s not like there was a lot of pressure.” Hampton (4-4) allowed five hits in seven innings, holding the Pirates to one run for the second time in a week. The 36-yearold lefthander also pitched seven innings in Houston’s 2-1 win at PNC Park on Sunday. “This is basically the same game he pitched against us the last time,” Pirates manager John Russell said. “We just did not have many opportunities.” Hampton, who signed with the Astros as a free agent in December, won at Minute Maid Park for the first time in eight starts since April 2003, when he pitched for Atlanta. He also had a hit and an RBI, increasing his batting average to .381, the best among major league pitchers. — The Associated Press

Astros 9, Pirates 1 Pittsburgh AB McCutchen cf 4 Morgan lf 3 F.Sanchez 2b 4 J.Chavez p 0 Ad.LaRoche 1b 4 Delw.Young rf 4 Hinske 3b 4 Jaramillo c 3 Ja.Wilson ss 3 Karstens p 2 Meek p 0 S.Burnett p 0 b-R.Vazquez ph-2b 1 Totals 32

R 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

H 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 6

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

BB 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

SO 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6

Avg. .250 .276 .315 --.245 .311 .266 .273 .266 .071 --.000 .267

Houston Bourn cf Keppinger ss Pence rf Ca.Lee lf Berkman 1b Blum 3b Maysonet 2b Quintero c Hampton p a-Kata ph Fulchino p Totals

R 2 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 9

H 2 0 2 2 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 11

BI 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 9

BB 1 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 7

SO 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2

Avg. .302 .267 .344 .317 .244 .265 .378 .278 .381 .000 ---

AB 4 3 3 5 2 3 3 3 2 1 0 29

Pittsburgh 000 010 000 — Houston 002 007 00x —

1 6 0 9 11 0

a-grounded into a double play for Hampton in the 7th. b-lined out for S.Burnett in the 8th. LOB: Pittsburgh 5, Houston 7. 2B: Bourn 2 (12), Berkman (9). 3B: Quintero (1). HR: Ca.Lee (10), off Meek. RBIs: Ja.Wilson (18), Keppinger (6), Pence (23), Ca.Lee 4 (35), Quintero 2 (6), Hampton (4). SB: Bourn (19), Berkman (1). SF: Keppinger, Pence, Hampton. Runners left in scoring position: Pittsburgh 1 (Ja.Wilson); Houston 2 (Hampton, Blum). DP: Pittsburgh 2 (F.Sanchez, Ja.Wilson, Ad.LaRoche), (F.Sanchez, Ja.Wilson, Ad.LaRoche); Houston 1 (Maysonet, Keppinger, Berkman). Pittsburgh Karstens L, 2-3 Meek S.Burnett J.Chavez Houston Hampton W, 4-4 Fulchino

IP 5 2⁄3 1⁄3 1 1 IP 7 2

H 9 2 0 0 H 5 1

R ER BB SO NP ERA 6 6 4 2 109 5.30 3 3 2 0 20 4.08 0 0 0 0 7 2.92 0 0 1 0 17 3.00 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 0 5 89 4.65 0 0 1 1 36 3.27

Inherited runners-scored: Meek 1-1. HBP: by S.Burnett (Quintero). Umpires: Home, Sam Holbrook; First, Charlie Reliford; Second, Larry Vanover; Third, Dan Iassogna. T: 2:35. A: 26,222 (40,976).

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

22

Scouts’ views

TOP 25 RANKINGS (11-25) It’s important to understand a couple of things when you read the remaining list of the top players compiled by RealScouts, Sporting News Today’s team of former NFL scouts. First, there are only 25. By the time injury replacements were named, 97 players qualified for the Pro Bowl last season. So RealScouts had to skim the cream of the cream. Second, the overall list represents the 25 players they expect to be the best in 2009. In other words, it’s a projection, not a salute to the past. 1. Peyton Manning

6. James Harrison

QB, Colts

OLB, Steelers

2. Adrian Peterson

7. Ed Reed

RB, Vikings

S, Ravens

3. Tom Brady

8. Andre Johnson

QB, Patriots

WR, Texans

4. DeMarcus Ware

9. Troy Polamalu

OLB, Cowboys

S, Steelers

5. Larry Fitzgerald

10. Reggie Wayne

WR, Cardinals

WR, Colts

11.

Shawne Merriman, OLB, Chargers After a year on the sideline, he is determined to be a force again, and coordinator Ron Rivera will make that happen. If Merriman is healthy, he’ll be the focus of an elite defense.

12.

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Raiders When Peyton Manning avoids Asomugha’s side of the field, it tells you all you need to know about this guy. He is the NFL’s top cover corner.

13.

Drew Brees, QB, Saints

Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shockey and Marques Colston missed 15 games combined last year, and Brees—with his quick release and dead-on accuracy—still threw for 5,000 yards. With all his weapons in place, he’ll lead the Saints back to the playoffs.

19.

Anquan Boldin, WR, Cardinals A big, physical receiver, he makes his biggest plays after the catch. He shows great toughness catching balls over the middle, too.

20.

Randy Moss, WR, Patriots No one is more excited about the return of Brady than Moss. The two were unstoppable in ’07, and there is little reason to think they won’t pick up where they left off.

14.

Jared Allen, DE, Vikings He is an elite pass rusher and also is a force against the run who never gives up on a play. He is a tough who played through knee and shoulder injuries in ’08.

21.

15.

22.

Albert Haynesworth, DT, Redskins He is a dominant run defender with the size and quickness to also be a disruptive pass rusher. His production might not justify his contract, but he’ll absolutely improve the Redskins’ defense in ’09.

16.

Ryan Clady, OT, Broncos Standard bearers Walter Jones and Orlando Pace still are good, but Clady was the NFL’s best pass protector as a rookie and the biggest improvement in most NFL players comes between Years 1 and 2.

17.

Julius Peppers, DE, Panthers If he is going to play in ’09, it’s going to be in Carolina. He is coming off a career year, and the team is poised for another playoff run. If he can “accept” his $16.7 million, one-year contract, he should dominate again.

18.

Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys With Terrell Owens out of the picture, Witten will get even more looks from pal Tony Romo. Witten is an excellent blocker with the speed, hands and route- running ability to remain a top receiving threat.

Brian Urlacher, MLB, Bears Urlacher had a down year in ’08, but with improved play up front there’s no reason he can’t reassert himself as the do-it-all middle man in the Bears’ cover 2 scheme. Steve Hutchinson, G, Vikings Peterson should be thankful for Hutchinson, one of the most physical and dominant run blockers in the game.

23.

Dwight Freeney, DE, Colts With 10 1/2 sacks, Freeney enjoyed a bounce-back year in ’08. When healthy, his speed off the edge is unmatched.

24.

Kevin Williams, DT, Vikings The potential for a four-game suspension hurts his ranking, but he is one of the few players who can’t be blocked one-on-one. He regularly beats double-teams and is an absolute force inside.

25.

Steven Jackson, RB, Rams The Rams will use a West Coast-style offense in ’09 with a quarterback who never has played in the system and an inexperienced receiving unit. Jackson, a workhorse when healthy, will be more important than ever. — RealScouts analyzes NFL and college players, coaches and teams exclusively for Sporting News Today. DENIS POROY / AP

More on the Top 10, Page 1

A healthy Shawne Merriman would be the center of a dominant Chargers defense.

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23

INSIDE DISH

Leinart works with Brady, does MMA training; Westbrook OK after surgery Apparently, Cardinals backup QB Matt Leinart is taking his job much more seriously this offseason. The No. 10 overall pick of the ’06 draft hasn’t started a game since losing his job to Kurt Warner in October ’07. Leinart, 26, worked out several times this spring with Patriots QB Tom Brady on the UCLA campus in an effort to improve his footwork and release, among other things. “I figured if I’m running with him (Brady), he can do whatever,” Leinart told The Arizona Republic, laughing. “It was funny, we were out there one day, just me and him, and their whole team comes out. They were in offseason conditioning. I almost wanted to wear my SC jacket, but that would have been real disrespectful.” Leinart also has taken up mixed martial arts training with Fox Sports reporter Jay Glazer and other MMA professionals. On The Dan Patrick Show, Glazer said it’s his goal to turn Leinart from a “pretty boy” and into a “killer,” pushing him beyond his mental and physical limits. Glazer says he’s also working with Cardinals LB Victor Hobson and previously worked with Vikings DE Jared Allen. Eagles RB Brian Westbrook had surgery on his right ankle Friday and expects to be ready for the team’s Sept. 13 opener at Carolina. The procedure was done in Baltimore by specialist Dr. Mark Myerson, who removed scar tissue and bone fragments from the ankle that bothered Westbrook since October. This is the second offseason surgery for Westbrook, who also had his left knee cleaned out shortly after the playoffs. He experienced pain in the ankle while rehabbing the knee. “Brian is doing well, he texted us and said he’s doing well,” Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder said. “We feel pretty comfortable that he’ll be back by the beginning of the season. Whether he’ll be back for training camp or

not, it’s too early to tell.” “Most of this came from trauma from the ankle sprain. I’m not worried in the least about these injuries.”

last three seasons with Detroit, is eager to prove himself on a proven winner but a little anxious as he shifts from a Tampa-2 4-3 scheme to New England’s complicated 3-4 scheme. “I think football is football,” Lenon told the Boston Herald. “There are different schemes, different nuances to each defense, but the coaches here do a great job of teaching. I’m just trying to take it all in, and apply it. I’m just eager to get it going here.”

Bears RB Matt Forte has “tweaked” his hamstring, and an MRI confirmed that no significant damage was sustained when he heard “a pop” during Wednesday’s practice, according to the Chicago Tribune. Bears coaches still plan to hold Forte out of at least next week’s four scheduled practices. In his place, Kevin Jones is working with the first team.

Jets coach Rex Ryan has a specific plan in mind for rookie RB Shonn Greene: Be a bruiser in short-yardage situations and in the fourth quarter. “He’s just a tough rascal that can pound that football,” Ryan said. “You saw it in there today. His ribs got a little tender today, but he’s an in-between-the-tackles runner. He can get the tough yards. If you’re going to say what quarter is going to be Shonn Greene’s quarter, I would say it’s going to be the fourth. Everyone in the ballpark will know ‘Hey, Shonn, jump on in there.’ He’ll pound it. The other guys get the good yards and let Shonn get the dirty yards.”

Colts QB Peyton Manning says he now is satisfied with what he’s hearing from team officials about the roles of retired assistants Tom Moore and Howard Mudd. Ten days after complaining about the uncertainty of the coaching staff, Manning said Friday he has a better understanding of the situation and will move on. Though Manning still doesn’t have all the answers, he realizes president Bill Polian and coach Jim Caldwell don’t either. Bills CB Ashton Youboty, coming off a plantar fasciitis problem that cost him to miss the last 11 games last season, practiced this week for the first time this spring. He only participated in individual drills but hopes to do more in the team’s mandatory minicamp next week. Meanwhile, Bills CBs Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin could miss the remainder of the spring practices. Both are taking part in individual drills but might not be cleared for full practice until training camp. McGee has been out since hurting his right shoulder on May 27. McKelvin also has been out since May 27 because of an infection to his middle right finger. Colts K Adam Vinatieri has had surgery on his right hip but expects to be ready for

MATT YORK / AP

Going into his fourth NFL season, Matt Leinart is rededicating himself to pro football. the team’s Sept. 13 opener vs. Jacksonville. The team’s statement said Vinatieri had pain in the hip for more than a year. It flared up recently, prompting the surgery. Vinatieri, 36, has won four Super Bowl rings in 13 NFL seasons. Six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right (plant) knee, Steelers P Daniel Sepulveda practiced this week. It’s the same knee he tore his ACL in last August, which cost him his ’08 season. He told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

that the knee “feels better than it has in four years or so.” Disgruntled G Brian Waters, a four-time Pro Bowl player, showed up Friday for the first day of the Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp. He has demanded to be traded after what he described as disrespectful treatment by new coach Todd Haley and new G.M. Scott Pioli, and he hadn’t attended any of the voluntary workouts this spring. Patriots LB Paris Lenon, who played the

Redskins coaches are tiring of FS LaRon Landry skipping spring practices, even though they’re supposedly “voluntary.” It’s the second time in his three seasons he’s been a spring no-show. Coach Jim Zorn also says Landry has stopped returning calls and text messages. “I’m very disappointed because everyone else is here,” safeties coach Steve Jackson told The (Washington) Examiner. “I’ll be candid with you: He has to be here in the offseason not so much just because it’s OTAs, but his teammates are here and there are a lot of things we’re discussing that he’s a part of that he has no idea are even going on—calls, coverages, techniques.”

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Returning Umenyiora again ready ‘to make a ruckus’ for Giants

DAVID DUPREY / AP

After months of rehab from a knee injury, Osi Umenyiora said his body feels great.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—Sprinting down the field after catching a screen pass, Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw couldn’t help but hear the pounding of feet as a defender chased him down. Glancing over his shoulder, Bradshaw got a surprise during Friday’s practice. The player closing the gap was Osi Umenyiora, the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end who missed all of last season with a knee injury. “I felt him behind me,” Bradshaw said. “I always knew Osi had those wheels. I felt him and said, ‘Wow, that Osi.’ It’s crazy. He’s been working hard and you can tell just by the speed he showed today.” Umenyiora earned his second Pro Bowl berth and helped the Giants win the Super Bowl in ’07 by recording 13 sacks, including six in a game against the Philadelphia. His role was expected to expand with the retirement of Michael Strahan, but Umenyiora missed all of ’08 after tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee in a preseason game. After months of rehabilitation, Umenyiora said his body feels great. “But football shape is different than regular shape,” he said. Umenyiora, 27, is just as quick to point out the injury hasn’t taken anything away from his game. “I still feel like I’m one of the best, if not the best defensive end in football right now,” he said. “I feel quick. I feel explosive. I don’t feel like I should be stopped oneon-one.” Giants left tackle David Diehl

has lined up against Umenyiora in spring practices and sees how excited Umenyiora is to be on the field. “He has come back with full intentions not only to be one of the leaders on our defense but to be a dominating football player,” Diehl said. “It’s exciting to see him. It rallies people around him, and I’m excited because he is going to push me. We push each other. “He is back full steam ahead, and he is looking to make a ruckus.” The one thing that troubles Umenyiora is the memory of watching the Giants lose to the Eagles in the NFC playoffs last season. The offense struggled with receiver Plaxico Burress suspended, and the defense never put pressure on Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb with Umenyiora sidelined and end Justin Tuck and tackles Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield battling injuries. “It was a team we should have beat, and it’s a team that if the opportunity arises again I think we will beat,” Umenyiora said. “I think this team in general has a mentality that we should have gone further than we did last year, that we should have actually been in the Super Bowl.” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Umenyiora did an outstanding job in the offseason weight program. “He has worked hard to make sure his physical and mental approach were the same as they were prior to the injury,” Coughlin said. — The Associated Press

Remaining free agents A quick look at the remaining NFL free agents by position (R-restricted free agent, F-franchise tagged player): OFFENSE Quarterbacks—Brooks Bollinger, Dallas; Ken Dorsey, Cleveland; Gus Frerotte, Minnesota; Charlie Frye, Seattle; Quinn Gray, Kansas City; Trent Green, St. Louis; Rex Grossman, Chicago; Drew Henson, Detroit; Brad Johnson, Dallas; J.P. Losman, Buffalo; Jamie Martin, San Francisco; Craig Nall, Houston; Marques Tuiasosopo, Oakland; Anthony Wright, NY Giants. Running backs—Shaun Alexander, Washington; J.J. Arrington, Denver; Darian Barnes, New Orleans; Tatum Bell, Denver; Jon Bradley, Detroit; Brian Calhoun, Detroit; Jesse Chatman, NY Jets; P.J. Daniels, Baltimore; Reuben Droughns, NY Giants; Warrick Dunn, Tampa Bay; DeShaun Foster, San Francisco; Samkon Gado, St. Louis; Nick Goings, Carolina; Ahman Green, Houston; Andre Hall, Denver; Kay-Jay Harris, NY Giants; Maurice Hicks, Minnesota; Edgerrin James, Arizona; Rudi Johnson, Detroit; Deuce McAllister, New Orleans; Travis Minor, St. Louis; Chris Perry, Cincinnati; Andrew Pinnock, Denver; Michael Pittman, Denver; P.J. Pope, Denver; Cecil Sapp, Houston; Aaron Stecker, New Orleans; Selvin Young, Denver. Wide receivers—Drew Bennett, St. Louis; Marty Booker, Chicago; Drew Carter, Oakland; Jason Carter; Carolina; Keary Colbert, Detroit; Biren Ealy, New Orleans; D.J. Hackett, Carolina; Dante Hall, St. Louis; Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis; Ike Hilliard, Tampa Bay; Darrell Jackson, Denver; Nate Jackson, Denver; Matt Jones, Jacksonville; Joe Jurevicius, Cleveland; Ashley Lelie, Oakland; Brandon Lloyd, Chicago; Dane Looker, St. Louis; Marcus Maxwell, Baltimore; Anthony Mix, Tampa Bay; Tab Perry, Miami; Jerry Porter, Jacksonville; Koren Robinson, Seattle; Edell Shepherd, Denver; Travis Taylor, Detroit; Amani Toomer, NY Giants; Reggie Williams, Jacksonville. Tight ends—Courtney Anderson, Houston; Adam Bergen, Denver; Mark Bruener, Houston; Owen Daniels (R), Houston; Nate Lawrie, Cincinnati; Marcus Pollard, Atlanta; Jerame Tuman, Arizona; Daniel Wilcox, Baltimore. Offensive tackles—Anthony Davis, St. Louis; Jon Dunn, Detroit; Wayne Gandy, Atlanta; Kwame Harris, Oakland; Jonas Jennings, San Francisco; Levi Jones, Cincinnati; Fred Miller, Chicago; Rob Petitti, St. Louis; Jon Runyan, Philadelphia; Charles Spencer, Jacksonville; Barry Stokes, New England; Mark Tauscher, Green Bay. Guards—Lennie Friedman, Cleveland; Pete Kendall, Washington; Matt Lentz, Detroit; Terrence Metcalf, Chicago; Edwin Mulitalo, Detroit; Chris Naeole, Jacksonville; Grey Ruegamer, NY Giants; Kendall Simmons, Pittsburgh; Jason Whittle, Buffalo. Centers—Brennen Carvalho, Green Bay; Jean-Philippe Darche, Kansas City; Melvin Fowler, Buffalo; Matt Lehr, New Orleans; Andy McCollum, Detroit; Jeremy Newberry, San Diego; Scott Peters, Arizona; Cory Withrow, St. Louis.

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DEFENSE Defensive ends—Kevin Carter, Tampa Bay; Earl Cochran, Houston; Sean Conover, NY Jets; Nick Eason, Pittsburgh; Kalimba Edwards, Oakland; Ebenezer Ekuban, Denver; John Engelberger, Denver; Simon Fraser, Atlanta; Roderick Green, San Francisco; Travis LaBoy, Arizona; Jayme Mitchell, Minnesota; Jerome McDougle, NY Giants; Julius Peppers (F), Carolina; Josh Savage, New Orleans; Anthony Weaver, Houston; James Wyche, Jacksonville. Defensive tackles—Kenderick Allen, Minnesota; Gary Gibson, Carolina; La’Roi Glover, St. Louis; Vonnie Holliday, Miami; Antwan Lake, New Orleans; Langston Moore, Detroit; Kindal Moorehead, Atlanta; Dewayne Robertson, Denver; Orpheus Roye, Pittsburgh; Hollis Thomas, New Orleans; Josh Thomas, Indianapolis; John Thornton, Cincinnati; Casey Tyler, Dallas; Darwin Walker, Carolina; Ellis Wyms, Minnesota; Brian Young, New Orleans; Jeff Zgonina, Houston. Linebackers—Rufus Alexander, Indianapolis; Jason Babin, Kansas City; Rocky Boiman, Kansas City; Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay; Khary Campbell, Washington; Anthony Cannon, Detroit; Dan Cody, Baltimore; Rosevelt Colvin, New England; Donte’ Curry, Carolina; Donnie Edwards, Kansas City; Greg Ellis, Dallas; Gilbert Gardner, Chicago; Curtis Gatewood, Kansas City; Morlon Greenwood, Houston; Napoleon Harris, Minnesota; Brad Kassell, NY Jets; Jason Kyle, Carolina; Teddy Lehman, Buffalo; Wesly Mallard, Seattle; Willie McGinest, Cleveland; Ryan Nece, Detroit; Shantee Orr, Cleveland; Antwan Peek, Cleveland; Carlos Polk, Dallas; Junior Seau, New England; Matt Sinclair, Washington; Gary Stills, St. Louis; Terrell Suggs (F), Baltimore; Dontarrious Thomas, Minnesota; Marcus Washington, Washington; Nate Webster, Denver. Cornerbacks—David Barrett, NY Jets; Fakhir Brown, St. Louis; Terry Cousin, Cleveland; Jason Craft, St. Louis; Travis Fisher, Detroit; Reynaldo Hill, Tennessee; William James, Jacksonville; Adam Jones, Dallas; Michael Lehan, New Orleans; Sam Madison, NY Giants; Ricky Manning Jr., St. Louis; Chris McAlister, Baltimore; Mike McKenzie, New Orleans; R.W. McQuarters, NY Giants; Deltha O’Neal, New England; Dunta Robinson (F), Houston; Lewis Sanders, New England; Duane Starks, Jacksonville; DeJuan Tribble, San Diego; Jason Webster, New England; Jimmy Williams, Houston; Stanley Wilson, Detroit. Safeties—Michael Boulware, Minnesota; Mike Brown, Chicago; Oliver Celestin, Kansas City; Corey Chavous, St. Louis; Will Demps, Houston; Mike Doss, Cincinnati; Mike Green, Washington; Terrence Holt, New Orleans; Dexter Jackson, Cincinnati; Sammy Knight, NY Giants; Lawyer Milloy, Atlanta; Chad Nkang, Jacksonville; Pierson Prioleau, Jacksonville; Dwight Smith, Detroit; Jimmy Williams, San Francisco; Cameron Worrell, Chicago. SPECIAL TEAMS Kickers—John Carney, NY Giants; Matt Stover, Baltimore. Punters—Mitch Berger, Pittsburgh; Kyle Larson, Cincinnati; Ryan Plackemeier, Cincinnati.

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25

Q&A with ... Minnesota coach Tim Brewster

Minnesota coach continues construction on his program When Minnesota coach Tim Brewster looks out his conference room window, he’s got a sweet view of TCF Bank Stadium, the on-campus home field for his Gophers that opens Sept. 12. With the building in the background, he spoke with Sporting News Today’s Dave Curtis this week about interior design and all things Gopher.

Q:

How aware were you of the stadium project when you got involved with this job? Very aware of it and it was a piece of the puzzle here at Minnesota that intrigued me. I knew it was something that was sorely missing, an on-campus stadium and a home-field environment. That’s been lacking here since 1982.

A:

Q: A:

As it’s gone up, what role has it played in recruiting? It’s been huge. We started out with just drawings. Then you were able to do the virtual tour on the Internet. We’ve tried to do a great job letting the Internet show our recruits, our fans, our people the progress of the project. Physically, we’ve been able to take kids into the stadium for the past four or five months. You can’t put a price on what it’s meant to us and to the state of Minnesota.

Q: A:

Did you see the Metrodome as a negative? I did. It just was not a conducive environment for college football. Our people here did as good a job as they could making it that way. But it wasn’t.

MORRY GASH / AP

Minnesota coach Tim Brewster said the Metrodome was not a great place for college football.

ERIC MILLER / UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

depth, our youth. We saw where we needed to go. We went from one win to seven wins. What’s that next jump? The jump, that’s a tough jump, from seven wins to 10 or 11.

The new TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota opens on Sept. 12 with a game against Air Force. And even though it was only five or 10 minutes away, it might as well have been 100 miles away because we didn’t get the student involvement we’re going to have at TCF Bank Stadium. (The Dome) wasn’t a good place for our fans to enjoy a college football game-day experience that most people get to have.

Q: A:

Fair to say that if the stadium’s not there, you’re not here? I don’t know if that’s fair to say. I don’t know if I wouldn’t have taken the job without TCF Bank Stadium. But it was a very positive factor in my thinking.

Q: A:

Have you ever built a house? I have, but not here. At some of my other stops along the way. You’re talking about the stadium here, right? It’s an amazing undertaking. We’ve been involved with a lot of detail. We’ve picked out colors, picked out carpets, picked out furniture, picked out knobs. I was able to design the locker room. It’s the shape of a football. It is the finest locker room in America today. I haven’t seen anything close, NFL or college. It’s open—there are no compartments in the locker room, so you have to look at your teammates. It’s 62 yards long by 32 yards wide. It’s something to behold.

Q:

Your season kind of swung last year from sweet to sour. When you talk to your team, how do you balance the 7-1 start with the 0-5 finish? Well, we talk about improving. We lost six games by a total of 23 points our first year and won one game. So we wanted to make significant improvement in the second year. And we did. We went to seven wins, but we also learned that we’re not there yet. We’ve got to be a stronger, more physical football team. Those are the things we’ve talked about. We did some good things. But when we got into the meat of our schedule, we got exposed for our lack of

A:

Q:

I keep reading about this backup quarterback, MarQueis Gray. What’s his deal? I had the great fortune of recruiting Vince Young at Texas. And without biting off more than he can chew, he walks in that line. The thing that can truly make MarQueis a special player is his passing ability. In my mind, he is truly a quarterback. Not an athlete playing quarterback.

A:

Q: A:

How did you get him?

Thomas Hammock, our running backs coach, built a tremendous relationship with him throughout the process. A high level of trust. And that’s what it’s

all about, building trust with a young guy. Kids choose people. They don’t choose schools. He trusted us, and he made the decision to come here. It’s an exciting one. He’s going to make his presence felt.

Q: A:

Will you use him in other spots? He’ll be a quarterback. But it will be fun for us to game-plan different ways where he can have an effect in the game. All that, and we know that our starting quarterback, without question, is Weber. He is our guy. He’s the guy. But it’s going to be fun to incorporate MarQueis into the mix. A lot of people today get enamored with the Wildcat. Most of the athletes they put in that position are not throwers. MarQueis is as good as any athlete who’ll get in the Wildcat. But he’s also becoming a great passer. It’s going to give the defense some consternation.

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Top 100 countdown

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Sporting News Today is counting down its Top 100 college football teams for 2009, featuring one team each day leading into the season opener Thursday, Sept. 3.

INSIDE DISH

INSIDE DISH

90 MARK HUMPHREY / AP

Thaddeus Lewis completed a career-best 62.1 percent of his passes last season.

DUKE 2008 record: 4-8 overall, 1-7 ACC Coach: David Cutcliffe Outlook: Durham is one of few places on the college football map where locals appreciate a 4-8 season. Cutcliffe’s debut marked progress—and the best win total in five years. With talented senior Thaddeus Lewis learning from QB guru Cutcliffe—Duke believes it can reach its first bowl since 1994. Previous teams: 91. Iowa State; 92. Northern Illinois; 93. Middle Tennessee; 94. San Jose State; 95. Marshall; 96. Ball State; 97. Washington; 98. Louisiana-Monroe; 99. Louisiana-Lafayette; 100. Ohio — Derek Samson

O’Leary rips fellow coaches for anonymous Top 25 votes UCF coach George O’Leary blasted fellow coaches during a radio interview about the American Football Coaches Association’s decision to make the Top 25 votes anonymous, the Orlando Sentinel reported. “I have no problem releasing mine every week,” he told Rivals Radio. “I have no problem with that. If you want to do it, then basically be responsible for your vote. If you don’t want that done, then don’t do it. You have an option. “... I think there’s some that may play games with votes or play games with their conferences. I don’t know.”

26

More SAT questions for Memphis Robert Dozier is the second men’s basketball player who starred on the Memphis team that made it to the 2008 championship game to have questions arise about his entrance exams. University officials already were preparing for an NCAA hearing today to answer charges that a former player, believed to Derrick Rose, cheated on his SAT exam. Dozier’s inconsistent SAT scores prevented him from being admitted to the University of Georgia. His initial SAT score was invalidated by the company that scores the exam, and his follow-up score was dramatically lower, according to Georgia records obtained Friday by The Associated Press. Dozier’s problems with his SATs prompted the University of Georgia to deny his admission in 2004, the records show. His four-year career at Memphis ended with the 2008-09 season.

MATT CILLEY / AP

Xavier coach Chris Mack says he doesn’t want to get in the way of Derrick Brown (5), who could be a first-round NBA pick. rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game in his career.

Eleven athletic directors will participate in an NCAA forum aimed at increasing the number of minority head coaches, The Associated Press reported. The idea of the NCAA Champions Forum is to familiarize minority football coaches with the mindset of athletic directors who are in charge of hiring head coaches. The forum will be held June 18-19 during a convention for athletic directors in Orlando. Only nine of the current head coaches in Division I-A have minority backgrounds. A July 6 trial is set for Nebraska WR Niles Paul, who faces three charges stemming from an April traffic stop, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. Paul entered not guilty pleas this week on charges in Lancaster County of reckless driving, being a minor in

REINHOLD MATAY / AP

UCF coach George O’Leary says anonymous Top 25 ballots could allow voters to ‘play games.’ possession of alcohol and driving under suspension. The Nebraska State Patrol originally cited him for driving under the influence, rather than reckless driving, when they stopped him for speeding in west Lincoln in April. Paul started four games last season for the Huskers. Weber State has hired coaching veteran Tom Freeman as the Wildcats’ new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Freeman replaces Don Eck, who left Weber State for an assistant coaching job with Las Vegas in the new United Football League.

Xavier coach Chris Mack has purposely limited his contact with F Derrick Brown, who is the Musketeers’ top all-around player. The 6-8, 227-pounder has until June 15 to withdraw from NBA draft consideration and retain his last year of college eligibility. “I talk to his dad more often than I do with Derrick,” Mack told The Associated Press. “I really want to respect him trying to fulfill his dream. He’s spinning like a top, going from (NBA) workouts to personal training workouts to prepare him. “I don’t want to be getting in his way of doing that. We’ve had an understanding that he’s wanted to be a first-round draft pick, he’s worked very hard to be a first-round draft pick. And if he feels he’s going to be, based on who he talks to, he’s going to keep his name in.”

Brandon Walters will transfer from Seton Hall after two seasons, coach Bobby Gonzalez announced Friday. Walters, a forward, played in 41 games over the last two seasons, including 28 last year. He averaged 1.5 points and 1.6

Dwayne Collins has withdrawn from the upcoming NBA draft and will return to the Miami for his senior season in 2009-10, the school announced Friday. The 6-8 forward had workouts with the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat, but had not hired an agent to retain the option of returning to the Hurricanes. Tennessee-Martin coach Bret Campbell has resigned after an internal audit found he violated school policies by cashing checks for summer basketball camps, the school announced Friday. Athletic director Phil Dane said the program that Campbell led to its first Ohio Valley Conference championship and NIT tournament appearance is in compliance with NCAA rules. The university audit dated Wednesday said Campbell cashed or deposited a total of $21,145 into his personal account, which should have been deposited into university accounts. The audit said he paid for the camp’s expenses and officials in cash from the deposited checks.

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NASCAR counters, sues Mayfield BY BOB POCKRASS SceneDaily.com

LONG POND, PA.—NASCAR filed a counterclaim Friday against suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield for his “willful and wanton conduct” and “knowing disregard for others’ safety” in competing at Richmond International Raceway in early May, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte. NASCAR’s counterclaim states that Mayfield used drugs before the event, including an illegal drug, according to Aegis Laboratories, which conducts NASCAR’s drugtesting program. The illegal drug that NASCAR says Mayfield tested positive for is blacked out in NASCAR’s complaint that was made available to the public. Mayfield was indefinitely suspended May 9 by NASCAR for the positive drug test taken May 1 and sued NASCAR on May 29. The counterclaim is part of NASCAR’s answer to Mayfield’s lawsuit. Mayfield raced “after he had used prohibited drugs or was under the influence of a combination of drugs that exceeded the safe level determined by NASCAR,” the NASCAR complaint states. “Mayfield, through his undisclosed use of drugs (including an illegal drug), has breached his duty of good faith and fair dealing with NASCAR.” NASCAR, which does not list a specific amount of damages, alleges Mayfield and his team, Mayfield Motorsports Inc., breached contracts and committed fraud because he violated the agreement drivers sign with NASCAR and then raced with the drugs in his system, according to the complaint.

CJ DRIGGERS / AP

In a counterclaim filed Friday against Jeremy Mayfield, NASCAR said he used drugs before the event. Mayfield’s lawsuit seeks damages for, among other things, defamation, discrimination against someone with a disability and for negligence in not handling the drug test properly. In North Carolina state court May 29, Judge Forrest Bridges denied Mayfield’s request for a temporary restraining order and set a hearing for Mayfield’s request for a preliminary injunction for this past Wednesday, which was canceled Tuesday when NASCAR moved the case to federal court. Bridges issued a gag order preventing both sides from talking about the drug test. Mayfield’s complaint stated that Mayfield tested positive for amphetamines. NASCAR’s attorney, Paul Hendrick, said in state court May 29 that three drugs were found in Mayfield’s system with the test, and that two (Claritin-D, an over-thecounter treatment for allergies, and Adderall, which is commonly prescribed for the treatment of attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder) were accounted for but that the test

also found a “dangerous, illegal, banned” substance. He did not specify what that was, and the gag order issued May 29 prevented NASCAR attorneys and officials from elaborating afterward. “After he tested positive for multiple drugs, Mayfield admitted that he had been using an (redacted) without informing NASCAR, for at least one month during which he raced in two races,” NASCAR states in its counterclaim. “Mayfield’s admitted use of an (redacted) does not explain his positive test for the illegal drug, (redacted).” No toxicology reports were submitted as part of Mayfield’s complaint. NASCAR included the toxicology report in its exhibits filed Friday, but it was redacted from the public documents available. NASCAR’s claim also notes that Mayfield signed a form in February where he agreed to inform NASCAR of a change in health status. Mayfield’s complaint indicates he was diagnosed with ADHD in March. In his lawsuit, Mayfield is seeking an injunction to keep NASCAR from enforcing the suspension. No hearing date has been set on that request. As part of its answer to Mayfield’s allegations and attempts to lift the suspension, NASCAR notes that its rules allow it to suspend a driver for any reason. “Pursuant to NASCAR’s 2009 Sprint Cup Series Rule Book, NASCAR may suspend the NASCAR membership of any party in NASCAR’s sole discretion,” NASCAR’s filing states. [email protected]

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

27

Qualifying rainout puts Stewart on pole at Pocono Pocono 500 At Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa. When: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET TV: TNT, 12:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128 Track layout: 2.5-mile triangle Race distance: 200 laps/500 miles 2008 winner: Kasey Kahne 2008 polesitter: Kasey Kahne Sunday’s starting lineup (Car number in parentheses)

CAROLYN KASTER / AP

Rain gave plenty of drivers like Jeff Gordon extra time to sign autographs. BY REID SPENCER [email protected]

LONG POND, PA.—Thanks to a qualifying rainout Friday at Pocono Raceway, Tony Stewart will start on the pole for a NASCAR Sprint Cup race for the first time since Oct, 23, 2005, at Martinsville. “Obviously, everybody is disappointed we didn’t get on the racetrack today, but it worked out good for myself and (secondplace starter) Jeff (Gordon),” Stewart said. “It’s nice to be able to get a front-row starting spot because of rain, but that’s not what the fans came to see.” The rainout also was good news for Gordon’s aching back, which got an extra day of rest. At Pocono, Gordon’s back won’t be under the same stress he experienced last Sunday at onemile, high-banked Dover, where Gordon hit the wall hard during qualifying May 29. “I think this track’s one of the easier tracks (on his back),” said Gordon, who will start beside Stewart in Sunday’s Pocono 500 under NASCAR’s rainout rules, which order the front of the field according to the current owner points standings. “You get a lot of rest on those long straightaways. About the only place that it might be an issue is under braking getting into Turn 1. “I had to do a test at Road Atlanta this week— that was one of the real tests (of the condition of his back). I was surprised that we got through it pretty good, especially after the wreck last Friday during qualifying. I was pretty sore from that.” Sunday’s race will be the first under NASCAR’s new restart format, with lead-lap cars taking the green flag double-file, with lapped cars behind them. — Reid Spencer writes for the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

1. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 1st. 2. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 2nd. 3. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 3rd. 4. (2) Kurt Busch, Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 4th. 5. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 5th. 6. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 6th. 7. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 7th. 8. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 8th. 9. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 9th. 10. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 10th. 11. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 11th. 12. (5) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 12th. 13. (00) David Reutimann, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 13th. 14. (9) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 14th. 15. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 15th. 16. (33) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 16th. 17. (83) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 17th. 18. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 18th. 19. (1) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 19th. 20. (47) Marcos Ambrose, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 20th. 21. (07) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 21st. 22. (26) Jamie McMurray, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 22nd. 23. (20) Joey Logano, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 23rd. 24. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 24th. 25. (43) Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 25th. 26. (77) Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 26th. 27. (19) Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 27th. 28. (96) Bobby Labonte, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 28th. 29. (12) David Stremme, Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 29th. 30. (44) A J Allmendinger, Dodge, 2009 Owner Points 30th. 31. (6) David Ragan, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 31st. 32. (55) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 32nd. 33. (98) Paul Menard, Ford, 2009 Owner Points 33rd. 34. (7) Robby Gordon, Toyota, 2009 Owner Points 34th. 35. (34) John Andretti, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Points 35th. 36. (09) Sterling Marlin, Dodge, 2009 Owner Winner. 37. (82) Scott Speed, Toyota, 2009 Owner Attempts 13-36th. 38. (71) David Gilliland, Chevrolet, 2009 Owner Attempts 13-37th. 39. (87) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 2009 Owner Attempts 13-39th. 40. (36) Patrick Carpentier, Toyota, 2009 Owner Attempts 13-41st. 41. (66) Dave Blaney, Toyota, 2009 Owner Attempts 13-42nd. 42. (78) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, Owner Attempts 7. 43. (51) Dexter Bean, Dodge, Owner Attempts 4. Failed to qualify 44. (75) Derrike Cope, Dodge, 2009 Owner Attempts 3. 45. (64) Mike Wallace, Toyota, Post Entry. 46. (37) Tony Raines, Dodge, Post Entry.

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INSIDE DISH

Gordon still suffering with bad back Jeff Gordon said the facet-block procedure he had about three weeks ago hasn’t done much for his back, but he plans to have another one to see if it will help with his nagging pain. Gordon had an injection of an anti-inflammatory in his back, which was designed to be therapeutic and diagnostic, on May 18. He says he has to wait four to six weeks before another treatment can be administered. “They say the second treatment, you usually have a lot better results than the first one,” Gordon said Friday at Pocono Raceway, site of this weekend’s Pocono 500. “I haven’t really seen any big effects from the first one. “I wasn’t really thrilled about doing a second one. When they’re talking about sticking needles in your back, that’s not something I’m looking forward to. It wasn’t so bad, though, and I’m certainly willing to give it a shot. We’ll do it when the time is right and it fits in the schedule.” — Bob Pockrass, SceneDaily.com NASCAR officials canceled all NASCAR Sprint Cup activities at Pocono Raceway on Friday and will set the starting lineup for Sunday’s Pocono 500 by the rule book. Rain prevented cars from going on the track for a scheduled 90-minute practice. Qualifying was slated to begin at 3:40 p.m., but rain was still falling at the track less than an hour before that session was to begin. — SceneDaily.com Double-file restarts are going to make life much more difficult for NASCAR drivers, but the vast majority of Sprint Cup Series competitors believe the new rule—which goes into effect Sunday at Pocono Raceway—is a great thing. Life will be more difficult because lead-lap cars will no longer have the advantage of using slower cars to help get distance on their competitors. Drivers are going to have to be on top of their game every time the green flag flies. Pit crews are going to be even under more stress to get their cars out front. “It is going to be a lot more intense,” Richard Childress Racing’s Jeff Burton said. “For us it is

RUSS HAMILTON, SR. / AP

Rainy conditions kept drivers like Joey Logano waiting all day. going to be a lot harder. It is going to change strategy. It is going to change a lot of things.” Still, the drivers are applauding the change. Why? Because it’s for the fans. “The fans’ vote counts more than ours does,” Burton said. “They didn’t make double-file restarts because all the drivers said ‘Hey, make double-file restarts.’ They made double-file restarts because all the drivers said, ‘Yeah, if the fans want to do it, do it.’ “This is strictly for the fans to make the race more exciting.” — SceneDaily.com JR Motorsports driver Brad Keselowski said Friday he would like to run the full schedule in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series in 2010, though he doesn’t have any definite plans yet. Keselowski won a Sprint Cup race at Talladega earlier this season and his name has come up in conjunction with several Cup teams for next year. JR Motorsports is co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rick Hendrick. “I don’t have any plans right now,” Keselowski said at Nashville Superspeedway. “I’d like to have some plans, but nobody’s really asked me what I want to do. I’m still waiting for that phone call where somebody tells me what to do because I haven’t gotten it yet.” Asked what he would like to do, Keselowski said “run both series full time next year.” “I think that would be a blast,” Keselowski said. — Lee Montgomery, SceneDaily.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

28

Leicht wants to improve

Bodine wins again in Texas

BY TIM TUTTLE AND BILL MARX For SN Today

BY TIM TUTTLE For SN Today

Stephen Leicht was one of NASCAR’s brightest young stars in 2007 when he had a breakthrough victory and finished seventh in the Nationwide Series standings for Robert Yates Racing. But Leicht’s career has unexpectedly failed to progress since then. When RYR became Yates Racing under the ownership of Doug Yates and Max Jones late in ’07, the new group didn’t have a Nationwide program to offer Leicht. Richard Childress then signed Leicht but was able to put together only a five-race program for him last year. Leicht’s two top 10s in 2008 earned him a second season with Childress and an expanded 13-race Nationwide schedule. He’ll make his second 2009 start, and the first of three in a row, today in the No. 29 Chevrolet in the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway. Still only 22 years old, Leicht finished 11th in the series’ first stop this season at Nashville in April. He’s sharing the car in 2009 with Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer, who finished third last weekend at Dover. “It’s tough waiting and watching, but at the same time, I’m honored to be working for Richard Childress,” Leicht said. “Over the past six weeks, I’ve paid close attention to the feedback Clint (Bowyer) and Jeff (Burton) gave to our team and how our Chevrolet handles at each track. I’ve learned a lot and feel confident heading back to Nashville for my second start of the season.”

FORT WORTH, Texas—Todd Bodine won his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Friday at Texas Motor Speedway, finishing 1.321 seconds in front of runner-up Matt Crafton in the WinStar World Casino 400. Bodine became the first driver in the history of the series to have five victories at one track. They’ve all been accomplished in a Toyota for Germain Racing. It was Bodine’s 17th career victory in trucks, also all with Germain. “It’s incredible to win five races at one track,” Bodine said. “It’s hard to win anywhere.” Bodine took the lead on the 125th of 167 laps on the 1.5-mile superspeedway and was never threatened. He had a 2.5-second lead over Crafton’s ThorSport Racing Chevrolet with 25 laps to go and 2.1 with five remaining. Making sure he had enough fuel to reach the checkered flag, Bodine backed off the throttle on the final lap. Bodine had been running third behind Ron Hornaday Jr.’s Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet and Crafton when a sequence of green-flag pit stops began on lap 98. Hornaday was penalized for a right-side tire violation and given a drive-through penalty, which put him a lap down. He never regained it. Hornaday had more trouble four laps from the end when he lost oil pressure and finished 19th. Bodine had made his last stop for fuel on lap 103. Crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. believed he could go the distance. “We needed clean air,” Bodine said. “To get out front was key. Junior made a great call. I had to stretch the fuel at the end.”

[email protected]

Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway; Lebanon, Tenn. When: Today, 7:30 p.m. ET TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET Radio: MRN/Sirius XM Satellite Ch. 128 Track layout: 1.333-mile oval Race distance: 225 laps/300 miles 2008 winner: Brad Keselowski 2008 polesitter: Joey Logano Points leaders: 1. Kyle Busch, 1,836; 2. Carl Edwards, 1,796; 3. Jason Leffler, 1,683; 4. Joey Logano, 1,670; 5. Brad Keselowski, 1,663; 6. Jason Keller, 1,434; 7. Brendan Gaughan, 1,364; 8. David Ragan, 1,358; 9. Mike Bliss, 1,355; 10. Justin Allgaier, 1,344.

WinStar World Casino 400 results FINISH START CAR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9 3 14 15 6 1 13 18 24 11

30 88 6 1 14 13 24 23 81 5

DRIVER

MODEL

POINTS

LAPS

Todd Bodine Matt Crafton Colin Braun Johnny Benson Rick Crawford Johnny Sauter David Starr Jason White Tayler Malsam Mike Skinner

Toyota Chevrolet Ford Toyota Ford Chevrolet Toyota Dodge Toyota Toyota

190 175 165 160 160 155 146 142 138 134

167 167 167 167 167 167 167 167 167 166

MORE COVERAGE from SportingNews.com Results: sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=557145 Standings: sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=557158

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Furyk, Byrd lead bunched field DUBLIN, OHIO—One last birdie for Jim Furyk put him one more stroke under par, which he found more gratifying than being in a share of the lead with Jonathan Byrd on Friday at the Memorial. A blue sky and warm sun translated into fast greens at Muirfield Village, leading to a crammed leaderboard going into a weekend loaded with possibilities. Tiger Woods had his worst score in nearly two years—a 2-over 74—and still was only six shots behind. Furyk had two bogeys from the bunker on the back nine, but finished with an 8-iron that stopped on the top shelf about 8 feet away for birdie on the 18th that gave him a 2-under 70. He hasn’t been atop the leaderboard this deep into a tournament since winning the Canadian Open in 2007, his last PGA Tour victory. Byrd had a bogey-free 68 in the morning, also making a birdie on the 18th. They were at 7-under 137. Asked how he felt about being tied for the lead, Furyk replied, “I’d rather be as many under par as possible.” “I just want to go out there and play one more solid round (today) and hopefully sit in the same spot, and put myself in good position for Sunday’s round,” said Furyk, the 2002 Memorial winner. “I’ll just be jockeying for position and trying to play another good round.” And he’ll have plenty of company. Mike Weir (69) and Mark Wilson (70) were another shot back at 6-under 138. The top 16 players were separated by a mere three shots going into the weekend. Woods was not among that group, but came away from a pedestrian round with a fighting chance. He missed only two of the generous fairways in the second round, but bogeys kept piling up with shots that were just enough long or short to present problems. He went long on the 18th hole into rough and had no hope of getting the ball closer than 30 feet. And on the par-5 fifth, he came up short and in the water, compounding the error by missing a par putt inside 4 feet. “If you’re missing it on the short side, you’re not going to make pars here,” Woods said after

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NOTEBOOK Memorial Site: Dublin, Ohio. Schedule: Through-Sunday. Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club (7,366 yards, par 72). Purse: $6 million. Winner’s share: $1.08 million. TV: Golf Channel (Today, 12:30-2:30 p.m., 9:30-11:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-2 p.m., 9:30-11:30 p.m.) and CBS (Today, 3-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m.).

Leaderboard Friday at Muirfield Village Golf Club Dublin, Ohio Purse: $6 million Yardage: 7,366; Par 72 (36-36)

JAY LAPRETE / AP

Jim Furyk, like many others, battled fast conditions to grab a share of the lead after the second round. the 74, his highest score since also shooting a 74 in the second round of the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie. “You have to make sure you hit the ball on the correct side. I didn’t do that today.” Woods was at 1-under 143. That was only six shots from the lead with 36 holes to play, although he had 23 players ahead of him, a list that includes Ernie Els (70), Stewart Cink (72) and Davis Love III (68) at 4-under 140. A victory by Love would allow him to skip 36 holes of U.S. Open qualifying on Monday. Also at 140 was Luke Donald, who opened with a 64 and a three-shot lead that vanished with a 40 on his opening nine. He wound up a dozen shots worse with a 76, although he was very much in contention. The question was whether the leading score would continue to dwindle as the greens got even faster. — The Associated Press

29

Second Round Jonathan Byrd Jim Furyk Mike Weir Mark Wilson Ryuji Imada Matt Bettencourt Steve Marino Rod Pampling Ernie Els Stewart Cink Chris DiMarco Matt Kuchar Charl Schwartzel Jason Day Luke Donald Davis Love III Dustin Johnson Daniel Chopra Alex Cejka Michael Letzig Ben Curtis Bubba Watson Troy Matteson Kevin Na K.J. Choi Tiger Woods Rocco Mediate Paul Casey Charley Hoffman Hunter Mahan Will MacKenzie Johnson Wagner Webb Simpson Zach Johnson Nick Watney Reinier Saxton Lucas Glover Jerry Kelly Steve Stricker Kevin Sutherland Nicholas Thompson Jeff Overton Kenny Perry Woody Austin Tom Lehman Marc Turnesa Tom Pernice, Jr. Lee Janzen D.A. Points David Duval John Senden Y.E. Yang Camilo Villegas Chez Reavie George McNeill Richard Sterne Ted Purdy

69-68 67-70 69-69 68-70 70-69 71-68 68-72 69-71 70-70 68-72 73-67 73-67 72-68 67-73 64-76 72-68 73-68 72-69 73-68 72-70 71-71 71-71 69-73 71-72 73-70 69-74 73-70 73-70 71-72 74-69 70-73 69-74 73-71 71-73 73-71 69-75 75-69 72-72 70-74 69-75 69-75 76-69 72-73 75-70 71-74 72-73 71-74 72-73 75-70 71-74 71-74 73-72 71-74 71-74 76-69 74-71 67-79

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

137 137 138 138 139 139 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 140 141 141 141 142 142 142 142 143 143 143 143 143 143 143 143 143 144 144 144 144 144 144 144 144 144 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 145 146

-7 -7 -6 -6 -5 -5 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -3 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 E E E E E E E E E +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2

Ian Poulter Bill Haas Nick O’Hern Geoff Ogilvy Stuart Appleby Mathew Goggin Brett Quigley Jeff Quinney Jeff Klauk Steve Lowery D.J. Trahan Martin Kaymer Erik Compton Tim Herron Mark Brooks Marc Leishman Jose Maria Olazabal Robert Allenby Steve Flesch Scott McCarron

75-71 74-72 73-73 72-74 72-74 73-73 74-73 75-72 76-71 76-71 73-74 71-76 72-75 75-73 75-73 74-74 74-74 72-76 73-75 74-74

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

146 146 146 146 146 146 147 147 147 147 147 147 147 148 148 148 148 148 148 148

+2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4

Failed to qualify Billy Mayfair Tim Petrovic John Mallinger Ken Duke Thomas Aiken Jason Dufner Fredrik Jacobson Jesper Parnevik Vijay Singh Cliff Kresge James Nitties Shaun Micheel Bo Van Pelt Todd Hamilton Carl Pettersson Mark Calcavecchia Charles Howell III Richard S. Johnson Greg Owen Bart Bryant Padraig Harrington Chris Stroud Danny Lee Kevin Streelman Peter Lonard Aaron Baddeley J.B. Holmes Ryan Moore Brian Davis Justin Rose Charles Warren James Kamte Chris Wilson Ryan Palmer John Rollins James Driscoll Adam Scott Parker McLachlin Kevin Chappell Brad Faxon Sean O’Hair Scott Piercy Billy Andrade

74-75 76-73 75-74 76-74 67-83 77-73 77-73 81-69 75-75 79-72 73-78 73-78 81-70 73-78 73-78 72-79 75-77 76-76 74-78 73-79 75-77 77-75 79-73 77-76 77-76 79-74 82-72 75-80 78-77 80-75 77-78 77-78 79-77 80-76 80-77 77-80 77-81 81-78 86-75 83-78 76-WD 79-WD 76-WD

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

149 149 149 150 150 150 150 150 150 151 151 151 151 151 151 151 152 152 152 152 152 152 152 153 153 153 154 155 155 155 155 155 156 156 157 157 158 159 161 161

+5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +6 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +8 +9 +9 +9 +10 +11 +11 +11 +11 +11 +12 +12 +13 +13 +14 +15 +17 +17

Woods thinks golfers should shake hands Tiger Woods isn’t likely to storm off the 18th green on Sunday if he doesn’t win the Memorial Tournament. Woods was asked earlier this week whether athletes should shake hands after a competition. Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was criticized when he did not shake hands with Orlando Magic players after losing in Game 7 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals. Woods, who attended some of the games in his hometown of Orlando, is a huge sports fan. He tried to put the controversy in historical perspective. “Well, if you look at it, not everyone shakes hands after every game,” he said. “Football, a lot of guys just walk off the field. A lot of sports, they walk off the court or field. Hockey, they line up. It’s tradition. And it’s part of our sport, the tradition of taking the hat off and shaking hands. “The history of our game is about sportsmanship. We call penalties on ourselves. I don’t see anybody in the NFL saying, ‘I’m sorry. I held the guy. Give me 10 yards.’ That doesn’t happen. “But I think that what separates our sport from other sports is just the traditions of the sportsmanship, when you doff your cap and shake someone’s hand and look them in the eyes and say, ‘Well done.’”

Camilo comeback After ending his first round with back-to-back bogeys, it got even worse for Camilo Villegas. He started Friday bogey-triple bogey-bogey-bogey. Instead of trying to get into contention, he was trying to make the cut. But the Colombian produced quite the comeback, making eagle at No. 15, chipping in for par on the 18th, and finishing his round with three birdies over the final four holes for a 72. Even better was his attitude. “You know, these things can be good for you,” he said. “I wouldn’t want it to happen. But you never know when you’re going to have to deal with that in a U.S. Open or a major.” Villegas inquired about the cut line after his birdie on the 16th hole put him at 2 over. He was told it might be around 3-over par, and he finished par-birdie for good measure. — The Associated Press

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College Baseball

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

NCAA SUPER REGIONALS

30

Super Regionals glance All times ET (Best-of-3)

Ole Miss rallies to beat Virginia OXFORD, MISS.—Matt Smith’s solo home run in the bottom of the 12th inning gave Mississippi a 4-3 comefrom-behind win over Virginia on Friday in a Super Regional game. Logan Power singled in the tying run in the ninth after an error and a hit batter gave Ole Miss runners on base with no outs. The Rebels (43-18) had been 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position to that point. Smith’s eighth home run of the season—a first-pitch shot to left field—came off closer Kevin Arico (2-3), who also gave up Power’s hit. “The place just went nuts,” Smith said. “I don’t remember much after that. I kind of remember coming home and I was on the ground with the team on top of me.” Ole Miss snapped Virginia’s eight-game winning streak and handed the Cavaliers their first loss of the postseason. Smith’s homer marked the first time this postseason that Virginia trailed. Jake Morgan (4-1) picked up the win after striking out one in three innings of scoreless one-hit ball. Morgan, whose nose was broken by an errant throw in pregame warmups, shut down Virginia despite the gauze stuffed in his broken nose and two black eyes. At one point, coach Mike Bianco visited a gory Morgan on the mound. “It was still bleeding out on the mound,” Bianco said. “It was dripping down his face. It was probably great for television.” Virginia 010 020 000 000—3 11 2 Mississippi 000 101 001 001—4 10 2 Hultzen (6), Wilson (8), Packer (9) and Arico; Irwin (7), Goforth (9) and Morgan. W:Morgan, 4-1. L:Arico, 2-3. HRs:Mississippi, Smith (8).

Arkansas 7, Florida St. 2 TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—Mike Bolsinger threw five scoreless innings and Arkansas scored four of its runs without a hit to defeat Florida State in the opener of a Super Regional tournament game that took more than nine hours to complete because of rain delays. Florida State (45-17) must win two straight games to return to the College World Series for a second straight year. Bolsinger (6-4) fanned six and scattered four hits after replacing starter Dallas Keuchel. The Razorbacks took a 5-2 lead in the seventh, scoring three runs without a hit as Florida State reliever Geoff Parker (6-2) walked three and hit a batter before getting an out. Arkansas (38-22) took advantage of three Seminoles errors in the eighth to boost its lead to 7-2. Arkansas 010 100 320 — 7 5 1 Florida State 010 010 000 — 2 10 3 Keuchel, Bolsinger (5), and McCann. Gilmartin, Parker (6), Gast (7), Everett (8), Peterson (9) and Lopez. W: Bolsinger, 6-4. L: Parker, 6-2. HRs: Arkansas, Cox (12).

LSU 12, Rice 9 BATON ROUGE, LA.—Anthony Ranaudo struck out nine and allowed one earned run in 7 2/3 innings, Ryan Schimpf hit a threerun homer, and LSU beat Rice in the opener of the Baton Rouge Super Regional. Ranaudo (10-3) increased his season strikeout total to 147, while helping LSU (50-16) pull within a victory of a second straight trip to the College World Series. “Ranaudo didn’t have his best

stuff tonight, but he pitched like a warrior—the warrior that he is,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “In the middle innings there, when we needed him to keep us in the game, he did.” Rice reliever Taylor Wall (7-6) took the loss. Three LSU errors helped Rice take a 3-0 lead, all on unearned runs. The Owls (43-17) led 4-1 after Steven Sultzbaugh’s homer in the top of the fifth. But LSU responded with six runs in the bottom of the inning.

Baton Rouge, La. Friday Rice 12, LSU 9 Today Rice (44-16) vs. LSU (49-17), 5 p.m. Sunday Rice vs. LSU, 7 p.m., if necessary

At UFCU Disch-Falk Field

Austin, Texas Today TCU (39-16) vs. Texas (44-13-1), 6 p.m. Sunday TCU vs. Texas, 3 p.m. Monday TCU vs. Texas, 1 or 7 p.m., if necessary

At McKethan Stadium

Gainesville, Fla. Today Southern Mississippi (38-24) vs. Florida (42-20), 3 p.m. Sunday Southern Mississippi vs. Florida, 7 p.m. Monday Southern Mississippi vs. Florida, 1 or 7 p.m., if necessary

At Boshamer Stadium

Cal State Fullerton 12, Louisville 0 FULLERTON, CALIF.—Daniel Renken pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout, Josh Fellhauer homered, and Jared Clark drove in four runs to lead Cal State Fullerton to a victory over Louisville in the opener of the Fullerton Super Regional. Another win by the Titans (4614) will put them in the College World Series for the 16th time, and third in four years. Louisville (4717), shut out for just the second time this season, must win today to force a deciding third game Sunday night.

— The Associated Press

Tallahassee, Fla. Friday Arkansas 7, Florida State 2 Today Arkansas (38-22) vs. Florida State, (45-17), noon Sunday Arkansas vs. Florida State, Noon, if necessary

At Alex Box Stadium

Rice 020 110 023 — 9 9 2 LSU 000 162 03x — 12 12 4 Ojala, Wall (5), Rackling (5), Evers (6), Rogers (8) and Seastrunk; Ranaudo, Bertuccini (8), Haydel (9) and Gibbs. W:Ranaudo, 10-3. L:Wall, 7-6. HRs:Rice, Rendon (20), Holt (11), Sultzbaugh (8). LSU, Schimpf (19).

Louisville 000 000 000— 0 3 1 Cal State Fullerton 300 132 30x — 1216 0 Kiekhefer, Mathis (5), Holland (6), Revesz (8) and Arnold, Cheesebrough (8); Renken and Garneau, Marcoe (9). W: Renken, 11-2. L: Kiekhefer, 6-5. HR: Cal State Fullerton, Fellhauer (6).

At Dick Howser Stadium

Chapel Hill, N.C. Today East Carolina (46-18) vs. North Carolina (45-16), Noon Sunday East Carolina vs. North Carolina, Noon Monday East Carolina vs. North Carolina, 1 or 7 p.m., if necessary

At Packard Stadium

Tempe, Ariz. Today Clemson (44-20) vs. Arizona State (47-12), 9 p.m. Sunday Clemson vs. Arizona State, 10 p.m. Monday Clemson vs. Arizona State, 7 p.m., if necessary

At Oxford-University Stadium

Oxford, Miss. Friday Mississippi 4, Virginia 3, 12 innings Today Virginia (46-13-1) vs. Mississippi (44-18), Noon Sunday Virginia (46-12-1) vs. Mississippi (43-18), 3 p.m., if necessary

At Goodwin Field

BRUCE NEWMAN / AP

A solo HR by Matt Smith (16) put the Rebels one win from the College World Series.

Fullerton, Calif. Friday Cal State Fullerton 12, Louisville 0 Today Louisville (47-17) vs. Cal State Fullerton (46-14), 5 p.m. Sunday Louisville vs. Cal State Fullerton, 10 p.m., if necessary

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Safina ready to win her first major title PARIS—Thinner, mentally tougher and No. 1 in the rankings, Dinara Safina feels ready to win her first Grand Slam title. The top-seeded Safina is half of the third allRussian major championship match. She needs to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in today’s French Open final to claim one of the four biggest titles in tennis. “It’s one step easier because I’m already No. 1, so nobody can take it away from me,” Safina said Friday, referring to her losses to Serena Williams in this year’s Australian Open final and to Ana Ivanovic in the 2008 French Open final. “Just one more step I need to do.” Safina took over as the top-ranked player in April, and she has reached the final in the four tournaments she has played, all on clay. In her 21 matches since then, she has lost only once—to Kuznetsova. She credits much of that rise to her coach, Zeljko Krajan. “He had to start with everything from zero,” Safina said. “First, it was believe, and then I started to play better. And then I was overweight. He was like, ‘OK, now if you want to improve, you have to lose weight.’ So we started to work on (that) and I lost my weight. “He’s like, ‘OK, now the third part is mentally. In the tough moments you’re breaking down, so we have to improve mentally.’” Now, it’s time for a rematch against Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion who has been a friend and rival since their days as juniors. “She was a funny girl. I remember her coming to the match with a two-liter Pepsi,” Safina said. “I mean, you would look at her, and it was like, ‘No way she can be one day like winning (a) Grand Slam.’ “But then she moved to Spain and she changed completely. She became much more professional.” The two have met twice on clay this year, with Kuznetsova winning the title in Stuttgart, Germany, and Safina doing the same in Rome. — The Associated Press

Tennis

Federer one from tying Sampras for Grand Slams PARIS—Fresh off a ragged, rugged, five-set French Open semifinal victory Friday, Roger Federer was leaving for the night when a dozen or so fans drew his attention. They wanted photos and autographs, and Federer obliged, signing hats, a poster, even one guy’s white polo shirt. As Federer ambled off, a man shouted: “Win on Sunday! Please!” Pausing for a moment before sliding into a car, Federer turned and, with a quick wave of his skilled right arm, replied, “OK.” Ah, if only it were that simple. For all his accomplishments, for all his trophies and records, Federer now wants—needs?—to do something he never has: win a final at Roland Garros. By coming back to beat No. 5-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 3-6, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, Federer moved within one victory of his first French Open championship—and of so much more. If he can beat No. 23 Robin Soderling of Sweden on Sunday, Federer also will tie Pete Sampras’ career mark of 14 Grand Slam singles titles. And he will become only the sixth man with a career Grand Slam, at least one title from each of tennis’ four majors. “There’s still one more step,” Federer said. He’s come exactly this close in the past, losing each of the past three French Open finals to Rafael Nadal, along with a semifinal four years ago. But this time, Nadal is not around to torment him, having been stunned by Soderling in the fourth round. “Obviously,” Federer said, “it’s nice to see someone else for a change.” Since the start of the 2005 French Open, Federer is 0-4 against Nadal at Roland Garros, 29-0 against everyone else. Similarly, over the course of his career, Federer is 2-5 against Nadal in Grand Slam finals, 11-0 against all other opponents. Federer just so happens to have a 9-0 career record against Soderling, who will be playing in his first Grand Slam final. He’d never been past the third round in 21 previous majors but reeled off the last five games of a 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 victory over No.

31

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

Results Friday At Stade Roland Garros Paris Purse: $21.8 million (Grand Slam) Surface: Clay-Outdoor Singles Men Semifinals Robin Soderling (23), Sweden, def. Fernando Gonzalez (12), Chile, 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4. Roger Federer (2), Switzerland, def. Juan Martin del Potro (5), Argentina, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4. Doubles Women Championship Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual (3), Spain, def. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, and Elena Vesnina (12), Russia, 6-1, 6-1.

Glance PARIS—A look at the French Open on Friday: Weather: Partly cloudy. High of 68 degrees. Attendance: 16,890. Men’s semifinals: No. 2 Roger Federer def. No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro 3-6, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4; No. 23 Robin Soderling def. No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4. Stat of the day: 19—The number of Grand Slam finals Federer has reached, tying Ivan Lendl’s career record. Quote of the day: “I’ve played against him 20 times, so it’s always nice to play against somebody else.” — Federer, speaking about Rafael Nadal, who beat him in each of the past three French Open finals. Women’s final today: No. 1 Dinara Safina vs. No. 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova. Safina is trying for her first Grand Slam title, Kuznetsova for her second. Today’s forecast: Cloudy, with a chance of rain. High of 64 degrees. Today’s TV: NBC, 9 a.m.-noon EDT.

All-Time Men’s Majors Titles Through 2009 Australian Open

Aus BERNAT ARMANGUE / AP

Roger Federer will be going for his 14th Grand Slam title. 12 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in Friday’s first semifinal. Does Soderling believe he has a chance against Federer? “He’s going to be the favorite, by far,” the big-serving Soderling said. “But I think Nadal was the favorite against me as well.” — The Associated Press

Fren

Wimb

U.S.

Total

Pete Sampras

2

-

7

5

14

Roger Federer

3

-

5

5

13

Roy Emerson

6

2

2

2

12

Bjorn Borg

-

6

5

-

11

Rod Laver

3

2

4

2

11

Bill Tilden

-

-

3

7

10

Andre Agassi

4

1

1

2

8

Jimmy Connors

1

-

2

5

8

Ivan Lendl

2

3

-

3

8

Fred Perry

1

1

3

3

8

Ken Rosewall

4

2

-

2

8

SPORTING NEWS TODAY

Horse Racing / Soccer

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

HORSE RACING

32

SOCCER

141ST BELMONT STAKES Today 6:30 p.m. ET, ABC

USA VS. HONDURAS Tonight 8 ET, ESPN

Borel stays up late with Letterman

Pro-Honduran crowd expected

NEW YORK—Calvin Borel didn’t break curfew the evening before the Belmont Stakes but he was appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman. Borel will be aboard Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird today, trying to become the first jockey to capture a Triple Crown with two different horses. After the Derby win, Borel defected to Rachel Alexandra, guiding the filly to a one-length victory over Mine That Bird in the Preakness. When Rachel Alexandra was withdrawn from Belmont consideration, Borel was reunited with the gelding who pulled off the Derby shocker at 50-1. His Triple Crown success made Borel a hot media commodity, leading to the Letterman appearance recorded earlier this week. Letterman wanted to know if Mind That Bird harbored any resentment. “Now, will the horse be angry with you because you weren’t there for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown? That you were out running around with a girl?” Letterman asked. Borel assured the host that everything was patched up. Borel also said there are no hard feelings toward the rival jockeys. “I’m a very friendly guy,” Borel said. “You know, I mean, I’m out there to win, and they know it, you know. And they’re out there to win, but I think he’ll be the best horse in the race.”

CHICAGO—Soldier Field figures to resemble Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula more than middleAmerica when the United States plays Honduras in a World Cup qualifier tonight. Fans wearing the white-andblue jersey of the Catrachos were coming off planes at O’Hare International Airport on Friday. More than 50,000 advance tickets were sold for the match, which completes the first half of the final round of qualifying for the United States. “I think the boys, we’re used to it,” midfielder DaMarcus Beasley said. “We’re been playing away games at home for nine, 10 years since I’ve been here.” The U.S. team could use some support right now. Wednesday night’s 3-1 loss at Costa Rica boosted the Ticos (3-1) over the United States (2-1-1) into first place in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Honduras (1-1-1), which is third, was the last team to beat the U.S. in a qualifier on American soil, a 3-2 win at Washington’s RFK Stadium in September 2001. “Only in America, I guess, we’re fighting for a home-field advantage,” then-U.S. coach Bruce Arena said after that match. Hostile crowds in the United States are a familiar story for the players, who have gotten majority support against Latin teams primarily in Columbus, Ohio; Birmingham, Ala.; and Salt Lake City. “The fact that sales shot up here

Early chocolate Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was in a rush to get Chocolate Candy to

Odds The field for today’s 141st Belmont Stakes. HORSE

JULIE JACOBSON / AP

JOCKEY

ODDS

1. Chocolate Candy Gomez

10-1

2. Dunkirk

Velazquez

4-1

3. Mr. Hot Stuff

Prado

15-1

4. Summer Bird

Desormeaux

12-1

5. Luv Gov

Mena

20-1

6. Charitable Man Garcia

3-1

7. Mine That Bird

Borel

2-1

8. Flying Private

Leparoux

12-1

9. Miner’s Escape

Lezcano

15-1

10. Brave Victory

Maragh

15-1

Calvin Borel is looking for his own Triple Crown—while riding two different horses. New York. Hollendorfer immediately set his sights on the Belmont after the colt’s fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. The Preakness was never a consideration. “I didn’t want to run in all those Triple Crown races in a row,” Hollendorfer said. “However, we might have gotten more pressure to run in the Preakness if he’d done better in the Derby.” As far back as 15th at one point, Chocolate Candy showed enough determination in the Derby to warrant another Triple Crown try. “He had a tough start, like a lot of horses did,” Hollendorfer said. “He showed he wasn’t easily discouraged.” With the Belmont established as the new goal, Hollendorfer took the unusual step of shipping the horse to New York only days after the Derby. Most of the out-of-town

Belmont runners, including Mine That Bird, arrived this week. Hollendorfer hopes the additional acclimation period over the track with the sweeping turns and the sandy surface gives Chocolate Candy an edge. “It was suggested to us to train over at Belmont for a while before you run over it,” said Hollendorfer. “I didn’t want to leave him on the road that long but it’s worked OK so far.”

Not so hot Mr. Hot Stuff owns only one win in eight races, including a 15th place finish in the Derby where he was never a factor. “I don’t know if he got anything out of the Derby,” the Irish-born trainer said. “I’m hoping it’s a throw-out race, one that we can just ignore and move on.” — The Associated Press

DARIO LOPEZ-MILLS / AP

Costa Rica fans enjoyed their team’s win over the United States on Wednesday. after Mexico lost to Honduras is probably an indication that we were going to have more Honduran fans than we might have otherwise,” U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said Friday. “Would I prefer if there were 50,000 people rooting for the U.S. and 5,000 rooting for Honduras? Sure.” The 2001 match against Honduras has been the only home qualifying loss for the United States in 24 years, and the Americans are 15-0-1 since then. But several key players are unavailable. Right back Steve Cherundolo is rehabbing from hip surgery, and backup Frankie Hejduk is doubtful because of a groin injury that caused him to miss Wednesday’s debacle. Forward Brian Ching is out with a hamstring injury, and

midfielder Michael Bradley is suspended after getting his second yellow card of qualifying. Conor Casey, who leads Major League Soccer with eight goals, was added to the roster Friday. Jonathan Spector, sidelined for much of the past year, could get a start at left back following the poor defensive effort in Costa Rica. “A little wakeup call, but we know that qualifying is never easy, and this is no exception,” said Landon Donovan, whose injury time penalty kick produced the U.S. goal. “There’s bumps along the road, there always are. No matter how prepared you are, the one constant is that things don’t always do your way. So now we’ve got to respond.” — The Associated Press

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Soccer

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WORLD CUP NOTEBOOK

2010 World Cup qualifying glance (All times ET)

Argentina looks to rebound

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN—Wayne Rooney’s deployment in his favored central role for England could be key to the country’s move to the verge of World Cup qualification at Kazakhstan today. Rooney has spent much of the season with Manchester United playing on the left of an attacking trio, but he’s likely to play in

N. AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN FINALS: Top three qualify Fourth-place team advances to playoff vs. South America fifth-place team GP W D L GF GA Pts Costa Rica 4 3 0 1 6 3 9 United States 4 2 1 1 8 5 7 Honduras 3 1 1 1 4 4 4 Mexico 3 1 0 2 3 5 3 El Salvador 3 0 2 1 4 5 2 Trinidad 3 0 2 1 3 6 2

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA—Argentina coach Diego Maradona is happy to return home—and to sea level—to play Colombia today in World Cup qualifying after its 6-1 humiliation at Bolivia. Argentina is fourth in South American qualifying with 19 points—five behind leader Paraguay. Six games remain in group play with the top four advancing automatically to next year’s World Cup. “I want to get rid of this irritation,” Maradona said. “We were playing OK and the loss in Bolivia came as the team had been playing well.” TIRANA, ALBANIA—A fourgame winless streak in World Cup qualifying has put pressure on Portugal to find form against Albania—a win is essential for its hopes of reaching the 2010 tournament. “We’re all aware that if we don’t beat Albania, our qualification will be compromised,” Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo said. “If we don’t win, we won’t be at the World Cup.”

Wednesday, June 3 At San Jose, Costa Rica Costa Rica 3, United States 1 Today’s Games At Bacolet, Tobago Trinidad and Tobago vs. Costa Rica, 6:05 p.m. At Chicago United States vs. Honduras, 8:27 p.m. At San Salvador, El Salvador El Salvador vs. Mexico, 10 p.m. Wednesday’s Games At San Pedro Sula, Honduras Honduras vs. El Salvador, 9:30 p.m. At Mexico City Mexico vs. Trinidad and Tobago, 10 p.m.

EUROPE

Winners qualify Top eight second-place teams advance to European playoffs GROUP ONE Denmark Hungary Portugal Sweden Albania Malta

GP 5 6 5 4 7 7

W 4 4 1 1 1 0

D 1 1 3 3 3 1

L 0 1 1 0 3 6

GF GA 12 2 8 2 6 3 2 1 3 6 0 17

Pts 13 13 6 6 6 1

Today’s Games At Stockholm Sweden vs. Denmark, 2 p.m. At Tirana, Albania Albania vs. Portugal, 2:45 p.m. MARTIN MEJIA / AP

Argentina coach Diego Maradona said the loss to Bolivia left him irritated. Almaty in the position in which he forged his reputation. “The position I play for England is the one I like playing most,” Rooney said. England has a five-point lead over Croatia in European Group 6. MONTERREY, MEXICO—Mexico striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco is refusing to contemplate the possibility that his team is going to

33

SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

miss out on the World Cup for the first time since 1990. Mexico, which plays at El Salvador today, currently is fourth in the North and Central America and Caribbean region. “We know the team has not played well, but now we have an important challenge to beat El Salvador,” Blanco said. “I continue to say that we are the giants of CONCACAF.” — The Associated Press

GP W Greece 6 4 Switzerland 6 4 Latvia 6 3 Israel 6 2 Luxembourg 6 1 Moldova 6 0 No games scheduled

D 1 1 1 3 1 1

L 1 1 2 1 4 5

GF GA 12 4 11 6 10 6 10 8 3 13 2 11

Pts 13 13 10 9 4 1

GROUP THREE GP N. Ireland 7 Slovakia 5 Poland 6 Czech Republic 6 Slovenia 6 San Marino 6

D 1 0 1 2 2 0

L 2 1 2 2 2 6

GF GA 12 6 10 6 18 7 6 4 5 4 1 25

Pts 13 12 10 8 8 0

Today’s Game

W 4 4 3 2 2 0

GROUP FOUR GP Germany 6 Russia 5 Finland 4 Wales 6 Azerbaijan 4 Liechtenstein 5

W 5 4 2 2 0 0

D 1 0 1 0 1 1

L 0 1 1 4 3 4

GF GA 18 4 9 3 6 6 4 7 0 4 0 13

Pts 16 12 7 6 1 1

Today’s Games At Baku, Azerbaijan Azerbaijan vs. Wales, 11 a.m. At Helsinki Finland vs. Liechtenstein, noon

GROUP FIVE

GP W Spain 6 6 Bosnia-Herz. 6 4 Turkey 6 2 Belgium 6 2 Estonia 6 1 Armenia 6 0 No games scheduled GROUP SIX

GP England 5 Croatia 5 Ukraine 4 Belarus 4 Kazakhstan 5 Andorra 5

W 5 3 2 2 1 0

D 0 0 2 1 2 1

L 0 2 2 3 3 5

GF GA 13 2 18 7 6 5 10 11 5 15 3 15

Pts 18 12 8 7 5 1

D 0 1 1 0 0 0

L 0 1 1 2 4 5

GF GA 16 4 10 4 5 3 9 6 6 16 1 14

Pts 15 10 7 6 3 0

Today’s Games At Almaty, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan vs. England, 11 a.m. At Grodno, Belarus Belarus vs. Andorra, noon At Zagreb, Croatia Croatia vs. Ukraine, 2:15 p.m.

GROUP SEVEN GP Serbia 5 France 5 Lithuania 6 Austria 5 Romania 5 Faeroe Islands 4

W 4 3 3 2 1 0

D 0 1 0 1 1 1

L 1 1 3 2 3 3

GF 12 7 6 7 6 1

GA 5 6 5 7 10 5

Pts 12 10 9 7 4 1

Wednesday’s Game At Torshavn, Faeroe Islands Faeroe Islands vs. Serbia, 2:15 p.m. W 4 3 1

D 2 3 4

L 0 0 0

Bahrain 6 2 1 3 5 6 7 Uzbekistan 6 1 1 4 5 8 4 Qatar 6 1 1 4 4 13 4 Today’s Games At Tashkent, Uzbekistan Uzbekistan vs. Japan, 10:05 a.m. At Doha, Qatar Qatar vs. Australia, noon

GROUP NINE

Wednesday’s Games At Sydney Australia vs. Bahrain, 5 a.m. At Yokohama, Japan Japan vs. Qatar, 6:20 a.m.

Netherlands Scotland Iceland Macedonia Norway

GP 5 5 5 4 3

W 5 2 1 1 0

D 0 1 1 0 2

L 0 2 3 3 1

GF GA 12 1 4 6 5 8 2 7 2 3

Pts 15 7 4 3 2

GP South Korea 5 North Korea 6 Saudi Arabia 6 Iran 5 Utd Arab Emir. 6

Wednesday’s Games At Skopje, Macedonia Macedonia vs. Iceland, 11:45 a.m. At Rotterdam, Netherlands Netherlands vs. Norway, 2:45 p.m.

SOUTH AMERICA

Top four teams qualify Fifth-place team advances to playoff against CONCACAF fourth place GP W D L GF GA Paraguay 12 7 3 2 19 9 Brazil 12 5 6 1 19 5 Chile 12 6 2 4 17 14 Argentina 12 5 4 3 18 13 Uruguay 12 4 5 3 21 10 Colombia 12 3 5 4 6 10 Ecuador 12 3 5 4 14 19 Venezuela 12 4 1 7 14 22 Bolivia 12 3 3 6 19 25 Peru 12 1 4 7 6 26

Pts 24 21 20 19 17 14 14 13 12 7

GF GA 9 3 7 4 5 3

Sunday’s Game At Lima, Peru Peru vs. Ecuador, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday’s Games At Quito, Ecuador Ecuador vs. Argentina, 5 p.m. At Recife, Brazil Brazil vs. Paraguay, 7:50 p.m. At Medellin, Colombia Colombia vs. Peru, 7 p.m. At Santiago, Chile Chile vs. Bolivia, 9 p.m. At Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela Venezuela vs. Uruguay, 9 p.m.

ASIA Pts 14 12 7

FINALS: Top two teams in each group qualify Third-place teams in each group advance to playoff GROUP A GP W D L GF GA Pts Australia 5 4 1 0 8 0 13 Japan 5 3 2 0 8 3 11

W 3 3 3 1 0

D 2 1 1 3 1

L 0 2 2 1 5

GF GA 9 3 7 5 8 8 6 6 6 14

Pts 11 10 10 6 1

Wednesday, June 17 At Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia vs. North Korea At Seoul, South Korea South Korea vs. Iran

L 0 0 1 1

GF GA 2 1 1 0 1 2 0 1

Pts 3 3 0 0

Today’s Game At Libreville, Gabon Gabon vs. Togo, 10:30 a.m.

Today’s Game

D 0 1 1 0

L 0 0 0 1

D 1 1 1 1

L 0 0 0 0

GF GA 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

Pts 1 1 1 1

L 0 1 1 1

GF GA 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1

Pts 3 1 1 0

L 0 0 1 1

GF GA 5 0 4 2 2 4 0 5

Pts 3 3 0 0

Sunday’s Game At Blida, Algeria Algeria vs. Egypt, 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 20 At Chililabombwe, Zambia Zambia vs. Algeria, 8 a.m.

GROUP D Ghana Mali Sudan Benin

GP 1 1 1 1

W 1 0 0 0

D 0 0 0 0

Saturday, June 20 At Omdurman, Sudan Sudan vs. Ghana, 1 p.m. Sunday, June 21 At Bamako, Mali Mali vs. Benin, 3 p.m.

Ivory Coast Burkina Faso Guinea Malawi

GF 2 0 0 1

GP 1 1 1 1

W 1 1 0 0

D 0 0 0 0

Today’s Game At Blantyre, Malawi Malawi vs. Burkina Faso, 8 a.m.

Saturday, June 20 At Libreville, Gabon Gabon vs. Cameroon, 10:30 a.m. At Rabat, Morocco Morocco vs. Togo, noon W 1 0 0 0

W 0 0 0 0

Today’s Game At Chililabombwe, Zambia Zambia vs. Rwanda, 8 a.m.

GROUP E

Sunday’s Game At Yaounde, Cameroon Cameroon vs. Morocco, 10:30 a.m.

GP 1 1 1 1

GP 1 1 1 1

Sunday’s Games At Contonou, Benin Benin vs. Sudan, 11 a.m. At Bamako, Mali Mali vs. Ghana, 3 p.m.

AFRICA

Tunisia Mozambique Nigeria Kenya

Saturday, June 20 At Nairobi, Kenya Kenya vs. Mozambique, 9 a.m. At Rades, Tunisia Tunisia vs. Nigeria, 1:10 p.m.

Sunday, July 5 At Cairo, Egypt Egypt vs. Rwanda, 2:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games At Seoul, South Korea South Korea vs. Saudi Arabia, 7 a.m. At Tehran, Iran Iran vs. United Arab Emirates, 10:30 a.m.

GROUP B

Sunday’s Game At Abuja, Nigeria Nigeria vs. Kenya, noon

Egypt Zambia Algeria Rwanda

Today’s Games At Pyongyang, North Korea North Korea vs. Iran, 4 a.m. At Dubai, United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates vs. South Korea, 12:15 p.m.

FINALS: Winners qualify GROUP A GP W D Gabon 1 1 0 Togo 1 1 0 Morocco 1 0 0 Cameroon 1 0 0

At Rades, Tunisia Tunisia vs. Mozambique, noon

GROUP C

Wednesday, June 17 At Manama, Bahrain Bahrain vs. Uzbekistan At Melbourne, Australia Australia vs. Japan GROUP B

Today’s Games At Montevideo, Uruguay Uruguay vs. Brazil, 3 p.m. At La Paz, Bolivia Bolivia vs. Venezuela, 4:50 p.m. At Buenos Aires, Argentina Argentina vs. Colombia, 5 p.m. At Asuncion, Paraguay Paraguay vs. Chile, 6:50 p.m.

Today’s Games At Marijampole, Lithuania Lithuania vs. Romania, 2 p.m. At Belgrade, Serbia Serbia vs. Austria, 2:30 p.m.

GROUP EIGHT GP Italy 6 Ireland 6 Bulgaria 5

Cyprus 5 1 1 3 4 7 4 Montenegro 5 0 3 2 3 6 3 Georgia 7 0 3 4 4 9 3 Today’s Games At Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgaria vs. Ireland, 1:30 p.m. At Larnaca, Cyprus Cyprus vs. Montenegro, 2:30 p.m.

Today’s Games At Skopje, Macedonia Macedonia vs. Norway, 11:45 a.m. At Reykjavik, Iceland Iceland vs. Netherlands, 2:45 p.m.

Wednesday’s Game At Helsinki Finland vs. Russia, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games At Kiev, Ukraine Ukraine vs. Kazakhstan, 1 p.m. At Wembley, England England vs. Andorra, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday’s Game At Goteborg, Sweden Sweden vs. Malta, 1 p.m. GROUP TWO

At Bratislava, Slovakia Slovakia vs. San Marino, 11:30 a.m.

Sunday’s Game At Conakry, Guinea Guinea vs. Ivory Coast, 1 p.m. GA 1 0 0 2

Pts 3 1 1 0

Saturday, June 20 At Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Burkina Faso vs. Ivory Coast, 2 p.m. Sunday, June 21 At Conakry, Guinea Guinea vs. Malawi, 1 p.m.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 06, 2009

34

IN BRIEF

Report: U.S. Open to return to Oakmont in 2016 Major League Soccer EASTERN CONFERENCE Chicago D.C. Kansas City Toronto FC Columbus New England New York

W 5 4 4 4 2 3 2

L 2 2 4 4 2 3 8

T 6 7 4 4 7 4 3

Pts 21 19 16 16 13 13 9

GF 20 20 16 16 15 10 12

GA 17 17 14 19 17 17 18

WESTERN CONFERENCE W L T Chivas USA 7 2 3 Houston 6 2 3 Seattle 4 2 5 Colorado 4 2 4 Los Angeles 1 1 9 Real Salt Lake 3 6 2 FC Dallas 2 6 3 San Jose 2 7 2 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie. Thursday’s Game D.C. United 2, New York 0 Friday’s Game Houston 1, Chicago 0 Today’s Games Los Angeles at Toronto FC, 3:30 p.m.

Pts 24 21 17 16 12 11 9 8

GF 17 15 15 16 13 15 12 12

GA 9 7 9 13 13 15 17 22

Columbus at Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. Colorado at Real Salt Lake, 10 p.m. Seattle FC at Chivas USA, 10:30 p.m. Sunday’s Games San Jose at FC Dallas, 3 p.m. Chivas USA at New England, 6 p.m..

WNBA All Times ET EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlanta Chicago Connecticut Detroit Indiana New York Washington

W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pct .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000

GB — — — — — — —

W 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pct .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000

GB — — — — — —

WESTERN CONFERENCE Los Angeles Minnesota Phoenix Sacramento San Antonio Seattle Today’s Games Detroit at Los Angeles, 2:30 a.m. Seattle at Sacramento, 4 p.m. Washington at Connecticut, 4 p.m. Indiana at Atlanta, 7 p.m. Chicago at Minnesota, 8 p.m. San Antonio at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Sunday’s Games Atlanta at Washington, 4 p.m. Connecticut at New York, 4 p.m. Minnesota at Indiana, 7 p.m. Sacramento at Seattle, 9 p.m. Monday’s Game Los Angeles at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

OAKMONT, PA.—The U.S. Open will return to Oakmont Country Club in suburban Pittsburgh in 2016, nine years after the national championship was last played there. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on its website Friday that the U.S. Open will make its ninth trip to Oakmont, which waited 13 years between 1994 and 2007 to play host to its most recent national championship. The 2007 tournament was won by Angel Cabrera. SPRINGFIELD, ILL.—Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak maintained a share of the State Farm Classic lead with another bogeyfree performance, while Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson shot into contention with a second-round 63. Pak shot a 4-under 68 to match Suzann Pettersen (66) at 10-under 134 on the Panther Creek course. Alfredsson joined Kristy McPherson (66), first-round co-leader Jee Young Lee (69), Kris Tamulis (68) and Moira Dunn (66) at 9 under. LAKEWAY, TEXAS—Bernhard Langer birdied the par-3 18th hole for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke after the first round of the Triton Financial Classic. David Eger birdied the final two holes for a 66. Michael McCullough followed at 67, and Tom Kite, the area resident still looking for his first tour win in Texas, was another stroke back along with Mark O’Meara, Mark Wiebe, Mark James, Dana Quigley, Jeff Sluman and Larry Mize. NEWPORT, WALES—Scotland’s Richie Ramsay shot a 4-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round

TRANSACTIONS BASEBALL American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES: Purchased the contract of LHP Alberto Castillo from Norfolk (IL). Released LHP Jamie Walker. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Activated DH Travis Hafner from the 15-day DL. Optioned RHP Fausto Carmona to the Arizona Rookie League. National League FLORIDA MARLINS: Placed RHP Anibal Sanchez on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Cristhian Martinez from Jacksonville (SL). NEW YORK METS: Placed RHP J.J. Putz on the 15-day DL. Purchased the contract of RHP Fernando Nieve from Buffalo (IL). Claimed LHP Pat Misch off waivers from San Francisco. Moved RHP J.J. Putz from the 15-day to 60-day DL. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: Placed RHP Kyle Lohse on the 15-day DL. Recalled INF Tyler Greene from Memphis (PCL). American Association FORT WORTH CATS: Signed LHP Justin Garcia. LINCOLN SALTDOGS: Signed OF Pichi Balet. SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CAPTAINS: Signed INF BJ Wheeler and OF Geoff Wagner. Can-Am League SUSSEX SKYHAWKS: Signed INF Alex Bardeguez. WORCESTER TORNADOES: Signed OF Carlos Sosa. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association TORONTO RAPTORS: Named Marc Iavaroni assistant coach. Women’s National Basketball Association WNBA: Suspended Detroit C Kara Braxton for six games after pleading guilty to a drunk-driving charge. MINNESOTA LYNX: Reached a buyout agreement with G Anna DeForge. Waived G Emily Fox and C Tye’sha Fluker. Placed F Kathrin Ress on the suspended list. HOCKEY National Hockey League CALGARY FLAMES: Named Jim Playfair coach of Abbotsford (AHL). ST. LOUIS BLUES: Named Mike Hannegan assistant athletic trainer and Joel Farnsworth as assistant equipment manager. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: Fired Toronto Marlies (AHL) coach Greg Gilbert.

GENE J. PUSKAR / AP

The last time the U.S. Open was played in Oakmont in 2007, Angel Cabrera came out on top. of the Wales Open. Ramsay, the 2006 U.S. Amateur winner, had a 7-under 135 total on The Twenty Ten Course, the site of the 2010 Ryder Cup matches. Englishmen Robert Rock (68) and Ross Fisher (66) were tied for second. European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was three strokes back after his second straight 69, while U.S. counterpart Corey Pavin made the cut by a stroke, shooting a 72 for a 2-over total.

WNBA AUBURN HILLS, MICH.—Detroit Shock center Kara Braxton will be suspended for six games after pleading guilty to a drunk-driving charge during the offseason. The league announced the suspension Friday, one day before the defending champions face the Los Angeles Sparks in the first game of the 2009 WNBA season. Braxton averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 33 games last season. — The Associated Press

LACROSSE Major League Lacrosse BOSTON CANNONS: Activated A Brandon Corp. Placed M Matt Lalli on waivers. CHICAGO MACHINE: Activated D Thomas Kehoe. LONG ISLAND LIZARDS: Activated D Nicky Polanco and M Glenn Adams. COLLEGE BINGHAMTON: Signed men’s basketball coach Kevin Broadus through the 2013-2014 season. CALIFORNIA: Named Jennifer Carey director of operations for women’s volleyball. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON: Fired men’s basketball coach Tom Green. MIAMI: Announced junior F Dwayne Collins has withdrawn from the NBA Draft. MONTANA STATE-BILLINGS: Announced the resignation of Dana Cordova, women’s volleyball and men’s golf coach. MONTANA TECH: Named Rich Mayson wide receivers and tight ends coach. OKLAHOMA CITY: Named Jerry Faulkner graduate assistant cross country coach. ST. ANDREWS: Announced the resignation of athletic director Brian Mand. STANFORD: Named Niall Adler assistant media relations director. TENNESSEE-MARTIN: Announced the resignation of men’s basketball coach Bret Campbell.