06/29/08

Leading Off
-What Quarterback threw 70 passes in a single game?


Free Throws
MLB
-It’s been a very boring past little while in baseball, with the exception of one thing. Last night, in interleague play, the Dodgers and the Angels were playing the 2nd game of their 3-game series. Then in the 5th inning, baseball history occurred. Matt Kemp hit a ground ball down the 1st base side, Jered Weaver bobbled it and Kemp was safe on the e-1. Matt Kemp then stole 2nd base, but the throw was high and Kemp advanced to 3rd. The next batter was Blake DeWitt. He hit the ball deep to right field, scoring Kemp on the sac fly. Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo combined to pitch 3 more innings of no-hit ball to complete the no-hitter. The only problem is, the Angels never got a run! They became only the 5th Major League team since 1900 and the 1st since 1992 to lose, despite having a no-hitter. This also marks the 1st time a team has lost a combined no-hitter (when two or more pitchers pitch) and this is also the 1st time it has occurred in interleague play. This isn’t a legitimate no-hitter because they only pitched 8 innings instead of the required 9, but it’s still pretty crazy to think that this has only happened 8 times in Major League history. The only “legitimate” no-hitter loss occurred on April 23, 1964, when Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt 45’s (now the Astros) lost to the Cincinnati Reds 1-0. Pete Rose was the batter who scored.

-The only other semi-interesting news in baseball is in Minnesota, where the Twins went on a 10-0 run (now 10-1). They swept the Nationals, Padres and Diamondbacks during their run before losing to the Brewers yesterday, 5-1. Their streak, however, didn’t allow them to eclipse the White Sox, who still hold a 1.5 game lead over the Twins for the lead in the AL Central division.

NFL
-Marshawn Lynch, Running Back for the Buffalo Bills, had his drivers license revoked and was forced to pay a $100 fine, after he ran over a Canadian Woman, Kimberly, Shpeley on May 31st. First of all, the $100 fine is ridiculous. He probably has pencils that are worth at least that much. Fortunately the woman is ok and she only suffered a bruised hip and a cut on her thigh, but she could have been seriously injured or even killed. Lynch said that it was late at night, raining hard and he didn‘t know that he ran over anybody. Part of me wants to believe him, he hasn’t been involved in legal trouble as much as a Mike Vick or Pacman Jones, but to say that you didn’t know that you ran over somebody, I find that very hard to wrap my head around. I wasn’t there when the crash happened, so I’m not sure about where was hit and where she ended up, but I’m going to compare it to running over a stop sign, or any sign for that matter. When you run over it, you’ll know it. You won’t just say, “Well that was a big bump in the road.” Same thing with a person. You’ll realise if you hit somebody. Even when a big bug hits your windshield, you can hear it. So I’m sorry Mr. Lynch, but I don’t buy your excuse.

-“Ridiculous!” That’s what Roger Goodell thinks about paying rookies who haven’t even played a down large sums of money. Goodell used as an example the contract Jake Long recently received from the Miami Dolphins, a 5-year deal worth $57.75M. Doesn’t the commissioner have better things to worry about than rookie salaries. Something maybe like Spygate or Marshawn Lynch’s hit-and-run? If they can afford to sign him and still be under the cap I really don’t see what the big deal is. If the Dolphins run into salary cap problems down the road, then you can say I told you so. But, if a team wants to waste $11M per season on a center, than that’s their problem. Goodell needs to re-prioritize his schedule.

-Goodell seems to be doing a lot of running around lately. He has recently dismissed the idea that the Buffalo Bills will be shipped off to Toronto. Ok Roger, you keep telling us that while you add games in Toronto. 1 game this year a couple more the next and just keep slowly moving the team to Toronto. I would be willing to bet that in 10 years the Bills will be playing half of their games in Toronto. Goodell, you’re doing the right thing by reassuring Bills fans, but just don’t be surprised when their season ticket holders are burning down your house in 2018.

NHL
-The Tampa Bay Lightning made a big splash in the NHL waters when they acquired Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone from the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is a good move for the Lightning to acquire these two big names, but they keep skirting around their main need: A starting goalie! They haven’t had one since Nikolai Khabibulin bolted for the windy city. They acquired Mike Smith at the trade deadline, who is a good back-up, but doesn’t have the Skills to be a full time starter. Then they drafted Stamkos, signed Melrose and now acquired Roberts and Malone. All of the pieces are in place, except a starting goaltender. Maybe they’re going to test the free agent waters. Jose Theodore is slated to become a UFA this year and is expected to test the market. Personally I think Theodore would be a great fit in Tampa, but knowing the Lightning, they’ll be more likely to sign Wade Dubielewicz.

-Another day, another buyout. This time it’s the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have bought out the remainder of Andrew Raycroft’s contract. For those of you who don’t understand logic, this means they will go with Vesa Toskala as their starter. I enjoy watching the Leafs lose, so I’m glad they pulled this move. Toskala is the superior goalie, but would it have really hurt the Leafs to keep a goalie around, who has a .900 save pct.? Even as a back-up? Not to mention that Raycroft is a former Calder trophy winner who had a couple of bad years in Toronto. The Leafs might have to now promote Justin Pogge or Scott Clemmensen, both of them unproven at the NHL level. After this year it will have been 42 years since Toronto last hoisted Stanley. Yes, I’m counting.

ATP
It’s the traditional rest Sunday at Wimbledon today, so let’s recap the last week over in England. Sharapova’s out, I don’t care anymore.

UEFA
-Because I value my job, I decided to work instead of watching the Euro cup final. Fortunately, I have wonderful grandparents who taped the game for me and I watched it later in the evening. Obviously Spain won, because I had picked them earlier. Not 2-0, but it should’ve been. I couldn’t believe it when Marcos Senna missed that easy tap-in late in the game. But none of that was important, because in the 33rd minute, speedy Fernando Torres, chipped a beautiful shot over goalkeeper Jens Lehman. That was all that the Spaniards needed to win their first Euro cup since 1964. As I type this, there is 710 days, 19 hours, 44 minutes and 50 seconds left until the World Cup in South Africa. Let the countdown begin!

7th Inning Stretch
Nope…still nothing

Buzzer Beater
The Buzzer Beater award for June 29th goes to…Matt Kemp. I can almost guarantee that Kemp will be the only batter who wins this award without even registering a hit, but when you’re involved in history, you have to get some recognition. Kemp will always be remembered as that guy who scored against a no-hitter. Thanks to Jair Jurrjens for making it close, but Kemp takes the honours this time.

Tiger Woods - 1
Kevin Youkilis - 1
Jie Zheng - 1
Matt Kemp - 1

Next edition coming Tuesday, July 1st. Until then, have a good NHL UFA signing period.