RedHawks Take Their Talents to South Carolina

After a long off-season restricted to indoor practicing due to the frigid Oxford weather, Miami’s baseball team finally gets a chance to play outside this weekend as they take part in the annual College of Charleston Invitational in South Carolina.

In a telephone interview Thursday afternoon, head Coach Dan Simonds said the team left Oxford Friday afternoon, drove 9 hours, and finished the trip Thursday morning.  Although they capitalized on the warm southwest Ohio weather this week by practicing outside on Miami’s turf football field at Yager Stadium, an early departure allowed the team to practice outdoors on an actual diamond for the first time all year. 

RedHawk ballplayers spent much of the offseason in the weight room, with a rigorous three-day a week lifting schedule, but has recently turned to a six-day a week practice routine with hitting, fielding, and throwing on a daily basis and have since cut down their lifting to two days a week. During the early parts of the season when the weather is too snowy or icy to go outdoors, the team will continue to practice out of Withrow Court. 

The team was excited to get outside for the first time and are even more thrilled to step across that white line for a real game.  “It’s almost like letting out a bunch of kids for the first time to play,” noted Red-Shirt Junior outfielder, Bryce Redeker.  “I know it’s not the best for us to never be able to go outside and see fly balls or get real groundballs, but when we get outside it’s go-time.”

Last year’s team finished the year a disappointing one game below the .500 mark, with a 28-29 record, but nearly the entire roster has since returned.  Everyone except Miami’s best player from 2010, Adam Eaton, who left the team last May after his junior year when the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him. 

Eaton tore up the competition in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) last spring, boasting an astounding .368 batting average accompanied by team-highs in at bats (220), runs (64), hits (81), doubles (18), triples (9), and homers (13).  Those 9 triples represented the most of any MAC player and the 7^th most of all the NCAA players in the nation.  Both the current team and the former RedHawk star feel weird that a new Miami baseball season is beginning without Eaton on the roster.  “I would love to have another season at Miami but at the same time I’m leaving for Spring Training in Arizona on March 7^th and that’s something I won’t ever regret,” said Eaton via telephone. 

Life goes on and the RedHawks aren’t looking in the rearview mirror even for a second.  “Guys have been filling in and they’ll be able to step it up where we’re missing him,” said senior second baseman, Jon Edgington, who was chosen based on team vote to serve as one of the four captains for the RedHawks this season.  The other three are seniors Adam Weisenburger, Sam Dawes and Kyle Weldon. 

Weekend Lineup

Play kicks off for the RedHawks on Friday afternoon against Marshall, followed by a Saturday encounter with the host Cougars, and a Sunday matchup against Kentucky.   Sophomore RHP Mac Thoreson will be on the bump Friday for the RedHawks, with Red-Shirt Junior LHP Shawn Marquardt going Saturday and Senior LHP Tyler Melling starting on Sunday.  All three will be kept on a strict pitch count of 80-85 pitches and freshmen lefties Seth Varner and Alex Brown will both be available out of the bullpen in addition to the regular set of relievers. 

2010 Stats                                    ERA            W-L            APP            IP

Mac Thoreson                              5.08              5-6               16              72.2           

Shawn Marquardt                        Missed 2010 with Tommy John Surgery

Tyler Melling                               5.90               4-7               15             90.0           

Friday’s probable starters:

1.     Ryan Brenner – CF

2.     Jon Edgington – 2B

3.     Bryce Redeker – LF

4.     Kyle Weldon – 1B

5.     Adam Weisenburger – C

6.     Kevin Bower – DH

7.     Ryan Kaup – SS

8.     Brad Gschwind – 3B

9.     Ryan Curl – RF

Miami will benefit greatly from the return of outfielder Bryce Redeker who missed nearly all of last season due to a wrist injury.  Shawn Marquardt’s RedHawk debut should also prove interesting for the RedHawks on Saturday. 

Miami seems excited to get things going after spending a long off-season practicing indoors and are poised for a good weekend of baseball against some tough competition.  “We focus on the process and take care of the little things,” said Coach Simonds.  “Focus on the process and the results will take care of themselves.”

Baseball Season's ... Almost Starting to Think About Getting ... Underway

Pitchers and catchers report in less than 2 weeks.  In under two months, 57 days to be exact, Opening Day will be here.  Thus, it’s time to start looking forward towards the notable stories of this year’s baseball season. 

Perhaps I could talk about the star-studded rotation out in Philadelphia that some are comparing to the Braves starters in the 90s.  What about Theo Epstein’s fantastic off-season in which he added two of the most sought after lefties on the free-agent/trade market (Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford).  Or maybe I’ll discuss the ridiculous 7-year, $126 million contract that the Nat’s GM Mike Rizzo generously dolled out to Jayson Werth.

Wrong, wrong and wrong again.  Even if you haven’t been following baseball during the offseason as obsessively as me, these stories still found their way onto SportsCenter and therefore into your head.  I want to talk about a story you did not notice.  A story that was not re-run on ESPN for hours and hours.  I want to talk about a team that enters Spring Training with a solid lineup, a fantastic manager, a solid pitching core and next to no chance of making the playoffs.  The Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore shuffled through two managers last season (Dave Trembley and Juan Samuel) before finally pulling Buck Showalter out of the Baseball Tonight studios and back into the dugout where he belongs.  After his August call-up, Showalter led the Orioles to an impressive 34-23 record.  Even more impressive when you consider that the Orioles ended the season 30 games below .500 with a 66-96 record. 

Baltimore parted ways with shortstop Miguel Tejada; however, key additions include gold-glove first baseman Derrek Lee and shortstop J.J. Hardy who has quietly averaged 24 homers a year over the last four seasons during stints with Milwaukee and Minnesota. Perhaps most notably, the O’s traded for slugger Mark Reynolds who hit 32, 44, and 28 homers in the last three seasons respectively despite leading the league in strikeouts each of those years. 

Most recently, the Orioles added Justin Duchscherer, who has received praise for his great potential but has also been limited by injuries to just five starts since 2008.  Duchscherer joins a young and upcoming rotation featuring 24-year-old Brian Matusz and 25-year-old Brad Bergesen.  Baltimore’s GM, Andy MacPhail also added a closer in Kevin Gregg. 

The new cast joins a solid core, highlighted by catching stud Matt Wieters, who will begin his third year of service in 2011, outfielders Adam Jones and Nick Markakis, and second baseman Brian Roberts. 

When you take a look at that Baltimore depth chart, the Orioles quietly built themselves a solid little ball club.  Problem is, they face off against two divisional opponents who have payrolls over $150 million and another who continues to find success in a great farm system and an even better manager. 

I’m not here to advocate for a restructuring of baseball, just here to remind fans that if Buck Showalter’s Orioles win 90 games but still find themselves on the links come October, they ought to get some recognition from baseball fans outside of Baltimore.  

Roger Goodell: State of the Union

Tuesday night, President Barack Obama will address his flustered nation, attempting to soothe their economic, health care, and environmental worries.  Obama will likely be realistic with Americans at times and overly comforting at other points.  Americans are not the only group that needs comforting and reality spoken to them at this time: NFL fans need a good ‘ol fashion speech. 

Roger Goodell (NFL), Bud Selig (MLB), David Stern (NBA), and Gary Bettman (NHL), the big four commissioners in professional sports, work behind the scenes for primarily all of their duties.  They seem to only make public appearances during their respective sport’s championship game as they pass out the trophy or when they must discipline an athlete and SportsCenter plays clips of their punishment rulings nonstop.

Roger Goodell should shadow the annual State of the Union address made each January by the Prez and provide an NFL State of the Union.  Fans fear that a lockout looms next fall and the awkward two-week break before the Super Bowl serves as a perfect time to cool the nerves of non Pack or Steel fans.  On second thought, as a big Bears fan, for the sake of my health, not having to suffer through another Lovie Smith press conference or Jay Cutler interception parade may do me well. 

Football fans hope that there will be football on Sunday come next fall but we really don’t know what the chances are of both sides settling.  If Goodell were to actually make this speech, he’d likely spend the whole time telling us that “there will definitely be an NFL season in 2011” and football fans have “nothing to worry about”; however, fans want to know the IFs.

If there is a lockout, how will the 2011 Draft work?  What will happen to players contracts: will they be paid for not playing, will a deal with three years left on it still have three left after the strike season?  How big of an impact will a strike season have on college football attendance and TV ratings?  Most importantly, if there’s no football on TV, what in the world are we supposed to do on Sunday? 

Serving since 2006, Goodell is by far the least tenured of any of the big four comishes.  Selig, Stern and Bettman all have seen lockout-shortened seasons.  Goodell obviously won’t ever have a State of the Union address for NFL fans; however, my point is that transparency is essential.  A solid line of communication between four parties (Goodell, the owners, the players and the fans) could prevent Goodell from falling into that list of current commissioners with strike shortened seasons under their belts.  If the players and owners can communicate effectively, they will have established a form of bipartisanship that the U.S. Congress continues to search for. 

Obama may not fix America, but in the name of any football God that rests up there, lets hope Goodell can fix the NFL. 

Skies Look Cloudy for Ohio Baseball

 Ohio sports fans have little to cheer about right now, but that doesn’t mean springtime will bring anything more exciting.  Baseball lovers inevitably get their hopes up in April, but Reds and Indians fans seem likely to get theirs crushed.     

Cincinnati is coming off a division title; however, they are also coming off a three game sweep out of the ALDS against the Phillies.  That’s the fourth consecutive year that the NL Central champion has been swept out of the playoffs: Cubs (2007), Cubs (2008), Cardinals (2009) and Reds (2010).  Perhaps the Red did not win the division as much as everybody else in the NL Central simply lost it last season.  The Indians lost 93 games last season, so Tribe fans have smaller expectations entering 2010 than Reds fans; however, both teams appear primed for a troubling season thanks to their horrible off seasons.  AL Central and NL Central teams amped up their rosters as Chris Antonetti and Walt Jocketty’s BlackBerrys saw little activity this winter.

In the Senior Circuit, the Brewers additions of Zack Greinke and Sean Marcum make the Milwaukee rotation a legitimate force that should get real consideration for a possible playoff run when teamed with an offense that finished fourth in NL runs scored (750) in 2010.  Milwaukee also seems poised to hold onto Prince Fielder (who will be a free agent at the end of the 2011 season) and make a stab at a run this year.  Although the Cubs seem stuck in an awkward phase of expiring contracts (4 more years of Alfonso Soriano, 2 more years of Carlos Zambrano, and 1 more year of Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome), general manager Jim Hendry made some solid additions that may not make the Cubs instant division favorites, but certainly propel the club into a better direction.  Chicago’s North Side team looks slightly more like the Rays after acquiring former Tampa Bay first baseman Carlos Pena and right-handed pitcher Matt Garza (or was that Joaquin Benoit that the Cubs traded for).

In the American League, the Indians watched their central division foes prime themselves for a division run. White Sox sign free-agent left-handed power bat Adam Dunn and resign gold glove first baseman Paul Konerko.  Meanwhile, the Royals restocked their farm system by acquiring youngsters Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, and Jeremy Jeffreys in exchange for departing with 2009 Cy-Young Zack Greinke.  The Tigers added Victor Martinez to their core of young ballplayers (Austin Jackson, Brennan Boesche, and Will Ryhmes) and the 2010 AL Central Champion Twins … well they’re coming back with Gardy and co.

Reds rotation troubles make them look questionable for a repeat in 2010.  What follows are Cincy’s five probable starters in 2011 with their 2010 ERAs in parenthesis: Edinson Volquez (4.31), Bronson Arroyo (3.88), Johnny Cueto (3.64), Mike Leake (4.23), and Homer Bailey (4.46).  Note: Dusty Baker hinted that Aroldis Chapman might remain in the bullpen for all of 2011.  When you’re facing top-heavy rotations in your division such as Carpenter-Wainwright and Greinke-Marcum, the Reds’ lack of an ace, much less two aces, may prove to be a fatal flaw.  They scored the most runs in all of the National League last season (290), but their bats grew mighty quiet in the three game series against Halladay-Hamels-Oswalt in which they scored all of 4 runs on 11 hits during the three game Philly sweep. 

Indians fans have had very little to cheer about since they won the ALDS over the Yankees in 2007 with the help of some pesky bugs and next Summer looks as if it will follow the recent trend.   San Francisco Giants fans had plenty to cheer about in October despite pre-season skepticism from the “experts”; therefore, you never really know what to expect from the Indians lineup that appears weak at first glance. 

The Browns and Bengals seasons have finally come to a close and Cavs fans recently saw their team lose 10 straight to cement themselves into the bottom of the entire NBA standings.  Looks like the pride and joy of Ohio right now is … the Blue Jackets.    

RIP Ronnie, Summer Will Never Be The Same

Legendary Cubs third baseman and radio broadcaster, Ron Santo, passed away early Thursday morning.

Former Cubs third baseman Ron Santo passed away last night at the age of 70.  The Chicago Tribune reported that Santo went into a coma late Wednesday night and died early Thursday morning. 

He was never enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but Cubs fans across the country know the baseball world has lost a legend.  On the field he was spectacular, but his role as color commentator for Cubs radio broadcasts since 1996 is a large part of the reason that Cubs fans everywhere felt like they lost a grandfather when they heard the news of his passing.  That’s the best way I can describe the connection Cubs fans have to Ronnie; he seemed like family to us all.

I have only met him once but I feel like I knew him personally, because of the countless times I listened to his voice alongside Pat Hughes.  Whether I was listening in the car, turning the radio on and muting the TV volume while watching the game, sneaking my AM radio around in class during April and May, or inviting him and Pat into my room while the Cubs were in extra innings on the West Coast and my parents had sent me to bed hours ago, it always brightened my day to hear his voice.  He transcended the emotions of being a Cubs fan over airwaves better than anyone because he loved the team dearly.    

During the final week of the 1998 season, he famously shouted “Oh no!” when outfielder Brant Brown dropped a fly ball with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth in a game against the Brewers.  That call exemplified the passion with which he brought to the broadcast every day.  Cubs fans know what suffering feels like, and Ron Santo provided the perspective of a true Cubs fan.  After his playing days, he became the largest fan out there, and every time a player made an error, failed to hustle, or frustrated fans in any other way, Ronnie was there to yell about it. 

When the Cubs retired his number 10 during the 2003 season, he told the Wrigley Field crowd in his speech at the ceremony, “THIS is my Hall of Fame.”    

Despite suffering from Juvenile Diabetes, Santo wore a smile on his face almost all the time.  I say “almost” and not “always” because you would never find him grinning after a Cubbie loss.  Those close to him said he lived and died with the Cubs, getting a little too high with every win and a little too low with every loss.  Whether he was walking on the field before a game talking to the players and coaches or signing autographs for fans, Santo always seemed merry.  In an era of shouting voices on sports radio that seem to get frustrated over everything and yell about it just for the sake of generating listeners, Santo never pretended to be happy or mad, he simply wore his true emotions on his sleeve. 

I never got a chance to watch Santo play on the diamond, but hearing him on the radio was as much a part of my adolescent years as anything else.  Every summer from 1996 to 2010, I could count on turning on WGN Radio in the car and hearing the comforting voices of Pat and Ron.  The Cubs have not selected a replacement for Santo, but with no disrespect to whichever well-qualified color commentator they decide to bring in, it will seem as though there’s something missing every time I listen to Cubs broadcasts on the radio.  I am not sure if that uncomfortable feeling will ever go away.

Thanks for the memories Ron.  My thoughts and prayers are specifically with the Santo family; however, millions of Cubs fans across the country are mourning as well.  That says something about the impact this man had on the world. 

I’m sure you are up there in heaven looking down on us all, and I know you will be jumping up and clicking your heels when a championship finally comes to the North Side. 

I am Thankful for that Large Serving of Sports

Due to a large intake of schoolwork, travel, turkey, pumpkin pie, football, and channel flipping, the space on this blog has remained desolate for the past couple weeks.  I apologize, and it certainly won’t happen again (until finals and Christmas creep up on me in the next few weeks).  I’m currently traveling back to Oxford from Chicago, with a first-class view of Ohio from the top level of a Megabus.  I wish I could report about some ridiculous passenger riding on the big blue vehicle with me but everyone seems completely normal. 

            The sports world provided plenty of entertainment for food-coma stricken fans who plopped down on their couch with a remote in one hand and another plate of leftover stuffing in the other hand.  Coach K won game number 800 as head coach for Duke Tuesday night with a big early-season victory of Kansas State.  Even in Kansas City, far from a neutral site, Jacob Pullen’s beard proved to be no match for Duke’s freshman guard Kyrie Irving, who tallied 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.  Also Tuesday night the Miami RedHawks delivered a huge 23-3 victory on the gridiron at home over Temple, improving their regular season record to 8-4.  Kent State’s surprising 28-6 upset over Ohio University on Friday, just days after Kent State’s head coach Doug Martin resigned, gave the RedHawks sole possession of the MAC East championship.  Miami next faces MAC West champions NIU at 7:00 in the MAC title game this Friday at Ford Field in Detroit.  Coach Haywood and the entire coaching staff deserve credit for the hard work they’ve put in over the last 365 days to turn a 1-11 team into the most improved team in college football who simply waits to see which bowl they get selected for. 

            Wednesday night featured few national sports storylines, but I got to channel flip between my Bulls and Blackhawks so all was well.

            Turkey day NFL matchups involved the Lions, Cowboys, and Bengals each in separate games.  Gross.  Fortunately, the middle game of the day between the Cowboys and Saints, in which Drew Brees’ boys found a way to win 30-27, made a first-glance boring NFL day into something worthwhile.

            Friday: the day of all college football days.  Auburn vs. Bama, Oregon vs. Zona, and Boise State vs. Vada.  Despite trailing 21-0 at the end of the first quarter, 2^nd ranked Auburn (10-0) defeated 11^th ranked Alabama (9-2) by a score of 28-27.  Regardless of his off the field allegations, Cam Newton deserves the Heisman.  Team’s like Boise and TCU don’t have to overcome touch matchups like this Alabama game and other SEC opponents Auburn faces: give Auburn a national championship spot right now.  Oregon pummeled Arizona 48-29, including 34 second half points.  I assure you there will be no lack of scoring in that national championship.  Boise State fought tough against Nevada, but the Bronco's kicker Kyle Brotzman missed two short field goals and cost his team the game.  Kellen Moore’s Heisman should not live and die on the foot of the Bronco’s kicker.   

            Another typical day in the NFL this season left viewers confused as to who’s good and who is not.  Two premiere teams faced off as the Falcons downed the Packers 20-17.  Matt Ryan went 24-28, throwing for 197 yards: not phenomenal numbers but it improved the Falcons home record to an impressive 6-0. 

            So after all that, sit back and take a deep breath.  College football conference championships are upon us and the smell of bowl season is in the air!

L.A. Football? Please No!

Sports Illustrated NFL columnist, Peter King, writer of the most widely-read football column in the country (Monday Morning Quarter Back), knows more about the NFL than any reporter or columnist I have come across.  Therefore, when I read this in his column on Monday, I didn’t take it as mere rhetoric used for the sake of creating discussion amongst readers: “This is the best chance Los Angeles has to get a team in a long time.” 

King believes that the NFL has stayed away from LA for so long because they don’t want to play at USC’s Coliseum nor in the suburbs.  However, Casey Wasserman and Tim Leiweke announced their financial support for a giant stadium complex capable of hosting much more than NFL football: Final Fours and the 2022 World Cup or any other future World Cup.   Think Cowboys Stadium 2.0.  The mega-stadium would be located right near the Staples Center in downtown L.A.

The Rams and Raiders deserted the City of Angels 15 years ago, so fans in L.A. may be thirsty for professional football; however, I don’t think this should be a pressing concern for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.  Obviously, the most urgent thing on any NFL executives’ plate is what appears to be an inevitable lockout at the conclusion of this season, and King acknowledges that LA football won’t even be a discussion until that is resolved.  Goodell has discussed expansion into Europe in the next few years, so although the idea of football in LA seems pedestrian in comparison, I still don’t support the notion of Los Angeles football. 

California is not exactly deprived of professional sports franchises.  Three NFL teams (Chargers, Raiders, and 49ers), three NBA teams (Lakers, Clippers, and the Sacramento Kings), three NHL teams (LA Kings, Ducks, Sharks), and a whopping five MLB teams (Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Athletics, and Angels).  That is thirteen total teams in the four major sports, including the reigning NBA and MLB champs (Lakers and Giants).  14 seems excessive. 

Los Angeles, including Anaheim, which is so close to LA that the Angels can’t even decide which city they’re from (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), has six total sports teams (Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Ducks, Dodgers, and Angels).  Six teams is more than any other city this side of the Big Apple.  The main two teams rumored as possibilities for a move to LA are the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders.  San Diego needs football more than LA.  If the Chargers leave, the Padres will be the only team in town.  L.A. on the other hand has those six teams and a pretty significant film scene going on in this place called Hollywood.    In terms of the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles: been there, done that. 

Last season of HBO’s popular show, Entourage, featured Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) in heavy talks with Jerry Jones, attempting to bring an NFL team to L.A.  Asides from that work of fiction, I have not recently heard much talk about the prospect of L.A. football until I stumbled across Peter King’s column.  I hope the discussion stays quiet.