Wide World of Sports Venues-March 31

Osceola County Stadium

Kissimmee, FL

Opened: 1984
Renovated: 2003
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 5,300
Field Dimensions: Left Field-325 feet, Center Field-405 feet, Right Field-325 feet
Home Teams: Osceola Astros (FSL) 1985-1994, Kissimmee Cobras (FSL) 1995-2000, GCL Astros (GCL) 2009-, Houston Astros (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1985-Present
Events Attended: None

Hi Corbett Field

Tucson, AZ

Opened: 1937
Renovated: 1992, 1997, 1999
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 9,500
Field Dimensions: Right Field-348 feet, Center Field-392 feet, Left Field-366 feet
Home Teams: Colorado Rockies (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 1993-2010, Cleveland Indians (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 1945-1992, Tucson Toros (PCL) 1969-1997, Tucson Toros (Golden Baseball League GBL) 2009-Present, Arizona Heat (National Pro Fastpitch NPF) 2004-2007, Tucson Cowboys (Southwest International League SIL, among other leagues) 1937-1958, USA Baseball (headquarters) 1997-2003, Tucson Javelinas (AFL) 1993-1994, Tucson Lizards (Arizona-Texas League A-TL) 1932
Events Attended: None

Photo courtesy:
Hi Corbett Field-Wikimedia Commons and Mavarin (Karen Funk Blocher) under CC-BY 3.0 License

Wide World of Sports Venues-March 30

Roger Dean Stadium

Jupiter, FL

Opened: February 28, 1998
Surface: Grass
Construction Cost: $28 Million
Capacity: 6,871
Field Dimensions: Left Field-335 feet, Left-Center-380 feet, Center Field-400 feet, Right-Center-375 feet, Right Field-325 feet
Home Teams: Jupiter Hammerheads (FSL) 1998-Present, Palm Beach Cardinals (FSL) 2003-Present, St. Louis Cardinals (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1998-Present, Florida Marlins (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 2002-Present, GCL Cardinals (GCL) 1998-Present, GCL Marlins (GCL) 2002-Present, Montreal Expos (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1998-2001
Events Attended: None

Goodyear Ballpark

Goodyear, AZ

Opened: February 2009
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 10,311
Home Teams: Cleveland Indians (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 2009-Present, Cincinnati Reds (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 2010-Present
Events Attended: None

Photos courtesy:
Roger Dean Stadium-Wikimedia Commons and Jtesla16 under CC-SA 3.0 License
Goodyear Ballpark-Wikimedia Commons and Mike Padilla under CC-BY 3.0 License

Tim's Two Cents-March 29

The Final Four is Set.  Many brackets have been busted leading up to the Final Four this Saturday in Indianapolis.  My pick of Syracuse to win the whole thing is no more.  The overall favorite Kansas was upset by Northern Iowa.  Kentucky is also gone after losing to West Virginia.

The resulting Final Four is Duke, West Virginia, Butler and Michigan State.  Looking at these teams, I'll take Coach K and Duke to win it all. 

Small Ball Report-March 29

Congratulations to the Cal Poly Pomona Men's Basketball team for winning the Division II Men's Championship on Saturday.

The Broncos won the title with a 65 to 53 victory over Indiana, Pennsylvania.  That's no joke.  There actually is a town called Indiana in Pennsylvania! 

Wide World of Sports Venues-March 29

Joker Marchant Stadium

Lakeland, FL

Opened: 1966
Expanded: 2003
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 7,027
Field Dimensions: Left Field-340 feet, Center Field-420 feet, Right Field-340 feet
Home Teams: Lakeland Tigers (Florida State League FSL), Detroit Tigers (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training), GCL Tigers (GCL)
Events Attended: None

Tempe Diablo Stadium

Tempe, AZ

Opened: 1968
Renovated: 2002
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 9,315 (includes disabled seating, lawn seats, suites and temporary bleachers)
Field Dimensions: Left Field-340 feet, Right Field-360 feet, Center Field-420 feet, Left Center-400 feet, Right Center-400 feet
Home Teams: Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers 1969-1972, Seattle Mariners 1977-1993, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 1993-Present
Events Attended: A morning workout before a game a couple years ago.  All of the major stars were there, including Vladdy.

Photos courtesy:
Joker Marchant Stadium-Wikimedia Commons and Mike Russell under CC-SA 3.0 License
Tempe Diablo Stadium-Wikimedia Commons and Brian Halvorsen under CC-BY 2.0 License  

Wide World of Sports Venues-March 23

Ed Smith Stadium

Sarasota, FL

Opened: 1989
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 7,500
Field Dimensions: Left Field-340 feet, Left Center-375 feet, Center Field-400 feet, Right Center-375 feet, Right Field-340 feet
Home Teams: Cincinnati Reds (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1998-2009, Chicago White Sox (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1989-1997, Baltimore Orioles (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1991, 2010-Present, Sarasota Reds (Florida State League, FSL) 1989-Present, GCL Reds (GCL)
Events Attended: None

Camelback Ranch

Glendale, AZ

Opened: March 1, 2009
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 10,000 seats, 3,000 berm (grass) seats.  Holds Cactus League record for largest crowd with 13,506 against the San Diego Padres on March 20, 2010.
Field Dimensions: Left Field-345 feet, Left Center-380 feet, Center Field-410 feet, Right Center-380 feet, Right Field-345 feet
Home Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 2009-Present, Chicago White Sox (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 2009-Present, Arizona League Dodgers (Arizona League) 2009-Present
Events Attended: None

Photo courtesy:
Camelback Ranch-Wikimedia Commons and Nick Panico under CC-SA 3.0 License

Small Ball Report-March 22

On Friday, I went to the first game of a split doubleheader as the La Verne baseball team took on the Loggers of Puget Sound in the California Classic Tournament.

What a game it was as the Leopards beat the Loggers 20 to 10.  The game included a grand slam by Leo first baseman Victor Peinado.  How can I forget about the scoreboard not working.  People were asking me what the score was as the game went along.

La Verne ended up sweeping through the weekend action with victories against Menlo, Rutgers-Newark and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, bringing their record to 13-8 overall.  They will face Cal Lutheran next this Friday in the first of a three game series in Ben Hines Field at 3 PM.

Wide World of Sports Venues-March 22

City of Palms Park

Fort Myers, FL

Opened: 1993
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 8,000 (2008)
Field Dimensions: Left Field-330 feet, Center Field-410 feet, Right Field-330 feet
Home Teams: Boston Red Sox (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training) 1992-Present, GCL Red Sox (GCL) 1992-Present
Events Attended: None

HoHoKam Park

Mesa, AZ

Opened: February 1997
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 12,623
Field Dimensions: Left Field-340 feet, Center Field-410 feet, Right Field-350 feet
Home Teams: Chicago Cubs (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 1997-Present, Mesa Solar Sox (AFL) 1997-Present, Mesa Miners (GBL) 2005, Arizona State (Pac-10) 2002
Events Attended: None

Photos courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and HappyHarvick2962 under CC-SA 3.0 License
Wikimedia Commons and Friejose under CC-SA 3.0 License

Tim's Two Cents-March 18

Jim Boeheim

March Madness is Here!  Let's skip the pomp and circumstance and go straight to my Final Four picks:

Midwest Region-#1 Kansas Jayhawks

West Region-#1 Syracuse Orange

East Region-#1 Kentucky Wildcats

South Region-#2 Vilanova Wildcats

National Semifinals:

#1 Kansas Jayhawks Vs. #1 Kentucky Wildcats.  My pick: Bill Self and Kansas.

#1 Syracuse Orange Vs. #2 Vilanova Wildcats.  My pick: Jim Boeheim and Syracuse.

National Championship:

#1 Kansas Jayhawks Vs. #1 Syracuse Orange.  My pick: It's an upset special as Jim Boeheim and the Orange are my 2010 National Champions.

So there you have it.  We shall see how it all turns out in a few weeks' time.  It was also exciting to see a couple of upsets already as Old Dominion beat Notre Dame in an 11 versus 6 matchup and Murray State topping Vanderbilt in a 13 versus 4 tilt.  Let's keep the madness going!

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Darry2385 under CC-SA 3.0 License 

Wide World of Sports Venues-March 18

Champion Stadium

Walt Disney World Resort

 Orlando, FL

Opened: 1997
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 9,500
Field Dimensions: Left Field-335 feet, Left Center-385 feet, Center Field-400 feet, Right Center-385 feet, Right Field-335 feet
Home Teams: Atlanta Braves (MLB Grapefruit League Spring Training), Gulf Coast Braves Gulf Coast League (GCL), Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) one three game series in 2007 and 2008, Orlando Rays (SL) 2000-2003
Events Attended: None

Tucson Electric Park

Tucson, AZ

Opened: 1998
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 11,500 (8,000 metal seats, 3,000 for lawn seating, 500 for standing areas)
Field Dimensions: Right.Left Field-340 feet, Center Field-405 feet
Home Teams: Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 1998-Present, Chicago White Sox (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 1998-2008, Tucson Sidewinders Pacific Coast League (PCL), 1998-2008
Events Attended: None

Photos courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Joe Shlabotnik under CC-BY 2.0 License
Wikimedia Commons and Friejose under CC-SA 3.0 License

Angels Forecast-March 18

As we wrap up the 2010 Angels Forecast, today we reach the moment of truth in:

TEAM PREDICTIONS

Dad: Angels come in second behind the Mariners in the AL West and clinch the wild card to get into the playoffs. They wil beat the Minnesota Twins in the Division Series but lose to the New York Yankees in the League Championship Series.

Tim: Like my dad said, the Angels will come in second in the AL West, but not to the Mariners.  Don't get me wrong, the M's have made some pretty big upgrades in the offseason, but I don't think their offense has enough firepower.  Nope, they will finish behind the Texas Rangers who will win 92 games to the Angels 89.  Not only will they fall short of winning the division for the fourth year in a row, but they will also miss out on the wild card spot.  That's right, my team won't make it to the postseason this year.  It will be close all season with Mike Scioscia at the helm once again, but the Halos will fall short.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Googie man under CC-SA 3.0 License

Wide World of Sports Venues-March 17

After a way too long hiatus, the Wide World of Sports Venues has returned.  The focus now shifts to baseball with Spring Training venues.  Each of the following entries will have two Spring Training venues leading up to Opening Day.

George M. Steinbrenner Field A.K.A Legends Field

Tampa, FL

Opened: 1996
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 11,000
Field Dimensions: Left field-318 feet, Left center-399 feet, Center field-408 feet, Right center-385 feet, Right field-314 feet
Home Teams: New York Yankees (MLB Grapefruit Leage Spring Training) 1996-Present, Tampa Yankees (FSL) 1996-Present, FC Tampa Bay Rowdies (USSF D-2) 2010-Present
Events Attended: None

Surprise Stadium

Surprise, AZ

Opened: 2003
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 10,500
Field Dimensions: Left-350 feet, Center-400 feet, Right-350 feet
Home Teams: Kansas City Royals (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 2003-Present, Texas Rangers (MLB Cactus League Spring Training) 2003-Present, Surprise Rafters Arizona Fall League, (AFL) 2007-Present
Events Attended: Texas Rangers game versus the Angels a few years ago.  The Angels won.  

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Oughgh under CC-SA 3.0 License

Angels Forecast-March 17

Here's to a Happy St. Patrick's Day as we continue on with the 2010 Angels Forecast.  Sorry there's no photo.  I looked for one but couldn't find any.

KEY BENCH PLAYERS


Rob Quinlan and Reggie Willits will continue to be used sparingly.

Dad: Willits is a speedy guy who will be used in the late innings and to spell the outfielders while Q will be put in situationally and play first base late in the innings. I don’t expect either to have much to do with the outcome of the season.

My take: Willits will have much more to say about the team's outcome than Q.  He has a good shot to be the Halos fourth outfielder with his speed being a good asset in the late innings.  He's also very patient at the plate often working the count to 3 and 2.

In addition to Willits, another gem to keep an eye on is Peter Bourjos.  He could be another late inning guy used for his speed as a pinch runner.  In Spring action, he's been tearing it up on the basepaths.

Next: Season Predictions.

Angels Forecast-March 15

Today's Angels Forecast consist of:

OUTFIELD

RF – Bobby Abreu – The grizzled veteran showing the undisciplined how to play the game. The Angels got Bobby for a steal last year when he was cast off of the Yankees. Instead of brooding at the low paycheck, Abreu chose to show he still had a lot of gas left in him. A zen master of plate patience, Bobby brought a calming presence to the free-swinging Angels. The biggest free swinger, Vlad Guerrero, was no competition and saw his role diminished to that of designated hitter. Vladdy, one of the best players ever to put on an Angels uniform, is now trying to regain some of his form in Arlington, Texas. Like a great blind date, the ex-Yankee veteran and the Angels hit it off immediately. Bobby was very happy here, played well (.293 BA, 15 HR, 103 RBI, 30 stolen bases), became a fan favorite (probably 2nd only to Torii Hunter), and signed a new, two-year contract the first day it was offered.


Dad: For 2010, I’m looking for a .300 average, 16 HR, 110 RBI, and another 30 stolen bases.


My take: Ditto.


CF – Torii Hunter – The spark plug and heart of the team. Coming over from Twins in 2008, Torii had an instant impact, hitting 21 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 37 doubles to go along with his 19 stolen bases. In 2009 it was 22 HR, 90 RBIs, 26 doubles, and 18 SBs with a .299 batting average. This all went along with some of the most acrobatic defensive play in the league, robbing many a batter’s home run. Torii also took on the role of team spokesman, a happy, smiling face that reporter’s love to quote. He was also a rock for his team, and team mates, last year when rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed by a drunk driver. I like to think of Hunter as a fine replacement for my all-time Angel favorite, Darin Erstad who had all the qualities but was a much more reserved personality publicly and wasn’t as good of an offensive player as Hunter.


Dad: For 2010 I think a healthy Torii Hunter with provide 28 HR's, 105 RBIs, 35 doubles, and 25 stolen bases with a .304 batting average.

My take: Those will be pretty good numbers if Hunter is healthy and he will have his share of amazing acrobatic catches.


LF – Juan Rivera – Always underrated and a dangerous batter lurking under there somewhere. Juan had a great career going with the Yankees before being picked up by Montreal. The Angels got him for the biggest malcontent ever to sit on the bench, Jose Guillen, along with Maicer Izturis from the Expos/Nationals (what a deal that turned out to be). He hit 23 home runs in 2006 and looked to be on his way to being a start before he broke his leg in an off-season game in his home in Venezuela. It took some time to regain his position, having to wait behind Garrett Anderson and Gary Matthews, Jr. (who showed how to be unhappy with his position with class…watch and learn Mr. Guillen). In 2009, back in left field full time, Juan hit 25 home runs, 24 doubles, 88 RBIs, with a .287 average.


Dad: At 32, look for a couple of more good years from Rivera. For 2010, 27 HR, 92 RBIs, and a .293 average.

My take: Ditto.
 
DH – Hideki Matsui – Batten down the hatches, Anaheim…Godzilla’s on his way. One of the games premiere power hitters, the big guy from Kanazawa, Japan, will be the Halos full time designated hitter. The Angels have struggled a bit at this position, using it as a rehab assignment for injured outfielders or a position to give those in the field a semi-day off. Now, in Matsui, they have someone who doesn’t mind playing this position (other than Napoli) and someone with massive power. Other than his injury plagued seasons of 2006 (broken wrist) and 2008 (knee surgery) and his debut season of 2003, Matsui has never hit less than 23 home runs in a season with a high of 31 in 2004. In last year’s World Series MVP performance, Matsui earned himself a ring with 3 home runs, 8 RBIs, and a monstrous .615 batting average in 14 plate appearances.
 
Dad: He will probably stay out of the field except to spell injured or tired players, look for Hideki to make the DH role his own with 28 HR, 100 RBIs, and a .290 average.
 
My take: Ditto.
 
In the last post, I forgot to offer my thoughts on Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis. 
 
Napoli will see less playing time since Matsui will occupy his favorite spot at DH.  Look for a .275 average with 18 homers and 60 RBI's.
 
For Mathis, I see a .260 average with 5 HR's and 43 RBI's.
 
Next: Bench.
 
Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and ShawnKball under CC-SA 2.0 License

Angels Forecast-March 11

I'm sorry this is a day late but let's continue with the Angels forecast.

INFIELD


1B – Kendry Morales – I’ve been watching this guy since his debut in single A after his defection from Cuba. I’ve not seen too many players, especially Angels, with the raw power to the bat that Kendry has . Taking over the first base duties after the departure of rent-a-player Mark Texiera, Morales had a breakout year in his first tenure as the full time first baseman. At around 1/20th of Texiera’s salary, Morales hit 34 home runs, 108 RBIs, and 43 doubles with a batting average of .306 (Tex had 39 HR, 122 RBIs, 43 doubles, and a .292 average).

Dad: Look for a slight let off with 31 HR's but still a dominant player on the team.

My take: I like the idea of 31 HR's but there's to be a dip in production.

2B – Howie Kendrick – Howie had a major crisis of confidence last year which led to Scioscia’s dream boy being sent to minor league Salt Lake City to sort it out. Once he came back, look out. Howie caught fire, ending the season with a .291 average, 10 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 21 doubles.

Dad: He’s a career .300 batter so look for him to do much better in 2010 with a .305 average and 15 home runs.

My take: Barring injury, Kendrick will have an average.300 or better with 16 home runs.

SS - Erick Aybar – Meet our new leadoff hitter. At least that’s what I’m predicting. After the departure of the speedy Chone Figgins, Mike Scioscia needed some speed to replace him. Once a free swinger, Aybar started to learn patience at the plate last year which will put the speedy shortstop at the top of the order.

Dad: In 2010, look for 40 walks, 30 stolen bases, and for him to stay north of a .300 average.

My take: 40 walks for Aybar is pretty bold.  Other than that, I agree.

3B – Brandon Wood – This year’s wild card, who knows how Wood will adjust to playing full time in the majors? Long the Angels leading prospect, Brandon kills the ball in the minors but has struggled every time he gets up to the show. Now out of options, it’s put up or shut up time for Brandon.

Dad: This is the hardest prediction to make but with Morales showing what can be done by a rookie and Abreu standing by for casual coaching, let’s look for Wood to get at least a .250 average with 15 home runs.

My take: Ditto.

Maicer Izturis – If Wood chokes on his new role, Izturis stands ready to step in. Maicer will probably take on the old Figgins super utility role providing relief at 2B, SS, and third. Batting .300 last year with 68 RBIs, Izturis is that consistent role player you can count on to move the game along in a positive way. I don’t see any reason he won’t continue.

Dad: For 2010, a .296 average with 8 home runs, 15 stolen bases, 20 doubles and 68 RBIs.

My take: Ditto, except he'll have an average over .300.

C – Jeff Mathis – Rotating catching duties with his roommate, Mike Napoli, Mathis has always been just almost there but never quite. It’s a hard role to follow the great Puerto Rican family catching of Benjie and Jose Molina, but Mathis and Napoli are slowly growing into their roles. Mathis seems to be evolving into the better defensive catcher nailing 26% of the runners trying to steal against him and being a superior pitch caller. His offensive stats are a bit anemic with a .211 batting average, 5 home runs, and 28 RBIs but Jeff showed flashes of brilliance during the playoffs last year hitting .583 with 5 doubles in 12 plate appearances. Don’t expect Mathis to hit like that during the season. More like .225 BA, 5 HR, and 25 RBIs. Do expect him to start more games than Napoli as Scioscia values a good defensive catcher over a good offensive one.

Mike Napoli – If it were up to Mike, he wouldn’t even be playing catcher…he’d much rather be the designated hitter and never take the field. For awhile, it looked like he would be the Angels primary catcher but his enthusiasm behind the plate waned a bit but his batting is blistering when he’s on. He’s hit 20 home runs in both the last two years, with a .272 average and 56 RBIs for 2009. Behind the plate, he puts out 22% of the runners trying to steal and committed 8 errors…not bad but Mathis has to be given the edge. In contrast, in 2003…the last year you could say he caught for the Angels full time…Benjie Molina put out 44% of the thieves, gave up only 4 errors while hitting .276 with 10 home runs, 24 doubles (being the league’s slowest runner, a Benjie Molina double was a triple for someone else…the man had power in his bat), and 71 RBIs. Benjie was also a great situational hitter. For Napoli in 2010, expect his numbers other than batting average to be down due to lack of playing time. Look for a .275 average with 14 home runs, 20 doubles, and 50 RBIs.

Next: Outfield.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and tracie7779 under CC-SA 2.0 License

Small Ball Report-March 9

GSAC Conference

Women's Basketball:

GSAC Tournament-Championship

#1 Vanguard 68, #6 Westment 66

Angels Forecast-March 9

Continuing our in depth look at the 2010 Angels, today we look at:

BULLPEN
Brian Fuentes – This guy is scary and not nearly as good as his league leading 48 saves would suggest. Fuentes does not throw any heat and tries to finesse his way around batters. It worked for awhile, mainly because the American League batters hadn’t seen this former NL closer. Once they had been up against him a few times, they figured him out and the blown saves started to multiply…Fuentes had 7 blown saves, most coming in the second half. Halo fans are not real fond of that style…the Angels have been home to some of baseball’s best closers…Percival, Frankie, and more…who throw with unbelievable heat.

Dad: Now that he’s been in the league for a year, look for his saves to drop rather dramatically to around 30. Manager Mike Scioscia is loyal to his players, so Fuentes will get plenty of rope, but look for Rodney to be promoted to closer sometime after the All Star break and Fuentes to be back on the free agent market next fall.

My take: I don't have anything to add.

Fernando Rodney – The man’s fastball averages over 95 mph. Compare that to Fuentes upper 80s fastball…which he doesn’t even throw that often. That first pitch in the 9th inning is the key to throwing that batter off balance. Remember, he’s been looking at another pitcher for 8 innings. That’s why I think you’re looking at the Angels next closer. In the meantime, he’ll be used as a setup man for Fuentes. Not as many saves as Fuentes you say? He did save 37 games for a team that won 86 games, 23 times on consecutive days, with only 1 blown save.

Dad: Given the way that Scioscia meagerly uses his relievers (Rodney pitched over 75 innings compared to Fuentes 55), Rodney will do well when he steps into the role. In the meantime, look for a less than 3.00 ERA with 10 saves by October.

My take: I like that Rodney saved 37 games in 38 opportunities.  That should bode well for the Halos.

Scott Shields – A real big question mark. The iron man setup guy, Shields proved human last year when an injury he tried to hide limited him to 6.62 ERA (it had never been above 3.86 before) and 1 win.

Dad: He says he’s healthy now, we’ll see. It’s hard to predict, but I’ll say he’ll end up with 5 wins and a 4.02 ERA.

My take: He'll end up on the DL at some point and one of the other relievers will have to step up.  Can Kevin Jepsen report to the mound?
Jason Bulger – One of the two super minor league players who stepped up their game when it counted the most. Bulger had a career high 6 wins last year while cutting his ERA in half to 3.56.

Dad: Look for him to continue his role as a middle reliever and sometime setup man with a 3.75 ERA and 4 wins.

My take: Ditto.
Kevin Jepsen – The talented rookie who along with Bulger, helped pull the Angels up to the division championship. 6 wins, 1 save, and a 4.94 ERA.

Dad: Firmly a middle reliever this year and maybe mop up. Look for an improved ERA of 3.59, 4 wins, and maybe a save.

My take: Ditto, although I think he'll end up with more than one save.
Matt Palmer – I predict Palmer will end up in Anaheim rather the minors due to the fact that he would be the team’s only southpaw in the pen other than Fuentes. Palmer’s a good utility man for the Halos. More of a starter, really, he would seem to be the guy to go to for soaking up innings after a starter’s particularly bad day and also to be put in for an injured starter.

Dad: Look for Palmer to come in for long relief and a left-handed situation in late innings to preserve a lead. 6 wins (mainly to replace an injured starter) and many no decisions.

My take: Palmer, who is not a left hander, could end up getting a lot of work depending on how deep the starting staff goes into games.  He is another good pitcher who the Angels have as part of their exceptional organization depth.  Last year, he ended up with 11 mop up wins last year for a pen that was really shaky. 

Tomorrow's Focus: Infield

Tim's Two Cents-March 8

Lakers in Unfamiliar Territory.  It's finally happened.  The Lakers have lost three straight for the first time in two years with a 96 to 94 loss against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic yesterday.  Not even Ron Artest's new hair do could stop the downward spiral. 

I'm fairly certain that the sports radio scene in Los Angeles is in a panic today.  I am not worried however.  We've seen the Lakers go through this before and they are playing more road games now.  A lot of teams struggle on the road.  They will look to end the losing streak tomorrow against the Toronto Raptors, a team they should beat, at Staples Center. 

Phoyo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Eric Molina from San Francisco, USA, under CC-BY 2.0 License

Angels Forcast-March 8

With the 2010 baseball season fast approaching, it's time to take an in depth look at the Angels to see what 2010 has in store for the Halos.  This is also the debut of my dad as a guest blogger on Tim's Sports World.  So without further adieu, let's begin!

STARTING ROTATION

Jered Weaver – Toiling just under the shadow of John Lackey and greatness, I think this is Weaver’s year to break out. When he’s on, he’s pretty much unhittable. Now he’s going to be the Big Man on Campus (BMOC) and should be setting the pace…as the ace…of this pitching staff.

Dad: Many lament about losing Big John in such a traitorous way to the Red Sox, but I think Jered will be a 20 game winner and we’ll be asking “John who?” come October. 

My take: Jered will emerge as the staff ace, but I think 20 wins is a little bit of a stretch, but anything's possible.  He'll be very close to 20 wins with the final total of 18. 

Joel Pineiro – A career 4.39 ERA with one of his better years last year on the Cards with a 3.49 ERA. Joel’s stats are up and down with his time in MLB shared between Seattle, Boston, and St. Louis. What’s different now? Last year he learned a new pitch…a 2 seamer …and became one of the better ground ball inducers in the league.

Dad: No reason to think he’ll regress to his Mariner days when he averaged around a 5 ERA. 16 game winner for 2010. 

My take: Pineiro will definitely get his share of ground balls and 16 wins seems to be about right.

Scott Kazmir – The 36 year old showed his age last year with a 4.89 ERA compare to an average around 3.50 the 5 years prior.

Dad: Kazmir did do better in the second half, as did the team in general after the tragedies and injuries that plagued the beginning of the season. A good pitcher, but not great. 12 wins in 2010.

My take: After Kazmir was acquired last year, he pitched pretty well down the stretch, but did not get enough run support.  In the postseason, he wasn't as good.  Kazwir will win 13 to 14 games in 2010.
 
Ervin Santana – When he’s hot, he’s hot. When he’s not, he’s really not. After a whiny and depressing 2007, Santana was light’s out in 2008 when he won 16 games as opposed to 7 the year before. Last year, injuries plagued the flighty Dominican, and he again lost his form dropping to 8 wins with a 5.03 ERA.

Dad: Ervin seems to be in the same place he was at the beginning of 2008, hungry and determined. 12 wins but an injury in the summer will slow his pace and Matt Palmer will take his place in the rotation (how’s that for a specific prediction?).

My take: Santana has had great success in even-numbered years.  Last time I checked, this is 2010.  If that is any indication, Ervin is due for a successful campaign. He'll end up with 15 wins. 

Joe Saunders – Hokie Joe is a workingman's pitcher. Tough and determined, he muscled his way onto the All Start team in 2008.

Dad: His form dropped a little last year but he only lost one more game than the year before; 16 compared to 17. Look for Joe to win 18 this year.

My take: Saunders will look to rebound from an off year in 2009 where he was pitching with an injury.  He'll end up with 17 to 18 wins.

Tomorrow's Focus-Bullpen.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Tzadikv under CC-SA 3.0 License

Small Ball Report-March 4

SCIAC Conference

Sophomore swimmer Tyler Harp of Redlands was named SCIAC Male Athlete of the Week yesterday.  Harp won the SCIAC Men's Athlete of the Year for swimming and diving for the second time in as many years following the 2010 SCIAC Swimming and Diving Championships, which occured from Sunday, February 21, through Tuesday, February 23.  He took home the conference title in three individual events and participated on four first-place relays.  Harp acheived an NCAA "A" cut in the 200 freestyle (1:39.32) and clocked NCAA "B" standards in the 50 freestyle (20.77) and the 100 freestyle (45.30).  He also competed on four of Redlands' first-place relays (200 freestyle relay, 1:23.49; 200 medley relay, 1:33.21; 800 freestyle relay, 6:46.10; and 400 freestyle relay, 3:03.78), all of which gained NCAA "B" qualification.  Harp lowered the program and SCIAC overall standard in the 200 freestyle, while his 200 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay teams also set program and SCIAC overall marks.

Freshman swimmer Allie Bollella of Redlands was named SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week yesterday.  Bollella earned the SCIAC Women's Athlete of the Year Award after winning three individual events and competing on four relays that placed among the top two at the 2010 SCIAC Swimming and Diving Championships.  Bollella clocked an NCAA "A" qualifying time in the 200 freestyle (1:52.33) and registered NCAA "B" marks in the 50 freestyle (23.70, preliminaries) and the 100 freestyle (51.79).  She contributed her skills to four Bulldog relays (200 freestyle relay, second place, 1:36.69; 200 medley relay, second place, 1:50.10; 800 freestyle relay, first place, 7:42.42; and 400 freestyle relay, second place, 3:30.70), three of which met NCAA "B" qualification.  In addition, she set three individual program records and three relay program records while lowering the SCIAC meet standards in the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle, the 200 freestyle and the 800 freestyle relay.  Also, her 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle performances eclipsed the former SCIAC standards in those respective events.

GSAC Conference

Women's Basketball:

GSAC Tournament-First Round

#1 Vanguard 95, #8 Concordia 67
Upset Alert-#7 Hope International 76, #2 Azusa Pacific 67
Upset Alert-#6 Westmont 64, #3 Point Loma Nazarene 62
#4 Biola 81, #5 The Masters 56

    

Garrett Anderson Lands With the Dodgers

The former Angel and now former Brave has a new home in Chavez Ravine.  As an avid Angel fan, this news cracks me up.  It seems unclear to me what kind of impact he'll have on a minor league deal.  I hope your contract doesn't bounce under Frank McCourt.  Note to Anderson, you do know that he's going through a very expensive divorce.  I guess you were really desperate for a job!  This signing doesn't sting as much as Lackey with Boston.  It's more funny than hurtful.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Keith Allison under CC-SA 2.0 License

Small Ball Report-March 2

GSAC Conference

Men's Basketball:

Dan Rasp of Westmont was named the GSAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week yesterday.  The Junior Forward had 38 points (19.0 points per game), 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocked shots as Westmont won both of its conference games last week.  For the week, he shot 14-for-24 from the field, including 2-for-6 from 3-point range, and 8-for-11 at the free throw line.  In the win against No. 15 Fresno Pacific, Rasp had 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.  In the win at Vanguard, he scored 21 points and had 5 rebounds and 3 assists.  The Warriors have won 7 straight and are tied for third place going into the final regular-season conference game.

Monday's Scores

Fresno Pacific 80, The Masters 59
Concordia 89, San Diego Christian 57
California Baptist 74, Vanguard 71
Biola 61, Hope International 57
Azusa Pacific 78, Westmont 75

Standings:

Concordia 18-2 GSAC, 28-2 overall
Biola 16-4 GSAC, 26-4 overall
Azusa Pacific 14-6 GSAC, 21-9 overall
Fresno Pacific 13-7 GSAC, 23-7 overall
Westmont 13-7 GSAC, 21-8 overall
California Baptist 11-9 GSAC, 18-12 overall
The Masters 11-9 GSAC, 18-12 overall
Point Loma Nazarene 5-15 GSAC, 8-20 overall
San Diego Christian 5-15 GSAC, 7-23 overall
Vanguard 4-16 GSAC, 5-21 overall
Hope International 0-20 GSAC, 4-26 overall

GSAC Tournament starts Thursday.

Women's Basketball:

Bridgette Reyes of Vanguard was named the GSAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week yesterday.  The Senior Guard averaged 26 points, 6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals in 2 conference wins for No. 3 Vanguard last week.  Reyes was 18-for-26 from the field, including 2-for-4 from the 3-point arc, and 14-for-16 at the free throw line.  In the win at Concordia, Reyes had 25 points, on 8-for-9 shooting, as well as 9 assists, 7 steals and 6 rebounds.  In the victory against Westmont, she had 27 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.  She leads the Lions in scoring, assists, steals and free throws made this seasons.

Monday's Scores

Concordia 87, San Diego Christian 80
The Masters 81, Fresno Pacific 69
Azusa Pacific 82, Westmont 74
Vanguard 86, California Baptist 50
Biola 73, Hope International 62

Standings:

Vanguard 18-2 GSAC, 22-2 overall
Azusa Pacific 18-2 GSAC, 25-5 overall
Point Loma Nazarene 17-3 GSAC, 26-3 overall
Biola 14-6 GSAC, 19-10 overall
The Masters 11-9 GSAC, 16-12 overall
Westmont 9-11 GSAC, 16-12 overall
Hope International 7-13 GSAC, 12-18 overall
Concordia 5-15 GSAC, 12-16 overall
California Baptist 5-15 GSAC, 12-18 overall
Frenso Pacific 5-15 GSAC, 9-21 overall
San Diego Christian 1-19 GSAC, 4-25 overall

GSAC Tournament starts tomorrow.

Tim's Two Cents-March 1

Looking Back on 2010 Winter Games.  The two and a half week spectacle was quite a memorable one. 

Here are a few things that caught my eye:

-The Men's Hockey Tournament was amazing.  Congratulations to Canada for winning the gold medal in a sport that they were supposed to win.  The United States had a heck of a run but I don't think anyone really expected them to beat Canada for the gold medal.  There was a glimmer of hope when Zach Parise scored the equalizer with 24.4 seconds remaining in regulation, but when Sidney Crosby scored the game winner in overtime, I came back down to Earth.  Once the game was over, I switched the channel to the Laker game to see them come back to beat the Nuggets.  I didn't even see the medals ceremony.

-Apollo Ohno continued his dominance in short track speed skating.  We've seen him do real well before in the Olympics.  He's the Michael Phelps of the Winter Olympics.

-Curling is an enjoyable sport that doesn't make sense.  I just watched it for comedic relief.

-USA, not Canada, owned the podium.  We ended up with 37 medals to Canada's 26.  Canada did win the most gold medals with 14 to USA's 9 but we got the last laugh.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Marilyn Burgess from Vacouver, Canada under CC-SA 2.0 License

Small Ball Report-March 1

SCIAC Conference

Men's Basketball:

Saturday's Scores

SCIAC Tournament Final

Pomona-Pitzer 53, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 57

Women's Basketball:

Saturday's Scores

SCIAC Tournament Final

Redlands 55, Occidental 54 (OT)

GSAC Conference

Men's Basketball:

Saturday's Scores

Concordia 63, Fresno Pacific 59
Westmont 88, Vanguard 69
Biola 58, California Baptist 45
The Masters 72, Point Loma Nazarene 61
San Diego Christian 59, Hope International 55

Concordia 17-2 GSAC, 27-2 overall
Biola 15-4 GSAC, 25-4 overall
Westmont 13-6 GSAC, 21-7 overall
Azusa Pacific 13-6 GSAC, 20-9 overall
Fresno Pacific 12-7 GSAC, 22-7 overall
The Masters 11-8 GSAC, 18-11 overall
California Baptist 10-9 GSAC, 17-12 overall
San Diego Christian 5-14 GSAC, 7-22 overall
Point Loma Nazarene 5-15 GSAC, 8-20 overall
Vanguard 4-15 GSAC, 5-20 overall
Hope International 0-19 GSAC, 4-25 overall

Women's Basketball:

Saturday's Scores

Fresno Pacific 84, Concordia 77
Vanguard 94, Westmont 80
Biola 82, California Baptist 60
Point Loma Nazarene 83, The Masters 62
Hope International 65, San Diego Christian 61

Standings:

Vanguard 17-2 GSAC, 21-2 overall
Azusa Pacific 17-2 GSAC, 24-5 overall
Point Loma Nazarene 17-3 GSAC, 26-3 overall
Biola 13-6 GSAC, 18-10 overall
The Masters 10-9 GSAC, 15-12 overall
Westmont 9-10 GSAC, 16-11 overall
Hope International 7-12 GSAC, 12-17 overall
California Baptist 5-14 GSAC, 12-17 overall
Fresno Pacific 5-14 GSAC, 9-20 overall
Concordia 4-15 GSAC, 11-16 overall
San Diego Christian 1-18 GSAC, 4-24 overall

Citrus College Athletics

Men's Basketball:

Saturday's Score

Citrus College 81, Santa Ana 65 (Playoffs)

Pasadena City College Athletics

Women's Basketball:

Friday's Score

SoCal Playoffs, Bracket IV Semifinals

PCC 76, Irvine Valley 55

Mt. SAC Athletics

Men's Basketball:

Friday's Score

Mt. SAC, 67, Cerritos 65 (Playoffs)

Women's Basketball:

Friday's Score

Mt. SAC 76, Mt San Jacinto 65 (Playoffs)

ECHL Hockey

The Ontario Reign's fortunes have changed.  They beat the Utah Grizzlies 7 to 3 and 3 to 1 on Friday and Saturday.  They followed that up with a 2 to nothing shutout over the Bakersfield Condors stretching their current win streak to 5.  They are now 24-25-3 this season.  They will look to extend the streak to 6 games at home against the Las Vegas Wranglers this Friday at 7:30.