Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 423 of 1503)

      Buster Posey making an immediate impact, but will the Giants keep him up?

      May 31, 2010 /

      Giants fans had been waiting since the end of spring training for their team to recall top prospect Buster Posey from Triple-A Fresno. The club teased fans by announcing that Posey had a shot to make the big league club in the spring, then pulled the chair out from under them at the last second while sending him back to the minors. (And laughing the entire time.)

      “Ha, ha! Posey isn’t going to make the team, idiots. Now go watch Eugenio Velez play everyday…and lead off.”

      But then on May 29, the impossible happened: the Giants actually called Posey up from the minors. Better yet, he delivered.

      He went 3-for-4 with three RBI in a win over the Diamondbacks on Saturday night and then chipped in three more hits (including a pair of doubles) and an RBI in the Giants’ win over Arizona on Sunday. His two extra base hits allowed San Fran to stay in a game they probably would have otherwise lost. He provided a spark to their offense that has been missing all season.

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      External Sports, MLB

      USC may have to forfeit wins; Bush could be stripped of Heisman

      May 31, 2010 /

      According to ESPN.com, the NCAA committee on infractions will release its findings regarding the USC football and basketball programs on Friday.

      ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported in May of 2008 that former basketball player O.J. Mayo accepted cash and gifts — extra benefits — from Rodney Guillory, who was connected to Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management. Moreover, Floyd was alleged to have provided a $1,000 cash payment to help steer Mayo to USC, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

      USC already admitted wrongdoing with the basketball program and sanctioned itself, including a ban on postseason participation, a reduction of scholarships and vacating all of its wins from 2007-08.

      But though USC chose to contest the allegation against the football program, its ultimate goal is to overcome the perception of a lack of institutional control, which could result in significant sanctions, including scholarship reductions, TV and postseason bans, recruiting restrictions and probation.

      If USC is found guilty of major violations, the NCAA also could rule that the Trojans are “repeat violators.” Per NCAA rules, “An institution shall be considered a ‘repeat’ violator if the Committee on Infractions finds that a major violation has occurred within five years of the starting date of a major penalty.”

      As the article notes, the football program was sanctioned back in 2001 so if allegations concerning Reggie Bush are found to be major violations, USC could be forced to forfeit victories during the running back’s time in the program. That would be a massive blow considering the Trojans won a national championship and lost in the BCS title game during that span.

      Bush should be concerned, too. If he is found retroactively ineligible, then he could lose his 2005 Heisman Trophy award.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      College Basketball, College Football, External Sports

      Seahawks dump LenDale White, who is facing suspension

      May 29, 2010 /

      In a rather surprising move, the Seahawks released running back LenDale White on Friday, just one month after acquiring him during April’s NFL draft. According to FOXSports.com’s Alex Marvez, the decision was made because White’s effort “stood out like a sore thumb” compared to other players and due to him facing a four-game suspension.

      The source said the release was not related to an NFL Network report that White was facing a four-game suspension for failing a drug test. However, the positive test was confirmed although it remains uncertain whether White failed for a recreational or performance-enhancing substance.

      The running back’s uncle Herman White told The Associated Press in a phone interview Friday night that he had been speaking with his nephew throughout the day.

      “He wasn’t doing good,” Herman White said.

      “I have no idea what happened.”

      The uncle said he does not know what’s behind a report about the drug test.

      “He was surprised,” Herman White said, adding LenDale told him this week how great his second NFL chance was going. “I’m pretty shocked, based on what he’s been telling me.

      It would be one thing if the Hawks dumped White solely because of the suspension. But it was the suspension and his shoddy work ethic that led to his release, which is disappointing considering that area of his game has been questioned before.

      It doesn’t bode well for White that his former college coach didn’t think highly enough of him or his work ethic to at least keep him through training camp. Considering he’s only 25, the running back will probably find work elsewhere but he’ll likely have to wait until after he serves his four-game ban before he receives any offers. Either way, he doesn’t find himself in a very good spot these days.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Jones not ready to give up on Roy Williams

      May 28, 2010 /

      According to Dallas Morning News columnist Kevin Sherrington, Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones isn’t ready to admit that he made a mistake by trading for Roy Williams two years ago.

      Will the Cowboys really release Patrick Crayton, a decent #3 receiver and punt returner with experience and keep Roy Williams just because of his contract? When you put it that way, no, it doesn’t seem fair. Crayton is more versatile than Williams. But Jerry’s not ready to admit he made such a big mistake on Roy. If he could ever play to his potential, Roy’s a weapon. Jerry would like to think he’s finally going to get that now. Nothing motivates like a contract year or competition for your position.

      I don’t think there’s any question that trading for Williams was a mistake given what Jones parted with (a first, a third and a sixth round pick) in order to acquire him. He also signed Williams to a six-year, $54 million contract with $26 million in guaranteed money and the receiver hasn’t come anywhere close to honoring that deal with his production on the field.

      Unlike some Cowboy fans, I don’t think Williams is useless but it’s hard to argue that Jones didn’t make a mistake in acquiring him from Detroit and paying him that much money. The other problem is that Williams is probably the fourth best receiver on Dallas’ depth chart behind Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Crayton. Fifty-four million is a lot of money to be paying a fourth receiver.

      At some point, I think Jones will have to cut his losses and move on. I don’t think it’ll be this year, but chances are Williams won’t see the end of his contract.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Casey Blake accuses Ted Lilly of cheating

      May 28, 2010 /

      Following the Cubs’ 1-0 blanking of the Dodgers on Thursday at Wrigley Field, L.A. third baseman Casey Blake accused Chicago starter Ted Lilly of cheating, stating that the pitcher should have been punished for starting his windup on some pitches from in front of the rubber.

      From the L.A. Times:

      “I know he doesn’t have an overpowering fastball,” Blake said. “I know he’s trying to get as much of an edge as he can. But he moved in.

      “That’s cheating. You’ve got to stay on the rubber.”

      “Sometimes a batter will get in the box and he’ll step out, and behind the box, and on the lines,” Lilly said. “I don’t think he’s trying to cheat. It might not be intentional.”

      By pitching from in front of the rubber, Lilly said, a pitcher would lose the leverage of pushing off the rubber. Any such deliveries were strictly inadvertent, he said.

      “I might have done it a couple times, just trying to gain my footing,” he said.

      Lilly makes several good points. If a pitcher starts his windup from in front of the rubber, then he loses the leverage and momentum he gains from pushing off the slab. I don’t see why a pitcher would intentionally pitch in front of the rubber unless he’s trying to mix up the speed of his pitches in order to fool a hitter.

      Lilly is also right about the hitters re-creating the dimensions of the batter’s box by scraping off the back line. That allows hitters to see pitches for an extra half second, which could make a huge difference, yet they’re never punished for that. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but why are some rules enforced and some aren’t? Rules should be always enforced or the league should evolve and adjust them.

      Lilly didn’t come right out and say that he didn’t pitch in front of the rubber on some occasions, so obviously Blake was right in what he saw. But I’m a little surprised that Blake threw such a tantrum over it and went as far as to call Lilly out for being a cheater. I wonder how much tissue paper the Dodgers had to use in the clubhouse after Blake was done crying. The poor clubhouse attendant probably needed a mop afterward.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

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