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February 29, 2008
Division II girls hockey semifinalsLa Salle 4, Toll Gate 2
Posted by Chris Venditto Division I boys basketball playoff resultsHendricken 61, St. Raphael 44
Posted by Corey Bourassa Fans asked to use different entrance for HS playoff games at RICFans coming to Rhode Island College to watch the Division I high school girls basketball tournament games on Saturday are strongly advised to enter the campus via the Fruithill Ave. entrance due to Barack Obama's speaking engagement at the Recreation Center. --RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE
Posted by Corey Bourassa High school playoff coverage on HSGametimeCheck HSGametime all weekend long for playoff results (go to the latest results area on the lower right of the page) on game nights. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings, we will have photos galleries of every playoff game from the night before. Each day, there will be one gallery for all the boys games and one gallery for all the girls games (there are no girls games on Friday night). And Monday morning, we'll have reader polls for the boys and girls semifinal games.
Posted by Mike McDermott P-Bruins announce Clear Day rosterThe Providence Bruins announced their Clear Day roster this morning, consisting of the maximum two goaltenders and 20 skaters. According to AHL bylaws, only the players listed on a team’s Clear Day roster are eligible to compete in the remainder of the 2007-08 regular season and 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, unless emergency conditions arise as a result of recall, injury or suspension. Teams may also add signed junior players or players on amateur tryout contracts after their respective junior or college seasons are complete. The P-Bruins’ Clear Day roster consists of goalies Tuukka Rask and Jordan Sigalet, forwards Byron Bitz, Chris Collins, Matt Hendricks, Jeff Hoggan, Martins Karsums, Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Petteri Nokelainen, Pascal Pelletier, Wacey Rabbit, Vladimir Sobotka, Nate Thompson and T.J. Trevelyan, along with defensemen Sean Curry, Matt Hunwick, Matt Lashoff, Adam McQuaid, Jonathan Sigalet, Brett Skinner and Dwayne Zinger.
Posted by Art Martone Multimedia: Kevin McNamara previews PC-CincinnatiClick the play button below to see and hear the show, as Kevin McNamara previews the Friars' game Sunday afternoon against the Bearcats.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: Shalise looks at the Pats' free-agent choicesClick the play button below to listen and watch.
Posted by Mike McDermott Asante Samuel visiting PhiladelphiaIf the Philadelphia Eagles website is any indication, the team is excited to welcome free-agent Asante Samuel to the city today. We'll let you know if we hear anything more -- or if Samuel will be making the City of Brotherly Love his new home.
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's sports coverOn today's sports cover, Sean McAdam reports the comments of Larry Lucchino, who is now feeling some relief that the Red Sox did not succeed in their quest to add Roger Clemens last year. We have the latest on the FBI's investigation of the Rocket, and Jim Donaldson takes Manny Ramirez to task for missing the team trip to visit the president and (more importantly) wounded veterans.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 28, 2008
Projo readers divided on RamirezWe've asked projo.com readers today if it bothered them that Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez skipped -- along with teammates Julian Tavarez and Davern Hansack -- a team trip to Washington, D.C., to be honored by the president. The trip included a visit to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Manager Terry Francona said the trip was not considered mandatory by the club. So far, we've had 97 votes, with a slight majority of 50 saying it did not bother them that Ramirez stayed behind. Here's a sampling of the comments: "As long as he hits his 40 home runs and drives his 100 rbi's this season, I don't really care if he does or doesn't visit with the President of the United States, the Dalai Lama, or any other person of importance." "I have no respect for President Bush and would decline going to the Whitehouse to meet him, too." "He's a member of the team, the team won the World Series and the team was honored at the White House...not individuals. What could have been more important??" "Not so much for the White House but for the visit to the army hospital. Maybe he should make a special trip after his grandmothers' funerals to go visit them." Click here to cast your vote, if you haven't done so already, and click here to read what Jim Donaldson has to say about the matter.
Posted by Mike McDermott Coliseum made ready for Dodgers-Sox gameLOS ANGELES (AP) - Work is under way to transform the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum into a baseball stadium for the Dodgers' March 29 exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox. The game is expected to draw the largest baseball crowd in U.S. history. There have been 90,505 tickets sold, the most for any baseball game since 1959, according to Dodgers spokesman Josh Rawitch. About 25,000 standing room tickets go on sale Saturday. The Coliseum was the site of the largest crowd for a baseball game in U.S. history - 93,103 for a May 7, 1959, exhibition against the New York Yankees honoring catcher Roy Campanella, who was paralyzed in an auto accident. Crowds for three games in the 1959 World Series all exceeded 92,000, the largest for official games. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said that adding dugouts, bullpens, fencing, a dirt infield and pitching mound will cost about $400,000. "What we're simply doing is pausing for a day, acknowledging that this is where it all started in L.A.," McCourt said. "We're sort of revisiting an old home with old friends." The Dodgers played at the Coliseum from 1958-61 when Dodger Stadium was under construction. The team is trying to replicate the unique Coliseum baseball experience for one night. Its years at the Coliseum are most remembered for its unusual configuration and record crowds. When the Dodgers played at the Coliseum, the left field fence was 251 feet from home plate. Then-baseball commissioner Ford Frick ordered the team to erect a screen in left field to prevent pop flies from becoming home runs. At its highest point at the foul pole, the fence was 42 feet high. Removal of the running track to install additional seats has made the Coliseum's floor 88 feet narrower. As a result, the left field fence will be 192 feet away from home plate March 29.
Posted by Mike McDermott Clemens may lose 'personal services' contract with AstrosKISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) - Roger Clemens' 10-year personal services contract with the Houston Astros could be affected by a possible perjury investigation into whether he lied to Congress about using steroids. Astros owner Drayton McLane said Thursday he might reconsider the deal - which kicks in when the star pitcher officially retires - in light of Clemens' legal issues. "That makes it more complex, it sure does," McLane said. "We'll just have to look at that and see what transpires. We'll have to evaluate it at the time." Before starting to throw batting practice to minor leaguers at the Astros camp, Thursday, Clemens offered a terse response to a question about the congressional request for a Justice Department investigation into whether he committed perjury in his denials of steroid use. "I'm going to handle it the right way," Clemens said. "You guys are wasting your time. We're going to handle it the right way." He then began his batting practice session on the mound. As things now stand, McLane isn't thrilled about the attention Clemens is drawing at the Astros' spring training camp, where the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has been throwing batting practice to minor leaguers. "That brings a lot of media here and the only regrettable part is it takes the focus off of baseball," McLane said. Clemens' contract with the Astros allows him to work with the minor leaguers, including his oldest son, Koby. McLane said he hasn't spoken to Clemens about his contract since before he testified in February, answering allegations of steroid use brought by former personal trainer Brian McNamee. Tal Smith, the Astros' president of baseball operations, and Clemens' agents, Alan and Randy Hendricks, were also involved in that last conversation. "We all agreed that we would just see where this led," McLane said. "We'll just see what transpires. The real important factor is what steps will the government take? We'll have to wait and see." Clemens played for the Astros from 2004-06. He also worked out at Astros camp last season before deciding in May to play for the New York Yankees. McLane said he'll also wait before deciding if he'd want Clemens to play for the Astros again if he decided to make one more comeback. "We're going to have to wait and see what happens," McLane said. "The last year, he didn't make his decision until May. The year before, it was about May before he made a decision. This is still cold February. "This is down the road if it's true to form to what's occurred the last two years. It's too early."
Posted by Mike McDermott Bryant playing UMass in footballBryant University's first season of Division I football will feature an October date at the University of Massachusetts, a perennial contender in the Colonial Athletic Association, the strongest conference in the D-I Football Championship Subdivision. The Bulldogs will visit the Minutemen at Amherst on Oct. 25. Liam Coen of Newport, the former La Salle All-Stater, is the UMass quarterback. The UMass game is one of 11 Bryant will play in the first of four seasons of transition from Division II to Division I. The university is joining the Northeast Conference. The schedule includes five NEC opponents: Central Connecticut, Monmouth, Wagner, Robert Morris and Saint Francis (Pa.). It also includes two teams from the Northeast-10 Conference, Bryant's current Division II affiliation: Southern Connecticut and Merrimack. Bryant will play five games at home and six on the road. The schedule:
Posted by Mike Szostak Download today's sports coverOn today's sports cover, John Mulligan reports on the Red Sox' trip to visit President Bush at the White House, Bill Reynolds profiles former Exeter/West Greenwich star Pat Dame and his struggle to achieve recognition from larger colleges, and Kevin McNamara has the story on the latest URI Rams loss.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 27, 2008
Poll: Most believe Clemens lied about steroids, but still should enter HallWASHINGTON (AP) - A majority of baseball fans think pitching great Roger Clemens lied when he told Congress he has never used steroids, yet most also say he should enter the sport's Hall of Fame, according to a poll released Wednesday. At the same time, fans seem more forgiving about whether to punish past steroid users than they did before the Mitchell Report on the use of performance enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball was released, the Gallup Poll showed. The report, unveiled in December, linked Clemens and dozens of other current and former players to the use of such drugs. Asked about Clemens' denials, 57 percent said they think he was lying. That was nearly double the 31 percent who said he was telling the truth. Clemens had a combative session earlier this month before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee at which he repeated earlier denials of using steroids. On Wednesday, Committee chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking the Justice Department to investigate whether Clemens "committed perjury and made knowingly false statements" to a House committee. The two said Clemens' statements in a Feb. 5 sworn deposition and at the Feb. 13 public hearing "that he never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone warrants further investigation." Sixty-two percent said they think Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, should be elected to baseball's Hall of Fame. That's about the same number who said in the survey that the Hall should admit sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, discredited in an earlier steroid scandal. It's also more than the 46 percent who said they favor electing Barry Bonds to the Hall of Fame. The sport's home run king is battling federal charges that he lied when he testified he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. In the new poll, 55 percent said baseball should not punish current major league players named in the Mitchell Report for using steroids. When Gallup asked a similar question weeks before the report was released, just 37 percent said there should not be punishments, while 60 percent said there should. The Gallup Poll involved telephone interviews with 456 baseball fans and was conducted from Feb. 21-24. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Posted by Mike McDermott Congress requests investigation of Clemens statementsWASHINGTON (AP) - Congress asked the Justice Department on Wednesday to investigate whether Roger Clemens made false statements to a House committee. The chairman and ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said they sent a letter to Justice. "We believe that his testimony in a sworn deposition on Feb. 5, 2008, and at a hearing on Feb. 13, 2008, that he never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone, warrants further investigation," committee chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis wrote. "That testimony is directly contradicted by the sworn testimony of Brian McNamee, who testified that he personally injected Mr. Clemens with anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. "Mr. Clemens's testimony is also contradicted by the sworn deposition testimony and affidavit submitted to the committee by Andrew Pettitte, a former teammate of Mr. Clemens, whose testimony and affidavit reported that Mr. Clemens had admitted to him in 1999 or 2000 that he had taken human growth hormone." Click below to read the text of the letter. WASHINGTON (AP) - Text of letter sent Wednesday to Attorney General Michael Mukasey by Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and by Rep. Tom Davis, the ranking Republican on the committee: Dear Mr. Attorney General: We are writing to ask the Justice Department to investigate whether former professional baseball player Roger Clemens committed perjury and made knowingly false statements during the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's investigation of the use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs in professional baseball. We believe that his testimony in a sworn deposition on Feb. 5, 2008, and at a hearing on Feb. 13, 2008, that he never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone, warrants further investigation. That testimony is directly contradicted by the sworn testimony of Brian McNamee, who testified that he personally injected Mr. Clemens with anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. Mr. Clemens's testimony is also contradicted by the sworn deposition testimony and affidavit submitted to the committee by Andrew Pettitte, a former teammate of Mr. Clemens, whose testimony and affidavit reported that Mr. Clemens had admitted to him in 1999 or 2000 that he had taken human growth hormone. Mr. Pettitte's testimony and affidavit further reported on two past conversations with Mr. McNamee that support Mr. Pettitte's recollection of the 1999 or 2000 conversation with Mr. Clemens. Mr. Pettitte's affidavit and testimony state that in a conversation with Mr. McNamee shortly after Mr. Clemens alleged admission to Mr. Pettitte, Mr. McNamee became angry when Mr. Pettitte told him that he knew that Roger Clemens had used human growth hormone because that was supposed to be confidential. According to Mr. Pettitte's deposition, he also had another conversation with Mr. McNamee in 2003 or 2004 in which Mr. McNamee told him that he had obtained steroids for Mr. Clemens. Independently, in his deposition, Mr. McNamee recalled two conversations with Mr. Pettitte, one that could have occurred in 2000 and one in 2004, about Mr. Clemens's HGH and steroid use that were similar in substance to the two conversations described by Mr. Pettitte. Other evidence in the record before the Committee may be relevant to an investigation into the truthfulness of Mr. Clemens's assertions. That evidence relates to whether Brian McNamee injected Mr. Clemens with lidocaine in 1998; whether Mr. Clemens received pain injections from trainers on all four of his major league teams; whether he regularly received vitamin B-12 injections from team doctors and trainers; whether he ever talked with Mr. McNamee about human growth hormone; whether he was at Jose Canseco's home in Florida during the period June 8 to June 10, 1998; and whether he ever received notice that Senator George Mitchell asked to meet with him in connection with Senator Mitchell's independent investigation of the illegal use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. We also understand that federal law enforcement officials may have access to additional evidence on these matters. Under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1621, a witness commits perjury if the witness "willfully" asserts "any material matter which he does not believe to be true" after "having taken an oath" to "testify ... truly." Under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1001, a witness commits a crime if the witness "knowingly and willfully" makes "any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation" with respect to "any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee ... of the Congress." Congress cannot perform its oversight function if witnesses who appear before its committees do not provide truthful testimony. Perjury and false statements before Congress are crimes that undermine the integrity of congressional inquiries. For these reasons, we take evidence that a witness may have intentionally misled the Committee extremely seriously. We are not in a position to reach a definitive judgment as to whether Mr. Clemens lied to the Committee. Our only conclusion is that significant questions have been raised about Mr. Clemens's truthfulness and that further investigation by the Department of Justice is warranted. We ask that you initiate such an investigation. The record of the Committee's proceedings will be made available to the Department of Justice to assist in the investigation. Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, Henry A. Waxman, Chairman
Posted by Mike McDermott Draft preparation for fantasy baseball ownersRight now on our fantasy sports blog, you will find early-bird position-by-position player rankings and complete pitcher rankings, an analysis of rookies to watch in both leagues, and columns that predict how veterans who switched teams over the offseason will fare in their new surroundings. The blog will be a great resource for fantasy owners all season long, so be sure to bookmark it.
Posted by Mike McDermott Today's college hoops chat canceledBecause of a late change in his schedule, Kevin McNamara will not be able to do today's hoops chat as planned. He sends his apologies and encourages readers to still send in questions; he will answer some of them later this week on the College Hoops Blog. To send a question: go to projo.com/chat, click the red "launch chat" button, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. When typing a question, do not press enter or click send until you have finished your thought.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: Paul Kenyon previews URI-George WashingtonClick the play button below to see and hear the show, as Paul Kenyon previews the Rams game Wednesday against the Colonials.
Posted by Mike McDermott Live video of congressional hearings on drugs in sportsThrough AP Video, we will have live coverage of today's hearings in the House of Representatives on drug use in sports. The hearings will begin at 9:30; go to this link to watch. Expected to testify: Former Sen. George Mitchell; MLB Commissioner Bud Selig; NBA Commissioner David Stem; MLB Players Association Executive Director Donald Fehr; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman; NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw; NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly; USOC Executive Director Jim Scheer; U.S. Anti Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart; NCAA President Myles Brand; Robert Kanaby, Executive Director, National Federation of State High School Associations; Alexander Waldrop, CEO, National Throughbred Racing Association.
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's Sports coverJacoby Ellsbury is expected to key the Red Sox batting order as well as be named the team's starting center fielder. Also, the Patriots release Rosevelt Colvin, and it's High School playoff time.
Posted by Rich Lee Live video of Sox' trip to the White HouseWeather-permitting, we plan to have a live video feed of the ceremony on the South Lawn today, when the MLB champion Red Sox meet President Bush. Check this link today at 3 p.m., when the ceremony is scheduled to start, to access the feed.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 26, 2008
Patriots release Colvin, LuaThe New England Patriots have released veteran linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and Oscar Lua, a seventh-round draft pick last year. Get the details over on the PatsBlog.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young Report: Kevin Faulk arrested for marijuana possessionAccording to Louisiana station KATC, Patriots running back Kevin Faulk was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession on Friday night. Faulk, a team captain last season, was at the Cajundome for a concert featuring rapper Lil Wayne and a random security check turned up four joints. -SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Posted by Mike McDermott Projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdamToday, Sean discusses Terry Francona's new contract, the Bartolo Colon acquisition, and the prospects for Jed Lowrie. Click the play button below to see and hear the show; we'll post a transcript of Sean's comments later. TRANSCRIPT On Francona's extension: "Certainly it wasn't anyting that they wanted to have dragon once the seaon began, or even later into the exhibition season here, so they took the opportunity when it's a litte quieter in the first couple of weeks to get it taken care of. It was said to be a priority of ownership after the World Series win last October, and as these things tend to do, it got put off and really kind of came together over that last week, where they narrrowed some differences and were able to get it done first thing Sunday morning. I think everyone's glad that it's off the plate and they have Francona under control for as many as six more years, if they wish: the final year of the existing deal, three years that are guaranteed and then two additional team options. So it's conceivable that Terry Francona could be the manager of this team all the way through 2013, which would be quite a run for any franchise, but particularly this one." What should we expect from Colon, and what are his chances of making the team at some point? " think that second one is very difficult to answer, Mike. He has not done a lot in the last three weeks since pitching in the Caribbean World Series, so they kind of have to start him from scratch, from long toss to bullpen sessions to live BP and then ultimately in some games later this month. But it's a project that they think is worthwhile, given that only three years ago this was the American Cy Young Award winner. The last two years he's been limited by injuries and ... I don't think his conditioning is probably going to be working in his favor here. The Red Sox are braced for the fact that he's going to be pretty big. I think the Red Sox have been told as much as a preemptive warning. But he's always been a guy, as Theo Epstein said yesterday, that pitches with a pretty big body and it hasn't affected him. My only comment to that would be, it gets a little difficult as you get into your mid to late 30s to carry that excessive weight. We've seen guys that have struggled with it, guys like Sid Fernandez with the Mets back in the 80s and early 90s, that got so big that he was putting additional stress on his knees, and you know, it becomes problematic. You can get away with that in your 20s; as you get older it makes it tougher." What does Jed Lowrie need to do to get to the big leagues? "Well, I think it's really just playing time and experience. He's had a pretty quick rise through the organization, last year was at both Double A, then finished up in Triple A the last couple of months. I think the problem with him is that there is no obvious in the immediate future opening for him. You've got Dustin Pedroia, who was the Rookie of the Year last year, is going to be the second baseman for some time. You've got Julio Lugo, who's got three years left plus some options on his long-term deal, and you've got Mike Lowell, who just signed a three-year extension. So the three positions that Lowrie could conceivably help out in are spoken for for the time being, and so for that matter is the utility spot of Alex Cora, who the Red Sox love. He's got a two-year deal that is up after this year, but i think the Red Sox would be very much interested in bringing him back and having him fill that role, so you wonder if there's much of a future here for Lowrie, or if he gets put in a deal. His name certainly came up quite a bit in the offseason in the Johan Santana talks, so it will be interesting to see where he fits in, if at all. But the Red Sox like him; in fact francona the other day was making some comparisons to Dustin Pedroia: they both played at Pac-10 schools, they're both middle infielders and they're both pretty polished players. But the tough part, as I said, is figuring out where Lowrie fits in in the immediate future here."
Posted by Mike McDermott Colon is in camp
BY SEAN McADAM FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Bartolo Colon has arrived in camp, a day after agreeing to a minor-league contract with the Red Sox. Regarding his size . . . he made an ill-advised decision to wear a horizontally striped shirt, which was not a slenderizing look.
Posted by Mike McDermott Tyree says his catch should get a name, T-shirt
Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) -- New York Giants receiver David Tyree said he's still hoping for financial rewards after catching a critical pass during the National Football League's Super Bowl. Tyree said while he hasn't huddled with quarterback Eli Manning about naming his play, which helped New York beat the undefeated New England Patriots in the championship, he knows he could use that name to sell T-shirts. "Hey definitely, why not?" he said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio's "On the Ball" program airing this weekend. "I've been in the dumps a long time in the special-teams business. It's about time I get a few bucks thrown my way." Tyree said the play is tough to explain. With the Giants trailing by four points and facing third down on their own 44 yard line with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter, Manning evaded tackles by three Patriots defenders, spun, reversed direction and heaved a 40-yard pass toward Tyree. Tyree, who caught four passes during the season, leapt through the arms of New England safety Rodney Harrison and caught the ball by pinning it against the top of his own helmet, holding on even as Harrison tackled him. The Giants went on to score a touchdown with 35 seconds remaining to win the game 17-14. Coach Tom Coughlin, who won two titles with the team as an assistant in 1986 and 1990, and Steve Sabol, president of NFL Films Inc., both called Tyree's grab the greatest play in Super Bowl history. "There's no reasonable explanation," Tyree said. "God? Angels? I'm just happy to be a part of history." Championship Catches History records an elite group of improbable NFL playoff- game passing plays that have names. A throw from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw to running back Franco Harris in the fourth quarter of the 1972 American Football Conference title became known as the "Immaculate Reception" after the ball bounced off Oakland Raiders safety Jack Tatum, flew backward and into the arms of Harris, who ran it in for the game-winning touchdown with 22 seconds remaining. A pass with 51 seconds remaining in the National Football Conference championship from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana to Dwight Clark became "The Catch" in 1982 after two Dallas Cowboys defenders sent Montana scrambling toward the sideline, where he threw over Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Clark leapt to snag the ball in the end zone for the winning touchdown. "I'm sure they want a piece of the pie -- the big old pie that's out there," Tyree said. "But it's all been great. I couldn't even wish to pray for something of this magnitude to happen."
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's sports coverOn today's sports cover, Sean McAdam goes in depth on the Bartolo Colon signing, John Gillooly profiles Noth Kingstown super swimmer Elizabeth Beisel, and Kevin McNamara has the sorry story on PC's inability to win away from the Dunk.
Posted by Mike McDermott Johnny Damon goes to bat for wounded veteransBy Bob Klapisch TAMPA, Fla. - It's been almost a month since 1,500 people packed into the Hilton's grand ballroom in Manhattan, home of the annual baseball writers' dinner. Johnny Damon stood before the crowd, smiling his signature trusting smile as he prepared to accept an award for community service. Anyone who didn't know better would have expected the Yankee outfielder's speech to be uplifting and affirming like Damon himself. Only, it wasn't. The player nicknamed "Sunshine" by his teammates, broke down in tears as he spoke about the Wounded Warrior Project, a Jacksonville-based group that rehabilitates soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Damon, the son of an Army staff sergeant, has become the project's spokesman, saying, "It's my duty and my responsibility" to educate Americans who may not know (or care) about the 29,000 soldiers who've come home with injuries, many of them serious. Even now, surrounded by baseball and the familiarity of the Yankee universe, Damon finds it hard to keep his composure when the conversational road leads to the soldiers who serve. That's one of Damon's missions: recruiting as many Yankees as possible to visit the vets. Several tagged along with Damon last summer, but none seemed to have the same passion. When general manager Brian Cashman says, "We're all proud of Johnny for what he's doing," he's talking about a ballplayer with no agenda who cares enough to go through rehab exercises with amputees and speak honestly with them about their injuries. "A lot of ballplayers who make hospital visits, they do it at arm's length. They can't handle the missing arms or legs or deformed skulls," said Steve Fortunato, a retired Air Force officer who now acts as a media consultant. "But Johnny, I've seen him talk to these vets like they're real people. "He'll ask them, 'How did you lose your arm?' Or, 'Tell me about the day you got hit.' And then he'll go through rehab with them, pushing them as hard as they can (go). And these are people he's never met before." At least not in the physical sense. But Damon feels bonded to the injured; he feels it's one of his destinies. He considers such volunteerism so important, a surge of "guilt" runs through him every time he gets paid on that four-year, $52 million contract. "I do feel a little guilty, playing baseball, having this nice life when those guys are out there sacrificing everything," Damon said. "Look, I really like my country. I figure this is the very least I can do." Of course, Damon realizes his first responsibility is to the Yankees. He also knows the soldiers respond to him, in part, because he's a major league star. Damon showed up in camp in superb shape this year and talks about a personal renaissance that just might take him past the expiration of his current contract in 2009. Damon may not be quite the player the Yankees thought they were getting as a free agent after the 2005 season, but still figures he can help after hitting .296 in the second half of 2007. Damon is playing without pain - finally -and until further notice, projects as the everyday left fielder. Anyone who knows Damon, however, realizes he's more than the sum of his parts. Jason Giambi says, "There's something about Johnny that touches everyone." It's a combination of old-school virtues, starting with honesty and sincerity you don't find very often in a major league clubhouse anymore. After all, how many other ballplayers would start crying in front of an audience of hardened New York baseball fans? But that's Damon, who lit up a midwinter night in Manhattan without having to say a word. Next week, Damon will shoot a public service announcement for the project, and intends to visit a Veterans Administration hospital in Tampa. He's urging ballplayers to listen not just to him but to their consciences, as well. "It's not just about giving money, but giving your time, too," Damon said. "I want to spread this message to all parts of the country. Hopefully, there's a ballplayer who lives in North Dakota who'll go visit vets out there." Damon smiled when he said, "Help these guys, even if it's just taking them out and playing golf with them. Show them we appreciate everything."
Posted by Mike McDermott February 25, 2008
RWU's Baranger named CCC Player of the YearRoger Williams University senior Geoff Baranger was named The Commonwealth Coast Conference men's basketball Player of the Year. Baranger, a 6-foot-10 center from Fairfield, Conn., led his team on both ends of the floor, averaging a team-best 14.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in conference play. He also ranked second on his team with a 54.5% shooting percentage. The Hawks posted a 15-10 overall record and an 11-2 record in conference play which tied Roger Williams for first place in the final regular-season conference standings and earned the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
Posted by Chris Venditto Andrade records victory for U.S. Team in RussiaProvidence amateur boxer Demetrius Andrade, a member of the U.S. Boxing Team fighting in Russia, was one of three members from team USA to record a victory Sunday night in the first of two duals. Team USA heavyweight Olympian Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) earned a decision victory over the 2007 World Championships silver medalist Rakhim Chakhiev, and Team USA’s super heavyweight Michael Turner (Las Vegas) defeated Denis Sergeev via a decision. The two teams will face off in a second dual in Novosibirsk, Russia, on Friday. -- ROBERT LEE
Posted by Chris Venditto Eight will be inducted to Red Sox Hall of FameThe Red Sox Hall of Fame will induct eight new members at its next induction dinner, Nov. 7 at the Marriott Copley Hotel in Boston. The inductees: outfielder Mike Greenwell, pitcher Bill Lee, pitcher Frank Sullivan, first baseman Mo Vaughn, pitcher Wes Ferrell, shortstop Everett Scott, scout George Digby and longtime executive Edward Kenney Sr. The 2008 inductees were selected by a committee comprised of Red Sox executives and broadcasters, media members, and representatives of the New England Sports Museum and BoSox club. The committee also selected its seventh Most Memorable Moment for Hall of Fame recognition: Ted Williams’ home run in his final major league at bat on Sept. 28, 1960, versus the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. The eight inductees bring the number of Red Sox Hall of Famers to 52. Click below to see bios on each of the inductees. WES FERRELL: Pitched for the Red Sox from 1934-37 with a 62-40 overall record in that span…Led the A.L. in wins (25), starts (38), complete games (31), and innings (322.1) in 1935 and recorded 20 victories in 1936…Had a 193-128 overall record in a 15-year major league career…Holds the ML career record with 38 homers by a pitcher…Died in 1996. MIKE GREENWELL: Played his entire career with the Red Sox from 1985-96, serving as the team’s regular left fielder for most of that period…Batted .303 with 130 homers and 726 RBI in 1269 games…Is among Boston’s all-time leaders in doubles (9th, 275), hits (10th, 1400), RBI (12th), and average (13th)…Hit over .300 5 times…Hit .325 and finished 2nd in A.L. MVP voting in 1998. BILL LEE: Pitched for the Red Sox from 1969-78 with a 94-68 record and 3.64 ERA in 321 games/167 starts…Ranks 8th in club history in appearances and is 3rd among Sox lefthanders in wins…Recorded 17 wins each in 3 consecutive seasons from 1973-75…Had an overall career record of 119-90 in 14 major league seasons. EVERETT SCOTT: Was Boston’s regular shortstop from 1914-21, playing on 3 World Series winners (1915-16-18)…Holds the Red Sox club record by playing in 832 consecutive games and leads all Boston shortstops with 2310 putouts and 3394 assists…Played in 1654 games in a 13-year career, including a them ML record 1307 straight contests from 1916-25…Died in 1960. FRANK SULLIVAN: Posted a 90-80 record in 252 games/201 starts with the Red Sox from 1953-60…Won 13 or more games in 5 straight seasons from 1954-58 with a career high 18 victories and a 2.91 ERA in 1955…Was an A.L. All-Star in 1955 and 1956…Overall won 97 games in an 11-year major league career. MO VAUGHN: Was one of the league’s top offensive players in his 8 seasons with Boston from 1991-98…Hit .304 with 230 homers and 752 RBI in 1046 games with the Red Sox…Ranks 6th in club history in homers and slugging (.542), 9th in RBI, and 12th in average…Was the 1995 A.L. MVP with 39 homers and 126 RBI…Hit .326 with 44 homers and 143 RBI in 1996 and .337 with 40 homers and 115 RBI in 1998…Won 3 straight Red Sox MVL Awards from 1994-96…Played in 3 All-Star Games…Had a .293 average with 328 homers and 1064 RBI in 1572 overall ML games. GEORGE DIGBY: Served as a Red Sox amateur scout for 50 years from 1944-1994…Signed Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, newly elected Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell and Dalton Jones and Reid Nichols among others…Was the 1985 East Coast Scout of the Year…Served as a scouting consultant for the Red Sox through 2004. EDWARD KENNEY SR.: Served as a Red Sox executive for over 40 years…Started in the Boston organization as a pitching prospect in 1946 but had arm problems and went to work in the ticket office…Joined the minor league department in 1948 and became farm director in 1966…Retired in 1991 after a stint as Vice President of Baseball Development…Died in 2006.
Posted by Mike McDermott Talk college hoops Wednesday with Kevin McNamaraKevin McNamara will be online from noon to 1 p.m. to take questions from projo.com readers aboiut PC and URI basketball, or about any other college basketball topic you wish to have addressed. You can submit a question now: go to projo.com/chat, click the red "launch chat" button, choose a display name (you don't need a password) and enter the college hoops chat room. When typing a question, do not press enter or click send until you have finished your thought. Questions will display to the room as Kevin answers them on Wednesday.
Posted by Mike McDermott After assault charges, 3 lacrosse players leave UMassAMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts officials say three lacrosse players who were charged after an off-campus fight are no longer enrolled in the school. Christopher Casey, Christian Haggerty and Ryan Marcus have all pleaded not guilty to charges including assault and battery in connection with the Feb. 1 incident in Amherst. A spokesman for the athletic department confirmed to the Republican newspaper of Springfield that the students had left UMass, but said privacy laws prevented the school from discussing details of their departure. Five other lacrosse players who were not criminally charged remain suspended from the team.
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's sports coverOn today's sports cover, Paul Kenyon and Jim Donaldson write about URI's loss to Saint Joseph's, concluding an 0-3 homestand for the Rams, while Shalise Manza Young catches up with East Providence's Jamie Silva at the NFL Combine, and Sean McAdam details Terry Francona's new contract with the Red Sox.
Posted by Mike McDermott Clemens' son arrives at Astros camp, says Rocket will arrive laterKISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) - Roger Clemens' oldest son says his father will work with minor leaguers at Houston Astros spring training, but didn't say when he would arrive. "He'll be down here eventually," said Koby Clemens, a catcher in the Astros' farm system. "He was always coming down here," Koby said. "No matter what happens, he's always going to want to help out with anything he can do. He'll come down here and throw 700 pitches eventually." The Astros' minor leaguers opened a minicamp Monday, and the 21-year-old Clemens was there by 8 a.m. He was glad to finally concentrate on baseball after a stressful three months since his father was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs in the Mitchell Report. Clemens has strongly denied the allegations, brought by former personal trainer Brian McNamee. The two told widely different stories to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in a nationally televised hearing Feb. 13. Koby said he only watched the start of the hearing, then turned off the TV as members of Congress picked apart Clemens' testimony. "They started hammering him and I couldn't watch it," Koby said. "I was getting so ticked off. Apparently, right when I turned it off, it kind of went better for my dad. So I'm kind of mad I missed that. I saw some good things, I saw some bad things." At the hearing, Clemens testified that his wife, Debbie, was injected with human growth hormone by McNamee. Koby said his parents "looked exhausted" when they returned home after the hearings. "It can't all go your way with everything, (they) came out of there pretty good," Koby said. "I was proud of my mom and my dad and everybody that was there." A few days after the hearing, the New York Daily News reported that Koby Clemens was seen working out at the same gym in a Houston suburb where Andy Pettitte's father, Tom, allegedly received HGH. The gym is about a 30-minute drive from the Clemens' home and Koby said he doesn't remember ever working out there. "I don't know what to say. It doesn't make sense a little bit," Koby said. "The only reason I'd go down there is if my dad was going down there. He wasn't with me, apparently. Why would I drive all the way down to Pasadena to go work out, when I've got everything at the house? It's just kind of funny. "You've just got to kind of deal with what people say and know what the truth is and that's it." "We're not out of the doghouse yet," he said. "It's going to be a long process, but once we get through it, all will be back in order."
Posted by Mike McDermott Bruins' Bergeron skates for the first time since concussionBOSTON (AP) - Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron has skated for the first time since he sustained a severe concussion in a game earlier this season. General Manager Peter Chiarelli said Bergeron spent about 10 minutes skating lightly around the team's practice rink Sunday. While calling the skate a "good step forward," Chiarelli indicated the 22-year-old is not close to returning to action. Bergeron was placed on the Bruins' long-term injured reserve list after being checked into the boards face-first by Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers in the Oct. 27 game in Boston. Bergeron was diagnosed with a Grade 3 concussion and also sustained a broken nose.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 24, 2008
RIC grapplers capture NEWA championshipThe Rhode Island College wrestling team, led by Cranston’s Mike Martini, captured the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) championship yesterday at Gorham, Maine. The Anchormen finished the two-day tourney with 121 points, beating Johnson & Wales by five points. Roger Williams University took sixth place, with 72 points. It is the sixth conference title in the history of the RIC program and the first since it won five straight from 1988-92. Martini, a junior from Cranston, won the 157-pound division. He was ranked No. 1 in New England and went 4-0 at the NEWA meet. His season record now is 34-7. Also, head coach Jay Jones was honored as NEWA coach of the year and Dave Paquette was the league’s top assistant.
Posted by Chris Venditto Red Sox reach agreement with RHP Bartolo ColonThe Boston Red Sox have reached preliminary agreement on a minor league contract with right-hander Bartolo Colon, a source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. If he makes the Opening Day roster, Colon would provide rotation insurance for Boston, which will be without Curt Schilling, who is working his way back from a shoulder injury. The White Sox, Cardinals and Astros also had been rumored as possible suitors for Colon this offseason. Colon suffered through an injury-marred 2007 for the Los Angeles Angels, posting a 6-8 record and a 6.34 ERA -- the worst of his career. In his 11-year career, Colon is 146-95 with a 4.10 ERA. He is a two-time 20-game winner, and he won the Cy Young Award in 2005 with the Angels. --ESPN.com
Posted by Chris Venditto February 22, 2008
Agent: Asante Samuel excited about free agencyWe just spoke with Alonzo Shavers, one of the agents for Asante Samuel, and he said Samuel is excited to hit free agency on one week from today, but that no team has so far been ruled out of the mix. Though Scott Pioli is here in Indianapolis as well, Shavers would not say if the two have met up to discuss numbers -- New England is the only team that can negotiate with Samuel right now, though of course at 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 29, Shavers and Jay Bianco can start fielding calls from all 32 teams. "There's always communication going on with our situation," Shavers said. "We don't eliminate anyone until we've signed a new deal and move to a new city." Shavers called New England Samuel's "birthplace," and Samuel has said he'd like to remain with the Patriots. But he is also anticipating the chance to hit the open market; it is expected that Samuel's deal will exceed the $28.5 million over the first three years Nate Clements got from San Francisco last year. Clements' deal was announced as eight years, $80 million, but the final year of the deal was already voided, making it a seven-year, $64 million pact. The agent also acknowledged that with Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha and Seattle's Marcus Trufant -- the other top-flight corners that would have been available -- being taken off the market with their teams slapping the franchise tags on them "gives us more leeway." -SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Posted by Mike McDermott High school postponementsHere's the list so far. You can check for more up-to-date cancellations at riil.org. Reschedule dates, where known, are in parentheses. Wrestling Boys basketball Boys hockey
Posted by Mike McDermott Jeter says blood testing of ballplayers would not be intrusiveFeb. 22 (Bloomberg) -- New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter said he'd support blood-testing of Major League Baseball players in the fight against performance-enhancing drugs. Jeter said in an interview that it wouldn't be an invasion of privacy to have blood drawn to test for human growth hormone, as players already have blood taken during their preseason physicals. "You can test for whatever you want to test for," Jeter, an eight-time all-star shortstop, said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio's "On the Ball" program to be aired this weekend. "We get pricked by needles anyway in spring training, so we have a lot of blood work to begin with." Jeter's stance is in opposition to union leader Don Fehr, who opposes blood-testing. HGH was added to baseball's list of banned substances in January 2005, though players aren't tested for it. A number of players, including Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, have admitted to using HGH in the wake of former Senator George Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drugs in the sport. Almost 90 current or former major-leaguers were named in the report, including former Yankees Roger Clemens and Chuck Knoblauch. While Pettitte and Knoblauch agreed with statements made by former Yankees trainer Brian McNamee linking them to performance-enhancers, Clemens has denied the claims. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and Fehr said they support testing for HGH when a valid urine test is developed. Selig told members of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that doctors have advised against storing blood samples to use once there is a commercial test for HGH. Other Leagues Like baseball, the National Football League, National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association do not have blood-testing for the presence of performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball's recent drug hearings in Congress weren't the first. In March 2005, six major-leaguers, including Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro, were subpoenaed to testify before Congress about steroid use in the sport, a hearing Jeter said helped baseball's cleansing process. "It's really aided in the process of cleaning the sport up," said Jeter, who announced a partnership this week with 24 Hour Fitness, the largest privately owned U.S. sports club. "When they initially did it, that led to the stricter testing." Baseball banned steroids in 2002, though a violation didn't carry a penalty until 2004. A separate congressional committee will hold a hearing on banned drugs and sports on Feb. 27. Commissioners and union leaders from the four major U.S. sports leagues, as well as Olympic, collegiate and high school officials are scheduled to testify.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: Paul Kenyon previews URI-Saint Joseph'sClick the play button below to see and hear the show, as Paul Kenyon previews the Rams game Sunday against the Hawks, and about the team's psyche as its struggles continue.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: Kevin McNamara previews PC-West VirginiaClick the play button below to see and hear the show, as Kevin McNamara previews the Friars' game Saturday night against the Mountaineers.
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's sports coverOn today's sports cover, Paul Kenyon reports on URI's latest loss, and Jim Donaldson opines that the Rams appear defenseless to stop their slide. Shalise Manza Young has the latest on the Randy Moss contract talks, and Sean McAdam has a column about Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who figures to be a lot richer soon.
Posted by Mike McDermott February 21, 2008
Peter Manfredo Jr. returning to ring on March 14Super middleweight Peter Manfredo, Jr. returns to the ring March 14, headlining “Rumble at the River,” against Shane Benfield in the main event at the Twin River Events Center in Lincoln. Clampitt is a 3-time world champion, while 20 of Larcuente’s last 21 bouts, dating back nearly five years, have been against world champions. --CES BOXING
Posted by Corey Bourassa Mike Marra commits to Louisville
Mike Marra, the All-State shooter from Smithfield, has verbally committed to play at Louisville. Marra will sign with the Cardinals this November and enroll in the fall of 2009.
Posted by Kevin A-Rod: Comments on drug tests were exaggeratedTAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Alex Rodriguez says he was exaggerating when he claimed he was given nine or 10 drug tests last year. Rodriguez made his original statement Wednesday, before the Yankees' first full-squad workout of the year. If A-Rod had been tested that many times, either he was selected for an unusually high number of random checks or he might have been subjected to additional tests - which would happen, for instance, if a player tests positive for a banned stimulant for the first time. "I know it was more than one," Rodriguez said after Thursday's workout. "It's a few. The lesson is, you've got to be very, very specific with what you say because everything then will come back and people are going to ask you. I learned my lesson." Under baseball's drug-testing rules, players are tested at least twice: within five days of arriving at spring training and again at a randomly picked unannounced date. There also are 600 additional random tests, of which as many as 60 may be conducted during the offseason. "I was simply stating, just for the sake of saying that I felt we have a very good testing system in place," Rodriguez said. "I think we have an effective system in place. I was commending major league baseball. That was the story, not how many times I got tested." Asked whether he tested positive for a stimulant or had been subject to reasonable cause testing, Rodriguez responded: "No." Initial positive tests for a stimulant are not announced.
Posted by Mike McDermott Game of the Day: Readers pick ScituateWe asked HSGametime readers to pick the winner of tonight's girls basketball game between Mount St. Charles and Scituate. The teams, which meet tonight in Scituate, are in a three-way tie with Woonsocket for first place in Division I North. There were 39 votes since yesterday afternoon, with a majority of 25 picking the Spartans (14-3 Division II, 16-3 overall) to beat the Mounties (14-3, 16-4). We'll have a gallery of photos from the game tomorrow on HSGametime. And right now, you can vote on the winner of Friday's Game of the Day, the boys basketball matchup between Cranston West (6-11 Division I, 10-12 overall) and Cranston East (8-9, 12-10).
Posted by Mike McDermott From the 'whom do you root for' department....LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) - Gary Sheffield put himself in the spotlight again, and the Detroit Tigers slugger enjoyed every second of it. "My family has been trying to get me to walk away for a while now because they don't like the negative stuff that comes my way. I love it," Sheffield acknowledged. "I try to explain it to them, but they think that's some psychotic thing." Sheffield stirred things up Thursday morning by calling Scott Boras, his former agent, a "bad person" in part for going after money the All-Star says he doesn't deserve. The dispute stems from the $39 million, three-year contract Sheffield signed in 2003 with the New York Yankees. Sheffield declined to comment on the specifics of the grievance, but the designated hitter has said he represented himself in negotiating his contract with the Yankees. Boras has said Sheffield agreed to let him represent the outfielder when his contract with Atlanta ran out. Sheffield vowed to say a lot of "ugly things" about various topics when the case is resolved. "It ain't going to be pretty," he said. "No fine is going to be big enough. No suspension is going to be long enough." Boras declined to escalate the situation. "I'm not going to comment on Gary's comments," Boras said. Sheffield said he has given a deposition each year since the grievance was filed, and Feb. 28 or so will be the next one. "Nothing happens. Then, he comes back, 'I want some more money.' That's basically the way he's acting," Sheffield said. "I don't know why. It's probably personal with him. But when it's done, it's going to be personal with me." Sheffield is known for saying what's on his mind. Last year, he called the investigation into steroid use in baseball a "witch hunt" that was all about "getting" Barry Bonds. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Sheffield testified in 2003 before the grand jury that he didn't knowingly take steroids while working out with Bonds. He paused only briefly when talking about the latest story involving him. "Actually, I'm not supposed to be talking about this at all," Sheffield said. "But, I am anyway." Sheffield fired agent Jim Neader and hired Boras in the spring of 2001, when he created a stir while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers by demanding a contract extension or a trade. He had $30 million and three years left on his deal plus an $11 million club option. "I've known Gary since he was 15 years old, and I know he's a good person," Boras said then. Several months later, Sheffield signed with the Yankees and said he negotiated the contract with owner George Steinbrenner. Boras later filed paperwork requesting 5 percent of the $39 million deal. Sheffield has said his problems with Boras cost him a longer contract when he became a free agent. "Can you explain why (Miguel) Tejada gets six years, (Vladimir) Guerrero gets five years and I get three? He cost me two years of a contract because he was trying to tarnish my name," Sheffield said in 2004. "The whole year in Atlanta, I had to get the players' association to stop him from writing me threatening letters saying, 'Either you let me do your contract or I'll be forced to sue you.' That's a threat and harassment." Yankees star Alex Rodriguez said earlier this week he still hasn't spoken with Boras since negotiating his new contract this offseason without his longtime agent. "Do you blame him?" Sheffield asked. Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers fired Boras during this winter after the agent tried to shop his services even though the pitcher only wanted to negotiate with Detroit. Boras does appear to have happy clients in Detroit, including reigning AL batting champion Magglio Ordonez, All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez and first-round pick Rick Porcello. Sheffield said he is going to warn everybody about Boras when their dispute is resolved. Sheffield said he will tell players to hire whom they want, but will share his experience as one of Boras' clients. "Total hell," he said. "I shouldn't have ever introduced myself to him. Period. Bad person." Tigers manager Jim Leyland is a fan of Sheffield both as a person and a player, who is 20 homers away from the 500th of his career. Leyland made a point of watching Sheffield hit during Thursday's workout and was encouraged with the way he has recovered from shoulder surgery.
Posted by Mike McDermott The Onion: Yanks vs. media in spring trainingAlways fun to see "America's finest news source" weigh in on, well anything. TAMPA, FL—In a spring showdown between two venerable organizations that will battle one another daily during the 2008 regular season, the New York Yankees are scheduled to play a nine-inning game Sunday against their greatest rivals: the media. Click here to read the full story.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: See and hear Manny speak to the media todayToday's file features audio of Manny Ramirez's remarks to reporters today (about five minutes) along with some sounds of him taking rips in the batting cage.
Posted by Mike McDermott Multimedia: Paul Kenyon previews URI-UMassClick the play button below to see and hear the show, as Paul Kenyon previews the Rams game tonight against the Minutemen, and talks about where URI stands in the chase for an NCAA bid.
Posted by Mike McDermott Ramirez says he wants to retire with Boston, but...FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Manny Ramirez says he wants to finish his career with the Boston Red Sox, but if they don't pick up his option for 2009 that's fine with him. Ramirez spoke Thursday after leaving the batting cage at spring training in Fort Myers. He says he doesn't plan to ask the Red Sox for an extension since they hold his option and it's up to them to approach him. He also says that once the season starts he'd prefer to wait until it ends to talk with the club about 2009. The slugger is in the last year of an eight-year contract. Beyond that, the team has options for the next two seasons at $20 million each.
Posted by Mike McDermott Red Sox-A's games in Japan are selloutsTOKYO (AP) - Tickets for baseball's season-opening series between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics in Japan have sold out. Tickets for the March 25-26 games at the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome went on sale Feb. 9 and sold out in less than two weeks. Organizers said Thursday some tickets remain for the preseason games the Red Sox and Athletics will play against the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers on March 22-23. Boston and Oakland will be the third set of teams to open the regular season at the Tokyo Dome, following the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (2000), and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (2004). A scheduled 2003 series between Oakland and Seattle at the Tokyo Dome was canceled because of the threat of war in Iraq. Boston left-hander Hideki Okajima could be the lone Japanese pitcher for the World Series champions in the two-game series, as Daisuke Matsuzaka may miss the series because his wife is expecting to give birth around that time.
Posted by Mike McDermott Download today's Sports coverThe Red Sox' Coco Crisp would rather be traded than play backup to Jacoby Ellsbury in center field. Also, the URI men's basketball team needs to win its final five regular-season games for a great shot at an NCAA berth, and another version of "Spygate" emerges in Foxboro.
Posted by Rich Lee February 20, 2008
It's called BaronvilleA new community sprang up last night at the University of Rhode Island. They are calling it Baronville. Students wanting to make sure they will get tickets to Thurdsay night's URI-UMass game were setting up tents outside the Ryan Center. By 9:30 p.m., seven tents had been put up. The game will be ``Celebrate Rhode Island Night'' at the Ryan Center. Among other activities, the World Series trophy will be available for viewing and photos, courtesy of the Red Sox, beginning at 6 p.m.. Pro golfer Brad Faxon will be honored with a ``Community Hero'' Award. Also, Tony Lepore, better known as Providence's dancing cop, will perform at halftime.
Posted by Paul Kenyon Torre says he still keeps in touch with PettitteVERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) - While Joe Torre no longer wears the Yankee pinstripes, he remains in touch with Andy Pettitte. Torre telephoned Pettitte on Monday shortly before the Yankees pitcher spent nearly an hour apologizing for using human growth hormone and answering questions about Roger Clemens at a news conference in Tampa. "I've talked to him a couple times," Torre said during the Los Angeles Dodgers' first full-squad workout of spring training. "I just wanted to let him know I was thinki |
