August 29th update

California wins LLWS in storybook ending

• The annual youth baseball tournament which pits 8 all-star teams made up of 11-13 year olds from different regions of the Unites States against 8 all-star teams from the rest of the world concluded on Sunday with the California representative defeating Japan's team.
• Nick Pratto, whose father coaches the team, singled in the game winning run with two outs in the bottom of the last inning (they only play 6 instead of 9 in Little League rules) to take home the title.
• A U.S. team has now won six out of the last seven World Series, with Japan's win last year the exception and California teams have won in 2 of the last 3 years.
• California now has the most titles for a U.S. state with 7 but are far behind the 17 titles won by Taiwan/Chinese Taipei.


AL West a two-team race

*Note: This is part 2 of a 6 part series that will break down the division races in each of baseball's 6 divisions.

• The American League West is the smallest division in baseball with only 4 teams (the NL Central has 6 and all others have 5) but they have two legit contenders. Those two teams are the Los Angeles Angels of Aneheim and Texas Rangers and after this weekend's series, the Rangers have a 3 game lead.
• Angels manager Mike Scioscia made headlines in the series by starting his two best pitchers (Jared Weaver and Ervin Santana) on 3 days rest instead of the typical 4+ days rest. Although the move is unusual, it was doubtlessly done to give the Angels a better chance to beat their close rivals in this crucial series. Although the Angels won on Saturday, Santana didn't pitch amazingly well, giving up 4 runs in 7 innings and only striking out 2.
• Things got worse on Sunday as Weaver had by his standards a terrible game giving up 7 runs in 6 innings and struggling all night with his usually pinpoint accuracy.
• Both teams have relatively easy schedules down the stretch including multiple games against the other teams in their division, the Oakland A's and Seattle Mariners. The two teams then meet for a 3 game series in LA from September 26-28 at the end of the season that could decide the division's winner.

July 29th update

NFL Kicks Off-Season in Overdrive

• After Monday's vote to end the NFL lockout the off-season started with a flurry... ok, a blizzard of activity. Big name Free Agents like Deangelo Williams, Santonio Holmes and Charles Johnson all inked long term deals to stay with the teams that they played for last year. Players like Johnathan Joseph(Texans), Sidney Rice (Seahawks), Quintin Mikell(Rams) and Jason Babin(Eagles) all decided that the grass was greener on the other side and subsequently relocated.
• Big name Free Agents Nnamdi Asomugha and Cullen Jenkins have yet to make up their minds.
• The trading wire was also active, with the cream of the crop, QB Kevin Kolb, being traded from Philadelphia to Arizona. The Washington Redskins took care of a lot of their locker-room issues by trading Donovan McNabb to Minnesota and Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots, who acquired Chad Ochocinco from the Bengals as well. The firesale prices of these moves only highlighted that the Redskins are in full-on rebuilding mode at this point.


Santana no-hits Indians

• On Wednesday, LA Angels pitcher Ervin Santana threw the third no-hitter in the MLB this season, as the Angels defeated the Indians 3-1. If it seems unusual that an opposing team would score a run without getting a hit, you'd be correct.
• The run scored after a player reached on an error, then advanced on a stolen base, fielder's choice and then came home on a wild pitch. Only one other Indians player reached base, on a walk in the 8th inning.
• No team has scored a run without getting a hit since September 8th, 1993 when the late Darryl Kile of the Houston Astros threw a no-no against the Mets but allowed a run.
• The Angels hadn't thrown a no-hitter since 1990 when Mark Langston threw the first 7 innings and Mike Witt finished the last 2 in a 1-0 victory against the Mariners. The time before that was in 1984 when Witt started as well as finished another 1-0 game, this time against the Rangers.


Tar Heels Athletic Department Hits the Fan

• University of North Carolina chancellor Holden Thorp took to the podium in Chapel Hill on Thursday to announce that he had begun the process of firing the Tarheels' head football coach Butch Davis. Athletic Director Dick Baddour (who was going to retire at the end of the year either way) handed in his resignation.
• This all came on the "heels" of an increased NCAA investigation of the football team for players getting paid during their time on the team. The all encompassing nature of the violations left little to doubt that Coach Davis had an idea of the violations. Despite excellent recruits and solid in-game performance, the violations were just too much for a university that consistently strives to maintain its reputation.
• Thorp announced that former defensive coordinator Everett Withers would take over for the year while he searches for a new Athletic Director who would then find a permanent head coach.