Some things you need to know about Texans and Texas teams involved in sports: • • • • • • • 1. NBA commissioners stance receives strong support< NBA commissioner Adam Silver received strong support from Texas teams after announcing his decision to ban Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life from any involvement with the team or league after the release of audio tape in which Sterling made racist remarks to a former girlfriend. ... I thought it was absolutely appropriate and done in a really heartfelt manner, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. It was fantastic. I think we can (re-focus on the playoffs) because the league and Adam were so prompt in doing the work they needed to do. I’m sure that was not easy, and, of course, the sanctions that were given were quite appropriate and hit the mark. ... The Spurs later issued a statement on behalf of Spurs chairman and CEO Peter Holt: The NBA is built upon equality and diversity. There is no room for racism or bigotry in our league. All of us at Spurs Sports and Entertainment fully support the decision made today by Commissioner Silver. ... This kind of behavior can’t be allowed in the NBA by owners, players or anybody, Houston Rockets Leslie Alexander said. This guy has no place in the family of the NBA. Whatever it takes, we have to make sure this kind of event never happens again. ... Silver’s decision to ban Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fine him the maximum $2.5 million was welcome news within the Dallas Mavericks organization. Decisive and correct, coach Rick Carlisle said. I agree 100 percent with Commissioner Silvers findings and the actions taken against Donald Sterling, tweeted owner Mark Cuban. ... Mavericks swingman Vince Carter said players and everyone else connected with the NBA needed to put the Sterling controversy behind them. Glad it’s over, he said. It’s a tough situation. I think everybody had their individual feelings. It’s unfortunate somebody still thinks that way, like a lot of players have said. Something had to be done, especially for being that this is a game today. That decision needed to be made just so those guys can clear their mind and play the game and we can kind of move on from this. ... Carlisle had high praise of Silver, who replaced David Stern, who retired after 30 years as commissioner in February. There’s no new commissioner in the history of sports who’s more prepared for this kind of moment and this kind of decision than Adam Silver,” Carlisle said. He’s been studying under the best commissioner, in my opinion, in the history of sports. And he’s handled this thing extremely well and it’s not an easy situation. ... Through a Chronicle reporter, Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander issued a statement prior to Silvers announcement: This kind of behavior can’t be allowed in the NBA by owners, players or anybody, Alexander said. This guy has no place in the family of the NBA. Whatever it takes, we have to make sure this kind of event never happens again. ... • • • • • • • 2. Rangers continue to lose on Washingtons birthday< Sorry to report the Rangers didnt win on manager Ron Washingtons birthday. They barely finished second. Of course, the Rangers are 0-6 on their managers birthday. ... After 26 scoreless innings over his previous three starts, Rangers starter Martin Perez allowed two runs in the first inning as Oakland took a 9-3 victory to go up 2-0 in the series between the AL West leaders. They also scored solo runs in the second and third innings and four of their five fifth-ining runs off Perez. ... The eight runs allowed by Perez were two more than his combined total through his first five starts, and his ERA more than doubled to 2.95. He struck out three and walked three in 4 2/3 innings. ... Texan Scott Kazmir (Houston Cypress Falls HS) needed 95 pitches to get through five innings, but left with a 9-3 lead and tied for tops in the AL with his fourth victory. He struck out four and walked one. ... At 17-10, the As have the best record in the AL. The Rangers (15-12) have hit their first three-game losing streak this season. They send lefty Robbie Ross (1-1) to the mound Wednesday to try to avoid a sweep of the series. Oakland is 11-4 on the road, best in the AL. ... The Rangers got a run in the fourth after Adrian Beltre singled and Alex Rios had an RBI double. Michael Choice singled Rios to third with one out but he was retired trying to score on a grounder to first by Leonys Martin. ... Josh Wilson and Shin-Soo Choo singled to start the fifth. With Elvis Andrus batting, both advanced on a wild pitch by Kazmir. Andrus grounded to third, scoring Wilson. Prince Fielder had an RBI single to score Choo. ... • • • • • • • 3. Astros need a relief pitcher they can trust< Whom do you trust is a game Houston manager Bo Porter plays with his bullpen almost nightly. Sometimes, the performance of the pen matters. ... So, is it wrong that Astros starter Jarred Cosart said all the right things when asked if the bullpens recent woes, which have cost him a pair of wins in his two most recent outings, were starting to wear on him and his fellow starters. ... Guys are going to struggle, Cosart said. The ability of Astros relievers to close out games is a growing problem for Porter, who watched his team lose for the fourth time this season when tied after eight innings when the Nationals rallied for a 4-3 win at Minute Maid Park. ... Its very concerning, because our starting rotation has done a really good job, and tonight you felt like you were in position to win the game, Porter said. You had the right guys matched up, and we just didnt get it done. Their bullpen came in and closed it out. ... The Nationals tied the game in the eighth inning against reliever Anthony Bass, and pushed across the deciding run in the ninth against Josh Fields (0-3), who has three losses with eight hits and nine earned runs allowed in 1 1/3 innings in his last three outings. ... Astros relievers have a 6.04 ERA through 27 games. Were just going to continue to give them opportunities, Porter said. We understand their strengths, and were going to put them in position to be successful, and tonight it didnt happen. ... Veteran lefty Raul Valdes was credited with a blown save after allowing Adam LaRoches game-tying double in the eighth inning, which scored Jayson Werth, who began the inning with a single against Anthony Bass. Chad Qualls pitched out of a bases-loaded mess to keep the game tied. ... Matt Dominguez led off the third with a double and was bunted to third by Jonathan Villar. He scored on a single by Dexter Fowler. Jason Castro followed with a double that sent Fowler to third. Both scored on a George Springer single. ... • • • • • • • 4. Rangers Kouzmanoff faces back surgery< Only eight days after he was named the AL Player of the Week, Rangers third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff said he may have to undergo back surgery after an epidural shot last Friday wasnt effective as hoped. He has a herniated disc in his lumbar spine. Dr. Drew Dossett, the teams back specialist has recommended surgery. ... Kouzmanoff has numbness in his right leg and calf, signifying that surgery may be necessary. Surgery is a last thing, but I think now its to the point that maybe the time has come, Kouzmanoff said. There was just an adjustment period for a couple days. It was hard to swallow, but now its like, OK, this is the way its going to be and we just have to make a decision to move on from here. ... Kouzmanoff will seek a second opinion Friday by Southern California specialist Dr. Robert Watkins while the team is in Anaheim. Dossett served a fellowship in spine surgery under Watkins. He said he has been told if he does have surgery, he will be out 7-12 weeks. ... Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine issued a slew of injury updates before Tuesdays game: -- Second baseman Jurickson Profar (right shoulder) had an MRI and was cleared by team physician Dr. Keith Meister to resume baseball activities. Hell start swinging a bat immediately, Levine said, and will start a throwing program in a week assuming he progresses well. Profar was placed on the 60-day disabled list near the end of Spring Training and will be eligible to return at the end of May, though the team will not rush him back. ... -- Catcher Geovany Soto (torn meniscus, right knee) is still in a brace for another week or two, but remains on schedule to return in June. ... -- Left-handed starting pitcher Derek Holland (left knee surgery) continues to participate in pitchers fielding practice drills and will throw another bullpen session Wednesday. ... -- Left-handed reliever Pedro Figueroa, whose season ended April 22 when he injured his throwing elbow in a game in Oakland, was to undergo Tommy John surgery for the second time, as well as flexor tendon surgery, on Wednesday. ... -- Tanner Scheppers (right elbow inflammation), the teams opening day starter, was to begin a throwing program Wednesday. ... -- Starting pitcher Joe Saunders is scheduled to throw three innings, or about 50 pitches, in an extended spring game Friday in Arizona. After that, hell begin a more formal rehab program. ... -- Outfielder Engel Beltre (fractured right tibia) is progressing ahead of schedule, Levine said. He is eligible to return May 29. ... -- Reliever Joseph Ortiz (fractured right foot) has begun a throwing program in Arizona. ... -- Former closer Neftali Feliz, who was placed on the minor league disabled list last week with general soreness in his right elbow, is now pain free according to Levine and is expected to begin a throwing program soon. • • • • • • • 5. Baseball Briefs: Lackey hurls Red Sox to win< John Lackey (Abilene HS and UT-Arlington) allowed two runs and six hits over eight innings as Boston beat Tampa Bay 7-4. With the score tied 1-1, former Ranger A.J. Pierzynski batted in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning. Will Middlebrooks (Liberty Eylau HS near Texarkana) followed with a RBI double. Both scored later in the inning. ... Drew Stubbs (Atlanta HS and UT) hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth as the Rockies beat the Diamondbacks 5-4. Boone Logan (San Antonio OConnor HS and Temple College) got the win for Colorado. ... Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (Longview HS) received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will be shut down for at least a few days until the discomfort in his left oblique completely subsides. Davis, who is on the road trip with Baltimore, is eligible to come off the disabled list May 11. ... Astros ace Scott Feldman, whos been on the disabled list since April 18 with right biceps tendinitis, threw 35 pitches in the bullpen Tuesday afternoon without any problems, and he is expected to be slotted back into the rotation soon. He could come off the disabled list as early as Saturday. ... After White Sox pitcher Scott Carroll picked up a win in his major league debut Sunday, teammate Adam Dunn (New Caney HS) picked up the dinner tab for Carroll his celebrating party of 30-plus. ... On April 30, 1940, James Tex Carleton of the Dodgers pitched a no-hitter against Cincinnati. Brooklyn won 3-0. Carleton was born in Comanche and played for TCU. He died in Fort Worth in 1977 and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Comanche. ... • • • • • • • 6. Spurs say Parker has mild ankle sprain< Spurs guard Tony Parker has a mild left ankle sprain and will be re-evaluated before Wednesdays Game 5 of San Antonios first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks. Parker kept playing after coming up limping at one point during the Spurs 93-89 victory in Dallas on Monday night that evened the series at 2-2. Coach Gregg Popovich said Parker was day to day with a Grade 1 sprain. No MRI and X-rays were planned. Parker had a series-low 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting in Game 4. He also had three assists and his second straight four-turnover game. The Mavericks have controlled Parker since he scored 17 points in the first half of Game 3. But Manu Ginobili is averaging 20 points per game in the series. ... The Mavericks will be without forward DeJuan Blair who has been suspended without pay from Wednesday’s game. Blair, who scored 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in just 16 minutes in Game 4 Monday night at American Airlines Center, was ejected with 3:08 remaining after Blair and Spurs forward Tiago Splitter went for a loose ball, became entangled and fell to the floor, Blair was whistled for his fifth foul. In the aftermath, apparently in frustration of getting called for the foul, Blair kicked Splitter. Officials stopped the game and viewed replays, saying Blair committed a hostile act. ... • • • • • • • 7. College Diamond Roundup: Sam Houston stuns Baylor< Shortstop Carter Burgess (Houston Memorial HS) hit a two-run double to give Sam Houston State the lead in the third inning in a 4-2 road win over Baylor. The victory was the Bearkats’ fifth straight and fourth this season against Big 12 teams. Colt Atwood (Katy HS) and Ryan OHearn (Frisco Wakeland HS) each singled and scored on Burgess’ double. ... In other non-conference games for Texas based teams, Texas A&M beat Texas State 9-2, Texas toppled Prairie View 6-3, Texas Tech downed Oral Roberts 4-1, Dallas Baptist beat Oklahoma of the Big 12 9-1 and TCU toppled Stephen F. Austin 14-4. ... In softball, Baylor beat North Texas 7-1 as Heather Stearns (Lewisville Hebron HS) hurled a complete game and Clare Hosack and Linsey Hays (Brock HS) each homered in the first inning for the Lady Bears. ... • • • • • • • 8. FYI: This blog features Texas teams and athletes with Texas connections. It is compiled by retired newspaper journalist Bob Sonderegger (anglebob61@yahoo) who covered many of the teams mentioned. Your comments or additions are welcome.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:21:04 +0000
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