- Very good to see: Stack gets a 3 year deal. I used to put Stackhouse in the same category as Vince Carter, Corey Maggette, Ricky Davis, Baron Davis, Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, and the like. Big time ego-driven players with nothing on their mind but money and stats. Didn't care about what kind of team was around them, didn't care much about winning, wanted big contracts and big money. Basically the calling card of every spoiled NBA prima donna.
But after watching him the past 3 years, I now realize that he is nothing like any of these players. He's intense, he backs down from no one, takes big shots, and plays with some of the biggest nuts in the game. No doubt he could have signed for maybe $10-12 million on a crap team, but he is all about the ring and winning these days.
Maybe he was like some of those aforementioned players early in his career, but it finally clicked for him about 3-4 years ago. He learned the error of his ways and swallowed pride and took a lesser role in order to win. You want guys who are committed to the whole team's goal, and he definitely qualifies. No go win a ring dammit.
The Mavericks wanted Jerry Stackhouse back. And he wanted them.
Thursday, they agreed it was a match made in hoops heaven.
Stackhouse said thetwo sides had reached an agreement in principle on a contract to keep the sixth man with the Mavericks. Sources on both sides said the deal is for three years and the salary will start at more than the mid-level exception, which is expected to be about $6 million. If it starts at $7 million, the deal would be worth nearly $24 million for three seasons.
It was not immediately known if any option years, either for the team or for Stackhouse, were included in the deal.
"The deal is done," Stackhouse said. "I'm happy to be staying put. [Mavs owner] Mark [Cuban] and the organization stepped up for me and I'm really proud of that. Now we need to get a ring."
- The more Robinson Tejeda sucks, the more imperative it is that the Rangers deal Teixeira for a major-league ready starter. (i.e. Teixeira/Otsuka for Chad Billingsley, James Loney, and Clayton Kershaw). Rangers lose 5-2.
ARLINGTON — Kelvim Escobar won his 10th game after being snubbed again for a spot in the All-Star game and the Los Angeles Angels avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
Left off the initial American League roster released Sunday, Escobar had another chance to make the team. But Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima beat out Escobar and three others in Internet voting that ended Thursday to determine the final player.
Escobar (10-3) allowed one run and three hits over seven innings, with eight strikeouts and three walks. The right-hander is 4-0 in six starts since the start of June.
- Tap on those brakes Cowlishaw.....The guy's still bating sub-.250 and has had one good week all year.
Wilkerson's bat eases loss of Soriano
10:11 PM CDT on Thursday, July 5, 2007
ARLINGTON – Even lost seasons provide opportunities to make discoveries that can lead to future success.
In this case, the discovery that Brad Wilkerson can, in fact, hit a baseball should turn out to be particularly useful.
For a season and two months, Wilkerson wasn't a hitter. He wasn't even a baseball player. In the eyes of Rangers' fans, Wilkerson was simply "all we got for Alfonso Soriano."
Or, more accurately, all young general manager Jon Daniels got out of his first big kick at the trading can.
Wilkerson struggled through an injury-plagued 2006 season. He tried to hang on far longer than he should have with a shoulder that needed surgery.
He finished with 15 home runs, a .222 batting average and a .422 slugging percentage.
"As long as we were in the hunt, I felt like I had to try to be out there," Wilkerson said, seated at his locker. "It was bad because I couldn't even take batting practice for long before it started bothering me."
While Wilkerson did what he did and the Rangers did what they did, Soriano busted the fences in Washington with career highs in home runs (46) and slugging percentage (.560). Then he broke the bank at the Tribune Company, landing an eight-year, $136 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.
This year the two players are more similar than they are different. Soriano, misplaced as a leadoff hitter on Lou Piniella's lineup card, has 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and a .541 slugging percentage.
Wilkerson, now shifted from the outfield to first base to replace injured Mark Teixeira, has 13 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .524 slugging percentage.
Given those numbers, the Rangers are getting more for their $4.35 million in 2007 than the Cubs are for their $17 million in Soriano.
It has all come about lately.
Wilkerson's numbers dipped in June, when he returned from a stay on the disabled list. He went 3-for-27 in his first eight games back, and his batting average tumbled to .217 and slugging percentage to .417.
Now he's the hottest hitter on the team, if not in the league.
He delivered a three-run home run in Fenway Park on Monday night. He became the 14th Ranger to hit three home runs in a game Tuesday night.
Strangely enough, you have to have recent Rangers connections to hit three homers in a game these days. The others who have done it in 2007 are Soriano and last year's rental, Houston's Carlos Lee.
In his first at-bat Wednesday, Wilkerson lined a Jered Weaver pitch off the wall for an RBI double. He took a five-game RBI streak into Thursday night's game and has 15 RBIs in his last seven games.
His patience at the plate, now copied by other hitters in manager Ron Washington's lineup, is starting to pay off in higher pitch counts and more frequent calls to the bullpen for opponents.
"Wilky has had some really big hits for us the last couple of weeks," All-Star shortstop Michael Young said. "Pitchers have kind of stayed away from the top of our lineup and gone after the bottom of it this year. He has given us some real depth in our lineup.
"He just looks healthy this year."
A guy who walks and strikes out a lot, Wilkerson is never going to challenge for a batting title. But he has a history of good on-base and slugging percentages. The on-base number is only now starting to creep back up, but his .524 slugging percentage suits him well enough.
"I feel good confidence-wise and health-wise right now," Wilkerson said. "A lot of times you are ready for the [All-Star] break, but right now this team is ready for the second half.
"We got started too late this year but we don't look at it that way as individual players. We've been doing a lot of positive things lately."
Like winning five of their last six series and splitting the other one. Like getting quality starting pitching on a semi-regular basis.
And like getting real production from the bat of Brad Wilkerson.
It's not enough for Daniels to say, "I told you so."
But it's something to factor into 2008 when you're figuring out where this team has holes and where it doesn't.
- Viva College Football. The season can't start soon enough.
Week 1
Sept. 1: Tennessee at California (8 p.m. ET, ABC)
It has to be more competitive than last season's matchup at Neyland Stadium, which the Volunteers won 35-18.
Upset alert: Oklahoma State over Georgia (6:45 p.m., ESPN2)
Week 2
Sept. 3: Florida State at Clemson (8 p.m., ESPN)
Tigers coach Tommy Bowden has beaten Daddy (Florida State's Bobby Bowden) in each of the last two "Bowden Bowls" and three of four overall. A key ACC contest under the lights on Labor Day night, followed by a few beverages at The Esso Club.
Sept. 8: Virginia Tech at LSU (9:15 p.m.)
The Hokies are one of only a few teams still willing to play in hostile environments like Baton Rouge. And it doesn't get much louder than Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night.
Upset alert: TCU over Texas (8 p.m.)
Week 3
Sept. 13: West Virginia at Maryland (7:45 p.m., ESPN)
One of the country's most underrated rivalries heats up again, as the Terrapins try to derail the Mountaineers' national championship hopes. Football near the nation's capital.
Sept. 15: USC at Nebraska (8 p.m., ABC)
The Trojans' first big test in their quest for another national championship. Watching football in downtown Lincoln all afternoon, then walking a few blocks to Memorial Stadium.
Upset alert: Kentucky over Louisville
Week 4
Sept. 22: Penn State at Michigan
Wolverines fans will have a September to remember with home games against defending I-AA national champion Appalachian State, Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State to start the season.
Upset alert: South Carolina over LSU (7 p.m.)
Week 5
Sept. 29: Alabama at Florida State
Two of the sport's great powers collide at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville. Bobby Bowden vs. Nick Saban. Florida beaches. Early-morning tee times.
Upset alert: Maryland over Rutgers
Week 6
Oct. 6: Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Red River Shootout in Dallas might have national title implications. Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy tries to lead Texas to its third in a row over the Sooners.
Upset alert: Utah over Louisville (8 p.m., ESPN)
Week 7
Oct. 13: Wisconsin at Penn State (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Both the Badgers and Nittany Lions have designs on unseating Ohio State and Michigan at the top of the Big Ten standings. The air should just be turning crisp in Happy Valley.
Upset alert: Wake Forest over Florida State (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Week 8
Oct. 18: South Florida at Rutgers (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Last year's Big East surprise against this year's potential sleeper.
Oct. 20: Tennessee at Alabama
There's only one place to be on the third Saturday in October: Tuscaloosa, Ala. New Tide coach Nick Saban can go a long way toward becoming the state's governor by beating the hated Volunteers.
Upset alert: Kentucky over Florida
Week 9
Oct. 25: Boston College at Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Back at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is my absolute favorite Thursday night setting.
Oct. 27: Georgia vs. Florida
The game I still call the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" might become a rivalry again with Matthew Stafford leading the Bulldogs and Tim Tebow leading the Gators.
Upset alert: Rutgers over West Virginia
Week 10
Nov. 3: LSU at Alabama
Tensions will be running high as Saban coaches against his former school. Not as high as they'll be in Baton Rouge in 2008, though.
Upset alert: Navy over Notre Dame (2:30 p.m.)
Week 11
Nov. 8: Louisville at West Virginia (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
The Big East game of the year moves to one of my favorite college towns: Morgantown, W.Va. Brian Brohm vs. Pat White. Steve Slaton vs. the entire Louisville defense.
Nov. 10: USC at California (8 p.m.)
Can the Bears upset the Trojans in Berkeley? They couldn't do it in L.A. last season.
Upset alert: BYU over TCU
Week 12
Nov. 17: Ohio State at Michigan
Can this game possibly be as important as it was a year ago?
Upset alert: Vanderbilt over Tennessee
Week 13
Nov. 23: Boise State at Hawaii (9 p.m., ESPN2)
Post-Thanksgiving Day football on the island. Ian Johnson vs. Colt Brennan. Maui Invitational hoops. Are my editors reading this?
Nov. 24: In front of the tube
State rivalry day. Alabama vs. Auburn. Virginia vs. Virginia Tech. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech. Florida vs. Florida State. Washington vs. Washington State. Clemson vs. South Carolina. Just hand me the remote -- or a private jet.
Upset alert: Arkansas over LSU (1:30 p.m.)
Week 14
Nov. 29: Rutgers at Louisville (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Can the Scarlet Knights crush the Cardinals' BCS title hopes for the second year in a row?
Dec. 1: Navy at Army (noon)
The game still matters more than most, and few have as much pageantry and tradition as the service academy battle played in Baltimore.
Upset alert: UCLA over USC (4:30 p.m.)
- Sick of people b*tching about the rain. I can't wait to hear those same people b*tching about 100 degree temps in about 2 weeks. We've been spared a month and a half of ridiculous summer heat, take the rain you idiots. Looks like they're getting their wish.
Clear skies on the way
11:52 PM CDT on Thursday, July 5, 2007
By PAUL MEYER / The Dallas Morning News
The stubborn weather pattern responsible for weeks of rising rivers and flash floods in the Dallas-Fort Worth area may finally move away this weekend.
Jennifer Dunn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said Thursday that the daily downpours could end Saturday, with drier conditions forecast into next week.
"We're going to see a break," Ms. Dunn said.
On Thursday, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport recorded 0.61 inches of rain after only trace amounts fell there Wednesday.
And although the Trinity River in Dallas remains above flood stage, it has begun to retreat.
"Things are slowly starting to recede," Ms. Dunn said.
- Genius
- An American legend (language)
- If you've seen all the movies then this could be a top 5 comedy for you.
- Picks O' the Day
Yesterday - 4-4
YTD - 45-39
As always, take the home dogs, as well as these:
Seattle +180 - That's just too good of a payout not to take it. Weaver for Seattle is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA in his last 3 starts and Seattle has won 7 of 10..
LAD -115 - LA kills LHP's (14-7) and Billingsley is hot in his last 3.
Tex -115 - Loe on mound, he's been kicking ass
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