- These guys are like the plague. Add Mike Bacsik to the list. Look out Jon Daniels...................
He's an ass, he's roided up, his protective armor may aid him, etc. But I don't get upset because A-Rod will kick his ass to the curb in 5-7 years anyway, so who cares. We all know the truth.
Bonds hits #756.
Bonds moves into eternity, assumes MLB home run record
SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds raised both arms over his head like a prize fighter in victory, fists clenched -- and then he took off.
It was over at long last.
Like him or not, legitimate or not, he is baseball's new home run king.
Bonds hit No. 756 to the deepest part of the ballpark Tuesday night, and hammered home that very point. He broke Hank Aaron's storied record with one out in the fifth inning, hitting a full-count, 84 mph pitch from Washington's Mike Bacsik.
"I knew I hit it," Bonds said. "I knew I got it. I was like, phew, finally."
Later, he firmly and flatly rejected any suggestion that this milestone was stained by steroids.
"This record is not tainted at all. At all. Period," Bonds said.
Bonds sent the ball arcing high into the night, 435 feet into the right-center field seats.
"Thank you very much. I got to thank all of you, all the fans here in San Francisco. It's been fantastic," he said shortly after crossing home plate, his godfather, Willie Mays, at his side.
"I've got to thank my teammates for their support," Bonds said. "Through all of this, you guys have been strong, and you've given me all of the support in the world and I'll never forget it, as long as I live."
After thanking his children, he said: "I'm glad I did it before you guys went to school."
To the Nationals, he said: "Thank you for understanding this game. It means a lot to me."
Conspicuous by their absence were the commissioner and Hammerin' Hank himself.
Though he was on hand for the tying homer three days ago, deciding to put baseball history ahead of the steroid allegations that have plagued the Giants slugger, Bud Selig wasn't there for the record-breaker.
- Nebraska News/Notes
- This is good to see, Steve Octavien appears healthy and ready to rock and roll. Much like Mo Purify on offense, Octavien is an absolute gamebreaker/difference maker on the defensive side of the ball. He's big, fast, and just makes plays. He's just been hurt since he stepped foot on campus. If he can turn into half of a Terrell Farley or a DeMarrio Williams-type, look out.
Octavien wants to start shining
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007 - 11:58:42 pm CDT
Do not, under any circumstances, mention the words “Steve Octavien” and “flashes” in the same sentence.
As least, don’t do it in the presence of Octavien. He’ll cringe and bristle.
And that’s when he’s in a good mood.
Example: “Steve Octavien has shown flashes of being a havoc-wreaking linebacker during his Nebraska career.”
Here come the contorted facial expressions ��-
“See, that’s the thing,” Octavien said in an upbeat tone. “You say ‘flashes’ and I don’t like hearing about ‘flashes’ because I’m not a ‘flash’ guy, ya know?
“I mean, I play ball.”
Octavien doesn’t necessarily disagree with the “flash” label. He understands it. He’s just disgusted that his entire career, beset by numerous injuries, has been a series of “flashes.”
A broken leg here, an appendectomy there. Throw in a nagging hamstring and a bum ankle, and you’ve got a head start on Octavien’s medical history.
Those problems, Octavien said, are finally behind him.
“Truthfully, I’ve never been better,” Octavien said. “Seriously, I’m 100 percent. This is the first time in a long time I’ve been 100 percent. Stronger, faster, mentally prepared.”
Don’t brush over the “mentally prepared” comment. Octavien said his mental and spiritual health was causing as much pain as his legs.
“In January, I contemplated a lot of things, man,” said Octavien, a senior from Naples, Fla. “It was probably the toughest time for me.”
Octavien declined to elaborate, saying only that he was “really lost” and wasn’t certain what he wanted to do with school and football.
Did he contemplate quitting?
“No, no ��- I really don’t want to get into that. I’m not saying that,” Octavien said. “I’m just saying that ��- a lot of things went through my head. I was just really lost. Just the way I was living, it wasn’t good. It was just very unhealthy.”
Octavien said several visits with Matt Penland, the team chaplain, helped him turn his life around. He says his life is more complete spiritually, which helped him with football.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said he’s noticed a difference.
“Mentally, he’s as good as he’s ever been,” Cosgrove said. “We’ve talked about it. He’s in a great frame of mind right now.”
Cosgrove wants Octavien to lose about five pounds from his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame. Other than that, Octavien seems physically ready to contribute more consistently.
“We trained really hard (in the summer),” Octavien said. “I didn’t want any regrets this year. It’s my final year, so I did everything I could do to get to this point.”
Octavien came to Nebraska from William Rainey Harper (Ill.) College, where he played only four games in 2004 because of injury. As a Husker, he broke his leg in the first quarter of his first game in 2005 against Maine. He missed the rest of the season.
In that one quarter, he had four tackles, including two for loss, and conjured images of Terrell Farley and Demorrio Williams in the minds of Husker faithful.
Last season, Octavien was slow to recover from an appendectomy in fall camp. In game three against USC, he suffered a hamstring injury and missed Nebraska’s next four games. He had a triumphant return against Texas -- 10 tackles, seven unassisted -- and capped the game with ��- a sprained ankle.
“I was like, ‘Man, this is getting frustrating,’ ” said Octavien, who missed the next game against Oklahoma State.
“Since I got here ��- I’ve never really been able to showcase my abilities, never really got to play the way I want to play.”
Octavien will have every opportunity this season. He’s the starting WILL linebacker, replacing Bo Ruud, who’s moved to the SAM position. In Nebraska’s nickel package, Octavien can come off the edge as a pass rusher.
“I love it. I love it,” Octavien said. “I know (Adam) Carriker and Jay (Moore) are gone, so whatever it takes.
“Somebody’s got to do it. I’m down for that.”
- Scouting report on potential impact freshman Quentin Castille from Texas.
Scouting report: Quentin Castille. The true freshman running back is listed at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds in Nebraska’s media guide.
In reality, Castille tips the scales at 255, which is fine with Callahan.
“Looking at his body fat, he’s right on schedule,” the coach said. “He’s just a big man. We’d like to get him down to 245, but he’s a load. I had a lot of fun today watching him practice. He carried the ball well. He’s starting to learn the cuts and the footwork required in the running game. He’s doing a very good job in the passing game.”
Last season at La Porte (Texas) High School, Castille rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is being used in multiple sets at NU, Callahan said.
- Notes from Tuesday's practice
NU Notes: Teafatiller remains in camp after arrest
BY MITCH SHERMAN AND RICH KAIPUST
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN - Nebraska tight end Hunter Teafatiller remains active in preseason football camp after he was arrested Saturday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
Teafatiller, a 20-year-old junior from Kingsburg, Calif., faces disciplinary action within the program, coach Bill Callahan said Tuesday, in addition to any legal penalties.
"Our football program takes a situation like this very seriously," Callahan said in a statement released by NU.
According to Deb Collins of the Nebraska State Patrol, Teafatiller was stopped near Third and Adams Street when a trooper noticed he was driving without headlights. Administered a breathalyzer test, Teafatillers blood-alcohol level was 0.97, above the legal limit of 0.8.
Teafatiller was also ticketed for minor in possession and for having no insurance or valid registration.
On May 26, he was cited for DUI and MIP by the Lincoln Police. The Lancaster County attorney's office said Tuesday it declined to prosecute in that case.
Teafatiller, a reserve, caught five passes for 78 yards and four touchdowns last season, including the Huskers lone score in the Big 12 championship game.
Freshman back brings size
Quentin Castille weighed in this week for the start of practice at 255 pounds. And it's just fine with Callahan.
"Looking at his body fat and where that is at, he's right on schedule," Callahan said of the 6-foot-1 true freshman out of La Porte, Texas. "He's just a big man. We'd like to get him down to (245), but he's a load. I had fun watching him practice today."
Castille, listed at 235 pounds in the Nebraska media guide, rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 22 touchdowns last season in high school and was rated as the nation's No. 2 fullback prospect by rivals.com.
The Huskers plan to use him at I-back.
"We're utilizing him in a lot of different roles right now," Callahan said. "We're moving him around in the backfield. We're motioning him out. He's starting to learn the cuts and the footwork required in the running game. He's doing a very good job in the passing game.
"That'll all change here on Friday when we're in full pads."
As for the fullbacks, Callahan said he's pleased with their mental approach. But it's a difficult position to evaluate, he said, until full contact work begins.
A group that includes junior Thomas Lawson, senior Andy Sand and redshirt freshman Justin Makovicka, plus true freshmen walk-ons Mike Hays and Kevin Thomsen, is competing to replace departed two-year starter Dane Todd.
Tackle finds way to beat heat
NU offensive tackle Carl Nicks already was well on his way to an impressive statistic as he swigged a Gatorade after practice Tuesday.
By bedtime, Nicks estimated that he would consume between three and four gallons of liquid — necessary for a 6-5, 330-pounder as the Huskers' first two practices were held in high temperatures and nasty humidity.
"I'm just trying to stay hydrated," Nicks said. "I've got to."
Nicks maybe fell short Monday and paid for it, leaving practice early with cramps "all over." So the last gallon of water before bed might keep him up at night, but it's worth it.
"I don't want to feel like that again," he said. "It was real bad."
Linebacker likes weight where it is
Corey McKeon reported for camp at 232.6 pounds. Write that down, he said, for all those who knock him for being an undersized middle linebacker.
And for the record, the senior calls that a generalization.
"People expect most middle linebackers to be 250 pounds," McKeon said. "Why would you want to be 250 and slow and be chasing four-receiver sets all game? I'm right where I need to be."
McKeon said the NU staff likes him around 225.
"It's what coaches demand of you and what they think fits the system, and what we face in our opponents," he said. "We're not facing Big Ten teams that are body-crushers. We face speed."
- Big 12 Notes/Top 25
- Coach Fran fires, and Stoops comes back harder, faster, and better. Just like I said a few weeks ago, all Fran wants to do is play the shoulda, woulda, coulda game about 2006. Every team in America can play that game.
I hate Oklahoma and the whole state for that matter, but I love Bob Stoops. He'll hit you in the mouth, pull no punches, let results speak for themselves, make no excuses, and roll with what he has. He's the anti-Mack and Fran. Definitely my #1 choice for coach if I was AD at a major school.
Franchione mixes it up with dig at Oklahoma
By ROBERT CESSNA
Eagle Sports Writer
It'll be interesting to see if the Leadership Council for the Texas A&M football team disciplines head coach Dennis Franchione for making fun of Oklahoma's recent off-the-field problems that resulted in NCAA sanctions.
Franchione, appearing at the Houston Touchdown Club last week, came up with the zinger while talking about the Sooners' unstable quarterback situation, according to the Houston Chronicle.
"That may be the only question they have, other than what jobs they are going to work this year," Franchione said. "That is a joke I couldn't resist."
He's not the only one.
OU has been the butt of jokes since last summer when it dismissed two players for accepting money for work not performed at a Norman car dealership. One player banished was starting quarterback Rhett Bomar, who would have been a junior this fall entering his third year as a starter.
The Sooners are looking at three inexperienced quarterbacks instead of having an all-conference performer.
Franchione's comments were relayed to Stoops at OU's media day Friday, reported the Tulsa World.
"There are a lot of people who have a lot to stay when they don't have a Big 12 championship to talk about," the paper reported, adding that Stoops strongly emphasized he was not addressing a particular coach.
It's just a coincidence that Stoops' comments fit Franchione to a T.
"There are some guys talking about, 'If this happened in this game, and this happened in that game,' in like three or four games, they'd be Big 12 champions," Stoops said, again stressing he was talking about more than one coach.
But only one team lost two games each by a point: A&M. Texas is the only other team where the reversal of a couple of plays would have put it in last year's title game.
Franchione even talked about those losses at the Big 12 Media Days in San Antonio.
"We missed being in the Big 12 Championship game by two points," Franchione said.
Those comments were expected, but his jab at the Sooners wasn't.
But who cares?
When the Aggies visit the Sooners on Nov. 3 it will be about talent and execution, not what the coaches said three months ago.
So things might not be so cordial in the future? Big deal. This is the Big 12 South. The price of winning continues to rise, and the rivalries keep intensifying.
A&M's 2002 media guide described Texas Tech fans as "classless clowns" after they tore down the goal posts at Tech's Jones Stadium following a 12-0 victory the previous year. A&M recalled and reprinted the media guide, but it'll always be remembered.
Baylor's Guy Morriss and Franchione didn't talk before or after A&M's 16-13 victory over the Bears in 2005. That stemmed from Morriss' comments regarding Baylor's 35-34 overtime victory in 2004: "I think it's a fact that we just beat their ass."
A&M beat Texas last year to end a six-game losing streak, but Longhorns are still upset about Kellen Heard's late hit on UT quarterback Colt McCoy that drew a 15-yard penalty and ejection. It surfaced again at the Big 12 Media Days when Walt Anderson, the conference's coordinator of football officials, admitted the crew missed a roughing the pass penalty call later in the game when A&M's Michael Bennett hit McCoy high.
So what if the Big 12 missed the call? The Aggies won the game, and that's what matters. If McCoy and Texas want to regain the spotlight, all they have to do is win the day after Thanksgiving. Stoops and the Sooners will have a chance to have the last laugh at Franchione's expense, just like they quieted the whole conference last year by winning another Big 12 title.
Cheap shots get attention, but there's always more to it.
Franchione has done nothing but praise Stoops and his staff in the past. His comment wasn't a shot at the Sooners' coach, far from it. Franchione picked the Sooners to win the South in the same speech.
For him to be right the Sooners probably have to beat the Aggies, which is rather ironic, since the media's preseason pick is Texas. If Franchione wanted to slight the Sooners and Stoops, he could have picked Texas.
The Sooners were Franchione's pick out of respect. Stoops has beaten Franchione's Aggies four straight times, including a 77-0 whipping in 2003, which could have been worse had Stoops allowed it.
That probably won't be the case this time around.
What was surprising to me about Franchione's comment is that he's been masterful at making sure his players don't pop off and give the opposition bulletin-board material.
If Franchione does go before the team's 14-member Leadership Council, he should claim that his joke wouldn't be any incentive for any Sooner player.
Maybe the Leadership Council should announce it will handle this internally - i.e. a slap on the wrist, which would be appropriate since that's how the NCAA penalized OU, which had to vacate its eight victories in 2005 and the loss of four scholarships.
Some say that was the real joke, just watch where you tell it.
- The NoTex Rant Top 25
#25 - Missouri
#24 - Hawaii
- #23 - Oklahoma St.
COACH AND PROGRAM
Faith can be a beautiful thing.
It would have been easy for Oklahoma State to give up on coach Mike Gundy and his high-flying offensive ideas after one ugly season. In 2005, after Gundy arrived preaching his spread-offense gospel, the Cowboys crashed and burned, finishing last in the Big 12 South thanks to the conference's weakest offense.
Sure, it was only the first year for the new system, but, come on, last in the conference in scoring? Obviously, this wasn't going to work.
But Gundy and offensive coordinator Larry Fedora kept the faith, and, more important, so did their players. And that faith was rewarded last season, when the Cowboys' offense ignited for 35.2 points per game, a fraction of a point behind Texas for the Big 12 scoring title.
The Cowboys were everything Gundy said they would be -- explosive, tough and versatile. They averaged 8.2 yards per pass play, a close second in the league. They led the Big 12 in rushing offense. And they were one of only two teams in the nation to average more than 200 yards rushing and 200 passing per game, becoming the first Oklahoma State team to accomplish that double since 1987.
"I think if you could do the 200-200 thing again you would take it," Gundy said.
Now the Cowboys have whizzed by faith and are heading toward hope. Because even with all those gaudy offensive numbers, OSU was only 3-5 in conference games, finishing ahead of only Baylor in the Big 12 South. And even though they won a bowl game, they still finished the season barely over .500.
So now the Cowboys must hope they can take another major step forward, from a fun to watch but mediocre team to division contender. To make that leap, another leap of faith -- this one on defense -- must pay off.
The defense struggled last season and dragged the offense down with it. OSU ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring defense and total defense and was clearly a liability, offsetting much of the offensive progress.
So Gundy parted ways with defensive coordinator Vance Bedford and put his faith in Tim Beckman, formerly the cornerbacks coach at Ohio State. Beckman charged in and immediately put his stamp on the defense, emphasizing speed above all else and making some drastic moves to that end.
Using the formula he learned at Ohio State, Beckman moved linebackers to defensive end and defensive backs to linebacker in hopes of creating a lightning-fast, if undersized, unit that can race past bulky offensive linemen to get to the passer and can chase down runners from sideline to sideline.
"We want to fit the scheme to the talents of our personnel," Beckman said. "We don't have a bunch of 300-pound linemen, so we're trying to utilize our speed.
"Our scheme is going to be multiple -- we're not always going to be in a four-man front -- and what we're doing will enable our kids to play multiple positions, so we can move them around and show different looks. Defense is defense and you want to keep it simple, but being able to do different things with the fronts and coverages -- having multiple looks with the same personnel -- can really help us in this conference."
An improved defense would surely help the Cowboys in the Big 12, and Gundy isn't picky about how he gets it. All he wants is his team to be tougher and more effective at stopping the opposition.
If Beckman's swift and multiple scheme gets the job done, it's OK with him.
"I don't care about Xs and Os," he said. "I want us to be physical -- to run to the ball and strike people."
That doesn't apply only to the defense. Fedora is adamant that there will be no celebration over the Cowboys' recent offensive success. There is, he insists, plenty more to do.
"If you base it on what we accomplished last year, yes, we should be pretty good," he said. "But people tend to forget that this offense hasn't done anything this year."
That's OK, though. They have faith.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Grading the Cowboys
Unit Grade
Offense A
Special teams A
Defense C
Intangibles C
There is plenty of optimism in Stillwater, but the Cowboys must tone that down and remember they were still a .500 team last season. The offense should have little trouble scoring, putting the burden on the defense and Beckman's new system. How well the players adapt could make or break the team.
But beyond Xs and Os and personnel, Gundy has a bigger goal in mind for his Cowboys.
"This year we have to be a tougher team," Gundy said. "We will need to be a mentally tougher team to be successful at some of the places we have to play."
That includes College Station, Lincoln and Norman, where the Cowboys face extremely daunting Big 12 road games against Texas A&M, Nebraska -- back-to-back, no less -- and Oklahoma, respectively. That gauntlet could keep the Cowboys from making their leap into contention regardless of how much their defense has improved.
- Donnie keeps the brake lights on
No Hurry
Aug 8 - Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations, tapped the brakes on thoughts that a deal was imminent.
"This could go all the way to the first day of training camp," Nelson said Tuesday. "We have no sense of urgency to do anything right now. We'll do a deal when it's right for us and not sooner." Since the Mavericks agreed to terms with Eddie Jones last week, Internet rumors have swirled about Chris Webber possibly being the Mavs' final acquisition. One variation had both Webber and fellow unrestricted free agent James Posey coming to Dallas.
While rumors swirled on the Web (stemming from an unfounded radio report out of L.A.) on Sunday about Webber's imminent signing with the Mavs, that just doesn't appear to be the case. In fact, one plugged-in NBA source dialed up on Tuesday said that his "gut" tells him that Webber will return to the Pistons. That's not to say the Mavs are out of the running, just that it appears more likely, at this moment, that Webber will re-sign with his hometown team.
- CJ Wilson impresses once again. Gets the last 4 outs of the game, extends hitless streak to 9.2 innings.
Since management decided to trade away Eric Gagne, and should they not re-sign him this offseason, I say your closer for 2009 is currently sitting in the bullpen. Let Ostuka get healthy, close next year, let his contract run out, and hand it over to CJ in 2009.
He's proving game-by-game that he has what it takes to close. I think he has the make up and the mindset to do it, he's confident, and he just has that closer-like quirkiness about him.
Rangers hold on, 8-6.
Closing argument: Wilson saves Rangers
01:45 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 8, 2007
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – The Rangers are adamant that C.J. Wilson is not their closer. A thing about closers: If it acts like a closer and it sounds like a closer, it's probably a closer.
The loquacious Wilson has always been able to talk the part. Lately, he's been able to act it, too.
In saving Tuesday's 8-6 win over Oakland, Wilson completed the equivalent of a no-hitter. He got the final four outs, even as Joaquin Benoit stood ready in the bullpen, to give him 9 2/3 hitless innings since July 20. In that time, he's allowed just two walks.
"We'll keep piecing things together down there," manager Ron Washington said. "It's just fallen right for C.J. the last three times. He's done a great job with the opportunity."
On Tuesday, though, the Rangers had a chance to go to somebody else and Washington opted to give Wilson the chance to finish the game. After a four-run lead had melted to one in the eighth, Wilson was summoned to get the last out of the inning, which he did. Benoit got up as soon as the Rangers came to bat.
Washington said his plan was for Wilson to face lefty Jack Cust to start the ninth and then go to Benoit for the final two outs. But when the Rangers forced a run across the plate, he gave Wilson the chance to convert the save – so long as he didn't put a runner on board.
No problem for Wilson. He struck out Cust, then got Mike Piazza to ground out to short and Mark Ellis to pop up to second. It marked the Rangers' first win in nearly a week after five consecutive losses. It was the team's third win since closer Eric Gagne was dealt at the trading deadline. Wilson has saved all three games.
Wilson is just one of the guys the Rangers are auditioning for potential 2008 roles.
- The farm system is getting ripe. This is the most confident I've been in the Rangers farm system in ages. After having just 1 player in the top 10 at his position according to Baseball America, the Rangers now have 6. 6!! The talent level was increased significantly by JD in July, and I'm gearing up for a contending team in 2010, maybe 2009.
After influx, farm system may be ready to produce
12:13 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 8, 2007
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – A year ago, the Rangers farm system was considered one of the most barren in the majors.
That doesn't appear to be the case anymore.
Baseball America, the industry's leading projector of prospects, ranked the top 10 prospects in the minors at every position in its most recent edition. The Rangers, who had just one of the top 100 prospects in the minors at the start of the year, were represented in the top 10 at six different positions. Before the season, the Rangers organization was ranked 28th of 30 by Baseball America in overall talent.
The Rangers had two catchers among the top 10: Max Ramirez, acquired from Cleveland for Kenny Lofton, was ranked seventh and Taylor Teagarden was ranked 10th. The Rangers also had a second baseman (German Duran, ninth), shortstop (Elvis Andrus, sixth), third baseman (Chris Davis, 10th), a right-handed starter (Eric Hurley, 10th) and a left-handed starter (Kasey Kiker, eighth) on the list.
"I think it's some recognition that we've started to take some significant steps with the system," general manager Jon Daniels said. "There has been a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get things here, but we still have a long way to go."
One area the Rangers were not represented was outfield. Upgrading the athleticism of the outfielders at the major and minor league levels has become a significant priority for Daniels. The Rangers acquired two outfielders at the trading deadline, center fielder David Murphy and highly-regarded 17-year-old Engel Beltre.
- Evan Grant defends JD. And I agree with his analysis 100%.
Here's the deal: Don't judge trades too quickly
08:28 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 7, 2007
In the cold, hard world of making trades, it's not so much evaluation of a player's past that matters, but accurate projection of the future.
The future includes projecting the performance of players obtained and players discarded, but it is also includes anticipating what steps may result from a potential move. As an example, take the Rangers' deadline deal from a year ago in which they sent Francisco Cordero, Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix to Milwaukee for Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz.
On one level, you can analyze the deal this way: Cordero is the closer for a team in a pennant race, Lee is playing for Houston and Cruz has not come close to being the player the Rangers hoped.
It's certainly one way to look at things, but it wouldn't paint a full picture. Let's expand things just a bit, by breaking down several aspects of the deal.
Cordero: In dealing Cordero, the Rangers freed up about $5.5 million in payroll to be applied to 2007. With that money, the Rangers signed Eric Gagne for $6 million in base salary. Gagne is a year younger than Cordero, which is significant. The Rangers' projections on closers after the age of 32 shows a marked decrease in efficiency. Cordero turned 32 on May 11. Since his birthday: He's 0-4 with six blown saves in 25 attempts and a 4.80 ERA. Over the last two months, his ERA is 6.55 as the Brewers' hold on the Central has weakened.
Lee: The Rangers had no real intentions of holding onto Lee, but he was the best bat available on the trade market. Getting him gave the Rangers a shot to beef up the lineup and to make final decisions on whether Buck Showalter was the manager to guide this team into the future. And, if Lee walked in free agency, the Rangers would get two draft picks in compensation. Those picks: Blake Beavan and Julio Borbon. They still must be signed, but if they are, it would represent a huge pitching pickup and a center fielder who would probably already be at least the equal of Nix. Nix, who turns 27 in October, is hitting .236 at Triple-A. If the Rangers don't sign the duo, they'd still get compensation picks in next year's draft.
The outfielders: As mentioned, Nix is stuck in the minors and is quickly going from prospect to journeyman. Mench is making $3.4 million this year and has six homers and 29 RBIs. Cruz, who is 2 1/2 years younger, is making $382,000 and has six homers and 20 RBIs. There really hasn't been much difference between the pair. Both have been disappointments. Cruz has just done so for far less money.
Gagne: The Rangers used Cordero's money for Gagne, who was not offered salary arbitration by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In other words, it didn't cost the Rangers a draft pick. When the Rangers traded Gagne to Boston, they got a young starting pitcher (Kason Gabbard), another center field prospect (David Murphy) and a teenage outfielder who was a highly prized signee in the Dominican Republic (Engel Beltre).
So a year later, here's the fallout: The Rangers turned Cordero into two starting pitching prospects (Gabbard and Beavan), they turned Mench into two corner outfield prospects (Cruz and Beltre) and they turned Nix into two center field possibilities (Murphy and Borbon).
Have the Rangers "won" the trade. Certainly not yet. But they've turned three options into six. In the inexact world of baseball projections, more options are better than the alternative.
- Doesn't this stuff seem to be happening a lot lately? Is it because we have more intense media coverage and more media outlets these days? So these things get reported more? I'm not sure, but disturbing comes to mind when reading this story. Where's Chris Hansen?
Teen: Ex-substitute showed students porn
Plano ISD: Girl testifies that accused man asked her to pose topless
11:12 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 7, 2007
By TIARA M. ELLIS / The Dallas Morning News
tellis@dallasnews.com
McKINNEY – A former Plano school district substitute teacher was "more like a friend," a 17-year-old girl testified Tuesday. But that changed, she said, the day he took photographs of her posing topless in his classroom.
Jason Joel Pearce is on trial, accused of sexual performance of a child and sexual assault of a child, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.
As testimony got under way Tuesday in state district court in McKinney, the 17-year-old testified about "volumes" of pornographic photographs that she said Mr. Pearce showed his students, the e-mails she and the substitute exchanged, and how he'd write passes for her and other students to get out of class to visit him when he was substituting at Plano's Bowman Middle School and later at Williams High School.
Mr. Pearce, 33, worked for Plano ISD as a substitute for 359 days at all grade levels between April 2001 and May 2005, when he was taken off the district's substitute list. He previously worked as a substitute teacher in the Richardson school district for about a year before being banned in 2001 for communicating inappropriately with students at Berkner High School.
His arrest raised questions about how substitute teachers banned by one school or district for their conduct can continue working elsewhere.
On Tuesday, Mr. Pearce was described by his attorney, John Hardin, as a polite man who has Asperger syndrome, a disorder that he said prevents a person from processing social information accurately.
"Surely this anomaly will require a lifetime commitment to treatment, counseling and medical intervention," Mr. Hardin said, promising that Mr. Pearce would testify to explain his actions.
Mr. Hardin said, "No matter how inappropriate the behavior of J.J. Pearce might have been ... you will be able, we hope, to see that it does not rise to the level of criminality under the law."
The girl, who remained on the witness stand all day, testified that in May 2005, just after her 15th birthday, she went to Mr. Pearce's classroom during his off-period. There, he gave her a gift, a bottle of lubricant.
Then, she said, he asked to photograph her. She agreed and posed. Afterwards, she said, he asked her to put on a bikini top that she had brought to school. She did, and he took more pictures.
"He told me to take the bathing suit top off so he could get some pictures topless," the girl testified.
Prosecutor Jessie Allen asked the girl why she did what he asked.
"Because I can't say no," she said, adding that she had had an abusive boyfriend and was hit whenever she told him no.
She said Mr. Pearce touched her breasts and then stuck his hand down the front of her pants and touched her genitals.
During a search, police found photographs in Mr. Pearce's backpack of the girl posing in sexual positions.
She and Mr. Pearce even swapped photographs, the girl said. She gave him her school picture in exchange for the black-and-white head shot he used for acting auditions. On his picture, Mr. Pearce wrote: "You're my bestest student ever." And in a note that police found at the girl's house, he referred to himself as her "first husband."
Sexual assault of a child is a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Sexual performance of a child is a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison.
Testimony is expected to continue into next week.
- Picks O'the day
Yesterday - 2-2
YTD - 104-89
1) Colo -125 - Colo is 16-7 in Francis' starts.
2) Ariz -140 - Arizona is 7-3 in their last 10. Kim is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last 3 starts.
3) Wash +140 - Washington has won 8 of 10. Redding has a 0.95 ERA in his last 3. Bonds HR hangover for SF.
4) Cin -120 - LA is tanking with all the injuries to the pitching staff. CIN is 17-6 in Harang's starts this year.
