Month: March 2015

Rickey Henderson

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Exclusive Rickey Henderson interview from spring training

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

MESA AZ–New Spring Training home of the Oakland Athletics. It was about 11AM, a couple of hours prior to the scheduled game between the A’s and the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a perfect sunshine Arizona morning and the A’s were taking batting practice.

Bob Melvin, manager of the A’s was behind the batting cage watching his team take batting practice. I asked him about the overall health of his team, he mentioned that aside from Josh Reddick overall the team is healthy. He seemed to love the new field and stadium at Hohokam Park, “they did a great job, this a great place to play”. I asked him if I could go and talk with Rickey Henderson, who was on the other side of the batting cage talking with Marcus Seimen and Billy Butler, as they took turns at bat, Melvin said: “sure, go ahead, he is my first base coach for today’s game”. So I did.

There he was, the inimitable Rickey Henderson, wearing his famous #24, Hall of Fame player, among his records is his most cherished, the stolen base record(1,406). We greet, and shook hands. I feel privileged to have watched his career since he was a rookie back in 1979, just before owner Charlie O. Finley sold the team to the Haas family.

Rickey was all smiles as we both talked, while A’s hitters were taking their hacks.

Q: Rickey what is the formula, you look like you could play today?

Rickey: “Thanks man…I just keep working, love doing this, love to teach to the young kids here in camp, that’s all, nothing special, just keep working”

Q: As young #10 Marcus Semien, Bay Area guy, who went to High School in Berkeley and attended UC Berkely was taking batting Rickey said: “this guy is going to be alright, he has a good swing” I asked Rickey about minorities in the game, especially his good friend Dave Stewart, now the General Manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

R: “I am very happy for Stew man, he is a good man, he paid his dues, and he deserves that opportunity, that is all we want an opportunity to prove ourselves in the game, he is a General Manager, his first year and I wish him nothing but the best”.

Rickey uses a stop watch when he coaches first base, he is the best learning a pitcher and how to steal from a pitcher when you are on base.

Q: You use a stop watch when you coach first base?

R: Yes, I want to time the pitcher and at the same time teach these runners, like Coco(Coco Crisp)about stealing, it is all timing and that is the key”

Q: You told me about your great success is about a lot of hard work, but what about your longevity in the game?

R: “Blessed to be able to play for so long, and I never take anything for granted. “Even know as a coach, I come here but I have to go to work early and to set the example for these young players” We joked about the good days when he played the outfield, he would be in left, Dwayne Murphy in center and Tony Armas in right.

Q: Was it you our Murphy who gave Tony Armas the nickname of “frente de chivo”(goat forehead)?

R: (Laughter)…”No, that was Dwayne who put that nickname on Tony”

Rickey had to go to the other side of the field to give some instruction after watching batting practice, so I told him see you soon, and he said likewise.

Final:Athletics 3 Dodgers 2

However the story here; the two ace starters for each team. A’s Sonny Gray pitched very well for 5 2/3 innings gave up 2 runs on 4 hits, walked 2 and struck out 3, he did throw two wild pitches, but overall it was a good workout for the Opening Day starter for the A’s on April 6 at the Coliseum against the Texas Rangers.

For the Dodgers the reigning Cy Young and Most Valuable Player of the National League, Clayton Kershaw did his usual job as he completed five innings gave up one run on three hits struck out four and did not issue a walk. However in the bottom of the third Andy Parrino hit a soft line drive that hit Kershaw between the neck and the side of the face, the manager Don Mattingly and the Dodgers trainer came out, but he continued to pitch five innings. It was just a scare for the Dodgers. Kdershaw had command of all his pitches.

A’s lefty Barry Zito, trying to make a comeback after missing the entire 2014 season struck out five in three innings of work in relief.

Tomorrow the Athletics host the Cincinnati Reds at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa. The LA Angels will host the San Francisco Giants at Tempe. Vince Cotroneo and Ray Fosse were on hand, as they will be broadcasting that game tomorrow on the radio. Cotroneo told me that Ken Korach still is out and has not joined the A’s in camp yet, hope he will for the next weekend. In Tempe, the LA Angels host the San Francisco Giants, I will be at the Angels game and there will be a report tomorrow afternoon.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice and the A’s Spanish radio voice and does News and Commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s podcasts with Michael Duca Mon Mar 19, 2015

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by Michael Duca

SCOTTSDALE AZ–The back pains of San Francisco Giants centerfielder Angel Pagan is a big bump in the road and definitely something to be concerned about. Pagan who had off season back surgery and has missed three pre season games this week said that he never felt better coming off the surgery but now the back problems have returned.

Back injuries do not heal that well and the only way you could find out if it healed well is to go out and try it out. If it’s not healed you make worse. It’s not good news for the Giants no matter how you slice it. Even without Hunter Pence whose out six to eight weeks. Also not having Pagan the Giants will have to go out and find another outfielder.

They will have to scrounge up an outfielder from somewhere that is released by another team their going to have to do something to replace Pence and Pagan. Pagan missed over the course of two seasons 157 games this is not good in anyway shape or form and the Giants have tried to rehab Pagan and you want this process to be smooth and uninterrupted and this is a pretty big occurrence with this injury Pagan at this juncture of the pre season.

Oakland A’s update: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been visiting several clubhouses and meeting with the players of each team and their union representatives to get a analysis on any concerns. Manfred visited the A’s clubhouse and asked the players about their thoughts on getting a new stadium. If Manfred showed up with $600 million in his back pocket he’s certainly entitled to have a majority opinion on that.

Baseball can decide if the A’s need a new stadium but until money appears the stadium won’t appear. It’s just that simple, it’s hard to get stadiums built in the state of California, it’s harder still to get something built with such limited usage to get built in the city of Oakland. At the same time Oakland is beginning to see itself in a different light as the east coast Brooklyn.

Oakland is the trendy place to be and it was named as one of the ten best places to vacation in the United States in the last year by one of the big travel magazines. So maybe under the new leadership, some leadership, or under any leadership from Mayor Libby Schaaf’s office maybe they’ll be able to figure something out.

Michael Duca is covering the Giants and A’s in Arizona during Cactus League play for http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the podcast below

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Angels and Dodgers battle in the desert

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

(Final: Angels 7 Dodgers 7)

GLENDALE AZ–Camelback Ranch is a huge Spring Training facility is shared by the LA Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox. It is all owned by the Pima Indian Tribe, including the Talking Stick Casino just across the 101 freeway. Anything you buy at these parks at Camelback Ranch, you do not have to pay taxes, courtesy of the ownership by the Pima Indians. A lot of real estate here in the Valley of the Sun, owned by Pima Native Americans, that is one of the advantages, not to mention that a gallon of gasoline here is just a bit over $2 dollars. Locals tell me that the Talking Stick Casino is the best around here, and there are a bunch of them. I went there last year, not on this trip, they do have a great gambling floor and very good professional entertainment and buffets.

This afternoon the Dodgers played the Angels. The rivalry between these Southern California teams is bigger than ever before. In the huge Los Angeles media market, the Dodgers and Angels have partnered on a billboard in
Hollywood to celebrate the 2014 Most Valuable Player Awards of Clayton Kershaw and Mike Trout, with the script “Is your MVP Red or Blue?” Then a hashtag so you can send a twitter.

Prior to the game today inside the Dodgers dressing room there was a very nice blue and white cake, celebrating the 27th birthday of Clayton Kershaw. The #1 hurler in baseball turned 27 today. Kershaw is the only pitcher in MLB history to have won three Cy Young Awards before his 27th birthday. Even Tommy Lasorda was in full Dodgers regalia today for the occasion. He was well received by the fans, and that is the usual protocol with Tommy and the fans, unless the Dodgers are playing the Giants.

The game was a sellout, but there were a lot of empty seats. It rained all morning leading to the game, it has been raining here since Tuesday. The game did started on time at 1:04 with a temperature of 64 fahrenheit, and cloudy skies, in previous days this week it has been in the mid 90’s. Ex-A’s ace lefty Brett Anderson is trying to make the Dodgers rotation, and started the game today. He has not been hurt in Spring Training and that is breaking news since this guy has lived in the 60 days disabled list with clubs in both leagues. Albert Pujols hit his first home run of the spring, in the first inning with a 2-2 count from Anderson. The shot went almost all the way to the last row of the left centerfield stands. After the game Anderson said “I threw him a fastball over the middle of the plate and he hit it 500 feet, that is what good hitters do with that pitch”.

For the Angels, ex-Marlin lefty Andrew Heaney got the start and after retiring the three first Dodgers in the first, allowed five runs and six hits in the second. He is a long shot to make the rotation as the fifth starter for the American League Champion Los Angeles Angels. Some of the hottest hitters on these two Los Angeles clubs, for the Angels Mike Trout continues his torrid hitting, today one more hit, he has a .500 average, Albert Pujols after that home run is at .357, lead off hitter Kole Calhoun, born in Buckeye, Arizona not far from this park, is also having a nice spring hitting .357, he is one of those “old school “lead-off hitters, takes lots of pitches, knows the strike zone and gets on for the big boys that hit behind him, Trout and Pujols. For the Dodgers second baseman Jason Turner went 2 for 2 and is hitting .423. Ex Angel Howie Kendrick is the Dodgers regular second baseman, but he, as well as veteran shortstop Alameda’s Jimmy Rollins did not play. Also for the Dodgers, Cuban rookie Alex Guerrero hit a very impressive home run to left field with two runners on, in the second inning.

Tomorrow the Dodgers visit the Athletics at Mesa. I will be at that game, very early to see Bob Melvin and his A’S take practice. On Saturday the Dodgers visit Tempe to play the Angels, and I shall be there for that game. Since I will be doing Angels TV and A’s Radio again, I chose to cover those two teams. Arturo(Arte) Moreno, the Angels owner is in town, he is an Arizona native.

Media Notes: The LA Angels are the only team among all 30 Major League teams that televise every Spring Training game, they do a simulcast on Fox Sports TV and KLAA 830 AM Angels radio, Terry Smith play by play man and Jose Mota as Analyst, who once the regular season gets under way will be back as analyst with me on the Fox Sports West telecast. This Sunday’s game from Tempe, Arizona between the Angels and the Giants will be televised on Comcast Bay Area for Northern California.

The Cuban Connection: At today’s game in Camelback Ranch in Glendale, there were four Cubans in the press box(which is unusual in this part of the country).There was Alanna Rizzo, she works for Time Warner and handles all Dodgers pregame shows, Pedro Gomez(ESPN analyst),Alden Gonzalez, beat writer MLB.COM covering the LA Angels and yours truly. Alden, the youngest of the quartet, could not resist the occasion and took a selfie with all of us.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and does News and Commentary each week on http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sharks forge ahead in Toronto

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Photo credit: CANADIAN PRESS, NATHAN DENETTE AP PHOTO

By Pearl Allison Lo

San Jose scored four goals as they inched closer to at least the Los Angeles Kings, as the Sharks beat the Maple Leafs 4-1 Thursday.

The win ended a two-game losing streak for San Jose goalie Antti Niemi and the Sharks. Niemi recovered from his early exit Tuesday to stop 27 shots.

Meanwhile it was more of the same for the Toronto, who have lost four straight now, the last three games by the same score.

San Jose has now won five straight games in and versus Toronto.

The Sharks’ Logan Couture had a goal and assist and Joe Thornton had two assists, four in his past two games.

In the first period, San Jose outshot the Maple Leafs 21-8 despite being outhit 18-6. Both Thornton and Melker Karlsson had four shots apiece.

The only goal scored in the period was not on the power play as both teams went scoreless, 0-for-3 and 0-for-1.

The Sharks’ Chris Tierney skated behind and around the net and then passed to Tomas Hertl who was up front and scored 7:02 into the game. Vlasic also aided on the goal.

In the second period, Toronto outshot San Jose 14-10, but the Sharks broke through goalie Jonathan Bernier with three goals. Bernier has given up at least three goals for seven straight games.

Couture started the middle period scoring with a power play goal to double the lead at 2:06, helped by Brent Burns and Thornton. Couture skated backwards and angled the shot in between Bernier and Tim Erixon as Erixon slipped.

Jake Gardiner got the Maple Leafs on the board in between San Jose’s scoring at 8:54. Brandon Kozun hit Karlsson to get the puck and passed it Leo Komarov. Komarov then passed it to Gardiner, who scored from beyond the left faceoff circle to make it 2-1.

Thornton got his 900th assist on the 3-1 score at 10:10. From behind the net, Thornton passed to Karlsson, who moved into position from the side. Joe Pavelski also assisted.

The Sharks tacked on a fourth goal with 5.1 seconds left in the period. Eric Brewer tried to clear the puck around the boards but it went to Couture. Couture then passed across to Matt Nieto. Nieto shot the puck and it went off Tommy Wingels’ elbow and into the net.

Game notes: San Jose will play game three of their seven-game road trip at Montreal Saturday at 4pm.

Kings Fall Again, 116-105

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By Tony Renteria

Once again the home town Sacramento Kings (22-44) have lost to a superior visiting team, the Los Angeles Clippers (43-25) came into tonight and simply the cream rose to the top as the won, 116-105.

The Kings were with out All Star DeMarcus Cousins who was with out with a right calf strain.  It was Rudy Gay who put in extra work with an outstanding statistic line game, 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Once the Kings were beaten by a better team that could expose the average defense and lack of inside game with Cousins’s 23.7 points per game that are scored in the paint.

J.J. Redrick led the southern California NBA franchise with 27 points from some great 3 point shooting going 7 for 12 beyond the arch.

Just simply the playoff bound Clippers are better and they showed it this evening.

The Clippers move on to play the Wizard’s in D.C on on Sunday while the Kings head to basketball country in North Carolina to play the Hornet’s

Warriors Trounce Hawks

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By: Ben Leonard

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The Warriors wanted to send a message after falling to the Atlanta Hawks (53-15) in February, only due to Atlanta’s unsustainably hot shooting. They sent a powerful one to the entire NBA on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena, trouncing the NBA’s second-best team 114-95 and moving to an NBA-best 54-13.

Even without star guard Klay Thompson, the Warriors still thrived. As Andre Iguodala put it in a post-game interview on CSN-Bay Area, with Thompson “out…we knew we had to make three or four passes….[something that was] just working for us tonight.” Even though the Hawks sold out to double team Curry, the Warriors succeeded in “rel[ying] on one another to make tough shots.” The Warriors had five players in double figures, including two bench players, Leandro Barbosa and Iguodala, the latter scoring 21 in a winning effort.

Even without Thompson and Curry being played tight, held to *just* 16 points, the Warriors managed to play patient basketball and take good shots, making 52.4% of their field goal attempts. They did not have to rely on their stars to take the victory, all the more impressive for Golden State.

For Igoudala, this game was no different than any other, unlike many who were looking forward to this marquee matchup: as he described it, “every team is the same.” After the “Lakers…almost got us [Golden State],” Igoudala and the Warriors had to treat every game the same. Iguodala certainly put a good effort in on Wednesday, throwing down an impressive dunk on a fast break midway through the second quarter.

Small forward Harrison Barnes was also key in the Warriors’ victory, scoring 25 points while making 11 of his 13 field goal attempts. He took advantage of the easier matchups the Hawks handed him, passing the ball when needed and showing good shot selection.

The Warriors set the tone early, with center Andrew Bogut containing the dangerous Al Horford, holding him to just 8 points. Bogut might not have scored any points, but his presence down low, grabbing 14 rebounds, was instrumental in the victory. Bogut altered the dynamic of Atlanta’s offense, and keyed the victory for Golden State. The result was never in doubt for Golden State, who controlled the game throughout.The Warriors rose to the moment on Wednesday, trailing only in the early stages of the game.

Watch out, NBA. The Warriors are hungry for more. 

 

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings working on their defense to keep em in games; Cousins and Gay carrying the weight of the team

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by Charlie O Mallonee

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings regarding their last road trip they got a win in Charlotte on Wed the 11th, everybody was pretty excited because Charlotte was one of those games that was projected for the Kings to have a shot to win it. Being on the road the road percentages usually go against you and you would say usually this will not be a win but they picked up a crucial win in Charlotte during that long seven game road trip.

The Kings got that win on a Wednesday and now that week on Friday the 13th they were headed to Philadelphia. We know that the 76ers are a team that have been horrible all season long. It’s a team that has been accused multiple times of taking dives in games to get another number one pick to try to build up their team.

You look at this game and you say this is a shot for the Kings to go in and get a win, they went in and they played some pretty good basketball particularly in the first half. They scored 42 points in the second quarter of that game and they had a lead as large as 18. So your going “wow” an 18 point lead coming into the second half if these guys play just a little consistent basketball they can win the game.

Well the problem was they didn’t play consistent basketball, in the third quarter they allowed themselves to be outscored 37-18 the Sixers with the wide lead. In the final quarter the Sixers outscored them 26-25 and they came away with a seven point 114-107 victory. It was a demoralizing loss for the Kings because it was one of those games that was penciled in as you remember we talked about before they went on the road trip we had penciled in victory in Philadelphia.

If you win in Charlotte and Philadelphia and now your heading to Washington you have a shot at a potential .500 road trip to be very exciting for the Kings. You lose that situation and it was a particularly tough loss because in the Philadelphia game DeMarcus Cousins scored 39 points pulled down a record 24 rebounds. Now when you have a performance like that and you don’t come away with a victory it not only demoralizes the team but particularly the guy who scored that many points and set the record in rebounds.

They had Rudy Gay in that game and he scored 24 points and they were the only three players for the Kings who scored in double figures ultimately after doing so well in the first half of the game they wound up with 40.2 percent from the floor. Their three point shooting was under 30 percent. Here again were going to keep going back to this and we understand the Kings head coach George Karl dribble drive aggressive offense and the Kings are going to commit more turnovers. This was a head scratching loss for the Kings 114-107.

Charlie O is a Sacramento Kings beat reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com for more listen to the podcast below

MLB Podcast with Jeremy Kahn: MLBPA rep makes the push for Rose to get in the HOF; plus Giants Cactus League update

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by Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Major League Baseball Players Association Rep Tony Clark said that it’s time to go all out and push for the former Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose to get on the Hall of Fame ballot. I totally agree with what Clark is saying Rose has served his punishment long enough for 25 years since former MLB Commissioner Bart Giamatti banned him for life on August 24, 1989.

It’s time to let Rose back not only in the game but let him in the Hall of Fame he has 4,256 career hits in his major league career with his years in Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Montreal. He was not a bad manager and he deserves his place in the Hall of Fame. If they do allow him back in baseball they should also reinstate the eight men out of the Chicago White Sox and have them back in too.

These players have been banned for a long time and in the case of the eight men out literally a lifetime ban as they never lived to see the day of anything close to the Hall of Fame or being allowed back in the game. Rose should be allowed back in the Hall of Fame at the age of 74. What capacity in baseball he would have maybe he would be a manager, maybe an assistant to the general manager or a consultant.

It’s not known when he will get a chance to get back in but Rose needs to be back in the game of baseball and baseball got tired of his shtick but on the other hand he’s Pete Rose he’s one of the most popular players to play this game and he really belongs in this game and I do believe what Clark said.

Giants manager Bochy shares his concerns about the about hitters and defense: As far as the sloppy hitting and some faulty defense in spring training it’s still early it’s March 18th and it’s just less than a month from opening day. We can ask about the hitting and fielding on May 18th or June 18th and if their still doing the same thing then the Giants have a problem.

Right now it’s March 18th and they haven’t played a real game yet and the exhibition games don’t count as far as fans going down and seeing their favorite Giants or A’s players but again the question about the Giants hitting and fielding needs to be asked two months from now.

Pablo Sandoval was brought up again and yes it’s a huge impact that he’s gone but the Giants have to move on there’s the old saying “that ship has sailed” the Panda’s ship has sailed, he’s not in San Francisco anymore and they have Casey McGehee at third base and he’s working out really well.

Matt Williams second year at the Nats: The Washington Nationals Matt Williams who took the Nats to the post season last year shows the kind of job he’s doing and that was only his first year as the Nationals manager. He’s from the old former Giants manager Dusty Baker lineage that he had when he was in San Francisco. Williams went from the Giants to play in Cleveland and Arizona. Williams later would manage at the Diamondbacks.

Jeremy Kahn is a San Francisco Giants beat writer and does MLB Commentary each week on http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the podcast below

Randle, Allen lead resurgent Stanford past UC Davis in the NIT

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Marvelous Marcus

By Morris Phillips

Of the various storylines entering the meeting of UC Davis and Stanford in the NIT on Tuesday, Marcus Allen’s had to be among the least.

First, there was senior guard Chasson Randle, attempting to put the finishing touches on his career at Stanford, universally hailed as quietly one of the best in the history of the Pac-12.  Could Randle eventually catch Todd Lichti and Adam Keefe at the top of the school’s career scoring list by leading the Cardinal on a deep run in March Madness’ secondary tournament?

And could Coach Johnny Dawkins coax a focused effort out of his bunch in a half-empty Maples Pavilion, loudly populated by UC Davis fans that had very determinedly made the two-hour drive to the game through mid-week, commuter traffic?  Stanford finished its season with losses in eight of 12 games to turn a certain, second straight trip to the NCAA tournament into a pumpkin of a NIT bid.  Historically, success in the NIT hinges on whether a team is engaged and desirous of the opportunity to continue to compete.

Also, UC Davis’ Corey Hawkins was competing for the final time opposite Dawkins, his godfather and a teammate of Hawkins’ father, Hersey, in the NBA.  The first four meetings didn’t go well with Hawkins missing a combined 23 of 28 shots in a pair of lopsided Stanford victories over UC Davis as well as a pair of games between Stanford and Arizona State, Hawkins’ home in his freshman season.  But with Hawkins’ father in attendance on Tuesday, the Big West Player of the Year figured to have a much better showing in what could be his final appearance as a collegian.

Piggybacking that storyline was the basketball conclusion of the full circle relationship between Corey, Hersey and Jim Les and his son, Tyler.  Jim Les and Hersey Hawkins comprised Bradley University’s heralded backcourt for the 1986 team that went 32-3 and won a game in the NCAA tournament.  Les, UC Davis’ head coach in his second season, inherited a team last season that already included Tyler, and soon thereafter added Corey, a transfer from Arizona State.

Still with all that going on–most significantly the presences of the high-scoring Hawkins and Randle–Stanford sophomore Allen stole the show.

Allen, presumed to be Randle’s heir apparent in Stanford’s backcourt of the future, scored a career-best 22 points in Stanford’s 77-64 win that sends them to NIT’s second round.  The Aggies’ turnaround season ended that saw them go 14-2 in the Big West only to lose in the semis of their conference tournament.  Meanwhile, Stanford advances to host Rhode Island on Friday or Saturday at Maples Pavilion.

“For our guys to bounce back from a tough loss and play the way we played—I’m just really proud of their character,” Dawkins said.  “I thought they really stepped up and showed how much they want to be in this tournament and how much they want to compete.”

“For us to win the game, we didn’t have to be perfect, but we had to be close to perfect as possible,” Jim Les said.  “We had some opportunities, some missed shots that we normally make that we didn’t make.  We had some defensive miscues that we made that we can’t afford to make against a good team that’s going to take advantage.”

Despite the presence of the Aggies’ numerous supporters, Stanford jumped out to an early lead, led by Allen and Randle.  The Cardinal took their first double-digit lead less than eight minutes in, and led 30-19 with 6:10 remaining before halftime.  The Aggies made a run at that point, with Tyler Les’ 3-pointer tying the game at 30 with 3:35 remaining.

Allen picked Stanford up to start the second half, scoring a trio of buckets in a run that put the Cardinal up 46-38 with 16:53 remaining.  At that point, Allen had already surpassed his previous career-best 14 points achieved March 1 against Oregon.  Allen made 10 of 12 shots on the evening.

Stanford, using their superior size and quickness in spreading the floor to create driving lanes to the bucket, extended their lead to 57-42 with 11:50 remaining.

Hawkins, who came in averaging 20.4 points a game while shooting 49 percent from three, finally posted decent numbers against Dawkins and Stanford.  He finished with 34 on 12 of 22 shooting, but most of it came after Stanford jumped out to their early lead and then surged after halftime.

“I told myself I finally wanted to play well against my godfather,” Hawkins said.  “I’ve come here a couple of times and haven’t played that well, so I told myself to go out and be aggressive.  I feel like I can compete with anybody.”

The Aggies fell in their first Division I post-season appearance in school history.  While the loss was disappointing, it doesn’t diminish UC Davis’ big turnaround season that saw them finish 25-7 one year after they were 9-22 in an injury-marred campaign.

The NIT is experimenting with a 30-second shot clock reduced from the standard 35 seconds and that helped Stanford speed up the more methodical Aggies.  Also, Stanford kept UC Davis from getting hot from distance where they missed their first five attempts and finished 9 of 24.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Pete Rose, Alex Rodriguez, and baseball hypocrisy

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

SCOTTSDALE AZ–First big decision on the new Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is on tap. Pete Rose, who has been banned from baseball now for 25 years, asked the Commissioner to lift such ban. Commissioner Manfred said he is considering Rose’s request.

In Tampa, Florida, Alex Rodriguez is having a good spring after one year absence from the game. The 39-year old slugger is trying to comeback. We all know A-Rod’s sleazy past, his denial and confessions about steroids. Here in the Valley of the Sun, among the 15 teams training, Mark McGwire is a coach at the Dodgers facility in Glendale. About 20 minutes away Ryan Braun is roaming the outfield for the Milwaukee Brewers. Braun, who put the loyal Milwaukee fan-base through the ringer with his lies about steroids.

We all get it. For baseball gambling is the mortal sin, everybody understands that. A good argument could be made than previous to Pete Rose and to the ‘steroids era ‘scandals, the 1919 Black Sox scandal dominated the most negative story in baseball history, when after the 1919 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, eight Black Sox players were accused of intentionally losing games in exchange for money from gamblers. The eight players later were acquitted by a jury, but Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis banned, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Claude “Lefty” Williams, Buck Weaver, Arnold “Chick” Gandil, Fred McMillan, Charles “Swede” Risberg, and Oscar “Happy” Felsch the Black Sox for life.

So Pete Rose has been banned. His play on the field makes him a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee, yet he has never even been on a Hall of Fame ballot. Jose Canseco, who on his two books, confessed to have taken steroids, and also named others who also used the substances, was blackballed from the game, yet those who cheated are welcomed back. It looks like it doesn’t pay to tell the truth. We know the regular suspects, Sammy Sosa, Rafeal Palmeiro and others who really never got caught, but also were on the juice, the all-time MLB home run leader Barry Bonds, not long ago said he belonged in the Hall of Fame.

I am not a prude, and I believe in redemption, but it is time that baseball makes a decision on Pete Rose. I admire those that admit to their transgressions, more than those that wait and wait and wait (to see if it goes away) and then, when they are against the wall and their careers are in jeopardy, come and speak the truth.

The most influential man to walk the earth said: “let him who is without sin, cast the first stone”

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s and the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and does News and Commentary each week on http://www.sportsradioservice.com