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Your Cinderella Is Fullerton State!

Posted: Mar 16th 2008 4:34AM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)

One stud is great. Two is even better. But how about having three guys who can make it happen for you?

That's Fullerton State, the Big West Champions.

Forward Scott Cutley was the Big West's Co-Player of the Year (along with UCSB's Alex Harris). Cutley averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds this season and was among the league leaders in assists and steals.

Frank Robinson was second team All Big West after averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds this season and was named the conference's top defender.

5'11 guard Josh Akognon led the Titans in scoring at 19.8 points per game. He also was second team All Big West and was named the Big West Tournament's MVP.

Three guys that can get it done against a tough defensive Wisconsin team. Now that's something that looks good in a Cinderella hopeful.
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Want to start over? Click here to Choose Your Own Cinderella again.

Selig Likely to Miss Bonds' Next Four Games

Posted: Aug 6th 2007 3:33PM by Larry Brown (author feed)
Filed under: Washington, DC, Nationals, Giants, NL East, NL West, San Francisco

13 COMMENTS

The Giants have a four game series with the Nationals in San Francisco that begins tonight, and funny enough, the stoic Bud Selig will reportedly miss all four games. That's according to Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com, because the AP report said Selig would miss the first three games of the series. Two weeks ago, it was Bob DuPuy standing in for Selig. This week, it will be two different MLB officials.

Commissioner Bud Selig's schedule will preclude him from being there until later in the week. In his stead, Jimmie Lee Solomon, a Major League Baseball executive vice president, is slated to be in attendance Monday and Tuesday, and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, an MLB advisor, is slated to replace him Wednesday and Thursday.

Surprise surprise, Bonds hasn't received congrats from the commish on 755 either:

Bonds shrugged when told that the Commissioner probably won't be in attendance the next few days. Bonds never heard from Selig directly after the game, although the Commissioner released a congratulatory statement. But Bonds said he did speak to Ken Griffey Jr. and had voice messages from his godfather, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez, who earlier Saturday hit his 500th homer at Yankee Stadium.
There was no message from Aaron, either, Bonds said.

Sound to me like there's a pretty good chance Selig won't be there when Bonds breaks the record, and my guess is, that's fine by Bud. Let the criticism rain.

Previously at FanHouse:
Bud Selig Watched But Didn't Clap
Bud Selig Will Send Bob DuPuy to Watch Bonds in San Francisco This Weekend

Should Bonds Play on Hall of Fame Sunday?

Posted: Jul 24th 2007 7:00AM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Giants, NL West, MLB Hall of Fame, San Francisco, The Word

25 COMMENTS

The Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are this Sunday in New York, and all the way in California the Giants will be hosting the Marlins in San Francisco. Should Barry Bonds sit out on Sunday so as to not risk overshadowing what's happening in Cooperstown? After all, wouldn't it be a disservice to Cal Ripken or Tony Gwynn to steal their thunder by tying or breaking the home run record?

That's the question posed today by the Washington Post, who asked several former players their thoughts:

"I think [Bonds] should play," said Frank Robinson, a Hall of Fame outfielder, induction class of 1982. "You don't step aside for an induction ceremony. [Ripken and Gwynn] are Hall of Famers because they went out and played. You owe it to your ballclub and to baseball itself." ...

"It's basically good versus evil," said former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer, a 1990 Hall of Fame inductee. "Here you have two guys who played the game the right way, who were marvelous people on and off the field, and another -- nothing against Barry -- who wasn't."

Nice disclaimer there at the end: nothing against you, Barry, but you're evil. Way to be polite and speak with conviction.

Personally, I'm shocked someone would even think of this question. Of course Bonds should play on Sunday. I thought it was ridiculous that some people think Bonds should sit out all road games, now people want him to play in only specific home games, too? Besides which, is that any way to treat the thousands of faithful fans at AT&T Park, the ones who keep the stadium sold out despite a team that's 15 games under .500? I don't see it happening.

Unless Bonds wants to have his shining moment in history to be breaking the record on the road and then having the field showed with debris from angry fans, he's not going to waste any opportunity he has to get this thing over and done with at home.

Don Baylor, Orioles Managerial Candidate?

Posted: Jun 26th 2007 1:00PM by Larry Brown (author feed)
Filed under: Orioles, AL East, MLB Rumors, Baltimore

0 COMMENTS

Sheesh, I haven't heard that name since ... the last time. And it's been quite some time too. Despite being diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in 2003, Baylor says he's ready and eager to return to managing. And according to The Denver Post, Don Baylor could be a candidate for the Orioles job:

He might get [a chance] after emerging this week as a strong candidate for the Baltimore Orioles' managerial vacancy. Andy MacPhail, who oversaw Baylor's hiring in Chicago, is leading the search as Baltimore's new president. Joe Girardi turned down the job, leaving Dusty Baker, Davey Johnson, Rick Dempsey and Baylor as possible successors to Sam Perlozzo.

Baylor may not have made PostmanE's list of candidates which included Baker, Frank Robinson, Johnson, and interim manager Dave Trembley, but he sure is trying to establish himself as a candidate now. Baker has a cushy gig at ESPN, so he might not be as quick to leave as some people would think. Who knows about Johnson and Dempsey. From the sounds of things, they might not find a more eager candidate than Baylor. And really, how hard is it to manage the O's to a fourth or fifth place finish every year?

Previously at FanHouse:
So, What Do the Orioles Do Now?
Is Tom Kelly a Potential Orioles Manager?

So, What Do the Orioles Do Now?

Posted: Jun 22nd 2007 1:28AM by Eamonn Brennan (author feed)
Filed under: Orioles, AL East, MLB Gossip, Baltimore

3 COMMENTS

After Joe Girardi left the Orioles at the altar Thursday, the poor chaps in Baltimore are left with few options. Trying to attract a manager to this Baltimore club -- with its depressing mediocrity and disastrous ownership situation -- is a bit like trying to sell timeshares in Sierra Leone. Ahem: it's difficult.

Still, that doesn't mean there aren't a couple of willing lambs ready to offer themselves up for sacrifice. Here's a quick-hit list of those candidates that might consider taking the job in B-More, whether advisable or not:

Dusty Baker: Baker makes sense for a lot of reasons. That wasn't worded correctly; Baker never actually makes sense, especially when he talks about baseball, but he seems to be a logical fit for the Orioles for a variety of reasons. One: he doesn't seem to be enjoying his stopover on television very much, and he certainly isn't any good at it. Two: he and Andy MacPhail have a working relationship from their legendary, arm-destroying days in Chicago. That might actually work against Baker, though; if anyone is aware of just how badly Dusty misunderstands the game of baseball -- seriously, he once said walks clog the freaking bases! -- it's Andy Mac. Scratch Baker if the Orioles care one bit about the mental health of their fans. (Hint: they don't.)

Continue Reading So, What Do the Orioles Do Now?

Barry's World: A Slump, What's That?

Posted: May 22nd 2007 10:40AM by Larry Brown (author feed)
Filed under: Giants, NL West, San Francisco

9 COMMENTS

Barry's World is the FanHouse's look into the season that is Barry Bonds.

You know something's wrong in San Francisco when it's Ryan Klesko making splash hits into McCovey Cove and not Barry Bonds. You know something's wrong when May 8th was the last time I scrambled to throw up a "Barry's gone deep" post at night. You know something's wrong when I posed the question last week: "When Will Barry Hit Home Run No. 755?" and the guy isn't a step closer. And now it's not a lock that Barry will break the record by the All-Star break.

Barry Bonds has gone 11 games without hitting a home run. In that span, he's gone 5-for-31 (.161) with only one extra-base hit -- a double on May 10th. Barry's slugging percentage has dropped from an eye-popping .805 to a superb .630, and his batting average has sunk from a stellar .338 to a steady .287. And for the first time all year, Barry has not helped his team win games, only driving in one run and scoring three, while watching his team go 4-7 during the homerless streak. So has Barry gotten old overnight? Did he receive a random drug test that threw off his game? Are pitchers dealing with him more carefully? Will he still be able to break the record? Or am I just overreacting to a player who is simply going through a slump like anyone else?

Meanwhile, Mike Sweeney wants Barry to break the record, Lance Berkman thinks the record will be tainted, Frank Robinson says it should be wiped out of the books if Bonds is guilty, and Craig Biggio wants Barry to reach 3,000 hits. That's a tie score by my count. Now all we need is one man to step up and announce his plans for the big day when it comes. Luckily for his sake, he's receiving ample time to continue contemplating.

Previously at FanHouse:
Barry's World
Bud Selig Needs to Make a Bonds Decision, And Soon
Mike Sweeney: Barry Bonds 'Was a Class Act'
Frank Robinson: If Bonds Is Illegal, Wipe it Out of the Books
When Will Barry Hit Home Run No. 755?

Frank Robinson: If Bonds Is Illegal, Wipe it Out of the Books

Posted: May 22nd 2007 8:23AM by Larry Brown (author feed)
Filed under: Giants, MLB Hall of Fame, San Francisco

1 COMMENT

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was a guest on Mike and Mike in the Morning on Tuesday. The interview was pleasant, with Robinson touching on several baseball issues. He seemed indifferent to where he stood on the all-time home run list (currently 6th with 586) because players keep passing him. Part of Frank's reasoning is that records are meant to be broken -- it's part of the spirit of the game. When it came to the question of Barry Bonds passing Hank Aaron for the all-time home run record, Frank Robinson had this to say:

I look at it this way: It hasn't been proven publicly with [Barry Bonds] doing anything wrong. Until I have proof that he did something wrong, then I will accept him breaking the record and doing it what I call 'honestly and clean.' But if he is proven that he did something illegal, I've always said that you should wipe his record out of the books.

I consider Frank Robinson to be about as authoritative of a figure on the subject considering the crossover in his career. Robinson played from 1956-1976 when performance enhancing drugs were not believed to be a part of the game. During his career, Robinson slugged 586 "clean" home runs, which placed him 4th on the all-time list for many years. If anyone should get outraged about being passed up by players on performance enhancers, he certainly would have the right. But Robinson also managed on-and-off from 1975-2006, with '02-'05 being in the tail-end of the steroids era. That means Robinson's teams, job, and managerial record were influenced by some players who used illegal performance enhancers. In that respect, Robinson should understand how performance enhancers can be beneficial. So like I said, Frank Robinson's opinion on the issue should carry more weight than almost anyone else. And Robinson says he will accept Bonds' record until Barry's proven guilty, at which point you should wipe the records out of the book.

MLB Goes All Out Celebrating Jackie Robinson

Posted: Apr 15th 2007 9:04PM by Larry Brown (author feed)
Filed under: Los Angeles, Dodgers, NL West, MLB Awards, MLB Fans, MLB Hall of Fame

2 COMMENTS

In front of a capacity crowd at Dodger Stadium, Major League Baseball proved they still had the goods, bringing out all the stops in a full-on celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball. First, Marlon Wayans gave a speech about Jackie's accomplishments, saying that Jackie's role as a second baseman and baseball player was secondary to everything else he did for society. There was a Gospel choir that chanted a song specially written to commemorate the day, with the chorus being about "Jackie's Day." Long time Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully gave a speech about Jackie and introduced Robinson's wife, Rachel. This is not the sort of thing Scully often does -- anyone watching could've told you how uncomfortable he was to receive such a long-standing ovation. Then came Commissioner Bud Selig who presented Rachel Robinson with the Commissioner's Historic Award. Selig used the speech to put Jackie's accomplishments in historical context and explain how Rachel properly carried on the legacy of Jackie.

Rachel Robinson then spoke on behalf of the Robinson family and Jackie Robinson Foundation, and expressed a great deal of gratitude for all the support. Academy Award winner and American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson followed up Rachel's speech by singing the Star Spangled Banner. After Hudson finished singing, Hall of Famer and the first black manager in MLB, Frank Robinson, threw out the first pitch to Dodger center fielder Juan Pierre, alongside all-time HR king Hank Aaron, who threw out the first pitch to Padres center fielder Mike Cameron.

It was a proud day for Major League Baseball, as they did an excellent job of properly honoring Jackie and Rachel Robinson. And it was quite a juxtaposition to what we may be expecting out of MLB when Barry Bonds gets closer to breaking Hank Aaron's HR record. Selig has already stated he's unsure if he'll be on-hand for Bonds, while Aaron has already said he won't be in attendance. But this day was about Jackie Robinson, and Major League Baseball truly stepped up its game to honor the man who (according to broadcaster Jon Miller) Padres pitcher Chris Young called the most influential figure of the 20th century.

Previously at FanHouse:
Jackie Robinson Honored On 60th Anniversary
Dodgers Will Honor Jackie Robinson, Confuse Scorekeeper
Bud Selig Listens to Ken Griffey, Jr.
Barry's World: Is He Wrong to Honor Jackie Robinson
Ichiro Wants to Honor Jackie Robinson Privately
Are Too Many Players Wearing Jackie Robinson's Number?