After a rare night off, the semifinal round of NBA playoff games get going again tonight, and all the series are tied at 1-1. The Golden State Warriors take on the Spurs in San Antonio in the second game of an ESPN doubleheader tonight, but the game everyone is interested in is the first game in Chicago, where the Heat and the Bulls will tangle. Remember, Bulls: physical play is one thing, but continuing to play like thugs is another. I’m sticking to my original pick of Miami in five. The Golden State-San Antonio series has been closer than most people expected, and tonight’s game is key. The Spurs lost both regular season games in Oakland this season, and the Spurs haven’t had an answer for the Warrior backcourt so far. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry have been lights out for the Warriors so far. For those of you old enough to remember, both of their fathers played in the NBA. Dell Curry was a sharpshooting guard that played 16 years in the NBA. Mychal Thompson was the #1 pick of the NBA draft in 1978 by the Portland Trailblazers and also played for the Spurs and the Lakers. Mychal played his high school ball here in Miami, with the legendary “Jackson Five” team at Miami Jackson High School.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Four Jamaicans and a Cuban refugee made up that very talented “Jackson Five” team from Miami Jackson High School in 1974. I already gave you Mychal Thompson. Who were his teammates on that team? Tell you later, alligator.
TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Miami @ Chicago 8:00 pm ESPN
Game 3 Series tied 1-1
Golden State @ San Antonio 10:30 pm ESPN
Game 3 Series tied 1-1
SATURDAY:
Oklahoma City @ Memphis 5:00 pm ESPN
Game 3 Series tied 1-1
New York @ Indiana 8:00 pm ABC - Ch. 10
Game 3 Series tied 1-1
My heartfelt best wishes go out to Jack Ramsay. The legendary former NBA coach and Heat broadcaster, now 88 years old, is set to begin medical treatments for an undisclosed condition. Get well, Dr. Jack.
Miami Dolphins’ CEO Mike Dee was asked if the team would consider relocating to Palm Beach County if a stadium was built for them there, answered, “We’re open-minded to all long-term solutions”. Dee later stated, “You can’t close the door on anything. I wouldn’t say it’s a priority to evaluate that ad march down that road at this time, by any means, but the simple fact is we have to address a long-term issue with the venue. All ideas - good, bad, indifferent- should be considered.” Dee also said that, unlike the Marlins, the Dolphins will not cut corners when it comes to the on-the-field product, adding that, “The outcome of the stadium will have no impact on the way we address the needs of the football team. Absolutely none.”
NOTE TO THE HERALD AND THEIR CRACK REPORTER, ADAM H. BEASLEY: THE PALM BEACH COUNTY QUESTION DOESN’T BECOME RELEVANT UNTIL PALM BEACH COUNTY OFFERS THE DOLPHINS AN OPTION UP THERE. NO SUCH OPTION HAS BEEN DISCUSSED OR OFFERED. Great headline to try and sell papers, I guess.
Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post talks about that and the upcoming award of the Super Bowl games 50 and 51.
Two offensively-challenged teams square off in Southern California as the Marlins and Dodgers open a three-game series in Los Angeles. The Marlins are averaging a putrid 2.8 runs per game so far this season, and the Dodgers are just a smidgen better, scoring only 3.3 runs per contest. They are the two lowest scoring teams in the National League. Baseball being what it is, of course, watch these two teams light up the scoreboard this weekend. The pitching matchups for the series:
Friday 10:10 pm Jose Fernandez vs Matt Gagill
Saturday 9:10 pm Kevin Slowey vs Hyun-Jin Ryu
Sunday 4:10 pm Wade LeBlanc vs Chris Capuano
Of course, the Fish are still bringing up the rear in MLB in runs scored. They’re still last in runs scored with 99 in their 35 games. They are on a pace to finish the season with 46 wins and 116 losses. I will be posting the “bottom five” rankings in runs scored until the Marlins aren’t on the list. We could be here a while.
TEAM W-L Runs
Marlins 10-25 99
White Sox 14-18 110
Dodgers 13-20 111
Mariners 16-19 120
Nationals 19-15 121
In the major leagues yesterday, first in the National League,
Braves 6 Giants 3
The Braves scored four runs in the fifth inning, keyed by a Freddie Freeman RBI single. Brian McCann clubbed a two-run homer and an RBI single in the fifth. Julio Teheran allowed three runs and seven hits in his seven innings of work, and Craig Kimbrel registered his 100th career save.
Yankees 3 Rockies 1
Robinson Cano connected long distance to lead the Yankees to the win. The game was delayed for two hours and seven minutes after the fourth inning due to torrential rain.
Nationals 5 Tigers 4
Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman drove in runs and the Nats swept a short two-game series with the Tigers.
Mets 3 Pirates 2
Mike Baxter drove in the game winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning with a pinch-hit single.
D-Backs 2 Phillies 1
Patrick Corbin improved to 5-0 this season, scattering four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Heath Bell recorded his fourth save of the season.
Over in the American League:
Indians 9 A’s 2
No drama or controversy in Cleveland yesterday. Mark Reynolds, Jason Kipnis, and Nick Swisher all connected long distance in support of Scott Kazmir, who allowed one run and five hits in his 6 innings of work.
Royals 6 Orioles 2
Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer belted two-run homers in the fourth inning, Mike Moustakas also homered for the Royals,. Jeremy Guthrie improved to 5-0 this season.
Twins 5 Red Sox 3
Osvaldo Arcia homered and finished with two RBI and two runs scored. The REd Sox have dropped six out of their last seven games.
Rays 5 Blue Jays 4 (10 innings)
Yunel Escobar tied the game with a home run in the seventh inning and Luke Scott drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the tenth to force in the winning run.
Angels 6 Astros 5
Alert the media! The Angels finally won a game, avoiding a sweep at the hands of the lowly Houston Astros. Mark Trumbo tied the game with a two-run double in the eighth inning, setting up Alberto Callaspo to drive in the decisive run in the eighth inning with a sacrifice fly. Josh Hamilton and Brendan Harris connected long distance for the Angels. Hamilton’s four home runs this season have all come against the Astros.
It hasn’t been a good couple of days for umpires, as the crew umpiring the game between the Astros and the Angels blew another situation, this one involving an interpretation of a rule.
The rule is pretty simple to understand, even for umpires:
Simply put: A reliever must pitch to at least one hitter before being taken out. The Astros got away with one, thanks to another set of incompetent umpires.
Rule 3:05 (b):
If the pitcher is replaced, the substitute pitcher shall pitch to the batter then at bat, or any substitute batter, until such batter is put out or reaches first base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness which, in the umpire-in-chief’s judgment, incapacitates him for further play as a pitcher.
Angel Hernandez and the other three members of his umpiring crew, collectively better known as Moe, Larry, Curly, and Shemp, continue to be the laughing stock of baseball after that botched call even after video replay a couple of nights ago in the game between the Indians and the A's. See for yourselves:
My take: There is no reason whatsoever for MLB baseball not to have overturned their awful decision after video replay review, especially after admitting that the umpires blew the call. If you’re going to have video review, then you need to get it right. No excuses. If they don’t, MLB has to fix it right then and there. They should have played the game from the point of the not-allowed home run, a 4-4 tie in the ninth inning. The powers that be in MLB are praying that the A’s do not lose their division or miss a chance to get in the playoffs by one game.
Today’s games, first in the National League:
Cubs @ Nationals 7:05 pm
Jef Samardzija vs Ross Detwiler
Pirates @ Mets 7:10 pm
Wandy Rodriguez vs Shaun Marcum
Brewers @ Reds 7:10 pm
Yovani Gallardo vs Tony Cingrani
Rockies @ Cardinals 8:15 pm
Jon Garland vs Shelby Miller
Phillies @ D-Backs 9:40 pm
Tyler Cloyd vs Ian Kennedy
Marlins @ Dodgers 10:10 pm
Jose Fernandez vs Matt Magill
Braves @ Giants 10:15 pm
Tim Hudson vs Matt Cain
Over in the American League:
A’s @ Tigers 7:08 pm
Corey Kluber vs Max Scherzer
Blue Jays @ Red Sox 7:10 pm
Ramon Ortiz vs Jon Lester
Padres @ Rays 7:10 pm
Edinson Volquez vs Alex Cobb
Orioles @ Twins 8:10 pm
Jason Hammel vs Mike Pelfrey
Angels @ White Sox 8:10 pm
Tommy Hanson vs Dylan Axelrod
Yankees @ Royals 8:10 pm
Phil Hughes vs Wade Davis
Rangers @ Astros 8:10 pm
Alexi Ogando vs Dallas Keuchel
A’s @ Mariners 10:10 pm
Dan Straily vs Hisashi Iwakuma
In what can only be described as an incredibly quick recovery, Dodgers starting pitcher Zach Greinke is slated to start a minor-league rehab assignment today with the Dodgers’ Rancho Cucamonga minor league team. The righthander broke his left collarbone on April 11th in a on-field fight with Carlos Quentin of the San Diego Padres. Here’s the full story:
The Boston Globe may need to do some housecleaning. Baseball writer Dan Shaughnessy pretty much accused David Ortiz of using performance-enhancing drugs, after his torrid start this season. Big Papi did not take kindly to Shaughnessy’s accusations:
Here are the up-to-the-minute standings in MLB:
Here are the individual league leaders in MLB:
In college baseball, FIU takes a nine-game losing streak with them on the road as they take on UALR in Little Rock, Arkansas, this weekend in a three-game series. The University of Miami Hurricanes are also on the road, as meet Wake Forest for a three-game set starting tonight.
Here is the web site for all the latest in high school baseball:
Speaking of websites, check out my new and improved site:
THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Four Jamaicans and a Cuban refugee made up the very talented “Jackson Five” team from Miami Jackson High School in 1974. I already gave you Mychal Thompson. Who were his teammates on that team?
Coaching legend Jake Caldwell put an incredible group of players on the court in 1974, "The Jackson Five", a team comprised of four Jamaicans and a Cuban refugee. They were:
Mychal Thompson
Charles Thompson
Cecil Rose
Osborne Lockhart
Julio Davila
The sixth man on that team was another Cuban refugee, Roberto Cardenas. Thanks to my good friend, Miami Herald columnist Santos Perez for his help on this one. Like the song says, "Those were the days, my friend. We thought they'd never end......"
Speaking of Santos Perez, let’s talk a little boxing. This could be wishful thinking, but Dan Rafael of ESPN is reporting that Golden Boy Promotions is trying to put together the latest “Fight of the Century” between Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Here’s Rafael’s story:
Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” radio segments (for the Spanish-challenged, “Sports Jam Session”) every day, Monday through Friday, at 9:25 am and 12:15 pm on Radio Esperanza, 1550 AM or on the internet on www.miradioesperanza.com.
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Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!
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