The Marlins found their man, hiring former catcher Mike Redmond as their new manager.  Redmond received a three-year deal to manage the ball club, a team that has nowhere to go but up, after finishing last year with their worst record since 1999, 69-93.  Redmond had a 13-year career in the Majors as a backup catcher, seven of those seasons were with the Fish, including the 2003 World Series championship team.  A hard worker and student of the game, Redmond will undoubtedly bring a level of professionalism and class to the Marlins that was missing last season under Ozzie Guillen.  He has his work cut out for him, as he takes over a team with issues upstairs and a team that had the lowest batting average, .244, since the franchise took the field in 1993 in their initial season.  A lot of other changes will be coming, but as we all know, Redmond will have no say in those changes.  The Marlins brought back former infield coach Perry Hill, and he will also be coaching first base.  The rest of the coaching staff will be named in the coming days.  Good luck to Mike Redmond.  He will definitely need it.  Hey . . . at least we have a really nice stadium.   

The Miami Heat take the court tonight in New York against the Knicks.  Tip-off at Madison Square Garden is at 8:00 pm, and it will be the first game of a televised doubleheader on ESPN.  The second game will have the battle of Los Angeles, Clippers vs. Lakers, as the Lakers look for their first win of the young season after two losses.  The Heat return home immediately after tonight’s game to take on the Denver Nuggets at the AAA tomorrow night.  In the only game played last night in the NBA,

San Antonio Spurs 86 Oklahoma City Thunder 84

Tony Parker tied the game with a three-point basket with 28 seconds left, and won the game with a buzzer-beater from 21 feet out

TODAY IN THE NBA

Miami Heat @ New York Knicks 8:00 pm ESPN / SunSports

Indiana Pacers @ Charlotte Bobcats 7:00 pm

Denver Nuggets @ Orlando Magic 7:00 pm

Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics 7:30 pm

Houston Rockets @ Atlanta Hawks 7:30 pm

Chicago Bulls @ Cleveland Cavaliers 7:30 pm

Utah Jazz @ New Orleans Hornets 8:00 pm

Portland Trailblazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder 8:00 pm

Sacramento Kings @ Minnesota Timberwolves 8:00 pm

Detroit Pistons @ Phoenix Suns 10:00 pm

Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors 10:30 pm

Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers 10:30 pm ESPN

TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Kevin Durant scored 23 points last night for the Thunder, becoming the second youngest player to reach 10,000 points in his career.  Who is the youngest to reach that mark?  Tell you later, alligator. 

Something else to watch for this weekend - the Arizona Fall League, where most of the top prospects are playing, will have their All Star game this Saturday.  The Marlins will have a couple of their pitching prospects, Michael Brady and Grant Drayton playing for the West division, as well as outfield prospect Christian Yelich.  You can watch the game on the MLB network tomorrow night at 8pm.

A sad story to report - former Major League pitcher Pascual Perez was killed in his home in the Dominican Republic, a victim of an apparent home invasion and robbery.  Perez played 11 seasons in the Major Leagues and played with the Braves, Pirates, Expos, and Yankees.  I remember him best for a night in Atlanta in 1982, a game I attended.  Perez  had just been traded to the Braves and got lost on the way to the stadium, circling the city on Interstate 285 in an endless loop.  Perez was 55 years old.

Over in Dolphins camp, QB Ryan Tannehill did some practicing with the first team yesterday, but his status for Sunday’s game against the Colts in Indianapolis is still up in the air.  Tannehill had his knee drained before and after practice yesterday, and Fins head coach Joe Philbin said it is 50-50 for Tannehill to play on Sunday.  Game time this Sunday is 1:00 pm, and the game will be televised by CBS, Channel 4 in Miami.

Last night in the NFL, 

San Diego Chargers 31 Kansas City Chiefs 13 SD -9.5

Philip Rivers completed 18-20 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns

SUNDAY

Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts

Ind +1 1:00 pm CBS Ch. 4

Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals

Cin +3.5 1:00 pm

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns

Cle +3.5 1:00 pm

Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers

GB -11 1:00 pm

Chicago Bears @ Tennessee Titans

Ten +3.5 1:00 pm

Carolina Panthers @ Washington Redskins

Was -3.5 1:00 pm

Detroit Lions @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Jax +4 1:00 pm

Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans

Hou -10 1:00 pm

Tampa Bay Bucs @ Oakland Raiders

Oak -1 4:05 pm

Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks

Sea -4 4:05 pm

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Giants

NYG -3.5 4:25 pm FOX Ch. 7

Dallas Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons

Atl -4 8:20 pm NBC Ch. 6

MONDAY 

Philadelphia Eagles @ New Orleans Saints

NO -3 8:30 pm    ESPN

Bye week for the St. Louis Rams, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers

In college football last night, the University of Miami Hurricanes beat Virginia Tech 30-12.  Miami improved to 5-4, the Hokies fell to 4-5.  The Canes, as they like to say, control their own destiny and can clinch their first appearance in an ACC championship game by winning their two remaining ACC games at Virginia a week from Saturday, and at Duke November 24th in their regular season finale.

Tomorrow, FIU will be in Mobile, AL to take on South Alabama.  Kickoff is at 3:30 pm, and you can catch the game broadcast (in English) on your smartphone or on the computer at www.fiusports.com.  I will be handling the play-by-play, and Pete Pelegrin will be handling the color analysis.  In the BCS rankings, Alabama remains #1, Kansas State is #2, Notre Dame is #3, Oregon is #4, and LSU is #5.  The rest of the top ten - #6 Georgia, #7 Florida, #8 South Carolina, #9 Florida State, and #10 Louisville.  Game of the week is definitely #1 Alabama visiting #5 LSU.  In other top ten games, #2 Kansas State is home against #24 Oklahoma State, #3 Notre Dame hosts Pittsburgh, #4 Oregon travels to #17 USC, #6 Georgia welcomes Ole Miss, #7 Florida looks to rebound at the Swamp against Missouri, and #10 Louisville is home against Temple.

THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Kevin Durant scored 23 points last night for the Thunder, becoming the second youngest player to reach 10,000 points in his career.  Who is the youngest to reach that mark? LeBron James is the youngest player reached the 10,000 point milestone.

Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” 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.  

Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.  HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!