Thursday, April 25, 2013


DRAFT DAY IS HERE!  My mock draft in just a bit!  But first . . . . .

The Miami Heat look to start to nail down the coffin of the Milwaukee Bucks in tonight’s game 3 of their first round series.  They just need to get this over with, with the least amount of effort possible, and be able to enjoy some days off.  Game time tonight is 7:00 pm, and you can watch it on Sun Sports or on TNT.  In the other first round games last night,

Oklahoma City 105 Houston 102   Thunder lead series 2-0
Kevin Durant scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half.  Russell Westbrook also scored 29 in the win.

Indiana 113 Atlanta 98 Pacers lead series 1-0
Paul George led the way with 27 points, George Hill added 22.

San Antonio 102 LA Lakers 91 Spurs lead series 2-0
Tony Parker scored 24 of his 28 points in the second half.  Kahwi Leonard and Tim Duncan each scored 16 points.

TONIGHT

Miami @ Milwaukee 7:00 pm TNT
Game 3 Heat lead series 2-0

Brooklyn @ Chicago 8:30 pm NBA-TV
Game 3 Series tied 1-1

LA Clippers @ Memphis 9:30 pm TNT
Game 3 Clippers lead series 2-0

FRIDAY

New York @ Boston 8:00 pm ESPN
Game 3 Knicks lead series 2-0

San Antonio @ LA Lakers 10:30 pm ESPN
Game 3 Spurs lead series 2-0

Denver @ Golden State 10:30 pm ESPN-2
Game 3 Series tied 1-1

The Marlins are back home to take on the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series that starts tonight.  This is a good time for the Fish to go on a little winning streak.  A seven game homestand - let’s see if they can win 5 or 6.  The pitching match-ups for the four-game set with the Cubs:

Today 7:10 pm Edwin Jackson vs Kevin Slowey
Friday 7:10 pm Scott Feldman vs Wade LeBlanc
Saturday 7:10 pm Travis Wood vs Alex Sanabia
Sunday 1:10 pm Carlos Villanueva vs Ricky Nolasco 

You don’t want to miss Monday’s game against the Mets.  Matt Harvey will be on the hill for the Metropolitans, Jose Fernandez for the Marlins.

The Fish are still bringing up the rear in MLB in runs scored, with a grand total of 54 runs in their first 21 games.  I will be posting the “bottom five” rankings in runs scored until the Marlins aren’t on the list.  At this point, I am not very optimistic about this list not being a permanent part of this blog. 

TEAM W-L Runs
Marlins 5-16           54
Dodgers 9-11           64
Cubs 6-14           65
White Sox 8-12           66
Padres 6-15           69

In the rest of MLB yesterday, first in the National League,

Rockies 6 Braves 5 (12 innings)
Braves closer Craig Kimbrel blew a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth.  

Cardinals 4 Nationals 2
Yadier Molina drove in two runs, Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday each had three hits.  The Cards swept a three-game road series against the Expos/Nationals for the first time since 1969.

Reds 1 Cubs 0
Todd Frazier’s home run was the difference in the game.

D-Backs 3 Giants 2 (10 innings)
Will Nieves drove in the game winner with a sacrifice fly.

Pirates 5 Phillies 3
Brandon Inge drove in the winning run in the eighth inning.

Mets 7 Dodgers 3  (10 innings)
Jordany Valdespin hit the game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the tenth inning.

Padres 2 Brewers 1 
Edinson Volquez threw seven shutout innings.  Carlos Quentin connected long distance in the win.

Over in the American League:

Blue Jays 6 Orioles 5 (11 innings)
Maicer Izturis walked with the bases loaded in the 11th inning.

White Sox 3 Indians 2
Alex Rios hit a two-run homer.

Astros 10 Mariners 3 
Brandon Laird and Ronny Cedeño homered, Laird drove in four runs and Cedeño plated three.  Former Marlin Matt Dominguez had two hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Red Sox 6 A’s 5
Daniel Nava had a pinch-hit RBI single in the fifth inning that proved to be the eventual game winner

Tigers 7 Royals 5
Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez each had two hits and two RBI.

Rays 3 Yankees 0 
Ben Zobrist hit a two-run double and Alex Cobb pitched into the ninth inning to blank the Yankees.  Local product Sean Rodriguez homered for the Rays off Andy Pettitte, who lost for the first time this year after three wins.

Rangers 11 Angels 3 
Nelson Cruz hit a three run homer and Lance Berkman hit a two-run blast and drove in four runs.  The Rangers have won five of six.  

Today’s games, first in the National League:

Pirates @ Phillies 1:05 pm
James McDonald vs Cliff Lee

Dodgers @ Mets 1:10 pm
Hyun-Jin Ryu vs Jeremy Hefner

Reds @ Nationals 7:05 pm
Bronson Arroyo vs Gio Gonzalez

Rockies @ D-Backs 9:40 pm
Jorge de la Rosa vs Trevor Cahill

Over in the American League:

Royals @ Tigers 1:08 pm
James Shields vs Justin Verlander

Astros @ Red Sox 6:35 pm
Phillip Humber vs Clay Buchholz

Blue Jays @ Yankees 7:05 pm
Mark Buehrle vs Hiroki Kuroda

Rangers @ Twins 8:10 pm
Nick Tepesch vs Vance Worley

Rays @ White Sox 8:10 pm
Jeremy Hellickson vs Chris Sale

Orioles @ A’s       10:05 pm
Jason Hammel vs Jarrod Parker

Angels @ Mariners       10:10 pm
Garrett Richards vs Brandon Maurer

Here are the up-to-the-minute standings in MLB:


Here are the individual league leaders in MLB:


Jumping over to the NFL, I absolutely love Draft Day.  I enjoy all the anticipation, the rumors, the speculation.  There is a saying in Spanish that even translates reasonably well that is appropriate:  “No me gusta el chisme, pero me entretiene”  (“I don’t like gossip, but it really entertains me”)

TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Who was the first player ever picked in the draft by the Miami Dolphins, way back in 1966? Tell you later, alligator.  

Here is my one and only MOCK draft.  It includes the entire first round, and my guesses for the entire round for the Dolphins, pending any trades they make to add picks or move up.  

Last year, I did pretty well, hitting on 25 of the 32 picks in the first round, seven of them right on the money (right pick, right team), including the Dolphins’ pick of Ryan Tannehill with the #8 selection.  I hope I am right on the Fins’ pick this year.  I absolutely love Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert with the #12 pick.  After all the receivers the Fins signed as free agents, this is the guy that could propel second-year QB Ryan Tannehill into the Pro Bowl, and more importantly, put the Dolphins in the playoffs for the first time since the Spanish-American War.  (OK, I’m exaggerating a lot).  

I fully expect that there will be a LOT of trades and movement in the first round.  There is NO POSSIBLE WAY for anyone to try and guess what is going to happen in regards to trades.  The Dolphins, for example, still may make a couple of trades.  They have been talking with the KC Chiefs about OT Branden Albert, a trade that quite possibly will happen, and they are dangling WR Davone Bess to various teams, including the Cleveland Browns, the Arizona Cardinals, the SF 49ers, the St. Louis Rams, the Minnesota Vikings, and the NY Jets.  Also - look for the Dolphins to select a kicker this year, the name to follow is FSU kicker Dustin Hopkins.  My mock draft doesn’t take any trades into consideration, and I will not try and make guesses.  All that being said, here we go:

2013 MOCK DRAFT

1. Kansas City OT    Luke Joeckel Texas A&M
2. Jacksonville DE Ziggy Ansah    Brigham Young
3. Oakland DT Sharrif Floyd Florida
4. Philadelphia DE Dion Jordan Oregon
5. Detroit OT Eric Fisher Cent. Michigan
6. Cleveland         CB   Dee Milliner      Alabama
7. Arizona OT   Lane Johnson Oklahoma
8. Buffalo QB Ryan Nassib Syracuse
9. NY Jets DE Barkevious Mingo LSU
10. Tennessee G    Jonathan Cooper     No. Carolina
11. San Diego G Chance Warmack Alabama
12. DOLPHINS TE Tyler Eifert Notre Dame
13. NY Jets QB Geno Smith West Virginia
14. Carolina DT Sheldon Richardson Missouri
15. New Orleans DT Star Lotulelei Utah
16. St. Louis WR Tavon Austin West Virginia
17. Pittsburgh LB Alec Ogletree Georgia
18. Dallas S Kenny Vaccaro Texas
19. NY Giants CB Xavier Rhodes Florida State
20. Chicago LB Manti Te’o Notre Dame
21. Cincinnati WR Cordarrelle Peterson Tenn.
22. St. Louis DT Sylvester Williams No. Carolina
23. Minnesota WR Robert Woods USC
24. Indianapolis DE Bjoern Werner Florida State
25. Minnesota LB Kevin Minter LSU
26. Green Bay RB Eddie Lacy Alabama
27. Houston WR Justin Hunter Tennessee
28. Denver DT Johnthan Jenkins Georgia
29 New England WR Keenan Allen California
30. Atlanta CB Desmond Trufant Washington
31. San Francisco S Jonathan Cyprien FIU
32. Baltimore LB Arthur Brown Kansas State

MY MOCK DOLPHIN DRAFT PICKS

12. First Round TE Tyler Eifert Notre Dame
42. Second Round CB Jamar Taylor Boise State
54. Second Round WR Ryan Swope Texas A&M
77. Third Round OT Terron Armstead Ark. Pine-Bluff
82. Third Round G/T Dallas Thomas Tennessee 
111. Fourth Round RB Christine Michael Texas A&M
146. Fifth Round K Dustin Hopkins Florida State
166. Fifth Round G Earl Watford James Madison
217. Seventh Round DE Tourek Williams FIU
224. Seventh Round LB Lerentee McCray Florida
250. Seventh Round QB Colin Klein Kansas State

TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Who was the first player ever picked in the draft by the Miami Dolphins, way back in 1966? Tell you later, alligator.  

The NFL Draft begins tonight at 8:00 pm with the first round.  Set your remote control to jump back between ESPN and The NFL Network.  Trust me . . . I will not be answering my cellphone.  Follow me on Twitter or on Facebook.  I'll have comments as the draft goes on.  The second and third rounds will be tomorrow night, starting at 6:00 pm, and rounds 4-7 are on Saturday, the 27th, starting at noon.

Here are the final mock drafts for all the draft gurus:

Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN:


Todd McShay of ESPN:


Peter Schrager of Fox Sports:


Yahoo! Sports’ Doug Farrar:


USA Today’s Nate Davis:


Jason La Canforra of CBS Sports checks in with his mock draft:


Mike Mayock of NFL.com has his mock draft, as well:


Last, but not least, CNN/SI’s Peter King:


In college baseball this weekend, FIU returns home for a weekend series against Louisiana-Lafayette.  Meanwhile, over in Coral Gables, the Canes have a Wednesday game this week at home against Florida Atlantic, before heading up to Chestnut Hill, MA to take on Boston College.  

In high school baseball, the district championships are going on. Best wishes to all the teams, especially to Coach Oscar Benitez and his LaSalle Royal Lions, who face Terra Institute in the championship game of their district tonight.  

Here is the web site for all the latest in High School Baseball - 


Speaking of websites, check out my new and improved site:


Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” radi 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

THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Who was the first player ever picked in the draft by the Miami Dolphins, way back in 1966?        

Running back Jim Grabowski of Illinois was the first player ever selected by the Fins.  He did not sign with Miami, choosing to sign with the Green Bay Packers.  The Dolphins had the first two picks of the AFL draft that year, choosing Grabowski #1, and QB Rick Norton from Kentucky.  The Fins did sign Norton, but he never amounted to anything in the pros.  The following year, the Fins hit the jackpot with their #1 pick, Bob Griese of Purdue, who, of course, went on to have a Hall of Fame career in Miami.       

IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW WANT TO ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE ON MY RADIO SEGMENTS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME FOR ALL THE DETAILS - jerry@descargadeportiva.com

Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day. 

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