Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack
-- Aaron Harang no-hit the Mets for seven innings, was taken out after throwing 121 pitches as the Braves won 6-0 in Flushing, giving up one hit.
-- Ike Davis got traded to Pittsburgh for a AAA reliever and another player who has yet to be identified. Interesting that Davis was very popular with teammates.
-- Bronx bullpen gave up eight runs in 2.1 innings at Tampa Bay, turning 5-3 lead into an 11-5 loss to the anemic Rays, who snapped a 4-game skid.
-- Arizona won 4-2 in 12 at Chavez Ravine; they took lead in 9th inning on a wild pitch during an intentional walk. Dodgers tied game on a Uribe HR, but Snakes got big hit from Aaron Hill in the 12th to get a much-needed win.
-- Giants lost 2-1 at San Diego, are now 10-7, 0-4 in Matt Cain's starts.
-- Detroit lost 11-6 to the Angels; this was first time this year Tigers had to use a fifth starting pitcher, so their pitching depth may become an issue.
*****
Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff on a spring day.......
13) I don't link to many things here, but this is worth all of our time, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo addressing a group of students at a vigil for the little 8-year old girl who passed away last month after a lengthy illness.
Izzo is an excellent guy in addition to being a top coach- this is good stuff.
12) Giancarlo Stanton hit a walk-off homer for the Marlins Friday, after Miami had the batter before Stanton (Ozuna) sacrifice with a 3-1 count and men on 1st/2nd and no one out, with Stanton up next. Seattle botched the play, but if they hadn't, Stanton could've been walked intentionally with a base open. Then what?
Put it this way, even Miami's TV guys were killing the strategy; Stanton has 28 RBI in 17 games for a dismal team-- when does he get traded to the Dodgers?
11) Mets almost got no-hit at home Friday; last time that happened was by a guy named Bob Moose of the Pirates, in September '69. Moose also gave up a walk-off homer to Johnny Bench in a '72 playoff game.
10) When the Knicks signed Lamar Odom Wednesday, he got a prorated check for one day of the season, worth $8,500- that also includes him working out for the team in the off-season, to see if they want him on the team next year. His deal for next season isn't guaranteed.
9) It annoys me that the 49ers got a new stadium to play in 10 days a year, but the A's can't get one to play 81 games in every year.
8) St Louis Blues used to have a defenseman named Chris Pronger who holds the team record, by playing 51:10 and 48:22 in playoff games. Guy on the Blues was on the ice for 44+ minutes in the triple OT game Thursday. Thats a ton of ice time in such an intense event. NHL playoffs are great theater.
7) Houston Astros scored in first inning in six of their nine home games, but haven't scored a first inning run in seven road games.
6) Middle Tennessee has incoming freshman hooper coming to Murfreesboro in the fall with a great name; Giddy Potts. He has to be on the all-name team.
5) Someone please remind me why Mississippi State fired its basketball coach Rick Stansbury two years ago? MSU had finished .500 or better in the SEC six years in a row but Stansbury got fired after missing the NCAAs two years in a row. Since he left, the Bulldogs are 7-29 in SEC play- they played the easiest non-league sked in America last season, then went 3-15 in the SEC. Not sure why the guy got fired.
4) QB Matt Joeckel transferred from Texas A&M to TCU and is expected to compete for the starting QB position this fall; being Johnny Manziel's backup, the kid must have some great stories.
3) Wonder how the citizens in Knoxville feel about Peyton Manning spending time in Tuscaloosa with ol' Nick Saban? Oh by the way, offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide is someone Vol fans know too-- Lane Kiffin.
2) Speaking of Tennessee, there are still two basketball jobs open in the SEC, jobs at Missouri and Tennessee. Which one is the better job?
1) Our thoughts/prayers go out to TNT's Craig Sager, who was diagnosed with leukemia this week. Get well soon, sir; there are so few good sideline reporters on TV, we need every one we can get.
-- Aaron Harang no-hit the Mets for seven innings, was taken out after throwing 121 pitches as the Braves won 6-0 in Flushing, giving up one hit.
-- Ike Davis got traded to Pittsburgh for a AAA reliever and another player who has yet to be identified. Interesting that Davis was very popular with teammates.
-- Bronx bullpen gave up eight runs in 2.1 innings at Tampa Bay, turning 5-3 lead into an 11-5 loss to the anemic Rays, who snapped a 4-game skid.
-- Arizona won 4-2 in 12 at Chavez Ravine; they took lead in 9th inning on a wild pitch during an intentional walk. Dodgers tied game on a Uribe HR, but Snakes got big hit from Aaron Hill in the 12th to get a much-needed win.
-- Giants lost 2-1 at San Diego, are now 10-7, 0-4 in Matt Cain's starts.
-- Detroit lost 11-6 to the Angels; this was first time this year Tigers had to use a fifth starting pitcher, so their pitching depth may become an issue.
*****
Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff on a spring day.......
13) I don't link to many things here, but this is worth all of our time, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo addressing a group of students at a vigil for the little 8-year old girl who passed away last month after a lengthy illness.
Izzo is an excellent guy in addition to being a top coach- this is good stuff.
12) Giancarlo Stanton hit a walk-off homer for the Marlins Friday, after Miami had the batter before Stanton (Ozuna) sacrifice with a 3-1 count and men on 1st/2nd and no one out, with Stanton up next. Seattle botched the play, but if they hadn't, Stanton could've been walked intentionally with a base open. Then what?
Put it this way, even Miami's TV guys were killing the strategy; Stanton has 28 RBI in 17 games for a dismal team-- when does he get traded to the Dodgers?
11) Mets almost got no-hit at home Friday; last time that happened was by a guy named Bob Moose of the Pirates, in September '69. Moose also gave up a walk-off homer to Johnny Bench in a '72 playoff game.
10) When the Knicks signed Lamar Odom Wednesday, he got a prorated check for one day of the season, worth $8,500- that also includes him working out for the team in the off-season, to see if they want him on the team next year. His deal for next season isn't guaranteed.
9) It annoys me that the 49ers got a new stadium to play in 10 days a year, but the A's can't get one to play 81 games in every year.
8) St Louis Blues used to have a defenseman named Chris Pronger who holds the team record, by playing 51:10 and 48:22 in playoff games. Guy on the Blues was on the ice for 44+ minutes in the triple OT game Thursday. Thats a ton of ice time in such an intense event. NHL playoffs are great theater.
7) Houston Astros scored in first inning in six of their nine home games, but haven't scored a first inning run in seven road games.
6) Middle Tennessee has incoming freshman hooper coming to Murfreesboro in the fall with a great name; Giddy Potts. He has to be on the all-name team.
5) Someone please remind me why Mississippi State fired its basketball coach Rick Stansbury two years ago? MSU had finished .500 or better in the SEC six years in a row but Stansbury got fired after missing the NCAAs two years in a row. Since he left, the Bulldogs are 7-29 in SEC play- they played the easiest non-league sked in America last season, then went 3-15 in the SEC. Not sure why the guy got fired.
4) QB Matt Joeckel transferred from Texas A&M to TCU and is expected to compete for the starting QB position this fall; being Johnny Manziel's backup, the kid must have some great stories.
3) Wonder how the citizens in Knoxville feel about Peyton Manning spending time in Tuscaloosa with ol' Nick Saban? Oh by the way, offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide is someone Vol fans know too-- Lane Kiffin.
2) Speaking of Tennessee, there are still two basketball jobs open in the SEC, jobs at Missouri and Tennessee. Which one is the better job?
1) Our thoughts/prayers go out to TNT's Craig Sager, who was diagnosed with leukemia this week. Get well soon, sir; there are so few good sideline reporters on TV, we need every one we can get.
