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Friday’s Prep Baseball Game of the Night
Apr 17, 2008Perhaps Friday night’s best high school baseball game will take place in Norton as J.J. Kelly meets J.I. Burton in a key Lonesome Pine District baseball clash.
Sure, the matchup lost some of its luster after Powell Valley sophomore pitcher Kenny Burke shut down Burton on Tuesday and made the Raiders fall a game back in the LPD standings.
However, anytime legendary head coach Mack Shupe faces his old school, it’s a big game with intriguing storylines. Shupe was the man at Kelly for years and guided the Indians to eight state titles and
numerous district and regional titles.
Shupe left Kelly in 2001 and took a job with the Wise County school’s archrivals. Meanwhile, David Wyrick took over for Shupe and has kept Kelly among the area’s elite programs.
Kelly is off to an 8-2 start this season and has five regulars hitting over .350, led by Cody Bentley’s .447 batting average.
Other intriguing games tonight include Tazewell at Richlands, Virginia High at Gate City and Haysi at Honaker.
What are your thoughts and predictions on these games?
Posted by Tim Hayes A New All-Time Low For ESPN
Apr 17, 2008Ever wonder why so many modern professional athletes despise and no longer trust the media?
Ever wonder why there’s a steadily increasing wall being built up between athletes and reporters?
Ever wonder why media relations workers treat beat writers with kid gloves, while athletic directors, general managers and owners often speak in short, meaningless, unrevealing soundbytes?
This is why.
And that—presented and set-up with all the class of an “Access Hollywood"-esque slaughter—is absolutely disgusting.
Congratulations, ESPN: you’re the new “Hard Copy,” the next “Dateline.”
Maybe Pat O’Brien can help out; fill in a slot or two.
Maybe you can start showing up at the homes of NFL players in the middle of the night (you know, just peek around ... see what’s going on).
Maybe you can start randomly showing up at strip clubs frequented by NBA players (or whatever outdated stereotype you wish to delve into).
But whatever you choose to “investigate” in the future (and trap athletes with; documenting every angle like you’ve just figured out how to cure cancer or how to solve the problems in Iraq), just remember: when people look back and wonder what happened to sports journalism—how and why it died—your name will be at the top of the list.
We salute you, worldwide leader.
You are the almighty lord of sports trash.
Posted by Brian T. Smith Locals in the Pros: When in Rome, Mr. 200, Barker’s Back and Help Me Out
Apr 16, 2008Some random musings and facts regarding local players currently playing professional baseball:
--- Former Virginia High and East Tennessee State University star C.J. Lee joined the Rome (Ga.) Braves on Monday night, the Low-Class A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
Lee singled in his first Class A at-bat – an infield single off Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs starter Jairo Heredia. He finished his first game 1-for-2 with a run scored and a walk.
He went 0-for-4 on Tuesday night against Columbus.
Lee is probably relieved to get out of Florida and extended spring training. Extended spring training is one of the toughest assignments in pro baseball, with teams playing glorified scrimmages against extended spring tenants from other clubs. Nobody attends the games and they are played in the scorching heat.
It will also be interesting to see if Lee can build on his first memorable season as a pro. He hit .245 with three home runs and 25 RBIs last summer for the rookie-level Danville Braves.
Lee helped the team reach the Appalachian League championship series and got to play in several ballparks close to home, including Johnson City’s Cardinal Park and Bristol’s DeVault Stadium.
--- Kansas City Royals pitcher Jimmy Gobble made his 200th career major league appearance on Tuesday night.
The Bristol, Virginia native faced three batters in KC’s loss at Seattle. He walked Ichiro Suzuki, gave up a sacrifice fly and then struck out former teammate Raul Ibanez.
Gobble made his major league debut in 2003 and has made all 200 of his big league appearances in a Royals uniform.
--- Former John Battle and Virginia High standout Kevin Barker made his first official appearance of the 2008 season on Tuesday.
After beginning the season on the disabled list, Barker went 1-for-3 with a RBI for the Class AAA Louisville Bats in their 4-1 victory over the Norfolk Tides.
In his first at-bat, Barker singled on the second pitch he saw from Norfolk starter Jon Leicester. The hit plated Jolbert Cabrera.
--- I am currently doing some research on former area players who played in the big leagues. If you have any information, are related to or know who I could contact regarding the ex-locals in the pros, please feel free to e-mail me at . Among the players I was researching included Harry Perkowski (Dante), Lefty Thomas (Washington County), Nick Cullop (Chilhowie), Tracy Stallard (Coeburn), Gail Harris (Abingdon), Scotty Barr (Bristol, Tennessee), Bernie Cregger (Wytheville), Billy Baldwin (Tazewell) and/or the legendary Deacon Phillippe, I would greatly appreciate it. Phillippe was born in Rural Retreat and pitched in Game 1 of the inaugural World Series.
Posted by Tim Hayes Horne faces a classic conundrum
Apr 15, 2008Thinking globally, acting locally.
It’s a conundrum that in a way describes the dilemma facing Grundy principal Leslie Horne, who is making the biggest decisions the Buchanan County school’s athletic department has ever faced.
No one loves Grundy more than Horne, a star basketball player in the mid-1980s who took a very credible turn as the school’s girls basketball coach a decade later, guiding the Golden Wave to a couple of Group AA quarterfinals.
But Horne is realistic enough to know there are no easy solutions facing a school with shrinking enrollment.
“I’m trying desperately to do the right thing for all involved,” she said late Monday afternoon. “There is no right answer for everyone.”
For at least two more years, Horne’s version of the right thing is to have a school with Group A-sized enrollment compete in the AA Southwest District.
Some in the community felt a little jilted by Horne’s decision. They wanted to see Grundy go down to the Group A ranks and play in the Black Diamond District, which is where the Virginia High School League had assigned it for the 2008-09 school year.
Sure, the Golden Wave’s struggling sports – football, baseball, volleyball – might be able to win a little more. But playing the likes of Haysi and Honaker as opposed to playing Richlands and Tazewell is no contest financially.
If you don’t believe me, just go to a Richlands road game sometime and watch the home team’s athletic director smile as Blue Tornado fans pack the stands and fill the cash box.
Then there’s wrestling – the sport at which Grundy always excels. No other BDD school even offers it, and while the Golden Wave will never have problems filling out a schedule because of the program’s continued dominance, Horne didn’t see a need to punish the fans.
“We have such a following in wrestling,” she said. “If we did this, you’d never see the kids on the mat [locally] until you got into a regional tournament.”
What’s more, Horne is willing to play a hunch that the VHSL might finally think about an option it should have considered a long, long time ago – reclassification.
“The [Redistricting & Realignment] committee is willing to explore five classifications for the first time,” she said. “I find that positive.
“I think going [Group A] right now is premature with all the positive things I’m getting from the state principals’ meeting. They’re willing to go forward and if we go [Group A] now, we may miss out on that.”
One other factor Horne certainly considered was what might happen in two years in Tazewell County. Enrollments are shrinking there, even with the likelihood that Pocahontas will close its doors this spring, which would send some students to Graham and a few to Tazewell.
In two years, it’s possible Graham and Tazewell could be small enough to play in Group A. And if those two go down, you can bet Richlands will invoke the “Lee precedent” and ask to join their county neighbors.
Horne knows all this could turn out not so well. But her instincts, as well as her desire to keep as many kids participating in sports as she can, leads her to believe she’s on the right path.
“We know our numbers are indicative of a change,” Horne summed up, “but we’re hoping some of our buddies might have to do it, too.”
If that does happen, the conundrum will have come to life.
Finch the classic All-American girl
Apr 13, 2008JOHNSON CITY—Little girls want to be just like her. Men stand awestruck at her beauty and body. Hitters hate facing her.
Welcome to Jennie Finch’s world, one of which we all want to be part.
While Lisa Fernandez, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who is with the National Team but didn’t make the 15-player cut for this year’s Beijing Games, is the sport’s icon, Finch is its most recognized player. And rightfully so.
Blessed with Miss America looks and a right arm which can fire pitches above 70 miles per hour—softball’s equivalent of a 100-mph fastball—Finch owns an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA title and a soon-to-be 2-year old son.
The face of her sport stood in a makeshift interview room at Howard Johnson Field Sunday after playing first base and going 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the U.S. National Team’s 24-0 rout of NAIA opponent Milligan and held court on several subjects.
On the crowd of 3,476 which turned out despite rotten weather
Finch: “There’s no greater feeling than wearing USA on your chest and walking into these stadiums. It’s like the smaller the town, the better the crowd. You get that hometown feel to it. Everyone is so excited to see you. We had no idea what we were getting into ... what a beautiful stadium. The people packed it and it was fun.”
On the reception accorded her for all her plate appearances
“I’m so very blessed to be able to do what I do. These fans have been great throughout my entire career and I’m so grateful for them. It’s just a celebration of our game and how far we’ve come.”
On this team compared to the 2004 Olympic team, which completely dominated the Athens Olympics
“This team is just as talented, if not more talented. We have such a great group of veterans, along with some rookies, and we’re very deep.”
On the International Olympic Committee’s decision to drop softball after the Beijing Olympics
“I was very disappointed. This is our game, this is our sport, this is our life. This is a blow. We’ve come so far and we’ve seen the sport grow so much. For that to happen was a shock, but we’re not going to let that deter our sport. We’re going to keep on fighting and pushing through, and hopefully, we can get it back in 2016. Obviously, the sport is huge here, but you go to China or Japan and that’s their one chance for a medal, so it’s even more heartbreaking for them. We still have the college game and the pro league (National Professional Fastpitch). We’re going to use the Beijing Olympics to prove that we still belong in the Olympics.”
On her marriage to former Major League pitcher Casey Daigle, who’s now in the Minnesota Twins’ system
“Probably the last thing we talk about is our sports, but it’s great because we can relate to what the other is going through. I’m a very lucky woman to have him. He’s given me an amazing, beautiful child. I enjoy rooting him on.”
On her impressions of Tennessee
“Tennessee’s beautiful country. We actually lived here for a season when my husband was with the Tennessee Smokies (in Kodak). I love it here because the people are so nice, so generous and so giving. I enjoy being in the south because of the great hospitality.”
About the only thing at which Finch has failed is Donald Trump’s Apprentice. As she notes in the team’s media guide, it’s the only thing from which she’s been fired.
Relax, Jennie. I don’t think anyone’s going to look at that as a red flag on your resume.
Other Notes from Sunday:
1. The playing surface at Howard Johnson Field was excellent. Ground crews worked on it until after midnight following an ETSU baseball doubleheader Saturday night, carving out a small dirt spot around second base to convert it to the shorter softball diamond. They also removed the mound. Give the ground crew an A-plus.
2. The fans’ enthusiasm, as Finch and so many players pointed out, was amazing. I arrived at the ballpark at 12:45, 75 minutes before first pitch, and there had to be 2,500 people already there. And they stuck around until the tailend of an 11-run fifth inning by the National Team.
3. The P.A. announcer probably caused pitcher Cat Osterman some ribbing from her teammates for a while. During pregame introductions, he referred to her as Cat Ostermayer before quickly correcting himself. The Texas lefthander is one of the sport’s most recognizable names.
4. The National Team’s oldest player, 33-year old Laura Berg, still runs as though she were 23. A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Berg is one of the fastest players on a team which relies on speed. Her younger, faster clone, Caitlin Lowe, patrols center field, with Berg in left.
5. Alicia Hollowell, who threw a no-hitter in Sunday’s five-inning game, was one of the three players who didn’t make the Beijing cut. Hollowell, Fernandez and catcher Jenny Topping, who belted a long homer in the first inning Sunday, will only go to Beijing if one of the other 15 players is injured.
