NEW YORK — It might have been impossible for MLB jerseys this pitching matchup to live up to the kind of hype the New York media can spin out of a Pedro Martinez-Andy Pettitte meeting, with a chance to clinch a World Series at Yankee Stadium on the line.
Or perhaps the Yankee order just swings the bat too well for any game of this magnitude to be, in the end, about someone else’s pitcher.
“The thing I saw with Pedro (tonight) is he didn’t have a good fastball,” assessed Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. “His fastball wasn’t as good as it had been the last two times out.
“He’s better than that.”
The Game 6 scenario was exactly what you might have laid out back in April, if you could have written a script for how the biggest game of the 2009 Major League Baseball season should play out.
The biggest stage — Yankee Stadium in November — the defending champs from Philadelphia, and the pitcher with the most tempestuous relationship with the Yankees and their fans in all of baseball.
Pedro Martinez.
The problem is, Hideki Matsui doesn’t read English very well.
The big Japanese slugger blasted a two-run homer off Martinez in the second inning, and a two-run single in the third and hanging the loss on Pedro on a six-RBI night for the World Series MVP Matsui.
“I guess you could say this is the best moment of my life right now,” Matsui said.
With perfect hindsight, Manuel was asked if he considered pulling Martinez for Matsui’s second at bat, after he had homered off of Pedro in his first one.
Whatever the reason, it was not meant to be for Martinez, who never mustered his best stuff and hit the showers after only four innings Wednesday night in the Bronx. He was tagged with the Game 6 loss — his second of the series after going six innings in a 3-1 loss in Game 2 — and on perhaps his last big game start in Yankee Stadium, Pedro was out the door before the first bottle of champagne had been cracked in the Bronx.
“Pedro, he knows how to pitch,” drawled Manuel, an old baseball man who has forgotten more about the art of hitting than most will ever know. “I had to let him… It wasn’t time for me to take him out.”
That time would come an inning later however, as the Yankees hitters turned a memorable night for Martinez into one he’d like to forget.
“He pitched me tough, plunked me in the leg,” said New York’s Mark Teixeira. “He was still gettin’ it up there at 90 miles per hour. But give our guys credit. Sometimes you can’t say the pitcher had a bad day. Sometimes you have to say the hitters had a good day.”
Amen to that, brother.
The Yankees handed the ball to their iconic left-hander, and 37-year-old Andy Pettitte became the first pitcher in history to start and win all three clinching games in the post-season, dousing Minnesota, Anaheim and Philly in order. No one has clinched more playoff series than Pettitte’s six, nor started more playoff games (40) or pitched more post-season innings.
The three-time Cy Young winner, one of the great pitchers of our time, positively bathed in the New York spotlight these past 10 days. He started two games here, which provided more than enough of the media attention he craves.
“I mean, what else would I want?” Pedro asked on Wednesday. “I'm doing the job I love. I'm doing something that not everybody gets to do.”
He opposed Martinez, a 38-year-old who said the other day (in Spanish) that he had “frog’s blood” coursing through his veins.
“Two old goats out there doing the best they can,” was the way Martinez described the matchup.
Martinez lasted four innings, Pettitte five and two-thirds.
And a good pitching matchup turned out to be all about the hitters.
2010年5月15日星期六
2010年5月13日星期四
Change in philosophy
But what always made me sit up and take notice was, usually a half hour before the game, when the Jays took defensive practice. Ground balls around the infield, a lot of throws zipping from base to base. We also got to watch the outfielders throw to second, third and home, a good way to see just how good the arms were. Many of us were lucky enough to watch Jesse Barfield go about his business. Arguably the strongest and most accurate arm of his era, one had to marvel at the gun that he possessed.
But we’re not here to talk about the good old days, folks.
If you are around this game long enough, things tend to resurface.
Witness on Thursday afternoon, when I arrived at the Rogers Centre to find the Blue Jays, basically the entire roster, taking infield/outfield practice. Now that is something not seen in these parts since the early late 1980s.
I remember because back in the day, when I paid to go to games on a regular basis, I would always arrive at the park when the gates opened to go in and watch batting practice. It was a great chance to get down close to the field, hopefully score an autograph or two, and maybe get a shot at grabbing an errant ball.
With Alex Anthopoulos’ massive overhaul of the withering scouting department that he inherited, a clear plan is now in place to develop enough Major League talent – and control them for the maximum amount of time – to create an evolving core from year to year and stay highly competitive over many seasons, much like the Twins model has produced.
That’s what I took away from Thursday’s pre-game workout. This franchise is serious about putting a sustainable winner on the field. Clearly that’s what it’s going to take to bring back the fans. The second and third games on the 2010 home schedule have produced the two smallest crowds in the history of SkyDome/Rogers Centre with the team sitting in first place. I realize that last season’s collapse after 41 games turned a lot of you off and I can’t blame you.
Just know that many better days lay ahead.
No, what impressed me most about watching the Jays take defence, under the tutelage of the tireless Brian Butterfield, was that it sure seemed to me that the country club days of the Godfrey/Ricciardi era are now over. Over the last few years – and quite frankly they all started to blend together so I can’t give y’all an exact number – I would walk into the broadcast booth on the 400 level and look down onto a field with any number of children getting pitched to by their fathers. I’ve been around the ballpark in some capacity since 1977 and I always thought that the time before regular b.p. was for early b.p. when players needing to work on something got in their extra hacks. Apparently that was not so important with the team spinning its’ wheels over the past eight seasons.
Thankfully, the attention to detail that now envelopes this team should get even you fringe fans excited about what could be coming over the next few seasons. The Blue Jays have gone back to adopting a franchise philosophy that will be followed from the lowest rung in the minors all the way up to Toronto. It’s the same plan that has kept the Twins in the playoff hunt in five of the past eight years. Players are brought through the minors taught to play a certain way, and rarely arrive before they are "Major League Ready." That way they don’t waste a lot of time in utility roles hoping for their chance. It’s why Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have been productive, full-time players for over five years. They were taught to play the 2010 World Cup Jerseys game right and the learning curve at the game’s top level wasn’t very steep.
But we’re not here to talk about the good old days, folks.
If you are around this game long enough, things tend to resurface.
Witness on Thursday afternoon, when I arrived at the Rogers Centre to find the Blue Jays, basically the entire roster, taking infield/outfield practice. Now that is something not seen in these parts since the early late 1980s.
I remember because back in the day, when I paid to go to games on a regular basis, I would always arrive at the park when the gates opened to go in and watch batting practice. It was a great chance to get down close to the field, hopefully score an autograph or two, and maybe get a shot at grabbing an errant ball.
With Alex Anthopoulos’ massive overhaul of the withering scouting department that he inherited, a clear plan is now in place to develop enough Major League talent – and control them for the maximum amount of time – to create an evolving core from year to year and stay highly competitive over many seasons, much like the Twins model has produced.
That’s what I took away from Thursday’s pre-game workout. This franchise is serious about putting a sustainable winner on the field. Clearly that’s what it’s going to take to bring back the fans. The second and third games on the 2010 home schedule have produced the two smallest crowds in the history of SkyDome/Rogers Centre with the team sitting in first place. I realize that last season’s collapse after 41 games turned a lot of you off and I can’t blame you.
Just know that many better days lay ahead.
No, what impressed me most about watching the Jays take defence, under the tutelage of the tireless Brian Butterfield, was that it sure seemed to me that the country club days of the Godfrey/Ricciardi era are now over. Over the last few years – and quite frankly they all started to blend together so I can’t give y’all an exact number – I would walk into the broadcast booth on the 400 level and look down onto a field with any number of children getting pitched to by their fathers. I’ve been around the ballpark in some capacity since 1977 and I always thought that the time before regular b.p. was for early b.p. when players needing to work on something got in their extra hacks. Apparently that was not so important with the team spinning its’ wheels over the past eight seasons.
Thankfully, the attention to detail that now envelopes this team should get even you fringe fans excited about what could be coming over the next few seasons. The Blue Jays have gone back to adopting a franchise philosophy that will be followed from the lowest rung in the minors all the way up to Toronto. It’s the same plan that has kept the Twins in the playoff hunt in five of the past eight years. Players are brought through the minors taught to play a certain way, and rarely arrive before they are "Major League Ready." That way they don’t waste a lot of time in utility roles hoping for their chance. It’s why Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have been productive, full-time players for over five years. They were taught to play the 2010 World Cup Jerseys game right and the learning curve at the game’s top level wasn’t very steep.
2010年5月11日星期二
• False witness
The World Cup Soccer Jersey Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series in 28 years and I was there to witness it at Citizen's Bank Ballpark.
No TVs. No radio. No view of the field. We were placed up against a wall in a long narrow hallway behind home plate. I may as well have been in a parking garage in downtown Philadelphia.
I simply had no idea what was unfolding on the field.
As a result, we had to use the noise from the crowd to figure out what was happening. It was like listening to a baseball game on radio - without the play-by-play guy.
"That sounded like a called strike."
"People are too quiet. The Rays got a hit. But they're not too quiet...so it's probably a single."
"That's a two-out ovation from the crowd for sure."
Fortunately, the stadium shaking above us and the sound of exploding fireworks gave us our first real hint that the Phillies might have won the World Series.
Okay, I have to admit I'm kind of stretching the truth. I didn't really see the Phillies win the World Series last night.
While Brad Lidge was punching out Eric Hinske to cement their first championship since 1980, I was stuck in a hallway underneath the stadium. I never saw a single play from the 9th inning.
In order to be one of the first people on the field, I had to agree to be placed in a Major League Baseball media holding zone at the end of the 8th inning. In hindsight, it's like agreeing to stay in Guantanamo Bay while the rest of your friends are at Club Med.
Within 60 seconds of the Phillies winning, we were allowed onto the field and into the commotion so we could get one-on-one interviews.
Lidge: "Well, I wouldn't say it was terrific. I gave up two hits and hit a batter."
Me: "Seriously?"
Fortunately, I spotted Cole Hamels and was able to coax him into an exclusive interview. Being the Ottawa Senators beat guy doesn't open a lot of doors in the Phillies world, but Hamels was on such an adrenaline rush from winning the World Series that he agreed to the interview as if we had known each other for years.
I got to him so quickly after the game that he hadn't even been notified that he was named World Series MVP. I certainly didn't have that information to pass along to him. I was so out of the loop having emerged from my media dungeon that I would have believed it if someone told me the Phillie Phanatic had been named World Series MVP.
After getting another one-on-one interview with Matt Stairs (which I believe was mandated by the CRTC in order to broadcast the World Series in Canada), I headed over to the third base line to be a live guest with Sean McCormick and Martine Gaillard on the late edition of Connected.
As I was setting up for the interview, I saw an object being thrown right at me from the stands. It's amazing how quickly your brain processes information.
"I'm in Philadelphia and someone is throwing an object at me. It's probably a battery."
I ducked my head out of the way at the last second and avoided being hit with...a piece of bread.
(Fortunately it was a fresh hot dog roll that came my way. If it was a day-old bun, it could have done some serious damage.)
I composed myself from the near-death-by-bun experience to conduct the Q & A with Sean and Martine. At this point, I was freezing cold from being outside in sub-zero temperatures for more than an hour. I was 15 minutes away from developing that Tom Coughlin Face from the NFC Championship Game in Green Bay.
I needed to find someplace warm. I was actually hoping some cars would be set on fire outside to warm things up.
As we headed out of the parking lot after our work was finished, we pretended to be Phillies fans so that we wouldn't get harrassed by the mobs of people running the streets. Occasionally yelling "We finally did it!" or "Utley is a God!" saved us from facing the wrath of the drunken fans. We honked our car horns and just tried to fit in as best as we could as we made it back to our hotel. The mob will never swallow you up if they think you are one of them. (Please shoot me if I ever have to cover a Leafs Stanley Cup victory.)
And oh yeah - for the record, I finally witnessed the final out of the World Series on ESPN at 1:07am in my hotel room.
The person I wanted to avoid was Brad Lidge, even though he capped off a perfect season by converting all 48 save opportunities. I had no idea how he closed out Game 5. The interview could have gone terribly wrong:
Me: "Brad, a terrific job out there. Tell us what it was like in the ninth inning?"
No TVs. No radio. No view of the field. We were placed up against a wall in a long narrow hallway behind home plate. I may as well have been in a parking garage in downtown Philadelphia.
I simply had no idea what was unfolding on the field.
As a result, we had to use the noise from the crowd to figure out what was happening. It was like listening to a baseball game on radio - without the play-by-play guy.
"That sounded like a called strike."
"People are too quiet. The Rays got a hit. But they're not too quiet...so it's probably a single."
"That's a two-out ovation from the crowd for sure."
Fortunately, the stadium shaking above us and the sound of exploding fireworks gave us our first real hint that the Phillies might have won the World Series.
Okay, I have to admit I'm kind of stretching the truth. I didn't really see the Phillies win the World Series last night.
While Brad Lidge was punching out Eric Hinske to cement their first championship since 1980, I was stuck in a hallway underneath the stadium. I never saw a single play from the 9th inning.
In order to be one of the first people on the field, I had to agree to be placed in a Major League Baseball media holding zone at the end of the 8th inning. In hindsight, it's like agreeing to stay in Guantanamo Bay while the rest of your friends are at Club Med.
Within 60 seconds of the Phillies winning, we were allowed onto the field and into the commotion so we could get one-on-one interviews.
Lidge: "Well, I wouldn't say it was terrific. I gave up two hits and hit a batter."
Me: "Seriously?"
Fortunately, I spotted Cole Hamels and was able to coax him into an exclusive interview. Being the Ottawa Senators beat guy doesn't open a lot of doors in the Phillies world, but Hamels was on such an adrenaline rush from winning the World Series that he agreed to the interview as if we had known each other for years.
I got to him so quickly after the game that he hadn't even been notified that he was named World Series MVP. I certainly didn't have that information to pass along to him. I was so out of the loop having emerged from my media dungeon that I would have believed it if someone told me the Phillie Phanatic had been named World Series MVP.
After getting another one-on-one interview with Matt Stairs (which I believe was mandated by the CRTC in order to broadcast the World Series in Canada), I headed over to the third base line to be a live guest with Sean McCormick and Martine Gaillard on the late edition of Connected.
As I was setting up for the interview, I saw an object being thrown right at me from the stands. It's amazing how quickly your brain processes information.
"I'm in Philadelphia and someone is throwing an object at me. It's probably a battery."
I ducked my head out of the way at the last second and avoided being hit with...a piece of bread.
(Fortunately it was a fresh hot dog roll that came my way. If it was a day-old bun, it could have done some serious damage.)
I composed myself from the near-death-by-bun experience to conduct the Q & A with Sean and Martine. At this point, I was freezing cold from being outside in sub-zero temperatures for more than an hour. I was 15 minutes away from developing that Tom Coughlin Face from the NFC Championship Game in Green Bay.
I needed to find someplace warm. I was actually hoping some cars would be set on fire outside to warm things up.
As we headed out of the parking lot after our work was finished, we pretended to be Phillies fans so that we wouldn't get harrassed by the mobs of people running the streets. Occasionally yelling "We finally did it!" or "Utley is a God!" saved us from facing the wrath of the drunken fans. We honked our car horns and just tried to fit in as best as we could as we made it back to our hotel. The mob will never swallow you up if they think you are one of them. (Please shoot me if I ever have to cover a Leafs Stanley Cup victory.)
And oh yeah - for the record, I finally witnessed the final out of the World Series on ESPN at 1:07am in my hotel room.
The person I wanted to avoid was Brad Lidge, even though he capped off a perfect season by converting all 48 save opportunities. I had no idea how he closed out Game 5. The interview could have gone terribly wrong:
Me: "Brad, a terrific job out there. Tell us what it was like in the ninth inning?"
2010年5月10日星期一
Everything you ought to know about Bodybuilding
To start with the 2010 World Cup Jerseys process of bodybuilding first you must chalk out a plan for the same and be determined on the goals you would like to achieve which might be taking part in the sport itself, modeling or simply for flaunting it to others. The immediate next step would be to consult your physician who is an expert on this subject. In certain cases if you have a medical history of diseases like diabetes, asthma or heart disease involving yourself into bodybuilding process may prove to be fatal. Consulting a doctor is good for chalking out your workout as well as diet plan on the basis of your body type. When you start your workout sessions you must not lose focus or concentration else you might end up getting injured or meet with an accident.
The normal recommended food types in your diet are fiber-rich food, proteins, carbohydrates and foods rich in amino acids. Consumption of at least 10-12 glasses of water daily is necessary. Water can be taken before, in between or after the workout sessions. Rigorous workouts cause dehydration so it is essential to consume water in regular intervals. Another essential thing while going through these rigorous workouts is you must not be disturbed or tensed by any other emotions or thoughts that might lead you to lose your focus. If your mind is not focused you rather skip your workout for the day. You must always remember to warm up before starting the hard routines. Warm up can consist of some slight stretching exercises. Each muscle groups needs some sort of working up to do before you start your weight lifting session. A cardio workout using a treadmill or an exercise bike may prove fruitful. Carefully following these tips while trying to build your body will lead you to attain your goal with ease.
If you intend to become a bodybuilder you need to take your entire body into consideration. You must not only concentrate on your arms and chest but also on the entire body workout that gives you the complete sense of achievement. Normally thin and skinny people cannot just directly start off building their body muscles. They need to gain weight initially in order to go about getting the perfect build. However, gaining weight does not involve gaining fats but it involves the gain of muscle mass. In order for this to occur you can always rely on protein bars and drinks. Alcohol and cigarettes should be completely prohibited and junk food must be kept at a safe distance from your daily intake. Adding on too many pounds too quickly is also not healthy. You must take a diet chart from your weight trainer according to your specific body type.
Bodybuilding as the name suggests is the sculpting and modification of your body shape with a lot of physical exercise and well balanced diet such that it shows off every muscle in the body. It keeps you in perfect shape and health. It is also a sport. Bodybuilders are judged on the way their bodies are presented with the bodybuilding essentials. This requires enormous training and dedication and is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires extreme will power to modify your body shape into a perfect mould. Since results are not guaranteed one must not lose hope because it takes a lot of perseverance, patience and consistency.
Bodybuilding as the name suggests is the sculpting and modification of your body shape with a lot of physical exercise and well balanced diet such that it shows off every muscle in the body. It keeps you in perfect shape and health. It is also a sport. Bodybuilders are judged on the way their bodies are presented with the bodybuilding essentials. This requires enormous training and dedication and is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires extreme will power to modify your body shape into a perfect mould. Since results are not guaranteed one must not lose hope because it takes a lot of perseverance, patience and consistency.
The normal recommended food types in your diet are fiber-rich food, proteins, carbohydrates and foods rich in amino acids. Consumption of at least 10-12 glasses of water daily is necessary. Water can be taken before, in between or after the workout sessions. Rigorous workouts cause dehydration so it is essential to consume water in regular intervals. Another essential thing while going through these rigorous workouts is you must not be disturbed or tensed by any other emotions or thoughts that might lead you to lose your focus. If your mind is not focused you rather skip your workout for the day. You must always remember to warm up before starting the hard routines. Warm up can consist of some slight stretching exercises. Each muscle groups needs some sort of working up to do before you start your weight lifting session. A cardio workout using a treadmill or an exercise bike may prove fruitful. Carefully following these tips while trying to build your body will lead you to attain your goal with ease.
If you intend to become a bodybuilder you need to take your entire body into consideration. You must not only concentrate on your arms and chest but also on the entire body workout that gives you the complete sense of achievement. Normally thin and skinny people cannot just directly start off building their body muscles. They need to gain weight initially in order to go about getting the perfect build. However, gaining weight does not involve gaining fats but it involves the gain of muscle mass. In order for this to occur you can always rely on protein bars and drinks. Alcohol and cigarettes should be completely prohibited and junk food must be kept at a safe distance from your daily intake. Adding on too many pounds too quickly is also not healthy. You must take a diet chart from your weight trainer according to your specific body type.
Bodybuilding as the name suggests is the sculpting and modification of your body shape with a lot of physical exercise and well balanced diet such that it shows off every muscle in the body. It keeps you in perfect shape and health. It is also a sport. Bodybuilders are judged on the way their bodies are presented with the bodybuilding essentials. This requires enormous training and dedication and is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires extreme will power to modify your body shape into a perfect mould. Since results are not guaranteed one must not lose hope because it takes a lot of perseverance, patience and consistency.
Bodybuilding as the name suggests is the sculpting and modification of your body shape with a lot of physical exercise and well balanced diet such that it shows off every muscle in the body. It keeps you in perfect shape and health. It is also a sport. Bodybuilders are judged on the way their bodies are presented with the bodybuilding essentials. This requires enormous training and dedication and is not something that can be achieved overnight. It requires extreme will power to modify your body shape into a perfect mould. Since results are not guaranteed one must not lose hope because it takes a lot of perseverance, patience and consistency.
2010年5月9日星期日
Replay review gives grand slam, Nats beat Mets
before giving it over to the NHL jerseys bullpen, which surrendered a two-run homer by Mike Jacobs in the eighth before finishing it up.
Matt Capps worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save, allowing the Nationals (3-3) to reach .500 for the first time since April 5, 2008. They took two of three from the Mets to win their first series at year-old Citi Field.
Hernandez was considered a long shot to make the team after arriving at Nationals camp in February, and the portly pitcher worked hard to get into shape. He allowed only two earned runs in eight innings in two spring starts, helping him earn the last spot in the rotation.
Washington made his season-debut an easy one with a dramatic first inning.
Santana had loaded the bases with a leadoff triple by Nyjer Morgan and walks to Willy Taveras and Adam Dunn, before Willingham drove a 2-1 pitch deep.
The ball caromed off the wall into center and the relay throw eventually got to Barajas, who was plowed over by Dunn trying to score. The ball squirted free and Santana, backing up the play, tossed it back to the catcher just before he was run over again by Willingham. This time, Barajas managed to hold onto the ball for the out.
Not that any of it mattered.
NEW YORK (AP) - Josh Willingham wound up with a grand slam off Johan Santana after a wild sequence in the first inning capped by an instant replay review, and the Washington Nationals went on to beat the New York Mets 5-2 on Sunday.
Willingham's bases-loaded drive hit the wall in left-center and was initially ruled in play. He tried to stretch his triple when the ball got away from catcher Rod Barajas and was tagged out, leaving both players sprawled across home plate.
After checking the replay, the umpires ruled a home run.
Willingham followed his fifth career grand slam with an RBI double in the third inning, helping the Nationals beat Santana (1-1) for the first time since June 9, 2007.
Livan Hernandez (1-0) pitched a gem against his former team, scattering five hits and three walks over seven innings. He needed only 88 pitches
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman immediately argued the play should have been a grand slam, and the umpires conferred for a moment before heading to the replay booth.
The top of the outfield wall at spacious Citi Field is about twice as high in left field as in center. The orange line painted along the top to signify a home run is vertical where the two sections meet, causing some confusion about whether the long drive was in play.
Replays showed it hit just to the right of the vertical line and over the horizontal line, and crew chief Derryl Cousins quickly emerged to rule it was a home run.
NOTES: The benches and bullpens cleared in the ninth inning when Mets reliever Francisco Rodriguez hit Willie Harris with a pitch. Both teams were warned but no punches were thrown, and order was quickly restored. ... Washington 3B Ryan Zimmerman missed the game with a tight left hamstring. He is also expected to miss Monday's game at Philadelphia.
Major League Baseball began using replay in August 2008, following the NFL, NBA, NHL, some NCAA competitions and Grand Slam tennis. Replay can only be used on home runs involving boundary calls, such as whether a ball was fair or foul, or whether it cleared the outfield wall.
Matt Capps worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save, allowing the Nationals (3-3) to reach .500 for the first time since April 5, 2008. They took two of three from the Mets to win their first series at year-old Citi Field.
Hernandez was considered a long shot to make the team after arriving at Nationals camp in February, and the portly pitcher worked hard to get into shape. He allowed only two earned runs in eight innings in two spring starts, helping him earn the last spot in the rotation.
Washington made his season-debut an easy one with a dramatic first inning.
Santana had loaded the bases with a leadoff triple by Nyjer Morgan and walks to Willy Taveras and Adam Dunn, before Willingham drove a 2-1 pitch deep.
The ball caromed off the wall into center and the relay throw eventually got to Barajas, who was plowed over by Dunn trying to score. The ball squirted free and Santana, backing up the play, tossed it back to the catcher just before he was run over again by Willingham. This time, Barajas managed to hold onto the ball for the out.
Not that any of it mattered.
NEW YORK (AP) - Josh Willingham wound up with a grand slam off Johan Santana after a wild sequence in the first inning capped by an instant replay review, and the Washington Nationals went on to beat the New York Mets 5-2 on Sunday.
Willingham's bases-loaded drive hit the wall in left-center and was initially ruled in play. He tried to stretch his triple when the ball got away from catcher Rod Barajas and was tagged out, leaving both players sprawled across home plate.
After checking the replay, the umpires ruled a home run.
Willingham followed his fifth career grand slam with an RBI double in the third inning, helping the Nationals beat Santana (1-1) for the first time since June 9, 2007.
Livan Hernandez (1-0) pitched a gem against his former team, scattering five hits and three walks over seven innings. He needed only 88 pitches
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman immediately argued the play should have been a grand slam, and the umpires conferred for a moment before heading to the replay booth.
The top of the outfield wall at spacious Citi Field is about twice as high in left field as in center. The orange line painted along the top to signify a home run is vertical where the two sections meet, causing some confusion about whether the long drive was in play.
Replays showed it hit just to the right of the vertical line and over the horizontal line, and crew chief Derryl Cousins quickly emerged to rule it was a home run.
NOTES: The benches and bullpens cleared in the ninth inning when Mets reliever Francisco Rodriguez hit Willie Harris with a pitch. Both teams were warned but no punches were thrown, and order was quickly restored. ... Washington 3B Ryan Zimmerman missed the game with a tight left hamstring. He is also expected to miss Monday's game at Philadelphia.
Major League Baseball began using replay in August 2008, following the NFL, NBA, NHL, some NCAA competitions and Grand Slam tennis. Replay can only be used on home runs involving boundary calls, such as whether a ball was fair or foul, or whether it cleared the outfield wall.
2010年5月8日星期六
Sacco, Tippett, Trotz finalists as NHL's top coach
Sacco went 43-30-9 in his World Cup Soccer Jersey first year behind the bench and helped the Avalanche reach the postseason one year after they finished last in the Western Conference. Since the current playoff format was established for the 2000-01 season, the Avalanche are the first to go from the worst in the West to the playoffs.
Tippett had an impressive run, too, after taking over the Coyotes less than a week before the regular season. Despite organizational turmoil after the team went into bankruptcy, Tippett led the club to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Phoenix (50-27-5) set franchise records for wins and points in a season, along with home wins (29). The Coyotes' 28-point increase over last season was the highest in the league _ two points better than Colorado's jump.
Nashville (47-29-6) reached the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons under Trotz, the only coach in team history. The Predators went 14-6-1 after the Olympic break, the fourth-best mark in the NHL. Trotz became the sixth coach to reach 900 games with one team _ joining Adams, who did it with Detroit.
NEW YORK (AP) - Rookie Joe Sacco, who led the Colorado Avalanche on a surprising run to the playoffs, along with Phoenix's Dave Tippett and Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators, were selected as finalists Wednesday for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year.
All three of this year's finalists were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Voting was completed at the end of the regular season.
The Jack Adams Award is voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association. The winner will be announced as part of the league's awards ceremony on June 23 in Las Vegas.
Celtics eliminate Heat in Game 5, on to Round 2
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Celtics have a few days off to prepare for the second round of the NBA playoffs and a matchup with LeBron James.
Dwyane Wade has all summer to recruit him.
Conference semifinal series that will open Saturday in Cleveland.
"I think it's a great matchup. It's great for basketball _ such a classic series," said Paul Pierce, who scored 21 points on Tuesday. "They're the team to beat right now. They showed it through the course of the season the way they played. We know this is going to be a tough series, another really, really tough series."
Wade scored 31 points, far short of the franchise postseason-record 46 he had Sunday in Miami to help the Heat stave off elimination in Game 4. Now that the Heat are done, he can become a free agent _ the No. 2 prize in one of the hottest offseason markets in memory.
"I can't predict the future," Wade said, his mood somber but his outfit resplendent. "It's going to be a very important summer. It's going to be a busy summer. But right now I've still got to get this out of my system first. I'm a good sportsman, but I don't take losing well."
Rajon Rondo scored 16 points, adding 12 assists and eight rebounds as Boston opened a 21-point lead and then held on after Miami cut the deficit to 73-70 with 10:14 to play. Allen drove and drew a foul and goaltending call on Joel Anthony to make it six points, then hit a 3-pointer 90 seconds later to extend the lead to eight.
Kevin Garnett made a pair of outside shots and Pierce made one from inside to make it a 12-point game with 6 minutes left. With 1:18 remaining and Boston leading by 10, the scoreboard showed the disco-dancing "Gino" video the Celtics has been using to celebrate victories since the championship run in '08.
"It's never too early to play 'Gino' in this building," Garnett said.
The Cavaliers beat Chicago 96-94 later Tuesday to clinch their first-round series in five games. But even before it was over, the Celtics were already thinking about James.
"We just have to come out with a defensive mindset, keep LeBron from getting on fire," center Kendrick Perkins said in the on-court, postgame scoreboard interview while the Cavaliers and Bulls were early in the third quarter.
The Celtics hooked up with James and the Cavaliers for seven games in the conference semis in 2008 on the way to Boston's unprecedented 17th NBA championship. But Cleveland has since surpassed Boston in the standings and earned the home-court advantage through the NBA finals.
Asked directly if the Celtics can beat Cleveland _ the Cavs and Bulls were tied in the fourth quarter at the time _ Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, "Well, I'll let you know."
The Celtics led by as many as 21 points in the third before Miami scored 16 of the next 18 points to make it 69-62. Wade scored 13 in what turned into a 24-6 run that cut the deficit to 73-70 on his three-point play with 10:14 left in the game.
Wade scored 20 in the second half in all; he also finished with 10 assists and eight rebounds. But he was just 10-for-24 shooting and 2 for 7 from 3-point range in the game. He missed all three of his 3-point tries in the fourth quarter as the Heat tried to eat away at the remainder of the Celtics' big lead.
Wade, who averaged 33.2 points in the series, can now join James on the free agent market, with the possibility that the two could wind up together in Miami next year or another team that would be an instant title contender.
"This will be my last first-round exit for a while, I can tell you that," Wade said. "I'm looking forward to continuing to build, and being with some great players next year, continuing to beef up our roster.
"I think I put myself in a great situation three years ago, to sign this deal, to make sure my team stayed competitive. We've got some work to do, the front office has (work) to do. You just have to see things being done, being accomplished. If we see that," he told a Miami-area reporter, "we'll be talking again."
It was the second straight night a Boston team clinched a playoff series at the TD Garden. On Monday, the Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6 to advance to the NHL's Eastern Conference semifinals and a matchup with either the Montreal Canadiens or Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Celtics made four 3-pointers in the first 4:37 of the third quarter and took a 67-46 lead with 7 minutes left. But Mario Chalmers hit back-to-back 3 pointers and Wade followed soon after with a pair of free throws and a pair of 3-pointers to make it 69-62 with 2:18 left in the third.
Miami cut it to three before Allen drove and drew a foul and goaltending call on Joel Anthony.
NOTES: Pierce passed Dennis Johnson for ninth on the Celtics career playoff scoring list. ... It was Wade's 63rd straight postseason game with double digits in scoring. ... Chalmers, who scored 20, outscored the entire Celtics bench (13 points). ... Allen had seven 3-pointers in Game 2. ... Rivers had never won a playoff series in as few as five games.
Eds: Celtics 96, Heat 86. Optional; SUBS 7th graf to CORRECT Rondo's stats.
Ray Allen scored 24 points, making five 3-pointers in the second half to help Boston beat Miami 96-86 on Tuesday night and eliminate the Heat in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics will play James and the Cavaliers in a seven-game Eastern
Tippett had an impressive run, too, after taking over the Coyotes less than a week before the regular season. Despite organizational turmoil after the team went into bankruptcy, Tippett led the club to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Phoenix (50-27-5) set franchise records for wins and points in a season, along with home wins (29). The Coyotes' 28-point increase over last season was the highest in the league _ two points better than Colorado's jump.
Nashville (47-29-6) reached the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons under Trotz, the only coach in team history. The Predators went 14-6-1 after the Olympic break, the fourth-best mark in the NHL. Trotz became the sixth coach to reach 900 games with one team _ joining Adams, who did it with Detroit.
NEW YORK (AP) - Rookie Joe Sacco, who led the Colorado Avalanche on a surprising run to the playoffs, along with Phoenix's Dave Tippett and Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators, were selected as finalists Wednesday for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year.
All three of this year's finalists were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Voting was completed at the end of the regular season.
The Jack Adams Award is voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association. The winner will be announced as part of the league's awards ceremony on June 23 in Las Vegas.
Celtics eliminate Heat in Game 5, on to Round 2
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Celtics have a few days off to prepare for the second round of the NBA playoffs and a matchup with LeBron James.
Dwyane Wade has all summer to recruit him.
Conference semifinal series that will open Saturday in Cleveland.
"I think it's a great matchup. It's great for basketball _ such a classic series," said Paul Pierce, who scored 21 points on Tuesday. "They're the team to beat right now. They showed it through the course of the season the way they played. We know this is going to be a tough series, another really, really tough series."
Wade scored 31 points, far short of the franchise postseason-record 46 he had Sunday in Miami to help the Heat stave off elimination in Game 4. Now that the Heat are done, he can become a free agent _ the No. 2 prize in one of the hottest offseason markets in memory.
"I can't predict the future," Wade said, his mood somber but his outfit resplendent. "It's going to be a very important summer. It's going to be a busy summer. But right now I've still got to get this out of my system first. I'm a good sportsman, but I don't take losing well."
Rajon Rondo scored 16 points, adding 12 assists and eight rebounds as Boston opened a 21-point lead and then held on after Miami cut the deficit to 73-70 with 10:14 to play. Allen drove and drew a foul and goaltending call on Joel Anthony to make it six points, then hit a 3-pointer 90 seconds later to extend the lead to eight.
Kevin Garnett made a pair of outside shots and Pierce made one from inside to make it a 12-point game with 6 minutes left. With 1:18 remaining and Boston leading by 10, the scoreboard showed the disco-dancing "Gino" video the Celtics has been using to celebrate victories since the championship run in '08.
"It's never too early to play 'Gino' in this building," Garnett said.
The Cavaliers beat Chicago 96-94 later Tuesday to clinch their first-round series in five games. But even before it was over, the Celtics were already thinking about James.
"We just have to come out with a defensive mindset, keep LeBron from getting on fire," center Kendrick Perkins said in the on-court, postgame scoreboard interview while the Cavaliers and Bulls were early in the third quarter.
The Celtics hooked up with James and the Cavaliers for seven games in the conference semis in 2008 on the way to Boston's unprecedented 17th NBA championship. But Cleveland has since surpassed Boston in the standings and earned the home-court advantage through the NBA finals.
Asked directly if the Celtics can beat Cleveland _ the Cavs and Bulls were tied in the fourth quarter at the time _ Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, "Well, I'll let you know."
The Celtics led by as many as 21 points in the third before Miami scored 16 of the next 18 points to make it 69-62. Wade scored 13 in what turned into a 24-6 run that cut the deficit to 73-70 on his three-point play with 10:14 left in the game.
Wade scored 20 in the second half in all; he also finished with 10 assists and eight rebounds. But he was just 10-for-24 shooting and 2 for 7 from 3-point range in the game. He missed all three of his 3-point tries in the fourth quarter as the Heat tried to eat away at the remainder of the Celtics' big lead.
Wade, who averaged 33.2 points in the series, can now join James on the free agent market, with the possibility that the two could wind up together in Miami next year or another team that would be an instant title contender.
"This will be my last first-round exit for a while, I can tell you that," Wade said. "I'm looking forward to continuing to build, and being with some great players next year, continuing to beef up our roster.
"I think I put myself in a great situation three years ago, to sign this deal, to make sure my team stayed competitive. We've got some work to do, the front office has (work) to do. You just have to see things being done, being accomplished. If we see that," he told a Miami-area reporter, "we'll be talking again."
It was the second straight night a Boston team clinched a playoff series at the TD Garden. On Monday, the Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6 to advance to the NHL's Eastern Conference semifinals and a matchup with either the Montreal Canadiens or Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Celtics made four 3-pointers in the first 4:37 of the third quarter and took a 67-46 lead with 7 minutes left. But Mario Chalmers hit back-to-back 3 pointers and Wade followed soon after with a pair of free throws and a pair of 3-pointers to make it 69-62 with 2:18 left in the third.
Miami cut it to three before Allen drove and drew a foul and goaltending call on Joel Anthony.
NOTES: Pierce passed Dennis Johnson for ninth on the Celtics career playoff scoring list. ... It was Wade's 63rd straight postseason game with double digits in scoring. ... Chalmers, who scored 20, outscored the entire Celtics bench (13 points). ... Allen had seven 3-pointers in Game 2. ... Rivers had never won a playoff series in as few as five games.
Eds: Celtics 96, Heat 86. Optional; SUBS 7th graf to CORRECT Rondo's stats.
Ray Allen scored 24 points, making five 3-pointers in the second half to help Boston beat Miami 96-86 on Tuesday night and eliminate the Heat in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The Celtics will play James and the Cavaliers in a seven-game Eastern
2010年5月7日星期五
Selanne scores 600th NHL goal
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Teemu Selanne became the 18th player in NHL history to score 600 goals, reaching the milestone Sunday night in the Anaheim Ducks' 5-2 victory over the soccer jerseys Colorado Avalanche.
The only other European-born players in the 600-goal club are Finnish countryman Jari Kurri (601) and the Czech Republic's Jaromir Jagr (646).
The 39-year-old Selanne is the fourth player to reach the milestone in the last four seasons, along with Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, and Joe Sakic.
Selanne connected 34 seconds into the second period on his fifth shot of the game, scoring into a wide-open net during a power play with goalie Craig Anderson out of position after a furious scramble in front of the crease.
"I guess that was the easiest I've had in a while," Selanne said. "I've had a lot of chances the last three games, but nothing went in. Then you get one of those. It's amazing the way my teammates have been feeding me the puck. I think they wanted this more than I did. Obviously, it's a great feeling, and I don't have to think about it anymore."
Anderson became the 133rd goalie that Selanne has scored against in the regular season. Selanne's first NHL goal came against San Jose's Jeff Hackett on Oct. 8, 1992.
"I remember that like it was yesterday _ Cow Palace against the Sharks," Selanne said. "There have been a lot of goals between one and 600. Time is flying. It's unbelievable how fast it goes. If somebody would have told me at that time that that I was going to score 600 goals in this league, I would call the doctor."
Selanne assisted on a power-play goal win by Ryan Getzlaf, the 648th assist of Selanne's career and the second-lowest total among players who have scored 600 goals. Bobby Hull had 560 assists _ but son Brett finished his career with just two more than Selanne has now.
Selanne also was on the winning side when he scored his 100th, 200th, 300th and 400th NHL goals. But the Ducks lost 3-2 at Colorado in a shootout when he got his 500th goal on Nov. 22, 2006.
Selanne holds the Ducks' record with 373 goals, most of them with Paul Kariya as his linemate. His latest milestone came just three days after Kariya got his 400th goal.
"I texted him after that game and told him: `Maybe I'll get my 600th soon, too,'" Selanne said. "Numbers-wise, I had my best years here with Paul and we helped each other so much. Not very often can you find the same chemistry that we had. It was amazing, and they were great memories."
Selanne burst upon the NHL landscape with the Winnipeg Jets _ now the Phoenix Coyotes _ after being taken with the 10th overall pick in the 1988 draft. Selanne finished his rookie season with 76 goals, tying Alexander Mogilny for the league lead.
In addition to shattering Mike Bossy's previous rookie record of 53 goals, Selanne had 110 points to break Peter Stastny's rookie record and run away with the Calder Trophy. The 10-time All-Star was the recipient of the first two Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophies as the NHL's top goal scorer in 1997-98 (52) and 1998-99 (47) and won his first Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007.
Selanne has 21 goals this season, which probably will be his final one in the NHL. He missed 17 games because of a broken hand, another seven with a fractured jaw, and one more because of flulike symptoms. Last season, he sat out the first half of the schedule while contemplating retirement.
Selanne, Luc Robitaille and Mario Lemieux are the only players ever to score 600 goals after winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. Robitaille also reached the milestone at Anaheim, on Nov. 9, 2001, while playing for Detroit.
The only other European-born players in the 600-goal club are Finnish countryman Jari Kurri (601) and the Czech Republic's Jaromir Jagr (646).
The 39-year-old Selanne is the fourth player to reach the milestone in the last four seasons, along with Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, and Joe Sakic.
Selanne connected 34 seconds into the second period on his fifth shot of the game, scoring into a wide-open net during a power play with goalie Craig Anderson out of position after a furious scramble in front of the crease.
"I guess that was the easiest I've had in a while," Selanne said. "I've had a lot of chances the last three games, but nothing went in. Then you get one of those. It's amazing the way my teammates have been feeding me the puck. I think they wanted this more than I did. Obviously, it's a great feeling, and I don't have to think about it anymore."
Anderson became the 133rd goalie that Selanne has scored against in the regular season. Selanne's first NHL goal came against San Jose's Jeff Hackett on Oct. 8, 1992.
"I remember that like it was yesterday _ Cow Palace against the Sharks," Selanne said. "There have been a lot of goals between one and 600. Time is flying. It's unbelievable how fast it goes. If somebody would have told me at that time that that I was going to score 600 goals in this league, I would call the doctor."
Selanne assisted on a power-play goal win by Ryan Getzlaf, the 648th assist of Selanne's career and the second-lowest total among players who have scored 600 goals. Bobby Hull had 560 assists _ but son Brett finished his career with just two more than Selanne has now.
Selanne also was on the winning side when he scored his 100th, 200th, 300th and 400th NHL goals. But the Ducks lost 3-2 at Colorado in a shootout when he got his 500th goal on Nov. 22, 2006.
Selanne holds the Ducks' record with 373 goals, most of them with Paul Kariya as his linemate. His latest milestone came just three days after Kariya got his 400th goal.
"I texted him after that game and told him: `Maybe I'll get my 600th soon, too,'" Selanne said. "Numbers-wise, I had my best years here with Paul and we helped each other so much. Not very often can you find the same chemistry that we had. It was amazing, and they were great memories."
Selanne burst upon the NHL landscape with the Winnipeg Jets _ now the Phoenix Coyotes _ after being taken with the 10th overall pick in the 1988 draft. Selanne finished his rookie season with 76 goals, tying Alexander Mogilny for the league lead.
In addition to shattering Mike Bossy's previous rookie record of 53 goals, Selanne had 110 points to break Peter Stastny's rookie record and run away with the Calder Trophy. The 10-time All-Star was the recipient of the first two Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophies as the NHL's top goal scorer in 1997-98 (52) and 1998-99 (47) and won his first Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007.
Selanne has 21 goals this season, which probably will be his final one in the NHL. He missed 17 games because of a broken hand, another seven with a fractured jaw, and one more because of flulike symptoms. Last season, he sat out the first half of the schedule while contemplating retirement.
Selanne, Luc Robitaille and Mario Lemieux are the only players ever to score 600 goals after winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. Robitaille also reached the milestone at Anaheim, on Nov. 9, 2001, while playing for Detroit.
2010年5月5日星期三
Senators clinch playoff spot with shootout win
OTTAWA (AP) - Alex Kovalev and Jason Spezza scored in a shootout to cap Ottawa's dramatic 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night that ensured the Senators' return to the Stanley Cup playoffs. soccer jerseys
Erik Karlsson scored his second goal of the game with 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation to draw the Senators even at 3.
Spezza picked up his third assist of the game on the play, winning a faceoff in the Hurricanes' zone and drawing the puck back to Karlsson, whose drive from the point went in off Manny Legace's glove.
The tie through regulation assured Ottawa of at least one standings point, which clinched the playoff spot. Ottawa failed to qualify last season, ending a streak of 11 straight postseason appearances.
Brian Elliott made 28 saves, and Anton Volchenkov also scored for Ottawa, which won its sixth in a row. Peter Regin had two assists for the Senators, fifth in the Eastern Conference with 91 points.
Brandon Sutter scored his 21st goal 7:04 into the third to give Carolina a 3-2 lead. Sutter scored for the second game in a row when his centering pass caromed past Brian Elliott and into the net.
Jamie McBain and Chad LaRose scored in the second, and Legace made 32 saves for Carolina.
Volchenkov put Ottawa up 1-0 with 11.9 seconds left in the first. The Russian defenseman stepped up to the slot and one-timed Spezza's centering pass from behind the net past Legace for his fourth goal.
McBain scored his third goal 5:44 into the second to tie it at 1. LaRose put Carolina up 2-1 with his eighth goal at 15:30.
Karlsson drew Ottawa even at 2 when he scored his first goal of the game 1:49 into the third.
Bobby Butler made his NHL debut for Ottawa. Butler, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, signed with the Senators as an undrafted college free agent Monday, two days after concluding his NCAA career at New Hampshire.
NOTES: Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson ended an eight-game point streak in his 998th regular-season game. Alfredsson, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie-of-the-year in 1995-96, is Ottawa's career leader in games, goals (375), assists (614), and points (989). ... Butler had 29 goals and 53 points in 39 games for New Hampshire this season.
Erik Karlsson scored his second goal of the game with 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation to draw the Senators even at 3.
Spezza picked up his third assist of the game on the play, winning a faceoff in the Hurricanes' zone and drawing the puck back to Karlsson, whose drive from the point went in off Manny Legace's glove.
The tie through regulation assured Ottawa of at least one standings point, which clinched the playoff spot. Ottawa failed to qualify last season, ending a streak of 11 straight postseason appearances.
Brian Elliott made 28 saves, and Anton Volchenkov also scored for Ottawa, which won its sixth in a row. Peter Regin had two assists for the Senators, fifth in the Eastern Conference with 91 points.
Brandon Sutter scored his 21st goal 7:04 into the third to give Carolina a 3-2 lead. Sutter scored for the second game in a row when his centering pass caromed past Brian Elliott and into the net.
Jamie McBain and Chad LaRose scored in the second, and Legace made 32 saves for Carolina.
Volchenkov put Ottawa up 1-0 with 11.9 seconds left in the first. The Russian defenseman stepped up to the slot and one-timed Spezza's centering pass from behind the net past Legace for his fourth goal.
McBain scored his third goal 5:44 into the second to tie it at 1. LaRose put Carolina up 2-1 with his eighth goal at 15:30.
Karlsson drew Ottawa even at 2 when he scored his first goal of the game 1:49 into the third.
Bobby Butler made his NHL debut for Ottawa. Butler, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, signed with the Senators as an undrafted college free agent Monday, two days after concluding his NCAA career at New Hampshire.
NOTES: Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson ended an eight-game point streak in his 998th regular-season game. Alfredsson, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie-of-the-year in 1995-96, is Ottawa's career leader in games, goals (375), assists (614), and points (989). ... Butler had 29 goals and 53 points in 39 games for New Hampshire this season.
Costa Rica v Uruguay, San Jose
Rather than injuries or pre-match banter, the talking point in World Cup Jerseys this clash is the artificial surface in Saprissa which will apparently give the hosts a big advantage.
Costa Rica boss Rene Simoes commented, "It's a surface I don't like but my players are very used to it and that turns it into an advantage for us. With that, I see the tie much more levelled.''
Uruguay qualified in 2002 via the playoffs but failed in the same route in 2006 and boss Oscar Tabarez will be hoping for a repeat of the former.
Tabarez insists the pitch isn’t an issue, "The synthetic grass is nothing but one other issue for this duel. For us, the biggest concern is to reach the game in the best shape, have very clear what we plan to do in the field and how to stop the good things our rivals have.''
Costa Rica boss Rene Simoes commented, "It's a surface I don't like but my players are very used to it and that turns it into an advantage for us. With that, I see the tie much more levelled.''
Uruguay qualified in 2002 via the playoffs but failed in the same route in 2006 and boss Oscar Tabarez will be hoping for a repeat of the former.
Tabarez insists the pitch isn’t an issue, "The synthetic grass is nothing but one other issue for this duel. For us, the biggest concern is to reach the game in the best shape, have very clear what we plan to do in the field and how to stop the good things our rivals have.''
2010年5月4日星期二
Wenger Cools Down Edin Dzeko Talks
Saturday, December 5, 2009 -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has seemed to shy away from signing the Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko.
Arsenal have long been linked with the hugely rated Bosnian striker but it appears that manager Arsene Wenger is distancing himself from any potential bid for the player.
The Frenchman told during a press conference:
“I like the player. But they fly too high right now, price-wise.
“He [Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh] is not available, their [Bordeaux's] chairman says that.
"They are top of their group in the Champions League. Why should they soccer jerseys sell him now?"
Arsenal have long been linked with the hugely rated Bosnian striker but it appears that manager Arsene Wenger is distancing himself from any potential bid for the player.
The Frenchman told during a press conference:
“I like the player. But they fly too high right now, price-wise.
“He [Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh] is not available, their [Bordeaux's] chairman says that.
"They are top of their group in the Champions League. Why should they soccer jerseys sell him now?"
2010年5月2日星期日
Dossena Eager To Join Roma
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 -- Liverpool fullback Andrea Dossena would jump at the chance of joining Italian side AS Roma, according to latest reports.
The Italian fullback's agent, Federico Pastorello, has hinted that Dossena would be eager to listen to offers from the Serie A side.
He told Radio Kiss Kiss:
"He will be playing his 30th game for Liverpool against Fiorentina. If from now until January we see he is no longer required by the club then we will evaluate other scenarios.
"Roma? We are delighted Dossena is valued by a coach like Claudio Ranieri. We are not worried about the money, what's important is that NFL jerseys
he is physically well."
The Italian fullback's agent, Federico Pastorello, has hinted that Dossena would be eager to listen to offers from the Serie A side.
He told Radio Kiss Kiss:
"He will be playing his 30th game for Liverpool against Fiorentina. If from now until January we see he is no longer required by the club then we will evaluate other scenarios.
"Roma? We are delighted Dossena is valued by a coach like Claudio Ranieri. We are not worried about the money, what's important is that NFL jerseys
he is physically well."
Weekend Developments From Europe's Top Leagues
After another weekend of exciting football action here's the latest developments in the big title races (and those ugly relegation battles) around Europe.
SPANISH LA LIGA
Champions FC Barcelona extended MLB jerseys their lead this weekend when they triumphed 4-0 over FC Sevilla, while Real Madrid slipped up at the tricky San Mames, 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao.
An early headed goal from Fernando Llorente was the difference as a combination of bad luck and bad misses cost Madrid. Karim Benzema appeared out of form too.
Elsewhere, Valencia firmed in third spot after thumping ten-man Villarreal 4-1. The Yellow Submarine are now languishing in tenth. Meanwhile, in the basement battle, a 0-0 draw between Zaragoza and Xerez did little to help either side.
SPANISH LA LIGA
Champions FC Barcelona extended MLB jerseys their lead this weekend when they triumphed 4-0 over FC Sevilla, while Real Madrid slipped up at the tricky San Mames, 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao.
An early headed goal from Fernando Llorente was the difference as a combination of bad luck and bad misses cost Madrid. Karim Benzema appeared out of form too.
Elsewhere, Valencia firmed in third spot after thumping ten-man Villarreal 4-1. The Yellow Submarine are now languishing in tenth. Meanwhile, in the basement battle, a 0-0 draw between Zaragoza and Xerez did little to help either side.
2010年5月1日星期六
Tight security
The government also launched the biggest security operation in China since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing in preparation for the event.
As a result, not all Shanghai residents are celebrating the event, which brings additional traffic restrictions and security checks across the city.
"The traffic restrictions are not convenient for Shanghai residents but in the future, it will bring Shanghai many business opportunities," Xu Qing, a local resident, said.
An additional 8,000 police officers have been brought in to help Shanghai’s 46,000-strong police force to patrol the city, according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency.
An estimated 70 million people, mainly Chinese, are expected to tour the giant exhibition site, as Shanghai hopes to recreate the glamour of an event that was traditionally seen as one of the most prestigious international events before the rise of the Olympics.
Shanghai allocated $45 billion to upgrade the city's infrastructure, creating the world's longest metro system, two new airport terminals and a $700 million promenade on the historic Bund as well as new roads, parks and bridges.
"They have certain expectations of the international audience," Bo Zhiyue, a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute, said.
"They are trying to boost their international image by trying to doing what they think will meet the expectations of foreigners."
The first world fair was held in London's Hyde Park in 1851, in the landmark Crystal Palace which was later destroyed in a fire.
The 1889 Paris Expo saw the creation of another famous landmark as French structural engineer Gustave Eiffel presented his Eiffel Tower as a tribute to
developments in science and engineering.
For China's 1.3 billion people, powering an economy likely to soon overtake Japan as the world's second-largest, the outcome of soccer jerseys the Expo will be cast as another display of the Communist leadership's power and prestige.
As a result, not all Shanghai residents are celebrating the event, which brings additional traffic restrictions and security checks across the city.
"The traffic restrictions are not convenient for Shanghai residents but in the future, it will bring Shanghai many business opportunities," Xu Qing, a local resident, said.
An additional 8,000 police officers have been brought in to help Shanghai’s 46,000-strong police force to patrol the city, according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency.
An estimated 70 million people, mainly Chinese, are expected to tour the giant exhibition site, as Shanghai hopes to recreate the glamour of an event that was traditionally seen as one of the most prestigious international events before the rise of the Olympics.
Shanghai allocated $45 billion to upgrade the city's infrastructure, creating the world's longest metro system, two new airport terminals and a $700 million promenade on the historic Bund as well as new roads, parks and bridges.
"They have certain expectations of the international audience," Bo Zhiyue, a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute, said.
"They are trying to boost their international image by trying to doing what they think will meet the expectations of foreigners."
The first world fair was held in London's Hyde Park in 1851, in the landmark Crystal Palace which was later destroyed in a fire.
The 1889 Paris Expo saw the creation of another famous landmark as French structural engineer Gustave Eiffel presented his Eiffel Tower as a tribute to
developments in science and engineering.
For China's 1.3 billion people, powering an economy likely to soon overtake Japan as the world's second-largest, the outcome of soccer jerseys the Expo will be cast as another display of the Communist leadership's power and prestige.
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