2B
Quick Looks
Wednesday June 7,2000
BASEBALL 'Hawks shortstop, pitcher drafted
The California Angels selected Kansas junior pitcher Brandon O'Neal in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball draft Monday afternoon.
O' Neal:
this season. He becomes the highest Kansas player to be drafted since 1990.
"I'm kind of disappointed I didn't go higher," O'Neal said.
"But the draft is crazy. I've been waiting on this since I was seven years old, since I started playing baseball. It's still exciting." The right-handed O'Neal went 1-6 with a 5.13 ERA for the Jordyn waits
Kansas junior shortstop John Nelson was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 39th round of the major league draft.
Nelson, who led the Big 12 conference with 42 stolen bases, had a .308 batting average and 21 RBI this season.
—Brent Briggeman
Rocker gets demoted after berating reporter
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves sent reliever John Rocker to triple-A Richmond, just one day after he threatened the reporter who wrote the story about Rocker's bigoted views on foreigners, gays and minorities. The Braves also fined Rocker a reported $5,000.
Rocker, who has walked 25 batters in 18 1-3 innings, has 10 saves and a 3.93 ERA.
Major leagues draft promising players
NEW YORK — The Florida Marlins selected Adrian Gonzalez, a first baseman from Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, Calif., with the No. 1 pick in the draft.
The 6-foot2 Gonzalez hit, 645 with 13 home runs and 34 RBs this season, and is the first high school infielder to be selected No. 1 since Alex Rodriguez in 1993. Gonzalez agreed to a $3 million signing bonus — the third-highest for a high school
player — before the draft.
practice. Secure the draft.
Cal State Fullerton right-hander Adam Johnson was taken by Minnesota with the second pick.
Shortstop Luís Montanez from Coral Park High School in Miami was then selected by the Chicago Cubs, Mike Stodolka, a left-hander from Centennial High School in California, was taken by Kansas City with the fourth pick. Montreal then selected right-hander Justin Wayne from Stanford.
HOCKEY
New Jersey trunces Dallas in final period
DALLAS — The New Jersey Devils scored three goals in a third-period span of 3 minutes, 41 seconds to beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Devils lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.
The Stars were also fined $10,000 by the NHL for not showing up for media interviews Sunday.
BASKETBALL
Former assistant coach to sue Knight, university
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Indiana assistant basketball coach Ron Felling intends to sue Bob Knight and IU for more than $1 million stemming from the coach's alleged attack on the longtime assistant last December, his attorney said. Felling was fired in December, reportedly after a fight with Knight. He had been an assistant to Knight at Indiana for 15 years.
Prosecutors drop charges against Hornets forward
NEW YORK — An assault charge against Charlotte Hornets forward Anthony Mason was dropped, when prosecutors said they did not have enough evidence against him.
Mason was arrested in February after a scuffle outside Perks Bar in Harlem. He had been free since then on $1,000 bail on two counts of misdemeanor assault.
TENNIS
day in the French Open at Roland Garros.
Norman, Safin to meet in quarterfinal match
Norman, the top remaining seed in the men's singles, beat Andrei Medvedev 6-0, 6-4, 6-2. Safin knocked out Cedric Pioline, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Nick Price sinks birdie to win golf invitational
GOLF
OXFORD, Pa. — Nick Price made a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that was worth nine skins and $190,000 in the Exelon Invitational on Monday.
Davis Love III won five skins and $60,000, while Carlos Franco won four worth $30,000. Jim Furyk, who served as host of the event, was shut out.
Defense attorneys confident in Lewis trial
NFL
ATLANTA — There is not enough evidence to convict Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting of murder, no matter what Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis says on the witness stand, defense attorneys say.
Murder and assault charges against Lewis were dropped Monday after the football star pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and agreed to testify about what he saw during a brawl that led to two deaths.
Lewis, who faced life in prison, avoided jail time by pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. He was expected to take
the witness stand yesterday against Sweeting and Oakley.
Lewis, Sweeting and Oakley were charged with murder, felony murder and aggravated assault in the Jan. 31 stabbings of Richard Lollar and Jacinth Baker, both of suburban Decatur, after a Super Bowl party
Lewis, 25, will serve 12 months on probation under Georgia's first offender law. During probation, he must remain employed and not use drugs or alcohol. Lewis, who also must pay one-third of the prosecution's court costs, may be fined but won't be suspended, the NFL said.
Lewis' record could be expunged if he successfully completes his sentence.
The Associated Press
Spring sports finish seasons; track team gets new coach
Brent Briggeman
Special to the Kansas
Kansas tracksters place at nationals
RALEIGH, N.C. — Kansas All-American Scott Russell failed to live up to his No. 1 ranking at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Russell, who earlier had recorded the nation's top javelin throw of the season, placed 15th at the national meet. His throw of 215-9 fell well below the 259-feet throw he recorded March 25 in Waco, Texas, in the first meet of the season. His top throw was more than 20 feet longer than that of second-ranked thlower Kestutis Celiesius of North Carolina.
Russell, Windsor, Ontario, junior, also tied for 18th place in the hammer throw after scratching on all three attempts and failing to record a distance. Russell had won the Big 12 hammer toss the previous week with a throw of 194 feet.
Russell still could qualify for the Canadian team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney but would need a 280-foot javelin throw in a qualifying meet to do so.
Kansas' top finisher was Andrea Branson. The All-American junior cleared 13-1 1/2 in the pault to capture ninth place. Branson was the Big 12 runner-up in the event. The 13-10 jump she recorded at the Kansas Relays was the second best mark of the 2000 outdoor season.
Junior Andy Morris qualified for nationals in the decathlon after winning the event in the Big 12 meet. His 7,172 points were good enough to place him 13th in the country.
Big 12 mile champ Charlie Gruber also represented Kansas at nationals in the 1,500 meters. Gruber's time was 3 seconds off his season best but not fast enough to qualify for the finals.
Notes: Anson Jackson received the Hale Achievement Center Academic Award for the men's track team, and Brandi Taylor won the award for the women's team.
The track team placed 21 members on the First Team Academic All-Big 12 and six on the second team.
Scott Russell captured the coveted Triple Crown of college track by winning the javelin at the Texas, Kansas and Drake Relays.
The Kansas men's and women's teams placed sixth and ninth respectively at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship March 19 to 21 at Baylor.
Kansas hires new track coach
The Athletics Department announced the hiring of Tulsa University's Stanley Redwine as the new Kansas track and field coach.
Redwine has been in charge of track at Tulsa for the past six years. Before that, he was part of 22 conference titles and nine consecutive NCAA championships in 11 years at Arkansas as both an athlete and an assistant coach.
Redwine, 39, said he looked forward to taking
on the task of returning Kansas track to national prominence.
"When you go to a place like Kansas, you expect to win." Redwine said. "You expect to do your best, I am a firm believer in hard work and that's what I will put into this and expect from our student-athletes — hard work. When you put in hard work, things like that take place."
To do so, the team had to be in the top 15 after the first two days. But the team made two double bogies on the 17th hole.
Golfers just miss goal
OPELIKA, Ala. — Going into the NCAA championship tournament, the Kansas men's golf team knew its goal was to qualify for the weekend.
"We fell just three strokes short of making the cut and reaching our goal of continuing for the final two rounds." Coach Ross Randall said. "Obviously, it's disappointing."
Ryan Vermeer, who golfed at nationals, made the cut by finishing in the top nine among individuals on non-qualifying teams.
Vermeer, an All-American senior, finished the tournament with a three-under-par 285, tying him for 30th place.
During his senior season, Vermeer captured four wins, scored ten Top 10 finishes and enjoyed a week as the nation's No.1 golfer. His season stroke average of 71.25 is the best ever for a Kansas golfer.
Vermeer plans to turn pro this summer.
Randall, who's seen a lot of golfers in his 21 years at Kansas, said he believed Vermeer had an excellent shot at succeeding at the professional level.
"He's as good at this stage in his career as anyone we've had," Randall said. "Including Matt Gogel, who's been having a great year on the PGA tour."
Women golfers receive awards
The Kansas women's golf team handed out its annual awards for the 1999-2000 season.
Senior Sue Tessary took home the Most Valuable Player award. Tessary led the team with a 78.52 stroke average and posted the team's highest individual finish with her second place showing at the Carolinas Collegiate Classic.
Seniors Carrie Padden and Andi Shultz also were recognized at the year-end banquet. Padden shared Most Improved honors with junior Ashely Bishop, while Shultz was honored with the Acedemic-Golf Award.
Junior Sarah Mahoney, who led Kansas with a 25th place finish at the Big 12 tournament, was honored as the team's most efficient putter.
The team wrapped up its season in late April by finishing 12th in the conference tournament.
High school pitcher Royals' first choice
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mike Stodolka, a left-handed pitcher who was unbeaten and barely scored upon in high school this year, was Kansas City's first pick and the fourth overall in the baseball draft Monday.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Stodolka allowed just 24 hits and 27 walks in 52 innings while striking out 111 batters. In 10 games, he was 10-0 with an ERA of 0.67.
"He's got great poise, is very intelligent and a good competitor. We're just very happy to get him," said Terry Wetzel, the Royals' senior director of scouting.
Stodolka will graduate with honors from Centennial High School in Corona, Calif., this month and has received a full scholarship from UCLA, but the Royals are confident
they can sign him.
Judging by what the No. 4 selections commanded the past two years, Stodolka is probably going to get a signing bonus of around $2.5 million.
"We think he's real signable," said Allard Baird, vice president and assistant general manager for baseball operations.
"He gave us every indication he wants to go out and play. We're very optimistic we can get it done. I really don't think it's going to take very long."
"I'm pretty confident this is going to be a good opportunity for me to start my professional career," he said by phone. "The Royals have shown confidence in me by drafting me so high."
Stodolka, who is also a standout high school hitter, throws a fastball and curveball. Most impressively, he has a changeup that is highly developed for a high school pitcher.
They think I have what it takes. I hope to start as soon as possible."
The Royals went for catchers with their next two picks, taking Michael Tonis of the University of California in the second round and Scott Walter of Lovola Marvymount in the third.
Stodolka is the first high school pitcher the Royals have taken in the first round since 1977.
Stodolka was the second pitcher taken, going behind Adam Johnson of California State, who was selected by Minnesota with the second overall pick. Baird said the Royals considered him the No. 2 prospect overall in the country. He would not say whom they ranked No. 1.
Stodolka did not blossom as a pitcher until this season, when his fastball went from about 88 mph to around 94 mph and he added 10 pounds from his junior to senior year.
McGwire took himself out after straining his right thigh and hamstring on a fielding play in the fourth inning, and Vina aggravated a hamstring injury trying to beat out a grounder in the third. Both were listed as day-to-day.
"We'll see how it feels tomorrow and see what happens," said McGwire after going 0-for-2 with a strikeout. "I'll just go with the flow and see how it feels. It was a hell of a play, though, I'll tell you that." Is he worried?
The Cardinals' 7-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Monday night was extra costly, with Mark McGwire and Fernando Vina both forced to leave the game.
"I don't know, I'll let you know tomorrow." McGuire said. "It doesn't feel right. I know that."
ST. LOUIS — Losses and injuries are mounting for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jermaine Dye tied a Royals record by homering in his fourth straight game, and had three hits. Dye became the ninth Royals player to homer in four straight games when he hit his 18th Pat Hentgen
He retired 12 straight batters after giving up an RBI double off the top of the center-field wall to Dunston in the second before running into trouble in the sixth when the Cardinals scored three runs.
"Today I had to hit, so I didn't have the same concentration on my pitching," Suzuki said. "I guess that's why I lost my focus in the sixth inning."
BIG MONDAY & WEDNESDAY
The Associated Press
Mac Suzuki (3-0) gave up four runs in 51-13 innings and got his first career hit when he singled and scored in a four-run sixth.
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Kansas City improved to 5-2 on a nine-game trip after starting the season 8-17 away from home. The Royals are 6-4 in interleague play against their cross-state rivals.
"I don't consider myself a home run hitter," Dye said. "I'm still young in this game and still learning every day. My swing is more made for a line drive hitter."
(4-6) with one out in the third. The last player to do it was Chili Davis from Aug. 23-27, 1997.
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