THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008
6B *THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN*
SPORTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2003
Rodriguez has strong performance in exhibition game
The Associated Press
SURPRISE, Ariz. - Alex Rodriguez looked perfectly healthy in his first game back for the Texas Rangers.
Rodriguez doubled twice and drove in a run yesterday in Texas' 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Surprise, Ariz.
Rodriguez, who played a minor league game Tuesday, appeared in a major league exhibition game for the first time since March 12 because of a herniated disk in his neck.
He fouled out in the first inning against Ben Sheets and hit into a double play in the third.
"We talked before the fifth
inning and he said he wanted to get a couple more at-bats because he was grinding," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "He was impressive."
In his third at-bat, Rodriguez lined a double into the left-center gap to score Michael Young and make the score 2-1. Rodriguez added a double off the right-field wall in the seventh before being lifted for a pinch runner.
"It was like old times," Young said. "He looked like his old self out there."
Rodriguez cleanly handled all four grounders hit his way. The 27-year-old shortstop has played in all 324 games the past two seasons in Texas since signing his
record $252 million, 10-year contract in December 2000.
In Clearwater, Fl., Roy Halladay allowed seven runs to snap his 16-inning scoreless streak and hit Jim Thome with a pitch, nearly setting off a scrum with Phillies manager Larry Bowa.
Bowa was enraged that Halladay hit Thome in the third inning and charged out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Eric Cooper in the fourth. The umpire had warned, both teams after Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier threw two inside pitches to Halladay.
As Bowa was walking back to the dugout, he shouted and walked toward Halladay. Blue
"I hit their best player. If you are in the other situation you want to do something to protect that guy."
Roy Haltaday
Texas Rangers pitcher
Jays manager Carlos Tosca ran onto the field, and both teams came out of their dugouts. No punches were thrown, and Bowa had to be restrained by several people.
"I said. I don't think your control is that bad." Bowa said. "I shouldn't have said that. Nobody
was throwing at anybody."
Halladay said he understood why Cormier threw at him.
"I hit their best player. If you are in the other situation you want to do something to protect that guy," Halladay said. "It's part of the game, but guys running all over the field, that's not part of the game."
Cornier denied throwing at Halladay and blamed it on pitching out of the windup for the first time in at least six years.
Thome left the game after he was hit above the right elbow. He said his elbow was numb and he couldn't swing a bat, but doesn't expect to miss the season opener at Florida on Monday.
"My gut feeling is it's nothing serious." Thome said.
Pat Burrell, Todd Pratt and McKay Christensen homered for the Phillies.
A number of players were released yesterday the last day teams were allowed to put players with non-guaranteed contracts on waivers to avoid paying their full salary.
Among those released were RHP Frank Castillo (Boston), RHP Danny Kolb (Texas), LHP Mike Venafro (Atlanta), RHP Giovanni Carrarea (Los Angeles), RHP Matt Herges (Montreal), RHP Francisco Cordova (San Diego) and RHPs Al Levine and Joey Hamilton (Texas).
Sooners player just happy to contribute
The Associated Press
NORMAN, Okla. — One year after helping lead Oklahoma to the Final Four, Ebi Ere is just happy to help the Sooners when he can.
Ere was expected to be Oklahoma's leading scorer this season, and he was early in the year. But he lost his shooting touch during the Bjg 12 season and eventually lost his starting job.
Now he's bothered by a broken bone in his left wrist, an injury that occurred just before the conference tournament. He enters Friday's East Regional semifinal game against Butler having scored in single digits in four of the past five games.
"It's just something that happens in basketball." Ere said. "You've got to deal with it, you've got to go ahead and do other things to help your team win."
Ere, a 6-foot-5 swingman, averaged 14.6 points last season after transferring from a junior college, where he had averaged 25 the previous year.
He scored 24 points in the season opener against Alabama, and led the Sooners in scoring in eight of the first 12 games. The last of those was the Big 12 opener against Colorado, when he had 20 points.
But a 2-for-10 performance at Oklahoma State on Jan. 13 started Ere's slide, and he wound up shooting below 30 percent in conference games.
As his slump continued, he finally went to coach Kelvin Sampson and suggested that Sampson start freshman De'Angelo Alexander in his place.
"We can jump out a lot faster with him hitting open shots, and he's a really good defender, too, and he rebounds. If I can come off the bench, I can give those guys a spark, give them a rest."
hard to get it going,and he got it going.
"De' Angelo, he came around," Ere said. "Early in the season, he was struggling. He just worked
Sampson said Ere's decision was telling.
"How many seniors would do that," Sampson said. "Ebi puts a lot of emphasis on winning. His team is a No. 1 seed and 26-6 and in the Sweet 16. If he's frustrated, it hasn't shown to me. Ebi, he's a winner."
He had 25 points on 6-of-12 shooting in an overtime victory at Kansas State, but dipped to 5-of-13 in the next game against Baylor.
Ere showed some flashes during the Big 12 season where it appeared he might be coming around.
His best game in the past 13 was a 17-point effort in the Big 12 tournament semifinals against Texas Tech. In the three games since, he is just 5-for-27 and has scored a total of 18 points.
Although he is right-handed, the wrist injury affects his ability to use his left-hand dribble. That hinders his ability drive to the basket, one of his strengths.
Ere, who averaged nearly 29 points as a senior in high school, said he has never gone through the kind of slump he has this year.
"But it happens," he said. "I feel things happen for a reason. It's going to be a good reason.
"And it showed the team something, too - we can win without me scoring and hitting shots. That's a good thing. Now our team has more confidence in themselves when I'm not playing well."
Royals beat Giants lead AL this spring
The Associated Press
SCOTTSALE, Ariz. — Joe Randa homered twice and drove in four runs, and Raul Ibanez had four of the Kansas City Royals' 21 hits in a 13-5 victory over a split squad of San Francisco Giants yesterday.
Michael Tucker and Randa hit back-to-back homers in the second inning. Randa added a three-run shot in a five-run fourth for a 9-2 lead.
The Royals lead the AL with an 18-8 spring training record and top the majors with a 321 batting average and 7.7 runs per game. Mike Sweeney singled in three at-bats and is hitting .389 this spring.
Rich Aurilia hit his fourth homer in the first inning, and
Pedro Feliz added a two-run shot in the eighth for the Giants, who leave Arizona with a 14-14-2 record.
Right-hander Jim Brower, acquired from Montreal in a trade Monday, made his Giants debut and worked two scoreless innings. He walked pitcher Albie Lopez with the bases loaded in the fifth.
Giants first baseman Damon Minor, not claimed on waivers, was sent outright to Triple-A Fresno with no options remaining. That virtually ensures that veteran Andres Galarraga, in camp as a non-roster player, will be the backun first baseman.
"How can you be disappointed if you hit.200 in spring training?" Minor said.
Remember those long, lo-o-o-ong lines at the enrollment center?
LAWRENCE AUTO
842-8665 2858
Spiley Roof N
Almost the
Chinese
4102 N.
102805
749-0085
764 Moss
Add them to your list of KU memories.
Students asked for it. It's been a long time coming, and now it's here for fall enrollment.
Starting Friday, KU students will enroll online from any computer connected to the Internet. from any location.
Watch your email for instructions on how to get online, not in line.
- Enrollment appointments will be
- March 28 - April 30 for fall 2003 classes.
- Questions? Email webenroll@ku.edu.
- All enrollment information will be available at: http://students.ku.edu
Online enrollment is partially funded by KU students through the Tuition Enhancement Program.
March 28 - April 30 for fall 2003 classes
- Walk-in assistance will be available at
- In the new online enrollment system, Windows users must use Explorer 5.5 or above. Mac users must use Explorer 5 or above. Netscape is not compatible.
- Walk-in assistance with the enrollment center in Strong Hall.
KU Enrollment: Get online, not in line.
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