SAN 009 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2009 SPORTS 3B PRICE (CONTINUED FROM 1B) has been batting in the three hole behind Price's second spot in the lineup for more than a month now. Heere has come into his own since then, leading the team with a .363 batting average. Heere redshirted his first season at Kansas, also Price's first. Heere knows the importance Price brings not only to the plate, but also to the clubhouse. "He's huge. A three-year starter in the infield and the two hole spot up in the lineup. Obviously that's a big spot in the lineup." Heere said. Heere said there wasn't even a cause for concern during Price's early struggles. "I had no doubt that he would bring it up; he's a great player," Heere said. "I knew he would come around and get over that slump he's in." Robby Price stats by season But what might go unnoticed is Price's ability with the glove. He leads all middle infielders in fielding percentage and has had an uncountable number of spectacular plays.
AVG.RHHRRBI
2009.2954046324
2008.2964060125
2007.2864360127
Ritch Price will even go as far as to say there isn't another second baseman like him. "He may be the best second baseman in the country," Ritch Price said. "He's that special with the glove in his hand." But above all else, Robby Price's personality is what keeps the team together at times. His youthful attitude has seemed to rub off on his teammates, with the mood in the dugouts joyful and fun, as it was after the victories against Missouri and Texas. Robby Price also brings some confidence with that personality. After Kansas defeated Creighton at the home of the College World Series, Rosenblatt Stadium, he even went so far as to say this team had the talent to play one more time at Rosenblatt in June. "Definitely, we're playing real well; we believe in ourselves," Robby said. "We got a lot of confidence and we got some swagger with us. I wouldn't want to be on a team playing us right now because we got a little moxy, and that's a good thing." It might not be a bet or a guarantee, and talking about the College World Series means a little more than predicting a home run contest, but if there is one thing Robby Price has proved throughout his career, it's that he sure can call them like he sees them. Edited by Casey Miles NBA Hard foul will cost Martin large nugget of his salary BY PAT GRAHAM Associated Press DENVER — Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fine $25,000 by the NBA for knocking Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki to the court in the opener of their second-round playoff series. Martin was also assessed a flagrant foul 1 for the contact, which occurred with about six minutes left in the first quarter of Sunday's game, after Nowitzki had scored Dallas' first 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Nowitzki said after the game he didn't have a problem with the foul, calling it "just a hard playoff foul!" After making his first six shots, Nowitzki was hounded by the Nuggets' rotation of Martin, Chris Andersen and Nene and went 6-of-16 the rest of the way to finish with 28 points in Dallas' 109-95 loss. The fine was announced after the teams had finished practice and left the Pepsi Center on Monday. "They really made me work for everything I got," Nowitzki said following the game. "They have a lot of good bodies they can throw at me. And they do a good job of rotating and staying down and playing physical." Martin knocked down Nowitzki with a shoulder bump when the AllStar tried to go baseline, drawing a technical foul. ASSOCIATED PRESS Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Kowitzi, back, tumbles out of play after being pushed by Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, right. Martin was called for a foul foul. Nuggets coach George Karl didn't see the foul Sunday because he had turned to talk to a player on his bench, but "it looked good on film," he said Monday. Over his career, Martin has been known for his physical play. Before the series, Martin said he was going to do everything in his power to perturb Nowitzki. "Hold him, grab him, push him, whatever you can do," cracked The Mavericks said Monday that they needed to match the Nuggets' aggressive nature in Game 2. "We've got to raise our level of intensity and play more physical and Martin, notting players are allowed six foul for a reason. play through some stuff", Nowitzki said. "If you turn the ball over in this gym it's basically a layup or a dunk. And that gets the crowd involved, that gets them pumped up. "We've got to be more ready for a physical game than we were." DODD (CONTINUED FROM 1B) Thanksgiving column I wrote last December. Here's a part of it. It's still my favorite story that I've written for The Kansan. I'm thankful for my last four years in Lawrence. I'm thankful for 14th and Ohio, long winding runs through campus, wings and mac n' cheese at Phi Psi and Friday lunches at the Wheel (followed by a game of darts). I'm thankful for the Friday night bar band and football game days with good weather and good company. I'm thankful for professors with energy and the faces in The Kansas newsroom. I'm thankful for sushi at Yokohama and the beer at Free State. I'm thankful for Rock Chalk Lattes in the morning and Wheel pizza at night. I'm thankful I have one semester of college left. I'm thankful for dollar night and '80s music at the Wheel. I'm thankful for Tuesday nights with nothing to do and Sunday Fundays. I'm thankful for the KAK and Shipwrecked. You love this place because you were born to go to school here. You were raised on Kansas basketball. Your grandfather went to school here during the great depression and that same grand-father took your father to the first game ever played at Allen Fieldhouse in 1955. You love this place because you believe that Lawrence is the perfect college town. The perfect mix of old academic charm and hippies and hipsters and Greeks and music and bars and parties and — well, here's a quick example. The other night I stayed out at the bar until last call and then sat out on a friend's porch until 4 a.m. discussing who was America's greatest ever singersongwriter, and of course, this seemed like a totally reasonable thing to do. You love this place because yo love college. You love this place because of the people. And you wish you could list every person that inspired you during the last four years. Here's another story from a Sunday spent sipping on cold beer and enjoying good company. It's from that same bar with nostalgic college seniors. We sat and talked and reflected. "Hey?" my friend Brian said. "Don't be sad because it's over. Smile because it happened." --story. Then Darrell Arthur quietly had a huge game, and it looked like he may be the story. But in the second half, it became quite clear that Memphis' Derrick Rose was in fact the story. So I began writing that story — a story on how Kansas had come so close once again and been foiled by the brilliant play of another superstar freshman. It was nearly complete. All I had to do was fill in quotes from players and coaches after the game. Then Mario made The Shot and we would never be the same. But in that moment, inside the Alamodome, I looked at my computer screen. I looked at the words on the Rose story and pressed delete. I had to start over. You know, journalists are supposed to be objective and professional and all that. But I have to admit, I've never been happier to delete a story. You love this place because of The Shot. You sat right down by the floor at the Alamodome on April 8, 2008. And when Sherron Collins somehow flipped the ball to Mario Chalmers, and Chalmers moved to his left and released that beautiful arcing shot, you turned to a friend and calmly said, "That's good." You love this place because you were right. Here's a quick story about 04-08-08. I covered that game for the Kansan, and we had a tight deadline. In this situation, you kind of have to predict what "the story" is going to be, so you can start writing your story before the game is over. First, I anticipated that Brandon Rush may be named MOP of the Final Four, so it looked like he might be the --every count. He threw 98 pitches — 58 for strikes — in five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, two earned, with seven strike-outs. Colon hasn't allowed an earned run in 13 innings at home, but has given up 12 in 14 2-3 innings away from Chicago. You love this place because you're at home here. And I think that is the story. Our run is over. The class of 2009 will walk down the hill on May 17. We'll move on, become doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, accountants — we'll go into sales. We'll write books and make movies and get married and have kids and on and on. But that's tomorrow's story. Today, it's about spending 13 more days as college students. Thirteen more days to enjoy this school and this town. Thirteen more days to spend warm nights on porches with interesting people. Thirteen days to talk about college and life and America's great singer-songwriters. Thirteen more days at home. - Edited by Melissa Johnson ROYALS (CONTINUED FROM 1B) Kansas City scored the unearned run in the second inning, when Podsnik bobbed Alberto Callaspo's single in right, allowing Jose Guillen to score. Colon hurt himself in the third, leaving an 0-2 pitch in the heart of the plate to David Dejesus, who lifted a solo homer just over the wall in right. Three batters later, Billy Butler made 3-0 with a run-scoring single up the middle. Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke hurls a pitch to the plate in Monday's 3-0 victory. Greinke pitched his second shutout in four starts while striking out 10 batters in the performance. The victory raised Kansas City's record to 15-11 on the season. ASSOCIATED PRESS MLB Surgery may keep Pena out for up to two months KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Royals shortstop Tony Pena Jr. will need surgery to repair his broken left hand. Pena broke his left hamate bone when he fouled a pitch off in the 10th inning against Minnesota on Saturday. He finished that at-bat, hit a flyball for the final out of the 11th with his left hand off the bat, then took a flip from second baseman Alberto Callaspo for a game-ending double play in the bottom half. Pena, who was placed on the DL on Sunday, will have surgery to remove the hook part of the hamate. Manager Trey Hillman announced the diagnosis before Kansas City's game against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night. He says Pena could be out from four weeks to two months, depending how it heals. Associated Press Race and Eat Pancakes Keep Me In Preschool. To The River and Back 5K/10K Run & Pancake Feed Saturday, May 9,2009 Timed 5K/10K:8 am Family Fun Mile:9:30 am Pancake feed:8:30 - 11 am benefits Lawrence Community Nursery School Runners registered by April 24th will receive a free T-shirt. All participants receive a free pancake breakfast! www.totheriverandback.com Summer Work $14.00 - 15.00 Base-Appt. - Filling PT/FT Positions - Customer Sales/Service - Conditions Apply - All Ages 17+ - Possible Scholarships - All Majors Considered - Flexible Schedules Hutchinson (620) 663-3456 KC West (913) 403-9995 Lawrence (785) 841-0900 Manhattan (785) 323-0070 Salina (785) 309-0425 Wichita (376) 832-9047 www.WorkForStudents.com