THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26 2008
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008
SPORTS
BIG 12 BASKETBALL
5B
Longhorns beat Wildcats in Manhattan
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MANHATTAN — D.J. Augustin had 24 points and A.J. Abrams scored all of his 13 in the second half, helping No. 5 Texas beat Kansas State 74-
65 on Monday night, the Longhorns' eight straight win.
Texas (24-4, 11-2 Big 12) didn't get much production outside of its two speedy guards, but the Longhorns put the squeeze on Kansas State with
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their stingy defense and improved to 8-0 in February to match a school record set in 1962-63.
Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, right, shoots over Texas forward Connor Ackley (32) during the second half of the game in Manhattan Monday night. Beasley scored 30 points in the game. Texas beat Kansas State 74-65.
The Longhorns need one win in their final three games to match the school record of 25 regular-season wins, set two seasons ago.
Kansas State (18-9, 8-5) got another big night from freshman Michael Beasley — 30 points and 15 rebounds — but had trouble solving Texas' aggressive zone and lost its third straight. The Wildcats shot 32 percent and got almost nothing from second-leading scorer Bill Walker to see their 10-game home winning streak end.
Augustin gave Kansas State all kinds of problems at the other end.
The 6-foot sophomore seemed to get where he wanted whenever he wanted, dribbling around the perimeter, poking and prodding Kansas State's defense to open up threepointers and drives to the basket.
Augustin had 12 points by half-time and helped Texas to a 57-50 lead midway through the second half, scoring on a floater then a three-point play after snatching the ball from the hands of Kansas State guard Fred Brown.
Abrams, coming off a season-
low five points against Oklahoma
on Saturday, wasn't much of a factor early, taking just two shots in the first half, missing both.
He didn't score until hitting a three-pointer from the corner five minutes into the second half, but that shot seemed to boost his confidence. Abrams suddenly became more aggressive, hitting two more three-pointers in the next two minutes, then another that put the Longhorns up 62-54 with just under five minutes left.
Abrams finished 4-of-9 from the field after going 4-for-20 with 14 points the previous two games combined.
Kansas State missed 12 of its first 16 shots overall and its first eight three-point attempts. Somehow, the Wildcats scratched out a 30-all tie at halftime — thanks to Beasley.
Aggressive from the start, the 6-10 freshman made quick moves instead of waiting for the defense to collapse around him. He had Texas big men Connor Atchley and Gary Johnson in foul trouble in the first 10 minutes, and had a double-double by halftime with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Beasley finished 10-for-21 from the field after scoring a Big-12 record 44 points in a 92-86 loss to Baylor on Saturday.
Texas guard D.J. Augustin (14) shoots while covered by Kansas State forward Bill Walker (12) during the first half of the game.
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MLB
Bonds remains teamless while other players find new homes
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Bartolo Colon is already off the market and is a new member of the Boston Red Sox. The former AL Cy Young Award winner agreed Monday to a minor league contract with the Red Sox, while the home run king, Barry Bonds, is still looking to be signed.
Barry Bonds is looking for a job, and the Tampa Bay Rays may be interested in the home run king.
Bartolo Colon is off the market after the Boston Red Sox snapped up the former AL Cy Young Award winner with a shrewd minor league deal.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said he knew "little" about what was going on, but acknowledged some thought has been given to adding Bonds to the roster.
"A minor discussion was thrown out there a little bit, and it's really not gone any further than that," Maddon said after Monday's workout at the team's spring training facility in St. Petersburg, Fla. "That's all it is right now."
ager John Mozeliak.
Bonds, who broke Hank Aaron's career home run record last summer, has pleaded not guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice charges stemming from testimony to a federal grand jury in 2003 in which he said he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
The St. Petersburg Times reported in Monday's edition that team officials have conferred among themselves about Bonds and other veteran unsigned free agents, such as Kenny Lofton and Mike Piazza. Andrew Friedman, Rays vice president of baseball operations, called the report a "non-story."
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he had interest in signing Bonds the last two offseasons, but each time the team's front office decided against it.
La Russa, who was looking for a power bat to protect No. 3 hitter Albert Pujols each year, said he was told the asking price for the slugger was too high. This winter, La Russa said he dropped the issue after a discussion with new general man-
"It became moot as soon as I raised it and they said no," La Russa said Sunday in Jupiter, Fla. "Once it became apparent what the price tag was, I said we just can't, it doesn't make sense for our club."
Boston came up with a move that made a lot of sense, adding Colon to its spring training camp in Fort Myers, Fla., with a minor league contract.
"He's going to show up here in camp and we'll do an evaluation of how far he is away from helping us," general manager Theo Epstein said. "It takes more than five starting pitchers to get through a season. Obviously, he's an accomplished guy and if we can get him back to a point where he's throwing well, he can certainly help us."
The 34-year-old Colon, who last pitched on Feb. 6 in the Caribbean World Series, is expected to arrive in camp Tuesday.
The team's medical staff will evaluate the two-time All-Star, who has gone 7-13 with a 5.72 ERA while slowed by shoulder and elbow injuries the past two seasons. He went 6-8 with a 6.34 ERA in the final year of a four-year, $51 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels last season. If he is added to the Red Sox 40-man roster, he would get a $1.2 million, one-year contract and have the chance to earn performance and roster bonuses.
Epstein said Red Sox scouts came back with "decent" reports from Colon's performance in the Caribbean Series, where the burly right-hander's fastball reached the low 90s mph after elbow inflammation kept him off the Angels' playoff roster in the fall.
At Surprise, Ariz., Rangers righthander Kevin Millwood wasn't feeling very good. He was scratched from his first spring start because of a right hamstring injury.
MLB
K.C.'s second season closer throws opponents a curve
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This year, he is in camp as the established closer after saving a team-leading 17 games last season — more than any other rookie.
Soria came into the Kansas City Royals camp last year as an anonymous Rule 5 draft pick who had never pitched above Class A in the United States.
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Joakim Soria has gone from unknown to renown in a year.
While closer Octavio Dotel was on the disabled list most of April and May, Soria logged 10 saves. When Dotel was traded to the Atlanta Braves on July 31, Soria went back to finishing games and got seven more saves in the final two months.
"It was a big year for me last year," Soria said. "I had to prove myself."
"I don't throw that gas," Soria said. "But I have the confidence. I believe in myself."
Soria is not the typical closer with a 95 mph fastball.
Manager Trey Hillman also
believes in Soria, who throws a fastball, curveball, slider and change-up.
Royals scout Louie Medina found Soria pitching in the Mexican Winter League after the 2006 season. He recommended the Royals select him the Rule 5 draft when the San Diego Padres left him off their 40-man big league roster. Two days after the Royals picked him, Soria threw a perfect game for Obregon against Hermosillo.
"He's got multi-weapons to be able to attack the hitters," Hillman said. "He's not afraid to throw to contact. He has just enough life on the fastball and deceptiveness to the delivery that it plays out faster than it actually is on the radar gun. ... When you put all those things together, it makes it very difficult to continue to get good swings off of him."
"He handled spring training very well last year." Royals pitching coach Bob McClure said. "He had command. He had aptitude. But I didn't know where he would fit in.
He's more like the Todd Jones type (of closer). He has the aptitude, good stuff and command."
"He pitched his way on the team.
Given a full season as the closer, Soria could log 35 to 40 saves.
"Would it surprise me, no"
McClure said. "All I know is the job
he did last year was enough for us to
"I know about the bullpen," Soria said. "I've started, but I've been a closer before, too. I like being in tight games and getting a save."
Soria, a 23-year-old right-hander, logged 15 saves for the Mexico City Red Devils in 2006.
say, let's do it again."
"It's frustrating," Millwood said. "I felt like I was in really good shape and then something like this happens."
The 33-year-old injured the hamstring in the final conditioning drill Sunday. He was scheduled to pitch two innings Friday against the Angels.
Millwood had a career-worst 5.16 ERA last season, and endured two stints on the disabled list with a left hamstring injury.
Texas manager Ron Washington sees no reason to rush Millwood back.
"When it's a hamstring you never know," he said.
Phillies closer Brad Lidge is expected to miss three to six weeks after having surgery Monday on his right knee.
The 31-year-old right-hander, Philadelphia's biggest offseason acquisition, caught a spike in the mound on his first pitch of batting practice Saturday. Doctors removed torn cartilage from the same knee in October.
Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa traveled to Chicago to see a cardiologist after being hospitalized for a rapid heartbeat during fielding drills over the weekend.
The Cubs said DeRosa's irregular heartbeat was not life-threatening.
DeRosa said he hoped he could be back on the field next week.
"I feel fine, actually," said DeRosa, who turns 33 today.
DeRosa said he has experienced an irregular heartbeat, or atrial dysrhythmia, since he was a teenager.
At Kissimmee, Fla., Roger Clemens' oldest son said his father will work with minor leaguers at Houston Astros spring training, but didn't say when he would arrive.
"He'll be down here eventually" said Koby Clemens, a catcher in the Astros' farm system.
The Rocket has a personal services contract with the Astros, similar to those offered to the Astro Bagwell and Craig Biggio, that kicks in when he officially retires. The Astros have said Clemens is still welcome despite the steroid controversy surrounding him.
"He was always coming down here," Koby said. "No matter what happens, he's always going to want to help out with anything he can do. He'll come down here and throw 700 pitches eventually."
At Tucson, Ariz., Rockies manager Clint Hurdle pulled left-hander Jeff Francis aside before a workout and informed him he'd get the opening-day start March 31 at St. Louis.