Ochoa completes golf's clean sweep: "Lorena Ochoa has been named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, completing a clean sweep of the awards by the world's golfers. " Making Mexicans very proud!

posted by zippinglou to golf at 04:44 AM - 2 comments

English fans turn win into 'home' match: You will never see this much excitement in any other sport. To think this is just their first game of the Cup... What a party!

posted by zippinglou to football at 02:39 PM - 28 comments

AL Central the best ... so far: By the end of next week, Chicago should be at the top looking at the Tigers from the rear view mirror.....

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 01:19 AM - 22 comments

Win or lose, Guillen stays the same: "He's a player's manager, and you have to love playing for him."

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 02:29 PM - 14 comments

Pena has mentors in Ortiz, Manny:
"Born and raised in Laguna Salada in the Dominican Republic (Ortiz and Ramirez are from Santo Domingo), Pena grew up in a modest home with his brother, Hannsel, now a Minor League player with the Reds, and two sisters. He was signed to a Major League contract by the Yankees at the age of 17 in 1998 in a move that later proved to be a blessing and a curse. The good part is that the money helped the Penas out of poverty. The not-so-good part of the big-money deal was that it rushed his development, exposing him to Major League competition before he was ready.

He's off to a good start! Mo doubled and brought in & scored a run in his only at bat....

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 12:32 AM - 10 comments

Smooth Start for Instant Replay in Tennis: "Instant replay made its tour debut Wednesday at the Nasdaq-100 Open, and initial reviews were favorable."

"It takes a lot of pressure off," Jackson said. "You don't get so angry. If you think a call is incorrect, you don't spend extra games thinking about it."

"It's a little less stress," Harkleroad said. "If you think you're sure (about a call), you're in control of that, not somebody else."

This is great! I hope Baseball implements something similar to review close plays (not balls / strikes) but general plays / hits ...

posted by zippinglou to tennis at 12:33 AM - 7 comments

A-Rod lifts USA past Japan: 2 yrs. later, Alex Rodriguez finally delivers in Anaheim.
Kuddos to Buck Martinez for knowing the Ump rotation in the bases loaded situation and noticing that the home-plete umpire was actually the one supposed to make the tag call - despite it being the wrong the one - If Buck doesn't preassure, the USA loses that game almost certainly.... Davidson, the home-plate umpire, must be wanting to get back to working in the Majoes badly.... maybe this type of call will make them (MLB Authorities) think he's a "keeper".... Bah!!!

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 10:29 PM - 50 comments

Anti-Castro Sign at Ballgame Causes Stir: Gotta love it! - Cubans don't know what a democracy truly is. The Cuban official thought he could just bully the guy on the stands ... and got taken to the police station to be lectured on Freedom of Speech ... I'm sure that must have been a nightmare in itself ... (Sweetness!).

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 02:13 PM - 27 comments

Venezuela Wins Caribbean Baseball Series: You have to see the clip of the last play. The ball is hit high to short left field, the shortstop goes for it but loses it and the ball wacks him on the end (ouch). His own left fielder could not contain himself and laughed at the play.... Gonzalez ends up scoring the winning run to give Venezuela the title!

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 01:40 PM - 7 comments

Venezuela rolls over Mexico:

The 2006 Caribbean Series started off with both Venezuela and The Dominican Republic defeating Puerto Rico and Mexico....

Today, the two undefeated teams will face off for the first time in the series.

These teams are gearing up for the World Series to be held in the USA in March 06'.

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 11:02 AM - 5 comments

Venezuela rebuffs veto on Cuba's World Classic Participation: Venezuela may decline to participate in the Baseball Classic if Cuba isn't allowed to play. Puerto Rico has already said that they will no longer "host" games, in rejection to the veto. This is another great example of how politics can ruin a good sports event.

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 12:27 PM - 46 comments

Sao Paulo champions of the world:

"Sao Paulo can do no wrong on the world stage.

Three times the Brazilian team has reached the final of the Club World Championship, and three times they have walked away victorious...Liverpool has now been defeated in all three world club finals it has appeared in."

By ANDREW MITCHELL

posted by zippinglou to soccer at 12:39 AM - 15 comments

Moving Jeter or A-Rod to center: The Yankees are so desperately seeking a Center Fielder, now that they don't have Bernie Williams nor Bobby Crosby, that they are even considering moving either Jeter or Rodriguez out there. Joe Torre said that the solution to this problem may be within the own team (refering to moving Alex or Derek).

Brian Giles is in conversations with the Yankees, but he has interest in staying in the West Coast, where he resides, and he would rather sign with the Dodgers. The Yanks have also touched on Johnny Damon, from the Red Sox, but his agent Scott Boras, as always, is interested in a super contract of at least 7 years; something that NY is not willing to do, since they are offering 3 to 4 years at the most.

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 10:06 AM - 45 comments

White Sox Manager Stirs Pride in Venezuela: "We love Ozzie," Simon Lopez said in one packed nightspot. "He plays a different baseball: Caribbean style."

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 04:47 PM - 17 comments

MLB May Not Let the Astros Raise the Roof:

"The Astros were 36-17 at home when it was closed during the regular season, 15-11 when it was rolled back and 2-0 in games that began indoors and finished in fresh air."

"During the regular season, the Astros pick their environment. But during the postseason, the commissioner's office makes that call."

Frankly, MLB should not decide what the Astros's should do! It's intrusive to tell them not to raise their own roof! -What's next? Will they demand that the fans remain quiet and not cheer for their team?

I personally want to see how the White Sox play in such a hostile environment, where the crowds cheer echoes all over one's bones... where the ball carries a bit further when the roof is raised.... where Houston would really have a home field advantage! I'm rooting for the Sox, but I want to see a great game first and foremost.... This decision by MLB is bordering in ridiculous!

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 09:24 PM - 83 comments

Manager Mike Scioscia makes a costly mistake!:

"With Konerko batting and first base open, Manager Mike Scioscia could have had Santana walk the cleanup hitter and face Carl Everett with the bases loaded. But Scioscia allowed Santana to pitch to Konerko, who had a two-run homer in the first in Game 3. Scioscia thought Santana could make good pitches to Konerko, a decision he probably regretted."

Ozzie Guillen's team, on the other hand, is playing good fundamental baseball :"Ozzie Ball" they call it. The players have the right attitude, and want this pennant more than their counterparts. They hustle 110%, they don't sulk about umpiring calls, they run the plays through and then wait for the umpires' calls, unlike the Angels, who "expect" to get the calls and do not finish the plays, either by not tagging the runner or not running at 100% when they expect an interfirience call, etc. In both cases, The Angels' players could have ended the controversial plays to their favor if they had followed some major sports principals - finish the play; do not assume anything; give 100%; and don't take anything for a given!

The White Sox have had an amazing year, it is all very clear as to why: "Ozzie Ball"

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 05:24 AM - 29 comments

Pedro vs. Curt and who got their $ worth?: The RedSox though that paying Martinez over $50 Mill was too much, instead, they went on and set him free and paid Curt a good load, despite his ailment. Only this year, Pedro has earned his share well off, and if we compare what he has done for the Mets as Opposed to Curt for the Red Sox, the Mets got a real bargain. I love the Red Sox, but this one they really screwed up. Stats: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/4267 http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/4875 In the long run, things may change, but it looks like for the worse.

posted by zippinglou to baseball at 08:48 PM - 9 comments