Stubbs gives Carolina the early 1-0 lead.. Highlights of Carolina's Win Over Canisius Today In Chapel Hill Regional

See  Highlights of Carolina's Win Over Canisius Today In Chapel Hill Regional  from tarheeltimes.com here

North Carolina Tarheels Hold Off Canisius 6-3 in First Round Regional Game

Tarheels beat Canisius in the 6-3 on Friday night in the Chapel Hill Regional.

See complete story on game from goheels.com here

North Carolina will face third-seeded Towson on Saturday at 6 p.m. after 2 seed Florida Atlantic and Canisius meet in an elimination game at 1 p.m.

Trick Play Helps Mississippi High School Baseball Team Win State 6A Title

 The high school team from Southaven High School in Mississippi turn to an old pickoff play known as the "Ol' Wichita Pickoff" to help propel them to the State 6A Championship. See the play here. 

The Wichita pickoff apparently consists of a remarkably brazen move where the pitcher fakes a pick off to second base, then has the shortstop point to the outfield as if trying to tell a confused outfielder where the ball was sitting. Instead, the pitcher is still holding the ball, with the base runner suddenly caught if he dares think that the throw back to the bag did go awry.


 Yet this particularly pickoff play was more than just a gimmick, it also came at a remarkably important point in a state championship series. The trick pickoff was used by Southaven (Miss.) senior pitcher Wyatt Short against Gulfport (Miss.) Harrison Central High during the opening game of the best-of-three Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state title series.

In fact, the play came in the top of the seventh inning, with the unnamed Harrison Central runner standing on second base and representing a prospective go-ahead run.


Instead, Short’s timely pickoff thinking earned Southaven a huge second out in its final defensive frame, with Short retiring the following batter to get out of the inning. In the following half inning Nic Short delivered a walk-off ground out after Southaven had loaded the bases, giving the school -- and his brother -- a victory in the first game of the title series.

That win set the stage for a dominant remainder of the series for Southaven, which cruised to an 8-2 victory in the second game to earn the school a Class 6A crown.

All because of the ol' Wichita Pickoff. Nice move Southaven! And congrats on the State Title.

Fox Sports Carolina Interview with UNC First Baseman Cody Stubbs

Click here to see video interview with University of North Carolina first baseman and ACC Tournament MVP, Cody Stubbs.  Stubbs, a native of Waynesville, played high school ball at Tuscola where he was coached by Caleb McConnell. Stubbs played both baseball and basketball in high school. He lettered all four years in baseball and served as the team captain in both his junior and senior campaigns. Stubbs also lettered twice in basketball.  His senior year in baseball (2009), he posted team highs with a .439 batting average, 16 home runs, two triples and 39 RBIs.  Stubbs claimed 2008 conference player of the year accolades and was a two-time all-conference selection.  He was ranked by PGCrosschecker.com as one of the top 350 overall prospects in the country.  Stubbs was also tabbed as the No. 9-ranked overall prospect and the top first baseman in the state of North Carolina.  He competed in the summer of 2008 in the East Pro Showcase and Area Code tryouts and was a member of the 2007 USA Baseball Youth National Team. Stubbs recently was named  a first team All-ACC selection and MVP of the ACC Tournament

SoCon Tabs ETSU, VMI, and Mercer to Be New Conference Members (After Departure of Elon, Davidson, App, & CofC)

Southern Conference (SoCon) Commissioner John Iamarino announced from the league’s spring meetings Thursday that invitations had been extended to two former Conference member schools, East Tennessee State University (ETSU), and the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), and  Mercer University, a founding member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

East Tennessee and Mercer have already accepted invitations while VMI's addition must be ratified Friday by the school's Board of Visitors. "All indications are they will accept our invitation," conference Commissioner John Iamarino said.

East Tennessee was part of the Southern Conference from 1978 until 2005 when it left for the Atlantic Sun Conference. Founded in 1911 as East Tennessee State Normal School, ETSU, located in Johnson City, Tenn., claims an enrollment of more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The school, which later became East Tennessee State Teachers College and eventually achieved university status in 1963, boasts 11 colleges and schools at its main campus, located in the northeastern tip of the state, bordered by Virginia and North Carolina.  ETSU was a member of the SoCon from 1978-2005 and won the Commissioner’s Cup during the 1982-83 academic year. The Buccaneers sponsor 17 sports and will restart the football program, which was dropped in 2003, in time for the 2015 season. A member of the Atlantic Sun since 2005, ETSU flourished in the league, winning the men’s all-sports  race each year from 2005-12, the women’s all-sports trophy in 2006-07 and the combined all-sports race each year from 2006-12. 

The Bucs have won 33 men’s regular-season and tournament titles and 19 women’s championships in their time in the A-Sun thus far, including a remarkable current run of seven straight men’s tennis tournament titles. ETSU’s baseball team recently won the A-Sun Baseball Championship and will represent the league in an NCAA regional this weekend.   ETSU also enjoyed a successful run in the SoCon, notably winning 13 regular-season and tournament titles in men’s basketball.

VMI competed in the Southern Conference for 79 years until 2003.

VMI, founded in 1839 in Lexington, Va., on the site of what was once one of three arsenals in the state of Virginia, is a four-year undergraduate college awarding bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. VMI is the nation's first state-supported military college. Today, with a mission to prepare educated, honorable and steadfast leaders, VMI enrolls nearly 1,600 cadets.  

As a member of the SoCon from 1924-2003, VMI won several league championships. The Keydets won five gridiron titles in a 12-year span in the 1950s and 1960s and seven overall. VMI also won multiple men’s basketball regular-season and tournament titles and a baseball regular-season division title in 1988. The Keydets also produced 31 indoor and outdoor track championships, five cross country championships and 14 regular-season and tournament wrestling championships. VMI has continued to wrestle with the SoCon as an associate member since leaving for the Big South in other sports in 2003 and hosted this year’s championship. 

VMI's intercollegiate athletic history dates back to 1866 with the formation of a baseball team, but the first organized sport came in 1891, when cadet Walter H. Taylor served as captain and coach of the first football team. Famous VMI athletic alumni include General George Marshall, a football player from the class of 1901 who served as chief of staff in World War II and, as Secretary of State, was awarded the Nobel Prize for the Marshall Plan that re-built war-torn Europe; Jimmy Leech, class of 1921, who starred on VMI's undefeated 1920 squad and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame; and Bobby Ross, class of 1959, who distinguished himself in the college and professional coaching ranks and led Georgia Tech to a national championship in 1990 and the San Diego Chargers to the Super Bowl in 1995.  Today, VMI fields 18 varsity sports.

Mercer had been one of the A-Sun's founding members in 1978.  Founded by Baptists in 1833 and based in Macon, Ga., Mercer is an independent university that remains grounded in a tradition that embraces freedom of the mind and spirit, cherishes the equal worth of every individual, and commits to serving the needs of humankind. With more than 8,300 students enrolled in 12 schools and colleges on campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah, Mercer is consistently ranked among the nation’s leading institutions by such publications as U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review. 
 

The last remaining charter member of the A-Sun, Mercer has enjoyed great success in the league since its inception in 1978. This year alone, the Bears won the men’s basketball and baseball regular-season conference titles, with the basketball team topping Tennessee in the first round of the NIT and the baseball team earning an at-large NCAA Regional berth for this weekend. In its A-Sun history, Mercer has won 15 men’s titles and four women’s titles, while both its men’s and women’s program won the league’s all-academic trophies in 1992-93 and 1993-94. 

The Bears will be adding women’s track and field and resurrecting football – which last played a game in 1941 – for the 2013-14 academic year, with the football team playing in the non-scholarship Pioneer League before making the move to scholarship play within the SoCon. Those additions will bring Mercer’s number of sponsored sports to 18.

 The SoCon had been one of the most plundered leagues recently with five of its 12 members choosing to leave since November.
College of Charleston began the exodus in November with its move to the Colonial Athletic Association. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, two of the SoCon's most powerful football schools, left for the Sun Belt Conference, while basketball powerhouse Davidson will join the Atlantic 10. The latest departure came earlier this month when Elon bolted for the Colonial.

 "The addition of these three institutions will solidify the Southern Conference," Iamarino said, "and ensure our position as a vibrant league with a bright future."  All three are expected to join in July 2014, giving the league 10 members for the 2014-15 academic year.

Founded in 1921, the Southern Conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issue of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing women’s championships (1984) to becoming the first conference to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer.

The SoCon’s membership for the 2014-15 academic year will be as follows: The Citadel, East Tennessee State, Furman, Mercer, UNCG, Samford, Chattanooga, VMI, Western Carolina and Wofford. 

“Our core members are committed to each other and the Southern Conference,” Iamarino said. “We look forward to welcoming East Tennessee State, Mercer and VMI to the SoCon.”

Colorado Rockies Pitching Pipeline Runs Through Asheville

The pitching pipeline for the Colorado Rockies runs through Asheville, North Carolina. In Asheville's historic and  picturesque ballpark, McCormick Field, the hometown Tourists have produced four of the starting pitchers on the Colorado roster this season. And all but one of these pitching prospects have been within the past five years.

Chacin

 Jhoulys Chacin played in Asheville in 2008. He tore up the South Atlantic League with a record of 10-1 and 1.86 Earned Run Average (ERA) in 16 starts. This season, the twenty-five year old is 3-3 with a 4.10 ERA this season with the Rockies. 

Scouting Report on Chacin: Doesn't have any plus-plus pitches, but has 4 above average pitches. His fastball is 90-91 mph and it is his worst pitch. His slider is 82 mph, and has been his best pitch thus far in the majors, and he throws it 18% of the time. His curve is also above average, 78 mph, and a change-up 83 mph. He doesn't throw many strikes, but surprisingly his walk rate is down so far this year. He has benefited this year from becoming more of a ground ball pitcher, and is generating 60%, up from 46 and 47% in 2009 and 2010.

Nicasio

 Juan Nicasio also had a great season during his time in Asheville. In 2009, Nicasio had a record of 9-3 with a 2.49 ERA. This season with the Rockies, the twenty-six year old is 4-1, 4.47 ERA. Nicasio's velocity has been steadily improving, moving from the 88-92 range earlier in his career, to 90-95 last year, to more consistent mid-90s readings this year including some reports of him touching 100. He mixes in a very good curveball, as well a decent slider and changeup, giving him a complete arsenal.

Cabrera

 Edwar Cabrera was 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA in 2011 with the Tourists. This season with the Rockies he is 0-2, with a 11.12 ERA in the two games he started before going on the disabled list (DL). 

Report on Cabrera: The lefthander has a killer changeup, low-90s fastball, and a decent-enough curve to be a solid fourth starter. Cabrera is 24 years old.

Francis

The fourth starter is the old man of the bunch and was a member of the Tourists briefly in 2002.  Jeff Francis, the ninth overall pick out of the University of British Columbia, was in Asheville for only 4 games in 2002 and had no decisions and a 1.80 ERA. This season with the Rockies, the thirty-two year old lefty is 2-3 with 6.00 ERA. He has been sidelined recently with a left groin injury but is expected to come off the DL and rejoin the Rockies staff any day.

Scoop on Francis: Throws his low-90s fastball with pristine command. His curveball can also be nasty and he throws it all with a quick and easy motion. Is capable of logging major innings. Injuries are a concern. Also needs work on the consistency of his secondary pitches. He's a bit too hittable and not nearly dominant enough to compensate. Crafty left-handed starter, when healthy.

Bettis

Two of the former Tourists are making their way to the Big Leagues, currently in Tulsa (Rockies AA affiliate). Chad Bettis was in Asheville in  2010 and posted a 2-0 record and a .096 ERA in his only three starts. Like Francis' quick stop through Asheville, if you blinked on Chad Bettis, you missed him.

The scouting report on Bettis - a solid Grade B prospect if healthy, as a mid-rotation starter or (more probably) a relief option and potential closer due to his issues with the changeup. Both fastball and slider are plus/plus pitches. This season at Tulsa he is 2-2 with a 4.0 ERA. He is 24 years old.

Matzek

Bettis' teammate at Tulsa came through Asheville a year later, in 2011. Twenty-two year old left hander Tyler Matzek had a 5-4 record and 4.36 ERA while in a Tourist uniform. This season with Tulsa, he is 1-4 with 4.99 ERA.

Scoop on Matzek - Stuff isn't the problem, but will his command ever be good enough for the stuff to matter? I have no idea. Grade A arm, but Grade C/D+ in the control and consistency departments.

Anderson

Another lefty, Tyler Anderson had a very good season in  Asheville last year (2012) with a record of 12-3, 2.47 ERA 81/28 Strike outs (K)/Walks (BB) in 120 innings.. This season he is in Modesto (Colorado's A+ affiliate) and is 0-1 with a 3.80 ERA in 8 starts.

Report on Anderson - Average fastball but excellent change up and control. Breaking ball is so-so and limits his strikeout potential. Projects as a number four starter. Anderson is twenty-three.

Butler

Like Francis and Bettis, Anderson's newest teammate in Modesto, twenty-two year old Eddie Butler's stay in Asheville was brief. Butler has been tearing up every league he has been in during his professional career. Last season at Grand Junction in the Pioneer League (Rookie), he was 7-1, 2.13 ERA, 55/13 K/BB.  This year in Asheville, he was 5-1 with a 1.66 ERA in nine starts. He was recently promoted to Modesto (A+) and in his only start he has no decisions and a 2.84 ERA.

Book on Butler - Sinker/slider combo with velocity plus movement. Poor change up may limit him to relief at higher levels, but if it comes around he could be a number three starter.

Aquino

There are more pitchers on the way. Any day now Asheville, may see Jayson Aquino, yet another lefty. Aquino has had a successful debut in Pioneer League (4 -0 with 1.87 ERA in 43 innings) after dominating Dominican Summer League ball.

Scouting report: Velocity is 88-92 with more heat possible, good change up and working on breaking stuff. Aquino just turned twenty.



So that is a total of nine pitchers that have come through Asheville on their way up in the Colorado organization. Eight of the nine are under twenty-six years old and five of the nine are left handed throwers.  I would say the pipeline through Asheville is working pretty darn well.

Hall of Famer George Brett Named Interim Hitting Coach For Kansas City Royals

The great Hall of Famer George Brett has been named interim hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals.

Brett, 60, will serve in his new role with Thursday's game in St. Louis.  In a news conference in St. Louis, Brett said he was excited but also apprehensive about his new role.  "I am scared to death right now, to be honest with you, but I'm looking forward to the challenge," he said, adding he hopes to ignite passion for the Royals in the players.

The most popular Royals player ever, Brett led the Royals to a World Series championship in 1985. He is the Royals all-time hit leader with 3,154 during a career that began in 1973. He won the American League batting title in 1976, 1980 and 1990.

 Brett has been the club's vice president of baseball operations since retiring after the 1993 season. But he has stayed involved on the field as well, working with Royals hitters during virtually every spring training since.  But during the regular season he has always been hands-off, out of respect to the club’s hitting coaches throughout the years.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore said, "I'm thankful that this organization has one of the greatest hitters and more importantly one of the greatest competitors our game has ever seen in George Brett and he has accepted our offer to join the coaching staff on an interim basis."

Brett said he wants to help the players "know what a good swing feels like." and admitted his own frustrations in watching the product on the field.  Brett said "try not to be a ball player they are not. I am sick and tired of watching guys try to hit three-run home runs when nobody is on the base when you are down two runs in the eighth inning."


The Royals started the season hot and even led the American League Central division. But the team's bats went cold and last night's loss to the Cardinals was their eighth in a row.  The Royals haven't scored more than three runs in their last six games. They're near the bottom of the league in runs, walks, homers, RBIs and just about every other hitting metric. 


The Royals are dead last in the American League in home runs with 28 and have hit just two home runs since May 14 — both by 39-year-old backup infielder Miguel Tejada.

One thing is for sure, the Hall of Famer will have his work cut out for him.  

Kevin Martin Loves the Playoff Life and Wants to Stay with Thunder

Kevin Martin, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, got a taste of the playoff life this season and evidently loves it.  The former sharpshooter from Western Carolina University has spent the majority of his NBA career with non-contending teams, including Sacramento and Houston. He was acquired in the deal that sent James Harden to Houston. Martin was a force of the bench for the Thunder, averaging 14 points in 27.7 minutes per game.

The impending free agent, now 30 years old, seems willing to work with the Thunder on a new contract.  He recently told the Oklahoman:

“I'm at a point in my career where I don't need to get what I can get (monetarily),” Martin said. “It's more about happiness, and looking back on this experience, I've been on both sides of the fence — being on a championship-caliber team and being on a team trying to make it into the playoffs — so I have a vision of what I want my career to be, and the main thing is happiness and being a part of something special."

And happiness and being a part of something translates into playing for a playoff contender.  Who can blame him?

Alex Len (Maryland) Projected to Charlotte Bobcats at Pick 4 in 2013 Mock Draft

Six players from schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference are projected to be drafted in the top 30 picks selected according to the 2013 SI.com's Mock Draft 2.0. The entire Sports Illustrated article by Chris Mannix can be seen here.

Alex Len (Maryland) is the projected 4th overall pick to Charlotte Bobcats. Mason Plumlee (Duke) will get a good look by the Atlanta Hawks at pick 17. Miami's Shane Larkin, who impressed at the combine, may go to the Brooklyn Nets at pick 22. The Minnesota Timberwolves have the 26th pick and might just choose North Carolina's Reggie Bullock. Glen Rice Jr. (Georgia Tech) is a solid pick for the Denver Nuggets at 27 and with the 30th selection, C.J Leslie (North Carolina State) is the projected pick for the Phoenix Suns.

4		Alex Len C Maryland Sophomore7-1255

 Charlotte has the fourth overall pick and the Bobcats badly need a big man to shore up a frontcourt of a team that ranked last in points in the paint (25.3 per game), 23rd in opponent points in the paint (39.5) and 27th in rebounding (40.3 per game). Oladipo will get strong consideration, but two team executives believe Maryland's Alex Len -- a physical 5-man who rebounds well, protects the paint (2.1 blocks per game) and can play with his back to the basket -- is on the rise, despite the fact that a stress fracture in his left ankle will keep him out of individual workouts. And remember this: New coach Steve Clifford has an excellent reputation when it comes to developing big men.

17		Mason Plumlee C Duke Senior7-1238

With the 17th pick, Atlanta is projected to take Duke's Mason Plumlee. If Josh Smith departs as a free agent, the Hawks could move Al Horford to power forward -- his more natural position -- and search for a more traditional center. They will go hard after Dwight Howard this summer, but Plumlee, an athletic 7-footer who has developed a solid low-post game, is someone Atlanta can develop.

22		Shane Larkin PG Miami Sophomore6-0171

Brooklyn has the 22nd pick and might pick Miami's Shane Larkin, although they would love a big man like Gorgui Dieng to slip this far. Brooklyn has Deron Williams signed to a long-term contract at point guard, but Larkin is a quick, change-of-pace point guard who could be groomed to back up the three-time All-Star. Larkin is a phenomenal athlete -- he topped the combine in the three-quarter-court sprint (3.08 seconds) and vertical leap (44 inches) -- and an excellent ball handler who projects to play well in the pick-and-roll. He is one of several point guards who should be on the board here.

26		Reggie Bullock SF North Carolina Junior6-7200

North Carolina's Reggie Bullock might be a good fit for the Minnesota Timberwolves at pick 26.
Pick acquired from Memphis: Bullock didn't exactly receive a ringing endorsement from Tar Heels coach Roy Williams, who said recently that he was more worried about Bullock going to the NBA than any of the 11 other players who left early under Williams. But Bullock can shoot from deep -- something Minnesota sorely needs after hitting an NBA-worst 30.5 percent from three-point range this season -- and rebounds well for his position. If new president Flip Saunders fears losing restricted free-agent center Nikola Pekovic, massive French center Mouhammadou Jaiteh could be considered.

27		Glen Rice Jr. SF Georgia Tech 22 years old6-6211

Glen Rice Jr. (Georgia Tech) looks like a good pick for Denver at pick 27. With Andre Iguodala considering opting out of the final year of his contract and Danilo Gallinari likely out for the early part of next season with a knee injury, Rice is a solid pick for the Nuggets. After a checkered career at Georgia Tech that ended in a dismissal from the team last year, Rice thrived in one season in the D-League, averaging 25 points and 9.5 rebounds for Rio Grande in the playoffs. More important, he stayed out of trouble, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by NBA executives.

30		C.J. Leslie SF/PF North Carolina State Junior6-9209

Phoenix might take a chance on C. J. Leslie from North Carolina State at pick 30.   
Pick acquired from Miami: New GM Ryan McDonough has a sharp eye for talent -- as an assistant GM in Boston he was a strong advocate for the Celtics drafting Avery Bradley in 2010 and acquiring Rajon Rono in a draft-night trade in 2006 -- and he will need that eye here. The Suns have holes everywhere, so position isn't really relevant. Leslie battled inconsistency at NC State, and there are questions about his attitude and work ethic. But he is a tremendous athlete -- he ran a 3.1 in the three-quarter-court sprint at the combine, second only to point guard Shane Larkin -- and showcased a versatile game in college.

Steve Clifford Named New Charlotte Bobcats Head Coach (Who is Steve Clifford?)

The Charlotte Bobcats have hired longtime NBA assistant coach Steve Clifford as their new head coach.

Clifford was introduced at a press conference Wednesday.

An assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, Clifford becomes the Bobcats' sixth different coach since the 2006-07 season.

He spent the previous five seasons (2007-12) as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic. During his time on Stan Van Gundy’s staff, Clifford helped the Magic to a 259-135 (.657) record, highlighted by a trip to the 2009 NBA Finals.

Prior to his time in Orlando, Clifford spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets (2003-07) after working with the New York Knicks for three seasons, two as an assistant coach (2001-03) and one as an advance scout (2000-01).

 Entering the NBA with more than a decade of college coaching experience, Clifford served as an assistant coach at East Carolina University for one season following four years as head coach at Adelphi University, where he compiled a record of 86-36 (.705). Leading Adelphi to four straight 20-win seasons, he became the first coach in school history to record consecutive 20- plus win campaigns while guiding the Panthers to four appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

He coached for two seasons at Woodland High School in Maine before beginning his college coaching career as an assistant at St. Anselm’s College in New Hampshire for four seasons. Following his time with the Hawks, he served one season as an assistant at Fairfield University, spent the next four seasons at Boston University and one season after that at Siena College before accepting the head coaching position at Adelphi.

Clifford played four years at the University of Maine at Farmington and was named Best Defensive Player in his final two seasons while serving as team captain. He graduated with a degree in special education.

This will be his first NBA head coaching job.

Clifford has a monumental task ahead of him. He'll try to turn the Bobcats into a winner, but Charlotte is a combined 28-120 over the past two seasons.

He replaces Mike Dunlap, who was fired after just one season.

Just Give Me the Damn Keys (Bieber vs. Keyshawn)

So when I first heard that Keyshawn Johnson (driving a Prius) chased down Justin Bieber for driving his Ferrari recklessly and Bieber ran in his house and wouldn't come out, I thought it was one of my extremely weird but humorous dreams. But now a day later, the story is still in the news and evidently true.

According to sources: Keyshawn, a former NFL wide receiver, had just left a party Monday night inside of his exclusive gated community in Calabasas (with his child in the car), when Bieber zoomed by in his Ferrari at breakneck speeds.

They say Keyshawn was furious, feeling Justin could've killed someone, so he took his kid home, then chased after the singer in his Prius (yes, a Prius chasing a Ferrari).

When Key got to Bieber's house, he blocked Justin's Ferrari in the driveway and got out of his car to confront Justin face-to-face, but Beiber ran inside of his house and refused to come out.

I understand Keyshawn Johnson is working on a book about the experience.  He is going to call it, "Just Give Me The Damn Keys".