BIG EAST Announces UC’s League Opponents
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The BIG EAST Conference announced the University of Cincinnati's men’s basketball conference opponents and game sites for the 2012-13 season on Thursday.
New this year, the Bearcats are scheduled to play four league teams home-and-home -- one more than years past – since there are 15 BIG EAST teams this coming season. UC’s mirror opponents are Connecticut, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Rutgers.
The Huskies and Irish are two of five 2012 NCAA Tournament participants to visit Fifth Third Arena this winter along with Georgetown, Marquette and USF. Other non-mirror BIG EAST teams coming to Cincinnati include St. John’s and Villanova.
The Bearcats’ road slate is highlighted with trips to 2012 national semifinalist Louisville, and defending regular-season league champion Syracuse. Besides its mirror league teams, UC also will travel to DePaul, Providence and Seton Hall.
“Without question our home crowd made a huge impact last season and helped propel us toward a great postseason run,” UC head coach Mick Cronin said. “Rick Pitino said it was the biggest home court advantage his team faced all season. With the schedule we’re putting in place and the team we’ll put on the floor, Fifth Third Arena should be a tough place for the opponents to play once again this season.”
Dates and times for games will be announced at a later date, as will UC’s non-conference schedule which will be highlighted by home games against Alabama and New Mexico, a neutral site contest with Xavier at Cincinnati’s US Bank Arena, and matchups against Iowa State and either Oregon or UNLV in Las Vegas, Nev.
Fans who would like to guarantee themselves a seat to all of the Bearcats basketball action this season should secure a season ticket deposit for only $50. By placing a deposit, new season ticket holders will be able to participate in the seat selection process with renewing season ticket holders. To place your deposit today, please call 1-877-CATS-TIX (1-877-228-7849).
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Reds
Winning trip?
The Reds play 11 games in 11 days on the West Coast: 4 vs SF, 3 vs LA, 4 vs SD.
They begin the trip with a two game lead on both the Pirates and Cardinals.
It is yet another measuring stick stretch for this team.
Earlier this year the Reds played 20 straight days and went 12-8.
They faced 14 straight games vs teams with winning records and went 9-5.
The Reds will hit the All-Star break at the end of this trip and will have played 85 games. At that point they will be three weeks from the trading deadline.
The Reds begin the trip facing a red hot SF team coming off three consecutive shutouts of the Dodgers. SF outscored LA 13-0 this week. It's the first time in franchise history the Giants shut out the Dodgers in a three-game series, a span of 123 seasons.
Giants starting pitchers have allowed one earned run over their last 31 innings.
As listener Jeff points out: The Reds will get Cueto starts in three of the 11 games. The Dodgers could be without both Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier and the Reds will miss Clayton Kershaw. ESPN notes the Dodgers have six home runs this month.
Three Reds hitters have 6 homers in June including Votto/Bruce/Ludwick. The Reds have outhomered LA 32-6 this month. The Dogers are hitting .219 in June.
The Giants and Dodgers are tied for first in NL West (43-33)....2nd best record in NL behind Washington. The Padres are 27-49, 2nd worst record in MLB behind the Cubs.
What is a reasonable expectation for the trip?
Winning trip: 6-5 or better
Salvage job: 5-6
Losing trip: 4-7
Damaging trip: 3-8 or worse
Votto funk
Joey Votto was due to cool off. He is 4 for his last 22 (.182) over the last seven games. The Reds are 3-4 in that stretch. He has struck out 6 times in his last 13 AB. Votto hit .500 over his previous 23 games (42 for 84) with 6 HR, 17 RBI.
Cueto since Opening Day 2011
18-8 2.27 in 39 starts, 257.2 innings, 215 H, 180 K, 68 BB, 13 HR, 5 CG, 1 SHO
Best ERA in MLB (200 innings min)
Projected 2012
21-7 2.21 in 35 starts/234.2 innings
2012
Home: 5-1 2.28 in 7 starts, 47.1 IN, 2 HR
Away: 4-2 2.15 in 8 starts, 54.1 IN, 3 HR
Innings pitched
2008: 174.0
2009: 171.1
2010: 185.2
2011: 170.1 (AAA/ML)
2012: 101.2
On pace for 234.2 innings for 2012 (+49 above career high/+64 from '11)
Cueto figures to make 17-18 more regular season starts and hopefully at least a couple of postseason starts. It will be interesting to see how Dusty Baker and Bryan Price handle his workload. I like what they did Saturday. They got Cueto out after seven dominant innings and a 6-0 lead. Innings saved now are innings to be used in September/October.
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Congrats
Miami Valley Golf Club pro qualifies for PGA Championship
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Reds
Reds set off on 11-game West Coast road trip
Hal McCoy, Fox Sports
In the past, a west coast trip has been where the Reds go to bury their hopes and dreams of winning divisions, or even of winning seasons.
Even in the best of times, back in the days of The Big Red Machine, a trip that included San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, was no trip to Hawaii, not fun in the sun, not an easy stroll through the park on a breezy summer day.
West Coast woes
The Reds are just 27-43 (.386) on the West Coast over the last six years.
Last six years on West Coast:
5-13 Dodgers
7-12 Padres
10-11 Giants
4-2 A's
1-5 Mariners
The Reds did go 7-3 last year and 5-5 in 2011 on the West Coast.
The Cardinals have two trips to West Coast for a total of 12 games.
May: 5 games SF/LA
September: 7 games SD/LA
The BP injury
Leading off
Zack Cozart broke an 0 for 19 skid in 8th inning today.
He entered today with 50 starts batting 1st: .218 BA/.255 OBP, 12 BB/47 K
Overall production from leadoff spot for Reds in 2012
BA 30th, OBP 30th, SLG 29th, OPS 30th, H 30th, R 22nd, BB 29th, K 4th, SB 30th
Reds .195 BA, .235 OBP, .300 SLG, .536 OPS
NL avg .258 BA, .318 OBP, .388 SLG, .706 OPS
Reds: 63 H, 16 BB, 3 SB, 73 K, 41 R
NL avg 80 H, 25 BB, 13 SB, 61 K, 45 R
Homer, Homer , Homer
Career vs Brewers: 0-5 6.50 in 54 innings. 10 starts
This season overall
4 starts: 16 innings, 20 earned runs, 11.25 ERA (runs 6,6,4,4)
Other 11 starts: 73.2 innings, 24 earned runs, 2.95 ERA (runs 1, 1,1,1,2,2,3,3,3,3,4)
10 quality starts for season
But last 5 starts:
1-3 6.00 (*if takes loss today)
27 innings
35 hits
18 ER
9 BB
16 K
5 HR
3rd catcher anyone?
Brewers OF Nyjer Morgan tried to reach into the stands down the right-field line to grab a flyball in Wednesday’s game. He got tangled up with a fan and shoved the fan with his glove afterwards.
Does MLB do enough to protect fans?
It seems like I'm noticing more and more fans being injured by foul balls at MLB games. I heard Indians announcer Rick Manning the other night wonder if it's not time MLB extended the homeplate netting further down the 1B/3B lines. I've heard Atlanta Braves announcers discuss the concept during a recent broadcast as well.
Ever notice how few people actually pay attention to a game, pitch to pitch. The pace of baseball lends itself to talking with the person next to you, handing money down the aisle for a beer, ect.
About 10-year ago the NHL mandated netting above the glass that borders the corners and end zones of their arenas. The move was in response to a 13-year old girl that was struck by a puck and killed at a Columbus Bluejackets game in 2002.
I found this follow-up article on the decision from a couple of months ago.
Again, the netting has become such an assumed part of the fan experience that the backlash 10 years ago seems Neanderthalic — and fairly cold-hearted — today. The league argued this change was essential for safety. The purists bristled at the end of a tradition. Debates raged … and then a decade later, yesterday's hot-button debate is today's societal norm.
What do you think? Ever see a fan get hit by a foul ball? Would netting that extends down the lines maybe 10-feet beyond the dugouts make sense? Overreaction?
Would it impair your game viewing experience?
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Video Flashback
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Reds
VOTE BP: Voting ends midnight tonight
Brandon Phillips trails Dan Uggla in All-Star voting at 2B by nearly 800,000 votes.
Season stats
Phillips: .289-.330-.452-.782, 10 HR, 46 RBI
Uggla: .238-.366-.418-.784, 11 HR, 42 RBI
If Uggla wins the vote there is a chance Phillips won't be added to the roster.
Houston 2B Jose Altuve figures to be added as the Astros representative.
Would Tony LaRussa add a third 2B? Would he pick Phillips?
Vote a maximum of 25 times. Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET tonight.
VOTE HERE
The 2012 AL and NL All-Star teams will be announced Sunday on the 2012 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show, televised nationally on TBS.
Attendance:
Milwaukee series: 96, 377
Mon 34,485
Tue 32,986
Wed 28,906
Minnesota series: 109,794
Fri 33,531
Sat 41,750
Sun 34,513
6 game homestand: 206,171
Average: 34,361
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Event for a cause
Hamiltons Westside Allstars fundraiser
We will be having a fundraiser for Hamiltons Westside Allstars this Saturday June 30th from 7-11 pm. At Columbia bowling lanes, Hamilton Ohio. The cost is $20 per person. That allows you to bowl, eat pizza, and drink soda. Live music will be provided by The Salients. Please come out and help us support our Westside Allstars as we make a run towards a district title.... Anyone needing further information can contact Coach Walter Morris (513) 515-9644 or Coach Dan MCVEY (513) 939-6132
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Stuff
NFL moves kickoffs of Sunday doubleheaders to 4:25
One year ago, former UC swimmer Nate Kramer was diagnosed with Leukemia months following his final race for the Bearcats. Now, the relentless swimmer fights for his life with the same tenacity with which he attacked the pool.
Nate Kramer: Race for life
Paul Dehner, GoBearcats.com
CINCINNATI - When toeing the edge of the pool, Nate Kramer always held the same race philosophy.
Whether before his first race as a seventh grader, in high school with the Anderson Barracudas club team or at the Big East championships for the University of Cincinnati, Kramer understood his strength.
"There's guys that will hang back and really push it at the end," he said. "I always had trouble with that because I went out very fast. I go out and just try to hang on. I knew it was going to hurt at the end, so may as well go fast when it doesn't hurt."
Winners and losers of a college football playoff
Orlando Sentinel
Losers
Big East: Before Tuesday, the Big East Conference was sitting at the adult table with the likes of the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC. Today, the league has been relegated to the card table in front of the TV. Forced to sit back and watch its former brethren profit from a new system. Getting an invite to the playoff will be tougher but not impossible and will require an undefeated season and strong schedule.
Fox Sports: Don't buy into the playoff lie
Detroit Free Press: Playoff will hurt Big 10, Notre Dame
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Down on the Farm
Billy Hamilton: 2 SB last night, 94 stolen bases in 73 games. He has a SB in 11 consecutive games.....with 22 SB in that stretch.
(Photo: Chris Nelson/Blue Wahoos)
Tony Cingrani: The Double-A LHP tossed a gem last night. 8 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, frachise record 15 K. He struck out 10 of first 11 batters faced. He lost a no-hitter in the 7th. Season stats Bakersfield/Pensacola 7-2 1.47 in 15 starts, 86 IN, 61 H, 109 K, 21 BB, .196 BAA. He's a 2011 3rd round pick out of Rice.
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Wow
Cincy Shirts: That's How I Roll Sommersault Shirt
From Cincy Shirts
A Rolled-This Chapman rolled the Reds to a victory. Dusty didn't like it, but after the last several outings Chapman had, it was a relief to see him having fun again. Pick up a That's How I Roll shirt for your next trip to the ballpark! Available in Mens, womens, youth and hoodys!
Order HERE
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Update on the Joe Morgan bronze sculpture
CINCINNATI (June 27, 2012) — The Cincinnati Reds have selected Joe Morgan as the subject for the second in a series of four bronze sculptures paying tribute to the players of the Big Red Machine that will be permanently installed around the perimeter of Great American Ball Park. Johnny Bench’s bronze sculpture, dedicated in 2011, is the first in the series, and sits at the entrance to the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum. Joe Morgan’s sculpture will be installed during the 2013 season. Two additional sculptures are scheduled for 2015 and 2017 respectively, whose subjects will be named at a later date.“I’ve been fortunate enough to play on such great teams with the Big Red Machine and the sculpture is something that will be out there for generations of Reds fans to see,” said Morgan. “The sculpture is part of a lasting tribute to all the members of the Big Red Machine.” Cincinnati-based artist Tom Tsuchiya, whose been contracted to create all four sculptures, began meeting in May with Joe to begin work on the piece.
The pose of the bronze sculpture will capture Joe at the explosive moment of stealing a base. (Joe is the modern-day stolen bases leader for the Reds) “I was inspired to create the sculpture after watching a DVD of the 1975 World Series and was amazed at how far of a lead he took from first base,” said Tsuchiya. “Not eight or nine feet like most players, he routinely took a 12-foot lead.” The Reds Hall of Fame & Museum will embark on a fundraising campaign that will offer Reds fans multiple levels of giving to support the statue. “The pose selected shows one of the tools that Morgan brought to the table that was so important to the success of the Big Red Machine teams of the 70’s,” said Rick Walls, executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum. “We are committed to this project and we’ll soon be launching a campaign that will allow fans the opportunity to contribute be part of the Morgan Legacy Project.” In addition to the Bench statue, Tsuchiya created the four bronze sculptures featured in Crosley Terrace at the entrance to Great American Ball Park depicting Joe Nuxhall, Frank Robinson, Ernie Lombardi and Ted Kluszewski
