Catching up with 2006-2007 Texas recruits

After coming off their 6th National Championship in school history, Texas signed arguably one of their best classes ever, inking 16 players. Baseball America ranked the class as the 3rd best in the nation. Everything looked golden for the 2006 Longhorns, until the draft.

Of the 16 players, only 9 made it onto campus. Of those original 9, only 4 remain Longhorns in 2008. One member of the 2006 class, Brandon Belt, is now a Longhorn after spending his freshman season at San Jacinto College in Houston.

Here's the class breakdown, with an update for each player that I could track down:

Brandon Belt - University of Texas (San Jacinto College)
Belt opted to spend his freshman season at San Jacinto College after being drafted in the 11th round by the Boston Red Sox. Belt went 7-2 with a 2.82 ERA on the mound, and hit .421 with 57 RBIs and a team leading 9 home runs. Belt is now the starting 1B for Texas, after transferring between the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Michael Demperio - University of Georgia (University of Texas)
Demperio was one of the 9 Longhorns who made it to campus. After recovering from the removal of a brain tumor prior to the 2007 season, Demperio appeared in 33 games for the Longhorns, starting 11 in the infield. He hit .156 with 4 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. After the season, Demperio elected to return back to his home state and play for the Georgia Bulldogs. He is currently their starting 2B, hitting .182 with 2 stolen bases.
Carmine Giardina - University of Central Florida
Giardina was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 28th round of the MLB draft. Instead of signing with the Red Sox or attending Texas, he opted to stay closer to home and enroll at University of Central Florida. Giardina made 8 appearances for the Knights in 2007, starting 4 contests. He accrued a record of 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA. He struck out 28 batters in his 25.1 innings. 2008 has not started well for Carmine. In his only appearance to date, he managed only 1/3 of an inning, giving up 2 runs for a 54.00 ERA.
Taylor Hammack - University of Houston (San Jacinto College)
Hammack's name was on the long list of pitchers who spurned Texas after pitching coach Tom Holiday left for the head gig at North Carolina State. After being drafted in the 46th round by the Houston Astros, Hammack enrolled at San Jacinto College. As a pitcher, Hammack pitched 16 innings, striking out 13 batters, with a 6.19 ERA. He had more success at the plate, hitting .301 with 4 home runs and 41 RBIs. After his freshman year, Hammack signed with the University of Houston, and now enjoys a starting role for the Cougars. Hammack has made 1 start this season, giving up only 1 run in 4 innings, striking out 6 batters. Hammack is scheduled to start against the Longhorns on Sunday in the Minute Maid Classic.
Nathan Karns - Texas Tech University (NC State)
Karns followed his recruiter, Tom Holiday, to North Carolina State, after being a 10th round pick of the Houston Astros. With the Wolfpack, Karns was 3-2 with a .267 ERA. He started 8 of the 9 games in which he pitched. Karns decided to transfer to Texas Tech University in the fall, with the arrival of former Oregon State pitching coach Dan Spencer in Lubbock. Karns has started one game for the Red Raiders, striking out 7 batters. In 4 innings, he has given up 3 runs, giving him a 6.75 ERA. Karns is slated to start on Saturday against Tennessee in the Minute Maid Classic.
Marcus Lemon - Texas Rangers
Lemon, son of former Detroit Tiger Chet Lemon, was scheduled to take over in the infield for the Longhorns. Unfortunately, the Texas Rangers had the same idea when they drafted him in the 4th round. Lemon chose to sign with the Rangers, and spent 2006 season with the Rangers' rookie league team in Arizona. Lemon hit .310 in 28 games. In 2007, Marcus was moved up to Single A with the Clinton Lumberjacks. he finished the season hitting .261 in 128 games. Lemon scored 62 runs with the Lumberjacks.
Kyle Lusson - University of Texas
Lusson spent his freshman year as a backup outfielder for the Longhorns, playing 15 games with 4 starts. Lusson completed the season with a .240 batting average. So far in 2008, Lusson has made 1 start for the #3 Longhorns. Kyle has a .500 average in 2 at bats.
Pat McCrory - University of Texas (Navarro College)
McCrory wasn't supposed to come in until 2008, but decided to leave Navarro a year early and join the Longhorns. He began 2007 as the starting SS for the Longhorns, but was eventually moved to the bullpen in favor of Josh Prince. As a batter, he hit .067 in 12 games. On the mound, he collected 1 win in 19 appearances with a 3.65 ERA. So far in 2008, he has hit 1 double in 2 at bats, but hasn't seen action as a pitcher.
Russell Moldenhauer - University of Texas
Moldenhauer came to Texas after getting drafted in the 3rd round by the Angels of Anaheim. In his first season, he saw extensive playing time as the Longhorns' DH. He hit .278 with 6 home runs and 32 RBIs on the year. In 2008, Moldenhauer has seen the field as a DH and in LF. He is currently batting .235 with 5 RBIs and a triple.
Josh Prince - Tulane University (University of Texas)
Prince came to Texas as Dooley Prince's younger brother. It didn't take long for him to be known as simply Josh Prince. Josh took over the SS job midway through the season, and went on to hit .371 for the Longhorns. After the season, he decided to take his game closer to his Louisiana home, and transferred to Tulane University. Prince is the Green Wave's starting SS this year, and is currently batting at a .133 clip with 1 RBI.
James Russell - Chicago Cubs (University of Texas)
James Russell came to Texas from Navarro College with pitching coach Skip Johnson. In 2007, he claimed a role as the #2 starter behind Adrian Alaniz. Russell's 8 wins were good for third on the Longhorns' staff. He maintained a 3.86 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 109.2 innings. Russell was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the June draft. He signed with the Cubs 2 months later. Russell pitched 3 games in the Cubs' system in 2007, giving up no runs and 3 hits in 9 innings.
Clint Stubbs - Louisiana Tech (University of Texas)
Clint Stubbs came in as another Longhorn sibling legacy. His older brother, Drew Stubbs, needs no writeup. Clint was expected to see time as a speedy outfielder, but couldn't manage to get any starts behind Jordan Danks. Stubbs played in 12 games collecting 2 hits in 8 at bats. After the season, he opted to transfer to Louisiana Tech, where he is currently batting .400 in 6 games, 2 starts, with the Bulldogs.
Jess Todd - St. Louis Cardinals (University of Arkansas)
Todd was supposed to be another Navarro pitcher in burnt orange, but ended up in Razorback cardinal. With Arkansas, Todd finished the year 2nd in wins and 1st in strikeouts. His 9-3 record in 93.1 innings with 128 strikeouts combined with his 2.89 ERA to earn him the honor of being the 82nd player taken in the MLB draft (2nd round). With the Cardinals Organization, Todd pitched in 16 games, 7 starts, collecting a 4-1 record for the Batavia Muckdogs. He struck out 69 batters in 58.1 innings for the Muckdogs.
Travis Tucker - University of Texas (McLennan Community College)
Travis Tucker started all 63 games for Texas in 2007, hitting .307 with 34 RBIs. In 2008, Tucker has moved to 3rd base, and continued his strong play. As the Longhorns' lead off hitter, Tucker is hitting .222 with 6 runs scored.
Jordan Walden - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Grayson Community College)
Walden was supposed to be the gem of the 2006 class. As a senior who hit 99 mph on the radar, his draft stock flew up the charts. Many organizations figured that Walden may follow the lead of Jordan Danks and stick with his commitment, they were half right. Walden was taken in the 12th round by the Angels, but found his way to Grayson Community College to play for Viking head coach Dusty Hart. Walden was 9-2 for the Vikings in 11 starts, with a 1.85 ERA, earning NJCAA All-American honors. After the season, Walden took advantage of the MLB's draft and follow rule, signing with the Angels. Walden started 15 games for the Orem Owlz, going 1-1 with a 3.08 ERA.
Blake Williams - ?? (University of Texas)
Blake Williams made it to Texas as a freshman in 2007. He was redshirted by the staff, and never saw the mound. He isn't on the 2008 roster, and I cannot find anything about him transferring or quitting.

Spurs beat Mavs, Barry coming back

So the Spurs beat the Mavs last night by 3 points in an exciting finish (for Spurs fans). The game was incredibly close, and came down to the final shot. Unfortunately for Dallas, that shot was blocked by Bruce "Everyone Outside of San Antonio Hates Me" Bowen.

The Spurs won double when Brent Barry announced that he would resign with the Spurs after he clears waivers on Tuesday. Barry was included in the trade that brought Kurt Thomas to San Antonio, and will be cut by the Sonics.

Link

Former players update

Longhorns
Michael Demperio hit a double in the first inning off Atlanta Braves' starter Charlie Morton in an exhibition with the MLB team on Wednesday. Demperio finished the day 1-3 with a double and strikeout. On the season for Georgia, Demperio is batting .182 through 3 games against highly ranked Arizona. He has started all 3 games at 2B, stolen 2 bases and been perfect in the field on 9 chances.

Josh Prince is batting .133 in 5 games for the Tulane Green Wave. Prince has been perfect at SS, not commiting and error in his 17 attempts.

Clint Stubbs has started 2 games and appeared in all 6 for the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. He is batting .400 in 10 at bats with 3 runs, 2 RBIs and a double.

Red Raiders
Geoff Byrns has started 3 of 4 games for the St. Mary's Gaels. He has a .400 average with 2 doubles, a triple and a home run. The Gael's are 3-1 since Geoff joined the squad.

Collin Auten has yet to appear in any of the 4 games TCU has played. Auten registered 5 saves in 21 appearances for the Red Raiders in 2007.

Big 12 Standings (2/27)

BIG 12 STANDINGS (2/26)

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
#3 Texas	5	0	1.000	W5	5-0
#22 Baylor	4	0	1.000	W4	4-0
#24 Oklahoma State	4	0	1.000	W4	4-0
#16 Missouri	3	1	.750	L1	3-1
Oklahoma	3	1	.750	W3	3-1
#29 Texas A&M	4	2	.667	W3	4-2
Texas Tech	2	3	.400	L1	2-3
Kansas	2	4	.333	L2	2-4
Nebraska	1	2	.333	L1	1-2
Kansas State	0	2	0.000	L2	0-2

Texas rolls to 5-0 with win over UTPA

Dominant.

That is how this Texas pitching staff has looked against much weaker competition. Today, a freshman and 2 transfers combined for a 3 hit shutout in 7 innings. They allowed 4 base runners in total while striking out 10. Albeit against a lower level of competition than they will face this weekend in Houston, Texas has cruised to easy victories because of this entire staff.

With a 1.88 ERA after 5 games, it appears that they have what it takes to make a long run towards Omaha in 2008. The production is coming from almost everyone who has been on the mound. 7 of the 12 pitchers used have yet to give up an earned run, and opponents are batting only .201 with a .239 slugging %. 52 strikeouts to only 11 walks in 43 innings are great numbers, and they've only yielded 6 extra base hits, all doubles.

With the new start date and condensed schedule that teams are facing this season, the team with the deepest and most dominant staff will have the best chance at winning the championship. Currently, only Oklahoma State has a better staff ERA in the Big 12, with a 1.25, but they have walked more and struck out less in fewer innings. Look for these pitchers to keep the Longhorns' opponents from succeeding.

The hitting hasn't been shabby either. Texas is tops in the Big 12 with a .333 average and 48 runs scored. An OBP of .460 has helped Texas immensely, giving them more opportunities to score their runs. They are also 11-11 in sacrifice hits, doing exactly what Augie asks of each batter to help the team.

Back to today's game. Chance Ruffin, Casey Whitmer and Marcus Tackett gave no mercy to the Bronco hitters, while Brandon Belt and Russell Moldenhauer had timely extra base hits that helped the run production. Belt's 2 ground rule doubles gave him 5 for the season, 2 better than any batter in the Big 12. Texas is now 5-0, ranked #3 and plays Tennessee at 7 pm (time schedule to change due to games before it) at Minute Maid Park on Friday.

Box Score

Texas Tech falls to UNM

Texas Tech fell to 2-3 after struggling with the Lobos in a 7-3 loss. New Mexico jumped out to an early lead thanks to a pair of home runs, and cruised to victory over the Red Raiders in Albuquerque on Wednesday afternoon.

Jason Seefeld brought Tech within 5 with his 2-run blast in the 7th, but the Raiders just could not rally. Part of the problem for Texas Tech was the lack of pitch selection by hitters. Too many times they swung at the first pitch, and didn't reach base. UNM's starting pitcher threw 6.1 innings and only 81 pitches. That's less than 5 pitches per out, and only 3.25 for each batter he faced.

The pitching for Tech was also a weak point today. Russ Fornea just couldn't keep the Lobo batters from getting hits, and Owen Brolsma's performance did not help. James Leverton, Sam Janca and Zach Stewart did a great job in their relief innings, but the hitting couldn't overcome the defecit.

This weekend could end up being a bad one for the Raiders if their woes continue. With games against Tennessee, Houston and Rice, they could easily come back to Lubbock with a 2-6 record. Let's hope they cure their problems and win a game or 2 this weekend.

Box Score

Brian Duncan named finalist for Sullivan award

Very cool of Brian. The Sullivan Award is given by AAU, and recognizes community service and leadership contributions.

Texas Tech release

Tech sets up for midweek game with New Mexico

Time for game #5, and the last tune up before the Minute Maid Classic in Houston.

Texas Tech travels to Albuquerque to take on the New Mexico Lobos at Isotopes Park. Game time is set for 4:00 pm. The starting lineup for the Red Raiders should be as follows:

C Monk Kreder
1B Doug Thennis
2B Joey Kenworthy
SS Chris Hall
3B Jason Seefeld
RF Roger Kieschnick
CF Taylor Ashby
LF Chris Richburg
DH Juan Rodriguez

Starting on the mound will be Jr. RHP Russ Fornea, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin, making his first career start in the scarlet and black. Fornea appeared in one game over the weekend, throwing a perfect 1 1/3 innings with 1 strikeout.

Texas Tech has won the last 10 of 11 games in the series against UNM. They lead the all-time series 54-31-1.

Notes

• Tech coach Larry Hays is 14 wins away from 1,500 career wins. He is 9 wins away from 800 wins at Tech. He has led Tech for the past 22 seasons.
  
• Roger Kieschnick's 41 doubles is good for 6th all-time at Tech
• Kieschnick's 8 triples ties him for 9th all-time at Tech
  

DJ Augustin named to Academic All-American First Team

For the second time in school history, Texas has an Academic All-American in basketball. DJ Augustin was picked by ESPN The Magazine as a first team selection on this year's squad. To even be a nominee for the award, you have to be a starter or significant bench player, have a career GPA of 3.20 and be a sophomore or higher. Augustin easily fit all 3 categories, thanks to his 3.64 GPA (4.0 in the Fall 07).

DJ is also the only player on the first team that I've heard of. The others hail from Drake, Belmont, Coastal Carolina and North Dakota State. Congrats to DJ.

TexasSports.com

Workman K's 11 in Texas victory

Brandon Workman did a hell of a job in his first start as a Longhorn. The freshman from Bowie, Texas pitched 6 innings and struck out 11 UTPA batters, earning his first victory in the 10-3 Texas win.

For the first time all season, Texas actually trailed an opponent. They gave up the first run on a slow roller up the 3rd base line. Travis Tucker opted to not field the ball in the hopes that it would roll foul, but it stayed fair and the runner on 3rd scored, giving UTPA a 1-0 lead. Texas tied the game, but UTPA scored another run, taking a 2-1 lead this time. Texas decided that that would just not work for them, and outscored the Broncs from that point on 9-1, thanks in most part to the lack of control by the Pan Am staff. Texas picked up 11 walks and 3 HBPs in the contest. 7 of the 14 batters ended up scoring, with 2 picking up RBIs for their effort.

Brandon Belt set a career high with 4 RBIs on the day. He also collected 2 of the 9 Longhorn hits. Travis Tucker was successful on 3 stolen base attempts out of 4. He stole 2nd in the first inning, but was subsequently thrown out trying to steal 3rd.

Texas and UTPA close out their 2 game stand today at 2:30 at Disch-Falk Field.

Big 12 Standings

BIG 12 STANDINGS (2/26)

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
#22 Baylor	4	0	1.000	W4	4-0
#24 Oklahoma State	4	0	1.000	W4	4-0
#3 Texas	4	0	1.000	W4	4-0
#16 Missouri	3	1	.750	L1	3-1
Oklahoma	2	1	.750	W2	2-1
#29 Texas A&M	3	2	.600	W2	3-2
Texas Tech	2	2	.500	W1	2-2
Kansas	2	3	.400	L1	2-3
Nebraska	1	2	.333	L1	1-2
Kansas State	0	2	0.000	L2	0-2

Texas Tech revises 2008 football schedule

Due to a request by the Big 12 for reasons relating to the TV schedule, Texas Tech has announced that they have pushed back the dates of their final 2 football games. The Red Raiders were initially set to travel to Norman, Oklahoma on November 15th to battle the Oklahoma Sooners, and back to Lubbock for their contest against the Baylor Bears on November 22nd. Now, Texas Tech will take the 15th off, travel to Norman on the 22nd and play host to Baylor on November 29th, after Thanksgiving.

This new schedule gives Tech 2 open dates (September 27th and November 15th). I personally don't like the game on November 29th because it will shorten my break.

Texas Tech also has their Red-Black game scheduled for April 19th.

THE NEW POLLS ARE HERE!

The NCBWA poll came out today. It's the one that I use to track the Big 12 teams.

The Big 12 went from 3 teams among the top 25, to 4.

Texas jumped 3 spots from 6th to 3rd.

Missouri moved up one from 17th to 16th.

Baylor went from 26th to 22nd.

Oklahoma State is now 24th, moving up 5 spots.

Texas A&M dropped out of the top 25 to 29th. They were 20th before splitting their series with Northern Colorado in College Station.

Texas Tech finishes weekend 2-2

Texas Tech finished their weekend at the UTSA Tournament tied for 2nd place with a 2-2 mark. Tech led off their season in poor fashion, getting 1-hit by Louisiana-Lafayette. The 4-0 defeat was not blamed on pitching, as Tech starter AJ Ramos struck out 10 batters in his 7 innings. Texas Tech had a better outing against Army on Sunday morning. Tech kicked off the game with a 7-run first inning, and cruised to a 16-2 victory, highlighted by Roger Kieschnick's 4 extra base hits. Kieschnick recorded 2 doubles, a triple and a home run, coming up just a single shy of the cycle.

Tech followed up the victory with a disappointing loss to tournament champions Oral Roberts. Tech held a 2-run advantage before giving up 3 2-out runs in the bottom of the 7th, dooming the Red Raiders to a 7-6 loss and a losing record. Not to go out on bottom, Tech answered back with a vengeance against the host team. With 10 runs in the first frame, Tech set the pace for the day, finishing with a 16-6 victory and a 2-2 record.

A 2-2 record is good for this team. They proved a lot of what critics panned them for before the season was empty cynicism. The brightest spot for the Red Raiders was their pitching staff. The starters were phenomenal, going a combined 2-1 with 25 strikeouts in 22 innings. Although the ERA for the starters was a 4.09, most of those runs were scored in the final innings against them. The relievers did a fair job, with Brian Cloud and Robert Kilcrease being the 2 that stood out the most.

On the offensive side, 3 players distinguished themselves from the pack. Roger Kieschnick hit .350 with 10 RBIs and 6 of his 7 hits going for extra bases. Jason Seefeld, a surprise starter after tearing his ACL in the fall, led the way with a .455 average and .625 OBP. Doug Thennis, Tech's leadoff man hit .353 with a .476 OBP. Another bright spot was Joey Kenworthy, not for his swinging, but rather his lack of swinging. Kenworthy led the team with 8 walks and 8 runs scored. As a team, Texas Tech was patient enough to draw 32 walks, which helped them to score their 38 runs on the weekend.

This weekend was good for Tech. They showcased pitching and hitting, and got that first weekend out of the way. They did struggle with the bullpen against Oral Roberts, but that is not something that should bother anyone too much, seeing as how only 2 pitchers of the 13 used (9 in relief) made multiple appearances, with 7 making their first appearances of their Tech career. Wednesday's game at New Mexico should be a good one for the Raider faithful if the team continues their strong hitting.

Texas completes sweep of VCU

Texas successfully swept VCU this weekend in their 3 game set. Friday's game was pretty good for a team's first game. Some players started off slow, except Preston Clark, who collected 4 RBIs on the day. The middle infield duo of newcomers Michael Torres and David Hernandez proved to be worth something. They both managed to lay down sacrifice bunts twice, and had some great defensive plays. The pitching was excellent, with Austin Wood striking out 6 over 6 innings of work. Brandon Workman and Kyle Walker both provided adequate relief pitching, combining for 5 strikeouts in the final 3 innings. Texas won the game 6-2.

Saturday was all about Texas. They scored a season high 17 runs (harr!) on 15 hits. Torres helped the effort with 5 RBIs in his second game in burnt orange. Belt got his first 4 hits of the season, with 2 doubles. The pitching was great, save for a bad inning by Keith Shinaberry, but Chance Ruffin came in and closed out the game for the Longhorns, and recorded his first career save (Texas was only up 4 when he entered). Kyle Russell hit his first home run with a long shot off the scoreboard in left center. That won't be the last one Kyle hits, either.

Sunday saw the triumphant returns of Kenn Kasparek and Riley Boening from injuries that kept them out of 2007. They combined for 8 k's in 7 innings, both giving up an unearned run. Kyle Russell continued to add to his offensive numbers, putting up 3 RBIs, while Jordan Danks hit a double and triple. Preston Clark took the day to rest, giving freshman Cameron Rupp his first start at catcher. Kyle Lusson started for Kevin Keyes in LF, after Keyes left Saturday's contest following a knock to the head from a VCU fastball.

So Texas is sitting well at 3-0. They didn't show any real weakness this weekend and never trailed the Rams. The offense looked impressive, and the pitching staff seemed to do almost everything right. If they continue their level of play, they won't have anything to worry about come playoff time.

Tuesday's game against UT-Pan American is set for a 3:15 start. Wednesday's was said to be 3:15, but might have been moved back to its originally scheduled time.

Big 12, day 3

Texas Tech defeated Army, 16-2, in San Antonio.

• Roger Kieschnick was 4-6 with 6 RBIs. Kieschnick's 4 hits included 2 doubles, a triple and a home run.
• Fr. SP Chad Bettis made his first career start, lasting 6 innings and giving up 1 earned run.
• 1B Doug Thennis was 3-4 with 3 runs, 2 RBIs and 2 doubles.

Texas Tech dropped their 2nd game to Oral Roberts, 7-6. Oral Roberts scored 3 runs with 2 outs in the 7th inning.

• Roger Kieschnick hit his 2nd home run of the day with a solo shot in the 5th.
• Chris Richburg connected on his first home run of the season, a 2-run blast, in the 3rd inning.
• Nathan Karns pitched 4 innings, striking out 7 batters and allowing only 2 hits. He also gave up 3 runs and walked 4.
  

#6 Texas defeated VCU, 10-2, completing their weekend sweep of the Rams.

• 5 Longhorns made their debut today. Cameron Rupp started at C for Preston Clark while Tant Shepherd, Kawika Emsley-Pai, Stayton Thomas and Marcus Tackett all subbed in during the contest.
• RF Kyle Russell finished the day 2-4 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs
• CF Jordan Danks went 2-4 with 2 runs, 1 RBI, a double and a triple.
• SP Kenn Kasparek made his season debut, striking out 5 batters in 5 innings of work.

Baylor outlasted Purdue, 2-1, sweeping the Boilermakers in Waco.

• RP Nick Cassavechia earned his 2nd save of the year.
• LF Ben Booker went 2-4 witha run

#20 Texas A&M defeated Northern Colorado, 5-2, splitting their 4 game series.

• 3B Dane Carter hit a 2-run home run in the 8th inning for the Aggies, their 2nd of the weekend.
• SP Scott Migl lasted 6.1 innings, giving up 2 runs and striking out 5 batters, improving his record to 1-0
• RP Travis Starling picked up his first save of the season.
• 2B Blake Stouffer is still searching for his 1st hit of the season. He is currently 0-12.

Kansas lost their first game to Hawaii-Hilo, 4-3. In game 2, Kansas answered with a 16-4 victory over the Vulcans.

Oklahoma State swept Gonzaga in a double header, 3-1 and 10-3.

Nebraska fell to Stanford, 4-2, in Palo Alto.

#17 Missouri outlasted tournament host Stetson, 9-5, in DeLand, Florida.

• Missouri SP Kyle Gibson earned his first win, striking out 10 batters in his 6 innings of work.
  

Oklahoma's game with #19 UCLA was cancelled due to rain.

Kansas State's game against California was cancelled due to rain.

BIG 12 STANDINGS

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
Oklahoma State	3	0	1.000	W4	4-0
Baylor	3	0	1.000	W3	3-0
#17 Missouri	3	0	1.000	W3	3-0
#6 Texas	3	0	1.000	W3	3-0
#20 Texas A&M	2	2	.500	W1	2-2
Oklahoma	1	1	.500	W1	1-1
Kansas	2	3	.400	W1	2-3
Nebraska	1	2	.333	L1	1-2
Texas Tech	1	2	.333	L1	1-2
Kansas State	0	2	0.000	L2	0-2

Zach Thomas a Cowboy!

The Cowboys signed veteran LB and former Red Raider Zach Thomas to a one-year, $3 million deal on Saturday. Thomas played his first 12 years in Miami, reaching 7 Pro Bowls and recording the 2nd most tackles in NFL history.

DMN

Big 12, Day 2

Texas Tech lost to Louisiana-Lafayette 4-0 in San Antonio.

• Texas Tech was held to 1 hit for the game, a single by So. Taylor Ashby
• Jason Seefeld started the day as the Tech DH. Seefeld tore his ACL in fall practice, and wasn't expected back until later.
• SP AJ Ramos struck out 10 Cajuns over 6 innings, but picked up the loss.

#6 Texas defeated VCU 17-4.

• Jr. RF Kyle Russell hit his 1st home run of the season, and 39th of his career
• So. 1B Brandon Belt went 4-5 with 4 runs and 2 doubles
• So. 2B Michael Torres was 3-6 with 2 runs and 5 RBIs
• Fr. DH Kevin Keyes left the game in the 8th inning after being struck in the head by a fastball. It didn't appear to be a serious injury.
• Fr. SP Cole Green picked up the win in his first start of his career
• Fr. RP Chance Ruffin retired all 9 batters he faced, striking out 4, and earning the first save of his career.

#20 Texas A&M lost to Northern Colorado 3-1 in 7 innings of their first game of a double header.

• A&M SP Kyle Thebeau picked up the loss after throwing 5.1 innings and striking out 5. Thebeau gave up all 3 Northern Colorado runs.
• 1B Luke Anders finished the game 1 for 2 with a 3B and an RBI.
• Preseason All-American Blake Stouffer remains hitless through the first 2 games of the season. Stouffer is 0-4.

#20 Texas A&M was swept in a double header by Northern Colorado, losing the 2nd game 4-2.

• Blake Stouffer continued his season opening slump, going 0-4. He is now 0-8 in 3 games this season.
• Brian Ruggiano hit a solo home run for the Aggies, his first of the season
• SP Barret Loux struck out 9 batters in 5 innings during the first start of his career.
• RP Clayton Ehlert picked up the loss for A&M

#17 Missouri defeated Michigan State 14-9 at the Stetson Tournament in DeLand, Florida.

• Sr. DH Jacob Priday was 2-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs
• So. LF Aaron Senne was 1-3 with 3 runs, 1 RBI and a double.
• SP Rick Zagone struck out 7 batters over 4 innings of work
• Missouri's bullpen gave up 5 runs in 6 innings of work.

Oklahoma State defeated Gonzaga 12-2, improving their record to 2-0

• SS Jordy Mercer went 1-4 with 3 RBIs and 1 run
• 3B Matt Hague, a transfer from Washington, went 2-5 with 3 RBIs, 1 run and a 3B.
• LF Neil Medchill went 3-4, scoring 3 runs and batting in 2 more.
• SP Tyler Lyons picked up his first win, going 5 innings for the Cowboys

Kansas lost to Hawaii-Hilo 4-3, in Kona, Hawaii.

• CF Nick Faunce led the Jayhawks with 2 hits. He finished the game 2-3 with 2 runs.
• 1B Preston Land went 1-3 with 2 RBIs.

Hawaii-Hilo completed their sweep of Kansas today with a 12-4 victory.

• SS Erik Morrison was 2-5 in game 2, with 1 run
• CF Casey Larson was 1-4 with 2 RBIs
• RP Thomas Marcin struck out 3 batters in 2.1 innings of work.

Kansas State lost to Santa Clara 9-2 in the first game of a double header, the second game was postponed due to inclement weather. The game has yet to be rescheduled.

• Evan LeBlanc and Gabe Alcantar both had 3 RBIs for Santa Clara.
• 3B Nate Tenbrink hit his 1st home run of the year for the Wildcats.

Oklahoma lost to #19 UCLA, 7-5, in the bottom of the 9th.

• UCLA's Gabe Cohen hit a walk-off 2-run home run off OU's Jake McCarter in the 9th inning.
• OU 2B Mike Gosse finished the game 1-5 with a 2-run home run
• OU C JT Wise went 2-4 with 2 runs

Oklahoma defeated #19 UCLA, 3-2, to split the double header.

Baylor defeated Purdue 11-10 on a Ben Booker fielder's choice in the bottom of the 11th.

• 3B Shaver Hansen finished the contest 3-5 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs, including a Grand Slam
• CF Paul Miles was 3-6 with 1 run and 1 RBI
• SP Shawn Tolleson lasted only 2.1 innings in his first appearance for Baylor. Tolleson redshirted in 2007 after Tommy John surgery.
• RP Nick Cassavechia, a pre season All-American, gave up 1 hit and struck out 2 in 2 innings of relief work.

Stanford and Nebraska were scoreless in the 3rd inning when inclement weather forced the game to be suspended. The game will be continued tomorrow.

BIG 12 STANDINGS:

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
Baylor	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
#17 Missouri	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
Oklahoma State	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
#6 Texas	2	0	1.000	W2	2-0
Nebraska	1	1	.500	W1	1-1
Oklahoma	1	1	.333	W1	1-1
Kansas	1	2	.333	L2	1-2
#20 Texas A&M	1	2	.333	L2	1-2
Texas Tech	0	1	0.000	L1	0-1
Kansas State	0	2	0.000	L2	0-2

FORMER LONGHORN/RED RAIDER UPDATES

Josh Prince led off and played SS for Tulane. He finished 0-4

Michael Demperio led off and played 2B for Georgia against Arizona. He was 2-3 with 2 walks and a strikeout. He was 2-2 on steals.

Clint Stubbs started in RF for Louisiana Tech. He was 0-2 with a sacrifice in the 13-1 victory over McNeese State.

Geoff Byrns walked in his appearance as a pinch hitter for St. Mary's against Towson.

Big 12, Day 1

Lots of games going on in the Big 12 today.


#6 Texas defeated Virginia Commonwealth 6-2.

• Junior SP Austin Wood struck out 6 in 6 innings
• Junior C Preston Clark collected 4 RBIs
• Freshman LF Kevin Keyes went 3-4 with a double

#17 Missouri defeats UConn 6-1

• Junior SP Aaron Crow struck out 7 and gave up 1 run in 6 innings.
• Senior CF Kurt Calvert went 3-4 with 3 RBIs
• Junior RF Ryan Lollis went 2-4

Oklahoma State beat Gonzaga, 6-1.

Kansas beat Hawaii-Hilo, 2-1.

Stanford beat Nebraska 17-4 in game 1 of their double header, while Nebraska took game 2 9-2.

California defeated Kansas State, 5-1.

• Cal SP Tyson Ross and RP Daniel Wolford combined to throw a one hitter.
• KSU RF Jordan Cruz lead off the game with a solo home run, Kansas State's only hit of the game.

Baylor outscored Purdue 2-1 in Waco, thanks to a 7th inning 2 run homer by Fr. 2B Landis Ware.

• Baylor 2B Raynor Campbell is sidelined 4-6 weeks after a successful surgery on his right thumb Wednesday morning. Campbell sustained the injury earlier in the week fielding ground balls. True freshman Landis Ware will fill in for him.
• Sr. CL Nick Cassavechia recorded his first save of the season, throwing a perfect session in the 9th.
• Sophomore SP Kendal Volz picked up the win after going 8 innings with 10 strikeouts

#20 Texas A&M outlasted Northern Colorado, 9-5, in College Station.

• Aggies Dane Carter, Jose Duran and Brian Ruggiano all collected 3 hits on the night
• A&M and Northern Colorado both struggled defensively, collecting 4 errors a piece
• Freshman RF Brooks Raley went 2-4 at the plate, collecting a run and an RBI, while also pitching a scoreless inning in relief for the Aggies

Oklahoma's contest against #19 UCLA has been postponed due to incliment weather

Texas Tech plays Louisiana-Lafayette at 10 am on Saturday.

BIG 12 STANDINGS:

TEAM	W	L	WIN %	STREAK	LAST 10
Baylor	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
Kansas	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
#17 Missouri	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
Oklahoma State	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
#6 Texas	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
#20 Texas A&M	1	0	1.000	W1	1-0
Nebraska	1	1	.500	W1	1-1
Oklahoma	0	0	0.000	0	0-0
Texas Tech	0	0	0.000	0	0-0
Kansas State	0	1	0.000	L1	0-1

FORMER LONGHORNS/RED RAIDERS UPDATE:
Michael Demperio led off for Georgia and played 2B. He was 0-4 with 1 run and a HBP. He reached base on his first at bat after being hit by a pitch. He later scored on a SF.

Clint Stubbs was 0-1 with a run for Louisiana Tech. He reached base on an 8th inning fielder's choice and came around to score.

Josh Prince started at SS for Tulane. He was 2-4 with a run and an RBI for the Green Wave.

Geoff Byrns hit 2 doubles and scored a run as the starting DH for St. Mary's. Byrns was a perfect 2-2 at the plate

Here we go!!

VCU Starting Lineup

CF Matthew Leskiw
2B Richard Gonzalez
3B Chris Jackson
1B Jared Bolden
C Carlos Rodriquez
DH R.J. Schenk
LF Nathan Furry
RF Justin Wright
SS Joe Van Meter
SP Will Hirsch

Texas Starting Lineup

3B Travis Tucker
2B Michael Torres
CF Jordan Danks
RF Kyle Russell
C Preston Clark
DH Russell Moldenhauer
1B Brandon Belt
LF Kevin Keyes
SS David Hernandez
SP Austin Wood

..... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
VCU.. 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 8 1
Texas 1 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 X 6 8 1

WP: Austin Wood (1-0)
LP: Will Hirsch (0-1)

VCU (0-1)
PLAYER......AB R H RBI
Leskiw...... 2 0 0 0
..Cheatham.. 3 0 0 0
Gonzalez.... 2 0 1 0
Jackson..... 4 0 0 0
Bolden...... 4 1 0 0
Rodriguez... 4 0 1 0
Schenk...... 3 0 1 1
..Evans..... 1 0 0 0
Furry....... 4 1 2 0
Wright...... 3 0 1 0
..Santos.... 1 0 0 0
Van Meter... 4 0 2 1
TOTAL.......35 2 8 2

TEXAS (1-0)
PLAYER......AB R H RBI
Tucker...... 4 1 2 0
Torres...... 3 0 0 1
Danks....... 2 2 0 0
Russell..... 2 2 0 0
Clark....... 3 0 2 4
Moldenhauer. 3 0 0 0
Belt........ 4 0 0 0
Keyes....... 4 1 3 1
Hernandez... 2 0 1 0
TOTAL.......27 6 8 6

2B: Keyes (1) SB: Danks (1), Russell (1), Tucker (1) CS: Gonzalez (1)

Scouting Texas pitching

The Statesman now has their preview of the Texas pitching staff up. Seems pretty good. They have Cole Green, Kenn "The Lefty Lank" Kasparek and Austin Wood as the starters.

Spurs add Kurt Thomas

The Spurs made a trade today, looking to add size for their playoff run. PF Kurt Thomas comes to San Antonio in exchange for SF Brent Barry, C Franscisco Elson and a 1st round pick.

The addition of Thomas will be a big help for a team looking to give Tim Duncan some much needed help inside. Losing Barry won't hurt as much, with his injuries and the current play of Ime Udoka, and Elson hasn't been as much of an impact as the Spurs would've hoped when they signed him from Denver.

Scouting the Texas outfield

Well, we are just 2 days from the first pitch, and the Statesman has released their preview of the Texas outfield. Kyle Russell in right, Jordan Danks in center and, wait for it, Kevin Keyes in left field. That's right, freshman Kevin Keyes beat out sophomore Russell Moldenhauer for the starting job. It appears that Moldenhauer isn't quite over an injury he sustained in the offseason. Moldenhauer, along with sophomore Kyle Lusson will be the top backups in the outfield.

So that gives the Longhorns lineup a change:
C Preston Clark (Cameron Rupp if Clark isn't ready to go)
1B Brandon Belt
2B Michael Torres
3B Travis Tucker
SS David Hernandez
RF Kyle Russell
CF Jordan Danks
LF Kevin Keyes
DH Russell Moldenhauer/Cameron Rupp (just a guess on my part)

Bravo, Hunter Pence

Well, apparently Astro's CF Hunter Pence walked through the glass door at his apartment. The story from the Chronicle says that he was going outside to get into the hot tub with his friend, and was unaware that the door had been shut. He walked right into it and cut himself up a bit. It wasn't too bad, but he will be out for at least a week.

Its a real shame when accidents like this happen, especially in front of a lady you're trying to "be friends with," right Hunter?

Houston Chronicle

Is anybody goin' to San Antone?

The Red Raiders have found their opponent(s) for this weekend. Thanks to some hard work on the phones, Texas Tech is headed for the Alamo City to participate in the UTSA Baseball Classic at Wolff Stadium.

So instead of having 4 games against NIU, Tech has games against Louisiana-Lafayette, Army, Oral Roberts and UTSA. Tech and UL-L play Saturday at 10 am. Sunday includes a double header for the Raiders with Army at 10 am and ORU at 2 pm. They round out their trip with a 2 pm game against the tournament host Roadrunners on Monday.

Saturday 2-23: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette 10 am
Sunday 2-24: vs. Army 10 am, vs. Oral Roberts 2 pm
Monday 2-25: vs. UTSA 2 pm

TTU release

Scouting the Texas infield

Austin American-Statesman

The gist of it revolves around having only one player returning in his original spot (C Preston Clark) as well as having 3 completely new faces starting for the Longhorns.

Tech still sifting through options for this weekend

Texas Tech has been searching through many options to replace their weekend series with Northern Illinois, which was canceled on the heels of last week's tragedy in DeKalb. Tech was scheduled to play a 4 game series against the Huskies until the NIU administration called off all sporting events until Monday.

So far, the options have ranged from getting NIU down here for a 3 game series on Monday and Tuesday, to heading to a tournament at UTSA or UT-PB.

Losing 4 games could come back to haunt Tech come NCAA Tournament Selection time. It also changes the 5-game warmup before the Minute Maid Classic to as small as a 1-game warmup against New Mexico next Thursday.

If Tech is able to schedule NIU for a Monday-Tuesday series (2 games on Monday, 1 on Tuesday), it would mean that the Red Raiders' pitching staff would have to find a way to cope with 9 games in a 10 day period.

Short Hops

Fox34

Kidd to Dallas, Round 2

Jason Kidd is reportedly headed to Dallas, finally, in a deal that doesn't include Jerry Stackhouse or Devean George. The deal now is Jason Kidd and Malik Allen headed for the Mavericks, while New Jersey will recieve Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn, Trenton Hassell, 2 first round picks and $3 million.

The trade is being sent to the NBA today to see if they will allow it. The question mark is Keith Van Horn. Van Horn hasn't played in the NBA for over a year and a half. If it is approved, Dallas will sign him and then trade him to New Jersey, the team that originally drafted him out of Utah.

NIU cancels series against Tech in aftermath of tragedy.

It seems that NIU has cancelled all sporting events until February 25th, after the tragic shooting spree that occured Thursday. As upset as I am, I cannot get mad at the University for their decision. They are calling it a "Week of Healing," which they probably need.

I've read rumblings of Texas Tech looking to schedule an opponent from D-II or possibly finding an opponent at the UT-Arlington Tournament.

Five days, and counting...

We are only five days away from the first baseball game for the Red Raiders. Friday at 3:00 pm, I will be planted on the metal bleachers at Dan Law Field, ready to begin another season of college baseball.

Texas Tech opens their schedule on February 22nd against Northern Illinois University. They play on game on Friday, two on Saturday at 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm and concluded the four game series with a noon contest on Sunday.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal wrote their preview for the 2008 season. They break down each position and suggest what they believe will be the starting lineup. It falls very close to everything that has been floating around the internet lately. Their projected starting lineup and batting order is as follows:

1B: Doug Thennis
3B: Joey Kenworthy
LF: Chris Richburg
RF: Roger Kieschnick
C: Monk Kreder
DH: Taylor Ashby
CF: Tanner Rindels
SS: Chris Hall
2B: Willie Rueda

SP: AJ Ramos
SP: Nathan Karns
SP: Chad Bettis
SP: Cory Large

RP: Sam Janca
RP: James Leverton
RP: Robert Kilcrease
RP: Brian Cloud
RP: Lorenzo Douglas
RP: Paul Gonzalez
RP: Brennen Stewart

CL: Zach Stewart

INF Jason Seefeld is still not up to 100% after his torn ACL from the fall, but should be back sometime during the season. Once he does return, he will most likely gain a starting spot, possibly at 3rd. SP Miles Morgan is still healing from his injury suffered last season, but will also return before too long. His role will most likely depend on how healthy he is.

C Juan Rodriguez will definitely push Kreder for playing time early on, while Ben Baker does the same with Kenworthy for the starting job at the hot corner.

Friday also marks the first game for the University of Texas Longhorns at the newly renovated UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. The Longhorns will square off in a three game weekend series against Virginia Commonwealth University starting at 2:30 pm Friday afternoon.

Kieschnick, Russell among Golden Spikes nominees

USA Baseball announced their list of 75 players on the Golden Spikes Award Watch List on Friday. The Golden Spikes Award is annually given to the to player in college baseball.

Notable players from the Big 12 named to the Watch list include the Texas trio of Kyle Russell, Preston Clark and Jordan Danks, A&M's Blake Stouffer, Roger Kieschnick of Texas Tech, Baylor SS Beamer Weems, Aaron Crow of Missouri and OSU SS/RHP Jordy Mercer. Rice also had 3 nominees with 2B Aaron Luna and pitchers Cole St. Clair and Ryan Berry.

The list will be narrowed to 50 players on May 20th before USA Baseball announces the 5 finalists on June 3rd. The winner will be announced July 16th.

Link

Not sports related, but definitely awesome related.

Big 12 announces FSN baseball telecast schedule

2008 FSN Big 12 Conference Baseball Telecast Schedule
Saturday, March 29	Nebraska at Texas	6 p.m.
Saturday, April 12	Texas Tech at Kansas	12 p.m.
Sunday, April 27	Missouri at Texas A&M	1 p.m.
Saturday, May 3	Baylor at Texas	2:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 18	To Be Determined	3:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 25	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship AT&T Bricktown Ballpark; Oklahoma City	1 p.m.

Those are the 5 Big 12 games that will be televised this season on Fox Sports.

Zach Thomas released by Miami

Zach Thomas spent 4 years terrorizing opponents in the Southwest Conference while he played at Texas Tech. He recorded 390 career tackles while starting as an All-SWC LB for 3 years. He garnered All-American status in his junior and senior seasons as well as SWC Defensive Player of the Year. In 1995, Thomas was voted as a finalist for the Butkus Award before being drafted in the 5th round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins.

Texas Tech fans remember Thomas most for his memorable interception in the waining minutes of the 1995 contest against Texas A&M, which he returned for the clinching touchdown. Dolphin fans remember him for his 7 Pro-Bowl appearances, as well as 7 All-Pro selections.

In his 12 years with Miami, Thomas made over 1,800 tackles, good for 2nd all-time and more than any LB in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Thomas' release should not be a huge surprise, given team President Bill Parcells' current salary cap purge of the 1-15 team. Parcells has been making huge changes in the Dolphins roster by way of massive player cuts. Other notable Dolphins who have been set free are QB Trent Green and WR Marty Booker, as well as 7 other players.

Thomas has indicated that he wants to find a new team for his 13th season, and in all likelihood he will end up signing with someone, maybe Dallas? (probably not, but it wouldn't hurt)

CBS

Crank that Voskuil?

He went from "Little Brother" to "Mr. 30 Points" in only 3 short years. Alan Voskuil helped the unranked Red Raiders claim the first victory for new coach Pat Knight on Wednesday night against the 18th ranked Kansas State Wildcats, 84-75. The win moves Pat Knight to 1-2, while the Red Raiders improve to 13-10 (4-5). Kansas State drops to 17-6 (7-2) after the lose.

Voskuil could not miss from outside during the first half. His 4-4 from beyond the arc spurred the Red Raiders to a 12 point halftime lead. For the game, Voskuil finished 9-14 with a 5-6 3 point night. His 7 rebounds led the Red Raiders, who were once again outrebounded 33-26.

Despite the troubles on the boards, Texas Tech did everything they needed to grasp the W. They shot .509 from the field and hit 25 of their 36 free throws. The defense held Michael Beasley in check as much as they could. Beasley finished the night with 22 points and 15 rebounds, but only managed to make 6 of his 20 shots.

Voskuil wasn't the only one who helped the Raiders to victory. The Freshman duo of John Roberson and Mike Singletary both put up 11 points. Roberson's 6 assists definitely helped the winning cause. Martin Zeno, Tech's leading scorer on the season finished the game with 16 points. Trevor Cook played a huge role off the bench, scoring 8 points and blocking 2 key shots in the second half in only 13 minutes of play.

Kansas State was led by 2nd leading scorer Bill Walker, who scored 27 points before fouling out. That, combined with Beasley's 22 and Jacob Pullen's 16 amounted for 87% of the Wildcats' point total.

KSU's Blake "Lil' Wayne" Young finished with only 4 points, after trying to prove how "hard" he was after a scrape with Tech big man Esmir Rizvic. Both players received a technical foul on the play, but Young should have been removed from the game for making an apparent threat to Rizvic with his fist. The NCAA should better define the terms of "throwing a punch" to include cocking your fist back and threatening another player (editor's opinion).

Jason Kidd a Maverick, once again. OR IS HE??

Jason Kidd to the Mavericks? Good for Jason, good for San Antonio, bad for the Mavericks. The trade is done, and it will be Jason Kidd going to Dallas with teammate Malik Allen, while Dallas sends Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Devean George and Maurice Ager. The Nets also receive 2 first round picks and $3 million cash money. So far, CBS is reporting its a done deal, while ESPN has yet to pull the trigger on confirming it.

Why is this bad for Dallas? You are giving up a valuable 6th man in Stackhouse, a solid playmaking PG in Harris, a very annoying (editor opinion) center with Diop, and 2 players who don't really factor in to the Mavericks corps of players for an aging, expensive point guard and a roster filling power forward.

So Dallas will likely field a lineup of Kidd, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Dirk "Caveman" Nowitzki and Erick Dampier. They will still have Eddie Jones and Brandon Bass off the bench, but not much after that. New Jersey, in exchange, gets an entirely new team.

The trade will cost Dallas 23% of its' total point production on the season, and a player with 105 offensive rebounds (Diop), good for 2nd on the roster. Diop also leads the Mavericks with 61 blocked shots. Harris currently leads the team in steals (56) and assists (206). Those are easy stats for Kidd to surpass, but Harris is much better at shooting this year. Kidd is hitting on 36.6% of his shots, a huge drop off from the 48.3% clip Harris hits.

As a Spurs fan, I am loving this trade. Diop, Harris and Stackhouse seem to hurt the Spurs a lot when they play, while Kidd didn't put up much resistance during San Antonio's 2003 title run.

Cuban may have really screwed up this team's chance in the playoffs. I just don't see Jason Kidd providing more than the players he is replacing.

I give this trade a C- grade.

CBS

UPDATE:

Devean George apparently initiated his no-trade clause, derailing the entire trade. Dallas and New Jersey are most likely going to have to figure out another package that doesn't include George.

Same old song and dance for IU's Sampson

There is a reason why nobody likes Kelvin Sampson. It's not just because he put together some really good, and dirty (editor opinion) teams at Oklahoma, but rather the fact that he is constantly breaking NCAA rules. To Sampson, ethics is just some silly word that people throw around when he beats them out for a recruit (see Eric Gordon's recruitment). The violations started out with Ol' Blue Shirt making illegal (per NCAA) calls to potential recruits. It wasn't a couple or even a dozen, but 577. The NCAA decided that Sampson was restricted from making any calls to recruits, but was allowed to receive calls. It was soon discovered that he participated in a number of conference calls with potential players. Now, he's in big trouble. Sampson did it AGAIN, but this time he lied about it. The NCAA caught him, again.

This is a big blow to the Indiana program. Under former Head Coach Bob Knight, Indiana faced much scrutiny for his actions, none of which including NCAA violations. It seems that Indiana traded that spotlight for Sampson's aura of cheating. Sampson has already cost himself $500,000 and one scholarship, both sanctions brought on by the university, but with this new round, the NCAA will hopefully step up and punish Kelvin with major sanctions. If Indiana were smart, they'd start a new search for a head coach that doesn't have a knack for blatantly breaking the rules. They gambled bringing in a coach with a winning record on the court, but a losing record off the court, when they lured him away from Oklahoma. Now they need to go find a coach who won't break the rules, even if it means sacrificing a few victories each year. They are now looking like total fools for letting Mike Davis and Bobby Knight leave.

Davis took over for Knight in the 2000-2001 season, and led Indiana to the NCAA Finals in his 2nd season at the helm. After a series of non-Indiana like years, Davis resigned and took over the UAB program. Hall of Famer Knight brought 3 national championships to Bloomington during his 29 years, and 11 Big Ten titles. He was fired after a career marred by on and off the court shenanigans (not cheeky or fun shenanigans).

Indiana needs a new start. They have some great players at their disposal (assuming they return) and are a huge name in collegiate basketball. All they are missing is a coach that makes the news by winning, not through scandal.

Link

It's almost PAT KNIGHT DAY!!

Lubbock Mayor David Miller is making an attempt to regain some citizen's trust (note editor opinion) by proclaiming Wednesday, February 13, 2008 as Pat Knight Day to officially welcome the new coach to his position. The son of The General is officially 0-2 in his short tenure as the head man for the Red Raiders, both games coming on the road. Wednesday will mark his first coaching gig in Lubbock when the Wildcats of Kansas State trek down from their perch in Manhattan.

Kansas State, 17-5 (7-1), features Fr. phenom Michael Beasley, a forward averaging a paltry 25 points and 12 rebounds a game, both tops in the Big 12. So. forward Bill Walker ranks 6th and 9th, respectively, with 15.8 and 6.8, helping the Wildcats form a formidable combo on the inside.

Texas Tech enters the contest at 12-10 (3-5), and on a 2-game losing streak. Leading scorer, Sr. Martin Zeno is also the teams leading rebounder with 16 and 4.5. Fr. guard John Roberson is 2nd with 12.5 pts. while Jr. Alan Voskuil averages 12.1 per game.

The key to Wednesday night's game will be Tech's ability to neutralize the offense and defense of Michael Beasley. Basically, Tech must keep Beasley from playing his style. That, coupled with a strong shooting game should propel the Red Raiders to victory. In essence, this should be an easy win in Lubbock for Kansas State, something no visitor has achieved in 2007-2008.

#11 Texas upsets #3 Kansas in Austin

Wow, what a game for the Longhorns tonight, a 72-69 win over another top 5 team. It took a great first half from Connor Atchley and an amazing second half from Damion James and Justin Mason to seal the deal. The MVP of the game, in my opinion, was Justin Mason. Mason went from being a scapegoat for bad shooting to an all-hustle playmaker when the Longhorns needed him the most. His extra effort to grab offensive rebounds and get timely putbacks propelled the Longhorns just enough to overcome DJ Augustin's 1-13 performance.

The Jayhawks dominated the transition game for much of the contest, but could not overcome the grittiness of Texas. Kansas was led offensively by So. Darrell Arthur's 22 points.

Connor Atchley was a perfect 6-6 from the field for 16 points, including 4-4 from beyond the arc, and added 4 key blocks. Damion James scored 14, while grabbing 13 rebounds, most of them coming in the closing half. Justin Mason scored only 9 points, but grabbed 8 rebounds, 5 on the offensive side.

Box Score

Rivals.com Preseason All-American team

Four big 12 players made it onto Kendall Rogers' team over at Rivals.com. Headlining the group, as usual, is Texas OF Kyle Russell. Joining Russell on the first team is A&M 2B Blake Stouffer. The second team marks the appearance of Baylor Jr. SS Beamer Weems. Weems hit .321 last year, with 9 home runs to boot. In addition to Weems, Missouri Jr. Aaron Crow was also named to the second team.

Rivals.com

Big 12 place 6 on BA's All-American teams

Six Big 12 players were named to the Baseball America Preseason All-American teams. Leading the way on the first team is the Texas outfield duo of Kyle Russell and Jordan Danks. Russell led the nation last year in homers with 28, while Danks was perfect on stolen bases for the year with 19. On the pitching side, Missouri Jr. Aaron Crow was also named to the first team after recording 9 wins in 2007.

The second team featured only one player from the conference; Texas Tech outfielder Roger Kieschnick. Kieschnick led the Red Raiders last year with 43 extra base hits. The third team featured Texas A&M 2B Blake Stouffer. Stouffer was tops on the Aggie baseball team with a .398 average and 102 hits. Also on the third team is Oklahoma State Jr. Jordy Mercer. Mercer was named as the utility player. Mercer hit .299 while going 3-1 on the mound for the Cowboys.

Baseball America

Kieschnick story

The AJ has a nice write-up on Roger Kieschnick from today.

A&M loses DC to Cowboys

Reggie Herring completed the most successful tenure of any A&M DC ever, he never gave up a single point to Texas Tech. Of course, he never got his defense on the field. The Dallas Cowboys offered Herring the position of LB coach, which he accepted, giving him his 3rd job during 2008. He was previously the DC at Arkansas, under former HC Houston Nutt.

CBS

Signing Day! (last week)

So signing day has come and gone, once again. The recruitniks (a.k.a. Stealers of your money by giving you news that isn't worth the $10 a month) are getting to start on the current juniors, making them into the next big things.

Tech had a very bad day on paper, according to some, but Mike Leach got exactly what he needed to work his magic. He lost Keanon Cooper and Brian Christopher (see earlier posts), but gained Lubbock native Austin Zouzalik. He didn't land any of the 5-star WR prospects, or a big name DT, but the redshirted crop of talent in the receiving corps coupled with the incoming DEs should make those losses a distant memory in the near present. He continued to add to his trademark mammoth OL with a few good pickups from Texas and Oklahoma, as well as a recruit from last year's class who resolved his grade issues. Overall, the class sucks for most schools, but is perfect for the Red Raiders.

QB Seth Doege (Wolfforth, TX, Frenship HS)
Hasn't played in 2 years due to knee injuries, but may do well in the Texas Tech system
RB Harrison Jeffers (Lawton, OK, Eisenhower HS)
Not a very tall RB, but has the ability to succeed in the Air Raid Offense.
RB Brandon Reid (El Paso, TX, Canutillo HS)
Former Missouri commit will get a shot at RB and could even play LB
OT Joe King (Oklahoma City, OK, Putnam City North HS)
6-6 300 lbs. Big tackle who will fit in well with the other lineman.
OT Terry McDaniel (Diana, TX, New Diana HS)
All-state lineman comes in at 6-6.5 315 lbs. Turned down an offer from LSU to be a Raider.
OG Deveric Gallington (Richland Hills, TX, Richland HS)
Top 100 recruit in Texas. 6-4 330 lbs on signing day.
DE Brandon Sesay (Visalia, CA, College of the Sequoias)
Should have an instant impact for the defense. Possible starter by August 30th.
DE McKinner Dixon (Lufkin, TX, Cisco JC/Texas Tech)
Played his freshman season at Texas Tech before leaving to work out his academics. Should team up with Sesay to lead the DL.
DE Ryan Halliburton (Wolfforth, TX, Frenship HS)
Quick pass rusher. Could be a decent player for the Raiders.
DE Joey Fowler (Oklahoma City, OK, Westmoore HS)
The only bad thing about Fowler is his injury history. Other than that, he should contribute on the next level.
DT Broderick Marshall (Austin, TX, Tyler JC)
Committed to Tech in 2006, and finally made it on campus. Could play any position on the DL
CB Jarell Routt (Texas City, TX, Coffeyville JC)
Another former Red Raider recruit who finally made it to campus. Could provide instant help to the secondary.
S Cody Davis (Stephenville, TX, Stephenville HS)
All-state player. Had the knack for making plays at Stephenville HS. Could contribute to the secondary in a few years.
K Donnie Carona (Beamount, TX, Monsignor Kelly HS)
Also played RB in HS. 6-0 200 lbs frame gives Tech more options on trick plays. May very well be kicking FGs for Tech in the fall.
ATH Cornelius Douglas (Lawton, OK, Lawton HS)
Can you say Tyrone Thurman? 5-9 180 lbs WR/CB has the tools to fit in perfectly at Texas Tech. Should remind a lot of newer Red Raider fans of former WR Nehemiah Glover, while the older fans may think of Mr. Thurman.
ATH Austin Zouzalik (Lubbock, TX, Coronado HS)
Zouzalik was the signal caller for the Mustangs, but has been mentioned as a possible DB for his hometown team. Has the speed and athleticism to earn playing time.

Tech also has 2 walk-ons lined up for 2008. The first being Muleshoe HS QB Garrett Riley, brother of WR coach Lincoln Riley. Blake Kelly, a 5-11 180 lbs WR from Blinn JC has also accepted an invitation to walk-on at Tech.

Tech also notched their first new player for 2009. Former Miami DT Chris Perry, of Keller, Tx, has transfered to Lubbock. Perry, a former top 100 Texas recruit, sat out his first season in Miami due to a stress fracture.

Here's a positive (for once) writeup on the class from The Sporting News.

Texas Tech football adds 12th game for 2008

Texas Tech has added Eastern Washington University to finish the 2008 schedule. Tech and EWU will play in Lubbock on August 30th. The Red Raiders had an open slot after Tulsa University dropped the previously scheduled game on the same date.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Shaq to Phoenix

Shaquille O'Neal is the newest member of the Phoenix Suns after being the centerpiece of a trade with the Miami Heat Tuesday night. Miami sent the massive center to Arizona in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

If O'Neal doesn't help Phoenix claim their first World Championship, it could put new GM Steve Kerr's job on the line.

Of course, all of this depends on the outcome of Shaq's physical

Story

Big 12 Baseball rundown

Alright, we are drawing ever closer to the beginning of the NCAA baseball season. Currently, we sit a mere 17 days away from the first games for the Big 12 teams. Here is a quick rundown of how the teams should fare, and which players to look out for...

BAYLOR (#15 in Baseball America, #18 RivalsBaseball.com)
Baylor is looking to field a very talented and more experienced team this season. Returning for the Bears is the entire infield, led by preseason All-American Jr. Beemer Weems at SS. Weems hit .321 last year while leading Baylor in home runs (9), doubles (17) and RBIs (59). The remaining infield is made up of the So. trio of Raynor Campbell, Shaver Hansen and Dustin Dickerson. The outfield returns three regulars, most notably Jr. Ben Booker.

The pitching staff returns mostly intact, led by preseason All-American closer Nick Cassavechia. Cassavechia was 2nd in the Big 12 last year with 11 saves, while maintaining a 3.12 ERA with 72 strikeouts over 52 innings. The starting pitching should consist of returning starters So. Kendall Volz (6-2 in 2007), So. Wade Mackey (4-3) and Sr. Randal Linebaugh (3-5), as well as So. Willie Kempf. The biggest question for Baylor will be the ability of redshirt freshman Shawn Tolleson. Tolleson is expected to be a bigtime contributor for the Bears after fully recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

The Bears finished the 2007 season 35-27 (12-15). Their first game is on February 22nd against Purdue.

KANSAS
Last season's Kansas team finished the year 28-30 (9-17), on par with what many predicted for the Jayhawks. This year's team should finish close to the same as the previous year's.

Kansas still has some bright spots leftover from the previous campaign. Returning for the Jayhawks is Brooks Wallace nominee, Sr. John Allman. Allman controlled left field lasst year while hitting .333. Returning with him are a pair of starting brothers in So. 2b Robby Price and Sr. C/OF Ryne Price, sons of Head Coach Ritchie Price. The elder of the Price brothers should see significant success after hitting .270 with 10 home runs as a junior. Sr. SS Erik Morrison, a Pirate's draft pick, also returns after hitting .296 in 2007.

On the pitching front, Kansas brings back 3/4ths of their starting pitching from 2007. Jr. Andy Marks (5-6, 91 strikeouts), So. Wally Marcial (5-3) and Jr. Nick Czyz (4-8) should carry the bulk of the weekend innings, while Sr. Andres Esquibel (7-3) and Jr. Paul Smyth (3-4, 7 saves) lead from the bullpen.

KANSAS STATE
Kansas State is potentially primed to have one of their best seasons since joining the Big 12 thanks to the amount of experience they return on the field in 2008. Back is the Wildcats' top hitter and top pitcher. Led at the plate by Jr. Byron Wiley, who hit .366 last year with 7 home runs, both tops for Kansas State in 2007. Taking charge on the mound is preseason 1st team All-American closer Daniel Edwards, a junior who notched 11 saves in 23 appearances as a sophomore.

Kansas State also returns many of their top position players. Jr. Nate Tenbrink, a 3 year starter, remains the 3rd baseman, while Jr. Rob Vaughn will continue to lead the defense from behind the plate. So. Adam Muenster put up big numbers in Manhattan during his freshman season, hitting .294 with 20 RBIs.

On the pitching front, Kansas State returns their top two starters, to go along with Edwards. Brad Hutt, a senior, bring a resume that includes a 9-4 record in 2007 with a 3.07 ERA to boot. Sr. Chase Bayuk will be the #2, after going 5-6 last season in 14 starts.

After amassing a 34-24 record, including a 10-win conference season, Kansas State is set up to have their best season in since winning 13 of 26 Big 12 games in 2002.

More to come...

Kyle Russell story

The Daily Texan has a nice story about Kyle Russell's decision to return to UT for his junior season rather than sign with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bob Knight retires

Bob Knight unexpectedly retired Monday afternoon from his post at Texas Tech University. Knight's son, Pat Knight, is set to take over the team for the season's remaining ten games. Knight finished his 6+ seasons at Tech with an overall record of 138-82, giving him the highest win percentage of any Red Raider coach. His career record of 902-371 gives him the most victories in NCAA Men's Basketball history.

At Tech, Knight led the Red Raiders to 4 NCAA Tournament appearances, including the Sweet Sixteen in 2005. He won 3 NCAA titles during his tenure at Indiana, including a perfect 32-0 season in 1973.

As much as people will remember him for his 3 titles, 902 wins and countless antics, I will most remember him for his donations towards education and his role in coaching student-athletes rather than just athletes.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal story

In my staunch opinion, I am glad that Coach Knight has decided to hand over the program. It was hard seeing him this season, with his teams inability to play up to his name's lofty standards. It just seemed like the game had really passed him by, especially with the influx of a higher quality of players on opposing teams, due to the NBA's new requirements on drafting age. It will be a long time until somebody with his flare and intensity comes to the sport of basketball.

Farewell, Coach Knight!

Amendola shines against the Nation

Texas dominated the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star game today with a 41-14 drubbing of the Nation team.

Former Red Raider Danny Amendola led Texas in receiving with 71 yards on 3 catches, including the games first touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Amendola caught 4 total passes, but his 2nd, a 6 yard gain was negated by a holding penalty. The play by play reported no other passes thrown to Danny, meaning he caught all four passes that the quarterbacks threw him. Not bad for an undersized, slow white kid.

Former Longhorns Robert Killebrew and Erick Jackson helped out in the defensive effort. Killebrew was credited with 3 solo tackles and a forced fumble. Jackson stood out defensively after returning a Nation fumble 50 yards to give Texas a 21-7 lead in the 3rd quarter. He also broke up a Nick Hill pass to end the 3rd quarter, and recorded 3 tackles, 2 solo.

Box Score

Texas Tech football picks up new commit!

Texas Tech received a new commitment today from former Missouri commit, RB Brandon Reid of Canutillo, Texas.

Reid is being given a chance at RB, but could ultimately end up as a LB or S if he can't win a job.

Texas Tech is also still in the hunt for former UT lineman J'Marcus Webb, a former 5-star lineman.

The Longhorns Baseball preview...

So it looks like Texas is poised for a deep run into the NCAA tournament this year, returning tons of talent and trying to replace other talent. The Longhorns have been consistently ranked in the top 10 in every preseason poll.

The coaching staff is one of the nation's best. Augie Garrido, NCAA's all-time leader in wins, mans the ship with a zen-like captaincy, while Associate Coach Tommy Harmon and Pitching Coach Skip Johnson round out the rest of the staff, respectively, while former All-American pitcher Greg Swindell resumes his role of volunteer. There is no need for panic with that sort of talent in the dugout.

The infield is the biggest question mark concerning the 'Horns this season. Only 2 starters return, and only 1 is in his original position. Jr. catcher Preston Clark, the Big 12's top returning catcher, will kickoff the season behind the plate for the 3rd time. Jr. Travis Tucker, last year's starting 2nd baseman and leading base stealer, will make a move to 3rd base, in place of departed All-American Bradley Suttle, now in the Yankee's organization. 1st base will be manned by So. Brandon Belt. At 6' 5", Belt maintains the height that Chance Wheeless had brought to the base the previous years. The middle of the infield will most likely belong to a pair of D1 transfers. Former USC Trojan Michael Torres is projected to cover 2nd base, while Fresno State transfer David Hernandez tries his luck at shortstop. The projected backups are Jeff Boes (1B), Bobby Buckner (SS), Tant Shepherd (3B) and Todd Gilfillan (C)

The outfield is where UT excels. Home Run King Kyle Russell opted to return to the Longhorns for his Jr. season in right field instead of signing with the St. Louis Cardinals. His 28 home runs last season not only led the nation, but set a new UT single-season record. Fellow Jr. Jordan Danks returns to his regular role in center field. The speedy Danks led the team last year in walks while hitting .332 and stealing 19 of 19 bases. He did not commit an error in 119 chances. Left field will initially belong to So. Russell Moldenhauer. The Boerne High School product hit in 2007 in 49 games. His 6 home runs ranked 4th on the Longhorns. His backup will be So. Kyle Lusson, a key defensive replacement for last year's team.

The designated hitter's spot appears to be a 2-way battle by a pair of freshmen. Cameron Rupp and Kevin Keyes, both big-time talents will battle for the position to begin the season.

Texas returns experience on the pitching mound. Jr. Kenn Kasparek and So. Riley Boening are both expected to return to starting roles after sitting out last season due to injuries. Jr. Austin Wood is Texas' top returning pitcher, after going 8-1 on the mound with a 3.15 ERA. The weekday rotation is still up for grabs, although touted Frs. Brandon Workman and Cole Green, and Florida State transfer So. Casey Whitmer appear to be the current front runners.

Jrs. Pat McCrory and Keith Shinaberry both return to the Longhorns after seeing extensive bullpen time in 2007. Shinaberry was 3rd on the team in relief appearances, while McCrory began the season as the starting SS. Jr. Kyle Walker should also get plenty of time on the mound if he has solved his control problems that plagued his first 2 years in Austin. Newcomers Chance Ruffin, Garrett Clyde and Lee Johnson are also candidates for early and often playing time. Rounding out the bullpen is So. Hunter Harris, a 2 game winner in '07.

With plenty of veterans, as well as incoming legacies (Bobby Buckner, son of Bill Buckner, Chance Ruffin, son of Longhorn Legend Bruce Ruffin, and Garrett Clyde, cousin of David Clyde) give the Longhorns more than a chance of making it back to Omaha, again.

Garrido still sizing up his team, but he digs the new Disch (Austin American-Statesman)

Tech Baseball Starting Lineup?

This isn't from an article, but rather a message board giving credit to Coach Hays and Coach Spencer...

From Soapsuds16 on raiderpower.com

Projected Batting Order:
Thennis-our best hitter when '07 ended
Rueda-will play either 2B or CF
Kieschnick-RF
Kreder-C, Spencer will be asking a lot of him
Richburg-OF
Ashby-OF
Rindels-Best 1B we have, can rake
Baker-solid defensively
Hall-expecting him to build on last season

Projected Starters:
1. Karns-pure stuff, MLB frame, stay healthy
2. Ramos-tough, good stuff
3. Bettis-He's a freak but young, ace in waiting
4a. Forneau
4b. Douglass
4c. Large

Projected Relievers:
Leverton
Cloud
Gonzalez
Janca
Two that aren't the #4 starter

Projected Closer:
Zach Stewart-our best pitcher, similar to Zach Butler two years ago




I got a lot of them right on guesses. It also appears that Miles Morgan will not be ready this month. I had heard from a few sources that Kenworthy would get the nod at 2nd, but it appears that Rueda will resume his starting position. If so, then expect to see Thennis being the DH since his defense was suspect at time last season, in the outfield and at 3rd.

I like Chad Bettis starting on the weekends. I have heard nothing but positive stuff on him, plus he was drafted in the 8th round by the Astros, but stuck by his commitment. Karns is a former UT signee who bolted (along with about 4 other pitchers) when Tom Holliday took over at NC State. I don't know anything about Forneau, Douglass or Stewart, but hope to soon.

All in all, I'm excited!

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal ran a story on the start of Tech's baseball practices.

Tech looking to add D1-AA opponent to schedule

After Tulsa backed out of the August 30th game in Lubbock, it appears that Tech is going to add another D1-AA (FCS) opponent (scroll down to bottom) to the schedule. Tech is already scheduled to play UMass next season.

I'm not a fan of adding the 2nd D1-AA opponent due to the implications it has on the strength of schedule, but hopefully it will be an easy win and we don't Michigan it.

UH hires Tech Offensive Coordinator Holgorsen

Well, Kevin Sumlin rounded off his new staff at the University of Houston by hiring Texas Tech OC Dana Holgorsen. This marks 2 straight years that a Tech OC has taken a job at another school. Last year, Sonny Dykes was hired by Mike Stoops to help improve the Wildcat's offense in Arizona.

Its great that Mike Leach seems to be the new go-to guy when a team needs a coordinator to run the spread offense. He's becoming the Bill Walsh of the spread. The spread has become the new West Coast Offense, and Lubbock is the center of the movement.

The biggest pain this causes the Red Raiders is Holgorsen's experience as a teacher, more so than as a play caller, since Leach pretty much does most of that. I give Holgorsen credit for most of the wide receivers that have come through Tech in the last few seasons. Michael Crabtree, Eric Morris, Danny Amendola and Joel Filani have all thrived under his watch, while others like Eddie Britton and Robert Johnson have succeeded after switching positions.

Good luck, Dana!