How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part ten tells us the story of longtime Bay Area pitcher Santiago Casilla.
Santiago Casilla was born on July 25, 1980, in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. He went unsigned until 2000, when it was presumed that he was seventeen-year old Jairo Garcia. The Oakland Athletics signed him under this name and age, and he began his North American career with the Arizona League Athletics in Phoenix, Arizona at the Rookie level. His first season was 2001, and he appeared strongly in a handful of games. In 2002, he split time with the AZL Athletics and also a little time with the Class A- Vancouver Canadians of Vancouver, British Columbia in the Northwest League. He pitched effectively again for the season as a whole, working at a pace of over a strikeout an inning with an earned run average just above 3.00. He spent all of 2003 with the Class A Kane County Cougars of Geneva, Illinois, in the Midwest League. The tranquility he found in 2003 was replaced by utter chaos in 2004, where, working entirely as a reliever, he appeared in four separate levels of baseball. He began in Kane County, pitching to a miniscule 0.30 earned run average and forty-nine strikeouts over thirty innings. He stepped up to the Class AA Midlan RockHounds of Midland, Texas in the Texas League, and posted a 1.50 earned run average and thirty-two strikeouts in eighteen innings. He continued up on the ladder, appearing with the Sacramento River Cats of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and he produced a 3.95 earned run average to go with twenty-one strikeouts over thirteen and two-thirds innings. His last stop of the year was with the big league Athletics in Oakland, and his four appearances here were mostly forgettable. In 2005, he again made appearances in three places, with a short stint in Midland being used as a confidence booster before playing the bulk of the year in Sacramento. For the season, he ended with a 3.60 earned run average and 103 strikeouts over sixty-five innings in the minor leagues, and in a short pair of stints in Oakland, he showed much more poise over the course of three games. He was at the Athletics spring training camp in 2006, where he informed the team that he had lied about his age by three years, as well as telling them that his real name is Santiago Casilla instead of the Jairo Garcia alias he had been using. He again spent most of the year at Sacramento, although in late May he played in two games with the Athletics in Oakland. He had better ratios than the year previous, putting up a 3.27 earned run average, but his strikeouts (thirty-two) were one behind his innings pitched (thirty-three) for the year, the only time he did that over the course of a full minor league season. In 2007, Casilla appeared in Sacramento again to begin the year, recording a 4.12 earned run average, twenty-nine strikeouts, and twenty-four innings, before being called up to Oakland to reinforce a depleted bullpen for the rest of the year. With the Athletics, he posted a 4.44 earned run average for fifty and two-thirds innings, while striking out fifty-two. Casilla appeared in only a handful of minor league games during the 2008 season, rehabilitating an injury at Class A Advanced Stockton with the California League Ports, before moving along to Sacramento. The appearance with Stockton allowed Casilla to have appeared in six unique minor league levels. In the majors, Casilla posted very similar numbers to his 2007 campaign, with just a handful less strikeouts over a near identical amount of innings. He did shave half of a run off of his earned run average. The 2009 season was not nearly as kind to Casilla, and he again appeared in a game each with Stockton and Sacramento. His 5.96 earned run average was the worst full-season number he had posted, and his strikeout numbers dipped significantly as well. The Athletics had decided they had seen enough, opening the door for Casilla to take a trip just slightly to the west to play for the San Francisco Giants. He was signed on January 21, 2010 He began the season in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League with the Fresno Grizzlies, and was called up to pitch for the Giants in his first game on May 21st against the Athletics. From there, Casilla would dominate out of the bullpen, with a 1.95 earned run average and fifty-six strikeouts over fifty-five and one-third innings. He also made his first appearance in the postseason, appearing in four games with a 1.93 earned run average while pitching in a set-up or situation role as the Giants moved past the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers for a World Series Championship. In 2011, he spent April and most of May rehabilitating an injury with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, as well as with the Grizzlies in Fresno for a short period of time. Casilla returned to the San Francisco bullpen in late May, and posted strong enough numbers that the Giants decided he would pitch in a closer's role after an injury to Brian Wilson in mid-August. He ended the year with a 1.74 earned run average and forty-five strikeouts over fifty-one and two-thirds innings. Casilla finally avoided time in the minor leagues during 2012, pitching throughout the season with the Giants. Due to another injury to Wilson, Casilla served as the closer for the Giants from mid-April to mid-July, when Sergio Romo took over the duties. He ended the regular season with a 2.84 earned run average and fifty-five strikeouts over sixty-three and one-third innings pitched, and was an obvious choice for the postseason roster. He made eleven postseason appearances, mostly in a situation role as part of a larger plan by manager Bruce Bochy, and over the seven innings he worked, he produced a 1.29 earned run average en route to another World Series Championship with the Giants.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 9
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part nine tells us about infielder Joaquin Arias.
Joaquin Arias was born on September 21, 1984, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He went undrafted, and wasn't signed until 2001, when the New York Yankees took a chance on him. Arias began his career with the Gulf Coast League Yankees at the Rookie level, where he posted a .300 batting average and twenty-one runs batted in during the 2002 season. Arias moved up to the Class A Midwest League in 2003, where he played with the Battle Creek Yankees in Battle Creek, Michigan. Here, he hit .266 with three home runs and forty-eight runs batted in. Arias got his first time in the headlines in 2004, although it had nothing to do with his performance on the field. Instead, he completed the February 16, 2004 deal between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. The deal, commonly known as the Alex Rodriguez trade, sent Rodriguez to the Yankees with cash in exchange for another well-known player, Alfonso Soriano, and a player to be named later. Arias was that player, picked from an offering of five prospects that included now-star second baseman Robinson Cano. For the 2004 season, he played in the California League with the Stockton Ports of Stockton, California at the Class A Advanced level. Again, he hit .300, this time with four home runs and sixty-two runs batted in, as well as thirty stolen bases, establishing a speedy reputation. In 2005, Arias again stepped up, going to Class AA Frisco to play with the Roughriders in the Texas League. He hit .315 with five home runs and fifty-six runs batted in. This performance earned him a spot with the Oklahoma RedHawks of Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League at the Class AAA level. His numbers tailed off a bit for the 2006 season, as he hit only .268 with four home runs and forty-nine runs batted in, although he racked up twenty-six stolen bases as well. He also earned a call-up to the major league Texas Rangers, appearing in six games with a large amount of success. Arias was on the wrong end of luck for 2007, appearing in only five games the whole season, and due to injury, he sat out the rest of the year. He was back in Oklahoma City for the 2008, and so were his numbers, as he posted a .296 batting average with seven home runs and forty-nine runs batted in. He also returned to the majors, beginning on August 18th, and he would hit .291 with three home runs and nine runs batted in during his limited time. Arias didn't stick with the big league Rangers for 2009, appearing in only three midsummer games with them, failing to get on base, while the rest of his season was spent with the RedHawks. He had a down year there as well, hitting only .266 with five home runs and fifty-two runs batted in, but managed to find his way back to the Texas Rangers for the 2010 season. He began the year in Arlington, and spent most of his time there, although he appeared with the Frisco Roughriders for eight games to rehabilitate an injury in May. Arias started out strong with the Rangers, but was traded on August 31 to the New York Mets in exchange for Jeff Francoeur and cash. Oddly enough, at the end of the disappointing 2010 campaign, Arias was selected off of waivers by the Kansas City Royals on November 4th, and just over a month later, Francoeur signed a free agent deal with the Royals as well. He never played for the big league Royals squad, being designated for assignment on December 19th, and playing the season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Pacific Coast League. Arias had very weak numbers in Omaha during the 2011 season, and was granted free agency on November 2nd. On December 15th, the San Francisco Giants signed him, and he began the season with their Class AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. He was called up to the Giants on April 25, 2012, and spent the rest of the season with them. During the year, he hit his first major league home run (he finished with five for the year), as well as fielding the final out of Matt Cain's perfect game on June 13th. His season statistics included a .270 batting average and thirty-four runs batted in to go with his five home runs mentioned above. The 2012 season also brought Arias his first postseason experience, where he was mostly used as a ninth inning defensive replacement at third base for the rotund Pablo Sandoval. He went three for eight in the postseason, and his defensive prowess was much appreciated on the way to the Giants' 2012 World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Joaquin Arias was born on September 21, 1984, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He went undrafted, and wasn't signed until 2001, when the New York Yankees took a chance on him. Arias began his career with the Gulf Coast League Yankees at the Rookie level, where he posted a .300 batting average and twenty-one runs batted in during the 2002 season. Arias moved up to the Class A Midwest League in 2003, where he played with the Battle Creek Yankees in Battle Creek, Michigan. Here, he hit .266 with three home runs and forty-eight runs batted in. Arias got his first time in the headlines in 2004, although it had nothing to do with his performance on the field. Instead, he completed the February 16, 2004 deal between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. The deal, commonly known as the Alex Rodriguez trade, sent Rodriguez to the Yankees with cash in exchange for another well-known player, Alfonso Soriano, and a player to be named later. Arias was that player, picked from an offering of five prospects that included now-star second baseman Robinson Cano. For the 2004 season, he played in the California League with the Stockton Ports of Stockton, California at the Class A Advanced level. Again, he hit .300, this time with four home runs and sixty-two runs batted in, as well as thirty stolen bases, establishing a speedy reputation. In 2005, Arias again stepped up, going to Class AA Frisco to play with the Roughriders in the Texas League. He hit .315 with five home runs and fifty-six runs batted in. This performance earned him a spot with the Oklahoma RedHawks of Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League at the Class AAA level. His numbers tailed off a bit for the 2006 season, as he hit only .268 with four home runs and forty-nine runs batted in, although he racked up twenty-six stolen bases as well. He also earned a call-up to the major league Texas Rangers, appearing in six games with a large amount of success. Arias was on the wrong end of luck for 2007, appearing in only five games the whole season, and due to injury, he sat out the rest of the year. He was back in Oklahoma City for the 2008, and so were his numbers, as he posted a .296 batting average with seven home runs and forty-nine runs batted in. He also returned to the majors, beginning on August 18th, and he would hit .291 with three home runs and nine runs batted in during his limited time. Arias didn't stick with the big league Rangers for 2009, appearing in only three midsummer games with them, failing to get on base, while the rest of his season was spent with the RedHawks. He had a down year there as well, hitting only .266 with five home runs and fifty-two runs batted in, but managed to find his way back to the Texas Rangers for the 2010 season. He began the year in Arlington, and spent most of his time there, although he appeared with the Frisco Roughriders for eight games to rehabilitate an injury in May. Arias started out strong with the Rangers, but was traded on August 31 to the New York Mets in exchange for Jeff Francoeur and cash. Oddly enough, at the end of the disappointing 2010 campaign, Arias was selected off of waivers by the Kansas City Royals on November 4th, and just over a month later, Francoeur signed a free agent deal with the Royals as well. He never played for the big league Royals squad, being designated for assignment on December 19th, and playing the season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Pacific Coast League. Arias had very weak numbers in Omaha during the 2011 season, and was granted free agency on November 2nd. On December 15th, the San Francisco Giants signed him, and he began the season with their Class AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. He was called up to the Giants on April 25, 2012, and spent the rest of the season with them. During the year, he hit his first major league home run (he finished with five for the year), as well as fielding the final out of Matt Cain's perfect game on June 13th. His season statistics included a .270 batting average and thirty-four runs batted in to go with his five home runs mentioned above. The 2012 season also brought Arias his first postseason experience, where he was mostly used as a ninth inning defensive replacement at third base for the rotund Pablo Sandoval. He went three for eight in the postseason, and his defensive prowess was much appreciated on the way to the Giants' 2012 World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Fantasy Football All-Stars Week 9 2012
Quarterback: Carson Palmer
Running Backs: Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson, and Mikel LeShoure
Wide Receivers: Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker
Tight End: Brandon Myers
Kicker: Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould
Team Defense: Chicago
Defensive Players: Brian Urlacher and Michael Boley
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion
Running Backs: Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson, and Mikel LeShoure
Wide Receivers: Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker
Tight End: Brandon Myers
Kicker: Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould
Team Defense: Chicago
Defensive Players: Brian Urlacher and Michael Boley
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion
Monday, November 5, 2012
Monday Night Football Week 9 2012
This week, the offensive powerhouses of the host New Orleans Saints and visiting Philadelphia Eagles go at it. New Orleans began in the first quarter as Patrick Robinson picked off Michael Vick and took it 99 yards for a touchdown, and Garrett Hartley made the extra point. Philadelphia got on the board in the second quarter on an Alex Henery 22 yard field goal. The Saints padded the lead as Chris Ivory ran 22 yards for a touchdown, and Hartley nailed the extra point. New Orleans struck again as Drew Brees passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Marques Colston, and Hartley handled the extra point. The Eagles chipped away in the third quarter as Vick found DeSean Jackson for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Henery tacked on the PAT. Philadelphia got closer with a 37 yard field goal by Henery. The Saints shot back as Brees passed 6 yards to Jimmy Graham for a touchdown, and Hartley booted in the extra point. This ended the scoring at 28-13, with both teams moving to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 8
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part eight delves into the young career of backup catcher Hector Sanchez.
Hector Sanchez was born on November 17, 1989, in Maracay, Venezuela. At age 17, he was signed to an amateur contract by the San Francisco Giants on July 12, 2006. He began his career in the Giants organization playing with their Dominican Summer League team in the abbreviated season rookie level league. He stayed with the DSL Giants for 2007 and 2008, posting a .325 batting average, eight home runs, and eighty-one runs batted in over two seasons. In 2009, he came to the states, playing in the Arizona League with the AZL Giants at the rookie level. His statistics here were also strong, as he hit .299 with one home run and twenty-two runs batted in. He is not considered a player who hits for high power. The 2010 season saw Sanchez step up to the Class A Augusta Greenjackets in the South Atlantic League, where his season numbers read .274 for batting average, with five home runs and thirty-one runs batted in. He was fast-tracked in 2011, appearing with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, where he hit .302 with eleven home runs and fifty-eight runs batted in, his best single season numbers since 2008 in the DSL. Sanchez skipped Class AA and went immediately to Class AAA Fresno to play with the Grizzlies in the latter parts of 2011, appearing in forty-six games with a .261 batting average, one home run, and twenty-six runs batted in. He earned his first major league call-up on July 15, 2011, to help shore up the Giants depleted catching situation. His time in San Francisco that year was mainly spent on the bench, but he appeared in thirteen games, with .258 for a batting average, and he only had one run batted in. While he was in Fresno, he established a connection with Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito, and Sanchez has frequently been used as Zito's personal pitcher since that time. In 2012, he spent a minimal amount of time with the Grizzlies, while the bulk of his time was spent as the backup catcher for the big league squad. He continued to start when Zito was up to pitch, and he established a .280 batting average with three home runs and thirty-four runs batted in. He also made his first postseason appearance in only his second season, and while he didn't contribute much in the playoffs, his presence as a possible pinch hitter, insurance policy should Buster Posey get hurt, and in the World Series, as a designated hitter, proved him a versatile and valuable part of the 2012 Giants World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Hector Sanchez was born on November 17, 1989, in Maracay, Venezuela. At age 17, he was signed to an amateur contract by the San Francisco Giants on July 12, 2006. He began his career in the Giants organization playing with their Dominican Summer League team in the abbreviated season rookie level league. He stayed with the DSL Giants for 2007 and 2008, posting a .325 batting average, eight home runs, and eighty-one runs batted in over two seasons. In 2009, he came to the states, playing in the Arizona League with the AZL Giants at the rookie level. His statistics here were also strong, as he hit .299 with one home run and twenty-two runs batted in. He is not considered a player who hits for high power. The 2010 season saw Sanchez step up to the Class A Augusta Greenjackets in the South Atlantic League, where his season numbers read .274 for batting average, with five home runs and thirty-one runs batted in. He was fast-tracked in 2011, appearing with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, where he hit .302 with eleven home runs and fifty-eight runs batted in, his best single season numbers since 2008 in the DSL. Sanchez skipped Class AA and went immediately to Class AAA Fresno to play with the Grizzlies in the latter parts of 2011, appearing in forty-six games with a .261 batting average, one home run, and twenty-six runs batted in. He earned his first major league call-up on July 15, 2011, to help shore up the Giants depleted catching situation. His time in San Francisco that year was mainly spent on the bench, but he appeared in thirteen games, with .258 for a batting average, and he only had one run batted in. While he was in Fresno, he established a connection with Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito, and Sanchez has frequently been used as Zito's personal pitcher since that time. In 2012, he spent a minimal amount of time with the Grizzlies, while the bulk of his time was spent as the backup catcher for the big league squad. He continued to start when Zito was up to pitch, and he established a .280 batting average with three home runs and thirty-four runs batted in. He also made his first postseason appearance in only his second season, and while he didn't contribute much in the playoffs, his presence as a possible pinch hitter, insurance policy should Buster Posey get hurt, and in the World Series, as a designated hitter, proved him a versatile and valuable part of the 2012 Giants World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
NFL Afternoon/Night Games Week 9 2012
Four games here, beginning with...
The Oakland Raiders hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland started with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards in the first quarter. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second quarter on a Josh Freeman 20 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson, and Connor Barth nailed the extra point. The Raiders took the lead as Carson Palmer passed 25 yards to Rod Streater for a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the PAT. The Buccaneers took the lead back in the third quarter as Doug Martin ran 45 yards for a touchdown, and Barth was true with the extra point. Tampa Bay extended their lead when Freeman found Mike Williams for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Barth booted the extra point. The Buccaneers padded the lead again on a Martin touchdown run of 67 yards, and Barth iced the drive with the extra point. Oakland pulled back a little bit as Palmer passed 4 yards to Brandon Myers for a touchdown, and Janikowski made the extra point. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Martin ran 70 yards for a touchdown, and Barth dutifully kicked the extra point. The Raiders shot back as Palmer and Myers hooked up for a 1 yard touchdown connection, and Janikowski booted the extra point. Oakland chipped closer with Palmer passing 13 yards to Marcel Reese before finding Juron Criner on the two-point attempt. The Buccaneers put it away with Martin's fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1 yard rush, capped off by the Barth extra point. The final was 42-32, with Tampa Bay going to 4-4 and Oakland dropping to 3-5.
Up north, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a first quarter Adrian Peterson 1 yard touchdown run, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. Seattle tied it as Russell Wilson passed 6 yards to Golden Tate for a touchdown, and Steven Hauschka booted the extra point. The Seahawks gained the lead as Wilson found Sidney Rice for 11 yards and a touchdown, followed by a Hauschka extra point. The Vikings tied it in the second quarter with a 4 yard Peterson touchdown run, and Walsh's extra point was the equalizer. Minnesota took the lead with a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. Seattle took the lead back as Wilson found Tate for 11 yards and another touchdown, but Hauschka was blocked on the extra point attempt. The Seahawks extended the lead with a third quarter 3 yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, and Hauschka made the extra point this time. The Vikings replied with a 55 yard field goal by Walsh. Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 40 yard field goal. This stood up for a 30-20 win, and both teams are now 5-4.
Back east, the New York Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh opened in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham handled the extra point. New York tied it when Andre Brown ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Lawrence Tynes made the extra point. The Giants took the lead as Roethlisberger's fumble was recovered by Michael Boley and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes extra point. The Steelers got some back as Suisham made a 30 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Tynes made a 50 yard field goal in the third quarter. The Giants struck again as Tynes made a 23 yard field goal. Pittsburgh answered with Roethlisberger passing 51 yards to Mike Wallace for a touchdown, and Suisham booted the PAT. The Steelers took the lead with an Isaac Redman touchdown run of 1 yard, and Suisham made the extra point. This held up for a 24-20 final, and Pittsburgh goes to 5-3 while the Giants are now 6-3.
For the Night game, the Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas began with a first quarter Dan Bailey 23 yard field goal. The Cowboys added on as Bailey nailed a 32 yard field goal. Atlanta got on the board in the second quarter as Matt Bryant made a 45 yard field goal. The Falcons tied it as Bryant was true from 46 yards for a field goal. Atlanta gained the lead in the fourth quarter on a Michael Turner 3 yard touchdown run, and Bryant was true with the PAT. The Falcons padded the lead as Bryant kicked in a 36 yard field goal. Dallas shot back as Tony Romo passed 21 yards to Kevin Ogletree, and Bailey handled the extra point. Atlanta padded the lead on a Bryant 32 yard field goal. This made it 19-13, the final, with Atlanta moving to 8-0 while the Cowboys fall to 3-5.
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The Oakland Raiders hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland started with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards in the first quarter. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second quarter on a Josh Freeman 20 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson, and Connor Barth nailed the extra point. The Raiders took the lead as Carson Palmer passed 25 yards to Rod Streater for a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the PAT. The Buccaneers took the lead back in the third quarter as Doug Martin ran 45 yards for a touchdown, and Barth was true with the extra point. Tampa Bay extended their lead when Freeman found Mike Williams for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Barth booted the extra point. The Buccaneers padded the lead again on a Martin touchdown run of 67 yards, and Barth iced the drive with the extra point. Oakland pulled back a little bit as Palmer passed 4 yards to Brandon Myers for a touchdown, and Janikowski made the extra point. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Martin ran 70 yards for a touchdown, and Barth dutifully kicked the extra point. The Raiders shot back as Palmer and Myers hooked up for a 1 yard touchdown connection, and Janikowski booted the extra point. Oakland chipped closer with Palmer passing 13 yards to Marcel Reese before finding Juron Criner on the two-point attempt. The Buccaneers put it away with Martin's fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1 yard rush, capped off by the Barth extra point. The final was 42-32, with Tampa Bay going to 4-4 and Oakland dropping to 3-5.
Up north, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a first quarter Adrian Peterson 1 yard touchdown run, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. Seattle tied it as Russell Wilson passed 6 yards to Golden Tate for a touchdown, and Steven Hauschka booted the extra point. The Seahawks gained the lead as Wilson found Sidney Rice for 11 yards and a touchdown, followed by a Hauschka extra point. The Vikings tied it in the second quarter with a 4 yard Peterson touchdown run, and Walsh's extra point was the equalizer. Minnesota took the lead with a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. Seattle took the lead back as Wilson found Tate for 11 yards and another touchdown, but Hauschka was blocked on the extra point attempt. The Seahawks extended the lead with a third quarter 3 yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, and Hauschka made the extra point this time. The Vikings replied with a 55 yard field goal by Walsh. Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 40 yard field goal. This stood up for a 30-20 win, and both teams are now 5-4.
Back east, the New York Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh opened in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham handled the extra point. New York tied it when Andre Brown ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Lawrence Tynes made the extra point. The Giants took the lead as Roethlisberger's fumble was recovered by Michael Boley and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes extra point. The Steelers got some back as Suisham made a 30 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Tynes made a 50 yard field goal in the third quarter. The Giants struck again as Tynes made a 23 yard field goal. Pittsburgh answered with Roethlisberger passing 51 yards to Mike Wallace for a touchdown, and Suisham booted the PAT. The Steelers took the lead with an Isaac Redman touchdown run of 1 yard, and Suisham made the extra point. This held up for a 24-20 final, and Pittsburgh goes to 5-3 while the Giants are now 6-3.
For the Night game, the Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas began with a first quarter Dan Bailey 23 yard field goal. The Cowboys added on as Bailey nailed a 32 yard field goal. Atlanta got on the board in the second quarter as Matt Bryant made a 45 yard field goal. The Falcons tied it as Bryant was true from 46 yards for a field goal. Atlanta gained the lead in the fourth quarter on a Michael Turner 3 yard touchdown run, and Bryant was true with the PAT. The Falcons padded the lead as Bryant kicked in a 36 yard field goal. Dallas shot back as Tony Romo passed 21 yards to Kevin Ogletree, and Bailey handled the extra point. Atlanta padded the lead on a Bryant 32 yard field goal. This made it 19-13, the final, with Atlanta moving to 8-0 while the Cowboys fall to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
NFL Morning Games Week 9 2012
Back to splitting the games up again. Eight games roll early, beginning with...
The Indianapolis Colts hosting the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off with a first quarter Dan Carpenter field goal of 37 yards. Indianapolis took the lead as Andrew Luck passed 9 yards to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. The Dolphins took the lead in the second quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 31 yards to Charles Clay, and Carpenter handled the extra point. The Colts retied it when Vinatieri kicked a 23 yard field goal. Miami took the lead back with an 18 yard Reggie Bush touchdown rush, and Carpenter booted the extra point. Indianapolis pulled back a bit with a Vinatieri 47 yard field goal. The Colts gained the lead when Luck passed 36 yards to T.Y. Hilton, and Vinatieri was good with the extra point. The Dolphins retied it in the fourth quarter as Carpenter nailed a 31 yard field goal. Indianapolis edged ahead on a Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards out. This was all they needed to win 23-20, with the Colts now standing at 5-3 while Miami falls to 4-4.
Down in Houston, the Texans host the Buffalo Bills. Houston began with a first quarter Matt Schaub touchdown pass of 39 yards to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was there with the extra point. Buffalo got on the board as Rian Lindell kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Bills got closer with a 38 yard field goal by Lindell. The Texans extended the lead in the third quarter on an Arian Foster 3 yard touchdown run, and Graham kicked the extra point. Buffalo replied as Lindell made a 39 yard field goal. Houston padded the lead as Schaub passed 5 yards to Garrett Graham for a touchdown, and then the other Graham made the PAT. This held up for a 21-9 win, with Houston now at 7-1 and Buffalo fell to 3-5.
Back north a bit, the Cleveland Browns welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore got going with a first quarter Ray Rice touchdown run of 8 yards, and Justin Tucker booted the extra point. The Ravens added on as Bernard Pierce ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Tucker again made the extra point. Cleveland got on the board in the second quarter with a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal. The Browns got closer as Dawson made a 28 yard field goal. Cleveland chipped away with a Dawson 29 yard field goal. The Browns kept going in the third quarter as Dawson made a 33 yard field goal. Cleveland got the lead as Dawson made a fourth quarter 41 yard field goal. Baltimore pulled back in front with a Joe Flacco touchdown pass of 19 yards to Torrey Smith, followed by a successful two point conversion to Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added on as Tucker made a 43 yard field goal. This ended the scoring at 25-15, with Baltimore improving to 6-2 and Cleveland dropping to 2-7.
Across Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos. Denver was first to score with a first quarter field goal by Matt Prater from 43 yards away. Cincinnati tied it in the second quarter on a Mike Nugent field goal from 28 yards out. The Broncos took the lead in the second quarter with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Eric Decker, and Prater kicked in the extra point. Denver extended the lead on a 105 yard kickoff return in the third quarter by Trindon Holliday, and Prater supplied the extra point. The Bengals answered as Andy Dalton passed 10 yards for a touchdown to A.J. Green, and Nugent knocked in the extra point. Cincinnati pulled closer with a 49 field goal from Nugent. The Bengals took the lead in the fourth quarter as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Nugent tacked on the extra point. The Broncos shot back when Manning passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Joel Dreessen, and Prater made his extra point. Denver kept going with a Manning pass of 4 yards to Decker for another touchdown, and Prater was true with the extra point. Nugent pulled Cincinnati in range with a 41 yard field goal, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 31-23 loss. The Broncos are now 5-3 while the Bengals drop to 3-5.
South to Tennessee, where the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears. Chicago started with a first quarter blocked punt as Brett Kern tried to kick the ball away, allowing Corey Wootton to pick the ball up and run it in 5 yards for a touchdown, and Robbie Gould ended the play with an extra point. Tennessee got on the board as Chicago committed a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears padded the lead on an 8 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago struck again as Brian Urlacher picked off Matt Hasselbeck and ran it in 46 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gould another PAT. The Bears kept going as Jay Cutler passed 13 yards to Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould kicked the extra point. Chicago added on in the second quarter as Gould made a 40 yard field goal. The Titans answered with a Rob Bironas 39 yard field goal. Tennessee chipped away in the third quarter as Hasselbeck passed 30 yards to Nate Washington for a touchdown, and Bironas recorded the extra point. The Bears replied on a 25 yard Gould field goal. Chicago got some more as Gould was good with a 22 yard field goal. The Bears extended the lead again in the fourth quarter as Cutler passed 39 yards to Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould was again true with the extra point. Chicago struck again when Cutler found Marshall for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Gould was there for the extra point. The Titans pulled back with an 80 yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson, and the two point attempt from Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt was also good. They got no closer, falling 51-20, allowing the Bears to move to 7-1 while the Titans fall to 3-6.
Southeast to Jacksonville, as the Jaguars bring in the Detroit Lions. Detroit got going in the second quarter as Mikel LeShoure ran 7 yards for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson was true on the PAT. The Lions added on as LeShoure ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Hanson made another extra point. Detroit kept going with a third touchdown rush by LeShoure, an 8 yard run, and Hanson kicked the extra point again. The Lions extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Hanson kicked a 42 yard field goal. Jacksonville got on the board as Blaine Gabbert passed 5 yards to Micheal Spurlock for a touchdown, and then he converted the two point attempt to Rashad Jennings. Detroit replied with Joique Bell running 10 yards for a touchdown, and Hanson knocked in the extra point. The Jaguars answered back as Gabbert passed 6 yards to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown, but he failed to convert the two-point attempt. This made it 31-14, a final, with Detroit moving to 4-4 and Jacksonville dropping to 1-7.
Back to the north, the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay opened in the first quarter as Aaron Rodgers passed 13 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby kicked in the extra point. Arizona tied the game in the second quarter as LaRod Stephens-Howling ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Jay Feely made the extra point. The Packers took the lead back on another Rodgers touchdown pass to Cobb, this time for 21 yards, and Crosby again made the PAT. Green Bay got some more as Rodgers found James Jones for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby was true on the extra point. The Packers struck again in the third quarter as Crosby made a 33 yard field goal. The Cardinals got some back with John Skelton passing 31 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown, and Feely tacked on the extra point. Arizona got some back with a 20 yard Feely field goal. Green Bay answered as Rodgers passed 72 yards for a touchdown to Tom Crabtree, and Crosby supplied the extra point. This concluded the scoring at 31-17, with Green Bay now standing at 6-3 while Arizona dips to 4-5.
Finally, the early games end in DC, as the Washington Redskins host the Carolina Panthers. Washington struck first in the first quarter as Kai Forbath kicked a 47 yard field goal. Carolina took the lead as DeAngelo Williamsran farther than he has all year ran 30 yards for a touchdown, and Justin Medlock handled the extra point. The Panthers added on in the second quarter as Cam Newton passed 19 yards to Steve Smith, and Medlock made the extra point. The Redskins pulled back in the third quarter as Forbath made a 25 yard field goal. Carolina extended the lead with a fourth quarter Newton touchdown run, iced off by Medlock's extra point. Washington tried a late rally as Evan Royster ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Forbath booted the PAT, but this only made it 21-13 final. Carolina is now 2-6 while Washington falls to 3-6.
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The Indianapolis Colts hosting the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off with a first quarter Dan Carpenter field goal of 37 yards. Indianapolis took the lead as Andrew Luck passed 9 yards to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. The Dolphins took the lead in the second quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 31 yards to Charles Clay, and Carpenter handled the extra point. The Colts retied it when Vinatieri kicked a 23 yard field goal. Miami took the lead back with an 18 yard Reggie Bush touchdown rush, and Carpenter booted the extra point. Indianapolis pulled back a bit with a Vinatieri 47 yard field goal. The Colts gained the lead when Luck passed 36 yards to T.Y. Hilton, and Vinatieri was good with the extra point. The Dolphins retied it in the fourth quarter as Carpenter nailed a 31 yard field goal. Indianapolis edged ahead on a Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards out. This was all they needed to win 23-20, with the Colts now standing at 5-3 while Miami falls to 4-4.
Down in Houston, the Texans host the Buffalo Bills. Houston began with a first quarter Matt Schaub touchdown pass of 39 yards to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was there with the extra point. Buffalo got on the board as Rian Lindell kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Bills got closer with a 38 yard field goal by Lindell. The Texans extended the lead in the third quarter on an Arian Foster 3 yard touchdown run, and Graham kicked the extra point. Buffalo replied as Lindell made a 39 yard field goal. Houston padded the lead as Schaub passed 5 yards to Garrett Graham for a touchdown, and then the other Graham made the PAT. This held up for a 21-9 win, with Houston now at 7-1 and Buffalo fell to 3-5.
Back north a bit, the Cleveland Browns welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore got going with a first quarter Ray Rice touchdown run of 8 yards, and Justin Tucker booted the extra point. The Ravens added on as Bernard Pierce ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Tucker again made the extra point. Cleveland got on the board in the second quarter with a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal. The Browns got closer as Dawson made a 28 yard field goal. Cleveland chipped away with a Dawson 29 yard field goal. The Browns kept going in the third quarter as Dawson made a 33 yard field goal. Cleveland got the lead as Dawson made a fourth quarter 41 yard field goal. Baltimore pulled back in front with a Joe Flacco touchdown pass of 19 yards to Torrey Smith, followed by a successful two point conversion to Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added on as Tucker made a 43 yard field goal. This ended the scoring at 25-15, with Baltimore improving to 6-2 and Cleveland dropping to 2-7.
Across Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos. Denver was first to score with a first quarter field goal by Matt Prater from 43 yards away. Cincinnati tied it in the second quarter on a Mike Nugent field goal from 28 yards out. The Broncos took the lead in the second quarter with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Eric Decker, and Prater kicked in the extra point. Denver extended the lead on a 105 yard kickoff return in the third quarter by Trindon Holliday, and Prater supplied the extra point. The Bengals answered as Andy Dalton passed 10 yards for a touchdown to A.J. Green, and Nugent knocked in the extra point. Cincinnati pulled closer with a 49 field goal from Nugent. The Bengals took the lead in the fourth quarter as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Nugent tacked on the extra point. The Broncos shot back when Manning passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Joel Dreessen, and Prater made his extra point. Denver kept going with a Manning pass of 4 yards to Decker for another touchdown, and Prater was true with the extra point. Nugent pulled Cincinnati in range with a 41 yard field goal, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 31-23 loss. The Broncos are now 5-3 while the Bengals drop to 3-5.
South to Tennessee, where the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears. Chicago started with a first quarter blocked punt as Brett Kern tried to kick the ball away, allowing Corey Wootton to pick the ball up and run it in 5 yards for a touchdown, and Robbie Gould ended the play with an extra point. Tennessee got on the board as Chicago committed a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears padded the lead on an 8 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago struck again as Brian Urlacher picked off Matt Hasselbeck and ran it in 46 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gould another PAT. The Bears kept going as Jay Cutler passed 13 yards to Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould kicked the extra point. Chicago added on in the second quarter as Gould made a 40 yard field goal. The Titans answered with a Rob Bironas 39 yard field goal. Tennessee chipped away in the third quarter as Hasselbeck passed 30 yards to Nate Washington for a touchdown, and Bironas recorded the extra point. The Bears replied on a 25 yard Gould field goal. Chicago got some more as Gould was good with a 22 yard field goal. The Bears extended the lead again in the fourth quarter as Cutler passed 39 yards to Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould was again true with the extra point. Chicago struck again when Cutler found Marshall for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Gould was there for the extra point. The Titans pulled back with an 80 yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson, and the two point attempt from Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt was also good. They got no closer, falling 51-20, allowing the Bears to move to 7-1 while the Titans fall to 3-6.
Southeast to Jacksonville, as the Jaguars bring in the Detroit Lions. Detroit got going in the second quarter as Mikel LeShoure ran 7 yards for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson was true on the PAT. The Lions added on as LeShoure ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Hanson made another extra point. Detroit kept going with a third touchdown rush by LeShoure, an 8 yard run, and Hanson kicked the extra point again. The Lions extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Hanson kicked a 42 yard field goal. Jacksonville got on the board as Blaine Gabbert passed 5 yards to Micheal Spurlock for a touchdown, and then he converted the two point attempt to Rashad Jennings. Detroit replied with Joique Bell running 10 yards for a touchdown, and Hanson knocked in the extra point. The Jaguars answered back as Gabbert passed 6 yards to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown, but he failed to convert the two-point attempt. This made it 31-14, a final, with Detroit moving to 4-4 and Jacksonville dropping to 1-7.
Back to the north, the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay opened in the first quarter as Aaron Rodgers passed 13 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby kicked in the extra point. Arizona tied the game in the second quarter as LaRod Stephens-Howling ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Jay Feely made the extra point. The Packers took the lead back on another Rodgers touchdown pass to Cobb, this time for 21 yards, and Crosby again made the PAT. Green Bay got some more as Rodgers found James Jones for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby was true on the extra point. The Packers struck again in the third quarter as Crosby made a 33 yard field goal. The Cardinals got some back with John Skelton passing 31 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown, and Feely tacked on the extra point. Arizona got some back with a 20 yard Feely field goal. Green Bay answered as Rodgers passed 72 yards for a touchdown to Tom Crabtree, and Crosby supplied the extra point. This concluded the scoring at 31-17, with Green Bay now standing at 6-3 while Arizona dips to 4-5.
Finally, the early games end in DC, as the Washington Redskins host the Carolina Panthers. Washington struck first in the first quarter as Kai Forbath kicked a 47 yard field goal. Carolina took the lead as DeAngelo Williams
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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