We have a huge NFC rivalry game tonight, as the Atlanta Falcons host the New Orleans Saints. Atlanta began in the first quarter as Michael Turned ran 3 yards for a touchdown, and Matt Bryant added on the extra point. The Falcons extended the lead in the second quarter as Matt Ryan passed 17 yards for a touchdown to Tony Gonzalez, and Bryant again made the extra point. Atlanta added on with a Bryant field goal of 45 yards. New Orleans got on the board when Mark Ingram ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Garrett Hartley supplied the extra point. The Saints pulled closer in the third quarter as Hartley booted a 21 yard field goal. New Orleans got closer with a Hartley field goal of 52 yards. The Falcons shot back in the fourth quarter as Bryant knocked in a 29 yard field goal. Atlanta struck again as Bryant blasted in a 55 yard field goal. This made it 23-13, a final, with the Falcons improving to 11-1 and the Saints falling to 5-7.
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Thursday, November 29, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 32
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 thirty-two tells us of manager Bruce Bochy.
Bruce Bochy was born on April 16, 1955, in Landes de Boussac, France, as his father was currently stationed with the US Army there. He grew up in Virginia and also Melbourne, Florida, and he graduated from Melbourne High School, having played with Darrell Hammond from Saturday Night Live. For college, Bochy attended Brevard Community College before transferring to Florida State University. In 1975, he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round with the twenty-fourth overall pick of the supplemental draft. From 1978 to 1980, Bochy played catcher with the Astros, but only in a handful of games. He played in 1982 with the New York Mets after missing all of 1981, and then closed out his career with the San Diego Padres from 1983 to 1987. As a hitter, he compiled a career line of a .239 batting average, twenty-six home runs, and ninety-three runs batted in. He started managing with the Spokane Indians in 1989 in the Padres organization, before moving up to the Riverside Red Wave managerial position in their last year. He continued to the High Desert Mavericks as their first manager, and then was promoted to Wichita Wranglers for 1992. In 1995, Bochy made his first managerial job in the major leagues with the San Diego Padres. He was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1996, and led the Padres to the National League pennant in 1998. From 1995 to 2006, Bochy was with San Diego, but when the front office changed prior to the 2007 season, they allowed Bochy to be interviewed by San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean. He ultimately got the job, which he has held ever since. This allowed him to steer the course for the 2010 and 2012 World Series Championships won by the Giants. He is often credited with being one of the better matchup-based managers in the league, and manipulates the team as necessary to get wins. He is known to be in touch with his personnel, especially with members of the bullpen, and is well-liked for a casual-leaning and team-focused clubhouse. These attributes make him popular wherever he is, and behind the scenes, he is a humorous and outgoing person. Bochy is very wise in his managerial style, and because the players buy into his orders, he is able to have many successful teams, as evidenced by his 1454-1444 record.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Bruce Bochy was born on April 16, 1955, in Landes de Boussac, France, as his father was currently stationed with the US Army there. He grew up in Virginia and also Melbourne, Florida, and he graduated from Melbourne High School, having played with Darrell Hammond from Saturday Night Live. For college, Bochy attended Brevard Community College before transferring to Florida State University. In 1975, he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round with the twenty-fourth overall pick of the supplemental draft. From 1978 to 1980, Bochy played catcher with the Astros, but only in a handful of games. He played in 1982 with the New York Mets after missing all of 1981, and then closed out his career with the San Diego Padres from 1983 to 1987. As a hitter, he compiled a career line of a .239 batting average, twenty-six home runs, and ninety-three runs batted in. He started managing with the Spokane Indians in 1989 in the Padres organization, before moving up to the Riverside Red Wave managerial position in their last year. He continued to the High Desert Mavericks as their first manager, and then was promoted to Wichita Wranglers for 1992. In 1995, Bochy made his first managerial job in the major leagues with the San Diego Padres. He was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1996, and led the Padres to the National League pennant in 1998. From 1995 to 2006, Bochy was with San Diego, but when the front office changed prior to the 2007 season, they allowed Bochy to be interviewed by San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean. He ultimately got the job, which he has held ever since. This allowed him to steer the course for the 2010 and 2012 World Series Championships won by the Giants. He is often credited with being one of the better matchup-based managers in the league, and manipulates the team as necessary to get wins. He is known to be in touch with his personnel, especially with members of the bullpen, and is well-liked for a casual-leaning and team-focused clubhouse. These attributes make him popular wherever he is, and behind the scenes, he is a humorous and outgoing person. Bochy is very wise in his managerial style, and because the players buy into his orders, he is able to have many successful teams, as evidenced by his 1454-1444 record.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
KHL November 29th 2012
One game on for today, as Dinamo Riga hosts Dynamo Moscow. Alexander Sharychenkov for Dynamo and Mikael Tellqvist for Dinamo tend the twines. Moscow led off with a second period goal by Ilya Gorokhov, coming off of Konstantin Volkov. Dynamo added on as Denis Kokarev scored, with the help of Alexei Tsvetkov and Andrei Mironov. Moscow extended the lead as Dmitry Pestunov potted the puck, with a lone assist provided by Alexander Ovechkin. Riga got on the board in the third period when Mathieu Carle scored a power play goal, powered by Alexandre Giroux and Paul Szczechura. They got no closer, losing 3-1, with the three stars going to Kokarev, Sharychenkov (29 for 30 in saves), and Gorokhov.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 31
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 thirty-one tells us a little bit about each of the particular coaches involved with the Giants team.
Tim Flannery was born September 29th, 1957, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Anaheim High School, where he earned all-league honors in baseball. He was a hot prospect in the San Diego Padres organization, and played with them from 1979-1989, where he accumulated a career line of .255 batting average, 209 runs batted in, and only nine home runs over the eleven years he played. His minor league success never transferred over to the major leagues, and played his last major-league game on his thirty-second birthday. Despite his lack of success, he was a fan favorite with the Padres, and the support he received in his last game was immense, from gifts to a standing ovation that halted the game. He again worked his way through the minors after his playing career was done, managing the Padres' Class A Short Season affiliate in the Northwest League, the Spokane Indians. The next season, he was in the Class A Advanced California League, managing the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He was then promoted to the Class AAA Las Vegas Stars in 1995. In 1996, he appeared in the majors, as the Padres third base coach under manager Bruce Bochy. He remained on Bochy's staff through 2002, and then rejoined him in 2007 when Bochy earned the managerial job with the San Francisco Giants. He was a member of the 2010 and 2012 World Series winning teams.
Mark Gardner was born on March 1st, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. He attended Clovis High School in Clovis, California, before going to California State University in Fresno. His major league playing career saw him play with four teams between 1989 and 2001. Working as a starting pitcher for most of his career, he began with the Montreal Expos. He was traded in 1992 to the Kansas City Royals, where he pitched for a year before being released. Eventually, he signed with the Florida (now Miami) Marlins, for 1994 and 1995, before moving along to close out his career with the San Francisco Giants. With the Giants, he began to be used as a spot starter and long reliever, and was one of two Willie Mac Award recipients in 2001 for spirit and leadership. He ended his career with a 4.56 earned run average as well as 1,256 strikeouts in 1,764 and 2/3 innings pitched. He became the Giants bullpen coach in 2003, and has held the position ever since, also earning World Series Championships in 2010 and 2012.
Bill Hayes was born on October 24th, 1957, in Cheverly, Maryland. He went to college at Indiana State University. His major league career consisted of five games with the Chicago Cubs in 1980 and 1981, but he was largely unsuccessful. His extensive minor-league career saw him do about the same between 1978 and 1987. He spent time as a coach with various minor league teams between 1988 and 1997, before coaching in the majors for 1998, and returning to the minors for 1999 through 2002. In 2002, he worked with the San Jose Giants as a manager, and earned the role of bullpen catcher with the San Francisco Giants in 2003. He is a two-time World Series Champion for his bullpen catcher role with the Giants, having been a part of the 2010 and 2012 World Series teams.
Roberto Kelly was born on October 1st, 1964, in Panama City, Panama. He played in all levels of the New York Yankees farm system between 1982 and 1987 before earning his first major league call up. He played as outfielder for his entire career. He played for six years with the Yankees, being named to his first All-Star Game in 1992. The next two season, he played with the Cincinnati Reds, where he was an All-Star again in 1993. He went to the Atlanta Braves in 1994 during a midseason trade. In 1995, he split time between the Montreal Expos after having been traded from the Braves, and then was part of another trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1996, he played for the Minnesota Twins, and also for part of 1997 before being traded for the fifth and final time in his career to the Seattle Mariners. For 1998 and 1999, he played with the Texas Rangers, and then rejoined the Yankees in 2000, where he played his final game on April 18th. He owned an impressive career batting average of .290, while hitting 124 home runs and 585 runs batted in. He moved into a coaching role with the San Francisco Giants, and managed with the Augusta Greenjackets in the Class A South Atlantic League. He earned a reputation for promoting aggressive base-running, and on November 16, 2007, was hired as the Giants first base coach. He has held the position ever since, encouraging even pitchers to be aggressive on the basepaths. He is a two-time World Series Champion with the Giants, having earned titles in 2010 and 2012.
Hensley Meulens was born on June 23, 1967, in Willemstad, Curaçao. He was first signed by the New York Yankees in 1985, and was promoted to the big league team in 1989, where he crossed paths with the previously-mentioned Roberto Kelly. He was unable to replicate the success he had attained in the minor leagues with the Yankees, and they sold his contract to the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball in 1994. He played there for one season before moving along to the Yakult Swallows for 1995 and 1996. He was successful here, winning a Japan Series championship in 1995. He came back to North America in 1997, playing one season with the Montreal Expos and then moving to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 1998. His last major league appearance as a player came on May 14, 1998, although he did play in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2000 with the SK Wyverns. His coaching career began with the Bluefield Orioles in 2003, and then after two season there, he was the Indianapolis Indians hitting coach from 2005-2008 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was the hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants Class AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies in 2009, and earned a promotion to the big league team for the same job in 2010, helping them to a World Series title that year and also in 2012. He is also a valuable member of the team because he can speak English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento, and Japanese, which allows him to communicate with many players.
Dave Righetti was born on November 28th, 1958 (happy birthday!) in San Jose, California. He attended Pioneer High School, where he played in the outfield, before being noticed at San Jose City College, where his throwing motion prompted a scout to suggest he try pitching. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers but made his major league debut in 1979 with the New York Yankees. When he finally stuck with the team, he was American League Rookie of the Year in 1981, working primarily as a starting pitcher. On July 4, 1983, Righetti pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. The next season, he began working as a reliever. In 1986 and 1987, Righetti was named to the American League All-Star team. After 1990, Righetti signed with the San Francisco Giants, and pitched there for three years. In 1994, he played for both the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays, and then closed out his career in 1995 with the Chicago White Sox. He ended with a career line of a 3.46 earned run average, 1,112 strikeouts, 252 saves, and 1,403 and 2/3 innings pitched. Since 2000, Righetti has been the San Francisco Giants pitching coach, where he has been very successful in helping teach pitchers how to avoid giving up home runs. He is a two-time World Series Champion as the Giants pitching coach.
Ron Wotus was born March 3, 1961, in Hartford, Connecticut, but he grew up in Colchester, Connecticut. He attended Bacon Academy before joining the baseball world. He appeared in a handful of games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1983 and 1984, but his career was largely unsuccessful after stints in the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants farm systems. He managed in the minor leagues in the Giants organization from 1991 to 1997, earning the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year title in 1997. In 1998, he was promoted to the Giants major league coaching staff as a third base coach, but became the bench coach in 1999, a job he has retained ever since. During his tenure, the Giants have won World Series Championships in 2010 and 2012.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Tim Flannery was born September 29th, 1957, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended Anaheim High School, where he earned all-league honors in baseball. He was a hot prospect in the San Diego Padres organization, and played with them from 1979-1989, where he accumulated a career line of .255 batting average, 209 runs batted in, and only nine home runs over the eleven years he played. His minor league success never transferred over to the major leagues, and played his last major-league game on his thirty-second birthday. Despite his lack of success, he was a fan favorite with the Padres, and the support he received in his last game was immense, from gifts to a standing ovation that halted the game. He again worked his way through the minors after his playing career was done, managing the Padres' Class A Short Season affiliate in the Northwest League, the Spokane Indians. The next season, he was in the Class A Advanced California League, managing the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He was then promoted to the Class AAA Las Vegas Stars in 1995. In 1996, he appeared in the majors, as the Padres third base coach under manager Bruce Bochy. He remained on Bochy's staff through 2002, and then rejoined him in 2007 when Bochy earned the managerial job with the San Francisco Giants. He was a member of the 2010 and 2012 World Series winning teams.
Mark Gardner was born on March 1st, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. He attended Clovis High School in Clovis, California, before going to California State University in Fresno. His major league playing career saw him play with four teams between 1989 and 2001. Working as a starting pitcher for most of his career, he began with the Montreal Expos. He was traded in 1992 to the Kansas City Royals, where he pitched for a year before being released. Eventually, he signed with the Florida (now Miami) Marlins, for 1994 and 1995, before moving along to close out his career with the San Francisco Giants. With the Giants, he began to be used as a spot starter and long reliever, and was one of two Willie Mac Award recipients in 2001 for spirit and leadership. He ended his career with a 4.56 earned run average as well as 1,256 strikeouts in 1,764 and 2/3 innings pitched. He became the Giants bullpen coach in 2003, and has held the position ever since, also earning World Series Championships in 2010 and 2012.
Bill Hayes was born on October 24th, 1957, in Cheverly, Maryland. He went to college at Indiana State University. His major league career consisted of five games with the Chicago Cubs in 1980 and 1981, but he was largely unsuccessful. His extensive minor-league career saw him do about the same between 1978 and 1987. He spent time as a coach with various minor league teams between 1988 and 1997, before coaching in the majors for 1998, and returning to the minors for 1999 through 2002. In 2002, he worked with the San Jose Giants as a manager, and earned the role of bullpen catcher with the San Francisco Giants in 2003. He is a two-time World Series Champion for his bullpen catcher role with the Giants, having been a part of the 2010 and 2012 World Series teams.
Roberto Kelly was born on October 1st, 1964, in Panama City, Panama. He played in all levels of the New York Yankees farm system between 1982 and 1987 before earning his first major league call up. He played as outfielder for his entire career. He played for six years with the Yankees, being named to his first All-Star Game in 1992. The next two season, he played with the Cincinnati Reds, where he was an All-Star again in 1993. He went to the Atlanta Braves in 1994 during a midseason trade. In 1995, he split time between the Montreal Expos after having been traded from the Braves, and then was part of another trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1996, he played for the Minnesota Twins, and also for part of 1997 before being traded for the fifth and final time in his career to the Seattle Mariners. For 1998 and 1999, he played with the Texas Rangers, and then rejoined the Yankees in 2000, where he played his final game on April 18th. He owned an impressive career batting average of .290, while hitting 124 home runs and 585 runs batted in. He moved into a coaching role with the San Francisco Giants, and managed with the Augusta Greenjackets in the Class A South Atlantic League. He earned a reputation for promoting aggressive base-running, and on November 16, 2007, was hired as the Giants first base coach. He has held the position ever since, encouraging even pitchers to be aggressive on the basepaths. He is a two-time World Series Champion with the Giants, having earned titles in 2010 and 2012.
Hensley Meulens was born on June 23, 1967, in Willemstad, Curaçao. He was first signed by the New York Yankees in 1985, and was promoted to the big league team in 1989, where he crossed paths with the previously-mentioned Roberto Kelly. He was unable to replicate the success he had attained in the minor leagues with the Yankees, and they sold his contract to the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball in 1994. He played there for one season before moving along to the Yakult Swallows for 1995 and 1996. He was successful here, winning a Japan Series championship in 1995. He came back to North America in 1997, playing one season with the Montreal Expos and then moving to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 1998. His last major league appearance as a player came on May 14, 1998, although he did play in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2000 with the SK Wyverns. His coaching career began with the Bluefield Orioles in 2003, and then after two season there, he was the Indianapolis Indians hitting coach from 2005-2008 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was the hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants Class AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies in 2009, and earned a promotion to the big league team for the same job in 2010, helping them to a World Series title that year and also in 2012. He is also a valuable member of the team because he can speak English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento, and Japanese, which allows him to communicate with many players.
Dave Righetti was born on November 28th, 1958 (happy birthday!) in San Jose, California. He attended Pioneer High School, where he played in the outfield, before being noticed at San Jose City College, where his throwing motion prompted a scout to suggest he try pitching. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers but made his major league debut in 1979 with the New York Yankees. When he finally stuck with the team, he was American League Rookie of the Year in 1981, working primarily as a starting pitcher. On July 4, 1983, Righetti pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. The next season, he began working as a reliever. In 1986 and 1987, Righetti was named to the American League All-Star team. After 1990, Righetti signed with the San Francisco Giants, and pitched there for three years. In 1994, he played for both the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays, and then closed out his career in 1995 with the Chicago White Sox. He ended with a career line of a 3.46 earned run average, 1,112 strikeouts, 252 saves, and 1,403 and 2/3 innings pitched. Since 2000, Righetti has been the San Francisco Giants pitching coach, where he has been very successful in helping teach pitchers how to avoid giving up home runs. He is a two-time World Series Champion as the Giants pitching coach.
Ron Wotus was born March 3, 1961, in Hartford, Connecticut, but he grew up in Colchester, Connecticut. He attended Bacon Academy before joining the baseball world. He appeared in a handful of games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1983 and 1984, but his career was largely unsuccessful after stints in the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants farm systems. He managed in the minor leagues in the Giants organization from 1991 to 1997, earning the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year title in 1997. In 1998, he was promoted to the Giants major league coaching staff as a third base coach, but became the bench coach in 1999, a job he has retained ever since. During his tenure, the Giants have won World Series Championships in 2010 and 2012.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
KHL November 28th 2012
Ten games on today as we get back into the swing of things. First up, we go way east, as...
Amur Khabarovsk hosts Slovan Bratislava. Branislav Konrad for Slovan and Alexei Murygin for Amur are set to start. Khabarovsk opened in the second period on an Alexander Yunkov goal, with a lone assist by Dmitry Shitikov. Amur added on in the third period when Dmitry Lugin potted the puck, with the help of Vladimir Loginov. Khabarovsk iced it at 3-0 with a Janne Lahti goal, made possible by Juha-Pekka Hytonen and Nikita Gusev. The three stars belonged to Murygin (14 save shutout), Yunkov, and Lugin.
Westward, as Sibir Novosibirsk hosts Lev Praha. Tomas Popperle of Lev and Jeff Glass of Sibir are the masked men. Novosibirsk began in the first period on a Konstantin Glazachev goal, assisted by Jori Lehtera and Jonas Enlund. Sibir padded the lead in the second period as Lehtera scored, and Enlund picked up the lone assist. Praha got on the board with a Marcel Hossa goal, courtesy of Juraj Mikus and Tomas Surovy. They couldn't tie the game, losing 2-1 to Sibir, with the three stars going to Lehtera, Glass (27 for 28 in saves), and Enlund.
A bit to the southeast, Metallurg Novokuznetsk welcomes CSKA Moscow. Rastislav Stana of CSKA and Alexander Lazushin of Metallurg play in the blue paint. Novokuznetsk was first to score with an unassisted first period goal by Nikita Vyglazov. Moscow tied it when Sergei Barbashev scored, with the help of Andrei Sergeyev. CSKA took the lead in the second period on a Sergei Shirokov goal, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk. Moscow extended the lead in the third period as Janis Sprukts scored, thanks to Barbashev and Patrick Davis. CSKA finished the scoring at 4-1 with a Vladimir Zharkov goal, assisted by Niklas Persson and Ilya Zubov. The three stars belonged to Barbashev, Stana (20 for 21 in saves), and Shirokov.
Way to the west, Severstal Cherepovets hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Andrei Mezin for Traktor and Vasily Koshechkin for Severstal are in front of the nets. Cherepovets led off with a first period shorthanded goal by Vadim Shipachyov, passed from Stanislav Yegorshev. Severstal added on with a power play goal off the tape of Vadim Berdnikov, powered by Bogdan Kiselevich and Niclas Bergfors. Traktor pulled Mezin in favor of Vladislav Fokin in goal. Chelyabinsk got on the board as Maxim Karpov scored, thanks to Valery Nichushkin. Traktor tied the game in the second period on a Yegor Dugin goal, made possible by Nichushkin. Chelyabinsk took the lead with a goal from Evgeny Katichev, courtesy of Maxim Yakutsenya and Jan Bulis. Cherepovets retied the game as Nikita Alexeyev potted the puck, with the help of Shipachyov and Evgeny Ketov on the power play. The third period was silent, and so was overtime, so the game needed a shootout to determine the winner. Severstal came out on top with a pair of shootout goals, provided by Berdnikov and Denis Kazionov for a 4-3 win. The three stars go to Berdnikov, Shipachyov, and Nichushkin.
Across the lake, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hosts Ak Bars Kazan. Emil Garipov for Ak Bars and Curtis Sanford for Lokomotiv receive the starting nods. Yaroslavl struck first with a first period goal by Emil Galimov, assisted by Sergei Plotnikov. Kazan tied it with a second period power play goal put away by Alexei Morozov, passed from Konstantin Korneyev and Ilya Nikulin. Lokomotiv took the lead back with a power play goal of their own, coming from Artyom Anisimov, with the help of Staffan Kronwall and Plotnikov. Ak Bars tied it again on a power play goal in the third period, scored by Janne Pesonen, and powered by Evgeny Medvedev and Jarkko Immonen. Kazan took a late 3-2 lead when Danis Zaripov scored, courtesy of Morozov, and held on for the win. Morozov, Zaripov, and Plotnikov receive the three stars.
To the east, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod brings in Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Matt Dalton for Neftekhimik and Vitaly Koval for Torpedo are all padded up. Nizhnekamsk got going in the first period as Renat Mamashev scored, with the help of Martin Cibak and Yegor Milovzorov. Nizhny Novgorod tied it when Matt Ellison potted the puck, with a lone assist provided by Juuso Hietanen. Torpedo took the lead with a power play goal by Martin Thornberg, powered by Dmitry Makarov and Hietanen. Neftekhimik tied it as Petr Koukal scored, courtesy of Tomas Netik. Nizhnekamsk took the lead again on another Koukal goal, set up by Mamashev and Nail Yakupov. Neftekhimik continued in the third period as Koukal finished off his hat trick with his third goal of the night, and the assists were credited to Yakupov and Netik. Nizhny Novgorod answered on an Alexei Vasilyev goal, passed from Hietanen, who got a sock trick, and Makarov. They failed to get the equalizer, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Koukal, Mamashev, and Netik, while Yakupov, Hietanen, and Makarov earn honorable mentions.
Southwest to Mytishchi, where Atlant hosts Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Iiro Tarkki for Salavat Yulaev and Anton Khudobin for Atlant guard the cages. Mytishchi began with a second period Nikolai Zherdev goal, made possible by Viktor Stalberg and Andreas Engqvist. Atlant made it 2-0 in the third period when Zherdev scored again with an empty net goal, thanks to Ivan Vishnevsky and Igor Ignatushkin. This was a final, with the three stars being Zherdev, Khudobin (26 save shutout), and Tarkki (22 for 24 in saves).
To the south, Vityaz Chekhov hosts Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Ari Ahonen for Metallurg and Ivan Lasutin for Vityaz are between pipes. Magnitogorsk started with a first period goal by Mats Zuccarello, coming off of Justin Hodgman and Georgy Misharin. Chekhov tied it with a power play goal scored by Alexander Korolyuk, powered by Alexei Troshchinsky. Vityaz took the lead in the second period with a Alexei Badyukov goal, courtesy of Evgeny Timkin and Yakov Seleznyov. Metallurg tied it on a Nikolai Kulemin goal, helped along by Viktor Antipin and Sergei Mozyakin. Chekhov retook the lead in the third period on a Nikita Dvurechensky goal, pushed through by Seleznyov. Magnitogorsk pulled even with an Antipin power play goal with a lone assist by Mozyakin. Vityaz won it 4-3 in overtime as Brian Fahey scored a power play goal, and Korolyuk was credited with the assist. The three stars went to Korolyuk, Antipin, and Seleznyov, while Mozyakin gets an honorable mention.
Heading west to Minsk, where Dinamo welcomes Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Evgeny Lobanov for Avtomobilist and Pekka Rinne for Dinamo tend the twines. Yekaterinburg opened in the first period on an Alexander Streltsov unassisted goal. Minsk tied it as Joe Pavelski scored, thanks to Zbynek Irgl and Libor Pivko on the power play. Dinamo took the lead with a power play goal by Janne Niskala, passed from Teemu Laine. Avtomobilist retied the game in the second period as Rastislav Spirko scored, with the help of Alexei Simakov and Sergei Gusev on the power play. Yekaterinburg took the lead again with a Vasily Streltsov goal with a lone assist from Fyodor Malykhin. Avtomobilist added on with another power play goal, this time scored by Joffrey Lupul, and powered by Branislav Mezei and Evgeny Lapenkov. Yekaterinburg kept going with an Alexander Streltsov goal, helped along by Nikolai Pronin. Minsk shot back in the third period with a power play goal by Tim Stapleton, set up by Cory Murphy and Laine. Avtomobilist iced the game at 6-3 with a power play goal by Lapenkov, assisted by Lupul and Denis Sokolov. The three stars went to Alexander Streltsov, Lapenkov, and Lupul, while Laine earns an honorable mention.
Back to the southeast, as we end the day in Donetsk, with Donbass hosting SKA St. Petersburg. Sergei Bobrovsky of SKA and Jan Laco of Donbass tend the twines. St. Petersburg struck first in the first period with an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, assisted by Dmitry Kalinin. Donetsk tied it with a Tuomas Kiiskinen goal, made possible by Evgeny Dadonov. Donbass took the lead in the second period on a Fredrik Pettersson goal, courtesy of Jani Tuppurainen and Peter Podhradsky. Donetsk extended the lead on a Clay Wilson goal, set up by Tuppurainen. SKA got one back in the third period as Maxim Rybin potted the puck, with the help of Yury Alexandrov. They got no closer, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Wilson, Tuppurainen, and Kiiskinen.
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Amur Khabarovsk hosts Slovan Bratislava. Branislav Konrad for Slovan and Alexei Murygin for Amur are set to start. Khabarovsk opened in the second period on an Alexander Yunkov goal, with a lone assist by Dmitry Shitikov. Amur added on in the third period when Dmitry Lugin potted the puck, with the help of Vladimir Loginov. Khabarovsk iced it at 3-0 with a Janne Lahti goal, made possible by Juha-Pekka Hytonen and Nikita Gusev. The three stars belonged to Murygin (14 save shutout), Yunkov, and Lugin.
Westward, as Sibir Novosibirsk hosts Lev Praha. Tomas Popperle of Lev and Jeff Glass of Sibir are the masked men. Novosibirsk began in the first period on a Konstantin Glazachev goal, assisted by Jori Lehtera and Jonas Enlund. Sibir padded the lead in the second period as Lehtera scored, and Enlund picked up the lone assist. Praha got on the board with a Marcel Hossa goal, courtesy of Juraj Mikus and Tomas Surovy. They couldn't tie the game, losing 2-1 to Sibir, with the three stars going to Lehtera, Glass (27 for 28 in saves), and Enlund.
A bit to the southeast, Metallurg Novokuznetsk welcomes CSKA Moscow. Rastislav Stana of CSKA and Alexander Lazushin of Metallurg play in the blue paint. Novokuznetsk was first to score with an unassisted first period goal by Nikita Vyglazov. Moscow tied it when Sergei Barbashev scored, with the help of Andrei Sergeyev. CSKA took the lead in the second period on a Sergei Shirokov goal, made possible by Pavel Datsyuk. Moscow extended the lead in the third period as Janis Sprukts scored, thanks to Barbashev and Patrick Davis. CSKA finished the scoring at 4-1 with a Vladimir Zharkov goal, assisted by Niklas Persson and Ilya Zubov. The three stars belonged to Barbashev, Stana (20 for 21 in saves), and Shirokov.
Way to the west, Severstal Cherepovets hosts Traktor Chelyabinsk. Andrei Mezin for Traktor and Vasily Koshechkin for Severstal are in front of the nets. Cherepovets led off with a first period shorthanded goal by Vadim Shipachyov, passed from Stanislav Yegorshev. Severstal added on with a power play goal off the tape of Vadim Berdnikov, powered by Bogdan Kiselevich and Niclas Bergfors. Traktor pulled Mezin in favor of Vladislav Fokin in goal. Chelyabinsk got on the board as Maxim Karpov scored, thanks to Valery Nichushkin. Traktor tied the game in the second period on a Yegor Dugin goal, made possible by Nichushkin. Chelyabinsk took the lead with a goal from Evgeny Katichev, courtesy of Maxim Yakutsenya and Jan Bulis. Cherepovets retied the game as Nikita Alexeyev potted the puck, with the help of Shipachyov and Evgeny Ketov on the power play. The third period was silent, and so was overtime, so the game needed a shootout to determine the winner. Severstal came out on top with a pair of shootout goals, provided by Berdnikov and Denis Kazionov for a 4-3 win. The three stars go to Berdnikov, Shipachyov, and Nichushkin.
Across the lake, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hosts Ak Bars Kazan. Emil Garipov for Ak Bars and Curtis Sanford for Lokomotiv receive the starting nods. Yaroslavl struck first with a first period goal by Emil Galimov, assisted by Sergei Plotnikov. Kazan tied it with a second period power play goal put away by Alexei Morozov, passed from Konstantin Korneyev and Ilya Nikulin. Lokomotiv took the lead back with a power play goal of their own, coming from Artyom Anisimov, with the help of Staffan Kronwall and Plotnikov. Ak Bars tied it again on a power play goal in the third period, scored by Janne Pesonen, and powered by Evgeny Medvedev and Jarkko Immonen. Kazan took a late 3-2 lead when Danis Zaripov scored, courtesy of Morozov, and held on for the win. Morozov, Zaripov, and Plotnikov receive the three stars.
To the east, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod brings in Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Matt Dalton for Neftekhimik and Vitaly Koval for Torpedo are all padded up. Nizhnekamsk got going in the first period as Renat Mamashev scored, with the help of Martin Cibak and Yegor Milovzorov. Nizhny Novgorod tied it when Matt Ellison potted the puck, with a lone assist provided by Juuso Hietanen. Torpedo took the lead with a power play goal by Martin Thornberg, powered by Dmitry Makarov and Hietanen. Neftekhimik tied it as Petr Koukal scored, courtesy of Tomas Netik. Nizhnekamsk took the lead again on another Koukal goal, set up by Mamashev and Nail Yakupov. Neftekhimik continued in the third period as Koukal finished off his hat trick with his third goal of the night, and the assists were credited to Yakupov and Netik. Nizhny Novgorod answered on an Alexei Vasilyev goal, passed from Hietanen, who got a sock trick, and Makarov. They failed to get the equalizer, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Koukal, Mamashev, and Netik, while Yakupov, Hietanen, and Makarov earn honorable mentions.
Southwest to Mytishchi, where Atlant hosts Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Iiro Tarkki for Salavat Yulaev and Anton Khudobin for Atlant guard the cages. Mytishchi began with a second period Nikolai Zherdev goal, made possible by Viktor Stalberg and Andreas Engqvist. Atlant made it 2-0 in the third period when Zherdev scored again with an empty net goal, thanks to Ivan Vishnevsky and Igor Ignatushkin. This was a final, with the three stars being Zherdev, Khudobin (26 save shutout), and Tarkki (22 for 24 in saves).
To the south, Vityaz Chekhov hosts Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Ari Ahonen for Metallurg and Ivan Lasutin for Vityaz are between pipes. Magnitogorsk started with a first period goal by Mats Zuccarello, coming off of Justin Hodgman and Georgy Misharin. Chekhov tied it with a power play goal scored by Alexander Korolyuk, powered by Alexei Troshchinsky. Vityaz took the lead in the second period with a Alexei Badyukov goal, courtesy of Evgeny Timkin and Yakov Seleznyov. Metallurg tied it on a Nikolai Kulemin goal, helped along by Viktor Antipin and Sergei Mozyakin. Chekhov retook the lead in the third period on a Nikita Dvurechensky goal, pushed through by Seleznyov. Magnitogorsk pulled even with an Antipin power play goal with a lone assist by Mozyakin. Vityaz won it 4-3 in overtime as Brian Fahey scored a power play goal, and Korolyuk was credited with the assist. The three stars went to Korolyuk, Antipin, and Seleznyov, while Mozyakin gets an honorable mention.
Heading west to Minsk, where Dinamo welcomes Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Evgeny Lobanov for Avtomobilist and Pekka Rinne for Dinamo tend the twines. Yekaterinburg opened in the first period on an Alexander Streltsov unassisted goal. Minsk tied it as Joe Pavelski scored, thanks to Zbynek Irgl and Libor Pivko on the power play. Dinamo took the lead with a power play goal by Janne Niskala, passed from Teemu Laine. Avtomobilist retied the game in the second period as Rastislav Spirko scored, with the help of Alexei Simakov and Sergei Gusev on the power play. Yekaterinburg took the lead again with a Vasily Streltsov goal with a lone assist from Fyodor Malykhin. Avtomobilist added on with another power play goal, this time scored by Joffrey Lupul, and powered by Branislav Mezei and Evgeny Lapenkov. Yekaterinburg kept going with an Alexander Streltsov goal, helped along by Nikolai Pronin. Minsk shot back in the third period with a power play goal by Tim Stapleton, set up by Cory Murphy and Laine. Avtomobilist iced the game at 6-3 with a power play goal by Lapenkov, assisted by Lupul and Denis Sokolov. The three stars went to Alexander Streltsov, Lapenkov, and Lupul, while Laine earns an honorable mention.
Back to the southeast, as we end the day in Donetsk, with Donbass hosting SKA St. Petersburg. Sergei Bobrovsky of SKA and Jan Laco of Donbass tend the twines. St. Petersburg struck first in the first period with an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, assisted by Dmitry Kalinin. Donetsk tied it with a Tuomas Kiiskinen goal, made possible by Evgeny Dadonov. Donbass took the lead in the second period on a Fredrik Pettersson goal, courtesy of Jani Tuppurainen and Peter Podhradsky. Donetsk extended the lead on a Clay Wilson goal, set up by Tuppurainen. SKA got one back in the third period as Maxim Rybin potted the puck, with the help of Yury Alexandrov. They got no closer, losing 3-2, with the three stars being Wilson, Tuppurainen, and Kiiskinen.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 30
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 thirty wraps up the player segment with World Series hero Pablo Sandoval.
Pablo Sandoval was born on August 11, 1986, in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. He attended Cento Estudio in Carabobo, Venezuela, and later went undrafted, signing as an amateur free agent with the San Francisco Giants in 2003 at the age of sixteen. He first appeared in the minor leagues during the 2004 season, playing in the Rookie-level Arizona League with the Giants affiliate there. He worked as a catcher with in the Arizona League, hitting .266 with twenty-six runs batted in. He also hit five triples, which was impressive for someone of his larger stature. He made a jump to the Class A Short Season Northwest League in 2005, where he played for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Oregon. He made the transition to third base at this time, an unusual position for a left-handed person. Sandoval had taught himself to be ambidextrous, allowing him to be versatile in the field. With the Volcanoes, he posted a .330 batting average as well as three home runs and fifty runs batted in. His slow but steady progress continued into 2006, as he advanced to the Class A South Atlantic League to play with the Augusta Greenjackets of Augusta, Georgia. His numbers fell off a bit, as he hit only .265 with one home run and forty-nine runs batted in. Still, he earned a promotion for the 2007 season to play with the San Jose Giants of the Class A Advanced California League. He improved here, posting a .287 batting average while smacking eleven home runs, hitting five triples, and driving in fifty-two runs. He began the 2008 season here, appearing in sixty-eight games in which he hit .359 with twelve home runs and fifty-nine runs batted in before a promotion to the Class AA Connecticut Defenders of the Easter League in Norwich, Connecticut. Over the next forty-four games, Sandoval hit to a .337 batting average as well as eight home runs and thirty-seven runs batted in. He earned a major league call up, making his debut with San Francisco on August 14th. He was an everyday player here, playing at both third base and catcher, as well as first base. He hit .345 in forty-one games, while hitting three home runs (the first coming on August 27th), and twenty-four runs batted in. One particular play occurred when Sandoval was attempting to score, eventually being successful in dodging the tag from the catcher. Barry Zito promptly game him the nickname Kung-Fu Panda for his surprising agility. He became the everyday third baseman in 2009, while also working at catcher and first base. Sandoval had a very good season, hitting .330 while adding twenty-five home runs and ninety runs batted in during a breakout year, and highlights included his first grand slam on July 6th and his first splash hit (a San Francisco-area term for home runs hit into McCovey Cove, which is located beyond the outfield) on July 30th. Sandoval struggled more in 2010, as he had added weight and became less effective with his bat. He hit only .268 with just thirteen home runs and sixty-three runs batted in during the year, and appeared in only six postseason games during the Giants playoff run that year. With only three hits in seventeen at-bats, Sandoval was mostly an afterthought during the run, with Juan Uribe manning third base in his place as the Giants beat the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers for the World Series title. He still received the World Series Champion title, but it was far from earned in the eyes of some. Sandoval came back in 2011 much more fit, having dropped thirty pounds during the Giants' Operation Panda campaign. His season stalled in late April after he broke his hamate bone, requiring a month and a half layoff. He made his rehabilitation appearances with San Jose and also the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League before rejoining San Francisco on June 14th. He was named to the All-Star Game for the first time despite missing such significant time with the injury. He ended the year hitting .315 while hitting twenty-three home runs and seventy runs batted in during the shorter season, and his biggest highlight of the year came on September 15th, when he hit for the cycle, another impressive feat for the large third baseman. He continued his success in 2012, although he again missed most of May and part of June due to injury. Regardless of that, he made another All-Star Game, starting at third base. He put his name in the history books with the first ever bases-loaded triple in All-Star Game history off of Justin Verlander, helping pace the National League to their 8-0 victory. He ended the regular season hitting .283 with twelve home runs and sixty-three runs batted in, a down year for him but still very valuable. He was not an afterthought in the San Francisco postseason run this time. He appeared in every postseason game for San Francisco, hitting .333 with one home run and three runs batted in against the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Division Series. He then worked to a .360 batting average with two home runs and six timely runs batted in during the National League Championship Series. When the Giants faced elimination in the NLCS, Sandoval provided at least one run batted in over each of the three games. Sandoval's iconic moment, and arguably the best moment of the postseason (despite my deep appreciation for Marco Scutaro, the following feat by Sandoval was slightly better) game in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. Facing the same pitcher as he had when he hit the triple in the All-Star Game, Sandoval again tormented Justin Verlander by hitting two of his three home runs for the game off of him. The three-home run game placed him in the company of Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to accomplish the feat in a World Series game, and he was the only one to do it in his first three at-bats. He ended the World Series as the Most Valuable Player, hitting .500 against the Tigers with three home runs and four runs batted in (all of the latter in Game 1 alone), as the Giants swept Detroit to give Sandoval his second World Series title. And this time he can say he earned it.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion, and don't think this series is over yet. There are three more posts to come, detailing some of the behind-the-scenes figures that helped the Giants get where they are.
Pablo Sandoval was born on August 11, 1986, in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. He attended Cento Estudio in Carabobo, Venezuela, and later went undrafted, signing as an amateur free agent with the San Francisco Giants in 2003 at the age of sixteen. He first appeared in the minor leagues during the 2004 season, playing in the Rookie-level Arizona League with the Giants affiliate there. He worked as a catcher with in the Arizona League, hitting .266 with twenty-six runs batted in. He also hit five triples, which was impressive for someone of his larger stature. He made a jump to the Class A Short Season Northwest League in 2005, where he played for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Oregon. He made the transition to third base at this time, an unusual position for a left-handed person. Sandoval had taught himself to be ambidextrous, allowing him to be versatile in the field. With the Volcanoes, he posted a .330 batting average as well as three home runs and fifty runs batted in. His slow but steady progress continued into 2006, as he advanced to the Class A South Atlantic League to play with the Augusta Greenjackets of Augusta, Georgia. His numbers fell off a bit, as he hit only .265 with one home run and forty-nine runs batted in. Still, he earned a promotion for the 2007 season to play with the San Jose Giants of the Class A Advanced California League. He improved here, posting a .287 batting average while smacking eleven home runs, hitting five triples, and driving in fifty-two runs. He began the 2008 season here, appearing in sixty-eight games in which he hit .359 with twelve home runs and fifty-nine runs batted in before a promotion to the Class AA Connecticut Defenders of the Easter League in Norwich, Connecticut. Over the next forty-four games, Sandoval hit to a .337 batting average as well as eight home runs and thirty-seven runs batted in. He earned a major league call up, making his debut with San Francisco on August 14th. He was an everyday player here, playing at both third base and catcher, as well as first base. He hit .345 in forty-one games, while hitting three home runs (the first coming on August 27th), and twenty-four runs batted in. One particular play occurred when Sandoval was attempting to score, eventually being successful in dodging the tag from the catcher. Barry Zito promptly game him the nickname Kung-Fu Panda for his surprising agility. He became the everyday third baseman in 2009, while also working at catcher and first base. Sandoval had a very good season, hitting .330 while adding twenty-five home runs and ninety runs batted in during a breakout year, and highlights included his first grand slam on July 6th and his first splash hit (a San Francisco-area term for home runs hit into McCovey Cove, which is located beyond the outfield) on July 30th. Sandoval struggled more in 2010, as he had added weight and became less effective with his bat. He hit only .268 with just thirteen home runs and sixty-three runs batted in during the year, and appeared in only six postseason games during the Giants playoff run that year. With only three hits in seventeen at-bats, Sandoval was mostly an afterthought during the run, with Juan Uribe manning third base in his place as the Giants beat the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers for the World Series title. He still received the World Series Champion title, but it was far from earned in the eyes of some. Sandoval came back in 2011 much more fit, having dropped thirty pounds during the Giants' Operation Panda campaign. His season stalled in late April after he broke his hamate bone, requiring a month and a half layoff. He made his rehabilitation appearances with San Jose and also the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League before rejoining San Francisco on June 14th. He was named to the All-Star Game for the first time despite missing such significant time with the injury. He ended the year hitting .315 while hitting twenty-three home runs and seventy runs batted in during the shorter season, and his biggest highlight of the year came on September 15th, when he hit for the cycle, another impressive feat for the large third baseman. He continued his success in 2012, although he again missed most of May and part of June due to injury. Regardless of that, he made another All-Star Game, starting at third base. He put his name in the history books with the first ever bases-loaded triple in All-Star Game history off of Justin Verlander, helping pace the National League to their 8-0 victory. He ended the regular season hitting .283 with twelve home runs and sixty-three runs batted in, a down year for him but still very valuable. He was not an afterthought in the San Francisco postseason run this time. He appeared in every postseason game for San Francisco, hitting .333 with one home run and three runs batted in against the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Division Series. He then worked to a .360 batting average with two home runs and six timely runs batted in during the National League Championship Series. When the Giants faced elimination in the NLCS, Sandoval provided at least one run batted in over each of the three games. Sandoval's iconic moment, and arguably the best moment of the postseason (despite my deep appreciation for Marco Scutaro, the following feat by Sandoval was slightly better) game in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. Facing the same pitcher as he had when he hit the triple in the All-Star Game, Sandoval again tormented Justin Verlander by hitting two of his three home runs for the game off of him. The three-home run game placed him in the company of Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to accomplish the feat in a World Series game, and he was the only one to do it in his first three at-bats. He ended the World Series as the Most Valuable Player, hitting .500 against the Tigers with three home runs and four runs batted in (all of the latter in Game 1 alone), as the Giants swept Detroit to give Sandoval his second World Series title. And this time he can say he earned it.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion, and don't think this series is over yet. There are three more posts to come, detailing some of the behind-the-scenes figures that helped the Giants get where they are.
KHL November 27th 2012
Again a day with only one game, which game from Kazakhstan, as Barys Astana hosted Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. Mikhail Biryukov for Yugra and Teemu Lassila for Barys stand in the creases. Khanty-Mansiysk led off with a first period goal by Maxim Belyaev, coming off of Anton Krysanov. Astana tied it when Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev scored, thanks to Talgat Zhailauov and Victor Hedman. Barys took the lead in the second period on a Fyodor Polishchuk goal, courtesy of Roman Savchenko and Dustin Boyd. Astana added on as Zhailauov potted the puck, with the help of Krasnoslobodtsev and Hedman. Barys continued with a Maxim Spiridonov goal, made possible by Brandon Bochenski and Nikolai Antropov. Astana extended the lead with a Savchenko goal, assisted by Zhailaumov and Krasnoslobodtsev. Barys padded the lead on a and unassisted Konstantin Rudenko power play goal. Yugra got one back in the third period when Linus Videll scored, and Vitaly Sitnikov and Kirill Dyakov picked up the helpers. This made it a 6-2 win for Barys, with the three stars going to Zhailauov, Krasnoslobodtsev, and Savchenko, while Hedman gets an honorable mention.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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