CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 05/04/2015.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

"Great champions have an enormous sense of pride. The people who excel are those who are driven to show the world and prove to themselves just how good they are." ~ Nancy Lopez, LPGA Three Time Major's Champion

Trending: The 2015 NFL draft is completed. Please go to the football section below for the picks by each team and their grades. We hope you were happy with your favorite team's picks and we wish them much success in the future.

Trending: Mayweather beats Pacquiao in mega-bout, remains undefeated.

Reuters; By Steve Keating, Editing by Frank Pingue           
                                      

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. of the U.S. misses with a left in the seventh round against Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines (R) during their welterweight WBO, WBC and WBA (Super) title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 2, 2015. (Photo/ REUTERS/Steve Marcus)  

Floyd Mayweather Jr. cemented his place among the pantheon of boxing greats by improving to 48-0 with a unanimous decision over Manny Pacquiao on Saturday in a fight that lived up to its immense hype and price tag.

Mayweather weathered an early assault by the Filipino southpaw and then won the later rounds to finish ahead on all three judges' scorecards in a welterweight showdown that is expected to be the top grossing prize fight of all-time.

"When the history books are written, it was worth the wait," Mayweather said in the ring after a fight that was over five years in the making.

Though Pacquiao repeatedly forced Mayweather to backpedal, the wily American blunted his opponent's best efforts by using his renowned defensive skills while getting in several telling jabs and punches of his own.

Mayweather and Pacquiao had promised to deliver on years of hype and give fans their money's worth and were true to their word in delivering everything but a knockout.

"Manny Pacquiao is a hell of fighter, I see now why he is at the pinnacle of boxing," Mayweather said after an emotional embrace with Pacquiao. "I'm a smart fighter, I outboxed him.

"We knew what we had to do. He’s a tough competitor ... a very awkward fighter and I had to take my time and watch him closely."

Mayweather is guaranteed at least a $120 million payday from the title bout that had been dubbed the "Fight of the Century" and he said in the ring that his next fight will be his last.

"My next fight in September will be my last and I will retire 49-0," said the 38-year-old American.

The 16,800 spectators packed an MGM Grand Garden Arena that crackled with energy as the rich and famous settled into their ringside seats.

Actors Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro, Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington rubbed shoulders with sports celebrities such as Michael Jordan, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and billionaire Donald Trump.

With ringside seats commanding six-figure sums on the resale market even the very wealthy and very famous were forced to call in favors to secure a golden ticket while an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 fight fans flooded into the desert gambling capital to be part of the buzz.

"It is a good fight. I thought I won the fight. He didn’t do nothing. He always moved outside," said Pacquiao, who dropped to 57-6-2. "I got him many times. I threw the punches and I thought I won the fight."

Trending: American Pharoah reigns at Kentucky Derby.

AFP

Favorite American Pharoah stormed to victory in the Kentucky Derby here Saturday as jockey Victor Espinoza clinched back-to-back wins in America's most prestigious horse race.

The two-year-old trained by Bob Baffert hit the front just past the final turn to finish ahead of Firing Line in second and Dortmund in third, roared on by a record crowd of 170,513 people at Churchill Downs.

The 5-2 favorite made light of a tricky wide starting position to surge into the leading pack from the outset in the 141st edition of the "Run for the Roses," the opening leg of racing's Triple Crown.

Stablemate Dortmund and Firing Line set the early pace down the back straight but coming into the final turn, Espinoza swept wide and confidently hit the front.

Firing Line, under the guidance of the 52-year-old Gary Stevens, rallied furiously down the stretch, but American Pharoah held on to give Espinoza a second consecutive Derby win following his triumph on California Chrome last year.

"I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth," said a delighted Espinoza, who has now three Kentucky Derby victories to his name following a win on War Emblem in 2002.

"I was growing up and all I wanted to be was successful and I chose to be a jockey," said Espinoza, who as a teenager worked as a bus driver in Mexico City to pay for jockey school before moving to the United States.

The 42-year-old veteran also paid tribute to American Pharoah after a deserved victory. 

"He's been a special horse since the day I rode him. He's an unbelievable horse," he added, admitting he had been spooked by the persistence of Firing Line in the home straight before holding on to win.

"Turning for home I thought I had it, but the other horse was right there. I couldn't blow him away, but I got it done.

"He's just an amazing horse. Today I just let him run and I'm just a lucky Mexican to win three Kentucky Derbies and two in a row," Espinoza said.

"I can't even tell you how it feels."

Trainer Baffert meanwhile dedicated the win -- his fourth Kentucky Derby triumph -- to Egyptian-born owner Ahmed Zayat, who has seen three of his horses in previous editions of the race finish second.
 

"This is for the Zayat family," Baffert said.
 

"It's such a privilege to even have a horse to come here with. And then to win it -- it never gets old," he added.
 

"I feel so lucky to be in this position. This American Pharoah though, he's just something... he makes a trainer really look good. So thank God for great horses.
 

"It's a fantasy moment for me. It's unbelievable that I'm standing here for a fourth time -- I can't believe how blessed and lucky my life has been.
 

A jubilant Zayat was overcome with joy as he finally accepted the trophy honors after three previous near-misses.
 

"I'm speechless. This is really emotional," Zayat said.
 

"We're extremely thrilled and honored. This is one special horse. This is a dream come true. We are just beyond blessed."
 

American Pharoah will now set his sights on the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness at Pimlico on May 16, before the Belmont Stakes on June 6.
 

Only 11 horses in history have landed all three races in the same season, with the last to win it being Affirmed in 1978.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Stars shine bright as Blackhawks down Wild in Game 2, 4-1.  

By Tracey Myers

Patrick Kane and teammates after their 4-1 win. (Photo/Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

The Blackhawks’ Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Wild was a frenzied, up-and-down affair that featured seven goals through the first 40 minutes.

Game 2 had the same result, although much more defensively disciplined.

Patrick Kane scored with 19.9 seconds remaining in the second period, his first of two, and Corey Crawford stopped 30 of 31 shots as the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Sunday night. The Blackhawks take a 2-0 lead in this second-round series; Game 3 is Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

Kane’s first goal was his 100^th career postseason point. He added an empty-net goal with 2:07 remaining in regulation.

The Blackhawks and Wild scored six of their seven combined goals in the first 30 minutes of Game 1 on Friday night. This one was more defensive minded, with it taking more than 30 minutes for anyone to score.

Jonathan Toews broke the scoreless tie when, on a 2-on-0 short-handed attempt, Toews scored off a Marian Hossa pass for a 1-0 lead. The puck actually hit goaltender Devan Dubnyk’s stick and in for Toews’ fourth goal of the postseason. Then with time dwindling in the second, Kane, fed from along Duncan Keith pass, beat Dubnyk for a 2-0 advantage.

But the Wild started the third period with 1:58 of a power play, thanks to Michal Rozsival’s interference at the end of the second. Matt Dumba made the Blackhawks pay with a high shot that Crawford should have stopped.

The two-goal lead was restored when Patrick Sharp, off the pass from Teuvo Teravainen, beat Dubnyk glove-side for a 3-1 Blackhawks advantage. Just a few seconds after Dubnyk vacated the Wild net, Kane scored the empty-net goal for a 4-1 lead.

Marco Scandella fired a high shot that hit Crawford in the mask later in the third period. He looked woozy immediately after the shot but stopped another attempt or two before changing masks during a stoppage.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls-Cavaliers Preview Capsule.

By TIM REYNOLDS (AP Basketball Writer)

No. 2 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (53-29, 4-0) vs. No. 3 CHICAGO BULLS (50-32, 4-2)

Season Series: Cavaliers, 3-1. Cleveland was 3-0 with F Kevin Love in the lineup and 0-1 when he wasn't; Love's season ended last week because of a shoulder injury. Bulls G Jimmy Butler missed two of the four games, G Derrick Rose missed one. Cavs F LeBron James averaged 28.3 points, while G Kyrie Irving shot just 39 percent but averaged 21.3 points.

Story Line: How will the Cavs move on without Love? And how will they handle being without G J.R. Smith, who's suspended for the first two games? The Cavs have depth; F Tristan Thompson, a rebounding machine, will get more minutes and there's plenty of shooters on the Cleveland bench who can be dusted off. Meanwhile, the Bulls are trying to get to the conference finals for just the second time since the Michael Jordan era.

Key Matchup 1: Thompson/Timofey Mozgov vs. Pau Gasol/Joakim Noah. The greatness of James, Irving, Rose and Butler notwithstanding, the key to this series will be how the big men handle their business. Gasol and Noah have both been on this stage plenty of times and have that veteran savvy to help Chicago; playing with the lights this bright is a new proposition for Thompson and Mozgov.

Key Matchup 2: James vs. Rose. James has taken the defensive assignment on Rose plenty of times in late-game situations in recent years, almost reveling in the chance to stop the Bulls' offense where it starts. At some point, their paths will collide down the stretch of a close game and the winner of that 1-on-1 battle will likely be celebrating a victory on the scoreboard as well.

X-Factor: Bulls G-F Mike Dunleavy. This is the first time Dunleavy - the No. 3 pick in 2002 - has reached the second round of the playoffs. Most of his shots will be from 3-point range, and since the Cavs shoot so many 3's it often puts the pressure on opponents to answer from deep. Dunleavy can.

Prediction: The Cavs are wounded, clearly. Chicago can easily win this. There's arguments either way, but when in doubt, go with the best player and that's LeBron James. Cavaliers in 7. (Really, call us homers but Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica is picking Chicago in an upset.) Let's go Bulls!!! 

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! 2015 NFL Draft grades.

By Dan Kadar

We've made it through all 256 picks in the 2015 NFL Draft and it's time to hand out the grades – prematurely as they may be. For fun, lets keep these grades and look at them again in three years.

Arizona Cardinals

1 (24). D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida

2 (58). Markus Golden, DE/OLB, Missouri

3 (86). David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa

4 (116). Rodney Gunter, DE, Delaware State

5 (158). Shaquille Riddick, OLB, West Virginia

5 (159). J.J. Nelson, WR, UAB

7 (256). Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville

 

Best pick: Golden - The Cardinals wanted to add speed at linebacker and did so with Golden in the second round.

 

Questionable pick: Gunter - The fit of Gunter is good, but there were some better choices out there to play end for the Cardinals.

 

The Cardinals lost Dan Williams and Darnell Dockett this offseason, and had a lot of options early in the draft to replace them. Instead the Cardinals added two pass rushers in Golden and Riddick, which were good picks. Getting D.J. Humphries in the first round was questioned by some, but his upside is high. The Cardinals like John Brown so much in last year's draft, they took this year's version in the speedy Nelson. The knock on this class is a lack of a middle linebacker.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

Atlanta Falcons

 

1 (8). Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

2 (42). Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

3 (73). Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana

4 (107). Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina

5 (137). Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson

7 (225). Jake Rodgers, OT, Eastern Washington

7 (249). Akeem King, S, San Jose State

 

Best pick: Coleman - The Indiana big play threat could quickly take over the starting running back job for the Falcons.

 

Questionable pick: There isn't one

 

This was a home run of a draft for the Falcons. Beasley should be a star in head coach Dan Quinn's system on defense. Collins might not be a starter as a rookie, but he has as much raw talent and potential as any cornerback in the draft this year. Coleman should easily be able to take over the starting running back job from Devonta Freeman. Hardy might not be the biggest, but he's a solid and reliable player who can do work from the slot. Getting Jarrett in the fifth round was fantastic value. The only thing holding this class back is a lack of an offensive lineman or two.

 

Overall grade: A 

 Baltimore Ravens

1 (26). Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida

2 (55). Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota

3 (90). Carl Davis, DT, Iowa

4 (122). Za'Darius Smith, DE, Kentucky

4 (125). Buck Allen, RB, USC

4 (136). Tray Walker, CB, Texas Southern

5 (171). Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware

5 (176). Robert Myers, G/OT, Tennessee State

6 (204). Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech

 

Best pick: Davis - The Ravens lost a couple players along the defensive line and Davis was a real steal late in the third round.

 

Questionable pick: Walker - The Ravens needed to get a cornerback, but players like Tye Smith of Towson and Charles Gaines of Louisville carried a higher grade.

 

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome seems to draft well every year. Perriman is a supreme athlete with potential, he just has to realize it and catch the ball a little better. On the second and third day of the draft, the Ravens cleaned up. Williams and Davis fit perfectly into Baltimore's system. Williams should be an effective pass catcher straight away. Myers is the type of offensive lineman the Ravens typically find in the middle of the draft and turn into something good. He could be the next Kelechi Osemele or Ricky Wagner for Baltimore. Waller is a physical specimen who may start his career on the practice squad while he develops.

 

Overall grade: B+

 

Buffalo Bills

 

2 (50). Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State

3 (81). John Miller, G, Louisville

5 (155). Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State

6 (188). Tony Steward, LB, Clemson

6 (194). Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State

7 (234). Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas

 

Best pick: Miller - The Bills wanted to get better on their line, and Miller will help at either left or right guard.

 

Questionable pick: Williams - After converting from safety, Williams looked decent in 2013 and didn't do much for the Seminoles in 2014.

 

This grade takes the Sammy Watkins trade into account. Still, there's not a lot to be real excited about. Darby is a nice choice in the second round because he's a star athlete that should develop nicely in the NFL. Miller was the necessary pick the Bills had to make. Williams is a decent short-yardage back, but he has fumbling issues. It will be interesting to see how O'Leary gets used. Obviously he's someone head coach Rex Ryan will love. Lewis put together a nice week at the Senior Bowl and could be a nice late-round contributor. He's a smooth athlete with size, giving the Bills something they don't have.

 

Overall grade: C+

Carolina Panthers

1 (25). Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington

2 (41). Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan

4 (102). Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma

5 (169). David Mayo, LB, Texas State

5 (174). Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn

 

Best pick: Williams - This was the necessary choice for the Panthers. They gave up a lot to get him, but it was worth it.

 

Questionable pick: Thompson - I like Thompson as a player, but the first round was a little high for me.

 

The Panthers came into this draft needing an offensive tackle and everyone knew it. When they waited until the fourth round to pick Williams, they paid the price with a trade. Thompson is a good player who should have a long career as a weak-side linebacker, but will he play much as a rookie with Thomas Davis still around? Funchess is a tweener wide receiver/tight end, but he can work the seam. Don't be surprised if Artis-Payne gets more carries than you expect. He's the second-best pick the Panthers made during the draft.

 

Overall grade: C+

 

Chicago Bears

 

1 (7). Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

2 (39). Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State

3 (71). Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon

4 (106). Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State

5 (142). Adrian Amos, S, Penn State

6 (183). Tayo Fabuluje, OT, TCU

 

Best pick: Goldman – Obviously White was a good pick, but I love Goldman playing the nose next to someone like Ego Ferguson.

 

Questionable pick: Langford - Langford is little more than a complimentary player for the Bears and somewhat odd considering they took Ka'Deem Carey in the fourth round last year.

 

Ryan Pace in his first year in Chicago filled a bunch of the team's top needs and found at least two starters in White and Goldman. White is an upgrade over the departed Brandon Marshall and Goldman is an impactful nose tackle. Grasu should challenge for the starting center job early in his career. Amos was a nice choice as a mid-round pick who could push for playing time. Amos does a lot of things well and he could push players like Brock Vereen and Ryan Mundy for snaps.

 

Overall grade: B+

 

Cincinnati Bengals

 

1 (21). Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M

2 (53). Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon

3 (85). Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers

3 (99). Paul Dawson, LB, TCU

4 (120). Josh Shaw, DB, USC

4 (135). Marcus Hardison, DE, Arizona State

5 (157). C.J. Uzomah, TE, Auburn

6 (197). Derron Smith, S, Fresno State

7 (238). Mario Alford, WR, West Virginia

 

Best pick: Dawson - The Bengals needed talent at linebacker and found it at the end of the third round.

 

Questionable pick: Fisher - I like Fisher, and understand the pick, but you wonder if Cincinnati should have waited a round to take their second offensive tackle.

 

The Bengals were obviously looking toward the future with Ogbuehi and Fisher with their first two picks. It's a smart play with Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith approaching free agency. Both could even play inside at guard. Dawson, who is in many ways a Vontaze Burfict clone, but he's productive.  The Bengals finally addressed the defensive line with Hardison, but could have done a little more there. Smith is a nice sixth-round choice. He's good in coverage and will be a nice backup. I love the Alford pick in the seventh round. If Cincinnati was still looking for that Andrew Hawkins replacement, they found it.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

Cleveland Browns

 

1 (12). Danny Shelton, DT, Washington

1 (19). Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State

2 (51). Nate Orchard, OLB, Utah

3 (77). Duke Johnson, RB, Miami

3 (96). Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State

4 (115). Ibraheim Campbell, S, Northwestern

4 (123). Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State

6 (189). Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville

6. (195). Malcolm Johnson, TE, Mississippi State

6 (198). Randall Telfer, TE, USC

7 (219). Hayes Pullard, OLB, USC

7 (241). Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

 

Best pick: Johnson - We can bemoan Cleveland again passing on a wide receiver high in the draft, but Johnson will be a factor in the passing game.

 

Questionable pick: Erving - Although Erving is going to be a good player for the Browns, is he going to crack the starting lineup as a rookie?

 

The Browns smartly added talent to their defensive line and it should go a long way in improving one of the league's worst run defenses. Shelton will knock people around and occupy multiple blockers and Cooper can be used on passing downs. Johnson may seem like a redundant choice considering the Browns have Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West but he does things in the passing game they're just not capable of doing. Getting Mayle in the fourth round was a nice move. His hands are inconsistent, but he'll go over the middle. Taking a flyer on Ekpre-Olomu was a good move. If his knee is OK,  the Browns got a highly regarded player.

 

Overall grade: B

 

Dallas Cowboys

 

1 (27). Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut

2 (60). Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska

3 (91). Chaz Green, OT, Florida

4 (127). Damian Wilson, LB, Minnesota

5 (163). Ryan Russell, DE, Purdue

7 (236). Mark Nzeocha, OLB, Wyoming

7 (243). Laurence Gibson, OT, Virginia Tech

7 (246). Geoff Swaim, TE, Texas

 

Best pick: Gregory - This is assuming that Gregory stays out of trouble and lives up to his status as a top 10 talent.

 

Questionable pick: Green - I didn't have anywhere near a third-round grade on Green and struggle to find anyone who did.

 

This draft rides on the effectiveness of Gregory. It seems like he'll either be developed into a star or could bust out. Jones is a great athlete and the type of cornerback the Cowboys needed to take to replace Morris Claiborne. Russell could be the late-round defensive end that really turns into something decent for Dallas. He has good speed off the edge and enough power.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

Detroit Lions

 

1 (28). Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke

2 (54). Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska

3 (80). Alex Carter, CB, Stanford

4 (113). Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn

5 (168). Michael Burton, FB, Rutgers

6 (200). Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas

7 (240). Corey Robinson, OT, South Carolina

 

Best pick: Wright - A couple years ago, some thought Wright could be a first-round pick. The talent is there.

 

Questionable pick: Burton - It's hard to dislike a fullback, but at the Lions could have used a wide receiver and there were bunch available at this point in the draft.

 

The Lions started the draft really well getting starters in Tomlinson and Abdullah. It's clear they wanted to upgrade the running game, especially up the middle. Carter is a productive defensive back who could play either cornerback or safety. If he plays like he did in 2013, I love Wright as a Nick Fairley replacement on the defensive line. Diggs is a sound slot corner but struggles on the outside. Robinson is a good fit as a power blocker. He may not be able to stick at left tackle, but he should be a solid backup on the right side.

 

Overall grade: B

 

Green Bay Packers

 

1 (30). Damarious Randall, CB/S, Arizona State

2 (62). Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (OH)

3 (94). Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford

4 (129). Jake Ryan, OLB, Michigan

5 (147). Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

6 (206). Aaron Ripowski, FB, Oklahoma

6 (210). Christian Ringo, DE, Louisiana-Lafayette

6 (213). Kennard Backman, TE, UAB

 

Best pick: Ryan - The expectation is that Ryan will move inside for the Packers. It was the team's biggest need and he's a pro-ready talent.

 

Questionable pick: Rollins - I like Rollins, but after taking Randall in the first, they could have waited to move on another defensive back in the draft.

 

Going in to the draft it was obvious the Packers needed to add more talent in the secondary, and that's what they did with their first two picks. Randall and Rollins both have good skill sets and in Green Bay's system they should work out nicely. The Hundley selection got headlines, but he's a good value pick. If the Packers can develop Hundley, he's a great trade chip. How well Ryan plays will be the key to this draft.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

Houston Texans

 

1 (16). Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

2 (43). Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State

3 (70). Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

5 (175). Keith Mumphery, WR, Michigan State

6 (211). Reshard Cliett, OLB, South Florida

6 (216). Christian Covington, DE, Rice

7 (235). Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU

 

Best pick: Strong - If he's healthy, Strong profiles at worst as a very good No. 2 wide receiver in the NFL.

 

Questionable pick: Mumphery - It's hard to be too down on a fifth-round receiver, but Tre McBride is a player who I had a much higher grade on.

 

With Andre Johnson leaving in free agency, the Texans had to address wide receiver and smartly did so adding Strong and Mumphrey. Strong is particularly intriguing. Some injury issues pushed him down in the draft, but he has first round talent. Johnson and McKinney should be ready to go as rookies and take over spots in the starting lineup. The late addition of Covington is one of my favorite sixth-round picks in the draft. If he's healthy he can be disruptive up front.

 

Overall grade: B

 

Indianapolis Colts

 

1 (29). Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami

3 (65). D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic

3 (93). Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford

4 (109). Clayton Geathers, S, Central Florida

5 (151). David Parry, DT, Stanford

6 (205). Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State

6 (207). Amarlo Herrera, ILB, Georgia

7 (255). Denzel Goode, OT, Mars HIll

 

Best pick: Anderson - The Colts immediately improved their run defense with Anderson, a player those in the analytics crowd adore.

 

Questionable pick: Dorsett - What is Dorsett's fit in an offense that has T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson and an emerging player like Donte Moncrief.

 

I don't understand how the Colts can come out of this draft without drafting a right tackle who can push Gosder Cherilus for the starting job. Dorsett is a fine player and he went in the range should have in the first round. But how many targets is he going to get in that offense? Smith is right behind Anderson as the Colts' top pick. He's a do-it-all cornerback. Parry is a hard-nosed player who will be a decent backup on the line. Robinson, a bowling ball of a running back, could vulture some carries. Herrera was a smart pick in the sixth round. He's a natural fit in a 3-4 and is, at worst, a solid backup.

 

Overall grade: D+

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

 

1 (3). Dante Fowler, DE/LB, Florida

2 (36). T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama

3 (67). A.J. Cann, G, South Carolina

4 (104). James Sample, S, Louisville

5 (139). Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State

6 (180). Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State

7 (220). Neal Sterling, WR, Monmouth

7 (229). Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame

 

Best pick: Cann - To get a high-end starting guard in the third round was one of the bigger steals of the entire draft.

 

Questionable pick: Other than maybe a second running back, there wasn't one.

 

The Jaguars added a lot of starting talent in the draft. No team in the league had a better draft than Jacksonville. Their draft is loaded with starting players and they got incredible value late. Fowler is the Leo Jacksonville needs, Yeldon can be the lead running back and Cann will open holes for him. That's just the first three picks. Sample is at worst a high-end backup safety, Greene is a dependable pass catcher and Bennett was a steal in the sixth round. If the Jaguars become a perennial playoff team, GM Dave Caldwell's first two drafts will be the reason why.

 

Overall grade: A+

 

Kansas City Chiefs

 

1 (18). Marcus Peters, CB, Washington

2 (49). Mitch Morse, OL, Missouri

3 (76). Chris Conley, WR, Georgia

3 (98). Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State

4 (118). Ramik Wilson, LB, Georgia

5 (172). D.J. Alexander, OLB, Oregon State

5 (173). James O'Shaughnessy, TE, Illinois State

6 (217). Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT, Southern Mississippi

7 (233). Da'Ron Brown, WR, Northern Illinois

 

Best pick: Conley - Conley went much higher than I had him graded, but I love the pick. He can really open up the Chiefs' passing offense.

 

Questionable pick: Morse - It's hard to believe that Morse couldn't have been found later in the draft. He's versatile, sure, but I don't see the value.

 

Despite really disliking the Morse pick, I really like the majority of the Chiefs' draft. Doubling up on cornerbacks was a smart move and Peters could be one of the best players in the entire draft. Conley is a good vertical threat at receiverif he can clean up some technique issues. Wilson is a nice scheme fit coming out Georgia and could eventually turn into a starter. Nunez-Roches flashes disruptive ability on the defensive line.

 

Overall grade: B-

Miami Dolphins

1 (14). DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

2 (52). Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma

4 (114). Jamil Douglas, G, Arizona State

5 (145). Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis

5 (149). Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State

5 (150). Cedric Thompson, S, Minnesota

5 (156). Tony Lippett, WR/CB, Michigan State

 

Best pick: Parker - The Dolphins got lucky that Parker slid right to them in the first round.

 

Questionable pick: Thompson - I like Miami's draft as a whole, but this one was the only issue. Anthony Harris of Virginia may not be as athletic as Thompson, but he's a bigger impact player.

 

Miami did a nice job of combining need and value in the draft. Parker is a very good wide receiver who can be Ryan Tannehill's No. 1 of the future. The team's third-round pick going to Kenny Stills – an somewhat established player – was a good move. Phillips, if he's playing to his potential can be the type of defensive tackle who occupies blockers next to Ndamukong Suh. Taking a flyer on Lippett is intriguing.

 

Overall grade: B+ 

Minnesota Vikings

1 (11). Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

2 (45). Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA

3 (88). Danielle Hunter, OLB, LSU

4 (110). T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh

5 (143). MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois

5 (146). Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland

6 (185). Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma

6 (193). B.J. Dubose, DE, Louisville

7 (228). Austin Shepherd, OT, Alabama

7 (232). Edmond Robinson, LB, Newberry College

 

Best pick: Clemmings - If he's healthy, Clemmings will push for playing time at right tackle or guard early in his career.

 

Questionable pick: Pruitt - This is only questionable because Pruitt's place in the NFL – likely as an H-back or fullback – is so undervalued those players can be found late in the draft.

 

Few teams did as well early in the draft as the Vikings. Waynes is the second corner head coach Mike Zimmer needed on his defense, and the pick is understandable. Kendricks was a great choice in the second round. He should be slated into starting spot for the Vikings. Minneosta needed another pass rusher and got a good developmental one in Hunter. Clemmings is a steal if his foot injury doesn't hamper his career.  Diggs was a good choice in the fifth round. He's talented, but never quite lived up to expectations in college.

 

Overall grade: B+

 

New England Patriots

 

1 (32). Malcom Brown, DT, Texas

2 (64). Jordan Richards, S, Stanford

3 (97). Geneo Grissom, OLB/DE, Oklahoma

4 (101). Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas

4 (111). Tre Jackson, G, Florida State

4 (131). Shaq Mason, G, Georgia Tech

5 (166). Joe Cardona, LS, Navy

6 (178). Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State

6 (202). AJ Derby, TE, Arkansas

7 (247). Darryl Roberts, CB, Marshall

7 (253). Xzavier Dickson, LB, Alabama

 

Best pick: Jackson - There were some concerns about Jackson's knee, but he's a starting-caliber guard.

 

Questionable pick: Richards - The Richards choice was shocking if only because most thought he would be available much later in the draft.

 

As expected, the Patriots cleaned up on Day 3 of the draft after making some questionable choices on the second day of the draft. Jackson, Mason and Flowers could be starters for the Patriots. The Patriots' biggest need was at interior offensive line and Jackson and Mason will get an opportunity early. Grissom seemed like an odd choice at No. 97, but New England likes his versatility. Wells may not be a well-known name, but he's a speedy special teams ace. Cardona was the most obvious fifth-round pick ever, but that's fine. What really knocks this class is the lack of cornerback play after the Patriots lost Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. While Roberts was a very good pick, one of the strengths of this draft was cornerback and New England largely ignored it.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

New Orleans Saints

 

1 (13). Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford

1 (31). Stephone Anthony, ILB, Clemson

2 (44). Hau'oli Kikaha, OLB, Washington

3 (75). Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State

3 (78). P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State

5 (148). Davis Tull, OLB, Tennessee-Chattanooga

5 (154). Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State

5 (167). Damian Swann, WR, Georgia

7 (230). Marcus Murphy, RB, Missouri

 

Best pick: Tull - This was a savvy choice in the middle of the fifth round. Tull is an athletic freak and a player defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will love.

 

Questionable pick: Anthony - The Clemson linebacker may have put up eye-popping numbers, but No. 31 overall still seems early for him.

 

I like the picks the Saints made, but maybe not necessarily the order in which they made them. Williams was a steal in the third round. He's a talented player who could start early in his career. The pick of Peat in the first round makes sense. He could be New Orleans stating left tackle of the future. The picks of Anthony and Kikaha came a little early, but they fill needs. Davison was a nice choice at No. 154 as a player who will provide great depth up front.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

New York Giants

 

1 (9). Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami

2 (33). Landon Collins, S, Alabama

3 (74). Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA

5 (144). Mykkele Thompson, S, Texas

6 (186). Germey Davis, WR, Connecticut

7 (226). Bobby Hart, OT, Florida State

 

Best pick: Collins - The Giants were able to get a first-round talent at the start of the second round.

 

Questionable pick: Flowers - Sure, he fits the scheme perfectly, but few had Flowers graded as a top 10 pick.

 

The Giants added potentially three starters in the draft, and that's exactly what you want to see. I may question how high they picked Flowers, but he helps finish off their offensive line. Collins is a good box safety who will help improve New York's run defense. Odighizuwa gets compared to Justin Tuck, so there's some irony to that pick. He is a good all-around defensive end. If Davis is healthy, he showed he can do some solid things as an outside receiver who will go up and get the ball. One issue coming out of this class is New York needing corners because the depth after Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is thin.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

New York Jets

 

1 (6). Leonard Williams, DT, USC

2 (37). Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State

3 (82). Lorenzo Mauldin, DE/OLB, Louisville

4 (103). Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

5 (152). Jarvis Harrison, G, Texas A&M

7 (223). Deon Simon, DT, Northwestern State

 

Best pick: Petty - New York moved up a spot to get a quarterback that could possibly push Geno Smith for the starting job.

 

Questionable pick: Trading for Brandon Marshall and Percy Harvin - The Jets needed offensive linemen and only got one this entire draft.

 

The Jets added good talent in Williams, even though I don't think they needed more talent along the defensive line. Smith is a good wide out who will open up the field, assuming Smith can get him the ball. I like Mauldin. He's the sort of outside linebacker that fits Todd Bowles' system. Petty could surprise some people at quarterback. Harrison has talent and is versatile, if he's playing hard.

 

Overall grade: B

 

Oakland Raiders

 

1 (4). Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

2 (35). Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State

3 (68). Clive Walford, TE, Miami

4 (128). Jon Feliciano, G, Miami

5 (140). Ben Heeney, ILB, Kansas

5 (161). Neiron Ball, OLB, Florida

6 (179). Max Valles, OLB, Virginia

7 (218). Anthony Morris, OT, Tennessee State

7 (221). Andre Debose, WR, Florida

7 (242). Dexter McDonald, CB, Kansas

 

Best pick: Walford - Obviously taking Cooper was a smart move, but it's Walford who could really take Oakland's passing offense to another level. He's a sound player who will be a great check down for Derek Carr.

 

Questionable pick: Edwards - Although Edwards flashed at times for Florida State, he never stood out for the Seminoles.

 

The Raiders made the right moves by adding to pass-catching threats to the offense in Cooper and Walford. They're going to see a lot of targets early in their career for Oakland. Felciano, a powerful blocker is someone who can push for playing time on the inside. Heeney is one of my favorite players in the draft. At the worst he'll be an asset on special teams. Valles was a surprise entrant in the draft but he has traits that can be developed. The odd choice is Edwards in the second round.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

Philadelphia Eagles

 

1 (20). Nelson Agholor, WR, USC

2 (47). Eric Rowe, S/CB, Utah

3 (84). Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas

6 (191). JaCorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas

6 (196). Randall Evans, CB, Kansas State

7 (237). Brian Mihalik, DE, Boston College

 

Best pick: Rowe - Getting Rowe at No. 47 was a nice value. He has a chance to make a big impact for the Eagles.

 

Questionable pick: Hicks - Maybe Hicks will take over Mychal Kendricks' job, but the third round seemed a round or two too early.

 

If the Eagles weren't making a move for Marcus Mariota in the first round, it was apparent the team needed to fix the secondary. The Eagles smartly did that with Rowe and Shepherd. Rowe Will be fine at either safety or cornerback and Shepherd has great instincts to play the slot. Agholor is a nice replacement for.

 

Overall grade: B

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

 

1 (22). Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB, Kentucky

2 (56). Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss

3 (87). Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn

4 (121). Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State

5 (160). Jessee James, TE, Penn State

6 (199). Leterrius Walton, DT, Central Michigan

6 (212). Anthony Chickillo, DE, Miami

7 (239). Gerod Holliamn, S, Louisville

 

Best pick: Dupree - The Steelers were fortunate to see Dupree drop to pick No. 22. He should come in and help them get after the passer.

 

Questionable pick: Coates - The Steelers had a nice draft, but this is the only questionable choice because they have a player like Coates already on the roster in Martavis Bryant.

 

After stealing Dupree in the first round, the Steelers did well in filling their needs in the secondary with Golson and Grant. I thought the second round was a little early for Golson, but Grant was a nice value pick in the fourth round. Coates is an inconsistent wide receiver, but is a physical specimen. Some think James should have gone back to school, but the Steelers can slow play his development. It's not like athletic 6-foot-7 tight ends are readily available. Walton fills Pittsburgh's need to draft a Mid-American Conference player, and it's just a bonus he can play over the nose. If the Steelers' coaching staff can show Holliman how to tackle, they could have a solid late-round pick.

 

Overall grade: B+

 

San Diego Chargers

 

1 (15). Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

2 (48). Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami

3 (83). Craig Mager, CB, Texas State

5 (154). Kyle Emanuel, DE, North Dakota State

6 (192). Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas

 

Best pick: Gordon - An easy choice. The Chargers moved up for Gordon and he'll be worth it.

 

Questionable pick: Mager - The Chargers opted for a small school cornerback. While talented, there were corners with much higher grades at No. 83.

 

The Chargers got two players who will challenge for Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards. Gordon is going to be a productive player on offense and Perryman will wrack up tackles on defense. Playing at a lower level, Emanuel was highly productive, which want to see. He's moving to linebacker, and has the motor to do it. He's going to be an asset on special teams. The issue with this draft class is a lack of an offensive lineman.

 

Overall grade: B

San Francisco 49ers

1 (17). Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

2 (46). Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford

(79). E3 li Harold, DE/OLB, Virginia

4 (117). Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma

4 (126). Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina

4 (132). DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech

5 (165). Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson

6 (190). Ian Silberman, OT, Boston College

7 (244). Trenton Brown, OT, Florida

7 (254). Rory Anderson, TE, South Carolina

 

Best pick: Harold - If Harold adds some strength to his frame, the 49ers got a relentless pass rusher who moves really well in space.

 

Questionable pick: Tartt - How many years in a row are the 49ers going to use a high pick on a safety instead of a true cornerback?

 

This was a very 49ers draft where they looked more toward the future than this season. San Francisco's rebuild on defense was a necessity, but there are still some questions there, namely at inside linebacker and cornerback. Armstead has the potential to be a good player, but will he get there? The fits of Harold and Tartt are good, and they could make a bigger impact early in their careers. If Davis pans out, he could be a solid pro. He runs with good vision but battled injuries last season. Anderson was a good seventh-round pick. He should push to be the third tight end on the 49ers roster if he's willing to play special teams.

 

Overall grade: C+
 

Seattle Seahawks

2 (63). Frank Clark, DE, Michigan

3 (69). Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State

4 (130). Terry Poole, OT, San Diego State

4 (134). Mark Glowinski, G, West Virginia

5 (170). Tye Smith, CB, Towson

6 (209). Obum Gwacham, OLB, Oregon State

6 (214). Kristjan Sokoli, DT, Buffalo

7 (248). Ryan Murphy, S, Oregon State

 

Best pick: Lockett - If Paul Richardson's health is a long term concern, Lockett can quiet those worries.

 

Questionable pick: Clark - The Michigan defensive end is obviously talented, but taking a player with his off-field issues in the second round was odd.

 

Lockett is one of the fastest players in the draft and will make big plays for the Seahawks. Poole is an athletic blocker who really does well out on the move. He could stick at tackle or move inside to guard for the Seahawks, he just has to get stronger. The Seahawks coaching staff will love Glowinski, a no-nonsense and nasty blocker up front. Smith isn't the fastest cornerback but Seattle is the perfect landing spot for him. Gwacham an Sokoli are big athlete with nice developmental project.

 

Overall grade: C+

 

St. Louis Rams

 

1 (10). Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

2 (57). Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin

3 (72). Jamon Brown, OT/G, Louisville

3 (89). Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State

4 (119). Andrew Donnal, OT, Iowa

6 (201). Bud Sasser, WR, Missouri

6 (215). Cody Wichmann, G, Fresno State

7 (224). Bryce Hager, ILB, Baylor

7 (227). Martin Ifedi, DE, Memphis

 

Best pick: Gurley - Taking a running back high might be questionable in today's current game, but Gurley is a special talent.

 

Questionable pick: Havenstein - I like Havenstein and he might be an effective player, but the second round was a bit early for him.

 

It's clear the Rams are moving to a power running offense with Gurley and the three offensive linemen that followed him. There's not a lot to get excited about with this draft after Gurley. The linemen are fine, but maybe not stellar players. Mannion could be a solid backup. Sasser was a productive player for Missouri and runs good routes. Ifedi is a sneaky good seventh-round pick. He's a good all-around edge player who put together some really good games at Memphis.

 

Overall grade: C+

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

 

1 (1). Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

2 (34). Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State

2 (61). Ali Marpet, G, Hobart

4 (124). Kwon Alexander, OLB, LSU

5 (162). Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska

6 (184). Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah

7 (231). Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii

 

Best pick: Winston - Maybe this is lazy because he was the first pick in the draft, but Winston is the needed franchise quarterback and face of the team going forward.

 

Questionable pick: Alexander - I leaned toward pass rusher being a bigger need for Tampa Bay and they didn't take one when some were available in the fourth round.

 

What Winston is capable of doing for Tampa Bay could be special, especially considering the wide receivers he has at his disposal in Tampa. Adding Bell was a good move. He can work the underneath game pretty well. The offensive linemen should be good starters immediately for Tampa. Clay is a good special teams player – as long as he holds onto the ball.

 

Overall grade: B+

 

Tennessee Titans

 

1 (2). Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

2 (40). Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri

3 (66). Jeremiah Poutasi, OT, Utah

4 (100). Angelo Blackson, DT, Auburn

4 (108). Jalston Fowler, FB, Alabama

5 (138). David Cobb, RB, Minnesota

6 (177). Deiontrez Mount, OLB, Louisville

6 (208). Andy Gallik, C, Boston College

7 (245). Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary

 

Best pick: Cobb - The Titans got good value in Cobb, a good straight-forward runner who should push Bishop Sankey for carries.

 

Questionable pick: Blackson - The scheme fit with Blackson makes sense, but Marcus Hardison of Arizona State and Christian Covington of Rice are just better players.

 

After taking Mariota in the first round, the Titans were smart to add a physically gifted receiver in Dorial Green-Beckham to go with him. Poutasi could challenge for the starting right tackle job, and would really boost the quality of this draft class if he gets there. Cobb could be a classic late-round running back who produces. Mount is intriguing as a situational pass rusher. I love the pick of McBride late. If nothing else, he's a fail safe if DGB doesn't work out.

 

Overall grade: B-

 

Washington

 

1 (5). Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

2 (38). Preston Smith, OLB/DE, Mississippi State

3 (95). Matt Jones, RB, Florida

4 (105). Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke

4 (112). Arie Kouandjio, G, Alabama

5 (141). Martell Spaight, LB, Arkansas

6 (181). Kyshoen Jarrett, S, Virginia Tech

6 (182). Tevin Mitchell, CB, Arkansas

6 (187). Even Spencer, WR, Ohio State

7 (222). Austin Reiter, C, South Florida

 

Best pick: Smith - For Washington Smith will be able to come in and do a variety of things. He can play down in four-man fronts and is athletic enough to be a linebacker.

 

Questionable pick: Jones - Washington had a need at running back, but I had a low grade on Jones.

 

With players like Scherff, Kouandjio and Smith, Washington did a really nice job of starting a culture to one that is more gritty and tough. Crowder was a coup in the fourth round. He's not big or fast but he some of the best hands in the draft. He'll be dependable for a long time for them.

 

Overall grade: B-

Bears add QB, three corners among undrafted free agents.

By John Mullin

The draft did not play out in a way that gave the Bears the quarterback prospect that GM Ryan Pace wanted, so the Bears dipped into the undrafted on Sunday to sign East Carolina's Shane Carden.

In addition, the Bears signed three cornerback prospects and two more linebackers into the mix for what will be spirited competitions throughout this offseason.

Carden, 6-1, 218 pounds, threw for more than 4,000 yards and at least 30 touchdowns in each of his last two seasons.

Player	Pos.	School
Jonathan Anderson	LB	TCU
Qumain Black	CB	East Central
Bryce Callahan	CB	Rice
Shane Carden	QB	East Carolina
Jeremiah Detmer	K	Toledo
Jacoby Glenn	CB	Central Florida
Chad Hamilton	OG	Coastal Carolina
Anthony Jefferson	S	UCLA
Cameron Jefferson	OT	Arkansas
Rick Lovato	LS	Old Dominion
Cameron Meredith	WR	Illinois State
Levi Norwood	WR	Baylor
Olsen Pierre	DE	Miami (Fla.)
John Timu	LB	Washington
Brian Vogler	TE	Alabama

MLB: Cubs-Cardinals Preview

By JACK CASSIDY (STATS Writer)

The season's first month has been an exciting resurgence for the Chicago Cubs.

For the St. Louis Cardinals, it's been business as usual.

In a meeting between the NL Central's top two clubs, the Cubs head to St. Louis to open a four-game series with the streaking Cardinals on Monday night.

St. Louis (18-6) has taken 11 of 13 at home this season and has won six straight overall following a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh. The Cardinals prevailed in extra innings in each victory over the Pirates, winning 3-2 on a 12th-inning walk-off home run from Kolten Wong on Sunday.

Chicago (13-10) looked primed for a long streak of its own after taking four in a row April 24-28, but has since dropped three of four. The Cubs averaged 5.5 runs during the winning streak but have scored 1.5 per game in the 1-3 stretch.

The Cubs struck out a league-high 18 times against major league-worst Milwaukee in a 6-1 defeat Saturday, then lost 5-3 on Sunday.

They'll turn to Travis Wood (2-1, 3.04 ERA) to right the ship at Busch Stadium, where the Cubs went 4-6 last season.

"This is a good test," right-hander Jason Hammel told MLB's official website. "We've got to win these games. To be the best, you've got to beat the best. (The Cardinals) are hot and we're going into their territory. We'll find out what we're made of in the series."

Wood made five starts against the Cardinals last year and went 2-1 with a 5.20 ERA. Those numbers were largely representative of his 2014, as the left-hander ended the season with a 5.03 ERA and five starts of seven or more innings, none of which came after June 15.

He's been much better this season through four starts and is coming off a seven-inning, two-run effort Tuesday in which he struck out nine in a 6-2 win over Pittsburgh. Wood, who recorded his second outing of at least seven innings, didn't walk anyone for the first time in 29 starts.

"It means you've been attacking the strike zone and getting some quick outs, and not letting them get deep and not giving any free passes," he said. "Free passes bit me before in the past - they bite every pitcher. To keep that off the board is a good thing."

Carlos Martinez (3-0, 1.73) makes his first start against the Cardinals' archrival. The right-hander turned in his fourth strong effort in as many starts Wednesday, giving up two runs in six innings of a 5-2 win over Philadelphia.

"I thought he did a real nice job," manager Mike Matheny said. "He had a good changeup, used his breaking ball, got guys chasing out of the zone and still had all the velocity he needed."

Martinez's 8.31 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second among St. Louis pitchers with at least 25 innings behind Lance Lynn (11.0).

Both teams enter this meeting with bullpens looking to bounce back after usually dominant relievers struggled Sunday. Chicago's Pedro Strop gave up two runs in the eighth inning to snap a 3-all tie after allowing two runs in his previous 32 appearances, while St. Louis' Trevor Rosenthal blew his first save of the season.

Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina have fared extremely well against Wood, with each hitting above .370 and combining for seven home runs, eight doubles and 22 RBIs.

White Sox Watch; Jose Abreu: 'It's the players, not Robin'.

By Dan Hayes

Jose Abreu said Sunday his manager isn’t to blame for the team’s woes; it’s the players.

The White Sox slugger came out in strong support of Robin Ventura before Sunday’s game. Now in his fourth season, Ventura has been the focal point of fan criticism on sports talk shows and social media as the White Sox have sputtered out to an 8-13 start this season. But Abreu said the team’s struggles are more about what has transpired on the field than anything involving the dugout.

“We cannot blame Robin,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “It’s our fault because we are the ones who are playing. We are the people who are in the field. Just for us, we are not doing the things right.

“If the people want someone to blame, it’s the players, not Robin. He’s doing what he can do, but the results aren’t there.”

The White Sox offense is last in the American League in a number of major categories. They have scored three runs or fewer 13 times in 21 games.

The team’s starting pitching hasn’t been consistent, either. And the White Sox have performed poorly on the bases and in the field.

Though Ventura appreciates Abreu’s statement, he stressed that everyone needs to improve.

“In the end you just need to play better,” Ventura said. “I don’t think anybody is sitting around here and pointing fingers at somebody. It’s a team game we play and we all have to do our part, I do, the players do, everybody does. It’s not a time to sit there and point fingers, it’s a time to play better and they know that time is coming and they have to continue to grind and get through rough patches and you realize what’s there and what guys are capable of.”

Ventura’s aware there have been calls for his job. But he said he can’t allow himself to be distracted by something out of his control.

“It doesn’t help us today trying to win a game,” Ventura said. “The focus today is trying to win today, not anything that’s happening in the future. For all these guys we’re focused on what we’re doing today.”

Ventura’s ability to stay level is what has made him popular with his players since he took over as the club’s manager in 2012. Abreu is just the latest to endorse Ventura for treating players like professionals.

“I really love to play for Robin because he’s a friend, he’s a brother, he’s like a father in some situations,” Abreu said. “He lets you play your game. That’s good. Something that in baseball, if you are a good person, that doesn’t translate that you are going to be successful every time. He’s very good. I love to play for him.”

Golf: I got a club for that: Top seed McIlroy prevails in Match Play final.

Reuters; By Ben Everill

Rory McIlroy poses for photos with the Walter Hagen trophy after winning the final round of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Match Play at TPC Harding Park. Mandatory (Photo/Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports)

World number one Rory McIlroy became the second golfer after Tiger Woods to win the World Golf Championships Cadillac Match Play as the top seed when he took down American Gary Woodland 4&2 in Sunday's final.

McIlroy defeated Jason Dufner, Brandt Snedeker, Billy Horschel, Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey and Jim Furyk before disposing of Woodland to claim his 10th U.S. PGA Tour win and second WGC victory.

“It's been a great week. Match play is a format that I've always enjoyed. I feel it's a format that I do well in and I excel in,” McIlroy said.

“It's really satisfying to get that first win stateside (this year), no matter what format it is, it's always nice to get a trophy.

“And now we move on to next week (The Players Championship) and try to do it again.”
 

In control with a 4 up lead through 10 holes, McIlroy invited Woodland back into the contest by losing the 11th and 12th holes.

The American could have cut further into the Northern Irishman’s lead but missed a critical three-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole, effectively killing his chances.

A hole later Woodland three-putted the 14th green for a bogey, leaving McIlroy 3 up with four to play.

McIlroy closed it out on the 16th green when Woodland failed to make a birdie and conceded the match.

Earlier Sunday McIlroy had seen off Casey in a darkness-delayed quarter-final, making birdie on their first hole to win in 22 holes.

He then took out Furyk by making birdie on the 17th to tie up their match and moved into the final with a dramatic 44-foot eagle on the 18th green.

Woodland earned his place in the final with a 3&2 win over England’s Danny Willett.

Willett finished the day on a high note by claiming the third place match 3&2 from Furyk. It earned him enough FedEx Cup points to take up special temporary membership on the U.S. tour.

The 27-year-old Englishman, who is running second to McIlroy on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, can take an unlimited number of sponsors' exemptions on the U.S. tour for the remainder of the year and can earn a full card for the 2015-16 season should he want to take it up.

NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds on to win Geico 500 at Talladega.

By Jerry Bonkowski

Dale Earnhardt Jr. gives an emotional interview after winning his first race of 2015 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. held off teammate Jimmie Johnson to win Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

“Wooh, celebrate,” Earnhardt said on his team radio after crossing the start/finish line.

Later, after performing a backward victory lap, Earnhardt was in tears in Victory Lane, talking about the emotion of the win.

It was Earnhardt’s first win at Talladega since 2004 and is his sixth overall at the 2.66-mile track, tying him with Jeff Gordon for most wins by an active driver there.

Earnhardt’s late father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Sr., is the all-time winner at Talladega with 10 victories there.

The younger Earnhardt becomes the eighth driver to win a race in 2015 and all but secures his position in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Johnson finished second, followed by Paul Menard, Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr.

How Earnhardt Jr. won: After the final caution, Earnhardt took the lead on Lap 162 and held on for the remaining 27 laps. It was a big gamble for Earnhardt, whose water temperature was in red-line territory due to debris on the front grille. Crew chief Greg Ives told him to go for the win, and that’s exactly what Junior did, earning his first win of the season, as well as the first Sprint Cup victory for Ives.

Who else had a good day: Paul Menard had one of the fastest cars in the field and wound up third. … Arguably the biggest surprise was the fourth-place finish of Ryan Blaney. … Johnson, Martin Truex Jr. (5th) and Kevin Harvick (8th) continued their respective top 10 streaks, with each driver now having nine top-10 showings in the first 10 races of the season. … Having his best finish of the season was Sam Hornish Jr., who finished 6th.

Who had a bad day: Obviously, most of the drivers that were involved in the 15-car wreck on Lap 47, including Joey Logano (32nd), Kasey Kahne (34th), Greg Biffle (37th), David Ragan (38th) and Michael Waltrip (36th). … Carl Edwards was very strong in the race, but was involved in the last-lap wreck and finished a disappointing 32nd.

Notables: Jeff Gordon continued his rough luck in big races this season. For the third time, he was near the front of the race, only to be involved in a last-lap wreck. Gordon finished 31st. … Danica Patrick was involved in the 15-car wreck on Lap 47, but suffered minor damage. She worked her way back up as high as 6th, only to learn she had lost the fourth gear in her transmission. Patrick placed 21st. … Tony Stewart looked to be a potential winner, running as high as third in the closing laps, but fell back and finished 19th.

Quote of the day: “It’s just real emotional. I haven’t won here in a long time, it was my daddy’s birthday a couple days ago. Everything’s just so good for me right now, in my personal life, my racing, the team I’m with. I don’t know why, I don’t feel like I deserve it, but with so much emotion. … God has blessed me. I’m blessed, man. Everything’s going so great.” – Race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who shed tears in Victory Lane.

What’s next: SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway, Saturday May 9, 7:30 pm ET.

SOCCER: Chelsea crowned Premier League champions in record fashion.

By Kyle Bonn

(Photo/Getty Images)

With three matches to go, Chelsea locked up the club’s fourth Premier League championship in front of their home fans by defeating Crystal Palace 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

The win means Chelsea earned the title in nearly a wire-to-wire fashion. They held the top spot in the Premier League table since mid-August, and when the season is complete they will have spent 274 days at the top of the table, a Premier League record.

Chelsea has won five top-flight championships, four of them in the Premier League era all under owner Roman Abramovich, and three of them under the watchful eye of manager Jose Mourinho. They did it with defense first, just 27 goals allowed, the fewest in the Premier League. Meanwhile, “boring boring Chelsea” scored 69 goals, one back of Manchester City for most in the league.

The Blues dominated this season through both team and individual success. Mourinho guided the club to a League Cup title as well, earning his second double at the helm of Chelsea alongside the 2004/05 season. For his players on a personal note, Eden Hazard won PFA Player of the Year as the Premier League’s best player, capping it off with the clinching goal to beat Crystal Palace. He and five teammates were also named to the PFA Team of the Season. John Terry also equaled Roy Keane’s record by captaining a team to four Premier League titles. Thibaut Courtois, at 22 years old, becomes the first Belgian to win three league titles in three different countries, winning in Belgium and Spain before earning the starting goalkeeper spot with Chelsea.

It was a season of domination, as the club not only rode the top of the table nearly the whole way, but did so by making Stamford Bridge a fortress. They are the only undefeated side at home in the English top flight, with a 14-3-0 record while conceding just a meager seven goals in front of home fans.

Congratulations to Chelsea, your 2014/15 Premier League champions!

MLS: Fire rue missed chances in loss to Sporting Kansas City.

By Danny Michallik

After failing to garner any results from Western Conference opponents this season, that trend continued for the Chicago Fire on Sunday in an end-to-end and topsy-turvy encounter with Sporting Kansas City.

The 1-0 defeat in front of 19,581 at Sporting Park effectively ended the Men in Red's run of three consecutive wins coming into the match, and it leaves Frank Yallop's side in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

"We did enough to at least get a goal today and it’s just disappointing to come away with nothing out of the game," Yallop said in his post-match press conference.

Despite being held goalless for the first time since their home-opening loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC in March and limited to 38 percent of possession in the first half, the Fire weathered the storm of Sporting KC's relentless pressure throughout the first half.

Guly do Prado, earning his second start of the season, combined well with Designated Player David Accam at the corner of the area in the 13th minute and unleashed a low, hard shot at goalkeeper Tim Melia, who palmed the effort away. Six minutes later, Chris Ritter swung in a ball that found the head of Eric Gehrig, but the defender was denied once more by an alert Melia.

Vermes' side continued to pile on the pressure and their most dangerous and clear-cut chances came in a span of two minutes. A delightful scoop from Benny Feilhaber over the top of the Fire defense found an unmarked Dom Dwyer, but the forward spurned his opportunity in the 31st minute. Two minutes later, defender Kevin Ellis rocked a header off of Sean Johnson's crossbar, which sparked a Fire counter attack toward the other end, with do Prado being foiled by Melia once again.

After emerging from the halftime break on the back foot, the Men in Red showed signs of gaining momentum and working their way back into the game, but a series of poorly timed runs and mental lapses prevented them from getting a clear sight at Melia's goal.

In the 75th minute, the Fire defense unraveled when former defender Jalil Anibaba sent in a cross from the right flank and picked out substitute Paulo Nagamura, who made no mistake and sent his looping header past a diving Sean Johnson to give the home side a 1-0 lead.

"In the second half I thought we did well," Yallop said. "I thought we were on top of the game; we bossed it a little bit. The goal was kind of out of the blue and once that happens, you’re on top and think you’re going to win, and all of a sudden a goal and it changes things."

The goal was followed by an increased initiative from Yallop's side to push for an equalizer, as Quincy Amarikwa and Kennedy Igboananike entered the fray, but any chance of salvaging a result was lost after David Accam was shown a straight red card in the 89th minute for a flailing arm in the face of Anibaba.

The loss leaves the Men in Red with nine points after seven games played in the Eastern Conference, but they will look to call a halt to the losing trend against Western Conference opponents when they face Real Salt Lake at Toyota Park on May 9 at 2 p.m.

"We’ve got three difficult away games coming up in-conference," captain Jeff Larentowicz said after the match. "We’ve got to have the ability to play well on the road. At this point we haven’t done that. We’ve shown we can play at home, but on the road it’s a different story."

"Our first focus is Real Salt Lake next Saturday," midfielder Harry Shipp added. "Hopefully we play well and get three points at home, then we start focusing on those conference road games."

Chicago Fire Starting XI (subs)

(4-4-1-1): Sean Johnson; Eric Gehrig (Lovel Palmer, 85'), Jeff Larentowicz (C), Adailton, Joevin Jones; Harry Shipp, Matt Polster, Chris Ritter (Kennedy Igboananike, 77'), David Accam; Shaun Maloney; Guly do Prado (Quincy Amarikwa, 72').

Big 12 considering asking for rule change so it can hold conference championship game.

By Pat Forde

The first year of the College Football Playoff was controversial, acrimonious – and a raging success, according to the power brokers who oversee the new postseason.

For that reason, changes to the system are few and minor, College Football Playoff spokesman Bill Hancock announced here Wednesday after three days of meetings with the CFP management committee, which consists largely of conference commissioners.

"It worked," Hancock said. "There was a pretty strong sentiment, if I can quote an old Oklahoma phrase: don't fix it if it ain't broke."
 

The most controversial element of last year's playoff selection process was the exclusion of Big 12 teams Baylor and TCU from the top four. Both were leapfrogged by Ohio State, which went on to win the national title but had been on the outside until the final week of the season.

The fallout from that comeuppance has led the 10-team Big 12 to seriously consider seeking deregulation of the NCAA rule mandating that a conference must have 12 members to hold a championship game.

"I think we are at a disadvantage not playing a championship game," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. "The first step is to get that rule deregulated. If the rule changes, we'll take a good look at it … and I surmise we'll probably move in that direction."

However, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany cautioned that conference championship games "cut both ways" – sometimes helping a league's best team and sometimes costing it with an upset loss.

One of the lessons learned from the Bowl Championship Series Era was that the constant alterations to that ill-fated system eroded public confidence.

"We probably made some mistakes by tweaking, to be honest," Delany said.  

So the basic format remains the same – four teams chosen and seeded by the CFP selection committee playing two bowl games, with the winners advancing to the national championship game. And the weekly process of selecting those teams will remain largely unchanged as well.
 

There will again be a weekly release of a top 25 ranking on ESPN, with one fewer week of rankings this year – six instead of seven, which is a function of the calendar more than anything else. The rankings will be released Tuesday nights from Nov. 3-Dec. 1, with the final and formal rankings coming out on Sunday, Dec. 6.
 

There was some external criticism of the frequency of the rankings, the fluctuations that went with them and the televised explanations by selection committee chairman Jeff Long of Arkansas. But none of those criticisms resonated with the management committee to the point of changing the format – especially after a unanimous recommendation from the selection committee to keep it unchanged.
 

"The Selection Committee felt like they wanted to continue [the weekly meetings] because they thought it enabled them to get to know the teams," Hancock said. "The committee continues to believe those weekly rankings are good for the regular season.

"Everyone felt that Jeff did a great job. We pledged to be as transparent as possible from Day One, and Jeff helped with that. We won't cut back on anything that happens on Tuesdays."  

 Hancock said about 8 million viewers were added to the college football audience between the regular season and the playoff – a huge bump that he said the sport had not enjoyed in the past in the postseason. The challenge will be to maintain that new audience, especially given the dates of the semifinals in the upcoming season.

They will take place on New Year's Eve at the Orange Bowl in South Florida and the Cotton Bowl in North Texas, with the championship game to be played in January 2016 in Glendale, Ariz. ESPN had some concerns about the negative impact of the New Year's Eve slot, but a request to move the semifinals to Jan. 2 was dismissed. An ESPN presentation to the management committee here Tuesday indicated that there is a plan in place for trying to direct viewers to the games on what is a traditional night out.

" ESPN has an aggressive approach to talking about New Year's Eve," Hancock said. "It's an opportunity for us."

One thing the CFP intends to alter is to more thoroughly communicate the importance placed on winning a conference title. While it's a near-certainty that eventually a non-champion will get into the playoff field, the selection committee will give some weight to winning a title.

The one unresolved issue from this meeting was what to do with Army and Navy, which traditionally play their season-ending game a week after the selection committee announces its playoff teams and its final top 25 ranking – which is used to help select participants in four other bowl games outside the playoff. On the chance, however rare, that one of the two independent service academies could wind up playing a game that impacts the final rankings, a contingency will have to be devised.

"Everyone loves Army and Navy," Delany said. "We're working on it."

Hancock termed the service academy discussions "robust" and said they would continue, probably at the CFP management committee's next meeting in June in Asheville, N.C., in conjunction with the Collegiate Commissioners Association meetings.

There will be two new members of the selection committee in 2015: Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt is replacing former West Virginia AD Oliver Luck as a representative from the Big 12; and former Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson will replace Archie Manning.

Shutout: No Vols picked in NFL draft, a 1st since 1963.

AP - Sports

Tennessee has been shut out of the NFL draft for the first time since 1963.

When the seventh and final round ended Saturday without any Volunteers getting chosen, it ended a string of 51 consecutive drafts in which at least one Tennessee player was selected.

The only schools that owned longer active streaks of having at least one player drafted each year were Notre Dame, Michigan, Southern California, Michigan State, Florida and Nebraska, according to STATS. Notre Dame's streak includes one year - 1977 - in which its sole selection came in the supplemental draft. All six of those schools continued their streaks this year.

Tennessee's top senior for much of last season was linebacker A.J. Johnson, who got suspended from the team in November and was indicted in February on aggravated rape charges.

The only Tennessee player who participated in the NFL Scouting Combine was cornerback Justin Coleman.

Report: Bo Ryan has no future plans to retire from Wisconsin.

By Scott Phillips

(Photo/Getty Images)

Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan led the Badgers to the title game this season and there were some rumors that the long-time coach might be looking to retire in the near future. Ryan put those rumors to rest on Saturday night as he spoke with ESPN’s Andy Katz.

According to the Katz report, Ryan and his wife put their house in Madison on the market, which fueled speculation that he could be looking to get out of coaching. Instead, Ryan told a crowd at a Coaches vs. Cancer Gala at the Kohl Center that he and his wife are looking to downsize to a condo now that their children have grown up and moved out of the house. Ryan actually sold his house to Wisconsin football head coach Paul Chryst.

As for retiring, Ryan isn’t sure when that will happen.

“I’m here at Wisconsin until I’m done coaching. We’re going to be young next season and we will have a lot of work to do,” Ryan told Katz.

Ryan also told Katz that the loss to Duke in the national championship game is still tough to swallow.

“Of course it stings,” Ryan said to Katz. “The only people who don’t understand what we went through are people who have never been in that position. To get to a national championship game and be on the left-hand side at the end, that’s tough. It’s disappointing. But there will be a lot more adversity in life, so we’ll be OK.”

On the bright side, Ryan is staying at Wisconsin and the Coaches vs. Cancer event Ryan hosted raised $1.2 million for cancer research.

College Basketball: Excerpts of Wisconsin forward's testimony in Kessler lawsuit unsealed Thursday.

By Raphielle Johnson

(Photo/AP)

With there being multiple lawsuits involving the NCAA, including the Ed O’Bannon suit regarding the use of student-athlete (current and past) names, images and likenesses, collegiate athletics could potentially look a lot different in the near future than they do now.

Another of those lawsuits is being led by Jeffery Kessler, who’s seeking a free market to pay men’s basketball and football players. With those two sports bringing in most of the television revenues in college sports, the argument has been made that these scholarship athletes deserve a much larger piece of the “pie” than they currently receive. One of the plaintiffs in the suit is Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes, who testified March 4 for the case.

According to CBSSports.com excerpts of Hayes’ deposition were unsealed Thursday, and the rising junior believes that individual schools should be allowed to decide just how much they give athletes if they were allowed to make payments. Hayes also provided his thoughts on how men’s basketball and football players being paid would impact equivalency (Olympic) sports.

When asked by an attorney for the defendants how he would feel if taking care of the basketball class meant fewer opportunities for non-revenue athletes, Hayes replied, “That would be something I’d care about, because I have friends who play other sports. But I have no reason to believe that would happen with the amount of money that my sport, as well as the FBS, generates.” 

Hayes said he wants to let schools decide in a free market how much to pay each player. If schools had the opportunity to decide, “players would be better off” than they are today and schools would act “responsibly and fairly” when deciding who to pay, Hayes testified.

Of course there will be opposition to Hayes’ comments, but frankly it’s good that he and other athletes are looking to be directly involved in the process. While there are committees made up of student-athletes, they really haven’t had much of a voice until recently and these cases deserve some credit for that.

As for the scholarship money, some schools have already made changes when it comes to the packages they offer their athletes. With “Power Five” conferences being granted autonomy and 79 of the 80 schools approving additional funds to meet the full cost of attendance (Boston College was the lone school to oppose the measure), scholarship athletes should benefit in the near future.

Of course some of that is due to the ongoing litigation, as such moves could help the NCAA and its membership avoid even harder hits to its current setup. But with schools already looking to increase their offerings to athletes, this will be something that impacts recruiting. How it will impact collegiate athletics and how they’re set up won’t be known until these lawsuits are resolved.

Reports: Warriors' Stephen Curry to be named 2014-15 NBA MVP.

By Eric Freeman

The best player on the best team of the NBA regular season looks set to claim the league's top individual award. Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry will soon be announced as the 2014-15 NBA Most Valuable Player, according to a report from Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com confirmed by Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears.

Curry was considered to be the frontrunner for the award for the bulk of the regular season and outlasted plenty of deserving competition, including Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

Poole reported the news following the Warriors' comfortable victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. He also provides a few details on the announcement, including its potential date:

Official announcement will come this week, sources said, likely on Monday between Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference semifinals series between the Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies. The timing of the announcement, one source said Sunday morning, remains flexible and could become between Games 2 and 3 of the Warriors-Grizzlies series.

Curry, who on Sunday scored a game-high 22 points in a 101-86 Warriors victory over Memphis, will become the first Warrior in the franchise's 53-year California history to win the league's highest individual honor. The 27-year-old in February started the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, this time leading all players in number of votes. [...]

The runner-up in the voting, according to sources, was Houston guard James Harden, who was considered the co-leader in the two-man race with Curry.

Curry had been anxiously awaiting news of the award. A week ago, he told Yahoo's Marc Spears that he got nervous after receiving a call on his phone that said it was from "NBA." It was actually NBA vice president Rod Thorn asking what the referees told him after he was fouled on a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation during Game 3 of the Warriors' first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Curry worked his way into the NBA conversation early as the Warriors established themselves as the best team of the regular season. He was the top player on a roster that won a franchise-record 67 games, averaging 23.8 ppg (48.7 percent from the field, 44.3 percent from deep) and 7.7 apg while breaking his own 2-year-old record for 3-pointers made in a single season. Curry also improved his previously poor defense and played with plenty of style to make himself the most consistently fun superstar in the NBA.

Harden led a number of challengers for the award, including Oklahoma City Thunder dynamo Russell Westbrook (whose candidacy died as soon as his team missed out on the playoffs), New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, and some guy on the Cleveland Cavaliers named LeBron James. Harden's candidacy depended on his brutally efficient scoring and role as the offensive linchpin for a Rockets squad that lost Dwight Howard for several months due to knee soreness. He would have been a perfectly acceptable winner of the award, but Curry had the credentials and broad popularity to become the clear frontrunner. He then won even more support with several fantastic performances after the Warriors had already clinched the West's No. 1 seed. Curry also has a strong argument for his level of importance to the Warriors relative to that of other players, because first-year head coach Steve Kerr reformulated the team's elite offense around his skills when he took over last summer.

Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in Warriors history to win MVP, but he did so in 1959-60 when the franchise was located in Philadelphia.

 
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, May 4, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1871 - The first game of the National Association of Baseball Players was played. Fort Wayne beat Cleveland 2-0.

1929 - Lou Gehrig hit three consecutive home runs.

1954 - The first intercollegiate court tennis match in the U.S. It was between Yale and Princeton.

1954 - The Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals set a national league record when they used 42 players in one game. The Phillies won 14-10.

1963 - Pitcher Bob Shaw set a record with 5 balks in a game.

1973 - The Phillies beat the Braves 5-4 in 20 innings in the longest game to date at Veterans Stadium.

1975 - Bob Watson (Houston Astros) scored the one-millionth run in major league baseball history.

1980 - Mike Squires (Chicago White Sox) played the position of catcher in the final inning against the Brewers. It was the first time a left handed catcher had played since 1958.

1984 - Dave Kingman hit a fly ball that got stuck in the ceiling of the Metrodome.

1991 - Chris James (Cleveland Indians) set a club record with nine RBIs in a game.

1993 - Dale Hunter (Washington Capitals) was suspended 21 games for his blindside check of Pierre Turgeon (New York Islanders) in a game played on April 8.

1994 - Charles Barkley (Phoenix Suns) scored 56 points, 38 of which came in the first half, against the Golden State Warriors.

2004 - Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees) hit his 350th career home run and drove in his 1,000th run. He was the youngest player to reach 350 homeruns at 28 years, 282 days.

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