Category — MLB

The Red Sox and Manager Bobby Valentine are a mismatch. Bobby V and any club is a mismatch. This had disaster written all over it from the start. Questioning the commitment of Kevin Youkilis? That’s about as insane as Jim Rome recently comparing Stan Van Gundy to Red Auerbach.
WEEI.com

Best team in baseball? As much as we like Matt Kemp, who hit 2 homers tonight in a 6-1 Dodger win over the Triple-A Padres, he and his boys have been feasting on weak-ass competition. At least as far as the Padres go. But we’ll give them their due.
ESPN LA

The Royals and Indians get upclose and personal, but it isn’t anything to write home about.
MLB.com

The Angels’ bullpen is catching heat for the club’s 2-5 start, including Friday’s 5-0 defeat by the Yankees. Losing to the Yankees is no shame. But dropping consecutive series to the Twins and the Royals, who also had the Angels’ number last season, is another matter.
O.C. Register

The former 2-sport star continues to exhibit a sharp wit and humor in a Q&A. In addition, Jackson plugs his upcoming bike ride across Alabama, where he hopes to raise at least $1 million for tornado victims still impacted by last year’s disaster.
GQ

Stealing signs or searching for honeys?
Twenty-six years after it was published, writer Erik Malinowski comes across a classic edition of Baseball Digest.
Deadspin

With yesterday’s committment by Shabazz Muhammad and the recent one by Kyle Anderson, UCLA and its fans have high hopes of returning to the high life in college basketball. As much as we’d like to share in their enthusiasm, and we do to a certain extent, we’re still bummed Ben Howland is the Bruins coach. But blame Dan Guerrero for that 1 since both should have been shown the door after this past season’s fiasco and the circus-like atmosphere surrounding the program.
The good news, though, is the pressure is on Howland to produce next season despite the pass he has received from the L.A. media. Obviously, if he doesn’t, you can bet the farm he’s history and maybe someone at UCLA will have the balls to boot Guerrero, too. Howland, who apparently went to the same school for offensive strategy as Mike Brown, has even promised to open up the offense. We’ll believe it when we see it. But for the players sake, let’s hope the Bruins are as fun to watch as the talent they have stockpiled. Maybe even Howland can’t screw that up.
College Basketball Talk
Jackie Robinson Day: Major League Baseball will celebrate the icon on Sunday.
MLB.com
The day after: Fans (writers and broadcasters, too) are still stunned by the way the Lakers hammered the Spurs Wednesday night without Kobe.
ESPN LA
Money in the bank: With a big assist from David Stern, the Clippers deal for Chris Paul is paying off as well as any investment. Ask the Thunder.
NBA.com
Will the NFL ever return to L.A.?: As fans, we could care less.
O.C. Register

The Clippers trail the Lakers by just 1 1/2 games for the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference as they try to win on the road tonight at OKC. Fat chance. They are an 8 1/2-point dog and we’re betting they lose by more than that. Anyway, the rest of the stories…
Thug? Oh no, not Blake: Since we brought up his dirty play a week or so ago, much talk has shifted to whether Blake Griffin is a villain or not. Chris Paul plays defense attorney.
NewsOK.com
Kobe to miss 3rd consecutive game: The Lakers, who are 9 1/2-point underdogs, will be without the NBA’s leading scorer when they face the hot Spurs tonight in San Antonio.
ESPN LA
Freedom of speech: Despite being 1 of the clueless folks in Major League Baseball, columnist Rob Neyer believes nitwit Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen should not have been suspended for speaking his mind.
SB Nation
More Lamar Odom stink: Now if the producers of the Kardashians show wanted to hit the roof with the ratings, they would air an episode with Odom and his less than professional attitude in Dallas immediately. But of course it ain’t about him. It’s all about the fame whores. Mark Cuban, though, speaks his mind about how the Mavs tried to make it work with Odom, who couldn’t even make it to practice on time despite living across the street.
ESPN Dallas
Big man on campus: Folks are singing the praises of Arkansas AD Jeff Long for showing some balls and canning Bobby Petrino.
Sporting News
Fox, MLB object to Dodgers sale: It appears to be just a bump in the road.
USA Today
Typical Vegas visitor?: The snapshot here says he’s white (big surprise there), 49-years-old and from Southern California.
Las Vegas Sun

Bouncing around the sports world as we play a little hard ball.
Police State: Opening Day at Dodger Stadium is usually a thing of beauty. It will be again today, but the festivities will be a bit tamer this year. Unfortunately, a heavy presence by the popo, much of it in response to the tragic beating of Giants’ fan Bryan Stow last year, will take some of the fun out of going to the old ballpark. Still, fans will be able to enjoy the beauty of Clayton Kershaw, who will receive his Cy Young award on Wednesday, opens on the mound for the Dodgers against the Pirates.
L.A. Times
Vin Scully to miss Opening Day: Even worst, the Dodger legend and Hall of Fame broadcaster won’t be in the lineup today because he’s home nursing a severe cold. Get well soon, Vinny.
ESPN LA
“Pop” goes the Spurs’ run: Are you reading this Mike Brown? Maybe 1 day you could take another page out your daddy Gregg Popovich’s playbook. The San Antonio coach gave Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker the night off as the Jazz ended the club’s 11-game winning streak in Utah last night. The Spurs dropped a game back of the Thunder, who hammered the Bucks. The Lakers visit the well-rested Spurs in the season’s 1st meeting between the 2 club on Wednesday.
San Antonio Express-News
Sorry doesn’t cut it: The Marlins show a little backbone by suspending Manager Ozzie Guillen for 5 games.
Miami Herald

Football players smoking weed and engaging in bad behavior at Florida under Urban Meyer?: This is news? Last time we checked, Florida, Miami and Florida State (see a pattern here?) have all been among the country’s top renegade programs. When Randy Shannon tried to clean up Miami, he got fired. So…
Sporting News
Can Derrick Rose stay healthy?: Word out of Chicago is the Bulls point guard tweaked an ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks and will be a game-time decision when the 2 clubs meet again tonight.
Chicago Tribune
What do the Cards need with Albert Pujols when they have Mr. Freese?: The St. Louis third baseman and World Series hero continues to rake it as the club is off to a strong start.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Speaking of the real deal…: Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes appears to be all of that.
San Jose Mercury News
It’s still Tiger’s world: Bubba Watson won the Masters, but the neighbors are still talking about the temper tantrums of Tiger Woods.
N.Y. Daily News

Grounded: Lamar Odom and wife Khloe can work on making babies 24/7 after the Mavs cut their losses today.
Dallas Morning News
No Kobe: The Lakers star, who didn’t speak to reporters again, will miss his 2nd consecutive game tonight because of a painful shin injury.
ESPN LA
Can’t bear the load: Dwight Howard will sit out the next 2 games because of back spasms. Guess he’s weary of carying all of that baggage between him and Stan Van Gundy.
Orlando Sentinel
General soreness: Can we just put Bobby Knight out to pasture?
USA Today
Pitching a bitch: John Paul Morosi says there are good reasons the Yankees and Red Sox are off to 0-3 starts.
Fox Sports
I’m sorry: Nutcase Ozzie Guillen will return to Miami after today’s game in Philly and apologize for his love of all things Fidel Castro.
Miami Herald
Well duh: Kansas forward Thomas Robinson will skip his senior season and enter the NBA draft.
Kansas City Star
All eyes on Yu: The Rangers pitcher will make his debut tonight against the M’s.
MLB.com
Blair Kiel dead at 50: The former Notre Dame quarterback reportedly died of natural causes.
ESPN.com