College Baseball

[batted balls]

May 1, 2006

A seven-game winning streak has lifted sizzling Arizona State to a five-game lead in the West.

"Things have definitely gone right for us," Sun Devils' manager Bobby Winkles said. "This is a tough division. The more wins we can rack up, the better."

Arizona State, 22-5, has won nine of its last 10 games. Meanwhile, Stanford has moved into second place. The Cardinal, 17-10, have won eight of its last 10 games. USC, 16-11, slipped to third.

West Standings
Arizona State 22-5 --
Stanford 17-10 5
Southern Cal 16-11 6
Oklahoma State 14-13 8
Texas 14-13 8
Cal State Fullerton 13-14 9
Cal 12-15 10
UCLA 11-16 11
Arizona 8-19 14
San Diego State 8-19 14

Player of the Week: Steve Kemp, USC (shown below)
Player of the Month: Mark McGwire, USC
Pitcher of the Month: Floyd Bannister, Arizona State
Stat of the Week: Steve Kemp of USC hit three home runs in a 13-5 over Cal State Fullerton. Kemp, 3-for-4, drove in six runs. His last homer was a grand slam.

Team-by-Team April Review
Arizona State: A balanced attack has been the key for the Sun Devils. Floyd Bannister (4-0), Craig Swan (3-0), Paul Moskau (2-0), Sean Lowe (3-0) and Larry Gura (1-0) all sport perfect records. Bob Horner is batting .328 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs. Oddibe McDowell (.333-11-24) has also been a force. Bump Wills leads the West with a .389 average. Arizona State has turned a league-leading 41 double plays.
Stanford: Pitching has lifted the Cardinal into second place. Stanford is first in team ERA (2.61), opponents' average (.219) and runs allowed (85). Mike Mussina (2-2, 1.87 ERA), Jack McDowell (2-1, 2.53), Jim Lonborg (2-1, 2.86), Dave Frost (2-2, 1.32) and Ernie Nevers (2-0, 1.86) have proven to be the league's best starters for the season's first month. Closer Steve Chitren has shut the door with a league-best 10 saves. Stanford has committed a league-low 30 errors to back its solid pitching.
USC: While the Stanford pitchers have thrived, the Trojans have struggled. The starters, led by Mark Prior (5-1, 2.95 ERA), have done a decent job but a leaky bullpen has done in USC. Offensively, the Trojans are dangerous. USC leads the league in team average (.290), home runs (56) and runs scored (180). Mark McGwire (.373-21-44) and Fred Lynn (.367-5-16) are the leaders of the onslaught.
Oklahoma State: Gary Ward's Cowboys have been an up-and-down team. Staff ace Allie Reynolds (0-3, 4.95 ERA) has been a huge disappointment. Short stop Gary Green (.330-3-20) has been the best performer of offense. Pete Incaviglia is hitting .284 with eight home runs and 16 RBIs. Robin Ventura, just 2-for-his-last 20, has seen his average slip to .301.
Texas: Cliff Gustafson has been scratching his head over the Longhorns' dip in the standings. Texas has lost eight of its last 10 games. Poor pitching has been at the forefront of the demise. Roger Clemens is just 1-3 with a 3.89 ERA despite striking out 44 batters in 44 innings. Burt Hooton has replaced ineffective Dennis Cook (1-3, 4.25) in the rotation. Ron Gardenhire (.340-2-15) sets the table for Ernie Koy and Grady Hatton (five home runs each).
Cal State Fullerton: Jeff Robinson, slowed by a sore shoulder, is 3-1 with a 1.79 ERA. Closer Mike Schooler has racked up 14 strikeouts in just 10 innings en route to six saves. Aaron Rowand (.340-1-10) and Dante Powell (.290-5-17) are the offensive leaders.
Cal: Oval Overall (3-1, 2.11 ERA) has been the most consistent starter for the Golden Bears. Sam Chapman (.308-8-17), Jeff Kent (.301-5-17) and Rod Booker (.282-3-18) spark the offense. First baseman Kevin Maas has been called up from the minors.
UCLA: Injuries have taken their toll on the Bruins. Closer Jim York (1-1, one save) is out at least five weeks with a pulled triceps muscle. Lefties Pat Clements and Floyd Chiffer will share that role. There's worse news for left-handed starter Mike Magnante whose career appears to be over due to torn elbow ligaments. Bob Hamelin (.289-12-30) and Troy Glaus (.279-7-23) power the offense. Jackie Robinson (.278-1-19-no stolen bases) needs to get on track.
Arizona: Jerry Kindall's Wildcats are last in team average and team ERA. Don Lee is the lone starter with a winning record at 3-1. Joe Magrane is a disappointing 1-5 with a 6.67 ERA. Jason Bates leads the team with a .341 average while Kenny Lofton is batting just .236 with two steals.
San Diego State: Only one starting pitcher (John Andrews) posted a win in the season's opening month. Player-manager Tony Gwynn (.296-5-14), first baseman Mark Grace (.366-3-14) and DH Travis Lee (.232-8-19) have been the keys to the offense.

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Mine eyes have seen the comings and goings of big-league baseball for many a season. Yes, that's right, folks, I, Max Mercy, Jr. hath hawked the horsehide for many a heavenly year. Just like my daddy, I've seen the best of 'em; I've seen the worst of 'em. And, Max Mercy, Jr. is here to tell you the humble baseball fan that the All-American Baseball League is one exciting loop to follow.

That's right, folks, Ole Max is tellin' ya its okay to plunk down your hard-earned cash for tickets to this here new-fangled league. Or you may want to get yourself one of those fancy satellite dishes to follow all the action. If you're one of those ham 'n eggers and can't afford to spend your dinero on such things, just keep readin' Max's column. I'll keep you informed for the cost of a cup of coffee.

So, what have I seen in the season's first month? Well, let me tell ya. Those Sun Devils of Arizona State are loaded. They got the pitching and hitting and base running and enough defense to win this thing. Yeah, I picked Stanford for the West basement. Yeah, they are in second place right now. But, mark my words, they fall quicker than that dot.com stock as the summer temps go up. USC fans, don't worry, your team will get it together. Rod Dedeaux is too good a manager to let his boys lag behind for too long. He'll shore up that bullpen so enough and get the Trojans back on track.

As for the East, the Ivy Eagles have risen above the rest. Miami and Illinois may stick around awhile but when it's all said and done that East Coast crew will walk away with the division. Just remember, Max told ya early on.

Until next time, folks, this is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off . . .

[Elendil]

Go Ivies! Or more specifically, Ron Darling - show those non-Yalies what's what.

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks,

Time for a very short column . . . For those of you scoring at home (and if you aren't hopefully your bat rack isn't too dusty), we've now had postings from fans of the following schools:

Illinois
Stanford
Mississippi State (more of a Will Clark fan than a Bulldog fan)
Michigan State
Minnesota
Ivy (Ron Darling's darling)
San Diego State
Oregon State (no team to root for, just following the action)

If there are other rooters out there, let us hear from you.

This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off . . .

[batted balls]

May 10, 2006

Bristol, Conn.--After winning two games of a three-game series with Illinois, the Ivy Eagles have taken sole possession of first place in the All-American Baseball League's East division.

The Eagles, 24-12, recently put together an 11-game winning string. During that hot streak, Ivy catcher Brad Ausmus earned Player of the Week honors. Ausmus hit .526 during that stretch. First baseman Lou Gehrig raised his average to .362, second only to Florida State's Terry Kennedy (.363). Gehrig leads the East with 30 RBIs and five stolen bases. Outfielder Sam Mele has 29 RBIs. Starter John Milligan tops the East with a 6-2 record. Right-hander Jim Beattie is 5-1.

"Winning in Champaign was difficult but things went our way," said Ivy manager Bob Seddon (shown below).


Illinois, 22-14, is two games behind Ivy. Outfielder Hoot Evers is the division leader with seven home runs. After starter Fred Bebee defeated Ivy 3-1 in the series opener, the Illini dropped the next two games to the Eagles (18-10 and 12-7) in Champaign.


Diamond Notes: LSU's Joe Adcock earned Player of the Week honors for the second time this season . . . Rick Miller of Michigan State hit three home runs in a 7-6 win at Miami on May 3. Miller went 3-for-5 with four RBIs. He is the first East player to accomplish that feat . . . On May 6, Warren Morris became the first player in AABL history to hit for the cycle. The LSU second baseman had a triple, double and home run off Michigan starter Dick Lemay. Morris, who raised his average to .288, singled off reliever Steve Ontiveros in the 10th inning . . . Notre Dame's Cap Anson's average has dropped from a league-leading .408 to .358, good for third among East leaders.

Stat of the Week: Jim Beattie of Ivy is 3-0 with a minisucle 0.78 ERA in his last three outings.

Standings
East
Ivy 24-12 --
Illinois 22-14 2
Michigan 21-15 3
Florida State 20-16 4
Miami 20-16 4
Notre Dame 18-18 6
Mississippi State 13-19 7
Michigan State 15-21 9
Lousiana State 13-23 11
Minnesota 10-26 14

[batted balls]

Tempe, Ariz.--Arizona State continued its winning ways and retains its stronghold on the All-American Baseball League's West division.

The Sun Devils' sparkling 28-8 record is the best in the AABL. Arizona State, 7-3 in its last 10 games, holds a five-game bulge on second-place USC.

Arizona State continues to display a balance of pitching and offense. Left-hander Floyd Bannister is 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA. Bannister has struck out 50 batters in 50 innings. Right-hander Paul Moskau is 3-0 with a 1.43 ERA.

"Our pitching staff has been solid from the starters to the bullpen," manager Bobby Winkles said. "If you get strong pitching, you have a strong ballclub."

Offensively, Bob Horner (shown below with Winkles) and Oddibe McDowell have supplied power. Both sluggers have 14 home runs. Horner has 35 RBIs; McDowell has 31. Infielder Bump Wills has the West's third best average (.365).

Diamond Notes: Struggling with injuries, UCLA got some good news. Bob Hamelin and Troy Glaus have won Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks . . . San Diego State's Travis Lee became the second West player to hit three home runs in a single game. Lee, who hit his three longballs May 6 against Cal State Fullerton, joined Steve Kemp of USC as the only West player to accomplish the feat thus far . . . Lee's teammate Mark Grace is the top hitter in the West with a .379 average . . . Fred Lynn of USC has a league-best 19-game hitting streak. Lynn, who leads the West with 38 runs scored, is second to Grace with a .366 average . . . USC's Mark Prior is 7-1 with a 2.72 ERA. The right-hander has struck out a league-leading 67 batters in just 53 innings . . . Stanford's Steve Chitren has an AABL-best 12 saves.

Stat of the Week: Mark McGwire of USC leads the AABL with 25 home runs. Those homers account for 54% of McGwire's 46 hits.

Standings
West
Arizona State 28-8 --
Southern Cal 23-13 5
Stanford 20-16 8
Cal State Fullerton 19-17 9
Texas 19-17 9
Oklahoma State 18-18 10
Cal 17-19 11
UCLA 15-21 13
Arizona 11-25 17
San Diego State 10-26 18

[TwinsFan86]

Well...I'm a Minnesota guy, but that doesn't leave me a whole lot to root for at this point. Maybe Winfield and Molitor can get it done and we can atleast get out of last place.

[batted balls]

Hang in there, Minnesota fan. Maybe the Golden Gophers will send Winfield to the mound soon. Terry Steinbach is also one of their minor league prospects.

[batted balls]

May 17, 2006

Tallahassee, Fla.--The Florida State Seminoles are making a run at the top spot in the East.

Manager Mike Martin's Seminoles have won seven of their last 10 games to move to within two games of first-place Ivy. The front-running Eagles were 5-5 in their last 10. Illinois, winners of four straight games, are in second place. The Illini trail Ivy by just one game.

"We've stepped up our game in the past week or so," Martin said.

Among Florida State's best performances in the past week was John Wasdin's two-hit shutout of rival Miami. Wasdin (shown below) walked three and struck out seven in the 1-0 Florida State victory. Catcher Terry Kennedy drove home the lone run of the game on a fourth-inning ground out as Wasdin (4-2) bested Miami's John Fulgham (5-3).

Right-hander Richie Lewis (6-2, 2.96 ERA) has also provided strong outings for the Seminoles. Yet, it has been the bullpen that has flourished at Florida State. Martin moved left-hander Craig Skok into the closer role early in the season. Skok (1.50 ERA) has responded by saving 11 games in 12 opportunities. Only Michigan State's Dick Radatz has as many saves in the East. Fellow lefty Mac Scarce has been a reliable Florida State setup man. Scarce, 1-1 with two saves, has struck out 15 batters in 17 innings.

Illinois has ridden solid pitching and timely home runs to close in on the division's top spot. Fred Beebe, 6-2, leads the East with a 1.61 ERA. Carl Lundgren, 6-2, sports a 2.29 ERA. Hard-throwing Jeff Inniss leads the division with 57 strikeouts, but is just 2-5 with a 3.56 ERA. Outfielder Hoot Evers' nine home runs leads the East. Teammates Lou Boudreau and Don Lenhardt have seven homers. Boudreau earned East Player of the Week honors by batting .381 with four homers and seven RBIs in the past seven days.


Diamond Notes: Sam Mele has taken over the East lead from teammate Lou Gehrig with 36 RBIs . . . Notre Dame's Cap Anson has reclaimed the batting race with a .377 average . . . Gehrig is second in hitting (.368), RBIs (35) and runs scored (33) yet first in steals with five . . . Mississippi State's demise can partially be attributed to slumps by Will Clark (4-for-22) and Rafael Palmeirio (1-for-19).

Stat of the Week: Terry Kennedy of Florida State is hitting .463 with 25 RBIs with runners in scoring position.

Standings
East
Ivy 27-15 --
Illinois 26-16 1
Florida State 25-17 2
Miami 23-19 4
Michigan 22-20 5
Notre Dame 21-21 6
Mississippi State 20-22 7
Michigan State 17-25 10
Lousiana State 16-26 11
Minnesota 13-29 14

[batted balls]

Tempe, Ariz.--Arizona State, Southern Cal and Stanford continue to be the cream of the crop in the All-American Baseball League's West.

Despite dropping the first two games of a three-game set at home to Stanford, Arizona State remains in first place. The Sun Devils, 7-3 in their last 10 games, are four games ahead of second-place USC. Stanford is eight games out.

Arizona State continues to be strong in all phases of the game. Outfielder Mike Devereaux is riding an 11-game hitting streak. Devereaux's .349 average is good for third in the West.

USC reeled off six consecutive wins to slice a game off Arizona State's lead from a week ago. The Trojans, 9-1 in in their last 10, travel to Palo Alto for a three-game series with Stanford. USC then returns home to host Arizona State in a three-game matchup. After hosting USC, Stanford plays at arch-rival Cal.

"It's way too early to call any series crucial," said Stanford manager Mark Marquess. "(But) there are some exciting matchups in the weeks to come."

Diamond Notes: USC's Fred Lynn won the Player of the Week award. Lynn hit a blistering .409 to go along with 13 RBIs. On May 14, Lynn hit three home runs in a 10-6 win at Texas. A day later, Lynn (shown below) had his league-high 23-game hit string snapped against the Longhorns. The Trojan center fielder has raised his average to .372, just one point behind division leader Mark Grace of San Diego State . . . Arizona State catcher Duffy Dyer became the first West player to hit for the cycle. Dyer did it May 10 in a 16-3 shellacking of San Diego State . . . Mark McGwire of USC remains the West leader in home runs (27) and RBIs (57) . . . Mark Prior, 8-2, lost a 4-2 decision Sunday to Roger Clemens of Texas . . . Stanford's Mike Mussina tops the division with a 1.33 ERA. Mussina is 5-2 . . . San Diego State remains mired in last place. Not only do the Aztecs have the worst record in the AABL, they have also lost nine games in a row.

Stat of the Week: Stanford's Steve Chitren is 15-of-16 in save opportunities this season. After a loss to Texas April 13, Chitren has saved 10 straight chances.

Standings
West
Arizona State 32-10 --
Southern Cal 28-14 4
Stanford 24-18 8
Cal State Fullerton 22-20 10
Texas 21-21 11
Oklahoma State 21-21 11
Cal 20-22 12
UCLA 19-23 13
Arizona 13-29 19
San Diego State 10-32 22

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

I've got a question for you. How bad is bad? Well, in the case of San Diego State, it's baaaddd!!! Yes, folks, in all my years of covering the greatest game played on grass San Diego State just may be the worst ever. And, that my friends, is saying quite a bit.

Some of you may remember the Glory of My Times league. The Chicago White Sox of 1975 lost 120 games. That team was baadd; this San Diego State team just might be worse. In fact, the Aztecs are so baaaddd that the ancient civilization is glad to be extinct!

Let's compare those awful Sox of '75 with the 'Tecs of 2006. Those White Sox had a few decent players. Mike Schmidt was on his way to being an All-Star; Tom Seaver was a pretty good pitcher on a lousy team. Yet, Seaver was destined for Cy Young stardom. In fact, a year later thanks to the blossoming of those two players and a few others along with No. 1 draft pick Bruce Sutter, Chicago managed to win 77 games. Two years later, the White Sox rose from fourth place to 99 wins and a division title. Then from 1978-80, three World Series victories--all by sweeps! So, is Ole Max suggesting that's what will become of San Diego State?

Hell, no!

Ole Max isn't Mad Max!

Just how baaaddd is San Diego State? Well, the other day I saw residents of San Diego attempting to cross the border the other way. Moreover, George W. Bush has instructed his storm troopers to let 'em!

Just how baaaddd is San Diego State? Just one starting pitcher--a former bullpenner named Mike Couchee--has won a game. That's right, only ONE starter has a victory nearly two months into the season! Couchee, Couchee, Coo! For those of you who remember Charo, well, she had better curves than this pitching staff!

Just how baaaddd is San Diego State? The pitching staff is dead last in walks, team ERA and runs allowed. They're 19th in home runs allowed. The 'Tecs have a whopping three saves--one by Couchee and two by Dave Smith.

Just how baaaddd is San Diego State? While the offense has hit a more than respectable 44 home runs (good for sixth in the league) and has the West's leading hitter in Mark Grace (.373), the 'Tecs are batting .237 as a team.

Just how baaaddd is San Diego State? While the team has committed a league-low 33 errors and is fielding a league-high .988, the 'Tecs still have just 10 wins! Mark Prior of USC has eight by himself!

Just how baaaddd is San Diego State? The 'Tecs opened the season with five straight losses. Player-manager Tony Gwynn's club lost 10 consecutive games in April and they're threatening that streak with a nine-game skid to date. San Diego State hasn't won a series since an April 11-13 matchup with an injury-riddled UCLA team.

Is there hope? A look at the minors tells you no. Only the Cal Bears have a lower-rated minor league system. San Diego State's top-rated prospect is relief pitcher Don Shaw (rated #32 on the prospect list). Right now, Shaw is on the DL with a bum flipper. Don Shaw, if you're out there reading, take Ole Max's advice. Stay where you are!

This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off, folks . . .

[batted balls]

May 24, 2006

Tallahassee, Fla.--Depsite a six-game winning streak, the Ivy Eagles have actually seen their lead trimmed to one game in the All-American Baseball League's East division.

Second-place Florida State has strung together an eight-game winning streak and won nine of its last 10. The Seminoles have continued to get a solid balance of pitching, hitting and fielding as they have closed in on Ivy.

"We continue to improve," said Florida State manager Mike Martin. "If we keep playing this way, we will be hard to beat."

Closer Craig Skok has been a big factor in the Florida State success. Skok leads the East with 15 saves.

"Craig has been throwing the heck out of the ball," Martin said.

Meanwhile, Ivy isn't exactly giving the division away. The Eagles are 8-2 in their last 10 games. First baseman Lou Gehrig has raised his average to an East-leading .368. Gehrig, who leads the division with seven steals, is second with 40 RBIs and third in home runs with seven. His 1.101 OPS leads the East.

"If there is a finer first baseman than Lou Gehrig, then I haven't seen him," Ivy pitcher Jim Beattie said.

Beattie, 7-1 with a 2.00 ERA, is 5-0 with an amazing 0.66 ERA in his last five starts.

Illinois, meanwhile, has lost four straight games. The Illini have fallen to six games off the pace.


Diamond Notes: Sam Mele of Ivy continues to lead the East with 42 RBIs . . . The Eagles' Ted Olson was the East Player of the Week. Olson was 2-0 with a shutout this week. He struck out 12 batters in 16 innings. Olson is 5-3 on the season . . . Notre Dame's Dick Rusteck one-hit Mississippi State May 20. Rusteck, 2-5, lost his no-hitter when Adam Piatt led off the seventh with a single to right. Notre Dame won the game 2-0 as second baseman Billy Reed drove home both Irish runs.

Stat of the Week: Notre Dame's Cap Anson (shown below) leads the East with 69 hits. Of those hits, 58 are singles (84%).

Standings
East
Ivy 33-16 --
Florida State 32-17 1
Illinois 27-22 6
Michigan 26-23 7
Miami 25-24 8
Notre Dame 24-25 9
Mississippi State 23-26 10
Louisiana State 22-27 11
Michigan State 20-29 13
Minnesota 13-36 20

[batted balls]

May 24, 2006

Fullerton, Calif.--Oklahoma State right-hander Allie Reynolds found an attention-getting way to earn his first victory of the season; he tossed a no-hitter.

Reynolds, nicknamed "Super Chief" by his teammates, recorded the first no-hitter in the history of the All-American Baseball League. Reynolds, 1-6, handcuffed Cal State Fullerton in the 5-0 win. Reynolds lost his bid for a perfect game when he walked Dann Howitt with two outs in the fifth inning. Reynolds struck out a season-high 13 en route to the Cowboy win.

"My fastball really had movement today," Reynolds said. "I felt as though no one could touch me. It's a rare feeling, but one that I welcome."

Robin Ventura led the Oklahoma State offense by going 3-for-5 with a home run. Jeff Robinson, 4-3, was the loser for Cal State Fullerton.

Oklahoma State, 8-2 in its last 10 games, has climbed into third place. Cal State Fullerton, meanwhile, has gone 3-7 and dropped to fifth.

The boxscore is shown below.


Diamond Notes: Mark McGwire of USC won West Player of the Week. McGwire leads the division with 30 home runs and 65 RBIs. McGwire's .361 average is second only to teammate Fred Lynn's .374 . . . USC took two games of a three-game series with first-place Arizona State to cut the Sun Devils' lead to just three games . . . Mark Prior of USC has struck out 98 batters in just 72.1 innings. Prior is 9-2 with a 2.61 ERA . . . Arizona State reliever Sean Lowe is 6-0 with one save and a sparkling 1.37 ERA . . . Texas lost starter Tex Hughson for the season with a ruptured disk in his back. Left-hander Greg Swindell has been brought up from Triple-A ball to take Hughson's spot in the Longhorn rotation . . . Texas, losers of four straight games, has dropped to seventh place. Manager Cliff Gustafson held a closed-door meeting following a recent loss to UCLA . . . Aaron Harang tossed a three-hitter as San Diego State shut out Cal 3-0 on May 18 to break the Aztecs' nine-game losing streak.

Stat of the Week: Mark McGwire of USC is 11-for-his last 19 at-bats.

Standings
West
Arizona State 36-13 --
Southern Cal 33-16 3
Oklahoma State 27-22 9
Stanford 26-23 10
Cal State Fullerton 24-25 12
Cal 24-25 12
Texas 23-26 13
UCLA 21-28 15
Arizona 16-33 20
San Diego State 15-34 21

BOX SCORES Oklahoma State @ Cal State Fullerton
Game #: 426, (GAME LOG) , Monday, 5/17/2006


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Oklahoma State 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 5 11 1
Cal State Fullerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1



Oklahoma State AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
D. Dascenzo CF 4 0 1 0 0 0 .206 1 11
J. Adair 2B 0 1 0 0 1 0 .285 4 16
D. Thompson 2B 3 1 1 1 0 0 .328 3 14
C. Richard LF 1 0 0 0 0 0 .235 3 10
P. Incaviglia DH 4 0 0 1 0 0 .283 17 32
R. Ventura 3B 5 1 3 2 0 1 .297 1 15
J. Burnitz LF,CF 4 1 1 0 1 0 .195 2 11
G. Green SS 4 0 1 1 0 0 .267 5 26
E. Mickelson 1B 4 0 0 0 0 2 .091 0 0
M. Tettleton C 4 0 3 0 0 0 .263 0 7
A. Wright RF 3 1 1 0 1 1 .206 4 17
Totals 36 5 11 5 3 4

BATTING
Doubles: D. Dascenzo (5, 7th inning off Robinson, 0 on, 0 out.) A. Wright (6, 5th inning off Robinson, 1 on, 1 out.)
Homeruns: D. Thompson (3, 1st inning off Robinson, 0 on, 1 out.) R. Ventura (1, 6th inning off Robinson, 0 on, 1 out.)
Runs Batted In: D. Thompson (14), P. Incaviglia (32), R. Ventura 2 (15), G. Green (26)
Sacrifice Hits: C. Richard (1)
Sacrifice Flies: P. Incaviglia (1)

FIELDING
Errors: J. Adair (11)


Cal State Fullerton AB R H RBI BB K AVG HR RBI
A. David DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 .224 3 13
J. Giambi RF 4 0 0 0 0 2 .262 0 6
M. Lamb 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1 .285 2 15
D. Powell CF 3 0 0 0 0 1 .277 5 20
A. Rowand LF 3 0 0 0 0 3 .321 2 15
D. Howitt 1B 2 0 0 0 1 0 .238 0 0
D. Whitmer C 3 0 0 0 0 1 .255 6 19
S. Turner SS 3 0 0 0 0 2 .231 5 27
J. Mota 2B 3 0 0 0 0 1 .237 0 13
Totals 28 0 0 0 1 13

BATTING

FIELDING
Errors: J. Giambi (2)


Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
A. Reynolds W 9 0 0 0 1 13 0 117 73 4.81 1-6

PITCHING
Batters Faced: A. Reynolds 29
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: A. Reynolds 13-2
Game Score: A. Reynolds 99


Cal State Fullerton IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA RECORD
J. Robinson L 6.2 9 3 3 1 2 2 98 59 2.23 4-3
L. Casian 2.1 2 2 2 2 2 0 40 19 10.22

PITCHING
Batters Faced: J. Robinson 30, L. Casian 11
Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J. Robinson 12-5, L. Casian 1-4
Game Score: J. Robinson 45



GAME INFO
Time: 3:05
Attendance: 6725 (45000)
Weather: Partly cloudy (73 degrees), wind blowing out to left at 16 mph
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Allie Reynolds (shown below)
Game Notes:
Robin Ventura hit the longest homer of his career, it went 378 feet. Allie Reynolds sets a career high for K's in a game!

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

A big howdy from Ole Max's RV somewhere out among the cacti of Arizona. Yes, folks, that's right Ole Max has taken to the road like that Jack Kerouac character. I'm toolin' down the highways and biways as I cover the cities and towns of the All-American Baseball League. Ole Max's RV ain't one like that football loudmouth John Madden has. Yet, mine has all the comforts Ole Max needs. It's got a refrigerator for Max's medicinal needs and a 12-inch black-and-white to pick up the local news and a good "Three's Company" rerun once in a blue moon (that Ralph Furley is one of Max's favorites). It's got a bed with flannel sheets and the firmest mattress this side of Motel 6. Toss in my eight-track player and Max is happier than a pig in a mud. Elmer and Mary Judd, some good friends of Max's down Kentucky way, call my RV "The Maxi-Pad." Kind of brings a swell of pride to me . . .

The purpose of this column is to share with you Ole Max's ideas for promotional days. Ole Max has seen all the great promotions (or giveaways as they used to be called). I've seen everything from Wild Bill Veeck's hair-brained schemes to that 10-cent beer night in Cleveland back in the '70s to the Minnesota Twins' halter top day promo (a personal favorite of Max's!). This season the AABL will feature everything from free t-shirts to pennants to bobble heads. There are autograph days and run the bases nights. There are promos to honor Elvis and duct tape. Those ideas work for the conventional fan. But, Ole Max has put together a list for those willing to go that extra step to bring in the fans. If you're trying to sell tickets right now at Minnesota or San Diego State, give these ideas of Ole Max's a look-see.

So, here is the list straight off Ole Max's notepad from the Maxi-Pad:

1. Sticky seat night.
2. Get a free piece of that crappy gum that comes with baseball cards.
3. Win Tommy Lasorda's pre-Slimfast pants.
4. Ticket stub night.
5. Get hit in the face by a 90-mph fast ball.
6. Completely obstructed seating day.
7. Steroid syringe collection night.
8. Twins halter top day (hey, it worked once!)
9. Steinbrenner fires you for no good reason day.
10. Kiss your favorite sportswriter day and night.

This is Max Mercy, Jr, signing off . . .

[batted balls]

June 1, 2006

Bristol, Conn.--Ivy first baseman Lou Gehrig is using his bat the way Rambo uses a machine gun--with lethal authority.

Gehrig's red-hot bat has become the most feared by East division pitchers. The Ivy stalwart has taken over the division batting race with a .361 batting average. He continues to lead the division in OPS (1.079) and stolen bases (10). In addition, Gehrig is second in home runs (9) and RBIs (47). As a result, Gehrig (shown below) was named East Player of the Month for May.

"It's an honor," said the soft-spoken Gehrig. "It's important that we keep winning."

Ivy has kept winning. The Eagles, 37-20, continue to lead the East. Florida State, 35-22, is two games out. Michigan, winners in seven of its last 10 games, has moved into a third-place tie with Illinois. Both teams are 32-25.

East Standings
Ivy 37-20 --
Florida State 35-22 2
Illinois 32-25 5
Michigan 32-25 5
Notre Dame 29-28 8
Miami 28-29 9
Mississippi State 28-29 9
Michigan State 25-32 12
Louisiana State 24-33 13
Minnesota 15-42 22

Player of the Week: John Wasdin, Florida State
Player of the Month: Lou Gehrig, Ivy
Pitcher of the Month: Ed Hobaugh, Michigan State
Stat of the Week: How bad is Minnesota? Golden Gopher closer Gregg Olson has just two saves this season.

Team-by-Team May Review
Ivy: Balance has continued to be the key for the Eagles. Lou Gehrig is tearing up division pitching. He hit .370 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in May. Teammate Sam Mele (.312) leads the East with 48 RBIs. Hughie Jennings (.324-1-25) has a 12-game hit string. Starting pitchers Jim Beattie (8-1, 1.91 ERA), Ted Olson (6-3, 2.85), Ron Darling (4-0, 2.89) and John Milligan (7-4, 5.01) are the division's best.
Florida State: The Seminoles have kept up the pressure on Ivy. Manager Mike Martin's club features strong pitching and timely hitting. Starters John Wasdin (7-2, 2.49 ERA), Richie Lewis (6-3, 2.90) and Bruce Tanner (6-3, 2.42) are backed by closer Craig Skok (16 saves, 1.48). Offensively, catcher Terry Kennedy (.298-2-31) has slipped a bit. However, outfielders Mark Gilbert (.301-5-35) and J.D. Drew (.290-4-25) have picked up the slack. Short stop Dick Howser (.295-2-18) has provided leadership and defense.
Illinois: Short stop Lou Boudreau (.286-10-32) and outfielders Hoot Evers (.307-9-31) and Don Lenhardt (.268-9-25) are the cogs in the Illini attack. Pitchers Fred Beebe (8-4, 1.83 ERA) and Carl Lundgren (7-4, 2.83) head the mound corps. Marv Rotblatt (3-1, 2.43) has begun to emerge while Tom Fletcher has been brought up from the minors.
Michigan: The Wolverines have clawed their way into the East race. Lary Sorensen (6-3, 3.62 ERA) leads the pitching staff. Stopper Steve Howe (12 saves, 2.76) appears to have hit his stride. It's been the offense, however, that has sparked Michigan. The heart of the order consists of Ted Sizemore (.328-0-21), Barry Larkin (.294-4-26), Leon Roberts (.260-4-29) and Chris Sabo (.240-2-31).
Notre Dame: The Irish are hovering around the .500 mark. Cap Anson (.356-0-21), Red Murray (.304-5-25) and Carl Yastrzemski (.301-6-32) are the offensive leaders. Starters Ed Reulbach (7-3, 2.05) and Norwood Gibson (6-3, 1.77) remain difficult to hit. Reliever Brad Lidge (2-3, 5.97) has been roughed up.
Miami: The Hurricanes have struggled of late. Manager Ron Fraser's team is just 3-7 in its last 10 contests. Starter John Fulgham (5-5, 3.99 ERA) has lost four straight decisions. Alex Fernandez (6-4, 4.04) has been up-and-down. Orlando Palmeiro (.276-3-30) has cooled off substantially from his early season success. Catcher Jorge Fabergas (.312-5-27) and short stop Bobby Hill (.259-6-21) have been defensive liabilities.
Mississippi State: Manager Ron Polk's Bulldogs are 7-3 in their last 10 games. Only one regular--Adam Piatt at .307--is batting above .300. Converted reliever Ken Tatum (4-4, 2.09 ERA) has helped to shored up the starting rotation. Bobby Thigpen (2-3, 7 saves) has adjusted to the closer role.
Michigan State: The Spartans are last in team batting (.222) and runs scored (180). Rick Miller (.300-6-29) and Steve Garvey (.276-1-22) are the only hitters producing. Robin Roberts (3-9, 4.03 ERA) has lost the No. 1 starter slot to Ed Hobaugh (3-5, 2.68). Hobaugh, May's Pitcher of the Month, posted a 0.55 ERA for the month yet only garnered two victories due to poor offensive support.
Louisiana State: The Tigers are perhaps the most disappointing team in the East. Losers in seven of its last 10 games, LSU has turned to its future. Ben McDonald (1-1, 3.67 ERA) and Paul Byrd (3-1, 2.23) have moved into the starting rotation. Lefty Mike Sirotka (4-4, 3.50) returns as ineffective Clay Parker (0-5, 4.56) goes to the bullpen. Joe Adcock (.340-5-28) remains as the offense's best performer.
Minnesota: The Golden Gophers may be the game's worst team. Minnesota is batting just .227 as a team, while opponents are hitting at a .275 clip. Bryan Hickerson "leads" the pitching staff with a 2-8 record while the rest of the starters are a combined 4-20. Dave Winfield (.227-5-21) and Paul Molitor (.250-3-24) are the best of the anemic offense. Short stop Jerry Kindall has seven home runs but is batting a paltry .198.

[batted balls]

June 1, 2006

Tempe, Ariz.--A memorable series over Memorial Day weekend left the Arizona State Sun Devils atop the All-American Baseball League's West.

After dropping the first two games of a four-game series to Southern California, Arizona State rallied to win the final two games. The series split left the Sun Devils two games ahead of the Trojans.

"It was an exciting series," said Arizona State manager Bobby Winkles. "USC is tough, but I was glad to see us get things together and regain our (division) lead."

USC took game one 5-3, thanks in part to Mark McGwire's 33rd home run of the season. Game two also went to the Trojans as Barry Zito bested Gary Gentry. The two victories pulled USC into a first-place tie.

"Things were looking good at that point," said Zito.

Arizona State then took what Winkles called "the key game of the series" by winning game three 4-2 as Paul Moskau outdueled Randy Johnson. Bob Horner broke a 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the seventh inning. The Sun Devils took the series finale by beating Mark Prior 4-2. Reggie Jackson hit a key three-run homer as Floyd Bannister won his seventh game of the year.

Arizona State next travels to Berkley to play Cal. USC will host Oklahoma State.

West Standings
Arizona State 40-17 --
Southern Cal 38-19 2
Oklahoma State 31-26 9
Stanford 31-26 9
Cal 28-29 12
Texas 27-30 13
Cal State Fullerton 26-31 14
UCLA 26-31 14
Arizona 20-37 20
San Diego State 18-39 22

Player of the Week: Fred Lynn, USC
Player of the Month: Fred Lynn, USC
Pitcher of the Month: Jim Lonborg, Stanford (shown below)
Stat of the Week: Mark Prior of USC has struck out an incredible 114 batters in just 86.2 innings of work.

Team-by-Team May Review
Arizona State: The Sun Devils have managed to stay afloat despite losing starter Craig Swan (6-2, 4.13 ERA) for six weeks with a shoulder injury. Paul Moskau (5-1, 2.12) and Floyd Bannister (7-2, 2.73) continue to anchor the staff. Reliever Eddie Bane (3-2, 2.57) takes Swan's place. Bob Horner (.288-19-51), Oddibe McDowell (.276-17-41) and Mike Devereaux (.323-5-28) power the offense.
USC: The Trojans continue to bash the ball. USC leads the AABL in average (.297), home runs (106) and runs scored (401). Fred Lynn has taken over the West batting race with a .390 average. Lynn (.390-14-53), Mark McGwire (.348-33-73) and Dave Kingman (.269-16-50) lead the assault. Mark Prior tops the division with a 10-3 record and a 2.70 ERA. Jim Barr (6-1, 3.18) and Barry Zito (6-3, 3.70) have also been strong.
Oklahoma State: Starter Allie Reynolds appears to have righted the ship with three straight solid outings--including the first no-hitter in AABL history--since beginning the year 0-6. Tim Pugh (6-2, 2.60) and Tom Borland (6-1, 2.82) have been consistent. Pete Incaviglia (.291-20-44) propels the offense. Danny Thompson (.302-3-17) and Gary Green (.277-8-30) have also been strong contributors.
Stanford: If the Cardinal could ever get its offense in gear, manager Mark Marquess might see his club soar to the top. As things stand, the pitching has been top notch. Right-hander Jim Lonborg earned Pitcher of the Month honors by posting a 2-0 record in May with a 0.65 ERA. Lonborg also drew three no decisions due to poor offensive support. Lonborg (4-1) has the West's second-best ERA (1.66) Teammate Mike Mussina (6-4) has the top ERA (1.64). Jack McDowell (4-3, 3.30), David Frost (2-8, 3.49) and Ernie Nevers (3-2, 2.88) have also suffered from Stanford's lack of offense.
Cal: Oval Overall (8-2, 2.20 ERA) continues to be the Golden Bears' horse. Starter Ryan Drese (6-4, 3.04) has shown flashes of brilliance. Jeff Kent (.278-11-34) and Sam Chapman (.268-10-27) are the offensive mainstays. Kevin Mass (.278-4-16 in 115 at-bats) has boosted the offense since his call-up from the minors.
Texas: Cliff Gustafson has tried virtually anything and everything to kickstart his slumping squad. Starters Roger Clemens (4-6, 3.60 ERA) and minor-league call-up Greg Swindell (2-0, 3.00) have responded well. Hard-throwing Huston Street (12 saves, 2.86) has proven he can close out games. Right-hander Burt Hooton has also been moved into the rotation. The offense has been lackluster too often. Grady Hatton (.282-13-41) and Ernie Koy (.266-10-39) have been the best of the Longhorn lot.
Cal State Fullerton: Injuries have taken their toll on the Titans. Starter Jeff Robinson (5-5, 2.48 ERA) has been in and out of the rotation. Outfielder Dante Powell (.262-5-25) has been slowed by a groin pull. Meanwhile, closer Mike Schooler (10 saves. 0.96 ERA, 22 strikeouts in 18 innings) has been nearly unhittable. The problem has been getting the game to him.
UCLA: At times the Bruins have clawed their way to victory. Most of the time, however, UCLA has lost its grip. Bill Bonham (5-2, 4.45 ERA) has been the most dependable starter. Reliever Jim York (2-1, four saves) is scheduled to come off the DL this week. Bob Hamelin (.312-24-59) is a likely All-Star while Troy Glaus (.273-16-42) has been a threat. Jackie Robinson (.280-1-24) has four steals in the past two weeks.
Arizona: Jerry Kindall's Wildcats continue to pitch poorly. Joe Magrane (3-8, 4.73 ERA) leads a lackluster staff. Jason Bates (.307-5-34), Terry Francona (.302-4-22) and J.T. Snow (.228-6-41) are the offensive threats.
San Diego State: Motivated by a negative column by Max Mercy, Jr., the Aztecs have played better of late. San Diego State is 4-6 in its last 10. While that may not be reason to throw a parade, it sure beats the days of a 10- and nine-game losing string. Starter Aaron Harang (3-3, 2.37 ERA) has rounded into shape and could be force in the future. Mark Grace (.344-4-19), Travis Lee (.235-16-37) and Tony Gwynn (.249-9-28) have come through with timely hits.

[batted balls]

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

It's time for Max's Mailbag. Let me tell 'ya, folks, Ole Max's mailbag is bursting at the seams. Here is a sampling:

Max,

San Diego State is the worst team you've ever seen?! How about Minnesota? Man, the Golden Gophers would get swept by the Aztecs!

Sleepless in San Diego

Dear Sleepless,

You may be right, my friend. As baaaddd as I thought your Aztecs were, the Gophers are woooorrrrsssseeee! They need to find a bigger gopher hole. Besides, San Diego weather vs. Minnesota weather? No contest!
Dear Max,

Wow, the Maxi-Pad sounds awesome! Any chance I could hitch a ride sometime?

Lookin' for a Lift

Dear Lookin',

Send me a photo and we'll talk.

Dear Max,

Eight tracks?! What century are you from, Max Ole Boy? Haven't you heard of MP3s and Ipods?

Modern Music Man

Dear Modern,

Why let technology dictate your life? I have mucho dineros invested in my music collection. As for MP3, Ole Max has never had a run-in with the Military Police, let alone three.

Dear Max,

Didn't you pick Michigan for last in the East? Man, were you wrong!

No. 1 Wolverine Fan

Dear Wolverine,

Two months does not a season make!

Dear Max,

Boxers or briefs?

Can't Help Wondering

Dear Can't Help,

In the category of boxers, I'll go with Marciano and Louis. As for briefs, Ole Max could indeed have been a top-notch, high profile lawyer. But to answer your question, when traveling north, I go with long-winter flannels; when traveling south, Ole Max goes commando.

Until next time, folks, this is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off . . .

[marc]

Michigan but not Ohio State? Bah I can't stand for this!

[blgoblue2]

I can, go you!!!!!111111

[batted balls]

Ohio State was considered when the league was first set up but just didn't have enough quality big leaguers. If and when the AABL expands, Ohio State will get another look.