Welcome To The Bullpen

Welcome to the Bullpen: the CBS 11 & TXA 21 Sports Department's Blog. Since our time on the air is limited, we figured this would be the perfect way to express the thoughts, opinions and debates from the entire sports staff. Enjoy and feel free to let us know what you think about what we are thinking.

Rick Carlisle, "Eh, ok"

So I have had almost 24 hours to recover from my Rick Carlisle meeting, initial impression - "eh, ok".

During the press conference, he made it clear the Mavericks are going to be a running team (is that going to be easy to do with a point guard who will be 36 at the end of next season?).

He reiterated that they aren't going to abandon the defensive philosophy Avery Johnson tried to establish - I like it.

And we also found out he loves him some ESPN!

WOW!  I haven't heard so much corporate love since I went to an Amway convention!!! (kidding)  Carlisle opened his press conference with a 5-minute monologue of just how great ESPN was, how it's a first class organization and the best he's been involved with!  Forget that he's worked for the Pistons, Pacers and the CELTICS!  It's the World Wide Leader!  I almost died laughing sitting there listening to it.

I am all for loving the previous employers (shoutout to the Dallas Cowboys) and not burning bridges, but come on!

That got me thinking... these press conferences are broadcast all over the nation. ESPN has the capabilities of "looking in" on the press conference and rebroadcasting it.  Carlisle knew they were watching and my little mind started racing. He's got a 4-year deal.  Think he's already thinking about life after it?  Or life after 2 years?

Employee after employee, source after source, and, most recently, coach after coach has admitted that Cuban is a tough employer.  It's not a negative thing - he's made many people millionaires, but he's a demanding boss.  Could Carlisle (who's spoken with Avery Johnson, btw) be already thinking a couple years down the road and positioning himself now to return to the World Wide Leader?  Something to think about...

You can hear much more from Rick Carlisle.  He sits down with Babe Laufenberg Sunday night on The Score at 11:35 on CBS 11.

Check out my sit down interview with Carlisle Sunday night at 8:35 p.m. on Prime Time Sports on TXA21.  No mention of ESPN. :-)

Gina Miller
May 15, 2008

I don’t understand…

…why Ron Washington pinch hit Marlon Byrd for Ramon Vazquez with 2 on and 1 out, down 2-1, in the bottom of the 7th inning against the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon.

I understand conventional baseball wisdom says pinch hit the right-handed hitting Byrd for the left-handed hitting Vazquez when the veteran lefty Arthur Rhodes enters the game.

But common sense would seem to say that Vazquez is 10-for-22 the past week against the Mariners, including a game winning walk-off HR on Monday night and the go-ahead sacrifice fly to put the Rangers ahead for good in the 6th inning on Tuesday night, not to mention the fact he has the best batting average on the team--.344 coming into play Wednesday.

And, common sense would seem to say that Byrd may not be totally sharp having not played in a major league game in a month, and hitting just .129 (4-for-31) when he did play in major league games the first two weeks of the season.

I would have liked to have seen what the hot hitting Vazquez would have done in that situation.

Nothing against Byrd, but it wasn't surprising to see him ground into a double play to end the inning.

The one thing the Rangers couldn't afford in that situation was a batter grounding into a double play.  In fact, the Mariners (playing at double play depth) were conceding the tying run. 

FYI--among the Rangers hitters with at least 500 plate appearances in their career, Vazquez is the least likely to ground into a double play—only 20 GIDPs in 1717 career plate appearances (1/85 ratio).

         Player                                       GIDP/PA         Ratio

1-Ramon Vazquez                               0/1717           1/85
2-Josh Hamilton                                   9/527               1/59
3-Frank Catalanotto                             68/3924           1/58
4-Gerald Laird                                     19/1089           1/57
5-Marlon Byrd                                     39/1946           1/50
6-Hank Blalock                                    72/3179           1/44
7-Milton Bradley                                  70/2953           1/42
8-Michael Young                                119/4870         1/41
9-Ian Kinsler                                        31/1223           1/39

Bill Jones
May 14, 2008

Couple Of Quick Hits

 The hiring that would never end finally concluded today with the Mavericks introduction of Rick Carlisle (Click here for the entire presser). I'm totally in favor of the hiring. The former NBA Coach of the Year believes in a good combination of offense and defense. Even though I like the hire, don't expect too much from the Carlisle. The Mavericks roster is lacking talent and youth, so fans should be happy if this team makes the playoffs next season. 

 Let's talk about a franchise on the rise. Your Texas Rangers have proven that fans should always assume the worst about their team and try to have a little more patience. The Rangers were 7-16 on April 24th and everyone was calling for Ron Washington's head (once again). But like the Dallas Stars showed patience with Dave Tippett, the Rangers didn't give up on Ron Washington. Both guys have rewarded their franchise and fans with impressive runs over the last three weeks.

So here is the moral of the story: changing personnel in a franchise doesn't always equal more wins. In the long run, the talent is going to win out. The Rangers have average talent and that's why they're sitting right around the .500 mark. That rule applies for all sports.

**Pay Attention Mavericks Fans** Don't over-estimate the talent on your team. If you're expectations are unrealistic, you'll end up being disappointed with the results. 

 Josh Hamilton is a great player. (I don't use the word 'great' very often, but he deserves it.) 

 I've been saying this for over a week now: The New Orleans will win the NBA Title. Watch a Hornets game and tell me Chris Paul didn't deserve the NBA MVP. He's unstoppable and single-handedly controls the pace of games. 

 Speaking of Chris Paul. Did you happen to see the All-NBA First Team this season? It included Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Chris Paul. Four of the five guys never went to college and the other went for one season. So why do they make kids go to college instead of allowing them to go straight to the league? It obliviously hurt those guys a lot. 

 Stewart Cink is my pick to win this week's AT&T Classic. (Updated Score – Cody 1, Bull 0)

Cody Winstead
CBS 11 Sports

May 14, 2008

Overhead In The Sports Department

Those of you who bet on Darren Hambrick to be the over-achiever of the Hambrick brothers can now collect your money.

Dandy Killeen
Executive Sports Producer

May 13, 2008

In The Stars!

With the doom and gloom surrounding the Stars situation against the Red Wings in the Best of Seven Western Conference Finals, here's something for Stars faithful to cling to heading into Wednesday's Game 4.

Every 33 years an NHL team has rallied from a three games to none deficit to win a playoff series.

In 1942 Toronto rallied to beat Detroit 4-3, after trailing 0-3.

Thirty-three years later, in 1975 the New York Islanders rallied to beat Pittsburgh 4-3 after trailing 0-3.

Move forward another 33 years, which brings us to 2008 - Dallas trails Detroit 0-3.

Maybe destiny is in the Stars favor???

Dandy Killeen
CBS 11 Sports

May 13, 2008

Stars Have 1 More Chance to Stay In Game

Romo Misses Cut At U.S. Open Qualifying Event

Tony Romo's quest to compete in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines this June has ended.

Romo shot a 75 at the Local Qualifying event at the Golf Club of Dallas. The cut off to advance was 71.
 
This is the second event the Cowboys Quarterback has tried to qualify for in the last month.

In April, Romo did not advance in his attempt to qualify for the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, when he missed the cut by one stroke in an open qualifying event at Sherrill Park in Richardson.

Dandy Killeen
CBS 11 Sports

May 7, 2008

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