The Women’s Professional Soccer league (WPS) held the Los Angeles Sol Dispersal Draft with the eight remaining teams via conference call Thursday.
With the seventh pick, the Washington Freedom selected Notre Dame star, Brittany Bock.
“She’s versatile, she can play in multiple positions, and we’re looking forward to seeing her in camp and seeing exactly where she fits in and how she fits in,” said Freedom head coach Jim Gabarra.
Bock fit in nicely with the LA Sol last season, starting 17 of the team’s 18 games. She was part of a solid backline that marked the Sol as the league leader in defense, with a goals against average of 0.5. Read the rest of this entry →
Jeremy Guthrie and the rest of the starting rotation hope to have a great season as a whole.
The Baltimore Orioles are at the bottom when it comes to starting pitching production, but the Orioles hope to improve that with their young arms, and with help from the veteran pitching that is on the ball club and that was acquired this off season should help the Orioles starting pitching to finally turn the corner. Let’s take a look at the Orioles starting rotation for the baseball season up ahead.
In the number one spot Jeremy Guthrie should be at number one, because the Orioles are familiar with him and knows the production he can put up, it’s just matter of him getting the first batter out in the beginning of innings and getting more run production, which should be there with the Orioles revamped line up, so look for Guthrie to have a great season for the Orioles pitching staff.
In the number two spot Brad Bergesen, who was having a great season before he was injured, if he looks at the positives of how great he was pitching before his unlikely shin injury, and then he should be a big part in the Orioles success. Bergesen is in the second spot, because he showed a lot of pitching ability and proved that he can pitch at this level rather easy.
In the number three spot newly acquired veteran Kevin Millwood, he should be a big help for himself and the young pitchers that pitch ahead of his spot and after his spot. Millwood and the Orioles should have a great season, as Millwood is a inning eater, and the Orioles are not used to that, so that should benefit them in the pitching department, mainly including giving the bullpen rest. So Millwood and his veteran presences should help the Orioles young pitchers to get a better understanding of what goes into pitching consistently at this level.
In the number four spot Brian Matusz who got his chance to show his stuff last season, after an injury to one of the Orioles starters. He showed a lot of poise, and surprised the Orioles with his magnificent pitching ability; he should help the Orioles big time in the upcoming season. He should benefit from this spot in the rotation, as he still has a lot to prove to the Orioles and the rest of the major leagues, so in this spot he should be able to relax and improve his pitching.
In the fifth and final spot Chris Tillman who started off his career on a high note with a win against a pretty good Angels team. He started to decline after that, as he only recorded one more win after that. Tillman hopes to take what he learned last season and turn it into something great for the upcoming season. He should have a big season, as he was a rookie in training last season, so he should be more aware of his surroundings in the major leagues and focus on getting better. This spot in the rotation should give Tillman time to watch and learn some pitching techniques from the pitchers that pitch in front of his spot, especially newly acquired Kevin Millwood.
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The Baltimore Orioles lineup going to look better rounded and more productive for the upcoming season. Let’s take a look at how the Orioles starting lineup will look for the season that is ahead of them.
Nick Markakis And Adam Jones Hope To Get The Orioles Line Up Back On Track.
At first base you will mostly see Garrett Atkins with that job, and he will also be a good utility guy.
At second base you will see the most loved player Brian Roberts who brings a lot of production for the Orioles and their lineup.
At shortstop you will have a gold glove caliber player Cesar Izturis, who is coming back for his second season with the Orioles, he should be more of a help for the Orioles this time around, as he has a season under his belt and he is more comfortable with the way the Orioles do things.
At third base (a position that he a has never played) the Orioles will welcome back All-Star player Miguel Tejada, his first go around with the Orioles he showed that he is a power hitter and has great fielding ability with a strong arm. Tejada is coming to the Orioles for his second time and he is going to be playing at a position he has never played before, he should be able to learn the position rather easy, as he is a ball player and will try anything to get in the lineup and shine no matter what position or spot in the lineup.
At catcher Matt Wieters will be more helpful this season, as he got his feet wet in the majors last season. This season Wieters should be more relaxed and ready to prove why he was the number one prospect.
In left field Nolan Reimold will be back for his second season in the majors, he showed a lot of promise last season with his ability to hit and field.
In center field Adam Jones, who won the gold glove for his play in the outfield last season. You will see a break out year from Jones this season, as he has proved that he is improving each time he bats or takes the field.
In right field Nick Markakis another one of the Orioles most prized hitters and has knack for making great plays in the outfield.
With a line up like this the Orioles should be able to do a lot of damage to the elite teams in the Major Leagues.
After a two-year exile to Houston, Miguel Tejada is returning to the Orioles as the new third baseman.
After a two-year hiatus, former Baltimore Orioles star Miguel Tejada is rejoining the O’s after agreeing to a one-year, $6-million contract according to a number of reports. He is expected to move from his traditional shortstop position to third base.
His first stint with the Orioles from 2004-2007 was full of offensive production, but was also not without controversy.
Tejada was a three-time All-Star for the Orioles. He led the American League with 150 RBIs in 2004 and paced the league with 50 doubles in 2005.
In four seasons with the O’s, Tejada hit .311 with 102 home runs and 429 runs batted in.
Tejada has been linked to the baseball steroid era and in 2009 was the first high-profile player convicted of a crime related to steroids.
Former teammate Rafael Palmeiro claimed that Tejada mistakenly injected him with a tainted substance in 2005, resulting in a positive steroid test for the former Baltimore first baseman. Read the rest of this entry →
Curt Motton spent parts of seven seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, but his biggest moment came in the 1969 ALCS.
Baltimore Sports Then and Now was very sorry to hear of the passing on January 21, 2010 of former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Curt Motton. In parts of seven seasons with the Orioles, Motton played in 268 games and hit .218 with 24 home runs.
Here is a link to a story about his life and death in the Baltimore Sun.
Motton is best remembered by Orioles fans for his game-winning hit in the second game of the 1969 American League Championship Series against the Minnesota Twins. Last September, Baltimore Sports Then and Now posted a feature on his heroics written by Matt Taylor from Roar from 34.
In memory of Motton we again print that feature. Baltimore Sports Then and Now also wants to express our condolences to Motton’s friends and family.
“The pitch was away on the outer part of the plate, and I did something I rarely did – I hit it to right field. I just wanted to make good contact and hoped things worked out.”
-Curt Motton, on his game-winning RBI single in the 1969 ALCS
Curt Motton played some outfield, but really he was a career pinch-hitter.
One of Motton’s most famous pinch hits – an 11th inning RBI single against the Twins forty years ago – carried the Orioles to a 1-0 victory in Game 2 of the 1969 ALCS. The O’s won the series 3-0.
A powerful pull hitter, Motton set what was then a major-league record in 1968 when he hit consecutive pinch-hit home runs. Motton’s power earned him his keep with Earl Weaver; however, his game-winning hit in the ‘69 ALCS was an uncharacteristic opposite-field single.
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