Detroit Shock-New York Liberty playoff gamer for the Detroit Free Press

(FRANK FRANKLIN II/AP)

Detroit guard Shannon Johnson is defended by the Liberty's Erin Thorn in the second half Friday night in New York.

GAME 1 | NEW YORK 73, DETROIT 51

Speedy Liberty dominates Shock; defending champs face elimination

August 25, 2007

BY DENIS GORMAN

FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER

NEW YORK -- Bill Laimbeer sat and stared in disgust.

His team, the defending WNBA champion, was being dismantled by a team that finished the regular season with a 16-18 record -- worst of all the playoff teams. His team, which boasted about dominating the league, was being dominated.

And now, after Friday night's 73-51 loss to the Liberty, the Shock is down, 1-0, in the best-of-three series and on the precipice of being eliminated from the playoffs.

"We didn't play basketball," said Laimbeer. "We didn't want it, basically. We didn't want it at all, and that was a little bit discouraging. We didn't have any desire to compete. We weren't cohesive as a ball club coming into this game. They have to find it in the next day and a half, and I hope they do."

For a team making its first playoff appearance since 2005, the Liberty did not back down before the defending champions. Rather, it was New York that controlled the tempo. It seemed as if the Liberty grabbed every loose ball and used its speed to get good looks against the Shock's zone defense. And the Liberty made those looks count, connecting on 40% of its shots from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.

"They're going to play geeked-up basketball, and we're going to have to match that intensity," Laimbeer said. "New York played hard; they played a hard-nosed basketball game like you are supposed to in the playoffs."

The Shock finished the first half with a 12-5 run that tied the game at 25. Most of that came from Shannon Johnson and Deanna Nolan; Johnson poured in nine points in the half, and Nolan -- who was named to the WNBA's All-Defensive First Team before the game -- added eight. Nolan finished with 16 points, Johnson with 11 and Ivory Latta with 10.

The momentum carried over into the second half. Swin Cash's putback 1:05 into the third quarter gave the Shock a 29-27 advantage, its first lead since 2-0.

The lead was short-lived. The Liberty went on a 23-3 run to take a 50-32 lead. New York, which led the WNBA in three-point shooting in the regular season with a .372 clip, made four threes and had a three-point play during the run. Shameka Christon led New York with 16 points. Cathrine Kraayeveld and Janel McCarville each scored 13.

Earlier in the day, the league announced that Detroit reserve center Tausha Mills was suspended without pay for Games 1 and 2 of the series because of violating the WNBA antidrug program. It's unclear what substance Mills was alleged to have taken, and director of public relations John Maxwell did not respond to an e-mail on the matter. Laimbeer said that both Mills and the team were informed about the suspension Thursday.

The Shock signed Mills as a free agent on Aug. 9, in response to losing star forward Cheryl Ford with a sprained knee. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Mills played five of the last six games -- missing the 87-77 loss to the Houston Comets on Aug. 16. She scored 15 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in 51 minutes.

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8/17/07 Portland Sea Dogs-Trenton Thunder game story for the Portland Press Herald

Horne, Trenton score a victory in pitchers' duel

Thunder starter Alan Horne does enough to stop Portland as Justin Masterson stumbles again.

By DENIS GORMAN, Special to the Press Herald
August 17, 2007

TODAY'S GAME

WHO: Portland Sea Dogs (Bowden 6-4) vs. New Britain Rock Cats (TBA)

WHEN: 7 p.m.

WHERE: Hadlock Field

TRENTON, N.J. -- Trenton's Alan Horne got the job done, and
Portland's Justin Masterson didn't.

That much was obvious Thursday night as Horne led the
Thunder to an 8-4 win over the Sea Dogs at Waterfront Park.

Horne (12-4) scattered three hits over six innings.

He allowed four runs -- three earned -- and struck out six. He
is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA in three starts against Portland this
season.

"(He had) good stuff," said Portland right fielder Cory Keylor.
"(His) fastball was alive. He's a good pitcher.

"His ERA and record show it. He threw well enough to win
tonight."

Then there was Masterson. In his first career start against the
Thunder, he gave up seven runs on 11 hits in a span of five
innings.

He faced the first four batters in the sixth but did not record an
out and has lost consecutive starts for the first time since May
27 and June 2, when he was with Class A Lancaster.

Masterson, the reigning Eastern League player of the month,
said he wasn't told much about Trenton but it wasn't a concern.

"I watched them Tuesday and looked at their stats and whatnot.
For me the biggest thing is the in-game adjustments," he said.
"As I go, I work my sinker and read off of that. That's the biggest
thing that helps me: see how guys swing.

"I might need to make adjustments early. That's how I go about
it."

No matter what adjustments he made Thursday, Masterson
never seemed comfortable on the mound.

He was spotted a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Aaron Bates' RBI
double.

The lead didn't last. In the second, P.J. Pilittere drove in two runs
with a bases-loaded single.

Gabriel Lopez followed with a run-scoring single of his own, as
did Reegie Corona.

The Sea Dogs (63-57) then began to chip away at the 4-1
deficit.

Jay Johnson's RBI single in the third cut into Trenton's lead, and
Keylor scored in the fourth inning when Corona committed an
error on John Otness' grounder to make it 4-3.

Andrew Pinckney drove a 1-0 fastball over the wall in right field
in the sixth for his 10th home run of the season and tied the
game at 4-all.

Masterson gave up RBI doubles to Matt Carson and Gabriel
Lopez in the bottom of the sixth inning before being pulled by
Manager Arnie Beyeler.

The bottom three in Trenton's lineup went 9 for 12 with six RBI
and scored five runs.

"Giving up seven runs isn't a lot of fun. (A lot of it) was ground
balls finding holes," Masterson said. "In a span of six days, it's
two bad outings."

The Thunder added a run in the eighth on Colin Curtis' RBI
single.

Today is a travel day for the Sea Dogs as they head back to
Portland.

They start a four-game series against New Britain tonight at
Hadlock Field.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127999&ac=PHspt

Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers

August 16, 2007 Portland Sea Dogs-Trenton Thunder game story for the Portland (Maine) Press-Herald

Dogs set up rubber game

Portland closes ground on first-place Trenton by ending a two-game skid.

BY DENIS GORMAN, Special to the Press Herald

August 16, 2007

TRENTON, N.J. — Portland Sea Dogs Manager Arnie Beyeler
doesn't differentiate between Justin Masterson and the rest of
his pitchers. His goal for them is the same.

"He's no different than any of the other guys we throw out there;
we hope to get a quality start," Beyeler said before Wednesday
night's 5-2 victory over the Trenton Thunder at Waterfront Park.

The Sea Dogs (63-56) ended a two-game losing streak and
moved within seven games of first-place Trenton in the Eastern
League Northern Division. Portland will try to win the rubber
game of the three-game series tonight with the 6-foot-6
Masterson on the mound.

Masterson has provided more than his share of "quality starts"
for the Sea Dogs. Since being called up from Class A Lancaster in
July, he is 4-1 with a 2.86 ERA in 44 innings.

In fact, Masterson has been so impressive, the Boston Red Sox
would not include him in a deal with the Chicago White Sox for
slugger Jermaine Dye at the trade deadline. Masterson admitted
that being in Boston's future plans is an ego boost.

"It puts an extra confidence factor there," he said. "It tells me
that they're doing something with me instead of 'have fun, have
fun' but 'hey, work on some stuff because we're looking to get
you up (to the major leagues),'..."

He said the Red Sox don't have him on a timetable to be in
Boston, but, "I worry about taking care of business (and) I'm
going to keep working hard until it does come."

Tommy Hottovy and Dusty Brown worked hard Wednesday to
help the Sea Dogs get a much-needed win.

The Thunder (71-50) opened the scoring with consecutive RBI
singles by Cody Ehlers and Matt Carson in the second inning off
Hottovy (3-8).

After that, Hottovy shut down the Thunder, allowing five hits in
six innings and lowering his ERA to 5.49.

The Sea Dogs broke through in the fourth inning on Brown's
three-run homer. He crushed a pitch from Chase Wright (4-2)
over the left-field wall for his ninth home run of the season, and
seventh on the road.

"(The homer was a) 2-1 change-up," Brown said. "I saw it pretty
(well) out of his hands, still got out a little in front and I got it off
the end of the bat. Sometimes you get hot in certain places."

In the seventh, Brown upped the Sea Dogs' lead to 5-2 with a
single off reliever Michael Gardner that scored Bryan Pritz.

Mike James gave up a walk and a double in the ninth before
shutting the door to earn his 20th save.

NOTES: Beyeler said Chad Spann was about a week
away from returning from the disabled list. ... Iggy Suarez
singled in the fourth and sixth innings to stretch his hitting
streak to 12 games, hitting .426 during that stretch. ... Home-
plate umpire Mark Buchanon's strike zone was a matter of
concern for both teams. Trenton Manager Tony Franklin and
second baseman Gabriel Lopez were ejected in top of second
inning for arguing that Buchanon was squeezing Wright on
breaking pitches that looked like strikes.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127783&ac=PHspt

Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers

August 15, 2007 Portland Sea Dogs-Trenton Thunder game story for the Portland (Maine) Press Herald

Errant throw costly to Dogs

Trenton takes advantage of an error in the 10th inning to push across a run to beat Portland, 4-3.

By DENIS GORMAN, Special to the Press Herald
August 15, 2007

TODAY'S GAME

WHO: Portland Sea Dogs (Tommy Hottovy 2-8) vs.

Trenton Thunder (Chase Wright 4-1)

WHEN: 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Waterfront Park, Trenton, N.J.

TRENTON, N.J. — It was an innocent grounder, an infield hit
at best.

And then, it wasn't.

Iggy Suarez fielded Mike Kinkade's slow grounder and threw the
ball past Aaron Bates in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing
Carlos Mendoza to score the winning run in Trenton's 4-3
victory over the Portland Sea Dogs in front of 6,277 at
Waterfront Park Tuesday night.

The Sea Dogs fell to 9-19 in one-run games and are eight
games behind the first-place Thunder in the Eastern League
Northern Division.

Mendoza, who entered the game in the eighth as a pinch runner
for first baseman Juan Miranda, doubled off Kyle Jackson (4-8)
with one out in the 10th. Kinkade, on a 2-2 pitch, beat out the
grounder to Suarez, and Mendoza scored when Suarez's throw
sailed into the Trenton dugout.

"It hurt coming off the field," said Suarez. "It was a routine
ground ball and I expect better from myself. It (stinks) to lose on
error, stinks to let (good) pitching go to waste.

"I rushed the throw; it was a routine grounder and I saw him
busting down the line and I rushed the throw."

Portland starter Chris Smith pitched effectively, going six innings
and allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four. His
ERA rose just slightly, from 3.74 to 3.79.

Hunter Jones scattered four hits and struck out two in 2⅓
innings, and Jackson only allowed Mendoza's double and
Kinkade's single while getting charged with an unearned run.

Trenton took a 2-0 lead in the second. Designated hitter Cody
Ehlers' double scored Kinkade. Matt Carson's infield single put
runners on the corners with one out for P.J. Pilittere, whose
sacrifice fly scored Ehlers.

Tyler Clippard made his second start for the Thunder after being
activated from the disabled list. In 22/3 innings, Clippard
allowed two runs on one hit, walked one and struck out four. He
was also directly responsible for the Sea Dogs' two-run third.

After striking out Andrew Pinckney and Suarez to start the
inning, Clippard walked Jeff Natale and hit Bryan Pritz in the
shoulder before getting lifted for Jason Jones.

Bubba Bell then doubled home both runners to tie the game.

Since being called up from Class A Lancaster on July 5, Bell is
hitting .271 (39 for 144), with five doubles, two triples, four
homers and 22 RBI in 33 games. Manager Arnie Beyeler said
Bell's presence has stabilized the middle of the lineup.

"Both (Bell and first baseman Bates) are good young players
(and) play hard every night. They can both drive the baseball and
their numbers show that. Bubba's been here for a few weeks and
he's been a real consistent producer for us in the middle of the
order," Beyeler said.

The Sea Dogs took the lead in the fourth. With one out and
runners at first and third, Natale drove in Dusty Brown with a
sacrifice fly to give Portland a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Gabriel Lopez doubled to center
to score Pilittere and tie the game again.

Copyright © 2007 Blethen Maine Newspapers


http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=127571&ac=PHspt

2005 feature on Baltimore Orioles' second baseman Brian Roberts for the Chapel Hill News and Advocate

Writer's note: During a search of my documents, I found this feature. Since I wrote it before creating this site, I felt like I should include the piece. --Denis Gorman

American League second baseman Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles attempts to throw out National League’s Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets at first base after diving to stop Beltran’s single during the third inning of the 2005 MLB All-Star Game on July 12. He went without an error in his first 52 games of 2004, helping him to lock up a spot in the Orioles’ starting lineup.

B-Rob still shines for Baltimore

The CHHS grad has cooled off a bit since the All-Star
break, but Brian Roberts remains a star for the Orioles.

By DENIS GORMAN, CORRESPONDENT

BALTIMORE — These are not heady times for the Baltimore Orioles.

On top of the world, and the American League East, barely more than a month ago, the Orioles are 11 games off the pace for the AL wildcard.

Heading into Tuesday’s game with Tampa Bay, Baltimore (53-58) had lost 18 of its last 22 games.

The month of August has been the worst, and not just because the Orioles began it dropping five of seven games and firing manager Lee Mazzilli. They also had to witness star hitter Rafael Palmeiro being suspended for 10 days after testing positive for steroids. The revelation rocked all of Major League Baseball, but it shook the Orioles the most, and now the team seems almost devoid of hope.

“It’s not the kind of week that you want to have very often, that’s for sure,” said second baseman Brian Roberts, who played at Chapel Hill High School and UNC before making it to the big league. “I don’t think anybody really saw it coming.”

One of baseball’s most explosive offenses finds itself struggling to hit, to say nothing of scoring runs. The starting pitching, historically a Baltimore strength, has been hit hard in recent weeks, both figuratively (a 5.33 ERA for the month of July) and literally (Sidney Ponson and Daniel Cabrera left games last week, after being hit by batted balls). And a taxed bullpen hasn’t held anyone in check.

The Orioles’ hot start to the 2005 season has become a distant memory, as Baltimore seems destined for another postseason spent watching other teams battle in the playoffs.

But despite the gloom that surrounds one of baseball’s glamour franchises, there are rays of light. Brian Roberts is one of those.

At 5-feet-8, 175 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes and a sly grin, Roberts still looks more like someone’s kid brother than a major league second baseman.

But, when he takes the field, it’s apparent why he’s on the verge of supplanting Alfonso Soriano as the American League’s best second baseman — and why he started for the A.L. in the All-Star game in mid-July.

Offensively, BRob, as he’s called by his teammates, has posted staggering numbers, despite a slight slowing since the all-star break: a team-leading .325 batting average, 135 hits, 30 doubles, 20 stolen bases, 52 extra-base hits, 17 home runs and five triples.

“It started off probably better than it’s going right now. You don’t expect to start off quite as good as I did,” Roberts said.

A right-handed batter, Roberts’ level swing allows him to spray the ball to all fields. He’s patient at the plate, where he’s compiled a .402 on-base percentage, fourth overall in the American League.

Defensively, he’s just as good, having committed only four errors through Baltimore’s first 104 games.

For casual observers, Roberts’ 2005 season has been a revelation. But a closer examination of his career statistics shows that Roberts’ numbers have improved every season.

In 2004, Roberts’ first season as the everyday second baseman, he hit .273 with 50 doubles, 53 RBI, 56 extra-base hits and 29 stolen bases. Before that, Roberts and Jerry Hairston Jr. split time at second base. It was tough for both because they were close friends who wanted to play every day.

“Anyone who plays this game knows how difficult it is, even when the job is yours,” Roberts said. “It’s a frustrating game. If you’re worried about going 0-for-15 and not playing for a week after that, it’s hard.”

On the rise

Roberts’ story, like any worth telling, wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if there wasn’t an obstacle to overcome.

He’s triumphed over two; one life-threatening, and the other still causes him and his family pain and confusion.

When Roberts was five, he was diagnosed with a hole in his heart. Doctors were able to surgically repair the defect, but the lasting result was intangible.

Roberts, maybe more than any other Oriole, can relate to the sick children he visits.

“I don’t know if I appreciate (baseball and the ancillary things that come with it) more than anyone else; I certainly see, when I visit a kid, that life can be a lot different than it is,” he said. “I obviously feel very fortunate and very blessed. I appreciate everything I’ve been allowed to do.”

After graduating from Chapel Hill High School, Roberts enrolled at the UNC, where his father, Mike, was the baseball coach.

Brian won honors as the 1997 NCAA Freshman of the Year, but UNC fired his father after the season. Upset with the university’s decision, Roberts transferred to the University of South Carolina.

To this day, father and son say they don’t understand why North Carolina fired Mike.

On the other hand

Miguel Tejada is considered one of the 10 best players in the game. At 5-9, 215 pounds, without an ounce of fat on his body, Tejada looks as if he is built out of granite. If Michelango’s David came to life, he’d bear a resemblance to Tejada.

He plays baseball’s glamour position, shortstop. He’s among the American League leaders in eight offensive categories.

Indisputably, he’s the Orioles’ most important player.

Except...

Tejada doesn’t think so. In his mind, the player Baltimore can least afford to lose is the one he sees over on the other side of second base.

“He’s great,” Tejada said of Roberts. “He does everything. I’m really comfortable (playing with him). We’ve been here last year and this year. We are where we are because of him. It’s not easy to find a good leadoff man in this game, and he’s (played well) this year. He’s the reason we’ve done so (well).”

Roberts laughed off Tejada’s comments.

“It’s nice of Miggy to say something like that,” Roberts said. “I don’t think it’s true. We have guys — a lot of guys — who make other guy’s jobs easier. That’s how a good team should be: Everyone should fill a role.

“It’s a good place to be, when you’re in a lineup with Melvin Mora, Tejada, Javy Lopez, Sammy Sosa. It makes my job a little easier.”