Houston and Rice Win NCAA Openers

The Houston Cougars and Rice Owls both rallied late Friday night to win their opening games in the NCAA tournament.

In Baton Rouge, Houston won on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning.  The Cougars knocked off Bryant 3-2.  They will face Regional host LSU and Anthony Nola on Saturday night at 7 pm.

In Houston, Rice scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come from behind and defeat George Mason, 7-2.  George Mason had scored twice in the top of the eighth to take a 2-1 lead.  Rice is scheduled to meet Texas for the fourth time this season Saturday night at 7 pm.

My Son is Gonna be the Next Tebow

I recently was forwarded a link to this article about youth sports.  Reading it inspired the following poetic attempt.  The basic premise of the poem is that a father is responding to advice from his pastor to dial back on youth sports for his son.

My Son is Gonna Be the Next Tebow

What's that, pastor? Yes, I think he's old enough
To focus on a goal like this although the way is tough
There's many roads to some things
But to greatness, there's just one
And greatness is the only thing that I'll take for my son

My son is gonna be the next Tebow
I believe that that's what God has planned
I've had a vision of his right arm
Bringing glory to Jesus
All throughout the land

I hear your concerns for his health and his head
The sport my son's called to is violence-fed
When hits make him weak,
He will be in the hand
Of the One who is stronger than we understand

What of his time with family?
Will he have room for friends?
I know he only has a finite count of hours to spend
Yet, if he spends those hours with his eyes set upon God's side,
I'm confident those other things, Our Father will provide.

My son is gonna be the next Tebow
I believe that that's what God has planned
I've had a vision of his right arm
Bringing glory to Jesus
All throughout the land

I hear what you're saying, Reverend
But I disagree
And raising of my son, you know, is really up to me
He has gift to use, a mission to fulfill
We will not be distracted as we do the Father's will.

La Tortuga Back with Astros' Organization

Slowly and surely, Erick Abreu made his way back to the Houston farm system.  Abreu, affectionately known as La Tortuga in some quarters, is listed as a bullpen coach for the Astros Dominican League entry which begins play on Saturday.

Abreu,30, spent four seasons(2009-2012) pitching in the Astros' system.  His time with the Houston organization peaked at AAA; however, he pitched a large majority of his innings for the AA Corpus Christi Hooks.  He leads the Corpus Christi franchise in career wins(23), strikeouts(302), and appearances(127).

Watch the Owls or watch the Cougars? The Choice is Yours Friday

Rice and Houston's baseball teams are kicking off their NCAA Tournament appearances at the same time on Friday night, and both games are viewable online via ESPN 3.   The Cougars and Owls are scheduled to play at 7 pm Houston time.

Houston will be in Baton Rouge where they will take on the Bryant Bulldogs from the Northeast Conference. Rice will host George Mason from the Atlantic 10 at Reckling Park.

NOTE:  Brett Dolan(@brettdolan24) is slated to be calling the games in Baton Rouge.

Scarborough HS Remembers

It was nice to see that Scarborough High School made use of its marquee board in a special way today to commemorate Memorial Day.  I was so impressed that I made a special trip with the camera to be able to share it.

Thanks to Scarborough and to those who have sacrificed their lives for our country over the years.

Cougars Headed to Baton Rouge

The Houston Cougars baseball team will be headed to Baton Rouge for this weekend's NCAA Regional.  The Cougars(44-15) are the #2 seed in the regional being held on LSU's campus.

Houston plays Northeast Conference Champion, Bryant Friday.  The Bulldogs from Rhode Island are 42-14.  LSU and Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana are the other two schools in the regional.

Houston's crosstown rival, Rice will face George Mason in the first game of the Houston regional at Reckling Park on Friday night.  Rice and George Mason are joined by Texas and Texas A&M in the regional.

The winners of the Baton Rouge and Houston regionals are slated to face in the Super Regional round.  That round will take place between June 6-9 at a site to be determined.

Cougars and Owls Headed to the Regionals

The Houston Cougars(44-15) and Rice Owls(41-18) won their respective conference tournaments and will be participating in the Regional round of the NCAA Baseball Tournament this weekend.  Rice's Reckling Park will serve as a regional host between Friday and Monday(June 2).  Houston will find out their assignment Monday morning at 11 am on ESPNU.

Houston knocked off Louisville 10-4 in Clearwater, Florida.  The win gave the Cougars the American Athletic Conference Tournament title.

Rice defeated UT-San Antonio 11-5 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to claim the C-USA Tournament crown. The Owls have won that title six times.

This Skeeter is Going to be a Chihuahua

According to Ira Liebman on the Skeeters' broadcast on ESPN 3 on Thursday night, Sugar Land pitcher Michael Nix has been picked up by the San Diego Padres and will join AAA El Paso.  Nix, who spent time with Sugar Land for three straight seasons, posted a 2.00 ERA over five starts(27 IP) in 2014.

Nix was interviewed on the air during Thursday's game and indicated that he will be starting for the Chihuahuas Saturday night in Tacoma.  He joins a Chihuahua rotation that includes another former Skeeter, Jason Lane.

Nix, 31, was purchased by the White Sox from Sugar Land during the 2013 season. He has also spent time in the Atlanta and Colorado organizations during 10 seasons in the minors.

Lyles Finally Gets to Pitch in Atlanta

Jordan Lyles, who is off to a 5-1 start with a 3.50 ERA for Colorado will pitch tonight in Atlanta for the first time in his career.  The Rockies website has a story about his homecoming.

Lyles grew up in Hartsville, South Carolina, which is about 300 miles from Atlanta, and a large contingent of his family and friends are making the trip to Turner Field.

When he was with Houston, Lyles made his first start at Minute Maid Park against Atlanta in June 2011. Although he traveled to Atlanta with the Astros, he never got the opportunity to pitch.

It Just Got Easier to Follow Spartan Basketball

If you have been following me on Twitter for a while, you might know that I follow the high school basketball team in my neighborhood, Scarborough.  While the 2014-15 season is still about six months away, the Spartans coach, Martin Wall has just launched a site for fans of the team.  

One of the highlights is next season's schedule.   You may want to mark November 18 on your calendar.

Catching Up With a Distant Skeeter-Dustin Martin

For the second season in a row, Dustin Martin made the move from Sugar Land to the Mobile Bay Bears, and for the second season in a row, the outfielder is performing well with the Diamondbacks' AA affiliate. Martin, 30, is batting .290 with three RBI in 10 games for Mobile.  He left the Skeeters about two weeks ago.

Martin, who previously spent time in the Minnesota and Mets organizations, made the move from Sugar Land to Mobile in May of 2013 as well.  He had a .295 batting average with 12 stolen bases, 25 extra-base hits and 29 RBI in 73 games.

Going to a Skeeters' Game Could Save You 23 Minutes

I recently heard Charlie Pallilo on SportsTalk 790 in Houston criticizing the length of Major League baseball games. His launching point was an Astros' game in Anaheim that didn't finish until close to 1 a.m. Houston time.

Upon hearing Pallilo's comments, I remembered that the Atlantic League, which includes the Sugar Land Skeeters, made efforts last season to speed up their games.  The goal of the initiative was to make games more fan friendly.

My understanding is that the Atlantic League's procedures to quicken the game are still being used this season. In light of this fact, I decided to research the length of games thus far in 2014 to see how long those contests are lasting at Minute Maid Park and Constellation Field.

Based on the box scores, here is what I found:

The Astros have played 25 home games so far in 2014.  These games have taken a total of 4869 minutes. Taking into account extra innings, the average nine innings at Minute Maid Park have lasted 3:13.

Through Wednesday's contest, the Skeeters have played 13 home games so far in 2014.  These games have taken a total of 2235 minutes.  Taking into account extra innings, the average nine innings at Constellation Field have lasted 2:50.

Real Fun Starts Today in College Baseball

Division I college baseball conference tournament play begins in earnest Wednesday.  Four tournaments will include teams from Houston and its nearby areas:

Conference USA(Wednesday-Sunday in Hattiesburg, Mississippi)

Top 25 team in field(per Baseball America): Rice #17

American Athletic Conference(Wednesday-Sunday in Clearwater, Florida)

Top 25 teams in field: Louisville #12, Houston #16

Big XII Conference(Wednesday-Sunday in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Top 25 teams in field: TCU #13, Kansas #21, Texas #22, Texas Tech #23

Southland Conference(Thursday-Sunday in Conway, Arkansas)

Top 25 team in field: Sam Houston State #25

Nannini Falls in First Start Back

Mike Nannini's first step back as a professional pitcher was a bit rocky.  Nannini, who last pitched professionally in May 2008, allowed nine hits and six runs in four innings in his first start for the Amarillo Sox Sunday night.  He absorbed the loss in the loss against Winnipeg.

Mike Nannini slated to start Sunday night in Amarillo

Mike Nannini is slated to start his comeback as a professional pitcher Sunday night in Amarillo.  Nannini, who has been out of organized baseball since May of 2008,  is scheduled to start for the Amarillo Sox against Winnipeg according to the Sox Twitter feed.

The game's first pitch will be thrown at 6:05 pm.(Central Time).  The Sox are offering free game admission to all fans; however, if you can't make it to Amarillo in time, the radio broadcast can be accessed through the Sox website.

Consider Houston Food Bank's Empty Bowls Event

On Saturday, May 17 from 11 am to 3 pm The Houston Food Bank will be holding its Empty Bowls event.  This is one of the more unique fundraising events that I have ever attended.  If you are in Houston, please consider attending Empty Bowls.  The event takes place at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002.

What is Empty Bowls?

Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort by artists and craftspeople in cities and towns across the country to feed the hungry in their communities. Empty Bowls Houston is presented by Whole Foods Market and implemented locally by Houston-area ceramists and artists working in various media, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and Houston Food Bank.  

The event includes lunch, kid friendly activities, a unique collection of bowls and a chance to support the work of The Houston Food Bank.  You can read more about Empty Bowls Houston here.

NOTE: The pictures in this post are of bowls collected at previous Empty Bowls events.  They are a small sample of the variety of work that is created for the fundraiser.

After Almost Six Years Away, Ex-Legend Nannini is Back on the Mound

After being away from the game for almost six years, Mike Nannini, who was a member of the first Lexington Legends team in 2001, is attempting a comeback as a professional pitcher.  Nannini, whose 15 wins in 2001 is still a single season best for the Legends franchise, is on the roster for the Amarillo Sox of the American Association, an independent league.  He currently is listed as inactive on the league website's roster page.

Nannini,33, was drafted 37th over-all by Houston in the 1998 draft.  He parted ways with the Astros organization after spending 2002 at AA Round Rock.  He pitched for eight different organizations over the next five seasons, topping out with 63 AAA outings.  His last appearance in professional baseball came when he made six appearances for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League early in the 2008 season.

Amarillo begins play at home Thursday night against the Winnipeg Goldeneyes.  The Sox's 100-game schedule wraps up September 1.  It includes stops in Texas, Kansas, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, and Missouri.

Gary Majewski Records 50th Save as a Skeeter

Gary Majewski recorded his 50th save as a Sugar Land Skeeter Tuesday night against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.  Majewski, who was making his first appearance since a brief stint in the Mexican League, allowed one hit and struck out two in one inning of work.

Top 25 College Showdown Slated for Constellation Field

If the weather cooperates, Constellation Field will host a top 25 college baseball game Tuesday night.  The University of Houston(39-13) and Rice University(34-16) are scheduled to wrap up their three game season series at 6:30 pm tonight in Sugar Land.  The Cougars won the first two games of the series.

Both schools are rated in the top 25 by numerous publications.  Baseball America has Rice at #14 and Houston at #16.

This is the final weekend of college baseball's regular season, so both teams are preparing for their conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament.

Rice has a one game lead in Conference USA.  They host Louisiana Tech Thursday through Saturday at Reckling Park.

Houston is in third place in the American Athletic Conference.  They finish their season with three games against Temple Thursday-Saturday in Camden, New Jersey.

Majewski is Back with the Skeeters

The original Sugar Land Skeeter's trip to Mexico didn't last very long. After just two appearances with Piratas de Campeche, right-handed closer Gary Majewski has returned to the Sugar Land Skeeters.

Majewski, 34, is the Skeeters' franchise leader in career saves and appearances.  He was released by the Mexican League Piratas after posting a 20.25 ERA in 1 1/3 innings.

Lyles Goes to 5-0 with Win in Cincinnati

Jordan Lyles moved his season record to 5-0 with a lop-sided victory for Colorado in Cincinnati Saturday night.  The Rockies gave Lyles plenty of run support in an 11-2 victory over the Reds.

Lyles pitched six innings, allowing four hits and two runs.  He struck out eight and saw his season ERA increase slightly to 2.66.

Shuck Gets Back to Hitting in AAA

J.B. Shuck got right back into the business of hitting the ball after being demoted to AAA by the Angels last weekend.  Shuck, who spent about a month with the Angels, had multiple hits in each of his first five games after returning to the Salt Lake Bees.

Shuck is 11 for 21 so far in this stint with the Bees.  He has three doubles, three RBI and four runs scored.  Shuck spent a little under a month with the Angels and struggled to a .173 average in 81 at bats during that time.

Two Ex-Legends are Coming to Lexington's "Neighborhood" this Weekend

Hey, Legends fans, with the club on the road Saturday, why not take a trip up I-75 to watch a few of the hottest former Legends take on the Reds at Great America Ballpark? 

Jordan Lyles, who started 26 games for Lexington in 2009, is slated to take the mound in the Rockies' game at Cincinnati on Saturday night.  Traded to Colorado prior to this season, Lyles is off to a 4-0 start with a 2.62 ERA in seven starts.  Lyles has not pitched in Cincinnati since April 2012, when he was with Houston.

Brandon Barnes, a Legend in 2008 and 2009, will be in Cincinnati this weekend as well.  He has started 13 games in the Colorado outfield this season.  He is batting .357 with six extra-base hits in 70 total at bats.

Rice Product Matt Langwell Takes Hill at Constellation Field Tonight

Matt Langwell, who pitched for Rice University in 2007 and 2008 will start Tuesday's game at Sugar Land's Constellation Field for the Somerset Patriots.  Langwell made his major league debut in 2013, appearing in a total of 13 games with Cleveland and Arizona.  However, he was released by Arizona near the end of spring training and started 2014 with Somerset of the Atlantic League. 

Langwell was drafted by Cleveland after spending two seasons in the Rice rotation.  He recorded 13 wins as an Owl and participated in the College World Series in Omaha at the end of both seasons. 

In addition to starting the game, Langwell will be celebrating his birthday in Sugar Land as well.  He turns 28 today.

It Looks Like an Original Skeeter Has Said "Adios!"

According to the Atlantic League website, the number of original Skeeters still on the team has fallen by one.  The site reports that pitcher Gary Majewski was sold to the Mexican League on April 30.

Majewski, a Houston native, has been with the Skeeters continuously since they began play in April 2012.  He has made 120 relief appearances and recorded 49 saves for the franchise.

Majewski's departure would leave infielder Dominic Ramos as the longest-tenured current Skeeter.  Ramos was first activated by Sugar Land on May 14, 2012.

UPDATE: Majewski has shown up with Piratas de Campeche.

The Legend of Jordan Lyles Finds a New Audience

Jordan Lyles has prompted a re-recording of The Legend of Jordan Lyles with his fast start for the Colorado Rockies.

After spring training, Lyles was assigned to AAA Colorado Springs; however, an injury to one of the Rockies' five starters gave a Major League opening to Lyles.  He has taken advantage of the opportunity.  In six April starts, the 23 year-old had a 2.70 ERA over 36 2/3 IP.  He posted a 3-0 record for Colorado. 

The former Astro has also taken advantage of being back in the National League. For the month, he was 4 for 14 at the plate with a double and an impressive home run.

You can hear the original March 2010 recording of The Legend of Jordan Lyles here.

Both versions are the property of Mike Tauser. Used with permission.