What's Up with Spartan Basketball?

For various reasons, I haven't been as diligent this year in updating information about the Scarborough Spartan basketball team and their performance under new head coach, Julius Jackson. As 2017 approaches, here is what I know about the season so far.

Results(I have been able to find the results from 10 of the team's 12 games):

vs. Northbrook-W
at St. Thomas-L
vs. Sam Houston-W
at Houston Austin-?

YMBL Tournament in Beaumont
vs. Beaumont Ozen-L
vs. FB Ridgepoint-L
vs. Houston Austin- ?

vs. Worthing*-L

Houston ISD Tournament
vs. Kashmere-W
vs. Sam Houston-L
vs. Chavez-W
vs. Heights-L

Missing two games, I have the Spartans with a 3-7 record. They are 0-1 in their lone district game* to this point.

NEXT WEEK: The Spartans are slated to play in the Barbers Hill Gulf Coast Classic, December 27-29.  As best I can tell, they will play Houston Furr, Aldine Davis, Dayton, Cy-Ranch and two other schools during this tournament.

UPDATED INFORMATION on Barbers Hill Tournament
12/27
8 am vs. Furr
2 pm vs. Cy Ranch
12/28
8 am vs. Dayton
3:30  vs. Aldine Davis
12/29
TBA

What about Delmar Fieldhouse?

UPDATE on January 6, 2017:

I am not sure what is up with Delmar Fieldhouse, but the HISD website indicates that all the games that were scheduled to be played there this season have been moved to other venues.  Apparently, the open of the facility is being delayed. If this is an accurate assumption, the following information is obsolete.

The Spartans continue district play once 2017 arrives.  Five district games are scheduled to be played at the new and improved Delmar Fieldhouse- assuming that facility is ready for use.  The Delmar dates?

Monday, January 10, 6 pm vs. Washington
Friday, January 27, 7:30 pm vs. North Forest
Saturday, February 4, 1:00 pm vs. Washington
Tuesday, February 7, 4:30 pm vs. Yates
Wednesday, February 15, 6:00 pm vs. Wheatley

The 2016-17 Spartans

The Scarborough basketball season gets rolling this week (see schedule here), and according to the school's online newsletter, here is the team's roster.

Dre Farwell
Quinton Hudson
Calvin Irving
Ladarius Jackson
Kevin Johnson
Malik McGee
Jimmy Ortega
Jordan Thompson
Damani Wheeler

Information on Recapture as it Pertains to HISD

If you live in the Houston ISD, like I do, there is a good chance you have heard something about the upcoming vote on Recapture.  Below are three videos that present information about "Proposition 1".  The first video is from an organization called HISD Parent Advocates.  The second video was produced by the Houston ISD.  The third is an advertisement featuring Houston mayor Sylvester Turner. 

[BREAKING] Major contributors to @SylvesterTurner‘s #HISD #Prop1 PAC are massive suppliers to @HoustonTX/@HoustonISD https://t.co/QXghZgPRuy pic.twitter.com/VOWlvqTh18

— HISD ParentAdvocates (@HISD_Parents) November 3, 2016

Van Hekken is Back in South Korea AND he's in the play-offs

After starting the season with the Seibu Lions in Japan, Andy Van Hekken is back in Korea pitching for the Nexen Heroes as they prepare to participate in the KBO post-season.

Van Hekken and Heroes start a five game semi-final series against the LG Twins Thursday morning (October 13) at 5:30 am (Holland, MI time).  I have not seen a listing of when Van Hekken will start for the Heroes. NOTE: According to myKBO.net, Van Hekken will pitch in Game 2 at 5:30 a.m. Friday (Michigan time)

Van Hekken spent the first three plus months of the season pitching for Seibu of Japan's Pacific League.  His results there were less than satisfactory for Seibu's management who released Van Hekken in July.

After his release, Van Hekken returned to Korea to join the Heroes, for whom he pitched in 2012-2015.  This season for the Heroes, he logged 72 innings pitched in 12 starts, posting a 3.38 ERA, seven quality starts and a 7-3 win-loss record.

It Has Been a While

After San Francisco's elimination on Tuesday night, the teams remaining in the play-off chase are all distantly removed from their most recent titles.

Toronto Blue Jays
Last World Series appearance AND title- 1993

NOTE: 1993 was also the last major professional championship(NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL) for the city of Toronto as well.  It should be added that the Toronto Argonauts have won four Grey Cups since then.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Last World Series appearance and title- 1988

Cleveland Indians
Last World Series appearance- 1997
Last World Series title- 1948

Chicago Cubs
Last World Series appearance- 1948
Last World Series title-1908

Washington Nationals
Have not appeared in the World Series the franchise's creation in 1969 as the Montreal Expos. Montreal appeared in the NLCS once in 1981.

NOTE: Washington, D.C.'s teams have not won a major professional title since the football team won the Super Bowl in 1992.

SECOND NOTE: The original Washington Senators(now the Minnesota Twins) appeared in three World Series(1924, 1925, and 1933), winning one in 1924.

I hope Charlie Pallilo Stays in Houston

I, for one, was bummed to learn that Charlie Pallilo's time at KBME has ended.  Due to my personal preferences and my schedule on most days, I listened to Charlie more than any other sports talk host in town.  I will miss hearing him on the radio and hope he lands somewhere within earshot.

To this day, my favorite Charlie Pallilo memory is still the time right after 9/11.  For several weeks after those tragic events, Charlie and Rich Lord turned their show (I believe it was on 610 at that time) into an opportunity for listeners to talk about the effect 9/11 had on their lives.  Not much sports was discussed, but I (and I hope many others) benefited from it greatly.

Scarborough Basketball is About Five Weeks Away

The Scarborough Spartans basketball team, under new head coach Julius Jackson, begins a new season five weeks from Friday.  As you can on the schedule (viewable at this link), the club is slated to play six games at the new Delmar Fieldhouse.

Skeeters Punch Play-off Ticket

The Sugar Land Skeeters assured the third play-off berth in franchise history with a win over Southern Maryland Friday night at Constellation Field.  With the win, the Skeeters clinched at least a share of the Freedom Division's second half title with two games left in the regular season.  They lead second-place York, the division's first half winner, by two games.

Sugar Land will host York in the first two games of the Freedom Division play-offs next Tuesday and Wednesday (September 20 and 21).  Games three, four and five of the series are scheduled for York on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Skeeters Could Clinch Play-off Berth Tonight

Sugar Land can clinch its third play-off berth in five years of existence with a victory over Southern Maryland tonight.  The game at Constellation Field is currently tied at 3 in the sixth inning.

With a win tonight(or Saturday or Sunday over the Blue Crabs), the Skeeters would clinch no worse than a tie with York in the Freedom Divsion's second half race.  Since York was the division's first half winner, a second half tie between Sugar Land and the Revolution would result in Sugar Land representing the division in the play-offs as its second half co-champion.

If Sugar Land makes the play-offs in any form or fashion, they will face York.  Sugar Land won their season series with York 12 games to eight.

The Skeeters CAN miss the play-offs; however, it would require a substantial number of things to go wrong for them:

Skeeters lose their last three games vs. Southern Maryland
York wins their last two games vs. Long Island
And
New Britain wins at least one of their last two games vs. Somerset

Skeeters Final Week Play-off Update

Heading into Wednesday night's games the Skeeters are still battling for their play-off lives.  With five games in the regular season, Sugar Land is now tied with York for the second-half Freedom Division title.

If you the Skeeters don't win that title, they will likely need to hold off New Britain (in over-all record) for a Wild Card position.  They currently lead New Britain by one game in that race.

What is the worst-case scenario for the Skeeters?

Bridgeport currently trails Somerset by two games in the race for the Liberty Division's second half title.  If Bridgeport overcomes Somerset, and York defeats the Skeeters in the Freedom Division race, Somerset and Sugar Land would be vying against each other for a Wild Card spot.  Somerset currently holds a 4 game lead over Sugar Land in over-all record.

Skeeters Play-off Status to be Determined in Season's Final Week

The Skeeters close out their 2016 regular season with a seven-game homestand that will determine whether or not the team makes the post-sesason.  Beginning Monday in Sugar Land, the club will host Long Island for three games and Southern Maryland for four.

Entering the season's final week, the Skeeters trail York by 1/2 game in the race for the Freedom Division's second half title.  If Sugar Land can't beat out York for the second half crown, they will need to hold off New Britain for a wild card spot in order to qualify for the post-season.  New Britain currently trails the Skeeters by one game in the wild card race.

York finishes their season with three games at Lancaster and four games vs. Long Island.

New Britain wraps the regular season with three games at Southern Maryland and four games vs. Somerset.

NOTE: There is the slightest chance that the Skeeters would have to beat out Somerset for the wild card. If that becomes a stronger possibility, I will post more.

Skeeters Quickly Losing Ground in Play-off Race

As I prepare to post this, the Sugar Land Skeeters are taking the field at Southern Maryland with the aim of avoiding a further decline in their post-season positioning.  The Skeeters have lost 11 of their last 12 games, and heading into tonight's games, they are tied with New Britain for the Atlantic League's Wild Card spot.

The Skeeters have a three-game set at Southern Maryland. They complete the regular season with a seven-game homestand next week.

Skeeters Struggling, Still have Strong Status for Post-Season

The Skeeters have struggled since I last posted about their pursuit of the play-offs in this space. However, Sugar Land's hometown team is still in a strong position to bring the Atlantic League post-season back to town after a one year hiatus.

The Skeeters have lost seven of their last eight games and now hold only a one game lead over York in the Freedom Division's second half race.  The Skeeters have 14 games remaining on a schedule that concludes two weeks from today on September 18.

If Sugar Land holds off York, they will qualify for the third post-season berth in the franchise's five-year history.  It will also be the club's first such appearance since 2014.

If Sugar Land falls behind York, and the Revolution win the second half title, the Skeeters' play-off chances become a bit more complicated.

If York wins the second half, they would be the first and second half champion of the division.  This occurrence would lead to the creation of a wild card position to determine the fourth play-off team. Per Atlantic League rules, the wild card is the team with the best full season record among the teams that have not already qualified for the post-season as a half-season champion.

In the event that a York second half title necessitates the creation of a wild card position, the question of who wins the second half in the Liberty Division becomes a pertinent one to Sugar Land's post-season aspirations.  At the moment, Somerset, Bridgeport and New Britain are all in a position to claim the Liberty Division.  If their hopes rest on a wild card berth, the Skeeters would need to be better than the two of these three teams that don't win the second half Liberty Division title.

The full season standings heading into Sunday's games read as follows:

Somerset- 68-58 - ---------
Sugar Land- 67-59 - 1
New Britain- 64-63- 4 1/2
Bridgeport- 58- 68- 10

Based on these standings, the Skeeters' best chance at landing a wild card berth lie with Somerset winning the second half Liberty Division.  In this case, the Skeeters record compared with New Britain and Bridgeport would be to their advantage.

It looks like Brad Peacock will Fall Short

I just heard that Brad Peacock has been optioned back to Fresno today.  With this development, it becomes impossible for Peacock to be arbitration eligible after this season.

Even if Peacock were recalled tomorrow and stayed up until the end of the regular season, he would end the season with 2 years and 171 days of service time.  One day short of three years.

He would be ineligible for Super Two status since he has not been on the MLB roster for at least 86 days this season.

Skeeters Closing in on play-off Return

With 22 games remaining in the regular season, the Sugar Land Skeeters are closing in on a second half Freedom Division title and the play-off berth that goes with it.  The Skeeters have a five game lead over York, and they have no head to head games remaining with the Revolution.

The Skeeters, who are aiming for the franchise's third play-off berth and first since 2014, have 14 home games and eight road games left on their schedule.  The regular season concludes on September 18, with the post-season beginning shortly thereafter.

No Room For Error for Brad Peacock

NOTE: I am 93.8% sure that the math in this post is accurate.

If Brad Peacock is going to become arbitration eligible at the end of the 2016 season, he has no room for error and, for that matter, no room for another trip to Fresno.

Houston promoted Peacock to the Major Leagues today.  At the time of his promotion, Peacock had accumulated 2 years and 127 days of major league service time.  Including today, there are 45 days left in the 2016 regular season.

If Peacock stays on the Astros' active roster continuously from now until the end of the season, he will have a total of 2 years and 172 days of MLB service time.  172 days equals one year of MLB service time, so Peacock with 2 years and 172 days (3 years) would be arbitration eligible heading into the off-season.

You ask,   "Would Peacock have a shot at being a Super Two arbitration eligible player if he falls a few days short of 172 days?"  That is a great question, but the answer is no.  

Hypothetically, if Peacock ended the year with 2 years and 171 days of service time, he could not become a Super Two arbitration candidate.  Why?  To be a Super Two candidate in the 2016 off-season Peacock would need to have at least 86 days of service time in the 2016 season.  At this point , Peacock can not accumulate the needed 86 days of service time this season.

No offense, Fresno, but I'm guessing Brad Peacock doesn't even want to see you for one day between now and October 2.

Are the Brewers Rebuilding the RIGHT Way?

In case you missed the news, David Stearns and the Milwaukee Brewers are in full-on rebuilding mode.  Most notably, this rebuild has resulted in a greatly fortified minor league system. MLB.com recently bestowed on them the honor of having the top farm system in all of baseball.

However, despite the evidence of change in Brew Town, I can't help but think that Milwaukee is falling far short of rebuilding the right way.  My evidence is presented below.

1. How can you rebuild without having at least one Number 1 overall pick?

Over the past three seasons, the Brewers top picks have been #5, #15, and #12.  They are in  line to be in the top 10 in 2017 as well.  However, is a TRUE rebuild possible without a Number 1 overall?

2. How can you rebuild without a handful of 100 loss seasons?

94 losses last year and probably about the same this year is disappointing indeed.  However, a few triple digit season are necessary to get TRUE fans into the proper Future-looking mindset.

3. How can you build future big league championships without a slew of minor league titles?

Only one Brewers' affiliate made the post-season in 2015.  At the current pace, none will make it this year.  What kind of winning culture is this performance building?

4. How can the Brewers appreciate the fans who return when they get good again if those fans never leave in the first place?

The Brewers' attendance has dropped some during their down time.  However, they drew 2.7 million in 2015 and are on pace for 2.4 million this year.  To be effective, a TRUE rebuild requires more fan apathy.

Despite these shortcomings in the Brewers' rebuild, there is hope for the future of Milwaukee baseball.  The club did bring in first baseman Chris Carter, who can draw on his recent experiences in Houston, to make sure that things are done the right way.


NOTE: This post is dedicated to rebuilding expert, @HouCounterplot

Brewers' Trade Deadline Tracker

August 1
Jeremy Jeffress, 28, P
Jonthan  Lucroy, 30, C traded to Texas

Brewers acquire:
Lewis Brinson, 22, OF
Luis Ortiz, 20, P
PTBNL

Will Smith, 27, P traded to San Francisco

Brewers acquire:
Phil Bickford, 21, P
Andrew Susac, 26, C

July 30
Jonathan Lucroy, 30, C, traded to Cleveland (pending appproval by Lucroy)
THE INDIANS ARE NOT ON LUCROY'S NO TRADE LIST.  HE DECIDED NOT TO WAIVE HIS NO TRADE CLAUSE, SO THIS DEAL DID NOT BECOME A REALITY.

Brewers acquire:
Greg Allen, 23, OF
Yu-Cheng Chang, 20, SS
Francisco Mejia, 20, C
PTBNL


July 10
Jaye Chapman, 29, RHP traded to Tampa Bay

Brewers acquire:
PTBNL or Cash

July 7

Aaron Hill, 34, IF traded to Boston

Brewers acquire:
Aaron Wilkerson, 27, RHP (Colorado Springs)
Wendell Rijo, 20, IF (Brevard County)

Who Will the Next Catcher Be?

We will see between now and August 1 if the Brewers decide to trade Jonathan Lucroy.  One question that will become relevant if he is traded is "Who will replace him for the remainder of this season?"

There is the possibility that a major league ready catcher could come back to the Brewers in a Lucroy trade.  However, if that doesn't happen, Martin Maldonado will likely be joined by one of the two catchers (Manny Pina and Josmil Pinto) playing at Colorado Springs.

It is interesting to me that Pina and Pinto appear to be about equal in standing at AAA.  It doesn't seem that either one is positioned as the Brewers' catcher of the future.  They are both hitting well at AAA with averages over .330.

Pinto is two years younger and he has a little bit more time in the majors.  He played 78 games for Minnesota.

In the long term, the replacement catcher if Lucroy is traded is a very small detail.  However, it will be interesting to see who gets the call.

Who Might Get Traded?

It was interesting to read Tom Haudricourt's article about the possibility the Brewers trading Jonathan Lucroy.  I concur with his opinion that Lucroy's trade value will never be higher than it is over the next week and a half.  It will be interesting to see if they make a move.

Reading this article also caused me to think about who could be traded from Milwaukee.  Here is a look at the possibilities.

HIGH CONTROL, HIGH COST

Ryan Braun, 32. Braun is under contract through 2020 with an option for 2021, so if someone picks him up, they will have him for a long time.  However, he is owed $80 million after this season concludes.

MEDIUM CONTROL, VERY REASONABLE COST

Jonathan Lucroy, 30.  If Lucroy is acquired, his new team will have the option of keeping him through next season for $5.25 million.  That' Altuve-like money for an all-star catcher.  It makes sense that the Brewers have a high asking price for Lucroy.

LOW CONTROL, LOW COST

Blaine Boyer, 35.  Boyer is a free agent after this year.  He might bring something very minimal in return from a team looking for bullpen help.

HIGH CONTROL, LOW COST

Chris Carter, 29.  Arbitration Eligible- Can't become a free agent until after 2018 season
Junior Guerra, 31. Arbitration Eligible- Can't becoe a free agent until after 2021 season
I assume Guerra's value is diminished by his advance age.
Will Smith, 27. Arbitration Eligible- Can't become a free agent until after 2018 season
Carlos Torres, 35, Arbitration Eligible- Can't become a free agent until after 2018 season
Similar to Guerra, Torres' trade value is minimized by his age.  He could give somebody bullpen help.

HIGHER CONTROL, LOW COST
Jeremy Jeffress, 28.  Arbitration Eligible- Can't become a free agent until after 2019 season
Tyler Thornburg, 27.  Arbitration Eligible- Can't become a free agent until after 2019 season

EVEN HIGHER CONTROL, LOW COST
Jonathan Villar, 25.  Arbitration Eligible after 2017 season.  Can't become a free agent until after 2020 season.

The All-Star Break Demotion

Seeing the Brewers option Michael Blazek back to AAA Monday, the first day of the All-Star Break, made me curious about the strategy of sending a player down to the minors and maintaining a 24-man roster during that four day stretch. I've noticed a few teams doing this in the past, and I wondered if the move is common or not in the baseball business.

A little research shows me that, every year, more than a few teams take advantage of the opportunity to have just 24 players on their payroll without any competitive disadvantage for four days.  The financial savings for such a move, demoting a player on Monday and recalling a different player four days later on Friday, is not large (about $10,000) but it is not nothing.

Here is a look at teams that have spent the All-Star Break with only 24 players the last five seasons:

2016
Baltimore
Boston
Cubs
Milwaukee
Tampa Bay
White Sox

2015
Atlanta
Boston
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Seattle
Texas

2014
Arizona
Atlanta
Cleveland
Dodgers
Houston
Pittsburgh
Yankees

2013
Miami
Milwaukee
Minnesota
St. Louis
White Sox

2012
Detroit
Houston
St. Louis
White Sox

Rule 5 Vulnerable Brewers

A listing of 10 top players in the Brewers system who are vulnerable to the Rule 5 Draft in December:

Tristan Archer, 25, P, Biloxi
Carlos Belonis, 22, OF, Wisconsin
Garrett Cooper, 25, IF, Biloxi
Josh Hader, 22, P, Colorado Springs
Nate Orf, 26, OF, Colorado Springs
Angel Ortega, 23, IF, Biloxi
Brett Phillips, 22, OF, Biloxi
Elvis Rubio, 22, OF, Brevard County
Tyler Spurlin, 25, P, Biloxi
Kyle Wren, 25, OF, Colorado Springs

Waiver Wire Acquisitions

After looking at the Brewers' trade acquisitions yesterday, today I am looking at who they have picked up via the waiver wire over the last year.  Players in bold are still with the Milwaukee organization.

Neil Ramirez, P from White Sox
Michael Kirkman, P from Padres (Colorado Springs)
Sean Nolin, P from Oakland (Milwaukee, Disabled)
Josmil Pinto, C from Padres (Colorado Springs)
Andy Wilkins, 1B from Rangers (Colorado Springs)
Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF from Mets (Milwaukee)
Junior Guerra, P from White Sox (Milwaukee)
Cesar Jimenez, P from Phillies
Preston Guilmet, P from Tigers
Matt Dominguez, IF from Astros

Brewers' Trade Acquisitions

In an attempt to catch myself up with the Brewers, I took a look at all the trades that they have made in about the last year.  It was interesting to see who they have brought in as they work on rebuilding.
Players in bold are players acquired. (Players current assignment is in parenthesis.)

Gerardo Parra to Baltimore

Zach Davies, P (Milwaukee)

Jonathan Broxton to St. Louis

Mallik Collymore, OF (Brevard County)

Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Houston

Josh Hader, P (Colorado Springs)
Adrian Houser, P (Biloxi)
Brett Phillips, OF (Biloxi)
Domingo Santana, OF (Milwaukee-Disabled List)

Aramis Ramirez to Pittsburgh

Yhonathan Barrios, P (Milwaukee-Disabled List)

Neal Cotts to Minnesota

PTBNL (I have not been able to find who the PTBNL was)

Luis Sardinas to Seattle

Ramon Flores, OF (Milwaukee)

Cy Sneed to Houston

Jonathan Villar, SS (Milwaukee)

Franklin Rodriguez to Detroit

Javier Betancourt, IF (Biloxi)
Manny Pina, C (Colorado Springs)

Jason Rogers to Pittsburgh

Keon Broxton, OF (Milwaukee)
Trey Supak, P (Helena)

Cash to Boston

Garin Cecchini, IF (Colorado Springs)

Adam Lind to Seattle

Carlos Herrera, P (AZL Brewers)
Daniel Missaki, P (AZL Brewers)
Freddy Peralta, P (Wisconsin)

Jean Segura and Tyler Wagner to Arizona

Chase Anderson, P (Milwaukee)
Isan Diaz, SS (Wisconsin)
Aaron Hill, IF (Milwaukee)

Trevor Seidenberger to San Diego

Rymer Liriano, OF (Milwaukee-Disabled List)

Khris Davis to Oakland

Bubba Derby, P (Brevard County)
Jacob Nottingham, C (Biloxi)

Which Brewers Could be Headed to San Diego?

With the All-Star Game scheduled to take place in just 15 days in San Diego, I am wondering which Brewers will be on the National League team for the game.  Here are a few possibilities.

Ryan Braun, OF.  The obvious first choice.  Braun is in fifth place in fan balloting.  With a .324 batting average and .924 OPS, Braun could well be up for his seventh mid-summer classic.

Jonathan Lucroy, C. Lucroy could be primed for his second trip to the ASG.  He is batting almost .300 with 10 home runs.

Jeremy Jeffress, P. The Brewers' closer has 21 saves in 22 opportunities and an ERA under 3.

Jonathan Villar, SS. Villar is batting almost .300, and he leads the National League in stolen bases.

TWO LONGSHOTS:

Zach Davies and Junior Guerra. The rookie pitchers haven't done enough to merit an ASC pick. However, if the MLB had a Rookie Game as part of the festivities, these two would be there.

Ya'll Come Back Now, Ya Hear

I haven't been to a baseball game in Milwaukee since 1992.  Of course, since that time I have lived in Texas, Japan and Texas again so the trip to Wisconsin would have been quite substantial.

However, a few big league teams haven't played in Milwaukee for over a decade, and they have been flying all over the country for games during that time.

Here's a listing of the last time each American League team played at Miller Park.

Baltimore- 5/28/2014
Boston- 6/8/2003
Chicago- 5/13/2015
Cleveland- 7/22/2015
Detroit- 6/21/2006
Houston-4/10/2016
Kansas City-6/16/2015
Los Angeles-5/4/2016
Minnesota-4/21/2016
New York-5/11/2014
Oakland-6/5/2013
Seattle-6/27/2010
Tampa Bay-6/22/2011
Texas-5/8/2013
Toronto-8/20/2014

A Long Time Between Road Trips

The Brewers are in Oakland this week.  It was pointed out online that Milwaukee hadn't played a game in Oakland since 2002.  The revelation of this fact made me wonder how long it has been since the Brewers have visited other American League towns.  Here are the dates of the Brewers' most recent road game against each AL team.

Baltimore- June 15, 2003
Los Angeles Angels- June 16, 2010
New York Yankees- June 30, 2011
Chicago White Sox- June 24, 2012
Houston-June 20, 2013
#Seattle- August 11, 2013
#Texas- August 14, 2013
Boston- April 16, 2014
Toronto- July 2, 2014
Tampa Bay- July 30, 2014
Detroit- May 20, 2015
Kansas City- June 18, 2015
Cleveland- August 26, 2015
Minnesota- April 19, 2016
Oakland- June 22, 2016

#- The Brewers are scheduled to play at Seattle and Texas later in the 2016 season.

Skeeters to Appreciate Teachers Again

NOTE: Thursday's game has been postponed.  The Skeeters will make up the game as part of a doubleheader on Saturday.

The Sugar Land Skeeters are appreciating local teachers again.  Local teachers with a valid teacher's ID will receive two free tickets to the team's game against Southern Maryland on Thursday, June 23. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 at Constellation Field.

The Skeeters held a similar promotion on June 2.

Brewers Disabled List Update

11 different players have spent time on the Disabled List for the Brewers this season.  Going into Wednesday's game, seven players are injured.  These seem like relatively high numbers to me, and reading them led me to crunch some numbers.

Through today, Brewers players will have spent 573 on the disabled list.  Since this is day 74 of the season, that means that Milwaukee has been missing an average of 7.74 players a day to injury.  

From a monetary standpoint, according to my calculations, the Brewers have spent about $6.74 million to this point on players on the disabled list.  That figure is about 25% of the team's over-all payroll to this point in the season.

Players who have been/are disabled
Players in  bold are still on the disabled list

Yhonathan Barrios, P
Michael Blazek, P
Chris Capuano, P
Matt Garza, P
Scooter Gennett, IF
Zack Jones, P
Corey Knebel, P
Rymer Liriano, OF
Sean Nolin, P
Domingo Santana, OF
Will Smith, P

How About Zach Davies?

As I continue my summer fling following the Brewers, it has been interesting to see the progress of rookie pitcher Zach Davies.  Since the start of May, Davies has won five consecutive decisions and posted an ERA of 2.55.  Will be intriguing to keep an eye on the 23 year old right-hander.

Four Hall of Famers Were Born in Wisconsin

During the first round of the draft last night, someone online pointed out that two players from Wisconsin were drafted on the first day.  I don't know if this occurrence is unprecedented, but it did make me wonder how many Wisconsin natives have made it to the big leagues.

Here's a few of the names that I came across in a quick look. Feel free to add more.

The Hall of Famers
Burleigh Grimes
Addie Joss
Kid Nichols
Al Simmons

The Brewers or Braves
Jerry Augustine
Jim Gantner
Willie Mueller
Bob Uecker
Bob Wickman

Two More Arms on the Way

While the Brewers' starters have impressed the last two nights at Miller Park, two more arms have taken steps bringing them closer to Milwaukee.

Yesterday, it was announced that left-hander Josh Hader has been promoted to AAA Colorado Springs.  Hader, 22, posted an 0.95 ERA in 11 starts for Biloxi.  He was acquired from Houston as part of the Carlos Gomez trade in 2015.

Today, veteran Matt Garza is scheduled to make his final rehab start for Low A Wisconsin.  Garza has not pitched for Milwaukee yet this season.

My Summer Fling? Brewers baseball

I am two weeks into summer vacation after my first year back as a classroom teacher.  I have about two months here in Houston to rest my brain and prepare for another group of math and science-learning 9 and 10 year olds to come into my classroom.  

One item on my to do list is to be a Brewers fan for the summer. Why is this?

1.  I went to college in Milwaukee (graduated in 1991) and attended numerous Brewers games during the school year at County Stadium. After growing up in a National League town, the Brewers became my American League team of choice. However, I never stayed in Wisconsin during the summer and missed the dog days of outdoor baseball. 

2. The Brewers are in a rebuilding mode.  The player development portion of baseball, which has always been intriguing to me, is a big part of Brewers baseball at the moment. 

3. I am looking for excuses to buy bratwurst the next time I go to the grocery store here in Houston.

Just so my intentions are clear, my plan is to pay attention to the organization until the trade deadline. After that, it will be time to return my focus to my classroom here in Texas.  However, I am not completely ruling out a road trip to Arlington in September when the Brewers face the Rangers.  

Having said that, I begin my summer fling with the Brewers.

2016 Spartan Football Schedule

August 25, vs. Austin, Barnett, 7
September 1, vs. Wisdom(formerly Lee HS), Dyer, 7
September 9, vs. Sam Houston, Dyer, 7
September 16, vs. Kipp Generations, Dyer, 7
September 22, vs. Worthing#, Delmar, 7
September 30, vs. North Forest#, Cowart, 7
October 15, vs. Washington#, Delmar, 1
October 22, vs. Yates#, Barnett, 1
October 28, vs. Kashmere#, Dyer, 7
November 5, vs. Wheatley#, Cowart, 1

#-District Game

The Skeeters Will Appreciate Area Teachers in June

Kudos to the Sugar Land Skeeters for planning to appreciate teachers after the school year ends. On Thursday, June 2, teachers who present a valid teaching ID at the ticket office will receive two free tickets to the club's game against the New Britain Bees.  The game is scheduled to start at 7:05 at Constellation Field.

Martin Wall Moving on from Scarborough

According to his Twitter feed, Martin Wall is leaving his position as Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach at Scarborough High School.  Wall will be coaching at Langham Creek High School in the Cy-Fair School District.

Wall is completing his third season as the Spartans' basketball coach and first as the Athletic Director. In 2014-15, he led the basketball team to the first play-off victory in school history.

Spartan Band Rocks Out at Stevens' Science Night

It was great to see and hear the Scarborough High School Band at Stevens Elementary's Science Night Tuesday night.  The band played for about 45 minutes and provided a great backdrop to the night's scientific fun.

Spartans Baseball in Play-offs on Friday

Scarborough's baseball team finished fourth in District 22-4A and will participate in the play-offs beginning this week.  The Spartans are scheduled to take on Bellville, the District 21-4A champion. The two teams will face off in a one-game "series".  The game will take place Friday, May 6 at 6 pm at Bellville High School.

Houston Food Bank's Empty Bowls is Two Weeks from Today

The Houston Food Bank will host the 12th Annual Empty Bowls event on May 14 from 11 am to 3 pm.  You can find out all the information about this unique fundraising event at this link.

Skeeters Start Season Five Thursday

Weather permitting, the Sugar Land Skeeters will begin their fifth season on Thursday night.  The Skeeters are slated to play a home game against Bridgeport at 7:05 pm.

The roster for opening day: (Information from team website, subject to change)

Players in bold are returning Skeeters

Pitchers
Parker Frazier
Sean Gallagher
Andrew Johnston
Derrick Loop
Barrett Loux
Ian Marshall
Roy Merritt
Bryan Morgado
Chris Rearick
Jerry Sullivan
Chris Treibt
Jon Velasquez
Robbie Weinhardt
Zech Zinicola

Catchers
Wilfredo Rodriguez
Travis Scott

Infielders
Brooks Conrad
Rick Hague
Patrick Palmeiro
Josh Prince
Beamer Weems
Delwyn Young

Outfielders
Jeremy Barfield
Jeff Dominguez
Tyson Gillies
Johan Limonta
Kent Matthes

Spartans Place Second in District Track Meet

Scarborough's boys finished second in the District 22-4A track meet this week.  The girls finished fourth in the competion.  Following is a listing of the athletes who gained points for the Spartans.

BOYS- 115 points

3200 m Run
5th Place (2 Points)
Jair Ramirez

High Jump
1st Place (10 Points)
Jesse Pringle

Long Jump
1st Place (10 Points)
Jay McIntosh

Shot Put
1st Place (10 Points)
Jacobie Watson

3rd Place (6 Points)
Antonio Rivera

Discuss
1st Place (10 Points)
Antonio Rivera

6th Place (1 Point)
Jacobie Watson

100 m Dash
4th Place (4 Points)
Jay McIntosh

200 m Dash
1st Place (10 Points)
Jay McIntosh

1600 m Run
4th Place (4 Points)
Richard Cisneros

110 m Hurdles
1st Place (10 Points)
Da Sean Crew

2nd Place (8 Points)
Jacobie Watson

300 m Hurdles
1st Place (10 Points)
Da Sean Crew

4 x 100 m relay
5th Place (4 Points)
Peterson, O'Neal, McIntosh, Crew

4 x 400 m relay
2nd Place (16 Points)
Peterson, Cisneros, Wilkins, Hudson

GIRLS- 54 points

3200 m Run
3rd Place (6 Points)
Roxann Potter

800 m Run
2nd Place (8 Points)
Tiffany Nieto

4th Place (4 Points)
Vasquez Alondra

1600 m Run

1st Place (10 Points)
Tiffany Nieto

3rd Place (6 Points)
Roxann Porter

4th Place (4 Points)
Patricia Miranda

100 m Hurdles
5th Place (2 Points)
Kaylah Suazo

4 x 200 relay
6th Place (2 Points)
Drayden, Thomas, Suazo, Basden

4 x 400 relay
3rd Place (12 Points)
Nieto, Basden, Castro, Alondra

Athletes in Bold qualify for the Region III meet April 29-30 in Huntsville.

Spartans Baseball 4-2 in District Play

Halfway through the district season, Scarborough's baseball team is 4-2.  The Spartans lost to Washington and Furr in the first round.

Here's the Spartans' remaining schedule:

April 9, vs. Sterling, Delmar, 1:00
April 13, vs. Washington, Delmar, 7:00
April 16, vs. Worthing, Delmar, 1:00
April 20, vs. Wheatley, Cowart, 4:30
April 22, vs. Kashmere, Delmar, 7:00
April 27, vs. Furr, Cowart, 4:30

The 9th, And Final?, Inning- A Dukes' Tale

In 2008, I began writing an annual poem about the baseball team that plays within the friendly confines of my head.  I published these poems on Good Friday each year to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.

Now, that it is 2016, it is time to publish the 9th poem about the Dukes.  Seeing that a baseball game generally lasts 9 innings, my intent is for this poem to be the final installment of poems about the Dukes.  Of course, just as baseball game sometimes goes more than nine innings, I reserve the right to take this collection of poems into extra innings in the future.

Having said that, please enjoy THE 9TH, AND FINAL?, INNING.

Peace

A collection of all nine poems is available here.

Also, a few years ago, I put the adventures of the Dukes into novel form.  You can read that tale, THE GAMBLE, here.

The 9th, and Final?, Inning

For the Dukes, the ninth inning is the best one of all

Win or lose, it gives closure to one and to all

At times, it goes quickly three up and three down

The Dukes seal a win ‘gainst some visiting clowns

Of course, there are times when a big lead is lost

A ninth inning comeback...defeat is the cost

Then, there is the flip side

Dukes come from behind

And pull out a win

Victory’s sight to the blind

That’s probably the best for those

There at the end

A walk-off surprise they can share with a friend

Indeed in the ninth, clocks are usually late

A sleepy ride home for the patient awaits

Yet, bed time or not, they hold on in their seats

To savor the game, every pitch is a treat

Will it go to the tenth? There’s a chance that could be

11 or 12?  More free baseball to see.

As long as the Dukes have a pitch left to throw

As long as their bats have more outs left you know

The faithful will be there as loud as can be

Past midnight until even 2:23.

c2016 Mike Tauser

Soccer Seasons End on Thursday

The Spartans boys and girls soccer teams both fell in the first round of the play-offs on Thursday night.  The girls fell to Navasota, while the boys were defeated by Stafford.

Spartans Soccer Teams Start Play-offs on Thursday

Scarborough's boys and girls soccer teams start the post-season this week.  Their first round games take place on Thursday evening.

BOYS

The Spartans finished third in district and will face Stafford High School in the first round.  The game is scheduled for 7 pm on Thursday, March 24 at Stafford High School.  The winner of the game moves on to face Bay City in the second round next week.

GIRLS

Scarborough apparently ended in a first place tie in district with Furr.  The Spartans' first round match up is dependent on the tiebreaker.

Scarborough will either play

Navasota at 5 pm Thursday at Cowart Stadium (winner faces Bay City)

UPDATE: Scarborough will play Navasota on Thursday.

or

Stafford at 5 pm Thursday at Stafford High School (Before the boys game) (winner faces Columbia)

Spartans Receive District 22-4A Honors

Several members of the Spartans basketball team were honored for their performances during the 2015-16 season.

Congrats to @LoadingJay_ for being named newcomer of the year in district 22-4A @ScarborHS

— Martin Wall (@bballmwall) March 8, 2016

Congrats to @Bucket_team_3 for being unanimously named 1st team all district 22-4A. @ScarborHS

— Martin Wall (@bballmwall) March 8, 2016

Congrats to @hunterjanacek for being named first team all district 22-4A for the 3rd year in a row. @ScarborHS

— Martin Wall (@bballmwall) March 8, 2016

Congrats to @damaniwheeler23 for being named 2nd team all district in 22-4A @ScarborHS

— Martin Wall (@bballmwall) March 8, 2016

Congrats to @pudgie_t for being named 2nd team all district in 22-4A @ScarborHS

— Martin Wall (@bballmwall) March 8, 2016

Spartans Season Ends with Loss to Kashmere

Scarborough fell 71-57 to Kashmere in a play-in game at the Pavilion Friday night.  The win sends Kashmere to the post-season as District 22-4A's fourth representative.  The Spartans end their season with a 13#-18 record(#one win was over Brenham's JV team).

Proud of our team. whole lot of circumstances that made this a challenging year and they handled each one like champs. True life lessons

— Martin Wall (@bballmwall) February 20, 2016

Scarborough vs. Kashmere, Friday for "All The Marbles"

Scarborough and Kashmere face off Friday night at 6 pm at the Pavilion with a spot in the post-season on the line.  The two clubs each finished the regular season with a 5 and 7 district record.

During the regular season, Kashmere knocked off Scarborough 66-58 on January 12.  The Spartans defeated Kashmere 61-54 on February 6.  Both games took place at the Pavilion.

The winner of Friday night's game advances to take on Navasota in the first round of the play-offs next week.  Navasota is the District 21-4A champion.

District 22-4A's First Round Play-off Opponents

The times and dates have yet to be determined, but here are the match-ups for District 22-4A in the first round of the play-offs:

Wheatley vs. Bellville
Sterling vs. La Grange
Furr vs. Caldwell
Kashmere vs. Navasota

Spartans Will be Playing AT LEAST One More Game

The word from the Pavilion is that the Spartans knocked off Washington early Wednesday evening, 74-47. With the victory, Scarborough has extended their season at least one more game.  Scarborough, 5-7 in district play, faces a tie-breaker game with Kashmere for District 22-4A's fourth and final play-off spot.

The Kashmere/Scarborough game is scheduled for 6 pm Friday at the Pavilion.

Kashmere and the Spartans split their two-game season series. Scarborough has won five of their last seven games after starting the district schedule with five straight losses.

It Comes Down to This for the Spartans

The Spartans head into their season finale Wednesday night against Washington needing a win to force a tie-breaker game for District 22-4A's fourth play-off spot.  If Scarborough beats Washington on Wednesday at 4:30 at the Pavilion, they will play Kashmere in a tie-breaker contest for the final play-off spot from the district. Presumably, this game would take place on Friday or Saturday.

Kashmere and Scarborough split their season series. The winner of the tie-breaker would face Navasota in the first round of the play-offs.

If Scarborough loses to Washington on Wednesday, Kashmere claims the fourth spot and a match-up with Navasota.

Spartans Keep Hope Alive With Win

Scarborough knocked off Worthing 36-34 on Saturday to keep their play-off hopes alive.  The win moved the Spartans to 4-7 in district play with one game remaining.

Wheatley and Sterling have already clinched the district's top two play-off spots.  Heading into the final two days of the season, four teams still have a chance at the final two spaces.  Here are the standings and schedule.

Furr- 6-6  (plays Sterling on Tuesday)- Furr beat Sterling
Kashmere- 5-7 (season completed)
Scarborough-4-7 (plays Washington on Wednesday)
Worthing-4-8 (plays Wheatley on Monday)- Worthing lost to Wheatley

A win for the Spartans on Wednesday will land them in a tie-breaker game (or two) with a play-off berth on the line.

If the Spartans win on Wednesday(they are eliminated with a loss), here are the possibilities:

Wheatley beats Worthing
Furr beats Sterling

Result:
Spartans and Kashmere tied for 4th

Potential Play-off Matchups for District 22-4A

The boys' basketball play-offs begin next week.  Whether or not Scarborough will be involved is still to be decided.  However, the play-off picture from 21-4A, the district that matches up with District 22-4A, is almost fully developed.

Here is the information on District 21-4A thanks to Jeff Wick of the Fayette County Record.

Navasota- 9-0
Caldwell- 6-3
La Grange- 4-5
Bellville- 4-5
Smithville- 3-6
Giddings- 1-8

With Smithville scheduled to play Navasota in this week's season finale, it is likely that La Grange and Bellville will take the third and fourth spots in the post-season. As a reminder, those same four teams made the play-offs last year from District 21-4A(Navasota #1, LaGrange #2, Caldwell #3, and Bellville #4). Scarborough knocked off LaGrange in the first round in 2014-15.

If Scarborough makes the play-offs, they are headed to a showdown with Navasota or Caldwell.  The Spartans lost to Navasota, 57-54 on December 3, 2015.

District 22-4A Standings

Wheatley-12-0 #Clinched district title
Sterling-8-4 ^Clinched play-off berth(2nd Place)
Furr-6-6 $Clinched play-off berth(3rd Place)
Kashmere-5-7
Scarborough-4-7
Worthing- 4-8
Washington-2-9

Remaining Schedule

February 17
Scarborough vs. Washington

Two Games Remain for the Spartans

Entering the weekend, the Scarborough Spartans have two games left in their regular season, and with a 3-7 district record they still have a chance to sneak into the post-season.

If the Spartans win their final two games over Worthing (Saturday) and Washington (Tuesday), the worst-case scenario is that they will tie for third or fourth place.  My understanding is that such a finish will result in a play-in play-off next weekend in which Scarborough will participate.

In a best-case scenario, the Spartans could win the fourth place spot outright in the regular season.

What doe the best-case scenario involve?
The following results on Saturday and Tuesday result in Scarborough winning fourth place outright without a tiebreaker:

Scarborough beats Worthing and Washington
Kashmere beats Furr on Saturday
Wheatley beats Worthing on Monday
Sterling beats Furr on Tuesday

Who Will the Spartans Play Next Year?

The Spartans football and basketball teams will be facing several new opponents in district play next school year.  The UIL recently announced the district realignments for 2016-17 and Scarborough will feel the effects of the alterations in their schedule.

Starting in the fall, Scarborough will compete in Division 1 District 11-4A in football and District 22-4A in basketball.

The teams in both those districts will be the same:
Kashmere
North Forest
Scarborough
Washington
Wheatley
Worthing
Yates

 A few quick thoughts about the new district:

With the Spartans now competing in a seven-team district in football, they won't be going to the play-offs unless they win a few district games.

The basketball teams adds Yates and North Forest to its schedule twice a season.  Yikes!

Spartans Win Third Game in Last Four

Scarborough knocked off Kashmere, 61-54 on Saturday night.  The win was the third in four games for the Spartans.  They improved to 3-6 in district play with three games remaining.

I am in the process of tracking down the current standings to see how close Scarborough is to the top four in the district and a play-off spot.

Spartans' remaining schedule:

Wednesday, February 10, vs. Sterling (6:00, Barnett)
Saturday, February 13, vs. Worthing (1:00, Butler)
Tuesday, February 16, vs. Washington (6:00, Pavilion)

Spartans Win Second Straight

Scarborough's basketball team won its second straight game Wednesday night, knocking off Furr, 62-47.  The win moved the Spartans into a tie for fifth place in District 22-4A.

Scarborough (2-5, 9-15) next plays in one week on February 3 against division-leader Wheatley.

22-4A Standings for the First Half of the Season

Here are the standings for District 22-4A heading into the second half of the basketball season.  The top four teams qualify for the post-season.

Wheatley- 6-0
Sterling- 4-2
Kashmere- 4-2
Worthing- 3-3
Furr- 2-4
Scarborough- 1-5
Washington- 1-5

Spartans Grab First District Win

Scarborough's basketball team picked up their first district win of the season Saturday.  The Spartans knocked off Washington 67-47 to move to 1 and 5 in district play.  Scarborough (8-15, over-all) next takes on Furr at 7:30 on Wednesday at Barnett Fieldhouse.

Spartan Soccer Kicks Off District Play Next Week

Scarborough's Boys and Girls Soccer Teams start district play next week.  Both teams face Sterling on Wednesday afternoon.

The Spartan Girls team won their district last season.  The Boys team also won their district and advanced to the Regional Semi-finals by winning three games in the post-season.

You can view the entire district schedule for both teams here.  Note: the schedule was taken from the HISD website.

Spartans Fall by One Point to Worthing

Scarborough fell to Worthing, 44-43 Tuesday night.  The loss dropped the Spartans to 0-5 in district play.  They next face Washington on Saturday morning.

Spartans Wrap up First Half of District Play This Week

Scarborough is in need of two wins as they finish the first half of district play this week.  The Spartans are currently 0-4 in district play, and they are in danger of falling out of play-off contention. The top four teams in the seven team district qualify for the post-season.

Scarborough faces Worthing on Tuesday at 7 pm at the Pavilion.  The Spartans play Washington on Saturday morning at 11:30. That contest is also scheduled for the Pavilion.

Kashmere Tops Spartans

Scarborough fell to 0-3 in district play with a 66-58 loss to Kashmere Tuesday.  The loss leaves the Spartans with a 7-13 record over-all.

They face Sterling Friday night at Barnett at 8:30.

Spartans Fall to Wheatley

Scarborough fell 83-62 to Wheatley Saturday afternoon at Barnett Fieldhouse.  The loss dropped the Spartans to 0 and 2 in district play.  They are 7-12 over-all.

Scarborough continues their district slate Tuesday, January 12 at 4:30 against Kashmere.  That game will take place at The Pavilion.

Spartans Embark on District Play Saturday

Scarborough begins the meat of the season, district play, this Saturday(January 9) against Wheatley. The Spartans take on the Wildcats at 1 pm at Barnett Fieldhouse.

The Spartans play 11 district games over the next six weeks. Scarborough played one district contest in early December, losing to Furr.

Spartans Start New Year with a Win

Scarborough wrapped up their non-district schedule Saturday afternoon with a 78-67 victory over Milby.  The victory, earned at the Scarborough gym, raised the Spartans' season record to 7-11.

Scarborough's next game is a district contest against Wheatley on Saturday, January 9.  That game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Barnett Fieldhouse.

2016 Starts Today for Spartans

The Spartans begin the 2016 portion of their schedule Saturday afternoon at their campus gym. Scarborough takes on Milby at 3 pm on January 2.

The contest will be the final non-district game of the season for the Spartans.  Scarborough embarks on the final 12 games of the season with a 6-11 record. They are 0 and 1 in district play.