Markakis's Homer Wins One for Cabrera
Orioles 3, Mariners 2
By Marc Carig, Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008; 2:39 AM

SEATTLE, April 23 - The typically unflappable Nick Markakis came to the brink of an ejection in the 4th inning, when Seattle Mariners starter Carlos Silva fired a two-strike fastball over the outer edge of the plate that home plate umpire Brian Runge called for strike three.

Markakis looked to the skies, grabbed his helmet in an expression of disbelief and jawed at Runge, an exchange of words that dragged on so long that Orioles Manager Dave Trembley left his dugout to defuse the situation.

"I very rarely say anything to the umpires," Markakis said. "Most of the time it does no good. But I basically let him know that I thought that pitch was outside. And he basically let me know that he thought it was on the corner."

But after his rare show of emotion, Markakis put his frustration to good use in the 8th inning, pulling the first pitch he saw into the right field seats. The home run broke a deadlock, preserved a well-earned win for starter Daniel Cabrera and lifted the Orioles to a 3-2 victory before 16,823 on a chilly night at Safeco Field.

"Tonight Daniel picked us up huge and then Nick gave us the lead," said Orioles closer George Sherrill, who picked up his 7th save and 2nd against his former team this season. "It just seems like everybody's helping out."

Cabrera, who in his last several starts has leaned primarily on his fastball, once again found success behind his new simple formula. He allowed 2 runs in 8 innings, the longest outing for an Orioles starting pitcher this season.

The most encouraging sign came with Cabrera's control. He threw the fastball over both corners, needing only 95 pitches to get through his outing. And even when he left pitches over the middle of the plate, they were too low in the strike zone for the Mariners to tee off. Cabrera did not walk a batter in an outing for the first time since May 10, a span of 30 appearances for the tall right-hander.

"It's one of those days when you come in and you feel unbelievable and anything you throw makes all the hitters look bad," said Cabrera.

The Mariners already led 1-0 and threatened to take a decisive lead in the 4th inning, loading the bases with nobody out after Cabrera allowed three straight singles, the last on a blooper that fell between three Orioles in shallow left field. Yet, despite the potential for damage, Cabrera yielded just 1 run.

"Maybe people will start believing me now," Trembley said. "He's found a way to minimize the damage when things start to go wrong for him. I think it's a sign of maturity and confidence."

He was impressive again in the 7th. After watching a long inning -- Silva left the game with tightness in his right thigh and the Orioles' Brian Roberts battled to an 11-pitch at-bat -- Cabrera retired Seattle in order in the 7th.

The pitcher had allowed back-to-back singles to begin the 4th before catching a tough break when Adrian Beltre's pop up to short left field fell in between shortstop Luis Hernández and left fielder Luke Scott.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, José Vidro hit a grounder that forced first baseman Kevin Millar to make a back-handed stop. Millar forced a runner at second, his only play, while José López crossed the plate to make it 2-0.

But from there, Cabrera retired the next 2 batters to avoid further problems.

The Orioles also missed a chance to break through in the 5th when Aubrey Huff and Adam Jones started the inning with back-to-back hits. It looked as if the Orioles cashed in on the chance when catcher Ramón Hernández ripped a ball off the left field wall.

But Huff appeared to get a late jump off second base, setting off a chain reaction that slowed the runners behind him. Because Huff was slow to start toward home plate, Jones had to settle for advancing only to second base. And Ramón Hernández, who could have taken second on the throw home, was forced to remain at first.

So instead of runners on second and third with nobody out, the Orioles were left with runners and first and second with one out. Predictably, the threat dissipated completely when Luis Hernández grounded into an inning-ending double play.

"We totally botched it, to be honest with you," said Trembley, who watched the Orioles leave the inning without scoring a run.

But Baltimore made amends in the 6th. After Roberts led off with a single, Melvin Mora tripled to Safeco Field's spacious alley in deep right-center field, scoring Roberts to make it 2-1. Markakis tied the game at 2, sending a grounder to second that allowed Mora to score.

As it turned out, the hit was only a precursor for bigger things to come.

Before the game, Trembley cautioned Markakis, who had struck out in 7 of his last 8 at-bats, against trying to make up for a slump in one swing.

Markakis admitted his frustration was building, so by the time he stepped into the batter's box in the 8th, he was determined to swing at the first pitch he saw.

Unwittingly, Mariners reliever Ryan Rowland-Smith obliged, placing a fastball over the inside half of the plate.

"A little bit of a relief," Markakis said of his 4th home run of the year. "But the biggest part is it helped us win the ballgame. That's the most important thing, and we'll come out here tomorrow and play all 9 innings again and try to win the series."

ORIOLES NOTEBOOK
Trembley Sticks With 13 Pitchers
By Marc Carig, Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008; Page E06

SEATTLE, April 23 -- Baltimore Orioles Manager Dave Trembley said that he intends to keep 13 pitchers until left-hander Adam Loewen can consistently pitch deeper into ballgames. Loewen, who is coming off elbow surgery, has pitched 6 innings once in 3 starts.

"Loewen has got to show me he can do it back-to-back," Trembley said.

Carrying an extra reliever has created a shortage on the bench, which almost caught up with the Orioles last week when Trembley was forced to send designated hitter Aubrey Huff into the field.

Pitchers Steve Trachsel and Loewen said they wouldn't mind emergency pinch-hitting duty.

"I'm not going to act like I'd go up there and be a great hitter all of a sudden," said Loewen, who once batted .353 in junior college. "But I'd love the opportunity. I hit in college and I hit pretty well and I'd love to do it."

Trachsel, who has spent the bulk of his career in the National League, is the team's most experienced hitting pitcher, with a career .163 average in 651 big league at-bats. Trachsel enjoyed his banner offensive year in 2008, when he hit .266, drove in 8 runs and hit 1 of his 3 career homers.

"Pinch hitting is the hardest thing to do anyway," he said. "So to do it when you haven't hit in basically 2 years, it definitely would have been tough. I can definitely still bunt, I can still put the ball in play. But I don't think I'll be hitting .260 any time soon." . . .

Through 20 games, right fielder Nick Markakis (.313) has 19 strikeouts and 17 walks, which Trembley said reveals the quality of pitching that Markakis is facing as his reputation at the plate grows.

"I see him being pitched to very tough," Trembley said. "I don't think Nick's approach is any different, but I just see him being pitched somewhat differently because I think he's proven himself to be a good hitter."

Ravens Look to Choose Wisely
By Camille Powell, Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008; Page E04

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- It is clear the Baltimore Ravens need to add a quarterback, whether through this weekend's NFL draft or free agency. Steve McNair, their expected starter, retired last week after 13 NFL seasons, leaving the team with two on the roster: former first-round pick Kyle Boller and second-year player Troy Smith.

With the 8th and 38th picks, Baltimore is in a position to address that need. But what has been running through Eric DeCosta's mind over the past week is the need for the Ravens to remain as objective as possible when evaluating the quarterbacks, and not straying too far from the philosophy that has made them so successful in previous drafts.

"When you have a big need on your team, it's easy to get emotional and maybe over-value those players because you need it so badly," said DeCosta, Baltimore's director of college scouting. "That's a dangerous thing."

Baltimore may have done that five years ago, when it traded two draft picks -- including its first-round selection in 2004 -- to the New England Patriots in order to move back into the first round to take Boller with the 19th overall pick. Now heading into his sixth season, Boller has yet to show he can be a consistent, dependable NFL starter.

The Ravens, under General Manager Ozzie Newsome, have had draft success thanks to a process that focuses on taking the best player available, as opposed to drafting based on need. When a team is desperate to take a player to fill a hole, eventually it will open itself up to taking a player too high, according to DeCosta.

"When you do that, you create a false sense of expectations," DeCosta said. "You expect, as an organization, for a player to be something because you drafted him in that spot, when in reality, you only drafted him in that spot because you created an artificial sense of value. Even though quarterback is a perceived need for this franchise, we've tried to be as objective as possible, and not scout in a vacuum, and compare the quarterbacks to . . . every other position."

DeCosta described the top four quarterback prospects -- Boston College's Matt Ryan, Michigan's Chad Henne, Louisville's Brian Brohm and Delaware's Joe Flacco -- as "intriguing guys, all in their own right."

Ryan, the ACC player of the year, is tall (6 feet 5), poised and intelligent. DeCosta was among the reported crowd of 150 -- ranging from NFL personnel to media -- at Ryan's pro day workout in Boston in March, and he was impressed with the quarterback's accuracy, as well as his composure under pressure and in the spotlight.

"I think he has his priorities really well-organized, and that's critical for a quarterback. It's easy to get caught up in the limelight and the glitz and the glamour," DeCosta said. "I think Matt Ryan is very well-grounded, and he's primed for success because he's lived it, he's wanted to be good for a long time, and I think when he gets his opportunity he'll succeed."

Henne started for four years at Michigan and posted a 33-14 record. He has what DeCosta calls "that 'It' factor" -- that combination of leadership and charisma a quarterback needs, along with the work ethic and smarts. Brohm, a finance major with a 3.52 grade-point average, started for three seasons at Louisville and is the most accurate passer (65.7 percent) in Big East history.

Flacco, who is 6-7 with a strong, accurate arm, "might be the most talented," according to DeCosta, but the fact that he played for Delaware, as opposed to one of the division I-A powers, "is a bit of a concern."

However, Flacco, who started his college career at Pittsburgh, won games with the Blue Hens, leading them to the Football Championship Subdivision final. Delaware upset two higher-seeded teams on the road in the playoffs.

"If a guy can win a game, whether he's a quarterback or whatever position, [and he] comes from a winning program, I think that rubs off on the players," DeCosta said. "What we're trying to do here is to create that expectation level of winning every game."

Newsome said during last week's pre-draft news conference there are four traits the Ravens look for when evaluating quarterbacks. He wouldn't elaborate, but he did say he draws on his experiences as a player.

"I've been in the huddle with some good quarterbacks, so I can recall how those guys reacted, how those guys responded to things, and I try to base my evaluation off of that," said Newsome, a Hall of Fame tight end. "At the end of the day, it's how a guy plays. It's a lot of different things that you can try to look for to manufacture whether a guy is going to be good or not, but you've got to put the tape on, watch the guy, watch the guy in critical situations, and see how he handles himself."

Baltimore was 13-3 and won the AFC North in 2006, but injuries and sloppy play (league-high 40 turnovers) contributed to a 5-11 record in 2007. But the Ravens said they feel they have the pieces in place to be successful this season. Coach John Harbaugh, who was hired in January to replace Brian Billick, is going to give whatever quarterback the Ravens bring in a chance to compete for the starting position.

"It will be tough for anybody to come in and win a job against" Boller and Smith, Harbaugh said last week during the team's first minicamp. "Those two guys are solid quarterbacks. They can both play. But whoever we draft is going to be a really good quarterback too, so it's going to be a competition. We're going to roll the balls out and let them fight for the job."

The Reliable Source
By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
Wednesday, April 23, 2008; Page C03

All Eyes Follow Shakira to the Head of the Class

My, it's crowded in this hearing room! Guess a lot of folks are worked up about Rep. Nita Lowey's push for expanded Third World education funding . . . oh, wait.

"Shaki! Shaki! Shaki!" That was the roar from the press scrum packing the room to within inches of a fire hazard, all for the sake of celebrity advocate du jour -- Colombian superstar Shakira. ("I've been in the Congress 20 years and I've never had a press conference like this," mused Lowey.)

The diminutive chanteuse, honorary chair of the Global Campaign for Education's Action Week, looked fabulous and yet not-Hill-inappropriate in a vintage black dress and heels. "I grew up in the developing world, seeing with my own eyes that children grow up begging for an education," said Shakira, whose Barefoot Foundation has opened five schools serving 5,000 kids in her home country's poorest neighborhoods. "Sometimes education is considered a luxury, a privilege, and not a human right, and . . . this is personal for me."

To which the scrum responded, "En Español! En Español!" Asked which U.S. candidate best supports her cause, Shakira deflected like a pro, noting that while she can't vote here, she approves of both Democrats. (We think, anyway -- our Spanish is a little rusty.)

Seahawks Release Former MVP Running Back Shaun Alexander
By Gregg Bell, Associated Press
Tuesday, April 22, 2008; 11:27 PM

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- From MVP to vilified to unemployed in a little more than two years. Shaun Alexander's free fall in Seattle was completed Tuesday when the Seahawks cut the running back who led them to their only Super Bowl appearance in 2006 and was rewarded soon after with a $62 million contract.

For Alexander, the two seasons since he received that 8-year deal have been filled with injuries, ineffectiveness and incessant boos.

"Yeah, it's sad, really," Seahawks president Tim Ruskell said while announcing the defending four-time NFC West champions released Alexander unconditionally, hours after the running back passed a physical.

Ruskell could've been talking about the Seattle fan's relationship with the always-smiling star, who earned a reputation for being a bit passive.

The 30-year-old Alexander went to three Pro Bowls, but was never the most beloved player on the Seahawks.

Sure, everyone loved Alexander during the 2005 season, when he set an NFL record with 28 touchdowns and a franchise mark of 1,880 yards rushing while leading the Seahawks to the Super Bowl and becoming the franchise's first MVP.

The Seahawks showed how fond they were of Alexander, giving him a $62 million, eight-year contract with $15.1 million guaranteed that agent Jim Steiner then said was the largest for a running back in league history.

Alexander was scheduled to earn $4,475,000 this season on a deal that many around the league questioned at the time it was signed because 30 is an age at which NFL running backs often become shadows of their former great selves.

"The contract was set up that you wanted to get at least 3 years," Ruskell said. "So we didn't get there. That part is disappointing.

"I thought because Shaun had not been injured through his career, playing the odds I said ... 'If you are going to bet on a guy, bet on a guy who's not been hurt or had that propensity.' That was the case with Shaun."

But then he severely bruised his left foot while getting tackled in 2006 opener. He kept playing on it and soon broke it, the first major injury of his football career, and missed six games. Last season, he broke his left wrist in Week 1. In November, he missed three games with a sprained left knee.

The cutback lanes he used to create began closing on him faster than he could run. His trademark hesitation, which used to deftly set up blocks, suddenly just invited defenders to swarm him -- and his home fans to boo. Coach Mike Holmgren said the injuries and having nowhere to run were the reasons for Alexander's his steep decline.

Even through his inglorious end in Seattle, Alexander kept the appearance that all was just fine -- that this, too, didn't matter much in the larger context of his life.

"I want to thank the Seahawks and Holmgren for all they have done for me and my family over the years," Alexander said. "I have nothing but respect and affection for the Seahawks staff, my teammates and the organization. I wish them the best."

Then he fawned over the same fans who last season cheered as he jogged off the home field while getting replaced.

"I especially want to thank the Seahawks fans," he said. "You made me feel proud every time I stepped on the field as a member of the Seahawks. I look forward to hopefully returning to Qwest Field one day to play against the Seahawks.

"We have made far too many wonderful friends to say goodbye. My family will remain in the Seattle area, and when my days in the NFL do eventually come to an end, I plan to retire here. Our hearts are woven into the fabric of this community, we are blessed to be part of it, and we enjoy contributing to it in every way we can."

"Thank you Seattle."

Alexander called Ruskell constantly this offseason to discuss his status once the Seahawks signed free agent running backs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett -- the offseason moves that essentially sealed Alexander's Seattle fate.

He also called constantly to discuss doctors' reports on his surgically repaired left wrist from January, so Alexander and the team could stay up to date.

"It's been unique, really," Ruskell said, chuckling. "Every step of the way we've kept him informed ... we've been lockstep with Shaun all along."

Now, for the first time since they drafted him out of Alabama 19th overall in 2000, the Seahawks and Alexander going separate ways.

"It shows you how tough this game is, how ever-changing it is, how you can't play forever," Ruskell said. "You just can't do it."

Even though his last two seasons have been his worst, Alexander said he is not retiring.

"I will be playing for another NFL team this fall, and doing everything I can to contribute," said Alexander, who ran for 716 yards in 13 games last season -- his lowest total as a full-time starter.

"I am healthy, energized and looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my NFL career."

Verizon Center Is Looking Into Changes After Debris Is Tossed
Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008; Page E04

A spokesman for Verizon Center said yesterday the arena will consider changes after some fans threw plastic bottles filled with beer and other debris onto the ice following the Washington Capitals' 3-2 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Tuesday night.

One of the bottles clipped the shoulder of Flyers center Jeff Carter as he was being interviewed near the benches.

A handful of fans were escorted out of the building by security, according to Matt Williams, executive vice president of Washington Sports and Entertainment. Williams said there were no injuries or arrests and that the building might consider selling beverages in cups rather than bottles for future elimination games.

"It was a reaction to the penalty and that all of the sudden the season was over," Williams said. "It's surprising because our fans have not done that before. We reacted as best we could."

Injured Capitals captain Chris Clark could not believe what he was seeing as he watched on television in the locker room.

"I don't like being a part of that," he said. "Some teams, that might be how their fans show their support. But I don't like to see that."

QUOTABLE

"It's frustrating. It's disappointing. It's a number of things. If you get a 3-run lead late in the game, you can't afford to let it get away." -- Blue Jays RHP Roy Halladay, who surrendered 4 runs in the 6th inning and lost to the Rays at Disney World

BY THE NUMBERS

10,000 - All-time wins for the Cubs after last night's victory

50 - Wins for Yankees RHP Chien-Ming Wang, in 85 starts, the quickest major leaguer to that number since the Mets' Dwight Gooden did it in his 82nd start in 1986

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1901: Chicago defeated Cleveland, 8-2, in the first AL game, which lasted 1 hour 30 minutes in front of a crowd of 14,000 at the Chicago Cricket Club.

1996: Paul Molitor and Greg Myers each drive in five runs as the Minnesota Twins wallop the Detroit Tigers by the score of 24-11. It is just one of many high-scoring games on the table that day; in fact, the 195 combined runs tallied by the 14 Major League teams in action marks the highest single-day total in the 20th century.

ht tp://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/mag/franchiseRanks?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab6pos1

Ultimate Standings: Fan Satisfaction Rankings

We know what really matters to fans -- because you told us. We surveyed more than 80,000 fans in SportsNation, and commissioned a nationwide poll done by Markitecture, Inc., and you told us what you want from your favorite team. And then you told us how well your favorite franchise repays you for all the love and money you devote to it. In the table to the right you will see the 8 categories by which you, the fans of SportsNation, ranked your teams.

The results? The Indianapolis Colts rank No. 1 among 122 pro sports teams based on what they give back to fans who invest their time and money in the organization.

Below, you can check the full Ultimate Standings results to see:
* Where your favorite team stands.
* How each team ranks in its own sport.
* How each major market compares with each other.
* How each team does in each category.

Ratings Categories:

BNG (Bang for the Buck): Wins over the past three years per revenues directly from fans

FRL (Fan Relations): Ease of access to players, coaches & management

OWN (Ownership): Honesty; loyalty to players and city

AFF (Affordability): Price of tickets, parking and concessions

STD (Stadium Experience): Friendliness of environment; quality of game-day promotions

PLA (Players): Effort on the field; likability off it

CCH (Coach/Manager): Strong on-field leadership

TTR (Title Track): Titles already won or expected -- soon

TEAM RNK BNG FRL OWN AFF STD PLA CCH TTR
1. Washington Wizards 35/10 29 57 32 69 65 36 47 79
2. Washington Capitals 45/16 65 14 35 64 78 27 38 77
3. Washington Nationals 63/15 53 94 68 38 67 68 41 82
3. Baltimore Ravens 76/18 62 105 30 75 29 78 118 23
4. Washington Redskins 92/22 104 70 63 118 92 65 62 40
5. Baltimore Orioles 114/30 85 117 117 86 50 118 110 104

Last Year's Rank: 105
A fire sale of marquee players, coinciding with a 6% hike in the average ticket price ($22.45), took the O's down in every category this year. Not even the MLB's cheapest soda ($2) and second-cheapest hot dog ($2.50) could help fans wash down the bad taste owner Peter Angelos has left. Oriole blogger Heath Bintliff pulled no punches: "He has refused to spend money on the farm system, allowing it to wither and die. He has chased good people from the organization, creating little continuity of focus and philosophy. And old Oriole legends have been alienated and conspicuously absent from Oriole events." Also conspicuously absent? "Baltimore" from road jerseys, which irks the town's faithful. The perpetually half-full Camden Yards still gets love for being the first in a string of retro downtown ballparks built in the 1990s, though it was recently dubbed "Fenway South" after four of their nine '07 sellouts came when the Red Sox were in town. At least the popular brew Natty Boh ($5) helps dull the pain.

Last Year's Rank: 32
Last season was a black hole for Ravens fans who dreamed of a return to the Super Bowl, and if you don't believe it, check the 44-spot slide, the fourth-steepest in our Standings. Remember when Brian Billick was a genius? The couple of people who still think so are all that stood between him and the lowest rating in all of coachdom. (John Harbaugh was given the clipboard in the off-season.) The Ravens brass didn't work overtime to make it up to the faithful either. Okay, so there's plenty of parking—if you can afford it ($25, please). This season, a family of four spent close to $412 to take in a game at M&T, a wh0pping 17.3% year-over-year increase. Tickets alone went up a hefty 25%, to $77.50. And where has all the talent gone? It was so much easier when fans could just blame everything on Kyle Boller.

I'm sure you are sooooooooooooooo excited!

btw, me and Jess need to make sure we don't clash that day....and of course, I have to make sure I look hotter than her!!

hahahahahahahaaha **snort**

"A little bit of a relief," Markakis said of his 4th home run of the year. "But the biggest part is it helped us win the ballgame. That's the most important thing, and we'll come out here tomorrow and play all 9 innings again and try to win the series."

****************

I take it this made it to your "Little bit" thread.

What's That Smell?
Filed under: Icky Icky Poo > Julia Roberts

We already know she sometimes doesn't like to shave her armpits.

Now, it's just been reported that Ms. Julia Roberts has a little secret….

She never wears deodorant!!!

Roberts says, "I don't like to share that with a large number of people, but it's just never been my thing."

She's not a fan of deodorant, sprays, or roll-ons it seems. Instead, she opts to use just soap and water to stay fresh.

She adds, "Sometimes, midday at work, I freshen up."

At least she stays clean, though we wouldn't want to get stuck in an elevator next to her!

Biggest Baby in the WORLD!?
Filed under: Wacky, Tacky & True > Etc.

The Singh family of Meerut, India, think they have the biggest baby in the world.

At 10 months old, their son Karan is 3 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 49 pounds.

Holy shiz that is some 'baby'!!!

And, by the way, that really tall person holding the child. That's his MOMMA!

Svetlana (pictured on the right holding Karan) is not surprised that her 'baby' is so hefty. She's one of the tallest women in Asia, measuring 7 feet 2 inches.

Karan eats about 20 times a day.

Do any of your babies out there measure up?

Karan's parents should enroll him in a basketball class once he starts walking. There's loads of money to be made in the NBA!

Star Jones Files For Divorce!
Filed under: G*y G*y G*y > Star Jones

What took her so long????

Star Jones has filed for divorce from her "husband", Big G*y Al.

Geessh, whatever could have caused the demise of that marriage????

Of her divorce, Star says:

"Several years ago I made an error in judgment by inviting the media into the most intimate area of my life.* A month ago I filed for divorce. The dissolution of a marriage is a difficult time in anyone's life that requires privacy with one's thoughts. I have committed myself to handling this situation with dignity and grace and look forward to emerging from this period as a stronger and wiser woman."

The couple were married less than 4 years.

B.G.A.'s gonna have to find himself another meal ticket now!

* Lynn's comment - so she wouldn't actually have to pay for any of it! Star's had a rough year though ... 1st her show gets dumped by Court Tv and now this.