Florida Gators thread

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Gators fall in WCWS opener


By Pat Dooley
Sun sports writer


Published: Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 30, 2008 at 12:19 a.m.
The Associated Press
Louisiana-Lafayette's Holly Tankersley runs past the Florida dugout after hitting the game-winning home run in the top of the eighth inning during the Women's College World Series softball game at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium Thursday in Oklahoma City.
At a glance
Thursday's scores
La.-Lafayette 3,Florida 2 (8 innings)
Texas A&M 1, Va. Tech 0
Arizona St. 3, Alabama 1
UCLA vs. Arizona (late)

Friday's games
Winners' bracket
La.-Lafayette vs. Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
Arizona St. vs. Arizona-UCLA winner, 9 p.m.

Saturday's game
Losers' bracket
UF (67-4) vs. Va. Tech (49-18), noon
TV: ESPN; Radio: AM-850


OKLAHOMA CITY — It was a pitch she had seen before, the same pitch that had resulted in grounders to second in her two previous at-bats.
This time, Holly Tankersley tried something different.
“I closed my eyes and swung to be honest,” said the Louisiana-Lafayette All-American.
The result was Tankersley's 22nd home run of the year, a line drive over the left-center field fence that gave the unseeded Cajuns a 3-2 win in eight innings over top-seeded Florida. It was only the second home run given up by Florida All-American Stacey Nelson this season and only the fourth loss for the Gators this year.
In its first appearance in the College World Series, Florida now faces the unenviable task of going up against Virginia Tech player of the year candidate Angela Tincher pitching in an elimination game Saturday at noon (EDT) on ESPN. Of UF's four losses this season, three have been in extra innings.
“It's tough,” said designated player Tiffany DeFelice, who scored Florida's first run Thursday. “But this team is tough.”
Tankersley's homer with one out in the eighth came on the first pitch from Nelson, who retired the first-team All-American the first three times she faced her.
“I think I hit my spot,” said Nelson. “I'm not sure because it never got to the catcher. She might have been expecting it and she hit it very hard.”
While Tankersley's homer won the game, it was a clutch two-out, two-run double by Vanessa Soto in the fifth that allowed Louisiana-Lafayette to send the game into extra innings.
Soto, a transfer from LSU, hit a 2-2 pitch off the bottom of the wall in right center after Florida had taken a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Up until that point, the Gators seemed to be in control of the game as Nelson had allowed only four hits, three of them infield singles.
“I faced her when she was at LSU so I knew what she could do,” Nelson said. “I just flattened out on that pitch and she took advantage of my flatness.”
That it was only 2-0 at that point was a tribute to Cajun freshman pitcher Ashley Brignac, who threw 187 pitches and struck out 15 in the game.
Brignac gave up a two-out RBI double to Corrie Brooks in the second and an RBI double to Aja Paculba in the fourth. But Brignac was able to work out of more serious trouble in each of those innings. Florida left nine runners on base and had 10 strikeouts with runners on base.
“With some pretty good hitters coming up,” said Florida coach Tim Walton. “We had a pretty good game plan. We knew exactly what her velocity was going to be. She didn't throw anything we weren't expecting.
“I don't think we swung the bats well enough to win. There was a look on some of our players' faces that was funny, like her release point was confusing our hitters.”
Florida finished the game with six hits, the last one being Paculba's double in the fourth. Only two Gators reached base in the final four innings, both on walks.
“We didn't make the adjustments,” Walton said.
But the Gators did battle until the end. Leading off the bottom of the eighth, DeFelice fouled off 16 straight pitches in a 21-pitch at-bat before flying out to deep center.
“I just kept fouling them off hoping she'd miss,” DeFelice said. “But it didn't turn out the way I wanted.”
Not much did on a day when Florida found itself heading for the losers' bracket.
“We didn't come here to lose,” Walton said. “It's a challenge now, but we have to regroup.”
Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 or dooleyp@gvillesun.com.

[azuquita8]

UF football picks up two commitments


By John Patton
Sun sports writer



Published: Friday, May 30, 2008 at 12:16 p.m.


The future of the Florida football program got a little bit brighter late this week, as the Gators received commitments from two in-state standouts.
First, DeLand athlete Mike Gillislee committed to Florida on a campus visit Thursday afternoon, according to his high school coach, Kevin Pettis. And then on Friday, Pahokee receiver Nu'Keese Richardson announced his intentions to sign with UF.
"I think he (picked the Gators) for a variety of reasons," Pettis said. "I think the academic side, the football side, coach (Urban) Meyer, (defensive coordinator Charlie) Strong, Florida being the flagship university of the state. ... There were a lot of reasons."
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Gillislee, who probably will play running back according to Pettis, selected UF over scholarship offers from Michigan, Illinois, Purdue, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Clemson, South Carolina, Auburn, Miami and others.
"He's a great kid," Pettis said. "So good our principal came with us on the visit (Thursday). He wanted to be there with (Gillislee)."
Nicknamed "Pete" after former Florida State (and Pahokee) All-American Peter Warrick, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Richardson said he plans to enroll next January so he can participate in spring practice.
He selected the Gators over South Carolina, Georgia, Southern California and Michigan.
Richardson is the second Blue Devils' standout (current freshman cornerback Janoris Jenkins is the other) to commit to UF in the last calendar year. He had 26 receptions for 452 yards and six touchdowns as a junior for the FHSAA Class 2B state champions.
"Florida felt like the best fit for me," Richardson said. "I'm excited to be a Gator."

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UF stays alive with WCWS wins


By Pat Dooley
Sun sports writer



Published: Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 4:21 p.m.

OKLAHOMA CITY — There have been a lot of big days for the Florida softball team this season and the Gators hope there are more to come.
But Saturday was definitely one to remember.
Florida won a pair of pulsating 2-0 games to stay alive in the Women's College World Series. In the process, the Gators eliminated the national Player of the Year and turned around to eliminate an 11-time national championship team.
“It was definitely a good day in my life,” said Florida pitcher Stacey Nelson.
Nelson was clutch for the Gators all day, throwing a pair of shutouts over 16 innings. She blanked Virginia Tech over nine innings and then UCLA, which has won 11 national titles and this tournament 10 times, in seven innings.
“It didn't seem like 16 innings,” she said. “In the second game I looked up at the scoreboard and couldn't believe it was the sixth inning. It went by really fast.”
Florida now faces Texas A&M today needing to beat the Aggies twice to advance to the national finals. Texas A&M, which eliminated Florida in the Super Regionals a year ago, has yet to lose in this tournament.
“I'm looking forward to playing them,” said UF's Francesca Enea.
Florida scored early against UCLA, getting a run in the bottom of the first on an error by pitcher Anjelica Selden. With Kim Waleszonia at second, Selden threw a grounder by Ali Gardiner away to give Florida a 1-0 lead.
“I scooped it and it just got caught in my glove,” Selden said.
That was all Nelson would need, but Florida got an insurance run in the sixth on a single by Enea.
“I struck out my two previous at-bats and I swung and missed at my first pitch,” Enea said. “I said to myself, ‘Really, Francesca, are you going to do this again?’ She laid one in there for me and I hit it hard. It felt really good. I'm just so happy.”
Florida was playing its second elimination game of the day because of the dramatic 2-0 win in nine innings over Virginia Tech. The victory gave Florida the all-time NCAA record for wins in a season.
The victory was Florida's 68th this season, one more than three teams that shared the record (1998 Arizona, 2005 Tennessee and 1999 Illinois-Chicago). The Gators added No. 69 later in the day.
But for Florida coach Tim Walton, the victory was special for another reason.
“I'm not going to overlook that win because it was win No. 68,“ he said. “That means a lot. Not because it is a record, but because we won our first World Series game.”
The scoreless game went to the bottom of the seventh when Tech's Erin Ota lined a Nelson pitch to center. Waleszonia appeared to have the slicing liner corralled, but it went over her glove and Ota ended up on third base with no outs.
Walton then ordered intentional walks to the next two batters to load the bases and Nelson got a home-to-first double play and a grounder to second to get out of the inning.
“It was a no-brainer for me,” Walton said of the intentional walks.
Said Nelson, “I was just thinking, just get a ground ball.”
But Florida still had to find a way to score to keep playing in the WCWS. When Virginia Tech ace Angela Tincher struck out the first two batters in the top of the ninth, she had 19 for the game which is one short of the WCWS record.
But two-out hits by Gardiner and Enea gave Florida a chance. Tiffany DeFelice, who had a 21-pitch at-bat on Thursday, went to work again fouling off 3-2 pitches. On Tincher's 17th pitch to DeFelice, she bounced one off the Gator batter's leg loading the bases.
Mary Ratliff, with three strikeouts already in the game, delivered a two-run double past the shortstop to provide the game-winner.
“My first three at-bats were pretty poor,” Ratliff said. “(Tincher) was everything we thought she was. I choked up a little rather than wait until there were two strikes.
“I was pumped. It was an unreal feeling. I just felt good for Stacey because we left her out there for nine innings.”

[azuquita8]

Adams: Take note: Florida's offense better

By John Adams
Originally published 09:46 p.m., May 31, 2008
Updated 09:46 p.m., May 31, 2008






DESTIN, Fla. - Florida football coach Urban Meyer might need a larger notepad this fall.
His pregame ritual as a head coach includes a listing of playmakers. He jots the names down just before he boards the team bus on game day.
"There was a time when the list stopped at two or three," Meyer said at the SEC meetings. "Now, it's going upwards to six, seven, eight nine."
The list begins with quarterback Tim Tebow, who helped the Gators win the national championship as a freshman and won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. Then comes wide receiver/running back Percy Harvin, who is recovering from heel surgery but is expected to be full speed by preseason practice. Meyer already is promoting Harvin as the Heisman successor to Tebow.
As if those two didn't pose enough problems for opposing defenses, Florida's spring game showcased Chris Rainey, another sprinter with Harvin-like acceleration and cutting ability, and Southern Cal transfer Emmanuel Moody, who rushed for 111 yards.
The Gators still have deluxe punt and kickoff returner Brandon James, and one of the best tight end tandems in the country in Cornelius Ingram and Aaron Hernandez.
Doodling has never been more fun for Meyer, who has a habit of drawing up plays in his spare time.
"To have a 10.4 100-meter guy that you're trying to get the football to, that's really enjoyable for me," Meyer said.
And he has more than one, which is just one of the reasons the Gators are a popular preseason pick to battle Georgia for the national title as well as for supremacy in the SEC East.
Rainey and Harvin both could line up as running backs alongside Tebow, or they could be on the field at the same time as slot receivers.
The Gators also have unusual versatility at tight end, where Ingram and Hernandez are big, athletic receivers. Ingram, a high school quarterback, could line up just about anywhere, but Meyer also intends to use him more as a traditional tight end - sometimes in a two-tight end set with Hernandez.
"CI (Ingram) will do a lot more this year," Meyer said. "But doing a lot more doesn't necessarily mean more catches."
Florida's assemblage of offensive talent is reminiscent of Steve Spurrier's national championship Gators in 1996 when he had Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel at quarterback; Fred Taylor at running back; and Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard and Jacquez Green at wide receiver.
Despite all that talent at skill positions, Meyer said, "The area I'm most impressed with is the offensive line."
Sure, he still has concerns about his lack of experience at defensive tackle. And a young secondary has to prove itself in a game. But Meyer isn't concealing his optimism.
"I think we could be real good," he said. "The areas of concern have improved."
His team's attitude also has improved.
"Our strength coach said the difference is night and day (between this off-season and last)," Meyer said. "They've got a little chip on their shoulder.
"It's real easy to coach a team that's angry. If a team is fat and happy, it's hard to motivate them."
Maybe that explains what happened to the Gators in their failed bowl venture against Michigan.
The Gators entered the Capital One Bowl on a four-game winning streak in which they had outscored their opposition 204-85. They were a solid favorite against the Wolverines, who pulled off a 41-35 upset.
That left the Gators with a 9-4 record, which qualifies as a successful season on a lot of college campuses, but not in Gainesville.
"Losing four games . . . That's embarrassing," freshman All-American guard Maurkice Pouncey told Gator Country magazine at the end of spring practice.
Then, his twin brother Mike, who helped shore up a struggling defensive front in the last month of the season, chimed in: "I don't ever want to go through that again.
Even in a four-loss season, Florida didn't exactly collapse. It just didn't win the close games, as it did in its 2006 national championship season. Its four losses were by a total of 25 points.
The disappointing season didn't damage Meyer's reputation for explosive offenses, either. Florida scored 42 or more points in eight of its 13 games and averaged 42.6 points per game for the season.
And its next offense should be even better.
So give the coach a bigger notepad and more time to doodle.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.

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Gators fall short of WCWS finals


By Pat Dooley
Sun sports writer



Published: Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 4:24 p.m.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The at-bats will haunt them. They'll see them in their dreams. At least for a while.
The question will be which one wakes them up in the middle of the night?
Florida's gutsy softball team was one swing away Sunday night from making it to the finals of the Women's College World Series. But the team that has been clutch all season couldn't deliver the clutch hit. Instead, that hit was ripped down the right-field line by Kelsey Spittler, the Aggies' No. 9 hitter, on an 0-2 count.
Spittler's double scored Marcie Morrow from first base to give Texas A&M a 1-0, nine-inning win that ended the Gators' spectacular season.
“She did a good job of getting her hands out in front of it,” said Florida pitcher Stacey Nelson. “When I saw her swing I thought it was foul, but it was fair by a couple of inches.”
The ball snuck under the glove of first baseman Ali Gardiner, then took an awkward bounce away from Mary Ratliff in the corner allowing Morrow to score.
But the Gators will spend the offseason thinking about the opportunities they had to win.
In the bottom of the sixth, Florida loaded the bases with one out. But Francesca Enea grounded into a force play and Gardiner flew out to left, ending the threat.
“A chance to score with my two best hitters up, it's going to sting,” said Florida coach Tim Walton. “It's going to hurt.”
Florida had a chance in the bottom of the ninth as well, putting the first two runners on base. But Ratliff hit into a double play and Megan Bush popped out to end the game.
“Not bunting with Mary Ratliff is something that can be scrutinized, but I wanted Mary and Megan to swing the bat,” Walton said.
Florida made it to Sunday night's game by beating the Aggies 6-1 earlier in the day. The Gators used two home runs by Enea to force another elimination game. It was Florida's third straight win after a loss to start the tournament.
“What a heck of a season it was for the Florida Gators,” Walton said. “I don't know if anyone will win 70 games again. I'm proud to be their coach.”
Texas A&M begins a best-of-three series against Arizona State tonight. The Sun Devils, the only unbeaten team in the tournament, eliminated Alabama on Sunday on a three-run homer by Jackie Vasquez.
Florida ends its season with a 70-5 record. A teary-eyed Nelson was heroic in defeat despite not having her best stuff. She limited the Aggies to six hits.
“That game was intense from the first inning,” Nelson said. “I wasn't as much on point as I was (Saturday). The entire game I was off a little bit.
“We didn't win the national championship, but we did so much. It's just a team to remember.”
Florida won the opener by scoring three runs in the fourth inning against Big XII player of the year Megan Gibson, who was able to turn around and shut the Gators out for nine innings in the nightcap.
In the game, the Gators lost designated player Tiffany DeFelice, who injured her left wrist on a swing in the top of the seventh.
Enea's first homer in the opening game was a line drive that barely cleared the wall in the second inning to give Florida a 1-0 lead. But an uncharacteristic bout of wildness from Nelson allowed the Aggies to tie the game. She walked three batters, the last with the bases loaded. Ball four was over the plate at the knees and prompted a reaction from Nelson.
That caused home plate umpire Mike Bartling to summon Walton to the pitcher's circle to discuss Nelson's behavior.
In the fourth, Gardiner hit a one-out double before Enea popped up a pitch near first base. Natalie Villarreal, a left-handed second baseman, drifted under the ball, but it hit off her glove allowing pinch-runner Danyell Hines to score. One out later, senior Ratliff rifled a double off the wall to score Enea.
Corrie Brooks followed with a single to score Ratliff, and Gibson was replaced in the circle.
In the bottom of the inning, Walton chose to pull Nelson to rest her for the second game and went to freshman Stephanie Brombacher. She pitched four innings of hitless relief allowing only one runner to reach base. Brombacher got the win to improve to 20-0 this season.
In the top of the seventh, Gardiner singled off A&M reliever Rhiannon Kliesing and Enea followed with her second homer of the game and 17th of the season.
But three straight wins was one short of what Florida needed to climb out of the hole it created with an opening-day loss.
“This team has a lot of heart,” Nelson said. “I'm not sad about the loss as much as I'm sad about it being over. I'm sad about losing Mary Ratliff (who is a senior). Just playing with the girls. Just ending the season like that.”

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UF men's basketball makes coaching hire


By Pat Dooley
Sun sports writer



Published: Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 9:23 p.m.

Florida has a new assistant basketball coach, sources told The Sun on Sunday.
Shaka Smart, a 31-year-old assistant at Clemson for the past two years, is the new hire.
Smart replaces Lewis Preston, who resigned late last week after accepting an assistant coaching job at Penn State.
Smart was in Gainesville on Sunday and had dinner with the Florida coaching staff.
He is the third new coach Billy Donovan has hired in the last three years after two previous coaches — Anthony Grant and Donnie Jones — left for head coaching positions at other schools. Another Donovan assistant — John Pelphrey — left the staff to become a head coach four years ago.
The other two assistants — Larry Shyatt and Rob Lanier — have been head coaches in the past.
Smart is considered to be one of the hot young assistants in college basketball after helping Oliver Purnell guide Clemson to a 24-10 record last season. Smart originally went to Clemson with Purnell from Dayton in 2003 to become director of basketball operations, but left later that year for an assistant coaching job at Akron. He returned to Clemson in 2006.
Smart graduated from Kenyon College in 1999 Magna cum laude with a degree in history. He holds the Kenyon record for assists in a season and a career.

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Kickoff set for first two games


By Robbie Andreu
Sun sports writer



Published: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 2:57 p.m.

For the second consecutive season, the Florida football team is going to be getting off to a hot, early start in The Swamp.
As anticipated, UF learned Tuesday that its Aug. 30 opener against Hawaii has been picked up by Raycom and will have a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. Last year's opener against Western Kentucky also was tabbed by the network and had a 12:30 p.m. kickoff.
At the SEC's spring meetings in Destin last week, word leaked out that Raycom was going to televise the Hawaii game. The news became official with the league's release Tuesday of its television schedule.
The Gators also learned that the Sept. 6 Miami game at Florida Field has been picked up by ESPN and will have an 8 p.m. kickoff.
As for the early kickoff on Aug. 30, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said last week that UF would have a plan to cope with heat, similar to the one the school had for last year's 12:30 p.m. opener.
"We'll announce those plans as we get closer to the game," Foley said. "We're very sensitive to the heat. We'll do some of the things we did last year, with the water, ice and cooling zones. Last year we had a very good experience and I'm confident we'll have one again."

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Leak signs with CFL's Hamilton


According to http://www.cfl.ca



Published: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at 11:57 p.m.

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats bolstered their depth at quarterback Tuesday with the signing of former Gator quarterback Chris Leak.
The 6-foot, 207-pounder from Charlotte, N.C., had a 94.8 rating in his last season with the Gators in 2006, when he threw for 2,942 yards and 23 touchdowns.
“We consider Chris to be a great CFL quarterback prospect,” said Hamilton general manager Bob O’ Billovich. “We believe that Chris’ style of play is suited for this league. He’s accomplished some great things in his career and we’re excited to see what he can do for the Ticats.”
The CFL team now has five quarterbacks in camp, including starter Casey Printers, backup Richie Williams, sophomore Timmy Chang and newcomer Quinton Porter.

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Sun Sports show focuses on three ex-Gators


By Pat Dooley
Sun sports writer



Published: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 9:33 p.m.

Sun Sports will be showing a pair of life stories concerning three former Florida Gator football players in the upcoming edition of “Under The Lights: Stories of Courage” Friday night.
The episode will air at 9 p.m. Friday.
It includes a story on former Gator fullback Darryl Perry, who was Emmitt Smith's blocking back. Perry became a successful financial adviser and motivational speaker and maintained his ties with Gator athletics and served as the president of the F Club, the school’s athletic alumni association.
Three weeks after celebrating his 40th birthday, Perry experienced sudden cardiac death and suffered a devastating heart attack and stroke caused by an irregular heart rhythm. He was pronounced dead by the emergency response team and went seven minutes before they were able to restore his heartbeat.
Perry is now battling his way through rehabilitation and attempting to return to a life of normalcy.
The second story is about childhood friends Rhondy Weston and Tommy Duhart, who grew up in Belle Glade and went on to play football together for the Gators in the late ’80s. For the past 15 years, Duhart has battled severe diabetes and last summer he was in desperate need of a kidney donor in order to stay alive. After finding no matches in his own family, Duhart found a willing donor and perfect match in childhood buddy — Weston.

[azuquita8]

Preseason love for Gators

The preseason college football magazines have started to hit the newsstands and they're giving the Gators lots of love. Maybe too much.

Seeing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow on all these regional covers is expected. But having Florida at No. 1 seems a little odd considering all the problems the Gators had on defense last season, especially in that last game.

Two magazines have the Gators in the top spot " Athlon and Phil Steele's College Football Preview.

Had Florida played well and beaten Michigan in the Capital One Bowl, it would be a lot easier to justify putting the Gators at No. 1 heading into the 2008 season. But after the defensive meltdown in that loss to the Wolverines, UF certainly doesn't have the look of a No. 1 team.

In its UF preview, Athlon devotes most of the space talking about Tebow, Percy Harvin and the Gators' explosive offense. Now, on that side of the ball, the Gators definitely look like a No. 1 team.

As for the shaky UF defense, Athlon sort of brushes over any potential problems with this blanket statement: "The front four is well-stocked, and the back seven should be strong as well."

The last time I checked (which was during spring practice), Florida's young defensive line was still a huge question mark (and a concern of the coaches) and there were still some questions about a secondary that got shredded consistently last season.

I think Florida's defense is going to be better this season (especially in the back end), but the Gators have to show it on the field before I start looking at the Gators as serious national championship contenders.

There seems to be a consensus out there that if UF is just solid on defense, the Gators will be unbeatable because the offense is so good. I'm not sure I buy that theory. Winning offensive shootouts isn't the way to go in the SEC.

[azuquita8]

Figueroa selected in 6th round


The Associated Press



Published: Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 10:56 p.m.

LAKE BUENA VISTA — With the clock on the large television monitor ticking down to zero and a cluster of fans chanting from the balcony, commissioner Bud Selig stepped to the podium and announced that the Tampa Bay Rays had selected high school shortstop Tim Beckham with the No. 1 pick in the baseball draft.
Oh, how times have changed.
The draft's first day was quiet locally with only Florida signee Kenny Wilson and current Gator shortstop Cole Figueroa selected in the first six rounds.
Wilson, a 6-foot, 165-pound center fielder from Tampa Sickles, was taken in the second round, 63rd overall, by the Toronto Blue Jays.
A draft-eligible sophomore because he turns 21 this summer, Figueroa was chosen in the sixth round, 195th overall, by the San Diego Padres. The Tallahassee native started all 58 games for UF this season, hitting .350 with 61 runs, 12 doubles, 20 stolen bases and team-bests in RBIs (57) and home runs (nine).
Friday's final 44 rounds could see quite a few players with local ties taken. Gator left-handed pitching signee Nick Maronde is expected to lead the way, as scouts have said they expect him to be off the board in the first 10 rounds.
Wilson told the St. Petersburg Times Thursday night that he is likely to turn pro.
The annual 50-round marathon that began Thursday is no longer strictly held by conference call. A portion of the first day was televised live for the second consecutive year from Disney World with about 400 boisterous fans and autograph seekers in house, along with some of baseball’s biggest names, including Hall of Famers Al Kaline, Billy Williams and Dave Winfield.
‘‘It’s come a long way,’’ said former major league pitcher Brian Anderson, recalling 15 years ago when he gathered with family and friends around a telephone in his Ohio apartment waiting for a call from the team drafting him.
‘‘You didn’t even know what time the draft started then. I found out the night before,’’ the third overall pick in 1993 added. ‘‘This is awesome. This is great for the game.’’
Only one thing was missing — prospects.
One, Aaron Hicks, a high school outfielder and alumnus of baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., attended with his family and went on stage to shake hands with Selig and pose for pictures after the Minnesota Twins made him the 14th pick.
Many in the crowd wore Rays T-shirts and cheered wildly when Selig announced the selection of Beckham, the talented high school shortstop from Griffin, Ga., that Tampa Bay picked over Florida State catcher Buster Posey.
Beckham was recognized as one of the best pure athletes in the draft and labeled a legitimate five-tool player. He established himself as the top prep prospect in the nation with solid performances at last summer’s high school showcase events and hit .482 with six homers, 13 doubles, 41 RBIs and 23 stolen bases as a senior.
‘‘I found out this morning. ... The scouting director gave me a call and the general manager gave me a call. It was crazy. I was about to do a back flip in my room,’’ Beckham said.
‘‘It means everything in the world. I’ve worked this hard the last three or four years, me and my brothers and my dad. This means all the hard work paid off. I hope to become an All-Star and after that I want to become a Hall of Famer.’’
With the second pick, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose sweet-swinging Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez. Florida high school first baseman Eric Hosmer went third to the Kansas City Royals, and the Baltimore Orioles took top college pitching prospect Brian Matusz out of San Diego with the fourth pick.
This is the second year in a row the Rays have had the No. 1 pick. David Price, a hard-throwing left-hander from Vanderbilt, was the choice in 2007 and is off to a great start with Class-A Vero Beach.
Beckham is the third high school shortstop taken No. 1 overall in the last five years, joining Justin Upton (Arizona, 2005) and Matt Bush (San Diego, 2004).
While there’s always pressure to get the No. 1 pick right, the improving Rays imposed some extra heat on themselves this time because they’re hoping it will be years before they’ll be in a position to select first again.
Tampa Bay whittled its list of candidates for the top pick to five, then trimmed it to two — Beckham and Posey, a converted shortstop who developed into one of college baseball’s top offensive and defensive catchers over the past year.
‘‘It was an active debate, but I think at the end of the day when push came to shove and we were racing time, I think it was pretty clear to everybody that Tim Beckham was the guy at the top of our board,’’ Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.
‘‘We feel like he’s got an advanced approach to the game, a genuine enthusiasm for what he does, and we feel like he’s got a great chance to be an impact player in the major leagues.’’
The Rays called Posey a few hours before the draft to inform him that they were going to select Beckham. The Florida State star, hitting a Division I-leading .468 heading into this week’s NCAA super regionals, wound up going to the San Francisco Giants with the fifth pick.
The Florida Marlins, picking sixth, took California high school catcher Kyle Skipworth, whom many consider the top prep prospect at his position since Joe Mauer was selected No. 1 overall by Minnesota seven years ago.
Rounding out the top 10, the Cincinnati Reds took Miami slugger Yonder Alonso seventh, the Chicago White Sox picked Georgia shortstop Gordon Beckham (no relation to Tim) eighth, the Washington Nationals tabbed Missouri pitcher Aaron Crow and the Houston Astros selected Stanford catcher Jason Castro.
It’s the fourth time Tampa Bay has had the No. 1 pick in the club’s 11-season history. It picked outfielders Josh Hamilton in 1999 and Delmon Young in 2003.
The Rays think the 18-year-old Beckham is more advanced offensively than defensively at this point, but they’re confident he has the athleticism, work ethic and attitude to become a complete player.
Second baseman Jemile Weeks, brother of Milwaukee’s Rickie Weeks, was one of three University of Miami players selected in the opening round, going to the Oakland Athletics at No. 12.
While six first basemen were selected within the first 23 picks, only two pitchers — Matusz and Crow — were taken in the top 10. But seven pitchers were chosen during a 10-pick stretch from No. 19 to No. 28, where the New York Yankees went for California prep right-hander Gerrit Cole.
Two teams, Minnesota and the New York Mets, had two picks in the first round.
After taking Hicks at No. 14, the Twins selected Miami pitcher Carlos Gutierrez 27th. The Mets took Arizona State first baseman Ike Davis 18th and South Carolina shortstop Reese Havens 22nd.
Davis is the son of former big league pitcher Ron Davis. Daniel Schlereth, the University of Arizona pitcher selected 26th by the Diamondbacks, is the son of former Broncos offensive lineman and current ESPN football analyst Mark Schlereth.
Sun sports writer John Patton contributed to this report.

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Fresh start for UF alum Fason?


The Associated Press



Published: Friday, June 6, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.

JACKSONVILLE — Ciatrick Fason was a star at nearby Fletcher high school and gained even more recognition in college at Florida.
Now, though, he’s just a guy trying to catch on with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fason, a fourth-round draft pick by Minnesota in 2005, was one of four players working out with the Jaguars during their two-day mini-camp that started Friday. Fason hopes to do enough to earn a contract and play alongside Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.
‘‘It’s always been a dream just to have a chance to play for the Jaguars,’’ Fason said. ‘‘I’m just appreciative of the opportunity they’re giving me just to come out here and try to get signed.’’
Although the Jaguars are looking for a third-string running back to replace LaBrandon Toefield, Fason faces a tough challenge since the team already has second-year player D.D. Terry and seventh-round draft pick Chauncey Washington in the mix.
But assistant head coach Mike Tice drafted Fason when he was with the Vikings and wanted to give him a chance in Jacksonville.
‘‘I know that there are a lot talented players out there who for whatever reason don’t fit, don’t catch on, don’t work out,’’ Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. ‘‘We’re more concerned with giving him an opportunity, giving him a chance to come in here and compete in this environment. This is a tryout weekend for him. If we feel there is enough there, where we want to continue, we’ll offer him a contract and bring him to camp.’’
Fason ran for 1,267 yards and 10 touchdowns at Florida in 2004, then turned pro after his junior season. His draft stock dropped when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds. Minnesota selected him 112th overall, and although he was behind Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore on the depth chart, he found playing time in goal-line and short-yardage situations.
He ran for 62 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2005, but got even less playing time with the new coaching staff in 2006. Knowing he might not even see the field last season because of the addition of rookie Adrian Peterson, Fason was cut last August. He has 50 career carries for 161 yards and five scores.
‘‘I think my fate was sealed once Tice left,’’ Fason said. ‘‘My second year was kind of rocky. They played me on and off. I had a good game versus the Bears, then the next week, they sat me down. ... I now know not to take anything for granted. There are great backs everywhere, and I’m just going to give it my all.’’

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UF strength coach Marotti teaches players chemistry


By Robbie Andreu
Sun sports writer



Published: Friday, June 6, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.

Urban Meyer calls him The Godfather. The players call him The Man.
What Mickey Marotti really is right now is the acting head football coach at the University of Florida.
It happens every spring (and summer).
Once May arrives, Meyer and his assistants can have only limited contact with the players. This is when Marotti and his strength and conditioning staff step in and take over. The Gators are in their demanding hands now.
"I have no problem with that responsibility," Marotti said. "This is our main time right now. Some people ask what you do all summer. When there's a week left in the summer and we're going into camp, they may say, ‘Now it's the time to crank it up.’ Well, I've been cranking since May 12. This team has been cranking."
From the 6:30 a.m. runs, to the combative one-on-one mat drills, to the lifting sessions in the weight room, Marotti's offseason conditioning program is legendary.
It is designed to build strength, character and accountability, and to create chemistry and a strong bond among the players.
Apparently it's working.
"Mickey is the man," sophomore center Maurkice Pouncey said. "We all love him like a father. He pushes us to the limit, where we can't go anymore, and he makes us better. He's one of the biggest guys who moti