Reds
CINCINNATI (March 18, 2013) — Fifteen hundred Opening Day tickets will go on sale Saturday, March 23 at 9 am at the Great American Ball Park ticket windows only. The available tickets to the April 1 season opener vs. the L.A. Angels (4:10 pm) are limited to 1,000 View Level and 500 Standing Room Only. Ticket prices are $32 for View Level and $20 for Standing Room Only.
There is a limit of four tickets per person. Cash and major credit cards will be accepted.
“Opening Day has many traditions, including fans being able to buy tickets at the box office for this first game of the season,” said Reds COO Phil Castellini, Chief Operating Officer of the Cincinnati Reds. Last year’s tickets sold out in under one hour. The Opening Day ticket sale will happen rain or shine. Due to construction on Crosley Terrace, fans will not be permitted to form a line for tickets prior to Friday, March 22 at 9 am. Great American Ball Park does not allow for alcoholic beverages to be brought on the property and violators of this rule will be asked to leave.
***
Recruiting classes/NCAA tournament
11 of ESPN's Top 25 recruiting classes from 2012 did not make the NCAA Tournament.
Dave Telep (@DaveTelep), national recruiting analyst
***
Bengals
The Bengals today re-signed LB Rey Maualuga as an unrestricted free agent.
Maualuga (6-2, 250; Southern California) is a fifth-year NFL player in 2013. He was a Bengals second-round draft choice in 2009 and has played in 62 games with 61 starts (including postseason) over the last four seasons. He was second on the team in tackles (152) last season and led the front seven in passes defensed (five).
Maualuga has 428 tackles in the last four regular seasons, most on the Bengals in that span. He led the team with 15 tackles in last season’s Wild Card playoff game at Houston.
“Rey has been a fine young player for us, and he continues to grow on and off the field,” said head coach Marvin Lewis. “He is passionate about becoming a great player, and we’re excited to have him back as we work with these signings to keep our defense together.”
The Bengals finished sixth in fewest yards allowed and eighth in fewest points allowed in the NFL last season, and Maualuga is the fourth defensive player who had been eligible for free agency to re-sign for ’13. Re-signing previously were DE Robert Geathers, DE Wallace Gilberry and DE Michael Johnson. (Johnson was designated as the club’s franchise player and has signed a one-year tender offer, with negotiation of a longer deal still an option.)
***
Saturday at the circus
Saturday was Father/Daughter Date Day. I went to the circus with Petyon and we had lunch at Steak and Shake. Great day.
***
What he said:
Mick Cronin in the Enquirer:
Opponent and seeding notwithstanding, Cronin said he was proud to have made it to a third straight NCAA Tournament.
“After what Xavier had to go through with losing their best two players or they would they would have definitely been in this year. Kentucky obviously lost some guys to the NBA draft. It should make people realize it’s not a God-given right. It’s not an easy thing to do, especially when you’re banging through the Big East.”
From @xlax1306 on Twitter
UC: One of 23 teams to make dance last three years. One of 9 with chance to extend streak of winning at least one game.
Among those missing the dance
Kentucky: misses tournament for second time in five years. 5th defending champ to miss NCAA tournament since field expansion in 1984.
Xavier: misses after being 1 of only 8 that had made seven consecutive NCAA appearances going into the season.
Texas: after advancing to 14 consecutive NCAA Tournaments entering season (1999-2012)
Purdue: after seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Baylor: after losing to UK in NCAA regional finals last year. Bears have alternated making/missing tournament over last six years.
Florida State: after four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
BYU: after six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Maryland: after three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.
Exclusive company
UC is one of 10 schools to win its football bowl game and also qualify for the NCAA Championship field, joining Arizona, Boise State, Louisville, Michigan State, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Syracuse.
NCAA tournament bracket
Click HERE
10-Cincinnati vs 7-Creighton, Friday, Philadelphia
2-Ohio State vs 15-Iona, Friday, Dayton
1-Indiana vs 16-LIU Brooklyn vs James Madison, Friday, Dayton
6-Butler vs 11-Bucknell, Thursday, Lexington
CBS: Date, location and tip times for all games
Thursday: 12:40, truTV, Lexington -- No. 6 Butler vs. No. 11 Bucknell (Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel/Allie LaForce)
Thursday: 6:50, TBS, Lexington: No. 1 Louisville vs. NC A&T-Liberty winner
Friday: 2:45, CBS, Philadelphia -- No. 7 Creighton vs. No. 10 Cincinnati (Harlan/Elmore/Miller/Johnson)
Friday: 4:10, TBS, Dayton -- No. 1 Indiana vs. LIU Brooklyn-James Madison winner (Nantz/Kellogg/Wolfson)
Friday: 7:15, CBS, Dayton -- No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 Iona (Nantz/Kellogg/Wolfson)
Indiana Hoosier game notes
Ohio State Buckeyes game notes
Here is how the teams were ranked 1 to 68
Indiana 3, Ohio State 8, Cincinnati 37
Mike DeCourcy bracket breakdown
Vegas odds for games
Pat Forde with bracket favorites, wreckers and frauds
UC vs Creighton
Stat comparison: UC vs Creighton
Creighton: Stats, roster, bios
Bearcats back in dance
From UC
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team returns to the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive year with a second round matchup against Creighton on Friday March 22 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The game time has not been determined.
UC (22-11) is the No. 10 seed while the Bluejays (27-7) are the No. 7 seed. No. 2 Duke and No. 15 Albany are the other two Midwest Region teams in Philadelphia.
The Bearcats finished the regular season topping the 21-win barrier for the third straight season. The Bearcats started off the season 12-0 and were led by junior Sean Kilpatrick (16.9 ppg) and seniors Cashmere Wright (12.6 ppg) and JaQuon Parker (11.3 ppg).
Creighton won its 12th Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title in program history while earning back-to-back crowns for the third time. Doug McDermott leads the way for the Bluejays, averaging 23.1 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. He has won back-to-back MVC Player of the Year honors and has already been named a finalist for National Player of the Year accolades for the Wooden Award, Naismith Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy.
UC and Creighton have met twice on the hardwood with the Bearcats holding a 2-0 advantage. The teams first came in NCAA Midwest Region action on March 16, 1962 with UC earning a 66-46 win on their way to winning the 1962 NCAA Championship. The team's second meeting occurred on Dec. 28, 1989; a 60-58 Bearcats win in the Rainbow Classic.
The UC Athletics Ticket Office was allocated a very limited number of tickets for the second round games in Philadelphia...............click headline link for more info
What they are saying about UC
Doug McDermott 2012 scouting video
***
NIT
1 Kentucky at 8 Robert Morris, Tuesday, 7:30.
From CoachCal.com @CoachCalDotCom
Because UK is hosting the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena and the lack of staffing at Memorial Coliseum, UK will play at Robert Morris.
On Kentucky traveling for its first round NIT game…
“We did not place a bid to host the first round of the NIT due to limited staff availability to properly host a game at Memorial Coliseum. Because the University of Kentucky is hosting the NCAA second- and third-round games at Rupp Arena on March 21 and 23, the facility was not available for a first-round NIT game. We placed a bid to host both the second round and quarterfinal games at Rupp Arena if we advance.” – DeWayne Peevy, UK Executive Associate AD
What a kick in the pants for UK
The Wildcats are the defending champs and miss the NCAA tournament.
UK can't host an NIT game, because Rupp Arena is hosting NCAA games.
Lousiville gets the top tournament seed and is one of the teams playing at Rupp Arena, while UK travels to Robert Morris.
No at-large bid for defending champ Kentucky
AP
Kentucky (21-11) becomes the 20th national champion to miss the tournament the following season, according to Stats LLC.
That reality set in Sunday for the Wildcats, who hoped they had done enough to get a tournament invitation but knew they could be left watching by leaving it to the selection committee. Despite their belief that they can beat anybody when playing as a team, Kentucky is left pondering a slew of what-ifs created by their failure to execute consistently.
Xavier did not get an NIT bid and decided not play in the CBI
That is the right choice for the Musketeers. After appearing in seven straight NCAA tournaments (1 of 8), why would they want to play in a lesser tournament like the CBI or CIT? What would be gained? Think of how uncomfortable it would be to be announced as one of the newest members of the Big East this week, while preparing for a CBI game against a team like Bryant, Chicago State or Savannah State? It's been a long season, full of roadblocks and turmoil. Close the book. Move on.
CBI
From Wright State: The Wright State men's basketball team will enter the post-season for the third time as a Division I school as the Raiders will host Tulsa Wednesday night at the Wright State Nutter Center as part of the College Basketball Invitational presented by Buick. Game time will be announced.
***
Bengals
Hobson: Fitzy visits with Bengals
NFL
Video: Chad Johnson says joining Texans would be fun
Stuff
AP: Obsessed fan who shot player, inspired movie, dies
Connor Barwin on the Bearcat reunion in Philly
From Tom DeWees
***
Reds
Jocketty: Chapman decision soon
Tweet, tweet
From Scott Miller, CBS Sports (@ScottMCBS)
Talking w/3 scouts today re. Aroldis Chapman. Each said Reds crazy not to leave him as closer. Scouts' point was that Chapman's mechanics just too high-maintenance, he's 75 pitches in 3rd or 4th too many times.
**I'd like to ask those scouts what 75 pitch performance they are talking about with Chapman? His longest outing this spring is 60 pitches. He longest regular season outing last year was 35 pitches.
(Photo: USATSI)
Chapman: I want to close
CBS Sports
"I would like to be a closer, but that's not in my hands," Chapman said.
General manager Walt Jocketty and pitching coach Bryan Price have favored making Chapman a starter, while Baker has been considered the strongest advocate of leaving him in the bullpen.
Baker suggested after Saturday's game that he plans to talk to Chapman and get the pitcher's opinion. He also suggested that Chapman's opinion should matter, at least to some extent.
"We're going to do what's best for the organization, for the team and for him," Baker said. "But it makes it a lot easier if you get the person's blessing. I'm happy he finally expressed something."
Mark Sheldon: Chapman prefers closing
John Fay: Baker glad Chapman spoke up
Reds should stay the course with Chapman move
Richard Justice, MLB.com
Here's the bottom line: Stay the course. If Chapman can be a productive starter, that's the role he should have.
There is some awkwardness in this because the Reds went wire to wire with five starters last season, and Leake was one of the five. He's also popular in the clubhouse.
But Chapman has the kind of electric stuff that doesn't come along very often, and there are no wrong answers to how to use him. He has already proven he can be a first-rate closer, but if he can be a 200-inning, 200-strikeout starter, then that's how he should be used.
Chapman as a closer
Jim Bowden recently talked about how the dollars and cents of MLB bullpens are changing, and how a lot of closers are getting $6-8m+, the 8th inning guy is getting $5-6m and the 7th inning guy is getting $4-5m. I was curious about the money the Reds could be dedicating to the top of their bullpen, and how it compares to some other teams.
Reds: $10.5m: Broxton $4m, Marshall $4.5m, Chapman $2m
Nationals: $20.5m: Rafeal Soriano $14m, Tyler Clippard $3.4m , Drew Storen $3.1m
Yankees: $16.2m: Mariano Rivera $10m, Dave Robertson $3.1m, Boone Logan $3.1m
Reds potential bullpen for 2013
Sean Marshall $4.5m
Jonathan Broxton $4m
Aroldis Chapman $2m
Nick Masset: $3.1m
Jose Arredondo: $1.2m
Manny Parra: $1m
Logan Ondrusek: $950k ('14 $1.35m)
Alfredo Simon: $890k
Sam LeCure: $475k
Total: $18.175m
Here is future bullpen money owed to their bullpen
Per Cots' Baseball Contracts
Aroldis Chapman
2013: $2m
2014: $3m
2015: $5m (player option)
Sean Marshall
2013: $4.5m
2014: $5.5m
2015: $6.5m
Jonathan Broxton:
2013: $4m
2014: $7m
2015: $9m
2016: $9m (option)
Logan Ondrusek:
2013: $950k
2014: $1.35m
Roster moves
The Reds optioned to Louisville RHP Curtis Partch, IF Henry Rodriguez, 1B Neftali Perez and RHP Pedro Villarreal; optioned to Pensacola 1B/OF Donald Lutz. Updated spring training roster, which now includes 39 players.
***
