SB Nation User Blog: Dirk Diggler

Heyman on the Rangers (after the Clemens stuff)

Dirk Diggler — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:53:02 -0000

Heyman on the Rangers (after the Clemens stuff)

New Pac 10 commissioner announced

Dirk Diggler — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:38:05 -0000

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/tennis/03/24/larryscott/index.html

Larry Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour since 2003, is stepping down to take the job as commissioner of the NCAA's Pac 10 athletics conference, multiple sources have told SI.com.

I think having new blood will help alot. Hansen was just AWFUL. Let's hope he can get a better TV contract (like getting rid of the only one team on TV at a time rule).

BP's Rangers Top 11

Dirk Diggler — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:10:24 -0000

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8602

Five-Star Prospects
1. Neftali Feliz, RHP
2. Justin Smoak, 1B
3. Derek Holland, LHP
Four-Star Prospects
4. Michael Main, RHP
5. Engel Beltre, CF
6. Elvis Andrus, SS
Three-Star Prospects
7. Martin Perez, LHP
8. Max Ramirez, C
9. Taylor Teagarden, C
10. Neil Ramirez, RHP
11. Wilfredo Boscan, RHP

Just Missed: Julio Borbon, OF; Blake Beaven, RHP; Jose Vallejo, 2B

Ranking Challenges: The top of the list was fairly straightforward, but ordering the last five spots proved to be a significant challenge; the deeper I went with the analysis, the more flipping, adding, and removing I did. This is a tremendously deep system filled with legitimate prospects, many of whom are not even included here, though they would easily rank in the middle of other team's lists.

The Sleeper: Hampered by injuries last year, Venezuelan teenager Wilmer Font is a massive power righty with plus-plus velocity and the ability to throw consistent strikes. Some in the Rangers front office believe that he's already a Top 10 prospect in the system.

Erickson interview with Portland Tribune

Dirk Diggler — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:33:56 -0000

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=123605303168855000

Ha, I'm guessing he doesn't read H.o.S.

Many on the Arizona State message boards were less than forgiving with the team or its coach last season, which caused Erickson to lose very little sleep.

“I don’t pay any attention to those chat boards,” says Erickson, proving his point with the fractured nomenclature of the computer-challenged. “They’re so ridiculous. Some of my assistants look at them, and the stuff people write ... I tell them, ‘Why would you guys ever read those things? Those people don’t count.’

“That stuff doesn’t bother me. It never has and it never will. People are going to say what they want to say, but we have a plan. I’ve been around a long time and have been pretty successful. We have great boosters here and a real solid alumni group that knows what we’re doing and is very supportive.”

Lubick on the class of '09

Dirk Diggler — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:01:38 -0000

Lubick gave some quotes to Metcalfe on the players we signed a few weeks back. Some pretty interesting stuff in there.

I liked the quote about Burfict:

LB Vontaze Burfict: "He has everything physically. He's a legit 6-2, maybe 6-3, 245 and can run a legit 4.5. That's kind of freakish. The way he plays, he dominates the game. (Chandler Hamilton's) Steve Belles coached at the U.S. Army (All-American) game and said he was a man amongst boys. We'll have as fast a linebacker corps as anybody in the conference."

Let's pray he stays eligible.....

LINKY

New NBC DFW Sports Site

Dirk Diggler — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:13:58 -0000

New NBC DFW Sports Site

NBC 5 recently launched a new community sports site, and it includes Rangers articles. Looks like a recent one was written by Wes Cox of Mavs Moneyball.

Cozzetto headed to UW

Dirk Diggler — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:00:46 -0000

Metcalfe Link

Arizona State tight ends coach Dan Cozzetto appears bound for Washington either as offensive line coach and/or offensive coordinator.

Cozzetto could not be reached for comment Wednesday night, but sources said it appears that he will join first-year coach Steve Sarkisian's staff.

If the job is to become offensive coordinator, it could be too lucrative for Cozzetto, a native of Spokane who coached at Washington under Keith Gilbertson in 2003, to turn down. Jim Michalczik was going to earn $350,000 as Huskies offensive coordinator/offensive line coach before leaving after less than two months to become Oakland Raiders offensive line coach.

Cozzetto returned to ASU for a second coaching stint when Dennis Erickson was hired as head coach going into the 2007 season. He was Sun Devils offensive coordinator and offensive line coach under Bruce Snyder from 1992-99.

ASU has one assistant coaching change in Erickson's second season when Greg Burns replaced Al Simmons working with cornerbacks.

Pac 10 coaches pick ASU baseball #1

Dirk Diggler — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:02:18 -0000

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/135028

Didn't see this posted anywhere...

Just barely #1 over UCLA. I wish I knew more about this year's team but it's so hard to keep up with all the new players every year.

Despite losing 15 players from the 2008 team to professional baseball, Arizona State has been tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the Pac-10 baseball title in a vote of the 10 conference coaches.

The Sun Devils, ranked as high as sixth in national preseason polls, received three first-place votes and 69 total points in the Pac-10 voting, barely edging UCLA (three first-place votes and 67 overall points) for the top spot. Stanford was picked third with one first-place vote and 64 points, Oregon State fourth with two first-place votes and 58 points and Arizona fifth, garnering one first-place vote and 56 points.

"There is no question that this projection is a sign of respect for the past success of Sun Devil baseball since we only return four players with any significant Pac-10 experience," said ASU coach Pat Murphy. "We are very aware of the challenge ahead of us."

ASU, which has won the last two Pac-10 championships, has 17 newcomers on its 2009 roster but has the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation as well as returning All-Americans Mike Leake and Raoul Torrez.

The Sun Devils are coming off their ninth straight trip to the NCAA tournament after finishing 49-13, including a 16-8 mark in Pac-10 play.

The Sun Devils open the 2009 season on Feb. 20 when they host Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Packard Stadium.

Results of the poll are as follows. Nine points are awarded for a first-place vote, eight points for a second-place vote, and so on. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team.

School (first-place votes) Points

1. Arizona State (3) 69

2. UCLA (3) 67

3. Stanford (1) 64

4. Oregon State (2) 58

5. Arizona (1) 56

6. California 42

7. USC 38

8. Washington State 24

9. Washington 23

10. Oregon 9

BA's preseason Top 25

Dirk Diggler — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:27:23 -0000

BA's preseason Top 25

ASU ranked #13

Cuban Charged with Insider Trading?

Dirk Diggler — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:51:25 -0000

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122693827604333637.html

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed insider trading charges against Mark Cuban, the outspoken owner of the Dallas Mavericks, for allegedly dumping shares in Mamma.com upon learning it was raising money in a private offering (full text of complaint).

The SEC alleges in a civil action that Mr. Cuban sold his entire 6% ownership stake on June 28, 2004, after learning that Mamma.com was raising money through a private investment in a public entity, or PIPE. The next day, on June 29, the company announced the PIPE financing and shares of the company dropped by more than 10%. By selling his stake, the SEC alleges, Mr. Cuban avoided more than $750,000 in losses.

In a PIPE transaction new shares are issued at a discount to the current trading price. An announcement of a PIPE transaction is often followed by a drop in the stock price as shareholders anticipate their stake will be diluted.

Hmm....that doesn't sound good now does it?