Omit Evan Turner from the Ohio State Buckeyes’ basketball roster. The junior point guard is declaring for the NBA draft and forgoing his senior year at OSU. That’s one loss for Ohio, but a major win for Chicago-native, Turner. Omit Cleveland baseball from the winless column. The Indians rallied past the Chicago Whitesox in an AL Central duel last night for their first victory of the season. Cleveland won 5-3 on Matt LaPorta’s tiebreaking double with two outs in the seventh. That should even the Chicago-Ohio score.
The explosive Player of the Year is headed to the pros. Turner is expected to be one of the top three picks in this year’s NBA draft. The 6’7” 21 year old collected just about every regular season award in college hoops. Turner was selected Big 10 Player of the year in addition to winning the Naismith Award and being the favorite for the Wooden Award. The Buckeye guard averaged over 20 points and nine rebounds per game in leading the OSU to their second best season in school history. Coach Thad Matta and the Buckeyes will surely miss his services next season. The Buckeyes suffered with Turner temporarily out of the lineup due to injury earlier last season. The team went just 3-3 in his absence. The leader of the Buckeyes, Turner made a quick recovery to piece together and unforgettable season and cap off a stellar collegiate career in Columbus. Turner seemed unsure of his role as a freshman and sophomore. Matta moved him to point guard this season, and that made a difference. Redefined and refined, Turner picked up triple-doubles in two of the first five games. His signature moment was perhaps his game-winning basket near half court to beat Michigan in the Big 10 quarterfinals. Turner orchestrated and incredible run through the NCAA tournament for the Buckeyes. Matta ensures the Buckeyes will have a strong recruiting class. But Turner’s departure leaves a bittersweet void on the roster. The junior won’t have a chance to win a national championship, but by declaring for the draft now, he will not risk costing the university a scholarship for next season.
The Indians scored three runs off Jake Peavy in the top of the fourth inning to erase a 3-0 deficit. The Indians scattered seven hits against a struggling Peavy. The right-hander didn’t look like the solid White Sox pitcher who finished 2009 going 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA. To his credit, he did have little offensive supply. One man provided the only RBIS for the home team. First baseman, Paul Konerko, connected on a two-run homer and delivered a sacrifice fly for the Chicago offense. It was Konerko’s second two-run blast in as many games. Cleveland tied the game during a three run fourth inning. Michael Brantley singled in a run after Peavy hit Mike Redmond with a pitch to load the bases. Grady Sizemore knocked home a pair of runs on a two-out smack to right field. The visiting team took the lead in the seventh when Shin-Soo Choo led off with a single and scored on LaPorta’s double. Choo scored a ninth inning insurance run on Andy Marte’s bases-loaded grounder. Randy Williams took the loss for Chicago. Fausto Carmona was the pitcher on the winning end. The Dominican Republic hurler tossed six wild innings of one hit ball but issued six walks. Left fielder, Juan Pierre, stole two bases and added a hit in the loss. Aaron Laffey, Joe Smith and Chris Perez worked in relief for the Indians. Perez worked the ninth for his first save of the year. He walked Mark Kotsay with one out before fanning Alex Rios. Marte’s diving stab of A.J. Pierzynski’s grounder to first base ended Chicago’s threat and sealed the win for Cleveland.
Parting Points: Look for quite a few Kentucky Wildcats on the draft board this season.
Tiger returns to the Master’s. Yawn.
Granderson is grand for NY---at least against the Red Sox. Let’s see what the outfielder does through the course of the season. I was all for this pick-up by the Yanks because I think he is a class act.
Thoughts and prayers for Maria Navratilova, who was diagnosed with breast cancer.
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