MLS Recap: Sporting KC the cream of the crop, Marquez mayhem, first Union win
Sporting KC has now won the first six game of the season straight and set an MLS record for preventing shots on goal. Goal.com recaps Saturdays MLS matches.

Tags : Sporting

Fantasy Source experts read far and wide in order to keep on top of everything in baseball. Here are some of the stories that interested us this week. If you see something you think is worth sharing with our readers, tweet @DavidAArnott or e-mail us.

Statistically speaking, Angels and Red Sox have championship characteristics. We took Sporting News projections for the players who would play the most at each position this season, as well as the projected rotations of every MLB team. From that data set, we looked at this years age of each player along with last years WAR for each player to determine which teams most closely resemble the past 25 champions based on those characteristics.

The Red Sox and Angels look the most like the past 25 World Series champs. They are the only two 2012 teams that meet all four criteria we looked at: ages for pitchers and hitters and WARs for pitchers and hitters. (Sporting News)

At Home in April. Every teams goal for April is to get off to a quick start. And a large batch of home games can prove advantageous to that aspiration. This season, the schedule favors a couple of teams in that regard but could present trouble for a couple others. (Sporting News)

Updated predictions for 2012s MVP, Cy Young and ROY honors. SIs Cliff Corcoran: I actually listed Prince Fielder among the favorites for AL MVP in November, two months before he signed with the Tigers, but Comerica Park is unfriendly to left-handed power hitters, which, in combination with the arrival of [Albert] Pujols, bumps Fielder out of the top three. Pujols, whom I had as my NL favorite back in November before he switched leagues to sign with the Angels, hit .299/.366/.541 with 37 home runs and finished fifth in the NL MVP voting last year in what was amazingly his worst major league season. He has eight top-three MVP finishes in the last 10 years and stands a very good chance to lead the Angels back to the playoffs thanks to the addition of a second wild card spot. (Sports Illustrated)

Dont discount Blue Jays great spring. ESPN.coms Jayson Stark: The Elias Sports Bureau reports that the Blue Jays are the first team to win 23 of its first 28 spring training games in 15 years, since Jim Leylands 1997 Marlins did it. And you know where they ended up.

Now Im not ready to predict that the 2012 Blue Jays are going to follow that script and win the World Series. But Ive seen this team a lot this spring. And this is not just some palm-tree-land aberration. (ESPN)

Prospect of the Day: Jesus Montero. Montero had a good spring training this year, hitting .325/.378/.550 in 12 games, with four walks and eight strikeouts in 40 at-bats for Seattle. Scouts praise his bat speed, and expect him to hit for both average and power. Although he doesnt draw a huge number of walks, he has feel for the strike zone and makes contact more readily than many young sluggers, showing power to all fields. (Minor League Ball)

Brandon Belt gets his opportunity. After finishing 29th in runs last season, the Giants were in desperate need of some offense. While Belts transition to the majors last year wasnt all that impressive, his .343/.457/.596 line in the minor leagues proved that hes more than capable of being an above-average hitter for the Giants. Despite Belts eye-popping numbers, manager Bruce Bochy said that the 23-year-old will platoon with Brett Pill to open the season — and move Aubrey Huff to the outfield. Despite the fact that Belt hit .348/.412/.522 against lefties last season — albeit, in just 51 plate appearances — the Giants think he needs more work against same-handed pitchers. Belt, however, did show a platoon split in 2010. Pill, on the other hand, has generally been better versus lefties during his time in the minors. When you consider those stats — and the fact that Belt is on the better half of the platoon — the strategy could actually work in the Giants favor. (FanGraphs)

Texas twister. The afternoon multiple tornadoes touched down in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, Mike Napoli filmed this funnel cloud over Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (@MikeNapoli25):

In case you missed it on Fantasy Source …

Pickup Lines (April 2). Bill Bender: Kansas City hasnt won a division title since 1985 (the AL West at the time), and the Royals have finished second only one time in the AL Central. Why would I invest my fantasy hopes on players of that team?

Then I read our Royals preview. Then I started to believe in [Eric] Hosmer. Then I bought him for $30 in an AL-only auction. Then I considered shelling out for a baby blue Willie Wilson jersey. Boy, do I sound like the worlds biggest bandwagon jumper.

Deep Thoughts (April 3). Eric Ferguson: For the purposes of fantasy baseball, sabermetrics only goes so far. After all, you dont get points for VORP or WARP or ERA+ (at least, not yet). In some ways, fantasy baseball is kind of the opposite of sabermetrics. Were not trying to determine someones true talent level. At the end of the day, we just want to know whos going to help us score points, regardless of whether theyre actually that good or theyre just taking advantage of a good ballpark or weak opposition.

Hit and Run (April 4). Brad Pinkerton: Some spring stats do matter, like the ones that tipped us off to breakout campaigns for Michael Morse, Alex Gordon and Mark Trumbo last season. Of course, Jake Foxs, Kila Kaaihues and Chris Davis 11 spring stats flat-out lied to our faces, but the point is theres a middle ground here: spring stats arent everything.

Inside Pitch (April 5). Matt Lutovsky: Lets get down to what really matters: building the best fantasy pitching staff possible. There are plenty of ways to do this, but for Roto leaguers, the start of the season is a good time to channel their inner Axl Rose and exercise just a little patience. Actually, channel your inner Slash and Duff, too, because there are three different kinds of patience you need to master. Lets break down those three types, shall we?

Two-start SPs: April 9-15. Pinkerton: You paid a high price for [Matt] Moore, so you might as well use him (next week at Detroit and at Boston), but the rookie will have two very tough tests to start the season.

Tags : Sporting

ScoreBig on tickets to sporting events and shows

A new app out today lets you skip the fees and hidden costs of sporting events and concerts and only requires you to be a bit more spontaneous to get good tickets at a low price.

Tags : Sporting

There is no point denying it. We are a grubby bunch, the media.

And while Sporting Declaration has long since come to terms with his existence in the gutter, every now and again I stumble on a reminder of why people regard us as low-life scumbags who have fewer ethics than a used-car salesman with a gambling habit.

Last week’s much-publicised stink between Wests Tigers skipper Robbie Farah and Foxtel host Matthew Johns was a case in point.

For those who missed it, in a magnanimous gesture Farah agreed to grace the weekly NRL on FOX show with his presence, because, shucks, that’s just the type of guy he is.

Admittedly, Farah didn’t have much on anyway, given that he is suspended, but clearly he takes this role-model business seriously. Anything to promote his club and the game.

Yet for his troubles, poor Robbie was left fuming after being blindsided with a line of questioning straight from the Spanish Inquisition.

First of all, the sensationalist Johns fronted Farah about longstanding rumours that he and Benji Marshall can’t cop each other.

”Bullshit,” Farah diplomatically replied, adding that ”it pisses Benji off and it pisses me off”.

Johns then further rattled Farah’s cage by labelling the Tigers ”soft”.

To his credit, Farah took the unprovoked onslaught in his stride.

”That’s your opinion,” Farah said. ”I’m sure people have got opinions on you.”

Clearly simmering, Farah bit his tongue until after the broadcast, when he had a quiet word on the side to his 20,000 Twitter followers.

”Pretty fired up ATM to be honest and pretty pissed off. Wanted to unleash more,” he tweeted.

”Good luck getting someone else to come on your show,” he told Johns the next day.

Surprisingly he did not claim he was quoted out of context.

But sadly this is just another example of what the modern player has come to expect from the hacks who cover their code.

Johns could have interviewed Farah about anything.

He could have asked the feisty hooker about his Leichhardt restaurant and given the new dessert menu a plug.

Tags : Sporting

An Italian sports medicine specialist has called for more government investment to prevent athlete deaths, after a former Italy under-21 footballer died after collapsing during a game.

Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini died Saturday after suffering cardiac arrest on the pitch during his teams Serie B match at Pescara. He was 25.

When such dramas happen, you are stunned, Pino Capua, the director of sporting medicine at the San Camillo di Roma hospital, told The Associated Press. This tragedy is something thats unthinkable, an event that was totally unexpected.

I believe that the structures of sporting medicine have to be improved. The government has to invest in the health of athletes. Investing in the structures of sporting medicine would mean focusing on prevention, and that would be a considerable saving when compared to health spending. So many lives would be saved.

The reason for Morosinis death will become clearer following an autopsy as well as an investigation that opened Monday into the delay in the ambulance reaching the stricken player.

It was the latest high-profile case of a football player collapsing from heart failure on the pitch, coming less than a month after Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba suffered cardiac arrest during a game in England. Muamba survived, but remains in intensive care.

At the time, Italy, with its stringent checks on players, was held up as a model to follow.

The reality is this sort of thing is likely to happen occasionally and rarely, Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, told The Associated Press. In England, we dont have complete foolproof screening tests. I think if there were foolproof tests that identified everyone at risk, it would be better.

My understanding is that in Italy, in particular, they are pretty fastidious about that. They make a pretty big noise about it. I would be amazed if this player hadnt have been screened so it just shows.

Morosinis death also comes days after AC Milan and Italy striker Antonio Cassano was given the all clear by a 10-man committee of experts to resume playing again following minor heart surgery after he fell ill with stroke-like symptoms on a flight after a game six months ago.

No heart exams for amateurs

In Italy sporting fitness tests are frequent and rigorous, the gaps between them are very narrow, Capua added. The culture of medicine in sport is at a very high level but here we are faced with an unexpected event. At Pescara, the first aid was prompt, the doctors did everything they could have done, but unfortunately the boy didnt make it.

Those who play sport at a professional level — apart from unthinkable events — are secure. My thoughts go to those who practice sport at an amateur level and at a youth level, because you can do a lot there. During the weekend millions of people undertake sporting activity but only a minimum part do it in the presence of a doctor. We lack the medical structures, almost half of young sportspeople go out onto the pitch without having done even the minimum cardiac exam.

The problem is not restricted to football. Less than a month ago, former volleyball Olympic silver medallist Vigor Bovolenta died after he was stricken with a heart attack while playing a game.

They are different cases, with different problems, said professor Eugenio Martuscelli, a cardiologist at the Tor Vergata hospital in Rome.

For Morosini, we have to wait for the autopsy to understand well what was the real cause of death. Because the reasons could be different: cardiac, rupture of the aorta or a cerebral hemorrhage. In the latter two cases there would have been little to do and it would have also been difficult to identify potential problems beforehand to prevent it.

The Italian system which certifies medical fitness for sport is the most strict and secure in the world for an athlete. Doctors have the power to stop the athlete if there is something which is not right. They can ask for the intervention of more Italian specialists in hospitals and in universities. And I can assure you this happens in hundreds of cases every year.

Tags : Sporting

PEOPLE in Plymouth are being offered the chance to savour the flavour of Olympic glory by taking part in the first Plymouth Games.

Plymouth City Council has teamed up with Plymouth NHS and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce to organise sporting events across the city which they hope will inspire Plymouth residents.

Carole Burgoyne, Director for People at Plymouth City Council, said: This is the first-ever Plymouth Games and given all the excitement and anticipation about the London 2012 Olympics, we want this to be a chance for people in Plymouth to get a feel for the fun and spirit of the games.

Teams from all walks of life provided they are over the age of 16 are being encouraged to get into the sporting spirit and sign up for a host of events that will take place at venues across the city.

Events include athletics, tennis, water polo, volleyball, football both male and female, hockey, badminton, table tennis, netball and basketball.

The events are open to teams from businesses, organisations or a group of friends.

It doesnt matter what standard contestants are, the event is about having fun.

As well as medals for winners, there will be awards for the best-dressed team, the best-supported team and the team that embraces the spirit of the games in the best way.

David Parlby, chair of Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, said: Wed love to see as many teams from businesses as possible sign up. Not only are these events good for your health, but they are good for your business and your staff. It should be fun and who knows what talent there is lurking behind suits or overalls!

Sue McAdie, Business Health Network Co-ordinator from NHS Plymouth, added: Increasing your physical activity provides a variety of health benefits and this event is an ideal opportunity to improve health and wellbeing in a fun and sociable way.

The positive benefits through being active are well documented and include improving mental health as well as reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and other chronic disease. Additionally, events like this bring wider rewards of socialising and engaging with teammates as part of your community, workplace or family and provides an opportunity to celebrate together.

The Plymouth 2012 Games will start on May 19, just after the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay stops in Plymouth on its journey across the UK.

For more information, or an application form, visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/plymouthgames. The closing date to enter is Friday April 20.

Tags : Sporting

The return of warm weather is not very long off. That means many of us soon will be looking at new golf clubs, baseball equipment, workout clothing, bicycles, fishing tackle or camping gear, among many, many other sorts of sporting goods.

So this weeks Readers Choice focuses on sporting goods: Whos the best local purveyor? Is it because of great service? The wide selection? Or the great prices?

Beginning today — Monday April 16 — and through 5 pm Wednesday, April 18, well be asking for your recommendations for the best place in town to buy sporting goods.

Give us your recommendation in the comments section below. With your help, well put together a list of nominees. Then look for our poll on Thursday, April 19 and vote! Well select a winner at 5 pm Friday, April 20 and announce it in a story on Saturday, April 21.

In judging, well consider comments, poll votes and reviews in our complete directory of local businesses.

#13;

Voting results posted in real time shall not be deemed official until Patch has reviewed and confirmed all of the votes. Be sure to check out our contest rules in the PDF above.

Tags : Sporting

With less than a fortnight until the finals, Sporting Clube de Portugal won while MFK Dinamo Moskva secured a vital victory and FC Barcelona avoided defeat in stunning fashion.

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It wasnâ??t pretty, and the game certainly could have turned out differently had the Portland Timbers taken a two-goal lead on Kris Boydâ??s first-half strike, which was ruled out on a very dubious offside call.

But the LA Galaxy will take it, gladly. Saturdayâ??s 3-1 win over the Timbers not only was the struggling championâ??s first win in four weeks, but it also marked the return of both Landon Donovan and David Beckham to the score sheet.

LA (2-3-0) certainly isnâ??t out of the woodsâ??itâ??s in eighth place in the nine-team Western Conferenceâ??but the breathing should be a bit easier at The Home Depot Center this week.

â??Itâ??s a big win obviously because of the run weâ??ve been on, the way weâ??ve been playing,â? Beckham told reporters afterward. â??I think overall, our performance was 100 percent better than it has been all season. We played as a team, we attacked and defended as a team, and we deserved to win tonight.â?

Donovan opened his 2012 MLS account seconds before the halftime whistle when he finished off a nice play started by forward Robbie Keane. Beckham provided the final margin with a long-range blast in stoppage time that swerved into the upper-right corner of the Portland net.

â??It was a terrible first touch, but it took me into a shooting position and I knew as soon as I hit it that it was going in. I enjoyed it,â? the midfielder said.

â??It was big for the team and big for the player,â? LA coach Bruce Arena said of Beckhamâ??s strike. But the same surely could be said of Donovanâ??s as well.

While LA rises, the top of the new MLS power rankings looks very similar to last weekâ??s. Sporting Kansas City remained perfect, and Real Salt Lake showed enough in Saturdayâ??s 1-0 loss at KC to warrant another week at No. 2. The surprising San Jose Earthquakes, who appear to be for real, are in third.

RISING

Respect for San Jose. For those waiting for the real Earthquakes to show up: It appears they already have. This second-place team is tough, well-drilled and opportunistic, and they brought all those qualities to bear on Saturday as they came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw at the New York Red Bulls.

â??You have to give credit to San Jose. We didnâ??t touch the ball in the second half. If any team deserved to win, it looked like San Jose was going to make it in the end,â? Red Bulls captain Thierry Henry said. â??It might be harsh what Iâ??m saying but San Jose gave us a lesson in football today.

Dallasâ?? flair for the dramatic. While injury-riddled FC Dallas awaits the return of 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira, theyâ??re finding ways to win games late. On April 5, Ugo Ihemeluâ??s stoppage-time header lifted Dallas to a victory over New England. On Saturday, Brek Shea scored in the 88th minute to defeat Montreal.

The key to Dallasâ?? ability to weather injury adversity has been Panamanian newcomer Blas PÃrez. The hard-working forward has scored (three) or assisted (three) on six of FCDâ??s eight goals this season.

â??It is a little bit too much suffering for my liking, not being able to put anything together until the second half,â? he told reporters on Saturday. â??Thatâ??s something that we need to work on.â?

Chivas USAâ??s love for the road. Itâ??s fitting that Chivas would be so strong on the roadâ??after all, they donâ??t seem very welcome at home, where the LA Galaxy hold sway. On Saturday, Chivas won at Toronto FC, 1-0, to lift their record away from The Home Depot Center to 3-0-0. The Goats are 0-3-0 in Southern California, where theyâ??ve yet to score a goal.

Chivas hosts Philadelphia next Saturday.

â??Itâ??s huge. Itâ??s huge,â? coach Robin Fraser told MLSsoccer.com. â??While weâ??ve done some good things the last couple of weeks, we definitely need to come home and put in another good performance at home in front our fans so that we can really assert ourselves wherever we play.â?

FALLING

Respect for Rafa Márquez. The Red Bullsâ?? midfielder was able to behave himself for about three weeks. Saturdayâ??s kick that broke San Jose midfielder Shea Salinasâ?? clavicle will earn Márquez a nice vacation from the MLS disciplinary committee, which should factor in the tantrum that earned the Mexican national team captain a three-game suspension during last yearâ??s playoffs.

Márquez claimed he had learned from past transgressions, which also included criticizing teammates to the press. He hasnâ??t. He is who he is and now is nothing but a liability to the Red Bulls.

Houstonâ??s rhythm. Itâ??s hard to imagine a single team enduring a more disjointed start to a season than the Dynamo, whoâ??ve played just four gamesâ??all on the roadâ??suffered several injuries and suspensions and then saw Sundayâ??s game in Chicago cut short by lightning. It was Houstonâ??s first match since March 23, and the Dynamo couldnâ??t even finish it, as the players sat through two lengthy delays before the game was called.

But the storm should pass soon. Adam Moffat will return from suspension next week, and if 2011 MVP finalist Brad Davis (calf) gets fit, Houston will have most of its starting midfield when it visits Columbus on Saturday.

On May 12, the club will open BBVA Compass Stadium, and then the reigning Eastern Conference champs can finally settle in.

Dwayne De Rosarioâ??s production. The scoring binge that resulted in the 2011 MLS MVP award is a thing of the distant past for the DC United captain, who has no goals and two assists in his first six games this season. Itâ??s not that he isnâ??t trying. The Canadian international has taken 17 shots in his past four games. Theyâ??re just not going in.

DeRo is doing well as a playmaker, link man and decoy, but at some point United is going to need its talisman to produce on the score sheet, especially if designated player Hamdi Salihiâ??the Albanian strikerâ??continues to struggle. DC canâ??t continue to rely on rookies and journeyman.

Only one of Unitedâ??s seven goals has been scored by a player who was a projected starter during the preseason. And ironically, midfielder Chris Pontius came off the bench to score it.

POWER RANKINGS

(last weekâ??s rankings in parentheses)

1. Sporting Kansas City 6-0-0 (LW: 1)

2. Real Salt Lake 5-2-0 (2)

3. San Jose Earthquakes 4-1-1 (3)

4. Seattle Sounders 3-1-1 (5)

5. FC Dallas 3-2-1 (8)

6. New York Red Bulls 3-2-1 (4)

7. Houston Dynamo 2-1-1 (6)

8. DC United 2-2-2 (11)

9. Chivas USA 3-3-0 (12)

10. LA Galaxy 2-3-0 (15)

11. Colorado Rapids 3-3-0 (7)

12. Chicago Fire 1-1-2 (13)

13. Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1-2 (9)

14. New England Revolution 2-3-0 (10)

15. Columbus Crew 2-3-0 (14)

16. Philadelphia Union 1-3-1 (18)

17. Portland Timbers 1-4-1 (16)

18. Montreal Impact 1-5-1 (17)

19. Toronto FC 0-5-0 (19)

Tags : Sporting

Readers Choice Roundup: Best Sporting Goods

Get ready to have some fun because weve got lots of suggestions for places to buy your sporting goods.

Tags : Sporting