"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 08-12-07

How 'bout Braves P Jo-Jo Reyes--who threw a whopping FORTY-FIVE pitches in the third inning during a game vs. Houston last week? The next time my doctor asks me why I'm a tad overweight, I will blame it on guys like Reyes--who force me to take 2-3 trips to the 'fridge and/or go out for Chinese food while waiting for half-innings like that to END..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt holds the Philadelphia Phillies team record for home runs with 548. What player is second on the club's all-time HR list? Answer to follow..........If Roger Clemens had NO problem pocketing his usual $1 million per start after that horrendous performance last week ( 1 2/3 inn., 9 hits, 8 runs vs. Chicago), then it's obvious he abandoned his conscience in Boston a LONG time ago..........Good news and bad news for the Tennessee Titans: The good news is that they signed 3-time Pro-Bowler Eric Moulds to a one-year deal. The BAD news is that Moulds has more career receptions, TD's, and yards receiving than all of the team's current WR's COMBINED; also, physical, 34-year-old receivers like Moulds are NOT in the habit of playing a full NFL season..........This week in sports history, August 13, 1936: Jesse Owens soars to an Olympic record leap at the Berlin Summer Games--long-jumping a distance of 26 feet, 5 1/2 inches to capture his second gold medal. Owens went head-to-head with German Luz Long in the final--which lasted six rounds--with the talented American ultimately winning due to his record-setting, final leap..........Can you imagine if LPGA golfer Trish Johnson married tennis player Mardy Fish, divorced, married former Western Kentucky basketball player "Rip" Gish--divorced again--then married NY Giants chairman/exec. VP Steve Tisch? She'd be roaming the links with the full, married name of Trish Fish Gish Tisch..........From the "Tough Choice" Dept.: Guys: candlelit dinner with Maria Sharapova, beachside picnic with Natalie Gulbis, or drive-in movie with Jennie Finch?..........Just wondering: Do you think either manager of the '72 Phillies--Frank Lucchesi or Paul Owens--was concerned with Steve Carlton's "pitch count" that year--a season in which he threw 346 innings, struck out 310 batters, and hurled a mind-boggling total of THIRTY complete games?..........If St. Louis Rams QB Marc Bulger is worth $10 million per season, then Lindsay Lohan becomes a Sunday School teacher in 2008..........Lazzari's "Cheap Win of the Week": I'll give this one to D'Rays reliever Gary Glover. He pitched 2 1/3 innings vs. Boston last week, threw a whopping 50 pitches, and allowed back-to-back HR's to Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis. However, he picks up the "W" as his team scores five runs in the 7th for a 5-2 victory..........If the current year was 2003 and George Steinbrenner witnessed GM Brian Cashman signing Kei Igawa when he could have had Ted Lilly, Cashman is now working in the Royals' front office or for the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce..........Answer to trivia question: DEL ENNIS--who hit 259 HR's while playing for Philadelphia from 1946-1956..........Lazzari's "Non-Sports Related Tidbit of the Week": No knock on yours truly's female acquaintances over the years, but actress Jaclyn Smith looks better right now--at age 61--then most of them did when they were 20..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher Jeff Ballard--who blows out 44 candles on August 13th. A native of Montana who attended Stanford, Ballard pitched seven seasons between 1987 and 1994 for the Orioles and Pirates--winning 41 games lifetime. Amazingly, EIGHTEEN of his wins came in ONE year--1989 with the O's--when he went 18-8 (35 starts), including a 9-2 record at the All-Star break. However, his record fell to 2-11 the following season and he subsequently became a very ineffective reliever until his big league career ended in 1994 at the age of 31. Best wishes, Jeff..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of Wake Forest basketball coach Skip Prosser--who recently died of an apparent heart attack shortly after jogging; he was 56. Prosser compiled a career record of 291-146--126 of those victories coming over the last six seasons while at Wake Forest. He also coached Xavier for seven seasons (taking his team to five straight NCAA tournaments) and spent a season coaching at Loyola (MD). He leaves a wife, Nancy, and two sons; rest in peace, "Coach."