SECTION
B
SPORTS Sunday,
April 1,
2007
TODAY’S BEST NASCAR Goody’s Cool Orange 500 1:30 p.m., WPGH-53, WWCP-8
BASEBALL 2007
Buying time
Littlefield safe for now, but pressure may build
After years of frustration, the Pirates’ GM makes a statement with the Adam LaRoche trade.
BY ROB BIERTEMPFEL Rafael Soriano. we’re getting the pieces together in a stronger
TRIBUNE-REVIEW Back in Pittsburgh, The Trade That Didn’t way now than we’ve had for years,” principal
STREETER LECKA/GETTY IMAGES Happen became a rallying point for Littlefield’s owner Bob Nutting said.
Ohio State’s Mike Conley Jr. celebrates during BRADENTON, Fla. — When Pirates general critics — a symbol of the Pirates’ ongoing cycle Yet, there is a limit to the chairman of the
his team’s Final Four win against Georgetown manager Dave Littlefield returned empty-hand- of failure. board’s patience.
on Saturday night in Atlanta. ed from baseball’s winter meetings in Decem- “So many people wrote it off that we had When Nutting addressed a team meeting at
ber, he was branded a failure. failed, Dave had failed, everyone in the organi- the start of spring training, he voiced a vote of
Months of off-and-on trade talks with the zation failed because we didn’t do anything to confidence for Littlefield and CEO Kevin
Buckeyes
Atlanta Braves about slugger Adam LaRoche improve the team,” Pirates CEO Kevin McClatchy. But Nutting also spoke of the
had yielded nothing. As negotiations heated up McClatchy said. “heightened responsibility” for those in the
during the meetings in Orlando, Fla., Littlefield front office.
Practically no one would have predicted that,
was willing to give up only coveted lefty closer just six weeks later, Littlefield would pull off a
SEE LITTLEFIELD • B6
advance
Mike Gonzalez. coup to land LaRoche. That deal gave the Pirates
Just when it seemed a deal was in place, a badly needed power hitter to anchor the lineup.
Braves GM John Schuerholz outmaneuvered It also might have bought Littlefield more
Littlefield. The Braves sent Horacio Ramirez, time from ownership to steer the franchise
whom they likely would have released other- back toward respectability.
past Hoyas
wise, to Seattle for hard-throwing reliever “I have a high degree of confidence that
LITTLEFIELD’S BEST AND WORST MOVES
The big men for Ohio State and Trades that helped Best free-agent signings
AUGUST 2003: Brian Giles to the Padres for Jason JANUARY 2003: Jeff Suppan — Won 10-of-21
Georgetown spend much of the Bay, Oliver Perez, Cory Stewart starts before being traded.
game sitting on the bench. JULY 2003: Jeff Suppan, Brandon Lyon, Anastacio JANUARY 2003: Jeff D’Amico — Value-priced
Martinez to the Red Sox for Freddy Sanchez, starter had nine wins left in his tank.
Mike Gonzalez FEBRUARY 2003: Reggie Sanders — Great
OHIO STATE 67, GEORGETOWN 60 DECEMBER 2001: Todd Ritchie, Lee Evans to the attitude, steady performer.
White Sox for Kip Wells, Josh Fogg, Sean Lowe MARCH 2003: Kenny Lofton — Surprisingly
productive.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Trades that hurt DECEMBER 2005: Roberto Hernandez — Eventually
JULY 2003: Aramis Ramirez, Kenny Lofton to the led to Xavier Nady deal.
ATLANTA — Take Greg Oden away from Cubs for Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez, Matt
Ohio State and the Buckeyes still play for the Bruback Worst free-agent signings
national championship. Take Roy Hibbert JULY 2001: Jason Schmidt, John Vander Wal to FEBRUARY 2004: Randall Simon — Hit sausages
away from Georgetown and … the Buckeyes the Giants for Armando Rios, Ryan Vogelsong better than fastballs.
still play for the national championship. JULY 2003: Scott Sauerbeck, Mike Gonzalez to the FEBRUARY 2004: Raul Mondesi — Quickly realized
With Hibbert and Oden both hampered by Red Sox for Brandon Lyon, Anastacio Martinez he didn’t want to be here.
foul trouble, it was Mike Conley Jr. and the rest JULY 2001: Mike Williams to the Astros for Tony JANUARY 2006: Jeromy Burnitz — Washed up.
of the Buckeyes who carried Ohio State to its McKnight DECEMBER 2005: Joe Randa — Money would’ve
first national title game since 1962 with a 67-60 DECEMBER 2002: Chris Young, Jon Searles to the been better spent on fireworks.
victory over Georgetown on Saturday night. Expos for Matt Herges
Conley finished with 15 points, six assists
and five rebounds, while Oden added 13
points — all in the second half — and eight
rebounds in 20 minutes.
“When he goes down with two fouls, our
guys did a tremendous job stepping up,” Ohio
State coach Thad Matta said. “Michael was
tremendous.” INSIDE
Hibbert was tremendous, too. He scored 19, I In-depth look at the Pirates’ lineup B4
I Inside the 2007 MLB season B7
SEE OHIO STATE • B11 I National, American League preview B8-9
Shooting goes
‘way beyond A look ahead
NATIONAL TRIBUNE-REVIEW
PREDICTIONS PREDICTIONS
Sports Illustrated: 5th Rob Biertempfel: 5th
If the Pirates are going to surprise … Still a year or two away from having
basketball’ KEY DATES
APRIL 2: The Pirates’ 121st season
as a member of the National
White Sox.
JUNE 19-24: Interleague play con-
they’re going to have to get the most
out of their quartet of young starters.
Baseball Digest: 6th
The Pirates … were alarmingly quiet in
everything in place.
John Harris: 5th
Young pitching staff needs another
year.
The basketball world reacts League opens with a series in cludes with road series against
Houston. the Seattle Mariners and Los the offseason. Mike Prisuta: 4th
to the shooting of Aliquippa APRIL 9: Talk about a tough draw Angeles Angels. It will be the ESPN.com: 6th St. Louis, Chicago and Houston spend
basketball star Herb Pope. — the World Champion St. Louis Pirates’ first visit to Seattle. Don’t expect too big a bounce-back what’s needed to compete.
Cardinals are the opponent for JULY 9-11: Unlike last year, PNC from Zach Duke. Jim Rodenbush: 5th
BY KEVIN GORMAN the home opener. Park will be quiet during the All- The Sporting News* A supposedly weak division is still too
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
APRIL 13-15: Two weeks into his Star festivities, which will be The Pirates have some good, young strong for Pirates to contend.
chase for Hank Aaron’s home held in San Francisco. players, just not enough of them. Rob Rossi: 4th
The early Saturday morning shooting of
run record, Barry Bonds makes JULY 31: Will the Pirates, for once,
Fox Sports.com: 6th Best bullpen in division will hold firm;
perhaps his final visit to the be buyers rather than sellers at
Herb Pope reverberated from Aliquippa to ’Burgh. the non-waiver trading dead- LaRoche will give some badly needed lineup deeper with Adam LaRoche.
Atlanta. JUNE 8-10: After not playing the line? LH sock, but it’s not enough to make Joe Rutter: 5th
The Aliquippa High School basketball star New York Yankees in a meaning- SEPT. 1: Rosters expand to 40 the Bucs a threat, even in this division. Pitching is still a little too young, and
was shot twice in the lower abdomen, once in ful game since 1960, the Pirates players, giving the Pirates a CBSSportsline.com: 6th the lineup needs one more bat.
the thigh and once in the right arm, wounds make their second visit in three chance to evaluate their That young pitching will surprise us, Joe Starkey: 5th
that required surgery but aren’t believed to years to the Bronx. prospects. but that lineup just doesn’t impress Offense, defense will improve; pitching
be life-threatening, Aliquippa Police Chief JUNE 12-17: Interleague play con- SEPT. 30: The season closes with us. won’t.
Ralph Pallante said. tinues with home series against a home date against the Cardi- *DID NOT COMPILE DIVISIONAL RANKINGS
While Pope, 18, was recovering yesterday the Texas Rangers and Chicago nals.
at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, the basket-
ball world wondered how it would affect his
life and career. PROJECTED LINEUP
News of Pope’s plight reached Atlanta, site of
the NCAA Final Four, where New Mexico State
coach Reggie Theus could only hope his prized
recruit “is OK and makes a full recovery .”
“This goes way beyond basketball,” Theus
said in a statement. “It is way too early to know
a lot right now. We just hope that he is OK.”
It also touched Duquesne basketball coach
Ron Everhart, whose team suffered through the
SEE POPE • B16 CF Chris Duffy SS Jack Wilson LF Jason Bay 1B Adam LaRoche RF Xavier Nady C Ronny Paulino 3B Jose Bautista 2B Jose Castillo P Zach Duke
MORNING BRIEFING
I A comprehensive guide I Tire performance on the Index
to the first major PGA NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit Opinion B2 Sunday JOCKS B13
On the road tournament of the year. B3 undergoes intense scrutiny Spotlight B3 Briefs B13
I Slippery Rock grad and before race days. B12 Baseball B4-9 Outdoors B14
Looking to maintain their playoff Rutgers coach C. Vivian I For more than 70 years, Hockey B10 Scorecard B15
position in the Eastern Conference, Stringer has battled numerous cooperative nurseries have been Basketball B11 Golf B16
Sidney Crosby and the Penguins hardships on her road to the stocking lakes with Motor sports B12 High schools B16
fall to Toronto in overtime. B10 Final Four. B11 above-average fish. B14 Pro football B16