Three Chargers who must step up at training camp
The Chargers will need certain players to step up this training camp.
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1. Three Chargers who must step up at training camp
The Chargers will need certain players to step up this training camp, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Fernando Ramirez.
The team didn't pick up Kenneth Murray's fifth-year option for two reasons; the money and his play. It isn't a knock when speaking about his play because Murray has improved every year since he was drafted.
He still hasn't reached the expected level, especially because he was drafted in the first round.
The Chargers need him to take the next step in his development, especially if he can make an impact in the run game.
He has done all the right things on paper. Teammates have been raving about his work ethic and how he has grown.
Murray will be lining up with former all-pro linebacker Eric Kendricks, who said the former Oklahoma linebacker helped him learn the playbook and adapt to his new team.
Yes, Murray hasn't lived up to the position he was drafted, but this will be a make-it-or-break-it training camp for him.
2. Edgecombe, Queen, Maluach star in Vegas ‘Showdown’
A flock of college programs and coaches traveled to Las Vegas to catch the best high school-aged prospects in the country and the world, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Wilko Martinez-Cachero.
More than 100 college coaches and 90 colleges gathered on the outskirts of Las Vegas for the inaugural Sportradar Showdown, a 16-team tournament hosted by Spotradar featuring prospects from all over the world.
Five-star big Derik Queen led Baltimore’s Team Thrill to a championship win and firmly established himself as one of the top high school players in the world. But with teenagers from the Adidas and Under Armour circuits, as well as the NBA Global Academy and Canada, there were plenty of other players worth tracking for the years to come.
3. Chris Taylor’s grand slam propels Dodgers to 6-4 win in Baltimore
The Dodgers scrap and claw to end the Orioles’ 8-game winning streak, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Grant Mona.
Another heroic grand slam for Chris Taylor lifted the Dodgers to a huge win to open the series in Baltimore. Coming in, the Orioles were riding an 8 game winning streak and the fans came out and packed Camden Yards to see two of the best teams in the league. Baltimore got out to a 3-0 lead off of young Emmett Sheehan on a Ryan Mountcastle double in the 1st and an Adam Frazier groundout and Gunnar Henderson RBI triple in the 2nd. It looked bleak for the Dodgers until the 4th, where J.D. Martinez broke out of his mini slump and singled to left field to make it 3-1.
After an Adley Rutschman rocket to right field to give the Orioles the run back in the bottom of the 5th , the Dodgers offense exploded and got to Baltimore’s bullpen. Will Smith singled after a Freddie Freeman triple to cut the deficit to 4-2. Then with the bases loaded, up came Chris Taylor, who had already had a clutch game tying grand slam at home earlier in the year. He fought off multiple tough high fastballs and finally got his pitch, sending a laser of a grand slam to left center to give the Dodgers their first lead at 6-4 and completely flipping the game upside down. Taylor has come up clutch many times for the Dodgers over the past few years and despite recent struggles at the plate and rehabbing a knee injury, he did it again.
The bullpen came in and shut down one of the best lineups in all of baseball after that, with Almonte, Vesia, Ferguson and Brasier throwing 4 shutout innings. In July, the bullpen has a 2.22 ERA after an abysmal 4.62 ERA in June. You want to talk about flipping things upside down? The bullpen has done just that and is a big reason for the team’s recent success.
4. Maxime Crépeau’s journey to recovery
Maxime Crépeau describes his journey of mental recovery since sacrificing his leg to help LAFC lift their 2022 MLS Cup, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Chandrima Chatterjee.
Less than three weeks before the 2022 World Cup, LAFC’s starting goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau made a decision that would change the course of his life and precipitate the thrilling final moments of the 2022 MLS Cup Final.
Deep in extra time, while Philadelphia Union and LAFC were in a deadlock, Crépeau, in an effort to prevent the Union's Corey Burke from capitalizing on a weak back pass from Jesus Murillo, collided with the Philly forward. He not only received his first professional career red card, but the resulting leg fracture led to a journey in the art of recovery, a delicate balancing act between physical, emotional, and mental realms. Max’s progression through stages of grief mirrors those LAFC as a whole is currently experiencing across the 2023 season, a year that began with elated energy surrounding possibilities of multiple trophies but is now in retreat, as tired players seek a respite from the rigor of simultaneous tournaments.
“We put all the effort in to win the first trophy of the year. We lost it,” LAFC captain Carlos Vela reflected. “So, we have to forget about that. This break will be really good for us to really reset our minds, our bodies, and re-start to fight for a new title. I think this year we have different options. But we have to be mentally prepared.”
5. Touring The Sphere with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Las Vegas
The Sporting Tribune got a private tour of The Sphere in Las Vegas with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The iconic big man spent the past hour enjoying a private tour of The Sphere, an 18,000-seat venue in the Venetian Resort that will host concerts, films and ring sports events beginning in two months.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar marveled at both the 16K LED screen and an elaborate sound system that the venue will first unveil to the general public for a U2 concert on Sept.29.
“I’m sitting here wondering, ‘How will this sound with a jazz band?’” Abdul-Jabbar told The Sporting Tribune as he strolled through the concourse. “It would sound like you’re in the room.”
Abdul-Jabbar spent this past weekend here marveling at something else that also appears extraordinary.
6. Angels walk it off against Yankees in 10th inning, 4-3
After Shohei Ohtani's game-tying home run in the 7th inning, the Angels were able to find a way to come out on top against the Yanks in extra innings, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Brandon Deutsch.
Over the last 13 games, Angels pitchers haven't pitched well to say the least, accumulating a league worst 7.88 ERA and Griffin Canning was certainly a part of that stretch. Ever since Canning gave up a Grand-Slam to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of the Diamondbacks on June 30th, he hasn't pitched the same and that was evident in his only July start before the All-Star break where he gave up 4 earned runs in just 2.2 innings pitched against the Dodgers. Canning had an excellent stretch of pitching performances from May 23rd up until June 30th where he boasted five quality starts in just six appearances. That was when the Angels were on a run and were still hovering around the 2nd Wild Card position. How times have changed in just a matter of weeks.
On Monday night, however, Canning looked like he had found his groove again, striking out a career high 12 batters in just 5.2 innings pitched. It wasn't easy to accomplish that feat as Canning gave up 6 hits and 3 walks in the outing and a lot of times struggled with control and putting away hitters. Canning had 101 pitches after 5 innings, but because of the Angels limited bullpen arms available, Angels Manager Phil Nevin chose to send him out there for the 6th inning despite the high pitch count and he ended up with 120 pitches. Angels reliever Jimmy Herget (who was called up from AAA Salt Lake City on Monday) gave up two inherited runs from Canning despite coming into the game needing just one out. Nonetheless, all of Canning's pitches were working as his stuff was the best its ever looked. If he can continue to miss bats like he did on Monday night, the Angels may have a reliable starting pitcher over the next few weeks.
7. Odds and Ends presented by Circa Sports
Here are some odds at Circa Sports if you’re thinking about placing a wager today:
8. Ticket Time presented by TickPick
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets if you’re thinking about going to a game today.
6:38 p.m. – Yankees at Angels – Bally Sports West – $15
9. On the Air presented by The D Las Vegas
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today.
4:05 p.m. – Padres at Blue Jays – Bally Sports San Diego
4:05 p.m. – Dodgers at Orioles – SportsNet LA
6:38 p.m. – Yankees at Angels – Bally Sports West
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi is joined by Adrian Hernandez, Brandon Deutsch and Armani Buckets as they talk to the co-founder of SlamBall, Mason Gordon, about the league making a comeback.
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Bet in Las Vegas and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network 95.1 FM and 760 AM in Hawaii. You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.
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