SB Nation Dallas: All Posts by Benjamin Gellman-Chomsky

The Greatest Black Baseball Players Ever: Part II

2013-01-21T22:00:02Z

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day upon us, here's Part 2 of my ranking of the greatest black baseball players ever. (If you missed Part I, check it out here.)

As a reminder, I primarily based my rankings off Baseball-Reference.com's career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) leaderboard (with career totals noted in parentheses after each player), which is nice because it compares players to their contemporary peers, minimizing the effects of pitching- or hitting-friendly eras. I allowed somewhat for mitigating circumstances, such as time lost to injury or to segregation. I also allowed for a little bit of boost based on impact upon the game, for those players who either changed the landscape or the way the game was played in some way. And yes, there's a bit of nostalgic bias on a few of these picks.

#12: Rod Carew, 2B/1B (76.6) - BR Page

Photo by Tito Herrera

OK, Carew was born in Panama, but he is of African-American heritage, and served our country for six years in the Marine Corps reserves. The Hall of Famer earned 18 consecutive All-Star Game nods over a 19-season career. He won seven batting titles, the 1967 Rookie of the Year award, and an MVP award in 1977. Carew was never a slugger, but he was as consistent as you can be in baseball, batting .300 for 15 straight seasons. In 1977, when he won the MVP award, he led the league in batting at .388, also taking top honors in OBP and OPS.

#11: Ferguson Jenkins, P (79.4) - BR Page

Photo by Thien Gretchen

Here's another foreign-born player. Jenkins is actually Canadian (which I hadn't realized prior to starting the list), but he surely wouldn't have been allowed to play without the color line being broken, so in he goes to the list. Jenkins appeared in three All-Star Games, won the 1971 NL Cy Young Award, and struck out 3,192 batters (12th on the all-time list). In seven seasons between 1967 and 1974, he won at least 20 games six times. His enduring curse was that he pitched in the National League at a time when #8 on this list was dominating for the Cardinals. Still, Jenkins was a certifiable Hall of Famer, and has his place in Cooperstown.

#10: Josh Gibson, C (WAR not available/applicable) - BR Page

Photo by Wikipedia user Delaywaves

We don't know exactly what Gibson did in the Negro Leagues and independent baseball, because as with so many others, the myth exceeds the recorded deeds. I'll just quote his Hall of Fame plaque: "[The] power-hitting catcher... hit almost 800 home runs.... Negro National League Batting Champion in 1936-38-42-45." Gibson was known as the "black Babe Ruth", and could have conceivably been better. Sadly, Gibson died in January of 1947 at the age of 35 after living four years with a brain tumor, just a few short months before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Gibson was part of the inaugural class of Negro League players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, alongside Buck Leonard and #3 on our list. If he had more official stats, we might be talking about him at #1.

#9: Ken Griffey, Jr., OF (79.2) - BR Page

Photo by Keith Allison

Short of Ted Williams, there has never been a sweeter swing than Ken Griffey, Jr.'s. He was born to play baseball, son of Reds and Yankees star Ken Griffey. The wunderkind son burst onto the scene with 16 homers in 1989 at 19 years old with the Seattle Mariners, and never looked back. He and his dad are the only father-son combo to hit homers for the same team in the same game. Junior slammed 630 homers in his career, including back-to-back seasons of 56 in 1997 and 1998. If not for repeated injuries based on his aggressive style of play in the outfield, Griffey might stand atop this list. He'd probably also have 300 stolen bases instead of just 184 if the Mariners and Reds hadn't wanted to protect him from the wear and tear of that style of baserunning. He earned 13 trips to the All-Star Game, 10 Gold Gloves (tied for third among outfielders), an MVP award and four home run titles, and looks like a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer when he's eligible in 2015. Griffey, like the men atop this list, took your breath away.

#8: Bob Gibson, P (85.3) - BR Page

Photo from Baseball Digest

Perhaps the greatest compliment an athlete can receive is that the powers that be change the rules of the game to make it easier on your competition because you're just too good for them. That was how it was for Gibson, who played his entire 17-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals and was the most feared pitcher in the league for most of that time. Gibson won 251 games and struck out 3,117 batters for the Redbirds. His crowning achievement remains his 1968 season, when he went 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA for St. Louis. That ERA is still the single-season record today, and no pitcher has come within half a run of it. Gibson won two Cy Young Awards, nine Gold Gloves, and the 1968 NL MVP honor, appearing in eight All-Star Games. He was also a two-time World Series MVP. You won't be surprised to know he was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

#7: Joe Morgan, 2B (97.1) - BR Page

Photo by John VanderHaagen

Of the players on the fabled Big Red Machine of the 1970s, Morgan, not Pete Rose or Johnny Bench, was the most prolific in terms of WAR. (Rose, in fact, ranks behind Griffey and just ahead of Carew; Bench is barely ahead of Whitaker. Morgan is tied with CHRISTY MATHEWSON.) Over 22 pro seasons, Morgan hit 268 homers, drew 1,865 walks and stole 689 bases; he never struck out more than he walked over a full season. Morgan won back-to-back MVP awards in 1975 and 1976, appeared in ten All-Star Games, and won five Gold Gloves. Morgan's whopping walks total is fifth all-time, and his stolen bases put him in 11th place on that list. Say what you will about his broadcasting career, but Morgan was arguably the greatest second baseman ever, and his enshrinement in the Hall of Fame is richly deserved.

#6: Frank Robinson, 1B/OF (100.9) - BR Page

Photo from Baseball Digest

Robinson only hit 40 homers in a season once in his career. Of course, that was 1966, when he also batted .316 and drove in 122 runs to win the AL Triple Crown. Frank Robinson was a monstrous slugger and competitor who racked up 586 homers in his remarkable Hall of Fame career. His Triple Crown season came immediately after the Reds traded him to the Baltimore Orioles, thinking his best was behind him. That qualifies as a whopping mistake. Robinson earned the 1956 NL Rookie of the Year award, appeared in 12 All-Star Games, won the MVP award in both the National AND American Leagues, led the league in OPS four times, and even won a Gold Glove in 1958. Robinson continued to impact the game after his playing career, winning AL Manager of the Year with the Orioles in 1989.

#5: Jackie Robinson, 2B/1B/3B (58.7) - BR Page

Photo by LOOK Magazine

Jackie's numbers pale compared to some of those on this list, but the mitigating factor is that he compiled his career totals in just ten seasons, all with the Brooklyn Dodgers who broke the color barrier by signing him. He didn't play in the Major Leagues until 1947, when he was already 28 years old and some of his best years were likely behind him. If you take his average WAR from Years 2-6 of his career (after he had acclimated to MLB play) and give him six more seasons at that level, that comes to another 46.6 WAR, which would put him at 105.3, where he rightfully belonged.

Robinson led the league in WAR three times, made six All-Star Games, was the first ever Rookie of the Year, won the 1949 NL batting title, and took home MVP honors in 1949 to boot. He was a four-sport letterman at UCLA (track, baseball, football and basketball), and served his country in World War II. He was part of the 1955 World Series championship team that brought Brooklyn its only title. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. He even played himself in his first biographical film (and Han Solo/Indiana Jones will play Branch Rickey in the new one this year). And he changed the game forever.

#4: Rickey Henderson, OF (106.8) - BR Page

Photo by Wikipedia user JoeIdaho

Henderson was a marvel, the game's greatest speedster who could also hit for power and get on base. To hear him tell it, he could do (and had done) everything. In his first full season, Rickey stole 100 bases. Two years later, he set the all-time single-season record with a staggering 130 stolen bases. He led the league in runs scored five times, led it in steals 12 times, and owns the all-time marks in runs scored, steals, and caught stealing. He led the league with 66 stolen bases in 1998 when he was 39 years old.

[head explodes]

Henderson also led the league in OPS in 1990, appeared in ten All-Star Games, won the 1990 AL MVP award, and finished second career in walks drawn. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but somehow the BBWAA only gave him 94.8% of the vote. Apparently, he needed to do MORE for some of them.

#3: Satchel Paige, P (9.7/NA) - BR Page

Bowman baseball card

Stats don't do Satchel Paige justice; he was more myth than man. Here are some fun facts to give you an idea:

• As a reliever for the St. Louis Browns, he was an American League All-Star in 1952 and 1953 at the ages of 45 and 46.

• In his first MLB season, he went 6-1 out of the bullpen for the 1948 Cleveland Indians at the age of 41. He threw two shutouts.

• In 57 games at the age of 46 (all but four of which were relief appearances), Paige threw 117.1 innings. He had a 3.53 ERA.

Satchel Paige could throw anything to anyone at any time, and feared no hitter. Dizzy Dean, who faced Paige many times in exhibition games, called Paige "the pitcher with the greatest stuff I ever saw." Joe DiMaggio, who faced him while still a Pacific Coast League prospect, echoed those sentiments. You couldn't stop Satchel Paige; you had to hope he'd let you on. Had he played his whole career in the majors, we might consider Paige the greatest pitcher who ever lived.

#2: Hank Aaron, OF (137.3) - BR Page

Photo by Baseball Digest

The home-run king (if you don't count Bonds), Hank Aaron was the single most consistent hitter of all time. Between 1957 and 1973 (17 seasons), Aaron AVERAGED 38 homers, 110 RBI and 105 runs scored per season with a .311 batting average, a .382 OBP, and a .960 OPS. He had more walks than strikeouts for his career, and stole 240 bases in his career. Hammerin' Hank is the all-time leader in multiple categories, with a staggering 2,297 RBI, 1,477 extra-base hits and 6,856 total bases, putting up a career OPS of .928. He won three Gold Gloves, 21 All-Star appearances IN A ROW, the 1957 NL MVP award, and finished third all-time with 3,298 games played. His 137.3 WAR rank ninth all-time. Hank Aaron was the greatest player the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves have ever had, and probably the best they'll ever have. Somehow, nine HOF voters left him off their ballot in 1982.

#1: Willie Mays, OF (150.8) - BR Page

World Telegram & Sun photo by William C. Greene

The Say-Hey Kid was (other than perhaps his godson, Barry Bonds) the most complete player not named Babe Ruth to play the game. Mays made the National League his playground during his 22-year career, slamming 660 homers (fourth now that Bonds is first), driving in 1,903 RBI (11th), and scoring 2,062 runs, as well as racking up 338 stolen bases. He led the NL four times in stolen bases, once in batting average, twice in OBP, five times in slugging, five times in OPS, four times in homers and three times in total bases. Mays won 12 Gold Gloves, 2 MVP awards, and appeared in 20 consecutive All-Star games. And he missed his age-22 season to serve in the military in 1953, only to come back and win an MVP award and the World Series. In the 13 seasons from 1954 to 1966, Mays averaged a .315 batting average and .992 OPS with 40 homers, 109 RBIs, 21 SB and 117 runs scored, while winning a Gold Glove every year from 1957 to 1966. (He'd probably have won it in '54, '55 and '56 if they had existed; the Gold Gloves weren't handed out until 1957.) No outfielder ever won more Gold Gloves, although Roberto Clemente tied him.

And then there was "The Catch".

Seriously, look at this play. Al Rosen thought he'd be going around to score; he didn't advance past first base. Larry Doby was at second, and could perhaps have scored if he tagged up immediately; he only made it to third base. Mays caught on a dead sprint, planted, spun and fired about 300 feet straight to the infield. It is perhaps the most gorgeous fundamental baseball play ever made. And it was made by a man who was perhaps the most gifted player the game has ever seen.

The Greatest Black Baseball Players Ever, Part I

2013-01-21T17:00:08Z

Since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947, black players have left an indelible stamp on the game of baseball. The integration of baseball led to the inclusion of some of the game's greatest all-time contributors, who thrilled us with power, speed, daring and flair. We're now 66 years deep into a baseball landscape that includes black players, and it can clearly be said that the game is better for their participation.

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day now upon us, I got to thinking about the greatest black players of all time, and decided to make my own ranking of the top 20.

I had to set myself some rules to prevent personal bias from dramatically skewing the list. I primarily based my rankings off Baseball-Reference.com's career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) leaderboard (with career totals noted in parentheses after each player), which is nice because it compares players to their contemporary peers, minimizing the effects of pitching- or hitting-friendly eras. I allowed somewhat for mitigating circumstances, such as time lost to injury or to segregation. I also allowed for a little bit of boost based on impact upon the game, for those players who either changed the landscape or the way the game was played in some way. And yes, there's a bit of nostalgic bias on a few of these picks, but it's my list, so I'll do what I want. Here we go.

HONORABLE MENTION

Kenny Lofton (64.9)
Eddie Murray (63.4)
Willie Randolph (63.0)
Reggie Smith (60.8)
Willie McCovey (60.7)
Andre Dawson (60.6)
Billy Williams (59.9)
Willie Stargell (54.2)

Here's how tough this list is to crack. On the Honorable Mention roster, we've got four former Rookies of the Year, 54 (!) All-Star selections, three Most Valuable Player awards and five Hall of Fame members. A few notes:

Kenny Lofton might not get the credit he deserves. He led this list in WAR, but got just 3.2% of the HOF vote in 2013, his first year of eligibility. Of course, he played in an era of amazing outfielders who may have overshadowed him.
I was surprised to find that Stargell was so low on the career WAR list (tied for 198th), but his career doesn't hold up as well as his reputation. He never played more than 148 games in a single season, didn't crack 500 homers, and only batted above .300 three times. That didn't stop him from being elected to the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.
CC Sabathia is the next name who might have a shot at inclusion on this list someday. He's only 32, and has a few good years left that should elevate him roughly to Lofton's level or higher.

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

Larry Doby (47.0)
Roy Campanella (31.6)

Doby didn't lose major amounts of prime years to segregation, having debuted with the Indians at age 23. But attention must be paid for the man who cracked the color barrier in the American League and put up some tremendous seasons. Doby was a hugely athletic player who excelled on defense and delivered a lot of major hits for Cleveland fans. A nice bit of trivia: Doby was on base when #1 on this list made "The Catch"; more on that later.

Campanella only had 10 MLB seasons, all with the Dodgers, but hammered 242 home runs (including averaging 32 per season from 1950-53) and drove in 856 runs. He was a terrific defensive catcher, a stalwart leader for Brooklyn, and a classic case of what might have been. Had he gotten his career started earlier or avoided the 1958 car accident that paralyzed him, Campanella might have gone down as the best catcher of all time.

SPECIAL DISHONORABLE MENTION

Barry Bonds (158.1)

If we were doing this only on WAR and not having any other consideration, Bonds would be #1 with a bullet. He's third among all-players on the WAR list, trailing only Babe Ruth and Cy Young. But the steroids cloud the issue. Would he have earned a spot on this list without PEDs? Unquestionably. But I just can't bring myself to rank him, so he goes here.

GUYS WHO SHOULD'VE MADE IT

Eric Davis
Dwight Gooden
Bo Jackson
Darryl Strawberry

Davis, Straw and Bo are here because of injuries. Doc is here (Straw too, I guess) because of drugs. These are those that we will reminisce over "what could have been", the athletic marvels that never fully realized their potential.

NEGRO LEAGUE WHAT-IFS

Buck Leonard
Oscar Charleston
Cool Papa Bell
Buck O'Neil

These men deserved a chance to show their ability in Major League Baseball, but the "Gentlemen's Agreement" stopped them from having their day. Suffice it to say that when they took on Major League players in exhibition games, the white MLB players raved about the remarkable ability of their Negro League counterparts. Leonard was a consummate hitter, Charleston was an all-around talent reminiscent of Tris Speaker, Bell had legendary speed that would make the Flash jealous, and O'Neil was as fine a representative as the game has ever had.

#20: Ernie Banks, SS/1B (62.5) - BR page

Photo by Scott Anselmo

What a great way to start the list, with Mr. Cub Himself, Mr. "Let's Play Two!" In his third season, Banks slammed 44 homers for the Chicago Cubs and changed the way fans looked at shortstops forever. He'd eventually finish with 512 career homers, two MVP awards, eleven All-Star game nominations, and the undying adulation of Cub fans who may never have a better ambassador for the game. Late in his career, Banks transitioned to first base, and reeled off a number of excellent defensive seasons there as well. Ernie Banks was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and deservedly so.

#19: Tony Gwynn, OF (65.3) - BR Page

Photo by Wikipedia user Galaksiafervojo

He led the league in batting average eight times, finishing with a tremendous .338 mark for his career (which ranks 19th all-time) and 3,141 hits (also 19th). His .394 mark in 1994 is the closest anybody has come to eclipsing .400 since Ted Williams in 1941, and would have been the first time for an African-American player. He was faster than you remember, stealing 319 bases in his career and 56 in 1987. And he struck out just 434 times in 20 season, averaging just 29 whiffs per 162 games. Gwynn earned 15 total trips to the All-Star Game but never finished higher than third in the MVP balloting; the BBWAA corrected that error by electing him to the Hall of Fame with 97.4% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. A lifetime Padre, Gwynn still impacts the game; he was the college coach for Washington Nationals wunderkind Stephen Strasburg.

#18: Tim Raines, OF (66.2) - BR Page

Photo by Phil Hoops

Why Raines isn't more of a consideration for the HOF is mystifying. Over 23 years in the bigs, Rock rolled up seven All-Star Game appearances, a batting title, and 808 steals (fifth all-time). He was one of the great fielders of his day, and was among the top five in the league in on-base percentage six times, including five straight years. But he never won an MVP or a Gold Glove, only got one Silver Slugger, and has yet to get more than 52.2% of the Hall of Fame vote. At least he's trending upwards.

#17: Barry Larkin, SS (67.1) - BR Page

Photo by Rick Dikeman

Surprised? You shouldn't be. Larkin spent his whole career with the Cincinnati Reds, and I was lucky enough to see him play a few times in person at Riverfront Stadium. A terrific defender and even better hitter, Larkin was the soul of the 1990 World Series championship team for Cincinnati and the team's leader ever after. He earned a dozen All-Star nods, the 1995 MVP award, and was elected to the HOF in his third year of eligibility. Larkin was a consummate leader and consistent player who might have rolled up even better stats if not hobbled by injury during his prime years.

#16: Frank Thomas, 1B/DH (69.7) - BR Page

Photo by Tony Fischer

The Big Hurt! Here's another guy who might have done more without injuries. Thomas was imposing in the batter's box at 6'5" and 240 lbs., and his bat was similarly hefty for the Chicago White Sox. Sadly, Thomas only earned five trips to the All-Star game, despite being a two-time MVP, winning a batting title and hammering 521 career homers. Thomas led the AL in on-base percentage and OPS four times each, but never in homers; his career high was 43. He had three seasons cut down majorly due to injury, but experienced a late-career resurgence with the Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays in 2006 and 2007. Look for him in the Hall of Fame soon.

#15: Lou Whitaker, 2B (71.4) - BR Page

Whitaker deserved better than just 2.9% of the Hall of Fame vote he got in 2001, and he deserved a better nickname than "Sweet Lou", which he always had to share with Piniella anyway. Whitaker earned five All-Star game nods, three Gold Gloves and won Rookie of the Year in 1978. Reliable to the end, Whitaker's career is reminiscent of Charlie Gehringer, the "Mechanical Man" who churned out the same stats every year. Whitaker's final season featured his best OPS, and he kept that mark above .847 in each of his last four seasons. He may have been overshadowed at times by double-play partner Alan Trammell, but Whitaker was a superb second baseman.

#14: Derek Jeter, SS (69.3 so far) - BR Page

Photo by Keith Allison

I'm a Red Sox fan, but I can't deny that Jeter has earned a place on this list. Jeter is among the best to ever play his position, though his defense has declined somewhat in recent years. But he's been elected to 13 All-Star games and won five Silver Sluggers for a reason. Jeter has a long list of postseason accomplishments, including winning the 2000 World Series MVP award and having enough World Series rings for each finger on his left hand not occupied by a wedding ring (hint: that's all five). He deserves Hall of Fame election, and I move that we make it sooner by forcing him to retire now.

#13: Ozzie Smith, SS (73.0) - BR Page

Photo by John Mena

Jeter may yet surpass him, but not yet. For now, I want to remember Ozzie Smith the way he was in my childhood, the dazzling and wonderful Wizard of Oz. Always an ambassador for the game, Ozzie stole 580 bases in his career and rolled up 15 All-Star Game appearances, including a run of 12 straight at one point, en route to the Hall of Fame. He even (somehow) won a Silver Slugger in 1987. What we'll all remember him for, though, is his glove. Ozzie won 13 Golden Gloves, all of them consecutive, between 1980 and 1992; no shortstop has won more. He's the career leader in Defensive WAR with 43.4, and his 8,375 assists rank second all-time. He made dreams come alive, that backflipping marvel at shortstop.

How to watch Vikings vs. Packers online, TV schedule, radio and more

2013-01-05T13:30:08Z

The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers square off this weekend in a rough-and-tumble NFC Wild Card playoff matchup that reprises the regular season finale for both teams.

Minnesota came out on top 37-34 in the Week 17 contest between the traditional NFC North rivals, with star Vikings running back Adrian Peterson rolling up 199 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown to boot. Peterson had a remarkable season you might have heard something about, with his 2,097 rushing yards just nine yards shy of Eric Dickerson's all-time record. The Vikings needed Peterson's elite production to offset their weakness in the air. Minnesota averaged 164.6 yards per game on the ground (second in the NFL), but only 171.9 passing yards per game (31st).

The Packers took the other regular season tilt between the two teams 23-14. Green Bay won the NFC North crown on the strength of their prolific passing attack, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers tossing 39 touchdowns while leading the NFL with a 108.0 QB rating. Receivers Randall Cobb, James Jones and Jordy Nelson combined for 29 touchdowns and 193 receptions on the season. The Packers will have to do a better job limiting the Vikings on the ground if they want to win the Wild Card game; Peterson gashed the Green Bay defense for 409 yards in the two regular season contests between the divisional rivals.

Game Date/Time

Saturday, Jan. 5, 8 p.m. ET

Location

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

TV Schedule

NBC
Broadcasters: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

Watch Online

This postseason wild card game is available for online streaming at NBCSports.com and NFL.com.

Verizon subscribers can watch games live with the NFL Mobile app (subscription required).

NFL Game Pass offers live online broadcasts to users outside the USA.

Distribution Map

This game is broadcast nationally without conflict.

Radio Schedule

Vikings: KFAN-FM 100.3 / KTCN-AM 1130
Packers: WTMJ-AM 620 / WTAQ-AM 1360 / WTAQ-FM 97.5 / WIXX-FM 101.5

How to watch Bengals vs. Texans online, TV schedule, radio and more

2013-01-05T13:01:54Z

The Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals come into their 2012 playoff wild card contest with opposing trajectories, but similar backstories. The two squads combined for 22 wins during the regular season, but only five came against other playoff-bound teams. The Bengals recorded just two wins all season against playoff-caliber clubs (Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins). Houston had three (Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots).

The Texans offense ranked among the best in the NFL, with an average of 26.0 points (eighth) and and 372.1 yards per game this season. Quarterback Matt Schaub eclipsed the 4,000-yard passing mark, and star rusher Arian Foster rolled up 1,424 yards on the ground, as well as 15 rushing touchdowns. Wideout Andre Johnson had another stellar year, notching 112 catches (fourth in the league) and 11 touchdowns (tied for fourth).

Cincinnati was also powered by an emerging offensive attack. Quarterback Andy Dalton boosted his QB rating seven points in his second professional season, helped by the presence of top wide receiver A.J. Green (97 catches, 1350 yards, 11 touchdowns). The Bengals developed a stifling defense, allowing opponents just 319.7 yards per game.

Game Date/Time

Saturday, Jan. 5, 4:30 p.m. ET

Location

Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

TV Schedule

NBC (Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock)

Watch Online

This postseason wild card game is available for online streaming at NBCSports.com and NFL.com.

Verizon subscribers can watch games live with the NFL Mobile app (subscription required).

NFL Game Pass offers live online broadcasts to users outside the USA.

Radio Schedule

Texans: SR610 AM/100.3 KILT FM/1010 AM

Bengals: 1530 AM WCKY/102.7 FM WEBN/700 AM WLW

Bengals vs. Texans 2013: Game preview, kickoff time, TV schedule and more

2013-01-05T13:00:08Z

The Houston Texans head to the playoffs looking to right the ship and move forward after a lackluster conclusion to their regular season, but the visiting Cincinnati Bengals have other designs.

After winning six in a row between Week 7 and Week 13, the Texans dropped three of their last four contests, with all four of those games coming against playoff-bound squads (the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots). By contrast, the six-game winning streak featured only one team (the Baltimore Ravens) that would later make the playoffs.

Cincinnati has had the opposite experience. After starting the year off at just 3-5, the Bengals reeled off a stupendous 7-1 finish to make the playoffs. It should be noted, in fairness, that the Bengals recorded just two wins all season against playoff-caliber clubs. Houston had three.

Here's the full rundown for the game:

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 5; 4:30 p.m. ET

Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston

TV Schedule

National: NBC

Announcers: Dan Hicks, Mike Mayock

Radio Schedule

Texans: SR610 AM/100.3 KILT FM/1010 AM

Bengals: 1530 AM WCKY/102.7 FM WEBN/700 AM WLW

Spencer Ware leaving LSU, declares for 2013 NFL Draft

2013-01-04T20:52:02Z

LSU Tigers junior running back Spencer Ware intends to enter the NFL Draft and pass up his senior year of eligibility, making him one of five Tigers to announce their draft plans Friday.

New Orleans Times-Picayune reporter Randy Rosetta tweeted the news around 3 p.m. ET on Friday. Ware had been a sophomore standout for LSU in 2011, earning a nod to the Second-Team All-SEC squad and leading the Tigers with 177 carries and nine touchdowns. His 707 rushing yards were second on the team that year.

However, Ware lost a lot of usage in 2012, finishing the season with only 367 yards and a single touchdown on 94 carries in 12 games and just four starts. Ware did haul in 18 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown on the season.

The native of Cincinnati, Ohio wasn't the only Tiger to make the move to the NFL on Friday. Linebacker Kevin Minter, safety Eric Reid, cornerback Tharold Simon and punter Brad Wing all elected to forgo their senior year and enter the NFL Draft.

Falcons' Gonzalez wants a win to break career playoff jinx

2013-01-04T20:16:37Z

Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez is still in search of his first playoff win, but he hopes the Falcons will be able to help him reach that goal in January. His teammates seem equally committed.

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Gonzalez is reflective about his star-crossed postseason career. Despite gaudy regular season numbers and accolades, the Falcon and former Kansas City Chiefs star has never been able to get a win in five playoff games. It's also a race against the clock for Gonzalez, who tells Ledbetter he's "95 percent sure" that this is his last crack at breaking the hex.

Gonzalez's fellow Falcons also want the win for their tight end. Ledbetter reports that star wide receiver Roddy White stopped by Gonzalez's locker to tell reporters, "We want to win one for Tony." Gonzalez hauled in 93 catches for 930 yards and eight touchdowns in 2012.

Kimbrel, McCann, Freeman candidates for World Baseball Classic

2013-01-04T19:46:56Z

Atlanta Braves stars Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel and Kris Medlen are all potential participants in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com writes that Kimbrel and Medlen are targets of Team USA skipper Joe Torre, who would surely love to add both to his pitching staff. Freeman is also a potential name for the WBC, but Bowman notes that the Atlanta first baseman is eligible for both Team USA and Team Canada, since both his parents were born in the Great White North.

Medlen exploded onto the scene this season with a tremendous performance, going 10-1 for the Braves in the regular season with a minute 1.57 ERA and 0.913 WHIP in 50 appearances, 12 of them starts. Kimbrel is coming off a season for the ages, with 42 saves and a microscopic 0.654 WHIP in 63 appearances out of the bullpen while striking out 116 batters in just 62.2 innings. Freeman clubbed 23 homers and drove in 94 runs for the Braves in his second full season, logging 147 games.

One player who won't be appearing in the World Baseball Classic is Atlanta right fielder Jason Heyward. Bowman writes that Heyward declined overtures from Team USA so that he could better focus on the 2013 MLB season.