Mark_Concannon's Blog

*****LOSING IT-Derrick Turnbow, an all-star in 2006, has walked 34 batters in 13 2/3/'s innings since the Brewers sent him down to Nashville.

*****BUT IT COULD BE WORSE-While the Brewers are basically eating Turnbow's 3.2 million dollar contract for this season, that's nothing compared to what the Yankees are swallowing with pitcher Kei Igawa. Igawa, who signed a 5 year 46 million dollar deal last season, has been ineffective and was just sent down to Triple-A.

*****BIG NAMES IN THE BUSHES-The Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League boast a roster with many players who have been to the big leagues including Vic Darensbourg, Jason Simontacchi, Joe Valentine, Carl Everett, Jay Gibbons, Nook Logan, and former Brewer Alex Sanchez. And if that's not enough notoriety, the Ducks also employ P.J. Rose, Pete's son who is hanging on to his baseball dream at the age of 38. But the big names aren't helping much on the field. The Ducks are in last place in the Liberty division.

*****TENACIOUS TONY-Speaking of hanging on, former Brewer Tony Graffanino, who recently turned 36, just signed a minor league deal with the Indians.

*****MIAMI ADVICE-The Miami Heat's number one draft pick, Michael Beasley will have a mentor during his first year in pro basketball. Bruce Shingler, the former administrative assistant at Kansas State where Beasley played college ball, will live with Beasley during his rookie season.

*****WEREN'T YOU THAT GUY?- Bob May who lost a playoff to Tiger Woods in the 2000 PGA championship and has never won in 14 years on the big tour, is still grinding it out, in 23rd place on the Nationwide tour with 103-thousand dollars in earnings this season.

*****THE NAME GAME-Coolest name of the week? Speed Williams, one of the leaders in team roping on the pro rodeo circuit.

*****THE NAME GAME #2 Best tennis name- Sybille Bammer, the 26th seed at Wimbledon.

*****THE NAME GAME #3-Bradley's new baseball coach is the wonderfully named Elvis Dominguez.

*****KICKING WITH THE STARS England striker Wayne Rooney is set to become a reality TV judge to unearth future soccer players. The 22-year-old Rooney will help to find 50 potential stars in a new British TV series before pitting the top two against each other for an undisclosed prize.

*****TIME OFF: Daimler, Porsche and other major manufacturers in Germany shortened shifts last Wednesday to allow workers to watch the national team play Turkey in the semifinals of the European Championship.

No time off for us. We're back with more musings next Monday, July 7th.