Page 8 August 8, 2013 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Sports Up and Adam Mistakes and Baseball Football Season Approaches By Adam Serrao in between rehab stints to appreciate all of the By Adam Serrao last year, they suffered a 42-35 loss in their Attracting big name players is what sports extra cash that Arte Moreno and the Angels It has been a long summer for most schools opening day start to the season at home. The are all about. Big market teams do what they have thrown his way. Mark Pujols down as around Torrance and an even longer time Saxons then rallied off three wins in a row can to go out their way to attract the biggest one huge mistake for the Angels that won’t since the football fans around the city have and won 11 of their next 12 in a run that got and best names out there to not only gain just hurt the team this year, but for the next had anything to cheer about. Before you the team into the playoffs after beating the attention from a city’s fan base, but to also eight years to come. know it, though, the bright lights will be Tartars 54-0 in the last game of the regular make a run at a championship. Obviously Albert Pujols isn’t the only big name out there shining on Friday nights while old rivalries season. While in the playoffs, North stayed this is not the case in just basketball, but who is in decline and owed a lot of money. are revisited and new ones are created. While hot in shutting out Oak Park 27-0 in the first also baseball and maybe to a smaller extent Look east to New York and you’ll find Alex everyone else has been enjoying their time round and dismantling Gladstone and Bishop football too. LeBron James makes the Miami Rodriguez’s contract that the Yankees are so down at the beach and with their closest Diego on their way to the championship Heat what they are. Likewise, Kobe makes fervently trying to unload. Rodriguez is owed friends, coaches from around the league game against Nordhoff. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Chris Paul makes the Clippers $114 million through the year of 2017 and have been prepping their players with intense the Saxons, their epic run ended there as and, as we learned over the summer, Dwight ca’’t even find a way to get himself on the field practices and study sessions all in search the team gave up 24 second half points to Howard now rules Houston. In basketball, this year. In addition to that contract, if A-Rod of the next league crown and a postseason the Rangers in their eventual 31-14 loss to these big-name players get paid big, hefty ties Willie Mays on the all-time home run list CIF finals appearance. As the cleats clack end what was a fairytale season. salaries and oftentimes actually live up to at 660 (he’s currently at 647), he will receive against the cement, the smell of fresh-cut The Saxons will be looking forward to them. James, for instance, while one of the another $30 million in bonuses. Regardless of grass penetrates your senses and the sound getting some of that magic back that assisted highest paid players in the league, has delivered what happens to A-Rod regarding the whole of pads slamming against each other rings them all season long last year, but may be two championships to Miami. Kobe—five to Biogenesis PED scandal, unless he receives a out. It is clear that football is right around hard-pressed to do it in light of some recent Los Angeles. In baseball, however, the story lifelong suspension, the Yankees will be on the seems to be flipped. Oftentimes, the biggest hook for a massive contract that has gone wrong. “While everyone else has been enjoying their time down at the beach of contracts handed out are done simply to Even if Rodriguez gets back on the field, there’s and with their closest friends, coaches from around the league have been lock up the name that goes on the back of no reason to believe that he will be of any help the jersey for the life of a specific contract. to the Yankees. Since 2007, the third baseman prepping their players with intense practices and study sessions…” Once the player gets paid, however, production hasn’t played in over 140 games once and, in almost unquestionably and immediately falls the last two seasons, hasn’t hit more than 20 the corner and steadily approaching. departures from the team. Most notably, off. Championships are nowhere to be found home runs or knocked in more than 70 runs. His The Pioneer League has always been one starting quarterback Jorge Hernandez has and teams are left floundering in the wake of batting average has hovered below .286 since of the most hotly contested divisions in Los left after his senior season in which he lit up money poorly spent. That, combined with the 2008 and he’s a lifetime .265 postseason hitter. Angeles. With three inner city teams that opposing defenses all season long. Hernandez’s rampant use of PEDs, makes baseball one of Seems like shelling out a 10-year contract worth always seem to live up to their own specific favorite target, Devante Jenkins, will also be the most mistake-ridden sports in the world. $275 million wasn’t the right thing to do, even rivalries with each other, the intensity and leaving the team after an epic season for the We’ve all seen what PEDs can do to a player, for A-Rod. Paying a player big money while he passion thrown out on the field are always Saxons that eventually landed him on the a team and the city for which he plays. Ryan is in his prime is one thing, but anything can at a maximum. North High, Torrance High California Division III All-State High School Braun was the latest casualty and Alex Rodri- happen over the duration of 10 years. and South High have all formulated their football team. Michael Jurado, the team’s guez may be the biggest named sufferer. The A lot of time has been spent discussing own rivalries with each other and have grown starting wide receiver on the other side, will players aren’t the only ones suffering, though. only two players, but there are many more to not necessarily like each other, to say also no longer be suiting up for the Saxons. Let’s take the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, across the league benefiting from low produc- the least. Throw into the mix El Segundo, All is not lost, though. They will be receiving for instance. Perhaps the biggest signing in tion and a heavy cash flow. Ryan Howard is Centennial and Lawndale and you have six a returning contribution from last year’s the history of the franchise has been Albert guaranteed $125 million over the next four teams that have a great chance of making freshman Mique Juarez. Juarez contributed Pujols. After coming to the Angels last year, years and can’t seem to get himself on the a run at the division title on a year-in and at both wide receiver and quarterback for Pujols has looked like anything but himself. A field either. Once a feared hitter, Howard year-out basis. Three years ago, it was South the Saxons last year and will most likely 10-year, $242 million contract brought Pujols now finds himself batting .253, .219 and .266 High that finished in first place and made it get the ball as the starting quarterback in to Anaheim from the St. Louis Cardinals. The over the last three seasons, respectively, with all the way to the CIF championship game. place of Hernandez this year as he looks to one-time .359 hitter with a career high of 49 only 26 combined home runs since 2012 (the Then Torrance High took its turn at the top lead North High to yet another title game. home runs has been limited to a .285 average year his extension with the Phillies began). of the division two years ago. Last year, it As the Saxons look to repeat their with 30 home runs in his first year with the Josh Hamilton was supposed to team up with was the North High Saxons. Clearly, parity magnificent season from last year, they will club and a .258 average with 17 home runs Pujols and be the savior for the Angels. After is prevalent in the Pioneer League and almost have to rebound from losses against Redondo in this, his second year with the Angels. his 43-home run season last year, Hamilton is never does a team repeat as champion. and inner city rivals the West High Warriors Many Pujols supporters will say that his lack enjoying a five-year deal worth $125 million The team that will be looking to repeat this once again. With the same intra-league of production has been caused by a foot injury while batting .221 with 16 home runs in his year is the North High Saxons. Coming off of schedule as last year, Croce and company that has recently sidelined him for perhaps first year with the Angels. Even Andre Ethier a fantastic season last year, the Saxons finished should be relatively familiar with the teams the rest of the season. Since the 2009 season, of the Dodgers is taking advantage of a new with an 11-3 record and went undefeated in that they are facing. All that’s left to do is however, the 33-year-old, nine-time All-Star’s five-year $85 million contract while batting league play for the first time since the 2005- maximize the talent on the roster and execute statistics have been gradually and drastically .265 with seven home runs. 2006 season. That means that head coach on the field. The season will start for the dropping off year by year until now—where One way or the other, though, owners through- Todd Croce and company took their turn Saxons at the end of August this year, with he finds himself in his worst season ever. With out baseball will continue to attract the game’s beating the likes of Palos Verdes Peninsula, Redondo first up on the schedule once again. eight years and $212 million remaining on his biggest names with dollar signs and feel the Bishop Montgomery and of course South, Follow the North High Saxons all season back-loaded contract, the recently hobbled hurt once they settle in and acquire comfort Torrance and El Segundo in league play. It long as they once again look to make their Pujols looks to be in a world of hurt on the on their golden dugout benches—pockets didn’t always look good from the beginning, fans and the patrons of Torrance proud with field, but seems to now have enough free time overflowing with green, paper-like potential. • though. When the Saxons first took the field their play on the field. • “SPECIAL SUMMER SAVINGS” Harry’s & $6500* HERALD PUBLICATIONS McCoy’s MovingOnlySubscribe Now *Limited time offer. Each publication. 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