Most of the time you wouldn't want to read lips too closely when Grant Balfour is on the mound. By his own admission, he can be guilty of "saying stuff I shouldn't say out there" but it's just his way of getting fully into the moment. Relief pitchers tend to be a little nutty anyway, and Balfour definitely fits the profile. ...more

July 19, 2008

Review: OM 2 Yoga Mix CD, $15.99, available at www.omyoga.com The pitch: "OM Yoga Mix 2 infuses the world with innovative rasa-filled, soul-stirring world music ..." ...more

July 19, 2008

As someone who has never stood in the batter's box against Scott Kazmir, it took Dioner Navarro some time to fully grasp how miserable an experience trying to hit the lefty can be. ...more

July 13, 2008

Mark Grudzielanek led off the Royals' third inning Saturday night with a single for his 2,000th career hit. ...more

July 13, 2008

Jimmy Peck, Alex Gomez and Gerig Blackman all hit home runs, as the Sebring All-Stars defeated Spring Hill 11-5 in the semifinals of the Dixie AAA (ages 9-10) state tournament on Wednesday. ...more

July 10, 2008

Noah Wilcox was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning with the bases loaded on Saturday to hand Okeechobee a 2-1 victory over Sebring in the opening round of the Dixie 14-year-old District 8 tournament at Okeechobee Sports Complex. ...more

June 28, 2008

AVON PARK — Christian Crews may have been fatigued from a two-day rest, but he still hurled five solid innings and smacked a game-changing three-run home run in the third to lift the Okeechobee All-Stars to an 11-4 victory over the Avon Park All-Stars during the Dixie Youth Majors District 8 tournament at Durrah Martin Recreational Complex on Sunday morning. "I was a little tired but I just came out and tried to throw strikes," Crews said. "My fastball was working, and on the home run, I was just able to take advantage of a pitch up in the strike zone." Okeechobee assistant coach Neal Crawford has seen Crews put up performances such as this all season long and had all the trust in the world for his hurler. "Christian is deadly with his fastball," Crawford said. "He had one bad pitch when he hung one up there and [Fauthree] made him pay with the homer. I'm just really proud of these kids. I wouldn't have cared if we had won by one run. We're just happy with a win." ...more

June 22, 2008

AVON PARK — The fastball thrown from Trey Perry's arm mowed down the final batter of Avon Park's 8-4 win over Clewiston just as the darkened heavens' thunderclap signaled the coming rain on Durrah Martin Recreational Complex. ...more

June 21, 2008

Review: Sleeptracker Pro alarm clock watch, $149 or $179 at www.sleeptracker.com ...more

June 14, 2008

Yonder Alonso homered and Enrique Garcia pitched six effective innings as the Miami Hurricanes defeated Arizona 4-2 on Sunday night to advance to their 23rd College World Series. ...more

June 9, 2008