>> bob: welcome back to land shark stadium. scott olsen will be heading to the bullpen mound in a few minutes. we're looking for first pitch, 15 minutes from now at 7:45. olsen and ricky nolasco. espn news for now. hope to be back with you with baseball in 15 minutes from florida.

>> welcome to espnews, helping you stay current with all the latest news, scores and highlights. will selva alongside mike yam. coming up later in this half hour, our "aircheck" segment. the crew debates u.s. soccer. right now we've got breaking news to tell you about. >> an hour and a half ago it came into the espnews room. it's bad news for the houston rockets. their center yao ming suffered the broken left foot. the injury not healing. you averaged nearly 20 points and ten rebounds in 77 games last season. he missed the last few games of their postseason series with the lakers because of a foot injury. the team physician tom clanton released a statement saying:

>> baseball news. after going hitless in his first two game, manny ramirez went 2-2 with a home run in his last rehab start. the dodgers' slugger will play in his final minor league game tonight. he's expected to rejoin his teammates july 3rd when the suspension is lifted. every single at-bat you've been able to see and hear live on espnews. that not going to change. the at-bats tonight. we will have them once again, live at-bats from manny ramirez in his final rehab start on espnews. >> he's great.

>> he's accurate. that's why. congratulations. >> you're saying cubs' fans are stupid? >> ozzie is not crazy. i agree with the portions about that being more of place to be, more of place to be seen and more of a place to go ahead and have party-like atmosphere than people being encouraged, than people actually caring about what happens on the field. >> in my opinion, i love to see the guy play baseball. he's a true genius. steroids aren't going to keep the guy from hitting a home run. >> as a fan, that's not going to keep me away from dodger stadium. frank mccourt already does that with $10 parking. the gangs and all this stuff. >> ramirez is a cheater. let's be honest. he took steroids. unfortunately he's going to take a lot of grief for what he did and deservedly so because he had to do the wrong thing. >> you defrock the athlete of their manhood in these situations and you bring up the chump and you allow the chump to do something like that. >> that sound means it's time

for "aircheck." for today's segment we welcome in brian seltzer, philadelphia eagles' beat reporter 950 espn radio philadelphia, andrew marchand, 1050 espn radio new york, and, of course, last but certainly not least, beto duran, reporter, 710 espn radio los angeles. okay, guys, we'll start with the sport that has been getting lots of pub lately but hasn't gotten much in the past. that would be soccer. people everywhere glued to their tubes watching u.s.a. and brazil, especially after the u.s. jumped out to a 2-0 lead. i pose this question to you -- i'll start with beto -- was the u.s. loss a moral victory or a flat-out choke? >> the fact that we're talking about socker to lead off this segment is huge. the fact that "sportscenter" led off with it last night even bigger. it wasn't a choke and it's not a moral victory. the u.s. is past moral victories. they need to go out and win these games. it wasn't a choke. it was just like a boxer when

they think they have a big lead they run around the ring hoping to win the fight. next thing you know it's a split decision allah oscar de la hoya and some of his fights. it's like a prevent defense, as they say in the nfl, a prevent defense prevents you from winning. i like what land done donovan said yesterday after the game, we just want to win. fifth ranked brazil was on its heels. the u.s. led them off. the 14th ranked u.s. team deserves to play games if they can win. they knocked off spain. they should have knocked off brazil. >> beto, this is really about brazil being the tiger woods of soccer. they're just simply better. if you watch that second half, they had so many chances. they had a goal that could have argued that was called not a goal. they could have had four goals in the second half. they're just a better team, so i think when you look at it, the choice of a choke or moral victory, it's really a moral victory more than a choke. it's by no means a choke because

let's say the brazilian team was up 2-0 and the u.s. came back, that would be a choke because the brazilian team is that much better than the u.s. the u.s. has made some strides here, but again, this is a good thing for u.s. soccer. it would have been better if they won, but again, brazil is just that much better. you can just see they dominated the second half, no matter what the strategy was. they were going to come out and win that game. >> bribe, do you agree? >> this is such a tough question because what the americans did in the confederation cup to make it to the final, that should be considered an accomplishment, but this is definitely not a moral victory. they were up 2-045 minutes into the game. they had hadn't allowed a score up until that point. brazil gets three goals after that. i'm going to go back with-to-what beto brought up, the quote from landon donovan. we're at the point where we don't want to talk about respect. we want to win. if i judge whether or not this is a moral victory or a choke, i say the players are looking at this like this is one that got away. they're disappointed. and i know that this is kind of

up for fans and media members to speculate, but it sounds like the players might feel it as a bit of a choked. it seems like they're at the point where they want to take the next next step in this process. clearly brazil is a great team. they did a lot to win that game. but the u.s., you can't ignore the fact if you isolated this match, what they did is let a pretty healthy lead get away. >> brian, if you look at it, if they won this match last night, they would... it would be up there with the 1980 olympic team in terms of the greatest upset of all time, so i don't think how when you're talking about it could have been the greatest upset of all time or at least one of them, and then they lose, how it can be a choke. because again, they were the prohibitive underdogs in that game. if you watch the second half, they were just so... be bra skill is just so much more dominant. they're such a better team than the u.s., it was bound for brazil to come back: it just happened the goal sequence was the u.s. got first two and brazil got the next three. if it has gone 1-1 and 2-1 and

3-2, we wouldn't be talking about this. the bottom line, i think if you look at it, yes, they let a golden opportunity go by, but brazil is that much better. it's like tiger woods coming back on a sunday. >> that's a big deal, andrew, because this was the confederations cup. half the people in this country don't even know what the confederations cup stands for. if this happened in the wuppertal -- the world cup final, then it could be a choke. this is a confederation cup. i don't even know what irtd was. it was something in south africa where they're playing and they somehow got into it even though they lost to another team but somebody else beat them 3-0 and they won. ten days ago brazil worked them 3-0. they get to play them again in championship. i think they should have won the game yesterday. they were on their heels. when you have kobe on your squad, you knew they were going to come out and do something great in the second half. that's what brazil did. that's what they're supposed to do. >> andrew, the points you made are all definitely valid, but by

defeating spain what the americans proved is that they have the composure of a team that can contend with the elite at this level. that's why, you know, if they were blown out from the start, i get it, i understand it was a nice run, but to be in that position up 2-0 going into that 46th minute and then allow that eruption from brazil to come after that, that raises some questions. >> once again, guys, we're talking about soccer and beto you had mentioned it, as well, it started "sportscenter," we started our show talking about soccer. so at least we're talking about it. are et cetera move on to another subject here, baseball. a lot of controversy surrounding the cubs and lou piniella's squabble with milton bradley. this is the same time that was in first place last year that had the best record in the league. will milton bradley prevent the cubs from getting back to the playoffs this season, andrew? >> i don't think you can put it all on milton bradley, but you have to look at milton bradley like you live at a roommate, if you live with someone and have problems and then you move and

live with somebody else and have problems with them and then you move again and have problems again, you got to look in the mirror and say, maybe it's me. if milton bradley goes from team to team, he's always a problem. even though when you look at his stats in the off season, you say, wow, we further those stats on our team, we're going to score this many more runs and win more game, you have to understand how he's going to relate in this clubhouse and he's always been a problem wherever he's been. there's always something with milton bradley. i don't think he's a terrible guy. i just think that he has a personality that rubs people the wrong way and he's a little bit, and beto i know he was with the dodgers, he's a little bit combustible. >> a little bit? you think? >> he's gone after broadcasters. he's gone after writers, which i know andrew you used to be, so you know that feeling. he's had run-ins with umpires. he gets into it with everybody. in high school he was always that guy he's so good, but you know there's something going on. your roommate analogy, i'll take you one further. it's like that hot girl, holly hunter or halle berry, something about them, they're so gorgeous,

then you wonder why guys run the other way. they look great on paper. you get to know them, oh, my goodness, get away. milton bradley seven teams since to 2001, you can't blame all the teams troubles on him, but you don't know how he's going to be, hot or cold, and the fact baseball players are around each other 162 games a year, bradley and the clubhouse with piniella, zambrano and we're surprised they're in fourth place in the n.l. central? no shocker at all. you saw this one coming. the big surprise is why did bradley get a three-year deal? >> quick, somebody call david justice. >> exactly. >> this is like milton bradley has recognized that he was with halle berry and lou piniella because here you hear milton bradley joking about the fact that, you know what, maybe i shouldn't have done that. it's not like i blew out my a.c.l. this time like with umpire mike winters in 2007. so if you pull some sort of silver lining from this kind of

ugly spat situation, it's that it seems like both parties are handling this maturely. milton bradley is saying all the right things. he doesn't seem offended by it. lou piniella admitted that maybe he went off a little bit too much. he apologized to bradley. the bigger issue as far as the cubs making the playoffs, it's not bradley's behavior, it's his batting. he went 1-8 over the weekend. he's hitting .230 out of the three spot. i think that that is a much more significant issue as far as chicago's postseason hopes versus this little dust-up between bradley and pi nell lamp. >> and the cubs only have two more years on his contract. that's going to be a tough situation for piniella in chicago. >> it's not like the beecher bums are going to forget about it. if you're batting .230, they'll let you hear about it. bradley is one of those guys that can be the nicest guy. he flew four of his best friends to new york for the all-star game, got them great seats. i hear a couple days later he

didn't talk to them. you just never know with the guy. >> can't believe you brought up halle berry, but nice work out of you, bet. you there was recently an incident outside tropicana field where j.c. romero and a fan got into it. i ask you first, should players always turn the other cheek? >> yes, absolutely. i empathize with j.c. romero. i really do. i know he's really tried to combat this perception that he was a knowledgeable and knowing steroid user or substance, performance-enhancing drug user with what happened in the off season with the 50-game suspension, but the bottom line is this comes down to a discussion between j.c. romero and some dude named robert eaton. j.c. romero understands that part of the territory that comes with being a professional athlete is that there is a certain code of conduct that you must have. he gets paid a lot of money to deal with things on the field but also off of it. he needed to act more professionally. there have been a ton of other

athletes, joe frazier from philly up against muahmmed ali, jackie robinson in baseball, the target of much, much worse in fans. why did romero get so upset? if he didn't do it, why did he react this way? >> you can't win when you go up against a fan? you have everything to lose, the big contract, the fame, and the stories are going to be that you're in the headline, not this nameless fan, and no matter... we've all been at these ballparks as reporters. you hear some of the things fans say, and some of them are totally wrong and totally gutless really when you look at it. dave been drinking a lot. i know they are millionaire athletes. i know they have everything going for them, but still nobody deserves to hear some of the things people say about people's personal lives. it gets a little bit too much, no matter how much you're paying. you can boo, you can cheer, but to say some of the things that are said, still, even with all that said, athletes have to turn the other cheek because you have nothing to win and a lot to lose.

>> i'm going to xxpp@it a welcome back to land shark stadium. the field is ready, the umpires are on the field. we have some things to tell you about. the marlins are taking the field. josh willingham is hitting the ball absolutely great. josh is hitting .327 over his last 36 games. willie harris has become willie mays with the bat lately. the marlins have won five in a row at home. but they had to do that just to get back to the .500 mark. they have been pretty mediocre since they started the season 11-1. here's the southwest.com line-up for the nationals. and willie harris is on top, guzman, johnson, zimmerman, dunn, then josh willingham. so josh's numbers up to .278.

>> rob: he went back to the minor leagues for a little bit, bob, maybe that attitude adjustment process or maybe just working on his pitches without the watchful eye of the major league media and everybody else might have helped him. give you the pnc bank scouting report on nicks. he's a big boy, don't lose that number, at the end of may, had a 9.07 e.r.a. since that a 1.8 in june. good command of all of his pitches, versus the washington nationals, he is captain

destructive. >> bob: the marlins are the third worst defensive team in the national league. they've made 59 errors. they have a new left fielder chris coughlin who is also their lead-off man. emilio bonifacio is struggling, he's made 13 errors at third base. you know all the other guys. we see them a lot. rorntionz the former pirates catcher. >> rob: we got a good scouting report on carroll that he's an excellent right fielder. >> bob: first pitch of the ballgame is at 7:47, a delay of 47 minutes because of the rain. right now it's about 16 degrees cooler than it was during the day. it was in the low 90s and sizzling today. rain and 76 degrees at rain time, we might have more rain as the evening goes on. willie harris has his on base

percentage up. he's hit safely in seven of his last nine games. he misses that pitch. willie is 12 for his last 35. >> rob: the more he plays, the better he hits. just the confidence factor. >> bob: nolasco severely jams him and he fouls it. easy pick for grissom. nationals start tonight 7th in the league in hitting, they're 10th in runs and homers. hard breaking ball down and in, strikes out willie harris. willie fanning for the 26th time this year. >> rob: he gets ahead of him, then he's going to drop this 12

to 6 breaking ball on him. get the rotation to go from about the knees down to the ground. hard to lay off that pitch. >> bob: next up, cristian guzman coming off a rare 0 for 5 yesterday. he was 3 for 14 in the series at baltimore. guzman can bat anywhere you need him. he can lead off, he can get on base. it's interesting, and we'll see this develop as time goes on. i wouldn't say manny is totally committed to this line-up, but he wants to see how it does, because things were not going well with zimmerman at third and dunn fourth. this is not your selective number two guy that is going to take many pitches. >> rob: he doesn't walk much, but he is a great contact guy. you have good contact guy 2, good contact guy 3 in nick johnson. i think that's what manny has

in mind. willingham, the way he's been swinging the bat, we have a shot to get some rbi's. >> rob: what does he have about two, three walks? >> bob: five -- no, wait a minute. seven. it's a new world's record. here's the 1-2 to guzman. a breaking ball popped up. out shortstop way for hanley ramirez. finally comes down. one-handed catch. two outs. so now instead of zimmerman, it's nick johnson. and nick is on a bit of a strange little run here. similar to what zimmerman went through a week ago. nick suddenly is 0 for 17 in his last five games. the on-base average is .410, 8th best in the league.

and certainly padded up after he really got whacked in that left leg. nick's kind of a walking bruise right now. he's got a couple of areas that are bothering him. >> rob: come on, that old woman kicks you harder than that. the one off the shin is a lot more painful sometimes when it happens, and then that bruise is going to stick there for a long time. but off the top of the foot, there's no padding in your shoe on the top of the foot. that's going to be painful. >> bob: and the swelling went down in the ankle, or the shin. that doesn't mean it stopped hurting. ricky nolasco on the year, 4-6 with a 6.42 e.r.a., but he gets good run support whenever he pitches. a 4.14 e.r.a., but in 10 games

over the years, he's 6-1. the nats have hit against him okay in the past, they just haven't been able to stop the marlins. this will be a high drive to center. it's twilight time already here. with the clouds overhead. cody ross puts it away. our 73y to over 65 cities across the country every day. woman over p.a.: this is your final boarding call. all passengers... each with an average speed of 590 miles per hour. almost as fast as you. nothing's gonna hold you down. starting august 16th, fly southwest airlines from bwi airport to boston logan for just $49 one-way. bags fly free on southwest so our low fares stay low. grab your bag. it's on. - ( ding ) - book now at southwest.com.

>> bob: the marlins are hitting .355, 11th in the league. jorge cantu has done some damage against the nats this year. he's batting .400. overall hitting .283. hanley ramirez is hot, he's fourth in the league at .333. and so hanley ramirez is thriving in that number three spot after wearing out the nats for years as the lead-off man. scott olsen has pitched against his former team twice this year. it hasn't gone well. two starts, 0-1 with a 9 e.r.a. but he's healthy this time around, rob, and it will always be fascinating to watch a pitcher coming off the d.l. for the first time. actually coming off rehab. part of being on the disabled list, he last pitched wednesday for syracuse, at scranton wilkes-barre, two runs on eight hits. and that ball hacked to the right side, nick johnson way off the line.

it's race to the bag and he wins it as olsen was slow getting over. >> rob: give you the pnc scouting report. obviously he's going fall towards third base. welcome back, former marlins traded up to the washington nationals. avoid the big inning. .405 opponents batting average with runners on base. 20/20 vision. he's looking for his 20th win in the miami area code. >> bob: 32-41 overall career, and 109 starts. facing emilio bonifacio who was a nats killer the first two weeks of the season. in six games against the nationals, he had five rbi's. since then in over two months he only has 14 more. but he is on a six-game hitting streak. that shows you how bad he was going. he's 8 for his last 23, and

still batting just .249. he's sixth in the league with 16 stolen bases. as usual, bonn faso pretty good from the right side, but the nats get him there and scott olsen gets two quick outs on ground balls. nationals defensively, now, folks, guess who is not last in the league in defense anymore. the arizona diamondbacks have made 71 errors, the nationals 68. by playing errorless ball for a couple of games in baltimore. there's no question this team is better defensively since willie harris has been playing every day in center field. mix and match the other outfield positions. wil nieves has the plate tonight. all the regulars are out there besides those guys, but for the first time in a long, long time, the nationals do not have the most errors in the national

league. >> rob: i don't know if you saw any of that d-backs game today. >> bob: ugly. >> rob: a runner coming from second and they hit him in the chest. he didn't even get a glove on it. he hit him in the chest. how does that happen at this level? >> bob: he's a former teammate of ryan zimmerman's down in charlottesville. hanley ramirez was sitting dead red and his former teammate pull the string on him. hanley ramirez has four homers, including two grand slams in the last seven games. his .333 batting average, fourth in the league, and i'm surprised he's only hitting .330 against washington. well, .330-plus now. gashes that ball up the middle. he's aboard with two outs for jorge cantu. back on may 10, scott olsen

only pitched four innings, and he really sucked it up for his team. >> rob: looked like it was a bad back, but then we found out it was a bad shoulder. he went out with a bad shoulder before the game even started. that's a guy you want on your staff. there's difference between pain and injury, by the time he was fun finished, he was injured and had to rehab and come back. tough kid though. >> bob: he threw 109 pitches that day in 4 1/3 innings to the diamondbacks who eventually won 10-8. the nationals came up big late in the game, they were just too far behind at that point. and logan had a bad game that day leading to his demise from the nats bullpen. cantu to dead center field. that's a graveyard for fly balls here. willie harris has it. ú@pp÷÷