Falcons ready for Babe Herman return
GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
BABE HERMAN TOURNAMENT SET
The 43rd installment of the Babe Herman Tournament will begin Saturday simultaneously at Stengel Field and Oak Park High.
Ten high school baseball teams, highlighted locally by host Crescenta Valley, will compete in the event, which is presented by the West Glendale Gateway Kiwanis Club and the Crescenta Valley Baseball Program. Home games will be played at Stengel, Oak Park, Pasadena High, Covina High and Santa Monica High.
The tournament, named after former Major League Baseball player and Glendale resident Babe Herman, will consist of two divisions. Five teams will participate in the National Division and five will compete in the American Division. The tournament will conclude with the championship game beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Stengel Field, running Saturday, Monday and Tuesday previously.
Crescenta Valley, North Torrance, Oak Park, Santa Monica and South Torrance will be in the National Division. The American Division will feature Covina, El Segundo, Pasadena, South Pasadena and West Torrance.
Saturday’s opening-day games will consist of three games at Stengel Field — including Crescenta Valley, ranked No. 9 in the latest CIF Southern Section Division II poll, against Santa Monica at 7 p.m. — and one each at Oak Park and Pasadena.
The tournament will take a break Sunday before resuming Monday.
Crescenta Valley will also host Oak Part at 7 p.m. on Monday and North Torrance at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Falcons have won the event a record seven times, posting victories in 1964, 1977, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2005.
BELL BEGINS AGAIN WITH BEES
After promotions to the big club in each of the last two seasons, Trevor Bell will still begin the 2011 season with the triple-A Salt Lake Bees.
Despite Joel Piniero beginning the season on the disabled list and subpar outings by Scott Kazmir (6.65 ERA this spring through 21 2/3 innings; 5.94 ERA last season), Bell did not crack the starting rotation for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and was optioned to Salt Lake on Tuesday, when the team officially announced its Opening Day roster.
Bell, a former standout at Crescenta Valley High and 2005 first-round draft pick by the Angels, went 2-5 last season with a 4.72 earned-run average, starting seven games and appearing in 25 games. He struck out 45 in 61 innings with 21 walks.
Bell pitched his best baseball as a major leaguer over the end of 2010, allowing two earned runs in each of his final three starts of the season before being sidelined with an injury. He also struck out 13 and walked just four.
Bell struggled this spring, however, tallying a 9.00 ERA. He was afforded just three appearances and five innings, however.
A’S TAB MCCARTHY AS NO. 5 STARTER
Glendale native Brandon McCarthy, after a spending an unfulfilled final season with the Texas Rangers franchise at the minor league level, got some pleasant news on Saturday afternoon.
In his first season with the Oakland Athletics, McCarthy was named the No. 5 starter in the A’s rotation by Manager Bob Geren.
“I’m happy,” McCarthy said. “It’s a great opportunity. I’m just excited to be a part of those four guys that they already have running out there. It’s a pretty solid rotation I’m joining, and it’s exciting to know I have to do my part to hold up my end of the bargain.”
McCarthy surprised some by beating out the younger Tyson Ross along with Bobby Cramer.
The 6-foot-7 27 year old turned in a solid spring training with a 1-1 mark and a 4.50 ERA through six appearances — three starts. Over 26 innings, he turned in a stellar 20 strikeouts to one walk.
McCarthy’s debut is likely to come on Wednesday at Toronto.