The Sporting News articles from September 2004

The Sporting News archives from September 2004

Time is running out.(Sporting News.com)
September 6, 2004... If you haven't gotten your fantasy football team in order, better hurry before the season starts. Fantasy Football Central has all the tools you need to get the winning edge. Plus, you can choose from four games, loin a public league or set up...

Ready for some football?(Sporting News Radio)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... Tune in to College Football Today with Bob Berger and Bob Stelton, and get live up-to-the-minute updates, scores, news, notes and insider analysis for the day's biggest games. College Football Today premieres Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. ET. Catch...

Numbers game.(Sporting News Books)
September 6, 2004... If NFL numbers are what you need, the 2004 Pro Football Register is where you'll find them. Get career stats and bios for NFL players and coaches. Order your copy by calling 800-825-8508 or online at sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 6 senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing and audibilizing.(Know It All)
September 6, 2004... (1) BRONZE BUSTS Will IRe NBA's Olympians ever be the same? It was fitting that, on the evening of the bronze medal game against Lithuania, the U.S. Olympic basketball team brought the wrong uniforms, delaying the game for 45 minutes....

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... (1) The Olympics. Was it just me? I never did get into these Games, and I'll tell you why... I couldn't stomach all the mindless gyro worship. (2) The U.S. Open. Big fashion scoop: Among Serena's "looks" will be boots and a...

Mavs also trade rights to ballboy, popcorn vendor.(Caught On The Fly)
September 6, 2004... The Stanley Cup was lost briefly when it was removed from a flight in Vancouver. This sparked numerous questions, chief them: What was it doing in Canada? The Warriors and Mavericks finally agreed to the megadeal that included big man...

On air.(Caught On The Fly)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... Which NFL player will have a breakout season? Arnie Spanier 7-10 p.m. ET weekdays Joey Harrington. He has a ton of talent at wide receiver in Roy Williams, Charles Rogers and others. Add coach Steve Mariucci to the mix, and nothing...

Pats better look out for Cats.(My Turn)
September 6, 2004... OK, so you want my pick for the upcoming NFL season? No you don't. You don't want to hear it because evidently nobody else believes this team can do anything in 2004. I ask you right now, without thinking, what team played the Patriots in last...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
September 6, 2004... * Let's see, Toledo-Miami (Ohio), pool or poker? College football overexposure (TSN, August 23) beats alternative programming. The ratings killer is the BCS. General interest in teams wanes, unlike in college basketball, where March Madness...

A cure for midweek withdrawal.(Fanscape: a lifestyle guide for the dedicated non-athlete)(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... Madden 2005 PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, GameBoy Advance, PlayStation, PC If you drop $50 on a Madden video game every year, you probably are so used to perfection that you don't appreciate it. You rip open the package, lead your...

Hottest-selling NFL jerseys.(Fanscape: a lifestyle guide for the dedicated non-athlete)(National Football League )(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... If you own a new-school NFL jersey, chances are one of these guys has got your back (rankings according to NFL Properties): 1. Terrell Owens. You can always get what you want. 2. Michael Vick. You want to be like Mike--again. 3....

A classic Kickoff Classic.(Inside The Box Score)
September 6, 2004... Almost 20 years to the day before USC's 24-13 season-opening victory over Virginia Tech last Saturday, Miami and Auburn met in a Kickoff Classic noteworthy because it was Miami's first game since its 31-30 Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska on...

Trojans coach calls NCAA 'insensitive'.(People Hurting People)(National Collegiate Athletic Association )(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... After months of speculation about the playing future of Southern California's Mike Williams, the NCAA last week ruled against reinstating the 20-year-old wide receiver, who was shut out of the NFL draft by an appeals court in May Williams...

A token of his affection: our favorite Canadian pays tribute to the World Cup of Hockey.(Know It All)
September 6, 2004... Obscurity has a way of sneaking up on you. Take the NHL, for instance. A decade ago, the league was at the top of its game, all happy about positive publicity extolling it as the next NBA. Networks were falling over themselves to ride the wave...

Hazed and confused.(Exposure)
September 6, 2004... Four Chiefs rookie wide receivers--Richard Smith (left), Jeris McIntyre (front), Samie Parker (right) and Zach Fletcher (in the back where you can't see him)--were caught on tape by veteran teammates after they refused to sing for players and...

Quick study: don't want to cram for baseball's September exams? Then check out our crib notes.(Baseball)
September 6, 2004... After five months of baseball--about seven if you count spring training--it's understandable if you're getting a little bleary-eyed. A cheat sheet sure would help--something that will tell you what you need to know about baseball's final month...

Tell it from the mountains: Colorado coach Garry Barnett and his players, after an offseason of accusations and investigations, are letting the world know they're moving on and ready to win.(College Football)
September 6, 2004... While signing up for cell phone service, picking up two-for-one pizza coupons and attending classes on the first day of fall semester University Colorado students found time to buy up the remainder of the 12,000 football season tickets...

All-for-won approach: Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson don't get caught up in trying to beat each other--they're too busy beating everyone else.(NASCAR)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
September 6, 2004... The Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup starts later this month, but the real chase for most of the competitors in NASCAR's premier series is catching up to Hendrick Motorsports, primarily Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Johnson has had his...

For the love of the game: competition. Sacrifice. Strategy. Surprise. Raw emotion. The basic elements that comprise pro football also are the reasons the NFL has such a grip on us.(Scouting The NFL)
September 6, 2004... Put off our chores on Sunday afternoons. Buy a satellite dish and TiVo. Invite some buddies over. Wear our favorite player's jersey. Rise and fall with each play. Curse our fantasy team's luck. Vent to a sports talk-radio show. Stay up late to...

Super Bowl 39 Patriots--again.(NFL Preview)
September 6, 2004... It is an accepted axiom in the NFL: Every team has problems. Coaches and team executives commiserate about them like old folks complaining about aches and pains. ("Oh, my aching backfield.") And then there are the Patriots and Eagles. ...

Something to prove--still.(NFL Preview)
September 6, 2004... After last season, I wasn't sure if I would play again. You never know what to expect when you come into a season, and Tim Brown and I talked about that. We said anything can happen. And it did, obviously, with Tim's release by the Raiders. But...

Reid's prescience is about to pay off.(NFL Preview)(Andy Reid)
September 6, 2004... Sometimes, draft picks look curious on draft day. When the Eagles took defensive backs with their first three picks in 2002, some folks were puzzled. Why would the Eagles do that when they already had Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor and Brian...

Vinny, 40, a starting QB? Yikes!(NFL Preview)(Vinny Testaverde)
September 6, 2004... Black balloons. Over-the-hill banners. Gag gifts, like a bottle of Metamucil and a package of Depends. That's how most folks greet the big 4-0, with a grim grin and the full realization that middle age is upon them. "But most folks aren't...

Rare pair: a shared vision, dedication to precision and unique communication system--plus a whole lot of reps--have put Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison on the brink of becoming the most prolific passing combo in NFL history.(NFL Preview)(Cover Story)
September 6, 2004... Figure Peyton Manning has thrown 15 of his 68 career touchdown passes to Marvin Harrison using his favorite play. It happened in the second quarter of a game last December against the Falcons. The call was for Manning to throw to Harrison...

Free to go: after years of being tied up by defenses, the passing game has been unchained by the league--and the results will be stunning.(NFL Preview)
September 6, 2004... You're about to witness NFL history this season. Remember how Peyton Manning mangled the Chiefs' defense in last January's playoff game? Chew on this: That offensive deluge could be repeated on a weekly basis this fall against almost any...

Secrets of the sideline: take a trip the NFL bench area, where the men are large, the rules are strict and the accoutrements are many.(NFL Preview)
September 6, 2004... An NFL sideline is at once an office and a hospital room, a spy's perch and a psychiatrist's couch, a fraternity house and a cafeteria. The bench area is 40 yards of turf or grass where the players sit and talk when they're not smacking each...

AFC east.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Patriots * The reigning champs are solid in every aspect. No team will be better coached. The only threats are injuries or a breakdown in chemistry. 2. Jets * Look for significant improvement. If Pennington...

AFC north.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Ravens * Any team that plays defense and runs the ball as well as the Ravens is a serious contender. But has their passing game developed enough? 2. Bengals For Cincinnati to take the next step, its defense...

AFC south.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS * projected playoff team 1. Colts * They could have the NFL's best offense. Manning never has had better weapons at his disposal. The defense, however, is another story. 2. Titans Any team with Fisher as...

AFC west.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Broncos * The running game will be fine without Portis, and the defense will be significantly improved with the addition of Bailey. 2. Chiefs * They will score points in bunches, but will they also give them...

NFC east.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Eagles * They would have been favorites to win the division without Kearse and Owens. With them, they are favorites in the NFC--if not the NFL. 2. Redskins Gibbs is going to give the team some juice. It's...

NFC north.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Vikings * They have a great, multifaceted offense and an improved defense. This time, they're prepared to sustain their success all season long. 2. Packers * No team has a better combination at quarterback and...

NFC south.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Saints * There is a lot of young talent at the offensive skill positions and in the defensive line. If that talent develops, the Saints will excel. 2. Falcons * They'll improve with Michael Vick's return and...

NFC west.
September 6, 2004... POMPEI'S PICKS 1. Seattle * The Seahawks broke through in '03 with 10 wins and are capable of winning more than that this season. Holmgren's system finally has taken root. 2. Rams The Rams aren't the lock to win the division...

Catch that attitude while you can.(NASCAR)
September 6, 2004... There's something about the swagger that you notice right away. Don't screw with me. Plain and simple. There will be only one warning. Cross that line, and I won't be responsible for the consequences. Plenty of NASCAR drivers walk...

Q & A: Dale Jarrett.(NASCAR)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)(Interview)
September 6, 2004... Whether he's opening the newest NASCAR Speedpark in suburban St. Louis or racing his way toward a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup, Dale Jarrett is on the move. TSN associate editor Roger Kuznia recently caught up with Jarrett, who...

Driver reports: what have these veterans learned that will help them qualify for the 2005 Chase?(NASCAR)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
September 6, 2004... STERLING MARLIN Marlin hasn't had his "A" game since he was sidelined by injuries in 2002. It has been 83 races since his last victory and 108 races since his last pole. Marlin's best showings in 2004 are two fourth places--his only top...

Bonds' numbers add up to another MVP.(Baseball)
September 6, 2004... The real debate isn't over National League MVP, but over which of Barry Bonds' seasons should be considered his finest. There's 2001, when he hit his record 73 homers. There's 2002, when he hit .370 and won his first batting title. And now...

Guys who never played have a place in the game, too.(Closer)
September 6, 2004... As we enjoy this renaissance period of baseball, let's look at an interesting shift taking place off the field. In the past few years, there has been a growing movement to hire front-office types out of Ivy League colleges instead from the...

Stat scape.(Baseball)
September 6, 2004... Is B.J. Upton baseball's next big thing? The early returns certainly are encouraging. Before turning 20 on August 21, he became the first teenager to homer in a major league game since Aramis Ramirez in 1998. Plus, be batted .303 and slugged...

Coming attractions.(Baseball)(Calendar)
September 6, 2004... Everyone remembers their classic matchup in last year's NLCS, but this will be the teams' first meeting this season. The champs have to leapfrog several clubs in the wild-card chase, and six games this month against the Cubs might help....

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
September 6, 2004... ANAHEIM ANGELS Troy Glaus won't play third base for the Angels this season, but he has returned to the lineup and will contribute as the DH down the stretch. Glaus underwent a five-game rehabilitation stint in Class A to help him come back and...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
September 6, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Don't look for the club to make a lot of September call-ups. Young players such as 2B Scott Hairston, SS Jerry Gil, OF Luis Terrero and RHP Greg Aquino, who would have been promoted from the minors in the season's final...

Virginia Tech has hit the ceiling.(College Football)
September 6, 2004... The nasty defenses and game-turning special teams. The exciting, entertaining Saturday nights in Blacksburg, Va. The disciplined, determined overachievers who helped elevate a dump of a one of college football's elite. And now it has come to...

An unassuming path to success.(College Basketball)
September 6, 2004... In consecutive seasons, he has won his conference's player of the year award. He is averaging 20.1 points for his career. He slapped 38 points in UCLA's face at Pauley Pavilion last November. He shipped out to China a couple months back with a...

Sixers finally have reason to smile.(NBA)
September 6, 2004... Now, that was a miserable year. For the 76ers, it was one of those rare seasons, one of those mystifying, Murphy's Law, now-what-the-heck-is-wrong kind of years. It happens, and, unless you're the Clippers, the Cubs or the Washington Generals,...

Legends before the fall.(NHL)
September 6, 2004... This is a catch-them-while-you-can column. No, it's not about labor strife or mismanaged resources or why-can't-we-all-get-alongisms. The abbreviation CBA will not appear once, after this paragraph. Just so we're clear, this is a CBA-free...

Fantasy source.(Fantasy)
September 6, 2004... Insights from the editors of Fantasy Source Baseball, your online fantasy authority. fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball ROTO RAP by BRENDAN ROBERTS That late-night TV sports ticker can be so friendly to a fantasy baseball...

Team USA: selfishness personified.
September 6, 2004... That basketball team? You bet they were jerks. Spoiled, pampered, prima donnas, they were too good to stay in the Olympic Village with rabble from around the world. Stayed on a cruise ship in the city's fabulous harbor. Rode to...

The chase is on.(SportingNews.com)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
September 13, 2004... The quest for the final 10 NASCAR races is about to begin. With TSN's Fantasy Stock Car Playoff game, you can build your own team of six drivers for the final stretch of the season. There's more than $25,000 in total prizes, so sign up at...

Huddle up, football fans.(Sporting News Radio)
September 13, 2004... Get ready for the NFL season with insight and analysis from Troy Aikman and Bruce Murray on all the newsmakers heading into Week 1. Tune in for the second season of the Troy Aikman Show, which debuts at 5 p.m. ET Thursday on your local SNR...

Hoops, there it is.(Sporting News Books)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... The tipoff of the NBA season is fast approaching, and Pro Basketball 2004-05 has everything you need--team previews, schedules, stats and more--to get ready. Order yours by calling 800-825-8508 or at sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 7 points? Only if you make the stinkin' PAT.(Know It All)
September 13, 2004... (1) MANAGERS IN TROUBLE Baseball's merry men Several managers in the last years of contracts, most notably the Dodgers' Jim Tracy, appear safe. Two interims, the Astros' Phil Garner and the Blue Jays' John Gibbons, stand good chances...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)
September 13, 2004... (1) NFL Opening Kicckoff. I'm confused. First I hear Destiny's Child will play, but then I hear the Giants are going with Warner as the starter. Which is it? (2) College football. There are only a few days a week when games...

Relishing the chance to witness history.(Caught On The Fly)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... Baseball fan Michael Mahan has bought all of the pavilion seats for two games during the Dodgers' season-ending series against the Giants, hoping to catch a historic home run hit by Barry Bonds. Mahan is reselling most of the tickets, and those...

On air.(Caught On The Fly)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
September 13, 2004... Which college football matchup are you dying to see? Tim Brando 3-6 p.m. ET weekdays The Georgia-LSU mega-matchup October 2. I defy anyone to give me a better matchup this season. Mark Richt's offense vs. Nick Saban's defense. It...

Back into the bizarro world of sports.(My Turn)
September 13, 2004... On September 20, I again will be presented as a maven, an insider and a general go-to guy in an arena for which I am not only ill-suited, I actually have no suit and can't find the arena. I'm speaking of the world of professional sports. ...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
September 13, 2004... * Allowing Jeremy Bloom to state his case (TSN, August 30) was one of the finest things the SPORTING NEWS could do. Bloom learned hard lessons from the NCAA but will come out a smarter (though more jaded) individual. The real shame of the whole...

A season on the brink: flyin' octopi. Monkey rolls on hot coals. Who says the NFL is no fun? Seventeen weeks of nuttiness, and it starts now.(Know It All)
September 13, 2004... Week 1: In an attempt to counteract negative publicity--plus, bad vibes among players--associated with appearing on the cover of his video game John Madden announces plans to appear in as well be on the cover of, the next Internet-distributed...

A stick-and-ball fan's guide to NASCAR.(Driver's ed)
September 13, 2004... My grandpa watches every race, and he always says, "NASCAR loves Chew." I have no idea what he's talking about. Does it matter that my grandpa only drives Fords? That is a question ripe with history and potential land mines. First, the...

Tomlinson had to get on board for this photo shoot: how'd we do that?(Know It All)(LaDainian Tomlinson)
September 13, 2004... Staff photographer Robert Seale arrived in LaDainian Tomlinson's town last week unsure of where he wanted to photograph the Chargers running back the following day. "We often have a few minutes with an athlete at a practice facility or a...

Can't whitewash these blemishes: the Indians dismantling of the Yankees last week exposed the Bombers' shortcomings to the harsh light of September.(Baseball)
September 13, 2004... When the Yankees reported for work last Wednesday, the opponent and start time for that night's game were not displayed in their usual spot on the stadium marquee. Instead was the old saying, "Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win." It...

Breaking out of oblivion: UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the unknown player most worth knowing, has arrived, His team is a winner, and his NFL stock is high.(College Football)
September 13, 2004... GET THE GHOST. The pursuit consumes Connecticut's Dan Orlovsky. The words tease him from a sign that hangs in his locker. They taunt him from a piece of paper that clings to a bedroom wall in his apartment. "Quarterbacks coach Rob...

Cutdown day: how's that feel?(NFL)
September 13, 2004... Last weekend, the league's 32 teams positioned themselves for the start of the season by trimming rosters to the 53-man limit. Come inside the Titans' practice facility for a first-person account of that painful but necessary process from three...

Top gun: LaDainian Tomlinson can beat you inside or outside, with power or speed, running or catching. Because he is the complete package--and so remarkably productive on a bad team--he has sailed to the top of our annual 100 best list.(Top 100)
September 13, 2004... You can find killer waves, darling panda bears and world-class golf courses in San Diego. But the best player in the National Football League? Believe it or not, you can find him in San Diego, too, beneath the ruins known as the Chargers....

Slovakia's spirit isn't injured.(NHL)
September 13, 2004... Slovakian forward Miroslav Hlinka was watching the clock closely. In the penalty box during an exhibition game against Sweden, time was running out on his penalty and he was looking up, not ahead. Had he been looking at the ice, he would have...

Richmond rules: anything goes.(NASCAR)
September 13, 2004... If you thought the fireworks between Ricky Rudd and Kevin Harvick last year at Richmond International Raceway were over the top, you ain't seen nothing yet. Saturday night's race, which is the regular-season finale and will determine the...

Q&A: Mark Martin.(NASCAR)(Interview)
September 13, 2004... With one race to go before the cutoff, Mark Martin is fighting for a spot in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. TSN Insider Lee Spencer recently caught up with Martin, who goes into Richmond in 10th place. TSN: You have seemed...

Two good to be true: Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch have broken away from the Busch Series pack and are in a rare two-way battle for the championship.(NASCAR)
September 13, 2004... With nine races to go, the chase for the Busch Series title is a duel. In this corner, in the Chance 2 Motorsports No. 8 Chevy, from Mayetta, N.J., is 24-year-old points leader Martin Truex Jr. In this corner, in the Hendrick Motorsports...

Auditioning for success: Matt Crafton is having a breakout season--after finding a distinctive way to catch his owner's eye.
September 13, 2004... Know the best way to catch the attention of a prospective owner? Beat him at his own game. That's exactly what Matt Crafton did to Kevin Harvick a year ago in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol. Crafton knew Harvick was considering...

Winds of change are blowing again.(College Football)
September 13, 2004... So we piled in the car and started this uneasy journey. The wife and I, three kids and a 13-year-old dog who shakes at the sight of rain. Drove 15 hours through every back road imaginable from Orlando to Charlotte just to get out of the path of...

Conference call.(College Football)
September 13, 2004... Ohio State vs. Marshall, September 11 Despite losing its opener against Troy, the Herd could be a scary team for the Buckeyes, and here's why: Inexperienced teams don't get the breaks. The Buckeyes had a magical run in 2002 and '03, winning 25...

September's dangerous games.(This Week's Spotlight)
September 13, 2004... Georgia Tech at North Carolina, September 18. Beware the sandwich game. The Yellow Jackets will be coming off a showdown at Clemson and will be looking ahead to Miami when they travel to North Carolina for the Heels' ACC home opener. West...

QB Alex Smith, Utah.(Player of the Week)
September 13, 2004... He threw three touchdown passes, including a 78-yarder for the game's first score, helping the Utes avenge their only nonconference loss last season--and stick it to BCS lovers everywhere--with a 41-21 win over Texas A&M. Smith, a junior,...

Even the A's are getting defensive.(Baseball)
September 13, 2004... Look, ma, the A's lead the American League in fielding percentage? That's right, the A's, described in Moneyball as a team "that would have started a blind man (in the field) if he had a talent for getting on base." Defense, that old...

Move over. George: Ichiros's coming.(Baseball)(Ichiro Suzuki)
September 13, 2004... Joe DiMaggio batted .408 during his 56-game hitting streak. In 56 games from July 3 to last Saturday, Ichiro Suzuki batted .457. Time to dig the short ball: The countdown to Sisler is on. Suzuki began the week needing 35 hits in the...

Call-ups--even the cocky ones--deserve a break.(Closer)
September 13, 2004... When September approaches, players find themselves in one of two places. One place is good: Your team still is in it. The other place is not as good: You say you're still in it, but you're out of it. You've played as hard as you can, but things...

Scouts' views: observations and opinions from major league scouts.
September 13, 2004... It's hard to figure out how to pitch to the Cardinals. The teams that have a chance against them are the ones with real hard-throwing staffs. The Cardinals are like the Yankees--they crush guys with mediocre fastballs. Albert Pujols and Jim...

Top five.
September 13, 2004... Most unusual, er, annoying, rituals: 1 Nomar Garciaparra's batting gloves adjustment. Even when watching a slow-motion replay, it's tough to count how many times he touches and/or restraps each glove after every pitch. Four, five?...

The twins know how to find relief.
September 13, 2004... "Why, it's good old reliable Nathan, Nathan, Nathan... "--Lyrics from (Oldest Established) Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York, from the musical Guys and Dolls Sure, the crapshooters were singing about the gangster Nathan Detroit, but...

Jeremy Bonderman, RHP, Tigers.(Scouting Report)
September 13, 2004... Ht/Wt: 6-2, 210. B/T: R/R. Age: 21. Second season. Vital status: His 5.46 ERA is as unimpressive as his 8-11 record, and he's averaging 3.8 walks per nine innings. But he has shown some promising signs: Opponents are batting .250 against...

Coming attractions.
September 13, 2004... Upcoming key series: Rangers at A's (September 13-16). Texas has seven games against Oakland this month. If the Rangers have any hopes of winning the A.L. West title, they have to find a way to solve the A's, who lead the season series,...

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
September 13, 2004... Team reports MLB.com ANAHEIM ANGELS DH Tim Salmon decided to have season-ending surgeries on his left shoulder and knee that could keep him out for all of the 2005 season. Andres Galarraga, 43, can fill Salmon's minimal role, but it won't...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
September 13, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS The club has given SS Alex Cintron some starts at second base to get a look at Jerry Gil, 21, at shortstop and to determine whether Cintron is better suited for second.... RHP Brian Bruney gained confidence in his off-speed...