I despise the New York Rangers.

If asked to rank the 122 professional sports franchises in the Big Four (MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL), the Rangers are No. 123 on my list. I’ll find a way to rank a minor league baseball team or an NFL Europe squad ahead of them.

So when the universe’s No. 1 Rangers fan comes to me — a diehard New Jersey Devils fan — in a dream, it catches my attention.

His name is Jimmy Aschwanden and last night I dreamt I was hanging out with my good friend. In the ethereal world of my mind, it was his birthday.

Tensions between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will ramp up tonight with the start of the Eastern Conference Finals. And while Rangers' defenseman John Scott, left, and Devils right wing Cam Janssen don't seem to get along, that doesn't mean Devils and Rangers fans can't co-exist. Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

I hadn’t thought about him during the day, nor had I even stopped to think about hockey before sleepily sidling into bed.

But to dream about someone you’ve spent your adolescence trading (good-natured) hockey smack-talk with on the eve of the Eastern Conference Finals between our two teams is goose-bump inducing.

It was a little over a year ago when I had my last epiphany regarding Jimmy — a body-numbing moment that turned out to be the 10th anniversary of the day the hockey Gods summoned him to heaven.

I’m not exactly sure what form of Leukemia he lost his battle with, but, if there’s any divine irony at play, I’d like to believe it was Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma — if solely for the initials N.H.L.

We grew up playing rollerblade hockey in the cul-de-sacs 20 miles west of New York City in a tiny, unassuming New Jersey-borough along the banks of the Ramapo River, where the concrete sprawl of the Big Apple begins yielding to the picturesque spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

We’d play until our feet hurt like hell, which was usually long after the day had ran out of sunlight.

I can still envision the slap shot that I drilled him in the chest with one cold afternoon. The “oooph” his lungs managed to eke out still clearly resonates in my mind.

My inflated pride at uncorking such a ferocious slap shot was quickly replaced by the conflicting emotion of dread that I had just maimed my friend by rocketing an orange rubber ball off his solar plexus.

He wasn’t mad. Anger simply wasn’t engrained in his DNA. He certainly didn’t miss any game time to mend his wound. I like to think he wore the bruise as a badge of honor. After all, he made the save — just like one of his heroes Bob Froese, who stopped 2,296 shots as the Rangers’ goaltender in the late 80s.

But the lunchtime bantering over rubber chicken sandwiches (should’ve used them as the pucks), soggy curly fries and Slush Puppies in the Indian Hills High School cafeteria is probably among my most cherished memories.

It was a friendly repartee which would start with me saying that Chris Terreri could beat up Mike Richter in a goalie fight. He’d respond with his impression of Devil fans over-reacting to shots that never came close to reaching the goal.

The irony of our affable kerfuffles was that, up until then, neither team ever came close to winning a Stanley Cup during our lifetime — or the lifetimes of many folks much older than us.

But that soon changed. Jimmy got the upper hand our senior year when the Rangers stunned the Devils in a 1994 Eastern Conference Finals that needed every second of seven epic games and two overtimes.

New York went on to win the Cup that year, ending Devils’ fans favorite pastime of taunting the Rangers faithful with the chant of “19-40!”

It was an homage to the last time the Broadway Blue-Shirts had their name etched onto the sporting world’s most hallowed piece of hardware.

That chant didn’t just echo off the catacombs of Continental Airlines Arena (forever Brendan Byrne Arena to diehard New Jersey fans), it consistently struck Ranger fans in the solar plexus like a rocketed slap shot.

It was my best ammunition in our on-going debate. He, to his credit, always countered with “19-Never!”

That changed the very next year when the Devils finally won their first title. New Jersey would go on to win three Stanley Cups over the next nine seasons.

Boasting, however, just didn’t seem right. Jimmy didn’t make it to see the third one.

It’s amazing how a game played by burly tough guys can teach the painful humility of not just sports, but life.

Tonight, the Devils and Rangers will reprise the 1994 playoffs. They’ve met three times in the postseason since then, with the Rangers holding a 2-1 edge.

But the ’94 series remains the benchmark in the PATH Train rivalry.

I despise the New York Rangers.

But I find it hard to look back at their 1994 Stanley Cup and think that other-worldly factors beyond our comprehension weren’t involved.

That one was for you, Jimmy.

Enjoy this year’s series, bud.

Sorry about that slap shot.

WAFFLE’s provisos are simple.

Your city may legally poach a team from a city with a smaller population.

We’ll turn the business of relocating professional sports-franchises into an exchange game — a White Elephant of Inhabitants, if you would.

Bluntly put: more fans equals more hands, which equals more foam “We’re No. 1″ fingers sold, which equals more revenue.

Take Tucson as our model.

The 2010 United States Census ranks the Old Pueblo as the country’s 33rd largest city with 520,116 people — a number that jumps to more than a million when you factor in the city’s greater metro area.

For the sake of this ridiculous argument, we’ll stick with the city’s census population as our guidelines.

There are nine cities smaller than Tucson with professional sport teams in at least one of the Big Four leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL).

CITIES SMALLER THAN TUCSON WITH PRO TEAMS: Atlanta, Cleveland, Green Bay, Kansas City, Sacramento, Miami, Minneapolis, Oakland & Raleigh

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) May 7, 2012

Combined they have 21 teams.

There are five cities with a higher population than Tucson, so they get the tiebreaker.

The NFL teams fly off the board first at the draft. Figure the new configuration to look something like this:

Cities That Should Get NFL Franchises: Austin Packers; El Paso Chiefs; Louisville Falcons; Las Vegas Dolphins and Albuquerque Vikings

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) May 7, 2012

Tucson is left with the unenviable task of choosing between the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders are the pick. TucsonCitizen.com Editor Mark Evans throws on his spiked shoulder pads and Darth Vader mask and is the first on line to buy season tickets.

But why stop there? Tucson has other options in turning the Pima County Fairgrounds into a Big Four stomping grounds.

MLB: ATHLETICS, BRAVES, INDIANS, MARLINS, ROYALS  & TWINS

THE PICK: INDIANS

As penance, they have to play at Hi Corbett Field, the spring-training complex they abandoned in 1992.

NBA: CAVALIERS, HAWKS, HEAT, KINGS & TIMBERWOLVES

Bringing former Arizona Wildcat star Derrick Williams back to Tucson with the Timberwolves is one way to go.

We’ve already pinched the Raiders, so we don’t need any more villainous-type characters around town causing traffic on Speedway Boulevard, congesting check-out lines at Albertsons or getting the last bowl of Wisconsin Cheddar soup at Bison Witches.

That rules the Heat out.

THE PICK: KINGS

Stop your groaning. We bring in the Kings and hire Mike Bibby, who, along with Williams, is one of two former Wildcats to be taken second overall in the NBA Draft, to be the first coach. We’ll hire Lute Olson to a cushy front office job and have him toss up the ceremonial jump ball in the Kings’ first-ever game under their new name: the Tucson Lutes.

NHL: HURRICANES, PANTHERS & WILD

NHL: Slim pickings here as these three teams have combined for two Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 45 combined seasons. We’re not going to take the Hurricanes and begin calling them the “Monsoons.” And the Tucson Wild sounds too much like a roller derby team.

THE PICK: PANTHERS

The Panthers can take the heat, so we’ll take Miami’s hockey team. Miami, it should be noted, is one of three cities with all four Big Four teams (Detroit and Phoenix being the others) that have never lost a team to relocation. So they’re due.

It’s not as if we’re adding a lineup such as the Cowboys, Lakers, Red Wings and Yankees to Tucson’s registry, but it’s a decent start.

After all, these things take time.

And people.

Let’s not let the Raiders gets away. Virginia Beach can have the Browns.

Trainers Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher have more in common then knowing to choose the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry School in which to pursue a degree. The Arizona alums have become the symbols of excellence in the horse-racing world, amassing close to 16,000 wins and $394 million in career earnings combined.

BAFFERT vs. PLETCHER: TRACK RECORD

2012 KENTUCKY DERBY ENTRIES

BAFFERT: Bodemeister (7-1); Liaison (53-1)

PLETCHER: Gemologist (8-1); El Padrino (26-1)

BIO: AGE – BORN – MIDDLE INITIAL

BAFFERT: 59 – Nogales, Ariz. – A.

PLETCHER: 45 – El Paso, Texas – A.

CAREER EARNINGS

Arizona alum Bob Baffert in the dawn hours on Nov. 3 at Churchhill Down in Louisville, Kent. Rob Carr/Getty Images

BAFFERT: $174,872,809

PLETCHER: $218,842,490

CAREER FINISHES: 1st – 2nd – 3rd PLACES

BAFFERT: 2,194 – 1,662 – 1,418

PLETCHER: 13,539 – 2,174 – 1,779

KENTUCKY DERBY WINS

BAFFERT: Silver Charm (1997); Real Quiet (1998); War Emblem (2002)

PLETCHER: Super Saver (2010)

PREAKNESS STAKES-BELMONT STAKES WINS

BAFFERT: 5-1
PLETCHER: 1-0

ECLIPSE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TRAINER

BAFFERT: 3, 1997-99

PLETCHER: 5, 2004-07, 2010

CLAIM TO FAME

BAFFERT: Only trainer to win both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in back-to-back years. War Emblem equaled the feat in 2002.

PLETCHER: His $27 million plus in earnings in 2006 is a single-season record, juxtaposing the old mark of $20 million plus set the previous year by none other than Todd Pletcher.

Ran into Larry King at lunch and traded heart attack stories.He loves horse racing.

— Bob Baffert (@Midnightlute) April 18, 2012

Bear Down…and Blog!

Current and former University of Arizona athletes are always making news and not always in traditional mediums. We scoured the Internet and found Wildcats online by visiting these lynx…

PHOTO

Christian Petersen - Getty Images

Nick Hundley (above) of the San Diego Padres and Shelley Duncan of the Cleveland Indians entered the 2012 season tied for the lead in career home runs among active former Wildcats with 30 each. Duncan has since taken the lead at 31, while Hundley still searches for his first hit.

The duo is among five Arizona alums in the Big Leagues this summer.

Find an Opening Day Guide here and fun facts about Wildcats In The Bigs here - including a tedious breakdown of every Wildcat to make the Show.

BOOKS

You know you’ve “arrived” in the swimming world when they place an award around your neck on the Olympic medal stand. In the world of therapeutic memoir writing, you’ve hit the big time when Dr. Phil hawks your book on his nationally-syndicated show.

Amanda Beard is one of the very few people in the world who can say they’re accomplished on both scenes.

The University of Arizona alum’s book, entitled “In The Water They Can’t See You Cry,” hit the shelves last week.

Beard candidly details the highs and lows of her life and career — from winning seven Olympic medals to failed marriages (i.e. NASCAR’s Carl Edwards), drug abuse, bulimia and even cutting herself.

The confluence of tragedy and triumphs has landed the former Wildcat swimmer on the New York Times best seller’s list.

Thank you to everyone for all the amazing support. I am reading all your tweets! #sosupportive

— Amanda Beard (@AmandaRayBeard) April 3, 2012

TWITTER

what number should I wear in college? 1, 21, 22?

— brandon ashley (@Easy_Bo) April 2, 2012

I hear Josiah Turner’s No. 11 is now available…

Top 5 day in sports today. The Par3 Contest at Augusta. Great to see the guys relaxed w/ fam on the day before the biggest tourney of the yr

— Justin Silverstein (@jt_silverstein) April 4, 2012

The other Top 4 being the First Round of the NCAA March Madness, the second round of NCAA March Madness, the third round of NCAA March Madness and any Stanley Cup Playoff game that goes into overtime…

Just arrive at Fox & Friends, looking forward to breaking out my glove on the plaza & talking #Nat‘lWalkingDay & #BillionCalorieCountUp

— Jennie Finch (@jfinch27) April 4, 2012

I hear Steve Doocy can’t hit a curveball…

Ran into fellow Wildcat @AmandaRayBeard at Self Magazine! - Photo Tweeted by Jennie Finch @JFinch27

I want a pet otter!

— Madi Kingdon (@madi_king9) April 14, 2012

 Does Otter know you want to pet him?

Sore as hell trying to eat bananas and fruit #nothelping lol — Kyle Fogg (@KFoggZona21) April 14, 2012

Too easy…next Tweet!

Baseball is the perfect occasion for “that’s what she said” jokes — Nikki Koller (@1kollerbear) April 14, 2012

This coming from someone who plays a sport that coined the phrases ”hole-in-one,” “bad lies” and “Grip it ‘n Rip It”…that’s what she said…

JUST JOINED THE RAZORBACK NATION — Emily Helm (@emmersAnn_6) April 4, 2012

You can’t transfer to the Arkansas volleyball team, I just added you to my “Wildcats” Twitter list

Did anyone see @Channing_Frye pump fake, drive right then back btw the legs?!? Thankfully the bball gods ended that nonsense w/ a turnover.

— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) April 14, 2012

You should see the big guy dance

I’m going to sleep before 10 tonight

— Courtney Karst (@Courtyk23) April 14, 2012

Perhaps you should Tweet that before 10:01 p.m.

FACEBOOK

The No. 4 ranked Arizona baseball team has 1,092 Facebook followers. On Friday, the Wildcats knocked off UCLA to claim a one-game edge atop the Pac-12 standings. Follow the Wildcat Nine Here

YOUTUBE

As long as we’re talking about baseball openers, here’s a look at the festivities surrounding Arizona’s debut in their new home digs of Hi Corbett Field. The Wildcats are 19-5 at home since eschewing Jerry Kindall Field at Sancet Stadium for the former spring training home of the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies.

Former Wildcat Shelley Duncan either diving for a fly ball during spring training or doing a celebratory "worm" because he's traveling north to Cleveland to begin the season as the Indians' starting left fielder. Jake Roth - US PRESSWIRE

Spring has Sprung…

The Grass has Ris…

I Wonder Where the Wildcats is?

Turns out, they’re all over the diamonds of the United States as the boys of summer begin the annual trek that stretches from spring for all and - for the best of the best - lasts all the way to the fall.

In simpler terms, baseball is back.

And while 67 former University of Arizona ballplayers have graced the Major Leagues between 1921 and opening day 2012, 15 of them have played for the Cleveland Indians. All told, the Tribe has drafted 25 ex-Cats.

This year’s Indians squad features two Arizona alums, Shelley Duncan and Jason Donald, and will likely see Trevor Crowe rejoin the team when the club deems him Big League-ready after an injury sidelined him for the majority of 2011. Pitchers Preston Guilmet and Eric Berger await in Double-A while Dwight Childs catches for their Single-A Carolina Mudcats’ team. In December, the Tribe sent Cory Burns, who led the Double-A level with 35 saves last season, back to Tucson, where he is now the closer for the San Diego Padres‘ Triple-A squad (also known as the Padres).

The next closest franchise to draft that many Wildcats is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have taken 13 UA alums on draft days.

Perhaps it’s because the Indians once called Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field — the Wildcats’ current home digs — their spring training stomping grounds for 45 years, concluding in 1992.

Or perhaps the UA has a Cleveland talent scout in their back pocket. Most likely, it’s a coincidental luck of the draw.

Some quick Wildcat-MLB tidbits:

- The Houston Astros, Oakland/Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees have each had nine ex-Cats don their respective uniforms.

- Former Wildcats have played for defunct teams such as the St. Louis Browns, Montreal Expos and Washington Senators, but not the current franchise the Tampa Rays. Although, the Rays did try, selecting Joe Little in the 2003 draft.

- Five players have played for both the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

- Kenny Lofton has played for the same amount of Big League teams as Wildcat alums Casey Candaele, Lum Davenport, Chip Hale, Hank Leiber, Trevor Hoffman combined – players who has decent careers.

See this year’s current Wildcats in the Big Leagues and read some more Arizona alumnus opening day quirks here.

Proof I had the perfect confluence of “no life” and “pent-up nervous adrenaline” last night:

WILDCATS WHO MADE THE SHOW

(Scroll down further for Wildcats by team)

PLAYERS
BRIAN ANDERSON: Red Sox, White Sox
GEORGE ARIAS: Angels, Padres
DAVE BALDWIN: Brewers, Senators, White Sox
STEVE BARBER: Twins
GREG BARGAR: Cardinals, Expos
TOM BARRETT: Phillies, Red Sox
JASON BATES: Rockies
KEVIN BLANKENSHIP: Braves, Cubs
JORDAN BROWN: Indians
CASEY CANDAELE: Astros, Expos, Indians
CRAIG CHAMBERLAIN: Royals
TREVOR CROWE: Indians
JACK DAUGHERTY: Astros, Expos, Rangers, Reds
LUM DAVENPORT: White Sox
LANCE DICKSON: Cubs
BEN DIGGINS: Brewers
JASON DONALD: Indians
SHELLEY DUNCAN: Indians, Yankees
SCOTT ERICKSON: Dodgers, Mets, Orioles, Rangers, Twins, Yankees
TERRY FRANCONA: Brewers, Cubs, Expos, Indians, Reds
DON GILE: Red Sox
CHIP HALE: Dodgers, Twins
RON HASSEY: Athletics, Cubs, Expos, Indians, White Sox, Yankees
GIL HEREDIA: Athletics, Expos, Giants, Rangers
RICH HINTON: Mariners, Rangers, Reds, White Sox, Yankees
TOMMY HINZO: Indians
TREVOR HOFFMAN: Brewers, Marlins, Padres
LEON HOOTEN: Athletics
JACK HOWELL: Angels, Astros, Padres
NICK HUNDLEY: Padres
WALT KELLNER: Athletics
DON LEE: Angels, Astros, Cubs, Senators, Tigers, Twins
GENE LEEK: Angels, Indians
CRAIG LEFFERTS: Angels, Cubs, Giants, Orioles, Padres, Rangers
HANK LEIBER: Cubs, Giants
EDDIE LEON: Indians, White Sox, Yankees
KENNY LOFTON: Astros, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, White Sox, Yankees
JOE MAGRANE: Angels, Cardinals, White Sox
DAMON MASHORE: Angels, Athletics
MARK MELANCON: Astros, Red Sox, Yankees
JON MELOAN: Athletics, Dodgers, Indians
DAN MEYER: Athletics, Mariners, Tigers
BRAD A. MILLS: Angels, Blue Jays
BRAD MILLS: Expos
JOHN MOSES: Mariners, Tigers, Twins
MIKE PAUL: Cubs, Indians, Rangers
JOSH PEARCE: Cardinals
RYAN PERRY: Nationals, Tigers
TIM PLODINEC: Cardinals
DAVE RAJSICH: Rangers, Yankees
JACK REDMOND: Nationals
DAVE ROHDE: Astros, Indians
DANIEL SCHLERETH: Diamondbacks, Tigers
DAN SCHNEIDER: Astros, Braves
JIM SCRANTON: Royals
CHARLIE SHOEMAKER: Athletics, Royals
DAVE STEGMAN: Tigers, White Sox, Yankees
DWIGHT TAYLOR: Royals
RON THEOBALD: Brewers
CARL THOMAS: Indians
JASON THOMPSON: Padres
ED VOSBERG: Athletics, Diamondbacks, Expos, Giants, Marlins, Padres, Phillies, Rangers
KEVIN WARD: Padres
HAL WARNOCK: Browns
MARK WORRELL: Cardinals, Orioles
BART ZELLER: Cardinals
ALAN ZINTER: Astros, Diamondbacks

WILDCATS BY TEAM

ANGELS (8)
Arias, Howell, Lee, Leek, Lefferts, Magrane, Mashore, Brad A. Mills

ASTROS (9)
Candaele, Daugherty, Howell, Lee, Lofton, Melancon, Rohde, Schneider, Zinter

ATHLETICS (9)
Hassey, Heredia, Hooten, Kellner, Mashore, Meloan, Meyer, Shoemaker, Vosberg

BLUE JAYS (1)
Brad A. Mills

BRAVES (3)
Blankenship, Lofton, Schneider

BREWERS (5)
Baldwin, Diggins, Francona, Hoffman, Theobald

BROWNS (1)
Warnock

CARDINALS (6)
Bargar, Magrane, Pearce, Plodinec, Worrell, Zeller

CUBS (9)
Blankenship, Dickson, Francona, Hassey, Lee, Lefferts, Leiber, Lofton, Paul

DIAMONDBACKS (3)
Schlereth, Vosberg, Zinter

DODGERS (4)
Erickson, Hale, Lofton, Meloan

EXPOS (8)
Bargar, Candaele, Daugherty, Francona, Hassey, Heredia, Mills, Vosberg

GIANTS (5)
Heredia, Lefferts, Lieber, Lofton, Vosberg

INDIANS (15)
Brown, Candaele, Crowe, Donald, Duncan, Francona, Hassey, Hinzo,Leek,Leon, Lofton, Meloan, Paul, Rohde, Thomas

MARINERS (3)
Hinton, Meyer, Moses

MARLINS (2)
Hoffman, Vosberg

METS (1)
Erickson

NATIONALS (2)
Perry, Redmond

ORIOLES (3)
Erickson, Lefferts, Worrell

PADRES (8)
Arias, Hoffman, Howell, Hundley, Lefferts, Thompson, Vosberg, Ward

PHILLIES (3)
Barrett, Lofton, Vosberg

PIRATES (1)
Lofton

RANGERS (9)
Daugherty, Erickson, Heredia, Hinton, Lefferts, Lofton, Paul, Rajsich, Vosberg

REDS (3)
Daugherty, Francona, Hinton

Red Sox (4)
Anderson, Barrett, Gile, Melancon

ROCKIES(1)
Bates

ROYALS (4)
Chamberlain, Scranton, Shoemaker, Taylor

SENATORS (2)
Baldwin, Lee

TIGERS (6)
Lee, Meyer, Moses, Perry, Schlereth, Stegman

TWINS (5)
Barber, Erickson, Hale, Lee, Moses

White Sox (9)
Anderson, Baldwin, Davenport, Hassey, Hinton, Leon, Lofton, Magrane, Stegman

YANKEES (9)
Duncan, Erickson, Hassey, Hinton, Leon, Lofton, Melancon, Rajsich, Stegman

After all, the triumvirate first made a name for themselves at the University of Arizona, some 130 miles south of the Indians’ spring home in Goodyear.

Crowe, Donald and Duncan are among 32 ex-Wildcats playing or coaching professional ball when the boys of summer return to the diamond this week (Japan games excluded).

And while seven of the 32 play in the Indians’ organization (Cleveland: Old Pueblo North?) there are former Wildcats spread throughout the country ready to feast on fastballs, over-anxious hitters and the promise that arrives every year with the freshly cut grass and crisp white chalk lines of spring. Baseball is back and ballplayers everywhere are bearing down.

AN OPENING DAY GUIDE TO ARIZONA ALUMS:

THE PLAYERS

TREVOR CROWE

Cleveland Indians, OF

Final year at the UA: 2005

Rich Pilling - Getty Images

Crowe returns to the diamond after shoulder surgery limited him to 15 games last season.

He only saw 13 plate appearances this spring, but made the most of them, hitting .358 and swiping two bases.

Despite limited success, the outfielder will start the year in extended spring training.

Was the final out in Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Armando Galarraga’s notorious one-hit shutout in 2010.

R, H, HR, RBI, AVG

2011: 6, 6, 0, .214

CAREER: 76, 160, 3, 55, .245

We’re gonna give this guy an extra million, he really moves the runner over and gets his bunts down. #thingsyouneverhere

— Trevor Crowe (@tcrowe4) March 28, 2012

JASON DONALD

Cleveland Indians, INF

Rich Pilling - Getty Images

Final year at the UA: 2006

Donald, thanks to a .291 spring batting average, made the Indians’ opening-day roster as a reserve infielder.

Although listed as a shortstop, the Tribe will use Donald to fill needs anywhere in their infield, likely seeing the most time at third base.

Was dubiously called safe at first, ending Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Armando Galarraga’s perfect game bid in 2010.

R, H, HR, RBI, AVG

2011: 13, 42, 1, 8, .318

CAREER: 52, 117, 5, 32, .273

SHELLEY DUNCAN

Cleveland Indians, OF

Final year at the UA: 2001

Rich Pilling - Getty Images

With 5 home runs this spring, it appears that Duncan has earned the Tribe’s starting left field nod.

He slugged 11 dingers in each of the last two seasons, and could be poised to finally have a breakout year if he can surpass his previous-high of 229 at bats in a season.

Duncan is one of two active former Wildcats, the other being Houston Astros manager Brad Mills to win a World Series ring. Championship jewelry is in no short supply in the Duncan family, however, as Shelley (’09 Yankees) his brother Chris (’06 Cardinals) and father Dave (’72 and ’89 A’s, ’06 and ’11 Cardinals) have all earned World Series rings.

R, H, HR, RBI, AVG

2011: 29, 58, 11, 47, .260

CAREER: 82, 143, 30, 107, .239

Great day today at the ballpark. Was pumped all day having Dad there. Got to see us win with our pitchers having a strong day. #bullpenmafia

— Shelley Duncan (@shelldunc) March 13, 2012

NICK HUNDLEY

Rich Pilling - Getty Images

San Diego Padres, C

Final year at the UA: 2005

He has similar batting stats through age 27 as fellow backstop Jorge Posada, according to BaseballReference.com.

The catcher’s most dubious mark to date came in 2009 when he led the NL with seven passed balls.

R, H, HR, RBI, AVG

2011: 34, 81, 9, 29, .288

CAREER: 111, 257, 30, 126, .255

DUNCAN vs. HUNDLEY: Shelley Duncan and Nick Hundley each have 30 career home runs. The first to go deep this season will become the active leader among ex-Wildcats.

MARK MELANCON

Boston Red Sox, RP

Charles LeClaire - U.S. Presswire

Final year at the UA: 2006

It appears Melancon will get the nod as the BoSox’ closer with Andrew Bailey likely out with a thumb injury. Melancon proved he can pitch at the Big League level in 2011, registering 74.1 innings, nearly double the amount of innings in his first two seasons combined. He finished with an 8-4 record, 66 strikeouts and 20 saves.

The hurler is second all-time on the Wildcats’ career saves leader board with 18, behind Jason Stoffel (29). Ironically, Stoffel’s success in Houston’s minor league system could be a reason why Melancon was expendable by the Astros, despite saving 20 games last season.

His 20 saves and 10-career wins in three seasons, makes him the active leader among Arizona alums in both categories.

Melancon joins Tony Clark as the only ex-Cats to play for both the Red Sox and their rivals the New York Yankees — even though Clark technically played basketball for the Wildcats and not baseball.

W-L, ERA, SO, SV

2011: 8-4, 2.78, 66, 20 

CAREER:  10-5, 3.21, 98, 20

BRAD MILLS

Jamie Squire - Getty Images

Los Angeles Angels, RP

Final year at the UA: 2007

Although they share the same name and Alma mater, Brad Mills of the Angels and Brad Mills, manager of the Houston Astros, are not related.

The Toronto Blue Jays, who drafted Mills in both 2006 and 2007, traded the southpaw to the Angels in December for Jeff Mathis.

Despite allowing just 2 runs and 7 hits in 14 2/3 innings this spring, the Halos sent Mills to begin the season with their Triple-A affiliate, the Salt Lake Bees.

W-L, ERA, SO, SV

2011: 1-2, 9.82, 18, 0

CAREER: 2-3, 8.57, 45, 0

BRAD MILLS

Houston Astros, Manager

Andrew Weber - U.S. Presswire

Final year at the UA: 1979

Mills begins his third season as manager of the Houston Astros. The rebuilding ‘Stros finished with an MLB-worst 56 wins in 2011, six fewer than the next-to-worst team.

The coach teamed up with former Wildcat teammate Terry Francona as a bench coach from 1999 to 2000 with the Philadelphia Phillies and again with the Red Sox from 2004 to 2009.

He finished 6th in Manager of the Year voting in 2010

PLAYER

(4 Seasons)

R, H, HR, RBI, AVG

CAREER: 11, 43, 1, 12, .256

MANAGER

W-L

2011: 56-106, 6th NL Central

CAREER: 132-192

I decided to make Brett Myers our closer this season. What??? Theres alot of closers who run it up to 89 on the gun… #Astros

— Brad Mills (@Not_Brad_Mills) February 28, 2012

Brad Barr - U.S. Presswire

RYAN PERRY

Last year inTucson: 2008

After three seasons in Detroit, the Tigers shipped the hard-throwing Marana native to the Washington Nationals in the off-season. Perry will start the season with the Nats’ Triple-A farm team, the Syracuse Chiefs.

W-L, ERA, SO, SV

2011: 2-0, 5.35, 24, 0

CAREER: 5-6, 4.07, 129, 2

PERRY vs. SCHLERETH: Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth appear to be mirroring each other’s careers. Teammates at the UA, the bullpen duo were selected five picks apart in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft — Perry No. 21, Schlereth No. 26. They teamed up once again in Detroit for the 2010 and 2011 campaigns. Both hurlers enter the 2012 season with identical 5-6 career records, Perry has the edge over Schlereth in career saves 2-1 and strikeouts 129-85. Schlereth has the better ERA 3.87 – 4.07.

DANIEL SCHLERETH

Detroit Tigers, RP

Derick Hingle - U.S. Presswire

Final year at the UA: 2008

Schlereth went 2-1 after joining the Tigers’ bullpen in July of last season and will provide depth for a Detroit squad looking to repeat as AL Central champs. He appeared in three postseason games in 2011, yielding 5 hits and 3 earned runs in 1.2 innings pitched.

Daniel is the son of ESPN personality and former Denver Bronco All-Pro Mark Schlereth.

Fifteen Wildcats have been drafted since the Arizona Diamonbacks made Schlereth a first-round pick in 2008, but none of those ex-‘Cats have yet to make The Show.

W-L, ERA, SO, SV

2011: 2-2, 3.49, 44, 0 

CAREER:  5-6, 3.87, 85, 1

Gotta get going rolling to Lakland! GO TIGERS!!!!!

— mark schlereth (@markschlereth) March 9, 2012

FORMER WILDCATS IN THE MINORS

* Independent League in 2011

** With Cleveland in 2011

*** Last time in MLB in 2009

KEEP AN EYE ON: 

CORY BURNS: Led the Double-A Minor Leagues with 35 saves in 2011 pitching for the Akron Aeros of the Cleveland Indians organization, before the Tribe sent him back to the Old Pueblo to close games for the Tucson Padres, San Diego’s triple-A afiliate

JETT BANDY: Drafted in June by Los Angeles, rose though the Angels’ ranks and finished the season in Triple-A

DAN BUTLER: Was a finalist for the Arizona Fall League’s Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award in November

Day 4 of #SpringTraining done and learned a lot today! Tomorrow we get to throw to bases!

— Dwight Childs (@DCLaserShow4) March 9, 2012

WHO KNEW? A COLLECTION OF UA-MLB STATS

The MLB All-Star Game has featured a former Wildcat 17 times:

Trevor Hoffman, 7

Kenny Lofton, 6

Hank Lieber, 3

Scott Erickson, 1

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From Brian Anderson to Alan Zinter: a total of 67 ex-Wildcats have appeared in a Big League game.

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Ex-Wildcat pitchers have a combined 504-589 win-loss record and a combined 4.61 ERA in the Show.

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Arizona alums have slugged 740 total home runs — 22 less than Arizona State alum Barry Bonds and 585 fewer dingers than Bonds and his cousin and former Sun Devil Reggie Jackson combined.

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Arizona hitters have struck out 5,897 times in the Majors with 1,016 of them belonging to Kenny Lofton. In Lofton’s defense, he’s tops among UA alums in every major offensive category except for OPS and SLG.

MLB PLAYERS WITH TUCSON ROOTS

Scott Hairston, New York Mets – Canyon Del Oro High School

J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles –Sabino High School

Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers – Canyon Del Oro High School

Tom Wilhelmsen, Milwaukee Brewers –Tucson High School

Tim Wood, Pittsburgh Pirates –Sabino High School

Kenny Lofton is out of baseball, but his legend lives on…on Twitter

“@terrym0516: @Kenny_Lofton7 Tell all these people you can still play centerfield for the Tribe.”Hahathey all know it already;0)

— Kenny Lofton (@Kenny_Lofton7) March 25, 2012

@Kenny_Lofton7 When you came back to CLE in ’07 I paid a co-worker $50 to come take my shift so I could see your debut. That was a fun year!

— Mr. Warmth(@pronk00) March 25, 2012

@Kenny_Lofton7 Was awesome seeing you at the game in Goodyear tonight. Will always be one of the all time great Indians & fan favorite.

— Chris Butts (@cab0305) March 24, 2012

The University of Arizona alum inked a pro-rated deal on Tuesday to play out the remainder of the NBA season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gilbert Arenas, seen here with the Wizards, signed a deal to play for Memphis. Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

With injuries and off-the-court troubles seemingly a thing of the past, teams still balked at signing the three-time all-star, prompting some writers to speculate whether Agent Zero’s past antics made him the victim of a collusive black-balling from the NBA.

OK, perhaps it was just me who thought that.

Fact remains, though, the most national spotlight Arenas’ garnered since being banned by the NBA for 50 games for brandishing a gun in the locker room was a public Twitter feud with Dwight Howard, in which the Orlando Magic teammates tried to out-Plank one another.

SEE THE PLANKING PICS HERE 

The eccentric Arenas has since dismantled his popular Twitter account — one less place for him to get in trouble.

I won’t bore you with how the veteran has averaged 21.1 points-per-game over the course of a decade in the NBA.

I won’t hammer you with stats about how the career .351 shooter from behind the arc will help the Grizzlies, who rank 27th in the NBA from 3-point range.

I write today to implore Arenas to get back into the planking game.

Some suggestions for Gilbert to Plank along Chickasaw Bluff:

#GilbertPlanksMemphis

Things new Grizzlies Guard #GilbertArenas should #Plank in Memphis: A Po Boy, b/c planking baby-back ribs is cliché. #GilbertPlanksMemphis

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) March 20, 2012

Things new #Grizzlies guard #GilbertArenas should #Plank in Memphis: Street Bluesman Big Jerry’s guitar case. bit.ly/GDLTpn

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) March 21, 2012

Things new #Grizzlies guard #GilbertArenas could #Plank in Memphis: Graceland. #GilbertPlanksMemphis bit.ly/GDLTpn

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) March 21, 2012

Things new #Grizzlies guard #GilbertArenas could #Plank in Memphis: The Pyramid Arena #GilbertPlanksMemphis bit.ly/GDLTpn

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) March 21, 2012

Things new #Grizzlies guard #GilbertArenas could #Plank in Memphis: The Mississippi River. Agent Zero can find a way. #GilbertPlanksMemphis

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) March 21, 2012

Things new #Grizzlies guard #GilbertArenas could #Plank in Memphis: Josh Pastner’s desk in the U. of Memphis. #GilbertPlanksMemphis

— Christopher Wuensch (@BearDownAndBlog) March 21, 2012

 

SUBMIT YOUR PLANKS FOR GILBERT

#GilbertPlanksMemphis

@BearDownAndBlog

UPDATE: Arizona is a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Wildcats will play host to Bucknell on March 14 at 7 p.m. MST.

Jason Gardner hit the rim. Jamelle Horne clanked the iron as well.

When Kyle Fogg’s season-saving attempt landed on the hardwood, rather than the bottom of the net, the Colorado faithful refrained from chanting “air ball.”

Arizona guard Kyle Fogg drives during the conference championship game Saturday against Colorado. Fogg's jumper fell short at the buzzer giving the Buffaloes their first-ever Pac-12 tourney title. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

They were too busy reveling in the Buffaloes’ first Pac-12 Tournament title.

This is the time of year where fatal misses outnumber miraculous buzzer beaters.

And Fogg’s highly-contested blank — albeit not in an NCAA tournament game — will remain forever seared into the memory of Wildcats fans’ all-time failed game-winning shots.

Saturday’s do-or-die Pac-12 Championship game for all intents-and-purposes might as well have been a NCAA tournament game.

But Arizona Nation should, and cannot, hold Fogg solely accountable in the Wildcats’ 53-51 loss in Los Angeles’ Staples Center.

Unfortunately, the miss will be a vision that endures for posterity sake — not the lackluster energy, surrendered leads or blown opportunities.

There’s a way for Fogg to rehab his image as the newest member in the fraternity of Wildcats’ buzzer-beater blankers: go out and win the National Invitational Tournament.

Where Gardner’s miss against Kansas in 2003 and Horne’s final-seconds brick against Connecticut last season denied the Wildcats a trip to the Final Four, Fogg has the chance to leave Arizona without “the air ball” being the final indelible image of what’s become a remarkable little career in Tucson.

In fact, a strong NIT run, if not title, could redeem the entire 2011-12 Wildcat squad.

Let’s be honest. They weren’t going to win the NCAA tournament. As Wildcat fans witnessed last year, the degree of difficulty to be the last team standing in April is enormous — even with a No. 2 overall NBA draft pick (Derrick Williams) leading your efforts.

Where upstart middle-tier programs such as VCU and Butler have given hope to the “little guys” the past few seasons, the odds remain astronomically against a squad such as this year’s Wildcats.

This is a team that saw three freshmen inserted into its thin seven-man rotation due to injuries, had players playing out of position all season long and witnessed the implosion of two highly-touted recruits who were supposed to make an immediate difference.

Making matters worse was the emotional ebb-and-flow that was Kevin Parrom’s season (was shot twice in the leg and suffered the death of his mother within a three-week span early in the school year, all before a season-ending injury).

For Arizona to win big would be the stuff of modern-day Hickory High folk lore — presumably with Solomon Hill playing the role of Jimmy Chitwood.

The resilience of this year’s team to even have a chance at regular season’s end should be enough to endear it into Wildcat history as a team that over-achieved. Instead of going down as a squad that failed to live up to the fan-bases’ monumental expectations.

Arizona saw their NCAA Tourney hopes all but dashed during Saturday's 53-51 loss in the Pac-12 Tournament title game. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Only time will tell, of course. And a strong NIT showing certainly will help ingrain the image of the former rather than the latter.

It might sound like an apologists’ plea for a program that expects to compete every season. But is it more memorable or meaningful to play at least one game in the NCAA tournament or to make a serious run, if not win, the NIT?

That Arizona even got this far with what they’ve had to overcome is a testament to Sean Miller.

The recruits are rolling in to learn under the head coach’s tutelage. And Arizona basketball will return to its heyday — possibly as soon as next season.

As for this year’s Wildcats, the NIT might be the perfect platform to carve their own niche in the program’s annals. After all, plenty of former Arizona teams have gone one-and-done in the tournament. None have ever won the NIT, especially considering the Wildcats haven’t played in the secondary tourney since 1951.

That would give Arizona Nation a unique way of remembering this team.

And at the very least, give Kyle Fogg one more shot.

ARIZONA – COLORADO
PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Live Tweets from Arizona Wildcat Nation

This is it! Let’s cut down the nets today!!! #BearDown

— Wilbur T. Wildcat (@OfficialWilbur) March 10, 2012

 

"Great turnout for Wildcat Walk at LA Live. #LAisWildcatCountry" Arizona Athletic Director Greg Byrne. Photo Tweeted by @Greg_Byrne

Re: NCAA tournament: Go Az Cats! The ball just needs to go thru that metal hoop. Let’sgo.

— Garry Shandling (@GarryShandling) March 10, 2012

Arizona got their biggest game of season tonight! Nothing but confident for the boys! #UofA

— chase budinger (@CBudinger) March 10, 2012

Beardown Cats!!

— Taryne Mowatt (@tarynemowatt) March 10, 2012

Walking thru lax there’s a lot of sad ppl from the other pac12 schools that arnt in the game 2nite.

— David Roberts (@DrobAZ81) March 10, 2012

A R I Z O N A#beardown

— Trevin Wade (@TwoStarWade) March 10, 2012

Can’t see the Pac-12 Chip game in Italy but #beardown! #Arizona!. LET’S GO #ZONA!!

— Mustafa Shakur (@StafShakur) March 10, 2012

AZ softball watching and supporting men’s bball on a rainy Waco day! @AZATHLETICS @UofA#BearDownArizona#Pac12

— Alicia Hollowell (@AliciaHollowell) March 10, 2012

Bear Down Arizona!!! - Arizona punter Kyle Dugandzic. Photo Tweeted by @kfifa13

 

 

Nice Block B lav

— Garic Wharton (@GEEbby16) March 10, 2012

Watching Colorado/Arizona. Not sure why I’m doing that. Switching to Baylor/Missouri.Ah, basketball. That’s better.

— The Bill Walton Trip (@NotBillWalton) March 11, 2012

This game is stressing me out

— Courtney Karst (@Courtyk23) March 11, 2012

Which team has played four games in four days?

— danny martinez (@DannyNMartinez) March 11, 2012

Boulder’s elevation is a plus for the Buffs. Even playing at sea level. Unreal. #VivaLosGatos

— Mark Boswell ☮ (@5hrzns) March 11, 2012

#LetsGoCats #LetsGoCats #beardownarizona we need to take advantage of these misses!!

— Dwight Childs (@DCLaserShow4) March 11, 2012

Feelin a sweet comeback!! #pac12tourney #beardownarizona

— Caitlin Lowe (@CaitlinLowe) March 11, 2012

Dang reggie miller goin in on J.mayes

— Garic Wharton (@GEEbby16) March 11, 2012

I’m about unfollow so buff fans! I am just so mad

— Cursty Jackson (@C_jaxon13) March 11, 2012

In the tank. Take my belt and my shoelaces.

— The Rick Romo (@TheRickRomo) March 11, 2012

Im still confused on that shot selection..whyy???!!!!

— Garic Wharton (@GEEbby16) March 11, 2012

Still proud to be a wildcat! Way to fight boys!#beardownarizona #Pac12Tourney

— Brittany Lastrapes (@blastrapes35) March 11, 2012

It honestly didn’t look like we wanted it till like 3min to go

— mark watley (@mwatley237) March 11, 2012

Not how I wanted it to turn out. My heart goes out to our seniors. I thank them for being Wildcats.

— Phoebe Chalk (@Dr_Chalk) March 11, 2012

@AZATHLETICS Don’t make me and @GregKinnear have to come to every game next year, so we can win a championship. Cause we’lll do it!!

— Garry Shandling (@GarryShandling) March 11, 2012

Former Wildcat Chase Budinger leaps over rapper P. Diddy. Photo Tweeted by @NBABackBoardCam

TWEETS FROM ARIZONA WILDCAT NATION

- Budinger giving props to his prop, rapper P. Diddy

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“I need to chill. “chill button pushed”

- Williams needing a respite from the madness

- Former ‘Cat and ex-dunk contest contestant Andre Iguodala

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“Love the phx suns love from Chase.”

- Ex-Cat and Phoenix Sun center Channing Frye

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“DWill easily!”

- Arizona football’s Jake Fischer

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“Williams or die!”

“Chase duplicated a dunk….evans was weak….George I couldn’t see ish…@RealDwill7 get my vote”

- Arizona football alum Terrell Turner

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“I’m riding with AZ boys to the E-N-D!”

“@CBudinger shoulda won”

- Former Wildcat basketball player and current Buffalo Bill Fendi Onobun

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“Too much partying?”

- Ex-Wildcat and Harlem Globetrotter hoops icon Eugene Edgerson

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“Dunk contest is becoming as boring as a Thursday round of PGA golf. For the sake of the game can we have the big boys show up?”

- Wildcat baseball alum and Cleveland Indian outfielder Shelley Duncan

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“Really? That’s what america voted? #comeonmannn!”

“Just like in 2002 when jason kidd shouldve been mvp of league and lost to tim duncan, chase shouldve won this, #hewasrobbed #fact”

- Former Wildcat hoops walk-on David Bagga

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“Stern should have cancelled the Dunk Contest for basketball reasons.”

- Satire Tweeter Fake Sean Miller

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“Who wouldve won if there were judges?”

- Former Wildcat guard Nic Wise

TWEETS FROM THE SNARKY PALOOKA

@BEARDOWNANDBLOG

“If a blind squirrel can find a nut, then a blind dunker should be able to find the rim…should.”

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“Four guys in the #SlamDunk Contest. Seven first names.”

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“If you really wanted to make the Sprite #SlamDunk Contest interesting, players should slam a Sprite before each dunk.”

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“With the term “dinger” in his name, Chase Budinger should be in the MLB HR Derby instead of the dunk contest.”

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“Little Known Fact: @CBudinger wore the No. 34 jersey at Arizona, exactly half the number grade of sunscreen he wore inTucson.”

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“If @RealDwill7 was a true Wildcat, he’d have deferred his spot in the dunk contest to Hassan Adams.”

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“Chase or D-Will: First one to dunk Spike Lee wins.”