USC’s Carson Tabaracci ready to contribute at tight end

• April 5, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Carson Tabaracci spent his freshman year in USC’s linebacker room, studying. It was all he could do following back surgery, not able to practice or play with his teammates.

But this offseason he was called into head coach Lincoln Riley’s office. He was presented with an opportunity to switch positions to tight end meaning a clearer shot at seeing the field. Tabaracci took it, and he has embraced the challenge of a new position this spring camp.

“It’s a little bit of a change, but it’s a lot of fun,” Tabaracci said. “I feel like I got a lot of natural skills on offense. I’m just trying to utilize that and learn and grow.”

Tabaracci was always a two-way player in high school, but he trended toward offense. As a senior at Park City (Utah) High, he played quarterback, running back, receiver and linebacker. He rushed 174 times for 1,188 yards and caught 23 passes for 235 more yards, but had just 19 tackles on defense.

His multi-faceted game earned him the position of “athlete” on recruiting sites, indicating USC would have a choice to make about his future after Tabaracci transferred from Utah following spring practices.

At USC, he was put in the linebacker room. He worked on learning the scheme and skills of the position, but he wasn’t able to put any of it onto the field.

“Just treat it like a profession,” Tabaracci said.

Entering his redshirt freshman year, the plan changed. Tabaracci was lined up to work on both linebacker and tight end during spring. But looking at the depth chart, Riley and tight ends coach Zach Hanson saw a bigger opportunity for Tabaracci to contribute on offense in 2023.

Which suits the redshirt freshman just fine.

“I just love offense,” Tabaracci said. “I feel like it’s maybe a little bit more natural for me. I played it a lot more. I have a blast on that side of the ball.”

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His experience at so many different offensive positions has made for an easy enough transition this spring. He’s comfortable in the receiving game and just learning what it takes to be lined up inside.

Now, he’s studying the other side of the ball. But getting to actually participate in practice helps with the transition. He’s still dealing with some setbacks with the back but is largely able to be a full participant.

“I think it’s deep down where he wanted to play, as well,” Riley said. “He’s come into a good situation. He’s getting a lot of reps, he’s getting a look. And his skillset’s good for it. He’s a physical kid and he catches the ball well. For missing as much as he has and first time in our offense, he’s handled it well.”

​ Orange County Register 

LAFC looks to solve Vancouver’s slow turf in CONCACAF Champions League match

• April 5, 2023

Does the best soccer team in North America play in Los Angeles?

Vanni Sartini, the Italian head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps, thinks so.

The day before his group hosts the Los Angeles Football Club for the opening leg of the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League, Sartini declared that “from Panama to the Yukon (LAFC is) the best team, so that’s the challenge that they present to us.”

Specifically, Wednesday night boils down to which team is best at BC Place. Despite Sartini’s declarations about LAFC’s status in the region, last year’s Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup winners have lost their last three games on the slow turf in British Columbia.

“We know they are very strong but we also know at home we have a strong record against them,” Sartini said. “We have the weapon to block them.”

LAFC’s only loss during a 10-1-1 run from the end of May through mid-August of last year, came on the road against the Whitecaps thanks to an 89th-minute game-winner that Steve Cherundolo had little interest in revisiting this week.

“What we’re doing differently now is apples and oranges,” the LAFC head coach said.

The same goes for Vancouver, which has a pair of 5-0 wins, including its first MLS victory against Montreal on Saturday, and the resounding CCL opener at home against Honduran club Real España.

Whitecaps forward Simon Becher was named MLS Player of the Week with a pair of goals and an assist against Montreal in his first start for the club.

The 23-year-old also is the quickest to score four league goals, needing just 87 minutes of game action to get there.

As for Sartini’s bold proclamation, “it’s certainly not true,” Cherundolo responded.

“I don’t think we can make general statements like that. It’s clearly Vanni trying to set the tone and play the underdog card,” the coach said. “That’s fine. I think they see themselves as kind of deriving a lot of their confidence and energy from being the underdog in the Western Conference. But that is not the truth. They are very good this year. Much improved and made some good signings. Spent money. And they have a very deep roster and a clear way of playing. I understand why he would say that, but I have to say I disagree.”

Like LAFC, the Whitecaps jumped out to a big advantage after the first leg of the Round of 16 and moved through on aggregate despite dropping the return match.

After trips to Costa Rica and Honduras, the all-MLS quarterfinal, which culminates at BMO Stadium in L.A. on April 11, is obviously less exotic for both sides. So there shouldn’t be a secret lurking around a corner in Vancouver that surprises LAFC, but there doesn’t have to be if the Whitecaps’ results against an otherwise dominant Black & Gold hold to form.

Vancouver is strong on set pieces and has adapted a style of play to suit its home turf that doesn’t require possession to be happy. The Whitecaps are content to mark zonally because that is where they see an edge over man-marking, which makes it easier for LAFC to turn the ball over and counter.

LAFC, conversely, wants to score no matter where it plays, but the slower field has bothered the club and goals are hard to come by at BC Place.

With away goals serving as the first tiebreaker, one finish could prove pivotal.

“The past is not playing,” LAFC captain Carlos Vela exclaimed. “It’s CONCACAF Champions.”

LAFC AT VANCOUVER

What: CONCACAF Champions League

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Where: BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

TV: FS2, TUDN

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers hit 3 home runs, take 2-game series from Rockies

• April 5, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers hit six home runs in their two-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, continuing a trend of dominance. Their 5-2 win on Tuesday night was their 61st against the Rockies since 2018, more wins than any single head-to-head matchup in MLB over that time.

The usual suspects did their part.

Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías followed up his strong start in the season opener by throwing six shutout innings, striking out six batters without allowing a walk. One batter, Elehuris Montero, struck out when he called time for the second time in a single plate appearance – a violation of the new pace-of-play rules.

The game quite nearly unraveled when the Rockies loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to begin the third inning. But Urías struck out Kris Bryant with his new-look slider, then induced a double-play groundout to end the inning.

Urías (2-0) threw 87 pitches before handing the game to Caleb Ferguson in the seventh inning.

Down 5-1 in the ninth inning, the Rockies scored a run and threatened to tie the game. Evan Phillips relieved Phil Bickford in pursuit of the save, and promptly hit Elias Diaz to load the bases.

Phillips came back to retire Mike Moustakas on a sacrifice fly and retired Charlie Blackmon on a groundout to end the game.

After Mookie Betts singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning, Will Smith hit his third home run in as many games to give the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead. Smith went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and is batting .421 through five games. Max Muncy also homered for the Dodgers, his first of 2023.

The most surprising contribution came from the bat of Jason Heyward.

Starting in right field for the second consecutive game, Heyward went 1 for 3 with his second home run in as many days. The home run was the opposite of cheap: at 112.7 mph, it was the hardest homer he’s hit since at least 2015, the first year of publicly available Statcast data.

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With two homers in eight at-bats, Heyward has doubled his home run total from 2022, when he hit one in 137 at-bats for the Chicago Cubs.

Heyward was released with one year remaining on his contract in November. The Dodgers are paying him $720,000 this season; the Cubs are paying him $21.3 million.

Betts played second base with Miguel Vargas nursing a thumb injury, allowing Heyward to get his second start of the young season.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Angels’ José Suarez hit hard in blowout loss to Mariners

• April 5, 2023

SEATTLE — José Suarez had little trouble shrugging off a discouraging first start of the season.

After Suarez gave up seven runs, including four on two homers by Teoscar Hernandez, in the Angels’ 11-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night, he said that he felt most of his pitches were where he wanted them.

“I was feeling my pitches right,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “I had good command. But that’s part of the game and I know I’m gonna have a better game next time.”

Through the first four games of the Angels’ season, their starters had allowed just three earned runs, but Suarez gave up more than that on two misplaced pitches to Hernandez.

The Angels were down 1-0 in the fourth when Suarez threw an 83.9 mph slider that hung at Hernandez’s thighs. He crushed it 419 feet to straightaway center field.

That was one of 26 sliders that Suarez threw among his 77 pitches. They averaged 84.9 mph, which was up from his average of 81.7 mph last season. The increased velocity was likely because Suarez threw almost entirely the harder of his two sliders against the right-handed heavy Seattle lineup. He has a slower sweeper that he uses against lefties, so he only threw that to No. 9 hitter J.P. Crawford.

Manager Phil Nevin said he likes the harder of Suarez’s sliders better, but they didn’t work on this night.

“He’s actually worked on that, building up speed on that,” Nevin said. “The harder ones he threw were actually the better ones. The location on them, that was a little different.”

Suarez also gave up an RBI double to Cal Raleigh and a single to Eugenio Suarez on sliders.

In between, he tried a different approach to Hernandez, and it didn’t go any better. Suarez threw a fastball that Hernandez blasted out for a three-run homer in the fifth, putting the Angels in a 6-0 hole.

Hernandez’s second homer sailed over the Angels’ bullpen, which at that time had no one warming up. Jaime Barría got up and threw just a handful of pitches before Suarez gave up one more hit, ending his night.

Although Barria gave up a two-run homer to A.J. Pollock and three more runs in the seventh, he still soaked up the final 3-2/3 innings. That allows the Angels’ high-leverage relievers to be ready for the rubber game of the series on Wednesday.

They’ll send Shohei Ohtani to the mound in search of a 4-2 trip to begin the season.

In truth, Tuesday’s game was the one in this series they seemed most likely to lose. Suarez is the Angels’ No. 5 starter, and he was going against Seattle right-hander Luis Castillo.

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Castillo, who had a 2.99 ERA last season, clamped down on an Angels’ lineup that had scored 26 runs in the previous three games.

Taylor Ward led off the first with a double, but the Angels stranded him there. The Angels were down 3-0 in the fifth when Brandon Drury opened the door for them to get back into the game with another leadoff double.

Again, the Angels failed to convert.

And by the time they came to bat in the sixth, they were down by eight and looking forward to Wednesday.

“He was really good,” Nevin said of Castillo. “They got him a couple runs early and he’s really good. I thought we took some good swings here and there. We didn’t give up. We got a chance to win a series and have a really nice road trip tomorrow.”

​ Orange County Register 

LeBron James, surging Lakers avoid misstep with OT win against Jazz

• April 5, 2023

By JOHN COON The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — LeBron James scored nine of his 37 points in overtime – including the game-winning basket – to lead the surging Lakers to a 135-133 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

Anthony Davis tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who squandered a 10-point lead in the final two minutes of regulation. Austin Reaves added 28 points, as five players scored in double figures to help the Lakers win for the seventh time in eight games.

Kelly Olynyk finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead Utah. Former Laker Talen Horton-Tucker added 23 points and seven assists for the Jazz. Horton-Tucker has scored 123 points over his last four games. Ochai Agbaji chipped in 22. The Jazz lost for the seventh time in eight games.

James drove for a go-ahead layup with 27 seconds left to help the Lakers escape with a win. The Lakers held Utah without a basket over the final 1:38 after Olynyk gave the Jazz a 132-129 lead with a 3-pointer.

Utah rallied from a double-digit deficit after shooting 71% from the field in the third quarter. The Jazz finally took their first second-half lead on back-to-back baskets from Collin Sexton and Luka Samanic, going up 99-97 early in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers retook the lead on back-to-back baskets from Dennis Schroder and James and went up 124-114 with 1:43 left in the fourth quarter on eight straight points from Reaves.

Utah countered with a 10-0 run to force overtime. Olynyk scored a basket and assisted two others and Jones knotted the score on a pair of free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining in regulation.

TIP-INS

Lakers: Reaves is averaging 20.5 points during the Lakers’ 7-1 stretch. … James, Davis, and Reaves combined for 18 assists, dishing out six apiece.

Jazz: Samanic made his first start of the season, finishing with 12 points. … Sexton returned to action after missing 18 games with a hamstring strain. He scored 15 points and had three assists in 16 minutes.

UP NEXT

The Lakers face the Clippers on Wednesday in a Clipper home game at Crypto.com Arena.

More to come on this story.

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​ Orange County Register 

After Donald Trump’s arrest, dozens of his supporters rally in Laguna Hills

• April 5, 2023

For around two hours Tuesday afternoon, about 60 supporters of former President Donald Trump congregated on sidewalks outside a Laguna Hills In-N-Out Burger.

There was loud music, dancing and, of course, a lot of chanting: “We love Trump!”

A man stands at the curb at a rally for Donald Trump at the intersection of El Toro Road and Avenida de Carlota in Laguna Hills on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 in reaction to 34 felony criminal charges against the former president. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The demonstrators — many decked out in red, white and blue with American flags draped over their shoulders — were there to protest what they call the “unlawful” indictment of the former president, who pleaded not guilty earlier Tuesday to 34 felony charges.

“What they’re doing to Trump is dangerous to the country. They’re trying to make misdemeanors into felonies,” said Laguna Woods resident Marilyn Fischer. “Trump loves this country, and I love Jesus, my country, my family and President Trump.”

Demonstrators came from around Orange County and Southern California, including Pepperdine University student Brandon McDonald who said he learned about the protest on Twitter.

“All of us are here to show our support for Trump and the unlawful, unconstitutional indictment,” McDonald said. “It’s a political witch hunt.”

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Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges, is admonished by judge
Trump supporters rally in Redlands area after his arraignment

Frank Trinh, a Vietnamese American man from Hacienda Heights, said he missed work to attend. He said he was a registered Democrat for 20 years but “educated himself from 2016 to 2018 and became a Republican.”

“I’m from the poor working class, so I didn’t like rich guys,” Trinh said. “After two years of Trump’s presidency, I saw that what he promised, he delivered. I’m a small guy, but I’m trying my best to contribute to preserve freedom for the world.”

Some people honked in support as they drove by the line of protestors, which started on the corner of El Toro Road and Avenida De La Carlota. One passerby popped the roof of her car to fly a pink “Women for Trump” flag, which was met with loud cheers.

There was also a small tent at the intersection selling Trump merchandise.

Trump, in the midst of his third bid for the White House, is the first president ever to be charged with a crime.

According to the 34-count felony indictment against him, Trump conspired to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments “to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined his campaign for president,” said Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy.

After traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida Tuesday evening — following his earlier arraignment in New York — Trump gave a speech in which he attacked those involved in the investigations into the criminal case and criticized Democrats and President Joe Biden.

A Saturday rally in Huntington Beach resulted in at least two people injured and one arrested, a police spokesperson said at the time. Nick Taurus, a Trump supporter and self-proclaimed American Nationalist, later posted on Instagram that he was receiving care at a local hospital and that he had taken “a skateboard to the head for President Trump.”

Taurus was present at the Laguna Hills event Tuesday but did not wish to speak to reporters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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​ Orange County Register 

Angels reliever Carlos Estévez has flipped switch after a rough spring

• April 5, 2023

SEATTLE — Carlos Estévez is looking to prove to the Angels what he proved to the Colorado Rockies.

The Angels reliever said the Rockies had to prepare themselves for the fact that he was going to be terrible in spring training.

“The Rockies always gave me a hard time,” Estévez said. “They’d say ‘Here we go again. He’s going to give up five runs and then say I’m good.’”

Estévez has a career 6.66 ERA in spring training, which included a 10.57 mark in nine games this spring with his new team.

For most of his Rockies career, though, he was able to flip the switch after a poor spring to be a reliable reliever during the regular season. So far he’s pitched two scoreless innings with the Angels since the season started.

“It’s a lot better,” Estévez said. “I’m more locked in. … Now it counts. Now I’m going for it. I was going through the motions sometimes in spring training.”

Estévez still isn’t quite where he wants to be, though. He has walked two and allowed a hit.

His fastball has averaged 95.6 mph in his first two games, compared with 97.5 mph last year.

“Early in the year I don’t throw as hard,” he said. “I’m not really good friends with the cold weather.”

Estévez also said he’s made some tweaks to his changeup and his slider, and he’s still expecting to see improvement in both of those pitches. He said he and the pitching coaches had a “long conversation” on Tuesday about an adjustment with his slider.

“I feel really good about it,” he said. “We made some changes playing catch. It feels really good.”

If Estévez can put everything together, the closer role is available to him. He still hasn’t done enough for Manager Phil Nevin to give him the job officially, though. For now, Nevin said each game situation will dictate which reliever finishes games.

Estévez said he understands that.

“Honestly, if we have three guys with 20 saves or 20-plus saves, that’s great,” Estévez said. “We’re going to be winning a lot of games. If I get to close, good, but if someone else does, that’s good too. We’ve got a lot of really good arms. I’m excited to see what we can do as a group.”

CANNING UPDATE

Right-hander Griffin Canning (groin) is scheduled to pitch for Class-A Inland Empire in a rehab game on Thursday.

That would put him in line to be available to start on April 12, which is the first time the Angels need a sixth starter.

Left-hander Tucker Davidson is seemingly the first choice for that start because he’s already on the roster, but if Davidson is needed in relief within a few days of April 12, the Angels might need to go to Plan B. That could be Canning starting or Jaime Barría starting and Canning taking Barria’s spot in the bullpen.

NOTES

Outfielder Mickey Moniak has been out with a sore elbow at Triple-A Salt Lake, but it’s not considered serious. He is expected to be back in the lineup on Wednesday. …

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Left-hander Ky Bush, the Angels’ top pitching prospect, has been throwing bullpen sessions. Bush missed most of spring training with an oblique issue, but the Angels are hoping to have him back on the mound in games by the end of the month. …

Infielder Gio Urshela was out of the lineup for the first time this season on Tuesday. Nevin said it was just a routine day off and not a reflection of his four-strikeout game on Monday. “I’ve seen him play a lot,” Nevin said. “Everybody has days like that, but he turns around and makes two really fine plays (defensively) late in the game.”

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 0-0, 0.00) at Mariners (RHP Chris Flexen, 0-0, 2.25), Wednesday, 1:10 p.m., T-Mobile Park, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers’ middle-infield Miguels are nursing minor injuries

• April 5, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― The Dodgers’ all-Miguel middle infield is on temporary hiatus.

Shortstop Miguel Rojas and second baseman Miguel Vargas are nursing minor injuries that kept both out of the lineup on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies.

Rojas felt a twinge on the left side of his groin making a critical play at second base in the ninth inning Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was replaced by a pinch hitter, Jason Heyward, in the ninth inning and did not play Monday against the Rockies.

Tuesday afternoon, Rojas was back on the field to take batting practice. The 34-year-old veteran did not expect to be sidelined long-term.

“Nothing really to worry about,” Rojas said. “I feel like that play, when I stepped on second base in the ninth inning, I felt something in the groin right there. We just want to be smart about it. Knowing it’s an off-day (Wednesday) I can take an extra day off. I’m available off the bench if they need me. We’re thinking big-picture. We’re not thinking ‘if I need to play through it I will.’ I’m on the same page with Doc (manager Dave Roberts) and the organization, thinking about the big picture and the long run.”

Rojas succeeded in retiring the lead runner, Christian Walker, when he fielded a Corbin Carroll grounder and stepped on second base in the top of the ninth inning of a 1-1 game. But when Carroll beat Rojas’ relay throw to first base (which pulled Freddie Freeman off the bag), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. advanced to third base and the inning continued.

The next batter, Jake McCarthy, laid down a perfect drag bunt between first base and the pitcher’s mound to drive in Walker with the go-ahead run. The Dodgers lost, 2-1.

Even though he didn’t complete the double play – and was hurt while stepping on second base – Rojas said his plan gave the Dodgers the best chance of getting out of the inning.

“I thought the best combination was me trying to step on the bag and throw to first (base) because I got the momentum,” Rojas said. “Carroll is one of the fastest guys in the game. So if you see Vargas playing second base … he’s way off the bag. Even if I flip the ball to him it’s impossible for him to turn and flip the ball to first base. So I thought the best chance was for me to step on the bag and throw to first.”

Vargas was hit by a pitch on the inside of his right thumb while batting in the seventh inning Monday. The 92 mph fastball from Connor Seabold somehow eluded the protective guard Vargas wears on his top hand while batting.

Even though he stayed in the game, Vargas’ thumb was still “tender” Tuesday, Roberts said. The rookie second baseman did not take infield practice with his teammates before the game.

Chris Taylor and Mookie Betts started at shortstop and second base, respectively.

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“Hopefully with two days of rest we can get (Vargas) back in there on Thursday,” Roberts said. “Still pretty benign.”

Vargas suffered a hairline fracture of his right pinkie early in spring training and was prohibited from swinging a bat in games until March 9.

ALSO

Relief pitcher Daniel Hudson is making minimal progress as he attempts to return from the knee injury that ended his 2022 season. “The arm is in shape, (his knee) just hasn’t responded well,” Roberts said. “Getting better but I don’t know a timetable for Huddy. He’s disappointed. We want him back. I expect him back. Just don’t know when.” … Rosters for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, advanced-A Great Lakes, and Double-A Tulsa were announced. … Among the notable prospect assignments: pitcher Landon Knack, catcher Diego Cartaya, infielders Brandon Lewis, Kody Hoese, Eddys Leonard and Jorbit Vivas, and outfielders Jonny DeLuca, Yusniel Diaz and Andy Pages were assigned to Tulsa; catcher Dalton Rushing and pitcher Jake Pilarski were assigned to Great Lakes; and pitchers Maddux Bruns and Jared Karros were assigned to Rancho Cucamonga. … Pitcher Bobby Miller is at the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch facility building up his pitch count.

UP NEXT

The Dodgers have a day off Wednesday.

Dodgers (RHP Dustin May, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) at Diamondbacks (RHP Merrill Kelly, 0-0, 0.00 ERA), Thursday, 7:10 p.m., SNLA, 570 AM

​ Orange County Register