Technik » steals per game) are important cogs in a deep rotation

NEW YORK -- On the same day they honored several heroes of the past, a new era of New York Yankees baseball began with a bang.Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge, who were called up by the Yankees from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to Saturdays game against the Tampa Bay Rays, delivered back-to-back home runs in their first major league at-bats during the second inning of an 8-4 victory at Yankee Stadium.Austin and Judge are the first pair of teammates in baseball history to accomplish the feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.You cant draw it up any better when you call up two young players, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.With two out in the second, Austin drove a 2-2, 92 mph fastball from Rays right-hander Matt Andriese just over the 314 sign in right field, which prompted both Austin and Girardi to pump their fists in celebration.I dont think I couldve asked for anything better, Austin said. Its pretty awesome.Shortly after, Judge followed with a mammoth blast when he drilled a 1-2, 87 mph changeup from Andriese off the batters eye glass in center field.What a day, Judge said. Thats all I can really say.According to ESPNs home run tracking data, Judges towering homer traveled 457 feet with an exit velocity of 109 mph. It tied for the fourth-longest home run ever hit at Yankee Stadium, behind Raul Ibanez (477 feet), Alex Rodriguez (460 feet) and Carlos Correa (459 feet). Mark Trumbo also hit a 457-foot shot.On Friday, Rodriguez, who has 696 career home runs -- trailing only Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762) -- played his final game as a Yankee. Rodriguez was officially released before Saturdays game.Prior to Saturdays game, the Yankees honored their 1996 World Series championship team. Players in attendance included Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada.Austin and Judge each finished with two hits in four at-bats. The duo had combined for 32 homers this season for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Austin 13, Judge 19).Judge, 24, has long been considered one of the top prospects in New Yorks farm system, while Austin, also 24, has had to overcome several injuries and other setbacks to get to this point. Judge, a 6-foot-7 slugger who general manager Brian Cashman said will become the teams every-day right fielder, was ranked as the No. 23 overall prospect in Keith Laws midseason rankings. Austin will play a reserve outfield/first-base role behind Mark Teixeira, Cashman said.The players found out they were getting called up in different ways. Austin learned of his promotion before the RailRiders road game Friday in Rochester, New York, while Judge was eating dinner with his parents after the game. Scranton manager Al Pedrique, who also happened to be having a meal there, approached Judge around midnight with the good news.He kind of walked up and said, You guys better hurry up. This guys gotta be in New York for a game tomorrow, Judge said. It kind of took me by surprise. I wasnt expecting that at all. I was just glad my family was able to be there and enjoy that moment.Both players planned to give Saturdays home run balls to their families.Judge did not get into New York until 6 a.m. Saturday. He got the opportunity after Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner injured his ankle Friday and wasnt going to be available. Gardner is day-to-day.I felt bad because theyre up in Rochester, but with it being Judges first call-up, hes not going to sleep anyway, Cashman said. Its a 1:25 p.m. first pitch. Thank God hes young, because if it were me, Id be a zombie right now. With the adrenaline, hell bounce back, and hopefully thatll be enough for him to enjoy the day.The Yankees, known in past years for their lavish spending on superstar talent, shifted gears at the trade deadline by unloading?Carlos Beltran, Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller and adding several prospects to their system.Their youth movement got off to a strong start Saturday.Theres a lot of excitement that they have, and probably rightfully so, Rays manager Kevin Cash said. Judge definitely looks the part. If he wasnt playing baseball, it looks like he should be a defensive end somewhere. Hes massive. Hes bigger than [Giancarlo] Stanton. Dennis Smith Womens Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Peyton Manning Broncos Jersey . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. http://www.thebroncosstoreonline.com/Youth-Shannon-Sharpe-Broncos-Jerseys/ . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Dre Mont Jones Jersey . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Bradley Chubb Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Showing grit and no-retreat toughness, No. 15 West Virginia made a statement Saturday by snapping Virginias 24-game home win streak.Now the Mountaineers (6-1) hope to maintain that edge against Western Carolina (3-5) during a Wednesday night follow-up. The game is being staged three hours south of West Virginias campus at the Charleston (W.Va.) Civic Center.Fans expectations are energized by the 66-57 upset at Virginia in which Bob Huggins team used an 11-2 closing run.It got to be a playground type of game, Huggins said. It was kind of two teams from different neighborhoods. It got a little chippy, got a little physical, got a little talking going on. I think our guys respond to that.Leading the nation in average margin of victory (plus-30.3 points), forced turnovers (25.4 per game) and steals (13.1 per game), West Virginia could pad those stats as it begins a five-game stretch against mid-majors with a combined record of 18-25.Huggins wants his team to use the next three weeks of nonconference play to improve execution in the half-court offense. He even altered shooting drills to get players more passing repetitions.We have the greatest managers in the world, and theyre better passers than our guys, Huggins said. So I told (assistant coach) Erik Martin, Heres an idea: Why dont you let our guys pass to our guys instead of the managers passing to our guys.One player already adept at passing, 6-foot-9 senior Nathan Adrian stands among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio and paces the Mountaineers at 13 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. After missing all four 3-point tries at Virginia, the forwards long-distant shootiing dipped to 26 percent, though he contributed in other facets.ddddddddddddNate shot the ball poorly, but he still made plays, Huggins said. We ran offense through him, he did a great job defensively, he kept balls alive, rebounded the ball. He still did things to win the game.Forward Esa Ahmad (12.6 points, 4.9 rebounds per game) and point guard Jevon Carter (9.2 points, 3.0 steals per game) are important cogs in a deep rotation in which 12 players average four points or more.While the Mountaineers score more than 90 points per game, Western Carolina averages just 56.2 as it nears the finish of a seven-game road swing. The Catamounts have already visited Miami (Fla.), Marquette and Ohio State.As a young basketball player, Id watch games on TV that were played in these places, Western Carolina freshman Jason McMillan said. Its a dream come true to go into those arenas, lace up, put on a jersey and play. Its a whole other level.Along with the financial boost provided by such cash games, Catamounts coach Larry Hunter uses them as teaching tools before Southern Conference action.When you play teams like Ohio State and Marquette, your weaknesses are identified much more readily, he said.Junior guard Haboubacar Mutombo leads Western Carolina in scoring (12 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 boards per game). Sophomore forward Marc Gosselin is contributing 8.6 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.The Catamounts are coming off a 58-53 win over Appalachian State on Saturday. Mutombo scored a team-high 13 points. ' ' '