LASH Morning Drive: Monday, June 16

facebooktwitterreddit

The Morning Drive offers you a healthy dose of LA sports news from around the internet. A most excellent way to wake up feeling smart.

In today’s morning drive we take time to honor Tony Gwynn. Also, Yasiel Puig flips his bat, the Lakers still don’t have a coach and the Kings are just that. Enjoy, Los Angeles. You deserve it. And Happy Monday to you.


June 14, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; Former San Diego Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn waives during a pre game ceremony to honor the members of the 1998 National League Championship team before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Gwynn, member of Major League Baseball’s exclusive 3,000-hit club, died Monday at the age of 54, after a long battle with cancer.

“Major League Baseball today mourns the tragic loss of Tony Gwynn,” commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. “The greatest Padre ever and one of the most accomplished hitters that our game has ever known, whose all-around excellence on the field was surpassed by his exuberant personality and genial disposition in life.”

The Hall of Famer passed surrounded by family at Pomerado Hospital in Poway, Calif., the Baseball Hall of Fame announced.

A rare baseball lifer, Gwynn spent all of his 20 seasons with the San Diego Padres, compiling 3,141 hits en route to eight National League batting titles and 15 All-Star appearances.

Gwynn, a Los Angeles native who played high school ball in Long Beach, Calif., had been the head baseball coach at alma mater San Diego State since 2003.

According to Gwynn, his cancer came chewing tobacco.

Check back for more on Gwynn’s incredible life and career.


Good Day Quote of the Day, to start your day off right

“Be pleasant until ten o’clock in the morning and the rest of the day will take care of itself.” -Elbert Hubbard

Kings

The Los Angeles Kings Win Back the Stanley Cup

Los Angeles Kings to hold Stanley Cup parade, rally on Monday (FanSided)

Los Angeles Kings’ Justin Williams wins Conn Smythe trophy (FanSided)

Kings take Stanley Cup to Bar fill it with M&Ms (FanSided)

Stanley Cup Final Game 5: What We Learned (Too Many Men On the Site)

2015 Stanley Cup Odds: Boston Bruins favored to win (FanSided)

Lakers

Kobe Bryant plays soccer, picks World Cup winner in Brazil (Lake Show Life)

NBA Rumors: Lakers making Carmelo a priority? (Lake Show Life)

Should Lakers Draft Aaron Gordon? (Lake Show Life)

NBA Rumors: Lakers next head coach to be hired for ‘short term’? (FanSided)

NBA Rumors: Greg Monroe excited about free agency (FanSided)

5 Reasons To Pursue Lance Stephenson (Hoops Habit)

Lakers’ week in review (LA Times)

Clippers

Fansided Mock Draft: Clippers select G Zach LaVine (Fully Clips)

[Poll] Would You Trade Blake Griffin for Carmelo Anthony? (Fully Clips)

2013-14 End Season Review: C DeAndre Jordan (Fully Clips)

Dodgers

Rehab not going so well for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford (Call to the Pen)

Hanley Ramirez puts snake in shoe of Dodgers teammate (FanSided)

Yasiel Puig’s bat flip nearly hit himself in the head (FanSided)

Vin Scully rips Yasiel Puig after errant bat flip (FanSided)

MLB Trade Rumors: David Price likely to land with the Los Angeles Dodgers? (FanSided)

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley has a partial tear in his right flexor tendon (Call to the Pen)

Dodgers validate consistency concerns (ESPN.com)

Angels

Mike Trout’s Effect Goes Beyond Numbers (Halo Hangout)

Erick Aybar not expected to miss time with hip injury (Halo Hangout)

Angels place Fernando Salas on DL (ESPN.com)

USC

2015 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper’s top guard prospects (FanSided)

USC to Add On-Field Luxury Suites to Endzone at LA Coliseum (Reign of Troy)

5-Star DT Recruit Rasheem Green Tweets Top 15 Schools (Bleacher Report)

UCLA

Westwood Rewind: UCLA Bruins Track And Field Action, Football Fervor, Graduation and Best Plays Of The Year (Go Joe Bruin)

Projecting The Depth Chart: UCLA Defensive Line (Go Joe Bruin)

Mel Kiper of ESPN Has Brett Hundley As One Of His Top 5 Underclassmen Quarterbacks (Go Joe Bruin)

Tyler Dorsey Decommits From Arizona, UCLA’s Steve Alford Needs To Move On This (Go Joe Bruin)

NBA Draft Rumors: Miami Heat to Workout Kyle Anderson (All U Can Heat)

Miscellanea

Aaron Hernandez asks to have charges dismissed (FanSided)

Spurs throttle Heat, win 5th title (ESPN.com)

LeBron James says Miami Heat ’till take 50 percent record’ in four trips to NBA Finals (FanSided)

Jimmie Johnson finally gets his Michigan win (Stock Car Spin)

Martin Kaymer Plays Steady Golf In 2014 US Open Victory (Pro Golf Now)

For news, updates and the most insightful commentary around on LA sports, follow LASH on the Twitter.

And a friendly reminder to follow our dashing editors and writers on the Twitter, too:

Jason Gold, Editor (@TheSportsGuy33)

Anthony Khoury, Editor (@askmeaboutthelaw)

Micky Shaked, Editor (@mickyshaked)

Ayron Beavers, Staff Writer (@MrAyronB)

Derek Hart, Staff Writer (@socalshfanatic)

Ryan W Krol, Staff Writer (@RyanWKrol)

Mario Elizondo, Staff Writer (@MarioElizondo87)

Enrique Cervantes Jr., Staff Writer (@ecenrique92)