Shots Off The Sports Boat

Some random shots off the bow of the sports boat this morning:

Tonight officially kicks off U.S. Army All-Shore Classic week as the Lakewood BlueClaws will host over 200 players, coaches and others in the first base picnic area. The event will be a way to get all the participants together for the 36th Annual Ocean-Monmouth All-Star football game which will be played next Thursday night at Toms River High School North.

The Shore Sports Network will broadcast the game on 105.7FM. All-Star head coaches John Wagner of Point Pleasant Beach and Greg LaCava of Colts Neck will throw out ceremonial first pitches before tonight’s BlueClaws-Rome Braves game.

Southern Regional football standout Mike Gesicki told me earlier this week he has not made a college decision and reports that Ohio State is the front runner are simply not true. The Rams tight end did visit the Buckeyes late last month and was offered a scholarship by coach Urban Meyer but Gesicki insists he is not close to making a decision and probably will not do so until late in the upcoming season.

In no particular order he said his top five is made up of Miami, Penn State, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Ohio State.

One of the greatest Yankees of all time is about to rejoin the team. Fox Sports is reporting that Derek Jeter will be in the lineup today as DH when the Yankees host the Royals in an afternoon game in the Bronx. Jeter has finished a rehab stint in the minors as he recovers from left ankle surgery and then complications that have kept the Yankee captain out of the lineup all season. His return is just what the offensively-challenged Yankees need and he’ll provide badly-needed leadership as well.

Sad news that former Phillies catcher Darren Daulton has been diagnosed with gioblastoma, a form of brain cancer that is considered “highly malignant.” The 51-year old had successful surgery last week to remove a pair of tumors and is back in his Florida home where he’ll recuperate from the surgery before beginning treatment. Nicknamed “Dutch”, Daulton was a three-time All-Star with the Phillies, won a World Series with the Marlins in 1997 and was considered a great clubhouse leader.