Playing Time

MINNEAPOLIS -- Tim Hulett knows his place. He knows that he would not be playing third base regularly if Leo Gomez were healthy or someone else were available. But that doesn't mean that he doesn't still view himself as a viable everyday player."I think you always do," Hulett said yesterday. "I think if you settle for being a utility player, you're admitting that you're not good enough to be an everyday player. Nobody wants to do that."That doesn't mean that there isn't a certain nobility in being the consummate utility player, but Hulett never has given up on the possibility of playing a bigger role in the Orioles lineup.

Mark Turgeon once likened Seth Allen to Miami point guard Shane Larkin. He didn't mean that Allen was there quite yet. After all, Larkin averaged 14.5 points and 4.6 assists and led the ACC in steals. It helped that Larkin, a sophomore, had multiple seniors to play with. But there are some comparisons to be made. Allen, a freshman, is quick and athletic. A former defensive back, he has good anticipation on defense and good hands.  Allen is crafty enough to penetrate into the lane, and he can hit the 3. Maryland must be impressed by Allen because he is being seen  -- by the people who matter - as the man to lead the Terps at point guard next season with the transfer of Pe'Shon Howard.

DEAR CAL -- A few years ago, my son's high school coach told parents that he would discuss anything with us except playing time. I honored his wishes that season as my child sat mostly on the bench, while other less-talented children played. I later discovered that the parents of the children who got to play the most had made significant contributions to the school, materially and monetarily. Did I hurt my son's chances of being recognized as a talented player by not "buying" his way onto the team?

The Ravens 2013 preseason schedule is highlighted by a prime-time home game against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, Aug. 22 at M&T Bank Stadium, the NFL announced today. That game, which will be the third of four preseason games for the Super Bowl XLVII champions, will start at 8 p.m. and be televised by ESPN. The Ravens will open up the preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The exact date and time of the game has yet to be announced. In Week Two of the preseason, the Ravens will host the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Aug. 15 at M&T Bank Stadium.

DEAR CAL -- Our 11-year-old has been allowed to play for only two innings in the field and one at-bat in our fall educational league. When we confronted the coaches and league president, we were told it was because he played in the dugout. They started the season out like this and have not even given him a chance to show them what he can do on the field. The spring season was the exact same. The only time he has played more than the two innings was when they were short on players and he had to play.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- This is the spring that promising catcher Chris Hoiles has dreamed of since he signed his first professional contract, so why is it that veteran Bob Melvin seems like a guy without a care in the world?It's not so complicated, really. There's room in the Baltimore Orioles lineup for both of them, now that switch-hitting Mickey Tettleton has taken up residence in another city. Hoiles and Melvin are going to compete for a job this spring, but both of them probably will win.The Orioles recently handed Melvin a two-year contract, which was the club's way of saying that he was more than just Tettleton's backup the past couple of years.

Orioles utility man Manny Alexander, unhappy over a lack of playing time, said he's thinking about quitting and also said that one reason he's not playing is because he's from the Dominican Republic.Alexander said fellow utility infielders Bill Ripken and Jeff Huson (currently on the disabled list) get more playing time because they are white Americans."Every time, the American guy gets the first chance," Alexander said. "[They] never give the Dominican guy the first chance or the second chance."

An agent for Keith Booth said that the former University of Maryland basketball star likely will sign the contract offered by the Chicago Bulls in July in the next week -- unless he receives a significantly better offer overseas.Curtis Polk of Falk Associates Management Enterprises (FAME) said yesterday that Booth, one of just four first-round picks who remain unsigned, received a guaranteed three-year, $1.718 million deal from the defending NBA champions.The length and terms of the contract are in accordance with salary slotted to the last pick of the first round in the draft under the league's collective bargaining agreement.

A Loyola player came up to Fairfield goalie Sam Peterson after the game and gave him a consoling hug."Didn't get one on you," the Greyhound player said.Peterson, a former Broadneck High School star, looked at his old Baltimore friend and smiled gratefully.Many other Loyola players scored, however -- 14 to be precise -- as the No. 11-ranked Greyhounds (3-1) pummeled Fairfield, 24-5, yesterday at Curley Field.Fairfield (1-3), a Division I school from Connecticut and the defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion, is in only its fourth year of varsity lacrosse, and is no match for Loyola.

The shrieks began to sound like a continuous buzz. At the end of the Ravens' morning practice yesterday, a sea of children seeking autographs from receivers Derrick Alexander and Michael Jackson seemed to scream "Derrick!" and "Michael!" all at once.The commotion over the Ravens' top two receivers was in stark contrast to the quiet group surrounding second-year receiver James Roe. He blended in with the children on the field, and it was hard to tell he was even there."I'm happy with it [signing autographs]

Twelve games down. Four to go. Yes, we are at another quarter pole, so let's dig into the third quarter snap counts to see which playing time trends have developed. These official numbers, which come courtesy of the NFL, are pretty interesting due to the return of Terrell Suggs and injuries to other key Ravens players. --- Suggs played 226 snaps in the team's past four games after playing 98 in his first two after returning from a torn right Achilles tendon. That's an average of 56.5 snaps per game, a total that would be a little higher had he not torn his right biceps in the fourth quarter of Sunday's last-second loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As the backup to starting quarterback Joe Flacco for the past two seasons, Tyrod Taylor's time on the field has been extremely limited, throwing just four passes, completing three for 48 yards and rushing three times for 13 yards. But coach John Harbaugh suggested Wednesday that the team may need to find a way to put Taylor on the field more often. “He's a talented, gifted player, and we do need to find ways to take advantage of that,” Harbaugh said. Taylor said he is open to any possibility.

The Ravens aren't the only team preparing for the rest of 2012 without Ray Lewis. The Houston Texans, Sunday's opponent, must also adjust their game plan on attacking a Ravens defense that will rely on Jameel McClain, Dannell Ellerbe, Brendon Ayanbadejo and perhaps Albert McClellan to fill the void created by the absence of the 13-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker, who tore his right triceps in Sunday's 31-29 win against the Dallas Cowboys. Houston can empathize with the Ravens after losing inside linebacker Brian Cushing in a win against the New York Jets on Oct. 8 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

When the Ravens open the preseason Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons, barring a sudden setback, fans can rest assured that they will see Joe Flacco under center. The identity of that center, however, is not as clear. Rookie Gino Gradkowski and Justin Boren are the leading candidates to fill in for 15-year veteran Matt Birk, who is not expected to play after sitting out the past eight practices due to back spasms. Although neither player has been with the team longer than two years, Flacco said the chemistry between him and both centers is improving.

I don't know what the Ravens immediate plans are for rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith, but it might be time to get him back on the field. Smith hasn't played much since he injured his ankle on the opening kickoff of the season opener against Pittsburgh.  In the last couple of weeks, the Ravens have used him on special teams and in some nickel and dime packages, but he might serve them better as the starting nickel over Chris Carr. Carr certainly has more experience, and that's what you want from the inside guy. But Smith is a great talent, a player with game-changing ability.

Each week, we bring you a Q&A with a Ravens player, coach or team executive to help you learn a little more about the team. Today's guest is outside linebacker Paul Kruger. You've been on a pretty nice run with 4½ sacks in the last four games. What has been the key to your success this season? Just applying what I've been learning the past couple years. I've worked hard in practice, and I'm just taking advantage of the reps that I get. Did you ever doubt yourself?

COLLEGE PARK -- It was over before he knew it. Rodney Elliott's reign as starting center at Maryland lasted a mere six games.But don't expect to hear the 6-foot-8 sophomore from Dunbar complain.Elliott was the man who succeeded Mario Lucas, who succeeded Joe Smith, whose reign lasted two years.After Obinna Ekezie became the starter eight games ago, it seemed as if Elliott had vanished completely. Until Tuesday in Chapel Hill, N.C., anyway, when he delivered two big first-half baskets in an 84-78 upset of North Carolina.

In 1984, he was Rookie of the Year. In 1985, he was voted Most Valuable Player in the NBA All-Star Game. In 1986, he led the Houston Rockets to the NBA finals.In 1992, Ralph Sampson is desperately clinging to his basketball life. He has chosen to finish the season playing in Spain rather than risk being released this week by the Washington Bullets or spending the rest of the season as a 12th man and crowd curiosity.Sampson freed Bullets general manager John Nash of choosing between him and reserve guard Andre Turner as odd man out by announcing his decision at an impromptu news conference in the Capital Centre press room Saturday night after Washington's 113-99 loss to the New York Knicks.

After watching the Ravens' secondary get torched last week, I couldn't and still can't figure out why this team doesn't play safety Haruki Nakamura. When the Ravens needed a nickel cornerback nearly two weeks ago, Nakamura stepped in and played well despite not taking a repetition at that position in nearly a year. Against the Titans on Sunday, Tennessee took turns on beating the Ravens corners and safeties, and Nakamura still didn't get the playing time he deserved. Meanwhile, strong safety Tom Zbikowski missed several tackles, had trouble getting off blocks, and Pro Bowl free safety Ed Reed also played poorly.