Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 46

C2 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2006 SPORTS THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Catch a clever, concise wrap-up of the weekend's highlights from our resident pros. THE HEAT INDEX Straight to video, in time for lunch ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE PREVIEW This week's hosts -are Dan Bickley and Bob Young. Tune in at cheapseats. azcentral.com 1 i Posted each Monday by 11:30 a.m. LOCAL CALENDAR My i -I" mv-mmwm "1 COTOTlS rj, F00TWM.

FOOTBALL Radio: PP Radio: Radio: 1060 AM ho, 620 AM 960 AM played 860 AM U.S. Airways Center 740 I Radio: 620 AM 860 AM 710 AM Tickets: 602.379.0102 Radio: 620 AM 1400 AM Tickets: 602.3797867 1 JQ--SiJ Tickets: i Tickets: Tickets: Tickets: 480.563.7825 602.462.4625 480.727.0000 800.452.2287 Monday Thursday Saturday Saturday Columbus lLs USC Stanford i Orleans Arena, 4Pm Las Vegas 5P-m- 2Pm FSNAZ Ch.15 Wednesday Friday Oct 21 Oct 21 Detroit vs. Las Vegas Stanford Oregon State. 4:30 p.m. 6 witei ice Den 12:30 p.m.

4 p.m. FSNAZ 7:15 p.m. TVTBA TVTBA Today Kansas City 1:05 p.m. Ch.5 Oct. 16 Chicago 5:30 p.m.

ESPN Tuesday vs. Philadelphia Cologne, Germany noon Wednesday vs. Euroleague runner-up Cologne, Germany lime TBD Oct 15 0cL22 vs. LA. Lakers Oakland Oct 20 Utah 7:10 p.m.

JOHN SEVERSONTHE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Sean Anspach and his two sons, Sammy (left) and Josh, take in an Arizona Fall League game last year, a bargain at per ticket. Oct. 28 Nov. 4 Washington Washington St. time TBA time TBA TVTBA TVTBA Saturday Nashville 5 p.m.

AZ-TV Las Vegas i.i5-m 6:30 p.m. Ch.10 -home game. TBA -to be announced. TBD-to be determined. preseason game.

Spanish broadcast. the fall A ball TODAY'S TV in AFL offers fans opportunity to see future stars at bargain prices By Joseph A. Reaves The Arizona Republic A major league team. One of the best col- A v. EVENT TIME TV BASEBALL MLB playoffs Padres at Cardinals 5 p.m, FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL Northern Illinois at Miami (Ohio) 5 p.m, ESPN COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL California at Stanford 1 p.m.

T.FSNAZ FOOTBALL Rams at Packers 10 a.m. 10 Chiefs at Cardinals 1p.m. 5 Steelers at Chargers 5:15 p.m. 12 GOLF Dunhill Links Championship (cont. from 4:30 a.m.) 6 a.m.

Golf Champions SAS Championship 10:30 a.m. Golf PGA Chrysler Classic of Greensboro noon 15 Nationwide Mark Christopher Charity Classic 2 p.m, Golf MOTORSPORTS Formula One Japanese Grand Prix (replay) 10:30 a.m. T.Speed NASCAR Nextel Cup UAW-Ford 500 11 a.m. 12 Champ Car Atlantic Championship Series 2 p.m. T.Speed NHR A Torco Racing Fuels Nationals 4 p.m.

TD.ESPN2 SOCCER Women's Iceland at United States 10:55 a.m. ESPN2 MONDAY'S TV EVENT TIME TV BASEBALL MLB playoffs Cardinals at Padres 5 p.m. FOX (if necessary) FOOTBALL Ravens at Broncos 5:30 p.m, ESPN HOCKEY Coyotes at Blue Jackets 4 p.m. FSNAZ i Daily listings start at 6 a.m. Listings are for TV and cable only.

Satellite programming may vary. TD tape-delayed. taped. TV channels are listed numerically, cable by channel name. El lege programs in the country.

More than 400 current and former big leaguers to call neigh-bors. Even the commissioner lives here much of the year. But if you think all thaf heaven, get out this week, and every Monday through Saturday until mid-November, and take a glimpse at what real baseball fans call seventh heaven. The Arizona Fall League opens its 15th season Tuesday in Peoria, Phoenix and Scottsdale. "The Fall League is where the best prospects come to get their doctorate in baseball," says Roland Hemond, general manager of the White Sox and Orioles for 23 years and the man who dreamed up the league.

Since 1992, more than 1,200 major leaguers have passed through Arizona Fall League. Thirty players who made the Ail-Star Game in Pittsburgh last July were Fall League veterans. And 13 of the past 14 American League and National League Rookies of the Year were alums. The six-team league runs from Tuesday through Nov. 16, with the championship game on Nov.

18. This year, for the first time, the league will feature a "Rising Stars Showcase" game midway through the season. Major league scouts and front-office personnel have been asked to vote for the best of the best to choose a pair of All-Star lineups from a league filled with All-Stars. The "AFL Rising Stars Showcase" will be played at Surprise Stadium Friday night, Oct. 27, the off day between Games 5 and 6 of the World Series and will be broadcast live on MLB.com.

Regular-season games are played afternoons and nights at five parks across the Valley: Hohokam Stadium in Mesa (Mesa Solar Sox), Peoria Sports Complex (Peoria Javelinas and Peoria Saguaros), Phoenix Municipal Stadium (Phoenix Desert Dogs), Scottsdale Stadium (Scottsdale Scorpions) and Surprise Stadium (Grand Canyon Rafters). Each of the 30 major league teams sends seven of its top prospects to play in the league. One other change this year: The pitching will be better than ever. In the past, the AFL has been known as a hitter's league because many of the best pitchers in the minors tended to be tired by the fall. This year, rosters have been expanded to allow 20 pitchers per club.

Five will be inactive for each game, with managers announcing their active rosters before first pitch. Better the best prospects in baseball, perfect Arizona weather and all for $6 $5 if you're a child or a senior and a mere $3 for groups of 20 or more. Plus there's free parking, and concession stands will be open at all five parks. Sounds pretty much like seventh heaven for any real fan. GETTY IMAGES Prospects Travis Buck of the A's (left) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia of the Braves were first-round picks.

Fall League first-rounders This year's Arizona Fall League will feature 24 former firsf-round draft picks, seven of them playing for the Peoria Javelinas, with AFL team and AFL jersey number: Michael Aubrey, IF, Indians, (Peoria Javelinas, 37) Bryan Bass, IF, Orioles, (Grand Canyon Rafters, No yet) Ryan Braun, IF, Brewers, (Scottsdale Scorpions, 18) Travis Buck, OF, Athletics, (Phoenix Desert Dogs, 4 Josh Burrus, OF, Braves, (Peoria Javelinas, 27) Trevor Crowe, IF, Indians, (Peoria Javelinas, 26) Joey Devine, RHP, Braves, (Peoria Javelinas, 51) Phil Dumatrait, LHP, Reds, (Phoenix Desert Dogs, 16) Eric Duncan, IF, Yankees, (Peoria Saguaros, 18) Scott Elbert, LHP, Dodgers, (Mesa Solar Sox, 55) Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Red Sox, (Peoria Javelinas, 21) Michael Garciaparra, IF, Mariners, (Peoria Javelinas, 18) Cavin Floyd, RHP, Phillies, (Peoria Saguaros, 38) Giovany Gonzalez, LHP, Phillies, (Peoria Saguaros, 15) Luke Hochevar, RHP, Royals, (Grand Canyon Rafters, 35) Phil Humber, RHP, Mets, (Mesa Solar Sox, No. yet) Mitch Maier, OF, Royals, (Grand Canyon Rafters, 22) Scott Moore, IF, Cubs, (Mesa Solar Sox, No yet) Matt Moses, IF, Twins, (Mesa Solar Sox, No yet) Jeff Niemann, RHP, Devil Rays, (Phoenix Desert Dogs, 37) Landon Powell, Athletics, (Phoenix Desert Dogs, 18) Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Braves, (Peoria Javelinas, 15) Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies, (Grand Canyon Rafters, 7) Neil Walker, Pirates, (Grand Canyon Rafters, 26) OTHER EVENTS Today Horse racing: Live, at Turf Paradise, 12:25 p.m. Dog racing: Live, at Phoenix Greyhound Park, 7:30 p.m. Monday Horse racing: Live, at Turf Paradise, 12:25 p.m. Dog racing: Live, at Phoenix Greyhound Park, 7:30 p.m.

OTHER RADIO Today Pro baseball: MLB playoffs Padres at Cardinals, 5 p.m. (860) Pro football: Steelers at Chargers, 5:15 p.m., (910) ARIZONA DIGEST UCLA volleyball sweeps Arizona State Devil Rays, Reds, Tigers. Whom to watch: Jeff Niemann, RHP, Devil Rays, (37); Travis Buck, LF, Oakland, (4). Niemann, a 6-foot-9 right-hander out 33-31 loss at McKale Center. Brooke Buringrud led UA with 12 kills.

Dominique Lamb finished with nine kills. Cross country A group of former Sun Devils won the women's title Saturday at 21st ASU Invitational at Kiwanis Park in Tempe. The ex-Sun Devils won with 36 points and the current ASU squad finished third with 80 points. Arizona (40) won the men's race and a squad of former Sun Devils finished second (65). The current ASU team finished fourth (108).

The women's 5-kilometer race was won by ASU alum Amy Hastings. She covered the course in 17 minutes, 48.1 seconds. UA's Robert Cheseret won the men's 8-kilometer in 24:23.9. Republic news sources The UCLA volleyball team remained perfect this season, sweeping Arizona State Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena. No.

3 UCLA (19-0 overall, 6-0 Pac-10) won 30-21, 30-26, 30-28 as ASU fell to 9-7 and 1-4. UCLA took control of the match early, jumping out to a 5-0 in the second game. ASU did better in the third game, which featured nine ties and four lead changes. Nina Reeves and Margie Giordano each had 12 kills for the Sun Devils; Sydney Donahue added 15 digs. In Tucson, Arizona (9-8, 0-5) held leads late in Games 2 and 3 but could not close out No.

4 Southern California (17-0, 6-0) in a 30-19, 30-27, Pence, LF, Astros, (43). Slowey had a second strong season with a combined 1.88 ERA in 14 starts at Class A and nine in Double-A. His strikeouts-to-walks ratio was nearly 7 to 1 with 151 Ks and just 22 walks. Pence had 28 home runs and 95 RBIs for the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks. Keep an eye out, too, for Philip Humber, RHP, Mets, (No yet).

The third pick overall in the 2004 draft out of Rice had Tommy John surgery but bounced back to go 5-3 with a 2.83 ERA in 14 starts in the minors. Peoria Javelinas Home: Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Peoria. Phone: (623) 486-2800. Manager: Luis Alicea (7), manager of Greenville Drive, Class A affiliate of the Red Sox.

Made up of: Braves, Indians, Mariners, Marlins, Red Sox. Whom to watch: Trevor Crowe, 2B, Indians, (26); Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Braves, (15). Crowe moved from the outfield to second base this season and had a .393 on-base percentage in a split season between Class A and Double-A. Saltalamacchia is a switch-hitting catcher who played for Team USA. He batted .288 for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Fall League last year.

TEAM CAPSULES Grand Canyon Rafters Home: Surprise Stadium, 15946 N. Bullard Surprise. Manager Stu Cole (18), manager of the Tulsa Drillers, Dou-ble-A affiliate of the Rockies. Made up of: Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, Rockies, Royals. Whom to watch: Luke Hochevar, RHP, Royals, (35); and Joe Kosh-ansky, 1B, Rockies, (21).

Hochevar was the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. He started only four games for the Class A Burlington Bees this summer but had a 1.17 ERA and is looking to get more innings in the Fall League. Koshan-sky had 31 home runs and 109 RBIs in 132 games at Double-A Tulsa. Mesa Solar Sox Home: Hohokam Stadium, 1235 N.

Center Mesa. Manager Pat Listach (No yet), manager of Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, Double-A affiliate of the Cubs (last season; now Double-A affiliate of the Mariners). Made up of: Astros, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Twins. Whom to watch: Kevin Slowey, RHP, Twins, (No yet); Hunter Peoria Saguaros Home: Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Peoria.

Manager. Randy Ready (5), manager of Fort Wayne Wizards, Class A affiliate of the Padres. Made up of: Cardinals, Nationals, Padres, Phillies, Yankees. Whom to watch: Eric Duncan, 3B, Yankees, (18); and Kory Casto, OF, Nationals, (6). Duncan, the Yankees' first-round pick in 2003, hit .362 with eight home runs to win the MVP award in the Fall League last year.

He is coming off a back injury that slowed his progress this summer. Casto played third for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators this season until midsummer when the Nationals put him back in the outfield to be ready in case they traded Alfonso Soriano. That never happened, but Casto, who was drafted in 2003 as an outfielder, will stay put. Phoenix Desert Dogs Home: Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 5999 East Van Buren, Phoenix 85008. Manager: Tony DeFrancesco (11), manager of the Sacramento River Cats, Triple-A affiliate of the A's.

Made up of: Athletics, Blue Jays, of Rice, was 5-5 with a 2.68 ERA for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. He held opposing batters to a .202 average. Buck, a first-round pick out of Arizona State in 2005, made it to Double-A less than a year after signing. He batted .320 combined at Class A and Double-A. Scottsdale Scorpions Home: Scottsdale Stadium, 7408 LOsborn, Scottsdale 85251.

(480) 312-2586. Manager: Bobby Magallanes (49), manager of Angels Double-A affiliate, Cedar Rapids Kernels. Made up of: Angels, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Giants, White Sox. Whom to watch: James D'An-tona, Diamondbacks, (28); Terry Eyans, OF, Angels, (79). D'Antona hit .310 at Double-A this season.

Diamondbacks are converting thelongtime corner infielder to catcher. Evans hit .309 with 33 home runs in a season split between Class A and Double-A. He was the player the Cardinals gave up to get Jeff Weaver from the Angels in July. sill nSPORTS idtaltlNrt i in i i Diamondbacks.azcentral.com: Arizona State's connection to the Arizona Fall League.