The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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michigan in the pros tackles (23 solo), six tackles for loss, four sacks, six quarterback hurries, an interception, a pass broken up, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 10 starts for the 7-7 Steelers … Missed one game with a hamstring injury and two others with the ankle ailment. • Charles Woodson (1995-97), CB, Green Bay Packers: Has been sidelined since Oct. 21 by a fractured collarbone … Recorded 38 tackles (25 solo), 1.5 sacks, an interception, five passes broken up, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble in six starts for 10-4 Green Bay prior to his injury. MLB Chris Getz To Remain In Kansas City Former Michigan infielder and longtime Kansas City second baseman/utility man Chris Getz has signed another contract with the Royals, this one a one-year deal for $1.05 million with a chance for an additional $150,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances, MLB.com reports. Getz, who reportedly made $967,500 a year ago, avoided arbitration in signing the contract. Getz was sent to the disabled list three times last season in playing only 64 games for the Royals — May 22 with a left rib cage bruise, June 18 with a lateral strain of the left leg and Aug. 18 with a fractured left thumb. The last one required surgery and ended his season, but it's healed well. "Everything checked out well," Getz said in December. "It's been really good. The mobility is at about 95 percent and the strength is 100 percent. I've already begun to hit and catch — a few important things that you have to do — and it hasn't hindered my workouts at all, so all is good." Getz has been in and out of the Royals' starting lineup over the years, not a power hitter but a reliable infielder who was hitting well last year before his injury. He hit .275 with 10 doubles, three triples and 17 RBI, and stole nine bases in 12 attempts. MLB.com reports the Royals were 30-25 in his 55 starts. Getz will battle with Johnny Giavotella in spring training once again for the second base job. "I'm excited, as usual," Getz said. "We'll be competing out there just like we did last year and I'll just be as prepared as possible." He felt he was on his way to a very 80 the wolverine January 2013 Getz was limited to 64 games last season due to a series of injuries, but when healthy he batted .275 and helped the Royals to a 30-25 record in games he started. Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals good season last year before the thumb injury. He had just reclaimed his starting job before getting hurt. "You kind of know if you're going to be around .300 and there are other years where you're kind of inconsistent and battling to be around .250," he said. "That was the hardest part, because I felt I was having one of those around .300 years, but I just kept being knocked down by injuries." NBA Jamal Crawford Showing Off His Passing Skills Former Wolverine Jamal Crawford has regained the scoring form that made him the NBA's top sixth man for a number of years, putting him in line for the award again this season. He's since been "diversifying his portfolio," teammate Caron Butler told the Los Angeles Times, showing off his passing skills recently in getting all of his teammates involved during the Los Angeles Clippers' recent 10-game winning streak. Crawford, who was averaging 16.5 points and 2.3 assists per game as of Dec. 17, notched three games in a row with five assists or more from Dec. 11-15 for one of the league's hottest teams. "He's not putting all his stock in one place," Butler said. Crawford agreed. "Yeah, I've got my portfolio all around a little bit," he responded, smiling, adding he'd been seeing more double teams and defenses loading up on his side of the floor waiting for him to drive. He notched a season-high eight assists in a win over Charlotte as a result. "I feel like I can score almost any time," Crawford said. "So, if that's a threat and I show the passing game as well, I think it keeps people off guard." He has averaged 3.88 assists per game throughout his career, though, he noted. "I've averaged almost four assists over my career and I'm a two-guard," he said. "I think a lot of people are more enamored with the scoring, but I like to pass it as well. "I think everybody is caught up in the excitement of scoring. "If you look at great scorers in the league like Melo [Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks], if he has 30 points and six assists, the six assists doesn't get as much hype as the 30 points because the scoring is always more exciting. "But I don't care as long as my teammates know that I try to play unselfish. I know that I'm not onedimensional." NBA Notes • Former Michigan point guard Darius Morris was recently added to the Los Angeles Lakers' starting lineup due to injuries to Steve Nash and Steve Blake. "It was a great experience," Morris told HoopsWorld.com. "I definitely got a lot better. It's kind of crazy — I went from not playing second string to starting. I just thank God for the experience and I definitely got a lot better during that time. I've learned a lot, through the ups and the downs, and just being out there on the court. Working out a lot can't simulate in-game experience." Playing the point comes with huge responsibility, he added. "You don't think about it, but being the guy who is running the show, they're all looking at you and, of course, they all want the ball," Morris said. "It's up to you to make the right decisions, deciding where that ball needs to go. They do a pretty good job of respecting me when I have the ball in my hands, trusting me. It is kind of weird, being 21 when everyone else is in their 30s." Morris is averaging 5.2 points and 2.4 assists per game as of Dec. 17, and he had started 10 of 22 contests. ❑