Not Your Typical Tuesday

May 2, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Tuesday didn’t want to end.

With five extra inning/overtime games, 9th inning heroics, and a nearly 11:00 P.M. EST tip-off, Tuesday quickly became Wednesday….

LeBron Acting CRAZY!!

Despite trailing by 14 points after the 1st quarter (on the road), LeBron James never gave up. Despite shooting just 1-for-8 from 3-point range, and 1-for-6 from the free throw line, LeBron didn’t put his head down.

Instead, he persevered. He also did the CRAZIEST THING EVER….

He relied on the band of misfits he calls teammates to drive the LeBrons to victory. Without the efforts of J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, Jeff Green, and Tristan Thompson, the LeBrons would be staring a 1-0 deficit in the face. Instead, a 113-112 F/OT victory flipped home court advantage upside down.

J.R.: 20 points on 5-for-6 from 3-point range

Korver: 19 points on 5-for-12 from 3-point range

Green: 16 points on 4-for-4 from the field, and 7-for-8 from the free throw line

Thompson: 14 points and 12 rebounds (back-to-back double doubles)

It must have felt nice to not have to play 1-on-5 for 48 minutes — for once. Even crazier than imaginary teammates coming to life, is LeBron’s “bad nights” still turn into triple doubles (26 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal).

It’s good to be King.

MLB’s Wild Night!!

Not one, but two 9th inning home runs changed the landscape of Tuesday night.

First, down 6-2, down to their last strike, the Cleveland Indians’, Michael Brantley, took Keone Kela’s 0-2 breaking ball up-and-out for a game tying grand slam. That’s the stuff you dream about as an 11-year old in the backyard!! Despite the heroics, the Indians would lose 8-6 F/12.

There were three other extra inning games Tuesday (must have been a full moon).:

Marlins 2, Phillies 1 F/10

Royals 7, Red Sox 6 F/13

Blue Jays 7, Twins 4 F/10

The other 9th inning dinger made me jump off my couch (literally jump). Gary Sanchez broke open a 0-0 tie, with a 3-run home run against the Houston Astros:

While I love the home run, my favorite part of the video, BY FAR, is Astros’ closer, Ken Giles, punching himself in the face!! HAHA.

El Gary’s long blast came after Justin Verlander mowed down the Yankees, allowing just 3 hits, and striking out 14, in 8 innings. But hey, a win, is a win.

Mr. Half Court Shot Is Back!!

Stephen Curry hadn’t stepped foot on a basketball court in 39 days. He could have fooled me….

Stephen Curry is the best shooter the NBA has ever seen. His range is limitless, and his ability to create his own shot makes him one of the most dangerous players in the world. Curry finished with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists in just 27 minutes. He led the game with an insane +26 while he was on the floor. Yes, he was the sole reason the Warriors took down the Pelicans 121-116.

The NBA is LUCKY to have him back!!

What was the most exciting part of a wacky Tuesday evening?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NO GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

April’s Lasting Impression Has NOTHING on May!!

May 1, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

My favorite month is HERE!!

May is awesome for many reasons:

NBA Playoffs

NHL Playoffs

MLB Season in full swing

Yeah, yeah, those are great, but here are the REAL reasons:

Mother’s Day

Actual, SUSTAINED nice weather

Mine, my Wife, and my Dad’s birthdays (coincidentally all on the SAME DAY — May 14th)!!!!

Speaking of birthdays (we’ll get to sports at some point today..I promise), for those who watch, or listen, to my Sports Talk Radio Show, DaveTalksSports, today is my co-host, Uncle Mike’s, birthday!! Happy Birthday Brother!!

Which naturally transitions to MLB finishing April with a bang. How do I come up with these segues?! Genius….

Not 1, not 2, but 3!!

A.J. Pollock is really good at baseball. Casual baseball fans don’t know that. Pollock plays in Phoenix, Arizona, one of baseball’s forgotten cities. And he’s often injured, playing in just 524 of a potential 972 games through his first six seasons (53.9%). Pollock possesses a unique power/speed skillset and is the primary reason the Arizona Diamondbacks have the best record in the National League (20-8). His THREE home runs Monday night are a prime example of his power potential.

Pollock will hope to transition from April to May as smoothly as the transition from the introduction to the rest of this article.

I’m Going To Strike You Out!!

Raise your hand if you know Josh Hader….

Put your hand down, liar.

Josh Hader is a relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. He’s temporarily earning saves while Cory Knebel recovers from a hamstring injury. Monday night, Hader made history. He became the 1st pitcher, since saves became an official statistic in 1969, to strike out 8 batters, in less than 3 innings, while earning a save. 8 strikeouts in 2 and 2/3 innings. That’s some nasty stuff right there.

I guess there’s a reason why it’s never been done before….

Sonny Gray Sighting!!

Okay, quit foolin’ around. Who’s the imposter who pitched in Sonny Gray’s jersey Monday night????

While the Yankees suffered a 2-1 loss to the Astros Monday night, Sonny Gray threw his 2nd quality start of the season:

6 innings, 2 runs, 4 strikeouts, and 3 walks

Not the best start of his career, but encouraging against a powerful Astros’ lineup, on the road. Hopefully Gray will carry the positives from this start into May. Gray’s next start will be Cinco de Mayo, at home, against the Cleveland Indians.

The Yankees have announced they’ll stick with Austin Romine as Gray’s personal catcher.

From Bad To Worse

Remember when the Los Angeles Dodgers were expected to make consecutive World Series appearances?? Remember when the Dodgers had the 3rd highest payroll in MLB?? And remember when, despite having the best starting pitcher and closer in baseball, it ALL fell apart?!

That, would be today….

As if April couldn’t get any worse (12-16), the Dodgers received terrible news Monday. All-star shortstop, Corey Seager, will require season-ending Tommy John Surgery. At just 24, the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year had become a mainstay in a strong Dodgers’ lineup. His power upside coupled with a .302 career batting average made him one of the better shortstops in MLB. We wish him luck in recovery, however, his team, may be past the point of recovery.

What was the best part of the last day of April?? Tell me in the comment section below.

You can find me on the Radio as well. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’m on live, every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. Each show is also broadcast on Facebook Live via: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.
Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NO GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

If You Don’t Enjoy Fun, And Sun, And Puppies (Go Away), But Seriously, This Article Is NOT For You

April 30, 2018April 30, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

The New York Yankees forgot how to lose. LeBron James tried something new. And the Seattle Seahawks broke the mold. I’ve probably said this thousands of times, but sports, in the Springtime, is filled with never ending excitement. And this past weekend, was no different….

Yankees ALWAYS Carry A Broom (Just In Case)

The Los Angeles Angels weren’t able to remind the Yankees what losing feels like. Despite their best effort, the Angels were smacked in the face with a broom this weekend. The Yankees swept the Angels, in Anaheim, for the first time since 2003. C.C. Sabathia turned back the clock, again, Sunday night. C.C. gave up just one run over 7 innings, lowering his e.r.a. to 1.71. Not bad for a 37 year old who remains 4,800 pounds overweight. The Yankees held on 2-1, behind a 4th inning moonshot by Gary Sanchez.

The Yankees will ride their nine game winning streak into Houston for a four-game set with the Astros. As optimistic as I am, I don’t see another sweep in the near future. This Yankee fan will take three-out-of-four though.

LeBron, In A 1st Round Game 7?!

Yes, the best NBA player in the world needed seven games to get past the Indiana Pacers. The 1st round, for LeBron James, is normally reserved for sweeping. Not this year. LeBron gave EVERYTHING he had in Game 7. Planning to play the entire game, LeBron’s body, midway through the 2nd half, intervened. Leg cramps forced LeBron to miss five minutes of action. In turn, the pile of mediocrity LeBron calls teammates was forced to contribute. Tristan Thompson turned back the clock, providing his 1st double-double since February 9th (15 points and 10 rebounds), and Kevin Love made a cameo appearance, scoring 14 points.

Side note: Remember when Kevin Love was a top-10 NBA player?! Seems like a lifetime ago….

LeBron posted 45 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals (just another day at the office). And the LeBrons now have the privilege of heading to Toronto to take on the #1 seed, Toronto Raptors. Game 1 is slated for Tuesday @ 8:00 P.M. EST on TNT.

Public Service Announcement: Allow this game to be a lesson to degenerate gamblers everywhere. If you bet on Cleveland to win (-5.5), you’ve probably broken something in your house, or skipped town. Victor Oladipo hit a MEANINGLESS three-pointer as time expired, bringing the score from 105-98, to 105-101.

A Dream Come True

Shaquem Griffin’s life’s work culminated in a phone call from Seattle Seahawks’ general manager, John Schneider.

“That was the phone call I was waiting my entire life,” Griffin said. “I literally broke down after that. I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know how to talk, I mean, I was just lost for words.”

Griffin, a linebacker from Central Florida, was drafted 141st overall by the Seattle Seahawks (5th round). Griffin, who lost his left hand at the age of four due to a rare condition, became the 1st player with one hand, to be drafted in the NFL. He’ll also join the short list of siblings on the same team, as his brother, Shaquill, was drafted by the Seahawks in 2017.

Griffin is an inspiration for all. No matter the obstacle, you can succeed. No matter the adversity, you can fulfill your dreams. All it takes is a relentless work ethic and positive attitude. That, and approximately 8 million squats, pushups, deadlifts, burpees, wind sprints, tire flips, and pull-ups. You get the idea.

What was your favorite part of the weekend?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

April Showers Bring May….Doubleheaders

April 25, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Don’t let ‘April Showers’ get in your way.

Nearly one month into the season, MLB is having a hard time with that one. Tuesday’s weather caused another setback in an already tumultuous season — and set a MLB record. Despite the rain, wind, ice, freezing temperatures, occasional snow, and holey roofs, MLB’s first month has provided fans with plenty to cheer, or boo.

Rain On My Parade

Despite singing the “Rain, rain, go away” song, the Pirates, Tigers, Orioles and Rays weren’t allowed to play baseball on Tuesday. Inclement weather caused MLB’s 27th and 28th postponement of the season. 28 weather related postponements are the most since the commissioner’s office starting tracking them in 1986 (good year).

The Pirates and Tigers will play a doubleheader Wednesday, starting at 4:05 P.M. EST. The Rays and Orioles will make up their game during a doubleheader on May 12th.

Matt Harvey Stinks

Matt Harvey’s season isn’t going as planned. After four horrific starts, Harvey was banished (kicking and screaming) to the bullpen. Players usually over perform during a contract year. Harvey, apparently, didn’t receive that memo. Tuesday night, in St. Louis, Harvey made his season debut from the bullpen. He was asked to pitch the 5th and 6th inning in a tie game (4-4).

HOLD UP!!

Paging Mickey Callaway!! Was Matt Harvey’s 1st bullpen appearance during a tie game, on the road?!?! What’s the opposite of smart????

He was, uh, less than stellar (shocking). He coughed up 1 run, on 2 hits, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts (on a whopping 35 pitches). I’d say it can’t get worse, but I’d be lying….

El Gary

Just click, watch until 1:46, and enjoy:

A monumental blast from Gary Sanchez, his 2nd of the game. Sanchez has been, well, Gary Sanchez over his past three games:

4 for 11 (.364), 2 home runs, and 5 rbi

Sanchez will likely be the designated hitter Wednesday, as Austin Romine is expected to catch Sonny Gray.

Oh, and all those who panicked a week ago, check the AL East standings now. All it takes is a four game winning streak from the Yankees to coincide with a three game losing streak by the Red Sox, and a seven-and-a-half game division lead becomes four in a hurry.

The Best Player No One Knows

How is it possible the best player in a major sport is virtually unknown?! Mike Trout has been the best player in MLB for at least six years.

90% of the population wouldn’t recognize Mike Trout if they bumped into him on the street.

Through 24 games, Mike Trout has 10 home runs. Reread. Reprocess. Re-understand.

10 home runs through 24 games puts Trout on pace for 67 home runs. Oh, and he’s hitting .308 with 5 stolen bases. Oh, and he’s also the best defensive outfielder in MLB. Oh, and he’s also 26.

The 10% thank you Mike Trout. Please keep up the unbelievable work!!

What is the biggest takeaway from the first month of MLB?? Post your brilliant thoughts in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

Hey New York, Get Your S*** Together!!

April 23, 2018April 23, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

New York.

It’s literally the greatest place on earth. It’s science. A fact.

Ya know, I suddenly understand why the rest of the world hates us….

Over the past decade, New York’s elite status in the sports world has diminished. The championship drought New York is experiencing is unacceptable:

Jets – 1969

Knicks – 1973

Islanders – 1983

Mets – 1986

Rangers – 1994

Yankees – 2009

Giants – 2011

Like you, I’m unimpressed. **Photo Album is for nostalgic purposes only. You don’t need photographs of the 2009 Yankees and 2011 Giants!!

(And no, the Bills, Devils, and Nets don’t count!!)

Now I know Cincinnati (28 years), Minnesota (27 years), and Washington D.C. (27 years) will tell us to cry a river, but this is New York. New York shouldn’t go seven years, and counting, without a championship.

With the Knicks, Islanders, Rangers, Jets, and Giants missing the postseason by wild margins this year, all of New York’s eggs rest in the Yankees’ Easter basket.

With World Series or bust expectations for the Yankees, panic started to reverberate throughout the city when they got off to a 5-6 start. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Panic, in April, is as absurd as thinking the Cleveland Browns will win a Super Bowl in your lifetime. Yes, that goes for newborn babies too.

Fresh off a series win (three of four) against the Toronto Blue Jays, have the Yankees turned a corner??

They closed out their four-game series with a 5-1 victory over former Yankee, Jaime Garcia and now stand at 11-9. Luis Severino was fantastic — again. And Yankees’ top-prospect, Gleyber Torres, made his Major League debut.

They’ll look to carry this momentum into a four-game series (at home) against the Minnesota Twins. Another series win would be optimal, as their next 13 come against the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. Yikes.

Speaking of the Red Sox, the only time you’ll find them in the loss column is via a no-hitter.

Warning: Objective Yankee fan moment coming….

The Red Sox got robbed during Sean Manaea’s no-hitter Saturday. Andrew Benintendi avoided a tag while running to first base, but was called out for being out of the base path (despite being originally called safe). Watch the play, courtesy of Baseball Rules Academy, here. Technically, a base runner can’t go three feet or more outside the base path, but technically, you can’t jaywalk….

Anyway, the moral of the story is, baseball is an incredibly long season. The Yankees dug themselves a nice size hole, but they have 142 more games to dig themselves out.

Everyone relax. Except Boston. You people panic. All day. Every day.

Have the Yankees turned a corner?? Or is this fools gold?? Tell me in the comment section below.

Losing Breeds Champions

April 18, 2018April 18, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Losing is a good thing.

Wait, that didn’t come out right. Losing, can be a good thing, if used for fuel to light a fire under your rear end. When facing adversity, some teams, or individuals, curl up (for some reason it’s always in a corner) into the fetal position while others stand up and fight. The question is: When you’re backed into a corner, who are you??

LeBron James

Adversity in the first round of the playoffs and LeBron James haven’t often collided in the same sentence. LeBron’s loss Sunday was his first in game one, of round one, in his career. THAT’S INSANE!!

LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers will bounce back. There’s no doubt. By how much?? We’ll get there, relax.

The Cavaliers were 8-34 from three-point range in game one. That won’t happen again.

Kevin Love scored just nine points. That won’t happen again.

The Cavaliers scored 15 points or less in two quarters. That won’t happen again.

And LeBron James scored ZERO points in the first quarter (on one FG attempt). That won’t happen again.

Watch LeBron James do ‘Superman’ things tonight @ 7:00 P.M. EST on TNT.

Score Prediction: Cavaliers 110, Pacers 97

New York Yankees

Watching the New York Yankees play baseball Tuesday evening, at 6:35 p.m.?!, was one of the most excruciating experiences of my life. No, I’m not overreacting. And no, I’m not panicking in April. But yes, I’m unbelievably disappointed in a 9-1 loss to the MIAMI MARLINS!!

Giancarlo Stanton finished yet another game 0-4 with 2 strikeouts, bringing his batting average to a stellar .167. Stanton’s been awful. Terrible. Horrid. But, he can’t get worse. Also, in MLB, established players always play to the back of their baseball card.

.240, 27 home runs, and 90 r.b.i. is on the way.

Tuesday’s disaster sent pain waves throughout Yankee Nation for a multitude of reasons:

1.) Heading into Monday, the Miami Marlins were tied with the 3rd worst record in baseball (4-12).

2.) The Yankees pummeled the Marlins 12-1 on Monday.

3.) The Yankees were no-hit through 4 1/3 innings by Jarlin Garcia, and finished with just 1 run on 4 hits (Garcia pitched 10 1/3 innings of consecutive no-hit baseball).

4.) Masahiro Tanaka was painstakingly bad. Tanaka has now given up 6 earned runs in consecutive starts.

Again, panic is not allowed in my house in April. If the Yankees are dealing with this many injuries, and continue playing this way, through June, we’ll panic together.

Until then, let’s hope the Yankees are prepared to fight their way out of a corner.

Yankee fans, are you panicking?? If so, calm down, then pour your heart out in the comment section below.

APRIL; Where The Four Major Sports Collide

April 16, 2018April 17, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

April is an interesting month.

The NBA and NHL playoffs, a.k.a. the never-ending journeys, begin. MLB gets under way (sort of). And the NFL sprinkles breaking news on top of the sports world to stay relevant.

NBA Playoffs

If you already knew the outcome of a game, or series, would you still watch?? Well you already do, so don’t lie to me. Everyone knows the Golden State Warriors are going to win another NBA championship, yet we watch the NBA playoffs anyway.

Sunday’s round 1 drama was a good excuse to watch the meaningless. While the Milwaukee Bucks ultimately fell to the Boston Celtics 113-107 F/OT, no one will doubt their effort. Check out the shot that sent this game to overtime:

Wild!!

LeBron James, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, should be ashamed of themselves. They were outclassed by the Indiana Pacers on their home court Sunday afternoon. 98-80. No need to check your spectacles. The Cavaliers scored just 80 points, at home, in the playoffs. I do, however, feel bad for the Pacers. LeBron is going to do unspeakable things to them in Game 2. You’ll have to wait until WEDNESDAY NIGHT @ 7:00 P.M.!! Hence the never-ending part.

NHL Playoffs

I don’t really like Pittsburgh. I don’t like Philadelphia. I really don’t like Boston. But Las Vegas I like. There’s a reason to enjoy the Las Vegas Golden Knights’ dominance over the Los Angeles Kings. Have your brooms handy?? Never has an NHL team gone from expansion team to Stanley Cup Champion in one year. Maybe, just maybe, this is the year. It would make me a hell of a lot happier than Sydney Crosby hoisting another trophy over his puny head.

MLB Season

Jackie Robinson Day deserves a do-over. Only 10 out of a potential 16 games were played Sunday. The rest — rained/snowed out.

Despite actually losing a game (snapping a nine-game winning streak), the Mets got right back to their winning ways:

We must give a shout-out to Big Fat Bartolo Colon!! At the ripe old age of 44, Colon flirted with a perfect game Sunday night. Colon’s perfect game, no-hitter, and shutout were erased on consecutive batters. The first baserunner of the game was Carlos Correa (8th inning walk). Followed by a Josh Reddick double. Followed by a Yuli Gurriel sacrifice fly. The Rangers would hold on to win 3-1 F/10.

Who needs 98 m.p.h. when you have 86 m.p.h. with movement and location?!

Bye-Bye Dez

One of the more overrated “superstars” in recent NFL history, Dez Bryant, is looking for work. In an era when wide receivers exceed 1,000 yards by accident, Dez hasn’t done so since 2014. And Friday afternoon, the Dallas Cowboys sent Dez packing. This wasn’t a financial move, as the Cowboys will save just $4 million of Dez’s $12.5 million salary this upcoming season. As an unbiased outsider, I enjoy this story. Dez is easy to dislike thanks to his overtly cocky attitude, underwhelming production, and Dallas Cowboys jersey.

What is your favorite part of April?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

Raucous Rivalry Renewed!!

April 12, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Greatest Rivalry In Sports

The hate is real. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox don’t like each other. And those feelings resurfaced Wednesday night. After Tyler Wade dropped down a bunt in the 3rd inning, Tyler Austin slid into 2nd base, trying to beat the throw. Austin came into 2nd base hard, intentionally sliding into Red Sox shortstop, Brock Holt’s leg. While Austin did clip the back of Holt’s leg, it wasn’t bench clearing brawl worthy.

As you can see, no punches were thrown, just choice words. But then, in the 7th inning, Joe Kelly retaliated, plunking Austin in the back. Austin wasn’t a happy camper:

Four ejections later, rivalry renewed.

My favorite part of this was Brock Holt’s thought process (referring to Judge and Stanton) during the brawl. “Yeah, I’m not trying to get involved with any of those guys,” Holt said. “I mean, not just those two. They have a pretty big team over there.”

Way to have your team’s back Brock!!

p.s. The Yankees put up 4 runs on David Price in the 1st inning, knocking him out of the game. The Yankees own him. After the dust settled, the Yankees would hang on, for a much needed, 10-7 victory.

Will The Mets Ever Lose Again?!

Miami Marlins’ pitcher, Jarlin Garcia, will have to wait to allow his 1st hit as a starter. He’ll also have to wait for his first win as a starter.

The New York Mets are riding an 8-game winning streak, following their 4-1 victory over the Marlins. The Mets, no offense fans, had no business winning this game. Marlins manager, Don Mattingly, lost this game (intentionally?). Donnie Baseball did something that should be illegal. He pulled his starting pitcher with a NO HITTER THROUGH SIX INNINGS (77 pitches)!!!!

WHAT THE WHAT?!?!

That makes no sense. That’s not baseball. That’s sabotage.

If Garcia was a rookie, making his 1st appearance in a MLB game, I’d almost understand. But this, wasn’t that. Garcia appeared in 68 games in 2017 (as a reliever). His arm could have handled 30-40 more pitches in an attempt at MLB’s 297th no hitter.

Be ashamed Don Mattingly. Be very ashamed.

Could New York sports teams possibly provide us with more news??

Yes. Yes they could.

Check back with DaveTalksSports.com for BREAKING NEWS from the New York Knicks….

With Every Valley, A Peak

April 11, 2018April 11, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

It’s EARLY.

Not just in the morning but in the MLB season.

Teams off to a ‘hot’ start will regress, and teams who can’t buy a win will do just that. It’s baseball. It’s 162 games. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The instantaneous reaction generation can’t handle these moments.

On Monday, the Yankees could be the best team in MLB history.

And on Tuesday, they could be the biggest disappointment the world has ever seen.

Of course, a 14-1 loss, to a division rival, is never beneficial, but game 1 of 19 between the Red Sox and Yankees doesn’t determine the AL East.

Seriously though, letting the Red Sox drop a 9-spot in the 6th inning is not a recipe for success. Neither is starting Shane Robinson in centerfield, but that’s a different story….

Red Sox

Subjectively, I hate their guts. Objectively, they’re a really solid team. Those who wrote the Red Sox off, and crowned the Yankees AL East champs in March, were sorely mistaken. The Red Sox have been a well run organization since forever. Despite most Yankee fans’ distorted memories, the Red Sox have won the AL East the past 2 years (and 3 out of the last 5). This division will be hard fought all season (especially if David Price’s early season resurrection is real).

Yankees

Yes, I’m a Yankee fan. I want them to win every game. However, I don’t fit in with the typical Yankee fan. While I’ve been spoiled with their success throughout my life (I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s), I understand baseball. I understand reality.

They aren’t going to go 162-0. They may not play November baseball. And they aren’t the best lineup ever constructed. They will, however, level out. They’ll get healthy. They’ll win approximately 90 games. And they’ll make the playoffs.

Everyone calm down.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The folklore of ‘Sister Jean’ continues. After famously assisting Loyola-Chicago’s men’s basketball team to the Final Four, she’s moved on to baseball. Sister Jean was invited to throw out the 1st pitch at Tuesday’s, Chicago Cubs’ home-opener.

Not bad Sister Jean, not bad.

Unfortunately, the Cubs weren’t able to harness Sister Jean’s winning power, as they fell 8-5 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have gotten off to a red hot start (8-2), while the Cubs have struggled (5-5). The Pirates have scored 66 runs through their 1st 10 games, the most since 1923. The Cubs, however, played their 1st 9 games on the road, and are without all-star, 1st baseman, Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo landed on the 10-day DL Tuesday with back tightness.

Expect the Pirates to cool off and the Cubs to grab hold of the division in the near future.

What are your thoughts on the MLB season so far?? Post your genius in the comment section below.

The Mets Win — Again?!

April 10, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

THEY should enjoy IT while it lasts.

They; the New York Mets. It; winning.

The Mets have been the biggest surprise of the early season, boasting an MLB best, 8-1 record. They’re currently riding a 6-game winning streak, which includes a 4-game sweep of their bitter rival; the Washington Nationals (in Washington).

How are they doing it??

A simple, one-word answer will suffice: Pitching.

Heading into the season, the writing was on the wall. The Mets would go as far as their pitching staff goes. Just one season ago, 80% of the Mets’ starting rotation succumbed to injury. Hell, it seemed like 80% of the roster was injured last season. The Mets are hoping improved offseason workout regiments, coupled with a new training staff, will keep their arms out of the trainer’s room. So far, so good. Mets’ manager, Mickey Callaway, who’s been a successful pitching coach for years, is also looking to utilize his pitching staff in a more effective manner.

85, 101, 89, 86, 92, 86, 93, 85, 90.

Those would be the pitch counts of the Mets’ starting pitchers in their first nine games. Outside of Jacob deGrom throwing 101 pitches in game #2, Callaway has made a concerted effort to limit his starting pitcher’s usage. THIS IS SMART (especially in April). Granted, this strategy can ultimately overwork their bullpen, but Callaway plans to stretch his starting pitchers out by May. This will relieve some pressure from his relievers (pun intended).

It also doesn’t hurt that 4 Mets’ relievers have yet to give up a run. IT ALSO DOESN’T HURT that Jason Vargas, the Mets’ 5th starter, has yet to pitch in the regular season. Vargas is expected to return the last week of April from a broken bone in his non-pitching hand. He’ll add depth and experience to an already talented rotation.

We’ll see if the Mets can continue their winning ways Tuesday @ 7:10 p.m., on SNY, against the Miami Marlins. Jacob deGrom will look to build on his impressive start to the season.

Is the Mets’ start real, or a mirage?? How many games will the Mets win this season?? Post your prediction in the comment section below.

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