Category: MLB

The Sports World’s Amazing Weekend

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

crosby

When it’s 95 degrees outside, you can either go to the beach or do what I did. Yup. I sat in an air conditioned living room and watched sports all weekend. As my Boston people would say, “That was wicked smart.” It was a good weekend to reacquaint yourself with the special a** groove in your couch, because the sports world was busy. Let’s start with the most important (but probably least watched) sporting event of the weekend:

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Following a bad loss in Game 5, the Nashville Predators were happy to head home. Prior to Game 6, the Predators stood an impressive 9-1 in their home arena in the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Predators, the Pittsburgh Penguins handed them their 2nd home loss. The Penguins broke a scoreless tie 58 minutes and 35 seconds into the game, scoring what would be the game winning goal. They would add an empty-net goal 1 minute and 21 seconds later, securing a 2-0 victory. And just like that, the Pittsburgh Penguins became the first team in 20 years to win back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships. Sidney Crosby (duh) won the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP of the Playoffs) for the 2nd straight year. I don’t normally talk about shoulda, woulda, couldas..but ah..what the hell. The Predators actually scored in this game. Just 1 minute and 7 seconds into the 2nd period, Colton Sissons had a goal erased by a quick whistle. The goal shoulda counted, but we can’t go back in time. Also, Sissons and fellow Predator, Filip Forsberg, both hit the post in the 3rd period. That sucks! I feel for the Predators, as their run through the playoffs was fun to watch. Better luck next year!

NBA FINALS

No sweep. No history. Well, history was still made, just not by the Golden State Warriors. The Cleveland Cavaliers finally won a game (137-116), and they did it in historic fashion. When so many changes are made to the record books, a list is necessary:

  1. The Cavaliers scored 49 points in the 1st quarter
  2. The Cavaliers scored 86 points in the 1st half
  3. The Cavaliers made 24 3-pointers
  4. Lebron James recorded his 9th triple-double in the Finals (breaking Magic Johnson’s record)
  5. Dahntay Jones became the 1st player to get a technical foul from the bench in the NBA Finals (I don’t actually know if this is true – but I think it’s really funny)
  6. Lebron James passed Michael Jordan for 3rd all-time in points scored in the NBA Finals (trailing only Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

Heading into Game 4, the Golden State Warriors were looking to become the 1st team in NBA history to sweep through the playoffs at 16-0. If they win Game 5 they will still be in rarified air. They will join the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers and the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers as the only 1-loss teams to win a championship.

All you Lebron fanatics can pump the brakes. Don’t expect the Cavaliers to hit 24 3-pointers and score 137 points again. You can also expect Lebron, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love not to combine for 94 points again. The Cavaliers are David Wells. They are capable of throwing a Perfect Game, but they aren’t bringing home a Cy Young Award anytime soon. Expect the Warriors to roll in Game 5. 124-111. Warriors win another title. Book it.

U.S.A. VS. MEXICO

Soccer?! Yes. We are going to talk about soccer. Have you ever seen anyone happier to end in a draw before?? That is the question to ask following a draw between U.S.A. and Mexico on Sunday night. You’d think U.S.A. had just won the World Cup. The two nations squared off in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match. The match was played in front of 87,000 screaming fans in Estadio Azteca, the famed stadium in the heart of Mexico City. Michael Bradley of U.S.A. scored a shocking goal (from about 40 yards out) just 6 minutes into the match. But, thanks to incredibly poor defense by U.S.A, Mexico tied the match in the 23rd minute when Carlos Vela ran untouched for what seemed like 8 miles before putting home a left-footed strike from just outside the box. The match would end in a 1-1 draw. Maybe there is reason to celebrate, as the U.S.A earned just their 3rd win or draw in 22 tries playing in Mexico City. Pop the champagne……?

AARON JUDGE FOR MVP

Before you laugh, check out the numbers. If the MLB season ended today, Aaron Judge would be the Rookie of the Year and MVP. That hasn’t been done since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. Aaron Judge is hitting .344 with 21 home runs and 47 r.bi.’s. Yup, that would give Judge the lead in the Triple Crown. Plus, Judge’s Yankees are in 1st place in the American League East with a record of 37-23. PLUS, Aaron Judge hits baseballs really, really FAR. Yes, that baseball really travelled 496 feet. That would be the longest home run since ESPN began tracking distance in 2009. The Yankees are now riding a 5-game winning streak. In their last 5 games, the Yankees have scored a total of 57 runs. That is insane!! This offensive outburst is still being done without future 1st baseman Greg Bird. As good as the offense has been, it is the pitching that has the Yankees in 1st place on June 12th. C.C. Sabathia’s resurgence has been the untold storyline of the Yankees’ season. Let’s hope it continues.

RAFAEL NADAL

And last but not least….words you’ve heard many times before. 10 times now to be exact. Yes. Rafael Nadal won his 10th French Open title. What words could I possibly find to explain the greatness that is Rafael Nadal?? I don’t know, but I’ll try. He is the best clay-court tennis player ever. We have never seen a player this dominant at anything..ever. Not Wayne Gretzky on ice. Not Bill Russell on the hardwood. And no, not Tom Brady on the gridiron. Rafael Nadal dominates clay like nothing we’ve ever seen. Think about this. Nadal just won the French Open without dropping a set in the ENTIRE TOURNAMENT!! The finals was about as anti-climatic as they come. He defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. At age 31, Nadal is finally healthy again, and that means only one thing..the sky is the limit.

With all these fantastic sporting events on TV this weekend, what did you watch?? Tell me what was on your TV in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

Will The Real Masahiro Tanaka Please Stand Up

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

tanaka

There is something wrong with Masahiro Tanaka. Entering an important 3-game series with the Boston Red Sox, Tanaka took the hill on Tuesday night. He has been, how do you say this, less than stellar so far this season. I’m being wayyyy to nice..HE’S PITCHING LIKE POOP!! That’s better. Tanaka’s struggles continued last night. He gave up 5 earned runs in just 5 innings, serving up 3 home runs. Chad Green and the Yankees’ bullpen gave their team a chance, holding the Red Sox to those 5 runs. The Yankees scratched and clawed their way back into the game, losing 5-4. Red Sox closer, Craig Kimbrel, recorded a 4-out save (his 17th of the season), and the Yankees’ lead in the American League East is now just 1 lonely game.

Let’s take a deeper look at Tanaka’s first 12 starts of the season. I’m going to hit you with some stats and numbers now, so dust off those thinking caps and slap ’em on….

He is the owner of a shiny, brand spankin’ new E.R.A of 6.55. He is averaging just over 5 innings per start and has now given up 17 home runs in just 66 innings. Not exactly a recipe for success. With all the question marks surrounding the Yankees’ starting rotation to begin the season, Tanaka was supposed to be the anchor. The rock. The immovable object. Yeah, not so much. In the first game of the year, Tanaka was shelled to the tune of 7 runs in 2 and 2/3 innings. And he has now given up 5 or more runs in 4 of his last 5 starts. Yikes!!

The question is: Is this the real Masahiro Tanaka or will this be just an ugly blip on the radar?? As a Yankees fan, I’m hoping for the latter, but I’m not sure. If you believe Tanaka’s 3-year MLB track record is enough to prove he will ‘right the ship’, then I’ll have what you’re having. You can check out his career stats here. If you’re too lazy to click there, here is a quick overview of Tanaka’s stats. Entering this season, Tanaka had an impressive E.R.A. of just over 3.00 and sported a W.H.I.P. (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched) around 1.00. He had struck out just over 8 batters per 9 innings, and had won at least 12 games every year. Those numbers represent the ace of your pitching staff. Not the guy who’s being outpitched by 36-year old, C.C. Sabathia.

The Yankees first 55 games have shown they are contenders. The young roster is filled with exciting offensive talent, their bullpen is fantastic, and their starting rotation as a whole has exceeded expectations. The 2nd question is: How long can they continue to run this version of Masahiro Tanaka out to the mound every 5 days?? I’m also not sure of the right answer here, but I have an idea. If I were the Yankees, I would put Masahiro Tanaka on the fake disabled list. I’d have the trainer conjure an elbow injury out of thin air, and I’d place Tanaka on the 10-day disabled list. This could give him time to get his mind right and focus on pitching deeper into games and deeper into the season. IF the Yankees are going to make the playoffs, Masahiro Tanaka needs to pitch better. Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez can only bail out their pitchers so many times before the well runs dry.

Will Masahiro Tanaka turn his season around?? Will the Yankees make the playoffs?? Give me your opinion in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

The Sports World Moves Pretty Fast..If You Don’t Stop And Look Around Every Once In A While..You May Miss It

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

tiger woods

A lot can happen in the sports world in 6 days. For those who don’t know me, I was on vacation for the past 6 days, so Dave hasn’t Talked Sports in a while. Let us have a look at what happened while I was gone:

Tiger Woods

Oh how the mighty have fallen. That may be the biggest understatement in the history of sports. Let’s travel back to 2009. Tiger Woods had a squeaky clean image. He was seemingly happily married with children. He had more money than he knew what to do with. And it seemed like a foregone conclusion he would surpass Jack Nicklaus’ Majors Record. Yeah..not so much. Instead, Woods was living a double life, littered with countless affairs. Woods has not won a Major since and has frequently been injured. And on Tuesday, May 29th, 2017, Woods hit what we hope is rock-bottom. He was found sleeping in his car at 3:00 a.m. in Jupiter, Florida. He was arrested and charged with a DUI. Despite blowing a 0.0 on the breathalyzer, Woods was extremely disoriented and confused during the traffic stop. Must have been quite the cocktail. The footage can be seen here. For he and his children’s sake, I hope he gets the help he clearly needs.

Bryce Harper

Who knew Bryce Harper liked to throw down?! After being hit by San Francisco Giants’ pitcher Hunter Strickland in the 8th inning of Tuesday’s game, Harper charged the mound. And after the worst helmet throw in the history of the world, Harper connected with a decent right hook to Strickland’s face. Now, I find this entire situation ridiculous but at the same time highly entertaining.

So you’re telling me that because Harper hit 2 home runs off Strickland nearly 3 years ago, Strickland needed to retaliate?!?! Retaliate for what?! Being really good at baseball?? Hey Hunter, newsflash, if you don’t want Bryce Harper to trot around the bases on you……PITCH BETTER!! This was the most inane form of retaliation I’ve ever seen on a baseball field, and while I’m not a Bryce Harper fan, I don’t blame him one bit for throwing a haymaker Strickland’s way. For footage of the brawl, click here.

Mr. Met

Oh Mr. Met…..

Watch the footage first, then we’ll talk. Click here please.

Can the New York Metropolitans do anything right? The answer would most definitely be NO!! They can’t win. They can’t stay healthy. They can’t stay out of the news. And apparently, they can’t choose a mascot right.

Dear Mr. Met,

I know you are frustrated. Any Mets fan should be. The Mets stink, and there is no sunshine around the corner. I get it. But big head – ya gotta keep your cool. In 2017, everyone and their grandmother has a cell phone, and 90% of the time it is already recording something. So did you really think that middle finger and twirl combination wasn’t going to go viral?! You dummy!!

Sincerely,

DaveTalksSports

I guess Mr. Met’s position will be in the Help Wanted section today, but I ponder….how will we know he was really replaced??

Stanley Cup Finals

The Pittsburgh Penguins, on their home ice, have been outplayed by the Nashville Predators. However, they are up 2 games to 0 in the Stanley Cup Finals. Funny how that works huh?? The Predators have outshot the Penguins 64 to 39 through the first 2 games of this series. The Penguins are looking to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998. I expect Nashville to bounce back and grab Game 3 on their home ice. Ultimately I believe the Penguins will repeat as champions. You can tune into Game 3 on NBC Sports on Saturday at 8:00 p.m EST to catch all the action.

NBA Finals

Lebron James. You’ve probably heard of him. Well, he is playing in his 7th consecutive NBA Finals, and he is looking to win back-to-back championships for the 2nd time in his career. This year marks the 1st time in NBA history that 2 teams will meet in the NBA Finals in 3 consecutive seasons. I certainly hope Cavaliers/Warriors III is better than X-Men III. What a hunk of crap that was….

Ah yes, the Super Teams meet again. Is it good for the league? Is it bad for the league? Wellllll, it depends on who you are. If you own an NBA team it’s great (because they’re making truck loads of $$..duh). If you are an avid NBA fan it sucks, but you are hoping and praying this finals series makes up for the dumpster fire we’ve had to endure to get to this point. As great as Lebron is, I can’t see the Warriors losing this series. I think they will continue to be too much for opposing defenses to handle. Warriors in 6. Book it!! Check out Game 1 tonight at the absurd start time of 9:00 p.m. EST on ABC. Helllllooooooo Cafeeeiiinnneeee….

 

Who do you think will win the NBA Finals? In how many games? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

There’s No Better Way To Spend Mother’s Day Than Watching Sports….Right?

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

jeter

First things first. Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all the mother’s out there. I hope you all enjoyed your day. My mother has always been an inspiration to me, and I want to thank her for everything she has ever done for me. I also want to wish my wife a beautiful Mother’s Day as well.

Derek Sanderson Jeter intentionally chose Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14th) for his number retirement ceremony. He said he wanted to honor his mother and to thank his entire family for driving him to success. Jeter’s ceremony went exactly like everything went in his career; PERFECT. The same unfortunately can’t be said for the game that followed (the Yankees lost 10-7 to the Astros). Jeter had his number 2 retired, received his plaque that will rest amongst other Yankees’ greats in Monument Park, and then was handed the microphone.

Jeter, as always, kept it classy San Diego. Jeter thanked everyone there is to thank: mother’s everywhere (especially his own and his wife who is a soon-to-be mother), coaches, teammates, and last but not least Yankees fans. I felt the most memorable part of his speech was this: “You know, you play here in New York for 20 years,” Jeter said. “I learned that time flies, memories fade, but family is forever and I’ll be eternally grateful to be a part of the Yankees family, so I can’t thank you guys enough. Thank you very much.” Who could say it better? None other than ‘The Captain’.

On the basketball side of things, Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals had families all over the world late for reservations. What started as a 25-point deficit for the Golden State Warriors (on their home court), ended as a painful, gut wrenching loss for the San Antonio Spurs. Not only did they blow said 25-point lead, but they lost their best player (Kawhi Leonard), again, to an ankle injury. The Warriors didn’t wait long to pounce on the opportunity. They immediately went on an 18-0 run and outscored the Spurs by 23 following Leonard’s early exit. The Warriors won 113-111 to grab a 1-0 lead in the series. Leonard’s status remains up in the air but it doesn’t look promising. Game 2 will be played on Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. on ESPN.

You can tune in to TNT tonight at 8:00 P.M. to watch Game 7 of the Boston Celtics vs. the Washington Wizards. The winner gets the esteemed honor of being pummeled by Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a thrilling game 6, won by John Wall’s heroic 3-pointer, what kind of drama will tonight’s game bring? I say we get another tight one, Celtics 104-Wizards 100. Book it!

What did you think of Derek Jeter’s ceremony? Who will win Game 7 of the Celtics vs. Wizards game? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

Yankees Continue Their Winning Ways

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

aaron judge 2

A lot can change in 30 games. Doubters can become believers. Casual fans can become die-hard fans. And kids can become adults. That is exactly What has transpired With the 2017 New York Yankees. The ‘baby bombers’ have lost their diapers, skipped past the pull-ups stage, and jumped right into boxer briefs. They are shattering expectations one home-run at a time.

After Monday night’s 10-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the Yankees now hold Major League Baseball’s best record (21-9). This is following a 1-4 start to the season, so the Yankees have actually gone on a 20-5 run in their last 25 games. That’s insane! Anyway….

They continue to Win decisively, as 13 of their 21 victories have been decided by 3 runs or more. The Yankees, led by a powerful offense, have become no stranger to the long ball. No team has hit more home runs per game than the Yankees. They currently average 1.66 home runs per game, having hit 50 in their first 30 games. Yup, you guessed it. Aaron Judge leads the team with 13 home runs.

Prior to the season their starting pitching staff was riddled with question marks. These questions have all been answered with the affirmative, so far. The Yankees pitching staff ranks 4th in e.r.a (earned run average – 3.52) and 1st in b.a.a. (opponents batting average – .227). We knew their bullpen would be stellar, and it has been, but many expected their starters to falter. Well outside of C.C. Sabathia’s last two starts, the Yankees’ starting pitchers have been very good. But hey, pssst….guess what the Yankees did in C.C.’s last two starts?? That’s right..they Won.

Your level of success is often measured by expectations. Every year, the machine at ESPN asks 35 of their baseball experts to predict the playoffs for the upcoming season (click here to check it out). As you can see, only 1 expert (Steve Wulf) picked the Yankees to Win the American League East Division. And I think these expectations, While appropriate, are exactly what the Yankees needed. The young core of the new look Yankees didn’t need the pressure of trying to live up to the 1998 Yankees. Who could anyway right?? This Yankees regime may have gone from sellers to buyers in just one year. But, as the season flips the calendar from June to October, and the Yankees continue their Winning Ways, pressure will mount naturally. The question is, how Will Aaron Judge and his young brethren handle the pressure?

As a life long Yankees fan, nothing Would make me happier than a historical World Series run, but I am one of the few realistic Yankees’ fans that has ever existed. As fun as this team has been to watch, and as good as I think they will be for years to come, I expect the other shoe to drop at some point during the season. While I don’t expect them to implode, I do expect them to come back to reality, slightly. Between the pressure that inherently joins us in August and September and the inevitable peaks and valleys of a marathon baseball season, I see the Yankees finishing as the 1st Wild-Card Playoff Team. Don’t jump me yet! Just keep Watching Yankees games, keep reading DaveTalksSports.com, and check back in September so I can say ‘I told ya so!’

What do you think? Will the Yankees continue to win at this rapid rate, or will they cool off as the summer heats up? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my Writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as Well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

Matt Harvey..Wait..Turn Around..You’re Going The WRONG WAY!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

matt-harvey-and-the-mets-are-a-disaster-right-now-1441492017

I wish people would tell the truth. I wish the New York Mets would tell the truth. I wish Matt Harvey would tell the truth. I wish….hey where the hell did you come from genie?! What do you mean I only get 3 wishes?? Who the f*** asked you?! I’m busy talking about Matt Harvey, aka the ‘Fat Disaster’. Get back in your bottle!

Matt Harvey’s career has been tumultuous to say the least. We used to call him ‘The Dark Knight’. Now, we call him the double-chinned drama queen. Harvey burst onto the scene in 2012. He pitched extremely well in his first 2 seasons. He even started the 2013 All-Star Game before succumbing to the all-mighty Tommy John Surgery at the end of that season. Harvey would miss the entire 2014 season while in recovery but bounced back to all-star form in 2015. Despite his renewed success, Harvey’s laundry list of antics began during the 2015 postseason.

In the midst of the Mets’ World Series run in 2015, Harvey thought it would be a good idea to ‘go out’ and ‘party it up’. That’s all well and good during the offseason, but not smack dab in the middle of the postseason. Especially when your night out causes you to miss a mandatory workout. Harvey’s 2016 couldn’t have gone worse. His e.r.a. ballooned to nearly 5.00, and he was shut-down midseason with thoracic outlet syndrome. His return this season was highly anticipated, as the baseball world wanted to see how he would bounce back this time. After winning his first 2 outings, it’s been as they’d say all downhill from there.

ENTER NEW RIDICULOUS DRAMA HERE ———> Matt Harvey has been suspended for 3 games without pay for violation of team rules. Harvey failed to show up to the ballpark for Saturday’s game, as first reported by Fox Sports. Oh now you put your foot down with your star pitcher?! Where were these brass balls last week when Thor was putting the hammer down?! And on Sunday, Harvey’s scheduled day to start against the Miami Marlins, he was sent home. This has led to a mountain of speculation. Upon announcement of the suspension, Mets’ General Manager Sandy Alderson would not specify the reason for the suspension. Instead, he read a prepared statement, and then hung Manager Terry Collins out to dry. Yeah, because Collins always holds up under pressure from reporters. The Mets essentially threw Sunday’s game away with last night’s trash, calling up Triple-A pitcher Adam Wilk (he gave up 6 runs in 3 and 2/3 innings, leading to a 7-0 loss).

The Mets story is they are fed up with Harvey’s behavior. They claim this suspension is a culmination of his poor attitude and actions over the past few seasons. They also claim Harvey made no attempt to contact the club prior to his absence. Harvey is claiming he had a migraine and tried to contact the Mets but to no avail. He couldn’t get in touch with them?! Was he using a freakin’ carrier pigeon?! As with any story there are 3 sides: your side, my side, and the TRUTH.

Harvey likes to party. That’s why he missed that mandatory workout in 2015, that’s why he pitched like poop when he got moved up in the rotation last week (nothing helps a quality start quite like a raging hangover), and that’s why he didn’t show up on Saturday. It was also reported that Harvey was seen playing golf on Saturday. Maybe he and Yoenis Cespedes do have something in common. The story is Matt Harvey doesn’t care about anything but Matt Harvey. He is more committed to landing in the headlines than landing in the win column. And now, Harvey has filed a grievance against the Mets. YAY!! What a great idea!! Because nothing says sign me to a long-term contract like filing a grievance against your own team. I wouldn’t expect Harvey to change his ways anytime soon, and in the mean time we will watch his e.r.a rise as his value falls.

What do you think about Matt Harvey’s behavior? What do you think really led to his suspension? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

So Many Sports, So Little Time

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

gausman

Wednesday was a busy day in the sports world. Too much for one person to handle some might say. But I’m here, so I may as well give it a shot….

NBA

Wednesday night showcased two NBA playoff matchups. Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers steamrolled the Toronto Raptors (125-103), taking a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Lebron did what he does, scoring 39 points while adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Just another day at the office huh?? Lebron’s 39 points were special because he passed Kareem-Abdul Jabbar for 2nd all-time on the playoff scoring list. Bad became worse for the Raptors as Kyle Lowry went down in the 3rd quarter with a left ankle injury. Lowry would return to the game, but with a noticeable limp, so I’d call Lowry questionable at best for Game 3.

The late game Wednesday night was Game 2 of the Houston Rockets vs. the San Antonio Spurs. The storyline here was simple: after a lopsided Game 1 win by the Rockets, how would the Spurs respond? And they responded exactly as I expected, with a 121-96 victory. Kawhi Leonard showed the world why he is an MVP candidate. Leonard dominated the offensive side of things with 34 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Tony Parker also had a good game, however, he had to be carried off the court during the 4th quarter when his left knee buckled. The real story of Game 2 was Leonard’s defense, as he showed why he is the 2-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year. He locked up James Harden for the majority of the game, holding Harden to 13 points on 3 of 17 shooting. I guess Leonard doesn’t fear the beard.

NHL

The NHL also put forth two playoff games on Wednesday night. The Anaheim Ducks won an overtime thriller over the Edmonton Oilers (5-4). After an awful giveaway in his own zone by Adam Larsson of the Oilers, Ryan Getzlaf fed a wide-open Jakob Silfverberg right in front of the net.  Silfverberg drove home the one-time winner just 45 seconds into overtime, and this series is now tied at two games a piece.

Earlier in the evening, the Sydney Crosbyless Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Washington Capitals in Game 4. Crosby is still out after leaving Game 3 with a concussion. I guess the Capitals felt bad for the Penguins, so they decided to score for them. Oh yeah, you heard that right. In the 2nd period, Pittsburghs’ Jake Guentzel sent the puck in front of Washington’s net and defenseman Dmitry Orlov thought it would be a good idea to kick that puck into his own net. Nice work! The Penguins went on to win 3-2, and now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

MLB

There was a full slate of MLB games on Wednesday night, but there was one game that dominated the headlines. The Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles have an on going feud that began on April 11th. It all started with a hard slide from Manny Machado into 2nd base that took out Dustin Pedroia’s legs. Since then, the Red Sox threw at Machado’s head, the Orioles plunked Mookie Betts, and Machado was thrown at again (this time going behind him). These actions resulted in a conference call between the Red Sox and Orioles organizations, the MLB Commisioner, and the MLB Players Association calling for the feud to be put to rest. Well you guessed it, the feud was not put to rest. Wednesday night, Kevin Gausman hit Xander Bogaerts, albeit with a curveball, as some form of sneaky retribution. Gausman was immediately ejected. I view Gausman and the Orioles as the immature person who must get the last word in no matter how wrong they know they are. But at the same time, can we not throw baseballs at people’s heads at 100 miles per hour? Okay cool, thanks. Good Talk.

In New York baseball news, the New York Mets continued their roller coaster season, beating the Atlanta Braves 16-5. As for the Yankees, they continued their winning ways, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6. Aaron Judge smashed his MLB leading 13th home run of the season, and I’m quite certain he grew a foot taller last night as well.

BOXING

I’m assuming you haven’t watched a boxing match since Evander Holyfield was in the ring, but let’s talk about it anyway. This Saturday, May 6th, Canelo Alzarez (48-1-1, 34 KO’s) will take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KO’s) in an All-Mexican Showdown in Las Vegas. Coincidentally, this match will take place just one day after Cinco de Mayo. Canelo, the Junior Middleweight Title Holder, will move up a weight class to fight Chavez Jr. at a catch weight of 164.5 pounds. Canelo’s only loss to date remains a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather in 2013. Canelo is the odds on favorite to win this match and for good reason. I see Canelo winning fairly easily in a unanimous decision.

SOCCER

Juventus is very good.

 

What did you watch on Wednesday night? Let me know all about it in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

New York Mets Lose More Than Just a Game

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

thor hurt

Perspective is a funny thing. Depending on your vantage point, Sunday afternoon either provided a ridiculously impressive performance or sheer embarrassment. I’m betting Mets’ fans experienced the latter. Sunday’s New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals game was the 3rd and final game of their weekend series. The Mets, desperately in need of victories, won the first two games of the series. Sunday’s game, however, took a hard left turn.

Noah Syndergaard, aka ‘Thor’, took the mound to start the afternoon. Syndergaard hadn’t started a game since April 20th, as he was scratched from his start on Thursday due to right-bicep discomfort (his throwing arm). Syndergaard’s afternoon didn’t last long. After his first pitch to Bryce Harper in the 2nd inning, Syndergaard immediately reached underneath his right arm. He was pulled from the game through just 1 and 1/3 innings. Syndergaard has an MRI scheduled to diagnose a possible lat strain. Although it isn’t official, he will likely join fellow Mets’ starter Steven Matz on the disabled list.

If only Syndergaard and the Mets had seen this coming and performed this MRI last week. Wait a second! They tried that already and Syndergaard refused to take the MRI?! Oh, okay, this all makes sense now. No, it doesn’t? Here’s the bottom line: Terry Collins is not a good manager. And clearly, the training staff ain’t cuttin’ it either. If I were running things in Flushing, I’d send them all packing. No, this isn’t an overreaction to a less than desirable start to the season (10-14), it is a long-running opinion of Terry Collins’ mismanagement style. He reminds me more of a senile grandfather who’s upset someone changed his TV program than a Major League Manager. From the sheer embarrassment to the impressive performance we go….

The Nationals know how to hit a baseball. I’m certain Bryce Harper is a Demi-God. Ryan Zimmerman is off to an incredible start to the season (he has 11 home runs already), and Daniel Murphy (yes, former Met Daniel Murphy), is seemingly hitting .875 on the young season. But, one Anthony Rendon stole the show on Sunday. Rendon dove head first into the record books becoming the first player since 1913 to go 6 for 6 with 3 home runs and 10 r.b.i.’s in a single game. Please reread that sentence to allow it to sink in. Thank you. This helped the Nationals post an astonishing 23 runs on 23 hits, demolishing the Mets 23-5. The Nationals now stand at 17-8 on the season, and hold a 5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. I know it’s only May, but barring a disaster of epic proportions, Id’ say the Nationals have the NL East Division all but wrapped up.

The only question is can the Mets turn this ship around before Terry Collins injures the entire starting rotation??

Can the Mets still make the playoffs? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!    

 

Happy Birthday Aaron Judge!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

aaron judge

Did you see that?!?! This has become a common reaction to the early season accomplishments of New York Yankees’ outfielder, Aaron Judge. A mountain of a man, standing 6’7″ tall, Judge has taken the league by storm, one moonshot home run at a time. Wednesday night, Judge celebrated his 25th birthday by playing against the Boston Red Sox for the first time. Judge didn’t wait long to give himself a gift and introduce himself to this historic rivalry.

The first pitch Judge saw Wednesday night, an 89-m.p.h. fastball from Rick Porcello, landed exactly where you’d expect; the cheap seats. The 2nd inning, 2-run home run was the 7th of the season for Judge. He now has 7 home runs and 15 r.b.i.’s while batting .281 in his first 18 games. And to think just 4 short weeks ago, Judge nearly lost the right-field competition to Aaron Hicks. Good work Joe Girardi! This is Judge’s second audition in the big leagues (playing in 27 games in 2016), and I’d say he’s got the part. And who said you never get a 2nd chance at a 1st impression?!

The birthday boy’s evening didn’t end there. In the 3rd inning, Judge figured it was time to flash the leather. Xander Bogaerts popped-up a ball down the right-field line. As it appeared it would hang up just enough for Judge to make a play on it, he took off full-speed toward the foul line. The ball met his glove simultaneously with his knees meeting the half-wall, making an incredible catch and tumbling into the first row of the stands (pictured above) in a very Jeter-Esque manner. Dare I say that Judge’s home run in the 2nd inning was an inside-out swing reminiscent of one Derek Jeter as well? I’m just sayin’. 

Thanks to Judge’s hot start (and some surprisingly OUTSTANDING starting pitching), the Yankees have opened the season 12-7, just 1.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. Only time will tell if the Yankees and Judge will continue their strong play. For now, I will enjoy watching him hit 448-foot home runs into the stratosphere.

Do you think Aaron Judge is the real deal? Are the Yankees really contenders or is the other shoe about to drop? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

The Captain Is Back!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

jeter

Derek Jeter is returning to baseball. No, he’s not coming out of retirement to play for the Yankees, rather he is looking to fulfill one of his long-term goals to own a Major League Baseball team. Jeter is part of a group, which includes former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, that could purchase the Miami Marlins. As of Tuesday, April 25th, the Jeter-Bush group had reached a tentative agreement to purchase the Marlins from current owner Jeffrey Loria.

Loria purchased the Marlins in 2002 for $158.5 million. The current sale, first reported by the Miami Herald, is set at $1.3 billion. Not a bad return on investment for Loria, a former New York art dealer. Loria previously owned the Montreal Expos, purchasing the team in 1999 for $18 million. Loria essentially ‘flipped’ the Expos, selling to the MLB’s Commissioner’s Office in 2002 for $120 million. Well apparently I’m in the wrong business. I should be buying and selling MLB teams. Marlins fans will likely have a parade once the sale is official. Loria has been called “baseball’s most hated man” and “the worst owner in sports history”. These lighthearted nicknames most likely stem from the controversial construction of the Marlins’ new stadium, in 2012. Wait, so I can’t use taxpayers’ hard earned money to build my new stadium and then cut payroll by $70 million? No Jeff, that’s not how that works. Anyway, back to Jeter….

The sale isn’t official yet, but the Jeter-Bush group has attained exclusive negotiating rights with the Marlins. Reportedly, they outbid a group including Mitt Romney’s son, Tagg Romney, and Hall-Of-Fame pitcher Tom Glavine. No offense Romney family, but Mitt and Tagg? Too many Matts and Thomas’ in the world? Okay seriously, back to Jeter….

Jeter has always been outspoken about his aspiration to own a MLB team. That dream may be becoming a reality. Since entering the league in 1995, Jeter has been a great ambassador for baseball. He always represented the Yankees with class and dignity. Above all else, Jeter made one thing a priority throughout his career, WINNING. I’m certain he will carry that same mentality to his ownership role.

The Jeter-Bush group has a few more steps to climb before the sale is official. Their financial structure must be approved by MLB (I’m sure that won’t be a problem). And, any sale requires 75% approval from MLB owners. I will never doubt The Captain, so expect winning ways to return to Miami (somewhere, right now, Pat Riley’s on the phone trying to get in on that action – anything for a W right?). The only part baseball fans will have to get used to is seeing Jeter don something other than pinstripes.

Are you excited to see Derek Jeter own a Major League Baseball team? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!