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!!

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!!

The Pudgy-Faced Assassin Struck GREEN!!

April 9, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Patrick Reed won the Masters.

WHO the hell is Patrick Reed?!

The pudgy-faced assassin. I think we’ll call him that.

Patrick Reed is 27 years old (despite looking like he’s 12). He’s married with two children and resides in Texas. Entering the Masters, Reed was the 24th ranked golfer in the world. At -14, Reed took a 3-stroke lead into Sunday, fighting off the likes of Rory McIlroy (-11), Rickie Fowler (-9), and Jordan Spieth (-5).

Despite coming up short, Jordan Spieth’s round Sunday was the most impressive performance of the tournament. A final round 64 (-8) is other worldly.

Sunday at the Masters, usually reserved for names tumbling down the leaderboard, saw a record breaking 7 of the top-20 finishers post rounds of 67 or better. With virtually everyone around him charging up the leaderboard, Reed remained steady, posting a safe, conservative -1 (71). Needing a par at the last, Reed showed nerves of steel, hitting his drive right down the middle. He then hit the approach shot of his life, leaving 20-feet, and 2 putts, to win the Masters.

This was Reed’s 1st Major victory. And the Masters has now seen five consecutive 1st time winners. Life after Tiger. No no, I know Tiger is back. And played in this tournament. But he didn’t really play in this tournament….

________________________________________________________________________________

And then, there was baseball.

The New York Yankees lost to the Baltimore Orioles in tragic fashion Sunday afternoon (8-7 F/12). After being spotted a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning, Yankees’ starter, Jordan Montgomery, decided he didn’t want it to be his day either. Montgomery failed to get out of the 5th inning, giving up 4 runs. Fast forward to the 12th inning….

After a walk and 2 consecutive singles, the Orioles grabbed an 8-7 lead in the top of the 12th inning. To the bottom of the 12th we go….

Austin Romine, who had the game of his life, led off the inning with a walk. With Tyler Wade (who’s really fast) and Gary Sanchez (who plays catcher) still on the bench, it’s inexplicable that Aaron Boone didn’t pinch run for Romine. Regardless, the Yankees loaded the bases on another walk and an error by Orioles’ closer, Brad Brach.

Yup, the Yankees had bases loaded, with no one out, and DID NOT SCORE!!!!

Because nothing says clutch like an Aaron Judge, 1-2-5 double-play, ground out. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Giancarlo Stanton followed it up with his 2nd FIVE STRIKEOUT GAME of the season. Stanton was the only Yankee who didn’t record a hit Sunday going an impressive 0-7.

Stanton will be fine, but New York and Miami are two different animals, aren’t they????

What did you watch Sunday?? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

Yanks Yank Game 4 From Astros

October 18, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

yankees-astros-2017-american-league-championship-series

Now that was a baseball game!! Game 4 of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros has been the best game of the postseason — so far.

Like I said yesterday, hits are contagious. Until the bottom of the 7th inning, a lonely single by Todd Frazier was the Yankees’ only hit. And then, THIS happened. Aaron Judge launched a majestic, 427-foot home run to straight away center field. Not only was this home run a thing of beauty, it was crucial. It got the Yankees on the board, bringing the score to 4-1. It got the crowd going. And most importantly, it forced A.J. Hinch to pull Lance McCullers Jr. McCullers, who 24 hours earlier didn’t know he would start Game 4, was spectacular. The Yankee fan in me wants to thank Astros Manager, A.J. Hinch, for his quick trigger. Letting the horrid Astros’ bullpen loose was the beginning of their end….

Chris Devenski was the 1st victim. He surrendered a triple, a sacrifice fly, and a walk. Devenski was promptly pulled for Joe Musgrove, who got out of the 7th inning unscathed. Little did he know, the 7th inning was just the appetizer. The main course was set for the bottom of the 8th inning. A combination of Musgrove, Ken Giles (the Astros’ closer), and Luke Gregerson allowed the Yankees to bat around, bringing 10 batters to the plate. What started with an innocent single by Todd Frazier, ended with a 2-rbi double by Gary Sanchez. And just like that, the 2-run Yankees’ deficit turned into a 2-run surplus.

If only someone had predicted a final score of 6-4….

Yes.

That’s what they call shameless self-promotion.

While it’s refreshing to see the bats come to life, it shouldn’t overshadow Sonny Gray’s pitching performance. Gray, the forgotten man, hadn’t pitched in 12 days. That is NOT easy. Like Hinch, Joe Girardi had a quick trigger with his starter, pulling Gray after just 85 pitches.

Sonny Gray’s Day: 5 innings, 1 hit, 2 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts

You couldn’t ask for a better performance, in those circumstances, from a guy who hadn’t pitched in nearly 2 weeks. Part of Gray’s success can be tied to Austin Romine getting his 1st start of the postseason at catcher. Gray’s numbers are significantly better with Romine than Gary Sanchez. However, the Romine experiment needn’t last more than 1 day. He’s useless with the bat, and looked rusty with the glove. An ill-timed catcher’s interference didn’t help his cause either. Toss Sanchez back behind the plate, and slot Chase Headley in as the DH. Headley’s bat is finally heatin’ up. Headley, who is historically streaky, looks to be trending in the right direction.

Ride the wave Girardi!! Don’t fight your instincts. I know the robot in you hasn’t taken COMPLETE control of your body — yet.

Game 5 is coming at you today with another awkward 5:08 P.M. EST start. Tune in to FS1 for all the action, as Dallas Keuchel and Masahiro Tanaka will climb the hill. Saying Keuchel owns the Yankees is an understatement. He hasn’t allowed a home run against the Yankees in 217 innings. That trend, gets bucked, today.

Score Prediction: Yankees 3, Astros 2

Who do you think will win Game 5?? Post your prediction 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. – 8:10 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

The Sucker Punch Heard Round The World

August 25, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

yankees tigers

Drama. Intrigue. Altercations. Retribution. Betrayal. You’d think I was talking about a movie or soap opera, rather than Thursday’s day-game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. If you missed it, all I can say is, WOW!!

Of the many different angles to examine this, it’s difficult to do it justice, but I’m going to give it a good old college try.

1st, we must come up with a Headline….

A Headline should be catchy. It should grab the reader’s attention and give them a reason to click on your article. Some days, creativity meanders. Other days, like today, the options are plentiful:

The Sucker Punch Heard Round The World
Motown Melee
Rumble In Motor City
I Went To A Fight And A Baseball Game Broke Out

Which is your favorite??

2nd, we need a Setting….

2 outs. Top of the 5th inning. The Yankees are winning 3-2. Michael Fulmer of the Tigers is on the mound, and Gary Sanchez steps to the plate.

Very important Side Note: Gary Sanchez hit a home run in the 4th inning, his 4th of the series.

3rd, tell the Plot….

Michael Fulmer proceeds to hit Gary Sanchez, presumably because Sanchez is KILLING the Tigers. As ridiculous as that justification is, it’s the truth. Gary Sanchez has 4 home runs and 9 r.b.i.’s in the series, so Fulmer made him “pay”. Little did Fulmer know, he had just set in motion a hideous chain of events.

In the bottom of the 6th inning, Yankees’ reliever, Tommy Kahnle, took matters, and the ball, into his own hands. He fired a pitch behind Miguel Cabrera, and Kahnle was immediately ejected from the game. Yankees’ manager, Joe Girardi promptly went ballistic, causing a scene while getting ejected. Girardi most likely blacked out during his tirade but argued Kahnle’s ejection, without warnings issued, wasn’t justified. Girardi also pointed to Fulmer remaining in the game.

*Girardi was right. This is on the umpires. Issuing warnings could have prevented this whole situation.

As the dust settled on the ejections, Cabrera and Yankees’ catcher, Austin Romine, exchanged words at home plate. Apparently, Cabrera took exception to Romine’s verbiage, so Cabrera shoved Romine. Benches cleared, and a melee ensued.

To watch the brawl, click here.

Romine and Cabrera were both ejected, however Gary Sanchez SHOULD have been as well. While a Yankees and Tigers’ player were wrestling on the ground, Sanchez threw a sucker punch at the Tigers’ player. I am a Yankees’ fan, but this was terrible!! I LOST A TREMEMDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR GARY SANCHEZ YESTERDAY!! Don’t be surprised when Sanchez lands on the suspension list.

My favorite part of this was the argument that took place in the Tigers’ dugout between Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez. Verlander wasn’t a happy camper when Martinez could be seen having a friendly conversation with Sanchez. I gotta side with Mr. Verlander here….

What took place in the bottom of the 7th inning is what’s wrong with baseball.

Dellin Betances struck Tigers’ catcher, James McCann, in the head with his 1st pitch. This is frightening. This is dangerous. THIS WAS INTENTIONAL. And this shouldn’t be allowed. Baseball’s unwritten rules and the acceptance of pitcher retaliation is absurd. Yes, Betances was simply retaliating. But he could have killed McCann. Is that what it’ll take before there is a ZERO tolerance policy for head-hunting?!?! A Death?!?! I hope MLB smartens up before it’s too late. Some clichés, better safe than sorry, ring true.

As if that wasn’t enough fun for 1 game, Tigers’ reliever, Alex Wilson, plunked Todd Frazier in the 8th inning, bringing our grand totals to:

Ejections: 8

Benches Cleared: 3

Hit Batters: 4

Suspensions: ??

The ultimate question is, who will be suspended, and for how long??

My guess is Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, and Miguel Cabrera will receive suspensions. Betances and Sanchez should receive twice as many games as Romine and Cabrera. Period.

Did you watch this ridiculous game?? How long should suspensions be?? Tell me 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 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

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 called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

A Thursday For The Ages

July 28, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

brett gardner

Beware of Flying Helmets

“See ya!!” No 2 words have ever been more recognizable in the world of baseball. Just after 11:00 p.m. on Thursday night, Yankees’ announcer Michael Kay’s voice carried through a humid, Summer night alongside a Brett Gardner long-drive. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Gardner took an Andrew Kittredge breaking-ball deep to right field. And the celebration was on!! A dramatic, walk-off victory (6-5) over the division rival, Tampa Bay Rays is reason to celebrate. Someone, however, should teach the Yankees to exercise caution when jumping up and down on home plate.

In the midst of the raucous celebration, rookie sensation, Aaron Judge, took some friendly fire. Judge caught a helmet right in the kisser, which resulted in a chipped tooth. You can check out the video of the celebration here. It appears that Gardner’s helmet grew legs and jumped off Austin Romine’s back directly into Aaron Judge’s mouth. Judge can be seen immediately grabbing his Michael Strahan-esque smile as he head straight for the locker room. Judge should be fine, but it’s the condition of his signature, gap-toothed smile I’m worried about.

Oh Football

It is insane Colin Kaepernick doesn’t have a job in the NFL. Now, before you jump down my throat, listen closely. You don’t have to agree with Kaepernick’s actions over the past year. Hell, you don’t even have to like him. But, you can’t deny that Kaepernick is qualified to play in the NFL. Forget the fact that he’s better than a portion of the STARTING quarterbacks in the league, but at the start of training camp, most teams carry 4 or 5 quarterbacks. So you’re telling he’s not better than ALL 160 quarterbacks entering NFL training camps?! If you believe that, you’re not being honest with yourself.

Now, just as Kaepernick has the RIGHT to kneel during the National Anthem, NFL owners have the RIGHT not to hire him. This would be all well and good, except for the fact that NFL owners are the biggest hypocrites in the world (thanks to public perception of course). NFL owners have no problem employing murderers, rapists, wife-beaters, dog killers and drug addicts, but ohhhhh nooooo, there is no way we are hiring this protester.

Again, I understand both sides of the debate here, but isn’t it wild how selectively forgiving our society is??

In other football news, Odell Beckham Jr. thought Day 1 of training camp was a good time to tell the world he wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL. Good for you buddy. Now shut up, and go do your job!!

At least Beckham showed up to training camp, unlike fellow NFL star LeVeon Bell. Bell, one of the NFL’s top rushers, is holding out for a lucrative, long-term contract. Yeah, this should end well….

The Rich Get Richer

This is scary. As dominant as the Golden State Warriors were last season, they’ve somehow improved. It’s true. They spent this offseason re-signing every important role player (Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala), and they brought in new reserves in the form of Nick Young and Omri Caspri. As if that wasn’t enough, they spent Thursday re-signing Javale McGee to a veteran’s minimum contract (1-year, $2.1 million). So let’s grab that remote from Adam Sandler’s blockbuster-flop, Click, and fast forward through another NBA season. Barring a major injury to 1 or 2 of the Warriors’ core players, they will, without a doubt, be hoisting the trophy next June.

Why watch if you already know the outcome??

What was the most exciting story from Thursday?? Tell me all about it 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 6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

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 called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

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