Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

Tanaka Shows Emotion For The 1st Time..Ever — Shuts Out Astros In Game 5

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

tanaka game 5

2, 2, 1, 4, and 0. No, that’s not my ATM pin number, it’s the number of runs scored by the Houston Astros in the ALCS. While the storyline continues to revolve around Aaron Judge and the Yankees’ potent offense, the pitching staff continues to be overshadowed.

Yes, the bats needed to wake up, as they were limited to 1 run each of the first 2 games, but they wouldn’t be leading the ALCS 3 games to 2 without stellar pitching. Everyone knows how dominant their bullpen is, however, they’ve sported the best starting rotation so far this postseason. The only team who has performed near the level of the Yankees is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Heading into this season, the Yankees’ starting rotation was littered with question marks. How would Luis Severino perform in his 1st full season as a starter?? How much does CC Sabathia have left in the tank?? Can Michael Pineda stay healthy for an entire season?? Who will be the 5th starter??

The Yankees overachieved this season, so the majority of these questions were answered in the affirmative, however, they did falter at times. Pineda was shut down for the year in early July. Jordan Montgomery, who filled the 5th starter role to perfection, ran into an innings limit. And the 1 part of the rotation the Yankees assumed would be the foundation, Masahiro Tanaka, turned out to be the least consistent piece of the puzzle.

Come October, throw everything out the window. Except for my TV. Don’t throw that out the window. Postseason baseball breathes new life into the air. Some rise to the occasion, some succumb to the pressure. The Yankees have risen.

Last night, in a crucial Game 5, Masahiro Tanaka, pitched an absolute gem.

CAN I GET A SHUTOUT HERRREEEEE?!?!

Tanaka’s Day: 7 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, and 8 strikeouts

The Astros have picked a bad time to go ice cold. 9 runs in 5 games is not going to cut it. Again, this is a testament to the Yankees’ pitching because the Astros are a powerful offense.

Here are the Astros’ offensive rankings in the regular season:

Hits (1,581) – 1st

Runs (896) – 1st

Home Runs (238) – 2nd

Batting Avg. (.282) – 1st

RBI’s (854) – 1st 

Luis Severino will look to keep those powerful bats at bay for 1 more game. Despite being pulled early from his last start, after getting struck with a ball, Severino will take the hill Friday night against Justin Verlander. Verlander mowed down the Yankees in Game 2, so the Yankees will be out for revenge. Hopefully they jump on Verlander early. He’s a rare breed that gets stronger as a game goes on.

Catch all the action tomorrow on FS1 @ 8:08 P.M. EST. When the Yankees win, they’ll return to their 1st World Series since 2009.

LET’S GO YANKEES!!

Score Prediction: Yankees 5, Astros 3 

Who do you think will win Game 6?? 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 .

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!!

 

 

 

Who Needs Sleep When You Have Thursday?!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

scherzer

I was going to get a good night sleep….until Thursday happened. Thursday night brought us an oxymoron, a moron, and a nail biting elimination game.

A Good Thursday Night Football Game

This term is an oxymoron. But every so often, despite having our viewership locked up, Thursday Night Football provides something worth watching. In a matchup of 4 and 1’s, the Philadelphia Eagles flew into Carolina to take on the Panthers. It was a close, competitive game, but just as I predicted, Cam Newton threw the game away. Not 1, not 2, but 3 interceptions led to a 28-23 victory by the Eagles. I couldn’t be happier for a nicer guy.

On the brighter side of things, Eagles quarterback, Carson Wentz, continued to impress. He posted 3 touchdowns, no interceptions, and added 25 yards on the ground. That’s not too shabby against a stout Panthers’ defense.

Wentz is the real deal.

The Eagles (now 5-1), will have plenty of time to rest, as their next game is a primetime, Monday Night matchup with the Washington Redskins. The Panthers (4-2) will look to bounce back against rookie quarterback, Mitch Trubisky, as they take on the Chicago Bears next week.

Suspend Me Please

She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me no….

That’s what Ezekiel Elliot’s status has been like this year. He’s suspended. No, he’s not suspended. Okay he’s suspended, but he can play. Oh wait, now he’s really suspended. Elliot’s 6-game suspension will start next week when the Dallas Cowboys return from their Bye Week. The 5th U.S Circuit Court in New Orleans (Federal appeals court) made this ruling on Thursday.

Elliot and his legal team are exploring their options, primarily their right to appeal the suspension — again. For now, the Cowboys (2-3) will need a game plan while they’re without the services of their star running back. A running back committee of Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris, and Rod Smith has already been discussed.

Stay tuned. Something tells me the final chapter hasn’t been written on this story yet.

An Inning To Forget

When Max Scherzer is in the game, the opposing team doesn’t usually stand a chance. After retiring the 1st 2 batters of the 5th inning in Game 5, that appeared to be the case. The Nationals were winning when Scherzer entered, however, calamity was about to ensue….

  • Infield Single
  • Bloop Single
  • 2-Run Double
  • Intentional Walk
  • Strikeout That Didn’t End The Inning
  • Catcher’s Interference
  • RBI Hit By Pitch

Ummm, wow!! That brought the grand total in the 5th inning to 4 runs scored on 3 hits and 2 errors. Yes, this inning was insane, however, it is a microcosm of the Nationals, postseason persona. The Nationals have won the NL East 4 out of the past 6 years, and have lost in the 1st round of the playoffs each time. On the contrary, the Cubs won their 4th straight elimination game and advanced to their 3rd consecutive NLCS.

The Cubs will travel to La La Land to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. Game 1 can be seen on TBS on Saturday @ 8:08 P.M. EST.

But more importantly, the Yankees take on the Astros in Houston tonight for Game 1 of the ALCS. Tune in to FS1 @ 8:08 for all the action.

Projected Starters: Masahiro Tanaka vs. Dallas Keuchel  

Prediction: Yankees 5, Astros 4

Let’s Go Yankees!!

 

Who do you think will win Game 1 of the ALCS?? 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 .

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!!

 

 

Pick A Sport, Any Sport

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

yankees-at-indians

This is the best time of the year in sports. Football, Baseball, Hockey, and Basketball. It’s like Christmas in October….

NL Wild Card Game

Another Wild Card Game, another 3-run lead in the 1st inning. Thanks to Paul Goldschmidt’s 3-run home run, the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped out to an early lead Wednesday night.

Paul Goldschmidt is the 2nd best baseball player in the world.

They led by as many as 6 runs, before the Colorado Rockies came storming back with a 4-run 4th inning. The Rockies ‘kept hanging around’, as they trailed just 6-5 in the 7th inning. And then, Diamondbacks’ relief pitcher Archie Bradley did something unexpected. He hit a 2-run triple, providing insurance, with his bat. The Diamondbacks would go on to win 11-8, advancing to the NL Division Series. Now, they have the great pleasure of taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB Best Record). Yay!

The Dodgers had a phenomenal season, but don’t sleep on the Diamondbacks. They CAN win this series, and they will….

Diamondbacks in 5

You heard it here first.

WNBA Finals

In case you didn’t notice, there was a decisive Game 5 played last night in the WNBA Finals. The Los Angeles Sparks took on the Minnesota Lynx. The Minnesota Lynx may be the quietest dynasty in the history of sports. New England who?? Alabama who?? The Lynx have now won 4 championships in the last 7 years. They were led by Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore. Fowles became the 1st player in WNBA history to win the MVP in the regular season and finals.

NHL Drops The Puck

Speaking of things you didn’t notice, the NHL season started last night, with 8 teams in action. The Toronto Maple Leafs stormed out of the gate, dominating the Winnipeg Jets to the tune of 7-2. Interestingly, the Maple Leafs and Arizona Diamondbacks simultaneously took 6-0 leads.

There was 1 overtime thriller last night, between the St. Louis Blues and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Blues nearly blew this one, as the Penguins came back from a 4-2 deficit in the 3rd period. The Blues would ultimately take down Sidney Crosby and the defending champs 5-4 (F/OT).

The New York Rangers open their season at home, tonight, against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Islanders open their season Friday night at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Let’s Go Islanders!!

Thursday Night Football 

And then, there was football. Those who stay up to watch horrid matchup after horrid matchup on Thursday Night Football, are finally being rewarded. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New England Patriots tonight. Expect New England, who I hate, to bounce back after last week’s home-loss to the Carolina Panthers. I’d say they’re going to blowout the Bucs, but a defense this bad doesn’t do blowouts. Expect Jameis Winston and the Bucs to put up impressive offensive numbers, but fall short of victory.

Patriots 31, Buccaneers 24

AL Division Series

New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians. That’s what I’ll be watching tonight. The Yankees have announced that Sonny Gray will get the ball in Game 1 against Trevor Bauer, and CC Sabathia will pitch Game 2. In a surprise move, the Indians will opt to hold their ace, Corey Kluber, until Game 2. Indians’ manager, Terry Francona, said he wants Kluber to pitch on normal rest. If this series goes the distance, Kluber will be available to start Game 5.

Game 1 is the game for the Yankees to steal. While Bauer had a nice year, the Yankees’ lineup will be pleased not to see Kluber on the bump. The Yankees will carry the momentum from a fantastic Wild Card Game into tonight….

Yankees 5, Indians 4

 

What will you be watching tonight?? Will the Yankees win Game 1 of the ALDS?? 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 .

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!!

 

Do Or Die In The Bronx!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

2017-AL-Wild-Card-preview-Upstart-Minnesota-Twins-New-York-Yankees-set-for-wild-card-game_f

It’s do or die! Win or go home! All or nothing! This one’s for all the marbl….Well, you get it. Tonight, the New York Yankees (91-71) will host the Minnesota Twins (85-77) in the American League Wild Card Game. In this 1-game elimination format, tonight’s winner will take on the Cleveland Indians in the Division Series.

Don’t worry, my prediction is coming. First I must let my inner Lewis Black out….

I HATE THE 1-GAME WILD CARD FORMAT!!!!

I know, I know, hate is a very strong word, but when applicable, I’ll throw it out there. This format pins 2 teams against each other in a 1-game, winner take all format. This works in the NFL for a multitude of reasons, but there’s no place for it in a sport like baseball. In MLB, the regular season consists of 162 games. The majority of teams and players go through slumps as well as hot streaks, but generally regress to the mean.

Baseball is a game of series’. Best-of-3 or 4 in the regular season, best-of-5 or 7 in the postseason. The point is, any team, on any given day, can win a baseball game. The San Francisco Giants had the worst record in MLB this season (64-98), while the Los Angeles Dodgers had the best record (104-58). The Giants beat the Dodgers 8 times!! However, they played each other 19 times (being in the same division), and the better team prevailed over time. I’m not suggesting every postseason series be best-of-7. I live in reality, and I’m aware of the logistics of travel and playing baseball in November, but this has to change. At the bare minimum, give me a best-of-3 series.

Oh yeah, there’s a game to talk about….

The Yankees are better than the Twins in every conceivable way, but all it takes is 1 pitching gem from Ervin Santana, and the Yankees’ season is over. That won’t happen tonight. Seemingly everyone on the Yankees’ roster contributed to their 91-win season, including Luis Severino (who will take the hill tonight), however no one was more vital to the Yankees’ success than Aaron Judge. Judge is the runaway AL Rookie of the Year, and is in a 2-man race for AL MVP (Jose Altuve).

The question asked of Judge, isn’t if he has the skill set, rather, can he handle the pressure??

There will be no bigger test than tonight.

The regular season in New York inherently shines brightly, however, the spotlight shines brightest in October (or November), in the Bronx. We are going to learn a lot about Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino this evening. Will they fall or take this talented Yankees’ team to new heights??

I know who MLB is rooting for. I’m not a biased Yankees’ fan, but ratings are ratings. No one, outside of Minnesota and Cleveland, would tune in to that ALDS. There’s a reason why the Yankees’ hat travels more than any other.

Luis Severino will parlay his successful regular season into a quality start: 6 innings, 5 hits, 3 earned runs, 7 k’s, and 1 walk. Girardi will then go through his robotic 7th, 8th, and 9th inning moves; Robertson, Betances, Chapman. If, on the odd chance Dave is wrong, and Severino gets in early trouble, Girardi will either bring in another starter, or get the ball to Tommy Kahnle or Chad Green. This game will be a microcosm of Aaron Judge’s season. Expect him to draw a walk, strikeout, and hit a baseball really, really far….

Prediction: Yankees 8, Twins 4

Tune in to ESPN tonight @ 8:00 P.M. EST to catch the action.

Who do you think will win?? 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 .

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!!

I Don’t Always Sit Through Rain Delays, But When I Do, I Want Them To Be Longer Than The Game

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

lightning

The West coast is silly. Their games and events start at 10:15 P.M., and they don’t end until 1:30 or 2:00 A.M. It is not possible for us normal folk to watch more than 3 innings, or the 1st quarter, or the 1st period of these games. And then, there are the West coast games that are still happening, from the night before (!), when I get to work.

Who Doesn’t Enjoy A Little Lightning Delay??

The San Francisco Giants (the 2nd worst team in baseball), played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers (the best team in baseball), on Monday night. Thanks to a 3 hour and 34 minute rain-delay, Monday night turned into Tuesday morning. The game was originally delayed 42-minutes prior to first-pitch. But then, thanks to the infinite wisdom of the decision makers in San Francisco last night, the game was delayed again, after just 1 batter!! After Curtis Granderson struck out to lead off the game, the heavens opened up again, this time handing us a 2 hour and 52 minute rain and lightning delay.

The total rain delay was longer than the actual game.

When they finally played baseball, the Dodgers proceeded to lose their 11th consecutive game (8-6). The game ended at 5:10 in the morning!! Despite this horrid stretch, they’re still 40 games over .500, and hold the best record in MLB. Anybody else dislike roller coasters??

We’re Going Streaking!!

On the other hand, not all streaks are made the same. The Cleveland Indians are in the midst of a winning streak for the ages. With their 11-0 win over the Detroit Tigers Monday night, the Indians have won 19 consecutive games. They now stand 2 wins shy of tying the MLB record for most consecutive wins. This record belongs to the 1935 Chicago Cubs (they finished with a record of 100-54). The Indians should moonwalk their way to a share of the record with 2 more games against the hapless Detroit Tigers. If the Indians were to break the record, it would take place Thursday night, as they host the Kansas City Royals. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ll be watching. Who knew the Cleveland Indians were Must-Watch-TV?!

Tampa Bay Hosts New York….In New York????

Due to the effects of Hurricane Irma, the Tampa Rays are not able to host the New York Yankees this week. Instead, MLB decided to shift the Rays/Yankees series to a “neutral” site. Anyone care to venture a guess as to where they moved this series??

“Anyone?? Anyone?? Bueller??”

The answer is Citi Field. Yes, as in where the Mets play, in Queens. Listen, I’m a Yankees’ fan, so I’m not flipping park benches over this, but how is this fair to the Tampa Bay Rays?? I fully understand the situation due to the impact of Hurricane Irma, but MLB couldn’t find a stadium outside of the New York area for this series?? I find that hard to believe.

To accommodate fans, ticket prices for this series will be capped at $25, and only the lower deck will be open. Monday was the 1st of the 3-game series, as 15,327 fans promptly booed the “home” Rays. The Yankees went on to win 5-1, and have now won 3 games in a row. Game 2 will be played tonight @ 7:10 P.M., as Blake Snell will take on Sonny Gray.

Hopefully the Yankees can capitalize on these completely logical, rational, reasonable, fair circumstances.

 

What were you watching on Monday?? Baseball?? More Football?? Let me know 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!!

 

 

 

Back To School Special

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

nfl

“Back to school, back to school, to prove to my dad I’m not a fool.”

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of year again. Time to get the kids on the bus, and send them off to school. Let’s just hope your child isn’t going back to kindergarten at the age of 35 (haha).

Labor Day Weekend is an exciting time. It marks the opening of the College Football season. Baseball is in the home stretch. The U.S. Open is approaching the semifinals. And last but certainly not least, the NFL is just days away….

College Football

What an exciting week of college football!! Although there were many games worth staying up until midnight for, 2 stood out:

Texas A&M vs. UCLA

All you need to know is Josh Rosen and the UCLA Bruins overcame the largest deficit in college football since 2006. 34 POINTS!! A 48-yard field goal put the Aggies up 34 with 4:08 left in the 3rd quarter. Those would be the Aggies’ last points. It was ALL UCLA from then on. 5 touchdowns later, UCLA walked away with a 45-44 victory. Insane!!

Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech

Labor Day brought us a thriller!! A double-overtime thriller!! Sometimes that QB moniker is just for show, as TaQuon Marshall is technically Georgia Tech’s quarterback. His stat-line would beg to differ:

44 carries for 249 yards and 5 touchdowns and 5/9 passing for 120 yards.

WOW!! Despite Marshall’s incredible performance (in his 1st game ever), Georgia Tech fell to 25 ranked Tennessee 42-41.

U.S. Open

For those who haven’t noticed, tennis’ final Grand Slam is well under way. And no, you don’t need to adjust your eyeballs. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Venus Williams are all in the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. Hey guys, psst, where can I get some of that fountain of youth stuff?? Venus will take on 13th ranked Petra Kvitova tonight @ 7:00 P.M. EST. Federer lands a tough draw as he’ll take on Juan Martin Del Potro. And Nadal will play Andrey Rublev. In a highly anticipated match-up, Federer and Nadal would play each other in the semifinals. Multiple fingers are crossed….

Baseball

There’s impressive, and then there’s what the Arizona Diamondbacks did on Monday. Both of these feats were accomplished against the all-mighty Los Angeles Dodgers (keep that in mind). Robbie Ray, Diamondbacks pitcher, was perfect through 5 innings. His first blemish, a leadoff single by Logan Forsythe in the 6th inning. Ray would go 7 and 2/3 innings giving up just 3 hits and striking out 14. And to think Ray wasn’t the best player on his own team on Monday….

That distinction belongs to J.D. Martinez. Martinez hit 4 HOME RUNS in this game!! He became just the 18th player to go yard 4 times in 1 game.

NFL

I like to save the best for last. The 2017 NFL season kicks-off in 2 days!! I’m so excited I think I just, uh yeah, I just wet myself. Game 1 of the NFL season is the Kansas City Chiefs @ the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. You can watch Tom Brady and the Patriots handle their business on NBC @ 8:30 P.M. EST. There’s no pre-game speech necessary for the NFL. It speaks for itself. Don’t forget to set your Fantasy lineups….

 

What were you watching this past weekend?? Don’t be afraid to 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. – 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!!

 

 

 

 

Heyyyy — My Record Book Is Covered In Smog!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

cody bellinger

Some would say the west coast is the best coast. I wouldn’t say that, nor would anyone with a brain, but it applies to the world of baseball — for now. The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed themselves firmly in the record books this season. They’ve accomplished something that hasn’t been done in 105 years. Before Sunday night’s game, the Dodgers were 43-7 over their last 50 games, matching the 1912 New York Giants for the best record over a 50-game stretch in MLB history.

The Dodgers beat the New York Mets (duh) last night, completing a 3-game sweep of the Mets. The Dodgers posted 2 shutouts in the series, outscoring the Mets 21-4. The Dodgers are now 44-7 over their last 51 games, and are in the midst of a 4-game winning streak. Along the path to the record books, they had 3 lengthy winning streaks of 9, 10, and 11 games. They currently have the best record in baseball and have a strangle-hold on the NL West division.

Their record of 79-32 gives them a winning percentage of .712. Since MLB expanded to a 162-game season, that is the 2nd best winning percentage only to the 2001 Seattle Mariners who finished with a record of 116-46 (.716). This is all the more impressive because the NL West is currently the best division in baseball. If the season ended today, the Arizona Diamondbacks (63-48) and Colorado Rockies (64-48) would be the 2 Wild Card Playoff teams in the NL. Side note: The Dodgers have also lapped the San Francisco Giants about 5,000 times on the racetrack, as the Giants stand 36 games back in the NL West. 36 GAMES BACK!! You’d have to try to be that bad.

Let’s meet the cast of characters on the Los Angeles Dodgers:

Cody Bellinger

Bellinger is the rookie sensation who, like Aaron Judge from the AL, is in the running for Rookie of the Year and MVP. He currently has 32 home runs, 75 r.b.i.’s while hitting .264.

Justin Turner

The bearded one is hitting .349. Need I say more?? Apparently leaving the Mets is the best career move anyone can make. Just ask Daniel Murphy….

Yasiel Puig

Just when you thought he was going to go Brady Anderson on us, and disappear into the sunset, Puig has had a nice resurgence this season. His 21 home runs are a career high, through just 111 games.

Pitching Staff

Despite being on the DL, Clayton Kershaw is having an incredible season. He stands at 15-2, with a 2.04 e.r.a. Yeah, he’s decent.

The Dodgers have as stable a closer as a team could hope for in Kenley Jansen. He has 28 saves in 29 chances. Oh yeah, and he throws 101 m.p.h!!

The most underrated starting pitcher in MLB is Alex Wood.  Wood started the year in the bullpen, but even the Dodgers injuries bring forth good fortune. Rich Hill’s early season blister problem opened up a rotation spot for Wood. Wood ran with the job and never looked back. He’s now the owner of a 13-1 record, and a fashionable 2.33 e.r.a.

And just over a week ago, the Dodgers traded for Yu Darvish. Sounds fair. Sounds totally fair.

 

Will the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series this season?? Post your World Series 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 6:00 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!!

 

 

 

 

 

MLB Trade Deadline Review (Winners and Losers)

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 8 Comments

sonny gray

While July usually starts with a bang, Major League Baseball made sure to end July with their own kind of fireworks. July 31st, also known as Trade Deadline Day, should be a National Holiday too — haha. Many teams were active buyers and sellers, while others sat on the sideline afraid to play ball. And of course, in any trade there must be a Winner and a Loser….

Winners:

New York Yankees

Los Angeles Dodgers

Washington Nationals

Losers:

Boston Red Sox

Baltimore Orioles

Texas Rangers

Let’s start with the Losers. The Boston Red Sox made 1 notable move yesterday. They acquired bullpen arm, Addison Reed, from the New York Mets. This move, on the surface, is decent. It bolsters the Red Sox weak bullpen and seemed necessary. So why are they losers Dave?? Well, I think we all know the answer to that!! But no, seriously, they aren’t competing with themselves. They are competing with the Yankees. And solely adding Addison Reed won’t be enough to keep up with the Yankees following their additions this past month.

The Baltimore Orioles seem like a lost puppy. They’re roaming the streets unsure of where their home is. The Orioles should have been sellers this year, however, they traded FOR Jeremy Hellickson and Tim Beckham. Hellickson is a mediocre starting pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies and Beckham is a middle infielder from the Tampa Bay Rays. I don’t get it….

And then there’s the Texas Rangers. Sure, they traded Yu Darvish for prospects, but I can argue that haul was one-sided. They also traded Jonathan Lucroy to the Colorado Rockies. Again, while selling was the way to go for the Rangers, players shouldn’t be traded for a bucket of chicken (George Costanza style). When Lucroy was acquired by the Rangers, they gave up a major prospect (Lewis Brinson). Yesterday, they traded Lucroy, for a player to be named later. Nice work!!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Now, we shall move on to the smart people, the Winners. We may as well start with my beloved New York Yankees. They’ve had an extremely successful season and it should only get better. They acquired Sonny Gray from the Oakland Athletics for 3 prospects (Dustin Fowler, James Kaprielian, and Jorge Mateo). These are all nice prospects, but when you add the uncertainty of a prospect to the major surgeries Fowler and Kaprielian are recovering from, you may as well close your eyes and swing. Gray has a career e.r.a. of 3.42 and is 44-36 in his 5-year career. He should help get the Yankees’ starters into the 8th inning for the first time in 1700 years.

The Los Angeles Dodgers also find themselves in the W column. While everyone is talking about Yu Darvish, I’m talking about Tony Watson. Watson is a very solid bullpen arm. This was the Dodgers most glaring need, and they plugged up that hole in 1 move. Yes, Yu Darvish is nice because he’s a household name, but Watson is the prize for the Dodgers. You’ll see what I’m talking about come October.

And last but certainly not least, the Washington Nationals. Talk about bolstering your bullpen. Reminiscent of the Yankees’ farm system in 2016, the Nationals bullpen went from worst to first overnight. They added Ryan Madson, Sean Doolittle, and Brandon Kintzler. All have closing experience, and all are having good seasons. The Nationals are my new World Series favorite. Hopefully, the Yankees have the honor of staring down that barrel.

 

What is your take on the MLB Trade Deadline?? Who were the biggest Winners and Losers?? Type your reaction into the comment section below.

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One Liner Friday’s

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

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Hello and welcome to another edition of One Liner Fridays. Here you can find the past week in sports wrapped up in one line and one line only. Enjoy!!

Hey Jason Dufner, you just won your 1st Major, The PGA Championship, you can smile now.

Have you ever seen a more emotionless man in the entire world??

Man, the most emotion he showed was in the butt slap he gave his wife right after he won the tournament (awesome).

Sound the alarm, call the National Guard, alert the President, Tom Brady stubbed his toe!!

I’ll have whatever Alfonso Soriano is having.

I still don’t understand why the Jets are being talked about, they are going to be the worst team in the NFL this season.

However, everyone is missing the point (as usual) with Rex Ryan’s “brutal” comment about Geno Smith.

Rex obviously knows he’s on the hot seat (his ass might as well be on fire), and the only way to save his job is to stick with ‘his guy’ in Sanchez and go down with the ship.

It’s partly his pride for sticking with Sanchez, but if Sanchez magically figures it out maybe Rex is employed come next August (he figures there’s no way he can win anything with a rookie).

Hey Tiger, the fairway’s that way
——————->!!

Who’s pumped for football??

Hey RG3, do you mind if we create a controversy between you and your coach out of absolutely nothing?

Heyyyy, Major League Baseball finally threw out their black and white TV, took their corn cob pipe out of their mouths, sold their transistor radio, and has decided to join us in the 21st century.

For those of you who don’t know, MLB will be instituting instant replay in the near future.

The format for manager challenges is not even close to the right way to do this, but it is a step in the right direction.

Are there enough of you out there watching baseball to realize how unbelievable of a season Miguel Cabrera is having?

He won the Triple Crown last year, and he is putting that season to shame (enjoy history).

Clayton Kershaw = Beast!

Greg Jennings needs shut his trap, running his mouth about a former teammate who just happens to be the best quarterback in the league is nota good idea.

Remember when Don Mattingly was almost fired and then the Dodgers went 40-8 over their next 48 games??

Say thank you to Yasiel.

And finally, I know some of you were worried but yes, Johnny Manziel is still an idiot.

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can 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!