Tag: World Series

Yanks Yank Game 4 From Astros

~ 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 .

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 Could Get Used To Curtain Calls

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

aaron judge record

We are fans. Fans of ‘our’ teams. Fans of our favorite players. Fans of history. No matter your sports allegiance, being part of history is attainable for anyone. All those who have tuned in, or gone to a Major League Baseball game this season are part of history — whether they know it or not.

This season, a league-wide record was set. MLB players have combined for the most home runs in a season in MLB history. The running tally is now at 5,953, breaking the previous record of 5,693 (2000). While many players have contributed to this record (517 players hit at least 1 home run), 1 man broke individual records along the way.

“It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superm…”.

Naaaa, it’s Aaron James Judge.

On Monday afternoon, Aaron Judge sent 2 balls into the stands in Yankee Stadium, bringing his home run total to 50 on the season. These however, weren’t any old, garden variety home runs. Judge’s 50th home run broke Mark McGwire’s 30-year old rookie record for home runs in a season. Yes my math wizards, bring down the 7, and you’ll arrive at 1987.

Ah 1987. “Full House”. “Lethal Weapon”. Black Monday. Good year.

Judge’s accomplishments are nothing short of amazing. Early in the season, he surpassed Joe DiMaggio’s rookie home run record. And now he’ll look to join the likes of Ichiro Suzuki and Fred Lynn. Ichiro and Lynn are the only 2 players in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Despite being thrust into the spotlight as a rookie, Judge has shown a refreshing sense of humility.

“I’d rather be in a good position in the playoffs and holding up a World Series trophy than an AL MVP trophy,” Judge said.

This speaks volumes to Judge’s character. He’s never looking to self-promote. He’s always about the team. In a generation of mirror huggers, I’d like to say, “Thank you Aaron Judge.”

If only every superstar in New York acted like Aaron Judge.

10, 7, 10, 7, 3, 13. Those would be Judge’s monthly home run totals. Yes, he slumped to an unenviable level in August, but that was the natural regression to be expected from a rookie in New York. If only someone had predicted this….

After a September to remember, Judge has also thrown himself back into the AL MVP race:

Aaron Judge: .283 avg., 50 hr’s, 109 rbi’s, 9 sb’s

Jose Altuve: .348 avg., 24 hr’s, 81 rbi’s, 32 sb’s

Mike Trout: .309, 31 hr’s, 70 rbi’s, 22 sb’s

Jose Altuve will most likely hoist the AL MVP trophy, however, the fact that Mike Trout is still in the conversation is the most amazing thing no one is talking about. Look at Trout’s numbers again. Now, realize he missed 47 GAMES THIS SEASON!!!! That’s 30% of the season!! His current statistics extrapolate to 44 hr’s, 100 rbi’s, and 31 sb’s. Yeah, those sound like MVP numbers to me too.

Despite Trout’s best effort, he and his Angels (78-79) will be watching the postseason from home. Altuve’s Astros (97-60) remain 1 game back of the Cleveland Indians (98-59) for the best record in the American League. Judge’s Yankees have clinched a postseason berth and are 3 games back of the Boston Red Sox with 5 games to play.

Hey, crazier things have happened….

Mets’ fans know what I’m talking about.

 

Should Aaron Judge win the AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP?? 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 6:10 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!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

Hugs All Around

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

MLB: All Star Game

 

Now a days it is hard to find a player as well liked and respected as Derek Jeter.  Last night’s All-Star Game festivities was a prime example of that.  This was Derek Jeter’s 14th and final All-Star Game appearance, and it was only proper to pay homage to a living legend such as himself.  Personally I believe Major League Baseball, the people of Minnesota, and his fellow competitors did a great job in honoring Derek Jeter last night.  To start the night off, Derek gave his team a pregame speech, and in typical Derek Jeter fashion he decided to thank his American League teammates rather than make it about himself.  The entire night seemed too good to be true, as if it were scripted for a play, but that is exactly how it should have felt. 

 

To start off the game, Derek was tested in the field.  Derek made a diving stop on a sharply hit ball up the middle and nearly threw out the speedy Andrew McCutchen at first base.  It was funny to hear Derek Jeter say, during his 4th inning interview with Tim Kurkjian, that he wishes he could have thrown the replay flag on that play.  Side Note: What is the umpire thinking not calling McCutchen out on sheer principal????  What transpired in the bottom of the 1st inning was priceless and yet again perfect.  Derek Jeter was called to the plate by the late great Bob Shepard, something that has happened since the dawn of time in Yankee Stadium.  As Derek approached the plate, he was ready to dig in and get this show on the road, however, Adam Wainwright and the fans had other plans.  Wainwright, being the class act that he is, set his glove down on the mound and stood halfway between the mound and second base.  Wainwright had no intentions of interfering with the 63-second standing ovation that the fans in Minnesota gave Derek.  When Derek’s first at-bat finally got under way, on the second pitch, Derek drove the ball the opposite way (in typical Derek Jeter fashion), for a stand-up double.  We have watched that inside out swing of his for 20 years now, a swing that has produced 3,408 regular season hits (9th on the all-time list).  After Derek’s double, he was promptly driven in by the living, breathing version of He-Man; Mike Trout.  As we fast forward to the 3rd inning, Derek notched another All-Star Game hit on his belt, where else but to right field (this one of the bloop variety).  This final hit brought his all time All-Star Game batting average up to .481 (13 for 27), which is 2nd all time. 

 

The start of the 4th inning seemed like any other.  The players for the American League took the field and went through their warm-up routines, but boy were they in for a surprise.  Just as warm-ups concluded and the inning was about to start, American League Manager John Farrell sent Alexei Ramirez out to shortstop to replace Derek Jeter.  This move allowed Derek to receive an individual standing ovation, which lasted about 2 and a half minutes.  In the dugout, Derek went to every person on the roster and gave them their own personalized hug.  I think he even gave the grounds crew members a hug on his way out of the stadium too.  And as expected, the fans continued cheering until Derek came out for a well deserved curtain call.  Last night was nearly perfect for Major League Baseball, for the fans, and for Derek Jeter.  The only part that they missed (besides not calling McCutchen out on the play at first) was not giving Derek the All-Star Game MVP Award.  All the baseball writers of the world can talk about how last night was the passing of the torch from Derek Jeter to Mike Trout (who won the MVP Award) all they want, but that is incorrect.  Last night was about Derek Jeter and Derek Jeter alone.  Last night’s game was not about, and should never be, about home field advantage in the World Series.  It was about one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game.  It was about paying tribute to one of the most decorated careers in baseball history.  No one handles themselves better in these situations than The Captain.  Over his career he has always remained gracious and most importantly he is never selfish.  Last night was another testament to that and the greatness that is Derek Jeter.   

 

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!         

The Best Part of Waking Up Is Baseball In Your Cup

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

I know I keep repeating myself, but isn’t this the best time of the year?  The weather has made a turn for the better, the players in the NBA are finally trying, March Madness is right around the corner, and with Spring Training in full swing, it’s time to start gearing up for baseball season.  Baseball’s preseason has to be the most exciting of any of the major sports.  While the games in the preseason don’t “matter” (like all sports), it is a very important time for every team.  It is time for teams to evaluate the talent on their rosters and see what they have to work with for the start of the regular season.  Some teams are already dealing with injuries, while others have difficult decisions to make with players competing for the same position.  Opening Day will be here before you know it as it is just 32 short days away.  Opening Day this year is March 31st, which is Easter Sunday.  The first game of the year will be the Texas Rangers taking on the Houston Astros @ 8:05 P.M.  Be sure to tune in to ESPN to catch all the action from Major League Baseball’s Opening Day.  The very next day, 24 more teams will jump into the action.

Just in case you can’t wait for Opening Day to see how the 2013 season is going to play out, I’m going to predict the future for everyone here.  Over the next month I will go through player projections and rankings for all you Fantasy Baseball Fanatics out there.  Want a preview of each team and each division before the season starts?  Have no fear, you’ll be able to find that here as well.  And lastly, I will break down the winners of all the major awards, and I will also give you my Division Winners, Playoff Predictions, and finally the World Series Champion.  Check back tomorrow for my first division preview.  I will start with an overview of each team in the National League East.

Enjoy my writing?  Follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well.  You can also find me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or Like me on Facebook at my page : http://www.facebook.com/DaveTalksSports

Who Ya Gonna Call?? No, not Johnny Damon. Call the Ghostbusters.

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 6 Comments

Something big is happening in New York.  It’s not what you’d expect, and personally I’m terrified.  New York used to be the example of greatness.  We used to be the place that all others tried to model themselves after, but now we are the example of mediocrity.  Don’t believe me?  Okay, I’ll prove it.  The Islanders are one of the worst hockey teams in the world, the Jets are well the Jets (enough said), the Knicks are having a nice year, but they’re not winning any titles, and the Yankees are not the Yankees of the ’90’s anymore.  As sad as this is to say (I love the Yankees), the Yankees are not that good.  When Johnny Damon is the answer to your prayers, you know you’re in trouble.  For those of you who don’t know, Curtis Granderson broke his arm yesterday, causing mass hysteria here in New York.  Some of the media outlets here are suggesting that the Yankees sign free agent Johnny Damon to help fill the void.  A thought like that makes me wonder what really goes through peoples minds.  Do people enjoy living in the past?  Do they really think that veteran’s will bring intangibles to the team that the youngsters can’t?  Who in their right mind would think that the Yankees resigning Johnny Damon would be a good idea?  Everyone wants to talk about how old the Knicks are, but those same people obviously haven’t taken the time to look at the Yankees roster.  Let me run down the list of some of their ancient artifacts.  The Yankees have a 37 year old A-Rod who is probably not going to play this year or ever again, a 38 year old Derek Jeter who is recovering from a broken ankle, a 38 year old Hiroki Kuroda on the mound, a 39 year old Ichiro, a 40 year old Andy Pettite, and a 43 year old Mariano Rivera coming off major surgery.  Mark Teixeira (32) and Kevin Youkilis (33) are no spring chickens either.  With all the talk surrounding Robinson Cano’s contract negotiations (which are a year away), and Granderson going down, the Yankees season is already in disarray and it hasn’t even started.  Man, I’m really glad Steinbrenner made all of those off-season acquisitions this year.  Oh, yeah that’s right, they didn’t make any moves whatsoever.  Good idea Hal.  Quick side note: I’ve always said that the death of George Steinbrenner was the worst thing to ever happen to this franchise.  Clearly not everything runs in the family, because his kids have no clue how to run the most successful sports franchise in the world.  Anyway, with an aging roster and below average pitching staff, you’d think that the Yankees would have made a flurry of big moves to bring in some young talent during the off-season.  Instead, they let Russell Martin walk leaving the Yankees with literally no catcher.  They let Nick Swisher and Raul Ibanez walk as well.  They also decided not to negotiate with Rafael Soriano due to the devil’s (I mean Scott Boras’) demands.  Hey Hal, do you know why the Yankees won 4 World Series in 5 years in the late 90’s and early 2000’s?  I didn’t think so.  It’s because you had a transition from a great closer (John Wetteland) to another GREAT closer (Mariano Rivera).  As much as I love Big Mo this is clearly going to be his last season, and great closers don’t exactly grow on trees.  But hey, I guess little Steinbrenner wants us to be excited about the signing of Travis Hafner.  Newsflash, the long ball doesn’t win Championships by itself (Exhibit A: last season)!!  Without any substantial additions to the Yankees roster as it is presently constructed, they will finish in 3rd place in the American League East and MISS the playoffs.  They need a pleasant surprise from someone already on the roster, a big trade, or they need find some talent from their Farm system to compete this year.  Otherwise, I think they are in big trouble.  Nobody loves the Yankees more than me, I am just calling it like I see it.

As for the Granderson situation, I have a solution that they should have been trying for about two years now.  Move Eduardo Nunez to the outfield.  Nunez has blazing speed but has not proven to be a consistent enough fielder at shortstop.  He makes far too many errors from one of the most important positions on the field.  If you keep Brett Gardner and Nunez in the order at the same time you will put speed on the base paths and be able to play small ball (a recipe for success that I’ve been begging for for years now).  And hey, if it doesn’t work you can always slide Nunez right back into his utility role.  It’s not like he’s ever had a set position and you would somehow be disrupting his rhythm by moving him to the outfield.

With Spring Training upon us, we are entering the best time of the year.  March Madness is on it’s way as is beautiful Spring weather.  Undoubtedly, the best part of the year is the start of Baseball season.  Stay tuned for my full preview of the Major League Baseball season including division winners, playoff and world series predictions, and player projections.