Monday, May 25, 2020

The Sights and Sounds of "Spring", Part 2...


2020 Spring Training II may soon be a reality…

For the first time in a long time, this feels like this will be a critical week for Major League Baseball. The MLB owners are expected to present a proposal to the Players Association for revenue and finance modifications, in addition to health and safety protocols, in preparation for a proposed shortened season. It still seems like we are in for the continuation of back and forth moves but realistically time is running out, literally, if there is to be a 2020 season. If the season is as foggy next weekend as it is now, optimism for a successful launch of the season will start to fade (if it hasn’t already). I am hopeful the groundwork is laid to give us baseball soon. 

All I know is I want baseball. I’ve seen people writing the negatives about a potential 82 game season (increased likelihood of a player hitting .400?) but there’s no doubt this season will carry the proverbial asterisk for whatever happens. I have reconciled with myself that we will not see a traditional version of professional baseball until 2021 at the earliest. Even next year, with a full  slate of 162 games, might still feel a little off with the residual effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Still, I’d rather have baseball this year than no baseball. We’re in the prime of Gerrit Cole’s career and I don’t want to miss another minute (or pitch). Who knows what challenges an 82 game season will present, but I am willing to endure the pain to experience the joy. The deeper we go without the return of America’s favorite pastime, more potential games are eliminated. To go less than 82 games does start to seem like ‘why bother?’ as it would reward teams with hot starts regardless of the quality of their clubs to succeed over better and more deserving clubs. So, as much as I want baseball back, there is probably a line in the sand and we’re getting close to it. That’s why I am hopeful for optimistic news this week. But that darn realist in me keeps trying to pour water on my party. At least we’re talking baseball again. It has to start somewhere.

As the injured Yankees return to good health, it made me wonder if there has been a player to have off-season Tommy John surgery and yet be ready and available for Opening Day. I didn’t look it up to see if it has ever happened before but it could be the case for Aaron Hicks as he was expected back in June or July. I know, it’s not the same as a pitcher, but still, it will be incredible if Hicks is your starting centerfielder when the games resume. A welcome sight, no doubt, but credit to him for the hard work he’s put in since undergoing surgery to put himself in position to be ready.

Photo Credit: @ahicks31 via Instagram

James Paxton and Giancarlo Stanton seem to be other players who will be ready, much to the disappointment of hopefuls for their spots (led by Jonathan Loaisiga, Deivi Garcia, and Clint Frazier, among others). I feel bad for Frazier. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. If Frazier is earmarked for another season in Triple A, the Yankees should trade him to create MLB opportunity for the promising player. I do not see any purpose gained by another year in the minors regardless of how much Frazier needs to work on his defense. The only way, at this point, for Frazier to get better for the Major Leagues is to play in the Major Leagues. I’d like to see him succeed with the Yankees. Brett Gardner played very well last year, but with each passing year, he’ll lose a little bit more. It happens to the best of us. You cannot slow down Father Time, especially when you are in your late 30’s. Even in a shortened season, I see the Yankees leaning more heavily on guys like Mike Tauchman as the need to keep Gardy healthy will be stronger than it ever has been. It could create opportunity for Frazier, but then again, maybe not. This will be interesting to watch in the coming months. It would be fun to watch Frazier grab opportunity with both hands and ride it to a very productive MLB season.  

Photo Credit: @clintfrazierr via Instagram

I am sure the opportunity will be there for the younger pitchers. It’s not like Cole and company will be pitching nine innings (or at least seven) an outing right out of the gate, especially with an abbreviated re-start to Spring Training. Those middle innings need to be filled and expanded rosters will help the younger arms gain exposure. I guess Spring Training this year should be called Summer Training…if it happens. Florida may be nice in March but it’s not exactly where I would want to train in June or July. Yet, veterans and rookies alike will be pitching for success and it will create memorable moments for all of us in whatever form the season takes. 

This will be a big year for Paxton. An impending free agent, his performance, even with a proposed shortened season, sets the stage for his next contract. Teams will be watching to see if he can stay healthy which, up to this point, has been a challenge. I like Paxton and I hope this is not his final year in Pinstripes. Yet, with Masahiro Tanaka heading into free agency, it seems like the Yankees will lose at least one. I’d probably like to see Tanaka finish his career in the Bronx, even with the annual threat of Tommy John surgery looming over his elbow.  I get frustrated with those obligatory regular season home runs, but Masa turns up the volume in the post-season and you need guys like that to be the last team standing. The Andy Pettitte Effect. So, I guess the question is who would you rather have? Paxton or Tanaka. That’s a tough one. I think Paxton could be a very effective pitcher in his 30’s if he could overcome the injury label, but Masa has been a very good Yankee from Day One and knows how to pitch effectively despite any limitations or obstacles. I know I didn’t really answer the question about which pitcher I would prefer to keep but I’d like to see both Yankee careers continue. I just don’t think it is possible, especially in a year that has seen such a cut in team finances.  

I think one of the biggest downsides to the MLB delay this season is the dilution of focus on the Houston cheating scandal. Maybe it will re-surface when the games resume but if the games are played in empty stadiums, the only boos will come from opposing dugouts. Not quite the same as having packed stadium crowds laying it on thick. Jim Crane and his roster of cheaters, in my opinion, will be getting off easy. I really hope I am wrong about this. The Astros disrespected the game we love and it’s unfortunate they will not see the full wrath of penalties and punishment they deserve.  

Ready for baseball. MLB, Players Association…the ball is in your hands. Let’s do this.

Photo Credit: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

As always, Go Yankees!

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

How Sports Fans can Connect with Each Other


Do you want to connect with other people that love sports just as much as you do? From soccer to tennis, sports are not just a hobby, but a way of life for many fans. This means that many want to surround themselves with similarly sports-minded people. If you want to build new relationships and find fresh ways to experience the sport that you love, here is a guide that will help you get closer to the action and meet other fans along the way.

·        Go to a Match

One of the best ways to immerse yourself within your chosen sport and meet other fans is to book tickets to a league match. Although you will only be able to see matches during the right season, your memories of the match, and the connections you make with other fans, will stay with you forever. Not only will attending a game that allows you to see your chosen sports like never before, but it will also allow you to get swept away with the roar of fans in commiseration or celebration.
In fact, there is no better way to connect with like-minded people, and attending a match can give you the opportunity to meet others with the same passion for sports. To find a match near you, ticketsales.com offers great rates on a wide range of national and global sporting events.

·        Volunteer or Get a Job

If you want to be close to the action on a daily basis, you can take an active part in the upkeep and preservation of your preferred sport by finding local volunteering and job opportunities. There is no better way to support your club than to dedicate your career to it, and this will also give you the opportunity to work alongside other fans and some of the best professional sportspeople in the country.

·        Join a Fan Club

Joining a fan club for one of the most supported teams can be daunting. However, this is the best way to connect with people that are just as passionate as you about your chosen sport. Not only will you be able to get benefits such as discounts on merchandise and ticket offers, but you will also have the opportunity to attend member’s events and meet up with other fans of the sport.
You should also look at joining online clubs which can help unite fans from all over the world on forums and message boards. You can even arrange to meet up at or attend matches with each other. And of course, the internet provides opportunities to connect with your heroes by interacting with celebrity sporting personalities on social media.

·        Join an Amateur Club

If you want to feel part of a team, there is no better way to put yourself in the shoes of your heroes than by joining an amateur sports league in your area. Not only will you be able to learn the sport which you are so passionate about, but you will be able to meet and chat with other fans and play against other teams, whether you are a natural-born player or not. Many clubs also arrange trips to some of the biggest matches and events in your area, allowing you to keep up with all of the latest developments in the world of sport as a group.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Glimmer of Hope for the 2020 Season...

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg, The New York Post

Despite delay, MLB could be back within 60 days…

As we continue to wait for the return of America’s favorite pastime, at least there is a growing sense of optimism for a 2020 MLB season in some shape or form. I miss baseball and I miss the New York Yankees. The career of a baseball player is so short, relatively-speaking, and it is sad to miss what could have been the best year for some. Still, it is more likely than not we’ll see 23-year-old Gleyber Torres making spectacular plays on the field or Gerrit Cole dominating hitters while wearing the famed Pinstripes. We just don’t know where…or when. For now, I’ll take hope as an option and maybe it will yield fruit for all of us.  



I think Major League Baseball did the right thing postponing Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame induction to the summer of 2021. With a record crowd expected, it makes no sense to put lives at risk. Jeter is a Hall of Famer and waiting a little longer for the official induction does not change anything. He’ll have his moment in the sun. There just might be a few more guys joining Jeter…and Ted Simmons, Larry Walker, and Marvin Miller…with the future announcement of the Class of 2021. Oh well, hopefully by then, we can once again say, “the more, the merrier”.  

I called the Los Angeles Angels a couple of days ago to request refund of the tickets I had purchased for the weekend series in Anaheim over Memorial Day Weekend against the Yankees. I had expected some difficulty, however, there was none. With the uncertainty of the season (and schedule if/when play resumes), I didn’t just want a credit against future games. I’d prefer to make the choices when games resume and opponents are known. I had been excited to see the Yankees this year after four years of living in a National League city, but like Derek Jeter, I may have to wait until 2021 to watch America’s favorite team take the field.  

I feel bad for the Cleveland Indians. Last off-season, as we all know, they traded Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers for what seemed like a light return: outfielder Delino DeShields and hard-throwing reliever Emmanuel Clase. I wonder if they’d like to undo that trade with word Clase has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned PED, Boldenone. Clase is young enough to rebound from this, but he is certainly not starting his Indians career on the right foot. Speaking of suspensions, it is probably unlikely we see Domingo German this year as we continue to wait for the start of his penalty. Seems a little unfair that the penalty box time has already started for disgraced former managers Alex Cora and A.J. Hinch but not for German who must wait until the games start to serve his suspension since his sentence is number of games and not simply for the year.  

On a sad note, I heard today that former Oakland A’s pitcher Matt Keough, 64, died on Friday. I remember him being a big part of the A’s under the early 80’s leadership of the great Billy Martin and the famed Billy Ball Era in the East Bay. I think I had forgotten he pitched for the Yankees in 12 games during the 1983 season. He compiled a 3-4 record, with an unsightly 5.17 ERA, in the dozen Pinstriped games. Unfortunately, despite his youth at that time, 27, he was never the same pitcher he had been in his earlier 20’s with the A’s. I can now recollect wanting him to succeed (I always liked him when he was with Oakland) but it was not meant to be. I didn’t follow his career closely but I do remember the talk of people at the time who felt Billy had overused his arm  in those early days with the A’s. I have not seen the cause of death (it was not released when the A’s made the announcement on Saturday), but 64 is too young. May he rest in peace…


I have seen a few posts that cite tomorrow as the two-year anniversary for the Cleveland Indians’ release of Gio Urshela. I’ve also seen non-Yankee fans who act like we think our scouting department is better than everybody else for picking up Gio. Well, we are better than everybody else but that’s besides the point. I don’t think the Yankees knew Gio would blossom in New York. When they picked him up from the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2018, Gio spent the remainder of the year in the minors, they needed the depth, and he became a minor league free agent that winter before re-signing with the Yankees. If the Yankees had known he would flourish in 2019, they wouldn’t have let him become a free agent, in my opinion. It remains to be seen if Gio can have the same level of success in 2020, assuming there is a season or at least a truncated version thereof, as he did in 2019. I like Gio and I want him as the starting third baseman, with no disrespect to Miguel Andujar. I value strong defense at the position and I feel despite his occasional miscues, Gio is the superior defender. If Gio regresses back to one-dimensional play, I’d be among the first of Gio’s supporters calling for Andjuar’s return. Gio needs to keep hitting to keep the job. If he does, great. I’ll be very excited and happy for him. I’ll never view this as something the Yankees saw that no one else did. They rolled the dice and won. There have been plenty of times when it hasn’t worked out for those types of decisions.   

Photo Credit: Kathy Willens, AP

Back to the game itself, the talk lately seems to be centered on a shortened 100-game season that would conclude in late November. The teams broken up into three 10-team divisions, perhaps with geographical restrictions where the games are played, and keeping regular season games within each division. The season could potentially start in late June or early July. Honestly, I don’t really care what format they decide upon. I recognize that all traditions, as we know them, are out the window this year. I’d rather have some form of Major League Baseball, whatever it looks like, rather than no professional baseball until the 2021 season. 

If the season does start and the World Series is not played until around Thanksgiving, this is going to be the strangest off-season in recent memory. The regular season may be truncated but so will the off-season. I guess that’s a good thing to help expedite off-season trades and free agent signings. Decisions will have to be made very quickly. I just hope the Yankees keep the eye on the ball and make sure they get DJ LeMahieu’s signature on the dotted line and don’t let him slip away. It feels like we’re going to lose one or both of Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton. If he could ever stay healthy, Paxton offers the most upside, in my opinion, but Tanaka has been a very good Yankee for the duration of his career. I’d hate to see him go elsewhere, such as Seattle, and give other fans reason to cheer. Well, not that I wouldn’t want him to be supported wherever he may go, but I’d just prefer the Yankees keep him as our own. If the Yankees do lose one or both, they’ll really need some of the young pitchers in the organization to step up. We’ve heard years of promise with the young arms but it’s nearing showtime for their prime opportunities. It’s possible GM Brian Cashman swings a deal for a proven young arm or two next off-season but those type of transactions seem to be more fiction than fact. Dipping into the free agent pool for replacements seems kind of counter-productive (why not just re-sign Tanaka and Paxton?). The Yankees have a window of opportunity for a championship right now but there are decisions ahead for the organization which can certainly make or break those dreams. No pressure, Cash.  

According to reports last week, we could start to see the return of some Yankees to Tampa this week. I haven’t heard or seen anything the last couple of days, but it will be good to see players return to Steinbrenner Field and allow us to actually watch some current baseball activity as opposed to the endless replay of games past. My TV was on SportsNet LA earlier today and it was amazing how the Dodgers just kept winning their games in walk-off fashion, game after game. No doubt the Yankees are similarly undefeated so far this year on the YES Network (I wouldn’t know since I no longer have access to the channel with my move to LA).  

Stay safe, be safe. 

As always, Go Yankees!