I am coming to you from the Man Cave, now my bunker, where I eat, sleep, watch TV and stay away from the mid and upper levels of the house while the painters have their way. This will end this weekend, but it is only part one of a number of improvements. Next will be the new blinds, which will permit us to once more inhabit the bedroom—my wife is ensconced in the den, sleeping on a couch like me, but enveloped wby far fewer boxes than I have surrounding me. So here I am, writing while seated on a folding chair, laptop on a box labeled nightgowns and shorts.
Once we have the carpeting in—it is scheduled for May 9, then we can begin to get rid of the boxes, and the clothes on couches and floors and start to live a more normal lifestyle. I cautiously use those terms, because what is normal anyway these days? Between woke awareness and sensitivity along with twisted stories developed to suit one’s world view, who knows what really is the truth?
Which is why I escape to sports or a book to find solace—if my teams are winning. With so much going on right now, the odds seem to be working in my favor—for now.
I took some shots at the Yankees last week. Somebody must have communicated my feelings to the team, for all of a sudden, the Yankees are magically winning big, slugging homers and the pitching has been outstanding for the most part.
Now let’s get some perspective. The wins have come against the Guardians and Orioles. While Cleveland came in as a first place team, they left New York pretty ripped up and went to Anaheim where they met a hot Angels team which kept the G’s in a tailspin.
As for the Birds, they aren’t chirping like they did in Baltimore. The big boppers of the Yankees took care of that. Turning 30, free agent to-be Aaron Judge slugged a home run on his birthday, the day after his picture made social media where his hand rested inappropriately on his wife’s chest—avert your eyes, children!
Returning D.J. LeMahieu to the top of the order wasn’t brain surgery. Of course he went on a 12 game hitting streak. That’s what he does when he is in the right place and healthy, unlike last year’s struggles due to injury.
Anthony Rizzo took three pitches deep on Tuesday, making him the early MLB leader in home runs. Fred Freeman who? Remember that later in the year when Rizzo’s bat cools and Freeman is consistently at or above a .300 average on a really good Dodgers ball club.
Giancarlo Stanton was in a funk. He hadn’t homered in 14 straight games, sitting stuck with 349 career homers. Number 350 came on Wednesday night, making him the 7th fastest player to reach that coveted mark. If his bat has awakened, pitchers should take cover.
Even Joey Gallo got into the act. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Gallo slammed home runs, one to left center and the other into the right field seats. Sure, he still strikes out a lot. But his ball-to-bat contact is much better than in the past, so there might actually be some hope for him to be less than moribund at the plate for an entire season.
I remind myself that it is Cleveland and Baltimore that the Yankees are playing. Next is a road trip to Kansas City, where the Royals are having a so-so start to the season. Then an all-important trip to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays in a collision of two of the top AL East teams. When we will also find out how many Yankees remain unvaccinated and therefore unable to cross the border.
Meanwhile, the Mets continue to win. Not without controversy. The Mets are being plunked at an alarming rate. It spilled over on Wednesday when a retaliatory pitch to the Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado precipitated a baseball brawl. Nobody was hurt, although Mets slugger Pete Alonso, hit twice this early season in the helmet, was tackled by a Cardinals coach in fear that Alonso, a very strong young man, might hurt somebody. Alonso said he rushed into the fray to protect his teammates.
The bigger issue is that the ball has been changed. Top flight pitchers like Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer have made mention that it felt like a cue ball, difficult to grip. Mets catchers have echoed that thought. Which makes it much more difficult to control when pitching inside to Mets batters, which must be the scouting report. That leads to disgruntled hit batsmen and brawls.
MLB says they are investigating. I hope they investigate this phenomenon fast, before it becomes an epidemic. We have been through enough of those.
I made it to Lancaster with my wife to see the first place Franklin and Marshall Diplomats step a doubleheader against Haverford. While the day was cool and the faint smell of naturally fertilizing the fields was still around, it was great to see some fine Division III baseball.
F&M is a pretty good team. They have to win over arch rival Gettysburg at home on Friday before traveling to an all-important doubleheader at Swarthmore. The winner of those games would secure home field for the Centennial Conference playoffs—a big thing when seeking to make the NCAA Tournament.
Rutgers had a rough weekend when Iowa came to Piscataway. The Hawkeyes went 2-1 in their trip East. RU managed to maintain first place in the Big Ten, with a trip to Columbus on tap to face Ohio State starting on Friday. Perhaps the best team in the conference travels to RU over Mother’s Day weekend when Maryland pays a visit. The Knights have been hanging tough this season; the toughest part of the season is yet to come.
In NBA action, Golden State, Miami, Boston and Milwaukee all secured first round series wins. Three other series are at 3-2 heading into action on Thursday.
Those proclaiming that the Warriors are going to win the Western Conference playoffs should remember that Nikola Jokic didn’t have a full complement of able-bodied teammates to work with. For had he had that full team, this series would have headed to seven games. No matter how physical Golden State was with him, he was difficult to stop. For a seven footer, Jokic is imposing as to how he handles the ball. If he had the strength of a true center, like Shaquille O’Neal or Wilt Chamberlain, Denver would win every year. Say he was on the Warriors—wouldn’t they be unstoppable. That’s how scary good Jokic is.
Speaking of scary good, Ja Morant of Memphis is just that. Last season’s Rookie of the Year was named Most Improved Player for this year. Nobody has ever been those two things in succeeding seasons. His play in the fourth quarter against Minnesota on Tuesday night included maybe the dunk of the year and a spectacular game-winning layup.
And Miami put a clamp on Trae Young, who couldn’t repeat his heroics of last year against the Knicks. Which is why Atlanta is done for the season and Miami awaits the winner of the Toronto-Sixers matchup.
There is much drama in that series. Sixers star Joel Embiid is playing with torn ligaments in his right hand, limiting him. He is urging James Harden to play better ball, which may not happen. Harden has a history of being a non-factor in the playoffs before. For if he doesn’t, Doc Rivers will lose another series after leading 3-1. Do I hear Jay Wright being called?
As for the Nets, they are as dysfunctional as Kyrie Irving. While he and Kevin Durant are very talented, the Boston Celtics are one whale of a team. Mired in a miserable slump into early January, the C’s came alive and went 36-6. They play hard defense. They make their shots. They play defending champion Milwaukee next in what promises to be a very entertaining meeting.
I think that Phoenix can survive a surprisingly strong effort from New Orleans. Without Devin Booker, the Suns are almost mortal. The series victor gets the winner of Utah-Dallas, games very few follow, because they have the least star power.
Thus we have baseball in full action, the end of the NHL regular season and the start of the playoffs next week. There is the NFL Draft where the Jets and Giants will try to get better all at once with two picks each in the Top 10. And the NBA Playoffs continue.
What a wonderful week to be stuck in my cellar, save my trip to Pennsylvania Dutch country. So ends my Man Cave Missive.
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