Fandom--Redux

     I started a blog a couple of weeks ago. I liked the blog I was writing. I went to copy it, having thought that I had saved it, and it disappeared. I am going to partially recreate that blog and to add what has happened since April 17th, the date of my last submission. Hopefully I won't screw up saving and publishing this edition...

     The Mets started out ablaze in the first two weeks. They were pitching well and Mets batters provided timely hitting. It seemed like the Mets were going to run away from the NL East. Then disaster struck on many fronts--injuries, a lack of timely hitting and pitching in disarray--led to a horrible stretch of losses. Jacob de Grom, one of their front line pitchers, suffered an elbow injury swinging a bat. Matt Harvey, a brilliant young pitching star who suffered two debilitating injuries and was attempting a comeback, bombed out on a number of fronts and his histrionics and late night behavior could no longer be tolerated. "The Dark Knight" is now a member of the lowly Cincinnati Reds, having refused assignment to the minor leagues to work out his mechanical issues. It got so bad that yesterday in Cincinnati, the Mets were called out for batting out of order--in the first inning.

     Still, the Mets are over .500 at 18-16. This is despite losing 16 of their last 23 games with an 11-1 start. They are 1 1/2 games behind division leading Atlanta, a game behind Philadelphia, and 1 game ahead of the projected favorite, the Washington Nationals. It is a long season, but with the plethora of problems facing them, it will be an amazing turn about if they can return to their winning ways of early April.

     Conversely, the Yankees are on an absolute tear. Winners of 17 of the past 18 contests, the Bombers have amassed a 26-10 record, good enough to finally pass a Boston team that opened their season with a 17-2 run of their own. Another come-from-behind victory last night made that possible.

     What makes this run remarkable is that it nearly coincided with the debut of rookie phenom Gleyber Torres. Torres was picked up in a trade New York made with the Chicago Cubs to essentially loan closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, which helped secure Chicago the coveted World Series win they had sought since 1945. Now the Yankees have both, and they are clearly impact players. Chapman is the Yankees' closer who throws his fastball at or over 100 m.p.h.; Torres is batting .333, picking up important hits, fielding nearly flawlessly and looks like he is here to stay.

     The Yankees actually have had three starters batting below .200. Their superstars, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have not really gotten hot.  It is the pitching of Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and C.C. Sabathia, along with a solid bullpen which has given New York just enough to win close games they should not have won. During this stretch of playing some of the American League's best teams, the Yankees only lost a game to last year's champs, Houston, after playing a Sunday night game in Anaheim. Otherwise, they have found numerous ways to win in the late innings.

     What is scary for the rest of Major League Baseball is that unmistakable fact--the Yankees have yet to play their best baseball. When catcher Gary Sanchez and leadoff outfielder Brett Gardner finally awaken, and Judge and Stanton begin their slugging in earnest, the Yankees will be as difficult as any team to beat if the pitching continues to be as formidable as it seems to be. Reinforcements such as infielders Greg Byrd and Brandon Drury are nearly ready to join the club. This could be a historic season.

     Since we last checked in, the NBA semi-finals are now set. An epic battle looms in the West, as Houston and the defending champion Golden State Warriors are set to tangle. This marquee matchup is the one the fans have waited for. Two high-powered offenses, averaging over 112 points per game--the two highest figures ever to meet in the playoffs--with star power aplenty on both sides. James Harden, the bearded, presumptive M.V.P., and State Farm commercial diva Chris Paul lead the Rockets while a recently recovered Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson return for the Warriors, who are seeking their third title in four years.

     While upstarts Boston and Philadelphia entered Game 5 of their series with Boston in command 3-1, the Sixers' young team lost by 2 to Boston.  Who awaits for Brad Stevens' Celtics but Lebron James and the Cavs. Lebron has willed his team to victory over a tough Indiana Pacers team and then mowed down Toronto, the regular season Eastern Conference leaders, in four not-too-close games.

     When the playoffs began, almost every expert believed that the Rockets and Warriors would make it to this level. Given the woes of the Cavaliers, very few gave Cleveland much of a chance to be in the Eastern Conference finals. Which proves that Lebron can NEVER, NEVER be counted out.

     In hockey, there is a game 7 between the Nashville Predators and the Winnipeg Jets. Awaiting them for supremacy in the West is...surprise and a drum roll here...those first year wonders, the Las Vegas Golden Knights. What a story that may never be duplicated should the Golden Knights win then Stanley Cup. But there is a long way to go.

     The Washington Capitals dethroned the Pittsburgh Penguins and have followed Russian super star Alex Ovechkin to his first conference finals. The Caps have drawn the very tough Tampa Bay Lightning, victors over New Jersey and then Boston. For Ovechkin and his mates to win this series and then the Stanley Cup, it will take a lot.

     So what has your sports maven been doing since we last connected? Going to a lot of games, which is what he likes to do best, and watching TV sports when he cannot be there. Thus far, I have been to 2 MLB games in Miami and Washington; one college baseball game of my alma mater, Franklin and Marshall when they traveled to Drew University; a high school lacrosse match at Morristown-Beard; and a women's lacrosse game between F&M and Muhlenberg in Allentown, Pennsylvania. A rainout in late April cost me another game--this time a high school baseball game involving Columbia H.S. and Millburn H.S.

     As noted in a prior blog, the Mets defeated the Marlins in a lackluster game that hardly anyone attended. The Mets went on to win 2 more game to conclude that early season 11-1 run before the sky caved in. The Marlins have resided in the N.L. East basement, where they belong.

     F&M's baseball team weathered some cold and wet mid-April conditions to escape Madison, NJ with a welcome win. The offensive barrage F&M mounted that day against Drew in a 15-11 win carried over to Centennial Conference contests, which led to the Diplomats grabbing the last seed in the CC Playoffs. F&M managed to win 1 of 3 in the double-elimination tournament. Senior Dan Marano was named the CC Player of the Year as he led the league in a number of offensive categories.

     F&M's women's lacrosse team won a close contest on a sunny day in Allentown. While they were the superior team, one who won the CC regular season title, the 7th ranked Diplomat women did not demonstrate that they were an exceptional group. The goaltending was the difference behind the first team All-CC Danielle Harrington, although the Muhlenberg goalie acquitted herself very well that Saturday.

     The best player on the field that afternoon was senior Jordy Bonvini, an attacker from Livingston H.S, who was a second team All-American as a junior. Bonvini won face-offs, streaked down the sidelines, withstood stick checks and was a force throughout the game. She kept the Mules in the close contact with F&M.

     My interest in the game was two-fold. Rooting for F&M came first. Next, I was studiously following Kate O'Connell, a sophomore on defense for Muhlenberg. Kate had worked her way into the lineup during the latter part of the season and she played well, although she did commit a couple of turnovers. Her dad, Rob, my physical therapist for many years, was justifiably proud of her effort.

     F&M did lose the CC playoff title to a better Gettysburg team loaded for revenge after losing to the Diplomats in the regular season match. TheDiplomats did receive a bye into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. I do not see them reaching the Final Four this year, like they did last season. The bar has been set so high at F&M. What a nice dilemma to have.

     I went to see Mount Olive, a pretty good boys' lacrosse squad, take on the Crimson of Morristown-Beard.  Sal Tromonda, a personal trainer at Brooklake Country Club who I have known for over 10 years, is the Head Coach at Mo-Beard. Sal knows his lacrosse. Outside of family, lacrosse is his love and passion. He knows the sport so well and has a wealth of knowledge and insight. His young squad was no match for a tough Marauders team which has designs on winning a Group III championship. Mt. Olive's defense was stellar, repeatedly denying the Crimson attackers. On offense, Mt. Olive won almost all of the face-offs and solved the Mo-Beard defense by rotating the ball to the weak side. The 17-5 final score would have been worse had the Mo-Beard goalie not been as good as he was.

     I know Coach Tromonda suffered stoically on the sidelines. He is competitor, and competitors do not take losing very well. He will regroup with this young team and they will improve based on their coach's drive and knowledge of the game he loves so much. The signs are there--the youngsters just have to better implement what he is teaching them. Coach Tromonda is leader of impressionable teens and helps turn them into men of character and resolve. I have no doubts that success is not so far off for Mo-Beard in boys' lacrosse.

     In the odyssey of sports which I have undertaken, I even managed to see a bit of a softball game between Madison and Mo-Beard while walking to the lacrosse match. I was impressed with the speed of the Madison pitcher, but equally impressed with the quick swings of the Mo-Beard players. Mo-Beard ended up winning the game; softball did halt the lacrosse contest momentarily when an errant throw landed in the midst of the lacrosse field.

     Nationals Park is a beautiful edifice in SE Washington where a revitalized area is rapidly growing. In 1971, the area surrounding the Navy Yard was a grungy and not a very nice place. You drive in and you hoped that you would drive back out.

     Now there are loads of restaurants and shops, apartment buildings aplenty and hotels. On game days it is bustling. Even at night, the people walk the streets and patronize the establishments in the area of M Street.

     The day we went to the ballpark, it was Star Wars Day. The characters were everywhere and the 4:05 start catered to young kids coming to the ballpark. Unlike the tomb that Marlins Park has become, Nationals Park was alive and thriving. A welcome sight indeed.

     On this day, the first two Philadelphia batters essentially decided the game--a single and a homer put the Phillies up for good. Washington could not solve the Phillies pitchers that Saturday. It is apparent that the Nats are missing some key players and the fill-ins are doing as much as they can as attested by their recent 9-1 spurt.

     Friday night, behind two home runs from the Nationals' star, Bryce Harper, Washington was a winner. On Sunday, as we headed for dinner, we heard roars erupting from the stadium as the Nets authored a comeback to win in the bottom of the 9th inning.

     The park may not have been at capacity for any of the three game series, and there were a significant number of Phillies fans in town for the weekend. But there was a vibe that gave enjoyment for being at the ballpark--even when the game itself was over three hours long and had well over 300 pitches thrown. My emotions were much more positive than in Miami.

     Which is good because I have a number of games upcoming starting with the Giants in Houston on May 22, then a trip to Yankee Stadium to see the Astros and my annual road trip to Baltimore to see the moribund Orioles host the Yankees.

     For this sports junkie, I am in my element. Thankfully, I have an understanding wife who actually enjoys going to games and watching the NBA and the Yankees on television. She is quite the student  of the sports and her insight is incredibly correct. Remember--she beat me in the NCAA pool this year and has collected on her dinner. It certainly makes having fun much easier when it can be shared with another who loves the games nearly as much as I do.

     So there you have it--what I have been up to. I haven't been absent--you just haven't heard from me because I am still a neophyte with my new Apple laptop. My bad. I am in a good place as a fan.