A Combo Portion

     There were a few notable events which happened  in the sports world in the preceding week. If Blogspot had saved my work a week ago, this blog would already have been published. I  have added some material to that failed blog to make it more current.

     The World Cup opened last week in Moscow. Host Russia overwhelmed Egypt, to the absolute joy of Vladimir Putin. They have since won their next game, undoubtedly to the satisfaction of Putin. Team Iceland, by defeating mighty Argentina, and Roberto with first a hat trick and then a lone goal in two games to lead Portugal may have stolen some of the headlines with their performances. Germany (Governor Murphy's first bet at Monmouth Park to inaugurate sports betting in NJ), Argentina and Brazil didn't win their first round games. Argentina looks to be headed home, while Germany rallied to stun Sweden to enhance its chances to enter the knockout round. So, too does Brazil appear to be back on track.  France, Russia, Uruguay and Croatia have all advanced. It gets trickier for Belgium, England, Spain and Denmark and a few other nations.

     Then there is Mexico. Now 2-0 in Group F. When Mexico scored its goal to defeat Germany, seismologists in Mexico City recorded an artificial earthquake in two sites. There must have a lot of celebration going on.

     There is no U.S.A. entry this time. But the triple-nation bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico secured the 2026 World Cup rights. Sounds great, but then again, a lot can happen geo-politically, even among friends.

     U.S. Open host Shinnecock Hills on Long Island became known for a lot of things. Most of it not too good. Located in Southampton, the traffic nightmares were evident on Monday through Wednesday, creating havoc for participants and others trying to reach the tournament.

     Smartly, Tiger Woods stayed on his yacht not too far away from the course. Bright idea, except his 42 year old remade body and swing plus some putting woes led to Tiger not making the cut. For those who seek to believe that Woods is going to regain his touch and dominate the P.G.A. Tour--forget about it already. The young lions he competes against are better than he is. That he is still out there is a testimonial to his fortitude and innate golfing abilities. Just because he is no longer the undeniable king of the golf course does not diminish his achievements. Which are all in the past.

     The course played hard. Dustin Johnson, the top-ranked golfer in the world, pulled ahead of the field on the first two days. The media virtually anointed him as the winner. Except a funny thing happened on the way to the trophy--he shot a 77 on Saturday and fell into a tie for the lead. By Sunday's end of the tournament, he was third.

     U.S.G.A. officials responded to the howls of the pros that this was an unconscionable course. So what--Brooks Koepka, last year's U.S. Open titlist, didn't think so when he won it. Golfers are too coddled playing the easier courses. When a difficult course comes in a major like the U.S. Open, they need to suck it up and play the damn course. Enough of the lame excuses. They are the best in the world. Act professionally and play like the top pros they are supposed to be.

     One last morsel from this U.S. Open. On Saturday, Phil Mickelson was so frustrated with his play on the 13th hole that, to celebrate his 48th birthday and his 27th Open, he hit a ball that was rolling backwards away from the green to save himself from further damage. He incurred a 2 shot penalty and shot 10 for the hole. Phil gave lame excuses about suffering "a moment of madness," while acknowledging he clearly knew the rule. His post-tournament apologies were also insubstantial and self-serving.

     I have never liked Mickelson's large ego (nor did I forgive him for getting away with insider information about stocks by only paying a fine). What he deserved was disqualification from the tournament AND a suspension. His actions were blatant and bad for the game. Justice should be harsh for those who willingly violate golfing rules and do so jokingly, as Mickelson did. This is competitive golfing for a lot of money, not a Saturday at the links with your buddies, drinking beer and having some laughs.

     I am tired of guessing where Lebron James is going to go next season. Obviously the writers aren't. Whatever decision he makes will be both applauded and derided. It is not on my sports front burner.

     Moreover, the NBA and NHL drafts did not make me think much more about basketball and hockey. With the NHL, the Devils' schedule and Taylor Hall winning the Hart Trophy as most valuable to his team was more important. Carmelo Anthony taking his $27 million to stay with OKC rather than test free agency was cute, if nothing more.

     The Yankees have now lost games on three consecutive Sundays. Horrors. That comes with the burden of winning 50 games before the halfway point of the season. They even were swept by Tampa Bay. It happens to all of the good teams--they do endure slumps. How this group reacts to a couple of losses will say more about the character of the Yankees than anything else. Starting in Philadelphia tomorrow night against a formidable Phillies team, and then into the weekend when division rival Boston comes to Yankee Stadium.

     GM Brian Cashman is looking for quality pitching to fortify a pretty talented trio of Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka (currently on the DL with hamstring issues) and ageless C.C. Sabathia, who has lost some hard luck games recently. Plus lefty Chasen Shreve has imploded lately--serving up homers every mound appearance including the game winner for the Rays this Sunday--creating an acute need for a lefty specialist in the bullpen.

     I had been thinking how the Yankees needed to coach Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez to have greater plate discipline. The duo was chasing balls away from the plate, low and outside pitches that are not fastballs. Stop the needless outs and they will perform better, thereby making New York that much tougher.

     Stanton must have read my mind, because he is on a tear, hitting homers and striking the ball with authority. Alas, Sanchez was still mired below a .200 average when, in running out a grounder today, he injured his groin. A DL stints is upcoming. Austin Romine, having a superb year for himself, will have to exclusively handle the catching duties, fortified by a minor league call up. To make up for the loss of Sanchez, players like Aaron Judge (a .185 road betting average) and Greg Byrd need to become more productive.

     Last Sunday, the Yankees held another Old Timers' Day. So many heroes from the past. Yankee fans have been blessed to see some of the best talent in MLB history. Watching the roll call of names is one of the highlights of any baseball season for me. The date coincided with Ron Guidry's 18 strikeout performance in a 1978 game--still the Yankees' pitching record.

     Once yearly, my buddies and I head to the Stadium for a Senior Citizen's Day. As we all know, the Yankees have the highest ticket prices in baseball. Some ticket costs surpass that of Broadway shows.  Or are on a par with NFL playoff games. Which is ridiculous.

     That is why we go to the Senior Citizen's Day games. Tickets are on sale for $5.00. Some others are on sale for $25.00. A bargain anywhere in MLB, but even more so in New York. We usually arrive between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 and we have no problems getting in. Our seats have been in the shade in right field and in left field. One time we had the good fortune to sit downstairs in the last row behind home plate when a rain shower interrupted a game versus Cleveland.

     Did I say usually arrive between 11and 11:30? Thanks to the slowness of the MTA and NJ Transit, we got to the enormous line for the ticket booth at 11:25. Unfortunately, that wan't good enough this time.

     With the combination of a very clear and nice day in late June along with the aces pitching for the Mariners and Yankees and the chance for a three game sweep of Seattle, elder Yankees fans came out in droves. As did the younger ones, too.

     According to the man behind the glass, we could have purchased single seats ranging from over $100.00 up to $300.00. The game was going to be a sellout. One of us decided to stay, and three of us ate our sandwiches and plaintively asked others if they had any extra tickets in the park across the street from this stadium, where the old ballpark used to be.

     After we left the ticket booth area, our friend who remained was mysteriously rewarded with a $25.00 seat. He told us that the section he was in had plenty of empty seats.

     Instead, we watched the scalpers making exchanges of tickets for cash as droves of ticketed fans headed to the Stadium gates. Around the game time of 1:05, we made our way up to the ticket booth and there still was a long line--for what I could not fathom. We came upon a scalper by the subway entrance who would sell us 4 seats for $120.00 after fighting with another scalper for a fourth seat. The fact that he wanted our $ first led us to head forlornly to the subway.

     It was agreed that if we could have gotten 4 seats together, we would even have spent $100.00 per seat to go the game. Yet, it is the Yankees who have been known to play games with ticket sales.

     When the team was at the old Stadium, a friend had done legal work for an executive of the Yankees. Consequently, we would be able to get discounted seats in very good sections, close to the action.

     But once the Yankees headed to the new ballpark, with the advent of premium seats, the discount was gone. Which was why the allure of cheaper seats was so thrilling--a sort of revenge against the tactics of the Yankees to increase their revenue. Plus the fact that in so many other ballparks, prices are far more reasonable for good seats. In Baltimore, we have access to the club area, which proved to be a necessity while we waited out the 1:44 rain delay in comfort; this is along with 8th row seats behind the dugout costing far less than the Yankees would charge.

     Maybe it was fateful that we did not get seats this trip to the Stadium. Do I want to get up earlier and take a train around 9:00 a.m. to camp out in line to secure senior tickets? Is it really worth it? The trip is not an easy one and I am not getting any younger. If we had driven, we would have been out a lot more money for tolls and parking, with the added aggravation of the roads from the George Washington Bridge to the Stadium lots. The train and subway are the only option and there is no certainty that we will arrive on time.

     Moreover, if the Yankees continue to play at this level, tickets will indeed be harder to get. Perhaps sitting by my TV for Yankees games isn't such a bad idea after all. I have nothing against the team--I will continue to root hard for them. My wife thinks that it is karma that the Yankees haven't won a game since this debacle. I disagree--for now. She is vengeful.

     My ire is directed at management--again. So they may have won this one by their holding out by trying to sell us premium seats. The next move is up to me--if I do want to go Yankee Stadium--or will I be satisfied paying a far reduced price in Tampa. Chicago, Milwaukee, Kansas City and possibly in St. Louis as I end my stadium tours, along with trips to see the Orioles and Phillies. Forget about Boston; prices are on a par with New York.

     At least for this season, I am not headed back to Yankee Stadium. Thanks to the combination of factors which led to us getting back to watch the end of the game on TV in the coolness of my den--instead of seeing Judge and Miguel Andujar swat first inning homers.

     Finally, last Sunday was also Father's Day. For so many men, they reminisce abut their dads and look at their own children (and grandchildren) with tremendous fondness. I hope their memories are positive, although I recognize from experience that fathers are far from perfect.

     According to the 2014 Census, there are 72.2 million fathers in the United States. That is a lot of fathers out there with their own stories. To me, I look at my complicated relationship with my father and still have love for the great things he taught me and the places he took me. He gave me much, but he was hard man to understand.

     I have taken the experiences from our interactions and tried to correct the flaws while providing my children so much of the joy and laughter that is the best part of any father-child relationship. The tributes from my children are the reward for doing what I felt was correct.

     Sure, I erred enough, but there aren't too many men who haven't. In the end, what they have accomplished and who they are defines them and where they stand in their fields and with their friends. With all of that, my children still like me and trust me. Believe me, that is a feeling not only this dad can understand, plus hope that many other fathers and their children have similar scenarios.

     Belated Happy Father's Day from this retired baseball player turned blogger.
   
   

Celebrate

     What a time period!! The NHL Stanley Cup is decided. The NBA Finals concluded. The Triple Crown was attained. The middleweight title changed hands. The Women's and Men's French Open champions were crowned. Plus the Subway Series Part I was held. A sports fan's cornucopia of events from Thursday through Sunday. It doesn't get much better than that.

     In Las Vegas on Thursday night, the incredible happened. The Washington Capitals, long a bridesmaid, won their first Stanley Cup in 44 years by taking down the upstart Golden Knights in 5 games. Led by their Russian superstar captain, Alex Ovechkin and a supporting cast who ably complimented each other, the Caps defeated their nemesis, the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had taken them out of the playoffs 9 previous times, as well as the top-ranked Tampa Bay Lightning en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

     Ovechkin, a sure Hall of Fame inductee, has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, awarded to the leading goal scorer in the league,  7 times including this season. He has won the Hart Trophy, given to the Most Valuable Player in the N.H.L. 3 times and is the frontrunner for this season. Additionally, Ovi has won 3 Lester B. Pearson/Ted Lindsay Awards for the Most Outstanding Player as voted by the players. The 2006 Calder Trophy winner as the top N.H.L. rookie,  Ovi has been a 9 time All Star through 2017 while being the 4th fastest in league history to score 600 goals. This season he is certain to win the Kharlamov Trophy, emblematic of the best Russian player in the N.H.L--his 8th. Ovi has won the SuperSkills Competition "Breakaway Challenge" on 3 different occasions, and he recorded the hardest shot this year in that competition. And he holds the N.H.L. record for most season with 10+ game-winning goals (5).

     One of the greatest players ever to suit up, one thing had eluded Alex Ovechkin. Winning the Stanley Cup. The Capitals have won the Presidents' Trophy for the best regular season record in 2010, 2016 and 2017. Yet his Capitals squads had come up empty in the playoffs all three times.

     His head coach, Barry Trotz, went to Ovi's wedding last summer and issued him a challenge to be even better this season. Challenge accepted. The Capitals' captain led in the locker room and by example on the ice. He pushed himself and his teammates to previously unreachable heights. Which is why, when the Capitals went ahead in the third period of Game 5, Ovi could be seen anguishing on the bench as the seconds slowly ticked away until the nearly impossible happened--Washington was the Stanley Cup champion. 

     The weight, the unimaginable burden, had been lifted off of Ovi's shoulders. He cried, screamed in delight and was as joyous as a little kid getting the exact gift that he wanted at Christmas. Alex Ovechkin was finally a Stanley Cup champion. Moreover, he deservedly won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the M.V.P. of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading all players in scoring. The aforementioned great resume became even more well-rounded.

     During the telecast of Game 5, Ovechkin's achievements were questioned in relation to other great players. It was extremely unfair to compare him to Henri Richard's 11 Stanley Cup titles--there were fewer teams for his Montreal Canadiens to compete against in fewer rounds. Multiple Cup winner like Mark Messier (6), Wayne Gretzky (4), Bobby Orr, and Gordie Howe played in a different era. Chicago's Patrick Kane, on 3 Cup winning teams, had a better supporting cast. 

     So did Sidney Crosby, the contemporary Ovi is most compared with--his three Pittsburgh Penguins teams which won the Cup were just better. On the ice, it was like comparing Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors (Crosby) with Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers (Ovechkin). Both gifted players with multiple accolades, but entirely different styles of play.

     While I may have had my heart invested in the Golden Knights incredible first N.H.L. season, I could not exclude my admiration for Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Ovis is one of he greatest ever to play the game; he finally reached the summit and had ample reason to exhale.

     Thus, I give Ovi a well-deserved pass with his awkward first ceremonial pitch at the Nationals' game on Saturday. He's a hockey player--from Russia, where baseball is not the National Pastime. His second left-handed toss to Nats' ace Max Scherzer found its mark. Good enough for a man who, with his teammates, has been lugging around the Stanley Cup wherever they go since just after 11:00 p.m. EDT on this past Thursday. 

     The parade is upcoming. I wonder, but for the summit in Singapore, this week, would Ovi and the team have been invited to the White House? Leave it to outfielder Adam Eaton, recently coming off the 60 day DL for the Nats to provide perspective: "This is my third picture with the Cup. I was in Chicago. I take full responsibility. I think the Cup follows me a bit. It makes sense. It's science." Washingtonians--your wait is over. Go delirious. You and the Capitals deserved this one.

     On Friday, the N.B.A. Finals mercifully concluded. Golden State, the far superior team, swept Cleveland and Lebron James. With some wacky Game 1 calls and reversals along with a mind-boggling dribbling out regulation time in a time game by J.R. Smith resulting in a Warriors overtime win, James and his team could not muster enough to overtake a roster with so many stars. James scored 51 points in Game 1 and lost. Then he broke his hand on a whiteboard in the locker room after the loss. By the time he reached Game 4, he was a tired and discouraged player playing superbly with a significant handicap and no true support. Game 4, with Steph Curry shooting so well after a mediocre performance in Game 3, was a coronation. 

     Sure, Golden State lucked out when guard Chris Paul of Houston went down with his leg injury. Had that not happened, Houston might well have vanquished the Cavs in four games, too. That does not detract from what the Warriors accomplished. Led by Curry in 3 games and Kevin Durant overall, this was a juggernaut that was ready for the fourth installment of the rivalry. Durant merited the 7-4 vote which awarded him the Bill Russell M.V.P. trophy for the Finals for the second straight year. His Game 3 performance was the knife in Cleveland's heart, capturing a come-from-behind victory, behind his 43 point effort when Curry and Klay Thompson were ineffectual. 

     Three titles in four consecutive years and an all-time record for regular season wins. Golden State is the ninth team to sweep its opponents in the Finals. They have won a road game in 19 straight playoff series, tying the N.B.A. record. Curry has hit a 3 point shot in 90 consecutive playoff games, a post-season record. Banged up and with hints of internal discord dropped by Shawn Livingston and David West. Head Coach Steve Kerr acknowledging that this was the toughest year yet for him to coach this group.

     They are a dynasty. Arguably, comparisons to the Chicago Bulls teams led by Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen are tough to make, with the Bulls accumulating 6 titles. Nonetheless, this does not at all diminish how great the Warriors really are. They have defeated all challengers 3 times in 4 years and, but for a Kyrie Irving shot in Game 7 two years ago, we could be looking at a 4 for 4 showing. Curry, Duran and Thompson are Hall of Famers. Coach Kerr is, too. Draymond Green is a different kind of mercurial Dennis Rodman, and Rodman is in the HOF. Swingman Andre Iguodala has had an impressive career, which includes an Olympic championship in 2012; he will merit strong consideration for Springfield enshrinement.

     Golden State faces critical decisions on personnel--mega contracts to Durant, Green and Thompson must be strongly considered. Iguodala is 34 with one year left on his current contract--they must determine if he is in decline and move him. Curry is already inked long-term. Can the Warriors win it again? Let's talk in October, once the landscape is more settled.

     Which returns us to Lebron James. He is the best player in the N.B.A. Curry may be smaller and appear to be craftier. Durant is bigger and can shoot the lights out and make critical defensive plays. But neither one of these players could possibly have carried the Cavs to the Finals again, nor could they have made an 8th straight trip to the Finals, like Lebron has. He is a monster, even at age 33. 

     The next question in his superlative career is where will Lebron be playing next season? He does have a home in Los Angeles, which makes that a very intriguing destination. Houston, Philadelphia, Boston and a return to Cleveland has been predicted. While Golden State has been mentioned, that is not a good fit for salary cap and other reason.

     Two things for sure--James will be paid very well for his efforts--wherever he lands--and it will greatly affect the landscape of the N.B.A. for a while.

     One last thing about James--experts,please stop comparing him to Jordan. Can't we just say they were the two greatest players in N.B.A. history? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain among others notwithstanding.  

     Justify justifiably won the Triple Crown with a victory in he 150th Belmont Stakes. The 13th horse to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and at Belmont galloping to a convincing win. He was run in just 4 races total. His stud fees are now worth $75 million. Trainer Bob Baffert has won 2 Triple Crowns. A lot of rejoicing is going on with the ownership, Baffert and jockey Mike Sullivan, who, at age 52 became the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown.

     Undefeated welterweight Terence Crawford dominated Australian champ Jeff Horn to capture the WBO title via a 9th round TKO at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Crawford now holds four different belts and is rated he number 2 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. This man is a tough hombre.

     Simona Halep won her first Grand Slam title in four tries by defeating American Sloane Stephens in the French Open. The number 1 ranked Romanian lost the first set 3-6, then captured 15 of the last 16 games to turn a defeat into a decided victory by outlasting Stephens in the long games, which were punctuated by hard hitting from both players. Stephens lost her first final after winning the previous seven, one of which was last year's U.S. Open.

     Roland Garros concluded this year's tournament with Rafael Nadal taking Dominic Thiem in straight sets to win his 11th French Open and 17th Grand Slam crown. Nadal is the greatest player ever to play on clay. Thiem had done the nearly impossible, defeating the Spaniard on clay in Rome in May, 2017 and in Madrid in May, 2018. The way Nadal played in this year's French Open, those two Theim wins would not lead to a third. Recently having turned 32, Nadal punished the Austrian at every turn, bringing his career record at Roland Garros to 86-2, with an astonishing 110-2 in all best-of-five marches on clay.

     Albeit Nadal did not have to face Roger Federer at any point during this tournament. Federer has not played since being dispatched from the Miami Open earlier this year by an Australian qualifier. What Nadal did reestablish was his dominance in a major tournament, keeping his top-ranking status while placing him at the forefront of the discussion for Wimbledon, where he should be installed as the top seed.  Will this translate into more titles for the now injury-free Nadal, when  so many of his contemporaries like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Federer have their own issues in their own stellar careers? It certainly will be the talk of the tennis world as we have reached the halfway point in he quest for Grand Slam titles.

     One more thing--tonight the Yankees conclude the Subway Series at Citi Field against the reeling Mets, losers of 8 straight games. Going with ace Luis Severino, with his 9-1 record bodes well for the Bombers, who have won the first two games via key homers from their talented lineup. Winners of 33 of their last 42 games after a 9-9 start, the Yankees have surpassed the Boston Red Sox for the lead in the A.L. East, at least for now. The loss of number 2 starter Masahiro Tanaka with hamstring injuries suffered running the bases in an N.L. park where he had to bat because there is now DH like in A.L. stadiums, will cause some difficulty short term--Tanaka is expected back before the All-Star game in mid-July. This is a really good team; let's see how resilient they are.

     Yet a sweep of he Mets, while not on the scale of the other victories mentioned above, is as sweet as it gets for Yankees fans. Who can blame them?

     To quote Three Dog Night, the Australian rock group of the '60's and '70's: "Celebrate, Celebrate, dance with the music!" To the winners--Washington. Ovechekin, Golden State, Durant, Crawford, Baffert, Sullivan, Halep and Nadal--they will indeed be dancing to the music. 

Justify, I think, will be dancing to his own beat. If not now, then certainly later.

   


   

Many Happy Returns

     This writer return from a vacation interspersed with sports and a little education thrown in. I have seen 3 MLB games in 11 days--May 22 in Houston; May 30 at Yankee Stadium; and June 2 in the rain in Baltimore. I have seen 2 college campuses in Texas. We visited 1 Presidential Library. We were in the sports betting capital of the U.S. (at least for now)---Las Vegas---which is a big hockey town now that the Golden Knights have reached the Stanley Cup Finals. And yes, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are meeting for the unprecedented 4th time in a row to establish who is the N.B.A.'s best.

     So let's start out with baseball. On May 22, we made our way to Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. With a retractable roof facility--which the roof was thankfully closed due to thunderstorms nearby--it was a spacious stadium. Although the ballpark was not filled, the Astros faithful and the scoreboard, music and interactive entertainment made it into a fun-filled, enjoyable night.

     Of course, the Astros dominated the visiting San Francisco Giants behind the pitching of Gerrit Cole, formerly the mainstay of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cole, alongside Justin Verlander and undefeated Charlie Morton form a very formidable trio of top-flight pitchers. Besides Morton being unbeaten this season, Verlander has a minuscule  E.R.A. and Cole leads the American League in strikeouts.

     Then there is Jose Altuve, the fireplug second baseman who energizes the team. He is just so much fun to watch if you are a baseball fan. You just hope that he does not do too much damage against your team. With a loaded lineup and good pitching, the Astros will be there when the playoffs begin to defend their World Series crown.

     An aside to the Giants-Astros contest was the matchup between Cole and Brandon Crawford. Crawford is Cole's brother-in-law, having met Cole's sister at UCLA where she was on the Bruins' softball team. Cole went into this meeting ahead in the rivalry, allowing just 4 hits in 18 at bats by Crawford. While Cole did not have his top game, he was in good form except against Crawford, who had a single and a home run against his wife's brother. I wonder how that went over in the family?


     Eight days later, we were in New York to see the Astros take on the Yankees. It was a one-sided affair, as New York's top pitcher, Luis Severino out-dueled former Cy Young Award winner, Dallas Keuchel. Severino was dominant against Houston, striking out Astro after Astro. Despite the four strikeouts endured by first baseman Tyler Austin, New York asserted its dominance over Houston in this game and by winning the season series 5-1.

     For the Yankees, all everything rookie Gleyber Torres has become a potent force, capping last month with awards for Player of the Week and A.L Rookie of the Month for May. Aaron Judge is still among the strikeout leaders, but he is getting on base, clubbing homers and scoring or driving in runs. Brett Gardner is coming alive, coming out of a month and a half funk. Even though he has not hit his stride yet, Giancarlo Stanton is still clubbing homers while batting just below .250. First baseman Greg Byrd has rejoined the team after ankle surgery and he is a strong addition to an already potent lineup.

     While in rain-soaked Baltimore on Saturday, I saw the Yankees close up. I was impressed with the hitting of rookie third baseman, Miguel Andujar. Didi Gregorious appears to be regaining his form after a horrible May. Aaron Hicks played very well against the Orioles, collecting three hits.

     Only catcher Gary Sanchez is playing way below expectations.  Hitting just above .200, Sanchez looked awkward and lunging at the pitches. He failed to hustle down the line on a grounder, which the Orioles' second baseman threw the ball away trying to complete a double play. Sanchez's catching is getting more solid; his offense needs to take off.

     The difference between the Astros and Yankees comes down got pitching. Houston has exceptional starting pitching. New York has Severino; Mashairo Tanaka, who threw 5 1/3 inning versus the Orioles giving up 3 homers; and C.C. Sabathia who is pitching in some hard luck. Sonny Gray pitched well against the woeful Orioles on Friday night, but Gray has been inconsistent. The Yankees need for a 5th starter is there, but that is a minor concern.

     But what continues to separate the teams is the bullpen. New York can throw 7 capable relief pitchers in some form, capped by flame throwing lefty Aroldis Chapman. Houston's closer has been a bit inconsistent and their relief corps has cost Verlander 3 more wins. The edge remains with the Yankees until the Astros shore up their pen. Both may meet again in the post-season, which will produce riveting battles like the six games which concluded on Wednesday.

     Just a small postscript. The Orioles are horrible. I feel they are a bit better than the Miami Marlins, but not by much. Outside of shortstop Manny Machado, who has mashed 17 home runs, no one else can distinguish themselves in a real positive way. Kevin Gausman, who pitched on Saturday may have struck out 9 Yankees, but he left the game trailing 6-3. Adam Jones may have hit a homer on Saturday, but he looked to be a step slower in the outfield. Jonathan School is hitting .245 and he is not fielding too well. Why Chris Davis is still with the team bothers me--he is batting around .150, hitting for a little power while leading the A.L. in strikeouts by a wide margin. Someone in the farm system or via trade can do better. No wonder attendance is way down in Baltimore--it seemed like over 75% of the crowd on Saturday were rooting for New York. It is sad to see a proud franchise--the home of Frank and Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray among other Orioles' greats--play this badly.

     Another thing worth watching are the increasingly frequent injuries for the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw. Could the once-dominant ace of the LA staff be a mere mortal? Will all of his wins, accolades and awards be enough to overcome his rough post-season experiences and his failure in directing the Dodgers back to a World Series championship?

     Let's proceed to basketball. The N.B.A. Finals has a repeat performance--Cavaliers-Warriors IV. This matchup has already produced great theater just from Game 1. Game 2, while a blowout in favor of Golden State, produced more chippiness and some clutch performances by the Warriors. Lebron James has established himself as the greatest player now--and maybe forever if the Cavs can win it all. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green are back at it, being forces in the overtime win on Thursday.

     However, I am looking at this as a contest between two teams that are fortunate to be where they are. Cleveland benefitted from James' almost inhuman performances against Indiana, Toronto and Boston, winning each in 7 games. I think that a healthier Boston team, one with Kyrie Irving, not withstanding a healthy Gord Hayward, would have easily handled Cleveland.

     Whereas Golden State beat Houston largely because Rockets' point guard Chris Paul, who had been eating up the Warriors defense, thus lessening the burden on James Harden, suffered a leg injury which sidelined him for Games 6 and 7. Otherwise, we might be seeing Cleveland versus Houston.

     Do I see Cleveland winning this version of the Finals? No. But Lebron will take his band of misfits to higher levels and winning the championship will not be very easy for the Warriors.

     The Golden Knights and Capitals are awaiting Game 4 in D.C. Washington, apparently the stronger team, is ahead by a 2 games to 1 margin. I look at the upcoming game as a do-or-die one for Vegas. Down 3-1, even at home, will be daunting for the N.H.L's expansion darlings.

     At least the T-Mobile Arena pre-game theatrics are far superior to D.C. bringing out season ticket holder Pat Sajak to announce the starting lineup. That's the best they can do inside the Beltway? He's not quite Michael Buffer, the famous ring announcer for so many championship fights with his signature call of: "Let's get ready to RUMBLE!!' If the Caps' management wanted a subdued approach, they could have brought in Mitch Mc Connell or Mike Pence. You want to have the house rock? How about Samantha Bee or Stormy Daniels? Even PTI's Washington homer, Tony Kornheiser would have brought the Caps' faithful to a big decibel fever pitch. But then again, Vegas knows much better how to present itself to the world than Washington.

     The biggest thing to happen recently is the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of New Jersey about legalizing sports betting throughout the country. I was in the Sports Book of the Mirage twice to see N.B.A. games on the big screens. That Sports Book was alive--abetted by the noise of the nearby slot machines. Celtics, Cavaliers, Rockets and Warriors fans overpopulated the room. Sorts betting was very much in vogue while we were in Las Vegas.

     On Monday, Delaware, a state who has been chomping at the bit to have sports betting and was one of four states to have previously enacted sports betting legislation (Nevada, Oregon & Montana are the others), will open doors at their racinos to take bets on games not played in Delaware. Which means almost every game.

     New Jersey is ready at Monmouth Park race track to open their Sports Book. But the New Jersey legislators have put the brakes on this, wanting to develop rules and regulations for oversight of this venture. Which I applaud.

     Moreover, the major sports leagues want a piece of the potentially huge sports betting action. I think that asking for 1% of the take is outrageous. Then again, it is not surprising when you think about the arrogance and chutzpah of the N.F.L., the biggest and baddest of all of the leagues. Who knows what the omnipotent N.C.A.A. will want--if they seek to profit from the Supreme Court's ruling and want part of he profits as an "integrity fee"---will they pay the athletes whose games are bet on? I hardly think so.

     The states want the tax windfall. New Jersey has legislation pending to devote up to almost 10% of the sports winnings to the state coffers. Certainly the states will want to impose similar taxes. Nobody should want to share the pot with the N.F.L. or MLB or the N.B.A. and the N.H.L. Do you think they will stop the sports if they cannot attach themselves to the state money derived from gambling taxes? Of course not. They play now and Vegas gleefully sets odds on the action without the worry of a tariff from the major leagues.

     I expect that some state will capitulate to the sports powers and give them a share of the profits. Other states will not have to do that, but once the barn door is open, I foresee litigation to make the rich richer. And the illegal bookies will always be there to rig games or provide a tax free alternative in sports betting. Such is the nature of the beast the Supreme Court unlocked.

     I am happy to be back writing. There is a lot of happiness in New York (at least for A.L. fans), Houston, Washington, Las Vegas, Cleveland and the Bay Area. And in the states who want to promote sports betting.

     In all, this sounds like a significant amount of happy returns.