OK, we are a full one game into the 2018 MLB season. As we live in the era of analytics and Artificial Intelligence, SU has done the math on what to expect now going forward:
- The Mets, who always seem to win on opening day, are projected to go 162-0, and Todd Frazier will hit .250 and score 162 runs. Great news for the Mets.
- On the Yankees side, Giancarlo Stanton is clearly not worrying about making the transition to the American League and had an impressive debut. SU has run the numbers and he is projected to hit 324 home runs this season – a number which even Barry Bonds would be proud of and who no doubt will wonder if he should have used a more potent formula while he was playing.
Of course, as we know, it’s a looooonnnnngggg season and no reason to get ahead of ourselves. We have also seen players have torrid Aprils and then rapidly come back down to earth (see Graig Nettles for the Yankees back in the day). SU read that the Yankees had not won on opening day since 2011 during the Joe Girardi era. SU says the common denominator there was pitching either CC or Tanaka in those games who both usually were terrible to start the season.
John Sterling had a chance to try out his Stanton home run call on radio and as expected, no one knows what he’s talking about as it seems to relate to some Italian opera singer or something or other. Look for him to make the call to the bullpen to bring in a new home run call before the end of April.
SU is ready for the Final Four for both the men and the women this weekend. I do feel Michigan will benefit from playing a team that looks like them while Villanova’s defense will be the difference in a win over Kansas. The women’s match-ups are very good – these are the 4 best teams and UConn is not a shoe-in here which is good for the game.
Finally, for the 7 people who watch the Tennis Channel, there is a new American on the scene in the women’s game – Danielle Collins – who learned to play on public courts and went to college 4 years at UVa. She is 24 (old by tennis standards), has a big game and appears to have her head on straight as she has not been playing with a large entourage for many years and apparently doesn’t even have a clothing contract as of yet if you see how she’s dressed on the court. Someone to keep an eye on this year.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Two things: did you notice Stanton wasn’t wearing the protective device on his batting helmet yesterday? He wore it for a couple of years at least since he got beaned in Florida, and in spring training this year. And, what are you going to do if you have a Saturday Passover Seder everyone, with the timing of the Michigan game?
Interesting comment on the face guard. He was wearing it during spring training. That is a major change for him or else he left it in Tampa by accident. On the Seder front, a very relevant issue in the SU household. We have made arrangements for an earlier Seder start time and may be eating matzo ball soup in front of the TV. Times like these require some flexibility from all sides.
That Stanton is one generational talent!