It’s bad enough that the Yankees lost to the Red Sox in the wild card game after a long and generally uninspiring season. I mean the ending was certainly fitting as the team was man-handled by a pitcher that had started against them about 17 times this season. But then the Red Sox beat Tampa Bay including back-to-back walk-off wins in dramatic fashion. Meanwhile, the Astros blow out the White Sox and here we are: the hated Red Sox vs. the cheating Astros.
SU will move to Netflix mode and try and avoid watching any of these games. But the reality is that one of these teams will be in the World Series. And did you see that Houston has made it to the ALCS 5 years in a row? That is pretty impressive whether they have been cheating in the playoffs all those years or not.
The Yankees have started with their off-season moves. Yesterday, they fired the 2 hitting coaches and Phil Nevin, 3rd base coach and best friend of Aaron Boone’s. Now, we have certainly seen this before. SU recalls that Cashman has done this to Joe Torre on occasion and also to Joe Girardi. The goal is always to make them more uncomfortable and attempt to inject some new voices into the leadership positions. There are lots of rumors swirling around Boone with the San Diego Padres supposedly very interested in his situation.
As we all know, the manager in baseball is just not as important as in other sports. Boone is a players’ manager and supposedly a great communicator. His in-game moves have always been lacking but in the end, if the players perform better on the field, you can overcome these moves. SU does not feel strongly about Boone. There is no obvious replacement out there who is a difference maker, and you have to figure that the new analytics way of thinking would mean they want a younger, numbers type person to step in if they make a move. So, for example, you would not bring in Buck Showalter here. But would you consider David Cone who has Yankee pedigree, is not afraid to get in players’ faces and is an analytics guy? He definitely wants the job.
SU believes the Yankees will stay the course with Boone and give him an extension through 2023. But the real need is to do something with the roster. It is not enough to say that most players had down years and will bounce back in 2022. Get more athletic, get faster and be sound defensively at all positions. You don’t need an All-Star at every position.
SU applauds the Nets for trying to move beyond Kyrie Irving although paying him for road games that he will not play is not necessary. And there is no way they offer him the 4-year, $185 million contract now – right? SU says he has been a disruptive influence on every team he has been on in his NBA career. He may be the best one-on-player in the League but it’s not worth all of the drama. Missing games for various personal reasons, the conspiracy theory beliefs, etc. The Nets have enough talent to win a championship and need to focus and move forward.
Who will manage the Mets? That is a great landing spot for someone with a wealthy owner willing to invest in his team. Sure, there will be expectations and tweets galore but embrace the challenge. Who do you want Met fans?
Great game 5 between the Giants and Dodgers last night. So many low scoring, tense games. Of course, awful that the Giants had to play LA in the NLDS. Something to change for future years in baseball. Need to reseed after the wild card games.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
No New York strongholds anymore as perceived outside of the metro area. “The Greatest Arena in the World” in Madison Square Garden is a thing of the past. The Rangers young talent whom many felt would be a force soon starts out flat on their face in a 5-1 beat down. I’m sure the nets will find a way not to make it to the finals as one of the Big 3 will eventually get hurt after stubbing a toe. There is no need to talk about our football teams unless you were born right outside Buffalo,,,which is really a different state in my opinion. Having Michigan ranked in the top 10 is a joke. Even with Alabama’s loss to Texas A& M they would destroy all the Big 10 teams. So what’s left on our plate> U CONN LADY HUSKIES AND THE WNBA FINALS. Yes, its a sad day period for NY sport fans with no team potentially on the rise.
I have serious doubts that the SU is going to boycott all six games of the ALCS (someone will win in six) – and I look forward to the “Alex Cora is annoying” blog a few hours before the start of Game 3 while SU is cramming in one more episode of Squid Game.
I am Intrigued by Boone to Saint Diego (“when in Rome”) and don’t think he will be a candidate for the job in St. Louis (“agree to disagree”).
Why not Beltran back with the Mets? Cora and Hinch got a second chance and maybe he should as well. Perhaps the players would respond to him and accept his apology for “eating the whole wheel of cheese”? (Afterall, they were not mad, they were impressed.)
Kyrie is the captain and leading vote-getter of the “we’ll help him pack his bags” all-star team. It feels that the Nets paying him for road games is a move to avoid a legal dispute, and anyone giving him any sort of contract is a bad idea… just like milk was.
Red Sox in six. Dodgers in five – which hurts to type as a Braves fan.
Allow me to beat the rush: Alex Cora IS annoying. Love the Anchorman references – one of the great films of our era. And I did just wrap up Squid Game but not sure I fully appreciate it the way others do. The Cardinals managerial job is a good spot for someone.