SU stumbled across this article this morning on http://www.espn.com on Gary Sanchez:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30588020/i-know-why-playing-gary-sanchez-getting-benched-playoffs-future-new-york-yankees

Sanchez was interviewed down in the DR where he is playing winter ball and getting ready for the 2021 season. The upshot here is that he didn’t know why he was benched in the playoffs this year. So, first of all, he hit .148 this season, played his usual bad defense and refused to hit to right field. Other than that, all good. But if you read the article, he sat down with Aaron Boone at the end of the season and they talked it out. And he still doesn’t understand? Sanchez is a good guy basically – he is not a troublemaker in the clubhouse and trying to catch guys like Chapman and Britten can’t be easy with the movement on their pitches. But SU says he needs to step up and be accountable. No one hits .148 and plays regularly other than you. He says he struck out 3 times in game 2 vs. the Rays but felt good. It’s not good enough – especially in New York.

SU understands that baseball is all about strikeouts and home runs now. I suppose Sanchez feels that if he hits 30 home runs, hits .220 and strikes out 150 times, that’s fine. The Yankee brass need to make it clear that Sanchez needs to make contact and should only hit to right field. Do that and we can tolerate the defensive lapses. He needs your help.

SU caught Michael Kay on one of the Hot Stove shows. He is advocating for some radical changes to baseball. For example, how about if you strike out 2 times you have to come out of the game? Jack Curry countered that fans pay to come see Aaron Judge and he strikes out a ton. They would not be happy to see him come out after 2 at bats when he could still be a hero later in the game with a home run. SU likes the out of the box thinking and baseball needs to speed up the action or just have any action. Watching strikeouts and the occasional home run just doesn’t cut it. Hitting to the opposite field, bunting for hits, stealing bases is fun to the fan. It may not be the analytics approach anymore – and there is the rub.

Same issue in the NBA. Some of the 3-point shooters are so good that you are better off driving and dishing to the likes of Duncan Robinson to launch 3-pointers at a 48% make rate vs. taking mid-range jumpers or driving to the basket. SU likes the high scoring games and getting shots up in less than 15 seconds. It is true that some games become 3-point contests and you have 25% shooters hoisting up ugly looking shots so it’s not for every player and every team. But I am OK with this style of play if the pace is fast and teams mix in the drives of course. The days of the post up big man are gone from the game today as you have players like Durant who are 6-10 playing like guards.

The NFL playoffs are going to be great. There just aren’t any truly dominant teams this year. Green Bay is peaking and you can make the case they are that team – especially with games played at their field in January. Kansas City is amazing on offense but not on defense. Btw, the Giants can win the Division and host a playoff game at 6-10 if they beat Dallas and Washington loses this coming weekend. That is a disgrace. Too bad they didn’t seem interested in playing yesterday or perhaps that is just who they are. Dallas is starting to find its way on offense now and could actually be a force if they make the playoffs. SU will entertain playoff predictions a week from today.

Finally, SU has watched several NBA games so far. The quality of play from the same teams is very uneven over the course of a few days. SU says do not underestimate the impact of the pandemic on the players who are no doubt restricted to their hotels on the road. The bubble in Orlando was one thing but at least they set it up with various distractions. I wonder how this season will unfold for teams traveling around the country in the winter.

Happy to hear what everyone has to say as we near the end of 2020. Thank goodness.

Before SU comments on baseball and the lack of action on the free agency front, I have got to weigh in on James Harden. First of all, he has finally reported to training camp and it’s clear he did not step up to the salad bar during his time off. Either that or he has outgrown his warm-up outfit. It’s not a good look if you are looking to be traded. And SU says buyer beware – he’s in his early 30s now and for an NBA team to get him, you have to match salaries which means a combination of contracts of other over paid players and no doubt some studs plus draft picks. He will only deteriorate from here on out as he gets older and remember, he has never won a championship.

Actually, Harden reminds me of Giancarlo Stanton. You over-pay to get him and then your roster is hamstrung from there on out. SU did have a laugh out loud moment this morning when I read that Brian Cashman said that Stanton is a “beast.” Sure, he had a few good games in the playoffs but he can’t stay healthy. Cashman says the goal for 2021 is to keep him healthy. I mean, you only play him at DH – what else are you supposed to do? Have a designated runner for him once he gets on base? Sorry, SU just warming up for the 2021 MLB season. I know he’ll be here for the next 23 years.

A few tidbits from Yankee land in the hot stove arena:

1. Didi Gregorius has professed his love of New York and would love to return if they move on from DJ LeMahieu. He is a perfect fit for the Yankees. In the perfect world (and we don’t live in one), you move Stanton and DH Voit. LeMahieu plays first base, Torres returns to 2nd base (he is not a great shortstop) and Didi plays short for a few years. They desperately need the left-handed bat in the line up. But it will never happen. But Cashman should keep an eye on Didi in case they can’t reach a deal on LeMahieu.
2. Apparently, the Yankees are $25 million apart on LeMahieu. Sounds like $5 million a year for a 5-year deal. SU says he is the best player on the team – and not sure it’s that close. When you are already paying $30 million+ a year for Stanton for 10 years, now you want to be fiscally conservative?
3. Cashman is high on Hicks. SU says move on from that. Until he learns to hit to the opposite field left-handed, why is a .220 hitter who walks a little so great?
4. Cashman wants to bring back Gardner – yet again. SU says Gardner holds back Frazier’s development. Give Frazier a shot for a full-time job in 2021.
5. The Yankees are committed to Sanchez in 2021 apparently. Hard to be believe he is 28 years old now. Time flies when you are striking out and chasing balls back to the backstop.
6. Tanaka needs to come back for 1-2 years. No-brainer. And Hal has to have a heart-to-heart conversation with German who has to show some contrition for what he did which apparently was very bad. He could be a difference maker but his head needs to be right and he needs to show he’s a good guy – which apparently is not the case.
7. Say what you want, but the all right-handed line up is just dumb. It’s not a winning formula. You can make the playoffs and hit a ton of home runs in the regular season but sooner or later, you will get mowed down in the playoffs. As in every year.
8. The Mets have a new GM who is highly regarded in MLB circles. SU likes the way Cohen is biding his time and not jumping. I still feel the Mets are the Club to watch going forward in 2021 and the competition for the back page of the NY tabloids (is that still a thing?) is going to be great.

That’s all I got for this morning. I know Yankee fans are feeling LeMahieu anxiety but I can’t believe the team will be out-bid there. But that only gets you to the status quo of 2020 – not good enough. Oh, they did sign Adam Warren to a minor league deal – he is coming off Tommy John surgery.

Anyone have some inside scoop?

Let’s face it: right now, the NFL is the only game in town and football is limping to the end of the season due to COVID. College football has been less than inspiring – especially for Michigan fans who will escape this week without having to play Ohio State. That would have been devastating. SU has watched enough games this year and teams like Michigan State who beat Michigan are not good, so you are what your record says you are and 2-4 is about right.

The Big Ten will find a way to let Ohio State play in the Big Ten championship game against upstart Northwestern and that is appropriate. It’s a COVID season – just change the rules and go with the flow. No one will object. I guess we can hope for Ohio State, Notre Dame, Alabama and Clemson for the BCS playoffs. But it’s been a crappy year for college football – so few good games each weekend.

SU is excited about the NY Giants. They come to play every week and have a legit defense. They are going nowhere with Colt McCoy at QB and hopefully Daniel Jones can return soon although a bad hamstring in cold weather is not what you want as Joe Girardi would say.

SU is anxious for baseball free agency to pick up speed. The Yankees are apparently all in on DJ LeMahieu and you have to assume that will be it for the Bombers this off season. Just not enough money to go around for anyone else. SU is encouraged that German will return (if Steinbrenner will have him which is not clear) and they should be able to get Tanaka for a 1-year deal. Michael Kay doesn’t think so but where is he going to go? He likes it here and he’s been solid. They will pick up Gary Sanchez’s option and try one more year for him to hit to right field and block pitches in the dirt. SU says he goes 0 for 2 there. That ship has sailed. But the Yankees will be terrified to ship him off for nothing and then have him dominate for some other team.

SU predicts the Mets will strike first in free agency and set the market. And that time is coming soon.

One thing about the NFL this year: there are no dominant teams. Pittsburgh was an unimpressive undefeated team and Seattle was exposed vs. the Giants. That actually means a more entertaining post-season with no home field advantage given the absence of fans. No reason a team should not win on the road. Kansas City is still the most fun team to watch plus Green Bay at home in the cold could be their ticket to roll. SU is not a Tom Brady fan per se but it would be great to see him make a playoff run with Tampa Bay. He is still a bit uncomfortable but the pieces are there on offense for him.

SU is ready to go all in on college hoops but I think the season is going to be derailed by COVID and soon.

To fill the void, SU recommends:

1. The Man in the High Castle on Amazon. Excellent – although a bit scary. Half way through.
2. The Crown. I got through it although I dozed off during almost every episode. Very subtle, not a lot of action, but interesting.
3. Queens Gambit. That was excellent. Makes you want to dust off the chess set.

If you have anything else to recommend as we enter the winter months in COVID, the floor is yours.

SU is in a reflective mood today as we come up on Thanksgiving. Let me preface this by saying that I don’t care about your politics – you are entitled to support whomever you like. This is America. You can shout it from the treetops. Have at it.

But SU is thinking about how coaches and athletes deal with losing under the most stressful circumstances and with the world watching. SU asks this question: “What do Isiah Thomas and Ille Nastase have in common?” Answer: both were classless losers. We all remember when Isiah walked off the court in the playoff against Michael Jordan and the Bulls when Chicago was finally able to overcome the Pistons. He couldn’t even wait until the final buzzer – just took his teammates down the side of the court and into the locker room with the game going on and did not congratulate the Bulls and Jordan on a hard-fought series win. Jordan never forgot that – and neither did many fans. It’s a stain on his legacy.

Back in the 1970s, Nastase played an early rounds match at Forest Hills at the US Open against Hans Pohman from Germany. SU and long-time subscriber, J. Levine, were in the stands to witness it. Nastase was in all his glory – acting out, yelling and cursing at the umpire and the linesmen. Pohman was some journeyman player – never heard of him. Pohman won and at the net, instead of shaking hands, Nastase spat at him. And mind you, Pohman had done nothing but win. He was not acting out in any way. Classless.

The point is this. People are watching. Kids are watching. They watch our athletes, coaches, leaders. How people act when they lose makes an impression and if you are in the spotlight, others will emulate you. There are some who do it right. If you follow men’s tennis, and the Big Three of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, they have played some epic 5-set, 5-hour+ matches and at the end, they congratulate the other on the victory. SU has always thought that this was great – no matter how competitive you are, you lose — or win — with dignity. You know others are watching. You say the right things at the awards ceremony. It’s not that hard to do. At the end of Stanley Cup playoff series, no matter how many fights there were, the teams line up to shake hands and show respect. Golf takes it to the maximum – no showing the other players up, no spiking the ball. At the 18th hole, you take off your hat and shake hands.

In this era of social media and over-the-top celebrations, SU knows that times have changed. The bat flip on a home run, the celebration of making a first down, the trash talk. But in the end, the coaches shake hands and the players (generally) tip their caps. And yes, there are endings where the game hinged on a bad call (see Big Ten officials every week) or a missed ball or strike call, but you accept the result and move on. As a coach, you set the tone for your team longer term and mourn the loss and move on. You do that because it’s the right thing to do and you want to set the example. And others will remember that too.

And that’s why – along with a thousand other reasons – the last 3 weeks have been so awful and stressful. There will be no concession speech, no graceful exit, no “do the right thing.” Instead we get the leader of the free world spitting over the net at the 80 million people who didn’t vote for him. And others are watching – kids, other current and future losers who will view this as normal behavior and acceptable in all kinds of situations.

The world is watching. Do better. Be better.

Happy Thanksgiving.

What to make of Robinson Cano? He is a long-time SU fave who was already caught once using PEDs while with the Seattle Mariners. Now it appears that his bounce back season in 2020 was aided once again by PEDs and he is suspended for all of 2021 thereby forfeiting his $24 million salary. He is 38 years old and the $24 million a year were guaranteed for both 2021 and 2022 from the Mets. Knucklehead. Of course, this is actually good news for the Mets who do not have to overpay him for 2021 and they can free up that money to hire a free agent or two.

Long-time subscriber, J. Levine, wonders if the Mets will now be the top contender for the Yankees in the chase for DJ LeMahieu? Cano is a 2nd baseman and LeMahieu can slide in there nicely for the Mets. SU would have to agree and if you are LeMahieu, you don’t have a long-term allegiance with the Yankees. Take the most money someone is offering. The Mets are an up and coming team and have an owner with deep pockets. This is something to keep an eye on as the Yankees can ill-afford to lose LeMahieu who was their best player for the past 2 seasons.

Tennis fans should check out the ATP Men’s finals in London this week with a round robin format on the Tennis Channel. Join the 9 other viewers globally who are enjoying some great matches from the top players (minus Federer).

SU checked out the NBA draft last night. Either I did not follow the season closely last year or I just don’t know who most of these players are being drafted. And I watch a lot of games. Could be the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament.

The big game this weekend in college football is….. Northwestern vs. Wisconsin! The winner will be in control of the Big Ten West. Pat Fitzgerald is really one of the great college football coaches – almost always fields a contender despite the difficulty of competing for talent with other Big Ten teams.

This just in: the Yankees have announced that they are challenging the results of the Divisional series with Tampa Bay on the grounds that there were no fans in the stands to witness the result. They are summoning all of the sports writers to Yankee Stadium to change their stories of what happened in game 5. Ok, that’s just crazy… couldn’t happen in the USA.

Finally, the word is to watch what happens in early December in MLB with teams that decide to let their restricted free agents just walk. There may be a flood of free agents out there and teams who will not have the money to pay them. SU says you may have a ton of players sign 1-year deals for 2021. A chance for smart GMs to pick up some top talent. Should be fun to watch and give us some big shifts in rosters for at least a season or two.

And finally, finally, congrats to Km Ng who is the new GM for the Florida Marlins. Props to Derek Jeter – good for him – and for her.

I know, long time no speak. To be honest, just not that much going on in the world of sports lately. But a few thoughts today:

1. The NY Giants are actually not a bad team. They are generally in every game and lately have shown signs of life in the awful, awful NFL East Division. They play hard and seem to make the best of a roster that is not as talented as basically every team that they play. SU appreciates the effort.
2. Watching the Masters in November was definitely different. Going into Saturday, they had all of the top players clustered together at the top of the leader board. Very cool. Too bad Dustin Johnson ran away with it in the end but great to see a tournament where the stars rise to the top.
3. Yankee fans are waiting nervously for the team to re-sign LeMahieu. This should be the only off-season free agent that is mission critical. There is no one else that is so badly needed. SU says 4 years, $100 million should do the trick.
4. The articles about the Yankees trading Stanton are just fiction. He has a no trade. It’s A-Rod II at a theatre near you for the next 8 years. Just an awful signing that will hamstring the team for years to come – especially with the pandemic and the absence of ticket, food and beverage revenues for 2021 (most likely). The Yankees will hold tight in the free agent market other than LeMahieu.
5. The Mets are set up. Cohen is the only owner with money to spend on free agents and he won’t be competing with anyone. He just needs to spend wisely. SU says the Mets are the main story for 2021.
6. James Harden wants to come to Brooklyn. The Nets would need to trade their youngsters to make that happen – especially Caris LeVert. DO NOT DO THIS. If you want to move Kyrie Irving, by all means do that. But Harden, while a great player, is a ball stopper. SU does not want to watch this.
7. Michigan needs to cut the cord with Jim Harbaugh. Not worth the money and the team visibly quit on Saturday night. SU has never seen that in a college football game. They stopped competing on defense. He has lost the team and it’s time to move on.
8. Anxiously waiting for college hoops to begin. Just not sure how that works in a non-bubble setting. The NBA pulled it off but every player was in the bubble. SU says it’s hard to see how this works in basketball but happy to be proven wrong as I am a big college basketball fan.

Anyone on your baseball free agency wish list? For me, it’s Didi Gregorius making a return to the Bronx for 2 years to play shortstop. I have seen enough of Gleyber Torres and he is better suited at 2nd base. I definitely would steer clear of Lindor from the Indians. The Yankees need pitching and more contact hitters.

Gary Sanchez is rumored to be on the trading block but I believe that is just to motivate him to get better. He is playing winter ball now. I say the Yankees give him one final year to revert back to hitting to the opposite field. However, happy to see him traded if it happens.

The floor is open. What’s on your sports mind these days?

The MLB owners have just approved the sale of the Mets to Steve Cohen. It’s the start of a new era for the Mets with deep pockets and an owner who is a lifelong fan. This is great for NY sports and it should put the Mets on the map in a big way for the start of the free agent signings this off-season.

Met fans have to be excited. Yankee fans, maybe not so much. No doubt the Yankees will be happy to send over Giancarlo Stanton or even Gary Sanchez. Just make an offer – it doesn’t cost you anything.

Of course, the key is to spend wisely and mix in the occasional star with a strong pipeline of prospects.

Any downside to this?

Last night, the game was all on the line for Kevin Cash of the Rays. The moment of truth. His starter was lights out but he had gone through the line up twice. It’s the bottom of the 6th inning and do you let him face any hitter a 3rd time? Especially when that first hitter was Mookie Betts? Snell had struck out the first 3 hitters each twice. Low pitch count. But the Rays follow the analytics religiously and despite what he was seeing on the field, Cash went to his relievers – and a guy who had given up a run in something like 7 outings in a row. Clearly gassed. For old-time Yankee fans, this guy was the new George Frazier from the 1981 World Series. Lost something like 3 games that series.

On Twitter, the traditionalists were outraged. “Keep him in! What are you doing!?!” But the analytics followers totally got it. “This is how the Rays were managed all year long and it got them to game 6 of the World Series.” SU is more in the camp that you see what the hitters are doing and make your decisions that way. Snell is a former Cy Young winner. But I get it. The other issue is that the opposition is seeing your relievers every game and they start to figure things out. Plus the relievers are pitching so many days in a row and lose their sharpness.

It was a good series. SU did not watch a whole lot – just too many strikeouts, pitching changes and lack of actual action. It’s a week before the Election and this is not at the top of my mind right now. But a few thoughts for you:

1. The Commissioner is thinking about outlawing shifts. SU says that is wrong. The shifts actually are interesting. It’s up to the hitters and the GMs to adjust and find players who can hit to all fields, run and create. Why reward the hitters who blindly hit into the shifts like idiots? SU says make the batters adjust and let’s make teams abandon the shift for the right reason. But I suspect MLB will do what the NBA used to do with zone defenses and will start to require that 2 infielders are on each side for every at bat. We will see on that one.
2. So many strike outs. So many guys throwing 95 mph+. So much standing around. Sure, you get the occasional home run but that’s not enough. Thank goodness for Twitter in between pitches and anything else to distract.
3. There is talk now that GMs will load up on relievers – and cheap relievers at that – to keep their payrolls down. No more $30 million a year contracts for starters. Especially in a COVID world with probably minimal numbers of fans in 2021 and much lower revenue.
4. Gary Sanchez is playing winter ball for the first time in years. Hmm, I wonder why?
5. Congrats to MLB for pulling this off in the bubble. Turner tested positive and was removed from the game last night but that was it. Question: if the Rays had won last night, how many days would it have taken for a game 7 to be played? SU says probably several. That would have been interesting.

Well, that’s it now except for football and some golf and tennis for the sports viewer. SU has been accumulating its Netflix/Amazon list (the new Borat movie is getting high marks) and the political front will be front and center for me for at least one more week plus how ever many days it takes for the President to try and get to the Supreme Court which will be a whole lot bigger deal than game 6 of the World Series.

But that’s not why you are here. A few Netflix/Amazon suggestions that have come through the pipeline:

1. The Boys (Amazon)
2. New Borat movie
3. Black Money Love (Turkish) – 165 episodes
4. Intersection (Turkish)
5. Hinterland (Welsh)
6. Falling Into You (Korean)
7. Occupied (Norway)

SU is still holding out hope for college hoops to begin but who knows?

We all see the handwriting on the wall. The NBA season is done and we have a week or so left of baseball. The NBA and NHL seasons won’t be starting any time soon for the 2020-2021 season. There is still the NFL on the weekends and the Big Ten football season kicks off Saturday but these are weekend selections.

SU is a fan of college hoops and that should be starting in November with the early season tournaments. But the grim reality is that regular, weeknight sports viewing is going to come to a screeching halt very soon and we have to prepare. SU still has the election coverage for another 2 weeks (hoping that will be sufficient) but we all see the void on the horizon. Please pass along any new Netflix/Amazon viewing favorites in the Comments section to help us get through the darker, colder weeknights ahead.

SU did check out game 7 last night between the Braves and the Dodgers. Now, I can’t say that I was awake for the entire game but I did wake up for the 9th inning. I think the reality is, as long-time subscriber P. Bok said, that the Braves are a year away and this season was gravy. They remind me of the 2017 Yankees that lost to Houston in 7 games and the future was bright for that young team. Well, the Yankees are 3 years older and the future is not so bright now. The Braves need to go all out for 2021. They are a young, athletic team with a lot of players who can run, field and hit to all fields. They also have a manageable payroll for the time being.

Dodgers – Rays could be an interesting World Series. SU will tune in here and there but once the Yankees are eliminated, I don’t have the staying power for late night baseball. MLB can be happy that the 2 best teams in each respective League will face off this week. And with the extra playoff round this season, this was no gimme. Both teams are deserving.

Well, we actually have 1 win in NY for the two NFL Clubs. Thank goodness that Washington went for the win there in the closing seconds and the 2-point conversion. SU says that there was no way that the Giants were going to score again and playing for overtime would have been the better course there. The Texans also gambled yesterday with a 2-point conversion that statistically was not going to help much. Not a good move either. Such is the life of NFL coaches.

College football could have an exciting couple of months coming up I think. Assuming the players and coaches can stay healthy, of course.

SU is open to hearing about other entertainment options from the intergalactic subscriber base. The floor is open.

SU wants to make sure that the full intergalactic subscriber base is aware of the comments. Always good to have dialogue in a civil manner – or not. Good comments from Saturday’s SU post. Let’s get to it.

From P. Bok: “… it is no longer baseball the way the game was meant to be played. I cannot remember the last time I saw a bunt.” SU agrees. Home runs and strike outs are a snoozefest. Especially when the time between pitches seems to be longer than ever.

From the Real Jeff: “2021 starts a new era in NYC baseball.” The Stephen Cohen era is about to begin for the Mets. SU says how about this: you can have Giancarlo Stanton and the Yankees will throw in some extra cash to cover his salary? The Yankees need to move either Stanton or Voit to unclog the roster. Check out a good read by Joel Sherman from the New York Post courtesy of long-time subscriber, B. Levine:

https://nypost.com/2020/10/10/yankees-crossroad-filled-with-agonizing-decisions-sherman/

From A. Grossman: “If we won 3-2 on a 2 run homer in the 9th your Report would look a lot different.” SU actually disagrees on this point. Long-time Yankee fans have watched these games for many years now. It was physically impossible for the Yankees to score again in game 5. It was just never going to happen. Everyone was going up trying to hit a home run. SU says: Been there, done that.

From J. Levine: “As SU has pointed out before, Yankees were killed this year by the absence of left-handed bats, with Didi leaving and Tauchman regressing to the point where he was firmly anchored to the bench- have to improve in that regard next year.” Exactly! The total right-handed line up is a failure. SU says bring back Didi. Gleyber Torres is not a shortstop. Check out the Joel Sherman article. But no way do I trade Gleyber. Stanton is the problem – bigly.

From Mark L: “I COULD NOT BELIEVE that Stanton keep the bat on his shoulder for the entire at bat in the 9th inning. ” Yes!! How do you not swing even once there? SU knows that he carried them offensively for the first 5 games of the post-season but you have to go down swinging like Voit vs. watching that off speed pitch.

A few other thoughts today:

1. The two NFL teams in NY are 0-10. SU says that once they get to 0-12, the NFL should no longer broadcast the NY teams this season. Let us see better games from around the country. It’s not healthy for the local sports fans in a pandemic.
2. SU knows that not everyone appreciates the greatness of LeBron but in the finals, he was unstoppable. Very few players can drive the ball to the rim over and over again like that and also make the perfect pass when needed. If there was no Michael Jordan, he would be GOAT. Just a great talent. SU enjoyed the playoffs and the successes of Duncan Robinson. He needs to be smart now and stay with the Heat vs. getting more money elsewhere. He will never have such a great system to play in.
3. Props to Rafa Nadal for his 13th French Open championship. I thought Djokovic might have a shot in the cooler weather but Nadal was as dominant as ever. The ATP Tour now returns to the hardcourts for the remainder of the season and others will have their moment over the next 6 weeks.