Check out the discipline just handed down by MLB to the Astros.  And Alex Cora is now officially on the clock!  From http://www.espn.com:

SU has been quiet of late but that doesn’t mean we are not thinking.  A few random thoughts for you:

• The Hot Stove must start to heat up now.  The biggest names are off the board but surely others are going to fall shortly.  SU saw that the signing of Brett Gardner triggered the “Designated for Assignment” of the rookie pitcher Tarpeley.  That was too bad as he showed some promise.  Todd Frazier signed with the Texas Rangers (good for him – an d Yankee fans).  SU says watch what happens with Lindor as that will trigger some moves in Yankeeland.
• SU has been following the signs cheating scandal of the 2017 Astros and the 2018 Red Sox.  The common denominator there?  Boston manager Alex Cora.  He was a coach with the Astros in 2017.  SU says look for him to get a hefty fine and suspension for 2020.  I must admit that in the beginning, I didn’t really care about this as teams have always tried to steal signs.  But the use now of special cameras focused on the catchers’ signs that are then fed to a special monitor next to the dugout is not a good look.  Clearly, the Red Sox have seen how the Patriots cheat in various ways over the years and wanted to get their share of that up in Boston.  On the other hand, if you use binoculars in center field and then relay the sign via walkie-talkie to someone in the dugout is that any different?  For SU, the paranoia of sign stealing just slows down the game and MLB needs to find a way to use technology to relay catcher signs to the pitcher going forward.  Pace of play is key.
• SU was listening to a Big Ten basketball broadcast over the weekend and the announcers made the comment that in the Big Ten, it’s so hard to win a road game.  They said you have to be 10 points better than the other team and expect that you won’t get any calls.  SU watched the Michigan – Minnesota game yesterday in Minneapolis and you can see the fouls disparity.   19 fouls for Michigan to 7 for Minnesota.  27 fouls shot to 6.   It’s true that Minnesota pounds the ball down low while Michigan takes more 3-pointers but when you have two 7-footers banging on each other down low, it’s not always a foul.  And when Teske on Michigan looked to shoot, he didn’t get any calls.  This ultimately likely did not influence the final result but surely the Big Ten, which has the worst referees for both football and basketball, can look at the foul call disparity (using analytics) and figure this out?  At some point, it’s just stupid and obvious.
• It was funny that in the Kansas City – Houston game yesterday, a college football game broke out.  I mean, in the NFL, you never see a team rally from 24 points down – in one quarter!  True, trying a fake punt in your own territory is not the best move but this was wild.  SU says it’s actually a good thing for the NFL.
• SU, along with 7 other people, was watching the ATP Cup on the Tennis Channel for the last 10 days.  It was a mini- Davis Cup event – 2 singles matches and one doubles, 2 out of 3 sets.  SU enjoyed watching my man, Djokovic, as his Serbia team ended up winning with him beating Nadal in the finals.  What was interesting for Djokovic is that apparently there are a lot of Serbs living in Australia and they really turned out.  He had so much crowd support which he never, ever gets.  Playing in the era of Federer and Nadal, he is always up against the home field advantage for the opponent.  What was obvious is that the Next Gen players – Shapovalev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas – are on the cusp of winning a grand slam and SU expects we will see that happen in 2020.  Men’s tennis is in good shape for the foreseeable future.  Unfortunately, no American men in the mix.
• Finally, we get to see the college football championship game tonight.  SU says they made a mistake delaying this game an extra week.  It’s a great match up and on a Monday night, they should get a big TV audience but a 2-week break did not make sense.

SU was remiss on not asking for Super Bowl predictions.  Based on the results of the first 2 rounds, at least I avoided being wrong again for this year.  A San Francisco – KC game would be fun and feels fairly even.  You have to give the Chiefs credit for finding a way to replace Karim Hunt quickly and get back to the AFC championship game again.

The Yankees have been quietly changing up their entire strength and conditioning staff since the end of the season.  After a year of an incredibly high number of injuries, as SU has clamored for all year, Cashman has clearly gotten the message.  Check out the article below from The Athletic which spells out just how extensive the changes are for 2020.  Even Stevie Donahue, the team’s long-time trainer, is being pretty much put in the front office now with “emeritus” status.  Btw, SU, who received a subscription to The Athletic as a Father’s Day gift last year, says it’s an excellent read and definitely worth the cost for those interested.

Sources: Yankees make sweeping changes to training staff after record-setting season of injuries

By Lindsey Adler Jan 3, 2020 21

A happy and healthy new year to SU’s intergalactic subscriber base.  SU caught part of last night’s Knick game as part of my channel surfing as I wanted to see how Carmelo Anthony was received by the MSG crowd upon his return for the 2019 – 2020 season.  I must say that I was a little bit surprised about how positive it was and how he was consistently cheered throughout the game.  He had a good offensive game (26 points) on 11-17 shooting, and as Clyde Frazier pointed out on a few occasions, zero assists.  It was all 1 on 1, but Melo was at his best.   Meanwhile, the Knicks played great continuing a recent 6-4 record with lots of passing and ball movement.  The new coach, Mike Miller, clearly has their attention and they are (somewhat) entertaining to watch.

But then this morning, SU saw that Melo had suggested after the game that the Knicks consider retiring his number.   Apparently, he also feels that the Nuggets should also retire his number for his time there.  I don’t know: I am old school.  Perhaps the response of “You know, if the organization feels that I made a strong enough contribution during my time there to give me that honor, that would be great” might have been more appropriate.  But I know that is not what people say in this era.

But let SU weigh in.  NO WAY SHOULD THEY RETIRE HIS NUMBER.  You don’t retire numbers for players who scored a ton of points but accomplished little in the way of championships, playoff runs or even how about just playoff appearances?  Look, he’s a nice guy and never did anything off the court to embarrass the team.  He didn’t pass to Jeremy Lin and managed to ruin that run in the end but hey, he didn’t pass to anyone in his 6+ years in NY.  He will go down as one of the great scorers in NBA history and an Olympic champion on the US team.    He is generous (see his donation to Syracuse for their athletic facility) but in NBA history, there are plenty of players like this.  The rafters at MSG are for players who achieve more than what he did with the Knicks.  But feel free to let me know if you disagree, or agree.

SU was disappointed in Michigan’s final outcome vs. Alabama but the game was entertaining for 3 quarters.   I must say that I am impressed with how the Alabama players act on the field.  No histrionics for a sack or making a first down.  Nick Saban runs a tight ship and clearly he wants his players to respect the other team.  Of course, SU did note that he wanted that final touchdown at the end of the game where most teams may have taken a knee in the end.  But if you don’t like it, then don’t let them score.

In golf,  they call the Saturday of the Majors “Moving Day.”  SU says that in the NFL, the Monday after the end of the regular season is also a type of Moving Day and not in a good sense.  The job security for any NFL coach is ridiculously short these days, and you need to show improvement every year to keep your job.  The Giants just fired Pat Shurmur after 2 years.  Now, here is what SU does not understand.  The plan was to basically tank this season and start over with younger players in the coming drafts.  They did manage to develop Daniel Jones  and he seems like a strong talent to build around.  SU doesn’t know if he was a great coach or not, but if the GM is going to clean house, did Shurmur really have a chance?

The Browns fired their coach and the reality is that they did under-achieve or else were over-hyped.  Expect more announcements as the day unfolds.  We see the same thing in the NBA as coaches are on a short leash and following a “process” established by the GM is not necessarily going to enable them to keep their jobs.

Great game between Ohio State and Clemson in the BCS semi-finals.  SU saw that the Buckeyes are complaining about a couple of calls that swung momentum in the 2nd half.  Too bad.  The rules about what is a “catch” and what is a “football move” after making the catch are so ridiculous.  Sometimes what you see in fast motion is the truth.  Same thing on the replays in basketball where a defender knocks the ball out of a player’s hands but with ultra slow replay, you see it graze a finger tip.   Ridiculous.  Stop looking so closely.  Technology is great but if it slows down the pace of play and it defies what we saw in real time, not worth it for SU.

SU was very impressed with the Ohio State receivers.  They run a lot of pass plays where the ball is thrown before the receiver breaks and they all catch with their hands.  That is a lost art for a lot of receivers – even at the NFL level.

LSU will be tough to beat – they are a machine like team on offense but Clemson certainly has the pedigree from prior seasons.  However, the reality is that if Ohio State had scored touchdowns in the first half instead of 3 field goals, Clemson is out.

Very quiet on the MLB front.  SU believes that the Yankees are waiting to see what happens with Lindor on the Indians.  Cashman has his eye on him for shortstop in a trade.  January should be an interesting month.  The Mets did well to grab Betances for a year.  He will be motivated to regain his prior form for his next contract and is used to pitching in NY.

Finally, it was great to see the Patriots lose to Miami and blow the first round bye.  If they make it to the Super Bowl this year, they will do it the hard way.

SU apologizes for the recent lack of postings.  I am coming off hip replacement surgery and focusing on the rehab process under the care of Ms. SU to ensure I am at full speed come January.  However, as always, SU is keeping tabs on the recent developments in the sports world and has these observations to share this morning:

• Yankees fans are very excited about the Gerret Cole signing.  And I mean very excited.  Las Vegas’s early betting line has the Yankees as the early favorites – “overwhelming favorites” – to win the 2020 World Series.  It’s not hard to see this.  First, the Astros are weakened by losing Cole and then they will surely be hit with a major fine/loss of draft picks/suspension (all of the above) for their stealing of signs scandal.   So, the addition of Cole is a direct hit on the Astros.  Second, in the AL, it’s hard to see anyone in the Yankees’ league for 2020.  The Dodgers could retool for next season but SU believes their window may have closer for a couple of years now.
• On paper, SU gets the move.  It’s not my money.  SU does note that Austin Romine is gone (1-year deal with the Tigers where he can start) and of course, Didi is with the Phillies.  He said that Cashman told him that the Yankees’ top priority was Cole and they showed no interest in bringing him back.  Both of these were “glue guys” along with CC and they will be missed in 2020.  Brett Gardner is back and he fills that void to some degree but we are now entering a new era where Aaron Judge will have to play that role pretty much on his own.  Something to watch during the tougher times during the season.
• Rumor has it that the Yankees are in the market for Hader on the Brewers to supplement the bullpen.  Betances is all but gone to free agency and with the new rules in play for 2020, teams will want pitchers who are not “specialists” but rather guys who can get lefties and righties out.  The Yankees should move Clint Frazier now before his reputation takes any further hits.  They have plenty of other attractive prospects to include in a deal with the Brewers and they will clearly be going for it in 2020.
• The line-up is way too right-handed.  It’s ridiculous – especially in Yankee Stadium.  Now, if MLB unjuices the ball next season, some of the opposite field home runs may not make it out.  They will get Stanton back and hopefully he is healthy.  Note to SU subscribers: he is untradeable.  No-one is taking that contract on.  SU continues to not understand how the financials will work going forward but not my problem.  They will also have to get a more capable back-up catcher as Sanchez misses at least 2 months every year.

Other notes:

• The College Football championship playoffs are must see TV.  All 4 teams are deserving, and LSU and Ohio State are a cut above.
• How crazy is it that Ohio State allowed this year’s Heisman Trophy winner to transfer to LSU but had no problem getting their own transfer from Georgia who is also top tier?
• Urban Meyer to the Cowboys in 2020.  It’s time.  And SU wants due credit when that happens.
• College basketball is going to be great this year.  There is no dominant team and by the time March rolls around, the top schools will have their acts together with their new “1 and done” class players.  In the Big Ten, no one can even win on the road this year.  SU finds this to be much more interesting and I would rather see more 22-11 teams come March vs. the 30-2 ones.  Let’s have a real tournament.
• How do the Patriots continue to get away with cheating?
• It was nice to see Eli Manning get another win but hey, the Giants could have used the loss to bolster their draft ranking.  Tanking is an art form.  Need to work on that.  SU must admit that having a career .500 record is not very inspiring.  What is happening there?  Giant fans are ready to move on.

SU is ready for the Bowl season.  Michigan vs. Alabama on New Year’s Day is already circled on the calendar.  Time for the Big Ten to stand up to the SEC.  Or not…

OK, let’s hear from you.

And there you have it.  As reported by Sweeney Murti on Twitter, Didi Gregorius is leaving New York.  SU says the Yankees will regret this one – big time.    But it does fulfill Cashman’s dream of fielding a totally right-handed line up.  Could the Yankees also have signed him for the 1-year deal?  One wonders.  The word is that Didi wants a rebound year to help him get the next big contract after 2020.

All I know is that Didi could play in New York – he succeeded Derek Jeter and excelled.  He was a leader in the clubhouse along with CC.  Now they are both gone.  SU is not happy.

On the Cole front, rumor has it that the Yankees offered a richer deal than what Strasberg got.  Have to figure we are in the $300 million range for 8 years.  He can room with Stanton and they can argue over who will pay for dinner.

Shocking!  Outrageous!  In other news….  Honestly, who cares?  SU does not even watch them.  They would have been better off going with the rookies and doing the “process” thing whatever that is.  Now you have a mix of new free agents and some youngsters.  SU says trade the free agent signings as soon as you can and start over from scratch.  No one will even notice the difference.

Interesting story in the The Athletic today about how John Beilein is already losing the locker-room with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The younger players are tuning him out .  Too much talk about fundamentals and they don’t like the names of some of the plays, e.g., “Polar Bear.”  SU says: ENOUGH!  It’s not like the Cavs are building off of a great 2018-2019 campaign.  Beilein was brought in to create new culture.  The problem in the NBA is that the one and done players don’t know the fundamentals and someone has to teach them.  The solution?  Cut the malcontents.  Bring in the ex-Michigan players and let’s have some fun and SU would watch that for sure.  No doubt Beilein will have to adapt – that’s fair.  But if you are a first or 2nd year player, do you really want to be complaining to the media in early December?  I know I am old school but show some respect and do your job.

Meanwhile, the word is that the Yankees are all in on Gerret Cole and have said so publicly.  SU is not sure that is the best strategy here as Scott Boras is going to drive up the price north of $35 million a year.  There are reports that the Yankees can afford the contract as next year Tanaka and Paxton come off the books.  Hello!  Don’t you need them in the rotation beyond 2020?  I do not see how the dollars add up here for the long term and I know it’s not my money.  Many Yankee fans including many in the SU intergalactic subscriber base want Cole at any price and they may get him.  Some say he has the presence to be like CC Sabathia in the clubhouse.  Could be.  SU predicts 7 years, $260 million.  Ridiculous.  We will see who among the youngsters gets to stick around as a result.

My one caveat: if this means that they trade the Generational One, I am all in.

Whoa.  We have our first benchmark for the 2019 MLB free agency season.  For those of you keeping score at home, that’s $23.6 million a year for a pitcher in Wheeler who is really a #2 or #3 starter.  The Yankees have announced that they will be talking to Cole and Strasberg who are both Scott Boras clients.  SU says there is no way they are going to pay $35 million a year for either of these guys.  And would Cole be willing to cut his hair and Strasberg his beard to come to the Yankees?  Meeting with them checks off the box but SU says not happening.  And that is a good thing.

On to Plan B whatever that is.

Eli Manning starting this week for the Giants.  Let him go out with a couple of games vs. riding the bench off into the sunset.

SU spent the weekend watching the Michigan basketball and football teams.  The hoops team under Juwaan Howard is a joy to watch – they play hard, up tempo,  team-oriented and genuinely seem to like each other and the coach.  SU says if you are a high school stud player, why wouldn’t you want to play for Howard with his NBA pedigree?  You can enjoy this team as the expectations are so much lower vs. the football team.  While they got whomped last night against a very good defensive Louisville team, for SU they will be must TV the rest of the season.

Harbaugh had no answer to Ohio State.  The Buckeyes could/should win it all this year.  Just great players at so many positions.  Note that LSU’s quarterback is actually a transfer from Ohio State.  They are just that good in recruiting top talent.  And for Michigan football, the expectations are just too high and not realistic.  I know Harbaugh makes $7 million a year but unless he can recruit these types of players, it will be hard for him to beat Ohio State anytime soon.  Seasons at 10-2 may just be the reality.

Urban Meyer to the Cowboys next season?  SU has long predicted he will make the move to the NFL.  It’s gonna happen.

The Yankees have officially begun the funding effort for Gerret Cole’s $250 million contract.  What better place to start than not paying the remainder of Jacoby Ellsbury’s contract?  According to sources, Ellsbury violated his contract by receiving unauthorized medical treatment for his 700 injuries.  PAGING DR. GALENA.  Actually, it was some doctor in Atlanta.  Truth be told, the Yankees probably didn’t want him receiving any medical treatment.  I mean, who wanted him back??  SU says, hey, give it a shot.  Nothing to lose here.