OK, it’s still only April, but when you check the MLB standings this morning, you find that the Yankees and Mets have the best records in their respective Leagues. One assessment is to say, “it’s early but hey, better than the alternative.” Another is to say, “hell yes, these are the top 2 teams in baseball!”

SU says the answer is found in who they have played so far. For the Yankees, other than a couple of series at home against the Red Sox and the Blue Jays, they have played the worst teams in the AL. Beating up on Baltimore, Detroit and Cleveland is what good teams are supposed to do, and truth be told, the offense is finally coming alive. The pitching has been consistently solid and the offense is showing signs of life the last week or so beating up on the Guardians and the O’s. SU says good progress but we really need to see how they perform against the better teams. But much more entertaining the last week. The answer is TBD.

Now, the Mets, aside from getting hit by pitches almost every game, are a legitimate top tier team in the NL. Their line up is balanced and they put the ball in play. They played the SF Giants tough last week which was a great sign, and got the better of the Cardinals. The Mets are contenders this year. They need their star pitchers to be around in September but they are the better team in NY.

Have you noticed how much trouble pitchers have had lately controlling pitches? A combination of dry weather, cold temperatures and even wind seems to make it hard to grip the ball for breaking pitches. SU read an article that pitchers are highly critical of MLB for not finding a solution to the gripping issue now that Spider Tac has been outlawed. The hitters are nervous as the pitchers don’t know where the ball is going. SU says you should not need a rocket scientist to figure this out. Talk to the pitchers and figure out a solution (for a suitable solution to rub on your hands). Get it done.

The Nets are history. Thank goodness. Kyrie has already said that he will be working with ownership and the GM to rework the roster. Really? That is what you want? He’s a great player but toxic. Like last off-season, the Nets will have to find veteran players who want to take less money to play with Durant. Not sure they want to play with Kyrie. The problem is that these guys can’t stay healthy and that is why they are available.

There will be some really good 2nd round NBA playoff series. Bucks and Celtics is likely the best one. But a Golden State – Memphis series would be must see TV.

SU dozed off for most of the NFL draft but seemed to be a lot of trading action after the first 10 picks. Early signs that both the Jets and Giants did well but SU would like to hear from the experts on that front. It’s interesting to see how the NFL embraces Las Vegas now when just a few years ago, that was not a destination due to sports betting concerns. Different day now and Vegas is a hub. It’s probably just a matter of time before there are MLB and NBA teams there as well.

Finally, SU does not like the Wimbledon ban on Russian and Belarussian players. I get it that a Russian team in the Olympics or some other world championship, e.g., World Cup, should not be allowed to compete. But banning individual players in tennis or golf is not right. I would not be surprised to see that decision reversed before the tournament.

SU has seen enough of the Yankees this season. They are really not suitable for prime time, real-time viewing. Think of the bad habits that youngsters are learning by watching these games? Hitting into the shift, ignoring the shifts, having no game plan when hitting with runners in scoring position, playing as if you don’t care, not signing $210 million contracts. It’s a long list. SU says broadcast the games starting at 11 pm and cut out the parts that are unwatchable. This will result in a 27-minute game.

SU “watched” the 4-hour affair last night. Between NBA playoff viewing and dozing off frequently, this is not a Major League product. Boone would be better off just fielding 9 relievers every game at each position. Those are their best players but it’s just a matter of time before they burn out having to pitch 6+ innings every game. Cole got through 5 outs last night with around 70 pitches and 5 walks. SU knows it’s cold in Detroit but hey, he used to pitch in Pittsburgh and this is baseball which schedules too many games in cold weather cities in April. Joey Gallo was 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts. Truth be told, he has hit a few balls hard this year with no luck but he is hitting into the shift. Judge is pressing – as predicted by not signing the big contract – and Hicks is now the best hitter in the lineup (enough said there).

The Mets are the best team in NY and just swept a very good Giants’ ‘team. And they are doing this without deGrom. They have hitters that put the ball in play. This is the year that NY fans point to when the Mets became the team to watch. Similar to the mid-1980s in New York.

Did you see how far the Orioles pushed back left field? I think it’s 398 feet now in the left-field power alley. Huge change and that park will play a lot bigger now. Someone let Gary Sanchez know before the Twins make an appearance there.

SU has been following Novak Djokovic’s play this year. He lost in the first round in Monte Carlo and tired badly in the 3rd set. He is now in Serbia playing in a tournament that he hosts and was seen screaming at his coach in practice. He is going to pay the price in 2022 for his dumb anti-vax stance. He wants to peak for the French Open but if he can’t win any matches and build up his stamina, well, that is not going to happen. This is what he will be remembered for when his career is done. Pretty amazing.

Check out Jordan Poole on the Golden State Warriors as he is becoming a star in his 3rd season. SU is on the record for saying he made a mistake to go pro after his sophomore year at Michigan but he was smart to watch and watch and watch Steph Curry and learn what he does. He has the same basic game and teams are hard-pressed to cover Curry, Klay Thompson and Poole when they are in together. Very entertaining to watch – constant movement, cutting to the basket, making the extra pass. Not your typical jab step offense — but we won’t go there.

SU only caught the end of last night’s Yankee game but I make the following observation. Michael Kay will often reference the nature of the shift but they rarely show how the fielders are positioned on TV. It’s interesting to see exactly what the hitter sees when he steps to the plate.

Case in point. In the 9th inning, Anthony Rizzo is up with one out and the Yankees down 2 runs. In this instance, they did show the shift. 4 outfielders, one infielder on the left side of the infield near 2nd base and the 2nd baseman playing softball style in short right field. So, what’s the objective if you are Rizzo? Um, get on base right? So, he bunted down the 3rd base line – perfect. Ball skipped past 3rd base into foul territory. Heady play to bring the tying run to the plate with Judge on deck.

When you go to a game in person, you see the shifts on every play. It is striking how much of the field the defense leaves open. And it is equally striking how most hitters – and I put that in the 99% category – ignore the shifts. SU knows it’s hard to hit a 98 mph fastball exactly where you want it but the opportunity is staring you in the face. It is very frustrating to watch the Yankee “sluggers” hit into the shift over and over again. Smart money says that if you go the other way, teams will alter their defensive strategy. I guess there isn’t much smart money in baseball these days.

The broadcasts should show the defense alignment more often. It really is interesting and amazingly frustrating for fans to observe how hitters attack it.

A lot of talk today about John Sterling’s inaccurate home run call with Stanton up and the team down 2 runs last night in the 8th inning. He went into his “It is high, it is far, it is GONE” call and naturally, the ball was caught on the warning track. Long-time Yankee fans are used to this. If you are ever listening in the car, you learn to wait – and listen to the crowd – as he can’t be trusted. SU actually doesn’t care anymore. He is 80-something years old and unlistenable. It’s better to follow on mlb.com on the phone and avoid the radiocast. And it’s nothing to do with age – this has been an issue for a long, long time.

Is Gerrit Cole still an ace? Or without Spider-tac, is he just another hard thrower? SU says it’s still just April and you have to give him some time to round into form. He’s a smart dude and will figure it out.

Should Kershaw been allowed to finish his perfect game yesterday? Temperatures in the mid-30s and only 80 pitchers through 7 innings. SU says it was the right decision to pull him. Even with Gary Sanchez probably coming up again which makes the job easier. This is a guy with a history of arm problems, and you can’t risk the whole season in early April with his track record. Sure, a perfect game is a big deal but we all remember Santana on the Mets who blew out his arm completing a no hitter. The Dodgers’ manager made the right call there.

As a veteran observer of the sports industry, SU knows that you need to let the baseball season unfold over a period of weeks. It is never a good idea to over-react to the early season games, and this is especially true for 2022 with the late spring training start and how pitchers are being coddled for their first few starts.

However, in Yankee Land, it’s never too early to panic and complain, so let’s get to that:

1. The team is even more unathletic than the 2021 version. I mean, who in that lineup can even steal a base? Or go from 1st to 3rd on a single? They are so slow.
2. SU does not understand what the attraction is with Aaron Hicks. Now, he’s a good guy, good presence in the clubhouse but he is a .230 hitter for his career, and he certainly has not cut down on his swing for 2022. The likelihood is that he will pull some muscle soon enough and go on the IL but he cannot be the answer long-term in centerfield.
3. Which brings us to predicting the over/under for when Cashman signs Brett Gardner to play the outfield. You know it’s coming. SU says May 15th.
4. SU worries about Aaron Judge. He passed on a very fair offer from the Yankees for $30.5 million a year for 7 years. He is 30, and rarely plays close to a full season. He will be 37 at the end of that contract offer (we did the math and checked it 3 times). That is a very good offer. He is now risking injury this season or a very down year which could hurt his long-term value for that next contract. If he gets off to a slow start, the pressure will build on him. Judge is a good guy (aside from the vaccine issue) but he is going to put a lot of pressure on himself to perform this season. Something to watch.
5. Bullpen looks good which it had better be given that the starters are going 3 innings. It sounds like Severino will be on an innings limit this year. German is still recuperating and will be a factor.
6. Bottom line: SU is not excited. This is the same team as last year basically, and while I have only watched a couple of games so far, I find myself moving over to Netflix or Apple TV for an hour (which equates to 2 innings). I need to see more.

Meanwhile, the better NY team, the Mets, could be undefeated at this point if their bullpen had not imploded in back-to-back games. They have the higher payroll in NY and a more interesting team. SU sees them as having a better season. The Mets are legitimate division contenders while the Yankees will once again compete for the wild card.

SU is strapping in for the NBA playoffs. I know it’s stretched out over too many weeks but always a lot of fun. We need the Nets and Sixers to either both lose early or face off against one another. Any team with Harden or Kyrie is impossible to root for for SU. Keep an eye on Golden State where if Curry can come back healthy, they have the pedigree to make a run in a tough conference. The Suns are dominant and the heavy favorite but the West has some quality teams.

OK, am I right about the Yankees? Any reason to get excited? Sure, they came back multiple times vs the Red Sox, but Boston is not even as good as Toronto.

After all of the upsets in the early rounds of the Tournament and the run by St. Peter’s, we are left with the usual blue blood teams in the Final Four. Now, true, North Carolina had a down year and was a lower seed but the others all fall in the #1 or #2 category. The last several games were all blowouts but we have had our share of entertainment. It looks like the St. Peter’s coach will be the new coach at Seton Hall for a lot more money and it’s his alma mater. Cannot blame him for that.

Interesting comment from Reggie Miller yesterday (remind me why he does any of these games??) about how great the college transfer portal was. Now, SU does agree that the students deserve a bit more flexibility to transfer the same way their coaches can but there was a player on Miami yesterday who had played at 5 different schools. The last time I checked the goal of college was to get an education. I am sure these guys are not transferring because one school has a better Political Science Department. SU is all for improving your chances for a pro career in the NBA but the reality is that 95% won’t ever get there. It seems very disruptive to me but I suppose it allows schools to quickly improve their rosters for a season.

Greg Bird lives. Apparently, after a “strong spring” (2 words not normally associated with Greg Bird), he is one of the few left-handed bats on Toronto and will be a DH / 1st base option for the Blue Jays. Still only 29 years old. SU will be rooting for him. Toronto is the popular pre-season pick to win it all this year.

The Yankees and Aaron Judge are close to a long-term deal. Surely, getting vaccinated NOW will be a requirement, right? There are 9 games in Toronto that he won’t be able to play in as things stand now. You want your $250 million? Get the shots. SU read that the Red Sox made Story get vaccinated before signing his $140 million deal.

SU rarely, rarely puts out a trivia question as I do not trust everyone to not google the answer (I mean no one would do that right?). But long-time subscriber M. Levine offers up this question: “Who is the only Kansas Men’s basketball coach to have a losing record in the school’s history?” Provide your response in the comments section first and have the enduring admiration of thousands around the world.

The AL East is a really good division aside from the Orioles.

Did you know that the Pittsburgh Pirates’ payroll of something like $35 million is lower than Max Scherzer’s salary in 2022 which is in the ballpark of $44 million? SU thought that was interesting – and not a good look for baseball.

To be clear, not talking here about trying to get Aaron Judge vaccinated. It is time for SU to unveil its 2022 March Madness predictions. Full disclosure: SU is not good at this. I know – hard to believe. And it’s not because I don’t watch a lot of college basketball – I do – and especially the Big Ten games. Here are some things to think about as you finalize your brackets:

1. The Big Ten – while having a lot of teams in the tournament – is mediocre this year. They beat up on each other for the past 3 months but the difference across the top 9 teams is not that great. I do not see any of them emerging as an Elite 8 or Final 4 team. Sweet 16 at best for any of them.
2. Duke is getting a lot of love from the sports betters. Coach K’s final year and all that. SU does not see it. But they will win the games that they are supposed to win before falling to Gonzaga in the Regional finals.
3. Watch out for St. Mary’s. They beat Gonzaga this year and they are good. The game with UCLA will be very interesting in the round of 32, and SU sees St. Mary’s coming out on top and actually making it to the Regional Finals.
4. Kentucky is stacked. They could definitely win it all this year and SU has them in the Final Four.
5. SU’s true dark horse team this year is Providence. I think they are going to make it to the Final Four. Look, you have to pick some upsets and why not the Friars this year? The Midwest region is where you will see the most upsets with Auburn and Kansas losing early. Bill Self is not a good in-game coach at Kansas, and they have to win games by 10 or more to neutralize his decision-making. Great recruiter but not at his best during the games.
6. Many feel that it’s Gonzaga’s year as they return some seasoned players who almost won it all last year. They are certainly good and talented but SU sees Kentucky as a tad better in the Final 4 semis.

So, my Final Four is Kentucky, Gonzaga, Providence and Arizona. And then Arizona over Kentucky for the championship. Arizona plays at such a fast pace and has freakishly athletic players. SU saw them early in the year in Las Vegas as they pummeled Michigan and they just won the Pac-12 and the Pac-12 tournament. Peaking at the right time.

So, there you have it. Feel free to post your predictions and be recognized and admired if you win, and forgotten about if you are wrong. It’s your chance for fame and fortune (well, at least fame).

SU says enough is enough. Novak Djokovic is bad enough but now apparently there are some Yankee players who are unvaccinated and will not be allowed to play any home games in New York or road games in Canada. Do the math: that means 90 games off the calendar (81 home games plus 9 vs. Toronto plus not sure if there is a Subway Series this year which would mean even more) if circumstances do not change.

And now apparently we know that Aaron Judge is one of those players. SU says we will quickly find out how committed Judge is to his unvaccinated stance. Now, if Joey Gallo is unvaccinated, well, that’s OK.

But seriously: take one for the team. Actually, take one plus a booster for the team. No doubt we will learn who else is on the list. Not a good look.

Yankee fans say good bye to the Gary Sanchez Era. It started off great and has been in a steady decline for several years. A great hitter who showed power to all fields and then, for whatever reason and despite you have to assume prodding from coaches and his managers, he became a pull-only hitter. The result was a declining batting average, poorer stats and a tendency to not run hard to first base. Combined with many trips to the backstop to retrieve passed balls, well, it was time to move on. SU wishes him well in Minnesota where he will no doubt rejuvenate his career – at least offensively. SU is sure that his ranking among catchers for the past several years was actually high but he was so frustrating to watch. Best of luck.

Bringing in Josh Donaldson is curious to SU. He is everything the Yankees do not need: right-handed; aging; high strikeouts; high swing and miss; and plays about half a season at this point in his career due to injury. Plus he hates Gerrit Cole and the feeling is apparently mutual. OK, the last point can be overcome – it always is. SU surmises that the Twins insisted that the Yankees take Donaldson in order to acquire the shortstop who, full disclosure, I never heard of: Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Rest assured I will mis-spell his name weekly. But he, apparently, is a gold glove caliber infielder at shortstop and third base, and he will be the stopgap until the Yankees’ top prospect at shortstop is ready in a couple of years. Gio Urshela was a nice story but he has a ceiling and he hit that and is now past his peak (so they say). They also acquired a rookie catcher, also excellent defensively, who will platoon with Higashioka. That’s fine – you get better defensively.

SU has never liked Donaldson – swing and miss with a home run here and there. Donaldson will be the right-handed version of Joey Gallo – no doubt Boone will bat them back-to-back to ensure at least 4 innings a game have no chance for scoring. But you figure he will be injured at least half the season and it’s not my money. Rumor has it that the Yankees are the leaders in the trade market for Olsen on the A’s to play first base or they will re-sign Rizzo to play first. Luke Voit’s days have to be numbered. They would like to be in the market for Freddy Freeman but that seems unlikely. Btw, the trade with Oakland could actually be a blockbuster featuring other younger pieces and what would no doubt include Gleyber Torres going from the Yankees to the A’s along with other top prospects. Rizzo seems like the cheaper – and safer – move.

Keep an eye on Cashman. If he says the Yankees are done now, there will definitely be another move coming.

March Madness is starting this week and SU will be announcing its Final Four shortly. But sneak preview: Arizona will win it all. That team is freakishly athletic.

Naomi Osaka had another meltdown in Indian Wells over the weekend. Apparently, there was one fan heckling her and she could not cope with it. She is a great talent and fun to watch but she’s not in a good place right now emotionally and really needs an extended break to clear her head and decide what she wants. In sports, you are paid a lot of money to perform – it’s an entertainment business. The fans are fanatics, and they pay a lot of money to watch. Some are more passionate than others. Some are drunker than others. When Giancarlo Stanton strikes out at Yankee Stadium, he hears it from the crowd walking back to the dugout. When Djokovic plays Federer at Wimbledon, he hears it. You can fight it and find a way or you can let it get to you. SU sympathizes with Osaka but she is not experiencing anything worse than what these top athletes endure in tennis and other sports. She will have to decide what she wants and find her way. The world is not getting any kinder and gentler – that is for sure. You can see her walking away.

Thank goodness. Cooler heads have prevailed and we will have a baseball season. And some changes on tap: no more ghost runners on 2nd base for extra innings; no more 7-inning doubleheaders (I believe); no more National League DH (for me, about time but I know some purists on this distribution will disagree); pitch clock; and I am sure a few more changes I can’t recall. Looks like the shift will be a 2023 issue. SU is torn on that one. On the one hand, I hate watching hitters mindlessly hitting into the shift but on the other hand, just go the opposite way.

SU will ensure some extra cushion is in place on my Relax the Back chair for the 3.5 hour games and balls put in play every 4 minutes. But I want the option to watch.

Long-time subscriber, T. Potter, reports that Greg Bird has signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays. SU will be watching to see if he goes 2 for 29 in spring training to ensure he starts the season in the minors. An injury waiting to happen but apparently he hit 25+ home runs last season in Colorado in the minors. But still an SU fave and we have to be supportive.

Hopefully, Brian Cashman has been keeping a list of things to do in the next 2 weeks. One of them should be “get some left-handed hitters” and “call every team about Joey Gallo.” It’s never too early to start hating on Gallo. SU would be in favor of a major overhaul and becoming more athletic. It’s time. Watch to see if Gleyber Torres comes in over-muscled – not good, and if LeMahieu can rebound after his sports hernia surgery. SU says he does have a solid year and will look a lot quicker.

The Mets need to be very careful with deGrom and Scherzer coming out of a shortened spring. Every team needs to be careful. SU says right now, the Mets are the more interesting team in New York.

Michigan choked away a 17-point lead with 10 minutes left vs. Indiana yesterday. I think Juwan Howard is a great recruiter and an excellent motivator but not a good in-game coach. Strange substitution patterns yesterday. They are a true bubble team. SU sees them in a play-in game for the NCAAs and they deserve that.

Watch out for the UConn women. They are finally healthy and will be a real threat to win it all.

Djokovic out of Indian Wells and Miami, and now has to hope that COVID does not creep up to play the French and Wimbledon. I have rooted for him since 2010 but he is going to fall on the sword to not get vaccinated. The sponsors will walk away very soon followed by the fans. He can do infomercials once he retires. Just a strange conclusion to a great career. He will regret doing this once he turns 37 and is too old to win at the highest level anymore, but decides to make a comeback. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Finally, I must say that watching the final rounds of the PGA TOUR events on a late Sunday afternoon on a high definition TV is good viewing. Definitely growing on me.

Full disclosure: SU is not focused on sports these days. The situation in Ukraine is all-consuming and upsetting, and SU is all in with those brave people. And we give thanks for sound leadership in our country especially when you consider the alternative that could have been…

But I know: #sticktosports. And we will do that. What is MLB doing in these negotiations with the players? They just announced that Opening Day will be canceled, and who knows where things go from here? It seems like they are reasonably close on a number of issues (starting salary at $675k or $725k? SU has run the numbers several times and $700k may just work as a nice compromise) but we know from experience that the 2 sides may also dig in for a prolonged waiting period. Baseball cannot afford a shortened season – especially once the NCAAs wrap up in early April. That has to be their launch time. SU needs to be able to kick back for 3 and a half hours every night to watch a ball put in play every 4 minutes. And bring on those strikeouts please.

In addition to needing a full spring training, the teams need time to make trades and sign free agents. There will be a lot of player movement once they settle, and you want the pitchers to be in shape and not rushing. There are a ton of free agents who need to find a home. Once again the fans are being taken for granted.

What’s up with Derek Jeter? Surprising announcement that he is out at the Marlins. SU read a rumor that the TV booth may beckon. I never felt he was very forthcoming as a player. Hard to picture Jeter as speaking forthrightly as a color analyst. But if they paired him with A-Rod, well I would watch that.

Is Paul O’Neill deserving of having his Yankee number retired? Feels like a borderline call and maybe the team was looking for another sellout date on the calendar in August. Tino Martinez will not be far behind I predict.

March Madness is right around the corner and that is a quality 4-week sprint. Wide, wide open this year. Keep an eye on Arizona.