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.

Big dilemma for the Yankees.  Should Jacoby Ellsbury’s number be retired?  For those of you keeping score at home, he was number 22 (at least I think he was).  I mean, should they give him credit for having signed the worst free agent contract in team history?  There has to be some lasting monument or memento to him in the Stadium.  Perhaps a urinal with a plaque over it?  You have to give the guy credit.  He leveraged one great year with the Red Sox with 30+ home runs (drug aided?) to a 7-year deal with the desperate Yankees.  His body then disintegrated with injury after injury (of course, surprising as he wasn’t even playing when he got the new ones) which, as we know, often happens to players who possibly had a drug aided career.  As the saying goes, “the world will never know.”  SU says he should start a foundation with all the money he has made for not playing to help people.  Just a thought.

And then, the news that long-time Yankee fave, Greg Bird, has been designated for assignment.  The end of an era.  SU hopes that he can catch on with some other team.  He’s perfect for Tampa Bay who likes to give the cast-offs another chance.  SU says we have not heard the last from Greg Bird.  His plantar will be heard from again.

Did you see Carmelo made his 2019 debut last night for Portland?  Shot 4 for 14 – in mid-season form with some defensive lapses.  The Blazers must be excited that he has hit the ground running like that.

As a long-time subscriber to the NBA Season Pass, SU has been reduced to watching favorite players around the League vs. focusing on favorite teams these days.  Now that Jeremy Lin has been banished to China, SU follows the ex-Michigan players.  It’s actually a science to look up which teams are playing when, and then to anticipate when your favorite players will actually be on the court.  Starters play at certain times vs. bench players.  Well, I missed it last night, but Duncan Robinson made 9 3-pointers for the Heat.  This is a guy who started out at Williams College and then transferred to Michigan.  And some of the 3s that he made last night were about 10 feet behind the 3-point line.  He is a legitimate shooter in the League.  What’s great about the NBA is that in many of the Heat’s games, he is wide open but they never pass to him.  Especially the point guard, Dragic.  The NBA has the best players in the world… and the most selfish players in the world.  But Robinson hustles, is 6-9, somewhat athletic, and it’s a great story.  He has been starting of late until Justice Winslow returns.  Then the coach will put him back on the bench because…….  Sorry, not sure why but it will happen.

More and more, the NBA is now an isolation, 1 on1 league.  I guess the analytics support this style of play but SU will continue to search for a team that actually passes to the open man night in and night out.  I will keep you updated on my search.

Finally, MLB is apparently pissed off at Houston.  They are going to be the poster child for technological cheating.  I guess other teams will have to go back to reading lips again to steal signs.

Maybe some of you have been following the developing scandal with the Houston Astros and their stealing of signs during the playoffs the past few years at home.  Does this make you angry?  Upset?  Or is this just baseball where as long as everyone is cheating, we are okay with that.  See PED usage where you know the players knew who was juicing but they wanted to keep doing it as well so no-one was looking to rat out anyone else.

Check out this tweet by Yankees’ 3rd Base Coach Phil Nevin who had this to say in game 1 of the ALCS in Houston:

Phil Nevin to Alex Bregman: “Tell your f-cking hitting coach I’m going to kick his f-cking ass.”

The Yankees were well aware that the Astros had been doing this for some time.  Baseball is a small community and there are few secrets.  From what SU has read, the Astros, for their home games, had a camera in center field that was showing the catcher’s signs going to a feed in their dugout.  Someone in the dugout would then bang a metal waste container to relay information on the incoming pitch to the batter.  Clever enough.  They also used a whistling sound to relay the information.  Was anyone surprised in game 5 of the ALDS this year vs the Rays when the first 5 or 6 batters hit rockets off of the Rays’ pitcher? SU says how cool would it have been if the announcers were aware of this and started talking about it?  And SU says,  how is it that the sports reporters who are around these teams do not know what’s going on?  Is that the deal?  If you out them, you won’t have access to the players and coaches/manager?

Already, Carlos Beltran, who was on the Astros’ 2017 team that is the focus of the investigation is being asked questions about what he knew.  Big distraction.  SU saw the home and away splits for the 2017 World Series for the Astro hitters.  It’s pretty obvious: guys hit about .500 at home with multiple home runs and .150 on the road with little power.

SU says it’s not that different from what the Patriots did a few years ago with their videotaping of coaches on the sidelines.  Before technology, baseball coaches could try and figure out signs and use that information to their advantage.  In baseball, that is considered to be acceptable – it’s using your brains to get an edge.  But apparently using technology to do it is taboo as not every team has the camera feed into the dugout.

The problem for baseball is that in order to thwart the sign stealing, yo have to start using multiple signs with no-one on base.  Have you ever seen Gary Sanchez go through his signs?  Do you wonder why Yankee games are 4 hours?   This is a direct result of what the Astros are doing and who knows which other teams.  It is directly impacting pace of play.  No one wants to watch games where the signs with no one on base take that long.

So, what is the solution?  A few options:

• Start hitting batters.
• Use technology to relay pitches to the pitcher.  Maybe the catcher can have something on his wrist like an Apple watch that relays it to the pitcher.  Of course, the Astros will bring in a new department of technology guys to break in or find a few Russian election hackers to do that for them (we know who they can contact for that – oh wait, no political talk here!!)
• Fine the Astros and hope it stops – which it won’t

SU says you cannot use this an excuse if you are the Yankees, Dodgers or whoever.  If Phil Nevin and the Yankees knew about it, then they should have knocked down multiple Astro batters and gotten their point across.  SU believes everyone is trying to steal signs and maybe some others even use technology.  The Yankees have long suspected the Red Sox of doing this.  Let’s introduce technology – it will also speed up the game and it just can’t be that hard to do (see NFL and how they call plays).

SU is just not that upset.  But MLB is and it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

Your thoughts?

SU has been in a reflective mode as we complete the baseball season and gear up for college hoops and the never-ending NBA season.   Here are some things to watch for in no particular order:

• The Yankees could have re-signed Didi for $17.5 million for one year and took a pass.  OK, I get it.  They were unhappy with Didi’s finish to the season after coming back from Tommy John surgery.  But as they look to make a move and potentially move on from Didi, SU asks t his question, “What is the most important factor to consider in bringing new players to the Yankees?”  We all know what that is.  It’s not talent, career ERA, on-base percentage.  It is CAN YOU PLAY IN NEW YORK?  Well, Didi can play in New York – he succeeded Derek Jeter at shortstop and excelled.  He’s a leader in the clubhouse, a mentor for the younger players.  SU says either overpay for one year or 2 years, but you bring him back.  It’s an obvious move.  It could happen as there is not a great market for shortstops out there this year.  But US is nervous they will take a pass and put Gleyber at shortstop.  The Yankees need his left-handed bat in there.  They don’t have to do it as LeMahieu can move to 2nd base and Voit to 1st but it’s short sighted.  Case closed.
• Joel Sherman at the New York Post had an interesting observation about hitting into the shift at Yankee Stadium.  With the short porch, it really reduces the area where a ball can fall in.  So, when teams shift against a left-handed batter, there is nowhere for the ball to land without being fielded.  As a result, there is less interest now, perhaps, to have more left-handed batters in the line up for the Yankees.
• DJ LeMahieu opened a lot of eyes in NY.  A guy who puts the ball in play.  Cashman thought he was getting someone like that a few years ago with Chase Headley (long-time SU fave – not) but LeMahieu came as advertised.  SU says he is the model that they should look for now.  Guys that put the ball in play.  Not the Stantons, Encarnacions, even Aaron Hicks who has potential/talent but needs to also go the other way.  SU saw that they got a more innovative pitching coach, apparently, now to replace Rothschild.  Then, make the batters in 2020 go the other way starting in February.  The home runs that go out during the regular season are harder to come by against the top pitchers in October.  Let’s make the move now.  I would say trade Stanton but not happening and there is no market out there as he has a no trade clause.  But then you need to limit the similar type hitters around him which means no more Encarnacion pick ups during the year.  SU likes Tauchman.  He needs to play.  You can bring Gardner back for a season but Tauchman needs to play.
• Do not sign Gerret Cole.  No.  He is going to get $35 million a year for 7 years which is ridiculous.
• The Yankees are close.  2019 was a great, enjoyable and fun year.  They went as far as I thought they would go.  Houston won’t be as good.  Note to Brian Cashman: don’t screw it up.

SU liked the Beltran signing by the Mets.  He is a good guy, smart and pays attention to the details.  The Mets are close and they have a GM who is not afraid to gamble which SU likes.  Of course, gambling means bringing in Robinson Cano who is running on fumes now.  He is a DH, not an every day player.  He will have to figure out what to do with Cespedes should he ever get healthy again.  He may be on the Ellsbury recovery plan now – who knows?

Alabama vs. LSU yesterday was one of those great college games.  Teams marching up and down the field with ease.  Few punts, rosters full of NFL prospects and draft picks.  SU says it’s why college football is more fun than the NFL.  A match-up of LSU vs. Ohio State in the BCS playoffs would be great.  LSU’s QB transferred from Ohio State – great story there.  It is interesting how the same schools are always competing for the BCS title now: Ohio State; Alabama; Georgia; Clemson; Oklahoma; sometimes Notre Dame.  SU watches a lot of Big Ten games and the speed of the SEC is just a level faster.

The last tournament of the men’s tennis season is starting today in London at the ATP Finals – top 8 players.  The field is very interesting.  You have the Big 3 in Fed, Djokovic and Nadal.  Dominick Thiem, at 26, is there.  The other 4 are the Next Generation players.  It’s great for tennis that the next group is finally making their move.  It’s interesting to note that the group that was 5 years behind the Big 3 is not there anymore – Del Potro, Raonic, etc.  For tennis fans, you hope the Big 3 keep playing but the clock is ticking.  The good news is that men’s tennis has a great crop of guys coming up in their early 20s.  SU will be watching on the Tennis Channel along with 12 others nationally.  Check it out.

Finally, a note on the NBA.  Where did the term “load management” come from?  Why is it so hard to play 82 games over about 7 months?  And is it so hard to travel in chartered jets and stay at Ritz Carltons?  I know some guys have chronic injuries (see Kawi Leonard) and some are older like LeBron.  But for a fan who buys tickets in advance expecting to see the stars, this is not a good deal or a smart strategy.

Anyone on your personal wish list for the Yankees and Mets?