Good morning, all. I hope your week is off to a great start.
As I write this week’s newsletter the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees are in a rain delay, before the final game of the ALDS. I stated in my latest baseball podcast that if the Yankees lost to Cleveland, it could very well lead to the dismissal of Aaron Boone as manager and Brian Cashman as GM. Cashman is in the last year of his contract and Boone has two-years left on his.
Despite a scintillating Game 4 victory for New York to tie the series, I believe Boone and Cashman are in trouble. In fact, it may take a trip to the World Series to save their jobs. Boone, a nice guy who deals well with the media, has had a bad post season with his managerial decisions. When his players start throwing him under the bus, as some did in their post game comments about reliever Clay Holmes’ availability or lack there of, following Saturday night’s Game 3 ninth inning meltdown, that is never a good sign. Dump Cashman has been trending on Twitter more than the midterms.
The Yankees fan base is wrestless. Even if they win the ALDS, all it means is another series against their nemesis, the Houston Astros. The Astros have sent the Yankees packing in two ALCS, started their second-half nosedive by sweeping New York a doubleheader, after the All-Star break, and generally get under their skin.
Houston is the odds-on favorite to win the World Series and should be. They are the best club with all the tools: hitting, pitching and defense. Every club has its flaws. Houston has very few. The Yankees are loaded with flaws.
What galls the Yankees fan is the fact their club has not been to the World Series since 2009. They believe the Astros are what the Yankees should be. Counting this season, Houston has been to six straight championship series, and in the last five, ended up winning three pennants and one World Series.
Boone and Cashman are in trouble and I believe only a pennant will save their jobs.
Also, in the aforementioned podcast, I talk about the great season the Padres and Phillies have had and how Philadelphia’s success has to be galling to Mets, Yankees and Red Sox fans.
Will the Yankees sign Judge?
While we’re on the subject of the Yankees, by all accounts Aaron Judge will get a monster contract, now that he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. But what are the chances he ends up staying put? I put the odds at less than 50-50.
The Yankees made Judge a fair contract offer, before the season started. He turned it down, betting on himself and ended up having a career year, including those AL-record 62 home runs. But Judge will be 31, has looked very ordinary over the last two weeks of the regular season and under the pressure of post season play. That will impact his new contract.
If he demands 10-years at 40 million, per, I would not be surprised if the Yankees say, “Nice job, Aaron and good luck in your future.”
It could be an interesting off season.
Classy move by Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen made his best move in Kansas City after the game on Sunday. Allen had just led the 5-1 Bills to a comeback win over the Chiefs, in what many believe was a preview of the AFC title game, and immediately headed to the sidelines to prevent a kid with the football then posed for some pictures. Class act by one of the game’s best quarterbacks.
Concussions don’t hit NFL fans hard
It seems we are seeing more concussions than usual this season in the NFL. The sensative topic, however, does not seem to impact those who follow the game.
A Morning Consult survey notes 70% of NFL fans do not have their interest in the games diminished with all the concussion talk. A demographic breakdown shows Gen Z is more concerned about the concussion-factor than Baby Boomers.
Bottom line is America loves its football, understands it’s a violent sport, but is not going to let injuries stop them from watching the game.
Beckham back to the Rams
We apparently are taking bets on anything these days and DraftKings Sportsbooks has the defending Super Bowl champion LA Rams as the favorite to get back wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Among other clubs on the list are the Buffalo Bills and Beckham’s old club the New York Giants, who are off to a surprising 5-1 start.
Well that is it for this week’s newsletter. As always, thank you for your support and have a terrific week.
SPORTSCASTER DAN