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Terry Lyons

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | August 7

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – For those growing up in the New York-Metropolitan area in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, it was an amazing time for the newspaper industry, somewhat driven by ultra-competitive sports sections that did the one thing that newspapers can no longer do. They sold papers. With a price tag of a quarter, they sold stacks and stacks of newspapers – everyday and especially Sundays, but for a buck.

The New York Times, the lofty Old Gray Lady, had all the news that was fit to print topping sections of interesting topics. The sports section had the best writing, including columnists like Dave Anderson, George Vecsey, Bill Rhoden, Ira Berkow, Robin Herman, Jane Gross, all following and being influenced by the legendary Walter Wellesley “Red” Smith.

The tabloids – the New York Daily News and New York Post – competed like prize fighters, the beat reporters driving a 24/7 watch but only printing once (or maybe a few editions) a day. The Post did an afternoon edition and you could even read about the daily double run that afternoon at Belmont.

There were others before, printed in the glory years of journalism and reporting. The Brooklyn Eagle, The Evening World, The Brooklyn Times-Union, The Daily Mirror, The New York Herald, The Sun and off-shoots like the Herald-Tribune, and Journal-American. There were dozens of others, some from nearby boroughs, like the Staten Island Advance and Staten Island Register, The Amsterdam News, and those from nearby Newark NJ, with the Star-Ledger. Long Island had Newsday and the Long Island Press. There were dozens of others.

I had my personal copy of The New York Times delivered to me at a student rate and all the teachers and front office people used to give me “the look” as I picked up my paper in my little mailbox at high school.

For the most part, The New York Times, NY Daily News, NY Post and Newsday were ever-present and to obtain a copy of The Washington Post or the Boston Globe was heaven on earth.

During that time, the New York Daily News featured sports cartoonist Bill Gallo (1922-2011) who drew the best sports cartoons this side of Bugs Bunny and the Gashouse Gorillas. At World Series time, Gallo drew-up a small cartoon box with “The Hero” and “The Goat” for each game. The “Goat” was not the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) as we know it today. Instead, it was the player who struck-out three times or made the costly error or the pitcher or reliever who threw the late-inning home run ball to his opponent who was likely to be “The Hero” of that particular game.

Of course, these days, there’s the constant arguments for players who are the GOAT of their sports. That senseless and endless stream of arguments about opinions is only surpassed by the personal list of “Mt. Rushmore” players to be fictitiously carved into some mountain top rock formation for eternity, never to be challenged again. For the “GOAT,” there is only ONE. For “Mt. Rushmore,” there are four.

This week, we lost two “GOATS” and two permanent residents of the “Mt. Rushmore” of their professions.

Sadly from this end, there’s no “personal” or “behind the scenes” story to share for either Russell or Scully. They were certainly on opposite ends of the spectrum on approachability. That said, I saw Russell more often – usually at the NBA All-Star Weekend or Finals.

Russell was quite happy in dealing with the NBA’s Brian McIntyre, in charge of PR, or Charlie Rosensweig, in charge or player and talent relations and a trustee of the Basketball Hall of Fame. For players, like Russell or Michael Jordan, who didn’t like adding to their inner circle, the smart move was always to consolidate requests and go to McIntyre or Rosensweig with “the ask.” Russell was very fond of the late David Stern and it was always great to see the mutual admiration society of Stern with Russell and Boston Celtics icon, Red Auerbach, all now passed away.

One anecdote sticks with me. Early on in his NBA career, maybe it was 1997 at the NBA@50 celebrations, Adam Silver – now Commissioner, then Special Assistant to Stern, glanced at all of the NBA legends being feted in a simple weekend ceremony in Cleveland and said, “All of our Babe Ruths are still alive,” noting the likes of Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Elgin Baylor and many others.

For a league, born in 1946, the legendary players were aging but still very much alive with a few big-time exceptions. Father Time, counting the 25 years since the NBA@50 to last year’s NBA75 festivities, has made his inevitable impact on the league and its early pioneers.

A growing number of media and NBA-types are calling for the league to retire No. 6 at every franchise in tribute to Russell’s winning ways on-court and huge impact off-court as an activist. The gesture would be the highest possible honor, much like Major League Baseball’s majestic tribute to Jackie Robinson and his No. 42.

As for Scully, a proud Fordham ‘49 man, was undoubtedly the voice for a generation of baseball fans, more specifically in Brooklyn for a short time (1954-57) before “Dem Bums” moved to Southern California and with them they took a voice and storyteller made from, and now, for heaven.

Although there were countless sports functions at Fordham where Scully was honored and a number of times when I was in the Dodgers’ or Mets’ press box when he was calling a game, I never even met the legend and feel very sad about that fact. But, like hundreds of thousands, maybe 100s of millions of baseball fans, we all knew him so well. He introduced all of Southern California to the Dodgers as he called hundreds of World Series, All-Star Games, Playoff games, and Games of the Week – on television and radio. Even before the magic of MLB Extra Innings and the Internet, all baseball fans were very familiar with the voice of Vin Scully.

At the Dodgers Stadium memorial tribute to Scully Friday night, the team unveiled a banner, “Vin – We’ll Miss You! ❤️ Dodger Fans”

For complete access to the full Sunday notebook, usually sent to your inbox for a late-night Saturday “get the papers, get the papers” read, click HERE.

Bill Russell (1934-2022)

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MERCER ISLAND/BOSTON – Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88, his family announced.

Russell won 11 NBA championships and also became the first Black head coach in NBA history.

“Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind those moments unfolded,” his family said in a statement. “And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak up with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Bill Russell:

“Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports,” said Silver.  “The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics – including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards – only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society.

“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league. At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.

“For nearly 35 years since Bill completed his trailblazing career as the league’s first Black head coach, we were fortunate to see him at every major NBA event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP.

“I cherished my friendship with Bill and was thrilled when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I often called him basketball’s Babe Ruth for how he transcended time. Bill was the ultimate winner and consummate teammate, and his influence on the NBA will be felt forever. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jeannine, his family and his many friends.”

“To be the greatest champion in your sport, to revolutionize the way the game is played, and to be a societal leader all at once seems unthinkable, but that is who Bill Russell was,” said the Boston Celtics organization in a prepared statement.

“Bill was a champion unlike any other in the history of team sports – an 11-time NBA champion, including winning eight consecutive titles, a five-time MVP, an Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s first Black head coach.

“Bill Russell‘s DNA is woven through every element of the Celtics organization, from the relentless pursuit of excellence, to the celebration of team rewards over individual glory, to a commitment to social justice and civil rights off the court.

“Our thoughts are with his family as we mourn his passing and celebrate his enormous legacy in basketball, Boston, and beyond.”

Former President Barack presented Russell with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, the highest honor for American civilians. “As tall as Bill Russell stood, his legacy rises far higher—both as a player and as a person,” said Obama in a tweet Sunday.

“Perhaps more than anyone else, Bill knew what it took to win and what it took to lead,” President Obama added. “On the court, he was the greatest champion in basketball history. Off of it, he was a civil rights trailblazer—marching with Dr. King and standing with Muhammad Ali.

“For decades, Bill endured insults and vandalism, but never let it stop him from speaking up for what’s right. I learned so much from the way he played, the way he coached, and the way he lived his life. Michelle and I send our love to Bill’s family, and everyone who admired him.”

Funeral services will be announce soon, Russell’s family said.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 31

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State of the Commonwealth Sports

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – From June 19th to 27th, all was well in the Nation of Sox. After a very well documented — call it crummy (10-19) — start to the 2022 season, the Boston Red Sox battled back to the .500 mark by June 5th at Oakland. While still mired in 4th place in the American League East, Boston clawed their way to a (35-30) record when – on June 17th – Sox SP Michael Wacha out-dueled his former St. Louis Cardinals teammate, Adam Wainwright, 6-5, for Wacha’s fifth victory (5-1).

After dropping a game to the Cards the following day, Boston went on to win seven games in a row and climb to second place in the AL East, 11 games over the coveted .500 mark.

As the calendar turned to July, all hell broke loose.

As this is being written from Fenway Park on a gorgeous New England Saturday afternoon, Boston (50-52) dropped a game to Milwaukee, is 7-19 in the month of July, and that includes a 3-13 mark over their previous 16 games. The not so secret sauce is the fact that since Uncle Sam’s birthday, Boston is playing teams with records plus-.500 up until August 3 when they face AL Central cellar-dweller Kansas City.

Combined with the tougher comp, a slew of devastating injuries crashed down on the Sox. In no particular order:

  • June 12 – SP Nathan Eovaldi – lower back pain
  • July 2 – SP Rich Hill – left knee sprain
  • July 5 – SP Michael Wacha – right shoulder inflammation
  • July 9 – INF Christian Arroyo – groin strain after bout with COVID+
  • July 14 – 2B Trevor Story – right hand contusion (hairline fracture)
  • July 19 – SP Chris Sale – left hand, finger fracture
  • July 19 – J.D. Martinez – back spasms
  • July 23 – 3B Rafael Devers – right hamstring inflammation
  • 13 Red Sox players were on the IL at one point

In their place, Boston was forced to call-up “F-Troop” from their Triple A Worcester WooSox farm team, and the Red Sox became the Red SAAAwx for much of the month. Starting pitching prospects, a la Brayan Bello (0-3), Josh Winckowski (3-5) and Kutter Crawford (3-3) were thrown into the deep end of the drowning pool.

With the cumulative effect, the ‘22 Red Sox started to resemble a memorable team from 60 years ago, with comparisons to the expansion New York Mets.

The Sox are a calamity, whether it be fly balls falling between three players in the infield, throwing, fielding and mental errors costing runs, pitchers failing to properly cover first base on routine ground balls to the right side of the infield, batted baseballs lost in the sun or twilight gleaming in both right and center field at Fenway. You name it, and it happened to the home team.

The lowlight was a July 22 inside the park home run by Toronto’s Ramiel Tapia during a 28-5 beat-down of the Red Sox by the Blue Jays, and a score falling two runs shy of the MLB record for most runs scored in a single game.

Overall, it seemed the Sox fell apart when the long-expected return of their ace – Chris Sale – went flat after an inning as a come-backer broke the fifth finger on his pitching hand. The injury sucked the life from the team, as Story, Martinez and Devers were all absent from the line-up.

Thus is the “State of the Red Sox,” as of July 30.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: If there’s one thing the New England fan base can do better than any other in the land, it’s turn the page and change with the seasons. Just as the aforementioned Sox fade to the bottom of the AL East, the footballs are out at Gillette Stadium as NFL training camps began this week. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the 2022 New England Patriots.

On Day One of Patriots’ training camp, all eyes were on second-year QB Mac Jones who appeared to be all business, in great condition and prepared for the challenges ahead of the Patriots team in transition from its many waltzes to the Super Bowl. While coach Bill Belichick and the Pats are accustomed to being the favorites in the AFC East, this year, they’ll be fortunate to win 10 games (as they did a year ago) and finish second to the ‘21 division champion Buffalo Bills. In many circles, it is the Bills, not the Patriots, who are destined for AFC glory and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Belichick is beginning his 23rd season with the Patriots as the team avoids any sense of the word, “rebuilding,” but does face uncertainty at many key offensive positions. Meanwhile, a look to the south and AFC East rival, Miami, has stocked up with arguably the best wide-out in the NFL in former KC Chief Tyreek Hill to pair with second-year QB Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins won nine games a year ago and will fight it out with New England for a possible Wild Card berth, for sure.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of news and speculation as the NBA off-season hits midstream. For the Boston Celtics, all eyes are on Nets F Kevin Durantwho has asked for a trade from Brooklyn and reports have the Celtics offering some unknown package of players (with one piece likely to be F Jaylen Brown).

Of course, the Celtics made the NBA Finals but simply saw the fatigue of prior match-ups vs. Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami finally take their toll against Jayson Tatum and the team. Boston made one major move to acquire a true point guard in former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdan for Milwaukee who the Cs acquired from Indiana in a multi-player trade in July.

The allure of an offensive threat, like Durant to pair with Tatum, is attractive to the Celtics and their fan base, but the lack of defensive intensity shown by Durant in the playoffs makes one wonder if his Achilles’ injury is limiting his defensive mobility against quicker players.

The foundation of the Celtics is “Team Defense” and the questions is whether Durant can buy-in? Brown’s contributions to that defense might be too costly a loss, never mind if 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smartbecomes part of the deal.

On the ice, the Boston Bruins are another team, like the Patriots, in total transition. Gone is goalkeeper Tuukka Rask, while Brad Marchand injured his hip and out for six months since his late May surgery. Then, there’s the uncertain status of forwards Patrice Bergeron and un-signed David Pastrňák, the club’s two best players.

On defense, more injuries and surgeries. Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk will be out until late November after shoulder surgeries. Mike Reillyis recovering from May ankle surgery.

In goal, Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark will share the netminding duties, trying to replace the talents of Vezina Trophy-worthy and former winner Rask has officially retired after some back-and-forth during the pandemic.

All the while, Boston is welcoming new coach, Jim Montgomery, to a team that is deep with talent but largely uncertain of its short term destiny.

If you take a step back and look at all four major pro sports, it’s a one for-four (.250) average for sure-fire success and that is only the Celtics.

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: Trade winds are blowing in Major League Baseball prior to Tuesday’s (August 2 – 6pm ET) trading deadline. Of course, the big fish in the MLB pond are Washington’s Juan Soto, who turned down a megabucks deal of 15-years and $440 million, and possibly Boston’s J.D. Martinez. The Seattle Mariners already acquired former Cincy ace Luis Castillo in a deal for a ton of top prospects. The terms “Buyers” and “Sellers” will be over-used this week.

Others MLB players reportedly on the block:

  • Josh Bell, 1B, Washington Nationals
  • Wilson Contreras, C, Chicago Cubs
  • Ian Happ, OF, Chicago Cubs
  • Tyler Mahle, SP, Cincinnati Reds
  • Frankie Montas, SP, Oakland Athletics
  • Noah Syndergaard, SP, Los Angeles Angels

That leads us to the extremely slim chance of the LA Angeles moving Shohei Ohtani before the deadline. The multi-talented Ohtani would be a game-changer as a starting pitcher and DH for any contender, but the question would be: “At what cost?”

 

Red Sox Sticks Can’t Get It Done

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FENWAY – Milwaukee’s OF Christian Yelich (2-for-4, run scored, 2B, RBI, BB) hit a RBI single in the 7th inning to give Milwaukee a 2-1 lead that they never relinquished as the Boston Red Sox lost their eighth of the last 10 games and 12th of their last 15 games, in a 4-1 defeat to the Brewers Friday night at Fenway Park.

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Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff (6.1 IP, four hits, two BB, nine strikeouts) retired 17 of his first 19 batters faced before giving up back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 1-1 in the 6th inning. Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez and OF Alex Verduga strung the two extra base hits together. Woodruff is 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in six starts since coming off the MLB injured list on June 28. He hasn’t allowed an opponents’ home run in his last 36 innings.

The Brewers’ victory marked their first win at Fenway Park since April 6, 2014 as the team is now 6-1 since the MLB All-Star break and winners of three in a row.

Milwaukee reliever Josh Hader recorded his 29th save of the year, the most in the majors heading into Saturday’s afternoon game at Fenway.

 

 

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 24

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at the Baseball Hall of Fame, Clemente and Some Notes

Roberto Clemente (photo by Getty Images)

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – On the National Baseball Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, NY, David Ortiz will be rightfully enshrined along with honorees Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva, and Buck O’Neil. Earlier in the week, on the 100th birthday of Mrs. Jackie Robinson (Rachel Isum), Major League Baseball played its annual All-Star Game in Los Angeles with a grand salute to Rachel and Jackie, Dodgers Blue through and through. It was terrific.

But I’ve got a place in my heart and thoughts for three of the best position players I’ve ever seen play and they are: Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente (pictured above).

What an amazing honor for the seven gentlemen being inducted to the Hall this weekend to have their names alongside the greatest players the game has ever seen. From Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb to Tom Seaver and Derek Jeter, the names of the greatest ballplayers will live on forever.

In no way am I suggesting Baseball do anything differently to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Robinson, but as a true fan and admirer ofRoberto Clemente, I’d like to see the Office of the Commissioner honor the great No. 21 with a day of service every December 31 or January 1st and once during the MLB summer season to recognize the charity work Clemente accomplished and the code he lived by each and every day of his short 38 years on earth.

Clemente’s tragic death is one of the saddest stories in the history of baseball, or in our lifetimes, really. In December of the off-season of 1972, Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, experienced a massive earthquake, Clemente immediately went to work arranging emergency relief flights for supplies and medical evacuations. He soon learned, however, that the aid packages on the first three flights had been diverted by corrupt officials of government and they never reaching victims of the quake.

Clemente, himself, decided to accompany the next relief flight, hoping that his presence would ensure that the aid would be delivered to the survivors. The airplane he chartered for a New Year’s Eve ‘72 /‘73 flight, a Douglas DC-7 cargo plane, had a history of mechanical problems and was short the proper flight personnel, missing both a flight engineer and co-pilot. The plane was also overloaded by 4,200 pounds and the weight caused it to crash into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff on December 31, 1972. The cause was due to engine failure.

A few days after the crash, the body of the pilot and part of the fuselage of the plane were found. An empty flight case apparently belonging to Clemente was the only personal item recovered from the plane. Clemente’s teammate and close friend in catcher Manny Sanguillén was the only member of the Pittsburgh Pirates not to attend the memorial service. The Pirates catcher chose instead to dive into the waters where Clemente’s plane had crashed in an effort to find his teammate. The bodies of Clemente and three others who were also on the four-engine plane were never recovered.

Clemente was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in a special ceremony in 1973, the Hall waiving the mandatory waiting period of five years. In 1973, the Commissioner’s Achievement Award was re-named the Roberto Clemente Award and it is presented annually to a player, team or group who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team,” as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media.

Each MLB team nominates a player for consideration. Last season, Nelson Cruz was honored by Baseball and presented with the award during the Postseason.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: First, some business: Fitness company Whoop Inc. is the latest Massachusetts-based technology play to lay-off workers with the uncertainty of the economy stuck with increasing pandemic key indicators. The company, valued at $1 billion in October 2020, confirmed to the Boston Business Journal on Friday it “reduced the size of its corporate team by 15% and reorganized multiple departments. Impacted employees worked across all departments and all levels.” … Back in late 2020, Whoophoped to increase its workforce to 700+ from 330 in place at the time. Sixty percent of the staff was based in Boston, near Fenway Park.

ORIGINAL TEE: There will be a Noon ET shotgun start today as The Original Tee celebrity golf tournament returns at Crystal Springs Resort and Wild Turkey Golf Club, in Hamburg, New Jersey. Original Tee is a culture club that amplifies inclusion in golf by preserving the history of the game’s diverse Black pioneers and celebrating other iconic golf enthusiasts who are ambassadors of excellence. In honor of its 23rd year, OTGC will present Miami Heat champion, USA Basketball Olympic Gold Medalist, FIBA World Champion, NBA Legend, philanthropist, and golf enthusiast Alonzo Mourning with its prestigious True Original Award.

DUKE OF DIMWIT: The move is to “let it go,” but since the great Jerry Westchose to volley-in on the dimwitted comments of J.J. Redick from this past April, it’s cannon fodder once more. Let’s hit the rewind button to note that Redick was comparing the players from one NBA era to another, an impossible concept, to say the least. Redick was noting that the talented players of NBA yesteryear, namely Hall of Famer and six-time NBA champion Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics, were being guarded by ‘fireman and plumbers’ interjecting that the low paid NBA pioneers of the 1950s and 1960s had to work ‘real jobs’ in the off season to support their families. Redick conveniently overlooked the fact that the likes of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, nevermind West, John Havlicek, Jerry Sloan, Walt Frazierand dozens of other tough-nosed defenders, were among the greatest players the sport of basketball has ever seen.

Now, Cousy and Bill Sharman might’ve struggled to advance the ball past Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in their prime, but so did John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek for arguments sake.

Regardless, West – while doing an interview Friday – took exception and defended Cousy saying, “I know J.J. just a little bit, he’s a very smart kid and everything, but tell me what his career looked like?” West said on Sirius XM NBA Radio.

“What did he do that determined games? He averaged 12 points a game in the league. Somewhere along the way, numbers count. J.J. certainly wasn’t going to guard the elite players. So you can nitpick anyone.

“The only reason I’m talking about him is because he was not an elite player, but he was a very good player, but he had a place on the team because of the ability to shoot the ball.

“Winning is all that mattered, that’s what drove me,” added West. “I subtly got better every year. We didn’t have the facilities to get better. We had to work in the summers to support our family.

“JJ should be very thankful that he’s made as much money as he’s made, and (to say that about) Bob Cousy, whom I played against a couple of years, not very long — I just think it’s disrespectful.”

To wrap this in a bow, a simple question. Why is it that the baseball players of today highly respect the abilities of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Henry Aaron, Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente – along with many of the great pitchers of yesteryear like Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax or Tom Seaver, yet the basketball players – like Redick – can’t imagine that the likes of Russell, Chamberlain, Baylor or West would dominate in the NBA of 2022 much the way they did in the NBA of 1965 or 70?

Finau Storms Back at 3M Open

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BLAINE – Beginning the final round five strokes off the lead, Tony Finau earned his third PGA Tour title by setting the largest final-round comeback by a winner in 3M Open history.

Sungjae Im earned his third career runner-up finish, while Emiliano Grillo collected his sixth on Tour.

Scott Piercy, who held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, played the final round 5-over (76) and finished T-4.

Defending champion Cameron Champ finishes T-16 in his bid to become tournament’s first repeat winner.

TPC Twin Cities now has the distinction of the most balls in the water on TOUR this season with (303).

3M Open | Final Leaderboard

Tony Finau 67-68-65-67—267 (-17)

Sungjae Im 65-70-67-68—270 (-14)

Emiliano Grillo 67-65-67-71—270 (-14)

James Hahn 69-70-67-65—271 (-13)

Tom Hoge 67-68-66-70—271 (-13)

Scott Piercy 65-64-66-76—271 (-13)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

All-Star Break Turns to Sox Break Down

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By TERRY LYONS

FENWAY – The score of 28-3 has significant meaning to New England sports fans as it was the score the New England Patriots trailed by when they came back to win 34-28 over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI held in Houston in 2017. As of Friday night at Fenway Park, the new score to reckon with for all Boston Red Sox fans is 28-5.

Twenty-eight to five! In baseball!

Universal sign of distress

You have to look back in the record book a full 99 years to see that Friday night’s 28-5 Toronto Blue Jays shellacking of the Red Sox which set a franchise record for most runs allowed in a single game. The previous record of 27 runs came on July 7, 1923 in the first game of a twin bill scheduled that woeful summer day in Cleveland.

Aside from the record-setting embarrassment of the Sox in front of a sold-out but stoic Fenway, the loss marked Boston’s third consecutive game in the “L” column. They are (1-7) over their last eight games and (3-11) over their last 14 games, dropping Boston to fourth place in the competitive American League East and just one game in that important and previously mentioned “L” column ahead of the surging Baltimore Orioles.

On the flip side of the ledger, the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian football League are envious of the Blue Jays who set franchise records in both runs scored (28) and hits (29) in a single baseball game.The Blue Jays are only the sixth team in MLB history to score 28+ runs in a single game with the most recent being the Atlanta Braves scoring 29 against the Miami Marlins on September 9, 2020.

Other team records were plentiful

  • Toronto Became the first team to have all nine starters record multiple hits and runs scored
  • The Jays had multiple players record six or more RBI in a game for the 1st time in franchise history (Tapia and Jansen)
  • Toronto scored 11 runs in the top of the 5th inning, their most runs in one inning since 9/11/21 at BAL-G2 (7th inning, also 11 runs)
  • 12 straight Jays’ batters reached base via hit or walk in the 5th inning, all with 2 outs (10 H, 2 BB)
  • Toronto tied the major league record for runs scored in a game’s first 5 innings (25, also CHC on 8/25/1922 vs. PHI).

On the player side:

  • OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 6-for-7, scoring three runs, hitting a double, and recording five RBI which tied the Blue Jays’ franchise record for hits, joining Frank Catalanotto on 5/1/04 at CWS-G2.
  • OF Ramiel Tapia went 3-for-7, scoring twice, hit a 2B, and had six RBI, four resulting from an inside-the-park grand slam in the third inning to extend the Toronto lead to 10-0. He set his career high in RBI.
  • Catcher Danny Jansen recorded his fourth career multi-HR game (previous: 5/24 at STL) and tied a single-game franchise record for RBI by a catcher (6 RBI – four times with the previous: J.P. Arencibia 5/18/12 vs. NYM).
  • Pitcher Kevin Gausman went 5.0 IP, with seven hits allowed, three runs, 10 strike-outs) tied a season high in strikeouts
  • Gausman has struck out 28 batters in his three starts against Boston this year (20.0 IP).

“It was tough to be in the dugout to be honest with you,” said Boston Manager Alex Cora to the Boston Globe. “And, they know that it’s not a lack of preparation. It’s not a lack of effort, because we keep working on our stuff and we keep going through the process the right way. I love to say that this happens, but it doesn’t happen often, you know, and we just got to turn the page.”

The page is turned and the book re-opened at 4:10pm Saturday afternoon. Same two teams.

They Gave Me a Break, Now Play Ball

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MLB All-Star Break is Over; It’s Time to Play Ball

BOSTON – The hometown Boston Red Sox (48-45) will play a 10-game, 10-day homestead to begin the second half of their MLB season and they do so with an (11-6) record over their last 17 games at Fenway Park. The 10-game stretch will be followed by another seven straight games (three at Houston and four at Kansas City), making Boston’s next day off August 8th.

It’s safe to say, that between July 22 and August 8, the Red Sox season will set sail, and they’ll do so – most likely – without Chris Sale, who left the game last Sunday at New York with a fractured left fifth (pinky) finger. The Sox ace was in the very first inning of his Major League Baseball return and he fell victim to an Aaron Hicks line drive that came back at the pitcher clocking 106.7 mph off his pitching hand. Sale was placed on the 15-day IL list today, retroactive to July 19th.

As the post MLB All-Star break begins, the Red Sox will throw right-hand pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Kutter Crawford in the first two games against the Toronto Blue Jays, but then the Sunday matinee is marked with the same pitcher the Sox tossed in the last week before the break – a guy named TBD.

Sale and Eovaldi’s absence contributed to the problem as Boston was forced to start pitcher-after-pitcher straight from Triple A Worcester. From May 28 to June 8, Eovaldi enjoyed a three-game win streak, while in two of his other recent games, the Red Sox registered a “win.” Eovaldi’s Friday night start will be his second after missing 33 games. (June 8-July 15).

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The All-Star break was just what the Red Sox needed to assemble something that might pass for a major league starting rotation. With Sale a goner, James Paxton no where to be seen, Michael Wacha out with right shoulder inflammation and Rich Hill out with a left knee sprain, that is likely to be:

  • Nathan Eovaldi
  • Kutter Crawford
  • Nick Pivetta
  • Garrett Whitlock
  • Possibly Austin Davis or Josh Winckowski (out with COVID+ as of July 14).

The Sox experimented by promoting RHP Brayan Bello (recalled from Worcester today) and RHP Connor Seabold (10-day IL) with a right forearm extensor strain). Too say the least, it wasn’t pretty.

Boston begins its second half 15.5 games behind American League East leader New York (64-30), the best team in baseball. But after losing six of their last seven games before the break, Boston fell to 4th place in the AL East, trailing the Yankees, Tampa Bay and their opponents this weekend, Toronto (50-43).

During the recent span, the Seattle Mariners are on a 14-game winning streak and have moved into Wild Card slot No. 2, at (51-42). That places Boston two games behind in the American League Wild Card race, bunched up with those pesky Cleveland Guardians, the surging Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox.

As of this beautiful, but warm, Friday night at Fenway, it’s time to Play Ball.

Can anyone pitch?

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 17

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TL’s While We’re Young (Ideas) With Mid-Summer Thoughts; Classic, Open and Otherwise

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The annual “Mid-Summer Classic” marks the halfway point of the Major League Baseball season as much as it does the middle of summer in North America. After the MLB All-Star Break, baseball gets pretty serious, as does the stretch run for the PGA Tour, as The Open Championship and the (why do they even bother) Barracuda Championship mark a short four weeks remaining in the FedEx Cup regular season.

First, a quick look at Baseball:

Raise your hand if you predicted two of the three hottest teams in Baseball at the break would be the Seattle Mariners (10-0 over last ten and 13 in a row overall) and the Baltimore Orioles (9-1 over last ten). Those two teams, along with the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers (9-1 over last ten, as of Saturday morning) are the talk of baseball.

Seattle has won 13 in a row and is +1 game up in wild card standings and in position, along with Tampa Bay for postseason play. Baltimore is only 2.5 games out from a Wild Card place, trailing Tampa Bay, Seattle, Boston and Toronto, as well as a half-game behind Cleveland on the outside, looking in.

Seattle’s baker’s dozen in the W column includes victories at Texas, four in a row over Toronto, two at San Diego, and two out of three against the Orioles to start the Mariners’ streak.

Center fielder Julio Rodriguez has been leading the way with three of his 16 home runs, including a Grand Slam on Friday night, pacing the ball club along with a rejuvenated Eugenio Suarez , each with 50 RBI. First baseman Ty France is back from injury while left fielder Jesse Winker is swinging the bat again. Both Winker and Suarez were sent to Seattle from Cincinnati in a March 14, 2022 multi-player trade.

As far as Baltimore is concerned, the O’s 10-game winning streak came to an end on Friday night in a 5-4 loss at Tampa. Previously, they’d beaten the Cubs twice in Chicago, four against the LA Angels and three games against Texas. Since Fathers day, the Orioles are 16-7.

Outfielder Anthony Santander and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle are leading the way, while center fielder Cedric Mullins leads the club in hits. Tyler Wells and Jordan Lyles have been pleasant surprises on the pitching staff which lost ace John Means to Tommy John surgery early this season.

Although Seattle and Baltimore are simply darlings of baseball, there is no denying that the teams to beat are the LA Dodgers and New York Mets in the National League and the New York Yankees and Houston Astros in the American League. Division-leaders Milwaukee (NL-Central) and Minnesota (AL-Central) can not be ignored.

And on the links:

With The Open Championship heading into its final round, a quick look at the game of golf must address the impact of the new LIV Golf Invitational Series entity which grabbed dozens of popular PGA Tour players from mothership of all worldwide professional golf circuits. Some gold industry bigshots, including Royal & Ancient (R&A) CEO Martin Slumbers, are saying the LIV has “harmed the perception” of golf.

The United States Dept. of Justice is looking into the PGA Tour’s handling of member players and whether the Tour engaged in anti-competitive behavior during its ongoing battle with the LIV, the circuit being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The PGA Tour suspended players who jumped to the LIV.

Lastly, even basketball Hall of Famer and Turner Sports’ Inside the NBA studio commentator Charles Barkley is getting in on the act. After he participated in last week’s Celebrity Golf tournament, Barkley has been quotes as saying, “It’s nothing that’s imminent. I actually don’t know everything they want from me, or what they technically want me to do, but you’ve got to always look at every opportunity that’s available,” Barkley said. “So the answer to your question is, 100 percent yes, I’m going to meet with LIV.”

The PGA Tour has been countering with the announcement of bigger purses, a better schedule and more lenient qualification of young players turning professional. On this weekend, when The Open grabs most attention, shouldn’t the Tour stage a “once a year” Korn Ferry Tour midseason tournament where the winners from the previous full year play for a five-year PGA Tour card, winner take all?

One thing is for sure, the PGA Tour leadership must rethink their sport, their schedule, their approach and innovate, far more than just its great TV coverage, the PGA Tour Live cash cow on ESPN+ and ShotLink.

In hindsight, the Battle of the Bogey-boys seems reminiscent of the 1967-76 pro basketball landscape which pitted the mighty NBA against the up & coming ABA, complete with a red, white and blue basketball and a three-point field goal for long, terrible 26+ foot shots that have become the rage and analytic flavor of the day for the NBA in 2022.

Maybe the LIV should make its players hit red, while and blue golf balls and chip-ins from 100 yards or more would subtract a stroke or reward a monetary bonus of say, $1 million of that Green as Grass Saudi cash?

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TIGER: By shooting a cringe-worthy 78-75 (153), Tiger Woods missed the cut at The Open Championship and bid farewell to the Old Course at St. Andrews which next hosts the British Open in 2026, at the earliest. Woods’ performance again reminded sports fans of other players who could no longer compete at the ultra-high level they set during the prime years of their careers. … A while back, when Tom Brady switched teams and NFL jerseys from New England to Tampa Bay, we listed a few of the players who looked so strange in another team’s uniform. That list also coincides with this list, of players who stayed on a bit too long:

  1. Tiger Woods at The Open
  2. NY Jets all-time great Joe Namath with the Los Angeles Rams
  3. Giants all-time great Willie Mays with the New York Mets
  4. Bruins all-time great Bobby Orr with the Chicago Blackhawks
  5. Orlando/LA/Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal with Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston
  6. NYK’s Walt “Clyde” Frazier with the Cleveland Cavaliers
  7. Colts all-time great Johnny Unitas with the San Diego Chargers
  8. NYK’s Patrick Ewing with the Seattle SuperSonics
  9. Green Bay’s Brett Favre with the New York Jets
  10. Cowboys great Emmitt Smith with the Arizona Cardinals

On 4th of July, Sox Check the Standings

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Red Sox Open Series vs Tampa with 4-0 Win


By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – It’s far too early to do any scoreboard watching, but on the 4th of July, every baseball fan in the land should buy a newspaper and clip-out the standings. It is like breaking a fortune cookie and reading about your future. For the Boston Red Sox – tailspinning at (2-4) over their last six games entering today’s games- but coming off an important seven-game win streak before that – the 2022 MLB season will be decided now, as in July.

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Now, as in the next 16 games when the Red Sox play against the American League East only as they close-out the first half of the 2022 season with 17 consecutive game days before the annual All-Star break. Looking further, past the break, the Red Sox will play 27 of their next 28 home games against teams with winning records (as of today). Only an August 11th game against the division cellar-dwelling Baltimore Orioles will be the exception.

Now, as on a wonderful, humidity-free, 82-degree, sunny 4th of July day game, a game which began that gauntlet of “put-up or shut-up” for the Sox who earned a home game on the 4th  at Fenway Park for the first time since 2016.

Now, as in today, the Red Sox defeated division rival Tampa, 4-0, with impressive pitching performances by opener Austin Davis (second career start) who was followed by Worcester WooSox call-up Kutter Crawford. Davis threw 30 pitches over the first two innings, walked one batter and struck-out two before giving way to Crawford. With a name like “Kutter,” you better be able to deliver and that he did. The Sox top pitching prospect, No. 24 in all of baseball, went 5.1 IP, allowing only two hits of shutout baseball while striking-out eight Rays batters. Reliever John Schreiber came in for the final 1.2 innings and kept the sheet clean, earning his third save of the season.

On the offensive side, Boston second-baseman Trevor Story had the game-winning hit, his 13th home run of the season, a solo blast, which came in the fourth inning. Boston scored a run in the fifth when shortstop Christian Arroyo led-off with a double and scored on a Rafael Devers infield hit and 46th RBI of the season.

Boston added two insurance runs in the eighth inning when third baseman Devers, DH J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vazquez each singled to load the bases before left-fielder Alex Verdugo reached base on a fielding error by Tampa’s relief pitcher Josh Fleming, scoring Devers. Boston right-fielder Franchy Cordero delivered a timely base hit to score Martinez to make it 4-0 to hand Fleming (2-4) his fourth loss of the year.

Crawford earned the win, his second of the year against two losses. The Rays were held scoreless for the sixth time this season after being shutout only eight times all of 2021.

The opening of the series win marked the 12th time of their last 16 series that Boston took a series lead as they are 11-4-1 when they take a series opener. Boston is 17-7 (.708) over their last 24 games and undefeated in their last five home games. The pressure remains, however, as Boston is 0-7-0 in series against the AL East while 12-3-3 against all others.

The Red Sox are now 13 games behind the division-leading New York Yankees, who somehow had the 4th of July as an off-day. Boston is bunched up with these Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays with only two games separating the trio when you peruse those standings.

After a horrendous 10-19 start through early May, Boston is now 10 games over .500 for the second time this season. They’re amongst the best four teams in baseball (NYY, HOU and ATL) since May 10th, and they’re staying 10-games over .500 with starting pitchers Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, Rich Hill, and James Paxton on the injured list, along with relievers Garrett Whitlock, Matt Barnes and Josh Taylor.

Sale has been ramping-up with a four-inning, 52-pitch, four-hit, one-run outing for AA Portland last Thursday. He’ll do another rehab assignment this Wednesday, upping the competition to AAA Worcester.

Notes: Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts sat out today as he recovers from a six-stitch thigh laceration suffered during the series vs. the Chicago Cubs. … Boston’s Nick Pivetta (8-5, ERA 3.23) is scheduled to pitch against Tampa’s lefty Jeffrey Springs (3-2, ERA 2.25) July 5 at 7:10pm at Fenway. … A starter for Boston on Wednesday has yet to be determined while the Rays will throw righty Corey Kluber (3-5, ERA 3.91). … Boston will go on to host the NY Yankees from July 7-10.