TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | April 7

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – This coming Tuesday at 2pm, the city of Boston will – pretty much – shut down when the Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles in the Sox (home) Opening Day match-up. The game will come after Boston completes a 12-game road trip to begin their season.

The Red Sox will return to Fenway with a winning record but minus their shortstop and No. 3 hitter, Trevor Story, who left Friday’s game against the LA Angels with a dislocated left shoulder. Story was placed on the 10-day DL on Saturday after MRI tests confirmed the injury, suffered when Story dove to field a Mike Trout grounder.

Story, 31, started each of the Red Sox’ first eight games, going 7-for-31 (.226) with four RBI and three walks. The Te Sox.exas native has batted .265 (892-for-3,368) with 177 home runs and 124 stolen bases in 890 career games with the Colorado Rockies (2016-21) and Red Sox (2022-24).

Taking a step back to analyze the 2024 Major League Baseball season, there’s no better way than to turn the keys over to the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball announce team who recently previewed the season in a special media conference call. Participating were play-by-play commentator Karl Ravech, analyst and five-time World Series champion David Cone and popular ESPN analyst Eduardo Pérez.

First, opinions on the Red Sox:

“As a Needham, Mass kid growing up in Boston and knowing how impactful ’04 was and given the success of the Celtics and Bruins and of course the Patriots, the Red Sox have had an opportunity to stay relevant relative to those other teams,” said Ravech to get the call rolling. “For some reason here, this season in particular, they have chosen to stand pat while other teams in the division seemingly have moved past them and the Yankees with what they’ve done and the success that the Orioles and their youth. It would tax me to remember a season, and I am 59 now, going into it where the level of optimism was so low regarding their chances,” added Ravech.

“On the other side of that, to his great credit, (Sox Manager) Alex Cora and the players inside that clubhouse will take the — well, you’ll see – approach. “Let us play it out and see where it goes. But it’s been a very, very interesting play given they brought Craig Breslow in there, and you figure every time there’s a change like that, the purse strings will be let out a little bit. That seems to not have happened.

“It’s a hard one to look at and think that they’re going to finish better than last place. That’s an odd way to go into a summer in New England,” said Ravech.

Perez jumped in: “The one thing about the Red Sox is we’re not used to seeing such a young team on the field. Trevor Story is the oldest position player out there right now at 31 years of age. Everyone else just seems to be 28 or younger.

“Ceddanne Rafaela is going to be an interesting young player to watch. I think you look at first baseman Tristan Casas with the second half of the season that he had last year. I expect him to continue to grow from that and to be that type of impact player at first base.

But it’s going to come down to their defense. You look at their infield, will Devers be able to continue to play at a high level. We know that he can do it offensively. He needs to make those routine plays at third, and then that way you have Story and Rafael Devers on that left side of the infield.

But it’s just a younger team. Even when it comes to the pitching, it’s younger, as well.

Only two guys on the roster 31 years of age or older. I think that’s going to play. But at the same time, it could be a long season for Boston considering that division, the way it’s set up.

But I don’t put anything past Alex Cora. I don’t. Last year I thought it was one of his best years of managing, and look where they finished. It didn’t really impact their standings, yet I thought he managed last year as well as anyone could have managed a team like that in a situation like that.”

What does David Cone think?

“I completely agree with Eduardo,” said Cone. “I think quietly the Red Sox – under the radar – have a good young nucleus brewing there. I think (injured 2B) Vaughn Grissom is going to be a big deal for them. we’ll see how he pans out in Boston to kind of fit into that young nucleus.

“Casas is for real at first base. He’s going to continue to get better. I think he’s a monster. He’s had another good spring. I think he’s poised for a big year.

“Obviously their outfield in Jarren Duran if he can take another big step, and as Eduardo said, Ceddanne Rafaela, what kind of talent he has, if he can take the next step.

“But quietly they have a good position player nucleus,” added Cone. “The pitching side, a little different. Brayan Bello is good. He was kind of anchor the rotation, and the extension they signed him to is a big deal, but losing Giolito was a huge blow for them. They need some veteran presence in that rotation and Giolito was a big blow.

Pitching is going to be tough for them this year, but on the position player side they have a good nucleus potentially brewing.”

Perez believes Manager Alex Cora is the key to the Sox.

“(Alex) loves the fact that his outfield is a lot more athletic with Rafaela at center, Duran at right, and also you have Tyler O’Neill, who’s a Gold Glover in left field in a shorter left field at bat. If he can come into the guy that was a couple years ago in St. Louis, you have a very dynamic outfield at least that can run it back in a way. You’ll be able to get some outs out of that. And then with a young core, as I said earlier, I think it’ll play.

“Alex makes everybody better,” said Perez. “I remember (former Reds Manager) Sparky Anderson one time telling me at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, if you can get the players to get to the ballpark and get to the ballpark to perform, leaving their homes and leaving their families and wanting to be at the ballpark, Alex has that knack.

“He’s got that ability of wanting to get there and being able to see not only him but see the entire core nucleus of the team. That’s a gift. That’s a gift that he has and players love playing for him.

“I think that that’s going to play this year, especially with the young core of guys that they have, and I think the Red Sox fans will enjoy the athleticism that they’re going to provide this year compared to the last couple years as long as they stay healthy.”

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The 2023-24 college basketball season is coming to a close and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced their inductees and honorees.

The gigantic Class of 2024 was announced as the basketball world convened in Phoenix for the Men’s Final Four.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – Class of 2024

North American Committee (in alphabetical order): Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Bo Ryan, Charles Smith

Women’s Committee: Seimone Augustus

Men’s Veteran Committee: Dick Barnett

Women’s Veteran Committee: Harley Redin

International Committee: Michele Timms

Contributors Committee: Doug Collins, Herb Simon, Jerry West

The best players in the collegiate game were recognized on Saturday. Here’s the scoop:

“The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate the best in the game at every level, both men and women,” said John L. Doleva, President of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “The student-athletes who receive our Starting Five Awards are a true reflection of the Hall of Famers for whom the awards are named, both in terms of their character and abilities on the court. We are honored to recognize this remarkable group of people, and we know they will continue to achieve success wherever they go. We honor their accomplishments today and name them the Men’s and Women’s 2024 Naismith Starting Five.”

2024 Men’s Naismith Starting Five:

• Tristen Newton (UConn) – Bob Cousy (Point Guard) Award
• RJ Davis (North Carolina) – Jerry West (Shooting Guard) Award
• Dalton Knecht (Tennessee) – Julius Erving (Small Forward) Award
• Jaedon LeDee (San Diego State) – Karl Malone (Power Forward) Award
• Zach Edey (Purdue) – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Center) Award

2024 Women’s Naismith Starting Five:

• Caitlin Clark (Iowa) – Nancy Lieberman (Point Guard) Award (Three-time winner)
• JuJu Watkins (USC) – Anne Meyers Drysdale (Shooting Guard) Award
• Madison Booker (Texas) – Cheryl Miller (Small Forward) Award
• Kiki Iriafen (Stanford) – Katrina McClain (Power Forward) Award
• Cameron Brink (Stanford) – Lisa Leslie (Center) Award

“To be a three-time recipient of the Nancy Lieberman Award is truly humbling. Being selected as this season’s honoree is special with the number of talented and skilled point guards across the country. One of the pioneers in our sport, I would not be where I am today without Nancy,” said Caitlin Clark, the ‘22, ‘23 and ‘24 Nancy Lieberman Award Winner.

NUGGETS AND TIDBITS: While the focus of the basketball-loving world turned to NCAA March Madness (for both men’s and women’s games), the NBA takes a side step in what is known as the dog days of the season, but each game day is as important as can be as the NBA Playoffs loom closer and closer. … The regular season ends on April 14. The (SoFi) Play-In Tournament goes from April 16-19 and then the full round of NBA Playoffs begin on April 20. … Here are some other key dates for the NBA:

• May 6-7 (possible move-up to May 4-5) – Conference SemiFinals
• May 12 – NBA Draft Lottery (Chicago)
• May 12-19 – NBA Draft Combine
• May 21-22 (possible move-up to May 19-20) – Conference Finals
• June 6 – 23 – NBA Finals
• June 26-27 – NBA Draft
• July 12-22 – NBA Summer League
• July 27 – August 10 – Men’s Basketball at the Paris Olympic Games
• July 28 – August 11 – Women’s Basketball at the Paris Olympic Games

BIG NUMBERS: With all the well deserved hype and attention focused on women’s basketball this season, it might sound trite to say that the 2024 Women’s Final Four might go down as the most important event in the history of women’s sports. Many might cite the 1973 Battle of the Sexes Super Match between tennis Hall of Famers Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs as the most important milestone for women in sports. Back in ‘73, the 29-year old King dashed the 55-year old former Wimbledon and U.S. Championship (now US Open) title holder in straight sets (6-4, 6-3, 6-3) to earn a $100,000 ‘winner-take-all’ prize.

While that tennis challenge was a one-time gimmick, and a well orchestrated gimmick at that, the overall impact was minimal. The fact was that women’s tennis was well on its way to the upper echelon of sports because of the likes of King, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong and the incredibly popular Chris Evert. By 1975, one of the greatest rivalries in sports history was created when Martina Navratilova and Evert began a 14-year run of Grand Slam tournament battles which captured the attention of a truly global audience.

This year, the impact and all-around skills of Caitlin Clark brought millions of fans and curious television viewers to plug into the sport of women’s hoops.

The question remains: Can Clark bring those fans with her when she joins the WNBA this summer? The WNBA has been around since 1997 and it’s enjoyed success over the years, joining tennis and the LPGA golf circuit as highly engaging sports properties. But, can Clark keep the incredible momentum flowing and bring millions of fans to the TV screen for the pro game and, maybe, the Summer Olympics?

Clark is not on the current USAWNT roster but can be added by USA Basketball at any time. Clark has participated before, winning MVP honors while representing the USA at the 2021 U-19 World Championship.

SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE: While all the hype of college hoops and the all-time great TV ratings brought on by Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes team, the NBA can still state the claim to be supreme in the area of player social media popularity. Take a look:

When USA Basketball was planning the season long tour for the 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team (coming on the amazing success and global popularity of the incredible ‘92 USA Basketball Dream Team, the NBA marketing team working on behalf of USA Basketball was looking for a catchy team moniker for the USA Women.

Ahem, yours truly stepped in and suggested the “Supreme Team,” with thoughts that we could clear some great Motown tunes of Diana Ross and The Supremes and just run with it. No dice. The idea was shot down by the ultra-conservative muckety-mucks (Thanks Tara) as being a bit too much and risking embarrassment if the USA Women fell short. Well, as we know the USA Women went (8-0) in the ‘96 Atlanta Olympic Games, winning the gold and being tagged as the greatest team in women’s sports history. Combining the Olympics with the tune-up tour the national team took part in leading into the ‘96 Games, the club went 95-0.

Beyond Supreme.

ESPN blew it, too, as they tagged their 30-for-30 documentary, “Dream On,” a great son by Aerosmith, but it was about an aging star – halfway through life or further – knowing the fact the good Lord would soon take the man in the mirror away.

The USA BASKETBALL “Supreme Team” would’ve lived on in infamy.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: There’s always been something about the Chicago Cubs that this columnist admires. Long before first setting foot in Wrigley Field on an off-day of an NBA Playoff series, and later partying with friends on a Rooftop in Right Field, I watched the Cubs and Mets do battle for the National League pennant. I truly admired Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Fergy Jenkins, among others, but wasn’t too fond of manager Leo Durocher until someone at Shea Stadium tossed a “Black Cat” in his path right in front of the visiting dugout at Shea and the Mets outlasted the Cubs to clinch a place in the 1969 World Series.

Like the Metsies, Red Sox, the Cubbies were the Lonesome Losers, the Lovable Losers, the Frustrating as Hell Losers. We loved them all the same.

Folk singer and songwriter in Chicago’s own Steve Goodman wrote about his love for the Cubs in a sad and terribly introspective song as he stared down a terminal Leukemia diagnosis. This song was his memorial tribute:

This song was Steve Goodman’s claim to well-deserved fame as a legend in Chicago:

It’s performed by the great Arlo Guthrie.

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.