icon caret-left icon caret-right instagram pinterest linkedin facebook twitter goodreads question-circle facebook circle twitter circle linkedin circle instagram circle goodreads circle pinterest circle

With NBA Season Over, Let's Enjoy Baseball's Brief Life on Center Stage

I wasn’t rooting for Lebron James and his remarkable young sidekick Kyrie Irving. But I am glad that Cleveland’s long drought without a major sports championship since 1964 is at last over. And who knows? The Indians are definitely a contender in a mediocre AL Central.

Of course, as a confirmed Orioles addict, the AL East has been the race I’m following the most closely. The Birds’ lead is only one game as summer begins but Baltimore just finished a week in which they won three-game series at Boston and at home against Toronto, their two biggest rivals so far in 2016.

The Orioles are winning without any semblance of a consistent starting rotation.
There have been remarkable performances like Chris Tillman’s and rookie Tyler Wilson’s victories in Boston, but there is no assurance that either one will continue
to provide consistent deep-inning performances.

Tillman did improve his record to an impressive 10-1 in winning the rubber match against Toronto, but he only worked five innings, giving up four runs in second inning. All came on on two-run homers to the Blue Jays potent double play combination of Troy Tulowitzki and Devon Travis, both back from stints on the disabled list.

The Blue Jays starting pitching is not exactly overwhelming, but the Birds were fortunate that Toronto’s best starter this season, Marco Estrada, did not work in the recently concluded series.

One thing I’ll say about the 2016 Orioles – they are resilient, the offense can be explosive, and the defense is often extraordinary. The latest example: Reliever Mychal Givens, a converted shortstop, made a remarkable sliding grab and accurate throw on an infield dribbler to preserve the lead in Saturday's 4-2 victory over Toronto.

The loss of Manny Machado to a four-game suspension will hurt, but the return from injury of JJ Hardy to shortstop will definitely help.

The decisions from MLB justice are certainly strange. Machado was bound to be suspended for charging Yordano Ventura after being plunked by a 99 mph fastball. But Ventura in effect was suspended for only one start - he was the instigator and not for the first time.

One thing about baseball - there is always something new and something controversial. Looks like an exciting summer ahead and as always my hope remains that the Orioles will be “playing meaningful games in September” and beyond.

That’s all for now. Always remember: Take it easy but take it!

YIBF (Yours In Baseball Forever), Teny Ymota (The Earl of NY, Your Man On The Aisle)
 Read More 
Be the first to comment

Teny Ymota Says: One Week Into The Season and Already Memories To Cherish!

I just happened to attend the Red Sox-Yankees Friday night game that went 19 innings. My scorebook ran out after 11 innings and since I didn’t feel like starting a new page, I took the escalators downstairs to the giant screen in the new Stadium lobby.

After a long AB, I saw Alex Rodriguez rope a double deep into left-center. His professional at-bats have been one of the highlights of the unsettling early Yankee
season. The crowds have greeted him warmly because I think (a) he paid his dues
finally accepting his year-long suspension and (b) the Yankees need his offense.

I didn’t wait around to see if Alex scored (he didn't) – good decision because a light failure halted the game for 16 minutes just after I left. The game was still going on when I returned home by subway to my Upper West Side abode.

I watched on TV as the Red Sox took two leads in the later extra innings only to have the Yankees answer with solo home runs by Chase Headley and Mark Teixeira.
Wasn’t quite awake when the Red Sox won it on a 19th inning SF by promising rookie Mookie Betts.

Ah the wonder of baseball! The Yankees slept-walked through a Sat afternoon 8-4 loss to the Bosox but then scored 7 runs in the first inning Sunday night on their way to a convincing 14-4 rout of their fierce Northern rivals.

Masahiro Tanaka got the win, pitching 5 not wholly outstanding innings. How long his fraying elbow can stand the stress of big league pitching is anyone’s guess now.

One thing after one week is clear: Toronto at 4-2 is a team to be reckoned with – their rookie pitchers are performing well as are the rookie Canadian-citizen center fielder Dalton Pompey and rookie second baseman Devon Travis - he was obtained in a trade for center fielder Anthony Gose who is one of four Detroit Tigers, 6-0, hitting the cover off the ball.

Should be a wonderful race to watch between Tigers and defending AL champion Kansas City Royals, also off to a 6-0 start. Never thought the Tigers with that questionable bullpen and bench would start so well or for that matter the Braves at 5-1.

But folks it is only one week so let’s keep our shirts still buttoned, OK?

Meanwhile on the Ivy League baseball scene, it could be déjà vu all over again, to quote the incomparable Yogi Berra who turns 90 on May 12. Columbia and Penn are the class of the 8-team league with 10-2 records. Only one can go to the championship series, though, most likely against Dartmouth.

Last year Columbia and Penn split their traditional end-of-April doubleheaders leading to a one-game playoff that Columbia won. It could happen again but no predictions here. Just excitement about the building drama at the end of a much-too-short Ivy League baseball season.

That’s all for now but back to you soon as finally finally finally spring weather has come to NYC and I hope most of the Northeast.

Always remember: Take it easy but take it!

Yours In Baseball Forever, Teny Ymota (The Earl of New York, Your Man On The Aisle)

PS on a cultural note from Your Man On The Aisle, make every effort to see the documentary "Seymour: An Introduction" directed by actor Ethan Hawke. It's about the renowned classical piano teacher Seymour Bernstein and it will brighten your day and deepen your soul.
 Read More 
Be the first to comment