What a difference in attitude toward a long, one sided game displayed by complaining John “Superstar” Sterling and Suzyn Waldman whose team was winning and that of Indians’ announcer Tom Hamilton, the team on the short end of the (13-7) score.
Sterling and Waldman were moaning the game would not end, citing the number of pitches thrown by Indians’ middle relief pitchers.
Sure there is an early game the next day/today, but it is 1 p.m. not 5 a.m. and as I drove home in traffic, I thought Sterling and especially Waldman, who really paid few “dues,” to get a job many can only dream about, should ponder those who have to dig ditches and such for a living.
Meanwhile Hamilton, again his team was losing and by the way whose lead is again down to two games in the A.L. Central, extolled the professionalism of home plate umpire Dale Scott, who let the game play out, not calling close pitches that were balls, strikes, to get everyone home earlier.
I believe pretty soon I will be “blowing taps” in regard to the 2016 Kansas City Royals.
However, before doing so, and maybe but it is doubtful, they will stay in contention, let’s recall they are current baseball champions, one of three titles won by Kansas City major sports league teams.
The Royals also won the World Series 30 years earlier than their 2015 such victory.
That team included George Brett, Frank White and Hal McRae, all of whom were with K.C. for at least a 10 year period from (1976-1985) that saw the Royals win 6 legitimate division titles, 2 pennants (going 2-4 in ALCS play, (1-3) vs the New York Yankees) and finally the World Series in 1985.
One accomplishment achieved by the “Chi” Cubs thus far this season, is a sweep of the regular season home games, vs teams linked in some way, to their brutal 2003 NLCS defeat at the hands of the Florida Marlins.
They just won all 3 vs the now Miami Marlins, but they are of course, the Florida Marlins franchise.
Earlier this season, the Cubs won all 4 regular season home games vs the Washington Nationals.
Why are the Nationals germain to this discussion of the 2003 NLCS, you ask?
They are managed by the 2003 Cubs manager, a great regular season manager, Dusty Baker.
In the 2003 NLCS, the then Florida Marlins staged a great comeback in the series down 3 games to 1, and specifically in game 6, down 3 runs in the eighth inning, and denied the Chicago Cubs their first National League pennant in 58 years.
Maybe this year, now 71 years later, the N.L. top ranked Chicago Cubs will win the pennant.
That will be determined in an essentially unfair baseball tournament, beginning around October and the only thing fairly certain is the “Emperor” Joe Buck will preside at the NLCS.
Not really caring about the Olympics and at least once loving baseball, and loving it far more with Bob Costas “presiding,” I ask can’t we send Buck to Rio for the Olympics and have Costas, perhaps at Wrigley Field, for the NLCS?!
In addition to it being a great photo of the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor, there is a somewhat even very cryptic reason for its placement in this post. Tune or check in 2 days hence and I will reveal all, likely with some vitorol and surely regret.
For now, have fun with this mystery. Big clue? Ms. Taylor is presenting an Academy Award for best picture.
Yesterday the Cleveland Indians salvaged one game of their 4 game series at home vs the last place Minnesota Twins.
Meanwhile the Chicago White Sox won in Detroit ending the Tigers’ 8 game win skein.
Thus Cleveland goes into this weekend which finds the two A.L. Central teams facing the New York teams, who just split a 4 game home and home series, with a 3 game lead.
Cleveland visits the Yankees while the Mets, despite mediocre, at best, play just one game out of tournament qualification, visit Detroit.
Of course now that I am doing so far too early this 4th day of August, there will be twists in the opposite direction, but it is extremely likely the Dusty Baker managed Washington Nationals will bring at least a one eighth divisional crown to the nation’s capital this season.
Their current lead is 7 games over the Don “Seems to always find the losing dugout in the most important games,” Mattingly managed Miami Marlins and eight and a half over the New York Mets.
If Baker and the Nationals go on to finish first, I believe Baker would become the first manager to finish first, albeit one eighth not even one quarter titles, with four different teams/franchises.
Disputing But Posting David Schoenfeld’s Claim That Carlos Beltran Is A Hall Of Fame Baseball Player
In my not so humble opinion Carlos Beltran is not that close to being a Hall of Fame player. Yet I will copy Mr. Schoenfeld’s opinion that he is.
I truly believe one can write or report the era of baseball in which Beltran has played, to this point, continually leaving just before or arriving just after said teams win World Series crowns, without citing Carlos Beltran.
Beltran is a fine player but again in my opinion not even close to being as good as say Vada Pinson and Minnie Minoso, two who will never even be considered for “Hall” status.
Throw in Dwight Evans for sure and damn well better believe Bill Buckner was a better hitter. Anyway here is Schoenfeld’s version and by the way, Beltran traded from the unlikely post season entrant, New york Yankees to the very likely playoff entrant, Texas Rangers likely does get another chance for a title this season.
The words below calling Beltran a Hall of Fame player.
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior Writer
With his home run tonight, Carlos Beltran reached 1,500 career runs, to go with 1,508 career RBIs. He’s one of just 37 players to reach both milestones. He’s been a Gold Glove center fielder. He’s been one of the most efficient basestealers (311 SB, 49 CS). He’s been great in the postseason. Sounds like a Hall of Famer to me.
Minnie Minoso, pictured above.
Perhaps a review of past Cleveland sports titles, (there have been 7 including the current NBA champion Cavaliers), will brighten the scene in that city, whose 2016 Indians’ A.L. Central lead has shrunk to 2 games.
Some of the greatest players in their sports, Otto Graham, Tris Speaker and LeBron James (memo to Jim Brown is your number active?) to name three really four, were on Cleveland championship teams.
The Graham led Browns with the great coach Paul Brown and runner Marion Motley among the team’s Hall of Fame players, were easily the best Cleveland team and one of the best non dynasty/glory teams ever.
In fact those Browns, who also won all four All American Football Conference crowns from (1946-1949), are an all-time team, which won conference titles in their first 6 NFL seasons and NFL titles on half (3) those occasions.
The great Tris Speaker, pictured above, was the player manager of the 1920 Cleveland team, one of the two Cleveland World Series winning teams. The other, the 1948 team also had a player manager, Lou Boudreau.
In fact, the Chicago Cubs, the only team that has gone longer than the Indians sans a World Series victory, (40 years longer since 1908), has also never won a World Series sans having a player manager.
Frank Chance was the player manager on both Cubs’ World Series winners, in 1907 and 1908.
Finishing the Pittsburgh title history, that in addition to the Steelers’ 6 Super Bowl wins, I start with the baseball Pittsburgh Pirates.
They won World Series in 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971 and 1979.
Certainly performances by Pirates’ greats Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell in World Series victories in 1971 and 1979 respectively are treasured memories for “Buccos” fans.
The current NHL champions have won 4 titles, two each with greats Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby leading the way.
Suddenly as often happens in baseball races, the A.L. Central crown would seem up for grabs as the Detroit Tigers have closed to within 3 games of the front running Cleveland Indians.
Virtually coinciding with the final two wins that lifted the NBA Cavaliers to Cleveland’s first sports crown since Dr. Frank Ryan found Gary Collins for 3 touchdowns in the old Browns’ (27-0) 1964 title game win vs the Baltimore Colts, the Indians began a 14 game win skein in June and led the division by what seemed a comfortable margin at one point.
Now the Tigers are “streaking” and perhaps the Indians, sans a title since 1948 need David Niven to quash the action, as he did after another kind of “streaking” occurred at the 1974 Academy Awards.
I still say, perhaps finding the great Mr. Niven near “Wuthering Heights,” where he was a “heavy” to the great, star crossed lovers played by Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, the Indians will stay ahead of the Tigers.
Andy B Sports 