Andy B Sports

While the National League has 3 division leaders with at least 4 and a half game leads the American League has no divisional leader with more than a 3 game lead.

The New York Yankees lead in the AL East has been reduced to two games and they were somewhat lucky to have any lead as they won only the middle game of a 3 game home series vs the Baltimore Orioles, who were 100 to 1 underdogs to win the division at the beginning of the season. A bases loaded walk drawn by Derek Jeter, the Yankees’ 17 year veteran, who has played on 5 World Series winners was the key play in the lone Yankees’ win vs Baltimore. The Tampa Rays are 3 and a half games behind.

Last week I wrote that the Detroit Tigers were over rated and when they lost 3 games during the week at the Kansas City Royals it seemed there would be no need to retract the statement. However, after sweeping the Chicago White Sox at home, the Tigers and White Sox are tied for first place in the A.L. Central. The Orioles won 3 of 4 at home vs the White Sox while Detroit lost 3 at Kansas City keeping Detroit within striking distance.

The Texas Rangers’ lead has been cut to just 3 games in the AL West. Texas won 2 of 3 vs Tampa Bay and in Cleveland but the Oakland A’s, another big surprise team, have won nine straight games and swept in Cleveland vs the Indians and at home vs the Boston Red Sox, who have lost six straight games. Thus Oakland is only three games out of first place. The A’s lead the Orioles by 2 games for the top wild card spot while Tampa is one and a half games behind Baltimore. Both the Tigers and White Sox have records that leave them 2 out in the wild card race. The Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels despite a (5-1) week are three and a half games out of playoff qualification. There are also 4 teams ahead of them at this point.

The three National League division leaders have nice leads as Labor Day has arrived. The wild card leader has a decent lead after a dramatic win capped by a game winning 3 run home run by a long time star. A closer look follows.

The Cincinnati Reds have opened a 9 and a half game lead in the NL Central which means that very, very likely Reds’ manager Dusty Baker will manage a 3rd different franchise to a first place finish. Previously Baker managed both the Giants and Cubs to one eighth division titles meaning the first place finish meant qualification in the 8 team baseball tournament which started in 1995. The Braves beat out Baker’s Giants in the last real division/pennant race in 1993 which was Baker’s first year as a major league manager.

The next biggest lead is 6 and a half games which is the lead for the Washington Nationals in the NL East. The Nationals are managed by Davey Johnson, who if the lead holds up will be managing a 4th different team to a first place finish. Previously, Johnson managed the Mets to two “one quarter” divisional titles and guided the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds to one eighth divisional wins.

The San Francisco Giants, who ended a 56 year World Series Title drought two years ago have a four and a half game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. The Giants won 5 out of 6 on the road in the past week albeit against two poor teams the woeful Astros, whom the Giants swept and the Chicago Cubs.

The Atlanta Braves rode a 2 out game ending 3 run home run from Chipper Jones, their long time star, rallying for 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Phillies (8-7) and avoid a 3 game sweep. Atlanta has a 3 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the top wild card berth and a 3 and a half game lead over the Dodgers for playoff qualification. The Pirates, who were swept in Milwaukee by the Brewers are one and a half games behind in the race for playoff qualification.

I wonder how many times a female lead actress has played a character with the same name as one her male co star played in a previous role. That and other great synergy between Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones takes place in “Hope Springs,” a romantic comedy about a married couple and their attempts to spruce up their marriage.

Their marriage has some problems in the romance department. Their gifts for each other are impersonal, they sleep in separate rooms and sex between them has not manifested in any of the rooms in quite a while. The sympathetic but determined Kay played by Ms. Streep is determined to change that. Enduring the loud, “volume turned up” first few words, she becomes interested in a therapist’s course in intimacy within a marriage. The course teacher is played by the improving and recently low key, Steve Carell. (Do see Carell in “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.”)

Sadly, I rarely laugh out loud but that is my problem. The audience at times laughed so loud as to drown out the dialogue. Given its context, loud laughter was appropriate and I’ll wait for the DVD. Yes, I would see “Hope Springs” again as Streep and Jones do take a relatively realistic look at all that many do, instead of actively loving the one who is there, and has been there. It works out pretty well.

By the way Streep as stated is Kay in “Hope Springs” and Mr. Jones played “K,” officially Agent “K,” in “Men in Black.”  In “Men in Black,” Jones’ “K” goes home to the wife he has missed for so many years while protecting the earth.  In “Hope Springs” Jones’ “Arnold” is helped to understand what he has each day with his wife.

None of the current champions in the 4 major team sports have ever repeated as champions in the following season. Only two other “quartet of champions” has yet to have even one of that quartet repeat as champions at any time in their history. Those other times were 1969-1970 and 2002-2003 (all seasons are counted that way with baseball and football as the year most of it was played which is the earlier year, while basketball and hockey have more action and its playoffs in the later year.) Thus the current champions (St.Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Kings) comprise the 2011-2012 season. This includes every season from 1946-1947, (the first year of the NBA, the youngest of the 4 leagues) until the present. More succinctly; of the 66 years with the 4 leagues in operation only in 1969-1970, 2002-2003 and 2011-2012 were there 4 league champions, none of whom have ever repeated as league champion in their history.

The St.Louis Cardinals and New York Giants, the current baseball and football title holders each won it all in 1934. The Cardinals’ Joe “Ducky” Medwick was pelted with garbage and the Giants used sneakers to gain the advantage in the teams’ respective  final victories. Neither repeated as champion in 1935 nor any time in each franchise’s storied history. Only the Yankees have more World Series wins than the Cardinals but after the previous 10 Cards’ titles, there was no repeat title. That includes volatile 1968 when America suffered myriad tragedies and the Detroit Tigers with Mickey Lolich winning 3 series games, overcame a (3-1) World Series deficit to beat the Cardinals. The Cardinals also lost in the World Series trying to repeat as champion in 1943.

The Giants have won 6 previous NFL Titles and never repeated as champion in the following season. Twice in 1935 and 1939 they lost in the championship game in a bid to repeat as champion. The Miami Heat have but one previous title and failed to repeat while this is the first title for the Los Angeles Kings.

The 4 (1969-1970) champions all of whom have never repeated as league champions were the New York Mets, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Knicks and Boston Bruins. The teams have combined for only 4 titles in the over 40 years since. The Kansas City Chiefs have not even made the finals since their (1969-1970) title. Kansas City gained the title as “double digit” underdogs vs the Minnesota Vikings in the 4th Super Bowl (that was the first of 4 Super losses for Minnesota and they have never won one) which was the last game for an AFL team.

The 4 (2002-2003) champions, all of whom have never repeated as league champions were the Anaheim Angels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ,San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Devils. Since that season, the Spurs have won 2 titles and none of the other teams has won any. The Devils’ finals loss this past season was the only finals appearance other than the Spurs’ 2 titles for that quartet of teams since 2002-2003.

The Washington Nationals, despite having lost 4 games in a row, still have a 4 and a half game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. The Philadelphia Phillies, who will miss the post season for the first time since 2006 did sweep Washington in a 3 game weekend series in Philadelphia. However, it is far too little and far too late for the Phillies. The Braves have a 2 and a half game lead for the higher wild card and a 4 game lead for playoff qualification.

Though the NL Central story in the past week were the World Champion, St. Louis Cardinals (more on them in a bit) the Cincinnati Reds still have an “until further notice” sign as very likely division winners. They lead the Cardinals by 6 games. Now St.Louis did go (5-1) this past week, first sweeping the woeful (40-88) Astros and then winning 2 of 3 games in Cincinnati. The results give the Cardinals a one and a half  game lead for the 2nd wild card spot. Of course, last year the Cardinals as the NL wild card went on to win their 11th World title. The Pirates are 2 games out in the wild card race and have fallen 8 games behind Cincinnati in the division.

The Giants swept a 3 game series in Los Angeles and still have a 2 game lead over the Dodgers. However, while the Dodgers have added such players as Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez, the Giants lost All Star Game MVP Melky Cabrera so which team is more likely to win the division? The Dodgers are also one and a half games behind the Cardinals in the wild card race.

Even though the Tampa Bay Rays won 14 of 19 and allowed but 67 runs in 33 games at one point, it is still the New York Yankees leading the AL East by 4 games. Both the Rays (one half game ahead) and Baltimore Orioles (tied with the Oakland A’s ) are slightly ahead or tied in the race for one of the 2 wild card berths in the American League.

The Chicago White Sox, though considered co-favorites with the over rated Detroit Tigers, lead the AL Central by two and a half games. This past week, the White Sox swept a 3 game series at home from the Yankees for the first time in 21 years. Detroit is also very much in the middle of the wild card race, just a half game behind Baltimore and Oakland.

Out West, it is likely it will be the 2 time AL Champion Texas Rangers going virtually “wire to wire” to win a 3rd straight divisional title. Texas has a five and a half game lead. The Oakland A’s after a (4-2) week are as stated above, in the wild card scramble. I am not ready to count out the Los Angeles/Anaheim Angels but they are a disappointing nine and a half games behind Texas and 4 out in the wild card race that will be among at least 4 other teams with two spots available.

If you are looking for a real surprising, wonderful “sleeper” of a show, look no further than “National Pastime,” which is playing at the Peter Jay Sharp theater. The play was written by Tony Sportiello with music and lyrics  by Al Tapper. National Pastime is humorous with wonderful musical selections.

Times are tough in 1933 Iowa but WZBQ station manager Barry (Gil Brady) wants to keep going especially with people’s jobs dependent upon it. He teams with an at first, reluctant co-owner (Karen), played by the stunning Janice Landry, and devises a scheme to increase revenue. Baseball is the answer but how they do it is the question that sustains a plot that produces laughter and genuine emotions.

I remember 5 names from the team’s lineup and I wonder if Mr.Sportiello named them and their positions with some homage to actual major league players. One would think such names and positions as Weiss at shortstop (Walt Weiss ) and Lowenstein in left field (John Lowenstein ) were no coincidence. Continuing in a Baltimore Orioles vein, Hendricks or Hendrix is the catcher. Conceivably, this is in memory of good catcher Elrod Hendricks and not superb guitarist Jimmy Hendrix, (both men gone too soon with varying degrees of impact on our culture.) More common names, Miller in center field (Rick for sure, perhaps Bing?) and Sanders in right field evoking Reggie Sanders are more likely to be coincidence.

I truly enjoyed National Pastime for its likeness and legitimate simulation of the year 1933 and a radio station in that time. It brought out wonderful music, humor and some baseball. I suggest seeing it and I hope the play gains more publicity and a bigger spot. It certainly is good enough to warrant such progression and National Pastime just may do so.

Playing two different men at opposite ends of the wealth ladder on two great shows is a distinct memory I have of the great character actor William Windom, who died at age 88 on August 16th (there is that date again, see 35 Years since Elvis died August 16th).

On the greatest and certainly the most groundbreaking television series in this country, “All in the Family,” Windom is an Army buddy of  “Archie Bunker” and has made a great financial success of himself. However, while being lauded by Archie and other “Army buddies,” it is revealed that Windom’s “Eddie Frazier” not only does not think much of the guys but is terribly hurt because his son does not want him in his life. When Rob Reiner’s “Mike Stivic” asks what does your son want from you? Windom delivers “He wants me to leave him alone,” providing the pathos that made “All in the Family” the great show that still endures in reruns and remains highly relevant over 40 years later.

On “Dallas,” Windom as a down and out man is seeking money from the very rich “Jock Ewing.”  It is Windom’s “Amos Krebbs” who tells “Jock” that he is “Ray Krebbs'” father. After a terse conversation with Jim Davis’ “Jock,” the down and out Krebbs leaves the revealing diary of Ray’s mother with Jock. This he thinks will help his chances of getting money. Windom leaves by saying “you will take care of the check.” The check was just for 2 coffees at a diner near “Jock’s” workplace. The effect was tremendous. So many different times in almost countless roles, Windom delivered what was needed.

It had been a long while since I had dinner at the famous Carnegie Delicatessen located on 7th avenue at 55th street in Manhattan. It is still a great, albeit, slightly expensive place to visit. The food is beyond great.

I savored a pastrami sandwich (no nickname) and it was big and delicious. Two people ordered the “Woody Allen” which is a combination sandwich consisting of pastrami and corned beef. The reviews were excellent. One other person; a younger, growing football player could not come close to finishing the open brisket sandwich that he ordered. He loved it and took it home as at did 3 of the 4 men at the table.

Once there was a time I went to the “Carnegie” and ate late and unhealthy well past midnight. Celebrities were there, so many of them pictured on the walls of the Carnegie Delicatessen right now. Those times are likely gone for me, but young or old, go in early or late and “mangia” as we say in French. (laugh?) The food is still incredible, the portions huge and the atmosphere great.

There will be less editorializing and more baseball in our American League review. The New York Yankees had a (5-2) week playing at home vs the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox. They maintained a 5 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, who also went (5-2) with one loss a perfect game pitched by the Seattle Mariners’ Felix Hernandez. The Rays bounced back and swept the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a 4 game series in Anaheim.

By the way, the Angels were once the Los Angeles Angels then the California Angels while the Rays were once the Devil Rays. The Angels, a preseason “darling,” have fallen 9 games behind Texas and 4 games (5 in the loss column) behind the Oakland A’s in their division.

As with the N.L. West, no significant lead in the A.L. Central but likely the winner will be the three seed in the A.L. tournament, ahem, playoffs. Starting the week the Chicago White Sox, just swept by the lowly Kansas City Royals, lead the big preseason division favorite Detroit Tigers by one and a half games.